As I was browsing Drudge this morning, I came upon this piece from the New York Times. The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby, has stated that his agency believes that North Korea is now capable of mounting nuclear warheads on their missiles. This makes N. Korea capable of attacking U.S. territory with nuclear weapons. The DIA head did not, however, say that N. Korea has actually armed their missiles with nuclear weapons. But that is not a major leap -- it can be done within a few hours. What can we do?

Diplomacy with Kim Jong Ill has been a joke. Whether unilateral or multilateral, talks have basically achieved nothing except to give N. Korea more time to get their work completed.

We could mount a covert operation to infiltrate N. Korea and destroy these weapons. Oh, no wait, the Church Commission and congressional Democrats have decimated American intelligence capabilities. We couldn't sneak into a movie theater.

We could mobilize the world community and the U.N. against N. Korea. Well, maybe not. Since when has the "world community" or the United Nations been capable of acting in the best interests of anyone other than themselves? Let's see...Rwanda? Nope. Sudan? No. Iraq? Definitely not. Kofi Anan? Yeah, definitely -- after all, he's a home boy. Well, if these organizations are not at all interested in fulfilling their charters, who then can handle anything of this nature?

The United States? Of course the U.S. can. Not an issue. But Americans are so insular and unconcerned about anything outside the American continent, could we raise the popular support necessary to take on another corrupt despot who is crapping on his own people for his own personal benefit?

I love the United States of America. I would not hesitate to volunteer for an attack on North Korean nuclear targets. I would, with great sorrow, leave behind my wife to fight for the safety and freedom of the Korean people. But I am getting sick of the "me, me, me" attitude of the Leftists/Democrats and the MSM. Had today's MSM been present, World War II would never have happened and most of Western Europe would be speaking German and there would be curiously few European Jews.

America rose to greatness because it was unafraid of standing for cherished principles. Where are we now? What do we believe? What do we hold dear? What now?

Yesterday afternoon I received word that my Uncle Charlie had passed away. This was not unexpected as Charlie had been deteriorating for almost two months. He entered the hospital two months ago and the family was told Charlie wouldn't survive the weekend. That was 2 months ago. Charlie was released from the hospital and sent home. Just two weeks ago, Charlie was moved into hospice care and has been losing ground ever since.

Yesterday morning, the family received the call beckoning them to the hospice facilities as Charlie was slipping away. The family arrived just in time. A minister came to visit Charlie and was asked to lead the family in prayer for Charlie. During the prayer, Charlie went to be with the Lord. When the family completed their prayers they turned to notice a red bird come and land on Charlie's window sill. There was peace.

"Semper Fi" is a shortened form of the Latin phrase used by the U.S. Marine Corps -- Semper Fidelis -- or "Always Faithful." Charlie served in the Marine Corps during World War II and participated in numerous campaigns in the Pacific Theater. Though he never talked about his war experiences, Charlie was the quintessential Marine -- tough, rough and ready. He also exemplified the Corps' motto -- Always Faithful. Charlie was married to his wife, Margene, for nearly 60 years. I can't remember a time when I didn't see Charlie and Margene together. He was always faithful.

Charlie was one of my most favorite relatives. I loved it when Charlie would hold a fish fry. He made the best fish I've ever had. I will miss Charlie.

Simper Fi, Charlie! Semper Fi!

I received an article from a friend of mine (Thanks, Chip) about a Schiavo-like case in the UK. A British Court has ruled that doctors can refuse to intubate or start ventillation if a seriously ill infant stops breathing. This is being done gainst the wishes of the parents, who want to preserve life at all costs. The 18-month old infant, Charlotte Wyatt, was born barely able to see of hear and weighed just one pound. Young Charlotte has also stopped breathing three times over the past 18 months, but has been resusitated each time. Doctors claim that to continue Charlotte's care is only to prolong her pain.

This is becoming an alarmingly more frequent problem. According to the article, similar cases are popping up more frequently:

Terminally ill baby Luke Winston-Jones died last November after the High Court ruled that his doctors could withhold lifesaving treatment, against the wishes of his parents, if his condition deteriorated.

This, along with the alarming Groningen Protocol in the Netherlands, is furthering the agenda of those who feel that life is, or can be, an inconvenience. These people see cases like Charlotte Wyatt, Luke Winston-Jones, Terri Schiavo as a matter of their continued life being an inconvenience to the system. With the exception of the Schiavo case, all these others have proceeded against the wishes of the infants' parents. Soon, doctors will be empowered to make decisions not to treat patients if the case merely seems difficult.

Stand up, people! Life must not be casually thrown away! It's too valuable.

A good friend of mine just sent me this piece -- an AP story on Yahoo News. "Expert: Apes May Be Key to Human Nature." It is ludicrous that people still believe this drivel. I can train my dog to speak (although I don't understand "dogese") and exhibit behaviors that are like the ones described here. And yet, to the mind of this scientist, these behaviors in the apes is evidence of evolutionary descent from apes.

Hello? Bueller?

I was just over at MarkDRoberts.com and Mark has posted a good review of the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI. Go have a look.

While I'm not sure about the selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, or whether the Conclave should have chosen someone from the Third World or Southern Hemisphere or somewhere else. But Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI) is at least a champion of conservative theological truths and will not likely water down the theology of the Catholic Church, as many would have him do.

Recently, I posted a piece of artwork to the online graphic arts community to which I belong -- DeviantArt (not what it sounds like). The piece was based on a satellite image of the Ganges River delta in India that I downloaded from a NASA website. When crafting the piece -- entitled simply, Ganges -- I decided to research Hindu legends and myths about the Ganges River. Many Hindus refer to the Ganges as "Ma Ganga" or "Mother Ganges." This epithet stems from a legend of a Universal Mother story in Hindu mythology. I thought, all in all, that this would be an interesting cultural piece. Not long after posting it, I received a comment from another member who, like myself, was a member of the "Christians" group on DeviantArt (called "DA"). He questions whether, as a Christian, I ought to be posting art of this type. When I questioned his objection, it was to my use of Hindu mythology. In my reply to his objection, I referred to my statement in the original posting that this piece was based on a myth -- a falsehood, and stated very unequivocally that I believe that "there is only one truth and that is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." I further stated that by being knowledgeable about cultures and belief systems other than Christianity, I can better reach out to others -- like the Apostle Paul (see Acts 17). Last night, I began to think about being "in, but not of" this world. Can one be an effective Christian and an artist who draws inspiration from the whole of God's creation? So I began to think of any reference to artists in the Bible. There are very few such references that I could think of. The silversmiths of Ephesus rioted because of the effectiveness of Paul's witness in that city. King David wrote numerous songs and poems to praise God. But David's works of art were solely directed at praising God -- it was not a vocation for David. I have not made an exhaustive search, but there seems to be very little evidence of the arts in the Bible. So I began thinking, do I have to restrict my artistic efforts to strictly Christian themes because I claim the name of Christ? My answer is no. To do so is to withdraw from general society which is not what God wants. Just as God intended for the Old Testament Jews to be a light to the Gentiles, Christians are to be a light to an unbelieving world. How can we do this if we restrict ourselves to purely Christian pursuits and interests? We cannot. My interest and skills in the arts are a gift from God that I use for His glory in the world at large. So, should I use themes that refer to the mythologies of other cultures? I don't entirely know. My position is that I should not lift up such mythologies as being in any way true or worthy of belief or acceptance. I don't feel my "Ganges" piece does this. Take a look at "Ganges" and give me your thoughts on it. How would you handle this problem? Drop me a line.

P.S. If you would like to see my Christian-themed art, please look at my Typography Series and Sky Burn.

UPDATE: I have removed my Ganges piece from my online gallery. The responses I received were telling me that it was being interpreted in a way that I had not intended. I don't want to lead anyone to stumble in their faith, or lead them to believe anything other than the exalted Jesus.

I just recently finished reading Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. And, as my title implies, it was a mixed bag. I loved the way the author presented emotional content and motivations. There are sections where the author specifically writes: "This is what [character] is feeling now:." Since so much of Anakin Skywalker's fall into darkness is about unmanaged emotions and confusion of motives, it is helpful having the author give you insight into Anakin's thoughts and emotions. However, the author does not follow the movie. While no one has seen the movie yet, I do know that there are certain scenes that were not in the novel. If you go to the Star Wars website, you can watch video clips of various theatrical trailers and TV ads. From these video snippets I know that there will be scenes showing Kashyyyk -- the homeworld of the Wookies. However, these scenes do not appear in the novel. Other scenes not novelized include the (spoiler warning -- highlight to read:) clone troopers turning on and murdering the Jedi (end). These scenes are eluded to, but not detailed or fleshed out.

Despite these drawbacks, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read (mostly due to my eagerness). You also get to find out why the Force is out of balance and how Anakin brings balance, as well as how Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda come back as "ghosts" whereas previous Jedi have not come back. Really cool stuff. But, hey, I'm a Star Wars geek.

Well, it's finally over. The Catholic Church has a new Pope -- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Cardinal Ratzinger will be enthroned as Benedict XVI. Cardinal Ratzinger has been long been considered a very conservative influence within the church. So indiciations may be that the church will continue to be a conservative bulwark against calls for a lot liberal changes in the church.

While I am not a Catholic and I do not accept the Papacy or what it stands for, I am glad that the church has aparently chosen stand its ground against watering down theology.

Sorry that I haven't been able to post recently. I have been swamped with work for my Management class. I'm presenting tonight on Innovation at Nike. After tonight, only 2 weeks until my final and a month-long breather. My final shouldn't be too difficult -- a case study essay. Then the aforementioned breather. Over the summer I'll take my final class before graduation -- Consulting. I'll get to consult with a local business. I'm really looking forward to it.

I should be posting more after tonight. Thanks for your patience.

It never ceases to amaze me when I see some new Liberal expression of hatred towards President Bush. Drudge recently highlighted a t-shirt (see below) that featured artwork saying "Kill Bush." Thankfully, some saner minds prevailed. CafePress.com, an online marketplace for those who wish to independently seel products via the Net, has pulled the "Kill Bush" shirt because it has policies against "hate-related materials." Good for them!

This should come as no real surprise, but the Democrats are being critical of a Republican political consultant who happens to be gay. In particular, former President Bill Clinton made comments this weekend about a conservative political consultant, Arthur Finklestein, who had created an organization ("Stop Her Now") to oppose Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential aspirations. Instead of attacking the organization or the motivations for such a movement, the ex-President launches an ad hominem attack at Finkelstein, saying his announcements among friends of his recent civil union with his long-time partner was a sign of "self-loathing." Clinton said: "I thought, one of two things. Either this guy believes his party is not serious, and is totally Machiavellian in his position, or there's some sort of self-loathing there. I was more sad for him."

The article goes on to compare the former President's remarks to similar remarks made by Sen. John Kerry. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Kerry made remarks about Vice President Dick Cheney's gay daughter. It would seem that it is entirely proper for Democrats and Liberals to make disparaging comments about Republicans who are gay, but God forbid that a Republican/Conservative should make similar comments. When a Republican makes ANY comments regarding homosexuals or homosexuality, it is the height of bigotry and prejudice. Regardless of what is said. To the Left, Conservatives have no acceptable grounds on which to make commentary about gays.

It's the same way with practically every other minority group in the U.S. If you are a Conservative minority (Black, Hispanic, Gay, Woman, etc.), you must be out of your mind. Clarence Thomas, Alberto Gonzalez, Arthur Finkelstein, and Condi Rice (among others) must all be somehow deranged -- mentally unhinged because they're all Republicans.

I just hope that, despite the predominance of Lefties in the MSM, the American electorate sees this for what it is -- duplicity of the worst order.

Well, here it is -- the new design. Please let me know what you think. I'm going to leave it up over the weekend, at the very least. Your comments are much appreciated.

I'm currently working on a new design for this blog. It's taking me longer this time around because I'm starting from scratch instead of modifying an existing template. I think you'll like what I'm putting together. If you're a webhead or someone who knows their HTML, and are interested in lending a hand, I could use it. But for now, I'm pushing along nicely.

If you're interested in a sneak peek, check this out. This is an identification piece for the online arts community to which I belong. Let me know what you think.

The other night, I had stayed late at the office. As I left the office and walked to my car, I paused and glanced to the West. The sun had just recently set and was setting the western sky ablaze. My breath was taken away. The low-flying clouds were alive with color -- oranges, reds, maroon, purple, and upward into deep blue. I stood there for several minutes and watched the fires die out and night complete its encroachment.

Even now, it was a very touching moment. In these times of partisan wranglings in government, the continuing criminal unrest in Iraq, the malaise that is my job, and the pomp and circumstance of a papal funeral; it is absolutely necessary that we remember to stop and see the beauty that is all around us. If you don't see it, you're not really looking. It's right in front of you. The hundreds of shades of green in the grass. The way the sun reflects off a rain-filled puddle. The abstract harmony of a discarded chewing gum wrapper set against the patterned relief of a sidewalk slab. If you really look, you will find beauty everywhere.

When I see such things, I have no doubts that there is a powerful God who has created the universe. The complexity of how beauty is interspersed throughout creation can only be accomplished by an Almighty God. So, when you're tired, when you're busy, when you're distracted -- take a moment.

There is no possible way that you cannot have heard about the death of Pope John Paul II. Both cable and broadcast networks have been showing little else. In case you haven't been paying much attention, this morning I received a piece from the WSJ's Opinion Journal that was posted on Saturday after the Pope's death. The piece is entitled A Man for All Seasons. Go and check it out.

While I am neither a Catholic nor an appreciator of Catholicism, I do have an appreciation for Pope John Paul II. As has been rightly said by many, John Paul II is as responsible for the downfall of Communism in the former Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact as President Ronal Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. John Paul II also stood up for the sanctity of life -- sometimes maddeningly (as in the case of the war in Iraq). For these two things, I will honor the man, Pope John Paul II.

UPDATE: I wanted to extend my remarks regarding the death of Pope John Paul II. And I will do so by directing you to Albert Mohler's recent comments on his blog entitled -- Pope John Paul II -- The Man and His Legacy. Enjoy.

I just read this article about how someone has vandalized the Medal of Honor Memorial in Indianapolis, IN. Someone has spray painted insults to President Bush and IN Governor Mitch Daniels on the memorial, broken large glass panels engraved with the names of war veterans, and sprayed general grafiti over much of the memorial site. Some speculation has been pointed at students on spring break (college? high school?).

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor and heroism that the United States can bestow. The men who have received the Medal of Honor are the very best our nation has to offer. These men have (often) given their lives to defend freedom and to protect the lives of their fellow soldiers, sailors and marines. All you have to do is to read the Medal citations to understand the level of heroism, galantry and honor that have been displayed. There are none better!