UniqueThis 's Entries

• 22 Aug 2021
  The Taliban wants the world to think they've changed

  Afghanistan's Taliban have tried to offer hope that the country - and the world - won't return to the 1990s hard-line regime. According to Al Jazeera, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: "Our nation is a Muslim nation, whether 20 years ago or now." "But when it comes to experience, maturity, vision, there is a huge difference from 20 years ago." Both the United States, which invaded after the Taliban government sheltered Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda members, and the Afghans scarred by the militants' violent struggle for power and oppression have sided with skepticism. Burqa-clad women sit outside a door in Herat in 1999. Per-Anders Pettersson / Getty National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that it's "premature" to say whether the Biden administration recognizes the Taliban as governing power in Afghanistan. The Taliban must show the rest of the world who they are and how they plan to proceed, Sullivan said. "Track record isn't good." In the early 1990s, the Taliban were formed to fight the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. This group was led by Mullah Omar, who died in 2015, after the country plunged into civil war after many fighters who had expelled the Soviets turned on each other. The group, which adheres to a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam and ruled the country as an emirate without a parliament or elections from 1996 to 2001, was initially hailed for attempting to restore order. After the U.S. overthrew the Taliban, democracy and equal rights became enshrined in the constitution, if not in daily life for many Afghans, and the lives of minorities and urban women improved. The Taliban still controlled parts of Afghanistan during this time. So they took over state hospitals and schools and ran their own justice system. Afghans viewed the central government as corrupt and inefficient, so they preferred the Taliban. Taliban fought U.S.-backed governments in Kabul for 20 years. Since 2009, more than 100,000 civilians have been killed or injured. Other groups blame the Taliban for planting improvised explosive devices in public places, often injuring civilians, and for assassinating prominent Western and liberal figures.. In the first six months of this year, the group was responsible for nearly 40 percent of civilian casualties, more than any other party to the conflict, according to the United Nations. Taliban leaders have denied targeting civilians. In February 2020, the militants made a deal with the Trump administration that all U.S. troops would withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months. When this didn’t happen, the Taliban launched an offensive to take back the country. While the Taliban — run by a supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and three deputies, Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the powerful Haqqani militant network, and Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the Taliban's political office in Doha — now control three-quarters of Afghanistan, their capacity to govern is unclear.

  5136 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  The Taliban wants the world to think they've changed

  Afghanistan's Taliban have tried to offer hope that the country - and the world - won't return to the 1990s hard-line regime. According to Al Jazeera, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: "Our nation is a Muslim nation, whether 20 years ago or now." "But when it comes to experience, maturity, vision, there is a huge difference from 20 years ago." Both the United States, which invaded after the Taliban government sheltered Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda members, and the Afghans scarred by the militants' violent struggle for power and oppression have sided with skepticism. Burqa-clad women sit outside a door in Herat in 1999. Per-Anders Pettersson / Getty National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that it's "premature" to say whether the Biden administration recognizes the Taliban as governing power in Afghanistan. The Taliban must show the rest of the world who they are and how they plan to proceed, Sullivan said. "Track record isn't good." In the early 1990s, the Taliban were formed to fight the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. This group was led by Mullah Omar, who died in 2015, after the country plunged into civil war after many fighters who had expelled the Soviets turned on each other. The group, which adheres to a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam and ruled the country as an emirate without a parliament or elections from 1996 to 2001, was initially hailed for attempting to restore order. After the U.S. overthrew the Taliban, democracy and equal rights became enshrined in the constitution, if not in daily life for many Afghans, and the lives of minorities and urban women improved. The Taliban still controlled parts of Afghanistan during this time. So they took over state hospitals and schools and ran their own justice system. Afghans viewed the central government as corrupt and inefficient, so they preferred the Taliban. Taliban fought U.S.-backed governments in Kabul for 20 years. Since 2009, more than 100,000 civilians have been killed or injured. Other groups blame the Taliban for planting improvised explosive devices in public places, often injuring civilians, and for assassinating prominent Western and liberal figures.. In the first six months of this year, the group was responsible for nearly 40 percent of civilian casualties, more than any other party to the conflict, according to the United Nations. Taliban leaders have denied targeting civilians. In February 2020, the militants made a deal with the Trump administration that all U.S. troops would withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months. When this didn’t happen, the Taliban launched an offensive to take back the country. While the Taliban — run by a supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and three deputies, Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the powerful Haqqani militant network, and Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the Taliban's political office in Doha — now control three-quarters of Afghanistan, their capacity to govern is unclear.

  Aug 22, 2021 5136
• 22 Aug 2021
  Hackers steal your cellphone and social media account

  The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently exposed a scheme that hijacks social media and mobile phone accounts and nets criminals millions. According to the Department of Justice, criminals conspired to steal cryptocurrency through a practice called "SIM-swapping." Declan Harrington, 21, of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office. Due to crypto accounts worth millions of dollars, SIM-swapping has become a lucrative crime. Authorities say Harrington and his co-conspirators targeted people they thought had a lot of cryptocurrency and "high value" social media account names. DoJ says they stole (or tried to steal) more than $530,000 in cryptocurrency from 10 victims across the country. Two of the victims' social media accounts were also hacked by one of the conspirators. Sim swapping net millions With the rise of cryptocurrency accounts worth millions of dollars, SIM-swapping has become a lucrative crime. Mobile phone SIMs contain unique ID numbers for each subscriber. In SIM swap, the SIM (linked to the subscriber) is switched to the criminal's SIM. After that, the attacker resets the password for the mobile phone account. THWART TOP PHONE HACKERS WITH ONE SIMPLE STEP The DOJ said cybercriminals can then access the victim's account without authorization by resetting the victim's log-in credentials. Europol reports that several people were arrested for attacks that stole more than $100 million earlier this year. Millions of victims were targeted, including internet influencers, athletes, and musicians, Europol said. There have been other high-profile cases in the last few years of criminals netting millions.   Following are the final steps in a criminal SIM swap: Identify digital currency keys, wallets, and accounts held in the victim's accounts. Defeat SMS-based or mobile application-based two-factor authentication on any accounts with control of the victim's phone number. "Steal currency: Transfer the digital currency from the victim to the attacker's account."

  4923 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Hackers steal your cellphone and social media account

  The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently exposed a scheme that hijacks social media and mobile phone accounts and nets criminals millions. According to the Department of Justice, criminals conspired to steal cryptocurrency through a practice called "SIM-swapping." Declan Harrington, 21, of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office. Due to crypto accounts worth millions of dollars, SIM-swapping has become a lucrative crime. Authorities say Harrington and his co-conspirators targeted people they thought had a lot of cryptocurrency and "high value" social media account names. DoJ says they stole (or tried to steal) more than $530,000 in cryptocurrency from 10 victims across the country. Two of the victims' social media accounts were also hacked by one of the conspirators. Sim swapping net millions With the rise of cryptocurrency accounts worth millions of dollars, SIM-swapping has become a lucrative crime. Mobile phone SIMs contain unique ID numbers for each subscriber. In SIM swap, the SIM (linked to the subscriber) is switched to the criminal's SIM. After that, the attacker resets the password for the mobile phone account. THWART TOP PHONE HACKERS WITH ONE SIMPLE STEP The DOJ said cybercriminals can then access the victim's account without authorization by resetting the victim's log-in credentials. Europol reports that several people were arrested for attacks that stole more than $100 million earlier this year. Millions of victims were targeted, including internet influencers, athletes, and musicians, Europol said. There have been other high-profile cases in the last few years of criminals netting millions.   Following are the final steps in a criminal SIM swap: Identify digital currency keys, wallets, and accounts held in the victim's accounts. Defeat SMS-based or mobile application-based two-factor authentication on any accounts with control of the victim's phone number. "Steal currency: Transfer the digital currency from the victim to the attacker's account."

  Aug 22, 2021 4923
• 22 Aug 2021
  Bat killed by cat

  An "Olympic bat" the size of a human thumb flew over 1,200 miles from London to Russia before being killed by a cat. When a resident of the small Russian town of Molgino in the Pskov region saw the female Nathusius' pipistrelle bat on the ground, it had been damaged by the feline. According to the Bat Conservation Trust in the United Kingdom, she weighed only 8 grams (.28 ounces) and was rescued by a Russian bat rehabilitation organisation before succumbing to her injuries. Nathusius pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus nathusii), Europe. (Photo by: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The bat had "London Zoo" scrawled on it when it was discovered, indicating that it had traveled 1,254 miles. Brian Briggs, a bat recorder, had ringed the bat in 2016 in Bedfont Lakes Country Park near Heathrow in west London. "This is a thrilling prospect. It's wonderful to be able to help with international conservation efforts to conserve these magnificent animals and learn more about their interesting lives "Briggs stated. According to a news statement from the Bat Conservation Trust issued last Thursday, the voyage was one of the world's longest known bat migrations, the furthest known record from Britain across Europe, and the only long-distance movement documented "like this" from west to east. The journey was one of the longest known bat travels globally, the furthest known record from Britain across Europe, and the only long-distance movement recorded "like this" from west to east, according to a press release last Thursday from the Bat Conservation Trust.  

  4931 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Bat killed by cat

  An "Olympic bat" the size of a human thumb flew over 1,200 miles from London to Russia before being killed by a cat. When a resident of the small Russian town of Molgino in the Pskov region saw the female Nathusius' pipistrelle bat on the ground, it had been damaged by the feline. According to the Bat Conservation Trust in the United Kingdom, she weighed only 8 grams (.28 ounces) and was rescued by a Russian bat rehabilitation organisation before succumbing to her injuries. Nathusius pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus nathusii), Europe. (Photo by: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The bat had "London Zoo" scrawled on it when it was discovered, indicating that it had traveled 1,254 miles. Brian Briggs, a bat recorder, had ringed the bat in 2016 in Bedfont Lakes Country Park near Heathrow in west London. "This is a thrilling prospect. It's wonderful to be able to help with international conservation efforts to conserve these magnificent animals and learn more about their interesting lives "Briggs stated. According to a news statement from the Bat Conservation Trust issued last Thursday, the voyage was one of the world's longest known bat migrations, the furthest known record from Britain across Europe, and the only long-distance movement documented "like this" from west to east. The journey was one of the longest known bat travels globally, the furthest known record from Britain across Europe, and the only long-distance movement recorded "like this" from west to east, according to a press release last Thursday from the Bat Conservation Trust.  

  Aug 22, 2021 4931
• 22 Aug 2021
  Afghanistan Refugees In America

  Caroline Clarin, who works from her rural Minnesota home and attempts to bring hope to those who convey heart-wrenching messages of desperation from a world away, has had her phone ringing for days with pleas for aid from Afghans. Ms. Clarin, who headed a US Department of Agriculture program in Afghanistan, and her wife, Sheril Raymond, have assisted in the immigration of five Afghans and their families from her program since 2017. They are now attempting to assist over a half-dozen more Afghans and their families in escaping Afghanistan. Americans around the country are scrambling to assist Afghans fleeing their homeland following the Taliban's quick takeover. Those pitching in are everyone from volunteers at refugee resettlement groups to individuals like Ms. Clarin and Ms. Raymond who are helping on their own, all motivated by compassion.   More than 2,000 Afghans have been transported to Fort Lee Army Base in Virginia since late July, with thousands more on the way. Afghan government employees and their families may be eligible for special immigrant visas. Due to a backlog of visa applications, tens of thousands of others who also qualified have been left behind. Nonprofit groups that operate on a combination of government grants and private donations provide temporary food and shelter help refugees during the first 90 days. Long-term services, such as language and citizenship programs, are available, but they are expected to become self-sufficient.  

  5091 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Afghanistan Refugees In America

  Caroline Clarin, who works from her rural Minnesota home and attempts to bring hope to those who convey heart-wrenching messages of desperation from a world away, has had her phone ringing for days with pleas for aid from Afghans. Ms. Clarin, who headed a US Department of Agriculture program in Afghanistan, and her wife, Sheril Raymond, have assisted in the immigration of five Afghans and their families from her program since 2017. They are now attempting to assist over a half-dozen more Afghans and their families in escaping Afghanistan. Americans around the country are scrambling to assist Afghans fleeing their homeland following the Taliban's quick takeover. Those pitching in are everyone from volunteers at refugee resettlement groups to individuals like Ms. Clarin and Ms. Raymond who are helping on their own, all motivated by compassion.   More than 2,000 Afghans have been transported to Fort Lee Army Base in Virginia since late July, with thousands more on the way. Afghan government employees and their families may be eligible for special immigrant visas. Due to a backlog of visa applications, tens of thousands of others who also qualified have been left behind. Nonprofit groups that operate on a combination of government grants and private donations provide temporary food and shelter help refugees during the first 90 days. Long-term services, such as language and citizenship programs, are available, but they are expected to become self-sufficient.  

  Aug 22, 2021 5091
• 22 Aug 2021
  Bringing Extinct Species Back

  Seeing Jurassic Park left me gobsmacked, which is not a term I use often. The first dinosaur I remember seeing in 1993 was a brachiosaurus and I remember clutching my popcorn with wide eyes. I shouted with excited jibes as I walked out with my parents: "Can we really make dinosaurs viable again, Dad? Were we able to? Can we?” Reading Natasha Bernal's piece in Wired UK highlighting the growing field of biobanking animal cells brought back memories. Bernal answers the question of whether extinct animals could be brought back with a tentative yes as science has proven, for years, that "frozen cells of extinct animals can be used to revive species" - however, that is not what biobanking is all about. Cloning is intended to prevent further loss of species, rather than to bring back existing species. With a species' decline, its genetic pool shrinks, and frozen cells from extinct animals can potentially be used to prevent extreme inbreeding.  Tullis Mason is one of Bernal's case studies, a guy who wears shorts even while wearing a lab coat. The family farm in Shropshire, England, is home to Matthew's artificial insemination company for racehorses. However, on the side, he is also planning to save the animal kingdom by building the biggest biobank of animal cells in Europe. While Mason uses a device like a condom to hook up an elephant penis, Bernal describes the science and the ethics the article discusses as not always dignified. The dinosaurs may not be coming back to life any time soon, but with the help of biobanking, life may still find a way to thrive on this planet.  

  5072 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Bringing Extinct Species Back

  Seeing Jurassic Park left me gobsmacked, which is not a term I use often. The first dinosaur I remember seeing in 1993 was a brachiosaurus and I remember clutching my popcorn with wide eyes. I shouted with excited jibes as I walked out with my parents: "Can we really make dinosaurs viable again, Dad? Were we able to? Can we?” Reading Natasha Bernal's piece in Wired UK highlighting the growing field of biobanking animal cells brought back memories. Bernal answers the question of whether extinct animals could be brought back with a tentative yes as science has proven, for years, that "frozen cells of extinct animals can be used to revive species" - however, that is not what biobanking is all about. Cloning is intended to prevent further loss of species, rather than to bring back existing species. With a species' decline, its genetic pool shrinks, and frozen cells from extinct animals can potentially be used to prevent extreme inbreeding.  Tullis Mason is one of Bernal's case studies, a guy who wears shorts even while wearing a lab coat. The family farm in Shropshire, England, is home to Matthew's artificial insemination company for racehorses. However, on the side, he is also planning to save the animal kingdom by building the biggest biobank of animal cells in Europe. While Mason uses a device like a condom to hook up an elephant penis, Bernal describes the science and the ethics the article discusses as not always dignified. The dinosaurs may not be coming back to life any time soon, but with the help of biobanking, life may still find a way to thrive on this planet.  

  Aug 22, 2021 5072
• 22 Aug 2021
  Gain weight after exercising?

  Perhaps you have felt disappointed when you start an especially vigorous workout routine only to see the scale go above the weight you started with. Is there a biological reason behind why exercise makes me gain weight? There are many aspects to the answer. Exercise does not make you fat. Weight gain after working out is most likely a combination of several factors, but you shouldn't give up. Professor Corinne Caillaud, an Australian professor of physical activity and digital health, says people typically don't realize the health benefits of exercise even when they gain weight. In regard to weight management, exercise is important, but diet also plays a role, said Caillaud. A person who notices their weight increasing should review the quantity and quality of the food they're eating, she said. What and how much they eat can explain their post-exercise weight gain.  "Unfortunately, a lot of people think that they can eat more because they've exercised," Caillaud said. Although eating junk food occasionally may not be harmful, exercising will likely not counteract the effects of increasing the frequency with which you consume it.  The weight gain may be due to a few different biological factors, even if your diet hasn't changed. It is possible to overstrain your muscles if you aren't accustomed to good workouts and then go all out. According to University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, when this happens, your muscles are damaged by microtears, but these are not cause for concern, since your body helps repair the damage by sending nutrition to the muscles. As a result, your muscles ache the next day, but eventually your muscles grow.  

  5057 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Gain weight after exercising?

  Perhaps you have felt disappointed when you start an especially vigorous workout routine only to see the scale go above the weight you started with. Is there a biological reason behind why exercise makes me gain weight? There are many aspects to the answer. Exercise does not make you fat. Weight gain after working out is most likely a combination of several factors, but you shouldn't give up. Professor Corinne Caillaud, an Australian professor of physical activity and digital health, says people typically don't realize the health benefits of exercise even when they gain weight. In regard to weight management, exercise is important, but diet also plays a role, said Caillaud. A person who notices their weight increasing should review the quantity and quality of the food they're eating, she said. What and how much they eat can explain their post-exercise weight gain.  "Unfortunately, a lot of people think that they can eat more because they've exercised," Caillaud said. Although eating junk food occasionally may not be harmful, exercising will likely not counteract the effects of increasing the frequency with which you consume it.  The weight gain may be due to a few different biological factors, even if your diet hasn't changed. It is possible to overstrain your muscles if you aren't accustomed to good workouts and then go all out. According to University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, when this happens, your muscles are damaged by microtears, but these are not cause for concern, since your body helps repair the damage by sending nutrition to the muscles. As a result, your muscles ache the next day, but eventually your muscles grow.  

  Aug 22, 2021 5057
• 15 Aug 2021
  Beyoncé Closed Off To Fans?

  Beyoncé, who turns 40 next month, looked back on her life and career during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar released Tuesday. In the cover story, the singer said she can come across as “closed off” because of a conscious decision she made years ago. “I’m grateful I have the ability to choose what I want to share,” she told the magazine. “One day I decided I wanted to be like Sade and Prince. I wanted the focus to be on my music, because if my art isn’t strong enough or meaningful enough to keep people interested and inspired, then I’m in the wrong business. My music, my films, my art, my message — that should be enough.” Beyoncé said she has intentionally set boundaries between her public persona and personal life. “My family and friends often forget the side of me that is the beast in stilettos until they are watching me perform,” she said. “Those who don’t know me and have never met me might interpret that as being closed off,” she said, adding that “the reason those folks don’t see certain things about me is because my Virgo ass does not want them to see it. ... It’s not because it doesn’t exist!” Beyoncé also said she found new ways to practice self-care during the pandemic, including using CBD to help alleviate soreness and insomnia — which has led to her planning to grow her own hemp and make her own honey. “I’ve even got hives on my roof,” she said.

  4961 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Beyoncé Closed Off To Fans?

  Beyoncé, who turns 40 next month, looked back on her life and career during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar released Tuesday. In the cover story, the singer said she can come across as “closed off” because of a conscious decision she made years ago. “I’m grateful I have the ability to choose what I want to share,” she told the magazine. “One day I decided I wanted to be like Sade and Prince. I wanted the focus to be on my music, because if my art isn’t strong enough or meaningful enough to keep people interested and inspired, then I’m in the wrong business. My music, my films, my art, my message — that should be enough.” Beyoncé said she has intentionally set boundaries between her public persona and personal life. “My family and friends often forget the side of me that is the beast in stilettos until they are watching me perform,” she said. “Those who don’t know me and have never met me might interpret that as being closed off,” she said, adding that “the reason those folks don’t see certain things about me is because my Virgo ass does not want them to see it. ... It’s not because it doesn’t exist!” Beyoncé also said she found new ways to practice self-care during the pandemic, including using CBD to help alleviate soreness and insomnia — which has led to her planning to grow her own hemp and make her own honey. “I’ve even got hives on my roof,” she said.

  Aug 15, 2021 4961
• 15 Aug 2021
  'South Park' creators buying Casa Bonita restaurant

  LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- The creators of the irreverent animated television series “South Park” are buying Casa Bonita, a quirky restaurant in suburban Denver that was featured on the show. Matt Stone and Trey Parker said in an interview with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday that they had come to an agreement with the current owners of the restaurant, which closed to diners in March 2020 as the pandemic took hold. It declared bankruptcy in the spring. “We’re excited to work with everybody and make it the place we all want to make it,” Parker said. The Lakewood restaurant has been in business since 1974 but gained wider recognition when it was featured on a 2003 “South Park” episode and when the Denver Broncos announced some of their draft picks there in 2018. The Mexican restaurant is known for its decor, which includes a pink facade and large indoor waterfall, as well as its cliff divers and skits that feature an excitable actor in a gorilla costume. But some have noted there is room for improvement. “The one area that we would all love to see an upgrade — and I think I speak on behalf of everybody who patronizes Casa Bonita — is the food could be a little better,” Polis said. “I think it could be a little more than a little better,” Stone added. Casa Bonita's 85-foot-tall (26-meter-tall) pink clock tower stands out in the otherwise nondescript strip mall. The 52,000-square-foot (4,831-square-meter) restaurant can seat more than 1,000 guests. The 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) waterfall at the center was designed to resemble the cliffs of Acapulco. Stone and Parker, who met at the University of Colorado Boulder, did not offer any details about the sale, which is pending bankruptcy proceedings. But they did say they would make some upgrades, like having two gorillas in the skits instead of just one.

  4628 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  'South Park' creators buying Casa Bonita restaurant

  LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- The creators of the irreverent animated television series “South Park” are buying Casa Bonita, a quirky restaurant in suburban Denver that was featured on the show. Matt Stone and Trey Parker said in an interview with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday that they had come to an agreement with the current owners of the restaurant, which closed to diners in March 2020 as the pandemic took hold. It declared bankruptcy in the spring. “We’re excited to work with everybody and make it the place we all want to make it,” Parker said. The Lakewood restaurant has been in business since 1974 but gained wider recognition when it was featured on a 2003 “South Park” episode and when the Denver Broncos announced some of their draft picks there in 2018. The Mexican restaurant is known for its decor, which includes a pink facade and large indoor waterfall, as well as its cliff divers and skits that feature an excitable actor in a gorilla costume. But some have noted there is room for improvement. “The one area that we would all love to see an upgrade — and I think I speak on behalf of everybody who patronizes Casa Bonita — is the food could be a little better,” Polis said. “I think it could be a little more than a little better,” Stone added. Casa Bonita's 85-foot-tall (26-meter-tall) pink clock tower stands out in the otherwise nondescript strip mall. The 52,000-square-foot (4,831-square-meter) restaurant can seat more than 1,000 guests. The 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) waterfall at the center was designed to resemble the cliffs of Acapulco. Stone and Parker, who met at the University of Colorado Boulder, did not offer any details about the sale, which is pending bankruptcy proceedings. But they did say they would make some upgrades, like having two gorillas in the skits instead of just one.

  Aug 15, 2021 4628
• 15 Aug 2021
  Chimps use 'hi' and 'bye' greetings, just like humans

  Chimps and bonobos signal "hello" and "goodbye" to one another when entering and exiting social encounters, a new study finds. In other words, these apes, which share about 99% of humans' DNA, politely greet and bid adieu to each other, just like humans do. Until now, this behavior hasn't been documented outside of the human species, the researchers said. "Our findings show that two species of great apes habitually go through the same process and stages as humans when establishing, executing and terminating joint actions" of hi and bye, the researchers wrote in the study, published online Aug. 11 in the journal iScience. Granted, the apes didn't just give their equivalent of a vocal "What's up?" during social visits. Rather, they had a slew of nonverbal cues. This happens with humans, too. For instance, when people approach to interact, they often orient their bodies toward each other, look at each other and display the intention to touch, hug or kiss before they start talking, the researchers wrote in the study. When leaving an interaction, people often turn their bodies away from each other. These behaviors amount to a "joint commitment," which is partly a feeling of obligation that we feel toward one another, but also a process of setting up a mutual interaction and agreeing when to end it, the researchers said. To determine whether chimpanzees and bonobos practice these behaviors, the researchers analyzed 1,242 interactions of apes at zoos, and they discovered that these primates often communicate with one another — often with gestures that include gazing at and touching each other, holding hands or butting heads — before and after encounters such as grooming or play. Of the two species, however, the bonobos were definitely the more polite ones, greeting each other more often than the chimps did, the researchers found. When beginning a joint interaction, bonobos exchanged entry signals and mutual gazes in 90% of cases, whereas chimps did so 69% of the time, the researchers found. During departures, bonobos also outshined chimps, displaying exit behaviors 92% of the time, whereas chimps showed it in 86% of interactions. The research team also investigated whether these behaviors changed when the apes interacted with close confidants. They found that the closer bonobos were with one another, the shorter the length of their entry and exit behaviors. This isn't so different from human behavior, said study lead researcher Raphaela Heesen, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of psychology at Durham University in the United Kingdom. "When you're interacting with a good friend, you're less likely to put in a lot of effort in communicating politely," Heesen said in a statement. In contrast, the length of the chimps' entry and exit behaviors was "unaffected by social bond strength," the researchers wrote in the study. This might be because in comparison with the hierarchical chimp society, bonobos are largely egalitarian, socially tolerant and emphasize friendships and alliances between females and mother-son relationships, the researchers said. As such, it makes sense that the bonobos' social relationships would have strong effects on their "hellos" and "goodbyes," the researchers wrote in the study. Meanwhile, there was no significant effect of rank difference on the presence of entry or exit phases in either ape species, they noted. The findings suggest that perhaps a common ancestor of apes and humans practiced similar behaviors, the researchers said.  "Behavior doesn't fossilize. You can't dig up bones to look at how behavior has evolved. But you can study our closest living relatives: great apes like chimpanzees and bonobos," Heesen said. "Whether this type of communication is present in other species will also be interesting to study in the future."

  4728 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Chimps use 'hi' and 'bye' greetings, just like humans

  Chimps and bonobos signal "hello" and "goodbye" to one another when entering and exiting social encounters, a new study finds. In other words, these apes, which share about 99% of humans' DNA, politely greet and bid adieu to each other, just like humans do. Until now, this behavior hasn't been documented outside of the human species, the researchers said. "Our findings show that two species of great apes habitually go through the same process and stages as humans when establishing, executing and terminating joint actions" of hi and bye, the researchers wrote in the study, published online Aug. 11 in the journal iScience. Granted, the apes didn't just give their equivalent of a vocal "What's up?" during social visits. Rather, they had a slew of nonverbal cues. This happens with humans, too. For instance, when people approach to interact, they often orient their bodies toward each other, look at each other and display the intention to touch, hug or kiss before they start talking, the researchers wrote in the study. When leaving an interaction, people often turn their bodies away from each other. These behaviors amount to a "joint commitment," which is partly a feeling of obligation that we feel toward one another, but also a process of setting up a mutual interaction and agreeing when to end it, the researchers said. To determine whether chimpanzees and bonobos practice these behaviors, the researchers analyzed 1,242 interactions of apes at zoos, and they discovered that these primates often communicate with one another — often with gestures that include gazing at and touching each other, holding hands or butting heads — before and after encounters such as grooming or play. Of the two species, however, the bonobos were definitely the more polite ones, greeting each other more often than the chimps did, the researchers found. When beginning a joint interaction, bonobos exchanged entry signals and mutual gazes in 90% of cases, whereas chimps did so 69% of the time, the researchers found. During departures, bonobos also outshined chimps, displaying exit behaviors 92% of the time, whereas chimps showed it in 86% of interactions. The research team also investigated whether these behaviors changed when the apes interacted with close confidants. They found that the closer bonobos were with one another, the shorter the length of their entry and exit behaviors. This isn't so different from human behavior, said study lead researcher Raphaela Heesen, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of psychology at Durham University in the United Kingdom. "When you're interacting with a good friend, you're less likely to put in a lot of effort in communicating politely," Heesen said in a statement. In contrast, the length of the chimps' entry and exit behaviors was "unaffected by social bond strength," the researchers wrote in the study. This might be because in comparison with the hierarchical chimp society, bonobos are largely egalitarian, socially tolerant and emphasize friendships and alliances between females and mother-son relationships, the researchers said. As such, it makes sense that the bonobos' social relationships would have strong effects on their "hellos" and "goodbyes," the researchers wrote in the study. Meanwhile, there was no significant effect of rank difference on the presence of entry or exit phases in either ape species, they noted. The findings suggest that perhaps a common ancestor of apes and humans practiced similar behaviors, the researchers said.  "Behavior doesn't fossilize. You can't dig up bones to look at how behavior has evolved. But you can study our closest living relatives: great apes like chimpanzees and bonobos," Heesen said. "Whether this type of communication is present in other species will also be interesting to study in the future."

  Aug 15, 2021 4728
• 15 Aug 2021
  Miscarriages and covid vaccine

  False and misleading claims about Covid-19 vaccines, fertility and miscarriages are still circulating online, despite not being supported by evidence. Doctors are extremely cautious about what they recommend during pregnancy, so the original advice was to avoid the jab. But now, so much safety data has become available that this advice has changed and the vaccine is now actively encouraged (as getting Covid itself can put a pregnancy at risk) We have looked at some of the more persistent claims - and why they are wrong. This theory comes from a misreading of a study submitted to the Japanese regulator. The study involved giving rats a much higher dose of vaccine than that given to humans (1,333 times higher). Only 0.1% of the total dose ended up in the animals' ovaries, 48 hours after injection. Far more - 53% after one hour and 25% after 48 hours - was found at the injection site (in humans, usually the arm). The next most common place was the liver (16% after 48 hours), which helps get rid of waste products from the blood. The vaccine is delivered using a bubble of fat containing the virus's genetic material, which kick-starts the body's immune system. And those promoting this claim cherry-picked a figure which actually referred to the concentration of fat found in the ovaries. Fat levels in the ovaries did increase in the 48 hours after the jab, as the vaccine contents moved from the injection site around the body. But, crucially, there was no evidence it still contained the virus's genetic material. We don't know what happened after 48 hours as that was the limit of the study. Some posts have highlighted miscarriages reported to vaccine-monitoring schemes, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card scheme in the UK and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in the US. Anyone can report symptoms or health conditions they experience after being vaccinated. Not everyone will choose to report, so this is a self-selecting database. There were indeed miscarriages reported in these databases - they are unfortunately common events - but this does not mean the jab caused them. A study has found data showing the miscarriage rate among vaccinated people was in line with the rate expected in the general population - 12.5%. Dr Victoria Male, a reproductive immunologist at Imperial College London, says these reporting systems are very good for spotting side-effects from the vaccine that are normally rare in the general population - that's how a specific type of blood clot was linked in some rare cases to the AstraZeneca vaccine. If you suddenly start seeing unusual symptoms in vaccinated people, it raises a red flag. They are not so good at monitoring side-effects that are common in the population - such as changes to periods, miscarriages and heart problems. Seeing them in the data doesn't necessarily raise these red flags because you'd expect to see them anyway, vaccine or not. It's only if we start getting many more miscarriages than are seen in unvaccinated people that this data would prompt an investigation - and that's not been the case so far. Some people have also shared graphs showing a big rise in the overall number of people reporting their experiences to these schemes compared with previous years, for other vaccines and drugs. This has been used to imply the Covid vaccine is less safe. But the rise can't tell us that, it can only tell us that lots of people are reporting - possibly because an unprecedented proportion of the population is being vaccinated and it is a much talked-about subject. A widely shared petition from Michael Yeadon, a scientific researcher who has made other misleading statements about Covid, claimed the coronavirus's spike protein contained within the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines was similar to a protein called syncytin-1, involved in forming the placenta. He speculated that this might cause antibodies against the virus to attack a developing pregnancy, too. Some experts believe this was the origin of the whole belief that Covid vaccines might harm fertility. In fact syncytin-1 and the coronavirus's spike protein are just about as similar as any two random proteins so there is no real reason to believe the body might confuse them. But now evidence has been gathered to help disprove his theory. US fertility doctor Randy Morris, who wanted to respond directly to the concerns he'd heard, began monitoring his patients who were undergoing IVF treatment to see whether vaccination made any difference to their chances of a successful pregnancy. Out of 143 people in Dr Morris's study, vaccinated, unvaccinated and previously infected women were about equally likely to have a successful embryo implantation and for the pregnancy to continue to term. The women were similar in most other respects. The study is small, but it adds to a large volume of other evidence - and were the claim true, you would expect that to show up even in a study of this size. Dr Morris pointed out that people spreading these fears had not explained why they believed antibodies produced in response to the vaccine could harm fertility but the same antibodies from a natural infection would not. The problem is, while scientists are rushing to provide evidence to reassure people, by the time they can report their findings people online have moved on to the next thing. As Dr Morris explained: "The hallmark of a conspiracy theory is as soon as it's disproven, you move the goalpost." By Rachel SchraerBBC News

  4451 Posted by UniqueThis
• By UniqueThis

  Miscarriages and covid vaccine

  False and misleading claims about Covid-19 vaccines, fertility and miscarriages are still circulating online, despite not being supported by evidence. Doctors are extremely cautious about what they recommend during pregnancy, so the original advice was to avoid the jab. But now, so much safety data has become available that this advice has changed and the vaccine is now actively encouraged (as getting Covid itself can put a pregnancy at risk) We have looked at some of the more persistent claims - and why they are wrong. This theory comes from a misreading of a study submitted to the Japanese regulator. The study involved giving rats a much higher dose of vaccine than that given to humans (1,333 times higher). Only 0.1% of the total dose ended up in the animals' ovaries, 48 hours after injection. Far more - 53% after one hour and 25% after 48 hours - was found at the injection site (in humans, usually the arm). The next most common place was the liver (16% after 48 hours), which helps get rid of waste products from the blood. The vaccine is delivered using a bubble of fat containing the virus's genetic material, which kick-starts the body's immune system. And those promoting this claim cherry-picked a figure which actually referred to the concentration of fat found in the ovaries. Fat levels in the ovaries did increase in the 48 hours after the jab, as the vaccine contents moved from the injection site around the body. But, crucially, there was no evidence it still contained the virus's genetic material. We don't know what happened after 48 hours as that was the limit of the study. Some posts have highlighted miscarriages reported to vaccine-monitoring schemes, including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card scheme in the UK and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in the US. Anyone can report symptoms or health conditions they experience after being vaccinated. Not everyone will choose to report, so this is a self-selecting database. There were indeed miscarriages reported in these databases - they are unfortunately common events - but this does not mean the jab caused them. A study has found data showing the miscarriage rate among vaccinated people was in line with the rate expected in the general population - 12.5%. Dr Victoria Male, a reproductive immunologist at Imperial College London, says these reporting systems are very good for spotting side-effects from the vaccine that are normally rare in the general population - that's how a specific type of blood clot was linked in some rare cases to the AstraZeneca vaccine. If you suddenly start seeing unusual symptoms in vaccinated people, it raises a red flag. They are not so good at monitoring side-effects that are common in the population - such as changes to periods, miscarriages and heart problems. Seeing them in the data doesn't necessarily raise these red flags because you'd expect to see them anyway, vaccine or not. It's only if we start getting many more miscarriages than are seen in unvaccinated people that this data would prompt an investigation - and that's not been the case so far. Some people have also shared graphs showing a big rise in the overall number of people reporting their experiences to these schemes compared with previous years, for other vaccines and drugs. This has been used to imply the Covid vaccine is less safe. But the rise can't tell us that, it can only tell us that lots of people are reporting - possibly because an unprecedented proportion of the population is being vaccinated and it is a much talked-about subject. A widely shared petition from Michael Yeadon, a scientific researcher who has made other misleading statements about Covid, claimed the coronavirus's spike protein contained within the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines was similar to a protein called syncytin-1, involved in forming the placenta. He speculated that this might cause antibodies against the virus to attack a developing pregnancy, too. Some experts believe this was the origin of the whole belief that Covid vaccines might harm fertility. In fact syncytin-1 and the coronavirus's spike protein are just about as similar as any two random proteins so there is no real reason to believe the body might confuse them. But now evidence has been gathered to help disprove his theory. US fertility doctor Randy Morris, who wanted to respond directly to the concerns he'd heard, began monitoring his patients who were undergoing IVF treatment to see whether vaccination made any difference to their chances of a successful pregnancy. Out of 143 people in Dr Morris's study, vaccinated, unvaccinated and previously infected women were about equally likely to have a successful embryo implantation and for the pregnancy to continue to term. The women were similar in most other respects. The study is small, but it adds to a large volume of other evidence - and were the claim true, you would expect that to show up even in a study of this size. Dr Morris pointed out that people spreading these fears had not explained why they believed antibodies produced in response to the vaccine could harm fertility but the same antibodies from a natural infection would not. The problem is, while scientists are rushing to provide evidence to reassure people, by the time they can report their findings people online have moved on to the next thing. As Dr Morris explained: "The hallmark of a conspiracy theory is as soon as it's disproven, you move the goalpost." By Rachel SchraerBBC News

  Aug 15, 2021 4451