10 by 10 Easter Edition: Churches, Sports and Cities

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.  Without further ado, let’s roll the lists!

1. 10 Sports Stadiums I in which I would like to Attend a Game 

   1. 

      Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)

   2. 

      Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

   3. 

      Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)

   4. 

      Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks)

   5. 

      Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

   6. 

      The Horseshoe (Ohio State Buckeyes)

   7. 

      Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke University)

   8. 

      Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA)

   9. 

      Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)

   10. 

       Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, CA)

2. Top 10 Sports Moments since 2000
   1. #16 UMBC upsets #1 Virginia (2018)
   2. Boston Red Sox comeback from 3-0 in the ALCS against the Yankees (2004)
   3. Patriots 25 point comeback in Super Bowl 51 (2017)
   4. Villanova beats buzzer to win National Championship
   5. Boise State wins Fiesta Bowl with 3 Trick Plays (2008)
   6. Music City Miracle (2000)
   7. Malcolm Butler Interception Seals Super Bowl 49 (2015)
   8. Giants beat Patriots with Helmet Catch Super Bowl 42 (2008)
   9. Texas scores on 4th down to beat USC in Rose Bowl (2005)
   10. Phelps Eight Golds (2008)
3. 10 Favorite American Cities I Have Visited 
   1. Washington DC
   2. Denver
   3. Milwaukee
   4. Minneapolis/St. Paul
   5. St. Louis
   6. Madison
   7. Boston
   8. New York
   9. Chicago
   10. Cincinnati
4.  10 Favorite Smells
   1. Campfire
   2. Cinnamon Rolls
   3. Outdoor Grilling
   4. Fresh Cut Grass
   5. Sizzling Bacon
   6. Fresh Baked Cookies
   7. The Smell Right after a Rainfall
   8. Peanut Butter
   9. Garlic/Pizza/Italian Food
   10. Smell of a beach
5. 10 Favorite Camp Gray Activities 
   1. Cassidy Games
   2. Capture the Flag
   3. Canoeing
   4. Campfires
   5. Jocularity after every meal
   6. Explorer Ritual
   7. Culvers Trip
   8. Devils Lake Trip with Explorers
   9. Hiking the Purple Trail
   10. Super Crazy Adventure Time
6. 10 Words that are Ridiculous
   1. Doiley
   2. Duty
   3. Kabab
   4. Hullabaloo
   5. Snickerdoodle
   6. Kerfluffle
   7. Squeegee
   8. Indubitably
   9. Discombobulated
   10. Shenanigans
7. 10 Maps/Images/Facts that will mess with your brain
   1. Maine is west of Chile
   2. 2040 is as close to today as 1996

   3. 

      China and India combined have over 2 billion people

   4. 

      5% of the world’s population live in the blue. 5% also live in the red.

   5. 

      Alaska is huge!

   6. Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr. were born in the same year (1929).
   7. Oxford University (1096) is older than the Aztec Empire (1427)
   8. There is enough water in Lake Superior to cover all of North and South America in 1 foot of water.
   9. There are more atoms in a glass of water than there are glasses of water in all the oceans on Earth.
   10. Cleopatra (born 69 BC) lived closer to the invention of the iPhone (2007 AD) than she did to the the building of the Great Pyramid (circa 2500 BC)
8. 10 Musicals I Love
   1. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
   2. Oklahoma
   3. Wicked
   4. Les Mis
   5. Hamilton
   6. The Lion King
   7. Newsies
   8. Grease
   9. The Sound of Music
   10.  High School Musical
9. My Favorite American Churches/Shrines I’ve Visited 

   1. 

      Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul, MN

   2. 

      St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, Camp Gray, Reedsburg, WI

   3. 

      Holy Family Shrine, Greta, NE

   4. 

      Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.

   5. 

      Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill, Hubertus, WI

   6. 

      St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City, NY

   7. 

      The Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee, WI

   8. 

      Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, La Crosse, WI

   9. 

      Christ the King, Evergreen, CO

   10. 

       Church of the Gesu, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI

10. 10 Movie/TV Quotes I Often Find Myself Saying/Thinking

    1. 

       Hawkeye, Avengers

    2. 

       Tom Haverford, Parks and Rec

    3. 

       Ron Swanson, Parks and Rec

    4. 

       Captain America, Avengers

    5. 

       Tom Haverford, Parks and Rec

    6. 

       Tom and Donna, Parks and Rec

    7. 

       Michael Scott, The Office

    8. 

       Chandler Bing, Friends

    9. 

       Han Solo, Star Wars

    10. 

        Chandler Bing, Friends

         

Happy Easter Everyone!

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (3/22/18)

 

Welcome back! 5 Things will be off next week for Easter, but there will be 10 by 10! As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Facebook’s Rough Week 

Have you ever done some online shopping only to have an ad for those super cute shoes you were eyeing appear moments later on Facebook? This is something you are likely familiar with whether you enjoy those targeted ads or not. Let me explain it a different way using Parks and Rec:

Facebook has been maligned this week for the mishandling of user data. Here’s what went down:

“Facebook said it gave permission to University of Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan to harvest information from users who downloaded his app… [which] offered a personality test. But Facebook users who downloaded the app also gave the professor permission to collect data on their location, their friends and content they had “liked.” That was allowed under Facebook’s rules at the time.  Kogan provided that data — which included information from over 50 million profiles — to Cambridge Analytica, breaching Facebook’s rules.” -CNNMoney

Kogan’s action was a breach because Facebook does not allow the psychological profiling information he collected was not to be used for political purposes. This spells trouble for Facebook because it shows how this personal data can quickly slip out of its reach.

Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting group that did work with the Trump campaign, used this data to run targeted political ads. This comes on the heels of Facebook’s role in the 2016 election which saw Russian groups spending on targeted political ads as well.

There has certainly been consequence to Facebook’s action (or inaction) on these issues. Some users are starting a #deletefacebook movement as they felt this invasion of privacy was the last straw. Many users are flocking to Instagram (note that Instagram is owned by Facebook) which feels more personal with less news and ads. Facebook’s stocks have also taken a beating falling about 7% costing the company about $37 billion in value.

2) Wisconsin Headlines → UWSP mulls program changes, makes national headlines

The University of Wisconsin Stevens Point finds itself in the gaining national attention after they announced potential changes to their academic curriculum. Due to declining enrollment, UWSP faces a $4.5 million deficit over the next two years, and is looking to find ways to balance the budget. The following points to be discussed are part of a proposal that need to still be approved by a governance committee as well as the UW system’s Chancellor and Board of Regents.

The current proposal calls for UWSP to drop 13 majors largely in the humanities and social sciences. This would be done while also expanding programs that have “clear career pathways.” Below is a statement from UWSP (via Washington Post)

UW-Stevens Point proposes expanding academic programs that have demonstrated value and demand in the region, including:

• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Information Systems
• Conservation Law Enforcement
• Finance
• Fire Science
• Graphic Design
• Management
• Marketing

These programs have existed as options and would expand to majors. In addition, new bachelor’s (or advanced) degree programs are proposed in:

• Aquaculture/Aquaponics
• Captive Wildlife
• Ecosystem Design and Remediation
• Environmental Engineering
• Geographic Information Science
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Natural Resources
• Doctor of Physical Therapy

To create programs that meet the evolving needs of students, UW-Stevens Point proposes shifting resources from programs where fewer students are enrolled. Discontinuing the following programs is recommended:

• American Studies
• Art – Graphic Design will continue as a distinct major
• English – English for teacher certification will continue
• French
• Geography
• Geoscience
• German
• History – Social Science for teacher certification will continue
• Music Literature
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Sociology — Social Work major will continue
• Spanish

It is important to note that while these programs would no longer be offered as majors, that does not mean UWSP is cutting all courses in philosophy, for example. Many of these programs will be scaled into minors and certificates allowing the school to cut back on personnel costs for these programs. UWSP noted that this change would impact somewhere around 6-10% of students (the number is approximate due to students with multiple majors and undeclared majors). You can learn more about it from this campus forum held at UWSP. I recommend starting at the 58 minute mark.

This whole conversation takes me back to an issue that came up at my alma mater during my college years. It was a very similar issue of the humanities programs being scaled back while some career pathway programs were more heavily funded. I understand the need to remain financially viable and the positive spin that such a proposal limits the amount of impacted students. However, I also know that double majoring in Political Science and Organizational Leadership were vital to expanding my critical thinking skills, exposing me to various worldviews, and encouraging me to question my preconceived notions.

This is not a knock against the sciences or career based majors or vocational training. Many schools include the humanities and social sciences as part of some form of general or liberal arts education However, these programs are still relevant and necessary now more than ever. In this time of partisanship and “fake news”, we need individuals who can think critically and search for truth. Our businesses need people who can innovate and solve global issues. Do a quick Google search regarding the importance of humanities programs and there will be thousands of articles delving deeper into this issue. But, I will leave it at this: the humanities and social science programs are indispensable to any education.

3) Writer’s Choice → Lenten Reflections

This year for Lent I am trying to be more intentional. This will be my last Lenten reflection for the coming Sunday’s readings.

Mark 11:1-10 OR John 12:12-16; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1—15:47

Holy Week may seem like just another week with a few extra obligations. We may think, “Cool, I get to wave around palm during Mass!” or “Why do I have to watch someone get their feet washed?” or “Wait didn’t I hear these reading already this week?” But how can we not be moved during Holy Week?

This Sunday, we walk with Christ on the final days of his journey to Calvary. Put yourself in some of these stories: the woman who anoints Jesus with oil, struggling to stay awake with the Apostles in the garden, Peter’s declaration that he would walk with the Lord to the end, or any of the onlookers during the Lord’s crucifixion.

How can we not be moved by the Lord’s passion? Christ prays so fervently he sweats blood. His closest companions deny that they even know him. He has a criminal chosen to be freed instead of him. Then he is scourged, tortured, mocked, and told to carry his cross. That is like making someone dig their own grave prior to their imminent death.

The Lord died for YOU. And do we even care? Are we even moved by it? Or are we simply indifferent? Do we write off the Passion as just a story? One that we hear once a year around Easter?

Of course, the Lord’s death is only part of the story. It was necessary for Christ to die in order to conquer death. He died for our sins so that we can live with Him in Heaven. However, we need to believe. We must acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord and Savior. And the all-powerful God became man, died for our sins, and rose to conquer death because HE LOVES US. All we have to do is love him back.

4) Recommendation of the Week → The Sandlot

This classic baseball movie is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary in April. Whether you remember the line, “You’re killing me Smalls!” or “The Great Bambino” there is something everyone will love. As you can see above, few Milwaukee Brewers players got together and reenacted a scene from the movie with a special guest appearance from Hank as the Beast.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Fr. Jacques Philippe

Yesterday, Fr. Jacques Philippe spent the day at Camp Gray. Fr. Jacques is a French priest and has written a number of spiritual books. His books Interior Freedom and In the School of the Holy Spirit are two books by him I would highly recommend. I hope you find someone like Fr. Jacques who is able to have their writings speak to your heart.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (3/15/18)

Welcome back! As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Tillerson Out, Pompeo In 

On Tuesday morning President Trump, ousted Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State with the following tweet:

Tillerson as long been at odds with the president disagreeing on major policies such as the Iran Nuclear Deal. He also further strained his relationship with Trump when he allegedly called the President a “moron” and did not explicitly deny that statement. Unlike most Secretaries of State, Tillerson did not seem to have the ear of the President and foreign officials noticed that he was not a direct line to Trump and the White House. From the outside, “reviews generally rated him somewhere between ineffectual and the worst secretary of state on record.” 

“Pompeo’s nomination will go before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, while Haspel will face the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The GOP chairmen of both panels said they would hold confirmation hearings soon.” –USA Today 

Both Pompeo and Haspel are already being scrutinized. Pompeo’s views closely align with Trump and tend toward a less globalistic and more protectionist view. The argument against Haspel is that “she ran a secret prison in Thailand where a suspect in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks was waterboarded 83 times — and then was involved with ordering evidence about that waterboarding to be destroyed.” That is a dark part of the USA’s anti-terrorism efforts. Using such techniques on suspects was not an incident isolated to Haspel after 9/11. She, like many intelligence officers, were likely following orders (repugnant and inhumane orders to be sure), but orders none the less. That does not excuse what happened under Haspel’s watch. But, she will likely be pulled through a lengthy, drawn out, and messy confirmation hearing.

2) National Headlines #2 →Round Up

Pennsylvania Special Election

Democrat Conor Lamb won the special election for a House seat in Pennsylvania’s 18th district yesterday. Donald Trump carried the district by 20 points in the 2016 election making this a big win for Democrats.

When Speaker Paul Ryan was asked about the race, “Ryan defined Democrat Conor Lamb as a ‘pro-life, pro-gun, anti-Nancy Pelosi conservative’ and noted that there wasn’t a Democratic primary that would have pulled Lamb to the left” (CNN). While Ryan’s assessment might stretch the truth (Lamb personally opposes abortions, but supports abortion rights and has advocated for stronger background checks but opposed other restrictions) his larger point about the primary should be noted.

This special election could be the writing on the wall for Republicans, but it is hardly a typical race. Both parties spent big on this race: Republicans poured in over $10 million and Democrats aided around $3 million. Also, as Ryan noted, Lamb was able to run a more moderate campaign in a district that went heavily conservative in 2016.

Larry Kudlow to replace Gary Cohn 

Larry Kudlow will replace Gary Cohn as President Trump’s top economic adviser and Director of the National Economic Council “Kudlow was a budget aide during the Reagan administration. He was chief economist at Bear Stearns from 1987 to 1994. He informally advised Trump on taxes and other economic issues during his 2016 run for president” (CNBC) Kudlow supports lower taxes and fewer regulations, but may disagree with Trump on his trade policies.

Student Walkouts

It has been a month since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida and students across the country walked out of their schools on Wednesday in attempt to keep the conversation going. The walkouts got the attention of media outlets, but certainly were not universal. The walkouts might continue a conversation, but no policy is likely to happen. The moment seems to have passed without any major national legislation. However, I hope students, teachers, families, and communities alike can find a way to continue their engagement and to quote The West Wing: “raise the level of public debate in this country and let that be their legacy.”

 

Toys R Us Closing

The toy store giant announced that it will be liquidating and closing or selling all of its US stores. The company has suffered the same fate as many large brick and mortar stores that have failed to keep up with the digital and online shopping experience.  However, “the decision to liquidate the company might not be the final chapter if a buyer surfaces who wants to buy some of the stores and operate them as an ongoing business. Many in the toy business believe there is room for a smaller version of Toys R Us.” –USA Today

Stephen Hawking Passes Away

I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. Though diagnosed with ALS when he was 21, Hawking lived another 55 years dying at the age of 55. Hawking, considered the greatest scientist of our time, will be remembered by his most famous work “A Brief History of Time.”

3) Writer’s Choice → Lenten Reflections

This year for Lent I am trying to be more intentional. That said, I will be offering a reflection every week during Lent for the coming Sunday’s readings. (**Note: Some parishes use the Year A “Scrutinies,” during weeks 3-5 of Lent. They are typically used when there are parishes with RCIA candidates. Liturgically, the church is in Year B and I am reflecting on those.)

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33

The Lord is fairly explicit in his hopes for us. We are called to lose our life, to die in order to produce much fruit. He tells us that “The Father will honor whoever serves me.” So, we are called to serve the Lord. He must increase and we must decrease. We need to let the Lord fill us up and dwell in our hearts. We must do so with a clean and pure heart as Psalm 51 says.

This does not mean it is going to be easy. The Lord says whoever hates his life (and in the beatitudes those who are persecuted) will find eternal life. This may seem frightening or discouraging. And there may be days that it seems downright impossible to achieve eternal life. We simply must make the request that the Greeks do: “We would like to see Jesus.”

Keep Jesus at the center of your eye, the center of your clean heart, and the center of your life. Strive to see Him and draw close to Him every day. It won’t be easy. We will get distracted. We will fall short of His perfection. However, with the help of His grace we will preserve our life for eternity.

4) Recommendation of the Week → WPR Politics

Since Wisconsin was bumped out of our headlines this week, it still deserved a shout out! The Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) Politics Podcast is here to help. WPR Politics wades through the news to sift out what you need to know that week in Wisconsin. If you want to learn more about what is going on in this great state (especially on the politics/government side of things) check out this podcast!

5) Inspiration of the Week  → March Madness!

The next four days are perhaps the most fun weekend in all of sports. Basketball, upsets, and crazy college mascots and students all on four channels for 12 hours a day. Cinderellas will rise and favorites will fall.  The weekend is full of entertaining and exhilarating moments, as well as heartwarming and heartbreaking stories. Enjoy it!

Side note: While I filled out a few brackets, my main Final Four include Villanova, Kansas, Cincinnati, and Xavier with Villanova winning over the Xavier.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (3/8/18)

Welcome back!  This week’s edition is late due to the breaking news about tariffs in our national headlines. That caused for a bit of a rewrite, so thanks for bearing with me! As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Despite strong opposition from top Republican lawmakers, President Donald Trump announced a new set of tariffs today.

“Tariffs of 25% are to be placed on steel and 10% on aluminium imported into the US. The tariffs will go into effect in 15 days and include exemptions for Canada and Mexico.” –BBC

Canada and Mexico are some of the largest trade partners for the US. President Trump also seems to be trying to utilize the tariffs to be able to renegotiate NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) which he has long sought to do.

Alright David….this sounds like one of those topics that is incredibly boring. Why should I care?

A tariff on imported steel and aluminum could cause prices to rise on things like beer cans, soup cans, baseball bats, and more products. According to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, price increases are likely to be relatively insignificant.  “He said on Friday that the price of a can of Campbell’s soup would go up only six-tenths of one cent” (CNN). However, the larger potential fallout could include a falling stock market and a looming trade war.

Okay, that makes sense. But, before we go too far can we define some of these terms? Specifically tariff and trade war?

Tariffs: Basically a tax on imported goods, thus making those foreign products more expensive and helping the domestic version of that product. Learn more about Tariffs here via CNN

Trade War: Basically when countries retaliate against a country that imposes tariffs, quotas, or other trade barriers. This could lead to tit-for-tat responses to one another threatening the global economy and diplomatic relations.

But David, does President Trump even have the authority to do this?

Yes. The President is “using a rarely used legal provision known as Section 232 that allows the president to impose tariffs unilaterally if imports are determined to pose a national-security risk” (The Hill).

The argument being that China’s saturation into the steel market could leave the US vulnerable in the event of a war. America could need tanks, guns, cars, planes, etc. and not have the capacity to meet demand due to the shrinking steel industry.

However, other countries are likely to take the US to court, arguing that the decision violates World Trade Organization policy.

What else has happened so far?

• The president’s top economic adviser Gary Cohn, a supporter of free trade, resigned on Tuesday. More than 100 Republicans have signed a letter addressed to the president, expressing their “deep concern” about the tariffs
• International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has warned “nobody wins” in a trade war, saying it would harm global economic growth
• The EU has proposed retaliatory measures against a number of US goods including bourbon and peanut butter
• China has threatened an “appropriate and necessary response” in any trade war with the US. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and the US should strive to be partners rather than rivals

-BBC News

It is also important to note that Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is already penning legislation to nullify the tariffs. Also, to name just a few other prominent Republicans who oppose the deal include: Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady.

I want to learn more. What other resources can you point me towards?

• Defying GOP, Trump orders steel and aluminum tariffs -The Hill
• Trump tariffs: US President imposes levy on steel and aluminium -BBC
• What is a trade war? -CNN
• Will there be a trade war? –POLITICO Money Podcast

2) Wisconsin Headlines → Marquette University Polls

Marquette University polled statewide voters on a number of issues including Foxconn, President Trump, Governor Walker, and other upcoming statewide elections.

Just a reminder that, including local incentives, the deal “could eventually pay Foxconn roughly $4.5 billion  if it hits capital investment and job creation benchmarks” (WPR).

When Marquette asked voters statewide whether the deal was worth it,

• 49% said the state was paying more in incentives than it would get back from Foxconn,
• 38% said state would at least break even
• 13% said they didn’t know

When statewide voters were asked whether the Foxconn deal would benefit businesses close to them

• YES = 25 %
• NO = 66%
• Didn’t Know = 8%

*Statistics from Marquette Poll via WPR

Whether the Foxconn deal will ultimately be beneficial to the state cannot be determined in the present. However, in politics, perception can often lead into a reality.

Some other highlights from the poll:

• The Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates are unknown to many voters. 77% and 81% of voters said they “didn’t know enough to form an opinion” on Judge Rebecca Dallet and Judge Michael Screnock, respectively.
• The same is true for Tammy Baldwin’s challengers for the US Senate. 85% and 83% of voters said they “didn’t know enough to form an opinion” on Republican candidates Kevin Nicholson and Leah Vukmir, respectively.
• Governor Walker is divisive in Wisconsin.  47% said they approve and 47% said they disapprove of his job. That is similar to his 48%-48% last June in a similar poll.
• President Trump got a slight uptick in approval with 43% approval and 50% disapprove. That is close to the 41% approval and 51% disapproval last June.

**Note about the poll: “The Marquette poll interviewed 800 registered voters from Feb. 25 through Thursday and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points” (WPR).

3) Writer’s Choice → Lenten Reflections

This year for Lent I am trying to be more intentional. That said, I will be offering a reflection every week during Lent for the coming Sunday’s readings.

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16 Chances are you have heard this scripture passage at some point in your life. It is one of the most quoted verses and succinctly sums up the Gospel story.

We are saved by grace. The second reading reminds us of this. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” We cannot save ourselves. We must follow the Lord for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is not our works that save us; we cannot earn the Lord’s mercy. We are made for the Lord’s Divine Love. We are imperfect and fallible. We are called to love as God loves, but do we?

Here is one way you could measure it: Would you be willing to die for someone? Not just your friends or family or neighbor, but someone who annoys you. who bothers you, who irritates you. And not just die, but suffer. Brutal and torturous suffering. And to die for someone who doesn’t even care that you died for them. That is what Jesus Christ did. That is how we are to measure our love. You are made for Divine Love. Follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

4) Recommendation of the Week → The Phantom Tollbooth

This wonderful book leads the main protagonist, Milo, on a journey through the Kingdom of Wisdom. “The text is full of puns and wordplay, such as when Milo unintentionally jumps to Conclusions, an island in Wisdom, thus exploring the literal meanings of idioms.” Milo seeks to restore Rhyme and Reason and meets people such as the King of Dictionopolis, Tock the Dog who ticks, and the Symphony of Color. Enjoy!

5) Inspiration of the Week  → How I Built This

In this NPR podcast, Guy Raz “dives into the stories behind some of the world’s best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built” (NPR). It is almost like a mini biography of these influential leaders from companies like Kate Spade, Southwest, LinkedIn, and many more.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (3/1/18)

Welcome back!  As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Week at the White House

What a week. There have been all sorts of stories pouring out from Pennsylvania Avenue this week. All of these stories are on top of things like the continued debates in wake of the Parkland shooting, HUD being accused of frivolous interior decorating expenditures, and Congress returning to session. Here are just a few that had my attention.

Donald Trump’s Re-Election Campaign

This week, Donald Trump named his campaign manager for his 2020 re-election campaign. Trump announced Brad Parscale, the digital director for his 2016 campaign, as his 2020 campaign manager. The news of the re-election campaign is not a surprise since Trump filed paperwork for re-election on his Inauguration Day. However, the announcement of the campaign comes 980 days prior to the 2020 election which is earlier than any president.

Hope Hicks, White House Communications Director, Resigns

One of Trump’s closest advisors resigned this week. Hope Hicks has been with Trump for the last three years since the beginning of the campaign. She cited burnout and fatigue and the ability to pursue other options as her reasons for leaving. However, the optics of the situation are not good as Hicks resignation comes the day after telling the House Intelligence Committee she told “white lies” for the President. However, after conversations with her lawyers, Hicks indicated that she “had not lied about matters material to the investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible links to Trump associates” (NYTimes).

Jared Kushner Gets Security Clearance Downgrade

The President’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, received a downgrade in his security clearance from “Top Secret” to just “Secret.” Kushner had been utilizing a temporary security clearance since background checks had not been completed. Kushner will now no longer be able to access the Presidential Daily Brief, the famous national security brief. His lawyers stated it would not impact his work which includes things such as Middle East Peace, Liaison to Mexico, and dealing with the opioid crisis. As Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly seeks to bring more discipline to the White House, more staffers may lose their interim clearance. “Kushner may be the first, and one of the most influential, individuals to be revealed to have had a security downgrade – but he may not be the last” (BBC).

2) Wisconsin Headlines → Wisconsin is the 11th Best State in the Union

US News released the results of a new study that lists Wisconsin as the 11th best state in the nation. The study ranked each state on eight categories each weighted for importance. Health care was the most important category accounting for 16% of the score, while quality of life accounted for 8% of the score. See the above link for more information on how the scores were tabulated. Here is how Wisconsin fared in the eight categories (1 is high, 50 is low):

• Health Care: 17
• Education: 18
• Economy: 27
• Opportunity: 8
• Infrastructure: 26
• Crime & Corrections: 22
• Fiscal Stability: 19
• Quality of Life: 3

The categories were weighted differently, based on importance. For example, health care was weighted heavier than quality of life. Even though Wisconsin ranked 3rd in quality of life, a category that considered a state’s natural and social environment, it didn’t help the overall ranking too much since it was the least important category. –TMJ4 

According to the study, Wisconsin lagged behind the average in the economy and infrastructure. Unfortunately, road construction seems to be a continuous issue in Wisconsin which is a major part of the infrastructure category.

Wisconsin’s western neighbor, Iowa, came in at number 1 on the study while Louisiana rounded out the states at 50.

3) Writer’s Choice → Lenten Reflections

This year for Lent I am trying to be more intentional. That said, I will be offering a reflection every week during Lent for the coming Sunday’s readings.

Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25

How would you describe Jesus? What are the first words that come to mind? Loving? Compassionate? Wise? Of course those describe Christ. However, would you think of words like passionate, zealous, convicted? In today’s Gospel, Jesus is depicted as these things when he drives out the merchants from the temple. Imagine the cacophony of coins on stone floors, tables being over turned, and raised voices. That is an image of Jesus that we do not frequently envision.

I couldn’t write about Jesus flipping tables without including this picture.

However, it is the equivalent of Jesus grabbing us and shaking us out of our indifference to the Lord. Jesus reminds us that we are to respect the Lord. For indeed God is God and we are not. In the first reading, this is enumerated via the 10 Commandments. These laws may seem outdated and from the time of Moses, but they are still relevant today. They are still utilized as an examination of conscience and can help us measure ourselves against the Lord’s expectations for us. The first commandment is a hard enough task in itself. “”I, the LORD, am your God, … You shall not have other gods besides me” (Ex 20:2-3). Is God the center of our lives? Do we treat the Lord with less importance than money? Than our career? Our friends and family? Food? Sex? Maybe we need Jesus to overturn our tables, scatter our coins, and flip our priorities back to his divine love.

4) Recommendation of the Week → National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day!

How can I not support my favorite food’s national holiday? First of all, I love obscure and wacky holidays like this day. Secondly, I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER! It can be used with some many things: PB&J, on toast, with honey, with apple slices, as ants on a log, bellyachers, scotcharoos, cookies, Reese’s, and so many other wonderful things. Also, the perfect PB&J includes: whole wheat bread, creamy peanut butter, and strawberry jam. Where do you fall on the creamy and crunchy debate? Or the perfect PB&J debate?

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Dr. Seuss

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ birthday and National Read Across America Day. Dr. Seuss was an integral part of many childhoods, including mine, with books like Hop on Pop, Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Oh the Places You’ll Go, and The Lorax to name just a few. His books are fun, goofy, entertaining, and beloved by millions. He also is the mind behind many wonderful quotes such as the ones in this link. Go read a Dr. Seuss book in his honor this weekend!

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE