(Un)Blissful Bihar
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Sanity Break #1
is a brilliant short film—barely six minutes long—with not a single word of dialogue. And yet it speaks volumes about gender, sexuality and freedom. Watch all the way to the very end. (h/t founding member )
Headlines that matter
Editor’s note: Be sure to check out the long list of very good reads we’ve assembled to make up for our absence in our Smart & Curious section! INDIA-US TO SEAL A DEFENCE PACT The Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in town to preside over the signing of a critical defence pact that will allow India to monitor hostile movements and get precise and real time information on enemy positions during any potential border conflict. Yup, it is likely to piss off China. () In related US news: The US Congress confirmed the deeply conservative Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination as Supreme Court Justice—just one week before the US election. The Court majority is now solidly conservative—and may overturn an array of previous rulings, including the landmark case that assured a woman’s right to abortion. What this means: Dem candidate Joe Biden will be under severe pressure to expand the number of justices in the Supreme Court. () Also this: Time magazine replaced its iconic logo on its cover for a presidential election where the stakes are higher than ever. THERE’S WATER ON THE MOON! NASA has announced the first confirmed discovery of water on the side that faces the sun—covering some 40,000 square km! But before we get too excited, scientists : “To be clear, this is not puddles of water but instead water molecules that are so spread apart that they do not form ice or liquid water.” So, yeah, not the kind you can drink. () A less happy finding: In a new study, Indian scientists found that intensive irrigation in India cools the land and the air—but creates ‘moist heat’ that is far harder to deal with: > “Moist heat, the kind that causes mugginess, is worse than dry heat. You can beat dry heat by drinking water and cooling > yourself. But water doesn’t help much in high levels of moist heat.” This is a big deal in extreme heat conditions triggered by climate change. And it also has implications for our lawns and roof gardens—which can make the “moist heat stress” far worse. () A CRACKDOWN ON STUBBLE BURNING The Union government promised the Supreme Court that it will immediately institute a new law that bans burning of rice stubble in the NCR. But sources tell that the Agriculture ministry has not been consulted—and never heard of this proposed law. THE GREAT PANDEMIC: A QUICK UPDATE * France witnessed a sudden and in its Covid cases. The health ministry reported a record 52,010 new infections within just 24 hours. Some experts say that the real number may be as high as 100,000. * Candida auris is a drug resistant superbug known to thrive in hospital settings. The rate of infections is rising around the world due to rising Covid cases, including India. Why this matters? It is difficult to detect and far more lethal than Covid. Its fatality rate is between 30-60%. has this important story. * Also cause for alarm: Hospital staff in India are not to get themselves tested—even if they display symptoms. The reason: a severe shortage of doctors. * In happier news, the Oxford vaccine is showing among both young people and the elderly. * Also: Iran has developed a phlegm test that can detect Covid ! * A new study reveals that a daily, low can help lower the risk of severe complications and even death. * The government of Wales banned the sale of all non-essential products to discourage people from shopping (and therefore keep its Covid count down). The supermarket giant Tesco decided this and sanitary napkins. Happily, better sense has since prevailed. INDIANS ARE ON THE MOVE AGAIN! But it’s mainly for pleasure not work! Travel booking sites saw a huge spike in bookings during the festive season—but travellers are staying close to home. > "There's a high occupancy in locations such as Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Himachal and Uttarakhand. In fact, over > the weekend we are almost sold out across these locations. Most of our resort properties are outside the main city with big > rooms and common areas which is offering travellers a sense of safety." Also preferred: outdoor adventure holidays and vacation homes. () FACEBOOK DOESN’T CHECK FACTS IN INDIA? The company has media partners around the world which help fact-check fake news. In India these are: Agence France-Presse (AFP), Boomlive, The Quint, India Today, Factly, FactCresendo, Newsmobile and Vishvas News. But an analysis shows that they are doing a very poor job—especially in the cases that involve the BJP and its supporters. AN INDIAN RECORD IN DIAMONDS! A Hyderabad-based jeweller’s ring—which has 7,801 diamonds!—has set a new Guinness record. The ring even has a name: ‘The Divine—7801 Brahma Vajra Kamalam’—named after a rare flower in the Himalayas. has the story. Check out the vid .
Sanity Break #2
This is one of the stunning winners of the Close Up Photographer of the Year awards that celebrate close-up, macro and micro photography—which allows us to look at the world in a completely different way. The above is not a snake but a cat gecko, photographed during a night walk through the Kubah national park in Borneo. Check out the rest over at . Laptop viewing is a must.
Smart & Curious
A LIST OF GOOD READS Politics: * looks at determined Lebanese architects fighting to preserve their historical buildings after the city was devastated by the blast. * reports on how Indian and Pakistani communities are coming together to organise for the US election. Nope, all NRI stories are not about BJP supporters. * Sonia Gandhi wrote a rare and unexpected op-ed in the . Culture: This essay offers the most accessible explanation of the key Greek schools of philosophy—and makes a case for being an Epicurean. looks at chilling new evidence that Henry VIII was truly a sociopath who planned every detail of his wife’s execution. Just plain fun: * Nine reasons you may have been accused of being a witch from . * Sandip Roy’s delightful on a very little Durga puja in Kolkata. * investigates a YouTube video by Madhuri Dixit’s husband, Shriram Nene, to figure out if he is shilling for Domino’s pizza. * Matthew McConaughey’s memoir is full of tall tales—some so silly they will make you laugh. explains. * looks at what 2020 looked like to sci-fi writers in 1974. Business: * has a deep dive on what’s next in the Ratan Tata vs Cyrus Mistry maha-yudh. * has a long piece on Royal Enfield’s plans to conquer the US and Europe. * offers an excellent feature story on how techno-nationalism will shape the future of your internet. Just plain useful: * explains how to get rid of tiny scratches on your phone screen. * explains how to know when to upgrade your iPhone. * magazine makes a case against stretching before you exercise—and explains why flexibility is not a measure of fitness. * There are four kinds of introverts according to —which one are you?
Feel Good Place
: A father cheering up his son undergoing cancer treatment in the safest, most socially distanced—and seriously wonderful—way. : If you're gonna vote, this is the way to do it! (h/t founding member Ameya Nagarajan) : Everyone needs a helping hand... a couple of paws will do just fine as well. : The truth really does hurt—especially when delivered by Siri. Five: And for no effing reason whatsoever…
