Oh, wow! Thanks for documenting such bravery and creativity. Is it too late for Americans to start being proud of such an accomplished leader?

Earthling

"Aren't you getting tired of the concept of a behavior pattern being considered on the same plain as your g****r or your ethnicity?"

I am. Gays have a g****r, i.e., either male or female. Those are their statistical classifications based on physical traits. Other bases could include: ethnicity, language spoken, race, age, income, etc. In my opinion, behavioral patterns are not, and should not be, one of these, unless in special studies of well-defined groups, among which is sexual orientation. I think gays and lesbians, themselves, should discourage being identified as special groups if their goal is to be assimilated into the population simply as citizens in their country. What people do in the privacy of their homes are their business. Gays are people, period.

I don't know why American v**ers somehow thought that from cheap glass a diamond would emerge. The ones who v**ed for the incumbent, many did twice, despite a totally failed first term, are responsible for the sinking of America in terms of economic and military power and world leadership. Will any of us learn our lessons, ever? Doesn't look like it. Why, because the effort is expended in finding excuses or looking the other way. Grow up, fellow Americans.
Earthling

My name implies that I might be related to the mythical super-fellow. Interestingly, no one in my family has named their daughter Delilah. But I use her as a reference point to remind those who are writing down my name to omit the "p" in the middle, which seems to be the way people spell it.

You have 11 children, or your parents did? That must have been fun. Big families are very common in the developing world, ironically. These families often do not need baby-sitters, and have a ready-made social support system as adults and in their old age. There could be a cost to society, but on the whole, I see a big family as a blessing.

Thanks, but Muslim kids were the farthest from my mind, simply because I know next to nothing about them. I was thinking of some 30 countries I worked, or studied in, where I observed the way families lived.

I think not liking what kids do, such as some of the things shown on the pics, is also a matter of culture, something that America has dozens of right now. As a multi-cultural society we might try to understand, accept, or at least ignore, what would otherwise be not exactly cute to us.

KHH1

I guess I'm too new to understand your comment, but thanks, anyway.

I tend to agree with the points raised by the previous writer. In addition, I'd like to add my own concerns:

It's basically a matter of priority, along with immediacy, along with "scarce resources capable of alternative uses."

Let's focus on the most imperative, the most relevant, the biggest bang for our (deteriorating) buck.

One reader's opinion on the above statement:

Remembering my college readings, the U.S. government structure consists of: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. Legislative is basically Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate; Executive are the MANAGERS/ADMINISTRATORS, at the top of which is the President; Judicial is the Supreme Court and all the other courts down the ladder.

Observation and common sense suggest that congressmen and senators would perform best if they are schooled and experienced in law; the president and all other administrators, if they are schooled and experienced in management, administration and leadership.

Thus, education- and experience-wise, the best pr********n for a President is a (successful) governorship of one of the 50 states. These states are mini-countries and may be more complex than most countries in the world, some of which are dots on the map, with meager populations. (It is a pity that the U.S. has only one v**e at the U.N. when we are not only its biggest resource, but also the largest economy in the world, although we have reportedly just been replaced by China - thanks, among others, to lackluster executive performance.)

In summary: a (successful) Governor tends to have more of the appropriate qualifications to be President or Vice-President versus a Congressman, Senator, Justice or Judge. The last six+ years should give us pause.