Interesting Bits and Pieces

From recent happenings or stories around Australia and the world.

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794 comments

 

 

Incognito -  What an  interesting story, I've never heard of the Sentinelese Tribe. 

 

 

Me either until now, we must have missed all the news on them, so fascinating to know that these tribes still exist, many in Amazon have had human contact but there still could be some there, with drones now they can find anyone!

I'd read about them before ... so unique.

Thanks for the story Incognito.

I have only read the headline here RnR but if my brain is reading it correctly I am feeling this could be an issue for us too if these people are flying around the world?

Evacuee who is on UK's 'no-fly' security watchlist is airlifted from Kabul to Birmingham - then RELEASED into Britain because they are 'no longer a threat' - amid questions about airlift screeningMan on UK's 'no-fly' watchlist is airlifted from Kabul to Birmingham in apparent security

In an apparent security breach, the individual was cleared to board an RAF plane (top, centre) before checks in mid-air revealed they were barred from coming to this country. In a sign of the challenges facing British soldiers at Kabul airport - who are already on high alert amid fears of terror attacks - it emerged last night that a further four people on the no-fly list tried to board mercy flights (bottom left) to the UK, but were stopped before the planes took off. The Home Office said yesterday a 'security assessment' of the individual who arrived here revealed they were no longer considered a threat by the security or law enforcement agencies. Sources said there would be no further action taken against the person, whose nationality is unclear. But the development raised concerns over security relating to the airlift. Armed Forces minister James Heappey warned that suspected extremists were trying to use the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan to get to Britain. He said they were 'trying to take advantage of this process to get into the UK to cause us harm'. Also pictured: British troops outside the airport (top left); Afghans who have massed outside the perimeter (bottom right); Zakia Khudadadi (top right), 23, would have been the first female to represent Afghanistan at the Paralympics but is now unable to. 

I have only read the headline here RnR but if my brain is reading it correctly I am feeling this could be an issue for us too if these people are flying around the world?

Perhaps ... but would you wish this on anyone ???

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-24/ex-australian-embassy-guards-extraction-kabul-taliban/100401544

Bloodied by the Taliban: Australian citizen is beaten while trying to reach evacuation flight as Islamists ignore Biden's demand to let civilians get to Kabul airport - with just hours left to flee 

A man claiming to be an Australian citizen filmed himself at a Taliban checkpoint in Kabul today as blood ran down his face and dripped on his shirt, saying he was blocked from reaching the airport. Footage shows the man speaking in accented English in front of guards, who then cock and fire an AK47 over his head. It comes after the Taliban vowed to stop any more Afghans reaching the airport in defiance of Joe Biden's demand that evacuation flights are allowed to continue unimpeded. There are now just hours left to get civilians out of the country before planes ferrying them to safety are diverted to help evacuate thousands of troops protecting the airfield. Lord David Richards, former chief of UK defence staff, said he is 'pretty certain' that British mercy flights will have to stop on Friday at the latest, while France's Europe minister said it is 'very probably' his country will stop the flight tomorrow. Biden has infuriated his allies by committing to an August 31 deadline for all forces to be out of the country - after the Taliban warned of unspecified 'consequences' for staying on longer.

So little time left now.

Another 1,200 people have been evacuated from Kabul by Australian and New Zealand soldiers overnight.

Looking at the news there appears a few people that have Australian passports have not been let into the airport!   I wonder what is going on?

There was 2 suicide bombers Celia

 

Hope Aussies get to spend it with their families. Who knows at this stage.

Tiny native bees make a healthy honey no other bees make.

The bees make it in their gut after consuming nectar high in sucrose. Researchers are now hoping to identify crops with high sucrose nectar to increase production.

It is not made by any other bee and is better for you, and now scientists know how native stingless bees make healthy honey. Researchers at the University of Queensland in collaboration with Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services have uncovered the secret of trehalulose — a sugar that is only produced by the tiny insect and does not spike blood glucose levels when eaten.

Full ABC story.

Fantastic, need to plant more native flowering plants for them.

Ah! the pollen thieves

Every spring these stingless bees come and steal my pollen from my daylilies

If I want to do certain daylily crossbreeding I have to get up before 6am to collect the pollen and take the fertilized daylilies inside or cover their stigma.

I feel for her gutted parents.

Last photo of female US Marine, 23, evacuating Afghans before she was killed by suicide bomber at Kabul airport alongside 12 other American soldiers Father of fallen Marine says chaotic Kabul airport withdrawal was not planned out

All 13 US troops slain by an ISIS-K suicide bomb attack in Kabul on Thursday have been identified, with the haunting final images of one female Marine showing her escorting evacuees days before her death. Killed were Navy corpsman Max Soviak, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, and Marines Hunter Lopez, Rylee McCollum, David Lee Espinoza, Kareem Nikoui, Jared Schmitz, Daegan Page, Taylor Hoover, Humberto Sanchez, Johanny Rosario, Dylan Merola and Nicole Gee. Just days before her death at an overcrowded airport checkpoint, Marine Sergeant Gee was photographed escorting a line of evacuees as they filed into the cargo hold of a C-17 Globemaster to escape Afghanistan.

Sad to read ... has been posted widely.

Animals prepare for 'sugar fix' as Fraser Island recovers from last year's bushfire.

Hundreds of grass trees are beginning to bloom. Tour guide Peter Meyer said they are appearing en masse across the island.

Each spring, an annual bloom boom provides a sweet feast for island wildlife. At night bats and sugar gliders dine out, while during the daylight hours honeyeaters and rainbow lorikeets feed from the spikes. Mr Meyer said he had even seen the abdomen of ants swell from gorging on the grass trees.

Full ABC story.

Some good news, thanks RnR, brightened up my day! My mum usually has heaps of lorikeets visiting her but all quiet lately, must be nesting. They certainly were heaps of pairs of love birds on their last visits.

Australia Post, with 500 staff in COVID isolation, will pause parcel pick-up from e-commerce retailers in locked down states for four days.

Australia Post says it will not pick up parcels from e-commerce retailers in NSW, Victoria and the ACT for four days beginning this weekend. Post offices will remain open, deliveries will continue and post boxes will also continue to be cleared. Services provided for Express Post, Premium, Startrack Express and letters will also remain unchanged.

The organisation processed a record volume of mail in August due to COVID lockdowns across the country saying it delivered more parcels last month than during the Christmas period last year. Last week, the business announced a hiring blitz of more than 4,000 new staff to cope with additional services prompted by high demand.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-01/australia-post-pause-parcel-pickup-from-ecommerce-retailers/100426278

I have noticed a big improvement in Australia Post of late!

Sending mail to Sydney from Perth a few times and they have phoned my son to get him to come down to pick up his mail for a signature.  Even on the mail run here the post man is much nicer.  I am guessing there is fewer articles to deliver and they have time to smell the roses now!

I got the email about it today, don't think it will be any worse than a long weekend. You can still use Express if you need something fast anyway. I also got a delivery notification today saying parcel coming via DHL so maybe they are using some other couriers too.

Isn't it marvellous, I have to wait a couple of weeks to get mail from interstate friends but the bills always seem to come on time?

Hola

Just consider yourself as very lucky to get your bill on time 

as otherwise you could be charged interest or have your service disconnected

LOL!!!

All my bills come via email these days, easy to set up.

Such an amazing athlete ...

Dylan Alcott wins gold in Paralympics quad singles final against Dutchman Sam Schroder.

Alcott's dream of a "golden slam" is alive as he departs Tokyo for the US Open, where he will try to make it a perfect five from five after also winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon crowns in 2021.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-04/dylan-alcott-defends-paralympic-tennis-title/100434558

Food art LOL.

So cute and funny, I love lettuce but would be reluctant to eat the dog lol.

Great imagination used for this, love it. 

Thank you RnR.   It has put a smile on my dial!

3,317 BEST Yummy Emoji IMAGES, STOCK PHOTOS & VECTORS | Adobe Stock

To all the dads on here ...

 

 

                              Making my own superhero | Comics Amino 

What happened?  This doesn't show up on my computer RnR.

No idea Celia ... some hiccup with YLC. Here's the original.

Artist Makes the Most Amazing Animal Sculptures From Trash 

SWNS

This artist creates intricate sculptures of animals made completely out of trash including plastic spoons, old ping pong balls, and even unused catheters.

35-year-old Stephanie Hongo embraced trash art four years ago because at the time she could not afford art supplies.

Now Stephanie, who lives in Connecticut, has created over 100 detailed artworks of animals, sometimes screwing together hundreds of pieces of trash for one piece.

Stephanie appeals to friends and family for spare trash and also sources specific pieces from Facebook groups to complete her incredible sculptures of lobsters, octopus, and other animals.

She has used a Barbie leg to create a unicorn’s horn, unused catheters as the antennas of a lobster, and plastic forks for the feathers of an owl.

Stephanie, who creates her art under the name Sugarfox, explained that she turned to trash to make her artworks as she was strapped for cash after quitting her job as an artist-in-residence at grocery store chain Trader Joe’s in May 2017.

SWNS

She was inspired by Portuguese artist Bordalo II, who makes large scale installations out of trash.

She made a rule that she will never purchase plastics for her sculptures.

SWNS

“I won’t ever purchase plastic, I don’t like the idea of buying anything outside the paint and the hardware that I need,” She said. “I do ask for plastic tubing or old basketballs on community pages on Facebook.

MORE: This Simple 10-Question Word Test Reveals How Creative You Are

Despite using recycled materials, Stephanie resists the label of ‘eco artist’ as she uses spray paint to complete her pieces.

“I do find it necessary to tell people that I’m not an eco artist. The recycling aspect of my art is something I’m very proud of but it’s not the driving force behind it.

The animal kingdom is Stephanie’s favorite subject and she likes how nailing trash together gives the works a sci-fi, steampunk look.

SWNS

She spends between ten hours and two weeks on each piece and has developed a knack for finding the perfect piece of trash to build her artworks.

RELATED: Artist Creates Stunning Animal Art From Seashells She Found at the Beach – LOOK

“Some pieces need hundreds of pieces of trash.

“Ping pong balls are very commonly used in my art as well as a lot of extension cords, old telephones, old remote controls, and lots of plastic toys.”

SWNS

Stephanie, who shows off her artworks on her Instagram @sugarfox_art, said that her artworks start at $300 with her eight-foot long octopus going for $5000.

She hopes to one day sculpt a winged dragon measuring ten feet.

 

Very impressive, thanks Incognito.

What a great way to use trash.

“’Till death do us part,” obviously doesn’t translate into ancient Mandarin, if this archaeological discovery in China is any indication.

Qu Zhang / International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

The skeletal remains of a couple locked in a tender embrace bears witness to the fact that in the Northern Wei Period of 4th century China, the expectation of love was that it went, quite literally, beyond the grave.

The lovers lay on their side, arms wrapped around each other’s waist, with the woman’s cheek nestled in the crook of the man’s shoulder.

Barring any phenomenal circumstances, archaeologists believe that the two were placed into their gravesite in this manner, reflecting “the desire for eternal love of the couple, and the respect to their love by people who buried them”.

As the South China Morning Post reports, the scene might conjure the end of the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet.

With obvious signs of trauma across the male’s body, including an unhealed wound on his right arm, and a wound-less female skeleton, the archaeologists suggest the possibility that she ended her own life in a kind of sacrifice in order to be with her lover in the afterlife.

The discovery was made as part of an excavation that unearthed a cemetery in the city of Dadong, and the orientation of the grave suggests it was used by commoners.

RELATEDArchaeologists Discover ‘Dazzling’ 3,000-Year-old Egyptian City, Left ‘As if it were yesterday’

Another striking detail was the presence of a silver ring on the female’s finger—but the researchers don’t believe it had anything to do with marriage.

They think it was simply the cultures’ tendencies to think of “bringing things” with them, into the afterlife. The lack of gems or engravings meant “it probably didn’t cost very much.”

This Northern Wei period saw Chinese rulers in an abrasive relationship, like sandpaper, with the many nomadic tribes on their borders. The nomads, in this case the Tuobo People, conquered Shanxi, in the Taiyuan Province. Subsequent rulers cultivated Buddhism as a strong central faith, bringing a more concrete concept of the afterlife to the people.

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“This funerary practice might have been influenced by the customs from the Western Regions and beyond through the Silk Roads,” write the authors in their corresponding scientific paper on the discovery.

“This discovery is a unique display of the human emotion of love in a burial, offering a rare glimpse of concepts of love, life, death and the afterlife in northern China during a time of intense cultural and ethnic exchange,” said co-author Qu Zhang.

Sure would not lie to live in those times .... no divorce then

Wow, obviously the phrase “until death do us part” did not apply ...  as pointed out in the article.

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