Let the Feasting Begin.....

Fast Forward...

Everything seems to go into fast forward this time of year.  Christmas program practices, prayer vigils, scurrying to get shopping done, crowds at the mall, decorating the house, etc.  And yet, in all that activity, the Central Story of History gets spun out over and over again – in radio songs, plays, Scripture passages:  Christ came to earth, lived a completely faithful life, died for each of us, and now promises us a life of fulfillment and a rich eternity at His side.  

Don't Worry About Anything.....

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”  - Philippians 4:6, New Living. 

This verse just leaped off the page at me, earlier this morning.  I was prompted to wonder about how much we end up worrying about things.  Little things, big things, things that aren’t worth the trouble.  I thought about some trials that I went through lately, and though I did pray somewhat during those trials, I felt convicted about the worrying that I had done. 

What a challenge to all of us:  to not worry about ANYTHING!  And rather, to pray about EVERYTHING!  To simply convey our needs to God, thank Him for his beneficence in our lives, and move on!  God’s got our backs. 

That’s freedom. 

NEW COLUMNIST, BUSH RALLY, BUSH WINS, ETC...

A brand new columnist, Roger, has his debut on IPF today.  A few of us webmasters have known Roger for several years, and are proud that he has joined the team.  Look for his occasional writings on a myriad of topics.  CLICK below.

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Here’s a picture from www.cnn.com, taken at the Bush rally that I attended last Thursday.  It was a great experience all around: Bush gave an impassioned speech, the crowd was lively and engaging in the extreme, and it was my very first time seeing a President in person.  (though I was so far back from the stage, that I couldn’t even manage a decent shot with my own camera).  We had to wait about 45 minutes to get through the metal detectors. 

Standing three people ahead of us in the line was a somewhat strange looking lady wearing a politically loud t-shirt and odd purplish lipstick, carrying some literature and a purse.  Guess what else she was carrying?  Marijuana.  For which she got busted by the security guards.  You woulda thought I was attending a hippie, drug smoking, liberal wacko, Kerry-loving rally.   

And people were hawking products like buttons, keychains, bumper stickers… all at not-so-great prices.  Still, I was almost tempted to buy a Tshirt with emblazoned with a pretty catchy statement:  “Friends don’t let friends vote DEMOCRAT." 

THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS.  The popular vote was 51% to 48%. In this column, I mused once or twice that the President might win by a three point margin. Lucky guess, eh? But I had my doubts: as late as last Thursday, I was wondering if 3% was too generous. Right up until Tuesday, it really seemed like the election could go either way, though Bush did seem to slightly have the upper hand.

And he pulled it off on Tuesday. FOUR MORE YEARS. I've been following politics for awhile now, and I have never felt so strongly about a presidential election. The terrorists in Iraq and around the world, and even Osama last Friday, all did what they could to throw the election. Not to mention CBS and the forged documents story, the NY Times breaking the "missing ammunitions at Al QaQaa" story just last week, etc, etc.

The first president to win a majority of the votes in 16 years.  More popular votes than any candidate in history.  And people question whether or not he has a mandate.  If Kerry had won with this kind of margin, the pundits and lefty politicos would all be screaming MANDATE at the top of their lungs.  Other signs that point toward a mandate:  Senate Minority leader Tom Daschle was defeated for his re-election bid.  There were few people in Congress who had the power and clout to interfere with Bush’s agenda.  And Tom Daschle did all he could to interfere.  Now the people of South Dakota have booted him from power.  A few other Senate seats turned from Dem to Republicans, and now the US Senate is expanded to 55 Republicans instead of 51.  Not bad at all.     

We may have more significant elections in years to come, but it’s hard to imagine.  Decades from now, historians (and the rest of us commoners) will look back on this 2004 election as one of the most critical of our lifetimes.  And there will be no doubt, looking back, that Bush was the right man at the right time.  Here’s another guess for you:  President Bush will go down in history as one of the great presidents of this incredible nation.  Maybe even surpassing Ronald Reagan, may he rest in peace.   

Arrivederci:  I’ll be traveling next week, and will email in an update if possible.  If not, see you in two weeks.

COUNTDOWN, BOSTON, TRIP TO MD

President Bush has a campaign stop in my area today around lunchtime.  A friend was able to pick up a couple tickets, so we’re going! 

Five days to go until Election Day.  This has been the most dragged out presidential race that I can remember.  It just feels like it’s gone on forever.  Here’s hoping for a clean, legally untangled victory on Tuesday.  I didn’t expect this race to stay so close, right down to the wire.  It makes everything more interesting, but also more intense.  I’m still sticking with my prediction of a Bush win.  Though I wonder if he will have much of a margin at all.  1% might be reasonable, 3% could be pushing it.  Hopefully we’ll know by late Tuesday evening.     

The Boston Red Sox did it.  Clean sweep.  The World Series in just four games.  86 years was a long time to wait.  And baseball is till the most boring sport on the planet.  BUT, it was good to see the Red Sox defeat the mighty Yankees, and then take the big prize.  Let’s hope the Boston luck doesn’t extend to their senator in Tuesday’s election.  J 

I was in Maryland this past weekend, visiting relatives and friends.  A definite highlight was the Saturday (and Sunday) visit to Potbelly’s near U of MD.  www.potbelly.com.  Those were some seriously good sandwiches (the WRECK and the ITALIAN were what I got).  Good prices.  And the bubble tea at the Japanese restaurant next door was pretty good too. 

Fighting the good fight and finishing the course:  While in Maryland, we visited two quite elderly friends who are in the twilight of their lives.  It was encouraging, in both cases, to see the fruits of a long life lived in God’s service.  Both were so calm, peaceful, and even radiant.  What a legacy, and what a reminder that life goes by quickly.  “One life to live, it will soon be past; only what was done for Christ will last.”

Boston Red Sox & The Candidates: Part II

I don’t usually watch pro baseball.  Too slow paced.  But last night’s unbelievable defeat of the NY Yankees by the Boston Red Sox was a game I should have watched.  What a huge, huge upset.  Boston must be going crazy today.  It’s a good thing, though, to hear that a hugely dominant team like the NY Yankees has been defeated.  Kinda like how it felt good to see the Los Angeles Lakers get beaten.  Chris tells me “… this is the first time in 101 years that any team in MLB postseason history has come back to win a series after being down 0-3.”  The biggest upset ever in sports?..........You decide. 

Bush is kind of a fratboy at times.  Kerry comes off as a perpetually serious worrier.

Kerry is a very good debater.  Bush is just good.  (Clinton was the master). 

Bush openly professes his faith in Christ.  Kerry is much more reserved on the subject.

The Candidates

The Debates

The Big Debate

Swift Boaters vs Kerry: Who picked this fight?

This Swift Boat - John Kerry feud is getting hotter by the day.  Certainly it was noble and brave of Kerry to serve in Vietnam.  The mainstream media seems to have sided with Kerry in this feud, for now.  Perhaps that's justifiable since there are multiple versions being thrown out of what really happened during his war-time service.  Kerry should be given the benefit of the doubt, but the Swift Boaters should not automatically be disregarded.  They served bravely too, and their story deserves to be heard.  Free speech, right?  

This whole thing is picking up steam, and Kerry's been forced to fight back.  The Swift Boaters book is set to debut at the #1 spot on the NY Times Book Sales List.  People are paying attention.  This election's getting ugly right before our eyes.

Below is a good take on all of this from today's Boston Globe.      

By Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe Columnist  |  August 26, 2004

IT WAS John Kerry, not the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, who picked this fight.

He was the one who made his long-ago stint in Vietnam the centerpiece of his campaign for president. He's the one whose running mate urges voters to take Kerry's measure by spending "three minutes with the men who served with him 30 years ago." He's the one whose campaign ads dwell on his combat heroics. He's the one who has repeatedly played the Vietnam card against critics and opponents. And he's the one who challenged anyone "who wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam to bring it on."

So the Swifties brought it on. Their scorching attack on his wartime record is so effective precisely because they, like Kerry, were there. They too went to Vietnam when so many other young men didn't. They too fought and bled for their country. If his wartime experience lends him a certain moral authority, it does no less for them.

That doesn't mean their version of the facts is closer to the truth than his. There are conflicting eyewitness recollections, and, as The Washington Post says, "both accounts contain significant flaws and factual errors." Kerry certainly wouldn't be the first soldier to have embellished his war stories; the Swift Boat vets wouldn't be the first whose passions have altered their memories.

Of course, if Kerry really wants to silence the debate about his medals, he can authorize the government to release all his military records.

But that won't silence the Swifties. Because their real beef with him is not about what he did in Vietnam. It's about what he did when he came home.

On April 22, 1971, Kerry went before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to indict the American war effort in Vietnam for horrendous war crimes. These were "not isolated incidents," he testified, "but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."

He offered no evidence. Instead he trumpeted the charges of the "Winter Soldier Investigation," an antiwar gathering a few months earlier at which men claiming to be Vietnam veterans -- many were later exposed as frauds -- described the atrocities they had allegedly committed.

"They told stories," Kerry said, "that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam, in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country."

That is what thousands of Vietnam veterans, not to mention countless other vets, have never forgiven or forgotten. Bob Dole, whose right arm was crippled in World War II, suggested on Sunday that Kerry apologize to the 2.5 million veterans he defamed. His words -- which drew immense media coverage at the time -- helped poison public attitudes about Vietnam veterans and the cause they had fought in. Even worse, they gave encouragement to the enemy.

"The Viet Cong didn't think they had to win the war on the battlefield," says Paul Galanti, who appears in the second -- and far more devastating -- Swift Boat Veterans ad, "because thanks to these protesters they were going to win it on the streets of San Francisco and Washington."

Galanti has good reason to remember Kerry's testimony. He first learned of it in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton," where he spent nearly seven years as a POW.

Kerry has never taken back his terrible slur against his fellow soldiers -- men he now calls his "band of brothers." The most he has been willing to say is that his words "were a little bit over the top" and that he could perhaps "have phrased things more artfully." He certainly doesn't regret the propaganda coup he handed the Viet Cong: "I'm proud that I stood up," Kerry told NBC in April. "I don't want anybody to think twice about it."

And therein lies the fundamental hypocrisy of the Kerry candidacy.

He came to prominence as a radical opponent of the war in Vietnam, yet now he runs for president on the strength of his service in that war. He portrayed the men who fought there as unspeakable savages, yet now he surrounds himself with Vietnam vets at every turn. He lent respectability to those who demanded that America cut and run, that it abandon a beleaguered ally, that it drop "the mystical war against communism." Yet now he insists that he would be a tough and vigilant commander-in-chief, one who would never disrespect allies, one in whose hands the security of the United States would be safe.

Even after 33 years, Kerry's 1971 testimony, and his refusal to either repudiate or corroborate it, remains unsettling -- and relevant. For the Swift Boat vets, this fight may be personal. But all of us have a stake in its outcome.

New Life in La Familia

So I'm heading to New Jersey this weekend.

To see my very first niece, Anna Susan.  And the first-born for my sister Rebecca and her husband Simu.  The premier grandchild for both sides of the baby's family.  Born in the wee hours on August 15th, India's Independence day.  Here's a pic of her, taken on her birthday.  

And as if one newborn in the family wasn't enough, this morning we got a 7am phone call saying that my first cousin Shibu and his wife Nisha had safely delivered their first-born, a son named Nathan Shibu (earlier this morning).  God is GOOD!  I can already imagine those two babies, a couple years from now, tearing up the joint wherever they are.  Double Trouble!

Cheeseburgers

What a topic to write about, eh?  (yes, I was in numerous Canada ctiies recently (Toronto, Ottawa, Waterloo, Windsor) and I only heard the word "eh" used once, as opposed to hearing it a gazillion times the last time I was there, probably 10 years ago.  Slowly but surely, is Canada getting absorbed into the American mainstream? Even one of their national icons, Tim Horton's doughnut & coffeeshops, was bought out by Wendy's, an Ohio-based company).  

But I can't help writing about one of my favorite foods this chilly August morning (48 degrees where I live).  It's summer time, grill-time, CHEESEBURGER-time.  Is there anything more savory than one that's hot-off-the-grill, nestled into a warm roll, toppped with whatever pleases your palate... ?

Where to get one:  If you're passing through my neighborhood, stop by, and I'll cook you one.  I've already written about the best chain of restaurants to get a cheeseburger at:  Red Robin.  Hands Down.  If you haven't had their Bleu Ribbon cheeseburger yet, then you just haven't lived!  :-)  Here's their website:   BLEU RIBBON BURGER:  A juicy burger basted with a tangy steak sauce & topped with crumbled Bleu cheese. Served with onion straws, lettuce, tomatoes & zesty chipotle mayo on an onion bun.

Friday, August 6, 2004 - Benj

The Lord Reigns 

I've recently been listening to Michael W. Smith's "Worship" CD.  In one of the tracks, someone reads the following passage from Psalm 97: 

¹ The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

² Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
⁴ His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the LORD ,
before the Lord of all the earth.
⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.

What great language about God's glory and power... mountains melting like wax, the earth trembling, the people seeing His glory.  His glory that is all around us, each and every day.  We all have days where we are tempted to be a little down or discouraged... on days like that, it's good to be reminded of God's greatness, His glory, and of all that He's done for us. 

Thursday, July 22, 2004 - Benj

Leftists & ABCD's 

I find myself amazed at the ongoing stupidity of some of the leftists out there.  People who just don't GET this War on Terrorism.  People like Michael Moore who reflexively attack Bush as a liar without any substantive reason.  People who make a mockery of Tony Blair, even though he is a true liberal who happens to support Bush in this War.  People who say Bush attacked Iraq to steal their oil!  He did it cuz his daddy was a failure! (this was actually said in the last week by former Democrat GA Senator Max Cleland)  Or that Bush attacked Iraq so Halliburton and Dick Cheney could get rich!  

ABSOLUTELY ABSURD!!!  It almost seems that some people forget the horrid moments on 9.11 when the world changed.  In the post 9-11 world, a rich and crazed madman like Saddam could not be allowed to remain in power.  (Is it even worth mentioning that Saddam had an UNDISPUTED history of murderous atrocity against his own people and his neighbors?  Are these leftist wackos even listening to anything besides the deluded voices in their own heads?)

Time for a Rumble:    

If I did NOT grow up in India, I can still have appreciation for India and the Indian culture.  Can't I?  If I, as an ABCD, feel conflicted about something like arranged marriage, does that mean I don't have a proper appreciation for Indian culture?  Is my view somehow less valid because it differs from the Indian norm?   

Or suppose I feel that fish curry is just a plain nasty dish to eat, does that then imply that I don't have good taste in Indian food?  Just because most Indian natives love it?  What if I feel that your average Indian meal takes way to long to prepare, and so just skip it, and grill a cheeseburger instead?  Does that mean I am a sell-out?

Like any culture, the Indian culture has both its good and its bad points.  Ditto for American culture, Mexican culture, Arab culture and so on.  Those of us who've grown up in a bi-cultural context may not be able to appreciate the native culture of our parents to the same degree as our parents themselves.  But that should not be expected or demanded.  Nor should an ABCD expect his or her parent to appreciate America to the same degree or in the same way that an ABCD would.  It SHOULD go both ways, but it often doesn't.

Thursday, July 15, 2004 - Benj

3 Big Questions, Tony Blair quote 

I've been thinking about three questions I heard at the July 4th Christian Retreat that I attended.  These were shared in the very last meeting (Sunday morning), and were an excellent, thought-provoking climax to the Retreat:

1.  Who Am I?  In other words, what should be my true identity?  The answer is:  a child of God.

2. Who am I to serve?  We ALL end up giving our lives for some cause.  Everyone chooses ultimately to serve something or someone.  Not choosing is a choice in itself.  As a child of God, my prime goal in life should be: to serve God in all I do.  It comes down to choosing between True Wisdom (God's) and False Wisdom (our own human wisdom).  James 3:13-17, New Living:  

¹³If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don't brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! ¹⁴But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie. ¹⁵For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. ¹⁶For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.
¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere.

3.  What will I accomplish?  Every day requires a renewed commitment to accomplish God's Will and not my own.  Every single day.  It is in our nature to slide back ever so quickly into serving ourselves, doing our own will, and thereby ultimately accomplishing nothing of value for the Kingdom.    

Major shifting of gears here.... 

Regarding the Iraq War, the WMD fiasco, who lied or not, and a perspective on Saddam, here is Tony Blair from a speech yesterday: 

"No one lied. No one made up the intelligence. No one inserted things into the dossier against the advice of the intelligence services. Everyone genuinely tried to do their best in good faith for the country in circumstances of acute difficulty. That issue of good faith should now be at an end ... But I have to accept, as the months have passed, it seems increasingly clear that at the time of invasion, Saddam did not have stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons ready to deploy ... I have searched my conscience, not in the spirit of obstinacy, but in genuine reconsideration in the light of what we now know, in answer to that question. And my answer would be that the evidence of Saddam's WMD was indeed less certain, less well-founded than was stated at the time. But I cannot go from there to the opposite extreme. On any basis he retained complete strategic intent on WMD and significant capability. The only reason he ever let the inspectors back into Iraq was that he had 180,000 US and British troops on his doorstep ... Had we backed down in respect of Saddam, we would never have taken the stand we needed to take on WMD, never have got progress on Libya ... and we would have left Saddam in charge of Iraq, with every malign intent and capability still in place and every dictator with the same intent everywhere immeasurably emboldened. For any mistakes made, as the report finds, in good faith, I of course take full responsibility. But I cannot honestly say I believe getting rid of Saddam was a mistake at all." - Tony Blair. 

Thursday, July 8, 2004 - Benj

Way to go, John Kerry 

The VP pick of John Edwards, while predictable, was still an excellent excellent move on John Kerry's part.  He could not have selected a better team-mate.  Time alone will tell if Kerry can win the whole shebang, but Edwards will definitely give him a strong boost in a few ways:

Charisma Deficit:  John Kerry has about as much charisma as a flowerpot.  But John Edwards exudes it.  Ronald Reagan had that mysterious "it" factor, Bill Clinton has it, and Edwards has got it too.  It's not something that can be acquired, or John Kerry would have sold his soul to get it - decades ago.  But Edwards has it down to the bone, and it's going to help.  

Southern Strategy:  The Democrats are weaker than a sick baby in the South.  Weak, I tell you.  Edwards, born in SC and raised in NC, gives the Democrats a fighting chance down yonder.  And not just in the Presidential Race, but in congressional and senatorial races at national and state levels.  

VP Contrast:  Just visualize, for a moment, the October VP debate to be held in Cleveland (which was, by the way, the very first city to get electricity).  Speaking of electricity, think about Cheney: bland, gray, almost boring, but very capable.  Now think about Edwards: just as slick and charming as El Maestro himself - Bill Clinton, youthful looking, upbeat, and also very capable.    

I don't buy the argument, though, that Edwards is gonna smoke Cheney just because Edwards was Mr. Super Trial Lawyer in his pre-political career.  Cheney cleaned Lieberman's clock in 2000, and he did it without breaking a sweat.  This VP debate will be much better than the inevitably boring Bush-Kerry slugfest.  

Optimism Sells:  Edwards is reportedly a sunny kind of person all the time.  I.E. the great Ronald Reagan.  Even if he doesn't have much political experience, such cheerfulness will help carry him (and the ticket) a long, long way.  Add such optimism to his charisma, southern roots, and his speaking ability and you have a bona-fide political force.  This is going to be a tough ticket to beat, but I think Bush & Cheney can pull it off.  It's gonna be close.  

Thursday, July 1, 2004 - Benj

Summer Retreat, What will you do without freedom?

This weekend, we head to the metropolis of New Freedom, Pennsylvania for the annual summer retreat that I've been going to for the last 10 years.  ( New Freedom is just a short drive north of Baltimore ).  I hope to see some of you readers there.  There are few things that I look forward to like these retreats that I attend periodically.  They are just the right blend of Christian fellowship, chilling with old friends and family, playing sports, and late-night runs to the local fast food joints.

John 12-21 is the focus this year for the meetings, and there is a LOT to meditate on in these chapters.  I am especially blessed by the entire 17th chapter, which focuses on the passionate prayer of Jesus for Himself, his disciples, and for all believers.  Verse 3 reads "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ..."  How incredible that each one of us can get to know God, personally and intimately!  That the great Lord of the Universe would be interested in us peons!  And through such knowledge of God, we are assured of living eternally.  How humbling, and how amazing.  

At Christian gatherings like this upcoming retreat, I am always reminded of the incredible freedom that we have here in the USA.  Freedom to worship as we see fit, pursue whatever careers we want, freedom to go hither and yon without fear, etc.  

Which brings me to my July Fourth Reflections:  

Monday marked the official turnover of power in Iraq.  Whether or not you agreed with going to war in Iraq, there are three things that stand out:  1.  Several hundred of our troops sacrificed their lives in the cause of liberation.  2.  The Iraqis have a much better future now than they did under Monster Saddam.  3.  Al-Zarqawi and his fellow terrorist thugs demonstrate more clearly than ever what we are up against (i.e. the brutal, senseless slayings of Nick Berg and Paul Johnson).  

An entire country has been liberated.  Through the actions of the USA, Britain, and several other nations.  So this is a great time to be reminded of the magnificent blessings that we have in America, primarily because of the liberty that has been here for over two centuries:  liberty in the marketplace, liberty in religious life, liberty for families to live according to the best undersanding that they have.      

As William Wallace asked, "What will you do without freedom?"

Thursday, June 24, 2004 - Benj

Mish Mash           

Here's a smattering of thoughts on a few (unrelated) topics:.

God's Masterpiece:  Let me start with a Scripture that's been an encouragement to me lately:  "For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10, New Living.  

Reagan and Church:  Last Thursday, I commented on Reagan not attending church.  A couple days later, I read this quote:  "Many Americans have heard that he rarely attended church while president, and this is true.  Because he respected his fellow worshippers at church, he didn't want to interrupt services with a motorcade and swarm of Secret Service officers.  He also didn't want to put others at risk should another assassin attack.  Instead, my father prayed and meditated wherever he was.  He especially liked to worship at his beloved Rancho del Cielo, his "open cathedral", he called it, saying it reminded him of the line from Scripture: "I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the Lord."  -Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan, in the June 21st issue of US News & World Report 

Thursday, June 17, 2004 - Benj

Ronald Reagan           

So much has been written and spoken about our former President in the last several days, including an article about Reagan's "remarkable humility" from the Boston Globe that I've posted below.  I don't presume to think that I could add much to the accolades.  But I'll try.

I find the timing of Reagan's death to be astounding.  God's timing.  Jim Jordan, a former manager in Kerry's campaign, admitted that he and other Democratic operatives have been deathly scared of Reagan passing away during the last three presidential election cycles.  Because of the potential impact it could have on the voters.  And now Reagan has passed away right in the middle of a campaign that is unlike any we have seen before:  the first campaign being waged after the nationally-defining horror of 9-11.

One thing that troubles me about Reagan:  he was not a church goer.  It is clear that he believed deeply in God and the Bible, but seeking fellowship and Christian brotherhood doesn't seem to have been a major focus of his life.  I know that there are many, many Christians out there who are in a similar situation - but the Word is clear on this:  we ARE to regularly meet together with others in the faith, i.e. "not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is."  - Hebrews 10:25.  Last Wednesday night, however, we heard a speech that he gave in 1983 to a group of Christian broadcasters, and there is simply no denying the rock-solid faith that he had in God, the Bible, and the power of the Christian community for good.  

I've read a couple books in the past about Reagan, and overall I am left with the impression that he was a tremendously decent, uplifting, romantic, and caring type of man.  Definitely a role model in so many ways.  May his memory be forever blessed.

The modest giant

By Jeff Jacoby  |  June 10, 2004

RONALD REAGAN was the first president I was old enough to vote for and the only one I have ever voted for with enthusiasm. He was the preeminent influence on my political coming of age -- so much so that to this day, "Reaganite" is the label that best sums up my political worldview.

For those of us who so admired Reagan during his presidency -- and who remember the mockery and disdain to which he was so often subjected -- the tributes that have been pouring forth since Saturday help make the sorrow of his death and the awful sickness that preceded it more bearable. History, as he always knew it would, has vindicated him. The man once dismissed as an "amiable dunce" and reviled as a warmonger is now acknowledged as a courageous visionary, an apostle of decency and liberty who left the world far better than he found it.

"The American sound," Reagan said in his second inaugural address, "is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent, and fair." Much the same could be said of Reagan himself. All week long, the accolades have emphasized the character and values that made him the man he was -- his optimism, his patriotism, his self-deprecating humor, his moral clarity, his rocklike belief that freedom is the birthright of every human being, his willingness to call evil by its name, his faith in God, his sheer guts.

But one trait has gone largely unmentioned: His remarkable humility.

In her moving and affectionate account of the 40th president's life, "When Character Was King," Peggy Noonan says that when she really wants to convey what Reagan was like, she tells the "bathroom story."

It occurred in 1981, shortly after the assassination attempt. Reagan was still in the hospital and one night, feeling unwell, he got out of bed to go to the bathroom. "He slapped water on his face, and water slopped out of the sink," Noonan relates. "He got some paper towels and got down on the floor to clean it up. An aide came in and said: `Mr. President, what are you doing? We have people for that.' And Reagan said, oh, no, he was just cleaning up his mess, he didn't want a nurse to have to do it."

That was Reagan: On his say-so armies would march and fighter jets scramble, but he hated to trouble a hospital orderly to mop up his spill. That humbleness, it seems to me, is a mark of Reagan's greatness, too -- and a key to understanding the outpouring of affection his death has unleashed.

Though he came from nothing -- poor family, alcoholic father, no status, nothing to boast about -- Reagan considered himself no less entitled to respect and a chance to prove himself than those who had much more. But if no man was his better, neither was he the better of any man. That instinctive sense of the equality of all Americans never left him -- not even when he stood at the pinnacle of fame and power.

In reminiscences this week, former staffers have described what it was like to work for the president. Several have recalled how, even when they were at the bottom of the pecking order, he never made them feel small or unworthy of notice. To the contrary: He noticed them, talked to them, made them feel special.

Reagan climbed as high as anyone in our age can climb. But it wasn't ego or a craving for honor and status that drove him, and he never lost his empathy for ordinary Americans -- or his connection with them, as we now know from his private correspondence.

He was a lifelong letter writer -- perhaps the most prolific correspondent of any president since Jefferson. A collection of his letters was published last year ("Reagan: A Life in Letters"), and it is striking to see how many of them were written -- by hand, usually -- to angry or disappointed critics, many of them unimportant people he had never met. He is unfailingly polite and respectful; often he is touchingly earnest in his attempt to get them to see his side of an issue.

And why would the president of the United States devote so much time to answering mail from complete nobodies? In part because he never forgot his own modest roots. He was a genuinely humble man, one who didn't scorn others as "complete nobodies." For who knew better than he just how far a "nobody" from nowhere might someday go?

On June 3, 1984, Reagan visited Ballyporeen, the County Tipperary hamlet where his great-grandfather was born in 1828.

"Today I come back to you as a descendant of people who are buried here in paupers' graves," he said. "Perhaps this is God's way of reminding us that we must always treat every individual, no matter what his or her station in life, with dignity and respect. And who knows? Someday that person's child or grandchild might grow up to become the prime minister of Ireland -- or president of the United States."

In his first inaugural address, Reagan described George Washington as both "a monumental man" and "a man of humility." The two qualities merged in the nation's first president. They merged again in the 40th. May he rest in peace. 

Thursday, June 10, 2004 - Benj

Give me some Ribs, J-Lo, Indian Weddings           

Well I was going to write about the great and honorable Ronald Reagan for today's update.  But we've been seeing his image all week in print, on TV, hearing audio clips on the radio, etc etc.  Inundation.  So I'll save my eulogy for another time.  Maybe next week.  

Monday night we fired up the new grill and cooked some indian-spiced ribs.  Sonia made the marinade and I didn't watch so I can't tell you how to make some yourself.  Cooked to perfection.  Mmm.... I think I'll stop writing and go eat.  :-)

This new grill is the first thing I've ever assembled that actually worked when assembly was complete.  Normally my klutz-of-a-self has to tamper with the "finished product" to get it to work right, i.e. unscrewing this, reopening that, slamming something against the wall, and yelling about the glories of the pre-civilized world when people didn't have to deal with such blasted gadgets.

So it was a nice feeling to slowly turn on that valve on the newly filled gas tank.  Wait 15 seconds, and then turn on the ignition, hear the click-click-click for a few seconds and then WHOOSH the fiery gas comes piping up.  I couldn't believe it.

Next topic:  can you believe that J-Lo got hitched again?  Of course you can!  She's the next Elizabeth Taylor.  50 years from now she'll need all 10 fingers and all 10 toes to count her innumerable marriages.  How pathetic.  Let's hope she fades, fades, fades, fades away.  

Speaking of marriages, it's that time of the year again.  How many weddings have you been to yet this season?  Hopefully NONE.  If there's one thing I do NOT like, it's Indian weddings.  Here's a horrible generalization for you:  Most Indian weddings are too crowded, too long, too pretentious, and there's not enough time to chat with the people that you actually wanna chill with.  So far we are only scheduled to attend one wedding this year, and it'll be one of the few weddings I've attended that's cross-cultural:  a malayalee from DC marrying a Toronto Caucasian.  

Which brings me to the extremely interesting topic of interracial marriages.  But my time is up.  Tune in next week.  Ronald Reagan or Interracial Marriages.  I'll toss a coin.  

Thursday, June 3, 2004 - Benj

Graduation & College           

I was in MD this past weekend for the graduation party of my little cuzzin Becky (aka SHABOOQUA).  Being there brought back memories of my own high school graduation many moons ago.  

First of all, I want to publicly go on record and say that for most people, it's no big deal  to graduate high school.  As I told Becky, "GIRL YOU BETTER GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR I WILL THROTTLE YOU".  :-)

Secondly, I will now contradict myself and say that it is an achievement to finish high school and to finish it well like Becky did.  God wants us to do our work wholeheartedly and cheerfully - whether it be high school, college, working at Potbelly's, computer programming, seeing patients, ministering in the Church - whatever it may be.

Looking back, I'd say that my college years were some of the best.  New friends, all kinds of social activity, interesting philosophy classes, reading different sorts of books than I'd ever read before, being involved with on-campus Christian ministry, studying for tests and writing papers, playing a lot of racquetball, developing an interest in politics, etc.

All right, enough reminiscing.  But if there's any advice I could give to Becky and other college-bound people, it would be this:  LIVE IT UP!  ENJOY YOURSELF!   WALK WITH GOD!  MAKE THE MOST OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS!  

Thursday, May 20, 2004 - Benj

Gangsta Station Wagon, Ibrahim & the Great Satan         

The all new Dodge Magnum.  Whachoo think?  Personally, I like it.  I have yet to see one driving on the road, but the pictures look good.  Now this doesn't mean that I'd go buy one or anything.  But it looks pretty distinct and pretty hip for a station wagon!    

IraqtheModel is where the below comes from.  The story shines a light on the tangible benefits that the Coalition has bought to Iraq, along with revealing some of the angst about the "occupation".  Which has been better for Iraq, SADDAM or the USA?   

"My young cousin is a religious Sunni who goes to the mosque and listens to the cleric there every Friday and believes whatever he says, as he’s still young. My uncle always teased his son about this but never prohibited him from doing that. We were talking about different stuff; the kids’ needs, clerics, Americans and the increase in the average income of most Iraqis.  

My uncle had some unusual sense of humor that didn’t fit quite well in his somewhat religious family. He winked at me and turned to his son and asked him "What do you think of the Americans?" His son answered, "They are occupiers".  "So you think we should fight them?" his father asked.  Ibrahim said "No, but I don’t like them". 

My uncle said, pretending to change the subject
"Do you like your new computer that no one shares with you?" "Yes of course dad". "Ok, are you satisfied with the satellite dish receiver we have or do you need a better one?"  "This one is fine but I heard there’s a better one that gets more channels"
"ok I’ll get you that next week". Then he said, "Is there anything else you’d like to have son?"  "No dad I have all that I need".

"Ok but how about a car?"  Ibrahim was astounded and said "Really? a..a CAR.. for me!?".  "Of course for you! I'm too old to drive now and my eyes are not that well and you are the older son. So whom else would it be for!?"  "Oh, dad that will be great! When will that happen?"  "Just finish you’re exams and you’ll have it".
"I will dad".

"Are you happy now son?"  "Yes dad, sure I am!"  "Then why do you hate the Americans you son of a b***h!? I couldn’t get you a bicycle a year ago, I could hardly feed you and your brothers and sisters. You didn't know what an apple or a banana tasted like, I couldn’t buy you a damned Pepsi bottle except in occasions, and now you can have all that you wish, and a car of your own! Who do you think made that possible!?"  My cousin's face turned red and didn’t answer as we laughed and I said "What do you think Ibrahim?"

He said, "Well it’s true but it’s our money. They are not giving us a charity" and I said "Of course it’s our money, so let’s forget the Billions of dollars they are giving to rebuild Iraq and the efforts they are making to cut down our debts and lets talk about our money. Why didn’t your father, I, my brothers and all the Iraqis have anything worth mentioning before the Americans came?" He said, "Because Saddam used it to buy weapons and build palaces". 

"There you have it Ibrahim, but Americans are not touching our money. Can you tell me who’s better; the ‘occupiers’ who are helping us or the ‘patriot’ who did all that you know to us?" He said in a faint voice "They are better than Saddam but still they are not Muslims". "So do you want them to be Muslims?" "I wish they were." "Will you fight them to that?" he said, "No, of course not. I don’t like fighting." We didn’t want to pressure and embarrass him further and didn’t go further, as he’s still young but he’s smart and good-natured and will get it soon."

Thursday, May 13, 2004 - Benj

IPF-mobile, Bush's Humanity, 24       

Above is my entry for the IPF-mobile.  Even better than an H2.  Can you imagine Chris & Binu riding around town in this beast?  :-)

Thursday, May 6, 2004 - Benj

Disproportionate Rage       

People across the Muslim world are infuriated by the abuses of Iraqi detainees at the hands of American soldiers.  And so they should be.  Those abuses were absolutely criminal and the perpetrators should be dealt with severely.

But where was the outrage when four American civilians were killed and dragged through the streets like animals?  Why is is that Americans get worked up when their soldiers misbehave terribly against the Iraqis, but the Muslim world barely raises its voice when Americans are tortured, beaten, killed, and abused?  Where was the outrage when Mullah al-Sadr refused to turn himself in, despite proof of guilt?  Why was there so little uproar about the Iraqis who danced in the street and sprayed bullet-fire in celebration of the heinous murder of those four Americans?

It's true that there was some concern expressed, some condolences offerred.  But nothing close to the level of outrage that has swept the world because of the alleged abuses that are coming to light.  

It starts and ends with Hatred.  Although most Muslims are far different from the fanatics that have hijacked the religion, there is an underlying current in the Muslim religion that infuses so many with a hatred for America & Israel and anything non-Islam.  Even some peace-loving Muslims have an unreasonably strong bias against Israel, and can barely utter any semblance of outrage at the terrorist tactics of the Palestinians.  

This evil pathology needs to be cut out like the grotesque, destructive cancer that it is.  And that's what this War on Terror is all about in the end:  bringing change to a hate-filled, morally deprived region of the world.  

In closing, a quote from war historian Victor Davis Hanson:  "... there is an asymmetry about the coverage of the incident, an imbalance and double standard that have been predictable throughout this entire brutal war.

The Arab world -- where the mass-murdering Osama bin Laden is often canonized -- is shocked by a pyramid of nude bodies and faux-electric prods, but has so far expressed less collective outrage in its media when the charred corpses of four Americans were poked and dismembered by cheering crowds in Fallujah. The taped murder of Daniel Pearl or a video of the hooded Italian who had his brains blown out -- this is the daily fare that emanates now from the television studios of the Middle East.

Indeed, if Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera could display the same umbrage over mass murder that they do over these recent accounts of shame and humiliation of the detained Iraqis, much of the gratuitous violence of the Middle East would surely diminish. The papers that now allege war crimes are the same state-controlled and censored media that print gleeful accounts of death and desecration of Westerners and promulgate an institutionalized anti-Semitism not seen since the Third Reich."

Thursday, April 29, 2004 - Benj

Iraq & Politics       

Surprisingly, all the negative news out of Iraq of late has helped President Bush.  The latest polls show him slowly widening a lead over Kerry, and they also show that the American people trust Bush more in leading the war on Terror.

The Democrats, not so subtly, have been assuming that a worsening of conditions in Iraq would help Kerry.  The last month has proven that assumption false, and has left Kerry in a weakened state.

Where do things go from here?  John Kerry has a tough road to walk, and the smart money is still on Bush winning by a slim margin.  Conservative optimists, of course, are predicting a Bush landslide.  

Could it be that if things improve in Iraq, that Kerry gets helped?  Something along the lines of:  Iraq stabilizes, Bush is duly granted his victory, the nation begins focusing on other things (health care, jobs, etc).  And accordingly Bush is no longer viewed just in light of the war on terror?  

If this election ends up being about the Terror War & Iraq, Bush wins big.  If it begins to shift to other domestic issues, then it'll be a fight to the finish.  With the smart money still on Bush.

Thursday, April 22, 2004 - Benj

Taking Control of a Quality Life - Chuck Swindoll       

ü      Make and cultivate a few very close friends

ü      Stay in touch with people

ü      Read widely

ü      Exercise regularly and strenuously

ü      Turn the TV off

ü      Commune with God

ü      Fight the rut of routine

ü      Leave time for leisure

ü      Have more fun

ü      Take up a hobby or pastime that gets you outdoors

ü      Don’t let your occupation enslave you

ü      Eat less

ü      Laugh more

ü      Quit fussing

ü      Pray everywhere and at all times

ü      Encourage at least one person everyday

ü      Stop living for money

ü      Invest in people (and eternal commodity)

ü      Plant a garden

ü      Trust God for something that seems impossible

ü      Loosen up your intensity

ü      Stop taking yourself so seriously

ü      Start today

Thursday, April 15, 2004 - Benj

The Pop of Benj, Round 4        

The Rise of Trump:  The Donald has managed to raise his TV show, "The Apprentice" pretty high into the ratings stratosphere.  I saw it for a few minutes during the very first episode, and found the cheese factor to be very heavy.  So I didn't turn it on again until last week, and was surprised by the big improvement.  And tonight's finale is two hours long, about two hours longer than my tolerance for such reality TV.  Maybe I'll catch the last 10 min.  Regarding the two finalists:  Kwame seems like a likable guy, but I think Bill has more of Trump's edge and drive.  I could care less who wins, though, so no predictions.  

Thursday, April 8, 2004 - Benj

Condi Rice, Taxes, Chipotle's   

Condi Rice, President Bush's National Security Advisor, is testifying at this very moment before the 9-11 Commission.  You can listen live at www.npr.org or catch it on the major TV networks.  I think it's good that she and the Administration gave into the public demand, and that she is now telling her side of things.  

Turbotax:  I used this program for the first time ever to do our taxes.   It went pretty smoothly the whole way (until the very end).  But I really don't know if I saved any time doing it.  And at the end, I had to do a major download from Turbotax's website to obtain the needed fonts which allowed me to print all the paperwork.  How stupid!  You would think that everything you would need would be on the CD-ROM itself, without additional downloads needed.  Especially for something as basic as PRINTING documents. 

Thursday, April 1, 2004 - Benj

Breather   

I'm heading to a Christian Men's Retreat this weekend; it'll be great to have a breather from the recent rush of life.  There is something so relaxing about being at a retreat setting: surrounded by trees and God's great creation, sleeping in cabins, heading to the lodge for coffee and fellowship, encouraging teaching, uplifting Praise & Worship, etc.  

Speaking of Christian Men, I recently heard and was blessed by this Twila Paris song: 

Come and join the reapers,

All the Kingdom seekers

Laying down your life to,

Find it in the end.

Come and share the harvest;

Help to light the darkness

For the Lord is calling faithful men.    

That's all for today folks.  See you next week.   

Thursday, March 25, 2004 - Benj

Busy, busy...   

You know how there can be stretches in life where things seem really busy?  Maybe the stretch lasts for a week, maybe for months.  I feel like I am in the middle of such a busy period right now.  Going 100 mph in all directions, so to speak.  

But it's all good.  Idle hands are the devil's workshop, as the old saying goes.  The main thing is to stay on the Christian journey in the midst of everything we do.  To not lose focus on what is eternal, and on what really matters.  Regardless of what else is going on.    

Friday, March 19, 2004 - Benj

Is this World War III?  

We've arrived at the one-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Below is an article by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, from today's NY TIMES.

Thursday, March 11, 2004 - Benj

And Can It Be 

Here are two great verses and the chorus from "And Can It Be", by Charles Wesley.  This classic was recently sung at church, and blessed me.  There is something weighty and moving about these older hymns, especially those written by such heroes of the faith like Charles Wesley.

Easter is approaching, the Passion movie has just been released to much controversy, and it's as good a time as any to consider this question:  How much do I value what Christ accomplished for me through His life, His death and resurrection?  

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused his pain?

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Chorus: Amazing love! How can it be

             That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Long my imprisoned Spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free;

I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Thursday, March 4, 2004 - Benj

Bush Vs. Kerry 

It's official.  Bush even surprised Kerry on Tuesday night by phoning him to congratulate him on all his primary wins, and to wish him well in the upcoming campaign.  

Everyone SAYS that this is going to be a hard-fought campaign which will likely end up in a fairly close election.  With Bush prevailing.      

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - Benj

Above All 

This song, by Lenny LeBlanc and Paul Baloche, has been ministering to me lately.  So I thought I'd share it with you readers.  Hopefully most of you know the tune and have been blessed by it yourself.  If you haven't heard it before, I'd recommend getting it on CD - it's a powerful song.    

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - Benj

Fat Atkins?

Well, was he fat or not?  Should people stop counting carbohydrates?  Tuesday's revelation from the Wall Street Journal was that Dr. Robert Atkins weighed over 250 pounds at the time of his death.  (250 pounds for a six-footer is pretty hefty).  Could it be any coincidence that a pro-vegetarian group pushed for the illegal release and subsequent publication of this private medical information?

Was the weight gain really just from his medical conditions as his physicians claim, or was the good doctor pigging out on carbohydrates and ballooning like a whale?  Check out the article below from CNN.  I remember seeing him on Larry King Live just a couple months before his demise, and he didn't look fat.  Less than 200, if I had to guess.    

Lose the poundage:  Millions and millions of people around the world have subscribed to the low-carb dieting that Atkins pioneered.  Especially in America and England, lands of the free, fat, and brave.  He wasn't the first medical professional to ever write about the successes of this type of eating, but he certainly did more than anyone else in the last fifty years to popularize the low carb lifestyle.  Don't worry about your fat intake!  Eat meat, cheese, & butter!  And get thin at the same time!  And watch your cholesterol and blood pressure levels DROP !  Sounds pretty unbelievable but there are loads of devotees out there for whom it has worked.    

Look, ANYTHING beats a low-fat regimen.  Low-fat diets leave you perpetually hungry.  As if yogurts for breakfast and side salads for lunch are sustainable.  YOU MIGHT AS WELL STARVE YOURSELF.  But low-carb, on the other hand, pretty much allows you to NOT feel hungry most of the time.  And if you mix your fat & protein (meat, cheese) with some veggies and fruit, it's really not too bad.

Plug for carbs:  McDonald's breakfast biscuits are a pleasure to eat (and loaded with carbs, sad to say).  Try one with sausage, egg, and cheese sometime and then go hit the treadmill for 30.    

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dr. Robert Atkins, whose popular diet stresses protein-rich meat and cheese over carbohydrates, weighed 258 pounds at his death and had a history of heart disease, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Atkins died last April at age 72 after being injured in a fall on an icy street.

Before his death, he had suffered a heart attack, congestive heart failure and hypertension, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a report by the city medical examiner.

At 258 pounds, the 6-foot-tall Atkins would have qualified as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's body-mass index calculator.

Diet is one potential factor in heart disease, but infections also can contribute to it.

Stuart Trager, chairman of the Atkins Physicians Council in New York, told the Journal that Atkins' heart disease stemmed from cardiomyopathy, a condition thought to result from a viral infection.

Trager said the weight was added between his accident and his death, and in fact Atkins weighed less than 200 pounds at the time he was injured.

"During his coma, as he deteriorated and his major organs failed, fluid retention and bloating dramatically distorted his body and left him at 258 pounds at the time of his death, a documented weight gain of over 60 pounds," the doctor said in a written statement. "How and why the Journal reported that he was obese, remains the only unanswered question in this pathetic situation."

Atkins widow outraged

The medical examiner's report was given to the Journal by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a group that advocates vegetarianism. The medical examiner's office told the Journal that the report had been sent to the group in error.

Ellen Borakove, spokeswoman for the New York City office of the chief medical examiner, said the records would not be released to anyone else, but they clearly indicate that Atkins died from the head injury.

The diet guru's widow, Veronica Atkins, was outraged that the report had been made public and called those who gave the medical examiner's report to the newspaper "extremists."

"I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet," she told the Journal.

Last month, Veronica Atkins demanded an apology from Mayor Michael Bloomberg after Bloomberg called her late husband "fat."

In April 2002, Atkins issued a statement saying he was recovering from cardiac arrest related to a heart infection he had suffered from "for a few years." He said it was "in no way related to diet.

Thursday, February 5, 2004 - Benj

Politics Watch

President Bush's approval ratings have dropped, for the first time ever, to just below the 50% mark.  The pundits are blaming a "disastrous" state of the Union speech, consistent and withering attacks from the Democratic presidential candidates, the lack of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, etc.  

Personally, I thought the speech was fine - perhaps not his best, but certainly not "disastrous".  And the political season is heating up; Bush is bound to suffer at least somewhat at the hands of his rivals' attacking him non-stop, 24/7.  Just wait and see what happens when the Democrats finally pick their candidate, and Team Bush unleashes their mad dogs on the poor fool.     

Guess who dominated on Tuesday, winning five out of seven state primaries across the country?  Senator John Kerry continues to be on a roll.  Time magazine has a decent set of articles on Kerry this week, and also a good article about his multi-millionaire wife Teresa Heinz, of ketchup fame.  

General Clark won in Oklahoma, and John Edwards won by a large margin in South Carolina.  Joe Lieberman didn't win anywhere, and made the decision to quit the race.  Probably the right thing for him to do.  It's amazing that he didn't do better, having run in the VP slot in 2000 and being a centrist candidate and all that.  Oh well.  But I was glad to see Edwards post such a big win in SC.  He is a formidable candidate and this means that the fight for the nomination will go on.  (Edwards was set to drop out of the race if he lost South Carolina.)  

Howard Dean pretty much bypassed Tuesday's primaries to focus on the upcoming primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin, where he believes he has a chance of regaining some momentum.  We'll see.  

Thursday, January 29, 2004 - Benj

The Pop of Benj, Round #3

First,  a warm welcome to the new columnists for the "Inspirations" section of this website.  Your weekly contributions should be a great addition to this ever-growing behemoth.      

Oscar Season is upon us, and Lord of the Rings is dominant with eleven nominations.  It has also earned more money than any other 2003 film with $877 million earned by this past weekend, putting it ahead of Finding Nemo.  You heard it here:  If LOTR doesn't garner the trophy for Best Picture, then it's gonna be a genuine and unforgivable crime.  

Thursday, January 22, 2004 - Benj

A Different Meatloaf    

First, a few quick political comments.  John Kerry (first place) and John Edwards (second place) scored in a huge way on Monday night in Iowa.  What this means for the Democratic race:  This is clearly no longer a sure-fire thing for Howard Dean, Vermont Governor.  It probably means that Bush & Cheney  will have a very tough fight on their hands if either Kerry or Edwards wins the Democratic nomination (especially if Kerry & Edwards team up for Pres & Vice-Pres).  And keep your eye on General Wesley Clark.  Clark has learned to become a politician at warp speed, and he has a lot of good people working for him.      

What I like about this recipe is that it falls within my "lazy cook" guidelines:  it tastes good and it can be prepared and placed in the oven in less than 20-30 minutes.  Then it bakes for an hour and VOILA you'll have a fine entree to ingest.  It won't be as good as your momma's time-consuming Indian curries, but then you won't spend a full day slaving in the kitchen either.  So rustle up the ingredients, chop and mix for a few minutes, stick it in the oven for an hour, and move on.   Serves four.   www.yumyum.com  

Instructions:
Combine meat through seasonings.
Add milk and breadcrumbs.
If necessary, add a little additional milk until it just barely keeps together in your hands when you try to pick it up.
In small open roasting pan, form into oval.
Lay strips of bacon on top.
Bake at 450 for approximately 1 hour, or until bacon is crisp.
Remove to paper towels to drain before placing on serving platter.

Thursday, January 15, 2004 - Benj

Politics Watch    

Howard Dean reads the Bible how often?  When asked which book in the New Testament  was his favorite, he replied "Job".  Priceless.  

Hillary slams Gandhi !  She put her foot in her mouth big-time.  And this time it's no less than a pathetic joke about the Mahatma himself.  Here's a write-up on the incident from a conservative online magazine.  Naturally there has been no major report on it in one of the "mainstream" online papers.  This is just more positive proof of the leftward slant of America's news institutions.  

Friday, January 9, 2004 - Benj

'04    

Scriptures for 2004:  Ephesians 4:1-3, New International Version - "As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

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