Ramblings of a Lifelong Learner

Ramblings of a Lifelong Learner

When my daughter commented, after examining the things I brought from vegetable market, that I had bought lime and not lemon, I learnt the difference between the two. She wanted fully ripe fruit and what I purchased was raw ones, good for pickles. Though I am 76, it is no age to cease learning: it had to happen at that moment. That’s it.

My father was a good English teacher. He used to comment that I was capable of making four spelling errors in a word of three letters – by adding an extra letter to it. How to make six spelling mistakes in a word of five letters? cycle --> saikel

I am very poor in mathematics – arithmetic, to be specific. Fortunately, in a mathematics exam, even if you make mistakes in many steps in solving a question, if the final answer is incorrect, it is taken as only one mistake and you are penalized just once by not getting any marks for it.

This reminds me of a Tamil Teacher’s experience. In good old days, Englishmen, who were posted as collectors, were required to exhibit (not acquire) certain minimum knowledge of the local language of the region they were posted in. Home tutors were engaged who had to certify in this regard. Once, a teacher asked such a student to write the Tamil word for cow. The student wrote ‘aadu’ in Tamil while the correct answer is ‘maadu’. The teacher gave 50% marks and passed him.

The essential thing to note here is that almost everyone with above average intelligence keeps learning something or the other all the time. Learning need not be formal. It may be just experience based. The newly wedded husband learns quickly when and where to keep his mouth shut. The wife learns how to hide her true feelings and to fake orgasm. Employee learns how to smile at silly jokes of his boss. Let me stop trivializing the concept of Lifelong Learning. It is a lot more than what I am  blabbering here. If I can fool Google to index my blog post under Lifelong learning, I have achieved my goal.

INFORMATION: AN Analysis of the Word from Information Scientist's point of view

INFORMATION: An Analysis of the word from Information Scientist’s point of View 

By Dr P Vyasamoorthy

The Word ‘Information’ has fascinated me for a long time than any other word. This may be because I chose to become an Information Scientist as early as 1966, when most people did not know anything about this profession. During the course on my long tenure I had to give lectures relating to Library & information science students and librarians. During such lecturers, my favorite “time-filler” is the following piece on the word Information itself.

An Information Scientist produces, procures, processes and provides relevant information to specified groups of users, speedily at optimum cost.

The Word Information tells several things to the Information Scientist (=IS for short). There are many words within it like: In, for, at, on, form etc. In fact, there are fifteen, as far as I could count. Let us look at each of them by turn.

The IS should give information IN the language known to the user. The document you have may be in a language not familiar to user. This calls for translation, transliteration and interpretation. Why transliteration you may ask. I know Telugu – only to understand when it is spoken – can not read or write. If a piece of text is transliterated into English, I can read it out and understand.

The IS should offer information FOR a specific purpose, use, need etc. He must know why it is being asked. Knowing why helps him tailor the answer. If the info is for an exam, even bazaar notes might be enough! If it is for a writing a scholarly article authenticated, credible info is required.

The IS should give information in the FORM or FORMAT best suited to the customer. This may involve reducing the information procured into some table, chart etc. Tables, figures, charts are better than mere text. If the user is expert he may be satisfied with text itself and may not go for simplification of presentation.

The user may require information AT a specified place or AT a specified cost. May be he wants the info to be delivered to his desktop via computer network or he only wants a paper print couriered to his branch office where he would look it up. He might place restrictions on cost of supply. Info may be required AT (or before) a specified time: A student needs it before examinations. A teacher needs it before taking classes.

The word OR in Information indicates substitute or surrogate or alternate ways in which the users needs may be fulfilled. For instance, a news item on a topic can be sourced from many newspapers and the user may be interested in just the news per-se and not bother about your getting it from The Hindu or Economic Times. If his needs are comprehensive then many newspaper items need to be read for removal of duplicate info.

The word ION indicates that information is ionic in nature. Like an ion (chemistry) it is unstable. An ion accepts or releases and electron and becomes stable. Similarly only when it is put to use or acted upon, it gets stabilized in the user. It is the duty of the IS to provide therefore usable, useful and actionable information. ION also signifies nascency or newness. Many prefer new or just produced info.

Obviously the IS always looks for information ON a specific topic, ON a specific application etc. This aspect is so important that it is always implied and intrinsic when the IS searches for information for a customer. Which reference librarian has not heard: “I want information ON ….”

INFORM is a verb denoting that the job of IS consists of dissemination, distribution, broadcast or dissipation of information after gathering and processing it to suit the user.

This is one of the most active steps in Information usage cycle. The job of the IS is not complete if he does not push info on to his clients.

Leading all other words, the word I is at the very beginning of all others.  ‘I’ denotes self and Ego. The IS must have enough sense of pride in himself and realize that the job that he is doing fulfills an important gap in societal needs. Unless impelled by Ego-satisfaction, no useful job can be completed.

FORMATION indicates arrangement of things or organization of items etc in desirable ways.  After gathering information, it has to be re-arranged or re-grouped in some proper order depending upon user’s requirements.

There is a queer word FORMA**. This means informal, not much serious etc. The user may not be very serious in knowing everything on the topic or  may be. Find out his intent and serve him accordingly. 

Least of all the words in Information, you might think is MAT. However to my mind MAT symbolizes simplicity, as the commoner’s sleeping accessory is MAT. To sleep when you are tired you do not need sophisticated Cot, pillows, and cushions – a simple mat or mattress will do. Similarly when a user wants info, do not flood him with lots of info. Keep it simple, short and to the point – bare minimum. Just like MAT satisfies sleeping requirements in dire needs.

INFO, though an abbreviation of the word Information, has its own existence as a word too.  INFO is something that is delivered and understood by a person that eliminates or reduces uncertainty. IS has to ensure that this quality has to be kept in mind while hunting for information.

Finally we should not forget that INFORMATION itself is THE word that governs every aspect of the life of an IS. It is, like god: omnipresent – available everywhere, omniscient -  accompanies wise people and omnipotent – makes the possessor very powerful.. If properly put to use, with the help of IS, reader can reach GOD!! Well, that at least is my firm belief.

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** added due to courtesy Prof V Seshadri !

Thodu-Needa is eight years old

THODU NEEDA

Thodu Needa, an organisation meant for bringing lonely senior citizens together either through marriage or through live-in arrangements or just taking part in week long yatras and outings, is now eight years old. It was started by MN Rajeshwari, a retired teacher who had lost her husband. Mr Rajesh of HelpAge helped her get started by getting the NGO registered and by offering publicity and helping her get noticed by public and the press. Initially she faced a lot of criticism as the idea was new, revolutionary and unacceptable to many. And an initiative coming from a single woman was unthinkable. Despite all troubles she stood firm, conducted a number of get together for interested seniors, facilitated  their marriage, provided a home for companionship living etc. She received thereafter encouragement from many including press and media. The undivided AP Govt awarded her in 2013. 

Amulya Vinaya of Ahmadabad is the forerunner of Thodu Needa. I showed interest in the movement, right from its starting, essentially because the project aimed at loneliness mitigation of the elderly. A community center for day care and for living as companions was started in 2014. I attended many meetings and get together conducted by Thodu Needa though I was not a 'candidate' myself at any time. During 2017 annual meet some 400 persons participated.  THat shows how the organisation has grown. Now see a video depicting the story of the  novel venture.

Recycling used under garments

Re-cycling used under garments

Your banian or brief gets worn out by use and they become useless for the purpose for which it was bought. The banian may be ridden with holes, giving a nasty appearance and continuing to wear it, especially with a transparent shirt over it may give a very poor opinion of the wearer. Are there ways to put them to use in some other way? Let us see.

1.     The banian may be cut length wise into small tapes. You can make dry duster out of it.

2.     The banian may be used for cleaning kitchen slab or as floor mop and the like. Good absorbency makes it ideal.

3.     It can be used to absorb oil spill or while cleaning vehicle / cycle etc

4.     You may use it to make a torch wetted with oil and fitted to a stick.

5.     During cold winter to get extra protection you may use it to double up your clothing. Wear the worn one under a decent one.

6.     The cloth may be shredded to bits and used as a filler to make pillows, cushions, beds etc

7.     They may be cleaned and stitched into sanitary pads

8.     Old briefs may be used as additional protection for people suffering from incontinence

9.     They may be given to homeless poor people who may use it to burn and warm themselves during winter season.

10.            They may be used to wipe vessels after washing – remove water / wetness.

If you can think up more uses to re-cycle used and worn out under garments please add them as comments. Thanks for reading.