Coming in Waves
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Sanity Break #1
In 1956, MG Ramachandran aka MGR starred in a of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves (‘Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum’)—which was a massive hit. It is also the reason why so many Tamil kids grew up saying ‘Open See-same’ instead of ‘Open Say-se-mee’. It’s among the many delightful examples of ‘mispronunciation’ (of this famous phrase) in Indian and foreign films that Karthik Srinivasan looks at in . It’s a lot of fun to read and watch the different movie clips—all of which are very retro and very goofy.
Headlines that matter
A NEW HORROR IN FRANCE A Tunisian national, Brahim Aouissaoui, attacked and killed three people at a church in Nice. It appears to be a copycat attack similar to the beheading of a French school teacher two weeks ago. Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron , "Very clearly France is under attack," and vowed it will not give in to terrorism. The terror alert has been raised to its highest "emergency" level, and up to 4,000 military personnel will be deployed to protect schools, churches and other places of worship. Point to note: Aouissaoui is not a recent immigrant or part of France’s Muslim minority. He arrived in Europe in September, and entered France via Italy. has the most details on him, while has a long report on the attack and its aftermath. We explained the context and background of these killings . Also read: on the rising anger in the Muslim world at Macron and France. on the rising anxiety among French Muslims—who feel unfairly blamed for these attacks. STATE OF THE US ELECTION * Joe Biden at 51% leads Donald Trump by 9 points in the latest polls. And he appears to be —unlike Hillary Clinton whose lead evaporated as the election neared. * One possible reason: the pandemic. As explains, he is doing the most poorly in states hardest hit by the virus. * Still in Trump’s corner: white men. (via TOI) looks at the ‘white male gap’ revealed by pre-election surveys. * This may explain why Trump is saying that he will not accept the outcome if he loses. He’s called the polls “fake” and repeatedly warned his supporters against election fraud—and they believe him! has that story. * The real worry about rigging: witches and wizards on TikTok who are casting spells to decide the winner. has this bizarre story. * Good news for Trump: at least this Indian astrologer thinks he’s gonna win. Yes, this is making the rounds on Indian WhatsApp. WANNA GET A YAHOO PHONE? Yup, the company best known for losing out to Gmail has bravely entered uncharted territory: a branded smartphone, Yahoo Mobile ZTE Blade A3Y. To be fair, it sounds pretty good value for money at $50. Also: it’s purple. () AN ANTI-POLLUTION COMMISSION FOR DELHI As promised, the government has issued a new ordinance that creates a Commission for Air Quality Management for the NCR region. It has the authority to close any industry or establishment and cut their power supply. It will have search and seizure powers. And defying its orders carries a five-year jail term and/or Rs 1 crore in fines. explains. THE LATEST COVID GYAAN: A QUICK UPDATE * of 30 studies published between January and July raises an alarming possibility: We may not know the actual incubation period of the virus. As of now, our quarantine protocols are based on the expert consensus—which puts it at a range of 2 to 14 days. But this study found that in some cases it can be as high as 34 days. * According to a , the best protection against infection in indoor events is not masks or social distancing—but very good ventilation. This excellent infographic in demonstrates brings this warning powerfully home. * New research reveals that the virus causes long-term including rashes, hives and chilblains (Covid toes). YET ANOTHER KASHMIR-RELATED RAID The National Intelligence Agency raided the home of Zafarul Islam Khan. This is part of a series of nationwide raids on Kashmiri NGOs, activists and journalists that are suspected of diverting funds to finance secessionist activities. Now Khan is not a Kashmiri nor is he linked to any Kashmiri organisation. But he is the former chairman of the Delhi minority commission which issued a report accusing BJP leaders of inciting the violence in Delhi earlier this year. () LAXMMI NO LONGER A BOMB Akshay Kumar’s highly anticipated movie ‘Laxmmi Bomb’ has now been renamed as ‘Laxmii’—i.e. it has lost the bomb and an ‘m’ but added an ‘i’. The rechristening is in response to rightwing groups enraged at the title. The reason: it is allegedly disrespectful to the other Lakshmi, as in the Goddess—who, however, is surprisingly unoffended by grossly distorted spellings of her name. () Also in trouble: Mission Impossible 7. Twelve people on its set despite taking great precautions. SAUDI MONEY: ‘ANTI-NATIONAL’ OR ANTI-PAKISTAN? Saudi Arabia released a 20 Riyal note to commemorate its presidency of the G-20 Summit on November 21-22. Pakistanis that it removes Kashmir from Pakistan’s map. But more importantly, it removes Kashmir from India’s map as well—and shows it as a separate territory. See it .
Sanity Break #2
This is a of two famous Beatles songs—‘I Saw Her Standing There’ & ‘Twist And Shout’—performed by Paul McCartney… and Bruce Springsteen. We offer it as a reminder that there are life’s little pleasures that never grow old. Kinda like Paul and Bruce:)
Weekend advisory
SO YOU WANT TO WATCH SOMETHING… One: Just in time for Halloweekend, Netflix is rolling out ‘’—a creepy ghost story set in a village in Punjab starring Shabana Azmi, Leela Samson and Sanjeeda Sheikh. Here is Azmi talking to about the female foeticide theme. Two: is baaack! Do we need to say more? Three: Looking for a cleverly plotted slick thriller? The Spanish film ‘’ checks all the boxes. FYI: This was remade as ‘’ starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu. We vastly prefer the original, but both are happily available on Netflix. (FYI: here’s an of best thrillers on Netflix.) A LONG LIST OF GOOD WEEKEND READS Culture: * We loved this piece on hot dudes in Indian underwear ads. The title: ‘Chaddi Pehen Ke Dude Khila Hai’. * explains the key difference between ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusivity’ in fashion. * profiles Masood Hussain who is painting the anger and grief of Kashmiris. * (yes, the magazine run by the organisation for US senior citizens) offers a compelling reported piece on the tragic last days of Stan Lee, the creator of the Marvel Universe. Not even celebs are immune to elder abuse. * has a delightful read on the common words shared by Tamil and Korean. Four deep dives: * explains why it is harder than ever to mine for gold—and why recycled gold will be king in the future. * explains why child marriage makes sound economic sense to Indian parents. * has an absolute must read on how a disinformation campaign destroyed the life of the co-founder of White Helmets—the group that shot into international prominence for rescuing victims of the Syrian war. * cover story turns the spotlight on interfaith couples and their experiences and challenges. Plain useful reads: * offers a simple guide to dealing with thinning hair as you age. * has a must-read on decolonising mental health diagnosis and treatment—to make it more effective for Indians. * recommends eight of the best teeny tiny workouts (that only take minutes).
Feel Good Place
THREE HALLOWEEN THINGS One: Death in art. Below: James Ensor. Skeletons Fighting over a Pickled Herring, 1891. A weird, quirky, unforgettable thread dedicated to the same . Two: Rescue dogs all dressed up in on a visit to the local aquarium… C’mon! Three: ! THREE USEFUL REMINDERS : There’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a long bath… if you can fit in the tub. : Always remember to feed the fish. Yes, that’s Harry Styles and that story is here. : Yeah, you’ve done some messed up stuff. But remember: you have never ever put a Coke bottle and a bunch of mentos in the toilet. Give yourself a hug!
