themindunleashed--2020-04-26--Heartbreaking Video Shows Caged Tiger Walking in Endless Tiny Circles

( TMU ) — While some zoos go to great lengths to recreate enclosures to be like the natural habitat as much as possible for each species it houses , many others don ’ t take the animal ’ s natural needs into consideration at all .
A recently released video taken at the Beijing Zoo in China of a scrawny tiger in a cramped enclosure walking endlessly in a circle has raised concern over the cat ’ s health .
The deep track etched into the ground by its endless walking seems to indicate this behavior has been going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely a psychological response to its cramped living conditions , vastly different from habitat it should be roaming in .
After the video went viral , concerned social media users in China responded in dismay with comments such as “ There is not enough room for the tiger , ’ ’ “ It ’ s ill , mentally ill , ” and “ The tiger looks depressed.
” In its response last Sunday to the video going viral , the Beijing Zoo said that the video wasn ’ t filmed recently .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of March after zookeepers noticed its strange behavior .
A staff member told the press : ‘ ’ This kind of behavior is expected after animals have stayed in a zoo for a long time.
’ ’ According to the Beijing Zoo , the tiger had been given “ psychological counselling ” to help the animal return to normal .
‘ ’ We have taken the animal to receive behavior training .
We also brought more food and toys for the tiger , ’ ’ they claimed .
Concern has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals after a series of news reports on poor conditions in zoos across the country .
This was echoed by doctor Sun Quanhui , a senior scientific adviser at a non-profit organization called World Animal Protection China , who confirmed that the living conditions of creatures inside China ’ s animal facilities are a cause for concern .
Speaking to the South China Morning Post , Quanhui said that although zoos—usually run by local governments—are generally better supervised than private wildlife parks , the living conditions of animals in captivity leave a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the country ’ s inadequate laws concerning animal rights .
He said : “ Let ’ s just give the example of how beasts of prey are kept .
“ In almost every Chinese zoo , we see them in cement cages or behind steel bars , which to some extent is considered maltreatment .
“ Some are species that naturally live in groups , but they ’ re often isolated , which also causes them huge psychological distress.
” China ’ s wildlife protection law classifies wildlife according to their scarcity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure the rights of other animals .
There is also no oversight in the country ’ s zoos , which are mostly unsupervised due to the overlaps between different government agencies .
For example , the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development oversees government-owned zoos , while wildlife parks fall under the jurisdiction of the State Forestry Bureau , and the fishery bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for aquariums .
A horrific incident captured on video which made headlines in 2017 , highlights the disparity between different species .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ zoo in southern China , shows a group of men dragging a live donkey from a truck and pushing it off a wooden ramp into the moat around the tigers ’ enclosure .
The donkey was quickly attacked by one of the tigers while another clawed at its head and back .
The donkey suffered for around 30 agonizing minutes before it finally died .
To this day the zoo has not faced any consequence for the incident .
One can ’ t help but assume that this type of incident is a @ @ @ @ @ @

(TMU) — While some zoos go to great lengths to recreate enclosures to be like the natural habitat as much as possible for each species it houses, many others don’t take the animal’s natural needs into consideration at all.
A recently released video taken at the Beijing Zoo in China of a scrawny tiger in a cramped enclosure walking endlessly in a circle has raised concern over the cat’s health. The deep track etched into the ground by its endless walking seems to indicate this behavior has been going on for quite a while and is likely a psychological response to its cramped living conditions, vastly different from habitat it should be roaming in.
After the video went viral, concerned social media users in China responded in dismay with comments such as “There is not enough room for the tiger,’’ “It’s ill, mentally ill,” and “The tiger looks depressed.”
In its response last Sunday to the video going viral, the Beijing Zoo said that the video wasn’t filmed recently. The tiger was apparently removed from the enclosure at the end of March after zookeepers noticed its strange behavior.
A staff member told the press: ‘’This kind of behavior is expected after animals have stayed in a zoo for a long time.’’
According to the Beijing Zoo, the tiger had been given “psychological counselling” to help the animal return to normal.
‘’We have taken the animal to receive behavior training. We also brought more food and toys for the tiger,’’ they claimed.
Concern has been raised about China’s captive animals after a series of news reports on poor conditions in zoos across the country. This was echoed by doctor Sun Quanhui, a senior scientific adviser at a non-profit organization called World Animal Protection China, who confirmed that the living conditions of creatures inside China’s animal facilities are a cause for concern.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Quanhui said that although zoos—usually run by local governments—are generally better supervised than private wildlife parks, the living conditions of animals in captivity leave a lot to be desired. He blames this on the country’s inadequate laws concerning animal rights.
He said: “Let’s just give the example of how beasts of prey are kept.
“In almost every Chinese zoo, we see them in cement cages or behind steel bars, which to some extent is considered maltreatment.
“Some are species that naturally live in groups, but they’re often isolated, which also causes them huge psychological distress.”
China’s wildlife protection law classifies wildlife according to their scarcity, but it there is no legislation to ensure the rights of other animals. There is also no oversight in the country’s zoos, which are mostly unsupervised due to the overlaps between different government agencies.
For example, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development oversees government-owned zoos, while wildlife parks fall under the jurisdiction of the State Forestry Bureau, and the fishery bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for aquariums.
A horrific incident captured on video which made headlines in 2017, highlights the disparity between different species.
The video footage, taken at a zoo in southern China, shows a group of men dragging a live donkey from a truck and pushing it off a wooden ramp into the moat around the tigers’ enclosure. The donkey was quickly attacked by one of the tigers while another clawed at its head and back.
The donkey suffered for around 30 agonizing minutes before it finally died. To this day the zoo has not faced any consequence for the incident.
One can’t help but assume that this type of incident is a regular occurrence at many zoos.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-27--Top ER Doctor Kills Herself After Treating COVID-19 Patients in New York City

( TMU ) — In the latest tragic example of the horrendous burden that the coronavirus pandemic is having on medical workers , a top emergency room doctor in New York City died by suicide on Sunday .
Dr. Lorna M. Breen was the medial director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital .
On Sunday , she died while staying with her family in Charlottesville , Virginia , her father told New York Times .
Her father , Dr. Philip C. Breen , has some idea of why she may have taken her own life—and the devastating scenes of the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had described in recent weeks were a likely contributing factor .
“ She tried to do her job , and it killed her , ” he told the paper .
While she herself had contracted SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes the disease COVID-19—she attempted to return to work after recuperating for a week and a half .
The hospital quickly sent her home before Breen ’ s family convinced her to stay with them in Charlottesville , her father said .
Lorna Breen apparently had no history of mental illness , her father said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the two she seemed detached , raising her dad ’ s worries that something was wrong .
She also recounted nightmarish scenes of “ an onslaught ” of patients dying just as soon as their ambulances arrived .
Philip Breen explained : “ She was truly in the trenches of the front line .
“ Make sure she ’ s praised as a hero , because she was .
She ’ s a casualty just as much as anyone else who has died.
” In an email to hospital staffers sent Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the NewYork-Presbyterian hospital system Dr. Angela Mills said : “ A death presents us with many questions that we may not be able to answer.
” The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on doctors and nurses around the world in the months since it first emerged in Wuhan , China , both in terms of pushing the capacity of hospitals toward or past the breaking point or doing the same to medical workers ’ mental health limits .
Doctors and nurses across the U.S. have admitted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel more dedicated than ever to their profession and their vows to protect patients , it has caused a mental health crisis for medical workers .
It has also accentuated frustrations over a lack of personal protective gear , a fear of spreading the disease to their families , and a nagging sense that they are unable to do enough for patients .
Negative thoughts and feelings of despondency have also been enhanced by extremely long and exhausting shifts at the hospital and a deep sadness over the deaths that they have had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union leader Carlo Palermo told Associated Press also confirmed that two nurses had committed suicide due to the emotional trauma resulting from their front-line work .
Fighting back tears , Palermo said : “ I can understand those who look death in the eye every day , who are on the front lines , who work with someone who maybe is infected , then a few days later you see him in the ICU or die.
” The NewYork-Presbyterian Allen is a 200-bed hospital located in Manhattan that has had as many as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were 59 patient deaths at the hospital as of April 7 , according to an internal document acquired by The Times .
According to the most recent data , there have been roughly 160,000 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in New York City ’ s five boroughs and 12,287 deaths .
For weeks now , the city has been the epicenter of the outbreak sweeping across the United States .

(TMU) — In the latest tragic example of the horrendous burden that the coronavirus pandemic is having on medical workers, a top emergency room doctor in New York City died by suicide on Sunday.
Dr. Lorna M. Breen was the medial director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. On Sunday, she died while staying with her family in Charlottesville, Virginia, her father told New York Times.
Her father, Dr. Philip C. Breen, has some idea of why she may have taken her own life—and the devastating scenes of the death and suffering among COVID-19 patients which she had described in recent weeks were a likely contributing factor.
“She tried to do her job, and it killed her,” he told the paper.
While she herself had contracted SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes the disease COVID-19—she attempted to return to work after recuperating for a week and a half. The hospital quickly sent her home before Breen’s family convinced her to stay with them in Charlottesville, her father said.
Lorna Breen apparently had no history of mental illness, her father said. However, in a recent conversation between the two she seemed detached, raising her dad’s worries that something was wrong.
She also recounted nightmarish scenes of “an onslaught” of patients dying just as soon as their ambulances arrived. Philip Breen explained:
“She was truly in the trenches of the front line.
“Make sure she’s praised as a hero, because she was. She’s a casualty just as much as anyone else who has died.”
In an email to hospital staffers sent Sunday night, head of emergency medical services at the NewYork-Presbyterian hospital system Dr. Angela Mills said:
“A death presents us with many questions that we may not be able to answer.”
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on doctors and nurses around the world in the months since it first emerged in Wuhan, China, both in terms of pushing the capacity of hospitals toward or past the breaking point or doing the same to medical workers’ mental health limits.
Doctors and nurses across the U.S. have admitted that while the COVID-19 crisis has helped them feel more dedicated than ever to their profession and their vows to protect patients, it has caused a mental health crisis for medical workers.
It has also accentuated frustrations over a lack of personal protective gear, a fear of spreading the disease to their families, and a nagging sense that they are unable to do enough for patients.
Negative thoughts and feelings of despondency have also been enhanced by extremely long and exhausting shifts at the hospital and a deep sadness over the deaths that they have had to witness.
Italian hospital doctors’ union leader Carlo Palermo told Associated Press also confirmed that two nurses had committed suicide due to the emotional trauma resulting from their front-line work. Fighting back tears, Palermo said:
“It’s [an] indescribable condition of stress.
“I can understand those who look death in the eye every day, who are on the front lines, who work with someone who maybe is infected, then a few days later you see him in the ICU or die.”
The NewYork-Presbyterian Allen is a 200-bed hospital located in Manhattan that has had as many as 170 COVID-19 patients at a time. There were 59 patient deaths at the hospital as of April 7, according to an internal document acquired by The Times.
According to the most recent data, there have been roughly 160,000 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in New York City’s five boroughs and 12,287 deaths. For weeks now, the city has been the epicenter of the outbreak sweeping across the United States.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-27--Physicist: Universe May Be a “Strange Loop” of Self-Simulating Consciousness

( TMU ) — When it comes to cosmology , astronomy , and physics , there is no shortage of off-the-wall arguments and hypotheses .
While new discoveries from the early moments of the Big Bang and quantum and particle physics continue to amaze us and fill in the gaps of our mysterious universe , there remains a stunning number of fundamental questions we still can ’ t answer .
The most fundamental of these questions revolve around “ why anything ” and “ why consciousness.
” Why is there anything here at all ?
What primal state of existence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , energy , and time , all that everything ?
And how did consciousness arise—is it some fundamental proto-state of the universe itself , or an emergent phenomenon that is purely neurochemical and material in nature ?
A new physics hypothesis attempts to answer both questions at the same time with a new spin on panpsychism that weds aspects of Nick Bostrom ’ s Simulation Argument with something called “ timeless emergentism.
” The hypothesis , outlined in a new paper by a team of researchers at the Quantum Gravity Research institute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” and while the authors certainly aren ’ t earning any points for intellectual modesty , their idea may just be capable of peacefully mapping some of the universe ’ s most wild conundrums .
The first pieces of this puzzle you may have already heard of : the Simulation Argument is a pop-culture staple now , most famously popularized when Elon Musk claimed it ’ s far more likely that we are living in a simulation created by an advanced intelligence .
Then there is the age-old belief in panpsychism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a type of panconscious entity and that even ordinary matter is imbued with proto-consciousness .
The new argument gets rid of the middleman and suggests that panconsciousness itself is generating the simulations , not advanced aliens , and that the universe is one giant “ mental self-simulation.
” The paper , titled “ The Self-Simulation Hypothesis Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics , ” says the physical universe is a “ strange loop ” that can self-generate new sub-realities in an almost infinite hierarchy of tiers in-laid with simulated realities of conscious experience , kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re still left with the mystery of the physical origins of this self-generating consciousness , to which the researchers reply that the answer is actually non-material .
The paper argues that universal consciousness “ self-actualizes ” using a natural algorithm called “ the principle of efficient language.
” In other words , the universe is creating itself through thought , willing itself into existence on a perpetual loop that efficiently uses all mathematics and fundamental particles at its disposal .
The universe , they say , was always here ( timeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought that creates mini thoughts , called “ code-steps or actions ” ) , again like a Matryoshka doll .
Quantum Gravity physicist David Chester broke down some recent findings they feel bolster the argument : “ While many scientists presume materialism to be true , we believe that quantum mechanics may provide hints that our reality is a mental construct .
Recent advances in quantum gravity , such as seeing spacetime emergent via a hologram , also is a hint that spacetime is not fundamental .
This is also compatible with ancient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense , the mental construct of reality creates spacetime to efficiently understand itself by creating a network of subconscious entities that can interact and explore the totality of possibilities.
” The paper also suggests that the purpose of this single looping , self-generating consciousness is to explore and develop meaning through information .
They also discuss future prospects , such as studying lucid dreams to better understand simulations and the idea of developing consciousness that does not require matter at all .

(TMU) — When it comes to cosmology, astronomy, and physics, there is no shortage of off-the-wall arguments and hypotheses. While new discoveries from the early moments of the Big Bang and quantum and particle physics continue to amaze us and fill in the gaps of our mysterious universe, there remains a stunning number of questions we still can’t answer.
The most fundamental of these questions revolve around “why anything” and “why consciousness.” Why is there anything here at all? What primal state of existence could have possibly birthed all that matter, energy, and time, all that everything? And how did consciousness arise—is it some fundamental proto-state of the universe itself, or an emergent phenomenon that is purely neurochemical and material in nature?
A new physics hypothesis attempts to answer both questions at the same time with a new spin on panpsychism that weds aspects of Nick Bostrom’s Simulation Argument with something called “timeless emergentism.” The hypothesis, outlined in a new paper by a team of researchers at the Quantum Gravity Research institute, is called the “panpsychic self-simulation model,” and while the authors certainly aren’t earning any points for intellectual modesty, their idea may just be capable of peacefully mapping some of the universe’s most wild conundrums.
The first pieces of this puzzle you may have already heard of: the Simulation Argument is a pop-culture staple now, most famously popularized when Elon Musk claimed it’s far more likely that we are living in a simulation created by an advanced intelligence. Then there is the age-old belief in panpsychism, which posits that the entire universe is a type of panconscious entity and that even ordinary matter is imbued with proto-consciousness.
The new argument gets rid of the middleman and suggests that panconsciousness itself is generating the simulations, not advanced aliens, and that the universe is one giant “mental self-simulation.”
The paper, titled “The Self-Simulation Hypothesis Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics,” says the physical universe is a “strange loop” that can self-generate new sub-realities in an almost infinite hierarchy of tiers in-laid with simulated realities of conscious experience, kind of like a psychic Matryoshka doll.
You’re still left with the mystery of the physical origins of this self-generating consciousness, to which the researchers reply that the answer is actually non-material. The paper argues that universal consciousness “self-actualizes” using a natural algorithm called “the principle of efficient language.”
In other words, the universe is creating itself through thought, willing itself into existence on a perpetual loop that efficiently uses all mathematics and fundamental particles at its disposal.
The universe, they say, was always here (timeless emergentism) and is like one grand thought that creates mini thoughts, called “code-steps or actions”, again like a Matryoshka doll.
Quantum Gravity physicist David Chester broke down some recent findings they feel bolster the argument: “While many scientists presume materialism to be true, we believe that quantum mechanics may provide hints that our reality is a mental construct. Recent advances in quantum gravity, such as seeing spacetime emergent via a hologram, also is a hint that spacetime is not fundamental. This is also compatible with ancient Hermetic and Indian philosophy. In a sense, the mental construct of reality creates spacetime to efficiently understand itself by creating a network of subconscious entities that can interact and explore the totality of possibilities.”
The paper also suggests that the purpose of this single looping, self-generating consciousness is to explore and develop meaning through information. They also discuss future prospects, such as studying lucid dreams to better understand simulations and the idea of developing consciousness that does not require matter at all.
By Jake Anderson | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-27--Anti-Lockdown Protest Leader Says She Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Plans to Keep Protesting

( TMU ) — A leader of a North Carolina group that protested stay-at-home guidelines and rules meant to curb the coronavirus pandemic says she has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 , the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
Audrey Whitlock , a leader of ReOpen NC , describes herself as “ an asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patient , ” according to Facebook posts she made this week that were quoted and republished by local news station WNCN .
Despite admitting that she is SARS-CoV-2 positive , Whitlock is highly bitter about the fact that she was forced to quarantine from April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus from being transmitted to the rest of her community , alleging that state lockdown measures in North Carolina violate her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection under the Fifth and 14th Amendments , respectively .
She wouldn ’ t say whether she had been tested again to see if she is still positive for SARS-CoV-2 , according to WTVD .
When asked if Audrey Whitlock attended last Tuesday ’ s parade , a member of ReOpen NC answered “ No comment.
” Whitlock , an administrator of the ReOpen NC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in downtown Raleigh against Gov .
Roy Cooper ’ s stay-at-home order , claims that she was “ forced ” to self-quarantine—which she alleges violated her First Amendment rights .
In a long-winded post addressing her fellow “ Freedom Fighters ” in the group , Whitlock wrote : Continuing , she added that “ It has been insinuated by others that if I go out , I could be arrested for denying a quarantine order.
” Whitlock claims that such an arrest would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act .
“ I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Are you coming ?
Drop me a note and let me know !
” The Facebook post has now apparently been deleted .
For months health authorities have warned of asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 who carry SARS-CoV-2 in their body but show few of the common symptoms such as high fever , gastrointestinal issues , shortness of breath , coughing , or other common signs .
Some doctors have noted that those who claimed to be asymptomatic actually did have symptoms which were not particularly acute , such as low-grade temperatures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from outbreaks across the world shows that much of the spread of the coronavirus has been through “ stealth transmission ” or “ silent spreaders ” who were typically not tested for SARS-CoV-2 due to a lack of symptoms—meaning that current counts of the infected , dead , and recovered are likely inaccurate .
It remains unclear why Ms. Whitlock herself , who claims to be asymptomatic , went to get tested for the virus .
Thousands of people have been participating in anti-quarantine demonstrations on state capitol grounds and in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
Many protesters have voiced concerns over the state of their constitutional rights and freedoms , lost jobs , or an inability to work during the pandemic .
However , a motley assortment of far-right groups including religious fundamentalists , anti-vaccination groups , and extremist organizations advocating for a violent uprising have also taken part in the rallies .
Many of the protests have also been tied to or promoted by Republican Party-aligned fundraising groups and “ dark money ” -funded organizations backed by wealthy financiers and megadonors , according to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Johns Hopkins University data , North Carolina has over 9,000 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 .
The state ’ s Department of Health and Human Services claims that at least 306 deaths are due to COVID-19 .

(TMU) — A leader of a North Carolina group that protested stay-at-home guidelines and rules meant to curb the coronavirus pandemic says she has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Audrey Whitlock, a leader of ReOpen NC, describes herself as “an asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patient,” according to Facebook posts she made this week that were quoted and republished by local news station WNCN.
Despite admitting that she is SARS-CoV-2 positive, Whitlock is highly bitter about the fact that she was forced to quarantine from April 12 to April 26 to prevent the virus from being transmitted to the rest of her community, alleging that state lockdown measures in North Carolina violate her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection under the Fifth and 14th Amendments, respectively.
She wouldn’t say whether she had been tested again to see if she is still positive for SARS-CoV-2, according to WTVD. When asked if Audrey Whitlock attended last Tuesday’s parade, a member of ReOpen NC answered “No comment.”
Whitlock, an administrator of the ReOpen NC Facebook page that has organized two protests in downtown Raleigh against Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order, claims that she was “forced” to self-quarantine—which she alleges violated her First Amendment rights.
In a long-winded post addressing her fellow “Freedom Fighters” in the group, Whitlock wrote:
“The reality is that modern society has not been able to eradicate contagious viruses. A typical public health quarantine would occur in a medical facility. I have been told not to participate in public or private accommodations as requested by the government, and therefore denied my 1st amendment right of freedom of religion.
Continuing, she added that “It has been insinuated by others that if I go out, I could be arrested for denying a quarantine order.”
Whitlock claims that such an arrest would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Ominously, she ended her message stating:
“I can’t wait to meet you all! Are you coming? Drop me a note and let me know!”
The Facebook post has now apparently been deleted.
For months health authorities have warned of asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 who carry SARS-CoV-2 in their body but show few of the common symptoms such as high fever, gastrointestinal issues, shortness of breath, coughing, or other common signs. Some doctors have noted that those who claimed to be asymptomatic actually did have symptoms which were not particularly acute, such as low-grade temperatures and body aches.
Additionally, recent data from outbreaks across the world shows that much of the spread of the coronavirus has been through “stealth transmission” or “silent spreaders” who were typically not tested for SARS-CoV-2 due to a lack of symptoms—meaning that current counts of the infected, dead, and recovered are likely inaccurate.
It remains unclear why Ms. Whitlock herself, who claims to be asymptomatic, went to get tested for the virus.
Thousands of people have been participating in anti-quarantine demonstrations on state capitol grounds and in front of governors’ homes in states across the country. Many protesters have voiced concerns over the state of their constitutional rights and freedoms, lost jobs, or an inability to work during the pandemic.
However, a motley assortment of far-right groups including religious fundamentalists, anti-vaccination groups, and extremist organizations advocating for a violent uprising have also taken part in the rallies. Many of the protests have also been tied to or promoted by Republican Party-aligned fundraising groups and “dark money”-funded organizations backed by wealthy financiers and megadonors, according to an investigative report by the Guardian.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, North Carolina has over 9,000 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services claims that at least 306 deaths are due to COVID-19.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-28--Street Artist Paints Mind-Bending Illusion of a Sphynx Cat on an Old Gas Tank

( TMU ) — Artist Tom Bragada Blanco , aka Tom B.B and better known as Bragalast1 , is in the street art scene .
This 33 year old talent from Marseille , France transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary with his 3D art .
You ’ ll likely stop and stare in awe , should you come across one of his artworks , and his most recent work of a giant Sphynx cat crouching in the middle of a field will blow you away !
The hairless Sphynx cat , in spite of its name , is not from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hairless male kitten born in 1966 through selective breeding .
Blanco ’ s Sphynx cat however , was created through a very different process .
Blanco chose an old gas tank as the canvas to create his giant 3D optical illusion of the Sphynx , crouching in the foliage , ready to pounce on some unseen prey in the field .
The green gas tank completely disappeared , blending in with the surroundings .
A self-taught artist , Blanco has been drawing since childhood with an obvious passionate for street art .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Q.ter ” , customizing T-shirts , sneakers and caps which eventually led to many commissions for frescoes in children ’ s rooms , trompe-l ’ oeil in public places and the opportunity to create art for several theaters , restaurants and businesses .
Blanco is also regularly invited to perform at street art events has exhibited at the Aumône-Vieille street festival in Aix-en-Provence .
Braga uses a technique called aerography , which he learned in 2011 for his street art .
Aerography is described as a surrealist method in which a three-dimensional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray-painting .
Although this method is most frequently used for the decoration of tiles from the Victorian era and in the art of Man Ray , Braga has adapted the technique to create his own very unique artworks .
It never ceases to amaze us how creative artists can be in their thinking and doing .
Well done Tom Bragada Blanco !

(TMU) — Artist Tom Bragada Blanco, aka Tom B.B and better known as Bragalast1, is in the street art scene.
This 33 year old talent from Marseille, France transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary with his 3D art. You’ll likely stop and stare in awe, should you come across one of his artworks, and his most recent work of a giant Sphynx cat crouching in the middle of a field will blow you away!
The hairless Sphynx cat, in spite of its name, is not from Egypt but was developed in Canada from a hairless male kitten born in 1966 through selective breeding. Blanco’s Sphynx cat however, was created through a very different process.
Blanco chose an old gas tank as the canvas to create his giant 3D optical illusion of the Sphynx, crouching in the foliage, ready to pounce on some unseen prey in the field. The green gas tank completely disappeared, blending in with the surroundings.
A self-taught artist, Blanco has been drawing since childhood with an obvious passionate for street art. He started his career under the name “Q.ter”, customizing T-shirts, sneakers and caps which eventually led to many commissions for frescoes in children’s rooms, trompe-l’oeil in public places and the opportunity to create art for several theaters, restaurants and businesses. Blanco is also regularly invited to perform at street art events has exhibited at the Aumône-Vieille street festival in Aix-en-Provence.
Braga uses a technique called aerography, which he learned in 2011 for his street art. Aerography is described as a surrealist method in which a three-dimensional object replaces the traditional stencil used in spray-painting. Although this method is most frequently used for the decoration of tiles from the Victorian era and in the art of Man Ray, Braga has adapted the technique to create his own very unique artworks.
More info: Instagram | Facebook | bragalast1.fr
It never ceases to amaze us how creative artists can be in their thinking and doing. Well done Tom Bragada Blanco!
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-28--Tiny Curly-Haired Baby Gorilla Shares Incredible Moment With Photographer

( TMU ) — It must be surreal when a lifelong dream becomes reality and the moment is captured on film forever .
Wildlife photographer Kirsty Taylor had her dream fulfilled when she shared an unbelievable moment with a gorilla mom and her tiny , adorable curly-haired baby in Rwanda .
As a little girl , Kirsty learned about mountain gorillas in an animal encyclopedia and watched them roam in an animated Tarzan film .
She was enthralled by the beautiful animals and dreamed of one day seeing them in the wild .
Her choice of career as a photographer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realize her dream and she was fortunate to visit the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda , which includes the Virunga Mountains , a range of extinct volcanoes that border the Democratic Republic of Congo , Rwanda and Uganda and home to a small population of Mountain Gorilla .
Sure enough , Kirsty spotted some gorillas just over the Rwandan border .
A tiny , three-week old baby was being held in the arms of a female gorilla .
As the group Kirsty was traveling with stopped to watch , the baby popped its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Kirsty , the baby—with a shock of curly fur around its head—seemed fascinated by the humans .
Kristy managed to capture her once in a lifetime , perfect shot of a loving mom and her curious baby , who happened to be looking straight at her camera .
Kirsty commented on the moment , saying : ‘ ’ We only had a few minutes with the little family as we were on our way back down the mountain after our hour ’ s viewing was up , and were lucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love the eye contact and the expression on the little baby ’ s face , looking at us like he ’ s not seen many humans before – and of course the cute curly hair !
‘ ’ The pictures show the baby ’ s curly hair-do and how small and vulnerable he is compared to the adults.
’ ’ Judging from Kirsty ’ s excitement of having finally seen mountain gorillas in the wild , I reckon she ’ ll be back for more .
According to the WWF ’ s website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural habitat of the smallest population of mountain gorillas in the world .
Just over half of them live in the Virunga Mountains and the remainder in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda .
This mountain gorilla subspecies was first discovered in 1902 and had since suffered through years of war , hunting , habitat destruction and disease .
The threat to their survival was so severe that it was thought they may be extinct by the end of the twentieth century .
Due to conservation efforts both populations of mountain gorillas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poaching and loss of their natural habitat from an encroaching human population .
The bleak outlook for the subspecies just a couple of decades ago has improved in recent years .
Despite ongoing civil conflict , poaching and an ever encroaching human population , both populations of the mountain gorillas have increased in numbers .
The Virunga Massif population has grown from 480 in 2010 to 604 individuals , making a total population of 1,000 gorillas left in the wild , globally , with their status listed as endangered .

(TMU) — It must be surreal when a lifelong dream becomes reality and the moment is captured on film forever. Wildlife photographer Kirsty Taylor had her dream fulfilled when she shared an unbelievable moment with a gorilla mom and her tiny, adorable curly-haired baby in Rwanda.
As a little girl, Kirsty learned about mountain gorillas in an animal encyclopedia and watched them roam in an animated Tarzan film. She was enthralled by the beautiful animals and dreamed of one day seeing them in the wild.
Her choice of career as a photographer put her on the right path to realize her dream and she was fortunate to visit the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, which includes the Virunga Mountains, a range of extinct volcanoes that border the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda and home to a small population of Mountain Gorilla. Sure enough, Kirsty spotted some gorillas just over the Rwandan border.
A tiny, three-week old baby was being held in the arms of a female gorilla. As the group Kirsty was traveling with stopped to watch, the baby popped its head up to see what was happening.
According to Kirsty, the baby—with a shock of curly fur around its head—seemed fascinated by the humans. Kristy managed to capture her once in a lifetime, perfect shot of a loving mom and her curious baby, who happened to be looking straight at her camera.
Kirsty commented on the moment, saying: ‘’We only had a few minutes with the little family as we were on our way back down the mountain after our hour’s viewing was up, and were lucky to see them!
‘’I love the eye contact and the expression on the little baby’s face, looking at us like he’s not seen many humans before – and of course the cute curly hair!
‘’The pictures show the baby’s curly hair-do and how small and vulnerable he is compared to the adults.’’
Judging from Kirsty’s excitement of having finally seen mountain gorillas in the wild, I reckon she’ll be back for more.
According to the WWF’s website, the area Kirsten visited is the natural habitat of the smallest population of mountain gorillas in the world. Just over half of them live in the Virunga Mountains and the remainder in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
This mountain gorilla subspecies was first discovered in 1902 and had since suffered through years of war, hunting, habitat destruction and disease. The threat to their survival was so severe that it was thought they may be extinct by the end of the twentieth century. Due to conservation efforts both populations of mountain gorillas have increased despite ongoing civil conflict, poaching and loss of their natural habitat from an encroaching human population.
The bleak outlook for the subspecies just a couple of decades ago has improved in recent years. Despite ongoing civil conflict, poaching and an ever encroaching human population, both populations of the mountain gorillas have increased in numbers. The Virunga Massif population has grown from 480 in 2010 to 604 individuals, making a total population of 1,000 gorillas left in the wild, globally, with their status listed as endangered.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-28--Silence is Golden for Whales as Global Lockdown Reduces Ocean Noise

( TMU ) — If we ’ ve learned one thing from the coronavirus pandemic , it ’ s that the dramatic global lockdown and economic downturn has given nature room to breathe .
It seems that the silver lining in the global health crisis has extended to more than a reduction of air pollution over urban zones and wildlife taking back its habitats in the absence of tourists .
The drop in underwater noise pollution has also been quite beneficial for whales and other aquatic mammals .
And scientists just can ’ t resist the temptation of eavesdropping on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking live underwater sound signals from ocean observatories near the port of Vancouver have found a major drop in low-frequency sound that comes from ships at sea , reports The Guardian .
David Barclay , assistant professor of oceanography at Dalhousie University , compared the sound power—a way of measuring loudness—within the 100 Hz range from an inland seabed observatory and one lying farther off the shore .
Both observatories recorded major drops in noise .
“ Generally , we know underwater noise at this frequency has effects on marine mammals .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noise since 1 January , which has amounted to a change of four or five decibels in the period up to 1 April.
” The lowered volume correlates with an overall drop in maritime traffic during the same period , he added , noting that exports and imports fell by roughly 20 percent at that time .
The reduction of marine traffic in the world ’ s waterways—including tankers , cargo and container ships , cruise liners , yachts and fishing vesels—comes amid an unprecedented rapid collapse in economic activity across the globe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take advantage of the massive pause in the movement of ships to find out about what effect this has on marine life .
Barclay calls the moment a “ giant human experiment , ” and his colleagues agree .
Michelle Fournet , an acoustic ecologist at Cornell University who studies animal communication and especially whale communication around Alaska , said : “ We have an opportunity to listen – and that opportunity to listen will not appear again in our lifetime.
” Traffic at land and sea also fell in the days following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During that time , researchers in the U.S. were also able to study how the quieter ocean impacted baleen whales , and they produced a landmark study showing that anthropogenic or man-made underwater ocean noise associated with ships led to chronic stress in whales .
“ We have a generation of humpbacks that have never known a quiet ocean.
” An expected halt in cruise ship activity in south-east Alaska during this time of year due to the coronavirus will also give researchers a window through which they can gain more insights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What we know about whales in south-east Alaska is that when it gets noisy they call less , and when boats go by they call less .
“ I expect what we might see is an opportunity for whales to have more conversation and to have more complex conversation.
” Fournet ’ s enthusiasm is shared by oceanologists across the globe , who just hope to listen while their practical work has been interrupted by the pandemic .
Bioacoustics expert Nathan Merchant of the U.K. government ’ s Centre for Environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) said : “ We are on tenterhooks waiting to see what our records are saying.
” In fact , Merchant ’ s crew had been planning on figuring out how they could make the ocean quieter for the purpose of an experiment in order to gauge what benefits , if any , it may have on marine life .
As the world economy continues to stand still amid a crisis of global proportions , whales and their mammalian relatives are experiencing a drop in noise pollution and moment of aural peace they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives .
And for researchers , the moment is priceless .
“ We have this natural experiment going on .
Of course it is a terrible crisis , but we may as well get on and look at the data , to find out what effect it is having .
”

(TMU) — If we’ve learned one thing from the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that the dramatic global lockdown and economic downturn has given nature room to breathe.
It seems that the silver lining in the global health crisis has extended to more than a reduction of air pollution over urban zones and wildlife taking back its habitats in the absence of tourists. The drop in underwater noise pollution has also been quite beneficial for whales and other aquatic mammals.
And scientists just can’t resist the temptation of eavesdropping on their oceanic conversations.
Scientists who are tracking live underwater sound signals from ocean observatories near the port of Vancouver have found a major drop in low-frequency sound that comes from ships at sea, reports The Guardian.
David Barclay, assistant professor of oceanography at Dalhousie University, compared the sound power—a way of measuring loudness—within the 100 Hz range from an inland seabed observatory and one lying farther off the shore. Both observatories recorded major drops in noise.
Barclay explained:
“Generally, we know underwater noise at this frequency has effects on marine mammals.
“There has been a consistent drop in noise since 1 January, which has amounted to a change of four or five decibels in the period up to 1 April.”
The lowered volume correlates with an overall drop in maritime traffic during the same period, he added, noting that exports and imports fell by roughly 20 percent at that time.
The reduction of marine traffic in the world’s waterways—including tankers, cargo and container ships, cruise liners, yachts and fishing vesels—comes amid an unprecedented rapid collapse in economic activity across the globe.
However, scientists are hoping to take advantage of the massive pause in the movement of ships to find out about what effect this has on marine life. Barclay calls the moment a “giant human experiment,” and his colleagues agree.
Michelle Fournet, an acoustic ecologist at Cornell University who studies animal communication and especially whale communication around Alaska, said:
“We are facing a moment of truth.
“We have an opportunity to listen – and that opportunity to listen will not appear again in our lifetime.”
Traffic at land and sea also fell in the days following the events of September 11, 2001. During that time, researchers in the U.S. were also able to study how the quieter ocean impacted baleen whales, and they produced a landmark study showing that anthropogenic or man-made underwater ocean noise associated with ships led to chronic stress in whales.
Fournet added:
“We have a generation of humpbacks that have never known a quiet ocean.”
An expected halt in cruise ship activity in south-east Alaska during this time of year due to the coronavirus will also give researchers a window through which they can gain more insights on how whales interact with each other.
Fournet said:
“What we know about whales in south-east Alaska is that when it gets noisy they call less, and when boats go by they call less.
“I expect what we might see is an opportunity for whales to have more conversation and to have more complex conversation.”
Fournet’s enthusiasm is shared by oceanologists across the globe, who just hope to listen while their practical work has been interrupted by the pandemic.
Bioacoustics expert Nathan Merchant of the U.K. government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) said:
“We are on tenterhooks waiting to see what our records are saying.”
In fact, Merchant’s crew had been planning on figuring out how they could make the ocean quieter for the purpose of an experiment in order to gauge what benefits, if any, it may have on marine life.
As the world economy continues to stand still amid a crisis of global proportions, whales and their mammalian relatives are experiencing a drop in noise pollution and moment of aural peace they’ve likely never enjoyed before in their lives. And for researchers, the moment is priceless.
Merchant said:
“We have this natural experiment going on. Of course it is a terrible crisis, but we may as well get on and look at the data, to find out what effect it is having.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-29--Man Skillfully Raps Dr. Seuss Rhymes Over Dr. Dre Beats in Must-See Viral Videos

( TMU ) — Wes Tank may be a successful filmmaker and musician , but it seems Wisconsin ’ s Safer at Home order has provided the Milwaukee resident the opportunity to explore his true calling : rapping Dr. Seuss books to Dr. Dre ’ s beats .
While the idea of rapping Dr. Seuss ’ famous words isn ’ t new to Wes , who reportedly once stumbled upon One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish in Minneapolis and immediately rapped the book live with the help of his phone , being stuck at home as many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally sit down and record the brilliant mashups .
“ I happened to have an Mp3 of Dr. Dre ’ s ‘ Deep Cover ’ instrumental on my phone .
I made an impromptu decision to rap the book over the track .
The crowd went wild for it .
After that I tried other Seuss books over other Dre beats at live shows .
People always really seemed to get excited and inspired by this part of the show .
Dr. Seuss ’ books and Dr. Dre ’ s beats went so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlocked an achievement that had been waiting to be found.
” As any creative person with too much time on their hands would do , Wes jumped feet first into his not exactly lifelong dream—but honorable dream nonetheless—complete with the goal of entertaining other people also stuck at home with too much time on their hands .
Or make that less time , since the target audience is primarily parents of kids young and/or old enough to be familiar with either doctor .
“ Since the safer-at-home order , my active productions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to read , reflect and spend time with my artistic practice , ” Wes said .
“ I realized that I suddenly had time to make the Dr. Seuss videos , and that with kids and parents stuck at home , they could be useful as teaching tools or just positive content to pass the time.
” With his first mashup , Fox in Sox , having been viewed over 1.5 million times since it was posted on March 28 , it seems Wes is indeed helping people “ pass the time.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ set out to entertain parents and children , the comments on his six mashups posted to YouTube reveal that the budding rapper is appealing to a wider swath of people than simply his understandable target audience .
Wes hopes both parents and teachers can use his videos “ as teaching tools to make reading fun for children.
” And he hopes it “ makes kids and adults excited to pick up a book and read.
” But at the very least , he hopes “ it helps people to smile and keep a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time.
” Check out all of Wes ’ videos posted to his YouTube account thus far and consider subscribing so you don ’ t miss the next one .
If the success of his first six videos is any indication , Wes is off to great places !
He ’ s off and away !

(TMU) — Wes Tank may be a successful filmmaker and musician, but it seems Wisconsin’s Safer at Home order has provided the Milwaukee resident the opportunity to explore his true calling: rapping Dr. Seuss books to Dr. Dre’s beats.
While the idea of rapping Dr. Seuss’ famous words isn’t new to Wes, who reportedly once stumbled upon One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish in Minneapolis and immediately rapped the book live with the help of his phone, being stuck at home as many of us currently gave him the time to finally sit down and record the brilliant mashups.
Wes explained:
“I happened to have an Mp3 of Dr. Dre’s ‘Deep Cover’ instrumental on my phone. I made an impromptu decision to rap the book over the track. The crowd went wild for it. After that I tried other Seuss books over other Dre beats at live shows. People always really seemed to get excited and inspired by this part of the show. Dr. Seuss’ books and Dr. Dre’s beats went so well together that I felt I had unlocked an achievement that had been waiting to be found.”
As any creative person with too much time on their hands would do, Wes jumped feet first into his not exactly lifelong dream—but honorable dream nonetheless—complete with the goal of entertaining other people also stuck at home with too much time on their hands. Or make that less time, since the target audience is primarily parents of kids young and/or old enough to be familiar with either doctor.
“Since the safer-at-home order, my active productions have slowed and I’ve had more time to read, reflect and spend time with my artistic practice,” Wes said. “I realized that I suddenly had time to make the Dr. Seuss videos, and that with kids and parents stuck at home, they could be useful as teaching tools or just positive content to pass the time.”
With his first mashup, Fox in Sox, having been viewed over 1.5 million times since it was posted on March 28, it seems Wes is indeed helping people “pass the time.”
And while he appears to have set out to entertain parents and children, the comments on his six mashups posted to YouTube reveal that the budding rapper is appealing to a wider swath of people than simply his understandable target audience.
“This guy just filled a niche I didn’t even know existed.”
“I’ve listened to this maybe 7 times so far. Still not sick of it.”
“I’m devastated to think that there are only a finite number of Dre beats & Seuss books. Please don’t ever stop.”
“Dr. Seuss’ books weren’t part of my childhood. Rap isn’t really my thing. Why do I find these videos so awesome? Because they are amazing!”
Wes hopes both parents and teachers can use his videos “as teaching tools to make reading fun for children.” And he hopes it “makes kids and adults excited to pick up a book and read.” But at the very least, he hopes “it helps people to smile and keep a positive mindset during a difficult and uncertain time.”
Check out all of Wes’ videos posted to his YouTube account thus far and consider subscribing so you don’t miss the next one. If the success of his first six videos is any indication, Wes is off to great places! He’s off and away!
By Emma Fiala | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-29--Great News! Iceland Won’t Be Killing Any Whales This Year

( TMU ) — Iceland ’ s notorious tradition of killing whales may be finally coming to an end .
Earlier this week , one of the country ’ s two whaling companies announced that it would halt its whaling activities for good .
The announcement came mere days after Iceland said that for the second consecutive year , all whale hunts would be canceled .
IP-Utgerd , one of the main companies specializing in hunting minke whales in Iceland , told AFP that it would hang up its harpoons mainly due to regulations introduced by the Icelandic government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whaling with only a single boat in late June or early July , decided that it makes the most financial sense to simply abandon the summer season altogether rather than attempt to get around extended no-fishing coastal zones rolled out to protect marine life .
The delineation of such zones had forced the company to go further and further offshore due to the no-fishing zones , making such activities no longer financially viable in Icelandic waters , the company said .
“ I ’ m never going to hunt whales again , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s largest whaling firm called Hvalur , which specializes in hunting fin whales , is also ceasing its operations for the second year in a row due to stiff competition from Japanese whaling firms , among other reasons .
Hulvar CEO Kristján Loftsson also admitted that the coronavirus pandemic would make it “ extremely difficult , if not impossible ” for his staff to work as normal due to their close proximity and the need to uphold physical distancing guidelines .
Loftsson also said that most of the whale meat it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where it is desired as an “ iron-rich dietary supplement for anemia patients.
” However , he added that his company is unable to compete with the Japanese whaling industry which is subsidized by the country ’ s government .
According to Humane Society International , a total of 146 fin whales and six minke whales were killed in 2018 , the last year during which Iceland ’ s whaling fleet was active .
Animal rights advocates have warmly welcomed the news and trumpeted it as a signal that the whaling industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end .
“ This is indeed terrific news that for a second straight year , vulnerable fin whales will get a reprieve from Hvalur hf ’ s harpoons , the sole fin whaling company .
“ This said , fin whaling has been suspended in Iceland in the past , only to resume .
While it looks promising that whaling in Iceland might stop for good , the temporary cessation of fin whaling must become permanent.
” However , Arne Feuerhahn , the founder of Hard to Port , warned that whaling could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Loftsson is able to figure out a way to get around COVID-19 guidelines and find a solution to the challenges presented by Japanese firms .
He said : “ We ’ re celebrating the moment that there ’ s not going to be any whaling , but we ’ re also aware of the possibility that they ’ re going to resume next year .
“ We have to look at the past , and I know that with fin whaling , Iceland sometimes takes a pause for two years .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he [ Loftsson ] wants to keep it alive , so despite all the problems with the Japanese market , and the problems in Iceland with the [ Covid-19 ] guidelines , he might come up with a solution for it , and we could go back to whaling in 2021.
” Kitty Block , the CEO of Humane Society International , slammed Japan and Norway in a statement for defying the global moratorium on whaling and continuing to slaughter hundreds of animals every year , despite demand for the highly-subsidized whale meat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The news from Iceland marks a major turning point in the battle against whaling .
We are happy that the whaling companies there have realized the futility of this enterprise in the modern world .
”

(TMU) — Iceland’s notorious tradition of killing whales may be finally coming to an end.
Earlier this week, one of the country’s two whaling companies announced that it would halt its whaling activities for good. The announcement came mere days after Iceland said that for the second consecutive year, all whale hunts would be canceled.
IP-Utgerd, one of the main companies specializing in hunting minke whales in Iceland, told AFP that it would hang up its harpoons mainly due to regulations introduced by the Icelandic government.
The company, which had been considering whaling with only a single boat in late June or early July, decided that it makes the most financial sense to simply abandon the summer season altogether rather than attempt to get around extended no-fishing coastal zones rolled out to protect marine life.
The delineation of such zones had forced the company to go further and further offshore due to the no-fishing zones, making such activities no longer financially viable in Icelandic waters, the company said.
Managing director Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson said:
“I’m never going to hunt whales again, I’m stopping for good.”
One of Iceland's two whaling companies has announced it will stop whaling for good It is now no longer economical to kill Whales Story by Kitty Block of Humane Society . Photo by Christin Khan/NOAA Fisheries pic.twitter.com/FX4MnQB7hN — Robb Edwards ? (@RobRobbEdwards) April 27, 2020
The country’s largest whaling firm called Hvalur, which specializes in hunting fin whales, is also ceasing its operations for the second year in a row due to stiff competition from Japanese whaling firms, among other reasons.
Hulvar CEO Kristján Loftsson also admitted that the coronavirus pandemic would make it “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for his staff to work as normal due to their close proximity and the need to uphold physical distancing guidelines.
Loftsson also said that most of the whale meat it specializes in procuring is sold to Japan, where it is desired as an “iron-rich dietary supplement for anemia patients.” However, he added that his company is unable to compete with the Japanese whaling industry which is subsidized by the country’s government.
According to Humane Society International, a total of 146 fin whales and six minke whales were killed in 2018, the last year during which Iceland’s whaling fleet was active.
Animal rights advocates have warmly welcomed the news and trumpeted it as a signal that the whaling industry in Iceland may have come to an end.
For the second year in a row, neither of Iceland's whaling companies will be hunting this summer. One of them has even told press that they're stopping whaling for good!#OPSociety @RacingXtinction pic.twitter.com/JyeteGUm9u — Oceanic Preservation Society / OPS (@OP_Society) April 28, 2020
Fabienne McLellan, co-director of international relations at Ocean Care, told Mongabay:
“This is indeed terrific news that for a second straight year, vulnerable fin whales will get a reprieve from Hvalur hf’s harpoons, the sole fin whaling company.
“This said, fin whaling has been suspended in Iceland in the past, only to resume. While it looks promising that whaling in Iceland might stop for good, the temporary cessation of fin whaling must become permanent.”
However, Arne Feuerhahn, the founder of Hard to Port, warned that whaling could potentially begin again next year – especially if Loftsson is able to figure out a way to get around COVID-19 guidelines and find a solution to the challenges presented by Japanese firms. He said:
“We’re celebrating the moment that there’s not going to be any whaling, but we’re also aware of the possibility that they’re going to resume next year.
“We have to look at the past, and I know that with fin whaling, Iceland sometimes takes a pause for two years.
“It’s a family business and he [Loftsson] wants to keep it alive, so despite all the problems with the Japanese market, and the problems in Iceland with the [Covid-19] guidelines, he might come up with a solution for it, and we could go back to whaling in 2021.”
Kitty Block, the CEO of Humane Society International, slammed Japan and Norway in a statement for defying the global moratorium on whaling and continuing to slaughter hundreds of animals every year, despite demand for the highly-subsidized whale meat declining.
Nevertheless, she said:
“The news from Iceland marks a major turning point in the battle against whaling. We are happy that the whaling companies there have realized the futility of this enterprise in the modern world.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-29--The Largest Ozone Hole Ever Recorded Over North Pole Has Finally ‘Healed Itself’ and Closed

( TMU ) — The massive ozone hole that formed over the North Pole has finally closed , scientists have announced .
Researchers from the European Union ’ s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service ( CAMS ) who were tracking the record-breaking ozone hole over the Arctic tweeted last Thursday : “ The unprecedented 2020 Northern Hemisphere ozone hole has come to an end.
” The hole , which was the single largest such ozone hole ever detected in the arctic , first opened in late March as unusual wind conditions trapped frigid air over the North Pole for several consecutive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to point out that the closing of the hole has nothing to do with drop in emissions recorded across the world as a result of lockdown measures meant to curb the coronavirus .
“ COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns probably had nothing to do with this .
“ It ’ s been driven by an unusually strong and long-lived polar vortex , and isn ’ t related to air quality changes.
” Live Science reports that a polar vortex is comprised of powerful winds that create a circular cage of cold air that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region .
The clouds mixed with harmful human-made chemicals such as chlorine and bromine , which migrated into the stratosphere and accumulated inside the vortex .
The chemicals then ate away at surrounding gases , thinning the ozone layer and forming a huge hole approximately three times the size of Greenland in the atmosphere , according to a European Space Agency ( ESA ) statement .
The ozone layer is the layer in the Earth ’ s stratosphere that is responsible for absorbing the ultraviolet ( UV ) rays of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes skin cancer among humans , destroys crops , and disrupts marine ecosystems among other devastating effects on the planet .
The ozone layer has faced decades of degradation thanks to the use of harmful chemical compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons , halons , hydrochlorofluorocarbons , and other organic and synthetic ( human-made ) ozone-depleting compounds that are commonly used in refrigerators , aerosols , and a range of industrial processes .
The startling decline of the ozone layer became such a dire matter of concern that in 1987 , governments agreed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to phase out the production and use of ozone-depleting chemicals .
However , ozone holes have continued to form annually in the Antarctic due to a failure to sufficiently check the amount of human-made chemicals that continue to make their way into the stratosphere .
Scientists believe that this will remain a seasonal phenomenon in the future .
In October , the ozone hole shrank to its smallest size ever recorded , mainly due to the unusually hot climate conditions above Antarctica caused by global warming .
In the Arctic , polar vortexes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that the conditions which eat away at ozone gases aren ’ t typically found—hence the “ unprecedented ” nature of this ozone hole .
According to a 2018 study by the World Meteorological Organization , the southern ozone hole has been shrinking at a rate of 1 percent to 3 percent per decade since 2000 , meaning that it won ’ t heal entirely until about 2050. Credit is also due to the Montreal Protocol for the apparent healing of the ozone layer .

(TMU) — The massive ozone hole that formed over the North Pole has finally closed, scientists have announced.
Researchers from the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) who were tracking the record-breaking ozone hole over the Arctic tweeted last Thursday:
“The unprecedented 2020 Northern Hemisphere ozone hole has come to an end.”
The hole, which was the single largest such ozone hole ever detected in the arctic, first opened in late March as unusual wind conditions trapped frigid air over the North Pole for several consecutive weeks.
However, scientists took pains to point out that the closing of the hole has nothing to do with drop in emissions recorded across the world as a result of lockdown measures meant to curb the coronavirus.
On Twitter, the group wrote:
“COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns probably had nothing to do with this.
“It’s been driven by an unusually strong and long-lived polar vortex, and isn’t related to air quality changes.”
Live Science reports that a polar vortex is comprised of powerful winds that create a circular cage of cold air that leads to the formation of high-altitude clouds in the region. The clouds mixed with harmful human-made chemicals such as chlorine and bromine, which migrated into the stratosphere and accumulated inside the vortex.
The unprecedented 2020 northern hemisphere #OzoneHole has come to an end. The #PolarVortex split, allowing #ozone-rich air into the Arctic, closely matching last week's forecast from the #CopernicusAtmosphere Monitoring Service. More on the NH Ozone hole➡https://t.co/Nf6AfjaYRi pic.twitter.com/qVPu70ycn4 — Copernicus ECMWF (@CopernicusECMWF) April 23, 2020
The chemicals then ate away at surrounding gases, thinning the ozone layer and forming a huge hole approximately three times the size of Greenland in the atmosphere, according to a European Space Agency (ESA) statement.
The ozone layer is the layer in the Earth’s stratosphere that is responsible for absorbing the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the Sun, effectively filtering out radiation that causes skin cancer among humans, destroys crops, and disrupts marine ecosystems among other devastating effects on the planet.
The ozone layer has faced decades of degradation thanks to the use of harmful chemical compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons, halons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and other organic and synthetic (human-made) ozone-depleting compounds that are commonly used in refrigerators, aerosols, and a range of industrial processes.
The startling decline of the ozone layer became such a dire matter of concern that in 1987, governments agreed to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty meant to phase out the production and use of ozone-depleting chemicals.
However, ozone holes have continued to form annually in the Antarctic due to a failure to sufficiently check the amount of human-made chemicals that continue to make their way into the stratosphere. Scientists believe that this will remain a seasonal phenomenon in the future.
In October, the ozone hole shrank to its smallest size ever recorded, mainly due to the unusually hot climate conditions above Antarctica caused by global warming.
In the Arctic, polar vortexes tend to be far weaker, which means that the conditions which eat away at ozone gases aren’t typically found—hence the “unprecedented” nature of this ozone hole.
According to a 2018 study by the World Meteorological Organization, the southern ozone hole has been shrinking at a rate of 1 percent to 3 percent per decade since 2000, meaning that it won’t heal entirely until about 2050. Credit is also due to the Montreal Protocol for the apparent healing of the ozone layer.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-30--Spanish Beach Sprayed With Bleach, Causing “Brutal Damage” to Local Animals

( TMU ) — Authorities in a Spanish coastal town have been forced to apologize after they sprayed a local beach with bleach in a clumsy attempt to protect residents from the coronavirus .
The apology from officials in the fishing village of Zahara de los Atunes , near Cadiz , comes after they used tractors to spray the beach with a bleach solution in anticipation of a planned four-phased lifting of quarantine measures and the release of children from lockdown for the first time in six weeks .
However , the move became the subject of regional outcry as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to the local ecosystem just as it was in the midst of a respite due to the lockdown , reports El Pais .
Officials sprayed roughly one thousand liters of water with a two-percent bleach solution over the Zahara de los Atunes beaches on Saturday in hopes to provide a cheap way of “ disinfecting ” the beach .
But according to local environmental activist María Dolores Iglesias , the bleach did unconscionable harm to the local ecology , which consisted of beaches and dunes that offered breeding and nesting space for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plover .
Iglesias claims she witnessed at least one nest filled with eggs get completely destroyed by a tractor , while the bleach “ killed everything on the ground , nothing is seen—not even insects.
” “ Bleach is used as a very powerful disinfectant , it is logical that it be used to disinfect streets and asphalt , but here the damage has been brutal .
“ They have devastated the dune spaces and gone against all the rules .
It has been an aberration what they have done , also taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people not on the beach .
It is crazy.
” Like many locations across the globe , the beaches at Zahara de los Atunes experienced thriving conditions for wildlife due to the lockdown .
Yet the local authorities ham-fisted attempt to clean the beach indicated a basic disrespect of the local ecosystem .
“ The beach has its own way of cleaning itself , it was not necessary .
“ They do not think that this is a living ecosystem , but a lot of land.
” As the Andalusian regional government mulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move , local official Agustín Conejo offered a sorrowful public apology , admitting that it was a “ wrong move.
” “ I admit that it was a mistake , it was done with the best intentions , ” Conejo explained .
The town of 1,300 residents has been trying to shield itself from the spreading pandemic by spraying streets with disinfectant solution and even erected a “ fumigation arch ” for cars entering the village .
Environmentalist group Greenpeace in Spain compared the autonomous local government ’ s move to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doctors “ look into ” injecting patients with disinfectant to rid them of coronavirus .
“ Fumigating beaches in the middle of the breeding season for birds or the development of the invertebrate network that will support coastal fishing… is not one of Trump ’ s ideas .
It is happening in Zahara de los Atunes.
” The total death toll in Spain now stands at 24,275 , making it one of the countries hit worst by the novel coronavirus .
On Tuesday , the country announced that there were 1,308 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced a state of emergency on March 14 .
However , by Wednesday the number quickly shot up to 2,144 new infections , reports El Pais .
The country ’ s center-left government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has come under harsh criticism from opposition parties for an announced plan to begin relaxing quarantine measures and return to a “ new normality ” by the end of June .
The announced de-escalation will follow a four-stage plan with no set dates , contingent on the severity of the outbreak in each province .

(TMU) — Authorities in a Spanish coastal town have been forced to apologize after they sprayed a local beach with bleach in a clumsy attempt to protect residents from the coronavirus.
The apology from officials in the fishing village of Zahara de los Atunes, near Cadiz, comes after they used tractors to spray the beach with a bleach solution in anticipation of a planned four-phased lifting of quarantine measures and the release of children from lockdown for the first time in six weeks.
However, the move became the subject of regional outcry as environmentalists claimed it caused “brutal damage” to the local ecosystem just as it was in the midst of a respite due to the lockdown, reports El Pais.
Officials sprayed roughly one thousand liters of water with a two-percent bleach solution over the Zahara de los Atunes beaches on Saturday in hopes to provide a cheap way of “disinfecting” the beach.
But according to local environmental activist María Dolores Iglesias, the bleach did unconscionable harm to the local ecology, which consisted of beaches and dunes that offered breeding and nesting space for protected migratory birds such as the black-backed plover.
Iglesias claims she witnessed at least one nest filled with eggs get completely destroyed by a tractor, while the bleach “killed everything on the ground, nothing is seen—not even insects.”
Continuing, she explained:
“Bleach is used as a very powerful disinfectant, it is logical that it be used to disinfect streets and asphalt, but here the damage has been brutal.
“They have devastated the dune spaces and gone against all the rules. It has been an aberration what they have done, also taking into account that the virus lives in people not on the beach. It is crazy.”
Like many locations across the globe, the beaches at Zahara de los Atunes experienced thriving conditions for wildlife due to the lockdown. Yet the local authorities ham-fisted attempt to clean the beach indicated a basic disrespect of the local ecosystem.
Iglesias explained:
“The beach has its own way of cleaning itself, it was not necessary.
“They do not think that this is a living ecosystem, but a lot of land.”
La naturaleza se recupera en muchas zonas, gracias a la ausencia de humanos. Pues nada, fumigamos las playas con lejía para joder a aves y demás microorganismos, en playas por las que no ha pasado nadie en 40 días.
Zahara de los Atunes, Cadiz. ????
Óscar a la inteligencia. — ???? ????? ? (@NoMePeguesMucho) April 28, 2020
As the Andalusian regional government mulls imposing penalties on the local authority for the move, local official Agustín Conejo offered a sorrowful public apology, admitting that it was a “wrong move.”
“I admit that it was a mistake, it was done with the best intentions,” Conejo explained.
The town of 1,300 residents has been trying to shield itself from the spreading pandemic by spraying streets with disinfectant solution and even erected a “fumigation arch” for cars entering the village.
Environmentalist group Greenpeace in Spain compared the autonomous local government’s move to the recent suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that doctors “look into” injecting patients with disinfectant to rid them of coronavirus.
The group tweeted:
“Fumigating beaches in the middle of the breeding season for birds or the development of the invertebrate network that will support coastal fishing… is not one of Trump’s ideas. It is happening in Zahara de los Atunes.”
Fumigar con lejía playas en plena época de cría de aves o de desarrollo de la red de invertebrados que sustentarán la pesca costera y destrozar el valor turístico del litoral, no es una de las ideas de Trump. Está ocurriendo en Zahara de los Atunes ?https://t.co/afCFLg1sVG — Greenpeace España (@greenpeace_esp) April 27, 2020
The total death toll in Spain now stands at 24,275, making it one of the countries hit worst by the novel coronavirus. On Tuesday, the country announced that there were 1,308 new infections—the lowest number yet since the country announced a state of emergency on March 14. However, by Wednesday the number quickly shot up to 2,144 new infections, reports El Pais.
The country’s center-left government under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has come under harsh criticism from opposition parties for an announced plan to begin relaxing quarantine measures and return to a “new normality” by the end of June. The announced de-escalation will follow a four-stage plan with no set dates, contingent on the severity of the outbreak in each province.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-30--US Military Attacks Hit All-Time High in Somalia as Coronavirus Pandemic Continues

( TMU ) — While normal life is on hold for many people around the world , the war machine is showing no signs of slowing down .
In Somalia , where most Americans don ’ t even realize that military operations are taking place , U.S.-led airstrikes have hit an all-time high in the country since the start of the year .
AFRICOM , the U.S. military branch in charge of operations in Africa , has formally admitted to 39 airstrikes in Somalia this year , which is the most intense streak of bombings that the region has seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the region over ten years ago .
Despite his campaign promises to scale back undeclared wars , airstrikes in Somalia have significantly increased under the leadership of Donald Trump .
Barack Obama , who greatly expanded on the Bush “ war on terror ” oversaw 36 airstrikes between 2009 and 2017 .
Last year alone there were record 63 airstrikes in the country , and the U.S. military is set to surpass that number very quickly this year .
It is not just airstrikes in Somalia either , there are hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out attacks from the five American military bases that are operational in the country .
According to a report from the Intercept last week , the U.S. military plans to expand the number of bases that they have in the region .
These attacks come during a time when the United Nations has called for a global ceasefire because the ongoing pandemic and subsequent food shortages already have many societies on the brink of collapse .
In a statement earlier this month , U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said , “ There should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , our shared battle against COVID-19 .
We must mobilize every ounce of energy to defeat it.
” Also , the director of the United Nations World Food Program , David Beasley , warned this month that global conflicts will compound the dangers of the pandemic , especially in areas like Africa and the Middle East , leading to “ food shortages of biblical proportions.
” The U.S. State Department recognized the U.N. ceasefire recommendation in a recent comment to Foreign Policy magazine , but essentially said that they were going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The United States supports the secretary-general ’ s call for a global ceasefire , but have noted that we will continue to fulfill our legitimate counter-terrorism mission , ” a State Department representative told Foreign Policy .
Representatives for the U.S. military insist that they are only targeting terrorists .
However , regardless of who the intended targets may be , civilians continue to die and lose their homes in these airstrikes .
In fact , just this week AFRICOM admitted that civilians were killed in Somalia during airstrikes last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the part of the U.S. military , who makes little mention of the civilian deaths they are responsible for overseas .
It is not clear whether or not any civilians were hurt in the airstrikes this year , but whatever civilian casualty numbers are revealed to the public are likely to be an underestimation of the real numbers .

(TMU) — While normal life is on hold for many people around the world, the war machine is showing no signs of slowing down. In Somalia, where most Americans don’t even realize that military operations are taking place, U.S.-led airstrikes have hit an all-time high in the country since the start of the year.
AFRICOM, the U.S. military branch in charge of operations in Africa, has formally admitted to 39 airstrikes in Somalia this year, which is the most intense streak of bombings that the region has seen since the US military began its attacks on the region over ten years ago.
Despite his campaign promises to scale back undeclared wars, airstrikes in Somalia have significantly increased under the leadership of Donald Trump. Barack Obama, who greatly expanded on the Bush “war on terror” oversaw 36 airstrikes between 2009 and 2017. Last year alone there were record 63 airstrikes in the country, and the U.S. military is set to surpass that number very quickly this year.
It is not just airstrikes in Somalia either, there are hundreds of U.S. troops stationed in the country, carrying out attacks from the five American military bases that are operational in the country. According to a report from the Intercept last week, the U.S. military plans to expand the number of bases that they have in the region.
These attacks come during a time when the United Nations has called for a global ceasefire because the ongoing pandemic and subsequent food shortages already have many societies on the brink of collapse.
In a statement earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said, “There should be only one fight in our world today, our shared battle against COVID-19. We must mobilize every ounce of energy to defeat it.”
Also, the director of the United Nations World Food Program, David Beasley, warned this month that global conflicts will compound the dangers of the pandemic, especially in areas like Africa and the Middle East, leading to “food shortages of biblical proportions.”
The U.S. State Department recognized the U.N. ceasefire recommendation in a recent comment to Foreign Policy magazine, but essentially said that they were going to go forward with their military conquests anyway.
“The United States supports the secretary-general’s call for a global ceasefire, but have noted that we will continue to fulfill our legitimate counter-terrorism mission,” a State Department representative told Foreign Policy.
Representatives for the U.S. military insist that they are only targeting terrorists. However, regardless of who the intended targets may be, civilians continue to die and lose their homes in these airstrikes. In fact, just this week AFRICOM admitted that civilians were killed in Somalia during airstrikes last year.
This is a rare admission on the part of the U.S. military, who makes little mention of the civilian deaths they are responsible for overseas.
It is not clear whether or not any civilians were hurt in the airstrikes this year, but whatever civilian casualty numbers are revealed to the public are likely to be an underestimation of the real numbers.
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-05-01--Sicily Will Pay for Half of Your Flight and a Third of Your Hotel Costs If You Visit This Fall

( TMU ) — For some of us who are stuck at home , dreaming about what we ’ ll do once lockdown measures are relaxed has become almost a new past time .
Whether we ’ re reading about exotic lands or watching YouTube street food tours by excited travel bloggers , nothing sounds more appealing than a wonderful vacation abroad .
And while many countries are imposing new controls on the flow of foreign visitors , an Italian island is already planning how it can revive its tourism in the wake of the pandemic .
Sicily has announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of the costs of visitors ’ vacation as a way to lure tourists back .
The Italian island says that it will subsidize half of the flight costs and a third of the hotel expenses for those travelers who visit , reported The Times .
Free tickets will also be provided to many of its world-class museums and archaeological sites .
With tourism making up 13 % of Italy ’ s Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) , Sicily alone has suffered losses of more than €1 billion ( $ 1.09 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry , especially after Italy became the European epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic .
The proposed plan will cost the island roughly 50 million euros ( about $ 55 million USD ) , but local authorities hope that an influx of bargain-hunting , quarantine-weary vacationers will help the region refill its war chest in due time .
Those who are interested in visiting Sicily ’ s numerous attractions—ranging from the lunar landscape of the majestic volcano , Mt .
Etna , to the Caribbean-style beaches of Messina and the island ’ s world-famous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Visit Sicily website , where vouchers will be available as soon as the country opens its borders .
We can ’ t endorse Sicily enough as a travel destination .
After all , where else can you enjoy a “ Brioche con Gelato ” —literally an ice cream sandwich inside a buttery soft roll—for breakfast ?
The country ’ s brilliant seafood dishes , famous pastas and countless other rich foods show show why the island , with its multicultural past , is celebrated as the gateway of the Mediterranean Sea .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal will come into effect , especially as access to air travel remains difficult across the world while many people remain under strict quarantine measures that prevent them from leaving their homes , let alone their countries for a nice spring or summer vacation .
It would seem that setting your sights on autumn for your Sicilian vacation is the best bet .
The Italian government declared a state of emergency on March 10 that included major travel restrictions , the imposition of shelter-at-home measures , and a ban on public gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries by the pandemic with a total death toll now standing at 27,967 , second only to the United States , and one of the longest coronavirus lockdowns worldwide .
However , Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte plans to proceed with a cautious lifting of restrictions beginning May 4 , when many parks , factories and construction sites throughout the country will open .
Shops will remain closed until May 18 , while bars , restaurants and hairdressers remain closed until June 1 .

(TMU) — For some of us who are stuck at home, dreaming about what we’ll do once lockdown measures are relaxed has become almost a new past time.
Whether we’re reading about exotic lands or watching YouTube street food tours by excited travel bloggers, nothing sounds more appealing than a wonderful vacation abroad.
And while many countries are imposing new controls on the flow of foreign visitors, an Italian island is already planning how it can revive its tourism in the wake of the pandemic.
Sicily has announced that it plans to cover a major portion of the costs of visitors’ vacation as a way to lure tourists back.
The Italian island says that it will subsidize half of the flight costs and a third of the hotel expenses for those travelers who visit, reported The Times.
Free tickets will also be provided to many of its world-class museums and archaeological sites.
Sunset on #Etna looks like this , being overclouds does offer an extra energy boost ! Fireplace, sausage and trekking weekend on #Sicily YES possible ! This is all just 20 km from @CTAairport . Visit #Sicily pic.twitter.com/IaOfNwBTDg — Alex (@GuyThatFly) January 17, 2020
With tourism making up 13% of Italy’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Sicily alone has suffered losses of more than €1 billion ($1.09 billion) in revenue related to the tourism industry, especially after Italy became the European epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposed plan will cost the island roughly 50 million euros (about $55 million USD), but local authorities hope that an influx of bargain-hunting, quarantine-weary vacationers will help the region refill its war chest in due time.
?? Someone said that #Pozzallo is a place where you never grow old. Maybe it's because it is a sort of terrace facing the Mediterranean Sea from where you can look at the vastness of sky and sea? ?Giulio Lettica#visitsicilyinfo #BellezzaADomicilio #SicilyComesToYou pic.twitter.com/BmoDc0RuhF — Visit Sicily (@VisitSicilyOP) April 30, 2020
Those who are interested in visiting Sicily’s numerous attractions—ranging from the lunar landscape of the majestic volcano, Mt. Etna, to the Caribbean-style beaches of Messina and the island’s world-famous cuisine—are encouraged to keep an eye on the Visit Sicily website, where vouchers will be available as soon as the country opens its borders.
We can’t endorse Sicily enough as a travel destination. After all, where else can you enjoy a “Brioche con Gelato”—literally an ice cream sandwich inside a buttery soft roll—for breakfast? The country’s brilliant seafood dishes, famous pastas and countless other rich foods show show why the island, with its multicultural past, is celebrated as the gateway of the Mediterranean Sea.
However, it remains unclear when the deal will come into effect, especially as access to air travel remains difficult across the world while many people remain under strict quarantine measures that prevent them from leaving their homes, let alone their countries for a nice spring or summer vacation.
It would seem that setting your sights on autumn for your Sicilian vacation is the best bet.
The Italian government declared a state of emergency on March 10 that included major travel restrictions, the imposition of shelter-at-home measures, and a ban on public gatherings. Italy has been one of the hardest-hit countries by the pandemic with a total death toll now standing at 27,967, second only to the United States, and one of the longest coronavirus lockdowns worldwide.
However, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte plans to proceed with a cautious lifting of restrictions beginning May 4, when many parks, factories and construction sites throughout the country will open. Shops will remain closed until May 18, while bars, restaurants and hairdressers remain closed until June 1.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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