Latest news with #Goodwin
Mercury
20 hours ago
- Health
- Mercury
Smokerlyzers tackling smoking in Tasmanian Aboriginal community
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News. For Sienna Scotney-Barron a reading on a new smokerlyzer was a shock. The 20-year-old, who is studying medical science at university, has been smoking on and off since she was 16. But with the help of Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre alcohol and other drugs co-ordinator Tina Goodwin (Burgess) she hopes to kick the habit. 'The first reading was a reality check,' Ms Scotney-Barron said. 'I want to focus on my health and getting the number down.' Her low green reading of two on the smokerlyzer – a carbon monoxide monitor that provides real-time, visual feedback on smoking's immediate effects – brought a smile to her face on Friday. The TAC is hoping to reduce smoking rates and drive better health outcomes for Aboriginal communities, with the help of the new smokerlyzers at its five health clinics across the state. Ms Goodwin (Burgess), said the technology was a gamechanger. 'Clients are either shocked, excited, intrigued or interested after receiving their smokerlyzer results,' she said. 'They can't wait to see if they can get their reading down at the next opportunity and they want to bring their family and friends in to have a go. 'At TAC, quitting smoking is everyone's business. 'Our team is committed to better outcomes for our people, and the Smokerlyzers have given us a new way to start life-changing conversations.' Ms Goodwin (Burgess) said while the internal effects of smoking are hard to see, putting the numbers on a screen can be a great motivator. 'We're seeing real curiosity, determination and even excitement from clients who want to understand and improve their results,' she said. 'We chose the advanced smokerlyzer model, with the capacity to safely measure carbon monoxide levels in pregnant women, who are an important cohort for us to educate and empower given the low birth weights we see in Aboriginal communities.' The initiative is one of several programs across the state as part of the Tasmanian Council of Social Service's Smoke-Free Communities Project, which aims to decrease nicotine rates among community service organisation clients and staff. TasCOSS CEO, Adrienne Picone, said the TAC's integration of new technology to show the effects of smoking demonstrated the power of taking innovative approaches. 'Community organisations such as the TAC have trusted relationships with the people they serve, making them uniquely positioned to support smoking cessation in ways that governments or clinical services alone can't achieve. 'Tasmania continues to see some of the worst rates of smoking and nicotine use in Australia, but organisations like TAC are doing the heavy lifting to turn this around, leading the way to create smoke free communities by empowering people to take small, practical steps to change addictive habits.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bonkers!': Ginnifer Goodwin Reflects on Once Upon a Time Musical Episode Anniversary — WATCH
When I most unexpectedly reunited with the age-defying Ginnifer Goodwin on the Disney Upfront's blue carpet earlier this month, I had recently gotten a Facebook 'memory' about the Once Upon a Time musical episode, which aired eight years prior (and for which I was on-set, in March 2017). So after talking a bit about her voice acting encore as police rabbit Judy Hopps in Disney's Zootopia 2 (due in theaters Nov. 26!), I had to invite Ginny to reflect on OUAT's 'The Song in Your Heart,' which aired May 7, 2017, saw her duet with husband Josh Dallas' Charming, and teed up that season's two-part finale. More from TVLine As Doctor Odyssey's Fate Hangs in the Balance, Joshua Jackson Thanks John Oliver for Viral Season 2 Renewal Plea The Librarians: The Next Chapter Sneak Peek: Jacob Stone Teaches the New Team a Magic Lesson (Exclusive) General Hospital Recasts Michael: Former Y&R Actor Rory Gibson Replaces Chad Duell 'That's bonkers!' is Goodwin's knee-jerk reaction to the eight-years-ago milestone, as seen in the video below. For one, she had a nine-year-old at her hip (her and Dallas' second-born child, Hugo). Plus, 'I was terrified' about singing on-camera, she admits. 'It was a big deal for me to not go running.' We then give props to Dallas' own pipes, which were put to good use in the musical episode's opening number, 'Powerful Magic.' For 'The Song in Your Heart,' OUAT creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis enlisted songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner to hash out the grand plan, which led to seven original tunes being penned: 'Powerful Magic,' 'Love Doesn't Stand a Chance' (led by Lana Parrilla), 'Revenge Is Gonna Be Mine' (led by Colin O'Donoghue), 'Wicked Always Wins' (Rebecca Mader), 'Charmings vs. Evil Queen' (Goodwin, Dallas and Parrilla), 'Emma's Theme' (Jennifer Morrison), and the #CaptainSwan wedding song 'A Happy Beginning' (ft. Morrison, O'Donoghue, Goodwin, Dallas, Parrilla, Mader and kinda-sorta Jared Gilmore). 'I said that in theory I was keen' on doing a musical episode, Goodwin told me on-set back in 2017, 'but the truth is when it became a reality I grew terrified, and asked if I could be a doo-wop girl in the background. Jazz hands and all!' TV's 20 Best Musical Episodes, Ranked (Plus the One Absolute Worst) View List Best of TVLine Yellowjackets' Tawny Cypress Talks Episode 4's Tai/Van Reunion: 'We're All Worried About Taissa' Vampire Diaries Turns 10: How Real-Life Plot Twists Shaped Everything From the Love Triangle to the Final Death Vampire Diaries' Biggest Twists Revisited (and Explained)
Fox News
2 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Youth baseball gets MLB technology upgrade as Perfect Game partners with PitchCom
Print Close By Ryan Canfield Published May 29, 2025 PitchCom was introduced to MLB at the beginning of the 2022 season, and the communication system has quickly become prominent in the baseball world, overhauling pitcher-catcher communication. Perfect Game, a youth baseball company that promotes baseball by hosting high-quality amateur events and providing exposure for players to play at higher levels, is the first organization of its kind to partner with PitchCom, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Thursday. PitchCom emerged after the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal during their World Series run in 2017 rocked the baseball world. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON John Hankins, co-investor and co-owner of PitchCom, saw that MLB had a need for a communication device that could prevent sign stealing. The challenge was the device couldn't be vocal, and MLB officials didn't want players to wear a communication device on their bodies. Hankins came up with PitchCom, which allows a catcher to press a button on a transmitter to call pitches. The transmitter sends prerecorded audio clips to the receivers, who in turn will hear the pitch call and defensive signals. The pitcher and fielders wear the receiver in their hats and can hear what the catcher inputs, allowing for clear and secure communication safe from being stolen, unlike traditional catcher signs. When Major League Baseball first heard of it, it loved the idea. TIGERS' TARIK SKUBAL PITCHES INCREDIBLE GAME IN WIN OVER GUARDIANS: 'SKY IS THE LIMIT' "(We had) a meeting before a playoff game. The immediate response was this solves all of our problems," Hankins told Fox News Digital. "That was nice, and we left the meeting feeling pretty good. But, within about an hour, we got another phone call that said, 'Can you meet with 20 of our executives on Zoom tomorrow. That was a positive sign." After that meeting, Major League Baseball became PitchCom's first client. Jered Goodwin, the vice president of scouting operations at Perfect Game, trains with MLB players during the offseason. Goodwin told Fox News Digital the players had "a ton of positive feedback" about PitchCom. "I can tell you from a guy that gets to coach some pitchers during the offseason, they love being on a level playing field," Goodwin said. "They're throwing a pitch without anybody on the field being able to know what's coming (prior to PitchCom), and there's been open conversations about that. There hasn't been a lot of negative feedback. You get some transmitters you got to replace, but it takes a really short amount of time. And I think really everybody in baseball, players to owners and especially fans, have loved the pace of play and the shorter games." "Obviously, some other rules were put into effect as well, but the direct communication in the short amount of time it takes has definitely been a ton of positive feedback." ROCKIES FAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST MLB TEAM, CLAIMS TO HAVE SUFFERED INJURIES DUE TO CLUB'S LACKLUSTER OUTPUT Goodwin said he first thought of trying to bring PitchCom to Perfect Game when MLB began using it. He called it an "easy decision" to bring PitchCom into youth baseball and to form a partnership. "I knew very early on that this was going to be something that was going to stick, so as it's grown into major college baseball, to MLB, it's great that we got to have a direct path for our players and our coaches to be able to learn operationally, intensely during a game. Anything like that of what they are going to use directly at the next level. So, it really was on the agenda as soon as it could be scaled," Goodwin said. Jon Updike, vice president of customer relations at PitchCom, said the device offers youth players benefits beyond just pitcher-catcher communication. "It's just not calling the pitches," Updike said. "It's the ability to send in maybe technical cues, but even more so than that, 'Hey, great job' or 'You're going to get them next time.' "You are able to send in some psychological messages to them as well that will help either uplift them or snap them into place, which is a lot easier when it's being whispered to an 8-year-old or a 12-year-old or 14-year-old's ear than being yelled across the field." Goodwin said the introduction of PitchCom into Perfect Game will allow for more development among kids. "Being able to talk through, especially with direct communication, being able to talk directly about why you called a pitch, how you were calling a pitch, being able to go over what those different reasons were, because you've got just an extra second to be able to do it. When you can speed up the game but also slow down the process, some real development of the 'why?' can happen," Goodwin said. SHOHEI OHTANI'S FIRST TIME PITCHING TO HITTERS AS A DODGER IS A SUCCESS: 'HE'S A TOP-END STARTER' "I think you are going to see some things come out directly related to PitchCom helping with development. Whether it's pitch calling, whether it's the speed of the game, whether it's location that (is) really going to help the youth be able to understand how they are trying to attack, why they are trying to attack, why this in that situation or that pitch in this situation and that's one of the things that nobody is really dove into yet. "But at Perfect Game we are constantly trying to find different ways to develop, and I think this is going to be a real asset to young ballplayers." Not only does Goodwin believe PitchCom will help players' development. It should also change the way coaches teach and communicate in games. "It speeds up the time, but it also slows down what's going on. Reaffirm some of the things that you might have gone over in practice. So, I think it's such a huge advantage when these young athletes are going to be able to have that sense of pace, but also a sense of communication and development at a younger age," Goodwin said. Updike said the introduction of PitchCom at the youth baseball level will make for cleaner games because of the enhanced communication the device allows. "I see it has an opportunity to reduce pitches, which will directly, in turn, have a chance of reducing over usage and injury," Updike said. "Just from having better information or paying attention to it. And then, on top of that, it makes it a cleaner baseball game. Less wild pitches, less cross-ups and more quality executed pitches." The voice that comes through the transmitter is an AI-generated voice, but Updike said the voice can be "anybody's voice." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "It's a simple, easy, clean process. And then what we found is that some of our colleges and some of our major league clubs would run the tracks through an AI voice generator to create something else. Whether it was a star or a famous voice and then put it on, sometimes even recording other players, it's kind of like your limitation is your imagination with it," Updike said. Updike said he heard one pitcher in college baseball customize the voice to be his favorite musician. "I won't give up the secret sauce for a few clubs, but like we have a college, a really good NCAA team, their Friday night guy is a real good pitcher, and he's got a musician that he loves, or a rapper, and it's that rappers' voice every time they call a pitch. So, it's unique to see how creative everybody's been with the product," Updike said. Goodwin said he heard a story about how a coach programmed the voice to be a player's mother's voice, and that it provided good results for the player. "The guy had a really close relationship with his mom, and the coaches wanted to see if that in turn would kind of be a calming presence. So I thought that was pretty cool, pretty interesting. Obviously, a lot going on with sports psychology now and things like that. So, I think there are a lot of things that you can do here even from voice recognition to maybe help kids, and maybe not," Goodwin said. "I do know that in the early stages of this the kid actually did very well when it happened." The PitchCom's will be given out to Perfect Game in August, and coaches and players will be able to use them for the All-American Classic and PG Select Festivals. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Print Close URL
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Federal judge issues $20M verdict against Syria for torture of US citizen taken captive in 2019
A Washington, D.C.-based law firm secured a judgment of more than $20 million against the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of Sam Goodwin, a St. Louis native held captive in the country's notorious prison system for 63 days while on a trip to visit every country in the world. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly awarded Goodwin $20,201,620 in damages, about $10 million each in compensatory and punitive damages, in response to a lawsuit filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's "state sponsor of terrorism" exception. Roughly half of the judgment is payable through the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which is financed by sanctions proceeds and other penalties. Depending on the amount of money in the fund, Goodwin could get a certain percentage of compensatory damages over several years. Family Of American Hostage Tortured In Lebanon Wins Landmark Case Against Iran "Nations that violate international human rights standards must face consequences, and courageous survivors like Sam help ensure the world does not ignore the atrocities perpetrated by the Assad regime," said Kirby Behre, a member of Miller & Chevalier's litigation department and lead counsel for Goodwin. "While nothing can completely compensate for Sam's suffering, this represents yet another powerful step forward in the broader effort to confront those responsible for such grave injustices." Read On The Fox News App Goodwin entered war-torn Syria from Iraq in 2019 as part of a years-long quest to visit every country in the world. He stayed in Qamishli, a city on the Turkey-Syria border, which he believed was under the control of the U.S.-backed Kurds. Syria's Liberated Political Prisons Reveal Grim Reality Of Bashar Assad's Regime Of Torture The former Division I collegiate hockey player was detained by men in military uniforms at a roundabout not far from his hotel while on FaceTime with his mother, Ann. "I was taken into the basement of a facility that I now know is called Syria's Military Intelligence [Branch] number 215, a facility notoriously known for housing political prisoners, and I was held here in solitary confinement for 27 days," Goodwin told Fox News Digital last year ahead of the release of his book, "Saving Sam: The True Story of an American's Disappearance in Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home." "The only human interaction I had was for a few seconds in the morning and evening when the guards who brought bread and boiled potatoes and water." His lawyers said he was tortured at Branch 215 by the now-ousted regime of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and subjected to prolonged interrogation. At one point, Goodwin's interrogator threatened to hand him over to ISIS after he refused to admit to accusations of being a spy. Us Diplomats In Damascus For First Time In More Than 10 Years Following Fall Of Assad Regime His release was secured by General Abbas Ibrahim, then Lebanon's top security official, who was put in contact with the family by Joseph Abbas, the uncle of Goodwin's sister's friend and former college roommate. His family worked tirelessly to bring him home, collaborating with the FBI, CIA, State Department, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Vatican envoys, Middle East experts and others. "This judgment is about far more than what happened to me. It's a stand for anyone who has suffered human rights abuses around the world. I hope it gives other victims the courage to speak up and, above all, serves as a warning that such crimes will not be tolerated or forgotten," Goodwin told Fox News Digital in a statement. Miller & Chevalier has secured other judgments against the Syrian Arab Republic, including one for approximately $50 million in 2023 for Kevin Dawes, another American citizen who was illegally arrested, imprisoned and tortured in Syria. In July, it filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of Dr. Majd Kamalmaz, a psychotherapist and humanitarian who was detained at a government checkpoint in Damascus, Syria, in 2017, accusing the Syrian Arab Republic of abducting, torturing and killing article source: Federal judge issues $20M verdict against Syria for torture of US citizen taken captive in 2019
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Master of his craft': New trend sweeping AFL
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin lauded superstar skipper Max Gawn as a 'master of his craft' and, as one of the AFL's best players at age 33, said the shift was on towards helping the aged elite play for as long as possible. As 36-year-old Brisbane Lions gun Dayne Zorko prepares to rack up a 50th consecutive match against Essendon at the Gabba on Thursday night, Collingwood recalled 37-year-old Scott Pendlebury and 34-year-old Steele Sidebottom for a blockbuster Friday clash with Hawthorn. The importance of all three veteran stars to their premiership-contending teams cannot be understated and the remarkable form of ruckman Gawn has helped propel the Demons to six straight wins and put them back in finals contention. Scott Pendlebury is still killing it for the Magpies. Michael Klein Credit: News Corp Australia As a raft of older players were taken by clubs in Wednesday night's mid-season rookie draft, Goodwin said the old adage that players would be on the decline after they turned 30 was no longer relevant. He pointed to 33-year-old Jake Melksham as another veteran Demon who was getting better 'the older he gets' and said the reliability of older players was becoming more than just an asset but a weapon. 'I think you have already seen that shift taking place. Clearly, players are playing for a little bit longer,' Goodwin said. 'Back in the day when you got to 30 you were starting to think about the end of your career and clubs were similar in terms of how they looked at players. 'Right now it comes down to an individualised thing and you are seeing right across the competition … a whole range of different guys who are mid 30 and playing exceptional footy and clubs are taking note of that. 'Jake Melksham for us, he seems to be getting better the old he gets and that experience, you just can't buy.' Gawn is on track for what would an eighth all-Australian blazer. At the MCG last Sunday, he destroyed former protege Brody Grundy in a huge Demons win over Sydney and Goodwin couldn't sing his captain's praises any higher. 'What you are seeing is someone who is the master of his craft,' he said. 'He has worked for 13 years on being a great ruckman and has really focused on what that looks like, both from a ruck perspective but also from an aerial perspective. What we are seeing is a guy who is incredibly professional. 'He looks after himself incredibly well and is playing to a really high level.'
