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Category Archives: Transhuman News

The Column: The benefits of being not dead – Newsday

Posted: January 7, 2021 at 5:44 am

A former colleague telephoned recently first time wed spoken in years to ask if I was dead.

I was not. But it was mighty thoughtful of him.

The fact is that both he and I are what some people would consider "elderly": Closing in on the life-expectancy-for-males-in-the-U.S. statistic, which now is just beyond 76 years. In the high-risk group for COVID-19. Plenty of water under the bridge. Were almost to that point when Casey Stengel, late in a career as an enduring baseball character, had noticed, "Most of the people my age are dead at the present time."

So it was a legitimate question, though the caller and I both remain in the workforce. Hes in television; I attempt to teach college students about what was my primary profession, journalism, for 50-odd years.

But the truth is a lot of folks in our demographic indeed have shuffled off this mortal coil. You lose touch with somebody and, before you know it, he or she shows up in an obituary. Especially these days, not just because of the coronavirus pestilence but because our contemporaries tend to be, well, old.

The result is that to still be going strong when near or beyond the three-quarter century mark can be something of a surprise. Willie Nelson hes 87 recently released a song to that effect:

I woke up still not dead again today / The internet said I had passed away / But if I died I wasnt dead to stay / And I woke up still not dead again today.

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Roger Angell hes 100 now but was only 93 when he wrote his "This Old Man" essay for The New Yorker acknowledged then how extended human longevity can be as shocking as the news of someones demise.

"It must be this hovering knowledge, that two-ton safe swaying on a frayed rope just over my head," he wrote, "that makes everyone so glad to see me again. How great youre looking! Wow, tell me your secret! they kindly cry when they happen upon me crossing the street or exiting a dinghy or departing an X-ray room, while the little balloon over their heads reads, Holy ---! Hes still vertical!"

It happens. Some of us have all the luck. A few surgical procedures along the way, a drastically slowing pace on morning runs, expanding pill regimen, dimmed hearing, increased visual assistance at this stage, the major function of ears evolves into holding spectacles in place yet feeling spry. Relatively.

A friend, even more ancient than I, once mentioned that he first felt old when a younger man than him was elected U.S. president. In my case, that didnt happen until 2008 with Barack Obama though I barely had missed that milestone, by mere months with Clinton, W., and the recent White House occupant. Now that Joe Biden is taking office, Im back to being a comparative pup.

Anyway. When I got the call, inquiring whether I might no longer be extant, it wasnt as if my life flashed before my eyes, though it did seem appropriate for the caller and I to reminisce briefly about some earlier good times. Both of us marveled at having spent decades getting paid for what never has felt like hard labor. I had wanted, as a child, to be in the newspapers as creator of a comic strip but wound up a sports writer instead.

Nice work if you can get it, and I did. Traveled the world. Met fascinating people. Learned stuff. Couldnt have married a better, smarter, more multitalented person. Lovely daughter and, as of this year, a grandboy. A few nice pets.

And Im still entertaining the hope that I amount to something when I grow up.

Thats the thing. Even in what technically could be described as geezerhood, it seems thoroughly normal to continue seeking whats around the next corner. As opposed to, say, propped in a rocking chair, drooling. Upon my official retirement as a full-time reporter, a neighbor suggested the importance of accomplishing "one thing" each day. The other day I wrote and mailed Christmas cards.

That was my one thing. And it sent forth the word to distant friends and relatives that I am not dead.

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The Column: The benefits of being not dead - Newsday

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Too Much of This Mineral May Shorten Your Life, Study Finds | Eat This Not That – Eat This, Not That

Posted: at 5:44 am

A recent study unveils a potential new connection between iron levels and longevity.

The study, which appeared in the journalNature Communications, pooled data from three large human genetic studies, "reaching an unprecedented sample of more than a million people," the lead study author and data analyst Paul Timmers, from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, tellsEat This, Not That!

"Using genetics, we found multiple lines of evidence indicating poor control of blood iron levels is causally linked to a shorter lifespan and fewer years lived in good health." (Related: The One Vitamin Doctors Are Urging Everyone to Take Right Now.)

After examining the DNA of individuals who lived long and healthy lives versus those who experienced age-related diseases and even death early in life, the researchers were able to pinpoint 10 regions of the genome that were related to three key measures of aging: lifespan, years lived free of disease (healthspan), and living to old age (longevity). Two such regions, LDLR and FOXO3, were explicitly found to influence the expression of genes that help the body metabolize iron, which is what led the researchers to hypothesize that iron levels could play a role in aging.

Senior study author Joris Deelen, PhD, who studies the biology of aging at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany explains that "genetic variation in these regions seems to be the most important for healthy iron metabolism. Genes influenced by genetic variation in the other eight regions are not directly linked to iron metabolism."

Essentially, those with high iron levels may have an increased risk of dying younger.

"It is well-known that a deficit in iron can cause poor health, but we showed, for the first time, that for most people a small reduction in blood ironfrom their current levelsis likely beneficial to their health," says Deelen. "Iron metabolism and healthy aging were not linked before."

The researchers discovered that genetic predisposition to higher iron levels is what's associated with a reduced lifespan, which is largely out of your control.

"We found that DNA variations, which elevate your iron levels in the blood (from birth), also increase your likelihood of getting age-related diseases and dying," says Timmers.

So, this doesn't mean you should never eat red meat or remove other iron-rich foods from your diet altogether, however, it may encourage you to become more conscious of what your iron levels are.

"People tend to lose their ability to regulate iron levels as they get older, so regularly checking your iron levels could be important to maintain optimal health into old age," says Timmers.

Of course, further research is needed because it isn't clear on what would be considered an optimal iron level in the blood. In fact, it could vary from person to person.

"Further clinical studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms by which iron metabolism is linked to healthy aging," Deelen adds.

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Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy Market Size and Growth Factors Research and Projection 2026 – Farming Sector

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The Global Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy Market comprises market size, status, and growth rate for the forecast period 2021-2026. The report offers fundamental data to readers, strategists, senior administration, and advertisers associated with the market. This unique and updated report precisely presents each and every aspect of the Global Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy industry and represents it in an easy to understandable format. Alongside, researchers have broken down the market into various key verticals. Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy market also covers industry-oriented drivers, restraints, threats, and opportunities in the market.

North America has a significant international presence in the global Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy market in 2021 accompanied by the Middle East/Africa, Europe, and the Asia Pacific, respectively.

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Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy Market Segmentation by Product types:

Applications covered in the report are:

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WHOOP becomes the Official Fitness Wearable of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions – pgatour.com

Posted: at 5:44 am

The PGA TOUR and WHOOP, the human performance company, announced a multi-year partnership naming WHOOP as the Official Fitness Wearable of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions and a Sponsor of PGA TOUR Active.

To activate the partnership, WHOOP and the TOUR will implement a WHOOP Live for Charity initiative to highlight player biometric data and heart rate during defining moments throughout the season with those real-time metrics integrated into video content. Featured players will receive a $10,000 contribution to the charity of their choice on behalf of WHOOP and the TOUR. Fans can follow these moments at #WHOOPLIVE beginning in 2021.

We are excited to grow our partnership with WHOOP and utilize their health technology to optimize the way our athletes train, recover and sleep, said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. Our athletes understand the importance of maintaining their health to ensure peak competitive performance, career longevity and overall well-being. The WHOOP Strap will help our athletes unlock actionable insights via physiological data to help them understand and prepare their bodies for competition. Were eager to begin a first-of-its-kind activation at the TOUR that will incorporate player biometric data with defining moments from the golf course to create fascinating content for fans.

This summer upon the TOURs return to golf over 1,000 WHOOP Straps were distributed for players, caddies and other essential personnel at PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Champions events, with accompanying membership for health monitoring. WHOOP collects physiological data that helps an individual optimize workouts, recovery and sleep and can identify changes in respiratory rate with industry-leading third party validated accuracy. This official partnership is a natural evolution from the collaborative efforts to find new solutions to support TOUR athletes at all levels.

WHOOP has organically grown amongst the worlds best golfers for years and we are proud to take our relationship with the PGA TOUR and all athletes to the next level, said Will Ahmed, WHOOP Founder & CEO. This partnership is particularly new and innovative in that it will bring heart rate and other engaging physiological metrics directly into the fan experience.

WHOOP will activate and create custom content within PGA TOUR Active (www.pgatour.com/active), a new TOUR initiative highlighting health, fitness and lifestyles of professional golfers, where fans get an inside look into the techniques and activities helping the best players in the world perform at their peak.

Throughout the partnership, PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour players and trainers will receive the latest products and technology from WHOOP to assist in monitoring their health. WHOOP will have an amplified onsite presence at all PGA TOUR events to provide VIP support and incorporate that technology with training and recovery staff on the PGA TOURs state-of-the-art Player Performance Centers that travel to PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events and bring state-of-the-art fitness equipment and care to its athletes throughout the season.

I've been a WHOOP member for a number of years and having the ability to monitor my recovery on a daily basis is helpful for my overall performance. WHOOP has been everywhere on TOUR in 2020 and this new partnership will unlock the future of athletic performance and professional golf, said Rory McIlroy, WHOOP Investor and PGA TOUR member. And now fans will have access to player data that will change the way they experience and engage with the game.

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The New Face of Integrated Planning and Design – D Magazine

Posted: at 5:44 am

It is estimated the world will invest 94 trillion U.S. dollars in infrastructure globally in the next 20 years. With that level of investment, we should ask some important questions. What is the best approach we should use today to deliver these projects? How can we incorporate climate change, social equity, and sustainability into our project planning? What is the future of our engineering practice?

One thing 2020 has taught uswe cant solve problems as we did before. Todays infrastructure investment must include new thinking. Through innovation, every project, regardless of sector, needs the longevity to last several decades and incorporate forward-thinking innovations to solve future challenges today. We must start to apply green box thinking.

Rami Issa, AECOM

Cities, developers, architects, and engineers are increasingly looking for ways to move away from the concrete jungle and incorporate elements of nature into our everyday lives. This focus on more sustainable development is the same approach we should take when evaluating infrastructure.

Many of us are familiar with gray infrastructurethe more traditional, concrete, human-engineered solutions however, green infrastructure is a solution worth exploring and implementing alongside gray infrastructure. It refers to natural elements of our ecosystem, such as forests, reefs, and wetlands, which can serve many of the same gray infrastructure functions.

When you blend both green and gray infrastructure together, the result is a cohesive solution that helps address community resiliency future challenges. In many instances, incorporating green infrastructure into future infrastructure investments may boost eco-tourism and generate new revenues for local communities.

Green infrastructure can take many forms, from protected natural areas to green roofs in cities. The goal is to employ nature to provide natural benefits such as clean air or reliable flows of clean water. By blending conservation and restoration techniques with innovative engineering, green-gray infrastructure provides solutions enabling communities to mitigate natural disasters and adapt to a changing climate. However, the challenge is strategically combining the two.

To further advance the science and practice of green-gray infrastructure, the Green-Gray Infrastructure Community of Practice (GGI COP) was established. It will blend conservation and restoration of nature with human-made engineering approaches to fortify communities against climate effects.

AECOM co-founded the initiative with Conservation International, a global leader in environmental conservation and sustainable development. Conservation International plans to release a practical guide for GGI implementation, which will be a tool for engagement with local governments, clients, universities, and field staff to support project implementation.

Flooding resiliency is one area where green-gray infrastructure can help provide a solid solution. GGI COP estimates the number of people impacted by floods will double worldwide by 2030. While conventional engineering approaches of upsizing stormwater conveyance and storage systems may have near-future benefits, they do not incorporate future challenges such as climate change and social and economic shifts. These projects can be very costly to construct, and stop-gap solutions only kick the can down the road.

Flooding continues to be a challenge in North Texas, and tackling it head-on requires a new way of thinking. Collaboration and partnerships among many stakeholders in our North Texas community must deliver integrated infrastructure solutions that incorporate green and gray infrastructure together. These solutions should incorporate regional transportation, stormwater management, and environmental planning into regional infrastructure projects.

Now, how do we blend green and gray infrastructure solutions? We do it by adding purpose, beauty, value, equity, and resiliency through each project by transforming the way we perform integrated planning and design.

Integrated planning and design have the power to transform a community into the next level and incorporate restorative environments within urban density. A shift from reactive planning into a proactive planning approach will solve todays challenges and account for future challenges. This is the future of practice, no doubt.

Rami Issa is the DFW Water Business Line Leader at AECOM.

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How To Quit Fast Fashion for Good | Earth 911 – Earth911.com

Posted: at 5:44 am

The MO of fast fashion brands is to mass-produce trendy designs at a low cost. While some brands are working on a greener selection, we know that greenwashing, waste, and human rights violations abound in the fashion industry.

Emma Mathews, founder of the sustainable British sock brand Socko and author of How to Quit Fast Fashion: 100 Expert Tips for a Sustainable Wardrobe advised us on how to take meaningful steps towards quitting fast fashion.

Clothing is more than the sum of its materials. Behind every garment are people, water, agriculture, energy, and transportation emissions, and much more.

The fashion industry produces more carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined, and is the second-largest consumer of the worlds water supply despite this, 85% of all textiles end up in the dump each year. How to Quit Fast Fashion

In Mathews view, the hazards of fast fashion are greatest for textile and garment workers and the environment. Clothes dont magically appear. Think about the number of hands that handle that garment before it gets to you, about how much you pay versus what the person is paid after retail and shipping costs for something designed to be throwaway.

Garment makers work in appalling conditions because retailers, to satisfy demand, prioritize low-cost clothing over peoples lives. One of the starkest examples is the 2013 Rana Plaza fire in Bangladesh, the fourth largest industrial disaster in history, during which 1,100 people died and another 2,500 were injured.

Reevaluating your relationship with fast fashion means reconciling with the environmental and human costs, but Mathews is adamant that preaching isnt the goal. On the contrary, its about providing tools so consumers can make the decision for themselves.

Even if we stopped production tomorrow, we have enough to clothe the next two generations, says Mathews.

So, its not that we need more clothes its that were bored with what we have.

Lessening your clothings impact on our ecosystem doesnt have to mean sacrificing style.

Its in your hands as a consumer to take care of your clothing. Instead of buying new, learn fundamental preservation principles from way back when.

Paying a fair price for clothing does mean it will be more expensive, Mathews says. Thats why consumers have to make a mindset shift between wanting a quick pick-me-up and thinking for all seasons.

What makes it onto the clothing racks represents a give and take between brands and consumers. Since our closets dont exist in a vacuum, both have a vested interest in designing for a circular economy and wearing for the long-term.

Mathews believes retailers should educate consumers about the longevity of their items, and that we need legislation to regulate the fashion industry and protect garment workers. Changing consumer preferences are already making a positive impact, but theres no quick fix.

Thats why brands, as well as consumers, must continue probing the way clothing production and consumption are interlinked. If you want to have a sustainable business and lifestyle, How can you justify against what the planet needs?

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Stream These 8 Titles Before They Leave Netflix This Month – The New York Times

Posted: at 5:43 am

This months rundown of Netflix exits is lighter than usual maybe because they seemed to drop half their library last month but its full of little gems, including a double Oscar winner, a gripping limited series, and essential works from Paul Thomas Anderson and the Coen Brothers. Oh, and a comedy about a man who befriends a farting corpse.

Catch these 8 titles before they leave by the end of January. (Dates indicate the final day a title is available.)

Cooking up a sequel to one of the greatest Disney features, 54 years after the fact, may have been an impossible goal to begin with; its certainly fair to say that Rob Marshalls 2018 follow-up to Mary Poppins does not measure up to its 1964 predecessor. But it does offer genuine pleasures: poignant work by Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw as the grown-up Jane and Michael Banks; juicily animated supporting turns from Colin Firth and Meryl Streep; a handful of toe-tapping tunes; and most of all, a sharp-tongued, twinkly-eyed performance by Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, gamely capturing much of the matter-of-fact magic of Julie Andrewss original characterization.

Stream it here.

One of Paul Thomas Andersons most prickly and challenging pictures (and thats saying something), this 2012 drama prompted plenty of prerelease hand-wringing, as Anderson reportedly drew the inspiration for his script from the Church of Scientology and the biography of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. But this is no mere expos. Andersons story of an alcoholic drifter and World War II veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who stumbles into the circle of a religious leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a complicated examination of blowhard masculinity, male bonding and cults of personality, bolstered by Andersons detailed period direction and the performances of two titans at the peak of their powers.

Stream it here.

The Coen Brothers followed up one of their broadest comedies (Burn After Reading, from 2008) with one of their strangest, a retelling of the Book of Job set in their home turf of Minnesota, circa 1967. The peerless character actor Michael Stuhlbarg gets a rare leading role as Professor Larry Gopnik, whose personal and professional life falls into such a shambles that he begins to question his Jewish faith. Darkly funny yet endlessly thought-provoking, A Serious Man has the Coens using Gopnik as a vessel to examine their own views on faith and humanity. And while they land on nothing so simple as answers, their journey and insights are strangely exhilarating.

Stream it here.

Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won Academy Awards for best actor and best supporting actor for this 2013 drama from the director Jean-Marc Valle, loosely inspired by a true story. McConaughey stars as Ron Woodruff, an H.I.V. positive Texan in the mid-1980s who funneled his frustration over limited AIDS treatments into action, smuggling experimental drugs into the country while the F.D.A. battled him for his efforts. Dallas Buyers Club occasionally falls into the traps of simplification and boilerplate storytelling that plague so many biopics, but Valles direction is vivid and vibrant, and the performances are touchingly humane.

Stream it here.

Were reaching a point, in the combined (and often intertwined) arcs of nostalgia and re-evaluation, in which it seems that every major news event of the 1990s has received the movie, mini-series or documentary treatment. This 2018 effort revisits the 1993 standoff at the Waco, Tex., compound of the Branch Davidian sect, in six episodes drawn from the memoirs of the Davidian survivor David Thibodeau and the F.B.I. hostage negotiator Gary Noesner. Even at that expanded length, the series sometimes pulls its punches, missing opportunities to connect these events to the fierce anti-government movements of ensuing decades. But the performers are not to be missed particularly the reliably intense Michael Shannon as Noesner, and a shockingly effective Taylor Kitsch as the sect leader David Koresh, a role miles removed from his matinee idol work on Friday Night Lights.

Stream it here.

If theres one thing you can say about modern movies, its that they tend to play it safe every movie seems like a reflection of every other movie, and before you know it, your only entertainment options are a superhero flick, a Star Wars series, and a gritty reboot of a terrible show from the 1980s. So hats off to Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, who wrote and directed this 2016 story of a desperate man (Paul Dano), trapped on a desert island, who befriends a washed-up corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) and makes ingenious use of the dead mans post-mortem flatulence. Maybe its off-the-charts bizarre, maybe its tasteless, but youve got to admit: Youve never seen anything quite like it.

Stream it here.

This 2010 comedy, directed by Neil LaBute, was a bit of a head-scratcher a remake of the British film of the same title from only three years previous, merely shifting the setting of the events to America and the race of its central characters from white to Black. (Peter Dinklage plays the same role in both versions.) Chris Rock, as both star and producer, assembles an enviable collection of his comic contemporaries (including Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Regina Hall, Loretta Devine, Zoe Saldana and Kevin Hart), with the beloved elders Danny Glover, Keith David and Ron Glass joining ringers Luke Wilson and James Marsden to round out the ensemble.

Stream it here.

The Freaks and Geeks co-stars Seth Rogen and James Franco took their considerable odd-couple chemistry to the big screen for the first time in this 2008 hit from the director David Gordon Green. The sharp script, penned by Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg, mixes its laid-back Cheech & Chong-style stoner comedy with the fast-paced shoot-em-up action of 80s adventures like Beverly Hills Cop, a tonal mismatch that could have easily failed. But it landed, thanks to the easygoing charisma of its leads and the masterly scene-stealing of Danny McBride, in his breakthrough role.

Stream it here.

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MSU Mens Basketball Defensive Game Plan: How to Guard Ron Harper Jr. – The Only Colors

Posted: at 5:43 am

Following the Marcus Carr piece, we will take a look at Ron Harper Jr., the leading scorer for the upstart Rutgers Scarlet Knights program. Rutgers is currently 7-2 (3-2 in Big Ten play). The Scarlet Knights sit at 14th in the latest AP Poll. Rutgers will travel to East Lansing on Jan. 5 for the top-25 matchup.

Harpers game is very different from his fathers (that guy who played a little for the Chicago Bulls). While his father only had one season where he made at least one three-pointer per game, the son already has three college seasons in which he has met that threshold. This season, Harper is averaging 3.5 made three-pointers per game. Amongst Big Ten players, he has put in the second most buckets from long range, only behind Purdues Sasha Stefanovic.

His game revolves around his ability to shoot the ball from deep. He gets to these shots mainly off the catch and off of screening actions. That is apparent based on the fact that 96.4 percent of his made threes have been assisted. He creates advantages in the mid-range based on how defenses overreact to his shot fakes and jab steps. He is also very good at taking advantage of poor screening defenses, both on and off the ball. Defensive miscommunications and poor schemes can result in excess space for Harper to take advantage of. What makes him most effective is his ability to take care of the ball. This season, Harper has taken care of the ball with extreme care, refusing to turnover the ball. He has not had a single game with multiple turnovers. He is one of only five players in the country with a turnover percentage under 4.5 percent while playing over 200 minutes.

Make him use his left hand

Harper excels at getting to the rim and using his frame to finish tough layups. Although he shines statistically in this area, the eye test provides a little bit of context. He relies strictly on his right hand. Even when driving to the left, he refuses to finish with his left hand. He also does not offer much of an in-between game as he never really rises up early for floaters.

In these three clips against Illinois, Rutgers runs this set action to get Harper an isolation possession in the mid-post. Every single time he attacks with his left, but reverts to finishing with his right hand.

Once again, against Maryland, Harper settles for the tough finish at the rim rather than the automatic left hand finish. Using his left hand in this scenario would provide added extension and completely remove shot blockers from the action.

Switch Screening Actions

This will go along with the follow up criteria on how to guard Harper, but switching screening actions goes a long way to stopping Harper from getting open looks. This principle applies for both on-ball screening actions such as pick and pops and dribble hand-offs (DHO), as well as off-ball screening actions such as down screens and floppy screens.

In this specific example, Harper is ran off a pindown on a secondary action. His defender decides to go under the screen rather than over or communicate a late switch. The big defender is in drop coverage and forces Harpers defender to navigate the screen by himself. A switch would completely negate the opportunity for the catch and shoot jumper. Michigan State has some switchable bigs that could pull off that defensive action.

In this pick and pop action against Maryland, Harper sprints out of the action with a quick slip. Jarius Hamilton is completely unprepared for the slip and that leads to Harper getting the wide open jumper. This is another action where switching would be the preferred defense.

Ohio State was switching on-ball screens and it works extremely well in this example. Harper does not even attempt to get downhill and then proceeds to settle for the long two-pointer. This is a bad shot for just about anybody from a statistical perspective. Harper does not create enough space off the dribble and throws up the air-ball.

The switching principle can apply to more actions than pick and rolls. In this DHO action, a switch would remove the unnecessary space between Harper and his defender. That space is created by the off-ball movement by Paul Mulcahy. Mulcahys man goes under the screen, which forces Harpers man to backup. A simple switch would not create the opening.

Create contact

Harper excels at getting to his stepback or sidestep with quick twitch muscle movement. This helps him get his shot off in rhythm. He does not create an enormous amount of space with those moves though as shown by the following clip. This is an area where defenders can anticipate this move and get into his personal space. Harper is inferior at drawing fouls despite his size. This makes him susceptible to physical defenders.

This clip also shows that Harper uses his step back to get in a rhythm rather than create an abundance of space. This play ends in an air ball because of Harpers hand placement on the ball.

This is a great example of solid contact being implemented as well as a unique defensive coverage. In this scenario, Illinois ices the screening action with DaMonte Williams. He stays on Harpers hip and does not overplay the drive. Because Williams does not overplay the drive, he is in great position to recover on the step back.

Michigan State needs to be physical with Harper. Hopefully Aaron Henry can step up to his status of captain and take the lead on guarding Harper. As the screening coverage should include switching, everyone should be prepared to guard the wing in some capacity.

Statistics are current as of Jan. 3, 2021. All statistics can be found on Basketball Reference and Barttorvik.

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MSU Mens Basketball Defensive Game Plan: How to Guard Ron Harper Jr. - The Only Colors

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Twins CEO Dave St. Peter on surviving 2020, the St. Paul Saints and the Gardenhires, father and son – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Posted: at 5:43 am

Dave St. Peter has been president of the Minnesota Twins since 2002 and became the franchises chief executive officer in 2016. Dave has overseen the Twins through good times, bad times and Covid-19 times. The Pioneer Press chatted with him about the upcoming season, last season, Rocco Baldelli, Nelson Cruz, the affiliation with the St. Paul Saints and much more.

Everything about the 2020 season was strange. It was like a really bad episode of The Twilight Zone. It was different in every way. We werent able to engage with our staff and our people the way we normally did. Our day was filled with Zoom calls from early morning through the evening. When we finally were able to start the season, we did so without a single fan entering the ballpark in 2020. It was a soulless experience.

I loved watching our team play but it was maddening with piped-in noise and no energy or electricity from our crowd, from our fans. We got through it. We did what we needed to do, and I think baseball played some role in restoring at least some level of normalcy. They could follow the Twins every day and listen on the radio and watch on television, but it was a far cry from what we have come to know and expect around Twins baseball.

Im looking forward to the 2021 season because I have a significant amount of hope and even a fair amount of confidence that normalcy will return at some point in 2021. For a lot of reasons, I think we all long for normalcy. We recognize the uncertainty that confronts all walks of life going into the year. Baseball is no different. We have to continue to be patient, continue to let the science guide us. Im fairly optimistic that 21 will bring us a new level of normalcy and, ultimately, bring people back to ballparks and allow live sports and entertainment to re-ignite.

As of right now, we continue to plan for an on-time start, which would have our pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 18.

I dont know that we look at our club differently whether were playing in the midst of Covid or playing in normal times. At the end of the day, we think we have a really good baseball team. We think the way 2020 played out, even with a truncated season, our team played at a high level and, by most measures, was one of the best teams in the league. Unfortunately, we had a very challenging postseason experience, which has become habit for us, and we have to find a way to get over that hump.

We go into the year even right now with the roster we have and the core thats in place believing we will have a team that will be very capable of threepeating as American League Central Division champs. But more importantly, competing in the postseason, making a run and hopefully finding ourselves in the World Series. We have some work to do. Were always trying to make ourselves better. The offseason has played out rather slowly for us to this point. We feel pretty confident in our ability to improve our team going into spring training.

Were hopeful about re-signing Nelson Cruz. Nelly has earned the right to take his time. Weve been in regular conversations with Nelly and his agent. I think theres mutual interest. I think Nelly has loved his time in Minnesota, loves playing for Rocco Baldelli. I feel he takes some ownership over how our club has performed on the field and, frankly, whats in front of us in the postseason. Im hopeful. Theres still some uncertainty about whether the DH will be in place throughout the National League. I think that question might be slowing down the process a bit. We remain very hopeful to have Nelson Cruz. We know what he means on the field, but he means the world to us in our clubhouse, in our dugout, and in the community as well.

Youre never 100 percent certain when you hire somebody. Theres always some level of risk that its not going to work out. When we were interviewing Rocco, he was in demand. He was interviewing with a number of major league clubs at the same time he was interviewing with the Twins. Other clubs saw what we saw in Rocco, which is a guy whos really grounded. His experience in baseball as a player, as a coach, as a front-office executive was well documented. I think he brought a vision and ultimately brought a leadership style and mindset that was destined for success.

Hes a cool customer, and hes very chill. He has a gift. His gift is connecting with people and, in this case, the people he connects with every day his players, the coaches, the staff inside that clubhouse create an environment I think is conducive to winning. Were really lucky to have him in the role hes in with us. And I know Rocco feels very embedded in the Twins organization and the Twins community.

Derek Falvey (Twins president of baseball operations) is making every key baseball decision we need to make. Derek and I collaborate. We talk every day and we collaborate on every major decision. That doesnt mean Im giving him counsel and advice on baseball-related decisions or personnel decisions. The Pohlad philosophy since they bought the team has been to allow the baseball people to make the baseball decisions. That started with Andy MacPhail and continues today with Derek Falvey. Much like with Rocco, were very blessed to have Derek in the role hes in.

The Saints affiliation? It was a bright spot in an otherwise unfulfilling 2020. I spent a lot of time working with (Saints owner) Marv Goldklang and his group to try to make this happen. It doesnt happen without (Twins owner) Jim Pohlads unabashed support and desire to make it happen. Were thrilled. We think its a great thing for us from a baseball operations perspective and the development of our players. I think its an even better thing for the brand of baseball the Twins and Saints combining for the future of baseball in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.

Nothing is changing in terms of the way the Saints have operated. The Twins will have a minority ownership stake but we have said from the start: We have zero desire to change the way the Saints are run. Were going to provide the players. Were going to provide the manager and coaches. But the Saints are going to be the Saints. So whatever role (Saints co-owner) Mike Veeck wants, Mike Veeck is going to have. Mike has been great. He has been very open-minded. We talked about this transaction with Mike. It was important to the Twins that Mike felt good about it. Ive admired Mike Veeck. Mike Veeck, in my mind, is a Hall of Fame executive. Hes not afraid to try new things. Hes not afraid to remind us that too often in professional sports we take things a tad too seriously.

Its going to be exciting to see some of our top prospects on the diamond for the Saints each and every year. What Im really excited about is Saints fans ultimately will develop an emotional connection to some of those players. And some of those fans will follow those players to Target Field when they make their debut for the Twins. And thats the type of thing that, over the long term, is going to serve both franchises very well.

I think both franchises can learn from each other. My gut tells me there probably will be more Saints influence on the Twins (with promotions) than Twins influence on the Saints. The pig is always welcome to make a pregame visit to Target Field. I know our fans would love to engage with the nun or maybe haircuts or maybe some of those things that have happened at CHS Field and (before that) Midway Stadium. Make no mistake, there will be collaboration, and I think there will be some surprises in store at both ballparks that pay off in this partnership.

Toby Gardenhire (former Twins manager Ron Gardenhires son) was our manager in Rochester (with the Twins AAA affiliate). We have not finalized our slate of minor-league managers and coaches for 2021. We love Toby. We think Toby has done a great job for us at the minor-league level. We know he has a bright future. Hes really well thought of by our front office. I like his chances to be somewhere in our system, and that very well could be in St. Paul.

Our reaction if Toby said hed like to have his dad as a coach? Ron Gardenhire is going to have a lot of options to get engaged in the game if he wants to. Wed certainly have that conversation. We love Gardy. He is as good a person as youre ever going to find. I know hes taking some time off. All I can say is, whether hes a third-base coach or first-base coach in the minor leagues, the Twins certainly have an interest in finding a way to ensure Ron Gardenhire always feels a part of our organization.

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Twins CEO Dave St. Peter on surviving 2020, the St. Paul Saints and the Gardenhires, father and son - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

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Capitol breached as objections heard over Electoral College votes – Rome Sentinel

Posted: at 5:43 am

WASHINGTON Lawmakers were evacuated from the U.S. Capitol after protesters breached security and entered the building.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other senators were led out, escorted by staff and police on Wednesday afternoon. Members of the House were also evacuated. Both chambers had been debating the certification of Joe Bidens victory in the Electoral College.

Protesters could be seen marching through the Capitols Statuary Hall shouting and waving Trump banners and American flags. Although some who broke into the Capitol carried Trump flags, it is not known which of them were Trump supporters or outside instigators.

After the Capitol was breached, President Donald Trump called out the National Guard and state and federal police. Trump released a video message that said This is a fraudulent election but you cannot play into the hands of these people. He told demonstrators, Go home and go home in peace.

The Pentagon said about 1,100 District of Columbia National Guard members were being mobilized to help support law enforcement at the Capitol.

Earlier, during the joint session in the House Chamber, Vice President Mike Pence presided. Republican lawmakers mounted their first official challenge to Joe Bidens presidential election win Wednesday, objecting to state results from Arizona.

House Republican lawmakers object to the electoral votes in six states Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. All the states have certified their results as fair and accurate, but the plan was to challenge election results in states where procedures conflicted with requirements of the U.S. Constitution.

In the House, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, flanked by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, rose to object. The objection forced debate in the House and Senate individually, sending lawmakers away to separate deliberations.

The effort is all but certain to fail, defeated by bipartisan majorities in Congress prepared to accept the November results. Biden, who won the Electoral College 306-232, would be inaugurated Jan. 20.

Trump vowed he would never concede and urged the crowd to march to the Capitol where hundreds had already gathered under tight security. But Trump supported a peaceful protest and did not encourage a breach of the building.

Biden won Arizona by more than 10,000 votes, and eight lawsuits challenging the results have failed for procedural reasons. The states Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of an election challenge.

While other vice presidents, including Al Gore and Richard Nixon, also presided over their own defeats, Pence supports those Republican lawmakers mounting challenges to the 2020 outcome.

Its not the first time lawmakers have challenged results. Democrats did so in 2017 and 2005.

The group led by Cruz vowed to object unless Congress agrees to form a commission to investigate the election, but that seems unlikely.

Those with Cruz are Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

Cruz insisted his aim was not to set aside the election but to investigate the claims of voting problems.

AP stories contributed to this report.

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Capitol breached as objections heard over Electoral College votes - Rome Sentinel

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