(Not) Made In China
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Sanity Break #1
This is a brilliant Japanese parody of the music video for the Lady Gaga/Ariana Grande collab ‘Rain on Me’. Another reason to watch: This is what a socially distanced, high-quality music video looks like. Expect more of the same in the future. has deets on the video—which has the blessings of the great Lady herself.
Headlines that matter
CHINA’S CHEATING AT THE BORDER Beijing claims that its troops have disengaged in “most localities” along the border. The government, however, that the “disengagement process has as yet not been completed.” An unnamed security official told : > “There’s been hardly any progress in disengagement at the Pangong Lake and the Depsang Plains. The Chinese have only moved back > from the banks of Finger 4 to Finger 5 (at the Pangong Lake) but have been occupying the ridgeline and controlling the heights. > They have not dismantled the structures set up between Finger 4 and Finger 8. There has been no change at all so far at the > Depsang Plains.” Point to note: Chinese troops have dug themselves in 8km inside India-claimed lines at Finger 4 and 18km on the Depsang Plains. The only place the Chinese have fully rolled back: Galwan Valley, the location of the violent confrontation back in June. In related news: The government plans to place restrictions as a way to further punish China. TVs worth $781 million were imported in the past financial year—most of which came from Vietnam ($428 million) and China ($292 million). TRUMP STIRS BIG ELECTION ROW It was a single (typically OTT) : > “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in > history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” Multiple headlines promptly screamed: Trump calls for delay in elections. There was massive backlash, but Trump has since doubled down on : if ballots are mailed in due to the pandemic it will result in a “rigged election.” explains why the law doesn’t let Trump do any such thing. In related news: The US economy in the second quarter of this year: “The economic shock in April, May and June was more than three times as sharp as the previous record—10% in 1958—and nearly four times the worst quarter during the Great Recession.” Point to note: did not have enough to eat last week. None of this is good news for Trump’s re-election prospects. Also feeling the pain: Indian H-1B workers. explains why some of them are giving up on the American dream—thanks to America’s unreasonable and unpredictable immigration policy. reports on stressed out H-1B workers who are working from India for their employers—just so they can remain close to families who can’t travel to the US due to Trump’s visa ban. THE INDIAN PANDEMIC: A QUICK UPDATE * Total cases: 1,638,870. Total recoveries: 1,057,805. Total deaths: 35,747. * We reported more than in a single day for the very first time. * We in terms of number of fatalities. * all-time daily highs: Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. * Karnataka’s other problem: in Bangalore. They gave a false phone number and address at the lab, and are now “untraceable.” * reveals the high price paid by the Mumbai police: 3,820 have been infected, and 55 have died. To put that fatality number in perspective: That’s five times the number of doctors who have died in Mumbai. * The assistant to the head priest and 15 cops posted outside the Ram Mandir have all . And this is ahead of the grand ground-breaking ceremony planned for August 5—not just in Ayodhya but also Times Square, where giant images of Lord Ram and the Ram Temple across billboards. * has a must-read on how shrinking incomes and lost jobs are forcing working class families to pull their kids out of private schools. The virus is killing not just people but also long-cherished dreams. THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC: A QUICK UPDATE * Russia may roll out its vaccine as early ! Point to note: Moscow has been accused of trying to hack vaccine research—and not following proper protocol in its human trials. * In related hacking news: Chinese nationals recently arrested in the US are accused of —which recently kicked off the largest human trial of its vaccine. * The top coronavirus expert in the US, Anthony Fauci, now recommends as well as your mouth: “If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it” for “perfect protection.” * Related read: looks at how often people touch their face. Short answer: 50 times an hour! * Saudi Arabia has limited the hajj to about 1,000 citizens—banning the millions who typically attend every year. has more on the strict rules of social distancing—which require maintaining 1.5 metres distance as pilgrims circle the Kaaba (See clip below). Also read: on why this pandemic precedent should become permanent. A SILENT EPIDEMIC OF LEAD POISONING According to an alarming , nearly one in three children around the world have dangerous levels of lead in their blood—which puts their brains, nervous system and vital organs at risk of irreparable damage. The key takeaway: "The unequivocal conclusion of this research is that children around the world are being poisoned by lead on a massive and previously unrecognized scale." In happier medical news: A can detect the disease 20 years before a person displays the first symptoms. In happiness news: Swiss psychologists have found that it is important to occasionally in order to lead a good life: "It's time for a rethink. Of course self-control is important, but research on self-regulation should pay just as much attention to hedonism or short term pleasure."
Sanity Break #2
Netflix just dropped for its animated series ‘Camp Cretaceous’—a kid-friendly spinoff/rip-off of ‘Jurassic Park’ . We’re not sure what to make of it. It may be a great way to introduce a new generation of kids to a legendary film—or one more reason to declare the end of civilisation.
Smart & Curious
A LIST OF INTRIGUING THINGS sold for Rs 100 crore, and created a big stir. Take Sotheby’s virtual tour to see the prime real estate that kind of money can buy. , the advanced robotic dog that patrols a Ford factory in Michigan. He even has his own dog bed! or Humorolethalis sergius—from the Latin word for wet or moist… and dead. It is just one of the 164 new species discovered this year, many of them named after Marvel universe characters, including Loki, Black Widow and Thor. Click on the link to see the rest. GOOD QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER * Are braces a giant dental scam? Maybe. explains why. * Should scientists look for gender differences in the brain? reports on why this is an increasingly difficult question for scientists. * Why are Bangladeshis indifferent to Partition—while it rips Indians and Pakistanis apart? K. Anis Ahmed looks to his family history for answers in the . * Is it time to say goodbye to jeans? explains why the pandemic may prove to be the kiss of death for a once-immortal wardrobe staple. * What questions should I ask when looking at a chart or a graph or a map? has a quick list that will make you a smarter consumer of data.
Life advisory
SO YOU’RE A MICHELLE FANGIRL… Check out her first-ever podcast on Spotify this weekend. The first episode’s guest is none other than hubby Barack. So a double Obama treat! . Trailer below. SO YOU WANNA BE LAZY & CREATIVE… Our subscriber Sowmya Swaminathan pointed us to this seriously awesome site called —created by Apple—where you can create gorgeous interactive art. This is especially satisfying for art-duds like us. There’s an app version for iPad and iPhones as well. Sowmya’s other recommendation: This fun from Google. Both are excellent timepass for a lazy Saturday. SO YOU WANNA COOK & HAVE SOME FUN… Those two activities are usually at odds with one another—except if you’re learning skillz from Bombay Canteen chef Thomas Zacharias. His IGTV cooking shows are hilarious thanks to the captions (running commentary) of the very witty Sicily Chechi. Check out this , for instance. Plus: If you’re craving some Eid ka khana, has a handy list of recipes.
Feel Good Place
A LIST OF WEEKEND REMINDERS : Sometimes, you just have to roll your eyes! (h/t subscriber Priya Mirchandani) : When the simplest task proves far too challenging, embrace your sheer incompetence. : Elephants are wonderful, and as much so in art. PS: this collects the best of this wondrous genre. : Someone loves you just the way you are! Happy Friday, everybody!!
