Democracy For Nepal: Masking

Friday, December 23, 2022

Masking

Archaeologists Devise a Better Clock for Biblical Times A new approach to studying the history of Old Testament conflicts, courtesy of Earth’s geomagnetic record. ....... Did Joshua fight the Battle of Jericho in 1500 B.C. or in 1400 B.C. — or at all? ........ Many materials, including rocks and soils, record the reversals and variations over time in earth’s invisible geomagnetic field. When ancient ceramics or mud bricks that contain ferromagnetic, or certain iron-bearing, minerals are heated to sufficiently high temperatures, the magnetic moments of the minerals behave like a compass needle, reflecting the orientation and intensity of the field at the time of burning. The new methodology can provide a sort of geobiblical clock. .......... To understand the mysterious mechanism of earth’s magnetic field, geophysicists track its changes throughout history by using archaeological relics — furnaces, ceramic shards and roof tiles — that contain ferromagnetic minerals. ........ Earth’s magnetosphere is a protective bubble that deflects solar winds, streams of charged particles from the sun that gust through the solar system, and cosmic rays from deep space. Scientists theorize that the magnetic field is generated by a layer of molten iron and nickel in the planet’s outer core, about 1,800 miles below the surface, that is in continual flux around a solid iron core. As ferromagnetic particles in ancient artifacts cool, their magnetic moments are baked into the alignment. So long as the objects don’t heat up again, they will retain what is effectively a fossilized magnetic field. Each reheating beyond a certain temperature wipes out all previously recorded magnetic signals, so that the date is always of the most recent firing. .

Ali Ahmed Aslam, Credited With Inventing Chicken Tikka Masala, Dies at 77 A Glasgow restaurateur, he was part of the rise of the British curry house — and played an essential part in its story. ........ Chicken tikka masala became so widespread that in 2001 Robin Cook, the British foreign secretary, delivered a speech praising the dish — and Britain for embracing it....... “Chicken tikka masala is now a true British national dish,” Mr. Cook said, referring to a survey that had placed it above fish and chips in popularity. “Not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences.” ........ Chicken tikka masala boomed in the curry houses of 1970s Britain. ........ In 1979, when Mr. Aslam renovated the place, he reopened with a clever gimmick: all of the original 1964 prices, for a limited time. This led to long, frenzied lines down the block. In photos taken around this time, Mr. Aslam is handsome and beaming, in a tuxedo jacket and bow tie, with the thick, floppy hair of a movie star. ......... Though more recent surveys have named other curries, such as chicken jalfrezi, as the most popular in Britain, chicken tikka masala is pervasive. It is found on airplanes and as a pizza topping, at fast-food chains and premade in jars on grocery shelves all over the world. .

China’s Future Isn’t What It Used to Be early this year Xi Jinping, China’s paramount leader, was still boasting about his triumph over Covid. Indeed, for a while, people commonly heard assertions that China’s apparent success in pandemic management heralded its emergence as the world’s leading power. Now, however, Xi has abruptly ended his signature “zero Covid” policy, with all indications pointing to a huge surge in hospitalizations and deaths that will stress health care to the breaking point; the Chinese economy seems set to face major problems over the next two or three years; and long-term projections of Chinese economic growth are being marked down. ....... the weakness of authoritarian governments in which nobody can tell the leader when he’s getting it wrong. ....... It has been obvious for years that China’s economy, despite an awesome history of economic growth, is wildly unbalanced. Too few of the gains from growth have trickled down to households, keeping consumer spending low as a share of gross domestic product. Extremely high rates of investment have filled the gap — but all indications are that investment is running into severely diminishing returns, with businesses ever more reluctant to spend on new ventures. ........ China has nonetheless managed to retain full employment — but mainly by promoting an enormous housing bubble. China’s real estate sector is incredibly bloated: According to one estimate it accounts for 29 percent of G.D.P., with investment in real estate as a share of G.D.P. running twice as high as it did in the United States at the height of the 2000s bubble. ........... Stein’s Law: “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.” ......... China’s policy missteps seem to have reinforced the perception that it’s entering the “middle-income trap” .

What Inspires a Poet to Write a Novel? Ask Kathleen Glasgow. After charmingly announcing that “Girl in Pieces” is a No. 1 best seller, the author opened up about why she wrote this book. .

Why Your Kid’s Bad Behavior May Be a Good Thing The safer children feel, the more they can show their true selves — warts and all — experts say. And that’s good for their development. ......... There was a moment over Thanksgiving break when my 7-year-old bossily instructed her 76-year-old grandfather, whom she rarely sees, to “stop taking pictures and put down your camera,” and boy, I wished I could hide under the dining room table for the rest of the evening. ......... more likely to empathize and engage in dialogue. Because of this, many children today feel more comfortable around adults, and they are more willing to challenge them and speak up when they feel the impulse. ....... Although this spiritedness sometimes looks unsavory, child psychologists say the shift is a good thing. It is a reflection of how safe and loved children feel and how much trust they have in their parents. ........ When children feel safe and loved, they are better able to “find their voice and figure out the world for themselves” ...... kids don’t blossom when they are afraid of their caregivers. Fear-based, authoritarian parenting — when parents are extremely strict, punish their children harshly for defiance and say things like, “Because I said so!” — is linked with myriad negative outcomes in kids. Children of authoritarian parents are at an increased risk for anxiety and depression, exhibit more disruptive behavior and are more likely than other kids to have low self-esteem .......... over time, fearing your parents makes you less confident in yourself and more in need of external validation ........ harsh, strict parenting does not sow the seeds for healthy development; it does the opposite. In the short term, sure, kids might be better behaved. In the long term, children suffer. ......... Kids should be treated with respect and made to feel that their opinions and beliefs have worth. ........ distinguished between unhelpful psychological control and helpful “behavioral control” — when parents set limits and expectations, such as that kids have a certain bedtime, need to clean up their room each morning or are only allowed a certain amount of screen time each day. Boundaries and rules are crucial for healthy development ......... have high expectations of their kids and set strict limits, but they are also warm and respectful with their children and sometimes willing to negotiate. Research shows that children of authoritative parents perform better in school than their peers, are more honest with their parents and are also kind and compassionate. ......... Research shows that Black and Latino children are more likely to be disciplined at school than white children. Because of this, Dr. Crawford explained, parents of nonwhite kids may feel they should parent more punitively to protect their children from the downstream effects of racism, such as expulsion or police violence. They also might feel they need to parent harshly to make their kids tougher. ........ among Black parents, there is now a movement toward more gentle parenting. ......... Children who feel comfortable challenging their parents or grandparents about rules and expectations, who occasionally say sassy or rude things, are, in essence, kids who know they are loved and accepted for who they are. .

It’s Time to Wear a Mask Again, Health Experts Say A high-quality, well-fitting mask is your best protection against infection from the coronavirus, influenza and R.S.V. .

Indian startup ecosystem in 2015:
- 8 unicorns
- 5 billion in venture capital funding
- 7,000 startups
- 600 startup exits

Indian startup ecosystem in 2022:
- 108 unicorns
- $50 billion+ in VC funding
- 60,000 startups
- 6,000 exits

This is the century for india 🚀🇮🇳.
— Brendan Rogers (@Brendanprogers) December 22, 2022