Heres Why Horn Amulets Are Worn To Protect Sperm, Among Other Things – Yahoo Lifestyle

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When it comes to gems the hidden ones are often stories, not stones. Welcome to Demystified, where we look beyond the jewelry box, past our closets, and into the depths of our most cherished possessions to reveal their cross-cultural significance.

There are a number of distinguishing features that characterize the southern Italian, namely: sun-touched complexions, scalps blessed with an abundance of wavy locks, and chests decorated with various iterations of a chili pepper-like pendant. While necklaces certainly aren't biological attributes, this curvy, horn-shaped one in particular is so commonly worn among such folk and those who came before them that it practically evolved into an extra appendage for members of the Italian population it now represents.

You'll find this amulet incorporated in the work of Cristina Cipolli, an Italian jewelry designer who draws inspiration from tribal traditions and ancient civilizations. An architect by trade, Cipolli's fascination with the horn is largely rooted in its striking geometry, but the plurality of its meaning across the globe is an equally compelling reason to use the shape. "Acornicello, orcorno portafortuna, is anItaliantalismanworn to protect against theevil eye and bad luck in general, and historically to promotefertilityandvirility," she says of the pendant, which is traditionally crafted from red coral, gold or silver. Because Italians have long believed male genitalia to be a target of the wandering evil eye and its nefarious intentions, the cornicello functions like a jewelry jockstrap that doesn't require below-the-belt placement to be effective. It's something you'll find affixed to necks and rearview mirrors alike as a public declaration of reproductive force, good fortune and national pride, particularly in the country's Campania region.

In Italian culture, among others, the horn naturally personifies strength considering its innate purpose as a weapon for animals. Yet its durability can also be interpreted as salvation and immortality. "They can even be fabulous and magic when thought of with the mystical unicorn," Cipolli says. But the significance of this object extends far beyond the realm of fantasy and Southern Italy's rugged, citrusy terrain. In areas of East Africa, for example, decorative pieces fashioned out of this material can indicate wealth and tribe affiliation. The more horn used and worn in jewelry suggests the ownership of livestock, rendering items made from it aspirational and the symbol itself a representation of status.

"Our earliest ancestors ascribed meaning and magic to feathers, bones, stones and even tree bark.They wore or carried these amulets for protection or to enhance their strength, courage or sexual attraction," Cipolli explains."Over time, these were replaced with symbolic objects."So even if you're not in the market for sperm-shielding accessories, horn-shaped pieces and charms come with a certain tenacity that can still be feminine in the fiercest of ways. Ahead, shop a selection of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that embody this power.

At Refinery29, were here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Alex & Ani Horn Expandable Necklace, $, available at Alex & Ani

Kenneth Jay Lane Gold-Plated And Resin Necklace, $, available at Net-A-Porter

BoutiqueSA Cornicello Horn, $, available at Etsy

ShopClaudius Dotted Tusk Horn Tassel Keychain, $, available at Etsy

Akola Raffia Tassel & Horn Charm Bracelet, $, available at Nordstrom

Maison Monik Horn Tooth Necklace, $, available at Shopbop

Isabel Marant White & Silver Horn Necklace, $, available at SSENSE

Beauniq Italian Horn Pendant, $, available at Amazon

Forge de Laguiole Aubrac Cow Horn Pepper Mill, $, available at Amara

Sydney Evan 14k Lapis Horn & Diamond Necklace, $, available at Neiman Marcus

Diaboli Kill Horn Hoop Earrings, $, available at Diaboli Kill

Ettika On the Horn Necklace, $, available at Ettika

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Heres Why Horn Amulets Are Worn To Protect Sperm, Among Other Things - Yahoo Lifestyle

2045: A New Era for Humanity – YouTube

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http://2045.com http://gf2045.comIn February of 2012 the first Global Future 2045 Congress was held in Moscow. There, over 50 world leading scientists from multiple disciplines met to develop a strategy for the future development of humankind. One of the main goals of the Congress was to construct a global network of scientists to further research on the development of cybernetic technology, with the ultimate goal of transferring a human's individual consciousness to an artificial carrier.

2012-2013. The global economic and social crises are exacerbated. The debates on the global paradigm of future development intensifies.

New transhumanist movements and parties emerge. Russia 2045 transforms into World 2045.

Simultaneously, the 2045.com international social network for open innovation is expanding. Here anyone interested may propose a project, take part in working on it, or fund it, or both. In the network, there are scientists, scholars, researchers, financiers and managers.

2013-2014. New centers working on cybernetic technologies for the development of radical life extension rise. The 'race for immortality' starts.

2015-2020. The Avatar is created -- A robotic human copy controlled by thought via 'brain-computer' interface. It becomes as popular as a car.

2020. In Russia and in the world appear -- in testing mode -- several breakthrough projects:Android robots replace people in manufacturing tasks; android robot servants for every home; thought-controlled Avatars to provide telepresence in any place of the world and abolish the need business trips; flying cars; thought driven mobile communications built into the body or sprayed onto the skin.

2020-2025. An autonomous system providing life support for the brain and allowing it interaction with the environment is created. The brain is transplanted into an Avatar B. With Avatar B man receives new, expanded life.

2025. The new generation of Avatars provides complete transmission of sensations from all five sensory robot organs to the operator.

2030-2035. ReBrain -- The colossal project of brain reverse engineering is implemented. World science comes very close to understanding the principles of consciousness.

2035. The first successful attempt to transfer one's personality to an alternative carrier. The epoch of cybernetic immortality begins.

2040-2050. Bodies made of nanorobots that can take any shape arise alongside hologram bodies.

2045-2050. Drastic changes in social structure, and in scientific and technological development. All the for space expansion are established.For the man of the future, war and violence are unacceptable. The main priority of his development is spiritual self-improvement.

A new era dawns: The era of neohumanity.

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2045: A New Era for Humanity - YouTube

Immortality: God’s Gift To The Saints The Church of God …

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No question about it, the Bible clearly reveals that immortality is God's gracious gift to His saints. But if immortality is a gift that is given only to the saints, why do millions believe that it is an inherent quality of the human soul? What does the Bible say about this subject?

There is no single doctrine which commands such universal acceptance among religious adherents over so vast a span of time. Indeed, this doctrine has been almost synonymous with religion itself. Not one major religion disputes it and every religious tradition affirms it in one form or another.

In the ancient Near East, it dominated religious thought. In African and Asian tribal religions it is prominent and religions of all civilizations have endorsed it. It is an important relic of Platonic thought. In the world of professing Christianity, only a few sects question it. Seventy-one percent of Americans believe it.

It is the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, the view that the human soul has a conscious existence immediately after death.

Yet the Bible, reputedly the authoritative document of the Christian faith, nowhere teaches this doctrine. It is nothing less than astounding that the Old Testament, a document of the ancient Near East, roundly rejects the teaching that the soul consciously survives death when that teaching was commonplace then, and that the New Testament equally rejects this doctrine, believed by the vast majority in the first century.

Amazingly, the Bible as a religious document is almost unique in its utter refutation of the view that the real person is the soul inside, which goes into another world upon the death of the body. This is no minor issue to be mistaken about. Granted there are some doctrines which are inconsequential, and no church has all truth and no error. We all know in part and prophecy (preach) in part. But the true church, the church divinely commissioned to take the gospel to the world, must know the fundamental doctrine of what man really is.

Could God have started a church and continue to actively lead that church when it does not even know what man is and what happens to him after death? Is this a minor doctrine?

The implications for any church which is wrong on this issue are profound. Immortality of the soul defender John W. Cooper, in his book Body, Soul and Life Everlasting, says that if the doctrine is not true then "a doctrine affirmed by most of the church since its beginning is false. A second consequence is more personal and existentialwhat millions of Christians believe will happen when they die is an illusion." Would God have led so many believers into error, or would He not rescue them from that error, if He were, in fact, the Founder of those churches which believe in the immortality of the soul?

We need to dispassionately and without bias examine this critical subject.

One respected theologian came to what was a startling conclusion for him: that his church had misled him on this critical issue. Church of Christ elder Edward Fudge explains in the book which he finally wrote to show the results of his study, The Fire That Consumes: The Biblical Case for Conditional Immortality: "I was reared on traditionalist teaching. I accepted it because it was said to rest on Scripture. Closer investigation has shown this claim to be mistaken. Careful study has shown that both Old and New Testaments teach instead a resurrection of the wicked for the purpose of divine judgment....so my beliefs have changed-as a result of careful study."

So have the views of an even more well-known and renowned theologian and evangelical apologist, Clark Pinnock. In his chapter on "The Conditional View" in the well-researched book, Four Views on Hell, Pinnock, after showing a number of scriptures disproving the immortality of the soul, wonders aloud why so many churches should have adopted what would appear an obviously unbiblical view. An explanation for this, he offers, "exists in a Hellenistic belief about human nature that has dominated Christian thinking about eschatology from the beginning. There has been a virtual consensus that the soul survives death because it is by nature an incorporeal substance. This assumption goes back to Plato's view of the soul as metaphysically indestructible, a view shared by Augustine, Aquinas, and Calvin. The Greek doctrine of the immortality of the soul has affected theology unduly on this point-a good example of the occasional Hellenization of Christian doctrine."

It is time we get back to the Bible, especially in light of the fact that the Protestant Reformation was ostensibly based on sola ScripturaScripture alone! If this claim is true, then why should nonbiblical sources be more influential than Scripture in the formation of Christian doctrine? Yet defenders of the immortal soul doctrine will protest that Scripture itself is clear that the soul is immortal. There are some scriptures which do, indeed, seem to clearly teach an eternal conscious existence in hell. We can't ignore these scriptures, if we accept all biblical texts as the Word of Godbut we must seek to understand them without reading foreign ideas into them.

Revelation 14:10 refers to people who "will be tormented with fire and brimstone." Verse 11 says that the "smoke of their torment goes up for even and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image." Now if they don't have immortal souls, how will that be possible? Will God give them immortal souls to facilitate their everlasting punishment? In any event, those who believe in conditional immortality, like the Church of God International, reject the notion of everlasting conscious punishment. So what do we do with a text like Revelation 14:10,11, which was not smuggled into the Scriptures by Plato? These verses seem devastating to our view.

In Matthew 25:41, Jesus refers to those who will depart into "eternal fire." Verse 46 has been especially appealed to by defenders of the immortal soul view. It says the wicked will go away into "eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." If "eternal life" means unending life and conscious existence, then why in the same passage doesn't "eternal punishment" mean unending conscious existence as well?

Matthew 18:8 says that "it is better for you to enter eternal life maimed or lame than...to be thrown into the eternal fire." Why would the fire be eternal if it has nothing to burn and if the wicked are annihilated, as we teach?

We need to answer all these texts.

Surprising as it might seem, "eternal" and "everlasting" do not always mean never-ending, but can actually mean "agelasting," that is, lasting for a limited period. It is important to bear in mind that what we have are English translations of the Bible and that the Scriptures were originally inspired in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. To study to show ourselves approved, we have to acquire some rudimentary understanding of the biblical languages. If we are going to pronounce authoritatively on certain complex doctrinal matters, we must be equipped.

There is an easy way to prove that aionios does not always mean never-ending and that it can mean eternal in its results and consequences.

In Jude 1:7 we read that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the "punishment of eternal fire." Yet no one believes that Sodom and Gomorrah are burning now. The inhabitants suffered the punishment of eternal fire in the sense that they were completely destroyed; the fire was eternal in its results and effects; it left nothing to be consumed.

There can be no dispute about this for there are no cities named Sodom and Gomorrah burning today! Scripture does not say they suffered the punishment of Gehenna (hell) fire, so one cannot reason that perhaps they are suffering (unknown to us) in hell. They suffered the punishment of a literal fire which swept through the area. (One scholar points out that at least seventy times in the Bible the Greek word aionios qualifies objects of a temporary and limited nature.)

The Hebrew equivalent of aionios in the Old Testament is olam, which can also mean eternal or everlasting, but is also used in reference to a limited span of time. To prove decisively that "forever" or "eternal" do not always mean never-ending, notice the following passages in which olam obviously means age-lasting or a limited time.

In Exodus 12:24 we read that the sprinkling of the blood at the Passover was to be "an ordinance for ever." The Aaronic priesthood was also said to have been a "perpetual statute" (Exodus 29:9; 40:15; Leviticus 3:17). Solomon's temple was supposed to have been everlasting (1 Kings 8:13). The ritual of tending to the light in the tabernacle was to be "a statute for ever" (Exodus 27:21). All the sacrifices and circumcision were said to last "forever." Now how many Christians, even among law-keepers, are still practicing these rituals which the Bible clearly says should be observed forever, as part of an "everlasting covenant"? Clearly, the Hebrew word olam, the equivalent of aionios in the passages quoted, means age-lasting, to be in force for the life of the Old Covenant.

Romans 16:25 talks about the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret "for long ages." What the reader of the English translations of the Bible would not know immediately is that the word translated "long ages" is aionios-the same word translated "forever" in the passages quoted about eternal fire and everlasting punishment. It is indisputable, therefore, that the word carries more than one meaning and cannot, under all circumstances, be interpreted as eternal in the sense of never-ending.

But then there is Matthew 3:12, pulled out by immortal soul advocates to prove their point. It refers to the "unquenchable fire" which will be unleashed on the lost.

Again, just as in the case of the "eternal" fire which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, the fire threatened by Jesus here is one which will accomplish its purpose of utter destruction, one whose purpose and mission cannot be thwarted by anyone or anything. This is the sense of the phrase.

To prove that this is not speculation, turn to Jeremiah 17:27 where a similar threat was made to a rebellious Israel. Hear the words of Yahweh: "But if you do not listen to me, to keep the sabbath day holy...then I will kindle a fire in its [Jerusalem's] gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched."

Yahweh threatened an unquenchable fire that could not be put out by all the firemen in the world. It would achieve its purpose: the utter destruction of Jerusalem and its sinning inhabitants. The unquenchable fire, like the eternal fire, refers to the results and consequences of its action, not the duration of its time.

Isaiah 34:9,10 is a clincher. Notice the imagery of the punishment proposed for Edom: "And the streams of Edom shall be turned into a pitch, and her soil into brimstone; her land shall become burning pitch. Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up for ever [notice this similarity with the Revelation texts quoted earlier], from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever."

Yes, there it is! The fire would completely destroy Edom; its smoke would proverbially go up forever, "from generation to generation." The land would be desolate-no more; it would be completely destroyed. That the fire would be "eternal" and "unquenchable" means a fire which no one would be able to quench until it achieved its purpose. See also Isaiah 1:30,31: "For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. And the strong shall become tow, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them."

There it is"none to quench them"clearly meaning both will burn until they become extinct, annihilated!

As Clark Pinnock has suggested in his essay in the book Four Views on Hell, "I believe that the real basis of the traditional view of the nature of hell is not in the Bible's talk of the wicked perishing, but an unbiblical anthropology that is read into the text. If a biblical reader approached the text with the assumption that souls are immortal, would they not be compelled to interpret texts that speak of the wicked being destroyed to mean that they are tortured forever since according to that supposition they cannot go out of existence?....[T]he belief in the immortality of the soul will necessarily skew the exegesis."

This is why we have dealt extensively in this booklet with the discussion of hell, for at the root of the traditional view of an ever-burning hell is the false doctrine of the immortality of the human soul.

The attempt to use Matthew 25:41,46 to prove this false doctrine fails miserably. The fact is, both the righteous and the damned will have their fates sealed eternally. The righteous will enjoy unending life as a reward and the unrighteous will suffer everlasting punishment-their punishment will be final, inexorable, irredeemable. The unrighteous will suffer everlasting punishment, not everlasting punishing!

In his book, Life and Immortality, Basil Atkinson notes that "when the adjective aionios meaning 'everlasting' is used in Greek with nouns of action it has reference to the result of the action, not the process.

"Thus, the phrase 'everlasting punishment' is comparable to 'everlasting redemption' and 'everlasting salvation,' both scriptural phrases. No one supposes that we are being redeemed or being saved forever.

"In the same way the lost will not be passing through a process of punishment for ever but will be punished once and for all, with eternal results. On the other hand, the noun 'life' is not a noun of action, but a noun expressing a state; that is, the life itself is eternal."

Finally, Samuele Bacchiocchi in his insightful book Immortality or Resurrection? says of aionios, translated "everlasting" or "forever": "Ancient Greek papyri contain numerous examples of Roman emperors being described as aionios. What is meant is that they held their office for life. Unfortunately, the English words 'eternal' or 'everlasting' do not accurately render the meaning of aionios which literally means 'age-lasting.'"

While some have tried to impose their own preconceived ideas on the biblical texts, a clear reading of the texts which refer to the fate of the wicked and the lost indicates that their end is destruction. Let's look at some plain texts.

Malachi 4:1 says that on the Day of the Lord "all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." That text speaks most forcefully of destruction, and utter annihilation. How could we get any other concept from that text? When we are not imposing preconceived ideas on the biblical text, it is obvious that the fate of the unsaved is destruction.

Psalm 37:38 says that "transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off."

In Matthew 13:30, Jesus also uses the imagery of total destruction to describe the fate of the wicked. The proverbial weeds are gathered to be burned. The metaphor is of total destruction. In Psalm 37:2, we read that the wicked will "fade like the grass"; they "shall be cut off" and "will be no more" (verses 9,10).

Hebrews 10:27 refers the "fury of fire which will consume the adversaries." Defenders of the immortal soul doctrine have often replied to the avalanche of texts showing that the wicked will be destroyed by saying that the word destruction is sometimes used to mean "put out of action." The example is used of Christ who, as it were, destroyed Satan the devil through His action on the stake, yet the devil continues to exist.

It is amazing the ingenious attempts which are made to preserve a cherished, inherited belief. While it is true that words do have several meanings, it takes no linguist with a doctorate to see that the contexts of words determine meaning. That destruction could possibly mean to put out of action and that it does take that meaning in one or a few texts does not mean that we should ignore the clear, ordinary meaning of the word as it is used in the many other texts of Scripture.

It is hard to ignore texts like Isaiah 1:28, which says that "rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed."

There is one text that cannot rationally or exegetically be open to any other meaning than the one favored by those who deny ever-burning hell and the immortality of the soul. This text is crystal clear once one really focuses on it.

We return to the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were destroyed by eternal fire and are clearly not burning today. This fire was complete in its work of utter destruction. Peter says that God turned "the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes" (2 Peter 2:6). We don't have to wonder whether Sodom and Gomorrah are burning today. Those cities have been already turned to ashes as a result of the eternal fire.

So, clearly, their fire resulted in complete destruction in the ordinary sense of the word. Let's go on, for it gets more interesting. What God did was condemn them to extinctionto annihilation!not an unending burning. But it gets even more interesting, and now we'll see why there can be no other explanation of this bombshell of a text against the ever-burning hell and immortal soul concepts. In the latter part of verse 6, we are told that God "condemned them [Sodom and Gomorrah] to extinction and made them an example of those who were to be ungodly," meaning that the ungodly will suffer the same fate. What fate? Utter extinction! They will be turned to ashes (which is exactly what Malachi 4:1 says).

It could not be clearer! What Sodom and Gomorrah suffered served as an example of the kind of destruction that awaits the wicked at the end.

(Other important texts applying the word destruction to the fate of the wicked are Philippians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:2,3; and 2 Thessalonians 1:9.)

An argument often used to distort the biblical truth about man is the view that only the body dies at the withdrawal of man's breath; the soul cannot. Yet Ezekiel 18:4 explicitly states that "the soul that sins shall die." Those same words are repeated in verse 20.

The Messianic text in Isaiah 53 shows that Jesus as a human being went the way of all fleshHe died. And when He died it was not just the body which died but His soul. Notice Isaiah 53:12, which predicted that the Messiah would pour out "his soul to death."

See also Psalm 89:48: "What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol [the graveNKJV] ?"

Matthew 10:28 is abundantly clear: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body...." The soul can be destroyed! Why do we refuse to believe the plain statements of Scripture?

The title of the book of one noted theologian, Oscar Cullman, says it all: Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead? It is an either-or issue. You cannot have both.

What is the purpose of the resurrection if the saints are already in heaven with Christ and the wicked in hell?

Nor is there any evidence that there is some special place called "paradise" where Christians stay in transit until the resurrection when they join Christ in heaven.

The uniform testimony of Scripture is that the dead remain in their graves until the time of the resurrection.

John 5:28,29 says, "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment."

Daniel 12:2 says, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." First Corinthians 15:52 shows that it is at the resurrection that the saved will gain immortality, and before then the dead are asleep in their graves. "For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable....For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?"

First Thessalonians 4:15 refers to the dead as being "asleep." The text goes on to say that when the Lord returns "the dead in Christ will rise first" (verse 16). Now if the dead go immediately to be with the Lord at death, how can they only rise at the last trump?

The Scriptures show that at the resurrection it is the entire person who is raised, not merely his body. "The dead in Christ" are the persons who die in Christ, not just their bodies.

Look at Job 14:12 to see unequivocally that it is the person himself, not just a part of him, who rises when Christ returns: "So man [his entire being] lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake; or be roused out of his sleep."

This takes us to the next point: that the Bible consistently refers to death as a sleep.

If death does not indicate unconsciousness why would the analogy of sleep be meaningful? The Psalmist refers to the "sleep of death" (Psalm 13:3). Psalm 115:17 says, "The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any that go down into silence." Matthew 27:52 states that "the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." In Acts 7:60 we read of Stephen who "fell asleep." Second Peter 3:4 speaks of those who ask, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued...."

Other equally clear texts show unmistakably that the dead are unconscious. Psalm 146:4 says, "When his [man's] breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his plans ["thoughts"KJV] perish." The Psalmist asks, "Dost thou work wonders for the dead? Do the shades rise up to praise thee? ...Are thy wonders known in the darkness, or thy saving help in the land of forgetfulness?" (Psalm 88:10,12).

The idea that the saints are having a great time praising the Lord and playing on harps finds no support in the Sacred

Scriptures! The dead are asleep; they are in silence, in the land of forgetfulness! Psalm 6:5 says pointedly, "For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in Sheol [the grave] who can give thee praise?"

Immortality is set forth in Scripture as something to be sought and attained in the future. Romans 2:6,7 says that God "will render to every man according to his works; to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life."

Immortality is a gift of God through Christ. It is not possessed inherently by humans. Only the saved will be granted immortality. For proof see 2 Timothy 1:10, which states that Jesus Christ "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

Let's go to the very first book of the Bible to see God's revelation of what man really is and what constitutes the soul. In Genesis 2:7 we read, significantly, that "God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [or soulKJV]." Notice that man was not given a soul; God did not breathe a soul within man. Man became a living soul, a living being.

The Hebrew word for soul is nephesh, which is often translated "person," meaning one's entire being, not some immaterial part of him. The Hebrews had a holistic conception of human beings.

In Genesis 12:5 we read of Abraham's gathering all the "persons" (nephesh, rendered "souls" in the KJV) they had gotten in Haran. Genesis 46:27 says that seventy "persons" (nephesh) went into Egypt.

Leviticus 7:20 says that the "person" (nephesh) who touches any unclean thing shall be cut off. The English translations use "soul" and "person" interchangeably in a number of texts. (The King James Version regularly uses "soul" while the Revised Standard Version uses "person"it has the same meaning and comes from the same Hebrew, nephesh.) Leviticus 23:30 says, "And whoever does any work on this same day, that person [soul] I will destroy from among his people."

The problem is that many persons reading English translations might not realize that a number of references to a "person" (or "persons") dying are translated from the Hebrew nephesh, which means soul. If they did, it would be patently clear that the notion that the soul cannot die is a flagrant error.

Numbers 31:19, for example, says, "Encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever of you has killed any person [nephesh]...." See also Numbers 35:15,30; Joshua 20:3,9; Genesis 37:21; Deuteronomy 19:6,11; and Jeremiah 40:14,15 to see that souls (persons) die.

We find in the very first revelation about man's creation that man did not possess a soul but rather was a soul. So where did we get the concept of an immaterial soul that constitutes the real person and that could have an independent existence from the body? As Clark Pinnock and other scholars have pointed out, this view in Christian theology has come from Platonic thought.

Saying that man has no immaterial soul within is not to say that man is not distinguished from the animal kingdom. Man is made in the image of God; the animals and plants are not. Man has intelligence and reasoning ability and shares a number of characteristics with his Maker. Nothing must be done to take away from man's uniqueness in the created order. However, we need not build myths to sustain our uniqueness and supremacy in the earthly created order.

Some believe that the spirit in man, which goes back to God upon death of the body, can enable man to have conscious existence at that time.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 says that "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit [ruach] returns to God who gave it."

The spirit is the life force which God breathed into man which made him a living soul. It is the life principle, the life energy, without which human life is not possible. As Job says, "If he [God] should take back his spirit [ruach] to himself, and gather to himself his breath [neshamah], all flesh would perish together, and man would return to the dust" (Job 34:14,15). The spirit animates human life. It has no separate existence apart from the body.

The breath of life which God breathed into man is equated with the spirit in man. Notice the Hebrew parallelism in Job

27:3: "[A]s long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils; my lips will not speak falsehood." Notice this other parallelism (where the same thought is expressed in two ways for emphasis) in Job 33:4: "The spirit [ruach] of God has made me, and the breath [neshamah] of the Almighty gives me life."

Yet another example of this parallelism is found in Isaiah 42:5: "Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out...who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it." The Scriptures are, indeed, abundantly clear that the breath of life is equated with the spirit in man.

Those who use Ecclesiastes 12:7, which says that "the spirit returns to God who gave it," to prove that the spirit is equated with the immortal soul have a very uncomfortable dilemma: They are forced to teach that everyone who dies, not just the saved, goes to heaven irrespective of whether he had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

No, the spirit in man is the breath of life which was given to man. As Job 34:14,15 says, "If [God] should back his spirit to himself...all flesh would perish"cease from existence.

Objection after objection crumbles as we look at the scriptural teaching on what man really is. Yet all the world's religions, all New Age philosophies, all of Eastern mysticism, and almost all of the Christian-professing world have accepted the very opposite of what the Bible teaches.

We now turn to some of the major objections raised against the view that the soul is mortal. We will see in each instance that the objection is not sustained.

Let's begin with Genesis 35:18, which says of Rachel, "And as her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Bennoni...." Now does her soul's departing mean that it had a separate, conscious existence?

Samuele Bacchiocchi puts it well in his book Immortality or Resurrection?: "The phrase 'her soul was departing' most likely means that 'her breath was stopping' or, as we might say, she was taking her last sigh. It is important to note that the noun soul-nephesh derives from the verb by the same root which means 'to breathe,' 'to respire,' 'to draw breath.' The inbreathing of the breath of life resulted in man becoming a living soul, a breathing organism.

"The departing of the breath of life results in a person becoming a dead soul. Thus as Edmund Jacob explains, 'The departure of nephesh is a metaphor for death; a dead man is one who has ceased to breathe.'"

Another text commonly misunderstood is 1 Kings 17:21,22, which says of Elijah: "Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the Lord, 'O Lord, my God, let this child's soul come into him again.'"

If the soul is not a separate part of the person, how could Elijah make this prayer? The Lord heard Elijah's prayer, "and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived."

Notice first that in verse 17 it is said that "there was no breath left in him," which harmonizes well with what we have covered, showing that the departure of the breath of life results in death. It was when God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life that man became a living soul. When the breath of life came back into the widow's son mentioned here, his nephesh (or life-force) came back and he became conscious again.

The soul of the child coming back into him simply means that his life returned! Nothing more, nothing less.

But the most popular of all the misunderstood texts is found in Luke 16, which records the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. For many Christians, this is the single text which seals the issue.

First, note that this was a parable. It was not a real historical event or the reporting or recounting of an actual event. It was a parable, a teaching, a pedagogical device designed to express truths in symbolic or metaphorical terms.

It is important, in looking at parables, to notice the contexts carefully, to see what were the lessons which the storyteller wanted to convey.

Jesus had been teaching on covetousness and stewardship (Luke 16:1-13). Jesus usually selects an appropriate parable to illustrate his ethical teachings. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus was a classic one showing the rich's insensitivity to and exploitation of the poor.

Many theologians realize that Luke was the Gospel writer most concerned about social and political issues and that his gospel focuses more on the justice and equity issues. (Advocates of "Liberation Theology" are particularly fond of Luke.)

This parable highlights Luke's emphasis on concern for the poor and downtrodden and God's judgment of the selfish and sinful rich. Even the distinguished evangelical theologian Murray Harris, author of the book Raised Immortal: Resurrection and Immortality in the New Testament, admits that "the parable of the rich man and Lazarus was told to illustrate the danger of wealth (Luke 6:24) and the necessity of repentance (Luke 16:28 30), not to satisfy our natural curiosity about man's anthropological condition after death." (See his article, "The New Testament View of Life after Death" in the January, 1986, issue of the scholarly journal, Themelios.)

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Immortality, the Elixir of Life and the Food of the Gods …

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When we look into the accounts of many different mythologies and religions, it becomes clear that the gods are either immortal or live a life of many thousands of years. What is rarely mentioned is the fact that in ancient religious texts there is reference to their immortality or longevity being connected to a specific kind of food that only the gods are allowed to eat. The gods were required to eat this food regularly to maintain immortality, power and strength. Many references also refer to the fact that if mortals ate this food, they would also become immortal like the gods. So let us explore the mythology surrounding this Elixir of Life

One of the main references to the food of the immortals can be found in Greek mythology. It is written in the stories of the Greek gods that ambrosia and nectar was the food and drink of the immortal gods and this first appears in the Greek mythology relating to the birth of Zeus. Before the invention or discovery of ambrosia and nectar by the gods, it was written that they would feed by sniffing the vapours of their dead enemies, as if they would feed from the energy of the dead souls.

Ambrosia was said to come from the horn of a magical goat named Amalthea, the foster-mother of Zeus. The horns of Amalthea provided a limitless supply of ambrosia but were also capable of producing any kind of food for any kind of living being. White holy doves would carry the ambrosia and a large eagle with shiny wings would fly at an extraordinary speed through the sky where he would get the nectar and then bring it down to the baby Zeus.

When demigod Achilles was born, his mother would pour ambrosia over Achilles and he would become immortal, but because she held him around his heel that was the only part that remained mortal. This allowed Achilles to be killed later on by Paris.

It was said that ambrosia was used by the gods to cure diseases, fix scars, and make the body beautiful again. If dead people would be treated with ambrosia, their bodies would remain in perfect condition forever. In other references, we can see that ambrosia was abundant in the gardens of Hesperides. Hesperides were nymphs who tend to a blissful garden in the far western corner of the world, a place where ambrosia was brought to the God Zeus.

But the immortal food also appears in the Bible where we can see similarity between the gardens of Hesperides and the gardens of Eden, where according to the Old Testament, man was forbidden to eat the fruit from the Tree of Life:

And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 2:9

When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, it appears that God alerted other Gods to be on alert because man should not eat also from the Tree of Life and become immortal like them.

Then the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever, Genesis 3:22

Moving on to Zoroastrian and Vedic mythologies, we can see reference to a special drink consumed by the gods, known as Soma and Haoma respectively. This special drink was prepared by extracting the juices from the stalks of certain plants, which are unknown to us today. Drinking Soma and Haoma would give immortality. Idra, the leader of the Devas, and the God Agni, are mentioned in the Rig Veda to have been drinking large quantities of the immortal drink.

We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered, Rig Veda 8.48.3

If we now move to Egyptian mythology and the legends of Thoth and Hermes Trismegistus, we will see that there are references to both of them drinking white drops, also referred to as liquid gold, which provided them with immortality. References about this can be found in the Quran (Sura 18; the Khidr) and in one of the Nag Hammadi texts.

In Sumerian texts, we have references to the Ninhursags milk, one of the seven great deities of Sumer, the goddess of fertility that is associated with a cow (similar to the magic goat Amalthea of the Greek mythology). The gods and the kings of ancient Sumer would drink from this milk to become strong and immortal. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, we also have reference to a thorny plant at the bottom of the ocean that would make someone immortal and this was kept as a secret of the gods.

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Despacito writer Luis Fonsi’s 19-year journey to musical immortality – South China Morning Post

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If at any point in the past six months you have heard the lone strum of a distant Spanish guitar, the proceeding three minutes and 42 seconds were more than likely spent under the spell of Despacito. Its the all-conquering, duo-lingual, mid-tempo pop behemoth that has been blaring from car stereos, shop sound systems, barbecue bluetooth speakers and, despite lyrics that dwell on the slow-and-steady road to screaming orgasm, end-of-term school discos.

Its title may translate as slowly, but theres been nothing sluggish about the success of Luis Fonsis omnipresent global smash. Released to limited fanfare in January, by July the mesmerising collaboration with Puerto Rican reggaeton star Daddy Yankee was the most streamed song to date; it has now been streamed more than 4.6 billion times. If youre tempted to credit that to the remix featuring Justin Bieber, think again: this month the Bieberless version became the first video in YouTubes decade-plus history to achieve three billion views.

Crossing the line from exquisitely structured pop single to all-out cultural phenomenon, Despacito is also the first non-English No 1 in the United States in more than two decades; in Britain, it has become the longest-running foreign-language No 1 in history.

The man at the eye of its storm has seen international success come via a circuitous route. The 39-year-old, Puerto Rico-born singer has already released eight albums in a career that has spanned 19 years, during which he has performed for one pope and two US presidents, supported Britney Spears on tour and gone platinum six times. We meet backstage at a modest open-air concert two hours west of Barcelona, and Fonsis amiable disposition is encapsulated by an entourage of just a few people, and in the way he (unlike 99 per cent of his pop star peers) removes his sunglasses for an interview.

An endearingly straightforward chap who seems genuinely humbled by his second flush of fame, Fonsi begins by attempting to explain the Despacito phenomenon. If the song is good enough, it will work in any language, he says, and lists the varied genres traversed by the song urban, salsa, reggaeton, pop, tropical, dancehall before conceding defeat and acknowledging that while the song is all those things, its somehow greater than the sum of its parts. It just makes it hard not to move, he eventually says. Whether you like to dance or not, you somehow just start ... moving.

Its been nearly two decades since Fonsi first found fame, but now that the popularity of Despacito has propelled him to No 1 in 45 countries, hes relishing this opportunity to prove himself again to new audiences. You have to say, How do I win these people over? he says, motioning towards the stage. How do I make sure this first concert here tonight isnt my last concert here? One solution is to perform Despacito twice he plans to drop it in the middle of the set, then again as a reprise. But it makes it exciting, to see that initial reaction again, he grins. To see people thinking, Hmm, what is this guy all about?

Despacito is the most-played track in the world but Malaysians wont be singing along

So, what is Fonsi, real name Luis Alfonso Rodrguez Lpez-Cepero, all about? You can tell a lot about a man from the watch he wears, he says, when asked about his chunky gold timepiece, before admitting that it was a gift from the manufacturer, so, er, theres that. His attire sleeveless grey hoodie, loose-fitting jeans and a pair of old-school trainers conjures the image of off-duty gym instructor, but his left arm tells a more detailed story: one elaborate tattoo blends a vinyl record with a guitar and the names of his two young children, plus theres a date (December 20, the day both those kids were born, five years apart). Theres also a postmark, representing the journey he made when he was 10 and his family moved from Puerto Rico to Orlando, Florida.

My dad worked in marketing for my grandfathers company, Fonsi begins. One day, he said, Lets move. I had to leave my friends, my school, my cousins behind. Looking back, I realise how hard it was. I felt like I was the only Latino around. That first year was just depressing people were making fun of my accent and the way I dressed. At lunch Id sit at the corner table with the two other Latino kids with thick accents. In Puerto Rico, Id sung a lot; I didnt want to sing any more.

Fonsi began to adapt and fit in; the schools choir director pulled him out of an English class in ninth grade and offered him a place in the mens ensemble. Fonsi and the choirs three other section leads formed their own group: the Big Guys.

Gangnam Style no longer YouTubes most played video, five years on from its release

That sounds like the worst boy band ever, right? says Fonsi, laughing. Wed take all the music we learnt in choir and make a cool R&B version.

The Big Guys performed around Orlando before going their separate ways when school ended. Fonsi got into Florida State University on a music scholarship, recorded demos and landed a record deal.

Releasing eight albums between 1998 and 2014, Fonsi became a big name in the Latin world, but his romantic, Spanish-language balladeering offered little chance of crossover success. Then his first wife, the actress Adamari Lpez, was diagnosed with cancer, leading Fonsi to cancel a tour. She was given the all-clear in 2006, but the couple split in 2010. In 2011, he had his first child with Spanish model gueda Lpez and the couple married in 2014. Meanwhile another of the Big Guys, Joey Fatone, had found different bandmates and achieved some success well, 70 million album sales as one-fifth of NSYNC.

Despacito might now put Fonsi on track to become the biggest Big Guy of the lot, but it almost didnt happen, at least not in the way we know it today. The song started life in 2015, when Fonsi woke one morning with the word despacito and the chorus melody in his head. Having expanded the song to capture the feeling of being in a club and making eye contact with a beautiful woman, he finessed it with his co-writer, Erika Ender, and then wondered if it might benefit from a rather perkier production, so he got on the phone to Daddy Yankee.

When their version stormed to No 1 on Billboards Latin charts, thoughts turned to further crossover potential.

Before Justin [Bieber], wed been talking about doing a collaboration with an American artist, says Fonsi. We were leaning towards a more hip-hop artist, but I didnt know how to get in touch with Jay-Z, or Drake. Justin wasnt even on the list.

Fate intervened: Bieber was touring in Colombia, went clubbing one night and saw a club explode to Despacito. Fonsi was in Paris at the time it was 2am when his label phoned him with the words, Weve had a call from Biebers people.

Two days later I get the first cut in my email, Fonsi adds. I expected to hear a full English version of the song. All of a sudden Im hearing Justin Bieber singing in Spanish. I thought, This is huge!

It may not sound like a protest song, but Despacitos multicultural success could be seen as the sound of a younger generation expressing defiance through pop at least Fonsi would like to think so. I dont want to get too political, says pops new Mr Reasonable, but when people want to build walls and separate instead of unite, its such perfect timing. Our president is so critical of speaking other languages in the US, and for the last 12 weeks the song thats been No 1 in the US is in Spanish.

Fonsi is less hesitant about getting political when it comes to the increasingly authoritarian Venezuelan president, Nicols Maduro. Despacito has been endlessly covered, parodied and memed, but while Fonsi doesnt mind the track taking on its own life (the song is no longer mine when a song reaches this level it becomes everyones), he drew a line when Maduro used it at a rally; the singer hit back on Twitter.

Despacito singers condemn Venezuelan presidents propaganda remix of hit Latin pop song

The one negative case out of 1,000 positives has been the Venezuelan dictator, and I think we can officially call him a dictator, he says. Im passionate about how I feel about this dictator, how much the country has gone to sh... He catches himself, having briefly lost his composure. I cant say it. I dont want him to have anything to do with me, or my music, or my song.

Due to Despacitos success, Fonsi has had the chance to hang out with Bieber on a few occasions; he glosses over a question about how Bieber compares to Pope John Paul II (for whom Fonsi performed in 2000) and says that when they have met, they have mainly talked about music.

Its tough for him to be out in public, says Fonsi. He has a lot of restrictions as to where he can and cant go. Hes a nice guy and hes a smart guy hes making very good musical decisions and hes learnt from his mistakes.

Then there are the racy lyrics of Despacito, many of which have gone under the radar in English-speaking countries. Has Fonsi ever used the line, Let me trespass your danger zones until I make you scream and forget your name in real life? No! No, no, no, he insists. The thing is, when you translate the song it sounds corny or sexual. But its not! Its not a sexual song. There is a line that I did not cross. Its sensual. Its extremely sensual.

Why Justin Bieber is banned from performing in China

Are you, Luis Fonsi, an extremely sensual person? Im very romantic, he says. When its suggested that we get his wife on the phone to clarify, he adds, Shell agree. Im very passionate. Latinos are passionate in general.

What happens next? Fonsi already has his next single lined up its guest vocalist was confirmed just days ago. My mom doesnt even know who Im singing it with, he says before theres even a chance to ask for the guests identity. Its going to be special. Special enough to out-do the most streamed song of all time? Fonsi laughs. Despacito will always be Despacito. Itll go down in history as one of the most important songs in Latin music. I did something extremely special, I cant expect to do that twice. Thats not even pessimistic, thats just being a realist.

So if hes not going to break his own record, will he feel sad when someone else does? This career isnt just about records: its about making music thatll stay alive for ever. I was part of history, but records are made to be broken.

He pauses briefly, before adding, I hope it doesnt happen tomorrow. I hope I can enjoy this for a little bit.

The Times/Interview People

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Crusader Kings 3 will let players seduce the pope – Polygon

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The developers behind Crusader Kings 3 are back for another monthly deep dive into their work on the grand strategy game, and this video is about the lifestyles system that will help players develop deep, emergent stories in their alternate histories. Among them is the chance to get busy with His Holiness.

Players will be able to choose from five lifestyles for their rulers, and those lifestyles have three perk trees and three foci, which carry bonuses supporting a wide variety of lifestyles. Paradox Interactive went over these in an even more detailed series of blog posts over the past month, too.

Broadly speaking, that means theres a Learning lifestyle, and players may choose a focus in Medicine, Scholarship, or Theology. The other lifestyles are Stewardship (basically, how you run your dominion); Diplomacy (how you run someone elses) and Martial (how you throw down).

Yeah, yeah, boooooo-ring. Id rather learn more about the INTRIGUE LIFESTYLE, where players may specialize in Skulduggery, Temptation, and Intimidation/Torture, categories that should be self-explanatory. Temptation is what I came here to talk about, because the seduction scheme is coming back from Crusader Kings 2 in a big way. This time, not only are your lovers less likely to kill you, theyre more likely to take a knife that would kill you, so dont get too attached to anyone.

Somewhat hilariously, it looks like all NPCs are on the table when it comes to seduction targets. That includes the pope! In a Discord conversation earlier this week, developers said even the pope may be seduced and theres a special event for it. For more on how events work, Paradox published this dev diary back in January.

Players who have better ideas for Crusader Kings 3s lifestyles of the rich and ruthless will appreciate that the perk trees are all fully moddable. That includes granting immortality, instead of leaving things to your heirs to either clean up or make worse.

Crusader Kings 3 is coming sometime this year. Paradox Interactive hasnt said exactly when, but when the game does launch, itll be on Windows PC via both Steam and Xbox Game Pass for PC.

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Crusader Kings 3 will let players seduce the pope - Polygon

No, the Keto Diet Won’t Give You Special Protection From COVID-19 – Lifehacker Australia

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The ways to protect yourself from contracting the coronavirus are simple and boring: wash your hands, avoid contact with people who might be sick ... you know the drill. Some advocates of particular diets are saying you also need to eat a certain way, or take supplements, to which our best knowledge is: no.

Heres a carnivore arguing that the vitamins in meat are essential for the immune system. Heres an entrepreneur with #KETO in their twitter bio making a somewhat convoluted argument about metabolic syndrome and mortality rates. Somehow, people who were already promoting a certain dietwhichever diet that may have beenhave concluded that their favorite diet gives special protection against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, actual doctors and scientists are making no such claims. Let me refer you once again to the World Health Organizations instructions on protecting yourself, which include washing your hands and staying away from sick people. Not eating a specific diet.

They do mention, in a document on managing stress, maintaining proper diet, sleep, exercise, and social contacts. That matches the other general advice that youve probably seen for protecting yourself against colds and seasonal flu every year. Take care of yourself, physically and mentally, because it sure cant hurt.

This Harvard Health article goes into a bit more depth, if youd like extra reassurance. It mainly ends up debunking the whole idea of boosting your immune system with diet, because you cant. Eat diet high in fruits and vegetables, they say, and consider a multivitamin if youre still worried about it. Heres their summary of the state of research:

Scientists have long recognized that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Whether the increased rate of disease is caused by malnutritions effect on the immune system, however, is not certain. There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans, and even fewer studies that tie the effects of nutrition directly to the development (versus the treatment) of diseases.

Bottom line, if you eat a particularly bad dietlike if youre under-eating or if you are routinely missing out on vitaminsits possible that could slightly weaken your immune system. This doesnt mean you need to eat keto or anything else. It only means that if youve been getting by on a few cups of ramen a day, you should probably branch out and make sure youre eating like a normal human being.

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David Charters: Grumbling oil boiler offers thoughts of immortality – Liverpool Echo

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The boiler in the attic was wheezing, rumbling and grumbling, reminding me of a gentleman of the road who used to shuffle into the public library to read the papers - and enjoy a cigarette with his tea, brewed by the staff to the brown of an old penny.

His paper of choice was the Daily Worker. I wondered then if he saw some irony in the title, as he sat there in greatcoat, his fragrance an acquired taste. Sometimes. Id offer him a Fishermans Friend lozenge in the vain hope it would clear the phlegm in his chest.

But back to our bothersome boiler. The waters running cold, shrilled my wife as her lead foot descended into the baths scented bubbles.

Were in the midst of a global pandemic, I snapped.. There are rumours of Russian ships in our territorial waters. Stock markets are nose-diving. We should prioritise our worries.

For example, Ive lost my glasses. Do you know where I put them?

Indeed, Im always losing things these days, as has become more obvious during this period of self-isolation, when your pensioner has been less able to perambulate in our crusty old pie of a town.

But Im thinking of things long lost, rather than merely mislaid. And maybe this is the time for finding them. On a rummage though our book shelves I came across Billy Wrights 1960 Book of Soccer. I had not dipped into it for half a century or more.

Inside were lengthy articles, reflecting huge changes in our society, Burnley were the First Division champions. Local players, past and present, were featured, including Evertons Birkenhead-born Bill Dixie Dean, described as having been broad of shoulder, quick off the mark and a born opportunist, whose speciality was an ability to direct a football in almost any direction with a neat flick of his curly head.

There were photos of Liverpools Billy Liddell and Evertons Dave Hickson. Of course, Dean and Hickson both played for Tranmere Rovers at different stages of their careers.

Like old magazines and newspapers, even the Kremlin-backed Daily Worker, such books offer lessons in popular history. Articles carried the by-lines of writers whod otherwise be forgotten. They gave us a picture of their times.

Now Im adjusting the flow of the bath tap until its hot, while wondering where I put my Billy the Kid, Dandy and Eagle annuals. It would be good to see them again.

Life is strange.

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Rams, Bears, Jaguars and Other NFL Teams That Find Themselves in Salary-Cap Hell – Bleacher Report

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Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Welcome to the Salary Cap Inferno, the bad place where teams are punished for their financial sins of the past.

NFL free agency is fast approaching, and while some teams are getting ready for a spending spree, others find themselves in financial H-E Double Hockey Sticks. Instead of bidding on big names and hoping to get better, they'll be forced to let their own free agents go, release or restructure the contracts of some of their starters and hope the austerity program doesn't make them significantly worse.

There's more to the Cap Inferno than just being low on cap space. Teams that have lots of budding superstars under contract, are a heartbeat away from the Super Bowl or know they are preparing for a full-scale rebuild don't qualify. The rings of the Cap Inferno are reserved for teams guilty of overspending, bad planning, wishful thinking or living the high life for too long, plus some minor venialsins like inking a few too many regrettable contracts.

So abandon all hope, ye who enter here: It's time for a truly hellish journey through the realm of salary-cap nightmares.

First Ring of the Cap Inferno: New England Patriots (Cap space: $41.7 million)

Mortal sin:Striving for immortality

If you remember reading (or skimming, or staying awake while the teacher explained) Dante's Inferno, you know that thefirst ring wasn't all that bad.It was like an extended-stay airport hotel for nice folks who didn't follow Dante's preferred religion, with no demons or pitchforks or such. Well, the first ring of the Cap Inferno isn't so bad, either. The Patriots get to polish their Lombardi Trophies while pondering the consequences of trying to make their dynasty last forever.

A huge chunk of that $41.7 million in paper cap spacelet's estimate about $30 millionis probably earmarked for Tom Brady. The rest must be distributed among starters and contributors like safety Devin McCourty, guard Joe Thuney, defenders Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy and a host of others. The Patriots must also try to find a way to significantly upgrade their wide receiver and tight end corps, because Brady now needs a supporting cast to elevate his play instead of the other way around.

Of course, the Patriots could let Brady walk and start over, which would solve their cap problem by replacing it with several much larger problems.

Penance

The Patriots are sentenced to discover what every other team has gone through in the offseason for 20 years. They'll have to draft for immediate needs instead of looking three years down the road. They may be forced to part with players they want to keep. They won't be hailed as geniuses for signing 33-year-old slot receivers or defensive cast-offs.

Maybe they can figure it all out and remain in the playoff picture. But it's been a long time since the Patriots have been forced to figure out ways to merely remain in the playoff picture.

Second Ring of the Cap Inferno: Los Angeles Rams (Cap space: $14.7 million)

Mortal sin:Building a tiny Super Bowl window

The Rams assembled their roster and their budget around winning in 2018 or 2019, and they almost pulled it off. But they now must pay the price. Their ledger is top-heavy with massive cap numbers, a few of which are worth the money (Aaron Donald at $25 million), many of which are not (Jared Goff at $36 million), and at least one of which needs to be renegotiated pronto (Jalen Ramsey at $13.7 million in the final year of his rookie contract).

The Rams also traded away their first-round picks until 2022 for Ramsey, leaving them with neither an easy way to get better nor an exit strategy for moving on from pricey veterans.

Venial sin:Seduced by rushing stats.

The Rams arereportedly working on waysto extract themselves from the clutches of the extension they gave Todd Gurley II in 2018, which runs through 2023 and will cost $17.25 million in cap space this season for near-replacement-level running back performance.

Penance

The Rams are sentenced to tread water at the wild-card level for the foreseeable future. They may be forced to spend a chunk of their little available cap space this offseason retaining 38-year-old left tackle Andrew Whitworth so the whole offensive line doesn't crumble, taking Goff and Gurley with it. Deals like that will only result in the roster getting older and more expensive before it gets better. But the Rams have so much invested in Goff and others and so little draft capital that they couldn't rebuild even if they wanted to.

Third Ring of the Cap Inferno: Minnesota Vikings (Cap space: Minus-$11.2 million)

Mortal sin:Trying to go 10-6 for all eternity

The Vikings started building their current playoff nucleus circa 2015 and have done everything to keep it together for as long as possible. That's an admirable goal, but recent deals with veterans like tight end Kyle Rudolph (he'll cost $8.8 million in cap space this year thanks to last summer's extension) and linebacker Anthony Barr ($12.7 million in cap space afterlast year's dalliance with the Jets) are starting to yield diminishing returns, with the Vikings paying premium prices for good-not-great performances by players near the ends of their peaks at too many positions.

Venial sin:Overpaying an ordinary quarterback

Yes, Kirk Cousins (who will eat $31 million in cap space this season) played at an All-Pro level for much of last season. And yes, that was as good as he will ever get, and he still played poorly when the Vikings lost to a similarly constructed 49ers team in the postseason.

Overpaying for a Cousins-type is the NFL's original sin: the sin of pride. General managers and coaches think they can turn sturdy quarterbacks into champions, and they end up with sturdy results instead of championships.

Penance

The Vikings are sentenced to more years of Cousins. The best way for them to get out of cap debt and create a bit of breathing room will be to extend Cousins' contract so they can prorate money into future years. In the meantime, they will almost surely lose safety Anthony Harris, one of the NFL's best young defenders. The Vikings worked hard in the past to keep players like Harris, but the money they would like to use to pay him is now going to older guys like Rudolph and Barr.

In other words, the Vikings are destined for more seasons of paying big bucks for wild-card berths. It's a road they paved with the best of intentions.

Fourth Ring of the Cap Inferno: Chicago Bears (Cap space: $5.5 million)

Mortal sin:Trying to "win now" when the team was not ready to win

Khalil Mack will cost the Bears $26.6 million in cap space this season thanks to prorated bonuses from the extension he signed when the Bears traded for him in 2018. Mack is a great player, but that's a franchise-quarterback-sized cap hit, and the Bears are a team without a franchise quarterback.

Venial sin:Overspending and overcompensating on offense

Trey Burton, Taylor Gabriel and Cordarelle Patterson are set to eat up $20.3 million in combined 2020 cap space to be a versatile-but-unspectacular tight end, your average speedy slot guy and a gadget-play specialist/kickoff returner, respectively. That's a lot of money invested in trying to cosplay the Chiefs offense. The Bears are also paying their offensive line a ton of money for some very humdrum results.

The Bears could do some cap-cutting here, but that would just leave Mitchell Trubisky with fewer weapons and weaker protection, and the Bears offense is barely functional with what he has now.

Penance

The Bears will slowly drown, dragged down into the murky depths by Trubisky's performance, Mack's cap number and the front office's refusal to admit that either are a problem. Before they finally disappear beneath the waves, look for them to part ways with expensive-but-useful veterans in the secondary like safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (a free agent) and cornerback Prince Amukamara (a likely cap casualty) as well as offensive luxuries like Patterson, like a sinking ship throwing food and provisions overboard.

Fifth Ring of the Cap Inferno: Jacksonville Jaguars (Cap space: Minus-$3.4 million)

Mortal sin:Utter mismanagement

So, your humble author was reacquainting himself with the Jaguars roster and cap situation when I came across the fact that someone named Jake Ryan has a cap figure of $6.2 million for 2020. My first thought was "Who on earth is Jake Ryan?" I don't pretend to know every 53-man roster in the league by heart the way Sean McVay does, but if a player is slated to earn $6.2 million, I usually know, like, what position he plays, where he went to college or what he did to receive a contract of that size.

Well, Ryan is a special teams gunner whom the Jaguars signed away from the Packers after he missed the 2018 season with an ACL tear. The deal included a $5.5 million option in the second year. That's right: The Jaguars were adding $5.5 million options to the contracts ofspecial teamers coming off ACL tears, and they were doing so after finishing 5-11 in 2018.

What were the Jaguars thinking? Also, what were they thinking when they signed aging defensive lineman Marcell Dareus to a contract with a $22.5 million option in 2020? Or slot cornerback D.J. Hayden to a deal that will cost them nearly $8 million in cap space this year?

If a team was trying to waste money on purpose,Brewster's Millions-style, it probably could not do a better job than the Jaguars. And we still have not gotten to the most notorious example yet.

Venial sin:Overpaying an ordinary quarterback

The Jaguars responded to their brief blip of 2017 success by spending $88 million on Nick Foles in 2019. What happened to 2018? Who knows? Time works differently in Jacksonville. Anyway, Foles will earn $21.8 million to back up Gardner Minshew II in 2020, and he would be more expensive to cut than to keepdue to the bonuses in his contract.

Signing Foles for $88 million makes what the Vikings did with Kirk Cousins look like investing in Microsoft stock in 1977.

Penance

The Jaguars can clear a lot of cap space in a hurry by cutting loose Dareus, Ryan and others and then doing their best to rebuild around Minshew. There are only a few problems: a) Minshew was fun to watch at times last year, but he ain't exactly Patrick Mahomes; b) there will be very little talent left to help Minshew develop if they stage a salary purge; and c) the same decision-makers who got the Jaguars into this predicament will be the ones in charge of the rebuild if it even happens.

In other words, the Jaguars are permanently sentenced to remain the Jaguars and wander in the wilderness without hope.

All cap figures courtesy ofOverTheCap.com.

Mike Tanier covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter:@MikeTanier.

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Rams, Bears, Jaguars and Other NFL Teams That Find Themselves in Salary-Cap Hell - Bleacher Report

The Legend of Maula Jatt is not for the faint-hearted; warns Bilal Lashari – The News International

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The highly anticipated film, The Legend Of Maula Jatt, directed by Bilal Lashari and executive produced by Ammara Hikmat, is coming out on Eid ul Fitr 2020. With an ensemble cast including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malick, Ali Azmat, Faris Shafi and Gohar Rasheed, the film is a contemporary take on the Punjabi cult classic, co-written by Bilal and Nasir Adeeb, writer of the original Maula Jatt film.

In a recent press statement, Bilal warned that the film is not for the faint-hearted and children. Parents might not find the film suitable for their kids because of the graphic nature of few scenes so I would strictly advise against bringing children to cinema. Such outright violence is not for the faint hearted and little ones.

The Legend of Maula Jatt features hardcore action sequences that one hasnt seen in any Pakistani movie before; Bilal has spent years finalizing the product before announcing its release.

The film transcends cultural and linguistic divide, the director furthered, adding, A Sindhi will enjoy it as much as any Punjabi. The content will be very palatable to the new generation that in times to come will extend the immortality of the fictional characters, Maula and Noori.

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The Legend of Maula Jatt is not for the faint-hearted; warns Bilal Lashari - The News International

The Good Place FINALLY Revealed (Yep, It’s Disappointing) – Screen Rant

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After four seasons of misadventures, the characters on The Good Place finally made it to the titular paradise only to find it in as much disarray as the rest of the afterlife. Created by Michael Schur, The Good Place debuted on NBC back in 2016. The comedy series followed Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell) from shortly after her death. Realizing that she'd been seemingly placed in Heaven rather than Hell by mistake, Eleanor strove to become a person worthy of her new utopian home. As notable for its steady stream of twists and ever-shifting settings as its jokes, the show has garnered a massive amount of acclaim and awards recognition.

With The Good Place season 4 confirmed to be the show's last, the self-proclaimed Team Cockroach sought to save all of humanity. Having realized that the afterlife's points system was irrevocably broken, it was up to Eleanor, Chidi, Jason, Tahani, Janet, and Michael to figure out a better system; one that didn't involve The Judge erasing Earth and taking human existence back to the primordial soup. With the aid of a brief distraction from Justified's Timothy Olyphant, the gang successfully convinced The Judge to implement their idea. With billions of souls saved from eternal damnation, it was decided that Eleanor and her friends had finally earned a spot in The Good Place. Last seen traveling via balloon (for real, this time), the penultimate episode saw their official arrival marked by floating puppies and the ability to fully understand the meaning ofTwin Peaks.

Related: The Good Place's New Afterlife System Explained

As the gang threw themselves joyfully into their new surroundings, it rapidly became clear that something was amiss. At an amalgamated party honoring them, Chidi and Eleanor met Lisa Kudrow's Hypatia of Alexandria. Going by Patty, she revealed that everyone in The Good Place needed their help. A few stardust-infused milkshakes later, Patty conveyed the issues with immortality and infinite pleasures. While on paper having every need met was amazing, the fact it stretched on forever merely served to diminish all sense of thought and reduce everybody to what Eleanor called "happiness zombies." The point was hammered home by Jason Mendoza, who, having finally been given the chance to fulfill his lifelong dream of go-karting with monkeys, got bored quickly. Though some viewers likely didn't see a problem with eternal unvarying bliss, the concept (which is actually a trope of most immortality-themed stories) had provoked a sense of ennui within The Good Place. Even Janet and a cardboard cutout of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson were shocked and dismayed by the revelation.

Eager to avoid the same fate, the group fought to fix the problem. That responsibility only became more pronounced when Michael was tricked into becoming the leader of The Good Place. Despite the options of hoverboards and even waiting for Beyonce on the table, Eleanor instead devised a wholly different solution. After Michael suggested regularly erasing the resident's memories, so as to keep the experience new, Eleanor realized that remembering was, in fact, the key stating that vacations are only specialbecause they end. As such, they implemented a final destination beyond The Good Place a true death that would provide people (when ready) the opportunity for true peace.

The news was met with much fanfare from Good Place residents. The idea that the eternal vacation didn't actually have to be eternal eased the malaise and even reinvigorated Patty, who resolved to enjoy paradise a little longer before moving on. Meanwhile, in the wake of saving yet another aspect of the afterlife, Eleanor and Chidi, for the first time in centuries across multiple timelines, finally settled down to actually enjoy their time together. With Chidi declaring that The Good Place is actually just having enough time with your loved ones, it feels like the final philosophical stamp on the show's mantra. Given that, and the fact there remains one final episode, The Good Placehas set up what will surely be a truly bittersweet conclusion as the beloved characters inevitably build towards walking through those final doors into the great unknown.

More: The Good Place Is Great TV (But It's Good That It's Ending)

The Matrix 4: Every Character Returning For The Sequel

John Atkinson has been a news and feature writer for Screen Rant since late 2018. Before that, he had articles published across a number of different outlets. A graduate of the University of London, John was raised on a small island by television and movies. As such, he pursued a career in screenwriting and film journalism when it became apparent that actually becoming Spider-Man was impossible. John's fondest wish is to one day produce a film of his own. Until then, he's more than happy to spend countless hours just talking about them.John's love of film and television defies genre and sometimes even logic. Nothing is off-limits to his passion - be it Marvel, DC, Rian Johnson's Star Wars, or Tommy Wiseau's latest cinematic offering.Away from screens, John can often be found in a park reading mystery and/or fantasy novels, jumping up and down at various music events, or thinking too deeply about Keanu Reeves' career and why Edgar Wright doesn't have an Oscar.

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The Good Place FINALLY Revealed (Yep, It's Disappointing) - Screen Rant

Fame, immortality and a paw: The Tiger Trail – The Auburn Plainsman

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The Tiger Trail of Auburn is Auburns walk of fame, a stretch of sidewalk that owes its existence to the walk of fame 40 years older in Hollywood, California. The names on plaques along the Tiger Trail are both familiar and lesser known, and refer to men and women from close and far. Like Hollywood has their superstars on the silver screen, Auburn has their own on the field, court, pitch, pool and gym.

The Tiger Trail began over two decades ago as a joint venture between the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Auburn University Athletics and the City of Auburn. The project was started in 1995 as a way to honor Auburn athletes.

It was primarily made up of a group of men who were retired at the time, said Mayor Ron Anders, who has been involved with the program for several years in different capacities. The primary person was Ken Brown.

Brown was, at that time, retired after a career with Alabama Power and serving on the Auburn City Council, Anders said.

It was really his brainchild to create a kind of Hollywood Walk of Fame in downtown Auburn, Anders said.

Browns brainchild soon became reality as the first granite plaques were placed in the concrete in 1995. The inaugural class was large compared to a typical induction class now; 13 former athletes, coaches and administrators were honored, among them football coach Ralph Shug Jordan, football and baseball star Bo Jackson and football star Pat Sullivan.

Typically, induction classes consist of roughly five to six members, Anders said, depending on the Chamber of Commerces budget for the project for that year costs of the plaque as well as the induction ceremony must be taken into consideration for each inductee.

So keeping in mind the number of inductees that the budget allows for each year, a process of deciding who will be one of the distinguished few for that years induction class begins. That responsibility is left in the hands of a small group of people the Tiger Trail selection committee.

The group is made up of fewer than 10 individuals from both the private and public sector who serve for a term.

Exactly who is on the selection committee, however, is kept secret. The Auburn Chamber of Commerce doesnt give out the names of the committee members, said Auburn Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Communications and Marketing Jennifer Fincher.

The groups privacy is protected to prevent people from lobbying members of the selection committee to induct a certain member of Auburn athletics, Anders said.

Weve never wanted the Tiger Trail to be a political process, Anders said. We wanted it to be everything but a political process.

In the past, Anders has served as a member of the selection committee, but is not sure what his level of involvement will be in the future. However, the mayor of Auburn is always involved in the installation ceremony at the least, Anders said.

Bill Ham, who served as mayor until Anders was elected in 2018, helped with the ceremony, as did Mayor Jan Dempsey, Hams predecessor.

The committee typically only has two or three meetings per year, at which committee members go through a process of nominating who they feel is representative of Auburns history. Committee members then debate and vote according to their own research, due diligence and experiences, Anders said.

The candidates who receive the most are then honored in that years induction class. A ceremony is held and the selected candidates name and accomplishments are immortalized in the sidewalks along College Street and Magnolia Avenue.

While the trail was intended to serve as a unique way to honor Auburn athletes, coaches and administrators, it has also benefited the community in other ways.

This trail is another reason for people to come to downtown Auburn to shop and be a part of our community either as a visitor, alumni or resident, Anders said. It was certainly an economic development, community development mindset behind doing this.

Over the years, its become clear that maintenance is required to keep the plaques in good shape.

We have not had a Tiger Trail since Ive become the mayor, Anders said. What weve done is weve had a number of broken stars downtown because of all the construction, and weve got some of that construction behind us, so what weve tried to do is get some of those plaques replaced, so weve been focused on doing that. Its easier if we dont add six more to the list.

However, the tradition is expected to continue in the future.

Were certainly planning to continue on with the Tiger Trail here in 2020, Anders said.

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Fame, immortality and a paw: The Tiger Trail - The Auburn Plainsman

4 Trends that are Transforming the Future of Healthcare – ReadWrite

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From drinking ones own urine as a cure for broken bones to blood-letting to sending electrical shocks through a persons body as a cure for mental illness healthcare has a somewhat jaded past. Fortunately, as technology has improved our ability to study human physiology, medical professionals have become increasingly adept at diagnosing and curing many different illnesses. Here are four trends that are transforming the future of healthcare.

Still, theres plenty of room for improvement to be made. Almost 20% of Americans cant afford healthcare, according to ABC News. And millions of people die from diseases like cancer and diabetes every single year.We might not ever reach immortality, but some trends can radically transform the future of healthcare in some promising ways.

In almost every industry, imaginable from gaming to every-day transportation artificial intelligence is making a big splash. And it didnt skip healthcare. One example of artificial intelligences impact on the healthcare industry is OWKIN Socrates, an AI-based technology platform created for medical professionals and their businesses.

The bot can monitor symptoms, diagnose disease, recommend treatments, and even predict outcomes, all much faster than a human can. Were probably far from being wholly dependent on artificial intelligence for medical services, but who knows what the bots will be doing next performing surgeries? Will bots be managing pharmacies? How many bots does it take to run a test? How long before bots are diagnosing disease?

One things for sure: AI is going to play a significant role in the future of healthcare the size and scope of that role are yet to be determined.

Perhaps virtual reality is having a more significant impact on healthcare than any other technological advancement. If thats the case, it would seem to be for a good reason: its working. Already, medical students are using virtual technology to learn and perform mock-surgeries. Its also being used in physical therapy to help people recover from injury or trauma.VISUALIZE reports on research that shows VR immersion for those undergoing physical therapy. VR has been used for physical therapy has also been shown to be effective in speeding up recovery time.

Overall, virtual reality is being used to calm patients, relieve pain, and adjust a patients awareness of bodily signals. The effectiveness of this tech on healthcare will likely improve as medical professionals have more time to explore its applications.

If youre disabled, a senior with low mobility, or at home alone in serious physical pain, what are you supposed to do? You cant easily drive yourself to the hospital, and calling an ambulance might be unnecessary for the symptoms youre experiencing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of older adults fall every year, and 20% of those falls are severe.

Companies like Heal let people schedule an appointment with a licensed and certified doctor at their place of residence. Not to mention the advancements of assistive technology some of which can detect falls and automatically request immediate assistance for seniors who may have been injured due to a fall. And why not? That feels like a natural and necessary progression of the healthcare process. Some unwell people cant easily leave their home, and they shouldnt have to.

It might sound overly ambitious, but Prellis Biologics is a company thats dedicated to solving the shortage of human organs and tissues for transplantation. And theyve got at least one thing right: there is undoubtedly a shortage of organs and human tissue for transplantation. Every single day, about 20 people die waiting for a life-saving transplant that never happened. This information is according to the American Transplant Foundation.

Using laser printing technology, Prellis Biologics has managed to mimic the human cell and replicate human organs. This technology is still partly experimental, but who knows how far it will come if given a few more years or even a decade. Professionals might be able to print a new human organ as easily as prescribing medication.

All of these innovations are exciting trends but ones that still need more time to develop fully.

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‘Take me to the paddock and shoot me’ – Chinchilla News

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AGEING Australians make up a large percentage of the population, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting that 3.8 million of Australians were over the age of 65 in 2017, comprising of 15 per cent of the total population.

Sadly, ageing Australians are often forgotten, resulting in poor treatment and living conditions, which is evident in the lack of resources afforded to the sector.

On a human level I believe the ageing and dying are uncomfortable reminders of our immortality and its a lot easier to look away from those whose minds and bodies are failing them placing them in the care of institutions who treat them as a job rather than valuable members of society.

Society generally has a negative view of ageing. How often do you hear someone say if I even get that bad just take me out to a paddock and shoot me?

We need to re-evaluate how we think about ageing there is quality of life to be had.

The elderly form an important part of our countrys identity, shaping the fabric of our society the least we could do is care for them adequately, let alone to the degree that they deserve.

The care of elderly isnt just at risk in rural Queensland (even though issues are exasperated by staffing problems), but aged care facilities across Australia, as the Royal Commission continues to uncover cases of serious neglect across the country.

The Royal Commission into Age Care Quality and Safety will complete their report on November 12, 2020.

An interim report by the ACRC found that our aged care system fails to meet the needs of its older, vulnerable, citizens. It does not deliver uniformly safe and quality care, is unkind and uncaring towards older people and, in too many instances, it neglects them. We need to do better.

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A whisper from the past: voice of 3000-year-old Egyptian mummy reproduced – MENAFN.COM

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(MENAFN - Daily News Egypt) Throughout his life, Nesyamun, an ancient Egyptian priest, had a belief that his worship to gods would find its way to immortality. He probably did not imagine that his actual voice would come to life after 3,000 years of his death.

Last week, scientist managed to reproduce the voice of Nesyamun through 3-D printing of his vocal tract. In a study, published last Thursday, the world could hear Nesyamun speaking for the first time after his departure from life. The one-second voice clip which took years to create was released, showing what the voice of the mummified Egyptian priest would have sounded like. The reproduced sound was like the priest saying "meh" without the 'm'.

Nesyamun lived at the time of Ramses II which was unstable political era (10991069 BC). Throughout his life, the high-profile priest's voice was of an essential use, as he was the main worshipper of gods at the time at the temple of Karnak in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes).

Scientists chose the mummy of the priest to recreate his voice because it represented an essential part of his ritual duties which involved spoken as well as sung elements. Moreover, the mummy was in a good condition which allowed scientists to work on it.

'His documented wish to be able to speak after his death, combined with the excellent state of his mummified body, made Nesyamun the ideal subject for the Voices from the Past project, for which his body was re-examined using state-of the-art Computed Tomography (CT) scanning equipment, the study mentioned.

Academics behind the project are Professor David Howard in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Royal Holloway, University of London; John Schofield as well as Joann Fletcher and Stephen Buckley, professors in the Department of Archaeology at the University of York. They started the project in 2013, only to come to this conclusion earlier this year.

The study revealed the dimensions of the mummy's extant vocal tract following CT scanning. This enabled the creation of a 3-D printed vocal tract, known as the Vocal Tract Organ.

Schofield told Daily News Egypt that the process could be done only 'with the right conditions of preservation.'

'But beyond that, the extra dimension it gives to experiencing the past. Typically, our experiences of the deep past are entirely visual or tactile - what we can see and touch. With this discovery, we're adding sound into the mix, and not just any sound but the sound of an individual'svoice,' he said.

The study focused on using the Vocal Tract Organ, which led into the synthesised of a vowel sound that compares favourably with vowels of modern individuals.

The seven-year experiment focused on scanning the lungs and larynx and throat remains of the priest, as well as his tongue which was found missing the its muscular bulk because of time. This led into the a 3-D printed tract that was created for Nesyamun in order to figure out the fundamental frequency, loudness, and vibrato rate and depth that can be individually controlled.

'We needed to source human remains with good soft tissue survival of the vocal tract. We then CT scanned that tract to a high resolution and created a detailed and accurate 3D printed model of the tract through which a vowel sound was amplified. The sound that comes out is Nesyamun'svoice, with his head in an unnatural position (its position at death and after mummification)' Flitcher explained.

He elaborated that the scientists next step is to 'use modellingto try to move his head into a more natural position, and to shapemore vowel sounds.'

For Schofield, working on Nesyamun held the emotions of much more than a scientific project. It was a personal contact between two humans who live in two different eras.

'With human remains this the relationship we built with archeological elements are true and arguably real,' he explained.

Remembering the moment, the team listened to the voice of the person who became one of their closest friends, 'It was a wonderful moment - for me a bit like it must have felt shining a torch into Tutankhamun's tomb for the first time,' Schofield remembered.

Nesyamun's body is not only lucky to be the first mummy with its voice heard, it was also the only mummy that survived the Leeds City Museum's bombing during World War II.

Expressing his feelings previously regarding the opportunity to hear an over 3,000-year-old voice, Fletcher said in a statement that it is 'a unique opportunity to hear the sound of someone long dead by virtue of their soft tissue preservation combined with new developments in technology

For his side, Howard explained that the study started while he 'was demonstrating the Vocal Tract Organ in June 2013 to colleagues, with implications for providing authentic vocal sounds back to those who have lost the normal speech function of their vocal tract or larynx following an accident or surgery for laryngeal cancer.'

'I was then approached by Professor John Schofield who began to think about the archaeological and heritage opportunities of this new development. Hence finding Nesyamun and discovering his vocal tract and soft tissues were in great order for us to be able to do this,' he added.

Scripted on his coffin placed at the Leeds City Museum since his body was unwrapped in 1824, Nesyamun's ultimate life desire was to have his voice immortalised at the afterlife.

According to the study, the inscriptions on Nesyamun's coffin 'asks that his soul receives eternal sustenance, is able to move around freely and to see and address the gods as he had in his working life.'

Scanning the mummy of his body, scientists previously found that died in his mid-50s and had suffered from gum disease and severely worn teeth, yet nonetheless 'had a strong well-developed mandible', which, like the maxilla, was 'prognathic', and 'clearly Nubian blood had once coursed through his veins'.

Fletcher believes that this study finally gives the man the desire of his life having ' his voice heard in the afterlife in order to live forever, the fulfilment of his beliefs through the recreation of his voice allows us to make direct contact with ancient Egypt by listening to a voice that has not been heard for over 3,000 years, preserved through mummification and now restored through this pioneering new technique.'

For hise side, Schofield explained that such an experiment can be applied with other mummies, yet they are currently facing a number of 'ethical procedures' that in a way did not take place with Nesyamun, as providing him with voice was 'a clearly documented wish [of his] to be heard again in the afterlife.'

'Recreating the sound of a voice is the first step on what we hope will be a long and exciting journey,' he concluded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Who is the best-loved sports personality in Pittsburgh? – Pittsburgh Soccer Now

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This column is written as a special for Pittsburgh Soccer Now, by guest contributor Robert Bell.

The city has had its fair share of sporting heroes in the past. From tough as teak footballer players to legendary baseball stars, Pittsburgh has given us memorable moments from unforgettable personalities.

Soccer in the city hasnt yet produced a hero to match other sports.

Megan Klingenberg with the World Cup trophy...

It is true that Meghan Klingenberg has had a terrific career and that current players such as Robbie Mertz are sure to give us some highlights in the years to come, though.

To inspire them, we bring up some of the most incredible athletes we ever saw in this city of Pennsylvania.

So, what stars from the past do they need to live up to?

Bill Mazeroski

Few athletes have gone down in history for a single shot like Mazeroski has. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia and raised in Ohio, but it was while wearing the colors of the Pittsburgh Pirates that he achieved baseball immortality.

In truth, his greatest strength was in defensive play at second base. Yet, he is best remembered for hitting the historic home run in game seven of the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. His game-winning home run is arguably the finest moment in Pittsburghs proud sporting history.

Jack Lambert

Born in Ohio, it was a stellar 11-year career with the Steelers that turned him into a football icon. Lambert was arguably the toughest linebacker of all time, and a key part of the famously mean defense that drove the team to a string of famous victories and made them into Super Bowl winners.

He originally wanted to study to become a vet, but never looked back after joining the Steelers in the 1974 NFL Draft. Despite largely staying out of the public eye since retiring in 1985, he made an appearance earlier in 2019 to sign memorabilia.

Willie Stargell

Stargell is another hugely popular player who wasnt born in the city but played here for his entire career. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962 and stayed there for 21 memorable seasons. Among his claims to fame is that he hit no fewer than seven of the 18 balls that have sailed over the 86-foot tall stands at Forbes Fields.

His glittering career included seven All-Star appearances and a monumental 1979 season where his MVP performance inspired the Pirates to fight back against the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series. This is a Pittsburgh sporting hero that wont ever be forgotten.

Mario Lemieux

Canadian-born Lemieux played for the Pittsburgh Penguins during 17 seasons. During that time, he came to be regarded as one of the best players to ever take to the ice. Known as The Magnificent One, he is an NHL legend thanks to his speed and skill.

His tremendous record with the Penguins includes several Stanley Cup triumphs, both as a player and later as the owner of the team. Remarkably, all of this was despite the fact that he suffered from numerous chronic health problems. The debate over whether he was better than Wayne Gretzkyremains one of the sports most fascinating subjects.

Robert Clemente

Clemente was born in Puerto Rico but become a hero in Pittsburgh during 18 seasons with the Pirates. He was the first Latin American/Caribbean player to enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame, following his tragic death in 1972.

His list of achievements is hugely impressive, with 12 Golden Glove Awards, 12 All-Star appearances, and 3,000 career hits. However, he is also fondly remembered now for his charity work and wonderful personality. It was while flying to help earthquake relief in Nicaragua that he died in a plane crash.

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The Suga Show Is Set To Compete At Quintet Ultra – The Official Website of the Ultimate Fighting Championship

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A lot of the high-level grappling matches with straight jiu-jitsu guys, you see a lot of 50/50s and a lot of stalling in positions, OMalley said. All these guys are fighters or former fighters; these guys arent into that. The list of people I saw in this looked like a ton of killers.

With black belt after black belt in the lineup, OMalley knows he comes in as an underdog, and while hes eager to enjoy his time in his first grappling event, theres a certain pressure coming in, a pressure that helps his agenda of proving hes one of the baddest all-around fighters in the world.

Lack of experience, only a BJJ purple belt and a reputation for striking are all factors working against OMalley, but would the young man who won Fight of the Night at UFC 222 let any perceived disadvantage ruin his experience?

With the people Ive seen, the only guy thats similar size to me is Chad Mendes. I dont see anybody even close to my size, OMalley said. I feel like Im going to be a huge underdog since all of these guys are high-level black belts, but I think theres still a fun aspect to it where since its jiu-jitsu you cant really put yourself in that much of a dangerous position but anything can happen.

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Rejoice, O Wood and Tree of Life, the Fount of Immortality – Patheos

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Rejoice, O wood and tree of life, the fount of immortality. In light of recent controversy over the Amazon Synod, this particular verse from the Agni Parthene stood out as I listened to it tonight. Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, when we remember the service and sacrifice of our fallen veterans. I was taking a moment to reflect upon Heaven and the eternal peace that can only be achieved by Our Lord Jesus Christ through the intercession of His (Our!) Blessed Mother.

The title Agni Parthene is commonly translated into English as O Virgin Pure. Many Byzantine Christiansmyself includedconsider it one of the most beautiful hymns ever composed to the Blessed Mother of God.

It is certainly one of the most popular.

The hymn was composed by Greek Orthodox bishop, mystic, and miracle worker St Nectarios of Aegina sometime in the late 19th Century. Reportedly after the Blessed Mother surrounded by heavenly angels appeared to him at a monastery during a period of intense fasting and prayer. It is said that the Blessed Theotokos herself dictated the words to him, which she ask be set to the music with which this hymn became popular.

As an aside, St Nectarios is known to have consecrated deaconesses for a womens monastery that he founded, and the liturgy among Eastern Orthodox Churches by which female monastics become deaconesses is now known among Eastern Orthodox as the ritual of St Nektarios. Although the ritual itself predates the saint. His feast day is November 9, which is coming up soon in the Julian Calendar.

What struck me tonight is the reference to Our Blessed Mother as the tree of life. Within the Byzantine Christian tradition, the term tree of life usually refers to Our Lords cross. Yet here it refers to the Blessed Mother. I should not be surprised by this given that Mary, Tree of Life is a very popular and traditional icon among Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholics.

I am blessed by this connection given its reminder that it is from the Blessed Theokos that Our Lord Jesus Christ received His humanity. Not just His human flesh but His whole human person. Without Mary as the Tree of Life, there would have been no hypostatic union between God and man at the Incarnation. It is through Mary, the Tree of Life, that Our Lord Jesus Christ made salvation possible.

Here are the complete lyrics, with a link to youtube recital.

******************AGNI PARTHENE

O virgin pure, Immaculate lady TheotokusRejoice, O unwedded bride

O Virgin Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy

More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavensRejoice, O unwedded bride

Delight of virgin choruses/ superior to Angels.Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the suns lightRejoice, O unwedded bride

More holy than the multitude/ of all the heavnly armies.Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O Ever Virgin Mary/ of all the world, the LadyRejoice, O unwedded bride

O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady PanagiaRejoice, O unwedded bride

O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilationRejoice, O unwedded bride

Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy MotherRejoice, O unwedded bride

More honrable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more gloriousRejoice, O unwedded bride

than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones.Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angelsRejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangelsRejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbor of salvationRejoice, O unwedded bride

O sacred chamber of the Word/ flowr of incorruptionRejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternalRejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality.Rejoice, O unwedded bride

I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon youRejoice, O unwedded bride

And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favorRejoice, O unwedded bride

Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady PanagiaRejoice, O unwedded bride

I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed templeRejoice, O unwedded bride

Assist me and deliver me/ protect me from the enemyRejoice, O unwedded bride

And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal.Rejoice, O unwedded bride

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Rejoice, O Wood and Tree of Life, the Fount of Immortality - Patheos

Is The Flash new tonight on The CW? Upcoming season 6… – CarterMatt

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IsThe Flashnew tonight on The CW? Within this article, were going to offer news on that but then also the stories coming up.

Lets go ahead and get some of the bad news out of the way there is no new episode of the superhero show on the air tonight instead, youre going to be waiting for a week to see the further adventures of Barry Allen and company. This is the first time this season that there isnota new episode on the air, so consider this a chance to catch your breath. After all, there is somecrazystuff ahead! Were building towardsCrisis on Infinite Earthssure, but there is also going to be a showdown coming between Barry Allen and Bloodwork. He is the Big Bad for the first half of the season, and he also may teach the title character a thing or two about immortality every single step of the way.

Without further ado, lets go ahead and share a handful of additional details now all about whats coming.

Episode 6, License to Elongate RALPH GOES DEEP UNDERCOVER Barry (Grant Gustin) turns his attention to prepping Elongated Man (Hartley Sawyer) for life after Crisis and without The Flash, but Ralph ultimately teaches Barry a lesson. Meanwhile, Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) faces her own moment of self-discovery while helping a recuperated Chester P. Runk (guest star Brandon McKnight) reclaim his identity. Danielle Panabaker directed the episode written by Thomas Pound & Jeff Hersh (#606). Original airdate 11/19/2019.

Episode 7, The Last Temptation of Barry Allen: Part 1 PART ONE OF THE MID-SEASON FINALE As Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) stands on the threshold of his impending death in Crisis, his convictions are tested when the monstrous Dr. Ramsey Rosso (guest star Sendhil Ramamurthy) infects The Flash with a mysterious, hallucinogenic contagion. Meanwhile, reporter Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) uncovers a vast conspiracy. Chad Lowe directed the episode written by Jonathan Butler & Gabriel Garza (#607). Original airdate 11/26/2019.

The second part of the midseason finale will air on December 3, and thenThe Flashis going from there directly into the crossover. In other words, there is alotof exceptional stuff coming where lives are in danger and the stakes of the entire multiverse are there.

Related News Be sure to get some more information right now regarding The Flash!

Are you bummed that the show isnt on the air tonight? Be sure to share right now in the comments, and remember to stick around to get some more information when it comes to the series. (Photo: The CW.)

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Is The Flash new tonight on The CW? Upcoming season 6... - CarterMatt