Category Archives: Immortality

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Sport analysts and commentators have long revered the players of old.

When we discuss the greats, lots of criticism falls on the current generation, with the standard of greatness elevated the more we part from legends we remember.

Considered a symptom of the glory days and time passed, legends are often cleared of their moments and remembered for their undeniable triumphs.

In todays all-access age, the modern player is denied the same mystique, but thats not to say that these legends are anything other than legends.

Take this into consideration when regarding the talent and potential of modern greats like Dustin Martin.

Not only is he the best player in the AFLs most damaging side, but Martin has achieved honours beyond most in an unbelievable three-year period.

Martin is not the greatest ever, although he might be in the discussion about Richmonds best.

Players like Royce Hart, Kevin Bartlett and Matthew Richardson are all exalted in Richmond history.

Retiring in 1977, Hart received outstanding honours in his ten-year career with four premierships, two Jack Dyer Medals and two Michael Roach Medals, as well recognition in the AFL Team of the Century and Australian Football Hall of Fame.

However, Kevin Bartlett stands at the top. Besides recording 403 games for Richmond between 1965 and 1983, Bartlett achieved five premierships, one Norm Smith Medal, five best and fairest awards (three in Premiership years), four Richmond leading goal-kicker prizes and Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend status.

But something needs to be said about Martins success achieved in the VFL/AFLs most expansive era.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

In 2017, Martins made history more times than thought possible. He won the Brownlow Medal with a record 36 votes and became the first player to do so with a premiership and a Norm Smith Medal in the following week.

Martin had his name on everything that year, but at the start of 2018, we observed a different Dustin Martin. Despite excelling, Martins form dipped with his passion for the game fading fast.

Martin achieved every award achievable by a player in his position and seemingly had nothing left to strive for. The media pumped him up for the class exuded in 2017, at times over-hyping a man no longer before us.

The Tigers lost to Collingwood in the preliminary final that year despite leading the league and remaining undefeated at the MCG all season until that match.

Although like Richmond, Martin returned in 2019 as many premiership stars fell throughout the season. As all great leaders do, Martin lifted, guiding Richmond out of a struggle.

He slowly returned to his 2017 form before transcending it in the matches leading into finals. Of course, Richmonds near perfect system meant Martin carried less weight than most other teams would allow. But Martin had a purpose again and seized it fast.

He assisted the Tigers to their second premiership in three years, and in turn secured his second Norm Smith Medal. He joined stars Gary Ayres, Andrew McLeod and Luke Hodge as one of four players to win it twice, although Martin remains the only player to do it with Brownlow honours in the same year.

The Richmond star could retire tomorrow as one of the best players to ever grace the club.

But with a few more strong years, Martin may just take out the top spot in Richmonds history and be remembered as their greatest ever.

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Martin is verging on immortality - The Roar

Living With LimericksBy Garrison Keillor. (Prairie Home Productions, 175 pages, $17.99.)

You can almost hear Garrison Keillor snickering like a naughty schoolboy as you leaf through his latest book, Living With Limericks, featuring dozens of mildly saucy rhymes, too tame for Playboy, too raunchy for the New Yorker. His obsession with flatulence is so deep, you may want to ground him for a week.

But between acts of juvenile delinquency, the former Prairie Home Companion host waxes wistfully through poems and anecdotes about childhood memories, surgeries and growing old. In many ways, the collection serves as a sneak preview to the memoir hes currently peddling to publishers.

He also bares his fangs, laying into everyone from Bob Dylan to local podcaster Nora McInerny, who wrote a scathing commentary about him for Time magazine shortly after he was accused of sexual misconduct. He never directly references the scandal, but he can be quite amusing while skirting at its hem.

Youre a phenomenon and a national treasure, he shares in a chapter about immortality. And then the earth turns and youre a guy spilling soup on his shirt.

When hes not playing the pity card, Keillor reminds us that he remains one of our most thoughtful wordsmiths and a generous one. At one point, he offers some helpful tips on how you too can improve your writing, something Dylan would never do.

Neal Justin

The Secrets We KeptBy Lara Prescott. (Knopf, 325 pages, $26.95.)

The dazzling prologue of The Secrets We Kept is a tough act to follow, but Lara Prescott pulls it off. Written in first-person plural, its from the perspective of women who toil in the secretarial pool at the CIA in the early 1950s. They tell us they are smarter and more skilled than the suits they work for and they close the prologue by asserting, Unlike some of the men, we could keep our secrets.

The plural chapters continue throughout the novel, but theyre interspersed with first-person accounts from several characters, including Irina, a Russian-American who quickly earns duties in addition to typing. Her job? Helping to smuggle into the U.S. a copy of Boris Pasternaks unpublished Doctor Zhivago, which the CIA intends to get into the hands of as many Americans and Russians as possible.

Prescott (yes, she was named after the heroine of Zhivago) also includes chapters featuring Pasternak and the real-life inspiration for Lara and, although theyre involving, theyre not as strong as the voices of the secretaries, who we miss every moment The Secrets We Kept isnt with them. Perhaps a sequel is in order, one where we find out what other secrets theyre keeping?

CHRIS HEWITT

Originally posted here:

BOOKS IN BRIEF: 'Living With Limericks,' by Garrison Keillor, and 'The Secrets We Kept,' by Lara Prescott - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Its impossible to think about the Iron Bowl without remembering the craziness of the Kick Six in the 2013 Alabama-Auburn game.

But on the off chance Tennessee Titans linebacker Daren Bates teammates forgot what happened, the Auburn alum was happy to remind them.While former Alabama running back Derrick Henry spoke to the media Thursday, Bates offered up a soundtrack for his teammates interview.

He interrupted Henrys interview by blasting the radio call of the Kick Six, when Alabama attempted to break the tie with what would have been a 57-yard field goal for the win. Instead, the Crimson Tide missed the kick, and Auburn cornerback Chris Davis was waiting in the end zone, caught the ball and returned it for the game-winning touchdown and Iron Bowl immortality.

Auburn won, 34-28, in surely the wildest ending to the Iron Bowl and one of the greatest plays in college football history.

Henry said there has been trash talking in the Titans locker room all week, adding: I love it though. Well after see Saturday how he feels.

But that wasnt the only thing Bates did this week to troll his Alabama alum Titans teammates. As linebacker Rashaan Evans spoke with the media, Bates hilariously played the Auburn fight song and danced in the background.

And the Titans Twitter account also shared photos of Henry and Evans during practice with Auburn signs on their backs with War. Damn. Eagle. written on them.

No. 5 Alabama takes on No. 15 Auburn on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in a game the Crimson Tide need to win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.

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Derrick Henry's Titans teammate interrupts interview by blasting Auburn's Kick Six call - For The Win

Andy Murray says he still hopes to get back to winning the biggest competitions, but his injury ordeal has helped him put tennis into perspective.

Murray was world number one when he was struck down by a hip injury that cost his two years of his career and appeared certain to end it.

However, after major surgery that involved adding metal components into his hip the true extent of which is shown in dramatic clarity in the new documentary Andy Murray: Resurfacing he is once again back on a tennis court and, most importantly, pain-free.

It remains to be seen whether Murray will be able to reach his former heights with a metal hip, but he says he can deal with it if he cant.

Obviously youd want to do well in all the big competitions, Murray told the BBC.

But I think thats one of the things that I took out of these last few years: that ultimately you realise what actually are the most important things.

Tennis is very important to me but its not ahead of my health, its not ahead of my family.

Tennis is great and winning matches is fantastic, but you realise when youve gone through a tough period and you get through it what the really important things are.

RELATED:Sporting immortality does not come easy Andy Murray: Resurfacing provides a unique portrait of an icon

Since returning this summer, the signs for Murray have certainly bee encouraging.

He won the doubles title at Queens alongside Feliciano Lopez, played both mens and mixed doubles at Wimbledon, played a full Asian swing of the ATP singles Tour, and won his final tournament of the year in Antwerp.

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'I want to do well in the big competitions' - Andy Murray not ready to take back seat - Tennis365

Andy Murray admits he was gutted to miss three of Great Britains recent Davis Cup rubbers, but insists it was probably the right decision.

The three-time Grand Slam winner made his return to Davis Cup action in Madrid last week as he won his singles clash against Tallon Griekspoor during GBs 2-1 win over the Netherlands.

However, he was then replaced in the singles by Kyle Edmund for the final round-robin tie against Kazakhstan while he was also forced to sit out the quarter-final win over Germany and the semi-final defeat at the hands of Spain.

Sporting immortality does not come easy Andy Murray: Resurfacing provides a unique portrait of an icon

Murray has now revealed that a groin problem was the reason why he missed the ties.

I had a scan straight after the match with Griekspoor because my groin area was sore, he said. I had noticed it a little bit for a couple of days in the build-up.

After playing in Antwerp I took 12 days off and didnt hit any balls, and then I slowly built up until I got over to Madrid. Then I started practising hard and I noticed it was a bit sore.

Its mild. But it was something which, if I had played on it, it could have got worse. And thats why it was difficult for me.

I wanted to try to play. I didnt know how many opportunities I would get to play again in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the Davis Cup.

Obviously the other guys were playing really well and it looked like they can handle themselves. But I would have liked to have tried to play.

It was probably the right decision. I probably wouldnt have influenced the matches differently to any of the guys that played, ultimately.

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Andy Murray explains why he was forced to miss recent Davis Cup ties - Tennis365

For many in Buffalo, the opportunity to sleep in (or nap after the Turkey Trot) and the promise of a hearty meal Thursday means a chance to let loose Wednesday night.

That fact is not lost on bars, restaurants and clubs; Thanksgiving Eve is, as usual, absolutely loaded with parties, live music and general holiday revelry.

Expats in town for the week have a lot to consider, too, in addition to the enticing new venues that have joined the food and music scenes in the last year.

Philosofest IV, noon to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 12 Gates Brewing Co. (80 Earhart Drive, East Amherst). No cost.

How can you resist an event based on a legend involving the Philosopher's Stone? 12 Gates' name comes from Sir George Ripley's "Compound of Alchymy," and alchemists long searched for the mythical stone said to grant immortality and turn regular metals into gold. No word on whether the stone will make an appearance at the event.

But really, this is ultimately a brewery taproom party with beer releases (with outstanding names), live music and extended hours. Dirty Dangles double IPA packs a wallop at 8.6% ABV, while the Danger Zone stout was brewed with brandy-soaked oak chips (sounds fairly fascinating).

Tiny Music, a Stone Temple Pilots cover band, plays 8 to 11 p.m., following Mike & Mandy Music from 4-7.

[Photos: Smiles at Rock the Gates 2019 | Explore craft beer at 12 Gates]

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Lowest of the Low, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Town Ballroom (681 Main St.). Tickets are $32 in advance.

The inevitable: A Ron Hawkins holiday show (but it keeps happening because Lowest of the Low draws so well). The Canadian frontman and his bandmates tangle in Town Ballroom Wednesday, joining forces with Wolf Tickets and Ace of Wands. Word is that this show is already approaching capacity, too.

Lowest of the Low has been profiled so many times in The News it's hard to know what to focus on this Q&A by Tim O'Shei in 2017 and this Jeff Miers' review from 2012 are two good places to start.

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Flip Hunger the Bird, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at the Cave (71 Military Road). Cost is $15 general admission, or $10 with the donation of a nonperishable food item.

One of Miers' suggestions for expats home for the holidays is a trip to the Cave, a short walk from the Sportsmen's Tavern in Black Rock and a key component of the Halls family's expansion project. This fundraiser on Thanksgiving Eve is a prime opportunity to take the critic's advice while supporting the Food Bank of WNY.

The Donny Frauenhofer Band, Farrow and Saranaide more different than they are similar in their musical approaches give listeners a refreshing variety.

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The Night Before Thanksgiving featuring Folkfaces, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 42 North Brewing (25 Pine St., East Aurora). Admission is a canned good or winter clothing for Friends of the Night People.

The 42 North footprint is expanding in East Aurora, with four new Airbnbs, additional brewing space, a canning line with clean branding and lofty goals of becoming a major player in regional craft beer distribution; co-founder John Cimperman told The News' Scott Scanlon he's "in the business of selling an experience."

Folkfaces, a local Americana/roots band lauded by News contributor Mac McGuire, will perform on Thanksgiving Eve, just a few months after releasing wonderfully named album "Fat Ol' Rat."

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Lazlo Hollyfeld, 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at McGarret's (946 Elmwood Ave.). Cost is $7 at the door.

Respect tradition. Sonny Baker and friends have a mix of music planned for their annual Thanksgiving Eve show in "the bar that has no name" (but it does have a name, it's McGarret's).

Hollyfeld's history of covering bands they love in this case, the Talking Heads. again continues, while they'll also play "the music of themselves," (or original music, but we like how they put it). The band had a tune-up of its Talking Heads set roughly two weeks ago when they played Hydraulic Hearth's fifth anniversary.

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Marquee Grand, 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 at Mr. Goodbar (1110 Elmwood Ave.). No admission cost listed.

For a variety of reasons, Goodbar is a popular stomping grounds on Thanksgiving Eve and whenever expats return to Buffalo. A great beer list, cheap live music, underrated wings and unpretentious atmosphere are at the heart of its appeal, which were elaborated upon when the bar celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

Marquee Grand is a four-piece rock band from Buffalo, also with new music on the way after a strong gig at the Alternative Buffalo Birthday Show. The group will release a single, "Maybe," on Dec. 6.

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Beach Slang, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Mohawk Place (47 E. Mohawk St.). Cost is $20 in advance.

New music is right around the corner for Philadelphia punk band Beach Slang, so Mohawk Place concertgoers could be in for a treat. The coming album title, "Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City," is the work of James Alex, the band's only stable presence over the course of its five-year history.

Local opener Mom Said No. has generated plenty of buzz this year, as well as some praise from Miers, who thinks they could be the next band to break out of Buffalo.

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One-Eyed Cat Brewing holiday pop-up, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Moor Pat (78 E. Spring St., Williamsville). No cost to attend.

One-Eyed Cat Brewing has done things the right way in starting its brewery, building industry relationships by staging pop-ups around the area before settling on their main taproom location, inside an old church at 10678 Main St. in Clarence Hollow.

Another chance to try their beer comes Tuesday at craft beer-crazed Moor Pat, a short jaunt from their eventual location. OECB will have three brews to sample: a New England IPA, a Russian Imperial Pumpkin Stout and the house imperial stout. More details on these beers at the event page.

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More options for Thanksgiving Eve

Jive Turkey Celebration at Duke's Bohemian Grove BarThanksgiving Eve Bash at the Cove with Hit-N-RunThanksgiving Eve party at Becker Farms/Vizcarra VineyardsStoutsgiving 2019 at Big Ditch Brewing Co.Strictly Hip at Tralf Music Hall

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Continued: "The Irishman" at Dipson Amherst, North Park Theater. Read the review and the feature on Buffalo-born actor Patrick Gallo.

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Sold out: Turkey Trot on Thursday in downtown Buffalo, but look back at last year's Smiles for good measure.

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3 quick-hitters for this week

Thanksgiving Night party at New York Beer ProjectOpening of Lewiston Family Ice RinkPints for Progress No. 7 at Taylor Theater

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5 events to look forward to this weekend

Hotel Henry holiday market beginsJingle Falls USA in Niagara FallsChristmas in EllicottvilleHandel's "Messiah" with BPO at OLV Basilica"The Nutcracker" at Shea's Buffalo

[Sold out for this weekend: World's Largest Disco; As I Lay Dying]

Email: btsujimoto@buffnews.com

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This Week in Buffalo: Biggest party night of the year - Buffalo News

For every professional mixed martial artist in the world, when the cage door shuts, it's another opportunity to shine.

Moreover, for fans of the sport, it's the chance to watch mortal men and women try to achieve the sort of lasting legacy most folks can only dream of that keeps us coming back.

Of course, things don't always go according to plan. Often times, the path to MMA immortality is a treacherous one indeed.

Sure, anytime a UFC fighter steps in the cage, they run the risk of losing a bout in front of an audience of thousands sometimes even millions. However, losing isn't the worst thing that can happen to a fighter. After all, some of the greatest to have ever set foot inside the Octagon have several Ls on their records.

Most fighters eventually come to terms with a loss. However, suffering a humiliating mishap in the cage, the kind folks talk about years later, can be much harder to shake. In fact, embarrassing moments often become more synonymous with a fighter than their greatest achievement.

To provide examples of instances that would illustrate the previous points, let's take look at some of the UFC's most embarrassing moments.

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6 Most Embarrassing Things To Ever Happen Inside A UFC Cage - WhatCulture

When the great death called delusionmistaking the body and its associate connections such as members of the family for the selfis conquered, one becomes fit to attain that state of immortality, says Sri Adi Sankaracharya in the Vivekachoodamani.

One method adopted by Vedanta is to condemn something that we have to withdraw our attention from. We pay attention to something because we think it gives us joy, it is eternal and it is real.

For these reasons, we identify with our own body and believe it to be real and suffer as a result.

So what is the physical body made up of? Though we know the contents well, the naturally well-packaged body, seamlessly covered by the skin, will never make us experience the true identity.

So the Acharya spells out its contentsskin, flesh, blood, nerve strings, fat, marrow and bones. The mixture of all these is filled and tightened with excretory matter.

The body is a result of the mixing of five elements in a mathematical formula called quintuplication or Pancheekaranam.

The shape, size, colour and health of the body we get is dependent on our past actions. This gross body is an abode or a counter for different experiences of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thoughts and feelings. It is able to have the various experiences of perception in the waking state.

Through the help of the sense organs, the gross body comes in contact with gross objects such as garlands, sandalwood paste, other human bodies and objects of various sizes and shapes.

The individual consciousness considers this body to be the self and it has a variety of experiences in the waking state.

Just as a house gives shelter to the one who lives in the house, the body gives shelter to the individual who lives in the body, occupying it.

The special characteristics of the body arising out of its gross nature are that it is subject to old age and death.

It has many qualities such as being fat or thin. It goes through various states such as being a toddler, a little child and growing up.

There are many disciplines that the body is subject to such as living in the Varnashrama. The several other experiences are that the body is sometimes worshipped, some time belittled and at other time it is given many gifts and presents.

In this body are situated the organs of perception (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin), the organs of action (mouth, hands and legs) and the organs of excretion and reproduction.

While the sense organs of perception help us understand the different objects, beings and situations around us, the organs of action helps us in expressing in this world through our actions.

The writer is Sevika, Chinmaya Mission, Coimbatore (www.chinmayamission.com); email: brni.sharanyachaitanya@gmail.com

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The state of immortality - The New Indian Express

The USF womens soccer team is headed to its first Sweet 16, even as its senior scoring dynamo heads to program immortality.

A week after her hat trick in Gainesville, Evelyne Viens scored two more goals Friday afternoon to propel the Bulls (16-4) to a 2-0 victory against fourth-seeded Washington (12-7-2) in an NCAA Tournament second-rounder in Tallahassee.

USF faces either top-seeded FSU or Brown in Sundays 1 p.m. third-rounder.

Its a big deal for me in my career, always trying to break through that second round, said Bulls coach Denise Schilte-Brown, who has led USF to six NCAA tourney appearances in her 13 seasons. I said I felt like this was the team to do it, but now that were here, it feels great.

MORE BULLS: Change of (flight) plans leads Greg Reaves from Air Force to prosperity at USF

Viens, already the American Athletic Conferences career leader in goals and points, has nine goals in her last four matches. Her first one Friday, in the 25th minute, came on an assist from Land OLakes High alumnus Sydny Nasello.

Sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Martinez the focus of Viens post-match praise had seven saves, stopping a Huskies penalty kick with a diving lunge to her right in the 76th minute.

(Viens) is so selfless, Schilte-Brown said. Honestly, shes such an incredible soccer player, and her first thought is always her teammates, so that is what makes Evelyne great. Its a great team. Sydney is amazing.

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USF womens soccer tops Washington to reach first Sweet 16 - Tampa Bay Times

Christie's will offer the Serbian-American performance artist's "The Life" during its Frieze Week sales in October 2020.

The work, which premiered at London's Serpentine Galleries last February, requires viewers to put on special eyewear to experience an "intimate digital encounter" with the godmother of performance art herself.

While viewers can still observe other visitors and the gallery space around them, a hologram of Abramovi appears and paces around a 15-foot circle before disappearing at seemingly random intervals.

For "The Life," the Serbian-American artist collaborated with film producer and founder of Mixed Reality production studio Tin Drum, Todd Eckert, who filmed her 19-minute performance with 32 cameras against a green screen.

"Working with this new technology, finding out the endless possibilities -- because we are talking about something which is really capturing performance in its essence -- was for me, revolutionary," Abramovi explained in a statement, also adding that the work revolves around the theme of immortality.

Next October, "The Life" will become the first mixed reality work to ever hit the auction block.

Christie's estimates the piece to sell for about 600,000 (around $775,000), even though its fabrication reportedly cost 1 million ($1.2 million).

According to The Art Newspaper, the buyer of the work will receive a recording of the performance along with the wearable devices necessary to see the virtual Abramovi -- all certified by the artist.

"The Life" currently exists in three editions, with Abramovi retaining the artist's proof.

As the Financial Times pointed out, it is rather unusual for an auction house to sell a work consigned directly by the artist as primary market sales are traditionally reserved for galleries.

The sale of "The Life" will coincide with Abramovi's major show at London's Royal Academy of Arts, which will notably mark the first exhibition by a female artist held in the museum's main gallery in its 250-year history.

Early next year, the piece will tour around the world ahead of Christie's Frieze Week sales, with the auction house announcing dates and cities in the spring of 2020.

Story continues

The forthcoming sale of "The Life" testifies to the ever-growing interest for high-tech art. In October 2018, Christie's became the first auction house to offer a work of art created by an algorithm. The AI-generated "Portrait of Edmond de Belamy" sold for an unexpected $432,500, more than 40 times than its estimate.

Earlier this year, Sotheby's tried to generate the same fervor with the AI-created "Memories of Passerby I," which hammered at a more modest 32,000 (around $42,000).

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Marina Abramovic's mixed reality artwork to hit the auction block - Yahoo News