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Drake released a new song entitled “Laugh Now Cry Later” ft. Lil Durk, which is now available on iTunes and Google Play. The music video was directed by Dave Meyers and shot at the Nike World Headquarters along with Lil Durk, Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr., and Marshawn Lynch as special guests. By Republic Media Records

Available for a few days only, Nordstrom is celebrating their anniversary by offering fantastic discounts on selected items. Check out what's new below! Nordstrom Anniversary Sale The one-of-a-kind Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will take place from August 19 – August 30 this year. Anniversary Sale features brand new arrivals on sale for a limited time. Expect more than 10,000 items for men, women and kids in every category – including apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty, active and home. Click to view larger image > Pop-In@Nordstrom New Beauty Centered on self-expression, self-care, saturated colors and subtle glow, Pop-In@Nordstrom New Beauty features the best of what’s next. From sustainable skin care and CBD to supplements, tools and major makeup moments, the future is looking very bright! We’re proud to share that 33 out of the 78 brands available at Pop-In@Nordstrom New Beauty are founded by people of color. Additionally, the majority of brands featured in the shop are female founded. Available in select Nordstrom stores and online at Nordstrom.com/pop. Click to view larger image > The Good+ Foundation During the month of July, Nordstrom donated more than 70,000 men’s dress shirts to the Good+ Foundation. The Good+ Foundation is a leading national nonprofit that works to dismantle multi-generational poverty by pairing tangible goods with innovative services for low-income fathers, mothers and caregivers, creating an upward trajectory for the whole family. These shirts will directly support the foundation’s expanded programming in support of fathers. Stronger fathers build stronger, more resilient families, which are the backbone of thriving communities. The more is invested in fathers, the great impact we see on children and families as a whole. Rachel Parcell Worldwide famous blogger and designer Rachel Parcell is launching a new collection as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, featuring easy-to-style dresses and skirts that you can throw on with sneakers, sandals or boots in the fall, along with sweaters, accessories and effortlessly-chic home décor. All cardmembers can shop Rachel Parcell on Early Access starting August 13— or even earlier depending on Nordy Club status. Anniversary Sale is open to everyone August 19–30, until prices go up on August 31. Click to view larger image > Zoom into the School Year This school season will look a lot different this year, but Nordstorm is excited to offer everything students need to get back to the “classroom” in style with brands like Treasure & Bond, Zella, Boden, Patagonia and more. They have rounded up their favorites for kids and teens, including trend-forward apparel, shoes, backpacks and masks. Click to view larger image > Courtesy of Nordstrom

The next time you are in London be sure to stop by Carnaby Street and check out Rolling Stones' world-first flagship store. The rock 'n' roll legends will open 'RS No. 9 Carnaby' at 9 Carnaby Street in London's Soho. The new store, created in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group's merchandise and brand management company, will feature all the hallmarks of the iconic band and include exclusive new fashion and merchandise under the 'RS No. 9 Carnaby' brand available in-store and online beginning September 9th, 2020. The Rolling Stones said, "Soho has always encapsulated Rock 'n' Roll so Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for our own store. We are confident this exciting project that our friends at Bravado have created will be an unrivaled experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy." The collections include exclusive and contemporary collaboration pieces for fans of all ages, including men's, women's and children's fashion and accessories. A special glassware has been developed with Baccarat engraved with the Rolling Stones tongue. The store will feature chairs and scarves from The Soloist, and raincoats and hats from premium Swedish raincoat brand Stutterheim. The store will also introduce 'Stones Red,' the official colour from Pantone which is established from the first use of the band's iconic logo. A collection celebrating the Rolling Stones official Pantone colour along with exclusive limited-edition vinyl will also launch with the store. The band's continuing album and single releases will be at the heart of the shop's pulse and Bowers & Wilkins speakers will play tracks from the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world including the upcoming release of the remastered Goats Head Soup album and Scarlet single. You can't always get what you want, but you'll definitely be able to get what you need. Jointly curated by the Rolling Stones and Bravado, the shop fit follows the brand colours of red and black and the glass floor features lyrics, while the fitting rooms are adorned with iconic album artwork. Mat Vlasic, CEO, Bravado said, "With this innovative partnership, the Rolling Stones add yet another cultural touchpoint to their rich legacy. RS No. 9 Carnaby is the result of years of planning and decades of building one of the world's most recognized brands. It creates a destination where fans can connect and immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world's most iconic and beloved bands." For those in the know, the store's window features a world first soundwave installation - taken from the opening to the 1966 hit track 'Paint It Black'. One thing is for sure, when this shop opens on 9 September, fans of the band will want to be there. Image courtesy of Bravado

Eau Palm Beach resort is offering a special deal which is available through September 30. The special promotion titled “Press Play” offers the following summer perks: “At Your Service Cocktail Cart”: In keeping with Eau’s commitment to world-class service, the resort introduced the “At Your Service Cocktail Butler”; guests are able to call the front desk and have a  cocktail cart sent right their door while an Eau Cocktail Butler prepares their cocktail of choice! Custom-Stocked Minibars: Upon request, Eau Palm Beach will curate the in-room experience with custom-stocked minibars with a variety of snacks and beverages available for pre-order. Custom minibar packages include Eau Palm Beach’s Growler selection of 100% local craft beers brewed within a 10-mile radius of the resort. Champagne Butler: Guests can enjoy spontaneous toasts at the adults-only Tranquility Pool, courtesy of the resort’s champagne butler. Brunch is NOT Canceled: In lieu of a traditional buffet, brunch devotees can now take part in an à la carte Sunday brunch service with live music by guitarist and composer Alturo Romay. Did someone say Spa?: Eau Spa, a destination within itself, has devised the ultimate self-care sanctuary and is safely and dutifully welcoming back travelers seeking rejuvenation. Guests can play in paradise with the new Garden of Eden treatment that’s filled with the scents, smells and surroundings of original temptation and the power of nature. The treatment includes a decadent foot-to-scalp massage and a bath soak in a private garden, complete with Arctic berries and melted botanical cream. Treatments range from $479 per couple for 90 minutes, or $695 for 120 minutes. Don’t Forget the Kiddos: This summer and as we near the start of the digital school year, parents who have had to rethink their summer camp plans or just need a serious change of scenery, can take a beat and enjoy complimentary access to AquaNuts and Coast children and teen clubs. Families can also take advantage of the newly minted “Coastal Kids” food & beverage program offering children aged five to 12 all daily meals and unlimited juices, milk and soda throughout their stay, for just $30 per day. Click to view larger image > Images courtesy of Eau Palm Beach

When we started this collection in February, the world was very different than it is today. We soon realized that our work needed to reflect the new ways we now live our lives. But the more we considered change, the more we came to understand that our mission remains constant: to help our customers lead their lives with confidence by feeling beautiful. We believe that this collection strikes the right balance between change and consistency. One of the constants of nature is the promise of rebirth in the spring. This joyful sense of anticipation and optimism is the inspiration behind the Pre-Spring 2021 collection, rich with fresh-from-the-garden hues that express and define Oscar de la Renta. Saturated, bold shades grace solids and stripes, tweeds and florals. Palettes bring to mind vibrant bursts of crimson flowers, evergreen landscapes and the soft blue of a morning sky. Cutouts, appliqués, and hand-painting add a playfulness to complement the classic elegance that is Oscar’s signature. It is a collection that reflects a brightness of spirit and a belief that, no matter what, beauty surrounds us. Words by Laura Kim & Fernando Garcia. Click to view larger image > Images courtesy of Oscar De La Renta

Since the beginning of time, Miami, Florida has been one of the main epicenters of mother nature's most intense tropical storms, hurricanes. Due to the city's location being off the coast of Florida, it finds itself in the path of these intense and very often destructive storms. Starting in June and ending in November, the Atlantic hurricane season poses threats to Florida's coastline due to the waters in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico being warm enough to produce tropical waves. To help you understand how hurricanes are born, how they work and its impact in our coastal cities, Miami Living brings this special report. how are hurricanes measured? To gain an understanding of hurricanes, a wind scale was developed specifically to measure wind speeds and the strength of storms. The scale named Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale was developed in 1971 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, who at the time was director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center. In fact, the scale came about when a devastating hurricane hit Robert Simpson's hometown when he was just a young boy. Later on in life, Simpson used his traumatic experience as inspiration to become a meteorologist and the director of the National Hurricane Center. His scale was introduced to the general public in 1973 and saw widespread use after Neil Frank replaced Simpson at the helm of the NHC in 1974. Once winds are at 74mph or higher, it is classified as a hurricane. Below highlights the damage that can occur from each category of a hurricane: Category 1: Will produce some damage Category 2: Substantial damage Category 3: Devastating damage will occur Category 4: Catastrophic damage, trees uprooted & snapped, homes at high risk, power poles down Category 5: Catastrophic damage (including but not limited to Category 4 wreckage), destruction to coastlines, infrastructures collapsed Hurricane History Miami's hurricane history is quite extensive, leaving the city with mass devastation at their hands. Here is an overview of the cities past hurricanes that have hit harder than expected. Great Miami Hurricane, 1926 Category 4 Record-breaking winds were recorded as the storm's eye passed over downtown Miami and parts of Coconut Grove and South Miami. Resulting in water from the Atlantic extending across Miami Beach and Biscayne Bay for several blocks. The Red Cross reported that 372 persons died and more than 6,000 injured. Damages were around $105 million, equivalent to $1.5 billion in damages today. San Felipe Okeechobee Hurricane, 1928 Category 5 The deadliest hurricane to strike Florida. Killing 2,500+ civilians. Lake Okeechobee overflows resulting in mass flooding. Causing $100 million in damages, equivalent to $1.48 billion in damages today. Classified as catastrophic damage. Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane 1935 Category 5 Making history, the Labor Day hurricane is the most intense landfalling hurricane a category 5. Taking the lives of many veterans who were camped on Key West island for a government project. The derailed train pictured below was on the way to save the veterans but never made it. Formally known as Hurricane Three, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record in terms of pressure and tied with Hurricane Dorian in 2019 for the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane by maximum sustained winds, with winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) causing $100 million in damages, equivalent to $1.48 billion in damages today. Hurricane Dona 1960 Category 4 Intense winds hit the coast while creating a storm surge large enough to create major devastation. Heavy rainfall was reported in the Miami Dade area with 7 to 10 inches of rain. Tides in Miami Beach ranged from 2 to 4 feet above normal not being the main factor of the devastation in the area. Dona reached maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) on September 4, killed 439 people, and caused $980 million in damages ($1.4 billion in 2020). Hurricane Andrew 1992 Category 5 Known to be one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever pass through South Florida, Hurricane Andrew developed off the coast of Africa as a tropical storm. In just a few days, Andrew was headed towards Homestead, Florida where it later made landfall on August 1992. With 1-minute sustained wind speeds as high as 165 mph (266 km/h), the destructive Andrew passed directly through the city of Homestead in Dade County causing extreme devastation. It destroyed more than 63,500 houses, damaged more than 124,000 other structures, caused $27.3 billion in damage, and left 65 people dead. Thousands were left homeless, businesses were destroyed and many fled the area as the hurricane strikes. Hurricane Wilma 2005 Category 3 On its way to South Florida, Hurricane Wilma strengthened leaving buildings crumbled, windows shattered, and universal power outages in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. Wilma's strength stopped water services to many, forced hospitals to evacuate, and took the lives of 25 people. Damage totaled to $22.4 billion was reported, most of which occurred not only in South Florida but also in Texas and other neighboring states. Words by Brooke Klaiman, thebrookealexa.com. Images courtesy of Hurricane National Center

The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCA) will host a virtual program as part of its “Conversations at MOCA” series. In conjunction with Carl Juste’s current public artwork on MOCA plaza, on Aug. 20 at 7:00 p.m., art historian and curator Elizabeth Shannon will present “Two Voices, One Vision: When Writers and Photographers Collaborate.” The virtual event is free and open to the public via the Zoom Video Conferencing Platform. During the event, Shannon will explore a variety of collaborations between photographers and writers. Looking at a wide selection of photographic artworks where image and text combine to create new meanings, she will discuss photobooks including James Agee and Walker Evans’ Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941), Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes’ The Sweet Flypaper of Life (1955), Richard Avedon and James Baldwin’s Nothing Personal (1964), among others. Shannon is a curator, writer and academic based in Miami, Florida. She has worked with the collection at the International Center of Photography in New York and held curatorial positions at Dundee Contemporary Arts in Scotland, Locust Projects and Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, and was a Knight Curatorial Fellow at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach. Educated in the United Kingdom, Shannon holds a PhD in the History of Photography from the University of St Andrews and an MA in History of Art and English Literature from the University of Glasgow. She has taught at the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom and the University of Miami, Florida International University and New World School of the Arts in the United States. The virtual event is free and open to the public via the Zoom video conferencing platform. To reserve a spot, please visit https://conversationsatmoca.eventbrite.com​. By ML Staff

Interracial marriage has been legal throughout the United States since June 12, 1967 when the United States Supreme Court made its landmark ruling in the well documented case of Loving v. Virginia. A rural working-class couple, Richard and Mildred Loving, with the help of attorneys with American Civil Liberties Union petitioned the land's highest court arguing that the criminalization of interracial marriage was unconstitutional. It must be noted that millions of loving couples today are afforded the right to marry someone of another race because of the steadfast loyalty of Richard Loving towards his African American wife Mildred, and because of the two Jewish Caucasian attorneys, Bernard S. Cohen and Philip J. Hirschkop, who fought on the Lovings' behalf to legalize interracial marriage. In other words, hard battles for equality and civil rights cannot be won by a minority population without the alliance of those in power (namely, the majority). Although interracial marriage became legal throughout the United States in 1967, mixed-race couplings, particularly between Black Americans and Caucasian Americans remained socially and societally marginalized in both action and opinion for decades thereafter. In the 1950s only 5% of the American population was in support of interracial marriage and 3% of marriages in the United States were interracial according to the Pew Research Center. Fast forward to the first decade of the 21st century, and that approval rating jumped to 80%. By 2017, according to the same research, 17% of Americans identified as being in interracial relationships, which does not count non-married domestic partnerships and dating relationships. Anecdotally, according to the trends, in 2020 we are looking at more than 1 million interracial relationships and marriages in the United States. According to the dating website, InterracialDatingCentral.com, the site's membership has grown by 300% since their original launch into the online dating landscape back in 2004, demonstrating a sharp rise in interest and pursuance over a sixteen-year period. The dating site also reports a Facebook community that has grown to 1.8 million followers and close to 40% daily engagement on their posts. Many of their community's Facebook posts consist of interracial couples and families sharing their successful love stories with the Facebook.com/InterracialDatingCentral community. As interracial couplings comprised of Caucasian and Black Americans and their children continue to grow exponentially across the U.S., we are presented with a unique moment in history and an opportunity for more people outside of the black community to have skin in the game, so to speak. In other words, there are more non-black Americans vested in the rights, safety and financial opportunities of Black Americans because a considerable percentage are dating and married to Black Americans, have mixed-race children or a good friend or family member who is black. An article on MedicalExpress.com shares a University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) study that finds, "The more time we spend with people from another nationality the more empathy we have for them." We can assume that the same findings would apply to racial differences. In the 2012 bestselling book, The Tanning of America: How Hip Hop Created a Culture That Re-Wrote The Rules of the New Economy, author Steve Stoute studies how our economy shifted to accommodate what Stoute describes as a new generation of consumers who are all the same mental complexion, with an entire generation leaning in to the influences of hip hop and urban culture. Interestingly, Black men are more likely to intermarry than black women, creating a societal dynamic where non-black women in these interracial relationships and marriages share a vested interest in the fight for equal treatment by police, equal treatment economically and politically for black Americans. As these women have children, their emotional investment in black American rights and safety continues to grow as does that of their extended family. It has been said that for a minority group to win the rights they deserve other groups of people must be in the fight with them. Women did not win the right to vote without the support of a vested population of men. The LGBTQ+ community did not win the right to marry without the support of vested heterosexual Americans. Black Americans will not win the fight for equal access to financial capital, additional educational and job opportunities, and safety under the law without the continued vested interest of non-black Americans. The explosive growth of interracial couplings, marriages, and families over the last 20 years has resulted in a default mechanism of non-black support for these human rights issues. A 2017 New York Times article, titled, "The Role of Men and New York State in Women's Suffrage" cites that it was after the mother of Harry T. Burn, a 23-year-old Tennessee legislator, persuaded him to cast the deciding vote for suffrage, that the 19th amendment was passed allowing women the right to vote in 1917. The article goes on to state, "By 1916, even President Woodrow Wilson had been persuaded by his daughters to support suffrage. 'A cause which could enlist the enthusiastic, devoted, idealistic support of such ladies must be wholesome,' he said." In the fight for gay marriage rights, another Pew Research Center compilation of surveyed information from 2013 states, "The rise in support for same-sex marriage over the past decade is among the largest changes in opinion on any policy issue over this time period. A new national survey finds that much of the shift is attributable to the arrival of a large cohort of young adults – the Millennial generation – who are far more open to gay rights than previous generations." The Pew article illustrates a graph showing 70% of Millennials supported gay marriage leading up to its legalization in On June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, legalized it in all fifty states, and required states to honor out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges." In much the same way, Black Americans with white partners are likely influencing a wave of familiarity, empathy, compassion and decisive action on the part of many white Americans who were, in previous generations, not against the fight for racial justice, but perhaps, more apathetic towards fight, prior to more non-black Americans living with and loving their black partner and their partner's family and parenting black and mixed-race children. By Allison Kugel

Ashley Sebera, aka WWE Diva Dana Brooke, is adjusting to the new normal. Used to performing for a crowd of thousands of screaming fans, at the moment, the 31-yearold is filming Friday Night SmackDown in an empty Amway Center in Orlando, Florida in order to promote safety amidst the global pandemic. “You go from a crowded arena to hearing crickets. But I think about who is on the other side of the TV, the kids who are out of school, who are going through a tough time…” says Ashley. You can imagine how different her environment must be. Fans drive the wrestling industry. Each performance is different because the crowd is different. There are plans to introduce a virtual audience to the atmosphere to at least give fans and performers the opportunity to see and connect with each other again. Ashley became a member of the wrestling universe, and was assigned to WWE Performance Center and NXT in Orlando July of 2013. The organization gave her the ring name, Dana Brooke --and it fit. “Some are able to stick with their real name, some of us get a few different ones to choose from. It’s so crazy how life works. My parents wanted to name me Brooke. It was a beautiful thing. I was also very close to an ultimate warrior’s wife, Dana. She was so strong. She had lost her husband a year after I lost my ex, Dallas. I’ve grown into that name. The meaning is inspiring and strong,” says the Ohio native. Ashley made her first televised in-ring debut on the April 15, 2015 episode of NXT, defeating Blue Pants. On October 16, 2019, she signed a five-year contract with SmackDown. The opportunity made her feel “super blessed and fortunate. I’ve been with the company for quite some time. I’m so happy.” Ashley has always been an extremely good athlete, but she never thought that being a wrestler was a possibility. For 18 years, she did gymnastics before facing severe ankle injuries that would make her rethink her journey altogether. “I always think of life like a puzzle --every piece connects in some way to your journey. Gymnastics was all I knew. My family was super supportive and I’d always thought about being in the Olympics. When injuries stopped my career, my dream was pulled out from under me. I didn’t know what to do next.” Next, Ashley competed, and dominated, as a diver. Her accomplishments include school champ, district champ, and a state qualifier. “It was cold. I didn’t want to get my hair wet, but I tried it and I discovered it wasn’t my thing. People are afraid of failure. Trying and not being your thing is completely okay. It’s about taking those mistakes and learning from them. I like to say must-takes, not mistakes.” The Kent State University graduate went on to compete as a professional bodybuilder and found lots of success in this arena. During her body building journey, she met and began dating fellow bodybuilder, Dallas McCarver. His untimely death in 2017 turned her world upside down. The 3-year anniversary of his passing was a few months ago. “Wrestling has saved my life. Going through that experience, wrestling was there for me. It gave me a reason to live my life.” During a trip to the Arnold Classic in Spain, Ashley met a very special recruiter that changed the trajectory of her entire career. “I was competing and a recruiter from WWE came. I couldn’t believe it. My family watched wrestling while I was growing up. My dad and I would always wrestle. So they asked me to come down to Tampa, Florida and try it out. The moment I was in the ring, I fell in love. To experience the outreach that WWE has, how hands-on they are with children, Special Olympics, community programs such as UNICEF, and more, I’m so grateful. Never give up on your dreams.” Ashley started The Dallas McCarver Foundation, a non-profit organization, in honor of Dallas to raise money for underprivileged children. “He was a big kid at heart; I always called him a kid. He grew up with a rough upbringing and childhood, so I partnered with Dallas’ family, his mom Penny, to help others. We make donations to St. Jude. It’s amazing to see children’s eyes light up when they get a new toy or a new book to read. It’s really painful to lose a loved one. He would want us to do this. It feels right.” Ashley and her boyfriend Uly Diaz also give back to the Miami community. Uly founded 305 Gives Back, a non-profit organization that is responsible for feeding the homeless. “Uly is such a strong motivator and supporter. He has a very strong local following in Miami, so we love giving back by speaking with children through anti-bullying campaigns. We’ve experienced similar situations as them, so we want to impact children as much as we can. To us, giving back is receiving.” The two are also heavily involved with the Boys and Girls Club of America, and Ashley is currently developing a Women’s Empowerment group, focused on pulling together women to be able to connect and share similar interests with each other. After a night filming at Amway, Ashley makes the three-and-a-half-hour drive back to her home in Miami. “The last eight years I’ve been traveling from city to city, 4-5 days a week on the road. Being able to be home has been a blessing. I’m spending time with my boyfriend and his kids. I have a kitchen and I’m living out of a closet. It’s a good reset,” says Ashley. For now, while she has some time to spend in Miami, she’s been enjoying some of the things she likes to do, like, working out. “It’s funny, but working out helps me disconnect. And Uly has opened up a whole new training method to me. We have everything in our backyard. Learning something new is refreshing to me. It’s something new for my brain to comprehend.” Additionally, Ashley’s partnership with Denison Yachting has allowed her to go boating a lot more these days. “I’m taking in these moments… I recently got a dog and I’ve been taking him too.” Though most restaurants are operating on a delivery-only basis or at half capacity, there are a few Miami staples Ashley has been enjoying, including Seaspice and Grails in Wynwood, which has “great food and great hospitality! I love to watch UFC fights there and they always provide a private spot for us to watch them.” In the ring, Ashley is consistently reinventing herself, leveraging strength-based gymnastics moves, including roundoffs in the ring, front flips off of the top rope, and bodybuilding maneuvers like front squats and sit out powerbombs. For the next few years, wrestling will continue to play a major role in her life. “Life is weird these days. I’m always focused on small-term goals that lean into longer-term, bigger-picture goals. Eventually, I’d love to write a book and go into acting and movies. One day, when our time frees up, we also want to travel to multiple cities and continue to give back.” She is also working on herself and self-love. “In today’s society, you’re worried about what people think and what people are saying. I’ve been focused on just me and self-love, which has made me such a stronger person. Me being happy rubs off on people. When you’re out in public, you impact people. That’s what I want to do.” Ashley admits that she too has insecurities. “Definitely my freckles --rarely do I ever show them. Recently, I did a photoshoot, natural hair and just embraced it, showed the world. From that point, I’ve tried to wear less makeup. I’m embracing self-love, that’s what I want the world to see.” As Dana Brooke, Ashley inspires millions, including children who she relates to on a personal level, women who are following their dreams, and those in her local community of Miami. “I want to see the world and empower women to follow their dreams and goals.” Keep up with Ashley on Instagram @ashasebera_danabrooke and watch SmackDown on Fridays at 8 pm. Words by Briana Dodson • Photo Credit: Christopher Patey

Taylor Swift has made history yet again. As her 5 star album folklore debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 this week with over 846k equivalent albums making her the only artist in history to have 7 albums sell half a million copies of a studio album in a week. This marks Taylor’s seventh consecutive #1 entry on the Top 200 and 6th consecutive studio album with over 800,000 albums in the first week folklore stands out as the top selling album of 2020 with global sales over 2 million worldwide and over half a billion total streams on audio and video in just one week. What’s even more impressive, it is the biggest album debut by an artist since Taylor Swift last released her award-winning album, Lover, just 11 months ago! Additional stats on the release of folklore below: USA #1 Billboard 200 debut with over 846,000 albums first week #1 Billboard Alternative Album Biggest first week album of 2020 and since Lover in 2019 Biggest female album streaming debut of 2020 with over 300M audio+video streams Biggest first week album streams of Taylor’s career Taylor’s 6th consecutive album with over 800,000 copies in the first week Only artist in history with 7 albums to sell at least 500,000 copies in a single week Debuted Top 16 songs on Spotify US Daily Top 200 chart “cardigan” #1 iTunes Song “cardigan” #1 Spotify Top 200 Song “cardigan” #1 YouTube Trending Video GLOBAL 2M album equivalents sold globally first week Over half a billion audio + video streams first week 1.3M album equivalents sold globally first day 740K albums sold in China, biggest first week since Lover Taylor holds the Top 2 album debuts by a Western artist in China #1 iTunes Album in 85+ countries Biggest female album debut of 2020 in the UK Biggest female album streaming debut of 2020 in the UK Biggest first week album streams of Taylor’s career in the UK First and only artist in 21st century to score five #1 studio albums in the UK Set record for Spotify first day female album global streams (80.6M) Set record for Apple Music 24 hour Pop album streams (35.47M) Set record for Amazon Music Indie Alternative album first day US and Global streams Debuted Top 5 songs on Spotify Global Daily Top 200 chart “cardigan” debuted #1 Spotify Global Top 200 chart “cardigan” had the most Spotify Global Daily Streams of 2020 (7.74M) “cardigan” #1 Apple Music Top 100: Global Songs chart “cardigan” added to BBC Radio 1 A-List (UK) “exile” feat. Bon Iver Triple J Radio airplay (Australia) folklore debuted at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart claiming the highest Week 1 album consumption of 2020 folklore is Taylor Swift’s 6th #1 ARIA Album folklore officially claims the biggest selling week 1 release in Ireland of 2020 Taylor Swift becomes the only female solo artist with the most Official Irish Albums Chart Number 1s this millennium By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Republic Records

From the outside, Adam Scott looks much the same as he did in 2000 when he opted to leave college and become a professional golfer. He still has the same boyish good looks and perpetual smile. And his smooth textbook swing remains the envy of aspiring youngsters around the world. But Scott is no longer just another handsome guy who can square up a clubface as well as anyone in the world. He has grown dramatically as a person and a player. And now Scott—who turned 40 on July 11—has become one of the game’s international leaders, in words and deeds. He’s a family man with a wife and two young children. And Scott, with his continued success, has thrust himself into the conversation when it turns to inclusion in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Right now, Scott is willing to let others determine his legacy. He is only interested in winning golf tournaments, particularly major championships. “Winning tournaments is always my goal and we put a huge focus on the majors,” Scott said. “Of course, I would love to win any of the other majors later this year. My goal is to keep my game in a spot where that’s realistic. … I would like to get myself back quickly in that position and see if I can add to that tally this year.” Scott was back in form earlier in 2020 when he ended a four-year winless streak by claiming a two-shot victory at the Genesis Championship at Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles. The win enabled the former Players Championship winner to climb back into the top-10 rankings after falling as low as 82nd in July 2018. It was the 14th victory of his PGA TOUR career – tied for 65th all-time -- but his first in 74 starts. The only active players with more wins are Tiger Woods (82), Phil Mickelson (44), Dustin Johnson (21), Rory McIlroy (18) and Jim Furyk (17). It also helped him climb to No. 35 in the FedExCup Standings as of early August and on the threshold of once more qualifying for the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship. Scott admitted that the long drought – although not as serious as the bad stretch he endured in 2009 in the aftermath of a surfing-related knee injury -- took a toll on him. He cited frustration and said he was pushing himself too hard in the wrong direction. The Genesis victory acted as both as a salve and form of encouragement. The win helped point him back in the right direction. “My big goal is to be a multiple major winner and I think the habit of winning is good for that,” Scott said. Although his lone major championship remains his historic victory at the Masters in 2013 – when he became the first Australian to earn the green jacket – Scott has an exemplary record in the big events. He has 19 top-10 finishes in 74 starts in majors. In 2019 he tied for eighth at the U.S. PGA Championship, tied for seventh at the U.S. Open Championship and won the Australian PGA Championship for the second time in his career. He was trending in the right direction when the COVID-19 pandemic forced competition to temporarily cease. “I would like to think most of my achievements are still to come,” Scott said. “For me it’s about winning major championships. That’s the measure of a career, really in this game, but it’s always the process of getting there. You don’t just show up and win majors randomly. Maybe it can happen once. You can luck into one, but not multiple majors. “To achieve what I want to achieve, I can’t leave it up to luck. There is a lot of work to get there, but I feel like I’m on the right track. There are lots of adjustments throughout my professional and personal life the last few years. Took me some time to just figure out how to balance everything out. I think I’m on a good track now.” Scott is tied with Bruce Crampton as the third-winningest Australian on the PGA TOUR. Only Greg Norman (20) and Jim Ferrier (18) have more. However, a second major championship would elevate Scott into a different sphere. There have been 223 major championship winners, but only 82 players – including Norman -- have won multiple majors. So how does that frame Scott’s credentials for eventual enshrinement in the Hall of Fame? His current numbers mirror those of American Hal Sutton. Each has won The Players Championship and one major championship. But Sutton had only eight top-10 finishes in 68 major championship appearances and endured an inexplicable stretch of nine consecutive winless seasons during the prime of his career. Sutton was a finalist for inclusion in the World Golf Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 and will almost certainly be inducted soon. Sutton has one item on his resume that Scott does not – captaincy of an international team. Sutton was the captain of the losing 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team and is still remembered for the ill-fated pairing of Woods and Mickelson on the first day of competition. Scott has not yet been asked to be the captain of the International Presidents Cup team – largely because he’s still pivotal in the team’s chances as a player. He has made the team nine times and acted as an unofficial vice-captain for Ernie Els at the 2019 competition at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Scott was heartsick when the team squandered a big lead and watched the American team come back for a victory on his home soil. He is currently more concerned with helping the International team win the event than he is serving as captain. “It will be incredibly disappointing if I played all these and never won a Presidents Cup,” he said. “I feel I’d be missing something. The last few years, I’ve put more of myself out there for the team, and so far it hasn’t yielded much of a result. It’s never fun leaving on Sunday with not having won the trophy.” South African Trevor Immelman, also a Masters champion, has already agreed to be the team captain for 2021. Scott would likely be next in line to lead a team, possibly as soon as 2023. In the meantime, he’s been helping add a touch of normalcy to his homeland during the COVID-19 shutdown. In May he hosted a live-streamed nine-hole match on Instagram against local professional Wayne Perske at Maleny Golf Club in Queensland. The match – with a $5 wager in the balance -- ended all-square when Perske missed a putt on the final hole. The stakes are even higher now that Scott has returned to the PGA Tour, with his first start coming at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park. The hope is to end the 2019-20 season on the other side of the country, at East Lake Golf Club outside Atlanta. And Scott believes he’s ready to do just that. “I have a sense of calm, which has always suited me on the golf course,” Scott said. “I definitely walk on the course with a calmness. Maybe it’s confidence, but I say calmness.” Written by Stan Awtrey. Courtesy of PGA, Images by Getty Images.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced more than $5 million in grant funding will be awarded to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) as part of Florida’s continued efforts to protect water quality and the Sunshine State’s natural resources. The two grant recipients will be using the funding to implement enhanced nutrient removal technologies, water quality monitoring and data sharing and work to improve the relationship between environmental conditions and nutrient dynamics in Lake Okeechobee. These efforts will result in a better scientific understanding and management of nutrient conditions in Lake Okeechobee. “Lake Okeechobee continues to be at the center of many discussions surrounding water quality in Florida, and rightfully so,” said Governor DeSantis. “Lake Okeechobee has far reaching impacts on Florida’s natural resources. The allocation of more than $5 million in grant funding will ensure our state’s environmental leaders can continue enhancing our ability to monitor and protect water quality and marine life for years to come.” This most recent allocation of grant funding was facilitated through the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Water Policy and Ecosystem Project’s Innovative Grant Program following recommendations made by DEP’s Blue-Green Algae Task Force (BGATF). These recommendations included an investment in a diverse portfolio of technologies to prevent, detect and address harmful algal blooms in a cost-effective, environmentally safe and scalable fashion. “As the largest lake in the southeastern United States, Lake Okeechobee serves as a vital component of our ecosystem,” said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. “Our state’s ability to support marine life, strengthen aquatic habitats and bolster water quality are all reliant upon our ability to preserve the health of Lake Okeechobee and the recent allocation of grant funding will further support research efforts aimed towards preventing harmful algal blooms.” Titled the Lake Okeechobee S-191 Basin Surface Runoff Phosphorus Removal Project, the SFWMD will be using $3 million in DEP grant funding to reduce Total Phosphorus (TP) loads in the S-191 Basin, which is located within the Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Sub-watershed in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed. The 3-year project will utilize a ferrate TP removal system in an effort to help achieve the Total Maximum Daily Load of 105 metric tons per year and associated TP target concentration levels in Lake Okeechobee. “Governor DeSantis continues to champion investments and actions to protect our water resources including Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of the Everglades,” said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss. “Innovative technologies coupled with the additional water quality improvements through expanding monitoring and science, expediting restoration projects, and meaningful reforms are doing more for Florida’s water resources than ever before.” Titled the Harmful Algal Bloom Assessment of Lake Okeechobee (HALO), Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU’s Harbor Branch) will utilize $2,200,000 in Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grant funding to assemble an integrative system of state-of-the-art technologies to strengthen harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring efforts. Innovative, autonomous monitoring platforms will be used in conjunction with conventional observational, experimental techniques, and modeling approaches to provide the necessary data to improve our overall knowledge of the triggers underlying HAB formation, toxin generation, and bloom senescence. HALO will include a web-based platform designed by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) for visualizing Lake Okeechobee freshwater HAB bloom intensities and extents, as well as results of environmental characterization and modeling. Overall, the innovative technologies and the knowledge gained during this project will set a foundation for selecting and applying future mitigation technologies, whether of a preventative or active nature, while the HALO system will provide a platform for mitigation efficacy monitoring. The project will also include a human health study designed to better understand the relationships between environmental conditions, cyanotoxin exposure, and human health. “For more than five decades, scientists from FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute have worked collaboratively with marine science and technology partners as well as state and federal agencies to conduct multidisciplinary research to combat some of our most complex environmental problems such as harmful algal blooms,” said FAU President John Kelly. “We are honored to receive this grant and for the continued support from Governor Ron DeSantis and Secretary Noah Valenstein who share our deep commitment to preserving the health of Lake Okeechobee. Our project, spearheaded by Dr. Jordon Beckler, will implement state-of-the-art monitoring technologies and platforms designed to produce positive environmental, societal and economic outcomes.” By ML Staff. Courtesy of flgov. Image courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory/Joshua Stevens