Monthly Community Paper | www.austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 15 No. 05
Save Soil
ByMalavika Sangghvi At what looks like a particularly bleak phase in our planet’s life, barely emerging from a pandemic that has killed millions and devastated life, limb, and livelihood; a war that is manifesting horrors beyond human imagination; racial and communal strife and senseless violence; political and economic unrest in every corner of the globe;
OPEN Texas
and the threat of and impact of climate change looming large, you would imagine that a cause like saving soil would not find many takers. Nothing could be further from the truth. On March 21, in a high-voltage send-off in London, 65-year-old Indian yogi, mystic, and spiritual leader Sadhguru embarked on a lone motorcycle journey covering 30,000 km across 27 nations as part of his ‘Conscious Planet #SaveSoil’ initiative, a global race against time to inspire and activate 3.5 billion people (60% of the world’s electorate of 5.26 billion) (Continued On Page 21)
WHO Chief Scientist Warns
By Ali A. Hussain, board member OPEN Austin On March 26, 2022, Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN), a global non-profit founded in 1998 to connect entrepreneurs especially those of Pakistani origin, hosted a conference in Austin to provide networking, knowledge sharing and mentoring events to aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs of South Asian origin. (Continued On Page 15)
What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About The BA.2 Omicron Subvariant
With the rolling back of mask requirements and physical distancing, many people have been on a search for a new normal. But there is still reason to be cautious. The highly transmissible and contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariant—dubbed “stealth” Omicron— is now the dominant strain in the United States, causing more than 85% of all COVID-19 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This has led to more questions. Based on the CDC’s genomic surveillance, the BA.2 or stealth Omicron subvariant is responsible for most new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the U.S. BA.2 is a subvariant of the original SARS-CoV-2 Omi-
Dream Vacation............02 Keep Road Safe............02 Gaming Connects.........03 Plasma Donations.........04 Tips To Start Or Expand04 Sunny Season..............05 cron variant (B.1.1.529), along Arun’s Scribblings.........06 with BA.1.1 and BA.3. The BA.2 subvariant has been referred to as HC4A(EC4A)................06 stealth Omicron because it contains genetic mutations that can make it harder to distinguish from the Delta variant using PCR tests compared to the original Omicron variant. That means that while the test can detect a BA.2 infection, it looks like it is the Delta variant instead.(Continued page 12)
What Indian Cinema Can Teach
Personal Information Your personally identifiable information (also known as PII) should be kept as private as possible, especially when you are on the internet (Continued On Page 12)
Hinting that the pandemic is not over, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan noted that currently Omicron BA.2 is dominant worldwide including in India. (Continued On Page 17)
inside
May 2022
By Vikas Datta In a country like India which has an array of customs, a spectrum of cultures, and a gamut of languages, there is one realm (Continued On Page 27)
June 2022 - Travel Agents Special
512-828-6709 Inflation Putting...........07 Great First Impression..08 Go Green - Earth Day...10 4 Tips For Preparing.....11 Best Campus................12 Essential For Hiking......13 Earth Day Tweaks.........14 OPEN Texas.................15 Ultimate Patio Party......16 Spring Cleaning?......,...17 Kids Corner....18,19,22,23 Bollywood Meets..........18 Brunch Surprise...........20 Protecting Family..........20 Term Insurance Plan.....23 Destress Curly Tresses..23 Careers In The Industry Of Video Games...........24 5 Savings Mistakes Students Must Avoid.........25 Entertainment.........26,27
