From 1st of April COVID-19 has vanished

It is official that the pandemic that had made life miserable has become a thong of the past. Social distancing has gone, as have new concepts of online education. Students are excited to be back among their friends and not remain cooped up in their under the constant glare of elders. It was a testing tune for the elders who had to adjust to a new culture called work from home. They also missed the office culture of spying on colleagues and pulling the rug from under the feet of some of them.

Life is back to normal as is evident from the traffic on the roads and the hustle and bustle of people. The best part is the sports arena. Right now, it is cricket time and cricket means Indian Premier League IPL – the magic wand that turns youngsters into millionaires overnight. Let us hope another virus like COVID does not strike again.


Popular stories in this and related sites –

Street foods are popular even in Singapore

Street foods have become a common feature even in Hong Kong

Street food in Kolkata during lunch hour.

Eggs have a field day when it comes to street foods

Street foods like idli and dosa of South India have flooded Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and other cities

Street foods from Kolkata to Mumbai, Delhi and beyond

The +ves and –ves of online shopping

The world of today is click oriented. Everything is just a click away thanks to the concept of online shopping. Once it used to be the snap of the fingers, today it is a simple click! You want groceries or veggies or any non-veg item, just log in to the relevant app, place the order and pay through plastic money. The item will land up at your doorstep. No need to move out of the comforts of your home. It saves on time, preserves your energy and avoids crowded market places. Similarly for delicious mouthwatering snacks like pizzas, burgers, biriyanis etcetera. The delivery boy of Zomato or Swiggy or Domino's arrives with the items, even at odd hours. These are a few of the +ves for some.

Now the flip side. In the good old days when one had to physically go the market to get his necessities. He would interact with the sellers, exchange greetings with known faces along the way. Such exchanges carried a lot of meaning. They meant – “I am well, so are you.” Then there was the physical touch of fresh vegetables, selecting the best fruits – depending on the size of the pocket. The brief visit to the market in the morning instead of depending to online shopping are a few of the –ves for some. Those in this category are labeled as outdated but they were fortunate to add a zing to their lives.

Best wishes to the women on International Women’s Day 2022

Women used to be ignored by the men and the logic used to be – “they should be seen and not heard.” Their responsibilities used to be divided between the kitchen and the bedroom. Even in the movies of pre 1970s, women seldom appeared in the posters. The men dominated movies. However, today in the 21st century there are women like Madhuri Dixit, Deepika Padukone, Hema Malini, Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra who call the shots. There used to be a time when women worked as domestic helps or as nurses in hospitals. Today, the world is their stage. They can be seen at work in the police, armed forces, banks, colleges and even in the world of fashion and cricket. To them, the sky is the limit – literally. They occupy the cockpits and fly as pilots to different destinations.

When it comes to the arena of politics, many women can outwit the males. Examples are Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani etcetera. The bottom line is – women are powerful and deserve respect. They are no longer helpless and have the ability to reach the peak in any field.

Deadly tornado kills seven in Iowa, millions under threat of storms from Atlanta to Philadelphia

Parts of the United States face threats of storms after a tornado left seen people dead in Iowa. The dead included two children, and dozens of homes felt the impact. Media reports say the storms could affect millions of people from Atlanta to Philadelphia. The main threats would come in the form of isolated tornadoes and damaging winds. There would also be heavy rain especially across the Ohio River Valley. The authorities have issued flood warnings. This is because of continuous rainfall in the region over the past two weeks. That has saturated the soil and it would mean floods.

It is necessary for people to take advance action and be prepared to face such situations. There could be power failures and powerful torches, batteries and electrical generators could help. Knowledge on location of storm shelters and medical facilities are important. Climatic disturbances like tornadoes and heavy rainfall would make travel difficult. In fact, residents should avoid going out and stock up on essentials like food, clean water, and medicines.

Source -

edition.cnn.com dated 7 March 2022

International Women's Day on March 8

Women have always played an important role in our lives. From the days of Eve and Cleopatra to the days of Soviet cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova and Michelle Obama, women have scripted history. The theme for this year is - "Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow." The date is March 8 and it will celebrate the achievements and contributions of women and girls in different spheres. Organizers at different levels would use the occasion to spread awareness about women's empowerment and gender parity. The first such celebration happened in 1911 and it has certainly helped to remove many misconceptions. Women today are more powerful. They have been able to prove their worth several times over. They are a determined lot and they have excelled in their professions. Women are homemakers and the world is made up of trillions of homes.

UN Women wants 2022 to be defined as a year to achieve gender equality vis-à-vis issues like climate change, and environmental and disaster risk reduction. There is a need to address these issues. That would ensure a better world for the future generations. Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenage climate activist has played and continues to play a major role in this area.

Source -
ndtv.com dated 5 March 2022

Wildfire forces evacuation of hundreds of residents in the Florida panhandle

Trees downed by Hurricane Michael four years ago are believed to have fueled the wildfire. The tinder dry conditions and strong winds aggravated the situation. Those in authority asked those living in Springfield, east of Panama City to move out on priority. Ron DeSantis is the governor of Florida. He explained that combination of huge expanses of dry land, downed trees, low humidity and strong winds were tailor made for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County. Teams of firefighters and emergency workers toiled to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. Tractor plow units and helicopters were deployed and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Dry conditions in Florida give rise to dangers of fire. There are innumerable active wildfires across the state. The Florida Forest Service indicates 12,000 acres are currently ablaze in the state of Florida. It faced Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and then Hurricane Michael in 2018. The latter tore through Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base and left 16 dead with loss of about $25 billion in damages. It is not easy to control wildfires.

Source -

dailymail.co.uk dated 8 March 2022

A killer mudslide could engulf the £11million mansion of Harry and Meghan in California

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from royal duties and relocated in Santa Barbara, California. A new flood danger map shows the location of their home is at risk of a killer mudslide. In 2018, a storm killed 23 persons and destroyed 130 houses in the village of millionaires. THe damages added up to nearly $2.2billion. The royal couple of Britain had reportedly paid £11million for this nine-bed home. However, the frequency of wildfires and droughts in the state of California has become matters of concerns.

There are reports that they might dispose it off because the fears of mudslides remain. Wildfires have destroyed large portions of the vegetation that protects the hilly land around the village. In view of drought, restoration of the green cover has become a long drawn process. A map of Montecito Fire Protection District reveals the imminent dangers. The home adjacent to that of Harry and Meghan’s seven-acre estate lies between two creeks. The worst part is that it is in a predicted mudslide path. Hence, the slightest deviation could endanger the home of Harry and Meghan. In fact, this could turn out to be a bad investment for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
mirror.co.uk dated 6 March 2022