Think Pieces reviewed and written by Lakshmi and Seetha Ram

mouthwash isn't a treatment for COVID-19, but could potentially lower your risk for infection and transmission to others. So gargle away, but continue to practice other safety measures like socially distancing, wearing a mask , and washing your hands often. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/can-mouthwash-protect-against-covid-19-47858437?utm_medium=10today.media.noad.20201029.436.2&utm_source=email&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=10-for-today---4.0-styling   —

Mr Turchin reckons that each year America produces some 25,000 "surplus" lawyers. Over 30% of British graduates are "overeducated" relative to their jobs. Good analysis. What do you think?  https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2020/10/24/can-too-many-brainy-people-be-a-dangerous-thing

Follow the steps in this book and you'll be on your way to replacing that detritus with a fresh way of looking at your "self" and your relation to the world. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2020/10/24/books/book-reviews/zen-wisdom-for-the-anxious/?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=72&pnespid=fMBohBnlaSsAtep1tLn7Z_HZdBxYJDqhRU1k —

Well written and new finding.  A striking difference between the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV is the presence, in the former, of a polybasic sequence motif, RRAR, at the S1/S2 boundary.  https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/10/19/science.abd3072?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=covid_bytes_daily_newsletter —

In Japan, it's sometimes said that the eyes speak as much as the mouth. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/07/04/national/science-health/japans-history-wearing-masks-coronavirus/ Best regards Seetha Ram

From the societal perspective, the finding from this study underscores that this unprecedented investment in sanitation has significant benefits, particularly for the poorest. The subsidy value of 12,000 Indian Rupees (US$ 186) chosen by the Government of India in 2014 is sufficient to pay for a simple model of a single pit latrine, and therefore it essentially provided the backbone of the investment for eligible households. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X20301789    — Best Regards Seetha Ram https://www.adb.org/publications/handbook-high-speed-rail-quality-life  

Amazing. Did you know? Doctors May Have Found Secretive New Organs in the Center of Your Head https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/health/saliva-glands-new-organs.html?referringSource=articleShare Best regards Seetha Ram

Silent breakfast is a wellness practice that is helping some people cope with the pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/style/self-care/silent-breakfast-mindfulness.html Best regards Seetha Ram

Remote working is not possible for everyone, of course. There is a long list of industries, from emergency services to hospitality and retail, where people need to turn up to their place of work. But for many office workers, remote working is perfectly sensible. https://www.economist.com/business/2020/10/17/countering-the-tyranny-of-the-clock

Fugaku-developed face shields may offer lifeline OS­AMU TSUKI­MORI STAFF WRITER The face shield is made of a transparent thermoplastic material and its mouth covering can be easily moved to the side so that people can eat while wearing it. The product, which also protects the eyes, is now being tested at several restaurants in the Tokyo area. Toppan said it plans to make the final computer-aided design available for free to the public so that any manufacturer can produce it.  The Japan Times Oct 15, 2020 Read more... Lucky you. This email was sent to you by a user of PressReader, who thought you'd be interested in reading this story. It means you get to click the link and read it. It does not, however, mean you get any licenses, express or implied, to the intellectual property, copyrighted material, or trademarks of PressReader or any of our content partners. PressReader Inc., 200-13111 Vanier Place, Richmond BC V6V 2J1, Canada Pres...

The importance of the WASH program is even greater for resource-constrained economies, like developing economies, for building resilience. We believe that spending on core health infrastructure and the improved WASH program can play an indispensable role in preventing pandemics like COVID-19 through limiting human-to-human transmission during outbreaks. From: Asia Pathways < asia_pathways@adbi.org > Subject: Asia Pathways: COVID-19 reminds us to prioritize "water supply, sanitation, and hygiene" (WASH) to reduce child mortality Date: October 15, 2020 10:01:45 JST To: KE Seetha Ram < keseetharam@gmail.com > Reply-To: Asia Pathways < asia_pathways@adbi.org > Asia Pathways is the blog of the Asian Development Bank Institute. It publishes short, original articles on economics and development in Asia and the Pacific. Subscribe at   https://bit.ly/2QuuY5s . Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser . COVID-19 reminds us to prioritize "wa...

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/life-purpose?cid=other-eml-nsl-mip-mck&hlkid=5d81767c805f409ca0b1c8eac2e1379c&hctky=9223897&hdpid=599f65e7-8c3c-46a0-80ce-857a86476e50# Your life purpose can be mapped to nine universal values. You have access to all nine to some degree, but the exact mix is unique to you. Our research uncovered three common patterns based on these values: the free spirit, the achiever, and the caregiver. Are you like one of these? Or do you identify as something else entirely, based on your own combination of the nine values? And what does it mean for your life at work? With love and best wishes, Appa

https://www.railway-technology.com/features/private-rail-india/ Private operators are being invited to run services across India's rail network for the first time.  —

To lure manufacturers away from the mainland, though, India is going to have to convince them that they'll be able to operate just as easily and efficiently as they can in China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2020/10/04/commentary/world-commentary/india-copy-china/?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=72&pnespid=Zsw6xkikYTEAK6e1EHbfhHgB.I3G5EQ4ptIE  

It's probably "not possible to go back to the pre-COVID era," said Yoshitaka Watanabe, who manages JR East 's marketing department. The industry had been expecting a V-shaped recovery — now it will likely be an L-curve, he said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/10/05/business/corporate-business/japan-bullet-trains-empty-seats/ — Best Regards Seetha Ram https://www.adb.org/publications/handbook-high-speed-rail-quality-life 

The Tata name thus pervades all aspects of Indian life.  https://www.economist.com/business/2020/10/03/can-tata-sons-regain-its-footing