consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Harvard Professor Exposes Google and Facebook

In recent years , a number of brave individuals have alerted us to the fact that we 're all being monitored and manipulated by big data gatherers such as Google and Facebook , and shed light on the depth and breadth of this ongoing surveillance .
Among them is a social psychologist and Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff .
Her book , “ The Age of Surveillance Capitalism , ” is one of the best books I have read in the last few years .
It 's an absolute must-read if you have any interest in this topic and want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such massive control of your life .
Her book reveals how the biggest tech companies in the world have hijacked our personal data — so-called “ behavioral surplus data streams ” — without our knowledge or consent and are using it against us to generate profits for themselves .
WE have become the product .
We are the real revenue stream in this digital economy .
In the featured video , Zuboff “ reveals a merciless form of capitalism in which no natural resources , but the city itself , serves are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this surveillance capitalism came about in the first place .
As most revolutionary inventions , chance played a role .
After the 2000 dot.com crisis that burst the internet bubble , a startup company named Google struggled to survive .
Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin appeared to be looking at the beginning of the end for their company .
By chance , they discovered that “ residual data ” left behind by users during their internet searchers had tremendous value .
They could trade this data ; they could sell it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could predict the behavior of any given internet user and thus guarantee advertisers a more targeted audience .
And so , surveillance capitalism was born .
The Data Collection You Know About Is the Least Valuable Comments such as “ I have nothing to hide , so I do n't care if they track me , ” or “ I like targeted ads because they make my shopping easier ” reveal our ignorance about what 's really going on .
We believe we understand what kind of information is being collected about us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care that Google knows you bought a particular kind of shoe or a particular book .
However , the information we freely hand over is the least important of the personal information actually being gathered about us , Zuboff notes .
Tech companies tell us the data collected is being used to improve services , and indeed , some of it is .
But it is also being used to model human behavior by analyzing the patterns of behavior of hundreds of millions of people .
Once you have a large enough training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict how different types of individuals will behave over time .
The data gathered is also being used to predict a whole host of individual attributes about you , such as personality quirks , sexual orientation , political orientation — “ a whole range of things we never ever intended to disclose , ” Zuboff says .
How Is Predictive Data Being Used ?
All sorts of predictive data are handed over with each photo you upload to social media .
For example , it 's not just that tech companies can see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used without your knowledge or consent to train facial recognition software , and none of us is told how that software is intended to be used .
As just one example , the Chinese government is using facial recognition software to track and monitor minority groups and advocates for democracy , and that could happen elsewhere as well , at any time .
So that photo you uploaded of yourself at a party provides a range of valuable information — from the types of people you 're most likely to spend your time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to have a good time , to information about how the muscles in your face move and alter the shape of your features when you 're in a good mood .
By gathering a staggering amount of data points on each person , minute by minute , Big Data can make very accurate predictions about human behavior , and these predictions are then “ sold to business customers who want to maximize our value to their business , ” Zuboff says .
Your entire existence — even your shifting moods , deciphered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a source of revenue for many tech corporations .
You might think you have free will but , in reality , you 're being cleverly maneuvered and funneled into doing ( and typically buying ) or thinking something you may not have done , bought , or thought otherwise .
And , “ our ignorance is their bliss , ” Zuboff says .
In the documentary , Zuboff highlights Facebook 's massive “ contagion experiments , “ , in which they used subliminal cues and language manipulation to see if they could make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real-world behavior offline .
As it turns out , they can .
Two key findings from those experiments were : • By manipulating language and inserting subliminal cues in the online context , they can change real-world behavior and real-world emotion • These methods and powers can be exercised “ while bypassing user awareness ” In the video , Zuboff also explains how the Pokemon Go online game — which was actually created by Google — was engineered to manipulate real-world behavior and activity for profit .
She also describes the scheme in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : You 're Being Manipulated Every Single Day in Countless Ways Zuboff also reviews what we learned from the Cambridge Analytica scandal .
Cambridge Analytica is a political marketing business that , in 2018 , used the Facebook data of 80 million Americans to determine the best strategies for manipulating American voters .
Christopher Wylie , now-former director of research at Cambridge Analytica , blew the whistle on the company 's methods .
According to Wylie , they had so much data on people , they knew exactly how to trigger fear , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual .
And , by triggering those emotions , they could manipulate them into looking at a certain website , joining a certain group , and voting for a certain candidate .
So , the reality now is , companies like Facebook , Google and third parties of all kinds , have the power — and are using that power — to target your personal inner demons , to trigger you , and to take advantage of you when you 're at your weakest or most vulnerable to entice you into action that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's certainly something to keep in mind while you surf the web and social media sites .
Surveillance Is Getting Creepier by the Day But the surveillance and data collection does n't end with what you do online .
Big Data also wants access to your most intimate moments — what you do and how you behave in the privacy of your own home , for example , or in your car .
Zuboff recounts how the Google Nest security system was found to have a hidden microphone built into it that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schematics for the device .
“ Voices are what everybody is after , just like faces , ” Zuboff says .
Voice data , and all the information delivered through your daily conversations , is tremendously valuable to Big Data , and add to their ever-expanding predictive modeling capabilities .
She also discusses how these kinds of data-collecting devices force consent from users by holding the functionality of the device “ hostage ” if you do n't want your data collected and shared .
For example , Google 's Nest thermostats will collect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with third parties , that share it with third parties and so on ad infinitum — and Google takes no responsibility for what any of these third parties might do with your data .
You can decline this data collection and third party sharing , but if you do , Google will no longer support the functionality of the thermostat ; it will no longer update your software and may affect the functionality of other linked devices such as smoke detectors .
Two scholars who analyzed the Google Nest thermostat contract concluded that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit vigilant about how their consumption data is being used would have to review 1,000 privacy contracts before installing a single thermostat in their home .
Modern cars are also being equipped with multiple cameras that feed Big Data .
As noted in the film , the average new car has 15 cameras , and if you have access to the data of a mere 1 % of all cars , you have “ knowledge of everything happening in the world.
” Of course , those cameras are sold to you as being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're paying for this added safety with your privacy , and the privacy of everyone around you .
The current coronavirus pandemic is also using “ safety ” as a means to dismantle personal privacy .
As reported by The New York Times , March 23 , 2020 : Zuboff also discusses her work on January 24 , 2020 , op-ed in The New York Times .
, “ You are now remotely controlled .
Surveillance capitalists control the science and the scientists , the secrets and the truth , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to inequality in what you 're able to learn .
“ It is defined as unequal access to learning imposed by private commercial mechanisms of information capture , production , analysis , and sales .
It is best exemplified in the fast-growing abyss between what we know and what is known about us , ” Zuboff writes in her New York Times op-ed .
Google , Facebook , Amazon , and Microsoft have spearheaded the surveillance market transformation , placing themselves at the top tier of the epistemic hierarchy .
They know everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
You do n't even know what they know about you .
These data flows are about you , but not for you .
All of it is used against you — to separate you from your money , or to make you act in a way that is in some way profitable for a company or a political agenda .
So , ask yourself , where is your freedom in all of this ?
They 're Making You Dance to Their Tune If a company can cause you to buy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an enticing , personalized ad for something they know will boost your confidence at the exact moment you 're feeling insecure or worthless ( a tactic that has been tested and perfected ) , are you really acting through free will ?
If an artificial intelligence using predictive modeling senses you 're getting hungry ( based on a variety of cues such as your location , facial expressions , and verbal expressions ) and launches an ad from a local restaurant to you in the very moment you 're deciding to get something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conscious , self-driven , value-based life choices ?
As noted by Zuboff in her article : We Need a Whole New Regulatory Framework In the video , Zuboff points out that there are no laws in place to curtail this brand-new type of surveillance capitalism , and the only reason it has been able to flourish over the past 20 years is that there 's been an absence of laws against it , primarily because it has never previously existed .
That 's the problem with epistemic inequality .
Google and Facebook were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were doing .
The surveillance network grew in the shadows , unbeknownst to the public or lawmakers .
Had we fought against it for two decades , then we might have had to resign ourselves to defeat , but as it stands , we 've never even tried to regulate it .
This , Zuboff says , should give us all hope .
We can turn this around and take back our privacy , but we need legislation that addresses the actual reality of the entire breadth and depth of the data collection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address just the data that we know that we 're giving when we go online .
Zuboff writes : How to Protect Your Online Privacy While there 's no doubt we need a whole new legislative framework to curtail surveillance capitalism , in the meantime , there are ways you can protect your privacy online and limit the “ behavioral surplus data ” collected about you .
Robert Epstein , the senior research psychologist for the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology , recommends taking the following steps to protect your privacy @

The Google Nest security system has a hidden microphone built into it that isn’t featured in any of the schematics for the device. Voice data, and all the information delivered through your daily conversations, is tremendously valuable to Big Data, and add to their ever-expanding predictive modeling capabilities
Facebook’s massive experiments, in which they used subliminal cues to see if they could make people happier or sadder and affect real-world behavior offline, proved that — by manipulating language and inserting subliminal cues in the online context — they can change real-world behavior and real-world emotion, and that these methods and powers can be exercised “while bypassing user awareness”
Your entire existence — even your shifting moods, deciphered by facial recognition software — has become a source of revenue for corporate entities as you’re being cleverly maneuvered into doing (and typically buying) or thinking something you may not have done, bought or thought otherwise
Companies like Facebook, Google and third parties of all kinds have the power — and are using that power — to target your personal inner demons, to trigger you, and to take advantage of you when you’re at your most vulnerable to entice you into action that serves them, commercially or politically
In her book, “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” social psychologist and Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff reveals how the biggest tech companies in the world have hijacked our personal data — so-called “behavioral surplus data streams” — without our knowledge or consent and are using it against you to generate profits for themselves
“In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.” ~ Czesław Miłosz1
In recent years, a number of brave individuals have alerted us to the fact that we're all being monitored and manipulated by big data gatherers such as Google and Facebook, and shed light on the depth and breadth of this ongoing surveillance. Among them is a social psychologist and Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff.
Her book, “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” is one of the best books I have read in the last few years. It's an absolute must-read if you have any interest in this topic and want to understand how Google and Facebook have obtained such massive control of your life.
Her book reveals how the biggest tech companies in the world have hijacked our personal data — so-called “behavioral surplus data streams” — without our knowledge or consent and are using it against us to generate profits for themselves. WE have become the product. We are the real revenue stream in this digital economy.
“The term ‘surveillance capitalism' is not an arbitrary term,” Zuboff says in the featured VPRO Backlight documentary. “Why ‘surveillance'? Because it must be operations that are engineered as undetectable, indecipherable, cloaked in rhetoric that aims to misdirect, obfuscate and downright bamboozle all of us, all the time.”
The Birth of Surveillance Capitalism
In the featured video, Zuboff “reveals a merciless form of capitalism in which no natural resources, but the city itself, serves are the raw material.”2 She also explains how this surveillance capitalism came about in the first place.
As most revolutionary inventions, chance played a role. After the 2000 dot.com crisis that burst the internet bubble, a startup company named Google struggled to survive. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin appeared to be looking at the beginning of the end for their company.
By chance, they discovered that “residual data” left behind by users during their internet searchers had tremendous value. They could trade this data; they could sell it. By compiling this residual data, they could predict the behavior of any given internet user and thus guarantee advertisers a more targeted audience. And so, surveillance capitalism was born.
The Data Collection You Know About Is the Least Valuable
Comments such as “I have nothing to hide, so I don't care if they track me,” or “I like targeted ads because they make my shopping easier” reveal our ignorance about what's really going on. We believe we understand what kind of information is being collected about us. For example, you might not care that Google knows you bought a particular kind of shoe or a particular book.
However, the information we freely hand over is the least important of the personal information actually being gathered about us, Zuboff notes. Tech companies tell us the data collected is being used to improve services, and indeed, some of it is.
But it is also being used to model human behavior by analyzing the patterns of behavior of hundreds of millions of people. Once you have a large enough training model, you can begin to accurately predict how different types of individuals will behave over time.
The data gathered is also being used to predict a whole host of individual attributes about you, such as personality quirks, sexual orientation, political orientation — “a whole range of things we never ever intended to disclose,” Zuboff says.
How Is Predictive Data Being Used?
All sorts of predictive data are handed over with each photo you upload to social media. For example, it's not just that tech companies can see your photos. Your face is being used without your knowledge or consent to train facial recognition software, and none of us is told how that software is intended to be used.
As just one example, the Chinese government is using facial recognition software to track and monitor minority groups and advocates for democracy, and that could happen elsewhere as well, at any time.
So that photo you uploaded of yourself at a party provides a range of valuable information — from the types of people you're most likely to spend your time with and where you're likely to go to have a good time, to information about how the muscles in your face move and alter the shape of your features when you're in a good mood.
By gathering a staggering amount of data points on each person, minute by minute, Big Data can make very accurate predictions about human behavior, and these predictions are then “sold to business customers who want to maximize our value to their business,” Zuboff says.
Your entire existence — even your shifting moods, deciphered by facial recognition software — has become a source of revenue for many tech corporations. You might think you have free will but, in reality, you're being cleverly maneuvered and funneled into doing (and typically buying) or thinking something you may not have done, bought, or thought otherwise. And, “our ignorance is their bliss,” Zuboff says.
The Facebook Contagion Experiments
In the documentary, Zuboff highlights Facebook's massive “contagion experiments, “3,4 in which they used subliminal cues and language manipulation to see if they could make people feel happier or sadder and affect real-world behavior offline. As it turns out, they can. Two key findings from those experiments were:
By manipulating language and inserting subliminal cues in the online context, they can change real-world behavior and real-world emotion These methods and powers can be exercised “while bypassing user awareness”
In the video, Zuboff also explains how the Pokemon Go online game — which was actually created by Google — was engineered to manipulate real-world behavior and activity for profit. She also describes the scheme in her New York Times article, saying:
“Game players did not know that they were pawns in the real game of behavior modification for profit, as the rewards and punishments of hunting imaginary creatures were used to herd people to the McDonald's, Starbucks and local pizza joints that were paying the company for ‘footfall,' in exactly the same way that online advertisers pay for ‘click through' to their websites.”
You're Being Manipulated Every Single Day in Countless Ways
Zuboff also reviews what we learned from the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Cambridge Analytica is a political marketing business that, in 2018, used the Facebook data of 80 million Americans to determine the best strategies for manipulating American voters.
Christopher Wylie, now-former director of research at Cambridge Analytica, blew the whistle on the company's methods. According to Wylie, they had so much data on people, they knew exactly how to trigger fear, rage, and paranoia in any given individual. And, by triggering those emotions, they could manipulate them into looking at a certain website, joining a certain group, and voting for a certain candidate.
So, the reality now is, companies like Facebook, Google and third parties of all kinds, have the power — and are using that power — to target your personal inner demons, to trigger you, and to take advantage of you when you're at your weakest or most vulnerable to entice you into action that serves them, commercially or politically. It's certainly something to keep in mind while you surf the web and social media sites.
“It was only a minute ago that we didn't have many of these tools, and we were fine,” Zuboff says in the film. “We lived rich and full lives. We had close connections with friends and family.
Having said that, I want to recognize that there's a lot that the digital world brings to our lives, and we deserve to have all of that. But we deserve to have it without paying the price of surveillance capitalism.
Right now, we are in that classic Faustian bargain; 21st century citizens should not have to make the choice of either going analog or living in a world where our self-determination and our privacy are destroyed for the sake of this market logic. That is unacceptable.
Let's also not be naïve. You get the wrong people involved in our government, at any moment, and they look over their shoulders at the rich control possibilities offered by these new systems.
There will come a time when, even in the West, even in our democratic societies, our government will be tempted to annex these capabilities and use them over us and against us. Let's not be naïve about that.
When we decide to resist surveillance capitalism — right now when it is in the market dynamic — we are also preserving our democratic future, and the kinds of checks and balances that we will need going forward in an information civilization if we are to preserve freedom and democracy for another generation.”
Surveillance Is Getting Creepier by the Day
But the surveillance and data collection doesn't end with what you do online. Big Data also wants access to your most intimate moments — what you do and how you behave in the privacy of your own home, for example, or in your car. Zuboff recounts how the Google Nest security system was found to have a hidden microphone built into it that isn't featured in any of the schematics for the device.
“Voices are what everybody is after, just like faces,” Zuboff says. Voice data, and all the information delivered through your daily conversations, is tremendously valuable to Big Data, and add to their ever-expanding predictive modeling capabilities.
She also discusses how these kinds of data-collecting devices force consent from users by holding the functionality of the device “hostage” if you don't want your data collected and shared.
For example, Google's Nest thermostats will collect data about your usage and share it with third parties, that share it with third parties and so on ad infinitum — and Google takes no responsibility for what any of these third parties might do with your data.
You can decline this data collection and third party sharing, but if you do, Google will no longer support the functionality of the thermostat; it will no longer update your software and may affect the functionality of other linked devices such as smoke detectors.
Two scholars who analyzed the Google Nest thermostat contract concluded that a consumer who is even a little bit vigilant about how their consumption data is being used would have to review 1,000 privacy contracts before installing a single thermostat in their home.
Modern cars are also being equipped with multiple cameras that feed Big Data. As noted in the film, the average new car has 15 cameras, and if you have access to the data of a mere 1% of all cars, you have “knowledge of everything happening in the world.”
Of course, those cameras are sold to you as being integral to novel safety features, but you're paying for this added safety with your privacy, and the privacy of everyone around you.
Pandemic Measures Are Rapidly Eroding Privacy
The current coronavirus pandemic is also using “safety” as a means to dismantle personal privacy. As reported by The New York Times, March 23, 2020:5
“In South Korea, government agencies are harnessing surveillance-camera footage, smartphone location data and credit card purchase records to help trace the recent movements of coronavirus patients and establish virus transmission chains.
In Lombardy, Italy, the authorities are analyzing location data transmitted by citizens' mobile phones to determine how many people are obeying a government lockdown order and the typical distances they move every day. About 40 percent are moving around “too much,” an official recently said.
In Israel, the country's internal security agency is poised to start using a cache of mobile phone location data — originally intended for counterterrorism operations — to try to pinpoint citizens who may have been exposed to the virus.
As countries around the world race to contain the pandemic, many are deploying digital surveillance tools as a means to exert social control, even turning security agency technologies on their own civilians …
Yet ratcheting up surveillance to combat the pandemic now could permanently open the doors to more invasive forms of snooping later. It is a lesson Americans learned after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, civil liberties experts say.
Nearly two decades later, law enforcement agencies have access to higher-powered surveillance systems, like fine-grained location tracking and facial recognition — technologies that may be repurposed to further political agendas …
‘We could so easily end up in a situation where we empower local, state or federal government to take measures in response to this pandemic that fundamentally change the scope of American civil rights,' said Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a nonprofit organization in Manhattan.”
Humanity at a Cross-Roads
Zuboff also discusses her work on January 24, 2020, op-ed in The New York Times.6,7 “You are now remotely controlled. Surveillance capitalists control the science and the scientists, the secrets and the truth,” she writes, continuing:
“We thought that we search Google, but now we understand that Google searches us. We assumed that we use social media to connect, but we learned that connection is how social media uses us.
We barely questioned why our new TV or mattress had a privacy policy, but we've begun to understand that ‘privacy' policies are actually surveillance policies … Privacy is not private, because the effectiveness of … surveillance and control systems depends upon the pieces of ourselves that we give up — or that are secretly stolen from us.
Our digital century was to have been democracy's Golden Age. Instead, we enter its third decade marked by a stark new form of social inequality best understood as ‘epistemic inequality' … extreme asymmetries of knowledge and the power that accrues to such knowledge, as the tech giants seize control of information and learning itself …
Surveillance capitalists exploit the widening inequity of knowledge for the sake of profits. They manipulate the economy, our society and even our lives with impunity, endangering not just individual privacy but democracy itself …
Still, the winds appear to have finally shifted. A fragile new awareness is dawning … Surveillance capitalists are fast because they seek neither genuine consent nor consensus. They rely on psychic numbing and messages of inevitability to conjure the helplessness, resignation and confusion that paralyze their prey.
Democracy is slow, and that's a good thing. Its pace reflects the tens of millions of conversations that occur … gradually stirring the sleeping giant of democracy to action.
These conversations are occurring now, and there are many indications that lawmakers are ready to join and to lead. This third decade is likely to decide our fate. Will we make the digital future better, or will it make us worse?”8,9
Epistemic Inequality
Epistemic inequality refers to inequality in what you're able to learn. “It is defined as unequal access to learning imposed by private commercial mechanisms of information capture, production, analysis, and sales. It is best exemplified in the fast-growing abyss between what we know and what is known about us,” Zuboff writes in her New York Times op-ed.10
Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft have spearheaded the surveillance market transformation, placing themselves at the top tier of the epistemic hierarchy. They know everything about you and you know nothing about them. You don't even know what they know about you.
“They operated in the shadows to amass huge knowledge monopolies by taking without asking, a maneuver that every child recognizes as theft,” Zuboff writes.
“Surveillance capitalism begins by unilaterally staking a claim to private human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data. Our lives are rendered as data flows.”
These data flows are about you, but not for you. All of it is used against you — to separate you from your money, or to make you act in a way that is in some way profitable for a company or a political agenda. So, ask yourself, where is your freedom in all of this?
They're Making You Dance to Their Tune
If a company can cause you to buy the stuff you don't need by sticking an enticing, personalized ad for something they know will boost your confidence at the exact moment you're feeling insecure or worthless (a tactic that has been tested and perfected11), are you really acting through free will?
If an artificial intelligence using predictive modeling senses you're getting hungry (based on a variety of cues such as your location, facial expressions, and verbal expressions) and launches an ad from a local restaurant to you in the very moment you're deciding to get something to eat, are you really making conscious, self-driven, value-based life choices? As noted by Zuboff in her article:12
“Unequal knowledge about us produces unequal power over us, and so epistemic inequality widens to include the distance between what we can do and what can be done to us. Data scientists describe this as the shift from monitoring to actuation, in which a critical mass of knowledge about a machine system enables the remote control of that system.
Now people have become targets for remote control, as surveillance capitalists discovered that the most predictive data come from intervening in behavior to tune, herd and modify action in the direction of commercial objectives.
This third imperative, ‘economies of action,' has become an arena of intense experimentation. ‘We are learning how to write the music,' one scientist said, ‘and then we let the music make them dance' …
The fact is that in the absence of corporate transparency and democratic oversight, epistemic inequality rules. They know. They decide who knows. They decide who decides. The public's intolerable knowledge disadvantage is deepened by surveillance capitalists' perfection of mass communications as gaslighting …
On April 30, 2019 Mark Zuckerberg made a dramatic announcement at the company's annual developer conference, declaring, ‘The future is private.' A few weeks later, a Facebook litigator appeared before a federal district judge in California to thwart a user lawsuit over privacy invasion, arguing that the very act of using Facebook negates any reasonable expectation of privacy ‘as a matter of law.'”
We Need a Whole New Regulatory Framework
In the video, Zuboff points out that there are no laws in place to curtail this brand-new type of surveillance capitalism, and the only reason it has been able to flourish over the past 20 years is that there's been an absence of laws against it, primarily because it has never previously existed.
That's the problem with epistemic inequality. Google and Facebook were the only ones who knew what they were doing. The surveillance network grew in the shadows, unbeknownst to the public or lawmakers. Had we fought against it for two decades, then we might have had to resign ourselves to defeat, but as it stands, we've never even tried to regulate it.
This, Zuboff says, should give us all hope. We can turn this around and take back our privacy, but we need legislation that addresses the actual reality of the entire breadth and depth of the data collection system. It's not enough to address just the data that we know that we're giving when we go online. Zuboff writes:13
“These contests of the 21st century demand a framework of epistemic rights enshrined in law and subject to democratic governance. Such rights would interrupt data supply chains by safeguarding the boundaries of human experience before they come under assault from the forces of datafication.
The choice to turn any aspect of one's life into data must belong to individuals by virtue of their rights in a democratic society. This means, for example, that companies cannot claim the right to your face, or use your face as free raw material for analysis, or own and sell any computational products that derive from your face …
Anything made by humans can be unmade by humans. Surveillance capitalism is young, barely 20 years in the making, but democracy is old, rooted in generations of hope and contest.
Surveillance capitalists are rich and powerful, but they are not invulnerable. They have an Achilles heel: fear. They fear lawmakers who do not fear them. They fear citizens who demand a new road forward as they insist on new answers to old questions: Who will know? Who will decide who knows? Who will decide who decides? Who will write the music, and who will dance?”
How to Protect Your Online Privacy
While there's no doubt we need a whole new legislative framework to curtail surveillance capitalism, in the meantime, there are ways you can protect your privacy online and limit the “behavioral surplus data” collected about you.
Robert Epstein, the senior research psychologist for the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology, recommends taking the following steps to protect your privacy:14


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--5 Things You Can Do Now to Feel Better

5 Things You Can Do Now to Feel Better

Does anyone else feel like a pioneer in this brave new world ?
It can be rather daunting at times .
We may find ourself at odds with family or friends .
But , there is help .
It is called , taking care of yourself .
This is the task of the day .
When one makes self-care a priority , then feeling better is not too far away .
Take a deep breath and let ’ s walk through some tasks that you can choose to do now to feel better now and for the rest of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
Even just one thing can make a difference .
I learned a practice years ago that is with me to this day .
An exercise that relaxes and oxygenates every cell in the body .
“ Practicing a regular , mindful breathing exercise can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.
” Andrew Weil , M.D .
Dr. Weil teaches three breathing exercises and techniques to help relax and reduce stress : The Stimulating Breath , The 4-7-8 Breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Breath Counting .
Try each of these breathing exercises and techniques and see how they affect your stress and anxiety levels .
Think whole foods .
Put this in your brain as super important .
Grab a single item instead of a box of ingredients .
Think about what you can eat , not what you can ’ t eat .
Reduce toxins .
Learn the best choices to buy organically or are clean .
Choose healthier snacks and leave the empty calories alone .
When we eat better , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course , but yours to make .
Get started by upgrading snacks .
Scroll down for some great ideas .
If you have food allergies or intolerances use the list accordingly .
Learn the why , here .
Remind yourself , just why you need to laugh more .
Remember to play and have more fun Avoid sources of distress , be it difficult relationships , horror movies or the daily news 4 .
Read about someone that inspires you .
What ’ s on my bookshelf ?
Katherine Dunham Go within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the world will not blow your candle out .
Katherine Dunham , anthropologist and dancer .
Katherine 's varied life experiences taught her the value of all life , especially her own .
“ Katherine Dunham first went to Haiti in 1936 , when she was granted a Rosenwald Fellowship to study primitive dance and ritual in the West Indies and Brazil .
A graduate student in anthropology , and already a successful dancer and choreographer , she found in Haiti endless variations of her two interests .
For more than thirty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , and as one reads Island Possessed , understanding grows as to why and how Haiti is indeed her spiritual home.
” How did I learn about Katherine ?
I was intrigued by her quote ( above ) as I prayed through Gregg Braden ’ s latest book : Wisdom Codes .
Your task is not to seek love , But merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it .
This is a big one and can take a life time , yet it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a life time .
Acknowledge there is a great part of you that desires to teach you , love you and allow you to let go of all the trappings that keep you stuck and frustrated .
Embrace yourself with a big hug and get to know that valuable Self .
A Blessing and Prayer , just for you My friends , may we give grace to one another .
May we feel love and be set free , no longer trapped by the right and wrong of what we see .
May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a deep knowing that it will be ok .
Choose to be the difference .
Choose to be kind .
Choose to be brave in love .
Look beyond the argument and see the person .
Don ’ t we all want life to be good ?
Let us be united by love , not separated by ideologies .
My friend , may the Sun warm you .
May the Earth nourish you .
May you feel love and be set free .
Healthy , safe , protected , strong .
Amen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snacks !
Happy munching !
Julia Julia Parsell is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor with an emphasis on the intersection of science and the sacred .
She writes from experiences and transformative understandings that have led her to an authentic and peaceful life .
She goes by these names : wife , daughter , grandmother , mother , sister , aunt , niece , cousin , and friend .
As home educator of her three children , she also developed/ran cafes , and maintained various leadership roles within her community .
Her greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life fully .
Her passions are family , art creation , writing , and trail blazing .
She is happily married in Western North Carolina .
Tags : 4-7-8 Breathing Technique , breath-work , featured , Gregg Braden , healthy snacks , Jalaluddin Rumi , laughter is the best medicine , Rumi , the wisdom codes , whole foods

Does anyone else feel like a pioneer in this brave new world? It can be rather daunting at times. We may find ourself at odds with family or friends. But, there is help. It is called, taking care of yourself. This is the task of the day. When one makes self-care a priority, then feeling better is not too far away. Take a deep breath and let’s walk through some tasks that you can choose to do now to feel better now and for the rest of your life. Healthy habits heal and empower us. Even just one thing can make a difference.
1. Breathe Better
I learned a practice years ago that is with me to this day. An exercise that relaxes and oxygenates every cell in the body. “Practicing a regular, mindful breathing exercise can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.” Andrew Weil, M.D.
Dr. Weil teaches three breathing exercises and techniques to help relax and reduce stress: The Stimulating Breath, The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (also called the Relaxing Breath) and Breath Counting. Try each of these breathing exercises and techniques and see how they affect your stress and anxiety levels.
2. Ramp up Your Diet
Think whole foods. Put this in your brain as super important. Grab a single item instead of a box of ingredients. Think about what you can eat, not what you can’t eat. Reduce toxins. Learn the best choices to buy organically or are clean. Choose healthier snacks and leave the empty calories alone. When we eat better, we feel better. It is a choice of course, but yours to make.
Get started by upgrading snacks. Scroll down for some great ideas. If you have food allergies or intolerances use the list accordingly.
3. Laugh More!
Learn the why, here.
Remind yourself, just why you need to laugh more.
Practice: Observe young children and follow their lead
Watch comedies…or read funny books
Remember to play and have more fun
Avoid sources of distress, be it difficult relationships, horror movies or the daily news
4. Read about someone that inspires you. What’s on my bookshelf? Katherine Dunham
Go within everyday and find the inner strength so that the world will not blow your candle out. Katherine Dunham, anthropologist and dancer.
Katherine's varied life experiences taught her the value of all life, especially her own. “Katherine Dunham first went to Haiti in 1936, when she was granted a Rosenwald Fellowship to study primitive dance and ritual in the West Indies and Brazil. A graduate student in anthropology, and already a successful dancer and choreographer, she found in Haiti endless variations of her two interests. For more than thirty years, she has returned again and again, and as one reads Island Possessed, understanding grows as to why and how Haiti is indeed her spiritual home.”
How did I learn about Katherine? I was intrigued by her quote (above) as I prayed through Gregg Braden’s latest book: Wisdom Codes.
5. Love Who, Love How?
Rumi gives great advice about love.
Your task is not to seek love,
But merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
This is a big one and can take a life time, yet it also doesn’t have to take a life time. Acknowledge there is a great part of you that desires to teach you, love you and allow you to let go of all the trappings that keep you stuck and frustrated. Embrace yourself with a big hug and get to know that valuable Self.
A Blessing and Prayer, just for you
My friends, may we give grace to one another. May we feel love and be set free, no longer trapped by the right and wrong of what we see. May we feel the ‘ripeness’ and have a deep knowing that it will be ok. Choose to be the difference. Choose to be kind. Choose to be brave in love. Look beyond the argument and see the person. Don’t we all want life to be good? Let us be united by love, not separated by ideologies.
My friend, may the Sun warm you. May the Earth nourish you. May you feel love and be set free. Healthy, safe, protected, strong. Amen.
Now, on to some great snacks! Happy munching! Julia
Healthy Snack List
Crunchy apples
frozen grapes
rice cakes
light popcorn or plain popcorn: use coconut oil to pop in a covered pan
one or two hard pretzels, the large Bavarian variety
carrots: particularly the super-sweet, organic baby carrots
crunchy crudités of veggies and dip (hummus, tabouli, vinaigrette, favorite dressing)
celery and peanut butter (use peanut butter without added ingredients, i.e. sugar)
hummus with whole grain toast, baby carrots, rice crackers
nuts Sweet wheatgrass
fresh, whole fruit
organic yogurt and ripe fruit
apples and almond butter
sprouted date bread with jam
frozen yogurt: freeze yogurt and make your own!
dried fruit
use leftover grains to make sweet porridge: drizzle maple syrup and sprinkle cinnamon, add nutmilk and bananas, heat with fruit juice, etc.
smoothies: mix whatever you have in the kitchen – fruit, ice, nutmilk, yogurt, carob powder, etc.
fruit “ice cream”: peel a banana, freeze, blend in a food processor with nuts, berries or raisins and serve; can be put through the screen of a juicer for a creamier consistency.
freshly squeezed fruit juices: make your own and try different combos.
sweet vegetables: yams, sweet potatoes, squashes (acorn, butternut, kabocha) cut into chunks or fries; sprinkle with cinnamon and bake.
dates stuffed with almond butter or other nut butter
organic dark chocolate chips or carob chips Salty olives
pickles and pickled vegetables, such as carrot, daikon, beets and lotus root
tabouli, hummus
oysters and sardines
steamed vegetables with tamari/shoyu or umeboshi vinegar
tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole: try whole grain chips such as “Garden of Eatin” brand and freshly made salsa or guacamole.
sauerkraut: it will also knock your sweet craving right out!
fresh lime or lemon juice as seasonings or in beverage
salted edamame
small amount of organic cheese Creamy smoothies
yogurt
avocados
rice pudding
dips and spreads, like hummus and baba ghanoush
puréed soups
puddings made with silken tofu, avocado or mashed banana
mashed sweet potatoes
coconut milk
Julia Parsell is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor with an emphasis on the intersection of science and the sacred. She writes from experiences and transformative understandings that have led her to an authentic and peaceful life. She goes by these names: wife, daughter, grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend. As home educator of her three children, she also developed/ran cafes, and maintained various leadership roles within her community. Her greatest desire is to encourage others to live life fully. Her passions are family, art creation, writing, and trail blazing. She is happily married in Western North Carolina.


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Bees Are Thriving As Pollution Plummets and Environmental Conditions Improve

( TMU ) – With nearly every facet of humanity facing disruption and economic activities screeching to a halt , the world has witnessed nature being given a break that has perhaps no precedent in the modern era .
As a result , marine life .
And with the lockdown leading to less pollution , less traffic , and a marked improvement in the environmental conditions across the globe , bees are thriving in a way they haven ’ t in years , reports .
The of people shopping locally , traveling less , and not cluttering roads with cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonies , according to the U.K. ’ s largest bee farm , Denrosa Apiaries .
Because of the marked improvements to the environment , 43-year-old beekeeper Helen McGregor believes that her community has become keenly aware of the need to preserve nature .
“ Less traffic , less pollution is bound to make a difference to the environment which of course has a positive knock-on effect for bees .
“ I think people are more aware of what ’ s going on around them and in the countryside just now because of lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasting.
” The beekeeping operation has been in business since the 1940s in Perth and Kinross , Scotland .
With 4,000 hives each filled with 50,000 bees , the massive commercial beekeeping operation founded by McGregor ’ s grandfather Kenneth has even produced honey for the British royal family .
And with environmental conditions improving , Helen is noticing a cultural shift among locals .
She explained : “ They are more aware of nature , maybe seeing hives when they are out and about and thinking more about the food they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s taking people back to their roots , making them look at what ’ s necessary for life and what ’ s not , it ’ s back to a basic outlook on life.
” The overall health of the bees at the farm isn ’ t just a factor that impacts Denrosa Apiaries – it also has a strong impact on the agrarian economy of the rural Scottish region .
Bees are perhaps one of the most important managed pollinators in agriculture .
Spreading the male sex cells of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural process that is highly crucial to plant reproduction .
“ We have hundreds of sites from down in England , all the way up to Aberdeenshire , with billions of bees .
“ A lot of farmers are looking for bees to help with crop pollination .
We have mini hives which we use to build up bee levels and we breed our own queen bees.
” The beekeeping operation now has hundreds of sites scattered across the U.K. with four or five teams checking about six sites daily .
Helen added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our season to say what production is going to be like but the bees are busy bringing back nectar and pollen .
“ We are at the mercy of the weather and could do with some rain as the ground is very dry.
” According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization , pollinators are worth anywhere from $ 235 and $ 577 billion worldwide owing to their pivotal role in the production of global crops .
In the U.S. , for example , bees are estimated to be responsible for no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crop production .
However , the health of bee colonies has been threatened by warming climate conditions , diseases , and parasites , and the food industry ’ s over-reliance on pesticides and other agro-industrial chemicals .
Without bees , we would likely have to kiss almonds , blueberries , watermelon , chili peppers , tomatoes , and other crops goodbye .
So this news from the U.K. is most definitely a much-needed bit of news we can certainly “ bee ” grateful for !
Tags : `` featured , bee population , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bees thriving , coronavirus lockdown , Coronavirus pandemic , COVID-19 lockdown , COVID-19 lockdown on air pollution , COVID-19 lockdown on pollution , COVID-19 pandemic , environmental conditions improving , featured , less pollution , pollution plummets

By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
(TMU) – With nearly every facet of humanity facing disruption and economic activities screeching to a halt, the world has witnessed nature being given a break that has perhaps no precedent in the modern era. As a result, marine life.
And with the lockdown leading to less pollution, less traffic, and a marked improvement in the environmental conditions across the globe, bees are thriving in a way they haven’t in years, reports Metro.
The “new normal” of people shopping locally, traveling less, and not cluttering roads with cars is having a healing effect on bee colonies, according to the U.K.’s largest bee farm, Denrosa Apiaries.
Because of the marked improvements to the environment, 43-year-old beekeeper Helen McGregor believes that her community has become keenly aware of the need to preserve nature.
McGregor said:
“Less traffic, less pollution is bound to make a difference to the environment which of course has a positive knock-on effect for bees.
“I think people are more aware of what’s going on around them and in the countryside just now because of lockdown. Hopefully, we see these changes lasting.”
I took these on 4/11, but our honey bees are THRIVING rn. These little creatures are so sensitive to everything but in the middle of a pandemic ours have been doing better than they ever have in the past 8 years. #SavetheBees bc we’d be in worse shape than we are now w/o them. pic.twitter.com/62s0IEyKq9 — Hannah (@gracehannah317) May 13, 2020
The beekeeping operation has been in business since the 1940s in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. With 4,000 hives each filled with 50,000 bees, the massive commercial beekeeping operation founded by McGregor’s grandfather Kenneth has even produced honey for the British royal family.
And with environmental conditions improving, Helen is noticing a cultural shift among locals. She explained:
“They are more aware of nature, maybe seeing hives when they are out and about and thinking more about the food they are eating and where it comes from.
“It’s taking people back to their roots, making them look at what’s necessary for life and what’s not, it’s back to a basic outlook on life.”
#bees are and essential part of any ecosystem due to their importance as #pollinators 🌺. Let’s protect 🛡 them to ensure our natural 🌱 spaces are healthy ✅ Photo by: John Campbell pic.twitter.com/LKdlCfizzO — Terrestria: The Earth’s Brand (@TerrestriaTEB) May 16, 2020
The overall health of the bees at the farm isn’t just a factor that impacts Denrosa Apiaries – it also has a strong impact on the agrarian economy of the rural Scottish region.
Bees are perhaps one of the most important managed pollinators in agriculture. Spreading the male sex cells of flowers to their female counterparts in a natural process that is highly crucial to plant reproduction.
Helen noted:
“We have hundreds of sites from down in England, all the way up to Aberdeenshire, with billions of bees.
“A lot of farmers are looking for bees to help with crop pollination. We have mini hives which we use to build up bee levels and we breed our own queen bees.”
Great news! We are now hosting 100,000 bees on our farm to pollinate our honeyberry crop, oil seed rape & more thanks to our new collaboration with @calluna4u of Denrosa Apiaries 🐝 🌼 #naturalfarming #sustainablefarming #bees #workingwithnature @nffnuk pic.twitter.com/AhR8Yimxks — Lunan Bay Farm (@LunanBayFarm) April 18, 2020
The beekeeping operation now has hundreds of sites scattered across the U.K. with four or five teams checking about six sites daily. Helen added:
“It’s very early in our season to say what production is going to be like but the bees are busy bringing back nectar and pollen.
“We are at the mercy of the weather and could do with some rain as the ground is very dry.”
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, pollinators are worth anywhere from $235 and $577 billion worldwide owing to their pivotal role in the production of global crops. In the U.S., for example, bees are estimated to be responsible for no less than $20 billion of domestic crop production. However, the health of bee colonies has been threatened by warming climate conditions, diseases, and parasites, and the food industry’s over-reliance on pesticides and other agro-industrial chemicals.
Without bees, we would likely have to kiss almonds, blueberries, watermelon, chili peppers, tomatoes, and other crops goodbye.
So this news from the U.K. is most definitely a much-needed bit of news we can certainly “bee” grateful for!


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Mars in Pisces – Your Zodiac Forecast…

Mars in Pisces – Your Zodiac Forecast…

Mars passes through the 12th sign of the Zodiac Pisces from now for the next 6.5 weeks through to the @ @ @ @ @ is the impact of Mars in Pisces and what angles will Mars forge to other @ @ @ @ @ how will they impact upon us all ?
Also , crucially what does this mean @ @ @ @ @ For my Deep Dive Video and for much much more Please CLICK or TAP on @ @ @ @ @ 2020 transit astrology , Astrology 2020 , astrology transit 2020 , being a mars in @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus astrology predictions english , coronavirus prediction , coronavirus update news , covid 19 astrology @ @ @ @ @ in pisces , mars in pisces , mars in pisces astrology , mars in pisces @ @ @ @ @ in love , mars in pisces may 2020 , mars in pisces personality , mars @ @ @ @ @ , pisces mars , pisces mars in love

Mars passes through the 12th sign of the Zodiac Pisces from now for the next 6.5 weeks through to the 27th June 2020. What is the impact of Mars in Pisces and what angles will Mars forge to other planets during this period and how will they impact upon us all? Also, crucially what does this mean for your Zodiac Sign? For my Deep Dive Video and for much much more Please CLICK or TAP on the Video below…
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consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Morning Inspiration: Go After Your Goals. Never Doubt Yourself! (Motivational Video)

Always consistently believe that you can achieve what you set out to do .
Never doubt yourself and keep becoming that specific outcome you hope for .
“ When you 're asleep ladies , and gentlemen you need your dreams , I 'm here to tell you that when you 're wide awake you also need your dreams .
You must have your goals .
You 'll never make it as a wandering generality .
You must become a meaningful specific.
” Zig Ziglar “ You know what you 're supposed to do .
Deep down inside I think everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't go after it .
Most people start out and say I wan na be a this but I wan na have that to make sure I have something to fall back on .
And what you 're doing is you 're setting yourself up for failure because you know there 's a possibility imma fall back and when you put that out there then you fall back.
” Tags : `` featured , featured , how to believe in yourself , How to go after your goals , how to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself , how to set goals for yourself

Source: Mulligan Brothers MOTIVATION
Always consistently believe that you can achieve what you set out to do. Never doubt yourself and keep becoming that specific outcome you hope for.
“When you're asleep ladies, and gentlemen you need your dreams, I'm here to tell you that when you're wide awake you also need your dreams. You must have your goals. You'll never make it as a wandering generality. You must become a meaningful specific.” Zig Ziglar
“You know what you're supposed to do. Deep down inside I think everybody does, a lot of people just don't go after it. Most people start out and say I wanna be a this but I wanna have that to make sure I have something to fall back on. And what you're doing is you're setting yourself up for failure because you know there's a possibility imma fall back and when you put that out there then you fall back.”
Watch and be motivated today!!


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Which Doctor Type Should You See First After a Car Accident?

You heard the sickening squeal of tires , then that horrifying crunch as your car collided with another vehicle .
While accidents happen all the time , they can still leave you shaken when one happens to you .
If you were lucky , you walked away from the accident feeling bruised but not hurt .
However , you still need to see a doctor , as injuries can develop down the line .
What doctor type should you consult with ?
Read on to find out !
If You Have Immediate Issues Most people who suffer obvious injuries during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , broken bones , or deep lacerations , will be taken to the hospital straight away in an ambulance .
But maybe you do n't feel the pain right after the crash .
Adrenaline can do that to you .
Later on that day , you could develop symptoms of something serious .
What you thought was just bruised could start to feel broken , or your pain might not be going away with a couple of Tylenol .
If anything like that happens , head to the emergency room or an urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You Were Unhurt So you wake up the next morning , and you feel basically fine .
Maybe there are a couple of scratches , a black eye , some bruises on your arms or legs .
But there 's nothing more than that , and anyway , you need to get back to work to pay for those car repairs .
Not so fast .
It is important — nay , essential — that you visit a doctor just in case .
In case of what ?
Well , there are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right away .
Left untreated , they could really do some damage to your well-being and overall health in the future .
Additionally , it 's good to have a medical paper trail in the event that you or other driver initiates legal action over the accident .
What Kind of Injuries Can Develop Down the Line ?
Whiplash , back problems , knee injuries , traumatic brain injuries , even PTSD — these can all take hours or even days to manifest themselves after an accident .
So go get yourself checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
When you call , explain that you have been involved in a car crash and see if they will fit you in .
Your doctor might not be available , but maybe someone else can see you .
Can ' get an appointment within , say , 48 hours of the accident ?
Head to an urgent care facility for a thorough exam .
Before your appointment , it 's a good idea to find out what questions to ask a doctor after a car accident .
In the weeks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you may also want to visit a chiropractor , neurologist , physical therapist , or pain management specialist .
If you 're not sure where to turn next , ask your PCP for guidance and a referral , if necessary .
It 's crucial to take care of yourself after an accident .
Part of that care means seeing the right doctor type in the hours , days , and weeks ahead .
Do n't mess with your health .
Take the time to be evaluated — for your future and your peace @ @ @

You heard the sickening squeal of tires, then that horrifying crunch as your car collided with another vehicle. While accidents happen all the time, they can still leave you shaken when one happens to you.
If you were lucky, you walked away from the accident feeling bruised but not hurt. However, you still need to see a doctor, as injuries can develop down the line.
What doctor type should you consult with? Read on to find out!
If You Have Immediate Issues
Most people who suffer obvious injuries during a car accident, things like concussions, broken bones, or deep lacerations, will be taken to the hospital straight away in an ambulance. But maybe you don't feel the pain right after the crash. Adrenaline can do that to you.
Later on that day, you could develop symptoms of something serious. What you thought was just bruised could start to feel broken, or your pain might not be going away with a couple of Tylenol. If anything like that happens, head to the emergency room or an urgent care facility.
Even If You Think You Were Unhurt
So you wake up the next morning, and you feel basically fine. Maybe there are a couple of scratches, a black eye, some bruises on your arms or legs. But there's nothing more than that, and anyway, you need to get back to work to pay for those car repairs.
Not so fast. It is important — nay, essential — that you visit a doctor just in case. In case of what? Well, there are several serious injuries that might not become symptomatic right away. Left untreated, they could really do some damage to your well-being and overall health in the future.
Additionally, it's good to have a medical paper trail in the event that you or other driver initiates legal action over the accident.
What Kind of Injuries Can Develop Down the Line?
Whiplash, back problems, knee injuries, traumatic brain injuries, even PTSD — these can all take hours or even days to manifest themselves after an accident. So go get yourself checked out at your primary care physician's office.
When you call, explain that you have been involved in a car crash and see if they will fit you in. Your doctor might not be available, but maybe someone else can see you. Can' get an appointment within, say, 48 hours of the accident? Head to an urgent care facility for a thorough exam.
Before your appointment, it's a good idea to find out what questions to ask a doctor after a car accident.
Other Doctor Types To Visit
In the weeks to come, depending on your injuries, you may also want to visit a chiropractor, neurologist, physical therapist, or pain management specialist. If you're not sure where to turn next, ask your PCP for guidance and a referral, if necessary.
Sometimes varying injuries can result in surprising outcomes. For example, did you know if you hit your head the wrong way, you can go blind? Sometimes you might just lose certain aspects of your vision. Vehicular injuries often result in surprising injuries that have effects that don’t fully manifest for days, weeks, and sometimes months after the actual event. While it’s important to have a medical professional examine you right after the accident, and keep a record of that examination for potential liability or insurance issues later, it’s also important to get subsequent examination later should issues develop. For example, if you lose vision quality or clarity after an accident, you might want to seek a refraction eye exam. Such exams essentially determine how well your eyes are working and may be able to demonstrate you’ve sustained some sort of loss from a given accident. Also, catching such problems early enough can help you receive proper medical help in time—there are injuries where, if you wait too long, there’s no help you can find.
It's crucial to take care of yourself after an accident. Part of that care means seeing the right doctor type in the hours, days, and weeks ahead.
Don't mess with your health. Take the time to be evaluated — for your future and your peace of mind!


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--Boost Physical Activity With a Twist on the Daily Routine

Daily life ’ s monotonous work gives us little to enjoy .
The same old routine that we follow days after days brings with it boredom .
It overshadows our vision of life .
Here comes the necessity to spice up life with some added twist of physical exercise .
Incorporating some sort of physical exercise adds vigor and energy to life .
It also boosts the testosterone level .
We all know that the testosterone level starts to decrease after reaching a certain age .
Physical movements and exercise help us to maintain it .
There are also test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way or the other , we need to boost our strength , stamina , and testosterone level to balance the bliss of our life .
According to WHO guidelines adults , aged between 18-64 , should go through at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of tougher physical activity .
Let ’ s have a look at how we can boost these physical activities in our daily routine .
You can start the morning fresh with a little exercise that will take not more than 5 minutes .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shoulder rolls .
Add some rounds of toe touches , planks , and sit-ups .
Then you are all set to start your day ’ s journey .
Are you used to going to your office in that cozy car of yours ?
If so you might still add some exercise on your way to the workplace .
First of all , if your workplace is near to your home , you can leave the car in the garage and just walk to the office .
Walking is a great exercise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If your workplace is located at a formidable distance from your home , don ’ t worry .
Sometimes you can avail public commute and get down at an earlier station .
You simply walk the remaining short distance .
This obviously requires a bit of planning .
You ’ ll have to wake up a little early in the morning , say 30 minutes before your usual timing .
But the benefit of all these simple exercises is highly rewarding .
Trust me .
Add some more physical movements in your work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off at your office .
But if it involves sitting on a desk all day , you do little good to your health .
How about you take the stairs to some floors instead of taking the lift all the way to your designated floor ?
This habit will add immensely to your fitness .
Moreover , you can take 5 minutes of a short break in between work .
Use these 5 minutes to do some stretching with your desk and maybe some shoulder rolls .
This will give you renewed vigor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People , especially men , tend to lie down on the couch and switch on the TV after they return from work .
But there are way more interesting things that you can do when your work shift ends .
You can go for an evening walk along the park before you hit the showers .
This works both ways .
It ’ s good exercise and also it allows you to socialize and make new friends .
Play more with the little children : Some parents give their smartphones to little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest .
This is a trend that should be avoided .
Try to engage yourself more with the child .
Run around the home with the little one , make the junior chase you .
You can perform some groovy dance and entertain the child .
Or if the child is just a baby , take it upon your shoulder and walk around the living room .
This way , the child is happy and your body gets the physical activity it needs .
Moreover , if your little one is much older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time regularly to take the child to the fields .
Teach him some baseball , football moves , or simply play the sport of your choice .
Home is the best place for exercise .
You don ’ t always have to hit the gym floor to get your body fit .
You can do lots of stuff at home .
Moreover , you can save time for commuting to gyms and fitness clubs .
You can do push-ups , sit-ups at home .
Grab a rope and do some skipping .
Skipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to lose weight .
Take a genuine interest in doing the household chores yourself .
You can sweep and mop the floors of the house .
Don ’ t always hire a mower or gardener .
Find time to do these yourself .
These physical activities will boost your health a lot .
You might switch on the TV to listen to the news .
You don ’ t have to do it lying down .
You can walk around the home while you listen to the news .
You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Turn on Spotify or Youtube Music and start dancing .
The above-mentioned techniques are quite useful .
But the daily lives and daily routines differ from person to person .
You can incorporate the ones which suit your strength , timing , and schedule .
It goes without saying that good health and a fit body are the best gifts we can have .
John Brooks is the Professional Content Marketer .
He writes a lot of articles on his career .
Last one year he has been working with Orbeen.com as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides various types of Digital Marketing services i.e , Search Engine Optimisation ( SEO ) , Search Engine Marketing ( SEM ) , Social Media Optimization ( SMO ) , Web design & development , Link Building services , Outreach guest post , Content Marketing & blogger outreach .

Daily life’s monotonous work gives us little to enjoy. The same old routine that we follow days after days brings with it boredom. It overshadows our vision of life. Here comes the necessity to spice up life with some added twist of physical exercise. Incorporating some sort of physical exercise adds vigor and energy to life. It also boosts the testosterone level. We all know that the testosterone level starts to decrease after reaching a certain age. Physical movements and exercise help us to maintain it. There are also test boosters that work just fine. One way or the other, we need to boost our strength, stamina, and testosterone level to balance the bliss of our life.
According to WHO guidelines adults, aged between 18-64, should go through at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of tougher physical activity. Let’s have a look at how we can boost these physical activities in our daily routine.
Morning time:
You can start the morning fresh with a little exercise that will take not more than 5 minutes. After you wake up, do some stretching and shoulder rolls. Add some rounds of toe touches, planks, and sit-ups. Then you are all set to start your day’s journey.
Commute to the office:
Are you used to going to your office in that cozy car of yours? If so you might still add some exercise on your way to the workplace. First of all, if your workplace is near to your home, you can leave the car in the garage and just walk to the office. Walking is a great exercise and it is good for your heart. If your workplace is located at a formidable distance from your home, don’t worry. Sometimes you can avail public commute and get down at an earlier station. You simply walk the remaining short distance. This obviously requires a bit of planning. You’ll have to wake up a little early in the morning, say 30 minutes before your usual timing. But the benefit of all these simple exercises is highly rewarding. Trust me.
Add some more physical movements in your work:
You might be working your ass off at your office. But if it involves sitting on a desk all day, you do little good to your health. How about you take the stairs to some floors instead of taking the lift all the way to your designated floor? This habit will add immensely to your fitness. Moreover, you can take 5 minutes of a short break in between work. Use these 5 minutes to do some stretching with your desk and maybe some shoulder rolls. This will give you renewed vigor and enable you to work more efficiently.
Evening exercise:
People, especially men, tend to lie down on the couch and switch on the TV after they return from work. But there are way more interesting things that you can do when your work shift ends. You can go for an evening walk along the park before you hit the showers. This works both ways. It’s good exercise and also it allows you to socialize and make new friends.
Play more with the little children:
Some parents give their smartphones to little children to get them occupied while they rest. This is a trend that should be avoided. Try to engage yourself more with the child. Run around the home with the little one, make the junior chase you. You can perform some groovy dance and entertain the child. Or if the child is just a baby, take it upon your shoulder and walk around the living room. This way, the child is happy and your body gets the physical activity it needs. Moreover, if your little one is much older you can still engage. Manage some time regularly to take the child to the fields. Teach him some baseball, football moves, or simply play the sport of your choice.
Exercise at home:
Home is the best place for exercise. You don’t always have to hit the gym floor to get your body fit. You can do lots of stuff at home. Moreover, you can save time for commuting to gyms and fitness clubs. You can do push-ups, sit-ups at home. Grab a rope and do some skipping. Skipping is a great exercise and helps a lot to lose weight. Take a genuine interest in doing the household chores yourself. You can sweep and mop the floors of the house. Don’t always hire a mower or gardener. Find time to do these yourself. These physical activities will boost your health a lot. You might switch on the TV to listen to the news. You don’t have to do it lying down. You can walk around the home while you listen to the news. You’re in a mood for some pop music? Turn on Spotify or Youtube Music and start dancing.
The above-mentioned techniques are quite useful. But the daily lives and daily routines differ from person to person. You can incorporate the ones which suit your strength, timing, and schedule. It goes without saying that good health and a fit body are the best gifts we can have.
Author Bio:
John Brooks is the Professional Content Marketer. He writes a lot of articles on his career. Last one year he has been working with Orbeen.com as a digital marketing expert. The company provides various types of Digital Marketing services i.e, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Optimization (SMO), Web design & development, Link Building services, Outreach guest post, Content Marketing & blogger outreach.
Image Source:
https://pixabay.com/photos/wood-outdoors-nature-tree-people-3094281/


consciouslifenews--2020-05-17--A Troubling New Way that Covid-19 Seems to Be Affecting Children

America is trying to get back to work these days in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak , and it ’ s distinctly challenging .
Everyone is under a lot of stress , with food and economic insecurity , and a general sense of malaise that is difficult to shake .
One report indicated that as many as 82 % of US workers suffer from work-related stress , and that number could rise as a result of what ’ s happening right now .
In the early days of the outbreak , parents could at least take a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seem to be impacted by the virus as much as the elderly or those with preexisting conditions .
Unfortunately , a troubling new disorder has emerged that seems to be targeting younger carriers .
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a condition occurring in children that is Covid-19 related .
They call it .
It seems rare , at least for the moment , but it is frightening enough that it has plenty of parents worried .
This disorder has shown up in at least 19 states and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one point , it was being referred to as pediatric multisymptom inflammatory syndrome .
Most of the cases have been reported in New York state , which has been hit hardest by the virus in terms of deaths and infection rates .
Three young children have died of it there , while New Jersey has seen at least 17 cases .
It has also shown up in : What are the Diagnosis Criteria ?
Doctors seeing this condition in children report a fever of at least 100.4 for at least 24 uninterrupted hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems in at least two organs .
Those might include : To receive the diagnosis , though , the child in question must also show evidence of having Covid-19 .
A positive diagnostic test can serve as confirmation , or there is also a kind of test that looks for antibodies .
What Are Doctors Saying ?
Doctors who have come in contact with this disorder say that or toxic shock syndrome .
Severe inflammation of the coronary arteries seems to be a common symptom as well .
Understanding of this particular aspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stages .
What Does the CDC Say About It ?
The CDC states on their website that “ There is limited information currently available about risk factors , pathogenesis , clinical course , and treatment for MIS-C. ” That ’ s not exactly going to come as good news for parents , especially in parts of the country that are trying to reopen .
The CDC has reached out to healthcare providers who feel they have encountered this disorder .
It ’ s part of a concerted effort to compile a database about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to start coming up with some ways of fighting the disorder when it appears in younger children .
As of now , there have been no indications that Covid-19 affects adults in precisely the same way as has been described for this newly emerging disorder .
In adults , more common symptoms include a general sense of fatigue , fever , respiratory distress , muscular weakness , and muscular pain .
Other possible signs are a sore throat , a loss of taste or smell , chills and shaking .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
What Can You Do to Prevent Multisymptom Inflammatory Disorder in Your Children ?
Regrettably , there is no way of knowing yet why the children who have contracted this condition have done so .
It seems evident that hundreds , and probably thousands of more children have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus .
But why have these new symptoms emerged in some and not others ?
The reality is that there is still so much about the virus that isn ’ t known .
New and often baffling symptoms seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even week-to-week .
The best thing that you can do to prevent your children from falling victim to multisymptom inflammatory disorder is to follow the general Covid-19 guidelines recommended by the CDC .
What Are Those Guidelines ?
You should keep your children away from any playdates with their friends , at least until your state has determined that it is safe to do so again .
They can have online playdates through conference apps like Zoom or Skype .
If you do go out with your kids , make sure that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either one of the disposable face masks or a cloth one .
There are tutorials online on how to make a cloth mask if you don ’ t have any of the disposable ones , or you can buy cloth masks from online retailers like Etsy .
What if Your Kids are Having Trouble Coping with this New Way of Life ?
Earlier , we spoke about work-related stress .
It is doubtless going to be stressful for parents as they try to get back to work amid such a tumultuous period in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger children who have a hard time understanding why they can ’ t see their friends , teachers , and perhaps other family members with whom they would typically interact ?
You ’ ll need to try and explain to them as best you can that these are dangerous times , and you have to prevent them from getting sick .
You can tell them that things will go back to normal soon , but for now , it ’ s your responsibility to protect them and keep them out of danger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a game out of your quarantine situation .
As new manifestations of the virus rear their ugly head , make sure that you do all you can to keep yourself mentally healthy .
If you co-parent , then see if your spouse or partner can take the kids sometimes so you can have a little downtime .
You won ’ t be much good to your children if you ’ re stressing yourself out too much .
Disclaimer : Content from the ConsciousLifeNews.com website and blog is not intended to be used for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer understanding and is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice .
As health and nutrition research continuously evolves , we do not guarantee the accuracy , completeness , or timeliness of any information presented on this website .

America is trying to get back to work these days in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, and it’s distinctly challenging. Everyone is under a lot of stress, with food and economic insecurity, and a general sense of malaise that is difficult to shake. One report indicated that as many as 82% of US workers suffer from work-related stress , and that number could rise as a result of what’s happening right now.
In the early days of the outbreak, parents could at least take a little comfort in the fact that children didn’t seem to be impacted by the virus as much as the elderly or those with preexisting conditions. Unfortunately, a troubling new disorder has emerged that seems to be targeting younger carriers.
Multisymptom Inflammatory Disorder
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a condition occurring in children that is Covid-19 related. They call it multisymptom inflammatory disorder . It seems rare, at least for the moment, but it is frightening enough that it has plenty of parents worried.
This disorder has shown up in at least 19 states and Washington, D.C. as well. At one point, it was being referred to as pediatric multisymptom inflammatory syndrome.
Most of the cases have been reported in New York state, which has been hit hardest by the virus in terms of deaths and infection rates. Three young children have died of it there, while New Jersey has seen at least 17 cases. It has also shown up in:
Ohio
Kentucky
Georgia
Connecticut
What are the Diagnosis Criteria?
Doctors seeing this condition in children report a fever of at least 100.4 for at least 24 uninterrupted hours. Inflammation in the body is another giveaway, coupled with problems in at least two organs. Those might include:
The lungs
The heart
The kidneys
To receive the diagnosis, though, the child in question must also show evidence of having Covid-19. A positive diagnostic test can serve as confirmation, or there is also a kind of test that looks for antibodies.
What Are Doctors Saying?
Doctors who have come in contact with this disorder say that it resembles Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome. Severe inflammation of the coronary arteries seems to be a common symptom as well. Understanding of this particular aspect of Covid-19 is in the earliest possible stages.
What Does the CDC Say About It?
The CDC states on their website that “There is limited information currently available about risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical course, and treatment for MIS-C.” That’s not exactly going to come as good news for parents, especially in parts of the country that are trying to reopen.
The CDC has reached out to healthcare providers who feel they have encountered this disorder. It’s part of a concerted effort to compile a database about this new wrinkle in the Covid-19 story and to start coming up with some ways of fighting the disorder when it appears in younger children.
Can Adults Develop Multisymptom Inflammatory Disorder?
As of now, there have been no indications that Covid-19 affects adults in precisely the same way as has been described for this newly emerging disorder. In adults, more common symptoms include a general sense of fatigue, fever, respiratory distress, muscular weakness, and muscular pain. Other possible signs are a sore throat, a loss of taste or smell, chills and shaking.
There are also more atypical signs manifesting in some people.
What Can You Do to Prevent Multisymptom Inflammatory Disorder in Your Children?
Regrettably, there is no way of knowing yet why the children who have contracted this condition have done so. It seems evident that hundreds, and probably thousands of more children have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus. But why have these new symptoms emerged in some and not others?
The reality is that there is still so much about the virus that isn’t known. New and often baffling symptoms seem to be popping up month-to-month, or even week-to-week. The best thing that you can do to prevent your children from falling victim to multisymptom inflammatory disorder is to follow the general Covid-19 guidelines recommended by the CDC.
What Are Those Guidelines?
You should keep your children away from any playdates with their friends, at least until your state has determined that it is safe to do so again. They can have online playdates through conference apps like Zoom or Skype.
If you do go out with your kids, make sure that they wear a mask. It can be either one of the disposable face masks or a cloth one. There are tutorials online on how to make a cloth mask if you don’t have any of the disposable ones, or you can buy cloth masks from online retailers like Etsy.
What if Your Kids are Having Trouble Coping with this New Way of Life?
Earlier, we spoke about work-related stress. It is doubtless going to be stressful for parents as they try to get back to work amid such a tumultuous period in our history. But what about the younger children who have a hard time understanding why they can’t see their friends, teachers, and perhaps other family members with whom they would typically interact?
You’ll need to try and explain to them as best you can that these are dangerous times, and you have to prevent them from getting sick. You can tell them that things will go back to normal soon, but for now, it’s your responsibility to protect them and keep them out of danger. You might even be able to make a game out of your quarantine situation.
As new manifestations of the virus rear their ugly head, make sure that you do all you can to keep yourself mentally healthy. If you co-parent, then see if your spouse or partner can take the kids sometimes so you can have a little downtime. You won’t be much good to your children if you’re stressing yourself out too much.
Disclaimer: Content from the ConsciousLifeNews.com website and blog is not intended to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer understanding and is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. As health and nutrition research continuously evolves, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information presented on this website.


consciouslifenews--2020-05-18--The Most Unexpected Things Worth Packing For an Unforgettable Vacation

Are you dreaming about spending your holidays in an exciting and usual way ?
We tend to plan in detail the destinations and sights we are gon na visit during our journey but we often skip on planning for the time between walking through the corridors of Louvre and climbing in Grand Canyon .
What interesting activities can you involve ?
A really great holiday starts with your luggage .
Portable power bank and charger , pillow to comfort yourself on a plane , corkscrew , and bikini sound too obvious things to take ?
Here are a few unexpected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handpan you could hardly think about but that can make your journey really fantastic !
Swinging on the beach with a glass of margarita and listening to the ocean waves .
Or placing yourself comfortably with a blanket in a forest with a cup of hot chocolate , smores and enjoying the birds singing all around .
A hammock can make your holidays really incredible and can be taken to pretty any trip .
It ’ s a perfect way to feel a connection with nature .
It requires just a little space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up .
Stick it between two trees or even the balcony railing ( if it ’ s firm enough ) .
A yoga hammock is a two-in-one as you can enjoy swinging and also practice aerial yoga and stretching .
These two activities provide tons of health benefits including improved circulations , deep tissue massage , pain relief , and relaxation after a long and adventurous day .
Place the hammock in a doorpost and you ’ ll be able to have a great workout to keep your body in tonus ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all skip on during the vacations ?
Binocular observation can be an exciting way to spend the time during travelling , especially if you are skiing in mountains or plan some walkies to natural parks ( a total must if you go to a camping or natural sight-seeing tour ) .
It extends the horizon ( and in a literal sense as well ) of your journey .
There ’ s a great variety of compact and light-weighted options designed for travelling .
If you are staying near the seashore , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balcony and observing the horizon .
If you are lucky and patient enough , you can get the chance to see the sea creatures like dolphins or whales .
Binocular will be also a good edition for a city-travel tour .
Take it to an observation deck and take a look over around the city .
It ’ s a much better and much more convenient option than 50 cent coin-operated binoculars that are placed out there .
Taking a guitar while travelling is nice but is too boring for this shortlist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you go travelling .
And there ’ s no need to say some trips can be really spontaneous .
Here ’ s an unusual alternative that can make it to be the best trip of your life .
Have you heard about the RAV Pans – strange UFO-alike instruments that have a serene voice ?
The RAV Pan belongs to the handpan class – the steel drums that have the shape of the inverted hemispheres with the dimples placed around the centre note .
The note of each dimple is tuned with hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It gives the instrument a soft voice that sounds like a harmonious blend of harp and wind chimes .
A great perk about the handpans is that they are easily transportable and can be taken anywhere from some deserted Thai beach to Piccadilly street ( it ’ s hard to imagine you could take the piano or harp to enjoy the music in these places ) .
Handpans are very harmonious instruments that let you create amazing sounds without any musical background required .
You can meditate with the F Pygmy RAV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or play the B Celtic Minor RAV Pan for your friends while sitting around the campfire and creating an incredible mood for everyone .
Don ’ t forget to pick up the case ( you can one from a great variety provided by the RAV Vast Drum ’ s brand ) to make travelling with your RAV easy and safe .
A secret tip for pro travellers : pack your cloth inside the RAV Pan ( but don ’ t put too much to avoid an excessive pressure upon the dimples ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ instrument and will let you save .
This can be a nice addition if you are gon na stay near water .
Fishing or catching crabs is a great activity and a creative way to have a perfect dinner ( and save some money as well ) .
There are the fishing kits that are so small they can fit a tea box .
You do not even need a rod or know all the secrets of fishing .
Take a fishing line , hook , and jig .
You can also take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for shell-fish .
Do some preparatory investigations about the fishing spots and the type of fish you can catch .
Make sure you don ’ t surpass the fishing limitations in the area you are staying in .
Travelling is the time for new discoveries .
Stay open-minded for new ideas , keep safe , be creative , and have the best trip of your life !

Are you dreaming about spending your holidays in an exciting and usual way? We tend to plan in detail the destinations and sights we are gonna visit during our journey but we often skip on planning for the time between walking through the corridors of Louvre and climbing in Grand Canyon. What interesting activities can you involve?
A really great holiday starts with your luggage. Portable power bank and charger, pillow to comfort yourself on a plane, corkscrew, and bikini sound too obvious things to take? Here are a few unexpected items including the yoga hammock and mysterious handpan you could hardly think about but that can make your journey really fantastic!
Item 1. Yoga hammock
Swinging on the beach with a glass of margarita and listening to the ocean waves. Or placing yourself comfortably with a blanket in a forest with a cup of hot chocolate, smores and enjoying the birds singing all around. A hammock can make your holidays really incredible and can be taken to pretty any trip. It’s a perfect way to feel a connection with nature. It requires just a little space in your luggage and is easy to set up. Stick it between two trees or even the balcony railing (if it’s firm enough).
A yoga hammock is a two-in-one as you can enjoy swinging and also practice aerial yoga and stretching. These two activities provide tons of health benefits including improved circulations, deep tissue massage, pain relief, and relaxation after a long and adventurous day. Place the hammock in a doorpost and you’ll be able to have a great workout to keep your body in tonus (and isn’t it what we all skip on during the vacations?
Item 2. Binocular
Binocular observation can be an exciting way to spend the time during travelling, especially if you are skiing in mountains or plan some walkies to natural parks (a total must if you go to a camping or natural sight-seeing tour). It extends the horizon (and in a literal sense as well) of your journey. There’s a great variety of compact and light-weighted options designed for travelling.
If you are staying near the seashore, you can spend a nice time sitting on your balcony and observing the horizon. If you are lucky and patient enough, you can get the chance to see the sea creatures like dolphins or whales. Binocular will be also a good edition for a city-travel tour. Take it to an observation deck and take a look over around the city. It’s a much better and much more convenient option than 50 cent coin-operated binoculars that are placed out there.
Item 3. RAV Pan
Taking a guitar while travelling is nice but is too boring for this shortlist. It also requires know-how and practice before you go travelling. And there’s no need to say some trips can be really spontaneous. Here’s an unusual alternative that can make it to be the best trip of your life.
Have you heard about the RAV Pans – strange UFO-alike instruments that have a serene voice? The RAV Pan belongs to the handpan class – the steel drums that have the shape of the inverted hemispheres with the dimples placed around the centre note. The note of each dimple is tuned with hundreds of hammer blows of the steel shell. It gives the instrument a soft voice that sounds like a harmonious blend of harp and wind chimes.
A great perk about the handpans is that they are easily transportable and can be taken anywhere from some deserted Thai beach to Piccadilly street (it’s hard to imagine you could take the piano or harp to enjoy the music in these places). Handpans are very harmonious instruments that let you create amazing sounds without any musical background required.
You can meditate with the F Pygmy RAV Pan sitting alone on the beach, or play the B Celtic Minor RAV Pan for your friends while sitting around the campfire and creating an incredible mood for everyone.
Don’t forget to pick up the case (you can one from a great variety provided by the RAV Vast Drum’s brand) to make travelling with your RAV easy and safe. A secret tip for pro travellers: pack your cloth inside the RAV Pan (but don’t put too much to avoid an excessive pressure upon the dimples). This will provide additional protection for you instrument and will let you save.
Item 4. Fishing kit
This can be a nice addition if you are gonna stay near water. Fishing or catching crabs is a great activity and a creative way to have a perfect dinner (and save some money as well).
There are the fishing kits that are so small they can fit a tea box. You do not even need a rod or know all the secrets of fishing. Take a fishing line, hook, and jig. You can also take a walk during low tide and look for shell-fish. Do some preparatory investigations about the fishing spots and the type of fish you can catch. Make sure you don’t surpass the fishing limitations in the area you are staying in.
Travelling is the time for new discoveries. Stay open-minded for new ideas, keep safe, be creative, and have the best trip of your life!