Category Archives: Immortality

For obvious reasons, nobody can expect their favorite sports stars to play the game forever. Until someone discovers the secret to immortality and eternal youth, every great athlete has to retire at some point. The same holds true for NASCAR drivers, especially since quite a few of them are in their late 30s and early 40s.

At the end of the 2020 season, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Clint Bowyer retired from the sport. Now, with one more year passing, there is a chance that others could hang up their boots.

The likes of Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch are already in their 40s, with Newman being 43 years old, and Busch, 42. Even a driver like Martin Truex Jr is in his 40s, though he seems to be in a good run of form.

Additionally, Buschs contract at Chip Ganassi Racing is expected to last only until the 2021 season.

There is also a very slim possibility of 45-year-old Kevin Harvick becoming a surprise retiree. In 2020, he stormed to nine wins in a single season, but he could not go the final step and win the title.

If he can carry on that red hot form in 2021, he will definitely try and give it his all for possibly one last hurrah and another title before retiring on a high.

Moving away from the Cup Series, there are a number of Truck and Xfinity drivers who are arguably over the hill.

Drivers like Caesar Bacarella, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Tim Viens, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, and Ray Ciccarelli are well into their 40s and 50s. In fact, Cicarelli is 50 years old and could retire soon.

Initially, he announced his retirement in June, set for the end of the 2020 season. However, he quickly backtracked and affirmed that he would stick around in 2021. Since he will be 51 next year, one has to wonder how much he has left in the tank.

One thing is for sure, none of these drivers will race forever. In fact, there are a good number of drivers in their mid-30s, who could potentially call time on their careers.

READ MORE From Jimmie Johnson to Clint Bowyer: Key NASCAR Figures That Retired After the 2020 Season

This post was last modified on December 26, 2020 6:15 pm

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NASCAR Drivers Who Might Retire at the End of the 2021 Season - EssentiallySports

Disenchantment season 3 is weeks away from its premiere on Netflix. If you need a refresher on what happened in season 2 of the series, then heres everything you need to remember going in.

While Netflixs first part ofDisenchantmentfromThe SimpsonsandFuturamacreator Matt Groening definitely needed time to find its footing, the second part of the show really solidified it as a wild and fun series, harkening back to the best seasons ofFuturama. It only made the wait from September 2019 to January 2021 feelso much longer for it.

If you dont have time for a rewatch ofDisenchantment, then here are the basic plot points that you need to know when going into season 3 of the series. These are just the basics, of course, to jog your memory versus an in-depth look into the series.

Princess Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) did not have a very easy season 2, like at all. Her mother, Dagmar (voiced by Sharon Horgan), was revealed to be an evil enchantress focused on ruling Dreamland. While Bean is able to escape her mother, she and Luci (voiced by Eric Andre) have to go to Hell in order to bring Elfo (voiced by Nat Faxon) back to life. In order to escape Hell, Luci gives up his immortality for his friends. Bean is not free of her mother either, who haunts her dreams.

The elves, after the destruction of their land, have moved to Dreamland as well, living in the slums. During the course of the season, theyve had a rude awakening of sorts to the realities of the world from getting sick after drinking dirty laundry water to overtaxation by King Zog (voiced by John DiMaggio). Zog, meanwhile, has been dealing with his first wife being evil and a divorce from his second wife, Oona (voiced byTress MacNeille), who left Dreamland to become a Pirate Queen. While he did fall in love again, he remains alone in his rule and trying to repair the relationship with his daughter.

The biggest change inDisenchantmentseason 2, however, is the introduction of Steamland. When a rogue airship sets fire to Elf Alley, the pilot of the ship is imprisoned as a sorcerer. Bean, however, learns all about sky-ence (science) from him and helps him escape. During the escape, shes taken to Steamland, which is Dreamlands steampunk counterpart. She learns of an assassination plot against her father and, taking a gun as proof of sky-ence, she tries to inform them of the plot.

Good old sexism, however, from her Zogs advisors gets in the way. In the fight, the gun goes off, which shoots Zog. His prime minister Odval (Maurice LaMarche) jumps on the opportunity: Bean and her friends are arrested and Prince Derek (voiced byTress MacNeille) installed as the throne as a puppet king. Bean and her friends are able to escape to remove the bullet from Zog, helping him, but they are recaptured.

Before being burned at the stake, however, the trio fall through the ground, landing amongst the Trogs, which are subterranean elves. More terrifyingly, however, Dagmar is there, waiting for them.

And thats whereDisenchantment season 3will pick up on Jan. 15, 2021 on Netflix.

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Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars saga. The legendary Alec Guinness first introduced us to the wise old Ben Kenobi in A New Hope, where hetrains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force before being struck down by Darth Vader and becoming more powerful than you could possibly imagine. While fans are divided on the prequel trilogy, most agree that Ewan McGregor is delightful as a younger Obi-Wan. Through him, we feel the full weight of Anakin Skywalkers fall to the Dark Side and the ultimate demise of the Jedi order.

McGregor loved his time as Obi-Wan, and fans have been longing to see him again since his final appearance in Revenge of the Sith. Fans got their wish in August 2019, when Disney announced that McGregor would be returning to the part in a new Disney+ series. We got more information at Disneys 2020 Investors Day conference, learning that the show place around 10 years after Revenge of the Sithand that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.

Fans have many questions about whats in store for their favorite outcast Jedi. Im personally excited to watch McGregors spry Obi-Wan transition into Guinness grey old man. Lets take a look at the different plot points and characters we might see, based on rumors, speculation, hopes and dreams.

Photo: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999).. Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

Give me more Liam Neeson! Please!

Qui-Gon Jinn might be my favorite Jedi of all time. He was denied acceptance onto the Jedi council because of his recklessness, he trains Obi-Wan, insists on training Anakin (leading to the fall of the Jedi order), and often goes against the wishes of the council to do what he believes is right.

Fans may remember that, at the end of Revenge of the Sith, Yoda gives Obi-Wan a very important task: the Jedi order has fallen, Padm has given birth to Luke and Leia, the Republic has been reformed into the Galactic Empire, and the remaining Jedi have decided to go into hiding. Before parting ways, Yoda tells Obi-Wan: In your solitude on Tatooine, training I have for youAn old friend has learned the path to immortality. One who has returned from the netherworld of the Force to train meYour old master Qui-Gon Jinn. The secret order of the Whills, he studied. How to commune with him. I will teach you.

I believe this training will be one of the central plot points of the series. If it is, we can expect a visual journey that will most likely feel, for lack of a better word, trippy. Fans of Star Wars:The Clone Wars will remember that, in the final episodes of season 6, Yoda travels to the heart of the galaxy and makes contact with the ancient Whills, communes with Qui-Gon, and receives dark premonitions of the upcoming slaughter of the Jedi. The episode is a spectacle of creepy faces and intense dream-like sequences. It puts on display of the mental and spiritual aspects of the Force that we dont often see on screen.

We know that Obi-Wan doeseventually learn how to project his spirit through the Force after death. Yoda does the same, and Luke takes it even further in The Last Jedi. Weve seen this power used, but weve never witnessed a Jedi actually learning it. It will be interesting to see how Obi-Wan, stranded on Tatooine, manages to master this ability and what the process does to change him. Perhaps he becomes aware that he must die in order to help Luke become the Jedi he must become.

More importantly, this gives me hope that we will get to see Liam Neeson in Jedi robes again! He may well return as a Force ghost to help Obi-Wan with his training, and I will be thrilled.

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What to expect from the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ - Winter is Coming

With the new year almost upon us, many people think about resolutions to enhance their lives for the coming year, 2021.

We often consider building up our physical selves with exercise programs, or energizing our minds with new classes and learning new skills, participating in book clubs or other intellectual avenues, or perhaps learning to play a new instrument. It is also never too late to decide to enrich our spiritual selves, and with the new year, this seems like the perfect time and aspiration.

By creating a spiritual toolbox, one can easily chart a path toward inner peace and a closer relationship with God. As with any toolbox, figuring out the right tools is essential. For me, I would choose these elements: prayer, meditation, reading and studying the Holy Words, and reflection upon the afterlife.

Prayer is probably the inner core of our spiritual lives. Having been taught since early childhood to say prayers to thank God, to ask God for help, to show our love for God, and to be near to God.

Abdul-Baha, the son of the Prophet-Founder of the Bahai Faith, mentioned: There is nothing sweeter in the world of existence than prayer. Man must live in a state of prayer. The most blessed condition is the condition of prayer and supplication. Prayer is conversation with God. The greatest attainment or the sweetest state is none other than conversation with God. It creates spirituality, creates mindfulness and celestial feelings, begets new attractions of the Kingdom and engenders the susceptibilities of the higher intelligence.

What a miraculous gift prayer is for us we can pray in privacy at our homes, pray while taking a walk, pray as we undertake a journey, pray when we have a difficult challenge, pray when we are feeling good or when we are feeling ill, and we can pray anywhere at any time. We can either pray from a prayer book, or memorize prayers to recite at any time, or even say prayers from our hearts.

Meditation, which basically means contemplation, reflection upon ourselves and our relation to God is equally as important as the other elements of our spiritual toolbox. Meditation how we meditate probably varies from person to person. Meditation allows us to turn off our thinking process and turn our soul passively to the world of spirit. Oftentimes after prayer, I contemplate my thoughts for praying, or reasons for conversing with God about challenges, and I sometimes figure out a clear path toward a dilemma.

Bahaullah, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahai Faith revealed: Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial, even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns.

The third component, reading and studying the Holy Words, is such a joyous time because, as spiritual beings, we feel closer to God by reading and learning more about Him. God has revealed His truths to mankind in all the holy writings of all the major religions.

The following writing from Abdul-Baha explains this closeness to God: Divine things are too deep to be expressed in common words. The heavenly teachings are expressed in parable in order to be understood and preserved for ages to come. When the spiritually minded dive deeply into the ocean of their meanings they bring to the surface the pearls of their inner significance. There is no greater pleasure than to study Gods Word with a spiritual mind.

Reflection upon the afterlife is another element for our spiritual toolbox. While on this earth, we can only think about what our lives will be like when we shed our physical bodies and our soul passes on.

However, Bahaullah, states: Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the state of the soul after its separation from the body. Know, thou, of a truth, that if the soul of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will, assuredly, return and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved. By the righteousness of God! It shall attain a station such as no pen can depict, or tongue describe. The soul that hath remained faithful to the Cause of God, and stood unwaveringly firm in His Path shall, after his ascension, be possessed of such power that all the worlds which the Almighty hath created can benefit through him.

Focusing on further developing our spiritual qualities, or virtues kindness, selflessness, helping those in need ( the sick, the poor), thoughtfulness, compassion, courage, faith, generosity, trustworthiness, unity, sacrifice, justice and many others can guide us in our daily lives as we strive to become closer to God.

Bahaullah has revealed: Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou wouldst readily realize that true life is not the life of the flesh but of the spirit. For the life of the flesh is common to both men and animals, whereas the life of the spirit is possessed only by the pure in heart who have quaffed from the ocean of faith and partaken of the fruit of certitude. This life knoweth no death, and this existence is crowned by immortality.

Susan Haines is a retired teacher and reading specialist who found the Bahai faith as a teenager, traveling to a Bahai Summer Institute, Green Acre, in Maine. Having lived in Frederick County for over 40 years, she serves as the Bahai public information officer for the Bahais of Frederick.

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In Justice League Dark #29, the Endless Winter continues by revealing a great hero sacrificed his life to defeat the Frost King in the 10th century.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Justice League Dark #29 by Andy Lanning, Ron Marz, Amancay Nahuelpan, June Chung, Rob Leigh, Marco Santucci, Arif Prianto, and ALW's Troy Peteri, on sale now.

The "Endless Winter" crossover has unleashed the Frost King on the DC Universe. The villain has covered the world in a giant blizzard, and his army of ice monsters has scattered the Justice League. The superheroes are stretched thin as it is and so far, it looks like the Frost King is simply too powerful to be stopped. But he wasdefeated once before -- back in the 10th century.

Indeed, over the course of the event, flashback segments have chronicled the Frost King's first attack in the 900s, and the efforts of the Justice League Vikingto stop him. Now, in Justice League Dark #29, we finally learn how DC's first superhero team was able to defeat the villain: their victory came at the cost of the Viking Prince's life.

RELATED: Justice League Viking: Endless Winter Introduces DCs Ancient Avengers

The Justice League Viking was a team originally put together in the 10th century by Swamp Thing. After the Frost King first attacked, his blizzard began to affect the Green, which prompted the elemental creature to seek out powerful heroes to help in his quest to defeat the villain. Swamp Thing recruited the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, the ancient hero known as the Viking Prince, and the former champion of the wizard Shazam, Black Adam.

These four heroes took on the Frost King and his army of ice monsters, and they too found that the villain was incredibly powerful. In fact, his abilities were so dangerous that he was even successful in killing Swamp Thing during their fight.

Thankfully, there was one hero who laid his life on the line to stop the villain: the Viking Prince.

RELATED: Justice League Gives DC's WEIRDEST Villains A New Team

In Justice League Dark #29, the flashback segment of the "Endless Winter" crossover shows how the fight between the Frost King and the Justice League Viking finally came to an end. On top of a crumbling glacier, the superheroes face the villain and his army. While Black Adam and Hippolyta deal with the ice monsters, the Viking Prince engages the Frost King in battle. The two fight with their swords and the villain eventually gains the upper hand: he stabs the Viking Prince through the chest -- but the hero valiantly keeps fighting.

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Justice League Reveals the Viking Prince DIED to Stop the Endless Winter - CBR - Comic Book Resources

In the world of Harry Potter, there are plenty of fascinating and magical objects. However, which ones would fans love to bring into the real world?

The story of Harry Potter is about so much more than the 'Boy Who Lived.' It's also about the wizarding world, with JK Rowling creating many objects fans would have loved to become reality. There are items that can be used for the sake of good, such as the Invisibility Cloak and Time-Turner.

RELATED:Harry Potter: 10 Cursed Child Moments That Would Look Awesome In A Movie

But there are also objects that can also benefit evil, such as the Elder Wand and Horcruxes. However, if fans had the choice to pick one, which one would they choose? Based on the entries onIMDB, fans will be able to see which magical objects they want the most.

Rather surprisingly, a Horcrux makes the top 10 as a desirable object. They are first revealed to be in existence during the Half-Blood Prince book and movie, with Horace Slughorn informing Lord Voldemort how to make one. The Dark Lord uses his charm to get the answer he craves and then takes action, making six on purpose and then one more on accident - Harry himself.

In order to create one, you must take a life. And that's something Voldemort has no issue with, with the villain murdering with gusto throughout the franchise. While the perks of immortality are obvious, it's not really worth it. Especially as it disfigures your appearance like it does Tom Riddle.

The sole purpose of the Goblet of Fire is to decide who will enter the Triwizard Tournament, which takes place during the fourth book and movie. So the fact this is another object fans have admitted they would like to own is definitely a surprise.

While it's an impressive tournament, it's extremely dangerous. Who would want to take the chance to square off against a Dragon, dive below the deepwater depths of Hogwarts lake or navigate our way through a dangerous maze, filled with deadly creatures at every turn? Apparently, there is a lot of adrenalin-filled people out there.

Now, this is a desired object that is easy to understand. In The Goblet of Fire, Harry encounters Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve - allowing him the chance to take a trip down memory lane. It's here that he peers into the Hogwarts headmaster's past and witnesses the trial of Barty Crouch Jr. Harry takes another trip in the Order of the Phoenix,Half-Blood Prince,andthe Deathly Hallows: Part 1, though he isn't always happy with what he sees.

RELATED:Harry Potter: 10 Best Double Acts

One has to admit that having a Pensieve would be pretty cool. Imagine being able to look back at one's childhood and it would be good to see other peoples' memories as well.

In the Half-Blood Prince, Harry obtains an old textbook. Within its contents, there are numerous hints and tricks at how to improve your potion-making and this helps the Boy Who Lived become the best in the class, even above close friend Hermione Granger. He actually frustrates Hermione by using the book to help earn a little bottle of Felix Felicis, a brew that brings luck to the drinker.

But imagine having unlimited luck? Every deed you attempt would succeed and it's no wonder everybody within Harry's class was jealous when he obtained some. Draco Malfoy was particularly unhappy, with the Slytherin student hoping it would help him in his mission to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

During their time at Hogwarts, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew fashioned together The Marauder's Map. This allowed them to see the whole of Hogwarts from afar, enabling them to plan according to where certain individuals were. If they wanted to sneak into Hogsmeade, for example, they could use it to check whether any teachers were close by.

RELATED:Harry Potter: 10 Reasons Dumbledore Was The Worst Headmaster Of Hogwarts

Harry himself does this when he's given the artifact by Fred and George Weasley during thePrisoner of Azkaban. Technically, with the way modern technology is excelling at a fast past, this one is more than likely to come true. In fact, it is similar to the way tracking devices and phone apps work now.

In the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry, Ron, and Hermione manage to prevent Lord Voldemort from obtaining the stone created by Nicolas Flamel. It renders the drinker immortal, which means Flamel is able to live up to 665 before deciding to destroy the object for good. Had Lord Voldemort managed to acquire the stone with a little help from Quirinus Quirrell, then his return to the land of the living would have happened far sooner.

Again, because of the fact immortality is involved, it's understandable why some would want it. However, living to 665 doesn't sound that appealing - especially if you still age along the way. It's for the best that Flamel opted to get rid of his creation because it would have been coveted by dark wizards everywhere. Voldemort being Voldemort, he had the skills to attempt a robbery but, fortunately, he was stopped in his tracks.

Travelling can be hard if you dont have a car, but even the biggest lover of vehicles would surely jump at the chance to own a Broomstick. Its capable of moving at super-speed, easy to carry around and, generally, looks pretty neat. Harry himself has the Nimbus 2000 before its shredded to pieces in the Prisoner of Azkaban and he then secures a Firebolt from his godfather, Sirius Black.

Broomsticks are usually used in Quidditch in the wizarding world - but they are also used to take Harry away from 4 Privet Drive in both the Order of the Phoenix and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. 'The Boy Who Lived' always seems to get the top of the range model, while many other students are forced to settle for something far cheaper.

The Elder Wand has a chequered past, to put it mildly. But that didnt stop Lord Voldemort from hunting the artifact down in the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, believing he could master it and enforce his villainous rule on the magical community. He wrongly believes Severus Snape to be the true owner of the wand but is left reeling when Harry reveals that it was Draco Malfoy instead - and that the Dark Lord has got his facts wrong.

RELATED:Harry Potter Prequel: 5 Characters We'd Want To See (& 5 We Wouldn't)

Harry uses the Elder Wand against Voldemort to defeat the fallen wizard once and for all. It brings power but the Gryffindor pupil breaks it in two at the end of the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. He doesnt want the heat, but it appears fans would still like to own it nonetheless.

Everybody has one thing they would change if they could go back in time. And, thanks to a Time-Turner, its possible for wizards and witches to do this in Harry Potter. Its used by Hermione Granger to save Sirius Black and Buckbeak from their horrible fates in the Prisoner of Azkaban, while Harry and Ginnys son, Albus Potter, uses it with Scorpius Malfoy in an attempt to spare Cedric Diggory from death in The Cursed Child.

Theyre not easy to use, yet remain coveted by us ordinary folk. A Time-Turner, in the wrong hands, can have dire consequences. The Ministry of Magic attempted to use them but, when Albus got involved, those plans were shelved. Most fans will agree that this isn't very surprising

Lets face it, an Invisibility Cloak would be awesome. At the time, it appeared to be just a neat gift. But its far more than that and plays a major role in the Boy Who Lived bringing Voldemorts villainous rule to an end.

Daniel Radcliffe even revealed he had a kind of half-Invisibility Cloak when speaking on Hot Ones earlier in 2020. He said he was given a jacket that is meant to deflect unwanted picture-taking, saying: Its one of those jackets that only works at night I think. But if you wear it with the hood up and its at night and you take a photo with a flash, it wipes out everything on the camera except for the hoodie. So you just get a photo of a floating ghost hoodie.

NEXT:Harry Potter: 10 Order Of The Phoenix Members Only Book Fans Know

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Harry Potter: Top 10 Objects Fans Would Love To Have (According to IMDB) - Screen Rant