Monthly Archives: September 2022

"One Of A Million" by Softcult – Northern Transmissions

Posted: September 29, 2022 at 1:14 am

Softcult is a Canadian duo made up of twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn. They also used to be in a band called Courage My Love, signed to a major label and did that whole Warped scene dance in the 2010s. Their new sound, combines their love of grunge, shoegaze, dream-pop, and punk.

With Phoenix running point on production, engineering, and artwork, Mercedes directing/editing their videos, and both writing astoundingly-intimate lyrics about self-empowerment amidst social, political, and environmental collapse, the duo is about as DIY as it gets. They even create and produce their own zine called SCripture, currently on Vol. 20, and are active participants in their Softcult Discord server, a safe online community for their fans.

Mercedes Arn-Horn on One Of A Million:

Originally, I was writing from a frustrating perspective, expressing my feelings about the people in our society who think they are the exception and can justify repeating selfish actions, no matter who they harm in the process. As the song began to take shape, it also became about my own personal insecurities and fear of being ordinary and unexceptional, but the more I thought about it and wrote about it, I realized that accepting how similar we all are as human beings is a comforting sentiment, if not a vital one. The more we relate to each other and acknowledge our similarities, the more empathy and compassion we will have for one another. The more divided we are, the longer these issues get drawn out instead of solved. Its important to not only celebrate our diversity and unique-ness, but also to remember that at a very basic level we are all more the same than different.

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"One Of A Million" by Softcult - Northern Transmissions

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Aesthetic Gynaecology and Regenerative Medicine Training held in Delhi by IASRM (International Association of Stemcell and Regenerative Medicine) -…

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New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI/PNN): Aesthetic gynaecology/cosmetic gynaecology/ Functional gynaecology bringing a paradigm shift in Women's intimate health and empowerment. It's time to explore unspoken problems of sexual and personal health. Regenerative Aesthetic gynaecology is sub speciality bringing many advances in this field, and IASRM (International Association of Stemcell and Regenerative Medicine) is contributing significantly to this field globally by arranging various training programs for gynaecologists, dermatologists, physicians, surgeons, Plastic surgeons and urologist. IASRM organising various awareness programs for Women's total well-being program. It's a global platform to exchange and share knowledge. IASRM held Hands-on practical training for aesthetic gynaecology and regenerative medicine, and doctors and scientists have participated across the globe through offline and online modes. It addresses early menopause, genital rejuvenation, stress urinary incontinence, vaginismus, lichen sclerosis, thin endometrium, premature ovarian failure, labiaplasty etc. Technologies discussed and demonstrated like Prp, stemcells, Carboxy, laser, radio frequency, botulinum toxins, threads, fillers Etc. Training has been conducted in collaboration with sunrise hospital and renowned doctors like Dr Poonam Mishra, Dr Nikita Trehan, Dr Nidhi Jha, Dr Sandeep Bhasin and others.

Founder and President of IASRM Prabhu Chandra Mishra said The regenerative medicine sector is maturing rapidly -- and more patients than ever stand to benefit. New therapies can provide unprecedented benefits to patients with severe disorders. Regenerative medicine is an exciting and multifaceted new development in medical treatment. It promises novel therapeutic approaches to replace or restore the original functions of tissues, functional systems or even entire organs. The field includes stem-cell and gene therapies, tissue engineering and materials science. Indications include wound healing and tissue transplantation to cure damaged organs and even diseases like cancers, genetic disorders and autoimmune diseases.

Stem-cell and gene therapies represent a major revolution in medicine. Dr Ana Maria Mihai, Executive Member of IASRM, also said, Adding these advances like a laser, RF, non / minimally invasive procedures like PRP, and filler will bring various advances and helps in Women's intimate health.

IASRM continuously focuses on advancing human health with regenerative medicine and arranging a Master's symposium in November 10-13, 2022, in Jim Corbett, India. It will be a nature retreat and scientific bonanza for young doctors, researchers, academia and for industry partners. IASRM One-year fellowship in cosmetic gynaecology and Fellowship in Regenerative medicine and landmark training course in the field.

This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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6 Teens Who Make The World A Better Place – Forbes

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Who says teens are self-absorbed? These six activists, all under 20 years old, already are making a tremendous positive impact on the world. Keep an eye on them as they continue to inspire and lead.

Mychal-Bella Bowman is an actress, model and philanthropist.

Actually, Mychal-Bella Bowman is not quite even a teenager. Yet already the 12-year-old has earned acclaim for her role as Grace in the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning limited series The Underground Railroad, which was based on the novel by Colson Whitehead. The actress started modeling at age two and quickly became the face for major brand billboards including Nike, Gap, American Girl, and Barbie/Mattel. She has since appeared in numerous commercials for McDonalds, Hertz, Disney, Target, and others. Currently, she appears in several shows and movies. But all this success has not dimmed her dedication to her life purpose, which is giving back.

Bowmans passion for philanthropy began at age 4, when she donated two big tubs of gently used toys to other kids. These days, she collaborates with nonprofit organizations to further their missions, from anti-bullying and mental health awareness to education and homelessness. Recently, she was honored as the National Black Arts Festival Celebrity Youth Chair for the third time and as a humanitarian with a performance at the ESPN ESPYS 50th Anniversary of the passing of Title IX ceremony.

I feel as if I discovered my life purpose in acting. To be able to bring a character like Grace to life at age nine was magical! Bowman says. But my purpose is also to give hope to the hopeless. I want to be a world changer as an actress and philanthropist. If a little girl from North Carolina can convince her mother to close her business of 25 years and move to LA to pursue her dreams, so can you. Do what you love and love what you do. That is key.

Armita Hosseini wrote a book and teaches courses on financial literary for youth.

Armita Hosseini, a frosh at Stanford University originally from Toronto, is an advocate for financial and economic education for youth, as well as an entrepreneur, writer, and public speaker. In 2020, at age 16, she published her first book, Roadmap to Financial Literacy: An Introduction to Personal Finance For Teenagers. She partnered with the nonprofit operationEconomics International to donate 300 copies of the book to underserved schools in San Marcos, California.

As the founder of EmpowerEcon, Hosseini has hosted three virtual three-day financial literacy camps and one entrepreneurship camp for over 300 teens from 36 countries across 5 continents. In late 2021, they published a book titled Economics From a Youths Perspective, and are working to make it available to schools across North America. Hosseini regularly speaks at workshops and on podcasts about topics such as financial literacy, leadership, and youth entrepreneurship.

Many of societys economic disparities can be addressed through increasing access to financial education, Hosseini says. At the same time, through my work, I want to inspire other youth to use their passions to make a difference in their communities. She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to take the first step, stay focused on your mission, view setbacks as inevitable, and cherish the process.

Meera Ramakrishnan is the cofounder of Avaagat.

Meeraa Ramakrishnan, 17, is a high school student in India. In 2019, she founded the nonprofit Avaagat to help children and families who cannot afford access to clean water and hygiene solutions. For its positive impact on the UN sustainable development goals, the organization was recognized with The Diana Award at the United Nations 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Activate Impact summit.

In three years, Avaagat has raised in excess of $11,000 to conduct educational programs for students, install water filters for over 2,100 people, provide Covid safety kits to 1,500 people, and expand their program into six other countries across the globe. Ramakrishnan, who already has published research articles in scientific journals, plans to pursue studies in biological sciences and business at university.

Working with Avaagat and other passionate teens has helped me grow from a student to a learner, says Ramakrishnan. My ultimate goal in life is to create and encourage positive social change that is tangible and sustainable, and Avaagat gives me a platform to do just that. I hope other young changemakers collaborate and work together to make a lasting impact because community is all you need to make a small difference.

Rania Zuri is the founder of The LiTEAraray Society.

Rania Zuri is a high school junior in West Virginia who founded The LiTEArary Society, an entirely youth-led charitable book club with the mission of promoting the love of books among emergent readers from disadvantaged families. In March 2022, Zuri helped her organization donate 7,000 brand new books to children across her state. She travelled to every county to personally deliver the books, meeting Head Start directors and children at each one.

This past spring, Zuri wrote an op-ed for Teen Vogue on her experience and gave a TEDx talk on how to end the book desert one book at a time, which has garnered over 20,000 views. Her work was featured on Good Morning America, NBC Today, NBC Nightly News and Fox News. The press enabled her to continue her work over the summer of 2022. Zuri donated more than 2,000 new books to migrant children in Head Start programs across several southern states, in rural India, and to an orphanage in Jerusalem.

In April 2022, Zuri met with U.S. Senator Shelley Capito in Washington, D.C. to discuss her impact on early childhood literacy. This led to Zuri coauthoring a Senate resolution for a special national day called the National One Book at a Time Day. The purpose of this day is to bring attention and awareness to the prevalence of book deserts, their effects on disadvantaged preschoolers, and how we collectively can help end this issue by donating just one book to a young child in need.

We are looking to make this a national youth movement and bring more awareness to the vast book deserts that exist, says Zuri. Most of the Head Start children in rural West Virginia that I met do not even have one book at home.

Vivian Nguyen is the founder of Dyenosaur Apparel and The Formula Project.

At age 14, Vivian Nguyen started a tie-dye clothing company called Dyenosaur Apparel to celebrate youth creativity, garner funding for community endeavors, and promote female entrepreneurship. The business was chosen to manufacture shirts for the National Agenda For Youth Initiative, with 50% of proceeds donated to the charity. Recently, Nguyen was recognized as a National Rileys Way Foundation Call For Kindness Fellow and awarded a multi-thousand dollar grant to spread kindness and make change in her community.

But that achievement wasnt enough for Nguyen. She also started The Formula Project, a mentorship program for low-income, minority 8th grade through high school girls designed to help them develop interpersonal and career skills. The transition from high school to the real world can be challenging due to a multitude of issues as girls struggle with mental health, the constant need to be accepted by their peers, and the growing pressures of society in male-dominated STEM fields, says Nguyen. The Formula Project cultivates a diverse and friendly environment for middle school students to grow alongside their high school and college mentors.

Thanks to her work with both organizations, Nguyen had the opportunity to be the youngest panelist at GenZ Girl Con, an international conference promoting women's empowerment, and also has appeared on television. My mission is to uplift minority female youth, she says. As a first-generation Vietnamese-American woman, I have witnessed a stark disparity in the representation of female people of color in the authority figures around me. Thus, I stepped up to fill that void. I speak for the silenced. I speak for the underprivileged.

To aspiring activists and founders, Nguyen says, Dont underestimate yourself. You are bound to come across many challenges. Do not back down when you are trivialized purely because of your age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status. As a member of Gen Z, you hold the capabilities to pioneer tomorrows destiny. Unleash the strength of your inner changemaker! Trust me, you are a force to be reckoned with!

Frane Marusic is the founder of Go-Getters.

Frane Marusic is a high school student from Croatia who recently finished a year abroad in the U.S. on an ASSIST Scholarship. His nonprofit Go-Getters recruits ambassadors, young people who assist teen entrepreneurs within their communities to become leaders and achieve success. So far, the organization has impacted 26 teenagers in 14 different countries, helping them to crowdfund an educational program in India, build a bracelet business in Sweden, and so on.

I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit within me, says Marusic. At 10, I would dive for seashells off the coast of Croatia and then sell them in front of my house. Last summer I started developing an app to track bus movements in my community since they often are late. My project is currently one of the top 10 finalists for the Social Impact Awards in Croatia.

While studying at an elite private US high school on a full ASSIST scholarship last year, Marusic saw the many opportunities available to students there, especially in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation. He wanted to bring these opportunities to his community and other parts of the world, and so he created Go-Getters.

To aspiring changemakers, Marusic says, You have a unique purpose in this life. Believe in your abilities and embrace the worthiness of all you have to offer. Advocate for yourself your voice matters. In todays world, we have so much power to make a change not only in our communities, but beyond.

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Earn Your Leisure Partners with Steve Harvey to Assemble an All-Star Financial Lineup for Innovative Festival at London’s Historic Royal Albert Hall -…

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following a successful return to live programming with more than 14,000 attendees at a sold out Invest Fest in Atlanta, Earn Your Leisure announces its bringing it to London October 30-31, 2022. This historic event will close out the United Kingdoms Black History Month at storied landmark, the Royal Albert Hall. The first festival of its kind, Invest Fest was founded by Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings, Matthew Garland, and Michael MacDonald with a mission to revolutionize the way Black and Brown people secure wealth through a series of dynamic and inspiring conversations facilitated by financial empowerment educators and influencers.

Ending the UK's Black History Month with Invest Fest London is important to the founders of Earn Your Leisure, as it celebrates and further educates future leaders of commerce and finance on the most impactful wealth building methods of today. People from African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history and its great financial power. However, they are statistically the least educated when it comes to acquiring wealth. This festival will work to help close that gap.

I feel that Black History is world history. To have Invest Fest close out Black History month at the iconic Royal Albert Hall is not only a very symbolic and important gesture to the UK, but sends a message to the entire Diaspora. says EYL Co-Founder, Rashad Bilal

Both the Atlanta and London festivals were produced in partnership with entertainer, business leader and philanthropist Steve Harvey and Harvey Ventures. The London event will feature all stars Earn Your Leisure podcast hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, Terrence J, 19 Keys, Wall Street Trapper, Ian Dunlap, Patricia Bright and Matthew Garland. Invest Fest London will include topics that will educate Black and Brown people on investing in stocks, cryptocurrency, and real estate, along with advice on how to market your business, maximize federal funding programs, and wealth-building. Additionally, attendees will gain greater understanding of estate planning, taxes, and the importance of securing adequate life and property/business insurance. Sponsorship will be provided by exclusive nightlife venue Tape London.

EYL Co-Founder Troy Millings, What we are embarking on is a financial revolution. The mission is to provide tangible and digestible financial information to the overlooked, underserved, and underrepresented on a global scale.

Invest Fest will also include live podcast stages with interviews from well-known entrepreneurs and celebrities, as well as live performances from popular musicians. Tickets and more information on Invest Fest are available online at https://InvestFest.com/

About Earn Your Leisure

Originally a podcast created and hosted by financial advisor Rashad Bilal and educator Troy Millings, Earn Your Leisure has expanded to become a revolutionary media platform that offers established and emerging content creators from the worlds of business, finance and entrepreneurship the opportunity to reach larger audiences and more sponsorship funds. As a media brand, Earn Your Leisure has over 2 million followers across social media, and 900,000 YouTube subscribers. It hosts live events across the globe, which includes the biggest financial literacy festival in the world Invest Fest. Earn Your Leisure has three Top 100 podcasts under its umbrella as well as an interactive online educational platform, EYL University. One of the fastest-growing private business education communities, it includes over 200 archived webinars and has more than 12,000 active members.

For more on Earn Your Leisure, please visit http://www.earnyourleisure.com

About Steve Harvey Global

Steve Harvey established Steve Harvey Global (SHG), to unite his various businesses under one roof and one vision. Reflective of his personal brand, SHG creates and delivers entertaining, motivational content, products and experiences to audiences everywhere. SHG also invests in global ventures focused on technology, education, and entertainment. As a values-based investor, SHG strives to enhance communities and individual lives through its investments and partnerships rooted in a disciplined approach focused on generating results.

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KNUST-Obuasi campus honours Dr. Love Konadu and 25 others – BusinessGhana

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Dr. Love Konadu, Doctor of Expository Communication who is also the president of Mama Love Foundation, the Ambassador of Obuasi Sikakrom Association and a motivational speaker has been awarded by the SRC of KNUST Obuasi campus for her sterling contributions towards women empowerment and humanity in general.

She received the Honorary award alongside Professor Richard Buamah, Coordinating Dean of the KNUST Obuasi Campus, Master Stephen Abban, a former SRC President of the school and some students, at the awards and handing-over dinner held by the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the school.

Dr. Love Konadus Foundation, the Mama Love Foundation has been in the news for championing the cause of women, training and empowering women especially widows to make them economically independent. The foundation has been training girls in fashion and design and other disciplines.

In her interactions with the media, Dr. Love Konadu lauded the student body for recognising her efforts to empower women and the youth.

She said she has been working closely with the SRC of the KNUST Obuasi campus since the school was established.

Recently, I delivered a lecture here at Public Relations and communication summit 2022 where I spoke on the role of the media, traditional media, and social media in the effective dissemination of information.

She appealed to the newly elected SRC executives to work assiduously to leave a good name for themselves and the school.

You are young, vibrant and energic and I urge you to prioritize the interest of the student body and leave a good name for yourselves.

The occasion was also used to swear in the newly elected SRC executives, led by its President, Master Albert Ashie Lawerh.

He commended the past SRC administration and the schools management for remarkably steering the affairs of the school so well, and promised to continue from where they left off. He takes over from Stephen Abban who resigned from his position aa SRC President prior to the elections.

The SRC Vice President of KNUST main campus Deborah Afia Boakye assured students of the KNUST Obuasi Campus that, there are plans by management of KNUST and SRC of the main campus to extend developmental projects to the Obuasi campus.

She encouraged the newly elected SRC executives to work as a team to enable them effectively deliver on their mandate. You can only succeed when you work in unity. I appeal to you to put away any personal ambitions aside and work together to deliver on your mandate and always put the interest of the student body first.

The KNUST Obuasi campus is a satellite campus of the KNUST.

It was built as a form of expansion of the University beyond the city of Kumasi.

KNUST Obuasi campus started with a foundation student population of 343 in 2019. The Campus was officially commissioned by the President in 2020 and now has a student body of more than 1000.

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Try to remember the days of joy and tears – Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

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Country

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IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Albert Pujols joins 700-HR club – The best stories from those who played with and against him – ESPN

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Twenty-two years. Seven hundred home runs.

Albert Pujols achieved a level of greatness only three other players in the history of the game have matched when he hit No. 700 on Friday night -- his second homer of the evening at Dodger Stadium. He joins Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth as the only players in the exclusive 700-home run club.

As the St. Louis Cardinals slugger made his march for history, ESPN's Jesse Rogers, Buster Olney and Alden Gonzalez asked current and former teammates, opposing pitchers and other greats in the game to describe their favorite moments and what it has been like playing with, pitching to and simply witnessing an all-time great home run hitter during Pujols' two decades in the majors.

Mike Trout: 'This is for 600. This is gonna be sick right here'

"The grand slam, when he hit 600. Just the situation. I mean, it was a big spot in the game, and everyone was thinking the same thing. 'This is for 600. This is gonna be sick right here.' And then he hit it. He loves the moment. And that's the thing -- people kept asking me, 'Hey, do you think he's going to get it [700]?' For sure. The way Albert prepares himself -- he doesn't change his approach, doesn't try to hit a homer. He's just trying to put a good swing on the ball. That's big."

Manny Machado: Game 3 of the 2011 World Series? 'You could even throw the rosin bag and he was probably going to hit it out'

"That was just incredible. I mean, he was not missing. You could throw him whatever and he was going to hit it. You could even throw the rosin bag and he was probably going to hit it out. Just that sweet swing. Even all his homers, going back -- his first home run. I just admire that swing, how smooth it is, how long it stays in the path. It's impressive."

Tony La Russa: 'That gave us life'

"In 2006, we had a big lead and everyone got hurt, so it came down to September and we were struggling to get into the playoffs. San Diego came into town and it was a Wednesday night, we had lost the first two games of the series, down a run in the eighth inning, the Padres brought in a real good sinkerball pitcher [Cla Meredith], and he hit a three-run homer and won the game. That gave us life.

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"His true claim to fame is he is a high-average hitter who has extra-base power. He plays the scoreboard. With a runner on second, he's trying to hit a line-drive single and then he may get all of it for a two-run homer. He'll go foul line to foul line and he hits all different pitches. When he gets that underspin with his swing, he gets that carry."

Paul Goldschmidt: 'If you wrote it up perfectly, this is what you would write'

"There's been three or four home runs I've been absolutely amazed at. The [Drew] Smyly one at his eyes was impressive. The one in Pittsburgh. That one passed A-Rod (on the all-time home runs list) and was a game winner. There was another game winner when it was 0-0 and he homered. And then the ones against the Padres. A two-homer game ... kind of like storybook. That's what I'll remember. If you wrote it up perfectly, this is what you would write: Albert with the game on the line -- and he actually comes through. Amazing."

Nolan Arenado: 'He doesn't think about hitting home runs'

"I'm probably going to say something people don't like, but he doesn't think about hitting home runs. That's what he tells me, and I believe him. With the way he swings, the way he works, talking to him, he says he never thinks about it. And he's not going to change what's worked for him. It's about getting on top of the baseball, backspinning the baseball, and wherever it goes, it goes. He talks the talk and walks the walk with saying those things. And I really believe him."

Mark McGwire: It's all in the hands

"I'm a true believer in the bottom hands being the key to swinging the bat. You watch Albert. He never lets go of that bottom hand until he has to run. To me, that's the driving force in his swing and why he's one of the best ever."

Chris Carpenter: The Machine calls his own shots

"There were multiple times he would go up there for his first at-bat and come back and tell us he was going to hit a homer the next time up. I couldn't tell you how many times that happened and he would do it. It happened a lot because he understood after one time how they were going to attack him. He was amazing to watch play."

Matt Holliday: And he's earned the right to admire his home runs

"When you hit 700 home runs, you know when it's going out and when it's not. The guy that bothers me is the guy who [has three career home runs] and it hits the wall and he gets a single. That guy needs to run. But when you hit 700, you know what it feels like. If anyone can give advice on when a ball is going to go over the wall or not, he's right at the top of the list."

Mike Matheny: 'He walked up ... like his family wasn't going to eat unless he made a pitcher pay'

"You run out of ways to describe how unique, different and special he is. He's relentless. I've never seen a hitter who would not, could not give away an at-bat. It didn't matter if he had four [hits] that night, he walked up to that fifth one like his family wasn't going to eat unless he made a pitcher pay. The intensity he was able to maintain from Day 1 of spring training until he got sent home at the end ... the consistency sticks out."

Jim Edmonds: 'If Albert doesn't get hurt, we're talking 800 or 850'

"If Albert doesn't get hurt and plays three-quarters in Anaheim of how he played here, we're talking about 800 or 850 [home runs]. When he first got back here, your brain is telling you what everyone is telling you: 'You can't hit righties anymore and you're swinging for the fences.' Well, he's turned back into a pure hitter.

Here are some of our favorite stories on the legendary slugger as his career comes to an end.

Pujols joins 700-HR club

How Pujols got his "joy" back What it's like watching the G.O.A.T. Mentoring in his final season

"He won't back down. I've seen him take a knuckleball out to right field and I've seen him take a 102 mph fastball out to left field. This guy is just relentless about his approach at the plate. He took Kyle Farnsworth deep in 2004 on 100 mph and I'm sitting on deck thinking, 'Wow.'"

"What's been interesting is watching him grow this year: from leg kick to overswinging to chasing pitches to turning back into a hitter. When he did that, he started hitting home runs ... He's got another year in him, for sure. I know he's not going to play, but he could."

Brad Lidge: 'I made a mistake -- and it wasn't super surprising that he didn't make a mistake'

Lidge broke into the big leagues the year after Pujols, and initially, he had some success against the Cardinals slugger. But somewhere around his second or third year in Lidge's career, teammate Roy Oswalt mentioned that there had been an evolution in the challenge of pitching to Pujols -- the holes that you could attack as a pitcher were no longer available.

"All of a sudden, it started to feel like he knew what you were going to throw before you did," Lidge recalled. "You felt like you had to be perfect ... He had so much plate coverage, whether you're throwing a 97 mph fastball or a slider down and away, you had to be perfect."

Lidge says that this is the part of Pujols that is often not fully comprehended. He was strong, had great hands, great eyes -- but he also could anticipate what the pitcher was going to try to do against him with a high degree of success. "If there was one thing I know from facing him, it's that he's going to win the chess match far more than he should," said Lidge. And if the pitcher was able to execute a big-breaking pitch, Lidge said, Pujols was adept at fouling the ball off to continue the at-bat. Or, if the pitcher was doing something with his glove or his hands to tip off the identity of the next pitch, "he'd be the first guy to see it," said Lidge.

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The Astros bore in on the National League title in 2005, leading Game 5 of the NL Championship Series, and Lidge, the Houston closer, was called on to finish off the Cardinals. With two outs and two on, Lidge spun a good slider and Pujols chased it.

"I tried to come back with [the slider]," Lidge recalled. "I made a mistake" -- the ball was down in the strike zone, but over the heart of the plate -- "and it wasn't super surprising that he didn't make a mistake." Pujols rocketed a three-run homer over the train tracks in left field in Houston, the ball loudly crashing against the protective glass.

Lidge bumped into Pujols from time to time after that home run, saying hello at All-Star Games, without talking about the home run. What he feels about Pujols now is that he was a hitter "hard-wired" for greatness, physically and mentally.

Greg Maddux: 'He hit it over frickin' Waveland Avenue'

"The first time I faced him, I threw him a changeup that he missed by 2 or 3 feet. And I'm going, 'Wow, OK, maybe we got something here.' Next time up, I threw the exact same changeup and he hit it over frickin' Waveland Avenue. And I went, 'Oh s---, maybe they have something here. This guy is pretty good.'

"If you walked him or gave up a single, you won the AB. He covered the middle of the plate as well as anyone. My game plan with him was to give up a single or less."

Glendon Rusch: 'He was the best slugger I faced'

"He was the best slugger I faced that could do the most damage in the most different ways. He could hit a homer off any pitch -- a mistake in or off-speed out over the plate the other way, he could do it all. When I was facing him, he was in his prime-prime. He's the guy that you had to be careful of unless you had a big lead or were down by a bunch because he would take you deep at any time. He was a threat if you made a mistake and if you didn't make a mistake."

Ryan Dempster: 'There is no ... more of an expert on how to give up home runs to Albert Pujols than me'

"There is no one out here that's more of an expert on how to give up home runs to Albert Pujols than me.

"People have talent, people work hard, people are prepared. He coincided with all three probably better than anyone I ever watched or faced. Always diligent about his cage work, his BP, everything. So when the game started, he was like playing a video game with a cheat code. He knew what pitch was coming. If a pitcher fell into patterns, he would take advantage of it. He never gave at-bats away. It could be 10-0 in the ninth and he would give you the same AB as if it were tied. He could hit any pitch out that wasn't executed, and he could hit the pitches that were executed.

"This has been a perfect storm. They put him in a position to have success against all these lefties, then he goes to the HR Derby and gets locked in. And now he's feeling really good, so when he faces righties, it's just carrying over."

Mike Hampton: 'I should be thankful ... that he didn't go deep'

The Cardinals' Opening Day lineup in 2001 was stacked with big names such as Mark McGwire and Jim Edmonds, sluggers who most concerned Mike Hampton. He didn't know anything about the guy plugged into the sixth spot in the lineup that day, a rookie left fielder named Albert Pujols, who was set to play in his first game.

Hampton recalls that there really wasn't a lot of information available on Pujols, so the left-handed Hampton figured he'd pitch Pujols the same way he had pitched other right-handed batters. "Sink it away, cut it in," said Hampton, whose start that day was his first with the Rockies after signing a $121 million deal. He shut out the Cardinals for 8 scoreless innings. "It went down pretty quickly after that," Hampton joked of his short, rough tenure with Colorado.

One of the five hits that Hampton scattered was a seventh-inning single to Pujols, the first of Pujols' career. "I should be thankful that it was a single through the 6-hole," he said, "and that he didn't go deep."

Alex Rodriguez: 'It was like he was a mad scientist'

Albert Pujols inhabited the NL Central in the first half of his career, and it was because of that history that Alex Rodriguez called Pujols about a pitcher from that division. Rodriguez figured that Pujols would have some observations about the pitcher, about his repertoire. "Usually, that kind of conversation will go on for five minutes," Rodriguez. "Forty-five minutes -- it went on for 45 minutes. He's telling me about the movement of his curveball, his sinker, his passion coming out of the phone. He gave me the greatest scouting report I've ever had.

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"If the count is 0-0, he'll throw you a curveball," Pujols told Rodriguez. "If he gets ahead in the count, he'll throw two fastballs inside -- but because he wants to get to his changeup."

Rodriguez thinks back on that conversation now and says, "It was like he was a mad scientist. He was walking me through at-bats with very specific information on what the guy was going to do.

After the game, in which he recalls hitting a double off the pitcher -- "The accuracy of the scouting report was incredible," Rodriguez remembered -- Pujols texted Rodriguez immediately. "He wanted to know everything about how it went, what he threw to me, the counts, everything ... It's not only about what the pitcher throws, but he wants to be a chess player, too."

Dale Scott: 'He was there to do a job'

There were days when Albert Pujols would pause briefly, as he ran or off the field in between innings, and compliment longtime umpire Dale Scott on his work calling balls and strikes in the previous game. "It might be a situation where he catches your eye and says, 'Good job,'" said Scott. "But it didn't happen every time." Yes, there were days when Pujols wouldn't stop, wouldn't say anything, leaving Scott to wonder if he had struggled with his strike zone.

This was all in keeping with Pujols' intensity, says Scott, who shared fields with Pujols over the past 17 seasons of the umpire's career. He was gregarious, Scott said, offered a smile and a greeting when he stepped to the plate, "but he was there to do a job." Pujols didn't complain out loud about ball-or-strike calls, but if he had an issue with the home plate umpire, he would be passive aggressive -- maybe a quick grimace, maybe a step back out of the batter's box. "If the bench saw it, then they would react to it, or the fans," said Scott. "He reminded me of Cal Ripken. He was serious ... The aura around him was that he was there to work."

Joey Votto: 'I'll never be at that level. I'll never be that guy'

Votto has a crystal-clear memory of the moment when he recognized the preeminence of Pujols, an at-bat that distinguished him from other hitters -- including Votto. "It stands out to me in how it represents how skilled he was, and is," Votto said.

The Reds first baseman was in his second full season in the big leagues and Cincinnati was hosting St. Louis. The Reds had a 3-0 lead, and Dusty Baker summoned longtime reliever David Weathers from the bullpen.

"Nothing rattled Weathers," Votto recalled. "He had two-pitch command, a running fastball [inside to right-handed hitters]. He knew how to manage big situations. You knew there was either going to be a ball in play or a strikeout."

As Votto watched Pujols launch the ball toward left-center field, a monstrous grand slam in a pivotal situation, he remembered thinking: That's a really good swing -- a really good swing on a pitch that looked to be in a good spot.

When he watched the at-bat again on video to see if his initial reaction was correct, Votto saw Weathers attempt to work off the outside edge of the plate, with a backdoor sinker -- the ball starting out of the strike zone, zipping toward the left-handed hitter's batter's box, before veering back toward the plate. It was a good pitch by Weathers, a good spot, because right-handed hitters had to be cognizant of how his sinker would cut inside. But somehow Pujols had the acumen, the balance and the swing to get to the pitch -- and blast it into the seats well beyond left-center field.

"I already viewed him at such a high level," said Votto. "But after watching it, I realized: I'll never be at that level. I'll never be that guy."

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Albert Pujols joins 700-HR club - The best stories from those who played with and against him - ESPN

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St. Lucie County Government Offices Closed on Wednesday – WQCS

Posted: at 1:13 am

St. Lucie County - Tuesday September 27, 2022: St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners government offices, libraries and attractions will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 28 as Hurricane Ian is expected to impact our area with tropical force storm winds and heavy rains.

Additionally, all St. Lucie Public Schools and district offices will be closed Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29.

The St. Lucie County Tax Collectors Office will be following the lead of the St. Lucie County School District in closing all three office locations on Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29. Following the storm, the Tax Collector will be offering extended hours on Friday, Sept. 30, opening one hour early at 8 a.m. and remaining open until 6 p.m. The St. Lucie County Clerk & Comptrollers Office, will also be closed Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29.

The Sheriffs Office, the Property Appraiser, the Supervisor of Elections and the 19th Judicial Court will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 28. A decision Thursdays hours of operation for the Board of County Commissioners and other agencies will be made on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The St. Lucie County Landfill and Waste Pro will continue to operate normal business hours until the weather conditions become unsafe for trucks to be on the road.

St. Lucie Countys public transportation system, ART (Area Regional Transit), bus service will also continue to operate as long as the weather allows. Riders are encouraged to monitor the schedule using the RouteShout application, available on the Apple Store and Google Play sites.

Indian River State College will be closed to employees, students, and visitors at starting at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept, 27. All classes (including online classes) and campus events are canceled. The college will remain closed on Wednesday, Sept. 28. IRSC continues to monitor Hurricane Ian and will assess conditions to determine when it is safe to reopen.

Hurricane Ian is projected to make landfall on Floridas Gulf Coast near Tampa Bay Wednesday, Sept. 28 or Thursday, Sept. 29 as a Category 3 storm. St. Lucie County declared a Local State of Emergency at 9 a.m. on Sept. 27. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for all 67 counties on Saturday, Sept. 24. Based on the projected path of Hurricane Ian there are no plans to issue evacuations or open shelters in St. Lucie County at this time.

St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center is operating at a Level 2 (partial) activation. If residents have questions or concerns, they can call the St. Lucie County Public Information Lines at 772-460-4357 or 772-460-HELP, which are open beginning today from noon to 7 p.m. and the rest of the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (These hours are subject to change depending on the storms path).

Even if the Treasure Coast stays out of the direct path of Hurricane Ian, St. Lucie Countys 21 miles of coastline will see impacts from this storm, including heavy surf, rips currents and escarpments/erosion. Residents and tourists are reminded to use caution when visiting our beaches before and after the storm passes Florida. Always swim at lifeguarded beaches: Pepper Park and Waveland.

St. Lucie County reminds all contractors to make preparations at their job sites for the potential impacts of Hurricane Ian. While St. Lucie County is not in the direct path of the storm, our area may still experience heavy rain and strong winds. All debris, trash, equipment and construction materials should be removed from construction sites until the storm passes. Residents with construction site concerns should report construction sites to Code Compliance. Please note that new state laws make it so that Code Complaints are no longer anonymous and your report will be part of the public record. https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/planning-and-development-services/code-compliance/report-a-code-violation.

The potential for heavy rains and flash flooding will be in effect for the next several days. Residents can report flooding by emailing details, including street addresses and images, to flooding@stlucieco.org. If there is emergency, life-threatening flooding, please call 911. Residents are reminded to avoid driving and/or walking down flooded streets.

St. Lucie County has additional storm-related information available at http://www.readystlucie.org.

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Catastrophic Damage’: Category 5 Hurricanes That Have Made Landfall in the US – NBC4 Washington

Posted: at 1:13 am

The most punishing of hurricanes bring deaths and catastrophic destruction, lifting roofs off homes, toppling trees, snapping power lines and causing billions in damage.

Category 5 storms are the most dangerous, defined by sustained winds of 157 miles an hour or more.According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, they leave a high percentage of framed homes destroyed, residential areas isolated by fallen trees and power poles and power outages that last for weeks at least. Most of the areas that are hit are uninhabitable for weeks or months.

The wind scale does not take into account storm surges, flooding or tornadoes, all of which also can be deadly.

Before Hurricane Ian, which made landfall as a 150-mph Category 4 system, four Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since the early 1900s. Here they are:

Blocks of homes in Mexico Beach, Florida, lie in rubble in Oct. 17, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The storm hit on October 10 along the Florida Panhandle, causing massive damage and claiming the lives of more than a dozen people.

Hurricane Michael made landfall inthe Florida Panhandle, causing 16 direct deaths and 43 indirect deaths.

The day's top national and international news.

With top wind speeds of 162 miles per hour and maximum sustained winds of161 miles per hour, it caused damage from wind and storm surges, especially from Panama City Beach to Mexico Beachto Cape San Blas.

Hurricane Michael left $25 billion in damage, destroying 3,374 homes.

The storm remained at hurricane strength into southwest Georgia.

Homes ripped apart by Hurricane Andrew seen in Dade City, Florida, Sept. 1, 1992.

Hurricane Andrew struck in the early morning hours of Aug. 24, 1992, hitting with devastating force in southern Florida. The storm had a top wind speed of 174 miles per hour. It killed 15 people directly and another 28 indirectly, according to the National Weather Service. All but three of the deaths were in what was then called Dade County, now Miami-Dade County.

The storm caused about $26 billion damage, a record until Hurricane Katrina 13 years later. Most of the damage occurred in the southern part of Dade County. Some 49,000 homes were destroyed and another 108,000 were damaged.The hardest hit community was Homestead, wheremore than 99% of mobile homes or 1,167 out of 1,176 were demolished.

The shrimper "Wade Klein" is thrown against a house facing the beach in Biloxi, Mississippi, Aug. 18, 1969, shortly after Hurricane Camille tore through the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Camille struck along the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Waveland late on Aug. 17, 1969.

According to the National Weather Service, Camille ranks as the second most intense hurricaneto strike the continental United States in terms of atmospheric pressure and wind speed. It was weaker than the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and slightly stronger than Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Michael.

The hurricane destroyed all of the wind-recording instruments in the area, according to the National Weather Service, so the actual maximum sustained winds are not known. Peak winds were about 175 miles per hour, according to later analysis of data.

It caused about $11.3 billion in damage, in adjusted costs. The value is based on the 2022 Consumer Price Index adjusted cost.

A hotel in Matecumbe Key, Florida, is reduced to rubble as seen in this Sept. 7, 1935 photo after an unnamed category 5 hurricane swept through the Florida Keys during Labor Day. All along the Keys are scenes like this, bearing grim evidence of the fury that snuffed out 300 lives.

The Labor Day hurricane hit the Florida Keys on Sept. 2, 1935, causing at least 485 deaths.

Itcrossed the Florida Keys between Key West and Miami, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of about 185 miles an hour.

Those included about 260 World War I veterans who were working on the Overseas Highway in a federal relief project. They were from the Bonus Army, soldiers who camped out at the steps of the U.S. Capitol in the early 1930s to demand compensation promised by the federal government, according to the Library of Congress. They were dispersed by U.S. Army troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur in 1932.

A rescue train failed to reach them and Ernest Hemingway wrote an essay, "Who Murdered the Vets?" that was published days after the hurricane.

It likely caused more than $6 million in property loss in Florida as it cut a path of destruction 40 miles wide across the Keys. Most manmade structures were demolished.

After the storm, additional monitoring stations were set up in southern Florida and disaster preparedness was improved along the coast.

Edward "Roaddawg" Manley, a volunteer and honorary firefighter with the Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department, places a star on top of a Christmas tree Dec. 25, 2012, in the Breezy Point neighborhood of New York City. Residents are still struggling to recover from a massive fire that destroyed over 100 homes during Superstorm Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy struck near Atlantic City, N.J. on Oct. 29, 2012. In New York City, it left 44 people dead and destroyed about 300 homes. In the end, it did about $81.9 billion in damage in adjusted dollars. Despite the destruction it caused, it made U.S. landfall as a Category 3 storm.

A military truck drives down a flooded Canal St., Aug. 31, 2005, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hundreds are feared dead and thousands were left homeless in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida by Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana and Mississippi, was one of the deadliest hurricanes to strike the United States.

It was responsible for 1,833 deaths and about $108 billion in damage. New Orleans was especially hard hit when levees separating New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain broke. At one point, 80% of New Orleans was underwater.

But although deadly and destructive, it was a Category 3 hurricane when it made U.S. landfall.

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Harrowing film tells of Las Vegas shooting and its aftermath

Posted: at 1:11 am

NEW YORK (AP) A pair of cowboy boots that Ashley Hoff never thought she would see again helped unlock a powerful story about the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The resulting film, 11 Minutes, is an inside account of the 2017 massacre at a country music festival in Las Vegas and, more importantly, about how it reverberated in the lives of those who were there. More than three hours long, the four-part documentary debuts Tuesday on the Paramount+ streaming service.

Ive never felt more useful or more like the universe put me exactly where I was supposed to be, said Hoff, an executive producer of 11 Minutes.

It seems like a strange sentiment given that Hoff was at the show on Oct. 1, 2017, four rows from the stage as Jason Aldean sang Any Ol Barstool. Hoff heard popping sounds that she and her husband, Shaun, first dismissed as fireworks not the work of a gunman firing from a nearby hotel window.

She turned to look at her husband and saw someone just behind him struck in the face by a bullet. They alternated ducking to the ground for cover and running away, depending on when they could hear the gunshots.

At one point, she kicked off her cowboy boots because it was too slippery to run in them, eventually escaping the killing field where 58 people died that night, and two more later of their injuries. More than 850 people were hurt before the gunfire stopped.

Nine months later, an FBI agent was at Hoffs door with her boots part of a little-known unit that returns property left behind by people caught in these incidents.

Hoff, already in the film business, thought that made an intriguing subject. She was encouraged to broaden her focus through her experience with fellow survivors and the involvement of director Jeff Zimbalist and veteran producers Susan Zirinsky and Terence Wrong.

Many survivors, like herself, were unhappy with media coverage of the massacre, believing there was too much focus on the gunman and that it was forgotten too soon.

We all went back to our corners to suffer in silence, she said.

The film takes you vividly inside the event with cellphone and police body-cam footage. The cooperation of Las Vegas police was key, bringing footage like the race to hospitals with survivors and the moment when a tactical unit burst into the casino hotel room where the gunman had barricaded himself.

The experiences of people like Jonathan Smith, a Black concertgoer who had felt unwelcome because of a white mans remark wondering why he was there, and Natalie Grumet, who had just survived cancer, are weaved throughout the story. Both were seriously injured.

Is it easy to watch? No, but it shouldnt be easy to watch, said SiriusXM host Storme Warren, who was onstage in Las Vegas that night. I dont know why you would tell the story if it were easy to watch.

Warren at first hesitated when asked to participate in the film, dealing with his own PTSD and wary because of past media coverage. He and Aldean, who gave his first interview about Las Vegas to filmmakers, are important ties to the country community.

Hoff believes that her own experience that night, even though it is not included in the film, helped convince some of those involved to talk.

Searingly, the parents of Carrie Parsons, a young woman who didnt survive her wounds, discuss dealing with every parents worst nightmare, and how their time to grieve with her body was cut short.

Theyre going to cremate my daughter in 10 minutes, a tearful Ann-Marie Parsons recalled being told. How do you deal with that?

After the shooting stopped, police talked of hearing the rings of cellphones as they walked among bodies still on the concert grounds, knowing there were desperate callers on the other end wanting to know if their loved ones were safe.

Beyond the concertgoers, its startling to see some of the first responders often not the most emotive types speak about how theyve dealt with the emotional aftermath. I was a very angry man. Very angry, said Brian Rogers, paramedic operations chief, in the film.

Part four of 11 Minutes, begins at dawn on Oct. 2, 2017, and focuses on some of the enduring bonds between survivors, and some of the rescuers.

Its Hoffs favorite part. I do like to encourage people that there is goodness in the end, so hang in for that, she said.

There are extraordinary acts of courage and human beings helping human beings, said Zirinsky, chief of the See It Now Studios production company. Theyre just regular people. In the darkest hours, people found each other.

Zirinsky, the former CBS News president, produced 9/11, perhaps the most memorable doc made in the wake of that disaster, and considers 11 Minutes the most powerful film shes worked on since.

While the film talks about the gunman, whose motive remains a mystery since he killed himself before police reached him, it pointedly does not mention his name. Almost militantly so: A series of audio news reports included are cut off just before the name is spoken.

It was found that the gunman had searched the internet for how to be a social media star in the days before the shooting. Even in death, Hoff doesnt want to give him that wish.

The film ends with a slow crawl showing the names of those killed five years ago in Las Vegas, as well as the victims of every mass shooting since that time in the U.S. where at least four people were killed.

I dont call it a political statement, Zirinsky said. I call it a statement of reality.

Both Hoff and her husband escaped the concert without any gunshot wounds, although Hoff broke her arm when she slipped and fell trying to run in her cowboy boots. She didnt notice her injury until they stopped running.

Shes fine if people take the message from her film that enoughs enough.

We need to stop turning away, and we need to understand what going through this was like, she said. It changes a person forever.

___

David Bauder has been writing about media for The Associated Press since 1996. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dbauder

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Harrowing film tells of Las Vegas shooting and its aftermath

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