Obama in Estonia

It was surprising to see at the joint press conference that the Estonian president Toomas Ilves is more fluent in English than our president, but when I looked him up I see he did attend school in the U.S. He was born in Sweden of Estonian parents and Russian grandparents, and educated in the U.S., so I'm not exactly sure how he came to be their president. Ilves hasn't written 2 books about himself, but has quite a long list of publications and awards.

But at least our President did finally mention Sotloff's execution (beheaded by ISIS) in the news conference--but only after Ilves did. He seems to still believe ISIS is a regional threat, and ignored the problem that he ignored them during a year of warnings and memos from his own people. He didn't call them evil, but did refer to them as a cancer.

http://www.president.ee/en/president/biography/index.html

The cost of education

Mark Perry of the University of Michigan has calculated, tuition for all universities, public and private, increased from 1978 to 2011 at an annual rate of 7.45%. By comparison, health-care costs increased by only 5.8%, and housing, notwithstanding the bubble, increased at 4.3%. Family incomes, on the other hand, barely kept up with the consumer-price index, which grew at an annual rate of 3.8%.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303870704579298302637802002

“Most of the growth in higher education costs, according to a 2010 study by the Goldwater Institute, a libertarian think tank, comes from administrative bloat, with administrative staff growing at more than twice the rate of instructional staff. At the University of Michigan, for example, there are 53% more administrators than faculty, and similar ratios can be found at other institutions.”

Messy is my kitchen, not the world

What a glib, inane statement—“The world has always been messy, we just know more now because of social media.” Really? Franklin Roosevelt knew what Hitler was doing to the Jews--he didn't need social media--but he did have anti-war Communist sympathizers in his administration, and USSR and Germany became allies 75 years ago yesterday. I fear it's a similar situation, but now the sympathizers close to the president are Muslims. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/opinion/frank-bruni-obamas-messy-words.html?

ABC News reports that the Department of Homeland Security can’t find more than 6,000 people living here on student visas — which sounds awfully familiar--haven't we heard this before, like 2001?

If the president by-passed Congress again on "no boots on the ground" he'll probably say they are wearing shoes instead of boots, therefore he didn't lie.

“American Special Forces commandos are on the ground fighting in northern Iraq, according to a published report, just a week after Barack Obama said that wouldn't happen. And with a second brutal beheading in Syria ,the president may soon have to decide how much more military might to deploy.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2740793/American-forces-ground-Kurds-say-US-commandos-fighting-ISIS-northern-Iraq-Obama-said-no-combat-troops-fight.html

What is the Caliphate?

Glenn Beck was warning his subscribers of the Caliphate 2 years ago.  But of course, the regular media laughed at him. And Obama doesn’t read his memos, so he was caught flat footed.

http://www.start.umd.edu/news/tale-two-caliphates/

“For al-Qa’ida senior leadership, “the Caliphate” is a master-frame that it dangles well out in front of violent Islamist groups the world-over, hoping to align their otherwise dispersed and diverse violent campaigns on azimuths that converge in the triumphant, albeit distant, future. The Caliphate is a conceptual destination; a grandiose victory that signals the onset of global conquest in which all of the world’s territories will be governed by their interpretation of Islam.

For the Islamic State, by comparison, it is the reality of an extant Caliphate and its associated obligations that will purify Islam, rally dispersed actors to make the hijra, and ready Muslims for the apocalyptic military battle with the West in the Levant.”

The daily memo

The President apparently gets his daily briefings as memos rather than in person the way other presidents have done. Seems they pile up unread. WaPo reported 2 years ago: "During his first 1,225 days in office, Obama attended his PDB just 536 times — or 43.8 percent of the time. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, his attendance became even less frequent — falling to just over 38 percent. By contrast, Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting." That explains a lot.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-is-obama-skipping-more-than-half-of-his-daily-intelligence-meetings/2012/09/10/6624afe8-fb49-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html

“. . . the former president held his intelligence meeting six days a week, no exceptions — usually with the vice president, the White House chief of staff, the national security adviser, the director of National Intelligence, or their deputies, and CIA briefers in attendance. Once a week, he held an expanded Homeland Security briefing that included the Homeland Security adviser, the FBI director and other homeland security officials. Bush also did more than 100 hour-long “deep dives” in which he invited intelligence analysts into the Oval Office to get their unvarnished and sometimes differing views. Such meetings deepened the president’s understanding of the issues and helped analysts better understand the problems with which he was wrestling.”

Like or hate Bush, he was more engaged and relied on a stronger base of knowledge than Obama, who seems to  believe he knows more than everyone in the room, or the world.

Buffett’s lie about taxes and his secretary

Remember when Buffett claimed his secretary paid a higher tax rate than he did? Here's a breakdown of the figures, and why he "misstated" the facts. "In actuality, his office workers’ relevant 2010 “federal tax rate” was 20.7 percent, not 36.0 percent, while Buffett's was actually 31.12 percent, not 17.4 percent." It's part of a series on Cliches of Progressives.

http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/5-warren-buffetts-federal-tax-rate-is-less-than-his-secretarys

http://fee.org/publications/page/cliches-of-progressivism

Yes indeedy

Do unpaid interns get Labor Day off?

I can't seem to find an update on the August 2013 article on unpaid interns in the White House, which I wanted to use for Labor Day. For a guy urging a $10.10 minimum it seems a little hypocritical; on the other hand, it is we the people w...ho would be paying these political unpaid servants. Not only are they unpaid, they'd have to be wealthy or have a rich family to support another year of not paying college loans so they could "move forward" Obama's plans. Not much diversity in the photo.

http://theweek.com/article/index/248475/should-white-house-interns-be-paid

Impossible to tell, but it looks like about 120 in this photo.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2013/07/12/full-list-of-white-house-summer-interns-for-2013/

I only noticed 2 from Ohio; 12 from Maryland.  Have to be politically connected to get these “jobs.”

Alexander Mccall Smith, The Sunday Philosophy Club

I've started a new novel. I'm on about p. 100. Nothing has happened since about p. 2. "Amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher who uses her training to solve unusual mysteries." I think I know why I almost never read mysteries.

Chubby Checker at Lakeside

We enjoyed the Chubby Checker show at Lakeside Chautauqua last night (born Ernest Evans, October 3, 1941.) I didn't know he was still alive--although I hadn't actually been pondering his career. He's 73 and puts on a great show. I’d love to manage those stairs without hanging on to the railing (stage to floor).  Early on I had a little trouble understanding him (although rock and roll songs were not written for their wonderful use of language), but he seemed to work into it using a lot of audience participation. Thankfully for those of us who have not had our hearing destroyed by rock concerts, the band played within a range that didn't drive me out of Hoover after 2 numbers. Sax man was awesome. He does a very good Elvis impression, and not bad with the Beatles.  Then a spectacular fireworks on the lakefront; a nice finale for our last evening. A fine ending to a great season of spiritual growth, intellectual stimulation, and cultural challenges. Also, way too many trips to the pie lady booth at the Farmer’s Market. By the end of the season, I could walk 2 miles plus and was faithful to do my physical therapy for bursitis.

Bus parked at Hoover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubby_Checker

Michael Brown’s juvenile record leaked

This is why there needs to be a complete investigation instead of rioters demanding the death of a policeman and Eric Holder showing up. 1) The store security cam showing Brown roughing up the owner after stealing; 2) eyewitnesses who claim Brown struggled with the policeman; 3) autopsy report not what witnesses claimed; 4) a juvenile record that suggests he wasn't a gentle giant. Leaks and rumors won't cut it.

Éclair cake, no bake

Ingredients

• 2 (3.4 oz) packages Vanilla Instant Pudding mix, dry
• 3½ cups whole milk
• 12 oz. cool whip
• 2 (14.4) oz packages graham crackers
• - FROSTING -
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Blend milk and vanilla pudding packets for about 2 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip.
2. In a 9x13 pan, Layer graham crackers to cover entire bottom of pan. You may need to cut and shape the crackers to fit nicely.
3. Pour half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
4. Put another layer of graham crackers to cover entire surface. Cut and shape crackers accordingly.
5. Put the second half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
6. Put the final layer of graham crackers on top with bumpy side down. This will help the top look more smooth when you go to put the frosting on top. Once again, cut and shape crackers accordingly to avoid pits and cracks.
7. FOR THE FROSTING: Microwave butter and milk just enough so that they are melted together. You do not need to boil it. Add cocoa and powdered sugar and blend together. This will be a runnier frosting/glaze. Pour over top of graham crackers and smooth out nicely. (**I usually double the frosting recipe)
8. Refrigerate overnight and Dig in!

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2010/08/eclair-cake/

No strategy yet

Huckabee on Obama’s strategy

“You know, the president keeps talking about I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” Huckabee concluded. “Well, let him get that pen and write down the list of all these counties who are going to be far more affected and much more immediately that we are…. And then get on that phone of his and call these guys and explain to them in explicit terms that we’ve got to seal off our own borders right now.”

Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/watch-mike-huckabee-calls-arab-nations-aid-defense-isis/#gWmKvs4M0jXvKOxp.99

Leading from behind

I love cats, but . . .

Akron 18 year old Trevonte Mitchell who kicked a cat and his friend posted it on FB earlier this month has been sentenced to 6 months and $1,000 fine according to a Cleveland station. Over paid Ravens player Ray Rice assaulted his girl friend (she later married him showing she's as challenged as he is) in an elevator and got a 2 game suspension. "Ravens coach John Harbaugh said: "It's not a big deal. It's just part of the process. . . . He makes a mistake. He's going to have to pay a consequence." I love cats, but this just isn't right. Mitchell was just a dumb kid who kicked a feral cat--Rice was a role model and millionaire who beat on the woman he claimed to love.

Both Mitchell and Rice are black; apparently some unkind things have been said on twitter and Facebook (go figure!) so now they are claiming racism.  Really?

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/akron-police-arrest-cat-kicking-suspect-1.513227

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2014/08/its_about_time_roger_goodell_admitted_his_mistake_about_ray_rices_punishment.html

Mothers and daughters

My retirement advice, redux

Are you in your 50s or 60s and thinking about retirement? Here's my advice written some years ago, but still true. http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2007/06/3915-retirement-experts-jonathon.html

Hands up, don’t shoot meme

“What actually happened in Ferguson: Within 10 minutes of committing robbery and assault at the QwikTrip store, Brown, together with his accomplice, Dorian Johnson, encountered a police officer. An altercation took place, and Brown was shot and killed under circumstances that are currently under investigation.

The accomplice, Johnson, claimed later that Brown had been shot from behind while h held up his hands in surrender.  Two other witnesses later backed Johnson’s account, although at least one of the two changed her story when it was reported that an autopsy showed Brown was hit in the front.  Johnson, it should be noted, has served jail time for lying to the police. Other witnesses said that the 6’4”, almost-300-pound Brown hit the officer in the face, possibly breaking his eye socket, and tried to take his gun away (which would have put the officer in mortal danger).  At this point, no one seriously claims that Brown was running away with his hands up when he was shot.”

http://capitalresearch.org/2014/08/the-court-of-memes-why-people-believe-fake-facts/

Homicides of children

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/187239.pdf

Not a pleasant topic, but I keep misplacing the link.

Homicides of juveniles in the United
States are unevenly distributed, both
geographically and demographically.
Rates are substantially higher for
African American juveniles and for
juveniles in certain jurisdictions. Yet,
85 percent of all U.S. counties had no
homicides of juveniles in 1997. . .

Most homicides of young children are
committed by family members through
beatings or suffocation. Although victims
include approximately equal numbers
of boys and girls, offenders include
a disproportionate number of
women. Homicides of young children
may be seriously undercounted . . .

Women are responsible for 43 percent of
the deaths of children under age 12 who
are killed by identifiable persons, a percentage
that has been relatively stable
since the 1980s (Federal Bureau of Investigation,
1997). Women overwhelmingly kill
very young children (75 percent of their
juvenile victims are under age 6) and members
of their family (79 percent). . . .

http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02310.asp?qaDate=2011