#Summer 2024 took 2 more classes (and passed them)

[pumpkinland]

Just finished my first semester of college and it only took 5 years 🥰 (2019-2024)

[djkibrit]

During Which Months Did Persona 1 And 2 Duology Take Place?

It’s well known among fans of the series that the later entries take place during an entire school year, however the same can’t be said about the earlier games. The only confirmed information about the time frame that P1 and P2 occur is the year, but dialogue present in these entries and the characters’ birthdays allow us to stipulate a more precise date of when they took place.

Before starting, it’s important to be aware of how the school year in Japan is divided (I’m not Japanese and all the information I got is from the internet. So if you are more familiar with the system, feel free to correct me or to just talk more about it): The academic year in Japan starts from April and ends in March, having summer vacation in August (normally going from July 20 to August 31) and winter vacation in the end of December to the beginning of January (normally going from December 26 to around January 6).

-Obs: All of the dates that I have just mentioned are related to 2023/2024. I wasn’t able to find anything about it in 1996 or 1999. So take them with a grain of salt.

Persona 1:

List of the main cast birthdays + their ages:

April 09, 1979 - Yukino -  17

June 04, 1979 - Maki - 17

July 11, 1979 - Mark - 17

August 18, 1979 - Reiji - 17

September 21, 1979 - Eriko - 17

October 02, 1979 - Nanjo - 17

December 24, 1979 (it's a complete nonsense) - Protagonist IN THE MANGA - 17

January 01, 1980 - Brown - 16

March 03, 1980 - Ayase - 16

Analyzing the age of the characters, it can be assumed that the game takes place at the end of 1996 since Nanjo is already 17 when it occurs. However, the birthday date of the protagonist in manga, generates some inconsistencies: if taking this date into consideration, the game would take place between December 24, 1996 and December 26, 1996 - since, after that, the winter vacation starts. It could be hypothetically possible for the game to only last two days, however, considering that there are two routes and that most people believe that P1 happened during a whole week, I’m ignoring this date. With this, we can conclude that:

Persona 1 Probable Time Period: Between October 02, 1996 and December 26, 1996

Persona 2 Duology:

List of the main cast birthdays + their ages:

April 09, 1979 - Yukino - 20

February 14, 1982 - Jun - 17 

May 04, 1982 - Lisa - 17 

June 13, 1967 - Baofu - 32

July 04, 1976 - Maya - 23

July 27, 1981 - Tatsuya - 18 

September 21, 1979 - Eriko (P2:EP) - 20

October 02, 1979 - Nanjo (P2:EP) - 20

November 15, 1982 - Eikichi - 16 

November 30, 1974 - Ulala - 24

December 30, 1973 - Katsuya - 25

-Obs: If you want to know why I only used July 27, 1981 as Tatsuya’s birthday while ignoring August 21, 1981 (present in the SMT Wiki) as a possible date, there’s this post explaining it.

Let’s begin with Innocent Sin. Besides the age of cast, there’s another variable that needs to be taken into account: when the Grand Cross happened. In real life, this event occurred on August 18 1999 and, while, in Eternal Punishment, many NPCs mentioned that the Grand Cross had passed during the summer, we can’t be sure if it happened during this specific date due to one small thing: rumors becoming true. It could be very plausible that the Grand Cross in IS took place in a different time because it was influenced by rumors, while, in EP, the actual Grand Cross occurred as normal. That being said, I’m using August 18 1999 as the day that this event happened (only because I can’t even think of another date) since I don’t believe that the creators would change it.

Well, we found out the period of when the game ended so finding when it began should not be that difficult, right?... Oh, is August 18 during the summer vacation in Japan? And are there characters attending class both during the beginning as well the end of the game? Well… things just got a little bit more complicated. 

In front of this adversity, I have two prepositions. The first one depends on the assumption that the summer vacation in Japan used to happen during a different time frame in 1999 than the one we have now. With that, we can guess that the game starts around July 27, 1981 since Tatsuya would already be 18. On the other hand, the second one regards the vacation period of 1999 as the same one as the one of now. In this hypothesis, we can guess that the game began some time before July 20 as well that the Kasugayama School Festival happened on the last day of class. Personally, I’m putting the latter just because the former’s time frame is also included in it. With this, we can conclude that:

P2:IS Probable Time Period: Between July 12, 1999 and August 18, 1999

Finally, we can get into Eternal Punishment! After the many contradictions present in Innocent Sin’s time frame (Nyarly would be proud), discovering when EP takes place is going to be way easier and this is only possible due to the main cast’s birthdays along with their dialogue. 

First of all, it’s been confirmed by the creator that EP occurred some months after the Grand Cross, more specifically, during the autumn 1999. With that, we can take a closer look into one dialogue said by Nanjo in Parabellum a bit before going into Mt. Iwato: “Ms. Amamo, he is still a minor. I do not feel it wise to bring him to this kind of establishment… NO, I’m not being tense!”. For those unaware, the drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. Based on that, Nanjo becoming tense could be interpreted as him being nervous since he’s just recently turned 20. With that, it’s possible to presume that the game takes place after Nanjo’s birthday.

Another series of dialogue to take into consideration are of Ulala’s. During the entirety of the game, she is always stressing out that she’s turning 25 soon which indicates that her birthday has still not passed. With this, we can conclude that:

P2:EP Probable Time Period: Between October 02, 1999 and November 30, 1999

And now, we can say that this analysis is finished! Remember that this is only a personal theory of mine, done only because I couldn’t find any posts exploring the subject. Feel free to discuss your own opinions on the matter and to correct any errors I’ve made.

[douxlen]

What Started in Ferguson Taught Me That I Belong

New Post has been published on https://douxle.com/2024/08/10/what-started-in-ferguson-taught-me-that-i-belong-2/

What Started in Ferguson Taught Me That I Belong

I can still remember where I was on August 9th, 2014. I was at work at my desk at the bank taking a break from banking customers struggling to pay their mortgages. I scrolled on my phone hoping to pass time on my favorite social media app at that time, Twitter. As I scrolled my timeline I came across an image that made me sit up in my seat. Those were the days long before a trigger warning or a sensitive warning. The image that I saw was somebody’s baby lying in the street with a pool of blood staining and streaming across the cement beneath them. That baby, we would all learn within a matter of hours was Michael Brown Jr., and that street he was lying in was called Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Mo. Brown lost his life that day.

This image that I saw over and over again, forever stained in my memory, was a cultural assault that would lead to a formidable movement called Black Lives Matter.

No one demonstrated to the world that Black Lives Matter more than those in Ferguson, who were moved to protest in the streets and take brave, courageous actions to ensure that the world never forgot what they did to a Black young man for walking down the middle of the street. The courage it took for a community to share their power with each other inspired a generation of millions of people to take action—and to never look back.

Their protest also inspired my own analysis, and what I was willing to do to demand justice. Ferguson organizers taught us all how to protest. The Women’s March and the racial reckoning that occurred during the summer of 2020 would not have happened without the Ferguson uprising that resulted from Brown’s death. For that, I believe we owe Ferguson organizers more than a thank you. The righteous rage demonstrated there was the quintessential action that led to America’s long reckoning with the sins of its past, by creating the space for many movements to emerge that centralized conversations on race, class, and gender that are still shaping the world today.

My endless gratitude, admiration, respect, and love for Ferguson is forever. And I pray none of us ever forget.

Read More: How Ferguson Woke Us Up

Ten years is a long time for most but an even longer time for those of us who know what it’s like to lose someone—or even yourself. Ten years ago, I found myself homeless, without purpose, and deeply desiring a new path forward. I thought that there was no other option for me but to suffer and become a shell of myself.

I was deeply inspired by the people in Ferguson who looked like me and reminded me of my family—the community that used their voices to declare “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” as a rallying cry in response to the actions of an officer who saw Black life as disposable. It was the voices of the protestors in Ferguson that reminded me that I may have been without a home, but I was not without a voice. It’s that voice that has carried me far and wide, from the White House and to communities across this country who lacked resources and support much like I did 10 years ago.

Ferguson inspired me to never give up and to never let anyone get in the way of creating what I knew was necessary to support myself and my community. Many would have me believe that being Black, poor, and transgender meant there was no space for me.  And had I not seen women staring down armored trucks and millions of people taking to social media to join in dismay, anger, and sorrow, I probably would’ve believed the same. Ferguson taught me and that there was no space I didn’t belong. The only spaces I could not align with were the spaces that did not believe in the humanity of all Black people. There was no compromise on this for me.

This realization led to me founding the nation’s leading Black trans-founded organization exclusively dedicated to protecting and defending Black transgender lives, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. We were born out of the rage and sorrow of Ferguson. We were born out of the rage and sorrow that grows from learning the ever-expanding list of unarmed Black people wrongly killed.

I remember who I was before I knew so many names and stories of injustices. I remember who I was before The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. And I remember who I was before Ferguson. I was young, free, lost, afraid, but optimistic that the world believed in young Black people like me. However, over the last 10 years I’ve learned to question that truth. With an increase in anti-trans legislation and the regular occurrence of unjust killings of unarmed Black people, such as Sonya Massey most recently, we are constantly reminded that are fight is still ongoing.

Read More: Policing’s Illusion of Safety

I’ll always remember that Ferguson saved me and gave me a model for all that I could be as an organizer, and more importantly as a Black woman. Although there have been many sleepless nights filled with anxiety and doubt, coupled by numerous tragic losses—including several murders and deaths of activists I looked up to and whose insights will forever guide me—I’ve never forgotten that the Black imagination of Ferguson led a resistance movement that changed the way we talked about politics and race in America. So much so that unprecedented firsts are still happening today—like Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her run the presidency.

Great efforts have been made to interrupt the power of a community like Ferguson, and its influence on people like me who need a reminder that our lives in fact did matter. That we should fight like hell to preserve them. And that we didn’t and wouldn’t have to fight alone.

The Black imagination is what fueled us all to join Ferguson in the streets and in our own communities—to take action as we learned more and more names of Black people murdered by the police. It is the Black imagination that led me to believe that despite how awful the outcomes continue to be, we as the people who bear witness to these atrocities are indebted to Ferguson organizers for extending their humanity to us all by taking brave action to hold the police accountable for their wrongdoings.

Ferguson sparked an inextinguishable flame. In it, we saw ourselves more fully. And that ignited a global movement to encourage communities to pursue freedom, safety, and justice for all. I am because we are. I am because of Ferguson, Mo. Thank you for the tradition that will always be carried on.

[towhomever]

February 7 2024

Been a while huh? 4 years based on my last. Major updates are that I broke up with David by the end of 2020. I think past me told the story better and it was going in that direction. More than anything, I met Pieter online. He was shy, quiet, and sweet. In short, exactly my type. We were online dating for the whole of 2021 then I finally made the decision to call it quits and move to Europe in 2022. I essentially forced my parents to let me go under false pretense that I had acquired a job for a marketing company in Belgium when in reality I had nothing. I met up with Pieter in Madrid on January 20 just to make sure he wasn't a catfish (although we have been video-calling for a year before hand). We stayed at my brother's apartment while we were exploring Madrid in the mornings. Then I flew to Belgium with him and officially started living together on February 8.

It was a rough first year because it was hell to adjust to the weather and seasonal differences. Not to mention all the trauma from my childhood, both by my brother and parents, and from my last year in University were starting to come up.

During my last semester of University the College secretary found out that I was mistakenly credited for a class that I hadn't taken. I asked about that class in the past and they said according to my transcript of records that I had finished that class. They essentially fucked up the classes on my transcript when I shifted from Industrial Engineering to Civil Engineering. I had a breakdown because I was rushing to finish all my classes and my thesis while studying remotely then this happens. I had passed everything except for that class so they managed to make that class available for me that summer because it is usually offered only in the second semester. I took it, had a rough time studying, and eventually passed it.

When it was over, I didn't get a celebration for my graduation. My parents barely cared about it except on Facebook of course where they made a big fuss. They didn't even want to take photos with me around campus. Natalie was the one taking all my pictures for me. Either way, I figured I would be out of there soon enough. Then we got COVID. My dad got sick first and we were all telling him to quarantine himself but the selfish bastard argued that it wasn't COVID and that it was just a normal flu. And as expected, 2 days later, my sister and I showed symptoms. I couldn't smell and my sister couldn't taste. My mom was asymptomatic though. We had the option to either stay at home or go to a quarantine facility. The main benefit of the quarantine facility was that if one of us got more dire then we would have direct access to the hospital. Only my mom was worried for my dad. I genuinely thought we should stay home. Natalie and I pleaded that we stay home on our own but they said we either have to all stay at home or all be in the quarantine facility. So we had to stay in a small room for 10 days straight with my insufferable parents who spent the entire time arguing about trivial matters like my mom's brother not being more compassionate when on call with my dad or how the mother superior nun at the church my mom is obsessed with likes my dad more. They would turn into screaming matches and my mom would even run out into the hallway playing victim to this man she can easily leave and honestly should have left to die of COVID. I would have to damage control and tell my mom to go inside and for my parents to stop arguing because Natalie and I could barely keep our heads. My mom even started yelling at Natalie to get better so we can get out of the quarantine facility and I had to reason with her to stop because that won't make her get any better.

After all this, I told them I was leaving next year. It inevitably turned into this big fight and they were pressuring me to stay but I was set on leaving by this time because my parents were something else. I told my sister I would make something of myself in Europe and that I would get her out of here. I promised her that I would help her and that she can live with me soon.

So fast forward to today. I got a job at ASML in the Netherlands in May of 2022 as a Production Engineer. The Netherlands was more accepting of expats and didn't really need to convert our degrees into a Dutch one because ASML is an international company as well. Luckily Pieter and I lived just across the border in Belgium. This did make it a little complicated in terms of having to get my social security and insurance in the Netherlands and deal with the paperwork for Belgium as well. Either way, it was all worth it because my starting salary was at 2.4k euros monthly with a 6% increase each year for the first 3 years for a fresh-graduate bachelor degree holder. Not to mention we had 13th month pay, holiday bonuses, and 40 vacation days in total and boy was I happy. I never expected to find something like this so soon, and what an opportunity it was compared to the companies in the Philippines that were paying a literal 8th the amount of what I was being paid at best with only 10 days vacation. Point is, life was going well for me.

My parents and Natalie decided to visit Europe in July. They first visited Matthew and Armie in Madrid before coming to Belgium of course. Natalie got into another stupid argument with my parents and started self harming by scratching her arms profusely. She was in a dark place and I remember that place all too well. I was worried for her and I promised to help her get out of there once she was done with Highschool. I tried to help her out with her plans for University here but she's not as confrontational as I am when it comes to my parents. She's fierce but she knows what happens when you hit a dead-end with my dad. There's this terrible power-trip he exhausts on us, and basically when you've proven him wrong and he's losing his stance he threatens to hit us or just plain hits us. In short - he and my mom are fucking physically and emotionally abusive.

My parents and Natalie then came to visit us afterwards and Natalie ran into my arms. I could tell she had a stressful time and was really excited to see me. She, Pieter, and I had the best time. My parents visited mostly to see how I was doing. I was doing really well and so were Pieter and I. I mean Pieter and I definitely had some ironing out to do but one thing I always appreciated of him was the consistency he brought. He was kind, caring, dependable, and everything I ever wanted in a partner. I knew it annoyed them to see how I was now. It annoyed them to see how I was with Pieter and how I was thriving without them. My sister on the other hand was so happy to be around Pieter and I that she would even sleep on our little couch in our tiny apartment instead of the AirBnB my parents rented out a few blocks away.

In August, my parents, Natalie, Pieter and I went to visit Paris and Versailles for the summer. We all then went to Spain to meet up with the rest of the family and Auntie Roenna and Uncle Vince who were also visiting Spain. This definitely put a toll on Pieter and I because he could see how draining my parents were and how controlling they were. They even started telling him what chores to do because Auntie Roenna was "our guest" and we had to cater to her even though we were all supposedly on vacation.

Pieter also found it incredibly exhausting being around my brother, because in the short time that we have spent around him he has tried to cheat on Armie by having coffee and hoping to sleep with this girl named Paula who was part of their friend group. He also claimed that a lot of women were into him and even hurt Pieter's thumb by "teaching" him arnis. He even got in this fight with Armie saying that she doesn't think he's manly enough because he's not tall like Pieter is. This bit we found hilarious though.

When it was finally over and Pieter and I returned to Belgium, I started seeing my therapist Sophie Pollock. The rest of the year was pretty calm after that. The only other big thing was that one of my colleagues was fired and went to prison for punching a guy in the face an effectively blinding him. This colleague of mine was named Bas Vorstenbosch and he was a professional kickboxer as well. When he got out of prison he tried calling me up a few times and was asking to meet up but I declined because he was also borderline racist and misogynistic at the office. My two other colleagues Marc and Jur were also low-key racist and misogynistic but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Fast forward to June of 2023, I and my colleagues when to a week long conference in Wilton, USA to meet the rest of the people running ATT (Automated Torque Tooling). I clicked very well with the people from the Wilton factory and they were very impressed by my the KPI (Key Performance Indicator file) I created from scratch last year. That was originally Marc's project that he told me to "figure out" and when I did, they were all so impressed with it. While they were complimenting my work as I was presenting, Marc and Jur abruptly left. Soon after when I joined them for coffee they started cracking jokes like "Maybe you should run the other factory since you can do everything right?" They were basically edging me out of the competence. They even went so far to say "How about you run the Twinscan Factory and Marc and I will run the EUV factory."

I tried not to think too much about it because I stayed for dinner and drinks with the people at Wilton and they basically revealed how much they hated Marc for his work ethic and how Jur acted like his little puppy following him around everywhere.

All this aside, it was a good conference and very motivating for me. Besides, I didn't have time to think about it because Pieter was flying in to JFK to spend the next 5 days with me on holiday in New York. I even got to meet up with my dad's cousins Uncle Peter and Uncle Joe. Uncle Peter is one of the Executive producers at CNN now and he used to work on Broadway while Uncle Joe is an attorney in New York. They were really impressed with me that I was an engineer and an artist, but Uncle Joe did the classic dad thing where we started comparing his two sons' successes to mine. One was planning to join the military and the other was about to graduate from uni with a Bachelor's in Sports science. He essentially wants to become a coach of either basketball or a football team. I didn't think their career track was too bad but I guess in a parent's eyes their children are always disappointments. Although Uncle Joe was definitely a better father because I could see he loved them. He joked around about them but he still spoke of his love of them. Moreover, he was very liberal and against homophobic and racist people. I found this hilarious because my dad must be everything he hated. No wonder they haven't met up again after all these years.

The main highlight of our New York trip was that we went to see Wicked on Broadway which I had dreamed of watching since Junina introduced it to me when I was 13. I cried during and after the performance of course and Pieter finally understood my obsession with Broadway. Afterwards we flew to Canada to stay with my Auntie Roenna and Uncle Vince (who are also way better parents than my parents because they don't hit their kids nor do they power trip as hard as my dad does). I introduced Pieter to all my cousins and I met all of their partners. Miggy was weird around us, almost like he was obviously intimidated by my success. He asked if I was materialistic out of the blue. He also said he idolizes Matthew, so that was enough of a red flag on it's own. He also sells Jesus merchandise, like T-shirts and stuff. I think Steffi and Raffy are still some of the more chill cousins among all of them, but they had all moved on with their own lives already. Steffi was pregnant with her and Elliot's first child. Michelle was living in Ottawa with Kyle with their baby Hope. The Sta Cruz siblings all had their own partners but still lived at home mostly. Although Miggy did get engaged.

When we returned to Belgium I filed for sick leave at ASML because I was having so many flashback from the last time I was in Canada. Before we went to Canada, I had just gone to the ER for self-harming. I had smashed a glass on my forehead because my mother kept screaming at me for not bringing int he laundry in time. She was yelling that I wanted her dead and that I was so ungrateful of a child for forgetting about the laundry. I also had flashbacks of my childhood and I was feeling anxious about returning to work with Marc and Jur. This is when I started my EMDR therapy sessions to specifically combat the memories regarding the physical and sexual abuse I endured from Matthew during my childhood.

All while this was happening, Pieter and I were looking into buying an apartment because with my salary increase we could finally afford it. Not to mention rent was such a waste of money. We moved into the new apartment in November and got the place ready in time for my parents, Matt, Armie, and Natalie to come visit. They visited for the holidays (December 19-January 9). My parents and Natalie again stayed with my brother and Armie first in Madrid before coming here. When they came here, things were fine for the first few weeks. They were impressed with the apartment and had a new found respect for Pieter because he had money saved up that he used as down payment for the apartment. With my salary and the money he saved up from working in the past, we managed to buy our home. Of course my parents kindness only lasted the first week. Soon all hell broke loose about how they want Natalie to study in the Philippines and my dad cracking fat jokes at me in front of Pieter's family. Also Pieter told my parents that he plans to propose to me and my mom told him that he might as well propose to me already because he proposed to them. In short, they were being insufferable. I told them off that night and said they aren't welcome in my house if they keep acting that way. Natalie joined the conversation and we argued that she has a right to hold onto her passport because it's her document and that she has a right to study where she wants. My parents argued that they're footing the bill so they can control where she goes. To which I said I can pay for it if that's the case so she has the freedom to choose. She can also always take a part time job while she's here. My dad couldn't say anything else and almost had a heart attack from it.

They were quiet for the rest of the stay and Natalie stayed with Pieter and I for most of the weeks. During this time Armie confided in me and Natalie that my brother was being abusive towards her. She tried to break up with him recently and he yelled at her, threatened to cut himself, and threw glasses at her. I advised her to run from him because there's no way that he would ever change especially since he doesn't take accountability for his actions. My brother even sent me a voice recording when this happened and said "it's not so much what I did but her reaction to what I did" So he clearly has zero capability of self reflection.

When they returned to Madrid, my parents fought with Natalie. She was defending me when my parents were playing the victim saying they were not welcome in my apartment and that only Natalie is the one welcome at my place. Natalie then said "She said you are welcome to stay so long as you don't disrespect her." Then my dad asked where the disrespect was and Natalie said "You called her fat in front of Pieter's family" Then my dad said that it was a jokea nd when Natalie tried arguing he started going "Don't dare me Natalie. You don't want to see me angry" which is what he used to say before hitting us. I then bought Natalie a ticked back to Belgium and told her she can take it if she wants, but that it will be hard for her to find a university here because she still hasn't finished highschool.

Which brings us to today. Natalie went home to the Philippines to finish Highschool and plans to run away here. My mom texted saying they plan to hear Natalie out if it is indeed cheaper to study here, so I helped Natalie come up with an Excel file. We found out it was a million pesos (20k euros) for her to study here because DLSU in the PH is ridiculously expensive. Natalie has yet to report this to my parents on a power point file. Chances are they will change their mind when the time comes so I have a backup plan where Boris and my Ate Ernestine to help my sister escape if needed.

As for me, I am reintegrating into work and thinking solutions over with my manager about the Marc and Jur issue. I also am resuming EMDR sessions with Sophie and this time will be tackling the Sexual abuse memories.

Also just to explain - the sick leave scenario at work allows someone to be on sick leave for up to 2 years with full pay. I have to have bi-monthly meetings with the company doctor and bi-weekly meetings with my manager to keep up to date on my mental health progress and reintegration.

So yeah- a lot has happened since my last post.

[iloveyoumoss]

I don't normally make new year's resolutions, but my lab does and I thought of some fun ones that I'd actually like to do. I have some goals and intentions for reading papers more consistently and that sort of thing, but I also had a couple of more fun ideas that I wanted to write down somewhere. So, resolutions for 2024:

Finish the Copenhagen blanket that I started making in 2021

Visit my sister in France before her job there ends (the summer)

Run a 5k (I really want to get back to running, and I think that signing up for a 5k would give me some kind of accountability to encourage me to make time for running)

Eat more chickpeas (I hated them growing up, but in the last year have come to learn that actually they're okay and I like them when they're in the right dish. Last year I made a recipe that used 2 cans of chickpeas. This year I have already eaten a recipe that used 2 cans of chickpeas. 1 more chickpea and I will succeed in this goal! But I will keep eating them after that because they are decent)

This one is a lil spicy but lets be real this is an anonymous blog that no one follows and no one in my real life even knows about.. propose to/get engaged to my partner of 6 years ;)

Pass my pre-lim exam ho boy

Take a long weekend to FLY home this year, BEFORE it's Thanksgiving. In 2023 I was really sad and homesick knowing that it would be a really long time before I got to go home. This year I want to do things differently and make time for my mental health in seeing my family.

Take some of the driving off of Ben's plate - I can go out to where he lives when he's back so he can have a break from the inside of his car

Make time for seeing my grad school friends! Now that we don't have classes together, I need to 1. say yes to invitations to see my friends and 2. invite people to do things if I want to see them (and if I want to have friends/be better friends with them)

Go to the Renaissance Faire! I bought tickets last year and then wasn't able to use them unfortunately, and I am really sad that I missed out last year.

Other vague things that are not really resolutions. But maybe say No to VAD when she asks if I will write another paper for/with her. It took a lot more work last year than I had expected it to, and this year I want to be able to prioritize what I currently have going on in school instead. Also I want to do more craft projects :) although that requires me first finishing the very long term projects that I already have ongoing!

[eliteprepsat]

This article was originally published on May 23, 2020 and has been modified to reflect recent developments. It was revised on September 2, 2020 and again on October 27, 2020.

Elite Prep is committed to keeping you up-to-date with the ongoing, ever-fluid situation regarding the lawsuit against the University of California and its use of SAT/ACT scores in its admissions policies. Below is the executive summary followed by a detailed list of frequently asked questions with the latest changes.

Executive Summary

Thursday, May 21, 2020, was a momentous day in the history of the University of California. On that day, the University of California Board of Regents (the governing and policy-making body for the entire UC system) unanimously passed UC President Janet Napolitano's proposal to eliminate the SAT and ACT as a requirement on the UC application. Under President Napolitano's plan, UC was to adopt a test-optional admissions policy for the graduating high school classes of 2021 and 2022, then go test-blind for the classes of 2023 and 2024.

On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman added another plot twist to an already convoluted situation. In this decision, Judge Seligman ruled that UC's test-optional policy unfairly disadvantaged disabled applicants because they lacked access to testing centers with accommodations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though the ruling only took into account the perceived harm to disabled applicants to UC, the effect of the ruling impacted all applicants to UC. UC was prohibited from using SAT/ACT scores for admissions and scholarship consideration, effective immediately. UC promptly appealed the decision.

Then, on September 24, 2020, the First Appellate District Court of Appeal in California ruled in favor of UC's appeal. Consequently, UC is once again permitted to use SAT/ACT scores in their admissions decisions, effective immediately. However, four UC schools—Berkeley, Irvine, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz—had already opted to be test-blind for SAT/ACT scores, meaning they will not consider SAT/ACT scores even if an applicant reports them. The other five UC schools have decided to be test-optional. These test-optional and test-blind policies are in effect for the fall 2021 application cycle (affecting current high school seniors).

Read on if you would like more details.

As of this writing, for the graduating high school class of 2021, UC will be test-blind for four UC campuses and test-optional for five.

Test-blind means that even if you report an SAT/ACT score on your UC application, the score will not be used as a data point when deciding your admissibility. Currently, four UC campuses have a test-blind admission policy:

UC Berkeley

UC Irvine

UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Cruz

Test-optional means that if you report a score on the UC application, and the score is favorable, it will enhance your academic profile and therefore possibly enhance your chances of admission. If the score is average or below average, the score will be neutral, not negative, on your application since colleges will not punish you for not doing well on an optional test. Test-optional is the ideal situation for the applicant. Five UC schools are test-optional for the high school graduating class of 2021:

UC Davis

UC Los Angeles

UC Merced

UC Riverside

UC San Diego

Why are some UC schools test-optional while others are test-blind? Doesn't the UC Board of Regents' decision in May affect all UC campuses?

Each UC school has its own admissions office, and even though all UC schools adhere to some form of comprehensive review, each UC admissions office gets to decide how to admit its own students. Some of the UC schools felt that a test-optional policy would disadvantage students who did not report SAT/ACT scores (or, conversely, advantage students who did), so they opted to be test-blind immediately. Other UC schools felt they wanted to give students a chance to show off academic ability through an SAT/ACT score. Also, not for nothing, the two most popular colleges in the US for fall 2020—UCLA (109,000 applications received) and UC San Diego (100,000 applications received)—are both test-optional. Schools with that many applicants will probably want more data points, not fewer, to inform their admissions decisions. The UC Regents' decision is a recommended course of action, not a mandate.

The ruling is most likely NOT the final word.

The First Appellate Court stayed the case, thereby reinstituting the possible use of SAT/ACT in UC admissions, but the trial that will determine whether use of the SAT/ACT in UC admissions harms students has yet to take place. So the status quo might change yet again after the trial takes place, or perhaps when the next legal motion is filed.

But for current high school seniors (class of 2021), the status quo is, for all intents and purposes, most likely the final word.

It is highly unlikely the lawsuit will be settled before the UC application deadline of November 30, 2020. So for current high school seniors, the status quo (four UC schools test-blind, five test-optional) is the law of the land. But should the wheels of justice spin faster than usual, or if the case is settled out of court, then perhaps a decision will be made before the end of November. But we doubt it.

What about SAT/ACT scores for the California State University (CSU) application?

CSU will not be using SAT/ACT scores in their admissions decisions for the freshman class of fall 2021 (current high school seniors).

So should I report my SAT/ACT score on my UC application?

Absolutely. As noted above, your score on one or more sections of the SAT/ACT could pass you out of certain general education requirements or qualify you for scholarships, so yes, go ahead and submit your scores. You have nothing to lose and potentially something to gain. And the test-optional UC campuses won't know about your SAT/ACT score unless you report it on the UC application.

Where do I report my SAT/ACT score on the UC application?

The UC application for Fall 2021 is available now. Go to apply.universityofcalifornia.edu and create your account (if you're a senior). On the right-hand menu on the website, you will see a section for Test Scores. That's the section where you report your scores. If a UC campus you're applying to is test-blind, then the scores you report on the application website will not be forwarded to that UC admissions office for inclusion in your file. However, your scores would be made available to the test-optional UC campuses, and to the UC school where you enroll in fall 2021 (for the purposes of passing you out of certain entry-level requirements.)

Should I pay for an official SAT/ACT score report to be sent to the UC schools I apply to?

We recommend holding off on sending SAT/ACT official score reports to UC campuses during the application season and only sending the official score report to the UC campus where you matriculate in the fall. So just pay for an official test score report once you know where you will be attending in the fall, if you do decide to attend a UC school.

If I'm a senior and haven't taken the SAT/ACT yet, should I still try to take it?

For high school seniors, Elite recommends taking the test if you can, and not taking it if you have to go way out of your way to find a testing center that is open. This is ultimately your family's decision to make, but in the cost-benefit analysis of "driving time to testing center" versus "what the scores will be used for at this moment" (admissions for test-optional schools and placement purposes), we view taking the SAT/ACT in the fall of 2020 as advisable, not mandatory.

Should I take the SAT/ACT if I'm a high school junior?

For high school juniors, the admissions test policies might change for you, depending on the outcome of this lawsuit. But if you are a junior and have a test date lined up for fall 2020, great. Go ahead and take it, especially if you've been preparing for it this summer. If your test date this fall gets cancelled, don't worry about it. You can try again in spring 2021. The next SAT test dates after the November test are December, March, May, and June. And remember, you'll still have fall of 2021 (August, October, November) available to you for last-minute retakes when you're a senior. So plenty of time to take the SAT/ACT. What remains to be seen is whether UC campuses will adjust their test-blind/test-optional policies when you are seniors.

The preliminary injunction points out that disabled students don't have access to testing centers with accommodations because of the Covid-19 pandemic. If or when Covid-19 quarantines, lockdowns, and shelter-in-place orders are lifted, doesn't that mean that the playing field is once again level for disabled and non-disabled test takers?

Maybe. This is one of the most open of the open questions in this whole affair.

If I take the SAT or ACT, do I need to sit for the SAT Essay or the ACT Writing section?

UC Regents also voted on May 21st to eliminate the SAT Essay and ACT Writing section as a requirement on the UC application, beginning with the class of '21. Currently, the only selective or highly selective college in the US that requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing is West Point. No other college or university—not even Stanford, MIT, and the Ivy League colleges—requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing. If you are in the class of '21 or '22 and plan on submitting an SAT or ACT score (as we recommend above), then take the version of the test without the essay—unless you are planning to apply to West Point.

What's this about UC creating its own standardized admissions test?

In the same board measure adopted on May 21st, Pres. Napolitano also tasked UC to come up with its own standardized admissions test by 2025. After the period of suspension (2021-24), UC is supposed to roll out its own proprietary standardized admissions test, which will aim to align with "the content UC expects students should have mastered to demonstrate college readiness for California freshmen." If UC cannot come up with its own proprietary admissions test by 2025, UC will go test-blind in perpetuity.

The Academic Senate's task force which investigated SAT/ACT in UC admissions policy also recommended that UC come up with its own admission test, but they estimated it would take 9 years to do so. In her plan, approved by the UC Regents, Pres. Napolitano has essentially cut the recommended timeline in half, almost daring UC to come up with its own test in half the time that it's projected to take.

What about SAT Subject Tests and AP Tests?

According to the UC Office of Admissions, throughout the period of suspension (2021-24), UC will still consider AP and SAT Subject Test scores.

Even test-blind UC campuses will still consider SAT Subject Test scores and AP scores.

This is especially pertinent to applicants to engineering majors. Typically, colleges of engineering would like to see an applicant's scores in SAT Math Level 2 and an SAT science Subject Test (Chemistry, Biology E/M, or Physics). And AP scores are still being considered, for all students regardless of intended major. The lawsuit is just about the use of SAT/ACT scores in admissions and scholarships.

How does the removal of SAT/ACT scores in the application review affect the way my UC application is evaluated?

When one data point is removed from the evaluation process, the remaining data points become all the more important. Those remaining data points are GPA, both weighted and unweighted; strength of class schedule, meaning the number of AP, IB, or honors level courses taken in high school; AP and Subject Test scores; extracurricular activities list; and the college application essays, also known as personal statements. Pay close attention to these components of your UC application now that SAT/ACT scores have been removed from the equation.

Our counselors and branch directors are experts in college admissions. Make sure to reach out to your local Elite Prep branch to create a plan to maximize your chances in UC and other college admissions. And thank you for allowing us to accompany you on the road to college success.

[ohioprelawland]

The Path To The Codification Of Marriage Equality

By Dayna Snow, The Ohio State University Class of 2024

July 21, 2022

Throughout the summer of 2022, The United States of America has faced a multitude of questions regarding the future of certain rights after the reversal of Roe V. Wade. As previously discussed, the reversal of abortion as a constitutional right came as a shock to many, therefore, other rights such as contraception, same-sex marriage, inter-racial marriage, and more, are being brought into question about their future. Although the Supreme Court of the United States of America is defined as being the “interpreter of the constitution” [1], there are ways in which the system is set up to make sure certain rights are protected in law and cannot later be deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. More specifically, this is seen in the recent want to write same-sex marriage into law that passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, July 19th, 2022, The House of Representatives took a vote on H.R. 8404 “Respect for Marriage Act” 267-157. This bill, which has been described as a bipartisan matter, was introduced by House Democrats with all 220 Democrats voting for its passage. Most notably, 47 Republicans joined Democrats in voting “yea”, whereas 157 Republicans voted “nay”. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi shared in the excitement of House Democrats of its’ passage in the House by stating how "this bill makes crystal clear that every couple and their children have the fundamental freedom to take pride in their marriage and have their marriage respected under the law” [2]. The bill is very short, but faces a very uncertain path in the 50-50 Senate before certainly being signed into effect by President Joe Biden.

This act is extremely important for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, it would codify marriage equality into the law. The act of codification is defined as "the process of codification involves taking judicial decisions or legislative acts and turning them into codified law” [3]. To put it simply, it is the arrangement of law into a code, that is already proven to be constitutionally protected. To codify is to arrange these laws into the systemic code, which would protect it from its’ constitutionality from possibly being brought into question by courts, even the most supreme of them all, The Supreme Court. This is a way in which Democrats are responding to the language Justice Clarence Thomas voiced in the concurring decision about “reconsideration” of the court’s earlier same-sex marriage ruling. This act is also extremely important because its passage would repeal the previous 1996 “Defense of Marriage Act,” which in direct opposition to the “Respect for Marriage Act” defines marriage as a “union between one man and one woman” [2]. The 1996 Act is the current codification in law which is one of the ways that allows for courts, like the Supreme Court, to possibly attack the decision of Obergefell v. Hodges since it is not codified into law. The path to the codification of marriage equality has just begun its uphill battle.

______________________________________________________________

[1] Supreme Court of The United States (2022). About the Court. USA. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/about.aspx#:~:text=As%20the%20final%20arbiter%20of,and%20interpreter%20of%20the%20Constitution.

[2] Adragna, A. (2022, July 19). 47 House Republicans vote to write same-sex marriage into law. Politico. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/19/house-republicans-same-sex-marriage-law-00046682.

[3] Legal Information Institute.(2022). Codify. Cornell Law School. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wexcodify#:~:text=To%20codify%20means%20to%20arrange,by%20subject%2C%20into%20a%20code.

Photo Credit: ABC News

[your-dietician]

Notre Dame new beginnings as NCAA football recruiting dead period ends

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/ncaa-football/notre-dame-new-beginnings-as-ncaa-football-recruiting-dead-period-ends/

Notre Dame new beginnings as NCAA football recruiting dead period ends

Drayk Bowen, for one, was appreciative that Notre Dame skipped the gimmickry of a football recruiting midnight madness earlier this week and drenched the start of potentially the most pivotal — and frazzled — recruiting month of the Brian Kelly Era in normalcy.

After a pandemic-induced, 15-month NCAA recruiting dead period of no (hosted) in-person campus visits and an overdose of Zooms, the largely universal knee-jerk template put in place at many college football programs across the country for Tuesday’s reopening was a mixture of pomp and chaos.

Notre Dame chose instead to be calculating and evolutionary.

Bowen, an elite linebacker prospect from St. John, Ind., and Chandavian Bradley, an ascending defensive end prospect from Missouri, along with their parents were the only invitees on Day 1. Bowen tagged along with new Irish defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Marcus Freeman, while Bradley got one-on-one time with defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Elston.

The structure of the visits themselves was right out of the pre-pandemic playbook. Who was taking those visits is what was different and significant.

Both visitors are 2023 recruits, players who will be high school juniors in the fall. Bradley, unranked in the Rivals top 100 and No. 90 nationally in 247Sports’ early playoff rankings, has the traits. productivity and the frame (6-5) to grow into a five-star prospect, even if he’s only 205 pounds at the moment.

Bowen, No. 16 in the Rivals Top 100, is already on that five-star trajectory, with a work ethic that will make that difficult to dislodge.

Before getting in the car with his parents to come to South Bend Tuesday, the 6-2, 215-pound Bowen performed his daily 5:30 a.m. ritual or speed work and lifting before making the 30-minute drive to Andrean High School in Merrillville, to take final exams.

“Drive is something I saw in my parents,” Bowen said. “My dad built a business pretty much from scratch and built it into a multi-million dollar business. My mom worked a couple of different jobs to provide for us. So I got it from them.

“Obviously, I want to be the best — the best player I can be, the best teammate, the best person, so wanting to be the best kind of drives me a lot too.”

► Related:Inside Recruiting: How Notre Dame will finish at WR and CB, and looking ahead to 2023

► More:Chat Transcript: Talking Notre Dame recruiting ramping up and portal possibilities

Twelfth-year Irish head coach Brian Kelly, meanwhile, is driven by the incessant questions pushed at him of how he’ll close the gap with College Football Playoff bullies Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson, as well as his own self-imposed directive of Notre Dame starting to produce top five national recruiting classes on a regular basis.

June thus becomes an important and overt benchmark toward turning rhetoric into results, though the momentum has been building behind the scenes for months since Alabama’s 31-14 dismissal of the Irish in a Jan. 1 playoff semifinal.

The Irish currently stand fourth nationally in both the Rivals and 247Sports team recruiting rankings after finishing ninth in both in the 2021 cycle.

“There have been two major changes with Notre Dame recruiting that are paying big dividends,” CBS Sports recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. “They’re swinging for the fences in terms of who they’re going after.

“Marcus Freeman came in, and he’s not afraid of anybody or anything. That’s rubbed off on the rest of the staff. And Mike Elston, as recruiting coordinator, enhances that approach with impressive organization and creativity.

“Also key is Notre Dame is now evaluating and offering kids earlier than ever before. In the past, they were always about a year behind Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia and LSU — and they couldn’t catch up. Those schools had already established strong relationships before ND ever got involved.

“Now they’re on top of the 2023 kids and getting them on campus. They’ve even offered some 2024 kids the past few weeks. When was the last time Notre Dame offered a freshman? Never. Kelly lit a fire under these guys. And you’re going to see that pay off with the 2022 class.

“But you know what — 2023’s going to be even better.”

That would be an indication, if it came to pass, that Kelly coaxed a sustainable recruiting shift and not a one-cycle bump from its playoff appearance.

What that will look like this month is a blend of camps, official visits, unofficial visits, rolling out Notre Dame’s name-image-likeness potential in the imminent new amateur sports model, and blending the transfer portal into all of that.

Two potential 2021 starters — Tulsa cornerback Akayleb Evans and Marshall All-America offensive guard Cain Madden — visited this week as grad transfers.

Madden became the first verbal commitment of June on Friday when he selected the Irish over ND’s season-opening opponent, Florida State.

On Sunday ND resurrects its Irish Invasion Camp, a key evaluative and exposure tool that will draw 90-100 prospects from the 2023 and ‘24 classes. There’s quality to go with that quantity, though many of the campers are prospects that are ascending or underexposed to this point.

Still between the Irish Invasion and regular visits, like the ones Bowen and Bradley took, 16 Rivals top 100 prospects and counting from that class will get a taste of Notre Dame in June.

“That’s a Notre Dame trump card, to be able to be holding these visits in June,” Lemming said, “when the campus is as beautiful as any in the country.”

The Irish recruiting staff opted to wait until the weekend of June 11-13, when its players returned to campus for summer school and workouts, to introduce the 2022 prospects into the equation.

‘Last piece of the puzzle’

The NCAA didn’t alter the existing recruiting calendar when it truncated the dead period, meaning schools had just four weekends before the fall to shoehorn in all their official visitors. The Irish will do it in three, along with some midweek visits.

“The competition to get 2022 kids on your campus was fierce, given the limited number of weekends,” Lemming said. “Notre Dame was pretty much able to get every kid on their wish list to commit to an official visit, which is huge.”

That includes 13 players ranked in the top 100 of Rivals, 247Sports or both. Notre Dame begins the month with 13 players already committed in a class that’s likely to number 26 or 27 when the December signing period rolls around.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of these 2022s commit quickly,” Lemming said. “They’re antsy. They’re tired of talking to the coaches on Zoom. The visit is the last piece of the puzzle. Even some of the sophomores may be quick to commit.”

Bowen won’t likely be one of them. He’s got a full summer of travel baseball and unofficial football visits to take. He followed up his ND visit with a tour of Michigan on Wednesday. Clemson, which offered the morning Bowen visited ND, will get a visit next week as will Tennessee, Ole Miss and perhaps Ohio State.

Then after more baseball commitments, he’ll take an Alabama-Auburn-LSU swing at the end of June.

“The way I was looking at it, I wanted to visit colleges, get to meet people, see the campuses,” Bowen said. “Probably start narrowing down after that. So that was kind of my timeline.

“Then maybe mid-junior year — the end of football and the beginning of baseball — is kind of when I wanted to almost be done with it, be able to be done and just enjoy senior year.”

To land Bowen, Notre Dame will have to theoretically beat out at least five of the six schools that comprised 247Sports’ top six classes last season.

An unexpected bounce in favor of the Irish is the surge of the Notre Dame baseball team under second-year coach Link Jarrett. Notre Dame is the overall No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and hosting a regional this weekend for the first time in 17 years.

► More:Notre Dame feeling good going into NCAA baseball regional in South Bend, ready to see fans

Bowen is familiar with the careers or two-sports Notre Dame stars Jeff Samardzija and Cole Kmet, and the shortstop/third baseman wants to try it himself.

“It wouldn’t be a deal breaker, but I do want to do both,” he said after touring the Irish baseball facilities and meeting its staff during his football visit Tuesday.

Whether he sticks to that notion, those who have studied Bowen’s game believe his best football is ahead of him.

“He’s going to be a Butkus Award favorite in 2022, and he plays like one now,” Lemming said.  

“I think when you watch him, it becomes very obvious that he’s just relentless on defense,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner added. “On any given play, he’s going to find his way to the ball regardless of what side it goes to, where he’s at.

“You take obviously a high-end physical skill set and match it up with this relentless enthusiasm for the game. And then you talk to him and you find out that he’s a straight-A student and works harder than the average high school student (4.17 on a 4.0 scale). 

“He really does study the game of kind of understanding the pass concepts of the opposing team and what windows do they want to be in? When you throw it all together, it’s pretty cool to think about.”

The same might be said of Notre Dame recruiting by month’s end.

“There’s a lot coming at the coaching staff and the recruiting support staff this month,” Lemming said. “But it seems they have a plan for everything, including how to personalize visits when the sheer number of kids visiting would seem to make that impossible.

“Notre Dame was never going to be great in recruiting unless they changed their ways, and now they did. I’m excited about the way they’re going about it now. I’m excited about what that can turn into down the road for them.”

Follow ND Insider Eric Hansen on Twitter: @ehansenNDI

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[junker-town]

The winners and losers of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline

Who was the biggest winner and biggest loser of the trade deadline?

From Andre Iguodala to KAT to Andre Drummond, these are the winners and losers of the NBA trade deadline.

We didn’t expect the 2020 NBA trade deadline to feature much activity. We were wrong. The final 72 hours before trade season ended instead featured the usual flurry of activity we’ve come to expect from this league. Contenders leveled up, several young stars changed addresses just when it seemed like they would stay put, and deals flew out from left field that we’re still trying to process.

That said, this trade deadline paled in comparison to the seismic shifts we saw this summer in free agency. The rush of deals at the buzzer made this day seem more significant to the title race than it actually is. There were no superstar trades, nor was there a significant veteran joining as the final piece of a title contender, a la Rasheed Wallace to Detroit in 2004 or Marc Gasol to Toronto last season. The D’Angelo Russell-Andrew Wiggins trade between Golden State and Minnesota is interesting, but both teams are in the lottery. Otherwise, the biggest names that moved are role players that could provide a small, though useful boost to their new teams.

Let’s assess the damage.

WINNERS

Andre Iguodala

Iguodala will make an incredible agent if he chooses that path once his playing days are over. When he was last a free agent, he feigned interest from the Rockets and others to procure a three-year, $45 million deal from the money-conscious Warriors despite his advancing age. When the Warriors traded him to the Grizzlies last summer, Iguodala brokered an arrangement with Memphis that allowed him to chill on the sidelines and still get paid. Now, he’s back in the title race as a member of the Miami Heat, and got a two-year, $30 million contract extension to boot.

Must be nice to get paid not to work for several months, then get a multi-million cash advance from your new team before you even step on the court.

Bruh you’re a legend @andre . My guy sat half the season. Spent time with his family. Promoted his book. Sharpened up his post retirement plans and cashed out ✊ respect bruh.

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 6, 2020

Miami Heat

They didn’t get Danilo Gallinari, which would have cemented them a serious threat to win the East. But Pat Riley still did well to improve his team’s depth by swapping out three non-rotation players for Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill. All three should shore up a defense that’s been mediocre this year despite the individual success of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Imagine Butler and Iguodala at the top of Erik Spoelstra’s 2-3 zone. Good luck scoring on that.

Plus, Riley maneuvered the Heat into position to have cap space this summer without jeopardizing any room in 2021, which projects as a much stronger free-agent class.

Karl-Anthony Towns

It’s. Happening.

2/3 pic.twitter.com/QU43MMNkwj

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 6, 2020

Well, not the Devin Booker part, at least not yet. Still, Towns gets to play with his best friend that also happens to be a quality point guard to pass him the ball. That should cheer him up after losing 13 games in a row.

Andrew Wiggins

Wiggins’ resurgence lasted all of a couple weeks this year before he reverted back to his bad habits. It’s possible he’ll be a tease the rest of his career. But the Steph/Klay/Draymond Warriors offer as good a landing spot as any to channel him into a defined role that gets the most out of his strengths. Harrison Barnes did quite well for himself playing off those three. Now, it’s Wiggins’ turn.

Creative Arts Agency

For years, the prominent sports and entertainment agency was the shadow ruler of the Knicks. As Ricky O’Donnell explains:

CAA represented Carmelo Anthony, who the Knicks traded for ahead of free agency and later re-signed to a max extension. CAA represented J.R. Smith, who became Sixth Man of the Year with the Knicks. CAA also represented his brother Chris Smith, who worked his way onto the Knicks despite lacking the qualifications to hold down an NBA roster spot. There were rumors that former Knicks coach Mike Woodson changed agencies to CAA in 2012 to keep his job. Former assistant general manager (and currently Knicks G League GM) Allan Houston and player personnel director Mark Warkentien were also represented by CAA.

In a 2014 ESPN story, one Knicks player told reporter Chris Broussard the franchise was playing favorites to CAA clients. ”You see how guys from CAA are treated differently,” the player said. “How they get away with saying certain things to coaches. How coaches talk to them differently than they talk to the other guys. It’s a problem.”

Their influence waned once the Knicks hired Phil Jackson, who vowed to remove their tentacles from the operation. But half a decade later, they’re baaaaaaack, and now in an official capacity. Congratulations to Leon Rose and William Wesley for taking over Knicks front office power that opened up when owner James Dolan fired Steve Mills two days before the trade deadline.

Toronto Raptors

They didn’t make a trade, but none of their other East rivals did either, save for the Heat. More importantly, the Knicks’ decision to return to the CAA well quenched the increasing risk that team president Masai Ujiri would leave Canada to save basketball in Manhattan.

LA Clippers

They beat out their crosstown rivals for Marcus Morris, a hard-nosed knockdown three-point shooter that will slide into their starting and closing lineups. He won’t help the Clippers’ shaky rim protection and isn’t a great passer, but his shooting ability should open the floor for a Clippers offense that can occasionally stagnate. All it cost was a first-round pick the Clippers didn’t need, a couple fringe prospects they weren’t playing, and a worse combo forward in Maurice Harkless that wasn’t fitting in.

Houston Rockets

Here’s more on why the Rockets’ all-in move on small-ball was smart. Would’ve been nice if they got another big man, though.

Clint Capela

Capela is a better player than he’s shown over the last couple years. Houston’s shift to more isolation plays instead of pick-and-roll took him out of his comfort zone, and swapping Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook shrunk the floor on the dwindling roll opportunities he did get. Now, he gets to play on a Hawks team that with a young pick-and-roll maestro in Trae Young that will spoonfeed him a half-dozen lob opportunities a game.

Kyle Kuzma

The Lakers refused to include Kuzma in a potential deal for Morris, though it’s unclear how they would’ve made the money work in such a deal anyway. They also didn’t deal Kuzma for Derrick Rose, Robert Covington, or any number of win-now veterans that could have fit more reliably with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That’s a big bet on Kuzma rising to the challenge in his first deep playoff run.

(I also think it was the right call, especially if the Lakers also win the Darren Collison buyout sweepstakes).

MODEST WINNERS

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies should be praised for extracting some value out of a proud veteran that never suited up for them. They also deserve more credit than they’ve been given for locking up starting shooting guard and resident shit-talker Dillon Brooks on a reasonable three-year, $35 million extension instead of letting him test a barren restricted free agency market this summer.

But the specific trade they ended up making with Miami carries downside risk that may not have been necessary. I’ve been a Winslow fan for a long time, but he’s missed nearly half of all possible regular-season games since his rookie season and has only played in 11 games this year due to back trouble. He’s promising when healthy, but hasn’t been able to stay on the court. Excluding Iguodala, the price for taking a chance on Winslow was two useful rotation players this year (Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill) and $29 million in salary next year for two players (James Johnson and Dion Waiters) that fell out of favor in Miami. That’s a hefty cost, especially considering Memphis took itself out of having cap space with this move and the Brooks extension. Memphis is not a free-agent destination, but cap space has other uses. Having it allowed them to take on Iguodala last summer for an additional draft pick, for example.

Better hope Winslow stays healthy.

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers didn’t make any slam-dunk moves, but getting Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III shores up a shaky bench at a minimal cost. Burks could be an especially nice fit as a second ball-handler when Ben Simmons plays without Joel Embiid.

:shruggie:

Golden State Warriors

Despite insisting otherwise, the Warriors did ultimately sign D’Angelo Russell to be a trade asset. How did they maximize that asset? In essence, the Warriors traded:

The inevitable loss of Kevin Durant in free agency.

Andre Iguodala

2024 first-round pick, top-4 protected, then essentially unprotected if it doesn’t convey.

Omari Spellman

Jacob Evans

And in return, they received:

Andrew Wiggins

2021 first-round pick from Minnesota, top-3 protected, then unprotected if it doesn’t convey

2021 second-round pick from Minnesota

That’s ... OK I suppose. Obviously, Durant was a goner either way. Russell is better than Wiggins and on a marginally better contract, but I don’t think the difference is stark and Wiggins has less positional overlap with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The 2021 first-rounder from Minnesota could be in the lottery and pairs nicely as a trade asset with Golden State’s own high 2020 pick. At the same time, losing that 2024 pick to clear Iguodala may come back to bite them if they are forced to rebuild down the road.

I probably would’ve held on to Russell until the summer, but there’s still a chance the Warriors come out ahead, especially if they can rehabilitate Wiggins.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves needed to do something to put a smile on Karl-Anthony Towns’ face, and best friend D’Angelo Russell certainly does that in the short term. They also got decent value for Robert Covington in the form of one first-round pick and two useful restricted free agents to be in Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez. Their long-term outlook is better now than it would’ve been if they did nothing.

But this still doesn’t look like a team that can really contend in Towns’ prime. Russell and Towns should be a nice offensive pick-and-roll tandem, but they will get lit up on the other end. Losing Covington weakens an already terrible defense, though Beasley is at least on Towns’ age curve. They really need Jarrett Culver to turn into a building block, and early returns are mixed. Not having their own 2021 pick may hurt more than keeping their 2020 selection if draft experts are right about the weakness of this class. Losing Wiggins may be addition by subtraction, but the Wolves aren’t projected to have much cap space unless they move on from some of their new additions.

At least Minnesota got a point guard. That alone salvages the situation.

LOSERS

New York Knicks fans

To quote Posting and Toasting’s Jonathan Schulman:

Out of the frying pan and into the fire for New York. James Dolan hates learning lessons and is perpetually bent on repeating mistakes. As long as he’s in good company, he seems fine making his money hand over fist and succumbing to the will of more virile men. Eventually the mistakes of the past will echo into the Knicks’ future and Dolan will impose his petty vengeance on another friend. This time it’s Leon Rose.

The Knicks are spinning the decision to hand the keys to Rose, a prominent player agent, as a move that mirrors the success of recent agent/executive crossovers like Bob Myers in Golden State and Rob Pelinka with the Lakers. That’d be easier to believe if a) Dolan and the Knicks didn’t have a checkered history with Rose’s CAA, and b) the alternative of pursuing Masai Ujiri didn’t loom so heavily in the background.

Why is it so hard for Dolan to be patient and use his deep pockets to go get the smartest basketball executive possible?

Everyone involved in the Andre Drummond trade

What a sad ending to Andre Drummond’s seven-and-a-half years in Detroit. The Pistons held onto him for too long in multiple desperate attempts to achieve relevancy, then discovered he had no trade value once they finally realized they had to move on. They ended up accepting a trade package of dead salary and a low second-round pick, all because they feared Drummond would exercise his $27 million player option. That’s a paltry return for a player who was supposed to usher in a new era years ago.

And what’s the upside for Cleveland in making this deal? They “won” the trade today, but it’s hard to see how Drummond becomes a key part of their long-term future. Either he walks for nothing this summer, or he plays his way into a lucrative contract extension that puts him on a different timeline from their young backcourt. Perhaps the Cavaliers can rehabilitate his value and trade him again, but that requires the league forgetting how little they value him now.

As for Drummond ... man. He needed a change of scenery, but now he’s walking into a franchise that’s miles away from contention and has horrible locker-room chemistry. He’s taking it as well as you’d expect.

If there’s one thing I learned about the NBA, there’s no friends or loyalty. I’ve given my heart and soul to the Pistons , and to be have this happen with no heads up makes me realize even more that this is just a business! I love you Detroit...

— Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) February 6, 2020

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets’ involvement in Tuesday’s four-team Houston-centric blockbuster seemed like a setup for something bigger. Shabazz Napier for Jordan McRae isn’t what we had in mind.

I understand the Nuggets were unlikely to keep Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez even if they did have their restricted free agent rights. I understand their rotation was too deep to accommodate everyone. But the return package of a late 2020 first-round pick and two unproven youngsters in Noah Vonleh and Keita Bates-Diop is still underwhelming.

Sacramento Kings

Just gonna leave this here.

The Kings signed Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon in free agency and traded both of them before the All-Star break.

— Paul Flannery (@Pflanns) February 6, 2020

[stellacarrierscriptstories]

Stella Carrier Script Stories Law of Attraction Edition Script 33 and Memoirs of My Future Higher Self In A Heaven Afterlife Part Eight

Stella Carrier Script Stories Law of Attraction Edition Script 33 and Memoirs of My Future Higher Self In A Heaven Afterlife Part Eight

Start time of beginning both script stories and future higher self; 137 a.m.

Completion time of the scripts and future higher self memoir by to 253 am  on Saturday August 12, 2017

I preface by making it clear that I am definitely not telling anybody how to live, Rather I am doing this for my own writing passions and spiritual creativity/spiritual evolution, as a healthy and constructive spiritual and creative art therapy outlet for the various dreams and desires that I discovered can be channeled into artistic writing therapy. Additionally, I am following both my intuition and logic in doing what I consider this activity to be fun/exciting as I have a strong instinctive feeling that this activity ties into my destiny andor life purpose in various ways that I may only fully understand after my current lifetime. Last but not least, this activity actually helps boost my spirits and allows me to practice my creativity and writing dreams in all areas of my life for both present and future.

June 16, 2030

I Stella Carrier am thrilled that I am now making over 8000 dollars a month after taxes and I have a completely paid off home in Norfolk Virginia that allows Rusty and I to entertain our family and friends. Additionally, it is two days after Rusty’s birthday and we celebrated at one of Rusty’s favorite restaurants in Virginia Beach that is still successfully open as Rusty actually ate here on opening day after he joined me in relocating to the Norfolk Virginia area by December 31, 2024. Fortunately, I Stella Carrier had over 2 years worth of after tax paychecks saved in addition to a completely paid for car and money investments helping me to have over 250,000 American dollars after taxes by December 31, 2023.

 By January 1, 2018 I Stella Carrier was able to pay at least the minimum payments on my student loan payments and generate over 2100 dollars after taxes in savings by December 16, 2017. This prosperity paved the way for other money making opportunities that were manifested by 2030. Additionally, many of the goals and successes that manifested were also in relation to ideas generated from working on my imagination and intuition gifts blessed to me from the celestial realms. Additionally, Rusty and I have a loving and close marriage that gets better and better each day.  I Stella Carrier also give thanks for the 119 pound body that I succeeded in manifesting by the summer of 2018. I have succeeded in maintaining this body since then.

  Memoirs of My Future Higher Self In A Heaven Afterlife Part Eight 8

   June 16, 2350

2888

Dear 36 year old Stella Carrier living on earth during your current incarnation. As your future higher self from this time period I have to admit to you that I am spending a significant time in various celestial/heaven based universities and schools. However, the main difference is that I can be in a celestial university in Virginia in what is on earth time say for example today. Then in a span of four hours from now I can be attending a class hosted in the celestial replica or New Zealand, Switzerland, or Canada.  I have more to share with you on this in other blogs. Why Stella Carrier as your future higher self from 2350 am I telling you this, well first off, I must remind you our celestial spirit ally team wants to pass on many things to you that you are doing right in relation to what I am saying

The things you are doing right, your intuition is expanding more and more each day as a gift from heaven to benefit yourself and those who surround you both critics and supporters. You are wisely learning to discern the power of suggestion, belief, and focus. These areas dovetail with your imagination power and intuition power goals. You are also doing the right thing by continuing to follow your intuitive heart in doing this blog regardless of how you are publicly perceived for doing so as this is helping you to become a more creative, resilient, and empowered writer. This is important as there are many people who secretly want to do similar to what you are doing but have to get past the perceptions of others before doing so.

 The second thing your are doing right Stella Carrier that I as your future higher self is telling you is understanding that both your supporters and critics are actually helping your spiritual evolution and creativity. You are beginning to also understand that even some of the most gifted astrologers, psychics, and spiritual people from both mainstream religious circles and outside religion can fall temptation to either using their gifts for evil andor overcoming temptation and using their gifts for good. Even as your future higher self, I must conceal some details for karmic reasons but I am glad for you that you spotted when an astrologer was using their gifts of suggestion and belief today and you were able to help you see that you Stella Carrier are on the right track towards getting the help your soul needs to continue towards becoming more intuitive each day. I have to avoid disclosing why you are being allowed to become more intuitive each day and why you are able to see various areas of your life with greater clarity and focus each day that you are alive. However, what I can tell you is that even the idea of you focusing on the various ways both within your budget and that are free to expand your imagination are going to help both you, your supporters, and even your harshest critics which brings me to my next point.

 I am looking through a window of a celestial class of spirits who still reside on earth who go to these classrooms for learning various subjects in their dreams. Some men and women remember their dreams upon waking but others may not but still imbue some of the positive energy from those lessons while still living on earth. The point of me telling you this; Your heaven higher self and your heaven celestial spirit ally team can help you enroll in the class of your choice in your sleeptime dreams but you just have to ask and sometimes be patient andor persistent. The third thing that you are doing right, understanding that part of your life purpose is to actually continue to develop your imagination power and intuition power as from what a psychic told you in a past life reading less than 15 years ago you chose the circumstances and even both the blessings and challenges to help you develop into being a seer while also balancing a full time career in a field that helps you hunger to grow your seer and intuitive abilities regardless if it is a higher paying job or a minimum wage job. As your future higher self I have been lovingly instructed by one of our main male spirit guides why part of your life purpose is to learn to strengthen your imagination and intuition powers to grow into being a seer while also working in a full time job while alive. All I can share with you is that it is for the benefit of both your supporters and critics, which is why it is vital for you to be humble and understand that it is your heaven higher self and your heaven spirit ally team that is blessing you with the gift of becoming more intuitive and imagination each day that you are alive, which brings me to the fourth thing.

 What you are also doing right as the fourth thing is knowing what to do and why you must continue to work on the areas of imagination and intuition regardless of how you are publicly perceived. I am going into a celestial library inside of a college between the heaven replica of Switzerland and Germany and I see two books on the table that are recommended to you to go ahead and look at from Amazon but for karmic reasons you are to resist the temptation to review them for at least this year for reasons you are going to understand 9 years or less from now even if anyone that you know about does so, the two books recommended for your study

The Demons of Deception by Corwin Hargrove and Angelic Sigils, Keys, and Calls; 142 Ways to Make Instant Contact with Angels and Archangels by Ben Woodcroft.

 What I am allowed to tell you Stella Carrier as your future higher self is that these two guides are going to indirectly help you to become a more informed and creative writer as well as help you understand even further your skills of discernment when it comes to which types of information to gather andor use for obvious reasons. I have also been told to tell you to go ahead and use one of the techniques from Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner as soon as possible.

 The fifth thing you are doing right-Continuing to Collect details and information on where you would like to permanently reside long-term by 2020 for both spiritual reasons as well as practical reasons such as pertaining to your home goals and recognizing the discernment of knowing whose advice to listen to about this. As your future higher self, I am also glad that you are wisely taking your time in deciding when to do this as you also understand why you must be considerate of your husband Rusty as well as being aware of the timing of when you would give your 3 weeks notice before relocating. As your future higher self Stella Carrier I see that you are conjuring the potential reality of when to go back to church, that idea actually came from both me and your heaven spirit ally team. We all want you to understand and have faith that you are going to make the best decision around this by September 2017 as going back to church is going to do you some good.

 As I glance at the golden table in front of me that is less than two yards from the books I see an image where you are celebrating the day that you got promoted back in June 2002 after you scored in the top 32 percent navywide of a test that you took. The day you celebrated you acknowledged to the navy chaplain that God played a role in your success and even though the navy chaplain himself was super religious he was also trying to get you to believe in yourself more by explaining that your success also came from within you. One of your female spirit guides in your heaven spirit ally team who was also  a cousin in a past life of Switzerland over 800 years ago in your current lifetime left me a message in this akashic record book to tell you that you that this success actually is tied into a great amount of imagination power and intuition power that is going to eventually be unleashed within you and to speed up this process even doing something as small as reading and applying a book on writing is going to engage both your intuition and imagination as well as help your writing.

 As your future higher self I am even more highly intuitive in the afterlife realms during what would be measured on earth time to be the year 2350. I go towards the shelves of what looks to be 250 books and I see a couple reenacting one of the scenes that was written about in an article that you spotted less than 9 hours ago. I see that this article despite its controversy is meant to give you ideas on how to formulate and improve upon your writing even if you are just writing a PG-13 short story of a music DJ who works at colleges on earth.

Stella Carrier as your future higher self I want the best for you and I gently recommend joining your husband Rusty in bed within the next 25 minutes or less. It is fine that you only left your apartment to do your fitness walk after 7 pm this past Friday August 11 2017 but please join your husband in bed soon as there are going to be more chances for me to communicate with you in both the present and future. However as I sit in an orange and gold colored table in a kitchen replica of the library that features kitchen and food related books (food is not necessary but is consumed for enjoyment in this realm) I open our akashic book of life to report to you some of the following future sleeptime dreams for you to record for both present and future reference

The year 2888 has you moving around in a brightly colored classroom in a celestial replica of Virginia teaching over 500 spirits-each with members of their celestial spirit ally teams on their sides how to use music, fables, and writing when it comes to intuition and imagination development. The classroom attendees are still alive on earth and they used their imagination to travel here in their sleeptime dreams. One of the classroom attendees opens their book and the song Fable (Message Version) by Robert Miles plays but one of your female spirit guides is asking me to avoid giving you the description of the female spirit living on earth opening this book to protect her identity even though she is not yet incarnated on earth and is not going to incarnate until sometime after the year 2090.  However, as your future higher self I have been encouraged by multiple members of your celestial spirit ally team to share with you that it is going to become more common through the years of more male and female spirits living on earth to at times dream of their future lives in the astral realms even when that lifetime may be over around 870-880 years into your afterlife future. Stella Carrier, as your future higher self I want to share with you why this future sleeptime vision of a scene in your future afterlife is being revealed to me but I must avoid doing so now.

By January 8, 2070 I as your future higher self see you Stella Carrier helping to set up some type of party in your sleeptime dream that is themed after various shopping areas across the United States and Europe and held in different train cars painted with bright red, blue, orange, pink, and other type of colors

 By June 14, 2050 I as your future higher self see you Stella Carrier having a sleeptime dream of you visiting various places of Vienna Austria together as various members of his family are from there. I want to share with you more but I lovingly ask you to join your husband Rusty in bed within 12 minutes or less from now.

Resources

Resources

Affirmations

I mark a new beginning in the book of my life and wisely use the free time I have been giving to rest and tune even deeper into various aspects of my life-spiritual, athletic goals such as walking more, balancing my writing time with some online courses I have enrolled in etc.

I am in the process of becoming more cool,level-headed, and wise when it comes to how I conduct myself around my current work colleagues and future coworkers as I am now logically and intuitively aware that some of them may follow me to where I may reside within 7 years from now or less regardless if I am a private sector andor a government/military worker/employee.

I am well provided for. I live in an abundant universe.

http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/stage-names.php#.WTqvpOvyucw

http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/dimension-names.php#.WXs6PVWGOcw

Resources and Affirmatiohttp://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/destiny-awoken-names.php#.WXs611WGOcwns

 My psychic abilities expand each day.

I am creating heaven on earth.

 I Call Upon What I Imagine To Be The Influence of Benevolent Spirits From the Heavenly Realms, my higher self, and my celestial spirit ally team for creativity in both my writings and all other areas of my life both present and future

Affirmations I am creating heaven on earth. I am learning to be in the right place at the right time at all times. I am learning to live all areas of my life in alignment with my divine life purpose for both the present and future My psychic/intuitive abilities, creativity/imaginative abilities, and my ability to tap into my wisdom are expanding each and every day. https://www.orindaben.com/pages/rooms/affirmations_room/ I am a healer through my words, thoughts, and deeds. I am aware of the messages my guide is sending me. I receive impressions from my soul and higher self. I am magnetic to my higher good and it is magnetic to me.

 My imagination becomes more powerful each day

imagination power quotes

http://awakenthegreatnesswithin.com/50-inspirational-quotes-on-the-power-of-your-imagination/

“Imagination should be used, not to escape reality, but to create it.” Colin Wilson

“Your imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, and live the life you have imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

“Use your imagination to fly to a world of prosperity, abundance, and success.” ATGW

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” Mark Twain

“Imagination creates reality.” Richard Wagner

“True change takes place in the imagination.” Thomas Moore

imagination affirmations

https://www.brucelee.com/podcast-blog/2016/10/19/15-affirmations-part-1-memory-subconscious-mind-imagination

3rd Affirmation: Imagination “Recognizing the need for sound plans and ideas for the attainment of my desires. I will develop my imagination by calling upon it daily for help in the formation of my plans.” “Creative intuition opens the wellsprings within man, activates the inner light, and is free and limitless.”

http://bmindful.com/affirmations/imagination

http://bmindful.com/affirmations/imagination

Beneficial ideas and solutions are now revealed to me from my imagination. I now discover beneficial ideas and solutions from my imagination.

My imagination overflows with great writing ideas.

I am so happy and grateful for the power I have with my imagination. I am a wonderful imaginative creator.

Imagination archangel

http://www.drstandley.com/angels_samandiriel.shtml

https://www.inspiredabundance.com/affirmations/my-imagination-is-an-asset/

I invent a story. Creative writing exercises introduce me to new worlds and characters. My life becomes more interesting. I immerse myself in the arts. I find inspiration in paintings, sculptures, and music.

 Today, I use my imagination to broaden my insights and experiences. I dream up new things and put them into action.

 Self Control by Laura Branigan

Sing by Ed Sheeran

Untouched by the Veronicas

Lust For Life by Lana Del Rey feat. the Weeknd

I Can’t Stay Away by the Veronicas

Abracadabra by the Steve Miller Band

You Can Do Magic by America

Shake It by Metro Station

Need You Tonight by Inxs

Stronger by Kanye West-iheartradio

Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

Iheartradio Friday August 11, 2017

Get Busy by Sean Paul

Glamorous by Fergie feat. Ludacris

Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani

Move Along by American Rejects

Somebody Told Me by the Killers

Umbrella by Rihanna feat. Jayz

Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down

Just Dance by Lady Gaga

The Way I Are by Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson, Sebastian, D.O.E.

How to Save a Life by the Fray

Sexyback by Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland

I’m A Slave 4 U by Britney Spears

Say It Right by Nelly Furtado

Use Somebody Kings of Leon

Independent Women by Beyonce

Let’s Get Started by Black Eyed Peas

Thong Song by Sisqo released December 31, 1999

Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

Second Chance by Shinedown

Crazy in Love by Beyonce feat. JayZ

Music  by Madonna

I’m Yours by Jason Mraz

Closer by Neyo

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

What’s Luv? By Fat Joe feat. Ashanti

Move Ya Body by Nina Sky

Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira and Wyclef Jean

Crazy On You by Heart

Amazon Music Playlist my personalized Storytelling playlist on shuffle

Your Man by Josh Turner

The Rhythm is Gonna Get You by Gloria Estefan

Timber by Pitbull and Kesha

Bad Things by MGK feat. Camila Cabello

Fire Woman by the Cult

Give Me Just One Night Una Noche by 98 Degrees

Like it or Not by Madonna

Magic by the Cars

Do You Wonder by Ever After High

The Promise by When in Rome

National Anthem by Lana Del Rey

Secrets of Love by DJ Bobo and Sandra

Amazon Warm Up Pop music playlist

Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled feat.  Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

My personalized Amazon storytelling playlist on shuffle

Simple Man by Shinedown

You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears

Rebel Yell by Billy Idol

Crazy by Seal

You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker

Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

Waterfall by Stargate,Pink & Sia

A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay

Say Youll Haunt Me by Stone Sour

Salt Shaker by Ying Yang Twins (feat. Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz)

I Wanna Be With You by Mandy Moore

Temperature by Sean Paul

Full Service by New Kids On The Block

Where to begin on this very racy and controversial story involving former White House Communications Director Jason Miller, his wife Kelly and A.J. Delgado. The positive; It is obvious from the picture on the Daily Mail UK that Kelly is deeply in love with her husband Jason Miller. This love probably naturally extends to standing by whatever crazy situations he gets into i.e. why I do think that Kelly is coming from the heart when she publicly expresses welcoming William into the family despite the circumstances. It is obvious that Kelly is most likely going to stand by her husband as from the Daily Mail UK picture it is apparent that she has the type of romantic love for him that is unconditional.  I am willing to wager that both Jason Miller and his wife were still in love with each other even after he carried on the erotic affair with A.J. Delgado and produced the love child William. My intuitive heart is guiding me to go easy on A.J. Delgado even as a married woman because I am willing to intuitively bet that with Delgado’s physical beauty she is probably use to being the woman who many men publicly show as their woman, not the type of woman that most men would secretly have an erotic affair with but keep secret, i.e. Delgado is probably the type of woman who many men would publicly brag to other men about hooking up with andor introduce to their friends andor family as the girlfriend andor fiancée at the minimum. What I am guessing happened is that Jason Miller was obviously at a minimum lusting after Delgado and wanted her so much to where he was willing to say whatever to have sex with her. However, there was no mention if either Jason Miller or Delgado ever discussed andor used birth control beforehand which could have prevented this soap opera scenario even if their hookups happened in the heat of the moment.  However, as Delgado is Harvard educated and Miller was smart enough to almost have a chance at working the White House Communications director job I have a challenging time accepting that both parties were not privy to the fact that Miller may stay married to his wife Kelly. I would not dare call Delgado a liar but I do believe that she was smart enough to understand, regardless of what Miller said, that sleeping with someone who is still married even separated can change in an instant into a possible reconciliation between the married people. I prefer to avoid judging Delgado for having his baby but if only A.J. Delgado had an open-minded female friend to tell her beforehand to use birth control with Jason Miller and only have his baby if she was willing to accept the wife staying married to Jason Miller. It is obvious from the Daily Mail UK picture that Kelly both loves her husband Jason Miller and probably wants to help both him and even A.J. Delgado in any way possible. Maybe an open-minded friend can see the good in what Kelly is doing and tell A.J. Delgado to see if she is serious about the support as this could also mean that maybe Jason Miller and his wife Kelly want to extend the olive branch to help Delgado out with William in whatever way possible. Obviously, I feel that it would have been better for A.J. Delgado to take precautions to use birth control back in October if she did not want female sterilization before having erotic relations with Jason Miller. However, now that William has arrived, she might as well take advantage of Kelly being publicly civil andor showing support to her considering the circumstances.

 Married former Trump staffer fathered child with fellow aide

 https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/625a0778-81b0-3cef-b313-2f407bec06e8/ss_married-former-trump-staffer.html

REVEALED: Married former Trump staffer fathered love child with fellow aide on campaign trail while his own wife was pregnant Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4777312/Married-ex-Trump-staffer-fathers-child-fellow-aide.html#ixzz4pVf9Jns0  Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4777312/Married-ex-Trump-staffer-fathers-child-fellow-aide.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

I confess that Salma Hayek looks gorgeous and happier than ever. She gives me hope that I can reach the age of 50 looking both better than ever and even more emotionally stronger/resilient.

Salma Hayek Shows Off Amazing Bikini Bod While Taking Outdoor Shower -- See the Pic!

 https://www.yahoo.com/tv/salma-hayek-shows-off-amazing-224300256.html

https://www.mybobs.com/value-express?utm_source=Quantcast&utm_medium=display&utm_content=ValueExpress_R1_300x250_GIF_2017-06-30&utm_campaign=Bobs%20Discount%20Furniture_Evergreen%20Campaign_20170601_20170730_DIS_BRD_FRN_USA_Null

https://www.greatwolf.com/williamsburg/dining-shopping/dining/hungry-wolf

http://www.jacuzzi.com/hot-tubs/request-brochure/?s_cid=7149&kw=&gclid=CNbh_MHS0NUCFYiEswodUsQI0Q

The idea of adding more food to boost sales in the AMC theaters might work.

AMC Theatres banks on new 1.5-pound pretzel, chicken-and-waffle sliders to help save its business

 https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/amc-theatres-banks-on-new--pound-pretzel-chicken-and/article_2db78032-9032-5cde-ac94-5dcdd81ac160.html

Jet fighter squadron deployed on USS George H.W. Bush was grounded in July over air-quality concerns

 https://pilotonline.com/news/military/local/jet-fighter-squadron-deployed-on-uss-george-h-w-bush/article_da9113ef-7087-5ff3-9c14-7cee7d5b05c5.html

Britney, Taylor, Big Boi and more: Time for The Pilot's Weekly Pop Quiz by Dan Duke

 https://pilotonline.com/entertainment/britney-taylor-big-boi-and-more-time-for-the-pilot/article_fc921259-5e04-5d27-a38d-6a3f7f1674dc.html

9 New Restaurants to Try for Summer Restaurant Week 

Written by Anna Spiegel

https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/08/11/9-new-restaurants-for-dc-summer-restaurant-week/

16 Bikini-Clad Celebs Over 50 Who Prove Age Is Nothing But a Number by People magazine

 http://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/celebrity/16-bikini-clad-celebs-over-50-who-prove-age-is-nothing-but-a-number/ss-AApTf4K?li=BBnbfcL

[junker-town]

Here are the 18 NBA players with a signature shoe, and how they got them

Every sneaker here in one place

The best signature shoes are typically only reserved for the top of the top class in the NBA. The rise of the signature athlete for different brands has rapidly increased over the years. In the last four years, eight different NBA players have gotten signature sneakers with different brands trying to break into the market.

Players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James have had success turning themselves into the biggest household names behind their iconic brands. Signature athletes have to be able to do that, but most can’t. Brands still take chances on athletes who might be able to — think of it as a process similar to restricted free agency.

We’ve created a running list of every active player who has a signature shoe along with the current sneaker model they’re on. It’s tough to make this list — there are only 18 players on it to date. But each of them has some quality that makes them desirable for different brands. We’ll go over those qualities and their sneakers here.

LeBron James

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Why James has his own shoe

It goes without saying why James is on this list — he’s a four-time MVP and a three-time NBA Champion. He’s currently viewed as the consensus best player in the world and has been on the league’s biggest stage eight times in his career.

What does his deal look like?

In 2015, James signed a lifetime deal with the swoosh and is on his 15th signature shoe with the brand — excluding the Zoom Soldier series. He reportedly debuted the Nike LeBron 15 at a pickup game at UCLA earlier this summer.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s a look at that shoe via Sole Collector. We don’t really know too much about the knit material the shoe is made of or the sole. Stay tuned.

The shoe is set to debut in October and will retail for $185.

Kyrie Irving

Why Irving has his own shoe

Irving has always been one of the league’s most marketable players. His flashy handle and the ability to score anywhere on the floor at any time has earned him four All-Star appearances in six years. Plus, he’s got an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship under his belt — along with maybe the greatest shot in NBA history.

What does his deal look like?

Sneaker brands love guards, so it’s only natural for Irving to have a signature shoe with his talents. And his deal is only being worth $8 million annually is a steal for Nike — he had the second best selling signature shoe in 2016.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s a look at what we think is going to be Irving’s Kyrie 4 via Reggie Miller’s instagram. The pic has since been deleted and Nike has declined to comment, but its a never before seen model for Irving with his logo on the tongue.

The Kyrie 3 currently sells for $120 in stores.

Kevin Durant

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Why Durant has his own shoe

Kevin Durant just won his first NBA title, but he’s always been one of the league’s top athletes. He’s a four-time scoring champion and an MVP. And his trophy case is probably going to need more space for the near future as long as this Warriors team stays together.

What does his deal look like?

Durant signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the swoosh in 2015 when Under Armour nearly poached him away. He’s on his 10th signature shoe with the brand after he debuted its newest iteration during last year’s Western Conference Finals against the Spurs.

What does the shoe look like?

It takes on Durant’s persona as a long-lanky low top shoe with zoom padding in its soles for extra boost.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The KD 10 currently retails for $150 in stores.

Stephen Curry

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Curry has his own shoe

Stephen Curry’s success is one of Nike’s biggest mistakes after they overlooked him back in 2013. Since then, Curry has made his mark as one of the best three or four players in the league with two MVP trophies and two NBA titles. He’s also shattered the three point

What does his deal look like?

In 2015, Curry signed an extension with the brand that keeps him with the brand until 2024. Curry also has some equity stake in the company, which an uncommon practice for Under Armour’s best. Tom Brady has the same deal.

What does the shoe look like?

Curry recently debuted his fourth signature model during the 2017 NBA Finals. It’s got a sock-like collar for ankle protection and a pretty thick midsole for cushioning.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The sneaker is expected to hit stores sometime in October. We don’t have a price point yet.

James Harden

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Why Harden has his own shoe

Harden is one of the best basketball players in the league and also has plenty of commercial appeal off the court. He’s been a Rocket for five years and each season he’s made an All-Star team. Plus, he’s been an All-NBA’er for four of those five seasons.

What does his deal look like?

Adidas took a huge gamble on Harden in 2015 with a 13-year, $200 million deal — they passed up on re-signing John Wall to a massive deal just to do it. Though basketball isn’t quite their focus, Harden’s deal is paying dividends and keeping their presence alive in the sport.

What does the shoe look like?

Harden introduced the Harden Vol. 1 to the public last season. The Harden Vol. 2 is expected to release sometime this fall for the 2017-18 season.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Harden Vol. 1 retails for $140.

Paul George

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Why George has his own shoe

Though George’s star has fallen a bit, he’s still known as one of the best two-way players in the league and is a four-time All-Star. His battles against LeBron James in the 2012 and 2013 conference finals as well as his bounce back from his broken leg have him as one of the league’s most familiar faces.

What does his deal look like?

George makes $5.5 million annually from Nike. He’s their 21st signature shoe athlete in the brand’s history and has one of the more well-received shoes in the business.

What does the shoe look like?

The PG 1 released in March earlier this year. It’s a sleek low-top with a strap covering its forefoot.

Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images

The PG 1 is Nike’s least expensive signature model on the market selling at $110.

Damian Lillard

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Lillard has his own shoe

Brands love guards because they have the ball in their hands most of the time, and Lillard’s play style lends itself to that. Plus, he’s made the All-NBA squad twice in his short five year career and had one of the most memorable shots in recent playoff history against the Rockets. Did I mention he can rap?

What does his deal look like?

Lillard signed a 10-year deal with Adidas in 2014 that is expected to net him over $100 million over its lifespan. He currently on the third year of that deal with his third signature shoe in the books and the fourth one on the way.

What does the shoe look like?

Lillard is expected to drop the Dame 4 in October. It’s a mid-top shoe with Adidas Bounce cushioning in its soles (image via Sole Collector).

There’s no word on the price yet, but they probably won’t be on the high end because Lillard doesn’t want them that way.

Derrick Rose

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Why Rose has his own shoe

Rose is still reaping the benefits of his MVP season in 2011. Rose was the league’s youngest MVP ever at just 22 years old and had tons of upside before tearing up his knee in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Rose’s career has fallen ever since between his injuries and a rape case.

What does his deal look like?

This deal looks crazy, but it wasn’t when he signed it. The 13-year, $185 million deal with Adidas he signed in 2012 looked excellent for Adidas back then. Rose hadn’t had any injury troubles and they couldn’t have seen that coming.

What does the shoe look like?

The D Rose 8, set to release in October, will be a high top sneaker with boost technology in the sole for more cushion when making sudden movements and cuts.

The shoe will sell for $140 with Adidas and other retailers.

Klay Thompson

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Thompson has his own shoe

Thompson is one of the best three point shooters the game has ever seen. He’s never dipped below 40 percent from three during his career and has taken 6.8 per game over his career. He’s a three time All-Star and a key cog to one of the greatest championship teams of all time. He’s kind of funny, has an adorable love for dogs and just seems like a cool guy.

What does his deal look like?

Thompson just signed a 10-year extension with Anta, a China-based brand, that could reach $80 million. The brand dropped Thompson’s third signature shoe in May right before the start of the NBA Finals.

What does the shoe look like?

Thompson’s shoe is a high top with a knitted upper, which is new for the Anta brand overall. It’s secured by a large strap on the collar and has a thick outsole for ease of movement. (Via Sole Collector)

Russell Westbrook

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Why Westbrook has his own shoe

He wore the Jordan 31s throughout last season, but Westbrook does have his own shoe. But, much like the league’s newest MVP and Triple Double king’s style, it’s a bit unorthodox. It’s really a lifestyle shoe Westbrook doesn’t wear on the court and, sometimes, doesn’t wear it off it. But the shoe still carries his name.

What does his deal look like?

Westbrook recently signed a 10-year extension with Jordan Brand that will keep him under the Jordan umbrella until 2028. The dollar amount of the deal is undisclosed at this point.

What does the shoe look like?

They’re pretty neat for a lifestyle kick. This Westbrook 0.2 is his second signature model with the brand with the 0.3 still on the way. (via Kicks on Fire)

The Westbrook 0.2 sells for $110 with Nike and most other retailers.

Lonzo Ball

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Why Ball has his own shoe

Though Lonzo Ball hasn’t really done anything of significance in the league just yet, his star is already huge. People cared about what he wore during Summer League. He’ll be one of a handful of rookies to have a signature shoe in their first season. Some names on that list? Michael Jordan, LeBron James and John Wall.

What does his deal look like?

We don’t know! But here’s what we do know: Ball is a member of Big Baller Brand, so he’ll get a return on whatever profit they make from his signature ZO2’s. But we still don’t know what that looks like.

What does the shoe look like?

It’s a a low-top with some sort of foam cushion tech in the sole for comfort. The shoes are still currently available for pre-order on the Big Baller Brand website.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

They can only be pre-ordered on the Big Baller Brand website for $495. If customers are willing to pay that hefty price, they’ll get their pair of shoes in November.

Dwyane Wade

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Why Wade has his own shoe

Wade is going to go down as one of the All-Time great players in league history. He’s a 12 time All-Star, three time NBA champion, former Finals MVP, a scoring champ from the 2009 season and an eight time All-NBA player. The resume speaks for itself.

What does his deal look like?

In 2012 Wade signed a deal with Li-Ning that gave him his own ‘Way of Wade’ brand with the company and pays him $8 million annually. He chose Li-Ning over Jordan Brand because of the equity he’d have in the company and the allure of his own brand.

What does the shoe look like?

Wade is launching the Way of Wade 6 for 2017. It’s a low top shoe complete with a knit upper. It also features a strap across the forefoot and a thick sole for more cushion.

The release is expected to come sometime in the 2017-18 season. There’s no word on the price just yet.

Chris Paul

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Why Paul has his own shoe

Yes, but like Westbrook he doesn’t often wear them on the court. Paul is actually on his 10th sneaker with Jordan brand after signing with them in 2006. Paul is one of the league’s best point guards despite his playoff failures. He’s a nine time All-Star and and eight time All-NBA player.

What does the deal look like?

The terms of Paul’s deal are undisclosed, but he’s been with the brand since 2006 after originally signing with Nike in his rookie season.

What does the shoe look like?

It’s a mid-top shoe that is fairly polarizing because of a ripple overlay coming from its midsole. Twitter actually roasted it earlier this year. (via Sneaker News)

Carmelo Anthony

Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Why Anthony has a shoe

Anthony hasn’t had much success with the Knicks, but he’s still one of the best scorers in the league. He won a scoring title and can’t seem to stay off the All-Star team — he’s participated 10 times in his career. He’s got the clout needed to be a signature shoe athlete.

What does Anthony’s deal look like?

Anthony, like Westbrook, makes $5 million annually from Jordan Brand. He’s been with the brand throughout his career and will wear his 13th signature sneaker under the Jordan name in the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

Carmelo’s M13 sneaker, like Paul’s sneaker, is a bit polarizing because of an unorthodox design. It has a thick midsole with an upper made of mesh material. The upper also has ridges spread throughout the shoe that can be a bit jarring. (via Sneaker News)

The M13 currently sells for $135 with Nike but has been discounted by many retailers.

Rajon Rondo

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Why Rondo has his own shoe

Rondo is signed to the Anta, which is the same China based brand Klay Thompson is signed to. Often times Chinese companies chase big names even if production doesn’t match, and Rondo fits that description. He’s a former four time All-Star, NBA champion and recent assist king. His name still carries weight.

What does his deal look like?

The current terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, but the Pelicans point guard has been signed with the brand since 2013. He’s on the fourth iteration of his sneaker with the fifth set to come in the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

What you’d expect it to. It isn’t too flashy, has plenty of performance perks and gets the job done. The RR 4 is your prototypical low top basketball sneaker with plenty of grip in its thick sole. (via hibasketballshoes.com)

The RR4 is selling at hibasketballshoes.com for $79.99

Tony Parker

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Why Parker has his own shoe

Yes! Parker is signed with Peak, another Chinese based brand. And, again, they want big names associated with their brand. So Parker, being a four time NBA champion and a Finals MVP, fits the bill nicely.

What does the deal look like?

I wouldn’t call it huge -- Sportune, a French publication, reported he signed a deal in 2013 that could be worth $2.6 to $4 million annually. Plus, he gets a signature shoe with the brand — something he wasn’t getting at Nike. He’s on his fourth shoe with a fifth coming for the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

The TP4 has an upper made of mesh and synthetic leather, making it a lighter shoe. The sole is thick with plenty of traction, allowing for better cuts and amplified quickness. (Via Peak USA).

The shoe currently sells for $120 with Peak USA.

Dwight Howard

Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

Why Howard has his own shoe

He’s signed with Peak, so it’s much of the same. He’s a big name who has four defensive player of the year trophies in his mantle. He also led a team to the NBA Finals before. He’s a known quantity.

What does the deal look like?

Howard was signed to Adidas, but he left the roster for greener pastures with Peak. The terms of his deal are undisclosed at this point, but Howard did mention that he had more creative control over his shoe. That’s an important factor for players.

What does the shoe look like?

His latest DH3 sneaker with Peak is actually basketball’s first 3D printed sneaker and will be worn for the 2017-18 season. It features a knit upper as well as a translucent outsole making it extremely light. (via Weartesters)

Neither the price or release date for the DH3 has been unveiled yet. Stay tuned.

Matthew Dellavedova

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Why Dellavedova has his own shoe

You read that correctly. Delly has his own signature shoe despite not having earned any major individual accolades. He’s signed with Peak, and Peak needs names. He’s a recognized face from a championship team. (Insert sentence about grit and tenacity and other intangible, nonsensical things here.) It features this commercial you absolutely have to see.

What does the deal look like?

Peak Australia announced Dellavedova’s three year deal before last season without disclosing the dollar amount. They also announced that Dellavedova was already in the process of creating a shoe with plenty of input on its design.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s the Delly 1! It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a Dellavedova shoe. There are Peak R and Peak S pads in the soles allowing for more bounce and explosiveness when diving for loose balls and snatching sneaky rebounds.

The Delly 1 sells for $122 at Peak Australia.

This list will continue to be updated as sneakers change and players are added

[junker-town]

Here are the NBA players with a signature shoe, and how they got them

Every sneaker here in one place

The best signature shoes are typically only reserved for the top of the top class in the NBA. The rise of the signature athlete for different brands has rapidly increased over the years. In the last four years, eight different NBA players have gotten signature sneakers with different brands trying to break into the market.

Players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James have had success turning themselves into the biggest household names behind their iconic brands. Signature athletes have to be able to do that, but most can’t. Brands still take chances on athletes who might be able to — think of it as a process similar to restricted free agency.

We’ve created a running list of every active player who has a signature shoe along with the current sneaker model they’re on. It’s tough to make this list — there are only 18 players on it to date. But each of them has some quality that makes them desirable for different brands. We’ll go over those qualities and their sneakers here.

LeBron James

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Why James has his own shoe

It goes without saying why James is on this list — he’s a four-time MVP and a three-time NBA Champion. He’s currently viewed as the consensus best player in the world and has been on the league’s biggest stage eight times in his career.

What does his deal look like?

In 2015, James signed a lifetime deal with the swoosh and is on his 15th signature shoe with the brand — excluding the Zoom Soldier series. He reportedly debuted the Nike LeBron 15 at a pickup game at UCLA earlier this summer.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s a look at that shoe via Sole Collector. We don’t really know too much about the knit material the shoe is made of or the sole. Stay tuned.

The shoe is set to debut in October and will retail for $185.

Kyrie Irving

Why Irving has his own shoe

Irving has always been one of the league’s most marketable players. His flashy handle and the ability to score anywhere on the floor at any time has earned him four All-Star appearances in six years. Plus, he’s got an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship under his belt — along with maybe the greatest shot in NBA history.

What does his deal look like?

Sneaker brands love guards, so it’s only natural for Irving to have a signature shoe with his talents. And his deal is only being worth $8 million annually is a steal for Nike — he had the second best selling signature shoe in 2016.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s a look at what we think is going to be Irving’s Kyrie 4 via Reggie Miller’s instagram. The pic has since been deleted and Nike has declined to comment, but its a never before seen model for Irving with his logo on the tongue.

The Kyrie 3 currently sells for $120 in stores.

Kevin Durant

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Why Durant has his own shoe

Kevin Durant just won his first NBA title, but he’s always been one of the league’s top athletes. He’s a four time scoring champion and an MVP. And his trophy case is probably going to need more space for the near future as long as this Warriors team stays together.

What does his deal look like?

Durant signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the swoosh in 2015 when Under Armour nearly poached him away. He’s on his 10th signature shoe with the brand after he debuted its newest iteration during last year’s Western Conference Finals against the Spurs.

What does the shoe look like?

It takes on Durant’s persona as a long-lanky low top shoe with zoom padding in its soles for extra boost.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The KD 10 currently retails for $150 in stores.

Stephen Curry

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Curry has his own shoe

Stephen Curry’s success is one of Nike’s biggest mistakes after they overlooked him back in 2013. Since then, Curry has made his mark as one of the best three or four players in the league with two MVP trophies and two NBA titles. He’s also shattered the three point

What does his deal look like?

In 2015, Curry signed an extension with the brand that keeps him with the brand until 2024. Curry also has some equity stake in the company, which an uncommon practice for Under Armour’s best. Tom Brady has the same deal.

What does the shoe look like?

Curry recently debuted his fourth signature model during the 2017 NBA Finals. It’s got a sock-like collar for ankle protection and a pretty thick midsole for cushioning.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The sneaker is expected to hit stores sometime in October. We don’t have a price point yet.

James Harden

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Why Harden has his own shoe

Harden is one of the best basketball players in the league and also has plenty of commercial appeal off the court. He’s been a Rocket for five years and each season he’s made an All-Star team. Plus, he’s been an All-NBA’er for four of those five seasons.

What does his deal look like?

Adidas took a huge gamble on Harden in 2015 with a 13-year, $200 million deal — they passed up on re-signing John Wall to a massive deal just to do it. Though basketball isn’t quite their focus, Harden’s deal is paying dividends and keeping their presence alive in the sport.

What does the shoe look like?

Harden introduced the Harden Vol. 1 to the public last season. The Harden Vol. 2 is expected to release sometime this fall for the 2017-18 season.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Harden Vol. 1 retails for $140.

Paul George

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Why George has his own shoe

Though George’s star has fallen a bit, he’s still known as one of the best two-way players in the league and is a four-time All-Star. His battles against LeBron James in the 2012 and 2013 conference finals as well as his bounce back from his broken leg have him as one of the league’s most familiar faces.

What does his deal look like?

George makes $5.5 million annually from Nike. He’s their 21st signature shoe athlete in the brand’s history and has one of the more well-received shoes in the business.

What does the shoe look like?

The PG 1 released in March earlier this year. It’s a sleek low-top with a strap covering its forefoot.

Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images

The PG 1 is Nike’s least expensive signature model on the market selling at $110.

Damian Lillard

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Lillard has his own shoe

Brands love guards because they have the ball in their hands most of the time, and Lillard’s play style lends itself to that. Plus, he’s made the All-NBA squad twice in his short five year career and had one of the most memorable shots in recent playoff history against the Rockets. Did I mention he can rap?

What does his deal look like?

Lillard signed a 10-year deal with Adidas in 2014 that is expected to net him over $100 million over its lifespan. He currently on the third year of that deal with his third signature shoe in the books and the fourth one on the way.

What does the shoe look like?

Lillard is expected to drop the Dame 4 in October. It’s a mid-top shoe with Adidas Bounce cushioning in its soles (image via Sole Collector).

There’s no word on the price yet, but they probably won’t be on the high end because Lillard doesn’t want them that way.

Derrick Rose

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Why Rose has his own shoe

Rose is still reaping the benefits of his MVP season in 2011. Rose was the league’s youngest MVP ever at just 22 years old and had tons of upside before tearing up his knee in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Rose’s career has fallen ever since between his injuries and a rape case.

What does his deal look like?

It is, but it wasn’t when he signed it. The 13-year, $185 million deal with Adidas he signed in 2012 looked excellent for Adidas back then. Rose hadn’t had any injury troubles and they couldn’t have seen that coming.

What does the shoe look like?

The D Rose 8, set to release in October, will be a high top sneaker with boost technology in the sole for more cushion when making sudden movements and cuts.

The shoe will sell for $140 with Adidas and other retailers.

Klay Thompson

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Why Thompson has his own shoe

Thompson is one of the best three point shooters the game has ever seen. He’s never dipped below 40 percent from three during his career and has taken 6.8 per game over his career. He’s a three time All-Star and a key cog to one of the greatest championship teams of all time. He’s kind of funny, has an adorable love for dogs and just seems like a cool guy.

What does his deal look like?

Thompson just signed a 10-year extension with Anta, a China-based brand, that could reach $80 million. The brand dropped Thompson’s third signature shoe in May right before the start of the NBA Finals.

What does the shoe look like?

Thompson’s shoe is a high top with a knitted upper, which is new for the Anta brand overall. It’s secured by a large strap on the collar and has a thick outsole for ease of movement. (Via Sole Collector)

Russell Westbrook

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Why Westbrook has his own shoe

He wore the Jordan 31’s throughout last season, but Westbrook does have his own shoe. But, much like the league’s newest MVP and Triple Double king’s style, it’s a bit unorthodox. It’s really a lifestyle shoe Westbrook doesn’t wear on the court and, sometimes, doesn’t wear it off it. But the shoe still carries his name.

What does his deal look like?

Despite his major accomplishments on the court, Westbrook hasn’t yet received a big break off the court with his brand. He only makes $5 million with Nike’s subsidiary Jordan Brand, which is sure to increase when its time for his next deal.

What does the shoe look like?

They’re pretty neat for a lifestyle kick. This Westbrook 0.2 is his second signature model with the brand with the 0.3 still on the way. (via Kicks on Fire)

The Westbrook 0.2 sells for $110 with Nike and most other retailers.

Lonzo Ball

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Why Ball has his own shoe

Though Lonzo Ball hasn’t really done anything of significance in the league just yet, his star is already huge. People cared about what he wore during Summer League. He’ll be one of a handful of rookies to have a signature shoe in their first season. Some names on that list? Michael Jordan, LeBron James and John Wall.

What does his deal look like?

We don’t know! But here’s what we do know: Ball is a member of Big Baller Brand, so he’ll get a return on whatever profit they make from his signature ZO2’s. But we still don’t know what that looks like.

What does the shoe look like?

It’s a a low-top with some sort of foam cushion tech in the sole for comfort. The shoes are still currently available for pre-order on the Big Baller Brand website.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

They can only be pre-ordered on the Big Baller Brand website for $495. If customers are willing to pay that hefty price, they’ll get their pair of shoes in November.

Dwyane Wade

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Why Wade has his own shoe

Wade is going to go down as one of the All-Time great players in league history. He’s a 12 time All-Star, three time NBA champion, former Finals MVP, a scoring champ from the 2009 season and an eight time All-NBA player. The resume speaks for itself.

What does his deal look like?

In 2012 Wade signed a deal with Li-Ning that gave him his own ‘Way of Wade’ brand with the company and pays him $8 million annually. He chose Li-Ning over Jordan Brand because of the equity he’d have in the company and the allure of his own brand.

What does the shoe look like?

Wade is launching the Way of Wade 6 for 2017. It’s a low top shoe complete with a knit upper. It also features a strap across the forefoot and a thick sole for more cushion.

The release is expected to come sometime in the 2017-18 season. There’s no word on the price just yet.

Chris Paul

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Why Paul has his own shoe

Yes, but like Westbrook he doesn’t often wear them on the court. Paul is actually on his 10th sneaker with Jordan brand after signing with them in 2006. Paul is one of the league’s best point guards despite his playoff failures. He’s a nine time All-Star and and eight time All-NBA player.

What does the deal look like?

The terms of Paul’s deal are undisclosed, but he’s been with the brand since 2006 after originally signing with Nike in his rookie season.

What does the shoe look like?

It’s a mid-top shoe that is fairly polarizing because of a ripple overlay coming from its midsole. Twitter actually roasted it earlier this year. (via Sneaker News)

Carmelo Anthony

Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Why Anthony has a shoe

Anthony hasn’t had much success with the Knicks, but he’s still one of the best scorers in the league. He won a scoring title and can’t seem to stay off the All-Star team — he’s participated 10 times in his career. He’s got the clout needed to be a signature shoe athlete.

What does Anthony’s deal look like?

Anthony, like Westbrook, makes $5 million annually from Jordan Brand. He’s been with the brand throughout his career and will wear his 13th signature sneaker under the Jordan name in the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

Carmelo’s M13 sneaker, like Paul’s sneaker, is a bit polarizing because of an unorthodox design. It has a thick midsole with an upper made of mesh material. The upper also has ridges spread throughout the shoe that can be a bit jarring. (via Sneaker News)

The M13 currently sells for $135 with Nike but has been discounted by many retailers.

Rajon Rondo

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Why Rondo has his own shoe

Rondo is signed to the Anta, which is the same China based brand Klay Thompson is signed to. Often times Chinese companies chase big names even if production doesn’t match, and Rondo fits that description. He’s a former four time All-Star, NBA champion and recent assist king. His name still carries weight.

What does his deal look like?

The current terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, but the Pelicans point guard has been signed with the brand since 2013. He’s on the fourth iteration of his sneaker with the fifth set to come in the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

What you’d expect it to. It isn’t too flashy, has plenty of performance perks and gets the job done. The RR 4 is your prototypical low top basketball sneaker with plenty of grip in its thick sole. (via hibasketballshoes.com)

The RR4 is selling at hibasketballshoes.com for $79.99

Tony Parker

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Why Parker has his own shoe

Yes! Parker is signed with Peak, another Chinese based brand. And, again, they want big names associated with their brand. So Parker, being a four time NBA champion and a Finals MVP, fits the bill nicely.

What does the deal look like?

I wouldn’t call it huge -- Sportune, a French publication, reported he signed a deal in 2013 that could be worth $2.6 to $4 million annually. Plus, he gets a signature shoe with the brand — something he wasn’t getting at Nike. He’s on his fourth shoe with a fifth coming for the 2017-18 season.

What does the shoe look like?

The TP4 has an upper made of mesh and synthetic leather, making it a lighter shoe. The sole is thick with plenty of traction, allowing for better cuts and amplified quickness. (Via Peak USA).

The shoe currently sells for $120 with Peak USA.

Dwight Howard

Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

Why Howard has his own shoe

He’s signed with Peak, so it’s much of the same. He’s a big name who has four defensive player of the year trophies in his mantle. He also led a team to the NBA Finals before. He’s a known quantity.

What does the deal look like?

Howard was signed to Adidas, but he left the roster for greener pastures with Peak. The terms of his deal are undisclosed at this point, but Howard did mention that he had more creative control over his shoe. That’s an important factor for players.

What does the shoe look like?

His latest DH3 sneaker with Peak is actually basketball’s first 3D printed sneaker and will be worn for the 2017-18 season. It features a knit upper as well as a translucent outsole making it extremely light. (via Weartesters)

Neither the price or release date for the DH3 has been unveiled yet. Stay tuned.

Matthew Dellavedova

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Why Dellavedova has his own shoe

You read that correctly. Delly has his own signature shoe despite not having earned any major individual accolades. He’s signed with Peak, and Peak needs names. He’s a recognized face from a championship team. (Insert sentence about grit and tenacity and other intangible, nonsensical things here.) It features this commercial you absolutely have to see.

What does the deal look like?

Peak Australia announced Dellavedova’s three year deal before last season without disclosing the dollar amount. They also announced that Dellavedova was already in the process of creating a shoe with plenty of input on its design.

What does the shoe look like?

Here’s the Delly 1! It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a Dellavedova shoe. There are Peak R and Peak S pads in the soles allowing for more bounce and explosiveness when diving for loose balls and snatching sneaky rebounds.

The Delly 1 sells for $122 at Peak Australia.

This list will continue to be updated as sneakers change and players are added