Here’s my idea of what the first Winter Carnival medallion clue should be every year:
The Carnival’s here with lots of snow
And soon we’ll be digging for treasure!
While you’re out and about with shovel in tow
Dig a fire hydrant out for good measure.
Timothy Wirth, Lakeland
The writer is a retired St. Paul Fire Dept. captain.
The role of TV
What ever happened to Ozzie and Harriet?
With the recent blame directed at our political discourse, along with the unfortunate passing of David Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet fame, it’s a good time to talk about the role television plays in shaping society’s attitudes toward our country and our people.
Today we have sitcoms making fun of family dysfunction portraying, as normal, family breakups and disrespect for authority and the law. We also have courtroom, police and crime-scene shows portraying despicable acts of violence, televised in HD — an ever-present reminder of our society’s ills.
So what’s the message television is sending? To most of us, these programs are a simple escape from the stress of daily life under the guise of entertainment. But for a percentage of society that will be adversely persuaded by this continuous onslaught of negative communication, the outcome my not be so benign.
Back in the days of Ozzie and Harriet, America certainly had its problems. But here’s another thing that’s certain: In those days television portrayed the good in our society much more than the bad. And by doing so, it delivered a positive message worth emulating.
Mike Shirek, Inver Grove Heights
A non-existent problem
The justification for the proposal to require voter IDs is given as “common sense.” Since we have had two major elections in two years that required extreme scrutiny during the recounts, with virtually no voter fraud evident, common sense dictates that no legislative time be wasted on this subject.
Casting a second vote under current laws risks a major jail sentence, but someone determined to do so possibly could find a false ID on most college campuses. Common sense would dictate that the Legislature address a $6 billion budget deficit instead of a non-existent problem.
Len Schakel, Lakeland
Copyright 2011 Pioneer Press.