What it will take.

A former deputy county executive in Erie County, NY (home to Buffalo) writes very eloquently on government regionalization, consolidation, the use of federal dollars as a carrot and stick method to induce change, and briefly at the end, the legacy of baby boomers.

Perhaps you read this fun headline from MSNBC from a couple weeks ago: A judge known for creative sentencing has ordered three Spanish-speaking men to learn English or go to jail. I think it's time for a heart to heart on the "They should learn English" debate.

Here's a link to an article on personal responsibility. A cell phone went off, a room full of convicts wouldn't "snitch" and the perpetrator wouldn't admit guilt... so the judge locked up everyone. It must have been frustrating for the judge to be sitting there and witnessing what is essentially a prison culture kind of a thing - no snitching, and no admitting of guilt. Extreme punishment, yes. But frustrating for the judge, too.

Do you agree with me on the need for a four-year civics curriculum in high school? These guys are taking it to a whole nother level.

That's right, happy National Civic Awareness Month! At least it's an excuse for someone other than me to complain about how little we know about civics! ICMA, the leading local government organization, takes a shot this time.

We need our readers' help to understand a couple of things about the environment. Write an article and we'll post it! Here's a quickie synopsis of our confusion.

Did you miss the State of the Union address last night? Here's a quick synopsis so you can impress all your friends.

Ranting, raving, venting, dialogue. Call it what you want - it is our national pastime. How can we make it better?

The obligatory thoughts on democracy and voting. I hope you voted! (Or if you didn't, I hope you'd be able to tell me why!)