#Budget 2022 India

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Top 10 Best Electric Bikes In India 2022 – A Detail Guide

Top 10 Best Electric Bikes In India 2022 Electric Bikes and Electric Scooters have become the most trending and popular vehicles in India over the past few years.

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Crompton has recently launched Air Cooler with new technology and new features so we have prepared an article about this special Crompton budget air coolers. The new Crompton budget air coolers come with better service and warranty, and a more durable, comfortable, and attractive design. With powerful air-cooling technology that cools your room quickly.

Crompton Budget Air Coolers are a range of affordable, portable air coolers that provide excellent cooling for your home, store, restaurant, or office. Air coolers are designed to deliver powerful cooling and efficient energy consumption. The best Crompton air coolers have adjustable speed settings and a wide range of features to provide a comfortable environment.

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BUDGETED GAMING LAPTOPS UNDER 50000

Super fast processors, incredible displays, sound & battery will give you great experience in gaming. Heating, storage,weight & battery plays a major role. Additionally Keyboards, displays, hardware and processors( good speed with less interruption) should be checked before buying.

BUDGETED GAMING LAPTOPS UNDER 50000

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This post compiles key information about investing in turntable speakers. Refer to the guide and select the most suitable model by exploring the options available at Watt Hi Fi.

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Top 10 Best electric scooter in India 2022

पेट्रोल और डीजल की बढ़ती कीमतों से आम आदमी परेशान हो चुका है, हर कोई तेल की बढ़ती कीमतों से छुटकारा पाना चाहता है, ऐसे में इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन एक अच्छा विकल्प हो सकता है। वर्तमान में इलेक्ट्रिक टू व्हीलर  सेगमेंट में बाजार में ढेरों विकल्प मौजूद है। आपके लिए कौन सा इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर सही रहेगा और भारत में सबसे अच्छे इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर कौन से हैं (Top 10 Best electric scooter in india 2022) यह जान लेना आवश्यक है। 

 इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों का रनिंग कास्ट और मेंटेनेंस कॉस्ट पारंपरिक वाहनों से की अपेक्षा सस्ता होता है हालांकि शुरुआती निवेश में दिक्कत हो सकती है क्योंकि इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन अभी बाजार नए होने के कारण महंगे हैं।

 इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों में प्रदूषण नहीं होता है, इसी कारण से केंद्र और राज्य सरकारें प्रदूषण को कम करने के लिए इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को बढ़ावा दे रही है। वर्तमान में भारत में ओला, हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक, बजाज, टीवीएस, बाउंस इंफिनिटी, ओकीनावा, एंपियर और सिंपल वन जैसे विश्वसनीय ब्रांड के इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर सबसे अच्छे इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (top electric scooter in india) की सूची में शामिल है।

यहां भारत में उपलब्ध 10 सबसे अच्छे इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Top 10 best electric scooter in india 2022) की जानकारी विस्तार से देख सकते हैं।

List of Top 10 best electric Scooters in India 2022

Hero Electric

 हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक, देश की सबसे सफल और विश्वसनीय टू व्हीलर कंपनियों में से एक है। बिक्री के मामले में हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक देश की सबसे नंबर वन कंपनी है, कंपनी ने FY 2022 में सबसे ज्यादा पैसा बाजार 65,303 यूनिट इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर बेचने का रिकॉर्ड बनाया है। वही मार्च 2022 में 1 महीने के अंदर कंपनी ने 13000 से ज्यादा इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर बेचे हैं। 

हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा और हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक फोटोंन सबसे ज्यादा पसंद किए जाने वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर हैं। 

(1) हीर�� इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX (Hero Electric Optima CX)

Hero Electric Optima CX (हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX) में एंटी थेफ्ट अलार्म, यूएसबी पोर्ट, रिमोट लॉक, पोर्टेबल बैटरी, क्रूज कंट्रोल, रिवर्स मोड, वॉक असिस्ट, टेलीस्कोपिक सस्पेंशन, एलइडी हेडलैंप और डिजिटल इंस्ट्रूमेंट क्लस्टर जैसे फीचर दिए गए हैं।

हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX (City Speed) में दो बैटरी वेरिएंट है: Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery और Dual Battery

Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर लगा है जोकि अधिकतम 1200 वाट पावर जनरेट कर सकता है, साथ ही इसमें एक 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah) का लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है।

जबकि Hero Electric Optima HX Dual Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर साथ इसमें दो 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah×2) लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है। इसमें दोनों बैटरी रिमूवेबल है और दोनों को एक-एक करके उपयोग कर सकते हैं।

Hero Electric Optima CX के दोनों वेरिएंट की टॉप स्पीड 45 kmph है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सिंगल बैटरी वैरिएंट 82 किमी प्रति चार्ज की रेंज देने का दावा करता है,जबकि डुएल बैटरी वेरिएंट 140 किमी प्रति चार्ज कवर कर सकता है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX के दोनों वेरिएंट में स्कूटर और बैटरी दोनों में 3 साल की वारंटी दी जा रही है।

इस इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर की खास बात यह है कि यह रीजेनरेटिव ब्रेकिंग सिस्टम के साथ आते हैं मतलब ब्रेक लगाने के दौरान इस स्कूटर की बैटरी चार्ज होती रहती है। यदि आप इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर लेने का मन बना रहे हैं तो हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सी एक्स जोकि हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक के विश्वसनीय ब्रांड के तरफ से आती है बेहतरीन विकल्प (Best electric scooter in india 2022) हो सकती है।

हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX (City Speed) में दो बैटरी वेरिएंट है: Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery और Dual Battery

Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर लगा है जोकि अधिकतम 1200 वाट पावर जनरेट कर सकता है, साथ ही इसमें एक 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah) का लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है।

जबकि Hero Electric Optima HX Dual Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर साथ इसमें दो 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah×2) लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है। इसमें दोनों बैटरी रिमूवेबल है और दोनों को एक-एक करके उपयोग कर सकते हैं।

Hero Electric Optima CX के दोनों वेरिएंट की टॉप स्पीड 45 kmph है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सिंगल बैटरी वैरिएंट 82 किमी प्रति चार्ज की रेंज देने का दावा करता है,जबकि डुएल बैटरी वेरिएंट 140 किमी प्रति चार्ज कवर कर सकता है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX के दोनों वेरिएंट में स्कूटर और बैटरी दोनों में 3 साल की वारंटी दी जा रही है।

इस इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर की खास बात यह है कि यह रीजेनरेटिव ब्रेकिंग सिस्टम के साथ आते हैं मतलब ब्रेक लगाने के दौरान इस स्कूटर की बैटरी चार्ज होती रहती है। यदि आप इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर लेने का मन बना रहे हैं तो हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सी एक्स जोकि हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक के विश्वसनीय ब्रांड के तरफ से आती है बेहतरीन विकल्प (Best electric scooter in india 2022) हो सकती है।

हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX (City Speed) में दो बैटरी वेरिएंट है: Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery और Dual Battery

Hero Electric Optima CX Single Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर लगा है जोकि अधिकतम 1200 वाट पावर जनरेट कर सकता है, साथ ही इसमें एक 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah) का लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है।

जबकि Hero Electric Optima HX Dual Battery वाले इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में 550 वाट का बीएलडीसी मोटर साथ इसमें दो 1.536 KWh (51.2V / 30Ah×2) लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक दिया गया है। इसमें दोनों बैटरी रिमूवेबल है और दोनों को एक-एक करके उपयोग कर सकते हैं।

Hero Electric Optima CX के दोनों वेरिएंट की टॉप स्पीड 45 kmph है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सिंगल बैटरी वैरिएंट 82 किमी प्रति चार्ज की रेंज देने का दावा करता है,जबकि डुएल बैटरी वेरिएंट 140 किमी प्रति चार्ज कवर कर सकता है। हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा CX के दोनों वेरिएंट में स्कूटर और बैटरी दोनों में 3 साल की वारंटी दी जा रही है।

इस इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर की खास बात यह है कि यह रीजेनरेटिव ब्रेकिंग सिस्टम के साथ आते हैं मतलब ब्रेक लगाने के दौरान इस स्कूटर की बैटरी चार्ज होती रहती है। यदि आप इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर लेने का मन बना रहे हैं तो हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक ऑप्टिमा सी एक्स जोकि हीरो इलेक्ट्रिक के विश्वसनीय ब्रांड के तरफ से आती है बेहतरीन विकल्प (Best electric scooter in india 2022) हो सकती है।

(2) सिंपल वन इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Simple One electric scooter)

बात करें अगली बेस्ट इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर इन इंडिया 2022 (Top 10 best electric scooter in india 2022) की तो वह है सिंपल एनर्जी की तरफ से आने वाली सिंपल वन इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर, इस स्कूटर में 8.5KW क्षमता की मोटर के साथ 4.8kWh का लिथियम आयन बैटरी पैक लगा हुआ है जो कि 236 किमी/चार्ज का आपको इसमें रेंज मिल जाएगा।

इसके अलावा इसमें 1.6kWh की एक्सटेंडेड बैटरी का भी ऑप्शन दिया जा रहा है जिससे इसकी कुल बैटरी कैपेसिटी 6.4kWh की होने वाली है कंपनी का दावा है कि 6.4kWh बैटरी कैपेसिटी के साथ इससे स्कूटर की रेंज 300 प्लस किमी/चार्ज दे सकती है।

इस प्रीमियम इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Premium electric scooter) में फास्ट चार्जिंग का भी ऑप्शन दिया गया है इसे 1 घंटे 5 मिनट में पूरी तरह चार्ज किया जा सकता है। स्कूटर की टॉप स्पीड 105 किलोमीटर प्रति घंटे की है और यह स्कूटर 2.95 सेकंड फ्लोर 0 से 40kmph की स्पीड हासिल कर लेती है।

इस इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर में MNC (Lithium-Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt-Oxide) टाइप बैटरी का उपयोग किया गया है और इसमें सभी एडवांस और स्मार्ट फीचर्स दिए गए हैं। इस प्राइस रेंज में सिंपल वन इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर 300 किलोमीटर की रेंज और स्मार्ट फीचर्स को देखा जाए तो यह मार्केट में अब तक की सबसे बेस्ट इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Best electric scooter in india 2022) साबित हो सकती है।

इसकी प्राइजिंग की बात करें तो सिंपल वन इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर के एक्सटेंडेड बैटरी वेरिएंट की कीमत ₹1,44,000 रखी गई है आप इसे स्कूटर को 1947 रुपए में प्री बुक भी कर सकते हैं।

फिलहाल इस स्कूटर की टेस्ट राइड चल रही है और सितंबर में इसकी डिलीवरी करने की कंपनी की प्लानिंग है।

(3) एथेर 450X इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Ather 450X)

कंपनी ने हाल ही में एथेर 450 एक्स इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर के थर्ड जेनरेशन (Ather 450X 2022 3rd gen) मॉडल को लॉन्च किया है। इसमें सारे स्मार्ट और एडवांस फीचर्स देखने को मिल जाते हैं। कंपनी ने इसकी प्राइस ₹1,55,000 एक्स शोरूम रखी है। 

अपग्रेडेड Ather 450X मॉडल में 2.9kWh बैटरी के बजाए 3.7kWh की लिथियम आयन बैटरी बैक का इस्तेमाल किया गया है जिससे सिंगल चार्ज में इसकी रेंज 106 किलोमीटर से बढ़कर 146 किलोमीटर/चार्ज की सर्टिफाइड रेंज देखने को मिल जाती है।

इसकी बैटरी को 100 चार्ज होने में 5 घंटे 40 मिनट का समय लगता है इसके अलावा इसमें 3.3kW PMSM मोटर दिया गया है इसकी टॉप स्पीड 80 से 90kmph तक है और यह 3.3 सेकेंड्स में 0 से 40kmph की स्पीड हासिल कर लेती है।

इसमें पांच राइटिंग मोड्स भी दिए गए हैं स्कूटर को फ्यूचरिस्टिक लुक और डिजाइन में पेश किया गया है अगर आपका इस इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर को लेने का बजट है तो हाई रेंज के साथ बेस्ट इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर (Best electric scooter in india) हो सकता है।

[adastra-sf]

Climate change-driven heatwaves threaten millions

Extreme record-breaking heat leads to severe crises across the world.

Already in 2024, from Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria in the West; to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines in the East; large regions of Asia are experiencing temperatures well above 40°C (104°F) for days on end.

The heatwave has been particularly difficult for people living in refugee camps and informal housing, as well as for unhoused people and outdoor workers.

Using the Heat Index Calculator, at that temperature and a relative humidity of 50%, residents see a heat index of 55°C (131°F) - a temperature level humans cannot long survive:

In February, the southern coastal zone of West Africa also experienced abnormal early-season heat. A combination of high temperatures and humid air resulted in average heat index values of about 50°C (122°F) - the danger level, associated with a high risk of heat cramps and heat exhaustion.

Locally, temperatures entered the extreme danger level associated with high risk of heat stroke, with values up to 60°C (140°F):

Even here at Ad Astra's HQ in Kansas, last summer we saw several days with high temperatures of 102°F (39°C) at 57% humidity, resulting in a heat index of 133°F (56°C):

Of course, the major difference in survivability in Kansas versus some of the places suffering extreme heat right now is that air-conditioning abounds here. Those who live somewhere that faces extreme heat but can escape it indoors are a lot more likely to survive, but a person who lives somewhere without such life-saving gear faces not just discomfort, but heat stroke and even death.

This includes unhoused and poor people here in the wealthier parts of the world, who often do not have access to indoor refuge from the heat.

About 15% of US residents live below the poverty line. Many low-wage earners work outside in construction or landscaping, exposed to the ravages of heat. Many do not own an air conditioner, and those who do might need to budget their body's recovery from heat against cost to purchase and run cooling equipment. Because heat stress is cumulative, when they go to work the next day, they’re more likely to suffer from heat illness.

Bad as that is, for those living on the street, heatwaves are merciless killers. Around the country, heat contributes to some 1,500 deaths annually, and advocates estimate about half of those people are homeless. In general, unhoused people are 200 times more likely to die from heat-related causes than sheltered individuals.

For example, in 2022, a record 425 people died from heat in the greater Phoenix metro area. Of the 320 deaths for which the victim’s living situation is known, more than half (178) were homeless. In 2023, Texans experienced the hottest summer since 2011, with an average temperature of 85.3°F (30°C) degrees between June and the end of August. Some cities in Texas experienced more than 40 days of 100°F (38°C) or higher weather. This extreme heat led to 334 heat-related deaths, the highest number in Texas history and twice as many as in 2011.

The Pacific Northwest of Canada and the USA suffered an extreme heat event in June, 2021, during which 619 people died. Many locations broke all-time temperature records by more than 5°C, with a new record-high temperature of 49.6°C (121°F). This is a region ill-suited to such weather, and despite having relatively high wealth compared to much of the world, many homes and businesses there do not have air-conditioning due to a history of much lower temperatures.

Heatwaves are arguably the deadliest type of extreme weather event because of their wide impact. While heatwave death tolls are often underreported, hundreds of deaths from the February heatwave were reported in the affected countries, including Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Extreme heat also has a powerful impact on agriculture, causing crop damage and reduced yields. It also impacts education, with holidays having to be extended and schools closing, affecting millions of students - in Delhi, India, schools shut early this week for summer when temperatures soared to 47°C (117°F) at dangerous humidity levels:

At 70°C (157°F !), humans simply cannot function and face imminent death, especially when humidity is high. This is the notion of "heat index," a derivative of "wet-bulb temperature."

Though now mostly calculated using heat and humidity readings, wet-bulb temperature was originally measured by putting a wet cloth over a thermometer and exposing it to the air.

This allowed it to measure how quickly the water evaporated off the cloth, representing sweat evaporating off skin.

The theorized human survival limit has long been 35°C (95°F) wet-bulb temperature, based on 35°C dry heat at 100% humidity - or 46°C (115°F) at 50% humidity. To test this limit, researchers at Pennsylvania State University measured the core temperatures of young, healthy people inside a heat chamber.

They found that participants reached their "critical environmental limit" - when their body could not stop the core temperature from continuing to rise – at 30.6°C wet bulb temperature, well below what was previously theorized. That web-bulb temperature parallels a 47°C (117°F) heat index.

​The team estimates that it takes between 5-7 hours before such conditions reach "really, really dangerous core temperatures."

On March 5, 2024, Hong Kong saw temperatures of 27°C (80°F) with 100% humidity, which results in a heat index of 32.2°C (90°F) - seemingly not so bad until considering it's higher than the critical wet-bulb temperature. Also, if you watch the video, imagine the long-term effects of water accumulating in residences, such as dangerous mold.

We are witnessing the effects of climate change right now, all around the world, and rising temperatures are just the most-obvious (what we used to call "global warming"). Many, many other side-effects of climate change are beginning to plague us or headed our way soon, and will affect us all.

Unfortunately, those most affected - and those being hit the hardest right now - are people most vulnerable to heatwaves. With climate crises increasing in both intensity and frequency, and poverty at dangerous levels, we face a rapidly rising, worldwide crisis.

We must recognize the climate crisis as an international emergency and treat it as such. So much time, creative energy, resources, and life is wasted in war and the pursuit of profit or power - consider how much good could come from re-allocating those resources to ensuring a future for Earthlings, instead.

(Expect to see a "Science into Fiction" workshop on climate change coming soon - SF writers have a particular responsibility to address such important topics of change and global consequence.)

[worstjourney]

The Millennials' Polar Expedition

A year ago today (23 Nov 2022), I launched Worst Journey Vol.1 at the Scott Polar Research Institute. This is the text of the speech I gave to the lovely people who turned up to celebrate.

As many of you know, my interest in the Terra Nova Expedition was sparked by Radio 4’s dramatisation of The Worst Journey in the World, now 14 years ago.  The story is an incredible story, and it got its claws into me, but what kept me coming back again and again were the people.  I couldn’t believe anyone so wonderful had ever really existed.  So when I finally succumbed to obsession and started reading all the books, it was the expedition members’ own words which I most cherished.  These were not always easy to come by, though, so plenty of popular histories were consumed as well.  Reading both in tandem, it soon became clear that, while there were some good books out there, there was a lot of sloppy research in the polar echo chamber as well.

I also discovered that no adaptation had attempted to get across the full scope of the expedition.  There has never been a full and fair dramatic retelling, all having been limited by time, budget, or ideology from telling the whole story truthfully.  I was determined that my adaptation would be both complete and accurate, and be as accountable as possible to those precious primary documents and the people who wrote them.

So the years of research began.  I moved to Cambridge to be able to drop in at SPRI and make the most of the archives.  Getting to Antarctica seemed impossible, but I went to New Zealand to get at least that much right, and on the way back stayed with relatives in Alberta, the most Antarctic place I could realistically visit.  I gathered reference for objects wherever I could.  Because Vol.1 takes place mainly on the Terra Nova, which is now a patch of sludge on the seabed off Greenland, I cobbled together a Franken-Nova in my mind, between the Discovery up in Dundee and the Star of India in San Diego.  I spent a week on a Jubilee Sailing Trust ship in order to depict tall-ship sailing correctly.  I’m sure I’ve still got loads of things wrong, but I did all I could, to get as much as I could, right.

But still, everyone I met who had been to Antarctica said, “you can’t understand Antarctica until you’ve been there, and you can’t tell the story without understanding Antarctica; you have to go.”  So I applied to the USAP’s Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, with faint hope, as they do “Ahrt” and I draw cartoons.  But I must have blagged a good grant proposal, because a year after applying, I was stepping out of a C-17 onto the Ross Ice Shelf.  The whole trip would have been worth it just to stand there, turn in a circle, and see how all the familiar photographs fit together.  But the USAP’s generosity didn’t stop there, and in the next month I saw Hut Point, Arrival Heights, the Beardmore Glacier (including the moraine on which the Polar Party stopped to “geologise”), and Cape Crozier, and made three visits to the Cape Evans hut.  Three!  On top of the visual reference I got priceless qualitative data.  The hardness of the sound.  The surprising warmth of the sun. The sugary texture of the snow.  The keen edge on a slight breeze.  The way your fingertips and toes can start to go when the rest of you is perfectly warm.  The SHEER INSANITY of Cape Crozier.  The veterans were right – I couldn’t have drawn it without having been there, but now I have, and can, and I am more grateful than I can ever adequately express.  With all these resources laid so copiously at my feet, all I had to do was sit down and draw the darn thing.  Luckily I have some very sound training to back me up on that.

Now, this is all very well for the how of making the book, and, I hope, interesting enough. But why?  Why am I putting so much effort into telling this story, and why now?

Well, it means a lot to me personally.  To begin to understand why, you need to know that I grew up in the 80s and 90s, at the height of individualist, goal-oriented, success-driven, dog-eat-dog, devil-take-the-hindmost neoliberalism.  It was just assumed that humans, when you get right down to it, were basically self-interested jerks, and I saw plenty of them around so I had no reason to question this assumption.  The idea was that if you did everything right, and worked really hard, you could retire at 45 to a yacht in the Bahamas, and if you didn’t retire to a yacht, well, you just hadn’t tried hard enough.  Character, in the sense of rigorous personal virtue, was for schmucks.  What mattered was success.  Even as my politics evolved, I still took it as a given that this was how the world worked, and that was how people generally were – after all, there was no lack of corroborating evidence.  So: I worked really hard.  I single-mindedly pursued my self-interest.  I made sacrifices, and put in the time, and fought my way into my dream job and all the success I could have asked for.

And then I met the Terra Nova guys.

What struck me most about them was that even when everything was going wrong, when their expectations were shattered and they had to face the cruellest reality, they were still kind.  Not backbiting, recriminating, blame-throwing, defensive, or mean, as one would expect – they were lovely to each other, patient, supportive, self-sacrificing; in fact the worse things got, the better they were.  They still treated each other as friends even when it wasn’t in their self-interest, was even contrary to their self-interest.  I didn’t know people could be like that.  But there they were, in plain writing, being thoroughly, bafflingly, decent.  Not just the Polar Party – everyone had to face their own brutal realities at some point, and they all did so with a grace I never thought possible.

It presented a very important question:

When everything goes belly-up, and you’re facing the worst, what sort of person will you be?

Or perhaps more acutely: What sort of person would you rather be with?

It was so contrary to the world I lived in, to the reality I knew – it was a peek into an alternate dimension, populated entirely with lovely, lovely people, who really, genuinely believed that “it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game,” and behaved accordingly.  It couldn’t be real.  There had to be a deeper, unpleasant truth: that was how the world worked, after all.  I kept digging, expecting to hit bottom at some point, but I only found more gold, all the way down.  How could I not spend my life on this?

Mythology exists to pass on a culture’s values, moral code, and survival information – how to face challenges and prevail.  Scott’s story entered the British mythology, and had staying power, because it exemplified those things so profoundly for the culture that created and received it.  But the culture changed, and there were new values; Scott’s legacy was first inverted and then cast aside.  The new culture needed a new epic hero.  You’d think it would be Amundsen, the epitome of ruthless success, but “Make Plan – Execute Plan – Go Home” has no mythic value, so he didn’t stick.  The hero needed challenges, he needed setbacks, and he needed to win, on our terms.

Shackleton!  Shackleton was a winner!  Shackleton told us what we knew to be true and wanted to hear at epic volume: that if you want something badly enough, and try really hard, you will succeed!  (Especially if you can control the narrative.)  Scott, on the other hand, tells us that if you want something badly enough, and try really hard . . . you may nevertheless die horribly in the snow.  Nobody wants to hear that!  What a downer!  I think it’s no coincidence that Shackleton exploded into popular culture in the late 90s and has dominated it ever since: he is the mythic hero of the zeitgeist. I am always being asked if I’ll be doing Shackleton next.  He has six graphic novels already!  That is plenty!  But people still want to tell and be told his story, because it’s a heroic myth that validates our worldview.

That’s why I am so determined to tell the Scott story, because Scott is who we don’t realise we need right now – and Wilson, and Bowers, and Cherry, and Atch, and all the rest.  The Terra Nova Expedition is the Millennials’ polar expedition.  We’ve worked really hard, we’ve done everything we were supposed to, we made what appeared to be the right decisions at the time, and we’re still losing.  Nothing in the mythology we’ve been fed has prepared us for this.  No amount of positive attitude is going to change it.  We have all the aphorisms in the world, but what we need is an example of how to behave when the chips are down, when the Boss is not sailing into the tempest to rescue us, when the Yelcho is not on the horizon.  When circumstances are beyond your power to change, how do you make the best of your bad situation?  What does that look like? Even if you can’t fix anything, how do you make it better for the people around you – or at the very least, not worse?  Scott tells us: you can be patient, supportive, and humble; see who needs help and offer it; be realistic but don’t give in to despair; and if you’re up against a wall with no hope of rescue, go out in a blaze of kindness.  We learn by imitation: it’s easy to say these things, but to see them in action, in much harder circumstances than we will ever face, is a far greater help.  And to see them exemplified by real, flawed, complicated people like us is better still; they are not fairy-tale ideals, they are achievable. Real people achieved them.

My upbringing in the 80s milieu of selfishness, which set me up to receive the Scott story so gratefully, is hardly unique.  There are millions of us who are hungry for a counter-narrative.  My generation is desperate for demonstrations of caring, whether it’s activism or social justice or government policies that don’t abandon the vulnerable.  We’ve seen selfishness poison the world, and we want an alternative.  The time for competition is past; we must cooperate or perish, but we don’t know how to do it because our mythology is founded on competition.  The Scott story, if told properly, explodes the Just World Fallacy, and liberates us from the lie that has ruled our lives: that you make your own luck.  What happens, happens: what matters is how you respond to it.  My obsession with accuracy is in part to honour the men, and in part because Cherry was the ultimate stickler and he’d give me a hard time if I didn’t, but also because, if I’m telling the story to a new generation, I’m damn well going to make sure we get that much RIGHT.  It’s been really interesting to see, online, how my generation and the next have glommed onto polar exploration narratives, not as thrilling feats of derring-do, but as emotional explorations of found family and cooperative resilience.  We love them because they love each other, and loving each other helps get them through, and we want – we need – to see how that’s done.  It’s time to give them the Terra Nova story, and to tell it fully, fairly, and honestly, in all its complexity, because that is how their example is most useful to us.  Not as gods, and not as fools, but as real human beings who were excellent to each other in the face of disaster.  I only hope that I, a latecomer to their ways, can do them justice.

[mileapo]

Mile & Apo: It takes two to triumph

IN THE GLITZY REALM OF entertainment, where talent often shines like a beacon, there occasionally emerges a pair of stars whose chemistry transcends the screen. Such is the case with Mile and Apo, two charismatic Thai actors whose TV show KinnPorsche has become a global sensation, watched by millions of viewers from Russia and India, to Poland and Peru.

The two have risen from relative obscurity to become the new ambassadors of Dior, mobbed by teenage girls when they arrived in Mumbai earlier this year to attend a Dior fashion show.

On the surface, the Thai series KinnPorsche seems to have thrown the rulebook of “How to make a hit TV show” out the window. It is a mafia story filled with surly men, bloody gang fights and epic shoot-outs – which, yes, is a mainstay of TV programming. But the radical twist is this: the two main characters are a mafia boss’ son (played by Mile) and his male bodyguard (played by Apo) who – surprise, surprise – fall in love with each other.

In the history of TV, there has never been a hit crime series centred on a gay plot. But when KinnPorsche debuted in April 2022 on Thai TV and global streaming service iQiyi, it almost instantly became the top trending title in neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Soon after, it claimed Europe, finding particular popularity in Poland, Turkey, Italy and France. Then it stormed its way into North and South America, where it was a top trending topic in the US, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia.

No one – not even the cast and producers – thought the show would be this successful. It seems to have fed into some untapped market for female audiences who love action shows, but don’t care to see yet another threateningly perfect actress couple up with their fantasy man.

If you ask any fan what it is about the show that makes them sweat, swoon or quiver with delight, they’ll answer quite simply: Mile and Apo.

Double or nothing

At their photo shoot in Bangkok’s top restaurant Nusara, which overlooks the splendid temple complex Wat Pho, the models-turned-actors are in their element. They tailor their bodies and facial expressions instinctively for the camera, conveying a range of emotions, from sultry and mysterious to bright and playful. The slinky Dior suits, with their clean lines and minimal embellishments, don’t hurt either.

Mile (or Phakphum Romsaithong) and Apo (or Nattawin Wattanagitiphat) recently released their new film Man Suang in cinemas. It is a big-budget political thriller set during the 19th century reign of Rama III, replete with historically authentic sets and costumes.

Apo plays a traditional dancer who is recruited to spy in an elite club and uncover a plot to overthrow the order of the king. Finding a kindred spirit in the club’s taphon drummer (played by Mile), the two team up to stop the underground rebellion.

Speaking with the help of a translator, Mile, 31, explains: “We hope the movie reaches out to a wide audience. We wanted it to have both commercial and critical success, something that could show Thai history and culture to the world, but also be fun and entertaining enough to be a popcorn movie for the masses.”

Both actors note how T-pop (the shorthand for Thai popular entertainment) has been hyped as the next global sensation after K-pop and J-pop, following the massive success of Thai stars such as Lisa Manobal, Bright Vachirawit and Win Opas-iamkajorn.

“And it can happen,” says Apo, 29, also through a translator. “Thai people are very humble, gentle, hardworking and friendly. We can blend into any culture. If anything, Thailand has served as a melting pot for different cultures – just as Singapore has. Our culture can be easily embraced by the world.”

The duo believes that the global audience has transformed in recent times. “They’re now more welcoming of stories from different parts of the world, especially if those stories involve characters going on a journey to discover themselves and make themselves better, stronger, wiser and happier,” says Apo. “That’s why when I look for new projects these days, I look for the ones that carry the messages of self-actualisation.”

Mile concurs, adding: “I’ve always believed in ‘high risk, high return’. KinnPorsche was a risky proposition, because it took a mafia crime genre and placed it in the Boy Love category (a niche genre involving gay romance). But I believed in the project’s potential from the start – even if I never thought it’d become the cultural phenomenon that it is today. Its success has only strengthened my belief in ‘high risk, high return’.”

One-two punch

The road to success has been winding for both actors. Though born with the magnetic allure of leading men, they’ve had to work hard to secure roles over countless rivals, as strikingly handsome as they are. Having appeared in smaller parts before, it was the smash success of KinnPorsche – a show that almost didn’t get made because of funding issues – that catapulted them into not just the Thai limelight, but the global stratosphere.

Asked what Dior’s artistic director Kim Jones thinks of KinnPorsche, the duo laughs. Apo says: “We don’t know if he’s seen the show – we didn’t ask him. But we do know that our fans had been bombarding his Instagram account for a while, telling him about us, asking him to check us out, before he signed us up – well, at least that’s what he told us when we met him for the first time.”

“But for all you know, he could be binge-watching the series right now,” quips Mile, prompting another round of chuckles.

As the two men trade jokes in Thai, it’s clear that they share a genuine friendship. Their camaraderie is palpable, adding an extra layer of authenticity to their on-screen chemistry. Their behind-the-scenes antics and playful banter in candid posts have become fan fodder, launching thousands of TikTok videos and memes.

Mile says: “We’ve only become better friends in these past two-and-a-half years. We’ve become more synchronised, and our mindsets and energies are moving at the same pace. I can look at Apo and more or less understand what’s going on in his mind. We have small conflicts, of course – it’s normal among friends – but it’s usually something so minor, we can resolve it quickly.”

The best part of their friendship? Their shared love of dad jokes – that genre of silly, cheesy jokes with predictable punchlines that fathers supposedly love to tell their kids.

But Mile confesses: “I don’t tell dad jokes because I like them, to be honest. What I really, really want to tell are smart jokes, witty jokes… But I’m so bad at making jokes that they always come across as dad jokes, no matter how hard I try.”

Apo interjects: “Do you wanna hear a good dad joke?” Then, switching from Thai to halting English, he says slowly: “Hey you… watch where you walk… or you will… fall… into… my heart.”

[automaticenemytimetravel]

Upcoming Electric Cars In India 2022

pcoming Electric Cars In India 2022 Upcoming Electric Cars in India 2022 : Mahindra eKUV100, Haima Bird Electric EV1, Tata Altroz EV, Maruti Futuro-e, Tata EVision Electric, Mini Cooper SE, Mercedes-Benz EQA, IBMW i4, BMW i3, and Mercedes-Benz EQS are.

[thozhar]

Gulf migration is not just a major phenomenon in Kerala; north Indian states also see massive migration to the Gulf. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for the biggest share (30% and 15%) of all Indian workers migrating to GCC1 countries in 2016-17 (Khan 2023)—a trend which continues today. Remittances from the Gulf have brought about significant growth in Bihar’s economy (Khan 2023)—as part of a migrant’s family, I have observed a tangible shift in the quality of life, education, houses, and so on, in Siwan. In Bihar, three districts—Siwan, Gopalganj, and Chapra—send the majority of Gulf migrants from the state, mostly for manual labor (Khan 2023). Bihar also sees internal migration of daily wagers to Delhi, Bombay, and other parts of India. Gulf migration from India’s northern regions, like elsewhere in India, began after the oil boom in the 1970s. Before this time, migration was limited to a few places such as Assam, Calcutta, Bokaro, and Barauni—my own grandfather worked in the Bokaro steel factory.

Despite the role of Gulf migration and internal migration in north Indian regions, we see a representational void in popular culture. Bollywood films on migration largely use rural settings, focussing on people who work in the USA, Europe, or Canada. The narratives centre these migrants’ love for the land and use dialogue such as ‘mitti ki khusbu‘ (fragrance of homeland). Few Bollywood films, like Dor and Silvat, portray internal migration and Gulf migration. While Bollywood films frequently centre diasporic experiences such as Gujaratis in the USA and Punjabis in Canada, they fail in portraying Bihari migrants, be they indentured labourers in the diaspora, daily wagers in Bengal, or Gulf migrants. The regional Bhojpuri film industry fares no better in this regard. ‘A good chunk of the budget is spent on songs since Bhojpuri songs have an even larger viewership that goes beyond the Bhojpuri-speaking public’, notes Ahmed (2022), marking a context where there is little purchase for Gulf migration to be used as a reference to narrate human stories of longing, sacrifice, and family.

One reason for this biased representation of migration is that we see ‘migration’ as a monolith. In academic discourse, too, migration is often depicted as a commonplace phenomenon, but I believe it is crucial to make nuanced distinctions in the usage of the terms ‘migration’ and ‘migrant’. The term ‘migration’ is a broad umbrella term that may oversimplify the diverse experiences within this category. My specific concern is about Gulf migrants, as their migration often occurs under challenging circumstances. For individuals from my region, heading to the Gulf is typically a last resort. This kind of migration leads to many difficulties, especially when it distances migrants from their family for much of their lifetime. The term ‘migration’, therefore, inadequately captures the profound differences between, for instance, migrating to the USA for educational purposes and migrating to the Gulf for labour jobs. Bihar has a rich history of migration, dating back to the era of indentured labor known as girmitiya. Following the abolition of slavery in 1883, colonial powers engaged in the recruitment of laborers for their other colonies through agreements (Jha 2019). Girmitiya distinguishes itself from the migration. People who are going to the Arabian Gulf as blue-collar labourers are also called ‘Gulf migrants’—a term that erases how their conditions are very close to slavery. This is why, as a son who rarely saw his father, I prefer to call myself a ‘victim of migration’ rather than just a ‘part of migration’. It is this sense of victimhood and lack of control over one’s life that I saw missing in Bollywood and Bhojpuri cinema.

— Watching 'Malabari Films' in Bihar: Gulf Migration and Transregional Connections

[stutihurkat]

BUDGETED GAMING LAPTOPS UNDER 50000

Super fast processors, incredible displays, sound & battery will give you great experience in gaming. Heating, storage,weight & battery plays a major role. Additionally Keyboards, displays, hardware and processors( good speed with less interruption) should be checked before buying.

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[watthifi]

Bluetooth speakers seem to provide many uses, and now a lot of people are using them worldwide. The latest Bluetooth speakers offer many new technologies and features which makes them highly popular. Here you can find some of the important features of Bluetooth speakers which make them the best choice for everyone.

[catgirltoes]

The state of tribal children in these traumatic residential schools is worse. The truth is that students in these schools are being stripped off their identities, and even after multiple exposés on deaths and sexual abuse cases in government-run residential tribal schools in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Assam, no concrete measures are being taken. Instead, the government plans to set up more residential schools by 2022 under the garb of tribal education and development. Every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons will have an Ekalavya Model Residential School, said the finance minister in his budget speech this February.

India has never evaluated the dangers, purpose and politics of setting up these residential model schools for tribal children. Since the mid 1990s, post liberalisation, many corporations have started operating residential tribal schools as a part of their CSR policies. These companies have a strategic interest in the lands that tribal communities inhabit. Most private-run residential schools in India receive large amounts of funds from companies which wrest control over tribal lands. In fact, residential schools have become a new-age displacement mechanism, under the pretence of an assimilationist education system.

This seems extremely similar to the explicitly genocidal Indian Residential Schools in Canada.