Justin Bieber

5 Degrees

Tween idol, Justin Bieber and fourth degree, Kim Kardashian are friends.

Here they pose together in a photo reminiscent of the Dustin Hoffman
film, The Graduate

Kardashian (front row toward the right in a blue dress) and third degree, Beyonce Knowles (blue cigarette pants and yellow shoes front row toward the left) at 2012 Fashion Week for Vera Wang's show.

We already read in a previous post how Beyonce went to Egypt and met Zahi Hawass to give her three degrees.  Let's take a different tack here to link to Blessed John Paul II.  

In January of 2011, Vera Wang was invited to a state dinner at the White House to greet
Chinese President Hu Jintao

Jackie Chan was also on the guest list

Yo Yo Ma was awarded the Medal of Freedom at
the Chinese State Dinner.  He also performed at Senator
Ted Kennedy's funeral with first degree, Placido Domingo.

This is another picture of the Kennedy funeral.  Note first degree,
President George W Bush and first degree Jimmy Carter.  Cardinal O'Malley is also
a first degree.

Blessed John Paul II and President Jimmy Carter at the
beginning of JP's pontificate

At Castel Gandalfo

4 Degrees

Bieber to Kardashian to Vera Wang to Placido Domingo to Pope JP2

5 Degrees

Bieber to Kardashian to Beyonce to Dr. Hawass to Laura Bush to Pope JP2

Bieber to Kardashian to Vera Wang to Yo Yo Ma to Jimmy Carter to Pope JP2

Bieber to Kardashian to Vera Wang to Yo Yo Ma to Cardinal O'Malley to Pope JP2

Jimmy Carter

1 Degree

John Paul II was elected as pope toward the end of Jimmy Carter's presidency.


President Carter was lampooned for wearing his sweater and for appearing so informal in this address.  He did not ask us to conserve oil in our private homes in that speech.  It was in this video that he did.  I remember this speech.  After it, my family set its thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 62 or 64 at night.  I still enjoy having a cold nose and warm toes at night.


Jimmy Carter's legacy is much much broader than the energy crisis and energy policy.  But, as we endure another New England winter, those lessons are worth learning once again.