If youve been successful, you didnt get there on your own. . . Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If youve got a business you didnt build that. Somebody else made that happen. Barack Obama

The presidents defenders have claimed he either misspoke last week or that what he said is true. Both defenses have merit.

No mans accomplishments are entirely his own; were all indebted to others, and we all rely on government to provide some basic things. If the presidents praetorians want to defend him on grounds of platitudinous banality, fine.

But even they have to know in their hearts that this is a pathetic maneuver, given that the reason theyre rushing to defend Obama in the first place is his commitment to the very philosophy they deny hes espousing.

Obama is a progressive ideologue and a passionate believer in social justice, and thats a large reason why his fans love him so. But if you ever say that he is what he is if you take his words seriously they ridicule you for believing hes anything other than a pragmatist and moderate.

Yet many conservatives dont appreciate that Obama fits within an old American intellectual tradition. Indeed, you might even call him a reactionary progressive; he seeks to restore the assumptions and priorities of the Progressive Era.

Herbert Croly, the godfather of American progressivism, spoke for a generation of progressive intellectuals when he wrote that the individual has no meaning apart from the society in which his individuality has been formed. For the progressives, society and government were almost interchangeable terms.

John Dewey, the seminal progressive philosopher, believed that organized social control via a socialized economy was the only means to create free individuals. For the progressives, freedom wasnt the absence of government coercion, it was a pile of gifts from the state.

Progressives invented the idea of the moral equivalent of war as a means of inciting citizens to drop their personal priorities and rally around the state for a government-defined cause larger than themselves. Obama came into office under the motto a crisis is a terrible thing to waste and has been looking for Sputnik moments ever since in a search for a way to rationalize his agenda.

To the extent Obama ever speaks the language of religion, it is to justify, even sanctify, the works of government. He often invokes the Hallmark-ized biblical teaching that I am my brothers keeper, I am my sisters keeper as a means to rationalize not personal action but government action.

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Co-sponsoring your success

Raju Khatri combines personal experience in leadership in business as an entrepreneur, trainer and motivator. In Leadership in Business, he coaches the reader in individual areas of personal development and achievement. Heprovides a logical motivational approach to starting and running a business. He brilliantly parallels principles of communication, marketing, and motivation from ancient Buddhism, the logic of Hindu Vedas, and from the working production model of the community of bees.

I found his discussion on several topics of particular interest, including: The decision making process, a formula for success, business investment, family business strategy, and situational leadership. The chapter titled "Career Plans in Business" tells the stories of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and other recognized leaders. Each illustration defines a specific stage of their success story. Illustrations are interesting, informative, and entertaining.

Although much of the material is covered by other personal coaches and self-help books, Raju Khatri's approach is unique. Using a variety of elements within the format of the book enhance, reinforce, and summarize the principles of leadership and success being introduced. These include: Outlines, graphs, charts, case studies, illustrations, lists, topical headings, and parallels. The case studies and illustrations include Sony, Southwestern Bell Corporation, Pepsi-Cola, and other highly recognized companies.

I personally enjoyed Raju Khatri's frequent use of alliteration to emphasize key points. His writing is practical in presentation, content, and conclusions. The book is filled with valuable lessons for every level in one's career, whether beginning employment, starting a small enterprise, operating a challenging business, holding a leadership position in business, or moving into an advisory role.

Raju Khatri's Leadership in Business is worthy of reading, assimilating, and applying--and then starting the cycle all over again. Highly recommended.

(Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views)

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Book Review: Leadership in Business by Raju Khatri (K.C.)

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7rprrx/islam_and_sustaina) has announced the addition of the "Islam and Sustainable Development: New Worldviews" book to their offering.

In Islam and Sustainable Development, Odeh Al-Jayyousi addresses the social, human and economic dimensions of sustainability from an Islamic perspective. Islam is sometimes viewed as a challenge, threat and risk to the West, but here we are reminded that the celebration of cultural diversity is a key component in Islamic values. Promoting common understanding between East and West, this American-educated, Middle Eastern-based author offers something broader and deeper than conventional Western ways of thinking about sustainability and presents new insights inspired by Islamic worldviews.

Drawing on his roles as both academic researcher and senior development practitioner, Professor Al-Jayyousi applies his deep understanding of Islamic values to contemporary environmental, financial and social conflicts and crises and defines a framework for sustainability embracing local, regional and global perspectives. He also addresses how education might produce innovation, knowledge creation and development to support a new paradigm for sustainability that re-defines what constitutes good life, beyond consumerism and the production of waste.

This book will interest policy makers, development and donor communities, funding agencies and banks in the Islamic World and beyond, as well as those with a professional interest in planning and in environmental and conservation issues. Scholars of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies and more broadly, those with an academic interest in cultural and religious studies, will find that this book in Gower's Transformation and Innovation Series is perhaps the most substantial work yet on sustainable development from an Islamic perspective.

Key Topics Covered:

- Foreword, His Royal Highness El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan

- Introduction: reflections and personal journey: in search of insight

- Sustainable development revisited

- A framework for sustainable development: Islamic worldviews

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Research and Markets: Islam and Sustainable Development: New Worldviews

It all started many years ago in the basement of Matt OBriens parents house.

As OBrien and best friend Matt Cada spent countless hours acting as managers on baseball video games, they dreamed of having their own team.

Now, an actual scorebook has replaced those hand controllers and the players are no longer video-image; they are real people.

Oh, and perhaps the most important thing: the two Winona VFW Buddies coaches are still just that: buddies.

This team is like having our own video game come to life, OBrien said. We love to think about the game. We have our style and system, but we are creative. That video game aspect, its allowed the creativity to come in.

Those hours playing video games have been put to good use as OBrien enters his sixth season as the Buddies coach and Cada his fifth. The two will sit on buckets in the dugout instead of a couch in the basement this weekend as the Buddies play in the Divisional Tournament.

We can finish each others thoughts, Cada said. When a play happens, (OBrien will) say to me what I was going to say. We see the game with similar eyes. We know what we are looking for and what we expect. Its easy to be on the same page.

The similar style comes from growing up two blocks away from each other in Winona and being best friends for 22 years. Cada still calls OBriens parents mom and dad.

They have played on at least four teams together, but that doesnt count the backyard games or the times they hopped the fence at Gabrych Park. In a single summer day as 12-year-olds, they would play for the Winona Park and Recreation in the morning, have a Goodview Park and Recreation game in the afternoon, practice with their traveling team and still find time for some backyard whiffle ball as the sun went down.

If we werent playing it, we were playing a video game of it, we were talking about it, OBrien said of baseball. When it comes to our thinking, we are pretty darn close on the same page. It doesnt happen very often that we arent on the same page.

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Coaching Buddies: O'Brien and Cada team up to lead Winona VFW baseball team

HOOVER, Ala. -- In these troubled times, we need a role model, a leader, a visionary.

We need a statue that isn't the topic of a national debate.

Nick Saban qualifies today, right now. That may change in 20 minutes. We trust and believe at our own risk these days. But let's give him the moment, at least. He's our guy, college football's oracle.

Dictionary.com defines that term as "a person who delivers authoritative, wise or highly regarded, influential."

We all know who used to own that title in amateur athletics. His legacy is ruined. His statue needs student body guards. His name is being dragged through cyberspace, headlines and mud. Saban spoke for half an hour Thursday at the SEC media days and never said the words "Joe Paterno."

Maybe it was an oversight. Maybe it was intentional. But, for now, Saban fills the role vacated by the once-respected coach. Not only because he has won two of the past three national championships or that he is the coaching gold standard.

For the most part, his players haven't embarrassed him. He hasn't embarrassed himself.

His daughter is the stuff of tabloids at the moment, but that has nothing to do with her father. Those vacated wins on Saban's record come from a trumped-up textbook probation. If that bothers you, then you haven't noticed the bar has been lowered significantly for the coaching profession -- and mankind.

Trust and faith are in short supply, measured almost by the day -- along with blood alcohol content. Coaches throw away marriages for helmetless joy rides. The player you adore today could be in jail tomorrow.

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Saban stepping up as new coaching icon when we need one the most

Most retirees face the same conundrum: how to spend down assets without completely depleting them. One popular strategy is to apply the 4% rule -- withdraw 4% of your initial retirement balance and adjust the dollar amount annually to keep pace with inflation. Another rule of thumb is to spend only your portfolio's interest and dividends.

[More from Kiplinger: Quiz: Are You Saving Enough for Retirement?]

Some academics aren't fans of either strategy. A retiree who spends only his interest and dividends may load up on, say, bank stocks -- and that's "the tail wagging the dog," says Anthony Webb, research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Leaving the principal untouched may fit with a desire to leave money to heirs, but it could put a crimp in your lifestyle.

As for the popular 4% rule, it doesn't respond to actual investment returns, Webb says. Retirees drawing fixed dollar amounts from a sinking portfolio will soon run into trouble.

The RMD strategy. A third option may work better for many retirees: Base annual spending on the required minimum distribution rules that apply to traditional IRAs after you turn 70 1/2. Retirees of any age can use RMD calculations as a spending guidepost by simply dividing their total year-end portfolio balance by the life-expectancy factor listed for their age in IRS Publication 590.

[More from Kiplinger: 10 Things You Must Know About Social Security]

In a recent study, Webb and coauthor Wei Sun, of China's Renmin University, found that the RMD strategy outperformed the spend-the-interest strategy and the 4% rule, given a typical retiree's asset allocation. Because the RMD approach calculates the annual withdrawal as a percentage of the remaining portfolio, it is calibrated to investment returns. And the withdrawal percentage increases with age.

The strategy isn't perfect. It may result in withdrawal rates that are too low, particularly early in retirement, causing retirees to leave behind money that they might have preferred to spend. But if we're entering an extended period of low returns, as many advisers predict, you may want to err on the side of conservative spending rates.

[More from Kiplinger: State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees]

A hybrid approach. Although no simple rule is ideal, retirees may incorporate an RMD-inspired strategy into a broader plan for covering expenses. A 2010 Vanguard Group paper, for example, found benefits from combining an inflation-adjusted immediate annuity with an RMD approach. This strategy produced stable cash flows that grew at a faster rate than those produced by other rules of thumb.

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Don't Run Out of Money in Retirement

Eastern Washington University Learning Commons

Q: What is a Learning Commons?

A: EWU defines its Learning Commons in the following way: A learning commons is a blended learning space that supports the entire student learning experience, including technology needs, collaborative learning needs and personal development. Cross-disciplinary and cross-curricular connections among university academic services and students help create knowledge communities to enhance student learning through integrative processes that allow for skill building, authentic practice and reflection. The learning commons combines traditional library research services with writing help, peer programs, computing and technology support, individual and group study, and other services to support the processes of inquiry, analysis, understanding, synthesis and the creation of knowledge.

Q: Is the Learning Commons mission in keeping with the universitys?

A: Yes, the Learning Commons mission is tied closely to that of the larger EWU mission. The Learning Commons Mission is to: Provide a collaborative intellectual setting that inspires excellence in learning.

Q: Where will the Learning Commons be situated?

A: The Learning Commons will be mostly on the main level of the John F. Kennedy Library and directly accessible from both entrances. Through the front entrance of JFK, head to the right of the Reference Desk for entry into the Learning Commons. At a later phase (estimated fall, 2013), Thirsty Minds is proposed to move to a permanent location adjacent to the Learning Commons, with an expanded selection of food and beverages.

Q: What services will be provided in the Learning Commons?

A: In the fall quarter the Learning Commons will house the Multi-Media Lab, formally the MARS lab. It will also house the Writers Center and PLUS group tutorial services. In successive quarters we will see other services provided on a part-time basis in the Learning Commons.

Q. When will the Learning Commons be open?

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Learning Commons -Frequently Asked Questions

By Melissa Korn

Online education is touted as a convenient option for busy students, but e-learners may actually care more about cost than about schedule.

According to a new study by the education practice at The Parthenon Group, a consulting firm, tuition cost ranks higher among factors that prospective online students weigh than do convenience, quality of education or even the ability to find a job after graduation.

The survey included more than 1,500 prospective students with family income below $80,000 and was commissioned by Penn Foster, which operates online high school, college and vocational programs.

Tuition cost rose to the top spot in 2012 from the No. 5 criteria in school selection back in 2007. The main factor for students five years ago was education quality.

It was a little surprising to see [cost] jump to number one, says Chris Ross, a partner at Parthenon. The student decision-making process is shifting.

With price tags ballooning, jobs hard to come by, schools cutting back on grants and scholarships and families increasingly worried about saddling graduates with long-lasting debt, its no surprise that cost is top of mind.

And while the general public remains uncertain about online courses, as this Pew Research Center report from last summer shows, institutions of higher education are plowing head-first into e-courses. (On Tuesday, another 12 top universities announced they would pile onto the free education bandwagon.)

Still, as online education becomes more mainstream, schools are finding they need to differentiate themselves on something other than flexibility of schedule and convenience, Ross says. Accreditation no longer makes programs stand out from the crowd, nor does a schools non-profit or for-profit status. A separate Parthenon study, not yet published, found that up to one-third of students at private-sector (for-profit) schools had considered attending a non-profit institution as well. The decision set is widening, so other factors come into play, Ross says.

(This infographic from the Sloan Consortium, a group of schools, companies and other organizations involved in online learning, gives an overview of online education today. Of note: nearly one-third of total enrollment came from online courses in fall 2010, and nearly one-third of chief academic officers believe its at least somewhat inferior to face-to-face teaching.)

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Cost Tops Quality for Students Seeking Web Courses

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ATI Nursing Education, the leading provider of online nurse education programs, today announced the award of its ATI Nursing Education Nurses Touch Product Grant to Des Moines Area Community Colleges practical nurse program and The University of North Carolina at Pembrokes registered nurse program.

The Nurses Touch product line, which will launch nationwide in fall 2012, is the industrys first online education program focusing exclusively on developing professional and interpersonal skills in nurses thus meeting a growing industry need. The product grant provides for the two nursing programs to use Nurses Touch for one class of students for one year.

The Des Moines Area Community College and University of North Carolina at Pembroke programs were selected from more than 120 grant applications. Using stringent criteria, ATI Nursing Education selected the schools based on how Nurses Touch will be used to enhance the educational experience and performance outcomes of nursing students.

Given the nursing roles of advocate, communicator, teacher, caregiver, and manager, the soft skills of nursing are increasingly important to the educational process, said Margaret Cooper, RN, MSN, Nurse Educator with the Des Moines Area Community College program. We are very excited to be able to offer our students access to the Nurses Touch product to strengthen those skills.

It is imperative that students understand that nursing entails more than the ability to perform pure technical skills, said Dena Evans, EdD, MPH, BSN, RN, CNE, associate professor and coordinator of the Learning Enhancement Center of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke program. Unfortunately, in many schools of nursing, a focus primarily on psychomotor skills leads to graduates who are unprepared for the critical and reflective thinking required in todays dynamic healthcare environment. We believe that upon graduation, these students who are exposed to the Nurses Touch content will be better prepared for a constantly evolving and demanding work environment.

Barbara Synowiez, PhD, MSN, RN, chair and professor of the Department of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke agreed that the grant will provide a unique opportunity for the school to enhance the professional and interpersonal skills of its nursing graduates.

We are pleased to be a recipient of this grant and look forward to working with ATI Nursing Education during the next year, said Dr. Synowiez.

The Nurses Touch product line focuses on five key content areas including professional communication, wellness and self-care, becoming a professional nurse, nursing informatics and technology, and leadership and management all areas which will help foster interpersonal skills on the job. Like all ATI Nursing Education programs, Nurses Touch uses the latest and most effective learning tools such as interactive simulators, tutorials, case studies, and practice and proctored assessments.

Nurses Touch also allows educators to assess and track students progress. In addition to student growth, this reporting information can be an accreditation documentation resource.

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ATI Nursing Education Awards Grants that Provide Industry-first, Online Professional and Interpersonal Skills ...

SCRANTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Penn Foster, Inc., a global leader in online education, today announced findings from a recent research study conducted by The Parthenon Group on behalf of Penn Foster that looked at the market trends and drivers in the online education category. The report found that the cost of tuition was the most important factor in school selection, moving from the fifth most important factor in 2007 to the top factor in 2012. The study also revealed that potential students believe in the value of education, but doubt their likelihood to receive pay-back on their investment in the short-term.

Our research validated what we had been observing prospective students are more and more price sensitive, said Frank Britt, CEO of Penn Foster. The prospect of having student loans and building debt is a big challenge for students today which is why we continue to focus on debt-free, pay as you go programs that make education accessible to those with less financial means.

RECESSION

The recession of 2008 is still taking its toll on our nation and is a big reason why prospective students have not enrolled in a secondary education program. They have concerns about going into debt and the weight of carrying student loans. Key findings around the topic include:

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A SCHOOL

The research tracked trends in education over the last five years. In 2007, participants were asked to select the most important criteria when choosing an online school, with the same study repeated in 2012. The findings show that students have become increasingly sensitive to price, taking the top spot in 2012, up from fifth in 2007. Convenience and interaction with teachers also were ranked higher in 2012 than in 2007.

The cost of tuition shot up as the biggest consideration when selecting a school, indicating that concerns over potentially accruing debt is top of mind for many students, said Chris Ross, a partner at The Parthenon Group and a member of the firms Education Practice.

COMPARISON SHOPPING

Penn Foster also set out to understand the number of schools potential students research during their decision making-process. The biggest key finding includes:

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Penn Foster School Releases Findings Around Student Attitudes Toward Education