Solution to ending the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran?

I READ the “pro-fracking” argument (Letters, Jan 13) and I must say that I don’t care what the esteemed gentleman claims about fracking being a low-risk procedure.

IT’S time to celebrate “the man and his music”.

HERE in the US we have a political problem.

MITCH Miller, who recently passed away aged 99, will be remembered for his sing-along music that featured a chorus of fine singers and an array of American traditional songs.

SO now you have the iPhone4 that does just about everything for you except cook your meals (I hear that app is coming soon) and, in September, Apple will have a camera addition.

I HEAR that after they complete the oil spill clean-up, BP wants to adopt a theme song to ease the bad feelings stemming from this disaster.

TODAY marks 12 years since Hoboken’s favourite son, Frank Sinatra, passed away.

MOVIE legend Maureen O’Hara celebrates her 90th birthday on August 17.

PRESIDENT Barack Obama has made far too many promises and he’s having serious trouble making any of them materialise.

US Congressman Peter King is free to voice his comments about Michael Jackson’s alleged trysts with young boys and child molestation charges.

KING of Pop Michael Jackson was a fantastic, talented performer and, sadly, there’s no denying he destroyed his talent and credibility through a series of scandals.

DRUMMER extraordinaire Louie Bellson passed away on February 14 last. In the genre of big band music, he was the last of the “big three” drummers and his gig with the great Duke Ellington Orchestra is memorable, particularly his electrifying solo on Skin Deep (his own composition).

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama’s approach to the standoff involving the pirates holding US Captain Richard Phillips hostage off the coast of Somalia was right on the mark and in the end, he was rescued by US Navy Seals.

THE Democrats are trying to get America back on track to prosperity and security while the naysayers on the right keep howling about “tax and spend” Democrats.

AND so the torch is passed to President Barack Obama.

PRESIDENT George W Bush calls it his “farewell” speech.

I CAN just see it now.

THERE has been enough lies, misinformation and fear.

IN all of the accolades and tributes published in memory of the fine actor/humanitarian Paul Newman, none mentioned the fact that early in his budding career, his first appearance on television was in 1955 on the NBC musical version of Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ that starred Frank Sinatra and co-starred Eva Marie Saint and the great man himself.

FINANCIAL crisis? Bank bailouts? Not to worry. President Bush pretends he’s on top of things. What could possibly go wrong there?

HE can’t remember how many houses he owns.

I WOULD ask John Fenton (‘Bush to blame for my son’s death’, Letters, June 24) where we would be without those like his son who make the supreme sacrifice for their country — a sacrifice very few are even willing to consider in these times.

SO Joyce Anderson Gleasure (Letters, June 13) thinks President George W Bush is defending the highest code?

IT’S hard to believe 10 years will have passed next week since the death (May 14) of a true American idol — singer, actor and entertainer Frank Sinatra.

ATTA girl, Hillary! Atta boy, Barack!

HERB STARK (Letters, April 17) points out how all restaurants and fast-food outlets are featuring Eggs Benedict as their special of the week in honour of the Pope’s visit to New York.

IN honour of the Pope’s visit to New York, all restaurants and fast food places are featuring ‘Eggs Benedict’ as their special of the week!

SO when all is said and done a presidential candidate in the US can be appointed by superdelegates no matter who a majority of the voters may have chosen in the primaries?

AMERICAN ultra-conservatives are so angry at John McCain’s success in the Republican primaries they’re ready to stage their own ‘McCain Mutiny’.

IF nothing else, for a change it will be nice having someone in the White House in 2009 who can pronounce the word “nuclear” correctly.

DESPITE his clean-cut appearance and campaigning style, I feel Barack Obama is just too good to be true.

THE assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the ongoing turmoil in Pakistan is a direct result of Bush administration policies that foster “democracy” regardless of the consequences.

I’VE asked this before and I’ll ask it again: why isn’t New York representative Peter King heading up the office of Homeland Security?

HAVE you checked heating oil prices lately?

ROBERT GOULET, who died recently, must have sung If Ever I Would Leave You (from Camelot) at least 1,000 times. He had a rich baritone voice so perfect for the Broadway stage and it’s a shame he didn’t stick with Broadway to the end. He never quite ‘made it’ and was mired in some really bad TV and movie ventures. But fans of this talented man will always remember him for his magnificent voice and bemoan the fact he has left us all too soon.

SO Joey Bishop, the last surviving member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack, has passed on, aged 89.

GOOD grief! I hear there’s another Lord of the Rings movie in the making. I hope the soundtrack includes the ever popular ‘You’re Getting To Be A Hobbit With Me’.

I’M as fair-minded, even-handed and (dare I say it) liberal as the next person, but when it came to inviting Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address New York’s Columbia University members, it was time to draw the line.

IT can truly be said that the great French mime artist, Marcel Marceau, lived and died by the old adage ‘silence is golden’.

FIRST he thanks Australian Prime Minister John Howard for sending troops to Iraq. Then he says English is his “second language” and how happy he is to be at the OPEC summit meeting (instead of APEC).

I TOTALLY agree with Kate Hyde’s scathing letter about surviving diabetes (Sept 9).

POOR President Bush.

WHY are so-called celebrities constantly on the front pages of newspapers and magazines as well as on countless TV ‘entertainment’ shows. The media must answer the obvious question: which part of ‘we don’t care’ do you not comprehend? The war in Iraq and Afghanistan, tension in the Middle East and important domestic issues should take precedence over these unfunny air-heads. It’s time for the media to clean house and put things in their proper perspective.