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[mghospital]

Beat Obesity Before It Beat Your Heart | Mahathma Gandhi Hospital

Don't let obesity beat your heart - book a consultation with us today and take control of your health. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, but there's still time to take action before it's too late. We offer cutting-edge treatments and personalized care to help you beat obesity and protect your heart health.

Our team of expert cardiologists is here to guide you every step of the way. Let's work together to ensure a healthy heart for a healthy future!

Obesity is a growing health concern that affects millions of people worldwide. It is defined as having an excess amount of body fat, which can lead to various health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Unfortunately, the number of people suffering from obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, and it is essential to take action before it is too late. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of beating obesity before it beats your heart.

Firstly, it is crucial to understand the dangers of obesity. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing several health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. These conditions can lead to long-term health problems and can even be fatal. Therefore, it is crucial to take obesity seriously and take steps to prevent it from occurring.

One of the best ways to beat obesity is through a healthy diet and regular exercise. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Regular physical activity is also essential for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. Even a small amount of physical activity, such as walking for 30 minutes a day, can make a significant difference in your overall health.

Another important step in beating obesity is to seek professional help. This could include working with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to develop a healthy eating plan or working with a personal trainer or exercise specialist to develop a safe and effective exercise program. Additionally, healthcare professionals can help identify any underlying medical conditions that may contribute to obesity, such as thyroid problems or hormonal imbalances.

Finally, it is important to remember that beating obesity is a long-term commitment. It requires making lifestyle changes that can be sustained over time. This means finding ways to incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into your daily routine, even when life gets busy or stressful. It also means staying motivated and focused on your goals, even when you experience setbacks or challenges.

In conclusion, 

beating obesity before it beats your heart is crucial for maintaining good health and preventing chronic diseases. By adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, seeking professional help, and committing to long-term lifestyle changes, you can reduce your risk of developing obesity and other health problems. Remember, the key to success is to take action now and stay committed to your health goals.

Get Appointment:

Call: +91 8647230007

Visit: https://mahathmagandhihospitals.com/service/cardiology/

[grigori77]

Summer 2019′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 2)

The Top Ten:

IMPORTANT NOTE:  You WILL NOT find It Chapter 2 here, but that does not mean it isn’t awesome.  I saw it AFTER I had sompleted this but while it was still editing.,  Technically it’s part of the Autumn/Winter period anyway, opening as it did in September.  Undoubtedly look out for it at the end of the year when I post my Top 30 for the year.

10.  CAPTIVE STATE – WAY back in 2011, Rupert Wyatt followed up his impressive directorial debut The Escapist with an even more astounding show helming sci-fi franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and I knew here was a talent it was definitely gonna be worth my while to watch in future.  Then the years ticked by and he spectacularly failed to follow it up, and I began to think he might become one of those frustrating auteur talents that explode onto the scene, wow us with their wares and then just STOP, like Donnie Darko’s Ryan Kelly or Blade’s Stephen Norrington.  I was just about to give up hope when Wyatt returned with this dark and troubling skewed take on the alien invasion trope, but now, perversely, this film’s failing fortunes make me think his career might just take a swan dive after all, and as far as I’m concerned, on the evidence of the final film, that would be a crying shame.  Instead of telling the story of how the Earth falls to the conquering might of invading alien forces, Captive State concentrates on what happens after, focusing on a humanity stagnating under the thumb of an all-powerful occupying force, the collaborating police force that maintains discipline on the populace through tagging and intrusive surveillance, and the deep cover resistance movement that’s built up in the eight years since “The Legislators” took over.  The main narrative focus of the story is Gabriel Drummond (Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders), a downtrodden Chicago youth working a menial job but dreaming of getting out with his pregnant girlfriend, who discovers a tentative connection to the underground resistance when his brother Rafe (White Boy Rick’s Jonathan Majors), whom he previously thought was dead, re-enters his life with a desperate request.  Unfortunately Gabriel has also come to the attention of local cop Will Mulligan (John Goodman), who’s looking to use this connection to finally penetrate the “dangerous terrorist element” his office has been working for years to eradicate.  This is about as far from the classical invasion action territory of films like Independence Day, Skyline or even Signs as you can get, playing out much more like a World War 2 occupation thriller, and this is, in my opinion, one of its great strengths – there’s a palpable, knife-edged tension throughout, Wyatt cranking up the suspense as each new plot development ups the stakes for all involved, and when that tension does eventually break it does so in suitably explosive style, leading to some taut and harrowing set-pieces, while the director and his co-writer Erica Beeney pull off some impressive twists and skilful rug-pulls that consistently surprise.  Indeed, this is one of the most skilfully written pieces of science fiction I’ve come across for a good while, brimming with big ideas and asking some suitably challenging questions throughout, before finally paying off our patience with a suitably powerful climax.  It’s also extremely well-performed by a uniformly impressive ensemble cast – Goodman offers a performance of cool subtlety that proves the equal to much of his showier work on hits like 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Big Lebowski, while Sanders and Majors are both exceptional in what should have been major breakthrough roles that really built on their already impressive debuts, and there’s quality support from the likes of Machine Gun Kelly, Vera Farmiga, Alan Ruck, Kevin Dunn and Madeline Brewer.  This is DEFINITELY one of the most robust and challenging pieces of scif-fi cinema I’ve seen this decade, and it certainly does deserve a lot more attention and appreciation than it’s received – it essentially bombed on its long-delayed release and suffered from painfully mixed, sometimes quite negative reviews, and I genuinely don’t understand either.  This is an EXCELLENT film, and it’s a strong indicator of just what a great talent Rupert Wyatt is – I just have to hope this hasn’t ruined his chances for the future, because I couldn’t bear seeing him pull an undeserved vanishing act like so many others …

9.  GODZILLA: KING OF MONSTERS – back in 2014, rising star director Gareth Edwards (already one-to-watch thanks to the sleeper hit success of his debut Monsters) proved he wasn’t going to be a one-hit-wonder when he aced his first major studio gig, reinventing Japanese superstar property Godzilla for western audiences and EFFORTLESSLY wiping out the appalling stigma of Roland Emmerich’s underwhelming previous attempt (needless to say he was then a no-brainer to helm the first Star Wars spinoff movie, Rogue One, but that’s another, even more awesome story). Suffice to say, the Big G’s name was good in western cinema again, and Legendary Pictures swiftly put their planned Monsterverse franchise into action, building on this solid foundation with a similarly stylish “prequel” in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, with a showdown between the two screen icons intended further down the line.  The next major hurdle, however, was this super-important follow-up, intended to get all the gears turning – if THIS ONE flunked, the Monsterverse would take a massive nosedive.  Did it pull it off?  Not quite … turns out this one’s not looking likely to scrape even on its massive investment, never mind make a profit, but that sure ain’t for lack of trying. Sure, the plot’s a bit of a far-fetched muddle and, as with its predecessor, the human characters are drawn in broad strokes and somewhat lacking in real spark, but the spectacle’s still there in spades and besides, the REAL selling point of these movies has always been their more gigantic characters.  Godzilla’s just as much of a colossal badass as he was in the first film, still a skyscraper-high bruiser with a moody mean streak and some suitably apocalyptic bad breath, but ultimately just the kind of monumental reptile you want on your side in a cataclysmic scrap, and he’s sure got his work cut out for him with one serious collection of similarly massive monsters crawling out of the woodwork (or, in this case, compromised secure black sites controlled by covert Titan management organisation Monarch) – they’re a colourful bunch, from returning nasty Muto to newcomers Rodan and, particularly memorable, the beautiful but deadly Mothra, and most of them are heeding the call of the film’s TRUE scene stealer, triple-headed rival alpha Titan King Ghidorah, who is in every way a genuinely viable nemesis for the Big G himself.  Needless to say, the BIG stars are presented without compromise throughout, as gargantuan and terrifying as their reputations make them out to be, and whenever they’re on screen it just lights up, the visual effects budget working overtime and all the money’s up there on the screen, while the property damage quota shoots through the roof in suitably pulse-racing style … and yet again, the human story does kind of get buried in the fallout.  Not that they’re a completely unmemorable lot – it’s great to see Ken Watanabe return as elegantly noble Monarch honcho Dr Ishiro Serazawa, along with his assistant Dr Vivienne Graham (another winning turn from Sally Hawkins), and the rest of Monarch gets much stronger representation this time round as we’re introduced to a crew that includes Bradley Whitford, Ice Cube’s son O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton) and Aisha Hinds, while there’s a typically classy bad guy turn from Charles Dance as Alan Jonah, the amoral ex-soldier leading an eco-terrorist group who (for baffling reasons) want to awaken all the Titans at once so they can fight for supremacy.  The main narrative focus, however, is on the fractured family unit of former Monarch specialist Dr Mark Russell (Super 8’s Kyle Chandler) and his fellow scientist wife Emma and daughter Madison (Vera Farmiga and Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown), who have both been kidnapped by Jonah, a story that’s contrived and clumsily written, shot through with plot-holes when the twists aren’t painfully telegraphed ahead of time, and Brown barely gets ANYTHING to do other than be scared or stubborn, but they still give it their all and, since they’re all great actors, they largely win out against the writing.  This certainly isn’t the best movie released this year, definitely leaning more towards the guilty pleasure category, but there’s more than enough good here to outweigh the bad, so this is definitely one of those wonderful movies where you get PLENTY out of it if you just sit back and GO WITH IT.  It’s certainly got a strong director and co-writer in Michael Dougherty, who cut his teeth working for Bryan Singer on X2 and Superman Returns (which was similarly flawed, but still enjoyable in its own right) before making his big break behind the camera on Krampus, and for all its clunkiness it wins you over with its big-wow factor, can-do attitude and industrial-sized bucket-loads of heart and emotional heft, as well as a particularly cracking score from Bear McCreary, one of the most deservedly well respected composers working on both the big and small screens today, so in spite of the flaws this still deserves to be counted as a pretty rousing success.  Thankfully Godzilla Vs. King Kong is still greenlit and scheduled to arrive next spring, so there’s still life in the old lizards yet – long live the King indeed.

8.  DARK PHOENIX – wow, this really has been a summer for mistreated sequels, hasn’t it? There’s a seriously stinky cloud of controversy surrounding what is now, in light of recent developments between Disney and Twentieth Century Fox, all but QUARANTEED to be the last true Singer-era X-Men movie, a film which saw two mooted release dates (first November 2018 then this February, before finally limping onto screens with very little fanfare in June, almost as if Fox wanted to bury it.  Certainly rumours of its compromise were rife, particularly regarding supposed rushed reshoots because of clashing similarities with Marvel’s major tent-pole release Captain Marvel (and given the all-conquering nature of the MCU there was no way they were having that, was there?), so like many I was expecting a clunky mess, maybe even a true stinker to rival X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  In truth, while it’s not perfect, the end result is nothing like the turd we all feared – the final film is, in fact, largely a success, worthy of favourable comparison with its stronger predecessors.  It certainly makes much needed amends for the disappointing mismanagement of the source comics’ legendary Dark Phoenix saga in 2006’s decidedly compromised original X-Men trilogy capper The Last Stand, treating the story with the due reverence and respect it deserves as well as serving as a suitably powerful send-off for more than one beloved key character.  Following the “rebooted” path of the post-Days of Future Past timeline, it’s now 1992, and after the world-changing events of Apocalypse the X-Men have now become a respected superhero team with legions of fans and their own personal line to the White House, while mutants at large have now mostly become accepted by the regular humans around them.  Then a hastily planned mission into space takes a turn for the worst and Jean Grey (Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner) winds up absorbing an immensely powerful, thoroughly inexplicable cosmic force that makes her go powers haywire while also knocking loose repressed childhood traumas Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) would rather had stayed buried, sending her on a dangerous spiral out of control which leads to a destructive confrontation and the inadvertent death of a teammate. Needless to the situation soon becomes desperate as Jean goes on the run and the world starts to turn against them all once again … all in all, then, it’s business as usual for the cast and crew of one of Fox’s flagship franchises, and it SHOULD have gone off without a hitch. When Bryan Singer opted not to return this time around (instead setting his sights on Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody), key series writer Simon Kinberg stepped into the breach for his directorial debut, and it turns out he’s got a real talent for it, giving us just the kind of robust, pacy, thrilling action-packed epic his compatriot would have delivered, filled with the same thumping great set-pieces (the final act’s stirring, protracted train battle is the unequivocal highlight here), well-observed character beats and emotional resonance we’ve come to expect from the series as a whole (then again, he does know these movies back to frond having at least co-written his fair share). The cast, similarly, are all on top form – McAvoy and Michael Fassbender (as fan favourite Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto) know their roles so well now they can do this stuff in their sleep, but we still get to see them explore interesting new facets of their characters (particularly McAvoy, who gets to reveal an intriguing dark side to the Professor we’ve only ever seen hinted at before now), while Turner finally gets to really breathe in a role which felt a little stiff and underexplored in her series debut in Apocalypse (she EASILY forges the requisite connective tissue to Famke Janssen’s more mature and assured take in the earlier films); conversely Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler) and Evan Peters (Quicksilver) get somewhat short shrift but nonetheless do A LOT with what little they have, and at least Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult still get to do plenty of dramatic heavy lifting as the last of Xavier’s original class, Raven (Mystique) and Hank McCoy (Beast); the only real weak link in the cast is the villain, Vuk, a shape-shifting alien whose quest to seize the power Jean’s appropriated is murkily defined at best, but at least Jessica Chastain manages to invest her with enough icy menace to keep things from getting boring.  All in all, then, this is very much a case of business as usual, Kinberg and co keeping the action thundering along at a suitably cracking pace throughout (powered by a typically epic score from Hans Zimmer), and the film only really comes off the rails in its final moments, when that aforementioned train finally comes off its tracks and the reported reshoots must surely kick in – as a result this is, to me, most reminiscent of previous X-flick The Wolverine, which was a rousing success for the majority of its runtime, only coming apart in its finale thanks to that bloody ridiculous robot samurai. The climax is, therefore, a disappointment, too clunky and sudden and overly neat in its denouement (and we really could have done with a proper examination of the larger social impact of these events), but it’s little enough that it doesn’t spoil what came before … which just makes the film’s mismanagement and resulting failure, as well as its subsequent treatment from critics and fans alike, all the more frustrating. This film deserved much better, but ultimately looks set to be disowned and glossed over by most of the fanbase as the property as a whole goes through the inevitable overhaul now that Disney/Marvel owns Fox and plans to bring the X-Men and their fellow mutants into the MCU fold.  I feel genuinely sorry for the one remaining X-film, The New Mutants, which is surely destined for spectacular failure after its similarly shoddy round of reschedules finally comes to an end next summer …

7.  FAST COLOR – intriguingly, the most INTERESTING superhero movie I’ve encountered so far this year is NOT a major franchise property, or even a comic book adapted to the screen at all, but a wholly original indie which snuck in very much under the radar on its release but is surely destined for cult greatness in the future, not least due to some much-deserved critical acclaim.  Set in an unspecified future where it hasn’t rained for years, a homeless vagabond named Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is making her aimless way across a desolate American Midwest, tormented by violent seizures which cause strange localised earthquakes, and hunted by Bill (Argo’s Christopher Denham), a rogue scientist who wants to capture her so he can study her abilities.  Ultimately she’s left with no other recourse than to run home, sheltering with her mother Bo (Middle of Nowhere and Orange is the New Black’s Lorraine Toussaint), and her young daughter Lila (The Passage’s Saniyya Sidney), both of whom also have weird and wondrous powers of their own.  As the estranged family reconnect, Ruth finally learns to control her powers as she’s forced to confront her own troubled past, but as Bill closes in it looks like their idyll might be short-lived … this might only be the second feature of writer-director Julie Hart (who cut her teeth penning well-regarded indie western The Keeping Room before making her own debut helming South By Southwest Film Festival hit Miss Stevens), but it’s a blinding statement of intent for the future, a deceptively understated thing of beauty that eschews classic superhero cinema conventions of big spectacle and rousing action in favour of a quiet, introspective character-driven story where the unveiling and exploration of Ruth and her kin’s abilities are secondary to the examination of how their familial dynamics work (or often DON’T), while Hart and cinematographer Michael Fimognari (probably best known for his frequent work for Mike Flanagan, including forthcoming Stephen King horror Doctor Sleep) bring a ruined but bleakly beautiful future to life through inventively understated production design and sweeping, dramatic vistas largely devoid of visual effects.  Subtlety is the watchword, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t fireworks here, it’s just that they’re generally performance-based – awards-darling Mbatha-Raw (Belle) gives a raw, heartfelt performance, painting Rith in vivid shades of grey, while Toussaint is restrained but powerfully memorable and Sidney builds on her already memorable work to deliver what might be her best turn to date, and there are strong supporting turns from Denham (who makes his nominal villain surprisingly sympathetic) and Hollywood great David Strathairn as gentle small town sheriff Ellis.  Leisurely paced and understated it may be, but this is still an incendiary piece of work, sure to become a breakout sleeper hit for a filmmaking talent from whom I expect GREAT THINGS in the future, and since the story’s been picked up for expansion into a TV series with Hart at in charge that looks like a no-brainer.  And it most assuredly IS a bona fide superhero movie, despite appearances to the contrary …

6.  ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – since his explosion onto the scene twenty-seven years ago with his runaway smash debut Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino has become one of the most important filmmakers of his generation, a true master of the cinematic art form who consistently delivers moving picture masterpieces that thrill, entertain, challenge and amuse audiences worldwide … at least those who can stomach his love of unswerving violence, naughty talk and morally bankrupt antiheroes and despicably brutal villains who are often little more than a shade different from one another.  Time has moved on, though, and while he’s undoubtedly been one of the biggest influences on the way cinema has changed over the past quarter century, there are times now that it’s starting to feel like the scene is moving on in favour of younger, fresher blood with their own ideas.   I think Tarantino can sense this himself, because he recently made a powerful statement – after he’s made his tenth film, he plans to retire.  Given that OUATIH is his NINTH film, that deadline is already looming, and we unashamed FANS of his films are understandably aghast over this turn of events.  Thankfully he remains as uncompromisingly awesome a writer-director as ever, delivering another gold standard five-star flick which is also most definitely his most PERSONAL work to date, quite simply down to the fact that it’s a film ABOUT film. Sure, it has a plot (of sorts, anyway), revolving around the slow decline of the career of former TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo Dicaprio), who languishes in increasing anonymity in Hollywood circa 1969 as his former western hero image is being slowly eroded by an increasingly hacky workload guest-starring on various syndicated shows as a succession of punching-bag heavies for the hero to wale on, while his only real friend is his one-time stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), a former WW2 hero with a decidedly tarnished reputation of his own; meanwhile new neighbours have moved in next door to further distract him – hot-as-shit young director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), riding high on the success of Rosemary’s Baby, and his new wife Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). Certainly this all drives the film, along with real-life events that involving one of the darkest crimes in modern American history, but a lot of the time the plot is largely coincidental – Quentin uses it as a springboard to wax lyrical about his very favourite subject and pay loving (if sometimes irreverently satirical) tribute to the very business he’s been indulging in with such great success since 1992.  Sure, it’s also about “Helter Skelter” and the long shadow cast by Charles Manson and his band of murderous misfits, but these are largely incidental, as we’re treated to long, entertaining interludes as we follow Rick on a shoot as the bad guy in the pilot for the Lancer TV series, visit the notorious Spahn Ranch with Cliff as he’s unwittingly drawn into the lion’s den of the deadly Manson Family, join Robbie’s Tate as she watches “herself” in The Wrecking Crew, and enjoy a brilliant montage in which we follow Rick’s adventures in Spaghetti westerns (and Eurospy cinema) after he’s offered a chance to change his flagging fortunes, before the film finally builds to a seemingly inevitable, fateful conclusion that Tarantino then, in sneakily OTT Inglourious Basterds style, mischievously turns on its head with a devilish game of “What If”.  The results are a thoroughly engrossing and endlessly entertaining romp through the seedier side of Hollywood and a brilliant warts-and-all examination of the craft’s inner workings that, interestingly, reveals as much about the Business today as it does about how it was way back into Golden Age the film portrays, all while delivering bucket-loads of QT’s trademark cool, swagger, idiosyncratic genius and to-die-for dialogue and character-work, and, of course, a typically exceptional all-star cast firing on all cylinders.  Dicaprio and Pitt are both spectacular (Brad is endearingly taciturn, playing it wonderfully close to the vest throughout, while Leo is simply ON FIRE, delivering a mercurial performance EASILY on a par with his work on Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street – could this be good enough to snag him a second Oscar?), while Robbie consistently endears us to Tate as she EFFORTLESSLY brings the fallen star back to life, and there’s an incredible string of amazing supporting turns from established talent and up-and-comers alike, from Kurt Russell, Al Pacino and a very spiky Bruce Dern to Mike Moh (in a FLAWLESS take on Bruce Lee), Margaret Qualley, Austin Butler and in particular Julia Butters as precocious child star Trudi Fraser.  Packed with winning references, homages, pastiches and ingenious little in-jokes, handled with UTMOST respect for the true life subjects at all times and shot all the way through with his characteristic flair and quirky, deliciously dark sense of humour, this is cinema very much of the Old School, and EVERY INCH a Tarantino flick.  With only one more film to go the implied end of his career seems much too close, but if he delivers one more like this he’ll leave behind a legacy that ANY filmmaker would be proud of.

5.  CRAWL – summer 2019’s runner-up horror offering marks a rousing return to form for a genre talent who’s FINALLY delivered on the impressive promise of his early work – Alexandre Aja made a startling debut with Switchblade Romance, which led to his big break helming the cracking remake of slasher stalwart The Hills Have Eyes, but then he went SPECTACULARLY off the rails when he made the truly abysmal Piranha 3D, which I wholeheartedly regard as one of THE VERY WORST FILMS EVER MADE IN ALL OF HISTORY.  He took a big step back in the right direction with the admittedly flawed but ultimately enjoyable and evocative Horns (based on the novel by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill), but it’s with this stripped back, super-tight man-against-nature survival horror that the Aja of old has TRULY returned to us.  IN SPADES.  Seriously, I personally think this is his best film to date – there’s no fat on it at all, going from a simple set-up STRAIGHT into a precision-crafted exercise in sustained tension that relentlessly grips right up to the end credits. The film is largely just a two-hander – Maze Runner star Kaya Scodelario plays Haley Keller, a Florida college student and star swimmer who ventures into the heart of a Category 5 hurricane to make sure her estranged father, Dave (Saving Private Ryan’s Barry Pepper), is okay after he drops off the grid.  Finding their old family home in a state of disrepair and slowly flooding, she does a last minute check of the crawl-space underneath, only to discover her father badly wounded and a couple of hungry alligators stalking the dark, cramped, claustrophobic confines.  With the flood waters rising and communications cut off, Haley and Dave must use every reserve of strength, ingenuity and survival instinct to keep each other alive in the face of increasingly daunting odds … even with a premise this simple, there was plenty of potential for this to become an overblown, clunky mess in the wrong hands (a la Snakes On a Plane), so it’s a genuinely great thing that Aja really is back at the height of his powers, milking every fraught and suspenseful set-piece to its last drop of exquisite piano-wire tension and putting his actors through hell without a reprieve in sight.  Thankfully it’s not JUST about scares and atmosphere, though – there’s a genuinely strong family drama at the heart of the story that helps us invest in these two, Scodelario delivering a phenomenally complex performance as she peels back Haley’s layers, from stubborn pedant, through vulnerable child of divorce, to ironclad born survivor, while reconnecting with her emotionally raw, repentantly open father, played with genuine naked intensity in a career best turn from Pepper.  Their chemistry is INCREDIBLY strong, making every scene a joy even as it works your nerves and tugs on your heartstrings, and as a result you DESPERATELY want to see them make it out in one piece.  Not that Aja makes it easy for them – the gators are an impressively palpable threat, proper scary beasties even if they are largely (admittedly impressively executed) digital effects, while the storm is almost a third character in itself, becoming as much of an elemental nemesis as its scaly co-stars.  Blessedly brief (just 87 minutes!) and with every second wrung out for maximum impact, this is survival horror at its most brutally, simplistically effective, a deliciously vicious, primal chill-ride that thoroughly rewards from start to finish.  Welcome back, Mr Aja.  We’ve missed you.

4.  BRIGHTBURN – torpedoing Crawl right out of the water is this refreshing, revisionist superhero movie that takes one of the most classic mythologies in the genre and turns it on its head with TERRIFYING results. The basic premise is an absolute blinder – what if, when he crashed in small-town America as a baby, Superman had turned out to be a bad seed?  Unsurprising, then, that it came from James Gunn, who here produces a screenplay by his brother and cousin Brian and Mark (best known for penning the likes of Journey 2: the Mysterious Island, but nobody’s perfect) and the directorial big break of his old mate David Yarovesky (whose only previous feature is obscure sci-fi horror The Hive) – Gunn is, of course, an old pro at taking classic comic book tropes and creating something completely new with them, having previously done so with HUGE success on cult indie black comedy Super and, in particular, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and his fingerprints are ALL OVER this one too.  The Hunger Games’ Elizabeth Banks (who starred in Gunn’s own directorial debut Slither) and David Denman (The Office) are Tori and Kyle Breyer, a farming couple living in Brightburn, Kansas, who are trying for a baby when a mysterious pod falls from the sky onto their land, containing an infant boy.  As you’d expect, they adopt him, determined to keep his origin a secret, and for the first twelve of his life all seems perfectly fine – Brandon’s growing up into an intelligent, artistic child who loves his family.  Then his powers manifest and he starts to change – not just physically (he’s impervious to harm, incredibly strong, has laser eyes and the ability to disrupt electronic devices … oh, and he can fly, too), but also in personality, as he becomes cold, distant, even cruel as he begins to demonstrate some seriously sociopathic tendencies.  As his parents begin to fear what he’s becoming, things begin to spiral out of control and people start to disappear or turn up brutally murdered, and it becomes clear that Brandon might actually be something out of a nightmare … needless to say this is superhero cinema as full-on horror, Brandon’s proclivities leading to some proper nasty moments once he really starts to cut loose, and there’s no mistaking this future super for one of the good guys – he pulverises bones, shatters faces and melts skulls with nary a twitch, just the tiniest hint of a smile.  It’s an astonishing performance from newcomer Jackson A. Dunn, who perfectly captures the nuanced subtleties as Brandon goes from happy child to lethal psychopath, clearly demonstrating that he’s gonna be an incredible talent in future; the two grown leads, meanwhile, are both excellent, Denman growing increasingly haunted and exasperated as he tries to prove his own son is a wrong ‘un, while Banks has rarely been better, perfectly embodying a mother desperately clinging to the idea that her son is innocent no matter how compelling the evidence becomes, and there’s quality support from Breaking Bad’s Matt Jones and Search Party’s Meredith Hagner as Brandon’s aunt and uncle, Noah and Meredith, and Becky Wahlstrom the mother of one of his school-friends, who seems to see him for what he is right from the start.  Dark, suspenseful and genuinely nasty, this is definitely not your typical superhero movie, often playing like Kick-Ass’ even more twisted cousin, and there are times when it displays some of the same edgy, black-hearted sense of humour, too.  In other words, it’s all very James Gunn.  It’s one sweet piece of work, everyone involved showing real skill and devotion, and Yarovesky in particular proves he’ll definitely be one-to-watch in the future.  There are already plans for a potential sequel, and given where this particular little superhero universe seems to be heading I think it could be something pretty special, so fair to say I can’t wait.

3.  FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS HOBBS & SHAW – it’s official, this summer’s most OTT movie is THE MOST FUN I’ve had at the cinema so far this year, a genuinely batshit crazy, pure bonkers rollercoaster ride of a film I just couldn’t get enough of, truly the perfect sum of all its baffling parts.  The Fast & Furious franchise has always revelled in its extremes, as subtle as a brick and very much playing to the blockbuster, popcorn movie crowd right from the start, but it wasn’t until Fate of the Furious (yup, ridiculous title, says it all) that it really started to play to the inherent ridiculousness of its overall setup, paving the way for this first crack at a new spin-off series for the post Vin Diesel years.  Needless to say this one has fully embraced the sheer ludicrousness, and director David Leitch is the perfect choice to shepherd it into the future, having previously mastered OTT action through John Wick and Atomic Blonde before helming manic screwball comedy Deadpool 2, which certainly is the strongest comparison point here – Hobbs & Shaw is every bit as loud, violent, chaotic and thoroughly irreverent, definitely playing up the inherent comic potential at the core of the material as he cranks up the humour. Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham take centre stage now as, respectively, DSS agent Luke Hobbs and former SAS black operative Deckard Shaw, the ultimate action movie odd couple once again forced to work together to foil the bad guy and save the world from a potentially cataclysmic disaster.  Specifically Brixton Lore (Idris Elba), a self-proclaimed “black superman” enhanced with cybernetic implants and genetic manipulation to turn him into the ultimate warrior, who plans to use a lethal designer supervirus to eradicate half of humanity (as supervillains tend to do), but there’s one small flaw in his plan – the virus has been stolen by Hattie Shaw (Mission: Impossible – Fallout’s Vanessa Kirby), a rogue MI6 agent who also happens to be Deckard’s sister.  Got all that?  Yup, the movie really is as mad as it sounds, but that’s very much part of the charm – there’s an enormous amount of fun to be had in just giving in and going along with the madness of it all, as Hobbs and the two Shaws bounce from one over-the-top, ludicrously destructive set-piece to the next, kicking plenty of arse along the way when they’re not jumping out of tall buildings or driving fast cars at ludicrous speeds in heavy traffic, and when they’re not doing that they’re bickering with enthusiasm, each exchange crackling with exquisite hate-hate chemistry and liberally laced with hilarious dialogue delivered with gleeful, fervent venom (turns out there’s few things so enjoyable a watching Johnson and Statham verbally rip each other a new one), and the two action cinema heavyweights have never been better than they are here, each bringing the very best performances of their respective careers out of each other as they vacillate, while Kirby holds her own with consummate skill that goes to show she’s got a bright future of her own.  As for Idris Elba, the one-time potential future Bond deserves to be remembered as one of the all-time great screen villains ever, investing Brixton with the perfect combination of arrogant swagger and lethal menace to steal every scene he’s in while simultaneously proving he can be just as big a badass in the action stakes; Leitch also scatters a selection of familiar faces from his previous movies throughout a solid supporting cast which also includes the likes of Fear the Walking Dead’s Cliff Curtis, From Dusk Till Dawn’s Eiza Gonzalez and Helen Mirren (who returns as Deckard and Hattie’s mum Queenie Shaw), while there’s more than one genuinely brilliant surprise cameo to enjoy.  As we’ve come to expect, the action sequences are MASSIVE, powered by nitrous oxide and high octane as property is demolished and vehicles are driven with reckless abandon when our protagonists aren’t engaged bruising, bone-crunching fights choreographed with all the flawless skill you’d expect from a director who used to be a professional stuntman, but this time round the biggest fun comes from the downtime, as the aforementioned banter becomes king.  It’s an interesting makeover for the franchise, going from heavyweight action stalwart to comedy gold, and it’s direction I hope they’ll maintain for the inevitable follow-up – barring Fast Five, this is the best Fast & Furious to date, and a strong indicator of how it should go to keep conquering multiplexes in future.  Sign me up for more, please.

2.  SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME – this summer’s been something of a decompression period for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with many of us recovering from the sheer emotional DEVASTATION of the grand finale of Phase 3, Avengers: Endgame, so the main Blockbuster Season’s entry really needed to be light and breezy, a blessed relief after all that angst and loss, much like Ant-Man & the Wasp was last year as it followed Infinity War.  And it is, by and large – this is as light-hearted and irreverent as its predecessor, following much the same goofy teen comedy template as Homecoming, but there’s no denying that there’s a definite emotional through-line from Endgame that looms large here, a sense of loss the film fearlessly addresses right from the start, sometimes with a bittersweet sense of humour, sometimes straight.  But whichever path the narrative chooses, the film stays true to this underlying truth – there have been great and painful changes in this world, and we can’t go back to how it was before, no matter how hard we try, but then perhaps we shouldn’t.  This is certainly central to our young hero’s central arc – Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is in mourning, and not even the prospect of a trip around Europe with his newly returned classmates, together with the chance to finally get close to M.J. (Zendaya), maybe even start a relationship, can entirely distract him from the gaping hole in his life.  Still, he’s gonna give it his best shot, but it looks like fate has other plans for our erstwhile Spider-Man as superspy extraordinaire Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) comes calling, basically hijacking his vacation with an Avengers-level threat to deal with, aided by enigmatic inter-dimensional superhero Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who has a personal stake in the mission, but as he’s drawn deeper into the fray Peter discovers that things may not be quite as they seem.  Of course, giving anything more away would of course dumps HEINOUS spoilers on the precious few who haven’t yet seen the film – suffice to say that the narrative drops a MAJOR sea-change twist at the midpoint that’s EVERY BIT as fiendish as the one Shane Black gave us in Iron Man 3 (although the more knowledgeable fans of the comics will likely see it coming), and also provides Peter with JUST the push he needs to get his priorities straight and just GET OVER IT once and for all.  Tom Holland again proves his character is the most endearing teenage geek in cinematic history, his spectacular super-powered abilities and winning underdog perseverance in the face of impossible odds still paradoxically tempered by the fact he’s as loveably hopeless as ever outside his suit; Mysterio himself, meanwhile, frequently steals the film out from under him, the strong bromance they develop certainly mirroring what Peter had with Tony Stark, and it’s a major credit to Gyllenhaal that he so perfectly captures the essential dualities of the character, investing Beck with a roguish but subtly self-deprecating charm that makes him EXTREMELY easy to like, but ultimately belying something much more complex hidden beneath it; it’s also nice to see so many beloved familiar faces returning, particularly the fantastically snarky and self-assured Zendaya, Jacob Batalon (once again pure comic gold as Peter’s adorably nerdy best friend Ned), Tony Revolori (as his self-important class rival Flash Thompson) and, of course, Marisa Tomei as beloved Aunt May, as well as Jackson and Cobie Smoulders as dynamite SHIELD duo Fury and his faithful lieutenant Maria Hill, and best of all Jon Favreau gets a MUCH bigger role this time round as Happy Hogan.  Altogether this is very much business as usual for the MCU, the well-oiled machine unsurprisingly turning out another near-perfect gem of a superhero flick that ticks all the required boxes, but a big part of the film’s success should be attributed to returning director Jon Watts, effectively building on the granite-strong foundations of Homecoming with the help of fellow alumni Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers on screenplay duty, for a picture that feels both comfortingly familiar and rewardingly fresh, delivering on all the required counts with thrilling action and eye candy spectacle, endearingly quirky character-based charm and a typically winning sense of humour, and plenty of understandably powerful emotional heft.  And, like always, there are plenty of fan-pleasing winks and nods and revelations, and the pre-requisite mid- and post-credit teasers too, both proving to be some proper game-changing corkers.  The future of the property may be in doubt, but this is still another winner from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but then was there really ever any doubt?

1.  JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3 – needless to say, those who know me should be in no doubt why THIS is at the top of my list for summer 2019 – this has EVERYTHING I love in movies and more. Keanu Reeves is back in the very best role he’s ever played, unstoppable, unbeatable, un-killable hitman John Wick, who, when we rejoin him mere moments after the end of 2017’s phenomenal Chapter 2, is in some SERIOUSLY deep shit, having been declared Incommunicado by the High Table (the all-powerful ruling elite who run this dark and deadly shadowy underworld) after circumstances forced him to gun down an enemy on the grounds of the New York Continental Hotel (the inviolable sanctuary safe-house for all denizens of the underworld), as his last remaining moments of peace tick away and he desperately tries to find somewhere safe to weather the initial storm.  Needless to say the opening act of the film is ONE LONG ACTION SEQUENCE as John careers through the rain-slick backstreets of New York, fighting off attackers left and right with his signature brutal efficiency and unerring skill, perfectly setting up what’s to come – namely a head-spinning, exhausting parade of spectacular set pieces that each put EVERY OTHER offering in any other film this year to shame.  Returning director Chad Stahelski again proves that he’s one of the very best helmsmen around for this kind of stuff, delivering FAR beyond the call on every count as he creates a third entry to a series that continues to go from strength to strength, while Keanu once again demonstrates what a phenomenal screen action GOD he is, gliding through each scenario with poise, precision and just the right balance of brooding charm and so-very-done-with-this-shit intensity and a thoroughly enviable athletic physicality that really does put him on the same genre footing as Tom Cruise.  As with the first two chapters, what plot there is is largely an afterthought, a facility to fuel the endless wave of stylish, wince-inducing, thoroughly exhilarating violent bloodshed, as John cuts another bloody swathe through the underworld searching for a way to remove the lethal bounty from his head while an Adjudicator from the High Table (Orange Is the New Black’s Asia Kate Dillon) arrives in New York to settle affairs with Winston (Ian McShane), the manager of the New York Continental, and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) for helping John create this mess in the first place.  McShane and Fishburne are both HUGE entertainment in their fantastically nuanced large-than-life roles, effortlessly stealing each of their scenes, while the ever-brilliant Lance Reddick also makes a welcome return as Winston’s faithful right-hand Charon, the concierge of the Continental, who finally gets to show off his own hardcore action chops when trouble arrives at their doorstep, and there are plenty of franchise newcomers who make strong impressions here – Dillon is the epitome of icy imperiousness, perfectly capturing the haughty superiority you’d expect from a direct representative of the High Table, Halle Berry gets a frustratingly rare opportunity to show just how seriously badass she can be as former assassin Sofia, the manager of the Casablanca branch of the Continental and one of John’s only remaining allies, Game of Thrones’ Jerome Flynn is smarmy and entitled as her boss Berrada, and Anjelica Houston is typically classy as the Director, the ruthless head of New York’s Ruska Roma (John’s former “alma mater”, basically). The one that REALLY sticks in the memory, though, is Mark Dacascos, finally returning to the big time after frustrating years languishing in lurid straight-to-video action dreck and lowbrow TV hosting duties thanks to a BLISTERING turn as Zero, a truly brilliant semi-comic creation who routinely runs away with the film – he’s the Japanese master ninja the Adjudicator tasks with dispensing her will, a thoroughly lethal killer who may well be as skilled as our hero, but his deadliness is amusingly tempered by the fact that he’s also a total nerd who HERO WORSHIPS John Wick, adorably geeking out whenever their paths cross.  Their long-gestating showdown provides a suitably magnificent climax to the action, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the meantime, as former stuntman Stahelski and co keep things interestingly fluid as they constantly change up the dynamics and add new elements, from John using kicking horses in a stable and knives torn out of display cases in a weaponry museum to dispatch foes on the fly, through Sofia’s use of attack dogs to make the Moroccan portion particularly nasty and a SPECTACULAR high octane sequence in which John fights katana-wielding assailants on speeding motorcycles, to the film’s UNDISPUTABLE highlight, an astounding fight in which John takes on Zero’s disciples (including two of the most impressive guys from The Raid movies, Cecep Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian) in (and through) an expansive chamber made up entirely of glass walls and floors.  Altogether then, this is business as usual for a franchise that’s consistently set the bar for the genre as a whole, an intensely bruising, blissfully blood-drenched epic that cranks its action up to eleven, shot with delicious neon-drenched flair and glossy graphic novel visual excess, a consistently inspired exercise in fascinating world-building that genuinely makes you want to live among its deadly denizens (even though you probably wouldn’t live very long).  The denouement sets things up for an inevitable sequel, and I’m not at all surprised – right from the first film I knew the concept had some serious legs, and it’s just too good to quit yet. Which is just how I like it …

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

COVID-19′s global death toll tops 5 million in under 2 years (AP) The global death toll from COVID-19 topped 5 million on Monday, less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems. Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil—all upper-middle- or high-income countries—account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 740,000 lives lost, more than any other nation. “This is a defining moment in our lifetime,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health. Globally, COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and stroke.

Leaders dial up doomsday warning to kick-start climate talks (AP) World leaders turned up the heat and resorted to end-of-the-world rhetoric Monday in an attempt to bring new urgency to sputtering international climate negotiations. The metaphors were dramatic and mixed at the start of the talks, known as COP26. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described global warming as “a doomsday device” strapped to humanity. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told his colleagues that humans are “digging our own graves.” And Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, speaking for vulnerable island nations, added moral thunder, warning leaders not to “allow the path of greed and selfishness to sow the seeds of our common destruction.” Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel avoided soaring rhetoric and delved into policy. Outside the negotiations, youth climate activist Greta Thunberg accused world leaders of “pretending to take our future seriously.”

New York prepares for fallout from vaccine mandate resisted by many police, firefighters (Reuters) New York woke up on Monday to its first full workday under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s order that all city workers be vaccinated for COVID-19, with many police officers and firefighters still refusing the shot and one labor leader calling the mandate a recipe for disaster. De Blasio, a Democrat who announced the mandate less than two weeks ago, has assured the city of 8.8 million people that officials could handle any shortage of police, firefighters or sanitation workers through schedule changes and overtime. The percentage of inoculated police officers and firefighters is below that of other city employees, and union leaders say de Blasio will be to blame if emergency services are left in disarray in the largest U.S. city. Union leaders say their members were given only nine days to comply with the mayor’s vaccination deadline and that workers who have already been ill with COVID-19 should be granted an exemption. That includes some 70% of firefighters, union leaders said. The dispute is the latest nationwide over vaccine mandates that have been increasingly imposed by political leaders, including President Joe Biden.

The Demand for Money Behind Many Police Traffic Stops (NYT) Harold Brown’s contribution to the local treasury began as so many others have in Valley Brook, Oklahoma: A police officer saw that the light above his license plate was out. “You pulled me over for that? Come on, man,” said Brown, a security guard headed home from work at 1:30 a.m. Expressing his annoyance was all it took. The officer yelled at Brown, ordered him out of the car and threw him to the pavement. After a trip to jail that night in 2018, hands cuffed and blood running down his face, Brown eventually arrived at the crux of the matter: Valley Brook wanted $800 in fines and fees. It was a fraction of the roughly $1 million that the town of about 870 people collects each year from traffic cases. A hidden scaffolding of financial incentives underpins the policing of motorists in the United States, encouraging some communities to essentially repurpose armed officers as revenue agents searching for infractions largely unrelated to public safety. As a result, driving is one of the most common daily routines during which people have been shot, shocked with a stun gun, beaten or arrested after minor offenses. Fueling the culture of traffic stops is the federal government, which issues more than $600 million a year in highway safety grants that subsidize ticket writing. Although federal officials say they do not impose quotas, at least 20 states have evaluated police performance on the number of traffic stops per hour.

Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead after pandemic closures (AP) Mexico returned Sunday to mass commemorations of the Day of the Dead, after traditional visits to graveyards were prohibited last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. But the one-year hiatus showed how the tradition itself refuses to die: Most families still celebrated with home altars to deceased loved ones, and some snuck into cemeteries anyway. The holiday begins Oct. 31, remembering those who died in accidents; it continues Nov. 1 to mark those died in childhood, and then those who died as adults on Nov. 2. Observances include entire families cleaning and decorating graves, which are covered with orange marigolds. At both cemeteries and at home altars, relatives light candles, put out offerings of the favorite foods and beverages of their deceased relatives.

Britain tells France: back down in 48 hours or we get tough (Reuters) Britain gave France 48 hours on Monday to back down in a fishing row that threatens to spiral into a wider trade dispute between two of Europe’s biggest economies or face tortuous legal action under the Brexit trade deal. Post-Brexit bickering over fish culminated last Wednesday in the French seizure of a British scallop dredger, the Cornelis Gert Jan, in French waters near Le Havre. Paris has threatened sanctions from Nov. 2 that could snarl cross-Channel trade. “The French have made completely unreasonable threats, including to the Channel Islands and to our fishing industry, and they need to withdraw those threats or else we will use the mechanisms of our trade agreement with the EU to take action,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News.

France’s Macron accuses Australia’s prime minister of lying about submarine deal (Washington Post) French President Emmanuel Macron accused Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, of lying to him about a sunken $66 billion dollar submarine deal that triggered an angry charge of betrayal from Paris. “I don’t think, I know,” Macron responded to a question about whether he thought Morrison had lied by not disclosing negotiations with the United States and Britain that nixed Australia’s deal with France. The surprise announcement in September of the new three-way security pact AUKUS that will share nuclear submarine technology overrode an earlier deal for Australia to buy 12 French diesel-powered submarines. Paris saw it as “a stab in the back.” Australia rebutted the French president’s remarks. “We didn’t deface the Eiffel Tower. It was a contract,” said Australia’s deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce. “We got out of that contract.” Morrison, the Australian prime minister, denied being dishonest and said he had warned Macron the conventional submarines would no longer meet his country’s needs.

Australia, Thailand reopen borders after lengthy lockdowns (AP) Sydney’s international airport came alive with tears, embraces and laughter on Monday as Australia opened its border for the first time in 20 months, with some arriving travelers removing mandatory masks to see the faces of loved ones they’ve been separated from for so long. “Just being able to come home without having to go to quarantine is huge,” Carly Boyd, a passenger who traveled from New York, told reporters at Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith Airport. “There’s a lot of people on that flight who have loved ones who are about to die or have people who died this week. So for them to be able to get off the plane and go see them straight away is pretty amazing,” Boyd added. Some Asian countries, like China and Japan, remain essentially sealed-off to foreign visitors but Thailand also started to substantially reopen Monday.

Ethiopia’s PM defiant as rival Tigray forces make advances (AP) Ethiopia’s prime minister has called on citizens to redouble their efforts to combat the rival Tigray forces who claim to have seized key cities on a major highway leading to the capital. A move on Addis Ababa is a new phase in the war that has killed thousands of people since fighting broke out a year ago between Ethiopian and allied forces and Tigray ones who long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018. The Tigray forces over the weekend claimed to control the key cities of Dessie and Kombolcha, though the federal government disputed it. The United States has said it is “alarmed” by those reports.

At least 3 dead after high rise in Nigeria collapses (AP) A 21-story apartment building under construction collapsed in an upscale area of Nigeria’s largest city, killing at least three people and leaving dozens more missing, officials and witnesses said on Monday. Construction worker Eric Tetteh said that he and his brother had managed to escape. But he estimated that more than 100 people were inside the building at the time it crumbled into a pile of debris. Workers said the high rise apartment building had been under construction for about two years, and it was not immediately known what had caused the collapse. However, such incidents are relatively common in Lagos because enforcement of building code regulations is weak. Other observers blame shoddy work by private developers eager to meet demand for housing in the megacity.

Ugandan kids lose hope in long school closure amid pandemic (AP) Dressed in his school uniform, Mathias Okwako jumped into the mud and started his daily search for gold, a commodity that may be closer to his grasp than another precious asset: an education. His rural school in Uganda sits idle just across the road from the swamp where he and scores of children now work as informal miners. Weeds grow in some classrooms, where window frames have been looted for firewood. Another school nearby is renting out rooms to tenants. Uganda’s schools have been fully or partially shut for more than 77 weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic, the longest disruption anywhere in the world, according to figures from the U.N. cultural agency. And unlike many parts of the globe, where lessons moved online, most public schools, which serve the vast majority of children in this East African country, were unable to offer virtual schooling. The pandemic has manufactured “outcasts,” a lost generation of learners now “in a battle of how to fit in,” said Moses Mangeni, an official with the local government in Busia, where Okwako lives.

Vax declared Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year (BBC) Vax has been chosen as the word of the year by lexicographers at the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Words related to vaccines have spiked in frequency in 2021 due to Covid, with double-vaxxed, unvaxxed and anti-vaxxer all seeing a surge in use. OED senior editor Fiona McPherson says vax was an obvious choice as it has made "the most striking impact". "It goes back at least to the 1980s, but according to our corpus it was rarely used until this year," she said. "When you add to that its versatility in forming other words—vaxxie, vax-a-thon, vaxinista—it became clear that vax was the standout in the crowd."

[newsmanmdgn]

Fat People on Planes

Monday's Morning Sixpack: Less newsy, more coolsy.

U.S. Airlines May Start Weighing Passengers At The Gate

U.S. airlines may need to start weighing passengers in order to comply with FAA rules. For safety reasons, carriers need to calculate an aircraft’s weight and balance, and it has to be within allowable limits for the plane. However the assumptions they’ve been using for passengers are outdated. Americans are getting fatter, and the federal government wants airlines to find out how much fatter their passengers have gotten, at least for smaller aircraft.

The FAA realizes that passenger weight can vary by route and airlines may want to document this difference.

Standard weights may not be appropriate for smaller planes, with smaller sample size and greater likelihood of variance from average.

Airlines can use standard weights published by the CDC for larger aircraft, with variance for winter and summer based on greater weight assumptions for clothing in the winter. However they outline a method for smaller aircraft to determine “[a]ctual passenger and bag weights” and to determine whether aircraft up to 70 seats should be considered small or large for this exercise.

View from the Wing

I really can't believe they haven't been doing this for decades.

How can you fly a plane not knowing its total weight? This is just absurd and underscores the idea that government regulation needs to be re-examined, on all fronts.

IDEA: Weight scales at the gate. As the plane reaches maximum capacity, you cut the line. Last ones on get left behind.

Trump Has Blown Off Rudy Giuliani’s Pleas for Help as Feds Circle

In the weeks since the feds raided Rudy Giuliani’s apartment and office in late April, close allies have tried to ferry a slew of emergency requests to former President Donald Trump and his advisers.

But according to three people familiar with the matter, Trump, as well as several of his legal advisers and longtime confidants, have been hesitant about swooping in to help the embattled Giuliani, who for years worked as Trump’s personal lawyer, a political adviser, and attack dog. Giuliani also served as a major player in the Trump-Ukraine scandal and as a key driver in the former president’s efforts to nullify Joe Biden’s clear victory in the 2020 election.

Team Trump’s reluctance to intervene comes at a time when federal investigators have ramped up their probe into whether Giuliani’s Ukraine-related work during the Trump era amounted to an unregistered and illegal lobbying operation on behalf of foreign figures. So far, no charges have been brought against the former New York City mayor as a result of this investigation, which began in 2019. Trump’s silence has led to simmering frustrations among members of Giuliani’s inner orbit, who privately allege that the ex-president’s team is working to convince him to hang Giuliani out to dry in his hour of need.

Yahoo News

Is this when I say, “WOMP WOMP?”

Two dead, dozens injured after bleachers collapse in West Bank synagogue

At least two people died and more than 160 were injured Sunday at an Israeli settlement in the West Bank when a set of bleachers collapsed at a synagogue, according to Israeli authorities.

Israeli officials told CNN and The Times of Israel that the collapse was being treated as a “mass casualty event.” Video shows the room packed with hundreds of worshippers before a section of the bleachers gives way, causing dozens of attendees to fall.

The Hill

No comment here except to say: There's a lot going on in Israel right now.

Long working hours are a killer, WHO study shows

Working long hours is killing hundreds of thousands of people a year in a worsening trend that may accelerate further due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

In the first global study of the loss of life associated with longer working hours, the paper in the journal Environment International showed that 745,000 people died from stroke and heart disease associated with long working hours in 2016.

That was an increase of nearly 30% from 2000.

“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” said Maria Neira, director of the WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

Reuters

This just in: Water is wet.

In this “DUH!” moment, the WHO confirmed what we already knew: Working long hours will kill you.

Jeffrey Epstein Gave Bill Gates Advice on How to End ‘Toxic’ Marriage, Sources Say

Bachelor sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein gave Bill Gates advice on ending his marriage with Melinda after the Microsoft co-founder complained about her during a series of meetings at the money manager’s mansion, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Gates used the gatherings at Epstein’s $77 million New York townhouse as an escape from what he told Epstein was a “toxic” marriage, a topic both men found humorous, a person who attended the meetings told The Daily Beast.

Daily Beast

EWWW!

I wonder if Epstein gave Gates advice on how to hang himself?

Other sordid Bill Gates news:

Gates also pursued women at Microsoft while married

Microsoft Board Investigated Bill Gates' ‘Intimate Relationship' With Employee (they fired him, in essence)

Sharks use Earth’s magnetic field as a GPS, scientists say

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Sharks use the Earth’s magnetic field as a sort of natural GPS to navigate journeys that take them great distances across the world’s oceans, scientists have found.

Researchers said their marine laboratory experiments with a small species of shark confirm long-held speculation that sharks use magnetic fields as aids to navigation — behavior observed in other marine animals such as sea turtles.

Their study, published this month in the journal Current Biology, also sheds light on why sharks are able to traverse seas and find their way back to feed, breed and give birth, said marine policy specialist Bryan Keller, one of the study authors.

“We know that sharks can respond to magnetic fields,” Keller said. “We didn’t know that they detected it to use as an aid in navigation … You have sharks that can travel 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles) and end up in the same spot.”

AP

Pretty cool. I wonder if a GPS jammer might repel sharks? I'm going to Hawaii in the Fall and need to know!

(The answer is no.)

The article was originally published here! Fat People on Planes

[go-redgirl]

White House: Trump undergoes exam at Walter Reed

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — President Donald Trump spent more than two hours at Walter Reed National Medical Center on Saturday for what the White House said were medical tests as part of his annual physical.

The appointment wasn’t on Trump’s weekend public schedule, and his last physical was in February. Press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the 73-year-old president was “anticipating a very busy 2020” and wanted to take advantage of “a free weekend” in Washington to begin portions of his routine checkup.

She did not specify which tests he’d received or explain why the visit had not been disclosed in advance. Trump’s 2018 and 2019 physicals were both announced ahead of time and appeared on his public schedule.

Grisham said after the visit that the president had had “a quick exam and labs” and assured he remains in good health.

“The President remains healthy and energetic without complaints, as demonstrated by his repeated vigorous rally performances in front of thousands of Americans several times a week,” she said.

Trump also spent time at the hospital meeting with the family of a special forces soldier injured in Afghanistan. And he visited with medical staff “to share his thanks for all the outstanding care they provide to our Wounded Warriors, and wish them an early happy Thanksgiving,” Grisham said.

It was the president’s ninth visit to the hospital since taking office.

Walter Reed spokeswoman Sandy Dean said the hospital does not comment on patients who receive care at the facility and referred questions to the White House.

Trump’s last checkup in February, 2019 showed he had gained weight in office. At 243 pounds and 6 feet, 3 inches tall, he passed the official threshold for being considered obese, with a Body Mass Index of 30.4.

That checkup, which was supervised by Dr. Sean P. Conley, his physician, took more than four hours and involved a panel of 11 specialists.

“I am happy to announce the President of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his Presidency, and beyond,” Conley wrote afterward.

Test results were released six days later, showing that Trump weighed 243 pounds — up seven pounds from September 2016, before he became president.

A Body Mass Index rating of 30 is the level at which doctors consider someone obese under the commonly used formula. About 40 percent of Americans are obese, raising the risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Trump doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke, but is known to enjoy fast food, steaks and desserts. His primary form of exercise is golf.

Saturday’s test came as House investigators on Capitol Hill were interviewing a White House budget official as part of the impeachment inquiry. Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong.

[plusorminuscongress]

New story in Politics from Time: President Trump Undergoes Testing During Medical Checkup Not Previously on His Public Schedule: White House

BETHESDA, Md. — President Donald Trump spent more than two hours at Walter Reed National Medical Center on Saturday for what the White House said were medical tests as part of his annual physical.

The appointment wasn’t on Trump’s weekend public schedule, and his last physical was in February. Press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the 73-year-old president was “anticipating a very busy 2020” and wanted to take advantage of “a free weekend” in Washington to begin portions of his routine checkup. She was not more specific about the testing.

Trump’s 2018 and 2019 physicals were announced in advance and appeared on his public schedule.

The February checkup showed he had put on some pounds and was now officially considered obese. His Body Mass Index was 30.4. His weight was 243 pounds and he was 6 feet, 3 inches tall.

Trump spent more than four hours at Walter Reed on Feb. 8 for his most recent checkup, supervised by Dr. Sean P. Conley, his physician, and involving a panel of 11 specialists.

“I am happy to announce the President of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his Presidency, and beyond,” Conley wrote afterward.

Test results came out six days later, showing that he weighed 243 pounds, compared with 236 pounds in September 2016 before he became president.

An index rating of 30 is the level at which doctors consider someone obese under the commonly used formula. About 40 percent of Americans are obese. That raises their risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Trump doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke. His primary form of exercise is golf.

The physical testing came as House investigators on Capitol Hill interviewed a White House budget official as part of the impeachment inquiry.

By JILL COLVIN / AP on November 16, 2019 at 06:10PM

[calorieworkouts]

18 Legit Reasons the Elliptical Is Better Than a Treadmill

If there's one piece of gym devices that elicits an almost global eye roll, it's the elliptical device. With frequently cited mistakes like being uninteresting (research even says so) and also not testing sufficient, it's no surprise the elliptical exerciser does not get any type of love Enjoyment assumption during workout with aerobic devices. Carraro A, Gobbi E, Ferri I, et al. Perceptual as well as electric motor abilities. 2014 Aug,119( 1):146 -55. . However as with anything, an elliptical exerciser equipment exercise is just what you make from it. As well as you really can choose to make it great!

So prepare to transform your ways, elliptical machine doubters. We have actually rounded up all the factors-- both silly and scientific-- that the disliked cardio equipment properly rocks.

1. You can absolutely do it.

The elliptical exerciser benefits any ages and fitness levels( barring those who are wounded), claims New york city City-based health and fitness specialist Amie Hoff. "It's a really simple movement as well as could offer people a feeling of safety and security," she spokens-- which can be specifically useful to gym newbies that could be intimidated by other devices. Incentive: You do not have to have a manual to recognize the best ways to make use of it.

2. You can locate 'em nearly everywhere.

Need a shop studio (as well as a ballooning savings account) to access an elliptical equipment? Nah. These bad boys are in nearly every fitness center, including the measly ones located in home buildings and resorts. #NoExcuses.

3. You TIN obtain your heart racing.

Believe it or not, your pulse revs up throughout elliptical machine training-- greater than the treadmill, according to one research study (also when viewed physical effort coincides) Comparison of energy expense on a treadmill vs. an elliptical exerciser gadget at a self-selected workout intensity. Brown GA, Cook CM, Krueger RD, et al. Journal of strength as well as conditioning research study. 2010 Jun,24( 6):1643 -9. . An additional research found that joggers' legs felt more tired after utilizing the elliptical exerciser than a comparable workout on the treadmill Heart rate and scores of viewed exertion during treadmill as well as elliptical exerciser workout training. Environment-friendly JM, Crews TR, Pritchett RC, et al. Perceptual as well as electric motor skills. 2004 Feb,98( 1):340 -8. . The cherry on the top? You obtain all the heart-pumping advantages (otherwise more), minus the pounding.

4. You can squeeze it into your schedule.

As long as we enjoy HIIT workouts, they always call for a post-workout shower session. As well as if you're strapped for time (here's looking at you, lunchtime exercise warriors), you understand it's essential to obtain in and also out of the health club ASAP. Plus, if any of you girls out there have ever attempted to maintain your hairs smooth and smooth through a sweat session, you know it's rather damn difficult. Since you have direct control over intensity on the elliptical machine, you can stay clear of being a perspiring beast (and spend even more time exercising).

5. You can prevent undesirable competition.

Friendly competitors? Amazing. Attempting to electrical power through your exercise with the guy alongside you eyeballing your mileage as well as speed up? Not so much. Luckily, that phenomenon seems to be restricted to the treadmill, so you can strike the elliptical exerciser in peace.

6. You could obtain an upper-body exercise too.

Just pump your arms to move the handles (and also hence your legs). You can additionally grab some pinheads, ditch the manages, and also do shoulder presses as you relocate your legs. And voilà: making the right to bare arms.

7. You can improve your life.

It could seem like a soaring settlement, however science actually recommends elliptical training may enhance lifestyle and defeated back tiredness-- though it's worth keeping in mind that this research gauged both impacts in individuals with numerous sclerosis Elliptical exercise enhances fatigue ratings and lifestyle in people with numerous sclerosis. Real estate JM, Filipi ML, Stergiou N. Journal of rehabilitation research study and also advancement. 2011,48( 7):881 -90. . A severe situation, to make sure, yet certainly an advantage in our books!

8. You have plenty of variety.

Not only do the integrated programs make switching up exercises extremely simple (i.e. they do the job for you with pre-set choices), however by hand switching the setups is additionally a cinch. Tip: If you're sticking to the programs, keep tabs on how difficult they are for you-- you do n't want it to really feel like you're breezing via the activities 15 mins into the exercise, Hoff says.

9. You can multitask.

Whether you're dying to capture up on your favorite show (oh hey, Scandal) or just have to fire off e-mails on a tablet or phone, checking stuff off your to-do list is entirely possible on the elliptical machine. As well as, OK, so you could actually do all of this on any kind of cardio tools at the gym, but it's specifically very easy when you're on this machine.

10. You could go easy on your knees.

The elliptical exerciser is softer on the body as a whole-- and also that's pretty significant for people with joint, knee, and lower back issues, Hoff spokens. The moving motions are reduced effect, but can also have significant payoffs.

11. You can obtain a deadly workout.

But it depends on you. One research recommends working out on an elliptical exerciser device causes comparable fitness improvements as striking the treadmill or a Stairmaster Physiological changes following a 12 week health club based stair-climbing, elliptical fitness instructor and treadmill running program in females. Egaña M, Donne B. The Journal of sporting activities medication as well as phsyical health and fitness. Jun,44( 2):141 -6. . They key? Seeing to it you work as tough (read: maintain that strength UP) and also as lengthy as you would on the various other two equipments. In other words: no cruising! Hoff suggests challenging on your own by cranking up the incline (which functions the booty a little bit much more) for 3 to 4 mins, after that decreasing the incline as you raise rate, and alternating up until you've completed your routine.

12. You can bounce back from injuries.

Though you need to get the permission from a physician before hopping back right into the health and fitness game post-injury, professionals believe the elliptical device may aid you restore range of movement in the hips. And if sore joints are the concern, the low-impact exercise might be beneficial, according to study. To cover it off, physicians commonly recommend integrating the elliptical exerciser into a rehabilitation program for individuals that've had ACL surgeries. One study also suggests that elliptical exerciser training may work in a rehab program for those that have actually experienced from stressful brain injuries Lower extremity kinematics during strolling and elliptical training in individuals with and also without stressful brain injury. Buster T, Burnfield J, Taylor AP, et al. Journal of neurologic physical therapy. 2013 Dec,37( 4):176 -86. . And even more research suggests elliptical training boosts balance, endurance, and flexibility in people that have experienced a stroke Use of an elliptical equipment for boosting practical walking capability in individuals with persistent stroke: an instance collection. Jackson K, Merriman H, Campbell J. Journal of neurologic physical treatment. 2010 Sep,34( 3):168 -74. .

13. You do not need loads of energy.

Some days, beast mode simply isn't in your workout collection. When that takes place, struck the elliptical. Given that it's low-impact and you could adjust the intensity, you could get your sweat on without doing yourself in. And also, the built-in setups make it also easier for you to shore-- in instance that's specifically just what you need.

14. You can read.

Anecdotal proof reveals that transforming web pages while making use of a treadmill or Stairmaster is way harder compared to doing so on an elliptical machine. When multi-tasking's your only option (ahem, you're packing for finals or hysterically prepping for an interview), the elliptical exerciser is a very secure bet to get your sweat on and also your reading done too.

15. You can relieve your method back into your fitness routine.

Hopping back on the workout wagon after an exercise hiatus isn't really an easy thing to do. Merely like it's a wonderful device for newbies to obtain their sweat on, the elliptical exerciser is a strong choice for any individual wanting to return on the straight and narrow.

16. You can work your whole body in much less than 30 minutes.

We're about effectiveness (that isn't really?), and also the elliptical exerciser needs to be one of the most effective pieces of equipment. Work your upper and also lower body and get your cardio fix all in one go.

17. You can use it as an add-on to various other workouts.

Ever left a group fitness class sensation like you've struck concerning 80 percent of your exercise possibility? Well, when that happens, simply jump on the elliptical and power via a quick little session prior to calling quits!

18. You can (generally) go backwards.

Why is that a good idea, you ask? As it turns out, pedaling backwards jobs the calves as well as hamstrings greater than the forward motion. Consider this the eco-friendly light to switch over points up as you undergo your routine.

[mghospital]

Best Heart Care Treatment in Narasaraopet | Mahathma Gandhi Hospitals

Your heart is safeguarded and your health is at top-notch. Mahatma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital is one of a kind in dealing with heart-related issues that take the responsibility of offering great care. 

How can you prevent heart disease?

Good diet and exercise are the most important steps you can take towards preventing heart disease, but so many others. Any kind of substance abuse, namely tobacco and alcohol, is not recommended. Other factors that influence heart disease are stress. Find ways to relax and manage your stress.

Diagnosis

There are three types of diagnostic methods that can be used to diagnose heart disease.

Physical examination and blood tests

The first thing any doctor will do is examine the patient and make a note of the symptoms that they have been experiencing. Try to be as accurate as possible with the information you tell your doctor. This will help them decide the best diagnosis.

Non-Invasive tests

Based on an examination and blood tests, they might want to observe your heart under stress in a stress test, view the electrical activity through an electrocardiogram (ECG) or capture the structure of the heart through an echocardiogram.

Invasive tests

If both the above methods prove to be inconclusive, the behavior of the heart may be observed through angiography or electrophysiology study.

If you are looking for that one hospital to have good heart care book your appointment today.

Book Appointment:

Call: +91 8647230007

Visit: https://mahathmagandhihospitals.com/service/cardiology/

[brajeshupadhyay]

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a coma after suspected poisoning by toxic tea

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, lay in a coma Friday at a Siberian hospital after what his allies said appeared to be a poisoning engineered by the Kremlin.

The 44-year-old Navalny fell ill on a flight back to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk on Thursday and was taken to a hospital after the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said on Twitter.   She told the Echo Moskvy radio station that he must have consumed poison in tea he drank at an airport cafe before boarding the plane early Thursday. During the flight, Navalny started sweating and asked her to talk to him so that he could “focus on the sound of a voice.” He then went to the bathroom and lost consciousness, and has been in a coma and on a ventilator in grave condition ever since.   Navalny’s organization is scrambling to make arrangements to transfer him to Germany for treatment. A German group said it was ready to send a plane for him and that a noted hospital in Berlin was ready to treat him.

In a video statement released early Friday in Omsk, Yarmysh said Navalny remained in critical condition. She called on the hospital’s leadership “not to obstruct us from providing all necessary documents for his transfer.” 

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, and Kira Yarmysh, foreground left, pose for a selfie inside a bus on their way to an aircraft at an airport outside Tomsk, a city in Siberia, Russia Thursday, August 20, 2020.

gluchinskiy/AP

Other opposition figures were quick to suggest Kremlin involvement.   “We are sure that the only people that have the capability to target Navalny or myself are Russian security services with definite clearance from Russia’s political leadership,” Pyotr Verzilov, a member of the protest group Pussy Riot who ended up in intensive care after a suspected poisoning in 2018, told The Associated Press. “We believe that Putin definitely is a person who gives that go-ahead in this situation.”   Jaka Bizilj, of the German organization that arranged for Verzilov’s treatment in Germany, said that at Verzilov’s request “we will send at midnight an air ambulance with medical equipment and specialists with which Navalny can be brought to Germany.”   Omsk is about 2,500 miles east of Berlin, roughly a six-hour flight.   Doctors at Omsk Ambulance Hospital No. 1, where the politician was being treated, remained tight-lipped about his diagnosis, saying only that they were considering a variety of theories, including poisoning. Local health officials said they found no indication that Navalny had suffered from a heart attack, stroke or the coronavirus.

An ambulance is parked outside a hospital intensive care unit where Alexei Navalny is hospitalized in Omsk, Russia, August 20, 2020. 

Evgeniy Sofiychuk/AP

Authorities initially refused to let Navalny’s wife, Yulia, see her husband and have rejected requests for documentation that would allow him to be transferred to a European hospital for treatment, Yarmysh said.   Verzilov, who was flown to Berlin for treatment in 2018, said hospitals in Omsk or Moscow would not be able to treat Navalny properly and expressed concern about possible pressure from security services that doctors could be under in Russia.   Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was necessary to wait for test results showing what caused Navalny’s condition, adding the authorities would consider a request to allow Navalny to leave Russia, which has not fully opened its borders after a coronavirus lockdown, for treatment.

Challenging Putin

01:06

Reports about the alleged poisoning made waves in the West.   French President Emmanuel Macron said France was ready to offer Navalny and his family “all necessary assistance … in terms of health care, asylum, protection” and insisted on the need to clarify what happened. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and the United Nations also expressed concern over what happened to Navalny, and Amnesty International demanded a full and thorough investigation.    Like many other opposition politicians in Russia, Navalny has been frequently detained by law enforcement and harassed by pro-Kremlin groups. In 2017, he was attacked by several men who threw antiseptic in his face, damaging an eye.   Last year, Navalny was rushed to a hospital from prison, where he was serving a sentence following an administrative arrest, with what his team said was suspected poisoning. Doctors said he had a severe allergic attack and discharged him back to prison the following day.

Russian opposition leader hospitalized

01:00

Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption has been exposing graft among government officials, including some at the highest level. Last month, he had to shut the foundation after a financially devastating lawsuit from Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with close ties to the Kremlin.

Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko accused Navalny last week of organizing unprecedented mass protests against his re-election that have rocked Russia’s ex-Soviet neighbor since August 9. He did not, however, provide any evidence and that claim was one of many blaming foreign forces for the unrest.   The most prominent member of Russia’s opposition, Navalny campaigned to challenge Putin in the 2018 presidential election, but was barred from running.   He set up campaign offices across Russia and has been promoting opposition candidates in regional elections, challenging members of Russia’s ruling party, United Russia. One of his associates in Khabarovsk, a city in Russia’s Far East that has been engulfed in mass protests against the arrest of the region’s governor, was detained last week after calling for a strike at a rally.

A protester holds a symbolic cup of tea as he comes to support Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in front of the building of the Federal Security Service (FSB, Soviet KGB successor) in St. Petersburg, Russia, August 20, 2020. 

Ivan Petrov/AP

In the interview with Echo Moskvy, Yarmysh said she believed the suspected poisoning was connected to this year’s regional election campaign.   Commentators say Navalny has become increasingly dangerous for the Kremlin as Putin’s approval rating has plummeted to a record low of around 60% amid the coronavirus pandemic and growing public frustration with the declining economy.   Navalny’s ability to mobilize voters against pro-Kremlin candidates poses a particular challenge ahead of the 2021 parliamentary elections, said Abbas Gallyamov, a former Kremlin speechwriter-turned-political-analyst.   “The Duma elections are particularly important for the Kremlin,” as the new Duma will be operating in 2024, when Putin’s current presidential term expires and he may announce running for re-election, Gallyamov told the AP.   “That’s why controlling the next State Duma is crucially important for the Kremlin. Navalny really makes it harder for the Kremlin to establish that control,” Gallyamov added.   At the same time Navalny, who rose to prominence by exposing corruption all over Russia, could have other enemies, Gallyamov said, and may have been targeted by people featured in one of his investigations, if he was indeed deliberately poisoned.   On Thursday evening, activists in several Russian cities held protests in support of Navalny. In St. Petersburg, a crowd of about 100 people gathered in the city center, and several supporters were detained.

The post Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a coma after suspected poisoning by toxic tea appeared first on Shri Times News.

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[vsplusonline]

Doctor gambles on clot-busting drug to save virus patients

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/doctor-gambles-on-clot-busting-drug-to-save-virus-patients/

Doctor gambles on clot-busting drug to save virus patients

WASHINGTON — The woman was dying. New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital was about to call her husband and break the news that there was nothing left to try. Then Dr. Hooman Poor took a gamble.

With high-stress, high-stakes decisions, doctors around the world are frantically trying to figure out how COVID-19 is killing their patients so they can attempt new ways to fight back. One growing theory: In the sickest of the sick, little blood clots clog the lungs.

Poor couldn’t prove it. The tests required would further endanger his staff, who were already at risk of getting the virus. But the lung specialist saw clues that were “screaming blood clots.” So Poor pulled out a drug best known for treating strokes, and held his breath.

“I said, `What do we actually have to lose?”‘ Poor told The Associated Press. “That’s when I decided to give not just a blood thinner but a blood clot buster.”

Exactly what’s going on with blood clots in at least some COVID-19 patients is a mystery.

Chinese doctors were first to sound the alarm. In March, Chinese heart specialists advised the American College of Cardiology to watch for clots and said certain blood tests showing a rise in clot risk might signal which patients were in greatest danger. Other reports suggested the clots can show up all over the body. But were they a cause of deterioration or an effect?

Already, many hospitals are attempting preventive doses of blood thinners to keep clots from forming. There’s huge debate over what kind to try, what dose is safe — the drugs can cause dangerous bleeding — and how soon to start.

In New York, Poor was going a step further with a drug named tPA that doesn’t prevent clots — it breaks them up.

It’s an example of how, with no vaccine or approved treatment for the coronavirus, many overwhelmed doctors are following trails of clues to figure out what to try next.

Poor’s 55-year-old patient wasn’t getting enough oxygen even after doctors rolled her onto her stomach for an extreme ventilation technique called “prone positioning.” She was in shock. Other organs were failing fast.

Twenty minutes after the injection of tPA, her oxygen levels rose. Poor was elated. But not for long.

“She gets better, but then she starts to get worse,” he said. “Most likely we’re breaking up the clot, but she is immediately forming the clot again.”

So he next tried something novel, putting the woman on a low-dose drip of tPA for about 24 hours together with a blood thinner, in hopes of chipping away at existing clots while blocking new ones.

To Poor’s dismay, the experimental treatment bought the woman only a few more days of life. A sudden, different complication killed her on Friday.

But last weekend, Poor’s team tested the new clot-fighting approach in four additional severely ill patients. One didn’t survive, dying of cardiac arrest from a massive blood clot in his heart.

The rest saw improvement in oxygen levels and shock. As of Friday, three remained on ventilators but were doing better, especially one who had been treated soon after her lungs failed. In a new report, Poor called for urgent study of whether abnormal clotting drives at least some people’s deterioration, even as his own hospital updated treatment advice for its sickest patients.

Others are onto the same lead. Specialists at the University of Colorado and Harvard recently published a similar tPA research call, and cited three additional cases where it was tried as hospitals in Colorado and Massachusetts prepare for a study.

“We’re taking care of extremely ill patients that are dying in front of us, and we can’t get any diagnostic testing,” yet still have to make treatment decisions, said Dr. Steven Pugliese, a lung specialist at the University of Pennsylvania.

Pugliese called Poor’s tPA report “very intriguing” and concluded: “What these doctors did in these very ill patients who were dying was a judgment call, and it was the right thing to do.”

But with the bleeding risk, it has to be studied in carefully chosen patients, Pugliese said, especially with no good way to tell in advance who really has these tiny clots.

Poor first noticed oddities as his ICU filled with patients who just weren’t responding to care the way doctors expected. They were on breathing machines after developing ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome. It’s an inflammatory form of lung failure that, when caused by other infections, stiffens lungs.

At least early on, Poor didn’t see that.

“It was like `Groundhog Day’ with each patient,” he said, referring to the movie where the same events repeat day after day. They had severe abnormalities in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels but “shockingly, their lungs were not stiff.”

He recalled Italian doctors who spotted the same thing and wrote in an American Thoracic Society journal that COVID-19 was causing atypical ARDS.

Back in Poor’s hospital, when ventilated patients looked improved enough to let them wake up a bit, alarms would sound as their blood oxygen levels immediately plummeted.

“The residents would yell at me, `So and so is desaturating!”‘ Poor recalled. “Classically in ARDS, we think that’s because the lung is collapsing.” But it wasn’t.

Poor often treats an emergency called pulmonary embolism, a large clot in the lungs that can quickly kill. The COVID-19 patients didn’t look quite like that. Nor were their hearts struggling to pump blood into the lungs.

Then as he was doing laundry at 2 a.m., Poor remembered a rare disease in which some lung blood vessels abnormally dilate even as others are clogged. If that explains the COVID-19 contradictions, he thought, a clot-buster might help.

“I did a case series of five. This does not prove anything,” he cautioned. “Perhaps it brings light to possibilities where further research can delve into what exactly is going on.”

——

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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[fitnesswomenshealth-blog]

APNewsBreak: 80,000 people died of flu last winter in US

New Post has been published on https://cialiscom.org/apnewsbreak-80000-people-died-of-flu-last-winter-in-us.html

APNewsBreak: 80,000 people died of flu last winter in US

NEW YORK — An estimated 80,000 Individuals died of flu and its complications past winter season — the disease’s optimum dying toll in at minimum four a long time.

&#13

The director of the Centers for Disease Handle and Avoidance, Dr. Robert Redfield, unveiled the whole in an interview Tuesday evening with The Related Push.

Flu specialists realized it was a extremely poor season, but at least a single discovered the measurement of the estimate shocking.

“That is big,” explained Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt College vaccine skilled. The tally was nearly two times as significantly as what overall health officers beforehand regarded a bad yr, he said.

In new decades, flu-relevant deaths have ranged from about 12,000 to 56,000, according to the CDC.

Last drop and winter, the U.S. went by means of one particular of the most extreme flu seasons in new memory. It was pushed by a sort of flu that tends to put more people in the healthcare facility and bring about additional deaths, specially amongst youthful youngsters and the elderly.

The year peaked in early February and it was typically more than by the end of March.

Making a lousy year even worse, the flu vaccine failed to function incredibly nicely. Professionals nevertheless say vaccination is however worthy of it mainly because it can make diseases less critical and conserve life.

“I would like to see much more individuals get vaccinated,” Redfield informed the AP at an function in New York. “We lost 80,000 persons previous calendar year to the flu.”

CDC officers do not have specific counts of how lots of persons die from flu every single calendar year. Flu is so frequent that not all flu situations are reported, and flu is not usually stated on demise certificates. So the CDC utilizes statistical versions, which are periodically revised, to make estimates.

Fatal complications from the flu can involve pneumonia, stroke and heart attack.

CDC officers termed the 80,000 figure preliminary, and it might be slightly revised. But they stated it is not predicted to go down.

It eclipses the estimates for every single flu period going back to the winter of 1976-1977. Estimates for lots of before seasons were not conveniently obtainable.

Last winter was not the worst flu time on document, nonetheless. The 1918 flu pandemic, which lasted just about two yrs, killed additional than 500,000 Americans, historians estimate.

It’s not quick to compare flu seasons by means of history, partly mainly because the nation’s population is changing. There are extra Individuals — and a lot more elderly Us residents — currently than in a long time earlier, noted Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a CDC flu skilled.

U.S. wellbeing officials on Thursday are scheduled to maintain a media occasion in Washington, D.C., to tension the worth of vaccinations to shield in opposition to what ever flu circulates this coming wintertime.

And how poor is it likely to be? So far, the flu that’s been detected is a milder pressure, and early signs are that the vaccine is shaping up to be a fantastic match, Jernigan reported.

The make-up of the vaccine has been changed this year to test to far better safeguard against anticipated strains.

“We don’t know what is actually going to happen, but we’re seeing much more encouraging symptoms than we have been early previous yr,” Jernigan claimed.

___

The Involved Push Overall health & Science Division gets assist from the Howard Hughes Health care Institute’s Division of Science Education and learning. The AP is exclusively accountable for all articles.

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[investmart007]

Correction: Aspirin-Heart Attacks story

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/9nyHhB

Correction: Aspirin-Heart Attacks story

In a story Aug. 26, The Associated Press erroneously summarized the results of medical studies on the use of daily low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. The studies suggest it’s not worth the risks for people without known heart disease — not that risks don’t outweigh benefits.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Aspirin disappoints for avoiding first heart attack, stroke New studies find most people won’t benefit from taking daily low-dose aspirin or fish oil supplements to prevent a first heart attack or stroke

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

AP Chief Medical Writer

Taking a low-dose aspirin every day has long been known to cut the chances of another heart attack, stroke or other heart problem in people who already have had one, but the risks aren’t worth it for most folks, major new research finds.

Although it’s been used for more than a century, aspirin’s value in many situations is still unclear. The latest studies are some of the largest and longest to test this pennies-a-day blood thinner in people who don’t yet have heart disease or a blood vessel-related problem.

One found that aspirin did not help prevent first strokes or heart attacks in people at moderate risk for one because they had several health threats such as smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Another tested aspirin in people with diabetes, who are more likely to develop or die from heart problems, and found that the modest benefit it gave was offset by a greater risk of serious bleeding. Aspirin did not help prevent cancer as had been hoped.

And fish oil supplements, also tested in the study of people with diabetes, failed to help.

“There’s been a lot of uncertainty among doctors around the world about prescribing aspirin” beyond those for whom it’s now recommended, said one study leader, Dr. Jane Armitage of the University of Oxford in England. “If you’re healthy, it’s probably not worth taking it.”

The research was discussed Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Munich. The aspirin studies used 100 milligrams a day, more than the 81-milligram pills commonly sold in the United States but still considered low dose. Adult strength is 325 milligrams.

WHO’S REALLY AT RISK?

A Boston-led study gave aspirin or dummy pills to 12,546 people who were thought to have a moderate risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke within a decade because of other health issues.

After five years, 4 percent of each group had suffered a heart problem — far fewer than expected, suggesting these people were actually at low risk, not moderate. Other medicines they were taking to lower blood pressure and cholesterol may have cut their heart risk so much that aspirin had little chance of helping more, said the study leader, Dr. J. Michael Gaziano of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

One percent of aspirin takers had stomach or intestinal bleeding, mostly mild— twice as many as those on dummy pills. Aspirin users also had more nosebleeds, indigestion, reflux or belly pain.

Bayer sponsored the study, and many researchers consult for the aspirin maker. Results were published by the journal Lancet.

ASPIRIN FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES?

People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart problems and strokes from a blood clot, but also a higher risk of bleeding. Guidelines vary on which of them should consider aspirin.

Oxford researchers randomly assigned 15,480 adults with Type 1 or 2 diabetes but otherwise in good health and with no history of heart problems to take either aspirin, 1 gram of fish oil, both substances, or dummy pills every day.

After seven and a half years, there were fewer heart problems among aspirin users but more cases of serious bleeding, so they largely traded one risk for another.

FISH OIL RESULTS

The same study also tested omega-3 fatty acids, the good oils found in salmon, tuna and other fish. Supplement takers fared no better than those given dummy capsules — 9 percent of each group suffered a heart problem.

“We feel very confident that there doesn’t seem to be a role for fish oil supplements for preventing heart disease,” said study leader Dr. Louise Bowman of the University of Oxford.

The British Heart Foundation was the study’s main sponsor. Bayer and Mylan provided aspirin and fish oil, respectively. Results were published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Other studies are testing different amounts and prescription versions of fish oil, “but I can’t tell people go spend your money on it; we think it’s probably better to eat fish,” said Dr. Holly Andersen, a heart disease prevention specialist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell who was not involved in the study.

The new research doesn’t alter guidelines on aspirin or fish oil, said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center and an American Heart Association spokeswoman. They recommend fish oil only for certain heart failure patients and say it’s reasonable to consider for people who have already suffered a heart attack.

By Associated Press ___

[themomsandthecity]

Why Toddlers Are Basically Every Horror Movie Villain Ever

Has this ever happened to you? You wake up in the middle of the night, drenched with sweat, your heart thumping in your throat, and find someone standing over the side of your bed, hair matted in front of their eyes, breathing heavily through their mouth, and reaching out to grab you. If you answered yes, you are either: A vixen from a horror film . . . OR You have young children. It turns out that the plot of almost every scary movie ever written could easily be mistaken for just your average Tuesday with a toddler. Remember the iconic scene in the movie Psycho where the attractive young woman lavishly washes her hair, completely unaware that a crazy person wielding a butcher knife is about to burst through the curtain? Replace the butcher knife with your not-at-all-waterproof cell phone, and make the crazy person completely naked apart from his socks, and that's how I get ready pretty much every morning. Related 7 Movies You Watched as a Kid That Your Own Kids Do Not Need to See Or that scene in Halloween where the killer calls the babysitter on the phone and just breathes into the receiver until she panics and runs shrieking from the house. Think that's creepy? My toddler has accidentally dialed my ex-boyfriend from the toilet while I enthusiastically coax number twos from the background. If that doesn't make you scream, I don't know what will. As a parent, if you've ever sneaked away to the bathroom for some peace and quiet, you'll know that the iconic scene from The Shining where an ax-wielding Jack Nicholson forces his way through the bathroom door is not only a piece of cinematic history but also every mom's nightmare. Except instead of "Here's Johnny," it's more like "Where's Mommy?" But that's close enough. Related Dad Has His Twins Act Out The Shining in Hotels to Freak People Out And it's not just movies about stalkers and serial killers that are based on life with little kids. Remember Gremlins? You think a story about fuzzy little creatures who hate bright lights, beg for food after midnight, wet the bed, and then turn into evil monsters is entirely fictional? You should see the videos of our most recent family vacation. Last week I walked into the kitchen to discover my 3-year-old had scaled the fridge and was hanging from the top of the handle by one hand. With the other hand he was batting away balls that the older one was throwing at him. And you thought King Kong was just a movie about a giant ape . . . Related 23 Reasons Toddlers Are Seriously the Worst I can remember watching The Exorcist as a kid and hiding under my blankets during half the scenes, too afraid to look. I couldn't figure out how that girl's mother doesn't run from the house screaming the moment she projectile vomits, pees on the floor, and rotates her head 360 degrees. Now, of course, I realize that's because by the time our kids are Regan's age, we're just glad the puke didn't land in our mouths, they managed to avoid the rug when they peed, and the neck specialist is covered under our health insurance policy. Anyone who's ever witnessed a toddler watching television will immediately relate to Poltergeist. I'm pretty sure the second most common phrase uttered in my house - behind "No, don't stick that in there" - is the only slightly less used "Step away from the TV." I can't tell you the number of times I've caught my toddler with his nose pressed against the screen muttering unintelligibly to the voices only he can hear. So far he hasn't been sucked inside, but I'm just hoping if it happens, it's not during an episode of Peppa Pig or Caillou. Because I'm not sure if I'd actually go in after him. Related Peppa Pig Is an Asshole and 4 Other Reasons This Show Is the Worst So the next time your toddler asks if they can watch you pee, strokes your arm obsessively while talking to you, wears your makeup, or steals your underwear to use like a hat, just remember that they're not necessarily budding psychopaths. They might just be the next generation of highly successful movie makers. Just keep following that red carpet all the way to the cuckoo's nest . . . which, by the way, is another place toddlers fit right in. http://bit.ly/2tL0xNq

[newstfionline]

A Wealthier India Sees Alarming Rise in Adolescent Diabetes

AP, June 1, 2017

NEW DELHI--Rohin Sarin is midway through his 9th grade geography class when he starts feeling light-headed and dizzy, a sign that his blood sugar levels are dipping. He quietly removes his insulin pen from his school bag, gives himself one of four daily jabs and takes a bite of an energy bar.

The 15-year-old’s classmates in New Delhi have seen the ritual so often they are no longer curious. Rohin is one of a growing number of Indians with diabetes, the disease increasingly afflicting children and adolescents in the fast-growing South Asian country.

More than two decades of rapid economic growth has changed Indians’ lifestyles. People eat out more often, and prefer Western-style junk food such as burgers and pizza over traditional lentil and vegetable meals. They are also more sedentary, using cars and public transportation instead of walking or riding bicycles, and entertaining themselves with television.

The changes have brought a sharp rise in obesity, along with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, even as India still has some of the world’s worst levels of malnourishment and stunted childhood growth due to a paucity of food.

“Over the last 20 years, we are seeing a huge explosion ... mainly because of increasing childhood obesity,” said Dr. Monica Arora, a specialist with the Public Health Foundation of India.

Nearly 30 percent of India’s teenagers are obese, nearly twice the number in 2010, according to health ministry statistics.

India has 70 million diabetics, though it has no data on how many are children and likely has millions more cases that haven’t been diagnosed due to spotty public health facilities and a lack of awareness outside big cities.

Health experts warn that India is on track to reach 120 million cases, or nearly 10 percent of the population, in the next eight years. That would put it on par with the United States, which counts 9.3 percent of the population as diabetic, or China, where 11 percent of the population--or 109 million--have been diagnosed, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Alarmed by the trend, the government is working to screen 500 million people aged 30 and older for diabetes and other non-communicable diseases by 2019, and eventually hopes to roll out the screening program to the entire 1.3 billion population. Authorities are also working with schools to “catch children in the pre-diabetic stage,” Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said recently.

Medical research suggests Indians are genetically more susceptible to developing diabetes, thanks to a tendency to put on weight around the belly, Arora said.

Most patients come from wealthier families and live in urban areas. India’s countryside villages, meanwhile, are home to one of every five malnourished children in the world.

“When you consider the long-term costs of the disease, it is an extremely worrisome prospect,” Arora said.

Most of India’s diabetes cases are Type 2, often occurring when extra weight limits the body’s ability to produce or use insulin to turn food into energy. By comparison, Type 1 diabetes is a natural inability to produce insulin.

Health experts are most worried about young people developing Type 2, which is also known as adult-onset diabetes. The disease requires a lifetime of attention to diet and exercise and access to proper medical treatment, without which diabetics are at risk of blindness, limb amputations, heart or kidney failure and stroke.

They have advised healthier diets, even for Indians sticking with traditional cuisine. That may mean less of the starchy rice and flatbread now dominating Indians’ dinner plates. And no more adding oil and butter to richen long-favored curried vegetables. And finding substitutes for the syrupy, fried sweets popular on special occasions from official holidays to the birth of a child or a new car purchase.

Today’s residents in the capital of New Delhi are eating about 20 percent more fat and 40 percent more sugar than they did six decades ago, according to the Indian Medical Association. And they’re doing so while burning fewer calories, taking public transportation or driving private cars instead of walking or bicycling.

“People did not have worries about putting on weight,” said Dr. Sutapa Agrawal, an epidemiologist with the South Asia Network for Chronic Disease. Obesity was rare enough that a little “plumpness was desired, especially among children, as a sign of the family’s affluence.”

Doctors are also urging families to encourage outdoor activities, rather than allowing kids to stay indoors playing video games.

“Parents are happier if the children are indoors. They feel: at least they are safe,” Agrawal said.

Rohin, already heeding the advice, is down at the cricket pitch most mornings for a rigorous game before school. In the five years since he was diagnosed with the disease, he’s learned to avoid sweets and sodas, and juggles his busy school schedule with sporting activities.

[mghospital]

Kidney Stone Treatment in Narasaraopet | Mahathma Gandhi Hospital

Kidney stone is hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys. Symptoms are severe pain in the side and back, pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin, pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity, pain during urination, and Pink, red or brown urine. The causes are urine contains more crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid than the fluid in urine can dilute. Kidney stone is treated by nephrologists.

Some Kidney health secrets that you should know

1. to much water can also be harmful to kidney

2. An intense workout is harmful to the kidney

3. Regular weakness is also a sign of kidney disease

4. Meditation can control your high blood pressure

A nephrologist is a type of doctor that specializes in treating diseases of the kidney. Not only do nephrologists have expertise on diseases that specifically affect the kidney, but they’re also very knowledgeable about how kidney disease or dysfunction can affect other parts of your body.

At Mahathma Gandhi Hospital, we offer end-to-end expert care for all nephrology concerns. From chronic kidney diseases and dialysis to renal transplant, our team of best nephrologists in Narasaraopet leverages decades of experience to successfully treat any type of kidney problem.

Reliable, precise, and compassionate care

State-of-the-art Dialysis Unit

Technologically advanced Haemodialysis Unit

Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis

Experts perform kidney biopsies to diagnose kidney disease

Nephrologists with immense experience and expertise monitor dialysis

Best kidney hospital in Narasaraopet for all types of kidney diseases.

State-of-the-art dialysis facility with Fresenius hemodialysis machines

Consult our Kidney Specialist for more details

Call:  08647 230007 / 230008

Visit: https://mahathmagandhihospitals.com/service/nephrology/

[mghospital]

Cardiac Doctors in Narasaraopet | Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital

Cardiology must be addressed on a priority basis so that people can receive the best treatment possible. There are several hard diseases that are existing in this present world and the discomfort that is being felt by patients will have to be treated according to the diagnosis, Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital stands as one of the best in terms of making sure that the cardiology department is well acquainted with a heart specialist in Narasaraopet.

Careful Diagnosis

Right from the diagnosis of various elements of heart diseases to the inceptions that are put forth with regard to cardiac tests are all provided with the fact of making treatment the finest option for people. There are several causes of heart disease, and one of the major causes is stress analysis. Persistent stress is evident at all levels, and as a result, Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital diagnoses and treats patients by not simply limiting their standards.

“No one understands Heartbeats better than a CARDIOLOGIST”

Ranked as the Best

We brought about advanced cardiology in Narasaraopet with all the prominence and approaches of various procedures. The hospitals also provide health insurance, and people can get the best deal possible without negotiating. With all the possibilities and probabilities, the Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital team has the best doctors in Narasaraopet who are Stroke specialists in Narasaraopet with a high level of diagnosis. The hospital is the best in terms of meeting people’s needs in terms of the cardiological issues that frequently arise.

Get Your Appointment

Call: +91 8647230007

Visit: https://mahathmagandhihospitals.com/service/cardiology/