Cardinal Cupich Serves Left Air Cover for Pope

Chicago Cardinal Cupich states that it is more important for Pope Francis to protect the environment and migrants than it is to heal the church of its current scandal.

I'm not kidding:



We have credible claims of a coverup at the level of the Pope, we have scandal after scandal breaking, we have a Pope that won't comment, and we have underlings like Cupich offering up air cover by dog whistling leftist talking points like immigration and climate change.

What is happening?

I cry for Christ's church, and I mean that in the most literal of senses.

Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins
Lead all souls to heaven
Especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy
Amen

White House Press Briefing - Bad Lip Reading

Just when I think these guys can't get any better, along comes this:

Gillette and the Power of Great Advertising

Consider Gillette and their razors. About as boring of a product as there is. Their business has been suffering from the Dollar Shave Clubs and other similar competitors that are out there. Likewise, CPG is about as cutthroat as competition gets, and they’re in the middle of it. Their top and bottom lines are being challenged at the same time, and significantly so.

Then they go and do this:



The market on this new, fringe product is tiny (albeit growing). In the grand scheme of Gillette's business, it's a rounding error. Yet someone in product development cared enough to propose this product, someone in Marketing was able to justify its existence, and someone in Advertising was able to give it life. It was an uphill battle the entire way, but they ultimately green lit it, brought it forward, and took it to market.

Not because it was the right thing to do financially. But because it was the right thing to do. And that enabled them to take credit for it.

Good marketing and advertising can do that. It can take a tiny concept of a product, with a rounding error for potential incremental sales, and develop something with a massive halo effect that has the potential to buttress its entire brand against Dollar Shave and all the other direct-to-consumer providers that have been taking chunks out of their market share.

That’s the power of great advertising.

Kudos, Gillette.

Bishop of Crookston Doesn't Get It

In our Sunday bulletin this week we were treated to a letter to the faithful from our Bishop regarding the current state of our Catholic Church.  We were subjected to the usual about the evil of it all and the pain it has caused.  We even got some mention of investigations involving "qualified laypersons," which is more than usually gets said.

Then we get this, "I ask you to sacrifice by fasting and abstaining from eating meat on Fridays as a prayer to Almighty God for the forgiveness of sins and as a prayer for guidance of the Holy Spirit that all might do better."

What?

I need to fast so that "All might do better?"  

You have my prayers, Bishop.  However, until I start seeing some real tangible actions that seek to root this evil out, your words are just that.  They're words we've been treated to over, and over, and over again.  

It's not my job to fast.  It's your job to purge our Church of the evil that is hidden, and worse, protected in it.

Talk about tone deaf.

We Need Answers, Pope Francis

In news almost too shocking to fathom, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò claims Pope Francis withdrew sanctions against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick.  McCarrick is an evil man with multiple crimes of sexual abuse, and Viganò's story about the Pope knowing and covering is credible.

More striking is Francis' failure to reply.

Not answering is not an answer.  If the Pope knew about McCarrick and did nothing, or worse covered for him, the Pope absolutely must resign.  

Our church is gravely sick.  The disease runs deep and must be purged, regardless of the cost.  Nobody should be above scrutiny.  

Including Pope Francis. 

Left Cries Crocodile Tears in McCain's Death

This weekend the United States lost a true hero.  John McCain conducted himself with honor and dignity, damn near his entire life, while those around him crawled through the sewer.  His actions in the Hanoi Hilton alone are renown, and his political service as truly been that - service.  He has been deservedly honored by those on the left and the right for his honorable service and for his legacy.

Except the left doesn't mean it.

In the campaign against Obama, McCain might as well have been Satan.  He was called out of touch and old at best, and warmonger, Nazi, and insane at worst.  He was hated, and everything about him was disparaged and dragged through the mud.

Remember stuff like this, from his Atlantic Monthly photo shoot?

THAT is just one small example what the left truly felt about John McCain, and what we were treated to during the election on a daily basis.  Not hero.  Not man of dignity.  Not a finder of common ground.  Nope, he was Satan.

He was treated just like every Republican presidential candidate from Bush on has been treated.  Nazi.  Warmonger.  Evil.

Save your tears, lefties.  You hated this man in a cruel and unfair way, and your unfair hatred ultimately paved a path for a rise of a guy like Trump.

Own it.

Saturday Song Share: Kenny Chesny - Get Along

Paint a wall
Learn to dance
Call your mom 
Buy a boat
Drink a beer 
Sing a song
Make a friend 
Can't we all 
get along?

A Blast from My Past

A couple of weeks ago I got an out of the blue communication from a buddy from my days at SJU.  It read as follows:

YDP,

Hope this email finds you doing well.  I found this photo when I was looking for something for my daughter this morning.   It made me smile as I look at each of those faces and the great memories, reminds me to be thankful for those incredible friendships found at SJU.

I have been thinking about “The Boys” a lot this week as my daughter Brittney, who will be a senior at the U of M, called me in tears recently as she found out a very close friend had been killed while travelling overseas.  We experienced that too many times while in our 20’s, the loss of someone close and all the questions of why, why, why? 

Your smile in this photo is what prompted me to share this today; it made me smile and then laugh and then think about TP.

I have enjoyed reading your posts on Linkedin over the years so today is my turn to share something with you.

Have a great day,


Cheers

TP is the guy on the far right, next to me.  After college, he joined the Marines, and near the end of a 9-mile speed march he collapsed and died.  He was one of the toughest guys I ever met in my life on the football field, and as an absolute teddy bear off it.  

I replied to my buddy:

Thanks for the generosity of your note - it totally made my day.  

The photo is from my ill-fated trip to Powder Ridge for tubing.  Given I'm still smiling in the photo, this is before me later blowing out my shoulder.  When we got back later I called my mom, from Sal's, as my shoulder hurt more than a bastard and I needed to figure out what I should do about it.  I literally passed out talking to her due to the pain, and some chick grabbed the phone and just starting making conversation with my mom while I lay unconscious on the floor.  Mom still talks about it...

That picture sure takes me back to a great day.  It was nice to see Tony again via the photo, as well as Cossie and Strike both looking like the kids we were.

Thanks again for taking the time to share.  Indeed. we've had our losses, but we also have far more incredible memories to offset them.  Thanks again for taking the time to share one with me.

YDP

We can't know God's plan for any of us, and while there have been some that He's taken from us far, far too soon, we have to be thankful what those people meant to us, and how our lives are richer because of our times with them.