themindunleashed--2020-05-20--Meet Harley, an Adorable Therapy Pug in PPE Spreading Hope and Joy in a Mexico City Hospital

( TMU ) – Harley , a friendly one-eyed pug dressed from head to toe in a fluorescent green raincoat , yellow booties and goggles , has become the latest hero in Mexico – becoming a much-needed therapy mascot and ally to the exhausted and stressed-out doctors on the frontlines of the battle against the novel coronavirus .
As the world copes with a major pandemic on a scale that hasn ’ t been seen in over a century , people have struggled to maintain their bearing and manage their mental well-being .
But for doctors , nurses , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been especially trying – with depression , anxiety , insomnia and fear gripping emergency responders coping with a wave of COVID-19 patients .
Enter the three-year-old Harley , also known as “ el Tuerto ” – which roughly translates to “ the one-eyed boy ” – who has become a crucial member of the psychiatry and neuropsychology service at the National Medical Center 20 de Noviembre in Mexico City , an epicenter of the virus in the country .
Animal Politico reports that Harley ’ s owner , neuropsychologist Dr. Lucia Ledesma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ co-therapist ” that could play with the doctors and nurses at the hard-hit hospital , bringing a smile to the exhausted healthcare personnel during one of the most difficult moments facing the country .
For years , the dog had already been providing to Ledesma ’ s patients who suffered psychiatric and psychological conditions , drawing out feelings of empathy from those who play with him .
But now , as Harley strolls through the hallways of the hospital in Mexico ’ s capital with shifts starting at 5 a.m. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ dampen the psychological , affective , and psychic stress ” of healthcare personnel facing the emergency , Ledesma explained .
The pug is providing crucial psychological relief to medical staff who can spend just a few minutes petting , cuddling , pampering and playing with the affectionate little pug – providing some much-needed medicine for the souls of those facing a draining , exhausting shift at the hospital and spending time away from their family and friends .
It ’ s not a job for just any pup , Ledesma explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to have characteristics such as a friendly personality that allows for close physical proximity while also being well-behaved , enjoying continual social contact , and being quick-learners .
And while Ledesma admits that this has been her most complicated tasks due to the specific conditions created by the pandemic , Harley ’ s work has resulted in a “ decrease in symptoms of anxiety and stress ” among hospital staff .
Because of this , Harley may turn out to be a model for new therapeutic approaches at other hospitals throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses we see have exceeded our expectations .
We expected a favorable response but not at this level … The staff reacts with surprise , curiosity , they play with him , they make video calls with relatives [ along with Harley ] and it brings them closer together .
The effects have been immediate.
” Harley has skyrocketed to popularity in Latin America and across the world since making his debut world , with children as far away as London drawing images of the valiant pup He ’ s also become Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rescue dog , a yellow Labrador and Mexican marine K9 who also donned boots , a vest and googles to help save dozens of lives following the devastating Sept. 19 , 2017 , earthquake in Mexico City .
While Frida recently retired , murals depicting the valiant rescue canine can be seen throughout the capital while in nearby Puebla City , a statue has been built .
Once the crisis passes , we ’ re sure that Harley – like Frida – will also be remembered as a tiny hero who helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest challenges it ’ s faced in modern times .

(TMU) – Harley, a friendly one-eyed pug dressed from head to toe in a fluorescent green raincoat, yellow booties and goggles, has become the latest hero in Mexico – becoming a much-needed therapy mascot and ally to the exhausted and stressed-out doctors on the frontlines of the battle against the novel coronavirus.
As the world copes with a major pandemic on a scale that hasn’t been seen in over a century, people have struggled to maintain their bearing and manage their mental well-being. But for doctors, nurses, and other medical workers, the health crisis has been especially trying – with depression, anxiety, insomnia and fear gripping emergency responders coping with a wave of COVID-19 patients.
Enter the three-year-old Harley, also known as “el Tuerto” – which roughly translates to “the one-eyed boy” – who has become a crucial member of the psychiatry and neuropsychology service at the National Medical Center 20 de Noviembre in Mexico City, an epicenter of the virus in the country.
México tiene un nuevo héroe canino. ?❤ Este es Harley, el pug tuerto que trabaja en el Centro Médico Nacional 20 de Noviembre. Harley es coterapeuta de su dueña, la neuropsicóloga clínica Lucía Ledesma, y apoya al personal médico que sufre de ansiedad o burn out. ? ?:AFP pic.twitter.com/WrZLD4e3zL — Periodic (@periodicmx) May 15, 2020
Animal Politico reports that Harley’s owner, neuropsychologist Dr. Lucia Ledesma Torres, began using the pug as a “co-therapist” that could play with the doctors and nurses at the hard-hit hospital, bringing a smile to the exhausted healthcare personnel during one of the most difficult moments facing the country.
For years, the dog had already been providing to Ledesma’s patients who suffered psychiatric and psychological conditions, drawing out feelings of empathy from those who play with him.
VIDEO: Wearing tiny yellow boots, goggles and a protective suit, Harley "el Tuerto" — a pug trained as a therapy dog — begins a new journey to relieve the stress of medical staff fighting the novel coronavirus at a Mexico City hospital ? pic.twitter.com/TalvaGRUDo — AFP news agency (@AFP) May 14, 2020
But now, as Harley strolls through the hallways of the hospital in Mexico’s capital with shifts starting at 5 a.m., the pug plays a crucial role helping to “dampen the psychological, affective, and psychic stress” of healthcare personnel facing the emergency, Ledesma explained.
The pug is providing crucial psychological relief to medical staff who can spend just a few minutes petting, cuddling, pampering and playing with the affectionate little pug – providing some much-needed medicine for the souls of those facing a draining, exhausting shift at the hospital and spending time away from their family and friends.
It’s not a job for just any pup, Ledesma explained to EFE news agency. Therapy animals need to have characteristics such as a friendly personality that allows for close physical proximity while also being well-behaved, enjoying continual social contact, and being quick-learners.
And while Ledesma admits that this has been her most complicated tasks due to the specific conditions created by the pandemic, Harley’s work has resulted in a “decrease in symptoms of anxiety and stress” among hospital staff. Because of this, Harley may turn out to be a model for new therapeutic approaches at other hospitals throughout the country, Ledesma added.
Ledesma said:
“The responses we see have exceeded our expectations. We expected a favorable response but not at this level … The staff reacts with surprise, curiosity, they play with him, they make video calls with relatives [along with Harley] and it brings them closer together. The effects have been immediate.”
#VIRAL ?? Él es Harley "el Tuerto", un perro pug que alivia el estrés del personal médico que lucha contra el Covid-19 en México. Conoce su historia.?? https://bit.ly/2WTlT7E Posted by Diario de Yucatán on Thursday, May 14, 2020
Harley has skyrocketed to popularity in Latin America and across the world since making his debut world, with children as far away as London drawing images of the valiant pup
He’s also become Mexico’s most celebrated mascot since Frida the rescue dog, a yellow Labrador and Mexican marine K9 who also donned boots, a vest and googles to help save dozens of lives following the devastating Sept. 19, 2017, earthquake in Mexico City. While Frida recently retired, murals depicting the valiant rescue canine can be seen throughout the capital while in nearby Puebla City, a statue has been built.
Once the crisis passes, we’re sure that Harley – like Frida – will also be remembered as a tiny hero who helped a nation get through one of the greatest challenges it’s faced in modern times.
What did we do to deserve dogs? https://t.co/JbVPd3eeZ1 — Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) September 23, 2017
Harley el Tuerto, visitando al personal del área más complicada del hospital. pic.twitter.com/nvIJ8eyqUh — Particle man (@Yusdan) May 13, 2020
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--Australian Man Fined by Officials After Rescuing Whale Trapped in Government Shark Nets

( TMU ) – In a world where we ’ re told to be concerned about the environment and be mindful of the impact of our actions on wildlife , one would expect that saving an animal would hardly be a cause for punishment .
But for one Australian man who decided to do the right thing and save a whale that was caught in shark nets off the Gold Coast , he learned instead that the government frowns on individuals who act on their own initiative to rescue a helpless animal .
The man , who goes by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recreational diver who was out free-diving on Tuesday morning before he saw the young humpback whale struggling in sea nets .
Local officials had received phone calls notifying them that a whale was in crisis .
However , hours passed without authorities lifting a finger to take action , Eventually , the diver ’ s “ adrenaline just sort of kicked in ” and he took his boat to the scene to rescue the creature , he told the ABC .
The man said : “ Basically I just tried to untangle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t really need to use the knife though .
He just had his pectoral fin sort of wrapped up and he was about eight to nine meters deep.
” In the meantime , a crowd of spectators watched as he rescued the ocean mammal .
According to the BBC , spectator confirmed that hours had passed since authorities were notified before the man took action .
He added : “ Luckily a good Samaritan came up and did fisheries ’ [ officials ] jobs for them.
” When the whale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shore .
As he was about to leave the area , however , officials caught up with him and fined him , he told local media .
Django hasn ’ t explained how much the fine levied by fisheries inspectors was .
It also remains unclear what exactly his offense was , but Queensland state does have penalties meant to dissuade people from tampering with government property , or moving too close to whales .
However , the fee has convinced the man that his selfless act of rescuing the whale may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Yeah , I ’ m trouble , it was fair enough .
I just saw it and thought , ‘ What are you going to do ?
’ It was an expensive day , but whatever.
” State officials dispute Django ’ s claim that he had been fined .
Queensland Fisheries Minister Mark Furner explained that while there is currently an investigation into the matter to determine whether a fine is justified , locals should still leave certain matters to the authorities .
“ It is important that people allow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like this , ” the minister said .
The use of shark nets around Australian beaches has come under criticism from conservationists due to their negative impact on coastal wildlife .
Just last year , five whales were found caught in the nets , leading to demands by advocates that other forms of shark deterrent be deployed in their place .
The state government has committed $ 1 million to investigating alternatives to the nets .
In the meantime , however , people who tamper with council equipment such as shark nets face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Django , who professes to be a lifelong diver , described the nets as “ a waste of time ” because “ sharks just swim around them .
”

(TMU) – In a world where we’re told to be concerned about the environment and be mindful of the impact of our actions on wildlife, one would expect that saving an animal would hardly be a cause for punishment.
But for one Australian man who decided to do the right thing and save a whale that was caught in shark nets off the Gold Coast, he learned instead that the government frowns on individuals who act on their own initiative to rescue a helpless animal.
The man, who goes by the name of “Django,” is a recreational diver who was out free-diving on Tuesday morning before he saw the young humpback whale struggling in sea nets.
Local officials had received phone calls notifying them that a whale was in crisis. However, hours passed without authorities lifting a finger to take action,
Eventually, the diver’s “adrenaline just sort of kicked in” and he took his boat to the scene to rescue the creature, he told the ABC. The man said:
“Basically I just tried to untangle him. I had a knife, I didn’t really need to use the knife though. He just had his pectoral fin sort of wrapped up and he was about eight to nine meters deep.”
In the meantime, a crowd of spectators watched as he rescued the ocean mammal.
According to the BBC, spectator confirmed that hours had passed since authorities were notified before the man took action. He added:
“Luckily a good Samaritan came up and did fisheries’ [officials] jobs for them.”
When the whale was finally freed, Django returned to the shore. As he was about to leave the area, however, officials caught up with him and fined him, he told local media.
Man rescues whale trapped in shark net A Gold Coast man who freed a whale from shark nets earlier today could be fined for his trouble.He said he couldn't wait for authorities to arrive, and acted on impulse – untangling the baby humpback from the netting ??: Envoy Cull | More: https://ab.co/2z0Cajq Posted by ABC Gold Coast on Monday, May 18, 2020
Django hasn’t explained how much the fine levied by fisheries inspectors was.
It also remains unclear what exactly his offense was, but Queensland state does have penalties meant to dissuade people from tampering with government property, or moving too close to whales. However, the fee has convinced the man that his selfless act of rescuing the whale may not have been worth the cost.
He told ABC:
“Yeah, I’m trouble, it was fair enough. I just saw it and thought, ‘What are you going to do?’ It was an expensive day, but whatever.”
State officials dispute Django’s claim that he had been fined. Queensland Fisheries Minister Mark Furner explained that while there is currently an investigation into the matter to determine whether a fine is justified, locals should still leave certain matters to the authorities.
“It is important that people allow the professionals to do their jobs in circumstances like this,” the minister said.
The use of shark nets around Australian beaches has come under criticism from conservationists due to their negative impact on coastal wildlife.
Just last year, five whales were found caught in the nets, leading to demands by advocates that other forms of shark deterrent be deployed in their place. The state government has committed $1 million to investigating alternatives to the nets.
In the meantime, however, people who tamper with council equipment such as shark nets face fines of up to $26,690.
Django, who professes to be a lifelong diver, described the nets as “a waste of time” because “sharks just swim around them.”
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themindunleashed--2020-05-20--Scientists: Ancient Australians Lived With Huge Kangaroos, Lizards, Other Megafauna for 20,000 Years

( TMU ) – Massive kangaroos who roamed prehistoric Australia have been uncovered at an ancient fossil site in central Queensland .
The gigantic kangaroos , which towered at a height of over 8 ft ( 2.5 meters ) and weighed upwards of 600 pounds ( 274 kg ) were dug up at a paleontological site alongside the remains of over a dozen other oversized creatures , including car-sized lizards , huge wombats , crocodiles as long as buses , and a huge marsupial “ lion ” called the Thylaceo .
The enormous megafauna roamed Australia until about 40,000 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Queensland Museum .
While it was once believed that the species were hunted by humans to extinction , researchers have determined that the huge creatures lived alongside Indigenous Australians for up to 20,000 years .
Major changes to the environment such as climate change were the likely cause of the tropical giants being wiped out .
“ It ’ s an amazing discovery – these animals were absolutely enormous .
“ And the animals that ate these were even bigger .
We had gigantic reptiles living at the same time as people.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ancient creatures to extinction – a conclusion Hocknull reached after finding evidence of raging fires , degrading habitats , and major droughts that coincided with the extinction of the megafauna .
Megafauna are animals that weighed around or over 100 pounds ( 44 kg ) and bear a close resemblance to related species that continue to roam the Earth today .
More common megafauna species include the saber-toothed tiger and North America ’ s woolly mammoth .
Nearly all megafauna are now extinct .
Australia is currently home to unusual endemic creatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as potoroos , bandicoots , echidnas , wallabies , koalas and kangaroos .
During the prehistoric period , Australia was also the host to a range of unique megafauna such as gigantic marsupials ( mammals with a pouch ) including the sloth bear-like Palorchestes , super-large monitor lizards like the Megalania goanna , and rhinoceros-sized wombat-like marsupials such as the Diprotodon .
Australia also had gigantic , armored tortoises with clubbed tails , huge flightless birds , land-dwelling crocodiles , and giant constricting snakes .
Since 2008 , the Queensland research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bones that once belonged to reptilian mega-predators and lizards or goannas that measured 22 feet .
In total , at least 16 megafauna species have been discovered at the site .
“ This is really exciting as it ’ s the first time we ’ ve been able to provide a picture of what tropical north looked like … The megafauna at South Walker Creek were uniquely tropical , dominated by huge reptilian carnivores and mega-herbivores that become extinct about 40,000 years ago – at least 20,000 years after humans arrived in Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most likely saw these animals.
” The researcher added that it remains unclear to what extent humans had contact with them , especially since dangerous mammalian creatures like the pouched “ lion ” Thylacoleo stalked the territory seeking out prey .
The creatures ’ extinction was a likely result not so much of human intervention – but of changing climate conditions .
Hocknull continued : “ We find that their extinction is coincident with major climatic and environmental deterioration both locally and regionally , including increased bushfires , reduction in grasslands and loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustained changes were simply too much for the largest of Australia ’ s animals to cope with.
” With Australian society and wildlife still reeling from the massive bushfires that raged across the country earlier this year , Hocknull sees the research as offering important insights to how we view the impact of climate , fire , vegetation change , and water availability today .
Hocknull said : “ Not since the time of the dinosaurs has Australia been home to such magnificent giants , and yet within a geological instant they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that for everyone .
”

(TMU) – Massive kangaroos who roamed prehistoric Australia have been uncovered at an ancient fossil site in central Queensland.
The gigantic kangaroos, which towered at a height of over 8 ft (2.5 meters) and weighed upwards of 600 pounds (274 kg) were dug up at a paleontological site alongside the remains of over a dozen other oversized creatures, including car-sized lizards, huge wombats, crocodiles as long as buses, and a huge marsupial “lion” called the Thylaceo.
The enormous megafauna roamed Australia until about 40,000 and years ago, according to paleontologists at the Queensland Museum.
While it was once believed that the species were hunted by humans to extinction, researchers have determined that the huge creatures lived alongside Indigenous Australians for up to 20,000 years. Major changes to the environment such as climate change were the likely cause of the tropical giants being wiped out.
Dear god, this thing was huge. Pleistocene Macropus sp. (giganteus/titan) takes the title from Procoptodon goliah for largest kangaroo. paper (discusses some really cool stuff about Ice Age extinctions and how climate played a role): https://t.co/PODz01laG7 https://t.co/fVwU4Yb2u9 pic.twitter.com/G9wN1zXxOC — Aditya Srinath (@adi_fatalis) May 18, 2020
Dr. Scott Hocknull, a paleontologist who led the research project, told Australian news program Sunrise:
“It’s an amazing discovery – these animals were absolutely enormous.
“And the animals that ate these were even bigger. We had gigantic reptiles living at the same time as people.”
Imagine a kangaroo as tall as a bus! Giant roos are one of 13 extinct species discovered west of Mackay. How they lived and why they died is at the centre of a Queensland dig, published today in a prestigious international paper. https://t.co/VZ3A1cpmr5 @ErinEdwards7 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/uQdF0QZXF3 — 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) May 18, 2020
However, extreme climate change drove the ancient creatures to extinction – a conclusion Hocknull reached after finding evidence of raging fires, degrading habitats, and major droughts that coincided with the extinction of the megafauna.
Megafauna are animals that weighed around or over 100 pounds (44 kg) and bear a close resemblance to related species that continue to roam the Earth today. More common megafauna species include the saber-toothed tiger and North America’s woolly mammoth. Nearly all megafauna are now extinct.
Australia is currently home to unusual endemic creatures such as the duck-billed, egg-laying platypus as well as potoroos, bandicoots, echidnas, wallabies, koalas and kangaroos.
During the prehistoric period, Australia was also the host to a range of unique megafauna such as gigantic marsupials (mammals with a pouch) including the sloth bear-like Palorchestes, super-large monitor lizards like the Megalania goanna, and rhinoceros-sized wombat-like marsupials such as the Diprotodon.
Australia also had gigantic, armored tortoises with clubbed tails, huge flightless birds, land-dwelling crocodiles, and giant constricting snakes.
Since 2008, the Queensland research team has yielded spectacular finds, including bones that once belonged to reptilian mega-predators and lizards or goannas that measured 22 feet. In total, at least 16 megafauna species have been discovered at the site.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Hocknull explained:
“This is really exciting as it’s the first time we’ve been able to provide a picture of what tropical north looked like … The megafauna at South Walker Creek were uniquely tropical, dominated by huge reptilian carnivores and mega-herbivores that become extinct about 40,000 years ago – at least 20,000 years after humans arrived in Australia.
“The first people of Australia most likely saw these animals.”
The researcher added that it remains unclear to what extent humans had contact with them, especially since dangerous mammalian creatures like the pouched “lion” Thylacoleo stalked the territory seeking out prey.
It has been a 12 year project with more exciting things to come! @qldmuseum https://t.co/jfzJLufsYY — Scott Hocknull (@Aussiedinosaurs) May 18, 2020
The creatures’ extinction was a likely result not so much of human intervention – but of changing climate conditions. Hocknull continued:
“We find that their extinction is coincident with major climatic and environmental deterioration both locally and regionally, including increased bushfires, reduction in grasslands and loss of freshwater.”
“Together, these sustained changes were simply too much for the largest of Australia’s animals to cope with.”
With Australian society and wildlife still reeling from the massive bushfires that raged across the country earlier this year, Hocknull sees the research as offering important insights to how we view the impact of climate, fire, vegetation change, and water availability today. Hocknull said:
“Not since the time of the dinosaurs has Australia been home to such magnificent giants, and yet within a geological instant they were gone forever. There is a message in that for everyone.”
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--Beekeeper Spends Lockdown Building a Fully Functional Beehive Using Only LEGO Bricks

( TMU ) – A beekeeper in Ireland had the brilliant idea of building a big , colorful beehive made entirely out of LEGO – and the results are as spectacular as you ’ d imagine .
Across the globe , people have been coping with social isolation and physical distancing in countless – whether it ’ s catching up on missed TV series , experimenting with sourdough starters , livestreaming DJ sets , starting podcasts or simply reading .
But for Ruari O Leocháin , a school teacher and wildlife activist from the town of Athlone , County Westmeath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be one which helps the local bee population .
Ruairi , who also owns at Athlone ’ s Wildlife Apiaries , had already thought of creating the beehive before the pandemic hit .
But with a long spell of quarantine on the horizon , the bee-lover decided to commit to making his dream a reality .
Step one required him to order a huge amount of LEGO blocks .
Taking his time to construct the future home for a bee colony , Ruairi spent eight weeks tackling the project “ bit-by-bit ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before handing it over to its denizens .
From there , the bees themselves would take over the task of turning the LEGO structure into a successful beehive .
While it was somewhat difficult to coax the bees into moving into the rainbow-colored new home , roughly 30,000 bees are currently residing there now .
The hive will definitely hold up once the buzzing bees work their magic on the structure – or , in this case , apply their natural “ bee glue ” or propolis , a resinous compound bees produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretions , saps , and resins of plants .
“ What the bees will do , given enough time , is they will propolize the whole thing .
“ Propolis is a kind of glue that the bees get from trees , and with any gaps in a beehive , with any wind or air getting through , they will basically put their glue in between to seal it up.
” Since sharing video of the “ Covid Lego Beehive ” online , the response has shocked the beekeeper .
He explained : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t expecting such a big reaction … I have had people getting in touch with me from China , America , and elsewhere saying that they love the idea.
” The apiarist community has also greeted the unique LEGO beehive with enthusiasm .
Ruairi added : “ I shared the video with some beekeeping groups online and I ’ ve had a lot of people messaging me asking if I have any plans ( for how to make one ) , because they ’ d like to try it as well.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t have any plans , I basically just had a beehive beside me while I was making it , so I was measuring up everything against the beehive all the time.
” Ruairi started working with bees and maintaining a collection of beehives so that he could make honey to sell and fund his work rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife .
The fervent animal lover hopes that by next year , he can reach 3 million bees .
On May 20 , people across the globe celebrate World Bee Day – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one of the most important managed pollinators in agriculture .
Bees are crucial to the natural process of plant reproduction , helping to spreading the male sex cells of flowers and plants to their female counterparts .
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization , pollinators are worth anywhere from $ 235 and $ 577 billion worldwide owing to their pivotal role in the production of global crops .
Without bees we would likely have to kiss almonds , blueberries , watermelon , chili peppers , tomatoes and other important crops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about bees and help the struggling population by providing beekeeping courses to those interested through Athlone ’ s Wildlife Apiaries .
To pursue that longterm goal , he has set up a GoFundMe page to help fund the project .

(TMU) – A beekeeper in Ireland had the brilliant idea of building a big, colorful beehive made entirely out of LEGO – and the results are as spectacular as you’d imagine.
Across the globe, people have been coping with social isolation and physical distancing in countless – whether it’s catching up on missed TV series, experimenting with sourdough starters, livestreaming DJ sets, starting podcasts or simply reading.
But for Ruari O Leocháin, a school teacher and wildlife activist from the town of Athlone, County Westmeath, he decided that his corona hobby would be one which helps the local bee population.
Ruairi, who also owns at Athlone’s Wildlife Apiaries, had already thought of creating the beehive before the pandemic hit. But with a long spell of quarantine on the horizon, the bee-lover decided to commit to making his dream a reality.
Step one required him to order a huge amount of LEGO blocks. Taking his time to construct the future home for a bee colony, Ruairi spent eight weeks tackling the project “bit-by-bit” without using any adhesives or any blueprint before handing it over to its denizens.
From there, the bees themselves would take over the task of turning the LEGO structure into a successful beehive.
While it was somewhat difficult to coax the bees into moving into the rainbow-colored new home, roughly 30,000 bees are currently residing there now.
https://www.facebook.com/109550843802185/videos/251830199362792/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBF1i8QIU1rxXzO_Ou38GroaKC0WOQeJHcDmnScqFHD56F4Qb2Cn8jUoYP45fmH9QB87Xr7Z7cGfvkuneryyrLtBfGTmtK2XLu7cqsS9SK0Vgc0fJRuZqZnIXD1PGamKXdzoiz4JxV9m5xcPpT82Dznowb-AREM3fI183xheO64-D1IHv5u42F3ZvyMBA1TIrcbY7WkUIv9s-3fX5fVQMeTkjCmgfrP1jg2yiYrOCnRoX4u9ER37zluGnmsJXggfZHs5zZmLmQk3r2mKIV-WRa0Ey6vauwZimVF2rvv5FirqGyga8PIWq2_fNA5qV74UuVRp4tVXH4UR110sx4XKBbXjOWon8dt_LRjv3ya2eUpe8pUDQVoiTXMhtMZ1a56-_5vI7Rd-kBPs2d9LGviHkvqyP-qPtXJyc97rrmMCl9m4-AtgjHQsnxJOvIFWffJNXC4F4ln2vTL6sLZpNiNGPf7TDtwgHOnGloAI1hpLJVcikZL64Jj0sH3lm8h01Y&__tn__=H-R
The hive will definitely hold up once the buzzing bees work their magic on the structure – or, in this case, apply their natural “bee glue” or propolis, a resinous compound bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with the secretions, saps, and resins of plants.
Ruairi told the Westmeath Independent:
“What the bees will do, given enough time, is they will propolize the whole thing.
“Propolis is a kind of glue that the bees get from trees, and with any gaps in a beehive, with any wind or air getting through, they will basically put their glue in between to seal it up.”
Since sharing video of the “Covid Lego Beehive” online, the response has shocked the beekeeper. He explained:
“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a big reaction … I have had people getting in touch with me from China, America, and elsewhere saying that they love the idea.”
My Lego beehive has nearly 100,000 views on Facebook!… Posted by Athlone’s Wildlife Apiaries on Monday, May 18, 2020
The apiarist community has also greeted the unique LEGO beehive with enthusiasm. Ruairi added:
“I shared the video with some beekeeping groups online and I’ve had a lot of people messaging me asking if I have any plans (for how to make one), because they’d like to try it as well.”
“I had to tell them that I didn’t have any plans, I basically just had a beehive beside me while I was making it, so I was measuring up everything against the beehive all the time.”
Ruairi started working with bees and maintaining a collection of beehives so that he could make honey to sell and fund his work rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife. The fervent animal lover hopes that by next year, he can reach 3 million bees.
On May 20, people across the globe celebrate World Bee Day – a day where we show our appreciation to one of the most important managed pollinators in agriculture. Bees are crucial to the natural process of plant reproduction, helping to spreading the male sex cells of flowers and plants to their female counterparts.
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, pollinators are worth anywhere from $235 and $577 billion worldwide owing to their pivotal role in the production of global crops. Without bees we would likely have to kiss almonds, blueberries, watermelon, chili peppers, tomatoes and other important crops goodbye.
Ruairi hopes to educate people about bees and help the struggling population by providing beekeeping courses to those interested through Athlone’s Wildlife Apiaries. To pursue that longterm goal, he has set up a GoFundMe page to help fund the project.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--Australian Man Facing Fine After Rescuing Whale Trapped in Government Shark Nets


themindunleashed--2020-05-20--11 Ways to Live a Happier Life, According to a Psychologist (Hint: These have nothing to do with mon

11 Ways to Live a Happier Life, According to a Psychologist (Hint: These have nothing to do with money!)

( TMU ) Opinion – Happiness is something that we all strive for , yet many of us find it challenging to grasp and even harder to maintain .
Especially during these difficult economic times , happiness can feel like it is hiding just behind next week ’ s paycheck , a new job , or a distant raise .
However , as Dr. Robert Putnam of Harvard University recently pointed out , “ money alone can buy you happiness , but not much.
” ( 1 ) It appears that happiness has less to do with money than we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the people around us , how we live our lives , the way spend our time , and how we perceive ourselves and understand our life experiences .
Based on the latest research in psychology and my experience as both a psychologist trying to understand happiness , and as a human being searching for my own happiness , here are 11 ways to live a happier life…that have nothing to do with money !
No matter where they are or what they are doing , happy people recognize that they always have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the field of Positive Psychology has shown that people who practice gratitude are happier , less stressed and less depressed !
( 2 ) Happy people can easily find gratitude in the world around them , whether they are looking at the cracks in the pavement in the concrete jungle or the sun setting over the ocean .
It is possible to find gratitude even in smallest of things , like a delicious meal , a good book , a challenging yoga class , or a smile from a stranger on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice on how we focus our attention .
Choosing to focus on gratitude for the beauty and uniqueness of life instead the stressors and problems will make you feel happier and more relaxed .
In Positive Psychology , the concept of “ Flow ” is defined as the “ complete immersion in activity for it ’ s own sake.
” ( 3 ) When we are in flow , such as when we are running a race , writing a song , or reading a great book , our self-awareness dissipates , time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused , peaceful , and attentive to the task at hand .
People who frequently experience flow tend to be happy , productive , creative and focused .
You can reach a state of flow by putting special attention to tasks that you find intrinsically rewarding and enjoyable .
In other words , carve out some time to do what you LOVE !
For more information about how to find your flow , explore Dr. Mikhal Csíkszentmihályi ’ s book , Finding Flow .
( 4 ) If you are feeling down or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible to cheer yourself up by simply thinking of a person , place or situation that makes you smile !
Indeed , research in psychology has shown that the physical act of smiling will make you feel happier , even if you are just flexing the muscles of your mouth and not intentionally smiling !
( 5 ) While scientists are not yet completely certain why the simple of act of smiling makes you feel happy , it has been suggested that smiling contracts the facial muscles , leading to more blood flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which in turn triggers release of dopamine , one of the pleasure chemicals in the brain .
( 6 ) So bust out the comedies and get your giggle on ( or maybe let someone tickle you a little bit ) !
We are all perfectly imperfect in this human form , and it is only natural that we make mistakes ( sometimes very often ! )
Living in denial about your mistakes or getting wrapped up in your ego will only you make you miserable and block you from learning valuable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve .
By embracing your mistakes , you will be able to forgive yourself , and the bonus is that other people might actually like you more !
According to Dr. Eliot Aronson ’ s “ Pratfall effect ” in Social Psychology , making mistakes makes competent people seem more attractive , and more human to others .
( 7 ) Happy people seem to intuitively know this , embracing mistakes as learning experiences and not judging themselves too harshly .
Happy people tend to respond to negative events in a more optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Martin Seligman defines optimism as “ reacting to problems with confidence and high personal ability , ” specifically , recognizing that negative events are temporary and limited in scope .
( 2 ) Research has linked optimism with a plethora of positive outcomes including longevity , recovery from illness , overall physical health , enhanced coping skills and problem solving in difficult situations .
Overall , optimism is a central component of staying happy and healthy , so when in doubt , look on the bright side .
Even though this life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we need other people around us in order to feel happy .
In fact , recent research has indicated that social relationships are the strongest predictors of happiness , much stronger than income or wealth .
( 1 ) For example , according to Robert Putnam ’ s groundbreaking study , making a good friend causes an increase of happiness equal to tripling ones salary , belonging to a social club is equivalent to doubling one ’ s salary , and so on .
The take home message here is that social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wellbeing .
People with perceived positive social relationships even live longer !
8 So be social , surround yourself with people who make you feel good , and release those who make you feel bad .
7 ) Learn when to say “ No ” As psychologist Dr. Thema Davis so beautifully puts it , “ saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out.
” ( 9 ) Happy people know that they must say NO to people , ideas , and behaviors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Saying yes to everyone and everything can lead you to feel overwhelmed , increase your stress , and leave you less time and resources to take care of yourself !
This is especially true when you agree to do things that do not resonate with you , or allow yourself to be pressured into situations you are uncomfortable with .
The stress that results from feeling overwhelmed can severely dampen one ’ s happiness and wellbeing .
Before you commit to anything or anyone , ask yourself , does this serve my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no , then learn to say NO .
Although it may feel natural after a lifetime of conditioning , human beings were not designed to spend our day hunched over a desk with electronics plugged into our ears and eyes .
No , we are meant to be spending time outside , away from the buzz of technology , the radiation from cell-phones and the blaring of screens .
Happy people understand that it is their human birthright to give themselves quiet time to reflect and find serenity .
According to the July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in nature has been linked to happiness because light elevates people ’ s moods , as does vitamin D , a byproduct of spending time outside .
( 10 ) If you really want to maximize the benefits of outdoor time , spend time in green nature – even five minutes of “ green exercise ” can lead to improvements in mood and self-esteem , according to researchers at the University of Essex .
( 10 ) Even better , combine your outside time with meditation , yoga , or other therapeutic movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research demonstrating that all of these will further enhance your mood and overall wellbeing .
This one can be challenging for the many of us who have been wronged and/or who have experienced traumas perpetrated by other people in our lives .
But as my life partner , sound healer Jimmy Ohm always says , “ forgiveness does not mean that what happened was ok , it just means you no longer want to carry the pain.
” ( 11 ) When we hold on to anger , resentment and fear towards people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside of us , blocking us from feeling truly happy and fulfilled .
Dr. Fred Luskin of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project has found that forgiveness is a huge predictor of happiness and wellbeing , explaining how “ forgiveness is the experience of peacefulness in the present moment.
” ( 12 ) For more on his research , visit his website , Forgive For Good .
( 13 ) Happy people are not afraid to push their boundaries and try new things .
Research by psychologist Dr. Rich Walker has shown that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more likely to retain positive emotions than people who have fewer experiences .
( 14 ) Sure it might seem scary at first , but what ’ s the worst that could happen ?
By going beyond your comfort zone , you might actually surprise yourself and exceed your own expectations for what you are capable of accomplishing .
And hey if it doesn ’ t go as planned , at least you still tried , didn ’ t you ?
As Dr. Alex Lickerman M.D .
writes in Happiness in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it opens up the possibility for you to enjoy something new , it keeps you from becoming bored , and perhaps most importantly , it forces you to grow .
( 15 ) So what have you always wanted to try but you didn ’ t think you had the guts ?
What are you waiting for ?
11 ) Look in the mirror every morning and say “ I Love you !
” For many of us , self-love is the greatest challenge and blockage to happiness .
Years of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media that we are not good enough , not successful enough , not attractive enough , not capable enough and so on has left many of us feeling beaten down and unworthy .
The truth is that no matter who you are and what has happened in your life , YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE !
Say it out loud to yourself until you believe it .
Psychologists have long known that self-esteem is intrinsically connected to happiness , but how does one build self-esteem ?
I believe we build self-esteem through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the simplest things you can do is to look in the mirror every morning and say , “ I love you !
” For some , this may come easy , and for others , it may be extremely challenging .
I know that at first I tried and tried to do this and I would break down in tears because I felt so unworthy .
Eventually through practicing daily mantras of self-love and self-acceptance , I was able to learn to love myself .
And while the path to unconditional self-love is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , today I feel happier than I have ever felt .
☺ I hope that these happiness tips will help guide you on your journey as much as they have helped me on mine .
Namaste .
Author ’ s Note : This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to live a happier life , and I would love to hear from The Mind Unleashed community about other ways that they have found to live and breathe happiness !
Please comment or email me at [ email protected ] Blessings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
Miller , J .
( July 23rd , 2013 ) .
Putnam : Strongest Predictors of Happiness are Social Relationships .
The Chatauquan Daily .
Retrieved July 9th , 2014 from : http : //chqdaily.com/2013/07/23/putnam-strongest-predictors-of-happiness-are-social-relationships/ 2 .
The Pursuit of Happiness .
Mindfulness and Positive Thinking : Optimism and Gratitude .
Retrieved July 10th , 2014 from : http : //www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/ 3 .
Cherry , K. ( Date Unknown ) .
What is flow ?
Understanding the Psychology of Flow .
About.Com Psychology .
Retrived July 10th , 2014 from : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M. ( 1997 ) Finding Flow : The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life .
Basic Books , New York .
6 .
Wenk , G. ( December 27th , 2011 ) .
Addicted to Smiling : Can the Simple Act of Smiling Bring Pleasure ?
Psychology Today .
Retrieved July 10th , 2014 from : http : //www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201112/addicted-smiling 10 .
Harvard University Health Letter .
( July 2010 ) .
A Prescription for Better Health : Go Alfresco .
Retrieved July 10th , 2014 from : http : //www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_Letter/2010/July/a-prescription-for-better-health-go-alfresco ?
utm_source=mental & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R. ( March 7th , 2012 ) .
Forgiveness : Making Space for More Happiness .
Huffington Post Healthy Living .
Retrieved July 12th , 2014 , from : http : //www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-taran/learning-to-forgive_b_1322686.html .
14 .
Time Magazine .
Health and Happiness : Try New Things .
Retrieved July 12th , 2014 from : Time 15 .
Lickerman , A .
( April 1st , 2010 ) .
Happiness in this world : Trying new things .
Psychology Today , retrieved July 12th , 2014 from : http : //www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things

(TMU) Opinion – Happiness is something that we all strive for, yet many of us find it challenging to grasp and even harder to maintain. Especially during these difficult economic times, happiness can feel like it is hiding just behind next week’s paycheck, a new job, or a distant raise. However, as Dr. Robert Putnam of Harvard University recently pointed out, “money alone can buy you happiness, but not much.”(1) It appears that happiness has less to do with money than we might imagine, and more to do with the people around us, how we live our lives, the way spend our time, and how we perceive ourselves and understand our life experiences.
Based on the latest research in psychology and my experience as both a psychologist trying to understand happiness, and as a human being searching for my own happiness, here are 11 ways to live a happier life…that have nothing to do with money!
1) Practice Gratitude
No matter where they are or what they are doing, happy people recognize that they always have something to be grateful for. Research in the field of Positive Psychology has shown that people who practice gratitude are happier, less stressed and less depressed!(2) Happy people can easily find gratitude in the world around them, whether they are looking at the cracks in the pavement in the concrete jungle or the sun setting over the ocean. It is possible to find gratitude even in smallest of things, like a delicious meal, a good book, a challenging yoga class, or a smile from a stranger on the street.
Each of us has a choice on how we focus our attention. Choosing to focus on gratitude for the beauty and uniqueness of life instead the stressors and problems will make you feel happier and more relaxed.
2) Find a place of Flow
In Positive Psychology, the concept of “Flow” is defined as the “complete immersion in activity for it’s own sake.”(3) When we are in flow, such as when we are running a race, writing a song, or reading a great book, our self-awareness dissipates, time seems to stop, and we become focused, peaceful, and attentive to the task at hand. People who frequently experience flow tend to be happy, productive, creative and focused.
You can reach a state of flow by putting special attention to tasks that you find intrinsically rewarding and enjoyable. In other words, carve out some time to do what you LOVE! For more information about how to find your flow, explore Dr. Mikhal Csíkszentmihályi’s book, Finding Flow.(4)
3) Smile More
If you are feeling down or having a rough day, it is possible to cheer yourself up by simply thinking of a person, place or situation that makes you smile! Indeed, research in psychology has shown that the physical act of smiling will make you feel happier, even if you are just flexing the muscles of your mouth and not intentionally smiling!(5)
While scientists are not yet completely certain why the simple of act of smiling makes you feel happy, it has been suggested that smiling contracts the facial muscles, leading to more blood flow to the brain’s frontal lobes, which in turn triggers release of dopamine, one of the pleasure chemicals in the brain.(6) So bust out the comedies and get your giggle on (or maybe let someone tickle you a little bit)!
4) Embrace Your Mistakes
We are all perfectly imperfect in this human form, and it is only natural that we make mistakes (sometimes very often!) Living in denial about your mistakes or getting wrapped up in your ego will only you make you miserable and block you from learning valuable lessons that will help you grow and improve.
By embracing your mistakes, you will be able to forgive yourself, and the bonus is that other people might actually like you more! According to Dr. Eliot Aronson’s “Pratfall effect” in Social Psychology, making mistakes makes competent people seem more attractive, and more human to others.(7) Happy people seem to intuitively know this, embracing mistakes as learning experiences and not judging themselves too harshly.
5) Maintain an Optimistic Attitude
Happy people tend to respond to negative events in a more optimistic manner than unhappy people. Positive psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman defines optimism as “reacting to problems with confidence and high personal ability,” specifically, recognizing that negative events are temporary and limited in scope.(2) Research has linked optimism with a plethora of positive outcomes including longevity, recovery from illness, overall physical health, enhanced coping skills and problem solving in difficult situations.
Overall, optimism is a central component of staying happy and healthy, so when in doubt, look on the bright side.
6) Surround yourself with Supportive People
Even though this life can sometimes feel like an individual journey, we need other people around us in order to feel happy. In fact, recent research has indicated that social relationships are the strongest predictors of happiness, much stronger than income or wealth.(1) For example, according to Robert Putnam’s groundbreaking study, making a good friend causes an increase of happiness equal to tripling ones salary, belonging to a social club is equivalent to doubling one’s salary, and so on.
The take home message here is that social support is a huge indicator of happiness and wellbeing. People with perceived positive social relationships even live longer!8 So be social, surround yourself with people who make you feel good, and release those who make you feel bad.
7) Learn when to say “No”
As psychologist Dr. Thema Davis so beautifully puts it, “saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out.”(9) Happy people know that they must say NO to people, ideas, and behaviors that do not serve their highest good. Saying yes to everyone and everything can lead you to feel overwhelmed, increase your stress, and leave you less time and resources to take care of yourself! This is especially true when you agree to do things that do not resonate with you, or allow yourself to be pressured into situations you are uncomfortable with.
The stress that results from feeling overwhelmed can severely dampen one’s happiness and wellbeing. Before you commit to anything or anyone, ask yourself, does this serve my highest good? If the answers is no, then learn to say NO.
8) Unplug & Spend More time in Nature
Although it may feel natural after a lifetime of conditioning, human beings were not designed to spend our day hunched over a desk with electronics plugged into our ears and eyes. No, we are meant to be spending time outside, away from the buzz of technology, the radiation from cell-phones and the blaring of screens. Happy people understand that it is their human birthright to give themselves quiet time to reflect and find serenity. According to the July 2010 Harvard Health Letter, time outdoors in nature has been linked to happiness because light elevates people’s moods, as does vitamin D, a byproduct of spending time outside.(10)
If you really want to maximize the benefits of outdoor time, spend time in green nature – even five minutes of “green exercise” can lead to improvements in mood and self-esteem, according to researchers at the University of Essex.(10) Even better, combine your outside time with meditation, yoga, or other therapeutic movement arts. There is a plethora of research demonstrating that all of these will further enhance your mood and overall wellbeing.
9) Practice Forgiveness
This one can be challenging for the many of us who have been wronged and/or who have experienced traumas perpetrated by other people in our lives. But as my life partner, sound healer Jimmy Ohm always says, “forgiveness does not mean that what happened was ok, it just means you no longer want to carry the pain.”(11) When we hold on to anger, resentment and fear towards people, they are actually occupying a space inside of us, blocking us from feeling truly happy and fulfilled.
Dr. Fred Luskin of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project has found that forgiveness is a huge predictor of happiness and wellbeing, explaining how “forgiveness is the experience of peacefulness in the present moment.”(12) For more on his research, visit his website, Forgive For Good.(13)
10) Try New Things
Happy people are not afraid to push their boundaries and try new things. Research by psychologist Dr. Rich Walker has shown that people who engage in a variety of experiences are more likely to retain positive emotions than people who have fewer experiences.(14) Sure it might seem scary at first, but what’s the worst that could happen? By going beyond your comfort zone, you might actually surprise yourself and exceed your own expectations for what you are capable of accomplishing. And hey if it doesn’t go as planned, at least you still tried, didn’t you?
As Dr. Alex Lickerman M.D. writes in Happiness in this World, trying something new requires courage, it opens up the possibility for you to enjoy something new, it keeps you from becoming bored, and perhaps most importantly, it forces you to grow.(15) So what have you always wanted to try but you didn’t think you had the guts? What are you waiting for?
11) Look in the mirror every morning and say “I Love you!”
For many of us, self-love is the greatest challenge and blockage to happiness. Years of being told by family, educators and especially the media that we are not good enough, not successful enough, not attractive enough, not capable enough and so on has left many of us feeling beaten down and unworthy. The truth is that no matter who you are and what has happened in your life, YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE! Say it out loud to yourself until you believe it.
Psychologists have long known that self-esteem is intrinsically connected to happiness, but how does one build self-esteem? I believe we build self-esteem through practicing self-love and self-acceptance. One of the simplest things you can do is to look in the mirror every morning and say, “I love you!” For some, this may come easy, and for others, it may be extremely challenging. I know that at first I tried and tried to do this and I would break down in tears because I felt so unworthy. Eventually through practicing daily mantras of self-love and self-acceptance, I was able to learn to love myself. And while the path to unconditional self-love is a life-long journey and not a destination, today I feel happier than I have ever felt. ☺ I hope that these happiness tips will help guide you on your journey as much as they have helped me on mine. Namaste.
Author’s Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to live a happier life, and I would love to hear from The Mind Unleashed community about other ways that they have found to live and breathe happiness! Please comment or email me at DrKellyNeff@Gmail.com. Blessings and Love! <3
References:
1. Miller, J. (July 23rd, 2013). Putnam: Strongest Predictors of Happiness are Social Relationships. The Chatauquan Daily. Retrieved July 9th, 2014 from: http://chqdaily.com/2013/07/23/putnam-strongest-predictors-of-happiness-are-social-relationships/
2. The Pursuit of Happiness. Mindfulness and Positive Thinking: Optimism and Gratitude. Retrieved July 10th, 2014 from:http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/
3. Cherry, K. (Date Unknown). What is flow? Understanding the Psychology of Flow. About.Com Psychology. Retrived July 10th, 2014 from: http://psychology.about.com/od/PositivePsychology/a/flow.htm
4. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997) Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life. Basic Books, New York.
5. Korb, A. (July 31st, 2012). Smile: A Powerful Tool. Psychology Today. Retrieved July 11th, 2014 from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prefrontal-nudity/201207/smile-powerful-tool
6. Wenk, G. (December 27th, 2011). Addicted to Smiling: Can the Simple Act of Smiling Bring Pleasure? Psychology Today. Retrieved July 10th, 2014 from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201112/addicted-smiling
7. Manage Train Learn. Likeability: The Pratfall Effect. Retrieved July 11th, 2014 from: http://www.managetrainlearn.com/page/the-pratfall-effect
8. Public Relations Bureau (June, 2009). Social Support, Networks and Happiness. Retrieved July 11th, 2014 from:http://www.prb.org/Publications/Reports/2009/socialnetworks.aspx
9. Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis. http://www.DrThema.Com.
10. Harvard University Health Letter. (July 2010). A Prescription for Better Health: Go Alfresco. Retrieved July 10th, 2014 from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_Letter/2010/July/a-prescription-for-better-health-go-alfresco?utm_source=mental&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=health0710
11. Jimmy Ohm MccLain. https://www.facebook.com/jameslmcclain
12. Taran, R. (March 7th, 2012). Forgiveness: Making Space for More Happiness. Huffington Post Healthy Living. Retrieved July 12th, 2014, from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-taran/learning-to-forgive_b_1322686.html.
13. Forgive for Good. Http://www.LearningToForgive.com
14. Time Magazine. Health and Happiness: Try New Things. Retrieved July 12th, 2014 from: Time
15. Lickerman, A. (April 1st, 2010). Happiness in this world: Trying new things. Psychology Today, retrieved July 12th, 2014 from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--Locusts Block Out Sun in Iran as Bug Swarms Threaten Famine From Africa to Asia

( TMU ) – While the year began with fears that World War III would break out in the Middle East , it would appear that a different threat is tearing through the region – one of the worst locust infestations in modern history which is slamming Iran .
The plague of locusts has grown so bad in the south of Iran that the country ’ s leadership is considering deploying its military to combat the horrific insect infestation , which could ravage the country ’ s agriculture and food supplies .
Mohammed Reza Mir , a spokesman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization , told the semiofficial news agency ILNA last week that the country ’ s military hopes to join in the fight to ward off the invasion .
Mir said : “ The military have promised to help fight the desert locusts , including by providing all-terrain vehicles for use in areas which are hard to access .
Last year the military provided personnel and vehicles , and that was a big help.
” About 500,000 acres ( 200,000 hectares ) of orchards and farmland have already been devoured by the swarm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million acres of land could face utter decimation if nothing is done to halt the biblical-scale migration of insects .
In terrifying video footage that is reportedly from Iran , a humongous cloud of locusts can be seen nearly obscuring the sun as a car drives through the swarm .
The emergency is slamming the country as it contends with an economy ravaged by U.S.-led sanctions , collapsing oil prices , and the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic .
ABC reports that the locusts are capable of traveling in swarms as large as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 miles and eat up to 200 tons of crops every single day .
The last locust outbreak occurring on a comparable scale took place in the mid-20th century , when monitoring and reporting was a much slower manual process .
However , the availability of chemical pesticides wasn ’ t as much an issue then as now , allowing for relatively efficient control operations .
Officials in Iran claim that the ground in one afflicted area was covered in a 6-inch-high layer of dead locusts after they sprayed it with pesticides , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , this is the second consecutive year that the locust swarms have wreaked havoc across the region – and it ’ s a problem that ’ s grown much worse due to the erratic and unpredictable shifts in climate conditions , which have entailed unseasonal rainfall , cyclones , and other factors contributing to the birth of new locust generations .
Warming waters in the Indian Ocean—known as the Indian Ocean Dipole or “ Indian Niño ” due to its similarity to El Niño in the Pacific—have also been linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as dry weather , flooding , and even the raging bushfires across Australia .
Muhammad Azhar Ehsan , a researcher at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society ( IRI ) at Columbia University ’ s Earth Institute , told Vox : “ The western side of the Indian Ocean was unusually warm as compared to the eastern side .
So when the western side was warm , we had a lot of evaporation happening over there , and that evaporation turned into a rainfall.
” The humongous swarms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Horn of Africa and South Asia .
The locusts are threatening to plunge tens of millions of people into famine , especially as it coincides with the novel coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic shutdown rippling across the globe .
About 20 million people are already in the grips of food insecurity while roughly 17 million people in war-ravaged Yemen face grave danger .
In some areas , the recent swarms have seen nearly 100 percent of crops lost to the swarms .
For many countries , this is also the first swarm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaning they are poorly equipped to control the plague of locusts .
Keith Cressman , senior locust forecasting officer at the U.N. Food and Agricultural Orgnization ( FAO ) , said “ It ’ s like a fire in a country that has no fire department.
” And to make matters worse , some people believe that the scarcity created by the locusts could itself be a contributing factor to armed conflict in the region .
A failure to urgently fund and step up the campaign to suppress the desert locust infestations could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 times worst than the last outbreak – ensuring that desert locusts will ruin this year ’ s harvest season .

(TMU) – While the year began with fears that World War III would break out in the Middle East, it would appear that a different threat is tearing through the region – one of the worst locust infestations in modern history which is slamming Iran.
The plague of locusts has grown so bad in the south of Iran that the country’s leadership is considering deploying its military to combat the horrific insect infestation, which could ravage the country’s agriculture and food supplies.
Mohammed Reza Mir, a spokesman for the Iranian Agriculture Ministry’s Plant Protection Organization, told the semiofficial news agency ILNA last week that the country’s military hopes to join in the fight to ward off the invasion. Mir said:
“The military have promised to help fight the desert locusts, including by providing all-terrain vehicles for use in areas which are hard to access. Last year the military provided personnel and vehicles, and that was a big help.”
About 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) of orchards and farmland have already been devoured by the swarm, the official said. And nearly 2.5 million acres of land could face utter decimation if nothing is done to halt the biblical-scale migration of insects.
In terrifying video footage that is reportedly from Iran, a humongous cloud of locusts can be seen nearly obscuring the sun as a car drives through the swarm.
https://twitter.com/Rntk____/status/1262026094271541249
The emergency is slamming the country as it contends with an economy ravaged by U.S.-led sanctions, collapsing oil prices, and the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
ABC reports that the locusts are capable of traveling in swarms as large as 50 million insects and can travel over 90 miles and eat up to 200 tons of crops every single day.
The last locust outbreak occurring on a comparable scale took place in the mid-20th century, when monitoring and reporting was a much slower manual process. However, the availability of chemical pesticides wasn’t as much an issue then as now, allowing for relatively efficient control operations.
Officials in Iran claim that the ground in one afflicted area was covered in a 6-inch-high layer of dead locusts after they sprayed it with pesticides, but clearly this was far from enough.
However, this is the second consecutive year that the locust swarms have wreaked havoc across the region – and it’s a problem that’s grown much worse due to the erratic and unpredictable shifts in climate conditions, which have entailed unseasonal rainfall, cyclones, and other factors contributing to the birth of new locust generations.
Warming waters in the Indian Ocean—known as the Indian Ocean Dipole or “Indian Niño” due to its similarity to El Niño in the Pacific—have also been linked to an uptick in cyclones across the region, as well as dry weather, flooding, and even the raging bushfires across Australia.
https://twitter.com/NaijaFlyingDr/status/1263056753949843456
Muhammad Azhar Ehsan, a researcher at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, told Vox:
“The western side of the Indian Ocean was unusually warm as compared to the eastern side. So when the western side was warm, we had a lot of evaporation happening over there, and that evaporation turned into a rainfall.”
The humongous swarms of desert locusts are also sweeping across the Horn of Africa and South Asia. The locusts are threatening to plunge tens of millions of people into famine, especially as it coincides with the novel coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic shutdown rippling across the globe.
About 20 million people are already in the grips of food insecurity while roughly 17 million people in war-ravaged Yemen face grave danger.
In some areas, the recent swarms have seen nearly 100 percent of crops lost to the swarms. For many countries, this is also the first swarm they’ve seen in decades – meaning they are poorly equipped to control the plague of locusts.
Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer at the U.N. Food and Agricultural Orgnization (FAO), said “It’s like a fire in a country that has no fire department.”
And to make matters worse, some people believe that the scarcity created by the locusts could itself be a contributing factor to armed conflict in the region.
A failure to urgently fund and step up the campaign to suppress the desert locust infestations could see the insects’ numbers grow to 20 times worst than the last outbreak – ensuring that desert locusts will ruin this year’s harvest season.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--A Miracle: Texas Mom Delivers Rare Healthy Identical Quadruplets Without Fertility Treatment

( TMU ) – When Jenny Marr of Dallas , Texas , learned that she was pregnant , she was understandably feeling nervous .
After all , pregnancy is a very emotional experience – especially if it ’ s a first child .
But when Jenny and her husband Chris , both 35 , went to her first ultrasound exam to catch a first glimpse of their child , they were on pins and needles as their doctor responded with a quizzical , almost confused look on her face .
Jenny asked the doctor what was wrong .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no heartbeat.
’ And , she ’ s like , ‘ No , there is a heartbeat , ’ … She goes , ‘ Y ’ all , there ’ s three babies in there.
’ And we were just absolutely floored.
” One week later on Nov. 19 , 2019 , they followed up with a visit to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist , who also gave them a similar quizzical glance .
Chris explained : “ The tech — who was doing the initial ( scan ) — she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were like , ‘ Oh what ’ s going on now ?
’ We got worried again , ’ … She was really cute .
She said , ‘ I ’ m not supposed to say this , but y ’ all got four babies.
’ ” Rather than triples , the couple was actually going to have a set of identical quadruplets .
What followed was a period of shock for the couple , both of whom had been raised as only children .
Neither of their families had a history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking any fertility treatments .
The fact that this was all unfolding during the coronavirus pandemic didn ’ t make the situation any easier .
Chris explained that the feeling he had was dizzying , and he joked that maybe it was a bad idea to return to the clinic or else it might be five babies the next time .
However , all of the fetuses were in healthy shape – but that still didn ’ t make the feeling of expecting quadruplets any easier .
“ It sounds horrible to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it was necessarily tears of joy .
We were completely overwhelmed and , frankly , terrified.
” According to experts , a natural pregnancy of quadruplets is extremely rare and happens only once in every 11 million births .
There are only 72 recorded cases of identical quadruplets in the world – and most are girls .
The Marrs were also taken aback after learning that the quadruplets shared the same placenta – meaning that if the four didn ’ t share their nourishment more or less equally , it could endanger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the fears turned out to be unfounded .
Jenny went into labor on March 15 , just one day before Dallas County announced its own stay-at-home order and physical distancing measures .
The quadruplets – Hudson , Harrison , Henry and Hardy – were born at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas , and are all doing well now .
The smallest baby , Hudson , weighed in at 1 pound , 15 ounces , but he had had no need for oxygen .
The four stayed at the neonatal intensive care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they remained healthy .
The family of six were able to finally return home last week .
Jenny told CBS DFW : “ It ’ s a different world we live in now , and it ’ s really interesting to be going through all of this .
We literally gave birth on the day the pandemic broke out.
” And while the baby boys are steadily developing their own unique personalities , the parents have still given them little ankle bracelets so they can each be identified .
Chris admits that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but he added : “ They each have little bitty characteristics … When we sit down and look at them we can figure out who they are but if you just look at them from a distance , they all look the same .
Thank God , Hudson ’ s a little smaller than everybody else and quieter.
” Jenny hopes that her experience bringing the little miracles into the world can bring other expecting parents help despite the trying times of the current health emergency .
She said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our boys bring as much joy to everybody as they bring to us .
”

(TMU) – When Jenny Marr of Dallas, Texas, learned that she was pregnant, she was understandably feeling nervous. After all, pregnancy is a very emotional experience – especially if it’s a first child.
But when Jenny and her husband Chris, both 35, went to her first ultrasound exam to catch a first glimpse of their child, they were on pins and needles as their doctor responded with a quizzical, almost confused look on her face. Jenny asked the doctor what was wrong.
Marr recounted the scene to Today:
“I was like, ‘Oh no, there’s no heartbeat.’ And, she’s like, ‘No, there is a heartbeat,’ … She goes, ‘Y’all, there’s three babies in there.’ And we were just absolutely floored.”
One week later on Nov. 19, 2019, they followed up with a visit to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, who also gave them a similar quizzical glance. Chris explained:
“The tech — who was doing the initial (scan) — she gave me a funny look. We were like, ‘Oh what’s going on now?’ We got worried again,’ … She was really cute. She said, ‘I’m not supposed to say this, but y’all got four babies.’”
Rather than triples, the couple was actually going to have a set of identical quadruplets.
What followed was a period of shock for the couple, both of whom had been raised as only children. Neither of their families had a history of multiple births either, nor was Jenny taking any fertility treatments.
The fact that this was all unfolding during the coronavirus pandemic didn’t make the situation any easier.
Chris explained that the feeling he had was dizzying, and he joked that maybe it was a bad idea to return to the clinic or else it might be five babies the next time. However, all of the fetuses were in healthy shape – but that still didn’t make the feeling of expecting quadruplets any easier.
Chris told the Washington Post:
“It sounds horrible to say, but I don’t know if it was necessarily tears of joy. We were completely overwhelmed and, frankly, terrified.”
According to experts, a natural pregnancy of quadruplets is extremely rare and happens only once in every 11 million births. There are only 72 recorded cases of identical quadruplets in the world – and most are girls.
The Marrs were also taken aback after learning that the quadruplets shared the same placenta – meaning that if the four didn’t share their nourishment more or less equally, it could endanger one or more of the children.
However, the fears turned out to be unfounded. Jenny went into labor on March 15, just one day before Dallas County announced its own stay-at-home order and physical distancing measures.
The quadruplets – Hudson, Harrison, Henry and Hardy – were born at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, and are all doing well now. The smallest baby, Hudson, weighed in at 1 pound, 15 ounces, but he had had no need for oxygen.
The four stayed at the neonatal intensive care unit for several weeks to ensure that they remained healthy. The family of six were able to finally return home last week. Jenny told CBS DFW:
“It’s a different world we live in now, and it’s really interesting to be going through all of this. We literally gave birth on the day the pandemic broke out.”
And while the baby boys are steadily developing their own unique personalities, the parents have still given them little ankle bracelets so they can each be identified.
Chris admits that they “confuse them from time to time,” but he added:
“They each have little bitty characteristics … When we sit down and look at them we can figure out who they are but if you just look at them from a distance, they all look the same. Thank God, Hudson’s a little smaller than everybody else and quieter.”
Jenny hopes that her experience bringing the little miracles into the world can bring other expecting parents help despite the trying times of the current health emergency. She said:
“We just hope that this little story and our boys bring as much joy to everybody as they bring to us.”
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themindunleashed--2020-05-21--Tired Bumblebees Who Fell Asleep Inside Flowers With Pollen On Their Butts

( TMU ) – Busy bees , it turns out , also need a good night ’ s sleep and perhaps even a nap during the day , just like us .
Bumble bees often get tired from buzzing around gathering pollen and will crawl into a flower and fall asleep , often with their rounded , hairy abdomens covered with pollen , showing through the petals .
Bumble bees are very hairy , which is useful for gathering food and for pollinating as they buzz among the flowers .
There are several different species , ranging from small to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colored bands , ranging from black to orange , to yellow and white , running from their heads to the tip of their abdomens .
Honey bees are of similar size , also carry pollen baskets and have hair , but it ’ s very sparse compared to that of the bumble bee which makes it easier to tell them apart .
While many species of wild bees sleep in flowers regularly , honey bees usually work in shifts and sleep and nap in the hive although they may well stay out if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s foraging .
According to Brandon Hopkins , a bee researcher at Washington State University , it ’ s important that honey bees sleep because it helps them remember where to find pollen and nectar .
The males of many species stay outside at night , often in large groups .
Their sole purpose in life being to impregnate a female to replace an aging or dying queen .
Female bees are the workers , taking care of the queen , the hive and buzzing around all day , every day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollination .
In fact , they are essential workers , who , together with their fellow insect pollinators deserve our protection , respect and thanks .
Without them our ecosystems would fail and the world as we know it would fail .
So , should you spot a sleeping bee , enjoy the sight and wish them good night !

(TMU) – Busy bees, it turns out, also need a good night’s sleep and perhaps even a nap during the day, just like us.
Bumble bees often get tired from buzzing around gathering pollen and will crawl into a flower and fall asleep, often with their rounded, hairy abdomens covered with pollen, showing through the petals.
Bumble bees are very hairy, which is useful for gathering food and for pollinating as they buzz among the flowers. There are several different species, ranging from small to large in size, and have different colored bands, ranging from black to orange, to yellow and white, running from their heads to the tip of their abdomens.
Honey bees are of similar size, also carry pollen baskets and have hair, but it’s very sparse compared to that of the bumble bee which makes it easier to tell them apart.
While many species of wild bees sleep in flowers regularly, honey bees usually work in shifts and sleep and nap in the hive although they may well stay out if they lost their bearings during the day’s foraging.
According to Brandon Hopkins, a bee researcher at Washington State University, it’s important that honey bees sleep because it helps them remember where to find pollen and nectar.
The males of many species stay outside at night, often in large groups. Their sole purpose in life being to impregnate a female to replace an aging or dying queen.
Female bees are the workers, taking care of the queen, the hive and buzzing around all day, every day, doing the essential job of foraging and pollination. In fact, they are essential workers, who, together with their fellow insect pollinators deserve our protection, respect and thanks. Without them our ecosystems would fail and the world as we know it would fail.
So, should you spot a sleeping bee, enjoy the sight and wish them good night!
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themindunleashed--2020-05-22--The Bizarre Story of the Blue-Skinned Family From Kentucky

( TMU ) – The Fugates , a blue-skinned family from the hills of Kentucky has attracted and baffled scientists for generations , although their condition has now been explained as being caused by the disease Methemoglobinemia , which can make a person ’ s skin blue .
Members of the family are descendants of Martin Fugate and Elizabeth Smith who lived in Hazard , Kentucky around 1800 .
Both of them were carriers of the recessive methemoglobinemia ( met-H ) gene , and coincidentally , so was a nearby clan who had members that married and had children with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been born in this bloodline were born with met-H and had a blue skin color .
The Fugates and their condition was not known to researchers until the mid 20th century when a nurse named Ruth Pendergrass , along with the hematologist Madison Cawein III , made a detailed study of their ancestry .
At the time , the family was living around the area of Troublesome Creek and Ball Creek in Kentucky .
Cawein treated the family with a substance called methylene blue , which he said eased their symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skin .
He later published his research on the family and their ancestry in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1964 .
The last known descendant of the Fugate bloodline to be born with blue skin is Benjamin Stacy , who was born in 1975 .
It is said that his blue skin tone faded as he grew older , but he retained that complexion for most of his life .
In the 1980s and 1990s , the Fugates dispersed from their home region , and as a result the family gene pool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chances that this recessive gene will return .
Dr. Ayalew Tefferi , a hematologist from Minnesota ’ s Mayo Clinic , says that this is an incredibly rare condition that is not usually seen in real life .
“ You almost never see a patient with it .
It ’ s a disease that one learns about in medical school and it ’ s infrequent enough to be on every exam in hematology , ” Tefferi told ABC News .
Inherited methemoglobinemia is a rare condition , but there are a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the condition .
It is believed that some of these patients could have been Fugate ancestors , but searches for direct links have proven inconclusive thus far .
In addition to blue skin , Methemoglobinemia can also cause a variety of other symptoms including headache , dizziness , shortness of breath , nausea , poor muscle coordination .
Complications from the condition may include seizures and heart arrhythmias .
This condition is not always inherited either , and can sometimes be caused by environmental factors , including medications , chemicals , or food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this condition are acquired and not inherited .
In 2008 , a blue-skinned man who came to be known as “ papa smurf “ made headlines after his skin color changed as a result of consuming too much home-made colloidal silver .
Methemoglobinemia can also arise in patients with pyruvate kinase deficiency due to impaired production of NADH , the essential co-factor for Diaphorase I .
Similarly , patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency may have impaired production of another co-factor , NADPH , according to Wikipedia .

(TMU) – The Fugates, a blue-skinned family from the hills of Kentucky has attracted and baffled scientists for generations, although their condition has now been explained as being caused by the disease Methemoglobinemia, which can make a person’s skin blue.
Members of the family are descendants of Martin Fugate and Elizabeth Smith who lived in Hazard, Kentucky around 1800. Both of them were carriers of the recessive methemoglobinemia (met-H) gene, and coincidentally, so was a nearby clan who had members that married and had children with Fugate descendants. Many of the children who have been born in this bloodline were born with met-H and had a blue skin color.
The Fugates and their condition was not known to researchers until the mid 20th century when a nurse named Ruth Pendergrass, along with the hematologist Madison Cawein III, made a detailed study of their ancestry. At the time, the family was living around the area of Troublesome Creek and Ball Creek in Kentucky.
Cawein treated the family with a substance called methylene blue, which he said eased their symptoms and reduced the blue coloring of their skin. He later published his research on the family and their ancestry in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1964.
The last known descendant of the Fugate bloodline to be born with blue skin is Benjamin Stacy, who was born in 1975. It is said that his blue skin tone faded as he grew older, but he retained that complexion for most of his life.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Fugates dispersed from their home region, and as a result the family gene pool became much more diverse, thus decreasing the chances that this recessive gene will return.
Dr. Ayalew Tefferi, a hematologist from Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic, says that this is an incredibly rare condition that is not usually seen in real life.
“You almost never see a patient with it. It’s a disease that one learns about in medical school and it’s infrequent enough to be on every exam in hematology,” Tefferi told ABC News.
Inherited methemoglobinemia is a rare condition, but there are a few other people who have been diagnosed with the condition. It is believed that some of these patients could have been Fugate ancestors, but searches for direct links have proven inconclusive thus far.
In addition to blue skin, Methemoglobinemia can also cause a variety of other symptoms including headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, poor muscle coordination. Complications from the condition may include seizures and heart arrhythmias.
This condition is not always inherited either, and can sometimes be caused by environmental factors, including medications, chemicals, or food. In fact, most cases of this condition are acquired and not inherited.
In 2008, a blue-skinned man who came to be known as “papa smurf“ made headlines after his skin color changed as a result of consuming too much home-made colloidal silver.
Methemoglobinemia can also arise in patients with pyruvate kinase deficiency due to impaired production of NADH, the essential co-factor for Diaphorase I. Similarly, patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency may have impaired production of another co-factor, NADPH, according to Wikipedia.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-22--Dolphins Bring Gifts From the Sea in Apparent Response to Lack of Human Interaction

( TMU ) – For much of the world , it ’ s been weeks if not months since we entered lockdown .
And while humanity hitting the “ pause ” button has seemingly been a blessing in disguise for some creatures who have used the respite to enjoy clean air and water for the first time in decades , other animals actually may miss us human beings .
Such appears to be the case for the dolphins who hang out at Tin Can Bay in Queensland , Australia , where the sea mammals have been lining up to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re missing interaction with humans , ” according to a report by 7News .
Barnacles Café and Dolphin feeding is typically filled with tourists throughout the year , and offers visitors the priceless opportunity to interact with wild humpback dolphins .
And the wild dolphins do enjoy the opportunity to be treated to fresh fish by happy visitors .
But Australia began imposing strict quarantine rules in the middle of March , visitors stopped lining up to feed the animals – and the humpbacks may be worried about the sudden disappearance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnacles , the local dolphin pod has been presenting gifts to staff at the café , ranging from barnacle-encrusted bottles to sea sponges and fragments of coral .
“ The pod has been bringing us regular gifts , showing us how much they ’ re missing the public interaction and attention .
They are definitely missing you all.
” A volunteer at the café told reporters from ABC that while the pod has displayed this behavior in the past , the gestures have been increasing since the venue shut down .
For dolphin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barry McGovern , the explanation for the dolphins ’ behavior could be far more mundane .
“ Nothing surprises me with dolphins and their behavior anymore .
They do everything – they use tools , they have culture , they have something similar to names in signature whistles.
” In general , dolphins are one of the most intelligent animal species on the planet .
From their playful nature to their sociability and friendliness toward humans , as well as their legendary interactions with seafarers , dolphins have inspired the adoration of humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers are discovering that dolphins display skills and sophistication previously attributed only to the human species , including strong problem solving capabilities and a complex system of communication .
However , this doesn ’ t necessarily mean that we should project our own feelings of longing borne of the quarantine onto ocean mammals .
McGovern explained : “ In all likelihood , they probably don ’ t miss humans per se … They probably miss a free meal and the routine.
” Dolphins are also generally prone to “ play-like behavior.
” McGovern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bits of weed and coral and all sorts of things and just leave it on their rostrum ( nose ) .They ’ re used to getting fed now , so they ’ re used to humans coming in .
When it ’ s not happening , maybe it ’ s just out of boredom.
” Since coronavirus restrictions are being phased out , Barnacles Café has reopened and they have resumed dolphin feeding activities .

(TMU) – For much of the world, it’s been weeks if not months since we entered lockdown. And while humanity hitting the “pause” button has seemingly been a blessing in disguise for some creatures who have used the respite to enjoy clean air and water for the first time in decades, other animals actually may miss us human beings.
Such appears to be the case for the dolphins who hang out at Tin Can Bay in Queensland, Australia, where the sea mammals have been lining up to bring gifts ashore – “apparently because they’re missing interaction with humans,” according to a report by 7News.
Barnacles Café and Dolphin feeding is typically filled with tourists throughout the year, and offers visitors the priceless opportunity to interact with wild humpback dolphins. And the wild dolphins do enjoy the opportunity to be treated to fresh fish by happy visitors.
But Australia began imposing strict quarantine rules in the middle of March, visitors stopped lining up to feed the animals – and the humpbacks may be worried about the sudden disappearance of their land-loving bipedal friends.
According to Barnacles, the local dolphin pod has been presenting gifts to staff at the café, ranging from barnacle-encrusted bottles to sea sponges and fragments of coral.
A post on the cafe’s Facebook page read:
“The pod has been bringing us regular gifts, showing us how much they’re missing the public interaction and attention. They are definitely missing you all.”
The pod has been bringing us regular gifts, showing us how much they’re missing the public interaction and attention☹… Posted by Barnacles Cafe & Dolphin Feeding on Monday, May 18, 2020
A volunteer at the café told reporters from ABC that while the pod has displayed this behavior in the past, the gestures have been increasing since the venue shut down.
For dolphin expert and University of Queensland PhD student Barry McGovern, the explanation for the dolphins’ behavior could be far more mundane.
“Nothing surprises me with dolphins and their behavior anymore. They do everything – they use tools, they have culture, they have something similar to names in signature whistles.”
In general, dolphins are one of the most intelligent animal species on the planet. From their playful nature to their sociability and friendliness toward humans, as well as their legendary interactions with seafarers, dolphins have inspired the adoration of humans since time immemorial.
Increasingly, human researchers are discovering that dolphins display skills and sophistication previously attributed only to the human species, including strong problem solving capabilities and a complex system of communication.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that we should project our own feelings of longing borne of the quarantine onto ocean mammals. McGovern explained:
“In all likelihood, they probably don’t miss humans per se … They probably miss a free meal and the routine.”
Dolphins are also generally prone to “play-like behavior.” McGovern said:
“They often play with bits of weed and coral and all sorts of things and just leave it on their rostrum (nose).They’re used to getting fed now, so they’re used to humans coming in. When it’s not happening, maybe it’s just out of boredom.”
Since coronavirus restrictions are being phased out, Barnacles Café has reopened and they have resumed dolphin feeding activities.
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themindunleashed--2020-05-22--Man Who Recorded Shooting of Ahmaud Arbery Arrested For Murder

( TMU ) – William “ Roddie ” Bryan Jr. , the man who recorded the killing of Ahmaud Arbery has now been arrested on suspicion of murder relating to the case .
Bryan ’ s neighbors , Travis and Gregory McMichael , hunted 25-year-old Arbery for about 5 minutes after they saw him walking through a construction site in the neighborhood .
Eventually , they confronted Arbery who was likely scared and trying to get away .
In the following struggle , Arbery was shot twice with a shotgun at close range .
The murder took place back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case until earlier this month when Bryan ’ s video of the incident went viral and sparked global outrage .
Kevin Gough , an attorney for Bryan told CNN that his client was not involved in the actions taken by the McMichaels , and that he would be the state ’ s “ star witness.
” “ I hope that it , in the end , brings justice to the family and peace to the family , ” he previously said of the video .
However , the attorneys representing members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was very clear that Bryan was involved in the murder .
“ We called for his arrest from the very beginning of this process .
His involvement in the murder of Mr. Arbery was obvious to us , to many around the country and after their thorough investigation , it was clear to the GBI as well , ” attorneys S. Lee Merritt , Benjamin Crump , and L. Chris Stewart , said in a statement .
According to testimony from the McMichaels , Bryan made attempts to help them block Arbery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ McMichael stated the unidentified male turned around and began running back the direction from which he came and ‘ Roddy ’ attempted to block him in which was unsuccessful , ” the police report said .
The McMichaels say that they suspected Arbery of stealing from the construction site that he was seen passing through .
However , Arbery ’ s family has said that he was jogging through the neighborhood when he was approached by the McMichaels .
It was also common for people in the neighborhood to pass through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site show that multiple people had recently trespassed at the site where Ahmaud Arbery visited .
Bryan ’ s attorney insisted that he was not involved , and pointed to a polygraph test that he took , in which he stated that he did not have any conversation with Gregory or Travis McMichael before the shooting and had no clue that it was going to happen .
Bryan to be booked into same jail as the McMichaels .
Last week , The Mind Unleashed reported that the sister and daughter of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos of his dead body to Snapchat after the shooting .
When questioned about why she posted the photos she said that she ’ s “ a true-crime fan.
” 30-year-old Lindsay McMichael admitted to sharing the graphic photos which showed Arbery lying on the street , but says that she didn ’ t mean any harm or realize that it would be seen to be in poor taste .

(TMU) – William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., the man who recorded the killing of Ahmaud Arbery has now been arrested on suspicion of murder relating to the case.
Bryan’s neighbors, Travis and Gregory McMichael, hunted 25-year-old Arbery for about 5 minutes after they saw him walking through a construction site in the neighborhood. Eventually, they confronted Arbery who was likely scared and trying to get away. In the following struggle, Arbery was shot twice with a shotgun at close range.
The murder took place back in February but the McMichaels were not charged in the case until earlier this month when Bryan’s video of the incident went viral and sparked global outrage.
Kevin Gough, an attorney for Bryan told CNN that his client was not involved in the actions taken by the McMichaels, and that he would be the state’s “star witness.”
“I hope that it, in the end, brings justice to the family and peace to the family,” he previously said of the video.
However, the attorneys representing members of the Arbery family said they believe it was very clear that Bryan was involved in the murder.
“We called for his arrest from the very beginning of this process. His involvement in the murder of Mr. Arbery was obvious to us, to many around the country and after their thorough investigation, it was clear to the GBI as well,” attorneys S. Lee Merritt, Benjamin Crump, and L. Chris Stewart, said in a statement.
According to testimony from the McMichaels, Bryan made attempts to help them block Arbery in as they were hunting him down.
“McMichael stated the unidentified male turned around and began running back the direction from which he came and ‘Roddy’ attempted to block him in which was unsuccessful,” the police report said.
The McMichaels say that they suspected Arbery of stealing from the construction site that he was seen passing through. However, Arbery’s family has said that he was jogging through the neighborhood when he was approached by the McMichaels. It was also common for people in the neighborhood to pass through that construction site. Surveillance videos of the site show that multiple people had recently trespassed at the site where Ahmaud Arbery visited.
Bryan’s attorney insisted that he was not involved, and pointed to a polygraph test that he took, in which he stated that he did not have any conversation with Gregory or Travis McMichael before the shooting and had no clue that it was going to happen.
Bryan to be booked into same jail as the McMichaels.
Last week, The Mind Unleashed reported that the sister and daughter of the men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery posted photos of his dead body to Snapchat after the shooting. When questioned about why she posted the photos she said that she’s “a true-crime fan.”
30-year-old Lindsay McMichael admitted to sharing the graphic photos which showed Arbery lying on the street, but says that she didn’t mean any harm or realize that it would be seen to be in poor taste.
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