Author: R.K. Narayan
Source: October 1985 issue of Frontline

At the American Consulates the visa issuing section is kept busy
nowadays as more and more young men seek the Green Card or profess to go
on a student visa and many try to extend their stay once they get in.
The official handles a difficult task while filtering out the
"permanents" and letting in only the "transients". The average American
himself is liberal-minded and doesn't bother that more Indian engineers
and doctors are swamping the opportunities available in the country
possibly to the disadvantage of the American candidate himself.

I discussed the subject with Prof. Ainslee Embree of Columbia
University who has had a long association with Indian affairs and
culture. His reply was noteworthy. "Why not Indians as well? In
course of time they will be Americans. The American citizen of today
was once an expatriate, a foreigner who had come out of a European or
African country. Why not from India too? We certainly love to have
Indians in our country."

There are however, two views on this subject. The elderly parents of
Indians settled in America pay a visit to them, from time to time (on
excursion round ticket), and feel pleased at the prosperity of their
sons or daughters in America. After a Greyhound tour of the country and
a visit to Niagara, they are ready to return home when the suburban
existence begins to bore them whether at New Jersey, or The Queens or
the Silicon Valley neighborhood of California. But they always say on
their return, "After all our boys are happy there. Why should they come
back to this country, where they get no encouragement?"

EXASPERATION

Our young man who goes out to the States for higher studies or training,
declares when leaving home, "I will come back as soon as I complete my
course, may be two years or a little more, but I will definitely come
back and work for our country, and also help our family....." Excellent
intentions, but it will not work that way. Later when he returns home
full of dreams, projects, and plans, he only finds hurdles at every turn
when he tries for a job or to start an enterprise of his own.
Form-filling, bureaucracy, caste and other restrictions, and a generally
feudal style of functioning, exasperate the young man and waste his
time. He frets and fumes as days pass with nothing achieved, while he
has been running around presenting or collecting papers at various
places.

He is not used to this sort of treatment in America, where, he claims,
he could walk into the office of the top man anywhere, address him by
his first name and explain his purpose; when he attempts to visit a man
of similar rank in India to discuss his ideas, he realizes that he has
no access to him, but can only talk to subordinate officials in a
hierarchy. Some years ago a biochemist returning home and bursting with
proposals, was curtly told off by the big man when he innocently pushed
the door and stepped in. "You should not come to me directly, send your
papers through proper channels." Thereafter the young biochemist left
India once for all. having kept his retreat open with the help of a
sympathetic professor at the American end. In this respect American
democratic habits have rather spoilt our young men. They have no
patience with our official style or tempo, whereas an Indian at home
would accept the hurdles as inevitable Karma.

The America-returned Indian expects special treatment, forgetting the
fact that over here chancellors of universities will see only the other
chancellors, and top executives will see only other top executives and
none less under any circumstance. Our administrative machinery is slow,
tedious, and feudal in its operation, probably still based on what they
called the Tottenham Manual, creation of a British administrator five
decades ago.

LACK OF OPENINGS

One other reason for a young man's final retreat from India could also
be attributed to the lack of openings for his particular qualification.
A young engineer trained in robotics had to spend all his hours
explaining what it means, to his prospective sponsors, until he realized
that there could be no place for robots in an over-crowded country.

The Indian in America is a rather lonely being, having lost his roots in
one place and not grown them in the other. Few Indians in America make
any attempt to integrate in American cultural or social life. So few
visit an American home or a theater or an opera, or try to understand
the American psyche. An Indian's contact with the American is confined
to his colleagues working along with him and to an official or seminar
luncheon. He may also mutter a "Hi!" across the fence to an American
neighbor while lawn-mowing. At other times one never sees the other
except by appointment, each family being boxed up in their homes
securely behind locked doors.

After he has equipped his new home with the latest dish-washer, video,
etc., with two cars in the garage and acquired all that the others have,
he sits back with his family counting his blessings. Outwardly happy,
but secretly gnawed by some vague discontent and aware of some inner
turbulence or vacuum, he cannot define which. All the comfort is
physically satisfying, he has immense "job satisfaction" and that is
about all.

ENNUI

On a week-end he drives his family fifty miles or more towards another
Indian family to eat an Indian dinner, discuss Indian politics, or tax
problems (for doctors particularly this is a constant topic of
conversation, being in the highest income bracket). There is monotony
in this pattern of life. so mechanical and standardized.

In this individual, India has lost an intellectual or an expert; but it
must not be forgotten that the expert has lost India too, which is a
more serious loss in the final reckoning.

The quality of life in India is different. In spite of all its
deficiencies, irritations, lack of material comforts and amenities, and
general confusion, Indian life builds up an inner strength. It is
through subtle inexplicable influences (through religion, family ties,
and human relationships in general). Let us call them psychological
"inputs" to use a modern terminology, which cumulatively sustain and
lend variety and richness to existence. Building imposing Indian
temples in America, installing our gods therein and importing Indian
priests to perform the puja and festivals, are only imitative of Indian
existence and could have only a limited value. Social and religious
assemblies at the temples (in America) might mitigate boredom but only
temporarily. I have lived as a guest for extended periods in many
Indian homes in America and have noticed the ennui that descends on a
family when they are stuck at home.

Children growing up in America present a special problem. They have to
develop themselves on a shallow foundation without a cultural basis,
either Indian or American. Such children are ignorant of India and
without the gentleness and courtesy and respect for parents, which forms
the basic training for a child in an Indian home, unlike the American
upbringing whereby a child is left alone to discover for himself the
right code of conduct. Aware of his child's ignorance of Indian life,
the Indian parent tries to cram into the child's little head all
possible information during an 'Excursion Fare' trip to the mother
country.

DIFFERING EMPHASIS

In the final analysis America and India differ basically, though it
would be wonderful if they could complement each other's values. Indian
philosophy lays stress on austerity and unencumbered, uncomplicated
day-to-day living. On the other hand, America's emphasis is on material
acquisitions and a limitless pursuit of prosperity. >From childhood an
Indian is brought up on the notion that austerity and a contended life
is good. and also a certain other- worldliness is inculcated through
the tales a grandmother narrates, the discourses at the temple hall, and
through moral books. The American temperament, on the contrary, is
pragmatic.

INDIFFERENCE TO ETERNITY

The American has a robust indifference to eternity. "Visit the church
on a Sunday and listen to the sermon if you like but don't bother about
the future," he seems to say. Also, "dead yesterday and unborn
tomorrow, why fret about them if today be sweet?" - he seems to echo
Omar Khayyam's philosophy. He works hard and earnestly, and acquires
wealth, and enjoys life. He has no time to worry about the after-life;
he only takes the precaution to draw up a proper will and trusts the
Funeral Home around the corner to take care of the rest. The Indian who
is not able to live on this basis wholeheartedly, finds himself in a
half-way house; he is unable to overcome the inherited complexes while
physically flourishing on the American soil. One may hope that the next
generation of Indians (American-grown) will do better by accepting the
American climate spontaneously or in the alternative return to India to
live a different life.

R. K. NARAYAN
******************************

The latest generation of these ever-smarter garments look like ordinary clothes, not something only a cyborg would don


Gauri Nanda sees a wearable computer as a...handbag -- one that's built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fabric, with tiny computer chips embedded in it. Assembled together with Velcro that conducts electricity, these pieces form a bag that looks, feels, and weighs like your typical leather purse.

That's where the similarities end: This bag can wirelessly keep tabs on your belongings and remind you, just as you're about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you grab an umbrella -- or your sunshades. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf.

Sure, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. Unit shipments of such wearable computers -- purses, watches, shirts -- should rise from 261,000 last year to 1.39 million in 2008, according to the tech research firm IDC.

"VERY CLUNKY." Powering this market are advancements in design and in fabric-embedded electronics. Over the last two years, DuPont (DD ) created new fibers called Aracon, made of Kevlar, that are superstrong, can conduct electricity, and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And chipmaker Infineon (IFX ) developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty cycle.

As a result, these new wearables are a far cry from the clunky and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires, type on their stomachs, and sport an unseemly display on their foreheads. "Cyborg computing was very clunky, very bulky machines that people didn't want to carry around," says Nanda, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. "Our bags feel and look like bags."

Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $150, which is the price of an average leather purse. Only "it's fun, you can rip apart and put together a computer," she says.

TAKING OFF. Here's how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip onto your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you've forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse's handles will notify the computer that you've picked up the purse and are ready to go.

Such unobtrusive, inconspicuous, and fun devices should grab more than 80% of the total wearable computing market by 2008, while cyborgian wearable PCs will remain a niche, says IDC analyst Kevin Burden. Already, these new kinds of wearables are being adopted for use in markets like auto repair, emergency services, medical monitoring -- and even, increasingly, for consumers at large.

Particularly in health-related applications, wearables are taking off. Consider BodyMedia, a Pittsburgh company that makes a special "smart band." It's worn on the upper arm and collects data on the wearer's physical state, such as the way the body releases heat. It sales should more than double this year, says CEO Astro Teller.

"IT'S TOO EASY." Originally released three years ago as a tool for researchers -- auto makers, for example, used it to understand stress in drivers -- the band is about to enter the mainstream. Later this month, Apex Fitness Group, which distributes fitness products to 1,200 health clubs such as 24-hour Fitness, will begin promoting the band for consumers as a weight-loss monitoring tool.

People who tested the product "say it's like cheating," says Neal Spruce, Apex president and CEO. "It's too easy to diet. It's the best tool we've ever found." By telling them exactly how many calories they expend, the device helped users adjust their diets and physical regimen.

In the next year, BodyMedia also plans to release special bands for monitoring the well-being of infants and the elderly. The idea, Teller says, isn'tot to turn people into cyborgs but "to make people feel more human."

LESS COSTLY TRIALS. Other wearable computers help address more severe health problems. A special shirt developed three years ago by VivoMetrics in Ventura, Calif., is already used in most of the country's top medical schools and drug companies. The garment, which collects and analyzes its wearer's respiration flow, heart rate, and other key metrics, can allow researchers to see in real time whether a new treatment is working.

Because of the volume of data it collects, the shirt can significantly reduce the number of participants in trials, as well as the trials' duration. In the case of one study for a sleep drug, traditional methods like hooking up patients to various machines at a special sleep lab "would have been at least 10 times more expensive and would have taken 10 times longer," says Steven James, a San Diego consultant to pharmaceutical companies. During this trial, 15 patients simply wore the shirts at home overnight. VivoMetrics sells a set of six shirts and related software and data recorders for $15,000.

This spring, VivoMetrics plans to release a shirt for emergency-services workers, such as firefighters. It will wirelessly alert commanders that a firefighter's core body temperature or stress levels are reaching critical levels. And in 2006, VivoMetrics expects to introduce an under-$500 shirt for the consumer market, says President and CEO Paul Kennedy. Such a product would let a mother monitor an asthmatic child.

REVENUE ENHANCER. Wearables are also slowly making their way into the auto-repair market. A company called Microvision (MVIS ) recently introduced its Nomad head-mounted display. It covers one eye, but it's see-through, allowing auto technicians to examine the innards of a car and check them against on-screen computer drawings at the same time. It comes as a baseball cap clip-on, to be more unobtrusive.

So far, it's a hit: At Jim Fisher Volvo dealership in Portland, Ore., which has been testing the system for about seven months, productivity of technicians went up 10% to 20%, says Service Manager John Prosser. Better yet, customers talking to technicians who are wearing these contraptions also are more likely to agree to repairs, pushing revenue up 15% to 18%. Says Prosser: "This makes [technicians] want to get involved and to cross this bridge of reluctance" in using a new technology.

Indeed, many more people will want to cross that bridge in the coming years -- making for a booming market for wearable computers that don't look like something out of an old Star Trek episode.

Anyone who thinks blogs can't make money should check out Gawker. This growing stable of blogs just added Lifehacker, a slick tech site sponsored by Sony. Dan Gillmor reports that Sony will pay in the range of $25,000 a month to sponsor the new site. The deal also includes some ads on Gawker's other tech site, Gizmodo. The question, of course, is whether these are really blogs or simply commercial web pages. Fact is, the line between the two is fast blurring.

People worldwide have responded magnificently to help survivors of the tsunami disaster. Money has poured in from all quarters. Governments have tried to keep pace with the sentiments of people at large. But one must confess to a slight unease over certain aspects of the relief effort. The reference is not to spurious NGOs which jump into the fray, carefully documenting their activities on camera, to ensure continuation of their own funding. Refer, rather, to money being raised for tsunami relief work.

It is nice to see people carry on with their normal lives and take the disaster in their stride. It is also nice to see celebrities in different walks of life pitching in to help raise funds. It's okay, for instance, when Hollywood or Bollywood stars approach the public for funds. It is okay even when they stage charity events to rake in money for relief. In effect they are giving up their own earnings and passing on the revenue to help tsunami survivors.

It is also okay for sports stars to play charity matches to help the relief effort. They, too, sacrifice their own earnings to help victims. And most of the celebrities have themselves given generous donations, too

The public can simply donate for relief work. And many members of the public have done precisely that. But, is it okay to make a virtue of enjoying the entertainment provided by charity events? To think that a good time is being had for the sake of tsunami survivors? Is there not an element of hypocrisy that is faintly offensive? Possibly not.
But what about charity fashion shows in which models in lingerie traipse up and down the ramp while concerned citizens moved by the plight of tsunami survivors ogle at the models? Are they also doing their bit for tsunami relief? Perhaps that's okay, too. If so, then Mercedes Mueller of Dortmund, Germany, must be okay, too.

According to Reuters news agency, Mueller runs a brothel. Moved by the plight of tsunami survivors, she is donating part of her earnings. "It's not everyday you can make a charitable gesture by going to a brothel," said Mueller, who owns the Happy FKK Club in Dortmund. She said the clients and prostitutes had all responded with great enthusiasm and $1,700 had been raised so far. She said, "We all have a heart, too."
Doubtless many husbands with a heart would have told their wives: "Not tonight, honey. I gotta go and help tsunami survivors!"

I was browsing some time back, and came across the below concept of time, in the Indian Mythology, and was impressed very much, to the details that our fore fathers have gone into the concept of time, so thought i should share this.

The smallest unit of time is a kaashta which is 18 times the amount of time it takes to blink an eyelid. 10 kaashtas make a kshanam and 12 kshanams constitute a muhoortam. 60 of these muhoortams constitute a day. 30 days constitute a month and 3 months make up a ritu. 12 months of course constitue a human year.

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