The Paperless Press- Weekly Digest #16
TOP STORIES
Boots on the Ground: My Review of Vande Bharat Flight
Ever been on a Vande Bharat evacuation flight? Ever thought of what it is actually like? Well, here I am to clear most of your doubts and queries if you’re planning on travelling on one of these or are just curious! The Paperless Press's FIRST on ground article.
By: Vaanya Bhandari
I travelled on the Vande Bharat evacuation flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (Lagos) on the 20th of October. I’m going to answer all the questions people have asked me about the journey, based on my firsthand experience.
Ø What all safety equipment do you have to wear?
A MASK is mandatory at all times unless you are eating or drinking something. A visor is optional -on my flight not a lot of people were wearing one. A PPE kit is only given to those on a middle seat in the flight and they don’t have to wear the PPE kit in the airport. A few people wore gloves, which they had brought from home.
Ø Was food and drinks available on the flight?
Yes. The minute we entered the flight we found little snack boxes on our seats and later we were served a full hot lunch just the way they do on normal flights. They were serving soft drinks, juices, wine, beer, and tea/ coffee too.
Meal Provided-
Ø Was any entertainment available?
There were movies on the flight, but a very small variety to choose from. If you are travelling on a Vande Bharat flight, I suggest you download your own entertainment and take a book. That’s what we did, and we are glad we did.
Ø Was the usual wheelchair service available at the airport?
This question was one that we were looking for the answer for but couldn’t find. My grandma needed a wheelchair and I’m happy to say that a wheelchair was given to those who needed it, along with someone to push it from the airport gates till we boarded the flight.
Ø What other safety precautions and measures were taken?
o The airline has to leave one business class seat empty – this is because if anyone gets sick and needs isolation, they will have a spot ready. This does lead to loss of revenue for the airline, but it is mandatory.
o All staff at the airport and inside the flight were wearing full PPE kits at all times.
Ø Was the airport crowded?
The airport wasn’t as crowded as it usually is, because of such few flights being operated, but it wasn’t empty either.
View from the plane-
Ø What was open at the airport?
In terms of shopping, the Duty Free was open along with a few other shops. And in terms of food, nearly everything was closed. Starbucks, Barista and Café Coffee Day were open.
Overall, I feel the experience was very similar to a normal flight. Immigration and Security was a breeze; we didn’t have to stand in any long lines (because there were none) and the flight was also very comfortable. The flight staff was very friendly and it was a lot of fun talking to them. The food could have been better, but I’m guessing that was the best they could do at this time. Safety was kept in mind throughout the whole process; at least as much as it could be and I never saw anyone without a mask, except while eating and drinking something of course!
At one point in the flight, I actually felt that this was a way that flights should continue, with everyone wearing masks even after COVID is all gone and forgotten. An airplane and airport has people of all different nations going to different nations, possibly carrying different diseases and having different levels of hygiene. In other words, an airport could be called a house of infection! You never know who is carrying what and who has what (infection or disease). So, I feel that wearing masks would be a good way to prevent the spread of any infection and could make flying safer for higher risk patients who can catch any infections very easily.
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Cover Story:
Halloween History! (and other stuff!)
By: Mihir Rao
( All the people in the photo above are me, these were my Halloween costumes over the years, the Half Skull one is for this year)
I have been waiting for a long time for this, and the day has finally come. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Even if the coronavirus is hindering our gatherings, we don’t need to lose the halloween spirit! So without any further ado, let’s talk about Halloween!
Let me get started at the complete beginning:
Halloween, believe it or not, is Irish! It was inspired by Celtic ritualistic festivals which had pagan roots! The festival I am talking about is called Samhain. When the revolution of church and Christianity happened, Samhain was determined to be of the other religion and made more Christian. But, when the Protestants arose and they invaded Ireland, the festival was deemed to be too religious and was banned.
Some other people believe Halloween was just a Christian holiday that celebrated the Christian saints, but everyone has their own opinion.
There are festivals like Halloween in different cultures like Dia de los muertos (the day of the dead) which are from different places, but celebrate the same things essentially.
And, here we are back to today.
Even if the Corona Virus has us at the hands and is not letting us do anything, we cannot let go of the Halloween spirit.
So, here is my guide on how to celebrate a good festival even with a Pandemic going on:
1.Be resourceful:
In the lockdown, you may say that you can’t celebrate Halloween or any other festivals, because there is a pandemic going on.
Well, you don’t need anything fancy to celebrate Halloween or any other festival, for that matter! Anything you need, you can probably find lying around in the house! But if you can’t find anything, don’t worry! You need to -
2. Have fun:
In the lockdown, the main thing that can make us survive is not just social distancing. It is keeping ourselves from boredom. So, that is also the case for these festivals. Have fun, and you will keep yourself happy! Read a book, play a game, maybe instate a holiday tradition! It’s up to you!
3.Keep the festival spirit going:
In these festivals, even if you can’t find anything to use, all you need is the festive spirit! Even if the lockdown is going on, we can’t let that diminish our festive spirit.
4. Celebrate with someone else, too:
If you are feeling a bit lonely, celebrate the festival with family or close friends! Keep in mind that you should not ignore the safety/social distancing procedures for the Pandemic. Family and friends will cheer you up, no matter what.
Thanks to technology, even though we cannot be physically present with our friends and family at festivals, we can get onto a video call with them. Go on- share your Halloween mask stories, take each other on a virtual tour of your homes lit up with diyas - the laughter and festivities will be brighter, we assure you.
Now, let me talk about my experience with Halloween. My mom and I are a team on Halloween and we do everything together. My mom likes to draw and paint, and I am her canvas. On Halloween, my mother uses her talent to do my make up and make me into a spooky character that we decided on. As you can see, even if we don't have many materials in the lockdown, we are resourceful, we have the festival spirit, and we are having fun and celebrating the festival together! That is the key to a good festival!
And with that, I have to end this article. I just want to wish you all a belated HAPPY HALLOWEEN and I want you to have a nice, safe, fun, and happy time in the Pandemic!
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The Laws we Must Know- Part 2
By: Agastya Rao
The wait is finally over! The Laws we Must Know has returned. We are going to discuss Fundamental Rights and Duties in as simple terms as we can. At the start, I would like to point out that this is not a definitive legal “discourse” on the topic - this is just a 13 year old’s impression of the topic.
1.What are they?
Fundamental Rights and duties are (Arguably) the most important features of the Indian Constitution. Fundamental Rights are your unalienable rights that can never be taken away from you. They ensure your safety and security, prevent exploitation etc. Fundamental rights however are different, they are duties that you should (definitely) follow. Things that relate to respecting the country, being a model citizen etc.
2. Fundamental rights-
If you are still confused, I have the perfect things for you… examples! Here are some good examples of Fundamental rights [ (don’t worry, you have the right to have each right explained :) ]
Examples of Fundamental Rights and duties: Rights that go hand in hand-
- Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression- This has been one of the most widely debated Fundamental Rights. The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression gives you the right to speak up for your rights, the right to criticise the government and the right to express yourself, among other things. The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression also ties up nicely with the Fundamental duties/Duties. In this case, it is to not abuse the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, and to not insult/defame/hurt anyone by abusing this right.
-Right to Equality- This right is THE most important right of them all. This makes all indian citizens equal before the law. This is supposed to insure that you are not discriminated on the basis of caste, religion,sex etc. This also ensures that the state cannot discriminate against you when it comes to getting a government job etc.
-Right to Constitutional Remedies- This right is not very well known, but I shall try my best to explain it. This right allows all citizens of India to legal remedies from courts if any of their fundamental rights are violated by the State
-Right against Exploitation- The power to prevent exploitation lands in the hands of the powerful Constitution. This prohibits human trafficking, forced labour and employment for ALL children under the age of 14. This right is very important for the safety and security of children.
-Right to Freedom of Religion- This crucial right, grants the freedom to follow any religion or faith a citizen of India pleases. Every Indian citizen has the freedom to Practice, Preach and Profess the religion of their choice, as long as it is not disrespectful to other people and religions, and does not harm anyone.
-Cultural and Educational Rights- This right is particularly important in protecting dying cultures and the cultures of our country. It states that all minorities (Whether it is on the basis of religion or texts and writings) have the right to set up educational institutions (like schools) as a crucial step to preserve and spread dying cultures or cultures that many may not know about.
3.Fundamental Duties-
Fundamental Duties are what we should do and are expected to uphold as citizens of India.
I won’t go too into detail about Fundamental duties, because the examples are endless. I will however try my best to highlight the most important fundamental duties. Most of them are pretty basic but also pretty important at the same time, like this one which is fairly relevant in 2020-
Some good examples-
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This one which is fairly relevant in 2020- ‘ To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.’ This tells us to save the environment and plant more trees and take care of the environment, which is the need of the hour in these times.
-As Abraham Lincoln famously said, ‘ A house divided in itself cannot stand’, our next Fundamental Duty is - ‘to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.’ This means that we must be good citizens, fight for our rights when they are violated, and ensure that India remains the India we know and love.
-This is my third and final example, which is- ‘to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.’ India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. India would be nowhere if all communities did not live in harmony.
There must be unity in diversity, India is unique because it has so many diverse people and religions, which leads to our diverse culture. We must respect women, stay united, respect all religions and not discriminate anyone based on caste, creed, sex etc. For me, this is the most important of all Fundamental Duties, because sadly, we see such utter disregard for diversity all around us. Surely we can do much better - all that is needed is to respect differences and still manage to stay united.
4.Conclusion-
Fundamental Rights and Duties help us lead safe and secure lives where we are free. These rights enable us to speak up against the government without any fear, practice, preach and profess the religions we want, help dying cultures live on and spread. They live on as an essential piece of the Indian Constitution and democracy, as a whole. These Rights and Duties shall continue to protect us as we shall defend our country and respect it.
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Fashion (Re)Cycle: How recycling has become integral to fashion.
By: Abhimanyu Rao
Through the first few years of school, we are always taught about the three Rs-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. All we think is, “Ugh! Didn’t we just do this yesterday, and last week, and last month, and last term, and last year, and the year before that? Why are we doing it again? What significance will it ever have?”and, “Okay, Okay! You’ve told us this before! We’re not THAT forgetful. Not like anyone cares about this anyway!”. Well then, I’m sorry, but you thought wrong, because billion dollar brands like H and M use recycling to conserve resources and help the earth!
Yes! You heard me right, MULTI BILLION DOLLAR brands use recycling (guess learning this for years and years and years and years did come in handy after all). Didn’t pay attention? Don’t remember? Search no more! We have a great handbook-esque article just for this, sprinkled with examples!
What does this mean?
This means that people have now realised the importance of the impact of continuous and wasteful use, and are helping the environment by recycling materials, that drastically reduces the wastage of materials, or uses unconventional materials to make some of the latest fashion! For example, many brands like Adidas are using old plastic bottles to create shoes and shirts! Good thing that the landfill can be slightly less landFILLED!
Now, let’s look at some examples: (No, we have not been sponsored by any of these brands :))
H&M: This fashion giant puts a multitude of recycled materials to use in their clothes, including recycled glass, for the beads in some of their clothes, Recycled wool from scraps removed from parts of their clothes during the process of creating them, are used again in other clothes. Recycled plastic, from PET plastic bottles, bags, and other items, are recycled and used to create accessories, recycled Polyester, which is used in sports clothes.
Both the plastic and the polyester prevent plastic pollution. Additionally, they recycle cashmere, feathers, and down, from old pieces that use these materials. Furthermore, they use recycled silver in their products, which prevents the need to repeatedly mine for it, and protects the Earth. Finally, H&M collects old clothes to extract materials from them, and uses those in addition to the material it collected in other ways to make more of its creations. Talk about an all-rounder!
Adidas: Last year, this sport supergiant made 11 million pairs of shoes! Not a big achievement, you say, my facts are wrong, you say, and you are right, they did make many more pairs of shoes, but now I complete my sentence- “Last year, This sport supergiant made 11 million pairs of shoes directly from plastic collected from the ocean! Can you believe it? A report by the Business Insider says that a partnership formed between Adidas and Parley for the Oceans has recovered 2,180 tonnes of plastic from the oceans! That is around the same weight as 4 Fully loaded Airbus A380s!
Polo Ralph Lauren: Ever imagined that the iconic polo neck t-shirt could one day be made out of plastic? Sounds impossible, right? No. Last year, Polo Ralph Lauren presented to the world… The Earth Polo! The Earth Polo was a t-shirt made out of plastic bottles, each shirt using around twelve bottles. The one problem anyone could think of-“Won’t this process be more expensive than that of manufacturing a normal t-shirt? Then, won’t they[Polo Ralph Lauren] charge us more for them?” The answer is… No. Polo Ralph Lauren has made sure that these shirts cost the same amount as regular shirts, therefore not making a recycled product prohibitively expensive and ruining the purpose of the initiative. They definitely thought of everything!
Vintage clothes!:If you haven’t read about this brand, don’t worry! It’s not a brand, more of a trend. Nowadays, people have started liking the look of vintage clothes-The popular designs of clothes from the times of our grandparents are now getting more and more popular again, and are being bought from thrift stores worldwide, decreasing the demand for new ‘in’ clothes.
There are some hurdles to this process, however In some places, tradition and superstitions can come in the way. For instance, in China, which is one of the highest spenders when it comes to buying the latest fashion, traditionally, wearing hand-me-down clothes is considered a sign of saying that you are poor! This discourages people from wearing recycled clothes, as they fear that they will be shunned, or made fun of for it. If challenges like these can be overcome, then the world is well on the way to greatness! Three cheers for the three Rs!
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[Guest Submission!]Cambodia: A Travel Narrative
By: Adya Shigehalli
This article was written by Adya Shigehalli after her trip to Cambodia in October 2019. It was a trip made with her dance troupe for a performance at the Angkorwat temple. The article describes her view and experience there.
Cambodia. Not a place we would have thought of planning a trip to, right? Do we know what the capital
of Cambodia is? It is Phnom Penh, the most visited Cambodian city.
However on my trip to Cambodia we visited Siem Reap, the next most toured destination. Before this visit, I had never come across Siem Reap be it in books, news or otherwise discussions.
But this holiday in the tranquil and serene city of Siem Reap made me think about various unexplored wonders on the globe. Not much had I expected from this trip, all I thought of this place was just an uninteresting region with a handful of tourists and ruined temples. But the second I got to this place, it was like a mystic feeling, I felt its warmth and I didn't need anything else to explain its beauty. Okay just kidding.
It wasn't like any love at first sight but over the duration of five days I eventually felt it. A sense of warmth and love from the people and a welcoming spirit in the environment. Any amount of exaggeration would be less to describe the people I met during the course of this journey.
We didn't speak the same language and neither did we have any common language but one smile from this end to that end was enough for us to understand what each meant. Their respect for us with which not only do I mean Indians but everybody, definitely arose an inspiring thought of kindness being the universal language. What must I say about the place? An idyllic destination furnished with worth seeing temple ruins, beautiful streets and immensely welcoming people.
We visited the Angkorwat Temple, factually the biggest temple in the world and not just that but also did we get the prestigious opportunity to dance there. What could be more blissful? The Angkorwat Temple approximately hosts about 5.5 million people every year and this year I was more than blessed to be one of them. None of the temples we visited was prayerful. All of them were just architectural ruins maintained beautifully. Apart from temples there were glamorous streets for shopping, food and fun, all of which were thoroughly enjoyed.
Comprehensively all I can say is how grateful I am to know how much a small city in a small country
could become a lifetime memory!
HAPPINESS QUOTIENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD
By Agastya Rao
So much to be happy about, and be inspired by, this week:
1.Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity (a company that provides eco-friendly energy), has embarked on another ambitious project. He is now all set to make.... Eco-Friendly diamonds. Yes, I know that it sounds completely absurd, but it is very promising. The diamonds are said to be made from water, carbon and energy all derived straight from the air. Carbon Dioxide is extracted from the air, and is then converted into diamonds which are said to have zero-impact and do not pollute the earth. All of this is made possible with Solar and Wind electricity, and water collected from rainwater harvesting. One small step for us, is a large diamond for mankind. If you have read about Blood Diamonds, you will appreciate this initiative even more. I would call this a ‘gold-rush’, but then again- all that glitters is not gold, it can also be a diamond!
2.Joining the long list of celebrities who are encouraging Americans to vote, actor Paul Rudd was seen handing out cookies in the rain, and thanking people for voting. At The Paperless Press, we thank Paul Rudd for lending a helping hand. This election year, voters have come out of the seas like a Tsunami, with the numbers of voters breaking the charts. Who shall emerge victorious in this election?
3.It seems like animals are finally creeping out of the shadows. Remember our article in Weekly Digest #6 where I spoke about how animals are coming back and the Earth is healing during the Pandemic? Another exciting new animal has returned- many Voeltzkow’s chameleons who had not been seen in a century have been found again in Madagascar. These chameleons have been under threat because of deforestation. Here is another positive outcome of the pandemic.
4. Remember last year, when scientists managed to use a 3D Printer to print a heart? Now scientists have 3D Printed the world’s smallest boat. Scientists are still conducting tests to make it deliver medicines to the human body. Built with the help of an electron microscope, this boat is a true wonder. This milestone just achieved has shown us that the possibilities of using a 3D Printer for good are endless. Who knows, maybe next time you go to the hospital, all they will put is a tiny boat, to deliver your vaccine?
5.If you think airplanes are fast, think again. The Bar-Tailed God-Wit, a bird which was recently tracked flying 12,000+ miles from Alaska to New Zealand, has set a new record for the world’s fastest flight by a bird. This bird is truly soaring to new heights. The God-Wits have an excellent aerodynamic design, and this helps them fly much faster than your average pigeon. This ‘jet-setting’ bird has set its wings in history!
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DID YOU KNOW?
By: Mihir Rao
The world has been abuzz with new happenings and discoveries, let’s see what we have for you today-
1.Normally, there are 4 full moons in a year. The blue moon is the additional moon that appears sometimes during the year. We have already had a full moon this month, but we had an additional blue moon appear on the 31st of October, which was coincidentally Halloween… Spooky, right?
2.In 1980, scientists visited Seymour Island and uncovered fossils of a prehistoric bird’s jaw and leg. Nothing was thought of it for a long time, and it sat in a museum until recently, when a graduate student named Peter Kloess published a journal on it talking about the fact that these fossils could be of the biggest flying birds, the Pelagornithids. These birds have fearsome toothed beaks and the longest wingspan you could even imagine.
3.In other news, due to climate change occurring, a plant that we have not seen in the past 60 million years (a very long time) has emerged again! Cycas Revoluta is now being cultivated as the temperature is perfect for the plants to grow.
4.Recently, Scientists discovered a rogue planet in the Milky Way between the sizes of Earth and Mars. This new discovery is clearly groundbreaking. This planet has a long winding name (as most new planets do these days), it is called- ‘OGLE-2016-BLG-1928.’ Discoveries of new planets are increasing every month. We haven’t even explored HALF of our Milky Way, and there are galaxies out there filled with planets. Who knows, we may find another exoplanet.
5.Talking about space, a new study is focusing on observing an asteroid called
Asteroid 16 Psyche. This asteroid is the biggest one in the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter, and scientists want to study it more. Scientists predict that the composition of the asteroid is mainly nickel and iron, and it would totally be worth over 10,000 Quadrillion Dollars, which is more than our entire economy! NASA is sending an unmanned spacecraft there to figure out its composition better in 2022.
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(LTO*) Share The Scare!
Did you get a chance to celebrate Halloween? If you did, it is time to SHARE THE SCARE. Share your best Halloween looks and we will feature them in the next digest! Send your entries to- paperlesspress9@gmail.com
Our Halloween last year-
*Limited time only
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Entertainment quotient for the week:
A.Apple Tv Plus-
Long Way Down
B. Netflix
Johnny English 1
C. Amazon Prime Video
Playing With Fire
D. Hotstar
The Mandalorian, Season 2
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Laugh It Up: A Good Joke
-The Ultimate Staring Contest!- Featuring Leo Vs. A Tyrannosaurus Rex
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The Last Shot:Your weekly sports roundup
By: Abhimanyu Rao
Bett1Hulks Championships and the Vienna Open (Tennis)
-In the Bett1Hulks Championships, Alexander Zverev rose to the top, beating Diego Schwartzman to win the title, with a one sided score of 6-2 6-1!
Vienna Open-
-Top seed Novak Djokovic who was a fan favourite to head to the finals, was defeated by Lorenzo Senego in the Quarter Finals.
-Dominic Thiem was defeated by Cristian Garín in the Quarter Finals of the Vienna Open. Dominic Thiem was the defending champion after winning the Vienna Open in 2019. Saldy, he failed to defend his title. At The Paperless Press, we remain positive that Dominic Thiem will make a comeback.
-After winning the St.Petersburg Open, Andrey Rublev has maintained his form, and is currently facing off against Lorenzo Senego in the Finals of the Vienna Open. The match is going on as we speak. Check back in one week when we release the final score in Weekly Digest #17.
Portugese Grand Prix (Formula 1)
Once again, Lewis Hamilton has come out on top! He is followed closely by Valeri Bottas, both are from Mercedes! Mercedes is a factory of success, isn’t it? The Next BIG race is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Happening right now! Who will win? Mercedes, or will they be DeThroned?
Cricket
IPL Fever continues-
The Mumbai Indians are enjoying the top spot on the IPL table(for now...) Whereas fan favourite Chennai Super Kings are seventh out of the eight teams, and will probably not make it to the playoffs. This breaks the hearts of many CSK fans. Meanwhile, A match between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore takes place tomorrow, followed by a Tuesday match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Table toppers Mumbai Indians! Let us see what happens.
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From The Literary World:
Looking for Books? See how we rank this week’s top book- Can You See Me- By Libby Scott and Rebecca Westacott
Reviewed by: Agastya Rao
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Visit these pages to see some of our other endeavours!
Visit A Dogs Daily Antics to laugh your heart out with crazy captioned dog photos!
Visit TheChinappaChannel to see some quirky but nice videos that will make you roll with laughter
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-Team Paperless Press
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