Yawning and sleepings .... politicians at important meetings ~~!!

How attentive are you in meetings ! ~ especially when your Boss is addressing and do you yawn ?!?

A yawn is a reflex of simultaneous inhalation of air and stretching of the eardrums, followed by exhalation of breath. Pandiculation is the act of yawning and stretching simultaneously. Yawning is commonly associated with tiredness, stress, overwork, lack of stimulation and boredom,  there is something to suggest that it is linked to the cooling of the brain.

Tony Blair yawns 2007 

– photo  courtesy Reuters.

Away in the African continent, is the landlocked country of Zimbabwe  and its President - Robert Gabriel Mugabe has often been criticized that the octogenarian president is a liability and must be replaced urgently because he is unable to stay awake in vital meetings.  Opposition leaders state that  Mr Mugabe's penchant for napping was making Zimbabwe a laughing stock.  Our former PM HD Deve Gowde was the bud of many cartons about his dozing during important meetings.  There was a judgment of the Supreme Court upholding the right of a citizen to a sound sleep and the former PM exclaimed ‘the phoenix is ready to rise from the ashes”.  Gowda was a lensman’s delight in 1996-97 as he couldn’t help catching up on his forty winks in public; however all politicians are fully awake when it comes to settling scores…….  

Yawning is contagious too…. Next time in a meeting, try or observe a big yawn, when one covers his/her mouth out of courtesy; many others are likely to follow the suit, involuntarily ~ setting up a chain reaction.   So, that involuntary action is not necessarily indicative of boredom or not listening to the speaker !!  when one yawns, the mouth opens; jaw drops allowing intake of air; air fills the lungs; abdominal muscles flex, diaphragm is pushed down. While fatigue, drowsiness or boredom easily bring on yawns, scientists are discovering there's more to yawning than most people think.  The physiological theory suggests that our bodies induce yawning to draw in more oxygen or remove a buildup of carbon dioxide. This theory  explains why we yawn in groups. Yawning is an embarrassment and puts you in some bad light……

In Feb 2013, there were reports that in UK a Conservative councillor  apologised for loudly yawning and laughing as local authority job cuts were discussed in Norfolk. It was Broadland councillor Danny Buck, 24,  who was soundly criticized. It was stated that the other councillors and members of public in the gallery were concerned at Mr Buck's lack of respect to the meeting.

Kcab  home, newspaper reports state that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dozed off when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi spoke about the achievements and experience of the United Progressive Alliance in its ninth year of governance. The UPA celebrated the completion of its fourth year in office in its second term and presented the Report Card to The People ~ however, the Karnataka chief minister preferred a quick nap rather than giving all ears to the heap of numbers. [photo courtesy – firstpost.com]

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

3^rd June 2013.