5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (10/26/17)

Welcome back! Thanks for reading now as we are almost two months into the blog. If you have suggestions for ways to improve the blog or topics you would like me to write about I would love for you to contact me! As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → National Parks

According to headlines: taking a family vacation to your favorite national park might get more expensive if a proposal by the National Parks Service (NPS) is put into place. While that makes for a catchy headline, is it true? I would like to say yes and no.

First of all, it is still only a proposal. The proposal would more than double vehicle fees from $25-$30 to $75 during a five-month peak season (each season differs depending on the park) at 17 of the most popular parks (like Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, and Grand Canyon to name a few) in the United States. These proposed fees are an emphasis on the almost $12 billion in deferred maintenance. However, the proposal projects to increase entrance fee revenue from about “$199.9M to $268.5M, annually – an increase of 34.3% over Fiscal Year 2016.” That would seem like a good figure, however, the Trump administration has proposed cuts that would slash the National Parks budget by $296 million next year. NPS is also expecting to lose around 1,200 jobs.

On the other hand, this fee increase may not throw off your entire vacation. Only 118 of the 417 of NPS sites even charge an admission fee. During seven non-peak months of the year, the price would not increase at all. Annual parks passes will remain the same cost of $80. So, I encourage you to still go check out those national parks and all the goodness and beauty the United States has to offer!

If you feel passionately about the fee increases, there is in fact something you can do about it. A public comment period on the proposed fee increases began Tuesday and ends Nov. 23. The public can submit comments here.

2)  Local News → Titletown District 

Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers are teaming up to bring a piece of Silicon Valley to America’s Dairyland. In 2015, Green Bay announced the Titletown District next to Lambeau Field. Per the Packers website:

“Titletown District will maximize its unique location to attract more visitors to the area, spur additional regional economic growth, offer new amenities to residents and complement the greater Green Bay area’s draw as an excellent location to live, work and play.”

Well this past week, Microsoft announced it will be partnering with the Packers to launch TitletownTech in the Titletown District. The building set to be home to TitletownTech will open next year.

TitletownTech will initially focus on three areas:

TitletownTech Accelerator. The Accelerator will work with startups and young companies to incubate or accelerate and bring to market new digital technology products and services.

TitletownTech Venture Capital Fund. The Venture Capital Fund will invest in and provide capital to help launch new companies that participate in the TitletownTech Accelerator.

TitletownTech Labs. The Labs will enable established businesses to send employee teams to work at TitletownTech for 18 weeks to develop new digital technology products and services.

The new technologies and digital support offered to local area businesses and startups will be tremendous positive impact. My personal favorite part of this project, is the Venture Capital Fund which Microsoft and the Packers will both be investing $5 million over the next five years. Not only that, but they will donate “all the profits and capital returns from the Venture Capital Fund to philanthropy and economic development.” The hope is the Titletown District and TitletownTech will spur economic growth and make the area a more desirable place to live and work.

Good work Packers and Microsoft, what a cool way opportunity for the community.

3) Writer’s Choice → Grand Old Party, but for who?

When the GOP (which stands for Grand Old Party and is the Republican party) first tried to repeal and replace Obamacare, the swing vote in the Senate belonged to John McCain (R-AZ) who went against President Trump and the party. McCain has also blasted Trump in recent days citing Trump receiving a draft deferment due to bone spurs. A few weeks ago, I highlighted the Twitter feud between Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and the president. Corker has continued that trend as of late. Now this week, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has announced he will not seek reelection in 2018 during a scathing speech on the Senate floor.  These three Republican Senators have been quite vocal in their disapproval of President Trump’s antics, behaviors, and norm-breaking. So, what is going on with the GOP? 

Many recent articles are calling this the GOP Civil War with Trump and his supporters on one side and the traditional “establishment” on the other. Flake has stated that he will refuse to be complicit with Trump’s agenda and behavior stating:

“We were not made great as a country by indulging or even exalting our worst impulses, turning against ourselves, glorying in the things which divide us, and calling fake things true and true things fake.” -Senator Jeff Flake

Corker said (among other things) in a Tuesday interview that Trump’s main legacy would be “debasing” our nation. Corker, McCain, Flake, and Ben Sasse (R-NE) have spoken out against Trumps behavior. However, will more Republicans speak out against Trump’s behavior? Or are these Senators on the way out and the establishment on the decline?

Trump has divided the GOP along lines that may have existed and were just exacerbated by the president. While Democrats are certainly not unified in all policies, there seems to be three parties working in a two-party system: Democrats, Republicans, and Trumpians. Those Trumpians are symbolized by the likes of former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who has promised to have a far-right challenger in every GOP Senate primary in 2018.

People expected a lot to get done with Republicans in control of the White House, Senate, and the House. However, is it any wonder that essentially having no majority party (sorry, Republicans) but three minority parties has caused even more gridlock? Come 2018 someone will be having a party in Congress. The question is will it be the Democrats, the Trumpians, or will it be a Grand Old Party?

For more on this topic check out these articles, podcasts, and videos:

Seth Meyers: A Closer Look at GOP Civil War

NPR Politics Podcast October 24th: Flake to Leave Senate

Washington Post: GOP Civil War

4) Recommendation of the Week →  Presidential

Whether you consider yourself a history student or you were the student who slept through history class, this podcast is for you. In a lead up to last year’s Presidential election, Washington Post reporter Lillian Cunningham decided to make a podcast for every president, starting with George Washington and ending with then President Obama. These podcasts highlight each president based on their personality, upbringing, and experiences and how those impacted their presidency.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Defy Designs 

This week, I wanted to highlight and give a shout out to Defy Designs for making my blog prettier than I ever could. Jordan created Defy Designs “because I believe we are called to something greater. We are called to defy mediocrity.” These backgrounds for your phone or desktop will help inspire you and make your day. With Bible verses, song lyrics, and quotes these beautiful designs can make any device prettier. Please check them out and a huge thank you to Defy Designs!

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (10/19/17)

Welcome back! This Monday I wrote the first installment of the new series Look Back At-It (About that thing I typed) checking in on the gerrymandering case. As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

**Disclaimer: I’ve tried to avoid focusing all of the news on Trump, however as the most powerful and controversial figure in America, it is important to try understanding him. Many of the headlines this week were the continuation of topics that have already come up in this blog: healthcare, immigration, Twitter wars, tax reform, etc. So, I want to touch on those briefly within the broader topic of trying to understand Donald Trump.

1) National Headlines → Donald Trump’s Winning Agenda

I am convinced that Donald Trump is either a complete genius or utterly overwhelmed and confused by the presidency. At times he makes statements and takes actions that are beneficial to himself and make him look presidential. Other times, he seems to be living in his own world with his own set of facts. Check out the amount of statements Trump has made as of September 30th that are mostly false, false, or “pants on fire.”

While all politicians lie and twist the truth, Trump does so at an unprecedented rate. For reference here are the five top presidential candidates during the 2016 election.

Surprisingly, Trump actually has been more truthful (percentage-wise) while in office than on the campaign trail. All of this to say, why does Trump so frequently say things that are blatantly false or contradictory?

A few real-life examples: In the last 48 hours Trump has taken multiple stances on Obamacare insurance subsidies which help lower income folks receive healthcare at a reasonable cost. He cut the subsidies via executive order, then he praised the bipartisan effort to restore the subsidies, and then he walked back on those comments.

This past week, he decertified the Iran nuclear deal and wants to renegotiate despite the rest of the world leaders involved being staunchly opposed to that idea. He has made or hinted at similar moves with things like the Paris Climate Accords, and NAFTA. His most glaring arguments have via Twitter against Republicans, Democrats, allies, and enemies. But again it begs the question, why?

Trump is not a politician. He does not see his agenda as a partisan standoff. He sees it as a business—“as an endless string of deals, to be won or lost, both at the negotiating table and in the court of public opinion.”  That’s why Trump wants to bring down ObamaCare, and renegotiate Iran’s deal, Paris Accords, NAFTA, and others. He wants to win. That’s why he gets in Twitter feuds. He needs to win those, too. Or at least undermine his competition regardless of who it is.

So Trump’s policies will be guided by his true north star: the desire to win at all costs, and make the other side the loser.

For more on Donald Trump’s paradigm check out this interview this week from Forbes

2)  Local News → America’s Dairyland

Our state of self-proclaimed cheeseheads proudly embrace the fact that we live in America’s Dairyland. However, Kurt Bauer who is the executive director of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, suggested that “America’s Dairyland” should no longer appear on Wisconsin license plates. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s most influential business lobby, does not plan to lobby for this idea in the Capitol, but it is an interesting sentiment. Bauer also clarified that he sees this as simply a “conversation starter.”

Dairy is ingrained in our state. Wisconsin is the national leader in cheese production, and second in milk. (California leads the nation in milk production, and despite what their commercials might have you believe, happy cows obviously come from Wisconsin!) The slogan “America’s Dairyland” has appeared on Wisconsin plates since 1940 and even endured other challenges about 30 years ago for new plate slogans. Furthermore, dairy lobby as well as Farm Bureau have both spoken out against Bauer’s sentiments.

Bauer argued that Wisconsin is due for an upgrade to appeal to a younger demographic who may not see Wisconsin’s large agrarian economy as attractive as the urban and business life. Bauer suggested our state motto of “Forward” as a potential alternative saying  “To me, ‘Forward’ connotes resolve, indomitability and progress — not a bad image to project to the rest of the world.”

3) Writer’s Choice → Bad Breaks, Mourning, and Faith

Speaking of cheeseheads, Packer nation was collectively saddened this weekend. After what appeared to be a fairly normal tackle by Anthony Barr, Aaron Rodgers lay on the turf wincing in pain. As you probably know by now, Rodgers was diagnosed and will have surgery on his broken right collarbone. Some people declared the Packers season over. Others were more optimistic, but still see the outlook as bleak at best.

Of course, Aaron Rodgers is one of the most talented quarterbacks to ever play, and is arguable the best quarterback currently in the league. And of course the Packers are a better team with him playing. The same goes for stars like Odell Beckham Jr, JJ Watt, Dalvin Cook, David Johnson, Eric Berry, Greg Olsen and others.

Yet, when these stars get hurt, there is an immediate response of despair, hopelessness, and inevitable failure. We feel a visceral hurt, a true letdown in our aspirations. Why do we do this? Why do we take the loss of one player, no matter how prominent, so hard? Are there not 52 other players on the team?

Brett Favre got his break after an injury. So, did Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, and Tom Brady. More recently, players like Dak Prescott and Kareem Hunt have stepped into the spotlight after injuries. Do I really believe Brett Hundley is the second coming of Aaron Rodgers? No. Do I think he still could be pretty darn good? You bet. Have a little faith Packer nation.

4) Recommendation of the Week → Parks and Rec

Last week, I recommended my first movie and this week you get my first TV show. Parks and Recreation is my favorite show of all-time. By a long-shot. In mockumentary style like The Office, Parks and Rec has some incredible one-liners, unforgettable characters, and many lessons for the audience to learn. Whether telling us to “Catch Your Dream” or “Treat Yo’ Self,” Parks and Rec is always good for a smile, a laugh, and a feel-good moment. Check it out on Netflix!

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

David, are you really recommending a kid’s book? YEP! Because Narnia is so much more than a children’s story. There are Christian themes of temptation, forgiveness, faith, and many others (as Lewis was indeed a Christian writer.) There are also sword fights, sea voyages, dragons, centaurs, unicorns, and any other creature you could imagine.  I love the Last Battle as Lewis describes the end of time and the paradise that is heaven.  Each of these seven stories are only about 100-200 page books that you will thoroughly enjoy.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

Look Back At-It: (About that thing I typed) — Gerrymandering

Welcome to the newest intermittent series of the blog. In this series, we will check back in on a topic that has made local or national news in 5 Things. In Look Back A.t.I.t.t. we will get an update on the topic, dig a little deeper into it, and what could happen next. Enjoy!

Alright, David, can you give me a quick recap of what is going down?

In my first ever 5 Things post, we discussed the topic of gerrymandering, specifically how a situation in Wisconsin was headed to the Supreme Court. Well, when the Court came back for it’s October session, they heard oral arguments for the Gill v. Whitford case.

Gerrymandering is the redrawing of voting districts for political advantage. District maps are redrawn after the census which occurs every 10 years. As noted in this New York Times article, gerrymandering is not new to the US, nor is it solely used by one party. Both political parties have used gerrymandering to their advantage, and their arguments fluctuate with their control of the legislature.. Gerrymandering for partisan advantage is not necessarily illegal, although gerrymandering based on race is prohibited. So, why is this case different? Check out this chart.

The case of gerrymandering in Wisconsin is being pursued because despite Republicans in the Assembly winning only 48.6% of the statewide vote, GOP legislators took 60 of the 99 seats.

Basic example of how gerrymandering works

Okay. So, what happened at the Supreme Court?

Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from both sides. Oral arguments only last an hour and it is generally the time for the justices to ask questions of those making arguments. Some of the key players were Misha Tseytlin Wisconsin’s Solicitor General and Erin Murphy (on behalf of State Legislature) argued for the state of Wisconsin and the current maps. On the other side, Paul Smith argued on behalf of the plaintiff against the current maps.

Great…can you remind me of the Supreme Court justices? Asking for a friend….

Alright. A bunch of names about to come your way.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Stephen Breyer are all generally liberal leaning justices appointed by Democratic presidents.

On the other side, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, newly appointed Neil Gorsuch, and Chief Justice John Roberts, were appointed by Republican presidents and make up the more conservative wing of the court.

However, that is only eight and you may remember from civics class the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) consists of nine members. Justice Anthony Kennedy (appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan) appears to be the deciding opinion in this case.

So, you are telling me I should pay attention to Kennedy?

Yep. And so did pretty much everyone in the Supreme Court during arguments.  Quick flashback to 2004: SCOTUS heard Vieth v. Jubelirer a similar case about gerrymandering. Kennedy wrote a concurring opinion (which means he voted with the majority but for his own, differing, or additional opinions) for the case. In that decision, the court ruled against doing anything with the gerrymandered districts because, as Kennedy put it,there was no “workable standard” to use to identify how far is too far.

How is Gill v. Whitford different than Vieth v. Jubelirer in 2004?

Well, Paul Smith and the plaintiffs (those who believe there was extreme gerrymandering) have come up with what they believe to be a workable standard. Law professor Nicholas O. Stephanopoulos and research fellow Eric M. McGhee from the University of Chicago came up with an “efficiency gap” to measure wasted votes (votes cast for the losing candidate or in excess of the margin needed to win for the victor) to help identify gerrymandering.

We will look at the simple way (there is a more sophisticated formula used in the paper) to calculate the efficiency gap:  If you take the vote margin (amount over 50%) and double it, you get the amount of seats that should be one. According to Stephanopoulos and McGhee doubling the margin is what happens in practice during elections.  For example: if Democrats won 53% of the votes (3% margin) they should get 56% of seats. However, in reality with the current maps, Democrats won 53% of votes and only received about 38% of the seats.

 

Interesting. Are the justices considering the efficiency gap as a workable standard?

Yes and no. Conservative justices were skeptical to say the least. Chief Justice Roberts had the most quoted line of the day calling the efficiency gap “gobbledygook.” Justice Alito asked, “Is this the time for us to jump into this, when there are still so many questions about the theory?” Justice Gorsuch questioned the Supreme Court’s authority to revise district maps.

On the other side, Justice Sotomayor likened this extreme gerrymandering to “stacking the deck for 10 years.” Justice Ginsburg voiced that the “precious right to vote” is at the heart of this case. Justice Kagan argued that the technology used to gerrymander these district maps could be used on the back-end of the process to ensure more neutral maps.

Justice Kennedy did not ask Paul Smith (arguing against the current maps) any questions during his 30 minute period. He was more active during Tseytlin and Murphy’s sessions conversing with them about whether the plaintiff had standing (the right to bring a case forward) which Kennedy affirmed they did.

What comes next?

Unfortunately now it is simply a waiting game until June 2018. In June the Supreme Court will actually vote on the case. If Kennedy affirms the plaintiffs argument against the maps, there could be a flood of cases into the judicial system from many other states. If Kennedy does not deem the efficiency gap as a workable standard and votes in favor of the state, the partisan divide in our country could continue to deepen.

You can expect another Look Back regarding gerrymandering in June when a decision comes down from the courts. Until then:

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

 

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (10/12/17)

Welcome back! My apologies for the delay in the post today. Thanks for checking out the blog. This Monday will be the first installment of the new series Look Back AttIt (About that thing I typed) where we will check in on a topic that has already arisen in the news sections. I am excited to write it and hope you find it useful! As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Corker vs. Trump

The Republican Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations, committee Bob Corker (R-TN), and President Trump have been exchanging a war of words all week. Trump having a Twitter feud might seem like nothing new but here are a few reasons it is more important than other spats.

Senator Bob Corker has only recently gotten into a feud with President Trump. Corker endorsed Trump during his presidential campaign. Corker was also floated as potential running mate for Trump and made the short list for the prominent cabinet seat of Secretary of State.

Fast forward to October 2017: Senator Corker declares he will not seek reelection in 2018 when his term is up. In doing so, he is less bound by his party loyalty (because what are his constituents or donors going to do….not elect him?) allowing him to be more of an independent.

So, Bob Corker decided to start speaking his mind. Last Wednesday Corker stated that Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Chief of Staff John Kelly are “people that help separate our country from chaos.” Trump fired back in his preferred method, Twitter, saying that Corker “begged” him for an endorsement in 2018.

Corker has unleashed some bombshells at the President. In addition to his statement above, Corker has said that Trump may be “setting the US on a path to World War III” and that the White House is an “adult day care center.” Here is a list of a few other remarkable statements Corker has made about the President

Ultimately, this is not simply about a few stinging (albeit quite hilarious) insults between Republican politicians. Some have argued that Corker is freely speaking his mind and voicing thoughts that Republican politicians would only whisper in private. They believe this is indicative of the greater divide in the party between establishment Republicans and Trump supporters. However, no one has really supported Corker either because they do not agree with him or they are fearful of what agreeing with him would mean.

 

2)  Local News → UW System Restructuring 

The UW System is proposing a new structure that would make all of the UW College branch campuses of four-year universities. Here is a list of what those changes would look like.

• The Rock County college would join UW-Whitewater.
• The Baraboo/Sauk County and Richland colleges would join UW-Platteville.
• The Barron County college would join UW-Eau Claire.
• The Manitowoc, Marinette and Sheboygan colleges would join UW-Green Bay.
• The Washington County and Waukesha colleges would join UW-Milwaukee.
• The Marathon County and Marshfield/Wood County colleges would join UW-Stevens Point.
• The Fond du Lac and Fox Valley colleges would join UW-Oshkosh.

This proposal will be brought to the Board of Regents in November for approval. There are some potential benefits and drawbacks to this new system. The new system would allow for students to obtain four year degrees rather than only Associate’s Degrees at the UW College Campuses. Also, credits should more easily transfer between systems. The lower cost will also still apply to the UW College systems.

On the flip side there is likely to be job cuts as some administrative positions will be doubled up under the new system. While a cost savings for the UW system, that will be detrimental to those laid off.

As mentioned above the proposal is not final until passed by the Board of Regents in November.

3) Writer’s Choice →  Catalonia, Brexit, and Nationalism in the Age of Trump

You may have never heard of Catalonia. However, this week Catalonia (a region in Spain) held a referendum in which they declared their independence from Spain.  This has caused controversy as Spain insisted the referendum was illegal and sent police to prevent voter turnout. Furthermore, less than half of voters turned out and after Spanish police started seizing ballot boxes Catalonia officials allowed voters to cast ballots wherever they pleased.

As of today, the Catalans have supposedly declared their independence although they are certainly not unified in their declaration. Consequently the Prime Minister of Spain has put an deadline on this whole ordeal.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has given two demands: 1) Clarify whether the region has actually claimed independence. 2) If it has, rescind that claim. Catalonia leaders have five days to clarify the claim and three additional days to rescind it.

This nationalistic approach is nothing new. Donald Trump won on an America-first and nationalist agenda. Trump is skeptical of international agreements from things like the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), to the United Nations. Elsewhere in the world, Great Britain voted to leave the EU. Nationalist groups have gained more seats in European elections, namely Germany. Scotland has considered a referendum for independence.

These treaties, alliances, and international organizations are necessary for the world today. Europe’s economy is stronger and more stable because of the EU. Cooperation is necessary in all walks of life including our politics and global economies.

“Global citizenship is required to establish worthwhile and effective trade deals, and ensure economies around the world are thriving- without it, political uncertainty will heighten.” –The Global Rise of Nationalism

While nationalism is not necessarily bad, it cannot be taken to the extreme. We must work with our brothers and sisters around the globe to make this a world in which we are proud to live.

4) Recommendation of the Week → The Princess Bride

One of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride, came out a just over 30 years ago on September 25, 1987. This is a story that knows and appreciates the “story-ness” of itself. It will make you laugh, it will make you cheer, and it will make you say “gross is this a kissing movie?” An absolute classic with one of the most oft-quoted scripts Princess Bride is a must for your movie list.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This is one of the most well-known leadership/self-improvement books of all-time. It also happened to be a textbook for the best (and my favorite) class I took in college. In this book, Stephen Covey strives to show people how to best to build a personal character ethic and find their “true north.” Covey explains that this isn’t a novel to be read once, but a toolkit to help you grow constantly and continuously.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (10/5/17)

Welcome back! My apologies for the delay in the post today. Thanks for checking out the blog. Keep an eye out for upcoming series of 10 Lists of 10 and Look Back AttIt which will be posted on Mondays in the coming weeks. As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Las Vegas and Gun Control

Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, Orlando, and now Las Vegas.  These are all in the top 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. All of them have happened in the last 10 years.

By now, you have probably heard the tragic news about the Las Vegas shootings by Stephen Paddock earlier this week. If not, you can read more about it here.  As of this writing 59 people have died and over 500 were injured. However, there have been incredible stories of heroism and unity through these attacks.

Other than the actual tragedy, why are people riled up about this?

After a tragedy such as this, it is natural for us to grieve, mourn, and do what we can to console others. For many of us, that means empathizing with and praying for the victims of the tragedy. However, backlash has arisen with politicians sending their “thoughts and prayers” to the victims. This article specifically tells about 75+ members of the House and Senate who sent out “thoughts and prayers” to the victims of Las Vegas.

However, the main irony is that all 75+ received donations from the NRA (National Rifle Association) which is one of the most effective lobbying groups in Washington. While politicians should certainly send their thoughts and prayers, we elect them to find policy solutions to major problems like gun violence.

So, what is Congress doing?

TBD. There appears to be a Republican-led effort in the House to ban the use of “bump stocks” which the shooter used in Las Vegas. Bump stocks allow a semi-automatic rifle fire at a rate similar to that of a machine gun without making it a fully automatic weapon which are currently illegal to possess. The NRA actually supports this measure which increases the likelihood of an affirmative vote.

Why is the NRA so important?

In a brilliant (albeit profane) piece by John Oliver regarding the NRA, he discussed that while you and I currently care about gun regulation, we probably won’t two weeks from now. The NRA cares all the time. Furthermore, they simply have to say no. The NRA does not need to come up with solutions, they (and their supporters) just advocate for NO increase in regulation, NO universal background checks, NO studying gun violence by the CDC, and more.

David, isn’t all of this just a politicization of this tragedy?

Perhaps it is. However, as I mentioned above in two weeks (or probably less) people won’t care about gun violence. Saying that this is not the time to talk about gun control is absurd. If now is not the time, when is the time?

2)  Local News → Facebook Ads

If you watch the Late Show with Stephen Colbert (or followed any part of the Trump presidency) you will know there has been growing allegations of Russia’s involvement with the 2016 election.

In September, reports arose that Facebook sold 3,000 political ads for $100,000 to a “Russian troll farm” which called itself the Internet Research Agency.  According to Facebook, approximately 10,000,000 people viewed the ads during the election season.

These ads were reportedly not focused on any specific candidate or issue.

 “Rather, the ads and accounts appeared to focus on amplifying divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum — touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights.”

This week, it was revealed Michigan and Wisconsin were both targeted and were states that Trump won by margins of only about 11,000 and 27,000 respectively.  It appears about 44% of the ads were viewed prior to the election and the rest were viewed after the election.

Facebook testified in front of Congress this week and has vowed to change its ways. They will do so by hiring 1,000 people to review ads placed on the site and will require political ads to put disclaimers (like you see on television) about who funded the ad.

3) Writer’s Choice →  Best Month of the Year!

Well, folks the best month of the year for sports is upon us. We are a quarter of the way through the NFL season, the MLB playoffs are in full swing (pun very much intended), the puck dropped on the NHL season yesterday, and NBA preseason tipped off with the regular season starting in less than two weeks. For a few precious weeks in the sports world, all four major US sports will be in season.

In the NFL, people have wondering if their teams woes are reversible or if their success is sustainable. In NHL and NBA, hope springs anew with new seasons. In the MLB, the hunt for October is over and it is time to win or go home.

So, I love this time of year. Where did my love come from? Well,  love my Wisconsin sports teams (Packers, Bucks, Brewers, and Badgers) and enjoy cheering for them. However, I also just love a great game. Whether it is a pick-up basketball game, a game of capture the flag, a preseason game, or the Super Bowl I just want it to be competitive and entertaining.

As my family can attest growing up I was a sucker for sports stats and trivia. I love playing fantasy football, filling out a March Madness bracket, and often filled out the weekly football pick ’em contest in the newspaper.

All of this to say, that I love the camaraderie of sports and how it can bring people together. My favorite pastime is sitting down to watch a Packer game with my Dad on a crisp Sunday in the fall. So, thanks Dad for always having a sports factoid to throw at me, or a new sports story to chat about with me. I’m grateful for all that you taught me about sports and through sports. See you for a Packer game soon!

4) Recommendation of the Week → Calvin and Hobbes 

My favorite comic strip of all time is Calvin and Hobbes. Bill Watterson’s story of a young boy and his stuffed tiger will certainly make you laugh, but it will also might make you think, reflect, or cry. With alter egos like Stupendous Man and Spaceman Spiff, along with inventions of things like Calvinball and the Transmorgifier, there is always a new adventure for Calvin and Hobbes.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Word on Fire/Bishop Barron’s Homilies

Bishop Robert Barron and the folks at Word on Fire create awesome Catholic content. They have study programs, blogs, videos, lectures, sermons, homilies, guides, and more. Creators of the renowned Catholicism video series, Word on Fire is doing incredible work. They make the faith accessible, tangible, and relatable.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE