Trending at Number 2 on Netflix right now, the TV show DARK has recently exploded online. Owing to its convoluted plotlines and structure, there have speculations upon speculations. Instead of merely watching and binging this show, Dark implores you to solve it. While Season 1 and Season 2 are labyrinths of happenings in the small town of Winden, Germany. You would think that people would have problems with pronunciation. But there are so many characters and so many connections that pronunciation is the last thing on your mind. In simple words, Dark is a TV show that explores the implications of time on human nature.
A Brief Overview
If you have never watched Dark, we would suggest you keep a book and paper next to you. The show starts off a little dry at first. The cinematography is grey, and the first scene is about kidnapping and the murder of young children. It may put you off, but I implore to you, stick with it. Dark is the story of four families, the disappearance of one child and how everything unravels from there. Dark is the first German Netflix Original Series. If this is the beginning, I am pretty sure German origin productions are going to have some masterpieces in store for us.
As I said before, the story starts with the disappearance of a young boy, Mikkel Nielsen. Pay attention to the names. The names and the times are the crux of the show. Nielsen goes to the caves in the woods of their town with four other kids. They are from four different families. Namely, the Nielsens, Kahnwalds, Dopplers and Tiedermmanns. The first season deals with fractured relationships and the connections between these families, and the disappearances of the boys. The second season deals with the attempts of their loved ones to meet the disappeared children though it is not as simple as that.
The story takes off from the end of the first episode itself. There’s a wormhole beneath the town, and it is accessible through the caves. The children disappear through these wormholes and come out in different timelines. The times are relatively simple to understand in the beginning Season one. There are two years, set 35 years apart, where all the happenings are taking place—the years 2019 and 1986. However, as the season wears on, another year gets added to the mix. And just like permutations and combinations, it all gets complicated.
So at the end of Season 1, you have three years to deal with; 1986, 1953 and 2019. Then comes Season 2. And with it come three more years. 1987,1954 and 2020. If that wasn’t enough, it adds two more years to the mix, 1921 and 2053. The entire show is a conspiracy wall, and I am sure true enthusiast have it erected too in the wake of Season 3.
There is a common strain in all time-travel stories. There is the need to time travel, and the characters do it, and a space time paradox is created. To solve this space-time paradox, creators introduce alternate realities and universes. Dark doesn’t do that. Dark shows you that Time is the ultimate god. It shows you that no matter how hard you try, you cannot change the passage of time or the events that happen in it. There is no free will in this story. You don’t have to make sense of something that doesn’t actually make sense. The creators have everything planned down to a dot, and you realize that as the story progresses. Dark feels like running through a labyrinth and take a wrong turn each time. You keep going in deeper, and it’s always some ridiculous theory, but it works!
Questions that We Want Solved In Season 3 of Dark.
The entirety of Dark is very complicated. However if you have made it through Season 2 successfully, congratulations!! You now shall begin to unravel the maze that shall be Season 3. However, before you even begin watching, let’s theorise about the pivotal questions that we have for the next Season. You could add some in the comments too.
We saw at the end of Season 2 of Dark that Martha, the one from Jonas’s world dies, leaving him. However, just in the nick of time, an alternate Martha arrives in Windem and saves Jonas from the apocalypse. When Jonas asks her what time she has come from, she says, “Ask me not what time, but what world.” This seems to refer to Claudia mentioning the fact that she has seen a world without a Jonas, and that there indeed exists an alternate world.
Where, Or Rather When Did Katarina Go To?
At the end of Season 2 of Dark, we see Katarina reach down the caves by the assistance of some unknown particles and travelling through time. Her son landed in 1986 and her husband in 1953. It is impossible to tell which year she is going to come out into. We have obviously, a lot of reason to believe that she has gone looking to find her son Mikkel. However, it is obviously not in her hands as to where she ends up.
There are multiple pieces of evidence to believe that Adam is really who he says he is, and that he isn’t messing around. Since him being Jonas fits into the story really well, there isn’t much doubt with the theory being untrue. That being said, this question simply exists to humour theories of Adam actually being Bartov.
When did Jonas, Magnus, Franziska and Bartosh go?
The four are travelling with a time house device, so it is pretty obvious that they have a specific date in mind. It isn’t important where they go to survive the apocalypse, it is whether they go to 1881. This is because if they go to 1881, we shall then meet them in 1921. They could go there, or not at all.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!!
Happy World Pride Day! With the quarantine and everyone stuck at home, I imagine that none of you are feeling the Pride spirit now. The magic and power of Pride may not be the same right now, but it is up to us to make it unique. The Black Lives Matter movement needs our help; we need to stay inside for our health and safety; there is a lot on our plate right now. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate Pride to the best of our abilities. With some delicious and buttery popcorn, settle back into the couch. Turn on your T.V and switch back to some of these most iconic LGBTQIA+ representation in mainstream media. You can even cry at our expense. No one is there to watch you, anyways.
There is still a shortage of content on LGBTQIA+ centric material on the Internet and the movie industry. However, we are slowly getting there. There are more and more movies, and T.V. shows that are pushing characters from the spectrum more into the limelight. And we are here to catalogue the ten best representations of the LGBTQIA+ community in mainstream movies and T.V. shows.
As an adult, just 20 years of age, Friends was a show I was introduced to a little later in life, during time homosexuality wasn’t a sin anymore. However, I know now that during that time, homosexuality was a very delicate topic to tread. For a mainstream TV show such as Friends to show a stable, successful homosexual couple on television was pretty progressive. Though we now criticise it for often using homosexuality as a punchline, I think we could give the perennial TV show some credit for setting the ball rolling.
Personally a favourite of mine. Often when targeting homosexual and queer relationships, filmmakers tend to go for a more angsty approach. While it is emotionally appealing, we need more normalization of queer people and ties. Brooklyn Nine-Nine does just that. It gives you a stable, thriving relationship in the form of Holt and Kevin. It then educates you on queerness and bisexuality through the character of Rosa. Their queerness is subjected to both heavy scenes like Rosa first confessing her sexuality to Boyle, and to a natural normalization in the way Holt refers to his husband just as anyone would refer to their spouse.
One of the most poignant characters in the early 2000’s era for the LGBTQ cause was represented through Nomi Marks on Sense8. A transgender lesbian, Nomi was one of the first transgender characters to be introduced in a fictional drama. It was enlightening to see them explain the circumstances of her dysmorphia. It was especially empowering to see how she overcame it to finally fall in love and marry her wife Amanita. Having a mainstream character depict transgenderism when LGBTQ was relatively new, is admirable and noteworthy to go on our list.
Jules is undoubtedly my favourite LGBTQ icon. Despite her faults and misgivings, she is beautiful and bold about herself. She represents the fledgling transgender, a teenager finally having realized their true identity. Her style is whimsical, and she doesn’t represent the stereotypical transgender woman with how gentle and light she is. It is not hard to see why Rue fell in love with her.
My favourite part of Daniel Levy being pansexual in Schitt’s Creek was about how bold he was. He was unapologetically sassy and we had him pegged as a pansexual the day the show came out. It was especially heartening to watch how father Eugene Levy embraces his son’s sexuality. The best part of the show was also how Eugene actually lets Daniel know that he accepts his son as is. Children of the LGBTQ spectrum almost always crave their parent’s acceptance, as all kids do. And parents letting them know that they do is the best.
Grey’s Anatomy is as a mainstream a show as could be. With two white protagonists, it was especially good to see other forms of equal representation on the show. Dr.Tones being in a bisexual relationship, which was stable and healthy was the cherry on top of the cake. It was also very nice to see Callie actually confront the issue in an episode and try to help another girl.
Sex Education is prolific for its portrayals of same sex relationships and almost all shades of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. But we would be remiss if we did not discuss Eric Effiong. A gay, black man, it is especially hard for a character like Eric to confront and accept his sexuality. That said, I still do not approve of his going back to Adam in Season 2. I guess toxic relationships span genders and sexualities alike.
Laverne Cox is a blessing and has to be protected. A transgender icon in real life, her portrayal of Sophia Burset set the bar up high for LGBTQIA+ representation. While she has her own faults, having experienced male privilege for a major part of her life, she is still a boon to the community. Her patience and love for her son despite him shunning her delves more in the impacts of transitioning can have on a family.
Mitchell and Cameron are the cutest example of LGBTQIA+ representation I have seen. Starting in 2009, it was wonderful to see a stable married gay couple, with a daughter managing life. It was even more adorable to see them supported by their family closely. Phil may often come off as the stubborn dad, but you can’t deny the familial support him and Claire provide just by being accepting.
Eleanor is my favourite. Not as a LGBTQIA+ representative, but as a character. Her being bisexual isn’t really focused on film, and that’s the beauty of it. The Good Place recognizing sexualities as these understated parts of you, which don’t necessarily have to make your entire character is what we need. This new era is ushering a new sort of limelight onto our LGBTQIA+ community. One that includes them, but doesn’t make them a big deal of it. They are us, and we don’t need to treat them differently. And that kind of non committal acceptance is what the community has been asking for a long time.
Who does not love a good, fudgy, and moist cake? But a delicious cake with sugar? Is that an option? After all, how would a sugarless cake taste?
Reducing the sugar content in your cakes and other baked goods can be a challenging task. Especially when you do not know where to start. Let us face it. Sugar substitutes are really expensive. And cutting out on the sugar part can actually ruin an otherwise perfect and full-proof recipe. But that being said, there are some ways out. With some research and a lot of trials, you can easily reduce the content of added sugar, even eliminate it perhaps; and still, end up with a moist and delicious cake without sugar.
But before we get to that, it is important to look at the effect that sugar has on your cake.
What does sugar do to your cakes and baked goods?
The role of sugar in a cake is much, much more than just imparting sweetness. That is, of course, the most obvious reason why we add sugar. But there are other roles too that sugar plays in your baking.
Light and airy crumb
Sugar crystals, no matter how small, have rough edges. Thus, they help to trap in the air because of their irregularities. Think about creaming butter and sugar together. The butter becomes really pale and fluffy, does not it? This trapped air then expands when the cake bakes, giving you a really light and airy crumb.
Caramelisation and color:
We all know that when sugar cooks, it caramelizes and changes color. It becomes a really pretty golden brown color which we all love. This makes the cake look and taste so much more better. Using natural sugars, such as honey, will cause the cake to brown really fast, and give you a darker cake. Other artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, do not brown at all. This results in cakes that look really pale.
Moisture retention
Cakes stay moist because of the high sugar content in them. Sugar is hygroscopic in nature and thus retains moisture in the cake. Sugar-free cakes, on the other hand, would dry out very quickly.
How to bake cakes without sugar or with less sugar?
The only way that a cake is meant to be is sweet. If you do not want to use sugar in your cake, your next bet is to use artificial sweeteners. A lot of people, however, are not comfortable with that. There are, however, some sugar alternatives, other than artificial sugars too, which can be used.
Ground almond flour
Ground almond flour is a good option. However, it will definitely make your cakes really expensive. On the other hand, it adds a really complex texture to your cake. It also boosts flavor and keeps the cake moist.
Natural sugars
These include options like honey or maple syrup. Though these are still essentially sugar, they do have vitamins and traces of minerals. Additionally, these also have beneficial enzymes in them. These types of sugars will give you dense, heavy and dark cakes. In some recipes where such flavor is desired, these are good options to look at. Also, since these natural sugars are liquids, make sure you reduce the liquid content in your recipe a bit to maintain the balance.
Artificial sugars
These are formulated in labs and are safe substitutes for regular sugar. These are anywhere between 200 and 600 times more sweeter than regular sugar. Also, these are low in calories, or are completely calorie free. This means that even diabetic patients can have these cakes without any stress.
On the flip side, these alternatives often have a bitter aftertaste. These do not add air into the batter, and do not aid browning either.
There are artificial sweeteners being developed for those who want to use them for baking, so do check those out.
Sweet extracts
These extracts, though derived naturally, are still heavily processed. These might end up in dense cakes. Stevia is a good example of a sugar free cake that is often used. Stevia is 300 times sweeter than table sugar, and is calorie free too. However, it is often used in combination with other sweeteners. Agave nectar and rice malt syrup are good options too.
This recipe is not only sugar free, but does not include any sweetener either! It is sweetened with fresh whole fruits. And the best part is that with some changes, you can even make it gluten free.
In fact, the recipe is so healthy; you can even have it as muffins for breakfast!
Ingredients:
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup yogurt (full-fat)
125 ml coconut water
3 eggs
200 grams all purpose flour/almond flour/gluten free flour
120 grams almond flour
2 teaspoons baking power
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of ground cinnamon, optional
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 C and line 2 8 inch cake tins with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the bananas, yogurt, eggs, coconut water and vanilla and combine well till you get a smooth paste.
In another bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. These will include the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and combine well till everything is incorporated together.
Divide the batter equally in the two tins, and then bake for around 20 minutes. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean once the cake is baked.
Cool the cake completely, before demoulding.
Garnishing the cake:
If you try out this cake without sugar, naturally you would want a sugar less frosting too. You could dust the cake very lightly with some icing sugar, or some cocoa powder. Or you could use whipped cream cheese that has been flavoured with some citrus zest for a fluffy topping for the cake. Using unsweetened peanut butter whipped with some unsalted butter would make for a good frosting too!
We all like to eat some tasty snacks in the evening. There are some snacks that we prefer to eat always. What if you could make those tasty snacks at home? You will not have to go out of your home to eat delicious snacks. There are some tempting snacks that can be made at home. The recipes do not need much time for cooking and the ingredients are easily available.
Onion Fritters
Onion fritters is a perfect snack for a rainy evening. It is very tasty. You can eat this with any chutney or ketchup.
Slice the onions thinly and chop the chillies finely.
In a large mixing bowl, put onion, chili, besan, salt, baking soda, turmeric powder, and chilli powder and mix them. Add water carefully as required for making the batter.
The batter should not be too thick or too thin. Onions release little water. So, ensure that the batter is medium-thick. Mix it very well.
Heat a pan and put sufficient oil for frying. Add a spoonful of the batter to hot oil.
Flip the fritters in oil and fry till they get cooked and turn brown. Deep fry so that they become crisp.
Aloo Tikki or Potato Patties is a delicious snack. It is a starter in parties. You can eat this with any chutney or ketchup.
Ingredients –
Potato – 3
Garlic – Few cloves
Chilli – 1
Salt – Half teaspoon
Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
Chaat Masala – Half teaspoon
Corn Flour – 2 tablespoons
Oil – As required for frying
Method –
Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker. Usually, potatoes boil in 2 whistles but check whether they are soft or not. Chop garlic and chilli finely.
In a large mixing bowl, put the boiled potatoes and mash them. Then add garlic, chilli, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, chaat masala and corn flour.
Mix very well and form a soft dough. Do not add water while mixing as boiled potato releases water. Check the binding of the dough.
Grease your hands with oil and form flat balls from the dough. They must be round in shape and have uniform thickness.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Put Tikkis on the pan in batches and roast in low flame. Cook till the tikkis turn brown. Flip over and cook both sides.
Check whether the tikkis have cooked or not. Serve them hot.
This is a tasty and tangy snack made from white peas. This snack dish will refresh you. You can add anything else to this recipe if you want.
Ingredients –
Dried White peas – 1 cup
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Chilli – 1 or 2
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Salt – Half teaspoon
Chaat Masala – 1 teaspoon
Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Mixture – According to taste
Method –
Soak the white peas on the previous day of making Chaat. On the next day, discard water.
In a pressure cooker, put the white peas and add sufficient water to it. Pressure cook for few whistles till they get cooked. Drain the cooked white peas and keep aside.
Chop the onion, tomato, chilli and coriander leaves finely. You can use any mixture that you have.
In a large bowl, put white peas, onion, tomato, chilli, salt, chaat masala, chilli powder and cumin powder. Mix them very well.
Then add lemon juice and coriander leaves to it. Mix it well. Do not put mixture to the bowl.
While serving white peas chaat on a plate, garnish it with mixture.
Poha Cutlet
This is a tasty and healthy snack. It is a perfect balanced snack for people of all ages. You can eat this with any chutney or ketchup.
Ingredients –
Thin Poha (Flattened rice or Beaten rice) – 1 cup
Potato – 2
Onion – Half
Chilli – 2
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder – Half teaspoon
Chaat Masala – Half teaspoon
Salt – Half teaspoon
Peanuts – 2 tablespoons
Besan (Chickpea flour or Gram flour) – 3 tablespoons
Oil – As required for frying
Method –
Wash the Poha with water. Then drain off the water from it. Keep it aside for some time.
Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker and make sure that they are soft. Chop the onion and chilli finely.
In a large mixing bowl, put poha, potato, onion, chilli, coriander leaves, chilli powder, chaat masala and salt. Mash the potato and mix well.
Then add peanuts and besan to it. Mix everything very well. Do not put water to it as potato secretes water.
Make a soft dough from it. Grease your hands with oil and form flat balls from the dough. They must be round in shape and have uniform thickness.
Heat a pan and put oil to it. Put them on the pan in batches and roast in low flame. Cook till the cutlets turn brown. Flip over and cook both sides.
Check whether the cutlets have cooked or not. Serve them hot.
CapsicumFritters
This is a good fried snack. You can eat this with any chutney or ketchup.
The recipe of capsicum fritters is same as that of onion fritters. The only difference is in the main ingredient. You have to use capsicum instead of onion. Cut the capsicum into long pieces. The remaining 8 ingredients remain same. Follow the same method as that of onion fritters.
It is suggested by researchers that a few foods may affect hunger. These could be useful for weight reduction when fused into a stimulating eating regimen and way of life. While no food is an enchantment for weight reduction but, there are some nourishments that can assist you with accomplishing your weight reduction objectives. The vast majority of these included as a feature of a weight reduction diet share a couple of things practically speaking: they’re high in fiber (which helps keep you feeling fuller) and have a low energy density. This implies that you can eat a decent estimated portion without trying too hard on calories.
Eating right has seventy percent role in keeping a healthy and fit body but, the remaining thirsty percent is exercising and physical activities. Though, it is advised to push body to a certain limit by keeping medical conditions in mind, if any.
Eggilicious mornings
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Eggs are famous food, especially for morning meals. Eggs keep you feeling full any longer than oat or toast. The protein and fat in eggs support your vitality levels, keeping you fulfilled for longer and keep you away from mid-day snacking.
Eggs help in losing weight. This is a follow on advantage from keeping you satisfied. Studies have demonstrated that individuals who have eggs for breakfast are bound to shed pounds than the individuals who ate bagels.
Eggs are an incredible source of protein. The yolk and white parts of egg combined eggs are one of the richest source of protein, which means eggs contain all the fundamental amino acids which we should get from our eating regimens. Eggs will in general be moderately reasonable to purchase as a part of everyday food for protein.
Also, eggs are super easy to prepare. For instance, boil two-three eggs and sprinkle it with salt, pepper and green chilies and onions for a quick breakfast to kick start the day. Sometimes, even you can fill the same boiled egg in between a toast with butter.
My preferred breakfast, there’s something delightful about a decent fried egg. Simply heat a little skillet over high warmth, include a little oil, break the eggs and add to the dish. Cook for around 2 minutes or until the whites are simply set. Present with spinach and bunches of dark pepper.
Yogurt is protein-stuffed and loaded with probiotics, which are useful for gut well-being and may help your weight reduction endeavors. Your gut well-being can affect your weight, and eating more fiber and probiotics helps keep your gut microscopic organisms glad, which can be useful for your digestion). Go Greek for more protein; additionally, research from Appetite found that utilization of Greek yogurt was related to diminished craving and expanded satisfaction. Simply watch out for included sugars in seasoned yogurts, which just include calories. Rather, utilize the new natural product to improve plain yogurt like mouth-watering yogurt bowls. Yogurt bowls are brimming with protein, calcium, and probiotics and, let’s face it—they’re path simpler to make than smoothie bowls. Look at these delectable flavor combos:
Chia peanut butter yogurt bowl is definitive on account of a yogurt base and a sound dose of peanut butter, yet we can’t get enough of the fixings. Toffee crunch, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds help to give the morning meal bowl some scrumptious crunch, while blueberries and bananas add some fiber and potassium to your eating regimen.
Cereal has a major impact on making this fruity delightful mix-berry yogurt bowl. The crunchy groups give the bowl some surface while bananas, raspberries, and blueberries welcome on the cell reinforcements, fiber, and nutrient C.
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Berries are a decent source of fiber, including soluble fiber. Studies show that expending soluble fiber hinders the development of food through your stomach related tract, prompting diminished craving and expanded sentiments of totality.
Whole grains by and large (we’re talking oat, rice, pasta, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg) are helpful for weight reduction, particularly when they’re utilized instead of refined—white—grains.
Truth be told, an examination distributed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that subbing entire grains for refined grains in the eating routine expand calorie misfortune by decreasing calories held during processing and accelerating digestion. In contrast to refined grains, entire grains are stuffed with satisfying, heart-solid fiber.
Have nuts your way
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Nuts are incredibly tasty and tempting. Everybody from children to grandparents adores getting a bunch of nutty path blend as a tidbit or crunching on peanut butter treats for dessert. A few people see eating nuts as a guilty pleasure since they are sweet and salty and filling. Despite what might be expected, nuts are a great wellbeing food and basic piece of a decent eating routine.
The fatty check of certain nuts is balanced by the protein punch these nuts give in each serving. Eating a segment of nuts — one ounce or a little bunch — in any event, four times each week can help your wellbeing in an assortment of ways. Here are some wellbeing features of nuts:
Replace fried food with baked, boiled or grilled food
Replace white brad by brown, similar white rice with brown and even the “atta” with bajra flour or whole wheat atta
Go for more natural sweeteners like jaggery in place of white sugar to use as alternate in tea or coffee
The pace at which you eat impacts the amount you eat, so slow down and chew thoroughly
We as a whole need a balanced diet and essential amount of protein, fat, starches, fiber, nutrients, and minerals in our weight control plans to support a sound body
If you haven’t been living under a rock lately, chances are you have heard of TikTok. TikTok is a social media app dedicated to curating the youth culture. It has also become a strong contender to pre-existing social media giants such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. There are indications that TikTok may come to surpass these apps in terms of its reach and popularity quite soon. More and more people are taking to TikTok every day, and you can also see other apps like Instagram curating videos that have originated from TikTok. TikTok is also responsible for bringing the limelight on a lot of underrated music by independent artists and shooting them to fame. But how did it go from being a duplicate version of 2009’s discontinued app Vine to becoming a social media giant in its own right? Let’s find out.
A Brief History Of TikTok.
Tiktok isn’t an independent business venture like most social media apps, nor is it a pioneer like Facebook was. TikTok is a part of a much larger company established in China called ByteDance. ByteDance is the brainchild of thirty-five-year-old Zhang Yiming. It is a company that heavily utilizes artificial intelligence to curate and display content specific to viewership. It first began its venture by launching an online news service that employs the same methodology as TikTok. Soon after the creation of his news service, he utilized his artificial intelligence methods to create the now-viral app, TikTok.
Zhang Yiming now has a net worth of 16$ Billion. He has created his parent company ByteDance and then consecutively TikTok and Douyin, a Chinese version of the same app. According to a recently launched digital report, he now boasts a viewership of 800 million monthly active users. This number has since gone up by 300 million in January 2020.
It is not uncommon for there to be different apps for social media across channels. There are bootleg versions of the same old apps trying to make it big. Then there are apps which have been continuously adapting and improving to fit the bill of the current viewership. Their journey has been that of years of content curation and development to have a cemented online presence. Then how did a company like TikTok, previously considered to be a bootleg version of 2009’s Vine, make it big? What strategy did they resort to?
Interaction. TikTok is less complicated than you think it might be. An unfortunate outcome of social media apps and sites such as Facebook and Instagram is the unattainability they create. Social media lives in Instagram feel too manufactured, too unreal to idealise anymore. Everyone is to put up their best, most glamorous face. Facebook exists because of a generation that failed to move out of the 2000’s version of social media. TikTok provides users with a more interactive interface between creator and customer.
The TikTok Strategy: The Machinations Behind TikTok.
TikTok employs a brilliant strategy that I have only seen once before in its entirety, ‘Customer is King’. Only one other company makes this their ultimate priority; Amazon. The multinational company drops to rock bottom standards just to provide customers with everything they need, on a silver platter. TikTok employs artificial intelligence to do the same. TikTok caters by monitoring user requirements and filling the gaps to bring them what they want without them searching for it. It forces creators to think up of new ways to garner viewership, and not just depend on a single stagnant post to do their work.
Why Does It Work?
If asked four months ago, TikTok would have been a cringy and exhausting app with a bootleg name that you would prefer not to be on. Right now? Not so much. With a significant amount of the younger population of Gen-Z’ers on there right now, TikTok is no longer the small app it used to be though it applies the same strategy. Why so?
A reason that social media has employed since it first started: user attention span. When Facebook first started, it was about making connections and showing people what their friends and acquaintances were up to. It was an excellent way to create a virtual community. However, as social media and means of entertainment expanded, attention spans shrunk.
It began with movies and TV shows. Then we had trailers to movies. Then Facebook’s long drawn out posts and later, Instagram’s visually appealing and instant posts and stories. Everything to meet our shrinking attention span. And TikTok used the same concept to exploit it further. You could call TikTok a tossup between Youtube and Vine. Ever since Vine, there were not many apps that made a lasting impression as TikTok is making right now.
TikTok was never shy about claiming its origins. Primarily from a pioneer in China, TikTok already posed a security threat. What with the minimal to no data security in China, people even now expect TikTok to follow the same trend of having no user data safety. It was indeed the case. While it was not specifically for malicious reasons, TikTok was recording and storing user preferences. It monitored your frequent searches and interests and kept parroting similar content to them. It was quite an ingenious method. However, it also posed a significant security threat: it could expose user preferences and even end up putting lives at risk. Your online footprint is unerasable and is present through every action you take. Initially masked and protected, with companies like ByteDance and Amazon, you are vulnerable now.
Users have accused TikTok of discrimination in the past. They noticed that despite following a personalized process to curating content, TikTok tended to remove videos of people deemed ‘ugly’. People of colour, Black people, people with disabilities were not featured on content pages and were intentionally hidden from users to provide for a more ‘glamorous’ look of the app. While the app’s administration has addressed concerns and in the wake of the BLM protest, apologized, they haven’t actively done anything to improve it.
TikTok is a good app. But like all social media, it must be taken with a grain of salt. Too much of anything isn’t right, and the indulgence in TikTok could encourage us to forget the origins of content. It threatens to reduce and demolish our attention span and our ability to create meaningful connections. It poses a significant threat to actual, time-consuming content creation, and we must work hard to protect it from TikTok.
People are often curious to know the small to small details of their favorite celebrities. I will discuss the complete details of Mahira Sharma in this blog. Mahira Sharma was born on 25 November 1997 in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India. She is an Indian Television Actress and Model. Recently she was seen in Bigg Boss S13 and was a very popular contestant. She is known for her work in the Hindi television series & Punjabi music videos. Mahira is getting more popularity after appearing Bigg Boss S13 as a contestant. She was one of the youngest contestants.
Name
Mahira Sharma
Date of Birth
25 November 1997
Place of birth
Jammu and Kashmir
Nationality
Indian
Religion
Hindu(Brahmin)
Martial Status
Unmarried
Skin Color
Fair
Debut
Y.A.R.O ka Tashan
Mahira Sharma- Family and Personal life
Mahira Sharma with her mother
Mahira is a Brahmin girl born in Jammu. Her mother’s name is Sanya Sharma and there are not many details available regarding his father. She has a brother named Akki Sharma, who is an entrepreneur. There are not many details available about her schooling but she has finished her graduation in Humanities from a private college in Mumbai.
Mahira Sharma was among one of the prettiest contestants in Bigg Boss 13. She is known for her cute looks. Mahira is having a perfect figure 32-26-34. She has brown hair with light gray eyes. The beautiful girl is 5 feet 4 inches.
Height
5 feet 4 inches
Weight
NA
Eyes color
Light Gray
Hair Color
Brown
Body measurements
32-26-34
Mahira Sharma- Career
At the age of 17, Mahira Sharma started modeling. She also got the chance to work in some Punjabi music albums. Mahira has been a part of famous Punjabi song videos, such as Lehanga, Gal Karke, and others. Later on, miss Sharma also played small roles in SAB TV’s Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasma and Partners Trouble Ho Gayi Double. In the year 2018, she played the role of Jaamini in Naagin 3. This show was telecasted on Colors TV. After that, she got the chance to play a supporting actress role named Monisha in Kundali Bhagya. In 2019, Mahira participated in the game reality show “Bigg Boss 13”.
Mahira and Paras posing for their song “Baarish”- Picture credits: Instagram
Before entering into Bigg Boss S13, she has broken up with the actor Abhishek Sharma. In the Bigg Boss S13, there was a strong bond between Mahira Sharma and Paras Chhabra. Many people speculated about both of them being in relation. Often, Mahira and Paras make TikTok videos together and post them in their social handles.
Mahira Sharma is highly active on social media accounts. She has a 1.8 Million follower on Instagram. Also, she uses the Facebook page. These days she is having many followers on TikTok as well. On Twitter, she has 33.7 K followers.
It’s easy when you are at college to through caution to the wind and over-indulge in all the wrong types of food. Many sophomore students pick up more than a couple of unwanted pounds during their first year at college and then take the next 2 or three years trying to regain their former figure.
To avoid having to shed the pounds in the first place, you need a plan and some affordable snack options that are friendly to your health, pocket and your figure.
Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it also keeps your wallet full. Apples are super cheap and packed with nutrients and fibre that will keep you going during the day.
Depending on your favourite brand of apples, you could get away with paying around $1 per pound of deliciousness. And something equally enjoyable and at equally affordable rates is the paper service that really helps students with a high-quality thesis, dissertation and college essays. Especially when you are in lack of strength and need someone’s help with your tasks.
Peanuts are cheap snacks and they are some of the best snacks that you can buy. They make excellent study snacks, seeing that they are packed with protein, fats and oils that your body craves.
One of the reasons why peanuts are so great is because they keep you full for longer and you don’t need to eat a lot at a time.
Oatmeal
If you are short on time, then oatmeal is the snack for you. This is one of those foods that defy nutritional laws. It is high in fibre and protein, yet low in fat and calories, which is not easy to find.
Raw oatmeal is super healthy and if you are not lactose intolerant, you can whip up a bowl in no time with some milk and honey.
String cheese
There is no need to stuff your backpack with all kinds of junk food. String cheese is excellent on the go snack that you can pack for those long days on campus. One stick only has around 80 calories and it is packed with protein and calcium.
The humble chickpea is such a versatile little ingredient that can be turned into several healthy snacks. You could either make your hummus for around $2 and add your flavours, or you could be a bit more adventurous and make your over-roasted chickpea crisps.
Coffee
Although coffee is not necessarily a snack, it is one of those things that no student should go without. Studies have shown that in moderate amounts, coffee improves brain function, reaction time, focus and attention span. To make it a bit easier on the body, take your coffee black and without sugar.
Peanut butter
Peanut butter is an underrated superfood. It is packed with amazing nutrients and you can get a whole jar for around $3. What you do with it is up to your imagination, seeing that it is one of those things that go well with almost anything. Having it on its own is also a great treat.
Trail mix
When you go to the shops, you’ll be tempted to buy trail mix off the shelf, but you are only fooling yourself if you think that it is healthy. If you want a healthy trail mix, you best make your own.
You can’t even screw it up. All you need to do is to buy different nuts and seeds and mix them all. All that is left to do is to apply some portion control and not eat too much.
Air-popped popcorn
The winner of the cheap snacks for college goes to the movie-favourite, popcorn. However, if you want to make a healthy version, you need to air-pop your own and sprinkle a bit o olive oil and salt over it when it is done.
It’s tasty, cheap, healthy and one of the easiest snacks you can make. The best part is that you can consume buckets full because it has next to no calories.
Conclusion
Your diet does not have to suffer while you are in college. Rather, being strapped for cash often helps you be more creative and look for ways to stay healthy on a budget. While you are in college, you could forge healthy habits that could last you a lifetime. Your future self will thank you for thinking out of the box and staying healthy.
Another year, another season of Rick and Morty done and dusted. With times passing, the evolution of animation to suit the standards of adults has ventured out of just anime and into mainstream art. Not only Disney, Pixar or the other animation giants. You see small productions coming out with cynical, realistic and yet surreal TV shows, all neatly packaged into one animated box. Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, these TV shows have given us more of an existential crisis than actual live-action roles themselves. And today we delve into the latest season of fan favourite TV show Rick and Morty. Beware of all the spoilers.
Everything Is The Same, But Not Quite.
Season 4 of Rick and Morty first aired in November of 2019. Feels like a long time back now doesn’t it? As is with all Rick and Morty episodes, the new season was bizarre, cynical and yet refreshing. The story in the first half of the season, that is, the first five episodes, hasn’t seemed to change. Rick is the same Rick and Morty is the same too. Morty and Summer have been getting more and more comfortable in their roles as Rick’s adventure companions. You even notice that Morty’s stutter and hesitation have reduced dramatically.
The first few episodes of Rick and Morty feel more like filler episodes. Delving on each member of the family except for Beth, the season seems quite a bit lack-lustre compared to the previous ones. The show takes a lot of time to poke fun at Jerry’s expense. He is the comic relief for this season’s episodes. And that gets you thinking if there is something heavy-handed the creators have planned for us.
Episodes One to Five Simply Feel Like Fillers, With Some Cry-Worthy Ones Wedged in Between.
This year, Rick and Morty chose to break their season up into two parts. While the first five episodes were released in the November to January period of 2019-20, the rest were released from mid-May through June of 2020. What started as a lacklustre season, suddenly picks up the pace to release bombs after bombs of episodes. However, I’d be remiss in mentioning one of the best scenes in the earlier episodes.
The Old Man and The Seat. The episode is three different levels of messed up, with barely anything making sense. And yet, through it, you manage to sympathise with Jerry and his need for someone, anyone to love him. You cry for Rick and the death of his unlikely friend. You especially cry for a feeling we all seem to understand now: the loss of control. We see how Rick and his nemesis a.k.a Tony both cling to the act of pooping privately in their safe space as it remains the only place they feel in control again. With 2020 being the way it is, I am sure a lot of you feel the same.
Episodes Five to Ten of Rick and Morty Pick Up The Pace.
Now back to the next half of the season. Episode Five was a great way to kickstart part two of the season. With its constant metaphors and its idiosyncratic poking at the narrative of the story, the entire episode felt like a fourth wall break. I especially was interested in the requirement of the Bechdel test to break open the simulation. The episodes following are pretty funny and jarring in their way. One other episode that stands out is the one in which Rick fights God.
Rick is quite the poster child for a dysfunctional dad. We see it throughout the series. He was never there for his daughter Beth and is always wrecking up their lives by being there now. An eccentric genius, it is quite evident that Rick would never be the person who would fit in. He still manages to covet some of the friendships he makes with poopy butthole, and then Birdperson. While all the episodes follow the same narrative and maintain the continuity of Rick’s character, the final episode of the season takes it a step further.
The Finale Episode.
As is with almost all Ricky and Morty seasons, this one too owes to go out with a bang. The story doesn’t begin as either Rick’s or Morty’s, which is a departure from the usual narrative. The story for the final episode begins with Beth. Clone Beth to be exact. Season Four of Rick and Morty has since the beginning given Beth complete reign over her life. Pushing her occupation to a sideline, it focuses on merely her as a person, brilliant and quite terrifying. The last episodes serve simply to amplify that. Clone Beth would be the same as Beth, just more badass and scary if that were possible. She is an assassin and does hit jobs across the universe.
At a medical checkpoint, she comes to know that she has been fitted with a tracer inside her body by her father Rick so that he could make sure to do damage control before she confronted actual Beth. She meets up with Earth Beth, and they both are confused over who is the real one and who is the clone. This is all between an alien federations endeavour to annihilate Earth, and it’s species on the whole. Birdperson is a foe, and Rick is unable to kill him due to his love for his friend when both Beths save the day and disable the settings on Birdperson’s mechanical automation system.
After the entire ‘saving the galaxy’ crusade is over, both Beths seem to realize that it doesn’t matter who the real Beth is. Even both Morty and Summer are happy at having two moms, both indulging them in two different ways. Also, Jerry seems to be glad to see everything resolved and right at home. Everyone is happy and set except for one thing. All of them, the entire family, don’t care. They don’t want to know who the real Beth is. Used to the mishaps Rick commits, they have decided to ignore them, and by extension, him. They leave him alone to his garage where he unlocks a cabinet to reveal a machine containing his memories.
You see, even Rick himself didn’t know which one was Clone Beth. He plugs into the memory tube and goes back to the memory where he gives a choice to Beth; she could roam the galaxy, being the badass woman she wanted to be, with no responsibilities and no life on earth. Or she could simply stay home and be the Beth she was, brilliant and terrifying in her way. However, instead of making a choice, Beth hands the decision to Rick and makes him take an opportunity; which Beth does he want as a daughter. Indecisive, Rick creates a clone of Beth and then has them swapped around till he’d never be able to know which one is the clone.
He admits that he is a terrible father, and decides to find solace in his best friend Bird person but is aggressively rejected. Rick, in the end, is all alone.
The Final End?
The ending of the season isn’t abrupt; it isn’t inconclusive. There are no cliffhangers, and yet you hate it, for the melancholy and sadness you feel. The last episode of the season re-affirms that this show isn’t Rick and Morty’s, it is solely Rick’s. And being solely Rick is a very lonely place to be.
I am sure there shall be another season of Rick and Morty. I refuse to believe otherwise. Rick will probably make a fourth wall break in the final season of the show whenever it comes, and hint towards the end. And that’s when it will all finally culminate. Till then, keep watching, and enjoying the whole existential crisis that is Rick and Morty.
The word underprivileged did not gain its meaning until Covid-19 hit the education industry. Today all educational institutes, universities, colleges, even tuition teachers are conducting online classes to promote e-learning. Have you thought of the unprivileged ones whose parents work day and night to send them to a good school? COVID 19 impact on education and mental health of students is impending day by day.
Most of them do not even have electricity to survive hot summers. They somehow manage to give their children a basic education. These underprivileged people living in areas far from the city are finding it difficult to keep up with e-learning mode. Not only the entire country, but most part of the world is at home these days. A recent report from UNESCO has forecasted learning loss of about 290 million students across 22 countries.
The global lockdown has encouraged people to work from home. E-learning, for example, Telegram, iCloud, Zoom, Google Meet, are not accessible by the unentitled. While we compare online education depriving students, it’s not a challenge. State-wise the entire country is suffering from the COVID 19 impact on education sector. A majority of the population has no access to constant updates from colleges, universities, and educational institutions.
How Things Took Turn
Talking about West Bengal, colleges affiliated with the University of Calcutta have most of the students from remote areas. Teachers of the Calcutta university have conducted individual surveys to look for students who lack computers, laptops smartphones for online classes.
The apprehension towards digital education has given a big hit for those who have smartphones but lack good connectivity. Good connectivity costs more than transportation. These backward section students usually come from families with low income and not living in a 2 BHK flat in an elite community.
Teachers have shown generosity by offering data plans for a few students who somehow managed a smartphone. The education system needs to be responsive to learners. The laid back attitude will not provide a uniform solution. The crisis has glaringly exposed governmental setup and lack of backup.
Politics work on the mantra of “never lose an opportunity”. The bitter truth of no efficient practice in place has left the world vulnerable. This is to the extent that profound revelation of the so-called blanketed, deprived world is no more gaining attention. Whats exposed stays exposed.
It may shock you to learn – the electricity distribution scheme, Saubhagya Scheme has a 99.9% revelation regarding electricity distribution. Luminosity arises on how many households constantly receive the supply, the total number of hours, and consistency. On the other hand, the Ministry of Rural Development under the Mission Antodya Scheme is open on the statistics of distribution. Only 16% of Indian households receive 8 hours of electricity a day, whereas 47% receive more than 12 hours a day.
Education Require Direct Human Engagement
The desperate attempt of the Indian government to control the COVID-19 pandemic is now heading towards downfall. Eventually, someday the lockdown will not be here. Even though the chances of congregations and physical spaces allowing people to enjoy nature may still not be available.
Educational campuses may not allow 100% attendance unless cases go under a particular mark. Most of the colleges and Universities have students appearing for 10th 12th, final year students waiting for their campusing, third-year students waiting for the semester exams to get over.
In addition to it, a lot of unemployed individuals are hoping for the realization of promotion and offer letters. The graduation batches have suffered a great deal of anxiety when the semester dividend was declared as zero semesters. The immediate transition from a physical classroom to a virtual class on Zoom, Google meet is somehow difficult.
Although, the eventual progression did not stop education from reaching students. These attempts are meaningful. However, the core educational process is depriving the majority of students, who couldn’t attend virtual classes and could only afford sitting in a classroom at the expense of their family’s minimum income.
COVID 19 impact on education statistics shows only 24% of the entire population own a smartphone. How far does owning it helps cover complete education? Well, watching videos, putting up with attendance is still manageable. In the long run, examinations, research, and lengthy assignments won’t make it to the table. On the other hand, 11% own a computer laptop/ palmtop. Is this a fair number?
Not only in India, but the majority of students worldwide also lack connections for the setup to conduct an online class or learn remotely. With growing news spreading across every media channel more and more nations have come forward to confront a similar reality. To cite a few case studies that I have been through, a family consisting of 4 members with a single smartphone has no idea how to conduct two different classes at the same time for two different children.
More so when one of the parents has to go to a distant work. The phone is the only mode of connection they have. Various other sectors which were previously considered online luxuries are transforming into daily necessities. Turned overnight, this has led to a gradual cutoff and an increased impact on education and students.
The COVID-19 impact on educational institutions has left a disparate impact on the rich and poor, the lower and the upper. The world is yet to confront a lot more difficulties than what has already been reported. If reports are to be believed about 770 million learners have been affected worldwide, as reported by the United Nations in China. About 60 to 80 million people lack the support of an Internet connection according to its government statistics.
Coming back to the COVID 19 impact on education India, nearly 16 lakh children from poor families and remote locations with a distracted educational life. Delhi government run by the Aam Aadmi Party has taken up an initiative in teaching students of class 12 via zoom classes.
However, the struggle still remains. Those without access to the virtual world are still looking up in the face of the government for security education and better provincial management. Students mostly in primary and middle schools are struggling. This is because of the lack of assignments. Students are finding it difficult to study mathematics and scientific subjects on WhatsApp, Telegram, and other such platforms.
Leaving the private schools, we have municipal schools in a much worse condition. The government has directed notification written on pen and paper to the school principals and teachers to take up initiatives and assign work virtually. The reality is here to shake you to the core. Some families who have somehow managed a smartphone have no idea how to use a virtual platform.
Parents going on essential service duties are bound to take phones being the only mode of connection. Delhi individually runs 45 schools with 30,000 students on the autonomous body of the ministry of home affairs. Under the Municipal Council, there are 1028 schools with 15 lakh students struggling on zoom classes.
Onslaught of online classes
Apart from a huge number of challenges thrown in the face of the population worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an onslaught of online classes. Let’s rewind to the day when all private schools decided to start classes online. Of course, parents were almost in a situation of a nervous breakdown and suddenly there was a shortage of a proper device – a phone or a computer.
On the other hand, the struggle taken up by the teachers, and the fear of losing track, the tiredness of constantly coping up with the new challenge every day is showing up on their faces. The entire situation is off unpreparedness, discomfort, and quite a traumatic one. There are chances the current situation will be worse if schools do not prepare for infrastructure logistics and devices during this lockdown.
There will not be classes where students will be sitting side-by-side adjusting five of them on a single bench, post lockdown. Social distancing will be truly in force. The non-accessibility of a device’s proper connection has led a lot of students to take a break from education. This is not to demean a school from the other but if private schools are struggling so much imagine how Government schools are coping up.
The government has taken up an initiative like television classes, community radio, the Diksha app so that education reaches the remotest area possible. The cost of taking up internet connectivity is one-side. Later come the wagging tail of purchasing a smartphone or another device that has left millions without food and water.
There are chances the lockdown may be lifted for some time and again brought into force. However online classes will be active. This initiative is to avoid the school crowd and ensure the maintenance of social distancing. With hundreds and thousands of migrants moving from state to state, country to country, and overseas – the spread of COVID-19 has not diminished yet.
Even if private schools open in some States the chances that rural schools will be opened are less. Virtual education will be in place, no matter what.. Sad but true. What the governments must look into are long term measures. Students deprived of the basics for online education should be given some relief to saturate their educational needs.
E-Learning – More Economical
In spite of the challenges, we cannot overlook the opportunity. The technological boost will not only help every child to focus individually without disturbance. It will avail interrogative sessions on a one-on-one basis with the teacher as and when required. If you compare a cost analysis of classrooms, accessible roads, transportation, study material, food water electricity in comparison to the cost incurred in online classes, of course, the latter is low.
Therefore e-Learning is for more economical in the long run. Rural students who can manage to access the virtual classes will benefit from teachers who conduct quality teaching from all over the country. This will also help rural students to have hands-on experience in technological tools and outweigh the little burden that rural education puts on students compared to private education.
This will also ensure no school dropouts for those who can continue to the virtual classes. The horizontal spread of education is proving to be the most economical way of education in most of the Latin American countries.
Need Of A Balanced Educational Model
No matter how privilege is helping a single section of the community is, there is no way we can overlook the majority of the sections losing basic necessities. To reduce the gap between rural and urban education a balanced educational model with equal training opportunities may act as a boon for the country. recent studies have talked about the partnership IBM is developing with Kimia education network.
This partnership is a generous aim to provide reflief from the COVID 19 impact on education in South Africa. This partnership is a public-private partnership model for developing countries. India can replicate a similar partnership model to build a bridge connecting the loopholes and deliver quality education. UNESCO along with other NGOs have provided helping hand to the developing countries for the betterment of the current situation.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development is currently prioritizing online learning and seeking support from the ministry of finance. However, organizations working towards a similar goal have suggested that better results can be used as if the Ministry of Human Resource Development partnered with the Ministry of Electronics and information technology along with the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship.
This will not only bring success in less time but also prove to be a Holistic approach to electronic learning. E-Learning should not only focus on education of content and images but it should be considering modes that are user-friendly. Moreover, the engaging thought process which is both skill-base and merit-based with a lot of regional content that can imbibe easily.
Global Initiatives – the impact of COVID-19 on global education and its solution
The impact of COVID-19 on global education and its solution has forced the government to build a model comfortable for both the teacher and the student. Schools should adopt appropriate practices to keep social distancing in place, safeguard vital services. Young people can be engaged in as a helping hand. Those who have managed a smartphone but not proper connectivity have reportedly attended classes on mountain tops, the only place they receive proper cellular signals.
Migrant laborers are finding it a hard time to balance work and childcare together. Companies such as Lark, a Singapore based collaboration has developed its own tool to meet exponential growth. This tool is named ByteDance which is now offering students and teachers an opportunity to conduct unlimited video conferencing, real-time editing of project work, and a better way to schedule classes.
On the other hand, Alibaba’s solution towards distance learning DingTalk is in progress to support remote work. Alibaba’s self-built platform, Alibaba Cloud will be housing more than 1 lakh server setting a record of rapid capacity expansion. The famous media house BBChas powered its own virtual learning platform, bitesize daily, which has been recently launched on the 28 of April. This platform is allowing children of the United Kingdom to have curriculum-based learning from celebrities.
The Bottom Line
The COVID -19 impact on education industry has left the current scenario with uncertainties. It is constantly shifting to a new mode, with improvements discovered until recently. With insufficient bandwidth, no preparation, no training, education is heading towards a poor experience that will be acting as a restraint in sustained growth. Researchers have suggested a hybrid model in the system of education.
It may pool significant benefits. It is high time information technology integration receives appraisal. This acceleration will make online education, not only made mandate but is an integral component of schooling. Various universities across the globe have already transitioned, for example, Asian University has already offered 5000 plus courses to be completed online in a span of two weeks.
Many of us have heard about Coursera which offers online education and certification courses. Imperial College London is providing a selective course on the science of coronavirus which has been recently launched on Coursera. This year opportunities are many challenges are even more. The pandemic is all set to widen the digital divide however let’s focus on what keeps us motivated.
