themindunleashed--2020-12-29--Trump Ends Obama’s 12-Year Record as “Most-Admired Man” in America

Do any of them even deserve this title ?
Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump may not have won a second term in office this year , but he has managed to unseat former President Barack Obama ’ s 12-year streak as the most admired man in America , according to the results of a new Gallup survey released on Tuesday .
The annual survey asked respondents which man or woman in the world they admired the most , and the president managed to narrowly edge out his predecessor with 18 percent naming Trump , compared to 15 percent who named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lady Michelle Obama at 10 percent , with President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris both being named by 6 percent of respondents .
First lady Melania Trump came in third among most-admired women with 4 percent .
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci and Oprah Winfrey both received 3 percent , while 2 percent chose Pope Francis , German Chancellor Angela Merkel , Queen Elizabeth II , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , and former first lady and Sen. Hillary Clinton .
The top 10 list of most-admired men was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sen. Bernie Sanders , Microsoft ’ s Bill Gates , Lakers superstar LeBron James , and the Dalai Lama finishing with 1 percent each .
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and climate change activist Greta Thunberg also finished with 1 percent .
The sitting U.S. president has been named the most-admired man by Gallup in 60 out of 74 years , with Obama coming out on top in all eight years of his presidency while George W. Bush topped the list in every year of his administration with the exception of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finished second to Obama in 2017 and 2018 .
Republicans overwhelmingly fueled Trump ’ s ascension in the list , with GOP stalwarts naming Trump as their most admired by 48 percent .
The 2020 rankings mark the 10th time that Trump has ranked among the top 10 .
Prior to entering politics , Trump made the list in 1988 , 1989 , 1990 and 2011 .
No other public figure received more than 2 percent of Republicans ’ votes .
Democrats backed Obama by 32 percent , a decline from the 41 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his second appearance in the top 10 after he made the list in 2018 .
The record for most appearances in the top 10 belongs to the late evangelical Christian preacher Rev .
Billy Graham , who has been in the list 61 times prior to his 2018 death .
Former President Carter , who has appeared in the list 29 times , is the most-represented living man .
Meanwhile , Queen Elizabeth II has appeared in the women ’ s list 52 times while former British Prime Minister received 34 top 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton appearing 33 and 29 times , respectively .
Twenty-one percent of those polled offered no response , while 11 percent named a personal friend or relative as the person whom they most admired .
From Dec. 1 to 17 , pollsters surveyed 1,018 adults .
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points .


themindunleashed--2020-12-31--2021 to Kick Off With Massive Asteroid Coming Close to Earth, Warns NASA

While people across the globe are bidding adieu to 2020 in hopes that the new year will bring prosperity , health , and good fortune after a bruising year , NASA is warning that 2021 will begin with a mammoth asteroid that is currently hurtling toward Earth .
The asteroid , which is known as 2003 AF23 , measures 720 feet ( 220 meters ) in diameter – or roughly as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge – and is expected to shoot past our planet at a relatively close 4.3 million miles ( 6.9 million km ) on Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet on Saturday .
The asteroid , which has been named by NASA ’ s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies ( CNEOS ) as 2019 YB4 , has an estimated diameter of roughly 26 meters , which is more than large enough to create a major blast in our skies if it strikes the Earth .
It is currently en route in our direction at speeds of about 14,000 miles ( 22,530 km ) per hour .
2019 YB4 is an Apollo asteroid , which means that it follows a very broad orbit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only intersect Earth ’ s orbit twice as it makes its way around the sun , and its next intersection is expected on Jan. 4 at about 5:33 am EST , when it will fly by from a safe distance of 4 million miles ( 6.4 million km ) .
On the very next day , two more pieces of cosmic debris will fly by in the form of the 50-foot ( 15-meter ) 2020 YA1 and the 69-foot ( 21-meter ) 2020 YP4 , which will make their pass at 932,00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2.1 million kilometers respectively .
Prior to that , the year ’ s final asteroid – 2020 YB4 , which measures just short of 120 feet ( 36 meters ) , or half the wingspan of a 747 – has passed by the Earth at a distance of 3.8 million miles ( 6.1 million km ) .
Fortunately , this means that at least in terms of the threat from outer space our planet managed to luck out in 2020 .
As NASA ’ s Center for Near Earth Object Studies explains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Objects ( NEOs ) – were nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into an orbit that allowed them to enter the “ neighborhood ” of our own planet Earth .
Made from water ice and embedded particles of dust , comets were originally formed in the cold outer planetary system while rocky asteroids formed in the warm , inner solar system lying between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars .
Scientists are extremely compelled by these chunks of rock and ice because they are the relatively unchanged remains left behind when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .

While people across the globe are bidding adieu to 2020 in hopes that the new year will bring prosperity, health, and good fortune after a bruising year, NASA is warning that 2021 will begin with a mammoth asteroid that is currently hurtling toward Earth.
The asteroid, which is known as 2003 AF23, measures 720 feet (220 meters) in diameter – or roughly as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge – and is expected to shoot past our planet at a relatively close 4.3 million miles (6.9 million km) on Jan. 3.
Another asteroid will approach our planet on Saturday. The asteroid, which has been named by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) as 2019 YB4, has an estimated diameter of roughly 26 meters, which is more than large enough to create a major blast in our skies if it strikes the Earth. It is currently en route in our direction at speeds of about 14,000 miles (22,530 km) per hour.
2019 YB4 is an Apollo asteroid, which means that it follows a very broad orbit within our solar system. The asteroid will only intersect Earth’s orbit twice as it makes its way around the sun, and its next intersection is expected on Jan. 4 at about 5:33 am EST, when it will fly by from a safe distance of 4 million miles (6.4 million km).
On the very next day, two more pieces of cosmic debris will fly by in the form of the 50-foot (15-meter) 2020 YA1 and the 69-foot (21-meter) 2020 YP4, which will make their pass at 932,00 feet and 1.3 million feet or 1.5 and 2.1 million kilometers respectively.
Prior to that, the year’s final asteroid – 2020 YB4, which measures just short of 120 feet (36 meters), or half the wingspan of a 747 – has passed by the Earth at a distance of 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km).
Fortunately, this means that at least in terms of the threat from outer space our planet managed to luck out in 2020.
As NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies explains, comets and asteroids – or near-Earth Objects (NEOs) – were nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into an orbit that allowed them to enter the “neighborhood” of our own planet Earth.
Made from water ice and embedded particles of dust, comets were originally formed in the cold outer planetary system while rocky asteroids formed in the warm, inner solar system lying between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars.
Scientists are extremely compelled by these chunks of rock and ice because they are the relatively unchanged remains left behind when the solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-31--Minneapolis Police Fatally Shoot Man Near Where George Floyd Was Killed

Minneapolis police killed a man on Wednesday night , in the department ’ s first police-involved shooting since George Floyd was killed during a police encounter in May .
Chief Medaria Arradondo claims that the victim was suspected of a crime , and was killed in an exchange of gunfire with officers .
“ MPD officers were unharmed and an adult female was a passenger in this subject vehicle was unharmed as well , ” Arradondo said , according to CNN .
However , the victim ’ s family is now speaking out , saying that they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as officers claim .
Arradondo is promising to release body camera footage of the incident , which he says will prove the officer ’ s claims .
As of now , very few details have been released by police , and it is unclear why they interacted with the victim in the first place , or what crime he is accused of .
“ I want the community to be able to see what occurred and I think that that is part of us again moving forward and wanting to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the chief said .
The shooting happened just about a mile from where Floyd was killed .
“ We know a life has been cut short tonight and that trust between communities of color and law enforcement is fragile .
Rebuilding that trust will depend on complete transparency .
I am working closely with Chief Arradondo to gather all the facts surrounding what happened tonight and will be relaying that information , in coordination with State partners , to community as quickly as possible .
We must all be committed to getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping the peace , ” the mayor said .
Immediately after the shooting , protesters began to assemble on the scene demanding answers and accountability .
In response to the protests , Chief Arradondo said that the department will not tolerate “ destructive criminal behavior.
” “ We want to do everything we can to protect everyone ’ s First Amendment rights , to freely assemble , demonstrate , but , I say again , we can not allow for destructive criminal behavior .
Our city has gone through too much .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who are out there , we respect you practicing your First Amendment rights , but we need to keep our officers safe , we need to keep the community members safe , and I tell you , we need to preserve that crime scene so that the facts can continue to come out as it relates to that , ” Arradondo said .
Many local activists fear that instead of “ preserving ” the crime scene , the police could be covering up evidence of their own guilt or incompetence .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim ’ s father said that police were hostile with him and his family after the killing .
He says that police came to his home and shouted at his family , then pushed them around after killing his son .

Minneapolis police killed a man on Wednesday night, in the department’s first police-involved shooting since George Floyd was killed during a police encounter in May.
Chief Medaria Arradondo claims that the victim was suspected of a crime, and was killed in an exchange of gunfire with officers.
“MPD officers were unharmed and an adult female was a passenger in this subject vehicle was unharmed as well,” Arradondo said, according to CNN.
However, the victim’s family is now speaking out, saying that they don’t believe their son would have fired first, as officers claim.
Arradondo is promising to release body camera footage of the incident, which he says will prove the officer’s claims. As of now, very few details have been released by police, and it is unclear why they interacted with the victim in the first place, or what crime he is accused of.
“I want the community to be able to see what occurred and I think that that is part of us again moving forward and wanting to make sure we get the facts out there,” the chief said.
The shooting happened just about a mile from where Floyd was killed.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Mayor Jacob Frey promised transparency.
“We know a life has been cut short tonight and that trust between communities of color and law enforcement is fragile. Rebuilding that trust will depend on complete transparency. I am working closely with Chief Arradondo to gather all the facts surrounding what happened tonight and will be relaying that information, in coordination with State partners, to community as quickly as possible. We must all be committed to getting the facts, pursuing justice, and keeping the peace,” the mayor said.
Immediately after the shooting, protesters began to assemble on the scene demanding answers and accountability. In response to the protests, Chief Arradondo said that the department will not tolerate “destructive criminal behavior.”
“We want to do everything we can to protect everyone’s First Amendment rights, to freely assemble, demonstrate, but, I say again, we cannot allow for destructive criminal behavior. Our city has gone through too much. I want to stress this again, for those who are out there, we respect you practicing your First Amendment rights, but we need to keep our officers safe, we need to keep the community members safe, and I tell you, we need to preserve that crime scene so that the facts can continue to come out as it relates to that,” Arradondo said.
Many local activists fear that instead of “preserving” the crime scene, the police could be covering up evidence of their own guilt or incompetence.
Speaking to local reporters with FOX9, the victim’s father said that police were hostile with him and his family after the killing. He says that police came to his home and shouted at his family, then pushed them around after killing his son.
Family says they don't believe @MinneapolisPD narrative that their son fired first. They claim he was just "sitting in his car." Dad, here, particularly upset about how his family was treated when law enforcement came to their home overnight with search warrants. @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/CMax0OjXXF — Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) December 31, 2020
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themindunleashed--2020-12-31--UN Says Trump Violated International Law With Pardons for Blackwater War Criminals

As 2020 draws to a close , the year is likely to go down in history as a time when people across the United States finally decided to take a stand against systemic police brutality and widespread human rights abuses at the hands of law enforcement .
Despite the protests , however , the widespread abuse of U.S. residents under color of authority is showing few signs of disappearing .
And in one especially egregious recent incident , a Texas police officer can be seen arresting a motorist for allegedly making too wide a right turn .
The officer then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the officers pepper-spray the driver and then beat the man ’ s father for lawfully filming the arrest .
The North Texas man is now suing two officers with the Keller Police Department for the disturbing incident , which occurred on Aug. 15 and has already led to the police chief disciplining the offending officer and apologizing to the family .
“ It ’ s undeniable that their conduct was horrible , ” Scott Palmer , one of the lawyers suing Keller PD , told New York Times .
“ They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they caused havoc and mayhem.
” Dillon Puente , 22 , was on his way to his grandmother ’ s home when he was pulled over for making a wide right turn .
In police bodycam footage , Sergeant Blake Shimanek can be seen requesting that Dillon exit the car before he placed him in handcuffs .
In a police report reviewed by WFAA , Shimanek claimed that he arrested Puente for the mere traffic infraction out of fears for his own safety .
After Dillon was arrested , his father Marco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record the arrest .
“ He was ticketed and taken to jail for a wide right turn , ” Marco later recounted .
Marco parked his truck in the lane adjacent to his son before Shimanek sharply warned him to move his vehicle , warning that he could be arrested for obstructing the roadway .
Marco quickly complied before returning to record the arrest with his phone from the sidewalk across the road .
“ The officer didn ’ t like me being there recording anything , ” Marco said .
At that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to place Marco under arrest for filming the scene , which was well within his rights .
“ Put your phone down , ” Tomer said in footage captured by his bodycam .
“ Put your hands behind your head.
” “ This guy is arresting me for just standing here , ” Marco said .
It was at that point that Tomer escalated the situation by initiating force against Marco , an innocent civilian who was simply watching out for his son .
“ They tried to take me down and pepper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiasco , ” Marco said .
In the video , the officers can be seen tackling Marco to the ground and repeatedly spraying him with mace before placing him , too , in handcuffs .
The father-son pair were then detained and hauled to the local jail .
However , Dillon Puente was ultimately only given a minor citation for the initial wide turn .
Marco wasn ’ t charged with any crime , and he was quickly released .
Two days after the incident , the Keller police chief himself met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his officers .
Shimanek was also demoted from sergeant to officer for his role in the unnerving altercation .
In the lawsuit against the two officers , Keller PD leadership are quoted as calling the use of force and arrest of Marco Puente entirely “ inappropriate.
” Regardless of the police department ’ s apologies , the lawsuit is being filed as a matter of ensuring basic accountability .
“ Marco is not a criminal .
This is a man , a concerned father , and if this can happen to him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marco ’ s attorney Scott Palmer said .
“ These officers knew better .
I believe they were trained better , but why did they not execute better ?
I don ’ t know.
” Shimanek also has a history of misconduct , including a 2016 incident where he unlawfully entered a home without a search warrant and other incidents .
“ It ’ s disturbing to know that these are the people we are entrusting with providing safety in the community and they are abusing that power , ” said James Roberts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s law firm .
“ I know that they knew better .
I know that they knew what they were doing was wrong , yet they still did it.
” The Puente family is still disturbed by the incident , months after it transpired .
And while Marco recognizes that the apology was a “ nice ” gesture , further accountability is required .
“ This is going on everywhere , ” Puente said about police brutality .
“ If people keep on brushing it under a rug , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @

A United Nations panel has strongly denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s pardons for several former Blackwater mercenaries and convicted war criminals that were found guilty of massacring over a dozen civilians in Baghdad.
The U.N. working group on the use of mercenaries released a statement Wednesday condemning the White House decision to pardon the four killers as an offense to basic justice and insult to the memory of over a dozen people killed in the 2007 massacre, reports Reuters. The panel also sharply condemned the move as a violation of U.S. obligations to international law.
“Pardoning the Blackwater contractors is an affront to justice and to the victims of the Nisour Square massacre and their families,” said panel chair Jelena Aparac.
“These pardons violate U.S. obligations under international law and more broadly undermine humanitarian law and human rights at a global level,” she added.
The four men, all of whom were American, were involved in the indiscriminate killing of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians, when the mercenaries opened fire during busy traffic at the Baghdad square. Twenty additional civilians were injured. Nicholas Slatten was convicted of first-degree murder while Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty and Paul Slough were each convicted of voluntary and attempted manslaughter.
The four men were employed by the private security firm Blackwater which was owned by security contractor Erik Prince, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
Prince has reportedly served as an informal adviser to the White House while also helping to orchestrate spying efforts to infiltrate campaigns by political and labor groups considered hostile to Trump, the New York Times reported earlier this year.
The four mercenaries were included in a wave of controversial pre-Christmas pardons announced by the Trump administration that critics derided as corrupt and immoral.
“While U.S. Army contractors convicted of massacring civilians in Iraq are pardoned, the man who exposed such crimes against humanity, [WikiLeaks founder] Julian Assange, rots in Britain’s Guantanamo,” tweeted Greek economist and parliamentarian Yanis Varoufakis.
The pardons for the former Blackwater mercenaries, in particular, were sharply criticized by Gen. David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the two top American officials in charge of U.S. policy in Iraq at the time of the 2007 massacre, who called the move “hugely damaging, an action that tells the world that Americans abroad can commit the most heinous crimes with impunity” in a joint statement.
The U.N. working group’s chair also said that the pardons send the signal that private security contractors would essentially give them the green light to “operate with impunity in armed conflicts” as states increasingly rely on the firms to circumvent their obligations under humanitarian law.
In recent years, military contractors have increasingly been deployed in sensitive conflict zones by companies from the U.S., U.K., Russia, South Africa and other countries.
Blackwater, which has since been renamed as Academi, earned worldwide notoriety for the 2007 massacre, after which the company was stripped of its license to operate in Iraq by the country’s government.
Documents released by WikiLeaks have also highlighted major human rights abuses, including the murder of civilians, by private security services such as Blackwater throughout the Iraq War.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-31--Cop Caught on Camera Punching His Crying Police Dog

A California police officer has been caught on camera sitting on top of a K-9 unit and repeatedly punching the animal .
The witness said that the dog was crying and obviously in pain , but the police say that the officer was engaged in “ routine training ” and teaching the animal “ who ’ s in charge.
” Witness Roberto Palomino says that the sound of the animal ’ s cries is what made him take notice of the situation .
He said that the incident was “ disturbing to watch.
” “ I hear the crying and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked over , I see an officer punching over and over a dog , ” Palomino told KTLA News .
“ The dog was crying like somebody was running him over or something like that , ” he told the station .
“ It was bad crying.
” He also said that the footage he captured on his phone only shows the very end of the incident .
“ Unfortunately , I only record the one punch .
But the reason I pulled my phone is because of the hard beating the dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I pulled my phone , I saw the officer … ( punch the dog ) around 10 times and that ’ s the reason why it made me pull my phone , ” he said .
According to a statement released by the Vacaville Police Department , the K-9 unit seen in the video has been removed from his handler ’ s care and “ has been placed in the care of a third party outside of the Vacaville Police Department.
” The statement also claimed that the dog was examined by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or distress .
In an interview with ABC 7 on Tuesday , Vacaville Police Capt .
Matt Lydon said the dog became angry when a toy was taken away from him and tried to bite the officer .
The officer was not bitten , but because the dog became hostile , the officer felt that he needed to “ establish dominance ” over the animal .
“ And then the dog , in turn , lunged at the officer and attempted to bite the officer , ” Lydon said , adding that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handler has to have complete control over that K-9 to ensure public safety.
” In a later statement on its Facebook page , the Vacaville Police Department suggested that because K-9 units “ are not pets ” they can be treated in ways that many pet owners would perceive as abusive .
“ Although our canines appear to be pets , just like the ones we all have at home ; they are quite different in many ways .
If left unguided by a handler , the decisions they make could lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer or an innocent community member .
All training programs are not alike and need to be tailored to the needs of the specific dog and handler .
This is generally achieved by a careful balance of physical discipline and reward based training , ” the statement read .
The comments section of the statement is filled with angry posts demanding accountability for the officer and further help for the animal .
Many are also calling for a ban on this type of aggressive K-9 “ training ” in police departments .

A California police officer has been caught on camera sitting on top of a K-9 unit and repeatedly punching the animal. The witness said that the dog was crying and obviously in pain, but the police say that the officer was engaged in “routine training” and teaching the animal “who’s in charge.”
Witness Roberto Palomino says that the sound of the animal’s cries is what made him take notice of the situation. He said that the incident was “disturbing to watch.”
“I hear the crying and it caught my attention. As I looked over, I see an officer punching over and over a dog,” Palomino told KTLA News.
“The dog was crying like somebody was running him over or something like that,” he told the station. “It was bad crying.”
He also said that the footage he captured on his phone only shows the very end of the incident.
“Unfortunately, I only record the one punch. But the reason I pulled my phone is because of the hard beating the dog was taking from the officer. Before I pulled my phone, I saw the officer … (punch the dog) around 10 times and that’s the reason why it made me pull my phone,” he said.
According to a statement released by the Vacaville Police Department, the K-9 unit seen in the video has been removed from his handler’s care and “has been placed in the care of a third party outside of the Vacaville Police Department.”
The statement also claimed that the dog was examined by a veterinarian and showed no signs of injury or distress.
In an interview with ABC 7 on Tuesday, Vacaville Police Capt. Matt Lydon said the dog became angry when a toy was taken away from him and tried to bite the officer. The officer was not bitten, but because the dog became hostile, the officer felt that he needed to “establish dominance” over the animal.
“And then the dog, in turn, lunged at the officer and attempted to bite the officer,” Lydon said, adding that, “It’s important is the handler has to have complete control over that K-9 to ensure public safety.”
In a later statement on its Facebook page, the Vacaville Police Department suggested that because K-9 units “are not pets” they can be treated in ways that many pet owners would perceive as abusive.
“Although our canines appear to be pets, just like the ones we all have at home; they are quite different in many ways. If left unguided by a handler, the decisions they make could lead to the injury of the dog, an officer or an innocent community member. All training programs are not alike and need to be tailored to the needs of the specific dog and handler. This is generally achieved by a careful balance of physical discipline and reward based training,” the statement read.
The comments section of the statement is filled with angry posts demanding accountability for the officer and further help for the animal. Many are also calling for a ban on this type of aggressive K-9 “training” in police departments.
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Pentagon Orders Teams to Underground Mountain Bunkers in Preparation for Pandemic

( TMU ) — During the Cold War , the United States government came up with a contingency plan to ensure that the military was able to maintain power in the face of an existential threat .
At the time , the threat that they had in mind was some type of nuclear attack , but this also includes a biological threat , like the one the world is currently facing .
This strategy is known as “ Continuity of Government ” and it involves a variety of different plans that are intended to help the U.S. government and military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of emergency .
These new precautions included the implementation of a lengthy line of succession for people who will fall into the executive role if something should happen to the president or vice president .
However , the plan goes much deeper than that and also includes a network of underground bunkers , typically tunneled into mountains , where essential military personnel are to be stationed during times of emergency so they can re-emerge unscathed from the crisis and reinstate order if the government ’ s control of society has broken down .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , Air Force General Terrence O ’ Shaughnessy , announced that the U.S. ’ Northern Command was sending teams of essential staff to the military ’ s underground bunkers to be stationed during the pandemic .
“ Our dedicated professionals of the NORAD and NORTHCOM command and control watch have left their homes , said goodbye to their families , and are isolated from everyone to ensure they can stand the watch each and every day to defend our homeland , ” O ’ Shaughnessy said .
O ’ Shaughnessy did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members that will be on standby during the pandemic , but there is a lot of public information available about these bunkers .
The facilities used in these types of situations include Cheyenne Mountain , the Presidential Emergency Operations Center under the White House , Raven Rock Mountain Complex in Pennsylvania , and Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Pennsylvania .
It is possible that additional members of the government will also be sent to isolated bunkers if the situation becomes more dangerous on the surface .
There is no indication that further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secrecy of the operation , it is unlikely that such plans would be formally announced .
The history of these top-secret bunkers is detailed in Garrett M. Graff ’ s book , Raven Rock : The Story of the U.S. Government ’ s Secret Plan to Save Itself—While the Rest of Us Die .

(TMU) — During the Cold War, the United States government came up with a contingency plan to ensure that the military was able to maintain power in the face of an existential threat. At the time, the threat that they had in mind was some type of nuclear attack, but this also includes a biological threat, like the one the world is currently facing.
This strategy is known as “Continuity of Government” and it involves a variety of different plans that are intended to help the U.S. government and military maintain control of the region during times of emergency.
These new precautions included the implementation of a lengthy line of succession for people who will fall into the executive role if something should happen to the president or vice president. However, the plan goes much deeper than that and also includes a network of underground bunkers, typically tunneled into mountains, where essential military personnel are to be stationed during times of emergency so they can re-emerge unscathed from the crisis and reinstate order if the government’s control of society has broken down.
During a recent press conference hosted on Facebook, Air Force General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, announced that the U.S.’ Northern Command was sending teams of essential staff to the military’s underground bunkers to be stationed during the pandemic.
NORAD & USNORTHCOM COVID-19 Townhall Join us for a NORAD & USNORTHCOM townhall meeting via Facebook Live, Tuesday, 24 March at 2 p.m. MDT. Our Commander, General O'Shaughnessy; the Command Surgeon, Dr. (Captain) Kane; and our Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major McKenna, will answer questions and discuss our commands' COVID-19 priorities: 1) protect our force and their families, 2) protect our readiness to defend the homelands, and 3) support our interagency partners addressing the crisis.Submit questions to: https://go.usa.gov/xdJ5F Click "Got a Questions" Posted by U.S. Northern Command on Monday, March 23, 2020
“Our dedicated professionals of the NORAD and NORTHCOM command and control watch have left their homes, said goodbye to their families, and are isolated from everyone to ensure they can stand the watch each and every day to defend our homeland,” O’Shaughnessy said.
O’Shaughnessy did not reveal the exact locations or specific staff members that will be on standby during the pandemic, but there is a lot of public information available about these bunkers.
The facilities used in these types of situations include Cheyenne Mountain, the Presidential Emergency Operations Center under the White House, Raven Rock Mountain Complex in Pennsylvania, and Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Virginia.
It is possible that additional members of the government will also be sent to isolated bunkers if the situation becomes more dangerous on the surface. There is no indication that further mobilizations are planned, but considering the secrecy of the operation, it is unlikely that such plans would be formally announced.
The history of these top-secret bunkers is detailed in Garrett M. Graff’s book, Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself—While the Rest of Us Die.
https://youtu.be/X2jMPXyqrgc
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--The World is Running Out of Condoms as Factories Face Coronavirus Lockdown

( TMU ) — We ’ ve all seen the jokes on social media about how nine months from now a new generation will be born that will eventually be dubbed “ Coronials ” —and once they come of age , “ quaranteens.
” After all , if we ’ re stuck working from home or self-isolating along with our partner or significant other , it ’ s only natural and healthy for us to seek solace through sexual activity—and the increase in baby-making activities can naturally result in a miniature “ baby boom.
” But as it turns out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after all—especially because a global shortage of condoms could deprive couples staying at home from one of the more popular birth control methods .
Reuters reports that Malaysia ’ s Karex Bhd , a company that is responsible for producing one out of every five condoms globally , spent over a week without producing a single condom at its three factories after the government imposed a lockdown to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
This has resulted in a shortfall of 100 million condoms which normally would be marketed worldwide under such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs like the United Nations Population Fund , and the U.K. ’ s National Health Service ( NHS ) .
On Friday , the company was granted permission to resume production under a special exemption for critical industries but with only half of its workforce .
“ It will take time to jumpstart factories and we will struggle to keep up with demand at half capacity .
We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere , which is going to be scary .
My concern is that for a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month .
That shortage can run into months.
” The news comes as condoms rank among toilet paper and hand sanitizer as one of the most sought-after items during the CoViD-19 crisis , reports Highsnobiety .
Earlier this month , sex product retailer Promescent ’ s CEO Jeff Abraham confirmed that the company saw surging condom sales all month .
Speaking to Business Wire , the executive said : “ In fact , we ’ ve seen a 54 percent increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
With the tremendous effort put forth by so many government and local organizations , we want to do our part to ensure people are continuing to practice safe sex and have adequate access to birth control in a time of social distancing and self-isolation.
” Condom factories in China , India , and Thailand have also faced disruptions in their operations .
Similar problems have also been faced by regional manufacturers of critical protective gear like medical gloves in Malaysia .
A Durex spokesman reassured Reuters that operations would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are anticipated .
They added : Goh added that while condom production may face interruptions , the demand for the contraceptive remains stronger than ever .
He said : “ The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not , it ’ s still an essential to have .
Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children .
It ’ s not the time , with so much uncertainty .
”

(TMU) — We’ve all seen the jokes on social media about how nine months from now a new generation will be born that will eventually be dubbed “Coronials”—and once they come of age, “quaranteens.”
After all, if we’re stuck working from home or self-isolating along with our partner or significant other, it’s only natural and healthy for us to seek solace through sexual activity—and the increase in baby-making activities can naturally result in a miniature “baby boom.”
But as it turns out, the joke may have some basis after all—especially because a global shortage of condoms could deprive couples staying at home from one of the more popular birth control methods.
Reuters reports that Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, a company that is responsible for producing one out of every five condoms globally, spent over a week without producing a single condom at its three factories after the government imposed a lockdown to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
This has resulted in a shortfall of 100 million condoms which normally would be marketed worldwide under such brands as Durex, distributed through aid programs like the United Nations Population Fund, and the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS).
On Friday, the company was granted permission to resume production under a special exemption for critical industries but with only half of its workforce.
Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat said:
“It will take time to jumpstart factories and we will struggle to keep up with demand at half capacity. We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary. My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programs deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.”
The news comes as condoms rank among toilet paper and hand sanitizer as one of the most sought-after items during the CoViD-19 crisis, reports Highsnobiety.
Earlier this month, sex product retailer Promescent’s CEO Jeff Abraham confirmed that the company saw surging condom sales all month.
Speaking to Business Wire, the executive said:
“In fact, we’ve seen a 54 percent increase in our online sales since the beginning of the pandemic. With the tremendous effort put forth by so many government and local organizations, we want to do our part to ensure people are continuing to practice safe sex and have adequate access to birth control in a time of social distancing and self-isolation.”
https://twitter.com/JeffAbraham111/status/1240740253188542465
Condom factories in China, India, and Thailand have also faced disruptions in their operations. Similar problems have also been faced by regional manufacturers of critical protective gear like medical gloves in Malaysia.
A Durex spokesman reassured Reuters that operations would continue as normal, and no supply shortages are anticipated. They added:
“For our consumers, many of whom will be unable to access shops, our Durex online stores remain open for business.”
Goh added that while condom production may face interruptions, the demand for the contraceptive remains stronger than ever. He said:
“The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it’s still an essential to have. Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It’s not the time, with so much uncertainty.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Joe Exotic “Tiger King” Files $94 Million Civil Rights Lawsuit From Prison

( TMU ) — Millions of people are stuck in their homes due to the CoViD-19 quarantine , and a large number of them have found an escape in the new Netflix ’ s docuseries Tiger King .
According to the streaming service ’ s daily rankings , Tiger King is the number one most-watched show in the U.S. as of March 29 and has been in the top 10 for the past week .
The series is about the life and arrest of Joseph Maldonado-Passage , aka Joe Exotic , a former Oklahoma zookeeper who is currently in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rival and CEO of Tampa ’ s Big Cat Rescue , Carole Baskin .
Days before the recent release of the series , Joe Exotic filed a $ 94 million federal civil rights lawsuit against his former business partners and multiple government agencies for false imprisonment , loss of property , and payment for the years of work and research that went into creating the content that was used in the series .
He also claims that his imprisonment has contributed to the death of his mother Shirley Schreibvogel .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by his former business partner Jeffery Lowe and other business rivals who worked with federal agents to entrap him in a murder for hire plot that he claims to have had no knowledge of .
Joe regularly made threats against Carole Biskin ’ s life on his shows , often in theatrical ways like shooting or blowing up life-sized dolls on camera .
This footage was later used in court to secure the conviction against him .
However , Joe claims that he never actually intended to kill anyone and never paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Tiger King docuseries details how Lowe was able to take ownership of Joe Exotic ’ s zoo in the midst of his legal battle with Carole Baskin through offering to help with finances and how the relationship turned sour shortly after .
Lowe brought one of his close friends , Allen Glover , to work at the zoo , and it was Glover who ultimately testified that he was paid $ 3,000 to kill Baskin .
Joe claims that his former business partners colluded with federal agents to put him behind bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once Joe was behind bars , Lowe was able to take full ownership of the park and all of his assets .
Joe Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence .
After the release of the series , a change.org petition was launched to urge President Donald Trump to pardon Joe Exotic .
The petition has since gathered over 18,000 signatures .

(TMU) — Millions of people are stuck in their homes due to the CoViD-19 quarantine, and a large number of them have found an escape in the new Netflix’s docuseries Tiger King.
According to the streaming service’s daily rankings, Tiger King is the number one most-watched show in the U.S. as of March 29 and has been in the top 10 for the past week.
The series is about the life and arrest of Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, a former Oklahoma zookeeper who is currently in prison for allegedly hiring an employee to kill his rival and CEO of Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue, Carole Baskin.
Days before the recent release of the series, Joe Exotic filed a $94 million federal civil rights lawsuit against his former business partners and multiple government agencies for false imprisonment, loss of property, and payment for the years of work and research that went into creating the content that was used in the series. He also claims that his imprisonment has contributed to the death of his mother Shirley Schreibvogel.
In the lawsuit, Joe claims he was set up by his former business partner Jeffery Lowe and other business rivals who worked with federal agents to entrap him in a murder for hire plot that he claims to have had no knowledge of. Joe regularly made threats against Carole Biskin’s life on his shows, often in theatrical ways like shooting or blowing up life-sized dolls on camera. This footage was later used in court to secure the conviction against him.
However, Joe claims that he never actually intended to kill anyone and never paid the employee to do the deed.
The Tiger King docuseries details how Lowe was able to take ownership of Joe Exotic’s zoo in the midst of his legal battle with Carole Baskin through offering to help with finances and how the relationship turned sour shortly after. Lowe brought one of his close friends, Allen Glover, to work at the zoo, and it was Glover who ultimately testified that he was paid $3,000 to kill Baskin.
Joe claims that his former business partners colluded with federal agents to put him behind bars on trumped-up charges. And then, once Joe was behind bars, Lowe was able to take full ownership of the park and all of his assets.
Joe Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence. After the release of the series, a change.org petition was launched to urge President Donald Trump to pardon Joe Exotic. The petition has since gathered over 18,000 signatures.
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Rescued Koalas Finally Being Released Back Into the Wild After Australia’s Bushfires

( TMU ) — Australia experienced a long and devastating 2019/20 bush fire season which started with several uncontrolled fires in June 2019 , reaching its peak in December and January .
It was the worst summer fire season in recorded history .
The impact on the environment and wildlife was unprecedented .
Last week , locals—and indeed the rest of the world—delighted in the news of the first release of koalas back into the wild .
After being rescued , the koalas were living at Taronga Zoo , before the 13 koalas , including a mom with a tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back into their natural habitat in the Blue Mountains last week .
Wildlife conservation non-profit Science for Wildlife , in collaboration with San Diego Zoo Global , rescued a number of koalas ahead of their eucalyptus trees being engulfed by flames .
Their release into Kanangra-Boyd National Park in the state of New South Wale is the first step of a rehabilitation plan in the hope of restoring the koala population in the area which had been decimated by more than 10,000 koalas killed in the fires in the area .
Dr Kellie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Wildlife , said in a statement : ‘ ’ While they have coped well in care we are delighted to finally send our koalas home .
We have been busy assessing the burnt area that we rescued them from , to establish when the conditions have improved enough that the trees can support them again .
The recent rains have helped and there is now plenty of new growth for them to eat , so the time is right .
We will be radio-tracking them and keeping a close eye on them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OK. ’ ’ Taronga Zoo experts treated more than 100 koalas across two hospitals during the bush fire crisis .
Although the coronavirus pandemic has been on the forefront of news and everyone ’ s minds—and rightly so—scientists have since been able to provide more information on the devastating damage caused by the bushfires .
More than 12.6 million hectares across Australia have been burned and released 434 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from September 2019 to February 2020 , compared to the 532 million tonnes released by Australian industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientist Mark Parrington from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service ( CAMS ) in England , which is the European Union ’ s Earth Observation Program .
The lives of 34 people were lost during the fires and , according to ecologist Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney , an estimated 1 billion animals died , including terrestrial mammals , birds , and reptiles but excluding bats , frogs , and fish .
“ Then if you expand it to include invertebrates … as many as 240 billion have been incinerated by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victoria alone , ” Professor Dickman said .
“ So , yes , a billion sounds a big number , but it ’ s a very conservative one .
”

(TMU) — Australia experienced a long and devastating 2019/20 bush fire season which started with several uncontrolled fires in June 2019, reaching its peak in December and January. It was the worst summer fire season in recorded history.
The impact on the environment and wildlife was unprecedented. Last week, locals—and indeed the rest of the world—delighted in the news of the first release of koalas back into the wild.
After being rescued, the koalas were living at Taronga Zoo, before the 13 koalas, including a mom with a tiny joey in her pouch, were released back into their natural habitat in the Blue Mountains last week.
Wildlife conservation non-profit Science for Wildlife, in collaboration with San Diego Zoo Global, rescued a number of koalas ahead of their eucalyptus trees being engulfed by flames.
Their release into Kanangra-Boyd National Park in the state of New South Wale is the first step of a rehabilitation plan in the hope of restoring the koala population in the area which had been decimated by more than 10,000 koalas killed in the fires in the area.
Dr Kellie Leigh, the executive director of Science for Wildlife, said in a statement:
‘’While they have coped well in care we are delighted to finally send our koalas home. We have been busy assessing the burnt area that we rescued them from, to establish when the conditions have improved enough that the trees can support them again. The recent rains have helped and there is now plenty of new growth for them to eat, so the time is right. We will be radio-tracking them and keeping a close eye on them to make sure that they settle in OK.’’
Taronga Zoo experts treated more than 100 koalas across two hospitals during the bush fire crisis.
Although the coronavirus pandemic has been on the forefront of news and everyone’s minds—and rightly so—scientists have since been able to provide more information on the devastating damage caused by the bushfires. More than 12.6 million hectares across Australia have been burned and released 434 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from September 2019 to February 2020, compared to the 532 million tonnes released by Australian industry during 2018/19, as calculated by senior scientist Mark Parrington from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) in England, which is the European Union’s Earth Observation Program.
The lives of 34 people were lost during the fires and, according to ecologist Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney, an estimated 1 billion animals died, including terrestrial mammals, birds, and reptiles but excluding bats, frogs, and fish.
“Then if you expand it to include invertebrates … as many as 240 billion have been incinerated by the fires in just New South Wales and Victoria alone,” Professor Dickman said. “So, yes, a billion sounds a big number, but it’s a very conservative one.”
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Armed Vigilantes in Maine Cut Down Tree to Block Out-of-Towners Over COVID-19 Fears

( TMU ) — Local , state , and federal governments across the United States have implemented a variety of travel restrictions associated with the CoViD-19 quarantine .
However , these measures are apparently not enough for some panicked residents of a small town in Maine , who took it upon themselves to create roadblocks , so as to prevent travelers from passing through their community .
The concern was aimed at three roommates who had traveled from out of state and were suspected of possibly bringing the coronavirus with them .
According to the New York Times , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine , cut down a tree and dragged it into the middle of a road , creating a makeshift roadblock .
The small island town has a population of just 1,200 in the winter , but becomes a tourist destination when the weather starts to warm up .
Local residents have become increasingly concerned about outsiders bringing the virus with them , as people continue to flee hotspots like New York City .
The Knox County Sheriff ’ s Office says that the makeshift roadblock was discovered after one of the roommates who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their residence on Friday to see why their cable service was not working .
The police say that the individual was then harassed by neighbors who had gathered outside .
“ While investigating the downed tree , a neighbor started yelling at him and a group of people showed up and began to gather around , ” the sheriff ’ s office said in a statement .
The man fled back into the house to call police , fearing that the neighbors might harm him .
According to the Times , a previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with guns had cut down a tree and were telling them that they need to stay quarantined.
” The statement also said that officers on the scene “ learned that there is a general belief by some island residents that the Cripple Creek residents are supposed to be quarantined because they came here from another state and could have CoViD-19.
” It turns out that the vigilantes may have been overreacting , because the New Jersey natives have been living in Maine while working a construction job for over a month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotspot as local residents had assumed—and none of them were experiencing any symptoms .
State Representative Genevieve McDonald explained in a Facebook post that “ there are two guys from N.J. on Vinalhaven who have been renting a house since September while working on a construction job .
They went to the mainland , and were targeted because of their license plate when they arrived back on Vinalhaven.
” The vigilantes were reportedly alarmed by seeing out of state license plates in their neighborhood .

(TMU) — Local, state, and federal governments across the United States have implemented a variety of travel restrictions associated with the CoViD-19 quarantine. However, these measures are apparently not enough for some panicked residents of a small town in Maine, who took it upon themselves to create roadblocks, so as to prevent travelers from passing through their community.
The concern was aimed at three roommates who had traveled from out of state and were suspected of possibly bringing the coronavirus with them.
According to the New York Times, a group of armed vigilantes in Vinalhaven, Maine, cut down a tree and dragged it into the middle of a road, creating a makeshift roadblock. The small island town has a population of just 1,200 in the winter, but becomes a tourist destination when the weather starts to warm up.
Local residents have become increasingly concerned about outsiders bringing the virus with them, as people continue to flee hotspots like New York City.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says that the makeshift roadblock was discovered after one of the roommates who the community believed to be infected left their residence on Friday to see why their cable service was not working. The police say that the individual was then harassed by neighbors who had gathered outside.
“While investigating the downed tree, a neighbor started yelling at him and a group of people showed up and began to gather around,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The man fled back into the house to call police, fearing that the neighbors might harm him.
According to the Times, a previous report from police suggested that “several people with guns had cut down a tree and were telling them that they need to stay quarantined.”
The statement also said that officers on the scene “learned that there is a general belief by some island residents that the Cripple Creek residents are supposed to be quarantined because they came here from another state and could have CoViD-19.”
It turns out that the vigilantes may have been overreacting, because the New Jersey natives have been living in Maine while working a construction job for over a month, and did not come directly from the hotspot as local residents had assumed—and none of them were experiencing any symptoms.
State Representative Genevieve McDonald explained in a Facebook post that “there are two guys from N.J. on Vinalhaven who have been renting a house since September while working on a construction job. They went to the mainland, and were targeted because of their license plate when they arrived back on Vinalhaven.”
The vigilantes were reportedly alarmed by seeing out of state license plates in their neighborhood.
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Person Filmed Sneaking Down Street Dressed as a Bush During Quarantine

( TMU ) — In the United States and Europe , the CoViD-19 lockdowns have been tightening up , with new curfews and stay at home orders in many different areas .
However , not everyone wants to stay inside , and some people have been going to great lengths to avoid quarantine restrictions .
In one neighborhood in the United Kingdom , residents noticed one of their neighbors making their way down the road disguised as a bush .
His stealth mission was recorded by neighbors Nicholas Murray and Madeline Mai-Davies , who filmed the strange occurrence and posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted two different videos to the app and together quickly gained millions of views across several social media platforms .
The videos showed the neighbor covered from head to toe in fake leaves , carefully moving down the street , ducking behind trash cans , and then stopping to take the form of a bush while in open grass .
In one of the videos , the person can be seen moving stealthily down the street and rolling and somersaulting across the road as if he were in an action movie .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just pulling a prank and not actually sneaking out of the house for any clandestine reason , because he later returned with a grocery bag , and grocery shopping is still allowed under the current restrictions .
“ Got his shopping .
Turning up to the party while on lockdown , ” Murray wrote in a later post .
Murray later told Caters News Agency , “ Looking back , I didn ’ t expect the video to go that viral and get 16.5 million views .
Whilst in this difficult time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope.
” Mai-Davies added , “ I was overwhelmed with the support and following that came from it.
” There have been over 22,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the UK , and the country has seen over 1,400 deaths from the illness since the outbreak began .

(TMU) — In the United States and Europe, the CoViD-19 lockdowns have been tightening up, with new curfews and stay at home orders in many different areas. However, not everyone wants to stay inside, and some people have been going to great lengths to avoid quarantine restrictions.
In one neighborhood in the United Kingdom, residents noticed one of their neighbors making their way down the road disguised as a bush. His stealth mission was recorded by neighbors Nicholas Murray and Madeline Mai-Davies, who filmed the strange occurrence and posted the video to TikTok.
The pair posted two different videos to the app and together quickly gained millions of views across several social media platforms.
The videos showed the neighbor covered from head to toe in fake leaves, carefully moving down the street, ducking behind trash cans, and then stopping to take the form of a bush while in open grass. In one of the videos, the person can be seen moving stealthily down the street and rolling and somersaulting across the road as if he were in an action movie.
However, it appears that the neighbor was just pulling a prank and not actually sneaking out of the house for any clandestine reason, because he later returned with a grocery bag, and grocery shopping is still allowed under the current restrictions.
“Got his shopping. Turning up to the party while on lockdown,” Murray wrote in a later post.
Murray later told Caters News Agency, “Looking back, I didn’t expect the video to go that viral and get 16.5 million views. Whilst in this difficult time we want to bring smiles, laughs and hope.”
Mai-Davies added, “I was overwhelmed with the support and following that came from it.”
There have been over 22,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the UK, and the country has seen over 1,400 deaths from the illness since the outbreak began.
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--‘Reading Rainbow’ Star Wants to Revive Show as Livestream to Relieve Us All From Pandemic Blues

( TMU ) — In times of crisis , people tend to look for sources of emotional reassurance that are capable of giving us a sense of calmness and serenity—and what better place to find this than in the faces and voices we ’ ve known since childhood .
One such familiar face is that of LeVar Burton , the star of the kids hit show Reading Rainbow and classic sci-fi series Star Trek : The Next Generation , who is hoping to revive his popular reading times to help us get through the doldrums and anxiety of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , self-isolate , and otherwise languish indoors , Burton is hoping to wear away at the cabin fever many of us are feeling through his podcast LeVar Burton Reads .
However , he ’ s faced some frustrating roadblocks in his goal of bringing us some relief from the pandemic blues .
Burton has been trying to revive Reading Rainbow for years .
However , he has faced legal pushback from the original producer of the show , WNED , while also being forced to respect copyright law in his programming .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for about a week now trying to figure out how to do a live-streamed version of # LeVarBurtonReads .
I figured that during this difficult time I could contribute by reading aloud to folks who could use some diversion for themselves and their families.
” In order to avoid legal complications , I ’ ve gone down the rabbit hole searching through volumes of short stories in the public domain for appropriate content for families and have come up empty.
” New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman , renowned for his work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graphic novels , was the first to offer “ blanket permission ” to Burton to use any of his stories .
While Mary Robinette Kowal , a Hugo-winning author and president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , pledged to facilitate putting Burton touch with writers from her organization so that he could get legal permission to read their stories .
Publishing giant HarperCollins also stepped forward and granted Burton permission to allow him to use any children ’ s book titles in their catalog until May 31 .
Burton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon , has been elated by the response .
He wrote :

(TMU) — In times of crisis, people tend to look for sources of emotional reassurance that are capable of giving us a sense of calmness and serenity—and what better place to find this than in the faces and voices we’ve known since childhood.
One such familiar face is that of LeVar Burton, the star of the kids hit show Reading Rainbow and classic sci-fi series Star Trek: The Next Generation, who is hoping to revive his popular reading times to help us get through the doldrums and anxiety of the coronavirus crisis.
With many forced to shelter-in-place, self-isolate, and otherwise languish indoors, Burton is hoping to wear away at the cabin fever many of us are feeling through his podcast LeVar Burton Reads.
However, he’s faced some frustrating roadblocks in his goal of bringing us some relief from the pandemic blues.
Burton has been trying to revive Reading Rainbow for years. However, he has faced legal pushback from the original producer of the show, WNED, while also being forced to respect copyright law in his programming.
On Tuesday, he tweeted:
“I’ve been busting my brain for about a week now trying to figure out how to do a live-streamed version of #LeVarBurtonReads. I figured that during this difficult time I could contribute by reading aloud to folks who could use some diversion for themselves and their families.” In order to avoid legal complications, I’ve gone down the rabbit hole searching through volumes of short stories in the public domain for appropriate content for families and have come up empty.”
I’ve been busting my brain for about a week now trying to figure out how to do a live-streamed version of #LeVarBurtonReads. I figured that during this difficult time I could contribute by reading aloud to folks who could use some diversion for themselves and their families. — LeVar Burton (@levarburton) March 24, 2020
Burton’s appeal quickly gained support from his fans online.
New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman, renowned for his work writing fantasy, science fiction, and graphic novels, was the first to offer “blanket permission” to Burton to use any of his stories.
You have my blanket permission for any of my stories Levar. — Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 25, 2020
While Mary Robinette Kowal, a Hugo-winning author and president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, pledged to facilitate putting Burton touch with writers from her organization so that he could get legal permission to read their stories.
Hi! President of @SFWA here. I can connect you with members of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America who would be happy to donate stories to help. — Mary Robinette Kowal@? (@MaryRobinette) March 24, 2020
Publishing giant HarperCollins also stepped forward and granted Burton permission to allow him to use any children’s book titles in their catalog until May 31.
Hi @levarburton! We are granting permission for online readings of HarperCollins Children’s Books titles through May 31, 2020. Please review our guidelines & check out https://t.co/hkCRaE9GTM for more info. Read on, with our ❤ pic.twitter.com/IjlCRoy5s4 — HarperStacks (@HarperStacks) March 25, 2020
Burton, who hopes to kick off his livestream soon, has been elated by the response. He wrote:
“These are amazing suggestions y’all. Thanks for your input! MORE NEWS SOON!”
These are amazing suggestions y’all. Thanks for your input!
MORE NEWS SOON! — LeVar Burton (@levarburton) March 24, 2020
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-30--Gangs in Brazil Enforce Their Own Lockdown After Bolsonaro Writes Off Coronavirus as “Fantasy”

( TMU ) — As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across Brazil , organized crime gangs in Rio de Janeiro have stepped forward to enforce their own lockdowns in a bid to minimize damage to the city ’ s favelas or slums .
The move comes as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro faces a wave of criticism over his handling of the novel virus , which he has dismissed as a “ little flu ” and a “ fantasy ” —sparking demands from the left for his resignation as well as rumblings about a military plot to oust the notorious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that gangsters have been circulating messages through WhatsApp and other platforms demanding that locals comply with an evening curfew or otherwise be taught a lesson in “ respect ” that they wouldn ’ t forget .
Extra also reported that in the western Rio-based Cidade de Deus , or “ City of God ” —the sprawling favela made famous in the 2002 blockbuster film of the same name—gangsters have been driving around issuing warnings to residents to obey the lockdown or face disciplinary measures .
Social media posts also show community organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poor neighborhoods in hopes of raising awareness about the need to stay at home and be conscious of hygiene .
The message comes as residents prepare for the pandemic to reach monstrous proportions in neglected urban zones where basic sanitation has been described by locals as “ terrible.
” Jefferson Maia , a 27-year-old resident of the City of God slum complex , told Reuters : Edmilson Migowski , an infectologist at Federal University in Rio , said that the favelas could become a hotbed for the virus in the coming days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolsonaro has been accused of recklessly denying the facts about the novel virus , even going so far as rebuking his own health minister ’ s appeal for social distancing on Sunday with the declaration : “ We ’ ll all die one day.
” On Monday morning , a range of opposition figures and intellectuals published a statement in the Folha de São Paulo newspaper denouncing Bolsonaro ’ s irresponsible management of the crisis .
The declaration , Brazil Can not Be Destroyed By Bolsonaro , said : “ Bolsonaro is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He commits crimes … lies and fosters chaos , taking advantage of the despair of our most vulnerable citizens .
We need unity and understanding to face up to the pandemic , not a president who goes against public health authorities and puts his authoritarian political interests above the lives of everyone else .

(TMU) — As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across Brazil, organized crime gangs in Rio de Janeiro have stepped forward to enforce their own lockdowns in a bid to minimize damage to the city’s favelas or slums.
The move comes as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro faces a wave of criticism over his handling of the novel virus, which he has dismissed as a “little flu” and a “fantasy”—sparking demands from the left for his resignation as well as rumblings about a military plot to oust the notorious head of state.
Brazilian media have reported that gangsters have been circulating messages through WhatsApp and other platforms demanding that locals comply with an evening curfew or otherwise be taught a lesson in “respect” that they wouldn’t forget.
Brazilian digital newspaper G1 reports that one message read:
“Attention all residents of Rio das Pedras, Muzema and Tijuquinha! Curfew starting today 20 hours. Whoever is seen on the street after this time will learn to respect others!”
While a similar message read:
“We want the best for the population. If the government does not have the capacity to fix it, organized crime solves it.”
In the favelas, it's the crime gangs, not Bolsonaro's government, that enforce the lockdown (FT today) pic.twitter.com/di8JGpACOj — Alexandre Afonso (@alexandreafonso) March 28, 2020
Extra also reported that in the western Rio-based Cidade de Deus, or “City of God”—the sprawling favela made famous in the 2002 blockbuster film of the same name—gangsters have been driving around issuing warnings to residents to obey the lockdown or face disciplinary measures.
One message said:
“We’re imposing a curfew because nobody is taking this seriously. Whoever is in the street screwing around or going for a walk will receive a corrective and serve as an example. Better to stay home doing nothing. The message has been given.”
Social media posts also show community organizations and civic associations conducting outreach activities in poor neighborhoods in hopes of raising awareness about the need to stay at home and be conscious of hygiene.
Quer Ajudar as Favelas do Rio a Mitigar os Efeitos do Covid-19? Aqui Está uma Lista de Pontos Comunitários de Doação https://t.co/h364dcTtRQ Soluções das próprias comunidades garantem uma resposta direta, dinâmica e eficaz para responder à situação. Participe! pic.twitter.com/jN2gIdeT3C — RioOnWatch.org (@RioOnWatch) March 28, 2020
The message comes as residents prepare for the pandemic to reach monstrous proportions in neglected urban zones where basic sanitation has been described by locals as “terrible.” Jefferson Maia, a 27-year-old resident of the City of God slum complex, told Reuters:
“Sometimes, we don’t even have water to wash our hands properly. We are very concerned with the coronavirus issue.”
Edmilson Migowski, an infectologist at Federal University in Rio, said that the favelas could become a hotbed for the virus in the coming days. He explained:
“The entry of coronavirus into denser, less planned and less culturally assisted areas could be devastating. Where water, soap and detergent are lacking, it will be difficult to stop the spread.”
In the meantime, Bolsonaro has been accused of recklessly denying the facts about the novel virus, even going so far as rebuking his own health minister’s appeal for social distancing on Sunday with the declaration: “We’ll all die one day.”
Que Vergüenza!!?
A falta de Gobierno, los narcotraficantes de Brasil imponen #ToqueDeQueda en algunas favelas para prevenir el contagio con el Coronavirus, Por su lado el presidente Jair Bolsonaro califica al coronavirus como un simple Resfriado.#SolidaridadYUniónNacional pic.twitter.com/a0ET0tuGUp — Somos Río Crecido (@SOMOSRIOCRECID) March 25, 2020
On Monday morning, a range of opposition figures and intellectuals published a statement in the Folha de São Paulo newspaper denouncing Bolsonaro’s irresponsible management of the crisis. The declaration, Brazil Cannot Be Destroyed By Bolsonaro, said:
“Brazil and the world are facing an emergency unprecedented in modern history … [and] in our country the emergency is exacerbated by an irresponsible president. Jair Bolsonaro is the greatest obstacle to urgent decisions being taken to reduce the spread of the infection [and] save lives.
Continuing, the statement read:
“Bolsonaro is in no position to keep governing Brazil … He commits crimes … lies and fosters chaos, taking advantage of the despair of our most vulnerable citizens. We need unity and understanding to face up to the pandemic, not a president who goes against public health authorities and puts his authoritarian political interests above the lives of everyone else.
The statement concluded:
“Bolsonaro is more than a political problem – he has become a public health problem … He should resign. He needs to be urgently contained and must answer for the crimes he is committing against our people.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-31--Stunning Images Show Orangutan Family Playing Together With Their Otter Friends

( TMU ) — A zoo in Belgium has been uplifting spirits across the world after it shared some incredible photos of a burgeoning friendship between a family of orangutans and a clan of otters .
The adorable animals belong to the community at Pairi Daiza located in Brugelette , as part of a program that prioritizes the wellbeing of captive primates .
The creatures first began to interact after the zookeepers ran the otter ’ s river through the orangutan enclosure , resulting in the neighbors forging a “ very special bond ” with each other , Daily Mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of orangutans—24-year-old Ujian , 15-year-old Sari , and their three-year-old son , Berani—has been enjoying the company of their little friends .
Pairi Daiza spokesman Mathieu Goedefroy said that the Asian small-clawed otters have also been having great fun emerging from the water to hang out and play with their big primate pals on the orangutan island .
Goedefroy explained that it ’ s all about helping to enrich the lives of both communities .
“ Two factors are very important for the wellbeing of an animal in captivity : the size of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his enclosure .
This means that an animal—and this is even more the case of orangutans , with whom humans share 97 per cent of their DNA—must be entertained , occupied , challenged and kept busy mentally , emotionally and physically at all times.
” “ For this , we have a very strong ‘ enrichment ’ program for our orangutans , where our keepers entertain them all day long with mind games , riddles , puzzles , and other stuff to train their intelligence .
One of the ‘ enrichments ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so they can interact .
That ’ s why we chose to let an otter family live in the river that runs through the orangutan territory.
” The orangutan family have been residents at Pairi Daiza since 2017 .
Orangutans have faced a growing threat in the past several years as their habitat in regions like Sumatra and Borneo , Indonesia , has been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations .
The vegetable oil is extracted from the fruits and seeds of the oil palm , also known as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additive on supermarket shelves across the globe .
Roughly 66 million tons of palm oil are produced each year , driving a trend that has seen forests burned and land robbed to make room for plantations , contributing greatly to global deforestation and the displacement of endemic animal species like the orangutan as well as rural human populations across the globe .
Palm oil production has largely driven orangutans to the brink of extinction , with the species now classified as critically endangered .
Bornean orangutan populations have fallen by more than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN that Pairi Daiza has raised enough funds to plant 11,000 trees in the orangutan forest habitat in Borneo .

(TMU) — A zoo in Belgium has been uplifting spirits across the world after it shared some incredible photos of a burgeoning friendship between a family of orangutans and a clan of otters.
The adorable animals belong to the community at Pairi Daiza located in Brugelette, as part of a program that prioritizes the wellbeing of captive primates.
The creatures first began to interact after the zookeepers ran the otter’s river through the orangutan enclosure, resulting in the neighbors forging a “very special bond” with each other, Daily Mail reports.
มาเล่นกันเถอะ… Orangutan family form a 'very special bond' with otters in zoo https://t.co/Xd6M0vVKmQ pic.twitter.com/20f8VtaDOC — ดร.สิขเรศ ศิรากานต์ (@sikares) March 30, 2020
Since then, the family of orangutans—24-year-old Ujian, 15-year-old Sari, and their three-year-old son, Berani—has been enjoying the company of their little friends.
Pairi Daiza spokesman Mathieu Goedefroy said that the Asian small-clawed otters have also been having great fun emerging from the water to hang out and play with their big primate pals on the orangutan island.
Goedefroy explained that it’s all about helping to enrich the lives of both communities.
He explained:
“Two factors are very important for the wellbeing of an animal in captivity: the size of his enclosure, but also the quality of his enclosure. This means that an animal—and this is even more the case of orangutans, with whom humans share 97 per cent of their DNA—must be entertained, occupied, challenged and kept busy mentally, emotionally and physically at all times.”
this orangutan telling a thrilling story to an entranced audience of otters pic.twitter.com/ZUusnQfpnI — iucounu (@iucounu) March 30, 2020
“For this, we have a very strong ‘enrichment’ program for our orangutans, where our keepers entertain them all day long with mind games, riddles, puzzles, and other stuff to train their intelligence. One of the ‘enrichments’ is to have different animal species together, so they can interact. That’s why we chose to let an otter family live in the river that runs through the orangutan territory.”
The orangutan family have been residents at Pairi Daiza since 2017.
Goedefroy added:
“In particular, baby Berani and daddy Ujian have developed a very special bond with their neighbors. It makes life more fun and interesting for both animal species, which makes it a very successful experiment.”
Orangutans have faced a growing threat in the past several years as their habitat in regions like Sumatra and Borneo, Indonesia, has been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. The vegetable oil is extracted from the fruits and seeds of the oil palm, also known as the African palm, and is a common additive on supermarket shelves across the globe.
Roughly 66 million tons of palm oil are produced each year, driving a trend that has seen forests burned and land robbed to make room for plantations, contributing greatly to global deforestation and the displacement of endemic animal species like the orangutan as well as rural human populations across the globe.
Palm oil production has largely driven orangutans to the brink of extinction, with the species now classified as critically endangered. Bornean orangutan populations have fallen by more than half between 1999 and 2015.
Goedefroy told CNN that Pairi Daiza has raised enough funds to plant 11,000 trees in the orangutan forest habitat in Borneo.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-31--Mercedes F1 Race Team Fast-Tracks Creation of Revolutionary New Coronavirus Breathing Aid

( TMU ) — A collaboration between Mercedes Formula One and a group of clinicians and engineers has led to the creation of a new type of breathing aid for CoViD-19 patients .
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ( CPAP ) breathing aid delivers oxygen to patients ’ lungs without the need for a ventilator and has commonly been used to treat sleep apnea .
Now , an improvement on the device , is allowing those suffering from CoViD-19 to breathe easier without needing to be intubated .
The device , which was created within 100 hours of the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with success on patients in China and Italy and has already been approved for use by the U.K. ’ s National Health Service ( NHS ) , reports BBC .
Engineers at University College London ( UCL ) and clinicians at UCL ’ s NHS Foundation Trust worked around the clock with experts from the U.K.-based Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains to reverse engineer the device based on the CPAP system .
Forty of the devices are already being rolled out to University College Hospital ( UCLH ) and three other hospitals in London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German automotive giant will be able to mass-produce the CPAP machines at a rate of 1,000 per day .
“ These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators , a limited resource , are used only for the most severely ill .
While they will be tested at UCLH first , we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds , as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firms including Airbus , Ford , Rolls-Royce , BAE Systems , Siemens , and a range of Formula One racing teams—has secured orders of over 10,000 ventilators to be provided to the U.K. ’ s healthcare system .
Production will kick off in a week .
Dick Elsy , chief executive of High Value Manufacturing Catapult , said : “ This consortium brings together some of the most innovative companies in the world .
They are working together with incredible determination and energy to scale up production of much-needed ventilators and combat a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries.
” This comes as the U.K. government continues to struggle with the pandemic and top officials warn that emergency measures could remain in place for as long as six months .
There are currently 9,000 people hospitalized with CoViD-19 in the U.K. , a sharp rise from 6,000 on Friday .
As of Sunday , the total number of people who have died from the virus in the U.K. reached at least 1,408 .

(TMU) — A collaboration between Mercedes Formula One and a group of clinicians and engineers has led to the creation of a new type of breathing aid for CoViD-19 patients.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing aid delivers oxygen to patients’ lungs without the need for a ventilator and has commonly been used to treat sleep apnea. Now, an improvement on the device, is allowing those suffering from CoViD-19 to breathe easier without needing to be intubated.
The device, which was created within 100 hours of the first conceptual meeting, has been widely used with success on patients in China and Italy and has already been approved for use by the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS), reports BBC.
Engineers at University College London (UCL) and clinicians at UCL’s NHS Foundation Trust worked around the clock with experts from the U.K.-based Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains to reverse engineer the device based on the CPAP system.
Forty of the devices are already being rolled out to University College Hospital (UCLH) and three other hospitals in London. If the trials are successful, the German automotive giant will be able to mass-produce the CPAP machines at a rate of 1,000 per day.
https://twitter.com/KKANDOOENGLISH/status/1244551515232243714
UCLH critical care consultant Professor Mervyn Singer said:
“These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill. While they will be tested at UCLH first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation.”
Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said:
“The Formula One community has shown an impressive response to the call for support … we have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe.”
In the meantime, VentilatorChallengeUK—a consortium of engineering firms including Airbus, Ford, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Siemens, and a range of Formula One racing teams—has secured orders of over 10,000 ventilators to be provided to the U.K.’s healthcare system. Production will kick off in a week.
So proud of our #ukmfg engineering #VentilatorChallengeUK consortium. Using the best of #MadeSmarter advanced digital technology to help pull this off. You are all amazing @HVM_Catapult@SiemensUKNews @Airbus, Smiths, Penlon, GKN and other partners!https://t.co/aGwtjl7sny — Juergen Maier (@Juergen_Maier) March 29, 2020
Dick Elsy, chief executive of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said:
“This consortium brings together some of the most innovative companies in the world. They are working together with incredible determination and energy to scale up production of much-needed ventilators and combat a virus that is affecting people in many countries.”
This comes as the U.K. government continues to struggle with the pandemic and top officials warn that emergency measures could remain in place for as long as six months.
There are currently 9,000 people hospitalized with CoViD-19 in the U.K., a sharp rise from 6,000 on Friday. As of Sunday, the total number of people who have died from the virus in the U.K. reached at least 1,408.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-03-31--Australia Using Light One Million Times Brighter Than Sun to Find COVID-19 Vaccine

( TMU ) — Across the world , researchers are using every tool at their disposal to beat back CoViD-19 and find a lasting solution to the devastating novel virus .
On Tuesday , Australian scientists announced that they would enlist the southern hemisphere ’ s largest particle accelerator in a bid to super-charge the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine .
The Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne is a world-class research facility operated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation ( ANSTO ) that uses powerful X-rays and infrared radiation a million times brighter than the sun to power its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ANSTO ’ s website .
Program director Andrew Peele told AFP that the facility will use its cutting-edge technology to examine the key proteins in the virus .
With the accelerator serving as a sort of microscope , scientists will be able to construct atomic-level three-dimensional maps that can then serve as models for drugs that would bind to the virus , potentially halting or treating it .
“ We shine the light on the proteins and the light that scatters off them tells us where every atom in the ( CoViD-19 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what the protein looks like so you can design a drug to attach to it .
It ’ s like designing a key for a lock , you need to know the dimensions of the keyhole.
” The Melbourne team will be working with dozens of protein samples submitted from colleagues across the world that could be good fits for binding to CoViD-19 in a manner that would blunt the disease ’ s effects or protect from it .
The government funded project could help boost the time it takes to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could take anywhere from 18 months to several years to develop .
Around 35 private companies and academic institutions are working at a feverish pace to develop an effective vaccine or treatment for CoViD-19 , which has infected over 750,000 people and upended the world economy , earning the distinction of being arguably the worst global health crisis of the 21st century .

(TMU) — Across the world, researchers are using every tool at their disposal to beat back CoViD-19 and find a lasting solution to the devastating novel virus.
On Tuesday, Australian scientists announced that they would enlist the southern hemisphere’s largest particle accelerator in a bid to super-charge the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine.
The Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne is a world-class research facility operated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) that uses powerful X-rays and infrared radiation a million times brighter than the sun to power its suite of scientific instruments, according to ANSTO’s website.
Program director Andrew Peele told AFP that the facility will use its cutting-edge technology to examine the key proteins in the virus. With the accelerator serving as a sort of microscope, scientists will be able to construct atomic-level three-dimensional maps that can then serve as models for drugs that would bind to the virus, potentially halting or treating it.
Peele explained:
“We shine the light on the proteins and the light that scatters off them tells us where every atom in the (CoViD-19) protein molecule is. You need to know what the protein looks like so you can design a drug to attach to it. It’s like designing a key for a lock, you need to know the dimensions of the keyhole.”
The Melbourne team will be working with dozens of protein samples submitted from colleagues across the world that could be good fits for binding to CoViD-19 in a manner that would blunt the disease’s effects or protect from it.
Comparing the process to a jigsaw puzzle, Peele added:
“Using our technology, within five minutes you can understand why a drug does or doesn’t work in attaching to a CoViD-19 protein.”
The government funded project could help boost the time it takes to develop a vaccine, which some researchers believe could take anywhere from 18 months to several years to develop.
Around 35 private companies and academic institutions are working at a feverish pace to develop an effective vaccine or treatment for CoViD-19, which has infected over 750,000 people and upended the world economy, earning the distinction of being arguably the worst global health crisis of the 21st century.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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