Month: April 2023

Categories
Entertainment

Potential YSL decide jailed after movie jury choice course of

Potential YSL judge jailed after film jury selection process

A woman set to sit on the jury in the high-profile YSL case has been sentenced to three days in jail for filming part of the selection process.

Judge Glanville delivered a stern lecture to the would-be juror before sentencing

The decision was made Monday, and a recording of the matter was uploaded to social media by Cathy Russon, an executive producer for Law&Crime Network.

The clip begins with Judge Ural Glanville instructing the woman that her violation in the courtroom carries a penalty of up to “a $1,000 fine and/or 20 days in prison.”

Glanville then begins lecturing the woman, noting that the court has made the rules and expectations crystal clear.

“Madam, I think given the amount of time and energy and effort and care we’ve put into this particular statement – I’ll say it multiple times for a number of reasons, and you decide you’re just going to do what you wanted to do. ”

The prospective juror then attempts to explain the situation, although Glanville immediately shuts them down before convicting them.

“You pulled out your phone and videotaped our proceedings, and that was in direct violation of court orders. So I will sentence you to three days in prison.”

RELATED: (WATCH) Young Thug’s YSL co-defendant demands video leaks for press on mistrial after interrogation

After the woman expresses surprise at being convicted instead of receiving a fine, the judge reverses his decision.

“In this particular situation I have told multiple people and made multiple iterations of this particular notice and your videotaping of our procedure was just a brazen violation of that particular procedure.”

In a closing plea, the would-be juror explains, “There was so much going on…I didn’t hear it all.”

However, Glanville is quick to reply, “That doesn’t excuse your behavior… It’s an excuse for your behavior.”

Watch the video of the interaction below.

CONTEMPT: Judge Glanville in the #YoungThug #YSL just sent a would-be juror to jail for 3 days for recording part of the jury selection process on her phone. pic.twitter.com/41TTXyLUNC

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) April 3, 2023

So far there have been a few jury-related hiccups

We should add that while this particular situation was indeed a “blatant infraction,” it wasn’t the first instance of a potential jury problem to arise in this case.

This was brought up when Russon discussed the decision further down the thread, and she suggested that the judge essentially wanted to show he meant business!

After all, he had “already despised two other potential jurors for various things.” For these violations, one was ordered to write a 10-page essay while the other had to do community service and “attend the first 5 days of the trial.”

He’s already despised two other potential jurors for different things. One was hired to write a 30-page essay on the importance of jury duty. Another is ordered to do 10 hours of community service and must first attend the trial for 5 days. https://t.co/680GEXUmov

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) April 3, 2023

What do you think of a potential juror in the YSL case being sentenced to 3 days in jail for contempt?

Categories
Sport

Means too early fantasy hockey rankings

Way too early fantasy hockey rankings

If you are in a weekly lineup league, you’re hands are already off the wheel and the fantasy fates are the only thing that will affect the end of your season at this stage. With the final scoring period now underway, it’s time to turn the focus to 2023-24.

Is it way too early to consider such things? Yes, but that’s why these are called the “way too early” rankings. So here is our first foray into the season to come by ranking the top 300 fantasy assets for the 2023-24 season.

This is a deep dive. The engine for the projections uses the past eight years of NHL data to apply age-related modifiers to each player in the league when it comes to prognosticating their fantasy points per game (FPPG) output for the coming season. It also uses age-estimated crease share and missed-games calculations.

That said, I didn’t leave things only to the maths. Little adjustments were made throughout. For example, the projections wanted to suggest Kirill Kaprizov would only play 92 percent of games, but this season’s injury was a one-off incident so I bumped him to 96 percent. As minute a detail as that may seem, it bumps Kaprizov from No. 14 to his final rank as No. 9 in the rankings.

The elephant in the room, obviously, is where to slot Connor Bedard.

In the preseason of the 2015-16 season, we ranked Connor McDavid at No. 49. He finished the season ranked 294th, but mostly because he only played 45 games in his rookie campaign. His pace would have ranked him 33rd if he had played all 82 games.

In the preseason of the 2016-17, we ranked Auston Matthews at No. 96. He finished the season ranked 11th overall for fantasy scoring.

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For Bedard, I’m splitting the difference between McDavid’s pace and Matthews finish as a starting point. Without the knowledge of which team jersey he’ll pull on in 2023-24, there are different trajectories. Game-breaking talent can’t break games as well in a vacuum. If Bedard ends up with the Columbus Blue Jackets or Anaheim Ducks, for example, I’d be tempted to be more bullish on the outcome given the established talent on both teams. But if Bedard ends up with the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks, I don’t think there is as much immediate help on the rosters.

His ranking could still change dramatically after the draft. If you picture Bedard flanked by Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, with Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski on the power play, for example, it’s easy to wonder about the possibilities.

Forward notes

Elias Pettersson, C/W, Vancouver Canucks (No. 3): Currently sitting fifth this season in fantasy scoring and he’s not turning 25 until November, the sky remains the limit for a player still theoretically not in his prime. We’ll have to see what else the Canucks can do this offseason when it comes to building up the club as a whole, but Pettersson has no question marks left.

Tage Thompson, Jason Robertson and Tim Stutzle, F, Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars and Ottawa Senators (No. 10, No. 11 and No 12): This is a new trio for consideration in the first round of a 12-team league. All three built off of breakout campaigns in 2021-22 to solidify their status as elite fantasy assets.

Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 60): Based on the age-related performance calculations, we should be seeing steep declines from not only Crosby, but the likes of Patrick Kane, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, among other standby superstars. I have, admittedly, propped up some of their rankings against the projection engine because I feel like the expected outcomes can’t be bent for such venerable fantasy mainstays. That said, it’s not unreasonable to give each of them a good, long look in the offseason when it comes to setting your expectations. Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin pulled another proverbial rabbit out of their hat this season, but can they do it again? Especially given the bearish outlook for the Penguins and Capitals rosters?

Defense notes

Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators (No. 14): The top defenseman again? Really? Still over Cale Makar? This could be a mistake, but even taking a healthy shave off Josi’s per-game stats still gives him a slight edge. He just dominates the puck so much when on the ice and having less talent up front seems to be an advantage he has when generating fantasy points.

Brandon Montour, D, Florida Panthers (No. 45): Chalk this one up to backing the wrong horse. Of course, the Florida Panthers are going to generate an elite offensive defenseman for fantasy with all their weapons up front. Based on this season, I’d rather take a chance on that being Montour rather than go back to the Aaron Ekblad well again.

Goaltender notes

Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders (No. 13): For a number of reasons, consistency not the least of them, Sorokin checks in as the projected No. 1 goaltender next season. Now, more than ever, stability in the crease comes at a premium in fantasy hockey (see the column coming out this week for more on that).

Linus Ullmark, G, Boston Bruins (No. 49): The arguments for ranking Ullmark this low are going to sound like a broken record from last offseason. Compete window is closing, roster is aging, splitting time in the crease, blah, blah, blah. Ullmark destroyed and defied all those argument this season on the way to a league-winning campaign for many fantasy managers. But here’s the rub: He will split time, the roster will be getting older and, while I don’t think the compete window is closed, I don’t think the Bruins will meet the incredible mark they’ve set this campaign. Ullmark is still a top fantasy netminder for next season, but he doesn’t have as much upside as some others.

Filip Gustavsson, G, Minnesota Wild (No. 63): A restricted free agent, it will be interesting to see which direction the Wild take with Gustavsson and, ultimately, their crease. Marc-Andre Fleury is signed for another season, during which he’ll turn 39. Jesper Wallstedt is probably ready for some looks in the NHL. And Gustavsson was an absolute revelation this season with the second-best ratios in the league behind Linus Ullmark.

Pyotr Kochetkov, G, Carolina Hurricanes (No. 128): Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta are both unrestricted free agents this offseason with the rookie Kochetkov locked in on a bridge deal. The Hurricanes could very well opt to let both veterans walk next season depending on what happens in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Kochetkov is ranked here with an aggressive 62 percent crease share, so his ultimate fortune could rise or fall depending on what kind of share he’ll look to get when the Hurricanes are done re-signing goalies.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

ESPN NHL way-too-early rankings for 2023-24

1. Connor McDavid, C, Edm (C1)
2. Leon Draisaitl, LW, Edm (LW1)
3. Elias Pettersson, C, Van (C2)
4. David Pastrnak, RW, Bos (RW1)
5. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Col (C3)
6. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Fla (LW2)
7. Auston Matthews, C, Tor (C4)
8. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Col (RW2)
9. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Min (LW3)
10. Tage Thompson, C, Buf (C5)
11. Jason Robertson, LW, Dal (LW4)
12. Tim Stutzle, LW, Ott (LW5)
13. Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI (G1)
14. Roman Josi, D, Nsh (D1)
15. Alexandar Georgiev, G, Col (G2)
16. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ott (LW6)
17. Jack Hughes, C, NJ (C6)
18. Cale Makar, D, Col (D2)
19. Mitchell Marner, RW, Tor (RW3)
20. Jake Oettinger, G, Dal (G3)
21. Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buf (D3)
22. Josh Morrissey, D, Wpg (D4)
23. Connor Bedard, C, undrafted (C7)
24. William Nylander, RW, Tor (RW4)
25. Erik Karlsson, D, SJ (D5)
26. Brayden Point, C, TB (C8)
27. Mikhail Sergachev, D, TB (D6)
28. Timo Meier, RW, NJ (RW5)
29. Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR (C9)
30. Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR (G4)
31. Jack Eichel, C, Vgk (C10)
32. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB (G5)
33. Jakob Chychrun, D, Ott (D7)
34. Juuse Saros, G, Nsh (G6)
35. Alex Pietrangelo, D, Vgk (D8)
36. J.T. Miller, C, Van (C11)
37. Adam Fox, D, NYR (D9)
38. Roope Hintz, C, Dal (C12)
39. Moritz Seider, D, Det (D10)
40. Travis Konecny, RW, Phi (RW6)
41. Nico Hischier, C, NJ (C13)
42. Jacob Trouba, D, NYR (D11)
43. Charlie McAvoy, D, Bos (D12)
44. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Wpg (G7)
45. Brandon Montour, D, Fla (D13)
46. Jordan Kyrou, C, StL (C14)
47. Kyle Connor, LW, Wpg (LW7)
48. Alex DeBrincat, LW, Ott (LW8)
49. Linus Ullmark, G, Bos (G8)
50. Clayton Keller, C, Ari (C15)
51. Bo Horvat, C, NYI (C16)
52. Elias Lindholm, RW, Cgy (RW7)
53. Sebastian Aho, C, Car (C17)
54. Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Wpg (C18)
55. Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Min (C19)
56. Rasmus Andersson, D, Cgy (D14)
57. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edm (C20)
58. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJ (D15)
59. Carter Verhaeghe, C, Fla (C21)
60. Sidney Crosby, C, Pit (C22)
61. Jake Guentzel, LW, Pit (LW9)
62. Ilya Samsonov, G, Tor (G9)
63. Filip Gustavsson, G, Min (G10)
64. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TB (RW8)
65. Kevin Fiala, C, LA (C23)
66. Cole Caufield, RW, Mon (RW9)
67. Adam Larsson, D, Sea (D16)
68. Darnell Nurse, D, Edm (D17)
69. Martin Necas, C, Car (C24)
70. Dylan Larkin, C, Det (C25)
71. Owen Tippett, RW, Phi (RW10)
72. Adrian Kempe, C, LA (C26)
73. Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW, Mon (LW10)
74. Miro Heiskanen, D, Dal (D18)
75. Victor Hedman, D, TB (D19)
76. Aleksander Barkov, C, Fla (C27)
77. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Wsh (LW11)
78. Sam Reinhart, RW, Fla (RW11)
79. Brandon Hagel, LW, TB (LW12)
80. Nick Suzuki, C, Mon (C28)
81. Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Car (LW13)
82. John Carlson, D, Wsh (D20)
83. Quinn Hughes, D, Van (D21)
84. Andrei Kuzmenko, LW, Van (LW14)
85. Bowen Byram, D, Col (D22)
86. Dylan Cozens, C, Buf (C29)
87. Kris Letang, D, Pit (D23)
88. Jesper Bratt, RW, NJ (RW12)
89. Justin Faulk, D, StL (D24)
90. Zach Werenski, D, Cls (D25)
91. Steven Stamkos, C, TB (C30)
92. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Cls (LW15)
93. Zach Hyman, LW, Edm (LW16)
94. Alex Tuch, RW, Buf (RW13)
95. Matt Boldy, LW, Min (LW17)
96. Jakub Vrana, C, StL (C31)
97. Jared McCann, LW, Sea (LW18)
98. John Tavares, C, Tor (C32)
99. Eeli Tolvanen, LW, Sea (LW19)
100. Pavel Buchnevich, RW, StL (RW14)
101. Vitek Vanecek, G, NJ (G11)
102. Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Mon (LW20)
103. Luke Hughes, D, NJ (D26)
104. Seth Jones, D, Chi (D27)
105. Vince Dunn, D, Sea (D28)
106. Thatcher Demko, G, Van (G12)
107. Jeremy Swayman, G, Bos (G13)
108. Noah Dobson, D, NYI (D29)
109. Tomas Hertl, C, SJ (C33)
110. Dawson Mercer, C, NJ (C34)
111. Vincent Trocheck, C, NYR (C35)
112. Tommy Novak, C, Nsh (C36)
113. Thomas Chabot, D, Ott (D30)
114. Evgeni Malkin, C, Pit (C37)
115. Jared Spurgeon, D, Min (D31)
116. Jake Walman, D, Det (D32)
117. Artturi Lehkonen, LW, Col (LW21)
118. Matty Beniers, C, Sea (C38)
119. Noah Hanifin, D, Cgy (D33)
120. Jake DeBrusk, LW, Bos (LW22)
121. Shea Theodore, D, Vgk (D34)
122. Anze Kopitar, C, LA (C39)
123. Mathew Barzal, C, NYI (C40)
124. Sean Couturier, C, Phi (C41)
125. Juuso Valimaki, D, Ari (D35)
126. Jeff Skinner, LW, Buf (LW23)
127. Andrew Peeke, D, Cls (D36)
128. Pyotr Kochetkov, G, Car (G14)
129. Ivan Barbashev, C, Vgk (C42)
130. Mark Scheifele, C, Wpg (C43)
131. Hampus Lindholm, D, Bos (D37)
132. Neal Pionk, D, Wpg (D38)
133. Philip Tomasino, C, Nsh (C44)
134. Rickard Rakell, C, Pit (C45)
135. Kaiden Guhle, D, Mon (D39)
136. Ivan Provorov, D, Phi (D40)
137. Sean Durzi, D, LA (D41)
138. Devon Toews, D, Col (D42)
139. Phillip Danault, C, LA (C46)
140. Josh Norris, C, Ott (C47)
141. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Cgy (LW24)
142. Trevor Zegras, C, Ana (C48)
143. Tyson Barrie, D, Nsh (D43)
144. Kirill Marchenko, LW, Cls (LW25)
145. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Car (D44)
146. Carter Hart, G, Phi (G15)
147. Robert Thomas, C, StL (C49)
148. Tyler Toffoli, RW, Cgy (RW15)
149. K’Andre Miller, D, NYR (D45)
150. Colton Parayko, D, StL (D46)
151. Ben Chiarot, D, Det (D47)
152. Morgan Rielly, D, Tor (D48)
153. Jamie Benn, LW, Dal (LW26)
154. Brent Burns, D, Car (D49)
155. Logan Cooley, C, Ari (C50)
156. Lawson Crouse, LW, Ari (LW27)
157. Brayden McNabb, D, Vgk (D50)
158. Luke Evangelista, RW, Nsh (RW16)
159. Troy Terry, C, Ana (C51)
160. J.T. Compher, RW, Col (RW17)
161. Artemi Panarin, LW, NYR (LW28)
162. Patrik Laine, RW, Cls (RW18)
163. Boone Jenner, C, Cls (C52)
164. Brock Nelson, C, NYI (C53)
165. Logan Couture, C, SJ (C54)
166. Gustav Forsling, D, Fla (D51)
167. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Cgy (D52)
168. Ryan Graves, D, NJ (D53)
169. Joonas Korpisalo, G, LA (G16)
170. Drake Batherson, C, Ott (C55)
171. Chris Kreider, LW, NYR (LW29)
172. Matt Roy, D, LA (D54)
173. Spencer Knight, G, Fla (G17)
174. Dylan Strome, C, Wsh (C56)
175. Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Col (RW19)
176. Sam Bennett, LW, Fla (LW30)
177. Tony DeAngelo, D, Phi (D55)
178. Chandler Stephenson, C, Vgk (C57)
179. Brock Boeser, RW, Van (RW20)
180. Jake McCabe, D, Tor (D56)
181. Mike Matheson, D, Mon (D57)
182. Esa Lindell, D, Dal (D58)
183. Filip Forsberg, LW, Nsh (LW31)
184. Adam Boqvist, D, Cls (D59)
185. David Savard, D, Mon (D60)
186. Filip Hronek, D, Van (D61)
187. Stuart Skinner, G, Edm (G18)
188. Lukas Reichel, LW, Chi (LW32)
189. Evan Bouchard, D, Edm (D62)
190. Alexander Romanov, D, NYI (D63)
191. Viktor Arvidsson, RW, LA (RW21)
192. Trevor van Riemsdyk, D, Wsh (D64)
193. Jeff Petry, D, Pit (D65)
194. Marcus Pettersson, D, Pit (D66)
195. Rasmus Sandin, D, Wsh (D67)
196. Pavel Dorofeyev, RW, Vgk (RW22)
197. Dmitry Orlov, D, Bos (D68)
198. Cam Fowler, D, Ana (D69)
199. Scott Laughton, C, Phi (C58)
200. David Jiricek, D, Cls (D70)
201. Nick Schmaltz, C, Ari (C59)
202. Mason McTavish, C, Ana (C60)
203. Radko Gudas, D, Fla (D71)
204. Patrick Kane, RW, NYR (RW23)
205. Devon Levi, G, Buf (G19)
206. Martin Fehervary, D, Wsh (D72)
207. Aaron Ekblad, D, Fla (D73)
208. Frank Vatrano, LW, Ana (LW33)
209. Samuel Girard, D, Col (D74)
210. Adam Fantilli, C, undrafted (C61)
211. Jani Hakanpaa, D, Dal (D75)
212. Travis Sanheim, D, Phi (D76)
213. Dominik Kubalik, LW, Det (LW34)
214. Brady Skjei, D, Car (D77)
215. Filip Chytil, RW, NYR (RW24)
216. Ville Husso, G, Det (G20)
217. Kirby Dach, C, Mon (C62)
218. Nick Jensen, D, Wsh (D78)
219. Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Phi (D79)
220. Max Domi, C, Dal (C63)
221. Mark Giordano, D, Tor (D80)
222. Eetu Luostarinen, C, Fla (C64)
223. Michael Rasmussen, C, Det (C65)
224. Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Col (LW35)
225. Barrett Hayton, C, Ari (C66)
226. Anders Lee, LW, NYI (LW36)
227. Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Sea (RW25)
228. Mattias Ekholm, D, Edm (D81)
229. Scott Mayfield, D, NYI (D82)
230. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Wpg (LW37)
231. Erik Gudbranson, D, Cls (D83)
232. Taylor Raddysh, RW, Chi (RW26)
233. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Ana (D84)
234. Jonas Siegenthaler, D, NJ (D85)
235. Jack Roslovic, C, Cls (C67)
236. Michael Bunting, LW, Tor (LW38)
237. Dillon Dube, C, Cgy (C68)
238. Brian Dumoulin, D, Pit (D86)
239. J.J. Moser, D, Ari (D87)
240. Adam Pelech, D, NYI (D88)
241. Ryan Hartman, RW, Min (RW27)
242. Claude Giroux, LW, Ott (LW39)
243. Ryan McDonagh, D, Nsh (D89)
244. Damon Severson, D, NJ (D90)
245. Anthony Duclair, LW, Fla (LW40)
246. Jack McBain, C, Ari (C69)
247. Alexis Lafreniere, LW, NYR (LW41)
248. Lucas Raymond, LW, Det (LW42)
249. Cole Perfetti, C, Wpg (C70)
250. Pavel Zacha, C, Bos (C71)
251. Tyler Myers, D, Van (D91)
252. Nazem Kadri, C, Cgy (C72)
253. Pheonix Copley, G, LA (G21)
254. Tristan Jarry, G, Pit (G22)
255. William Eklund, LW, SJ (LW43)
256. Daniel Sprong, RW, Sea (RW28)
257. Gabriel Vilardi, C, LA (C73)
258. Drew Doughty, D, LA (D92)
259. Jonas Brodin, D, Min (D93)
260. Tanner Jeannot, LW, TB (LW44)
261. Jamie Oleksiak, D, Sea (D94)
262. Fabian Lysell, RW, Bos (RW29)
263. Jaccob Slavin, D, Car (D95)
264. Josh Anderson, RW, Mon (RW30)
265. Andre Burakovsky, LW, Sea (LW45)
266. Arthur Kaliyev, RW, LA (RW31)
267. Joe Pavelski, RW, Dal (RW32)
268. Morgan Frost, C, Phi (C74)
269. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, NYI (C75)
270. Connor Clifton, D, Bos (D96)
271. Jake Middleton, D, Min (D97)
272. Dylan DeMelo, D, Wpg (D98)
273. Luke Schenn, D, Tor (D99)
274. Kent Johnson, C, Cls (C76)
275. John Klingberg, D, Min (D100)
276. Ty Smith, D, Pit (D101)
277. Arber Xhekaj, D, Mon (D102)
278. Brayden Schenn, C, StL (C77)
279. Jonathan Marchessault, LW, Vgk (LW46)
280. Mats Zuccarello, RW, Min (RW33)
281. Jake Sanderson, D, Ott (D103)
282. Nicolas Roy, C, Vgk (C78)
283. Jacob Markstrom, G, Cgy (G23)
284. Brandon Carlo, D, Bos (D104)
285. Darcy Kuemper, G, Wsh (G24)
286. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Min (G25)
287. Brett Pesce, D, Car (D105)
288. Connor Murphy, D, Chi (D106)
289. Ryan Pulock, D, NYI (D107)
290. Mikey Anderson, D, LA (D108)
291. Matt Duchene, C, Nsh (C79)
292. Jason Zucker, LW, Pit (LW47)
293. Mario Ferraro, D, SJ (D109)
294. Torey Krug, D, StL (D110)
295. Brandt Clarke, D, LA (D111)
296. Noah Cates, LW, Phi (LW48)
297. Tyson Foerster, RW, Phi (RW34)
298. Andrew Mangiapane, LW, Cgy (LW49)
299. Justin Holl, D, Tor (D112)
300. Chris Tanev, D, Cgy (D113)

Just missed

Here are a few names that fell just outside the top 300 for projected fantasy points. As you can see, I’m not sure what to project for the Golden Knights crease. Logan Thompson and Robin Lehner are both on the books for next season, assuming Lehner returns from his missed campaign. Adin Hill, Jonathan Quick and Laurent Brossoit are all free agents, so the team might let them all walk. They are all capable backups. Max Pacioretty is someone I could change my mind on if he gets a clean bill of health going well before the regular season. The other big question I have is whether Joe Pavelski keeps his spot on the Stars top line at the age of 39. You see Wyatt Johnston and Ty Dellandrea among the just missed players, but Logan Stankoven or Mavrik Bourque are also high upside prospects the Stars boast.

  • Alexander Barabanov, W, San Jose Sharks

  • Wyatt Johnston, C, Dallas Stars

  • Seth Jarvis, C/W, Carolina Hurricanes

  • Logan Thompson, G, Vegas Golden Knights

  • Dylan Guenther, W, Arizona Coyotes

  • Ilya Mikheyev, W, Vancouver Canucks

  • Timothy Liljegren, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

  • Joel Farabee, W, Philadelphia Flyers

  • Max Pacioretty, W, Carolina Hurricanes

  • Cam York, D, Philadelphia Flyers

  • Robin Lehner, G, Vegas Golden Knights

  • Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings

  • Ty Dellandrea, C/W, Dallas Stars

Dropped out

Here are a few highlights, or low-lights as it were, among the players that were in the top 250 back in September of 2022, but didn’t quite make the cut for our first pass at what we hope the rankings to be for September 2023. I’m letting statistical likelihood still guide me when it comes to the Bruins, as Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand are going to be a year older for the 2023-24 campaign. Marchand will finish outside the top 100 this season as it is. We’ll have to see where Vladimir Tarasenko signs before passing full judgement, but he’s struggled to his the roster-lock threshold with two different franchises this season. As for Shane Wright, he could be relevant next season, but the Kraken’s spread the wealth approach worked so well this season that they don’t need to rush him into prominence.

  • Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Washington Capitals

  • Brad Marchand, W, Boston Bruins

  • Jamie Drysdale, D, Anaheim Ducks

  • Evander Kane, W, Edmonton Oilers

  • Vladimir Tarasenko, W, New York Rangers

  • Tyler Seguin, C/W, Dallas Stars

  • Bryan Rust, W, Pittsburgh Penguins

  • Shane Wright, C, Seattle Kraken

  • Mikael Granlund, C/W, Pittsburgh Penguins

  • Taylor Hall, W, Boston Bruins

  • John Gibson, G, Anaheim Ducks

  • Teuvo Teravainen, W, Carolina Hurricanes

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Science

Meet the 4 astronauts who will fly across the moon for Artemis II

Meet the four astronauts who will fly around the moon for Artemis II

The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission will make a series of firsts during their flight around the moon, scheduled for next year. It will be the first extra-orbital journey for a woman, for a person of color and for a Canadian. Artemis II will mark another first for Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen: based on the current crew schedule, it will be his first-ever space mission.

Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch complete the first crew for NASA’s Artemis lunar program, continuing the legacy of the Apollo lunar program. If all goes according to plan, they will become the first humans to orbit the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

As NASA Administrator Bill Nelson prepared to introduce the crew, he echoed the moonshot vision laid out by President John F. Kennedy in his famous 1962 speech, “We Choose to Go to the Moon.”

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“We choose to go back to the moon and on to Mars,” Nelson said. “And we will do it together, because in the 21st century NASA is exploring the cosmos with international partners. We will unlock new knowledge and understanding. We have always dreamed of what lies ahead. Why? Because it’s in our DNA. It’s part of us. That’s who we are, as adventurers, as explorers, as border crossers.”

Dozens of astronauts and numerous VIPs attended today’s grand unveiling at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas. Joe Acaba – the chief of the astronaut office – joked onstage about the secrecy surrounding the selection of the Artemis II’s four crew members. “I’ll give you a hint: I’m not one of them,” he said, cracking a laugh. “Don’t be so happy about it.”

Figuratively speaking, the stage was set for Artemis II last fall when NASA’s Space Launch System sent an unmanned Orion space capsule on a week-long Artemis I mission around the moon and back. This flight was designed to test NASA’s hardware and procedures for Artemis II — and for the even more ambitious Artemis III mission, which currently aims to get astronauts to the lunar surface in late 2025.

The flight plan for the ten-day Artemis II mission, officially scheduled for November 2024, is analogous to the Apollo 8 Round the Moon mission in 1968. As in the case of Artemis I, the journey would be on an SLS Begin launch — but this time with humans instead of test dummies in the Orion capsule. After an initial system check in high Earth orbit, the crew would fly past the moon and then make a gravity-assisted turn 6,400 miles past lunar orbit. The return to Earth would involve a 25,000 mph re-entry and an Apollo-style splashdown.

This NASA infographic shows the flight plan for Artemis II. Click on the image for a larger version.

“Am I excited? Absolutely,” Christina Koch, who would become the first woman to see the far side of the moon with her own eyes, told the audience today. “But my real question is, are you excited? I see you and I ask this because what I look forward to most is that we will carry your excitement, your aspirations and your dreams with us on this mission.”

Jeremy Hansen, the only space rookie on the Artemis II crew, praised America’s leadership in space and Canada’s “can-do attitude.” His role on the mission recognizes Canadian contributions to NASA’s space efforts, including robotic arms for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, and a lunar utility vehicle that Canadian companies build for lunar missions.

“For decades, literally thousands and thousands of Canadians have taken on this challenge to bring real value and solutions to the international partnership in space exploration,” said Hansen.

Victor Glover, who became the first black astronaut to join a long-term crew on the International Space Station in 2020, said the hype surrounding the Artemis II mission had a Hollywood feel. “I have a feeling Denzel Washington should be talking to you up here, but you just got us,” he said, laughing.

“Human spaceflight is like a relay race,” Glover said. “And that baton has been passed down from generation to generation and from crew member to crew member, from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Apollo-Soyuz, Skylab, Mir, the Shuttle, the International Space Station, the commercial crew and now the Artemis missions. We understand our role in it. And if we’re privileged to have that baton, we’ll do our best to have a good race to make you proud.”

Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman concluded the ceremony with a round of thanks to the staff of NASA, its international partners – and in particular to his fellow astronauts, including the current crew of the International Space Station.

“If any of you guys are there looking for heroes, google those guys because they’re our heroes,” Wiseman said.

To save you a Google search, here are the basic stats for the Artemis II crew:

Commander Reid Wiseman
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
Born: 1975
Background: Naval aviator, test pilot, selected to be an astronaut in 2009.
Space Experience: Expedition 40/41 on the International Space Station, 2014.

Pilot Victor Glover
Hometown: Pomona, California
Born: 1976
Background: Naval aviator, test pilot, selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013.
Space Experience: SpaceX Crew-1 and Expedition 64 on the International Space Station, 2020-2021.

Mission Specialist Christina Hammock Koch
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Born: 1979
Background: Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Research Associate in the US Antarctic Program, Electrical Engineer at the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, Researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013.
Space Experience: Expedition 59/60/61 on the International Space Station, 2019-2020.

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (Canada)
Hometown: London, Ontario
Born: 1976
Background: Fighter pilot selected as an astronaut by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009.
Training experience: Cave test subject with the European Space Agency’s CAVES program in 2013, Aquanaut with the NEEMO 19 underwater test program in 2014.

And here are some reactions from celebrities on Twitter:

The manned @NASA Artemis II mission around the moon will inspire the next generation of explorers and show every kid – in America, Canada and around the world – that if they can dream they can be. pic.twitter.com/X8q3GLTBiQ

— President Biden (@POTUS) April 3, 2023

Congratulations to NASA’s Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen for crewing #NASA Artemis 2 in Year 24! It’s a great honor, a proud moment for you and the nation. Your role in leading America’s efforts in space will be one of great inspiration! pic.twitter.com/oTYpWgB6JY

– dr Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) April 3, 2023

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Health

FTC orders Illumina to divest Grail acquisition

FTC orders Illumina to divest Grail acquisition

Francis deSouza, Chief Executive Officer of Illumina Inc., during a panel session on day three of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

Stefan Wermuth | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Federal Trade Commission ruled on Monday Enlightenment to divest its controversial acquisition of cancer test developer Grail, saying the deal would stifle competition and innovation.

The decision reverses an administrative judge’s September ruling that dismissed the FTC’s initial challenge to the $7.1 billion deal.

“The Commission determined that the acquisition would hamper innovation in the US market [multi-cancer early detection] testing while increasing prices and reducing the choice and quality of testing,” the FTC said in a press release.

Illumina said in a statement that it intends to appeal the FTC’s decision in federal court and seek an expedited decision. The DNA sequencing company noted that it believes it has a “strong case on appeal,” noting how it prevailed against the FTC last year.

Illumina shares fell more than 2% in afternoon trade on Monday.

Illumina said it expects a final decision on an appeal in late 2023 or early 2024. At that time, the company also awaits a decision on its appeal of a similar order by European Union regulators, Illumina added.

The EU’s executive body, the European Commission, blocked the acquisition of Illumina last year over similar concerns that it would hurt consumer choice and innovation. Illumina said last month it had challenged the European Commission, arguing that the agency had no jurisdiction to block the merger between the two US companies.

Said Illumina Monday that the success of those appointments “would maximize value for shareholders,” the company added.

“It enables Illumina to expand the availability, affordability and profitability of the breakthrough Galleri test in the $44 billion multi-cancer screening market,” said Illumina, noting a single-test Grail testing product screened for more than 50 types of cancer blood draw.

The test generated $55 million in revenue in 2022 and is expected to bring in up to $110 million this year, according to Illumina.

The FTC issued a statement accompanying its order Monday, highlighting that Illumina is the dominant manufacturer of next-generation genetic sequencing platforms. These products are a “critical component” of multi-cancer screening tests because they are used to analyze genetic material from blood samples taken for the tests, the commission noted.

Illumina is likely to remain the “only viable provider” of these platforms in the near term, which could hurt competition, the FTC said.

“The acquisition of GRAIL may provide Illumina with incentives to favor GRAIL over its competitors by providing GRAIL with preferential access or preferential terms for acquiring NGS inputs,” the FTC said. “Such preferences could distort competition in the research, development and commercialization of [multi-cancer early detection] Exams.”

Illumina “could make significantly more profit selling GRAIL tests than supporting competing test developers,” the commission added.

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The FTC also dismissed Illumina’s claims that the acquisition would “save lives” by accelerating the development, approval and adoption of Grail’s cancer tests. The Commission’s opinion says it believes that an increase in competition “would do more to save lives than allow a monopolist to integrate vertically and conquer the market”.

Illumina’s acquisition of Grail has sparked a backlash from another opponent, activist investor Carl Icahn, who owns a 1.4% stake in Illumina. His opposition to the deal stems from Illumina’s decision to complete it without antitrust approval. Icahn launched a proxy fight last month to seek seats on Illumina’s board and urge the company to back out of the deal.

Icahn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Categories
Technology

Paris says goodbye to e-scooter startups

Paris says goodbye to e-scooter startups

Parisians overwhelmingly voted to ban e-scooters in a hotly debated referendum on Sunday divided the French capital.

Voters had two choices: “for” or “against” a citywide ban on shared e-scooters.

89% voted in favor of the ban, but overall turnout was low with only 7.5% of those eligible voting.

The vote wasn’t binding, but city officials did praised stick to the decision called Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

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Paris streets will be cleared of shared e-scooters by September 1, the mayor said. Then the contract with Dott, Tier and Lime – the three e-scooter providers currently operating in the city – expires.

The ban will not affect the e-bikes, which are offered by shared micro-mobility companies and remain in the city.

Although e-scooters were welcomed with open arms in 2018, Parisian local government has gradually tightened its grip over the past five years, enforcing designated parking zones and speed limits and restricting the number of operators.

But despite the regulations, safety concerns, following several fatalities accidentsand complaints of scooters blocking sidewalks and disrupting other commuters took the issue to the extreme, with many calling for an outright ban.

Mayor Hidalgo agreed, saying the e-scooters are a “source of tension and concern.” But instead of banning them outright, they took the decision to the people.

In January the mayor announced what she described as a “public consultation” to resolve the issue ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The e-scooter operators quickly launched a counteroffensive, offering free rides to all users who voted for them and employing social media influencers to support their cause. But without success.

With the results now available, Paris will now be the first European capital to ban the means of transport.

Tier Mobility from Berlin, Dott from Amsterdam and Lime from San Francisco said they were “disappointed” with the news.

The operators called in a joint statement that the use of just 21 polling stations and no ability to vote digitally has resulted in “an extremely low turnout with a strong bias towards older age groups”.

In 2022, Paris recorded about 20 million rides with 15,000 shared e-scooters – 71% of those users were under 35. Many drivers are also tourists who are not allowed to vote.

Some would have preferred a middle ground in the vote.

Transport Minister Clement Beaune supports a sequel to e-scooters in Paris but with more rules. He pointed to statistics suggesting that e-scooters have replaced up to one in five journeys that would otherwise have been made with emission-generating vehicles.

Mayor Hidalgo, on the other hand, called the result “a victory for local democracy.”

Hadi Karam, General Manager for France at Lime, told AFP said last week that Paris was going “against the current” to ban e-scooter rentals.

Elsewhere in France, the mayor of Lyon, France’s third largest city, has just approved one four-year extension of his contract with Tier and Dott.

A little further away are New York, London and Madrid expand the use of e-scooters to decarbonize their transportation systems.

It remains to be seen whether Paris’ e-scooter ban will encourage other cities to follow suit, but it deals a major blow to Dott, Tier and Lime, who are now banned from operating in one of the world’s largest public companies became micro mobility markets.

Categories
Entertainment

Tom Brady’s latest Miami getaway together with his children is a murals

Tom Brady's recent Miami getaway with his kids is a work of art

Tom BradyTouchdown passes aren’t the only works of art in Florida.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback gave birth to a son over the weekend Benjamin Rain13 and daughter Vivian See, 10, to Superblue Miami for a family-friendly getaway. And Tom has been documenting all day on social media.

As can be seen in his Instagram stories, the athlete and his children, which he shares with his ex-wife Gisele Bundchen– explored the art museum and even posed for photos during the immersive experience filled with lights, mirror mazes and more.

In one post, Benjamin and Vivian smiled together in front of a colorful wall of digital flowers Post Malone And Swae Lee‘s track “Sunflower” played in the background.

It’s just one of the many activities Tom enjoys with his kids as he adjusts to life off the pitch. Just last month, the 45-year-old and his children – including his son Jack15, with example Bridget Moynahan– enjoyed a tropical vacation with some of my dad’s favorite teammates.

Categories
Science

Deep-sea currents round Antarctica headed for collapse, research finds – Watts Up With That?

Deep-sea currents around Antarctica headed for collapse, study finds - Watts Up With That?

More Play Station science from the University of New South Wales cr

UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

The deep-sea circulation forming around Antarctica could be headed for collapse, scientists say.

Such a decline in this ocean circulation will stall the bottom of the oceans and have further impacts on climate and marine ecosystems for centuries to come.

The findings are detailed in a new study coordinated by Scientia Professor Matthew England, associate director of the ARC Center for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) at UNSW Sydney. The work, published today in Nature, includes lead author Dr. Qian Li – formerly from UNSW and now at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – and co-authors from the Australian National University (ANU) and CSIRO.

Cold water that sinks near Antarctica drives the deepest current of the overturning circulation – a network of currents that spans the world’s oceans. The overturn carries heat, carbon, oxygen, and nutrients around the globe. This affects the climate, sea levels and the productivity of marine ecosystems.

“Our modeling shows that if global carbon emissions remain at current levels – and on a course heading towards collapse, Antarctica’s overturning will slow by more than 40 percent over the next 30 years,” says Prof. England .

modeling of the deep sea

About 250 trillion tons of cold, salty, and oxygen-rich water sink near Antarctica every year. This water then spreads north, carrying oxygen to the depths of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans.

“If the oceans had lungs, this would be one of them,” says Prof. England.

The international team of scientists modeled the amount of Antarctic deep water that will be produced under the IPCC’s “High Emission Scenario” by 2050.

The model captures details of ocean processes that previous models could not, including how predictions for meltwater from ice might affect circulation.

This deep-sea current has remained in a relatively stable state for thousands of years, but as greenhouse gas emissions increase, Antarctic overturning is expected to slow significantly over the next few decades.

Effects of reduced Antarctic overturning

If this deep-sea current collapsed, the oceans below 4000 meters would stagnate.

“This would lock nutrients in the deep sea and reduce the nutrients available to support marine life near the sea surface,” says Prof England.

co-author dr. Steve Rintoul of CSIRO and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership says the model simulations show a slowdown in overturning, which then leads to rapid warming of the deep sea.

“Direct measurements confirm that the warming of the deep sea is actually already underway,” says Dr. Rintoul.
The study found that melting ice around Antarctica makes nearby ocean water less dense, which slows Antarctica’s overturning circulation. The melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets is expected to further accelerate as the planet warms.

“Our study shows that the melting of the ice sheets has dramatic effects on the overturning circulation that regulates the Earth’s climate,” says Dr. Adele Morrison, also from ACEAS and the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

“We are talking about the possible long-term extinction of an iconic body of water,” says Prof. England.

“Such profound changes in the way ocean heat, freshwater, oxygen, carbon and nutrients are transformed will significantly affect the oceans for centuries to come.”

DIARY

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-023-05762 inch

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computer simulation/modeling

RESEARCH SUBJECT

Not applicable

ARTICLE HEADING

Slowing and warming of the abyssal ocean driven by Antarctic meltwater

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Sport

The Masters 2023 – Rating the favorites, contenders and hopefuls

The Masters 2023 - Ranking the favorites, contenders and hopefuls

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Masters week is finally here and there will be plenty of storylines in the first major championship of the season, which tees off Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club.

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler will try to become the first back-to-back winner at the Masters in more than two decades. Rory McIlroy will once again attempt to complete the career grand slam, and Tiger Woods will give it another go after making the cut for the 22nd straight time last year.

And, of course, there are 18 players from the LIV Golf League in the 88-player field for the 87th Masters. Six of them are past champions Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson, which might make for an interesting Champions Dinner on Tuesday night.

Given their surroundings this week, players from both tours figure to be on their best behavior. Keep your tees to yourselves, boys.

Here are the 88 players competing in the Masters, from those who can win to the amateurs:

Jump to a section:
Guys who can win | If everything goes right
Miracles happen | Happy to make the cut | Past champions | Amateurs

Tier I: The guys who can win

Scottie Scheffler will look to be the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters championships. Adam Cairns/Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY Sports

Here are the legitimate contenders. They have the games, guts and nerves to handle four pressure-packed rounds on one of the most treacherous golf courses in the world.

Scottie Scheffler

He’s the defending Masters champion and has won more than anybody on the PGA Tour during the past 14 months. He’s attempting to become only the fourth back-to-back winner at Augusta National. The other guys were named Jack, Faldo and Tiger.

Rory McIlroy

What’s the only thing you’ll hear more than “a tradition unlike any other” this week? The fact that McIlroy is trying to complete the career grand slam. He changed his driver and putter and reportedly needed only 19 putts during a practice round at Augusta. It’s time to get it done, Rory.

We can neither confirm nor deny Rory had 19 putts in a round at Augusta last week. pic.twitter.com/i7gs5JMtIL

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 22, 2023

Jon Rahm

It could certainly be argued that Rahm has played better than Scheffler with five worldwide victories since November. He has four top-10s in six starts at Augusta National. Rahm cooled off a bit this season after the PGA Tour left the West Coast for the East Coast, but there are few deficiencies in his game.

Collin Morikawa

A two-time major winner, Morikawa hasn’t picked up a victory since the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. He’s one of the best ball strikers on the planet, but his putting is still a concern. He was solo fifth at the Masters last year.

Cameron Smith

The reigning Open Championship winner has finished in the top 10 in each of his past three starts at Augusta, including a tie for second in 2020 and a tie for third in 2022. Having played in only a handful tournaments since November like the rest of the invitees from the LIV Golf League, Smith’s readiness will be a concern. Still, he’s probably LIV Golf’s best hope of making things very uncomfortable on Sunday.

Max Homa

Homa has joined the PGA Tour’s elite with five victories since February 2021. His track record in majors hasn’t been great — his only top-20 in 12 starts as a pro was a tie for 13th at the 2022 PGA Championship — but his game seems tailor-made for Augusta National. He missed the cut in two of his past three starts at the Masters.

Tony Finau

Finau has won three times on tour since July and typically plays well in the big events. He has 13 top-25s in 26 starts in majors, including three top-10s in five starts at the Masters. There’s a major championship victory coming for Finau soon, maybe even this week.

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele came close to picking up his elusive first major at the Masters, tying for second in 2019 and for third in 2021. He’s more than capable of making a back-nine charge on Sunday. Schauffele will have to be more accurate off the tee, but everything else is there to win.

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Jordan Spieth

The 2015 Masters champion knows his way around the fabled course as well as anyone. Along with that victory, Spieth has four other finishes in the top three at Augusta. He missed the cut for the first time last year after he knocked two balls into Rae’s Creek on the par-3 12th hole.

Viktor Hovland

Hovland finished 27th or better in both of his starts at Augusta, and his tie for fourth at the 150th Open at St. Andrews in July seemed to be a breakthrough in majors. The Norwegian player is great with a driver and irons in his hands, but will his putting and short game be good enough to win the Masters?

Justin Thomas

For the first time since August 2017, JT isn’t in the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, ending a streak of 293 consecutive weeks. Last year, the former world No. 1 said being ranked eighth “pisses me off,” so being 11th should motivate him even more. He finished in the top 25 in each of his past six starts at Augusta, including a tie for eighth in 2022. He’ll have to putt better than he has this season to win.

Dustin Johnson

Maybe DJ is so good that he’ll show up at Augusta National and simply flip on a switch — or maybe not. The 2020 Masters champion dominated LIV Golf in its inaugural season in 2022 but hasn’t played well so far this season.

Sungjae Im

In his first Masters appearance in 2020, Im became the first Asian player to finish runner-up. In 2022, he held the first-round lead and tied for eighth. Six of his 10 rounds at Augusta were under par.

Patrick Cantlay

Arguably one of the best players in the game without a major championship victory, Cantlay has only one top-five finish in a major — a tie for third at the 2019 PGA Championship. He missed the cut and tied for 39th in his past two Masters starts.

Will Zalatoris

One would think a player who was runner-up in his first Masters start and tied for sixth in the other would be higher on the list. But Zalatoris is still scratching his way back from a back injury that sidelined him for more than four months. He tied for 11th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and was solo fourth at the Genesis but hasn’t done much else. He withdrew from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play because of illness.

Cameron Young

The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year is probably more than ready to shed the bridesmaid label. He was runner-up in five of his past 21 worldwide starts, including a loss in the finals at Match Play. He missed the cut in his first Masters start in 2022, but he tied for third at the PGA Championship and was solo second at the Open. His putting and short game will have to improve for him to contend at the Masters.

Hideki Matsuyama

The 2021 Masters champion is still dealing with a neck injury, which seems to come and go. He pulled out of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play after two matches because of the injury. Matsuyama had just two top-10s in his first 12 starts this season.

Sam Burns

Burns’ victory at the match-play event in Austin, Texas, was a reminder of how talented the guy is. Like Homa, Burns is still searching for the major-championship recipe to join the game’s truly elite. He doesn’t have a top-10 finish in 10 major starts. He missed the cut in his first appearance at the Masters in 2022.

Jason Day

After missing the Masters for the first time in 12 years in 2022, Day’s resurgence has him back in the field. He has six top-10s in 13 starts this season, including a tie for fifth at Match Play and solo fifth at the WM Phoenix Open. Day has three top-5s at Augusta, including a tie for second in 2011.

Corey Conners

Conners and Smith are the only two golfers to record top-10s in each of the past three Masters. Conners, from Canada, tied for 10th in 2020, for eighth in 2021 and for sixth in 2022. His form hasn’t been great lately, especially his putting and short game, but Augusta National seems to bring out his best.

Shane Lowry

Lowry, the 2019 Open Championship winner at Royal Portrush, had a breakthrough at Augusta by tying for third last year. It was his third straight top-25 finish in the Masters. Lowry has a new caddie, Darren Reynolds, on his bag after parting ways with Brian Martin.

Tier II: If everything goes right

Justin Rose has finished second twice in Augusta. AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Here are the sleeper candidates to slip on a green jacket. The list features past champions and runners-up whose games have been works in progress this season. Will it all come together at Augusta?

Justin Rose

A two-time Masters runner-up, Rose has held at least a share of the lead in eight rounds at the Masters, the highest total for any player who hasn’t won a green jacket. He finished in the top 25 in 13 of 17 starts, including a solo seventh in 2021. His victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February showed he has something left in the tank.

Patrick Reed

The 2018 Masters champion has two other top-10 finishes since then, tying for 10th in 2020 and eighth in 2021. He had just one round under par in LIV Golf’s first two events.

Tom Hoge

Hoge made the cut in his first Masters start last year, tying for 39th at 7 over. If Augusta National is truly a second-shot course, you’d have to like Hoge’s chances. He leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach to green and is 24th in strokes gained: tee to green.

Tom Kim

Augusta National has perplexed many first-timers, but Im and Zalatoris proved that rookies can play well. Kim, who has already won twice on tour, cooled off considerably in his past five starts.

Keith Mitchell

The former University of Georgia star is making his first Masters start since 2019 when he tied for 43rd. He leads the tour in driving and has made a bigger commitment to his short game. His results have been solid this year.

Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood seems to be on the verge of picking up his first victory on U.S. soil (he has nine worldwide wins), tying for fourth at the CJ Cup and for third at the Valspar Championship. He finished in the top 20 in three of his past five starts at the Masters, including a tie for 14th last year.

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Matt Fitzpatrick

The reigning U.S. Open winner’s form hasn’t been great lately — he has just one top-10 finish in nine PGA Tour starts and has missed four cuts since February. He tied for 14th at the Masters last year, his second-best career finish.

Joaquin Niemann

Another player from the LIV Golf League, Niemann tied for 40th and for 35th in his first two Masters starts. He is Chile’s most successful golfer, having won twice on the PGA Tour.

Tyrrell Hatton

After carding an 8-over 80 in the final round last year, Hatton called Augusta National “unfair at times” and said the course “doesn’t really suit my eye.” Hatton tied for 18th at the 2021 Masters but has otherwise struggled. He finished second at the Players and has played well for much of 2023.

Sahith Theegala

Theegala is making his first Masters appearance after qualifying for the Tour Championship last season. His erratic accuracy off the tee might be a concern at Augusta.

Talor Gooch

Gooch tied for 14th in his first Masters start in 2022. Remember to bring your pants, Talor. Shorts might be allowed in the LIV Golf League but they’re a no-no at Augusta National.

Russell Henley

Henley leads the tour in driving accuracy, but his iron play and putting haven’t been great this season. He tied for 11th at the Masters in 2017 and for 15th in 2018.

Seamus Power

The Irishman tied for 27th in his first Masters appearance last year. He won the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in October and tied for third at Mayakoba.

Keegan Bradley

Bradley doesn’t have a great track record at Augusta, with just one top-25 finish in six previous starts. His game is in good form, however, after winning the Zozo Championship in October and being the runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Mito Pereira

Pereira, from Chile, carried a lead to the 72nd hole at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills last year, so he’s obviously talented. He hasn’t played much since moving to LIV Golf, but he tied for sixth at the Saudi International.

Abraham Ancer

Ancer, another LIV Golf player, missed the cut at the Masters last year. He tied for 13th in his debut in 2020 and for 26th the next year.

Min Woo Lee

LPGA star Minjee Lee’s younger brother is making a name for himself. He tied for second at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and for sixth at the Players. Lee tied for 14th at the 2022 Masters, in which his sister caddied for him during the Par 3 Contest.

Si Woo Kim

Kim has three top-25 finishes in six previous starts at the Masters, including a tie for 12th in 2021. He famously broke his putter when he slammed it into the turf and bent the shaft in 2021. He was still tied for sixth after the round.

Kevin Na

Na, captain of the LIV Golf League’s Iron Heads GC, has put together an impressive string of three straight top-15 finishes at the Masters: a tie for 13th in 2020, for 12th in 2021 and for 14th in 2022.

Tier III: Hey, miracles happen

Harold Varner III played three good rounds in his Masters debut last year. AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton

They are the long shots. This tier includes aging former champions, a few players struggling with their form and a few first-timers.

Harold Varner III

HVIII had quite a debut at the Masters last year when he was inside the top 10 after each of the first two rounds. An 8-over 80 on Saturday ruined his chances, but he rebounded to card a 3-under 69 on Sunday.

Adam Scott

The 2013 Masters champion hasn’t played very well this season and finished outside the top 30 in four of his past five Masters starts.

Jason Kokrak

Kokrak, who joined the LIV Golf League, tied for 14th at the 2022 Masters. He made the first ace of the Par 3 Contest on the fourth hole.

The first ace of the day belongs to Jason Kokrak. #themasters pic.twitter.com/OE0391L2oQ

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2022

Charl Schwartzel

Schwartzel, an unlikely Masters champion in 2011, has quietly put together three straight finishes in the top 26, including a tie for 10th last year. The South African player was solo third in 2017.

Chris Kirk

It has been a seven-year wait for Kirk to get back to the Masters. He qualified by winning the Honda Classic in February. Kirk, who lives about 100 miles from Augusta, missed the cut in his latest start in 2016.

Brooks Koepka

The four-time major champion used to show up to majors and bully his way onto the leaderboard. In his first season with LIV Golf, his body seemed to be breaking down and his confidence seemed to be at an all-time low. He didn’t even crack the top 25 in the first two LIV Golf events but won the individual championship in Orlando. He missed the cut in each of his past two Masters starts.

Harris English

English got progressively better in his first three Masters starts, going from a missed cut to a tie for 42nd to a tie for 21st. He has been up and down after a prolonged layoff because of hip surgery, but there have been bright spots with a tie for 12th at the Genesis and for second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Kurt Kitayama

Another first-timer, Kitayama showed quite a bit of mettle in winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for his first tour victory. He also reached the quarterfinals of match play.

Ryan Fox

Fox, from New Zealand, finished in the top 30 in each of his first three tour starts this season. His father, Grant, was a rugby player for the All Blacks, and his grandfather, Merv Wallace, was a renowned cricketer.

Tiger Woods

The five-time Masters champion’s health and durability are going to be concerns anytime he tees it up, but he made the cut and finished 47th in his return to competitive golf at the 2022 Masters. It was his first start in 508 days after suffering serious injuries in a car wreck in February 2021. The good news for Tiger: The weather forecast is a lot warmer than a year ago, when cold temperatures wreaked havoc on his body over the weekend.

Brian Harman

Harman’s form hasn’t been great as of late, but he’s capable of putting together four good rounds at Augusta. He tied for 12th after carding 3 under in each of the first two rounds in 2021.

Billy Horschel

Horschel has been one of the better players on tour the past few seasons but admits Augusta National has baffled him. In eight previous starts, he has never carded a round in the 60s. He shot 70 five times.

Louis Oosthuizen

There was a time when the only thing more certain than pollen being in the air at Augusta was Oosthuizen on the leaderboard at a major championship. Not so much anymore. Last year, he withdrew from the Masters after the first round because of an undisclosed injury, tied for 60th at the PGA Championship and missed the cut at the U.S. Open and The Open.

Thomas Pieters

The immensely talented player from Belgium shared the second-round lead and tied for fourth in his Masters debut in 2017. He missed the cut in his past two starts, in 2018 and 2022.

J.T. Poston

The 2022-23 season has been a bit of a struggle for Poston, a two-time winner on tour. He has played better of late, tying for 10th at the Valspar Championship and for ninth at Match Play.

Adrian Meronk

Meronk, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, will become the first player from Poland to compete in the Masters. He says he will “try my best to grow golf as big as possible” in his native country and might actually mean it.

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Mackenzie Hughes

Hughes won the Sanderson Farms Championship in October and reached the quarterfinals of Match Play. He and fellow Canadian Mike Weir were co-winners of the rain-shortened Par 3 Contest last year.

Sergio Garcia

After winning his first major at the 2017 Masters, Garcia missed the cut in each of the next three tournaments. He tied for 23rd last year.

Danny Willett

The Masters has been feast or famine for the unexpected 2016 champion. He missed the cut in four of his past six starts, tied for 25th in 2020 and for 12th last year.

Bubba Watson

It’s difficult to know what to expect from the two-time Masters champion. He missed much of last season while recovering from a knee injury and has made only four starts since the PGA Championship in May. He has missed the cut in only one of his previous 14 starts at Augusta.

Sepp Straka

The Austrian-born player had a successful debut at the Masters in 2022, tying for 30th. He hasn’t done much since losing in a playoff to Mackenzie Hughes at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October.

Tier IV: Happy to make the cut

Bryson DeChambeau has struggled lately in LIV events and hasn’t placed better than 34th in the past three Masters. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

They aren’t expected to be among the contenders unless something magical happens. Some know-it-all probably said the same things about Danny Willett, Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman before they unexpectedly won, too.

Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau once boasted of playing Augusta National as a par-67 course, but he’s struggling to break par in the LIV Golf League. Since making that bold statement in November 2020, DeChambeau has tied for 34th, tied for 46th and missed the cut at the Masters.

Kevin Kisner

Kisner is going through one of the more difficult stretches of his career and changed swing coaches and equipment. He made the cut in five of his seven Masters starts.

Gary Woodland

The 2019 U.S. Open winner hasn’t enjoyed much success at Augusta National, missing the cut in five of his past seven starts. He tied for 32nd in 2019 and for 40th in 2021.

K.H. Lee

Lee, a two-time winner of the AT&T Byron Nelson, missed the cut in his first Masters start last year.

Adam Svensson

The Canadian player punched his first ticket to the Masters by winning the RSM Classic in November. It will be his first start in a major championship.

Taylor Moore

Moore earned a Masters invitation by claiming his first tour victory at the Valspar Championship on March 19. It was his 46th career start.

Scott Stallings

The story of Stallings’ invitation being sent to another man in Georgia with the same name might get the most ink and air time the entire week.

Alex Noren

Noren is a 10-time winner on the DP World Tour, most recently in 2018, but he has missed the cut in nearly half of his 32 appearances in majors.

Francesco Molinari

It has been quite a fall for Molinari since he carried a 2-stroke lead into the final round and lost to Woods in 2019. The Italian player hasn’t won since and has fallen to 125th in the OWGR.

Kazuki Higa

Higa, who has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, including four in 2022, is making his first Masters start with a special invitation. He finished first in Japan’s Order of Merit last season and is 81st in the OWGR.

Cameron Champ

This season has been forgettable for the long-hitting Champ, who missed the cut in eight of his first 10 tour starts. He’ll look to rekindle the magic at Augusta, where he tied for 10th last year.

Tier V: Past champions

“Lefty” has missed the cut in his past three major appearances. Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

They’re here only because they own green jackets and earned the right to come back and play, but their days of competing are in the rearview mirror.

Phil Mickelson

The three-time Masters champion returns to Augusta National after missing last year’s tournament for the first time since 1994. Mickelson, 52, finished 27th and 32nd, respectively, in the LIV Golf League’s first two events. “Lefty” missed the cut in each of his past three starts in majors.

Zach Johnson

Johnson, who claimed a green jacket in 2007, is still capable of putting together a good week, like his tie for 12th at the Honda Classic. His best golf is behind him, however, as he prepares to captain the U.S. team in the Ryder Cup in Rome in September.

Bernhard Langer

Even at 65, the two-time Masters champion keeps winning tournaments. He has won three times on the PGA Tour Champions since February 2022. Langer tied for 29th in the 2020 Masters and this will be his 40th start at Augusta National.

Mike Weir

Weir, the first left-hander and Canadian player to win a green jacket, in 2003, has made the cut only once since 2015, tying for 51st in 2020.

Fred Couples

The 1992 Masters champion last made the cut in 2018 when he tied for 38th. Couples, 63, picked up his 14th PGA Tour Champions victory in October.

Vijay Singh

Singh, the 2000 Masters champion, will be making his 30th start in the tournament. He last made the cut when he finished 49th in 2018.

Jose Maria Olazabal

The two-time Masters winner had one of the greatest stretches in the tournament’s history, finishing in the top 15 a whopping 13 times from 1989 to 2006.

Larry Mize

The 1987 Masters champion, who was born in Augusta and worked a scoreboard at the tournament as a teenager, is expected to make his 40th start. Two years ago, he carded a 2-under 70 in the first round, his lowest round since 2009.

Sandy Lyle

On the 35th anniversary of his stunning 1988 Masters victory, in which he made birdie from a fairway bunker on the 18th hole to beat Mark Calcavecchia by 1 stroke, Lyle might be making his last start in the tournament. Lyle, 65, recently confirmed his retirement from PGA Tour Champions.

Tier VI: Amateurs

Gordon Sargent won the NCAA individual title as a freshman at Vanderbilt. AP Photo/Matt York

They’re the new kids in the Crow’s Nest and the most talented (and most fortunate) amateur players in the world. They’re trying to do what Ryan Moore (tied for 13th in 2005), Hideki Matsuyama (27th in 2011) and Bryson DeChambeau (21st in 2016) did before turning pro.

Gordon Sargent

Sargent, a Vanderbilt sophomore, is the first amateur to receive a special invitation to the Masters since 2000. Last year, he became the first freshman since 2007 to win an NCAA individual title. He is the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world.

Sam Bennett

The Texas A&M star won the 2022 U.S. Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey. He is the sixth-ranked amateur in the world.

Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira

Oliveira, who is from Argentina and plays at Arkansas, earned an invitation by winning the Latin American Amateur Championship in January. He scored a record total of 23 under par.

Aldrich Potgieter

The South African player became the second-youngest winner of the 127-year-old British Amateur Championship when he won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in June.

Harrison Crowe

The Australian player claimed the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand in October to earn a spot in the field.

Ben Carr

The Georgia Southern star was runner-up to Bennett at the 2022 U.S. Amateur. He is playing a fifth season for the Eagles this year.

Matthew McClean

McClean, from Northern Ireland, won the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. He works as an optometrist in Belfast.

Editor’s note: If the winner of the Valero Texas Open hasn’t already qualified for the Masters, he would be added to the field.

Categories
Health

Carl Icahn slams Illumina CEO’s pay rise

Carl Icahn slams Illumina CEO's pay rise

Carl Icahn speaks at Delivering Alpha in New York on September 13, 2016.

David A Grogan | CNBC

Carl Icahn exploded Enlightenment for nearly doubling its CEO’s pay last year despite a dramatic decline in the biotech’s market value since inching a controversial deal.

“I would find it funny if it weren’t so reprehensible that ILMN’s stock price has fallen 63% because CEO Francis deSouza made such an absurd and questionable purchase,” Icahn said in a statement to CNBC.

“And what’s really funny is the idea that it’s hard to find good CEOs in this space,” the activist investor added. “I reckon it would be hard to find someone who could lose $50 billion in shareholder value in a matter of months but still get 87% more for a grand total of $26.8 million in 2022.”

Illumina did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

DeSouza stepped in as CEO in 2016 after nearly three years as president of the DNA sequencing company. He received nearly $26.8 million in total compensation last year, nearly double the $14.3 million he received in 2021, according to a preliminary proxy statement filed Thursday.

Part of deSouza’s pay increase is a $12.5 million special stock option grant, which Illumina described as a “meaningful incentive for retention in a highly competitive talent environment.”

DeSouza’s pay rise follows a bumpy 18 months for San Diego-based Illumina. The company’s market value has fallen to about $35 billion from about $75 billion in August 2021, the month it completed its acquisition of cancer test developer Grail.

Rafael Henrique | Light Rocket | Getty Images

The $7.1 billion Grail deal is at the center of a proxy fight between Icahn and Illumina, who have been trading jabs for nearly a month.

Icahn, who owns a 1.4% stake in Illumina, is seeking a seat on the company’s board. He’s also trying to pressure Illumina into reversing the Grail acquisition, which he has called “catastrophic” and “a new low in corporate governance.”

He has repeatedly criticized Illumina’s board and management team, saying earlier this week that the company should bring back former CEO Jay Flatley to “fix the situation.”

Illumina on Thursday urged shareholders to reject Icahn’s three nominees for its board of directors and went on to defend its management team’s decision to acquire Grail.

The company also claimed Icahn had more positive things to say about its current CEO before initiating the proxy fight.

Icahn told Illumina last month that he intends to make board nominations, although he thinks deSouza “did a good job” running the company, Illumina said.

The activist investor also said he “supported” deSouza’s actions as CEO during another meeting earlier this month, but noted that he would not publicly repeat those comments, according to Illumina.

Part of Icahn’s opposition to the Grail acquisition stems from Illumina’s decision to complete the transaction without antitrust approval. The company prevailed against opposition from the US Federal Trade Commission in September but is still fighting for approval from European regulators.

The EU’s executive body, the European Commission, blocked Illumina’s acquisition of Grail last year, fearing it would stifle innovation and hamper consumer choice. The commission also revealed details of a proposed order that would force Illumina to reverse the deal.

Illumina said earlier this month that Grail has “tremendous long-term value creation potential.”

Grail says it offers the only commercially available early detection test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer from a single blood draw. The test generated $55 million in revenue in 2022 and is expected to bring in up to $110 million this year, according to Illumina.

Categories
Science

Pale Blue efficiently operates its water-based propulsion system in orbit

Pale Blue successfully operates its water-based propulsion system in orbit

New propulsion technologies for space appear to be popping out of the woodwork. The level of innovation behind moving things in space is amazing, and now a company from Japan has just reached a significant milestone. Pale Blue, which I assumed was named in reference to a beloved Carl Sagan book, recently successfully tested its water-based propulsion system in orbit, adding another safe, affordable propulsion system to the repertoire of satellite designers.

Using water to squirt through space might seem relatively simple. However, despite their simplicity and relatively low cost, waterjets for satellite propulsion systems are not yet widely used. This first Pale Blue system, launched with Sony’s EYE satellite as part of its STAR SPHERE program to capture images of Earth, was the first time the company had successfully tested its system in space.

They did this by operating it for about two minutes in early March and adjusting the orbit of the EYE satellite in LEO. The thruster brought EYE closer to an orbit from which the satellite will provide space photography services, which is the business model pursued by Sony with the STAR SPHERE program.

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Light blue video describing his inventive propulsion systems.
Credit – Light Blue YouTube Channel

Pale Blue itself was spun off from the University of Tokyo three years ago and is pursuing a few types of water-based propulsion systems. The one launched on EYE is known as the “Resistojet” – essentially it simply pushes water out of a tube relative to the angle to push the satellite where it wants to go. Simple Newtonian physics does the rest, with attitude control and propulsion both controlled by this system.

Some innovative features of the Resistojet system include keeping the water at a relatively low pressure and evaporating it at relatively low temperatures. It’s evident that a lot of thought went into the design, and now all that effort has been validated by a successful mission.

But the company won’t stop there. They’re working on a different type of water-based thruster that’s more like an ion thruster than a simple jet mechanism. In this configuration, the water is atomized via a microwave plasma source and ejected out the rear of the propulsion system, similar to a typical ion thruster. However, several patented technologies also flow into this system, including the plasma generation system and the design of the vaporization chamber.

UT video describing ion engines – like one of the systems Pale Blue is developing.

Although they haven’t had a chance to test their ion thruster in space, the company is planning something even more ambitious – combining the two thruster configurations into a single hybrid thruster. Such a thruster would benefit from both the relatively high thrust provided by the nozzle system and the specific impulse provided by the ion thrust system. Such a system is still a long way from a test flight like the one just completed, but the most recent test gives the company an excellent basis for further development. Eventually the space propulsion industry will settle on a standard configuration and now Pale Blue has added a new one to that mix. For now, it’s certainly not the last word in this ongoing effort to improve the way we move in space.

Learn more:
Pale Blue – Pale Blue successfully operates its water-based propulsion system in orbit
UT – Ion Drive: The key to space exploration
Subtitles – A Cubesat tests water as a propulsion system
UT – NASA tests water-powered spacecraft in orbit

main picture:
Artist’s rendering of the EYE satellite system in space.
Credit – Sony

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