5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (4/26/18)

Welcome back! No Wisconsin news this week because, well, it’s my blog and I had other things I wanted to cover. As always, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) Writer’s Choice #1  → Alfie Evans

When an infant grabs the attention of the media, the Pope, and multiple heads of state it must be due to incredible circumstances. Well, Alfie Evans an infant in the United Kingdom, is doing just that as he finds himself at the center of a debate regarding healthcare and medical ethics.

Here is a quick synopsis of the situation:

Who is Alfie Evans?

23 month old “Alfie Evans has a rare, degenerative disease and has been in a semi-vegetative state for more than a year. Medical experts in Britain agree that more treatment would be futile but his parents want to take him to the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu children’s hospital in Rome, which has offered to care for him” (Reuters). While it is unclear how long Alfie would survive without life support, but medical experts state that there is no chance of Alfie getting better.

So, why can’t his parents take him to Rome?

“In the UK, the law doesn’t consider either doctors or parents to be automatically right. That’s why, when an agreement can’t be reached, it comes down to the courts to make the final decision based on the evidence available.  Professor of medical ethics at the University of Oxford Dominic Wilkinson says there are two fundamental questions that must be answered:

• What is the right thing to do for a child?
• Who should decide?

‘The interests of the child are paramount,’ he says.” -BBC

What do we make of all this?

While Alfie’s case is tragic it brings up all sorts of legal and moral issues.

Should parents have the right to determine what happens to their child? (In America, I think most would answer yes.)

If a parent chooses something potentially harmful for their child should that be overruled by the state or another authority? (We say no in this case, but what about in the case of child abuse? Or what about a situation where a parent refuses medical treatment (a blood transfusion, perhaps) for religious reasons?)

Should someone be kept alive via the assistance of life support or can a loved one make the decision to pull the plug?

In Alfie’s case, is extending his life (and potential suffering) more ethical than removing life support?

What is the difference between legality and morality? In this case, while the decision to deny Alfie care may be legal, is it moral?

These are all questions that we should ponder and seek guidance when considering. I look to the teaching of the Catholic Church in such times. I would encourage you to research more into these issues. Here are some of the Church’s views on end of life issues according to the Catechism. 

2) National Headlines → VA Nominee Withdraws

Adm. Ronny Jackson has withdrawn from consideration to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jackson was nominated by Trump in March to lead the VA. Jackson has been the physician for the last three presidents and was somewhat of a surprise choice to lead the department. However, at the time the only main knock against Jackson was his lack of managerial experience. The VA is the second largest department (behind the Department of Defense) so an unproven manager could have caused issues.

Yet, it wasn’t until this week that President Trump’s choice to lead the VA was truly under fire. Allegations mounted this week as rumors swirled that “Jackson was allegedly “abusive” to his colleagues, loosely handled prescription pain medications and was periodically intoxicated, even once wrecking a government vehicle while drunk” (CNN).

These allegations caused a distraction for the nomination process, from which Jackson ultimately withdrew today. The immediate impact of this is that the VA remains without a leader since former VA Secretary David Shulkin was fired (or left depending on your view) in March.

3) Writer’s Choice #2 → Tech News Round-up

 

 

Amazon

Shortly after announcing that Amazon Prime had over 100 million subscribers, Amazon made another announcement. Those 100 million subscribers would see their annual fee rise from $99 to $119. This 20% increase will go into effect on May 11th.

Spotify

Spotify’s 90 million free users are getting a revamped experience. The first major overhaul to the platform since 2014 will allow for a limited selection of on-demand instead of shuffle only playlists. “Those aren’t playlists you make yourself, however. The 15 full-control playlists are generated by Spotify based on your listening habits and are constantly updated, most of them daily. They include a total of 750 songs.” -The Verge. 

Gmail Update

Gmail also made a major update to its platform. Some major updates will include smart replies, nudging you to follow up on messages, and easy access to attachments from the inbox. Also, it will notify you of potential junk and spam mail, suggests unsubscribing from newsletters you do not desire, and send confidential messages which cannot be forwarded, copied, or printed and can be set to expire.

Facebook Ad

Facebook made an ad to try and own up to its faults. This mea culpa is a fair assessment that the social media giant screwed up. It is worth a watch.

4) Recommendation of the Week → INFINITY WAR!

10 years of buildup has finally led to this. When Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there was huge anticipation to see many of our favorite characters come together for Avengers. The most recent Marvel movies have made us accustomed to seeing multiple superheros in the same movie. But, Avengers Infinity War brings together all the superheros from the last 10 years to save the world. My inner 12 year old is jumping for joy. That is what makes these movies great. There are moments that should make the little kid inside of you cheer. So, if anyone is looking for me on Sunday, I will be eagerly soaking in every moment of what has been teased fort he last 10 years.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Pints with Aquinas

The premise of this podcast and site:

“If you could sit down with St. Thomas Aquinas over a pint of beer and ask him any one question, what would it be? Every episode of Pints With Aquinas addresses a question St. Thomas answers in the Summa Theologiae, as well as other works of his.”

Matt Fradd is a wonderful speaker who walks us through some of Aquinas’ works. The podcasts are entertaining, insightful, and thought-provoking.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (4/19/18)

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

1) National Headlines → News Roundup

Syria Attacks

Last Friday, President Trump addressed the nation and announced military strikes against Syria. The strikes, done in conjunction with France and the United Kingdom, were carried out as a retaliation for suspected chemical weapon attack last week. In Friday’s address, President Trump called out Iran and Russia (Syrian allies) for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s “barbarism and brutality.”

Barbara Bush

The Former First Lady and Former First Mother passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92. Barbara was the wife of the 41st president, George H.W. Bush, and the mother of the 43rd president, George W. Bush. She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to hold the distinction of First Lady and First Mother. Barbara and George celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in January

New Cuban President

Today, for the first time in nearly 60 years, someone not named Castro will rule Cuba. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the handpicked successor of Raul Castro, was voted in as President with a near unanimous vote Thursday morning. Castro will remain in an active leadership role as the top individual in the Communist Party of Cuba. While the President of Cuba is no longer a Castro, the regime in Cuba is unlikely to drastically change in the near future.

Baby in the Senate

This week, Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) became the first senator to cast a vote with her baby by her side. “The rule change, voted through by unanimous consent, was done to accommodate senators with newborn babies, allowing them now to be able to bring a child under 1-year-old onto the Senate floor and breastfeed them during votes.” -CNN

2) Wisconsin Headlines → Record Winter Storms

As I ate my lunch yesterday, my phone buzzed with a winter weather alert. I turned on the local news station to see the ever-growing list of schools closing early. I watched as large, fluffy snowflakes (the perfect kind!) fell calmly and peacefully on the Camp Gray pines.  What a perfect winter day…ON APRIL 18!

The first summer camp training starts one month from today! As of late Wednesday night, Baraboo recorded 9 inches of snow. However, that is nothing compared to the over 24 inches of snow recorded in areas surrounding Green Bay. The highest record total was in Amherst with 33 inches.

Here are some photos from the Weather Channel with some of the incredible snow totals!

Being almost a month into spring, the snow is not just impacting our sense of seasons. Farmers are often looking to start in the fields in April. While April snow showers are not abnormal, the amount of snowfall that has accumulated across the state set many records. The snow will cause a late start for crop farmers due to the wet conditions. It will certainly be the cause of some long days for farmers as they rush to get their crops planted.

3) Writer’s Choice → James Comey’s Book 

Former FBI Director James Comey released his new book A Higher Loyalty this week. If you don’t remember much about Comey, here is a quick rundown of why you should know his name.

• Comey was installed as FBI Director in 2013.
• During the 2016 election season, Comey and the FBI were investigating Hillary Clinton for using a private email server during her time as Secretary of State. In July, the FBI recommended to Attorney General Loretta Lynch not to prosecute Clinton.
• In late October, only 11 days before the 2016 election, Comey announced the discovery of new emails that may be related to the Clinton probe.
• In March 2017, Comey acknowledged the FBI was investigating collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Russians.
• In May 2017, Comey was fired by President Trump.

So, why are we discussing Comey almost a year later? Well, in part due to his book release which describes his decisions and role in the 2016 election. Comey has been blasted by pretty much everyone for his actions. Democrats (including Hillary Clinton) blame Comey (at least in part) for Trump winning the 2016 election. Many Republicans and Trump supporters see Comey as the leader of the FBI who wouldn’t let go of the Russia investigation.

Comey’s book has been depicted by some media outlets as his “revenge” for being fired by Trump. But, from the reviews and excerpts I have read, it appears to be Comey’s genuine attempt to lay out a case for how and why things transpired the way they did. Perhaps you despise Comey for his actions against Clinton and Trump. Perhaps you are indifferent and did not know Comey’s name until today. However, his book entitled, A Higher Loyalty, has an underlying theme from which all public servants could learn. Comey’s message is that we should ascribe to principled judgement and doing what is right because “the higher loyalty is to lasting values, most important the truth.”

*Also, check out this interview of Comey with Stephen Colbert

4) Recommendation of the Week → Fantastic Mr. Fox

Roald Dahl’s classic story Fantastic Mr. Fox was brought to life on the big screen by Wes Anderson. If you don’t know Wes Anderson (as I didn’t) he has an incredibly distinct style that once you see, you’ll never be able to not see. It has a star-studded case including George Clooney, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, Owen Wilson, and Willem Dafoe. The story has some goofy humor, fascinating visuals, and intricate design work.

(For more on the intricate design work watch the short featurette below. Then, after you go spend 87 minutes enjoying the film, spend a little more time watching the “Everything Great About” video below. It includes a more detailed explanation of Anderson’s style, some of the humor you might have missed, and some broader themes from the story!)  

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Andre Ingram’s Debut

Would you spend 10 years in pursuit of your dream? Andre Ingram has spent the last 10 seasons in the NBA’s G League (essentially its minor league) desperately chasing an opportunity to play in the NBA. And not only did he play, but he deliver 19 points in his first game!

Ingram is obviously a feel good story, but his example teaches some great lessons about pursuing our dreams. The three main points in this great Entrepreneur article about Ingram are 1) Never, ever stop fighting for your dreams. 2) Trust the process and never stop believing. 3) Be ready for your moment.

So, to end this on a huge cliche….follow your dreams and seek them with relentless vigor.

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE

5 Things David Wants You To Know This Week (4/12/18)

Welcome back! 5 Things is back after a brief Easter hiatus. There is a lot to catch up on so let’s get to it. Also, feel free to check out the past recommendations and inspirations.

1) National Headlines → Zuckerberg on Capitol Hill

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has spent the last two days answering questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Zuckerberg responded to questions from over 100 lawmakers in over 10 hours of hearings.

The hearings focused on Facebook’s handling of personal data and the potential for regulation of the tech giant. Zuckerberg admitted that “it is inevitable that there will need to be some regulation” of internet firms. Reuters reported that “forty times [Zuckerberg] told lawmakers he had no answers at hand and would get back to them later.”

Facebook offers a free service which means their revenue comes from using our data to target ads for specific groups. So, while Facebook does not sell your data it internally curate ads targeted at specific groups. Advertisers pay a higher price for such targeted groups.

Here are some takeaways:

• There is unlikely to be any legislative action on Facebook. Lawmakers were not anywhere near a consensus of where to even begin with regulation.
• Furthermore, midterms are only 7 months away and there is unlikely to be any large legislation passed in that time.
• Three interesting exchanges: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked Zuckerberg if he would disclose personal information such as what hotel he stayed at last night. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) brought up the question of whether or not Facebook could be considered a monopoly. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as well as some other Republicans accused Facebook of holding a liberal bias and shutting down or banning conservative groups/pages.
• Also, despite the negative press, almost all of us continue to use Facebook. Most of us don’t mind the targeted shopping advertisements, and even if we do, the social network’s benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks.

2) Wisconsin Headlines → Paul Ryan Retiring in November

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in November. Speculation that Ryan might not return to the House has been swirling for the last few months. These rumors started shortly after Ryan and Republicans overhauled the tax code, something Ryan has worked towards his entire career. The House Speaker also has been a reluctant partner with President Trump. Ryan has been lambasted by both parties on many occasions.

Ryan, 48, has spent the last 20 years on Capitol Hill cited his desire to spend more time with his wife and three kids as part of the reason for his exit.

“My wife’s doing 90 percent of the parenting and I don’t want that to happen,” Ryan said. “And I basically knew, if I do another two years after this year, they’re only going to know me as a weekend dad.” –Politico

For now, Ryan will remain as Speaker of the House. Over the next few months we will sort out who might become Speaker of the House assuming the Republicans hold their majority in the House. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Leader, and Steve Scalise, the House Majority Whip, appear to be the two leading candidates for the speakership.

He also said he’s not sure what he’ll do next. He hinted at continuing his work on curing poverty, and said he would think further in 2019, once he’s officially out. Asked whether he would run for office again, Ryan said no. But he would accept an ambassadorship to Ireland in a decade or so, he said. –Politico

On a personal note: while I know there are a wide variety of opinions regarding Paul Ryan, he is somewhat of an idol. He is a Catholic lawmaker from 20 minutes away from my hometown who was a prominent politician during my formative teenage and young adult years. I respect Paul Ryan and am always thankful for anyone who commits themselves to public service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 

3) Writer’s Choice →FBI Raids Michael Cohen’s Office and Hotel Residence

This week, the FBI raided the office and hotel room of “President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, on Monday morning, seizing business records, emails, and documents related to several topics, including a payment to a pornographic film actress” (NY Times).

The FBI became involved after a referral from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Here is another New York Times article that gives a run down of some of the legal points brought up by this move.

“Notably, investigators also could have used a grand jury subpoena to order Mr. Cohen to turn over the materials they were pursuing, without seeking a judge’s advance permission. A subpoena would have permitted Mr. Cohen to decide for himself which of his files to turn over and which to withhold as irrelevant or falling within a valid claim of lawyer-client privilege. By contrast, when law enforcement officials execute a search warrant, the government goes in and seizes a broader set of materials — like hard drives and the contents of filing cabinets — then sorts through them itself.”  –NYTimes

While this is just another part in the story of the Trump presidency, it is unclear what will come from the raid. While there are potential ties to President Trump, this spells trouble for Michael Cohen. The ability to obtain a warrant hinges on the likely discovery of criminal activity which is a ominous implication for Cohen. But, to use one of President Trump’s favorite lines: “We’ll see what happens.”

4) Recommendation of the Week → Marketplace

Marketplace is a great podcast for you to see how the news of the day is impacting the business world. The podcast is describes itself as “your liaison between economics and life.” The 20-30 minute daily podcast hosted by Kai Ryssdal explains current events and their impact on everyday life in simple and digestible segments.

5) Inspiration of the Week  → Michael Brandwein

This past week, I had the good fortune of attending the American Camp Association Midstates Conference. There I got to see one of my favorite speakers Michael Brandwein. Michael is a leading voice in the camping industry as well as business development. Here is a short sample of Michael’s dynamic speaking style as he discusses the Secret of Life!

Peace, love, and all the above,

DJE