Meatless Friday Tuesday: Blizzard Edition

I am told by reputable TV weathermen that if I look too closely at the sleet outside, I could die.

So, let me instead engage in some Altoid-ative science projects. From the provocatively-named Art of Manliness blog:

22 Manly Ways to Reuse an Altoids Tin

Cardinal Burke Appointed to Another Vatican Dicastery

From Catholic.net:

Members Appointed for Vatican Dicasteries

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 31, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI named four prelates for the Council of Cardinals and Bishops of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.

The Vatican announced the appointment Saturday of the four cardinals for this council: Cardinal Péter Erdõ, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary; Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary; and Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature.

[…]

When Striking Out is a Homerun

St. Louis “misses out” on the Democratic convention. To answer your question, I would say the same thing to missing out on the other party’s convention. For anyone who lives or works in St. Louis County or City, it would have been a logistical nightmare. Also, I will admit the nonstop coverage and lead up to the event would have been particularly nausea-inducing. I don’t know that there is enough holy water to cover the areas affected by the pro-abortion cotillion, for instance. Practically speaking, though, it may be a tangible sign that the Democrats don’t think Missouri is as much in play as it has been historically.

From STLToday:

St. Louis misses Democratic Convention; party will gather in Charlotte

by Jake Wagman

President Barack Obama will not kick off his bid for a second term under the Arch.

The Democratic National Committee will announce Tuesday that Charlotte, and not St. Louis, will be the site of its 2012 convention, ending with a thud an all-out effort by city officials here to land the event, which will bring thousands of visitors and lasting media attention to the winner.

St. Louis and Charlotte were the top contenders among four finalists, a list that also included Cleveland and Minneapolis.

In the end, the decision may have come down to politics. While St. Louis showcased its facilities and civic enthusiasm, North Carolina is viewed as key to Obama’s chances to return to the White House.

[…]

St. Louis crafted a bid that organizers believed was both politically and technically strong. For Democratic enthusiasm, they pointed to Obama’s October 2008 rally at the Arch, which attracted between 80,000 and 100,000 supporters — it was the lead photo on the city’s bid packet.

The city’s surplus of downtown hotel space, once a burden, was “like gold,” said Kitty Ratcliffe, the city’s tourism chief. The city pitched three arena-sized facilities — Busch Stadium, Scottrade Center and the Edward Jones Dome — all within blocks of one another.

[…]

“They did take St. Louis seriously. They did take a hard look at St. Louis,” Rainford said. “We don’t think they made up their mind until the very end.”

That St. Louis was able to compete for the convention speaks volumes about the city’s own comeback, Rainford said. St. Louis “should be very, very proud,” Rainford said.

“Three or four years ago, we would have never been considered for any event like this,” Now we are in the final two.”

Rainford said the DNC’s choice to go to Charlotte came down to where Obama could get the biggest campaign boost. Missouri, which will lose a delegate in the next electoral college, could not offer the same electoral advantage as convening in North Carolina.

“This wasn’t a defeat for St. Louis,” Rainford said. “There were considerations out of our control.”

[…]

Missouri, meanwhile, turned against Democrats in 2010. After Obama lost the state by a slim margin in 2008, Democrat Robin Carnahan was trounced in her bid for U.S. Senate by more than 13 percentage points.

[…]

South Dakota Catholic?

OK, all you comboxers out there, if you thought my USCCB/gun control post was bad, check out this story from the South Dakota Argus-Leader:

Bill would require all S.D. citizens to buy a gun

Five South Dakota lawmakers have introduced legislation that would require any adult 21 or older to buy a firearm “sufficient to provide for their ordinary self-defense.”

The bill, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2012, would give people six months to acquire a firearm after turning 21. The provision does not apply to people who are barred from owning a firearm.

Nor does the measure specify what type of firearm. Instead, residents would pick one “suitable to their temperament, physical capacity, and preference.”

The measure is known as an act “to provide for an individual mandate to adult citizens to provide for the self defense of themselves and others.”

Rep. Hal Wick, R-Sioux Falls, is sponsoring the bill and knows it will be killed. But he said he is introducing it to prove a point that the federal health care reform mandate passed last year is unconstitutional.

“Do I or the other cosponsors believe that the State of South Dakota can require citizens to buy firearms? Of course not. But at the same time, we do not believe the federal government can order every citizen to buy health insurance,” he said.