#mystery fever in west UP district

[erigold13261]

:/ your NSR AU is Dark... I like it!! Sorry for asking so much but How does West feel after all of this? How will NSR look like in the 5 years?

Don't be sorry for asking questions about my AU, I love talking about it so any questions are welcomed! (also, glad you like the darker aspects of this AU! I was scared people wouldn't like it because it is a darker take on the game)

At first West feels extremely guilty and at fault for everything, mainly because he was already in an emotionally vulnerable state from Zuke disowning him as a brother. He felt like a shitty brother already and that just grew as he found out his brother almost died to 1010.

He was so full of guilt that he sold his house and land to move back to the city and take care of Zuke. And Mayday, but only because Zuke asked him to since the 3rd rap battle never happened so he had no reason to end up liking May (as a friend, not anything more).

Overtime though, that guilt turned to anger at NSR. It's one thing for NSR to come after him, but they went after his family and he is willing to do anything for his brother now to make things right.

As for NSR in 5 years, it really depends. I have been tossing the idea around of another revolution taking place (either with just Ex-Jay, or Kliff getting someone new, or Neon J being an insider for the revolution) so that would change things whether or not a new revolution takes place.

Either way, I would say that after the revolution failed, any story I tell with characters would be about 2-3 years later. So either NSR starting to collapse or a new revolution would take place then, and not directly after the failed revolution. That would mean, depending on what happens, 5 years after the failed revolution there are different outcomes.

If no new revolution takes place, NSR slowly crumbles from the inside with the current Megastars. DJ definitely gets fired, Eve might get demoted from second in command (in case Yinu/Mama would become second in command), and Neon would either have been fired and separated from 1010 or would be slowly drinking himself to death while 1010 stay the same in the public eye but get more dysfunctional behind closed doors. Sayu's crew would be the only ones who prosper because they would finally be old enough to get away from their families and live true to who they are (but still with a lot of trauma and unhealthy habits to unlearn). Tatiana keeps her control and power over NSR with no real change taking place. She just keeps replacing artists when she can hoping a new EDM artist would fix things but it never does.

If a new revolution does take place and succeeds, then NSR goes under a lot of internal reconstruction and fixes a lot of problems that were going on. Robotic fears and musical monopolies fade away. DJ, Neon J, and 1010 are able to quit and live their lives away from the public. Eve gets therapy and comes back better than ever after a small leave of absence. Yinu and Mama work through their problems with each other and take a long leave of absence (but Yinu probably come back around the 7 year mark with a new passion while Mama retires fully, just being there to support Yinu). Sayu's Crew get help earlier from their families which allows them to start healing sooner than if no revolution happened. There are also more charters, not just new ones to take the place of old charters, but also extra ones in each district (so like Dream Fever has Eve and like 2 other megastars that have different genres). Tatiana takes a small leave of absence while Mystery Man takes her spot, she works trough some stuff and comes back willing to change and hear people's complaints. She now actively works to make things better and tries her best to correct the wrongs she did in the past, to the city, the people, and her employees.

And if a new revolution occurs but it fails again, then NSR will probably be dead by the time the 5 year mark hits. The company would not be able to fully survive the reputation they now have as controlling and inefficient. Slowly a new company (or companies) would pop up and take over NSR's position. Or a whole new city would take the title of "Musical Capital of the World" leaving NSR old news. Yinu and Eve would probably go to one of these new companies (Yinu probably without her mother, she would get a new agent that could get her away from Mama). 1010 probably don't survive, either being destroyed or sold by NSR as a way to make a profit, which leads Neon to have nothing in life to fight for and he goes back to live with his parents or drinks himself to death. DJ tries had been fired for a while and tried to be there for Neon but just couldn't. He would try to get back into teaching but probably fail and live a miserable life with nothing to motivate him to actually work or get better.

Sayu's Crew are either forced to resign (before NSR dies) because their parents don't think their job is worth it considering revolutions seem to take place every few years (which makes it hard for the Crew to survive living under their parents rule with no outlet, and even makes adulthood hard because they all get kicked out with no warning once they are old enough), or they are forced to take a new job at one of the new companies so their families can still get money from them. If they go to another company they would have a better chance of surviving and will even cut contacts with all their families once they get old enough and can finally strive and make Sayu how they want with no repercussions. Tatiana would have tried to keep even stricter control on everything, letting her paranoia and pride get in the way of her judgement. She refuses to step down and ends up running NSR into the ground trying to keep order. After NSR officially dissolves she vanishes into the world, probably changing her name again and tries to start over somewhere new.

[Safe to say, a new revolution that succeeds is the best option for a happy ending to occur. Otherwise there is a lot more tragedy than happiness that happens.]

[hummingzone]

UP: 12 more children die of mystery fever in Firozabad district; toll hits 68 in a week | Agra News - Times of India

UP: 12 more children die of mystery fever in Firozabad district; toll hits 68 in a week | Agra News – Times of India

AGRA: Another 12 children succumbed to the “mystery fever” in Firozabad district in the last 24 hours, health department officials said on Sunday. The “intense” viral fever has swept parts of western Uttar Pradesh claiming 68 lives, including 40 children, over the past week. Most of them reported high fever, dehydration and a sudden drop in platelet count. Others had dengue symptoms and passed…

[the-mercurial-star-o-vesper]

NSR HCs

And we don’t mean their Human Resources

To be fair, this is gonna be mostly 1010 stuffs with some things here and there. Can’t help it, I am drawn to robots (... and I draw robots).

I’mma restate things from other posts (I’m a -hah hah- broken record), and add some new things too.

Here we go!

1010 is the local Super Hero squad. Hear me out. They got blasters, they got megaslams, they can Fly, they even have a Robot Factory that can replace bodies if they get destroyed (Which really isn’t something you’d have-- I know that bands can get injured by their fans, but if a Vinyl City fancrowd can destroy military grade robots, then DK West would’ve been gone loooong before BBJ)... [Then again, BBJ’s fans pretty much rioted out of control, and even had fortress map style canons; maybe revolutions and riots happen more often than we think. There’s DK West’s side story after all] Anyway. They’re armed to the teeth, synch’d to the max, and pose like its the god damn Power Rangers. These dudes are prepared for a Kaiju attack and Powerpuff Girl style throwdowns.

1010 isn’t based on Neon J’s past (probably)... ... But based on his coworkers. Consider. We know White (Rin) apparently has Neon J’s old face. So he’d be the Neon J. You’d think, with this case, Blue (Purlhew) would take after DJ Subatomic Supernova (DJSS). But Purlhew resembles the Sixth Megastar more than DJ Subatomic (Consider the connection the two have to either smoke or air waves; and the fact that they both have glasses and have this air of mystery) Red (Zimelu) likely takes after Yinu’s Mother, the Dubstep artist of NSR. Consider his aggressive style (Nearly all of 1010′s excess attacks are Red, and Zimelu’s bullets are the only other one’s that can be deflected). Plus his Saws. They’re circular Saws, which are more often used in Woodwork. Yellow (Haym) would take after Eve. Their the similar hairstyle (Both have forelocks that cover an eye; and if you wet Haym’s hair, its basically Eve’s). Though having a poet’s name may make Haym more Yinu-style classic, plenty of the Fever Dream District is named after classical musicians or even sufficiently clever scientists. Green (Eloni)... raps apparently. And he’s green, and boy oh boy, who do we know that’s Green and Raps? DK West. Sounds like Neon J was around during DK West’s little uproar. However, Eloni also has traits off of SAYU (look at the eyebrows and the cowlick), and the curly hair is reminiscent of Yinu. Perhaps Eloni had an older design? ... All this leaves room for having potential bots that take after DJSS or Tatiana. Or very possibly, Bunk Bed Junction.

ADDENDUM: Why Eloni has no fans. Cos he’s green, he raps, and the Vinyl City Crowd set fire to the car of the last green rapper’s car (DK West). I imagine quite a few folk would beeeee-- turned off by this, historically.

Excessive Partying in Metro District Sounds like someone is trying to get away from something and fast. Careful about the hangover.

Its call the Metro District Well, Metro is short for Metropolitian, so it could be the main city part of Vinyl City. Aaaand Its short for the Subway. So considering we fight 1010 on a Highway (Literally, the cars levitate). Perhaps it has a train?

Vinyl City has Levels Consider it when you walk around. There are lower Levels, Higher Levels, and even a literal Highway in the sky (FLYING. CARS). This place is leveled out like Taris on Knights of the Old Republic. Parts of the “upper” level districts (The levels you move) apparently are literally moved around so much, folks aren’t even shocked anymore. NSR Tower’s stunt in the end isn’t that implausible. The entire game foreshadows that there’s something else up with Vinyl City. The place even has Robots, Cyborgs, and quasi-supernatural stuff.

Conditions of Vinyl City are worse than they appear. Let me list why the Blackouts are bad. - Food spoils. They’re on a island nation with rice fields. That means heat and humidity, and that means Food spoils a lot faster. This taxes local markets, and as its an island nation (meaning trade is expensive), Starvation likely was a regular problem prior to NSR (And may even still have issues then). - No Heat. In the dead of winter, Hypothermia doesn’t need days, it just takes a couple hours. (I should know, I was in that blizzard that overtook Texas US). - No Water. No Power means no Water for areas, because it takes power to push water. It also takes power to heat water; so if you didn’t lose your Water, you at least lost your Hot Water. - No Power to Water, means Sewer lines Back Up. Bad Juju, all around. - Damaged Equipment. One of the biggest problems for electronics for blackouts and brownouts is Damage. The resulting blow outs or noise can and will damage lights, wires, electronics, computers, the works. That’s one reason why you see flickering electronics in-game, post blackout. They aren’t just lacking power, they’re damaged from the Blackouts. Now for the worse bits. Once you’ve reached Metro District, you find out that the pipes you occasionally see drain water from underneath the city. Meaning that Vinyl City both has Blackouts and regular Flooding Problems (Probably why the City has Star Wars style Levels). If there’s no Power, then the drainage stops and the flooding happens. - It wouldn’t shock me if the Vinyl City Navy has local emergency services when storms come. While Tatiana does bring up some of BBJ’s shortsightedness in their revolution, she ultimately was and is in the wrong. Both the atrocious judgement skills of the Lights Out Auction; and the fact that the Blackouts have far reaching consequences; one of which is that People Die without power. Admittedly, Vinyl City’s history of blackouts probably means that the local populace can survive without power and may even have local backups if the Megastars are preoccupied. I doubt there’s as much death or devastation here than say, a primarily arid nation state in the midst of a freak blizzard. And anyone hooked to a Hospital or other Emergency Powergrids may just lose water and nothing else. So the heavy handedness against NSR and Tatiana is harsh, but I count the worse case scenarios because Worse Case scenarios don’t need days to happen, they takes a few minutes before fuck everything falls apart. ... Take the fact that the Satellite was taken down in seconds, and in those mere seconds, it became completely irretrievable and the situation nearly unfixable. I’d like to think that Tatiana was aware about just how unfixable things can get (Which is one reason why backup power goes to the Megastars; the concerts can and will bring things back online) [There’s even a faint implication that if the Megastars do stop their concerts that the city goes out. Consider who all was at the Lights Out audition, then consider the fact that if they’re judging lights out, then they’re not making concerts, and if they’re not making concerts, they’re not powering the City. No wonder all the Megastars have problems if they’re under that kind of stress]

[longitudinalwaveme]

Victorian Flash

A weird AU.

Location: 1860s London 

Flash #1: Jason Garrick, age 70. Born in the 1790s, has been operating as the Flash since the 1810s. (Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837, and he also lived during the reigns of William IV, George IV, and George III.) In his civilian life, he works as a scientist and as a university professor. Married to Joan Garrick (neé Williams). 

Flash #2: Bartholomew Allen, age 40. Born in the 1820s, became the Flash in the mid-1840s. Married to Iris Allen (neé West), a (in this time period rare) female journalist. Member of the City of London Police. Iris works for The London Gazette.

Flash #3: Wallace West, age 25. Born in the mid-1830s. Became Kid Flash at 10 years of age. Nephew to Bartholomew and Iris; works a variety of odd jobs. Married to Linda West (neé Park), a young Korean woman he met while traveling the world (with super speed). The two have twins, Jason and Iris West (both age 5). 

Captain Cold: Leonard Snart, age 38. Born in the 1820s in Southwark, the son of a (frequently drunken) tinker, became Captain Cold in the mid-1840s after a freak accident led to his pistol gaining the ability to shoot out beams of intense cold. Already a thief, the Captain used this power to seek greater riches….leading him into conflict with the second Flash. Cold is also the de facto leader of the Rogues, who operate out of Seven Dials. 

Golden Glider: Elizabeth Snart, age 33. Younger sister of Leonard Snart (Captain Cold); born in the early 1830s in Southwark. Elizabeth worked for a number of years as a dressmaker, but her true passion was ice skating...and through this hobby she met the love of her life, Roscoe Dillon, Esq (better known as the Top), whom she followed into a life of crime as one of London’s most notorious female criminals at the age of 26. 

The Top: Roscoe Dillon, Esq, age 36. Born in the mid-1820s, the only son of a shrewd businessman who started up his own factory, making himself thousands of dollars. Highly intelligent (an Oxford graduate), Dillon nevertheless chose to go into a life of crime in the late 1840s (for what reason, no one was quite sure), putting his not inconsiderable talents as an inventor to use in order to do so. He subsequently fell in love with Elizabeth Snart, the younger sister of his ally Captain Cold, at the age of 28, and the two claim to be engaged.

Mirror Master I: Samuel Joseph Scudder, age 36. Born in the mid-1820s to a poor widow who worked as a laundress in the Whitechapel District. By the time he was eleven, Samuel had turned to crime in an attempt to support her, and, by the time she was killed by cholera on his sixteenth birthday, he was entrenched in London’s underworld. However, what made Samuel unusual was his remarkable scientific aptitude-something that allowed him to utilize mirrors in ways undreamed of by the educational and scientific communities, and also allowed him to help form the so-called “Rogues” of London’s Seven Dials. Samuel is also quite fond of smoking cigars. 

Weather Wizard: Mark Mardon, age 37. Son of a tutor and a former governess; younger brother of Clyde Mardon, a famous scientist who was making groundbreaking work in the field of meteorology. Unlike his sibling, Mark was something of a wastrel, prone to gambling, drinking, and hanging around with unsavory people. His life probably would have gone by without him doing anything of importance had he not stumbled into his brother’s lab while fleeing his creditors. His brother had died of heart failure, but he had left behind a most remarkable invention-a wand that could control the weather. Mark decided to use the wand as a way to pay off his debts...by becoming yet another of London’s “Rogues”. 

Trickster: James Jesse (probably an alias), age unknown (but likely in his early thirties). James Jesse arrived in London with a traveling circus in the 1840s….and promptly took up a career of pestering the city’s greatest hero, the Flash, seemingly because it amused him. Not much else is known about him; though he is an expert thief and con man. He also invented shoes that use the power of steam to let him walk on air. 

Heat Wave: Michael Rory, age 42. Born to rural farmers in the late 1810s; moved to London at age 15 after the family farm burned down under mysterious circumstances. Worked for a number of years as a baker before his bakery burned down (also under mysterious circumstances) and he disappeared. He resurfaced a few years later, working with the Rogues and armed with an incredible gun that shot flames. 

Captain Boomerang: George Harkness, age 37. Born in Australia in the 1820s; joined Her Majesty’s Navy as soon as he turned 18, where he managed to earn the rank of Captain. He arrived in London in the mid-1840s after being discharged from the Navy thanks to a leg injury that left him with a permanent limp. This limp did not, however, prevent him from making the decision to embark on a life of crime. Thanks to his use of the boomerang-a weapon whose use he had learned from the native people of the island on which he had been born-the papers gave him the moniker of “Captain Boomerang”, and he eventually joined the Rogues of Seven Dials. He has a noticeable accent. 

Mirror Master II: Evan McCulloch, age 26. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, where he was born in the mid-1830s. Abandoned as an infant, McCulloch was taken in by a Mrs. McCulloch, who raised him until her death from scarlet fever. Orphaned again at the age of 16, Evan turned to a life of crime. When his crimes in Glasgow garnered too much attention, he fled to London, where he stumbled upon some of the technology that the original Mirror Master, Samuel Scudder, had abandoned. Quickly mastering its use, he was soon dubbed the second Mirror Master by the press and the police...something which brought him into conflict with the original. However, Captain Cold thought that the newcomer had potential, and invited him to join the Seven Dials’ Rogues-much to the frustration of Samuel Scudder. Has a noticeable Scottish accent. 

The Pied Piper: Sir Hartley Rathaway, son of Osgood Rathaway, an Earl, and Rachel Rathaway, his wife. 29 years old. Born into extreme wealth, Hartley Rathaway was cut off from his fortune and thrown out of his parent’s estate at the age of 18 when he told them that, when he came of age, he planned to give away most of his money to London’s poor. While wandering through the slums of London (after being mugged twice), he stumbled upon a mysterious flute...one that enabled him to control the actions of those around him. He used the flute to steal money from his parents and then proceeded to give the money to the poor. He soon became famous as a Robin Hood figure, and his fame eventually led him to become a member of the Rogues...none of whom know he is still technically in line to become an Earl. 

Axel Walker: Age 15; a native of the Seven Dials. A street urchin with sticky fingers; Axel idolizes the Trickster and wants to follow in his footsteps. Most of the Rogues find him annoying; just useful enough to bother keeping him around. His mother is alive, but is always working and seems unable to control her son, and his father is a complete mystery.

If any British people want to correct me on my geography, I would appreciate the help.

[yeswritingsandwritings]

COVID Diaries; Pennies

It is March 2020 and I’ve channeled the spirit of Paul Revere. As Los Angeles erupts into rioting and mass fentanyl suicide, I dive headfirst into the cabin of the Mazda, and gun the packed ship upwards along the vacant I5 corridor. Every smouldering city under Gavin Newsom looks further gone than the last. The navigation takes me on some perverse fantasy detour thru post-apocalyptic San Francisco. It’s been a long time coming but now it’s solidified. The mayor and her delegates have chomped their cyanide pills and now the streets and bridges offer rotting cars beside silent, beautiful Victorian manors. Still in full color, the sky is blue and the sun is yellow, gleaming indifferently. I am nervous about San Franscisco County. The shelter in place order says no one shall be out on the street without proper reason. And, proper reason or not, I have a pharmacy of drugs in the trunk of my car. Will it be enough to wait out the pandemic in my mother’s house? Enough to keep me sane tucked in the basement of the compound on Cougar Mountain, Issaquah, Washington, for GodKnowsHowLong? My very own Bavarian Alps.

For years in LA I have lived for high speed and hard sex in a blackout frenzy which no young American could denigrate without looking like a nerd. In our culture of excess I sought the most insane, unexplored corridors. Chavionistic romps through the bitter forests of lust, contamination, too-young suicide, too-good blowjobs that leave explosions on this cast of characters flown from every corner of the globe, all with the same indelible fever. I come to now, in this chaotic month handed down by God, March 2020, and I’m withdrawing from all of it in the penthouse on the side of the mountain.

In this moment the fantasy is fading fast, like being jolted from a wet dream by a home invasion. For a lot of people the American dream was already a flickering ember in the distance, a relic of some stupid pilgrimgrage for egoic glory, a blind propaganda puzzle piece with no jigsaw to belong to. But I had formed my own relationship with the concept, and, until now, had believed wholeheartedly in the myth in America; or at least that myth’s capacity to spur significant action, which could abolish hunger and pain, mistreatment and misunderstanding, which could deliver us from evil and unto the kingdom of heaven.

I am not, to many of her 300 million pairs of eyes, a portrait of traditional American success. I am the starving artist archetype. I’ve lived in abandoned buildings and shot cocaine into my veins in the speeding bathroom of many an Amtrak carriage. These may be my most definitive traits, save for the music I somehow manage to draw out of all of this. Albums worth of potential answers to the impossible questions. Sometimes I think I’ve reached the peak, with the LSD and the naked festival girls. I am 26 years old and feel incompetent. I go to pay a traffic ticket or am electric bill and find myself paralyzed at the entrance to the website. In a moment of otherworldly strength I call the bank and my debit card has been cancelled. I stare at the parking ticket in my pod, which has been rented from a company called Up(Start), and is arranged in a row with twenty others. At least I’ve made it to Los Angeles.

Up(Start) is a strange place. I find most people don’t last very long in this community. They leave back to their hometowns or find apartments. The ones who stay haunt this place like ghosts, with no discernible goals and mysterious incomes. I’ve learned not to ask how these life-longers pay the rent. The answer is not translatable.

Willow is one of these life-longers. She always talks about moving out; sometimes to an apartment in LA, most recently about some nebulous palace in France. She says her grandmother died and left her everything. She shows me a suitcase full of watches and rings that still can’t fully convince me of her story. She drinks vodka when she wakes up and convinces me to fuck her when Jesse leaves us in his room alone.

Jesse found his way out to a beautiful house in Silver Lake. He had been at Up(Start) for a year before that. He is the nicest guy I know, offering the coat off his back for nothing but a swig of your vodka in return.

I left these characters behind, keeping a steady 65 on the interstate and stopping only to black out in a hotel room in Redding, CA. Summer, inspirational barista and blowjob queen, dared me to stop and see her in Portland, but my body was crawling from scabies from Lucy, (who was also in Portland and, I would later learn, infected with the virus) and I sped right through.

My younger brother Jon was at the house and had been awaiting my arrival. I instantly understood why. My mother had become a figurehead for the national panic, and shoulder-hugged me with her mask on. She is, as we speak, sterilizing the place.

I’ve gotten to spend a good amount of time with Jon, and am somewhat surprised to find that he faces the same existential torment as I do. This is not something we talk about, but I can feel it on him. He is super into Xanax, and orders pressed bars off the darknet. I share the drugs I’ve brought with him. Kratom, weed, and, —most enticing— Flubromazolam. I learn that he has been kicked out of UW on academic probation. I ask him about it in front of my mother and stepdad. With a casualness that shocks me he says he just didn’t care about any of his classes. But he’s got reaccepted to the school and he says he’s going to make it this time.

I show him how I order my drugs online. I show him the designer benzodiazepines on the clearnet, pennies per dose. We place an order for O-DSMT. It’s an insane solution to our problems, but I guarantee you it works.

I tell Jon about my life in LA with the stuff. Taking it and driving weed deliveries all day. I don’t tell him about the long nights with Lucy, telling her the love I feel from the opiate is sourced from her, then failing to get hard.

Jon, for his part, tells me about the peak of his Oxycontin habit, poppin 7 OC30’s a day with his buddies at Rolling Loud. I was just a few blocks away. I didn’t know he was in town.

We order the O-DSMT to his apartment in the U District, stopping to and snag it on our sole vacation to Dad’s for dinner. Two packages have been delivered. We have the save pavlov response. We carry the packages to his apartment on the top floor and split the bubble wrap with a butterfly knife. Out of a manilla envelope comes 100 green Xanax bars. From a bent UPS envelope comes a gram of O-DSMT and 250mg of 4-ACO-DMT, a bonus for me (Jon says he hates psychedelics).

We set to the scale and split the gram, dosing 50mg then and there to get through dinner. The next day he visits me in the basement, saying “Yo, this O-DSMT shit… it’s dope.”

I say “I’m with you.”

My days are spent deep in the dream flow, recording songs for a hopeful fourth album. The third one is still far from complete, but I can’t go back and meddle with those songs now. Wouldn’t dare touch their Los Angeles essence with the hand of the evergreen state. They will go to Rob and Twon and Andy as they are.

I’m back to guitars for the new album. Cardinal sin AC/DC type songs. I think it may be a double album, quarantine permitting. I want an exploratory, unstructured, throw paint at the wall and see what sticks, White album/Life of Pablo situation. I want solo piano pieces and Aphex Twin-esque 808 excursions. I want the label to release it on white vinyl with extensive liner notes. Indulgence. I want this album to be the one where I say “indulge me.”

If Rob is vehimently opposed to the idea I had the fantasy of making an easy album. Taking songs like Parade Owl, See You Tomorrow, Miss Can’t Sleep and putting out a whole album of them. Good rock music. Take a step back from the frontlines; the cutting edge. We’ll see what sticks to the wall after this quarantine is over.

Weeks drift by. There’s a trade route for all the beer that gets brought into the house. It goes from the garage fridge to the basement fridge to my eager hand, to my mouth, to my blood. Night by night the ritual recurs, til my mom takes out the downstairs trash and finds all the empties. She makes some subtle comment. I tell her to buy more White Claw.

Despite the drug flow my inspiration seems to be drying up. Rob took a listen to the twenty five songs I’d completed since arriving in Issaquah and said they sounded like Dogs. The old band. The old rock and roll band we’ve been trying to move away from. I was disappointed to hear him say it. I was disappointed he wasn’t excited about the songs. “Fuck it, should I scrap them all?” I asked myself. Then I started to look around the house and understand that if nothing came of these songs… I must be insane. I must be losing it. The stupid research chemical stimulants don’t help. I thought they would. Productivity and all… but I’m just jittery, texting strangers on Instagram for hours, all the while feeling like I should be doing something else. And the television is on in the background, and I told myself I was going to do so much to day. And I did it. And people on Instagram say “you seem busy.” They’ve always said I seem this and I seem that. I never agreed with any of it, but they probably know me better than I do. How could I see myself? I look for myself through a fog and it’s only a ripple of a shadow. A microcosm a million miles away through a hellscape with no up or down, no east or west. They say I’m social. They say I’m a socialite. Really I just get drunk and unleash all my nervous energy on the party or, nowadays, the Zoom meeting.

Today I drink Modello. Ma and Chuck went to the Seattle waterfront for a picnic or something. I didn’t get the details. But the sun should be going down now, and she’s texting me asking if I want to play a board game when they get back. I say yeah sure I do. My temper when I’m off these amphetamines analogues, though… I worry I’ll flip the Pictionary board. Slam dunk the wine glass onto the wood floor. Now the cliffhanger; will this Modello calm my nerves?

This morning I went with mom to buy plants for the garden. I thought we were going to get seeds but she wanted the already grown ones. She was ready to be angry. Nothing made her happy. We went to three different garden store. I think she got some tomatos. How the hell am I going to get out of this one? Feels like the walls are closing in. I feel like I’m in the freezer in the back of McDonalds. I feel so sad for her, but I also feel so sad for myself. I feel cut off. I feel short of breath. I feel terror. It is Friday, April 17, 2020. Dread, terror, paranoia… I’m sure it’s been felt a million times by a million people, but here’s my version of it. In this McMansion on the side of the mountain, feeling less like I have a mission than ever. Calling nobody. Freezing. Yeah I’m freezing.

My brother and I both have drugs to get through this crisis but I’m planning to get off them. I sold him half of my etizolam and half of another shipment of O-DSMT the other day. He wasn’t at all interested in the 2-FDCK, an analogue of the dissociative Ketamine. I am still not really sure what dissociatives do to consciousness. They can move you into states profound darkness. You feel like your life is a black and white film and it is raining outside. And it drips off the palm trees and you sit in traffic on the way back from the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, where the boys and girls wouldn’t listen, they’d just go off into their own worlds. I wonder how they’re all doing now, tucked into their parents houses in Calabasas.

Anyway, I said to Jon “I’m getting off the stuff.” And I intended to. This journal finds me at a crossroads between fantasy and reality. What is my life going to be for? Where do I cast this fishing pole? Well the pole’s been cast. It’s out there in the middle of the ocean. But at the same time it’s in my hand, in this very moment, and I can chose where to dip it. I’m not trying to catch a fish in this scenario, I just like the serenity of the bay.

The question on everyone’s mind is: “If not drugs, then what!?” That’s a great question and I’d be bullshitting if I said I could answer it. I don’t know what lies on the other side of this life. I want to find out. Do I truly? I have to truly. Love, sex, work, victory… I’ve seen all these things before. And I keep turning to these substances. They fill up my days and my hours and all the music is informed by them. They move my hands to play the guitar and my voice is scratchy when it comes out. I’ve formed an identity around these drugs to a certain extent. That idea of me has to die. It does. I’ll have to mourn it. I’ll have to mourn a lot. I guess I don’t know what to be afraid of. I know a lot of stuff is going to come up through this process. The drugs numb it all out. People say that but it’s really really true. Bad news doesn’t don’t hit you as hard. Most things don’t hit you at all. You’re in your world. You’re off in a cloud. You’re unaware of the world around you. You’re afraid to engage. Why?

It’s easier not to ask why. It’s easier to get the immediate relief of a squirt of etizolam tincture. Or a gross tossing of O-DSMT powder into your mouth and a quick washdown with water. In this way you don’t have to answer any questions. In this way nothing hits you. And guess what else? All your heroes did the same thing.

But a lot of them died doing it. And you don’t want to die. You really really don’t want to die. You want to live a long life, with kids and grandkids, and see what happens to America and what music turns into. You don’t want to die, but what do you have to live for? You know you can make things up. Everyone’s always making shit up. All of this is made up. The culture, the value of a dollar, the value of a Benz. We just decide on it. And that takes a lot. But you know what takes a lot less? Deciding how you want to react to each moment. This one and this one and this one. Do you know what I mean? They say a lot of stuff about the world. The world’s fucked. They say the world’s burning to the ground. They say we can’t leave our houses. They say America won’t be a super power by the end of all of this. But they’re making shit up. And I’m making shit up too. I’m whipping up like a chef. Throwing dishes out from the kitchen, but the dishes are words and actions and the kitchen is my mind. What kind of food am I throwing out? What kind of food am I serving the world? Let me serve love and hope. But for that to happen, let me cultivate it in myself first. Let me nurture it like a child. Let me see it sober. Let me take the steps in the right direction. It’s simple. It’s simpler than you think it is. What are you going to do right now, after reading this? Or while reading this? How are you going to face the world?

Jon told me he got into Xanax from the Famous Dex song “Japan.”

“Baby girl, what you doing, where your man? I just popped a xan, fifty thousand in Japan”

He told me his friends heard the song and picked up some Xanax because of it. They liked it and reached out to him “You’ve got to try this,” they said. My little brother, in the throes of this batshit demon force that will bury him. It might bury me too. The jury’s still out. Mom, just let me withdraw in peace. She brings down a space heater. I grow to love it. I lay down on the wood floor that the spiders sometimes dash across. The space heater comes close to burning me, but I’m ok. I stand up, dizzy from all I’ve done to try to combat the withdrawls. Way too much etizolam, way to much kratom, getting to the point of way too much weed and alcohol. But hopefully it’ll all be over soon, and I can call my friends in peace and not want to slam down the phone whenever there is the tiny threat of silence, or whenever I speak, or whenever they speak. I can’t any of it sober, that’s what I think. Life is hard sober; it’s a breeze when you’re floating thru it. A good dream. So why get sober? They say it’ll kill me. Well, I said that. In this very same paragraph. And maybe it will. But when you’re withdrawing like this… all you want is a moment of peace.

Oh God, at dinner tonight I started to go off about my own mental state to the family. I should have known it was a big mistaken, but on my way home from Doordashing a rainy Issaquah I stopped at QFC and got a bottle of True Eagle American Spirits, Kentucky manufactured vodka. And, helping myself to serving of kimchi,  I said to them “I think I’m losing it.” And the conversation spiraled until my mother asked me “Are you suicidal?” And “Are you struggling with drugs?” Jon, between us, must have felt betrayed, but I just wanted to feel understood. I feel Chuck does not want to understand. I understand what he’s sacrificed for the life he has, but what value does that life has to him? He has a tumor in his jawbone, and it’s eating away at him, and no one can do anything. And they can’t get out to the specialists on the East Coast, and they won’t do the invasive surgery. He’s too busy. I know, in some capacity, he understands. Because he blows these things off like they don’t matter at all, when anyday he could have a stroke like Grandma had, fall to the floor of the kitchen while dishing up his kimchi, or pulling a slice of pizza out of the carton. I feel the same way. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I know that I am mentally unwell. And I avoid the questions about my drug use and about my suicidality. I miss girls, ma. I miss pussy and parties and not giving a fuck. The way I don’t give a fuck now is in these terrifying sound collages drafted on the latest of nights, in the deep dark depths of quaratine. What was I saying in the last one? Something about how I didn’t wanna kill the crabs on the beach on Whidbey Island as a kid. Holy shit I’m losing my mind. But it’s all fine, isn’t it? As long as the music comes out fine.

What could I possibly do to get healthy? I feel so far off the deep end. You have no idea; I feel like crying. My best friend, living with the girl I thought I could always go back to. We don’t talk. I mix these ketamine analogues in with that cheap cheap vodka (plus etizolam) and cry tears onto this plastic table. It’s pointless to keep up the tinder courtships. I feel like this will never end. And it started with such a bang. I was such a part of history. Now I’m a nobody; I’m a junkie, holding on by the thinnest thread. No energy to pray. I feel like Cobain, and I know so many people do… but I really do. I can only imagine. But I’m only listening to Mingus, Lana Del Rey and Radiohead (Kid A thru Hail to The Thief).

Should I throw weed in the mix? Lord knows I have enough of it. It’s my number one priority. I’ve made enough songs now that we could workshop what I’ve come up with years. What else is there to do? Mingus ripped the piano strings out of some pianist’s instrument in front of a live audience, then stormed off the stage. Where the fuck is that in my life? I’m in front of the computer, weeping because America has come to a close. You know they sent jazz to the Soviet Union as a WEAPON? A weapon of freedom and democracy and individualism. What the fuck happened? It all makes me want to cry. It’s all too much; this world. These people I’ve known and loved and lost. This music I’ve made that they promise me will be something, but I don’t know if I believe them. I don’t know if I want anything to do with this life. I can’t engage with my culture anymore… my history. I feel like I’m not a part of it. I feel so disconnected. Who’s rippin the strings out of MY piano? Or who’s piano am I ripping the strings out of? We’ve lost so much… I mean… I’ll do my best to work with what we still have, but we’ve been so fractured. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was the end. Of America. Of our culture. Of our music and our hustle and bustle and industry and lover’s lanes and rites of passage. I feel like I’m mourning it now. Mourning my culture. Maybe mourning the illusion that was sold to us. Believe me, I was first in line to buy. That’s why it destroys me so deeply to see it collapse.

I guess we’re all one people. I’m crying writing this. Weeping, weeping, weeping. Grieving. You know what grieving is. I remember what’s-her-name in the pool. We went to every hot tub, each a different temperature, in the Desert Hot Springs Resort. Then Lucy’s friend’s new boyfriend told us Bernie Sanders had stayed there when he had visited DHS. I laughed so hard. Lucy ordered me another drink. She didn’t mind the cost. She liked me to be on her level. And I didn’t mind. I was proud to sip. We went back to the hotel and did god knows what. Feels a million lifetimes away.

This was back when anything could happen. When America was a blank slate and no one could predict anything. When you could go outside and say “What the fuck is up?” and get in adventures. I mourn the loss of that. Maybe it’s all in my head. Maybe that’s still there. But I’ve emotionally severed my ties to it. And I wish I didn’t. Because I love it. I love it so much. It’s not a myth. I swear to god it’s not a myrh. It was a reality… until all this happened. You have no idea. I mean, if you’re reading this and weren’t around before. You have no idea. I mean… I don’t know what things are going to be like after this. But not the same. There’s no way they could be the same.

You know I hope I get this shit. I hope I contract COVID-19. Lay in this guest bedroom bed with the scabies I may or may not have gotten from Upstart Creative Living… and which wouldn’t die off. I hope I can’t breathe. I hope I’m immune. I want to walk the world. Maybe I should go out, get it, isolate, heal, be immune… if that’s even possible. At this point we don’t even know if immunity is a thing that happens with COVID. But even if I could walk the earth without fear of it… everyone else is cowering, and they pull away from, seeing I’m not wearing a mask or gloves, or even if I am… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would all end this way. I would have done so much more. Focused so much more on each kiss. Even every note. I did my best, I guess. It feels like it’s all coming to an end. It’s Thursday, April 23, but that doesn’t mean anything. You have to understand how little dates mean in this time. It’s like we’re living in one of those time capsules buried beneath the walkway at WWU. Stagnant… yeah we write songs and poems and do our work and keep the economy from faltering completely… but there’s a different angle to look at it all now. The world is over. I mean, aha, to use the words of Rem… “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.” Key words: “As we know it.” I had no idea this would happen in my lifetime… I couldn’t even conceive it. If you would have told me this would have happened six months ago I wouldn’t have believed it. America seemed so stable. And now it feels like it’s in shambles. It really did feel stable. You may think I’m insane for saying America in September, 2019 seemed stable… but shit, we were free. And we were headed where we were headed. This throws a wrench in all of this. And it could be the end. And I thought this was the greatest country on earth. Happiness is a buttery, try to catch it like every night.

I’ve been fascinated in American history since I could understand it. Most specifically, I’ve been fascinated about how history is still happening. The closer you get you the current day, the harder it is to get a straight story. FDR did what he did and we won. That’s fact. That’s cement. Nixon? Everyone agrees he was a crook. But what about Reagan? What about Bush Sr? What about Clinton? The closer you get to the modern day, the more difficult it becomes to discern what is real and what is fake.

[creative-type]

The Murder of Arthur Wright V

First Last AO3 AN: Sorry for the delay. Writers block and lots of overtime at work meant little productivity. For those who care for such things, Anansi is named after the mythological trickster character popular in West African folklore.

Chapter Five: Anansi of a Thousand Faces

The sun was beginning to set as Margot set a brisk pace for the waterfront. Two days had passed since she had last met with Cain, and she was starting to get antsy. It turned out finding someone who could change their appearance at will was more difficult than it sounded. It was unfortunate that in the wake of Master Wright’s death that the mage’s conference had been cancelled—at least then Margot would have some idea of where to start looking. As it was she wasn’t sure Anansi was still in the city.

She stopped in front a small playhouse at the edge of the entertainment district. As far as leads went it wasn’t much, yet it was the best she had. None of her contacts at the Academy knew where Anansi was or where they would be traveling next. There had been no ads of upcoming plays in the paper. The rumor mill surrounding the mysterious actor had gone strangely silent.

Margot had almost given up hope when the professor of illusion made mention of a colleague who knew of a man who had seen a superlative performance given by an unknown actor working out of a little hole in the wall. Supposedly magic had been involved.

It seemed like an absurd story, but Margot was loath to go back to Cain emptyhanded. She was acutely aware that she had wandered to the rougher side of town. The looks she got here were of an entirely different sort than she was used to. The people here could sniff out a stranger faster than a bloodhound and were naturally suspicious of people they didn’t know.

Margot was more worried about keeping a low profile than her personal safety. There was no way of knowing if Anansi was actually inside, but if they were Margot didn’t want to draw attention to herself.

The bill outside of the theater advertised a man named Yotarou. Usually shows advertised any magic that would be a part of the performance, but there was no mention of any illusions. Even so, there was a surprisingly large crowd for a weeknight show. Margot paid the fee and squeezed into the rapidly filling playhouse, which was little more than a glorified bar with a stage at the back of the room. The air was dark and smoky and buzzing with a dozen different conversations. Margot settled near the back as she waited for the show to begin, settling in an empty stool at the end of the bar.

A minute or two passed when Margot noticed a man mustering the courage to approach her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him down his drink in a single gulp, slamming the glass down as he rose to his feet. One of his friends clapped him soundly on the back and gave him a friendly push Margot’s way.

She didn’t have time for this. Margot called on her magic with a twitch of her fingers. There was plenty of water in the air this close to the river, more than enough for her to work with. Margot’s palm warmed pleasantly as coaxed the heat from the microscopic all around her into her hand, taking just enough to send a chill through the air.

At the same time Margot fixed the would-be suitor with an icy glare, making sure he got a good look at her scars. The man stopped dead in his tracks. To his credit he got the message without any further trouble, turning abruptly to walk red-faced to the direction of the restrooms.

“That was nicely done.”

Margot turned to the bartender just as Yotarou took the stage. He kneeled on a pillow at the center of the stage armed with only a paper fan and began a long-winded tale about two parents who decide to give their newborn son twelve first names after being unable to decide on just one.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Margot said.

“Not many have that much control over their magic,” the bartender murmured. “May I get you something to drink?”’

“Not tonight,” Margot said. “I’m just here for the show.”

“Ah, a fan of the fallen words?” he asked. “I don’t blame you. It’s a rare art, not often seen this far west. Do you have a favorite master?”

The question meant nothing to Margot, and she shook her head. “I’m just learning.”

“It’s a wise man who admits their ignorance,” the bartender said. “Or woman, I suppose. Now listen, the best part is coming up.”

Yotarou’s voice rose to a fever-pitch as he reached the climax of his story. The boy with the long name was knocked unconscious after getting into a fight with a friend. The friend rushed off for help, but was forced to use the boy’s full name with everyone he came across, and by the time he came back the boy had completely recovered from the injury.

The story wasn’t suited to Margot’s sense of humor, but Yotarou’s exaggerated caricature elicited a quiet chuckle as the crowd burst into applause. Yotarou bowed to his audience, paused to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and launched eagerly into his next tale.

“Amateur,” the bartender said, wrinkling their nose in distaste. 

“You didn’t find it funny?” Margot asked.

“Three times he botched the name, and he should have made a greater distinction between the boy and his friend. Each character should be unique.”

Margot turned to face the bartender, but the space he had been occupying was empty, with a single drink sitting on the bar the only indication he had ever been there in the first place. She tried to find where he had gone, but it was as if he had vanished into thin air.

“On the house, darling,” a voice whispered in Margot’s ear. “Enjoy the rest of the show, I’ve seen all I need.”

Magic. Margot searched for its source, but her trace was overwhelmed by the spells used to light the stage and the charms warding against fire and theft. Utterly dumbfounded Margot looked down at the drink he had left her. It was one of those elaborate mixed drinks that Lyra could down by the gallon. She hadn’t even seen him mix it.

Unless…

Once again Margot called upon her magic. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the audience burst into laughter, but she no longer was paying any attention to Yotarou’s stories. She touched the glass with a finger that glowed with soft aquamarine light, stifling a gasp as it passed right through.

It was an illusion, one of the most sophisticated she had ever seen. Carefully she dismissed the spell and touched it again, this time her fingers feeling the contour of the glass, the liquid inside rippling with the sudden movement.

Illusionary magic was difficult because the spells either had to be meticulously planned and continuously maintained by the caster. The more senses that were engaged with by the illusion the more difficult it was to cast and the more energy it required to maintain. Margot picked up the glass and swirled the contents, noting that the drink was for all intents and purposes indistinguishable from reality.

The spell was still active, and an active spell could always be traced back to its caster. Margot murmured the words to a trace under her breath, tracing a sigil over the glass. A golden thread formed around the glass and led to the entrance of the playhouse.

Margot pushed through the crowed and followed the thread outside and down the street. It led her two blocks north, the golden light growing in intensity as she neared the source of the spell. Margot paused when she reached a small diner and scanned the crowd for the bartender. The thread pulsed gently in her hands and then, suddenly, it vanished.

“Very neatly done. I like your style.”

Margot whirled to the voice. Sitting on the patio outside the diner was…not her bartender. A figure dressed in rough-spun cotton beckoned her forward, a lazy grin on his (or was it her? Margot couldn’t tell) face. Their features were unassuming and plain.

But there was no mistaking that voice. Margot sat in the offered chair. “Unless I’m terribly mistaken, do I have the pleasure of speaking with Anansi?”

Black eyes glittered with amusement. “You do.”

“I thought you would be preforming tonight,” Margot said.

“Who says I haven’t been?” Anansi leaned on their elbows. Long, spiderlike fingers intertwined together. “When I heard whispers a professor from the Kempeston Academy wished to speak with me I had to make sure it was worth my time.” Anansi’s lips quirked in the smile of a teacher indulging a favored student. “That spell was clever. I’ve not seen it before.”

“I work at a school for magic. Knowing how to trace a spell is an unfortunate necessity,” Margot said wryly. “How did you know I’m a professor?”

“I make it my business to know who wants to find me, darling. Time is a finite resource; it has never been my habit to waste mine.” The smile transformed into a sharp, biting smirk, amusement shifting to menace. “So far you’ve been interesting enough to be worth my while. Please do not prove me wrong.”

“I had some questions about your performance before the mage’s conference,” Margot said.

“You’ll have to be more specific, darling.”

Margot hesitated a moment, before saying, “I suppose it would be more accurate to say I was wondering about what happened afterword. This might seem like a strange question, but did you speak with Master Arthur Wright?”

Anansi’s eyebrows crept up toward their hairline. “I did not. Why go through all the trouble of finding me only to ask about a man I’ve never met?”

“I’m acquainted with Master Wright’s son. He said that his father wanted to talk with you after your performance.”

“So he sent you to find out what his daddy wanted?” Anansi said disbelievingly.

“Felix Wright was nearly blinded by the explosion. It will be some time before he’s fully recovered,” Margot said, choosing her words carefully. It didn’t seem wise to let Anansi know she was investigating a possible murder. “I said I would ask as a favor to him.”

“That is strangely kind of you,” Anansi said.

“I didn’t realize you would be this difficult to find when I agreed,” Margot admitted.

Anansi laughed. “Fair enough. I’m sorry to say that Felix is wrong. I know Arthur Wright only by reputation,” Anansi consulted a battered pocket watch. “Now, I have no interest speaking about a dead man who I’ve never met, but it seems a shame to leave you with nothing to show for your efforts. I’ll answer three questions, and no more.”

Margot drummed her fingers against the table as she thought. She couldn’t tell if Anansi was lying, or if this was some sort of test. Either way she didn’t want to waste what little opportunity she had.

Her first instinct was simply to ask more about Master Wright, but Margot discarded that idea as foolishness. If Anansi was telling the truth then they likely knew nothing about the murder of Arthur Wright. If they were lying then there was no way they would answer a direct inquiry.

Finally Margot settled on a question. “Whose face did you wear when you preformed The Death of Desdemona?”

“You say it as if I’ve stolen something,” Anansi chuckled. “And the answer is no one in particular. I take inspiration from those around me, but my faces are all my own. The part called for a female, so I created one that I felt would resonate with the audience. It’s trickier than you might think—academia is disproportionately elvish, so one might think that an elf would be best suited for the role, but there are those sticks in the mud who would call it a travesty to let a young elvish lady anywhere near the stage.” Anansi grinned wolfishly. “That was what decided it, in the end. I always enjoy knocking on the door of the closeminded.”

“Really?” Margot said.

“No society is perfect, and there are times people need reminded of that fact,” Anansi said. “I’ve performed in the orcish Lowlands as a runt and the Deephome Mountains as a beardless dwarf.” Anansi shrugged, a picture of worldly wisdom. “It’s a balancing act. I can’t afford to distract too much from the performances or alienate my audience completely lest no one hire me, illusions or no. But the benefit of having a thousand faces means I always have the right mask no matter the situation.”

Margot nodded slowly in understanding. “So to be clear, your character wasn’t physically based on anyone that you know.”

“Nothing is new under the sun, darling,” Anansi said. “I’m sure there were features that resembled people I’ve seen or worked with in the past, but as a whole the character of Desdemona was my own. Next question, please, and be careful as it’s your last.”

“But I’ve only asked one,” Margot said.

“If that was your intention then you ought to be more careful with your diction,” Anansi said. “After I said I enjoy knocking on the door of the closeminded you said, ‘really?’ with the inflection of a question—a question which I answered as promised.”

A flare of anger tore through Margot at the abuse of technicality, but then Anansi rested their chin on a hand and waited patiently, a look of angelic innocence on their face. Margot swallowed her argument, and with enormous effort managed a smile of her own. It was a smile she’d perfected during her post-graduate studies, perfectly civil and with an edge that could kill a man with a single look.

“You’re right. Unfortunately not all of us are destined for the stage,” she said sweetly. “In that case, where would the best way I could get into contact with you if I needed to speak with you again?”

Anansi blinked, a startled expression flashing briefly across their face. Then they laughed, surprisingly rich and full. So full that Margot suspected it was genuine.

“Oh, I like you,” Anansi said, wiping away a tear of mirth from the corner of their eye. “Well done, darling, well done. Luckily for you I’m planning to stay in the city for another five days. Look for me at the Red Griffin Inn after the noon bell. For a half-penny I’ll tell you whatever story you want to know.”

Anansi got to their feet and shook Margot’s hand warmly. “A final piece of advice, darling, free of charge. Reputation is a man’s greatest and most fragile mask. Look behind it at your own risk.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Margot asked.

“It means I would think very carefully before taking on errands for Felix Wright. You might not like what you find.”

[wingedashley]

The Princess & The Treasure Hunter

So. I’ve spent the last year playing in an Exalted campaign run by @winterwombat. My character (Tepet Sonorous Windsong) spent half of it in a will-they-or-won’t-they unresolved sexual tension fest with her circlemate Captain Juliet Harrow (played by the esteemed @myrastuff).

Well, that unresolved sexual tension has been conclusively resolved. Will they or won’t they? They will. They did. Oh yes.

To celebrate, I decided to try and build an annotated chronology of our campaign, as it relates to these two nerds and all the intersession RPs Myra and I wrote together. For those who’ve either been tracking us from the start or want to jump straight to the kisses, here’s where it happens:

Harrow/Windsong IV - Joyride (8k words)

For everyone else, here we go!

All artwork is courtesy of @myrastuff, and I highly recommend searching through her “Juliet Harrow” tag sometime. Each google doc RP alternates between sections written by Myra (Harrow’s) and sections written by me (Windsong’s). The Rest sequences are pretty optional, and don’t need to be read to keep track of the rest of the story.

Act 1

A Circle of Solars are brought together by an ancient pact made by their past incarnations, summoning them from across Creation to the West, soon after their Second Breaths.

Circle descriptions can be found here.

They’re quickly dragged into a desperate attempt to stop a Fae Queen from releasing a behemoth upon the Wavecrest archipelago, while simultaneously fighting a guerilla resistance against a sudden Realm occupation.

Much adventuring is had, as the party gets to know each other. Captain Harrow quickly takes on the role of the de facto “team leader”, drafting the other three Solars into joining her crew on her ship. Windsong spends less time bonding and more time reeling from the fresh facts that her parents left her to die, she’s now an anathema, and the Realm are the baddies.

It all comes to a head in a dramatic naval showdown with the leader of the occupation, Peleps Erena. On the eve of the final battle, Harrow attempts to turn the Queen from an enemy into an asset through the ultimate gambit: offering the Raksha a spot on her crew, and offering herself as a paramour.

It works perfectly.

One tiny problem. This gambit was as much a surprise to the rest of the party as it was to Eyasha (the Fae). And this was also the exact moment that Windsong realized that she had a huge crush on her dashing Captain, before proceeding to promptly have her first Limit Break over it.

Act 2

A month has passed since the battle for Wavecrest. The Circle have taken some well earned R&R time off together. Well, almost: Windsong has been extra broody and distant, and spent most of it burying herself in work and avoiding Harrow. Nika and Sil can see this trainwreck coming from a mile away.

They’re suddenly dragged back into action thanks to a series of unfortunate events, culminating in an ambush by a fully prepared Wyld Hunt party.

The fight is an absolute clusterfuck.

Windsong falls asleep by her captain’s bedside (it’ll be the last time she sleeps for months, kept awake in an endless workaholic fever thanks a few charms and a ton of new nightmares). When she wakes up, she decides she can’t hide her feelings any longer. Leading to the first written segment…

Harrow/Windsong I - Confession (4.5k words)

The Circle now know what they’re fighting for: the remnants of a First Age seabound empire built by their former incarnations. The Boundless Fleet. Three gargantuan superships still exist to be fought over, and they’re in a race with Peleps Erena to see who can reach them first:

The Archive, a priceless library.

Nef Lukai, The Floating City, a ship the size of a small country. Has its own factory cathedral.

The Immortal, the ultimate warship. Practically a superweapon.

They head West, seeking out the Archive. To get to it, they have to fight through the Guild. On the plus side there’s at least one familiar face to help them: Jacintha, the leader of an ex-slave guerilla resistance movement that the party clashed with in Act 1. Harrow kind of hated her and her fellow “Bloodless”, but Windsong got along with her swimmingly.

Did I mention fighting through the Guild? Well part of that involved fighting through the Guild’s terrifying pair of Lunar enforcers: Anastasia Ember (a seductive duelist) and Heartless Sona (a vicious gunslinger).

Vicious enough to cripple Windsong for life. Windsong’s left arm is vaporized after a desperate attempt to shield a circlemate from a lethal attack.

The Act concluded on a climactic naval / ground battle with the Guild in and around the Archive itself. It’s a Pyrrhic victory. They freed the Archive and even broke the Guild’s back over it, leaving Harrow’s growing trade fleet as the strongest economic power in the West. But Windsong was already mutilated and they lost Jacintha. She died and returned as an Abyssal only long enough to drag half the combatants permanently into the underworld with her. Windsong Breaks again.

The Circle prepare for a long journey up North, to stop Peleps Erena from taking Nef Lukai. Windsong, however, has had enough. Jacintha left her soldiers orders to obey Windsong if she died, and she resigns from Harrow’s crew to take command of the reeling Bloodless.

But before she leaves on a journey to unite her new forces, Harrow has a gift for her…

Harrow/Windsong II - Artifact (8k words)

Act 3

Nef Lukai has a problem. It spent a long while in the pits of Hell after the Usurpation, and only returned to Creation fairly recently. The upshot of this is that it’s absolutely crawling with demons. On the bright side, it means that Peleps Erena can’t just waltz in; she has to bring an army and siege the city.

A month has passed since the fight for the Archive, and Harrow’s ragtag fleet has (more or less) just arrived. Before they can get their bearings on how to approach the City, they’re suddenly caught in a vicious crossfire between the Peleps Navy and Hell’s. They’re forced to escape deeper North, landing on an abandoned island to recuperate and consolidate.

Complicating matters, Windsong’s back. And she brought friends.

A local Bloodless cell mounted a botched attack on a fleet of slave ships. Windsong arrived a little too late to do much more than mitigate the catastrophe: they successfully freed the ships, but they didn’t have the supplies to drop off the newly freed prisoners anywhere in sight. She decided to bring the ships along with her to her rendezvous with Harrow’s fleet, hoping they could render assistance. And they got marooned on the aforementioned island just like everyone else, except with literally nowhere else to go.

Before they knew it, the Circle started a settlement. The island had an abandoned village and temple on it already, which Harrow quickly refurbished. Over the course of a month, they played the long game, spying on Erena’s siege while opening diplomatic channels with the local Realm-occupied nation.

But before they could all play house, Harrow had to say goodbye to a controversial special someone. Eyasha had spent the last Act growing steadily disillusioned with her Fae nature, and asked Harrow to help end it…

Harrow/Eyasha Rest - Eyasha’s Farewell (5k words)

(Note: This segment was written using Myra’s indie RPG “Rest”. Because in addition to being a great roleplayer, webcomic author, all around craftsperson and fantastic artist… she also writes RPGs. Talk about intimidating.

Rest is a micro RPG system for dream sequences, built to interlock into other RPGs. @winterwombat wrote the somewhat-homebrewed sequence in its entirety and Myra played it through, page by page.)

On a happier note, Windsong also got to spend the course of the month getting used to her new arm!

Harrow had spent the month-long timeskip between Acts 2 and 3 building the Mercy Unconquered. Windsong had it grafted onto her left shoulder in the middle of the Hell/Realm naval crossfire, and used it to great effect to defend Harrow’s ship from Wyld Hunt boarders. The surgery was a bit more rushed than either of them would’ve liked, and Harrow decides to take a moment to make sure everything is okay…

Harrow/Windsong III - Checkup (7k words)

The party learn that Erena is on the precipice of an all-out assault on the demon city, one that’s gonna work thanks to the introduction of goddamn warstriders. They hatch a crazy plan to simultaneously sneak their fleet into the city via an intake port into the Canals district, before capturing and securing the sector before the demons can react.

Problem: they sure as hell can’t defend a beachhead in a demon-infested city, while also managing a new settlement and protecting the Hrimval (the aforementioned local nation). So they concoct a plan that’s just breathtakingly stupid enough to work: put all their eggs in one basket by evacuating both the Hrimval and their settlement into Nef Lukai with them. Nef Lukai is huge, each of its five districts being incredibly easy to fortify and the size of a bloody city.

Somehow, this works. They sneak a strike team into the central manse, and defend Nika long enough from demonic horde mode for her to take over and flood the entire district. They secure victory after killing a giant enemy crab (I wish I was joking, it had a keep full of demons on its back) with the help of a mysterious archer. Mysterious sidereal archer vanishes right after the fight, but not before everyone gets a good look at her:

Windsong’s younger sister, Saerie. The one she sacrificed herself for in the first place. That night, for the first time in a long while, Windsong actually falls asleep.

Windsong Rest - The Gilded City (1k words)

(Myra wanted me to playtest Rest prior to publishing it, and wrote me this sequence to play through.)

Windsong’s Bloodless and the Hrimval work together to build a new home in Nef Lukai. Peleps Erena captured the Academy District with her assault, and the Demon Queen of the city called a ceasefire. Said queen throws a lavish party in the central spire, and everyone is invited.

The Circle show up and settle down for a long night of politicking and gunboat diplomacy. On the bright side, they’re joined by two new allies: Anastasia Ember (seductive Guild duelist from Arc 2, now looking for work and FWB status with Windsong) and Auriana (Eyasha’s solar-powered Fae-ish reincarnation!).

On the less bright side:

Windsong tries to befriend the Wyld Hunt monks, and is utterly dismantled by them for being the naive, stinking traitor she is. How innocent is she really when mortals flock to her banner to die for her causes anyway?

Phaedra, the Demon Queen, is an Infernal. One with complete free will, who rejected her demonic masters and set out to conquer the world into a better place. She’s a perfect counterpoint to Harrow, a warmongering corrupted Solar with ominously familiar goals of world domination and affable charisma.

Harrow’s finally met her match, and has her first Limit Break over her building self doubt.

Nonetheless, they persevere. Windsong sorts her shit out and figures out where her loyalties lie (hint hint, with a certain Solar admiral). Harrow pulls herself out of her fugue too, with Windsong fussing over her every step of the way.

Some skullduggery and clandestine adventuring ensue, culminating in a vicious blitzkrieg by the Realm. They burned a path through the Gardens district, besieging the Canals with warstrider support. Windsong and Sil defend the walls, barely, scraping together a victory thanks to a 11th hour superweapon piloted by Harrow: The Ascendant Justice. Nika and Harrow had managed to capture and consecrate the Cathedral District, giving her access to the personal warstrider of Windsong’s former incarnation.

After the dust has settled, a lot of people are dead. Phaedra shows up to announce her official alliance with Peleps Erena, along with a formal declaration of war in 4 days.

Things are looking grim, but grim is the Circle’s specialty.

A few days into their preparations for the Battle of Nef Lukai, Windsong seeks out Harrow in a quiet moment…

Harrow/Windsong IV - Joyride (8k words)

Afterword

And here we are. It’s been one heck of a journey, and I’ve skipped and skimmed over so much of this campaign (an entire half of the Circle and a ton of supporting characters). Shoutout to @winterwombat again for keeping this carnival going.

I remember throwing in the “Windsong has a crush on Harrow” development on a lark in Act 1, and @myrastuff really ran with it. It’s been almost a year and it’s so very cathartic to see it finally come together. This isn’t the end of their story either, and I can’t wait to see how they develop over the Arcs to come.

Fun fact, I created my tumblr account in the first place just to take part in the tumblr Exalted community. You’re all wonderful, and it’s been a wild ride. ^_^

[ekrochford]

‘She was silenced by the blare of recorded trumpets through invisible overhead speakers. She ducked at the sound, eyes widening, as the short melody faded. At the last trill of the horns, a majestic voice boomed through the ball room. ‘Please welcome to the 126th Annual Ball of the Eastern Commonwealth, a personal guest of His Imperial Majesty: Linh Cinder of New Beijing”.’

-Marissa Meyer, Cinder

All right, Marissa Meyer, you have my attention.

Sheesh.

Yes, I did need to use that gif. How could I NOT use that gif?

For those who are not familiar with the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder is the first book in a series of fairy tale retellings set in the distant future of our world. That’s in a nutshell. And in a glimpse, I was intrigued.

A little more information: Linh Cinder is a teenage cyborg in the futuristic New Beijing, a place where being a cyborg is on the same level as being a sex offender or a polygamist. She didn’t have a choice in becoming a cyborg, and she has fewer options still when her adoptive father dies of the dreaded blue fever, the plague that is ravaging Earth, and leaves Cinder in the care of her bitter adoptive mother.

Cinder is a pragmatist and the best mechanic in the district; she has a plan to slip out of her guardian’s noose. But when the handsome Prince Kai comes around seeking her help to restore his personal android, Cinder finds her path to freedom quickly clogging up with complications. Before long, those complications involve the feared and powerful Lunar Queen Levana and the despised Lunar race, beings that can use their energy fields to manipulate perceptions of sight and sound like magic.

I’ve read good YA fiction before, after all. Just because a book is aimed at teenagers doesn’t mean it is, by default, bad.

THAT BEING SAID, CINDER ISN’T QUITE OFF THE HOOK.

I’m not going to condemn the whole series based on a few shortcomings, but these really should be addressed.

My usual shortcoming with modern YA fiction is the typical shallow feeling of its world and characters. This is not a quirk of the genre; I’ve read excellent fantasy YAF with real depth--sci-fi is not a far step to the left. I’ve been a teenager before, guys. I know Meyer, also, has been a teenager. For all that adults like to laugh at teens and their silly problems (”Oh, you’re out of lip gloss? How terrible.” “A two-thousand word essay? *snickers* That’s rough”) young adults do, in fact, possess real emotions. The transition between child and adult often leaves teenagers unprepared to handle the volatile complexities of ‘grown-up feelings’ but to fail to explore the depth of thought and feeling in a teen character is a terrible waste. Reading through, Meyer failed to connect us adequately to a truly, phenomenally unique incarnation of the familiar Cinderella figure, and that’s a damn shame.

Taking it further, she created a stunning new world in a techno-retro future of East-meets-West culture, and I actually felt underwhelmed. What the hell? The opportunities to drag me into New Beijing were there, and the best Meyer could do was put up a picture window for her readers to peer through. If this wasn't such an amazing setting and an amazing recreation of these fairy tales, I wouldn’t be so harsh, but I have literally never seen anything like this before. Such a novel concept deserved better presentation.

One last thought--it was all too predictable. Yeah, I knew Cinder was obviously going to end up a princess some way or another, but the hints along the way were so heavy-handed. It was like when your co-worker wouldn’t shut up about Rock Hard in the Park for a month straight and then mysteriously called out sick that weekend. Seriously. We saw that coming.

But please, this series is far from a bust! I enjoyed it, despite my complaining.

Did I mention how jaw-dropping this entire concept is? Holy gods, it’s about future New Beijing, with a whole different race of people living on the freaking moon, and mind-control, and a plague, and looming world war, and... cyborgs! The fact that I bitched about all those other things and picked the style and depth and predictability to pieces and I still really enjoyed this book is a huge indicator of its value.

I, myself, am guilty of not letting my verbs do the heavy lifting. I have committed the high sin of being disgustingly predictable. And yes, I’ve failed to bridge the gap between my readers and my characters in the past. Meyer does these things, and I understand, because I’ve been there. I also forgive her, because the bright shiny gleam of fresh blood in the fairy tale retelling world is soooooo worth it!

Now for the count.

5/10 Voice. Yep I hacked Cinder to pieces on this one. Look, when you have an idea this spectacular, you’ve got to step up your game. The writing in Cinder was pallid and shapeless; there was some magnetism to the sci-fi genre in the use of vocabulary, but too little, too late. I’ll check out Scarlet and Cress and Winter, but Cinder is the first novel and the hook that needs to yank people into the series. Descriptions were cookie-cutter, emotions were cut-and-paste, and dialogue was acceptable at best.

7/10 Characters. Now, if the premise of future-sci-fi fairy-tales is the crowning jewel of the Lunar Chronicles, the characters are the Scepter of Office. I ADORE Prince Kai. The thought of a teenage prince being a social media star was so jarringly close to reality--so, so good.  And grouchy, down-to-earth cyborg Cinder being the city’s best mechanic? OMG. Those things being said, Meyer builds her characters with very predictable templates, and I don’t refer to the fairy tale source material, here. My two commandments of compelling characters are thus: 1) Thou shalt act according to one’s nature, and 2) Thou shalt not be boring while doing so. And there were times were Meyer’s characters were, in fact, boring, not in what they were, but what they were doing.

9/10 Story. With a little more spice, I would have given Cinder a 10/10 for this one! Meyer shines in her glossy retelling of oft-told-tales and stories that have been rewritten so many times, they’re getting creased at the spines. The story is the reason I will go back, spend money on Scarlet and the others, use my time to read through, and give Meyer another shot. I was intrigued by it all, and while her hints got excessive and her characters mechanical (lol I made a joke), Meyer still had a slew of brilliant ideas for this retelling.

All in all, I give Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles, a 7/10. I have a lot of problems with this book, but I’ll still come back for the rest--if that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.

Young adult fiction is in a tricky place of being in high demand, which means sometimes lesser works make it to the limelight. The Lunar Chronicles are a marvelous concept that I don’t want to see wasted. Come on, Meyer, don’t bring me down.

[brajeshupadhyay]

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: With 971 deaths, India's COVID-19 toll rises to 64,469; recovery rate at 76.6%

11:50 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

Preparations on for second phase of human clinical trial of 'Covaxin' vaccine

Preparations are underway at a hospital in Bhubaneswar for the commencement of the second phase of human clinical trial of 'Covaxin', India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, officials said.

"The Phase I of the trial is still continuing as we are planning for the start of the Phase II trial shortly," Dr E Venkata Rao, Principal Investigator of the trial at Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medical sciences, said.

The blood samples collected from the volunteers who received the vaccine were to ascertain how effective the vaccine was in terms of the level of antibodies developed, Dr Rao said, adding that there had been 'no side effects' in the first phase trial of the vaccine. 

11:01 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

India's recovery rate rises to 76.62%

The novel coronavirus tally in India crossed 36 lakh on Monday with 78,512 new cases, while the number of recoveries surged to 27,74,801, pushing the recovery rate to 76.62 per cent, the Health Ministry said.

The toll climbed to 64,469 with 971 more people succumbing to the infection in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry data.

There are 7,81,975 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, while 27,74,801 people have recovered. The total coronavirus cases rose to 36,21,245, it said. The recovery rate has increased to 76.62 per cent, while the fatality rate has declined to 1.78 per cent.

10:42 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala LATEST Updates

Devotees visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on occasion of Onam

Kerala: Devotees visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, on the occasion of #Onam. The temple reopened for the public from August 26, with #COVID19 precautionary measures in place for the people. pic.twitter.com/1MdAsIlwiO

— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2020

10:41 (IST)

Coronavirus in Telangana LATEST Updates

Telangana reports 1,873 new cases; 9 deaths take toll to 827

Telangana reported 1,873 new COVID-19 cases, taking the overall tally to 1,24,963 while nine more deaths pushed the toll to 827.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 360, followed by Karimnagar (180), Rangareddy (129) and Khammam (103) districts, a government bulletin said on Monday, providing data as of 8 pm on 30 August. As many as 37,791 samples were tested on 30 August.

- PTI

09:48 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

India reports over 36 lakh cases, 64,469 deaths

India records 78,512 new cases and 971 deaths in 24 hours. The country’s tally stands at 36,21,245 and toll at 64,469. 

09:41 (IST)

Coronavirus in West Bengal LATEST Updates

Complete lockdown being observed in Siliguri today

West Bengal: Complete lockdown being observed in Siliguri, to curb the spread of #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/BBFhnWZl1K

— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2020

09:39 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates

COVID-19 asymptomatics: Why some people contract and recover from a SARS-CoV-2 infection unscathed

One of the reasons Covid-19 has spread so swiftly around the globe is that for the first days after infection, people feel healthy. Instead of staying home in bed, they may be out and about, unknowingly passing the virus along. But in addition to these pre-symptomatic patients, the relentless silent spread of this pandemic is also facilitated by a more mysterious group of people: the so-called asymptomatics.

According to various estimates, between 20 and 45 percent of the people who get Covid-19 — and possibly more, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — sail through a coronavirus infection without realizing they ever had it. No fever or chills. No loss of smell or taste. No breathing difficulties. They don’t feel a thing.

Read full report here

09:30 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

Amit Shah discharged from AIIMS post COVID-19 care, say reports

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was hospitalised for post-Covid care, was discharged this morning from Delhi's AIIMS, reports NDTV. The 55-year-old BJP leader had tested positive for coronavirus, which has affected over 35 lakh people in India so far, on 2 August.

According to India Today, in a statement on Saturday , AIIMS had said that Amit Shah had recovered and was to be discharged soon. “Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, is admitted at AIIMS, New Delhi for post-COVID care. He has recovered and is likely to be discharged in a short time," the AIIMS had said.

09:26 (IST)

Coronavirus in Australia LATEST Updates

Australia records its deadliest day of pandemic

Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic on Monday as the government urged hot spot Victoria state to announce its plans to lift a lockdown on the country's second-largest city, reports AP.

Victoria's health department reported 41 deaths from COVID-19 and 73 new infections in the latest 24-hour period.

While the deaths were a state and national high, the tally of new infections was Victoria's lowest since 67 new cases were recorded on June 30 in the early weeks of the second wave of the pandemic, which has primarily been concentrated in the state capital, Melbourne.

09:20 (IST)

Coronavirus in Karnataka LATEST Updates

Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel tests positive for Covid-19

BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Kateel, who is also a member of Lok Sabha from Dakshina Kannada constituency said despite being asymptomatic, he was getting hospitalised on advise of doctors.

"I underwent COVID-19 test and the reports have come out as positive. Despite being asymptomatic, on the advice of the doctors, I'm getting hospitalised," Kateel, said in a tweet.

Expressing confidence that with the blessings and good wishes of the people he would return to serve them quickly, he requested all those who had come in contact with him to be cautious.

09:15 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates

Pharma sector needs global collaboration: Industry leaders, govt officials

The need of global collaboration in the pharma sector from research and development to drug manufacturing has never been as great as it is now amid the deadly COVID pandemic, industry leaders and officials from India and the United States said Sunday, reports PTI

Ahead of the 14th edition of the annual BioPharma and Healthcare Summit, that bring stakeholders from India and the United States on one platform, officials and industry leaders said the global health crisis requires a global solution, which can be achieved through global collaboration.

India and the United States can play a lead role in this, they said.

09:07 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

India should have 'very significant control' over COVID-19 by Diwali: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says India should have “very significant control” over Covid-19 by Diwali, reports PTI. “But, the virus has taught us a certain lesson, it has taught us there has to be a new normal and we need to be more diligent about, more cautious about our lifestyle...,” he adds.

08:04 (IST)

Coronavirus in Assam LATEST Updates

Four more MLAs test positive for COVID-19 in Assam

A day before the Autumn Session of Assam Assembly, four more MLAs tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, taking the total number of legislators contracting the virus in the state to 24, a senior official said.

The reports of Naren Sonowal (AGP), Rituparna Baruah (BJP), Anwar Hussain Laskar (AIUDF) and Najrul Hoque (AIUDF) came out positive at a testing camp in the assembly, he said.

-PTI

07:49 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

India reported 1,55,233 new cases over the weekend

A week after India's coronavirus cases crossed 30 lakh, the total cases on Sunday raced past 35 lakh, with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases. This is also the biggest single-day spike in the world since the pandemic began, according to news agency The Associated Press.

The COVID-19 count in India crossed 34 lakh on Saturday after 76,472 more cases were reported in the past 24 hours, said the health ministry. With 1,021 more patients succumbing to the contagious disease, the toll reached 62,550. 

07:43 (IST)

Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates

SC judge cites sufferings due to COVID, declines farewell invitations

Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra, who is superannuating on 2 September, has declined farewell invitations of bar bodies citing "severe situation and sufferings the world over" on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Justice Mishra, who became an apex court judge on 7 July, 2014, is demitting office on Tuesday and is all set to pronounce key judgements in cases including timelines for payment of AGR dues by telcos and the award of punishment to activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a contempt case.

The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Confederation of Indian Bar have extended the invitations for the farewell functions to the outgoing judge.

-PTI

07:41 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi LATEST Updates

Eminent cardiologist Dr Padmavati dies at 103 of COVID-19

Noted cardiologist Dr S Padmavati has died at 103 due to COVID-19, the National Heart Institute said on Sunday.She was undergoing treatment at NHI for past 11 days, doctors said.

"Dr S Padmavati, an eminent cardiologist, rather the first female cardiologist of the India, popularly known as ''God Mother of Cardiology'' passed away on 29 August due to COVID-19 infection," the NHI said in a statement.

Read full report here

07:40 (IST)

Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LATEST Updates

UP govt issues Unlock 4.0 guidelines

All schools, colleges and educational institutes in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed till 30 September, the state government said on Sunday, a day after the Union home ministry issued the Unlock 4.0 guidelines. Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said online and distance learning will be encouraged.

Metro trains will be allowed to resume from 7 September in a phased manner, an official order said. For this, the standard operating procedure will be issued separately.

Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, auditoriums and similar places will remain closed. However, open-air theatres will be allowed to open from 21 September.

Read full report here

Coronavirus LATEST Updates: India records 78,512 new cases and 971 deaths in 24 hours. The country’s tally stands at 36,21,245 and toll at 64,469.

A week after India's coronavirus cases crossed 30 lakh, the total cases on Sunday raced past 35 lakh, with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases. This is also the biggest single-day spike in the world since the pandemic began, according to news agency The Associated Press.

India's COVID-19 caseload went from 20 lakh to 30 lakh in 16 days and from 10 lakh to 20 lakh in 21 days. It took 110 days for COVID-19 cases in the country to reach one lakh while just 59 days more to surpass 10 lakh, India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August and went past 30 lakh on 23 August.

The grim record of highest daily cases comes a day after the Central government announced Unlock-4.0 guidelines, allowing further loosening of restrictions outside containment zones. As per the fresh guidelines, states cannot implement localised lockdowns outside containment zones without first consulting the Centre.

In keeping with the Unlock-4 rules, the Haryana government withdrew its 28 August order directing malls and shops in marketplaces of urban areas in the state to remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and eased curbs imposed earlier.

Tamil Nadu extended lockdown till 30 September but announced furthers relaxations, including scrapping of e-passes and canceling Sunday lockdowns. The state government also allowed clubs, hotels, parks and places of worship to reopen.

Meanwhile, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh reported their highest daily jumps in cases while Gujarat's case count surpassed 95,000. Maharashtra reported 16,408 and 296 fatalities, taking the total to 7,80,689 and toll to 24,399.

With more than 10,000 new cases detected for the fifth straight day, Andhra Pradesh overtook Tamil Nadu to reach the second spot behind Maharashtra.

Recovery rate now 76.61%, fatality rate at 1.79%, says health ministry

As per the health ministry's data updated at 8 am, India witnessed a surge of 78,761, propelling its total caseload to 35,42,733. The country has been registering over 70,000 cases for the last four days.

The toll due to the disease rose to 63,498 with the death of 948 people in a span of 24 hours. The recovery rate improved to 76.61 percent with  64,935 patients recuperating from COVID-19 in 24 hours. A total of  27,13,933 persons have recovered so far and the country now has 7,65,302 active cases, the data showed.

Active cases now comprise only 21.60 percent of the total caseload, the ministry highlighted while adding that case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.79 percent.

Over 4.14 crore samples tested so far, says ICMR

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 4,14,61,636 samples have been tested up to 29 August, with a record 10,55,027 samples being tested on Saturday.

COVID-19 Testing Update . For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/VfHFqpeZdv

— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) August 30, 2020

// <![CDATA[ <script> // ]]>

The exponential jump in daily testing capacity and the number of tests has resulted in an upsurge in Tests Per Million to 30,044 as on date, the health ministry said.

Tamil Nadu does away with Sunday lockdowns, e-pass system

Following the Centre's Unlock 4 guidelines, Tamil Nadu on Sunday announced major relaxations including the resumption of bus services  and reopening of hotels, resorts and shopping malls from 1 September while extending the lockdown till 30 September. According to a News18 report, the requirement of e-pass for intrastate travel has also been scrapped but e-passes will be mandatory for those arriving in the state and for visitors to Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal, and other tourist attractions.

Metro services in Chennai will restart from 7 September and a total of 50 flights will be allowed to land at Chennai airport per day. Playgrounds and public spaces can be used for exercising said the state government. Malls have been allowed to re-open but theatres will remain shut.

Intra-district bus services (both government and private) and Chennai Metropolitan bus services will be operated from 1 September by following Standard Operating Procedure.

Inter-State rail services will be allowed only in select routes and no intra-state services permitted until 15 September.

Industries, government offices and banks will be allowed to function with full staffing but work-from-home has been advised wherever possible.

Other relaxations include the scrapping of "total lockdown" on Sunday and allowing shops outside containment zones to stay open till 8pm.

Haryana issues orders under Unlock-4

The Haryana government, too, revoked its recent order on keeping marketplaces in urban areas shut on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of the weekends.

"Under Unlock-4, the Central government has said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown (outside containment zones), so the Haryana government has withdrawn the order issued on August 28 to keep the markets closed on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, there will be no lockdown now," Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij tweeted in Hindi.

केंद्र सरकार ने अनलॉक 4 में प्रदेश सरकारों को लॉक डाउन करने का अधिकार नही दिया है इसलिए हरियाणा सरकार का दिनांक 28 अगस्त का सोमवार और मंगलवार को बाज़ार बंद रखने का आदेश वापिस ले लिया है । इसलिए अब कोई लॉक डाउन नही होगा ।

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) August 30, 2020

// <![CDATA[ <script> // ]]>

The revised instructions on 28 August had come a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on weekends throughout the state.

The state government also issued orders to implement the guidelines of Unlock-4. These orders will remain in force till 30 September, a state government statement said.

As per the guidelines, all activities will be permitted outside the containment zones, but schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students up to September 30. However, online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.

In line with then MHA guidelines, students of Classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit schools and skill and entrepreneurship training will also be permitted. These will be allowed from 21 September and SOPs will be issued by the Centre.

Social, academics, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons will be permitted from 21 September, with precautionary measures in place. However, marriage-related gatherings with number of guests not exceeding 50 and funeral/last rites related gatherings with number of persons not exceeding 20 will continue to be allowed up to 20 September, after which the ceiling of 100 persons will apply, the order stated.

Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain closed but open air theatres can open from 21 September, the statement said.

Lockdown shall remain in force in the containment zones till 30 September.

Andhra Pradesh overtakes Tamil Nadu

Meanwhile, several states continued reporting newer cases and deaths.  With the addition of 10,603 fresh cases in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh's coronavirus caseload reached 4,24,767. The state is now second only to Maharashtra in the total number of infections recorded, according to news agency PTI.

The overall toll mounted to 3,884 while the total recoveries stood at 3,21,754, according to a state health bulletin. The number of active cases in the state is now just short of the one-lakh mark, at 99,129.

Tamil Nadu on Sunday registered 6,459 new cases and 94 deaths, pushing the tally to 4,22,085 and death count to 7,231.

Delhi, Madhya Pradesh see record spikes in fresh cases

Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike of 2,024 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total to over 1.73 lakh, while the toll mounted to 4,426 with 22 fresh fatalities, authorities said. This is the highest single-day spike in the national capital in the last nearly 50 days, according to PTI.

A total of 1,249 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, said a Delhi government bulletin. The number of containment zones has gone up to 820 from 803 the previous day.

Madhya Pradesh also saw its highest single-day surge of 1,558 COVID-19 cases, taking the count of infections in the state to 62,433, The toll rose to 1,374 with 29 patients succumbing to the viral infection since Saturday evening.

Maharashtra reported 16,408 new cases and 296 deaths while Gujarat's overall case count shot up to over 95,000.

With inputs from agencies

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[erickmalpicaflores]

Erik Malpica Flores Erik Malpica Flores recommends: What is Coming to Netflix in March 2019

QUEER EYE is returning to Netflix with a new season in March 2019, as is the second half of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT’s fifth season. The Netflix film THE DIRT will be a dramatization of Mötley Crüe’s autobiography, while Stella and Joel will also return for a new season of SANTA CLARITA DIET.

Related: What’s coming to Netflix Canada in March 2019?

March 1

A Clockwork Orange

Apollo 13

Budapest (FR) (Netflix Film): Two friends quit their boring jobs to start a company that plans bachelor parties in Budapest. Their wives, however, have mixed feelings about this.

Cricket Fever: Mumbai Indians (Netflix Original): In the world’s toughest cricket league, every game is a battle. Can Mumbai Indians come together and bring home another trophy?

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks

Emma

Junebug

Larva Island: Season 2 (Netflix Original): A new season of hilariously zany adventures for larva pals Red and Yellow includes an invasion of their island!

Losers (Netflix Original): In a “winning is everything” society, how do we handle failure? Using sports as its guide, this documentary series examines the psychology of losing.

Music and Lyrics

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Northern Rescue (Netflix Original):  After the sudden death of his wife, search and rescue commander John West relocates with his three kids to his rural hometown of Turtle Island Bay.

River’s Edge (JP) (Netflix Film): High schooler Haruna befriends loner Yamada, then is drawn into the tangled relationship between him, a model and the girl who loves him unreasonably.

Stuart Little

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Netflix Film): Inspired by a science book, 13-year-old William Kamkwamba builds a wind turbine to save his Malawian village from famine. Based on a true story.

The Hurt Locker

The Notebook

Tyson

Wet Hot American Summer

Winter’s Bone

Your Son (ES) (Netflix Film): After his son is brutally beaten outside a nightclub, a surgeon takes the law into his own hands and seeks vengeance against the perpetrators.

March 2

Romance is a Bonus Book (Korea) (Streaming Every Saturday) (Netflix Original): A gifted writer who’s the youngest editor-in-chief ever at his publishing company gets enmeshed in the life of a former copywriter desperate for a job.

March 3

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 2 (Streaming Every Sunday) (Netflix Original): Hasan Minhaj returns with new episodes every Sunday, bringing his unique, unexpected comedic perspective to current global events and culture.

March 5

Disney’s Christopher Robin

March 6

Secret City: Under the Eagle: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Journalist Harriet Dunkley finds herself enmeshed in a conspiracy while striving to clear the name of a former cellmate accused of murder.

March 7

Doubt

The Order (Netflix Original): Out to avenge his mother’s death, a college student pledges a secret order and lands in a war between werewolves and practitioners of dark magic.

March 8

After Life (Netflix Original): Struggling to come to terms with his wife’s death, a writer for a newspaper adopts a gruff new persona in an effort to push away those trying to help.

Bangkok Love Stories: Hey You! (Netflix Original): A loving couple become rivals when Belle opens a fusion bistro next to her ex-boyfriend Kram’s traditional restaurant in Bangkok’s chic Ari district.

Bangkok Love Stories: Innocence (Netflix Original): From a teenage parkour enthusiast to a bawdy restaurateur, an eclectic group of characters find romance in Bangkok’s glittering Silom district.

Blue Jasmine

Formula 1: Drive to Survive (Netflix Original): Drivers, managers and team owners live life in the fast lane — both on and off the track during one cutthroat season of Formula 1 racing.

Hunter X Hunter (2011): Seasons 1-3

Immortals (Netflix Original): Driven by revenge, human-turned-vampire Mia sets out to vanquish Dmitry, a ruthless vampire leader who seeks an artifact that grants immortality.

Juanita (Netflix Film): Fed up with her life, Juanita leaves her grown kids behind and hits the road in search of a fresh start.

Lady J (FR) (Netflix Film): When her love affair with a lustful marquis takes a sudden turn, a wealthy widow concocts a scheme to get revenge — with help from a younger woman.

Shadow (Netflix Original): Haunted by a tragic loss, an ex-cop with a rare inability to feel pain strikes out on his own to catch offenders who’ve eluded Johannesburg police.

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

The Jane Austen Book Club

Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (Netflix Film): In the wake of an accident that leaves her paralyzed, a champion barrel racer is determined to get back on her horse and ride again.

March 12

Jimmy Carr: The Best of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits (Netflix Original): Jimmy Carr has gathered a selection of his very best jokes for the ultimate comedy special. A man who has devoted his life to crafting perfect gags and brutally brilliant one-liners, Jimmy’s new show distils everything we love to laugh at and be shocked by into one incredible stand-up special. Featuring clever jokes, rude jokes, and a few jokes that are totally unacceptable. Filmed at The Olympia Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, “The Best of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits” launches globally on Netflix, Tuesday, March 12th. Carr is also the host of the Netflix original show, “The Fix.”

Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 6 (Netflix Original): Kaito and Risako hang out with their housemates while Yui and Aio try to decide their next steps. Nothing is certain except their bonds of friendship.

March 13

Triple Frontier (Netflix Film): Struggling to make ends meet, five former U.S. soldiers set out to steal millions from a drug lord’s lair — and end up with a target on their backs.

March 15

A Separation

Arrested Development: Season 5 B (Netflix Original): As the Bluths continue to make a mess of their personal and professional lives, Michael again can’t quite abandon the family that makes him miserable.

Burn Out (FR) (Netflix Film): When his son’s mom runs afoul of Paris’s criminal underworld, a thrill-seeking superbike racer begins moonlighting as a drug courier to clear her debt.

Dry Martina (AR) (Netflix Film): An odd encounter with a fan and a tryst with that fan’s ex-boyfriend leads a sexually adventurous singer on an escapade in Chile.

Girl (BE) (Netflix Film): With the support of her father, a 15-year-old transgender girl pursues her dream of becoming a professional ballerina. Winner of the Camera d’Or for best first film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival as well as the Best Actor Prize for Un Certain Regard, the FIPRESCI International Critics Award for Best Film (Un Certain Regard) and the Queer Palm. The feature directorial debut of Lukas Dhont, the film was written by Dhont and Angelo Tijssens, and produced by Dirk Impens (Menuet). Girl stars Victor Polster and Arieh Worthalter.

If I Hadn’t Met You (Netflix Original): Eduard, a husband and father who loses his family in a tragic accident, travels to parallel universes to seek a better fate for his beloved wife.

Kung Fu Hustle

Las muñecas de la mafia: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Lucrecia, Brenda and Olivia are once again entangled in the world of the drug lords as Janeth and Martha are introduced to its dark dangers.

Love, Death & Robots (Netflix Original): An animated anthology series presented by Tim Miller and David Fincher.

Paskal (MY) (Netflix Film): Naval unit PASKAL is among the most elite special forces in Malaysia. But all bets are off when one of its own stages a hijacking. Based on true events.

Queer Eye: Season 3 (Netflix Original): The Fab Five hit the road and head to Kansas City, Missouri, for another season of emotional makeovers and stunning transformations.

Robozuna: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Ariston, Mangle and the Freebot Fighters are back, but protecting their home gets tougher when evil Danuvia unveils a powerful robot named Dominatus.

The Lives of Others

Turn Up Charlie (Netflix Original): A down-and-out DJ plots to rebuild his music career while working as a nanny for his famous best friend’s wild 11-year-old daughter.

YooHoo to the Rescue (Netflix Original): Five cuddly pals from the magical land of YooTopia use teamwork and special gadgets to help animals in trouble and make new friends along the way!

March 16

Green Door (Netflix Original): A troubled psychologist returns from the U.S. and sets up a clinic in Taiwan, where mysterious patients and uncanny events shed light on his murky past.

March 19

Amy Schumer Growing (Netflix Original): Amy Schumer gives a refreshingly honest and hilarious take on marriage, pregnancy and personal growth in her new Netflix comedy special, Amy Schumer Growing. Filmed in front of a packed house in Chicago, the comedian talks about the joys of womanhood, settling into marital bliss, and yes also you guessed it, sex!

March 21

Antoine Griezmann: The Making of a Legend (Netflix Original): With heart and determination, Antoine Griezmann overcame his small stature to become one of the world’s top soccer players and a World Cup champion.

March 22

Carlo & Malik (Netflix Original): A veteran homicide cop is forced to confront his own biases when he’s paired up with an Ivory Coast-born rookie on a string of murder cases in Rome.

Charlie’s Colorforms City (Netflix Original): Loveable, hilarious Charlie leads you on unpredictable and imaginative shape-filled story expeditions alongside a colorful cast of characters.

Delhi Crime (Netflix Original): As Delhi reels in the aftermath of a gang rape, a female police officer leads an eye-opening search for the culprits in this retelling of true events.

Historia de un crimen: Colosio (Netflix Original): Dramatization of Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio’s 1994 assassination. Part of an anthology on unsolved crimes in Latin America.

Mirage (ES) (Netflix Film): A space-time continuum glitch allows Vera to save a boy’s life 25 years earlier, but results in the loss of her daughter, whom she fights to get back.

Most Beautiful Thing (Netflix Original): A sheltered woman moves to Rio to start a new life and a journey of self-discovery among the dreamy views of the city’s beaches and hills.

ReMastered: The Miami Showband Massacre (Netflix Original): Ambushed by Ulster loyalists, three members of the Miami Showband were killed in Northern Ireland in 1975. Was the crime linked to the government?

Selling Sunset (Netflix Original): The elite real estate brokers at the Oppenheim Group sell the luxe life to affluent buyers in LA. The drama ramps up when a new agent joins the team.

The Dirt (Netflix Film): In this dramatization of Mötley Crüe’s no-holds-barred autobiography, the band hits the monster highs and savage lows of heavy metal superstardom.

March 26

Nate Bargatze: The Tennessee Kid (Netflix Original): Comedian Nate Bargatze takes aim at the absurdity of everyday life in an approachable and deadpan stand-up set shot in Duluth, Georgia.

March 28

Ainori Love Wagon: Asian Journey: Season 2 (Netflix Original): The love wagon rides again! Seven strangers board the famous van on a journey through Asia in search of a ticket home to Japan with a partner.

March 29

15 August (IN) (Netflix Film): Veteran Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit turns producer for this lighthearted snapshot of life in the chawls of Mumbai.

Bayoneta (MX) (Netflix Film): A retired Mexican boxer living alone in Finland gets a shot to redeem himself in the ring, forcing him to confront his painful past in the process.

Osmosis (Netflix Original): In a near-future Paris, an app uses personal memories to decode the mysteries of love. But what happens if your memories, like all data, are subject to manipulation?

Santa Clarita Diet: Season 3 (Netflix Original): Sheila searches for meaning, Joel investigates a secret society, and Abby struggles with her feelings for Eric. Life and undeath can be so stressful.

The Highwaymen (Netflix Film): The outlaws made headlines. The lawmen made history. From director John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), THE HIGHWAYMEN follows the untold true story of the legendary detectives who brought down Bonnie and Clyde. When the full force of the FBI and the latest forensic technology aren’t enough to capture the nation’s most notorious criminals, two former Texas Rangers (Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson) must rely on their gut instincts and old school skills to get the job done.

The Legend of Cocaine Island (Netflix Original): A businessman who is down on his luck hatches a plan to retrieve a mythical $2-million stash of cocaine from its reported hiding place in the Caribbean.

Traitors (Netflix Original): As World War II ends, a young English woman agrees to help an enigmatic American agent root out Russian infiltration of the British government.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

March 30

How to Get Away with Murder: Season 5

March 31

El sabor de las margaritas (Netflix Original): While investigating the disappearance of a teen girl in a tight-knit Galician town, a Civil Guard officer uncovers secrets linked to a loss of her own.

The Burial of Kojo

Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series (Netflix Original): The trailer park just got a lot weirder. Picking up where Season 12 left off — and higher than ever — the entire gang has turned into cartoons.

Last Call – Titles Rotating Off the Service in March 2019

March 1

Bruce Almighty

Fair Game – Director’s Cut

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters 2

Hostage

Pearl Harbor

The Breakfast Club

The Cider House Rules

The Gift

The Little Rascals

United 93

March 2

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Eighteenth Year

March 3

Drop Dead Diva: Seasons 1-6

March 4

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

March 5

Newsies: The Broadway Musical

March 8

March 16

Baby Mama

Charlie St. Cloud

Role Models

March 18

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

March 31

Party of Five: Seasons 1-6

The Real Ghostbusters: Seasons 1-5

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[optimisticprincepainter]

  The Nipah virus (NiV) infection has claimed 14 lives, from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala in the month of May. Siblings Mohammed Sadik (26) and Mohammed Salih (28), died on May 5 and May 18 respectively in Perambra of Kozhikode district. Following them their aunt Mariam (50) passed away on May 19. Lini who worked at the Taluk Hospital in Perambra, and had nursed Salih at the hospital died on May 21 due to the fever. That was the beginning of a panic outbreak in Kerala. It was identified that there had been bats in the dug well, which was the main source of drinking water for the Sadik-Salih family in Perambra. This created a huge fear among the public that people even called for mass culling of bats. However, the disease itself was contained quickly before it could become an outbreak. On May 24, the Health Ministry, Government of India issued a media release stating that a multi-disciplinary team that was reviewing the situation from Kerala had concluded that “the Nipah virus disease is not a major outbreak and only a local occurrence.” On May 25, there was news that added further confidence on the situation. Body fluid samples collected from the bats that were found hanging in the well in the Sadik-Salih household turned negative for Nipah virus. The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases at Bhopal confirmed this after testing the samples. Further, samples sent from cattle and pigs in the vicinity that were also sent tested negative for Nipah virus. According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Nipah Fact Sheet, the virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (bats, pigs), and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human. In 2001 it appeared in Bangladesh and same year the Nipah virus outbreak happened in Siliguri in West Bengal in India. Of the 65 infected in Siliguri 45 persons died. “Human infections range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection (mild or severe) and fatal encephalitis,” states the WHO fact sheet. There are no specific drugs or vaccines for NiV infection. Intensive supportive care is the recommended treatment. There is relief in Kerala that the infection did not spread into an outbreak and is now more or less under control. However, from where the infection started is the question that continues to be a mystery. Bat specialists were fairly sure that the bats hanging on the laterite walls of the dug well in the Sadik-Salih household were not the culprits. “The bats hanging in the dug well were insect-eating ones, and insectivorous bats have not been seen to be the carriers of Nipah virus in the past,” said P. O. Nameer, professor and head, Centre for Wildlife Studies, College of Forestry of the Kerala Agricultural University. “In my 20 years of experience studying bats in Kerala there has been no evidence of fruit-eating bats inside wells,” said Nameer adding that what could be considered as a suspected carrier in Kerala “is the great Indian fruit bat, also known as the Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus).” It is not clear as to how, where and from whom the first infection happened in Perambra. Bats have been blamed as the cause for Nipah as they are the natural host of the virus. It is due to this reason that the Kerala Government had to strictly warn public not to indulge in any activities that can harm the animal. Merlin Tuttle, American ecologist, founder & executive director of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation told Mongabay-India in an email: “Virtually every animal species that has been carefully studied has some virus of potential risk to other species. In the past four decades, so-called ’emerging diseases’ have killed fewer than 20,000 people worldwide, and there is no more than unsubstantiated speculation for blaming even half of those deaths on bats,” he added. He also said that bats in reality have one of the world’s finest safety records when it comes to living with people. Hundreds of bat biologists, millions of people who eat bats, and the millions more who share cities with huge bat colonies are no less healthy than others. In an email to Nameer, Paul Racey, a leading authority on bats, retired professor at the University of Aberdeen and the chair of the Bat Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said that the disease spreads mainly by drinking palm sap that has been infected with the Nipah virus by the greater Indian fruit bat Pteropus giganteus. Preventing bats’ access to the sap collection pots has reduced the infection rate in other parts of the world. Since palm sap toddy is a common drink in Kerala, experts advise avoiding the drink at present. This is better way to prevent the infection from spreading than harming the fruit bats. “Culling of bats has to be totally avoided even if tests show some of the fruit bats in the region are carrying Nipah virus,” Nameer emphasized. A WHO report on Nipah Virus Infection states that “there is strong evidence that emergence of bat-related viral infections communicable to humans and animals has been attributed to the loss of natural habitats of bats.” It further adds, “As the flying fox habitat is destroyed by human activity the bats get stressed and hungry, their immune system gets weaker, their virus load goes up and a lot of virus spills out in their urine and saliva.” Both Nameer and Ekbal emphasize the need for better public health awareness and preparedness. According to the WHO report, 600 Nipah cases were reported in the world from 1998 to 2015. Among this almost 50 percent of the infected patients died. “This is a small number considering the world statistics for other diseases. In Kerala 10 people die daily in road accidents. So there is no need of a panic. This virus can be tackled with precautions,” Ekbal said.  IANS : 31st. May,18

  WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION SAID BATS SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED ONLY FOR NIPAH INFECTION : The Nipah virus (NiV) infection has claimed 14 lives, from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala in the month of May.

[miamibeerscene]

Beercation Destination: San Diego

February 23, 2017

In San Diego, if you were to visit 10 breweries a day for a solid month, you still wouldn’t have seen them all, as surely five new would have opened up in that short time. Simply driving around the vast county, you’re just as likely to smell beer being brewed as you are to inhale the intoxicating scents of the Pacific Ocean.

A trip to this West Coast beer city and the sprawling county surrounding it can be hard to plan because there are so many options. As someone who visits multiple times a year, here are some tips to create the perfect San Diego beercation.

(MORE: Uinta Brewing Company Launches Beer Honoring the National Parks)

Start Planning Around a Marquis Event

Since San Diego’s weather is freakishly nice year round, it’s easy to plan a trip during the offseason. With SD Beer Week happening in early November, one could easily skip this entire post and show up with bag in hand, have a crazy fun week, and somehow mysteriously end up in Tijuana jail a few days later, complete with a new hop nugget tattoo on your lower back. The week is brimming with elaborate pairing dinners, tap takeovers, and a guild festival that, just like San Diego, is difficult to try everything.

If November doesn’t jive with your turkey, some other events to plan around include The Mission Valley Craft Beer & Food Festival (April), Modern Times Festival of Dankness (or Funk!) (August), and SD Rhythm & Brews (May). A personal favorite is the Brewbies fest which takes place in North San Diego at Bagby Brewing (February); the event that is adored by industry and reachable by train.

Chris Cramer, co-founder of Karl Strauss at their 28th anniversary. “Give me just a tiny bit of the Pappy barrel aged stout so there’s more for the guests.” (Credit: Greg Nagel)

Brewery anniversary parties are also great to plan a trip around. Stone Brewing’s anniversary, which falls in late February, is overflowing with rarities from within their cellar and guest breweries tend to bring their black tie beers to help celebrate.

(MORE: 9 Weird Brewery Names and the Stories Behind Them)

San Diego Beercation: Where to Stay

North Park is a great neighborhood all on its own, with 30th Street being the central hub of great beer bars, brunch spots and stellar breweries. The historic LaFayette Hotel is situated amongst all this, and is a great jumping off point with easy access to the downtown gaslamp district, beaches, the zoo and other brewery hotspots. The hotel was built in 1946, yet still maintains its poolside bungalow charm. Nothing is more relaxing than cracking a brewery-fresh crowler in a chaise lounge next to their Olympic-sized pool, only to have an impromptu poolside bottle share with traveling room-neighbors from abroad.

The LaFayette Hotel in San Diego. (Credit: Greg Nagel)

So, with your marquis event and a place to stay, what else are you going to do? Grab a free West Coaster Magazine (basically everywhere beer is poured and in your hotel) and get your fingers dirty with newsprint until something catches your eye. The beer map and directory is in the back, which is your guide to what is fresh and in season.

Starting your day in North Park is poised with possibility. Brunch at nearby Small Bar for $15 includes a full breakfast with a choice of beer (Pliny the Elder on draft, anyone?), a foot tall bloody mary, or even a local favorite michelada (beer bloody mary). Give your morning yawns a kick in the pants and put some money in their juke box, which is filled with all Bowie you can handle.

Bellies full, a stroll down 30th street is always filled with fun and photo ops. The juxtaposition of urban art, yoga mat-carrying locals and beer touristas makes for a sense of belonging. Stop in a store called ‘Simply Local’ to grab some seriously cool beer art by local artist Rudy aka “Craft Beerd.” and grab his $9 deck of San Diego Brewery playing cards to keep you busy while brewery hopping. While checking out, you must buy some local nuts made by North Park Nuttery. They’re created with locally-made beer, and shockingly taste like the beer they’re made of.

A couple doors down, Bottlecraft is the only bottle shop you need to stop in; be sure to stock up with treats to take home.

Whether or not you’re craving beer or coffee, Modern Times Flavordome has you covered. House-roasted coffee and 16 taps of beer, including Black House, their eye-opening coffee stout with house-roasted beans. Mike Hess Brewery and Fall Brewery make up my other must-visit breweries in the area, each with their own pint-worthy charm and incredible neighborhood vibes.

Within 3.5 miles of 30th street are four of the area’s best beer bars. For an epic trip, start at Blind Lady Alehouse, move to Tiger Tiger!, then Toronado San Diego, finishing with a quick #2 city bus ride to Hamilton’s Tavern in South Park. Lunch, and lots of water, is recommended at any of these places.

(MORE BEERCATIONS: Los Angeles | Charleston, South Carolina)

How to Get Around

In San Diego, it’s surprisingly easy to reach the best beer spots without driving yourself. I find a combination of bike rental, Uber, train and trolley are all fast, inexpensive and safe to reach most places. For all others, I reluctantly suggest a brewery tour. Although some might like the fast-paced big-bus tourist lifestyle, I prefer to mosey at my own pace and set things up in advance.

YouTuber Maxnosleeves on the HotShots Brewery Tour in San Diego. (Credit: Greg Nagel)

One service I highly recommend is the HotShots Brewery Tour group, which shuttles you around in a swank smaller-sized retired fire battalion wagon. Local beer, food and knowledge is dropped on their friendly experience, complete with phone chargers and plug-in stereo jack to jam out to your own tunes while stuck in traffic. Only drawback? No potty on board.

To Escondido, or Escondidon’t? Take the Hop Highway!

Some areas of San Diego are well out of the way, so much so that they have opened more convenient taprooms and restaurants within your travel bubble. Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens is a must for any first time San Diego beer traveler, even though their location near the airport at Liberty Station is also beautiful. The Escondido location is a place one can take their mom on Mother’s Day, a wedding party, or just a random day to chill at this destination brewery. Reservations for dining and tours is highly suggested. Protip: BYO ketchup.

Stone brewer Kris Ketcham is the real brite tank sample hero (Credit: Greg Nagel)

With fresh gargoyle in your belly, hop along highway 76 for some incredible pockets of beer that are destinations on their own. San Marcos is a short ways away and is home to Port Brewing/ The Lost Abbey, Rip Current Brewing, and Churchill’s Pub & Grille, three San Diego landmarks. Vista is just a little bit up the road along the 76 with a brewer’s guild of its own, including Iron Fist and Belching Beaver. Just before you hit the ocean, the hop highway drops you off in scenic Oceanside, which quickly becoming a brewery hotbed on its own. Locals love Urge Gastropub & Whiskey Bank, complete with adjoining Mason Ale Works for their incredible burgers. Nearby, Bagby Brewing, ran by Jeff Bagby, is probably one of the most decorated GABF winners in history at his tenure with Pizza Port. His attention to detail with lower-ABV beers is remarkable.

Speaking of Pizza Port, Carlsbad is home to most of their operation with a brewpub, a bottle shop, and their huge canning operation in Bressi Ranch, which is a short drive away from Legoland theme park if traveling with children.

(MORE: Coolship Fever in American Brewing)

The San Diego Beer Pioneers

For every craft beer pioneer brewery in San Diego, there are usually several must-visit places around it. Set your GPS to Stone, Alesmith, Coronado, Pizza Port, Karl Strauss, and even White Labs yeast bank. Once there, it’s easy to find a few spots you have never heard of via Yelp, Untappd, or even Google Maps’ “nearby feature” on the phone app.

Operation Beeramar

Miramar is more than just a Marine base surrounded by fast food and furniture stores; it’s home to one brewery that has its own street named after it: Alesmith Brewing Company. The big brewing operation has forged the highly regarded Speedway Stout, and the three-time GABF gold medal winningest Barleywine, Ol’ Numbskull. Adding to their big beer program is a unique barrel blending experience called Anvil and Stave, which is sort of like a beer speakeasy, allowing visitors to create unique tastes on each visit. For the baseball fan, be sure to check out their Tony Gwynn museum after a sip of the bright and hoppy .394 Pale Ale, which the ball player personally put his stamp of approval on.

Alesmith Anvil & Stave in Miramar, California. (Credit: Greg Nagel)

Alesmith’s original brewery is a short trip away, but now houses Mikkeller San Diego. Ex-Alesmith head brewer Bill Batton opted to stay with his storied brewhouse, making the transition to make the Copenhagen-based gypsy brewer’s beers. I find their freshness and vibe to be electric among San Diego’s finest, offering new takes on copycat classics.

Finishing the Beeramar trifecta, I like to visit something new while in the area. My last visit included Little Miss Brewing at only 20 days old. With a WWII bunker vibe and legit dart boards, the flight of bright and hoppy beers were the bomb, just like their logo.

Food & Nightlife During a San Diego Beercation

When beer touring, the need for food can become a necessity, but a little planning ahead can have you eating like the locals do, and hopefully squeeze in a couple fine-dining experiences into the trip. Touristy areas like Seaport Village and Old Town might be fun to shop, but the dining and beverage experience is somehow stuck in the 90’s. A couple miles from Old Town, get your burrito fix at Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop. Fish tacos are also indigenous to the region and usually a safe bet on any local menu. Type “fish tacos” into Yelp, and don’t be shocked to see a few pages of 4-5 star results.

(MORE: Why You Should Drink Beer Fresh)

Impromptu stop at Burning Beard Brewing on the way to Alpine, great jukebox and beer. (Credit: Greg Nagel)

Little Italy offers several gastropub experiences with hip noun & verb type of names, but Craft & Commerce made me feel most at home. Their modern naturalist ambiance and surprisingly accessible menu is as tasty as it is Instagram-worthy. Plus, they have my favorite San Diego brewery on tap: Societe Brewing. If by chance you can’t make it out to their taproom, be sure to try their beer around town. You can thank me later.

As San Diego continues to solidify itself as one of the nation’s best beer spots, the thing that keeps me coming back is its ability to keep morphing into something better than it once was. It’s not just the quantity of breweries and bars that makes a place great, it’s the history, the landscape, and the passionate producers and local fans that consume beer that truly make for great beercation.

The post Beercation Destination: San Diego appeared first on Miami Beer Scene.

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11:50 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates Preparations on for second phase of human clinical trial of 'Covaxin' vaccine Preparations are underway at a hospital in Bhubaneswar for the commencement of the second phase of human clinical trial of 'Covaxin', India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, officials said. "The Phase I of the trial is still continuing as we are planning for the start of the Phase II trial shortly," Dr E Venkata Rao, Principal Investigator of the trial at Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medical sciences, said. The blood samples collected from the volunteers who received the vaccine were to ascertain how effective the vaccine was in terms of the level of antibodies developed, Dr Rao said, adding that there had been 'no side effects' in the first phase trial of the vaccine.  11:01 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates India's recovery rate rises to 76.62% The novel coronavirus tally in India crossed 36 lakh on Monday with 78,512 new cases, while the number of recoveries surged to 27,74,801, pushing the recovery rate to 76.62 per cent, the Health Ministry said. The toll climbed to 64,469 with 971 more people succumbing to the infection in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry data. There are 7,81,975 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, while 27,74,801 people have recovered. The total coronavirus cases rose to 36,21,245, it said. The recovery rate has increased to 76.62 per cent, while the fatality rate has declined to 1.78 per cent. 10:42 (IST) Coronavirus in Kerala LATEST Updates Devotees visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on occasion of Onam Kerala: Devotees visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, on the occasion of #Onam. The temple reopened for the public from August 26, with #COVID19 precautionary measures in place for the people. pic.twitter.com/1MdAsIlwiO — ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2020 10:41 (IST) Coronavirus in Telangana LATEST Updates Telangana reports 1,873 new cases; 9 deaths take toll to 827 Telangana reported 1,873 new COVID-19 cases, taking the overall tally to 1,24,963 while nine more deaths pushed the toll to 827. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 360, followed by Karimnagar (180), Rangareddy (129) and Khammam (103) districts, a government bulletin said on Monday, providing data as of 8 pm on 30 August. As many as 37,791 samples were tested on 30 August. - PTI 09:48 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates India reports over 36 lakh cases, 64,469 deaths India records 78,512 new cases and 971 deaths in 24 hours. The country’s tally stands at 36,21,245 and toll at 64,469.  09:41 (IST) Coronavirus in West Bengal LATEST Updates Complete lockdown being observed in Siliguri today West Bengal: Complete lockdown being observed in Siliguri, to curb the spread of #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/BBFhnWZl1K — ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2020 09:39 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates COVID-19 asymptomatics: Why some people contract and recover from a SARS-CoV-2 infection unscathed One of the reasons Covid-19 has spread so swiftly around the globe is that for the first days after infection, people feel healthy. Instead of staying home in bed, they may be out and about, unknowingly passing the virus along. But in addition to these pre-symptomatic patients, the relentless silent spread of this pandemic is also facilitated by a more mysterious group of people: the so-called asymptomatics. According to various estimates, between 20 and 45 percent of the people who get Covid-19 — and possibly more, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — sail through a coronavirus infection without realizing they ever had it. No fever or chills. No loss of smell or taste. No breathing difficulties. They don���t feel a thing. Read full report here 09:30 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates Amit Shah discharged from AIIMS post COVID-19 care, say reports Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was hospitalised for post-Covid care, was discharged this morning from Delhi's AIIMS, reports NDTV. The 55-year-old BJP leader had tested positive for coronavirus, which has affected over 35 lakh people in India so far, on 2 August. According to India Today, in a statement on Saturday , AIIMS had said that Amit Shah had recovered and was to be discharged soon. “Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, is admitted at AIIMS, New Delhi for post-COVID care. He has recovered and is likely to be discharged in a short time," the AIIMS had said. 09:26 (IST) Coronavirus in Australia LATEST Updates Australia records its deadliest day of pandemic Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic on Monday as the government urged hot spot Victoria state to announce its plans to lift a lockdown on the country's second-largest city, reports AP. Victoria's health department reported 41 deaths from COVID-19 and 73 new infections in the latest 24-hour period. While the deaths were a state and national high, the tally of new infections was Victoria's lowest since 67 new cases were recorded on June 30 in the early weeks of the second wave of the pandemic, which has primarily been concentrated in the state capital, Melbourne. 09:20 (IST) Coronavirus in Karnataka LATEST Updates Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel tests positive for Covid-19 BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Kateel, who is also a member of Lok Sabha from Dakshina Kannada constituency said despite being asymptomatic, he was getting hospitalised on advise of doctors. "I underwent COVID-19 test and the reports have come out as positive. Despite being asymptomatic, on the advice of the doctors, I'm getting hospitalised," Kateel, said in a tweet. Expressing confidence that with the blessings and good wishes of the people he would return to serve them quickly, he requested all those who had come in contact with him to be cautious. 09:15 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates Pharma sector needs global collaboration: Industry leaders, govt officials The need of global collaboration in the pharma sector from research and development to drug manufacturing has never been as great as it is now amid the deadly COVID pandemic, industry leaders and officials from India and the United States said Sunday, reports PTI Ahead of the 14th edition of the annual BioPharma and Healthcare Summit, that bring stakeholders from India and the United States on one platform, officials and industry leaders said the global health crisis requires a global solution, which can be achieved through global collaboration. India and the United States can play a lead role in this, they said. 09:07 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates India should have 'very significant control' over COVID-19 by Diwali: Harsh Vardhan Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says India should have “very significant control” over Covid-19 by Diwali, reports PTI. “But, the virus has taught us a certain lesson, it has taught us there has to be a new normal and we need to be more diligent about, more cautious about our lifestyle...,” he adds. 08:04 (IST) Coronavirus in Assam LATEST Updates Four more MLAs test positive for COVID-19 in Assam A day before the Autumn Session of Assam Assembly, four more MLAs tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, taking the total number of legislators contracting the virus in the state to 24, a senior official said. The reports of Naren Sonowal (AGP), Rituparna Baruah (BJP), Anwar Hussain Laskar (AIUDF) and Najrul Hoque (AIUDF) came out positive at a testing camp in the assembly, he said. -PTI 07:49 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates India reported 1,55,233 new cases over the weekend A week after India's coronavirus cases crossed 30 lakh, the total cases on Sunday raced past 35 lakh, with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases. This is also the biggest single-day spike in the world since the pandemic began, according to news agency The Associated Press. The COVID-19 count in India crossed 34 lakh on Saturday after 76,472 more cases were reported in the past 24 hours, said the health ministry. With 1,021 more patients succumbing to the contagious disease, the toll reached 62,550.  07:43 (IST) Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates SC judge cites sufferings due to COVID, declines farewell invitations Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra, who is superannuating on 2 September, has declined farewell invitations of bar bodies citing "severe situation and sufferings the world over" on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Justice Mishra, who became an apex court judge on 7 July, 2014, is demitting office on Tuesday and is all set to pronounce key judgements in cases including timelines for payment of AGR dues by telcos and the award of punishment to activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a contempt case. The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Confederation of Indian Bar have extended the invitations for the farewell functions to the outgoing judge. -PTI 07:41 (IST) Coronavirus in Delhi LATEST Updates Eminent cardiologist Dr Padmavati dies at 103 of COVID-19 Noted cardiologist Dr S Padmavati has died at 103 due to COVID-19, the National Heart Institute said on Sunday.She was undergoing treatment at NHI for past 11 days, doctors said. "Dr S Padmavati, an eminent cardiologist, rather the first female cardiologist of the India, popularly known as ''God Mother of Cardiology'' passed away on 29 August due to COVID-19 infection," the NHI said in a statement. Read full report here 07:40 (IST) Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LATEST Updates UP govt issues Unlock 4.0 guidelines All schools, colleges and educational institutes in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed till 30 September, the state government said on Sunday, a day after the Union home ministry issued the Unlock 4.0 guidelines. Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said online and distance learning will be encouraged. Metro trains will be allowed to resume from 7 September in a phased manner, an official order said. For this, the standard operating procedure will be issued separately. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, auditoriums and similar places will remain closed. However, open-air theatres will be allowed to open from 21 September. Read full report here Coronavirus LATEST Updates: India records 78,512 new cases and 971 deaths in 24 hours. The country’s tally stands at 36,21,245 and toll at 64,469. A week after India's coronavirus cases crossed 30 lakh, the total cases on Sunday raced past 35 lakh, with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases. This is also the biggest single-day spike in the world since the pandemic began, according to news agency The Associated Press. India's COVID-19 caseload went from 20 lakh to 30 lakh in 16 days and from 10 lakh to 20 lakh in 21 days. It took 110 days for COVID-19 cases in the country to reach one lakh while just 59 days more to surpass 10 lakh, India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August and went past 30 lakh on 23 August. The grim record of highest daily cases comes a day after the Central government announced Unlock-4.0 guidelines, allowing further loosening of restrictions outside containment zones. As per the fresh guidelines, states cannot implement localised lockdowns outside containment zones without first consulting the Centre. In keeping with the Unlock-4 rules, the Haryana government withdrew its 28 August order directing malls and shops in marketplaces of urban areas in the state to remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and eased curbs imposed earlier. Tamil Nadu extended lockdown till 30 September but announced furthers relaxations, including scrapping of e-passes and canceling Sunday lockdowns. The state government also allowed clubs, hotels, parks and places of worship to reopen. Meanwhile, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh reported their highest daily jumps in cases while Gujarat's case count surpassed 95,000. Maharashtra reported 16,408 and 296 fatalities, taking the total to 7,80,689 and toll to 24,399. With more than 10,000 new cases detected for the fifth straight day, Andhra Pradesh overtook Tamil Nadu to reach the second spot behind Maharashtra. Recovery rate now 76.61%, fatality rate at 1.79%, says health ministry As per the health ministry's data updated at 8 am, India witnessed a surge of 78,761, propelling its total caseload to 35,42,733. The country has been registering over 70,000 cases for the last four days. The toll due to the disease rose to 63,498 with the death of 948 people in a span of 24 hours. The recovery rate improved to 76.61 percent with  64,935 patients recuperating from COVID-19 in 24 hours. A total of  27,13,933 persons have recovered so far and the country now has 7,65,302 active cases, the data showed. Active cases now comprise only 21.60 percent of the total caseload, the ministry highlighted while adding that case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.79 percent. Over 4.14 crore samples tested so far, says ICMR According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 4,14,61,636 samples have been tested up to 29 August, with a record 10,55,027 samples being tested on Saturday. COVID-19 Testing Update . For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/VfHFqpeZdv — ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) August 30, 2020 // // ]]> The exponential jump in daily testing capacity and the number of tests has resulted in an upsurge in Tests Per Million to 30,044 as on date, the health ministry said. Tamil Nadu does away with Sunday lockdowns, e-pass system Following the Centre's Unlock 4 guidelines, Tamil Nadu on Sunday announced major relaxations including the resumption of bus services  and reopening of hotels, resorts and shopping malls from 1 September while extending the lockdown till 30 September. According to a News18 report, the requirement of e-pass for intrastate travel has also been scrapped but e-passes will be mandatory for those arriving in the state and for visitors to Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal, and other tourist attractions. Metro services in Chennai will restart from 7 September and a total of 50 flights will be allowed to land at Chennai airport per day. Playgrounds and public spaces can be used for exercising said the state government. Malls have been allowed to re-open but theatres will remain shut. Intra-district bus services (both government and private) and Chennai Metropolitan bus services will be operated from 1 September by following Standard Operating Procedure. Inter-State rail services will be allowed only in select routes and no intra-state services permitted until 15 September. Industries, government offices and banks will be allowed to function with full staffing but work-from-home has been advised wherever possible. Other relaxations include the scrapping of "total lockdown" on Sunday and allowing shops outside containment zones to stay open till 8pm. Haryana issues orders under Unlock-4 The Haryana government, too, revoked its recent order on keeping marketplaces in urban areas shut on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of the weekends. "Under Unlock-4, the Central government has said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown (outside containment zones), so the Haryana government has withdrawn the order issued on August 28 to keep the markets closed on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, there will be no lockdown now," Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij tweeted in Hindi. केंद्र सरकार ने अनलॉक 4 में प्रदेश सरकारों को लॉक डाउन करने का अधिकार नही दिया है इसलिए हरियाणा सरकार का दिनांक 28 अगस्त का सोमवार और मंगलवार को बाज़ार बंद रखने का आदेश वापिस ले लिया है । इसलिए अब कोई लॉक डाउन नही होगा । — ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) August 30, 2020 // // ]]> The revised instructions on 28 August had come a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on weekends throughout the state. The state government also issued orders to implement the guidelines of Unlock-4. These orders will remain in force till 30 September, a state government statement said. As per the guidelines, all activities will be permitted outside the containment zones, but schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students up to September 30. However, online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged. In line with then MHA guidelines, students of Classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit schools and skill and entrepreneurship training will also be permitted. These will be allowed from 21 September and SOPs will be issued by the Centre. Social, academics, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons will be permitted from 21 September, with precautionary measures in place. However, marriage-related gatherings with number of guests not exceeding 50 and funeral/last rites related gatherings with number of persons not exceeding 20 will continue to be allowed up to 20 September, after which the ceiling of 100 persons will apply, the order stated. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain closed but open air theatres can open from 21 September, the statement said. Lockdown shall remain in force in the containment zones till 30 September. Andhra Pradesh overtakes Tamil Nadu Meanwhile, several states continued reporting newer cases and deaths.  With the addition of 10,603 fresh cases in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh's coronavirus caseload reached 4,24,767. The state is now second only to Maharashtra in the total number of infections recorded, according to news agency PTI. The overall toll mounted to 3,884 while the total recoveries stood at 3,21,754, according to a state health bulletin. The number of active cases in the state is now just short of the one-lakh mark, at 99,129. Tamil Nadu on Sunday registered 6,459 new cases and 94 deaths, pushing the tally to 4,22,085 and death count to 7,231. Delhi, Madhya Pradesh see record spikes in fresh cases Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike of 2,024 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total to over 1.73 lakh, while the toll mounted to 4,426 with 22 fresh fatalities, authorities said. This is the highest single-day spike in the national capital in the last nearly 50 days, according to PTI. A total of 1,249 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, said a Delhi government bulletin. The number of containment zones has gone up to 820 from 803 the previous day. Madhya Pradesh also saw its highest single-day surge of 1,558 COVID-19 cases, taking the count of infections in the state to 62,433, The toll rose to 1,374 with 29 patients succumbing to the viral infection since Saturday evening. Maharashtra reported 16,408 new cases and 296 deaths while Gujarat's overall case count shot up to over 95,000. With inputs from agencies

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