Reading the news these days is an experience in frustration and disbelief at what a terrible state of affairs the world is in.

Like classic dysfunctional families, nations squabble dangerously for power, rattling nuclear-, terrorist- and my-army-is-bigger-than-your-army sabres like crazed children bent on violence and destruction driven by greed.

I think we would all be better off getting rid of our TVs and not reading newspapers.

We need an extended vacation from all this that won’t be going away anytime soon, but will rather continually escalate.

I see few if any islands of sanity in our world, maybe the Scandinavian countries. Yes, I know they are socialist, and that’s OK with me; and our country, I know many readers will disagree, is one of the worst offenders.

I don’t want to argue, so if you’re going to comment online I’d prefer any kind of solutions readers have other than Armageddon.

I don’t see any, do you?

Bob Katrin

Southern Pines