themindunleashed--2020-04-17--As South Africa Stays Indoors Due to Lockdown, Lions Relax and Take Naps in the Roads

( TMU ) — All over the world we ’ ve seen animals taking back their own habitats , from crocodiles on the beaches of southern Mexico to bobcats in Yosemite National Park , while humans shack up indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic .
And with people laying low and the animal kingdom enjoying a bit of a revival , it was only a matter of time before lions in South Africa had their day in the sun—literally , in this case .
In a new set of photos from South Africa ’ s Kruger National Park , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lounging outside in the sun and shade on a road with seemingly no care in the world .
The uncanny photos were taken by park ranger Richard Sowry , who was out on routine patrol Wednesday before stumbling on the strange sight .
The big cats are normally only seen on the road by rangers at night , according to BBC .
Typically , the park would be abuzz with tourists taking self-guided tours , enjoying picnics , and enjoying attractions ranging from museums to wildlife safaris , and even golf .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessarily abnormal despite the striking nature of the photos .
Phaahla added : Earlier this week , similar shots of hyenas and lions hanging out at the Skukuza golf club located within the park were taken by the captain of the golf club , Jean Rossouw .
The photos show lionesses drinking from the golf course ’ s ponds and chasing hyenas across the green .
Park officials also captured video of wild dogs playing in the area a week before .
The park has been closed to the public since March 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide lockdown meant to curb the novel coronavirus pandemic .
In the meantime , various activities ranging from food delivery to fuel provision , security and emergency services , and wildlife crime operations are continuing , according to South African National Parks ( SANParks ) .
And while the park ’ s seeming conversion back into a land belonging to its creatures may seem idyllic , things haven ’ t been quite so wonderful for other parks in South Africa .
In the Northwest Province bordering Botswana , nine rhinos were poached from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the lockdown on March 23 to April 8 , reports the New York Times .
The move came as wildlife conservation groups expressed fears that their funding would shrivel up due to the precipitous drop in tourism .
However , four suspected rhino poachers were arrested at Kruger National Park on March 21 , right before the lockdown came into effect .
The country ’ s count of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached at least 2,500 with at least 34 people dying of CoViD-19 , according to health authorities .

(TMU) — All over the world we’ve seen animals taking back their own habitats, from crocodiles on the beaches of southern Mexico to bobcats in Yosemite National Park, while humans shack up indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And with people laying low and the animal kingdom enjoying a bit of a revival, it was only a matter of time before lions in South Africa had their day in the sun—literally, in this case.
In a new set of photos from South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a pride of lions can be seen peacefully lounging outside in the sun and shade on a road with seemingly no care in the world.
The uncanny photos were taken by park ranger Richard Sowry, who was out on routine patrol Wednesday before stumbling on the strange sight.
The big cats are normally only seen on the road by rangers at night, according to BBC.
Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see. #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.
?Section Ranger Richard Sowry pic.twitter.com/jFUBAWvmsA — Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 15, 2020
In a tweet, Kruger said:
“This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.”
Typically, the park would be abuzz with tourists taking self-guided tours, enjoying picnics, and enjoying attractions ranging from museums to wildlife safaris, and even golf.
Park spokesman Isaac Phaahla told CNN:
“Lying on the road during the daytime is unusual because under normal circumstances there would be traffic and that pushes them into the bush.”
Yet the animals’ behavior isn’t necessarily abnormal despite the striking nature of the photos. Phaahla added:
“They just occupy places that they would normally shun when there are tourists. People should remember that KNP is still a largely wild area and in the absence of humans, wildlife is more active.”
Earlier this week, similar shots of hyenas and lions hanging out at the Skukuza golf club located within the park were taken by the captain of the golf club, Jean Rossouw. The photos show lionesses drinking from the golf course’s ponds and chasing hyenas across the green.
Even as the sun rises, without all our human visitors, the urge to sing the 'lion sleeps tonight' is just a whim away, a whim away, a whim away!
? © Jean Rossouw; Skukuza Golf Club , Kruger National Park@SANParks pic.twitter.com/M9XiagVqjX — Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 13, 2020
Park officials also captured video of wild dogs playing in the area a week before.
https://twitter.com/SANParksKNP/status/1248545506248265728
The park has been closed to the public since March 25 as part of South Africa’s nationwide lockdown meant to curb the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In the meantime, various activities ranging from food delivery to fuel provision, security and emergency services, and wildlife crime operations are continuing, according to South African National Parks (SANParks).
In a statement, SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni said:
“We would like to thank the public for their on-going support in line with government’s strategy to mitigate the impact of COVID 19, we all have an obligation to flatten the curve.”
And while the park’s seeming conversion back into a land belonging to its creatures may seem idyllic, things haven’t been quite so wonderful for other parks in South Africa.
In the Northwest Province bordering Botswana, nine rhinos were poached from the period spanning just before the start of the lockdown on March 23 to April 8, reports the New York Times. The move came as wildlife conservation groups expressed fears that their funding would shrivel up due to the precipitous drop in tourism.
However, four suspected rhino poachers were arrested at Kruger National Park on March 21, right before the lockdown came into effect.
The country’s count of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached at least 2,500 with at least 34 people dying of CoViD-19, according to health authorities.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-17--Happy International Bat Appreciation Day! Why on Earth Would We Celebrate Bats?

( TMU ) — Today , April 17th , is celebrated as International Bat Appreciation Day—a day meant to remind us to show love to our flying pollinator friends who play a critical role in environments and ecosystems all over the world .
Bats are the common name for roughly 1,400 species that have been discovered , and these fabulous creatures make up about 20 percent of mammal species after rodents .
An estimated 48 bat species live in the United States , and three states—Texas , Oklahoma , and Virginia—have their own official state bats .
What makes bats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly naturally and in a sustained manner .
In general , bats are a very misunderstood creature .
No doubt , we can understand if a bat flying in the middle of the night gives some people the creeps—their depiction in pop culture associates them with spooky things like Dracula , the blood-sucking vampire .
But as various scientific studies show , most bats eat a wide variety of insects , balancing the population of such creepy-crawlers and nuisance bugs like locusts , flies , scorpions , moths , centipedes , and mosquitos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy such fruits as figs , mangoes , bananas , and dates , as well as seeds and the pollen of flowers .
And yes , three types of vampire bats do exist in Central and South America , but humans have no reason to fear them .
Most bats are nocturnal creatures that come out at night , with many using their extreme sense of hearing and ability to see in the dark to get around .
A large variety of bats use a trick called echolocation that relies on sonar to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food—not unlike dolphins .
However , some bats in Southeast Asia fly and hunt their meals during the daytime .
And while bees and butterflies often get the lion ’ s share of credit for their role as pollinators , bats are no less important to providing us with a crucial link in our food supply .
As the Bat Conservation Trust explains , some 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers .
This includes various species of banana , mango , guava , durian , and agave—the succulent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many of these plants actually co-evolved with bats over the course of millennia .
Before reading the above information , some of you may have asked : why would we be celebrating these god-forsaken creatures when they were the source of the coronavirus that causes CoViD-19 ?
Aren ’ t they the reason that we ’ re being quarantined indoors , jobless and bored , and now we ’ re supposed to celebrate them ?
Well , as Deutsche Welle aptly put it : a bat didn ’ t “ cause ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More specifically , it was likely the fault of the rampant , illegal trafficking of wild animals .
While some bats have been shown to carry a number of infections deadly to humans—including Ebola , rabies , and SARS ( severe acute respiratory syndrome ) , among others—the vast majority of bats aren ’ t infected .
There also isn ’ t any solid scientific proof that CoViD-19 took flight from bats yet , although there is plenty of conjecture and speculation .
Some believe that pangolins may have acted as an intermediary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bats that do carry coronaviruses pose zero threat to humans provided they are left undisturbed in the wild .
Sadly , a combination of misinformation , long-standing ignorance , and mass hysteria over the coronavirus led to villagers in Peru attacking our winged friends last month and killing hundreds of the creatures .
The problem led to Peru ’ s National Service of Wild Forests and Fauna ( SERFOR ) reminding locals that “ bats are not our enemies , ” and explaining that “ 70 percent of the [ bat ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of which are harmful to agriculture and our health , like mosquitoes that spread dengue and other diseases.
” So with that in mind , let ’ s remember that bats are nothing to be scared of .
Indeed , we hope that we ’ ve provided our readers with plenty of good reasons to not only appreciate bats , but to cherish and protect these good friends to our species .
When it comes to bats , the facts make clear that to know them is to love them .

Happy International Bat Appreciation Day!
(TMU) — Today, April 17th, is celebrated as International Bat Appreciation Day—a day meant to remind us to show love to our flying pollinator friends who play a critical role in environments and ecosystems all over the world.
Bats are the common name for roughly 1,400 species that have been discovered, and these fabulous creatures make up about 20 percent of mammal species after rodents. An estimated 48 bat species live in the United States, and three states—Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia—have their own official state bats. What makes bats unique among mammals is their ability to fly naturally and in a sustained manner.
In general, bats are a very misunderstood creature. No doubt, we can understand if a bat flying in the middle of the night gives some people the creeps—their depiction in pop culture associates them with spooky things like Dracula, the blood-sucking vampire.
April 17th is National #BatAppreciationDay. Bats play an important role in many ecosystems around the world. They are crucial pollinators for cactus species and many other tropical plants, they help control insect populations & also disperse seeds! Why are bats important to you? pic.twitter.com/YLB69M22Ms — EveryBat (@EveryBat) April 17, 2020
But as various scientific studies show, most bats eat a wide variety of insects, balancing the population of such creepy-crawlers and nuisance bugs like locusts, flies, scorpions, moths, centipedes, and mosquitos.
Other bat species are frugivores and enjoy such fruits as figs, mangoes, bananas, and dates, as well as seeds and the pollen of flowers. And yes, three types of vampire bats do exist in Central and South America, but humans have no reason to fear them.
Most bats are nocturnal creatures that come out at night, with many using their extreme sense of hearing and ability to see in the dark to get around. A large variety of bats use a trick called echolocation that relies on sonar to navigate, avoid obstacles, and find food—not unlike dolphins. However, some bats in Southeast Asia fly and hunt their meals during the daytime.
Today is International Bat appreciation day ? pic.twitter.com/EdC4iaQemS — Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (@ZooWildlife) April 17, 2020
And while bees and butterflies often get the lion’s share of credit for their role as pollinators, bats are no less important to providing us with a crucial link in our food supply. As the Bat Conservation Trust explains, some 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers. This includes various species of banana, mango, guava, durian, and agave—the succulent, pollen-rich plant that provides us with tequila. Many of these plants actually co-evolved with bats over the course of millennia.
Before reading the above information, some of you may have asked: why would we be celebrating these god-forsaken creatures when they were the source of the coronavirus that causes CoViD-19? Aren’t they the reason that we’re being quarantined indoors, jobless and bored, and now we’re supposed to celebrate them?
Well, as Deutsche Welle aptly put it: a bat didn’t “cause” the coronavirus pandemic. We did. More specifically, it was likely the fault of the rampant, illegal trafficking of wild animals.
Today is International Bat Appreciation Day! Despite all the bad press, bats are actually pretty cool and very important in nature. We have a lot to learn about bats, viruses and disease – read our blog to learn more:https://t.co/wCfEfAnNY9#virology #bats #batappreciationday pic.twitter.com/Gt7A67I5BY — The Science Social (@TheSciSocial) April 17, 2020
While some bats have been shown to carry a number of infections deadly to humans—including Ebola, rabies, and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), among others—the vast majority of bats aren’t infected. There also isn’t any solid scientific proof that CoViD-19 took flight from bats yet, although there is plenty of conjecture and speculation. Some believe that pangolins may have acted as an intermediary for the novel coronavirus. Either way, bats that do carry coronaviruses pose zero threat to humans provided they are left undisturbed in the wild.
Sadly, a combination of misinformation, long-standing ignorance, and mass hysteria over the coronavirus led to villagers in Peru attacking our winged friends last month and killing hundreds of the creatures.
The problem led to Peru’s National Service of Wild Forests and Fauna (SERFOR) reminding locals that “bats are not our enemies,” and explaining that “70 percent of the [bat] species in the world feed off insects, many of which are harmful to agriculture and our health, like mosquitoes that spread dengue and other diseases.”
So with that in mind, let’s remember that bats are nothing to be scared of. Indeed, we hope that we’ve provided our readers with plenty of good reasons to not only appreciate bats, but to cherish and protect these good friends to our species. When it comes to bats, the facts make clear that to know them is to love them.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-18--El Chapo’s Daughter Gives Free Masks, Food and Supplies to Poor and Elderly

( TMU Op-Ed ) — Alejandrina Guzman , daughter of the notorious drug kingpin Joaquin “ El Chapo ” Guzman , has been distributing boxes of food , masks , soaps , sanitizers , and other essential supplies to parts of Mexico where the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise .
She utilized the resources and staff from her clothing brand “ El Chapo 701 ” to put together care packages that include essential pandemic items .
In addition to masks and soaps , each box contains toilet paper , cornstarch , seasoning , noodles , soups , crackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rice .
Many of the items included labels with images of the imprisoned El Chapo , including the masks and the boxes that they were shipped in .
Guzman and her employees sought out sick and elderly people who were having trouble finding or affording supplies .
An announcement about the project was made on the clothing brand ’ s Facebook page , but the page was quickly deleted after the story started making international headlines .
It is not clear why the Facebook page was deleted as Guzman ’ s company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and liquor .
“ We want to ask you to please refer us to people who really need help , who do not have basic government support , neither from family nor grandchildren .
That they are lonely or low-income people who really need it , ” Guzman said in a video that is now deleted from Facebook .
According to Reuters , other Mexican cartels were giving away similar care packages .
Alleged members of the Gulf Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel posted videos and photos to social media showing food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mexico .
Black market syndicates all over the world have been getting involved in pandemic relief effort .
As the Mind Unleashed reported last week , the mafia has been distributing food and supplies to low-income areas in Italy where many families have run out of both money and food .
Politicians who have had their effort reliefs upstaged by cartels and gangs during the crisis have voiced concerns that these groups are seeking to gain credibility and influence among the people .
Falko Ernst , an analyst with the International Crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They ’ re trying to leverage the perceived absence of the state for their own good and to become deeper entrenched in local communities.
” However , many activists have found these types of assessments ironic considering that governments use similar tactics to win over their citizens .
It may be true that criminal organizations use philanthropy as a way to gain influence and win public opinion .
After all , Al Capone was famous for running soup kitchens in Chicago at the height of his criminal empire , and other notorious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the charitable activities that they provided for their local communities .
However , it is also true that corporations use these same tactics to win over customers with philanthropy and public relations schemes .
And the government is no different—many government programs that assist people in need were only put into place to appease the public and keep people from rioting or protesting against the corruption , violence , and criminal activity that the government is involved in .

(TMU Op-Ed) — Alejandrina Guzman, daughter of the notorious drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has been distributing boxes of food, masks, soaps, sanitizers, and other essential supplies to parts of Mexico where the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.
She utilized the resources and staff from her clothing brand “El Chapo 701” to put together care packages that include essential pandemic items. In addition to masks and soaps, each box contains toilet paper, cornstarch, seasoning, noodles, soups, crackers, oil, sugar, beans, and rice. Many of the items included labels with images of the imprisoned El Chapo, including the masks and the boxes that they were shipped in.
Guzman and her employees sought out sick and elderly people who were having trouble finding or affording supplies.
An announcement about the project was made on the clothing brand’s Facebook page, but the page was quickly deleted after the story started making international headlines.
It is not clear why the Facebook page was deleted as Guzman’s company is entirely legal and only sells clothing and liquor.
“We want to ask you to please refer us to people who really need help, who do not have basic government support, neither from family nor grandchildren. That they are lonely or low-income people who really need it,” Guzman said in a video that is now deleted from Facebook.
The company called the care packages “El Chapo’s provisions.”
According to Reuters, other Mexican cartels were giving away similar care packages. Alleged members of the Gulf Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel posted videos and photos to social media showing food and necessities handed out to low-income communities in Mexico.
Black market syndicates all over the world have been getting involved in pandemic relief effort. As the Mind Unleashed reported last week, the mafia has been distributing food and supplies to low-income areas in Italy where many families have run out of both money and food.
Politicians who have had their effort reliefs upstaged by cartels and gangs during the crisis have voiced concerns that these groups are seeking to gain credibility and influence among the people.
Falko Ernst, an analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank, told Reuters, “They’re trying to leverage the perceived absence of the state for their own good and to become deeper entrenched in local communities.”
However, many activists have found these types of assessments ironic considering that governments use similar tactics to win over their citizens.
It may be true that criminal organizations use philanthropy as a way to gain influence and win public opinion. After all, Al Capone was famous for running soup kitchens in Chicago at the height of his criminal empire, and other notorious gangsters like Pablo Escobar were also known for the charitable activities that they provided for their local communities.
However, it is also true that corporations use these same tactics to win over customers with philanthropy and public relations schemes. And the government is no different—many government programs that assist people in need were only put into place to appease the public and keep people from rioting or protesting against the corruption, violence, and criminal activity that the government is involved in.
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-18--Attorney General Barr Blocks Release of 9/11 Documents Despite Promises to Victims’ Families

( TMU ) — On Monday , U.S. Attorney General William Barr , acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell , and other senior officials called on a federal judge to prevent the disclosure of files related to the role of the government of Saudi Arabia in the September 11 attacks .
The officials told the judge in the civil case that the release of the files would endanger national security .
The files are being sought by families of the 9/11 victims who have spent the last two decades attempting to uncover the truth about the attacks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court in New York in 2017 as part of their effort to uncover the role of the Saudi government .
What is publicly known is that the alleged 9/11 hijackers had a relationship with Saudi government officials .
As Pro Public reported , at the 2019 White House September 11 memorial , U.S. President Donald Trump promised the families he would help them uncover the truth about 9/11 .
He made similar promises while he was campaigning for president .
“ He looked us in the eye on 9/11 , he shook our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ I ’ m going to help you—it ’ s done ’ , ” Brett Eagleson , a banker whose father was killed in the World Trade Center , told Pro Publica .
“ I think the 9/11 families have lost all hope that the president is going to step up and do the right thing .
He ’ s too beholden to the Saudis.
” The Trump Administration stated that the national security threat was so great that even sharing the reasoning behind the request for secrecy could cause harm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the court that public discussion of the issue “ would reveal information that could cause the very harms my assertion of the state secrets privilege is intended to prevent.
” Pro Publica notes that four statements from FBI and Justice Department officials were also under seal and can not be seen by the public .
Another five statements from FBI , Justice Department , and CIA officials were only seen by the judge and could not even be shared with the families ’ lawyers .
Steven Pounian , a lawyer for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be some deep , dark secret that they ’ re still trying very hard to hide after almost 20 year , ” and that it “ might be a Saudi government secret.
” The call for secrecy was questioned by three Senators who asked the Justice Department ’ s inspector general to investigate why the FBI has refused to release information about Saudi connections .
The information is being sought as part of a subpoena filed by the 9/11 families in 2018 .
Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa , Charles Schumer of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned the FBI ’ s decision to keep the files classified .
“ The September 11 attacks represent a singular and defining tragedy in the history of our Nation .
Nearly 20 years later , the 9/11 families and the American public still have not received the full and transparent accounting of the potential sources of support for those attacks to which they are entitled , ” the senators wrote to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz .
Barr stated that Justice Department guidelines set down by the Obama administration in 2009 prevented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim as a method of concealing illegal behavior or embarrassing actions .
Barr told the judge that he believed these guidelines had been met .
Unfortunately , in the absence of any further information the American public is resigned to trusting Barr , Trump , and anonymous FBI and CIA agents .
Unfortunately , William Barr does not have a record of trustworthy actions .
As far back as 1989 Barr discussed his belief that the FBI could legally abduct people in foreign countries without the consent of the foreign government .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memo authored by Barr while he was serving as the head of the Justice Department ’ s Office of Legal Counsel ( OLC ) .
Barr chose to withhold the full memo and asked the public to trust his conclusion .
In the weeks after 9/11 , when the U.S. government began to seize powers to roundup foreign citizens , spy on Americans , and torture anyone accused of terrorism , Newsweek noted that Barr had played a role in paving the way for such actions : “ Now the Bush administration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything to foil future attacks .
Justice Department lawyers have been told to take a fresh look at “ everything , ” one official said .
Perhaps the most startling idea under examination would be a new presidential order authorizing secret military tribunals to try accused terrorists .
The idea first occurred to former attorney general William Barr after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland , in 1988 .
Barr , at the time chief of the Justice Department ’ s Office of Legal Counsel , got the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used during World War II to try—in secret—German saboteurs who were later hanged .
The idea was rejected , but it ’ s being revived on the theory that terrorists are de facto military “ combatants ” who don ’ t deserve the full run of constitutional rights.
” More recently , Barr has been involved in perpetuating the myth that encryption is a tool that only terrorists and dangerous criminals use and launching an “ orwellian pre-crime program.
” In October 2019 , MintPress News reported that Barr had recently laid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would go on to issue a memorandum to all U.S. attorneys , law enforcement agencies , and high level Justice Department officials calling for the implementation of a new “ national disruption and early engagement program ” aimed at detecting potential mass shooters before they commit any crime .
This memo called for the DOJ and FBI to “ refine our ability to identify , assess and engage potential mass shooters before they strike.
” Barr called for the pre-crime program to be implemented in early 2020 .
The blocking of state secrets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the latest in a long line of cover ups and corrupt practices by Attorney General William Barr .

(TMU) — On Monday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell, and other senior officials called on a federal judge to prevent the disclosure of files related to the role of the government of Saudi Arabia in the September 11 attacks. The officials told the judge in the civil case that the release of the files would endanger national security.
The files are being sought by families of the 9/11 victims who have spent the last two decades attempting to uncover the truth about the attacks. The families filed a lawsuit in federal district court in New York in 2017 as part of their effort to uncover the role of the Saudi government. What is publicly known is that the alleged 9/11 hijackers had a relationship with Saudi government officials. As Pro Public reported, at the 2019 White House September 11 memorial, U.S. President Donald Trump promised the families he would help them uncover the truth about 9/11. He made similar promises while he was campaigning for president.
“He looked us in the eye on 9/11, he shook our hands in the White House and said, ‘I’m going to help you—it’s done’,” Brett Eagleson, a banker whose father was killed in the World Trade Center, told Pro Publica. “I think the 9/11 families have lost all hope that the president is going to step up and do the right thing. He’s too beholden to the Saudis.”
The Trump Administration stated that the national security threat was so great that even sharing the reasoning behind the request for secrecy could cause harm. According to Pro Publica, AG Barr told the court that public discussion of the issue “would reveal information that could cause the very harms my assertion of the state secrets privilege is intended to prevent.”
Pro Publica notes that four statements from FBI and Justice Department officials were also under seal and can not be seen by the public. Another five statements from FBI, Justice Department, and CIA officials were only seen by the judge and could not even be shared with the families’ lawyers. Steven Pounian, a lawyer for the families also suggested that “there must be some deep, dark secret that they’re still trying very hard to hide after almost 20 year,” and that it “might be a Saudi government secret.”
“But how can these be secrets that still need to be kept from the American people after all this time?” — Steven Pounian, attorney for the 9/11 victims families
The call for secrecy was questioned by three Senators who asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate why the FBI has refused to release information about Saudi connections. The information is being sought as part of a subpoena filed by the 9/11 families in 2018. Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa, Charles Schumer of New York, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut questioned the FBI’s decision to keep the files classified.
“The September 11 attacks represent a singular and defining tragedy in the history of our Nation. Nearly 20 years later, the 9/11 families and the American public still have not received the full and transparent accounting of the potential sources of support for those attacks to which they are entitled,” the senators wrote to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
Barr stated that Justice Department guidelines set down by the Obama administration in 2009 prevented the government from asserting a state secrets claim as a method of concealing illegal behavior or embarrassing actions. Barr told the judge that he believed these guidelines had been met. Unfortunately, in the absence of any further information the American public is resigned to trusting Barr, Trump, and anonymous FBI and CIA agents.
Unfortunately, William Barr does not have a record of trustworthy actions. As far back as 1989 Barr discussed his belief that the FBI could legally abduct people in foreign countries without the consent of the foreign government. The opinion was revealed in a leaked legal memo authored by Barr while he was serving as the head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Barr chose to withhold the full memo and asked the public to trust his conclusion.
In the weeks after 9/11, when the U.S. government began to seize powers to roundup foreign citizens, spy on Americans, and torture anyone accused of terrorism, Newsweek noted that Barr had played a role in paving the way for such actions:
“Now the Bush administration and Congress seemed primed to do just about anything to foil future attacks. Justice Department lawyers have been told to take a fresh look at “everything,” one official said. Perhaps the most startling idea under examination would be a new presidential order authorizing secret military tribunals to try accused terrorists. The idea first occurred to former attorney general William Barr after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. Barr, at the time chief of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, got the idea after learning that his office was used during World War II to try—in secret—German saboteurs who were later hanged. The idea was rejected, but it’s being revived on the theory that terrorists are de facto military “combatants” who don’t deserve the full run of constitutional rights.”
More recently, Barr has been involved in perpetuating the myth that encryption is a tool that only terrorists and dangerous criminals use and launching an “orwellian pre-crime program.” In October 2019, MintPress News reported that Barr had recently laid the groundwork for this new program:
“Indeed, since becoming Attorney General under President Trump, Barr has spearheaded numerous efforts to this end, including pushing for a government backdoor into consumer apps or devices that utilize encryption and for a dramatic increase of long-standing yet controversial warrantless electronic surveillance programs. On July 23rd, Barr gave the keynote address at the 2019 International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) and mainly focused on the need for consumer electronic products and applications that use encryption to offer a “backdoor” for the government, specifically law enforcement, in order to obtain access to encrypted communications as a matter of public safety.”
Barr would go on to issue a memorandum to all U.S. attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and high level Justice Department officials calling for the implementation of a new “national disruption and early engagement program” aimed at detecting potential mass shooters before they commit any crime. This memo called for the DOJ and FBI to “refine our ability to identify, assess and engage potential mass shooters before they strike.” Barr called for the pre-crime program to be implemented in early 2020.
The blocking of state secrets related to the September 11 attacks is just the latest in a long line of cover ups and corrupt practices by Attorney General William Barr.
By Derrick Broze | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Medical Workers Block Protest Against Social Distancing as Lockdown Rallies, Infections Grow

( TMU ) — In various states across the U.S. , groups of conservative and far-right protesters both small and large gathered over the weekend to denounce the ongoing stay-at-home measures taken by state governments to curb the coronavirus pandemic as health experts warn that relaxing quarantine rules could lead to a possible explosion of new CoViD-19 cases .
Waving American flags and holding placards that conveyed a mixture of messages—ranging from denunciations of “ tyranny ” on the part of state governments to outright denial that the health crisis is real—the protesters in at least 20 states appeared united @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pandemic and an eagerness to get non-essential businesses operational again , regardless of the expected deadly cost of such a move .
Images went viral on Sunday from the protests in Denver depicting two healthcare workers clad in scrubs and N95 masks standing defiantly and blocking the cars of protesters who were converging on the State Capitol to protest Colorado ’ s stay-at-home orders .
Photos from the dramatic scene were posted to social media by photojournalist Alyson McClaran .
McClaran told New York Times that the protesters basically threatened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : In one video clip of the confrontation posted to Facebook , a truck can be seen coming dangerously close to the male medical worker .
In another clip posted to Twitter , an unidentified protester holding a sign reading “ Land of the Free ” shouts at the workers : On Friday , Trump tweeted support for similar protests in Michigan , Minnesota , and Virginia , claiming protesters were going to “ liberate ” their states from quarantine rules .
On Sunday , the president redoubled his support for the protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were receiving death threats .
Denying that he was inciting the often armed protesters to violence , Trump said : In one of the biggest rallies against lockdowns , about 2,500 people—including armed protesters—gathered at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to slam Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee ’ s stay-at-home order , openly defying the ban on gatherings of 50 or more people .
In spite of emphatic pleas from rally organizers to wear face coverings and masks , few did—and many gathered closely despite the public health officials ’ advice to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the coronavirus , according to Reuters .
On Sunday , Gov .
Inslee denounced state Republican lawmakers who have openly called for a “ revolution ” against social-distancing measures .
In a statement , the governor said : A motley assortment of far-right groups such as the neo-fascist Proud Boys organization and Three Percenters militia have eagerly joined the demonstrations alongside other supporters of President Donald Trump .
Gun rights advocates , religious fundamentalists , anti-vaccination groups , and lawmakers have also taken part in the rallies , which have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundraising groups and “ dark money ” -funded organizations linked to the Koch brothers , according to an investigative report by the Guardian .
While protest organizers have focused on denouncing the quarantine measures as “ tyranny , ” messaging from rank-and-file participants has been mixed .
Some signs at protests have focused on Dr. Anthony Fauci , the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) director appointed by President Trump to the CoViD-19 task force , with some reportedly calling the nation ’ s top epidemiologist “ Fascist Fauci.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ # fake crisis , ” while one protestor in Huntington Beach , California , earned online notoriety by waving a sign that read , “ Social Distancing = Communism.
” And the ever-popular demand : “ I want a haircut.
” The growing protest movement has appeared while the United States struggles with at least 752,960 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 36,096 deaths caused by the disease—a grim toll that continues to climb by over 2,000 deceased per day , according to a New York Times database .
The crisis has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward the brink of collapse .
According to a machine learning model developed by the MIT to predict the spread of CoViD-19 based on public data , any move to relax quarantine measures prematurely could lead to an “ exponential explosion ” in the number of infections .
A report on the model starkly warns that by “ relaxing quarantine measures too soon … the consequences would be far more catastrophic ” than if the rules remained in place .

(TMU) — In various states across the U.S., groups of conservative and far-right protesters both small and large gathered over the weekend to denounce the ongoing stay-at-home measures taken by state governments to curb the coronavirus pandemic as health experts warn that relaxing quarantine rules could lead to a possible explosion of new CoViD-19 cases.
Waving American flags and holding placards that conveyed a mixture of messages—ranging from denunciations of “tyranny” on the part of state governments to outright denial that the health crisis is real—the protesters in at least 20 states appeared united by anxiety about the economic woes unleashed by the pandemic and an eagerness to get non-essential businesses operational again, regardless of the expected deadly cost of such a move.
Images went viral on Sunday from the protests in Denver depicting two healthcare workers clad in scrubs and N95 masks standing defiantly and blocking the cars of protesters who were converging on the State Capitol to protest Colorado’s stay-at-home orders. Photos from the dramatic scene were posted to social media by photojournalist Alyson McClaran.
Health care workers stand in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to… Posted by Alyson McClaran on Sunday, April 19, 2020
McClaran told New York Times that the protesters basically threatened to run over the workers. She said:
“They were blocking the roads until the police force stepped in … People were putting their cars right up against them.”
In one video clip of the confrontation posted to Facebook, a truck can be seen coming dangerously close to the male medical worker.
https://www.facebook.com/100007738808167/videos/2580471835554085/
In another clip posted to Twitter, an unidentified protester holding a sign reading “Land of the Free” shouts at the workers:
“This is a free country, Americans are free! Go to China, go to China! You go to work, why can’t I go to work? I’ve saved people’s lives too!”
Two nurses, who have witnessed first hand the toll Covid is taking in Colorado, stood up and peacefully counter protested. Here is how they were treated. I had join them. pic.twitter.com/iJnNcqZxSv — Marc Zenn (@MarcZenn) April 19, 2020
On Friday, Trump tweeted support for similar protests in Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia, claiming protesters were going to “liberate” their states from quarantine rules. On Sunday, the president redoubled his support for the protesters even as Democratic governors said that they were receiving death threats. Denying that he was inciting the often armed protesters to violence, Trump said:
“They have got cabin fever. They want their life back. Their life was taken away from them.”
In one of the biggest rallies against lockdowns, about 2,500 people—including armed protesters—gathered at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to slam Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order, openly defying the ban on gatherings of 50 or more people. In spite of emphatic pleas from rally organizers to wear face coverings and masks, few did—and many gathered closely despite the public health officials’ advice to maintain a six-foot distance to limit the spread of the coronavirus, according to Reuters.
HAPPENING NOW: Washington State #protest Governor Inslee’s lockdown order on the steps of the Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia. #OPENAMERICANOW pic.twitter.com/Sxo2SgdMYn — BlueStateBlues (@Tianmiao_wang) April 19, 2020
On Sunday, Gov. Inslee denounced state Republican lawmakers who have openly called for a “revolution” against social-distancing measures. In a statement, the governor said:
“Comments in the news by some Republican legislators calling for ‘open rebellion,’ claiming a ‘deep state’ plot and other radical statements are irresponsible and could needlessly lead to more people getting sick.”
A motley assortment of far-right groups such as the neo-fascist Proud Boys organization and Three Percenters militia have eagerly joined the demonstrations alongside other supporters of President Donald Trump. Gun rights advocates, religious fundamentalists, anti-vaccination groups, and lawmakers have also taken part in the rallies, which have been tied in some states to Republican Party fundraising groups and “dark money”-funded organizations linked to the Koch brothers, according to an investigative report by the Guardian.
https://twitter.com/girlsreallyrule/status/1251898748818591744
While protest organizers have focused on denouncing the quarantine measures as “tyranny,” messaging from rank-and-file participants has been mixed. Some signs at protests have focused on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director appointed by President Trump to the CoViD-19 task force, with some reportedly calling the nation’s top epidemiologist “Fascist Fauci.” Others called the pandemic a “#fake crisis,” while one protestor in Huntington Beach, California, earned online notoriety by waving a sign that read, “Social Distancing = Communism.”
Sure is weird how these definitely homemade and definitely not astroturfed protests signs look the same, just a coincidence i guess pic.twitter.com/L7tBX2IPJn — metal dot insert funny halloween pun here (@metaltxt) April 19, 2020
Other bizarre signs included:
“Give me liberty or give me COVID-19!”
https://twitter.com/ChrisDaniels5/status/1251956219431944192
“Trust in Jesus not the New World Order.”
Signs in Tennessee today: “Fauci is NOT our president” “Trust in Jesus not the New World Order” pic.twitter.com/NoiKI4iI9B — Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) April 19, 2020
“Let MY People GO-LF!”
https://twitter.com/TravelersClubSD/status/1251626141300842496
And the ever-popular demand: “I want a haircut.”
If you get infected with #Coronavirus & you die, I doubt you or anyone else will care what your hair looks like. This is a woman from today’s protest in WI. Just dumb. pic.twitter.com/H5Fa1I87wA — Khary Penebaker (@kharyp) April 19, 2020
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Friday protest looked suspiciously like a Trump rally.
The #reopenMN #LiberateMinnesota crowd sure loved this massive flag that was being set up in front of the yard I was standing in. pic.twitter.com/ueHiZUjf6S — emma (@bymyelf) April 17, 2020
The growing protest movement has appeared while the United States struggles with at least 752,960 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 36,096 deaths caused by the disease—a grim toll that continues to climb by over 2,000 deceased per day, according to a New York Times database. The crisis has already pushed many medical systems across the country toward the brink of collapse.
According to a machine learning model developed by the MIT to predict the spread of CoViD-19 based on public data, any move to relax quarantine measures prematurely could lead to an “exponential explosion” in the number of infections. A report on the model starkly warns that by “relaxing quarantine measures too soon … the consequences would be far more catastrophic” than if the rules remained in place.
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Sea Turtles Are Finally Thriving Now That People Are Stuck Indoors

( TMU ) — Wildlife all over the globe where movements of humans have been restricted due to the novel coronavirus pandemic seems to be thriving and returning to spaces they were unable to visit due to human activity .
Great news for the leatherback sea turtles who favor Juno Beach in Florida for nesting , thought to be the most densely nested beach in the world .
Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Florida monitors the beach every year to make sure the nests remain undisturbed by people and dogs .
Disturbing the nests can have fatal results for the eggs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer weather and potentially reach deadly temperatures .
Although still early in the season , the center has already counted 69 nests with numbers significantly higher than normal , according to a CBS Miami report .
The majority of the nests are from leatherbacks , the largest living sea turtles and classed as vulnerable by the WWF .
Sarah Hirsch , the senior manager of research and data at Loggerhead Marinelife Center , told WPEC News : ‘ ’ Our leatherbacks are coming in strong this year .
It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leatherbacks .
We ’ re excited to see our turtles thrive in this environment .
Our world has changed , but these turtles have been doing this for millions of years and it ’ s just reassuring and gives us hope that the world is still going on.
’ ’ Overall , the lack of boats and their human handlers seems to have been of benefit to the marine life in general and Hirsch said the sea turtles are now mating close to the shore , near the surface of the water .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the season has just started and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center will continue to collect data to see how the marine life is affected throughout the season , which ends on October 31 .
The loggerhead turtles and the rest of the marine life will probably be very happy to enjoy the peace at Juno Beach for a good while longer .
According to the WWF website , turtle populations have been in decline for the past 20 years .
Pacific populations from over-harvesting and interactions with fisheries .
Atlantic leatherbacks feed almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swallowing floating plastic bags by mistake and their long migrations put them at risk of running into longline fisheries .
Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are caught in shrimp trawl nets , longline hooks , and fishing gill nets and then drown because they can ’ t reach the surface to breathe .
Beaches are crucial to turtles for nesting .
Rising sea levels and mostly unchecked human activities such as vehicle traffic on beaches , uncontrolled developments , and other activities have either directly destroyed or disturbed sea turtle nesting beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeding grounds , the sea grass beds , and coral reefs .
The final blow for many wildlife species is over-harvesting and illegal trade .
Legal egg collection in Southeast Asia leads to tens of thousands of eggs being lost .
This cultural practice led to the local extinction of leatherbacks in Malaysia while Indonesia ’ s turtle population has suffered massive decline in the region due to uncontrolled egg collecting and the killing of adult turtles over several decades .
In Central America , in spite of protective legislation , eggs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hunting and egg collection continue throughout the Indian Ocean as well .

(TMU) — Wildlife all over the globe where movements of humans have been restricted due to the novel coronavirus pandemic seems to be thriving and returning to spaces they were unable to visit due to human activity. Great news for the leatherback sea turtles who favor Juno Beach in Florida for nesting, thought to be the most densely nested beach in the world.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Florida monitors the beach every year to make sure the nests remain undisturbed by people and dogs. Disturbing the nests can have fatal results for the eggs if they are exposed to the hot summer weather and potentially reach deadly temperatures.
Although still early in the season, the center has already counted 69 nests with numbers significantly higher than normal, according to a CBS Miami report. The majority of the nests are from leatherbacks, the largest living sea turtles and classed as vulnerable by the WWF.
Sarah Hirsch, the senior manager of research and data at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, told WPEC News:
‘’Our leatherbacks are coming in strong this year. It’s going to be a really good year for our leatherbacks.
We’re excited to see our turtles thrive in this environment. Our world has changed, but these turtles have been doing this for millions of years and it’s just reassuring and gives us hope that the world is still going on.’’
Overall, the lack of boats and their human handlers seems to have been of benefit to the marine life in general and Hirsch said the sea turtles are now mating close to the shore, near the surface of the water.
Researchers are optimistic for the sea turtles since the season has just started and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center will continue to collect data to see how the marine life is affected throughout the season, which ends on October 31.
The loggerhead turtles and the rest of the marine life will probably be very happy to enjoy the peace at Juno Beach for a good while longer.
According to the WWF website, turtle populations have been in decline for the past 20 years. Pacific populations from over-harvesting and interactions with fisheries. Atlantic leatherbacks feed almost exclusively on jellyfish and many die from swallowing floating plastic bags by mistake and their long migrations put them at risk of running into longline fisheries. Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are caught in shrimp trawl nets, longline hooks, and fishing gill nets and then drown because they can’t reach the surface to breathe.
Beaches are crucial to turtles for nesting. Rising sea levels and mostly unchecked human activities such as vehicle traffic on beaches, uncontrolled developments, and other activities have either directly destroyed or disturbed sea turtle nesting beaches around the world as well as their feeding grounds, the sea grass beds, and coral reefs.
The final blow for many wildlife species is over-harvesting and illegal trade.
Legal egg collection in Southeast Asia leads to tens of thousands of eggs being lost. This cultural practice led to the local extinction of leatherbacks in Malaysia while Indonesia’s turtle population has suffered massive decline in the region due to uncontrolled egg collecting and the killing of adult turtles over several decades. In Central America, in spite of protective legislation, eggs are still collected for subsistence or commercial use. Hunting and egg collection continue throughout the Indian Ocean as well.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Legal Weed CEOs Believe COVID-19 Will Put an End to Federal Prohibition of “Essential” Cannabis

( TMU ) — While the U.S. economy has faced a catastrophic shake-up due to the coronavirus pandemic , many Americans still proceeded to celebrate April 20 , also known as “ 4/20 , ” the unofficial holiday for recreational cannabis users .
But while marijuana aficionados are enjoying their online smoking sessions and live-streamed concerts—a pale virtual shadow of the typical festivities enjoyed on 4/20—executives in the legal cannabis market are faced with both the shock waves created by the economic downturn and hopes that the crisis could clear the way for the federal legalization of the plant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the crisis .
While demand for the plant skyrocketed following stay-at-home orders and quarantine rules put in place across the United States , consumers faced with unemployment or lost job hours are reducing their spending or turning to the black market to get their flowers , edibles , and other consumables rather than going to dispensaries where prices are higher due to taxes and regulations .
Still , some cannabis CEOs told CNBC that they believe marijuana will play a role in any potential economic recovery following the current crisis unleashed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to be able to lift our heads from this Covid experience , we are going to be faced with a scenario where a lot of jobs have gone away , a lot of economic development impact has disappeared .
“ How are we going to bring that back ?
I think cannabis has to be part of that discussion.
” The timing of the pandemic couldn ’ t have been worse for the legal cannabis market , however .
And many small non-cannabis businesses have relied on federal loans and banks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t extended to pot companies who still remain illegal in the eyes of Washington , D.C. Los Angeles dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh , who also heads the United Cannabis Business Association , told Associated Press : Steve DeAngelo , a co-founder of California ’ s Harborside dispensaries , believes that the industry has the sort of in-built resilience that will allow it to get through this rough patch in consumer demand .
According to analysts from multinational independent investment bank Cowen , the U.S. cannabis market is worth around $ 56 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is actually being taxed in the legal market .
Some cannabis businessmen believe that the potential for legal marijuana to become a source of tax money for federal authorities could signal an end to prohibition on a national level .
Curaleaf Executive Chairman Boris Jordan explained that cannabis could enjoy a post-crisis role as a “ a significant revenue generator ” for the cash-strapped feds .
Citing the conditions that led to an end to the anti-booze Prohibition Era , Jordan said : As states and cities across the U.S. deem cannabis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at such signals as a sign that the federal legalization of marijuana is only a matter of time .
In eight out of 11 of the states where adult use of the plant is legal , cannabis dispensaries were designated as essential .
Matt Hawkins , a managing partner of Entourage Capital and big-time investor in cannabis production , said : “ You can just point to the fact that we have been deemed essential , why are we not legal ?
“ There is going to be a need for increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but at a legalized industry like cannabis , that is one of the few growth sectors in the world right now.
” Meanwhile , some are hoping that the general trend of states legislating adult-use cannabis bills will create the sort of critical mass capable of changing minds in Washington .
New Jersey , Arizona , and South Dakota will all have legalization bills on their November ballot , while New York , Connecticut , and Rhode Island also have pending bills that could see prohibition lifted .
New York Gov .
Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of legalization , arguing that revenue from taxes on pot go toward everything from traffic safety to transit upgrades , addiction treatment , public health education and intervention , and small business developments .
The drying-up of state coffers in the midst of the public health crisis let loose by COVID-19 will no doubt add extra luster to those arguing the benefits of legalizing and regulating cannabis .

(TMU) — While the U.S. economy has faced a catastrophic shake-up due to the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans still proceeded to celebrate April 20, also known as “4/20,” the unofficial holiday for recreational cannabis users.
But while marijuana aficionados are enjoying their online smoking sessions and live-streamed concerts—a pale virtual shadow of the typical festivities enjoyed on 4/20—executives in the legal cannabis market are faced with both the shock waves created by the economic downturn and hopes that the crisis could clear the way for the federal legalization of the plant.
Legal marijuana hasn’t been unaffected by the crisis. While demand for the plant skyrocketed following stay-at-home orders and quarantine rules put in place across the United States, consumers faced with unemployment or lost job hours are reducing their spending or turning to the black market to get their flowers, edibles, and other consumables rather than going to dispensaries where prices are higher due to taxes and regulations.
Still, some cannabis CEOs told CNBC that they believe marijuana will play a role in any potential economic recovery following the current crisis unleashed by the coronavirus.
Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs, told the network:
“When we all start to be able to lift our heads from this Covid experience, we are going to be faced with a scenario where a lot of jobs have gone away, a lot of economic development impact has disappeared. “How are we going to bring that back? I think cannabis has to be part of that discussion.”
The timing of the pandemic couldn’t have been worse for the legal cannabis market, however. And many small non-cannabis businesses have relied on federal loans and banks to weather the storm—a luxury that hasn’t extended to pot companies who still remain illegal in the eyes of Washington, D.C.
Los Angeles dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh, who also heads the United Cannabis Business Association, told Associated Press:
“We were already teetering on … an edge of a cannabis collapse. “It’s going to be very difficult for cannabis businesses to make it through this pandemic.”
Steve DeAngelo, a co-founder of California’s Harborside dispensaries, believes that the industry has the sort of in-built resilience that will allow it to get through this rough patch in consumer demand.
“There is not going to be an extinction moment. “It’s going to prove more resilient than many, many other industries.”
According to analysts from multinational independent investment bank Cowen, the U.S. cannabis market is worth around $56 billion in 2020, and only ten percent of it is actually being taxed in the legal market.
Some cannabis businessmen believe that the potential for legal marijuana to become a source of tax money for federal authorities could signal an end to prohibition on a national level.
Curaleaf Executive Chairman Boris Jordan explained that cannabis could enjoy a post-crisis role as a “a significant revenue generator” for the cash-strapped feds. Citing the conditions that led to an end to the anti-booze Prohibition Era, Jordan said:
“One of the programs by the federal government right after the Great Depression was to focus on tax revenue generation. “They lifted prohibition on alcohol and therefore started to tax it — and it became a major revenue generator for both the federal and the local governments around the country.”
As states and cities across the U.S. deem cannabis companies essential, some cannabis execs are looking at such signals as a sign that the federal legalization of marijuana is only a matter of time. In eight out of 11 of the states where adult use of the plant is legal, cannabis dispensaries were designated as essential.
Matt Hawkins, a managing partner of Entourage Capital and big-time investor in cannabis production, said:
“You can just point to the fact that we have been deemed essential, why are we not legal? “There is going to be a need for increased tax revenue and where else to look but at a legalized industry like cannabis, that is one of the few growth sectors in the world right now.”
Meanwhile, some are hoping that the general trend of states legislating adult-use cannabis bills will create the sort of critical mass capable of changing minds in Washington.
“The great American experiment will become more real as the federal government sees what’s happening at the states,” Green Thumb Industries CEO Ben Kovler said.
New Jersey, Arizona, and South Dakota will all have legalization bills on their November ballot, while New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island also have pending bills that could see prohibition lifted. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also been a robust supporter of legalization, arguing that revenue from taxes on pot go toward everything from traffic safety to transit upgrades, addiction treatment, public health education and intervention, and small business developments.
The drying-up of state coffers in the midst of the public health crisis let loose by COVID-19 will no doubt add extra luster to those arguing the benefits of legalizing and regulating cannabis.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Oil Prices Just Plunged to NEGATIVE $37 a Barrel — by FAR the Lowest Price in History

( TMU ) — In a historic first , U.S. oil prices plummeted Monday into the negative , marking just the latest grim moment in the massive disruption of global markets caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The collapse in crude oil prices and frenzied last-minute selling comes as demand has completely evaporated due to a freeze in hard-hit economies across the world , creating a massive glut in global supplies and casting doubt on whether fuel consumption will recover to pre-crisis levels any time soon .
The May contract for West Texas intermediate ( WTI ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent to - $ 40.32 a barrel , marking the lowest price ever recorded since the New York Mercantile Exchange ( NYMEX ) began oil futures trading in 1983 .
The day ended with the price settling at minus $ 37.63 per barrel .
In the meantime , Brent Crude oil has also slumped by 9 percent to $ 25.57 per barrel—nowhere near as precipitous a fall as that experienced by the May U.S. WTI contract set to expire Tuesday .
Phil Flynn , an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full for speculators to buy this contract , and the refiners are running at low levels because we haven ’ t lifted stay-at-home orders in most states .
“ There ’ s not a lot of hope that things are going to change in 24 hours.
” And with U.S. oil prices having settled in negative territory , sellers are in the ruinous position for the first time ever of having to pay buyers to take oil futures .
Whether this translates to lower oil prices at the gas pump for consumers remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prices comes after prices already reached an 18-year low last week as markets realized that the landmark deal agreed to by OPEC , Russia , Mexico and other producers to secure a 9.7 million barrel per day cut in production was far from enough to offset the crushing fall in demand .
However , with global oil capacity reaching its ceiling , the U.S. Department of Energy is mulling the idea of paying domestic producers to leave the oil in the ground in order to prevent the further depression of crude prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 shelter-in-place protocols lifted by April 30 , and we start to see some pop in demand , you are going to have so much oil sitting in tanks that , regardless of production cuts , you are still looking at a massive glut of oil going into the third quarter , ” The collapse in oil markets comes as the world experiences an epic , spiraling economic downtown due to the COVID-19 pandemic , which some economists fear could be the deepest crisis experienced by the global economy since the Great Depression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) released an analysis by the Washington-based organization ’ s Chief Economist Gita Gopinath that christened the current crisis as a “ Great Lockdown.
” Noting that “ the magnitude and speed of collapse in activity that has followed [ the panemic ] is unlike anything experienced in our lifetimes , ” Gopinath added :

(TMU) — In a historic first, U.S. oil prices plummeted Monday into the negative, marking just the latest grim moment in the massive disruption of global markets caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The collapse in crude oil prices and frenzied last-minute selling comes as demand has completely evaporated due to a freeze in hard-hit economies across the world, creating a massive glut in global supplies and casting doubt on whether fuel consumption will recover to pre-crisis levels any time soon.
The May contract for West Texas intermediate (WTI) crude oil plunged by a massive 321 percent to -$40.32 a barrel, marking the lowest price ever recorded since the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) began oil futures trading in 1983. The day ended with the price settling at minus $37.63 per barrel.
BREAKING: May contract for WTI crude oil settles at negative $37.63/barrel, down 305% https://t.co/HlsH3slbGO pic.twitter.com/6Zf848zhNP — CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) April 20, 2020
In the meantime, Brent Crude oil has also slumped by 9 percent to $25.57 per barrel—nowhere near as precipitous a fall as that experienced by the May U.S. WTI contract set to expire Tuesday.
Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago told Reuters:
“The storage is too full for speculators to buy this contract, and the refiners are running at low levels because we haven’t lifted stay-at-home orders in most states. “There’s not a lot of hope that things are going to change in 24 hours.”
And with U.S. oil prices having settled in negative territory, sellers are in the ruinous position for the first time ever of having to pay buyers to take oil futures. Whether this translates to lower oil prices at the gas pump for consumers remains an open question.
BREAKING: WTI crude oil futures trade at negative price for first time https://t.co/pOSyH6AVtP pic.twitter.com/XsoH1jG8WH — Bloomberg (@business) April 20, 2020
Louise Dickson, oil markets analyst at Rystad Energy, said:
“Pricey shut-ins or even bankruptcies could now be cheaper for some operators, instead of paying tens of dollars to get rid of what they produce.”
The drastic fall in prices comes after prices already reached an 18-year low last week as markets realized that the landmark deal agreed to by OPEC, Russia, Mexico and other producers to secure a 9.7 million barrel per day cut in production was far from enough to offset the crushing fall in demand.
However, with global oil capacity reaching its ceiling, the U.S. Department of Energy is mulling the idea of paying domestic producers to leave the oil in the ground in order to prevent the further depression of crude prices.
Stephen Schork, founder of The Schork Report energy newsletter, told NBC News:
“Even if we get the COVID-19 shelter-in-place protocols lifted by April 30, and we start to see some pop in demand, you are going to have so much oil sitting in tanks that, regardless of production cuts, you are still looking at a massive glut of oil going into the third quarter,”
The collapse in oil markets comes as the world experiences an epic, spiraling economic downtown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which some economists fear could be the deepest crisis experienced by the global economy since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Last Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released an analysis by the Washington-based organization’s Chief Economist Gita Gopinath that christened the current crisis as a “Great Lockdown.” Noting that “the magnitude and speed of collapse in activity that has followed [the panemic] is unlike anything experienced in our lifetimes,” Gopinath added:
“Many countries now face multiple crises—a health crisis, a financial crisis, and a collapse in commodity prices, which interact in complex ways. Policymakers are providing unprecedented support to households, firms, and financial markets, and, while this is crucial for a strong recovery, there is considerable uncertainty about what the economic landscape will look like when we emerge from this lockdown.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Dogs Are Being Trained to Detect COVID-19 Odors and Could Test 750 People Per Hour

( TMU ) — There ’ s plenty of reason why dogs have historically been considered man ’ s best friend .
For at least the past 15,000 years , dogs have served human societies in myriad ways .
Whether by hunting pray , helping to herd sheep and cattle , or simply providing us with unconditional love , they have proved themselves to be indispensable companions .
In modern times , dogs have also provided crucial help sniffing out pests such as bedbugs , narcotics , trapped humans or broken gas mains after earthquakes , improvised explosive devices in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as migraine headaches , malaria Parkinson ’ s disease , and cancer .
After all , with some 200 to 300 million sense receptors in dogs ’ noses—versus 5 million in human noses—our trusty canine comrades have olfactory abilities that can sense odors we have no ability to perceive .
And now , an ambitious project hopes to wield dogs ’ uncanny sense of smell to train them to detect CoViD-19 , the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2 .
British charity Medical Detection Dogs has partnered with the London School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Durham University to begin efforts to train their elite sniffing dogs for the task .
According to behavioral psychologist Dr. Claire Guest , CEO of Medical Detection Dogs , there is no reason to doubt that the canines are up to the task .
“ We already train dogs in the past… [ there is ] absolutely no reason why a dog can ’ t detect the virus.
” And it ’ s not just a matter of confidence—it ’ s also an approach that is rooted in the rigorous science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Detection Dogs has produced in the course of training dogs to detect serious illnesses .
Head of the disease control department at LSHTM Prof. James Logan explained : “ Our previous work demonstrated that dogs can detect odors from humans with a malaria infection with extremely high accuracy – above the World Health Organization standards for a diagnostic.
” After six weeks of intensive training we could see a brigade of dogs who are capable of providing a speedy and non-invasive diagnosis at the tail end of the pandemic .
The dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they received to detect bacterial infections , prostate cancer , and Parkinson ’ s—mainly through sniffing samples , indicating when they found it , and being able to detect the subtle changes in skin temperature indicating a fever , according to a statement from the group .
Logan cautioned that it still remains early for detecting any specific odor belonging to CoViD-19 .
However , because other respiratory diseases cause body odor changes , it is quite likely that CoViD-19 does as well , which means that dogs would definitely be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool has the potential to provide a revolutionary new method to help curb the pandemic .
“ The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone , including those who are asymptomatic and tell us whether they need to be tested .
This would be fast , effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed .
We know that other respiratory diseases like COVID-19 , change our body odor so there is a very high chance that dogs will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnostic tool could revolutionize our response to COVID-19 in the short term , but particularly in the months to come , and could be profoundly impactful.
” “ If the research is successful , we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus .
This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present epidemic under control .
”

(TMU) — There’s plenty of reason why dogs have historically been considered man’s best friend. For at least the past 15,000 years, dogs have served human societies in myriad ways. Whether by hunting pray, helping to herd sheep and cattle, or simply providing us with unconditional love, they have proved themselves to be indispensable companions.
In modern times, dogs have also provided crucial help sniffing out pests such as bedbugs, narcotics, trapped humans or broken gas mains after earthquakes, improvised explosive devices in war zones, and even ailments such as migraine headaches, malaria Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. After all, with some 200 to 300 million sense receptors in dogs’ noses—versus 5 million in human noses—our trusty canine comrades have olfactory abilities that can sense odors we have no ability to perceive.
And now, an ambitious project hopes to wield dogs’ uncanny sense of smell to train them to detect CoViD-19, the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2.
British charity Medical Detection Dogs has partnered with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University to begin efforts to train their elite sniffing dogs for the task. According to behavioral psychologist Dr. Claire Guest, CEO of Medical Detection Dogs, there is no reason to doubt that the canines are up to the task.
***CV-19 SUPER SIX*** Norman, Digby, Storm, Star, Jasper and Asher could be trained to detect if someone has #COVID19 and play a vital role in preventing further spread of the pandemic in future. @LSHTM@durham_unihttps://t.co/xuheY7OOz6 pic.twitter.com/vOdTuekdaW — Medical Detection Dogs (@MedDetectDogs) April 18, 2020
Guest told CTV News:
“We already train dogs in the past… [there is] absolutely no reason why a dog can’t detect the virus.”
And it’s not just a matter of confidence—it’s also an approach that is rooted in the rigorous science of over a dozen peer-reviewed papers that Medical Detection Dogs has produced in the course of training dogs to detect serious illnesses.
Head of the disease control department at LSHTM Prof. James Logan explained:
“Our previous work demonstrated that dogs can detect odors from humans with a malaria infection with extremely high accuracy – above the World Health Organization standards for a diagnostic.”
After six weeks of intensive training we could see a brigade of dogs who are capable of providing a speedy and non-invasive diagnosis at the tail end of the pandemic. The dogs would undergo some of the same training they received to detect bacterial infections, prostate cancer, and Parkinson’s—mainly through sniffing samples, indicating when they found it, and being able to detect the subtle changes in skin temperature indicating a fever, according to a statement from the group.
Logan cautioned that it still remains early for detecting any specific odor belonging to CoViD-19. However, because other respiratory diseases cause body odor changes, it is quite likely that CoViD-19 does as well, which means that dogs would definitely be able to detect it. Such a new diagnostic tool has the potential to provide a revolutionary new method to help curb the pandemic.
On the Medical Detection Dogs website, Guest wrote:
“The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic and tell us whether they need to be tested. This would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed. We know that other respiratory diseases like COVID-19, change our body odor so there is a very high chance that dogs will be able to detect it. This new diagnostic tool could revolutionize our response to COVID-19 in the short term, but particularly in the months to come, and could be profoundly impactful.”
Professor Steve Lindsay at Durham University says:
“If the research is successful, we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus. This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present epidemic under control.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Man Uses Quarantine Time Creatively to Build a Tiny Restaurant for Squirrels in His Yard

( TMU ) — The unexpected free time at home during the pandemic lock-down is probably welcomed by many and is being put to good use by tackling spring cleaning and long overdue home repairs and maintenance .
But once all the chores are done , instead of going nuts with the time on your hands , perhaps you can join the squirrel appreciation trend and create a special place for your local squirrel population like James Vreeland from Detroit did .
James saw a gap in the market and used his free time to “ get into the restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While sit-down restaurants are currently shut down , there ’ s no ban on squirrel restaurants and James promptly planned and built a squirrel specific , outdoor restaurant in his yard and named it Maison de Noix , or “ The Nut House ” in English .
The menu , earthy ambience , picnic tables , and natural grass flooring is already hit with locals as a prime gathering spot .
Although primarily a squirrel hangout , the restaurant is open to all local critters , and according to James , blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought of everything , including a coat rail with hangers for squirrel jackets and a single menu at the entrance to avoid unnecessary touching .
The menu offers known favorites that include a Mixed Seed trio , Stale Bread or Pizza Crust , Raw Peanuts on the Shell , and Counter Softened Apple .
Maison de Noix should have no problems with health authorities since James is the owner , chef , waitperson , and chief sanitizer at the establishment , currently the only one of its kind in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t allowed to eat there , humans are also enjoying the restaurant while keeping recommended social distancing .
“ The response from humans has been pretty great with people stopping all the time to take a photo or watch the frenzy , ” James said .
James has started live streaming the daily comings and goings at Maison De Noix on Facebook .
James commented during one recent live stream : “ Sorry for the shaky cam—there is a blue jay sitting on the camera.
” You ’ ll find a time-lapse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his Instagram .
We hope James ’ efforts and success with Maison de Noix will encourage others to take the time to get to know their local squirrels and show appreciation of squirrels ’ joy for life , their agility , funny antics , and for creating new growth by planting seeds—not only now , but after lock down too .

(TMU) — The unexpected free time at home during the pandemic lock-down is probably welcomed by many and is being put to good use by tackling spring cleaning and long overdue home repairs and maintenance. But once all the chores are done, instead of going nuts with the time on your hands, perhaps you can join the squirrel appreciation trend and create a special place for your local squirrel population like James Vreeland from Detroit did.
James saw a gap in the market and used his free time to “get into the restaurant game,” he says on Instagram.
While sit-down restaurants are currently shut down, there’s no ban on squirrel restaurants and James promptly planned and built a squirrel specific, outdoor restaurant in his yard and named it Maison de Noix, or “The Nut House” in English. The menu, earthy ambience, picnic tables, and natural grass flooring is already hit with locals as a prime gathering spot.
Although primarily a squirrel hangout, the restaurant is open to all local critters, and according to James, blue jays are also regular guests.
James thought of everything, including a coat rail with hangers for squirrel jackets and a single menu at the entrance to avoid unnecessary touching.
The menu offers known favorites that include a Mixed Seed trio, Stale Bread or Pizza Crust, Raw Peanuts on the Shell, and Counter Softened Apple.
Maison de Noix should have no problems with health authorities since James is the owner, chef, waitperson, and chief sanitizer at the establishment, currently the only one of its kind in the United States.
According to James, although they aren’t allowed to eat there, humans are also enjoying the restaurant while keeping recommended social distancing. “The response from humans has been pretty great with people stopping all the time to take a photo or watch the frenzy,” James said.
James has started live streaming the daily comings and goings at Maison De Noix on Facebook. James commented during one recent live stream: “Sorry for the shaky cam—there is a blue jay sitting on the camera.”
You’ll find a time-lapse video of the “brunch rush” on his Instagram. We hope James’ efforts and success with Maison de Noix will encourage others to take the time to get to know their local squirrels and show appreciation of squirrels’ joy for life, their agility, funny antics, and for creating new growth by planting seeds—not only now, but after lock down too.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-20--Ancient Tree Discovered With a Record of Earth’s Magnetic Field Reversal in Its Rings

( TMU ) — In March 2019 , an amazing discovery was made on New Zealand ’ s North Island .
An ancient tree , the first and perhaps only specimen that exists , shows evidence of a reversal of Earth ’ s magnetic field .
The Agathis Australis , known as a Kauri tree in Māori , was unearthed during the expansion of a geothermal power plant on North Island .
The Kauri was buried 26 feet ( 7.92m ) underground and is 65 feet ( 19.81m ) tall with a diameter of 8 feet ( 2.44m ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the tree lived for about 1,500 years between 41,000 and 42,500 years ago .
Alan Hogg , from New Zealand ’ s University of Waikato , said : “ There ’ s nothing like this anywhere in the world .
This Ngāwhā kauri is unique.
” The Kauri was alive during a period of time in Earth ’ s history when the magnetic field almost reversed .
The magnetic north and south did not quite complete a full reversal .
The iron in Earth ’ s core is believed to generate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes electric currents which extend far into space , and the magnetic field creates a barrier to protect Earth from the solar wind .
The solar wind , a stream of charged particles from the Sun could , could potentially strip away the ozone layer if it were to impact our atmosphere .
When the magnetic field reverses , successfully or not , more of the Sun ’ s radiation could get through .
Scientists have linked previous extinction events to magnetic field reversals .
The Kauri tree is the first tree found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the magnetic field and the tree rings show complete evidence of the near reversal .
“ It ’ s the time it takes for this movement to occur that is the critical thing… We will map these changes much more accurately using the tree rings , ” Hogg said .
Chris Turney , paleoclimatology and climate change expert from the University of New South Wales , is leading a of group of scientists that is analyzing samples of the tree .
Understanding what happened to the tree during the near reversal event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We will have increased cosmic radiation .
It will take out satellites and it might take out other communication infrastructure.
” Turney said : “ The precious thing is this huge , lonely tree grew for some 1700 years across a remarkable period in our planet ’ s history when the Earth ’ s magnetic field flipped some 42,000 years ago , a period known as the Laschamp Excursion .
Funded by the Australian Research Council we ’ re undertaking detailed measurements of the radioactive form of carbon through the tree rings.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem to have happened once every 200,000 to 300,000 years in the last 20 million years , and the last full reversal happened some 780,000 years ago .
However , it could also happen randomly .
Scientist revealed as recently as last year that the magnetic north pole had moved unexpectedly .
Tracking from the Canadian Arctic to Siberia is usually steady but it sped up so much researchers had to renew the World Magnetic Model ( WMM ) at the end of 2020 of what would have been the usual five year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the WMM is a representation of Earth ’ s magnetic field and its accuracy is crucial to ensure safe navigation for aviation and shipping particularly in the Polar Regions .
“ Because the Earth ’ s magnetic field has a major effect on how much radiocarbon is formed in the upper atmosphere , these precious analyses will allow us to investigate the magnitude and rate of change when the magnetic field reversed during the Laschamp ; something not possible before and of great interest given recent changes in the Earth ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @

(TMU) — In March 2019, an amazing discovery was made on New Zealand’s North Island. An ancient tree, the first and perhaps only specimen that exists, shows evidence of a reversal of Earth’s magnetic field. The Agathis Australis, known as a Kauri tree in Māori, was unearthed during the expansion of a geothermal power plant on North Island.
The Kauri was buried 26 feet (7.92m) underground and is 65 feet (19.81m) tall with a diameter of 8 feet (2.44m) and weighs 60 tons. Carbon dating revealed that the tree lived for about 1,500 years between 41,000 and 42,500 years ago.
Alan Hogg, from New Zealand’s University of Waikato, said: “There’s nothing like this anywhere in the world. This Ngāwhā kauri is unique.”
The Kauri was alive during a period of time in Earth’s history when the magnetic field almost reversed. The magnetic north and south did not quite complete a full reversal.
The iron in Earth’s core is believed to generate the magnetic field. Earth’s movement causes electric currents which extend far into space, and the magnetic field creates a barrier to protect Earth from the solar wind. The solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the Sun could, could potentially strip away the ozone layer if it were to impact our atmosphere.
ANCIENT TREE WITH RECORD OF EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD REVERSAL IN ITS RINGS DISCOVEREDAn ancient tree that contains a… Posted by Ruble's Wonderings – Forbidden Archeology & Science on Saturday, July 13, 2019
When the magnetic field reverses, successfully or not, more of the Sun’s radiation could get through. Scientists have linked previous extinction events to magnetic field reversals.
The Kauri tree is the first tree found that has lived through a near reversal of the magnetic field and the tree rings show complete evidence of the near reversal. “It’s the time it takes for this movement to occur that is the critical thing… We will map these changes much more accurately using the tree rings,” Hogg said.
Chris Turney, paleoclimatology and climate change expert from the University of New South Wales, is leading a of group of scientists that is analyzing samples of the tree. Understanding what happened to the tree during the near reversal event could be helpful. Hogg explained, “We will have increased cosmic radiation. It will take out satellites and it might take out other communication infrastructure.”
Turney said: “The precious thing is this huge, lonely tree grew for some 1700 years across a remarkable period in our planet’s history when the Earth’s magnetic field flipped some 42,000 years ago, a period known as the Laschamp Excursion. Funded by the Australian Research Council we’re undertaking detailed measurements of the radioactive form of carbon through the tree rings.”
According to NASA, magnetic reversals seem to have happened once every 200,000 to 300,000 years in the last 20 million years, and the last full reversal happened some 780,000 years ago. However, it could also happen randomly.
Scientist revealed as recently as last year that the magnetic north pole had moved unexpectedly. Tracking from the Canadian Arctic to Siberia is usually steady but it sped up so much researchers had to renew the World Magnetic Model (WMM) at the end of 2020 of what would have been the usual five year period. Used worldwide by GPS systems, the WMM is a representation of Earth’s magnetic field and its accuracy is crucial to ensure safe navigation for aviation and shipping particularly in the Polar Regions.
“Because the Earth’s magnetic field has a major effect on how much radiocarbon is formed in the upper atmosphere, these precious analyses will allow us to investigate the magnitude and rate of change when the magnetic field reversed during the Laschamp; something not possible before and of great interest given recent changes in the Earth’s magnetic field,” Turney explained.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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themindunleashed--2020-04-22--4.5 Million Flowers Bloom Across Japanese Park Like a Never-Ending Sea of Blue Lights

( TMU ) — When flowers bloom in Japan , they do so seriously , beautifully and in abundance .
An important part of Japanese culture , each season ’ s unique species and varieties seem to just burst with pride to show their blooms and bring happiness to the people .
Large flower fields are found all over Japan , some private farmer-owned and others government-owned tourist attractions .
Both local and international tourists love to travel and enjoy the spectacle each season brings .
A sight not to be missed for those visiting Japan , the Hitachi Seaside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers many varieties of seasonal flowers and other attractions such as an amusement park and several cycling and walking trails spread over 190 acres .
Those who have experienced the glorious display of Nemophila Harmony in bloom attest to late April to mid-May being one of the best times to visit the park .
Nicknamed the “ baby blue eyes , ” 8.6 acres of Miharashi hills are covered by 4.5 million Nemophilia flowers .
We ’ re not sure how they counted them all but that ’ s a serious number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they cover every inch of the hills like an exquisite carpet and no matter at which point of the walkways you find yourself , you ’ ll have an amazing , picture-perfect view every time .
Considering the current world-wide coronavirus pandemic , the park was closed on April 4 until further notice .
So while you won ’ t be able to visit in Spring 2020 , perhaps this video of the Hitachi Seaside Park will brighten your day in the meantime and wet your appetite for a future visit .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby blue eyes ( Nemophila Menziesii ) .
This annual is a hardy , low-spreading shrub with succulent stems and is easy to maintain .
The baby blue eyes should do well in USDA hardiness zones 2-10 .
Although they don ’ t need fertilizer once they grow , a little added to the soil before planting the seeds will help with growth .
Plant the seeds in early spring where they ’ ll have partial shade and some wind protection .
Give them plenty of water during the first six weeks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they bloom .
When your baby blue blooms , you ’ ll be rewarded with plenty of beautiful flowers whose petals mostly cover the stems and green leaves .
Because the Nemophila are not around for long enough , pests and disease are usually not a problem , although if planted in early spring they should bloom through summer and attract butterflies and bees to your garden .

(TMU) — When flowers bloom in Japan, they do so seriously, beautifully and in abundance.
An important part of Japanese culture, each season’s unique species and varieties seem to just burst with pride to show their blooms and bring happiness to the people. Large flower fields are found all over Japan, some private farmer-owned and others government-owned tourist attractions. Both local and international tourists love to travel and enjoy the spectacle each season brings.
A sight not to be missed for those visiting Japan, the Hitachi Seaside Park near Mito in the Ibaraki Prefecture offers many varieties of seasonal flowers and other attractions such as an amusement park and several cycling and walking trails spread over 190 acres.
Those who have experienced the glorious display of Nemophila Harmony in bloom attest to late April to mid-May being one of the best times to visit the park.
Nicknamed the “baby blue eyes,” 8.6 acres of Miharashi hills are covered by 4.5 million Nemophilia flowers. We’re not sure how they counted them all but that’s a serious number of flowers! Except for the pathways, they cover every inch of the hills like an exquisite carpet and no matter at which point of the walkways you find yourself, you’ll have an amazing, picture-perfect view every time.
Considering the current world-wide coronavirus pandemic, the park was closed on April 4 until further notice. So while you won’t be able to visit in Spring 2020, perhaps this video of the Hitachi Seaside Park will brighten your day in the meantime and wet your appetite for a future visit.
You can easily grow your own fields of baby blue eyes (Nemophila Menziesii). This annual is a hardy, low-spreading shrub with succulent stems and is easy to maintain.
The baby blue eyes should do well in USDA hardiness zones 2-10. Although they don’t need fertilizer once they grow, a little added to the soil before planting the seeds will help with growth. Plant the seeds in early spring where they’ll have partial shade and some wind protection.
Give them plenty of water during the first six weeks of germination and then cut down on watering when they bloom.
When your baby blue blooms, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of beautiful flowers whose petals mostly cover the stems and green leaves. Because the Nemophila are not around for long enough, pests and disease are usually not a problem, although if planted in early spring they should bloom through summer and attract butterflies and bees to your garden.
By Jade Small | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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