OF BURGERS, FLAGS, AND BK's NEW BREAKFAST SANDWICH

Best Burger in Indianapolis: Almost universally, whenever I see a 'best of' list in a local newspaper or magazine, I find myself reacting with something like, "How on earth can they be that wrong?" Let me tell you... if you live in Indianapolis and you're a fan of the hamburger, look no further than Urban Element for your fix. Generous hand-made patties, cooked over an open flame to the degree of your liking, sided up freshly cut tomatoes and a toasted bun that's out of this world, and you'll be asking yourself, "How in the world can a place this hip--yet still relatively unknown to the city's 'in' crowd, make a burger this good?" Urban Element is located on 9th and Pennsylvania, and if you're jonesing for a burger, you have gotta stop by!

Flags in Classrooms: Yesterday, word came that our beloved Indiana state legislature approved--by a vote of 86 to 6--legislation requiring public schools to display US flags in each classroom, provide time for a daily moment of silence, as well as require schools to lead students in the pledge of allegiance. Upon hearing the news, I was surprised to learn that approximately 35 states already have laws on the books requiring schools to lead children in the pledge of allegiance. In 2002, a federal appeals court ruled that reciting the pledge of allegiance in public schools was an unconstitutional "endorsement of religion" because of the addition of the phrase "under G-d" in 1954 by Congress. Our money says "In G-d we trust." Every single day that the US Supreme Court is in session, it's marshal begins by saying, "G-d save this honorable court." What on earth does G-d have to do with any of it? Despite the references, our nation has had a long history of separating religious matters from government, and our forefathers were wise enough to codify that into the First Amendment of the Constitution. This separation not only protects religion from government intrusion, it also protects government from the intrusion of religion. It affords all of our citizen the safety to worship or not worship as they see fit, and to keep their religion, or lack of it, private and personal. Thomas Paine, author of "Common Sense," one of the most influential periodicals of the revolutionary period, wrote in 1776, "As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of government to protect all conscientious protestors thereof. " School children are an easily impressionable group, and requiring them to choose whether to stand with their classmates, or sit apart in silence, causes discomfort and confusion, not only about themselves and their relationship to their classmates, but towards G-d and their family's belief, or non-belief, in G-d. When they are old enough, I feel, then they can worship, or not worship, as they so choose. Requiring them to choose at such a young age does them and our society a grave disservice, I feel.

Burger King's New Breakfast Sandwich is a Real Whopper: Have you heard about this one yet? Burger King has unveiled two new breakfast sandwiches, one of which contains 730 calories and 47 grams of fat. The Enormous Omelet Sandwich (yes, that's its real name) comes with two eggs, sausage, three strips of bacon, two slices of melted cheese, and a nicely toasted bun, and contains more calories than any other single non-speciality item on the fast food chain's menu. It's other new breakfast sandwich, the Western Omelet Croissanwich, contains 320 calories and 17 grams of fat. It includes grilled onions, ham, and melted cheese inside of one folded egg on a fluffy croissant. Hey, if I want 700+ calories from a meal, I'll get it with Indianapolis' best order of fries on the side over at Urban Element, not with grease dripping onto my lap courtesy of Burger King before I even get to the office.

So how much is your cut of Urban Element sales?

I think that my problem with the whole God in the classroom thing is that the God of the founding fathers is not the same God as those who are trying to put Him back in the classroom.

Roberto: I think Mikal is paid $50,000 a week to endorse Urban Element. Why else would he write about a restaurant that he likes?

I agree, Urban Element is a great place to eat!

As for Under God, it never effected me when I used to recite it in elementary school. Sure I was raised with certain Christian beliefs, but I probably didn't understand what "under God" meant when I was 6. I don't remember it ever bing a problem when I was growing up. It's not like the Pledge of Allegiance said, "one nation under the Christian god". That may be how adults interpret it, but I think most faiths have a belief in some form of a "god".

Whatever...you're never going to please everyone.

The problem that as I view it, is with requiring everyone one to say the ìpledge of allegianceî is that for some it is against their religion to say the pledge.
At work we have a person who is a Jehovah Witness and his kids are always being made fun of because they donít stand when the pledge is said and I donít think it is right that they are made to feel different just because of their beliefs.

Interesting, I had to use the word ìViewî it, because the program said it was ìobjectionable contentî if I use the word ìseeî in place of view.

Call me ignorant? but, why g-d, instead of god???

Roberto: No cut whatsoever, but you raise a great point. Hum, yum... I might need to look into this further :-)

Laurie: It's a Jewish custom†to †leave the "o" out of G-d and L-rd.† I've always done it (probably a product of upbringing), but according to various web sources, the main reasons are:

1)† Because it makes the words G-d and L-rd unpronounceable.†We†can read the names and know whom we mean, but cannot pronounce them. The misuse and abuse of any of G-d's names is anathema [ìaccursedî] for a Jew.††During the third century A.D., the Jewish people stopped saying this name in fear of contravening the commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the L-rd thy G-d in vain" (Exd 20:7).

†2)† Another reason is the fact that there are many other "gods" of other nations. When the Israelites were exiles in Babylon, dwelling among idol worshipers, the elders ruled to make a distinction between the gods of the Gentiles and the†G-d of Israel by leaving the ìoî out. The sanctity and holiness of the Jewish G-d does not allow for reference to him to be spelled like all the other "gods".††

The thing is... if "god" were not in the pledge students would not HAVE to choose whether or not to sit out during the Pledge. Plus, it is not only 6 year olds that have to recite the pledge in school. It is also older students that understand it better. It also does not matter what TYPE of "god" is specified, because some people don't believe in any "god" what so ever.
|Kelsi|