DailyOh! How Aarogya Setu app helps you stay aarogya, to why Ambedkar ‘opened’ Buddha’s eyes
Some say the app compromises their privacy. They need to know their privacy is already compromised.
Hey there,
So that which we all had been anticipating was announced today morning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an extension of the nationwide lockdown. Most thought it would be extended till April 30, but it is now scheduled to end on May 3. Some are so funny they are even accounting for usual holidays: May 1 is Labour Day, May 2 is Saturday and May 3 is Sunday. We are glad people can still make the distinction between a Sunday and Monday even with this Work From Home working to make us lose all such distinctions.
Address to the nation. https://t.co/26sVP2br5n
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 14, 2020
If you heard Modi in the morning or read about what he said later, you may be aware he has asked Indians to download the Aarogya Setu app. The app basically makes the job of contact tracing easier. If you have been near a person who has been tested postive for this coronavirus, the app would tell you that you are at risk. How? By tracking your location. The thing here is that if the person is a silent carrier and hasn’t undergone the test so far, the app can’t help you. Technology has its limits. That is what the virus is trying to tell us.
But the app still makes sense because some caution is better than no caution. Also, this could well be transformed into a travel permit once the lockdown is lifted. That’s how China is doing it. In Wuhan, a software, similar to Aarogya Setu, tells people whether they can move out and what places they can acces, based on the data they provide to the app. While we should avoid going the China way on many things, this one we can totally adopt. Some say the app compromises their privacy, but they need to know their privacy is already compromised. Even without the app, the authorities have been tracking people based on their phone locations. To be honest, if the choice is between sharing one’s location and the freedom to move out, who would not pick the latter!
The government can, of course, misuse the information at its own peril. Remember, India is not China.
So, download Aarogya and help the government ensure you stay safe and healthy. You know that is what aarogya means. The word finds its origin in Sanskrit. We are telling you this because aarogya is our Word Of The Day. It means one who is without (aa-) rog (ailment). Since Sanskrit influences many languages in India and abroad, versions of aarogya have been found in different languages. In Tamil, it is arogyma. In Malay, used in Myanmar, it is called arojan. Follow the lockdown guidelines and stay at home to stay arojan, arogyam or aarogya.
Have you been taking note of how model-turned actor Milind Soman and wife Ankita Konwar are making the most of their time together? They have been exercising, cleaning and cooking together. Yes, we know you are doing that too, but did you get into an egg fight like this couple? We are not recommending, just bringing to you the news of Milind and Ankita’s egg battle. We got to know about it from Milind Soman’s Insta account.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Milind Usha Soman (@milindrunning) on
Talking of eggs, many parts of the country are reporting that they are not getting eggs. Given how easy egg is to cook, it would be a blessing for those who can’t get their cooking right, if they can lay their hands (tenderly) on eggs for now. It would also help the poultry industry. While the coronavirus has hit our egg supplies, once upon a time a virus changed the pigmentation of eggs. Before we tell you that, we want you to hear this ‘ande ka fanda’.
So, we were telling you about a virus that changed the colour of eggs. Eggs are generally white; some brown too. The brown ones cost more but offer no extra health benefit than the white ones. Don't fall for marketing tactics.
Sorry about the digression.
What we want to tell you is how some eggs turned blue. In some parts of the world chicken still lay blue eggs. Three kinds of chicken lay blue eggs - Araucana from Chile, and the Dongxiang and Lushi from China.
The reason: a virus that integrated itself into the chicken's DNA hundreds of years ago. The virus inserted its DNA next to a blue-pigment gene that all chickens have, causing the coloration to be turned on. These chickens were favoured by breeders because the eggs looked exotic and thus started a long lineage of blue-egg layers. And yes, eggs are not carriers of the new coronavirus. So, Sunday, ho ya Monday, roz khao anday. It will also help you boost your immunity against the virus.
Talking of the virus, film producer Karim Morani has tested positive for the coronavirus for the second time. Wondering why was he tested again? That’s procedure. Once you test positive, you are given treatment and then tested again to see if you are still positive, and this continues till you test negative. Remember singer Kanika Kapoor? She was discharged after testing negative for the second time, which finally happened after she tested positive the first five times.
We can’t take any chances with this virus.
Karim Morani, however, reminds us of Shah Rukh Khan. King Khan is doing a lot of good work during these testing times. He has even provided 25,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra who are fighting to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state.
But coming back to the point, you do know that Karim Morani was an accused in the 2G scam. So, in an interview, Shah Rukh Khan was asked about his links to Morani. He was actually asked about his friendship with Morani in many interviews but in one particular, he seemed to have lost his cool and said, “Haan hai dost. Toh jaan le loge kya? Galti ki hai toh andar jayega. Maine toh nahi bola ki jaane do kyunki mera dost hai. Aur main kaun hoon bolne ko. (Yes, he is my friend. So? Will you kill me? If he has made a mistake, he will go to jail. I never said let him go because he is my friend. And who am I to say anything any way?) I’m a mere actor. You punish him if you find him guilty.”
Fair point! We can’t be held to question for what our friends do. And we sure wish Karim Morani a speedy recovery.
In these testing times, everyone is doing what they can to tide over the crisis, even if that means changing their regular roles. We do not mean ordinary people turning virologist-cum-doctor-cum-scientists on WhatsApp, we mean the real fighters on the ground. India Post, which traditionally brings you your admit cards for government exams, rakhis and other parcels, since no one is writing personal letters these days, is now delivering essential medicines. Read this to know how the dakiya is not bringing daak, but dawai.
Did you know the world's first official airmail flight took place in India? On February 18, 1911, French pilot Henri Pequet carried about 6,000 letters and cards over 18 kms from Allahabad to Naini. Among these 6,000 letters, was one for King George V of the United Kingdom.
When one thinks of British India, one can’t help but think of Partition. And when one gets thinking about Partition, how does one not think of Pakistan?
Our Covidiot Of The Day lives across the border. The man is Pakistani journalist Sabir Shakir. Not too many people are good at maths, we get it. But Shakir beats them all by a wide margin. According to the man, 5 lakh people tested positive for the coronavirus out of a total of 60,000 tests done. This according to him (we insist, according to him, and not us) makes it an infection ratio of 5 per cent. Did that send your head spinning?
Learn how to (not) flatten the curve from eminent Pakistani journalist Sabir Shakir.Per him ???????????????? patients tested coronavirus positive out of the total ???????????? tests in Pakistan. Making it an infection ratio of ????% which means something to him.Maths ka Nobel prize please? pic.twitter.com/r0SSVfChlp
— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) April 13, 2020
Someday, we will have all the answers to the pandemic affecting us, but the same can’t be said about the mathematical problem Shakir has introduced us to.
From Pakistan, we would like to bring you back to the country. Remember, at this point, we are all travellers only in our heads. So, back in India it’s the birth anniversary of one of India’s greatest social thinkers: BR Ambedkar.
Ambedkar would have turned 128 years old today, had he been alive. But he is not. His thoughts, ideas and contributions are. You know Ambedkar was the one to awaken Buddha? No, not physically.
He was the first one to paint Buddha with open eyes.
Now Buddha, as we all know, asked us to look for answers within. And only when you close your eyes to the material world outside, can you truly look for answers within. But Ambedkar was of a different opinion.
Ambedkar had a special interest in painting, so he went learning painting from BR Madilagekar, and termed all the arts including painting and philosophies, 'Charath' (moving, walking). Ambedkar was of the view that it is crucial to keep eyes open to watch the tortures ailing the world. You really can’t see with your eyes closed, can you? So, yes he was right on that count. But even if you paint a person with open eyes, he still can’t see because he is a painting and not a man. But yes, we get the thought behind Ambedkar’s move.
We will leave you with this for today. But remember, do stay safe.
We will see you tomorrow.