NACHO CHEESE

On a recent grocery shopping trip, I saw a bag of nacho cheese tortilla chips, and being a bit hungry for chips and salsa, I bought some. While snacking on them, I noted the bag was labelled "Made With Organic Yellow Corn" and "Made With No Genetically Engineered Ingredients." Interesting I thought, particularly since we had just talked about GE foods in one of our classes. So munching away, I began reading the back of the Garden of Eatin' brand package, and thought - this sure sounds like some Boulder granola types. "We are mindful of the soil, water, biodiversity and even worker health." I thought, Even? "Grown without potentially harmful synthetic pesticides and herbicides - our oils are different - our water is filtered." Then I saw the parent company of Garden of Eatin' - the Hain Celestial Group, and then it hit me - it is a bunch of Boulder granola types!!! Send your comments to 4600 Sleepytime Drive, Boulder, CO, 80301. :-)

ACADEMIA

Ahh, the life of a professor - public opinion is often swayed by folks listening to those they would like to believe. When second lady Lynn Cheney releases a report "How Many Ward Churchills?" many shake their heads approvingly with the conclusion that there are Ward Churchills everywhere. David Horowitz, the jerked-over Marxist, has made a second career by pushing his neoconservative academic bill of rights and dogging the "dangerous" left-wing radical elites in academe. Probably bigger than the liberal bogeyman is the public perception that professors really do not work very hard - ten or twelve hours a week in the classroom, summers off, holiday breaks - and once they put in a few years without getting fired, tenure guarantees employment for life. On the other hand, public opinion polls often put university professors ahead of many other professions regarding prestige and confidence. To me this simply demonstrates that most of the public does not really know what a professor does or what goes on in most university classrooms.

And - I am not going to explain what I do or what goes on in my classrooms!! If you really want to know about what professors do, go out to Malibu and spend a few days trying to keep up with my colleagues such as Steve Davis or Jay Brewster just to name a couple out of many exemplary professors. What I am going to write about are the special opportunities that can come your way as a member of the academy. On the lighter side, I am thinking of playing noontime basketball at Pepperdine with the great Lunch Bunch group, which at times would include David Duchovny, Flea, Jefferson Wagner [aka Zuma Jay] and my good friend Scotty Brown. Being able to occassionally play with guys like Robert Turner was special - Robert made us all look good! Although Reggie Miller did not join the Lunch Bunch, I rebounded for him for quite awhile as we talked of 'back home in Indiana." I am also thinking of dozens upon dozens of esteemed colleagues that I also consider friends - Marv Dunphy, renowned mens volleyball coach; Ron Sega, who has flown on two Space Shuttle Missions; Neal Lane, former head of the National Science Foundation and Presidential Science Advisor; Christopher Parkening, preeminent classical guitarst. And, I am also thinking about having the privilege of attending faculty meetings and academic conferences, listening to Jared Diamond share with our science majors, having Ken Starr, Doug Kimec, and Paul Westphal converse with our science faculty, and being able to chat with folks like Chris Matthews, have dinner with the Reverend Dr. John Polkinghorne KBE, and most recently having conversations and, along with three students, going out to dinner with Peter Arnett. These examples are just a few highlights, but they demonstrate one of the blessings of being a university professor.

THE 'HOOD'

SOME MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Here are a few pictures taken in the HKBU/NTT neighborhood.

Looking Northwest From My Office - Beacon Peak in the Nine Dragon Range

North of Campus - The Palace Residencies with Lion Rock Peak in the Background.

On one of our Saturday hikes, eleven of us went to the summit of Lion Rock. We went in the late afternoon to avoid the heat, had a picnic dinner, and wended our way down in the dark.

On another of our Saturday afternoon hikes, we went to the nearby Kowloon Walled City Park, mentioned in an earlier blog. Along the way was this "Christian Cemetery."

Across the street is an old British Army Barracks that is now staffed minimally by the People's Republic Army. Roughly translated, the sign proclaims "Be Politically Correct! Behave Properly!Protect Your Country Forcefully, and The Military is Hard." :-)

SUNSET PEAK

SUNSET PEAK - LANTAU ISLAND

On Saturdays, I try to organize a hike, city walk or an outing for any of the students who are not traveling or studying. A couple of weekends ago, Rich Johnson, pastor of the campus chapel, led a hike up Sunset Peak. Near the summit, there are a group of stone cabins that were built before WWII by mission workers. They were used as getaways, particularly during the hot, humid summer months. During the war, the Japanese blew the tops off of the buildings so that they could not be used by resistance forces. Many of the cabins have been restored to rustic functionality - there is no road access, it is over an hour hike, and all supplies have to be packed in, including gas cannisters for cooking. Rain water is collected from the roof and there is a spring not too far from the cabins. The Johnson family has been using their ministry's cabin for many years, ever since their now-adult children were fairly young. Unfortunately it was hazy - otherwise one could see other peaks on Lantau Island, the airport below, and across many of the Hong Kong islands.

KIBC

Kowloon International Baptist Church - Try to visualize an amalgamation of US Baptist Pastor - Anabaptist Minister of Youth - Vineyard Worship - English-Speaking Chinese congregation with a few internationals mixed in - enthusiastically participating in a lively contemporary worship. I guess you would have to be here to fully comprehend a typical Sunday morning service. About 250 folks gather for the Contemporary Praise and Worship service at 9:30, and another 250 participate in the 11:00 Traditional Worship Service. And at 5:00, another 100 or more attend the Evening Worship Service. In the morning, the message and testimonies are the same, but the music is quite different. Early service - band with keyboard, guitars, bass, drums and percussion, amplified but at a level that makes it possible to hear yourself and the others singing songs such as Amazing Grace - My Chains Are Gone, How Great Is Our God, How Great Thou Art, Breathe, All Creatures, Blessed Be Your Name, and Here I Am To Worship. And today's offeratory was a great trio, two guitars and bass, and great vocals on I Can Only Imagine. Second service - organ prelude and postlude, congregational singing of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, Glorious Is Thy Name, More About Jesus, Word of God Across The Ages, Wonderful Words Of Life, Teach Me O Lord I Pray, and Go Out And Tell with the choir singing This Is My Word. Congregational worship is a great bit of inspiration to begin the week.

HOOSIERS

HOOSIERS

It is hard imagine that I have been playing basketball for over 50 years, having spent my early years in the long-gone gym at New Paris Grade School. For me it is both a privilege and a blessing to be able to get out on the court and not embarrass myself! Thursday evening is basketball night for me and some of the Pepperdine students. Last night, Maurice, Shawn and Matt all made it over to Junction Road Park where there are nice lighted courts that have been recently resurfaced. The locals play standard playground 21, twos and threes, make-it, take-it. We have been very successful - of course it helps that Maurice and Shawn could both probably play college ball somewhere, and that Matt is 6'8" - it pays to choose your team well! Two of the local fellows that we played with last night were both fairly tall and reasonably talented, but were in awe of the young fellows' play - they even got out their camera to take a group picture! Also, after they played against Maurice for several games [and losing each time], we switched up so that they had the pleasant experience of playing with Maurice - I think that they were very pleased :-)