Ok, how does Taylor Swift do all this amazing stuff for her fans?

July 09, 2015

WRITER

Every other day there’s a story about Taylor Swift doing something for a fan. She’s delivery gifts, singing in hospitals, or - in the latest case - donate $50,000 to a fan with leukemia! How does this happen?

Stu and Pat have the story and reaction on Thursday’s radio show. Listen at 1 hour into today's podcast:

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it may contain errors:

PAT: It's Pat and Stu. 877-727-BECK. 877-727-BECK. I'm starting to wonder if Taylor Swift is even human.

STU: That's an interesting question. Do we have enough time to debate that before the end of the program?

PAT: I don't think so. I'm pretty sure she's not even human.

STU: Why do you believe that?

PAT: Look at all the stuff she does. All the good works she does. It's not natural. Okay. Stop it.

STU: It's also not just her. I'm sure she has a team of 20 people just monitoring social media just for these opportunities.

PAT: You think so? So she set up like a team --

STU: She is a brand. I mean, she's a business. She does it right. She knows what she's doing. She's very smart.

PAT: Yeah.

STU: That's not to say -- I think she really does post on Instagram and post on, you know, Facebook and Twitter. But, you know, she's got people.

PAT: She's everywhere.

STU: Yeah, she has people that says this is a good opportunity. Do this one.

PAT: Every time I look, like almost every day, she's driving to somebody's house to drop off gift and money. Then she's off to some hospital to drop off gifts and money. Then she does this thing with the 11-year-old girl in Arizona who had leukemia, and she was diagnosed in late June with an aggressive form of leukemia under orders from her doctors, she was not allowed to leave the hospital. So it forced her to miss Taylor Swift's concert in Phoenix. She was bummed about that. She talked about it online. After she was diagnosed, she put online some video where she chose Taylor Swift's song Bad Blood. I don't know it.

STU: Yeah, it's a big, big hit.

PAT: It's her fight song when she battles cancer. So Taylor Swift or one of her people saw that. And just two days after in fact it was posted, she donated $50,000 to Oakes' online funding campaign. $50,000. And said, to the beautiful and brave Naomi, I'm sorry. You have to miss it. But there will always be more concerts. Let's focus on getting you feeling better. I'm sending you the biggest hugs to you and your family.

STU: She's a little too perfect. I think it was your point.

PAT: She's absolutely perfect.

STU: I mean, look, she's doing a great job.

PAT: Jeez.

STU: And is it really nice? Yes, it really is.

PAT: I'm sick of it. Okay. Stop it with your good works.

STU: That's not where I was going. I think she should continue to do this.

PAT: Stop your good works. You're making the rest of us look bad. Now stop it. I'm getting pissed. Stop it.

STU: Yeah, but is it worth the $50,000 in just advertising? I mean, to put it in a really plain capitalist business sense, man, she looks unbelievable. She will actually -- she will be the face of every product from now until the end of time.

PAT: But you're looking at this in a really cynical way as I am so we're destroying another cool thing. Another really, really good -- a really feel-good story. And we're destroying it with cynicism.

STU: I'm disagreeing. It's not cynical. It's showing that capitalism is good. You know, here she is. She's doing good things with her money, and it winds up paying off. It winds up furthering her career, and it winds up helping others. There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing cynical about that. It's great. I'm really -- I'm happy when you see people like this.

PAT: It's great. She's phenomenal though.

STU: Yeah, she really is.

PAT: No matter how she's finding all this stuff and doing all this stuff, it's -- it's an amazing -- it's an amazing effort. And she doesn't have to do any of it. You know, there are 99.9 percent of all artists don't.

STU: Well, that's the thing. She had to make the decision to put 12 people on to monitor social media all the time.

PAT: Right. Because it meant something to her.

STU: It means something to her. She wants to do something that is good. No person physically can catch every single person that misses a concert and has an illness. Look, she's able to do this. She does this weekly, at least. It might be twice a week.

PAT: I think so, yeah.

STU: And every time she does it, she gets glowing media attention, and, you know what, deservedly so. She's doing something good with her money. Thank God. That's great.

PAT: Yeah. She's amazing.

STU: I can't necessarily take her surprise at awards shows anymore. That I can't deal with. You win every award, Taylor. Stop being shocked. I can't take that. But outside of that, she's pretty much the perfect person.

PAT: Is she winning pop awards now? Because she left country.

STU: She wins everything.

PAT: So she won all the country awards. She came over to pop music. And now she's winning awards on those shows too.

STU: Oh, yeah. She's winning everything. And the funny thing, people who used to abandon country for pop used to get wrecked for it.

PAT: Oh, yeah, sellouts.

STU: She absolutely -- this is her biggest CD of all time, of her entire career.

PAT: Is it really?

STU: Oh, yeah, this thing is huge. It's literally saving the music industry. It's the only thing doing anything.

PAT: Well, she was the first artist I think -- we just had the story a while ago. She was the first artist to have three straight multi-platinum records.

STU: It was something like that, I can't remember exactly what it was. It was hard to believe.

PAT: Or maybe it was that she was the first -- the first female artist to have a million plus in the first week. That's what it was.

STU: Three consecutive releases.

PAT: For three consecutive releases, she sold over a million copies. And the thing is, nobody does that anymore.

STU: No, it's not the same.

PAT: The music industry has been decimated by i Tunes. So it's almost over for these artists. Scant few of them are making any money anymore.

STU: Yeah. It's sort of the reverse of the NFL quarterback. Which, back in the day, getting someone over 3,000 yards was a major achievement. Now, multiple people are doing 5,000 yards a year. So the new quarterback records aren't maybe as impressive because all the NFL systems have changed. The reverse is happening with music.

Nobody is selling records like that anymore. Nobody is selling CDs like that anymore. Even with all the downloads and the digital stuff, it doesn't happen anymore. She's still able to do it. Not to mention tours and endorsements and everything else. I mean, it's pretty freaking amazing.

PAT: So she should be able to command whatever she wants to get from her record company when she signs her next deal because she's the only artist that is really keeping everybody afloat right now.

STU: Yeah. And she's done it in a way -- she hasn't, you know, taken her clothes off. And done it in that way.

PAT: No, she's classy. She's a class act.

STU: Yeah. She didn't Miley Cyrus it.

PAT: Thank you. Thank you for that. I'm so glad about that. She does get wrecked for having brief relationships, I guess. When they go wrong. But she gets a lot of songs out of it. So...

STU: She does. Well, that was the situation she had -- look, I don't know. Maybe this isn't a conversation that this audience finds mega relevant. I don't know. But when you talk about a person who is using capitalism to help other people, it's actually a great example of what should be happening.

PAT: Yeah, it is.

STU: And to the point of, not only that, but there's also there's that part of entertainment that obviously goes down the Miley Cyrus road. You get praised for that. I think you flame out a lot faster when you go down that direction. But Taylor Swift had a situation where she released photos of herself in a bikini, which was kind of a big deal at the time because she hadn't done that stuff. The only reason she did it is she apparently got caught in the bikini by paparazzi and she just wanted to beat them to the punch. She knew these pictures were coming out anyway, so she released them on her own. Every single decision she makes seems to work out.

PAT: So savvy. I don't know if it's her or she has some tremendous manager.

STU: Got to be both.

PAT: Wow.

STU: She has to have a great team around her as well. Although, I will say the last time I talked this glowingly about a celebrity was probably Tiger Woods and that didn't work out so well.

Featured Image:DUBLIN, IRELAND - JUNE 29: Taylor Swift brings The 1989 World Tour to 3Arena on June 29, 2015 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Carrie Davenport/Getty Images for TAS)

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

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Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

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The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

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Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

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The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

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Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

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Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

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The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

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Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity