FIGHT ISLAND It's 2003 and backyard fights are one of the most watchable things on the internet, providing you're into barbaric, skull-cracking violence, like me.

A fresh-faced Jorge Masvidal had been training at the same Florida gym as the late Kimbo Slice, a barrel-chested brawler who was as bald as he was beardy, and who had been developing a cult hero status because of his knockout prowess in underground bouts.

Masvidal, an unknown entity even at a local level, received a call to see if he was interested in competing bareknuckle. He remembers ordering a McDonald's at the drive-thru when his phone rang at the time.

"Hell yeah," he said. "Damn right. Let's do it." Masvidal was always down to scrap.

One week later the teenager was trading blows with a mid-20s Miami bouncer called Reynoldo Fuentes, who had already knocked one guy out cold in Kimbo's backyard earlier that day.

Masvidal proved to be a far greater challenge, ESPN reported, as Fuentes lost.

Dressed in baggy jean shorts, Nike sneakers, and with long and thick hair tied behind his head in a ponytail, a shirtless Masvidal went to work on Fuentes.

He left his exhausted opponent needing two men to help him walk after it was called off, before slumping to the floor, beaten, with a concerned Kimbo watching on.

Kimbo, though, was so entertained he demanded to see a rematch a couple of months later.

Fuentes, known as "Rey," received $500 for the do-over, one he wanted to win so bad he had a "structured" fight camp as if it were an organized, sanctioned event, according to the UFC.

Masvidal, in contrast, had no stable income. He lived on his own, and with ready-cash hard to come by, he was sometimes forced to sleep in his car which he parked in the lot of Kimbo's gym, ESPN said.

A teenage, street-fighting Masvidal. Photos by Jorge Masvidal / YouTube

"It was a tough, soul-searching moment," Masvidal said on his YouTube channel. "It wasn't easy. There were no time limits on that, so we were just going. His shots were a little heavier than mine, especially back then at that time."

The structured camp Rey endured was obvious to Masvidal, who noticed he was tougher when taking shots to the body. Rey also floored Masvidal with a heavy straight right punch to the jaw. "Oh man, my head was spinning," Masvidal said. "And this f------ gorilla was still coming at me."

Though Rey knocked Masvidal down in the rematch, he couldn't knock him out and failed to keep up with the pace set by Masvidal, who varied his punch selection throughout the bout. Rey lost once again, this time with his hands on his knees, unwilling or just physically unable to go on.

Little did Rey know, but Kimbo had been interested in Masvidal for a while, identifying him from his gym as a potentially exceptional young striking talent.

Almost two decades later, after far surpassing Kimbo's fame level, Masvidal has once again taken a fight on a week's notice.

The stakes, this time, are much higher.

If victorious, Masvidal will wrest the UFC welterweight championship belt away from current ruler Kamaru Usman's waist, adding it to the "Baddest Mother F-----" belt he won after beating Nate Diaz, last year.

Masvidal enjoyed a breakout 2019 in which he was thrust from the consciousnesses of hardcore combat audiences and placed in front of the broader sports fan.

A title triumph at UFC 251 on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi this weekend would amplify Masvidal's crossover appeal so much, he may coax Conor McGregor out of the Dubliner's abrupt retirement, a retirement few in the industry seem to believe anyway.

Coronavirus-induced chaos has marooned multiple athletes from "Fight Island" this weekend, so it's a good job Masvidal, a man also known as "Street Jesus," washed ashore with much acclaim to save the show and, in words he would likely use, "baptize a fool."

Event staff disinfects a UFC Octagon next to Bruce Buffer getting ready to announce a fight. Photo by Getty Images

COVID-19 threatened to dilute the quality of UFC's signature summer showcase to the world, a four-event residency in a 25 square kilometer region on Yas Island which is quarantined from the rest of Abu Dhabi.

The greatest event is Saturday's pay-per-view, UFC 251, which features three championship fights and many other significant showdowns.

Throughout the pandemic era in sports, one name or, rather, one acronym has stood above the rest in the wild west of combat sports landscapes.

After a three-month hiatus, the UFC returned to operations mid-May in Jacksonville, Florida, a month before Top Rank boxing restarted its own gig in Las Vegas, with around a third and sometimes as low as a quarter of the viewing figures which MMA's market-leader has been enjoying.

UFC continues to fine-tune how it navigates the prospect of live events behind-closed-doors, but no matter how much planning the company puts into health, safety, and card construction, nobody can predict who or how many athletes will test positive for the novel coronavirus.

Just ask Gilbert Burns, a 33-year-old ground game expert from Brazil, who has already excelled in one pandemic show so far one in which he tested negative for the coronavirus throughout. But he is now positive, and he is not alone.

Burns out-pointed the former welterweight champ, Tyron Woodley, on May 30 and was given the nod to take on Usman at "Fight Island."

But on Saturday, July 4, MMA Fighting reported that Burns tested positive for the coronavirus. Burns would not fly to "Fight Island," and the UFC's main event was in jeopardy.

Within hours, though, the UFC entered negotiations with Masvidal as decision-makers sought to save the company's marquee month of the year.

One day later, a deal was struck. Shortly after that, Masvidal tested negative for the coronavirus and so his representatives, First Round Management, could make plans to get their client from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi by private jet.

Jorge Masvidal finally got a UFC title shot after 48 fights in MMA.

Though it was not the UFC's first choice for a "Fight Island" main event, an Usman-Masvidal match is the most significant pairing of fighters since Justin Gaethje upset Tony Ferguson in a dominant lightweight thriller, May 9.

UFC 249's main event two months ago showcased two of the very best athletes not only in the 155-pound weight class but in all MMA.

UFC 251, like the 249 event, showcases two of the very best athletes in a division, this time at welterweight. And both feature prominently in Insider's list of the 15 best MMA fighters today.

It rarely gets bigger, better, or badder not when a "Bad Mother F-----" is involved.

Some athletes enter the UFC with collegiate-wrestling backgrounds in America, with great ground game foundations in Brazil, or with a striking pedigree from Europe.

Being a bonafide badass may well be Masvidal's base style as street-fighting has been in his DNA since childhood when he roamed West Miami neighborhoods getting into rucks.

Jorge Masvidal knocked a guy out in front of Hugh Hefner. Photos by Getty Images

"I don't know how many heads I cracked," he said to Fightland of his developmental years as a child from 7 to 14. Armed with a knife, one kid even tried to mug him, he said.

But being known for cramming his knuckles into a random thug's mouth was not something he wanted as a reputation. He wanted to be a boxer, a wrestler. And when he found MMA, he realized he could be both.

Masvidal earned an $18,000 check for knocking someone out in front of Hugh Hefner.

It's 2007 and Masvidal finds himself in another man's backyard, punching another opponent in the face for the entertainment of an exclusive audience.

But this fight wasn't organized by Kimbo, and this wasn't underground.

This was a legitimate MMA operation called Strikeforce, promoted by eventual Bellator MMA boss Scott Coker, and this was the first cagefighting event held at the $200 million Playboy mansion in Beverly Hills.

Strikeforce had only held seven events at that point, and Coker viewed the opportunity as a no-brainer as it would see his brand placed alongside Playboy's.

"Hugh Hefner represented pop culture in a way that no else could," Coker later told Uproxx.

Tickets sold for a thousand bucks a pop, and one writer observed plenty of scantily-clad Playboy bunnies at cageside.

Masvidal walked into the cage at 10:11 p.m. armed with good-form having won five in a row.

One minute and 33 seconds after the opening bell, he left that same cage with another win this one was devastating.

Matt Lee, a lightweight, barely knew what hit him as Masvidal attacked him with his knees and elbows. It was not long before Lee wilted, falling half-beaten on the canvas.

Masvidal forced the referee to separate the pair after dispatching an avalanche of fists. Game over.

Who knows how inspiring it was for Masvidal to win, in style, at the Playboy mansion while Hefner sat a dozen feet away, wearing silk pajamas underneath a burgundy smoking jacket, clapping and smiling with his blonde girlfriends.

Fight night is a Versace robe night if you're Jorge Masvidal. Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

But 13 years later, many months after he had knocked out Darren Till, scored a 5-second highlight-reel KO over Ben Askren, and made Nate Diaz bleed in the "BMF" bout, Masvidal, at the height of his popularity, watched Conor McGregor destroy Donald Cerrone in January sporting his own bedroom style a black Versace robe.

Earlier this week, he boarded a private jet wearing a bright, Miami pink Versace robe, and looked relaxed while heading for Abu Dhabi to take on Usman, his greatest challenge to date.

While Masvidal may have been training for an opportunity like this, to step-in at late notice during a time in which the coronavirus can scupper a bout at any time, Usman will have been training only for Burns a jiu-jitsu specialist.

As Masvidal is a multi-dimensional striker with good wrestling, he is a significantly different style match-up for Usman than Burns was.

Usman is unbeaten in a five-year stretch with the UFC, a time in which he has scalped some of the top names in the division including Leon Edwards, Demian Maia, Rafael dos Anjos, Tyron Woodley, and Colby Covington.

Beating "The Nigerian Nightmare" would punctuate an unconventional career for Masvidal, and could well earn him a mega-money payday against Conor McGregor, should the Irishman return to the sport once again.

That the welterweight title would be on the line, and McGregor would be gunning for a championship belt in a third weight class, could be enough to coax him into the cage and it's something Masvidal told us he wants, too.

Masvidal would relish defending a title against McGregor, and he even told us earlier in the year that he'd happily put his "Baddest Mother F----" belt on the line, providing McGregor put something in the pot, too like a stake in Proper no. Twelve.

"If I put my [BMF] belt up, someone has to put something else up. Cash, money. Something that makes sense to me," Masvidal told Insider.

We piqued Masvidal's interest when we mentioned McGregor could offer shares in one of his companies, like his whiskey brand.

"If the company is worth any money, we can do something," he said.

McGregor may well be keen, telling the Las Vegas media ahead of his sole bout this year a UFC 246 smash-and-grab win over Donald Cerrone in January that he "would like that BMF title."

McGregor coined the phrase "red panty night," which is something the Dubliner says each of his opponents enjoys when they learn they've hit the jackpot a fight with him.

"You ring back home, you ring your wife, 'Baby, we've done it. We're rich, baby. Conor McGregor made us rich, break out the red panties'," McGregor said to Rafael dos Anjos at the "Go Big" press conference in 2015.

If Masvidal defeats Usman, which no man has yet done in the UFC, and you add a legacy-defining victory to the Floridian's escalating fame, a McGregor match would be a red panty night.

But it would likely be a Versace robe night, too.

Read more:

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Read more:
Jorge Masvidal is one win from immortality and a Conor McGregor payday - Insider - INSIDER

VANCOUVER -- Perhaps unsurprisingly, research suggests people are more likely to pass on their possessions when facing death, but a study out of B.C. suggests one of the reasons may be attaining a type of immortality.

Research conducted by the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business suggests some see what they're calling "transcendence" as a motivator to make donations before they die.

"It sounds dramatic, but it's the idea that you can live on longer, symbolically through something else," professor Katherine White said in a news release.

White co-authored the study which suggested people are 30 per cent more likely to donate when facing their own mortality with UBC professor Darrren Dah and the University of Washington's Lea Dunn.

"If a product or a possession is somehow linked to your identity and you pass that on to others, it could potentially have this ability to transcend the self," White said.

The experiment involved asking participants to come to a lab with a book in hand that they might consider giving away. About 500 participants were divided into two groups, and one group was given a task meant to make them think about their own deaths, UBC said.

The other was told just to think about an average day.

They were later asked whether they'd donate the book they brought to a charity, and some were also asked if they wanted to write an inscription inside.

Researchers were not present when participants made the decision, in an effort to prevent any pressure to donate.

White says those in the group thinking about their deaths were more than 30 per cent more likely to give away the book, but only when they were not under the impression that it would be broken or recycled.

Dahl explained the effect using the example of a car. If the car is scrapped for parts, "the specialness of it, and the fact that it represents you, is broken up, and you're not a whole entity sticking around."

Though the study was initiated years before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dahl says the novel coronavirus has made the public even more aware of how fragile life is.

The researchers say that as a result, more people are thinking about what they call "symbolic immortality" and what happens to their things when they die.

See the rest here:
Donating possessions before death treated by some as a way to attain immortality: UBC study - CTV News

Liverpool's win over Aston Villa on Sunday pushed the club's point total to 89 with five matches remaining. Immortality, going down as the team to finish with the most points in a single Premier League campaign (and they used to play 42 matches!) is now well and truly on the table.

Already, Liverpool's total of 89 points has pushed them past the following all-timers:

Those are some of the finest teams in league history, and Jurgen Klopp's side have already surpassed them with five games to spare. The next goal insight: Man City's Centurions.

City racked up 100 points during the 2017/18 campaign. With five matches left to play, this Liverpool side could end the season with an almost unfathomable 104 points.

After a rocky return to play -- the game that shall not be discussed in Manchester, the plodding performances against Everton and Villa -- it remains an open question whether or not Klopp's side will match or exceed City's record-breakers.

So we asked our writers: Will Liverpool break the record?

Kristian Walsh: I genuinely cant work out Brighton. Are they good? Are they bad? I really like Neal Maupay, and not just because he absolutely fronted Arsenals faux fume after accidentally injuring Bernd Leno. He takes a lot of shots, and Im all for a striker who takes a lot of shots -- providing theyre in decent areas (and judging by his xG, they are).

A lot will depend on Liverpool however, and I think that will be a recurring theme throughout. If Liverpool are motivated, and if Liverpool play their regular game, then they should. Brighton are better than their position suggests -- or so the underlying numbers tell us -- but a team with three or four changes still scrapes through. Liverpool win 2-1.

Joel Rabinowitz: I suspect this one might be a fair bit trickier than many many expect. Brighton are a better side than their league position would suggest, and their expected points total places them somewhere in between Arsenal and Tottenham, as opposed to the teams scrapping for relegation below them. They also made things really quite difficult for Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season, and it required two Van Dijk headers from set pieces to break them down.

All that said, I think Liverpool will have enough to get the three points, but I fully expect theyll be made to work hard for it. Liverpool win 1-0

Dan Morgan: I think this game will come down a lot to team selection, and I expect Liverpool to be strong. There is an argument that Klopp picked his Aston Villa team with his Brighton team in mind, and therefore I expect to see more control in midfield areas especially.

Brighton were strong and well setup when they came to Anfield, but their situation is different now. I think theyll take more risks against this Liverpool side and therefore could be opened up if Liverpool are firing. All that said, Im going for a Liverpool win, and of course Bobby will score away. Liverpool win 3-1

Ollie Connolly: Im with Joel. I think this will be a tough game, particularly with the manager likely to rotate the side. The most notable element of Liverpools post-pause play has been the lack of rhythm when the main first Xi is not in the lineup. Chopping and changing -- a Minamino for Firmino here, Keita for Wijnaldum there -- will inevitably distort the tempo we saw during the home game against Crystal Palace. Performances are likely to take on that Aston Villa-vibe, with excellent 10-minutes bursts surrounded by a heaping of blah. Still: I expect a moment of individual brilliance will be enough to pick up three points. Liverpool win 1-0

Josh Williams: I'd be surprised if Liverpool concede. Brighton are averaging roughly 13 shots per goal in the Premier League this season which is worsened by only Norwich City. They aren't very clinical while Liverpool are the opposite, scoring every 7.1 shots. If Klopp fields his first-choice XI, I'd expect his attack to have enough to find the net at least once, although it's worth noting that the absence of one integral player tends to drastically impact the effectiveness of the Reds in the final third. Liverpool win 2-0

David Hughes: Brighton have avoided relegation whilst implementing a new philosophy at the club under Potter, that will represent a decent season for them. Now, with very little to play for, I dont expect them to cause Liverpool too many issues. Theyre winless against any of the current top six this season (D4, L6), failing to score in six of those matches. There was also an obvious lack of ambition in their 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United last week, a game in which they registered just two shots on target. Liverpool win 3-0

KW: Burnley. The only side who can score against Alisson Becker from a corner, with an assist from the wind (ps: it was also a foul). Actually, Ive just realised weve been saying Alisson hasnt conceded a goal from outside the box in the league since joining Liverpool. Does this not count? Im very confused.

It doesnt happen this time anyway. Klopp plays the same team he did against Aston Villa, it toils for 60, and then the subs change it against the tiring visitors. Again. It wont be pretty. Liverpool win 1-0.

JR: With it being at Anfield and Burnley not really having much to play for at this point, this is probably Liverpools most favourable remaining fixture. That isnt to say Burnley cant put up a decent fight and pose some degree of threat from set piece situations, but Liverpool shouldnt (in theory) have too many problems getting the job done here. Theyll really want to keep that 100% Anfield record going, too. Liverpool win 3-0

DM: Hello darkness my old friend. No matter how good a champion you are, or how bad a season theyve had, theres always something about Burnley visiting which makes your stomach knot. Last season was one of the strangest in living memory with tornado conditions, clearly obstructive goals standing and an Adam Lallana cameo nobody saw coming.

It will be a trickier game than many anticipate, and team selection will be interesting if not crucial. All that said: Liverpool win 2-0

OC: There is a case to be made both ways: Burnley, the bastion of consistency, could turn up looking to muck things up. If Liverpools concentration wains or Jurgen Klopp rotates, theres the formula for a dull draw or a sneaky upset. But at some point, this Burnley side is going to be running on fumes. Theyve been unable to properly rotate given the financial/management difficulties at the club. Being asked to play three matches a week with a squad of only 15 real first-teamers is damn near impossible. Even if Liverpool arent all the way up for this one, I think they cruise to a win. Liverpool win 4-0

JW: Burnley have a knack for securing results despite performing to a relatively average standard in most contents, but they usually need a clean sheet to do so. Keeping Liverpool quiet will be tough and on the attacking side of the game, all but one of the goals that Dyche's team have scored since the restart have derived from set-pieces. The Reds are highly capable when defending corners and freekicks, and Burnley's aerial raid doesn't usually work that well against Liverpool largely due to the dominance of Virgil van Dijk. I can't see the Clarets scoring, but I reckon Klopp's men will have enough - especially at Anfield - to bag at least one themselves. Liverpool win 2-0

DH: Its probably gone under the radar for most, but Burnely are decent again. At the time of writing, they have lost just one of their previous 11 Premier League matches and have an outside shot of securing European football next season. They dont tend to do well against the leagues best on the road though, and you dont face much better than Liverpool at Anfield. They have lost six of their eight away matches vs sides in the top ten and conceded two or more goals in six of those games too. Therefore I anticipate if Liverpool get one, then the floodgates will open. Liverpool win 4-0

KW: Im just imagining the alternate scenario I concocted in my head around February time. Liverpool, champions, and 35 games without a league defeat, head to the home of the Invincibles -- well, sort of, they actually achieved that at Highbury -- in a face-off which would have Sky Sports going montage crazy.

But then, you know. Watford. COVID-19. So Liverpool play out a 1-1 draw to a bunch of red seats, leading to people asking if Arsenal can challenge under Mikel Arteta next season (spoiler: they cant). 1-1 draw

JR: The rational side of me says Liverpool should absolutely be able to go to the Emirates and win, because theyre a far, far superior side to Arsenal in every single department. Theres a very good reason why there are 40 points separating the two sides, after all.

However, for some reason, I have a feeling this might be a bit of a banana skin. After their dismal start to the restart, Arsenal have been much improved over the past few games and looked uncharacteristically resolute in their impressive away victory against Wolves at Molineux.

As much as deep structural issues remain throughout the side, they do still possess genuine quality up front capable of causing almost any team problems if they click, and while theyve only won 12 games from 33 in the league so far this season, they dont actually lose as often as youd think (especially at home). So, as pessimistic as it might sound, Im going for a point here. 2-2 draw

DM: This is interesting for the simple reason of Arsenals performance at Wolves. A 2-0 win away to Nuno Espirito Santos men should not be scoffed at, nor should Mikel Artetas switch to a 3-4-3 shape, with Eddie Nketiah central, Bukayo Saka right and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang right of a front three.

Should he keep that shape, it will either cause Liverpool a raft of problems on turnovers or leave the home side wide open when the Reds retrieve the ball. I have a feeling it might be the latter. In my opinion, if Liverpool score one, Arsenal will implode. Liverpool win 4-0

OC: The start of a tricky double-header. The two questions for me: Will Klopp play his strongest XI in both the Arsenal game and the Chelsea one that follows? Do Arsenal have something tangible to play for? I think the answers are yes and yes.

Arsenals forward line is concerning. Liverpool have been off-the-boil defensively since the restart. Theyve been consistently overwhelmed in the middle of the pitch and have struggled with individuals straying out of position, most notably in transition -- Everton, Man City, Aston Villa. Thats where Arsenal can be ruthless.

With that said, Mikel Artetas team have some almighty defensive challenges of their own. A back-and-forth game would favour Liverpool. Liverpool win 3-1

JW: This one could be tricky. Arteta seems very smart but what will he demand from his players on the day? A high defensive line? Playing out from the back? If so, Liverpool are likely to benefit considering the error-prone defenders that are contracted to Arsenal. The Gunners tend to give away gifts to opposing players close to goal. In attack, Arsenal are surprisingly quiet with Norwich City and Aston Villa averaging more shots per 90 this season, but they do have great quality when it comes to finishing. Liverpool's uninspired performances of late still offer enough to beat most opponents, but Arsenal have enough to punish the Reds if they turn up to the Emirates with the wrong attitude. A lot will be determined by which team scores first in this one. 1-1 draw

DH: Arteta may be early into his tenure as Arsenal boss, but he is already learning some valuable lessons that are paying dividends on the pitch. One of which is protecting the erratic David Luiz with not one but two additional centre-backs. The teams switch to a 3-4-3 after the Brighton defeat looks to be boosting their capacity at both ends of the pitch in recent weeks. They still have a long way to go, but with European places still to play for, I am expecting this one to be tough for the Reds. Draw 2-2

KW: So I make that 96 points with two to play. Eeeeesh. And there will also be the added incentive of Liverpool lifting the Premier League trophy (as Dan mentions) as well as completing the 19-game set. Liverpool are not NOT winning this one. Thats it. Thats my analysis. Liverpool win 2-1.

JR: Chelsea are a mad team under Frank Lampard. Theyve got it in them to beat Manchester City, then theyll go and lose to West Ham the following game, before comfortably dispatching Watford. You just dont know which version will turn up on any given occasion.

If, by the time this one rolls around, Liverpool have beaten Burnley, then theyll be on the brink of becoming the first team in Premier League history to win all 19 home games in a season. That will simultaneously serve as an enormous incentive for Liverpool, but you can imagine Chelsea would absolutely love to be the ones to stop them doing it right at the death. Hopefully my prediction proves to be wrong, but I have a sneaking feeling they might succeed in doing just that. 1-1 draw

DM: Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy, Liverpool are lifting the Premier League trophy. Liverpool win 2-1

OC:I consider myself the Generalissimo of the Frank-Lampard-is-a-fraudulent-manager support group, but Lampards side has had some undeniably impressive performances against big clubs this season. While they lack the consistency to sustain at a high level, theyre capable of brilliant one-off displays. There's just something about Chelsea at Anfield, you know. Liverpool losing their unbeaten home record and then raising the title would feel wrong, so I'll plump for an up-and-down score draw. 1-1 draw

JW: Liverpool have faced Chelsea three times already this season, struggling performance-wise every time. The first meeting in the Premier League was decided by the set-piece expertise of Klopp's outfit, with both goals coming from freekicks in a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are vulnerable from those situations, with Frank Lampard stating recently that the solution lies with signing 'taller players'. Chelsea are difficult to outplay and they have enough to prevent and hurt Liverpool on their day, especially considering they are still fighting for something meaningful this season. It's Liverpool's final match of the season at Anfield, but it could be the first one that doesn't result in three points being secured. 1-1 draw

DH: This game is by far the hardest to call. With the title in touching distance - literally, its unclear what the psyche of the Liverpool players will be. They put on a show vs Crystal Palace on the eve of their title confirmation at Anfield two weeks ago, and they could well repeat that here. However, should their interest waiver to events after the final whilst, then Chelsea could be the side to ruin their perfect Premier League home record (providing its still intact). All three meetings between the two this season have been settled by fine margins, I expect the same here. Liverpool 2-1

KW: Based on the underlying numbers, Newcastle should be bottom. The fact they sit in mid-table, safe from relegation, is an absolute miracle; one in the eye of all us data boys and girls (although it will bite them terribly next season if they dont splurge 500million if/when the takeover happens). Even since the restart, they are scoring more than they would be expected to, and conceding fewer.

But I just think one last lap will be harder than any of us might imagine. It will be the sixth game in 21 days after a prolonged three-month absence from competitive football. You would imagine Arsenal and Chelsea would be relatively high intensity games, and Newcastle have a few extra days off.

It is going to be a coin flip. 0-0 draw and Liverpool end exactly on 100 points.

JR: St James Park is very rarely an easy place to go, and on the sly Newcastle have been one of the standout teams in the league since the restart, producing a handful of really impressive performances and results (albeit against relatively low quality opposition).

The final day of the season can often produced the unexpected, but if Liverpool have the 100-point mark in their sights by this point, I think theyll give absolutely everything they have to at least equal Citys record and end this historic season with a flourish, even if they cant quite beat it, which would still represent a phenomenal achievement. Liverpool win 4-1 and end on exactly 100 points.

DM: Its after the Lord Mayors show slightly, and lets not forget Newcastle United are not a bad side. The Arsenal and Chelsea dates mean that the likelihood is well be stringent in selection in those games which could lead to mass changes here. It wont finish on a complete low, but I can see this as the only game in which we drop points. Liverpool draw 1-1 and end on exactly 102 points.

OC: By this point, I project Klopp will be happy to cede to a near-complete rotation of the starting XI. If ever there was time to give a full 90 minutes to the likes of Curtis Jones, Kai-Jana Hoever, and Harvey Elliott, it's in a dead rubber at the end of the season against a solid if unspectacular Newcastle team. Rotating would allow Klopp to give a little bit more rest to the key starters ahead of what will be a rapid turn around time before next season. Ideally, the rotation breaths a bit of life into a side that should/might/could be coming off the Arsenal-Chelsea double-header and having raised the trophy at Anfield. A Keita-Minamino double sends Liverpool into next season on a high. Liverpool win 2-1 and end on exactly 102 points.

JW: It's reasonable to suggest that this clash won't be the most competitive considering Newcastle are likely to be positioned in midtable. The Toon have defied logic this season, as their performances simply haven't aligned with their results. Steve Bruce has managed to refine a playing style that largely involves being dominated while retaining a notable threat on the break thanks to the qualities of Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron to name but two of the speedy attackers for the Magpies. If Liverpool manage counterattacks and set-pieces, United are unlikely to score, but the Reds will have to find a way through the lowest of blocks. This could be a boring 1-0 but depending on the focus of Bruce's team, it could very easily become a 4-0 drubbing. Liverpool win 2-0 and end on exactly 100 points.

DH: After disliking Newcastle for almost the entirety of the season, I have to hold my hands up and say they have earned my respect. All the underlying numbers point to them being one of the worst sides in the league, but then mind you, they also rank Man City as the best! Ultimately though, Newcastle have done a good job of honing in on their few strengths and grinding out some big results. Theyll likely sit back and frustrate Liverpool (and everyone watching) for 90 minutes whilst trying to get something on the break. Or they may fancy their chances from a set-piece - at the time of writing, they have scored as many set-piece goals as Liverpool with 12, which is impressive. But I suspect Liverpool may want to finish with a bang here and I back them to do it. Liverpool 3-1 and end on exactly 102 points.

See the original post here:
Liverpool are five games from immortality, but there are six special ways to achieve it - Liverpool.com

Newswise New research from the UBC Sauder School of Business shows that people are 30 per cent more likely to donate their assets when faced with their own mortality.

The study examines how people respond to "mortality salience" -- that is, the uniquely human awareness that they're going to die.

Earlier studies have shown that some people console themselves by acquiring more material possessions -- in other words, they subscribe to the notion that "He who dies with the most toys wins."

But the new research shows that people can also express a desire to pass important possessions on to others, because it gives them a kind of immortality the researchers call "transcendence."

"It sounds dramatic, but it's the idea that you can live on longer, symbolically through something else," says study co-author and UBC Sauder Professor Katherine White, who co-authored the study with UBC Sauder Professor Darren Dahl and Lea Dunn, assistant professor of marketing at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. "So, if a product or a possession is somehow linked to your identity and you pass that on to others, it could potentially have this ability to transcend the self."

The researchers first launched the study several years ago, long before the threat of COVID-19 had people more closely considering their mortality, and updating wills and planning estates.

"For many people, that mortality salience is much higher now, for better or for worse. People are just more aware of how fragile life can be," says Dahl. As a result, adds White, more people are likely thinking about the idea of symbolic immortality and where their possessions will go when they pass on.

To conduct the experiment, 512 participants were asked to arrive at the lab with a book they might consider giving away. One group was then given a task that made them contemplate their deaths, while the other considered what their typical day was like.

Later, participants were asked if they wanted to donate their book to charity; some were also offered the chance to write an inscription in the book and sign it, making the offering more personal. No researchers were present when participants made their decision to ensure there was no pressure to donate.

"The people who had contemplated their death were more than 30 per cent more likely to give away the product -- particularly when they had connected it to themselves," says White.

"They're much more likely to donate it after they have somehow connected it to their identity."

However, the effect goes away if the item may be broken up or recycled, thereby losing its perceived potential for transcendence.

"Let's say you're passing on a car or a motorcycle. If it's broken up into pieces and sold off as parts, it's not the same as if your specific car or your specific product was left to endure," says Dahl. "The specialness of it, and the fact that it represents you, is broken up, and you're not a whole entity sticking around."

The effect also didn't work on people who had already satisfied that desire for transcendence through other channels.

White says the findings could be helpful to charitable organizations looking for people to donate a portion of their estates. "Anything they can do to connect the self to something that's more lasting will help," says White. "So, it could be something like a plaque or a mural or a somewhat permanently displayed list of donors -- just a tangible representation of the self that's going to continue to exist."

Companies can also use transcendence as a selling point by marketing products as having high emotional value or being precious and irreplaceable family heirlooms.

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New study reveals people more likely to donate when reminded of own mortality - Newswise

If you grew up in the 90s, lazy summer weekdays often consisted of the big three: The Price is Right, Unsolved Mysteries reruns on Lifetime, and Supermarket Sweep. 30 years later, The Price is Right is still going strong, Netflix revived Unsolved Mysteries, and a new Leslie Jones-hosted version of Supermarket Sweep is scheduled to premiere this fall on ABC.

The lesson? Never underestimate the intoxicating allure of nostalgia. If youre looking to revisit the campy fun of a classic 90s game show, youll be elated to discover that vintage episodes of Supermarket Sweep are now streaming on Netflix!

Earlier this week, 15 episodes of Supermarket Sweep premiered on the streaming giant. Originally airing from 1965 to 1967 on ABC, the series was later revived, airing on both Lifetime and PAX TV in the 90s and early aughts. The assortment of episodes added to Netflix are from the David Ruprecht era of the show and feature an array of contestants from various seasons.

Part quiz show part madcap dash through a supermarket, the popular series featured three teams competing for cash, a chance to win an additional $5,000 in a Bonus Sweep, and most importantly, supermarket game show immortality.

Okay, maybe $5,000 is more important than supermarket immortality.

If you dont have Netflix, classic episodes of Supermarket Sweep are also available to stream on Prime Video and YouTube.

Where to stream Supermarket Sweep

Original post:
Go Wild In The Aisles! Classic Episodes of 'Supermarket Sweep' Are Now on Netflix - Decider

Ben Folds writes songs that twirl humor and misery together like flavors in a soft-serve cone. He never seems to take the easy way.

He named his 1990s alternative rock band Ben Folds Five, though it had just three members, a stroke of perversity questioned by every music journalist who interviewed him along the road to fame. And he put the piano, an instrument he plays with the intensity and grace of a Sumo wrestler, at the center of his trio, forcing him to drag a baby grand to gigs.

A solo artist since 2001, Mr. Folds, 53, also likes wrestling with real estate. After making vast improvements to an 8,700-square-foot three-story Victorian at 521 Warren Street in upstate Hudson, N.Y., that has been his home and creative refuge for the last four years, he put the rejuvenated building on the market this week for $2.8 million. Nicole Vidor is the listing broker.

Speaking from Sydney, Australia where he has been living since March, when the pandemic shut down his concert tour, Mr. Folds said he has a soft heart for big, needy properties.

I get emotional, he said. I feel bad for the building.

In 2014, he spearheaded the drive to save RCA Studio A in Nashville from demolition. The recording studio, which he leased as a work space for a decade and a half, was where country legends sealed their immortality. (Dolly Parton recorded Jolene there, to give one meager example.) It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Then, in 2015, his friend the musician and performance artist Amanda Palmer tipped him off to the 1890s brick building on the main drag in Hudson. Originally a department store that sold dresses with bustles, it had later lives as a karate studio, an antiques shop and a rock music club called Straybar, and later, Jasons Upstairs Bar. Among its former residents were two members of the New Wave band Human Sexual Response, who opened a puppet theater there in the aughts and put on shows with titles like The Joy of Cooking Children (a latter-day Hansel and Gretel).

Mr. Folds and his wife, Emma Sandall, a dancer, paid $1,181,740 for the property, but soon discovered that it had been traumatized by the removal of a central staircase. Working with Peggy Anderson, who owns a local design-build firm, they invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the structure. The hardwood floors no longer produce a single creak or groan. You cant roll marbles around anymore, Mr. Folds said.

The couple also spent heavily on elegant finishes and fixtures. (Mr. Folds estimated the total renovation costs at close to $2 million.) The building became a live-work layer cake, where each layer measures about 3,000 square feet.

Much of its commercial base is leased to a boutique called Fluff that sells goods made from alpaca wool. A newly built steel front staircase with walnut treads rises from the private street entrance to the second floor, where the couple luxuriate in their vocations.

Ms. Sandalls dance studio is at the north end. It has mirrors, a barre, four antique pendant lamps, a wall of windows overlooking Warren Street and a sliding-glass door that allows light to pour through it (when it is not shrouded by curtains). Should the room ever be repurposed, the floor can be easily pulled up to expose the underlying boards.

Mr. Foldss music studio is at the south end. Given its walnut bookshelves, velvet couch and leather club chair, it could be mistaken for a library (with a Steinway grand piano and various other stringed instruments; and exquisite audio equipment; and stacks of vinyl). Indeed, Mr. Folds wrote his 2019 memoir, A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons here. It was my dream to have an office that looks like Rex Harrisons in My Fair Lady, he said.

Between the two studios is a large social or meeting space the couple call the project room and use in their collaborations with other artists. Its open kitchen includes custom steel cabinetry with walnut counters set against a wall of exposed brick. I didnt want it to sprawl and have a massive refrigerator to look at, Mr. Folds said.

There is also an office that Ms. Sandall, who retired as a ballerina but remains immersed in the field, uses when she writes about dance for magazines, or organizes productions. Another room, with computers and digital printing equipment, is where Mr. Folds practices his photography side hustle (not a feeble one; his work has appeared in National Geographic).

The third level a runway of naturally stained floorboards and glossy bead-board ceilings is purely residential.

In the front is a living room with two antique pianos. Mr. Folds said he hoped to leave behind the 1890s Steinway Model C grand. I love it, he said. I made a lot of records with it, but its the same era as the house, and it looks so good in that room.

The open kitchen, like the one downstairs, is a linear affair, but with cabinets of white oak. An antique cabinet that he found was refinished and topped in marble and is used as an island.

Guests are given an elegantly simple bedroom and bathroom, while the couple rewarded themselves with a vast master suite, the kind where closets are more leap-in than walk-in and no one has to cede the bathroom mirror because there are two. Bathrooms, that is.

The master bedroom is, typically, both spare and lavish, with humble, rough brick and wide proportions. Looking out the window one sees Hudsons Victorian rooftops and the green hills to the south. A pair of distressed doors that were original to the building and relocated from the ground floor can close off the suite.

The couple also designed a retreat at ground level. Behind Fluff, the alpaca store, is a double-height room to which they added a mezzanine and spiral staircase. The walls are accented with Cole and Sonss Woodland paper, an intense floral with echoes of William Morris, and an eight-armed chandelier by Stephen McKay hangs from the ceiling. The original American chestnut staircase that connects this room to the upper private quarters has a railing that was pieced back together from fragments discovered in the basement.

I seem to have a thing for long, rectangular, creative spaces, and we certainly put a lot into this one, Mr. Folds said of the building. But now, he added, he is ready to scale back.

After he completes his interrupted tour, which will take him at least through 2021, he and Ms. Sandall will resettle in a much more compact house they own in the area. For the past three decades, he said, he has vacillated between lording over these massive places and then receding back into small apartments and living a more modular style.

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Ben Folds Puts His Live-Work Sanctuary in Hudson on the Market - The New York Times

PYONGYANG - Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), paid a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the demise of former President Kim Il-sung, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.

The report said Kim, together with other senior officials, paid high tribute to the statues of both leaders, and a floral basket in the name of Kim Jong-un was placed at the statues.

At the immortality halls where the two leaders lie, Kim "paid the highest tribute to them who had ushered in the new history of an independent and powerful country," the report added.

Kim Il-sung, grandfather of Kim Jong-un and the founder of the DPRK, passed away on July 8, 1994, at the age of 82. The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is a building in northeast Pyongyang that serves as the mausoleum for Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong-un.

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DPRK leader visits Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on memorial day of grandfather - Chinadaily USA

The Srimad Bhagvat Maha Purana is one of the 18 great Puranas of Hindu philosophy and Kshir Sagar Manthan (churning of the sea of milk) is one of its best known episodes of it.

After the Devas (gods) were defeated by the Asuras (demons) in a battle for the universe, Lord Vishnu suggested a diplomatic coalition between the two to bring out the coveted Amrit (nectar for immortality). Churning brought out the nectar but a battle ensued between the gods and the demons.

Lord Vishnu took form of an enchanting female "Mohini" and lured away the demons. The gods aided by the Amrit thus became immortals and defeated the demons. But the Churn had also produced "Halahala", the deadly poison. Lord Shiva stepped forward and gulped down the deadly fluid and earned the title of "Neelkanth" (blue throated god).

Among the Hindus, Lord Shiva's act of consuming the vish (poison) is considered as an unsurmountable example of selflessness and sacrifice, narrated by grannies to kids in bedtime stories.

If one goes by the Puranas and granny tales, what signal was the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently handing out while replying to a question about his "failure" to induct more of his loyalists in the state council of ministers?

Chouhan had cryptically said, "Sagar manthan se amrit nikalta hai. Vish to Shiv pee jaate hain (Nectar of immortality is produced when the seas are churned, Lord Shiva drinks up the poison)."

Chouhan is a deeply religious man and knows the Puranas and vedas. So, his analogy can only be interpreted as an admission that he had to accept an expansion of his council, which was dictated and didn't have his stamp of authority.

Earlier on Thursday last week, standing between his newly minted council of ministers, Chauhan had offered muted smiles.

Now, I have watched Chouhan take oath with ministers in 2005, 2008 and 2013. Compared to the last three occasions, the smile on his face had a grudging character to it. And, that's because unlike the last two times, he had not "earned" the chief ministership and ensuing council of ministers. It was rather manufactured and it had a "made by BJP top brass in collaboration with Jyotiraditya Scindia" stamp on it.

The Scindia factor is a party spoiler for Chouhan. The relatively younger Scindia, by bringing crucial numerical support to the state government, has been negotiating directly with the BJPs top brass in Delhi.

No, he is not creating a direct confrontation. But in the current context, he is leaving subtle "pug marks" of his ambition. In Bhopal after the induction ceremony of 28 MLAs to the council of ministers, Rahul Gandhi-confidante-turned BJP man Jyotiraditya Scindia was asked about his "success" in getting 12 ministerial berths for his loyalists as a reward for ditching the Congress and bringing down Kamal Nath.

Scindia signed off his statement to the media teams with a triumphant "Tiger abhi zinda hai" (tiger Is still alive) comment.

Those who have followed politics in the land of tiger reserves-over the last few months discussed Scindia's remarks in adda chats as Chouhan on the day he lost the election in December 2019 had said -- "Tiger abhi zinda hai".

Scindia's "salmanesque" comment may be directed at his past detractors in the Congress but I am sure it must have made Chouhan realise that Scindia is not merely borrowing much his punch lines, rather he may be eying his thunder.

In his earlier terms, Chouhan has displayed deft footwork to edge out competition from the likes of Uma Bharti and Narendra Singh Tomar, now a key minister in Modi cabinet. But Scindia is not like Shivraj challengers in the BJP, or even many other turncoats who joined the party ranks in the past.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia at state cabinet expansion ceremony. (Photo: PTI)

Though leaders in the state BJP unit remain opposed to Scindia, the central leadership is lending its ears to him, and he seems to be making his weight felt in each decision taken in the state.

Fifteen months after the electoral loss, the BJP engineered defections by 22 congress MLAs. While the top brass held negotiated a deal with Scindia, Chauhan had to hang around in Delhi for long durations.

Then on March 10, while Holi celebrations were on, Scindia had his first public meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Home minister Amit shah had personally taken him to the PM's Lok Kalyan Marg home. Shivraj could take oath on 23 March.

Shivraj had to wait till April 21 to induct first five ministers. Two of these were his loyalists while Narottam Mishra emerged as a new power centre in the state BJP. Remaining two were Congress turncoats or Scindia men.

Round-2 of cabinet expansion took place on July 2. That's over 70 days after the first.

Jyotiraditya had bargained hard and managed to grab 14 ministerial berths (12 loyalists and 2 Congress turncoats). Worse, of the remaining 16 who took oath, only a dozen-odd belong to the Chouhan camp. That means in the final 33 member strong council, Shivraj has only 14 loyalists and 14 are Scindia's men.

Now five days after the expansion, Chouhan has not been able to allocate portfolios to his council. Reason -- Scindia wants plum portfolios for his men.

This alters the power equation in the state and BJP matrix for Chouhan. He has three and half years remaining in this term. Scindia is younger and ambitious. He has a large number of men in the council, a Rajya Sabha seat under his belt and is tipped to get a berth in the Union cabinet in an expansion that PM Modi is likely to go for.

He will be in Delhi close to the BJP's top two who seem to have accorded a lot of significance to Scindia. With most of his loyalists from the Gwalior-Chambal belt, he is a regional warlord -- a parallel power centre.

So, Chouhan may have got a fourth term -- but his weight in the state he lorded over once has diminished. In simple words, he is being cut to size.

BJP insiders say that the party leadership may be heating up the race for Shivraj but the leader with royal roots has to pass the bypoll test. The common refrain in MP and BJP circles is that if Scindia succeeds, it may not be all so good news for Chouhan. But here, I add that the BJP is inviting bad news by its actions in not so distant future.

SCINDIA HAS ANOTHER TEST TO PASS

Scindia may have won the round of negotiations. But another with big hurdle looms ahead of him. Twenty-four assembly seats lie vacant. Of these, the congress turncoats would have to get elected to the assembly before six months are over. That is, by the first week of new year 2021.

To prove his mettle in the bjp and emerge as a prospect for tomorrow, Scindia has to bring the 22 or majority of the defectors back to the assembly. If he fails, some ministers may have to quit the council.

The number game in the state assembly is such that there would be more pressure on Scindia to do better than Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Currently, in the 230-member house, the BJP has the backing of 113 MLAs (107 BJP, 3 Independent, 2 BSP, 1 SP). The Congress has 93 MLAs (including 1 independent). There are 24 vacant seats.

The gap between the two formations currently is 20 MLAs.

Hypothetically, it would be a game on only if the Congress wins 22 seats and BJP two. The final tally in the assembly would be BJP+ 115 and Cong+ 115. To dethrone Chouhan, the Congress has to win 23 of the 24 bypoll seats.

The 24 seats for which bypoll would be held are spread over three regions in MP- Gwalior-Chambal, Malwa-Nimar and Bundelkhand. Of the 24 assembly seats, 16 are in Scindia stronghold Gwalior-Chambal region.

Victory at eight seats -- outside the Gwalior Chambal region -- alone will push the BJP tally to 121. The Congress would be out of contention and Chouhan will feel safe. The oft-repeated question in Bhopal now-a-days is, "Will the old tiger who swallowed poison figuratively help the new tiger?"

The task ahead for Scindia gets tougher as majority of the Scindia loyalist MLAs had won in 2018 by defeating the BJP rivals in the Gwalior-Chambal belt. The losing BJP candidates, if denied ticket, would contest as rebels in the bypolls. That would aid the Congress.

Already in MP, the state BJP unit is facing protests by workers in several districts. The party's cadres are agitated over the rise and rise of Scindia and decline of those who have grown in BJP stables.

In Sagar, supporters of BJP MLA Shailendra Jain protested by observing a "jal samadhi" last week. Supporters of BJP MLA Gayatri Raje Pawar in Devas, those of Kailash Vijayvargiya-backed MLA Ramesh Bindola in Indore, and of MLA Yashpal Bhadoria in Mansore have been staging protests after these leaders weren't made ministers.

Uma Bharti has protested the absence of ministers from her Lodh community and Bundelkhand region in the council.

So, the BJP in MP has multiple power centres, cut-to-size chief minister constantly looking over his shoulder, dissent in the ranks and a high-command driving the decisions. A senior old-timer in the BJP quipped, "This is what used to happen in the Congress. The party took away power from Congress and has inherited that party's habits. That's why I will say the Congress culture BJP mein zinda hai (Congress culture is thriving in the BJP)"

BJP EMULATES CONGRESS

Many in the BJP admit that the Congress's yesterday is BJP's today all over again when it comes to dealing with its state warlords. Reacting to the situation Shivraj Chouhan finds himself in, during closed door conversations, leaders indicate that BJP's state-level leadership's dependence on the central leadership has gone up.

In 2017, BJP ruled almost 70 per cent of India's landmass. By 2020, it came down to almost 40 per cent. But the real problem for the BJP is not just sheer loss of territory.

During 2014-17, the BJP lost chief ministers who impacted polls like regional satraps. Narendra Modi was Gujarat chief minister till 2014 polls. The BJP won all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.

Under Vasundhra Raje in Rajasthan, the BJP had won all 25. Under Shivraj, the BJP won 26 of the 29, 10 of 11 in Chhattisgarh under Raman Singh. Manohar Parikar helped BJP win both Goa seats, plus he rose as a state strongman.

THE BJP STOCK

Let's have a quick look at India's political map since 2014. It shows that the BJP has also been witnessing a weight loss by its chief ministers.

First, the powerful CMs like Vasundhara Raje, Raman Singh and Chouhan have had an uncomfortable relationship with the top bosses. All three of the BJP state satraps lost elections. Another budding state-level leader Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra also lost the last election in 2019. Today, he awaits a split in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and central assistance to gain power.

The Raje-Chouhan-Singh trio of regional chieftains suffered more loss in stature when in 2019 polls, riding on the Modi phenomenon, the BJP did well in their states despite opposition Congress ruling the states. Today, Chauhan is the lone old BJP war horse in the CM's chair. Barring Yediyurappa and ML Khattar most are first timers.

In other states too, one way or the other, the CMs aren't Virat Kohli kind of match-winners. Today, the BJP has 12 CMs. Arunachal CM Pema Khandu is an ex-Congressman who chose BJP colours four years ago. Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal is over shadowed by his minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Manipur CM N Biren Singh is an ex-Congressman.

Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb a giant-killer and Goa CM are inexperienced. Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur is a five-term MLA but wasn't the face of the party in last election.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emerged as the strongest BJP leader holding this position. (Photo: PTI)

The Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Rawat, an ex-RSS cadre, is known more for being a strong organisational man. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani continues to live under the shadow of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Haryana CM Khattar is known for fumbles and has strong challengers. Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa has shed a lot of political clout.

One of the lone exceptions is UP CM Yogi Adityanath. The RSS and the BJP top team escorted him to the CM chair but he has used the last three years to emerge stronger as an administrator and also a hindutva mascot.

THE CONGRESS RESEMLANCE

This is what happened to the Congress over the last few decades before its decline. The high command culture, perceived threat that CMs May grow and challenge the Congress's first family and vested interests of weak leaders and lateral entrants who were close to the dynasty led to dwarfing of its chief ministers. Once its CMs lost weight, party lost state assemblies and then Lok Sabha seats.

There are 38 chief ministers in India who have occupied the CM's post in different states for more than 10 years. Congress may have ruled most states for a long time since Independence but only 14 of the 38 long haul CMs are Congressmen. Six are pre-Rajiv Gandhi era leaders.

The rot started during Indira Gandhi's time and worsened as dynastic order deepened and Rajiv Gandhi took charge as congress general secretary. In 1982, on a private visit to Andhra Pradesh, he publicly admonished Tantuguri Anjaiah, the then chief minister for bringing party men and a band party playing drums to the tarmac of Hyderabad's Begumpet airport. In front of his supporters, Rajiv called Anjaiah a "buffoon". The CM was later sacked.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is one of the few old-timers in the Congress to retain his regional satrap status.

On 23 July 1983, Congress's Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra in a two-hour statement in the state assembly criticized the Centre. He said Bihar (undivided Bihar included mineral rich Jharkhand) mined 40 per cent of the country's minerals but only got 14 per cent of the royalty earned. Soon Jagannath was summoned to Delhi and he was forced to resign by 14 August 1983.

In the mid-1980s, the Congress high command inducted a breed of leaders who in their anxiety to display their obsequiousness to Rajiv Gandhi, wounded leaders like Kamlapati Tripathi, who had been CM of India's most dominant state -- UP. Appointing "Darbari" leaders from Delhi as state incharges to create multiple power centres in states became a standard operating procedure.

After the 1984 landslide victory, Rajiv Gandhi entered the PMO with his Doon School chums in tow. Leaders like Tripathi, who had worked with four generations of the Nehru-Gandhi family, were sidelined by the then yuppie leadership.

Lalthahawla had been a CM in Mizoram for 21 years till 2018, Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh for 21 years till 2017 and Pratap Singh Rane in Goa for 15 years till 2007, started their innings in the Rajiv era.

Meanwhile, Shiela Dixit was CM in Delhi till 2013 for 15 years, Tarun Gogoi for 15 years in Assam till 2016, and Okram Ibobi Singh for 15 years in Manipur till 2017 emerged as powerful state leaders and became CMs around the time Sonia Gandhi took over reins of the party.

Ashok Gehlot, the present CM of Rajasthan is the lone old-timer who has spent 11 years in the hot seat and is still around in the Congress's Sonia Gandhi era.

CONGRESS LESSON FOR BJP

Isn't the BJP doing something similar? Many of its current CMs are central command appointees. Someone like Chouhan battles parallel power centres. Out of power, ex-CMs have little role in decision-making. In some states, green shoots of leadership are emerging but they will take more than usual time as the elbow room to flourish is not vast. In Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, AP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the BJP either has no prominent state leaders or is totally dependent on allies.

The decline of the state-level leaders in the two major parties stands in sharp contrast to the rise of regional party leaders like Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, K Chandrashekhar Rao in Telangana, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh, Naveen Patnaik in Odisha and Hemant Soren in Jharkhand.

The BJP has Modi, who has turned Lok Sabha elections into a virtual presidential contest. This is making glory depart from state level politics but BJP should take Congress history to the post-mortem table and realise state-level leaders are leaders of tomorrow at the Centre and force multipliers on their turf.

More here:
With Shivraj Chouhan cut to size, era of powerful CMs over in BJP as party goes Congress way - India Today

Mike Cattermole Columnist

15:13 July 08, 2020 5 min read

As the dust settles on the Investec Derby, Mike Cattermole says the making of Serpentine, the stallion, is going to make for a fascinating story.

Last Saturdays runaway Investec Derby and Oaks winners, Serpentine and Love, evoked memories of both Slip Anchor and Oh So Sharp, who landed the Epsom Classics in similar style in 1985.

Slip Anchors career ended in anti-climax, while Oh So Sharp went on to equine immortality by landing the Fillies Triple Crown.

What will the future hold for both Serpentine and Love?

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Serpentine - 2020 Investec Derby

Aidan OBriens fourth string of six he may have been, but what an emphatic winner of the Investec Derby Serpentine was.

Credit where credit is due, for a five-and-half length winner of the Derby has to be given the utmost respect. He looked the part - a lithe, athletic specimen with a long stride - handled the track beautifully and was just way too good for them.

Emmet McNamara, a Derby debutant and riding with confidence on the back of some buoyant instructions from the master of Ballydoyle, rode the perfect race and very much in the spirit of Steve Cauthen on Slip Anchor some 35 years before.

There were some comments made about some of the other jockeys allowing the winner too much rope but, whatever your thoughts about that, you couldnt include Tom Marquand, on the 50-1 shot Khalifa Sat, among them. Nor indeed William Buick on the third, Amhran Na Bhfiann.

In fact the first three home occupied those same positions after the field had covered just the first two furlongs of the race. Nothing else ever threatened to get involved.

Tattenham Corner in the Derby and Serpentine is clear

It was ironic that Marquand, taken off English King due to his inexperience at Epsom, gave his mount every chance and ended up finishing in front of the Ed Walker-trained colt who boiled over before the start and never seemed to get into a rhythm for Frankie Dettori. He only got going in the last furlong.

Kameko ran on odd race, keeping on, but had pulled way too hard early on to give himself a chance of doing himself justice.

It will be fascinating to see how the Derby form works out but Serpentine is clearly very good and will probably make an even better four-year-old.

In fact, what will the future hold for him?

At the moment, the son of Galileo and Oaks runner-up Remember When, looks an ideal type for the St Leger where the expanse of Town Moor will be right up his street.

Note, however, that Ballydoyles last St Leger winner, Kew Gardens in 2018, has just been retired and is being promoted as a jumps stallion at Coolmore. Similarly with their 2017 Leger winner Capri, also a winner of the Irish Derby.

Kew Gardens winning the St Leger

Is that what awaits Serpentine? It would seem the obvious path, so will that always be what any stoutly-bred Derby winner can offer in the breeding sheds, going forward? It makes you think about what is really means, commercially, in this day and age about winning the worlds most famous Flat race.

No doubt Messrs Magnier, Smith and Tabor will be mulling things over. In 1985, Henry Cecil planned to run Slip Anchor in the King George and the Leger but plans were changed when injury intervened.

Cecil was forced to drop Slip Anchor back in trip in the Champion Stakes and he wasnt disgraced when second to Pebbles. Indeed, a Champion Stakes in a straight line at Newmarket, as it was in those days, would have been a better option for Serpentine than the current edition at Ascot.

So how can Serpentine be transformed into a more commercial proposition? Perhaps consider the King George at Ascot later this month and a clash with Enable? Beat that legend and it would help.

Then, what about a drop back in trip and a go at the Juddmonte International?

Mind you, another pretty decent front-runner awaits there in Ghaiyyath.

Or, maybe go full tilt at the Leger with a traditional trial such as the Great Voltigeur on the way and then perhaps tackle the shorter trips next year.

The making of Serpentine, the stallion, is going to make for a fascinating story.

It's all about Love in the Investec Oaks

Love was all class in the Oaks, hacking up by nine long lengths and clocking a time 0.37 seconds quicker than Serpentine did just over an hour later.

If she had run in the Derby, remember she would have received 3lb from the colts and so on the evidence we have, would have won that by around a couple of lengths.

Love has now won the first two legs of the Fillies Triple Crown and has done so more impressively than Oh So Sharp who won the Guineas in a three-way photo and landed her Oaks by a mere six lengths.

So, another decision for the lads. Will they be tempted to try and emulate Oh So Sharp head for the Leger?

Love has a superb temperament to go along with her immense ability and the sky really is the limit for her. Her first clash against the older generations is going to be fascinating, especially when she crosses paths with Enable.

John Gosdens superstar heads to the King George now after her highly satisfactory reappearance in last Sundays Eclipse.

The King George was Oh So Sharps next port of call after Epsom although she was beaten. Will that be the chosen route for Love?

Will Ascot stage the clash of the female titans?

Highest Ground on his way to Haydock victory

The Derby came too soon for the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Highest Ground and instead he takes his next step forward in the new July version of the Dante Stakes at York on Thursday.

Speaking to Ryan Moore last week, there is no doubt about the potential of the son of Frankel and the former champion will be disappointed that he cant maintain the partnership at York as he is required by Aidan OBrien at Newmarket.

Oisin Murphy steps in and is fully expected to become the latest admiring member of the expanding Highest Ground fan club.

Golden Horde wins from Kimari in the Commonwealth Cup

Lethal Force and Harry Angel won the July Cup for Clive Cox in recent years and now Golden Horde, Lethal Forces son, heads the market for Saturdays renewal at Newmarket.

He goes there with his trainer extremely happy about his well-being and noting that the Commonwealth Cup form passed its first test in Ireland at the weekend, when the Ascot fifth Millisle, beaten six lengths by Golden Horde, chased home the exciting Art Power (at two and half lengths) at Naas.

What the weather does is of no concern to Cox as Golden Horde has demonstrated that he handles any ground, whether heavy or good to firm.

He is the 5-2 favourite with Sky Bet and is very much the one to beat.

We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.

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Mike Cattermole on Serpentine, Love, Highest Ground and more - Sportinglife.com

Doctor Who season 12 revealed the true origin story of the Time Lords - but just how does Rassilon, founder of Gallifrey, fit into this?

The Timeless Child is the biggest retcon in the history ofDoctor Who - but how does Rassilon, founder of Time Lord civilization, fit into this?Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall promised that season 12 would change everything, and he wasn't understating the case. TheDoctor Who season 12 finale, "The Timeless Children," revealed the Doctor's true history has been concealed all this time."They lied to us," the Master revealed. "Everything we were told was a lie. We are not who we think. You or I. The whole existence of our species - built on the lie of the Timeless Child."

The Doctor is the Timeless Child, a mysterious being found at the foot of a Boundary into another universe. She was discovered by a Gallifreyan explorer named Tecteun, who took the Timeless Child as her own. Then, one day, tragedy struck. The Timeless Child suffered what should have been a fatal accident, but instead of dying she regenerated. Tecteun was astounded at what she had seen, and she set about trying to understand the Timeless Child's powers. The Timeless Child thus became thebase genetic code for all Gallifreyans within the Citadel, and the Time Lords were born. This is easily the biggest retcon in the history ofDoctor Who; in general it's foreshadowed fairly well by classicDoctor Who,thoughit sits uncomfortably with the post-2005 relaunched series.

Related:Former Doctor Who Showrunner Changes Regeneration Rules

There is one curious omission, however: Rassilon. Generally regarded as the founder of Time Lord civilization, Rassilon was an explorer who longed to see more of the universe than any man could in one lifetime. According to classicDoctor Who, and countless previous tie-ins, under Rassilon's reign the Gallifreyans discovered the secret of regeneration and became Lords of Time. Rassilon himself is immortal, although he believed no other Time Lords were worthy of this, and left the Game of Rassilon behind as a trap for any successor who would seek immortality. The Time Lords brought Rassilon back to lead them in the Time War, and he was opposed byDavid Tennant's Tenth Doctor in "The End of Time."

Rassilon is apparently entirely absent in "The Timeless Children," which seems odd given that Chibnall is an old-schoolDoctor Who fan. It is important to note, however, that "The Timeless Children" confirms Gallifreyan history has been deliberately obscured; that leaves a lot of wriggle-room. The most likely solution is that Tecteun, the scientist who discovered the Timeless Child and unlocked the secret of resurrection, was in fact Rassilon. Both have been portrayed as explorers who sought immortality; Tecteun gained the power of unlimited regenerations but chose to limit other Time Lords, just as Rassilon believed he alone should be functionally immortal. It's true that Tecteun was female while Rassilon was male, but that is hardly an issue given that regeneration allows a Time Lord to change biological sex.

This is a simple retcon, and it fits rather well. If this is the case, then during the Time War the Doctor found himself going up against the one being who truly understood what he was capable of. Little wonder Rassilon was so shocked and surprised in "The Day of the Doctor," when he realized how many incarnations of the Doctor were in play. It is ironic that Rassilon, the explorer who sought immortality to explore the cosmos, ultimately led Gallifrey to a pocket dimension where his people lived on in isolation, unable to return.

More:Doctor Who Already Has The Perfect 15th Doctor Actor

Warrior Nun Theory: The Angels and Demons Are Actually Aliens

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant's staff writers, and he's frankly amused that his childhood is back - and this time it's cool. Tom's focus tends to be on the various superhero franchises, as well as Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Star Trek; he's also an avid comic book reader. Over the years, Tom has built a strong relationship with aspects of the various fan communities, and is a Moderator on some of Facebook's largest MCU and X-Men groups. Previously, he's written entertainment news and articles for Movie Pilot.A graduate of Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom, Tom is still strongly connected with his alma mater; in fact, in his spare time he's a voluntary chaplain there. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will quickly learn that he's interested in British politics as well.

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Doctor Who Theory: How Rassilon Fits Into The Timeless Child Retcon - Screen Rant

Los Angeles: Audiences are used to seeing comic book superheroes come to life on screen but in The Old Guard the heroes only have one power - immortality.

Charlize Theron stars in the action film, arriving on Netflix on Friday, as the leader of a small unit of immortal mercenaries who are trying to help humanity. It is based on the 2017 comic book by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez.

I just saw a lot of potential to explore something on a sci-fi level scale but somehow stay true to the very insular human emotions that I felt an audience could really appreciate in the sci-fi world, Theron said.

The diverse cast includes Black actress KiKi Layne as Nile, the first immortal to have been born in a few centuries, as well as 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tunisian-Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari, Italian Luca Marinelli and Belgian Matthias Schoenaerts.

I love that there were two females at the head of this which just felt different. And most notably, theres a young, Black female hero in this which is absolutely a rarity in the genre, said director Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Ejiofor said the movie tries to delve into what it would be like for people if they could live as immortal, if they could live forever, and what theyre actually confronted with is a lot of this kind of angst.

Its also a project that demonstrates what inclusion should look like in Hollywood, Ejiofor said.

Everybody is celebrated in this experience and that is, I think, part of what film and television should be aspiring to. That shouldnt be something radical, that should be a natural evolution of our medium, he said.

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TV: Immortal mercenaries confront reality of forever in Netflix's 'The Old Guard' - Gulf Digital News

Gucci is broadening its luxury fragrance line with a duo of contrasting characters: A Midnight Stroll and A Chant for the Nymph. Born off the magnetism of two alchemistscreative director Alessandro Michele and master perfumer Alberto Morillasthe two novel concoctions complete a total of nine scents within The Alchemists Garden line, which is all about encapsulating the essences of natural plants and flowers while layered with modern molecules.

Let us guide you into the different scenes conjured by each of the two new fragrances: first a dark and deep exploration, and second a warm sensual bouquet on a summer night.

An homage to nocturnal allure, A Midnight Stroll is epitomised by a jaguar, an animal of strength, stealth and elegance. The note is intense with thick, smoky incense and dark Cade wood. As the jaguar moves under night's veil, a sudden gleam of vitality from the fresh Cypress breaks the solemnity.

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Gucci Expands The Alchemist's Garden With Two New Whimsical Scents - Tatler Thailand

In mid-March, days before Britain instituted a lockdown, I flew from my native Bermuda, where Id been documenting the islands diverse identity in a personal photo project, to my home in the London neighborhood of Bermondsey. My husband and I began to self-isolate.

Suddenly confined to our house and worried about the worsening Covid-19 outbreak, I picked up my camera and started taking Polaroid photographsof my husband, myself and our surroundings. At first, I saw capturing these quiet domestic scenes as a way to get my mind off the outside world.

In this new reality, the repetition of unfamiliar routines that were intended to keep us safedisinfecting all the groceries when we came home, washing my hands so much the skin began crackingmade me feel more anxious and frustrated.

So I started applying the chemicals that now seem to define our days to the images themselves. While the Polaroids develop, or soon after, I pour bleach, dishwashing liquid, hand sanitizer and other disinfectants onto them. Even when I take a photograph I dont want to alter, I make myself do it as part of recording the surreal time were living through.

This intervention is an effort to visualize the invisible forces that have been permeating our daily livesfrom the lethal, microscopic coronavirus to our unseen, yet acutely felt, unease.

But its also a representation of the new and unknown world that will come out of this momentperhaps we will emerge more connected and resilient than before.

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Start with a Polaroid, Then Add Disinfectant. Here's the Result - Smithsonian Magazine

The month of Shravan, which is the fifth month as per the Hindu calendar, has started, and devotees of Lord Shiva are gearing up for it. During this month, which is considered highly auspicious, people fast and offer prayers on a Monday for their well being. The Sawan Somwar vrat involves a number of things that a follower has to stick by to gain what he or she has asked for. Also Read - Shravan 2020: Quotes, Wishes, Status Messages You Can Share to Celebrate The Month of Sawan

There are two ways by which the lunar month is marked, one is Purnima to Purnima and the other is Amavasya to Amavasya. In India, the first one is followed by the people in the northern region and the latter is followed by people in the southern part of the country. Also Read - Shravan 2020: When it Will Start And What Are The 7 Things You Should Avoid During This Period

There is a legend attached to the fasting that takes place on Monday, a story that involves the Samudra Manthan, which was the churning of the sea to extract the nectar of immortality. It is said that during that time, what also emerged from the sea was poison which Shiva swallowed to prevent it from spreading all over the universe. His consort Parvati on seeing him swallow the poison grabbed his neck to stop it from entering his body, and it resulted in Shivas throat turning blue, which in turn earned him the moniker, Neelkanth.

Devotees of Shiva dedicate the entire month to him and carry out fasts and prayers to gain his favour. They believe that fasting on a Monday will ensure they have a happy and married life or that they will get married soon. Women observe a fast on Mondays so that they will get good husbands. Many believe that if they recite the Solah Somvar Vrath, which means the 16 Fasting Mondays, they will make Shiva happy and he will bless them with prosperity and happiness.

When fasting on a Monday, devotees should abstain from eating non-vegetarian food or from drinking alcohol throughout the whole month. As per medical experts, this is good for the body as it has a detoxifying effect on the digestive system. Fasting also aids in weight loss and in rejuvenating the body and mind.

There are many who fast on a Monday and do not eat at all but drink some water. These people also stay away from food that contains onion and garlic. There are others who fast partially, meaning they will consume fruits and other vrat food like sabudana. Many follow these rituals so that Shiva grants them their wish or desire.

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Shravan 2020: What Are The Benefits of Somvar Sawan Vrat And Why it is so Important - India.com