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      References

      1 How the gut microbes you're born with affect your lifelong health | Henna-Maria Uusitupa, https://youtu.be/-KKSUR5SBLc [Vaginal, fecal, and skin bacteria of the mother is important for babies and the first two are missing from babies delivered via cesarian sections. Antibiotics can also be harmful. Obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases can be the consequences. Breast milk can help.]

      2 Tardigrades - Solving big problems with Earth's tiniest creatures | Dr. Thomas Boothby | TEDxBermuda, https://youtu.be/0lJz6JXP6Pg, [Proteins produced in tardigrades can envelop components of cells like DNA and other proteins. The proteins hold them in place so that they're preserved even in the absence of water, fixed in a protein.]

      3 NBC News, Health News, How does the new coronavirus spread?https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/how-does-new-coronavirus-spread-n1121856 [Breath can be deadly?]

      4 New Scientist, Sixth person dies as Wuhan coronavirus spreads between people, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2230724-sixth-person-dies-as-wuhan-coronavirus-spreads-between-people/

      5 New Scientist, Benzodiazepine prescriptions reach ‘disturbing’ levels in the US, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2230379-benzodiazepine-prescriptions-reach-disturbing-levels-in-the-us/ ["...for every 100 adults that visit an office-based doctor over the course of a year, 27 visits will result in a prescription for a benzodiazepine."; "Benzodiazepine drugs are sedatives that tend to be prescribed for sleep disorders and anxiety. The drugs are addictive and people can become dependent on them in a matter of days, and withdrawal symptoms make it hard to quit. Overdoses can be fatal."; "...“Almost all cases also involved opioids.”"]

      6 New Scientist, Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy may trigger PTSD and depression, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2230073-miscarriage-and-ectopic-pregnancy-may-trigger-ptsd-and-depression/ ["Women often don’t tell their friends, family and colleagues that they are pregnant until they have had their 12-week scan. If that scan reveals a miscarriage, they may feel unable to tell people..."; "Nine months after experiencing a pregnancy loss, 18 per cent of women met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, 17 per cent of women reported anxiety and 6 per cent of women had symptoms of moderate to severe depression."]

      7 New Scientist, Food allergies may be on the rise because babies start solids too late, https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24532664-500-food-allergies-may-be-on-the-rise-because-babies-start-solids-too-late/ ["One idea is a modern take on the hygiene hypothesis, and suggests that this may be because modern life prevents us from encountering many friendly and important microbes during our childhood."; "At her clinic, she warns parents against using creams based on peanut, almond or sesame oil, for instance. "We say no food on skin.""; "One approach being investigated is immunotherapy. This involves giving people gradually increasing amounts of the substance they are allergic to in an effort to reduce their body's sensitivity to it. It starts off with microscopic amounts and must be done under medical supervision for safety."]

      8 Fifth Harmony - Work from Home ft. Ty Dolla $ign, https://youtu.be/5GL9JoH4Sws

      9 Daniel Bedingfield- Gotta Get Thru This (uk version), https://youtu.be/b4eMyOzD9UI

      Table For Three

      Aria is a female Singaporean chef. We can maybe assume she cooks with Italian air. The air's fine here, but she wears a mouth mask because she was born in India and if she says anything against Narendra Modi and is identified then she'll lose her Overseas Citizen of India status [1.]. So the mask is for speaking out against Modi's fiercely nationalistic actions: call it a loudspeaker-beak. It's effectiveness is questionable, but the point is there.

      Matt wanders into the kitchen, ready to face the next female housemate, with plans to gradually retire and just become something like cutlery, part of the furniture for using for a big feast, and so he's walking like a woman, to try and blend into the fabric of Big Brother, to be a fly on the oscillating wall trying to get into a woman's mouth just a tad.

      'Hey, I'm Matt,' Matt says. 'I'm totally gay. What's your name?'

      'Interesting,' Aria says. 'So am I. I guess our Malaysian [2.] viewers certainly have something to talk about now. But you should probably wear a mouth mask if you ever want to go there.'

      Matt scratches his head. His intention was to speak to more women by pretending to be gay, his hope being that masks will more readily be removed, not promoted. But they still seem to grow on new faces here like masks of respectability rather than emotions, on Asian soil.

      'Oh,' Matt says.

      'Haven't been?' Aria asks. 'Scared of Muslims like Hindus in Assam [1.]?'

      Matt shakes his head: 'Not for my sake. I'm not actually gay, I was just hoping that you'd remove your mask. But I can see that it's pretty necessary for you now.'

      'Nice,' Aria says. 'Well played. Pretending you're straight now. You could be a gay Malaysian politician. Careful whom you let take photos [2.] of you.'

      Matt shakes his head.

      'So, about your name . . .' Matt quips.

      'It's Aria,' Aria says. 'Nice to meet you Matt. I'll be the head chef here. They're paying me to be. Until I'm voted out of the house that is. So I'll need to teach someone how to cook, someone who'll be here longer than I will. Preferably a gay woman. That way we can make food together and then try to eventually push our brand of food in Malaysia against all odds and see how hungry they may be for change there. It will be halal of course.'

      'Wow,' Matt says. 'Nice plan. Can I be a model consumer? I have no money in the house but I'll take out a loan from Big Brother.'

      'You'll pay to eat whatever my girlfriend and I make?' Aria asks. 'We could teach you how to cook too.'