Open Forum

There's a king with such complete control of his kingdom that he holds the power of life or death over its inhabitants. He currently has a prisoner hanging on the walls of his cell and plans a quick execution. The prisoner's only crime is that if he's ever released the king will have some major explaining to do because most people don't even know he exists. The irony is that the prisoner loves his king and feels a special attachment to him, refusing to believe the king would ever harm him.

The king's spiritual advisors instructed him to keep the prisoner held captive as long as possible rather than a conveniently immediate execution. He might become very useful if they'd just wait. The king's medical staff regularly pokes and prods the unfortunate soul preparing for their final brutality which is planned very soon. They plot to unlock the prisoner and open the prison door and just when he's about to go free, trapping him in the doorway and torturing him with barbaric and painful devices before finishing him off and dissecting him to be sent to various medical institutions.

The cruel king is actually a pregnant mother, and the prisoner her unborn baby waiting at this very moment to be born. The killing is called partial-birth-abortion and it happens on a regular basis.

This 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade remember the unborn prisoners of the womb scheduled for execution or better yet, thank Sen. Paul Koering for authoring a bill to ban this barbaric procedure. Let your other representatives know that you appreciate them standing up for equal human rights for the most vulnerable among us.

Rod Thoe

Fort Ripley

Enhanced 911 numbers

Like many people in the area I have a new fire number posted in my yard. It's raised several questions and I don't know where to go for answers.

What's going to happen to the old number and post in my yard? Is someone going to come and remove it?

If it's my job to remove it; what do I do with it once I've taken it out of the ground?

When they were installing the new numbers why didn't they remove the old number and attach the new number to the old post? It seems like that would have been less expensive and less work.

If there is no plan for the disposal of the old number and post perhaps the county (or whoever has jurisdiction) could designate a place for residents to bring the old posts so they could be recycled. The money earned could be used to help reduce the budget shortfall we're experiencing or for some other worthy cause.

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Jan Heapy

Brainerd

North Long Lake

Biblical reference -- Revelations from the great book, The Bible: "Great signs in the Heavens and on earth shall appear at the Second Coming of Christ our Savior."

Scientific conjecture -- A shift in the Teutonic plates. Geo warm springs release or gamma rays filtering through the hole in the Ozone layer.

Average person -- Sewage leak, dumping unwanted chemicals, two perch swimming 'round and 'round, landing site Realiean craft.

My theory, my two cents -- The invasion of Eurasian milfoil, trapped under the ice, creates a radon gas effect in conjunction with the adventurous souls who have lost their vehicles, spewing petroleum products into that area of the lake, in conjunction with solar activity and sewage and a shift in the Teutonic plates, incorporating a warm springs release. A culmination of some or all of these things, but what bothers me the most is $10,000 cost to merely study the effect. For that kind of money I would expect water samples at various depths, soil samples and plant samples, to be done by a major university or institute like Berkley, National Geographic, etc. When we as Brainerd residents are financially strapped for cash and foresee no economic relief, it seems that money could have been better spent.

Stephen D. Luoma

Brainerd

Advanced placement

The Brainerd Daily Dispatch and School District 181 can be commended for supporting Advanced Placement. These learning activities provide enriched curriculum plus relevant experiences to students preparing for college and careers.

Brainerd High School also provides a dual-credit program with Central Lakes College, Northwest College and St. Cloud Technical College. More than 20 high school courses provide Advanced Standing credits at these post-secondary institutions.

High school students who complete the courses at a "B" level or higher and attain skill standard proficiency receive Advanced Standing credit in college career programs.

Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing represent quality options for students as they prepare for their life and career goals. These programs make a valuable contribution to Workforce Development Education.

A.V. Renschler

Ideal Township