To The Editor: The image we have of the English Royal Family has ascended much since colonial times when its ruling members were thought the greedy force behind our unfair taxes. Nowadays, thanks to constant work, a clever effort to put the past to amnesia and help from influentials, England’s royals are regarded as good, if not "betters." On occasion a family member will contribute directly to its improving esteem, as the queen did last year when she announced, due to difficulties in the economy, the House Of Windsor would embark on measures of austerity. Because she declined to reveal specifics, certain persons turned to speculation. One said he believed the man who squeezes the paste onto her 64-year-old son's toothbrush was headed for unemployment. This claim was disputed by another who swore the man’s duty was too important for elimination, He then, after a few seconds of reflection, concluded probably the caretakers of the royal horses would not, at least for now, be provided with new lightweight shovels. Turning focus to another royal, William’s wife Kate, it does appear there are two contrasting efforts being employed: one visual; one ink. An example of this occurred a few weeks past when she was shown wearing a $500 dress with $750 shoes enroute to a charity function for the poor. Soon thereafter, there was a story put to circulation that she is a patron of thrift stores, shops at groceries and lives in a cottage. Testifying to the successfulness of this promotional undertaking is the effect produced whenever a male of English royalty steps into camera light with chest covered in metal, bunting at his waist, a sash angled from his shoulder and gold cord encircling his hat. Seeing all this, out from the minds of the audience in silence if not shout is this sentiment "Doesn’t he cut a striking figure." It is worth mentioning, if a person from elsewhere in the world, though powerful and important, appears on television displaying an equal abundance of metal and cloth, he has to have a royal image, otherwise people will. say, "Who does he think he is dressing like that, he looks foolish?" RAY LEWIS Corbin City

To The Editor: The believer and the heathen walketh the same path, though faith or feels good is their sway, desire is the root, the motivation and the end. To the heathen, consequence be damn, and to the believer, evidence shall suffer the same fate. These philosophies are healthy when tempered, even better when balanced. The mechanisms society has used for balance are being eroded in a changing world. Extremism now comes from zealots mixed with and manipulated by mercenaries of many causes. The expanded opportunities of voice, give availability to even those who have no personal ability to expound. Some of these folks believe their aptitude toward copy, cut and paste should earn them a Pulitzer. Still, the assaults can be both compelling and caustic. The participants are most everyone unable to avoid the fray. As positions of extreme are pronounced, even loved ones are often brought to opposite sides of the sweep. Arguments are alluring, likewise harmful, and truly insidious. Intellect coupled with time may be all that most need to restore peace. Exaggeration cannot coexist where harmony is sought. However, some things we say cannot be undone. Despite the peace, the damage can be everlasting. Does forgiveness erase the hurt ? To that end, even Jesus advises us: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Good luck with that. Though religion and politics are at the fore, this bickering has no boundaries. I make these observations as a participant in this folly. Of course I will defend my position, but with what level of discourse shall I do so? "Never discuss religion and politics in a polite conversation." You will hear no such utterance today. We are talking ourselves into drawing a dividing line to every aspect of our existence. Our differences in concert are our strength, they should not divide us in any way. Conservative and liberal, rich and poor, white and black, men and women, all the way to short and tall, we are surely "different," and yet we are all so much the same. Love, success and happiness are likely among all our desires. No matter what your beliefs, our earthly trip begins and ends alike. Most walk the same path, arguing all along the way. If our mouths were closed, our eyes may open to all the good we share on our journey. Can I get an amen? SAM KELLLY Swainton

To The Editor: Ocean City sustained its "family" reputation. My kudos to the residents. Now what about Sea Isle City? Is it time to at least rid the summer vacationing familes of the nuisances and deaths caused by our gin mills? The one sore eye of the town is the bars that serve the visiting animal house students. One bar proudly displays fake I.D. cards they took from underage kids. The ones that get through the check become a part of the morning stagger-home, while knocking down mailboxes, paper dispensers, fencing and anything else in their path. I had some valuable statuettes taken that weighed almost 50 lbs. I was told it is part of their summer program to see who gets the best trophy. One bar even promotes drinking in the morning, and it's a line of teens to get in. What a day that creates. Last year at the amusement park, some drunks from a close-by bar, were attempting to get on childrens’ rides. Polar Bear day seems to now be a tent as a staging area in the middle of our main street to town, and across from the beautiful basketball court and vets memorial. I watched polar bear dippers go through the path to the ocean this year, and I can safely say one of every two bathers were cockeyed drunk. Is this what we want for our "Family Town?" Isn't it time to rid the beautiful town of the nuisances caused by some five to 10 bars. Let them serve food, and yes let us bring our own booze to dinner, unlike Ocean City just voted no on. It will be a difficult task here now that several of the very bars I am addressing are well connected to elected officials and Trenton. But, it's worth a try. I have also been informed that since the old library was torn down, the bank and taproom next door now has more parking for their customers; I really hope that is not true. To think a beautiful new library was built with our tax dollars, can benefit an establishment owner. The building extension on the voting building is another improvement to the town, but that parking lot next to it is going to be for valet parking. That smells of a sweetheart deal. Help me here, if I am wrong, because I certainly don't want to make false accusations. Can we stop the reckless drinking by summertime drunks or not? Wildwood has knocked down some of their famous watering holes. FRANCIS GRAFF Sea Isle City

To The Editor: Cape May City's government must remember what we learned as children: sharing ideas, discussing and negotiating solve issues. Avoidance leads to failure. The police in Cape May have worked without a contract for 18 months. Yet, they are doing all of the thinking and development of ideas regarding a new contract. They offered the city a plan that saves over $200,000 per new hire during the course of their careers. The city refuses to discuss it. The state put a law into effect that substantially increases the percentage of the health care costs paid by the police, saving the city considerable money as health care costs escalate. The police are asking for a 2 percent raise in salary, less than their increase in health care costs. The city refuses to discuss it. Since they need a role model, Cape May should look to the success Lower Township has had in negotiating contracts with their police department. Refusing to listen, to meet and to resolve this contract, damages the police, the residents and tourists. It also makes the government of Cape May City look foolish and childish. KATHLEEN DYNAN Cape May

To The Editor: This continuation of government being the only force to fight obesity continues to grow as a nightmare on citizens while the government justifies their goals by federally-funded science studies that are nothing more than fast-food junk. Jeff Stier, the head of the National Center’s Risk Analysis Division, has published another statement refuting the “junk” study that is being used to give Big Brother another reason to interfere and issue scare tactics to “weigh” in on the obesity epidemic in this country. More activists and government officials continue to push more tax proposals and restrictions on food advertising to ban bake sales in schools such as the one that became law in Massachusetts. This problem has so many factors. While we know that corrupt and imaginary study data is constantly being printed and published, the fact remains that our own eyes see what an obese society and country we have become. Why has this happened? Because we no longer do for ourselves. We no longer have to physically do our chores. We no longer plant our own gardens and tend to our crops and herds to provide food for our families. We no longer clean our houses or our yards without technological tools. We no longer send our children to play outside to run, jump, climb trees, or roller skate down the sidewalks. Children and grandchildren are becoming vidiots, and deaf ones at that. Our world seems to evolve around the all-mighty videography to watch and play. We no longer do any physical labor to produce products for our country to export or sell because technology has replaced those jobs and skills. I could go on and on because the technology replacement since the 60s has slowly but surely replaced physical activity and labor with automation and electronic gadgetry. But what this laziness that we have accepted by virtue of technology has fueled the big governmental plan to instruct us what to do, what to eat, how to live, where to go, what to read, and most of all, what we are not allowed to do in the name of safety. This is like sorcerers magic under the political cape of slight of hand and mouth to make us believers that their illusion is perfect for the “good of the people” and because it must be true it is good for all. Really? While there have been a few arguably good program ideas presented and written that address the growing obesity problem, until people realize that they are being conditioned into believing that the only solution is one that comes from the government, then the battle will be lost. The oxymoron to this entire issue is: so many assisted citizens believe that they can continue to be belligerent and voice their irrefutable opinions, then why are they the easiest to be led down a new path of lifestyle decisions. Once again, we are being molded and coddled to stop thinking for ourselves and to accept what government has deemed is the best solution. If we do not begin to question the “studies” that are used to write headlines and law, then we will become the propaganda puppets who will succumb to anything we are told. ARVENE KILBY Bridgeton, NJ

To The Editor: The president began his reelection campaign stops, mainly college campuses, indicating that he was handed the worst economic crisis since the depression. The TARP bailout of Wall Streets Investment Banks was debated as bailing out banks that were too big to fail. The banks had to accept bailout funds even if they were not affected by the failed financial sectors. Interestingly, when the TARP funds were to be repaid to the Treasury, the repayment and interest was to be applied to the debt. The Dodd–Frank Bill was passed as a government oversight to Wall Street. After all of the protests of bailouts, Dodd–Frank guarantees taxpayer bailouts of the much bigger, too-big-to-fail banks. The president states that his policies saved our economy? Well I suspect that the stimulus policy of almost $1billion was going to reduce unemployment to 8 percent within a year. Every year since his election the president has overspent incoming revenues by $1 trillion plus every year. The stimulus was going to shovel-ready jobs, almost three years later, the president meeting with his Job Creation Council laughed for the camera’s explaining that the shovel ready jobs were not quite ready, and the unemployment rate was at 9.8 percent. A recent reelection ad suggests that he saved the auto industry. GM and Chrysler received billions in bailout money. Recently Fiat Automotive purchased 60 percent of Chrysler and immediately requested a several billion dollar federal loan. GM received over $50 billion, paid back $6 billion; received $38 billion in tax exemptions and the taxpayer will receive the owed balance, 30 percent of GM stock. The taxpayer payback will come when the GM stock reaches $53 per share. When the $50 billion bailout was made, GM stock was $33 per share, presently in the mid 20s per share. Investing in the future was rhetorical standard manifesting questionable unchallenged results, to enumerate; over $750 billion was appropriated for green alternatives. In the last 15 months, 11 of the “funded” corporations have failed. To illustrate, the Fisker gas/electric vehicle received a U.S. Dept. of Energy loan of $170 million and $500 million for a start-up plant in Delaware to produce a cheaper version of the Fisker Karma. The Karma retails for $97,000 and the Fisker assembly has 500 employees; the bad news is that those jobs are in Finland. Delaware has employed around 15 employees. Justification for the automotive bailouts was to maintain blue-collar jobs. Several years after the GM bailout they opted to build a new $580 million assembly plant, but the plant is in Mexico. The latest political explanation for the poor economy is that the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes; albeit 10 percent of the richest wage earners pay 67 percent of all the U.S. income tax revenue. In comparison, 47 percent of all taxpayers pay no federal tax; the 47 percent receive a full refund of their federal tax. It is expressed that corporate CEO’s receive far too much compensation. Exactly what is too much compensation? When a 20-something athlete, in many sports, signs a contract for 100 to $170 million that does not exceed seven years, or a TV hostess can accrue $60 plus billion in less than 15 years, or a movie star receives $20-30 million for less than six months of work. Congress is now concerned that an investment bank lost $2 billion on a bad derivative? In retrospect they never address the fact that our government, under Congress’ stewardship, overspends $4 billion a day. The questionable investment bank has total assets of $384 billion and made $4 billion last quarter. AL CROSSEN North Wildwood