Category Archives: Immortality

Hello, Radio Readers. Im Jane Holwerda from Dodge City, Kansas, to chat up with you the fourth book in our Fall 2019 Book Club series. The fourth book, yet another best-seller, is Yuval Hararis Homo Deus: A Brief History of the Future. The paradox of the title anticipates the mind-bending ideas posted by Harari, an historian and professor at a prominent university. Its taken me some time to read it, mostly because the ideas are so dense, so provocative, Ive had to frequently set the book aside to think about these ideas and their implications.

For example, in the final sections, Harari riffs on a study published in 2013 by researchers at Oxford. This study predicts that within 30 years a variety of current professions will be obsolete, the work of which will be done more efficiently and accurately by computer algorithms. The list of professions is wide-ranging, including sports referees and underwriters, lifeguards, archivists, and carpenters, security guards, chefs, tour guides and paralegals. Harari also predicts that the work of physicians, attorneys, bankers and stock brokers will also become the function of digital algorithms. And, he asks, as humans are displaced from work, what will we do? Play computer games and self-medicate? Return to school to retool our skills? Well, Harari quips, already, right now, companies are developing interactive algorithms that not only instruct individuals in various topics but can also by coding reactions and responses of students-- summon up and deliver individualized instruction to best meet each students learning styles and needs. This is to say, we can add teaching to the list of disappearing vocations Then, as humans are displaced from work, Harari asks, what will we dowith our lives and to sustain ourselves? As we have more time free of work, and what with advances in medicine, more time to live, what will it mean, if anything, to be human? History shows us similar patterns, of course, especially in historical shifts from agrarianism to industrialization to corporatization as we know, new types of employment emerge, new ways of filling our days and lives.

But in our cybernetic era, Harari predicts the emergence of a small elite of upgraded superhumans which in times past have been labeled by philosophers and graphic artists as the uber-mensch and superman. One difference is that Hararis upgraded superhumans are unlikely to fight never-ending battles for truth, justice, and the American way. Instead having gained an invulnerable immortality, in Hararis view, these few upgraded superhumans will have become divine. Hence, Homo Deus, literally god-men, or men who are as gods. Of course, each of us can identify at least one or two of those in our daily lives, right? But imagine those one or two with empowered consciousness and control of all algorithms, including each of ours.

If, or as, this comes to pass, what will life on the high plains become? More or less populated? Greater or fewer resources? Improved access to improved health care, to goods and services? If youd like to hear more about Hararis ideas and vision of our future, keep listening to Radio Readers book bytes and check out his books, or catch him on a Ted or YouTube talk.

Meanwhile, Im Jane Holwerda from Dodge City KS for HPPRs Radio Readers Book Club. And right now, Im headed outside, to feel the changing of the seasons and in other ways revel in the beauty of our High Plains.

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Radio Readers BookByte: Think About It - HPPR

It turns out that all that talk about aHocus Pocus sequel wasnt a bunch of well, you know. Disney+ is developing aHocus Pocus 2 movie withWorkaholics writer and co-producerJen DAngelo set to pen the script. The original cast hasnt been confirmed to return, but DAngelo has reportedly been tasked with bringing back the bewitching trio played byBette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, andKathy Najimy.

Collider broke the news that Disney has tappedJen DAngelo, who served as a writer and co-producer onWorkaholics, to write the script for the long-awaitedHocus Pocus 2. The sequel to the 1993 Halloween cable rerun classic is set to debut on Disney+.

Theres no word on whether the Sanderson sisters, played by Midler, Parker, and Najimy, will return, but Disney is hopeful that the original stars will be involved in some capacity. Whether this means that they will take the stage once again as the sinister witches who kidnap children to attain immortality, or whether they will pass on the torch to a new generation, is uncertain.

But I cant seeHocus Pocus 2achieving quite the same level of success as the original if the terrific trio dont return. Midler, Parker, and Najimys hammy charisma and star presence is what elevated the film from being a forgettable fantasy-comedy Midlers glamorous and campy performance in particular.

The original, directed byKenny Ortegafrom a script byMick GarrisandNeil Cuthbert, was not a major box office hit when it opened in theaters in 1993, but gained new life once it hit the TV rerun circuit. As a Halloween-season staple,Hocus Pocus became an essential part of many a Millennials childhood. Endlessly quoted and memed, nostalgic fans have demanded a sequel for years, but a sequel without the stars that made it would not cast the same magic spell. The original film also starredOmri Katz,Thora Birch,Vinessa Shaw, andDoug Jones, none of which have confirmed to return for the sequel either.

However, ifHocus Pocus 2 is being developed for Disney+, Disneys forthcoming streaming service, I have the sinking feeling this sequel will end up being more of a new-gen spin-off in the vein of the services other titles based on familiar IP likeHigh School Musical. But perhaps Midler and co. will want to return for one more bid at immortality.

More:

Hocus Pocus 2 Movie is in the Works at Disney+ /Film - /FILM

A new patch for the Overwatch PTR dropped on October 23 and it contains an update for Mei, Baptiste, and Sigma along with bug fixes and someWorkshop updates.

The latest PTR update isn't massive, but it does contain a lot of updates for the Workshop along with changes that might be helpful to Mei mains.

Hero updates are also included for Sigma and Baptiste, along with a number of bug fixes for various heroes.

Blizzard Entertainment

The PTR patch comes in the middle of the Halloween Terror event.

The hero update apply to Mei's Ice Wall, Sigma's Gravitic Flux and Baptiste's Immortality Field, which willall now more heavily prefer edges over placing as far away as possible.

This should make it easier to place the abilities in the most effective spot - especially when it comes to Ice Wall.

Ice Wall should be a bit easier to place accurately after the latest patch.

Bug fixes include a hilarious-sounding glitch thatcaused Anas legs to twitch when her Halloween TerrorPharaoh skin is equipped.

They also fixed a bug thatcaused Roadhog'sChain Hook tosometimes incorrectly connect with Symmetras Teleporter, Ashes Dynamite, and Junkrats Steel Trap and Concussion Mine.

Blizzard Entertainment

Hog should have less problems hooking things he didn't mean to.

Also included in the update is a new gameplay option forHigh Precision Mouse Input whichwill allow Overwatch player's to use their mouses native polling rate when determining exactly where to shoot.

A mouse's polling rate is how often it reports its position to a computer andahigher polling rate can decrease the lag between when you move your mouse and when the movement shows up on your screen.

The full list of updates in the October 23 PTR patch are listed below:

New Gameplay Option: High Precision Mouse Input

Enabling this option will allow Overwatch to use your mouses native polling rate when determining exactly where to shoot. Note: There may be a slight performance cost to enabling this option.

New Workshop Features:

New Workshop Values:

General

General

Workshop

Maps

Heroes

Ana

Doomfist

D.Va

Moira

Roadhog

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Mei and Sigma changes included in October 23 Overwatch PTR patch - Dexerto

iStock/wideonet

The Litany of the Holy Eucharist is given in the Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist, No. 178. It is recommended to be prayed when a person is in the presence of the Eucharist during eucharistic adoration or on a visit to the church when it is reserved in the tabernacle. It can be offered anytime.

The response to the first series of invocations is have mercy on us. Part I of the litany begins: Jesus, the Most High, the holy One, Word of God, only Son of the Father, Son of Mary, crucified for us, risen from the dead, reigning in glory, coming in glory, our Lord, our hope, our peace, our Savior, our salvation, our resurrection, Judge of all, Lord of the Church, Lord of creation, Lover of all, life of the world, freedom for the imprisoned, joy of the sorrowing, giver of the Spirit, giver of good gifts, source of new life, Lord of life, eternal high priest, priest and victim, true Shepherd, and true light.

It concludes: Jesus, bread of heaven, bread of life, bread of thanksgiving, life-giving bread, holy manna, new covenant, food for everlasting life, food for our journey, holy banquet, true sacrifice, perfect sacrifice, eternal sacrifice, divine Victim, Mediator of the new covenant, mystery of the altar, mystery of faith, medicine of immortality, and pledge of eternal glory.

Part II is the Invocation of Christ, and the response to Part II-A is Lord, save your people. The invocations are: Lord, be merciful, from all evil, from every sin, from the snares of the devil, from anger and hatred, from every evil intention, from everlasting death, by your coming as man, by your birth, by your baptism and fasting, by your suffering and cross, by your death and burial, by your rising to new life, by your return in glory to the Father, by your gift of the Holy Spirit, and by your coming again in glory.

The response to Part II-B is have mercy on us. The invocations are: Christ, Son of the living God, you came into this world, you suffered for us on the cross, you died to save us, you lay in the tomb, you rose from the dead, you returned in glory to the Father, you sent the Holy Spirit upon your Apostles, you are seated at the right hand of the Father, and you will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Part III is the Prayer for Various Needs and the response is Lord, hear our prayer. The invocations for Part III-A are: Lord, be merciful to us, give us true repentance, strengthen us in your service, reward with eternal life all who do good to us, and bless the fruits of the earth and of our labor. The invocations for Part III-B are: Lord, show us your kindness, raise our thoughts and desires to you, grant eternal rest to all who have died in faith, spare us from disease, hunger and war, and bring all peoples together in trust and peace. The invocations for the final section are: guide and protect your holy Church, keep the pope and all the clergy in faithful service to your Church, bring all Christians together in unity, and lead all to the light of the Gospel.

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.

Tags: bread of heaven, Bread of Life, bread of thanksgiving, divine Victim, eternal sacrifice, food for everlasting life, food for our journey, holy banquet, Holy Eucharist, holy manna, Jesus, life-giving bread, Litany, Mediator of the new covenant, medicine of immortality, Mystery of Faith, mystery of the altar, new covenant, perfect sacrifice, Picks, pledge of eternal glory, true sacrifice

Category: Faith Fundamentals

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The Litany of the Holy Eucharist - The Catholic Spirit

A newly discovered exploit with Baptiste's Immortality Field can allow Overwatch players to live for longer thanks to its lingering effect, and as it turns out, the same effect applies to other abilities too.

While many abilities in Overwatch have a lingering effect, this is often by design. For instance, Moiras primary healing lasts a few seconds after applied. However, it does less healing overall, which implies it was intended by the developers.

With Baptistes Immortality Field drone and a few other abilities, the effect lasts completely even after a player leaves its proximity for a short amount of time something that may not have been intended by the games developers.

Blizzard Entertainment

Baptiste's Immortality Field can save enemies from dying.

A Reddit user by the name of 'kaiomm' posted a replay clip of gameplay on Nepal in which a Reinhardt pinned another player who had only a fraction of health left. During the pin/charge animation, the Reinhardt getting pinned was briefly in the line of sight of a friendly Baptiste Immortality Field.

As the charge continues, the Reinhardt doing the pinning hits his opponent into the wall, which should have done enough damage to result in a kill. Instead, it appears as if the drone continued to keep the player alive even after being pinned outside of its area of effect.

Some abilities which buff friendly players function the same way. As 'Lightning_Laxus' pointed out in the comments, A lot of abilities are like that. Lucio's aura and Orisa's Supercharger for example. Supercharger is easier to visualize because of the giant beam. They both linger for 1 additional second after leaving the range and/or LoS.

Lucios aura and Orisas Supercharger/Mercy's beam could potentially be taken advantage of to help secure a kill or restore a player's health even though they've left the effective range.

For instance, a player chasing after a retreating enemy could fire one last shot or use one last ability with the buffed damage from Orisa's Supercharger briefly after turning a corner and leaving its line of sight.

With Baptiste, a way to counterplay the Immortality Field, aside from just destroying it, is to boop or knock foes out of its line of sight. But with a one second lingering effect, players may need to wait a moment before using an ability to confirm a kill on foes knocked outside of the field or else it wouldnt result in a kill.

For anyone playing against a Baptiste, its something to consider before wasting ammo or a cooldown on a target who leaves the drones effective range.

Blizzard Entertainment

Baptiste had such a knowledge of the drone that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying.

But if you're playing with one on your team, taking advantage of the lingering effect could cause your enemies to waste cooldowns and making your opponents waste cooldowns could win you the game.

It will be interesting to see what Blizzards stance on lingering effects in Overwatch is and if they address this problem in a future patch.

The rest is here:

Overwatch exploit gives Baptiste, Mercy and more an unfair 'buff' - Dexerto

Lesley-Ann Brandt plays Maze in Lucifer, a demon-turned-bounty hunter and close friend of Lucifer Morningstar. Brandt is a South African actress, who before landing a role of Lucifer in 2016, starred in Spartacus: Blood and Sand as Naevia. The series is based on a range of DC Comic characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg in the 1990s.

Mazikeen of Lilith is one of the children of the demon Lilith.

The character of Mazikeen first appeared in the Sandman comic book series, created by Neil Gaiman which the series Lucifer is based on.

When Lucifer left Hell, Mazikeen followed and they both adjusted to life on Earth.

In the Netflix series Lucifer, Mazikeen is an archdemon known as Maze.

READ MORELucifer season 5 cast: Will Tom Welling return to Lucifer as Cain?

Maze is a close friend and former lover of Lucifer Morningstar (played by Tom Ellis), who helped him cut off his angel wings.

In the first season of Lucifer, Maze worked as a bartender at Lucifers club Lux as well as his bodyguard and concierge.

Maze also got close to Lucifers brother Amenadiel (DB Woodside) and even sacrificed her chance to return to hell to save him.

Unable to return to hell, Maze became a bounty hunter for the LAPD in season two and has been ever since.

In season four, it was revealed by Eve (Inbar Lavi), Lucifers girlfriend, that Maze was the daughter of Lilith.

Eve revealed Mazes mother Lilith was the first wife of Adam, her ex-husband.

READ MORELucifer: Will Lucifer Morningstar star in Crisis on Infinite Earths?

Maze then confessed to Eve she did not get on well with her mother and Lilith even tried to kill her.

In Jewish mythology, Lilith is described as a sexually dangerous demon who steals babies in the night.

In Jewish folklore, especially in the Alphabet of Sirach, Lilith appears as Adams first wife, who was created from the same clay as Adam.

Maze in Lucifer has impressive powers and abilities including immortality, superhuman strength and speed and demonic possession.

She also has a terrifying devil face that, like Lucifers, can be revealed.

READ MORELucifer season 5: When is Lucifer season 5 out on Netflix?

The Netflix series Lucifer takes inspiration from biblical characters and mythology figures.

For example, Lucifer Morningstar is based on the devil and archangel, Samael.

Amenadiel is based on the angel Gabriel and Eve was based on the biblical character of the same name from the book of creation.

In Jewish mythology, Mazikeen (also spelt Mazzikim) is the name given to invisible demons who create an annoyance or bring great danger.

In Hebrew, the term translates to those of harm and is used in the Jewish central text known as the Talmud.

In the Talmud, the word is used to refer to harmful demons that people could face every day.

Lucifer season 5 is coming to Netflix soon

Continued here:

Lucifer cast: Who is Mazikeen of Lilith ? Who is Maze based on? - Express

Brandon ONeill as Dracula. Not pictured:the cellist, the blood, the smoke. Rosemary Dai Ross

Count Dracula is one of the most enduring monsters in literature, which either is ironic or makes perfect sense, considering his immortality. Bram Stoker's vicious yet refined vampire nobleman has weathered more than a century of rebirths and reimaginingshe's spurred more interpretations than any other classical monster (there are more than 200 films based just on his story).

He is the pop-culture darling of the ages, a supernatural villain we love to fear in all his many forms. He'll be breathed to life yet again when playwright Steven Dietz's adaptation of the Stoker tale (which is the most produced version for the stage, and which Dietz wrote in the mid-1990s in Seattle) is revived and revised specifically for ACT Theatre, which is producing the play through November 17.

But it's not all about the Count. In this Dracula, the focus shifts to Mina Murray Harker. Her character has always been ripe for a reckoning or a refresh, or both, and has enjoyed many alternate paths in modern retellings. She is the source of endless fascination, because she is an obvious heroine in Stoker's novel, pure of heart and mind, and yet she's just as much a casualty of Dracula's desires as her poor friend Lucy, even if Mina ultimately fares better.

No matter how many gender norms Stoker challenged, it was still the Victorian era. Mina could be given only so much agency. "But to simply make her a victim was super unsatisfying to all of us," director John Langs explained. "So Steven has done some reworking of the story, and she really comes to the forefront. The hunted becomes the hunter in this particular adaptation."

He describes it as a ritualistic retelling of the play that they're calling "the death of Dracula at the hands of Mina Murray." According to Langs, "Whenever we take on a classical work at ACT Theatre, we're trying to reframe it in the contemporary context."

In Dietz's Dracula, relevant themes are exploredlike the costs of hiding your secret life from the people you love most and the way corruption takes root. But as Langs put it, they also want "to tell a good monster story about power in this day and age, as a great allegory for the fear that is being generated by certain parts of society that has us all very, very worried. It's been really satisfying to drive a stake into the heart of a monster every day, and we hope that our audience feels that macabre pleasure with us."

The actors are core ACT Theatre members, many of whom took part in a yearlong workshop, which means they are intimately familiar with the material and its changes. Among them are actors who've gotten glowing praise from our critics, including Khanh Doan as Mina, Brandon O'Neill as Dracula, and Basil Harris as Renfield. Langs said about Harris: "He has such a unique and off-center quality to him, that I thought him taking on that pivotal role was just a perfect get for us."

There will be a live cello player onstage throughout the evening, and, Langs said, "gallons of blood, tons of smoke, lots of choreography, singing, sharp teeth... Even in our, maybe, erudite pursuits, we haven't shied away from making it great entertainment."

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In ACT Theatre's New Production of Dracula, the Hunter Becomes the Hunted - TheStranger.com

The upcoming adaptation of Stephen Kings sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, isnt arriving in theaters until November. A bit of a bummer for those who were wishing they could see it this Halloween season.

But now some people will have a chance to see it early. Its been announced that Fandango is bringing the movie to theaters early for one night only, and just in time for Halloween.

SYNOPSIS:

Doctor Sleep continues the story of Danny Torrance, 40 years after his terrifying stay at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson and newcomer Kyliegh Curran star in the supernatural thriller, directed by Mike Flanagan, from his own screenplay based upon the novel by Stephen King.

Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the shine. Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality.

Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abras innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never beforeat once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

Doctor Sleep stars Ewan McGregor (Star Wars: Episodes I, II & III, T2 Trainspotting) as Dan Torrance, Rebecca Ferguson (the Mission: Impossible films, The Greatest Showman) as Rose the Hat, and Kyliegh Curran, in her major feature film debut, as Abra. The main ensemble cast also includes Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Bruce Greenwood, Jocelin Donahue, Alex Essoe and Cliff Curtis.

Trevor Macy and Jon Berg produced the film, with Roy Lee, Scott Lumpkin, Akiva Goldsman and Kevin McCormick serving as executive producers.

Flanagans behind-the-scene creative team was led by director of photography Michael Fimognari (The Haunting of Hill House), production designers Maher Ahmad (Get Hard) and Elizabeth Boller (Hush), and costume designer Terry Anderson (Den of Thieves). The music score is composed by The Newton Brothers (The Haunting of Hill House).

The only bad news is that the special early screening is only going to be on about 400 screens, so not everyone will have the opportunity to see it. Tickets for the event are on sale now, and you can head over to Fandango to see if itll be in your area.

After the early screening, Doctor Sleep will be released in theaters everywhere on November 8th. You can click right here for trailers and more if you missed anything.

[Source: via Bloody Disgusting]

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Originally posted here:

The Shining Sequel Doctor Sleep Coming To Theaters Early In Time For Halloween - Geeks of Doom

In 1911, the city of Houston finished construction on a $5 million train station that overshot its original budget by $4 million. The city had been so jacked up to build this thing that they had swatted the home of a former Houston mayor and a prominent synagogue out of the way to get it up.

When people had grown bored and disgusted by trains in the mid-70s, Union Station was abandoned for a shiny new Amtrak facility. But instead of knocking it down or blowing it up, as the city had done with the buildings that had been in Union Stations way initially, it was granted immortality by the National Park Service on the National Register of Historic Places.

When the Astros started muttering about getting a new stadium in 1995, and were actually threatening to leave Houston and become the new Washington franchise against which they are currently playing in the World Series, it was eventually determined that Union Station would make the perfect starting point for construction of their new facility.

Given the historic choo-choo depot that now serves as its main concourse, it makes sense that Minute Maid Park would incorporate a train into the ballparks home run celebrations. The train is piloted at 2.5 mph but still has an emergency brake, just in case of a horrifying accident occurring at a speed that many doctors consider an ideal pace for walking.

Juan Soto, who you may have heard is only 20 years old and already has three home runs in the postseason, went up to meet that train last night, bashing a home run to a part of Minute Maid Park where baseballs arent supposed to go. In the top of the fourth inning, he sent a Gerrit Cole fastball onto the unlit track of the silent Astros train, and the two inanimate objects became a pair of unwitting companions for the remainder of the game.

It was a pure, glorious moment for a sport that had been mired all day in important, unavoidable conversations regarding the hateful and idiotic rhetoric of an Astros assistant GM. For the several seconds it took for Sotos home run to reach the train tracks, all we could do was marvel at his skill, at his youth, and at the fact that hes a member of the Nationals, a franchise that has been trying to get to this moment since 2012.

In fact, it was earlier in the game that the Nationals had witnessed their first ever World Series home run, and it borders on cliche that it was hit by 35-year-old Ryan Zimmerman.

Zimmerman knows how to hit a postseason home run. Hes a tenured professor in home run-hitting, and in the scattershot of Nationals playoff appearances since 2012, hes knocked a few out. His journey to cutting the Astros early 2-0 lead in half with a solo shot goes back seven years, to when hed already been on the Washington roster for seven years.

Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche went back-to-back off Lance Lynn to give the Nationals a much-needed power surge in Game 2 of the 2012 NLDS. Unfortunately, they were down 7-1 at the time and would go on to lose by eight runs. Zimmerman didnt muscle another home run out until Game 5, when he would once again go back-to-back in run-scoring plays, following a Bryce Harper RBI triple with a two-run jack to give the Nationals an early 3-0 lead in a game they wound up losing 9-7.

Two years later, when the Nationals returned to the postseason, Zimmerman was naturally still with them, but by this point, his body had been set upon by the sport of baseball: It had chewed on his hamstring and bludgeoned his shoulder to the point that they would shift the third baseman and outfielder over to the NLs DH spot, first base, when the season was over.

But during the NLDS, Zimmerman was still called upon to swing a bat as a pinch hitter, despite being hurt enough not to play, as he would say later. After all, swinging a bat requires things like muscles and tendons, and Zimmermans werent in great shape: dashing from third to home on a play near the end of the season had been enough to keep him out of the lineup for three days.

Fortunately for Washington, he was playing in the bottom of the eighth of Game 2 in 2014 against the Cubs. Bryce Harper had just tied the game at 3-3 with a two-run bomb and it was Zimmermans job to win it. His three-run tater gave the Nationals a 6-3 lead that they used to beat the Cubs, and for the first time in Nationals history, Zimmerman had homered in a postseason game that his team would actually win.

In a tied Game 4 of the 2017 NLDS, the Dodgers watched Julio Uras give up a run and the lead, as well as a couple of base runners, before yanking him so Zimmerman would have to face a fresh Pedro Bez. Zimmerman didnt seem to mind, pounding a three-run blast on the second pitch of the at-bat. It was the last time anybody scored in that game and the Nationals won 6-1.

Even though each of the Nationals postseason campaigns have ended the same way, each of Zimmermans postseason homers have shown an evolution of sorts, going from garbage time RBIs, to game-winning blasts, to last night, when he fired the inaugural shot of Nationals World Series run-scoring. In baseball, the stories dont always present themselves as clearly as we think, and we have to look back, sift through some box scores, find a few quotes, and decide that, yes, here is the beginning, middle, and end. Its a need we have to box every part of this sport into a three-act structure, despite so much of it being so dumb and so meaningless.

But for Zimmerman to hit the first home run of the series for the Nationals, and for Soto to follow him with a bomb on the train tracks, gives us such a clear glimpse of what it took for Washington to get here and of what lies ahead for a franchise with a 20-year-old superstar. Theyre still not World Series champions, but after Game 1, they appear to be on right track.

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A Pair of World Series Homers Puts the Nationals on the Right Track - FanGraphs

Halloween is a holiday we all look forward to, and in the correct setting, provides us with many opportunities to express our unique identities. However, it is also a minefield for those of us who have the threat of cultural appropriation looming over us like Harvey Weinstein leering at a casting couch. If you are devoid of progressive sensibilities, you might very well end up stepping on an unseen hazard (because of the minefield metaphor), hearing a brief yet sinister tutting sound, before the devastating explosion of offense erupts around you.

Nevertheless, have no fear (no pun intended), and allow me to take you by the hand (consent pending) and guide you deftly through the minefield (of which I previously referenced twice in the opening paragraph of this article), with the intention of avoiding the perils of the- look, Im going to stop using the minefield analogy now because I feel like Ive gone as far as I can go with it, but basically this is about Halloween costumes and how not to piss off minorities et cetera.

The obvious ones have been highlighted many times (Sombrero Man, Red Indian, Sexy Anne Frank etc). Therefore, I am going to flag up a few of the lesser-known problematic costume ideas.

Research the history of your chosen outfit. OK, so youve decided to dress up as a sexy witch however could that upset anyone? STOP! Witches are part of the pagan religion and as such are protected from being marginalized by non-pagans. Also, years ago, women were burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft and so these outfits could have a devastatingly negative effect on the ancestors of those persecuted in the 1700s. Only dress up as a witch if you know how to perform at least ten Wiccan rituals and can recite the entire script of Hocus Pocus off by heart.

Assume that fantasy monsters are an acceptable costume. Your friend has told you they plan to attend the campus Halloween Ball as a zombie from The Walking Dead, hey what a cool idea! WRONG. Do you think leprosy is cool? Well is it? Also, dressing up as someone who is technically dead is a huge trigger for anyone who has lost a beloved relative. Tell your friend to rethink this horrendously insensitive notion and encourage them to create a more appropriate monster costume, for instance Bad Orange Man, Bad Orange Man Supporter or Pro-lifer.

Consider how your costume might affect the people around you. While browsing amazon, you came across the perfect outfit. Mary Poppins! Who could possibly have an issue with this adored and respected Disney character? Well if you were to ask me this question, I would have to respond with an indignant Do you find being ignorant easy, or have you had to put in literally hours of practice in order to become this oblivious to people less privileged than yourself? Mary Poppins is not only a symbol of white misogyny; she is also a jarring reminder for the 99 percent of people out there who cannot afford childcare that the financial disparity between the haves and the have nots grows deeper by the day in Trumps America. To be honest, I am aghast that I am even having to explain this in 2019.

Dress as an animalunless you are a member of the noble Furry community. Dont dress as Freddy Krueger unless youve been convicted of child molestation. Dont dress as a demonic nun unless youve attended at least one satanic black mass in which you gave your body and soul to the Dark Lord. Dont dress as a vampire if you have no experience of being afflicted with anaemia and/or immortality. I could go on, but surely by now, you get the general idea.

All of this is pretty straight-forward, but unfortunately it stills needs to be repeated. Almost any costume has a risk of causing offense. To anyone who is still unsure, I would suggest simply dressing up as yourself. However, to play it completely safe this year, Im going as Blackface Justin Trudeau.

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Halloween costume 'do's and 'don't's - The Spectator USA