#you know April… that month that famously has 31 days

[perdvivly]

Waiting patiently for pi month in 7 years. I will not be swayed by ridiculous date formatting. I will not.

[taylizmasterpost]

Reconciliation and Late-Stage Tayliz (September 2014 - Present)

Despite not seeing each other for a while, Taylor and Liz clearly still hold a soft spot in each other’s hearts.

During the Secret Sessions for 1989 in Nashville, fans took pictures in Taylor’s home, and you can clearly see she has photos from Charleston displayed:

When it came time to mend the fences between Taylor and Liz, Claire Callaway was the one who ended up doing it:

2 October 2014 - Claire tweets a TBT to the Charleston trip. Liz responds to it:

That seems to get the ball rolling, because when Taylor drops Out of the Woods as a single, this happens:

14 October 2014 - Taylor and Liz tweet about how much they miss each other:

Then, when Taylor walks the runaway with Karlie at the VSFS, this happens:

Taylor is with Karlie at the time, and obviously nothing romantic is happening on Liz’s end either, because...

20 December 2014 - Liz gets engaged to Bryan Brown and has dinner with friends:

16 February 2015 - Liz tweets that Taylor is badass

8 April 2016 - Liz makes this gay post on Facebook that I’d like to think is a response to Style, since the MV had come out a few months before:

And Liz seems to have found a group of gay friends...

Although, that could just be a typo.

15 July 2015 - Liz posts on Facebook that “Thanks to some really talented friends, I got to record something beautiful today. Can’t wait to share this one.” The picture she attaches definitely looks like Taylor:

Liz also tweets this:

We do NOT know where Taylor was that day. However, she performed in DC on the 1989 tour on the 14th and was papped in NYC on the 16th so it’s not impossible she was in Nashville working on something with Liz. Unfortunately, whatever they worked on has yet to surface (unless you subscribe to the theory that Liz is WB...)

3 August 2015 - Shawn Brooks releases a song called Matter of Time that was written sometime in 2014 by Liz.

Notable lyrics include:

She’s got me lovestruck, crazy Going out of my mind She’s got me lovestruck, crazy But sooner or later, she’s gonna be mine It’s just a matter of time

Don’t know what this means for Liz or TayLiz, since Liz has been with Bryan since early 2013 at the latest, but this is very gay and fun.

27 August 2015 - Thirst tweet:

31 August 2015 - Liz calls Taylor sexy in response to the Wildest Dreams MV:

15 October 2015 - Liz tweets about Better Than Revenge:

28 October 2015 -  Liz quote tweets Taylor about OOTW acoustic:

11 November 2015 - Liz responds to Caitlin’s tweet tagging Taylor about nostalgia:

9 December 2015 - Liz congratulates Taylor on her Grammy noms:

13 December 2015 - Taylor’s birthday. Liz wishes her HBD:

29 January 2016 - Liz says her favorite song from 1989 is This Love:

15 February 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend UMG’s Grammys afterparty at the Ace Hotel Theater :

26 February 2016 - Liz posts a TBT to Charleston:

16 April 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend Coachella:

6 May 2016 - Liz tweets about This Love:

10 May 2016 - Liz possibly writes STFU and Hold Me (likely about Bryan, since he’s out on tour with the woman he’s going to leave Liz for, signaling to me that their relationship is on the fritz):

4 August 2016 - Liz posts a throwback to the Vogue photoshoot at the Bowery.

3 September 2016 - Liz and Bryan’s last interaction on Twitter:

(Bryan had been on tour with Jillian -- who he’d later marry -- and tweeting at her all summer, much more than he’d been tweeting with Liz). It’s important to note the way their relationship ended for when we start studying who Liz’s songs are about.

26 November 2016 - Liz tweets about Clean, possibly signaling her and Bryan have broken up by this point:

13 December 2016 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday with a post about Charleston (captions vary based on site). This also signals to me that her and Bryan are over, since she’s reminiscing on Taylor picking her up off the ground after her breakup with Jason:

11 July 2017 - Liz tells a fan that You Are In Love and All Too Well are her favorite songs from 1989 and Red (guess her favorite song is no longer This Love…):

11 August 2017 - Liz releases STFU and Hold Me:

This MV has a LOT of parallels to the IKYWT video. The lyrics talk about “staring with a bang” (”took off faster than a green light go”?), and reckless abandon (”this path is reckless”). MV parallels are as follows (thank you @mercuryonparklane​ for all the help finding this):

(notice the key necklace?)

So, either Liz is lowkey ripping off Taylor’s work or she’s trying to signal that she was the muse for IKYWT. However, considering Liz is deliberately trying to keep her image separate from Taylor, it doesn’t make any sense that she would try and rip her off. Of course, it could just be a big coincidence...

30 September 2017 - In an interview with The Young Folks, Liz says that STFU and Hold Me is about “getting to that point in a relationship where you’re sick of going around and around talking about the same issue with your partner and it’s time to wave the white flag,” Huett says. “We’ve all been there.”

Of the lyrics “I’m coming from a line of problems / I was born and I became a product” Liz says “I’m not exactly the most polished person. I’d rather be real than perfect and sometimes that means I say things that make people uncomfortable or act out in relationships and test limits, etc… I’m an honest mess but I believe I can and should be loved in light of that. :)”

I still think this song was written about the end of her relationship with Bryan, but it’s still interesting to see how Liz describes herself in relationships.

27 October 2017 - Liz releases H8U

This is another song that I think was written about Bryan. The lyrics reference taking another woman to a Tom Petty concert (Liz LOVES Tom Petty) and generally moving on quickly with another woman, which seems apt for the Bryan/Jillian situation going on.

HOWEVER, the lyrics also reference “our first date two years ago,” which doesn’t make any sense, since Liz and Bryan didn’t break up until 2016 and were together since early 2013. So it could maybe be lyrically about Taylor.

I do think the MV makes a deliberate Taylor reference, though, with the interrupting the wedding scene. Taylor famously had Liz dress as the Bridezilla on the Speak Now album art:

And, at the end of the H8U MV, Liz DOES kiss the blonde bride on the mouth after interrupting her wedding... which is... INTERESTING (especially since Liz is dressed in full RED the whole MV):

I don’t think it’s a stretch to presume Liz could’ve reversed their roles here. IDK.

9 November 2017 - Liz makes her “H8U, love these” playlist on Spotify, which features All Too Well.

1 November 2017 - Liz obsesses over Reputation:

15 November 2017 - Taylor posts an IG story with photos of her Liz and Caitlin in Australia in the background:

13 December 2017 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday:

20 December 2017 - In a now deleted tweet Liz obsesses over New Year’s Day

6 April 2018 - Liz releases Don’t LV U Anymore. Here are some interesting lyrics:

I don't steal your chapstick anymore / Don't wake up to your kiss anymore / And I don't have a washer and dryer full of guitar picks anymore / 'Cause you don't come over to my place anymore / Don't flirt with my roommate anymore / And I don't run to your friends / To get them on my side when we fight anymore / And I never say it / I keep it inside / But maybe I'm wasted / Or maybe it's time to get this off my chest, babe / ... / I don't love you anymore / But I don't love you any less / I don't play you my songs anymore / To see if they're good anymore / You don't tell me your secrets / 'Cause you don't know if I keep them to myself anymore / I don't go to church anymore / Don't know what to believe anymore / And I don't remember the beat of your heart / The smell of your car anymore / ... / Two years and counting / Still got all this weight on my chest / Two years and counting / And I can't remember what I can't forget

Based on the “two years and counting” line, as well as the line about a washer and dryer of guitar picks, I’m inclined to believe this is another song about Bryan. 

However, it is a really similar sentiment to that Civil Wars song Liz posted back when her and Taylor first ended things, and the line about running to get friends on a side when fighting is very similar to the “you go talk to your friends, talk to my friends talk to me” in WANEGBT and the image in Battle/Let’s Go of all their friends standing around watching them fight. Could go either way.

9 April 2018 - Liz reposts a Facebook post announcing Dammit that implies it was written a while ago. But we already knew that.

19 May 2018 - Reputation in Pasadena. Liz attends. Surprise Song: All Too Well. Camila Cabello is the opening act.  

27 May 2018 - Liz gives an interview at Bottlerock festival where she says that Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus is a song she used to get over someone (likely Bryan). She also says Havana was the song she last had stuck in her head -- probably because Camila performed it at Taylor’s show the previous week.

14 March 2019 - Liz makes a happy birthday post for Antoni (who’s dating her friend Trace):

27 April 2019 - Bryan and Jillian get married:

3 May 2019 - Liz releases Nothing Personal:

This feels like DIRECT BRYAN SHADE, since she released it right after his wedding. However, you definitely could also read it as being about being let go from The Agency.

Early May 2019 - Taylor shoots YNTCD. Her and Antoni bond over their love of The National (keep in mind Taylor would end up asking a member of the National to work on exile with her):

17 June 2019 - Liz likes Taylor’s post announcing YNTCD is out:

26 June 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of unreleased song “One of These Days” with the caption “i’m emo” Lyrics:

One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / One of these days when I get sober too / I’ll be flying high you know / Gonna say I told you so / One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won’t have to cry anymore / Someday soon, when I / When I get over you / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / One of these nights you won’t be in my dreams / I will lay this love to rest / I will miss you in this bed / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won't have to cry anymore / Someday soon, someday / When I get over you

More evidence that Liz does, indeed, struggle with the things that Reddit post suggested.

14 August 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of an unreleased song called “I Wanted It to Be You” with the caption “I really did” and a red rose emoji. Lyrics:

I’ll find someone else to take your place / In no time at all I’ll be okay / So you don’t have to say it babe / We don’t have to cry / ‘Cause I know you got shit to do / And baby so do I / I’ll find someone else to take your place, hey / I wanted it to be you I’m closing down the bar with / I wanted it to be you I’m fighting in the car with / Who I could push away / Come back and beg to stay / Ooh, I wanted it, I wanted it, I wanted it / I wanted it to be you

Likely for Bryan BUT maybe a red rose grew up out of frozen ground with no one around to tweet it (lol I’m joking the lakes is very likely not about Liz).

22 August 2019 - Taylor releases the Lover MV, featuring the “breakable heaven” board game:

In the bottom left corner, you can spot a blue 0527. May 27th is Liz’s birthday. What does this mean? I don’t know. I absolutely do not know, but whatever it is is driving me INSANE.

28 August 2019 - Liz posts on Twitter a screenshot of her listening to Cornelia Street:

16 October 2019 - Liz comments on a fan’s video of Taylor performing at the NPR Tiny Desk concert saying “she cute”:

19 November 2019 - Liz says on IG that her favorite songs from Lover are The Archer and Cornelia Street:

22 November 2019 - Liz releases That’s What You Get. This is the one late-stage Liz song that I FULLY BELIEVE is about TayLiz due to a few very specific lyric parallels:

“That’s what you get when you recklessly fall in love” >> “This path is reckless” from Treacherous

“That’s what you get for keeping your armor up” >> “You come around and the armor falls” from State of Grace >> “I would put my armor down if you said you’d rather love than fight” from Story of Us.

“And all your friends are lining up to hate me” >> “You go talk to your friends talk to my friends talk to me” from WANEGBT >> “First shot’s fired everybody’s gathered around” from Battle >> “I can't run to your friends anymore / To get them on my side when we fight anymore” from Don’t LV U Anymore.

It also, just from an outside perspective, doesn’t make any sense for Liz to write a breakup song about Bryan blaming herself when it seems very clear to me that they broke up because Bryan wanted to be with Jillian instead. That’s not her fault. So either this is about another breakup (I’d guess Taylor, based on the lyric parallels), or she’s just very very self-loathing and won’t let herself think it’s Bryan’s fault (which both H8U and Nothing Personal don’t suggest to me).

25 November 2016 - Liz posts a video on her IG story about Taylor at the VMAs.

6 December 2019 - Liz talks about That’s What You get with Earmilk and gives an interesting quote: 

Huett explains, “This song is about facing myself after a brutal season of running from it... I made a self-destructive choice that hurt someone I really value. The angle of the chorus is really sort of a letter to me after that first long look in the mirror. It SUCKED. However, in owning my shit (and sharing this song) my hope is that listeners might apply the sad lesson without having to learn the hard way, or, if they’ve ever found themselves in the regretful position I was once in, I hope this song can at least make them feel less alone."

This is SO DIFFERENT fro mhow her relationship with Bryan ended, but matches up so well with Liz getting help and owning her shit after spiraling in 2012.

24 July 2020 - Folklore drops. Two of the songs are written by the mysterious William Bowery. One of those songs is Betty -- a popular nickname for Elizabeth. Liz tweets at Taylor about the 1 because all of Taylor’s exes wanna think that song is about them.

So, IN CONCLUSION: Liz got help and worked through her shit and they’re on good terms now. They were possibly working on something together in 2015, although that never saw the light of day as far as we know. Liz seems to maybe be referencing Taylor in her music and MVs, but there’s no way to know for sure. Better Than Revenge on the Speak Now Tour was an iconic moment of sapphic energy, and maybe, just maybe, when Taylor re-records her masters, Liz will sing backup for her again.

Thanks for reading!

[hutchhitched]

Social Commentary in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

I haven’t written a lot of meta about The Hunger Games trilogy. When I first read them, I devoured the entire set in three days before I was part of tumblr or writing fanfiction. My own metas were in my head and part of things I taught my classes and discussed with my friends, but not something I generally put on my blog. I don’t know why. (I do have a meta about Peeta’s hijacking that I’ve been meaning to write for a while. Maybe once I’ve finished this book. Hint: It has to do with George Orwell’s 1984, which I used in my classes last year and was performed at a theater in Houston right as the pandemic hit.) I don’t know if reading this book when I’m a decade older and after a really rough few years of my own has anything to do with it or just that I’ve been exposed to so much by being in this fandom, but I’ve got a lot of thoughts about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I’ve only read Part 1 so far, but here are some observations. (It’s long, but at least read the last one—even if you have to skip to get there.)

 Spoilers below:

Reaping day is July 4. We already knew it was during the summer, so that’s not a huge stretch. What intrigues me is the symbolism of July 4 for Americans since it’s Independence Day. For those of you who aren’t American or aren’t sure why that struck me, here you go. Independence Day represents the day the Declaration of Independence was signed (although, it was actually two days later, but whatever). The Declaration of Independence was issued 14 months AFTER the beginning of the American Revolution in April 1775 at the battles of Lexington and Concord and was not the cause of the Revolution as so many believe. Penned by Thomas Jefferson (at least colloquially), it famously discusses the celebrated (but sadly, not practiced) phrase that “all men are created equal.” That’s the phrase that’s trotted out and waved about, but the Declaration is mostly about tyranny and the role of government. In fact, the Declaration doesn’t start with “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Instead, it begins with this: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…” In other words, the Declaration of Independence does indicate that all humans are created equal. It also discusses what the government is supposed to and not supposed to do. Having Reaping Day occur on July 4 is a brilliant jab that adds an entirely new level to what Independence Day means and how it’s celebrated—with lots of flag waving and fireworks and BBQ (and very little knowledge of what the document itself actually says).

 Which brings me to Sejanus Plinth. Bless him. He’s the voice of compassion and reason in part 1 as he speaks up about treating other humans with respect and dignity, about the humanity of those in the districts, as he feeds the hungry, as he challenges the inhumanity of the Games. In short, he’s the Peeta Mellark voice from the final council of the tributes in Mockingjay. I have no idea what’s going to happen to him in the rest of the book, but he’s the humanity I’m craving as I read. A note on his name: Sejanus was a close friend and ally of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Sejanus worked to improve conditions in the Empire and served as a proxy to Tiberius when he was absent. He was strangled to death in 31 AD/CE. His last name is what makes me stop and want to hug Collins. Four years ago, I had no idea what a plinth was. I’d never heard the word, but I was the prop mistress for my church’s summer musical, and it was on the list of things I had to find. I googled it and found out it’s a base on which a statue (or something else) is displayed. In Mary Poppins, it was used as the base for a statue that came to life and talked to the characters in the park. In other words, it’s a place on which someone can take a stand and deliver a message—a platform, if you will, of the character’s compassion and humanity.

 I don’t remember if we got that Tigris was Snow’s cousin in the original trilogy or not. What I do remember is that she was a former stylist who Snow thought was no longer useful and had her removed from the Games. I haven’t figured out yet how I feel about her in this book, but her banishment and desire to see Snow destroyed are even more intriguing to me as a result of her inclusion as his relative. I would not have pictured her as a Snow before reading the new book. I’m still waiting to be convinced. “Snow comes out on top” is awesome. I wish I could write half as well as Collins.

 There’s so much Holocaust imagery in this book, it’s terrifying. The cattle cars, the inhumane treatment of the tributes, using a veterinarian to treat the tributes instead of a doctor, the numbers, the cages, the rats, separation into districts and restrictions on travel, the hunger and starvation. Ugh. I’ve spent the past several years studying the Holocaust with some of the leading Holocaust and genocide scholars in the world both here in Houston and in Israel. I’ve traveled to Germany and Poland to see the death camps and headquarters of the Gestapo and Nazis and so on. The Games themselves are genocide, by definition, as an attempt to reduce the population of undesirables by targeting the children so they cannot reproduce. Hearing Survivor stories always reminds me of how Collins discusses Victors. There are no winners, only survivors. Survivors have never forgotten the Holocaust, nor should they. It’s what helped so many of them find compassion and humanity and forgiveness (and equally what causes such despair and depression in so many, as well). During my time Yad Vahsem in Jerusalem last summer, one thing was repeated over and over and over. The real triumph for Survivors aren’t the children; they are the grandchildren and then the great-grandchildren. In Panem, there can’t be too many grandchildren if the children are killed before they reach child-bearing age. (There’s also something in there about Snow being raised by his grandmother, but I’m gonna let that one rest for now.)

 In one of the seminars from last summer at Yad Vashem, a scholar of Holocaust music taught us about the role of bands and singing in the camps (all levels, from death camps down to prison camps). First, there are some achingly gorgeous songs (the lyrics of one which were preserved on a child’s shoe in the death camp of Majdanek). Second, she asked us what we thought were the purposes of songs and music in the camps, and we all gave the standard answers—an attempt to distract themselves, holding onto humanity, finding beauty in the midst of horror, and hope. As a faithful fan of The Hunger Games and the saying “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear,” I was just as astounded as others when she said, “There was no hope. People died in death camps. They were starved and covered in shit and piss and lice and filth. They wanted revenge.” I don’t think revenge is what music represents in this book or in the original trilogy, although I think that argument can be made with the use of the Hanging Tree song in rebellion in the movies, but I can’t get that woman’s statement out of my head when I read this book. Not everybody has hope. Katniss didn’t when she first volunteered. I think there’s something to that.

 Lucy Gray Baird is not Katniss. I haven’t exactly figured out who she is, yet, but she’s not Katniss in the first part of this book, which I think some people were hoping she was (as an analogy, obviously). Her flirtations with Snow are fascinating, and her outgoing and peculiar behavior at the reaping in District 12 was my first indication that the title was not as clear cut as Snow=Snake and District 12 female tribute=Songbird (alluding to Katniss). She puts a snake down the dress of the daughter of District 12’s mayor. She also sings. Is she both? Is she the songbird only? If so, then why the snake? And Snow doesn’t appear to be the snake either. My bet’s on Dr. Gaul. She’s a piece of work. Or maybe it’s Clemmie. Interested to see where that goes, too.

 Lucy Gray’s insistence that she’s not from District 12 is fascinating. She insists she’s Covey, which by definition is a group of birds. The Covey are a group of traveling performers, who were stopped in District 12 and not allowed to leave. Trapped birds—interesting. Also, besides the Jews, the Roma/Sinti were targeted during the Holocaust. This group was commonly and derogatorily referred to as “gypsies,” people who moved about frequently and were suspected of crime, stealing, and a myriad of other issues. The Roma and Sinti immigrated into Central and Eastern Europe from India. If Katniss and others in District 12 are descended from Lucy Gray, then that covers the non-white argument about her ethnic makeup. I have no idea if that was Collins’ intention, but it makes a lot of sense in my brain.

 As for Snow, he’s not a villain in this book. At least he’s not yet. So far, he’s the hero (or maybe anti-hero is better), but he’s definitely not the villain. Since we’ve read The Hunger Games, we know he’s the ultimate villain later, but he’s not so far in this book. He’s got ambition and cunning, but neither of those are ultimately villainous. He mourns his mother. He loves his cousin and grandmother. He’s proud of his father’s military service. He’s sad about his friends who die. He’s interested in, if not attracted to, Lucy Gray. We know what he becomes, so it’s hard to read about him as a person with hopes and dreams and struggles. Why? Because it humanizes him, and when he’s humanized, it’s harder for us to say, “He’s evil, and that’s why he did those things.” This is much the same way people blame the Holocaust and World War II on Hitler. “Well, he’s evil, so of course he did that.” Or how we dehumanize gunmen in massacres—“Well, he was clearly a sick individual, so he shot up the place.” Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying these crimes are excusable (in real life or in Collins’ works). What I am saying is that knowing Snow was a child shaped by war, hunger, poverty, and loss makes it harder for us to distance ourselves from this “evil” person. His characterization is uncomfortable because it makes us face that we could also do terrible things in specific contexts. Evil people are rarely born. They are almost always made, which means any of us could be a villain. That is what’s really terrifying.

 A couple of other notes before this gets way too long for anyone to read.

 The role of the government: Sejanus argues it’s the government’s job to take care of its citizens. This is an argument that’s raged in the US (and other countries) for a long time. The question is how do governments take care of the citizens? By feeding them and giving them health care and making sure everyone has enough? Be protecting them with a huge army? By allowing broad civil liberties (e.g., choosing whether to wear face masks during a pandemic)? By instituting restrictive liberties (e.g., gun control, wire taps, screenings at airports)? It’s a really interesting point Sejanus makes early in the book. Not surprising not everyone agrees.

 Mention of the three other book titles (almost): The Hunger Games are mentioned several times. There’s a reference to something that “really catches fire.” And then there are the jabberjays. There are no mockingjays yet. Probably because there is no mockingjay yet. Seriously, Collins is brilliant.

 The role of war: War is not good for those who live through it. Snow is traumatized by the war, as are the rest of the Capitol’s citizens. It makes most have little empathy for those in the districts who rebelled against them. War has destroyed the city. It’s weakened the economy. It’s destroyed the Snow’s fortune. And then it also leads to the Hunger Games. This book is anti-war just as much as the original trilogy is. It is not anti-soldier, but it is anti-war.

 The role of children: Suzanne Collins lives in Connecticut, right? Yes, she does. You know where? Sandy Hook. More specifically, Newtown. Where children were shot to death in their classrooms by a gunman a few years ago. A ton of gun control people thought the slaughter of children would be enough for gun control to be implemented in the wake of that mass murder. It did not. Since then, there’s been a meme that’s circulated (taken from a tweet) that says, “In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate. Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over.” On page 60 of the book (right at the end of chapter 4), Snow insists the Hunger Games are to show how much people care about children when Dean Highbottom asks what the purpose of the Games is. And then there’s a paragraph in which Snow wonders if people really do care about children. He concludes that children don’t seem to be quite as important as we claim they are. I don’t think that’s a coincidental commentary on Collins’ part.

 So, that became a lot longer than I planned, but wow. This book is fascinating, and Collins is a genius. I’m so ready for more. Part 2, here I come.

Hey, @everlarkedalways, does this count?

[sheilacwall]

Jesus Walks… in Adidas

Jesus Walks… in Adidas

Jesus is King has finally dropped. This is Kanye West’s first Christian rap-gospel album since turning into a born-again Christian in April after the hedonistic indulgence of Coachella.

The Lucifer, Mercy and New God Flow producer has given up secular music and has now turned his career toward the servitude of God.

However, his return from hospital and new found faith will flow nicely into his plans to expand his fashion, music & entertainment empire as well as possibly delivering him the top spot in the White House. This is a man not to be underestimated.

Saint Pablo

‘Ye recently turned around a personal debt of $53 million into a nearly $50m profit. Back in 2016, ‘Ye went out cap in hand to Mark Zuckerberg for $1bn for his ideas, but was promptly ignored. Zuckerberg was raised in a Jewish household, although his wife is a Buddhist and he hasn’t publicly stated his faith. But, this wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by ‘Ye and may have pushed Kanye toward his born-again Christian position.

Soon after, the “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” star seemingly finally started listening to his wife.

“My wife said, I can’t say no to nobody, and at this rate we gon’ both die broke,” West raps on Saint Pablo. “Got friends that ask me for money knowin’ I’m in debt, and like my wife said, I still didn’t say no.”

Stronger

Whilst facing the cold shoulder from Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey – the Square & Paypal founder who was raised a Catholic, offered to invest in Kanye early on.

Jay-Z also kicked in a loan of $20m triggering tensions between the two ending in a public feud.

Here’s Jay-Z on “Kill Jay-Z”:

“You dropped outta school, you lost your principles / You gave him 20 million without thinkin’,” Jay-Z raps, seemingly confirming the rumor that he lent West money. “He gave you 20 minutes on stage, f–k was he thinkin’?”

Recently, Kanye has tried to dead the beef with the recent track “Brothers” with Charlie Wilson.

Power

‘Ye never got that billion from Zuckerberg, although they apparently became friends and even performed karaoke together, but it appears West has now healed his own financial woes: His apparel brand Yeezy is a billion-dollar empire, according to Forbes and over the past 12 months, Forbes estimates West has earned over $150 million before taxes. His wealth is due largely to Yeezy’s Adidas deal, a line that is expected to top $1.5 billion in sales in 2019.

The Jordan line does approximately $3 billion in annual sales, so the Yeezy line is catching up fast. If he can latch onto the Christian vote, sales could explode even more rapidly.

Touch the Sky

Christianity is the most adhered to religion in the United States, with 65% of polled American adults identifying themselves as Christian in 2019. This is down from 85% in 1990, 81.6% in 2001, and 12% lower than the 78% reported for 2012. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation.

Kenneth Copeland is the number one pastor in the USA and his net worth is $300m. After the backlash for supporting Trump, the natural progression seems to be for Kanye to target the Trump supporters and Christians who make up the large majority of America with around another 20% of the population perhaps open to conversion back to Christianity. It is a huge target market… and that is just America.

Christianity is by far the world’s largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third (31%) of all 6.9 billion people on Earth in 2010.

Jesus is King

The new sound track has been carefully crafted to be sung by large audiences to worship god. With tracks such as “Follow God” and “Use This Gospel”, Kanye is on a mission to convert. He has brought the Church to the streets and into the hills… No Church in the Wild.

His carefully chosen purple hair and purple cloths are to portray himself as an Emperor, clergy-like figure, if not Jesus himself, I don’t think it will be long before Kanye professes himself as a Prophet of some sort.

Kanye pronounced himself “I am a God” back on Yeezus.

I just talked to Jesus He said, “What up, Yeezus?” I said, “Shit—I’m chillin’ Tryna stack these millions” I know he the most high But I am a close high Mi casa, su casa That’s our cosa nostra I am a god I am a god I am a god

Rappers as Jesus

This isn’t new in rap. Check out the images below from Kanye, Nas, Tupac, DMX and The Game.

Jeru the Damaja, who follows the Nation of Islam, like Wu-Tang, Rakim & Brand Nubian, famously wrote a song “Can’t Stop the Prophet”.

Rappers have always seen themselves as street prophets, telling war stories, from Rakim, Nas & KRS-One right back to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five in The Message.

Purple Robes

Throughout history, purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority or high rank. Many believe this to be true because the rare occurrence of purple in nature made it one of the most expensive color dyes to create.

Purple and violet represent the future, the imagination and dreams, while spiritually calming the emotions. They inspire and enhance psychic ability and spiritual enlightenment, while, at the same time, keeping us grounded.

At the time of Jesus, the dye used for making the colour purple, extracted from shell-fish and was one of the most expensive dyes. The colour-fast (non-fading) dye was an item of luxury trade, prized by Romans, who used it to colour ceremonial robes, usually worn by Emperors. The very fact that purple was an expensive color made it affordable only to the royals. That Jesus was made to put it on before his crucifixion, implies that the Romans were sending a strong signal to the Jews against any coup.

A.D.I.D.A.S.

ADIDAS was founded by German, Adi Dassler (Adolf Dassler). In fact, one of the founders, his brother Rudolf Dassler later went on to found Puma and started a bitter rivalry between the brothers. There is a popular myth among fans (not true) that Adidas stands for All Day I Dream About Sports, whilst in 2003, Killer Mike dropped a hip hop track called A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Sex).

Like many of their fellow citizens, the brothers joined the Nazi party after Adolph Hitler came to power in 1933. Their shoe business remained modest until 1936. In that year, Germany hosted the Olympics.

In an ironic twist, the two party members got legendary African-American runner Jesse Owens to wear their running shoes while competing. Owens went on to win four gold medals during the games. The exposure of their product gave Dassler Shoes a huge boost in sales. You can read more in Sportsweek History.

It does seem ironic, given Kanye’s sex addiction that he would align himself with this particular shoe and his plans are to get the shoes made in America and give “second chances” to inmates.

But, he is going to run into problems with the media as the average wage of a prison inmate ranged between $0.23 and $1.15 an hour  – According to the International Labor Organization, in 2000–2011 wages in American prisons 

In Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas, inmates aren’t paid at all for their labor.

The “New Slave” indeed. I initially thought another way to make money would be to make inexpensive Jesus style sandals and sure enough, I found that is exactly what ‘Ye is planning. They are called “slides” in America and Adidas will be making these from injection moulding and it hasn’t gone unnoticed from Twitter that they are basically prison shoes, but now they are being remarketed as a high fashion item for children of rich kids. That is marketing genius.

Why do the yeezy slides look like the slides worn in prison.. pic.twitter.com/LsR8dbFyqE

— Cyn ☕️ (@Kingxxcyn) October 17, 2019

ADIDAS YECHEIL

The first shoe in Ye’s collection is the Yecheil, which is a Hebrew masculine given name meaning “May God live” or “God shall live”. Several people in the Bible also have this name.

ADIDAS YEEZREEL

For the second shoe of ‘Ye’s collection, there is the“Yeezreel”. It has no exact translation but it seems he might’ve been inspired by the word “Jezreel” which was an ancient Israelite city and fortress originally within the boundaries of the Tribe of Issachar, and later within the northern Kingdom of Israel.

ADIDAS YESHAYA

The third shoe is called the “Yeshaya” which directly translates to “God Is Salvation”. The name Yeshaya (Yesha’yahu) translates from Hebrew to English as the name Isaiah, who was one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, and the author of the Book of Isaiah. He was from Jerusalem and probably lived in the 8th century BC.

Many of these shoes use Adidas “Cloud” foam, so ‘Ye and his fans are figuratively walking on clouds.

Click the pic to get the best prices on Adidas below

Through the Wire – Prison Reform

Kim Kardashian announced her decision to study law back in April. Since then, she’s met with President Trump to discuss prison reform, teamed up with the 90 Days of Freedom campaign, and is producing a documentary on the subject.

CNN reported that Kim Kardashian West helped free 17 inmates in 90 days.

Kanye West has donated $1m to prison reform, but is now getting US prison workers to make his shoes at 25% of the cost of having his shoes made in China, unless somehow, he is quadrupling the prison wage.

There will be Church factions and sections of the media who will most likely attack Mr. West for essentially using slave labour in prisons to increase profit. Chinese factory workers are now getting paid more than ever: Average hourly wages hit $3.60 in 2017 compared to around $1 for an American prison worker.

Kanye West’s Interview with Zane Lowe

If you don’t want to watch the lengthy interview below, scroll down for a quick summary.

In the interview Kanye talks about the following:

How billboards are guilty of sex trafficking

How he became a born-again Christian in April after Coachella

Why he wants to create jobs and bring jobs back to the USA

How he experimented with Domes & living in them then “the man” tore them down as a metaphor for tearing down his ego

How his farm will be growing cotton & wheat

He will employ prisoners to make his shoes as a “second chance”

His respect for founders, especially Warren Buffett, Amancio Ortego (Zara), Elon Musk, James Turell (artist concerned with light & space) and Jack Dorsey (Paypal)

He calls himself a Christian innovator

How his daughter North drives his passion for church

How Sunday Service may become a church and how he may become a Pastor

He is asking people to fast & not have premarital sex

How he had a porn addiction due to seeing Playboy at 5 years old & his sex addiction

People should pray together, fast together, stay together to increase power

Getting stumped by Zane Lowes question on whether he had to work for his 4th house

How white owners controls hip hop

How God is using Kanye to show off

Compares himself to Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, diagnosed of Bipolar disorder. This was also the ship in the film The Matrix which “woke” people up

According to the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned c. 605 BC – 562 BC and conquered Judah and Jerusalem and sent the Jews into exile.

How he will become the President of the United States, perhaps as early as 2024

How Facebook & social media is a disease

How porn is ruining marriages and brainwashing children

How to keep the eternal, imaginative 3 year old at all costs

How he’s undeniably the greatest artist of all time, no question!

How wearing the red cap was a joke on all the liberals as well as Drake living four blocks down from him was also a joke from God.

I guess him wearing blue fur whilst talking and making a blue record is also a joke on the liberals

How he will now rewrite and censor all his old songs for performances

How some of the merchandise money will go to the church

How the Louis Vuitton boss reneging on a handshake to make him the LV don and his wife getting robbed helped put him in a mental hospital

Jokes about being the pastor at Drake’s wedding

How he objects to the censorship of speech of the left

Jesus is King is out now on Spotify, mp3, vinyl & CD

Jesus is Born, another new album, is arriving on Christmas Day this year.

Kanye West’s Journey

There is a bigger story here. How hip hop can be cathartic. Hip hop is bashed left, right and centre in the mainstream media daily, mainly times rightly so, for enforcing stereotypes. But, real hip hop can be a spiritual journey.

Some artists have found solace and teachings much earlier on in their lives such as Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One & Jeru the Damaja. Other artists take longer to mature. It seems to me to be better rapping about street crime then taking part in it. This is something most non-hip hop heads seem to not understand.  Hip hop is way out the streets, just like a sports contract.

Everyone has their own journey and Kanye’s has taken him into Christianity. If record sales pick up, it will turn into a bigger movement. Time will tell what happens if it “All Falls Down”,  streams sour and Adidas sales start to Fade. In such a scenario, it may be very hard for Kanye to stay on the straight and narrow, but I wish him luck. Time will tell.

I’m looking forward to see how he reacts surrounded with Angels in future fashion shows singing his new songs.

I’ll leave you with the last verse from Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “The Message”, possibly still the greatest hip hop song ever written. The message is as relevant today as it was back in 1982.

A child is born, with no state of mind Blind to the ways of mankind God is smiling on you, but he’s frowning too Cause only God knows, what you go through You grow in the ghetto, living second rate And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate The place, that you play and where you stay Looks like one great big alley way You’ll admire all the number book takers Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money makers Driving big cars, spending twenties and tens And you wanna grow up to be just like them Smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers Pickpockets, peddlers and even pan-handlers You say I’m cool, I’m no fool But then you wind up dropping out of high school Now you’re unemployed, all null ‘n void Walking ’round like you’re pretty boy floyd Turned stickup kid, look what you done did Got send up for a eight year bid Now your manhood is took and you’re a may tag Spend the next two years as an undercover fag Being used and abused and served like hell Till one day you was found hung dead in a cell It was plain to see that your life was lost You was cold and your body swung back and forth But now your eyes sing the sad sad song Of how you lived so fast and died so young So, don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge I’m trying not to lose my head It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under

Watch Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – The Message

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[woodworkingpastor]

What are you waiting for? Matthew 25:31-46 Sunday, April 7, 2019

Call to Worship, © 2019 Thom Shuman, www.lectionaryliturgies.com

Before there was any time,

there was God.

When we wandered the wilderness,

God built a way for us.

When we lived in exile,

our homes were built by God.

When we are overwhelmed with life,

God unknots the tightness in our shoulders.

When we seek to serve faithfully,

God provides the opportunities.

When tomorrow comes,

we find God awake and waiting for us.

When time ends,

there will still be God.

 Prayer of Invocation

God of justice, you have shown yourself in this world in the poor, the hungry, and the needy. Make us willing participants of your grace and generosity, so that when you come again, we will know your face. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

When I was a teenager, part of my Saturday morning routine was to get up and go Dad into his office.  We’d stop for breakfast at the L&S Diner in Harrisonburg; then we’d go to his office for an hour or so before heading to Kroger.  Dad worked for Holly Farms and then Tyson foods those years, and as the manager of a poultry processing plant he was curious to see what the chicken looked like in the stores. At Kroger, we would eventually go by the bakery where I’d get two chocolate covered donuts.  But while we were there, I liked to go to the magazine section.  Someone used to print a magazine that contained the song lyrics that month’s top songs.  This was the early 80’s, you couldn’t pull out your phone and check these things on Google, because Google didn’t exist and the phone was on the wall in the kitchen.

It’s not always easy to understand the lyrics in a song, and famously mis-understood song lyrics exist in abundance, depending on the era and style of music, and how church appropriate you want this illustration to be. For instance,

A friend of mine used to get concerned in church every time they sang the hymn “There is a bomb in Gilead.”

I once explained to Zach that in Bon Jovi’s song Livin’ on a prayer, it’s “Tommy” who works on the docks, not “Johnny.”

Or the episode of Friends where Phoebe mis-quotes Elton John and sings “Hold me close young Tony Danza.”

All of this is hopefully a humorous way to say that Brethren are inclined to mis-hear this text.  We get off track is thinking that this text is a call to help people in need. By any measure, being concerned for others is an important part of Christian faith and practice; we are and we ought to be involved in ministries like these—especially to the degree that they require our personal involvement. It’s just that this is not the point of this text.

To help us straighten things out, let’s back up and set the stage: Matthew’s Gospel tells us the story of Jesus.

It’s a story that is rooted in a particular history; a genealogy that goes all the way back to Abraham that includes four prominent women and a whole band of in-laws and out-laws.

It’s a story that includes Joseph fleeing a murderous king with Mary and Jesus, living as refugees in Egypt before settling in Nazareth.

It’s a story that instructs us on the character of the Kingdom of God.

It’s a story that is now wrapping up.  Jesus is telling the disciples what things will look like at his return. After this story events will unfold quickly, resulting in this Jesus being condemned as an outcast and a criminal.

What are we to hear?

We are to hear that Jesus is Lord. At the end of time, the decisions will not be made by the kings or the rulers or the presidents or the movie stars or the rich and famous or the sports idols of the day.  At the end, Jesus will define reality, because he’s been doing it all along.  If we can move past what we think the story is saying about ministry to “the least of these” and the various ways the faithful and unfaithful either did or didn’t respond to them, we might notice how many references there are to Jesus being Lord.

Jesus makes this plain. Notice how he begins: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.” This is not a random title. The Jewish people of that day were absolutely looking for the Messiah to come, because it had been promised to them in the Bible. With this sentence, Jesus references Daniel 7:13-14 and applies the words to himself:

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

No one in Jesus’ day doubted that these words from Daniel would someday come to pass.  Many, however, doubted that Jesus was that one.  Very few knew how to act when confronted with the real thing.

It is the kind of statement that either had to be true, or else Jesus was a fraud.  It reminds me of a time I was talking with a man about the weather.  It had been really hot and dry for quite some time. As we talked about this, this man says, “Well, we all know that NASA controls the weather.”  It’s kind of hard to know what to say to that and be polite at the same time.  It’s so outlandish that we can’t possibly imagine it being true—most of us, anyway.

C.S. Lewis works with this idea a bit more elegantly when he says

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about [Jesus]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic…or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (Mere Christianity, “The Shocking Alternative”).

Before this account begins wrestling with how the faithful act, it makes us deal with the fact that Jesus is Lord.  What will we do with that?

We are to hear that life in the Kingdom of God involves having a relationship with the king, not on what we do for the king.  Over the last several weeks we’ve seen several parables that really upset how we often look at Christian life:

The “Parable of the Vineyard” introduced us to some day-laborers who learned that payment is this vineyard is not an earned reward for our labor; it is the benefit of working for a generous, gracious landowner.

The “Parable of the Wedding Banquet” showed us that the only way to be excluded from the wedding banquet is to ignore the host and refuse to participate in the celebration.

The “Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids” illustrates the need to make provisions for the long haul, so we’re ready when the bridegroom arrives.

In every case, the issue involves being in right relationship with the one in authority; it’s the same lesson here.  The only difference between the sheep and the goats is that the sheep are known by their relationship to Jesus—even when they didn’t realize it was Jesus!  Their lives are simply defined by a basic compassion to those who are suffering or going through an impossibly difficult time.

Over and over in the Gospels, what defines faithfulness is a life that demonstrates a profound trust in Jesus.  We are called to put our trust in Jesus and then act out that trust in our daily lives.  The measure of our faithfulness is not the maintenance of a tradition or a particular way of doing things; it is not to root out unfaithful people or beliefs from our midst; it’s not known by how many people read our blog or follow us on social media.  It’s to be alive to a relationship with the one who made us and loves us and wants to redeem us.  And if we’re doing it correctly, then Jesus words here make us realize that we might not even know we’ve been doing the faithful thing all along.  What a joy it will be to stand before Jesus and learn all the times we met him in the face of someone we encountered in life and blessed in a particular moment.

My experience of the Church of the Brethren is that we often talk about the faith of our spiritual ancestors—people who undertook great challenge or experienced great sacrifice for their pursuit of Jesus.  But in this most popular of texts for the Brethren, it’s important that we hear correctly, because the song of faith that is lived out in our daily lives needs to be sung correctly.  Faithfulness means that we get to be those people in our day.  We’re not simply to maintain what was handed down to us; we are to actively reach out and engage the Kingdom of God in our midst, never knowing for certain when we’re ministering to Jesus himself.

[dnowit41]

GOATs on GOATs: LeBron and MJ in their own words through the years

Stop us if you've heard this before: Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Six championships. Count 'em. OK, stop us if you've also heard this: LeBron James is the GOAT. The King is simply bigger and stronger, and he has done it longer.

The two never faced off in an NBA game. Jordan played his last game for the Washington Wizards on April 16, 2003 -- two months before the Cleveland Cavaliers made James the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But their paths have been linked for as long as we can remember -- and will cross again soon. James is set to serve as a captain for this weekend's 2019 NBA All-Star Game, being staged in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Jordan serves as the owner of the Hornets. Shortly after, James, now in his 16th season, likely will pass Jordan for fourth on the league's all-time scoring list. So who is the real GOAT? The debate rages on. On your television. In the comments section. In your Twitter replies.

But it doesn't matter what we say. Here are Jordan and James, in their own words, talking about each other over the past 17 years.

2001: The first meeting

LeBron James was a young high school star who had yet to make his big impression on the national stage when he first met Michael Jordan, who was preparing for a comeback with the Wizards. James spoke about that first meeting this past December as he prepared to play the Jordan-owned Hornets in Charlotte.

LeBron: First time meeting Jordan was 'godly'

LeBron James reminisces about the first time he met Michael Jordan in 2001.

"It was godly. I've said that over and over before, but it was like meeting God for the first time. That's what I felt like as a 16-year-old kid when I met MJ. -- LeBron James Dec. 15, 2018 (Source: Multiple, pregame media availability)

2002: LeBron hits the scene

Just a year later, James himself was getting compared to deities, being dubbed "The Chosen One" on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" as a junior in high school.

"He's very talented. But he's young, and there's a lot of things he doesn't know." -- Michael Jordan Jan. 18, 2002 (Source: Associated Press)

"If you have a chance to talk to him, you listen. More people listen to him than listen to the president of the United States."

-- LeBron James Nov. 5, 2002 (Source: Newhouse News Services)

2003: Jordan exits, James enters

"Is he capable? Yes. He has the skills that most 18-year-olds do not have. Now, if you equate that to playing in the league, I think he would be an average player in our league right now with the potential to be a better player. To say that he can step in at the same level as a Tracy McGrady or a Kobe Bryant would be unfair to LeBron James." -- Michael Jordan Feb. 4, 2003 (Source: MSG Network)

"Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever and ... if anybody in the world can criticize somebody, it can be Michael Jordan. There's no way I'm going to get mad at Michael Jordan criticizing me. There's no way. Michael Jordan is like a dad. If Michael Jordan is going to tell anybody to do something -- the players, the media, the coaches -- you should do it. Simple as that." -- LeBron James April 16, 2003 (Source: Associated Press)

"I'm not going to be able to do it the way Jordan did, I can tell you that. I think I can produce enough, contribute enough, on and off the court, to lift the city of Cleveland." -- LeBron James June 27, 2003 (Source: New York Post)

A changing of the guard was taking place, whether Jordan wanted to acknowledge it or not. Jordan played his final game as a member of the Wizards on April 16, 2003. Two months later, James was selected No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers, a team Jordan famously tormented during his NBA career. The next generation had arrived.

Before his first game as a professional at Chicago's United Center -- The House That MJ Built -- James tried to downplay the comparisons.

"I'm not trying to be Jordan. I'm not trying to compare myself to Jordan or Magic [Johnson] or [Larry] Bird. A lot of people are, but I'm not. They have their own legacies. I'm trying to build my own. I know Michael, but I don't communicate with him. I'm just trying to be me." -- LeBron James Dec. 19, 2003 (Source: Chicago Sun Times)

2004-2006: James on the rise

Though James downplayed the Jordan comparison, he was forced to face it again in 2004, when he made his Team USA debut -- wearing the same No. 9 that Jordan had worn with the Dream Team.

"It didn't matter what I said, I knew you guys would make that connection anyway. That was the greatest basketball team of all time." -- LeBron James Aug. 13, 2004 (Source: The Record -- of Bergen County, New Jersey)

"I think he's doing fine on his own. Obviously, you guys are comparing him with me. They did it with me when I came up with [Julius Erving] and Oscar [Robertson]. But I think the thing about LeBron and what makes him hopefully survive is that he does what's best for LeBron, not what people expect him to do, who think he should be Michael Jordan." -- Michael Jordan Feb. 10, 2005 (Source: New York Daily News)

"I've seen classic games of Jordan versus the Pistons and the Bulls versus the Pistons. To become the best, you've got to beat the best. It might not happen the first year or the second year or third year, but you just got to keep working at it and, hopefully, you'll get over that hump. [Jordan] was able to overcome adversity and overcome the beast. He became the beast." -- LeBron James May 9, 2006 (Source: The Globe and Mail, Canada)

Those classic Pistons-Bulls clashes -- four series from 1988 to 1991 -- saw Detroit's rough-and-tumble "Jordan Rules" blitz and bruise the Bulls star with a defensive scheme now outlawed. The Pistons overcame Chicago until Jordan got over the hump in 1991. Before Game 2 of the 2006 Eastern Conference semis during James' first postseason, James considered the obstacle of the modern Bad Boys, a Pistons championship group that would make six straight conference finals from 2003 to 2008. James, it turned out, was a year away.

2007: LeBron makes 'The Leap'

On This Date: LeBron scores Cavs' final 25 points.

On May 31, 2007, LeBron James scored 48 points as Cleveland beat Detroit in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, James put on a Jordanesque show, scoring the Cavaliers' final 25 points to lift them to a double-overtime win. Two days later, Cleveland reached its first NBA Finals by eliminating the Pistons, the same team Jordan had gotten past to reach his first Finals in 1991. Though James and the Cavs would end up being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, Jordan was complimentary of James' accomplishments ... to an extent.

"What just transpired was something I felt was needed for the league, was needed for Cleveland, was needed for LeBron. Making 'The Leap' is where you do it every single night. It's expected of you, and you do it. ... Not one game, not two games. It's consistent. Every defense comes in and they focus on you and you still impact the game. I think he's shown signs of that." -- Michael Jordan June 4, 2007 (Source: Chicago Tribune)

"Anytime you get praise from the guy who basically laid down all the stones for you to get here -- I grew up idolizing his game and how he played the game of basketball -- it was definitely great to hear." -- LeBron James June 4, 2007 (Source: Associated Press)

2008-2009: LeBron strikes out on his own

"I'm a totally different player than Michael Jordan. As far as the next Jordan, there is no such thing. There's one Michael Jordan and only one, and no one compares with him." -- LeBron James March 6, 2008 (Source: Chicago Tribune)

On this date: LeBron sinks Magic with dramatic buzzer-beater.

LeBron James nails a 3-pointer over Hedo Turkoglu as time expires to give the Cavaliers a 96-95 win over the Magic in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference finals.

"That guy is not in the league anymore. The other 23 is on the good side now." -- LeBron James May 22, 2009 (Source: Associated Press)

Of course, Jordan had been retired for six years, but the memories of his dominance hadn't faded, especially in Cleveland. That's why when James hit what he called the biggest shot of his career to that point, a buzzer-beating 3 over Hedo Turkoglu to beat the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern finals, the hometown hero said it was out of his "Michael Jordan bag of tricks." But the Cavs would go on to lose the series in six games.

2009-2010: The Decision and the aftermath

"He's made his mark in Cleveland. I know New York fans would love to have him, but you need a lot more components than just one player. He's done a heck of a job in Cleveland, and they deserve to have him there." -- Michael Jordan June 13, 2009 (Source: New York Daily News)

"In a fantasy world, there are a lot of guys in the NBA you would love to see who could you be on the same team and see how you match up with the rest of the NBA. Not just myself, everybody in the league has visualized playing with somebody, even guys who are not in the league anymore. I visualized playing alongside Michael Jordan when I was a kid. Everyone has that vision." -- LeBron James Nov. 12, 2009 (Source: Toronto Star Newspapers)

"It's time. He's the best basketball player we've ever seen. Mike does it on the court and off the court. If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan.You see guys flying through the air, you think about Michael Jordan. You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan. You see fly kicks, you think about Michael Jordan. He did so much, it has to be recognized, and not just by putting him in the Hall of Fame. He can't get the logo, and if he can't, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23.Nobody. If I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it." -- LeBron James Nov. 12, 2009 (Source: TNT)

Be like Mike: LeBron wants to own an NBA team

LeBron James has modeled his career after Michael Jordan's. Will he own a team like MJ does in the future?

Five names ready to dominate the next 10 All-Star games

With LeBron in MJ's house for this weekend's All-Star Game, here are five 25-and-under stars with the talent and star power to take the throne in a post-LeBron NBA.

Is LeBron overtaking MJ as the greatest player of all time?

LeBron's dominance at age 33 is forcing a reconsideration on the question of who is the greatest basketball player ever.

In retrospect, James' comments before and after that Nov. 12 game in Miami -- a game Jordan watched from a courtside seat -- should've been a sign. James talked about teaming up with "a lot of guys" (perhaps his good friend Dwyane Wade, for example), then said Jordan's 23 should be retired leaguewide -- like it already was in Miami, though Jordan never played for the Heat. James wore No. 6 during his time in Miami.

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry [Bird], called up Magic [Johnson] and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team.' But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys." -- Michael Jordan July 18, 2010 (Source: NBC)

In an interview that aired 10 days after "The Decision," Jordan made it clear where he stood on James teaming up with Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. It was in line with many of James' critics who believed the NBA's best should be playing against one another.

2011: LeBron's Finals failure

Scottie Pippen, Jordan's co-star for six titles, had said that James could, someday, be better than Jordan. At 26 years old, James already had developed into one of the best all-around players in NBA history.

"I'm gracious. Humbled by Scottie's comments, especially with him being a teammate of his and seeing Michael on a day-to-day basis. But as far as me, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm better than Jordan. I'm not better than Jordan." -- LeBron James May 28, 2011 (Source: Associated Press)

Ten days after these comments, James would have perhaps the worst game of his career: a deer-in-the-headlights, eight-point stinker in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Heat would lose to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

2012-2013: Count the rings?

"Jordan was my superhero growing up. He was the guy I feel helped me get to where I am today. As a competitor, who would not want to go against the best? That's like asking [Tom] Brady would he want to go against [Joe] Montana in the fourth quarter." -- LeBron James Dec. 6, 2012 (Source: Sports Illustrated)

James might have won his first title in 2012, but he still had a long way to go in Jordan's eyes. When asked which player he would choose if he was starting a team from scratch, James or Kobe Bryant, Jordan sided with the Lakers star, who already had a fistful of rings -- though still one less than Jordan himself.

"If you had to pick between the two, that would be a tough choice, but five beats one every time I look at it. And not that [James] won't get five. He may get more than that, but five is bigger than one." -- Michael Jordan Feb. 15, 2013 (Source: NBA TV)

"At the end of the day, rings don't always define someone's career. If that's the case, then I'd sit up here and say I'd take [Bill] Russell over Jordan. But I wouldn't take Russell over Jordan. Russell has 11 rings, Jordan has six. Or I'd take Robert Horry over Kobe. I wouldn't do that. ... You look at a guy like Jud Buechler, who has multiple rings. Charles Barkley doesn't have one ring. He's not better than Charles Barkley. Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest of all time. Reggie Miller is one of the greatest of all time. Sometimes, it's the situation you're in. Timing, as well. I don't play the game and try to define who I am over what guys say or how they feel about me." -- LeBron James Feb. 16, 2013 (Source: New York Post)

2013-2015: The debate heats up

"If I have to guard him, I'm gonna push him left so nine times out of 10 he's gonna shoot a jump shot. If he goes right, he's going to the hole and I can't stop him. So I ain't letting him go right." -- Michael Jordan Feb. 22, 2013 (Source: ESPN's Wright Thompson)

Like the ring-counting argument, James didn't side with Jordan here, either, calling Jordan's theory "wrong." Two weeks after Jordan's comments were published, James beat the Magic with a buzzer-beating layup off a drive to his left. James then did the same to Paul George two months later to win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Was Jordan on his mind? We'll never know.

"I watch Jordan more than anybody; for sure, MJ wasn't perfect. MJ had bad games. He had turnovers. He had games where he felt like he should have been better. But I think the greatest thing about MJ was that he never was afraid to fail. And I think that's why he succeeded so much, because he was never afraid of what anybody ever said about him. Never afraid to miss a game-winning shot, never afraid to turn the ball over. Never afraid. That's one of my biggest obstacles. I'm afraid of failure. I want to succeed so bad that I become afraid of failing." -- LeBron James Oct. 19, 2013 (Source: ESPN)

Though James and Jordan never met on the court as opponents, they've been in the same building plenty of times, including during the 2014 playoffs, when James' Heat swept the Jordan-owned Charlotte Bobcats in the first round. During Game 3, Jordan had a courtside view for a vintage James breakaway dunk, one that seemed to follow James shooting a look at Jordan.

"No, no. Don't start that. Absolutely not, man. Absolutely not. I was able to read [Josh] McRoberts, get a steal and push the lead back up. I absolutely didn't look at MJ, for sure." -- LeBron James April 26, 2014 (Source: The Charlotte Observer)

"Why you guys ask me this question? You know this is an ESPN question. You know it's gonna be all over ESPN. If I was in my prime, could I beat LeBron in a one-on-one game? No question!" -- Michael Jordan Aug. 10, 2015 (Source: Bay Area HQ via MJ Flight School Camp)

Jordan was holding court with attendees at his Flight School camp when the question came up -- though it's unlikely it was the first time he was asked about it. We'll never know the results of a hypothetical matchup, but we can at least check out the tale of the tape:

2016: Chasing ghosts

"My motivation is this ghost I'm chasing. The ghost played in Chicago. ... I think it's cool to put myself in position to be one of those great players, but if I can ever put myself in position to be the greatest player, that would be something extraordinary." -- LeBron James Aug. 2, 2016 (Source: Sports Illustrated)

One day before his 32nd birthday, James was asked by a reporter if he studied a 32-year-old Jordan, whose game had evolved from all fire and fury at the rim to more fadeaways and jab steps. Jordan, as the reporter pointed out, last averaged over 30.0 points per game in his age-32 season. James didn't bite.

"No, I haven't [studied Jordan], because our games are so different. He was much more of a scorer. At that point, he did a lot of post work, but our games are just different. His body is different, my body is different than his. You recognize the dominance that someone had at that age, but there's no similarities in our game, at all." -- LeBron James Dec. 29, 2016 (Source: Cavs.com)

2017-2018: Mutual respect

"I think I fell in love with the game because of Mike, just seeing what he was able to accomplish. When you're growing up and you're seeing Michael Jordan, it's almost like a god. So, I didn't ever believe I could be Mike. I started to focus on myself, on other players and other people around my neighborhood, because I never thought that you could get to a point where Mike was. I shot fadeaways before I should have. I wore a leg sleeve on my leg and folded it down so you saw the red part. I wore black-and-red shoes with white socks. I wore short shorts so you could see my undershorts underneath. I didn't go bald like Mike, but I'm getting there. Other than that, I did everything Mike did. I even wore a wristband on my forearm. I didn't do the hoop earring, either. That was Mike. But I did everything Mike did, man. I wanted to be Mike, so for my name to come up in any discussion with Michael Jordan or Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] ... it's a wow factor." -- LeBron James May 26, 2017 (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"I support LeBron James. He's doing an amazing job for his community." -- Michael Jordan Aug. 4, 2018 (Source: NBC News)

After the beef between James and President Donald Trump -- Trump tweeted that CNN anchor Don Lemon "made LeBron look smart, which isn't easy to do. I like Mike!" -- Jordan backed James, who has been a loud and frequent critic of the president. While Jordan mostly stayed quiet on political issues during his playing career, his level of involvement has increased in recent years.

"MJ made the game global. He made the game global. He made people all over the world want to watch the game of basketball because of his marketability, because of the way he played the game of basketball, because of who he was. He kind of transcended that era." -- LeBron James Dec. 15, 2018 (Source: ESPN)

2018: The last word?

LeBron feels he's the GOAT after Cavs' 2016 title win.

In the latest episode of "More Than An Athlete," LeBron James says his historic 2016 NBA Finals win made him the greatest player ever. Go to ESPN+ and subscribe now to view full episodes.

"That one right there made me the greatest player of all time. That's what I felt. I was super, super ecstatic to win one for Cleveland because of the 52-year drought. ... The first wave of emotion was when everyone saw me crying, like, that was all for 52 years of everything in sports that's gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped, I was like -- that one right there made you the greatest player of all time." -- LeBron James

-Anthony Olivieri

[papermoonloveslucy]

HAIR DYED

June 10, 1949

“Hair Dyed” aka “Liz Gets Her Hair Dyed” is episode #48 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on June 10, 1949 on the CBS Radio Network.

Synopsis ~  After George warning Liz about the dangers of idle gossip, Liz's chatty and absent-minded hair stylist forgets what she's doing and mistakenly dyes Liz's hair black. Nobody recognizes Liz, so she decides to flirt with George to test his fidelity. Gossip about Liz and George spreads all over town. 

Note: The first part of the script was later the basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Gossip” (S1;E24) in March 1952.  The second half inspired “The Black Wig” (S3;E26) from April 1954. This has caused some confusion between “Hair Dyed” and a later episode of “My Favorite Husband” titled “Gossip” that more fully follows the storyline of “The Gossip” but does not included Liz / Lucy having black hair. 

REGULAR CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born as Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.”  From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricarodo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

GeGe Pearson (Bessie, Liz’s Beautician / Millie) was a veteran radio actress who made her debut on "The Red Skelton Show" in 1945. She guest starred with her real-life husband Hal Gerard as tourists in “Lucy Visits Grauman's” (ILL S5;E1). She is perhaps best remembered as the voice of Crusader Rabbit. 

Coincidentally, Liz compares Bessie to columnist Drew Pearson (no relation). 

Verna Felton (Grace) made her professional stage debut at the age of 10 as ‘Little Verna Felton,’ working extensively on stage. Felton was one of the most successful performers in radio, and soon went on to television. She played the persistent Mrs. Day (mother of Dennis) on “The Jack Benny Show” (1955-62). She received two Emmy nominations for her role in the Desilu series “December Bride,” playing Hilda Crocker from 1955 to 1959 opposite Spring Byington as Lily.  On “I Love Lucy” Felton portrayed Mrs. Porter, the no-nonsense housekeeper in “Lucy Hires a Maid” (ILL S2;E23). She was also featured in “Sales Resistance” (ILL S2;E17), playing Mrs. Simpson, a housewife to whom Lucy tries to sell a Handy Dandy vacuum cleaner - only to find out that she has no electricity! Felton worked extensively for Disney voicing various animated characters in classic films. 

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Coope.  The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

EPISODE ANNOUNCER: "As we look in on the Coopers tonight...”

The episode opens in the Cooper’s living room where Liz and Iris are gossiping about someone named Grace while George and Rudolph smoke cigars.

IRIS: “She didn’t!” LIZ: “She did!” RUDOLPH: “What do you think, George. Did she or didn’t she?”

On “I Love Lucy” Lucy is on the telephone gossiping to Marge about Betty while Ricky reads the paper. 

LUCY (to Marge): “She didn’t? She did? She didn’t?  She couldn’t!” RICKY: “Maybe that’s why she didn’t.” 

To give the girls an idea of how trivial they sound, the boys indulge in some mock gossiping from a feminine point of view. The retort is the same on both radio and television:

LIZ / LUCY: “Thank you, Hedda and Lolly.”

“Hedda and Lolly” are gossip columnists Hedda Hopper (left) and her rival Louella Parsons. Hopper famously played herself in an episode in season five of “I Love Lucy” as well as on the first episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” 

George / Ricky admonish their wives about the pettiness of gossip. Liz promises to cut back but will have to cancel her hair appointment, claiming that the beauty salon is where women go to gossip. George is doubtful.

LIZ: “Well, you don’t know Bessie, my beauty operator. She’s the Drew Pearson of the mud packs.”

Andrew Russell Pearson (1897-1969) was one of the best-known American political columnists of his day, noted for his syndicated newspaper column "Washington Merry-Go-Round," in which he criticized various public persons. He also had a program on NBC Radio titled “Drew Pearson Comments.” 

Next day at the salon, Liz stops Bessie mid-gossip about Mrs. Andrews’ marital problems. Taken aback, Bessie refers to Liz as “old funnel ears”.  Liz covers her ears and pretends she can’t hear all the juicy gossip. Getting carried away with her mindless chatter, Bessie accidentally dyes Liz’s hair black!  She claims she can’t dye it back for two weeks without the risk Liz’s hair falling out!

LIZ: “Great!  I’ve got a choice between Black Beauty or Old Baldy.” 

Black Beauty is the eponymous horse featured in the 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. Coincidentally, Richard Denning (above with Mona Freeman) starred in a 1946 film adaptation of the book. Old Baldy probably refers to Mount San Antonio, in the San Gabriel mountains outside Los Angeles. 

Iris comes into the salon and doesn’t recognize Liz. Things take a turn for the meta when Bessie compares her to actress Lucille Ball!  

LIZ: “Oh! She’s pretty!  Do I look like her, Iris?” IRIS: “Nah. Lucille Ball never saw the day she looked as good as you did.” LIZ: “Thank you, I think.”

Although radio and film star Lucille Ball’s name was never mentioned on “I Love Lucy,” meta comparisons to Lucy Carter and Lucille Ball happened several times on “Here’s Lucy”. In the most memorable example, Ball actually played herself with dark hair. 

Liz decides to put George to the test to see if he will recognize her. It is here that the script starts to resemble the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26). Like Ricky, George pretends not to recognize her at first.  George  compares Liz’s new look to Prince Valiant. 

Prince Valiant was a comic book character from King Arthur’s court that first appeared in 1937. His hair was a black pageboy cut, which became known as a Prince Valiant haircut. Fred Mertz (William Frawley) dons a Prince Valiant wig for the PTA show in “The Celebrity Next Door” (1957) starring Tallulah Bankhead. 

George admits he knew it was Liz all along and was just teasing. Back at home Liz gets a telephone from Grace, who gossips that a friend of a friend that George was seen in town with a gorgeous woman with black hair.  When Liz admits that the woman was her, Grace thinks she is covering up and refuses to believe her!  It seems the rumor of George’s infidelity has swept the town. 

LIZ: “This is the biggest news since Ralph Miller’s wife found him downstairs with the upstairs maid.”

Millie calls to tell Liz what Grace has called to to tell her the news of George’s affair. A third caller doesn’t even get to say hello before Liz spills out: 

LIZ: “Yes I heard it no it isn’t true and why don’t you mind your own business.”

It turns out to be Iris, who also believes the gossip! 

LIZ: “Oh, no!  You too, Brutus Atterbury?” 

This line is a paraphrase of a line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. When Brutus betrays Caesar, Caesar remarks “Et tu, Brute?” which is Latin for “You too, Brutus?”  Caesar is then stabbed to death by the senators, including Brutus, the ultimate betrayal of a friend. The play was recorded on records by Orson Welles in 1939, and reissued in 1953. The album was used as a plot device when Welles played himself on a 1956 episode of “I Love Lucy.” 

Iris has heard the woman was a willowy blonde, and Liz realizes how twisted and insidious gossip can be. Iris doesn’t believe it when Liz refutes the gossip.  Liz concocts a plan to get even with Iris. She calls Madge to make up a lie about Rudolph, knowing Madge will quickly spread it around. 

LIZ (to Madge): “I just heard that last Wednesday afternoon Mr. Atterbury had a Coke with his secretary in the drug store.  And that’s not all, one Coke; two straws.”

In the early part of the 20th century, drug stores generally had snack counters that served soft drinks, ice cream and other light refreshments.  They were a popular hang out for young people, away from the prying eyes of their parents. Sharing one drink with two straws was the height of intimacy. The corner drugstore was depicted several times on “I Love Lucy,” especially when Ricky and Fred needed to commiserate away from their wives. 

Katie doesn’t think very much of the rumor Liz has made up. 

LIZ: “Katie, I only planted the seed. By the time the girls get through cultivating it, it’ll be full grown poison ivy.”

George arrives home and Liz tells him what has been happening since their lunch. 

LIZ: “George, today our names have been on more lips than Camphor Ice.” 

Camphor Ice was an ointment made of white wax, camphor, and castor oil, used for dry, chapped skin, especially lips. It was an early form of Chapstick. 

Liz tells George about the rumor he spread about his boss, Mr. Atterbury, telling him that the last time she heard, the rumor had Mr. Atterbury spending Saturday night at the Continental Night Club with a beautiful blonde.

The doorbell rings. It is a despondent Mr. Atterbury, toothbrush and pajamas in hand. Iris has locked him out of the house due to the rumor.  Liz confesses that she spread the rumor.  Liz volunteers to confess her deception, but Mr. Atterbury confesses that he really WAS at the Continental Nightclub with a beautiful blonde!

[maxwellyjordan]

Monday round-up

The second week of proceedings in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump concluded last week. At CNN, Joan Biskupic contends that Chief Justice John Roberts, used to “the heavy mantle of public expectations in his role at the middle of an ideologically divided bench,” has thus far “served as a careful steward of Senate procedures and ensured that the impeachment trial did not descend into nastiness.” John Kruzel at The Hill concludes similarly: “Court watchers said that approach was well suited to Roberts, a mild-mannered 65-year-old jurist who famously said judges should simply ‘call balls and strikes’ and who has sought to shield the courts from being unduly politicized.”

On Friday, the Supreme Court released the calendar for its March 2020 oral argument sitting, which will take place from March 23 to April 1. Amy Howe covers the scheduled cases for this blog, in a post that originally appeared at Howe on the Court. At The Hill, John Kruzel reports that the justices will hear argument “in the landmark separation of powers fight over access to President Trump’s financial records” on Tuesday, March 31.

As we approach the 2020 presidential election, the justices’ own political affiliations are coming under increased scrutiny. Jess Bravin reports for the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) that Justice Clarence Thomas, who has “long participated in events sponsored by the Federalist Society,” spoke at one such event on Friday and “questioned a proposed ethics rule that would discourage federal judges from belonging to the conservative Federalist Society and its liberal counterpart, the American Constitution Society.” In an op-ed for Bloomberg Law, Gabe Roth argues that “at a time when justices’ associations are coming under greater scrutiny,” the justices should go one step further and renounce their registration with any political party.

Briefly:

At The Economist, Steven Mazie observes that the Supreme Court, “often…a friendly forum for Donald Trump’s administration when its immigration policies have foundered in the lower courts,” last week by a 5-4 margin “voted to permit a new wealth test for green-card applicants while litigation on the matter continues.”

At the SMU Law Review Forum, Eric Mogilnicki and Alexander Schultz discuss a topic they deem lacking from the debate surrounding New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. New York, identifying “numerous historical analogues to the City’s transportation restrictions, most of which were not identified in the briefing.”

At Vox, Ian Millhiser explores the recent endorsement by Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer of a proposal to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court, known as “court packing,” and points out that Steyer “is not the only Democratic presidential candidate who has floated” the measure during the campaign.

At The Atlantic, Richard Hasen remembers the decision in Bush v. Gore that decided the 2000 presidential election and portends that, “were the outcome of the 2020 election to fall to the Court, the situation could be far messier, and at stake would be the legitimacy of both the Court and the entire American electoral process.”

At Verdict, Michael Dorf considers “how much freedom” Montana has to “level down” – that is, deny benefits to all groups when confronted with allegations of discrimination arising from unequal treatment – “in response to a finding of impermissible discrimination” in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the religious-school-funding dispute argued last month.

We rely on our readers to send us links for our round-up. If you have or know of a recent (published in the last two or three days) article, post, podcast or op-ed relating to the Supreme Court that you’d like us to consider for inclusion in the round-up, please send it to roundup [at] scotusblog.com. Thank you!

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[businessliveme]

How to Return Online Purchases for Free? Retailers Hate It

(Bloomberg) –Jaime Webb loves buying clothes online. And returning clothes she buys online.

She’ll order the same item in several sizes, just in case, spending, briefly, as much as $600. Keeping what fits best, she sends the rest in for refunds in what retailers call bracketing.

“They make the returns process so easy,” said Webb, 31, an American Airlines flight service manager who lives in Brooklyn and does most such transacting with London-based Asos Plc. “It’s almost like, why not?”

Exactly. Now some in the industry that created the monster are trying to put it back in its cage. They’re taking baby steps—not providing pre-paid mailing labels, requiring a receipt unless an unwanted item is carried to a store—but also threatening to cut off serial returners, the most troublesome of the offenders. Among the others: people who wait months (or more) before returning and the so-called wardrobers, who wear articles of clothing and then ship them back.

It has all become a bugbear for businesses selling stuff. Last year, $369 billion in merchandise, or 10% of total retail sales, was returned in the U.S., according to a study by research firm Appriss, up from $260 billion in 2015. And the holiday season, of course, is the one to dread in the returns departments: United Parcel Service Inc. expects to handle more than 1 million such packages every day, reaching a peak of 1.9 million on Jan. 2, which would be a 26% increase from the 2019 high point.

This is an expensive trend in a competitive sector where margins can be extremely thin. Older, established chains are in particular binds because they rely on e-commerce for most of their growth, if not all of it, and returns keep eating away at profits.

Reverse logistics — the transport from buyers to sellers — is not only costly on its own but creates a need for lots of room for storage. Return stock is “thrown into an empty space in a warehouse to pile up until someone can get to it,” said David Egan, head of industrial & logistics research for real estate advisory firm CBRE.

Sometimes it ends up in landfills, another cost to the environment, along with the shrink-wrapping, padding and cardboard boxes, not to mention the carbon emissions from the trucks and planes that haul everything.

“We can improve the situation, but it’s not clear that we can fix it until we convince people not to over-buy,” Egan said. In the meantime, stores have to do the math to determine whether “the cost of the returns is outweighed by the lifetime value of the customer.”

To be sure, the calculus still tends to put shoppers in the winner’s box. Costco Wholesale Corp., for one, has no plan to pull back on its no-pain-for-you policy. “Are there people who abuse their returns privilege and bring back a sweater they bought ten years ago? Sure,” said Richard Galanti, the company’s chief financial officer. “But generally speaking, we trust our members and our members trust us.”

Among those willing to risk consumer wrath is Urban Outfitters Inc.’s Anthropologie, which charges a fee for mail returns. Fashion Nova, the most-searched fashion brand on Google last year, offers in-store credit, not refunds. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. will next year stop accepting returns without a receipt, invoice or order confirmation.

“There’s a lot of abuse going on, which is why some of these retailers are implementing stricter policies,” said Gabriella Santaniello, founder of the consulting firm A Line Partners.

In extreme cases, a consumer will be blacklisted. Asos, Webb’s favorite, announced in April that it might do so to those taking too much advantage of its famously lax policy. Amazon.com Inc. has banned some customers for life, according to the Wall Street Journal. Four of the top-ten retailers — Costco, Home Depot Inc., TJX Cos. and Target Corp. — said they track return patterns to spot repeat offenders.

Read: The e-commerce impact: Beyond retail into real estate

What businesses would like people to do is bring things back in person. That helps with logistics. And there’s another benefit: According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, an item returned in a store results, on average, in an additional sale that is 107% of the value of what was brought back.

“If they come in the store to return we look at it as an opportunity,” said Scott Lipesky, Abercrombie’s chief financial officer.

There are twists on the strategy. Nordstrom Inc.’s Nordstrom Local “service hubs” will take something you purchased from rivals like Macy’s Inc. and Kohl’s Corp. and pack it up and mail it for you. Kohl’s accepts Amazon returns, offering a 25% discount on its goods to anyone who brings those in.

“Amazon has basically ruined people,” said Brett Northart, co-founder of Le Tote, the parent of Lord & Taylor, which still issues pre-paid shipping labels. “You just have to make your supply chain efficient enough to handle it.”

Webb, the over-buyer in Brooklyn, figures the no-fuss returns culture just may be too deeply ingrained by now. “People shop online knowing they can return stuff however they want and as much as they want,” she said. “Changing that mentality will be difficult.”

–With assistance from Jordyn Holman.

The post How to Return Online Purchases for Free? Retailers Hate It appeared first on Businessliveme.com.

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[harryandmeghan0-blog]

How Princes William and Harry will mark Diana's birthday with Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle

New Post has been published on http://harryandmeghan.xyz/how-princes-william-and-harry-will-mark-dianas-birthday-with-kate-middleton-and-meghan-markle/

How Princes William and Harry will mark Diana's birthday with Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and his brother Prince William will mark their mother’s birthday on July 1. Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash on 31 August 1997 in Paris.

Last year, her sons marked her birthday and twenty years since she died by attending a re-dedication service at her grave

Kensington Palace said in a statement at the time: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will attend a private service to re-dedicate the grave of Diana, Princess of Wales at Althorp House on Saturday 1 July.

“The service, which will fall on what would have been The Princess’s birthday, will be conducted by The Archbishop of Canterbury and attended by her family.”

Read More

It was an emotional day for Harry and William, and no doubt this year will be another meaningful day.

A lot has changed for the royals since last year. Prince William welcomed his third child with wife Kate Middleton.

Louis Arthur Charles was born at 11.01am on April 23, 2018 at the Lindo Wing in St Mary’s Hospital in Londo .

There was another major event for the brothers when Prince Harry married his love Meghan Markle.

The pair were dating at the time of Princess Diana’s 56th birthday in 2017, but their engagement was only announced to the public in November 2017.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Image: Andy Commins)

Kensington Palace’s announcement read: “”The Prince of Wales has announced the engagement of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle.”

“Prince Harry and Ms Markle became engaged in London earlier this month.

“Prince Harry has informed The Queen and other close members of The Royal Family.”

This year, Meghan is expected to join her husband to Princess Diana’s grave.

The pair paid a special tribute to the late Princess of Wales at their Royal Wedding in May.

The royal couple did not forget about her absence and paid a touching tribute to Princess Diana as they left a chair open beside Prince William that would have been for the mother-of-the-groom.

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Royal Wedding

Throughout their lives, both Prince Harry and Prince William have remembered their mother.

William’s second child with Kate was born May 2, 2015 and was named Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

She was named after both the Duke of Cambridge’s grandmother and, of course, his mother.

Prince Harry also remembers his mother in a very sweet way.

The pair were famously close and Harry has worn a black and gold bracelet for over 17 years in a touching tribute to Princess Diana.

On his wedding day at Windsor Castle to the newly titled Duchess of Sussex, the simple accessory made another appearance as the happy couple left for their reception.

Now, it appears the meaning behind the bracelet could have a strong connection to his late mother.

Prince Harry was first seen wearing the bracelet in public in June 2001 as he attended a game of polo with his brother Prince William and father Prince Charles, four years after the death of his mother.

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Following their mother’s death, the Prince of Wales took his two sons to Africa to get away from the mayhem in the UK.

In an interview earlier this year, Harry said of the trip: “I first came [to Africa] in 1997, straight after my mum died.

“My dad told my brother and me to pack our bags — we were going to Africa to get away from it all.”

Woman & Home report that it is believed during this trip Harry bought or was given the bracelet, and therefore links it as a tribute to his mother.

In a recent documentary, which charted the seven days following Diana’s shock death, William spoke of viewing the funeral procession through the “safety blanket” of a bowed head and his long fringe.

Harry, who was 12 at the time, also talked about deliberately trying to suppress any tears while the huge crowds around him wept openly.

William gushed about his mother, remembering her “crazy laugh where there was just pure happiness shown on her face.”

He continued: “The very last memory I have is a phone call from Balmoral. At the time Harry and I were running around, minding our own business, playing with our cousins and having a very good time.

Prince William arrives with Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Harry for his first day at Eton College on September 16, 1995 in Windsor, England (Image: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

“Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say, ‘Goodbye, see you later, can I go off?’

“If I’d know what was going to happen, I wouldn’t have been quite so blasé about it.

“That phone call sticks in my mind quite heavily,” he added.

Harry also talked about his mother, and said it’s something he’s has to deal with for the rest of his life.

He said: “Looking back at it now – it’s incredibly hard. I have to deal with that for the rest of my life – not knowing that it was the last time I’d speak to my mum, how differently that conversation would have panned out if I’d had even the slightest inkling that her life was going to be taken that night.”

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Robert Lewandowski: Meet the Bayern Munich striker looking to knock out Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski: Meet the Bayern Munich striker looking to knock out Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski: Meet the Bayern Munich striker looking to knock out Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski has scored twice as many Bundesliga goals – 28 – as anyone else this season

Tuesday marked the fifth anniversary of when Robert Lewandowski returned home from a particularly successful day at work.

Greeted by his wife Anna, along with 15 others who had come round for a late barbecue at the Lewandowskis’, a cry of “Bravo!” went up for the Polish striker as he came through the door.

He had after all just scored all four of Borussia Dortmund’s goals in their 4-1 Champions League semi-final win against Real Madrid.

Yet as he arrived home, Lewandowski just went and parked himself down on the sofa. “I’m tired,” he said. His wife responded: “Robert, four goals! Everyone’s delighted.”

“It hasn’t quite hit me but… I guess I like it that I scored four goals,” replied Lewandowski. “Right now, I’m just hungry and I’d like something to eat.”

For Anna, a karate champion herself, it was further proof that he was just “a normal guy”.

“He showed the same reaction after four goals against Real Madrid as he would when his mother bakes him a cake,” as she put it in his autobiography.

Normal doesn’t quite fit Lewandowski as a footballer off the pitch – whether it’s the fact that he famously has his dessert before his main course to try to burn fat quicker or that earlier this season he completed a bachelor’s degree in physical education in Warsaw.

Nor does being normal fit what he did on that night in April. No player before in the Champions League era had even scored a hat-trick against Real, nor had any player ever scored four in a Champions League semi-final.

That performance alone catapulted Lewandowski’s status to being one of the world’s best number nines, a status that he would cement after moving to rivals Bayern Munich on a free transfer just over a year later in 2014.

Yet going into another Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, there has been increased speculation around Lewandowski’s future, with a move even mooted to his opponents.

Could he leave Bayern?

This February, Lewandowski broke off on good terms with Cezary Kucharski, the Polish agent that plucked him from obscurity in the third division of Polish football. Taking over from Kucharski was Pini Zahavi, a super-agent responsible for brokering numerous key deals, most recently Neymar’s £200m world-record move to Paris St-Germain last summer.

Zahavi’s co-operation with Lewandowski will last until 31 August 2018 – the final day of the summer transfer window in each of Europe’s big five leagues apart from the Premier League. That has led to increased speculation in Germany of a possible move and that Lewandowski was critical of the club’s transfer policy in September helped stoke that fire.

“Bayern will have to come up with something and be creative if the club wants to keep bringing world-class players to Munich,” said Lewandowski to German news magazine Der Spiegel.

“If you want to compete at the highest level, you have to have those kinds of quality players. To this day, Bayern Munich have never spent more than about 40m euros (£35m) for a player. In international football that has long since been more of an average than a peak price.”

That earned him a rebuke from club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who said: “Obviously Robert was irritated by PSG’s transfers. He is employed with us as a football player and earns a lot of money. I regret what he said.”

Bayern had not consented to the interview.

In the past few weeks, Rummenigge has reiterated too that Lewandowski is “100% staying this summer” which is likely. As the richest club in Germany, Bayern are under no financial pressure to sell while Lewandowski’s contract runs until 2021, with no exit clause.

When Bayern Munich don’t want to sell, they don’t. But unlike Thomas Muller for instance, when Manchester United came after him, Lewandowski doesn’t have that same connection to Bayern which has helped to them to keep homegrown superstars.

While they have a vice-like grip on the Bundesliga title, Bayern haven’t reached a Champions League final since beating Dortmund and Lewandowski in 2013. Real meanwhile have won the trophy in three of the past four seasons.

Perhaps Lewandowski and Bayern advancing to the final could help convince Poland’s record international goalscorer that Munich is the right place for him.

Lewandowski, though, knows that he’s admired in the Spanish capital, going back to that semi-final in 2013. Dortmund lost the second leg 2-0 at the Bernabeu but after going through on aggregate, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez cornered Lewandowski in a small room next to the changing rooms.

According to the Pole, the conversation only lasted five minutes with Perez joking about the game before telling the striker he wanted to have him in Madrid.

Not that that conversation will cross Lewandowski’s mind on Wednesday evening. “I’ve been used to the situation that there’s speculation about me for 10 years,” he said in a September interview with German magazine 11Freunde.

“At the start, I have to say it was more difficult for me to shut out these factors completely. With time you get used to it. I’ve learned that I can’t do anything about it.”

‘Klopp made me the footballer I am’

Robert Lewandowski was the first Dortmund striker to outright win the Bundesliga golden boot since 1965-66

That sort of focus has drawn praise from Lewandowski’s previous employers, including Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who called him “the most professional player I’ve worked with” when he was at Bayern. That was probably best showcased though when he was with Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund.

Midway through what was his final season at the club in 2013, his move to Bayern on a free transfer was announced. Yet Lewandowski’s levels did not drop on the pitch.

So much so, he finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the first time. Most poignantly, in his final home game for the club, Lewandowski received his own ovation from the fans.

Lewandowski teared up then and no wonder. “Klopp made me the footballer I am,” as he put it in 2015.

The Polish striker was signed from Lech Poznan in the Ekstraklasa in 2010 for just 4.25m euros (£3.55m) with Dortmund beating Blackburn Rovers and Sam Allardyce, among others, to his signature.

Together, they won the Bundesliga in their first season but it was in Lewandowski’s second season he became Klopp’s star striker. After an injury to Paraguayan Lucas Barrios, Lewandowski stepped in and never looked back.

He went on to be the club’s top scorer in his remaining three seasons at Dortmund, winning another Bundesliga title and scoring twice in the German Cup final win over Bayern in 2012.

His overall goal ratio of one every 111 minutes is the second best in Bundesliga history, behind only Bayern legend Gerd Muller on 105. When you take Lewandowski’s four seasons since moving to Bavaria, that ratio improves to one every 94 minutes.

His most efficient performance off the bench saw Guardiola clasp his hands over his head in disbelief, as Lewandowski scored five in nine second-half minutes against Wolfsburg in 2015.

Saturday wasn’t quite that impressive but the division’s top scorer came off the bench with just over 20 minutes to play on Saturday at Hannover, enough time for him to score his 28th of the league season. It’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t break the 30-goal barrier for the third Bundesliga campaign running.

For the fourth season running, Lewandowski has been crowned as a German champion with Bayern too, the club’s sixth consecutive title.

That was despite a poor start which saw Carlo Ancelotti shown the door, but even for long periods since Jupp Heynckes returned, Bayern were winning without performances matching the impressive results.

In the last month that has changed with Bayern beginning to blow their opponents away, hitting four goals or more on six occasions.

Time for Real revenge

A man for the big occasion

Robert Lewandowski is the second top scorer in Champions League semi-finals ever – with six goals. Cristiano Ronaldo has 13

That didn’t include the Champions League quarter-final against Sevilla which, particularly in the first half of the away leg, was not an altogether smooth passage to the final four. It’s unlikely to be any easier for Bayern and Lewandowski against Real Madrid – a side that Bayern have lost to in each of their last four games.

Lewandowski has missed two of a possible four games himself against Real since knocking them out with Dortmund in 2013.

Last season, he missed Bayern’s quarter-final first-leg defeat by Real with a shoulder injury while he has also admitted that he wasn’t fully fit for the second leg, even if he scored. In 2014, meanwhile, he missed Dortmund’s 3-0 first-leg reverse at the same stage through suspension.

This time, he’s fit and has the chance to make sure that his team aren’t playing catch-up come the second leg.

Repeating his four-goal heroics of five years ago is of no concern to Lewandowski as he told German magazine kicker on Monday: “It doesn’t matter how many goals I score. The main thing is that we go through.”

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These Bodybuilders And Fighters Virtually Died Whereas Coaching

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These Bodybuilders And Fighters Virtually Died Whereas Coaching

It’s possible you’ll be all about getting your swole on on the fitness center, however the lifetime of an expert bodybuilder and fighter is something however glamorous. Hitting the fitness center is rarely is simple, however these skilled athletes push their our bodies to harmful new heights. Some risked their lives within the course of.

These skilled bodybuilders and fighters nearly died whereas coaching. Listed below are their harrowing tales of simply how far a human physique can go.

Paige VanZant is as marketable as she is proficient, however beneath her picture-perfect firm spokesmodel exterior is an formidable athlete who discovered herself transferring as much as UFC girls’s flyweight division. Nothing about her path to success was easy. See what occurred subsequent.

Shedding weight when your physique is of course meant to be heavier is tough in your common Jane Doe. It’s much more tough for those who’re an MMA fighter, and it’s not unusual for fighters to go on excessive diets and purposely dehydrate themselves to the brink of loss of life in an effort to make weight. Paige VanZant admitted that she was preventing her physique to remain in her UFC weight class – and it nearly killed her.

“I’m quite a bit heavier than folks understand,” she stated. “I used to be truthfully killing myself for this sport. In my final I need to say two fights or three fights, I’ve handed out in my rest room. This final one, I handed out and had the docs nearly not clear me for the struggle.”

Although VanZant considers herself an advocate for physique positivity, the MMA fighter purposely put herself by an consuming dysfunction in an effort to keep in her small weight class. “I used to be placing myself by an consuming dysfunction to make weight,” she admitted. “And it grew to become not enjoyable for me anymore. I hate chopping. I hated the method. Clearly, passing out in your rest room ground just isn’t enjoyable, since you’re dying in a tub.”

Fortunately, VanZant has since made the choice to now not sacrifice her well being and transfer as much as the subsequent weight class.

Is having the right physique price dying for? Meegan Hefford, a 25-year-old mom of two bodybuilder’s tragic destiny begged that very query. Hefford’s bodybuilding weight loss program was crammed with dietary supplements, protein shakes, and protein-rich meals. That is under no circumstances unusual for anybody seeking to bulk up. The truth is, protein-rich diets are needed to construct muscle, and protein shakes are a staple in each bodybuilder’s weight loss program. So when does it develop into harmful and even lethal?

For many of us, a ramped up fitness center routine and strict weight loss program would give us massive outcomes. It wouldn’t put us on the identical stage of hazard, however Meegan was completely different as a result of she suffered from a uncommon dysfunction.

Meegan Hefford had been competing in bodybuilder competitions since 2014, and he or she all the time ramped up her fitness center routine within the weeks prior. In April 2017, the paramedic trainee and bodybuilding mother put herself on a restrictive, protein-packed weight loss program to arrange for a contest in September. In Might, she was discovered unconscious in her West Australian condo. She was rushed to the hospital the place she was declared brain-dead and died two days later.

After her loss of life, docs found that Meegan had urea cycle dysfunction, a uncommon dysfunction that stops the physique from breaking down protein. Her explanation for loss of life was dominated as an “consumption of bodybuilding dietary supplements” and urea cycle dysfunction.

Meegan’s loss of life may have been prevented. There was no method of her understanding she had urea cycle dysfunction, which causes a buildup of fluid within the mind and deadly ranges of ammonia within the bloodstream, however she ignored the warning indicators in favor of pushing her physique additional. Within the weeks earlier than her loss of life, Meegan was hitting the fitness center twice a day and located herself plagued with lethargy and fatigue. Her household attributed her exhaustion from her coaching schedule and had no concept that she was utilizing protein shakes and dietary supplements till after she was discovered unconscious.

Meegan had bought her dietary supplements on-line. Her household believes these harmful, unregulated dietary supplements brought about her loss of life.

Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino is as intense within the ring as she is outdoors of it. The 31-year-old UFC fighter went to harmful lengths to drop weight for her match in opposition to Swedish Muay Thai champ Lina Lansberg. Studies say Justino’s pure physique weight hovers round 170 lbs, however there’s no weight division for girls over 140 lbs so she has to go to excessive measures to get herself there.

Simply six days earlier than her match, Cris discovered herself at 165 kilos – a whopping 25 lbs. greater than the 140-pound catchweight she needed to be to compete. Cris knew she needed to drop weight quick. Her harrowing strategies nearly price her her life.

To drop weight, Cris Cyborg began coaching across the clock and spent lengthy durations resting within a steaming sizzling sauna, however that wasn’t the worst of it.

In disturbing footage from the documentary An Inside Look At The Sacrifice Of Greatness, Cris is proven sobbing on a ground as folks wrap her in harmful dehydration sheets. These sheets are designed to drag each final drop of water out her physique, and reportedly introduced her “near loss of life.” One coach remarked concerning the course of, “What we do is all of us sit right here in a room and watch a human being carry themselves near loss of life.”

Cris managed to make weight and gained the two-round match.

Junior dos Santos could also be a UFC Heavyweight Champion, however his physique continues to be fallible. In Might of 2013, it was revealed that the MMA fighter nearly died after growing a sometimes-fatal dysfunction whereas coaching for his UFC 155 title struggle in opposition to Cain Velasquez.

Junior educated for six hours a day, each single day for 3 months straight. This aggressive schedule price him his match and nearly his life – he was crushed to a pulp by Velasquez and compelled to surrender his title. Worse than the harm to his face was the harm rhabdomyolysis did to his kidneys.

Rhabdomyolysis happens when muscle fibers break down and launch their contents into the bloodstream. This sometimes-fatal illness wreaks havoc on an individual’s kidneys, and Dos Santos developed the dysfunction whereas coaching. Regardless of being inches from loss of life, the MMA fighter wouldn’t change a factor.

“You already know, I believe it’s price it,” he stated. “That is my life. That is every thing I’ve. Individuals don’t know the way arduous we [work] and what we sacrifice to [be successful]. MMA athletes practice a lot, you understand. I might proceed to [do what I’m doing]. I would like it so badly. I need to give every thing I’ve to this. That is every thing to me.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov is a significant, main contender in UFC’s light-weight division, however his grueling techniques to make weight almost pushed his physique to the purpose of no return.

Nurmagomedov famously known as Conor McGregor, UFC’s light-weight frontrunner, a “hen,” however didn’t even present as much as his weigh-ins on the match that might have gained him the interim UFC light-weight title in March.

Whereas some folks argued that this confirmed cowardice, the reality was that Nurmagomedov was rushed to the hospital in the midst of the night time. His struggle was canceled as a result of docs refused to offer him clearance.

Nurmagomedov admitted that he pushed his physique too arduous, and whereas he needed to make the match, docs wouldn’t let him depart. His signs had been distinctive however severe – Nurmagomedov admitted he couldn’t bear in mind components of the day earlier than weigh-in and had abdomen pains so painful his staff rushed him to the hospital.

“Sooner or later earlier than weigh-in, in fact, I don’t really feel good on a regular basis, however I believe that is like one thing completely different, he stated. “And after I go dwelling the night time earlier than weigh-ins, I really feel loopy. I’m chopping weight with my staff, and I don’t bear in mind how I lower weight. I don’t bear in mind numerous issues.” He later added, “I really feel so unhealthy. I by no means really feel like this.”

The UFC star doesn’t simply practice by preventing different MMA fighters. Nurmagomedov actually takes on a reside bear, who he calls his “good friend from childhood” and “greatest sparring accomplice ever.” A few years in the past, a video emerged from Nurmagomedov’s youth that depicts him grappling with a small bear. In a part of the video, you’ll be able to see the bear biting at Nurmagomedov’s arm earlier than he’s pulled away.If that is how Nurmagomedov educated all of the again in 1997, it’s no surprise he’s one of many fiercest UFC opponents on the planet.

Harmful injections gave Romario Dos Santos Alves his cartoonish, excellent muscular tissues, nevertheless it additionally took his life. Whereas most bodybuilders have intense coaching schedules and strict diets some search for harmful alternate options to powerful work. Whereas anabolic steroids are widespread, the artificial filler Alves used to plump up his weapons could also be much more harmful.

Alves used Synthol, a probably deadly filler that’s more and more extra widespread within the bodybuilding circuit. It permits bodybuilders to cover physique components that aren’t responding properly to coaching. It’s usually utilized in calves, shoulder muscular tissues, and higher arms, however poses some main well being dangers. In Alves’ case, a Synthol habit nearly brought about him to lose his arms.

When Alves moved away from his hometown in Goiania, Brazil he began hitting the fitness center arduous. He ended up assembly a bunch of men at his native fitness center who had enormous arms. As he grew to become shut buddies with the group, they launched him to the body-enhancing injection. Although Synthol doesn’t make you bodily stronger, it does fill out the visible look of your muscular tissues. Alves admitted that the injections had been addicting.

“They launched me to Synthol and I bought excited concerning the outcomes,” he advised The Day by day Mail. “I misplaced management.”

Alves began by injecting the Synthol on his personal, however his muscular tissues grew to become so crammed with the oil that he may now not inject them. “My muscular tissues began to solidify and I couldn’t even inject my arms – they had been filled with rocks,” he stated. “I made a decision the one factor I may do was purchase specialist needles to inject.”

Quickly, Alves’ fillers, which swelled his muscular tissues to 25 inches, began to trigger him fixed ache. He almost died from kidney failure due to all of the toxins within the oils. Sadly, giant portions of Synthol can not naturally depart the physique. The one choice to take away them is surgical procedure.

When Alves went to the hospital to get the damaging Synthol faraway from his muscular tissues, he was advised by docs that they would want to amputate each of his arms. His muscular tissues had become rock and his solely choices had been chopping off his arms or chopping off the entire muscle. Finally, docs discovered a strategy to take away a few of the Synthol rocks beneath his arms.

Medical doctors had been unable to take away the entire Synthol from Alves’ physique and the aspiring bodybuilder is distraught over the truth that his large muscular tissues are inclined to scare kids. He says they name him a “monster.”

MMA fighter Dean Garnett goes by grueling lengths to chop weight. In a current BBC article, the fighter outlined how he loses 10 % of his physique weight in lower than a day. Garnett follows harmful, dehydrating strikes. He spends nearly all of his time in a shower or sauna. When he’s not within the sauna, he wraps himself in sheets and quilts in an effort to draw out moisture. He spends all day chewing on ice cubes to drag saliva out of his mouth, and he as a substitute of swallowing any of it, he spits all of it out.

In keeping with Garnett, this complete course of makes him really feel “not removed from loss of life.”

ECW star CW Anderson had a significant well being scare in 2005 when he began utilizing a complement known as Superdrol to enhance his physique. As a result of dietary supplements are largely unregulated, they pose a harmful threat when incessantly consumed. For Anderson, this complement proved to be too sturdy for his physique and shut down his liver. He misplaced round 25 kilos in simply 10 days.

Throughout this time period, Anderson managed to push by quite a lot of occasions together with the Hardcore Homecoming in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Nonetheless, his physique was preventing him and he knew one thing was fallacious.

When Anderson returned dwelling from the Hardcore Homecoming, WCW star Lodi satisfied him that he wanted to go to the hospital. When he bought there, it was unclear whether or not or not he’d want a liver transplant from the harm that was finished. Signs grew so unhealthy that he was unable to sleep as a result of his physique was itching so violently and he was repeatedly vomiting. Fortunately, Anderson’s story has a contented ending. Medical doctors had been in a position to save his liver, but when he ever takes Superdrol once more, he may die.

Wealthy Piana gained the Mr. California title in 1998 and have become well-known on Instagram and YouTube for his large body. Sadly, he handed away in August 2017 after spending two weeks in an induced coma following a cardiac arrest, throughout which period docs discovered that his coronary heart and liver weighed over twice the typical quantity for an grownup male. Piana beforehand admitted to his use of steroids and stated that he grew to become hooked on them, however advised his followers that that was not the best way to go. “If in case you have the selection to remain pure or do steroids, keep pure. There’s no purpose to do steroids, you’re solely hurting your physique, you’re hurting your self,” he stated in 2016.

A lot of Piana’s followers alleged that he may need handed away attributable to drug use after seeing a small again with a powdery substance on the desk in one in all his movies. After his loss of life, girlfriend Chanel Jansen, cleared up rumors saying, “It was pre-workout, on the desk, and as I stated earlier than, he was not a traditional man, all the time did [expletive] his personal method. He snorted his pre-workout as a result of it hit him that a lot quicker in an effort to get a superb exercise… And suppose logically, if him and I had been coke-heads, don’t you suppose we might be quite a bit thinner than we’re?”

Andreas Münzer was an expert bodybuilder whose idol was none apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sadly, Münzer went to excessive ranges to get a physique similar to Arnold. Münzer’s technique was to make his physique enormous, however devoid of any fats. He adopted a strict low-carb weight loss program and took diuretics to take away further water weight. On high of that, Münzer was rumored to be an avid consumer of anabolic steroids. Though he was a well known bodybuilder, his weight loss program and drug use is what finally led to his demise and he grew to become a cautionary story for all bodybuilders.

For months, Münzer ignored the abdomen ache he was feeling, not realizing that it was a warning signal. Finally, in 1996, he was admitted to the hospital as he was affected by inside bleeding in his abdomen. Though docs labored to cease the bleeding, Münzer’s liver and kidneys had failed and his situation was too extreme for him to undergo a profitable blood transfusion. His post-mortem revealed that his muscular physique was nearly fully devoid of subcutaneous fats, that his liver had small tumors, and his coronary heart was greater than twice the load of the typical male coronary heart. Traces of 20 completely different medicine had been additionally present in his system.

Steve Michalik was Mr. America 1972 and was a revolutionary in making a symmetrical look that almost all bodybuilders at the moment aspire to, based on bodybuilding.com. Three years later, he gained the title of Mr. Universe, however these honors definitely didn’t come from pure, pure arduous work. Credited with coining the phrases “depth” or “madness,” Michalik underwent a rigorous coaching course of to realize his look. After all, his physique was additionally attributed to the usage of steroids. Treating his physique like a lab rat, he tried copious quantities of all varieties of anabolic substances, utilizing each possible technique to get them in his physique.

Michalik’s steroid use, in fact, had some extreme penalties and it was his physique that finally took the toll. On the peak of his drug utilization, Michalik was 265 kilos of pure muscle that ultimately started to erode. Not solely that, his inside organs had been additionally failing as he had baseball-sized tumors in his liver, coronary heart failure, and kidney illness. These all prompted him to retire by the mid-’80s, a degree at which he determined to start out dwelling a more healthy way of life. In 2011, he nonetheless wanted a kidney transplant and sadly, he handed away the next yr attributable to an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Oli Cooney was a British man who started figuring out on the age of 16. Decided to vary his physique, he began on a course of intense exercise regimens which included bulking-up dietary supplements and anabolic steroids — the usage of which he was not shy about. Nonetheless, Cooney’s routine led him to have two coronary heart assaults and three strokes by the point he was 18 years outdated. You’ll suppose that enduring these issues at such a younger age can be the final word warning signal, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to cease Cooney, who at one level advised his nurse that he’d moderately have one other coronary heart assault over a stroke.

A as soon as average-sized teen who determined to start out figuring out at 16, Cooney was lifeless by the point he reached 20. Though he had stopped his steroid use after his near-fatal coronary heart assaults and strokes, the harm to his physique was irreversible. Though docs advised him to stop figuring out altogether, Cooney was again within the fitness center three to 4 occasions every week. The coroner assured his Cooney’s household, “He had this weak spot that he was pushed to change his physique picture to develop into extra assured in society. For most individuals what had already occurred to him would have been a wake-up name however he was not keen to hearken to or study from the center professionals.”

Greg Plitt was a health mannequin and private coach who starred in Bravo’s Work Out, along with being featured on the covers of quite a few health magazines. A former Military Ranger, he grew to become an impressed health buff at a younger age — particularly after seeing how a lot his sister modified when she joined the Navy. He advised Muscle & Physique Journal, “That transformation that you simply see when somebody turns into a soldier, lots of them are available with actual unhealthy attitudes… Unexpectedly they begin altering their methods they usually develop into the boys they all the time needed to be.”

You’re most likely questioning, “If he didn’t take steroids and was fairly level-headed when it got here to figuring out, how did that result in his loss of life?” Greg Plitt was a tough employee and his wonderful physique made him a spokesperson for a lot of manufacturers. In 2015, he was operating between the rails of the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line when he was hit and killed by a southbound practice. He was apparently making an attempt to outrun the practice in an effort to promote the effectiveness of an power drink for which they had been capturing a industrial. Disturbingly sufficient, his loss of life was caught on digicam.

In November 2017, MMA fighter Clovis “C.J.” Hancock went face to face with fellow fighter Charlie Ontiveros for the regional Legacy Combating Alliance promotion. It was within the second spherical of the struggle that the 32-year-old had a style of loss of life. Throughout the struggle, Hancock collapsed on his again and went into cardiac arrest earlier than his kidneys failed. When he lastly awoke, he was already within the hospital and couldn’t bear in mind something from spherical two of the struggle he was simply in. Hancock wrote on his Fb web page, “Effectively I died tonight within the cage… they did [CPR] and hit me with the EKG twice and introduced me again.”

Hancock’s near-death expertise isn’t attributed to something that occurred in the course of the struggle, moderately, it’s attributable to his 45-pound weight lower went by to arrange for it. He misplaced as much as 20 kilos in water weight and wanted eight luggage of saline to get his hydration ranges again to a protected place. He says his preventing profession is most definitely over, writing to his Fb followers, “I’m damaged, I assume I’ll simply be a coach any longer… I nonetheless plan on competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and BJJ [super fights], after I get higher. “

In terms of contact sports activities, weight chopping is the go-to preparation technique in an effort to be a more practical fighter. However as we’ve already realized, an excessive amount of weight chopping can have some lethal penalties. Jessica Lindsay was an 18-year-old kickboxer out of Australia. Within the days main as much as her struggle in November 2017, she posted incessantly on her Instagram account about her preparations stating that she felt “match and wholesome.” Whereas out on a run, she collapsed attributable to extreme dehydration and died within the hospital 4 days later. Sadly, that is one thing that occurs to many athletes who attempt to lower their weight.

Of Lindsay’s loss of life, docs advised the media, “There’s a level of no return; it’s fairly excessive and it’s past dehydration.” Lindsay’s household, who’re at the moment holding a GoFundMe marketing campaign for Lindsay’s funeral bills, say that her loss of life is just like that of one other fighter, Jordan Coe. Jordan Coe was a Scottish Muay Thai boxer who handed away in Thailand in March 2017 attributable to suspected heatstroke. He was discovered lifeless in a heavy tracksuit, which is was sporting in an effort to shed extra weight off of his physique. This simply goes to point out that fighters will go to excessive measures to place them in the very best place to win.

Chinese language MMA fighter Yang Jian Bing was simply 21-years-old when he handed away attributable to coronary heart failure. Scheduled to struggle in ONE Championship 35 again in 2015, the match needed to be canceled when Bing was taken to the hospital after struggling extreme dehydration and suspected warmth stroke attributable to extreme weight chopping. Even UFC broadcaster stated this upon listening to about Bing’s loss of life in 2015: “That’s the second weight chopping loss of life I do know of prior to now yr or so. It’s one of many worst elements of MMA.” Researchers discovered that MMA fighters usually undergo severe bouts of dehydration the day after weighing in for a struggle.

American MMA fighter and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman is aware of higher than to do one thing excessive to his physique within the days main as much as the struggle, and his data comes from expertise. He advised Huffington Publish that he as soon as had ten days to lose 32 kilos. “The load simply wasn’t coming off, so then I used to be all the way down to consuming a spoonful of peanut butter for the day… My mind began disappearing. I had no concept what folks had been saying to me. I used to be delirious. After which principally by the point weight lower time got here round, I used to be not wholesome. It’s one thing I might by no means do once more,” he stated.

Dallas McCarver was a bodybuilder whose girlfriend was WWE star, Dana Brooke. The final phrases the McCarver stated to his girlfriend had been “I really like you. Goodbye.” earlier than a good friend discovered him unconscious later that night time. McCarver was solely 26 years outdated when he died after apparently choking on meals. However an post-mortem report would later reveal contributing issue to his loss of life was the “persistent use of exogenous steroid and non-steroid hormones.” Though its powerful to say whether or not McCarver’s steroid use led to his choking, this simply goes to point out that the preparations that bodybuilders undergo have some severe results on their well being.

Indian bodybuilder Vinayaraj was simply 34-years-old and newly married when he instantly handed away. The beginner bodybuilder was at a contest when he instantly collapsed on stage. He apparently suffered an acute coronary heart assault earlier than collapsing and was taken to the hospital. By the point he arrived, docs had been unable to revive him and he was pronounced lifeless. Though the precise explanation for his coronary heart assault is unknown, there are a lot of in bodybuilding neighborhood that speculates Vinayaraj’s loss of life will be attributed to the usage of steroids. If this had been the case, those that suspect drug use wouldn’t be shocked as it’s usually the trigger.

Rodolfo Torres Rojas, a bodybuilder from Columbia, had a promising profession forward of him. The world title hopeful had lately moved from his dwelling nation to Perm, Russia to be nearer to his girlfriend and to enhance his coaching.

For bodybuilders hoping to develop into champions, the game can flip harmful. With the intention to acquire muscle, you need to push your physique to its limits. However for Rodolfo, his intense coaching regimens would show deadly. Whereas he was coaching at some point, he suffered a extreme tear to his tricep. The freak incident fully blindsided Rofolfo and he sought speedy medical consideration.

Sadly, after a sequence of poor medical recommendation, he would succumb to his damage…

Rodolfo developed sepsis after tearing the tricep in his proper arm. He acquired remedy at a neighborhood clinic and was despatched dwelling with pharmaceuticals and advised he can be superb. Nonetheless, after 5 days, he collapsed with a excessive fever and acute ache. He slipped right into a coma and died three weeks later.

The an infection had unfold all through Rodolfo’s physique and affected each his mind and his coronary heart. As his kidneys grew to become contaminated, his physique may now not assist him recuperate. His household is now urgent expenses in opposition to his docs.

[sheilacwall]

Jesus Walks… in Adidas

Jesus Walks… in Adidas

Jesus is King has finally dropped. This is Kanye West’s first Christian rap-gospel album since turning into a born-again Christian in April after the hedonistic indulgence of Coachella.

The Lucifer, Mercy and New God Flow producer has given up secular music and has now turned his career toward the servitude of God.

However, his return from hospital and new found faith will flow nicely into his plans to expand his fashion, music & entertainment empire as well as possibly delivering him the top spot in the White House. This is a man not to be underestimated.

Saint Pablo

‘Ye recently turned around a personal debt of $53 million into a nearly $50m profit. Back in 2016, ‘Ye went out cap in hand to Mark Zuckerberg for $1bn for his ideas, but was promptly ignored. Zuckerberg was raised in a Jewish household, although his wife is a Buddhist and he hasn’t publicly stated his faith. But, this wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by ‘Ye and may have pushed Kanye toward his born-again Christian position.

Soon after, the “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” star seemingly finally started listening to his wife.

“My wife said, I can’t say no to nobody, and at this rate we gon’ both die broke,” West raps on Saint Pablo. “Got friends that ask me for money knowin’ I’m in debt, and like my wife said, I still didn’t say no.”

Stronger

Whilst facing the cold shoulder from Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey – the Square & Paypal founder who was raised a Catholic, offered to invest in Kanye early on.

Jay-Z also kicked in a loan of $20m triggering tensions between the two ending in a public feud.

Here’s Jay-Z on “Kill Jay-Z”:

“You dropped outta school, you lost your principles / You gave him 20 million without thinkin’,” Jay-Z raps, seemingly confirming the rumor that he lent West money. “He gave you 20 minutes on stage, f–k was he thinkin’?”

Recently, Kanye has tried to dead the beef with the recent track “Brothers” with Charlie Wilson.

Power

‘Ye never got that billion from Zuckerberg, although they apparently became friends and even performed karaoke together, but it appears West has now healed his own financial woes: His apparel brand Yeezy is a billion-dollar empire, according to Forbes and over the past 12 months, Forbes estimates West has earned over $150 million before taxes. His wealth is due largely to Yeezy’s Adidas deal, a line that is expected to top $1.5 billion in sales in 2019.

The Jordan line does approximately $3 billion in annual sales, so the Yeezy line is catching up fast. If he can latch onto the Christian vote, sales could explode even more rapidly.

Touch the Sky

Christianity is the most adhered to religion in the United States, with 65% of polled American adults identifying themselves as Christian in 2019. This is down from 85% in 1990, 81.6% in 2001, and 12% lower than the 78% reported for 2012. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation.

Kenneth Copeland is the number one pastor in the USA and his net worth is $300m. After the backlash for supporting Trump, the natural progression seems to be for Kanye to target the Trump supporters and Christians who make up the large majority of America with around another 20% of the population perhaps open to conversion back to Christianity. It is a huge target market… and that is just America.

Christianity is by far the world’s largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third (31%) of all 6.9 billion people on Earth in 2010.

Jesus is King

The new sound track has been carefully crafted to be sung by large audiences to worship god. With tracks such as “Follow God” and “Use This Gospel”, Kanye is on a mission to convert. He has brought the Church to the streets and into the hills… No Church in the Wild.

His carefully chosen purple hair and purple cloths are to portray himself as an Emperor, clergy-like figure, if not Jesus himself, I don’t think it will be long before Kanye professes himself as a Prophet of some sort.

Kanye pronounced himself “I am a God” back on Yeezus.

I just talked to Jesus He said, “What up, Yeezus?” I said, “Shit—I’m chillin’ Tryna stack these millions” I know he the most high But I am a close high Mi casa, su casa That’s our cosa nostra I am a god I am a god I am a god

Rappers as Jesus

This isn’t new in rap. Check out the images below from Kanye, Nas, Tupac, DMX and The Game.

Jeru the Damaja, who follows the Nation of Islam, like Wu-Tang, Rakim & Brand Nubian, famously wrote a song “Can’t Stop the Prophet”.

Rappers have always seen themselves as street prophets, telling war stories, from Rakim, Nas & KRS-One right back to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five in The Message.

Purple Robes

Throughout history, purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority or high rank. Many believe this to be true because the rare occurrence of purple in nature made it one of the most expensive color dyes to create.

Purple and violet represent the future, the imagination and dreams, while spiritually calming the emotions. They inspire and enhance psychic ability and spiritual enlightenment, while, at the same time, keeping us grounded.

At the time of Jesus, the dye used for making the colour purple, extracted from shell-fish and was one of the most expensive dyes. The colour-fast (non-fading) dye was an item of luxury trade, prized by Romans, who used it to colour ceremonial robes, usually worn by Emperors. The very fact that purple was an expensive color made it affordable only to the royals. That Jesus was made to put it on before his crucifixion, implies that the Romans were sending a strong signal to the Jews against any coup.

A.D.I.D.A.S.

ADIDAS was founded by German, Adi Dassler (Adolf Dassler). In fact, one of the founders, his brother Rudolf Dassler later went on to found Puma and started a bitter rivalry between the brothers. There is a popular myth among fans (not true) that Adidas stands for All Day I Dream About Sports, whilst in 2003, Killer Mike dropped a hip hop track called A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Sex).

Like many of their fellow citizens, the brothers joined the Nazi party after Adolph Hitler came to power in 1933. Their shoe business remained modest until 1936. In that year, Germany hosted the Olympics.

In an ironic twist, the two party members got legendary African-American runner Jesse Owens to wear their running shoes while competing. Owens went on to win four gold medals during the games. The exposure of their product gave Dassler Shoes a huge boost in sales. You can read more in Sportsweek History.

It does seem ironic, given Kanye’s sex addiction that he would align himself with this particular shoe and his plans are to get the shoes made in America and give “second chances” to inmates.

But, he is going to run into problems with the media as the average wage of a prison inmate ranged between $0.23 and $1.15 an hour  – According to the International Labor Organization, in 2000–2011 wages in American prisons 

In Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas, inmates aren’t paid at all for their labor.

The “New Slave” indeed. I initially thought another way to make money would be to make inexpensive Jesus style sandals and sure enough, I found that is exactly what ‘Ye is planning. They are called “slides” in America and Adidas will be making these from injection moulding and it hasn’t gone unnoticed from Twitter that they are basically prison shoes, but now they are being remarketed as a high fashion item for children of rich kids. That is marketing genius.

Why do the yeezy slides look like the slides worn in prison.. pic.twitter.com/LsR8dbFyqE

— Cyn ☕️ (@Kingxxcyn) October 17, 2019

ADIDAS YECHEIL

The first shoe in Ye’s collection is the Yecheil, which is a Hebrew masculine given name meaning “May God live” or “God shall live”. Several people in the Bible also have this name.

ADIDAS YEEZREEL

For the second shoe of ‘Ye’s collection, there is the“Yeezreel”. It has no exact translation but it seems he might’ve been inspired by the word “Jezreel” which was an ancient Israelite city and fortress originally within the boundaries of the Tribe of Issachar, and later within the northern Kingdom of Israel.

ADIDAS YESHAYA

The third shoe is called the “Yeshaya” which directly translates to “God Is Salvation”. The name Yeshaya (Yesha’yahu) translates from Hebrew to English as the name Isaiah, who was one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, and the author of the Book of Isaiah. He was from Jerusalem and probably lived in the 8th century BC.

Many of these shoes use Adidas “Cloud” foam, so ‘Ye and his fans are figuratively walking on clouds.

Click the pic to get the best prices on Adidas below

Through the Wire – Prison Reform

Kim Kardashian announced her decision to study law back in April. Since then, she’s met with President Trump to discuss prison reform, teamed up with the 90 Days of Freedom campaign, and is producing a documentary on the subject.

CNN reported that Kim Kardashian West helped free 17 inmates in 90 days.

Kanye West has donated $1m to prison reform, but is now getting US prison workers to make his shoes at 25% of the cost of having his shoes made in China, unless somehow, he is quadrupling the prison wage.

There will be Church factions and sections of the media who will most likely attack Mr. West for essentially using slave labour in prisons to increase profit. Chinese factory workers are now getting paid more than ever: Average hourly wages hit $3.60 in 2017 compared to around $1 for an American prison worker.

Kanye West’s Interview with Zane Lowe

If you don’t want to watch the lengthy interview below, scroll down for a quick summary.

In the interview Kanye talks about the following:

How billboards are guilty of sex trafficking

How he became a born-again Christian in April after Coachella

Why he wants to create jobs and bring jobs back to the USA

How he experimented with Domes & living in them then “the man” tore them down as a metaphor for tearing down his ego

How his farm will be growing cotton & wheat

He will employ prisoners to make his shoes as a “second chance”

His respect for founders, especially Warren Buffett, Amancio Ortego (Zara), Elon Musk, James Turell (artist concerned with light & space) and Jack Dorsey (Paypal)

He calls himself a Christian innovator

How his daughter North drives his passion for church

How Sunday Service may become a church and how he may become a Pastor

He is asking people to fast & not have premarital sex

How he had a porn addiction due to seeing Playboy at 5 years old & his sex addiction

People should pray together, fast together, stay together to increase power

Getting stumped by Zane Lowes question on whether he had to work for his 4th house

How white owners controls hip hop

How God is using Kanye to show off

Compares himself to Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, diagnosed of Bipolar disorder. This was also the ship in the film The Matrix which “woke” people up

According to the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned c. 605 BC – 562 BC and conquered Judah and Jerusalem and sent the Jews into exile.

How he will become the President of the United States, perhaps as early as 2024

How Facebook & social media is a disease

How porn is ruining marriages and brainwashing children

How to keep the eternal, imaginative 3 year old at all costs

How he’s undeniably the greatest artist of all time, no question!

How wearing the red cap was a joke on all the liberals as well as Drake living four blocks down from him was also a joke from God.

I guess him wearing blue fur whilst talking and making a blue record is also a joke on the liberals

How he will now rewrite and censor all his old songs for performances

How some of the merchandise money will go to the church

How the Louis Vuitton boss reneging on a handshake to make him the LV don and his wife getting robbed helped put him in a mental hospital

Jokes about being the pastor at Drake’s wedding

How he objects to the censorship of speech of the left

Jesus is King is out now on Spotify, mp3, vinyl & CD

Jesus is Born, another new album, is arriving on Christmas Day this year.

Kanye West’s Journey

There is a bigger story here. How hip hop can be cathartic. Hip hop is bashed left, right and centre in the mainstream media daily, mainly times rightly so, for enforcing stereotypes. But, real hip hop can be a spiritual journey.

Some artists have found solace and teachings much earlier on in their lives such as Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One & Jeru the Damaja. Other artists take longer to mature. It seems to me to be better rapping about street crime then taking part in it. This is something most non-hip hop heads seem to not understand.  Hip hop is way out the streets, just like a sports contract.

Everyone has their own journey and Kanye’s has taken him into Christianity. If record sales pick up, it will turn into a bigger movement. Time will tell what happens if it “All Falls Down”,  streams sour and Adidas sales start to Fade. In such a scenario, it may be very hard for Kanye to stay on the straight and narrow, but I wish him luck. Time will tell.

I’m looking forward to see how he reacts surrounded with Angels in future fashion shows singing his new songs.

I’ll leave you with the last verse from Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “The Message”, possibly still the greatest hip hop song ever written. The message is as relevant today as it was back in 1982.

A child is born, with no state of mind Blind to the ways of mankind God is smiling on you, but he’s frowning too Cause only God knows, what you go through You grow in the ghetto, living second rate And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate The place, that you play and where you stay Looks like one great big alley way You’ll admire all the number book takers Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money makers Driving big cars, spending twenties and tens And you wanna grow up to be just like them Smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers Pickpockets, peddlers and even pan-handlers You say I’m cool, I’m no fool But then you wind up dropping out of high school Now you’re unemployed, all null ‘n void Walking ’round like you’re pretty boy floyd Turned stickup kid, look what you done did Got send up for a eight year bid Now your manhood is took and you’re a may tag Spend the next two years as an undercover fag Being used and abused and served like hell Till one day you was found hung dead in a cell It was plain to see that your life was lost You was cold and your body swung back and forth But now your eyes sing the sad sad song Of how you lived so fast and died so young So, don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge I’m trying not to lose my head It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder How I keep from going under

Watch Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – The Message

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