As social distancing measures continue across the world, ordinary citizens are coming up with extraordinary ways to help the most affected. A businessman in Vietnam has created a automatic rice dispensing machine to provide free rice to people who are out of work.

The machine distributes a 1.5kg bagful of rice from a small silo to waiting workers, many of whom are street sellers or people who earned a living from cash-in-hand jobs like housekeeping or selling lottery tickets.

Hoang Tuan Anh, the businessman behind the idea, had initially donated a batch of smart doorbells to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City before turning his technological expertise to food distribution.

The idea behind the design was to make sure that the most vulnerable people in the community felt that they always had access to some food source.

Photo: Reuters / Yen Duong

Via - The Jakarta Post

Does all this social distancing have you missing your favorite hotel check-in treat? Now you can have the Signature Double Tree Chocolate Chip Cookie at home.

For the first time ever, DoubleTree by Hilton is sharing the official bake-at-home recipe for the brand’s beloved and delicious chocolate chip cookie, so at-home bakers can create the warm and comforting treat in their own kitchens.

Via - VIMEO

What do you do when people in your town refuse to social distance? If you are in Indonesia you organize a group of volunteers to wander the streets pretending to be ghosts.

The village on Java island has deployed a cast of "ghosts" to patrol the streets, hoping that age-old superstition will keep people indoors and safely away from the coronavirus.

"We wanted to be different and create a deterrent effect because 'pocong' are spooky and scary,” said Anjar Pancaningtyas, head of a village youth group that coordinated with the police on the unconventional initiative to promote social distancing as the coronavirus spreads.

Known as "pocong", the ghostly figures are typically wrapped in white shrouds with powdered faces and kohl-rimmed eyes. In Indonesian folklore they represent the trapped souls of the dead.

When the threat of ghosts didn't work well enough to keep people indoors the group got even more creative. Now the troop of actors is encouraged to jump scare people who fail to social distance.

Via - CNA

Photo - Reuters

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“What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing you did mattered?” - Phil Connors Welcome to Coronavirus 2020, where every day is Groundhog Day. #chalkart #groundhogday #covid #chalkyourwalk #chalkthewalk @punxsyphil #streetart #streetpainting #groundhog #billmurray #fcaa #covid19 #chalk @blickartmaterials @cbspittsburgh

A post shared by Erik Greenawalt (@thechalkingdad) on Apr 5, 2020 at 5:45pm PDT

Are you starting to feel like you are stuck in one place and every day is exactly the same? Thank goodness artist Erik Greenawalt is here to break up the monotony with his amazing and beautiful sidewalk art.

Via - Instagram

Emergency Bigfoot In Your Pocket

Let's face it, social distancing is not easy for most of us. If you are like a large portion of the population, and crave social interaction, Bigfoot is here to help. With the Emergency Bigfoot In Your Pocket from the NeatoShop you can call on the power of the ultimate social distancing champion! Sasquatch is there to howl, snort, roar, or groan for you to keep even the nicest of people at bay. 

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great items. New items arriving all the time. 

Mother's Day is right around the corner. Stop by the NeatoShop and take a look at our large selection of comfy and customizable apparel. We specialize in curvy and Big and Tall sizes. We carry baby 6 months all the way to 10XL shirts. We know that fun, fabulous, and socially distant people come in every size. 

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ОЧЕНЬ скучаем!!! REALLY miss you!!! . Идея, режиссёр #ИванВасильев #idea #director @vasiliev.art #cast @vasiliev.art @marymaryvi @irinaperren @valeriia_zapasnikova @persson_ella @aleksandr_omar #producer @timofeeva.darina . #сидимдома #будьтедома #зрители❤️ #берегитесебя #михайловскийтеатр #всеподомам #мывместе #stayhome #takecareofyourself #audience❤️ #mikhailovskytheatre #wearetogether

A post shared by Михайловский Театр (@mikhailovskytheatre) on Apr 5, 2020 at 7:29am PDT

The theater may be closed, but ballet dancers in Russia are still busy entertaining fans.

Dancers from the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia, choreographed a touching story which they are calling The Self-Isolation Ballet. The short performance is set to music by composer Ludwig Minkus. I don't want to give away the plot, but there is a lot of cooking and cleaning going on.

"Artists remain true to themselves even in the current unusual conditions," the Mikhailovsky Theatre said. "While they do not have the opportunity to interact with spectators at the theatre, the interior of their homes serves as a stage and creative platform for them."

Via - CNA

Beautiful day with my favorite employee, Rosie! #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/mEw2p8lBea

— TomatatoroAC (@TomatatoroA) March 30, 2020

Can't hang out at Denny's, because of social distancing restrictions? That didn't stop one artist from recreating the Denny's experience in Animal Crossing New Horizons. @TomatotaroA even designed little outfits for the workers to make the experience feel more authentic.

Via - Twitter

Looking for the ultimate comfort food? Now you can make official Disney churros at home.

Alex Dunlap, Food and Beverage Communications Coordinator of Disney, is providing a big treat for Disney fans who like to cook. He released an official Disney Churro bites recipe inspired by your favorite park snack.

These past few weeks, we’ve seen many of you sharing Disney recipes and creating your very own magical moments right at home. Being a BIG fan of Disney Parks snacks myself, this has inspired us to share one of my favorite recipes so you can continue creating #DisneyMagicMoments.

The magical recipe is available in a printable version on their blog. 

Via - Disney Parks Blog

Twenty-four student cellist from across the world came together (virtually) to play 'The Swan' from Saint-Saens's The Carnival of Animals. Each cellist played a small passage and the video was seamlessly stitched together to create the entire piece.

I hope this video serves as a comfort during these bleak times. When life gets rough, I always resort to music first. With the combined force of 24 student cellists from around the world, we wish to share that experience with you through "The Swan" from Saint-Saëns's The Carnival of the Animals. It is a piece of cello repertoire that harnesses simplicity and beauty in a language that speaks directly to the soul. In this unprecedented time of COVID-19 gripping the world, our bodies may be in different places, but our souls can still unite through music.

Via - YouTube

Japanese celebrity Pikataro has turned his famous Pineapple-Apple-Pen (PPAP) song into a catchy hand washing song.

Stay home, stay safe, sing, dance, and wash those hands.

Via - YouTube

A spring graduation at Business Breakthrough University in Tokyo, Japan looked a little different this year. Instead of canceling the ceremony due to social distancing concerns the university offered a robotic alternative. Students graduated remotely using a robot stand-in.

The robots' "faces" were tablets that displayed the faces of the graduates, who logged on at home and controlled the robots via their laptops.

One by one, the robots motored toward the podium to receive their diplomas. School staff clapped and said "congratulations!" as University President Kenichi Ohmae placed the diplomas on a rack mounted on the robot's midsection.

The school is encouraging other institutions to adopt this robotic graduation method.

Via - The Jakarta Post

Photo: BBT University via Reuters

With distance learning being the new normal, some teachers are going above and beyond to connect with their students. Karie Snodgrass teaches 2nd grade in Oregon. Instead of giving up on a big project she had planned for her students she spent hours upon hours preparing and dropping off care packages to the kids in her class.

"We were getting ready to do this huge project with plants and measurement and math and everything," Snodgrass said. "I knew they wouldn’t have access to seeds but I had the seeds already. So I put all the seeds in baggies wearing gloves and then I thought then they need journals and then they need crayons and so I put together care packages."

She called this act her version of the ding, dong, ditch. We call it another wonderful example of kindness in action. Thank you to her and all the amazing teachers out there.

Via - KATU

What happens when you force a comedian / magician and his lovely flight attendant wife to social distance together? Pure comedy gold!

FYI - The sketch was written by the wife.

Via - YouTube

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How do you have a birthday party while Staying Home to Save Lives? This Lake Oswego neighborhood figured it out! - To celebrate 7 year old Liam, neighbors had signs to wish him a 'Happy Birthday' during his birthday walk! - Tell us something positive you've recently experienced in Lake Oswego! Be sure to use #LOtogether and tag us! - #LOtogether #LakeOsewego #LakeOswegoOR #birthday #StayHomeSaveLives

A post shared by City of Lake Oswego (@cityoflakeoswego) on Apr 3, 2020 at 11:04am PDT

A neighborhood in Lake Oswego, Oregon figured out a clever way to celebrate a 7-year-old's birthday.

To celebrate 7 year old Liam, neighbors had signs to wish him a 'Happy Birthday' during his birthday walk!

You may not be able to have a party, but that doesn't mean we all can't still celebrate! A very happy birthday to everyone, young and old, who has a birthday coming up.

Via - Instagram

It has just been announced that the Modelo Group will be stopping production and marketing of Corona beer. For how long? Who knows.

The Mexican beer company said it was taking the steps to “comply with the measures adopted by the Federal Government” of Mexico. 

They also expressed their “total commitment to be part of the fight against the SARS-Cov2 virus”, the statement reads.

Judging by the pallets of Corona still left in the supermarkets near us, the product hasn't been selling well in recent weeks.  

VIA - CNN

Photo - Rodgrigo/ AFP/Getty Images/ FILE