WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2020–50
About: This is a light-hearted story on what happened this week, in our World.
Everywhere
The woman I married was from a small growing up Town, Attur, in Salem District, while I was working as a power plant erection & commissioning Engineer at Neyveli, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu. After working in various Companies across India never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I will end up starting a ‘Blouse Construction’ (Oh, I could not do the commissioning on a personal level, though!) Business in Attur, which my wife & I did in 2015. Here we are.
Over the years, I’ve watched Attur develop slowly, but remain rigid to drastic change. One of the best things to happen is garbage collection, where the ‘Garbage Collector’ now wearing hand gloves (I wish they are given more protective gear, and powered carts as a takeaway) and some kind of uniform, pushes a small cart through the narrow streets, and the wides ones a well- like the one where I have set up shop- collecting the garbage and separating them out into various blue, green and white bins on the cart.
It has become my morning routine to first take-out the garbage and then wash my car. The Garbage Collector appears about this time with his cart and I made it a habit to make small conversation with him, about his life, family and the pressures of garbage collection, often cracking a joke to see his wrinkled face light up with a broad, stained-teeth smile. We soon became good ‘garbage friends’. We met again this Monday morning, and he says, “It’s nice to talk to you and I’m glad that you spend some time with me. Nobody else does this. Honestly, I look forward to seeing you every morning”. Wow, that made my day!
I wish Attur could become a modern Town with wide pavements, specified parking lots, neat lanes, traffic signals…and clever Garbage Bins at the right places. Make more garbage friends, I guess!
Mount Everest is the tallest Mountain in the World and from my school days the height of 8,848 metres grew into me so much that it became a part of my brain. And often I shot down any quizmaster with the curvaceous data. Well, now I have a problem. This Tuesday, Mount Everest grew by more than two feet. So agreed Nepal and China (that’s a height of cooperation between them), the two countries that share the mountainous border. They announced that they had determined the exact height of the world’s tallest mountain, which officially, according to them stands at 8,848.86 metres (29,031.70 feet). For 65 years, the consensus height had been 8,848 metres (29,028.87 feet).
Mountains grow in mysterious ways…and we humans are not the ones to be left behind. At least not Nepal and China. They measure up to the task!
A mysterious disease that began spreading in Elluru, Andhra Pradesh has claimed one life and made over 400 people sick. People were suddenly falling unconscious after suffering from symptoms such as, three to five minutes of epileptic fits, nausea, forgetfulness, anxiety, vomiting, headache and back-pain. The reasons are unclear at the moment and Doctors are unable to pin down a credible source of the outbreak.
Initially, it was suspected that water contamination could be the cause, but sample tests ruled it out. There is another suspicion that anti-mosquito fogging may be a cause, but nothing is confirmed as yet.
A preliminary study report found traces of heavy metals, lead and nickel, in blood samples but strangely not in water or any other food substance in the locality. Experts have clarified that the mysterious disease is neither a bacterial, or a viral infection, nor a contagious disease. Medical and Expert teams are out on the ground looking for tell-tale clues and leads. I hope they crack this code quickly.
Meanwhile, most of the victims have recovered and others are stable.
What an ‘outbreak’ year this is getting to be!
The COVID-19 Vaccine is finally here and a 90 years old woman, Margaret Keenan, originally from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and living in Coventry for more than 60 years, on Tuesday became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine-after official approval in the United Kingdom (UK). And the UK became the first Country to start jabbing people in the arm, outside trial conditions. Margaret received the jab at University Hospital Coventry from Nurse, May Parsons, at 6.31am and declared it was a privilege.
Margaret is a grandmother of four and worked as a jewellery store assistant until her retirement, four years ago. She will receive a booster shot in 21 days to complete the vaccination sequence. Margaret turns 91 next week and what better advance Birthday present than this? Nurse May Parsons originally from the Philippines has worked in UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for the last 24 years. That’s lot of age and experience getting together in that one vaccine injection.
This is indeed an historic leap in the fight again virus’ in general and the coronavirus in particular. And development of a vaccine in less than a year after the world discovered a never-before-seen disease is truly incredible.
We are in the last spikes of the year 2020 when various Newspapers and Magazines rush to name their Persons, or ‘Things’ of the Year: people who made a huge difference to life on Earth. This time, Time Magazine has named Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as Time Person of the Year. “For changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world”, wrote its editor-in-chief.
Playing on, LeBron, the Los Angeles Lakers star has been named Time magazine’s ‘Athlete of the Year’ in recognition of what the 35 years old has achieved both on and off the court.
The Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles.
James led the Lakers to a record-equalling 17th championship title in October this year, during a season unlike any other. It was James’ fourth National Basketball Association(NBA) title and fourth finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He is the first player in NBA history to win the accolade with three different teams. Only Michael Jordan, with six titles, has more.
Moving ahead, for most of us, I reckon, the ‘coronavirus should be named the ‘Thing of the Year’ for attempting to wipe out the human population. And without doubt, in my opinion, the PERSON OF THE YEAR — of any magazine or newspaper worth its name — should go to the Frontline Health Care Workers all over the World, for tirelessly helping us battle with the virus, and many having given up their lives for us. Also the Vaccine Developers should be included for bringing out a vaccine so unbelievably quick.
At the time of posting this article the United States (US) reported 2,32,000 coronavirus cases in one day, setting a new record.
In another decisive moment the US Supreme Court has rejected Trump’s bid to overturn the US Presidential Elections. Has Biden-Harris finally won?
Absolutely challenging times!
Please Yourself
American Singer-Songwriter Taylor Swift, who released her Album ‘Folklore’, in July this year is literally living up her name and has ‘swiftly tailored’ a second surprise Album, ‘Evermore’, which was released at midnight, this Friday. Her 9th Studio Album.
Folklore was recorded during the pandemic quarantine, and the record topped the US and UK Charts earning Swift six Grammy nominations, including Album of The Year. It is also the first album of 2020 to sell more than one million copies.
Swift described Evermore as a ‘sister album’ of Folklore. ‘To put it plainly, we just could not stop writing “, she said. Swift draws a lot of inspiration for her songwriting, from her personal life, and also confirmed that boyfriend, Actor Joe Alwyn, in the mystery Folklore co-writer. That sure is a Love Story pulling the heart strings and generating the music notes.
Swift’s debut single ’Tim McGraw’ was released on 19 June 2006, and she’s grown from being a teenage country singer to one of the most famous pop stars on the planet.
The song that first got me to start listening and fearlessly falling in love with her narrative songwriting and singing is, the Romeo-Juliet themed ‘Love Story’, of the Album, ‘Fearless’. Listen to it, to understand Taylor Swift’s music.
I’m a huge fan of Hollywood Actor, Harrison Ford and his man-on-the street style of acting. No superhuman stunts or mind-boggling acts, just a smart presence of mind, courage, wit and intelligence gets him through the toughest situations. And he manages to survive. Nothing exemplifies this better than ‘Indiana Jones’, or Indy, in ‘The Raiders of the Lost Ark’ 1981, and the many adventures in the series of movies that followed.
Now Harrison Ford, at 78, returns as Indiana Jones for the fifth and final episode, planned for release in July 2022. The Film producer said he has no intention of replacing the actor in his iconic role. That’s well said. Only James Bond is replaceable.
Meanwhile, we have to think Indy and keep our wits and intelligence with us to survive till 2022. Maybe, go back to the old Indy movies and relearn new tricks? Grab the whip and ram that hat? I still remember that during a hair-raising chase in the crowded streets of Cairo, Indy is confronted by one of the bad guys who dances with his hands & legs showing-off twisted karate skills. Indy after coolly watching just takes out a handgun and shoots him! That’s a whip-lash finish! Typical Indiana Jones!
More graceful and skilled stories coming up in the week(s) ahead.
