Love you guys ... love your writings. However, I MUST take umbrage over your "Socialism Poster!!" Having our President pictured with the 2 worst mass murderers in world history is an inexplicable insult, both to President Obama and to all Americans! I understand your point/message about his socialistic leanings ... but the vehicle you've chosen to use is beyond the pale. I suggest you "deep six" the poster immediately!

Just when one feels actions taken by patriots has stymied this administration, another head to the hydra pops up and our work must be renewed. There is no rest for the weary.

How long and how much vigilance must we expend to undo what has been done in just two and a half years?

If only the people would heed the warning!

Question: Other than Barack Hussein Obama, does anyone know of any other obscure state senators who have had 2 autobiographies published? Maybe it's just me but this really seems strange. Don't most people wait to be famous first and then write "An" autobiography?

And then the "Free" Masons got involved. And it started downhill. You know!!! The New World Order.

Correct VA Patriot, but if we could only crack into the background of the annointed one and expose him, all of this other crap he has generatted would come tumbling down. But it won't happen. NO GUTS, it's called in Congress by "Job Preservation." Don't rock the boat even if it is a rotten and leaky one. And I am sure the little Lord is beaming with pride over the treasonous indoctrination going on in our schools, especially the elementary schools in Tucson. I guess America just hasn't seen enough of this jerk yet and as we approach campaign time, it is more not about Obama, but the constituency who put this "Post Turtle," where he is. Just in case you wonder what a Post Turtle is; no one knows why he is there, who put him there, nor he doesn't know what to do, now that he is there.

I often cite the warnings of the Communist Manifesto, first published in 1848 by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels. The "Ten Planks" of the Communist movement state:

"The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by degree, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralize all instruments of production in the hands of the state, i.e., of the proletariat organized as the ruling class; and to increase the total productive forces as rapidly as possible.

Of course, in the beginning, this cannot be effected except by means of despotic inroads on the rights of property, and on the conditions of bourgeois production; by means of measures, therefore, which appear economically insufficient and untenable, but which, in the course of the movement, outstrip themselves, necessitate further inroads upon the old social order, and are unavoidable as a means of entirely revolutionizing the mode of production.

These measures will, of course, be different in different countries.

Nevertheless, in most advanced countries, the following will be pretty generally applicable.

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.

2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.

3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.

4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.

5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.

6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.

7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.

9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.

10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. "

They've told us what they want to do. And they're doing it, right under our noses.

"It is incredible how as soon as a people become subject, it promptly falls into such complete forgetfulness of its freedom that it can hardly be roused to the point of regaining it, obeying so easily and willingly that one is led to say that this people has not so much lost its liberty as won its enslavement."--Estienne de la Boetie (1530-1563)

ANYONE WHO THINKS FOR ONE MOMENT THIS NATION WILL EVER BE THE SAME: GOD FEARING, FREEDOM LOVING, LIBERTY LOVING,COUNTRY ONCE CALLED THE "GREATEST COUNTRY TO HAVE EVER GRACED THIS EARTH", ARE IN FOR THE SHOCK OF THEIR LIVES. THE POLITICIANS SINCE WOODROW WILSON HAVE WORKED WITHOUT LETUP TO TURN THIS COUNTRY INTO ANOTHER FAILED COMMUNIST STATE.THE MULATTO FRAUD NOW IN THE WHITEHOUSE, AND SOON TO RECEIVE HIS SECOND TERM WILL ALL BUT INSURE THE CONSTITUTION, AND BILL OF RIGHTS WILL BE SHREDDED INTO OBLIVION, AND HE ALONG WITH FIDEL WILL BE "PRESIDENT FOR LIFE"!

Regarding the article discussing the possibility (Certainty, I hope) that Obama's pick for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Liberal law professor Goodwin Liu may be rejected: There is one Republican senator on whom Obama can always rely and that's his sycophant from Indiana, Senator Richard Lugar. I, for one, as a Hoosier from the state that has perpetrated Lugar onto our nation, will be working with all possible gusto to rid the Senate of Lugar and get a true conservative seated in his place.

WOB, the poster is not that far of a stretch. You do remember Obama's Pal, Bill Ayers who the Prez claimed he really didn't know him that well. Well you do recall Ayers tried to blow up the Pentagon and the difference between being a failure and a success of being a mass murderer was a minor glitch. Ayers also admitted, he was sorry he didn't do more. Great people Obama hangs around with and has in his immediate circle. At the very least Obama is a radical sympathizer.

Excellent! Now our wise leader wants to indoctrinate (further) the young people of the Middle East. What's worse is that he plans to use OUR money to do it. Great piece Mark! Wake up America!

The overarching trend in education is Constructivism which developed from the work of Lev Vygotsky a Marxist for Lenin's brain trust. I have been teaching for 23 years. As a grad student prior to beginning my career, I came across Vygotsky in my research of constructivism. His biography really gave me pause. In the course of my 23 years constructivism has increasingly become the pervading paradigm in education. It is the foundation of the Reading/Writing Process advocated by Don Graves from the University of New Hampshire-my alma mater-which was all the rage back in the late 80s and 90s. In Denver Public Schools the mandated math curriculum is constructivist in nature and the results are abysmal. The result for me is that “teaching is a subversive activity” now-to ironically reference the 1969 book. It is going to get worse, DPS is presently piloting a teacher evaluation methodology that is going codify constructivism as the only pedagogy that is acceptable in a Denver classroom. I hope that articles like yours will bring out what is an extremely disturbing trend in the American education and the tide can be turned.

Mother of 8 and teacher, I almost cried reading this article on "education". It's all true, Mark, every single sentence you wrote...I now only substitute because I'm not trusted to teach the doctrine of the state. They kill a love of learning and then replace it with indoctrination and too many parents don't seem to notice or care. God help us. Keep preachin' it Mark, some are listening and waking up.

"When an opponent declares, 'I will not come over to your side,' I calmly say, 'Your child belongs to us already .... What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.'" ~ Adolf Hitler, Community Organizer

Thank you, Mr. Alexander, for recognizing those of us in academia who are still holding on and fighting the 'good fight'. We are few, but an important, vocal touch-point against 'run-away' government education. It's refreshing to be acknowledged in an environment where we are usually lumped in with the leftist-socialist-communists (take your pick). Thanks, again.

I have lost faith in the conservitive views of the Republican Party. I think we have too many spineless, middle of the road members of the Republican Party, who are willing to be bought off, or under the guise of working things out,(compromising) with plans that are liberal and socialistic; because we really need to "learn to work together" in congress! Definition of work together for our President means "switch your line of thinking to MY WAY." I personally believe we need a "Conservative Party", with a candidate who is truly conservative, so we have someone to vote for that will listen to our voice.

I read with interest your commentary on the education of the young. You might find intersting a small book by James Clavell (of Shogun fame) entitled "The Children's Story). It displays what could happen if the USA were overtaken by an enemy state. It, in short but riveting terms, shows how easily young children can be brainwashed. A video also exists (about 30 minutes long) which I obtained from the internet.

Wonderful article, but only the real educated (no offense intended) will understand the word Socialism attached to Marxist, etc. The word that should be put there is Communism. This is the scary word that seems to be avoided. Most do not want to be a Communist...but a Socialist would be great. A "Social Worker" helping everyone, giving out food stamps, housing, you name it. Those old Communist have been given the wrong word. Please help these unaware "Socialists" to understand how they are being duped. The poster is really "cute".

Thanks

Mark - "The Directorate of Indoctrination" essay today was outstanding! I would rank it in your top ten. It should be mandatory reading for every teacher, principal, and parent in America. I'd ask the students to read it too, but I doubt that our educational system has given them the skills to think critically and logically.

Did you know that the Federal Government through Medicare/Medicaid funds pays Humana $11,000 per person PER YEAR!!!! for every new enrollment?

Did you know that Humana dropped over 8 million health care programs across the nation so that these previously enrolled persons would have to re-enroll so that Humana could get the new HIGHER payment from the Government?

This is a huge crime. Why isn't the Congress and the Senate all over this abuse of Federal funds?

No wonder Medicare is always needing more money and is going to make our nation go bankrupt.

This is corruption at the highest levels with complicit enablement from our congress and Senate for failing to do their jobs when it comes to overseeing Law and spending money.

Don't take my word for it. Do some investigating. Humana's stocks have gone through the roof with this new milking machine in place. Humana is being set up to be absorbed as one of the companies that will morph into the single pay system that corrupt leaders hiding their communist leanings so desperately want to heap on to us.

No one ever audits the Medicare, medicaid or Social Security programs. No one ever audits the Federal Reserve. No one ever audits the Military spending. Isn't this the place to begin looking for the huge theft that is happening under our noses?

The real job of the House of Representatives and the Senate is to get to the bottom of these corrupt programs siphoning the life out of our Nation.

@WOB..I disagree with your comment about the poster.IMO it reminds me more of Big Brother in the dystopian novel by George Orwell title 1984.It was a novel about a pervasive government always using surveillance and incessant public mind control.

I find myself in the odd position of saying brilliant. Now as for socialist, or big government. Alas, it is hard to say where one ends and the other starts. Joyce is correct, Charlie is correct. Yet upon reflection, even I have missed the point. Where did we go wrong? It's easy to blame Bush but it was in play long before Bush. We can say Homeland Security Act. I stated a long time ago, show me the difference between them and the Nazi Juden Laws. How fast was it rammed through Congress? Yet it was i n play long before that. We can say Nixon with the FBI and wire tapping but the truth is Johnson did it. The question is still how far back does this Go. Mark, if you want an essay, when did it start?

Socialism? Both parties can be defined as not Marxist though all parties has those leanings, communist? Perhaps. when Mich went down to communist rule, the dismantling of government, the suspension of state constitution, this is a GOP thing. did they go to far? In my personnel opinion yes but the question shouldn't be why, it should be when.

Is everyone being played by all parties? On Tues post, I asked Rifleman, we need these programs or we may be in trouble. My language is rather strong. I still stand beside how I said it yet is it those programs that make us dependent upon government?

My Tea Party rep was reamed over him accepting subsidies for his farm and Medicare. He wants his money for not growing food thus keeping prices high but screw the elderly when over 7.5 out of 10 people say end oil subsidies, naw, we can't do that for they are wrong. I can say and have said, GOP Tea Party. Again I ask, is it large government hand out, food stamps for the rich?

This is more than politics,my way or the highway, the essay got me thinking, the problem isn't the government, it is us. We lost our way.

I would never vote for the preaident Obama. because He doesn't tell the truth. And doesn't care about this Country.

One VA Patriot wrote:

"How long and how much vigilance must we expend to undo what has been done in just two and a half years?"

Sorry VA, it is NOT just two & 1/2 years...IT IS 50 or more YEARS. The indoctrination was in full swing after WWII, increased 1000% after Vietnam (the 'Nam protestors are now University professors) - the teachers in my family report how no dissent is allowed;it is policy to teach socialism in all disciplines in the government schools. Now the gov'mint is going after the brave families that home school - those kids will not be allowed to escape. Maybe, maybe we have but one more generation to save America !!!

Great article...

...The importance of faith in any spiritual situation, either militarily or personal is a well known fact. This faith links us to values and moralities worth fighting for, sacrificing for, and even dying for. Leaders and representatives must be able and capable of evaluating moral and spiritual fitness of the spiritual soldiers they lead. Many of our leaders and representatives lack this personal faith and spiritual understanding that comes with a personal relationship with this nations God and our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

Our leaders and representatives cannot ignore a strong personal faith, a leadership style based on Christian Biblical principles, and a climate developed in faith based and spiritual moralities that are allowed to flourish. We talk often of threats to our national security yet seldom initiate discussion of what is the greatest threat - the spiritual decay of our great nation, the United States of America." This decay affects the very fabric of our founding fathers mosaic. The decay rots away from the inside out the strengths of our society and the extension of that same society, our nations Christian based value system.

What was once a nation that was tolerant in the name of "civil rights," now openly condones and even flaunts perversion, immorality, and a host of attitudes which were once unthinkable? The spiritual decay has created a turning away as national policy, not as individuals, from the faith and truths that which made this land called “America, great –we need to remember that “this nation’s faith and reverence for God, our creator, coupled with spiritual leadership of those that govern is the strength within our borders.”

Keep the faith, hope, and courage...knowing that this nation will rise if we remember the truth about the "Supreme Judge of the World," "the Protection of Divine Providence," and "sacred honor," were not and are not empty phrases. In the beginning this nations' founders are all of character being very much concerned that the cause of liberty and independence was right with God in the stregthing of our nation, this should be our concern also.

Thank you Dennis, I took the time to read it.

At least we can still communicate via the internet since MSM is censured.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant -- and free -- in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson

"Only he who has conquered his own people first can conquer a strong enemy… When the people are weak the state is strong; when the state is weak the people are strong. Hence the state that follows a true course strives to weaken the people… The gifted were of no use and the ungifted could do no harm. Therefore, the art of ruling well consists precisely in the ability of removing the clever and the gifted… If knowledge is encouraged and not nipped in the bud, it will increase, and when it will have increased, it will become impossible to rule the land… If the people are stupid, they can be easily governed..." Shang Yang – Ruler of Shang Province, 4th Century, B.C.

"Crimestop…includes the power of not grasping analogies; of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to Ingsoc (Socialist Principles of Oceania), and of being bored or rebelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a heretical direction. Crimestop in short means protective stupidity… The world view of the Party imposed its self most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm because it left no residue behind; just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird… In the long run a hierarchical society was only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance.” George Orwell – 1984

Ronald Reagan said it well: "If we ever forget we are One Nation Under God, we will be a nation gone under".

Thank you for continuing to preserve and protect our freedoms and liberties. John Adams writing once Liberty is lost, it is lost forever!! This country was founded with the freedoms and liberties provided by this Constitution. Please keep up the good work of safekeeping this democracy.

WOB: I believe the poster is accurate. I have no doubt that Mr. Obama has the lack of conscience needed to eliminate any portion of the population that he deems necessary. This is a man devoid of morality. Also, Dennis: great and scary article. I am quite amazed that Mr. Kroft of CBS was allowed to investigate this. As for Mr. Soros' belief in euthanasia, let's start with him. Extreme? Not compared to what is really happening in this beloved country.

We have an unbelievable fight ahead for all those who cherish the freedoms we were handed by our forefathers. There are so many people I know who are Democrats and totally oblivious to what is happening. They think I'm crazy. I hope they wake up soon.

Ref" Marc Tues last: I found your choice of quotes in "Insight" quite interesting, particularly Aristotle's. Do you, then, agree with the position that those with religious faith can be easily duped by a tyrant who pretends to share that same faith?

Posted May 18, 2011 at 12:15:30 PM

You asked a very sticky question. the early church fathers (Anti Fathers 10 Vol set, assorted works)often quoted Plato, Aristotle, in fact 100's.One can draw a direct line between them and early-later church thought and doctrine.

I do share your concern. There are 2 Doctrinal Dissertations you can buy at Eerdmnans, Amazon.com or Barnes and Nobles. "A Different Gospel by McConnell," and "The Health and Wealth Gospel by Barron." When I taught I used them as recommended reading for discussion. The short answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes.

As for being duped, all tyrants used faith as a weapon. Rome, Hitler, Mussolini, choose a political party in the U.S. The latter is harsh but there you have it. Let me explain, Baptist do not like the Pentecostals who do not like the Name It and Claim It charismatics. You have denominations who say believe my way or you are going to hell...

It's not easy to sort it all out. Fanatics can be and has always been used as a weapon along with religious belief. Hitler proved it. The question is, have we learned from it?

I love the comment, there are more village idiots than there are villages.

well what else would you expect from der furer, i mean our president and furer !!!!

please no more obama in 2012!!!!

tomt

Your comments about the American Marxist educational system are right on the mark. I, for one, would like to see public education totally defunded, disolved, and privatized.

I have an 1833 U.S. history textbook intended for public schools. The book is by Charles A. Goodrich. The fourth paragraph of the introduction reads: "History displays the dealings of God with mankind. It calls upon us to often regard with awe his darker judgments, and agin it awakens the liveliest emotions of gratitude for his kind and benignant dispensations. It cultivates a sense of dependance on him; strengthens our confidence in his benevolence; and impresses us with a conviction of his justice."

That's the way it was. . .

Lisa Larosee said, "This country was founded with the freedoms and liberties provided by this Constitution. Please keep up the good work of safekeeping this democracy."

Lisa, Lisa, Lisa....your heart may be in the right place but your thinking, or should I say understanding is horribly flawed!

This country was founded upon the premise of individual freedom and liberties AS ENDOWED BY OUR CREATOR. These are God-given to all human beings, in any country; they could not be given away by the person who has been gifted with them, even if he wished to do so! The Constitution, and government under it, HAS NEVER GIVEN RIGHTS OR LIBERTIES. The Constitution set out to insure these rights and liberties under a particular framework of rules for government. The Constitution IS NOT A SET OF RULES FOR THE PEOPLE! When government is believed to be the giver, instead of God, the people will become slaves and liberty will disappear.

Mark Alexander is not attempting "safekeeping this democracy" because our form of government is not a democracy where the majority (mob)rules at the expense of the individual's inalienable rights. The United States is a democratic REPUBLIC--- a representative form of government chosen democratically by the People. Mark is trying to wake people up to the true intent of our founders along with giving examples (as this column does)of WHY they felt and acted as they did. Mark believes that we must know the truth in order to preserve our liberties and safeguard our country and, he's doing a damned good job of it!

I fear that you were educated in public schools which isn't your fault. However, to remain ignorant of civics, American history, The Constitution, The Federalist (and Anti Federalist) Papers, Articles of Confederation, the Founders, and the preamble to The Bill of Rights is quite frankly inexcusable once one has reached adulthood. Sorry, but that is the truth... which sometimes hurts.

Read 'The Naked Communist', or watch the video 'AGENDA: Grinding Down America' for the further truth of what you show so cearly in your essay. America is in serious trouble. The useful idiots are helping turn america to sh*t. We MUST fight this abomination.

"Don't most people wait to be famous first and then write 'An' autobiography?" Good point, Ken M. Remember, though, he was awarded the Nobel PEACE Prize on attainments yet to be done!! If that didn't tip us off to liberal agendas, nothing will.

I would like to share this from a devotion I wrote some years ago:

In light of our attempts to extinguish the Light of the world ASAP, I wanted to share this thought from McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, p.187:

"If you can induce a community to doubt the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures; to question the reality and obligations of religion; to hesitate, undeciding, whether there be any such thing as virtue or vice; whether there exists [a] state of retribution beyond the grave; or whether there exists any such being as God, you have broken down the barriers of moral virtue, and hoisted the flood gates of immorality and crime. I need not say that when a people have done this, they can no longer exist as a tranquil and happy people. Every bond that holds society together would be ruptured; fraud and treachery would take the place of confidence between man and man; the tribunals of justice would be scenes of bribery and injustice; avarice, perjury, ambition, and revenge would walk through the land and render it more like the dwelling of savage beasts than the tranquil abode of civilized and Christianized men" (Dr. Gardiner Spring, 1785-1873).

This prophetic paragraph also reminds me of 2 Timothy 3:1-5:

"Mark this, there are hard times coming in the last days. For men will be selfish, fond of money, boastful, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreverent, callous, relentless, scurrilous, dissolute, and savage; they will hate goodness, they will be treacherous, reckless and conceited, preferring pleasure to God for though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force." (Moffatt.) Sound familiar?

Good Morning,

I must note that I am one of those rare teachers who do not subscribe to the leftist socialist communist fascist party line. After over 25 years in government service and 20+ years in the classroom, my bullshit goggles work very well. I should note here, that the best way to tell if Obozo is lying....is to watch his lips move.

The only way to stop the influx of communist fascism into our country is to eliminate the current regime. 2012 is a perfect time to make that happen.

Vote carefully. What you decide today will most defninitely affect what you can, or can not do tomorrow.

May I suggest reading, 'The Turning of the Tides' by Paul Shafer and John Snow written in 1962.

It has been obvious for years that the gov't is using schools to indoctrinate children against the values of their parents. This has lead many of us to abandon the corrupt institution of God-less public school education. Homeschooling clearly benefits our children and our society. Abdicating responsibility to the gov't is the shame of too many parents!

This essay is right on target. Thank you.

Just read your article. Very good.

However, the problems with education have not just happened overnight or even in this particular school generation. You need to read, "The Underground History of American Education," by John Taylor Gatto, and "Dumbing Us Down" by the same author. This started in the 19th century and earlier when some people in this country, admiring Europe at the time and Germany in particular, felt that education should not be left in the hands of the parents, who were not (in general) capable of taking care of their children, but that the care and education of the children should be left to the government and their education directed to make them fit into these peoples' vision of society. Thru grants, projects, the NEA and others (all documented)you will see the principles against which we're fighting against today (educationally in particular) were put into the schools. Parents were told to leave it to experts and eventually were forced out of much of the process. The end was to be the children under the government and teaching primarily socialization in terms of education.

Now, many years later, aside from the moral, political and so forth problems (I certainly hope and pray Obama and the rest of them are tossed out) we are seeing the fruition of this plus the break down of society, traditional values, morals and so forth.

This is not going to be easy, but we are in deep trouble if we do not make BIG changes IMMEDIATELY.

Betsy Phillips

@ Cindy:

You have made some remarkably strong accusations about Humana and their Senior Market products.

As such I am asking you to provide verifiable proof of your accusations. If the proof you provide is deemed authentic and actionable - we will investigate.

Thank you

How timely this article. I just purchased the updated version of The 5000 Year Leap with the intro from Glenn Beck. One will also find information on the Anglo-Saxons, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as well as APPENDIX B THE SECRET TO AMERICA'S STRENGTH. How far we have fallen. As a retired teacher and newly elected school board director in the Nazareth Area School District in Nazareth, PA, I know that we need to do more then lower taxes and figure out a budget.

The education system is failing that is why homeschooling is the best option. I am convinced that children who are now in homeschooling will be the leaders and CEOs of the next generation because they have been taught to think independently, solve problems and communicate beyond their peer group.

An interesting read ..... I immediately thought of my children and grandchildren. My generation was not the last to loose these principles .... but it may have been one of the first to notably [and unknowingly] dwell among the administrators that delivered this agenda of indoctrination and deception. Somewhere between my parents generation and mine, it occurred, gradually, as crude bubbling up to the surface of the ground upon which we stood. The fissure permitting this infiltration began somewhere around the latter quarter of the 19th. century. Very unfortunately, for us, it was an export from a Eurasian plague which forever changed the landscape of the world in which we live. This is why it is so important to understand what brought our ancestors here .... and what our Republic really means and is.

The plague of which I speak, however, has existed since the beginning of time. It is pure evil ..... anyway you slice it. But for America it is totalitarianism which is the antagonist. The Anti. An Antaeus to all who may pass. I think Mark Alexander does an excellent job in explaining how it is rooted and nurtured among the trees and brush of the forest. But Antaeus was defeated by holding him up off the ground and he became weak. And so will tyranny be defeated by holding its ugly head into the light of day. I pray it is not too late for America to find its strength to do so.

Mark, I ask you to institute some kind of control over the self-appointed "writers" of long comments on this site. Most of the extra long comments are "tooting one's own horn". Waste of good space is more like it. The instructions say "keep comments civil and brief" About half of the comments are extremely long and off topic. Thanks!