Saying that “keeping a brain-dead patient alive on ventilator is torture,” the Bench sought the Centre’s response within a fortnight on the plea for legalizing ‘Living Will,’ in which a person, when in sound mind and good health, records his wish that he should not be kept alive on ventilators if doctors at any stage of his life opine that he cannot be kept alive without life support system. Brain-dead means dead, even if the heart is beating due to life-support systems. (Interestingly, one of the means to establish brain-death is by the Doll’s Eye movement where the eyes remain fixed when the head is turned from side to side.)

Euthanasia has been defined as the deliberate ending of life to relieve suffering. It is sometimes derisively called therapeutic homicide. Euthanasia is classified into four types.

Provided you are one of the lucky ones who are able to locate a so-called craftsman to get any job done ‘professionally’, then it is a 100 to 1 wager that at the end of the ‘work’ you would find yourself resembling the person in the above image, because, in the present day and age you are expected to accept unquestioningly the third-rate end-product presented to you. Ham-handedness, high-handedness, extreme ineptitude, rudeness and an unspoken superior air of “Don’t teach me my work. I know better than you” would most probably assail you if you deigned to so much as criticize the shoddiness of the end-product. ‘Take it or leave it’ is the attitude. Of course, you have to take it, and to pay for the job as well. Pay up and smile, or else…

Shaken and stirred, Kolkata did not experience an earthquake on 4 January 2016. No earthquake was recorded on the two digital seismographs in Alipur Met. Dept. If you were bounced out of your slumber then your first impressions would have been correct that your partner, siblings or children had tossed and turned causing the bed to shudder violently.

For the record, it has to be pointed out here that both the digital seismographs in Alipur were not working (for heaven only knows how long), and the usual explanations/excuses were trotted out: technical/technicians’ delays, this, that or the other reason the machines could not be fixed are supplied to the citizens. Being grateful for small mercies, we are expected to wait indefinitely until all the stops are put in place and we can get information. We are, of course, the ruminating cattle to be ignored, for why do we need information that is the prerogative of those who matter?

Whilst the source of the quote that the next big wars will be fought over water is unclear, the basic fact remains: 783 million people across the globe have no access to clean drinking water, of which the poor are the main sufferers.

Apart from water woes, the present wars are, with little doubt, being fought over oil, a greatly diminished source of energy and one sought to be monopolised by the rich and powerful countries. The study of Geosciences will help tap new sources of these precious commodities that are in ever-dwindling supply.

No imported lights can vie with the beauty of the traditional diyas lighted on Deepavali. Deepavali, a Sanskrit word, is the conjunction of the words deepa meaning light and aavali, meaning arrays. It can be construed that Deepavali is a festival consisting of arrays of lights, and that is as it should be. Every home should sparkle with the radiant hues of deepas or lamps, in order to welcome Goddess Lakshmi (who is the goddess of prosperity). It is believed that the Goddess enters and bestows wealth upon the homes that are most welcoming and brightest, and hence efforts are made days in advance to scour and burnish homes.

Yes, we have malls. We have huge, glittering and perfumed malls. We have branded stuff, imported stuff, well-stocked shelves, fountains, food courts, etc. We have well-dressed salesmen and saleswomen. We have the ‘glitterati’ and the well-heeled frequenting these malls, ooh-ing and aah-ing over the merchandise on offer. We have the jeans with huge, threadbare gashes that are so in vogue and command a huge price, which leave the common man wondering why anyone in their right senses would pay through the nose for torn clothes of the kind that mothers would love to exchange with the bartanwali for a steel utensil. But then, there is no accounting for the herd mentality, and to differ from the herd is unthinkable. (“They are soooooo middle-class!”). You will find clothes with labels of this, that or the other House of Fashion. The same could possibly be located in any pavement stall at a fraction of the price. But, of course, you will be told that “this is branded and so, so cheap”! Also, look for the 95% who are mere window-shoppers here and who eventually gravitate sheepishly towards the vegetable and perishables section because the ‘offers’ in the other section are way beyond their budget.

Page 3 in most newspapers are full of images and articles about film stars and celebrities observing Karva Chauth, and now that Diwali is almost here we will be inundated with even more images and articles on how these favored ones will celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones.

What has been touted as ‘The tallest Durga in the world’ has been brought down to size on Maha Panchami, leaving all, except possibly, the organizers, liberally red-faced. A stampede occurred (described by the media as ‘a near-stampede’—what is the difference, we wonder?) that injured many, including women and children, which could have proved fatal, and which exposed the massive inadequacies, incompetence and insensibility of those appointed for the purpose of ‘crowd control.’ Apart from what is euphemistically called ‘the blame game’ it was impossible to find even a word of sympathy for the victims of callousness/carelessness, whichever word suits the vacuum of apathy. Can we expect doles for these victims also from the Government or from the organizers who still hope for the police to rescind their withdrawal of permission to hold the Puja? Did the organizers wish to revert to worship, or to milk the commercial rewards resulting from the multitudes visiting the various stalls offering food, drink and other items of merchandise. Well, the Goddess willed otherwise. And, as usual, it is the underlings who will eventually bear the brunt of the higher-ups. After proper ‘enquiry’.

The sweet music sounded by the Pied Pipers of foreign universities attracts hordes of Indian students towards the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This exodus to foreign shores for the purpose of education is no doubt good, but, what is the percentage of those who return to serve their homeland, India? The Hon’ble Prime Minister optimistically refers to it as ‘Brain Gain.’ It will be interesting to see if his optimism is rewarded.

Look around you. Chances are that three out of four persons will be glued to their cell phones. Pacing corridors, treading footpaths, in public transport, parks and public spaces – they are all over the place. Whispered conversations by the youth give us an inkling of the person at the other end.Loud conversations, which at times seem like a major battle going on makes you wonder why they are using a phone at all. Possibly, the person called will hear them without the use of the instrument. WhatsApping has added another dimension, and communication has never been so easy for the transfer of data, music, pictures and videos. But beware. “Walk and Talk” has taken a toll of many lives. Become aware of your surroundings and of traffic. Use your phone by all means, but use it intelligently. It can be a boon instead of a bane.

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