Consult with one of India’s most renowned pulse masters, Vaidya Smita Naram, and Dr. Tom Mitchell, chiropractic physician.
Tuesday, February 20 and Wednesday, February 21, 2024 10 am until 7 pm in Raleigh
Each appointment includes the following:
• 15-minute consultation with Vaidya Naram & Dr. Mitchell
• Dr. Mitchell and Vaidya Naram will recommend effective botanical medicines that can resolve acute and chronic conditions or help sustain optimal health.
• 15-minute food and lifestyle consultation
- The package of consults costs $95 per person.
- Additional cost for supplements
Please reserve your consultation by calling 919-785-2200.
Hello Readers
The Unites States Invented Shopping Malls. China is writing their next chapter. See the story on page 28. Check our latest Upcoming Movie Releases on page 34. Read about "Tears of Courage" in the A Teenage Story column beginning on page 40.
Are we finally approaching "Normalization" as far as the Federal Reserve is concerned? Read about how the Fed may start to reduce rates on page 46.
Read the informative piece "Retiring on Social Security and Medicare" on page 54. We have a new puzzle section called “Tune Your Brain.” Find it on page 98. Looking for a life partner, a job, or a new business? Check our classifieds section beginning on page 108.
We are thankful to you for being an avid Saathee reader. We ask that you share Saathee with friends and family. We would be happy to add anyone in the Carolinas to the Saathee subscription base at no charge, simply visit saathee.com/subscription. Stay warm.
Don’t forget to visit our website, Saathee.com for the latest in movies, events, classifieds and more. We welcome conversations.
Connect with us via email: saathee@saathee.com.
“I
always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”
- Lily Tomlin
Cover: Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand
Kedarnath, perched in the Himalayas at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, is a stone temple dedicated to Shiva.
Photo: Adobe Stock
America and the Indian Subcontinent.” February 2024 Issue # 309 - Saathee.comEditor Samir Shukla (Samir@Saathee.com)
Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla
704-527-7570 or saatheemag@hotmail.com Digital Media & Marketing
Jennifer W. Allen Ad Design / Layout DSJ Graphics & Manimaran
Contributors for this issue: Kirit Shukla, Raajeev Aggerwhil, Dipika Kohli, Shikha Singh, Sereena Kumar, Mo Vidwans, Rupa Pereira, Ketu Desai, and Jalendu Vaidya.
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(USPS 021-116) (ISSN: 1543-8147) is published monthly by:
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Our interactions, social and, especially, political, seem to have become a giant compost pile, something we must constantly stir and layer properly, to keep it from stinking and sinking further into divisiveness and atrophy.
We toss food scraps and leftovers into compost bins and piles, so after a while some rich organic material will result and can be used to help bring nutrients back into scarred lands on Earth.
What we also need is more nutrient-rich social compost, to help bring logic and reason back into our scorched political divisions and strained relations (cultural, generational). The prime nutrients needed here are simple: truth and common sense.
A lovely recent morning promised an even lovelier day, the sun was mellow, the breeze danced with the trees, and the temperature was cool, but comfy. I finished the last bit of my morning chai and headed out the door for the day’s work.
While driving to work, a political talking head on a radio station was raising alarms about something. I can’t remember what it was about because I was trying to dodge a speeding jerk zig zagging through traffic, almost sideswiping me, twice. I honked my horn, let out some spicy words and drove on.
Anyway, getting back to the conversation on the radio, the gist of it was that we must do such and such by a certain time soon or all hell is going to break loose. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong.
Alarmists, those alarm raisers, who yell wolf, especially without sufficient or logical reason, often by exaggerating or elevating perceived dangers or impending calamities, are mushrooming. They are becoming influencers.
This alarmism, sometimes about the most benign maladies, has the effect of scaring and unhinging even usually reasonable folks.
The Triangle Wine & Food Experience benefits the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center. Winemakers and celebrity chefs from all over the world, as well as thousands of donors and supporters, will participate. The threeday affair between February 1-3, 2024 and includes winery dinners at the Triangle’s top restaurants, wine tastings at area wine shops, and trade events. The weekend culminates in a Grand Auction, which features a selection of diverse wines and food. Info: Trianglewinefood.org.
North Carolina Jazz Festival: Wilmington, NC (February 1 - 3, 2024)
Enjoy one of the largest traditional jazz festivals in the Southeast from February 1-3, 2024. This musical weekend starts on Thursday evening and then continues Friday and Saturday night with four-hour concerts featuring 15 sets with six or seven musicians per set (each with a different leader). Come experience some fantastic musicians from around the globe. Get the details: Ncjazzfestival.org.
Hilton Head Marathon: (February 10, 2024)
The Hilton Head Island Marathon returns on Saturday, February 10, 2024, for another fun day of running through Hilton Head Island. Join thousands of runners across three distances (marathon, half, and 5k) and experience this scenic race that’s one of the premier running events in the region. With all races finishing at the same after party, you’ll celebrate your accomplishments with an after party featuring beer, free food, great tunes, and some race swag. Info: Hhmarathon.com.
Queen City Brewers Festival: Charlotte, NC (February 10, 2024)
Queen City Brewers Festival brings together the Charlotte region’s craft beverage producers, celebrates their contributions to the Queen City and serves an organization that helps to improve the quality of life of individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. In 2024, the festival will benefit Envision Charlotte, a Charlotte-based non-profit organization that looks to make the city a more circular economy by building a sustainable future for generations to come. Join the festivities the day before Super Bowl on February 10, 2024, from 1-4pm. Info: Qcbrewfest.com.
Ice Skating at the Whitewater Center:
Charlotte, NC (Through February 11, 2024)
Every year, the Upper Pond of the whitewater system converts into a unique ice-skating experience open to all ages and experience levels. The Whitewater Center’s ice rink consists of over 24,000 sq ft of unique skating space split into four distinct skating areas, including two ice trails and two free skate zones. Centered in the converted pond is an on-ice Airstream serving hot and cold beverages when guests need a skate break. Enjoy skating through February 11, 2024. Details: Center.whitewater.org/activity/ice-skating.
Rick Steves Lecture: Charlotte, NC (February 15, 2024)
Travel author and host of public television’s “Rick Steves’ Europe” and public radio’s “Travel with Rick Steves” will give a talk on Thursday, February 15, 2024 beginning at 6pm at Knight Theater. Prepare to be transported on a cultural journey filled with tales of exploration, global insights, and the secrets to unlocking the wonders of the world. The event is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte. More details at Worldaffairscharlotte.org/events.
Hot Chocolate Run: Charlotte, NC (February 17, 2024)
America’s sweetest run is back with another indulgent Hot Chocolate Run season in Charlotte on February 17, 2024. With 5K, 10K, and 15K distances and a postrun party that’ll make participants go cocoa crazy, enjoy running and a chocolate celebration. It takes place at First Ward Park 301 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC. Races start at 7:30am. Gear check opens 60 mins before start time. There will be an expo the night before on Friday, February 16, 2024 at Charlotte Convention Center, Richardson Ballroom, 501 S College St. The chocolate expo is free to the public and runs from 11am – 6pm. More details at: Hotchocolate15k.com/city/charlotte.
Next to Sangam Mart
Upcoming Events
Dog Days of Winter: Charlotte, NC (February 17, 2024)
Bharat
Celebrate winter with your four-legged friends at the Dog Days of Winter on February 17, 2024, from 9am – 7pm with a variety of activities ranging from a 5K trail race, 1 mile walk, adoption events, ice rink access, dog yoga, doggy vendors and more. It will take place at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte. Details: center.whitewater.org.
Ke Rang Ekal Ke Sang: Carolinas (February 18 - 24, 2024)
Ekal Vidyalya presents their annual fundraising concerts with the show “Bharat Ke Rang Ekal Ke Sang” slated to take place on these dates in the Carolinas: February 18, 2024 (Columbia, SC), February 23, 2024 (Fayetteville, NC), and February 24, 2024 (Charlotte, NC). For more details, visit Ekal.org.
Beaufort International Film Festival: (February 20 - 25, 2024)
The Beaufort International Film Festival and programs, coupled with fun and thoughtprovoking films, events and series, is committed to serving the community via entertainment, outreach, and education through film. For more details and a list of films being screened, visit Beaufortfilmfestival.com.
Wilmington
Marathon: (February 24,2024)
This is the perfect Boston Marathon qualifying event. The course starts in Wrightsville Beach and makes a straight shot into downtown Wilmington. The back half of the marathon is in beautiful Greenfield Lake and will finish at Live Oak Bank Pavilion. Come span the Cape Fear Coast and run at the Wilmington Marathon on Saturday, February 24, 2024. More Information: Wilmingtonncmarathon.com.
An Evening with Dan Buettner: Charlotte, NC (February 27, 2024)
Dan Buettner is an explorer, a National Geographic Fellow, an award-winning journalist and producer, and an author. He discovered the five places in the world – dubbed blue zones hotspots – where people live the longest, healthiest lives. He will give a talk on “Unlocking the Secrets of
Happiness,” on February 27, 2024, 7pm, at the Sandra Levine Theatre, Queens University of Charlotte. Science shows that where we live — not education, marital status or wealth — is the biggest, controllable factor that determines our happiness. Learn more at this talk with Buettner. Get the details and tickets at: Queens.edu/learningsociety.
Train Time IMAX:
Charlotte, NC (Through March 8, 2024)
Climb aboard the ultimate adventure on wheels. Feel the rumble of massive diesels and discover the art and science of running the greatest trains. Traverse tens of thousands of miles, witnessing brutal challenges and breathtaking landscapes. Weaving modern tech with steam locomotives, grit, and glamour, “Train Time” is more than a film; it’s an emotional voyage into the grand tapestry of American railroading. Led by the director of the renowned IMAX Experience “Rocky Mountain Express,” this film is captured on a 15/70mm motion picture film designed for giant screens. For more details, visit Discoveryplace.org.
Maha Shivaratri Celebrations:
Charlotte, NC (March 8, 2024)
The Hindu Center of Charlotte presents the annual Maha Shivaratri celebrations on Friday, March 8, 2024. There will be activities running through the night. For more details, call 704-5353440 or visit Hcclt.org.
Upcoming Events
Charleston Wine + Food: (March 6 - 10, 2024)
Charleston Wine + Food infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, experts, and food enthusiasts from around the globe for any event that spans the weekend of March 6 - 10, 2024. For more information, visit Charlestonwineandfood.com.
Neil deGrasse Tyson:
Charlotte, NC (March 11, 2024)
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will guide the audience through cool and occasionally scary things in the universe, such as Black Holes, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Diamond stars, Gamma Ray bursts, White Holes, Worm Holes, and Multiverses. The talk takes place on March 11, 2024, 7:30pm at Belk Theater, Charlotte, NC. For more details, visit Blumenthalarts.org.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert:
Charlotte, NC (March 15 - 16, 2024)
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will perform a live score of the beloved film Star Wars: The Force Awakens on March 15 - 16, 2024 (7:30pm both nights) at Belk Theater, 103 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. For more details on tickets, visit Blumenthalarts.org.
Green River Revival:
Charlotte, NC (March 16, 2024)
Kick off springtime festivities with Green River Revival beginning at 9am. Watch as the Whitewater Center’s resident leprechaun transform the river green for St Patrick’s Day. Start the day with the Color Me Green 5K Trail Run before rafting down the river and listening to live music on March 16, 2024. U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte. For more details, call 704-391-3900 or visit Whitewater.org.
Heartfulness Institute Event with Smt. Uma Mullapudi Morrisville, NC (March 17, 2024)
An evening of pranayama, meditation, book launch, and cultural program presented by the Triangle Chapter of American Telugu Association & HSNC on Sunday, March 17th, from 4-6:30 pm at the HSNC Cultural Hall in Morrisville, NC. Keynote speaker will be Smt. Uma Mullapudi, renowned speaker and Heartfulness trainer. The topic will be “Understanding Spiritual Journey.” Followed by a meditation session and release of the newly published book, Spiritual Anatomy: Meditation, Chakras, and the Journey to the Center by Kamlesh D. Patel, Global Guide of Heartfulness. For details, email Raleigh.center@gmail.com
Nuv Yug India Fest: Raleigh, NC (March 23, 2024)
The 22nd anniversary Nuv Yug India Fest will be held at the Jim Graham Building at the State Fairgrounds, Raleigh on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Registration is free for performers and admission and parking are free. Enjoy myriad dance and cultural performances along with food, vendors, arts, and crafts at this popular festival featuring the cultural experience that is India. Nuv Yug India Fest is an annual event that has become one of the most popular India-related events in North Carolina’s Triangle area. For full details, visit Nuvyug.org.
TGA Holi: Morrisville, NC (March 23, 2024)
Triangle Gujarati Association will celebrate Holi on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at HSNC Main Hall, 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC. Enjoy the colorful holiday with music, food, and Holi colors. All choreographers interested in TGA Holi 2024, email events@nctga.org for more details. Bring the whole family. More details for the event available at: Nctga.org.
Upcoming Events
Dinosaur World Live!:
Cornelius, NC (March 29 – 30, 2024)
Discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and life-like) dinosaurs. On March 29 - 30, 2024, meet a host of impressive creatures, including the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus. A special meet and greet after the show offers all brave explorers the chance to make a new dinosaur friend. This family-friendly event will take place live on stage at Cain Center for the Arts, 21348 Catawba Ave, Cornelius, NC. For more details, call 980-689-3101 or visit Cainarts.org.
Dhuleti: Charlotte, NC (March 31, 2024)
Hindu Center of Charlotte presents the annual Holi Dhuleti fun on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at 12:30pm. Enjoy lots of music, food and of course plenty of fun with colors. For more details, call 704-535-3440 or visit Hcclt.org.
Dances of India: Kannapolis, NC (April 6, 2024)
Dr. Maha Gingrich presents the 21st anniversary of Dances of India which will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2024 beginning at 4pm. Each classical and folk-dance performance will be live on stage at the Kannapolis Performing Arts Center on 415 Martin Luther King, Jr Drive. Free parking. Tickets are $12 per person (link coming soon). For more details, visit mahasdancesofindia.com.
Amjad Ali Khan Concert:
Charlotte, NC (April 26, 2024)
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan will perform live along with Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash on Friday, April 26, 2024 at Knight Theater in Charlotte beginning at 8pm. For more details, visit Blumenthalarts.org.
Keep up with all the events happening in our region with Saathee Magazine. Upcoming events in our area include Amjad Ali Khan, NuvYug India Fest, TGA Holi, MerleFest, Hasan Minhaj, Dances of India, and many more. The best way to find them is in these pages or online at our regularly updated events section:
Saathee.com/events
The US Invented Shopping Malls
China is Writing their Next Chapter
The Chinese are making creative use of excess mall space.
By John Rennie Short
On a recent research trip to China, I wandered through the Oasis Mall in suburban Shanghai. Like many Chinese shopping centers, this complex was filled with empty stores that reflected the end of China’s 30-year-long economic expansion. But there also were surprises.
Along a stretch of the mall’s interior walkway, a cluster of parents and grandparents sat on chairs. They were looking through a plate glass window, watching a dozen 5- to 7-year-old girls practice ballet steps, carefully following their teacher’s choreography. A space initially designed for retail had been turned into a dance studio.
From 1990 through 2020, large, shiny shopping malls embodied China’s spectacular economic growth. They sprouted in cities large and small to meet consumer demand from an emerging middle class that was keen to express its newfound affluence. These centers look familiar to American eyes, which isn’t surprising: U.S. architectural firms built 170 malls in China during this period.
Like their U.S. counterparts, many Chinese malls have fallen on hard times. The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of online shopping have devastated foot traffic, leaving the nation with a huge overhang of retail space. But many Chinese malls are being re-imagined by owners and users as palaces of experience – civic areas for communities to meet and interact, with new configurations of public and private space.
As a longtime urban policy scholar, I was fascinated by the new uses I saw for malls in China. In my view, these experiments could become models for new, creative uses of retail space in the U.S., where the mall was invented.
Serving a new consumer class
China opened to foreign trade and investment less than 50 years ago. Since then, it has become the world’s secondlargest economy, surpassed only by the U.S.
Rising incomes and a massive population shift from rural areas to cities have created a growing middle class with significant purchasing power. GDP per capita increased from US$293 in 1985 to $12,500 by 2021.
Today, approximately 350 million Chinese – 25 percent of the total population – can be considered middle class. More recent economic growth has generated growing income inequality that now is equivalent to U.S. levels.
Malls became a motif of modernity during the country’s economic expansion. They offered consumers year-round protection from heat, humidity, cold and frost, as well as from busy streets and polluting traffic. Malls were safe environments where the steadily increasing numbers of more affluent Chinese families could shop and eat, stroll and meet.
Over the past 30 years, China’s malls have faced economic booms and slumps. For example, the New South China Mall in Dongguan – which is twice the size of Minnesota’s Mall of America, its largest U.S. counterpart – opened in 2005. But most of its 2,300 storefronts remained closed for over a decade as China fought off recession after the 2008 world financial crisis.
China, as in the U.S., what scholars once described as the “magic of the mall” has become an “allure of ruins.”
Malls with Chinese characteristics
But the Chinese are making creative use of excess mall space. New users are filling nonretail areas, such as indoor walkways and atriums that now house café tables. Others have become children’s play spaces filled with giant inflatable figures. The Raffles City Mall in Shenzen has a rooftop pet playground, a stage, an art display area and a sun-shaded lawn.
China’s informal economy of food stalls and sidewalk merchants is also filling the void. Although street vending has a long history in China, government officials sought to suppress it in recent years, calling it unsanitary and a throwback to pre-modern times. Now, however, they are encouraging it as a way to reduce growing unemployment, especially among young people, which currently exceeds 20 percent.
China weathered that downturn through aggressive economic stimulus policies, and within a decade it replaced the U.S. as the world’s top driver of economic growth. This expansion buoyed its retail sector, including shopping centers. By 2018, a renovated and modernized New South China Mall was near full occupancy.
Then COVID-19 struck in 2020. The Chinese government adopted a rigid zero-COVID policy, in which local governments could impose lockdowns after detecting just a few cases.
Hundreds of millions of people were restricted to their homes for weeks or months at a stretch.
This policy was lifted only in late 2022. China’s economy has yet to fully recover, and many experts argue that it will never again reach its previous rates of growth. An aging population, trade wars with the U.S. and a government focused on centralizing power under the Communist Party are all acting as drags on the economy, and online shopping is drawing consumers away from stores.
As a result, Chinese media reports abound with stories about well-known stores and venerable malls closing. In
During my trip, I saw small-scale entrepreneurs selling produce, street food and crafts in mall parking lots and around public entrances. The distinction between public and private spaces is being reconfigured as vendors set up stalls in areas that once were open space. Empty store spaces are also being repurposed. Some have been converted into electric vehicle showrooms, art museums and children’s play centers with dance studios, paddling pools, small skating rinks, gyms and yoga centers. Others have been redesigned as sites for art or cooking classes, or for multiplayer electronic gaming and virtual reality experiences.
The Dream Time Mall in Wuhan contains an indoor snow center that offers ski lessons, ice mazes and tubing.
I see these experiments as a shift in the meaning of the mall. What began as a cathedral of retail consumerism is becoming a place where people can connect and enjoy individual and collective experiences that aren’t available online.
Some U.S. malls are moving in this direction, but China is doing it on a much larger scale. Just as former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping once asserted that his government was pursuing its own version of socialism, with “Chinese characteristics,” the U.S.-designed mall is being rewritten with Chinese characters.
Article courtesy of theconversation.com
John Rennie Short is Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Upcoming Movie Releases
February 9
Lisa Frankenstein (Director: Zelda Williams)
Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Joe Chrest, and Carla Gugino
It Ends with Us (Director: Justin Baldoni)
Cast: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, and Hasan Minhaj
February 16
Operation Valentine
(Director: Shakti Pratap Singh Hada)
Cast: Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar
Land of the Bad
(Director: William Eubank)
Cast: Liam Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, Luke Hemsworth, and Russell Crowe
Soorarai Pottru (Director: Sudha Kongara)
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Radhika Madan
Bob Marley: One Love
(Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green)
Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, and James Norton
Madame Web
(Director: S J Clarkson)
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Adam Scott, Sydney Sweeney, and Emma Roberts
Bleeding Love (Director: Emma Westenberg)
Cast: Clara McGregor and Ewan McGregor
February 23
Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam
(Director: Anand Tiwari)
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Ammy Virk, and Tripti Dimri
Drive-Away Dolls
(Director: Ethan Coen)
Cast: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Pedro Pascal, and Matt Damon
Crakk (Director: Aditya Datt)
Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Nora Fatehi, Arjun Rampal, and Amy Jackson
Ordinary Angels (Director: Jon Gunn)
Cast: Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Drew Powell, and Amy Acker
March 1
Laapataa Ladies (Director: Kiran Rao)
Cast: Ravi Kishan, Nitanshi Goel, and Chhaya Kadam
Dune: Part Two
(Director: Denis Villeneuve)
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem
March 8
Kung Fu Panda 4 (Director: Mike Mitchell)
Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, and Bryan Cranston
Cabrini (Director: Alejandro Monteverde)
Cast: John Lithgow and David Morse
Imaginary (Director: Jeff Wadlow)
Cast: DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, and Veronica Falcon
Love Lies Bleeding (Director: Rose Glass)
Cast: Anna Baryshnikov, Kristen Stewart, Jena Malone, Ed Harris, Catherin Haun, and Dave Franco
The Monk and the Gun Pawo Choyning Dorji (Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom), directs Harry Einhorn and Tandin Phubz in The Monk and the Gun. It is about an American who travels into Bhutan in search of a treasure and crosses path with a young monk who wanders through the mountains, as instructed by his teacher to set things right again. Releases on February 9, 2024.
Operation
Valentine
A patriotic, edge-of-theseat entertainer and will showcase our Air Force heroes on the frontlines and the challenges they faced as they fought one of the biggest, fiercest aerial attacks that India has ever seen. Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar star in the film directed by Shakti Pratap Singh that opens on February 16, 2024.
Land of the Bad
William Eubank directs Land of the Bad, about a rookie air force combat controller and a seasoned drone pilot who support a Delta Force team as they try to shift a mission gone wrong into a rescue operation. Starring Liam Hemsworth, Ricky Whittle, and Russell Crowe. Releases on February 16, 2024.
Drive-Away Dolls
Ethan Coen directs Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, and Geraldine Viswanathan in Drive-Away Dolls. Two young women embark on an unexpected road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals. The movie is out on February 23, 2024.
Kung Fu Panda 4
After Po is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior, while a wicked sorceress plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. The film features voices of Jack Black and Awkwafina. It releases on March 8, 2024.
Arthur
the King
An adventure racer adopts a stray dog named Arthur to join him in an epic endurance race. Mark Wahlberg and Nathalie Emmanuel star while and it is directed by Siman Cellan Jones. It is slated for release on March 22, 2024.
The Bull Salman Khan is reportedly training for 3.5 hours daily in preparation for his role in Karan Johar’s The Bull. According to Bollywood Hungama, “Salman Khan to play Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, who led Operation Cactus in 1988 in the Maldives. He will be a paramilitary officer.” The film will be directed by Vishnu Vardhan. No release date yet.
Attention Hotel / Motel Owners
Attention Hotel / Motel Owners
Tears of Courage
Tears of Courage
Just because sadness is intangible does not mean it is made-up.
A
Teenage Story by
Sereena Kumar
I don’t cry because I am weak; I cry because I am strong. It’s cathartic on a biological and mental level when the tears roll down and the lump of anxiety in my throat dissipates. I live in the moment, I acknowledge that I am sad, and my human body naturally reacts to that. How can anyone tell me that I am weak by being human? The first time I cried in front of my classmates, I was done for. The class was full of brains programmed to think and perfectly answer questions while my brain was programmed to panic and freeze at the sight of conflict.
I put myself in a different category from them and consequently, my tears betrayed my emotions on the first chemistry test I took. Despite my hazy vision and ragged exhales, I managed to tell my reluctant feet to start dragging their way across the floor towards my teacher. I took the “walk of shame” towards my teacher’s desk, making sure to cover my eyes with my bangs and did the seemingly impossible. I expressed my need for a break to my teacher— a moment of peace to breathe away from prying eyes.
Admitting that I needed help seemed like the biggest deal in my life and the downfall of my sophomore year where I was supposed to be the optimistic girl who smiled until her cheeks hurt. As I look back at my distressing experience with a clearer lens and with kindness for myself, I realize that asking for a break wasn’t disgraceful. It was the best decision I had ever made as a high school student, ultimately teaching me a valuable lesson that can only be learned through a moment of vulnerability.
As a rule of thumb, it seem that it is only acceptable to acknowledge that you’re mentally unwell when your feelings of anguish take on a physical form. Just because sadness is intangible does not mean it is made-up. You may not be able to hold it in the palm of your hand, but you can undeniably hold it in your beating heart. So many thoughts
ANISH SHAH
ANISH SHAH
NC & SC REALTOR®
NC & SC REALTOR®
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WATERSIDE AT CATAWBA
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Stately home in LKN boasts amazing outdoor private Living area with prof perennial landscape and lighting. Covered Screen back porch with stone ghout (exbdrms). Gourmet Kit with High-end SS Appliances, Double ovens, and Carrera marble counters. Master Suite on Main. 2 Laundry rooms (or a craft room). Formal LR/Study. Great Room & Dining Room w/ dbl-sided Fireplace and Wine cooler. Pride of ownership shows through-out. Call for pricing.
PIPER GLEN
Amazing, Executive, Private, Culde-sac home in Sought after Piper Glen. Over an Acre lot with Water view. Open floor plan with lots of natural light. Two story foyer and great room, gourmet European style Kitchen with commercial grade appliances. Study/Library. Stately Primary bedroom and bathroom. Spacious secondary bedrooms. Large walk-in closets throughout. Basement is made for entertaining with a bar, wine cellar, and exercise room. 2nd Living quarters with separate entrance. Beautiful outdoor spaces including an in-ground pool, outdoor kitchen, covered patios, balconies, etc. Five car Garage. Extensive landscaping. Totally private oasis. Superb location: Walk to Trader's Joe, Four mile creek, Starbucks, etc. This one is a must see. $9,995/month
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The Constant Fear to Love Yourself
The Desire for Our Own Individuality and a Need to be Accepted
Mirror, Mirror by Jennifer Allen
“To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” ~ E.E.
Cummings
Over the years, I’ve regularly chosen to examine the subject of Love for the February issue. It seems fitting, does it not, when one of the most celebrated (and commercialized) holidays of the year pertains to that very concept. It is, after all, one of the fundamental emotions by which a multitude of species are able to interact with each other.
Ancient Greek philosophy further deconstructed each conceptual type of love; eventually breaking it down to six different forms: Agápe (divine love), Éros (intimate love), Philia (friendship or brotherly love), Storge (familial love), Xenia (hospitable love), and Philautia (self-love).
The last of these terms is oftentimes misinterpreted as narcissistic, as loving oneself first and foremost can be seen as wholly unhealthy. Yet in more modern times, particularly in the 21st century, the perception of self-love
has shifted considerably. While there are still those who take a vainer approach to their wellbeing, the general populace has embraced the more encouraging mindset of Philautia.
The true paradox we now face in this modern world is the delicate balance between the desire for our own individuality and a need to be accepted (or even celebrated) by others for/in spite of it.
An ever-growing part of our global social media syndicate is instantaneous praise by means of ‘likes’, ‘clicks’, and ‘comments’. If you say or show something a majority of people don’t agree with, your reputation could be irrevocably tarnished. People are now losing their jobs due to videos posted online depicting unacceptable behavior.
The conceptualization first vocalized by Frederich Nietzsche that our world is made up entirely of personal perceptions is so on the nose when we are besieged by smart camera angles, widely available editing tools, and emerging AI technology to recalibrate any and all media to suit the creator’s intended intention. You can’t go anywhere in public without someone suddenly having a smartphone in hand ready to record anything and everything within that person’s perspective, and even then, that recording may not be completely accurate once shown to the public.
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Normalization
Eye on the Markets
by Ketu Desai
We are entering a new phase. For much of the past two years, the Fed has been raising rates, inflation was at high levels, and growth was uneven and volatile. In many ways, the past couple of years have been part of the normalization process from the excess of pandemic policy. In 2024, the Fed will likely cut rates, inflation will hit the Fed’s target of 2 percent and growth will be steady. The normalization of the economy will provide businesses with more clarity. Many businesses have been frozen, waiting to see how rates and the economy evolve. Rate cuts will be a huge weight that is removed. The housing market will lead the thawing, as rates are cut. Redfin said that in the final weeks of the year, they saw a double-digit increase in homeowners contacting agents. The latest housing starts data surged 14.8 percent, well above forecasts. It is likely with more clarity and lower rates a new capex cycle begins. The IPO market was down 33 percent in
Rate cuts will happen because something good is happening
2023. This year will likely see over 200 IPOs, bringing us back to pre-pandemic levels. Deal volume, down a quarter in 2023, is likely to pick up in 2024 as clarity promotes more risk-taking. Just in the final weeks of 2023, we saw a $14.1bn deal for US Steel, a potential to take DocuSign private, a hostile bid for Wyndham, a $5.8bn bid for Macy’s, Honeywell buying a Carrier unit for $5bn, a takeover bid for Neiman Marcus, a $10bn deal from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers made two acquisitions including one $14bn biotech acquisition, and Occidental buying CrownRock. There will be plenty of capital looking for deals. Corporations have approximately $4 trillion in cash on their balance sheets. Banks are likely to lend more in 2024, as there is less pressure on their balance sheets. There is nearly $2 trillion in private credit that is looking to be deployed. Private equity has another $2.6 trillion in dry powder. There is $6.1 trillion in money market funds. As rates are cut and reset lower on money market assets, much of that capital will look for a new home. Equities will be among the beneficiaries of these flows. Despite a strong year in equity markets, 2023 saw more than a $200bn outflow.
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Going Places
and the Way II by
Dipika Kohli
Wherever you go, they say, there you are.
I’m into the idea of noticing small moments, taking in the visual details, in the place where I happen to be. The last two years have been quite stationary for me. No world travels. There are advantages to this. For one, people come to visit you. You go around together, then, to the main tourist sights and you see them take photos and you recall all over again the things you used to find cool about Phnom Penh, but grew too used to, over time. You see your visitors in a new way, too, your old friends, because they’re out of the context from where you’d first met or spent a lot of time in, and this kind of discovery has its own set of joys.
I’m walking. I’m out in the air at sunset hour, like I used to be in other places, in other times. Like Ho Chi Minh City, on my 5 o’clock walks by the canal for the better part of 2021, when I was there, waiting for borders to reopen with Cambodia, as we collectively anticipated the pandemic coming to an “end.” Or, in northern Finland, a place called Kärsämäki, where I got to experience midsummer in 2018. An opportunity had come along that I said ‘yes’ to, perhaps because I had pictured myself in a place that had tons of nature and was very quiet and calm.
In that time and place I had a bicycle lent to me, so I could use that to go somewhere, which usually was a spot off to the side of the main road that I called ‘The Three Rocks.’ Two friends came to visit me in that town, in that summer; now that I think back, I remember around evening time, not exactly ‘sunset’, due to latitude, but still, around five or so, we cycled over to this spot. Off to the side, somewhere relaxed and quiet.
Wherever I wind up in the world I like to drift over to these kinds of places. They’re much more informal, after all, and people aren’t trying to overdo it in front of tourists. You know what I’m talking about, you see it everywhere in the world that has travelers.
Kismuth continued on page 84
Kismuth
Osho
Meditation
Osho
Retiring on Social Security and Medicare Retiring on Social Security and Medicare
Financially
Speaking
by Rupa Pereira
If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you know someone who’s retired or nearing retirement, while you may be employed or self-employed and your retirement may be in the distant horizon.
To understand why this is an important topic, let’s look at the shift that has happened since the 90s when a sizeable South Asian diaspora began moving west-ward thanks to a globalization of the workforce. This demographic has therefore a significant employment history and is either approaching retirement or will be there in a decade or two. Retiring in the United States past your 60s can mean relying on social insurance programs such as Social Security and Medicare if one has paid into them through the years of gainful employment.
Regardless of the size of your nest egg, Social Security provides a dependable, lifetime income stream. It is the foundation of every retiree’s retirement plan. But it is estimated that retirees will collectively lose $3.4 trillion in potential income by claiming Social Security at the wrong time—impacting lifetime benefits and overall retirement security.
Here is some context on this program. The Social Security Act dates to 1935 and through the years has evolved to support families through various life transitions whether it is retirement, death, divorce, or disability.
Social Security is a federal program funded primarily through payroll taxes collected from both the workers and their employers, up to a certain wage-base which in 2024 is $168,600. Thus, if your taxable wage is within that limit, you’re contributing 6.2 percent of your wages towards the Social Security Trust Fund. Disbursements from this fund pay out checks to current baby boomers (those in their 60s)
The system operates on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, meaning the taxes collected from today’s workers are used to pay benefits to current retirees, survivors, and disabled
Financially Speaking continued on page 96
Spot the Differences
See if you can spot the 15 differences between the original photo below and modified photo on the right.
Answers are on page 104.
Bitter Cauliflower Bitter Cauliflower
Raajeev’s Corner
by Raajeev Aggerwhil
One of the most difficult challenges in any career is failure - and more specifically, the why of failure. Why was success denied to me? While it can often be a far more productive trait to blame oneself, it’s not always the correct choice - especially since it so often automatically assumes that the failure was within your control. As a standup comedian, I’ve faced failure many times and, surprisingly, one of the lowest moments of my comedy career was not at a comedy club.
Failing in a comedy club? Sure, that’s happened to me plenty of times… as any number of painfully silent audience members can attest to! But the worst? It was at a wedding reception in Denmark for my wife’s cousin, who had decided to marry a Danish guy. I joked with my wife that her cousin had trouble finding an Indian guy in the San Francisco Bay Area because of the small pool size!
My wife’s uncle’s family is close to us, so we went to Denmark to attend the weddings. Yes, they had two weddings. First a Christian wedding at a church followed by a reception dinner. Then they had a Hindu wedding at a hotel followed by another reception. I thought it was a fantastic idea. Two
weddings and two receptions, but I still only need to buy one gift. As any bania will tell you, we love a good “2-for1” deal!
This was an international wedding; many of my wife’s relatives from India, the US and London made it to Denmark. Unfortunately for me, the thousands of miles of distance still weren’t enough to keep them from hearing about my career as a comic. They kept asking if I was going to do stand-up. I told them that, much like the US Military, I follow a strict policy of “Don’t ask, don’t tell”: If the host doesn’t ask, I don’t tell jokes! Believe me, it was in everyone’s best interests; if the bride thought I was trying to steal her spotlight, she’d make that military drill sergeant look downright sweet!
I do have to take a moment to mention, the vegetarian food at the reception dinner was terrible. Some people don’t know what to do with vegetables. All they know is “kill, cut, and barbecue” - and none of those apply if the food didn’t start its life walking.
They served half-cooked full cauliflower – like it was a steak and then covered it with brown barbecue sauce. It was horrible! Serving bland cauliflower with brown barbecue sauce was a bit weird. I don’t know if they were making a statement about racial integrity or just lacked creativity.
I guess they thought we’d be too in awe of the location to notice we couldn’t consume any of the food inside it;
Raajeev continued on page
Tax Strategies for Retirees
There are Three Definite Segments of Age that Need to be Considered
Personal Finances by
Mo Vidwans
An obvious question that pops up, in my head at least, is why would retirees have a problem or any concern with taxes? Generally, their income will be down compared to when they were working full time. They will be withdrawing and not adding money to their accounts and the expenses will keep going up every year, at the least with current inflation.
Well, all of that is true but there are many retirees who can earn as much, or even more, as they may spend in their retired life and they have the usual coterie of pension (maybe), social security income for sure and RMDs at some age of their life that they have to deal with.
I get at least one question a month about additional surcharges they are paying on their regular Medicare premiums because their income has gone up. Now this sudden income rise can be temporary, and you may not pay that additional tax (called IRMAA surcharges; explained in the December 2023 article) for more than a year. But the point is perhaps that the IRMAA surcharges could have been avoided too if we had planned our withdrawals well.
There is a conflicting dilemma all retirees face: on one side they must stretch out their total asset base as much as possible and on the other side they must make sure that they are able to live reasonably well for the rest of their lives. This is a conflicting requirement to say the least.
I am not considering here their most important asset, if we can call it that, which is their own health. Health is important but we cannot put value on it because it is fickle and fleeting, to say the least, at the age when people retire.
Before I go any further, let me also point out that there are three definite segments of a person’s age that need to be considered and different decisions need to be made in those age brackets when they get serious, and thoughts of retiring become prominent in their minds.
These age brackets are 1: from 59.5 to 65, 2: from 65 to 73 (75 after year 2033), and 3: 73 (or 75) and up. It will also become clear in your mind that to consider minimizing the impact of taxes you have to consider the entire period from 59.5 to 73.
Why is this entire period important? Pivotal points are 59.5, 65 and 73 (75 after year 2033). After 59.5 you can withdraw from your retirement accounts without paying additional penalty; you still always must pay regular income taxes on all such withdrawals. At 65 Medicare coverage starts and I think most of us know that even if we keep working after that the place where we work will make Medicare as primary health insurer and, if the employer offers its own plan, it will be secondary. Very rarely do I notice an employer not doing this. At 73, we reach a point where we must start withdrawing from our retirement accounts, what is known as RMD (Required Minimum Distributions), and we do not have a choice there.
Obviously, retirees have some variables to consider and deal with. They have their own variety of assets consisting of three items that retirees will struggle with - 1: their own savings accumulated over the years, 2: their own illiquid asset base like house(s), vacation property or properties, cars, special jewelry, 3: the non-taxable assets like 401K and IRAs and other monthly incomes like social security and annuities.
From the tax point of view, my observation is that at 73 people get very upset because RMD sets in and it forces the income to go up, sometimes substantially, and the end result is not only it could push us into higher tax bracket but sometimes IRMAA kicks in too, adding at least $100 per month additional premium per person. If you are filing married filing jointly (MFJ) then it is a hit of $100 for each.
So let us now look at the three age groups that I mentioned earlier. It will be beneficial to go backwards; hence let me first consider the last bracket of 73+. Because one must withdraw at this age, the retiree is a bit helpless here if nothing is done in earlier brackets to abate the taxes. But there is hope. You have heard of QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution). You also may have realized at that stage in your life that with no mortgage to make monthly payments on and a 7.5 percent reduction of health expenses before they can be deducted it is difficult to reach the high bar of standard deduction and many taxpayers cannot take advantage of what is available for itemizing deductions.
If that is where you are then you can at least take all the cash donations, which would have been wasted for tax
India to play Pakistan in New York at T20 World Cup
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), rivals India and Pakistan will play their Twenty20 World Cup group game in New York on June 9, 2024, while co-hosts United States will take on Canada in the opening match. The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies, runs from June 1-29, 2024, beginning with the U.S. playing Canada in Dallas. According to Reuters, the event will feature 20 teams divided into four groups and a total of 55 matches, with a 34,000-seat modular stadium in New York hosting eight games, including the India-Pakistan clash. While the group matches will be held in Dallas, Florida, and New York, the Super Eight, semi-finals, and final are set for the West Indies, culminating in the championship game on June 29, 2024, in Barbados.
Satya Nadella Named CNN Business CEO of the Year
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, was recently named 2023 CEO of the year by the staff of CNN Business.
According to CNN, “In 2023, the company’s CEO Satya Nadella made a multi-billion-dollar investment in AI, commercialized, and added AI tools like ChatGPT into its suite of products before rivals, and stunned industry onlookers with his ability to handle a crisis quickly, calmly, and thoughtfully. Under his leadership, the company is re-emerging as a tech innovator after years of riding the success of Windows. Wall Street has noticed, too: Microsoft’s stock is up 55% this year.”
CNN further notes, “Since 2018, the CNN Business’ team of writers and editors have met at the end of each year to select one person whose executive performance stood out. The process is admittedly subjective — we choose someone based on criteria that shifts year to year.”
Nadella was born in India and came to the United States in the late 1980s to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, later receiving an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Producer Raj Kapoor Named Showrunner for Oscars
The founder of Raj Kapoor Productions, a company that specializes in event productions and has worked with Academy Awards and entertainers like Mariah Carey and Coldplay, Raj Kapoor, has been chosen as the executive producer and showrunner of the 2024 Oscars, along with Katy Mullan. Kapoor, no relation to the iconic Indian actor or the Kapoor family, began his career as a choreographer and now runs a production house.
“As a Canadian boy of South Asian descent and a girl from London who grew up watching the Oscars, dreaming of being part of it, this is a ‘pinch me’ moment,’” Kapoor and Mullan said in a joint statement. “This has been an exceptional year for the movies, and it’s an absolute privilege to be leading the team celebrating the global film industry and the astounding talents that bring these cinematic stories to life. We’re dedicated to making it a remarkable celebration for all.”
The Oscars take place on March 10, 2024.
Modi to Address Event in UAE
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the “Ahlan Modi” diaspora event in Abu Dhabi, UAE on February 13, 2024. The event is expected to draw some 50,000 people. United Arab Emirates hosts the second largest Indian diaspora in the world with over 3 million Indian residents. This event precedes the inauguration of the BAPS Hindu Mandir on February 14, 2024, a project initiated after the UAE allocated land following Modi’s 2015 visit. IndiaUAE bilateral trade is now valued at approximately $73 billion.
Grant for S-Line Passenger Rail Route Between Raleigh and Richmond
NC Governor Roy Cooper joined US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at Raleigh Union Station in early December to announce the S-Line, a faster passenger rail route between Raleigh and
Richmond. The $1.09 billion discretionary federal grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law championed by President Biden.
“Passenger rail is booming in North Carolina as people look for safer, faster and more affordable transportation,” said Governor Cooper. “We are investing in our growing passenger rail options and this federal grant is a gamechanger that will make it easier than ever to travel to Richmond, Washington, DC and the Northeast.”
“Under President Biden, we are finally delivering the world-class passenger rail service that Americans ought to have,” said Pete Buttigieg. “We’re making it faster, easier, and more affordable for people to visit friends and family, and travel for business. And we’re doing it all while creating a new generation of good-paying jobs.”
“This project embodies our vision for a multimodal transportation system that works well for everyone,” said N.C. Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “We envision residents in rural and urban communities will have access to a reliable regional rail service, with seamless and safe first and last mile connections to key destinations.”
Governor Cooper and Secretary Buttigieg were joined by Congresswoman Deborah Ross, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, former Congressman David Price, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert and other local elected officials and passenger rail advocates.
The Federal Railroad Administration grant awarded to the N.C. Department of Transportation will be used to complete the initial phase of the Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program, which includes construction on the S-Line rail corridor from Raleigh to Wake Forest. The $1.09 billion grant marks the largest grant the NCDOT has received to date.
The S-Line rail corridor is a freight line, owned by CSX, that connects Richmond and Raleigh on the federallydesignated Southeast Corridor. Virginia has already acquired the line in their state from CSX, and North Carolina officials are working to finish a deal to purchase the corridor in North Carolina.
Officials will use the $1.09 billion grant for final engineering design, right of way acquisition and construction costs for the section of the S-Line from Raleigh to Wake Forest. The money will also be used on new and upgraded track, replacement of at-grade crossings with highway/rail overpasses.
BAPS
in February
The inauguration of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is set for February 14, 2024. After an invitation was extended by Swami Ishwarcharandas and Swami Brahmaviharidas, along with the board of directors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration ceremony. Modi expressed his support for the historic temple and work. BAPS spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj, highlighting the uniqueness of this project, stated, “The Mandir is like a lotus blossoming in the desert,” reflecting the impact this Mandir will make on the world, humanity, and the future. For more details, visit Baps.org.
USCIS Updates Policy Guidance for International Students
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance regarding the F and M student nonimmigrant classifications, including the agency’s role in adjudicating applications for employment authorization, change of status, extension of stay, and reinstatement of status for these students and their dependents in the United States.
This guidance consolidates existing policy. USCIS expects that this will provide clarity to international students and U.S. educational institutions on a wealth of
topics, including eligibility requirements, school transfers, practical training, and on- and off-campus employment.
For example, the guidance clarifies that F and M students must have a foreign residence that they do not intend to abandon, but that such students may be the beneficiary of a permanent labor certification application or immigrant visa petition and may still be able to demonstrate their intention to depart after a temporary period of stay.
In addition, the guidance specifies how F students seeking an extension of optional practical training (OPT) based on their degree in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field may be employed by startup companies, as long as the employer adheres to the training plan requirements, remains in good standing with E-Verify, and provides compensation commensurate to that provided to similarly situated U.S. workers, among other requirements.
The nonimmigrant academic student (F-1) classification allows a noncitizen to enter the United States as a full-time student at a college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution, or in a language training program. The nonimmigrant vocational student (M-1) classification includes students in established vocational or other recognized nonacademic programs, other than language training programs.
For more information about the USCIS guidance, visit USCIS.gov.
Amdavad, Pune, and Kolkata are India’s Most Affordable Cities
According to the latest Affordability Index Report by real estate consultancy firm Knight Frank India, the cities of Amdavad (Gujarat), Pune (Maharashtra), and Kolkata (West Bengal) are most affordable for home buyers in India. Mumbai remains the most expensive followed by Hyderabad. Amdavad tops the list of affordable housing markets with an EMI-to-income ratio for households at 21 percent. According to Knight Frank, this means that an average household in Amdavad would need to spend 21 percent of its income to pay the EMI for a home loan. The
next most affordable housing markets are Pune and Kolkata, both of which have an EMI-to-income ratio of 24 percent. Bengaluru is the fourth most expensive market with an affordability index of 26 percent in 2023.
“While marginally better than last year, home affordability across cities also significantly improved since the pre-pandemic year of 2019. And expected moderation in inflation and projected downward trend in interest rates should further improve home affordability in 2024,” the report states.
Shakti Nominated for Grammy
The popular fusion group Shakti, founded by Zakir Hussain and John McLaughlin, has been nominated by the Grammys for Best Global Music Album for their recording, This Moment. Shakti’s Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia also nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Global Music Performance and Best Instrumental Composition for their work with banjo great Béla Fleck and bassist Edgar Meyer. The name of the album is As We Speak. Pianist and composer Vijay Iyer’s collaboration with Arooj Aftab and New York’s Shahzad Ismaily bagged a nomination for Best Alternative Jazz Album, Love in Exile, and Best Global Music Performance. The song “Abundance in Millets” by Falu and Gaurav Shah (featuring PM Modi) is nominated for Best Global Music Performance. The Grammy awards ceremony will take place on February 4, 2024.
NASA and UAE Announce Artemis Lunar Gateway Airlock
An artist’s concept of Gateway (left) and an artist’s concept of a government reference airlock (right). Image NASA
NASA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on January 7, 2024 plans for the space center to provide an airlock for Gateway, humanity’s first space station that will orbit the Moon. The lunar space station will support NASA’s missions for long-term exploration of the Moon under Artemis for the benefit of all.
Sabarmati Riverfront, Amdavad
“As chair of the National Space Council, I have made it a priority to enhance international cooperation in space. Today’s announcement and partnership between the United States and United Arab Emirates advances this important work. By combining our resources, scientific capacity, and technical skill, the U.S. and UAE will further our collective vision for space and ensure it presents extraordinary opportunities for everyone here on Earth,” said Vice President Kamala Harris.
Under a new implementing arrangement expanding their human spaceflight collaboration with NASA through Gateway, MBRSC will provide Gateway’s Crew and Science Airlock module, as well as a UAE astronaut to fly to the lunar space station on a future Artemis mission.
“The United States and the United Arab Emirates are marking a historic moment in our nations’ collaboration in space, and the future of human space exploration,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “We are in a new era of exploration through Artemis – strengthened by the peaceful and international exploration of space. The UAE’s provision of the airlock to Gateway will allow astronauts to conduct groundbreaking science in deep space and prepare to one day send humanity to Mars.”
In addition to operating the airlock, MBRSC also will provide engineering support for the life of the lunar space station. The airlock will allow crew and science research transfers to and from the habitable environment of Gateway’s pressurized crew modules to the vacuum of space. These transfers will support broader science in the deep space environment, as well as Gateway maintenance.
Gateway will support sustained exploration and research in deep space, provide a home for astronauts to live and work, including a staging point for lunar surface missions, and an opportunity to conduct spacewalks while orbiting the Moon.
NASA’s Artemis program is the most diverse and broad coalition of nations in human exploration in deep space. In collaboration with the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and now the MBRSC, NASA will return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars.
Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone to send the first astronauts to Mars.
Find more details: Nasa.gov/artemis
AAPI’s 17th Annual Global Healthcare Summit in New Delhi
The 17th annual Global Healthcare Summit held by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) ended with a call and commitment to help bridge the Digital Gap in Healthcare delivery system in India with the effective utilization of modern technology.
For the first time ever, AAPI hosted the annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) in two cities in India, giving delegates, who are coming from the United States to
participate and gain a unique perspective and experience India from the North to the South.
GHS 2024 was in New Delhi from January 1 – 3, 2024 and at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, MAHE in Karnataka from January 4 – 6, 2024. The GHS was inaugurated at the prestigious Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi with a memorable New Year’s Day Eve celebration on December 31, 2023.
This year’s theme was “Cutting Edge in Healthcare and Artificial Intelligence” and held at the pioneering All India Medical Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Le Meriden Hotel was attended by over a hundred delegates from around the world and over 250 physicians and medical students from several Medical Schools and Hospitals from across India in New Delhi.
In her welcome address, Dr. Anjana Samadder, President of AAPI said, “I extend my warmest greetings to each and every one of you attending this prestigious 17th annual Global Healthcare Summit in New Delhi and Manipal. For the first time it is being held in two cities, in collaboration with prestigious institutions, such as AIIMS, New Delhi and MAHE in Manipal. As the president of AAPI, I’m honored to welcome a diverse gathering of experts, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocates dedicate dedicated to advancing global health. I want to thank was speakers and sponsors for their contributions.”
GHS is being organized by AAPI in collaboration with AAIMS, Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, the Indian Medical Association, and the Government of the State of Karnataka and the Global Association of Indian Medical Students (GAIMS),
Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Chair of GHS 2024 said, “With the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, AAPI has rightly chosen to focus on the future of Healthcare and Artificial Intelligence during the GHS 2024, and is being organized in collaboration with AIIMs, and University of Manipal, which are in the league of the best academic centers. With the invention of Artificial Intelligence, we want to explore its impact on Medicine and Healthcare in the 21st century.”
Leaders of National Board of Examination in Medical Science (NBEMS) India, National Board of Examination in Medical Science (NBME) USA, and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) were among the panelists that discussed and educated the aspiring medical students from some of the premium Medical Schools in India who had keenly participated at the panel discussion.
For more details, visit: Aapiusa.org
Older Americans Feel Trapped in Medicare Advantage Plans Older Americans Feel Trapped in Medicare Advantage Plans
By Sarah Jane Tribble
In 2016, Richard Timmins went to a free informational seminar to learn more about Medicare coverage.
“I listened to the insurance agent and, basically, he really promoted Medicare Advantage,” Timmins said. The agent described less expensive and broader coverage offered by the plans, which are funded largely by the government but administered by private insurance companies.
For Timmins, who is now 76, it made economic sense then to sign up. And his decision was great, for a while.
Then, three years ago, he noticed a lesion on his right earlobe.
“I have a family history of melanoma. And so, I was kind of tuned in to that and thinking about that,” Timmins said of the growth, which doctors later diagnosed as malignant melanoma. “It started to grow and started to become rather painful.”
Timmins, though, discovered that his enrollment in a Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plan would mean a limited network of doctors and the potential need for preapproval, or prior authorization, from the insurer before getting care. The experience, he said, made getting care more difficult, and now he wants to switch back to traditional, government-administered Medicare.
But he can’t. And he’s not alone.
“I have very little control over my actual medical care,” he said, adding that he now advises friends not to sign up for the private plans. “I think that people are not understanding what Medicare Advantage is all about.”
Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown substantially in the past few decades, enticing more than half of all eligible people, primarily those 65 or older, with low premium costs and perks like dental and vision insurance. And as the private plans’ share of the Medicare patient pie has ballooned to 30.8
million people, so too have concerns about the insurers’ aggressive sales tactics and misleading coverage claims.
Enrollees, like Timmins, who sign on when they are healthy can find themselves trapped as they grow older and sicker.
“It’s one of those things that people might like them on the front end because of their low to zero premiums and if they are getting a couple of these extra benefits — the vision, dental, that kind of thing,” said Christine Huberty, a lead benefit specialist supervising attorney for the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources.
“But it’s when they actually need to use it for these bigger issues,” Huberty said, “that’s when people realize, ‘Oh no, this isn’t going to help me at all.’”
Medicare pays private insurers a fixed amount per Medicare Advantage enrollee and in many cases also pays out bonuses, which the insurers can use to provide supplemental benefits. Huberty said those extra benefits work as an incentive to “get people to join the plan” but that the plans then “restrict the access to so many services and coverage for the bigger stuff.”
David Meyers, assistant professor of health services, policy, and practice at the Brown University School of Public Health, analyzed a decade of Medicare Advantage enrollment and found that about 50% of beneficiaries — rural and urban — left their contract by the end of five years. Most of those enrollees switched to another Medicare Advantage plan rather than traditional Medicare.
In the study, Meyers and his co-authors muse that switching plans could be a positive sign of a free marketplace but that it could also signal “unmeasured discontent” with Medicare Advantage.
“The problem is that once you get into Medicare Advantage, if you have a couple of chronic conditions and you want to leave Medicare Advantage, even if Medicare Advantage isn’t meeting your needs, you might not have any ability to switch back to traditional Medicare,” Meyers said.
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We Welcome You to Become a Part of This Loving Spiritual Family
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by Shikha Singh
Instagram: @spicymillennial
Pav Bhaji Bites
Elevate your potluck game with Pav Bhaji Bites, a tantalizing fusion of earthy flavors and aromatic Indian spices. These bite-sized delights feature a savory filling prepared in advance for effortless prep. Imagine a medley of mashed vegetables infused with a symphony of spices, generously spooned onto bite-sized phyllo cups. Each flavorful bite is a celebration of the iconic street food, making it a surefire hit at your next potluck dinner. Prepare to impress with this convenient and delectable twist on a classic favorite.
Ingredients Directions
1 red potato boiled and peeled
1 sweet potato boiled and peeled
1 medium white onion chopped finely
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp minced ginger
1 ½ tsp salt
8 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
3 green chilis finely chopped
1/2 light coconut milk
1 tsp turmeric
2 packages of phyllo cups (or 30 cups)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, tomatoes and onion for topping
Servings: About 30
Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
Step One: Mash both potatoes in a bowl and set aside.
Step Two: Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Cook until translucent.
Step Three: Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and green chilis.
Step Four: Mix in the potatoes and coconut milk. Cook for 5-10 mins. Allow it to cool in the fridge.
Step Five: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and insert empty phyllo shells for 5 mins.
Step Six: Place about a tsp of the potato filling in each cup and top with cilantro, onion and tomatoes!
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Increase Your
Knowledge
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of islands situated at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The two sets of islands became a union territory of the Republic of India in 1956.
The Andaman Islands, located on the ancient ocean trade route between India and Myanmar, were visited by the navy of the English East India Company in 1789, and in 1872 they were linked administratively by the British to the Nicobar Islands.
Port Blair is the Capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is located on the east coast of the South Andaman Island.
Although there are hundreds of islands, very few of them are inhabited. Roughly two dozen of the Andaman Islands support human settlements, while only 12 of the Nicobar Islands are populated.
The territory is recognized for its indigenous communities, which have avoided extensive interaction with ethnic outsiders. The Andaman Islands are also home to the Sentinelese people, an uncontacted tribe.
The islands host the Andaman and Nicobar Command, the only tri-service geographical command of the Indian Armed Forces.
The islands, peaks of a submerged mountain range, form an arc stretching southward for some 620 miles between Myanmar (Burma) and the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.
The islands are known as world class diving destinations with pristine white sand beaches.
Chandnis Chandnis
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Nathalie Ortiz Pate PA-C, MPH
USA Knowledge Increase Your
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States.
It is located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida.
Puerto Rico is Spanish for “rich port.”
Puerto Rico has 17 lakes, all man-made and more than 50 rivers.
Puerto Ricans emerged mainly from three traditions, Taíno, African, and Spanish.
Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873. After the Spanish-American war ended in 1898, Puerto Rico and Guam were ceded to the United States as part of the terms of the Treaty of Paris.
Puerto Ricans have been citizens of the United States since 1917, and can move freely between the island and the mainland.
Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the U.S. Congress, which governs the territory with jurisdiction under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico was approved by a Constitutional Convention on February 6, 1952. It was modified and ratified by the U.S. Congress and approved by President Truman in July of that year.
One of the most important holidays in Puerto Rico is Three Kings Day. The holiday is rooted in religion and people celebrate with social gatherings, food, and gift giving.
Kismuth continued from page 50
Five-ish and it’s nearly time for sunset. Here, it’s the market that I’ll wander over to at this time of day, instead of the Rocks or a canal. It’s a Saturday evening. Let me describe the things I notice, and what I see. Color, mostly. Bright red tomatoes, dark green watermelons, lots of lettuce in varying saturations of green, cabbage, dragon fruits with all their textures, and now, here we are, the fish section has arrived. Around the corner, past the cane juice stand, beyond the moto parking, is the entrance to the open-air market.
People are already set up. Metal tables folded out, rows of green and pink plastic chairs set out in front of them. Chili sauces, lemon wedges, jugs of tea, cups for those, tissues, and chopstick stands also holding forks and spoons in water are arranged atop the tables.
I notice it’s not too busy. I came here a couple of times in the last few weeks, once with a new acquaintance, to talk about our travels and our time studying abroad in different places. Japan, for me, China, for him. It’s fun to talk about where we’ve been, on solo tours.
It’s neat to imagine new places. Maybe he inspired me to want to get back on the road, after laying low for so long in Phnom Penh; I forgot what it was like to inquire into things one might discover in the far-away distance. He seems to retain a zest for this.
We order what I was first introduced to in Việt Nam, a dish called bánh xèo, which has a slightly different pronunciation, and taste, when you order it in Cambodia. We start talking about the arcs of stories, about getting out of your comfort zone, and seeing what else is out there, in the big world. Not everyone shares this.
Maybe in a few months, maybe in a year, I’ll be ready to go somewhere, too. I’d like to try something new, for me. I’d like to go to a part of India that I’ve never been to before. An aunt that used to encourage me to go places when I was younger and traveling around India had said back in those days that she thought I’d like it. (I can’t tell you all the details because I noticed that when I talk too much about an idea, I tend not to follow through with it. Rather, I’ll just try to visualize what it is that I want to feel next and maybe know which opportunity to say ‘yes’ to, because of recognizing what it is that I want. That was how I got to Finland, after all, as I said.)
Many people ask me these kinds of questions about why I travel so much and how I initiate these kinds of tours. It starts, I feel, with the gut feeling that comes over you when you know you can’t stay in the same place for too long, as you know intuitively that this means you’ll lose out on the chance to grow in other ways. Even a short trip can open new thinking.
A decade now, in Asia. I watch the sky. I notice the whole surround, it feels like slow motion, and I’m transported to another place like this, in another time.
You never really know what a trip’s about until way after you come back, someone who’d been at it for far longer than me, someone who happened to cross paths with me on M.G. Marg on a fine day in Gangtok, said quite candidly, back in the fall of 2013.
I’m still not ‘back’ from Cambodia, but I think I understand what he meant, a little better, now.
Maybe it’s time to go somewhere new. Maybe India. Maybe sometime in the not-too-distant future. There’s no need to rush, but I’m starting to picture it. That’s how it always starts.
Dipika Kohli
is an author who is based in Phnom Penh. Discover her books at kismuth.com and other projects at dipikakohli.com.
Editor’s Desk continued from page 14
Our lovely social media and general cynicism are a caustic mix further snowballing this beast. Much of this is not about actual problems, but personal anxieties, hidden prejudices, self serving agendas and preconceptions. Everyone has those conditions. Many people consciously work to reduce those, while others amplify them.
The weather, political madness, wars, viruses, unneighborly neighbors, social deconstruction, all sink into the feeling, “What’s going to happen to the world?” This sometimes becomes a common refrain in conversations when they veer toward political or social discussions.
There’s much dissonance in our lives. Yet, our little blue globe dazzles. A cleansing rain or disinfecting sunlight always arrives, telling us things aren’t that bad.
Alarmism feeds on perceived demons and biases, making folks feel the world is gloomier than it really is. Yeah, the world has problems, but then again, pick any decade out of any century in the past and that era’s problems seemed overwhelming to those who lived through it, but they overcame them, and lives went on.
The reality is that many social ills have been cured or reduced over the years.
Medical advances, economic opportunities, ease of travel and communications, among so many things, are better than they were in the past.
Cynicism, negativity, anxieties, and the ilk are selfdefeating. They are the walls blocking solutions. Everything becomes a darkened theater when we dwell upon differences and hazy perceptions, rather than sit down and work to solve problems. Create blueprints of commonalities.
There’s a simple solution. Just stir your social compost piles occasionally, toss your positive humanness into it. Speak the truth, spread common sense and commonalities. Rich mindsets, laden with nutrients will emerge. Spread that far and wide.
Let’s all disarm unnecessary alarms and social dissonance, reduce white noise. The world will be Ok.
Samir Shukla is the Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com Twitter: @ShuklaWrites Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com
Raajeev continued from page 58
the wedding reception on the first night was held at a historic 300-year-old castle. I was not impressed. I would have preferred a proper desi aloo gobhi with dal makhani at a beaten-up Dhaba than bland cauliflower served in a castle. Finally, it happened; enough people asked about me performing that I had to broach the subject. “Look,” I told the uncle, “Lot of guests have been asking me to perform. If you can fit me in the agenda, I’ll be happy to do a short routine. If not, don’t worry. It’s no big deal.” A few minutes later he gave me a thumbs up sign and said I could go on.
I started with some impromptu jokes that I was happy to be in Denmark because growing up in India, I had read so much about Danish cows and their enormous productivity! So, the first thing I did was to drink milk, eat cheese and make a special trip to a family dairy farm to see cows in action. I drew the line at making fun of any Danish people, although I might have been a bit too cautious; in comedy these days, making fun of white people is considered fair game.
I didn’t want to make fun of Danish people because in comedy, the rule is that you make fun of what belongs to you or what you belong to. I could make fun of India, Indians, Hindus, my family, my marriage and my kids - but I had more experience eating Danish pastries than with Danish people, so they were off limits. Keeping this in mind, I instead started out with a story I’ve told many times about my son in Boston. I mentioned about my disappointment when my son didn’t use the coupon for a $1 bus ticket… but as soon as I reached the part of the story where I told him to “be cheap; you are Indian for God’s sake,” many rich Indians visiting from India started heckling. Ok, no cheap Indian jokes.
Now to be clear, I have dealt with hecklers in the pastbut in this case, even the bride’s mother supported them and started acting like a ringleader. In a normal comedy venue, I would know how to handle this, but this was not a comedy club, and it was not about me. It was about bride and groom so there is no getting back at the hecklers, and certainly not after the bride’s mom. I was taken aback. I was nervous.
I changed course and told an intellectual joke, a pi joke where I surprised my youngest son by reciting pi til 200 digits and when he asked me to repeat, I told him it may sound different because of different digits. Even though it is a bit of an intellectual joke, surprisingly it got a great laugh.
Then I started telling my Indian doctor joke which always does well. “I don’t like Indian doctors, especially Hindus, because they believe in reincarnation.” However, the Indian side of the relatives cut me off as soon as I stated the premise, “I don’t like Indian doctors… especially Hindus.” They started yelling, “No, Indian doctors’ jokes. No Indian jokes.” The ringleader, my wife’s aunt, also supported them. It was confusing and frustrating; this woman was seriously disrupting my act. She was making me feel like everything I was saying was idiocy and I don’t get that kind of irritation from an Indian woman without being married to her!
I was clear before I got on the stage that the event was not about me. Going after the host or any other rowdy guests at the party didn’t make sense. This was not a comedy club. I looked around the room. In the front were another of my wife’s uncle and aunt who live in the Los Angeles area. They
are older, wiser and I respect them a lot. I could see the sadness and disappointment in their faces. They gave a signal the way, as a director would – “Cut.” I accepted my defeat, handed over the microphone and got off the podium. I could feel the bile rising in my throat, stinging me with the feeling of failure… and bits of painfully undercooked cauliflower.
After five minutes, my son texted me. We stepped out of the room to talk. He asked me if I was OK and then he offered me these comforting words. He said, “Look these people have no creativity or appreciation of culture. You don’t need to get validation from them. Just ignore them and move on.” It was tough because I felt I was insulted as an artist, as a wedding guest and finally as the eldest son-in-law of my wife’s extended family. It was a humiliating experience, but I tried to compose my grace as best I could.
I did take some small comfort in knowing that the rest of the program deteriorated quickly after me, regardless of anything I did on stage. It quickly became apparent that this wedding had the same amount of detailed accurate planning as a drunken frat party: throw alcohol at the problem and hope everything else works itself out. There was no agenda. The bride’s mother, who had no public speaking skills, said a few words about her daughter… and that was it.
Since there was no other entertainment program, they resorted to the decades old tradition followed by many Indian men – their only outlet of any kind of creativity. Yes, it is the hackneyed tradition of singing Bollywood songs… which, if the crowd had actually been all Indian, would have been mildly amusing — but this was an international crowd; half these guests were from other countries! The closest thing to Bollywood these people had ever seen was white people singing a musical number for Slumdog Millionaire at the Oscars! You are singing Bollywood songs in Hindi without music – not even karaoke music. You might as well have just gathered all the non-Indian people together in a single group and called this activity “Who’s Uncomfortable Ignoring the Music and Who’s Trying to Dance but Just Looks Accidentally Racist?”
I know this sounds like I’m taking joy from the failurelike a comic who just bombed on the stage taking solace at another comic’s misery of bombing; but it’s quite different. I’m taking joy in the growth that allows me to realize this scenario was not my fault. It can be painful in a moment of embarrassment and crushing defeat to look outside of ourselves and try to find a learning experience in the rubble of the disaster, but it makes us stronger for the future.
It is not weakness to admit that sometimes our failures are not a sign of our own ineptitude, but to instead remember that we rely on each other to build great moments… and sometimes those moments do not materialize when the people we rely on do not set us up for success in the first place. Work, life, and everything in between is always a team event, even when it’s one person alone in the spotlight. Don’t use others as an excuse to avoid growth, but also don’t sacrifice your own self-confidence to forgive others for their own lack of planning either. And most important of all… always, always remember to cook the cauliflower.
Raajeev Aggerwhil
is a Los Angeles-based comedian. Follow him on Instagram @raajeevcomedy
To see his videos on YouTube, search for his name.
The R ad t 2024 Electi ns
Your Guide to Election News and Upcoming Dates
Absentee Ballot Request Portal Now Open for NC Presidential Primary 2024
Any registered and eligible North Carolina voter may now request an absentee ballot for the 2024 primary election online through the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal, available at votebymail.ncsbe.gov.
The absentee ballot portal is the simplest, most efficient, and most accessible way to request an absentee ballot in North Carolina.
Absentee-by-mail voters may also mail or drop off a paper request form for an absentee ballot to their county board of elections.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the March 5 primary is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.
County boards of elections will begin mailing ballots to voters who have requested them on Friday, January 19, 2024, and will continue mailing ballots to other voters upon request throughout the voting period.
The State Board encourages absentee voters to make their request early to allow for sufficient time for the ballot packet to be delivered by mail.
To request a ballot through the portal, voters must verify their identity by providing their full name, date of birth, address, and either their driver’s license number (or other DMV ID number) or last four digits of their Social Security number. Voters will sign, submit the form online.
New Absentee Voting Laws
Voters who vote by mail now must include a photocopy of an acceptable ID when returning their ballot, or they may complete an ID Exception Form, which is included in their absentee materials. The voter places the photocopy of ID or ID Exception Form in a pocket on the outside of the ballot container envelope, which is then placed in an outer return envelope to protect the privacy of the voter. The copy of the photo ID does not have to be in color, but it must be readable.
What Is a Primary Election?
In a primary election, voters select which candidates will appear on the ballot for a given political party in the general election in November. Voters registered with one of the recognized political parties (Democratic, Green, Libertarian, No Labels, or Republican) may only cast a ballot in that party’s primary election. The Green Party and No Labels Party do not have NC primaries in 2024.
For the 2024 primary, unaffiliated voters may request a Democratic, Libertarian, or Republican ballot, or a nonpartisan ballot, if available.
Important note: If a voter wants to change their party affiliation to vote in a primary, they must do so by the voter registration deadline, which is 5 p.m. Friday, February 9, 2024.
What if I request an absentee ballot, then decide to vote in person instead? If you request an absentee-by-mail ballot and choose not to vote the ballot, you may still vote in person at an early voting site or on Election Day.
If you vote in person, you should discard your absentee ballot. As soon as you vote, your absentee ballot will not be counted, even if returned. It is against the law to vote twice in any election.
Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 primary election in North Carolina:
March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day.
March 5, 2024: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).
Presidential Primary Election Dates 2024:
February 13, 2024: New Hampshire Republican presidential primary
February 24, 2024: South Carolina Republican presidential primary
March 5, 2024: Super Tuesday (includes NC, TN, VA)
May 21, 2024: Georgia presidential primary
State Election Boards Websites:
North Carolina: Ncsbe.gov
South Carolina: Scvotes.gov
Georgia: Sos.ga.gov/state-election-board
Virginia: Elections.virginia.gov
The government has nearly $2 trillion from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure bill that will continue to be put to work. In short, the Fed cutting rates is like a massive weight that is taken off businesses and markets. With this weight taken off, available capital that amounts to more than 80 percent of GDP will unleash suppressed business activity.
The key remains inflation that moves toward 2 percent. This will allow the Fed to cut rates. This cycle is unique, it is an inflation cycle, not a traditional business cycle that most are basing their analysis on. In traditional cycles, rate cuts happen because something bad is happening.
In this cycle, rate cuts will happen because something good is happening. As inflation is coming down and Fed Funds remain the same, the real rate starts to become onerous. The Fed will cut rates to prevent real rates from becoming onerous and to move the policy rate closer to its estimation of neutral.
AI was the major investment theme in 2023. It is likely going to be the next mega-cycle for investors for years to come. The first and second waves played out in 2023. Investors rewarded infrastructure, hyper-scalers, and software. The largest gainers in the S&P in 2023 were related to AI. Names such as Nvidia, Meta, Adobe, ServiceNow, Palo Alto Networks, Microsoft, AMD led the way. The next wave is likely to play out in 2024. In this wave, the larger gains will come from the consumers of technology, relative to the producers of technology.
At the intersection of normalization, rate cuts, and technology are small caps. With AI and technology, small caps will be able to punch significantly above their weight. Goldman estimates GAI will lift productivity by 1.5 percent, driving margins by 4 percent. Small caps were disproportionately penalized during the hiking cycle, and will disproportionately benefit as we ease. Small caps had their largest underperformance relative to large caps since 1998.
In 1999 and 2000, small caps outperformed large caps by more than 15 percent each year. The relative price/earnings ratio of the Russell 2000 (IWM) compared with the S&P 500 has reached the lowest level since the dot-com era. Not only can you buy the Russell at a 40 percent discount to the S&P, but the Russell is also expected to have 29.3 percent earnings growth next year, compared to 11.5 percent for the S&P. Investors that have missed the move this year will look to beaten up areas such as small caps to catch up. From a positioning standpoint, hedge funds are the least long, small caps in 3-years. The technicals also line up. IWM just moved above its upward sloping 50D and 200D moving average and prior resistance at 200. IWM is on the verge of a golden cross and looks to be breaking out from a two-year base. Looking forward, the markets will focus on earnings, the economic data, the Fed, and start to focus on the election primaries.
Ketu Desai
is the principal of i-squared Wealth Management Inc. (www.isquaredwealth.com), an investment management firm based in New Jersey. ketu@isquaredwealth.com
Traditional Medicare can be too expensive for beneficiaries switching back from Medicare Advantage, he said. In traditional Medicare, enrollees pay a monthly premium and, after reaching a deductible, in most cases are expected to pay 20% of the cost of each nonhospital service or item they use. And there is no limit on how much an enrollee may have to pay as part of that 20% coinsurance if they end up using a lot of care, Meyers said.
To limit what they spend out-of-pocket, traditional Medicare enrollees typically sign up for supplemental insurance, such as employer coverage or a private Medigap policy. If they are low-income, Medicaid may provide that supplemental coverage.
But, Meyers said, there’s a catch: While beneficiaries who enrolled first in traditional Medicare are guaranteed to qualify for a Medigap policy without pricing based on their medical history, Medigap insurers can deny coverage to beneficiaries transferring from Medicare Advantage plans or base their prices on medical underwriting.
Only four states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York — prohibit insurers from denying a Medigap policy if the enrollee has preexisting conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
Paul Ginsburg is a former commissioner on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, also known as MedPAC. It’s a legislative branch agency that advises Congress on the Medicare program. He said the inability of enrollees to easily switch between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare during open enrollment periods is “a real concern in our system; it shouldn’t be that way.”
The federal government offers specific enrollment periods every year for switching plans. During Medicare’s open enrollment period, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, enrollees can switch out of their private plans to traditional, governmentadministered Medicare.
Medicare Advantage enrollees can also switch plans or transfer to traditional Medicare during another open enrollment period, which runs from January 1 to March 31.
“There are a lot of people that say, ‘Hey, I’d love to come back, but I can’t get Medigap anymore, or I’ll have to just pay a lot more,’” said Ginsburg, who is now a professor of health policy at the University of Southern California.
Timmins is one of those people. The retired veterinarian lives in a rural community on Whidbey Island just north of Seattle. It’s a rugged, idyllic landscape and a popular place for second homes, hiking, and the arts. But it’s also a bit remote.
While it’s typically harder to find doctors in rural areas, Timmins said he believes his Premera Blue Cross plan made it more challenging to get care for a variety of reasons, including the difficulty of finding and getting in to see specialists.
Nearly half of Medicare Advantage plan directories contained inaccurate information on what providers were available, according to the most recent federal review. Beginning in 2024, new or expanding Medicare Advantage plans must demonstrate compliance with federal network expectations or their applications could be denied.
Amanda Lansford, a Premera Blue Cross spokesperson, declined to comment on Timmins’ case. She said the plan meets federal network adequacy requirements as well as Medicare continued on page 92
12/31/24
purposes, and claim them as QCD. You must follow certain rules though. These donations must come out of your RMD and be directly paid by the people who manage your retirement account. They also should be paid before you take your RMD and cannot exceed $105,000 per year (for 2024; it is now linked to inflation).
Those who cannot take advantage of itemized deductions find this very useful. It reduces your gross and taxable income by your donations and hence less taxes are due. If done properly it could also bring you under the IRMAA bracket. You can take QCD only when you are over the age of 70.5.
That brings us back to the middle bracket which is 65 to 73. What happens here and more importantly what we do here is intimately tied to what we do in the first bracket which is 59.5 to 65. Here, we are seriously considering starting social security, we may still be working part-time or full-time, more than likely we have switched to Medicare as our Primary health care giver and there is income from our investments of all these years (dividends primarily) or maybe from rental properties.
IRMAA is always lurking in the background and if nothing else the danger of crossing into the next income tax bracket is always there. My wife had suggested once in a moment of exasperation: “there is nothing wrong with any of this; if we have it, just pay a bit more taxes and enjoy it, NO need to lose sleep over it.”
That is certainly one point of view and in my case, it carries a lot of weight. If we are thinking of minimizing our income and hence taxes the answer to that is to consider what needs to be done in the first bracket, mainly from 59.5 to 65.
The goal in this bracket is to reduce the total size of nontaxable assets like IRAs. It has to be done carefully by watching our income tax brackets and making sure that we stay in the same bracket and not inadvertently push ourselves into the next income-tax bracket. We must pay taxes on what we withdraw but by staying in the same bracket. This also suggests slowing down investing in the retirement accounts.
Keep in mind that the tax rate for different brackets does not move up proportionately for each bracket. For example, the first move up is from 10 to 12 percent but the next one is from 12 to 22 percent. The one after that goes from 22 to 24 percent but the next step after that is to 32 percent. Not all tax bracket jumps are equal; sometimes we could take a small jump to get more benefits out of it.
I don’t blame you if you have your head spinning by now with all these different rationales.
The real point is to start some planning from an early age because last minute rush cannot possibly give good answers to our desire for reducing taxes, especially in the senior years.
Mo Vidwans is an independent, board certified financial planner. For details visit, VidwansFinancial.com, call 734-476-0579 or write to: mvfinancial@yahoo.com
A Teenage Story
continued from page 40
rushed through my head during my chemistry test and one stuck out to me: “What if I am faking how I feel? What if I don’t deserve to ask for help because this anxiety is fake?”
Unfortunately, so many others have these dangerous thoughts whizzing in their brain. They disregard how they feel, thinking that repression solves their problems. According to the World Health Organization, only 27.6 percent of people receive treatment for their anxiety disorder. Sadly, this is not surprising because the stigma surrounding mental disorders shames people into speaking up and advocating for their feelings.
I truly understand how scary it is to admit that you need help. Take it step-by-step and first focus on admitting to yourself that you need help before your feelings vanish into the oblivion of repression. Tell yourself that what you feel is valid and certainly not trivial to your overall well-being. After you are true to yourself, you will have the tools to be true to other people. Expressing your anxieties may seem out-of-the-question especially when you see your friends smiling and talking in a carefree manner.
I promise you that if they are true friends, you will not dim their smiles by sharing your internal struggles. You are not a burden to your friends. In fact, you are doing them a favor by opening the floor to conversations that society tends to shy away from. By unabashedly sharing my moments of panic with my friends, they have started expressing the academic and mental struggles they are facing as we are all trying to survive in the hardest year of high school, Junior year. Because we are transparent about the tears we cry, we have stopped hiding behind a curtain of artificial happiness. Like a courageous stream of water that breaks down stones of toughness, our tears of courage break down detrimental societal stigmas and the fear of asking for help.
Sereena Kumar is a junior at Enloe High School and has a passion for writing. Contact: slkumar@mycomedical.com
Medicare continued from page 90
travel time and distance standards “to ensure members are not experiencing undue burdens when seeking care.”
Traditional Medicare allows beneficiaries to go to nearly any doctor or hospital in the U.S., and in most cases enrollees do not need approval to get services.
Timmins, who recently finished immunotherapy, said he doesn’t think he would be approved for a Medigap policy, “because of my health issue.” And if he were to get into one, Timmins said, it would likely be too expensive.
For now, Timmins said, he is staying with his Medicare Advantage plan.
“I’m getting older. More stuff is going to happen.”
There is also a chance, Timmins said, that his cancer could resurface: “I’m very aware of my mortality.”
Article courtesy of Kaiser Health News kffhealthnews.org
Temperatures Across Our Solar System
By Amanda Barnett, NASA
What’s the weather like out there? We mean waaaay out there in our solar system – where the forecast might not be quite what you think.
Let’s look at the mean temperature of the Sun, and the planets in our solar system. The mean temperature is the average temperature over the surface of the rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Dwarf planet Pluto also has a solid surface. But since the gas giants don’t have a surface, the mean is the average temperature at what would be equivalent at sea level on Earth.
Let’s start with our Sun. You already know the Sun is hot. OK, it’s extremely hot! But temperatures on the Sun also are a bit puzzling.
The hottest part of the Sun is its core, where temperatures top 27 million°F (15 million°C). The part of the Sun we call its surface – the photosphere – is a relatively cool 10,000° F (5,500°C). In one of the Sun’s biggest mysteries, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, gets hotter the farther it stretches from the surface. The corona reaches up to 3.5 million°F (2 million°C) – much, much hotter than the photosphere.
So some temperatures on the Sun are a bit upside down. How about the planets? Surely things are cooler on the planets that are farther from the Sun.
Well, mostly. But then there’s Venus.
Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun after Mercury, with an average distance from the Sun of about 67 million miles (108 million kilometers). It takes sunlight about six minutes to travel to Venus.
Venus also is Earth’s closest neighbor and is similar in size. It has even been called Earth’s twin. But Venus is shrouded in clouds and has a dense atmosphere that acts as a greenhouse and heats the surface to above the melting point of lead. It has a mean surface temperature of 867°F (464°C).
So Venus – not Mercury – is the hottest planet in our solar system. Save that bit of info for any future trivia contests.
Maybe Venus is hotter, but Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Surely it gets hot, too?
Mercury is about 36 million miles (57 million kilometers) from the Sun. From this distance, it takes sunlight about three minutes to travel to Mercury. Even though it’s sitting right next to the Sun – relatively speaking – Mercury gets extremely cold at night. It has a mean surface temperature of 333°F (167°C). Daytime temperatures get much hotter than the mean, and can reach highs of 800°F (430°C). But without an atmosphere thick enough to hold in the heat at night, temperatures can dip as low as -290°F (-180°C).
Ahhh, Earth. We know about the weather here, right? Even Earth has some temperatures you may not have heard about.
Earth is an average of 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from the Sun. It takes about eight minutes for light from the Sun to reach our planet.
Our homeworld is a dynamic and stormy planet with everything from clear, sunny days, to brief rain showers, to tornados, to raging hurricanes, to blizzards, and dust storms. But in spite of its wide variety of storms – Earth generally has very hospitable temperatures compared to the other planets. The mean surface temperature on Earth is 59°F (15°C). But Earth days have some extreme temperatures. According to NOAA, Death Valley holds the record for the world’s highest surface air temperature ever recorded on Earth: 134°F (56.7°C) observed at Furnace Creek (Greenland Ranch), California, on July 10, 1913. Earth’s lowest recorded temperature was -128.6°F (-89.2°C) at Vostok Station, Antarctica, on July 21, 1983, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
NASA missions have found lots of evidence that Mars was much wetter and warmer, with a thicker atmosphere, billions of years ago. How about now?
Mars is an average distance of 142 million miles (228 million kilometers) from the Sun. From this distance, it takes about 13 minutes for light to travel from the Sun to Mars.
The median surface temperature on Mars is -85°F (65°C). Because the atmosphere is so thin, heat from the Sun easily escapes Mars. Temperatures on the Red Planet range from the 70s°F (20s°C) to -225°F (-153°C). Occasionally, winds on Mars are strong enough to create dust storms that cover much of the planet. After such storms, it can be months before all of the dust settles.
Two NASA rovers on Mars have weather stations. You can check the daily temps at their locations:
The ground temperature around the Perseverance rover ranges from about -136°F to 62°F (-93°C to 17°C). The air temperature near the surface ranges from about -118°F to 8°F (-83°C to -13°C).
As planets move farther away from the Sun, it really cools down fast! Since gas giants Jupiter and Saturn don’t have a solid surface, temperatures are taken from a level in the atmosphere equal in pressure to sea level on Earth. The same goes for the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. Jupiter’s stripes and swirls are beautiful, but they are actually cold, windy clouds of ammonia and water, floating in an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. The planet’s iconic Great Red Spot is a giant storm bigger than Earth that has raged for hundreds of years. The mean temperature on Jupiter is -166°F (-110°C).
Solar System Temperatures continued on page 110
In fact, every generation believes that it must battle against its own unprecedented pressures of conformity; that it must reach higher than its predecessor to reclaim some sense of integrity in which selfhood emerges. Some of this stems from the habitual conceit by which society becomes blinded by its own cultural bias. But much of it in the century and a half since Nietzsche is an accurate reflection of what we continually reinforce in our present informational climate… a Pavlovian system of constant feedback, in which common opinions are rewarded, and discerning ones are more readily punished by the unthinking mob.
So then, how can one practice Philautia within such an unforgiving retinue anywhere and everywhere you look?
Since many of us can’t just simply tune out or ignore the internet due to job obligations or means of communication with loved ones, the only method left is to pick your battles with the countless, faceless horde. Those who seek to harm through spiteful rhetoric are often lashing out to obfuscate their own lack of self-love. Fueling their remarks with more hate not only spirals their own self-worth down even deeper, but it also impedes your own emotional growth; a ‘no-win situation’ as one would say.
I tried to avoid most social media after a particularly bad situation commenced on Facebook in late 2014, and only within the past few years have gradually expanded my online presence. Additionally, I have taken it upon myself to only submit positive responses and brush off others’ negative comments. As an empath, my goal to achieve Philautia has forced me to enact a substantial amount of poise and self-discipline.
Pessimists will always be there to share their views, but one small beacon of light could potentially counteract their words and help them also discover self-worth.
We welcome the Year of the Dragon; a sign often described as full of vitality, goal-oriented yet idealistic and romantic. Often people born under Dragon know exactly who they are due to possessing the keenest sense of self. Let this mythical creature’s influence help encourage you to be a better person. Society could use a bit more love in all its forms, and achieving self-love is just the tip of the iceberg.
Jennifer Allen
works at Saathee and is also a Podcaster, Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Gamer, Martial Arts Practitioner, and an all around Pop Culture Geek. You can reach her at Saathee@Saathee.com
Financially Speaking continued from page 54
individuals. Chances are high your kids will be paying into your Social Security Benefits when you’re ready to collect your benefits. These benefits are indexed for inflation annually and this year the increase will be 3.2 percent.
The math for future benefits seems to be on wobbly footing. It is projected that the fund will run out in 2034 where withdrawals will be higher than the contributions to the fund. Unless Congress acts, there might be adjustments
to future benefits post 2034, when a wave of Gen Xers will be ready to stake their claim. Meanwhile, the political parties have a decade to ensure solvency of the program, a critical financial backbone for the retired American community.
There’re quite a few decision points around collecting Social Security and how it meshes with your other sources of income during retirement. When should one claim? Whose earnings record should we use to claim if both spouses have earnings. What happens in case of a divorce? What happens to my Social Security when I’m deceased? What if I’m caring for minor children while on Social Security? Is Social Security taxable? Are there penalties to collect benefits while still employed? Is it indexed to inflation?
Broadly speaking, Social Security can be claimed as early as 62 and as late as 70. One needs to have 40 credits and you can earn a maximum of four credits each year, which means at least 10 years of work history is necessary. A non-working spouse can collect spousal benefits based on a working spouse’s earnings history. Minor children and kids in college are also eligible if their parents qualify for benefits. The actual benefit value depends on the highest earnings across 35 years of earnings history.
How can you estimate your projected benefit? The website ssa.gov is your starting point and source of truth. You can create your personal profile to view earnings history and your expected payout when you’re at fullretirement age. Those born after 1960 will have 67 as their Full Retirement age at which 100 percent of benefits can be collected.
Medicare was added to Social Security benefit in 1965 and is a federal Health Insurance program for retirees aged 65 and above and premiums are usually deducted through Social Security payouts. Medicare part A is funded through payroll tax where 1.45 percent of one’s paycheck goes towards this fund. Medicare is also funded through wages from higher income earners. There is no income limit for Medicare tax. Part A covers hospitalization. Medicare part B covers doctor’s visits and has a monthly premium. Part D offers drug coverage. Medicare Advantage is a program by private insurers while offering comparable benefits and network coverage.
In summary, Medicare and Social Security benefits complement each other and support a retirees’ financial and healthcare needs in the United States.
Currently, you may be in your peak earning years and not ready to throw in the towel yet, but if you expect to live in the US in your sunset years, planning around Social Security should be given some thought, planning, and consideration. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, except for maybe a government funded fixed annuity, i.e. Social Security.
Rupa Pereira
is the owner and lead financial advisor at FWJ Planning, an investment advisory and planning firm registered in NC. As an enrolled agent, she’s also authorized by IRS to represent her clients on tax-matters.
Contact: info@fwjplanning.com.
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Answer the ones you know and research the rest. There is only one correct answer!
1. Arrange starting with the first letter of names of US states from more to less, in numbers. (ex: A for Arizona, etc) (a) A(b) N (c) C(d) S
2. Music directors of 2019 Hindi film Dabangg 3. (a) Ajay-Atul(b) Sajid-Wajid (c) Sachin-Jigar(d) Sachet-Parampara
LA C I N S A
RMake words using 5 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Plural words are not allowed. Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below)
7+ words = Excellent; 5 to 6 words = Good; 4 or less = keep looking. Some words we found are in solutions below.
Brain-Train
Here is a fun quiz. See if you can solve it. No peeking! Match the number in column 1 with letter in column 2
State Flower
1. Flowering Dogwood
2. Yellow Jessamine
3. Cherokee Rose
4. Iris
5. Yucca Flower
6. Orange Blossom
7. Forget-me-not
8. Bluebonnet
9. Sego Lily
10. Sagebrush
State
A. Alaska B. Florida C. Utah
D. South Carolina E. North Carolina F. Georgia
G. Texas H. Tennessee I. Nevada
3. The Latitude/Longitude of Charlotte, NC is (a) 35. 23° N/ 80.84° E (b) 35. 23° N/ 80.84° W (c) 35. 23° S/ 80.84° E (d) 35. 23° S/ 80.84° W
4. Geology deals with Earth’s history of (a) Oceans(b) Rivers (c) Trees(d) Rocks
5. Equatorial diameter of the Earth is approximately (a) 6956 Miles (b) 7956 Miles (c) 8956 Miles(d) 9956 Miles
6. A cone has a radius r = 3cm & height h = 5cm. Find total surface area (SA) of the cone. [Hint: SA = πr2 + πr L; L = Slant height] (a) 63.17 cm2 (b) 73.17 cm2 (c) 83.17 cm2 (d) 93.17 cm2
7. Melting point of Tin (Symbol Sn) is about (a) 532° C (b) 432° C (c) 332° C (d) 232° C
8. Which team has won most World Series titles? (a) Yankees(b) Red Sox (c) Mets(d) Nationals
9. The city at the intersection of National Highways 7 and 6, in India is (a) Hyderabad(b) Nagpur (c) Varanasi(d) Jabalpur
10. The first American Mardi Gras took place on (a) February 25, 1699(b) February 25, 1799 (c) March 3, 1699(d) March 3, 1799
Answers are on bottom left. No Peeking. Scholar: All correct; 1st Class: 8 Correct; 2nd Class: 7 Correct; 3rd Class: 6 Correct; Need to improve: 5 or less
Fill in blanks of these clues, then take the first letter of each word and unscramble them to find this month’s Key Word. United States of ___. Capital of North Carolina ___. Scotland, Wales, ___ (U.K.)
The ability to withstand hardship or adversity. ___ “— we stand.” Queen’s Husband. ___
Answers on page 104
By Kirit Shukla
PUZZLES & TOONS
Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase Clues Across:
1. The basic monetary unit of Mexico.
5. A basic unit of health effect of ionizing radiation in SI units.
11. Breathing in the lungs.
13. To stop living; to cease existing.
14. Jail.
15. An edible bulb with a paper-like skin, sharp smell & taste.
17. The sums of money preserved to keep safe.
19. An emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. (962-973).
20. Ornamental chandelier with branches ending in gas jets.
22. Over Time (*)
23. The objective tense of ‘She’.
24. To dispatch, convey or transmit (a message).
25. The two musicians playing together.
26. Mountain State of NW US. (Cap. Boise)
28. Selfishness; the tendency to be self-centered.
30. The point or period when something occurs.
32. A vast desert area of deep, rolling sand dunes.
33. Loosely, any of the solids of smoke, as from tobacco.
35. Finish; conclusion.
37. Ovum; a reproductive cell produced by female animal.
39. Any of the awards given annually in the U. S. for special achievements in off-Broadway productions.
41. A small holder on which a football is put for a kickoff
43. Equal Rights Amendment. (*)
45. Regulatory Limit. (*)
46. Dependent on chance, luck or an uncertain outcome.
49. The day before today.
50. Delaware. (*)
Clues Down:
1. The small seeds, as of an apple, pear, or orange.
2. Made very angry; infuriated.
3. A Hindu festival in honor of the God Shiva.
4. A fertile place in a desert, due to the presence of water.
5. One only; individual.
6. Indiana. (*)
7. Self-esteem; conceit.
8. To revise and make ready (a manuscript) for publication.
9. Boisterous; without restraint.
10. The cutting or dividing of a tendon. (Surgery) .
12. Desolate; unfrequented.
16. Not either.
18. The ratio of the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right-angle triangle to the hypotenuse .
21. The thin, sharp, cutting part of a blade.
23. Recorded events from the past.
25. A person or thing that excavates.
27. Hawaii. (*)
29. A natural mineral from which metal is extracted .
31. To come or go in or into.
34. Having enough power or skill to do something.
36. No longer living.
38. A framework of parallel bars; grating.
40. To put (food) into mouth, chew and swallow.
42. Estimated Time of Arrival. (*)
44. A playing card marked with one large, centered pip.
47. Luxury Edition. (*)
48. Used to express surprise, pain, worry etc. (solution on page 104)
Find & circle the words in the puzzle.
Subject: Valentine’s Day
AFFECTION
BALLOON BOUQUET
BOWANDARROWS CRUSH CUPID EDEN DARLING DEAR DINNER DRINKS FEAST FEBRUARY FLIRT
FLORIST FLOWERS
FRIENDSHIP FUN GIFT
GREETINGCARD HEART KISS PINK RED ROMANCE ROSE
TEDDYBEAR WOO
The unused 6 letters spells ”Affectionate persons.” (answer on page 104)
Math Magic
Fill in the empty squares to get = the final given answers. Use any number from 1 to 9 (except 7) only once:
Note: Follow the order of operation per basic math rule: ×,÷, +,The multiplication or division is done before addition and subtraction. (solution on page 104)
EZ-BZ
TEST YOUR IQ
The common letters are “SL” - Fill in the blanks)
1. The Muslim religion.
2. Remove from the place where it is suspended.
3. Of drowsiness; not very active.
4. Impairment of the ability to read.
5. Rubella.
6. A very small island.
7. A blow with the palm of the hand.
8. A landslide caused by rock failure.
9. Digital Subscriber Line. (*)
10. Made to prevent sliding.
11. To cause to believe something is not true.
12. A mix of raw cabbage & salad dressing .
13. A heated argument; squabble.
14. Slow; idle; sluggish.
15. A passage between sections of seats in rows.
16. A counter standing alone in center of a kitchen.
Feb. 24 – Lailat al Barat Math Magic from page 103
Astroscope
Aries
(March 21 – April 20)
It is now time to enjoy the fruits of the success you’ve achieved over the past few months. Good family happiness is clearly indicated. You may spend some money to please your partner or loved ones but try not to overdo it. Watch your speech in the last week of the month. Avoid disputes with your partner.
Taurus
(April 21 – May 20)
This period will gradually improve but won’t allow for any significant progress. A boost in positive energy will help with financial gains. You should also see good health, although your digestive system could become a minor health issue. Avoid disputes with family members. Also, new job opportunities may come your way, but take your time to make any decisions.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
You may have to compromise with your morals this month. Your cunning can bring in some more income as destiny is on your side. This is a good time to make new friends or marriage-related decisions. You could earn a name and fame due to your creative activities. Take extra precautions for your health and avoid enemies.
Cancer
(June 21 – July 22)
Life should fly this month while experiencing major ups and downs. You can come out with great success at the end, but only by watching your morals and curb any potential wrongdoing. You can count on your friends, but don’t trust them blindly. Minor family problems may also become an issue. A heavy workload could keep you on your toes.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
You may get stuck between a busy schedule and enjoying time with family. Added responsibilities and an overly aggressive schedule may cause you to make mistakes. Listen to your partner before taking on any new projects. You may also not enjoy good health. Just slow down and control your anger.
Virgo
(August 23 – September 21)
Avoid moving fast during the first half of the month. Major family-related problems may disturb your peace of mind, but you should be back in control by the second half. Your partner may prove to be a great help. Don’t try to cheat to make easy money. Also avoid aggression and act wisely.
FEBRUARY 2024
Libra
(September 22 – October 20)
This will be a month of travel, relaxing, enjoying life, and celebrating your success and achievements. A longcherished wish will be fulfilled. Just watch your health seriously and don’t dispute with your partner. Do something extraordinary to achieve success without a thought about profit or loss; just walk a few steps onto an unknown path.
Scorpio
(October 21 – November 20)
Effort put in the first half of the month will produce results during the second half and said results will not be entirely promising but satisfactory. There will also be disturbances in your day-to-day pursuits. Don’t overload yourself with too many tasks at the same time. This is a good time for a vacation or a change of career. A religious or social ceremony is also possible within the family.
Sagittarius
(November 21 – December 21)
Even though there will not be any financial problems, anxiety and fear will rule you this month. Try to develop mental strength through meditation. The period is not negative, but aggressive actions won’t let you enjoy it. At the same time watch your health. Risk taking tendencies must be avoided.
Capricorn
(December 22 – January 21)
A very busy schedule and unexpected travel may hinder your daily routine. This is a good time to buy real estate. A misunderstanding at work may create tension with a colleague. It may not be possible to avoid it, so try to remain calm. Improvement in your health is clearly indicated. Bad news from your partner is possible during the second week of the month.
Aquarius
(January 22 – February 18)
Uncertainty may delay important decisions this month and could cost you an especially significant opportunity. You may need spiritual guidance throughout the month. Try to protect your morals and avoid any risk-taking tendencies. Financial loss is unavoidable, but your regular income should remain undisturbed.
Pisces
(February 19 – March 20)
The prospect of entering into new ventures and other major changes will continue through the last week of the month. These changes do not include personal relations, but finance, career and partnership could see some big diversification. Try not to act hyper or aggressive. Business-related travel will prove favorable. Watch your health.
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Hotel Help Wanted
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For Immediate Hire
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Solar System Temperatures continued from page 94
Jupiter is an average distance of 484 million miles (778 million kilometers) from the Sun. From this distance, it takes sunlight 43 minutes to travel from the Sun to Jupiter. Jupiter has the shortest day in the solar system. One day on Jupiter takes only about 10 hours (the time it takes for Jupiter to rotate or spin around once), and Jupiter makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Jovian time) in about 12 Earth years (4,333 Earth days).
Jupiter’s equator is tilted with respect to its orbital path around the Sun by just 3 degrees. This means the giant planet spins nearly upright and does not have seasons as extreme as other planets do.
As we keep moving out into the solar system, we come to Saturn – the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in our solar system. Saturn orbits the Sun from an average distance of 886 million miles (1.4 billion kilometers). It takes sunlight 80 minutes to travel from the Sun to Saturn.
Like fellow gas giant Jupiter, Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium and it doesn’t have a true surface. The mean temperature is -220°F (-140°C).
In addition to the bone-chilling cold, the winds in the upper atmosphere of Saturn reach 1,600 feet per second (500 meters per second) in the equatorial region. And the pressure – the same kind you feel when you dive deep underwater –is so powerful it squeezes gas into a liquid.
Saturn’s north pole has an interesting atmospheric feature – a six-sided jet stream. This hexagon-shaped pattern was first noticed in images from the Voyager I spacecraft and was more closely observed by the Cassini spacecraft in 2012. Spanning about 20,000 miles (30,000 kilometers) across, the hexagon is a wavy jet stream of 200-mile-per-hour winds (about 322 kilometers per hour) with a massive, rotating storm at the center. There is no weather feature like it anywhere else in the solar system.
Crane your neck to the side while we go check out the weather on Uranus, the sideways planet.
The seventh planet from the Sun with the third largest diameter in our solar system, Uranus is very cold and windy. It has a mean temperature of -320°F (-195°C). Uranus rotates at a nearly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit. This unique tilt makes Uranus appear to spin sideways, orbiting the Sun like a rolling ball. And like Saturn, Uranus has rings. The ice giant is surrounded by 13 faint rings and 27 small moons.
Now we are moving on to the last major planet in our solar system – Neptune. What’s the weather like there? Well you would definitely need a windbreaker if you went for a visit. Dark, cold, and whipped by supersonic winds, giant Neptune is the eighth and most distant major planet orbiting our Sun. The mean temperature on Neptune is -330°F (200°C).
A photograph of Neptune was created from two images taken by NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft in August 1989. It was the first and last time a spacecraft came close to Neptune. The image shows three of the features that Voyager 2 monitored. At the north is the Great Dark Spot, accompanied by bright, white clouds that undergo rapid changes in appearance. To the south of the Great Dark Spot is the bright, triangularshaped feature that Voyager scientists nicknamed “Scooter.” Still farther south is the feature called “Dark Spot 2,” which has a bright core.
More than 30 times as far from the Sun as Earth, Neptune is not visible to the naked eye. In 2011, Neptune completed its first 165-year orbit of the Sun since its discovery.
That wraps up forecasting for the major planets.
But there is one more place we need to check out. Beyond Neptune is a small world, with a big heart – dwarf planet Pluto.
With a mean surface temperature of -375°F (-225°C), Pluto is considered too cold to sustain life. Pluto’s interior is warmer, however, and some think there may be an ocean deep inside.
From an average distance of 3.7 billion miles (5.9 billion kilometers) away from the Sun, it takes sunlight 5.5 hours to travel to Pluto. If you were to stand on the surface of Pluto at noon, the Sun would be 1/900 the brightness it is here on Earth. There is a moment each day near sunset here on Earth when the light is the same brightness as midday on Pluto.
So the next time you’re complaining about the weather in your spot here on Earth, think about Pluto and all the worlds in between.
