When you spend a lot of time indoors, as many of us are doing now, its easy to succumb to a sense of malaise.

Scientists, architects and others who study the concept of biophilic design creating buildings and interiors with cues from the natural world say theres a reason for that.

Humans have an affinity toward nature thats biologically embedded, said Bethany Borel, a senior associate at CookFox Architects, which has designed numerous offices with biophilic elements, including its own studio in Manhattan. If you dont have enough contact with the natural world, Ms. Borel said, there can be emotional and physical costs.

Biophilic design attempts to counter this by connecting people with nature, which can help reduce stress, improve cognitive performance, elevate our mood and have various physiological benefits, said Bill Browning, a founder of Terrapin Bright Green, a New York-based sustainability consulting firm established in 2006 with the founders of CookFox.

A recent study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in the journal Environment International, supported that claim, concluding that biophilic interiors helped inhabitants recover from stress and reduce anxiety more quickly than interiors without natural elements, and documented a notable reduction in blood pressure.

So how can this help you survive an extended lockdown? We asked architects and designers for tips on how to incorporate biophilic design at home.

One of the most straightforward ways to add nature to a space is with houseplants. But dont just put a single orchid in the corner. Instead, try a little grouping of plants.

We respond differently to a group of plants together, Mr. Browning said. Environmental psychologists are theorizing that when we see a cluster of plants together, the brain says, Oh, look, theres a habitat, so this must be a good place for me to be.

It doesnt have to take up a lot of space: A few types of plants could be installed together in a terrarium.

Or, if youve got one big potted plant, create an understory, he suggested, with a small plant spilling over the side of the pot. That way it becomes a miniature landscape.

Those of us who have a checkered history with houseplants should start slowly and choose plants that are easy to maintain.

Sometimes, having a lot of houseplants around can actually make you feel anxious about taking care of them, said Rebecca Bullene, a partner at the biophilic design firm Greenery NYC, which operates Greenery Unlimited, a plant store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. If youre killing plants all the time, it can make you feel really sad.

But no worries: There are a handful of plants that are relatively foolproof, said Adam Besheer, Ms. Bullenes partner at Greenery NYC. That includes ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), snake plants, pothos, Philodendron cordatum and aglaonema.

Clodagh, a New York-based interior designer who employs biophilic design principles in her projects, often uses jade plants for their simplicity. In our own office, we have about 60 feet of window boxes filled with jade plants, she said. Its very, very easy and helps clean the air.

To increase your chances of success, Mr. Besheer said, make sure you know how much water your chosen plants require over time, and that your planters have proper drainage holes. If your home doesnt get a lot of sunlight, buy a simple full-spectrum LED retrofit light bulb for a lamp, to serve as a grow light.

Indoor plants arent the only way to create a visual connection to nature. If you have a terrace or balcony, greenery outside the window works well. Or, you may be able to capture views of a park or tree down the street.

Well use mirrors to bring positive views inside, said Clodagh. If theres a tree, well use a mirror to bring a view of that tree inside.

Dried flowers are another option. Michael Hsu, an architect in Texas, commissioned a ceiling-mounted installation of dried flowers from the floral design studio Davy Gray when he recently opened an office in Houston.

I call it a flower cloud, Mr. Hsu said. You see a lot of green walls in offices right now, but they have their own challenges with lighting and water. This is easier to maintain, but still changes the mood of the conference room.

Photographs of natural scenes can also do the trick, Ms. Borel said: Even if its not an actual beach that you see out your window, it has a calming effect and helps to drop your cortisol levels down a little bit.

Adding finishes, furniture and accessories made from natural materials wood with an appealing grain pattern, for example, or natural stone can evoke nature, too.

We try to use natural materials with the least amount of processing possible, Mr. Hsu said. Its the architectural equivalent of eating organic food. With wood, we want to celebrate the grain and character of each species. It does so much for us, emotionally.

Part of the appeal is the tactile nature of those materials.

When Im sitting at a table that has a live edge, or some kind of articulation to the wood grain, I end up running my fingers over the edge of the table, Ms. Borel said. That subconscious connection with the natural helps us calm down a little.

Manufactured products like carpets, wallcoverings and fabrics that mimic patterns found in nature can have a similar effect.

Think of the honey locusts in Paley Park that create the amazing dappled light in that space, or the pattern of the water on the waterfall, Mr. Browning said of the Manhattan green space. Those are statistical fractals.

When fractals like those are used as decorative patterns on the things that surround us, he said, the immediate response you see is a reduction in stress.

If your home doesnt get a lot of natural light, consider adding lamps and light bulbs that provide various color temperatures and intensities over the course of the day to help keep your bodys circadian system in check.

People tend to gravitate to windows because you see the light change throughout the day, Ms. Borel said.

As humans, we have a cycle that is dependent on the natural lighting in our environment: Blue morning light helps us wake up and feel energized, she said, while the gentle, warm light of the setting sun helps prepare us for sleep.

If your home has a lot of static artificial light, it may be worth investing in adjustable bulbs, Ms. Borel said, from companies like Ikea and Philips, which make affordable options. At CookFoxs office, she said, the architects use Koncept Lady7 task lamps to change between cool and warm white light at their desks.

Water in the form of an aquarium or a small fountain can be another powerful reminder of nature.

The sound of water is clinically proven to help you relax, said Clodagh, who often includes water features in her projects, from private residences to apartment lobbies. Any kind of moving water is terrific.

The sound may also help block out distracting noises, like traffic or screaming children.

A small fountain, little waterfall or small, gurgling stream is by far the most effective acoustic masking sound, Mr. Browning said. The brain will focus on that and filter out most of the conversations or other noise in a space.

And it doesnt have to be complicated or elaborate, Clodagh noted: You can put a bubbler in a big steel dog bowl, with some pots of greens around it, and have your indoor garden.

Even with a wide array of natural elements, you may still feel the need to retreat from roommates or family members, like an ancient hunter-gatherer returning to a cave. If so, try to identify a cozy place where your back is protected, preferably somewhere with a low ceiling, Mr. Browning said.

In most homes, he noted, thats the window seat, the wingback chair or the four-poster bed its just that little space where you can tuck in for a break.

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

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Cooped Up Indoors? Theres a Reason You Dont Feel Well - The New York Times

The Supreme Court has refused the petition seeking a stay on construction of the Central Vista project that aims to revive the Central Secretariat offices and the Parliament. In his refusal of stay, Chief Justice S.A. Bobde clearly mentioned there was no urgency for the project to commence and nobody was going to do anything during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite that, there was a strong reaction by the opposition, calling it a Rs20,000-crore project that overlooked the Covid-19 fiscal requirement. The source of this estimate remains unknown. There has been absolute transparency in the process and the official estimate is close to Rs7,600 crore. Considering that the Central government pays Rs1,000 crore annually as rent for its scattered offices, you can assess the projects efficiency in the long run. Add to it the costs for daily travel allowance, number of vehicles to be bought and maintained, and so on.

I believe the opposition party is aware that allocation and utilisation of funds takes place in a phased manner. The idea of linking the Central Vista projects funds and Covid-19 is a propaganda to defame the prime minister and the Central government when the whole world is praising Indian authorities for tackling the pandemic efficiently.

The Central Vista project will prove to be an extension to the identity of the nation. The infrastructure of the Parliament building, North Block and South Block has great history. But the structures are old and do not cater to the needs of the functioning of modern India. They will be turned into a museum for the purpose of sentimental value, but a new structure will facilitate smoother movement of information across ministries. The Central government offices are scattered across 47 buildings in Delhi. For example, the finance ministry is in North Block, but the CBDT and CBICtwo essential tax bodieshave their headquarters around 10km away in South Delhi. Also, the Central civil services rules mention the stipulated carpet area of office space designated to ministers and subsequent officers, which is not being met for most of them. The Secretariat has grown considerably over the years and temporary setups have been installed to accommodate staff within the corridors. There are not even enough rooms to accommodate all the members of Parliament. The number of Lok Sabha constituencies is also expected to increase due to reorganisation, and their staff deserve at least an office within the Parliament. The century-old structure poses a safety and security concern for all Central government employees and the data that is stored within.

The setting that we work in is more than just buildings. They are symbols of the autocratic rule by the tyrannical British government. The layout is the exact opposite of what a central law-making body of a democracy should look like. There are large rooms for senior officials, positions held by the British at the time, and barely any space for the subordinate staff that was mostly Indian. The whole system reeks of the Indian chalta hai attitude, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is strictly against.

Independent India could not afford to rebuild such powerful structures during its initial years. However, this was long due. After close to 75 years of independence, and with the withering of the colonial hangover, the project has more than just physical benefits. It will give a sense of Indian-ness to its citizens, who will be well represented by a structure that we can proudly call our own.

Lekhi is member of Parliament forthwriteml@gmail.com

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More than just buildings - THE WEEK

1995

Cape Girardeau public schools have earned accreditation for grades kindergarten through 12 from the North Central Association; this is the first year the district's elementary schools have been accredited; Central High School has been accredited since 1922.

Under a proposed pact between the city of Cape Girardeau and TCI Cablevision, the city would have whistle-blowing power to keep TCI from straying from stipulations of a 10-year franchise agreement; and TCI general manager Roger Harms, who was seeking a 15-year pact, has the peace of mind he was looking for after completing two years of negotiations with the city; both sides appear happy with a situation that has been in limbo since 1991.

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Wayne L. Martin was installed as president of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees at the organization's annual installation banquet and dance last night at a local restaurant; other officers installed by Jerry Reynolds, Region Eight vice president, were: first vice president, Dennis D. Henson; second vice president, Terry Begley; third vice president, Sam Gill; treasurer, James Estes, and secretary, L.R. Roper Jr.

A lawsuit has been filed by the contractor who built the first two units of Towers Dormitories against the supplier of the carpeting, which hasn't served satisfactorily; the State College Board of Regents is withholding $14,000 from the contractor, McCarthy Construction Co., because of the issue.

Pfc. Cletus M. Runnels, 26, was killed in the fighting in Italy April 15, the War Department advised his wife, Geneva Brown Runnels of Hickory Grove, near Millersville; he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Runnels of near Whitewater.

The Louis K. Juden Post, American Legion, has given the restored Fort D, near May Greene School, to the Girl Scouts to be used as the organization's headquarters in Cape Girardeau.

Police Chief W.J. Segraves and policemen Lee Atchinson, Irvin Wilson, Curtis Childs and Ruddle Adams are reappointed to those positions during a meeting of the city council; Will Cooper was also appointed to the police force.

Dr. C.B. Ruff, dentist, is moving his office from the fourth floor of the H.-H. Building to the second floor of the same building, to rooms formerly occupied by Dr. Rex Cunningham and Dr. C.H. Beatty, osteopaths; Ruff's son, Gene, who is studying in the school osteopathy in Chicago, will share the office with him when he returns here in June.

-- Sharon K. Sanders

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Out of the Past: Out of the past: May 3 (5/2/20) - Southeast Missourian

The Waco Hippodrome brought first-run films back to Waco for the first time in six weeks this weekend, and ticket sales for a few screenings reflected a new reality: Sellouts measured in 20 tickets or fewer.

The Hippodrome resumed showing movies on its five screens and reopened its Raleigh restaurant after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott included movie theaters in an April 27 order. Abbott allowed limited reopenings for many Texas businesses and restaurants after weeks of shutdown to limit spread of the novel coronavirus.

Movie theaters were permitted to show films again, but only at 25% capacity and with social distancing measures in place.

For the Hippodrome, that means limited ability for ticket buyers to choose their seats and more frequent cleaning of seats, tables, restrooms and other places with customer traffic.

Still, a pent-up Waco interest in moviegoing kept the box office busy on its first day back.

Phones are kinda ringing off the hook, Hippodrome communications and design coordinator Molly Noah said.

Screening this weekend are Trolls World Tour, The Way Back with Ben Affleck, The Invisible Man starring Elisabeth Moss, the inspirational I Still Believe, and the Vin Diesel action film Bloodshot. Each film will have four screenings daily.

The 25% occupancy restrictions mean the Hippodromes theaters will sell out screenings at much smaller numbers about 50 seats for the main theater, 33 for the balcony theater and fewer than 20 apiece for the three newer screening rooms leading Hippodrome employees to recommend moviegoers call in advance about ticket availability.

While the movie theater was closed to the public, the Hippodromes staff spent the downtime preparing for customers return, repainting walls with an oil-based, less permeable paint; deep cleaning and sanitizing carpets and floors; and installing 22 sanitizing stations at theater entrances and exits, restrooms and the buildings elevator.

The theater became the first in Waco to return to operations as coronavirus measures started to allow limited reopening.

National theater chains AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas, which run the AMC Classic Galaxy 16 and Regal Jewel 16 Cinema, respectively, have each made announcements targeting reopening dates in July. Premiere Cinemas, which operates Wacos Premiere Cinema 6, did not reply to questions about its reopening.

To comply with state reopening guidelines, the Hippodrome will determine seating spacing. Small groups may sit together with two empty seats between each viewer or group and alternate rows empty. Online customers will not be able to choose their seats, but box office personnel will determine seating to ensure proper spacing.

Those standing in box office lines must leave 6 feet between them, and theater personnel in the lobby will watch to make sure spacing is adequate, Noah said. Theaters will be cleaned and sanitized between each screening, and the Hippodromes bathrooms will be sanitized every two hours.

Social spacing also will be the rule at the Raleigh, where tables have been removed to allow more room between patrons, shrinking occupancy to 13 diners. The Hippodromes Hightop, however, will remain closed.

The Raleigh also will offer to-go orders and curbside delivery for the first time. Moviegoers can still order food and drink in the theaters and can order from the Raleigh to take into the theaters, Noah said.

The Hippodromes gradual reopening this week is the first local in-person moviegoing opportunity for many in Waco. Home quarantines and sheltering in place have led millions of Americans to replace regular visits to movie theaters with watching streaming video at home.

Video on Demand offerings, where viewers pay a fee to watch a film release online or over their television, also have seen a boost, with Trolls World Tour bringing in a surprising $100 million in Video on Demand rentals when it could not be shown in theaters.

Trolls World Tour now is one of several Video on Demand releases making their Hippodrome debuts this week. Noah said the Pixar animated film Onward had tied up several Hippodrome screens in the weeks before the shutdown, shouldering out releases including I Still Believe and The Way Back.

Now those films can come back.

As with so much during the coronavirus pandemic, no one knows for sure what is next. With Hollywood studios busy postponing their summer blockbusters into the fall and beyond, the next major film release still on the books is the July 16 premiere of Christopher Nolans Tenet.

Major theater chains have not announced any timetable for reopening, though industry speculation suggests chains may show a mix of classics and previously released films in the weeks before first-run movies return.

The film distributors that provide the Hippodromes movies may offer something similar, Noah said.

The situation for live concerts is even more uncertain. Most of the Hippodromes live concerts this spring have moved to dates in the fall and winter, but it remains unknown what concerts with audiences would look like with social distancing in effect. Noah said the theater plans to try more live streaming of performers on the Hippodrome stage in the weeks ahead .

The Hippodromes Austin Avenue neighbor Cultivate 7twelve will reopen Thursday with hours of noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and a new exhibit by artist Katy Ward. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum will reopen to the public Monday, and the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute is planning to reopen Thursday.

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More seats than audience allowed as Hippodrome brings first-run movies back to Waco - Waco Tribune-Herald

EVANSVILLE, Ind. While restaurant and bar owners are worried about revenue shortfalls during this shutdown time, it is giving some the opportunity to make improvements that would have been difficult while open for regular business.

At Amys on Franklin, for example, owner Amy Word had large patio planting boxes made to match the rustic wood of the bar. The Cross-Eyed Cricket is remodeling their dining room. The New Frontier Restaurant in Daylight is putting in new bathrooms.

Up in northern Vanderburgh County, the Nisbet Inn is painting and printing new menus, and at Commanders Grill in Boonville, tall pub tables are being reduced to normal height to add more seating.

People relax on the front patio of Bokeh Lounge as they listen to Nick Hamilton, not pictured, play music in the Haynie's Corner Arts District neighborhood, Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Hamilton performs for patrons every Wednesday night. (Photo: SAM OWENS/ COURIER & PRESS)

A few places are making more significant changes or even readying a second location for opening.

The Bokeh Lounge on Haynies corner is readying a new menu and reconfiguring the whole kitchen to add a stone-floored pizza deck oven. The bar and restaurant was open for takeout for a short time after the shutdown started, but closed completely until after May 1 to work on changes.

Were sticking with the bar fare, but taking less popular things off the menu and adding the pizza, said general manager Jessica Nuffer. Ive been doing the fun stuff like looking at the numbers; we want to get back to a good solid core menu and come up with special breakfasts and dinners.

Adding the pizza equipment wasnt a simple procedure. The ventilation hood had to be expanded for the oven, a large mixer installed for kneading crust, a dough sheeter for rolling it, and a lot of equipment moved around in the kitchen to keep the flow workable.

More: Culinary Innovations: Family To-Go meals booming amidst COVID-19 stay-at-home order

More: Urban Seeds helping to provide 250 nutritious scratch meals a week

More: Tri-State's Dewig's not expecting meat or employee shortages amid coronavirus pandemic

Nuffer and chef Dontae Hines are serious about offering a great pizza. Theyll be testing crust recipes and deciding on which they like best. It might be a crisp Una-style crust or something else.

Well start out with the basic pizzas pepperoni, vegetables, loaded with the basic toppings, and expand from there, Nuffer said.

In the future, she looks forward to trying more trendy pizzas, possibly a Detroit style, which is baked in a square pan with a fluffy, cheesy crust and warm sauce ladled on top after baking.

The new High Score Player Two: Classic Arcade has taken shape while the original High Score Saloon has been closed due to coronavirus.(Photo: Photo courtesy High Score Saloon)

High Score Saloon owners Clint Hoskins and Jared Neible have brought on a third partner, Colton Blanchard, and have spent the time readying their second location, called High Score Player Two: Classic Arcade.

Located on Mount Vernon Avenue in the same complex as the Be Happy Pie Company (how convenient), the new location will be for an all-ages crowd and all-day play will cost $10. A snack machine might be installed, but no food or beverages will be prepared onsite. If the building is booked for a private party, food may be brought in.

We didnt have to do too much at High Score, said Hoskins. We do a deep clean every month, so we just went down the day the shutdown was announced and threw out the perishables; weve been investing our time in the new place.

New carpet and a coat of paint went in fairly quickly. More time is being spent on the 35 games the High Score team had in storage, including Robotron, X-Menand Ninja Turtles. Repairing these and working on vintage pinball machines for customers are the order of the day.

Hoskins has no desire to open either arcade until conditions are very safe, so he hopes to have time also to upgrade the patio at the original High Score so its ready for a mid-summer opening.

The Silver Bell family restaurant in St. Wendel recently moved out some old tables to make way for new booths.(Photo: Photo Courtesy Sean Powers)

The Silver Bellfamily restaurant in Wadesville is doing extensive renovations to the front of house.

The tile floors in the dining room, bar and party room are being replaced with trendy new poured epoxy floors. The walls, which hold a collection of Powers family artifacts, are getting painted and patched but dont worry, the nostalgic items will be returned to their places.

Were adding new tables, booths and barstools too, said Powers. Weve never had booths before, so were excited about that. Weve been thinking about doing it for a while and accumulating things; we wanted to do it in a year or so after we had more time to plan it out, but were not going to find a better time to do it than right now.

The Silver Bell is still offering their full menu and daily specials, as well as family-style meals on the weekends, carry-out or curbside. Watch the Facebook Page at facebook.com/silverbellrestaurant/ for specials, hours and changes.

The Silver Bell is located at 4424 St. Wendel Rd.Phone: 812-963-0944

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What are Tri-State bars and restaurants doing with this down time? - Courier & Press

In May 1990, a hillside on the Kent State campus burst with 58,175 daffodils for the first time. One flower was planted for each of the U.S. servicepeople killed in Vietnam.

Fragments of May 4: The Power of So Many Flowers

Families gathered on the Commons to see the enormous carpet of bright flowers. Parents squatted next to children and pointed. People brought photographs of their husbands, sons, and brothers and placed them among the daffodils. Veterans observed proudly, silently moved. And among them stood the man who made it all possible, sculptor and Kent State art professor Brinsley Tyrrell.

Tyrrell had been present for the May 4 shootings and their aftermath. The events of that day shocked him to the core. The idealism got knocked out of everything, he said. The excitement of being young that was in the air was all sort of sucked out.

So when the university announced in 1985 it would hold a competition to design a May 4 Memorial, Tyrrell began brainstorming ideas that might bring people together and help them heal. In Tyrells mind, a field of flowers could serve as a backdrop for the memorial just as the Vietnam War had served as the backdrop for shootings.

Although Tyrrells proposal was initially dismissed because he was not a United States citizen or permanent resident (he was teaching at Kent State on a work visa from England at the time), that didnt deter him. He wrote up another proposal and made an appointment with Kent State President Michael Schwartz.

Schwartz had been at the epicenter of the tension around the memorial. Those who protested the memorial, mostly veterans, believed that to honor fallen anti-war protestors was a sign of disrespect to those whod fought in the war. Those who advocated for the memorial believed those who died protesting the war, not those who fought in it, should be the ones honored.

Tyrrell believed the university could honor both.

On the day of Tyrrells appointment, President Schwartz looked apprehensive. You could just see that he was [thinking], Oh God, more of this! Tyrrell said. But as Schwartz read through the proposal, Tyrrell watched his apprehension disappear. Schwartz looked up at Tyrrell and said, I like flowers. This might work.

In addition to planting the flowers, the university installed a plaque that said, 58,175 daffodils along with Tyrrells name. The plaque had been buried until this year when the maintenance crew unearthed it. Tyrrell had assumed it was stolen.

Tyrrell said he never understood why the university refused to state the purpose of the daffodils outright on the plaque and suggested that perhaps a new one is in order. Were 50 years away and young 18-year-olds would not know what 58,17[5] daffodils means.

Unfortunately, the daffodil memorial doesnt look the same today as it did when it was originally installed. Daffodils need to be left alone six weeks after they bloom to rebuild their bulbs for the next year. Since the university mows the field immediately after the flowers bloom and does not fertilize it, far fewer than 50,000 daffodils return each year.

While student groups have volunteered over the years to plant a hundred bulbs here and there, Tyrrell said it is not enough to convey the colossal amount of American lives lost in Vietnam.

Fifty bulbs are pretty, he said. "A huge mass is something else.

Lyndsey Brennan is a graduate student in the journalism program at Kent State University. Joan Steidl is an assistant professor of Human Services Technology at Kent State University's Ashtabula campus.

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Fragments of May 4: The Power of So Many Flowers - WKSU News

The Bellagio and New York-New York will likely be the first resorts that MGM Resorts International opens on the Strip once the Nevada Gaming Control Board gives casinos the OK to reopen to the public.

During the companys earnings call on Thursday, CEO Bill Hornbuckle told investors that MGM Resorts will not open all its casinos at the same time and will instead focus on a few hotels with different price points for rooms.

Then from there were talking about what other properties should open, if any, at that point in time, he said on the call. Well go slow. Well be responsive and responsible.

Even when resorts open, every restaurant at the property probably wont reopen, but those that do will have takeout options for food and drink.

The casino floors will look different too. Hornbuckle says Aria and the Park MGM installed new carpeting, which gave those properties a chance to move gaming tables and slot machines apart for social distancing. The Nevada Gaming Control Board may restrict the number of people inside a casino at one time once resorts reopen.

Hornbuckle remains optimistic that people will still want to visit Las Vegas once coronavirus is under control. He notes that about half of visitors drive to Las Vegas, and expects repeat customers who receive offers to stay at MGM Resorts hotels to be among the first to return. He also claims hotel bookings this fall and into 2021 remain strong.

Gov. Steve Sisolak extended Nevadas stay-at-home directive through May 15, and said casinos and resorts will open in phase three or four of his slow reopening of the state for business. Nevadas 441 casinos closed on March 17 when Sisolak called for all nonessential businesses to shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Gov. Steve Sisolak Extends Stay-at-Home Order in Nevada Through May 15 [ELV]

How Coronavirus Is Affecting Las Vegas Food and Restaurants [ELV]

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Bellagio, New York-New York could be the first MGM Resorts to open on the Strip - Eater Nashville

The Chevrolet Corvette C5 has been the object of many custom modifications throughout the years, from tasteful ones to the more ridiculous.

We dont really recall seeing one turned into a buggy, though. Until now, that is, as a rather impressive 1999 Chevrolet Corvette Buggy has surfaced on Bring A Trailer. The seller bought the 1999 Corvette fixed-roof coupe in 2019 and immediately set out to transform it into an off-road buggy.

He kept the factory chassis and drivetrain, which means power comes from the stock 345 HP 5.7-liter LS1 V8 paired with a six-speed manual gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels.

See Also:Meet The Corvettini, A Chopped C5 Corvette That Fits In A Small Garage

The first thing they did was remove the fiberglass body and shorten the front and rear frame rails. The next step was to build an exterior cage from DOM tubing and start adding custom parts. Those include an engine cover, cowl splash shields and rear panels made from 6061-T6 sheet aluminum, as well as a front bumper sourced from a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.

Additionally, the Corvette Buggy received tow hooks, DOT-certified Hella headlamps, a front light bar, LED taillights, a muffler adapted from a 2019 Camaro Z/28, and a fire extinguisher mounted behind the driver.

Interestingly, the Corvette suspension was retained and has been raised using factory adjusters. The 17-inch wheels come from a C5 Corvette Z06 but have been fitted with chunky Firestone Destination MT2 tires sized 265/70 on the front and 285/70 at the back. Because of the wheel and tire modifications, the TPMS, ABS and DSC systems have been disabled the good thing is there arent that many obstacles to hit in the desert.

While the powertrain remains stock, there are some mechanical modifications such as a mild performance camshaft, Kooks long-tube headers, high-flow catalytic converters, a performance clutch, and a relocated battery with a disconnect switch.

The factory interior was kept almost intact as it includes the stock dashboard, console, carpet and seats. The leather upholstery was swapped for a woven cloth, though, and a short-throw shifter has been installed. The seller says the heating and air conditioning are functional, but the radio is not because the doors were removed together with the speakers.

The buggy remains a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette C5 in the papers and is offered with a clean Arizona title in the sellers name and all receipts from the build. At the time of writing, bidding reached $10,000 but will probably rise until May 5 when the hammer drops.

more photos...

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Corvette Buggy Is A C5 Reinvented As A Crazy Sand Dune Racer - CarScoops

Up for auction on eBay, this 67 Coronet likely comes with the same gold paint that was applied at the St. Louis factory over half a century ago, the ad reads. But this doesnt stop here.

The seller says the car, which is actually a barn find that was stored by a woman for over 20 years, comes with almost every single original part that it was equipped with when it left the factory.

The restoration job that it received was minimal, they guarantee, and with a professional respray, it should easily be brought in nearly mint condition.

It was resurrected and overhauled only replacing the components that were needed to make it a confident cruiser. So almost everything you see is believed to be original, including the full trim, factory wheel covers, and big chrome bumpers, the seller says.

Its believed the V8 engine that powers this Coronet is the original one that was fitted by the manufacturer. New parts, like an aluminum radiator, a replacement carburetor, a battery, and a brake line have all been installed.

This all makes for a particularly strong-running survivor. And this Cornet was already built to be good cruiser thanks to the a A727 three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes, the seller says.

The interior has been well preserved despite spending so many years abandoned in a barn. The Dodge steering wheel, the two wide bench seats, the dashboard, the door panels, and the carpeting are all believed to be original.

There are even provisions for nice extras as the AM radio is still on display, and while the air conditioning system is currently disabled, there are many of the major components still in place, the company that sells it explains.

The car has only 45,714 miles (73,569 km) on the clock, and its believed this is the actual mileage and an odometer rollback is very unlikely.

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1967 Dodge Coronet Barn Find Still Has the Same Half-of-Century-Old Gold Paint - autoevolution

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic in the US, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been outspoken about his thoughts on everything from ventilator shortages to possible treatments to the severity of the virus overall.

Now, Musk has gone a step further, calling US shelter-in-place orders "fascist" during a brief, expletive-laden rant during a conference call following Tesla's first-quarter earnings report on Wednesday.

Musk has a history of speaking out during times of crisis. In 2018, for example, Musk offered to build a "kid-size" submarine to rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach stuck in a flooded cave in Thailand. When a British diver called Musk's actions a "PR stunt," Muskcalled the diver a "pedo guy" in a since-deleted tweet. (The comment sparked a defamation lawsuit, but Musk has since been cleared).

He's also frequently shared his thoughts on everything from Tesla short-sellers to the media, and has landed in hot water over erratic tweets like his "funding secured" fiasco in 2018.

But as the coronavirus crisis continues to affect the US and the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country has surpassed 1 million, Musk's recent behavior has been scrutinized. Government officials have reportedly questioned whether Musk delivered the number of ventilators he promised, and everyone including Ariana Grande's mother and Musk's own fans have called his statements on reopening the economy "irresponsible."

Here's a timeline of Musk's behavior throughout the coronavirus crisis.

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Elon Musk: A timeline of his comments during the coronavirus outbreak - Business Insider - Business Insider