Emergency?

We had friends of ours visiting from India a few years ago. They both are doctors. They stayed at the Hilton in San Francisco. We were staying about 50 miles from the San Francisco City. 

I and my wife showed them around the Bay Area. Then took them to our home for dinner.

The conversations were mainly about hospitals in USA and in India. 

I opened my big mouth and said hospitals in USA are required to treat you in an emergency whether you have money or not. Whether you have insurance or not. Even big-name brand hospitals have to treat a patient in case of emergency. 

I also said it is not like that in India. I read many news items where women who are in delivery pain were not admitted because they do not have the financial resources. 

He (the male doctor) said delivery is not an emergency. These ladies know for 10 months that they are going to deliver a baby. Emergency is something that happens unexpectedly like someone is involved in an accident and have to be taken to the hospital immediately and operated upon. 

She (the female doctor) took umbrage to her husband’s remark and started arguing with him. Back and forth, it almost became a fight. 

I and my wife, being the host, tried to calm them down and told them dinner is ready. And they enjoyed the dinner.  After dinner we dropped them in their hotel in San Francisco.

 (Hope they did not continue their argument after going back to India.) 

What do you think? Is delivering a baby an emergency?

Boris Johnson Resigns

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned today. He was abandoned by his own ministers and his own party’s parliament members. He was involved in a series of scandals. 

I personally think Boris Johnson is an honorable man. When he came to know he did not have the confidence of his party, he chose to resign. Will this happen in other countries? Here are my thoughts: 

In USA, it will take an act of God for a sitting President to resign. Some will not accept defeat in the elections and encourage supporters to riot in the Capitol building to stop the official announcement. 

In some other countries, the ousted Prime Minister will cry foreign conspiracy. 

In India, a party member does not even dare to criticize the leadership. In the rare circumstances of a revolt within the party, there will be urgent court case after court case until the Supreme Court decides in somebody’s favor. That decision depends upon who is in charge of the central government. 

He never used Ukraine emergency as an excuse. 

Boris Johnson resigned without blaming anyone. How strange! 

Britain is in the process of electing a new Prime Minister. One of the favorites is former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak. He is of Indian Origin and son in law of Infosys founder N, R. Narayana Murthy. Mr. Sunak has his own problems like his wife not paying U.K. income tax and him holding a U.S. Green Card while being a member of the British Parliament. 

Let us see who becomes the next British Prime Minister. 

If by chance Mr. Sunak becomes the next British Prime Minister, it will be Karma’s biggest revenge for the British ruling India for 190 years.

Gurkha Soldiers

Per Historian Tony Gould, Gurkhas have brought an excellent combination of qualities from a military point of view. He said: "They are tough, they are brave, they are durable, they are amenable to discipline. 

Gurkhas are considered very brave soldiers. They are the fiercest fighters. Even America’s legendary Navy Seals are no match for the Gurkhas. 

Former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once stated that: "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha. 

The Gurkhas serve in the Nepalese, Indian, and British armies. There is a Gurkha Contingent in the Singapore army. And, a Gurkha reserve unit in Brunei. They serve in the UN Peace Keeping Missions and war zones around the world. 

It is hard to tell how much of stories about Gurkha’s ferocity is true. Their deeds have been recorded in military dispatches and the diaries kept by the army officers. Of course, there is room for exaggeration. 

Here is a funny one I read recently. I don’t know if it is true or not. Here it goes: 

A British Colonel informed a Gurkha Captain to bring 100 of his troops so they can be trained to jump from the plane. The captain agreed to bring his 100 Gurkha soldiers. But he had a question. 

At what height we are supposed to jump from the plane Sir? 

The Colonel replied from 5000 feet. 

Sir, can you please lower the height? 

The Colonel replied how about from 3000 feet. 

Sir, can you make us jump from 1000 feet? 

The Colonel replied the parachute will not open under 2000 feet. 

Sir, when you asked us to jump, you did not mention anything about parachute.