A series win, Taylor Trammell’s first career hit, dingers and some competent pitching. Honestly, what more could you want on a Saturday night?
Chris Flexen, in his Mariners debut – and first major league start since Aug. 24, 2019 – swirled through the hoary San Francisco Giants lineup for five innings, striking out six and not allowing a run. He topped out at 95 and wielded his cutter with aplomb, but struggled with command and the changeup in particular was…not pleasant. Could he have replicated this outing with minimal damage against a more formidable offensive foe? Probably not, but that’s okay for now.
In the bottom of the third, after 21 innings of baseball,with nary a dinger to speak of, Ty France finally took pity on us and sent a laser into the bullpen.
Not a great spot for an 84 MPH changeup, Logan Webb.
Seattle’s offense continued to embody what Jerry Dipoto classified as “just walks and doubles,” with Evan White, Trammell and Dylan Moore doubling back-to-back-to-back in the fourth.
Kendall Graveman, who must have spent the preceding innings snorting Pixie Stix and shotgunning Red Bull, arrived in the sixth hurling 99 MPH heaters and patently unfair secondaries, including this slider to Austin Slater that I’d happily watch all night long.
Two innings of dominance from Graveman were followed up by a serviceable Anthony Misiewicz appearance and an uneventful extended close from Rafael Montero.
And yes, in between all that, Mitch Haniger hit his first MLB homer since “Old Town Road” was topping the charts in the summer of 2019.
The trio of Graveman, Misiewicz and Montero is, in all likelihood, the best-case scenario coming out of the bullpen this season. The copse of relievers assembled by Dipoto this season is arguably his weakest since taking over the team, and I think there’s going to be a huge point of variance in the outcome and enjoyability of games depending on what crew is tasked with the final innings (See: Friday, April 2, 2021).
Tonight’s game was satisfactory, but nothing collectively mind-blowing: just nine innings of solid, well-played baseball. But these ambiguous, semi-forgettable games add up. They’re the bottom layer of the pyramid, the gaping concrete foundation of an as-of-yet unbuilt house. Big things are coming (arrival time TBD), and this evening’s shutout was definitely a step in the right direction.
Ciara and Russell Wilson looked loved-up and joyous on Friday as they celebrated the anniversary of their first meeting with a trip to Mexico.
The 35-year-old singer and the 32-year-old quarterback beamed ear-to-ear while enjoying some outdoor games in the sun with their children in Los Cabos.
The lovebirds rocked casual outfits on their relaxing trip, with the Goodies singer showcasing her long legs in a patterned beige dress.
Family time: Ciara, 35, and Russell Wilson, 32, looked loved-up and joyous on Friday as they celebrated the anniversary of their first meeting with a trip to Mexico with their son Win, eight months
Ciara’s sheer outfit was covered in columns of zigzagging lines and featured a plunging V-neck.
She wore a set of blonde-accented dreadlocks that reached all the way down to her thighs that she debuted on social media earlier this month.
The 5ft7in songstress blocked out the blazing sun with a round-lens sunglasses and sported black-and-white flip flops.
In her arms was her and Russell’s youngest child, their eight-month-old son Win.
Legs for days: The lovebirds rocked casual outfits on their relaxing trip, with the Goodies singer showcasing her long legs in a patterned beige dress
Eye catching: Ciara’s sheer outfit was covered in columns of zigzagging lines and featured a plunging V-neck
Long hair, don’t care: She wore a set of blonde-accented dreadlocks that reached all the way down to her thighs that she debuted on social media earlier this month
The little boy went to town on a pacifier while wearing a bright orange, white and lavender tie-dye shirt and matching pants.
Russell took things easy with a fuchsia T-shirt that highlighted his bulging biceps, along with blue, black and white plaid shorts and black-and-white flip flops.
He had a blue mask that he pulled down below his mouth, along with a blue baseball cap that read ‘Pray’ on the front.
The couple appeared to be cheering on a group of children playing a game on the grass.
Burst of color: Win went to town on a pacifier while wearing a bright orange, white and lavender tie-dye shirt and matching pants
Low key: Russell took things easy with a fuchsia T-shirt that highlighted his bulging biceps, along with blue, black and white plaid shorts and black-and-white flip flops
Having a blast: The couple appeared to be cheering on a group of children playing a game on the grass, though their other children didn’t appear to be with them at the time
In addition to little Win, the married couple are parents to their three-year-old daughter Sienna Wilson.
Ciara also shares her oldest child, her six-year-old son Future, with the 37-year-old rapper of the same name.
She and the Seattle Seahawks star were married in Cheshire, England, in July of 2016, but they seemed to be vacationing in Mexico to celebrate the very start of their relationship.
On Friday, Ciara posted a photo of Russell taken from behind as he stared out at the sea from a glass-encased infinity pool
Party of five: In addition to little Win, the married couple are parents to their three-year-old daughter Sienna Wilson, and Ciara shares six-year-old Future with the rapper of the same name
Special day: She and the Seattle Seahawks star were married in England in July of 2016, but they seemed to be vacationing in Mexico to celebrate the very start of their relationship
‘You are Beauty to Me,’ she wrote with a red heart emoji.
‘How amazing we met this very day, 6 years ago. I love you so much,’ she continued, before writing out ‘3.26.15’ and tagging Russell as ‘My sweet Love.’
The two started dating shortly after they first met, and they announced their engagement just under a year later on March 11, 2016.
Later on Friday, Ciara shared photos from their anniversary dinner, including a snap of a tasty-looking pizza dotted with pepperoni and sausage.
A follow-up video showed her with a thick, juicy pork chop and a soufflé that was practically oozing out of its dish.
Sweet: ‘You are Beauty to Me. How amazing we met this very day, 6 years ago. I love you so much,’ she wrote, before writing out ‘3.26.15’ and tagging Russell as ‘My sweet Love’
‘Yummy’: Later on Friday, Ciara shared photos from their anniversary dinner, including a snap of a tasty-looking pizza dotted with pepperoni and sausage
Ciara and Russell’s older children were present in a clip from her show #LevelUpRadio that she posted to Instagram earlier this week.
In a five-minute snippet from the interview, the couple discussed songs that remind them of one another, as well as special moments in their relationship.
Ciara noted that she is especially fond of the song September by Earth, Wind, And Fire because it reminds her of their 2016 nuptials, which the band happened to perform for.
‘I remember at the wedding dancing to this song as they were singing it,’ she recalled.
Opening up: Ciara and Russell’s older children were present in a clip from her show #LevelUpRadio that she posted to Instagram earlier this week featuring the parents talking about songs that reminded them of each other
SALT LAKE CITY — For physicians like Dr. Mark Briesacher, the COVID-19 trends over the past two months have been a welcomed sight.
Utah’s seven-day running average of new COVID-19 cases has fallen 87% since its latest peak on Jan. 9, according to Utah Department of Health data. The current average is now 419 new cases per day, which is the lowest the figure has been in over six months.
As cases have dropped, the pressure the disease forced on hospitals has slowly eased as well. As of Friday, there were 130 people hospitalized for COVID-19, which is the fewest COVID-19 hospitalizations since mid-September.
More severe cases have also gone down: 74% of the state’s referral center ICUs were filled up, which is a tick below the warning threshold. Statewide ICUs were 69% full as well, which is also below the threshold, state health department data shows.
The data also show both referral center ICUs and statewide ICUs reached 10% of ICU capacity as a result of COVID-19 this week also for the first time since mid-September. Both had reached as high as 44% and 45% on Jan. 15.
On top of all of that, the COVID-19 vaccine was opened to all Utahns 16 and up, which is exacted to drastically change the number of Utahns vaccinated in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited about the trends we’re seeing, mostly because it means so much to patients and families,” said Briesacher, chief physician executive at Intermountain Healthcare. “Fewer people in the hospital, fewer people getting critically ill. This is just really good to see.”
While there’s good news about the COVID-19 trends, Briesacher said there’s still a risk associated with celebrating the end of the pandemic too quickly. That’s why he and other public health experts are cautiously optimistic heading into school’s spring break and as the statewide mask mandate technically comes to an end on April 10.
For starters, more people need to be vaccinated and it’s impossible to get at least 70% of the estimated adult population vaccinated in one week. Briesacher also pointed out that while cases have dropped significantly in the past few weeks, they’re still relatively high at 400 to 500 new cases reported every weekday.
I have a lot of empathy for the fact that this disease is still creating such burden for our communities and for individuals and for families. We owe it to them to stay vigilant and keep moving forward in the right ways until we can really tamp this thing down.
–Dr. Mark Briesacher, chief physician executive at Intermountain Healthcare
Dr. Angela Dunn, the state’s epidemiologist, has also pointed out in recent weeks that the number of new cases was plateauing.
“That still represents a lot of new cases,” Briesacher said during a question and answer session on Friday. “We still have a transmission rate in that 7% to 8% range, so we have to remain vigilant with respect to infection control, especially within health care facilities.”
He likened the pandemic to a marathon — it’s perfectly fine to celebrate victories along the way, but the race isn’t over. The point being that the end goal isn’t to have COVID-19 infection numbers back to levels seen six months ago, it’s to put an end to as many new cases, severe cases and deaths as possible.
“I think it’s good for a community, especially our communities to feel good about how we’ve responded,” he said. “Let’s stay vigilant. Let’s not lose our edge; let’s not forget how serious this is. There are still Utahns dying from COVID-19 and when you compare to what we’ve been through, you can falsely conclude that, boy, things are OK because they’re so much better.
“But if you focus on the absolute number … those are people and families that are impacted in such a really hard way,” he continued. “I have a lot of empathy for the fact that this disease is still creating such burden for our communities and for individuals and for families. We owe it to them to stay vigilant and keep moving forward in the right ways until we can really tamp this thing down.”
There are a few possible hurdles between now and reaching herd immunity from COVID-19 that Briesacher addressed Friday.
One is that spring break at many Utah schools also began this weekend or are on the horizon. Briesacher recommended that families planning to travel during the break focus on activities that might be “more outdoor in orientation,” such as camping in small groups.
“We all saw the pictures from the beaches in Florida and I know we’re not going to be like that,” he said. “But there is a risk as there was during the Thanksgiving holiday. You saw the tremendous community response to come together and really mitigate the potential outcomes that could have come from that Thanksgiving holiday.”
The current statewide mandate is also set to expire on April 10 after Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill passed in the legislature this week to set that date. It’s worth noting that it will remain in place for schools and can also remain in place for businesses that decide to require masks.
Businesses like Harmons, Smith’s and Target have all said they will keep their requirements beyond that date. Intermountain Healthcare also announced it requires employees and patients to wear masks at its facilities even after April 10.
Briesacher said he views April 10 as the beginning of the “personal health mandate,” where individuals can make the decisions themselves to keep wearing masks and socially distancing in public places when possible to avoid the possibility of another uptick in cases.
He added Intermountain and other public health experts will continue to monitor the situation in case there is another rise in cases and as the future of COVID-19 beyond the pandemic takes shape.
This year marks 35 years of The Legend of Zelda series. Nintendo’s announced an HD remake of the Wii title, Skyward Sword, and is releasing an appropriately-themed Switch Joy-Con, but apart from that, it seems to be holding out on the celebrations.
Regardless of this, fans are celebrating Link’s 35th in all sorts of way, and to join in on the fun, talented British composer Marcus Hedges – who has composed for games like Century: Age of Ashes, Override 2 and Ary and the Secret of Seasons – has put together his own orchestrated soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.
This album, as noted above, can be listened to on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and various other digital music services.
Hopefully, this won’t be the last we’ll be hearing of Wind Waker this year. In fact, in case you missed it – the 2002 classic is rumoured to be making a return later this year once the HD version of Skyward Sword is released. So, what do you think of the above soundtrack? Does it bring back fond memories of Wind Waker on the GameCube? Leave a comment down below.
The OG Nyan Cat meme uploaded to YouTube in 2011. Gif: Chris Torres
Nyan Cat is turning 10 years old in April (feel old yet?), and to celebrate the anniversary of one of the internet’s most wholesome memes, the artist behind the gif, Chris Torres, put a newly remastered version up for auction. On Friday, the piece sold for 300 Ether on the crypto art platform Foundation, which translates to roughly $587,000 based on the cryptocurrency’s value at the time of publication.
In an interview with the Verge, Torres said he doesn’t ever plan to sell another original image file of Nyan Cat, meaning this gif’s patron now owns a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
“I think it’s cool knowing you own the only piece in existence,” he told the outlet. “And I feel like Nyan Cat will be a really special one to own.”
Torres made a series of tweaks and changes to the almost decade-old gif, which included enlarging the gif and making minor touch-ups to the art to correct details that bugged him over the years. For example, one particular star would appear and disappear randomly in the original 12-frame animation, so he took this opportunity to just remove it entirely. Torres told the Verge that he thought the remastered version “turned out really well this time around.”
If your eyebrows shot up at that multi-thousand-dollar price tag, you should know that the crypto art marketplace is having one hell of a moment. A number of online platforms have sprung up in recent years such as SuperRare, Zora, and Nifty Gateway where artists and patrons exchange digital works worth thousands of real-world dollars. Foundation is one of the newest faces on the scene, having launched just two weeks ago, but it’s already reportedly recorded $410,00 in sales, per the Verge.
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These crypto art platforms generally sell works through “non-fungible tokens,” or NFTs, blockchain-based digital tokens that represent unique assets. Since NFTs aren’t divisible and no two are alike, their ownership can be verified and tracked through blockchain. Though it should be noted that on many crypto art platforms, the actual sales, such as that of the new-and-improved Nyan Cat gif, are made with Ether, a cryptocurrency that runs on the Ethereum blockchain and is second only to Bitcoin in terms of market capitalization and volume, according to Reuters.
The crypto community has been buzzing about NFTs for a while, but traditional branches of the art world have only recently begun embracing blockchain technology. This week, Christie’s famed auction house announced its first-ever auction of a purely NFT-based collection: “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” by Beeple, a digital artist whose NFT-based series of digital works sold for $3.5 million in December. Christie’s also confirmed with Bloomberg that it plans to accept Ether as payment for the artwork’s principal price (collectors will still have to use old-fashioned dollars to cover any additional auction house fees).
It’s not every day that NASA lands an SUV-sizerover on Mars. The last rover to land on Mars was Curiosity in 2012; the stationary InSight lander touched down in 2018.
To mark the rare occasion, Krispy Kreme is offering a limited-edition themed doughnut — only available on Thursday.
The Marsdoughnut will look like the red planet itself.
The caramel-dipped and chocolate cream-filled dougnut is topped with a swirl that resembles Mars, and it’s even sprinkled with chocolate cookie crumbs for that authentic dusty Martian touch.
If you submitted your name during NASA’s “Send Your Name to Mars” campaign, which put almost 11 million names on the rover before it departed for its journey to Mars, bring your “boarding pass” to Krispy Kreme and your Mars Doughnut is free.
“The landing of Perseverance on Mars will be an epic and important achievement,” said Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme chief marketing officer, in a statement. “So, we’re celebrating the best way we know how: with an amazing new doughnut discovery right here on earth.”
Landing day: What to know
Perseverance, which is NASA’s most sophisticated rover to date, is expected to land on the surface of Mars around 3:55 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The rover has been traveling through space since launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the end of July. When it reaches Mars, Perseverance will have traveled 292.5 million miles on its journey from Earth.
Perseverance is NASA’s first mission that will search for signs of ancient life on another planet to help answer the big question: Was life ever present on Mars?
The rover will explore Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake that existed 3.9 billion years ago, and search for microfossils in the rocks and soil there.
Along for the ride with Perseverance is an experiment to fly a helicopter, called Ingenuity, on another planet for the first time.
The team at NASA is inviting the world to tune in to its countdown and landing commentary, which will stream live beginning on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. ET. Tune in via NASA’s public TV channel, website, app, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion or THETA.TV. In a first, the agency will also offer a Spanish language show for the landing.
During the landing coverage, NASA’s mission control team will be able to confirm if the rover safely landed on the surface of Mars.
Naturally, the rover has its own Twitter and Facebook accounts, where you can expect updates from the mission team from the perspective of the rover. And you can bet the Curiosity rover and InSight lander will be welcoming Perseverance to their home, the red planet.
The agency has fun ways to participate in the countdown excitement, like photo booths and activities for kids and students. You can also follow every step of the rover’s landing through a NASA interactive or sign up for a virtual experience of the landing.
In the game of love, Aaron Rodgers remains a big winner.
Less than two weeks after announcing he was engaged, the NFL quarterback decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend with his fiancée Shailene Woodley in Montreal, Canada.
“Aaron spent the last two weeks in Montreal with Shailene where she is filming,” a source shared with E! News. “He was quarantined at her place, but they spent time together when she wasn’t on set.”
Despite cold temperatures, the source explained that the famous duo had plenty of fun activities to do indoors. “They had no problem staying in, ordering food and not going anywhere,” the insider shared. “They spent Valentine’s Day morning together and then Aaron left town on his own and headed back to the states.”
Back on Feb. 6, Aaron surprised fans when he made a big announcement during the NFL Honors. While accepting the 2020 Most Valuable Player award, the Green Bay Packers quarterback revealed he is headed for the aisle.
President Biden and his wife took a walk around the front lawn of the White House Tuesday to survey their Valentine’s message to the world. The Bidens said it was a message of hope to those who are suffering during the pandemic. (Feb. 12)
AP Domestic
Valentine’s Day 2021 may look a little different, but stars are still spending the holiday celebrating their loved ones.
Ryan Reynolds continued to keep his romantic beats perfectly odd in an Instagram gallery dedicated to his wife of nearly nine years, Blake Lively.
“My forever valentine for the foreseeable future,” the “Deadpool” star wrote on Sunday next to the gallery, which included a slow-motion video of Lively sledding.
Lively kept the quirky vibe going, posting a time-lapse Instagram video of Reynolds expertly working on her hair. She added a NSFW caption showing she was happy with the final result, and a couple photo.
Jennifer Lopez showed off a huge bouquet of red roses from fiancé Alex Rodriguez in an Instagram video Sunday as Frank Sinatra’s “My Funny Valentine” played in the background. The singer, 51, noted that February was the couple’s anniversary month and Feb. 1 marked the first time they met.
“The first time we went out was two days later and since then there hasn’t been a day we haven’t been together or spoken,” Lopez wrote. “You keep me laughing … I love your wickedly funny sense of humor … and how you always try to make every room you enter a more joyful one … I love you and all you do for me and with me …. you are my funny valentine.”
Halle Berry posted on Instagram with her boyfriend, Van Hunt, including one brief video of herself dancing in heart-print underwear. Under a photo of the couple smooching, Berry gave advice to all those struggling on the holiday.
“I feel you, but never give up and NEVER SETTLE for less than what makes your heart sing! No matter what they say or what they call you. No matter how many times you try, it’s always worth it. If you desire love, you will find your match, your equal …. your person … even if it takes you until you’re 54!”
Keith Urban sent regards on Instagram to wife Nicole Kidman, posting a sweet picture of the two and noting they met in 2005. “16 Valentines … and it only gets sweeter!!! Happy Valentine’s Day Babygirl xxxx ♥️♥️♥️,” Urban wrote.
Kidman turned up the heat in her Instagram post, with a photo of the two in a romantic outdoor smooch. “My Forever Valentine 💋❤️ #ValentinesDay,” Kidman wrote.
Rita Wilson gave Instagram greetings to her husband of nearly 23 years, Greek citizen Tom Hanks, posting a photo of the couple.
“Happy Valentine’s Day❤️to my love, my corazon, my καρδία, the one who makes me laugh every day. I love you,” Wilson wrote.
Bindi Irwin, who is expecting her first child with husband Chandler Powell, wished the soon-to-be father a happy Valentine’s Day on Instagram.
“Over 7 years of loving this handsome guy. My forever Valentine and incredible husband,” she captioned a photo of the two of them hugging.
Former first lady Michelle Obama paid tribute to former President Barack Obama in a loving post: “Happy Valentine’s Day, @barackobama! Life is always brighter when I’m by your side.”
Happy Valentine’s Day! First lady Jill Biden decorates White House lawn with giant hearts
Barack Obama returned the favor, celebrating his wife and daughters Sasha and Malia.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to the three who never fail to make me smile,” he captioned a family photo. “Your dazzling light makes everything brighter.”
Former first lady Melania Trump celebrated the “brave & inspirational children” at the National Institute of Health’s Children’s Inn, where she spent the holiday during former President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Sending them love & strength, today & everyday,” she wrote alongside a series of throwback photos.
“Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness posted a sweet photo of himself and husband Mark Peacock, urging his followers to celebrate all types of love regardless of whether or not they’re in a romantic relationship on Valentine’s Day.
“I use to really not love the idea of Valentine’s Day until I understood it’s a day to celebrate love, not just romantic love,” Van Ness wrote on Instagram. “So today if you’re celebrating your friends, your partner, or maybe you’re celebrating loving your DAMN FOINE SELF!! They’re all valid & worth celebrating.”
In preparation for the holiday, Chrissy Teigen shared an adorable series of photos of her and John Legend’s 4-year-old daughter, Luna, decked out in an all-pink ensemble with a furry heart headband.
Valentine’s Day got you down? You’re not alone in feeling lonely. How to give yourself a boost
Here’s why: Valentine’s Day during the pandemic is actually more special
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