RSG's preview for NBA 2021-2022 season

Two days ago, Ben Simmons announced that he will not play another game for the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons knows that he could be fined heavily, if he does not join the team for start of training camp and the preseason. Training camp is set to start on September 27; and the NBA preseason starts on October 3. As the NBA season gets underway in another three weeks, there may not be a single team for Simmons to join. Will the 76ers change Ben Simmons mind, when the season starts? Doc Rivers, the 76ers head coach; thinks he has a way of encouraging Ben to come back to Philly. In the Western Conference, the stars in LA could be aligned for the Lakers franchise to be the heavy favorite to advance to the NBA finals. The Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook, and Dwight Howard is coming back to the franchise. Carmelo Anthony; Trevor Ariza; Wayne Ellington; DeAndre Jordan; Kent Bazemore; and Rajon Rondo joined the team in the offseason also. Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn joined the Lakers, and they could be guards that come off the bench. Talen Horton-Tucker will join the team for another season, but the Lakers are being termed as 'LAARP.' The funny nickname is given to the team, as most of the players are 32 years old and aging. Back to the Eastern Conference, Brooklyn appears to be the favorite to make the NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving; James Harden; Kevin Durant; Joe Harris; and Blake Griffin should lead the team unless injuries run their season. Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Brooklyn Nets in a tight seven game series. Can the Bucks repeat as NBA Champions this year? Giannis; Khris Middleton; Jrue Holiday; and Brook Lopez will be ready for opening night as they get their 2020-21 nba championship rings. The Bucks play their first home game on October 19, against the Brooklyn Nets. In the last NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns were up two to zero against Milwaukee before the Bucks won the final four games. This year, the Suns will look to rebound from their NBA Finals loss to Milwaukee. Phoenix will bring back Chris Paul; Devin Booker; Deandre Ayton; and Jae Crowder among other familiar players. The Suns will play in Footprint Center, which is the new name of their familiar arena. The Suns organization did not make a splash on NBA draft night, but they signed JaVale McGee as a potential backup to DeAndre Ayton. McGee will enter his 14th season with his eighth different team, over his journeyman career. In this penultimate paragraph, all NBA teams are scheduled to play 82 games for the regular season. The Toronto Raptors played all of their home games in Florida last year. But, Scotiabank Arena will be home once again for the Raptors. LaMarcus Aldridge retired at the end of last season, but he has been cleared to play in the NBA again. He has rejoined the Brooklyn Nets this offseason. In closing, what other players will make an impact this year? The Golden State Warriors will depend on the Splash brothers duo to guide them back to the playoffs. Klay Thompson will be back with the squad, as he missed the last two years due to various injuries. Maybe, Ben Simmons will join the Warriors in a trade at the beginning of this NBA season. If that process happened, it may hinder the Warriors playoff chances.

OneRepublic; Drake; and Kanye West release new albums as Summer 2021 ends

In the past two weeks, OneRepublic released their new album titled 'Human.' Kanye West released his new album titled 'Donda'; on August 29. Kanye West's new album is #1 already. Drake released 'Certified LoverBoy' album on September 3. The album has twenty one great songs on it. Twenty-One Savage and other distinguished hip-hop artists are featured on Drake's new album. Going back to Kanye, he wants to change his name to Ye only. In the past six weeks, Kanye was living in Atlanta's Mercedes Benz stadium. Jay-Z and other cool hip-hop artists including the Weeknd are featured, on Kanye's new album. With his 10th chart-topping album, West once again ties Eminem for the most No. 1 debuts in a row. 'Donda' is at the top of the charts with 309,000 equivalent album units. West is one of only seven artists in chart history to release 10 chart-topping albums. Next, Drake's new album became a best-seller on Amazon. Certified LoverBoy became Spotify's most streamed album in a single day on September 3, 2021. Apple Music said Certified LoverBoy was the service's biggest ever album debut. Kawhi Leonard made a cool cameo in 'way 2 sexy' video; and the two time NBA world champion came through. Billboards across the U.S. appear to be teasing the names of Drake's features. Also, ESPN hinted at Drake's new album in a cryptic ad recently. In contrast, OneRepublic released their first new album, 'Human'; in five years. The album is a deluxe album, with sixteen tracks. Ryan Tedder is the lead singer of the group. He has written songs for Beyonce, U2, Paul McCartney, etc. Recently, Tedder sold his song catalogue for $276 million. KKR is Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and they are a huge US private equity firm that bought the song catalogue. In this penultimate paragraph, let's talk about the net worth of these huge mega-artists. Kanye West has a net worth of $1.8 billion. Drake has released numerous hit songs and launched several businesses that have earned him more than $430 million. Drake founded OVO, known as October's Very Own; which is his very successful record label. Ryan Tedder owns a slate of commercial real estate properties across the country alongside venture-capital investments, in companies like salad chain Sweetgreen and Masterclass-style content company Monthly.com. Since 2013, Drake is a global ambassador of the NBA's Toronto Raptors. In closing, see the picture above in Houston. The hometown hero is most likely Travis Scott, in reference of that massive billboard. Drake's cover of the album is meme inspiring, to say the least. Enjoy listening to all three new albums, as Summer 2021 comes to an end.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul starts her first day as New York Governor this week

On this Tuesday, Kathy Hochul starts her new role as Governor of New York. Andrew Cuomo resigned on August 10, as governor of New York over a myriad of sexual harassment allegations. The 63 year old Democrat denied his wrongdoings with diverse women, as there were a total of eleven women that had accused the governor of sexual harassment. New York’s attorney general, Letitia James; released the results of her investigation in early August 2021. With the resignation, Cuomo's political career is virtually over. Cuomo was also under fire over the discovery that his administration had concealed thousands of COVID-19 deaths, among nursing home patients. Next, Kathy Hochul will be the 57th governor of New York and the first female to hold the post. Cuomo had plans to run for reelection in 2022, and many politicians wanted him to be impeached. Many prominent politicians including President Biden had urged Cuomo to resign. Cuomo still faces the possibility of criminal charges, with a number of prosecutors around the state continuing to investigate him. At least one of his accusers has filed a criminal complaint. In contrast, Cuomo’s national popularity soared during the harrowing spring of 2020 when New York was the lethal epicenter of the nation’s coronavirus outbreak. In addition, Cuomo’s briefings won an international Emmy Award. He went on to write a book on leadership in the coronavirus crisis. But, Cuomo’s administration was fiercely criticized for forcing nursing homes to accept patients recovering from the virus. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the state’s handling of data on nursing home deaths. Letitia James is looking into whether Cuomo broke the law in using members of his staff to help write and promote his book, from which he stood to make more than $5 million. Cuomo's book is titled American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Furthermore, Cuomo faced increasing criticism over his rough and sometimes vindictive treatment of fellow politicians and his own staff. Many former aides conveyed stories of a brutal work environment, to the press. New York has seen a string of high-level politicians brought down in disgrace in recent years. This list includes former Gov. Eliot Spitzer; Rep. Anthony Weiner; and former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Cuomo's last days in office are the end of the Cuomo dynasty, which started with Mario Cuomo. Mario was governor of NY from 1983 to 1994; and he was Andrew's father. In this penultimate paragraph, let's talk about Kathy Hochul. She will lead in a collaborative manner and build an agenda that reflects the needs of New Yorkers from the bottom up. She is prepared to step into the executive chamber in Albany, NY. Hochul has worked in government at every level. Yet, she has the unenviable job of restoring faith in the state government. She's an active and accountable leader who gets involved in every part of the state's actions. In closing, Hochul has demonstrated she is someone who leads with her values. See the picture above of the Cuomo brothers, Chris and Andrew. Chris Cuomo works as a CNN anchor. Here's to wishing the very best for Kathy Hochul, who will handle the staff crisis at the NY Health Department in one of her first important actions as NY Governor.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics end with US edging China, in total gold medals

Tonight, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ended with the USA winning the total gold medals by one. China had 38 gold medals, and the USA had 39 gold medals. USA won the most medals with a total of 113. China had 88 total medals, which was 2nd. Throughout the Olympic games, China was leading in the race for the most gold medals. These Olympic games had its twists in various events. Furthermore, some of the twists involved the USA women's gymnastics team. Simone Biles won two medals (1 silver in the team event, 1 bronze in the balance beam event), and she survived a temporary loss of air balance awareness during different events. She went through the 'twisties;' which prompted her to withdraw partially from various events. Biles withdrawal led to other US gymnasts picking up the slack per se. Jade Carey won the gold medal for USA, in Women's floor-Artistic gymnastics. Mykayla Skinner won the silver medal for USA, in Women's vault-Artistic gymnastics. In other Olympic statistics, the women athletes of the USA won 60% of the total medals. Katie Ledecky won two gold medals, and two bronze medals in swimming for team USA. She has won ten total medals at three Olympic games (London, Rio De Janeiro, and Tokyo). US women's basketball team won their seventh consecutive gold medal. April Ross and Alix Klineman won their first gold medals in beach volleyball. In the picture above, Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad won gold and silver in the women's 400 meter hurdles. Next, US swimming won 30 total medals in Tokyo thanks to Caeleb Dressel; Ryan Murphy; and other familiar names in the pool. This number of medals is a major domination, as Dressel won five gold medals. Ryan Murphy won three medals: 1 bronze, 1 silver, and 1 gold. Yet, Murphy made some controversial comments by alluding that Russia was guilty of doping. Ryan stated that the 200 meters backstroke final was ‘probably not clean.’ Murphy earned a silver medal in that event, while Russia snagged the gold. In this penultimate paragraph, some countries like India did win that elusive gold medal. Neeraj Chopra won gold for India, in the men's javelin throw event. Chopra is a 23 year old track and field athlete, who hails from Panipat; Haryana; India. On another note, the US won twenty six medals in track and field. This number of medals was second only, to their haul of medals in the pool. Other big names in track and field were Athing Mu; Rai Benjamin; and Allyson Felix. In closing, Paris will host the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics. Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics. Tonight's closing ceremony had an ending, that showed Japan passing the games to France for the summer of 2024. This summer's Olympic games will be remembered for Japan staging an event, with a global pandemic raging onwards in a depressing fashion. In 2024, hope the seats are filled with fans cheering for their home country. Sayonara from Tokyo, Japan.

Expensive divorces that shocked the world

In the past two to three years, some of the richest people have decided to end their marriages. Our first example is Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott. Both of them were married for twenty five years, and January 2019's announcement of their divorce shook the world. Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world, as he is the Executive Chairman of Amazon. He owns Blue Origin; Bezos Expeditions; Nash Holdings; and the Washington Post newspaper. Bezos Expeditions is his venture capital firm. In this paragraph, let's delve into Mackenzie Scott's life as a novelist. Her debut novel in 2005 was The Testing of Luther Albright. Since the divorce, she is the third wealthiest woman in the world. Her second novel, Traps, was published in 2013. Scott is a signatory to the Giving Pledge. She met Bezos in 1992, while they worked at D.E. Shaw. Now, let's discuss another high profile divorce that happened in May 2021. Bill Gates and Melinda French started the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in 2000, as a married couple. In May 2021, Melinda and Bill Gates announced that they were divorcing after twenty seven years. Melinda French could have gone the route of divorce, back in 2019. Yet, the couple decided to continue together until a few months ago. Gates and French have decided to divide their $130 billion fortune, through a separation contract. In contrast, Mackenzie Scott's net worth comes from her 4% stake in Amazon. $60 billion is close to the exact value, of that stake due to Amazon's rising stock price. Mackenzie Scott married Dan Jewett in March 2021. He is a high school chemistry teacher at a private school in Seattle. Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott have four children together. She was with him, when he decided to start Amazon in Seattle in 1994. In this penultimate paragraph, let's go back to Bill and Melinda Gates. Bill and Melinda are going to try to work together at their respected philanthropic foundation, until 2023. Bill Gates made a costly mistake by asking Jeffrey Epstein to donate some of his money, to their foundation. Also, Gates tried to cheat on Melinda Gates by dating other women while they worked together at Microsoft. Infidelity and fights over couples finances are two major reasons for divorce, in the past two decades. Bill and Melinda Gates had three children together. Finally, married couples do not reap many rewards from getting divorced. About 43-46% of marriages end in divorce, according to the National Survey of Family Growth. The image above is a dollar bill broken into a heart, with a man and a women. This image shows that money can break the hearts of a married man and woman. When a person decides that marriage is the best option, remember that it is recommended that counseling be an option for a couple to get involved in. This option can help a marriage be healthy, and it can lead to a happier path than divorce. Good day!

Delta variant, B.1.617.2; could be dominant COVID-19 strain in USA

As the pandemic is more than 18 months old, the latest threat is the Delta variant. The Delta variant of COVID-19 was first identified in India, in late 2020. It is known as B.167.2. The dangerous variant is causing a spike in COVID-19 infections among unvaccinated people in England, where it has become the dominant variant of the new coronavirus. Currently, the UK is in lockdown until July 15, 2021. Modifications in the Delta variant make it easy to replicate faster, and evade the body's immunity mechanism. In addition, the World Health Organization has declared B.167.2 to be the 'fastest and fittest' variant yet. The Delta variant is 50-60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant. The Alpha variant was 50-60% more transmissable, than the original strain of COVID-19. The top five countries that have the most cases for covid-19 are USA; India; Brazil; France; and Russia. In the USA, the top eleven states have more than one million cases. California; Texas; and Florida are the top three states, with the most covid-19 cases. Next, those people that are fully vaccinated are immune against the covid-19 delta variant. Yet, citizens of the USA should be cautious and wear masks; socially distance; etc. throughout the final five months of 2021. In the fall 2021, there could be another spike in covid-19 cases nationwide. The virus peaked in many states in Fall 2020. If you reside in CA; MO; AR; or WY states; the recommendation of CDC is to be extra cautious of your surroundings so as to not catch COVID-19. The Delta variant comprises 95% of all new cases in the UK. Furthermore, the delta variant of COVID-19 has prompted new lockdowns in Australia and Asia. The Delta variant is in all 50 states, in the USA. LA county is urging its residents to wear masks indoors, and New York City is urging its residents to be extra cautious of the delta variant also. Models for Delta variant's spread show the fall 2021 could see a peak of around 20% of the infections the US recorded in January 2021. Mississippi and Alabama show very substantial surges of the infection as well. In this penultimate paragraph, there is not a definite timetable for the pandemic to end. President Joe Biden's goal for the US was to have 70% of the country get one vaccine at least, against covid-19 by July 4, 2021. This goal was close to being met, as 55% of the population have received at least one dose. Moreover, about 47% of the USA population is fully vaccinated. A couple of days ago, first lady Jill Biden visited Phoenix, AZ to address that getting fully vaccinated is the best option. She and Doug Emhoff, second gentleman; were pushing covid-19 vaccines in AZ as part of a special visit. In closing, the citizens of the USA should concentrate on spreading the word that 'getting 100% fully vaccinated' is the best option for all parts of this country. During the summer, stores and restaurants may relax mask wearing in most parts of the USA. Yet, everyone has to do their part to protect themselves against the delta variant. As this post ends, see the picture above of grocery shoppers in LA county that continue to mask up. Good day!

Juneteenth 2021: a new major holiday in the USA

Less than two days ago, the US government approved a new federal holiday for the USA. It is called Juneteenth, or June 19. The annual tradition falls on Saturday this year. The tradition commemorates the day in 1865 when former American slaves in Galveston, TX; were finally informed of President Abraham Lincoln's January 1, 1863, Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War. President Joe Biden signed legislation on June 17 for the Juneteenth National Independence day holiday. Biden believes that this action will go down as "one of the greatest honors"; of his presidency. In addition, the holiday is the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. day in 1983. June 19 becomes the eleventh federal holiday recognized by the US federal government. Since Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year, most federal employees will observe the holiday on June 18. Opal Lee is the activist who campaigned to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. She was in East Room, for the ceremony with members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Currently, there are only a handful of states that observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Furthermore, The legislation for this new federal holiday gained momentum following Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last year. It was also spurred after Democrats won the White House and control of the House of Representatives, and the US Senate. The bill passed the House on June 16, with a 415-14 vote. African Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth as their own Independence Day since the late 19th century, according to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation. President Biden wants Americans to use the Juneteenth holiday, as a day of reflection and action. Biden lauded members of Congress for the bipartisan effort, which is a big change from the recent fighting between Republicans and Democrats on the infrastructure bill. Also, the term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. Juneteenth holiday's origin came from Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arriving at Galveston on June 19, 1865, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Many Fortune 500 companies will add Juneteenth to their calendars for the first time, while also committing billions of dollars to initiatives designed to combat institutional racism. Amazon is sponsoring several Juneteenth events this weekend, including the inaugural Juneteenth Unityfest; a series of musical performances; speeches and other live shows that will be livestreamed nationwide on Saturday. Apple is giving US corporate employees a day off on June 18. The company's retail stores and support centers will maintain regular operating hours over the weekend. In this penultimate paragraph, more companies are celebrating the holiday in different ways. Chipotle is giving customers an opportunity to help close the racial wealth gap by donating to Project 10X, an initiative for racial equity created by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Google is eliminating meetings on Friday to honor Juneteenth. Instacart is observing Juneteenth as a company holiday; and a "day of reflection" on June 18. General Motors is celebrating Juneteenth as a day of service for its workers. Facebook employees will have the option to take a paid day off of work, on June 18. In closing, it is good to see companies are celebrating the new holiday in different ways. Microsoft is honoring Juneteenth on Monday, June 21 by inviting all its global employees to join in a day of "exploration, learning, and engagement." Lyft is honoring Juneteenth as a paid day off for the second consecutive year. Enjoy the picture above of the Juneteenth flag. Good night!