PHOTO: Detail from a depiction of thought transference, the man behind dictating the movement of the other, fromMagnetismus und Hypnotismus(1895) by Gustav Wilhelm Gessmann Source.

This article, Worlds Without End was originally published in The Public Domain Review under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0.By Philip Ball

William Barrett was puzzled by flames. As the young assistant of the eminent John Tyndall at the Royal Institution in London in the 1860s, he noticed that flames seemed to be sensitive to high-pitched sounds. They would become flattened and crescent-shaped, as Barrett put it, like a sensitive, nervous person uneasily starting and twitching at every little noise. He was convinced that this unseen connection was mediated by some immaterial intangible influence it was, he admitted, an effect more appropriate for a conjurors stage than a scientific lecture table.

Certain people, Barrett decided, were analogues of the sensitive flame, exquisitely attuned to vibrations that others could not perceive, to forces unrecognized by our senses. He considered these persons able to receive messages from supernormal spirit-beings existing in an intermediate state between the physical and the spiritual a phenomenon that might account for telepathy.

This sounds like a strange and surprising conclusion for a scientist to reach. But in the late nineteenth century, with invisible phenomena such as electromagnetic fields becoming central to physics, unexpected new discoveries of emanations such as X-rays and radioactivity causing much head-scratching, and radio proving that invisible telecommunication was possible, it wasnt easy to distinguish the plausible from the fantastical. Some researchers forecast a new union of science and religion: a kind of theoretical proof of beliefs such as the immortality of the soul. Others began to suspect that ours was not the only universe that others might stretch away unseen in other dimensions or on spiritual planes. The ether, a tenuous and all-pervasive medium that all physicists considered to be the carrier of light waves, was regarded as a potential bridge between these worlds.

It is commonly asserted today that physics at the fin de sicle was believed by scientists to be on the point of completion. But that could not be further from the truth. On the contrary, at that moment almost anything seemed possible.

Barrett was no marginal figure: he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1899, and knighted in 1912. In 1881, while Professor of Physics at the Royal College of Science in Dublin, he published his findings on thought transference in the journal Nature. The ensuing controversy motivated him to convene a group of like-minded individuals who would conduct psychical research as a systematic science. After Barrett met with Edmund Dawson Rogers, vice president of the Central Association of Spiritualists, in 1882, the two men formed the Society for Psychical Research.

The societys first president, Henry Sidgwick, was Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge and doubtful about the claims of spiritualism. Other presidents have included William James, Lord Rayleigh, and the later British prime minister Arthur Balfour; and its members have included J. J. Thomson, Lewis Carroll, Alfred Tennyson, John Ruskin, and the former prime minister William Gladstone. The society still exists today, and its output is an odd mixture of scholarly historical studies of the field of the paranormal and reports and theories that are strange, vague, speculative, and most definitely on the scientific fringe.

Figure showing the telepathic transference of images between two people, fromPhantasms of the Livingpublished by the Society for Psychical Research in 1886 Source.

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Barrett suspected that some psychical phenomena might be explained as the interventions of invisible, immaterial beings not souls or ghosts, but natural, living creatures. In On the Threshold of the Unseen (1917) he wrote that it is not a very incredible thing to suppose that in the luminiferous ether (or in some other unseen material medium) life of some kind exists. He imagined such beings to be human-like, but not really human, intelligences good or bad daimonia they may be, elementals as some have called them. But where, then, did they dwell?

One answer was proposed by the Irish physicist Edmund Edward Fournier dAlbe, who, like Barrett, taught in Dublin until moving in 1910 to the University of Birmingham in England. Fournier dAlbe was interested in electromagnetic phenomena and conducted experiments in radio and nascent television technology. He merged these interests with a belief in invisible beings and worlds with which we stood on the verge of making contact.

Diagram showing the telepathic transference of numbers between two people, from Frank PodmoresThe Naturalisation of the Supernaturalpublished by the Society for Psychical Research in 1908 Source.

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In Two New Worlds (1907), Fournier dAlbe argued that the recent discoveries in radioactivity and atomic structure implied the existence of an unseen spiritual universe continuous with ours. The material universe must now properly be regarded as an infinite series of worlds within worlds, which Fournier dAlbe considered to differ only in the size of their elementary constituent particles. He discussed two of them: the infra-world of atoms and electrons, and the supra-world of cosmic proportions. Both are, like our own world, teeming with purpose and life.

Fournier dAlbe expanded on these views in New Light on Immortality (1908), where he tried to come to terms with what the notion of a human soul could mean in the atomic age. To pronounce on immortality, he said, who now was better placed than the physicist, who understood the most about energy and matter? He supposed that what we call the soul might be a real substance, albeit more tenuous than vapour, composed of particles called psychomeres that possess a kind of intelligence and ability to act together via telepathic contact.

Fournier dAlbe claimed to deduce something of the nature of psychomeres, although in truth it was sheer guesswork. To estimate the number of psychomeres in a single human soul, he plucked a figure of ten trillion out of thin air. From this he calculated the mass of a soul as about fifty milligrams, and asserted that, were the soul-matter of a person to be condensed into a body just six inches high, it would have the same density as air and would float freely in it. Such a concentration of psychomeres might border on visibility: it could resemble a will-o-the-wisp. And thus it comes about that all the fairies, pixies, sylphs, and gnomes fly before the flaring light of science, Fournier dAlbe proclaimed triumphantly. They are not so much sent away as explained away.

If, once this soul has left the mortal body, its earth memories should be awakened, and become dominant, then it might gather again into its remembered earth-form: first, a fine mist, then a cloud, a tall pillar of filmy vapour, from which a complete form, moulded and clothed to suit the character assumed, would then emerge, to walk the earth as before for a little while. In other words, it would be what we have traditionally called a ghost.

There was not a shred of real scientific evidence in support of these wild speculations. But wasnt Fournier dAlbe in the end doing no more than what science has always done: to reduce complex, puzzling phenomena to a minimal set of propositions that could rationalize them? Besides, the invisible world that Fournier dAlbe was invoking could offer consolation for the increasingly barren picture of the world that modern science seemed to insist on. From natural history, he wrote,

theology has been ruthlessly evicted. The visible world being henceforth closed to it, it has taken refuge in the invisible world, where it feels free to make what declarations it likes. And that invisible world continues to be the home towards which the weary heart turns from a world that has become indeed clean and bright and sanitary, but utterly hopeless and empty, if not unjust and cruel.

The idea that there might be an entire immaterial yet populous realm of existence was emboldened by the new discoveries of the late nineteenth century, particularly the mysterious X-rays first described in 1895 (and invoked by H. G. Wells in The Invisible Man two years later). Although these speculations might seem now to be an extraordinarily elaborate way to explain questionable events reported at sances and attested to by mystics like the theosophists, we should remember that the Christian faith already supposed such things. If some nineteenth-century scientists, such as Tyndall and Thomas Henry Huxley, started to question them, most people considered them unexceptional. As a scientific understanding of the world advanced, some scientists still felt a need to reserve a space for God, the soul, and the afterlife. No telescope or microscope was going to locate these things; they would have to be invisible.

Perhaps the most notable and thorough effort to provide a scientifically plausible account of invisible spirit worlds within a Christian context was made by the distinguished Scottish physicists Balfour Stewart and Peter Guthrie Tait in their book The Unseen Universe (1875). Although Stewart became president of the Society for Psychical Research during the 1880s, both men were sceptics of spiritualism, seeing in it nothing more than evidence of human suggestibility. Tait attacked spiritualists at the British Association meeting of 1871, bracketing them alongside Circle-squarers, Perpetual-motionists [and] Believers that the earth is flat. Yet he and Stewart were eager to understand how the invisible order of things that the Bible seemed to demand the existence of immortal souls might be consistent with the laws of physics. They aimed to refute Tyndalls attack on religion in his address to the British Association in Belfast in 1874, in which he asserted that religion should not be permitted to intrude on the region of knowledge, over which it holds no command. On the contrary, Stewart and Tait insisted, science and religion were fully compatible. Yet their version of Christianity, on the evidence of The Unseen Universe, was starkly materialistic: they fit within a long tradition of both advocates and opponents of religion who insist on making it a set of beliefs about the physical world that may either be rationalized or disproved.

We are forced to believe that there is something beyond that which is visible, they wrote: an invisible order of things, which will remain and possess energy when the present system has passed away. This unseen realm need not be remote, but is present right alongside us within reach, if only there were anything to touch. Its fabric might lie at the extreme of the gradual dematerialization of substance we already see in the physical world, where solid, liquid, and vapour were deemed to be followed by the semi-material existences of electricity, magnetism, heat, light, and gravity.

Life itself, Stewart and Tait argued, is a peculiarity of structure which is handed over from the invisible to the visible. This transfer relies on interaction between the two realms: something enabled by the rainbow bridge of nineteenth-century physics, the ether. This ether-mediated communication is vital to the authors theory of the immortality of the human soul. We each possess a spiritual body in this invisible world, they said, which becomes energized by our actions and impulses in the tangible world. Certain molecular motions and displacement in the brain are in part communicated to the spiritual or invisible body, and are there stored up as a kind of latent memory. This accumulated energy makes the spiritual body free to exercise its functions even after bodily death. By living, we store up immortality.

There was, however, a problem. In 1850 the German physicist Rudolf Clausius formulated the first and second laws of thermodynamics: the conservation of energy and the irreversibility of heat flow from hot to cold. A year later William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) pointed out that such a flow of heat inevitably dissipates energy, which flows into random motions of molecules and can never be recovered. This process, he said, must eventually create a universe of uniform temperature, from which no useful work can be extracted, and in which nothing really happens. But how can this heat death of the universe be consistent with immortal souls?

Here Stewart and Tait fell back on an idea proposed by their mutual friend, the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell, who worried about the implications of the inexorable second law of thermodynamics for human free will. Maxwells solution was first articulated in a letter to Tait in 1867. What if, he said, there exist invisibly small beings later dubbed demons by Thomson that could cheat the second law by identifying hot atoms and separating them from cold in a random mixture, creating a reservoir of heat that could be tapped to do work? Such beings, Stewart and Tait now proclaimed, might restore energy in the present universe without spending work. It isnt clear that Maxwell ever intended his demons to be more than hypothetical. But for Stewart and Tait they were essential agents of eternal life.

The unseen universe could account for almost any article of faith. The scientific difficulty with regard to miracles will, we think, entirely disappear, if our view of the invisible universe be accepted, Stewart and Tait claimed. Christ, if He came to us from the invisible world, could hardly (with reverence be it spoken) have done so without some peculiar sort of communication being established between the two worlds.

This, then, is where invisible forces and rays pointed for some scientists in the late nineteenth century: towards what we might regard as a thermodynamic theory of God, Christ, the afterlife, miracles, and an eternal Hell. Perhaps concerned about how far they had gone, Stewart and Tait published their book anonymously.

Physics has never looked back from this dematerialization of the world that began a century and a half ago. The speculations of Barrett, Fournier dAlbe, Stewart and Tait, and others (such as the prominent English scientists William Crookes and Oliver Lodge) were proposals that our visible world is not the only reality. That is just what physicists still assert today with their notions of the multiverse, 11-dimensional string theory, extra dimensions (brane worlds), and quantum-mechanical many worlds where parallel versions of ourselves go about their business. Contemporary metaphors such as a hidden reality (see physicist Brian Greenes popular book The Hidden Reality [2011]) recommend themselves precisely because they have a history. Can there be any doubt that spiritualists would have delighted in dark matter and dark energy, these unseen particles and forces that supposedly dwarf the meagre quantities of visible matter in the universe and propel it on a trajectory that opposes gravity? When, in describing such concepts, cosmologists speak of unraveling the mysteries of the invisible universe, they are unwittingly invoking a long legacy.

History teaches us that attempts to patch over gaps in understanding by inventing invisible phenomena are both useful (they prevent science from stalling in the face of mysteries) and usually wrong. The echoes between contemporary fundamental physics and cosmology and the late-nineteenth-century visions of unseen worlds extra dimensions, invisible intelligences, matter as knots of pure energy, atomized constituents of immeasurably small extent should alert us to the territory we are entering, in which traditional tropes are informing the pictures we create. They are a reminder that science is constantly resurrecting old dreams in new guises. It seems inevitable that some of the current ideas about the hidden universe will one day appear as quaint and archaic as Fournier dAlbes soul-particles or Stewart and Taits thermodynamic immortal soul. If our descendants are fair-minded, they wont laugh at that, but will recognize the well from which such ideas were drawn.

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Worlds Without End - The Good Men Project

Three movies about immortality vs mortality and not being an asshole have arrived for your viewing pleasure!

Whats more fun than a trilogy you assemble yourself? The correct answer is Hugging a family member without fear that your touch could infect them with a deadly pathogen. Still, finding three streaming movies that weirdly go together is arguably the second safest way to have a good time right now, after nap until phase 3 vaccine trials are over.

Three new sci-fi/horror-adjacent films recently dropped that weirdly explore oddly similar themes about the horrors of immortality/mortality and how empathy is the only way to fight the bogeyman. In the spirit of 2020, lets start with the sad one!

Relic (Available via most streaming rental services)

Although possessed of less baba and zero dook, Relic does follow in The Babadooks footsteps. Its an Aussie horror flick that offers a metaphor as explicit as can be metaphored.

When grandma Edna (Robyn Nevin) goes missing, daughter Kay (Emily Moritmer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) move into her place and look for her. Edna suddenly returns, but she aint right. What follows is a grief-laden exploration of dementia as a literal monster and the pressures and perils of what different generations of women owe one another.

Writer/director Natalie Erika James and cowriter Christian White somehow timed their film about compassion towards the demons faced by the elderly to a moment in history when we seem to have stopped giving a shit about old people. Too literal to be a parable, Relic uses the horror genre as the social magnifying glass it can be, demanding that we see the shared humanity in those who are suffering around us.

Oh, and if COVID didnt already have you decontaminating your domicile like a proper lunatic, Relics copious mold will get you scrubbin bubbles. So its good for your emotional growth and your hygiene!

Grade = A-

The Old Guard (Netflix)

A squad of immortal mercenaries are being hunted by big pharma while also adding a new recruit to their team. Is that silly? Yes. Does it feature Charlize Theron whacking bad dudes across the face with a colossal axe-type weapon? Also Yes! Does something real bad happen to the evil pharma boss? My lips are sealed, but Martin Shkreli voodoo dolls can take some time off!

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood and writer Greg Ruckawho also penned the comic this was adapted fromdeliver an oddly sentimental, deceptively thoughtful film that remembers people actually like to see and follow the action in an action movie. Weird, right?

Editor Terilyn A. Shropshire and cinematographers Tami Reiker and Barry Ackroyd dont cower behind shaky-cam or epileptic editing but compose simply impeccable fight sequences. Meanwhile, Prince-Bythewood gives us the first comic book team that actually feels like a family. And all of this is set in a story that emphasizes how caring for others and doing whats right sets of ripples that are felt for millennia.

Were it not for its wholly inappropriate, incredibly distracting, poorly chosen, Europop-trash soundtrack, it would have been as flawless as Charlize Theron whacking bad dudes across the face with a colossal axe-type weapon!

Grade = B+

Palm Springs (Hulu)

Of all the Groundhog Day riffs, Palm Springs is the first to allow JK Simmons to hunt another man for sport. Finally!

This timey-wimey rom-com sees Andy Samberg as Nyles, a narcissist in need of a haircut, who gets trapped in an infinite time loop after stumbling into a magic-laden cave. When Sarah (Cristin Milioti) gets accidentally sucked in as well, the two repeat the same day together until the inevitable happens: She learns quantum physics, and he learns hes an asshole.

Writer Andy Siara and director Max Barbakow deliver absolutely nothing new. But they deliver on every cliched expectation with clever and quirky humor. This, while condemning callous, me-first behaviors that dont consider the implications of personal actions on others. Totally unrelated, but wear a mask out there folks!

Samberg remains charming, even if the reforming manbaby trope feels like its been stuck in a recycling time loop itself. Milioti is less endearing, although perhaps thats what happens to the female lead when your rom-com has very few women behind the scenes

Palm Springs is ultimately a wholly endearing diversion perfectly suited for a year where we all feel like were living the same day every goddamn day.

Grade = B+

Other critical voices to consider

Austin Collins at Vanity Fair says Relic exposes the problems with elevated horror.

Sherin Nicole at Idobi describes Old Guard as deeply human and circumspect.

Adrian Gomez-Weston at The Cinema Soloist points out how Palm Springs tackles the big questions.

Read more:

Fun, Guns, and Mum: New Stuff to Watch! - Omaha Reader

The 8 desires of human life 

Desire is an intrinsic part of human life. We all wish for a variety of things; many are materialistic and some emotional. We want health, wealth, comfort, good relationships, success, good progeny and fame. There are also spiritual desires - we have a desire to know about life after death, about how to remain detached and equanimous under all kinds of circumstances and we want to be at peace. But these myriad wishes arise from some basic human desires. On Day 10 of Hari Katha during Lockdown, Morari Bapu, the well-known narrator of Ram Katha analysed the innate desires in any human being.

He felt that there are eight contraptions of human want:

Morari Bapu explained how Ram Charita Manas through different sequences shows how these desires can be fulfilled as per our patrata (eligibility).

PEACE, STRENGTH AND KNOWLEDGE

Shantam sasvatamaprameyamanagha nirvanashantipradam

(Ram - the bestower of supreme peace in the form of final beatitude, placid, eternal, beyond the ordinary means of cognition, sinless and all-pervading.)

II Ram Charita Manas Sundar Kaand Shloka 1II

In the first Shloka of Sundar Kaand, Lord Ram has been described as the bestower of peace and it is to him that his holy name that we need to turn to obtain serenity of mind.

Another basic characteristic we would need to imbibe in our endeavour is to take refuge at the feet of a spiritual master. Our strength will derive from our complete surrender to a Guru. And such a strength which derives from a spiritual master is superior from personal power as it is free from our ego.

Not only physical strength, Ram Charita Manas explains that an intellectual prowess is also a form of power.

Dana parasu budhi shakti pracanda, bara bigyana kathina kodanda.4.

(Again, charity is the axe; reason, the fierce lance and the highest wisdom, the relentless bow.)

II Ram Charita Manas Lanka Kaand Ch 80 (A)II

In addition to a sharp mind, if we have nirmal mati (uncontaminated thinking or), it can also lead us to Vishram or peace.

Takey juga pad kamal manavu, jasu kripa nirmal mati pavau 4.

(I seek to propitiate the pair of Her (Sitas) lotus feet, so that by Her grace I may be blessed with a refined intellect.)

II Ram Charita Manas Bal Kaand Ch 18II

FREEDOM

To remain a dependent or under the shelter of a Guru can provide us real freedom.

Ram gives Bharat full freedom to choose the way forward after the demise of their father Dasratha, but Bharat chooses to choose whatever Ram chooses.

Bharat shows complete surrender as he pleads:

Jehi bidhi prabhu prasan mun hoi, karuna sagar kijiye soi 1.

(Do that, O ocean of mercy, which may please your heart, my lord.)

II Ram Charita Manas Ayodhya Kaand Ch 269II

BEAUTY AND IMMORTALITY

Beauty should not be seen as only externally extant but must manifest as an inner magnificence. And immortality should be interpreted not just by the measure that we are alive. The quality of our thoughts and our contribution in adding to the vitality of the world during a lifetime also lend to our immortality.

LOVE AND BLISS

Immortality can be understood only by those who are ready to consume poison (hardship, criticism etc.) like Mira. Sacrifice is a by-product of love, which in turn helps us obtain bliss.

However, anyone who is free from these desires can be called as ascetic or a Sanyasi. In the Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna in his address to Arjun defines such a person Nitya Sanyasi who holds no malice for anyone, neither does he desire anything.

The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way represent those of Times Network.

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The 8 desires of human life and how to fulfill them - Times Now

Date published: Friday 17th July 2020 8:10

No shame here for Liverpool fans they should do nothing other than shrug their shoulders at their club stumbling before the 100-point mark who have celebrated and will continue to celebrate a first title win in 30 years claimed with consummate ease and with football that transcended all other iterations of this great club in the Premier League era. The only shame may be that the trophy was both won and presented without fans but that still leaves them with a delicious cake only shorn of icing. And the icing is often too sweet to eat anyway.

Jurgen Klopp insisted that he would lose no sleep over failing to breach Manchester Citys 100-point mark but the telling part of his denial were the six words that followed I dont know if it comes because anybody with that degree of competitiveness and perfectionism will obsessively reflect on any missed opportunity. And this was undoubtedly a missed opportunity to claim a place at the table of immortality.

A place at that table would not automatically make this Liverpool side any better in the minds of those that watched those relentless victories claimed with both style and resilience, but it would make at least the idea of this Liverpool side better, especially to those looking back in the next decades. Is that important? It might not seem that way now but in 2032, when we are looking back at 40 years of the Premier League, will people credit this Liverpool side if this is their only title? When stacked against the Treble winners, the Invincibles and the Centurions, will Liverpools extraordinary season look ordinary on paper?

Dropping two points in 27 Premier League games and leaving an accomplished Manchester City side trailing in their wake should be enough to ensure this wonderful Liverpool side will never be forgotten but to those poring over league tables in the years to come, it will look like City failure rather than Liverpool triumph. And they really do deserve more than that. They deserve to be spoken about in the same terms as those great teams because their dominance was remorseless.

Some have argued that records mean nothing before listing records already broken (consecutive home wins, earliest title win) but unless you knew who held those records before, its ridiculous to claim that they should carry any importance now. Rightly or wrongly, only certain measures count and Liverpool have breached none of them. There is no catchy moniker available to a team aside from perhaps the self-referential Unbearables that will be remembered more for the circumstances of this season than their own brilliance. Unless they win more Premier League titles to leave their own legacy, they will always be the Covid champions who received their trophy in an empty stadium. The ignorant will even claim that was a factor when decades lie between this triumph and half-arsed analysis.

Its not fair and there will be many who say they do not care, chief among them Liverpool fans high on triumph, but as the history of football gets longer and longer and it becomes harder to spot the bright spots of brilliance, we use records and milestones as our guide. It is inevitable. And the extraordinary nature of this Liverpool side will fade over time, just as Carlo Ancelottis free-scoring Chelsea side have become a footnote in the history books.

This is not a time to laugh at Liverpool for falling short of an arbitrary number its embarrassing for any other clubs fans to laugh after being force-fed so much dust but it might be a time to commit the excellence of this near-faultless team to memory before it is forgotten. Now that would be a shame.

Sarah Winterburn

Link:

The only shame is that Liverpool brilliance will escape history books - Football365.com

What's it rated? R

When? 2020

Where's it showing? Netflix

Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights) directs this screenplay by Greg Rucka based on the graphic novel series he co-created with Leandro Fernandez, about a covert group of immortal warriors who've been quietly protecting humanity for centuries. Led by Andy (Charlize Theron), the soldiers have all the benefits (spontaneous healing and inability to die) as well as the travails (loneliness and watching your family and friends die) of vampirism without have to drink blood. What they are good at, however, is spilling blood. When they agree to rescue some kidnapped schoolgirls, it soon becomes clear their secret of immortality has been discovered, and now a Big Pharma company run by a cartoonish villain named Merrick (Harry Melling) wants to capture and capitalize on their special powers. Some effective action makes up for the hackneyed dialogue and story, and as someone hungry for first-run films, this was well worth the watch, but it's essentially direct-to-video quality that would be total trash without Theron in the lead. (125 min.)

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The Old Guard - New Times SLO

SUMMARY

The blue light from your phone or tablet can reduce the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for the sleep-wake cycle.

Turn your devices to night mode, which switches off the blue light. Or put them away at least one hour before bed.

A good nights sleep is as important as eating well andexercisingwhen it comes to ourhealth it allows our bodies and brains to recover from the effects of the day.

Sleep is your life-support system Mother Natures best effort yet at immortality, says neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker.

Is there any process in your body that isnt wonderfully enhanced when you get sleep, or demonstrably impaired when you dont get enough? The answer seems to be no.

Sleeping pills act as a sedative they may help you fall asleep, but it is not a natural, restorative sleep, and they dont address the underlying causes of insomnia.

Instead, ask your doctor about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).

This helps you identify thoughts and behaviours that could be causing your sleep problems, and replaces them with healthy habits to promote good sleep.

Here are a few simple tips that can help you fall asleep sooner;

1. Stick to a routine

Our bodies are designed to revolve around regularity, says Matthew. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Even if you have one bad nights sleep, power through until bedtime, rather than napping in the day.

2. Say no to alcohol

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While a few glasses of wine might make you fall asleep, it restricts REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and can cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night.

3. Reduce screen time

The blue light from your phone or tablet can reduce the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for the sleep-wake cycle. Turn your devices to night mode, which switches off the blue light. Or put them away at least one hour before bed.

4. Write things down

If you are kept awake because tomorrows to-do list is running through your mind, try keeping a pen and notepad by your bed to jot down any thoughts and anxieties before you go to sleep. Writing worries down helps you to get an objective view on them, so you dont have to ruminate on them all night.

5. If you cant sleep, get up

Our brains quickly learn that bed is a place you are awake rather than asleep, says Matthew. Go to a different room, read or meditate in dim light until you feel sleepy.

Do you have stories, videos or pictures you would like to share with the world?

Simply click on Post Your Story button placed at the top of the website

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Five tips to help you fall asleep sooner - The Standard

GREYHOUND (Apple+)Greyhound tells a small-scale story against the backdrop of a monumental historical event, taking place over the span of just a few days on a single warship. It's set in the midst of the Battle of the Atlantic, a yearslong skirmish between Allied and German naval convoys in the leadup to WWII, in a part of the ocean known ominously as the Black Pit.

Tom Hanks stars as Ernest Krause, a Navy commander overseeing a convoy of ships transporting supplies and passengers across the ocean, which is blindsided by an attack from Nazi submarines. Krause looks on helplessly as one ship after another is picked off, and he methodically strategizes as more and more enemy ships enter the fray.

It's a pretty simplistic premise, focused on the tactics of the mission and little else. The script, which Hanks wrote himself, consists almost exclusively of strategy and logistics, and of stern men in uniform yelling things like "Hold course!" and "Brace for impact!" and "Ease the rudder!" Krause's crew are mostly nameless grunts, and even he remains an enigma: We know he's devoutly religious and has a girlfriend (played thanklessly by Elisabeth Shue) waiting at home, but that's about it.

Greyhound is a weirdly truncated film, too: Right as the movie seems to be ramping up, it abruptly ends (the credits start rolling around the 80-minute mark). But as far as its filmmaking is concerned, it's as sturdy and waterproof as the ships themselves, and your uncle who's obsessed with WWII-era submarines will probably dig it nonetheless.

THE OLD GUARD (Netflix)The Old Guard is yet another comic book origin story, but one with real potential. Based on a series of graphic novels by Greg Rucka (who also wrote the script), it concerns a quartet of ageless, mythical warriors who have fought in all of history's greatest wars and now work as for-hire special ops in the 21st century. They're particularly qualified for tough jobs, because they can be riddled with bullets and merely brush it off.

Their self-appointed leader is Charlize Theron as the brilliantly named Andromache of Scythia (or Andy for short), once treated as royalty in the days of ancient Greece. Alongside her are former Napoleonic soldier Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), and the scrappy Joe and Nicky (Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli), once sworn enemies during the Crusades and who fell in love with each other over the ensuing decades. The Old Guard's latest recruit is a Marine named Nile (Kiki Layne), who heals remarkably quickly after having her throat slashed in combat and who finds herself mentally connected with her fellow immortals. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is on the fringes, trying to harness their abilities for questionable purposes.

The notion of invincibility as both a superpower and a curse is nothing new, but The Old Guard finds some interesting wrinkles in its premise: Not only does their mere existence create a chain reaction in world affairs, butterfly effect-style, but they've also discovered that their immortality is actually a limited resource, and that one simply stops healing after an indeterminate number of deaths.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood, best known for romances like Love & Basketball and Beyond the Lights, might seem an odd choice for a blockbuster tentpole, but she brings a blunt brutality to the action sequences and lets her actors develop believable personalities.

PALM SPRINGS (Hulu)This smart, funny high-concept romantic comedy plays out like a millennial version of Groundhog Day, but if Andie MacDowell had gotten sucked into the day-repeating limbo alongside Bill Murray.

It begins as a guy named Nyles (Andy Samberg) wakes up the morning of a wedding somewhere in the desert, surrounded by people he barely knows. He spends all day floating in the pool, guzzling cans of beer, interrupting the big speeches and looking totally unfazed as his girlfriend hooks up with the officiant in the bathroom.

He almost seems to be following a rehearsed set of instructions, and that's because he's been through this night before: He's been trapped in a time loop for who knows how long, always waking up on the same morning no matter what he does.

But then Nyles starts flirting with Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the sister of the bride, and she unwisely follows him into a strange portal that appears in a nearby cave. Now she's stuck in perpetuity with a guy she barely knows, and once she realizes that trying to escape is futile, they both decide to make each new day as different as the one before.

You'd think the possibilities of this kind of premise would have been exhausted already the high-water mark is Groundhog Day, of course, and the recent Netflix series Russian Doll mined similar territory but the script, written by Andy Siara, manages some unexpected twists, including a vengeful wedding guest played by J.K. Simmons. Samberg and Milioti have excellent chemistry, too, and their ease with each other lets us buy into the rumpled optimism of the premise, which never gets bogged down in seize-the-day platitudes.

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Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron and Andy Samberg bring big stories to the small screen - Pacific Northwest Inlander

Trying to provide an ambitious combination of violent thrills, philosophical musings, lots of chat about feelings and dollops of sociopolitical commentary, it doesnt really work on any of those levels, and ultimately feels smug and self-congratulatory.

Andy (star/producer Charlize) is introduced dead and bloody on a floor with three of her friends, but its okay because theyre revealed as (just about) immortal and therefore soon to regenerate. Andy (a.k.a. Andromache of Scythia and some 6000 years old), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) are warriors who have been around for centuries, with Joe (a.k.a. Yusuf Al-Kaysani) and Nicky (a.k.a. Nicol di Genova) formerly enemies in The Crusades but now very close, and comparatively new recruit Booker (a.k.a. Sebastian Le Livre) a onetime soldier under Napoleon.

These revelations are amusing yet pretentious, and the pretension gets heavier when we discover that theyve been prolific fighters for justice for centuries, and that as the world grows crazier and scarier, theyre all feeling pretty knackered. The especially virtuous Andy, in fact, is so worn-down that she can barely manage anything more than a grim frown, making her a little tedious, particularly alongside Charlizes more intense action heroes in Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde.

Onetime CIA operative James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) drags the gang out of the shadows and villainous bigtime pharma exec (but arent they all?) Steven Merrick (Harry Melling, another grown up Harry Potter child actor) swoops, intending to exploit the genetic roots of the fours immortality, whether it kills them or not. Fortunately, however, he (somehow) doesnt know about the existence of a recent addition to the collective, a US Marine pointedly named Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), who somehow survived having her throat cut while serving in Afghanistan and then barely escaped being horribly tested by the evil American Government.

Over-plotted and sprawling, this is uneasily handled by Prince-Bythewood (whos happier with naturalistic and emotional character dramas like Love & Basketball and The Secret Life Of Bees), and seems almost embarrassed by its need to be, you know, an action movie. The depiction of the immortals as laid-low by global suffering and existential angst is also a mistake when you remember that certain vampires (like The Lost Boys) have used their inability to die as an opportunity to party on, the sort-of-gods in the Highlander pics at least have a bit of fun sometimes, and the possibly-millennia-old Doctor Who can manage a sense of humour and enthusiasm, despite his occasional weariness.

Not these guys, though. Instead they sit around endlessly agonising about the enormous burden of being indestructible, and go on (and on and on) about their spiritual exhaustion, even as they belt and shoot the crap out of the usual faceless army of gun-toting extras.

Yawn.

DM Bradley

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Film Review: The Old Guard - The Adelaide Review

This was the weekend we were waiting for: A return to movie theaters in the time of coronavirus. Christopher Nolans latest blockbuster, Tenet, was going to kick things off; fitting considering that fewer filmmakers are as personally devoted to the theater-going experience as Nolan.

Alas, it is not to be. Tenet has been rolled back to August, as have theater openings. As the summer blockbuster season continues to evaporate, the emphasis turns, once more, to streaming and video on demand.

Take The Old Guard, now streaming on Netflix, for example: In a normal world, itd be a perfect mid-summer release of an action-packed graphic novel adaptation. The story: A band of immortal soldiers have grown weary of fighting for a world they no longer feel is worth saving. Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne share lead roles as the seen-it-all veteran and the doe-eyed recruit, respectively. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Greg Rucka (who also penned the graphic novels), The Old Guard is decent, but the movies reliance on excessive gunplay and an impersonal body count leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Yet, its the characters that sink this story: Not one has a personality to speak of. Curious considering that half of them have been alive for more than 1,000 years. Youd think theyd pick up a little culture along the way. Not the most scintillating thing youll see this summer, but itll hold your attention.

Ditto for The Painted Bird, though you might not be happy about it. Adapting Jerzy Kosiskis 1965 novel of the same name, Czech filmmaker Vclav Marhoul tells the horrific story of a young Polish boy trying to survive a world ravaged by WWII. Shot in striking black and white by cinematographer Vladimr Smutn, The Painted Bird is atrocity after atrocity, piled on with such frankness you begin to wonder if Marhoul delights in making the audience cringe. The cruelty here is egalitarian: Soldiers, civilians, men, beast, children, women one scene depicts female violence so jarring even Lars von Trier would draw pause. Proceed with caution. For rent on all major platforms.

Not a whole lot of laughs in either of those, but youll find plenty in Palm Springs, which, coincidentally, also involves the dilemma of immortality and various grisly deaths. But with a little sex. The conceit: Niles (Andy Samberg) is stuck in a Groundhogs Day-esque time loop at a wedding in Palm Springs, California. No matter what he does or where he goes, hell always wake up in the same hotel room with the same cheating girlfriend. But when he inadvertently drags the brides sister, Sarah (Cristin Milioti), into the loop with him, things get bonkers. Written by Andy Siara and directed by Max Barbakow, Palm Springs is sweet and funny, and surprisingly original for a derivative high-concept movie. Streaming on Hulu.

For more on new releases to streaming and VOD, tune into Metro Arts on KGNU, Friday at 3 p.m. (88.5 FM, 1390 AM and online at kgnu.org).

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In lieu of a theatrical experience: Summer edition - Boulder Weekly

Private funeral services for her were held at New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Secoriea lay in a clear coffin with gold trim and features with her full name printed in gold lettering across the front.

Stuffed animals were arranged near her feet.

The young girl wore a hot pink dress adorned with multi-colored pink flowers, white gloves that extended a little past her elbows and a tiara atop her head.

As I walked in I said to myself, this hurts, said the Rev. Gregory A. Sutton, senior pastor of Jackson Memorial Baptist Church in Atlanta, who later delivered the eulogy. I said to myself this hurts my heart. Im praying for this father, and this mother, and this mothers children. This family.

Charmaine Turner, mother of Secoriea Turner, and her sons, peer into Secoriea's coffin during her home-going service at New Calvary Missionary Church in Atlanta's Sylvan Hills community, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. On July 4, 8-year-old Secoriea was shot dead by armed civilians in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Several times during the service, Secorieas father, Secoriey Williamson, went up to the casket, leaned in and kissed his daughter. Later in the service, while a selection was being performed, mourners slowly made their way to the front of the church to hug and support the family.

Sutton said he didnt come to politicize the moment or to give a speech, but to comfort and give the family the strength to face this obstacle. It is devastating to lose a child, he said.

If there is ever a time we need the Lord, we need him now, said Sutton.

The church was filled with more than a dozen floral arrangements, including one in the form of an 8, her age when she was killed. Another, a unicorn floral arrangement from her first grade teacher, Joya Florence and her classmates, was situated near a bouquet of pink flowers from Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore.

The program was filled with photos of a smiling Secoriea at various stages of her young life. One featured her with a halo.

Florence, her beloved first grade teacher, recalled the first time Secoriea, dressed in a pink tutu and carrying a unicorn backpack, came to her class.

She was cute and bright with a smile to adore, she said. Florence recounted how she would began calling the roll in class. Many students said here or present. Secoriea said unicorn.

Her backpack must have been filled with magic, she said, saying her student sprinkled laughter and joy among her classmates.

Sutton told those gathered that they were not there for a funeral but rather a commencement, a graduation and a celebration.

Secoriea, he said, had graduated from mortality to immortality. We know where she is, he said.

The family would attend Jackson Memorial for church service, and Sutton said his daughter once attended school with Secorieas mother.

Family and friends of Secoriea Turner present floral arrangements during her homegoing service at New Calvary Missionary Church in Atlanta's Sylvan Hills community, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

In a previous interview Charmaine Turner, said she took her children to church there because she wanted them to learn how to pray to God.

Secoriea was shot while riding in a SUV her mother had been driving down the road in front of the south Atlanta Wendys where a police officer killed Rayshard Brooks.

Charmaine Turner said a group started shooting at the vehicle as she was trying to go around a makeshift roadblock. She said when her daughter was hit, Secoriea called out to her.

Sutton, in his eulogy, turned to the Bible and spoke of when David lost his son.

He said that todays trying times, with the coronavirus pandemic and violence, people in the community must care and support one another.

Black lives, Sutton said, do not take black lives . Black lives should encourage black lives.

Speaking to those gathered, he said they cant bring Secoriea back but if you accept Christ, you can go to where she is.

Sercorieas soul belongs to God, he said.

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Mourners say goodbye to 8-year-old killed in Atlanta shooting - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Despite basically noble intentions, Dr. Niles Caulder is arguably the Doom Patrol's greatest enemy, sacrificing his patients to achieve his own goals.

Warning: The following feature contains SPOILERS for Doom Patrol season 2 episode 6, "Space Patrol."

Dr. Niles Caulder, the man who made the Doom Patrol, may be the biggest villain in the series' second season. While he might not be the intended antagonist of season 2, it has become increasingly apparent that he has few morals, if any, and that he is responsible for most of the team's problems.

The first season of Doom Patrol introduced Niles Caulder as a brilliant scientist who devoted himself towards exploring the strange and unusual and attempting to treat those cases that more orthodox doctors had dismissed as lost causes. Affectionately known as The Chief among his patients, he opened his home up to people like test-pilot Larry Trainor and actress Rita Farr, who had been left unable to live ordinary lives as a result of horrific accidents. However, it was revealed in the penultimate episode of Doom Patrol's first season that Dr. Caulder had caused all of the accidents that empowered his patients, as a part of various experiments intended to discover the secret of immortality.

Related: Doom Patrol Season 2 Cast & DC Comics Character Comparison Guide

Despite this, Caulder's patients still rallied in the Doom Patrol season 1 finale when they found out that everything he had done was done in the name of love and a need to extend his own life so he could care for his seemingly ageless and immortal daughter, Dorothy. While Caulder ultimately sacrificed the magic medallion that was extending his life to save his patients, most of his actions towards his patients since Doom Patrol's season 2 premiere have been negligent at best. One prime example of this has been Caulder's treatment of Cliff Steele, whom he essentially murdered (along with Cliff's wife) so that he could test the feasibility of placing his own brain into a robotic body. Out of all the Doom Patrol's membership, Cliff has been the angriest regarding the truth about Caulder's experiments and the loudest in demanding reparations in some form. Caulder's response to listening to Cliff's complaints was to offer to dope him up with Ecstasy so he wouldn't feel as depressed.

Doom Patrol season 2 episode 6, "Space Patrol," saw Dr. Caulder sink to new depths of depravity, after Dorothy (whose recent actions resulted in the death of several of Crazy Jane's personas) ran away from home in a hijacked spaceship belonging to a group of astronauts Dr. Caulder sponsored over six decades earlier, who had just gotten back to Earth. After sending Larry Trainor to keep the astronauts busy (because Dr. Caulder couldn't be bothered to talk to them), The Chief chased after Dorothy in a second spaceship he'd kept in storage. He also blackmailed Cliff Steele into accompanying him,threatening to abandon all his work on enhancing Cliff's robot body so that he could experience normal human sensations againif Cliff didn't agree to help him.

While Cliff was reluctant to do anything to help Niles Caulder, thoughts of his own estranged daughter (with whom he had been trying to reconcile) made him decide that he couldn't claim any moral high-ground if anything happened to an innocent like Dorothy. In fact, by the time Dorothy was safe and they were on their way back to Earth, Cliff said that he'd be willing to stay with the team and help raise Dorothy if Dr. Caulder died before being able to finish work on his body. It was a sentiment that Dr. Caulder said meant the world to him, just before he sealed the airlock and flushed Cliff into the vacuum of space.

Presumably Dr. Caulder has other plans for himself and his daughter, as he told Cliff that they were not returning home to the rest of the team. What these plans are is anyone's guess, but given Dr. Caulder's increasingly erratic behavior it can't be good. It may well by that Dr. Caulder had finally decided that his psychic immortal daughter had proven too dangerous to be allowed to live. Or it may be that Red Jack, a cosmic being who feeds on the suffering of others, was right when he said that Dr. Caulder was like him and offered to make The Chief into his protege.

More:Doom Patrol's Robotman Still Does One Very Human Thing

Why Batwoman Is Replacing Kate Kane Instead Of Recasting Ruby Rose

Matt Morrison has been writing about comics since before the word"blogging" was coined. He got his start writing for thelegendary DC Comics digital fanzine Fanzing,before receiving his own column, The Mount. Since then he has gone onto write for over a dozen websites, including 411Mania, ComicsNexus and The Cult of Nobody. He holds both an MS in InformationScience from the University of North Texas and a BFA from theUniversity of Texas at Arlington. Known as a font of comic bookhistory trivia, he has delivered lectures on the history of AmericanComic Books, Japanese Manga and Cosplay at over a dozen conventionsand served as an Expert In-Residence for a course on Graphic Novelsfor Librarians at the University of North Texas. In addition to hiswork for Screen Rant, Matt is currently the Managing Editor ofKabooooom.com, the housecritic of Explore The Multiverse and writes reviews for NoFlying, No Tights a graphic literature and anime review siteaimed at teachers and librarians. He also maintains a personal blog My Geeky Geeky Ways which hosts his extensive episode guide for the television seriesmaking up The Arrowverse as well as hiscomedic Lets Play videos. What little spare time he has isdevoted towards acting, role-playing, movie-riffing and sarcasm. Youcan follow his adventures on Twitter, @GeekyGeekyWays.

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Doom Patrol: Why Niles Caulder Is The REAL Season 2 Villain - Screen Rant

There are ten new additions to look forward to watching on Netflix UK this weekend. Heres whats new on Netflix UK for July 10th, 2020.

First of all, here are the top highlights on Netflix UK Today:

Director: Gina Prince-BythewoodGenre: Action, Fantasy | Runtime: 125 MinutesCast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli

Without a Marvel or DC extravaganza to keep you occupied this Summer, instead, Netflix offers you its latest comic-book adaptation, The Old Guard. A potential smash hit for the summer, we expect to see The Old Guard claim the most popular spots this weekend.

Centuries-old, a group of immortals capable of healing from any wound, have made a name for themselves as the perfect guns for hire. Just as another immortal is awakened, they discover that the secret of their immortality has been exposed, and must now fight to keep their freedom.

Seasons: 8 | Episodes: 1Genre: Documentary | Runtime: 33-46 minutes

In his first-ever Netflix Original, Zac Efron travels the globe wit wellness expert Darin Olien in search of healthy and sustainable ways of living.

You know the story Mission: Impossible Fallout and Unsolved Mysteries continue their dominance at the top.

What are you going to be watching on Netflix UK this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!

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Whats New on Netflix UK Today: July 10th, 2020 - What's on Netflix

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.

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

SUN-GAZETTEFILEPHOTOLoyalsock players pile on each other after winning the 2013 PIAAClassAA championship in State College against Beaver, 5-4.

Coach Jeremy Eck gathered his players in the Loyalsock gym this Friday morning not to talk last-minute strategy, but to provide a history lesson.

Loyalsock would compete against Beaver late that afternoon for the Class AA state championship at Penn States Medlar Field. Eck wanted his players looking around at all the championship banners surrounding them and pay close attention to the 2008 baseball state championship one. His Lancers now had a unique shot at gaining high school immortality.

As Bailey Young drove a pitch into right field and Caleb Robbins rounded third base that moment was at hand. Robbins sprinted home and Loyalsock entered the hallowed halls which few high school teams ever walk. For the second time in program history, Loyalsock was a state champion.

Youngs walk-off single scored Robbins from second and Loyalsock defeated Beaver, 5-4, in one of the most exciting state title games in PIAA history. Beaver had tied it with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Loyalsock immediately fought back and Young lived a dream so many have but never get to experience.

Ill be talking about this year for years, Young said as Loyalsock received their gold medals. Its a great feeling.

Im speechless. Im stuttering right now, shortstop Ethan Moore, the teams lone starting senior, said. Its been a long road. Just to be here looking at this field, I keep asking all the players if we just won states. Its unbelievable.

It really was.

Loyalsock returned a strong group from a 2012 district champion, but was hit hard by injuries throughout the season. The Lancers persevered, then survived one-run games against Towanda and Montoursville, but Hughesville defeated it, 7-5, in a nine-inning district final. It was a crushing loss, one that can be hard to recover from. The Lancers still qualified for states, but would have to go through four district champions which finished their seasons a combined, 81-9.

Against the odds, that is what they did. Loyalsock outscored Lakeland, Delone Catholic and 25-win Salisbury, 23-6 en route to reaching the state final. It erased a four-run fourth-inning deficit against Delone and hammered a Salisbury team with just one loss, 8-1. At the most crucial time, the Lancers rallied around each other and played their best baseball.

I dont think we caught a break all year. We had injuries everywhere. We had some losses from the team, but we pulled through and came together as one, third baseman Tommy Baggett said after going 1 for 2 with two RBIs against Beaver. Everyone steps up at the right time. Whoever is up there, they step up and get the job done.

It was a similar formula which would get Loyalsock past a 24-win Beaver team which had won 17 straight games. Beaver had not allowed a run in three state tournament victories and surrendered just two runs in its six previous games. Radford-bound pitcher Austin Ross had been untouchable, but Loyalsock showed early that it was not like Beavers victims. The Lancers scored a second-inning run to tie the game and then struck twice in the third, taking a 3-1 lead. After Luke Glavins two-out RBI single tied it in the second, Kyle Datres smashed a double and scored a batter later when Jimmy Webb belted an RBI double. Baggett hit a sacrifice fly to score Webb and Loyalsock seemed to be picking up where it had left off against Salisbury.

Datres pitched a complete game, striking out seven and allowing just two earned runs, but Beaver scored twice in the fourth and tied it, 3-3. Again Loyalsock answered. Moore reached on an error, Robbie Klein singled and Baggetts RBI single put it up, 4-3. It stayed that way until the seventh when Loyalsock moved within one out of its second state title. Instead, Nick Hineman hit an RBI single and tied the game. Datres ended the rally with a strikeout but Beaver had the momentum now.

This 2013 season had been about overcoming a series of obstacles and it was time for Loyalsock to clear its final one. Klein was hit by a pitch to open the seventh and Moore came up with only one goal. The team leader had delivered timely hits all year and came up huge again without producing a hit.

In the bottom of the seventh he (Eck) said if Robbie gets on you have one job and thats to get the bunt down, Moore said. I said Damn right. Im getting that bunt down, were moving him over and were winning this game.'

Moore did his part, dropping the bunt exactly where it had to go and moving Robbins, running for Klein, to second. Baggett was intentionally walked and now it was time for Young and Robbins to fulfill Moores promise.

Young had hit a go-ahead sixth-inning RBI single in the semifinals against Montoursville and drilled two doubles against Salisbury. He was heating up at the right time and never doubted himself, even after falling behind Ross 0-2. Young fouled off three straight pitches and then destiny came calling in the form of a fastball on the outside corner. Young went with the pitch, drove it the opposite way to right field, rounded first and watched Robbins complete the run of his life. Robbins was moving faster than ever and there was no play at the plate with the relay throw being cut off. The team surrounded by championship banners that morning now had one of the most unique, becoming state champions.

I told them this morning that if we win this one, we walk together forever, Eck said while holding his young son Elijah. I asked them how do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be a good team that got to the state final or do you want to hang on that wall for the rest of your life? They showed us what its all about. It really is a dream come true. Every one of these guys has so much heart and theyre all gamers.

Young epitomized Loyalsocks drive and selflessness that year. Eck had replaced him with Evan Moore at catcher during the Delone game, moving him to DH. Young never sulked and continued working and producing. After shining against Salisbury the next game, Young delivered the hit of his life and biggest in this illustrious programs history.

Once I saw the throw come in I looked back at home and saw him score. The first person I saw coming at me was Kyle Datres. He told me I was going to get a hit that at-bat and it gave me confidence, Young said. This is amazing. You cant explain the feeling after a state championship win.

What an unbelievable way to end the season, Robbins said. I was scoring no matter what. It was pure adrenaline. As soon as I touched third base I was running as fast as I could. I had to do it for our town and my for my family and my pop. I cant find the words to explain it. It was so awesome.

A year later, Loyalsock returned to Penn State and became just the third Class AA team in PIAA history to repeat as state champions, defeating Central, 5-1. That team also overcame injuries and adversity, rallying from an 8-5 start and winning its final 15 games.

Many of those Lancers played for the 2013 state champion. They knew anything was possible if they continued fighting. Just as important as that title banner those 2013 Lancers earned was the example they set, one that helps the program continue flourishing to this day.

It was a Cinderella story, Robbins said. Were never going to forget this moment and this experience.

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Decade's best No. 1: Loyalsock's baseball team won 2013 PIAA Class AA title in one of state's most exciting finals | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport...

The Lives of Isaac Stern

David Schoenbaum

240PP ISBN 9780393634617

W.W. Norton $26.95.

There is a good book to be written about Isaac Stern, but this is not it. I may be old-fashioned, but I feel the first duty of a biographer is to provide the subjects dates of birth and death. We are on page 24 before we find that Stern was born in 1920, and the actual date is never given, although towards the end of the book we learn that the month was July. As for Sterns demise, we are told that it was eleven days after the attack on the World Trade Center.

It is symptomatic of a biographical style heavy on waffle, light on facts. David Schoenbaum is incapable of lifting material from Sterns memoirs without getting things wrong. At least one direct quotation is inaccurately transcribed. He offers a tortuous screed about the Jewish immigrant experience in San Francisco, but it is unclear how this affected Stern who was ten months old when his parents reached America and became a normal American kid with normal American tastes.

He likes to drag in irrelevancies and suppositions as in a priceless paragraph about Loudon Wainwright III or display his literary pretensions. Here is my favourite extract: Immortality is not for everyone, says a character in Der Gross-Cophta, one of Goethes least known comedies. It is unlikely that Stern knew the play. But he had no need of Goethe to be aware of the message.

Schoenbaum is good on Sterns repertoire, pointing out how much 20th-century music he played. He is less convincing when trying to place Stern among his peers, looking for the most far-fetched similarities you feel if he could prove that Stern and Spalding wore the same size of shoes, or that Joachim (a strange comparison, on which he harps) and Stern both liked their eggs poached, he would mention it.

Where the narrative does come alive is where Schoenbaum is writing about Sterns close engagement with Israel, especially his work in establishing the Jerusalem Music Centre, and his fight to save Carnegie Hall from demolition. These are good stories and he tells them well.

Major staging points of the great mans career, including visits to the Soviet Union, Japan and China, are noted. Yet I miss any attempt to explain what marked out Stern from, say, Oistrakh, Kogan, Heifetz, Haendel, Grumiaux, Milstein or Szeryng. The point is well made that Stern was the first top-ranking home-grown American fiddler, but as an amateur violinist himself, Schoenbaum might have exerted himself to offer a little analysis.

Trivial errors, easily checkable, have crept in: there was no need, for instance, to assert that Florizel von Reuter kept the same name throughout his life (he acquired the von in Germany). Apart from a side-shot of Stern on the front cover, the book is unillustrated, which seems a shame; and there is no discography. Notes are shunted to the back, rather then the ends of chapters, the better solution if you are not allowed footnotes. I am left puzzled as to the intended readers of this biography: violin fanciers, with access to the internet and Sterns memoirs, can do better on their own.

TULLY POTTER

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Book review: The Lives of Isaac Stern - The Strad

Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti in Palm Springs(Hulu)Three comedies about tampering with time illustrate the folly of a primal human desire.

NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLEIn this spring and summer of temporal stagnation, when the ordinary hebdomadal rhythms have been shattered, rush hour consists of commuting from one room of the house to another, and I have to remind myself what day of the week it is, I find myself thinking about time more than usual. How long will we be stuck in this bizarre and unasked-for present before life chugs forward again? Why do we crave that sense of moving toward something, anyway? Will I regret the resumption of normal life? Hulus new movie Palm Springs, an amusing and thoughtful romcom, was filmed before the Wuhan virus got going, but it brushes lightly up against some of the peculiar questions of life in 2020.

Palm Springs, which stars Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, takes one of the richest and best-loved of Hollywood comedy concepts the Groundhog Day idea and adds a twist that potentially redefines it: What if you could share the time-loop experience with someone you loved?

Spoilers follow for Palm Springs and two older time-travel comedies, Click (2006) and About Time (2013). Each of these films focuses on a different kind of time manipulation a different button on Gods remote control and all follow the same path of discovery. Whether given the ability to rewind, fast-forward, or hit the pause button, we would at first revel in our might, but eventually wed achieve the wisdom of understanding that it would be better not to mess with time at all.

Click, the Adam Sandler comedy, is not a good movie, but it has a profound thought at its core. Written by two screenwriters who had previously collaborated on another effects-driven high-concept blockbuster comedy, Bruce Almighty, Click asked: What if you had a remote control, but for life? Sandlers character, an ambitious architect who finds family life to be dull and enervating, mainly uses the remote to fast-forward through domestic ennui arguments with the wife, kids being annoying. Neither he nor the audience initially catches the implications of what hes doing, but his magical device is actually malignant. By fast-forwarding through the dull parts of life, he has fast-forwarded through . . . life. This being a reassuring Hollywood picture, he gets handed a George Bailey-style second chance to learn his lesson, and he throws away the remote. Amid all the dumb sight gags, the film presents us with an underlying truth: Even our least pleasant experiences have value. We wouldnt be human without them, and being human is a reassuringly shared project, not to be avoided.

Click captures the sensibility of being in ones thirties or early forties, when the stresses of raising children and quarreling with ones spouse feed on each other, and frustrated days seem to pass too slowly. If only I could skip this part is a thought that has lodged in many a parents mind. In contrast, About Time, the British comedy in which Domhnall Gleeson plays a young lawyer who learns from his father (Bill Nighy) that all of the men in the family have the ability to leap across time at will, was written by Richard Curtis in his mid-fifties, and its focus is on jumping back rather than ahead. As Curtis dealt with the loss of his parents, he found himself wishing he could rewind, re-live, re-experience. Gleesons character uses the time-travel gift primarily to repair errors by going back in time and re-enacting scenes that he didnt get right the first time around. In a beautifully climactic moment, he explains how he settles on a policy of wielding his powers not to become rich and famous but simply to live each day of his ordinary life twice, the second time with a lightness and a sense of perspective that enables him to be a better person. Eventually, though, just as Sandlers frustrated dad throws away his remote control, Gleesons Tim puts his superpower back on the shelf and stops traveling around time. He learns finally to accept and savor life as it comes, every triumph and every disappointment. Were all traveling through time together every day of our lives, he says. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.

Its the same conclusion at which the principals arrive in Palm Springs, in which Samberg and Milioti play Nyles and Sarah, two wedding guests who get stuck repeating the same day together. The rules are that no matter what they do, after the day ends either in death or in falling asleep, each of them will then wake up back at the same property where they started, on the day of the wedding. Previously unacquainted, the two bond over their shared plight, become lovers and use circumstances to their advantage. They can do whatever they want start barroom brawls, party all day, do dangerous stunts because they know there are no long-term consequences. The element of grim solitude that understandably led to Phil the Weathermans suicidal thoughts in Groundhog Day is removed. Wouldnt it be a lark to have a partner with whom you can try anything you want, going anywhere you want, without aging, with only the one little snag about having to start each day over in the same place?

And yet Sarah is miserable anyway. She studies physics and builds an explosive device designed to either eject the pair of them from the time loop or, possibly, kill them both, this time forever. She argues that any risk is acceptable given how terrible the circumstances are, but Nyles isnt so sure. He tells Sarah he loves her and cant deal with the possibility of losing her. Neither, however, makes the case for the superiority of the status quo, despite even the attraction of immortality. The happy ending they seek is that her plan will work and that the two of them will be jolted out of the time loop so they can resume a normal life advancing toward mortality like everyone else.

Thats a mature outlook and, to the extent it counsels acceptance of things that cant be changed, a conservative one. Todays movies are frequently derided for being adolescent and meretricious, for ignoring genuine human dilemmas in favor of fanciful concerns with all things superhuman. Ostensibly fantasies, Click, About Time, and Palm Springs stand in counterpoint, finding that our primal desire to master time and achieve immortality is a false idol. Were best off accepting our lot, which is to travel through time together.

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The Anxiety of Time Travel - National Review

We are used to superheroes that come complete with a variety of superhuman powers flight, strength, x-ray vision not to mention the accompanying bells and whistles of capes, hammers and shields.

But the heroes at the centre of new film The Old Guard, based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Beyond The Lights Gina Prince-Bythewood, all have the same mysterious power in common. They are centuries-old immortals and they cannot die.

They now work as a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries, who have been fighting to protect the mortal world for centuries, but that is all thrown into jeopardy when they discover someone is onto their secret.

We are not these superheroes that float somewhere above reality, says Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays the immortal Booker in the film. Actually we are quite tangible and people can identify with that.

In fact the team, led by Charlize Therons Andy (short for Andromache of Scythia) and new recruit and former Marine Nile, played by Kiki Layne as well as Marwan Kenzaris Joe and Luca Marinellis Nicky end up grappling with the very human issues of what it means to be alive and what the value of life really is.

That was something that resonates with a lot of things that are unexpectedly going on in the world today, the 42-year-old Belgian actor adds, so people can identify with the emotional process of what these characters go through.

It really goes to the heart of the matter, what makes life special, adds his British co-star Chiwetel Ejofor, who plays a former CIA agent who recruits the team for a job. What makes life worth living and is it the fact that it doesnt last forever?

I think that is the great existential question. I think in all of our mythology and storytelling, eternal life is this recurring theme, so many things have tried to discuss it.

But what I loved about this was that there was something very gritty and almost brutal about the way they carried the burden of this supernatural, eternal quality.

I loved the questions that it raised, ethical, moral questions about what should be done with these people and whether they offer something to the greater good and whether that can be monetised, all of these questions which would definitely come up if this happened, so all of that I thought was really fascinating.

The fact they cannot die means they have to deal with eternity and immortality, Schoenaerts adds. After I read the screenplay, I discovered the graphic novel, which is very different to other graphic novels that Im used to and I was curious how we were going to be able to translate it to the screen.

One aspect of that is the relationship between Nicky and Joe, who fought on opposite sides during the Crusades, but fell in love after they discovered their immortality. They met each other as each others enemies first, and we are seeing them as they have been together for many, many, many years, Kenzari, 37, says.

The level of the love between them is so profound and so deep and it goes further than anything that we might know since they are that old, so that is an extraordinary element in their relationship.

But their relationship and the groups very existence comes under threat from the sinister pharmaceutical executive Steven Merrick, played by Harry Potter star Harry Melling, 31, who sends operatives to capture them and learn the secrets of their abilities in the hopes of monetising and exploiting them.

And the actor was fascinated by the commentary on the role big tech and big pharma plays in modern life. When I got sent the script my first point of call was to research pharmaceutical companies and young entrepreneurs and see what they were up to and it is shady, certainly, he says.

Its very complicated and often what happens is a good, noble venture turns very quickly into something else and that seemed to be the reoccurring theme, certainly for these kind to companies, so that is what I drew from that bit of research.

The actors were also impressed by the work of Prince-Bythewood, who was best known for her smaller character-driven dramas including the cult hit Love and Basketball before turning her hand to a blockbuster.

One of the amazing thing about Gina was she was adamant in representation and diversity on the screen, says Melling. Not only on the screen, but off screen as well, so many strong female creatives involved and it was just really exciting to be a part of that.

It always trickles down from the top, I always say that, and what your leaders are doing, or your director, it always trickles down, so it was very exciting to be on set with Gina.

Ejiofor, 43, nods in agreement, adding: I really enjoyed Beyond The Lights and I was excited to see what she did with something of this size and making it personal. That is our real gift, making all of these things ring true on an emotional level and these personal dynamics really work and this great array of characters that shes using.

These inter-personal dynamics are quite rare, so seeing her approach the action genre but from this very interesting point of view and having these great female leads is really powerful and I was really engaged with that part of the script. The Old Guard is streaming on Netflix in the UK and Ireland now.

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We are not these superheroes that float somewhere above reality - The News International

The Old Guard has touched down on Netflix and audiences are lapping up the action flick, with many people pouring adoration on Charlize Theron's performance as the immortal Andy. This has led to many fans discovering the comic books on which the movie is based, and discovering that there's one major difference that will inevitably lead to the sequels being very different.

Warning: Spoilers for The Old Guard on Netflix ahead.

As is made clear in The Old Guard, Theron's Andy is no longer able to regenerate like the other members of the eponymous superhero squad. Her immortality has reached its end, and therefore her confrontation with Merrick could be fatal. Luckily, she survives, but her life is now very much in the balance.

This is, perhaps surprisingly to non-comic book readers, a major change from the source material. In writer Greg Rucka and artist Leandro Fernndez's original work, Andy does not lose her immortality but remains able to regenerate after death.

"The one concern that we had in developing it, was, 'Is there enough jeopardy and stakes?'" the movie's director Gina Prince-Bythewoodtold Esquire while discussing the change. "They can die, and they never know when they're going to, but adding that extra layer gave us that jeopardy for her character."

The big question now concerns what that means for The Old Guard 2, should that sequel happen. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Prince-Bythewood said that "it'll be based on the graphic novel" still, but added no more details on Andy's fate. With Andy's loss of immortality playing such a major role in the first film, surely the writers' fo the sequel will have to address the situation which will naturally lead to some further differences to the graphic novel.

For the most part, The Old Guard remains a faithful adaptation of the source material with only minor differences. Rucka, after all, wrote the script for the movie and put certain stipulations in his contract about scenes that had to appear in the filmed version, including one where Joe and Nicky declare their love for each other.

One minor difference concerns the character Quynh, seen at the end of the movie. In the comics, her name is Noriko it appears the change happened as the actress Van Veronica Ngo is Vietnamese, unlike in the comics, where the character is Japanese. CIA agents Copley is also white in the comics, whereas Chiwetel Ejiofor plays him in the movie.

There are also some timeline discrepancies, as Copley only discovers that Andy's actions are doing good in the world in the second comic run. Perhaps, then, the movie has acted as a spoiler for future comics and will see Andy lose her immortality sometime soon? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, read more about The Old Guard ending with quotes from Prince-Bythewood on what to expect.

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The Old Guard makes one change from the comic books that will affect the sequels in a massive way - GamesRadar+ AU

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.

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Liverpool are five games from immortality, but there are six special ways to achieve it - Liverpool.com

While you might think a film where most of the cast are immortal would have some trouble with creating dramatic tension, Netflixs The Old Guard certainly manages to keep you guessing until the final moments.

But what does the films shock ending mean for any follow-ups and if there is an Old Guard sequel, what would the cast like to see their characters get up to?

Luckily for you, weve done the legwork to find out in that we asked some of the cast and The Old Guards director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, all of whom seemed keen for more adventures with these characters.

If the story continues its absolutely up to an audience, Prince-Bythewood told RadioTimes.com, adding that screenwriter Greg Rucka (who also wrote the graphic novel The Old Guard is based on) has plenty of ideas.

I know that Greg Rucka has always envisioned his story, when it was a graphic novel, as a trilogy, and actually the second part of his comic book just came out. So I know where the story goes, and its pretty great. So if an audience wants it, theres absolutely more story to tell.

Check out our analysis of the ending alongside the casts wishes for a sequel below, but beware there are some serious spoilers right after the jump.

Matthias Schoenaerts in The Old Guard on Netflix

Big spoilers follow, so dont read on if you havent seen The Old Guard.

The film concludes with our unkillable heroes free from the clutches of evil pharmaceutical mogul Merrick (Harry Melling) and beginning a new quest to right wrongs with the help of Chiwetel Ejiofors Copley but there have been a few consequences from their adventure.

Longtime team leader Andy (Charlize Theron) is now mortal having lost her ability to heal rapidly and return from death, while Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) has been exiled from the group for the next hundred years following his betrayal earlier in the movie.

And 6 months after the events of the film, Booker is joined by fellow immortal Quynh, a former friend of Andys who (in earlier flashbacks in the film) was captured, imprisoned in an iron maiden and thrown in the sea to drown, revive then die again for all eternity. Andy looked for Quynh for years but never found her, worrying that the ordeal would drive her old friend mad and now that shes somehow returned, it may be that Andys fears will be realised

Gina Prince-Bythewood on set with Kiki Lane and Charlize Theron (Netflix)

Quynh has reared her head and that causes some issues, absolutely, Prince-Bythewood told us though she wouldnt be drawn on exactly what trouble an insane immortal could cause in the sequel, instead directing fans to the source material.

I would just base it on the graphic novel because again, we have to see if an audience wants it, and then something will be written, she said.

In a sequel, perhaps we could expect the down-at-heel Booker to join forces with Quynh, or try and get back in with his friends by telling them about her plans, assuming shes out for revenge. Meanwhile, the main team would presumably begin their work with Copley (Ejiofor) directing them to serious threats around the world.

For a more specific guide as to what might happen, fans might be wise to check out Ruckas Old Guard graphic novel sequel when its released in full in September.

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in The Old Guard on Netflix

Like Prince-Bythewood, the Old Guard cast say its up to audiences whether we see more stories in this world, with any sequels determined by just how many people stream the film in the coming days and weeks.

Still, they all seem very excited at the prospect of a sequel, noting that there are plenty of new directions for the story to go in.

I mean I definitely think theres potential for that, because the central characters and central idea are so fascinating, and can occupy all sorts of different times and periods and ideas, Chiwetel Ejiofor (pictured) told RadioTimes.com.

So I think it lends itself to that in that way, and I think that these characters are really interesting. And I think that theres more story to tell in terms of their narrative. Theres a lot more to explore.

And I think philosophically theres more to explore about this psychology, and what the nature of immortality is, and how that reflects on what ones relationship is to being alive. Theres a lot to look at really.

Harry Melling stars in The Old Guard on Netflix

Going off what Chiwetel said, the theme of immortality is such a huge one, added co-star Harry Melling.

Theres so many avenues you can go down and the characters are so fascinating. I really hope it has more to go.

Marwan Kinzari (who plays Joe in the film) was also interested in a sequel, though noted that current filming restrictions may have to be lifted before he and the other cast could think of getting back into their immortal groove.

Marwan Kenzari in The Old Guard on Netflix

We dont know. We live in a complicated world, he told RadioTimes.com. And I can only hope for things to clear up, and for this huge storm to pass over us all, and to have somehow a world where we can all be creative again.

And in this case, the Old Guard has a lot to offer. So I would be happy to be part of the second one most definitely. That would be a no-brainer for me.

Its a fantastic world, and theres a lot to explore, he concluded.

THE OLD GUARD (L to R) KIKI LAYNE as NILE, LUCA MARINELLI as NICKY, CHARLIZE THERON as ANDY

As we say, it seems likely that the Quynh/Booker storyline will play out in a sequel, and the films director suggests that the gang will face more real-life threats as well in their quest for justice.

In the graphic novel theres a very grounded story tackling a problem within the world, which again brings more villains that are not with the conceit of immortality, Prince-Bythewood said. So theres actually a really cool balance between those two.

And its possible some story beats cut from the first film will reappear in a sequel, with Prince-Bythewood keen to see more of the historical romance between Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari).

In the graphic novel, I have to say [I love] how Joe and Nicky met, she said. We talk about it in the film, but in the graphic novel you actually see it, and it was in one of Gregs earlier drafts. The film was feeling so full we just had to cut it.

THE OLD GUARD (L to R) MARWAN KENZARI as JOE and LUCA MARINELLI as NICKY in THE OLD GUARD. Cr. AIMEE SPINKS/NETFLIX 2020

But that is a pretty incredible sequence of those two in the Crusades. And they keep killing each other and coming back to life as everyone around them is dying and staying dead. And that final moment after the third or fourth time that theyve killed each other, they just look at each other and they know that theyve met their soulmate.

Its pretty great, she added. And I hope that if theres a sequel, that gets to be illustrated.

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The Old Guard ending explained will there be a sequel? - RadioTimes