A soldier’s suggestions for our political leaders
This is an excerpt from our son’s weekly report home.  These are the thoughts of a professional officer, not a political “activist.” Perhaps both parties would do well to listen to someone who is “at the point of the spear”:
“The election results are in, President Obama for another term. I can only hope that he can find a way to compromise with Republicans and get us back on track towards fiscal responsibility. Forget the “big” programs. Just govern responsibly. Otherwise it will become four years of gridlock and no real improvement. So here is your chance, Democrats, show you can just walk away from your world changing social agenda items and just govern responsibly. Republicans, you can show you are not total (deleted) by offering to meet in the middle, and look to improve the nation, rather than the 1 percent. 
“Please look to reduce the darn deficit. Also, you may need to raise taxes. We’re in a war, gosh darn. These are the first administrations that think you can win one without war bonds. Are you kidding? Has anyone really ever wondered why we are in debt? Start looking at 10+ years of combat. It’s expensive. I don’t think anyone can balance the budget and start paying off our debt without a real look at our tax situation. Forget the Tea Party radicals, and the Nancy Pelosi flower child dreamers. Look to darn Greece!! That’s where we are heading. Let’s just balance the gosh darned checkbooks, people. Not everything can be ‘socially’ addressed, and not everything is tax free. Compromise in the middle! We only have seven weeks to get it done. If both sides can’t learn to rule together, since neither has a real hold on all power, then we the people are screwed. Thank freaking gosh it’s over for another four years.”
— John P. Burke
Salisbury

Beyond the tipping point
I am a strong committed  believer in the Al Gore theory of global warming. Unfortunately, cognative dissonance has beset me. I am properly inpressed by the photo of the baby polar bear stranded on an ice cube somewhere in the Arctic. How do I relate this to the corroborated reports of increased polar bear populations? And what about the receding ice cap on Mars? What can we do to get those Martians to stop burning coal? And I wonder why our liberal oracles do not mention that the ice cap on the South Pole is growing?  
Wow! Think of what this means. All the North Pole ice is turning to (heavier) water, while the South Pole water is turning to (lighter) ice. When a tipping point is reached, will the Earth turn upside down? Will kangaroos be grazing in Dan Nicholas Park? 
Well, at least we enlightened liberals can gain a little solace in knowing that it was all caused by George Bush.
— Joe Roberts
Salisbury