Geffert, Mattson, Barker, Maiocco, Meza Selected MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Players of the Week

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Raeanne Geffert (Seymour HS / Seymour, Conn.), Carley Mattson (McHenry HS / McHenry, Ill.), Miranda Barker (South Granville HS / Creedmoore, N.C.), Samantha Maiocco (North Oldham HS / Goshen, Ky.) and Cielo Meza (St. Bonaventure HS / Ventura, Calif.) were selected MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Players of the Week, respectively, announced on Monday for games played April 13-19.

 

East
Leading her team to four wins last week, Geffert provided a pair of one-hit shutouts and batted .583 (7-for-13 with two triples, two home runs and seven RBI. For the week, Geffert was 3-0 with a 0.30 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 23 innings for the Wildcats. She struck out 15 and did not walk a batter in a one-hit shutout against Torrington (W 3-0) and two days later fanned seven, walked none in a one-hit blanking of Oxford (W 1-0). She also struck out 12 and surrendered a run on three hits in another complete game victory over Watertown. At the dish, she hit a pair of long balls and knocked in five runs against Derby and posted three hits with a double, triple and two RBI versus Watertown.

North
Mattson powered her squad to five wins last week by batting .750 (9-for-12) with three home runs, three doubles, nine RBI and seven runs scored. She also posted an .842 on base percentage and slugged 1.750. Against Woodstock, Mattson was 3-for-3 with a double, home run, four RBI and two runs scored. She also added three-hit efforts against Cary-Grove and Wauconda (two home runs). In addition, the senior infielder scored two runs in three different games and was recorded a perfect field percentage.

South
Barker, a sophomore, batted .889 (8-for-9) with two home runs, 10 RBI and six runs scored in three wins for the Vikings. She also tossed a five-inning no-hitter with six strikeouts against the North Carolina School of Science & Match and finished the week not allowing a hit or run in nine innings of work. At the dish, Barker was 7-for-7 with both long balls, 10 RBI and five runs scored in a doubleheader sweep of Durham School of the Arts.

South Central
Maiocco, a senior, was 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA and hit .688 (11-for-16) with four doubles, seven RBI to guide the Mustangs to a 4-0 showing last week. The senior tossed three complete-game shutouts, did not allow a run and struck out 26 in four appearances and 22 total innings. She struck out a week-best nine in a three-hit blanking of Dixie Heights and also struck out seven in her second three-hit shutout versus Trimble County. Offensively, she recorded three three-hit games and four multi-hit contests overall. Maiocco knocked in three with a double versus Trimble County and also doubled twice against South Oldham.

West
Meza was masterful in the circle for the Seraphs as she twirled three one-hit shutouts with 49 strikeouts in 19 innings. The senior hurler’s top performance came in a 1-0 victory over San Fernando in which she struck out 19 and walked one, while facing just two batters over the minimum. Meza also provided the games only run with a RBI double in the fourth inning. In her other two outings, the righty struck out 16 and 14 with zero walks and faced just one batter over the minimum in victories over Nordhoff and La Reina, respectively. In the contest versus La Reina, she was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete’s game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible that week.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring season, with one representative chosen from each of five separate high school regions. During the fall campaign, just a single player is selected representing all participating regions.

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans and college coaches across the country.

To obtain a coach’s login, please contact [email protected] or call 1-800-329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre Joins Other Canadian Malls In Adding Gender-Inclusive Bathrooms

TORONTO — Shoppers at one of Canada’s biggest and busiest malls can now use the same bathroom regardless of whether they identify as male or female as Yorkdale Shopping Centre opened its first gender-neutral bathroom.

The Toronto mall is the latest public space to offer such washrooms as schools, restaurants, community centres and other institutions move to be more inclusive.

“The new washroom provides an inclusive option for anyone, including transgender people, people of diverse gender identities and those who may require accompaniment of some kind,” reads a statement from the mall.

The 10-stall washroom has been open to the public for just under two weeks and is in addition to the mall’s seven men’s and women’s washrooms respectively, two family facilities, three nursing rooms and several single toilets.

“Yorkdale strives to offer shoppers and employees the choice to use whichever option is most comfortable to them,” the mall said.

The shopping centre is not the first mall to do so.

Real-estate company Ivanhoe Cambridge, which operates 28 shopping centres across Canada, has had what it refers to as universal washrooms for some time now.

“We identified the need for such facilities sometime ago,” said Roman Drohomirecki, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of retail, as it is the company’s intention to provide shoppers and retail partners with a safe, inviting environment.

Starting with its Vaughan Mills retail outlet north of Toronto in 2012, the company has added 20 universal washrooms at nine of if its properties, he said, and there are ongoing plans for additional facilities at other locations.

“All of our new projects incorporate design-built universal washrooms. All of our renovations or redevelopments call for the addition of universal washrooms beyond our gender specific and family washrooms. In our centres, a universal bathroom is for one single person at the time.”

Cadillac Fairview and Morguard, both which own several malls in Canada, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about gender-neutral bathrooms at their facilities.

Several other public places have incorporated gender-neutral bathroom facilities.

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto also has a non-gender specific washroom with multiple stalls — as do several Canadian restaurants and universities.

Some community centres and swimming pools around the country also boast inclusive changing rooms.

Also On HuffPost:

Justin Bieber Just Bought A $5M Waterfront Mansion In Ontario: Report

Canada will forever be home for Justin Bieber.

The 24-year-old singer apparently just spent a cool $5 million on a waterfront mansion near Cambridge, Ont. for him and his new fiancée Hailey Baldwin, according to TMZ. But his new home is far more impressive than its price tag.

The four-bedroom home, which takes up 9,000 square-feet, includes a private gym, three-car garage, heated floors, a two-storey wine room, game room and movie theatre, TMZ reports. And we’re just getting started.

The 101-acre property also includes a private horse-racing track and backs onto Wellington County’s Puslinch Lake.

The Cliff Rego real estate listing describes the property as a “modern contemporary masterpiece,” reports Blog TO. “Hike, swim, go horseback riding — or simply sit back and enjoy breathtaking sunsets over the lake.”

Wellington County is described as a “sleepy corner of Ontario” and is located about an hour away from Bieber’s hometown of Stratford, Ont. One of the locals told CTV Kitchener that it’s the perfect place to step away from the limelight.

“This is a great place to live,” Claire Allison told the outlet. “It’s super quiet. It would be relaxing for anybody. So I’m just happy for him.”

On Twitter, there have been mixed reactions from Canadians about Bieber’s move back home. While some are giving the “Sorry” singer props for buying property up north…

Others aren’t as thrilled.

Bieber and Baldwin got engaged in early July. After news broke, Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson said he hoped the celebrity couple would host their wedding in the singer’s hometown.

This past weekend, the pair was actually spotted visiting Stratford together. While they were reportedly visiting Bieber’s father, who just welcomed a daughter, we like to think they were either in town visiting their new waterfront mansion or scoping out the city for wedding venues.

Pope Francis urges Moroccan Christians against converting others

Pope Francis on Sunday warned Catholics in Morocco against trying to convert others to boost their small numbers, during a rare visit by a pontiff to the North African country.

Speaking in Rabat’s cathedral on his second day in the Moroccan capital, Francis insisted trying to convert people to one’s own belief "always leads to an impasse".

"Please, no proselytism!" he told an audience of around 400, who greeted the pope’s arrival by ululating and applauding, while hundreds more gathered outside the cathedral.

Christians are a tiny minority in Morocco where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, with sub-Saharan Africans making up a large part of the country’s 30,000-strong Catholic community.

Islam is the state religion and authorities are keen to stress the country’s "religious tolerance" which allows Christians and Jews to worship freely.

But Moroccans are automatically considered Muslim if they are not born into the Jewish community, apostasy is socially frowned upon, and proselytising is criminalised.

"I protect Moroccan Jews as well as Christians from other countries, who are living in Morocco," King Mohammed VI told crowds on Saturday, following the pontiff’s arrival.

There are a few thousand Christian converts in Morocco, who since 2017 have called openly for the right to live "without persecution" and "without discrimination".

Francis is the first pontiff to visit the North African country since John Paul II in 1985 and the cathedral had been repainted for the occasion.

Waiting for the pope outside, a Nigerian man said the visit "shows that living together is possible in Morocco."

But "there are things to improve, notably the question of migrants and that of Moroccan Christians," said 36-year-old Antoine, who works for an association to defend migrant rights.

The need to support migrants was mentioned again Sunday by Francis, who has made the issue a focal point of his papacy.

On Saturday he visited migrants at a Caritas charity centre, where the pope criticised "collective expulsions" and said ways for migrants to regularise their status should be encouraged.

Morocco says it has a "humanistic" approach to migration and rejects allegations by rights groups of "brutal arrest campaigns" and "forced displacement" to the country’s southern border.

ESPN’s Record-Setting Regional Coverage Kicks Off 2015 NCAA Division I Softball Championship

  • Up to 84 Games, from 12 Campus Sites in Regional Round
  • Debut of Bases Loaded for Regional Round
  • All Eight Super Regionals and Entire Women’s College World Series Televised
  • Defending National Champion and No. 1 Seed Florida Gators Host Regional

ESPN is the home of the 2015 NCAA Division I Softball Championship presented by Capital One beginning with record-setting Regional round coverage (May 15-17), continuing the Super Regionals (May 21-24) and concluding with the Women’s College World Series (May 28 – June 3) in Oklahoma City, Okla. The 2015 NCAA Softball Championship is the 15th consecutive year ESPN has televised the entire Women’s College World Series and the ninth consecutive year it has televised every game of the Super Regionals.

Record-Setting Regional Round Coverage

ESPN’s NCAA Softball Championship Regional round coverage will total as many as 84 games from 12 campus sites – the most sites ESPN has ever originated from – across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ESPN3 and SEC Network +. The 2014 National Champion and No. 1 overall seed Florida Gators highlight the first weekend of the championship as the Gators host the Gainesville Regional.  Overall, ESPN’s Regional round coverage will feature 10 of the top 11 seeds including No. 3 Michigan (Ann Arbor Regional), No. 4 Auburn (Auburn Regional), No. 5 LSU (Baton Rouge Regional), No. 6 Alabama (Tuscaloosa Regional), No. 7 UCLA (Los Angeles Regional), No. 8 Tennessee (Knoxville Regional) , No. 9 Florida State (Tallahassee Regional), No. 10 Missouri (Columbia Regional), and No. 11 Oklahoma (Norman Regional). Additionally, No. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette(Lafayette Regional), and No. 14 Georgia (Athens Regional) will also be covered.

Format: ESPN will carry every game (maximum of seven games) from the 12 regionals. Each regional is a four-team, double-elimination tournament, concluding with one team advancing to the Super Regionals. A full schedule is provided below.

Additional Regional Round Highlights

Debut of Bases Loaded

ESPN’s 2015 NCAA Softball Championship Regional Round coverage will be supplemented by Bases Loaded for the first time, a concept which has been utilized during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Bases Loaded will provide look-ins to multiple live games throughout the day while also recapping the entire tournament up to that moment. Matt Schick and Brendan Fitzgerald will host and Garland Cooper will provide the analysis.

Bases Loaded Programming Schedule

Date

Time (ET)

Network

Sat, May 16

2 p.m. through conclusion of day’s action

ESPN3

 

2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

ESPN

 

4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

ESPN

 

6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

ESPN2

 

7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

ESPNU

 

8:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

ESPN2

 

9 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

ESPN

Sun, May 17

2 p.m. through conclusion of day’s action

ESPN3

 

3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

ESPN

 

5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

ESPNU

 

8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

ESPNU

espnW.com

espnW will have wide-ranging coverage of the entire 2015 Softball Championship, led by its softball index. Other highlights include:

  • Comprehensive Recaps: Graham Hays will provide daily recaps in a “five things you should know” format.
  • Tourney Snapshots: Behind-the-scenes video and photos from teams and student athletes participating in the championship. Fans can submit their photos by tagging them #RoadtoWCWS in the Regionals and Super Regionals and then #WCWS during the Women’s College World Series.
  • · The Life and Times of an NCAA Softball Player: Kayla Lombardo, a senior third baseman for the Fordham Rams, has been documenting her 2015 season titled The Life and Times of an NCAA Softball Player. With Lombardo and Rams qualifying for the Championship, she will continue her work, providing reaction to the Rams’ journey to the WCWS.

Social Media

  • · @ESPNU, @espnW, and @NCAASoftball will provide news, game updates, photos and videos throughout the championship. Fans can join the conversation by tagging their tweets with #d1softball in the Regionals and Super Regionals and then #WCWS during the Women’s College World Series.

ESPN Analysts
ESPN’s softball analysts are accomplished former college, Olympic and professional softball players:

  • Carol BruggemanNorman Regional
    • · College: Iowa
    • · Honors:  As a Division I coach at Michigan, Purdue, and Louisville, achieved more than 700 combined wins; All Big-Ten and All-Mideast Region as a player, inducted into the Iowa Softball Association Hall of Fame (1997
    • Jenny Dalton-Hill– Gainesville Regional
      • College: Arizona
      • Honors: National Player of the Year (1996) and Women’s College World Series MVP (’96) Four-time National Champion, winning three as a player (1993, ’94, and ’96) and one as an assistant coach, also with Arizona (1997)
      • Amanda Freed– Knoxville Regional
        • College:  UCLA
        • Honors: National Champion (1999), pitched in the three other WCWS (2000, ’01, ’02, ’03), member of gold medal-winning team at the 2004 Athens Olympics
      • Danielle Lawrie – Los Angeles Regional
        • · College: Washington
        • · Honors: National Champion (2009), All-American, and played for Canadian National Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
      • Cheri Kempf – Lafayette Regional
        • · College: Missouri Western State
        • · Honors: National Champion , National MVP and played on USA National Team that won the World Cup (1992)
      • Jessica Mendoza– Baton Rouge Regional
        • College: Stanford
        • Honors: Four-time All-American (1999, 2000, ’01, ’02), member of gold medal-winning team at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver medal winning team  at 2008 Beijing Olympics
      • Leah O’Brien-Amico– Tuscaloosa Regional
        • College:Arizona
        • Honors: Won three national championships (1993, ’94,  ’97), member of goal medal-winning teams at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics
      • Jennie Ritter – Auburn Regional
        • · College: Michigan
        • · Honors: National Championship (2005), played for USA National Team (2007) in the World Cup  and Pan American games
      • Amanda Scarborough– Ann Arbor Regional
        • College:Texas A&M
        • Honors: Two-time All-American (2005, ’07). Only player in Big 12 history to receive Freshman of the Year and Player of Year in same season (2005), played in two WCWS (2007, ’08)
      • Michele Smith– Baton Rouge Regional
        • College: Oklahoma State
        • Honors:  Two time All-American, two time Olympic Gold Medalist (1996, ’00)  and eight time Japan Pro League MVP

 

2015 NCAA Division I Softball Championship Field

The 2015 NCAA Division I Softball Championship bracket was unveiled during ESPNU’s NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show presented by Capital Oneon Sunday, May 10.  The SEC received the most bids (11), followed by the ACC and Pac-12 (7), Big 12 and Big Ten (4), Colonial, Conference USA, Mountain West and Sun Belt (2). Twenty three other conferences each received one bid.  Additionally, seven teams are making their first appearance in the tournament: Binghamton University, University of Central Arkansas, Fairfield University, Indiana State University, University of Pittsburgh, St. John’s (NY) University, and Weber State University. The complete 64-team bracket can be seen here.

ESPN’s 2015 NCAA Division I Softball Television Schedule

Regional Round (May 15 – May 17)

Please Note: Networks are likely to change throughout the weekend based on if necessary games. For the latest information, please check espnW’sschedule and results page

Schedule below is set up by Regionals. For a day-by-day schedule, click here

Ann Arbor Regional

Date

Time (ET)

Game

Network

Fri, May 15

3:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh vs. California
Adam Amin, Amanda Scarborough

ESPNU

 

6 p.m.

Oakland vs. No. 3 Michigan
Adam Amin, Amanda Scarborough

ESPNU

Sat, May 16

4 p.m.

Game 3

ESPN2

 

6:30 p.m.

Game 4

ESPN2

 

9 p.m.

Game 5

ESPNU

Sun, May 17

3:30 p.m.

Game 6

ESPN, ESPNU, or ESPN3

 

6 p.m.

Game 7*

ESPNU or ESPN3

Athens Regional

Date

Time (ET)

Game

Network

Fri, May 15

2:30 p.m.

Western Kentucky vs. North Carolina

ESPN3

 

5 p.m.

Central Connecticut vs. No. 14 Georgia

SEC Network +

Sat, May 16

Noon

Game 3

ESPN3 or SEC Network +

 

2:30 p.m.

Game 4

ESPN3 or SEC Network +

 

5:00 p.m.

Game 5

ESPN3 or SEC Network +

Sun, May 17

Noon

Game 6

ESPN3 or SEC Network +

 

2:30 p.m.

Game 7*

ESPN3 or SEC Network +

 

Auburn Regional

Date

Time (ET)

Game/Commentators

Network

Fri, May 15

4 p.m.

Chattanooga vs. South Alabama
Jennie Ritter, Melissa Lee

ESPN3

 

6:30 p.m.

Tennessee Tech vs. No. 4 Auburn
Jennie Ritter, Melissa Lee

ESPN3

Sat, May 16

1 p.m.

Game 3

ESPN3

 

3:30 p.m.

Game 4

ESPN3

 

6 p.m.

Game 5

 

— Courtesy of ESPN

Don't Worry, Be Happy. It May Help You Live Longer: Study

Being happy doesn’t just improve the quality of your life, it may increase your longevity as well, according to a new study.

The research suggests that activities and programs aimed at maintaining or improving happiness may be beneficial for increasing life expectancy among seniors.

Carried out by researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, the study gathered data from 4,478 participants aged 60 years and older living in Singapore who took part in a nationally representative survey.

The survey assessed happiness by asking participants how often in the past week they experienced the following “I felt happy,” “I enjoyed life” and “I felt hope about the future.”

The responses were then used to analyze the results in two ways, firstly calculating a happiness score of zero to six for each participant, and secondly by defining them as either happy or unhappy.

After taking into account a wide range of potentially influencing demographics, lifestyle choices, health and social factors, the researchers found that an increase in happiness is directly proportional with a reduction in mortality.

More specifically, among happy older people, 15 per cent passed away between 2009, when happiness was assessed, and the end of 2015.

However, 20 per cent of unhappy older people died during the same period, with the researchers calculating that the risk of dying due to any cause was 19 per cent lower for happy older people.

In addition, for every increase of one point on the happiness score, the team found that the risk of dying due to any cause was reduced by an additional 9 per cent.

The inverse association of happiness with risk of death was also consistent among both men and women and among the younger seniors (aged 60 to 79 years) and the older seniors (aged 75 years or older).

“The findings indicate that even small increments in happiness may be beneficial to older people’s longevity,” explained senior author Assistant Professor Rahul Malhotra. “Therefore individual activities, as well as government policies and programs that maintain or improve happiness or psychological well-being may contribute to a longer life among older people.”

“The consistency of the inverse association of happiness with mortality across age groups and gender is insightful men and women, the young-old and the old-old, all are likely to benefit from an increase in happiness,” added co-author June May-Ling Lee.

Previous research has also found a link between happiness and improved health outcomes, however the link with reduced mortality has so far proved inconclusive.

The new study is also one of the first to assess the association between happiness and mortality among Asian seniors, while still accounting for several social factors, such as loneliness and social network.

The findings can be found published online in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society.

More on HuffPost:

Is Red Dead 2’s Story Lost in Its Open World? – Beyond Episode 566

BEYOND (and howdy)!

On this week’s episode of our weekly PlayStation show, Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Max Scoville, Brian Altano, and Jon Ryan discuss more of their impressions of Red Dead Redemption 2, specifically some of the weirdest glitches in the game, the main story and how it works within the open world, and much more.

Then, the gang discusses the PlayStation Plus free games for the month — you won’t be surprised to find out that Max wants you to play Yakuza Kiwami — plus offer impressions of Deracine and Jonathon’s review of it, its possible Bloodborne Easter egg, and the Tetris Effect demo.

A quality remaster, with a gorgeous graphical update of the PlayStation 2 JRPG, Kiwami is a great entry point for those looking to jump into the series.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/yakuzakiwami-1540334726517.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/yakuzakiwami-1540334726517_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”02″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”24. Assassin\u2019s Creed OdysseyAssassin\u2019s Creed Odyssey builds upon Origins\u2019 franchise upheaval with layered RPG systems and a sprawling, dense, and gorgeous recreation of ancient Greece.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/assassinscreedodyssey-1540334549314.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/assassinscreedodyssey-1540334549314_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”03″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”23. Monster Hunter WorldA bold entry in the franchise, Monster Hunter World is no less of an investment than entries past but more audacious in its look, world, and feel.\r\n”,”height”:450,”width”:800,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/monster-hunter-world-art-1533580030327.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/monster-hunter-world-art-1533580030327_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”22. Final Fantasy XVFinal Fantasy XV is a risky open-world RPG with a ton of heart, which Square Enix has only continued to make better since launch.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/see-if-your-pc-can-run-final-fantasy-xv-7qnf-1533580030329.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/see-if-your-pc-can-run-final-fantasy-xv-7qnf-1533580030329_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”21. Nier AutomataNier Automata delivers a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of awesome ideas.\r\n”,”height”:638,”width”:1251,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/nier-automata-become-as-gods-edition-artwork-by-marblegallery7-dce2nw9-1533580030314.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/nier-automata-become-as-gods-edition-artwork-by-marblegallery7-dce2nw9-1533580030314_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”20. Guacamelee 2Improving upon its predecessor, Guacamelee 2 proves once again Drinkbox Studios\u2019 platforming prowess, with challenges aplenty, hilarious tangents, and a gorgeous world.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/guac-1540334549313.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/guac-1540334549313_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”19. Dark Souls: RemasteredWith updated graphics and much more stable multiplayer options, Dark Souls Remastered is now the definitive way to play a genre-redefining game.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/darksouls-1540334549309.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/darksouls-1540334549309_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”18. CelesteAn incredible platformer with a wealth of heart, Celeste is packed with secrets that are as enjoyable to find as they are challenging.”,”height”:0,”width”:0,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/kdcm5o-1533580030319.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/kdcm5o-1533580030319_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”17. Dead CellsA surprisingly deep, consistently engaging rougelike, Dead Cells does an amazing job of pushing your abilities and rewarding you for exploring every inch of its world.\r\n”,”height”:1082,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/deadcells-1540334549313.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/deadcells-1540334549313_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”16. Shadow of the ColossusShadow of the Colossus is a gorgeous recreation of a PS2 classic remains as enthralling over a decade later.\r\n”,”height”:0,”width”:0,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/shadow-of-the-colossus-screen-02-ps4-us-30oct17-1533580030317.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/shadow-of-the-colossus-screen-02-ps4-us-30oct17-1533580030317_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”15. Rocket LeagueRocket League\u2019s ridiculous and addicting take on a familiar sport just keeps getting more and more competitive and expansive.\r\n”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/preview-screenshot4-86261-1533580030316.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/preview-screenshot4-86261-1533580030316_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”14. The WitnessThe Witness is an unrivaled-puzzler with a power and pull that carried us through its wonderful journey.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/1067479-screenhi-1920×1080-en-us-02-1533580595178.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/1067479-screenhi-1920×1080-en-us-02-1533580595178_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”13. OverwatchOverwatch is a brilliant multiplayer shooter brimming with Blizzard\u2019s charm and detail, with a world that only continues to grow in exciting ways.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/image-1533580030327.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/image-1533580030327_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”12. Ratchet & ClankThe iconic PlayStation franchise Ratchet and Clank only got better on PS4 with a beautiful, funny update of the duo\u2019s first adventure.”,”height”:506,”width”:900,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/ratchet-and-clank-card-set-bonuses-guide-900×506-1533580030305.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/ratchet-and-clank-card-set-bonuses-guide-900×506-1533580030305_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:15,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”11. The Last of Us: RemasteredNaughty Dog\u2019s harrowing tale The Last of Us, which first debuted on the PS3, is one that every PS4 owner needs to experience.\r\n”,”height”:0,”width”:0,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/a1bzq4lriil-1533580030317.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/a1bzq4lriil-1533580030317_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:16,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”10. Fortnite: Battle RoyaleThe freedom of its building mechanic makes Fortnite Battle Royale one of the most engaging multiplayer experiences around.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/fortnitebattleroyalekeybindandkeyboardcontrols-1533580030310.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/fortnitebattleroyalekeybindandkeyboardcontrols-1533580030310_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:17,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”9. Grand Theft Auto VThere\u2019s a reason Grand Theft Auto V still one of the best-selling games every month years after release, with its dense open world and ongoing online mode continuing to entertain players.”,”height”:0,”width”:0,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/grand-theft-auto-v-trevor-philips-characters-001-1533580030323.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/grand-theft-auto-v-trevor-philips-characters-001-1533580030323_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:18,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”8. Uncharted 4: A Thief\u2019s EndUncharted 4: A Thief\u2019s End combines breathtaking beauty with blockbuster storytelling. “,”height”:450,”width”:800,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/uncharted-4-nathan-drake-renderart-1533580030304.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/08\/06\/uncharted-4-nathan-drake-renderart-1533580030304_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:19,”albumTotalCount”:26},{“caption”:”7. Marvel\u2019s Spider-ManInsomniac Games does a fantastic job of channeling both sides of Spider-Man\u2019s life, crafting, a memorable, moving, and fun Spider-Man spectacle.\r\n”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/spider-man-1540334549313.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/10\/23\/spider-man-1540334549313_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”IGN\u0027s Top 25 PlayStation 4 Games”,”relativePosition”:20,”albumTotalCount”:26}]’
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  • Timecodes!
  • Intro – 00:00
  • Updated Red Dead 2 Thoughts – 1:36
  • PS Plus Games for November – 31:21
  • The Drop (Déraciné and Tetris Effect) – 36:13
  • Save The Date – 53:07
  • Kingdom Hearts Minute – 55:33

And remember! Beyond has now moved publish days! You can find each week’s new episode of Beyond on beyond.ign.com on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET. 24 hours later each week, you can catch the full episode on YouTube, iTunes, and other podcast services.

Let us know your favorite games from each generation in the comments below. And if you haven’t already, be sure to join our awesome group of Beyond fans in the IGN Beyond Facebook group.

Jonathon is IGN’s News Editor, PlayStation lead, and Beyond! host. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Tens of thousands of Algerians take to the streets in unprecedented protest against 20-year-rule

Tens of thousands of Algerians packed dozens of streets to capacity in central Algiers on Friday to challenge President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s 20-year-old rule in the biggest protests in the capital in 28 years.

While the protests were mostly peaceful, police used tear gas to block the road to the presidential palace and also used it in several other areas of the capital.

Unusually, one of the most popular imams, or prayer leaders, in Algiers did not pray for the president as he does every Friday, and only wished the best for Algeria and its people.

Algerians fed up with unemployment, corruption and an elderly elite seen as out of touch with the young have taken to the streets for the past two weeks to protest against the 82-year-old’s plans to remain in office.

"Tear gas is becoming more frequent," said a witness, as teenagers on rooftops monitored police movements on the streets.

Underscoring frustrations with the entire Algerian political system, protesters put signs on the heads of donkeys with the names of ruling party figures and a member of the opposition.

Several lawmakers of the ruling FLN party have resigned to join the mass anti-government protests, the private Ashourouq TV station said on Friday. No details were immediately available.

Train and metro services in Algiers were suspended without explanation before Algerians gathered once again in several cities to press the 82-year-old Bouteflika to step down.

The ailing Bouteflika is in hospital in Geneva and has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. On Thursday he issued his first warning to protesters, saying the unrest, now entering its third week, could destabilise the country.

The demonstrations, the largest since 1991 when the army cancelled elections Islamists were poised to win, pose the most substantial threat ever faced by the president, who is standing for re-election on April 18.

His candidacy has angered many Algerians tired of the dominance of elderly veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France.

Bouteflika has offered to limit his term after the election — and even to change the "system" that runs the country — but people from different classes of society, including students and young families, are still on the street.

Some long-time allies of Bouteflika, including members of the ruling party, have expressed support for the protesters, revealing cracks within a ruling elite long regarded as invincible.

Older Algerians with dark memories of a civil war in the 1990s have tolerated crackdowns on dissent in exchange for stability, and Bouteflika avoided the kind of uprising that toppled Arab leaders in 2011 because the state had enough foreign reserves to boost state spending.

But the young want jobs and are tired of what they perceive as widespread corruption. More than a quarter of Algerians under 30 are unemployed.

Algerians have been urged to stage a "March of 20 Million" on Friday by an anonymous party on social media.

"Bouteflika, go!" read one banner. "Algeria is a republic, not a kingdom", "No elections until the gangs are brought down", said others.

Riot police have been deployed in growing numbers in recent days, but the military has so far stayed in its barracks.

"Today will be a decisive day," said Mohamed, a teacher in Algiers. 

Calgary Dollars Relaunches As Canada's First Local, Digital Currency

Calgary is breaking new financial territory in Canada, becoming the first city to have its own local, digital currency.

Sometimes referred to as complementary currencies or micro-currencies, local currencies operate alongside federal currencies — not as a replacement, Calgary Dollars manager Gerald Wheatley told HuffPost Canada.

“A complementary currency has lots of benefits, from saving your federal dollars, to making connections in your community, to shopping at and supporting local businesses,” said Wheatley.

Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, Calgary Dollars aren’t bought or cashed out. Users can earn Calgary Dollars by posting ads for goods or services they would like to sell, trade or barter for on the website or through the smartphone app. One ad earns $5. Taking surveys and referring new users are other ways to earn Calgary Dollars.

Calgary Dollars have been around since 1996, and citizens and businesses have offered goods and services in either straight or partial exchange for the local currency. Users are required to accept at least 10 per cent payment in Calgary Dollars, but can accept up to 100 per cent if they want. Calgary Dollars are accepted on par with federal currency.

What’s new, however, is that Calgary Dollars now has it own dedicated app, allowing users to store currency on their devices.

Pat Guyn, owner of local grocery store Sunnyside Market, has been accepting up to 20 per cent Calgary Dollars on grocery purchases for many years.

“Not a lot of people use Calgary Dollars at the moment, but I think the new digital platform could really help it take off again,” he told HuffPost Canada, adding that more people used the currency several years ago, but now it only makes up a small percentage of transactions.

Sunnyside Market takes its Calgary Dollars and funnels them back into the system, donating to the Calgary Dollars’ Take Action Grants, which help fund community gardens and food forests, art projects and films, and social justice activism “that might make life easier for some Calgarians,” said Guyn.

The market has also used the currency to pay for their compost pick-up and the printing of marketing materials. Staff can opt to take a portion of their salary in Calgary Dollars, too.

“It’s a great way to keep money within the local economy and to encourage people to shop locally and barter within their communities,” Guyn said.

Calgary Dollars put together this explainer video. Story continues below:

The program is backed by the City of Calgary, and allows a fixed number of transit tickets to be bought using Calgary Dollars, or up to 50 per cent of the cost of a base business licence.

Chris Frei, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Alberta, believes Canadians could see an increase in local currencies as technology evolves.

“There’s an aspect of convenience, having a digital currency in your pocket and being able to see which businesses are accepting that currency and what other people have to trade, barter, or offer.”

Frei said local currencies, while not extremely popular in Canada at the moment, offer businesses another way to connect and build trust with their customers.

“The more people using the currency, and the more businesses that sign up to take that currency, legitimizes the program and eventually trust begins to grow, both with the currency and with the businesses accepting it.”

Wheatley said building that trust is what Calgary Dollars strives to do. More than 350 individuals and businesses now accept the currency, and people can buy and barter everything from language lessons and house cleaning, to storage rentals or a cup of coffee.

“It really has the potential to connect likeminded people and to help them save a bit of their federal currency,” he said, stressing that the platform offers an entry point for entrepreneurs and artists who want to promote their products locally.

Alfred Lehar, a finance professor at the University of Calgary, said programs like Calgary Dollars offer users the ability to shop, barter, and trade with a clear conscience, especially for those rethinking their big-box shopping, or wanting buy locally and purchase gently used items.

“When you can bring together local vendors and local people, it really creates this shared common interest. It helps highlight local, small shops that offer unique goods and services, and brings awareness to the local community and the local economy.”

Lehar said, however, that while local currencies have lots of benefits on a small scale, there are limits to what people can — and should — use them for.

“Local currencies are not something you want to use exclusively or put your life savings into…they shouldn’t replace federal currency, or people could find themselves with no real money.”

Watch how other countries are taking local currencies to the next level:

Heritage’s Hannah Wills Named MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As a result of her outstanding play over the past week, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has selected junior Hannah Wills of Heritage High School in Ringgold, Ga., as the MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week.

 

In a doubleheader sweep of Whitewater, Wills was near perfect at the plate, going 6-for-7 (.857) with three doubles, five RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base. In the opener, she was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, scored three runs and knocked in two more. Wills capped off the twinbill with a 4-for-4 effort with another doubles, three RBI and one run. In addition, she reached base safely in seven of eight plate appearances (.875) and slugged 1.286 helping her squad reach the Elite 8 State Softball Tournament.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete’s game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible that week.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring season, with one representative chosen from each of five separate high school regions. During the fall campaign, just a single player is selected representing all participating regions.

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans and college coaches across the country.

To obtain a coach’s login, please contact [email protected] or call 1-800-329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.

NFCA Purpose: To support fastpitch softball coaches in their quest for excellence, while uniting together to advance the sport we love. #NFCAallin