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Sanity Break #1
SANITY BREAK We’re totally looking forward to : ‘The One and Only Ivan’ coming to Disney+ on August 14. Did we mention the cast: Angelina Jolie, Danny DeVito, Hellen Mirren and Chaka Khan!
Headlines that matter
HEADLINES THAT MATTER ALL THINGS TIKTOK The company is in the news for a variety of reasons. One, all its users’ views and ‘likes’ , creating instant panic. The glitch seems to have been fixed. Two, the company also released its annual transparency report—which shows that it removed over in the second half of 2019. One third of these were on the Indian government’s request. Three, its parent company ByteDance is working overtime to . Plans under consideration: “Senior executives are discussing options such as creating a new management board for TikTok or establishing a headquarters for the app outside of China to distance the app’s operations from China.” THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC: A QUICK UPDATE : The government conducted a major antibody survey to figure out what part of the population has developed immunity to the virus. The answer: only 5% have antibodies. And 14%—who previously tested positive for antibodies—tested negative just weeks later. What this may suggest: “Immunity can be incomplete, it can be transitory, it can last for just a short time and then disappear.” Also: herd immunity—where a majority of the population is infected, and thus prevents further spread—may be impossible without a vaccine. : The government is planning to create a Barbados Welcome Stamp that allows international visitors to stay up to a year—and work from home scenic beach. The plan: to offer a long-term refuge from the pandemic, and recover the lost tourist dollars. Also offering shelter: but from a very different peril, i.e. the Chinese government. Hong Kong residents on temporary visas can now stay for an additional five years—and apply for permanent residency. : opened its amusement parks, but has since banned screaming on roller coasters—“because those delighted, terrified utterances release all kinds of possibly infected droplets.” Watch how absurd this looks like in the PSA video below which ends with the message: “Please scream inside your heart.” TATAS MAY BUY OUT TONY FERNANDES The company is in talks to buy out Fernandes’ 49% stake in AirAsia’s India operations—and at a steep discount. The reason: the airline’s stocks have crashed by 30% due to the pandemic. Point to note: AirAsia’s own future is in “significant doubt” as it is in serious debt. () UNDER PRESSURE: TRUMP & KANYE The city of New York is all set on trolling Trump. Authorities have started work on a big and beautiful Black Lives Matter mural right opposite the Trump Towers. The city’s mayor personally painted the letter ‘L’ to kick things off. Point to note: Trump earlier tweeted that he hoped the New York Police "won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street.” No such luck. () Also being trolled: Kanye West who is facing a barrage of . They claim his family’s worried that Ye is in “the throes of a serious bipolar episode”—and the presidential bid is just a symptom of the disease. Point to note: He has been open about his struggle for mental health, his bipolar disorder as a “sprained brain.” IRREGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL... ‘Irregardless’ is now officially a word as per Merriam-Webster—and that’s regardless of the fact that the extra ‘ir’ serves no damn purpose whatsoever. The dictionary’s defence: "We do not make the English language, we merely record it." (and our) comeback: “The word's definition, when reading it, would seem to be: without without regard.” Boo!
Sanity Break #2
SANITY BREAK In May, Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba had to cancel her runway show due to the pandemic. So she put on this jaw-dropping instead. Also: be sure to read her profile and all about her virtual size-inclusive digital model, Imani.
Smart & Curious
SMART & CURIOUS A LIST OF INTRIGUING THINGS (read: cleverly mirrored) pop up store for Bottega Veneta in a Shanghai mall: “This pop-up subverts the idea of perception, the tension between the seen and unseen and gives visibility a new spin.” We did not understand a word, and hence have no words. acne patches are the next frontier of self-accepting beauty products. This one is called StarFace and has “highlighter-yellow packaging, dedicated acne products, and a spokesperson in the form of a giant, grinning, space-dwelling cosmic entity named Big Yellow.” We love it: making zits fun! fan page dedicated to Bobby Deol called the Bobbians. We had no idea, but have now been enlightened thanks to . We are truly grateful. GOOD READS * explains why Flipkart’s use of kids-playing-adults as brand ambassadors is a bit creepy. * has an excellent write up on ‘Dishy Rishi’ Sunak—the UK chancellor and (to us Indians) Narayana Murthy’s maaplai. There’s plenty of colour: snide jibes about his “devoted wife” who doesn’t mind his late nights; his political philosophy which “comes out of the Star Wars trade wars” etc. Good bedtime masala read. * Another good weekend read: on the rise of ‘inconspicuous consumption’—the new way of asserting your status now that way too many plebes can afford designer bags and clothes. * has an excellent under-reported story on how street vendors are losing their ‘right to shade’ (shelter under trees) in Hyderabad. * looks at how Indian companies have pivoted to antimicrobial fabrics—dubbed ‘anti-virus’, of course! Slight hitch: the virus doesn’t really spread via clothes.
Weekend advisory
LIFE ADVISORY A STREAMING LIST FOR THE WEEKEND : This is a warm-hearted and delightful documentary that traced the life of Walter Mercado—flamboyant, emotionally extravagant astrologer who won a million Latinx hearts. It offers a refreshing break from documentaries that typically chart depressing territory. Read tempting review. : This mind-bending sci-fi thriller will instantly win the hearts of fans of ‘Inception’ and ‘Looper’. The main plotline: a clairvoyant man who foresees his own death. This one hits Amazon Prime and Apple TV on July 10. Read the review. : This 3-episode season is from the Vox’s highly acclaimed Explained series—and it is highly recommended by our founding member Likesh Bhambhwani who calls it a “great watch… especially the one on the ‘Race for the Vaccine’. Also recommended: Vox’s season.
Feel Good Place
THE FEEL GOOD PLACE of everyone who is really mad because they have to wear a face mask. of influencer culture. Backstory: it’s likely inspired by Santoshi Shetty who is facing severe ‘cancel’ rage. The reason: she asked her followers to send her money in exchange for “positive vibes.” (That story is ) that everyone—and we mean, everyone!—enjoys a belly rub.
