Daily Archives: July 25, 2022

In front of an estimated crowd of 35,000 gathered on the lawn and hills in the cradle of baseball, the 46-year-old Ortiz was enshrined along with 83-year-old Jim Kaat, 84-year-old Tony Oliva, and four baseball legends who have already passed: Gil Hodges, Buck ONeil, Minnie Mioso, and Bud Fowler (who actually grew up in Cooperstown). Big Papis 21-year-old daughter, Alex Veda, performed the national anthem before the induction program.

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Wearing a blue suit and red tie, Ortiz became the fourth player born in the Dominican Republic enshrined, joining Juan Marichal, Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero Sr., all of whom were seated behind Papi on the stage at the Clark Athletic Center. Dominican flags peppered the fan seating areas.

A gracious Ortiz thanked God, the Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame players, his own family, the USA, his minor league managers, the Minnesota Twins, and a lot of folks who have helped him in his Red Sox years, citing managers Grady Little, Terry Francona, and John Farrell.

I cant thank you enough for building me up and supporting me through the years, said Ortiz. That [Red Sox] organization made me the man I am today.

Red Sox lifers Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski were inducted in their first year of Hall eligibility, but Ortiz stands alone from them as a first-ballot Hall of Famer who won three championships with the Red Sox. Hes one of only four big league players to hit at least 500 homers and win at least three World Series; the others are Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson.

There was a strong Boston flavor throughout Induction Weekend as Red Sox Nation planted a flag and many of Ortizs former teammates (Johnny Damon, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell, Trot Nixon, Tim Wakefield, Kevin Youkilis, Kevin Millar, and Jason Varitek, to name a few), made the trek to Cooperstown.

I dont think I would have made it without their support and love, said Ortiz, singling out Pedro, Pedroia, and Varitek as teammates he especially enjoyed.

One couldnt help but note that Ortizs enshrinement came on the same date (July 24) as the Varitek-Alex Rodriguez home-plate dustup in 2004.

That was the year everything changed for the Boston Red Sox. After 86 years of frustration and multiple close calls, Ortiz was the man most responsible for Bostons biblical, come-from-behind, Curse-busting ALCS against the Yankees.

It all started with the Sox down, three-games-to-zero, trying to stay alive in the bottom of the 12th inning of Game 4 at Fenway.

Ortizs after-hours blast into the Yankee bullpen at 1:22 a.m. made the Red Sox 6-4 winners in Game 4 and Foxs Joe Buck told Baseball America, Well see you later today.

Exactly 15 hours and 49 minutes later, Pedro threw the first pitch of Game 5, which lasted five hours and 14 minutes over 14 innings and was won when Ortiz (who had already homered earlier in the game) fouled off six pitches before dumping a game-winning single to center off Esteban Loaiza.

Two games . . . both ending on the same day (Oct. 18) . . . consuming 26 innings over ten hours and 51 minutes . . . both won by David Ortiz.

The Sox went to New York and took two more, then swept the Cardinals in the World Series. Bostons Seor Octubre had 19 RBIs in 14 postseason games and was suddenly rivaling Tom Brady as Bostons most popular athlete of the 21st century.

Ortiz went on to win two more championships, rescuing the Sox with his eighth-inning grand slam in Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS against the Tigers (remember bullpen cop Steve Horgan raising his hands as Torii Hunter went ass-over-teakettle?) then hitting an unbelievable .688 in the Fall Classic against the Cardinals.

That was the same year Ortiz personified Boston Strong, telling the world: This is our [expletive] city and nobody gonna dictate our freedom.

Brady, Ted Williams, Larry Bird, and Bobby Orr are four athletes who owned our town for most of the time they played. Bill Russell played his entire career in Boston and was the greatest winner in the history of professional sports. All five Hub heroes started their careers in New England and enjoyed most of their success here.

Big Papi is different. First signed by the Seattle Mariners, he played parts of six big league seasons with the Twins before putting on a Boston uniform. He was released by the Twins at the age of 27 after hitting .272 with 20 homers and 75 RBI in 2002. That will always be something of a head scratcher, but along with Randy Moss and Kevin Garnett, Ortiz goes down as one of Minnesotas greatest gifts to Boston.

After being released, Ortiz bumped into Pedro Martinez while dining at a restaurant in the Dominican Republic. Seizing an opportunity to take care of his countryman and help the Sox, Pedro called Boston traveling secretary Jack McCormick (the man who would later be knocked down by Manny Ramirez when McCormick couldnt fill Mannys ticket request) and McCormick called Bostons rookie 28-year-old general manager, Theo Epstein.

We already had David on our radar, Epstein recalled this weekend. But over the holidays Pedro ran into David and started calling everybody repeatedly. He had Jack Mack track me down. He tracked down Larry [Lucchino]. He just blew everybody up, going on and on, telling us what a great hitter David was, and how great he would be in our clubhouse.

That was unusual," recalled Lucchino. I dont ever remember ever getting a call from a player on behalf of another player. It was pretty powerful stuff."

On Jan. 22, 2003, the Red Sox signed Ortiz to a one-year contract for $1.25 million. It was not front page news in The Boston Globe. Not even Page 1 of sports. Announcing the signing, Globe reporter Gordon Edes wrote a short news story in which he chided the Sox for not being big spenders. (Sound familiar?)

On a day that . . . cash-strapped Florida Marlins sprang for a $10-million, one-year deal for All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez, the Red Sox all but completed a winter of shopping at Wal-Mart yesterday, announcing the signing of free agent first baseman, David Ortiz.

There was a lot of competition for a spot in the Sox lineup in 2003. In addition to Ortiz, Epstein acquired Millar, Bill Mueller, Todd Walker, and Jeremy Giambi. Meanwhile, Shea Hillenbrand was still a starter.

Ortiz played behind Giambi at the start of the season, sitting on the bench next to Doug Mirabelli, appearing in only 31 of the first 54 games. He had two homers at the end of May and teammates were calling him Juan Pierre, a flyswatter outfielder who hit 18 homers in 14 big league seasons. Ortiz complained to Epstein, who told him to be patient. Epstein then traded Hillenbrand, which freed up a spot in the lineup. Ortiz wound up hitting .288 in 128 games with 31 homers and 101 RBI.

One year later, he became Big Papi and broke the Curse of the Bambino. Sox CEO Sam Kennedy has called Ortiz, the most important player in the history of the Red Sox."

When you do the things David did, you become a super hero," remembered Epstein. He had authenticity and the way hes unfiltered brought out the best in everybody. It really connected with the city."

When I think about Boston, I definitely think about 2004, 2007, and of course, 2013, when our city was shaken by a Marathon bombing, Ortiz said during his speech. I have never seen a community bounce back and reunite like Boston.

When I think about Boston, I also think about the last game I played [in 2016]. Standing on that field at Fenway Park, it felt like the whole city of New England and each one and every one of you was surrounding me and was showing me all your love.

Big Papi.

Boston baseballs Santa Claus.

Hall of Famer.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at daniel.shaughnessy@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @dan_shaughnessy.

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David Ortiz already achieved baseball immortality in Boston, and now the Hall of Fame has made it official - The Boston Globe

Netflixs recent Into the Breach mobile port was a mere taste of whats to come. Next month, the streaming service is releasing three more games to mobile gamers, including 3D puzzle game Twelve Minutes.

As part of their monthly announcements, Netflix has revealed the next lineup of mobile games for its gaming service. Unfortunately, no dates were provided for the new games, but theyre all coming this month.

For starters, Annapurna Interactives Twelve Minutes is coming to mobile. Starring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and Willem DaFoe, this fantastic narrative puzzle is a A-star adventure.

With simple controls, Twelve Minutes should be perfect on mobile. On PC, simple mouse inputs control all. This means that this new mobile conversion should play like a dream!

Clocking in at just a few hours, Twelve Minutes is a perfect addition to Netflixs library. Its a simple game that will only take up a smidge of time, keeping you eager for another release.

Alongside Twelve Minutes, Netflix is bringing the hotly anticipated Immortality to mobile. Created by Sam Barlow (Her Story), this new FMV game is expected to be a treat.

Whats great about Immortality on mobile is that its seemingly launching day and date with the console and PC versions. This isnt confirmed, but Netflix has slated the mobile release for August, and the other versions launch on August 30th.

While there are currently no reviews out for the game, Immorality is expected to be a hit. If not? Its part of a Netflix subscription, and theres plenty of other games to play.

Also coming to Netflix Gaming:Netflix Heads Up! and Rival Pirates. The former is an adaptation of the classic charades game, but with a Netflix twist! Essentially, its about Netflix characters now.

On the other hand, Rival Pirates is a 3D action game where you play as, well, pirates! The deacription reads: Set sail, fire cannon balls and avoid traps to find treasure before your enemies in this swashbuckling adventure.

With Twelve Minutes, Immortality and more, Netflixs August lineup is looking very solid indeed.Without sounding greedy, were excited for the next batch!

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Twelve Minutes, Immortality and more coming to mobile via Netflix - DroidGamers

When Dina Asher-Smith lined up for her World Championships 200 metres heat in Eugene in the early hours, it was the first time a British woman has ever defended a global sprint title. She came through comfortably and will race the semi-finals in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Three years ago in Doha, Asher-Smith took just 94 steps to win gold and seal her place in the record books. Before she attempts to repeat the feat, Telegraph Sport spoke to Britains greatest ever 200m runners to analyse how she became world champion.

Before she lined up for the 2019 world 200m final, Asher-Smith was under no illusion that it was her race to lose. The absentee list was so long that even running well below par would have sufficed to claim gold.

As her British sprint team-mate Adam Gemili put it before the race: Its not about if shes going to win it, its about how fast she can go.

Expectation brings about pressure of its own for a young woman who has long seemed destined for greatness. But there are few athletes more intent on success.

Shes always been very focused on what she wants to achieve. Sometimes athletes dont have full belief in themselves but one of the things I realised when I first came across her aged 13 or 14 was her strong family support.

I remember going to give Dina my Olympic medal to try on and her mum said the first medal she tries on needs to be her own. That was telling to me because even though I was coached by Linford Christie, I never asked to see his Olympic gold either. The first I wanted to see was mine.

I knew from a very early stage that she had the right mentality to be successful.

Dinas first 4x100m relay event as part of the British team was at the Anniversary Games in 2013 and that was the first time Id ever met her.

She was 17 and what was so memorable in our first encounter was when you have a newcomer to the team, what usually happens is they can be very overwhelmed.

I was second leg and Dina was first, and we only did one warm-up changeover before the race. In the call room before the race I asked her if she was ok and she just went: Anyika, dont worry Ive got this. Id never heard anything like that from any newcomer into the team!

Ive been in a call room with her many times and shes definitely a calm presence, always relaxed. But she wont have a conversation with any of the other girls especially going into a big race where she is the favourite. She will just focus by herself.

Ive known Dina for a long time and the one thing she has that every sprinter needs is the killer attitude.

Youve got to have that, otherwise at her level youre wasting your time. Very few top-end sprinters dont have it because its the drive to win and be the best.

Shes so happy, smiley and giggly, but put her on the track and the beast is unleashed.

One of the things that has always struck me about Dina is her mental strength and her ability to compete. Shes got that natural ability to be able to step up when it matters.

Dont let her smiley, nice exterior fool you. Underneath is someone who is extremely determined and incredibly competitive. She is the ultimate professional and shes always gone out there with the mentality to win.

I dont have to say anything to Dina before a race. I just leave her to do what she has to do. Before a race she has a plan in place, shes very focused and in the zone.

Although she has made her name on the global stage with victories over the longer sprint distances of 100m and 200m, Asher-Smiths first senior international title was at the European Indoor Championships in 2015 over 60m a distance that hinges almost entirely on getting out of the blocks quickly.

Her start has always been a key element to her races and she has spoken in the past about knowing whether she will win within a few strides of the gun.

Shes already rehearsed the race in her mind many times beforehand to get to this position so once youre in the blocks you just clear your mind and listen for any sound to react to.

Her ability to react and put her technique into play is the difference between a good athlete and a great athlete.

For her, its about gaining an advantage on the athlete outside. Shell feel it working with each stride.

Shes very efficient in her first few steps. Shes got a good knee lift, but crucially her foot lands underneath her, which allows her to engage the right muscles at the right time.

You see a lot of sprinters who will reach out and land just in front of themselves, which provides a slight braking motion. With Dina, each step lands underneath perfectly. You combine that with her natural reactions and thats why she starts so well.

She has an exceptional start it has improved significantly from a young age to where she is now. There are very few 200m athletes who can compete with her start.

Because of her size, shes a high frequency athlete, which helps her at the start. Usain Bolt, for example, is a stride-length runner, whereas Tyson Gay is about high frequency.

Dina is more a frequency-based runner, which suits someone who has a good start.

Her first two steps are incredible. Shes one of the best starters in the world so by the time shes done her first two steps shes already gone a couple of inches up ahead of her rivals. If I was the girl in the lane inside her Id already be shaking!

Aided by the quick turnover of her legs, Asher-Smith has no problem getting up to top speed ahead of her rivals. Her 60m split during her silver medal-winning 100m run at the 2019 World Championships was timed at faster than the indoor 60m world record.

This part of the race tests an athletes ability to go from near stationary to full-on sprinting, while also having to negotiate a curve in the track.

What she does is drive through her angles really well. She doesnt pop up from the blocks, which would mean you lose momentum and have to then get going again.

Shes able to drive upwards step by step, almost like a plane taking off and steadily increasing the angle of elevation.

You gradually start to rise up not just your torso, but also your hips. She does that all so efficiently.

The drive phase is all about generating as much power as you can with high frequency.

Once you come out of the drive phase youre able to turn your legs quicker and by that point she has already closed a yard or so on her rivals, and she hasnt even started running yet.

Youre trying to break the stagger as quickly as you can so you want to go past the runner outside you and then past the next person.

Shes so good at being aggressive for the first 70m or so. Then you can take one breath, which takes about 10-15m, and prepare to attack off the turn.

Youre trying to hit out and drive aggressively with an element of smoothness and finesse. It doesnt take her long before shes at the apex of the turn.

Not every great sprinter can be a successful bend runner some get thrown off course because of the centrifugal force the bend places on their balance, meaning they are unable to hug the inside of their lane to ensure they cover the shortest ground possible.

Asher-Smith has always excelled on the bend, with her excellent balance meaning this is a part of the race she expects to continue gaining ground on her rivals.

Shes really aggressive and attacks the bend. A lot of 100m sprinters feel as though they have to hold something back until the end but if youve trained correctly, you should be able to be aggressive on the turn.

Shes so good at being aggressive for the first 70m or so. Then you can take one breath, which takes about 10-15m, and prepare to attack off the turn.

Everyone knows what Dina is going to do but they cant do anything about it because she is just so good.

Running the bend is a fine art. One of the key things is running right on the inside of the turn, not the outside, because you want to be running 200m exactly, not 201m or more.

Dinas frequency of leg turnover is something that assists her running a turn because with more strides you can navigate a turn easier.

I was always taught to think of visualising the bend like driving: when you learn how to drive, you dont follow a turn, you look beyond a turn. She will be looking further away to ensure she runs beyond the bend.

Dina attacks the first 80m so well. I would get to about 80m, take a deep breath and then relax.

You keep the speed that you have built, but the most important thing is to keep the tension on the outside of your foot. That allows you to get the slingshot effect when you come off the bend.

If you relax too much, you lose that tension and power, and then you have to start again into the straight. What she does so well is to keep applying the pressure around the bend.

Her bends have always been incredible. Its a skill that not everyone has.

You see a lot of athletes start to fall apart at this point, especially after going through the rounds. You have to be so fit to get through the rounds and then deliver in the final.

Coming off the turn, she already knows she is ahead so all she has to do is control the next part of the race.

Since her emergence as a 200m sprinter of global standard, it is almost unheard of for Asher-Smith not to be leading when she comes off the bend in a 200m race.

Even when she has been beaten in recent years by Shaunae Miller-Uibo, her main rival over 200m, Asher-Smith has been in front when entering the home straight.

It is one of the biggest transitional parts of the race that tests an athletes ability to avoid being propelled off course as the track goes from curved to straight.

By this point, the race is hers to win. No disrespect to the other girls, but you can just tell from Dinas step and frequency that she is in total control.

Something that my coaches taught me is to think of coming off the bend as like a slingshot when you come off a turn you have it pulled back as far as it will go and then you release it so it feels freeing.

Dinas transition is just so smooth. Because she has so much control coming off the bend into the home straight she isnt playing catch up. Shes just staying relaxed and in control. It looks so easy for her.

We call this the elastic-band effect because shes run a great turn and when she gets to this point she turns her legs and accelerates away from the field. That throws you down the home straight.

Its like pulling back an elastic band when you let it go, the elastic band flies off and catapults you down the home straight.

Its about getting your body in the right position to control the speed off the bend.

If you try too hard at the end of the bend, the slingshot effect can put your body in the wrong position. Dina is able to set her body in the right position, which enables her to continue the nice cadence and stride length up the straight.

If your bodys not in the right position, youre going to start to tie up near the end.

As she comes off the bend she keeps her hips high, which is the most important thing. Its important to have that hip height as a sprinter so that your body doesnt sink. That gives you the best power bounce.

You dont claw to get that stride length, its the power you get off the track which allows you to increase the stride length. Some other runners will twist or sink their hips, which means they lose speed.

What Dina is good at doing is being able to float out of the turn and have the whiplash into the straight. Theres a surge that carries you further down the straight and she has a natural disposition to do that.

By now, Asher-Smith is accustomed to having a lead and she must stay in front to win gold. While Asher-Smith is by no means slow by any standard of 200m running, this is the part of the race where someone like Miller-Uibo is potentially able to gain ground.

With the body naturally starting to fatigue, it is a question of who can maintain their form in the crunch moment and it is something Asher-Smith has improved over the years by working on her speed endurance.

Dina is a fierce competitor. Aside from her articulate, smart, smiley disposition, when it comes to competing, shes fierce. Theres no messing around and she takes no prisoners. Here, she will sense that shes clear and she will want to maintain her lead.

The big strength that Dina has is her speed endurance. When you have high frequency, what usually happens at this point is your legs start to build with lactic acid and you tail off.

Shes got outstanding speed endurance so she gets out of the turn and is capable of maintaining that speed and cadence right through to the finish line.

Thats got better through the years. When she was a junior there was a lot of leakage in her movements. As shes got stronger everything has become more stable. Her technique has become tidier and cleaner.

What comes with that is you lose your technique later in the race, so she should be able to run a good 400m now if she wanted.

This is about maintaining technique along the straight while starting to fatigue. Everyone will be tiring, even though it looks like Dina isnt.

She has good arm drive, good knee lift and just keeps her body in the same position as when she came off the bend. That helps to keep a nice, balanced stride length. A lot of it is about keeping balance very well.

Shes probably tired at this point, but the adrenaline is kicking in. Shes not going to let anyone or anything get in her way. She barely loses any control at all.

It is at this point that the colour of the medals are decided. As with the first part of the home straight, Asher-Smith will be hoping to maintain her form as much as possible when everyone is naturally decelerating approaching the finish line.

Improving her strength and training over longer distances as she has grown older has meant she can maintain her technique the longer the race goes on.Very few athletes will have been able to keep up with her to this point.

This is all about maintaining your form and not faltering. Keep your high knees, keep your high hips and keep driving those arms back and forth.

Her lower limb is not flicking out too much, at a stage where some of her rivals will be sat back on themselves, which causes them to lose momentum. Dina does a great job of staying on top of herself.

This part of the race is about whether youve done the winter work on speed endurance. It comes from doing 250m, 300m and 350m sets in training, or repetitive 200m sets at 95 per cent.

Dina has always run an exceptional bend and she has fearlessness to attack, but now its about having that adult strength, which has kicked in. Shes a woman now, not a little girl.

She manages to hold form, while the other athletes start to fall off and struggle to maintain intensity.

The hardest bit for the majority of sprinters is being able to maintain your speed in the final 30m and not tie up. At that point you cant find any more speed, so youre just trying to maintain what you have. Shes brilliant at doing that.

If you havent gone past Dina by the last 30m or 40m, theres a strong chance shes winning the race.

Its about lifting the hips and keeping your arms long. If you keep your arms long, your legs will follow. If she were to shorten up her arms, her stride length would get shorter and more fatigue would come.

She is using quality speed endurance. Her arm action, which kept her legs long, is exceptional and she is able to keep relaxed.

Shell have done all the speed endurance work: a little bit of pain in the winter, medals in the summer. Thats the pay off.

I know Dina has done a couple of 400m races during the early part of her career and Id love to see her do more because I know she could be phenomenal, even if shed probably hate it.

You can have all the speed in the world but by the time you get to 150m, the whole race can fall apart if you do not have that strength. Shes prone to a very slight overstriding right at the end but shes usually already clear at that point.

The rest is here:

Dina Asher-Smith and her 94 steps to immortality - The Telegraph

From ancient myths to science fiction, Our attraction to eternal youth is well documented. But there are creatures that seem code is cracked To prevent, or even reverse, aging, and they are very real. They are, or we believe they may be, biologically immortal. This means that unless killed by a predator, disease, or drastic change in their environment, they can live indefinitely.

scientists try to find The secrets of these mysterious creatures To see if they can help us control our aging process.

Heres a look at these three amazing creatures:

capacity of these insects have been known to reproduce when split into two parts since the late 19th century, but these animals went viral in 2012When the University of Nottingham published a study on their possible immortality.

Planaria is a type of flatworm that found all over the world and One Unlimited ability to regenerate stem cells, dry grass Two types: Some reproduce sexually and some asexually by dividing into two.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham studied both types and found that Asexuals may be able to rejuvenate their DNA. At some point in our lives, our DNA, like that of most animals, reaches its limit in cell division and Our body starts deteriorating.

On the other hand, the planets, Enzyme content is high This protects their cells from aging, and when they reproduce they can replenish these reserves, leading scientists to believe they may be immortal.

this alien looking creature It is a freshwater invertebrate With a tubular body and mesh around the mouth. It uses these tentacles to sting its prey, which are insects, small crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Hydras were one of the first organisms examined by Dutch scientist Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, who built a microscope with a spherical lens with significant magnification to view these creatures. Soon after, on the observations of Swiss scientist Abraham Tremblay Them and their regenerative superpowers He marked the beginning of a new era in the field of biology.

like planets, Hydra are also able to regenerate their own body parts., The key to understanding its potential immortality lies in its stem cells, which can self-renew indefinitely.

In fact, the entire body of a hydra appears to be made of self-renewing stem cells, Scientists Who Observed Hydras Clusters For Years Couldnt Find Any signs of aging on them

In 2018, researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) estimated that Hydras can become immortal because of their ability to control Something called a transposon gene, also known as a jumping gene. These are genes that can jump from one part of the genome to another, causing mutations. When we are young, our body is able to control these genes, but as As we grow up, we find it difficult to keep them under control. Instead, they may be able to repress these genes forever.

The so-called immortal jellyfishor, to use its scientific name, Turritopsis doubletLives in sea water. First discovered in the Mediterranean in the 1880s, it can now be found in many other places due to ballast water released from ships. It is small and likes to eat plankton, Caviar and small mollusks.

amazing thing about The type of jellyfish is that it can restart its life cycle, When a jellyfish is stressed, it transforms at an earlier stage of life, This is sometimes compared to a frog turning into a tadpole or a butterfly turning into a caterpillar, and is due to a process called transdifferentiation.

Transdifferentiation occurs when a fully formed specialized adult cell transforms into another type of adult cell. This process remains a mystery to scientists. and thats not all. When the jellyfish returns to its previous life stage as a polyp, It also creates more organisms with the same genetic code, so basically She also clones herself by rejuvenating.

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What Are The 3 "immortal" Animals That Fascinated Scientists For Decades And Why - Nation World News

By Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) -- If just one diamond isn't enough, SWA Diamonds might have the perfect ring for you.

The India-based jewelry company broke a Guinness World Records title for the most diamonds set in one ring with a whopping 24,679 diamonds.

The spectacular ring was designed to mimic a pink oyster mushroom, according to a Guinness World Records news release.

"The mushroom represents immortality and longevity," Abdul Gafur Anadiyan, SWA Diamonds' managing director, said in the release.

The intricate structure of the ring was created by pouring liquid gold into a plastic mold to form 41 unique mushroom petals. Then, each petal was adorned by hand with natural diamonds.

The glitzy ring weighs in at 340 grams -- or three-quarters of a pound -- and is valued at $95,243, according to the release. A team of independent gemologists verified the ring, and the world record was awarded May 5.

SWA Diamonds' mushroom-inspired creation has almost double the number of diamonds as the previous record-holder. Harshit Bansal achieved the title in 2020 with a floral design bejeweled with 12,638 diamonds.

The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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This mushroom-shaped ring broke the world record for most diamonds in a single ring - WDJT

I changed the title of this piece a little before pressing the Send key from Do Corporates Have a Soul, to the one cited above, to make the argument and to discuss it extensively, without restricting to a single segment of the business world.

As a first step there has to be some understanding about what is soul? In the most simplistic term, soul is referred to that non-tangible part of a human being, considered by many as spiritual, that has immortality associated with it. It is that part of any existence present in every person that lives, feels, thinks, and wills (this is a century dictionary definition). All attributes that are in the realm of non-material constitute the soul. Ancient understanding of the soul meant the presence of at least three elements; intelligence, reason and passion.

Soul resides within. Philosophers and sages have always considered without any evidence, physical or otherwise, the heart of the human being as the repository of the soul. Aristotle referred to the soul as being distinct in at least three dimensions; a part that deals with nutrition and growth, a portion that creates a sense of reasoning and an appetitive portion that monitors, controls and governs desire.

Immortality is a sine qua non of the souls existence. Socrates too believed that the soul is immortal. Death is unknown to the soul. Death is related to the physical self where the body once the soul has left or deserted it decays - from dust to dust. Death hence is seen as the separation of the soul from the body. Soul precedes physical existence and remains eternal, even once the physical (material) existence is over. Plato defines the soul as a simple, pure, unorganised, uncompounded, invisible, rational entity. The soul in its original form is pure and divine our manner of living, either adds to its nobility and purity or it contaminates the soul with impurities.

Without leaning heavily towards religious interpretations and definitions of the soul it is easy to be conclusive about the unanimity that exists between philosophers and religious pundits, that the soul is eternal and immortal. Collins refers, Soul is the part of you that consists of your mind, character, thoughts and feelings. Collectively when we use terms like the soul of the nation, we generally mean to refer to its political, economic and social conditioning, that is reflective of its core nature, beliefs and values. Soul therefore is about the emotion, moral nature of individuals. It excites sentiments towards spirituality which in turn, is potentially a moral force.

The human conditioning is to seek a purpose in life which once defined with some clarity has to be backed by working upon the naturally endowed skills and balance. Since the business world is about interconnectedness, the endeavor has to be to bring out the best of behavior and attitude to the workplace. In doing so, it is of critical importance to have in place not merely an enabling environment but an atmosphere of congeniality that provokes positivity in reactions to business challenges. All opinions must remain open to revision, and certainly not aversion. It is an innate impulse of the humankind to arrive at some point of his/her life at something higher than natural state. Emerson in one of his essays puts across a similar thought with powerful eloquence; To the Poet, to the Philosopher, to the Saint, all things are friendly and sacred, all events profitable, all days holy, all men divine.

The discernment of a manager in being able to see the invisible, to hear the unsaid or inaudible or even experiencing (touch) the intangible is the quest to attain a higher pitch in spirituality must acquire the status of being the cornerstone of corporate values, if the institution is to be reckoned as one that has a soul. Victor Hugo (the Les Misrables) states: There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.

An entity, where the corporate culture is embedded with humane touch, will have an environment of spirituality, which in turn creates a soul for the organisation. In an essay on virtues and vices, James Wallace (1978) categorized the ethics of virtue into three categories; self-discipline virtues, such as courage and patience; conscientiousness virtues, such as honesty and fairness; and virtues that extol benevolent attitude towards others, such as kindness and compassion. The presence of these virtues, in individuals, teams, groups. Entities or even nations have the amazing potential to influence the success of an idea, a concept, an objective, a goal or a vision. Any person who contributes to the happiness of others around him/her is bound to develop their own cognitive ability to remain happy. An unhappy team cannot have (at least not for long) a happy leader; their collective unhappiness will eventually drown his happiness because the team (unhappy) would perhaps, refuse to deliver the desired results.

There are several global institutions who value the presence of a soul in their work environments; mentioning their names in this piece might tantamount to advertising, so they best remain unnamed. However, since it is now defunct and doesnt exist, BCC was one organisation that in a short span of time had developed a distinct corporate soul. The institution was shut down, it did not collapse and the reason for its being made defunct were more global, political and economic interests and not its management values.

Its closure was almost 31 years back, yet its mark of unique corporate soul and spirituality, exists in the form of practices adopted by its members in different institutions across geographies proves that soul is eternal, the brick and mortar, the financial institution however, is dead and buried. To make the soul a living one at all times, there is no effort required to allocate time and energy, it is a practice that one develops a part of inherent nature.

My daughter, who works overseas, in a five-star hotel chain, has enriched me with an example of practical and focused attention, where her organisation has put in place humane policies She informed me that her headquarters sends regular updates and bulletins on the imperative need for paying attention to the mental wellness of staff; visibly demonstrating a duty of care towards them and also ensuring that there is no corporate intimidation. As an example, she said, if a performing staff member, on any particular day cannot respond to an internal email, from colleagues or supervisors, with remarks like; Im feeling burnt-out today. Will revert tomorrow. Nothing can be held against the staff member.

Further since pandemic has brought into play with heightened awareness of their rights, HR cannot be bound to do work outside of defined hours. It is their choice to do more from home at any given time, of their convenience. So long the work assigned is completed no action can be taken on other counts, sans of course, deliberate or obstinate insubordination.

Living organisations, work towards making their employees enabled to do what they are best at; this is done with a two-fold objective, firstly it is inspirational and secondly it creates happiness and for the flourishment of the corporate soul, happiness and wellness are critical dynamis, which means to develop into a mature version of whatever they (people) are or even their creative potentials and abilities.

Management have to usher an atmosphere that will bring about in their organisations and the associated people, moral sufficiency, which means, being true to themselves. In being true to themselves, staff would be compelled to see the impact of their current work upon the future of the organisation which in effect would lend solidity to the strengthening of the soul of the organisation. Entities non-tangible values can exist beyond its tangible existence. Those organisations who bring into play this type of thinking strategy that bring or infuse the ability of the soul into their work and productivity.

It is always the attention to basics, whose presence will ensure the fostering of the corporate soul. Simple habits of listening more and talking less; giving space considered as safe psychological area; hence creating an environment where winning is never individualistic promotes the soulful organisation.

Any organisation, worth its salt that lacks or is devoid of soul; is already a dead matter. Corporates die too. All dead matter decays. Leaders and managers must endeavor to not only create the soul and the organisation, but through persistent and focused policies provide vitamins for its growth. Only the soul sustains, everything else decimates, decays, etc.

The writer is a freelance columnist

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Do businesses have a soul - The News International

This year, on the diamond of J.P. Small Memorial Stadium, Edward Waters University playedball with a new designation the college of a Baseball Hall of Famer.

Over the weekend, Buck O'Neil, the longtime infielder withthe Kansas City Monarchs of theNegro Leagues during baseball's segregated years and a former Edward Waters ballplayer nearly a century ago, officially enters the ranks of baseball immortality and adds a name to Jacksonville's storied list of giants of the diamond.

On July 24, O'Neil, who died in 2006,will receive formal enshrinement at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The Hall voted O'Neil into its membership in December.

O'Neil joins a list ofHall of Famers with Jacksonville ties among them, Chipper Jones competed in high school baseball at Bolles, Bill Terry lived in the city for some four decades after his New York Giants career and the likes of Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson played with minor league teams on the First Coast.

His Edward Waters connection leaves a legacy that's unique among city baseball giants, and one with a tangible legacy.O'Neil's statue stands in front of J.P. Small Memorial Stadium, where today's Tigers played home games on their way to the Black College World Series title in the spring.

"To have someone from our university to enter the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, this is huge for our institution," EWU athletic director Paul Bryant said.

O'Neil, born in the Panhandle town of Carrabelle in 1911, came to Jacksonville and played both baseball and football at Edward Waters before beginning his decades-long career in the Negro Leagues, where he twice earned All-Star recognition as an infielder lining up against giants of the game. He spent the majority of his playing career, from 1938 to 1948, with the Kansas City Monarchs, where his teammates included the likes of Hall of Famers Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith.

At Raines High School, just a few miles north of the fields where O'Neil played during his Edward Waters days, the Hall of Fame selection of an athlete who competed near their home left an imprint on today's players this spring.

"It's a big inspiration to me, and I'm sure for everybody else on the team," said Raines senior Kris Simmons saidin an interview with the Times-Union during the regular season.

Raines baseball coach Jonathan Hicks said O'Neil's determination on the diamondpointedto the value of mastering the mental side of baseball.

"We're trying to get our guys into that mindset," Hicks said earlier this spring. "It's about the preparation and inspiration."

Despite modest home-run power for a first baseman,O'Neil earned three Negro League All-Star appearances and a batting title while receiving accolades for his fielding.

O'Neil also surmounted barriers as a pioneering coach and scout in the majors after his playing career, andworked tirelessly throughout his life to preserve the Negro Leagues' history for the generations to come. In 2020, Major League Baseball officially recognized the leagues' status as major.

"Being the first Black coach in the majors [with the Chicago Cubs], being Midwest Scout of the Year [while in the Kansas CityRoyals organization], those are things we're so proud of," Bryant said. "He set a standard for all that have come after him."

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

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Jacksonville, Edward Waters University ties strong for Baseball Hall of Famer Buck O'Neil - The Florida Times-Union

Its been announced today that Pippa Middleton has named her newborn daughter Rose.

The 38-year-old sister of Kate Middleton already has two children, Arthur (3) and Grace (1) withmillionaire husband James Matthews.

Nature is perhaps on the mothers mind as its also emerged she also plans to develop her 77 acre farm in a similar manner to Jeremy Clarkstons Diddly Squat farm with plans for glamping, a farm shop and a restaurant.

It looks as if baby names after florals are back after a brief hiatus in which other nature names emerged like Ivy, River and Rain.

Weve put together a list of whimsical, memorable baby names perfect for your little bud.

Acacia

In Greek, this name means thorny.

Ambretta

This name takes after an evergreen that blooms yellow flowers.

Oakley

This strong moniker is Old English for from the oak meadow

Amaryllis

Amaryllis is in the same family as the popular lily flower.

Bryony

With Latin roots, this name means to sprout.

Cassia

This gorgeous Greek name means cinnamon, which is also the scent that the cassia plant emitsits sweet andspicy! This name can be pronounced as cass-ee-a, or as cash-a, like the cassia tree itself.

Ren

This is Japanese for water lily

Fern

This flowery name comes from the feathery-fronded plant that enjoys the shade.

Zinnia

Cool and edgy, Zinnia is of Latin origin, and the zinnia flower symbolizes remembrance. Roald Dahl knows a good name when he sees itZinnia Wormwood is the mother of Matilda in his famous novel of the same name; though she has a questionable personality, her name is pretty cool.

Yolanda

In Greek, this name means violet flower.

Briar

With English origins, this name means a thorny patch.

Pepper

English for spice or berry

Lane

Meaning: One from the meadow farm.

Vernon

This pretty name is French for alder tree or Latin for spring

Wilder

A variant of the English word wild can be seen used in the languages German and Danish

Narcissa

In Greek, this girls name means daffodil.

Kaede

Japanese name that means maple leaf

Tansy

This flower name has Greek origins and means immortality.

Rada

In Yiddish, this name means rose and happy.

Dahlia

This Lithuania name derives from an old rose plant that means destiny.

Read more here:

20 plant-inspired baby names youve probably never heard of - image.ie

Nigerias Tobi Amusan and Swedens Armand Duplantis both broke world records in a stunning finish to the 2022 World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Starting off with Amusan, she demolished the world record in the womens 100m hurdles TWICE in back-to-back races, though excessive wind speeds meant her second time was subsequently ruled out.

In the final session, Amusan delivered one of the great individual performances of the tournament - if not athletics history.

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First, she won her semi-final in 12.12 seconds, crushing the previous best of 12.20s owned by American Kendra Harrison in 2016.

Then, Amusen blew away her rivals in the final to win the gold medal - her countrys first ever - in a staggering 12.06s.

However, it was revealed five minutes later that the wind reading for the final was +2.5m/s, well over the 2m per second limit, meaning the second run does not count as a world record.

Commentator Tim Hutchings was in awe as he exclaimed: I cannot believe it, shes done it again. Two world records in one night and she makes history by becoming Nigerias first world champion. What a way to do it and what a stage on which to discover sporting immortality. Records can be broken, titles will stand the test of time and tonight shes done both - two world records. 12.06, tonight will never, never be forgotten by anyone lucky enough to be here.

That was utterly extraordinary. We doubted she could do it again, how dare we, how dare we. Nigeria, a proud African nation, are on top of the world tonight. And Amusan has delivered an evening of unprecedented glory and speed. That was utterly, utterly incredible.

Amusan had already crushed the African record when she won her heat the day before in just 12.40s, the fastest first-round time in world championships history. But she went to another level in the finals to demolish her rivals - despite having the third-slowest reaction time of any runner in the final.

Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished second in 12.23s ahead of Puerto Ricos Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, also 12.23s.

Former world record holder Harrison was runner-up in the same semi-final where Amusan first broke the record, finishing second in 12.27s. Remarkably, that time was already faster than the previous championship record of 12.28sec, which Australian Sally Pearson claimed in 2011.

Commentator Tim Hutchings declared after the semi-final: 12.12 that is astonishing. I can hardly believe what Im just seeing. That is a massive, massive world record. Shes looking at the clock to see if it was a mistake, but it wasnt, its been confirmed. A massive, massive world record in the semi-final.

Tobi Amusan has just electrified the stadium. It was an incredible run but we didnt think it was that good. How on earth does she focus on winning the gold medal after storming to a world record. Utterly astonishing.

Gail Devers added: Yesterday when she ran her first heat, she was saying it was so hard for her to slow down because people were wondering why she ran 12.40. But when youre on fire it is hard to slow down. She didnt expect to run the 12.12 but you saw her mechanics, she kept running. What she did so well is she got her lead leg down and she ran away. That was a clinic in how you run the 100-metre hurdles.

In that same race, Australias Michelle Jenneke smashed her previous best of 12.82s by finishing fifth in 12.66s, though it was not good enough to qualify for the final.

In her heat, she had already run her fastest time in seven years since 2015, the same year as her previous PB. But she went one better in the semi-final to demolish her best-ever time, and was clearly overjoyed.

As for Duplantis, the 22-year-old completed his medal collection as he dominated the pole vault for world gold in a new world record.

Olympic champion Duplantis, seeking an elusive first world title, triumphed with a best of 6.21 metres, bettering by 1cm his previous best set when winning gold at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.

American Chris Nilsen took silver with a bet of 5.94m on countback from Ernest Obiang, whose bronze was a first world medal of any colour for the Philippines

Thats ridiculous. That is absolutely ridiculous, Hutchings said in commentary.

How could we finish any other way than with a world record from the greatest pole vaulter our sport has ever seen. He cannot believe it. You could not script that any better. USA storming to the last track gold with Sydney McLaughlin who smashed her own record in blistering fashion and then just when you thought it was all over, Duplantis as he did at the world indoors, finishes the action with a moment of unprecedented greatness.

Duplantis has taken his world record ever higher, his achievements go ever further and the only question is how many more times will he seize these wonderful nights and sign off in his inimitable style. At 22, he has already done everything and look at what it means.

Duplantis celebrated the record with a backflip as he brought an end to the days events in emphatic fashion.

Tonight has had absolutely everything, he said.

We have never had more nations striking gold at the same world championship as we had here, the previous best was 26, we are already up to 28. Tonight, we have seen the two fastest times over the 100-metre hurdles.

One of them was world-record legitimate and one wasnt because of the wind and weve seen Duplantis become the most prolific six-metre jumper in history and break his own record. What a night for so many reasons.

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That is ridiculous: World records tumble in utterly extraordinary scenes - Fox Sports