Researchers have discovered a mechanism that forces cancer cells to self-destruct, hijacking their ability to replicate uncontrollably and turning it against themselves.
The research team from Stanford University and gene therapy company Shenandoah Therapeutics published a paperlast week in the journal Nature, describing how cancer cells can be rewired to "activate cell death," not unlike flipping a switch.
While we're still a long way from developing a drug for humans that takes advantage of this gene hack — assuming it's actually possible in a practical way — scientists are nonetheless intrigued by the prospect.
"It’s very cool," Jason Gestwicki, professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the study, told the New York Times. "It turns something the cancer cell needs to stay alive into something that kills it, like changing your vitamin into a poison."
In a number of lab experiments, researchers built molecules that attach two proteins to each other: a mutated protein called BCL6 that allows cancer cells to survive and grow, and a normal protein that acts like a switch for genes near it.
The resulting construct pushes cancer cells towards genes that kill them, a natural part of the DNA that clears old cells that have already fulfilled their duty.
In cancer patients, these cell death genes are turned off by a protein known as BCL6. This new construct, however, leads the regular protein switch towards these cell death genes, effectively rewiring the cancer cells to kill themselves off.
"BCL6 is the organizing principle of these cancer cells," Louis Staudt, director of the Center for Cancer Genomics at the National Cancer Institute, told the NYT. Once disrupted, "the cell has lost its identity and says, 'something very wrong is happening here. I’d better die.'"
The idea could be effective for half of all known cancers, lead author Gerald Crabtree, founder of Shenandoah Therapeutics, told the newspaper. Since it relies on mutated cancer cells, it could also be a highly targeted approach, potentially sparing healthy cells.
So far, Crabtree and his colleagues have demonstrated that the hybrid molecule is safe to use in mice, but was careful to note that it's "not a drug — it still has a long way to go."
If you've bought a bag of greens instead of the whole head, there are still ways to keep them fresh. When you bring them back from the grocery store, place them in a plastic bag or airtight container along with a sheet of paper towel. Since moisture and air are the biggest culprits for wilted greens, this combination will keep the leaves fresh and dry.
For leaves that are already drooping, there's an unconventional way to rescue sad, wilted greens. Rather than giving them a good rinse in cold water to perk them up, soak them in hot water instead. Place them in a large bowl with water that's about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. After 10 to 30 minutes, put them in an ice water bath and then drain.
When shopping, look for leaves that naturally last longer in the fridge. Heartier greens like cabbage, kale, and watercress can stay further compared to tender leaves like lettuce or spinach. Additionally, be wary of buying more than you can eat. It can be exhausting to constantly have to stop by the store, but watching your leaves wilt weekly makes the extra trip worth it.
The first step to crispy pan-fried fries is to cut up the potatoes into same-sized pieces. This is because, as Gordon Ramsay says, "If they're cut evenly, they're going to cook evenly." Once you do that, it's time to parboil the potato slices. Parboiling before cooking is an essential part of getting crispy fries because it releases all the starch and helps them cook more evenly when fried. If you don't parboil the potatoes and throw them in the pan raw instead, you risk burning the outsides of the fries before the insides are done. When parboiling, make sure to start the potatoes off in a mixture of cold water, salt, and a dash of vinegar. Set the flame to high and cook for about five minutes after the water reaches a rolling boil.
Then, once the potatoes have been partially cooked, remove them from the hot water immediately and leave them in the strainer so they start to cool. As the potatoes cool, they will release the water they soaked up during the parboil. When cooled to room temperature, add to a hot oiled skillet and cook until golden brown.
The return of The Butcher, for me, is one of Diablo 4's high points. His randomized attacks are surprising, terrifying, and yes, frustrating for an awful lot of players. The good news for those having trouble taking him on is that there does appear to be one fairly reliable way to do it—it's called cheese.
As a number of redditors have pointed out, The Butcher isn't the most agile guy in Sanctuary. He moves with a surprising quickness, but he also has a tendency to get hung up on things. He's also not great at opening doors. In practical terms, what this means is that if you can get him stuck in a doorway, like a one-demon Three Stooges, you can lay a beating on his ass with impunity.
Is this an honorable way to fight? No, of course not, and if you have a problem with that then you're free to double back, get him loose, and then throw hands in the middle of the ring. But if your goal is simply to get the job done, well, as far as I'm concerned this is the way to do it.
And quite frankly, I do think it's a legitimate approach to taking him down. Boss fights are inherently unfair—after ramping up gently through conventional mobs you're suddenly fighting an overpowered beast with abilities you've never seen before and a mile-long health bar—and that makes unfair responses perfectly valid. In case there's any doubt, this applies to all boss fights, everywhere. Boss fights are bullshit.
It doesn't have to be a doorway, either. Shrines work nicely:
So do locked doors:
If a ladder's nearby and you have some ranged attacks in your arsenal, you can just leave and then hammer him from on high:
Confusion seems effective:
And yeah, taking advantage of clipping errors sometimes works too.
It's all variations on a theme, the theme in question being that The Butcher is a big dumbass and we'd be silly not to take advantage of that. (He is trying to cut us up into little pieces, after all.) What makes this particular brand of cheese so special is that it hearkens back to the OG Butcher, who as Icy Veins pointed out had the same sort of problem with doors and walls. He's a big, beefy boy, but he's definitely not the sharpest cleaver on the block.
Here's what it looked like back then:
Note that when I say that this is a "reliable" way to kill The Butcher, I mean that it works if you can make it happen. Making it happen is a whole different thing. Your best bet is to run around in tight spaces and slam doors in his face whenever possible: It's a risky strategy, because if you're not careful you could run into a gang of regular mobs, at which point things get really hairy, or you might let the big boi get a little too close and eat some pain for your trouble.
I don't know if there's any way to fix this, and given that the Killer B has been struggling with doorknobs for nearly 30 years now I think we should just accept it as part of the character at this point—"the lore," as some people would say—and let him be. More important, though, is that as long as the big fella is a big klutz, you shouldn't feel bad for taking advantage of it: He's a very bad demon, and so it's okay that very bad things happen to him.
The first step to crispy pan-fried fries is to cut up the potatoes into same-sized pieces. This is because, as Gordon Ramsay says, "If they're cut evenly, they're going to cook evenly." Once you do that, it's time to parboil the potato slices. Parboiling before cooking is an essential part of getting crispy fries because it releases all the starch and helps them cook more evenly when fried. If you don't parboil the potatoes and throw them in the pan raw instead, you risk burning the outsides of the fries before the insides are done. When parboiling, make sure to start the potatoes off in a mixture of cold water, salt, and a dash of vinegar. Set the flame to high and cook for about five minutes after the water reaches a rolling boil.
Then, once the potatoes have been partially cooked, remove them from the hot water immediately and leave them in the strainer so they start to cool. As the potatoes cool, they will release the water they soaked up during the parboil. When cooled to room temperature, add to a hot oiled skillet and cook until golden brown.
PONTIAC, Mich. – Investigators in Oakland County want the public’s help identifying the driver of an SUV involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash.
Officials said Todd Lawrence Frank, 59, was killed in a crash at 12:49 a.m. on Saturday, July 29, on Auburn Avenue near South Astor Street in Pontiac.
Frank appeared to have been walking in the roadway when an SUV struck him and fled the scene, officials said. Frank was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived at a hospital.
The vehicle is described as a light-colored mid-size SUV. Crash investigators believe the vehicle will have damage to the front passenger side and the passenger side headlight lens. There may also be damage to the hood and/or fender.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.
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Many Republicans believe the X-factor in the 2024 presidential contest may be President Biden’s age and health. They also think Vice President Kamala Harris is a weak link in the Democratic team, thanks to a low public profile, poor popularity indicators, and, well, the provocation to racists and sexists that she poses. The idea, which is becoming a standard talking point for right-wing gabbers, is that the doddering Biden is a puppet of the Radical Left as represented by his veep, who is from (gasp!) California. GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has been the most blatant in making this argument, as The 19th recently observed:
Nikki Haley has spent months zeroing in on Vice President Kamala Harris, telling GOP primary voters that the real danger of electing an aging President Joe Biden is the prospect of Harris as president.
“We can’t afford a President Kamala Harris. I will say that over and over again,” Haley said Friday afternoon during an Iowa forum hosted by Tucker Carlson — mentioning Harris before even addressing Biden …
“Anyone is better than President Kamala Harris. Anyone,” Haley said during an appearance on Fox News earlier this month. When asked if she meant to say President Biden, Haley responded: “Well, I think it’s President Harris.”
You might argue that Haley is a relatively minor candidate, but the reality is that she has injected the “President Harris” topic into the Republican mainstream, allowing others to bat it around. Certainly, Donald Trump has no inhibitions about smearing the veep; he called her a “communist” and a “monster” in 2020. Since he and other potential Biden opponents regularly mock the president as senescent and likely to die any day now, you have to figure that in a close general election the boogeywoman of Kamala Harris will be featured in right-wing agitprop.
You have to go back a way, but this isn’t the first time Republicans have focused on the specter of a little-known veep succeeding an unwell president. In 1944, a relatively close election in which Thomas Dewey opposed FDR’s bid for a fourth term as president, the GOP dropped many hints that Democratic voters would actually be naming the obscure Missouri Senator Harry Truman to the presidency. Yes, it’s hard to imagine now that Truman, who as president dropped the atomic bomb on Japan (a decision moviegoers are revisiting now in Oppenheimer) and promulgated a Truman Doctrine resisting the post-World War II expansion of communism, as some sort of guileless puppet of the Radical Left. But that’s how he was depicted by the GOP message machine.
There were two Truman-related themes Republicans pursued in 1944, both predicated on reminding voters of FDR’s fragile health. The first involved Truman’s origins as a foot soldier in the Kansas City political machine of “Boss” Tom Pendergast. Truman was never accused of any wrongdoing associated with Pendergast, and it was the Roosevelt administration that ultimately deposed and jailed the “Boss.” But the idea was that Truman was a malleable puppet. The second theme was based on a much-reported comment by FDR upon deciding to choose Truman in place of incumbent vice president Henry Wallace, considered too liberal for the ticket’s good, but a definite favorite of organized labor, particularly CIO president Sidney Hillman. FDR instructed his people to vet Truman with Hillman, who was happy to accept the Missourian as a second choice, as described in the book FDR, Dewey, and the Election of 1944 by David M. Jordan:
One of the ads the RNC sent out started with the words: “CLEAR EVERYTHING WITH SIDNEY.” It went on, for fifty-six seconds:
“Those are the actual words spoken by President Roosevelt, as reported by the New York Times. Roosevelt said these ominous words to Bob Hannegan, Democratic chairman. And what did they mean?
They mean that radical Sidney Hillman was put in charge of the Democratic convention! Hillman put on a show of backing Wallace — but mark this, voters, and mark it well. If Hillman had really wanted Wallace, he would have gotten Wallace. But who did get the nomination for Vice President? A man named Harry Truman — hand-picked by Hillman. Why? Because Truman has shown before that he will do as his boss tells him.”
There were more than ten of these ads, including a couple sent out… early in October, emphasizing “the terrible catastrophe to this country of the possibility of Harry Truman becoming President.”
Dewey and his running-mate, Ohio governor John Bricker, constantly hammered away at the alleged communist threat posed by Hillman and Browder; it was the subject of Dewey’s final campaign speech at Madison Square Garden. At this point, it hardly had to be repeated that the sick, tired credulous FDR and the inexperienced, easily bossed Harry Truman were in Moscow’s pocket.
Ultimately Roosevelt and Truman won, though it was the closest of FDR’s presidential elections. Republicans were right about one big thing: Roosevelt died less than three months into his fourth term, and Harry Truman became the 33rd U.S. president. But he was far from being a communist stooge, and no one bossed him. His own presidential reelection campaign in 1948 was a bit of a left-center masterpiece; after progressives under Henry Wallace and segregationists under Strom Thurmond broke away from the Democratic Party to run their own third- and fourth-party campaigns, Truman stressed his fierce independence and hammered away at the GOP’s “do-nothing Congress,” scoring one of the biggest upsets in U.S. political history by bearing the hapless Tom Dewey.
We have no idea what’s in store for Kamala Harris if she is reelected as vice president next year. And she obviously cannot so much as think about the possibility of ascending to the presidency before 2029. But Republicans really need to be rapped on the knuckles for replaying the 1944 attacks on Harry Truman three-quarters of a century later.
Amidst the rising inflation and global uncertainties, investing has become the need of the hour. While Millennials and GenZ are experimental with their money compared to the previous generations, it's very important that it is channeled in the right direction with a long-term goal in sight.
Investing tips for millennials and Genz
According to Satyajeet Kunjeer, Founder and CEO, of Deciml, having a very clear understanding of your necessary expenses by maintaining a monthly budget is a good starting point for young people. A well-maintained budget will also help them religiously allocate funds toward their investments every month.
Starting early, even with smaller amounts, is essential in today's time to combat the effects of inflation, and consistent investing from a very young age, will also help unlock the benefits of compounded return in the long run, he added.
Gen Z and Millenials are experiencing many transformations as the next phase. From payments and consumption, there is a conscious interest in investment options.
“It is evident that this customer base explores simpler, self-enabled, and tax-efficient investment avenues – a strategic approach to building wealth in the early stages,"said Sarvjeet Virk, Co-founder, and MD, Finvasia.
Moreover, with their inherent attraction to technology, they naturally gravitate towards innovative digital features that streamline their trades and investments, while aligning with their financial objectives, Sarvjeet Virk added.
Empowering millennials and GenZ with knowledge about smart money investments is crucial for their financial success.
Rajesh Shet CEO & Co-founder, SahiBandhu is of the opinion that investing in gold is not just a time-tested strategy but also a timeless asset that transcends through generations. Diversifying their investment portfolio with gold, in a world of uncertainty, provides a timeless store of value and acts as a hedge against inflation.
"By embracing gold as a strategic investment, young individuals can safeguard their wealth, preserve purchasing power, and embark on a journey of long-term financial prosperity. Pro-tip to the GenZ while buying gold would be to opt for 22K, preferably yellow gold," said Rajesh Shet
“It is advisable that the younger generation divides their savings between investment options that provide short-term liquidity and investment opportunities that offer long-term gains,"said Prashant A Bhonsle, founder of Kuhoo.
He added that a balance is very important when one plans their savings and investments.
Millennials and Genz are much more aware and have many more options to invest in compared to the older generations.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
The return of The Butcher, for me, is one of Diablo 4's high points. His randomized attacks are surprising, terrifying, and yes, frustrating for an awful lot of players. The good news for those having trouble taking him on is that there does appear to be one fairly reliable way to do it—it's called cheese.
As a number of redditors have pointed out, The Butcher isn't the most agile guy in Sanctuary. He moves with a surprising quickness, but he also has a tendency to get hung up on things. He's also not great at opening doors. In practical terms, what this means is that if you can get him stuck in a doorway, like a one-demon Three Stooges, you can lay a beating on his ass with impunity.
Is this an honorable way to fight? No, of course not, and if you have a problem with that then you're free to double back, get him loose, and then throw hands in the middle of the ring. But if your goal is simply to get the job done, well, as far as I'm concerned this is the way to do it.
And quite frankly, I do think it's a legitimate approach to taking him down. Boss fights are inherently unfair—after ramping up gently through conventional mobs you're suddenly fighting an overpowered beast with abilities you've never seen before and a mile-long health bar—and that makes unfair responses perfectly valid. In case there's any doubt, this applies to all boss fights, everywhere. Boss fights are bullshit.
It doesn't have to be a doorway, either. Shrines work nicely:
It's all variations on a theme, the theme in question being that The Butcher is a big dumbass and we'd be silly not to take advantage of that. (He is trying to cut us up into little pieces, after all.) What makes this particular brand of cheese so special is that it hearkens back to the OG Butcher, who as Icy Veins pointed out had the same sort of problem with doors and walls. He's a big, beefy boy, but he's definitely not the sharpest cleaver on the block.
Here's what it looked like back then:
Note that when I say that this is a "reliable" way to kill The Butcher, I mean that it works if you can make it happen. Making it happen is a whole different thing. Your best bet is to run around in tight spaces and slam doors in his face whenever possible: It's a risky strategy, because if you're not careful you could run into a gang of regular mobs, at which point things get really hairy, or you might let the big boi get a little too close and eat some pain for your trouble.
I don't know if there's any way to fix this, and given that the Killer B has been struggling with doorknobs for nearly 30 years now I think we should just accept it as part of the character at this point—"the lore," as some people would say—and let him be. More important, though, is that as long as the big fella is a big klutz, you shouldn't feel bad for taking advantage of it: He's a very bad demon, and so it's okay that very bad things happen to him.
Diablo 4 players have discovered a new trick to farm Wrathful Hearts more easily, involving the completion of a specific quest and resetting the dungeon multiple times.
Wrathful Hearts are the rarest and strongest type of Caged Hearts in Diablo 4 Season 1, offering powerful bonuses and defensive buffs.
Blizzard will be rolling back unpopular changes made to Diablo 4, but it's unclear if they will fix the Wrathful Hearts trick in future patches.
Diablo 4 players have found a new trick to farm Wrathful Hearts more easily. After much anticipation, Diablo 4 has finally kicked off Season 1. With the first Diablo 4 season underway, players are exploring the dynamics of the new content added to the game.
Diablo 4 players will team up with the new character Cormond and solve the mysteries of Malignance, a new form of corruption spreading through Sanctuary. As a result, Diablo 4's monsters are even more dangerous and visually grotesque, and Malignance-related content has been added to the game. One example is the manifestation of Malignance in the form of the Malignant Tunnels, a new type of dungeon. With Season 1, Diablo 4 brought new objectives and rewards to players who choose to tackle this new threat.
YouTuber Robin "Rob2628" Steinberg, the first Diablo 4 player to reach level 100, shared the trick in a video on his channel. In order to execute the trick, the player must not have completed the Season of the Malignant questline, otherwise, they need to create a new character. When the player reaches the final quest "The Cold Hard Truth," they will get the task of clearing a dungeon in Fractured Peaks. The next step is to destroy the corruption spores to make Varshan the Consumed appear and defeat the boss to get a guaranteed Wratful Heart. Instead of completing the quest, the player must leave the dungeon, and then reset the dungeon or re-enter the game. Finally, the Diablo 4 player can clear the dungeon and fight Varshan as many times as desired to get Wrathful Hearts.
Wrathful Hearts are part of the new content that came with Diablo 4 Season 1. The game received a new type of item called Caged Heart that can be equipped like Gems and makes players' builds even stronger. There are four types of Caged Hearts in Diablo 4, with Wrathful Hearts serving as the strongest and rarest Caged Hearts available. Wrathful Hearts offer stronger bonuses than normal ones, such as The Malignant Pact, a heart that grants defensive buffs. Unlike other Caged Hearts, Wrathful Hearts are so powerful that Diablo 4 players can only equip one heart of this type.
With Diablo 4 Season 1 underway, players have also seen the game receive several adjustments. Certain changes have not been met with much enthusiasm, and Blizzard will be rolling back the unpopular changes made to Diablo 4. It's unknown if Blizzard will bring any sort of fix for the Wrathful Hearts trick, so Diablo 4 players should keep an eye out for future patches.
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Having both emerged victorious in their first match, England and Denmark will now duke it out for supremacy of Group D at the 2023 Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Both sides won by a 1-0 scoreline, with England topping Haiti and Denmark edging China.
With each side already sitting on three points, a potential winner of this match will almost surely secure a knockout stage place, but a draw leaves both sides somewhat vulnerable should someone win the other Group D match.
England are hoping to make a push to the Women's World Cup title, hoping to back up last year's European championship title, while Denmark are simply looking to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time since 1995.
As the second-favourites to win the entire competition, England are understandably also favourites in this matchup with a fellow European side.
Goals are expected to be at a premium given the scorelines for each side in their opening match, having both won on a single strike. Both the under and both teams not to score are heavily skewed.
While the under is enticing here, in reality it provides little value between the lopsided odds and the knowledge that England pummeled Haiti with 21 shots, 11 of which were on target. It's entirely possible the Lionesses could put those chances away in this match to run up the score, even against a defensively stout Denmark side.
Instead, back England to come out of their goal scoring slump. This team has generated chance after chance and has struggled to put opportunities away, but that will change sooner or later. They put eight of 21 shots on target against Portugal in their scoreless friendly draw prior to the tournament, and managed 15 shots on Australia in a 2-0 defeat before that.
This England attack is too talented and too dangerous to be held down for long, and even against a solid defensive side like Denmark, it's a matter of time before they break out.
While this would normally be an uninspiring pick, the muted goal scoring odds in this game provide an opportunity to jump on the England centre forward to find the back of the net.
Russo had an enormous five shots on target against Haiti, but was stymied by Kerly Theus, who made half of her 10 total saves against Russo. The 24-year-old is mired in a goal scoring slump for the national team, but when she gets going she can be a force in front of goal. There's a reason Arsenal offered a world record fee for Russo back in January.
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With summer in full swing and record temperatures being set around the country, here are some tips for how to play golf in extreme heat.
Getty Images
From Miami to New York to Seattle to Phoenix (and everywhere in between), the summer temperatures are absolutely excruciating at the moment, which can make it difficult for many people to play golf in the extreme heat.
And I recently read that, despite the heat, golfers aren’t just sitting inside and soaking up the air conditioning. In fact, it’s the opposite, with many courses still seeing average or even slightly more traffic this summer.
As someone who recently returned from a trip east, it’s absurd to see just how hot and humid the conditions are around the country.
For example, while playing a round in Florida a few weeks ago with my brother-in-law, my performance shirt was already drenched with sweat by the time I walked to the range. Guys, I hadn’t even taken a swing yet and I looked like I had run a marathon.
With the temperature near triple digits in many places, understanding how to play golf in extreme heat is so important. Not only to protect yourself from overheating, but also to try and feel comfortable when, you know, you’re sweating profusely before even stepping on the first tee (guilty!).
How to play golf in extreme heat
Before making your next tee time, be sure to remember the below tips, which will help you manage the summer temps — and lead to a more enjoyable round without feeling overheated or mentally exhausted.
1. Hydrate as much as possible
Before even thinking about how to fix your slice or do your best at course management, you need to be sure that your body is prepared for the extreme weather conditions.
That means drinking as much water as possible, while also mixing in other performance drinks that provide electrolytes that you lose by sweating.
While some golfers like to enjoy a few adult beverages during a round of golf, proceed with caution, as alcohol can dehydrate you and lead to a lack of energy and focus.
According to The Vincera Institute, it’s recommended that a player drinks no more than one alcoholic drink per hour — while also maintaining adequate, non-alcoholic liquid consumption.
2. Assess your club choice
So how much will the higher temperatures impact your distances? The photo above helps break it all down for you.
According to the chart (which uses a formula presented by GOLF Top 100 Teacher Andrew Rice, with the assumption that golfers hit their drives about 250 yards with a ball speed of about 150 mph), players gain about two yards on their drives for every 10-degree rise in temperature.
Additionally, distance increase varies for each club. For example, a pitching wedge only gains about 1.3 yards per 10 degrees, according to the findings.
This might seem subtle, but when you take into account the course’s firm conditions, the extra couple of yards could be the difference between being in the fairway and bouncing into the woods.
So if you’re between clubs and aren’t quite sure what to hit, it might be best to club down.
3. Find the sun while putting
Ever wonder why putting greens on the same course feel differently? It’s because the sun is hitting them at different angles all day long.
Obviously, the green that’s protected and/or covered by trees isn’t getting much sunlight, whereas the one that’s exposed all day is getting baked. So remember to keep this in mind as you prepare to tackle a course where extreme temperatures are occurring.
This is where locating the sun comes into play.
According to Kevin Roth of Rotogrinders (via FOX Weather), the sun’s location in the sky can cause the grass to lean toward it. This will cause your putt to roll in a slightly different direction than if the sun were on the other side.
Also, due to dry conditions, there won’t be as much friction as the ball rolls, meaning every putt is going to move a little bit faster than normal — especially if you’re playing in the middle of the afternoon when temps are generally at their highest.
So if you’re playing in the morning, the ball may do one thing. But in the afternoon, the same putt may do something different.
4. Brain fog can impact your play
Remember that whole thing about staying hydrated? Yeah, avoiding brain fog also plays a role in it.
If you’ve ever played in hot, steamy, muggy weather, it probably feels like your focus wanes. Well, it’s not just your imagination, because if you’re dehydrated, that’s exactly what can happen.
So if you’re standing over a putt and just can’t seem to figure out the break or distance, it could be your brain triggering a reminder to drink more water.
Obviously, having brain fog leads to a lack of focus and decreased energy levels, so be sure to limit your sun exposure as much as possible. This means wearing a hat, wrapping a wet towel around your neck to cool down, and using a cart for additional shade, among other things.
5. Adapt to firmer turf
Due to something called “moisture stress” in grass, golf courses located in extreme weather locations may play much faster — especially if there’s been a prolonged drought or temperatures have exceeded normal highs during a summer.
Even if that type of stress isn’t happening and a course is watering as much as possible, players should be prepared for firmer turf conditions.
So take that into account when you’re teeing off and need to stop a shot short of a hazard — as the firmer turf may lead to a ball ending up OB.
The biggest impact that firmer conditions will have is on the putting surface, which I mentioned before. So adapt as best you can, and remember that the secret sauce will be in distance control.
VP of Growth at Normative Meg Pedrick has contributed to this story.
They say the best coaches were not the best players, needing to learn and understand rather than rely on instinct. Well, that’s me with networking. I’m naturally an introvert — I prefer long one on one conversations with people I know and hate group settings, but I’ve made a career out of finding the joy that comes from curiosity and the excitement that comes from meeting new people.
However, it has not been easy. I’ve been sweaty palmed at networking events and conferences many times, wondering why I did this to myself. And yet, at the end of the day, I found the challenge enjoyable. After developing several coping mechanisms, I now look forward to a room full of strangers.
Here are some of the best strategies that I’ve used and taught teams to overcome the discomfort of networking and entice people to engage with you.
1. Be a lone wolf
Let’s just rip the band-aid off. You have to be by yourself. Who is the most intimidating person to introduce yourself to? Someone in a group of people chatting together. Although it may feel comfortable to hang out with familiar faces, you are ensuring no one comes up to you and that you don’t introduce yourself either.
2. Profile who you want to meet and put yourself in their path
You probably know who you want to meet. It might be peers you can learn from, people to hire, subject-matter experts, or sales leads. Put yourself in their shoes.
For me, it’s a tough group — senior executives. Generally, they will be well-dressed and groomed, in their mid-40s to 50s. They are often alone at conferences and keep to themselves during the talks by standing in the hallways or sitting in the back of the room. They usually have meetings they can’t miss and need to step out. They won’t have the luxury of attending everything, unlike their teams.
This means that I also hang out in the halls, stand in the back, and often sit alone. When someone sits next to me, I introduce myself. Among others, I’ve met are the CEO of a global multinational, the SVP of Marketing at a major retailer, and the VP of Tech for a global energy company. All by hanging out in the back of the room.
3. The red suit trick: make them come to you
Standing out is your friend. This was a fun hypothesis I tried at a conference several years ago, and it worked so well that I now do it often. I wore a fire engine red suit! The idea was to be so visually interesting that it gave others an easy way to approach me. I stood out in a sea of grays, blacks, and navies. The many compliments I received made introducing myself a breeze.
Remaining memorable after networking events can be challenging, so being different also helps you be unforgettable. By simply saying, “Remember me? I was in the red suit,” you remind new connections of your conversation and make building early relationships easier. Find your red suit to help others take the initiative and remember you.
4. Prepare to be interesting
Dead air, no good intro, and now you’ve missed your chance. Curiosity is your best friend. I like to have both a prepared set of general questions but also keep a list on my phone of things I learned, or believe are relevant for the person I want to approach. General questions can be great conversation starters, such as “What do you hope to learn from the conference?” or “Did you attend any particularly interesting talks so far?”
Insightful questions take more work. Think critically about your takeaways from the discussions, talks, or conference topics and write them down. If you want to meet one of the speakers, take notes and write down questions during their talk. Sit in the front row and pay close attention to their ideas. If you don’t get to meet them that day, send them a thoughtful note on LinkedIn. Personalized follow-ups have allowed me to establish meaningful connections even after the event.
5. Everyone is naked
Think of it as proverbially naked. Most people attend conferences with the intention to meet new people, but they often feel uneasy when it comes to introducing themselves. Even the most senior executives can be closed-off introverts. Remember that the worst that can happen is someone saying “Great to meet you too,” and turn away. Not so bad.
Fortunately, most people are thrilled when someone else breaks the ice. So, find a seat on your own—rest assured, someone will eventually join you—strike up a conversation about the keynote with someone walking beside you as you leave the room, and compliment the woman in the colorful suit. I bet she would love to meet you too.
With summer in full swing and record temperatures being set around the country, here are some tips for how to play golf in extreme heat.
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From Miami to New York to Seattle to Phoenix (and everywhere in between), the summer temperatures are absolutely excruciating at the moment, which can make it difficult for many people to play golf in the extreme heat.
And I recently read that, despite the heat, golfers aren’t just sitting inside and soaking up the air conditioning. In fact, it’s the opposite, with many courses still seeing average or even slightly more traffic this summer.
As someone who recently returned from a trip east, it’s absurd to see just how hot and humid the conditions are around the country.
For example, while playing a round in Florida a few weeks ago with my brother-in-law, my performance shirt was already drenched with sweat by the time I walked to the range. Guys, I hadn’t even taken a swing yet and I looked like I had run a marathon.
With the temperature near triple digits in many places, understanding how to play golf in extreme heat is so important. Not only to protect yourself from overheating, but also to try and feel comfortable when, you know, you’re sweating profusely before even stepping on the first tee (guilty!).
How to play golf in extreme heat
Before making your next tee time, be sure to remember the below tips, which will help you manage the summer temps — and lead to a more enjoyable round without feeling overheated or mentally exhausted.
1. Hydrate as much as possible
Before even thinking about how to fix your slice or do your best at course management, you need to be sure that your body is prepared for the extreme weather conditions.
That means drinking as much water as possible, while also mixing in other performance drinks that provide electrolytes that you lose by sweating.
While some golfers like to enjoy a few adult beverages during a round of golf, proceed with caution, as alcohol can dehydrate you and lead to a lack of energy and focus.
According to The Vincera Institute, it’s recommended that a player drinks no more than one alcoholic drink per hour — while also maintaining adequate, non-alcoholic liquid consumption.
2. Assess your club choice
So how much will the higher temperatures impact your distances? The photo above helps break it all down for you.
According to the chart (which uses a formula presented by GOLF Top 100 Teacher Andrew Rice, with the assumption that golfers hit their drives about 250 yards with a ball speed of about 150 mph), players gain about two yards on their drives for every 10-degree rise in temperature.
Additionally, distance increase varies for each club. For example, a pitching wedge only gains about 1.3 yards per 10 degrees, according to the findings.
This might seem subtle, but when you take into account the course’s firm conditions, the extra couple of yards could be the difference between being in the fairway and bouncing into the woods.
So if you’re between clubs and aren’t quite sure what to hit, it might be best to club down.
3. Find the sun while putting
Ever wonder why putting greens on the same course feel differently? It’s because the sun is hitting them at different angles all day long.
Obviously, the green that’s protected and/or covered by trees isn’t getting much sunlight, whereas the one that’s exposed all day is getting baked. So remember to keep this in mind as you prepare to tackle a course where extreme temperatures are occurring.
This is where locating the sun comes into play.
According to Kevin Roth of Rotogrinders (via FOX Weather), the sun’s location in the sky can cause the grass to lean toward it. This will cause your putt to roll in a slightly different direction than if the sun were on the other side.
Also, due to dry conditions, there won’t be as much friction as the ball rolls, meaning every putt is going to move a little bit faster than normal — especially if you’re playing in the middle of the afternoon when temps are generally at their highest.
So if you’re playing in the morning, the ball may do one thing. But in the afternoon, the same putt may do something different.
4. Brain fog can impact your play
Remember that whole thing about staying hydrated? Yeah, avoiding brain fog also plays a role in it.
If you’ve ever played in hot, steamy, muggy weather, it probably feels like your focus wanes. Well, it’s not just your imagination, because if you’re dehydrated, that’s exactly what can happen.
So if you’re standing over a putt and just can’t seem to figure out the break or distance, it could be your brain triggering a reminder to drink more water.
Obviously, having brain fog leads to a lack of focus and decreased energy levels, so be sure to limit your sun exposure as much as possible. This means wearing a hat, wrapping a wet towel around your neck to cool down, and using a cart for additional shade, among other things.
5. Adapt to firmer turf
Due to something called “moisture stress” in grass, golf courses located in extreme weather locations may play much faster — especially if there’s been a prolonged drought or temperatures have exceeded normal highs during a summer.
Even if that type of stress isn’t happening and a course is watering as much as possible, players should be prepared for firmer turf conditions.
So take that into account when you’re teeing off and need to stop a shot short of a hazard — as the firmer turf may lead to a ball ending up OB.
The biggest impact that firmer conditions will have is on the putting surface, which I mentioned before. So adapt as best you can, and remember that the secret sauce will be in distance control.
Coco Chan and Jocelyn Chin, two friends who live in San Mateo, created Picnic ‘n Chill, a luxury pop-up picnic service, during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve seen changes in their business since they started, and have been increasingly working with corporate clients looking to host employee events. (Photo courtesy Picnic ‘n Chill.)
Charcuterie boards and dog-friendly “charpoocherie” platters. Tablescapes with floral centerpieces. Matching place settings, cushions and rugs. And ethereal canopies. And balloon art installations.
Head to a public park this weekend, and you might see that the humble picnic has undergone a makeover. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Bay Area, where a new wave of Instagram-savvy entrepreneurs are pushing the limits on just how posh an outdoor meal can be.
The luxury pop-up picnic industry boomed during the pandemic, when people around the world sought ways to gather safely with friends and family for special occasions. Three years in, these businesses are stronger than ever, hosting alfresco showers and romantic celebrations and — team meetings? Turns out growing numbers of corporate clients are searching for new ways to motivate their workers to meet up in person — and a fancy picnic might be just the ticket.
So what is a pop-up picnic? Clients book a date and choose from a menu of themes, locations and add-ons — a charcuterie box, perhaps, lawn games, flowers or special decor. The party planners handle permits and permissions, then deliver and set up everything from the floor cushions to the table settings and boho fringed umbrella — then return to take it down and clean up two hours later. (Rates run the full gamut, but a picnic for two typically runs $150 to $280. That charcuterie board, dessert bar or mimosa is extra.)
We recently spoke with the pros at three Bay Area picnic pop-ups, who shared their experiences — and offered tips on how to throw your own perfect picnic on a budget.
Jocelyn Chin and Coco Chan, Picnic ‘n Chill
Where: San Francisco, Peninsula, San José
A pop-up picnic hosted by Picnic ‘n Chill featured a tent, cushions, floral arrangements, a table and place settings for a couple’s anniversary celebration. (Photo courtesy Picnic ‘n Chill.)
Three years ago, this duo went viral when Chin posted a TikTok video about a day in the life of a professional picnic planner. But Chin and Chan’s first collaboration was simply an effort to cheer up a friend whose overseas wedding had been COVID-canceled. So they threw a picnic in the park to celebrate her.
“People were really looking for new ways to celebrate special moments in their lives,” Chin says. “Everything was closed. There wasn’t much to do besides go to the park or beach or be outdoors.”
They started to post about what they were doing on social media, and after a couple of videos became popular on TikTok, they found their services in high demand.
Three years later, they have expanded their repertoire of events to include weddings, kids birthdays, proposals and even a picnic ‘n’ cruise program, decking out rental boats on the Foster City lagoon with picnic gear and balloon garlands.
They’ve had to learn, adapt and remain resilient as the business has grown and changed, they say. And weather remains one of their biggest challenges. As San Mateo residents, they’ll often encourage their San Francisco-based clients to try out locations farther south, where the weather can be a bit more reliably warm than at, say, Ocean Beach or Golden Gate Park.
Alison Tanzer, Picnic Potential
Where: Sonoma and Marin counties
This picnic arrangement offers blankets, cushions, decorations and place settings at sunset. (Courtesy Photos by Haeli.)
Alison Tanzer actually began her Picnic Potential pop-up company just before the pandemic began with a mission to help people plan get-togethers and date nights. What looked like bad timing when lockdown began turned serendipitous soon after, she says, as people turned to her to help them host outdoor gatherings.
“As regulations loosened, we were able to give people their events back,” Tanzer says.
When parks first reopened, but families weren’t permitted within six feet of each other, she set up a child’s birthday party as a series of five or six outdoor picnics, each spaced seven or eight feet apart. The families could host a kids’ sing-along and celebrate an important milestone together but apart.
Of course, wildfire smoke, rain and fog can derail the best-laid plans – and picnic settings. Tanzer manages the weather challenge by offering backup locations or rescheduling picnics. But even on a bluebird day, there are certain constants: This line of work requires having a large amount of storage available, she says, and “owning more cushions than you ever thought possible.”
As the world reopens, Tanzer has seen a rise in the number of corporate clients booking Marin and Sonoma picnics, looking to plan fun activities to help their workers connect in person. “We’re seeing more companies,” she says, “want to do innovative things with their employees.”
Customers of several luxury picnic services can select a proposal package with decorations for a wedding proposal. (Courtesy Photos by Haeli.)
Creativity, innovation and a sense of surprise are part of the appeal to every type of picnicker, whether it’s friends headed to a winery or brides “wanting to do something different with their bachelorette groups.” Adding an element of surprise — a hot chocolate bar the client wasn’t expecting, for instance, or caramel apples in the cooler months — means the client gets to enjoy the event just as much as the other guests.
Jennifer and Natalie Valentine, The Popup Picnic
Where: Tri-Valley, Central Valley and additional locations by request.
Sisters Natalie and Jennifer Valentine of The Pop Up Picnic arranged a picnic around the theme of “Mexican Gothic,” a novel by author Silvia Moreno-Garcia. (Photo courtesy Jennifer and Natalie Valentine.)
Meanwhile, sisters Jennifer and Natalie Valentine, who do pop-ups across the Bay Area from Dublin to Los Gatos, were inspired by their family background to start their picnic business.
“We’re kind of the go-to people in our family to throw parties,” Natalie says.
Their grandmother taught them to set the table for luncheons and family events when they were kids, and as they grew up, they became their family’s designated party planners, they explained in a recent video call, Fourth of July decorations still glittering in the background.
“Then COVID happened, and we saw that people were just isolated and couldn’t really get together,” Jennifer says. So the two decided to jump into the picnic planning business together, launching a website and building portable picnic tables. It was an instant hit.
Jennifer and Natalie Valentine, who run The Pop Up Picnic in the Tri-Valley area, work together to arrange elegant picnic experiences for their clients. (Courtesy Melanie Sammis.)
“It was so special to us, because we helped celebrate their life events and got to create beautiful, memorable experiences for (clients),” she says. They helped pull off a wedding for a couple, who had had to reschedule their nuptials three times already because of the pandemic.
The sisters, who have day jobs in marketing and recruiting, use their picnic-planning gigs as a way to express their creativity.
“We definitely try not to do cookie-cutter things,” Natalie says.
Customers generally have a sense for what they’re looking for, and the sisters work in tandem to make each picnic special. One customer opted for individualized In-N-Out orders. Another wanted a sushi and Champagne-themed birthday picnic, complete with onsite sushi chef.
“It’s definitely a collaborative approach,” Jennifer says.
As restrictions have lifted, the business is receiving more destination-focused picnic requests – setups in the Santa Cruz Mountains, for instance, as well as “tablescapes” – elaborate food and drink table setups.
“Everyone wants that Instagram-worthy, picturesque dessert table,” Natalie says.
They partner with wineries to offer tasting and picnic combinations and set up picnics in parks and backyards, too, toting in cushions, tables, place settings and all the bells and whistles. And for hot weather, they keep umbrellas, water bottles and fans on hand — to fit various picnic themes, of course.
Natalie and Jennifer Valentine of The Pop Up Picnic work with their clients to set up elaborate picnic “tablescapes” with floral designs and place settings. (Photo courtesy Natalie and Jennifer Valentine.)
Want to plan your own picnic on a budget? Here’s some advice from the pros:
What foods work well for picnics? Aim for finger foods and small bites. Charcuterie boards, crudité, hummus, vegetables, ranch dip and English tea sandwiches are all good candidates. YouTube offers plenty of guidance on how to make a beautiful, but budget-friendly charcuterie board.
Pick up snacks at budget-conscious grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Grocery Outlet. They often have great selections of local cheese and wine in particular, Tanzer says.
To make a flower arrangement on a budget, try your local farmers market or Trader Joe’s.
To spice it up beyond that, bring a small portable table or a portable speaker.
Think about your guests and the seating that will be comfortable for them. Kids and younger people might be more comfortable sitting on pillows or blankets on the ground than your grandma might, so consider when a table and chairs might be more appropriate or comfortable.
Search thrift and vintage stores for low-cost decor items that can add an extra decorative touch to your picnic.
Make a checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Arrive early to scout and stake out a great spot – ideally somewhere in the shade with a scenic view – well before the event.
It doesn’t have to be lavish – location, food and seating are the priorities. (Check out our recent map of great picnic spots.)
In the end, the most important elements of a successful picnic are good food and good company.
Kate Bradshaw is a writer and editor with the Bay Area News Group, where she covers food and features for the Mercury News and East Bay Times. She previously reported on government, education, inequality, the outdoors and food at Embarcadero Media in Palo Alto. Her work has also appeared in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and KneeDeep Times, among other publications. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a BA degree in English.
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