Reportedly, the terrorist group ISIL announced in November 2014 that it intends to mint its own coinage, including gold, silver and copper coins. If they followed Islamic law apparently each gold coin would contain 4.44 grams. Based on the New York Gold Spot Price on February 6, 2015, of $1233.55 US per ounce and the fact that 4.44 grams of gold converts to 0.1427493147647 Troy ounces, each coin would be valued at approximately $176.09. Then 100 gold dinars, the bounty for the capture of another Jordanian pilot as promised by ISIL at the end of the horrific video showing the burning of the Jordanian pilot Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh, would be valued at $17,609 US dollars.

Compare this figure of $17,609 US and its risks to the $30 million US reward allegedly paid by the Bush Administration for information leading to the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons--and even $5 million US reward offered by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston for the return in good condition of 13 works of art taken from its galleries in March 1990.

Bounty hunting could be a profitable venture given positive odds of success. It seems to me that ISIL's offer sucks. I should think that the out-of-work, easily brainwashed people flocking to ISIL's ranks might instead consider where the real money is. Having it would attract plenty of vestal virgins.

I performed this mathematical exercise--and somebody correct me if I did something wrong--as a prelude to having recently accepted the position of treasurer of my homeowner's association. I am now terrified of that decision. I guess I freely associated my uneasy state of mind to what ISIL seems to want to create and hence the silly exercise above.

What I really should be doing is assisting in reading the JI mail, well over 500 messages that accumulate daily. And darn, rarely is there anything complimentary for our publishing effort that has spanned well over a decade.

Occasionally the mail contains a message from someone wanting to join our staff, as was the case just recently from a Crowder student looking for an internship or part time work. Of course, each message is written with the assumption that the secured employment would be salaried. Hey, staff works on their love of journalism. I failed to convince this person that putting the JI on her resume and the experience garnered would be beneficial in securing a full-time job. Well, we CAN brag that others have done this successfully. Anyway, good luck to her if she finds that paid position with on-the-job training.

Unanswered questions lead to stress. Stress leads to illness. Illness necessitates having adequate insurance. Senator Roy Blunt's staff sends us a lot of mail. Usually, it makes us cringe. Case in point mail titled: "Senator Blunt: Time to Repeal ObamaCare." The release lets us know that Blunt is a co-sponsor of the ObamaCare Repeal Act, or legislation introduced recently by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. Blunt justifies his action by claiming that, "Missouri families and workers are struggling with higher premiums, job losses, canceled coverage, and fewer doctors thanks to ObamaCare." Is he just pandering to the will of Tea Party politicians, the need to vilify our first (we think second, Clinton was first) black president? Who are these people really who are so harmed by the passage of the Affordable Care Act? What about the 325,00 or so Missourians who were unable to get Medicaid coverage because of our local Republican politicians' refusal to allow Medicaid's expansion? They've really redefined "donut holes," haven't they? And who is Blunt with his premium controlled government medical insurance capable of determining what is best for the uninsured?

As for me, it's time for a nice stress-reducing glass of wine--a good red like a vintage Sangiovese--and on to tackling the rest of the mail.

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