Try this Giloy juice to boost your immune system – Times of India

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Having a strong immune system has always been considered important to stay healthy, but it has become even more crucial right now when the world is dealing with highly contagious new strains of coronavirus. Strong immunity is the body's first line of defence which protects it from disease-causing bacteria, virus and germs. If by any chance any foreign pathogens enters into our body, our immune system produces white blood cells and other chemicals to destroy them.

Leading a healthy lifestyle is the most effective of all to build your immune system. Eating healthy, exercising, sleeping on time, avoiding alcohol are some of the things that hold great importance when it comes to your health. However, strong immunity is not built overnight. It takes time for your body to improve the immune health, to prevent you from diseases. Still, there are certain things that you can do to support your immune system and Giloy juice can be an excellent drink for that.

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Try this Giloy juice to boost your immune system - Times of India

In Focus: Francis Wheatley, the Londoner who immortalised everyday Georgian life across the strata of society – Country Life

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Francis Wheatley RA (17471801) is best known today for his Cries of London, but, as Matthew Dennison explains, he was also a painter of delightful and accomplished portraits and landscapes.

Posterity has cocked a snook at the verdict on Francis Wheatley that was expressed in 1772 by the authors of Candid Observations on the Principal Performances Now Exhibiting at the New Rooms of the Society of Artists. This pithily titled critique made bold claims for the painter, not least that he [bid] fair to be of the first class.

Alas, it was not to be. Wheatleys career spanned three decades, beginning in the early 1770s. It included a series of small-scale group portraits or conversation pieces, landscapes in oil and watercolour, full-length portraits, so-called fancy pictures (genre studies of sentimental realism), scenes from Shakespeare and contemporary literature and a noteworthy handful of large group scenes, including The Irish House of Commons in 1780 and the glorious The Earl of Aldborough reviewing Volunteers at Belan House, County Kildare, commissioned in 1782.

Francis Wheatleys The Earl of Aldborough reviewing Volunteers at Belan House, County Kildare, commissioned in 1782. Credit: The National Trust / Waddesdon Manor

In all, Wheatley demonstrated both adroitness and liveliness of spirit, without achieving consistently the hallmarks of an artist of the first class. Until a century ago, he enjoyed immortality of sorts thanks to the enduring popularity of his best-known print series, his Cries of London.

The pictures painted in the 1790s showed a series of 20 down-at-heel street sellers in and around Covent Garden. There is none of the glittering archness of his earlier fancy pictures: here was a vision both kindly and picturesque, celebratory and charming. They were reproduced by engravers and sold well into the 20th century, even finding fame on biscuit tins and chocolate boxes. Today, however, his work attracts a small following.

Two bunches a penny primroses, two bunches a penny, from Wheatleys Cries of London.

Wheatleys career got off to a promising start, with prizes in his teens for drawing and draughtsmanship, admission to the new Royal Academy Schools in 1769 and to the Society of Artists the following year. Late in his career, he was elected a Royal Academician. That his contemporaries thought highly of him may not be surprising: among Wheatleys talents was his ability to assimilate key features and mannerisms from the work of his fellow painters. Early influences included the portraits of John Hamilton Mortimer.

Wheatleys first surviving landscape in oils, The Harvest Wagon of 1774, is modelled closely on a painting of the same name by Thomas Gainsborough. This was more than simple copying and the painter demonstrated considerable dexterity, not only of technique, but in the omnivorousness of his borrowing. View on the Banks of the Medway of 1776 clearly shows the influence of earlier Dutch landscape painting.

Wheatley built his early reputation on portraits of prosperous, but not necessarily top-drawer sitters. Invariably depicted in rural settings, his male subjects struggle to suggest patrician insouciance.

Francis Wheatleys Figures and cattle by a lake. Courtesy of the Royal Academy of Arts.

There is nothing cruel in Wheatleys gaze; indeed, most of his work is characterised by a warmth of feeling that is charming in itself. Best examples, such as his portrait of Lord Spencer Hamilton of 1778 in the Royal Collection, combine a successful composition with flashes of genuine insight.

The same applies to the group portraits Wheatley undertook, again influenced by Mortimer in addition to other exponents of the conversation piece, notably Arthur Devis and Johan Zoffany. The Saithwaite Family of about 1785, a gift to New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2009, is a bravura exercise in the form. The characters of mother, father and little daughter are all clearly indicated in a setting that is both visually rich and harmonious.

The same is true of A Family Group in a Landscape, in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Family Group of about 1775 in the US National Gallery of Art. Both are highly decorative; both appear to reveal truths about their sitters.

All three pictures, however, also point to a flaw in much of Wheatleys portraiture, a sense that the whole is less than the sum of its parts, with individual figures existing in apparent isolation from one another, despite their proximity within a canvas. This does not always matter.

Increasingly, as the 1780s progressed, despite recurring problems in his private life, usually related to chronic debts, Wheatley produced work of gentle elegance and, apparently, tenderness of feeling. More than others of his countrymen, he embraced the sentimental vision of French artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze. The results, as one observer noted, are deliciously limpid: save to the harshest critic, they are never simply vapid.

Recently, I found a copy of Mary Websters 1970 monograph on Wheatley on the charity table in the entrance to a City church. It made for a costlier than usual Sunday Eucharist. As did the church in question, it offered wonderful food for the soul.

Laura Gascoigne is enthralled by The Royal Academy's exhibition available in virtual form on their website focusing on Lon Spilliaert,

Helen Schjerfbeck is a national icon in Finland but hasn't had a solo exhibition in Britain since the 19th century.

The explosion in watercolour painting in the 18th century came not from artists' studios but rather from the unbeatable practicality

Canadian artist David Milne moved from city to country, eventually ending up as a hermit in a remote part of

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In Focus: Francis Wheatley, the Londoner who immortalised everyday Georgian life across the strata of society - Country Life

New Tiger Woods documentary to air on TV next month – BreakingNews.ie

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A new Tiger Woods documentary Tiger Wood: Back is launching next month.

The new documentary looks back on the champion golfer's 2019 Masters victory with never-before-seen footage.

The show will be broadcast on Sky's new channel, Sky Documentary service, Sky Sports and NOW TV.

A number of other sporting documentaries are also coming out soon on the new Sky Documentaries service including:

Tiger Woods: Back

Telling one of golf's greatest comeback stories, this Sky original documentary draws on archival footage and exclusive interviews with golfing legend Butch Harmon, Nick Faldo, Jaime Diaz, Notah Begay III, Ewen Murray and Consultant Neurological Spinal Surgeon Mr Peter Hamlyn.

After four potentially career-ending back surgeries and confessing he may never play competitive golf again, Tiger Woods returned to Augusta in 2019, where it all began 22 years before and dramatically won his fifth Masters, his 15th Major and his first major in 11 years.

The Armstrong Lie

After beating cancer and winning the Tour de France seven times, Lance Armstrong was considered one of the greatest sports figures of all time.

When Armstrong admitted to doping in 2012, USADA's CEO, Travis Tygart, concluded that Armstrong's team had run "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."

Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes

A vibrant portrait of boxing legend Muhammad Ali told through the lens of his frequent appearances on the Emmy Award-winning Dick Cavett Show.

With natural charisma, quick wit and playful pugnacity, Ali was a perfect foil for the sophisticated broadcast host, and together they struck television gold.

Busby

The truly remarkable story of a Manchester United icon and one of the greatest football managers of all time.

During 25 years in charge of Manchester United his charisma, vision and steel revolutionised the beautiful game, turning Manchester United from the second-best team in their home city into one of the most iconic names in sport.

Ferrari Race to Immortality

Ferrari: Race to Immortality tells the story of the loves and losses, triumphs and tragedy of Ferrari's most celebrated drivers in an era where they lived la dolce vita during the week, and it was win or die on any given Sunday.

Kenny

The day after the Heysel disaster, Kenny Dalglish became manager of Liverpool Football Club. Six years later he resigned from the club, shell-shocked in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster.

In between he created one of the most exciting football teams of all times. 'Kenny' explores more than just the roller-coaster career of an iconic footballer and manager.

Women of Troy

Women of Troy is a documentary film highlighting the historic and ground-breaking USC womens basketball team of the 1980s, whose talent and charisma created new possibilities for women in basketball and helped paved the way for the WNBA.

Kevin Pietersen: Story of a Genius

This documentary underlines the story of one of England's most controversial and successful cricket players of all time.

In this five-part documentary series, a group of cricketing experts, ex-players and ex-coaches all along with Kevin himself, explain the fascinating and eventful life that the cricketer experienced.

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New Tiger Woods documentary to air on TV next month - BreakingNews.ie

#ComicBytes: Who is Gorr the God Butcher? | NewsBytes – NewsBytes

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Marvel fans around the world recently celebrated the announcement of several new projects and additions to the MCU.

However, the best revelation till now has been about the villain of Thor: Love and Thunder, Gorr the God Butcher, who will be portrayed by Christian Bale.

As the name suggests, Gorr kills Gods.

Read ahead to know why and how he does it.

A young Gorr grew up on an unnamed planet with a crippled leg.

Although he knew that he must pay homage to Gods to keep his family safe, he questioned his faith when both of his parents die.

Years later, when his partner Arra and their kids also perish, Gorr loses all faith in the Gods, which results in his tribe disowning him.

After being shunned by his tribe, Gorr wanders around the deserts where he witnesses two Gods on the ground.

When the surviving God asks Gorr for help, he asks, "Where were you when my children were starving? Where were you when we needed our Gods?!"

Then suddenly, the dead God's weapon binds itself to Gorr that enables him to stab the injured God.

The weapon that binds itself to Gorr as a symbiote is the All-Black the Necrosword. In fact, all symbiotes of Marvel Comics (like Venom) descend from this weapon.

Necrosword allows for immortality, flight, regeneration, conjuring weapons, and other superhuman abilities.

Gorr uses his new-found abilities to create versions of his dead wife and son, along with his own guards called the Black Berserkers.

After his first kill, Gorr decides to become the God Butcher, and eventually faces the Asgardian God of Thunder, Thor.

On the first encounter, he almost kills young Thor. During the second time, Thor teams with two other versions of himself from different eras to defuse his Godbomb and kill him.

On their final encounter, Thor defeats a resurrected Gorr.

In comics, Gorr is a mortal without his memories after the destruction of the All-Black symbiote.

He is living his life in peace with the Sky Lords of Indigarr.

Gorr has proved to be a mighty adversary for Thor and has had a huge impact on his life.

It would be interesting to see how Bale brings this character to life on-screen.

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Dyson Sphere Program and Tale of Immortal lead the Steam top sellers list – PCGamesN

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The Steam charts for the previous week make for pleasant viewing if youre looking to try something new. The top two spots in the Steam top sellers list ranked by revenue, not by unit sales go to building game Dyson Sphere Program and open-world sandbox game Tale of Immortal. Theyre both from Chinese development studios and are making a huge splash.

Dyson Sphere Program is a Factorio-like that tasks you with harnessing the power of the stars, collecting resources, and planning and designing production lines so you can develop your small space workshop into a galaxy-wide industrial empire. The indie game entered Early Access on Steam earlier this month following a successful crowdfunding campaign last year. Over the weekend it hit a new, all-time player peak of 59,577.

Tale of Immortal, meanwhile, has been in Early Access for less than a week and has already hit a peak of 124,271 players. Its an open-world sandbox game based on Chinese mythology and cultivation with a lovely art style. Im sure the gameplay is grand, but Id happily just sit and look at it. The game is only available in Simplified Chinese right now, though its available globally.

The rest of the list is notably more familiar, and features Rust, Cyberpunk 2077, CS:GO, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Skul: The Hero Slayer has also snuck in, which is worth your time if you fancy a roguelite 2D platformer about saving your boss a Demon King from the good guys.

If youre looking for a Dyson Sphere Program guide to help you get up and running, you know where to click.

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Dyson Sphere Program and Tale of Immortal lead the Steam top sellers list - PCGamesN

Doom Patrol Leaves the Fate of the Whole Team Up in the Air | CBR – CBR – Comic Book Resources

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The season finale of DC Universe's Doom Patrol ended on a massive cliffhanger, leaving the fate of the entire team in jeopardy.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the season finale of Doom Patrol Season 2, "Wax Patrol," available now on DC Universe and HBO Max.

Season 2 of DC'sDoom Patrol series recently came to an end with an unintended cliffhanger. Production of the series was forced to halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result, the final episode of the season couldn't be shot. So now, Episode 9, "Wax Patrol" serves as a finale one that leaves the fate of the whole team in doubt.

After learning of Niles Caulder's deceptions and true intentions, the team spent most of Season 2 grappling with the aftermath of his betrayal. He was responsible for the accidents which transformed each of them into freaks, but his reasons were complex. He was seeking a way to gain immortality so he could be an ever-watchful caretaker for his daughter, Dorothy.

RELATED: Doom Patrol: Danny's Transformation Could Pave The Way For ANOTHER Character

Introduced in Season 2, Dorothy is an ape-faced girl with incredible psychic powers. Able to manifest beings from her imagination and connected to a strong spiritual force, Dorothy is immortal and perpetually remains an 11-year old girl. Her powers are so great, she struggles to control them, and all season has been taunted by an entity called the Candlemaker.

A malevolent being who preys on Dorothy's fears when she's at her weakest, the Candlemaker can grant any wish Dorothy makes, but he always bends her wish to commit monstrous acts of violence. Niles feared what would happen to Dorothy without proper supervision, and thus began his journey for immortality, which resulted in the birth of the Doom Patrol.

RELATED: Catwoman Resurrects Doom Patrol's Most SUGGESTIVE Weapon

Unfortunately for Niles, he had to give up the talisman keeping him alive in order to save the team, and as Dorothy is exposed to the outside world, she has begun to grow up. With Dorothy losing control of her growing powers as she entered puberty, the Doom Patrol refusing to forgive Niles and his own health failing, hehas resigned himself to allowing his wizard friend, Kipling, to kill her.

Wanting to spend one last day with his daughter, Nilesbrings Dorothy to a fair. However, he and Kipling are too late, and, under duress, Dorothy is forced to unleash the Candlemaker. Not wanting people to be hurt, Dorothy sends her imaginary friend, a giant spider named Herschel, to warn the Doom Patrol. The team rallies at the fair, despite their feelings towards Niles.

The Candlemaker has taken over the fair, sealing people in wax. The team is separated and forced to confront their own imaginary friends, conjured by the Candlemaker. One by one they are defeated, with everyone, but Niles and Jane, sealed in the Candlemaker's wax. Cliff suffered the worst fate, being broken down into scrap before getting covered in wax.

Janeisout of commission too, but for different reasons. Stuck in the Well, the darkest part of her subconscious, Jane has been replaced by a former, primary personality, Miranda.However, as Miranda is called back to the Underground and questioned by the other personalities, Jane learns the truth. She finds the corpse of Miranda floating in the dark waters of the Well, and Miranda is in fact her abusive Daddy personality attempting to seize control of Jane.

RELATED: A Doom Patrol Hero Brings Another Piece of Watchmen Into The DC Universe

Meanwhile, Slava, Dorothy's mother, appears in a vision and urges her daughter to embrace her powers and face the Candlemaker alone. Despite Niles' desperate pleas, Dorothy conjures a weapon with her mind and moves closer. Before she can fight, she is snatched by the Candlemaker and pulled away, leaving Niles' devastated.

The end of Season 2 finds the Doom Patrol in incredibly dire circumstances. There's no telling what could happen to each character. No matter what, it seems their fate and the fate of the world rests on Dorothy.

Streaming on DC Universe and HBO Max, Doom Patrol stars Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Matt Bomer as Larry Trainer, April Bowlby as Rita Farr, Jovian Wade as Vic Stone, and Timothy Dalton as Niles Caulder.

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7's Ahsoka Tano, 501st Clone Trooper Get New Hot Toys Figures

Ari David is pretty amazing. He writes and writes about Film, TV, Comics, and Games from his lair in Brooklyn. Check him out on twitter: @TheAmazingAri

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Renuka Shahane talks about her love story with Ashutosh Rana on The Kapil Sharma Show – India TV News

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Renuka Shahane shares a sunny incident about seeing her husband for the first time.

Kapil Sharma is all set to welcome yet another famous Bollywood Jodi of Renuka Shahane and Ashutosh Rana. Yes, the comedian recently shared the teaser of the upcoming episode of The Kapil Sharma Show on his Instagram account. In the promo, Kapil welcomes the couple on the stage. Actress Renuka Shahane who was looking beautiful in a white saree spoke about a funny incident on seeing her husband for the first time. She revealed the unheard details of her love story with the actor which made everyone burst into laughter.

Renuka said that she saw Ashutosh for the first time in his film Sangharsh where he played the role of a transgender. She further added that she heard him saying the dialogue, Main insaan nahi hu (I am not a human).

In the film, Ashutosh played one of the scariest and most memorable characters of his career, which was of a religious fanatic. The films that features Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta in pivotal roles has a plot based on the sacrifice of children to gain immortality.

The duo who are married for 19 years now will be featuring on Kapils show for the first time together.

Meanwhile on the work front Renuka Shahane gained fame after her role in Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixits Hum Aapke Hain Koun as Pooja. On the other hand Ashutosh Rana is famous for his acting in films Raaz, Sangharsh, Dushman and many more. the actor was last seen in Dharma Productions Bhoot.

Well, talking about the upcoming episode, seems like the show is going to be a lit!

Fight against Coronavirus: Full coverage

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Star Wars Explains Why Palpatine Could Only Be Resurrected on Exegol – Screen Rant

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Palpatine's resurrection in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sits uncomfortably with Star Wars lore - but a recent book fixes the problem.

Star Wars has finally explained why Palpatine could only be resurrected on the Sith redoubt of Exegol.Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker left a whole host of unanswered questions, and some of them were frankly bizarre. The film itself, for example, never actually explained how Emperor Palpatine came back in the first place. Lucasfilm left it to Rae Carson's novelization to confirm the Emperor transferred his spirit into a clone body. He used an ancient Sith technique known as Essence Transfer, one he had learned from his own Master, Darth Plagueis.

And yet, there's still something very strange about Palpatine's use of Essence Transfer. This ability has been seen before, but previously there has been very strict limits to it; a Sith Lord has been able to survive death by binding their spirit to a nearby object, or possessing a nearby person. In the Emperor's case, he was in a completely different part of the galaxy to Exegol, so there shouldn't really have been any way for his spirit to jump to a clone body so far away.Meanwhile, it also seems odd that Palpatine would have clones made on a planet rich in the dark side, because that has a deteriorating effect on clones.

Related:How Emperor Palpatine Returned In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

George Mann's recently-publishedStar Wars: Dark Legends finally provides a subtle answer to this mystery. This book is a collection of in-universe myths, but Lucasfilm has stressed they all contain a seed of truth. One story, "A Life Immortal," tells a tale of an ancient Sith Lord whose quest for immortality drew her to Exegol. According to this story, Exegol is a unique vergence in the Force, where "the veil between life and death [is] thin." That would explain why any Sith who sought immortality would inevitably find their way to Exegol - including Palpatine.

The brief comments fits perfectly with Chuck Wendig's novelAftermath: Empire's End, which suggested Palpatine's quest for immortality led him to sense some disturbance in the Force out in the Unknown regions, "some origin of the Force, some dark presence formed out of malevolent substance." The Emperor believed this was a signal, one he was attuned to by virtue of his power. He was presumably sensing Exegol, the one place in the galaxy where his ruthless ambition to conquer death could truly be realized. Palpatine's Sith Eternal cultists could perform a ritual on Exegol to tear open that veil, allowing the Emperor's spirit to break through and possess the prepared clone body.

But if the veil between life and death is unusually thin on Exegol, then it would work for the light side of the Force as well as the dark. That would explain why the Jedi of old were able to communicate with Rey during the climactic last battle, with even Jedi who had never become Force Ghosts somehow speaking words of encouragement to her. It's possible they were able to do so precisely because of the tear Palpatine's cultists had created when they resurrected him, lasting damage to the veil that allowed even the long dead Jedi to speak.

Next:Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Ending Explained (& What Happens Next)

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Vampires' Mesoamerican Mythology Explained

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant's staff writers, and he's frankly amused that his childhood is back - and this time it's cool. Tom's focus tends to be on the various superhero franchises, as well as Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Star Trek; he's also an avid comic book reader. Over the years, Tom has built a strong relationship with aspects of the various fan communities, and is a Moderator on some of Facebook's largest MCU and X-Men groups. Previously, he's written entertainment news and articles for Movie Pilot.A graduate of Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom, Tom is still strongly connected with his alma mater; in fact, in his spare time he's a voluntary chaplain there. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will quickly learn that he's interested in British politics as well.

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Star Wars Explains Why Palpatine Could Only Be Resurrected on Exegol - Screen Rant

Eagles, the worshipped bird of prey of the ancient civilizations – Egypttoday

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Two bald eagles - photo via spectrum

CAIRO 17 August 2020: Eagles was the most prized bird of human interest in ancient times. It is the largest bird of prey. It mainly lives in Asia, Europe and Africa. Eagles are characterized by its long wings that are driven by strong muscles which makes it capable of flying high over long distances.

Even today, Eagles are greatly appreciated. It is the symbol of the Egyptian flag, and it always symbolized strength.

Ancient civilizations, including the Egyptian civilization, carried an interest in eagles that reached the point of sanctification.

During the following report, we explain what eagles represented in some ancient civilizations:

Ancient Egypt

The eagle in the Pharaonic civilization used to symbolize the goddess Nekhbet, who was the eagle deity and represented Upper Egypt, which extends to Aswan.

She was considered the protector of the Pharaoh; her extended wings always appeared as a sign of protection. They also referred to her at the time as a mother. Nekhbet always appeared behind the crown of the Pharaoh.

According to researchers, among the birds that remained from the ancient world is the Nubian eagle; the eagle widely depicted by the Pharaonic inscriptionson the walls of the temples in Luxor, which clearly illustrates the extent of reverence for that bird, especially in the era of the Old Kingdom.Eagles were highly associated with the deity Nekhbet; the deity of Upper Egypt, and the protector of the king. The ancient Egyptian depicted Nekhbet as a female eagle with a white crown on her head.

Ancient Greece

In the civilization of ancient Greece, the Nubian eagle was associated with the god "Zeus"; the father of gods and humans to the Greeks. He ruled the gods of Mount Olympus as the heir father.

Zeus was dubbed the "God of Heaven", which the Greeks feared so much, because he controlled the terrible forces of nature such as lightning and thunder.

The ancient Greeks usually depicted Zeus in the form of a bearded, dignified man carrying a thunderbolt in one hand, and on the other hand stood a huge eagle spreading its wings, orsitting with his scepter by his feet, where the eagle stands.

Mesopotamia

According to the study "The Legend of the Eagle and the Search for Immortality in Pre-Islamic Poetry" by the researcher Ihssan Al-Deek, published in the Journal of "Humanities and Social Sciences" Volume 37 in 2010, and in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, the Thunderbolt God (Zu) appears with the claws of an eagle. Seers and priests used it as a means of omen and foretelling, and its feathers in the unseen.

They believed that if an eagle passes from the king's right side to the left, the king will be victorious wherever he goes.

If an eagle caught a fish or a bird, flew it away, and then devoured it in front of a man, the latter would suffer a loss.

Also, the people of Mesopotamia believed that if an eagle eats a dove on a mans house and then leaves something behind, the owner of the house will get rich.

Arabs before Islam

The aforementioned study also states that Arabs -before Islam- and their narrations confirm that an eagle was one of their ancient gods. They even created an idol to worship in the form of an eagle.

It is one of the idols of Noah, peace be upon him, mentioned in the Holy Quran.

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Eagles, the worshipped bird of prey of the ancient civilizations - Egypttoday

Why This Russian Billionaire Is Creating A Virtual Reality World For Music Festivals And Concerts – Forbes

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Mikhail Prokhorov.

With Covid-19 still a constant threat, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov announced on Monday that his virtual reality and artificial intelligence company, Sensorium Corporation, is developing a new VR social platform, where users can attend attend virtual concerts, music festivals, and more.

Imagine watching your favorite artists in space, not a stage with absolute freedom to get as close as you want, Prokhorov said in an email to Forbes. VR is a new form of art.

The platform, called Sensorium Galaxy, is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2021. But there are still many unknowns. The company says it has attracted $100 million in investments from entertainment companies, but would not disclose the names of any investors. Despite claiming that it has great artists onboard, the company did not disclose which musicians or bands have signed on.

Virtual reality is still nascent, and as such, an unproven business. But Prokhorov is not the only billionaire betting on virtual reality. Mark Zuckerbergs Facebook, which spent $2 billion in 2014 to buy virtual reality hardware company Oculus, early this year launched Facebook Horizon, a VR platform that is open to a select group of beta users.

Now peoples world seems to be limited by a tiny screen in front of them, Prokhorov said in his email. The emergence of technologies that combine artificial intelligence with virtual reality represents an opportunity to fix the current situation, broadening digital communications through a new generation of virtual environments for social connections. A statement from the company on Monday said one of its goals is to achieve digital immortality.

The concert industry has cratered in 2020, with shows and festivals cancelled around the globe in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. While there have been some efforts to hold socially-distanced live shows, from Chicagos drive-in concerts to socially distanced shows in northern England, where attendees were separated on 500 raised metal platforms, the majority of live shows have been postponed. According to industry trade publication Pollstar, the live industry could lose up to $8.9 billion in revenue this year if the current situation continues.

The pandemic has also impacted Sensorium Galaxys timeline, with minor delays in terms of development, says Matias Lapushin, a spokesperson for the company. We have a huge [motion capture studio] where we virtually recreate artists in VR, but the crisis has obviously prevented us from doing so these past few months. However, all our partnerships are still in place and great artists are on board. Lapushin adds that the platform, where users can also chat and play games among other features, can be accessed with both through a VR headset and a personal computer.

Sensorium, founded by Prokhorov in 2018, is registered in the Cayman Islands, with offices in Moscow, Zurich and Los Angeles. It owns a 27% stake in Redpill VR, a Los Angeles-based tech company that is also using virtual reality for entertainment events. The company is using a 3D creation tool created by Epic Games, the maker of popular videogame Fortnite, for its virtual platform. Other partners include the charitable foundation of Sergei Polunin, a Ukrainian-born ballet dancer who in 2019 had an invitation to dance at the Paris Opera Ballet withdrawn due to homophobic comments he made on social media.

Prokhorov is a seemingly unlikely investor in a virtual reality entertainment company. His fortune originates from the messy Russian privatization era in the early 1990s, when he founded Onexim Bank with fellow billionaire oligarch Vladimir Potanin. At the time, the bank handled loans to the government and bankrupt state enterprises and eventually got control of Norilsk Nickel, a metals giant which the two men sold in 2008 to another Russian billionaire, Oleg Deripaska. That year, Prokhorov was on the Forbes Worlds Billionaires list at an estimated $19.5 billion. Forbes currently pegs his net worth at $11.4 billion.

But he differs from other oligarchs as well. Prokhorov bought the Nets, an NBA team, in 2010 for $200 million and worked with billionaire media mogul Jay-Z to move the team from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Prokhorov then sold the team and the arena rights in 2019 for an estimated $3.3 billion to billionaire Alibaba cofounder Joe Tsai.

He is known to frequent the Spanish island of Ibiza famous for its nightclubs. That may be why one of Sensorium Galaxys first content partners is Yann Pissenem, a DJ who owns two nightclubs on the island.

Prokhorov ran against Vladimir Putin as president for Russia in 2012, winning 8% of the vote. And hes the only oligarch to have appeared on The Daily Show with Stephen Colbert.

Though Prokhorov had told Forbes in 2013 that he planned to run for president again, it appears that he has put his political ambitions behind him.

He is not an active user of VR products, he said in his email, but explained that he is attracted by its potential. Virtual worlds are part of an evolution of human communication, said Prokhorov. Its a natural process, and people shouldnt feel scared about it In a virtual galaxy, the only limitation is your imagination.

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Why This Russian Billionaire Is Creating A Virtual Reality World For Music Festivals And Concerts - Forbes

‘Everybody Deserves To Be Seen As A Hero,’ Says ‘Old Guard’ Director – NPR

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TERRY GROSS, HOST:

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. One of the summer's big movie hits, a summer with movie theaters closed, is the Netflix film "The Old Guard," directed by my guest, Gina Prince-Bythewood. It reached nearly 72 million households in its first four weeks and is already among the top 10 most popular Netflix films ever. She is the first Black woman to direct an adaptation of a comic book. "The Old Guard" is kind of a superhero film. When the film opens, we see several people lying dead, shot up with bullets. But soon, these bodies start moving. They eject bullets from their bodies, rapidly heal their wounds and get back up.

These people, the heroes of the film, are immortals. They've lived for centuries, some dating back to the Crusades. Immortality may sound great. Who wouldn't want to live forever? But these immortals are warriors. And they've been killed over and over again through the centuries. They experienced physical pain and the emotional pain of watching friends and family die. And they know that their immortality will eventually wear out. But they never know when. The first voice we hear in the film is the immortal played by Charlize Theron after she's been killed yet again on a mission.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE OLD GUARD")

CHARLIZE THERON: (As Andy) I've been here before - over and over again - and each time, the same question. Is this it? Will this time be the one? And each time, the same answer. And I'm just tired of it.

GROSS: The plot of "The Old Guard" revolves around a young woman, a Marine, who's killed in Afghanistan but miraculously heals and doesn't understand why. The immortals find her and initiate her into the immortal world that she initially wants no part of. Meanwhile, the head of a pharmaceutical company is trying to capture and study the immortals and figure out how to duplicate their DNA so that they can market immortality. Gina Prince-Bythewood also directed the films "Love And Basketball," about a young woman trying to be good enough to become a professional basketball player, and "Beyond The Lights," about a singer who's pressured into creating her image around her sexuality.

Gina Prince-Bythewood, welcome to FRESH AIR. And congratulations on the new movie. You know, I've been thinking about having a movie about immortality and the pain of outliving loved ones, having that released during the pandemic - I mean, you couldn't have understood the context that this would be released in. Does it change or deepen the meaning for you of the film?

GINA PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: You know, it did. There were two things that, you know, became highlighted for me having this film come out now. It was, you know, both the pandemic and, you know, this certainty of how connected globally we are. You know, for me, one of the beautiful things about the script when I first read it and what I was excited to put into the world was that it was this group of warriors from different cultures and backgrounds and sexual orientations and genders that have come together to protect humanity. And, you know, it just feels, you know, even more relevant. And then the other is this national reckoning that we're having in this moment, which I certainly believe is tied to the pandemic as well.

But the - how important it is to have characters like Nile in the world given how, you know, complicit, really, Hollywood has been in the images of Black people that have been put out that damage our humanity, as well as the invisibility, which does the same damage, certainly of Black women - and so again, you know, to have these images suddenly, not only here but globally, has been, you know, I think, a really beautiful thing and I hope, you know, has given people some inspiration or aspiration.

GROSS: Nile is the young Marine who becomes one of the immortals. And she wears a cross. She believes in God. And Charlize Theron's character watches the young woman pray and basically says, yeah, you know, give up. God doesn't exist. And then when Nile the young woman doesn't believe in the supernatural story about immortality, Charlize Theron says, you already believe in the supernatural. Meaning, you already believe in a supernatural God. So you should be able to believe in this story of immortality. How does that part strike you? How does that part speak to you?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: It's interesting because that was something that I brought to Nile's character is her faith. And it really started with what I felt was truthful to this young, Black woman and knowing how important the church is in the Black community. So it just felt real that she would believe in God. And that goes to, you know, when you take on a project and you take on characters, to really do the work and really dig deep on who they are and the truth of who they are. So in adding that, then suddenly it sparked so many really good conversations with Greg and I about spirituality and about religion. And...

GROSS: Greg Rucka is the screenwriter who also wrote the book that the movie is adapted from.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah. He - the conversations were so great because he believes - and it makes perfect sense - a character like Andy, who has lived for so long, would not be religious. She would not really have any faith in religion because she's seen the way, you know, religion has been used for thousands of years for - honestly, for negativity and for evil, and the way that, you know, certain religious societies have really denigrated different people. And then on a (laughter) whole nother level, the fact that when people saw that she couldn't die, you know, early on, that she herself was worshipped as a god. But she knows she's not a god.

You know, to her, despite her immortality, she is just a person. And so she saw the hypocrisy in religion for so long that there's no way that she believes in that. And she wouldn't even call yourself spiritual. I think that reconnection to spirituality comes in meeting Nile and her relationship with Nile. But I just felt that that was a really interesting contrast between the two women. And, again, everything that's happening to Nile, the first thing she would do is try to connect with her spirituality and her belief in God to try and understand the why. But that's also why she doesn't stop asking why, because of her faith.

GROSS: Are you thinking any differently about life and death now after having (laughter) made the film and having to think so much about life and death and immortality?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: (Laughter) I've always been afraid of death. Like, ever since I was a little kid, it was just a thing that's always in the back of my mind. And so - so many times in my life, I have said I wish I could live forever because you just think about the courage that that would give you, all the things that you would do if you didn't have that fear. I mean, I have an incredible fear of flying. I have claustrophobia.

So in doing this film, it was so interesting because, you know, early on, there was some pushback in that some wanted to focus more on the aspirational aspects of immortality. And I just think that that is what makes it interesting to talk about the opposite side of what we all envision immortality to be. And the thought of outliving everyone and the loneliness, I think, alone would be so hard to live with. But also, at what point does the - you're just seeing the world just hurt itself on a loop. And, you know, what would that feel like, especially if you, you know, have this ability you think you can protect and save, yet you just feel helpless in that? That just felt so interesting and real to me and did make me kind of question. Maybe I don't want to live forever. Now, I'd love to have immortality for, you know, a couple of years (laughter) so that I could, you know, jump out of a plane, which is something I've always wanted to do. But it really did make me think about - that having a finite end is actually a good thing.

GROSS: I just think it's kind of strange you have a fear of flying, but you want to jump out of a plane. I'll process that later.

(LAUGHTER)

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: I think so that I could get over the fear, but I think that's the wrong way to get over it.

GROSS: Yeah, it might be the wrong way (laughter). OK. Was it ever your ambition to make an action film?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yes (laughter). I love the genre, and I've always loved it. It's just the nature of Hollywood. You - there was a long time where it was just a thing of - I like action films, but I'd never thought I'd get the opportunity to make one just because those doors were not open at all to women. It wasn't even in the conversation. And it really wasn't until Patty Jenkins did what she did with "Wonder Woman" and had such success not only making such a good film under such incredible pressure but the success of the film. And that absolutely cracked the door open.

And then suddenly, this thing of, oh, I love those movies - you know, I turned it into, I want to make that movie. And just putting that into the ether and now suddenly having, you know, a specific path - OK, how do I get there? What decisions do I need to make to get to that place? - and really started doing that for myself.

GROSS: So how did the door open to making "The Old Guard?"

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: It started with doing the pilot for Marvel's "Cloak And Dagger." And once you do that first one, then suddenly, people think, oh, that's what she does or that - or she can do that also. And that suddenly put me into the conversation of some of those percolating superhero films that were starting to be made and people starting to think, oh, maybe we should have a female director. And that got me to "Silver And Black," which was the Marvel-Sony film that was going to be the first, you know, Marvel film with female characters at the heart of it.

Unfortunately, that didn't go, but that year and a half of my life absolutely prepared me for the moment when Skydance sent me the script "The Old Guard." And they were very intentional on wanting a female director. And it was my previous work that got me in the room, and that is such a different thing because as I've said, it's so hard for women to get into the room because we don't have action on our resume. But how do you get action on your resume if you're not hired to do films with action? And it's such a catch-22, and it's so frustrating.

But the fact that - they loved my previous work with "Beyond The Lights" and "Love And Basketball" and wanted to bring that kind of character and story to "The Old Guard" so that it didn't feel just like an action film but felt like an action-drama, which was what I was so excited about. And so that really connected us, and, you know, we went from there.

GROSS: Do you think that having directed basketball scenes in "Love And Basketball" helped convince people who needed to be convinced that you could create - that you could direct fight scenes?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: You know what? It was interesting. In the meeting with Skydance, I remember Don Granger - it was Don Granger, Dana Goldberg and Matt Grimm and David Ellison. They had talked about - they were so impressed with how I got Sanaa Lathan, who had never touched a basketball in her life, to look so good as a ballplayer in "Love And Basketball." And they knew that this big action film with two women at the heart of it needed to have that same, you know, for lack of better words, dopeness. Like, you had to believe these women as warriors and fighters. And so they felt because I could get that out of Sanaa, I knew how to do that and felt like I could bring that to the two female actors that we cast for these two roles.

GROSS: Let me reintroduce you here. If you're just joining us, my guest is Gina Prince-Bythewood. She directed the new hit film "The Old Guard." We'll be right back after a break. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF BIG LAZY'S "CURB URCHIN")

GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Gina Prince-Bythewood. She wrote and directed the films "Love And Basketball" and "Beyond The Lights" and directed the new film "The Old Guard," which is now streaming on Netflix. It's about a small group of immortals, warriors who have lived for centuries but have had to experience their deaths over and over again before coming back to life.

So I take it you've seen a lot of action films. What do you like and not like about how - and this is a generalization here - but about how women have typically been depicted in action films? - because I'm thinking, like, sometimes there aren't any (laughter) or there's very few of them. And sometimes the ones that are there are, like, just very sexualized.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah. So when I say this - and you said as well - I'm going to give a generalization. There have been anomalies throughout the years - very few, but there have been. But it is - the female characters are not the center of the story. They're not integral to the plot or the climax. They are usually, if they do have superpowers, are sidekicks or comic relief or do not have full arcs or stories. And the fight scenes, the costume - it is about sexualizing the characters. And that - whenever there's a - you know, a cool fight between two women, it always has to turn into this sexy catfight as opposed to just - these two women are warriors. Let them fight. Let's marvel at their athleticism. That's what excites me, and, you know, I know it's because I am an athlete and grew up an athlete. And those were the women that I grew up with around me. And, also, there tends to be a thought that - OK, we cast this woman in this action role. Let's just design the fights - it doesn't matter that she's a woman; let's just design the coolest fight, as opposed to being true to what a fight with a woman would look like. A woman does not have the strength to pick somebody up and throw them up against a wall, like a man could. But there are different ways that a woman would fight and look cool.

GROSS: What are some of the different ways you had women fight?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: You know, first, I started with the true ways that they were taught to fight. So Nile is a Marine, and there is a specific martial arts that Marines are taught and that female Marines are taught. And so that's what we taught Nile, and that's what we designed her fights around.

GROSS: And she's the young woman. Yeah.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah, she's the young woman played by KiKi Layne. And, you know, with Andy, Charlize Theron's character, we - she's a little different. She knows every fighting style known to man because she's been around for so long. But, you know, we were very intentional on just the conflict between them and making sure, again, that it stayed true to their strengths, what they could truthfully do. Even if they're stronger than most women, again, they're not superheroes; they just have a supernatural ability to not die.

GROSS: The actors had to learn a lot about fighting for the film. There was a fight choreographer for the film. What did you have to learn about various forms of fighting to direct the film?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: I mean, I certainly had an advantage because I did kickbox for two years, and so I know what it feels like to hit and be hit, which is not fun. But, also, I just know what it looks like, and I know what good fighting looks like. So I wanted it to feel grounded and real. And so that certainly, you know, starts with the action, that things were going to be hand-held. They were going to be at eye-level. I wanted the audience to feel like they were in the fight. I never wanted to have the camera be a character. So for the most part, the camera, you know, was never up high or really down low or swinging around. I wanted you to feel like these are real fights and not - honestly, not movie fights.

So we would talk about, also, the story of each fight, and that was incredibly important because, for me, that's what makes a great action scene, that it has a beginning, middle and end, that it's character-driven, that it's emotional. And so when talking about the story of each one, that helped design the fight and what should happen within the fight. It also helped the actors know what they were doing in the fight so that, you know, it's not just two people punching each other or people just shooting each other. There's got to be stakes to it.

And so it's - you know, it's a fascinating thing to sit and talk about the story, and then they start to build a fight, and then I look at it. And, you know, you know what? I think I want more of this. Like in the plane fight, I wanted a shift in the fight. I wanted Nile to get a couple of shots in, to surprise Andy, to impress Andy, but also to give herself swagger, you know? But then I wanted, you know, Andy to take that back. And that was that face-grab - that was something that I really wanted to push the humiliation in that moment.

GROSS: Sometimes the editing in fight scenes is so - sometimes it's so highly edited that, speaking for myself, I have no idea who's doing what to who. All I see is, like, you know, guns and bullets and arms swinging and chaos, but I don't know, like, who's killing, who is getting wounded.

(LAUGHTER)

GROSS: Is that something you tried to avoid?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Oh, absolutely. It's fascinating. You know, you see how action, it evolves, and it goes in cycles, and people get excited about one thing that an auteur creates, and then everyone tries to copy it for a while. You know, you look at Bourne - the Bourne movies. You know, that first one created a new style of action in - not only just the action itself, but how to shoot it. And it was that super quick-cutting, when you don't quite get what's going on, but it was so well done that you still understood it. But so many people tried to copy it without that same - having that same aesthetic. And it - I think a lot of action following that became this kind of mess, you know, or you're using it to try and hide the fact that you're using a lot of stunt doubles.

And then "John Wick" came, and they suddenly pulled the camera back. And you saw that it is really Keanu, and you could start to understand the choreography, which I think is a really beautiful thing because it just keeps you in it. You're not confused, and you're not having to think. The images are doing that for you. So - but what that takes is an actor willing to put in the incredible work it takes to be able to do, you know, most of your choreography and most of your fights and most of your stunts. And not every actor is - can do that or is willing to put in that work. So, you know, that's a big part of it as well.

GROSS: Well, let's take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more. If you're just joining us, my guest is Gina Prince-Bythewood. She directed the new film "The Old Guard," which is streaming on Netflix. We'll be right back. I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Let's get back to my interview with Gina Prince-Bythewood. She directed the new hit film "The Old Guard," which stars Charlize Theron as the oldest member of a small group of immortals, people who have lived for centuries, fought many battles and died many times before coming back to life. These are warriors. KiKi Layne plays Nile, a Marine who's killed in Afghanistan but comes back to life. The immortals claim her as their own and initiate her into a life she doesn't really want. Meanwhile, the head of a pharmaceutical company is trying to kidnap the immortals so that he can replicate their DNA and market immortality.

Gina Prince-Bythewood also directed the films "Love & Basketball," about a young woman trying to be good enough to become a professional basketball player, and "Beyond The Lights," about a singer who's pressured into creating her image around her sexuality.

In some action films there's, you know, like, two characters who might start as adversaries but fall in love or there's a will-they or won't-they kind of friction going on. But in "The Old Guard," the love story part is that two of the male immortals have been a couple for centuries, and they deeply love each other. And in one scene where they're kidnapped, one of the kidnappers basically says in a mocking way, what are you guys, gay? And so one of the gay guys basically gives a long talk about how, yeah, we are. We've loved each other for centuries. His kiss still means everything to me, even after all these years. And it's a pretty interesting scene for an action film. So talk about that scene a little bit. Was that in the original book?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah, that was in the graphic novel and in the script. And it was just something I hadn't seen before. And I hadn't seen characters like that before. And you know, I think, you know, there's a recognition I think in what I bring as a Black female to my craft in being a director and in recognizing how important it is that everybody deserves to be seen as a hero given that I know how rare it is for myself to look up on screen in these films and see myself reflected that way. It was the same for these characters. And I just felt that they were so different and so distinct and so badass. And their love just felt real and special.

GROSS: What kind of reaction have you gotten to that scene? Well, it's not like you're in movie theaters with people 'cause movie theaters aren't open now. But without generalizing too much, I don't know that the action film audience is the most, like, gay-friendly audience in movie theaters. Is that too stereotyping there?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: No, that's - so it's interesting you say that because we had two - before COVID shut everything down, we had two audience previews of the film. So I actually got to see it in a theater with, you know, 250 people per screening. And you know, they target an audience of people they think will see the film for the previews. And I knew there would be nothing to get me to cut that scene, but we did not know what the audience reaction was going to be - at all.

And I remember sitting in the theater and as we're getting closer to the scene, just having - what is the reaction? And he gives that speech, and they kiss. And the audience erupted in applause both screenings. It was such an amazing moment and surprising, I think, given our generalization of the audience. But it honestly was tied to, I feel, this moment when we were shooting. After we'd finished shooting the scene, two different guys from the crew came up to me and said that they - how much they loved the scene and that when they were watching, like, they didn't see two men; they just saw two people in love. And that, you know - I was like, wow. I think, you know, maybe we did do our jobs here because that's what they felt, and that's what we wanted to feel - love is love.

I didn't actually know, but I guess there is a trope out there where when you have a - often when there's a gay character in the film or a film like this - and foremost, it's never been this overt; it's always been hinted at - but that they die or their partner dies. And I just - again, I had no idea that that was a thing. And so many have spoke out about how happy they were - and surprised - that these two characters got to have a happy existence and a happy relationship and live to tell another day.

GROSS: Let me reintroduce you here. If you're just joining us, my guest is Gina Prince-Bythewood. She directed the new hit film "The Old Guard." We'll be right back. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Gina Prince-Bythewood. She wrote and directed the films "Love & Basketball" and "Beyond The Lights" and directed the new film "The Old Guard," which is streaming on Netflix. It's about a small group of immortals, warriors who have lived for centuries but have had to experience their deaths over and over again before coming back to life.

I want to ask you about your film "Beyond The Lights" from 2014.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Mmm hmm.

GROSS: And this is about a singer in the hip-hop world who has to do, like, music videos and make stage appearances in very sexualized clothes and do very sexualized choreography. And she doesn't really want to do it. But you know, her mother is kind of like a stage mother and is basically functioning as her manager, too - you know, doesn't flinch about the whole thing and keeps pushing her. No, you got to do this if you want to be a star. And you have, like, a music video in it that is so perfect...

(LAUGHTER)

GROSS: ...In terms of that kind of sexualized music video. So I want you to explain what you put into that video and why you put it in and how you feel about that kind of video.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah, I mean so many things sparked that film, some personal things, but also, you know, the love that I had for hip-hop, but seeing what was happening with female artists and the way that it felt like there was a blueprint, that you come out hypersexualized. And even young singers - 17, 18, 19 - come out hypersexualized make a name for yourself there. But then they seemed to get locked into that. And they were unable to break free because they break free from that and then, suddenly, people are thinking they're not being authentic, where, actually, the way that they came out was not authentic to them. I wanted to put all of that into the video. And it was a fascinating day on set. It was tough for me as a female to be directing that scene. And, you know, Gugu - and all props to her - you know, she went there.

GROSS: She's the star. She's the leading actress.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah. And it was uncomfortable for her. And she had - but that was the thing of what I love about actors like her - the work ethic, but also the boldness. And as I said, it was my job to make her feel safe in that environment. And she felt safe because she knew the vision. She knew the story. She knew that we had to go there with this scene because what we are trying to say with this film is I can strip all that away and allow artists to be authentic and stop hypersexualizing, you know, our female artists and, certainly, our Black female artists. But it's - that was a hard day to shoot because there was a couple of times where I just - I'm looking at the monitor and saying, am I really doing this with a couple of the moves that she had? But that's really what we had to do with that video. And it was interesting. In the rehearsals for her, it was something that she had to tap into. You have to tap into a narcissism and a just - I mean, her teacher was Laurieann Gibson, who was so great, who, you know, worked with Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga. You know, I wanted people at that level to work with her and bring that reality to it.

And, you know, early on, we realized that Gugu had to train in front of a mirror. And it was something she balked at initially because it is hard to look at yourself doing that. But we knew she needed to do that. You look at yourself, tap into that, you know, and feed it, you know, feed it from the mirror back to you. And in doing that, that was - that kind of rehearsal was about building the character. And so by the time, you know, we did get to that set, again, she could access that. But, again, it doesn't take away from the fact that, you know, it was hard. And as soon as I would say cut, I'd be the first one there with her robe (laughter), you know, to put it around her.

GROSS: (Laughter) You mentioned the word narcissism. You have to have a certain amount of narcissism to do that kind of choreography for real, to do that kind of performance for real. And I think some women see it as, like, empowerment. And so did you get into conversations with people about, like, is that female empowerment? Or is that just hypersexualization (ph)?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Oh, yeah (laughter). Those were ongoing conversations about - you know, because that is the argument that a lot of people give, that I'm empowering myself. But how is that, you know - the issue is there are some who it is authentic, you know? I don't look at Beyonce and think that she is being exploited. Like, Beyonce has full agency in what she's doing. It is the younger artists who do not have that, who are being told to - oh, you have a magazine cover? Take off your shirt. You don't take off your shirt, you don't get the cover, you know?

And that's happened. In the research in talking to these artists, it was heartbreaking to hear. And a couple of them had that - they had that story of the first time they were told to take off their shirt for a magazine shoot. They all had that same story. And no one around them is stepping up and saying, you know what? Let's not do that. Every single one was, you know, turned a blind eye, was silent in the moment. And then you just - as young artists, you go with it. So that's not empowering. That is exploitation.

GROSS: Your film from 2000, "Love And Basketball," is about a girl who becomes a young woman soon in the film. And she's obsessed with basketball. She's really good. But her temper, her arguments with the refs, kind of hold her back. You are an athlete. You played basketball. What did basketball mean in your life when you were in your teens and 20s?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: It was - sports was everything and especially basketball and track because that's where I had the most success and excelled at, I mean, for so many reasons. But I was very, very shy, foremost, and an introvert and also struggling with self-esteem given the way that I grew up in terms of, you know, being Black and then adopted by white parents and being raised in, you know, mostly all white towns. You just - you never see yourself reflected anywhere. And even more than that, dealing with the racism. And, you know, so much of your existence is that you are other or, you know, it's just a very tough thing.

And so off the court, off the track, I was just this quiet person. But on the track, on the court, I could - it felt like I could be myself - and I am on volume 10 on both of those - where all the beautiful things about being an athlete, everything it teaches you and allows you to be, you know, to tap into, you know, your aggression and your ambition and, you know, this belief that you are the best. I mean, you have to have that as an athlete. That's what pushes you to work hard.

And just outworking everybody and having this incredible passion and just bigness and loudness, like, I loved that. And I wish that I could be that person in every aspect of my life. But I do bring so many of the things that I did learn on the court and on the track to being a director because you do need - especially as a female director, you need those attributes to compete and to succeed in this environment which is, you know, so male driven.

GROSS: Yeah. So competing in basketball, which is so male driven, helped you compete in filmmaking for jobs when most directors were male?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah. I mean, you have to - it's so much about perception in Hollywood. And not only perception, but it's also such inbred biases, where there's an assumption that men can do this and women are not equipped to do it. It makes no sense, but it's just there. So when you walk in a room and you're up for a job, they are looking at you to see, does this person - can I trust this person with millions of dollars? Can this person control a crew of, you know, 200, 300 - in the case of "Old Guard," you know, there's a thousand people that worked on that movie. You know, can this person do it? Can we trust them?

And so you have to come in with a confidence and a swagger that they can feel and believe. And that's me walking on the court or walking on the track because there I knew I was the best person out there. And so I literally bring that mentality into the meetings because, I mean, those things are scary. It's scary to sit across from, you know, this group of folks, most often men and already having a preconceived idea of who you are or what you're capable of, and I got to come in there and twist that immediately.

And so outside that room, I am putting myself back on the court so that when I walk in, I've got that little bop, and I've got that swagger, and I sit down, and it's the way I sit and where I sit and how I present myself that then makes them feel like, oh, damn, you know, I trust her; I think she can do this.

GROSS: How far did you get in basketball?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: With basketball, I got recruited by a couple schools but not UCLA, where I knew I wanted to go to film school. So I ended up running track at UCLA - I did triple jump - for my sophomore year and made it to the Pac-12 Championships. But after that, then I got into film school and finally had to make that definitive choice, that I think I can have a career in film. And I didn't think I had enough talent to get through to the Olympics.

GROSS: Well, let's take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more. If you're just joining us, my guest is Gina Prince-Bythewood. She directed the new hit film "The Old Guard," as well as the films "Beyond The Lights" and "Love & Basketball." We'll be right back. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF JAY-Z SONG, "'03 BONNIE AND CLYDE")

GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Gina Prince-Bythewood. She wrote and directed the films "Love & Basketball" and "Beyond The Lights" and directed the new film "The Old Guard," which is now streaming on Netflix.

So I want to talk with you a little about growing up. As you mentioned, you were adopted by white parents. Tell us the story, to the extent that you know the story, of why your birth mother gave you up.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: It's - you know, it's a fascinating thing because you grow up with being told one story. And it was just - I was told the story that, you know, her and my birth father loved each other, but they were young, and they knew they couldn't handle it, and so they, you know, gave me up to, you know, for the good - the betterment of me. But the truth of it was, in meeting with my birth mother, that their - her parents did not want her to have a Black child.

And I was very close to being aborted, which is just mind-boggling to me. And it was the fact that she had a best friend who was really religious who convinced her not to. And I've always found that fascinating because I'm pro-choice, I mean, incredibly pro-choice. Yet here is an instance where I would not be in the world if it wasn't for, you know, this best friend convincing her of that. Though I have to believe there is a part of her, then, that, you know, wanted me to be in the world as well because she did, ultimately, make that decision. But yeah, her parents were not going to let her have or raise this Black child, and so I was given up.

GROSS: So your biological mother is white, and your biological father is or was Black. I don't know if he's still alive anymore.

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah, I don't know.

GROSS: Have you ever met him? Do you know who he is?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: No, I tried to track him down, and I have not been successful. She was easy, but he - I have not been able to.

GROSS: So you didn't know the real story about why your biological mother gave you up until...

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yes.

GROSS: ...You found her...

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Yeah.

GROSS: ...And talked with her? Did your parents know the real story? Did they just keep it from you, or did they not know, either?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: They didn't know, either.

GROSS: Do you think it's just as well that you didn't know, that you didn't grow up knowing that?

PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD: Oh, absolutely. It's - I think it was - because there's so much - when you're adopted, there's so many questions when you're little, and it really keeps centering around why were you given up? Why were you tossed away? You know, my parents were very good at making me believe I was chosen, but I still had those questions and that wonder of what was wrong because how do you give up a child? How do you give up your child? So in this - in creating this very positive narrative absolutely helped, it didn't temper the fact that I had this urge and need to find my biological parents, to know where I came from. And I didn't find find her till I was in my 20s. So I think I was better equipped to handle that as well at that age, as opposed to when I was little.

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'Everybody Deserves To Be Seen As A Hero,' Says 'Old Guard' Director - NPR

American Horror Story: Every Immortal Character In The Show – Screen Rant

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An array of characters in American Horror Story have had the power of immortality or extended lifehere's a breakdown of those notable figures.

An array of characters in American Horror Story have had the power of immortality. The series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk loves to mix a form of reality with some of the world's biggest folklores, fears, and spiritual beliefs. In doing so, the horror anthology features a ton of supernatural elements including monsters, ghosts, and dark entities. Some of the most dangerous figures, however, are humans and their penchant for death and destruction. By creating a fictional universe, American Horror Story made its own rules when it comes tothe characters, especially as it involves a typical lifespan.

Whereas Murder House dove into the world of hauntings and ghosts, Asylum took it up a notch with the presence of angels, serial killers, and aliens. Coven focused on witches, including their powers in contrast to voodoo and black magic. The season heavily focused on the topic of immortality which didn't come back up until season 5, Hotel. The topic was once again involved in Roanoke and Apocalypse, thanks to the presence of ancient figures.

Related:American Horror Story: Every Seasons Connection Explained

It will be interesting to see what other immortal figures are introduced in the future of American Horror Story. The series is gearing up to debut season 10 in 2021, and at least two more seasons are on the way. Considering many new seasons like to bring back old figures, the immortality factor makes this even more plausible. For now, here's every known immortal character in the series.

Papa Legba was the first god-like figure introduced in American Horror Story. The ancient voodoo spirit in Coven served as the Gatekeeper to the spirit world, which is also the loa's history in traditional Haitian lore. Despite being immortal himself, the figure had the gift of giving others the extension of life. Roanoke also referenced the Old Gods, dark deities with special powers that could grant others with immortality. The Blood Moon was a symbol of their everlasting presence.

Asylum's Shachath was known as the Angel of Death due to the fact that she could grant a human's wish for death with just one kiss. As an angel, she was immune to aging or death, meaning that she herself was immortal. The season also featured Satan, aka The Devil, an immortal entity that had the powers of possession. The dangerous being wound up feeding on the negative energy in Murder House. Satan was then able to create the Antichrist in Michael Langdon. As the antagonist of Apocalypse, the Antichrist was the essence of all evil, in addition to being a demon-human immortal hybrid. Through Mallory's use of time travel, Michael's transformation into the Antichrist was put to a stop. A mysterious creature referred to as the Addiction Demon was also known to haunt the Hotel Cortez in season 5.

Certain witches were granted immortality through the use of black magic as seen in Coven and Roanoke. Coven's Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau was granted the gift by Papa Legba in exchange for the sacrifice of an innocent soul each year. In Roanoke,Scthach, the original Supreme witch, performed a human sacrifice to the Old Gods each year during the Blood Moon. Refusal of these sacrifices would revoke their powers of immortality.

Related:American Horror Story: 1984 Was An Underrated Gem - Here's Why

Hotel featured a new type of immortal characters through the existence of vampires or those afflicted by a blood virus. Countess Elizabeth was one of the most notable figures after being turned into a vampire in 1927. Other characters to be turned included Bartholomew, Ramona Royale, Donovan, Iris, Tristan, Holden Lowe, and Alex Lowe. The vampires must stay on a diet of fresh human blood, which gave them eternal lifespans. Despite the power, they could still be killed like a normalhuman.

American Horror Story's third season, Coven, featured two key human characters that became immortal. There was Bastien, the lover of Marie Laveau and a slave of the LaLaurie family. After one of the LaLaurie daughters claimed she was raped, Bastien was beaten and killed with a hollowed bull's head put over his own head. Marie tried to cure him, but in doing so, he became an immortal Minotaur. In an act of revenge, Marie granted Delphine LaLaurie immortality as well, but after doing so, she buried the woman where she was trapped for centuries.

Next:Every Real Serial Killer On American Horror Story

Why A Suicide Squad Video Game Is Stupid & BRILLIANT

Kara Hedash is a features writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world's most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara's not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty. Kara can be found on Twitter @thekaraverse.

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American Horror Story: Every Immortal Character In The Show - Screen Rant

It Was Run by Crooks Now It’s Bigger Than AI – Energy & Capital

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What's your biggest fear?

Snakes? Spiders? Sharks?

Heights? Clowns? Airplane crashes?

Public speaking? Heart Disease? Wolverines?

Think of your biggest fear and hold it in your mind for a moment.

(And email me if your greatest fear is in fact wolverines... because I have a lot of questions, beginning with why you are around wolverines in the first place.)

Whatever you're thinking of right now can most likely be boiled down to the fear of one of two things: death or suffering.

What I mean is people generally aren't afraid of snakes as much as they're afraid of the snake bite. The bite does all the damage to cause suffering and, maybe in rare cases, death.

In the same way, people aren't necessarily afraid of public speaking as much as they're afraid of making mistakes when speaking publicly thus suffering from embarrassment.

Likewise, if I had to guess, an individual wouldn't be as afraid of wolverines as he'd be afraid of what wolverines might (and probably will) do to him like claw up his leg and bite his neck. That's... quite undesirable.

Rare sighting of a wolverine in Washington state earlier this yearImage credit: istockphoto.com/Alphotographic

If you asked me my greatest fear, I'd tell you heights. I can't even watch a video of someone standing precariously high without my chest tightening and my palms sweating.

But it's really not the elevation that makes me nervous it's not even falling off. What's really got me worried is the sudden stop at the bottom. It's not the drop. It's the plop.

All this is to say most (if not all) of our fears generally have layers. And at the core of most of our fears are death and suffering.

But here's the rub...

And you know where this is going...

Suffering and death are inevitable parts of life. Every human being that has ever walked the Earth has experienced both.

That's where we find a dilemma that's been haunting humanity forever: No one wants to suffer. No one wants to die. But everyone must experience both.

As a result, there is (and always has been) a massive demand for methods to alleviate those fears. From philosophy to pharmaceuticals, humans have spent an unimaginable amount of time and resources softening fears of suffering and death. Let's just consider anti-aging cosmetics for a moment...

You could argue there is some philosophy that doesn't exactly aim to alleviate fears of aging and death. And of course, pharmaceuticals have a wide variety of purposes. But there's no inferring what cosmetic companies are trying to sell consumers with anti-aging products: beauty and youth. It's right in the name "anti-aging."

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The desire for beauty and youth is most often pinned on societal pressure. But I'd argue part of that desire is also one of many ways people use to alleviate the fear of death. If you look younger in the mirror and maybe even feel younger as a result, it's easier to convince yourself you're that much further away from death.

The global anti-aging cosmetics market is huge. In 2018 it was estimated to be worth over $50 billion. That's bigger than the AI market today. In fact, that's about the same size as the global solar energy market!

And the anti-aging cosmetics market is only estimated to grow from here. Forecasts estimate the global market will grow by about 5% or 6% CAGR over the next decade. And cosmetics are really just one small part of the growing anti-aging market.

For centuries, anti-aging practices were mostly relegated to the work of charlatans. More recently, the cosmetics industry took over. But new research into genetics and aging have allowed biogerontology (the real study of the biological basis of aging and age-related diseases) to flourish and gain legitimacy.

Anti-aging is becoming less snake oil and more real science. But there's something you should know...

This new research isn't working toward human immortality. I'm sorry, but you're never going to live forever. Nevertheless, new breakthroughs in anti-aging technology do promise to make you healthier and live longer. As my colleague Jeff Siegel says, anti-aging technology (despite the name) won't produce a Fountain of Youth. But it will produce a fountain of health.

For the past several months, Jeff has been studying the anti-aging market and the real science behind age-extending, groundbreaking biotechnologies. And he's come up with some really unique opportunities and ideas that I don't think most people have really considered. To read more about Jeff's recent research, click here.

Again, we're not talking about immortality. Instead, we're talking about significantly extending the human life span. And the truth is that's been happening over the course of thousands of years. Prior to the 20th century, the average global life expectancy for a human being was under 40 years old. In the past 100 years alone, new developments and better technology have increased life expectancy past 70. That's an 80% increase in about 100 years.

So we're not talking about science fiction here. Biotechnology has greatly extended our lives already. But it's not done. And the next phase of development in the field of biogerontology could be the key to continued life extension.

Check out Jeff's research. It's very easy to be skeptical about anti-aging technology. That's understandable. As I mentioned, for most of human history the market has been controlled by snake oil salesman and cosmetic marketing. But there is some real science behind the biological basis of aging and age-related disease that can be addressed with new research. Take a look at one of Jeff's most recent reports on anti-aging technology here.

I guarantee there are no wolverine attacks involved.

Until next time,Luke Burgess

As an editor at Energy and Capital, Lukes analysis and market research reachhundreds of thousands of investors every day. Luke is also a contributing editor of Angel Publishings Bull and Bust Report newsletter. There, he helps investors in leveraging the future supply-demand imbalance that he believes could be key to a cyclical upswing in the hard asset markets. For more on Luke, go to his editors page.

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It Was Run by Crooks Now It's Bigger Than AI - Energy & Capital

Theo Fleury battled demons to become a worthy Hockey Hall of Fame candidate – Yardbarker

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The NHL is set to announce its 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class on Wednesday. There are many incredible and iconic players drawing consideration, like Jerome Iginla, Daniel Alfredsson and Alexander Mogilny, who is especially deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. Among a growing list of players who have been passed over for years, Calgary Flames legend Theo Fleury has earned hockeys most prestigious honor after a remarkable career.

Theoren Fleury heard it all in his career. He was too small to play in the NHL, not strong enough to survive. Simply put, he just couldnt make it. These are things the 5-foot-6 winger heard as he fought his way onto the Flames, ultimately winning a Stanley Cup in his rookie season. He wasnt just a role player either, scoring 11 points in 22 games during a remarkable playoff run. After winning the Cup, his career caught fire and he eventually finished with 1,088 points in 1,084 games. Fleury also came up clutch when it mattered, recording 79 points in 77 playoff games. Those stats alone are worthy of induction, but they dont even capture his entire story of overcoming the odds.

Many didnt know that the small kid with the big smile and zest for the game was battling demons. In 1997, former Detroit Red Wings player Sheldon Kennedy told the press that he and others were sexually abused by their minor league coach, Graham James. Theo Fleury had played for James during that time, but it wasnt until 2009 when he admitted in his autobiography Playing With Fire that he was abused as well. This admission started to explain his downward spiral and the use of drugs and alcohol that derailed his career. Unfortunately, his fall was on full display during his time with the New York Rangers until he retired in 2003.

Theo Fleury is now a motivational speaker and helps those battling mental illness all over the world. He is hockeys version of the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes to fly again. Its time for Fleury to be recognized in immortality with a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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Theo Fleury battled demons to become a worthy Hockey Hall of Fame candidate - Yardbarker

Shravan 2020: What Are The Benefits of Somvar Sawan Vrat And Why it is so Important – India.com

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The month of Shravan, which is the fifth month as per the Hindu calendar, has started, and devotees of Lord Shiva are gearing up for it. During this month, which is considered highly auspicious, people fast and offer prayers on a Monday for their well being. The Sawan Somwar vrat involves a number of things that a follower has to stick by to gain what he or she has asked for. Also Read - Shravan 2020: Quotes, Wishes, Status Messages You Can Share to Celebrate The Month of Sawan

There are two ways by which the lunar month is marked, one is Purnima to Purnima and the other is Amavasya to Amavasya. In India, the first one is followed by the people in the northern region and the latter is followed by people in the southern part of the country. Also Read - Shravan 2020: When it Will Start And What Are The 7 Things You Should Avoid During This Period

There is a legend attached to the fasting that takes place on Monday, a story that involves the Samudra Manthan, which was the churning of the sea to extract the nectar of immortality. It is said that during that time, what also emerged from the sea was poison which Shiva swallowed to prevent it from spreading all over the universe. His consort Parvati on seeing him swallow the poison grabbed his neck to stop it from entering his body, and it resulted in Shivas throat turning blue, which in turn earned him the moniker, Neelkanth.

Devotees of Shiva dedicate the entire month to him and carry out fasts and prayers to gain his favour. They believe that fasting on a Monday will ensure they have a happy and married life or that they will get married soon. Women observe a fast on Mondays so that they will get good husbands. Many believe that if they recite the Solah Somvar Vrath, which means the 16 Fasting Mondays, they will make Shiva happy and he will bless them with prosperity and happiness.

When fasting on a Monday, devotees should abstain from eating non-vegetarian food or from drinking alcohol throughout the whole month. As per medical experts, this is good for the body as it has a detoxifying effect on the digestive system. Fasting also aids in weight loss and in rejuvenating the body and mind.

There are many who fast on a Monday and do not eat at all but drink some water. These people also stay away from food that contains onion and garlic. There are others who fast partially, meaning they will consume fruits and other vrat food like sabudana. Many follow these rituals so that Shiva grants them their wish or desire.

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Shravan 2020: What Are The Benefits of Somvar Sawan Vrat And Why it is so Important - India.com

Bravery in service of the US | Keizertimes | You think you know. To be sure, read Keizertimes. – Keizertimes

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Gene lives in Keizer and frequently shares his opinion with the Keizertimes. This week he reflects on the anniversary of D-Day, which passed this week.

When interviewed, young people believe they are free of harm.That false sense of believing in their immortality has made them fodder for leaders since the beginning of time, whove used their youth to battle adversaries. Nevertheless, there are always a few among those facing a battle who are mature and wise enough to realize a high probability their end is nigh.

A recent commemoration brought this subject up: D-Day, June 6, 1944.That date was when thousands of Allied troops faced the juggernaut Nazi Germany war machine mightily entrenched along the northwest coast of France.

The invasion had been planned for a couple of years. While it is likely that many Allied troops knew their participation was inevitable.The bottom line is, no matter those troop numbers harboring young men with delusions of grandeur, when the troops were about to wade ashore into a virtual tsunami of bullets, they experienced fear with a desire to run away.

Yet, the natural fear felt when faced with the likelihood of being hit by a high-speed projectile did not deter them from scrambling out of those landing crafts and into the surf to face the gut-wrenching Wehrmacht. Looking at the landing site from the safety of the landing craft, each had to grip-hard his bravery that morning, even though theyd been trained for months to put up a good fight.It was later verified that 2,499 American troops died that day while many others followed the first wave of attack and did so at Normandy until August, 1944.

Meanwhile, opinion leads me to believe that hardly a single leader among those at the U.S. federal levelexcepting the late Senator John McCain and perhaps a handful of otherswould have been able to board the landing craft much less head out into the English Channel on that fateful morning; a day that marked the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany.

Virtually all Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives, plus a number of Democrats in both houses of Congress, are so afraid of a critical tweet by President Donald Trump, jeopardizing their Washington positionswhere they were elected from the middle class but retire as millionairesbut are not brave enough to speak one word of dissent or disagreement with the White House occupant.

The heart and soul of a democracy are its people who are honored in their right to choose. In America, we elect representatives at the national level upon whom an oath is administered. There is no word in the oath that suggests or encourages any U.S. senator or representative to swear allegiance to the head of the executive branch or the judicial branch of the government.Yet, we now have a majority of U.S. senators who are loyal to President Donald J. Trump, thereby breaking their oath of office, violating U.S. law, tradition, and not standing brave to protect our way of life.

(Gene H. McIntyre lives in Keizer.)

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Bravery in service of the US | Keizertimes | You think you know. To be sure, read Keizertimes. - Keizertimes

Belmont Stakes is Saturday, but is there a Triple Crown this year? – Horse Racing Nation

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Photo: Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

It looks like we can expect a field of about nine when Saturdays Belmont Stakes is drawn. Adding to the intrigue of this years Test of a Champion is that for the first time ever, it will act as the initial leg of the Triple Crown -- that is, if you believe we really have a Triple Crown in what we are all now living through.

This year will always be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic that was unleashed on the world. Thoroughbred racing, like every facet of society, has been affected. Racetracks have scrambled to make their product safe. Big races have been delayed, or in some cases, cancelled, and all this while racing takes place without fans in the stands.

Perhaps the biggest effect that the pandemic has had on racing -- at least for the casual fan -- can be found in our Triple Crown. When the Kentucky Derby was delayed from the first Saturday in May to the first Saturday in September, it had a ripple effect on the other two legs of Americas most prestigious series of races.

In response, the Preakness was moved to four weeks after the Derby, which is also four weeks before the Breeders Cup. This left NYRA with little recourse but to do something unusual with its signature race.

Moving to June 20, a date 11 weeks before this years Kentucky Derby, was not very unexpected. It gave NYRA tracks the opportunity to host their two big races -- the Belmont and the Travers at Saratoga -- in an attractive sequence before the Derby.

The change that took many by surprise, however, was the cut in distance from the traditional 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/8 mile. In other words, The Test of a Champion in 2020 would be a one-turn race.

The decision was made because NYRA thought it would be too much to ask of horses and horsemen to run 1 1/2 miles in June without the typical foundation that had been built up to in the winter and spring.

How, for instance, would they attract those speedy and talented horses from the barn of Bob Baffert if the Belmont was still 12 furlongs? As it turns out, none will make this years race anyway.

From a historical standpoint, Saturdays Belmont Stakes is by no means the Belmont Stakes as it is meant to be. It will not be the ultimate hurdle for horses in search of immortality after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Instead, it will play as one of the more important preps on the road to the Churchill Downs and the Derby.

The 2020 Belmont Stakes, led by Tiz the Law, will be a good race, and an important one, but hardly one that should decide a Triple Crown, or even begin it. Surely there would need to be a big, bold asterisk next to the name of any horse that could sweep all three races.

Of course, its highly probable that this will all be a moot point. While winning three races in five weeks, culminating at a mile and a half, is extremely difficult, winning the same three races in a 15-week span, even without the 12 furlongs of the standard Belmont, will certainly be no piece of cake.

Perhaps we all should just be happy that we have racing, and good racing, at all during this time of uncertainty. But as far as the Triple Crown, it would be hard to call the winner of this years series of the Belmont, Kentucky Derby and Preakness a true Triple Crown champion.

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Belmont Stakes is Saturday, but is there a Triple Crown this year? - Horse Racing Nation

Altered Carbon Season 3: Cast, Plot,Release Date, trailer And All New Updates Here – Auto Freak

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Carbon that is altered dioxide is an American cyberpunk web tv series. The creator and the writer of the series are Laeta Kalogridis. Altered carbon is based on the publication of the same name, released in 2002. English author of the publication is Richard K. Morgan. Modified Carbon season 3 is in news as of now

Its about the future as it says, the season is 23rd century, of intelligence. The audience intrigue. It showcases too in digitally and which consciousness can stow.

At this point, digital immortality is attained by humans. Souls can move to another.A human, Takeshi Kovacs, is taken out from an electronic prison. His career was as a UN elite soldier. He turned right into a private investigator. All this effort only to solve the murder of an individual, which was shady.

We do not have any confirmation of those faces that will appear in the upcoming season. But based on speculations, we cast and could expect some personalities

The season premiered on February 2, 2018, on Netflix and consists of ten episodes. For the second season of eight episodes, the show renewed on July 27, 2018. And published on with an anime film set before the first season released on March 19, 2020.

For your statement till this particular outbreak of COVID-19 around the world gets cool down we might need to wait.

We will observe Altered Carbon season 3 to find a launch date for the first time to 2022.

We stay connected will keep you updated with all the official information and keep watching.

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Altered Carbon Season 3: Cast, Plot,Release Date, trailer And All New Updates Here - Auto Freak

Belmont Stakes odds, predictions 2020: Surprising picks from unbiased expert who’s nailed five straight races – CBS Sports

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The 2020 Belmont Stakes already was going to be one of the most memorable horse races in recent history, but now it could be contested without one of the primary pre-race favorites. Charlatan, who at 4-1 is near the top of the 2020 Belmont Stakes odds, may not be able to participate after reportedly testing positive for a banned substance after winning the Arkansas Derby earlier in May. Fellow Bob Baffert-trainee Nadal, who was also listed as one of the top 2020 Belmont Stakes favorites, will reportedly be retired due to a fracture.

Florida Derby winner Tiz The Law is the overall 2-1 favorite in the latest Belmont odds 2020. But is backing a favorite the way to go, or are you better off looking down the odds board to find a winner? Before making any horse racing picks, you'll want to see the latest 2020 Belmont Stakes predictions from SportsLine's Jody Demling.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2020 Belmont Stakes on a major heater on his horse racing picks. He has the picked the winner in five straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby and Florida Derby.

This is the same handicapper who hit the Oaks-Derby double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 11 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but twice in his last 11 tries.

And when it comes to the Belmont, Demling has delivered plenty of memorable paydays. In 2017, he said 5-1 sleeper Tapwrit would beat the heavily-favored Irish War Cry. Demling was spot-on, winning not just his exacta, but also his trifecta and superfecta, which paid out nearly $4,500 on a $2 bet. In 2018 Demling was all-in on Justify to dominate the Belmont, and Justify went wire-to-wire to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner ever.

Now, Demling has released his early picks for the 2020 Belmont Stakes, predicting where every horse will finish.He's sharing all of it at SportsLine.

One surprise: Demling says Charlatan, one of the top Vegas favorites who's 3-for-3 in his career, barely hits the board. The son of Speighstown, Charlatan "is super talented" but needs to mature more, according to Demling. He believes Charlatan could be ready to shine later this year, but isn't worth the 4-1 premium you'll need to pay for him right now.

Another curveball: Demling is high on Maxfield, even though he's an underdog at 5-1 Belmont odds 2020. The son of Street Sense has not lost when he has taken the starting gate. In fact, Maxfield's three-race winning streak includes the Matt Winn Stakes just last week at Churchill Downs. Under jockey Jose Ortiz, Maxfield closed strong to overtake Ny Traffic in the closing stages of the 1 1/16-mile race and claimed 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Before that, Maxfield was victorious in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs in September 2019 and the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. Brendan Walsh has trained plenty of standout horses in his career, and Maxfield is certainly showing promise heading into the 2020 Triple Crown season. Demling believes Maxfield has a "a solid shot in the Belmont" and should be in your 2020 Belmont Stakes bets.

Demling is high on a double-digit long shot, calling him a terrific closer who will be "flying in the end."He's only sharing which horse to back, and his entire projected 2020 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, here.

Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2020? And which double-digit long shot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2020 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the 2020 Belmont Stakes, and find out.

Tiz the Law 2-1Charlatan 4-1 Maxfield 5-1 Dr. Post 11-1 Mischevious Alex 12-1 Sole Volante 15-1Gouverneir Morris 16-1 Honor A.P. 18-1 Max Player 20-1 Farmington Road 22-1 Basin 25-1 Modernist 28-1 Wells Bayou 28-1

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Belmont Stakes odds, predictions 2020: Surprising picks from unbiased expert who's nailed five straight races - CBS Sports

When Sports brought Tears: Doug Flutie – State Of The U

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Long before the eight lateral miracle in Durham happened, a freakishly less fortuitous miracle materialized improbably from the humid Miami sky. Like a dagger delivered from the tops of Mount Olympus, a Doug Flutie hail mary shook hands in the heavens and descended ominously to collectively send Miami Hurricane fans into hell.

November 23rd, 1984 is a day I vaguely remember. But I will wholeheartedly remember the tears that streamed down my very young face after Gerard Phelan emerged with pandemonium's prize. I was in shock. Even then, it was unfathomable.

Phelan was the recipient of then Boston College quarterback Doug Fluties heave ho from their own 36 yard line. The last pass was the transcending one that will always procure residency in the pantheon of college footballs greatest plays but it wasnt the only pass.

Doug Flutie was Hades like and torched the Miami Hurricanes defense to the tune of 34-46, 472 yards passing and three touchdowns. The last pass was posterized in immortality but if the Hurricanes had a pulse in the secondary, it never would have even gotten the chance.

Remember Phelan? Yeah he caught the hail mary. You probably have seen the clip a dozen times for the sports media world will not let you forget it. But you probably forgot that he caught 10 other passes and amassed 226 yards including two touchdowns.

The Hail Flutie was as much self inflicted as it was exclamatory. The Hurricanes were victims of their own defensive ineptitude. To be honest, they deserved it that game. You dont want to be negatively immortalized like that? Just have some semblance of a clue.

Hurricane head coach at the time Dennis Erickson even admitted that he didnt spend practice time defending those types of plays. Erickson further went on to say that he probably should also keep his defensive staff in the coaches box until the end of the game.

Then again, shortly after the end of the game, UM defensive coordinator Bill Trout handed in his resignation. He would never set forth in a Miami coaching box ever again.

Would have, should have, could have. Those statements are typically the backdrop and constructors of calamity and seldom prohibit the tears from falling.

Grandpa what just happened? That was my question to one of my lifes rocks and nexuses. Surely he would find a way to rewrite history and tell me my new hometown favorite heroes didnt just scarf down a bowl of kryptonite cereal. After all, these were the defending orange and green cape wearing national champions.

Except his eyes told me long before his words ever did that reality was reality. Bitter pill. I was devastated. First time I ever remember crying over a sporting event. It wouldnt be the last.

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When Sports brought Tears: Doug Flutie - State Of The U