If the USPS can't at least break even, much less make a profit, I'm sure the private sector can step in and not only replace it, but do so at a profit, and even reduce the postage rates, while providing a more reliable service. That is the kind of progress we need to see.

Does this mean Obama may send in attack forces to the neighborhood from which a cyber attack might have originated? Might he allow the nuclear option if the attack is considered harmful to the security of the remainder of the country? Watch out Texas or any other state that showed red in the last elections.

Having worked for AT&T all my life, now retired, I am primarily a unix user, and find Linux the natural OS for my home computing. Although I spend much time working from a terminal screen, I find Linux quite capable of competing with Microsoft in the windowed environment, except when it comes to playing games. At AT&T we also had Macs and MS computers, and while the Macs were used for work, the Windows computers were primarily used for non-work purposes. Perhaps the German Foreign office has too much free time for play? I find their reasons questionable for returning to MS, but that's their decision. Personally I wouldn't allow a MS OS to be used in a work environment if I was paying the wages.

As the elections in 2012 should be focused on the type of government we have, regardless of who heads it, the initiative should be to assure that as few Democrats as possible are elected or re-elected, including Obama, no matter who his opponent may be. 2012 more than any other election year will be one of voting for the lesser of two evils. The only choice is between a Socialist Democracy, which we have been becoming for over a century now, and a Constitutional Republic, which most have been mis-educated in what that means.

I now have 4 computers running Ubuntu, none of them registered. I've also installed Ubuntu on a number of machines for persons who have no Internet access, none of them registered either.