Tales from the Trail

Like millions of other readers, U.S. President Barack Obama and his older daughter are big fans of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. “I’ve got a lot of favorite books,” Obama told excited children at a Silver Spring, Maryland, elementary school on Monday. “But Malia and I read those Harry Potter books, and we thought those were pretty good.”

Obama visited Viers Mill Elementary School to recognize improvement in the students’ standardized test scores and talk about the importance of reading. “I wanted to come by and introduce myself, to say I’m very proud of you. I am hoping that you guys will continue to read, read, read, and that all of you are going to be really working hard not just this year but all the way through high school and then all the way through college,” Obama told the classes of mostly 8- and 9-year-olds assembled in the school’s cafeteria.

After very short remarks, the president stopped at each table and shook hands with the thrilled children, asking them what they liked to read, and chatting with each group.  Besides sharing his thoughts on their reading selections (he hasn’t read the “Goosebumps” series, but hears they are “pretty good.”), he shared his opinion of the new movie, “Where the Wild Things Are,” which was the most popular film at cinemas in North America during the weekend.

“When I was really small,” Obama told the schoolchildren, “I used to love a book that they just made a movie of, and that’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’” he said. “We saw that on Saturday and I thought it was worth seeing.”

Photo credit: U.S. President Barack Obama chats with third and fourth grade students at Viers Mill Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland, October 19, 2009. Jason Reed/REUTERS

WHO has given up on trying to keep any kind of precise count on swine flu, which is just about everywhere now. It's fairly mild but hardly anyone has any immunity, so it will infect far more people than seasonal flu does in an average year. That may mean more serious cases and more deaths than usual, just by virtue of sheer numbers.

It is affecting lots of kids but there are some clear guidelines for health care workers to protect themselves and their families.

Lots of companies are working on vaccines, which likely will not be ready for most countries  until the middle of October.  In the meantime, most patients do not need any treatment at all. People with diabetes, asthma, pregnant women and children who seem to have trouble breathing need prompt treatment, however, and the good news is the antiviral drugs still work well.

President Barack Obama, steeled by Chicago’s harsh winters, had some unsolicited advice for shivering Washingtonians on Wednesday — toughen up.
 
Obama took a joking dig at residents of Washington, his new adopted home, after his daughters’ school was closed because of icy streets and sidewalks in the nation’s capital.
 
“My children’s school was canceled today, because of what? Some ice,” he said to laughter as he spoke to reporters while sitting down with corporate executives to discuss his economic recovery plan.
 
As one of his girls, who both attend the private Sidwell Friends school, pointed out, Obama added, “in Chicago, school is never canceled. … You’d go outside for recess. You wouldn’t even stay indoors.”
 
“We’re going to have to apply some flinty Chicago toughness,” he said in an amused tone.
 
Asked whether was calling Washingtonians wimps, Obama — who moved his family from Chicago before his presidential inauguration last week — said, “I’m saying when it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don’t seem to be able to handle things.”

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Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Reed (Obama meets business leaders)