10 by 10 Thanksgiving Edition: Books, Movies, and Podcasts Oh My

Welcome to a new intermittent series called 10 by 10, which (per the name) I will give you 10 lists of 10 things on my mind. Most of these involve something I am passionate about and wanted to share with you. Some of the listed items have appeared in 5 Things as recommendations or inspirations, but that is largely because I enjoy them. Also, there are multiple lists regarding thankfulness because, you know, Thanksgiving. Lastly, this is my first stab at the 10 by 10, so if you have ideas or feedback let me know! Without further ado, let’s roll the lists!

1. 10 Books for which I am thankful
   1. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
   2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
   3. Harry Potter by JK Rowling
   4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
   5. Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly
   6. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
   7. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
   8. Wooden on Leadership by John Wooden
   9. Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft
   10. Virtuous Leadership by Alexandre Havard
2. 10 Superhero Movies for which I am thankful
   1. Avengers: the pinnacle of Marvel’s brilliance. The intersection of superheros from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to save the world. Heck yea!
   2. Captain America Winter Soldier: The best stand alone Marvel movie. Plus Captain America is a boss.
   3. The Dark Knight: The best Batman movie ever. Heath Ledger’s Joker is legendary. The themes and tones of the movie are incredible. Just overall great
   4. Civil War: A psuedo-Avengers 3 film. So many cool set pieces: The airport scene. Cap vs. Iron Man. Everything with Black Panther. So awesome.
   5. Avengers- Age of Ultron: Watching Avengers work together to save the world from the get go is just so cool. The rapport, the banter, the excitement.
   6. Lego Batman: Meta to the max. Its self-inflicted humor and hilarious dialogue fits the bill to make this one of the best Batman movies ever.
   7. Wonder Woman: The female superhero film done right. Gal Gadot is legit.
   8. Spiderman Homecoming: The sixth Spiderman film of the millennium finally hit the sweet spot of capturing a teenage superhero. Funny, awkward, and action-packed.
   9. Iron Man: The movie that ultimately kicked off and gave us hope for the MCU. Not my favorite superhero film, but in 2008 it rocked the world.
   10. Guardians of the Galaxy: The movie that proved pretty much anything Marvel does is going to be hilarious and awesome. No one knew what to expect and Marvel hit it out of the park.
3. 10 Podcast I am thankful for help keeping me up to date on current events
   1. NPR’s Up First
   2. Politico Playbook Audio Briefing
   3. Wisconsin Public Radio Politics
   4. NPR Politics
   5. FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast
   6. Left Right Center
   7. 1947: The Meet the Press Podcast
   8. Planet Money
   9. Politico Money
   10. Slate Political Gabfest
4. Culver’s Flavors of the Day I am thankful exist
   1. Brownie Batter Overload
   2. Caramel Fudge Cookie Dough
   3. Caramel Peanut Butter Cup
   4. Chocolate Oreo Volcano
   5. Cookie Dough Craving
   6. Crazy for Cookie Dough
   7. Double Marshmallow Oreo
   8. Mint Explosion
   9. Really Reese’s
   10. Salted Double Caramel Pecan
5. 10 Shows I am thankful are (or have been) on Netflix 
   1. Parks and Rec
   2. The Office
   3. Friends
   4. Sherlock
   5. Star Trek
   6. Blue Bloods
   7. Last Man Standing
   8. Everybody Loves Raymond
   9. NCIS
   10. The West Wing
6. 10 Best Holidays (in order in the humble opinion of yours truly)
   1. Thanksgiving: Family. Food. Football. Fall. Fun. Fantastic.
   2. Independence Day: Birthday of the greatest country on Earth.
   3. Christmas: It’s Christmas. A month of specialized music, presents, family, joy, and most importantly the birth of Christ.
   4. Easter: The Resurrection. He is Risen. Spring. New life.
   5. Veteran’s Day: Honoring those who served our great country.
   6. Memorial Day: Honoring those who gave their life for this great country.
   7. New Year’s: A new calendar year means an opportunity for new beginnings. Plus, always a fun/casual holiday to see family and friends.
   8. Mother’s/Father’s Days: Honoring those who brought us into the world
   9. Super Bowl Sunday: Should be a national holiday. Always fun to get together with friends and watch football or the commercials
   10. President’s Day: I am a history/politics nerd. Yay great American Presidents!
7. 10 More Podcasts I am thankful for entertaining me and/or making me think
   1. Harvard Business Review Ideacast
   2. Stuff You Should Know
   3. Presidential
   4. Intelligence Squared
   5. What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law
   6. Pardon The Interruption
   7. Catholic Stuff You Should Know
   8. Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire
   9. TED Radio Hour
   10. Fr. Mike Schmitz
8. Most Influential Presidents (in chronological order)
   1. Washington: The first president. The leader of the Revolutionary Army. Considered the ideal man…tall, strong, war hero.
   2. Jefferson: Louisiana Purchase which essentially doubled the size of the nation. Main author of the Declaration.
   3. Lincoln: For obvious reasons, like leading the US during the Civil War.
   4. Wilson: Led US through WWI. Helped create the League of Nations (the precursor to the United Nations)
   5. FDR: Led the US out of the Great Depression, through Pearl Harbor and the beginning of WWII and only president elected to three and four terms.
   6. Truman: The only individual in history to authorize the use of nuclear weapons. For better or worse, showed us the devastation such power can bring.
   7. Ford: Only president never elected to the executive office (VP or President). He was appointed to take over for Spiro Agnew as Nixon’s VP after serving for 25 years in the House and then assumed the presidency after Nixon’s resignation.
   8. Reagan: Led US through the Cold War. Introduced Reaganomics. Touted as the icon of the Republican party
   9. Obama: The first black president. Passed Obamacare. Helped recover US economy from the greatest economic downturn since FDR.
   10. Trump: Challenging the norms of what we assume a president should do. For better or for worse, he is/will be a huge influence on the presidency.
9. Bible Verses
   1. “Be still and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10
   2. “I came that you might have life and live it to the full.” -John 10:10
   3. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
      Philippians 4:8
   4. “A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit” –Psalm 51:10
   5. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.” –1 Thessolonians 5:16-17
   6. “Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.” –Deuteronomy 6:5
   7. “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” -Colossians 3:2
   8. “You are the light of the world.” –Matthew 5:13
   9. “Rather let the greatest among you be as the youngest, the leader as the servant.” –Luke 22:26
   10. “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” -Romans 12:2
10. Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Day
    1. What am I thankful for today?
    2. What have I done to help someone else today?
    3. What have I done to become a better person today?
    4. If today was your last day on Earth, would you want to do be doing what you are going to do?
    5. Would you be okay with your actions being publicized on the front page of a newspaper?
    6. What are your biggest goals in life?
    7. What is holding you back from accomplishing those goals or becoming that better person?
    8. If you died tomorrow, what would you regret not accomplishing?
    9. How can you live life more fully/more adventurously/more boldly?
    10. What can I do to live out God’s plan for me today? This week? This Year?

Also, a special shout out to my friends and family for being wonderful human beings and influences on my life. I am grateful for all of you! Spread the gratitude and love this upcoming holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peave, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (11/16/17)

Welcome back! A quick update that 5 Things will be next week for Thanksgiving, but a new 10 by 10 series will make its debut on Tuesday!  As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Tax Reform Proposals

*Tax Reform was part of 5 Things a few weeks back. There will be a Look Back At-It on taxes in the coming weeks as the administration tries to finish their policy. 

What do Ron Johnson, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and 400 millionaires/billionaires have in common? They all have recently spoken out in some way against the proposed GOP tax bill.

Ron Johnson (R-WI) became the first GOP Senator to openly voice his opposition to the bill.  Johnson cited an unfair advantage to large corporations compared to other small businesses like “pass-through” entities.

USCCB said the bill was unacceptable during their annual meeting this week.  They spoke out saying that this is the “first federal income tax modification in American history that will raise income taxes on the working poor while simultaneously providing a large tax cut to the wealthy. This is simply unconscionable.”

It should be noted that USCCB did praise certain parts of the bill, such as doubling the standard deduction, but rejected the bill on the whole.

Over 400 millionaires and billionaires urge Congress not to cut taxes on the wealthy.  Individuals including Ben and Jerry of ice cream fame and George Soros signed a letter stating Congress should not pass legislation that “further exacerbates inequality.”

Just today the House passed their tax bill 227-205 with no Democrats supporting the bill. This measure was somewhat expected, and the real test will come when the bill tries to pass the Senate. Senate Republicans hold a 52-48 majority and with Ron Johnson already speaking out against the bill, the Republicans may need bipartisan support (which they are unlikely to get) to pass the bill.

A few notes for the road about the tax plans:

• On the whole, the Senate and House plans are the same. There are certainly differences that would need to be ironed out, but they are largely similar bills.
• The Senate GOP plan includes a repeal of the individual mandate (which requires everyone to have a healthcare plan or pay a fine) in their tax plan.
• One major partisan issue in the reform is the repeal of the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction. This deduction allows you to write off what you pay in state and local taxes from your overall taxable income. This is used extensively in Democratic held states which tend to have a higher in state tax.

 

2) Local News → Wisconsin Hunting

With deer hunting season right around the corner, Governor Walker signed a legislative bill which eliminates age restrictions on hunters. Let’s look at the changes and then the rationale.

Under the previous mentoring rules, individuals over the age of 10 could go hunting within arms distance of an 18 year old who had passed a hunter safety course. Also, the two individuals could only use one firearm between the two of them.

However, the new bill eliminates the age restriction and single firearm policy in the hunting mentorship program. Now, individuals under the age of 10 can participate in the mentorship and could carry their own firearm.

The multiple firearm policy is what seemed to irk most lawmakers who opposed the bill. Opponents argued that each hunter having their own firearm could lead to more accidents, as the mentor might not give his full attention to the mentee. Proponents argue that parents should be able to decide when their child is ready to hunt.

I would tend to agree with both of those sentiments. If I were President (or in this case Governor) for a day, I would have pushed for allowing children of any age to hunt. However, I would make sure there is only one firearm between the mentor and mentee.

3) Writer’s Choice → Lord of the Rings 

This week Amazon (yes, that Amazon) agreed to a multi-season deal to create a series based in Middle Earth prior to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. As a resident Lord of the Rings nerd, I want to be thrilled about seeing more adventures take place in Middle Earth. However, I am nervous about what the final product will actually entail.

Jeff Bezos, the head honcho at Amazon, gave the directive to create a blockbuster hit a la HBO’s Game of Thrones. Amazon reportedly paid between $200-250 million just for the production rights. The company has not yet started any sort of casting, scripting, or production so the actual content will not be out for at least a few years.

The film adaptation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was a huge hit and has an avid fan base (including yours truly). The Hobbit movies are often criticized for being bloated into three movies. Regardless, I would argue that author JRR Tolkien’s ability to tell a story is largely what drove the success of the first installment of movies.

I am concerned that this will turn into a replica of Game of Thrones (not necessarily a bad thing, but Middle Earth should be its own wonderland) or an over-dramatized fantasy story (looking at shows like you, Once Upon a Time). 

Furthermore, the trend of everyone having different streaming platforms is getting out of hand and could hurt this TV series. You can watch shows on Netflix, HBO, and Hulu with places like Disney, CBS, and Amazon trying to get further into this trend. Even as an avid Tolkien and LoTR fan, I will not be purchasing Amazon Prime to check out the adventures of Middle Earth. Am I intrigued and want to see more things happen in Middle Earth? Absolutely. Do I think this project will ultimately fail? Unfortunately, yes.

4) Recommendation of the Week → Late Night with Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers has quickly become one of my favorite comedians, political or otherwise. His comedy is always relevant, silly, and hilarious. His show includes Weekend Update style monologues, desk segments including A Closer Look and The Check In,  as well as other ridiculous segments like Ya Burnt, Press Briefings, and Bad Sponsors. Enjoy a sample of recent segments!

 

5) Inspiration of the Week  →  Wild Goose with Fr. Dave

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a Stuebenville Young Adult Conference called Encounter (shout out!). Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR celebrated Mass and helped encourage about 700 young adults to encounter the Holy Spirit and let it guide their lives. Similarly, Fr. Dave teams with 4PM Media to create the Wild Goose series to “invite Catholic Christians into a more profound life giving relationship with the Holy Spirit.”

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (11/9/17)

Welcome back! A quick update that 5 Things will be off the week of Thanksgiving, but a new 10 by 10 series will make its debut that week!  As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → One Year Later

Let’s do a thought experiment. I will give you two scenarios and you tell me whether you think it would occur under a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton presidency.

Scenario A: The President agrees to a funding deal with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. Jobs are being created and the unemployment rate hit its lowest point in 16 years.  The President is on an 11 day diplomacy tour in Asia.

Scenario B: The debt ceiling was raised.  There is no new border wall. The stock market is at an all-time high. Obamacare is still in tact with a few tweaks.

Based on the 2016 Presidential campaign, you might guess Hillary Clinton for both. However, this is the reality for the United States one year into the Trump presidency.

November 8, 2016. A year ago yesterday Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. We are one quarter (or perhaps one eighth) through the Trump presidency, and the reality is this: the world keeps spinning.

Trump’s administration has yet to pass any signature legislation as they failed repealing Obamacare, there is no border wall, and tax reform is a tough sell. While Democrats demonize most of Trump’s agenda (as they likely would with any Republican president), Trump’s policies* are not the issue.

Trump is largely vilified for his lack of adhering to the norms of the presidency. His tweets, his “tell it like it is” philosophy, his desire to win, and his to desire to do what he wants without regard for any of his predecessors work (i.e. calling out countries, backing out of US agreements, deals, and accords) is often what gets people riled up about President Trump.

While we shouldn’t dismiss Trump’s disregard for adhering to norms, it is good to take stock of the situation.  Of course, there are those whom Trump has attacked either via legislation or Twitter including: minorities, immigrants, refugees, the citizens of Puerto Rico, and more. You may love or hate Trump (and in spite of seemingly ridiculous things that happen every day), but for many Americans day-to-day life under President Trump remains unchanged.

*Editor’s Note: I do not agree with all of Trump or the Republican party’s policies. Nor do I agree with the Democratic platform. I am simply recognizing the fact that many policy items are charged by partisan politics and that is not the main issue many see with Trump.

2) Local News →Convention of States

Wisconsin’s Senate passed an interesting proposal in support of a convention of states to add a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. The state Assembly approved the same measure in June. With that, Wisconsin signs on as the 28th state to call for the convention which would leave just six more states to meet the 34 (2/3 of 50) needed to call the gathering. The convention only allows for an amendment to be proposed. It would take 38 (3/4 of 50) states to ratify this balanced budget amendment.

Quick history recap: The US Constitution has 27 amendments. The Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments) were passed as part of an original deal for ratification. That means there have been only 17 amendments in the last 230 years. And only three of those have come in the last 50 years, most recently in 1992. And none of those have come via a state convention call.

The proponents for a balanced budget amendment argue that it will help get government spending under control and pay down the debt. Specifically the states must call for convention because Congress is unlikely to change its ways and has led us to this massive debt burden.

However, opponents argue that government will either have to massively cut programs or raise taxes to pay for those programs. They also worry, the convention will become a free for all. Also, some Democratic opponents called out the fact that the GOP has control of both houses and the presidency; therefore it should be able to pass a balanced and sensible budget.

There is still a long way to go on the road to actually amending the Constitution. I don’t believe there is enough political will to actually make this amendment happen, but it is interesting to see state’s using the power in our federalist republic.

 

3) Writer’s Choice →  College Football Playoffs

The second set of college football playoff (CFP) rankings came out this week, and for those of you who missed here, here is the current top 10 in the playoff rankings.

RK	TEAM	REC	TREND	LAST WEEK	NEXT WEEK
1	Georgia	9-0	—	vs South Carolina W 24-10	11/11 @ #10 Auburn
2	Alabama	9-0	—	vs #19 LSU W 24-10	11/11 @ #16 Mississippi State
3	Notre Dame	8-1	—	vs Wake Forest W 48-37	11/11 @ #7 Miami
4	Clemson	8-1	—	@ #20 NC State W 38-31	11/11 vs Florida State
5	Oklahoma	8-1	—	@ #11 Oklahoma State W 62-52	11/11 vs #6 TCU
6	TCU	8-1	+2	vs Texas W 24-7	11/11 @ #5 Oklahoma
7	Miami	8-0	+3	vs #13 Virginia Tech W 28-10	11/11 vs #3 Notre Dame
8	Wisconsin	9-0	+1	@ Indiana W 45-17	11/11 vs #20 Iowa
9	Washington	8-1	+3	vs Oregon W 38-3	11/10 @ Stanford
10	Auburn	7-2	+4	@ Texas A&M W 42-27	11/11 vs #1 Georgia

There has been some outcry that undefeated Miami and Wisconsin are ranked lower than multiple one loss teams. UW Athletic Director and former CFP selection committee member, Barry Alvarez had this to say about leaving out undefeated teams:

“I think that would be very difficult to do,” said Alvarez, whose term with the committee expired in 2017. “There’s no part of me that says if you go undefeated as a Power 5 and win your conference championship, and you’re not going to be in the final four? I don’t see that. That would shock me.” -Barry Alvarez

However, it is plausible that Miami and Wisconsin could win their respective conference undefeated and one could be left out of the playoffs. Miami controls their own destiny as running the table would include wins over #3 Notre Dame and #4 Clemson (their likely ACC Title opponent.)

Wisconsin, on the other hand, likely needs some help. It needs OU and TCU to split their (likely) two games against each other. It needs Miami to split its games with Notre Dame and (likely) Clemson. And of course, Wisconsin needs to beat ranked teams in Iowa and Michigan as well as win the Big 10 title game.

The committee puts a lot of stock in strength of schedule and quality wins/opponents. Wisconsin could sneak in (like Washington did last year) if they win out despite their relatively weak schedule. They have the makings of a championship team (with great defense and ball control), but the coming weeks will determine Wisconsin’s fate.

One more thing, most of these assumptions are based on Alabama and Georgia running the table, meeting in the SEC title game, and both still making the CFP. So, if either loses prior to the SEC Title game….well, suffice it to say this playoff picture will be even more fun.

4) Recommendation of the Week →  Politico, Politico Playbook Audio Briefing and Politico Money

Politico is one of my favorite nonpartisan news source and focuses on the “intersection of policy and politics” (both passions of mine.)  However, they also do a daily 3-5 minute Politico Playbook Audio Briefing podcast to give you a run down for the day. Ben White also recently started the Politico Money podcast to help break down the happenings of things like the stock market, tax reform, fiscal and monetary policies, and more in simpler every day terms.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Happiness – Peter Kreeft

Here is the audio of one of my favorite lectures of all time. I know it is an hour, but Peter Kreeft, a philosophy professor at Boston College, is entertaining, insightful, profound, yet succinct. I’ve listened to this lecture many times and always find a new nugget of wisdom.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (11/2/17)

Welcome back! This week’s topics needed some thorough explanation, so I apologize that the news is a bit lengthy. Keep an eye out for a new Look Back At-It in the coming weeks. As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Mueller Investigation

The investigation into Russia’s influence in 2016 by special counsel Robert Mueller had new developments on Monday morning. Let’s break down who’s who and what’s what.

Robert Mueller: Works for the Department of Justice and was assigned as the special counsel to investigate possible Russian influence on the 2016 elections. Also, former FBI director from 2001 to 2013.

Department of Justice: A department of the executive branch of government. Responsible for representing the United States in legal matters. Houses agencies like the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) among many others. Headed by the Attorney General: currently Jeff Sessions

Indictment: A formal written statement charging someone with a crime. It tells the person what crimes they are being charged with and what court has jurisdiction.

Grand Jury: literally a big jury. Rather than the 6-12 in a trial jury, there are 12-23 people on a grand jury. Also, grand jury proceedings are secret. “At their core, grand juries are about finding probable cause that a crime has been committed,” says Danny Cevallos, CNN legal analyst. Learn more from CNN about grand juries

Dossier: A collection of papers/files containing details about a specific person or subject. (Essentially a fancy word for a manilla folder with related documents).

Steele Dossier: named after the intelligence agent who wrote the dossier regarding Trump-Russia information. Some of the research was originally funded by a conservative group in October 2015 doing opposition research on Republican primary candidates. In April 2016, funding was taken over by the attorney to the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign. The validity of this intelligence dossier has been questioned, however it ultimately led to the Mueller investigation.

Paul Manafort: Former Trump campaign chairman who was indicted Monday along with Rick Gates, Manafort’s business partner. They were indicted because

“Manafort and Gates were directing a campaign to lobby the US on behalf of the government of Ukraine and officials there, the indictment says, they were required to report the work and income. They didn’t and when asked by the Justice Department about it, they lied about it.” -CNN

It is important to note that Manafort (and Gates) are not being indicted for activity with Trump’s campaign. However, it certainly isn’t good to have your campaign chairman indicted for illegal foreign relations.

George Papadopoulos: A former Trump foreign policy advisor.  “He pleaded guilty in early October to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with Russians, according to court documents unsealed on Monday by special counsel Robert Mueller.” -The Hill

This investigation will take months or possibly years. So, you can expect to see a Look Back At-It sometime in the future.

2)  Local News → Madison Diocese 

**Disclaimer: If you want to understand the full extent of this topic, it is imperative for you to do some extra reading.  The MUST READ links are critical to have the full picture. 

The Madison Diocese found itself having to clarify statements that came via a leaked email of Vicar General Msgr. James Bartylla (who is second in command to  this week.

Msgr. Bartylla’s email was intended as a direction and considerations  for the priests of the diocese regarding funeral rites for those in homosexual unions.   MUST READ: Before you continue reading, I would encourage you to read the full leaked email for yourself here. After just reading the email you might think, “Wow. That directive seems harsh or homophobic or uncharitable.”

However, this email was taken somewhat out of context. First of all, as Msgr. laid out in his clarification paper and interview (both below) these directives are consistent with what the has taught for millennia. Secondly, the email is not an official policy as all of personal situations are to be handled on a case by case basis, but instead merely guidelines and considerations for priests. Thirdly, these directives were meant for priests who have studied theology for years. Thus, some of the wording in the email is “shop talk” and a sort of shorthand between priests. This has caused some misunderstanding and misconceptions.

MUST READ: Msgr. Bartylla’s wrote a white paper clarifying the Church’s teaching and some of the terminology he used in the email.

“I want to make sure … it’s clear to people that the church welcomes those who have same-sex attraction,” Bartylla said. “One of the gravest problems that would come from the leak is the perception that we do not care.”

For example Huffington Post wrote an article with the headline, “Queer Catholics In Wisconsin May Be Denied Religious Funerals To Avoid ‘Public Scandal.’”  That sounds terrible, especially given the phrase “public scandal.” However, public scandal has a very distinct definition within the Church. It defines scandal as “leading another person into sin.” Rewriting the HuffPo headline with that definition sounds much more reasonable.

 

I’ll leave you with this quote from Msgr. Bartylla’s interview (which you can read in full below):

“Civil law is not the arbiter of what is morally licit or illicit. It is not the arbiter, as we know from failed nations who allowed things or did things that were terribly immoral under the guise of the law.” -Msgr. James Bartylla.

MUST READ: Wisconsin State Journal interview with Msgr. Bartylla regarding the issue, the media and public response, and his clarification.

 

3) Writer’s Choice →  October Sports Recap

A few weeks ago in this section, I wrote about the fact that October is the best month of the year for sports. Here are a few quick takes from the past month.

NFL: Ezekiel Elliot is suspended. Again. Maybe? See the link for a timeline of Elliot’s suspension that spans 4 months, includes 3 different hearing sites, and 6 judges federal judges. Well, at least our justice system works quickly in the US….

NBA: It’s October. NONE OF THE NBA GAMES MATTER RIGHT NOW. NBA has an 82 game season and over half the teams in the league make the playoffs. It is thrilling to have the NBA back though.

MLB: The Houston Astros won the World Series. What a huge lift for that city that was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey a few months ago. It was also probably the most entertaining series I have ever seen. Games 2 and 5 were instant classics and sweet comebacks. The most homers in a series (by Game 5!). The likely AL MVP. Cy Young Candidates. It just felt entertaining. What a series.

4) Recommendation of the Week →  Thor: Ragnarok and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

This weekend, Marvel Studios is set to release yet another superhero movie. And, I am still as excited for Thor: Ragnarok as I was for Iron Man when in premiered in 2008. We are currently in Phase 3 of the MCU and some people may think, “Ho-hum…another superhero movie.” However, if you don’t feel that little kid excitement of watching your childhood superheros kick butt during a movie, you are watching movies wrong. Enjoy the spectacle, appreciate the jokes, and just enjoy that little kid leaping for joy when the superhero does something ridiculously cool. And go check out Thor: Ragnarok!

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Tuesdays with Morrie 

20 years ago, Mitch Albom wrote an international best seller. It is a heart-warming story about an old sociology professor suffering from ALS who tries to pass on his wisdom about life to a former student. They cover topics of family, career, love, and more. A super simple and quick read that will help put the right perspective on life for you.

 

 

 

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE