I have found many reasons to neglect posting, but I have delayed long enough.

I mentioned that we survived Ophelia with minimal effects. Mama didn't have it as well in her apartment at the heretofore-proclaimed hurricane-proof complex. The roof was damaged by winds, allowing rain to stream down the wall of the apartment above hers, then down her bedroom wall. As a result, her carpet has been removed by the maintenance personnel. Again, as comparative damage goes, it was relatively minor, but I don't imagine the hurricane-resistant qualities of that building will be quite as loudly declared in the future.

You know, I feel for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but even more so as time elapses and stories come to light. That aside, and from a purely political perspective, it is incredible to witness the wrangling and opportunistic maneuvering taking place in the past couple of weeks.

Louis Farrakhan has now made it official that he no longer maintains any grasp on reality. Having gotten a glimpse of how our government truly operates in my years of holding the clearance I held for many years, I must admit that I have, at times, held what could be viewed as an extremely negative view of American "democracy"; however, Farrakhan makes my level of trust look like a kindergarten student's!

Have you noticed how a crisis brings out the true colors of liberals? To illustrate, I submit this. I'm afraid that, were that to happen here, you'd be reading my prison blog shortly thereafter.

Speaking of the true colors of liberalism, it's nice to note that Bill Clinton is still a ground-breaker. I never did credit him with much class, but this even surprised me. The Chinese seem to have caught on to his legacy, though! What a riot!


Many of you know that I have been closely watching the situation on the Korean peninsula. Recent news developed so rapidly that I missed an "I-told-you-so" opportunity.

When it was announced a few days ago that the DPRK (North Korea) was willingly abandoning its nuclear ambitions, I was suspicious. It simply was not in keeping with their behavior, and I fully planned to share that with all of you. Had I acted more quickly, I could be feeling smug in my intuition.

Scarcely 24 hours later, they announced their expectations that in exchange for their complicity with international demands, the United States should provide them a reactor. Now that is the North Korea I know! That is one regime that has been consistent only in its unhinged capacity. Here's a great review of the situation.


While I'm on the topic of conservative news, I have to share this. I'm beginning to wonder when, if ever, the former elite will wake up and realize that the stranglehold they formerly held upon public opinion is, and will remain, a thing of the past. You have to admire Matt Drudge; he held his ground for years while the mainstream media dismissed him as a "gossip columnist" and "rumor-monger", even while he continued to scoop them on major story after story. He was, if you recall, the one that broke both the Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky scandals.


Is anyone as disillusioned with television as am I? There seems to be less and less of any value on the networks.

For instance, a Peter Jennings tribute? What was that all about??? Shouldn't tributes be reserved for individuals of note? Honoring Peter Jennings for his longevity in the media machine made about as much sense to me as dealing with Yasser Arafat simply because he survived long enough as a terrorist to considered a viable peace partner. I know I can't be the only one who thinks like this...

We stumbled onto "CSI: Miami" the other night. What on earth happened to David Caruso? Did he somehow get stuck with all the years that Dick Clark missed? He used to be my age, but now he looks like he's about two years shy of a hundred. {Sigh}

We have enjoyed the new season of "The Biggest Loser" thus far. We have found our family favorites and razzes already. I am surprised by how quickly I have developed an affinity for Matt, but I really do like him. I don't particularly care for Nick; he has deeper issues than a weight-loss competition can address, and I feel a bit sorry for him.

I caught the premiere of "My Name Is Earl" last night; as a former Mahayana Buddhist, the promotions sparked my interest, so while Dee took the Arrows to Awana last night, Michael and I sat through it. It was disappointing, of course. If you check your Christian worldview at the door, you may find it cute, but there's not much redeeming value there.


In my new man, I am confounded by what I thought I found in Buddhism.

First of all, the "law" of karma is simply the Biblical concept of "sowing and reaping" in different packaging (yes, I know Buddhism pre-dates Christianity, but even pagans can occasionally find a few elements of truth).

Most importantly, however, it never occurred to me to wonder: if there is no G-d of the universe, who determines what is good and bad? How can one live conducive to moral law without a moral law-giver?

I've had this argument with an atheist, who told me that "one can be moral without being religious". I had a two-fold response to that:

1) I'm not religious, I'm a Christian (there's an enormous difference, which is what Matthew chapter 23 so powerfully demonstrates).

2) Presupposing that there were no difference, if you don't acknowledge a Divine authority, who decides what is right and wrong? Oh, you can counter that with societal expectations and such, but to quote Ravi Zacharias, "In one society, you love your neighbor, while in another, you eat them. Do you have any personal preference?"

Needless to say, I have never received a satisfactory response to quell this issue. Suffice to say, whether or not an individual chooses to believe in YHWH, it is a choice that requires faith to sustain it. The frightening issue is, if a Christian is wrong, what is the result? Nothing! If an atheist is wrong, what an eternally tragic mistake!


If you're still with me, dear reader, I have claimed your attention long enough. I do thank you, and I'll close now.