Thanks to the news media, the world can now add chickens to the things we must worry about killing us. To date, 100 million domestic birds have been killed and it is reported 60 of the 100 people infected with the human form, since 1997, have died.

You may think the Holidays are over, but there will be a nagging monthly reminder for all those who were caught up in all of that "Joy to the [commercial] world" last month.

As many of you may remember, January 16th was the 20th anniversary of the death of Herbert W. Armstrong. It is very helpful, I feel, to remember that Christ used this man—human as he was—more than anyone we know of for the last several hundred years. A number of us in this Work had the privilege of working with him closely for decades. It was a privilege that we will never forget.

Years ago, a friend and I stood on a mountain crest located on the Cumberland Plateau. Before us were broad grassy meadows, created from land that had been strip-mined. Although major damage had been done to the land through clear-cutting of timber and strip-mining, reclamation was producing positive results. The meadows were pleasing to the eye and the animal we saw near the edge of the meadow greatly enhanced the view.

My wife and I just returned from a visit to Louisiana. Although our visit was short, we spent part of our trip touring the devastation in the area around New Orleans. I wish every citizen in our nation could see what we saw that day, with their own eyes, not just through the news media.