I have problems with your fulminations, Jan, much as I agree with some of it.

Wolves. I disapprove whole-heartedly of the hunting and killing of wolves from the air, and don't agree with their stated goal of increasing the numbers of caribou and moose. The real reason they are doing it is to increase their numbers so more 'sport' hunters have more caribou and moose to kill. I much prefer leaving it to nature's way of regulating the balance between prey and predator.

But I must point out that in Alaska - and I think that is what you refer to - no wolf has been a pet nor been raised by humans (that is not literally true, of course, because "no wolf" is impossible to ascertain) It is true that ranchers in the Yosemite and Yellowstone areas are permitted to kill wolves that are on private lands, but that is a very different matter.

Alaska is very large. In contrast to England's 50,337 square miles, Alaska has 586,412. Wolves are more prevalent in some areas than others but we do have them all over the state. Estimates are that there are approximately 12,000 Alaskan wolves total. Unlike the lower 49, wolves in Alaska have never been an endangered species, so it does not necessarily follow that they should ever have been on the list.

Whales. So far as I know, Japan is not a signatory to the ban on whaling so there is no illegality involved. Japan's tradition of hunting and eating whales goes back hundreds of years, far longer than the US has been in existence. Much as I deplore the mindset that lets them do that, it is also true that I just don't understand.

Obama. President Obama, I believe, is trying to find a common ground that will let most Americans agree. The fact that I may consider some of it political jockeying is not pertinent, he is there and I am not.

I do not share your view of Ken Salazar.