Category Archives: Immortality

By BrianYoung Jr.

Do you think vampires are real? Im talking about blood-drinking, forever-young ghouls of the night who shapeshift into bats and are weak to crucifixes and sunlight.

You might see a few this weekend, but none of them will drain you of your blood (I hope). However, the idea that blood can deliver eternal youth may not be so fictional after all.

As you know, when you grow old, your body starts to deteriorate. Muscles are harder to build and easier to lose, metabolism slows, and organs which have accumulated damage over your lifetime stop working as effectively. This is an unavoidable certainty of lifewe all grow old and eventually die.

In recent decades however, scientists have shown something super interestingsomething that calls into question much of what we think we know about aging. Scientists have used an experimental method known as parabiosis to show that age isnt necessarily the irreversible march we like to think it is.

Parabiosis is essentially when two mice are joined at the hip so that they share a circulatory system. In the past, scientists have used this experimental method to study the blood and it certainly taught them a lot, but it was when scientists did this experiment with mice of different ages that they saw something really interesting.

When you join two old mice or two young mice together, nothing remarkable happens to one or the other. But when an old mouse is joined with a young mouse, the old mouses injuries heal faster, organs function better, blood and immune function is improved, and much more. It essentially reverts in age, all just by sharing blood with a young mouse.

This set of experiments made it clear that not only are some aspects of aging potentially reversible, but also that these anti-aging or age-reversing factors could be identified in the blood and isolated.

Socould someone like Count Dracula live forever by drinking the blood of the young?

Well technically, drinking blood isnt the same as having blood in circulation, so that wouldnt work anyways.

But more importantly, people have been getting blood transfusions for centuries now and no one has spontaneously grown younger. Also, a number of companies have launched in recent years which are researching if this technology could work in humans (without fusing them together of course) but so far, nothing has been effective.

Considering mice only live a few years while humans live upwards of 80, this isnt so surprising humans and mice are quite different. But theres no telling what the future holds.

All of this raises super interesting questions for me. Imagine that years from now, you could go into the doctors office and get a shot that made you 20 years younger.

Wouldyoudo it? Or if there was a way to keep the human body going indefinitely, would it be wrong to pursue it?

These questions are in the realm of science fiction and maybe will be forever. People have been searching for the fountain of youth and immortality since the dawn of time; this might just be another lost cause. But its possible that with more research, scientists will figure out exactly what aging is and how to slow it, stop it, or even reverse it.

Sothis Halloween, you probably dont need to worry about a vampire draining you to continueitseternal reign of terror, but there is certainly something to be said about the power of blood.

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Could vampires be real? - Shelbyville Times-Gazette

November's Prime Gaming drop is a huge one, featuring nine free games to claim including big titles like Control Ultimate Edition, Dragon Age Inquisition, and Rise of the Tomb Raider.

Here's the full list available to Prime Gaming subscribers next month:

Prime Gaming Adds STAR WARS: Squadrons, Ghostrunner, Alien: Isolation and More

Dragon Age Inquisition Players can become the hero as they are tasked with makingimportant decisions that shape the future of Thedas. With constant wars and demonic invasions, champions must band together to lead the land of strife to victory or fall. Control Ultimate Edition Developed by Remedy Entertainment, the main game and previously released expansions, including The Foundation and Awe are available in one great value package. Rise of the Tomb Raider Embark on an adventure into Siberia as Lara Croft in search for the legendary city of Kitezh while battling the paramilitary organization Trinity, which intends to uncover the city's promise of immortality. Rogue Heroes Team up with friends to combat procedural dungeons and explore theexpansive overworld full of secrets to take down the Titans and save the once peaceful land of Tasos in this 1-4 player classic adventure game with modern rogue-lite elements. Liberated Ignite the revolution as players lock, load, and get ready for a new kind of action adventure! Uncover a cyberpunk conspiracy against human rights in the rain-soaked city inside a paperback comic. Puzzle Agent 2 In this sequel to the award-winning Puzzle Agent, Agent Nelson Tethers just solved the biggest case of his career. Worried that the case will languish forever unsolved, Tethers ventures back to the eerie town of Scoggins, MN to solve the mystery of 'the Hidden People' once and for all. Demon Hunter 2: New Chapter In the sequel to Demon Hunter: Chronicles from Beyond,Dawn challenges players to face puzzles and mini games which reveal secrets that threaten to shake the core of her very existence. BAFL - Brakes Are For Losers Challenge friends, pick a funky car and outrun competitorswith fierce driving skills and dirty tricks in the game that emanates pure arcade fun. Secret Files: Sam Peters Discover the truth about the Asanbosam, a mysterious creature that lurks behind the trees in Bosumtwi, a mysterious crater lake in Africa. Join journalist Sam Peters as she searches for answers behind the legends of the Ashanti people in Ghana.

Beyond the aforementioned free full games, Prime Gaming benefits will also provide a wealth of in-game content next month for games like League of Legends, Apex Legends, New World, Far Cry 6, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, Free Fire, and more. Check out the full lineup here.

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Prime Gaming November Drops Include Control Ultimate Edition, Dragon Age Inquisition and Rise of the Tomb Raider - Wccftech

As Wales prepare to face the All Blacks for the first time since 2017, much of the build-up has been dominated by looking back to the history books and the fact the men in red haven't pulled off a Test win against New Zealand since 1953.

The All Blacks' assignment today - in front of more than 70,000 at the Principality Stadium - sees them chasing a 32nd successive victory over Wales.

They last lost in the fixture 68 years ago, and 25 of those wins were by at least 10 points. Sixteen of Wales' last 31 defeats have been on home soil, too.

Live updates: Wales v New Zealand latest score

So, what exactly happened that fateful day back in the year of the Queen's Coronation?

December 19, 1953, is a date which has been etched into Welsh folklore thanks to Bleddyn Williams' team securing a 13-8 win in Cardiff courtesy of tries from Sid Judd and Ken Jones.

New Zealand at the time were still reeling from a defeat by club side Cardiff earlier in the week, with the tourists being greeted by a crowd of 56,000 at the old Arms Park - meaning club and country captain Bleddyn Williams managed to beat the All Blacks twice in four days.

Wales were trailing 8-5 in the last 15 minutes, with wing Gareth Griffiths playing on despite a dislocated shoulder and Williams having torn thigh ligaments.

Flanker Judd crossed the whitewash to level the scores (tries were only awarded three points back in those days) and back-row forward Clem Thomas soon had the ball on the wing and caught the All Blacks flat-footed when he launched a diagonal kick into the New Zealand 25.

Wing Ken Jones latched onto the ball to score the winning try to complete Wales' third victory in four meetings with New Zealand, at the time of course.

That stat put Wales' winning rate against New Zealand at 75%, and had a measurable impact of the travelling side that day.

All Black icon Sean Fitzpatrick previously described how his father Brian who passed away in 2006 could never forget his dark day at Cardiff Arms Park.

"Unfortunately for Dad, he lost to the Welsh in 1953, which, of course, was the last time the All Blacks lost to Wales. He never got over it.

"My brother and I used to remind him of it all the time! Cliff Morgan would ring him every year and invite him back to Wales for the reunion of the 1953 team and he never went once.

"Even in 1989 when we toured Ireland and Wales, Mum had to go by herself because Dad wouldnt go back to Wales.

"Which shows how we park our success and remember our losses Dad carried that out to the letter of the law."

Nowadays, the burden of history weighs on this fixture like no other.

Immortality and a lifetime of black-tie dinner appearances await the first Welshmen to beat the All Blacks in six decades.

Ignominy looms for the first Kiwis to lose to Wales in 61 years.

Scorers - Wales: Tries: Sid Judd, Ken Jones; Cons: Gwyn Rowlands (2); Pen: Rowlands

New Zealand: Try: Bill Clark; Con: Ron Jarden; Pen: Jarden

Wales: G Williams (London Welsh), KJ Jones (Newport), GM Griffiths (Cardiff), BL Williams (Cardiff, capt), G Rowlands (Cardiff), CI Morgan (Cardiff), WR Willis (Cardiff), WOG Williams (Swansea), DM Davies (Somerset Police), CC Meredith (Neath), ER John (Neath), JRG Stephens (Neath), S Judd (Cardiff), JA Gwilliam (Gloucester), RCC Thomas (Swansea)

New Zealand: RWH Scott, AEG Elsom, JM Tanner, RA Jarden, BBJ Fitzpatrick, LS Haig, K Davis, KL Skinner, RC Hemi, IJ Clarke, RA White, GN Dalzell, RC Stuart (capt), WA McCaw, WH Clark

Referee: Dr Peter F Cooper (England)

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When did Wales last beat the All Blacks? 1953 score and team line-ups - Wales Online

CONOR MCGREGOR is 'impossible to respect' because of his wild antics outside of the octagon, UFC middleweight rising star Khamzat Chimaev has blasted.

The Irishman, 33, is still undoubtedly MMA's biggest name - pulling in extraordinary pay-per-view numbers every time he fights.

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McGregor achieved sporting immortality by holding the UFC's lightweight and featherweight belts at the same time.

But he is not without his controversies, most recently being accused of punching a DJ while on holiday in Italy.

And it's for this reason that Swede Khamzat struggles to fully respect the Notorious.

Ahead of his octagon return this weekend on Fight Island, the 27-year-old admitted to Zuba TV: "Yes, he achieved everything in the UFC he was a champion in two weight classes. This I respect with him.

"But it is impossible to respect him as a person."

Chimaev burst onto the scene last July, gaining notoriety of his own when he battered Rhys McKee just TEN DAYS after defeating John Phillips in his UFC debut.

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He then earned a third consecutive performance of the night bonus in September 2020 when he beat Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds.

A huge bout with Brit Leon Edwards was supposed to follow, but twice fell through as both men tested positive for Covid-19.

Chimaev struggled with the after effects of coronavirus, even temporarily retiring from MMA.

But he finally returns this weekend, as he moves down to welterweight to face No11 ranked Li Jingliang of China.

Bullish ahead of his return, Chimaev added: "I dont think these guys want to fight with me after this fight.

"Theyre gonna start to be scared again, complain he didnt fight some of these good guys, blah blah blah, things like that.

"We will see what happens after this fight."

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Conor McGregor is impossible to respect due to wild antics outside of UFC Octagon, slams rival Khamzat Ch... - The US Sun

Heres the story of how the filmmakers wrangled 200,000 very real honeybees.

Universal Pictures

Welcome to Howd They Do That? a monthly column that unpacks moments of movie magic and celebrates the technical wizards who pulled them off. This entry explains how they shot the bee scenes in the original 1992 movie Candyman.

Even if you havent had the unspeakable pleasure of watching 1992sCandyman, theres a good chance you know about the bees.

Directed by Bernard Rose, the movie transports its distinctly British source material (Clive Barkers short story The Forbidden) to the chilly public housing of Chicagos Cabrini-Green Homes. There, a grad student named Helen (Virginia Madsen) attempts to piece together the urban legend of the Candyman (Tony Todd) for her thesis. But when she digs too deep and flaunts a little too much skepticism, the legend reveals itself to be all-too-real.

While they save their most jaw-dropping performance for the films final act,Candymans tiny striped insects hum, just off-screen, for the entirety of the film. They are inextricably linked to Candymans mythos: swarming the lynched Daniel Robitaille/Candyman after he is coated in honey and stung to death for the crime of loving a white woman. The concrete tombs of urban housing bear a striking thematic resemblance to beehives. While ironically, bees themselves have become a rarity in the cold, artificiality of the urban jungle.

However, Candymans iconic tie to bees isnt merely due to metaphorical beats however powerful and evocative they may be. No, no. The way you burrow deep into the conscience of horror audiences is by imprinting an unforgettable image into the back of their skulls. An image, for instance, of bees pouring out of a mans gaping mouth.

Helen is at her lowest point: she has escaped from a psychiatric hospital only to find Trevor, her husband, shacked up with one of his students. She was committed for a month. And in that short time, he moved on. Its as if she were dead and buried. Trevor was the last thing tethering Helen to her former life, to her sense of normalcy, to her sanity before she became engulfed in the violent grip of myth. He treats her like a dangerous animal a madwoman loose in his apartment, capable of all the heinous acts she has been accused of.

With nothing left to lose, Helen makes her way to Cabrini-Green to rescue baby Anthony, the infant whom Candyman is holding hostage in exchange for Helens love.

When Helen confronts the boogeyman, he offers her the immortality of becoming a legend, laying her down and opening his coat to reveal an exposed ribcage swarming with bees. The winged insects begin to fall out of Candymans mouth as he leans down for a kiss.

A lot of real bees, pheromones, and patience.

The bees used in the film were specifically bred for on-screen use. To clarify, they werent genetically engineered or anything so audacious. Rather, their breeding was more so an effort to make use of specific physiological stages in a bees life cycle. The insects you see on-screen were only 12 hours old. At this age, the bees appeared mature while wielding less powerful stingers.

The bees were controlled with pheromones, which kept them docile and convinced them that the actors were their queen. In the public lavatory scene, where Helen happens upon a toilet bowl filled to the brim with bees feeding on some unseen mass, pheromones were applied inside of a non-functioning, waterless toilet.

Director Bernard Rose hired entomologist Norman Gary after seeing him covered in bees playing the clarinet on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. You can spot Garys insect wrangling skills elsewhere in My Girl(1991),Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), and of course,The Deadly Bees(1966). As Daniel Schweiger wrote in issue #117 of Fangoria magazine, Candyman used over 200,000 real honeybees, employing numerous cautionary measures on-set to keep cast, crew, and bees as safe as possible.

One of the things most people know about theCandymanbee scenes is that Todd made an absolute killing. As the actor explains in an interview with The Guardian:

I negotiated a bonus of $1,000 for every sting during the bee scene. And I got stung 23 times. Everything thats worth making has to involve some sort of pain. Once I realized it was an important part of who Candyman was, I embraced it. It was like putting on a beautiful coat.

Yep. A beautiful coat made of bees.

In addition to agreeing to cover his face in buzzing insects, Todd signed on for a shot in which Candyman spews live bees out of his mouth. Now, if writing this column has taught me anything, its that the Venn Diagram between practical effects and sexual health products is a circle. Sure enough, a crucial element in achieving the mouthful of bees shot was a dental dam that stopped the insects from sliding down Todds throat. It reportedly took half an hour for Gary to put all 500 (!) of the bees into Todds mouth. (By the way, Gary holds a Guinness World Record for holding 109 bees in his mouth for 10 seconds.)

Again per Fangoria, Todd recalls being tranced out when he opened wide and let the insects pour out. And when Todd says tranced he really does mean it: Rose employed a hypnotist on-set to achieve Madsens spacy reactions to Candyman. And if Clive Barker is to believed (bee-lieved?) in his interview in issue #12 of Fangoria, Madsen was also hypnotized during the pivotal bee scene to calm her nerves. Maybe Todd got in on the hypno-action.

During a virtual 2021 Wizard World panel, Todd explained that the bees had their own trailer. And he recalled Garys insistence that he meet them prior to the shoot, and he made a point of assuring him that they were just babies. Todd recalled that Gary spoke to the bees and that he found this reassuring.

For the setpiece in which Candyman reveals the bee-filled ribcage, bees were placed in a special body appliance filled off-stage and strapped to Todds chest.

The shots in which swarming bees fill the screen were accomplished via optical effects, which were supplemented with in-camera shots of say it with me bees. To achieve the effect of bees shooting out towards the camera, a specialized vacuum was deployed with a reverse suction. This was then superimposed over the in-camera and optical shots to achieve the overall effect.

Now, those of you with keen memories might remember that Todd isnt the only one who has to contend with the fuzzy little rascals. When [director Bernard Rose] was first asking me to do the role I said, Well, I cant. Im allergic to bees,' Madsen told HorrorNewsNetwork. In the end, Rose promised Madsen that paramedics would be on set, which was apparently enough to convince her to do the scene that, and learning that she was moreallergic to wasps than bees.

Gary instructed Madsen that staying calm was of the utmost importance. You know? How you stay calm when youre absolutely covered in bees? The actress recalled to HorrorNewsNetwork:

When they put the bees on me it was crazy because they have fur. They felt like little Q-tips roaming around me. Then you have pheromones on you, so theyre all in love with you and think youre a giant queen.

According to Madsen, the longest part of the process wasremovingthe bees, which required the use of a tiny bee vacuum. Reportedly the process took 45 minutes, during which it was very hard to sit still.

When youre talking about covering people in creepy crawlies, you have to talk about 1976s Squirm, a film that truly lives up to the promise of its title. Directed by Roger Corman with special make-up effects by Rick Baker,Squirmtells of hundreds of man-eating worms wreaking havoc on a small town in Georgia.

Half of the worms in the film were made of rubber. But the rest were live sandworms and bloodworms that were electrified in order to move (according to issue #123 of Fangoria). Reportedly, after the production wrapped, newspapers reported that the film caused a worm shortage that impacted the local fishing industry.

Another notable moment in bugs in horror history takes place in the final segment of the 1982 anthology horror film Creepshow. In the story, the penthouse suite of a cruel mysophobe is overrun by cockroaches. The live roaches (which supposedly numbered around 20,000) were partially provided by the American Museum of Natural History. As George A. Romero relayed during an event at 2015s Fan Expo Canada, the insects were the most expensive part of the film.

As weve previously discussed in our breakdown of the locust scene inDays of Heaven, Humane Hollywoods guidelines are very thorough. And this level of detail does not exclude our tiny, insect friends. Indeed they have their own chapter that includes a litany of stipulations including guideline 8-49, which specifies that bees are not to be frozen during filming.

Insects have a long history of not being treatedgreatin horror films. And all told, it is refreshing to read about the gentle treatment of the bees on the set of Candyman.Save the bees, indeed.

Related Topics: How'd They Do That?

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How They Shot the Bee Scenes in Candyman - Film School Rejects

Are you a PlayStation Plus subscriber who owns a PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation VR accessory? If your answer was yes, then starting Tuesday 2 November 2021, you will be able to download six new games as part of your free monthly games collection via the PlayStation Store. In addition to the three PS4/PS5 games which subscribers traditionally get access to, three PS VR games will also be included to mark the platforms fifth anniversary.

Knockout City on the PS4 / PS5

To see what you could still be playing, scroll down!

Team up and duke it out with rival crews in style as you settle the score with epic dodgeball battles online. Brace yourself for outrageous fun and intense competition in an all-new take on team-based multiplayer games. Customise your character and form a crew with friends to start your Knockout City takeover. Knock out opponents with trick shots and coordinated teamwork while dodging and catching balls flying across the map. No ball? No problem! You can literally ball up, roll into a teammates hands, and become the ultimate weapon.

First Class Trouble is a social deduction party game where six people play together online aboard a luxury space cruiser. At the start of each game, four players will be randomly selected to be Residents, cooperatively trying to shut down a rogue A.I. at the heart of the ship. The other two players will be Personoids, who will lie, deceive, and do whatever it takes to stop them! Teamwork is the key to survival, but who can you trust?

First Class Trouble on the PS4 / PS5

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning on the PS4.

From the minds of the bestselling author R.A. Salvatore, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston, comes Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. Remastered with stunning visuals and refined gameplay Re-Reckoning delivers intense, customisable RPG combat inside a sprawling game world. Uncover the secrets of Amalur, from the vibrant city of Rathir to the vast region of Dalentarth to the grim dungeons of the Brigand Hall Caverns. Rescue a world torn apart by a vicious war and control the keys to immortality as the first warrior ever to be resurrected from the grips of death.

The Persistence for PS VR. The Persistence challenges you to survive aboard a doomed deep space colony starship in the year 2521. Stranded, malfunctioning, and caught in the inexorable pull of a black hole, The Persistence is overrun with a crew mutated into horrific & murderous aberrations. Its down to you, a clone of security officer Zimri Eder, to make your way deeper in the decks of The Persistence to repair the systems and prevent the ship from being torn apart. Gather resources, upgrade abilities and fabricate an arsenal of weapons in this brutal sci-fi horror rogue-lite.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Standard Edition for PS VR. Face all the horrors that the living and the dead can offer in this new VR adventure in The Walking Dead universe. Travel through the ruins of walker infested New Orleans as you fight, sneak, scavenge, and survive each day unravelling a city-wide mystery within the iconic quarters. Encounter desperate factions and lone survivors who could be friend or foe. Whether you help others or take what you want by force, every choice you make has consequences. What kind of survivor will you be for the people of NOLA?

Until You Fall for PS VR. Fantasy and synthwave collide in this physically active PS VR sword fighting game. Grow stronger as you battle through an awesome neon environment and strike down magic-infused monstrosities in this hack-and-slash roguelite. Move your arms and body to the synthwave soundtrack as you attack, block, cast spells, and dodge your way deeper into the heart of a neon fantasy world filled with magic-infused monsters. Equip yourself with a variety of gameplay-altering weapons as you continue to gain strength and strike down the monstrosities that lurk throughout this mystifying world.

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Headline of PS4, PS5 and PS VR Games Monthly Games for PlayStation Plus in November 2021 - Gaming News - BollyInside

Baker is 71 and well-schooled in classic jazz and blues. He even wrote a book about attending the famed Monterey Pop Festival as an 18-year-old in 1967.

Music is a big part of my life, Baker said Monday. Its a big part of setting the mood and the tone for what I need. Sometimes I need jazz to calm me down or blues, or I need something to pick me up.

Its no coincidence the 2Pac song that landed on Bakers playlist was Picture Me Rollin. Consider the lyrics:

Can you see me now? (Oh, picture me rollin)

Move to the side a little bit so you can get a clear picture

Can you see it?

Picture me rollin (Picture me rollin).

Thats really what this World Series represents for Baker, a chance to move to the side so baseball can get its clearest picture yet of Johnnie B. Baker Jr.

Baker has the most victories, 1,987, of any manager not to win the World Series. Not that there havent been chances.

He was six outs away from a championship with the San Francisco Giants in 2002 before the then Anaheim Angels stormed back. A year later, managing the Cubs, Baker needed five outs to return to the Series when a seemingly innocuous fan at Wrigley Field lunged for a foul ball and chaos followed.

Now hes back in the Series with the Astros, this time staging his own comeback to topple the Red Sox last week.

Win four games and Baker will leave no questions about who he is and where he stands.

Only 11 managers in history have won more games, and all are members of the Hall of Fame outside of three-time World Series winner Bruce Bochy, which is a formality.

Win this World Series and Baker will present irrefutable credentials once he lands on the ballot. There will be substance behind all the style.

You know the style. Baker last played in 1986, but still wears thick wristbands with his uniform to hide what he considers skinny forearms. He works a toothpick all game, having abandoned tobacco long ago, and views the field from behind tinted glasses, sometimes from the far end of the dugout just to get a different look.

Baker was out of the game for two years, fired by the Washington Nationals after winning 97 games in 2017. The Phillies were interested before the 2020 season, but decided on Joe Girardi.

The Astros were Last Chance U., having fired manager A.J. Hinch after the extent of their cheating in 2017 was revealed. Bakers personality and reputation was a handy shield for the abuse they would face, and his acumen was needed to pull another championship out of a talented core of players.

It has worked. The Astros advanced to the ALCS last season and took the Rays to seven games before winning 95 games this season. They are 7-3 in the postseason.

When I first came in, I was more like an uncle, and then I became more like a dad, Baker said. So Im kind of in between a dad and maybe even a granddad. But Im probably a little bit too cool to be a granddad right now.

This will be a familial series for Baker, who played for the Braves from 196875. His teammate from that time, Ralph Garr, is a Braves scout and a dear friend. Their shared mentor was Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who passed away in January.

Baker had no intention of signing with the Braves in 1967. As a young Black man from progressive northern California, he saw no future playing in the Deep South in that turbulent time. It wasnt until Aaron called Bakers home and promised hed look out for him that the deal was made.

I think about him all the time, especially in a series like this. I feel his presence, especially him and my dad, Baker said. He had a tremendous impact not only on the baseball field, but in my life and in my family and in business. Ill be forever grateful to him.

Now Baker has Aaron again looking over his shoulder as he seeks to fill the only gap in his career. Win this World Series and Baker will surely stand on the stage in Cooperstown someday.

Would a championship cleanse the Astros? Probably not. It would their manager.

You play the game for the love of the game and the love of winning, and theyre about winning, and Im about winning, Baker said. Ive always been about winning my whole life.

I mean, its perfect for both of us.

Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.

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Dusty Baker is four wins from a World Series crown, and his deserved immortality - The Boston Globe

Popular video-sharing app TikTok is chock-full of different trends and challenges that range from inducing second-hand embarrassment to making you wonder: Just how the heck did they do that?

And then there are posts that prompt other users on the platform to share their own personality traits by indulging in "telling" quizzes, or philosophical postulations that supposedly reveal people's true dispositions. But is that what the snail trend is all about?

No, the trend that involves the slimy little buggers isn't about whether or not someone would eat escargot, it's actually a hypothetical scenario that poses the following: Would you take the gift of immortality and a huge sum of cash under the condition that there's a killer snail that follows you forever and when it finally touches you, you die? And if you did, how would you handle it?

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"The Immortal Snail" question has trended multiple times in the past and since many TikTokers have enjoyed sizable followings by regurgitating several popular internet trends and memes, it didn't take long for folks to start using the "Immortal Snail" hypothetical to create a whole new slew of posts, jokes, and even other hypotheses.

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Many of these memes and clips were posted with the assumption that the viewer was cognizant of the snail theory in question, which led to a slew of people scratching their heads and wondering just why the heck everyone on TikTok was referencing snails.

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Some folks said that they would try to win the snail over and become its friend, seeing as the two of them were immortal and could keep one another company.

Others said that they would gladly take the money and the gift of infinite life because, at the end of the day, they're just dealing with a snail.

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Then there were some who said they'd ship the snail away. It would be pretty easy to trap it in a box with a GPS tracker or in a tiny room somewhere with a camera so that you could check in on the snail at any time. The possibilities are endless, really.

And if you ever got tired of being alive, you could always just let the snail touch you and boom, there's the end of that whole "immortality is a curse" thing.

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The snail question has become such a hot trend on TikTok that folks are even going so far as to alter their profile pictures and descriptions around the hypothetical question.

As mentioned above, "The Immortal Snail" has had many lives (fittingly enough) on the internet, including on Reddit. The post posing the question received more than 40,000 upvotes and had tons of people commenting on how they would handle the scenario.

The OG question was as follows: "You and a super intelligent snail both get $1 million, and you both become immortal. However, you die if the snail touches you. It always knows where you are and slowly crawls toward you. What's your plan?"

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I think dirkson's response above is about the best strategy there is.

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The Snail Question Is Trending on Tiktok What Is It? - Distractify

Next year will be the run up to the 50th anniversary of the most dramatic international hockey series ever: Team Canada vs. the Soviet Union, in which Paul Henderson achieved immortality by scoring the winning goal in the last three straight games.

But before that team enjoys the well-deserved attention it will receive, I want to bring to your attention the story of another hockey Team Canada, whose tournament should have ended at a medal ceremony but didnt. And its well past time to rectify this injustice.

Lets go back to the 1950s and 60s. After having dominated international hockey for decades, Canada was fading from its place on the world stage. The fact was, other countries, such as the Soviet Union, were drafting players into the military and putting them into year-long hockey programs. Our best players were all in the National Hockey League, and, as professionals, they werent permitted to compete at international events. So we began sending hastily assembled amateur teams that would routinely lose.

In the early 60s, the legendary St. Michaels Majors coach Father David Bauer convinced Canadas amateur hockey brass to let him establish a national program in which our best amateur players could spend a year together and gel as a team, setting them up to be more competitive at international tournaments. It was Father Bauers players who travelled to Innsbruck, Austria, in January 1964 to compete for Canada in the Winter Olympics.

You can count on TVO to cover the stories others dontto fill the gaps in the ever-changing media landscape. But we cant do this without you.

There was nothing about that teams players that suggested they were destined for greatness. In the dozens of games used as tune-ups for the Olympics, they barely won more than they lost; even then, they won against inferior junior players.

But something happened when the team got to Austria. They got good. Really good. Before you knew it, they were a legitimate gold-medal threat.

These Olympics, though, turned out to be somewhat cursed for Canada. For example, a Swedish player whod broken his stick tossed it toward the Canadian bench, where it struck Father Bauer and cut him across the forehead. Bauer insisted that his team seek no retribution; in fact, in an incredible display of sportsmanship, he watched two other teams play the next day, accompanied by the Swedish player whod wounded him.

Next, Canada was playing some of its best hockey against Czechoslovakia when one of the Czech players ran Canadas goaltender, Seth Martin, knocking him out of the game. Canadas replacement came in cold and couldnt match Martins heroics Canada went on to lose the game.

But the worst was yet to come. In the tournaments most anticipated game, against the Soviet Union, Canada dominated for two periods only to see its lead slip away in the third after a controversial penalty call left the team short-handed. The USSR eventually won 3-2, capturing the gold medal.

There were now three countries tied for second place: Sweden, Czechoslovakia, and Canada. The rules suggested the difference between goals scored and allowed should be employed to break the tie. By that count, Sweden claimed the silver medal.

But international politics then interceded in the worst way. In the third period of the Canada-USSR game, the International Ice Hockey Federations president, John Bunny Ahearne, decided to interpret the rules differently. Instead of takingallthe teams goals for and against into account, he resolved to take only the top four teams goals for and against into account. With that new interpretation in place, the bronze medal now belonged to the Czechs, not the Canadians.

Canadas numbers werent as buoyant as those of the other countries: the gentlemanly Father Bauer refused to let his players run up the score against inferior countries. As a result, other countries scored more than the Canadians did, because they didnt hesitate to give inferior teams a pounding.

The chicanery was all so last-minute and bizarre that the Czechs didnt even show up for the medal ceremony. They figured theyd come fourth, so why bother? Team Canadas players arrived for the medal ceremony in formal attire, ready to claim their bronzes, but were told, sorry, guys, youre going home with nothing.

It was a badly kept secret at the time that Ahearne had it out for Canada, was tired of watching Canada dominate, and was happy to come up with some last-minute wrinkle to prevent the Canucks from medalling. Father Bauer, who could smell political mischief a mile away, responded with his typical grace and humility and simply urged his charges to leave Austria with their heads up.

Over the years, Hockey Canada, which oversees amateur competition here, has made some half-hearted efforts to rectify this injustice, but it hasnt been able to convince the IIHF to re-examine Canadas case. The federation has hidden behind the notion that, if they were to consider this claim from Canada, other countries would want to protest this, that, or the other thing. So it has let the issue lie.

The problem, of course, is that Canadas players, who acquitted themselves so well over there, are now in their late 70s, early 80s, or dead. And they are losing hope that they will see their legitimate claims for medal justice recognized in their lifetimes.

Four members of that 64 Canadian hockey team gathered last week for an online conversation on a show calledHockey Time Machine. They reminisced about how much theyd loved playing for their country and expressed disappointment that, all these decades later, nothing has been done to rectify the situation.

I dont think theres any appetite in Hockey Canadas hands to move forward, said Paul Conlin, 78, whos now an Ottawa-based lawyer. Hes grown weary of trying to make the case for himself and his teammates.

Its a particularly bitter pill for the surviving members of the team to swallow, given that professional NHLers have taken over playing at international tournaments now. Father Bauers team was the last group of amateurs to play for Canada before the 1972 Summit Series. These men still want Canadians to know that they represented their country honourably during the 64 Olympics for no pay and ought to be appropriately recognized with the bronze medals they believe they earned. Most of the players may have had the proverbial cup of coffee in the NHL. But, in the main, this was the most important hockey experience of their lives. And the lack of a just ending to their story still rankles.

The fact that we still have reunions every two or three years shows we still cherish the memories we had with one another, said Barry MacKenzie, now 80, who played in both the 64 and 68 Olympics and is in the IIHF Hall of Fame. We still think were gold-medal winners even though we only won the bronze.

Every day of his life, Marshall Johnston, 80, who actually did win a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble, France, looks at a picture of that 68 medal ceremony. Hes not smiling in the picture. Four years later, he was still ticked at how he and his teammates were screwed out of a bronze in Innsbruck.

I didnt feel like smiling in 64 or in 68, Johnston said. Weve had a lot of disappointments.

Even for Rod Seiling, who played nearly 1,000 games in the NHLandformed part of the immortal 1972 Team Canada, the lack of resolution around this issue stings 58 years later.

When you stand on your blue line and listen to your national anthem, it gives you a real sense of pride and accomplishment, said Seiling, wholl turn 77 next month. But it is a big hole what happened in that last game and the way it happened. We deserved to be medallists. And it was taken from us. We didnt lose. It was taken from us.

Seiling cant help but be reminded of this scandal every day of his life. He lives in Waterloo on, if you can believe it, Father David Bauer Drive.

It seems clear that the IIHF has no appetite to revisit this issue. And Hockey Canada doesnt seem to want to spend its currency on it either.

The solution is simple. Hockey Canada should forget about prosecuting its case internationally and simply have some bronze medals struck to give to the surviving members of the team. Have a ceremony. Do it up right. The 58th anniversary of the Innsbruck Olympics is coming up next January and February. It would be a perfect time to right one of hockey historys greatest wrongs.

Were going to massively celebrate the 50th anniversary of Team Canadas 1972 victory over the Soviets next year and rightly so. But how about, before we do that, we get some justice for an earlier Team Canada that represented us well and deserves better.

Come on Hockey Canada. Strike the damned medals. Just do it.

Originally posted here:

Its time to right one of hockey historys greatest wrongs - TVO

Rosario Dawson and Werner Herzog Finally Become Star Wars Figures

Well, its about time. Two Star Wars figures fans have been wanting ever since they first showed up will soon become available. And while they might be slightly easier to lay hands on than baby Grogu is for the Imperial remnant, dont count on them being too easy. Because in both cases, collectors could feel just as drawn to the actors in question as the characters. Whoever expected a Werner Herzog Star Wars figure would become a thing in our lifetime?

A director once known for his movies of madness and obsession, and now more familiar for his existential documentaries and extremely mannered German accent, Herzog also played The Client in season 1 of The Mandalorian. A mysterious figure affiliated with the last of the Empire, he paid Din Djarin to retrieve Grogu for him. And then he paid with his life when Djarin had a change of heart and re-took the Child, brining Moff Gideon into the fray. Whether collectors care about any of that, or just want a toy of the acclaimed filmmaker to add narration to their toy sagas, a plastic Herzog soon awaits.

Rosario Dawson toys already exist. The actress has gained plastic immortality for her roles in Sin City and the Marvel Netflix shows. But shes never stepped into a character role as already iconic as Ahsoka Tano. Immortalized in The Clone Wars animation by Ashley Eckstein, the Togruta Jedi came to live action in an older form as Dawson in The Mandalorian. Soon shell have her own show, but first comes her own figure. Unlike The Client, who appears inthe6-inch Black Series line, older Ahsoka debuts in the 3.75-inch Vintage Collection. Expect preorders to start tomorrow at 10 a.m. at major online outlets. Possibly The Client as well, though that remains unconfirmed by official sources.

Do these much-anticipated figures look as youd hoped? Let us know in comments!

Recommended Reading: Star Wars: Galaxys Edge A Crash of Fate

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Rosario Dawson and Werner Herzog Finally Become Star Wars Figures - Superherohype.com