Category Archives: Immortality

England are just one game - 80 minutes - from rugby immortality as the Six Nations entersits final weekend with the world watching.

Beat Ireland in Dublin tomorrow and they will achieve in the words of their coach, Eddie Jones, "greatness", because not only will they become the first country in the 17-year history of the Six Nations to win back-to-back Grand Slams, and they will surpass the All Blacks' record of 18 consecutive Test match wins.

"It's going to be quite an occasion in Dublin so we understand we have to be prepared emotionally, physically and mentally," said Jones. "We've had a really good week's preparation. The intensity of training has been good. The mood in camp has been positive. We're very excited ahead of what is a huge opportunity for the players."

Jones has made two changes to the starting XV that thrashed Scotland last week, bringing in fit-again Billy Vunipola for Nathan Hughes at number eight and and replacing Jack Nowell on the wing with Anthony Watson. Elliot Daly, who was forced off after a heavy tackle last week, is fit to start on the left wing.

When the Six Nations started six weeks ago tomorrow's match at the Aviva Stadium was expected to be a Grand Slam decider but Irish defeats to Scotland and Wales means their overriding aim is to end England's winning run, as they did New Zealand's by beating them in Chicago in November.

"They'll have all guns blazing," said Jones. "They were favourites for the competition but now they're out of it so we're expecting a tough encounter... not having anything to play for means they have the courage to fail which frees them up mentally."

Jones believes England could be "a little bit vulnerable" after last weekend's win against Scotland, which saw them crowned champions with a match to spare. "For us it's getting the right mind-set for the game," said Jones, whose side struggled to overcome France, Italy and Wales earlier in the tournament.

Jones likened the 18-match winning run to climbing a mountain, "where every time you go up it becomes harder and the ground becomes more unstable", and asked what his biggest concern was ahead of tomorrow's clash, he replied: "Complacency is always lurking in the shadows."

Jones was also generous in paying tribute to his predecessor, Stuart Lancaster, sacked after England's dismal 2015 World Cup performance when they failed to get out of the group stage. "Lancaster deserves a lot of credit for bringing most of the guys through," said the Australian. But it's a question that has been taxing the pundits and the public in the 18 months since England last lost a Test match. How much of it is down to Jones and how much to Lancaster, who as his successor pointed out, spotted and developed many of the players now at the heart of the England squad.

The New Zealand press, who know Jones well from his time coaching Australia between 2001 and 2005, believe he deserves most of the acclaim for it's he who has added a mental toughness to the players that was previously absent.

"Self-belief is now so ingrained that they are on the cusp of setting a new record for tier-one test victories," said the New Zealand Herald. "Prior to the arrival of Jones, England were in danger of plunging into a death spiral and morale was low. Things rapidly changed...the difference is Jones encouraged his players to add an even sharper edge, and be more resilient."

Continued here:

Eddie Jones and England one game from rugby immortality - The Week UK

Photo Credit: pixabay

In Jewish thought, I believe, we are granted two significant notions of afterlife. The first is personal immortality or the conventional notion of the individual in some form persisting in an existence after the body ceases to function. The second which I will explore here mostly is a kind of transmission of memories and values to future generations and considered somewhat metaphorical, but actually much more, is something I will call created world immortality. I believe, however, that created world immortality, is far more powerful than commonly believed which can be seen upon some probing. It is capable I believe of well-grounded emotional gratification that is justified by a certain kind of awareness that the Torah itself appears to urge.

The rabbis promoted both forms but only created world immortality can be clearly demonstrated while personal immortality relies upon faith or at best only suggested by some arguments. However although created world immortality is sometimes seen as purely metaphorical and thereby not providing the comfort we seek in an afterlife, it may be shown upon a closer look to be something significantly more and also capable of delivering some pillar of comfort. There are two central factors that may be seen to be at the core of identity in individuals, namely, memory and value. These factors however, are not static but rather dynamic realities that yield a universe of meaning. Moreover with regard to memory there is both a short term and long term version here, where the first deals with what is centrally cultural while the second what is more permanent or essentially eternal.

The Torah specifically deals with created world immortality disclosing its factors particularly in the story of Joseph. The saga of Joseph is a saga concerning the rediscovery of identity and embodies its central components: memory and value. It is significant that Joseph names his sons Manasseh (meaning God made me forget completely my hardship and parental home) and Ephraim (meaning God made me fertile in the land of my affliction). The first name Manasseh connotes forgetfulness which although alluding to the trauma he suffered by the jealous actions of his brothers also connotes his severe disconnect with the past in light of his subsequent assimilation into Egyptian culture. The second name Ephraim suggests moral values and Gods ultimate goodness.

We also witness elements of this forgetfulness in the narrative of Josephs imprisonment when the steward is asked to remember him upon being freed but then forgets him in the course of his elevation into his respectable Egyptian role. Later when Joseph reconnects with his earlier and true identity he achieves recollection stimulated through Judahs undertakings in reminding him of lost forgotten vital contents of his past in relation to his father. The British philosopher John Locke over 4000 years later recognized that memory was essential to personal identity. The fact that one can recall facts or aspects of ones life marks his/her identity. I can recall the days I spent in my youth in a particular environment which essentially contributes to my specific identity as Howard Zik. This may be confirmed empirically by checking locations, pictures as well as the reports of others.

Firstly, with regard to memory, there is a short term version and long term version with the short term dealing with what is immediately and more narrowly cultural while the long term with what is more permanent or essentially eternal. The short term can be related to family experiences involving ones parents or grandparents and sometimes encompasses the tastes and smells conveyed through foods whose recipes are often preserved for future generations. Photos are invaluable and with the descriptions serve as a kind of spectators time machine triggering graphic recall. The matter of ancient memories utilizes some different vehicles in the form of story retellings which coupled with ritual provide an even wider memory access and identity is acquired. The experiences in synagogues conveyed during the high holidays and the exodus experiences related during Passover Seders deal with the long term and short term memories and establish this more extensive reach in identity. Interestingly taste is linked with the sense of smell and is triggered by the amygdala section of the brain which also deals with emotion and memories in the case of their short term version. Memories are also activated through structured forms such as religious services as well as study having a prominent role and providing social interaction. Often this may be kept fresh through introducing some new melodies or supported by techniques such as psychodrama in my own synagogue for parshat discussion The encouragement of introspection is a common factor that runs through all of these activities, and it is institutionalized and thereby strengthened through gatherings including holidays where we can both reminisce concerning existing memories as well provide enlivening dialogue as well as create new ones. It may be noted that physical continuity of the body as a requirement of identity does not entail the sameness that we first suspect. The factor of physical continuity of the body allows that cells are replaced as well as undergoing transformation in appearance which in the end bears little resemblance to the original. Further and revealingly energy which is not physical in any form represents a reality that shares a certain resemblance to the intangibles of values in our lives. In the personal form of immortality in Judaism resurrection and thereby body plays a role (whether it be the same or different body). Although this does not apply to created world immortality there is a role that applies to body here as well; this may be related to Neil Gilmans extended sense of body in his development of the notion of afterlife and resurrection (may be found in his book Death of Death). However unlike Gilmans notion there is no role for a messianic theme here. Values affect what happens in the physical universe but they cannot be directly observed; they are rather discerned through the impact they have on persons in the physical form which comprises a parallel with energy here. In like manner values have this indirect confirmation in that for example empathy may be confirmed by the preservation of life which is evident through physical continuity.

Moreover when one passes some value or values onto other persons it also is confirmed through physical observances. In this connection it becomes most central that the value links to a universal. It is this kind of connection between the particular and universal which has an eternal quality and provides a form of immortality that may be regarded as creative world immortality. The individual who receives this value also connects it with the particular person thereby providing an enhanced continuity which we identify with create world immortality. When we teach a child by example the value of empathy this happens Spinoza in this regard spoke of immortality residing in the Mind of God which this connection with the universal may be construed as implying. The Mind by its far reach into the future and its resulting eternal character ensures the immortal nature of this continuity. Further by acting upon these values and creating a physical model the groundwork is laid for further continuation. Here again the similarities with personal immortality appear so strong that they are within the threshold of speaking about a literal kind of immortality.

The question arises as to whether spirit or soul is needed for identity. In Kabbalistic thought such distinctions are made with three levels of the soul, namely, nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. The soul here almost becomes a form of body since it is imagined in some way as having a claim upon space. Moreover there is a closer connection to the physical reflected in ru-ach which is also synonymous with wind. as well as neshamah synonymous with breath. Nefesh is the lowest level which is a kind of elemental life force Ru-ach is a kind of spiritual level where there is some communion with God. Neshamah is the highest level of the soul. Gilman points out that immortality without a body is impossible since bodies are necessary for history, and without history there can be no immortality. The soul on his view also becomes a marker for value. Most central however in the pivotal point that without the body there can be no history hence in a basic sense the body is needed for any kind of immortality. The doctrine of resurrection, however, if taken literally leads to personal immortality without relinquishing the body. However Neil Gilman takes what we call created world immortality as basically metaphorical since he denies a literal resurrection. Body is used in an extended sense here and does not enter into an active role. The comfort we seek therefore falls short of achievement. However the memory and value do not require recourse to soul for comfort since these as John Locke points out both are needed for immortality in an identity sense.

There is one particular historical statement that movingly conveys the arc for enriched satisfaction that may be rooted in created world immortality. This is within the declaration by the great Rabbi Tarfon, the second century sage when he said, Do not be daunted by the enormity of the worlds grief. Love mercy now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it. In short he appears to be telling us we are obligated to leave our mark upon the generations. He is, moreover, reminding us you are not obligated to complete it. These wise words appear to generate sparks of created world immortality that are most inspiring.

Visit link:

An Undervalued Notion of Life Beyond Death: Created World Immortality - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

In what was probably one of the easiest decisions a TV executive has ever made, CBS has decided to give a straight-to-series order to The Big Bang Theory prequel series Young Sheldon. That comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which notes that this is the first time the network and the shows producers have confirmed the project, despite the fact that the whole cast seems to be in place and that we knew about this back in November.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Big Little Lies Iain Armitage will play the eponymous young version of Jim Parsons Sheldon Cooper, and his mother will be played by Zoe Perrywho happens to be the real-life daughter of Laurie Metcalfe, who plays Sheldons mom on The Big Bang Theory. The show will apparently follow the young version of Sheldon as he lives with his family in East Texas and goes to high school, where hell presumably get into wacky situations based on how smart/geeky he is, with adult Sheldonas in, Jim Parsonsnarrating the series.

Young Sheldon doesnt have a premiere date yet, but THR adds that the pilot episode will be directed by Jon Favreau of all people. Also, for anyone who prefers their Bazingas to be a bit more mature, The Big Bang Theory was just picked up for two more seasons back in February.

Submit your Newswire tips here.

The rest is here:

CBS picks up Young Sheldon, ensuring The Big Bang Theory's immortality - A.V. Club

sites/default/files/holloway_3.jpg

sites/default/files/dimock_3.jpg

sites/default/files/bailyn_4.jpg

sites/default/files/saltzman_5.jpg

sites/default/files/mcbride_a.jpg

sites/default/files/mcbride_b.jpg

sites/default/files/kagan_d_4.jpg

sites/default/files/polak_4.jpg

sites/default/files/geanokopolos_0.jpg

sites/default/files/shiller_a.jpg

sites/default/files/shller_b.jpg

sites/default/files/stearns_3.jpg

sites/default/files/rogers_3.jpg

sites/default/files/hungerford_4.jpg

sites/default/files/fry_4.jpg

sites/default/files/hammer_4.jpg

sites/default/files/wargo_4.jpg

sites/default/files/smith_r_3.jpg

sites/default/files/freeman_4.jpg

sites/default/files/blight_4.jpg

sites/default/files/merriman_b.jpg

sites/default/files/freedman_3.jpg

sites/default/files/snowden_4.jpg

sites/default/files/wrightson_4.jpg

sites/default/files/merriman_a.jpg

sites/default/files/kleiner_4.jpg

sites/default/files/mazzotta_6.jpg

sites/default/files/wyman_4.jpg

sites/default/files/wright_4.jpg

sites/default/files/kagan_s_4.jpg

sites/default/files/gendler_3.jpg

sites/default/files/shankar_a.jpg

sites/default/files/shankar_0.jpg

sites/default/files/smith_s_3.jpg

sites/default/files/shapiro_3.jpg

sites/default/files/rae_4.jpg

sites/default/files/bloom_4.jpg

sites/default/files/brownell_1.jpg

sites/default/files/hayes_4.jpg

sites/default/files/martin_4.jpg

sites/default/files/szelyni_0.jpg

sites/default/files/echevarria.jpg

Excerpt from:

Lecture 18 - The Badness of Death, Part III; Immortality ...

"Immortality" is a single from Celine Dion's album Let's Talk About Love. It was released on 8 June 1998 outside the United States. The Bee Gees can be heard on the background vocals, and are credited as special guests on/for the recording.[1] It was used as a theme song for the Brazilian telenovela "Torre de Babel". For that occasion was release a promo CD Single only in Brazil with various remixes.

"Immortality" was composed especially for Dion by brothers Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb, the members of the Bee Gees, and was produced by Walter Afanasieff. A demo version of the song featuring just the brothers can be found on subsequent greatest hits albums of the Bee Gees.

There are two music videos. The first one, directed by Scott Floyd Lochmus, shows Dion and the Bee Gees in the recording studio in 1997. It was included as a bonus on the Au cur du stade DVD. The second one was directed by Randee St. Nicholas and released at the end of July 1998. This more elaborate video deals with themes of love, loss and reincarnation, with a cameo from the Bee Gees themselves.

The song was a commercial success reaching number 2 in Austria and Germany, number 4 in Europe, number 5 in the United Kingdom, and number 8 in Switzerland. In Brazil, the Cuca mixes became very popular. However, the track was never released as a single in the United States, where Sony Music Entertainment instead decided to release "To Love You More."

"Immortality" was certified platinum in Germany (for over 500,000 copies sold), gold in Sweden (15,000),[2] and silver in France (145,000)[3] and the UK (200,000).

The live version of this song was included on the One Night Only CD and DVD by the Bee Gees, released on 3 November 1998. Dion also performed this song during her Let's Talk About Love Tour. The song was performed also on British TV programme Top of the Pops on July 1998. For the first time in 16 years, Dion performs the song in her current residency show Celine at the The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Immortality" became a part of non-American versions of Dion's later greatest hits: All the Way A Decade of Song and My Love: Essential Collection.

In 2001, Donny Osmond covered "Immortality" for his 2001 album This Is the Moment. For the 2001 Greatest Hits album "The Record", The Bee Gees re-recorded the song without Dion's vocals, instead having Barry Gibb as the lead singer and Maurice and Robin on back-up vocals.

The video opens with Celine walking through a graveyard. She and the Bee Gees then appear as ghosts in a manor house where Dion meets a man (presumably her lover). Celine and the Bee Gees later appear at a club where she is a singer. The video then ends in the graveyard where Dion walks away.[citation needed]

Entertainment Weekly editor David Browne called this song 'banal' and said that it is "flimsy concoction that droops under the weight of its arrangement." [4] The New York Observer editor Jonathan Bernstein called this collaboration "dispiriting".[5]

European CD single

Japanese CD single

UK cassette single

Australian CD maxi single

European CD maxi single

UK CD maxi single

UK CD maxi single #2

More here:

Immortality (Celine Dion song) - Wikipedia

Immortality is an ultimate Defence ability. When activated any damage the user receives is reduced by 25% for 30 seconds. If the user dies, they will return to life but the effect will be consumed completely.

When the user dies, an ethereal, blue hand appears and grabs the user, preventing them from falling down, and the player is immediately healed for 40% of their health. While this animation is playing, the user becomes immune to damage, including typeless damage, similar to the effect of a short-lasting Barricade. Players should take caution as there is no indication when the effect expires aside from dying or the cooldown dissipating.

Upon being revived you get the message: "In a heroic stand you gain a second wind."

If a player is wearing a sign of life or sign of death,or ifthey have a portent of lifeor portent of death in their inventory while immortality is active and they die, the ability will be consumed instead of the sign or portent.

Immortality cannot revive the player if they are killed by Telos, the Warden's anima bomb in phase 5 if he is being fought at 1000% enrage or higher.

Immortality does not share a cooldown with Rejuvenate or Ice Asylum, and has a cooldown only 40% as long.

More here:

Immortality | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia

In between matches earlier this month at the state wrestling duals, Danny Bertoni bites into an oversized chocolate cookie with orange frosting.

In another hour, Bertoni, a senior at Middletown High School, will pin Sparrows Points John Harris in 1 minute, 4 seconds at 138 pounds, helping the Middletown wrestling team to a 56-19 victory and its second consecutive state duals championship in Class 2A-1A and raising his own record in high-school matches to an astonishing 171-2.

In another month, Bertoni will be chasing state history as he seeks to become the first wrestler from Frederick County and sixth in Maryland history to win four individual state championships.

But all of those things seem pretty far from his mind at the moment.

Sitting in the first row of bleachers at North Point High School in Waldorf, wearing a dark warmup jacket over his singlet, the wrap on his hands for recent thumb and wrist injuries still fresh from the state duals semifinals, Bertoni is light-heartedly asked if he should be munching on a cookie with another big match pending.

He smiles, raises his eyebrows and says, Probably not.

It is, however, in accordance with his every-man charm that makes Bertoni as likable as he is successful.

If you walked into the same room as Danny, you might not know he was there, Adam Bain, a friend, teammate and regular training partner said. He is not going to be bragging about his accomplishments or anything.

In fact, all of Bertonis well-earned accolades in high school wrestling alone three state titles, four regional championships, four county titles, the most wins ever for a Frederick County wrestler command a spotlight he does not actively seek.

I am not a shy person, he says.

But hes not an outwardly expressive one either.

After winning his third state title last March, something only two other Frederick County wrestlers have done, Middletown assistant coach Yank Strube implored him to smile.

He understands the benefit of humility, Bertonis father, Dan, said. He is not going to go out there and make himself a target, talking about what he has done or what he is going to do.

Hence, Bertoni strives to treat every match exactly the same, regardless of its importance. A state final might as well be a nondescript match in the middle of the season in his mind.

Every opponent is treated with the same amount of respect, regardless of skill or experience.

We have always emphasized there are no special matches, his father said. When you make a match special, thats when you are going to start to wrestle differently. No one is more important than the other.

This approach has afforded Bertoni enough margin for error that should he be offered, say, an oversized chocolate cookie with orange frosting in between matches at the state duals, things arent likely to veer off course wildy.

He almost never has to cut weight to compete.

I always told Danny, Expect to win. Prepare for the worst, his father said. If he finds himself in a hole, he has to be able to get out of it.

Bertonis wrestling schedule extends well beyond the high school season into the early part of summer.

It takes him to, among other places, Virginia Beach, where he has placed as high as second in his weight class at the National High School Coaches Association National Wrestling Championships, and Fargo, North Dakota, where a broken nose once prevented him from placing in an Olympic-style national tournament.

However, by the middle of the July, the singlet gets packed away and wont be worn again until the leaves are no longer green.

Bertoni steps out in the backyard of his home in Jefferson and begins to kick the soccer ball around with his friends or his sister, Maria.

In addition to being the schools preeminent wrestler, Bertoni has been a midfielder for Middletowns soccer team, which captured back-to-back 2A state titles in November.

Playing another sport is a foreign concept to most wrestlers of Bertonis caliber. They devote their full time and attention to wrestling and compete year-round.

Soccer season, however, is one of the things that sustains Bertoni going on the mat. It allows him the chance to get away, clear his mind and rest his body.

Wrestling is tough, mentally and physically, Dan Bertoni said. Its not a game. When you are having a bad day in soccer, you can kick it to a teammate, and they can take care of it.

In wrestling, it all falls on your shoulders. There are times when you need to step away from it and rest, mentally and physically.

Dan Bertoni, who was a high school wrestler in upstate New York, has watched a number of kids burn out on the sport by maintaining a schedule that never allowed time for anything else.

He never wanted that for his son.

There are a lot of talented guys out there, he said. They compete all of the time, year in and year out. Then, all of a sudden, they quit the sport. It catches up with them.

For his son to reach his full potential as a wrestler, there had to be an extended break every year.

Its nice to have soccer to get my mind off of things, Danny Bertoni said. It helps me to become a better wrestler. I am just more fresh mentally, more mentally tough.

I just focus a lot better when I do get back in the [wrestling] room [in October]. I want to be back after having that break.

Bertonis matches often seem straight out of a wrestling textbook.

Much like his personality, they are direct, straight-to-the-point affairs, often not stretching beyond one two-minute period. Theres no allowance for any wasted movement or nonsense.

Just watching him wrestle as a freshman, I thought there is a guy who could win four [state] titles, said Catoctin wrestling coach Ryan Green, who works with Bertoni on his Mason Dixon Mat Hawgs club team.

Just because of how technically sound he was, how good he was, not only with wrestling positions. He was just so composed in the big matches.

Bertoni doesnt give opponents much to work with. Hes quick, strong, smart, agile.

While opponents probe for an opening, any sign of weakness, Bertoni is already busy twisting them into a pretzel.

In four years of high-school wrestling, he has yet to lose to anyone from Maryland.

Thats quite an accomplishment in itself, Linganore coach Ben Arneson said. Being able to say you have never lost to a kid from your own state.

Thats not to say there havent been setbacks.

When you wrestle in high-profile tournaments across the country, such as the invitation-only Journeymen Classic in Albany, New York, where Bertoni placed fifth at 135 pounds last October, You are going to lose matches, his father said.

Its the nature of the beast.

Bertonis only two losses in a Middletown singlet occurred in the same building, Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore, during one of the toughest tests on the wrestling schedule, the Mount Mat Madness tournament.

After a 44-0 freshman season at 106 pounds, Bertoni arrived at Mount Mat in December 2014 with a raised profile. But he wrestled an admittedly sloppy match against Anthony DeLorenzo of Queen of Peach High School in wrestling-rich New Jersey and lost 3-2 at 126 pounds.

That was a wake-up call, Bertoni said. There was a bunch of things I was doing wrong. Some of my shots werent very clean. I was rushing things.

The following season, during a 46-0 junior season, he won the Mount Mat title at 132 pounds.

In December, a bid for a second consecutive Mount Mat championship was thwarted by one of the top wrestlers in the country, Malcolm Robinson of one of the preeminent programs in the nation, Blair Academy in New Jersey.

Wrestling in the championship final at 138, Robinson scored a rare first-period takedown of Bertoni, and that proved to be enough for a 2-1 win.

Bertoni rode Robinson for the entire second period and then picked up an escape point early in the third. But he could not find the takedown he needed, and Robinson was eventually named the tournaments Outstanding Wrestler.

I learn from the losses, each and every one of them, Bertoni said. They teach me what I can do better, where I can improve.

Some wrestlers look like they want to rip someones head off.

They pace back and forth. They seethe. They just reek of intensity.

Bertoni, on the other hand, comes off as the guy you would want babysitting your kids.

By all accounts, hes humble, hard-working, a good student, the model teammate on and off the mat.

He has always been very level-headed, Yank Strube said. He has never thought of himself as better than anybody else on the team. Thats part of what makes him such a good leader.

Today, Bertoni will walk into the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, a wrestling scholarship to the University of Maryland already in hand, as one of 36 state qualifiers from Frederick County.

His high school record has grown to 177-2, and, with four more victories and no losses, he will join Aberdeens Matt Slutzky (1989), Owings Mills Steve Kessler (1994), Herefords Josh Asper (2005), Southern Garretts George Scheffel (2007) and Centennials Nathan Kraisser (2009) as Marylands four-time state champions.

I think its incredible, something that might happen once in 15 years, Bain said. If it happens, I think everyone there will realize how spectacular an accomplishment that really is. Danny deserves it.

Bertoni is within arms reach of a milestone not even he might have thought was possible back when he was 4 years old and wrestling his first match, barely weighing more than his singlet.

He admittedly didnt know what he was doing in those days. He was just rolling around with the other kids. There was no pressure to win and no heartache or frustration with the losses.

I knew he had potential, his father said. He has been the hardest worker in the room since he was little. Hes always been very coachable. He has an incredible drive and a will to win. I am not surprised he has been successful.

During a jog around a local track in Jefferson with his young son, Dan Bertoni was randomly stopped by a woman who suggested the boy had the look of a good wrestler. Maybe he should give the sport a try.

Now, that same boy is on the verge of becoming one of the states wrestling immortals.

Bertoni is the prohibitive favorite at 138 pounds in Class 2A-1A. Every other wrestler in his bracket has at least four losses this season, or two more than the Middletown standout has in his high-school career.

But, staying true to himself to the final whistle, Bertoni is not taking anything for granted. Nor is his family.

I am trying very hard not to think about [four state titles], his father said. The journey is not over. When you think it is, thats usually when something bad happens. I am a cautious man. I am just hoping Danny can finish this season the best way he knows how.

Go here to read the rest:

Middletown's Bertoni is 4 wins away from 4 titles, state-wrestling immortality - Frederick News Post (subscription)

Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images Chad DundasMMA Lead WriterMarch 1, 2017

UFC President Dana White announced Wednesday that Georges St-Pierres return to the Octagon will be a middleweight title fight against Michael Bispingand, boy, is that going to be an unpopular decision.

Of all the likely candidates for St-Pierres returnincluding superfights against Anderson Silva or Conor McGregorBisping was unilaterally regarded as the least appealing.

In the wake of Whites appearance on ESPNs SportsCenter to confirm this fight, early reviews have been mostly negative:

This unrest is nothing against the 185-pound champion himself but, rather, a compliment to the overall strength of the middleweight division. With top contenders like Yoel Romero and Jacare Souza already beating down Bispings door there was just no good reason to further stymie that divisions already slow-motion title picture.

That is, except for the two reasons that trump all else right now in the eyes of this fight company and these fighters: Money and immortality.

Since winning the title with a surprise knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June 2016, Bisping has eschewed the UFCs official rankings in favor of trying to chase down lucrative matchups for himself. Hes defended the title just once since, against Dan Henderson at UFC 206 four months ago.

You cant blame Bisping for this approach. At 37 years old, hed long been considered a nice cog in the middleweight machine, but not championship material. Here hes got an unprecedented and unexpected chance to earn a nice bonus after 11 years and nearly 30 fights worth of service for the UFC.

And for GSP?

Well, what he gets in his return to the Octagon after a three-year absence is a potentially winnable championship fight, a nice payday and a chance at the history books.

If St-Pierre is able to return to action at 36 years old and win another UFC title in a weight class above his natural division, there will simply be no argument against anointing him the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

Hes already routinely mentioned on the short-list of contenders for that honor alongside former middleweight champion Anderson Silva and former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. Defeating Bisping would definitively put GSP over the top in that three-horse raceat least for the time being.

Silvas claim to the throne has taken a big hit in recent years.

Back-to-back losses to Chris Weidman at UFCs 162 and 168 signaled the end of his career as a truly elite middleweight, but had Silva walked away then he might still be able to lay credible claim to GOAT status.

Unfortunately, he soldiered on and has gone just 1-4-1 dating back to the beginning of 2013 (that record includes the Weidman losses). His only official win in that span came three weeks ago, in a controversial unanimous decision against middling contender Derek Brunson.

Perhaps most damaging, Silvas win over Nick Diaz at UFC 183 was overturned after he tested positive for two banned substances. Its tough to make any case for greatest-of-all-time seriously from a guy who has tested dirty for performance enhancers.

Jones, meanwhile, is the most gifted athlete and strategist the UFC has ever seen, but has had a hard time keeping himself on the organizations active roster of late.

Hes managed to fight just once a year the past three years and has missed significant time, first while sorting out legal issues stemming from a hit-and-run accident and then after himself testing positive for banned substances during the lead-up to a fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200.

Joness claim that the positive test resulted from a tainted dietary supplement was later substantiated by the US Anti-Doping Agency, but as of this writing hes still out serving a one-year suspension.

If Jones can return and win back his light-heavyweight title at age 30 hell still have plenty of time to move past both Silva and St-Pierre for consideration as best ever. That future has never appeared less secure than now, however, as Jones out-of-the-cage transgressions have taken on considerable momentum and have left him facing what might be his last chance with UFC ownership.

For the time being, St-Pierre leads his two closest competitors by a nose. Even before he makes this comeback, the case against him as greatest of all time must be made primarily on style points.

From 2006 to his announced break from the sport at the end of 2013with the exception of roughly one year spent without the title after a fluke loss to Matt Serra at UFC 69he ruled the UFC welterweight division with merciless zeal. He defeated nine consecutive challengers, more often than not taking out the best 170-pound fighters the UFC could find without so much as losing a round.

Critics called it boring, but the truth was, it was amazing. Without any organized background in wrestling, St-Pierre transformed himself from a stand-up oriented, Kyokushin karate stylist to one of the most dominant grapplers in Octagon history.

He beat wrestlers like Matt Hughes, Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks. He beat potent strikers like Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit. He beat submission aces like Serra (in their rematch at UFC 83), BJ Penn and Jake Shields.

It didnt matter what they did. St-Pierre beat them all.

Meanwhile, his built-in Canadian audience turned him into the UFCs single biggest pay-per-view draw to that point. It was a different time for the UFC, but GSPs PPV numbers are still staggering. He sold an estimated 625,000 PPVs for his fight against Fitch at UFC 87, 770,000 against Dan Hardy at UFC 111 and 800,000 against Shields at UFC 129.

In todays UFC there is next to no one who can consistently provide those kinds of numbers, outside of McGregor.

Thats one place St-Pierres detractors fall flat. The notion that MMA fighters need to be exciting only exists because of the PPV model. Conventional wisdom preaches that fighters need to impress audiences in order to convince them to shell out $60 to watch them fight.

But GSP never had a problem with that. In fact, he did it better than anybody else from his era.

Can he still? That remains to be seen.

His accomplishments to this point are nearly peerless, however. Now, if St-Pierre can return from his lengthy hiatus, defeat Bisping and win another UFC title in a different weight class?

With all due respect to Silva and Jonesand to borrow a phrase from longtime MMA announcer Michael Schiavellothats good night, Irene.

[Estimated pay-per-view numbers courtesy Dave Meltzer's ProWrestling Observer, as compiled at MMA Payout.]

See the original post here:

Georges St-Pierre Takes Aim at Immortality in Title Shot Against Michael BIsping - Bleacher Report

As a biological researcher studying aging, some of the most common questions I get asked by people are: How can I live forever? or Have you discovered the fountain of youth yet?

I usually reply with some quirky comment about being close to a Nobel Prize-worthy breakthrough in the lab that is going to be huge. But all kidding aside, there are some organisms that are considered biologically immortal, such as bristlecone pines and marine life we can find along Maines coastline (ex: American lobster, and hydras).

Biological immortality is a bit different than true immortality, in which you live forever and never die. A 100-year-old lobster would be massive, most likely weighing 20-plus pounds and be about the size of a toddler. On a side note, there have been several of these large lobsters documented, one in New Brunswick as recent as last November.

Unlike most animals who stop growing upon reaching adulthood, lobster can continue to expand, molt, and even regrow lost appendages regardless of adult age. Their cells possess the ability to regenerate and dont show signs of deterioration with each consecutive cell division. This provides the lobster a youthful internal system, while appearing mature and hardy on the outside. The larger the body, the less likely the lobster will fall prey to predators such as cod, flounder, and dogfish.

Ultimately, the main predator for adult lobster would be humans. This means that even though biologically the lobster has cells that are immortal they can still become our dinner, and thus succumb to their mortality.

But now the wheels are turning, how can humans reach biological immortality?

Research with model organisms from microscopic yeast to large primates indicates that aging can be slowed down, and perhaps one day reach biological immortality. Science is finding that aging really boils down to a few general factors: 1) genetics, 2) environment, and 3) life choices.

Although we have little control over the genes we are given from our parents, we can control some aspects of gene expression. Certain genes are activated upon eating, others while sleeping, and some while exercising, smoking, imbibing, are drug activated or repressed (and the list can go on). What this means is that we might not be able to control what genes we are given at birth but to some extent we can alter the way genes are expressed.

This is where environment and life choices can really impact the rate in which we age. We heed warnings to stay away from environments containing radioactivity as it can cause death with exposure, but the simple act of reducing the amount of calories ingested daily without reducing nutrition has been shown time and time again to slow down aging (at least in model organisms).

Notice I said this was a simple lifestyle change? Which in reality, is not simple at all. I enjoy eating, drinking, and living this mortal life too much to want to restrict my eating so that I can delay aging. Instead, scientists (myself included) are involved in seeking out biological ways to activate the same anti-aging pathway without having to deprive oneself of that slice of cake (remember Nobel Prize in the making).

Perhaps one day we will truly be biologically immortal and can eat our cake, too.

Amber Howard has been an assistant professor of biology at the University of Maine at Augusta since 2015. She is a 2011 Ph.D. graduate of Georgia Regents University, and recent postdoctoral researcher for the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. She primarily focuses her research and teachings on physiology, disease mechanisms, and the biology of aging.

See the rest here:

The mortal side of biological immortality - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

In this weekly media highlights, Alexander Rubtsov reflects on the sad state of affairs in the Russian show business; Andrei Movchan offers his outlook for the Russian economy in 2017; Meduza fact-checks Alexei Navalnys presidential program; Valery Solovey shares his insights on the countrys political developments; and Peter Topychkanov discusses the Kremlins potential response to Donald Trumps nuclear initiatives. If you are interested in receiving this weekly roundup in your mailbox every Friday, let us know at info@imrussia.org.

One of Russia's most recognized pop-singers Philip Kirkorov who gained popularity in early 90s performs at the New Year's Night show at Channel One. As some experts observe, the fact that there are very few new faces in the country's show business reflects the general conservation trajectory in society. Photo: Dmitry Serebryakov / TASS

, , , 8 2017 .

New Times, : , , 9 2017 .

Carnegie, : 2017, , 29 2016 .

Meduza, - ?, 9 2017 .

, : , , 10 2017 .

Nathan Andrews helped compile this week's roundup.

Go here to read the rest:

Living Immortality, Russian Economy in 2017, How Big Is Russia's Inequality Gap, and the Kremlin's Risky Plans - Institute of Modern Russia