Author Archives: RF_Alum

Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher

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I was disturbed by the celebrations in the streets of Britain when Margret Thatcher died, and I decided I needed to know more about the “Iron Lady.” I found this book and was instantly intrigued by the title. I expect Reagan fans, and I’m definitely in that camp, will enjoy the book more than those opposed to Reagan’s politics. Apparently there are many in Britain who are not Thatcher fans, and I will guess they won’t like this book. However, I think anyone interested in the history of the Cold War would enjoy reading or at least be interested in this book.

The subtitle of the Nicholas Wapshott book is “A Political Marriage,” and I found it remarkable how close Reagan and Thatcher were. I got the impression from reading the personal messages between them that they were uncomfortable with how close they were. Prime Minister Thatcher probably had to worry the most; her opponents tagged her as “Reagan’s Poodle.” The reality was that she often displayed the strongest will in disagreements and Reagan worked his personality overtime when he thought he taken a position that had disappointed or angered her. Reagan, to his credit, valued her directness and council. Continue reading →

Fine Kettle of Fish

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World Wide Words says the expression is used to describe an “awkward state of affairs.” The origin of the idiom is uncertain, but it is known that gentry on the Scottish border with England would feed guests at outdoor outings by boiling salmon in kettles over open fires. There is a guess that the fish broke up in the process of being boiled and “looked messy” (yum!). Another guess is that the expression results from the corruption of a quintal or kentle (one hundred pounds) of fish. I prefer the first guess, since it produces such a messy image.

Guest Commentary on “The Closing of the Muslim Mind”

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A review of this book by Robert R. Reilly was posted in September, and one reader was inspired to purchase the book, read it, and provide personal observations. I continue to recommend the book. I especially recommend it to those who believe that we can depend on “moderate Muslims” to allow logic to prevail in the dealings between Christians and Muslims. The book indicates there are only pure Islamists and infidels; there is no such thing as a “moderate Muslim.” I struggled with whether the following is commentary or an extension of the review, so I’m posting it as both. With that introduction, the following is the input from the “Guest Commenter.”

During my time on the Yucca Mountain Project, I worked with a very devout Sunni Muslim Imam.  He provided me with a couple of books on Islam that were written by Muslims and we had several discussions that left me wondering why our philosophical views were so different.  He is a fine fellow and I do not mean to disparage his theological or philosophical outlook.  However “The Closing of the Muslim Mind” provided a context that makes understanding his viewpoints much easier. Continue reading →

The History of Turkey

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This book is part of “The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations” and was written by Douglas A. Howard.  This is the second Turkish history book I’ve reviewed. I think the first, “Turkey Unveiled,” is more colorful that the usual history book; the authors admit they are in love with the country. This book is more of what you would expect from a “nuts and bolts” history book, and it has some useful features. There is a quite useful timeline of historical events in the front of the book. There is a glossary of terms in the back that I found quite useful. All in all, I don’t think you could go wrong with reading either this book or “Turkey Unveiled” if you are interested in the country or want to learn about the country in preparation for a visit. Continue reading →

Not a Leg to Stand On

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I thank Stephen Pastis who produces the “Pearls Before Swine” cartoons for this expression, although the cartoon in which this expression was featured wasn’t one of his better creations. The expression is used to describe a person in a weak position who can’t prove their argument for lack of a witness or any solid evidence. The Phrase Finder writes “…it’s just a folksy way of describing something that has no support. The metaphor probably refers to furniture…” Stools with four, three, or even just one leg have functionality, “…but a stool without a single leg to stand on was incapable of supporting you!” 

Obamacare Impact on Employer-Provided Health Insurance

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It is no mystery why President Obama issued an executive decree that extended the requirements for implementation of the Affordable Care Act on employer plans to 2014. He did that even though he did not and does not (according to my understanding of how laws are made) have the authority to issue decrees that changes a law passed by Congress and that he signed. The President knew there will be outrage when tens of millions of people on employer health insurance plans begin receiving cancellation notices, and that outrage has now been delayed. 

Estimates of the percentages of employer-insured people who will lose their plans were published in 2010 in the Federal Register.  Reading the entire entry is instructive about the complicated process of imposing a regulation. There is a long list of things that will cause a company plan to no longer be legal. Table Three of the entry provides a midrange estimate that 22% of employer plans did not meet the “grandfathered” requirement by 2011, 38% by 2012, and 51% would not meet the requirement by the end of 2013. The high end estimate is that 69% of plans would not meet requirements by the end of 2013. (See Page 34522, Table Three of the link to see the details of the estimate ranges.) Continue reading →