02 May 2008

Kneeler conventional wisdom

Haven't had much chance to think lately with all that's been going on except for some scattered thoughts -- just like the Conventional Wisdom Watch column in Newsweek.

The Holy Father's Visit
Thumbs up
Press seemed to skip much of the expected negative reporting. Re-energized many American Catholics. Viva la Papa!! Now, come to the Midwest.

Al Franken
Thumbs down
Thin-skinned Harvard grad can't even figure out how to pay incomes taxes in 17 states and we're supposed to elect him as our senator. Minnesotans can't figure Al out.

Round-abouts
Thumbs up
All over Europe, but Americans slow to warm to them. Why aren't the greenies jumping on this fuel and time saving idea?

Bridge problems and closings
Thumbs down
Knee-jerk reaction to condition of other bridges in light of 35W bridge collapse deserves a big slap on the hand. If these bridges are a crisis now, they certainly were a problem before. Deal with it, boys.

Weather
Thumbs down
Minnesota really is becoming a two-season state...road construction and snow plowing. Think spring.

City of Minneapolis
Thumbs down
What are they thinking putting the squeeze on Sharing and Caring Hands? Don't bite the hand that feeds.

Ordinations
Thumbs up
Father John Bauer's Thanksgiving Mass was beautiful. These new priests are amazing. Our seminary rocks.

American Idol
Thumbs down
Seriously, do we really care? Rigged, pre-planned, staged or whatever, I think I'd rather have a lobotomy.

UST Law School Dean
Thumbs up
Gives Planned Parenthood volunteer the smack-down. Who'da thunk the law school had some semblance of orthodoxy. Pleasant surprise.

MN third in drunk driving, WI first
Thumbs down
I do think I'm related to these people. Lock 'em up the first time. Throw away the key.

Changing of the guard
Thumbs up
Archbishop Flynn retiring with a list of pros and cons. Thank you, Archbishop, for leading your sheep even though I didn't agree with you at times. Welcome, Archbishop Nienstedt, you've got some work to do.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thumbs down:
For the baby killing politicians who took Holy Communion at the Papal Mass at St. Patricks in New York!

Laura The Crazy Mama said...

I'm with ya on everything but the roundabouts. I hate them stupid things.

Unknown said...

The trouble with the roundabouts (rotaries, traffic circles, rotors, etc.) is that they aren't big enough around here.

You ought to get on one where you might have to make three or four circles before you can safely exit in the direction you want to go. It helps to have a co-pilot.

swissmiss said...

It's funny that you guys pick up on the roundabouts. Personally, I like them. There is even one in the rural Rice Lake, WI. I've driven on some in Europe where it was pretty much two hiways coming together, several lanes wide, and everyone seemed to get through them just fine. If people knew how to drive through them instead of acting like they are more of a stop sign than they are, traffic would flow mucho better.

Hidden One said...

IMO, roundabouts are fine, so long as people are taught how to use them.

Cathy_of_Alex said...

swissy: I like the roundabouts too! *cathy ducks*

I like this column idea. I can get behind it since I stink at your Jeopardy stuff! :-)