themindunleashed--2020-05-01--Record Number of Flamingos Take Over India’s Largest City and Paint It Pink During Lockdown

( TMU ) — As India ’ s 1.3 billion residents face strict lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic , the South Asian country has witnessed a return of nature to many locations—including a massive influx of flamingos into the nation ’ s largest city .
Tens of thousands of the large pink birds have been arriving at Mumbai in recent weeks , with many of the gorgeous creatures simply overrunning urban areas that are thrived with human activity such as construction work and fishing in pre-quarantine days .
While Science Times reports that the flamingos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the October to March feeding and breeding season , the absence of city residents from its streets and open spaces has meant that the bird population has not only increased , but has made itself at home in and around the massive metropolitan zone .
Photographs shared on social media show the pink birds lounging on the apartment buildings above the city ’ s wetlands and along the mudflats of Thane Creek .
Experts also say that the flamingos have enjoyed a recent population boom , as evidenced by the 150,000 birds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost over last year , according to an estimate by the Bombay Natural History Society ( BNHS ) .
The nationwide lockdown has also seen industrial waste discharge decline while sewage from homes has skyrocketed , resulting in a proliferation of the plankton and algae that comprises the diet of the large birds .
“ A major reason for the large numbers is also the large flocks of juveniles moving to these sites , following the successful breeding documented two years ago .
“ Additionally , the lockdown is giving these birds peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to obtain food , and overall encouraging habitat.
” India was placed under a strict nationwide lockdown on March 25 , which affected all of the country ’ s residents .
While it was introduced as a measure that would initially only last 21 days , it has faced extensions .
The original mandates of the lockdown—which have since been relaxed—included sealed borders , curfews , and hard restrictions on movements besides essential outings for food and health care .
In Mumbai , 381 different containment areas faced additional restrictions such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restaurant delivery .
The Mumbai metropolitan area saw its best March air quality ever recorded in 2020 while April 2020 was also on track to be the best April on record , with massive drops in air pollution in the typically polluted city , according to Swiss-based air quality technology company IQAir .
The lockdown is set to expire May 3 , but many states are discussing plans to continue the measures to ensure a limited spread of the novel coronavirus .
The lockdown has left many residents bored and listless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has given Indians stuck with cabin fever a new hobby to help them pass the time .
“ Residents are cooped up at home spending their mornings and evenings at their balconies taking photographs and videos of these relaxed birds .
“ The lockdown will at least prompt people to focus on what is around them , which they had been taking for granted , and hopefully this site will be declared a flamingo sanctuary soon .
”

(TMU) — As India’s 1.3 billion residents face strict lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the South Asian country has witnessed a return of nature to many locations—including a massive influx of flamingos into the nation’s largest city.
Tens of thousands of the large pink birds have been arriving at Mumbai in recent weeks, with many of the gorgeous creatures simply overrunning urban areas that are thrived with human activity such as construction work and fishing in pre-quarantine days.
https://twitter.com/lonelyplanet/status/1254848816639082498
While Science Times reports that the flamingos have traditionally migrated to Mumbai metropolis during the October to March feeding and breeding season, the absence of city residents from its streets and open spaces has meant that the bird population has not only increased, but has made itself at home in and around the massive metropolitan zone.
Photographs shared on social media show the pink birds lounging on the apartment buildings above the city’s wetlands and along the mudflats of Thane Creek.
Flamingos in thane creek , Navi Mumbai .., no lockdown for them pic.twitter.com/hIt71YI2Pq — VB Kumar IFS (@vbk33) April 10, 2020
Experts also say that the flamingos have enjoyed a recent population boom, as evidenced by the 150,000 birds that have arrived in Mumba this—a 25 percent boost over last year, according to an estimate by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
The nationwide lockdown has also seen industrial waste discharge decline while sewage from homes has skyrocketed, resulting in a proliferation of the plankton and algae that comprises the diet of the large birds.
BNHS Director Deepak Apte told the Hindustan Times:
“A major reason for the large numbers is also the large flocks of juveniles moving to these sites, following the successful breeding documented two years ago.
“Additionally, the lockdown is giving these birds peace for roosting, no disturbance in their attempt to obtain food, and overall encouraging habitat.”
https://twitter.com/sunnyagro/status/1252147845475467270
India was placed under a strict nationwide lockdown on March 25, which affected all of the country’s residents. While it was introduced as a measure that would initially only last 21 days, it has faced extensions. The original mandates of the lockdown—which have since been relaxed—included sealed borders, curfews, and hard restrictions on movements besides essential outings for food and health care.
In Mumbai, 381 different containment areas faced additional restrictions such as no movement outdoors, including grocery purchases and restaurant delivery.
The Mumbai metropolitan area saw its best March air quality ever recorded in 2020 while April 2020 was also on track to be the best April on record, with massive drops in air pollution in the typically polluted city, according to Swiss-based air quality technology company IQAir.
https://twitter.com/TOIMumbai/status/1256184682254700544
The lockdown is set to expire May 3, but many states are discussing plans to continue the measures to ensure a limited spread of the novel coronavirus.
The lockdown has left many residents bored and listless, but the large increase in the birds has given Indians stuck with cabin fever a new hobby to help them pass the time.
Local resident Sunil Agarwal said:
“Residents are cooped up at home spending their mornings and evenings at their balconies taking photographs and videos of these relaxed birds.
“The lockdown will at least prompt people to focus on what is around them, which they had been taking for granted, and hopefully this site will be declared a flamingo sanctuary soon.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-02--New Discovery May Explain How Matter Outpaced Antimatter in the Early Universe

( TMU ) — Earlier this week , we reported on a wild new hypothesis for the true nature of the cosmos , a physics-based amalgam of panpsychism and the simulation argument which argues that the universe is one grand thought simulating itself into existence on loop .
Since non-materialist explanations for the universe lay at the very fringes of accepted science , today we will look at an equally new mainstream discovery that is just as mind-boggling .
This recent cosmological discovery may contain clues as to what happened at the beginning of the universe .
How did the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stars and planets around us ?
It has always been one of the most confounding mysteries in science : Why does anything exist at all ?
The new discovery involves evidence for a concept known as leptogenesis .
This hypothesis suggests that during the initial moments of the Big Bang , giant neutrinos formed but then broke down and eventually tilted the scale of matter to antimatter just enough to create the physical stuff of our universe .
It ’ s less sexy than a self-simulating universal consciousness that can will matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s not any less mystical .
You ’ re still left with the fundamental question posed by Stephan Hawking : “ What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe ?
Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing ?
” The announcement came from scientists at the T2K ( Tokai to Kamioka ) experiment in Japan , where a team of researchers has observed the oscillation of neutrinos as they travel through 300 km of underground cables .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ neutrinos and antineutrinos do not mirror each other in the same as a particle of matter and its doppelganger antimatter particle .
Such a discovery in physics is called a CP Violation and it provides corroboration for the idea that matter got the upper hand on antimatter .
Leptogenesis has competition , though .
Another leading theory , called electroweak baryogenesis , argues that early versions of the Higgs boson particle triggered a phase shift in the early universe that destroyed most of everything but left a tiny amount of surviving matter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team doesn ’ t claim to have settled the matter .
In fact , they say future experiments and evidence will be needed , as neutrinos are more difficult to study than other elementary particles .
Theoretical physicist Jessica Turner , who works at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory ( Fermilab ) in Batavia , Ill said to Scientific American , “ Leptogenesis is a very elegant way of explaining things .
Firstly , you answer why there ’ s more matter than antimatter .
And second , you explain why neutrinos have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physicist Seyda Ipek says it ’ s possible that neither leptogenesis nor electroweak baryogenesis is correct .
Turner agrees : “ I think we need to let ourselves explore all possibilities .
Nature unravels as it does ; we can ’ t control that .
We just try our best to understand it.
” New experiments could unveil the nature of the early universe , including the ever-nebulous dark matter that has not been detected or even proven to exist but which may hold the answer to the riddle .
In the 2030s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , a space-based gravitational-wave detector , will launch and could detect gravitational waves that prove a cosmological phase transition took place right after the Big Bang .
In the meantime , the mystery persists but we ’ re a few steps closer to resolving how matter came about at all .

(TMU) — Earlier this week, we reported on a wild new hypothesis for the true nature of the cosmos, a physics-based amalgam of panpsychism and the simulation argument which argues that the universe is one grand thought simulating itself into existence on loop. Since non-materialist explanations for the universe lay at the very fringes of accepted science, today we will look at an equally new mainstream discovery that is just as mind-boggling.
This recent cosmological discovery may contain clues as to what happened at the beginning of the universe. How did the dynasty of matter take hold and create the stars and planets around us? It has always been one of the most confounding mysteries in science: Why does anything exist at all?
The new discovery involves evidence for a concept known as leptogenesis. This hypothesis suggests that during the initial moments of the Big Bang, giant neutrinos formed but then broke down and eventually tilted the scale of matter to antimatter just enough to create the physical stuff of our universe.
It’s less sexy than a self-simulating universal consciousness that can will matter into existence, but in some ways, it’s not any less mystical. You’re still left with the fundamental question posed by Stephan Hawking: “What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe? Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing?”
The announcement came from scientists at the T2K (Tokai to Kamioka) experiment in Japan, where a team of researchers has observed the oscillation of neutrinos as they travel through 300 km of underground cables. What the T2K researchers discovered was that neutrinos and antineutrinos do not mirror each other in the same as a particle of matter and its doppelganger antimatter particle. Such a discovery in physics is called a CP Violation and it provides corroboration for the idea that matter got the upper hand on antimatter.
Leptogenesis has competition, though. Another leading theory, called electroweak baryogenesis, argues that early versions of the Higgs boson particle triggered a phase shift in the early universe that destroyed most of everything but left a tiny amount of surviving matter, which became our universe.
The T2K team doesn’t claim to have settled the matter. In fact, they say future experiments and evidence will be needed, as neutrinos are more difficult to study than other elementary particles.
Theoretical physicist Jessica Turner, who works at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill said to Scientific American, “Leptogenesis is a very elegant way of explaining things. Firstly, you answer why there’s more matter than antimatter. And second, you explain why neutrinos have such small masses.”
However, theoretical physicist Seyda Ipek says it’s possible that neither leptogenesis nor electroweak baryogenesis is correct.
Turner agrees: “I think we need to let ourselves explore all possibilities. Nature unravels as it does; we can’t control that. We just try our best to understand it.”
New experiments could unveil the nature of the early universe, including the ever-nebulous dark matter that has not been detected or even proven to exist but which may hold the answer to the riddle. In the 2030s the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a space-based gravitational-wave detector, will launch and could detect gravitational waves that prove a cosmological phase transition took place right after the Big Bang.
In the meantime, the mystery persists but we’re a few steps closer to resolving how matter came about at all.
By Jake Anderson | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-02--Green Energy Surges as Demand for Fossil Fuel Collapses — and It Could Be Here to Stay

( TMU ) — As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , economies across the world have seemingly slammed on the brakes .
As a result , the world has witnessed a vast reduction in driving , flying , maritime shipping , industrial activity , and international commerce in general .
The meltdown of the global economy has been absolutely devastating for fossil fuel commodities such as coal , gas and oil , due to a precipitous drop in energy usage unparalleled since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
According to the International Energy Agency ( IEA ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than it did during the 2008 global financial crisis—and could be wiped out for decades to come , even after the pandemic subsides .
However , the crisis unleashed by COVID-19 could open the door to a broad transition to renewable energy , especially as new projects including lower-cost wind turbines and solar panels are increasingly rolled out , Science magazine reports .
“ The plunge in demand for nearly all major fuels is staggering , especially for coal , oil and gas .
Only renewables are holding up during the previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in a bit of good news for our suddenly cleaner skies and waterways , clean electricity could be here to stay—and could even help roll back increased global carbon emissions over the past years .
According to the IEA , the world ’ s CO2 emissions could fall by as much as 8 percent this year , or roughly 2.6 gigatons , as a result of the pandemic—the largest drop ever recorded .
Global energy demand is already expected to drop by a massive 6 percent in 2020—an amount the agency described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the equivalent of losing the entire energy demand of India.
” Meanwhile , demand for gas will likely fall by 5 percent following a decade of uninterrupted growth , the sharpest fall ever since gas became widely used as a source of energy in the second half of the twentieth century .
Coal demand will also fall by 8 percent compared to 2019 , the largest decline since the end of the Second World War .
In the meantime , demand for renewable energy is expected to grow by 1 percent this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent increase in the use of renewables owing to the low fuel cost of electricity generated by sunlight , wind , and hydroelectric dams .
The crisis has also shown the pitfalls of relying on fossil fuels , which require costly storage systems and extensive supply chains to move fuel from its source , noted energy policy expert Daniel Kammen .
He added : “ Those costs are always there .
But when there ’ s so little demand for fossil fuel , what you ’ re seeing is the infrastructure to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Birol and the IEA are confident that the growth in renewables should signal a shift from fossil fuel companies toward generating clean energy .
However , this transition to clean energy should be incentivized by governments who can ensure that any economic stimulus packages include provisions for a green economy .
“ It is still too early to determine the longer-term impacts .
“ But the energy industry that emerges from this crisis will be significantly different from the one that came before .
”

(TMU) — As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, economies across the world have seemingly slammed on the brakes. As a result, the world has witnessed a vast reduction in driving, flying, maritime shipping, industrial activity, and international commerce in general.
The meltdown of the global economy has been absolutely devastating for fossil fuel commodities such as coal, gas and oil, due to a precipitous drop in energy usage unparalleled since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), fossil fuel demand has fallen seven times more than it did during the 2008 global financial crisis—and could be wiped out for decades to come, even after the pandemic subsides.
However, the crisis unleashed by COVID-19 could open the door to a broad transition to renewable energy, especially as new projects including lower-cost wind turbines and solar panels are increasingly rolled out, Science magazine reports.
Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, said:
“The plunge in demand for nearly all major fuels is staggering, especially for coal, oil and gas. Only renewables are holding up during the previously unheard of slump in electricity use.”
Global CO2 emissions are set to fall nearly 8% this year to their lowest level since 2010, the largest drop in history. But this fall, on the back of premature deaths & economic trauma, is nothing to cheer. The ? needs structural emissions reductions driven by better policies. pic.twitter.com/kk9UONUGkN — Fatih Birol (@IEABirol) April 30, 2020
And in a bit of good news for our suddenly cleaner skies and waterways, clean electricity could be here to stay—and could even help roll back increased global carbon emissions over the past years.
According to the IEA, the world’s CO2 emissions could fall by as much as 8 percent this year, or roughly 2.6 gigatons, as a result of the pandemic—the largest drop ever recorded.
Global energy demand is already expected to drop by a massive 6 percent in 2020—an amount the agency described as “unprecedented,” and “the equivalent of losing the entire energy demand of India.”
Meanwhile, demand for gas will likely fall by 5 percent following a decade of uninterrupted growth, the sharpest fall ever since gas became widely used as a source of energy in the second half of the twentieth century. Coal demand will also fall by 8 percent compared to 2019, the largest decline since the end of the Second World War.
In the meantime, demand for renewable energy is expected to grow by 1 percent this year, thanks in part to a 5 percent increase in the use of renewables owing to the low fuel cost of electricity generated by sunlight, wind, and hydroelectric dams.
"#Coal is set for the largest decline since WWII, alongside sharp reductions for gas & oil. Nuclear power is less affected by lockdown measures, while renewables are the only energy source on the rise in 2020." ?From @Laura_Cozzi's presentation to press on @IEA's new GER report pic.twitter.com/nGSepXhMd6 — Merve Erdil (@merveerdill) April 30, 2020
The crisis has also shown the pitfalls of relying on fossil fuels, which require costly storage systems and extensive supply chains to move fuel from its source, noted energy policy expert Daniel Kammen. He added:
“Those costs are always there. But when there’s so little demand for fossil fuel, what you’re seeing is the infrastructure to move it around has been overwhelmed.”
However, Birol and the IEA are confident that the growth in renewables should signal a shift from fossil fuel companies toward generating clean energy. However, this transition to clean energy should be incentivized by governments who can ensure that any economic stimulus packages include provisions for a green economy.
Birol explained:
“It is still too early to determine the longer-term impacts.
“But the energy industry that emerges from this crisis will be significantly different from the one that came before.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-03--In Colorado, You Can Hike a 2,744-Step Staircase Up to the Clouds

( TMU ) — If you love challenges and hiking , you ’ ll love the Manitou Incline in Colorado which was only legalized for hiking in 2013 .
Definitely not for the unfit , faint of heart or pets , the Manitou Incline is only a mile long but very steep , made up of 2,744 steps .
The stunning view from the summit is totally worth the effort , according to those who make it to the top .
The website of the Incline Friends provide some finer detail : ‘ ’ It is known as one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Colorado Springs area .
It is famous for its sweeping views and steep grade , as steep as 68 % in places with an average grade just over 40 % , making it a fitness challenge for locals in the Colorado Springs area .
The incline gains over 2,000 feet ( 610 m ) of elevation in less than one mile , to a height of about 8,600′ .
It can be completed by Olympic athletes in around 20 minutes , but it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many hikers give a sigh of relief after making it past the steepest grade of 68 % , thinking they have made it to the top , but alas , they ’ ve only reached what ’ s called the ‘ False Summit ’ and will need to take a deep breath and press on for another 300 feet to enjoy the majestic views which include the cities of Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs !
For those unable to cope with the elevation , there is a bailout point about 2/3 of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr Trail , a 3 mile down trail .
The steps making up the Manitou Incline are the remains of what was once a funicular—or cable train—constructed in 1907 to get materials and workers to the top of Pike ’ s Peak for the construction of a nearby hydroelectric plant and waterline .
Shortly after completion of the project , it was bought by the enterprising Dr. Newton M Brumback who turned it into a successful tourist attraction .
New owner Spencer Penrose bought the Incline Railway in 1923 and upgraded the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1958 , providing a more upmarket dining and viewing experience for visitors .
The Railway became too expensive to maintain and stopped operating in 1990 .
The rail tracks were removed but the railroad ties left behind , forming a natural , ready-made staircase .
Before you make the trip to hike the Manitou Incline , check the weather conditions , familiarize yourself with the strict rules and regulations , take the time to adjust to Colorado Springs ’ high altitude , wear appropriate hiking gear , take plenty of water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
The Manitou Incline is , like most attractions , closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic but under normal circumstance is open seven days a week from 6am to 8am from April 1 to October 31 and 6am to 6pm from November 1 to March 31 .
The hike is free but parking at the Barr Lot , at end of the downward Barr Trail , is limited and cost $ 10 .
Alternatively , park for free and take the free shuttle ride from 10 Old Man ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another option is a reservation only lot or the parking lot by the Tahine Restaurant in Manitou Springs from where you can take the free shuttle to the Incline .

(TMU) — If you love challenges and hiking, you’ll love the Manitou Incline in Colorado which was only legalized for hiking in 2013. Definitely not for the unfit, faint of heart or pets, the Manitou Incline is only a mile long but very steep, made up of 2,744 steps. The stunning view from the summit is totally worth the effort, according to those who make it to the top.
The website of the Incline Friends provide some finer detail: ‘’It is known as one of the most popular and challenging hikes in the Colorado Springs area. It is famous for its sweeping views and steep grade, as steep as 68% in places with an average grade just over 40%, making it a fitness challenge for locals in the Colorado Springs area. The incline gains over 2,000 feet (610 m) of elevation in less than one mile, to a height of about 8,600′. It can be completed by Olympic athletes in around 20 minutes, but it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on your fitness level.’’
Many hikers give a sigh of relief after making it past the steepest grade of 68%, thinking they have made it to the top, but alas, they’ve only reached what’s called the ‘False Summit’ and will need to take a deep breath and press on for another 300 feet to enjoy the majestic views which include the cities of Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs! For those unable to cope with the elevation, there is a bailout point about 2/3 of the way up which meets up with the Barr Trail, a 3 mile down trail.
The steps making up the Manitou Incline are the remains of what was once a funicular—or cable train—constructed in 1907 to get materials and workers to the top of Pike’s Peak for the construction of a nearby hydroelectric plant and waterline. Shortly after completion of the project, it was bought by the enterprising Dr. Newton M Brumback who turned it into a successful tourist attraction.
New owner Spencer Penrose bought the Incline Railway in 1923 and upgraded the whole operation. He rebuilt the summit station in 1958, providing a more upmarket dining and viewing experience for visitors. The Railway became too expensive to maintain and stopped operating in 1990.
The rail tracks were removed but the railroad ties left behind, forming a natural, ready-made staircase.
Before you make the trip to hike the Manitou Incline, check the weather conditions, familiarize yourself with the strict rules and regulations, take the time to adjust to Colorado Springs’ high altitude, wear appropriate hiking gear, take plenty of water and energy snacks and leave your pets at home.
The Manitou Incline is, like most attractions, closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic but under normal circumstance is open seven days a week from 6am to 8am from April 1 to October 31 and 6am to 6pm from November 1 to March 31.
The hike is free but parking at the Barr Lot, at end of the downward Barr Trail, is limited and cost $10. Alternatively, park for free and take the free shuttle ride from 10 Old Man’s Trail at the Hiawatha Gardens building. Another option is a reservation only lot or the parking lot by the Tahine Restaurant in Manitou Springs from where you can take the free shuttle to the Incline.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-03--The Most Beautiful Garden in the World Has No Visitors for the First Time in Over 70 Years

( TMU ) — The Netherlands , a small piece of Europe on the north-western coast , is known for its flat landscape , canals , windmills , tulips , and bicycles .
It ’ s also the birthplace of famous artists like Rembrandt van Meer and Vincent van Gogh .
Tulips are not native to the Netherlands but were imported from the Ottoman Empire ( Turkey ) in the sixteenth century .
The tulip became popular when Carolus Clusius wrote his first book about tulips in 1592 , so popular in fact that Clusius ’ garden was regularly raided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached fever pitch and caused the first known economic bubble , known as ‘ ’ Tulip Mania.
’ ’ Some bulbs reached such extremely high prices that the market collapsed in 1637 .
Keukenhof estate , which dates back to the 15th century , was a source of fruit and vegetables for the Teylingen Castle kitchen during the years 1401 through 1436 .
Part of the estate had a major overhaul after WWII when a group of bulb growers and exporters , in an effort to revitalize the market , were able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their spring-flowering bulbs .
Keukenhof opened its gates to the public in the spring of 1950 with over 236,000 visitors that first year .
Sadly , this year ’ s 71st exhibition named ‘ A World of Colours ’ marks the first time since its opening that the park will not be open to visitors due to the worldwide pandemic .
Born and bred Dutchman , Albert Dros , a landscape photographer who loves the spring flowers of his country and photographs them often to share with the world , had wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very long time .
However , with millions of visitors each spring , conditions were not ideal for how he wanted to capture the gardens on film .
This year , with Keukenhof ’ s spring garden in full bloom with no visitors to enjoy the spectacle , he realized this might be the only opportunity ever to make his dream photoshoot at Keukenhof a reality .
He said : ‘ ’ I ’ ve been photographing the tulips since forever , mostly in the countryside .
I photographed them from all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was one thing that I still wanted to capture one time in my life : Keukenhof without any other people .
This seemed impossible , until this year ’ s April 2020 .
With the COVID-19 virus keeping everyone at home and tourists away , I knew this was my only chance of making this happen .
I contacted Keukenhof explaining what I had in mind and they were so kind to let me photograph the garden for a day.
’ ’ A sunny April had made the flowers bloom early and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge , Dros ’ s photographs definitely show that he overcame that problem and it seems , made the most of having the park to himself , strolling down the pathways with birdsong in his ears , the smell of the flowers in the air and absorbing the amazing visual rainbow of flowers every step of the way .
‘ ’ This photo series is an initiative from myself in collaboration with Keukenhof .
We aim to show the beauty of the park through these images .
Too bad there ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For more of Albert Dros ’ work , check out : albertdros.com | Instagram | Facebook | flickr.com

(TMU) — The Netherlands, a small piece of Europe on the north-western coast, is known for its flat landscape, canals, windmills, tulips, and bicycles. It’s also the birthplace of famous artists like Rembrandt van Meer and Vincent van Gogh.
Tulips are not native to the Netherlands but were imported from the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) in the sixteenth century. The tulip became popular when Carolus Clusius wrote his first book about tulips in 1592, so popular in fact that Clusius’ garden was regularly raided and bulbs stolen. Their popularity eventually reached fever pitch and caused the first known economic bubble, known as ‘’Tulip Mania.’’ Some bulbs reached such extremely high prices that the market collapsed in 1637.
It’s in the details with these small patches of different coloured hyacinth flowers carefully places on the grass between the trees. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Keukenhof estate, which dates back to the 15th century, was a source of fruit and vegetables for the Teylingen Castle kitchen during the years 1401 through 1436. Part of the estate had a major overhaul after WWII when a group of bulb growers and exporters, in an effort to revitalize the market, were able to use the estate in 1949 to exhibit their spring-flowering bulbs. Keukenhof opened its gates to the public in the spring of 1950 with over 236,000 visitors that first year.
Sadly, this year’s 71st exhibition named ‘A World of Colours’ marks the first time since its opening that the park will not be open to visitors due to the worldwide pandemic.
My favourite area with part of the big pool on the right. Lines and shapes of tulips all pointing towards the middle. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Born and bred Dutchman, Albert Dros, a landscape photographer who loves the spring flowers of his country and photographs them often to share with the world, had wanted to photograph Keukenhof’s spring garden for a very long time. However, with millions of visitors each spring, conditions were not ideal for how he wanted to capture the gardens on film. This year, with Keukenhof’s spring garden in full bloom with no visitors to enjoy the spectacle, he realized this might be the only opportunity ever to make his dream photoshoot at Keukenhof a reality.
I really couldn’t get enough of these patches of different kind of flowers with different colours along the paths and the trees everywhere in the park. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
He said: ‘’I’ve been photographing the tulips since forever, mostly in the countryside. I photographed them from all angles you can possibly imagine, but there was one thing that I still wanted to capture one time in my life: Keukenhof without any other people. This seemed impossible, until this year’s April 2020. With the COVID-19 virus keeping everyone at home and tourists away, I knew this was my only chance of making this happen. I contacted Keukenhof explaining what I had in mind and they were so kind to let me photograph the garden for a day.’’
A sunny April had made the flowers bloom early and although photographing in strong sunlight was a challenge, Dros’s photographs definitely show that he overcame that problem and it seems, made the most of having the park to himself, strolling down the pathways with birdsong in his ears, the smell of the flowers in the air and absorbing the amazing visual rainbow of flowers every step of the way.
‘’This photo series is an initiative from myself in collaboration with Keukenhof. We aim to show the beauty of the park through these images. Too bad there’s no smell involved,’’ Dros concluded.
For more of Albert Dros’ work, check out: albertdros.com | Instagram | Facebook | flickr.com
With no people around these zig zag paths become visible showing the attention to detail in the lay out of the garden. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
The empty square in front of the famous Keukenhof windmill looks so serene. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
The Red & Yellow carpet of tulips as seen from a drone perspective from about 10 meters up. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
In Keukenhof you can find a bunch of classic Dutch bridges. This is one of them right at the entrance, surrounded by a sea of colourful tulips. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Portrait oriented image of the empty square in front of the famous windmill. The miller was so kind to put the windmill in the correct position for the photograph. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Low angle perspective of a rare species of tulips that I had not seen before. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
The world famous ‘Blue River.’ A road of blue grape hyacinths zigzagging through the trees. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Did I mention attention to detail? From the ground I didn’t even see this, but when I flew my drone a few meters up it appeared that these were planted in the shape of a tulip flower! Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Seas of tulips around my favourite area of the park: The pool with the fountain in the middle. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Lines and lines of tulips, hyacinths and narcissus flowers in between the trees. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
I love to photograph dreamy portraits of flowers, and the Keukenhof is perfect for that with its many different kinds of flowers. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
My favourite places in the Keukenhof are the pools. Seeing the water reflecting the trees and flowers gives such a calm… Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
In some parts of the park you can find endless seas of different coloured tulips that together make a beautiful abstract color palette. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
The little paths make harmony with the trees and different flowers all around them. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
An image of the white bridge near the entrance of the park showing the scale of a hill with thousands of tulips that can be seen in front of it. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
A low angle perspective in the part of the park that I’d like to call ‘cherry blossom garden’ where you can find dozens of cherry blossoms combined with tulips. Did I mention the smell!? Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
A high key portrait of the Fritillaria Imperialis flower. One of my favourite flowers of the park. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Zig zag lines of flowers, water and paths almost looks like these scenes are dancing. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Attention to great detail of lines and shapes in which the flowers are planted is signature design of The Keukenhof. I… Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Dare to be different. A white tulip with a red leaf standing out in the lot, with a viewpoint on the tulip fields in the background. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
A portrait image of a grape hyacinth. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Real summer vibes with green trees, blue sky, and circular shapes of tulips. It’s only spring, but this image already reminds me of summer. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
I love how you can see these lines and shapes of tulips in the park. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Sun peaking through the trees in the afternoon, with the lines and paths of flowers making harmony with each other. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
One of my favourite little scenes in the park: A Japanese cherry blossom tree with a beautiful shape with a path through flowers leading up to it. It looks like a scene out of a fairytale. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
See through along the walking bridges in the park with cherry blossoms on top. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
Water reflecting the beauty of the trees and flowers. Posted by Albert Dros Photography on Monday, April 27, 2020
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-05--New Futuristic Coronavirus-Proof Raving/Vaping/Sex Suit is Dazzling and Terrifying

( TMU ) — As the world adjusts to COVID-19 and , more generally , a new age of microbial warfare and surveillance , entrepreneurs , inventors , and venture capitalists are hard at work figuring out how to cash in ( help ) .
Some designers are already circulating a new proof-of-concept for a bodysuit that will allow people to attend dance clubs , festivals , concerts , and sports events without exposing themselves to the coronavirus .
The Los Angeles-based design company Production Club says their “ Micrashell ” virus-proof half-body suit prototype would allow large groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , use the bathroom , and even have sex all while still practicing the requisite social distancing protocols .
How ?
The suit would cover only the upper third of the body , roughly resembling a futuristic spacesuit , and would feature an air-filtration helmet with N95 filters , wireless voice communication tech with built-in speakers , a shield/visor equipped with smartphone apps , an in-suit beverage-and-vape supply system , and a phone charger .
It would even have an LED light display adhered so that you can convey messages or express your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ future of human interaction.
” In a recent press release , Production Club further described the suit as a “ personal protective equipment design concept that allows for human-to-human interaction in group setting….The Micrashell is a virus-shielded , easy to control , fun to wear , disinfectable , fast to deploy suit that allows socializing without distancing.
” Adding , “ [ We were ] born in the rave counter-culture so DJing and safe partying is in our blood.
” Despite the futurity of its appearance , the designers want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principle designing the suit was , knowing this is a time-sensitive matter , let ’ s not pack it with sci-fi features that don ’ t yet exist and will be roadblocks , but [ let ’ s ] use technologies that are available to us , ” Miguel Risueño , Head of Inventions explained .
“ If we don ’ t do that , we ’ re just navel-gazing instead of actually trying to solve a problem.
” To that end , the suit makes it easy to engage the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the toilet–or have sex–and allows you to use beverage canisters to supply liquid meals .
The system even helps you protect against getting roofied by making the drink cartridge compartmentalized and shielded from outside tampering .
Risueño said in an interview that there is a psychological component to the suit , too : “ With everyone in our industry focused on developing virtual solutions we decided to focus on something more emotional , physical and inherently human so the industry as a whole could have a broader chance to recover promptly.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerts is indispensable to being human .
From this perspective , the suit could be a first glimpse at some of the strange technological detours we ’ ll be taking in the years ahead .
For the more eccentric , devoted party-goers who attend events like Burning Man and Coachella every year , such inventions may catch on , especially if a second wave of the virus imposes an even more dire , existential risk to our economy .
While it remains to be seen whether COVID-19 or future virus scares will permanently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it appears entrepreneurs are already planning for that eventuality .
Would you wear it ?

(TMU) — As the world adjusts to COVID-19 and, more generally, a new age of microbial warfare and surveillance, entrepreneurs, inventors, and venture capitalists are hard at work figuring out how to cash in (help).
Some designers are already circulating a new proof-of-concept for a bodysuit that will allow people to attend dance clubs, festivals, concerts, and sports events without exposing themselves to the coronavirus.
The Los Angeles-based design company Production Club says their “Micrashell” virus-proof half-body suit prototype would allow large groups of people to drink, vape, dance, use the bathroom, and even have sex all while still practicing the requisite social distancing protocols.
How? The suit would cover only the upper third of the body, roughly resembling a futuristic spacesuit, and would feature an air-filtration helmet with N95 filters, wireless voice communication tech with built-in speakers, a shield/visor equipped with smartphone apps, an in-suit beverage-and-vape supply system, and a phone charger. It would even have an LED light display adhered so that you can convey messages or express your mood.
Eerily, they call it the “future of human interaction.”
In a recent press release, Production Club further described the suit as a “personal protective equipment design concept that allows for human-to-human interaction in group setting….The Micrashell is a virus-shielded, easy to control, fun to wear, disinfectable, fast to deploy suit that allows socializing without distancing.”
Adding, “[We were] born in the rave counter-culture so DJing and safe partying is in our blood.”
Despite the futurity of its appearance, the designers want the suit to be practical.
“The principle designing the suit was, knowing this is a time-sensitive matter, let’s not pack it with sci-fi features that don’t yet exist and will be roadblocks, but [let’s] use technologies that are available to us,” Miguel Risueño, Head of Inventions explained. “If we don’t do that, we’re just navel-gazing instead of actually trying to solve a problem.”
To that end, the suit makes it easy to engage the rest of your body if you need to use the toilet–or have sex–and allows you to use beverage canisters to supply liquid meals. The system even helps you protect against getting roofied by making the drink cartridge compartmentalized and shielded from outside tampering.
Risueño said in an interview that there is a psychological component to the suit, too: “With everyone in our industry focused on developing virtual solutions we decided to focus on something more emotional, physical and inherently human so the industry as a whole could have a broader chance to recover promptly.”
The Group believes live entertainment like festivals and concerts is indispensable to being human. From this perspective, the suit could be a first glimpse at some of the strange technological detours we’ll be taking in the years ahead.
For the more eccentric, devoted party-goers who attend events like Burning Man and Coachella every year, such inventions may catch on, especially if a second wave of the virus imposes an even more dire, existential risk to our economy. While it remains to be seen whether COVID-19 or future virus scares will permanently alter the nature of human gatherings, it appears entrepreneurs are already planning for that eventuality.
Would you wear it?
By Jake Anderson | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-06--Stunning Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower and Super Flower Moon Happening This Week

( TMU ) — This week , as long as the skies are clear , stargazers will have an opportunity to hit a double jackpot in the form of the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower reaching its peak over May 5 and 6 and the Super Flower Full Moon reaching full illumination on May 7 , at 06.45 in New York City , NY .
Of course , in some areas of the world , full illumination of the moon will be during the daytime but still a beautiful sight to observe with clear skies .
Check the best time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While millions of people worldwide are still hunkering down during the pandemic , they are rediscovering the little things they may not have had time for during the daily grind of commuting and work .
By now , the spring cleaning is done and time is being spent playing games , reading books , cooking , baking , gardening , art , sewing , and watching the stars .
Older family members will recall nights when they used to lay on the lawn trying to be the first to spot Sputnik in orbit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the stars and planets in our galaxy .
In those days , there was often no need to travel far to get away from the glow of city lights , but at this time we don ’ t necessarily have the same freedom to travel to a wide open space , where the sky is deep and dark , especially to view the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower .
Although the shower started April 19 and starts fading towards May 31 , it reaches its peak on Tuesday , May 5 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe but usually gives the Southern Hemisphere a particularly good show .
According to a report by Forbes , Eta Aquarids shower is estimated to produce about 60 meteors per hour , unfortunately , this year ’ s showers may fade against to brilliant Super Moon in its final days before reaching full illumination on May 7 , but the showers are usually at their best in the darkest hour , before twilight , which means the Super Moon might not have shown its face yet to steal the show .
If all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shadow ’ such as a tree , mountain , or building casting a shadow from the moon light to sit under , check the radiant , altitude and direction from your location then switch off all lights and electronics and relax .
Your eyes should adjust to the darkness in about 15-20 minutes and it will be a lot easier to spot the meteors .
The Eta Aquarids shower is named after the brightest star , Eta Aquarii , in the constellation of Aquarius , which is the direction from where the shower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eta Aquarids and the Orionid Meteor Shower in October are created by debris from the Comet Halley .
Earth passing through Halley ’ s path of space dust causes the spectacular firework displays .
Halley takes approximately 76 years to complete its revolution around the sun and won ’ t be visible from Earth again until 2061 .
Although this week ’ s Flower Super Moon is the last Super Moon of 2020 , we can look forward to some special celestial events in June , starting with a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 21 June .

(TMU) — This week, as long as the skies are clear, stargazers will have an opportunity to hit a double jackpot in the form of the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower reaching its peak over May 5 and 6 and the Super Flower Full Moon reaching full illumination on May 7, at 06.45 in New York City, NY.
Of course, in some areas of the world, full illumination of the moon will be during the daytime but still a beautiful sight to observe with clear skies. Check the best time and date in your town or city.
While millions of people worldwide are still hunkering down during the pandemic, they are rediscovering the little things they may not have had time for during the daily grind of commuting and work.
By now, the spring cleaning is done and time is being spent playing games, reading books, cooking, baking, gardening, art, sewing, and watching the stars. Older family members will recall nights when they used to lay on the lawn trying to be the first to spot Sputnik in orbit, see shooting stars, and learn about the stars and planets in our galaxy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxN3dxinGW_/
In those days, there was often no need to travel far to get away from the glow of city lights, but at this time we don’t necessarily have the same freedom to travel to a wide open space, where the sky is deep and dark, especially to view the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. Although the shower started April 19 and starts fading towards May 31, it reaches its peak on Tuesday, May 5.
The Eta Aquarids is visible from across the globe but usually gives the Southern Hemisphere a particularly good show. According to a report by Forbes, Eta Aquarids shower is estimated to produce about 60 meteors per hour, unfortunately, this year’s showers may fade against to brilliant Super Moon in its final days before reaching full illumination on May 7, but the showers are usually at their best in the darkest hour, before twilight, which means the Super Moon might not have shown its face yet to steal the show.
If all else fails, find a ‘moon shadow’ such as a tree, mountain, or building casting a shadow from the moon light to sit under, check the radiant, altitude and direction from your location then switch off all lights and electronics and relax. Your eyes should adjust to the darkness in about 15-20 minutes and it will be a lot easier to spot the meteors.
The Eta Aquarids shower is named after the brightest star, Eta Aquarii, in the constellation of Aquarius, which is the direction from where the shower seems to come from. Both the Eta Aquarids and the Orionid Meteor Shower in October are created by debris from the Comet Halley. Earth passing through Halley’s path of space dust causes the spectacular firework displays. Halley takes approximately 76 years to complete its revolution around the sun and won’t be visible from Earth again until 2061.
Although this week’s Flower Super Moon is the last Super Moon of 2020, we can look forward to some special celestial events in June, starting with a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on 5-6 June and an Annular Solar Eclipse on 21 June.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-07--Pair Of The Worlds Smallest & Rarest Cats Born In UK Sanctuary

Around eight weeks ago , two rare , tiny kittens were born at the Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary , Cornwall in the UK .
Described as being the size of mice when they were born , the pair are the first litter of the Rusty-spotted wild cat born at the sanctuary .
Smaller than domestic cats , the body of a fully grown adult Rusty-spotted cat ( prionailurus rubiginosus ) measures around 13-19 inches ( 33-48cm ) in length with a tail of between 5-12 inches ( 15-30cm ) long .
Native to the forests of Southern India , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this is yet another wild species under threat due to human encroachment and loss of habitat and are listed as ‘ Near Threatened ’ on the IUCN Red List .
These tiny nocturnal felines avoid predators by hiding in trees and caves until dark but often emerge for brief excursions during the day and their faded , spotted , leopard look-alike coats provide perfect camouflage in the dappled forest light .
While small mammals such as rodents , and birds are their preferred meal , they also enjoy snacking on frogs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reproductive behavior of Rusty-spotted cats has only been observed in captivity , it is very close to that of domestic cats and breeding is seasonal in captivity , with a litter of one to three kittens born after a gestation period of about 67 days .
In captivity , they have a life span of approximately 12 years .
Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary is part of an ongoing conservation program with the Rusty Spotted Cat Conservation Breeding Programme .
Sharing photos of the adorable cubs and their mum they wrote : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a sanctuary for unwanted/surplus animals and do not actively take part in breeding .
However , we had an enclosure spare last summer and were given the opportunity to take on a pair of rusty-spotted cats .
To our knowledge they are two of only around 40 in captivity across the world , so we were excited about the opportunity .
“ We ’ ve been waiting for the right moment to reveal that they have had two cubs !
They are now coming up for 8 weeks and starting to explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done a fabulous job at raising them and continues to be very protective of them , so we are unsure of their gender .
“ We are over the moon with the new babies as the majority of our animals are old and here for retirement .
As we are well into the 6th week of lockdown we wanted to share some positive news with you all !
Thank you for your ongoing support , we hope you can all visit us and the cubs soon.
” The sanctuary also shared a link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cats and other animals in its care , which you can donate to here .

Around eight weeks ago, two rare, tiny kittens were born at the Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary, Cornwall in the UK. Described as being the size of mice when they were born, the pair are the first litter of the Rusty-spotted wild cat born at the sanctuary.
Smaller than domestic cats, the body of a fully grown adult Rusty-spotted cat (prionailurus rubiginosus) measures around 13-19 inches (33-48cm) in length with a tail of between 5-12 inches (15-30cm) long. Native to the forests of Southern India, Sri Lanka and occasionally spotted in Nepal, this is yet another wild species under threat due to human encroachment and loss of habitat and are listed as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List.
These tiny nocturnal felines avoid predators by hiding in trees and caves until dark but often emerge for brief excursions during the day and their faded, spotted, leopard look-alike coats provide perfect camouflage in the dappled forest light. While small mammals such as rodents, and birds are their preferred meal, they also enjoy snacking on frogs, lizards and smaller insects.
Although the reproductive behavior of Rusty-spotted cats has only been observed in captivity, it is very close to that of domestic cats and breeding is seasonal in captivity, with a litter of one to three kittens born after a gestation period of about 67 days. In captivity, they have a life span of approximately 12 years.
Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary is part of an ongoing conservation program with the Rusty Spotted Cat Conservation Breeding Programme. Sharing photos of the adorable cubs and their mum they wrote:
“As most of you know, we are a sanctuary for unwanted/surplus animals and do not actively take part in breeding. However, we had an enclosure spare last summer and were given the opportunity to take on a pair of rusty-spotted cats. To our knowledge they are two of only around 40 in captivity across the world, so we were excited about the opportunity.
“We’ve been waiting for the right moment to reveal that they have had two cubs! They are now coming up for 8 weeks and starting to explore their surroundings with mum. She has done a fabulous job at raising them and continues to be very protective of them, so we are unsure of their gender.
“We are over the moon with the new babies as the majority of our animals are old and here for retirement. As we are well into the 6th week of lockdown we wanted to share some positive news with you all! Thank you for your ongoing support, we hope you can all visit us and the cubs soon.”
The sanctuary also shared a link to a GoFundMe to help care for the cats and other animals in its care, which you can donate to here.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-07--Tom Cruise, Elon Musk, Joining Forces to Make First Feature Film Shot in Space

It ’ s widely agreed that actor Tom Cruise is one of the most devoted action filmmakers of our time , performing his own death-defying stunts and consistently pushing the envelope on what is possible .
Now it seems he is trying to outdo himself again , as it ’ s been reported that Cruise is partnering with Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX and NASA to shoot the first feature-length film in space .
Very little is known about the project at this point , except that it won ’ t be part of the Mission : Impossible franchise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around to different studios , presumably ones that can afford what will almost surely be an astronomical production budget .
On Tuesday , NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed the news with a tweet .
The challenges of surviving in space–much less making a film there–are daunting .
First , of course , you must get into space ; overcoming gravity is an exceedingly expensive task .
Once there , Cruise and his team of filmmakers will be at risk from space debris ( made so viscerally famous in the movie Gravity ) as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cataracts , and Alzheimer ’ s from space radiation .
One of the most daunting risks is the physical rigor of working in zero gravity , which includes the rapid loss of muscle tone and the destruction of immune cells and red blood cells , which is , among other things , bad for the heart .
Then you must produce breathable oxygen and collect and recycle wastewater .
Astronauts on the International Space Station , for example , distill their urine to collect 85 % of its water .
Anyone on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two years just to be prepared for zero-gravity .
Reportedly , Cruise is already training to use the bathroom in space .
But if there ’ s any actor primed psychologically and physically for such hardship , it is Cruise , who in recent years has severely injured himself several times and risked his life on stunts so incredible they ’ re hard to watch without cringing .
This includes Cruise free-falling 2,000 feet and hanging on to the side of an aircraft as it lifted off .
Some of his stunts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially refused to sign off on them .
According to Deadline , “ There has never been a leading man ( Jackie Chan might dispute this ) who puts himself at risk as often as does Cruise , in the name of the most realistic action sequences possible .
If he is successful shooting a project in Musk ’ s space ship , he will be alone in the Hollywood record books.
” The newest gambit for Cruise would make Hollywood history…but is it possible ?
The logistics of filming a feature-length film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the least .
But if there ’ s any entrepreneur primed for such a challenge , it ’ s Elon Musk , whose bold though eccentrically futuristic visions–for everything from electric cars and underground transportation tunnels to creating a private sector analog to NASA and eventually colonizing Mars–have few modern rivals .
While there have been science documentaries shot in space–such as the 2016 “ A Beautiful Planet , ” which was filmed onboard the International Space Station ( ISS ) –Cruise , Musk , and NASA would be pulling off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ astronaut , Marsha Ivins , a veteran of five space missions , says it ’ s simply not possible .
“ As long as NASA has purview over the space missions , I can pretty much tell you the answer is going to be no .
Because that ’ s not what NASA ’ s funded space program is about .
It ’ s about science.
” The cost of transportation and insurance alone would make it extremely difficult .
“ Just the mere fact of getting that much equipment and people up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind , ” said producer Dylan Reiff , who specializes in negotiating insurance plans for films .
“ They ’ d have to just bring the director and the [ director of photography ] and the talent they were filming .
”

It’s widely agreed that actor Tom Cruise is one of the most devoted action filmmakers of our time, performing his own death-defying stunts and consistently pushing the envelope on what is possible. Now it seems he is trying to outdo himself again, as it’s been reported that Cruise is partnering with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and NASA to shoot the first feature-length film in space.
Very little is known about the project at this point, except that it won’t be part of the Mission: Impossible franchise and that Cruise is still actively shopping it around to different studios, presumably ones that can afford what will almost surely be an astronomical production budget.
On Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed the news with a tweet.
NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv — Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020
The challenges of surviving in space–much less making a film there–are daunting. First, of course, you must get into space; overcoming gravity is an exceedingly expensive task. Once there, Cruise and his team of filmmakers will be at risk from space debris (made so viscerally famous in the movie Gravity) as well as the threat of cancer, cataracts, and Alzheimer’s from space radiation.
One of the most daunting risks is the physical rigor of working in zero gravity, which includes the rapid loss of muscle tone and the destruction of immune cells and red blood cells, which is, among other things, bad for the heart.
Then you must produce breathable oxygen and collect and recycle wastewater. Astronauts on the International Space Station, for example, distill their urine to collect 85% of its water.
Anyone on the crew or cast would have to train for two years just to be prepared for zero-gravity. Reportedly, Cruise is already training to use the bathroom in space.
But if there’s any actor primed psychologically and physically for such hardship, it is Cruise, who in recent years has severely injured himself several times and risked his life on stunts so incredible they’re hard to watch without cringing. This includes Cruise free-falling 2,000 feet and hanging on to the side of an aircraft as it lifted off.
Some of his stunts were so dangerous that his stunt coordinator initially refused to sign off on them.
According to Deadline, “There has never been a leading man (Jackie Chan might dispute this) who puts himself at risk as often as does Cruise, in the name of the most realistic action sequences possible. If he is successful shooting a project in Musk’s space ship, he will be alone in the Hollywood record books.”
The newest gambit for Cruise would make Hollywood history…but is it possible? The logistics of filming a feature-length film in space are immensely complicated, to say the least. But if there’s any entrepreneur primed for such a challenge, it’s Elon Musk, whose bold though eccentrically futuristic visions–for everything from electric cars and underground transportation tunnels to creating a private sector analog to NASA and eventually colonizing Mars–have few modern rivals.
While there have been science documentaries shot in space–such as the 2016 “A Beautiful Planet,” which was filmed onboard the International Space Station (ISS)–Cruise, Musk, and NASA would be pulling off a first.
At least one former NASA astronaut, Marsha Ivins, a veteran of five space missions, says it’s simply not possible.
“As long as NASA has purview over the space missions, I can pretty much tell you the answer is going to be no. Because that’s not what NASA’s funded space program is about. It’s about science.”
The cost of transportation and insurance alone would make it extremely difficult.
“Just the mere fact of getting that much equipment and people up into space would be cost-prohibitive in my mind,” said producer Dylan Reiff, who specializes in negotiating insurance plans for films. “They’d have to just bring the director and the [director of photography] and the talent they were filming.”
But is it possible? With the minds, will power, and combined resources of Tom Cruise, Elon Musk, and NASA on the table, who’s to say this won’t turn into both a financial boon and an iconic preamble for the new space age?
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themindunleashed--2020-05-10--People Are Killing Vulnerable Bee Species Over “Murder Hornet” Fears

You may have recently heard something about “ murder hornets ” , an invasive species to the United States that has been making headlines this month .
The real name for this insect is the “ Asian giant hornet ” but in typical fashion , it has been given a more threatening name in the headlines to grab everyone ’ s attention .
To be fair , these Asian giant hornets are no joke and are actually capable of killing a human being , and they are also a major threat to honeybee populations , which are already dangerously low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the invasive species was first discovered in Washington state .
According to the New York Times , an entire hive of bees was destroyed back in November and the bees were found decapitated .
A short time after , two Asian giant hornets were found just a few miles north near Blaine , near the U.S.-Canadian border .
After that incident , scientists and residents were on the lookout for the species , and then two were spotted last week in Washington State , sparking panic after the sightings were reported .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen in Washington , but people all over the country are concerned .
For the very small and specific area in the pacific northwest where these hornets have been seen , experts have advised local residents to set up traps and destroy any nests before they can grow .
However , this can be dangerous because there is no way to only target these hornets without also targeting other insects , so the traps that people are setting up could end up accidentally killing other vulnerable insects .
Doug Yanega , senior museum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UC Riverside told the LA Times that these insects aren ’ t as threatening as they appear to be , and reminded reporters that the “ murder hornets ” have not created an armageddon in Asia yet , and they have been there hundreds of years , but they do represent a danger to other insects as an invasive species .
The national panic has led to the needless slaughter of native wasps and bees , beneficial insects whose populations are already threatened , said Yanega .
“ Millions and millions of innocent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of this.
” Yanega said .
Yanega explained that these hornets are a force to be reckoned with , but they should not be a concern for people across the entire country .
“ I don ’ t want to downplay this — they are logistically dangerous insects .
But having people in Tennessee worry about this is just ridiculous .
The only people who should be bothering experts with concerns about wasp IDs are living in the northwest quadrant of Washington ( state ) .
And really , right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even be thinking about this stuff , ” he said .
“ Folks in China , Korea and Japan have lived side by side with these hornets for hundreds of years , and it has not caused the collapse of human society there .
My colleagues in Japan , China and Korea are just rolling their eyes in disbelief at what kind of snowflakes we are.
” He added .
Unfortunately , humans have a strange way of making bad situations worse , especially when we try to interfere with nature .

You may have recently heard something about “murder hornets”, an invasive species to the United States that has been making headlines this month. The real name for this insect is the “Asian giant hornet” but in typical fashion, it has been given a more threatening name in the headlines to grab everyone’s attention.
To be fair, these Asian giant hornets are no joke and are actually capable of killing a human being, and they are also a major threat to honeybee populations, which are already dangerously low. In fact, this is how the invasive species was first discovered in Washington state.
According to the New York Times, an entire hive of bees was destroyed back in November and the bees were found decapitated. A short time after, two Asian giant hornets were found just a few miles north near Blaine, near the U.S.-Canadian border. After that incident, scientists and residents were on the lookout for the species, and then two were spotted last week in Washington State, sparking panic after the sightings were reported.
So far, these hornets have only been seen in Washington, but people all over the country are concerned. For the very small and specific area in the pacific northwest where these hornets have been seen, experts have advised local residents to set up traps and destroy any nests before they can grow. However, this can be dangerous because there is no way to only target these hornets without also targeting other insects, so the traps that people are setting up could end up accidentally killing other vulnerable insects.
Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist for the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside told the LA Times that these insects aren’t as threatening as they appear to be, and reminded reporters that the “murder hornets” have not created an armageddon in Asia yet, and they have been there hundreds of years, but they do represent a danger to other insects as an invasive species.
The national panic has led to the needless slaughter of native wasps and bees, beneficial insects whose populations are already threatened, said Yanega.
“Millions and millions of innocent native insects are going to die as a result of this.” Yanega said.
Yanega explained that these hornets are a force to be reckoned with, but they should not be a concern for people across the entire country.
“I don’t want to downplay this — they are logistically dangerous insects. But having people in Tennessee worry about this is just ridiculous. The only people who should be bothering experts with concerns about wasp IDs are living in the northwest quadrant of Washington (state). And really, right now, nobody else in the country should even be thinking about this stuff,” he said.
“Folks in China, Korea and Japan have lived side by side with these hornets for hundreds of years, and it has not caused the collapse of human society there. My colleagues in Japan, China and Korea are just rolling their eyes in disbelief at what kind of snowflakes we are.” He added.
Unfortunately, humans have a strange way of making bad situations worse, especially when we try to interfere with nature.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-12--Grandmothers in Their 90s and 100s Are Beating Back the Virus – and Sharing Important Advice

A global pandemic is often compared to a war , both in terms of the efforts required of millions of people to overcome a deadly threat , as well as the suffering it can inflict on society .
For the elderly , the comparison is quite appropriate : after all , while many of us are feeling the intense pressures of two months of sheltering at home , those belonging to the “ Greatest Generation ” faced major disruptions in their lives , ranging from spending time in the military to facing rations , displacement , and other challenges such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , weddings placed on hold , and long-term plans being suddenly upended .
And guess what ?
Those who faced the tragedies and hardships of the past are still with us today , and they may have some lessons to teach us .
Lucille Ellson of Orlando , Florida , was born on Dec. 30 , 1917 , just as the Spanish Flu began emerging from the barracks and camps of the U.S. and European military camps of the First World War .
At the ripe age of 102 , she heard tales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadly flu pandemic only to survive , just in time to face the Great Depression .
And that , too , she survived .
And when she was finally supposed to get married in 1942 , the attack on Pearl Harbor happened .
Her fiancé Floyd enlisted in the Navy to join the fight , putting her marriage on hold .
But a few years later , Floyd returned home after being honorably discharged – and the two finally got married and started a family .
Ellson isn ’ t the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depression can strengthen the spirit .
While a disproportionate amount of those lives lost to the pandemic have been elderly , many octogenarians , nonagenarians , and centennials have also survived the disease .
In March , 95-year-old Italian grandmother Alma Clara Corsini became a symbol of hope after recovering from the virus , becoming one of the oldest people in the country at the time to survive COVID-19 .
Her good fortune was celebrated and shared with the world by no less a figure than Pope Francis himself .
Since then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old , has also beaten back coronavirus .
Ada Zanusso , who was living in a nursing home in Northern Italy , had developed a high fever and shortness of breath before she tested positive for the virus .
But the centenarian was able to recover with no loss of her intelligence or lucidity , according to medical staff .
Another recent example comes from the U.K. , where 99-year-old Carrie Pollock recovered after a long stay in the hospital following a coronavirus infection .
Pollock , who once worked in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth after experiencing hallucinations and suspected pneumonia .
However , she has since recovered and returned back to her home , but not before inspiring the hospital staff who rescued her .
“ These are worrying times for many and to see her leaving hospital after recovering from COVID-19 gave the staff a real boost.
” Rita Reynolds , a grandmother from Liverpool , also survived at 99 , coming in for a tie with Pollock for the honor of being one of the oldest British survivors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cornelia Ras , a 107-year-old Dutch woman whose recent birthday celebration on March 17 was followed the next by the symptoms of COVID-19 .
Against all expectations , Ras was able to beat back the illness and is currently “ perfectly healthy.
” We ’ re not medical experts , but we ’ re hopeful that something about these strong women , mothers , and grandmothers enabled them to bounce back from this frightful pandemic .
And we have no doubt that their past experiences in worrying times helped them through this ordeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy : “ I learned … from living , I guess .
You see a lot when you get to 102.
” Ellson also has a simple lesson for those who are anxious about the current pandemic .
She told Washington Post : “ I ’ ve been through so many things… To cope with this virus , and all that ’ s going on , I would tell people to not get stressed about planning far ahead .
“ You can ’ t do it .
A long time ago , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I had to do .
It was the only thing I could control , and I stuck to it , you hear me ?
”

A global pandemic is often compared to a war, both in terms of the efforts required of millions of people to overcome a deadly threat, as well as the suffering it can inflict on society.
For the elderly, the comparison is quite appropriate: after all, while many of us are feeling the intense pressures of two months of sheltering at home, those belonging to the “Greatest Generation” faced major disruptions in their lives, ranging from spending time in the military to facing rations, displacement, and other challenges such as loved ones lost in a war, weddings placed on hold, and long-term plans being suddenly upended.
And guess what? Those who faced the tragedies and hardships of the past are still with us today, and they may have some lessons to teach us.
Lucille Ellson of Orlando, Florida, was born on Dec. 30, 1917, just as the Spanish Flu began emerging from the barracks and camps of the U.S. and European military camps of the First World War. At the ripe age of 102, she heard tales of how her uncle and father contracted the deadly flu pandemic only to survive, just in time to face the Great Depression. And that, too, she survived.
And when she was finally supposed to get married in 1942, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. Her fiancé Floyd enlisted in the Navy to join the fight, putting her marriage on hold. But a few years later, Floyd returned home after being honorably discharged – and the two finally got married and started a family.
Ellson isn’t the only living proof that living through war and depression can strengthen the spirit. While a disproportionate amount of those lives lost to the pandemic have been elderly, many octogenarians, nonagenarians, and centennials have also survived the disease.
In March, 95-year-old Italian grandmother Alma Clara Corsini became a symbol of hope after recovering from the virus, becoming one of the oldest people in the country at the time to survive COVID-19. Her good fortune was celebrated and shared with the world by no less a figure than Pope Francis himself.
IMAGEN VIRAL. En Italia un abuelita de 95 años es el primer paciente curado de Coronavirus. Alma Clara Corsini vive ha… Posted by Papa Francisco on Saturday, March 21, 2020
Since then, another Italian grandmother, this time 104 years old, has also beaten back coronavirus. Ada Zanusso, who was living in a nursing home in Northern Italy, had developed a high fever and shortness of breath before she tested positive for the virus. But the centenarian was able to recover with no loss of her intelligence or lucidity, according to medical staff.
Another recent example comes from the U.K., where 99-year-old Carrie Pollock recovered after a long stay in the hospital following a coronavirus infection. Pollock, who once worked in the British Special Branch, was admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth after experiencing hallucinations and suspected pneumonia. However, she has since recovered and returned back to her home, but not before inspiring the hospital staff who rescued her.
Karen Clark, a senior sister at Queen Alexandra Hospital, said:
“These are worrying times for many and to see her leaving hospital after recovering from COVID-19 gave the staff a real boost.”
Peggy’s granddaughter Jess Keeley told Portsmouth News: “She is an absolute fighter and we are so proud that she has done so well. She is already back at home and walking to strengthen her legs again.
“She loves her talking books and loves a natter. She is an inspiration to our whole family. The hospital staff did an amazing job to care for her and nothing was too much trouble. We were able to call her when she was in isolation which was lovely.”
Rita Reynolds, a grandmother from Liverpool, also survived at 99, coming in for a tie with Pollock for the honor of being one of the oldest British survivors of the virus.
And then there’s Cornelia Ras, a 107-year-old Dutch woman whose recent birthday celebration on March 17 was followed the next by the symptoms of COVID-19. Against all expectations, Ras was able to beat back the illness and is currently “perfectly healthy.”
A day after her 107th birthday, Cornelia Ras fell ill with #covid19. We are happy to announce that she has fully recovered! pic.twitter.com/V9Yy3MKhYi — Sharecare (@SharecareInc) April 10, 2020
We’re not medical experts, but we’re hopeful that something about these strong women, mothers, and grandmothers enabled them to bounce back from this frightful pandemic. And we have no doubt that their past experiences in worrying times helped them through this ordeal.
For Ellson, the math is easy:
“I learned … from living, I guess. You see a lot when you get to 102.”
Ellson also has a simple lesson for those who are anxious about the current pandemic. She told Washington Post:
“I’ve been through so many things… To cope with this virus, and all that’s going on, I would tell people to not get stressed about planning far ahead.
“You can’t do it. A long time ago, I started making a list every morning of what I had to do. It was the only thing I could control, and I stuck to it, you hear me?”
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themindunleashed--2020-05-13--Twitter CEO Says Employees Can Work From Home Forever If They Want

( TMU ) – This week , Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told his employees that they will never be required to come back to the office if they don ’ t want to , and will now permanently have the option of working from home , even after the current pandemic is over .
Dorsey said that he wanted to decentralize the company ’ s workforce anyway , which has made this shift a bit easier for them .
A spokesperson for Twitter told reporters this week that the company has canceled all in-person events for the rest of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not expect to see offices open in the next few months .
“ We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere , ” the spokesperson said , according to NBC .
“ The past few months have proven we can make that work .
So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves , with some additional precautions , when we feel it ’ s safe to return , ” she added .
Other tech companies have also made a smooth transition into allowing their employees to work from home , but no one else has so enthusiastically embraced the new way of doing things as Twitter has .
Google has closed its offices through most of the rest of the year , but some employees will return to work this summer .
Facebook will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again this summer but allowing employees to stay home through the rest of the year .
Twitter employees , on the other hand , will be able to work from home forever as long as they get their jobs done .
“ Opening offices will be our decision .
When and if our employees come back , will be theirs , ” the spokesperson said .
Twitter and CEO Jack Dorsey have made numerous unexpected moves in recent years , from the ban of all political advertising on Twitter to Jack Dorsey ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his entire wealth towards charity .
Thus far , Twitter is one of the only major social media platforms to turn down advertising money from politicians .
Despite years of controversy about inauthentic activity on Facebook influencing elections , the website still plans to allow political ads in this coming election season .
Likewise , Google and YouTube will also still allow political ads on their platforms .
As The Mind Unleashed reported last month , Dorsey announced that he will be pledging $ 1 billion to help fund coronavirus economic relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds will be put divided amongst a variety of other charities .
This donation is not only large in scale , but is also a relatively large portion of Dorsey ’ s overall wealth—roughly 28 % of his total 3.9 billion net worth .
The money will come from his personal stake in Square Inc. , the payment processing company that he also co-founded .

(TMU) – This week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told his employees that they will never be required to come back to the office if they don’t want to, and will now permanently have the option of working from home, even after the current pandemic is over.
Dorsey said that he wanted to decentralize the company’s workforce anyway, which has made this shift a bit easier for them.
A spokesperson for Twitter told reporters this week that the company has canceled all in-person events for the rest of the year, and said that they did not expect to see offices open in the next few months.
“We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere,” the spokesperson said, according to NBC.
“The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it’s safe to return,” she added.
Other tech companies have also made a smooth transition into allowing their employees to work from home, but no one else has so enthusiastically embraced the new way of doing things as Twitter has.
Google has closed its offices through most of the rest of the year, but some employees will return to work this summer. Facebook will be following a similar plan, opening offices again this summer but allowing employees to stay home through the rest of the year.
Twitter employees, on the other hand, will be able to work from home forever as long as they get their jobs done.
“Opening offices will be our decision. When and if our employees come back, will be theirs,” the spokesperson said.
Twitter and CEO Jack Dorsey have made numerous unexpected moves in recent years, from the ban of all political advertising on Twitter to Jack Dorsey’s promise to pledge a significant portion of his entire wealth towards charity. Thus far, Twitter is one of the only major social media platforms to turn down advertising money from politicians. Despite years of controversy about inauthentic activity on Facebook influencing elections, the website still plans to allow political ads in this coming election season. Likewise, Google and YouTube will also still allow political ads on their platforms.
As The Mind Unleashed reported last month, Dorsey announced that he will be pledging $1 billion to help fund coronavirus economic relief efforts, and said that the remaining funds will be put divided amongst a variety of other charities. This donation is not only large in scale, but is also a relatively large portion of Dorsey’s overall wealth—roughly 28% of his total 3.9 billion net worth. The money will come from his personal stake in Square Inc., the payment processing company that he also co-founded.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-13--Teen in Stormtrooper Costume Attacked by Police For Carrying Plastic Gun at Star Wars Restaurant

Police in Canada have launched an internal investigation after police officers threw a woman wearing a Star Wars stormtrooper costume to the ground and bloodying her before handcuffing her on suspicion that she was carrying a gun on May 4th .
However , the “ firearm ” was actually a toy modeled on the blaster guns carried by the iconic Imperial villains .
May the fourth is known among fans of George Lucas ’ as Star Wars Day .
The catchphrase of the occasion , “ May the Fourth be with you , ” is a pun on the saga @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Force be with you.
” Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina , a pizza and donair kebab restaurant themed on the series located in Lethbridge , Alberta , hoped to use the unofficial holiday to promote itself .
“ We had music playing in the parking lot , we had one of our staff dress up as a stormtrooper kind of waving to people walking up and down the road , we had people stopping by and getting pictures with the stormtrooper , we put a couple of promotions on in the restaurant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the promotion – which included an unnamed 19-year-old female restaurant worker donning the stormtrooper costume – went horribly awry after the worker was brutally forced to the ground , leaving her shaken and with a bloody nose .
The teenaged employee was walking around a parking lot surrounding the cantina after arriving to start her shift at 10 a.m. By 11:20 a.m. , three squad cars arrived at the scene before initiating force against the young woman .
During the encounter , restaurant owner Bradley Whalen desperately pled with officers that the woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking them “ are you serious ?
” Meanwhile , a man filming the altercation tried to explain to officers that the prop “ blaster ” was the sort of item one could find at a “ dollar store.
” Whalen believes that the police failed to control the situation , putting his employee in serious danger .
He said : “ Police officers had guns drawn , pointed at my employee .
They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I came out , she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground .
The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn ’ t an issue or a risk there.
” Lethbridge Police Services attempted to defend the incident , claiming in a statement that the woman did not initially comply with officers ’ instructions to get on the ground .
“ The weapon was ultimately confirmed to be a fake firearm , ” the statement added .
However , Whalen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altercation .
He said : “ [ The employee ] kept yelling at them that she couldn ’ t kneel down because , in that stormtrooper costume , you can ’ t even sit down in it , like it ’ s impossible to sit down .
She kept telling them that she couldn ’ t get down is what she explained to me after we talked to her.
” “ It wasn ’ t a matter of her not wanting to cooperate … She dropped the gun when they told her to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get down on the ground after they determined that she wasn ’ t a risk and that the gun wasn ’ t even a real gun , it was a plastic Star Wars blaster.
” After the video of the event went viral and caused a public outcry , Alberta police watchdog group the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team ( ASIRT ) agreed to investigate the incident to determine what went wrong .
However , Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina is using the unfortunate buzz surrounding the police brutality case to promote its restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant shared images of a new sign informing customers that the blasters are indeed only plastic .
In an update , the restaurant explained : “ Our staff member is doing OK. She was a little bumped and bruised .
There is still a long way to go for her emotional recovery but we appreciate all the kind words of support during this crazy time .
The force is strong with this one !
“ She will continue to be our amazing employee and we hope to allow her to stay home as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Anyone wishing to offer any type of support can do so by visiting our website at www.cocovanilla.ca also we have had tons of messages offering to send her things .
“ Anyone is welcome to mail items or have flowers delivered directly to the restaurant at 531 13St North Lethbridge Alberta T1H2S6 Again thank you everyone for your find words and support for her in this crazy time .
”

Police in Canada have launched an internal investigation after police officers threw a woman wearing a Star Wars stormtrooper costume to the ground and bloodying her before handcuffing her on suspicion that she was carrying a gun on May 4th. However, the “firearm” was actually a toy modeled on the blaster guns carried by the iconic Imperial villains.
May the fourth is known among fans of George Lucas’ as Star Wars Day. The catchphrase of the occasion, “May the Fourth be with you,” is a pun on the saga’s beloved catchphrase, “May the Force be with you.”
Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina, a pizza and donair kebab restaurant themed on the series located in Lethbridge, Alberta, hoped to use the unofficial holiday to promote itself.
Restaurant owner Bradley Whalen explained to Lethbridge News Now:
“We had music playing in the parking lot, we had one of our staff dress up as a stormtrooper kind of waving to people walking up and down the road, we had people stopping by and getting pictures with the stormtrooper, we put a couple of promotions on in the restaurant to entice people to come.”
However, the promotion – which included an unnamed 19-year-old female restaurant worker donning the stormtrooper costume – went horribly awry after the worker was brutally forced to the ground, leaving her shaken and with a bloody nose.
The teenaged employee was walking around a parking lot surrounding the cantina after arriving to start her shift at 10 a.m. By 11:20 a.m., three squad cars arrived at the scene before initiating force against the young woman.
During the encounter, restaurant owner Bradley Whalen desperately pled with officers that the woman was carrying a harmless toy gun, asking them “are you serious?” Meanwhile, a man filming the altercation tried to explain to officers that the prop “blaster” was the sort of item one could find at a “dollar store.”
Whalen believes that the police failed to control the situation, putting his employee in serious danger. He said:
“Police officers had guns drawn, pointed at my employee. They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground.
“At that point in time when I came out, she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground. The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn’t an issue or a risk there.”
Lethbridge Police Services attempted to defend the incident, claiming in a statement that the woman did not initially comply with officers’ instructions to get on the ground.
“The weapon was ultimately confirmed to be a fake firearm,” the statement added.
In response to a number of media inquiries regarding the process involved in a service investigation directed into the… Posted by Lethbridge Police Service on Friday, May 8, 2020
However, Whalen offered a much different account of the altercation. He said:
“[The employee] kept yelling at them that she couldn’t kneel down because, in that stormtrooper costume, you can’t even sit down in it, like it’s impossible to sit down. She kept telling them that she couldn’t get down is what she explained to me after we talked to her.”
“It wasn’t a matter of her not wanting to cooperate … She dropped the gun when they told her to and just forcing her, making her get down on the ground after they determined that she wasn’t a risk and that the gun wasn’t even a real gun, it was a plastic Star Wars blaster.”
After the video of the event went viral and caused a public outcry, Alberta police watchdog group the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) agreed to investigate the incident to determine what went wrong.
However, Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina is using the unfortunate buzz surrounding the police brutality case to promote its restaurant. In a Facebook post, the restaurant shared images of a new sign informing customers that the blasters are indeed only plastic.
In an update, the restaurant explained:
“Our staff member is doing OK. She was a little bumped and bruised. There is still a long way to go for her emotional recovery but we appreciate all the kind words of support during this crazy time. The force is strong with this one!
“She will continue to be our amazing employee and we hope to allow her to stay home as long as possible and continue to pay her. Anyone wishing to offer any type of support can do so by visiting our website at www.cocovanilla.ca also we have had tons of messages offering to send her things.
“Anyone is welcome to mail items or have flowers delivered directly to the restaurant at 531 13St North Lethbridge Alberta T1H2S6 Again thank you everyone for your find words and support for her in this crazy time.”
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