I do a shameless plug every week.
But this week, here's an extra shameless plug up high so I know you won't miss it.
Or maybe I just needed a good excuse to embed a video of Chicago's "Hard To Say I'm Sorry."
Seriously, my colleague Ira Rifkin had a must-read post this week that, based on our analytics, too many of you missed.
The title of the post:
How I lost my professional cool and succumbed to gossamer social media satisfaction
Here is part of my Rifkin said:
Bottom line. My skill set failed me because I reacted emotionally rather than mindfully. It’s a media trap that can nab any of us.
In an email thread among our team, Richard Ostling congratulated Rifkin on his reflection:
The media in an era when they're on the griddle hourly need more honest self-reflection and all the accuracy and (yes) fairness and balance they can muster.
Amen.
Go ahead and read Rifkin's post. Read it now.
Meanwhile, let's dive into this week's Friday Five:
1. Religion story of the week: The #JusticeForJack case — as supporters of Colorado baker Jack Phillips dubbed it — is the easy choice this week.
Our analysis of media coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court's 7-2 ruling in favor of Phillips' Masterpiece Cakeshop includes these posts:
• "In same-sex wedding cake case, Supreme Court rules for Colorado baker — but who wins in future?"
• "After the Cakeshop case: Justice Kennedy cites need for First Amendment guidelines – then punts"
• "Let's be honest: Many voicing opinions about Colorado baker Jack Phillips don't know the facts"
2. Most popular GetReligion post: Despite all the SCOTUS cake talk, my colleague Julia Duin occupies the No. 1 spot this week with a post that has nothing to do with that big decision.
Rather, readers seemed especially interested in Duin's commentary asking "Should Amazon tribes be allowed to kill their young? Foreign Policy editors aren't sure."
3. Guilt folder fodder (and more): For the second week in a row, I called dibs on an interesting story by New York Times national faith and politics correspondent Elizabeth Dias and then got diverted by other headlines.
So I'll mention her piece from Fresno, Calif. headlined "Is Trump Racist? Is There a Double Standard? California Pastors Debate" in this space.
Spoiler alert: Roseanne Barr and Samantha Bee figure prominently in this cultural analysis.
4. Shameless plug: A few weeks ago, I read a column in Oklahoma City's Journal Record newspaper about the complexity of a medical marijuana measure on Oklahoma's June 26 primary ballot.
The column by my friend and former boss Joe Hight, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor, got me to wondering about a potential religion angle.
That curiosity resulted in my Religion News Service piece that ran this week with the headline "In red-state Oklahoma, marijuana ballot question splits people of faith."
5. Final thought: CNN religion editor Daniel Burke's tweet is both funny and true.
Certain name spellings just require a little extra attention. I'll be honest and admit that I still occasionally Google "Barack" (as in "President Barack Obama") because I'm always wanting to add an extra "r."
Your turn, kind reader: What name or names do you find especially difficult to remember how to spell?
P.S. Yonat Shimron's story (and I may or may not have Googled her name just now even though I've followed her byline for years) on J.D. Greear really is a nice read.
Happy Friday, everybody! Enjoy the weekend!