Christina Gascoigne, who has died aged 87, was an Arabist, photographer and ceramicist whose teenage account of being caught up in the 1958 Lebanon crisis made gripping reading; she also accompanied her polymath husband Bamber Gascoigne, the University Challenge presenter, on countless adventures, contributing to his books and helping him to build an opera house in the grounds of a stately home he inherited from a great-aunt.
The couple once drove a Peugeot 404 through the Khyber Pass and on to India to research his book The Great Moghuls (1971), later a television documentary. The journey was not without incident: Christina rolled the car and they knocked someone down, though neither vehicle nor pedestrian suffered serious damage.
Christine and Bamber Gascoigne on their wedding day in 1965 - Clara Molden
Another adventure came in 2014 when he inherited West Horsley Place, a tumbledown Tudor mansion in Surrey, from Mary, ****** ss of Roxburghe. The couple sold the ****** ss's possessions, using the £8.8 million proceeds to restore the 50-room pile and build a 700-seat opera house that in 2017 became the home of Grange Park Opera.
"We both always had a 'let's go' attitude," she said. "And Bamber was very susceptible to enthusiasm. If I said, 'Oh, that sounds exciting,' he'd go and do it."

#gascoigne #opera #home

Goodbye to the famous blond mane!
Striker Erling Haaland decided to make a radical change and went for short hair.
Just a few hours before Manchester City's debut in the new Premier League season, the star surprised fans by showing up with a haircut he hadn't worn since the start of his career at Molde in Norway.
So, did you like it?
Haaland and the Citizens take the field this Sunday at 3 p.m. to face Bournemouth.

#erling #manchester #premier #molde

(NewsNation) — A Colorado woman said she saw a massive Bigfoot "gliding" through the woods in late July, according to a post on the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization's sightings database.
Lori Bowing said she was in the car with her husband, looking for wildlife near Lake City in Hinsdale County, when she saw what she described as a Bigfoot near the edge of the woods. She estimated the figure was between 7 feet and 9 feet tall based on the size of the surrounding trees.
"I saw this critter take 4-5 big gliding steps before it left my view due to the road curve," Bowing said. "Trust me when I say I am not a bigfoot believer, but after what I saw I sure in the ******* am now!"
Boater fined $5K for using foghorn to wake polar bear in Norway
She added that the figure was dark, blackish brown, with long, hairy arms, and a head that was "kind of molded into the shoulders."

#bigfoot #bowing #feet #july

Former Phoenix Suns greats Amar'e Stoudemire and Mike D'Antoni delivered their Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction speeches on Aug. 15 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Here's what Stoudemire and D'Antoni said about their time in Phoenix as both received standing ovations at the conclusion of their speeches at Symphony Hall.
"Playing for Phoenix as a rookie was important for me. As a high school player, growing up in Florida, you know, you're going to the NBA, and it's a different world. And to have an organization that understood that and really brought me in, and really molded me as a basketball player, helped me to become who I am today."
A McDonald's All-American who endured an unstable upbringing, Stoudemire had verbally committed to play at Memphis under then head coach John Calipari, but he elected to enter the 2002 NBA Draft.
"I had a pre-draft workout with a couple of teams, worked out in Phoenix. I had a brilliant workout. I felt great about that, and I was drafted ninth to the Phoenix Suns as a high schooler. At that time, Jerry Colangelo was the owner, Bryan Colangelo was GM. Rick Welts was there. So, I was ready to try to take on this journey of the NBA as a high schooler, a true high schooler."

#phoenix #schooler #Suns #d 'antoni

The Chargers completed Day 8 of training camp, with several players standing out throughout practice.
Although several Chargers impressed on Day 8, two players stood out more than anyone else, and both came from the same position group. Safeties Elijah Molden and rookie safety Genesis Smith showed up and showed out.
Smith intercepted Justin Herbert after a pass went through Charlie Kolar's hands. As for Molden, he had an interception in a 7-on-7 drill against Trey Lance after Donte Jackson dove and tipped the ball into the air.
Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary was impressed with Smith's play on Thursday.
"Ball skills, QB anticipation and ball skills [are] really impressive," O'Leary said of Smith. "Today, he showed up when the pads came on a little bit.

#smith #several #players

A molded grip — aka a grip trainer — is a training aid that is typically used by beginner golfers. But it's also a tool used by the No. 1 golfer in the world.
Yes, that's right, Scottie Scheffler uses a training aid marketed for weekend hackers.
While it may be surprising that a four-time major winner leans on such a rudimentary training aid, when you understand that every good swing is predicated upon elite fundamentals, it starts to make sense.
"The reason I monitor my grip so closely is because, as my body starts to feel different over the ball, my grip is usually the first thing to change to adjust to what my body's doing that day," Scheffler said a couple years ago. "That's why I use the reminder club as often as I do."
As soon as I saw Scheffler using a reminder club on the range every day, I decided I should do the same. And ever since I bought a grip trainer — which is available at PGA TOUR Superstore for just $12 — I haven't had to worry about my grip getting out of whack.

#scheffler #used #club #scottie

Roma have set sights on both Endrick and Franco Mastantuono to complete their frontline. Gian Piero Gasperini have explicitly asked for two more forwards, despite the recent arrival of Santiago Castro.
According to Alfredo Pedullà, the Giallorossi have been keeping tabs on the Brazilian for a month, but they are unlikely to pounce on him in short order. They want to make a splash on the left wing first, for Antonio Nusa or other options, before addressing the other one. The future of Matias Soulé, who's been for sale for the whole summer but not particularly close to leaving yet, also contributes to the timing.
Roma are dueling with Fiorentina for Mastantuono, while Endrick has some suitors abroad, Mediaset reports. The former is poised to go out on loan or with a formula similar to Nico Paz's. That could also be the case for his teammate, who has a €45/50M price tag.
The capital club has some tactical reservations. The 20-year-old isn't a pure winger nor a no.10 and is at his best as a false-nine. He's not far from Donyell Malen and Castro in terms of characteristics, even though he could still be molded. He starred for Olympique Lyonnais last year, notching 8 goals and 8 ****** ists in 21 fixtures.
Perhaps there could be an opening to sign the former permanently, as he's been under Real Madrid's control for longer without properly leveling up; if not, they'd better look elsewhere, as this kind of deal is a double-edged sword and works okay only for second-tier teams, as it winds up developing youngsters for somebody else's benefit.

#former #franco #gasperini

Amelia Dimoldenberg knew exactly where she drew the line when fans suggested a surprise guest for Chicken Shop Date. The YouTube star revealed she wouldn't invite UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham onto her hit dating series, even though she welcomed the idea of speaking with him elsewhere.
Her comments arrived as she reflected on more than a decade of internet success. She also opened up about mentoring young creatives through her growing media platform.
Speaking to the BBC, Dimoldenberg quickly dismissed the idea of Burnham appearing on Chicken Shop Date.
"I don't think that maybe he's my type for Chicken Shop Date," she said.
The creator explained that politicians simply didn't fit the show's playful format. However, she supported Burnham's reported interest in working with digital creators because many people now consumed news through social media.

#date #youtube

Jordan Walker and Kyle Schwarber put on a laser show deep into the Philadelphia night to ensure that the 2026 Home Run Derby was a great success. Concerns about the reimagined event were quickly allayed and Major League Baseball has the blueprint to go forward with an event that has vacillated between being must-see television and a lackluster slog.
The annual meeting of the mashers where only dingers are valued is a bit of a unicorn in the sports ecosphere. NBA All-Star Weekend is an abomination and the Slam Dunk Contest has fallen from hallowed ground with only the smoldering wreckage to observe. NFL players still gather for something with Pro Bowl branding but watching that is tantamount to testing one’s self-respect. Meanwhile, the national pastime still has a midseason showcase with strong bones and a concept so simple even the most casual observer can understand.
So there is good news coming out of Monday night’s longball festival. Even for Netflix, a nascent rights-holder that once again took some feedback in the form of high heat for its presentation of the product. People hated what they did with the All-Star exhibition far less than its Opening Night abomination.
Look elsewhere to see plenty of other people bashing last night’s broadcast. We’re all about the silver linings here. Netflix can improve things with one simple hack.
And that’s doing far, far less.

Evan Brock, basketball was not only a way to earn money, but also the means that molded him into a disciplined and hardworking person. He graduated from the University of Alabama and went on to develop a successful career in professional basketball. Evan Brock played for the NBA team Atlanta Hawks and, for many years, played basketball around the world, including the Dominican Republic, Argentina, South Korea, Thailand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, and many other countries.
All the experience he gained from playing abroad allowed him to see different playing styles, coaches' strategies, and cultures. This experience allows him to become familiar with how to develop athletes.
Having moved to different places, Evan learned that success is not guaranteed by talent alone.
This knowledge is helpful now that Evan is retired from playing, as he ******* ists athletes with both the business and personal aspects of playing professionally.
In 2026, the six-foot-nine former small forward launches his sports management company, The Brock Group, which provides professional ******* istance to college and professional athletes to help them reach their full potential both on the field and personally.

Penn State has developed some of the best defensive players in college and the NFL in recent years, like Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons and Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. While the school has shown a prowess on that side of the ball, they surprisingly haven’t molded many elite pass rushers.
There are a few to be excited about on the Nittany Lions’ current roster, namely defensive end Max Granville, but the team is looking for another contributor with a ton of potential. Hayes Fawcett of Rivals announced earlier today that the team is a finalist for four-star edge rusher George Parkinson IV.
The massive defensive lineman has Penn State grouped with five other teams, including a pair of Big Ten rivals in Oregon and Ohio State. They’ll also be battling the LSU Tigers for the four-star recruit, but it should bode well for the Nittany Lions that he is a Pennsylvania native.
Typically, that can push a school over the edge, but it should be noted that Penn State has had some difficulty bringing in recruits from its state and the surrounding areas. Just last month they lost a three-star cornerback in Zachary Gleason Jr., who is from Pittsburgh, so they shouldn’t get ahead of themselves in the race for Parkinson IV.
Penn State already has a couple four-star prospects who have committed from the Class of 2028. Earning a commitment from Parkinson IV would further elevate a class that is already near the top of the national rankings.

Make it a clean sweep of the top four players in Oregon for Oregon.
The Ducks landed a commitment from the No. 2 recruit in the state, Lake Oswego (Ore.) edge Josh Christensen.
Christensen had visited Oregon last weekend, then took a visit to Cal, but it was really down to the home-state Ducks, Washington, which signed a teammate in last year’s class, Oklahoma and Illinois.
And like the No. 1 player in the state, Josiah Molden from West Linn (Ore.), Christensen chose to stay home and commit to the Ducks.
Christensen is the state’s No. 2 overall prospect according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

This last weekend was integral for the culture building and most importantly, roster building for the Penn State Nittany Lions. While Matt Campbell hosted most of the verbal commits in the class, it was the six who came who were undecided that he wanted to reach. Most of all, former commit Khalil Taylor, the four star wide receiver, is the apple of Penn State's eye and a guy they really want to get on board. However, a player who may have gotten lost amongst the names, a fours star linebacker who could look to elevate the Nittany Lions back to "LBU" status.
Case Alexander could be the next in a long line of Campbell-coached linebackers who see their stock rise throughout their careers. When looking at Penn State's current roster, you'll be hard pressed to fina a weak link that Campbell hasn't molded into one of the defensive unit's most pivotal players. Kooper Ebel and Cael Brezina are the leaders of what could be Penn State's best unit along with Tony Rojas returning from injury and sophomore riser Alex Tatsch.
What would make Campbell's recruitment of Alexander special is that should he commit, he would be Campbell's guy and Campbell's guy alone. The roots of Penn State's linebacking corps are still heavily linked with the James Franklin era ad both Ebel and Brezina are completed Campbell projects who he now entrusts in his new home. Alexander is another entity entirely, a four star recruit who could be Campbell's future prospects distilled into one player.
For LBU to continue, Case Alexander has to sign on to the project.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State targets Case Alexander for LBU revival

Eastern red cedars surround the Rockefeller Prairie from all sides at the University of Kansas field station north of Lawrence, where researchers have studied the effects of both fire and grazing on grassland ecosystems. (Photo by Erin Socha for Kansas Reflector)
LAWRENCE — This past March, a wildfire caused by high winds and a smoldering brush pile tore through 130 acres in Yates Center, consuming the Yates Center Health and Rehabilitation Center, a senior living facility, and causing nearly $5 million in damage. All residents were safely evacuated, but their home burned to the ground.
Cowb