Loaded with treats and promos for the arts (good thing they didn't include the soon-to-expire Theatre de la Jeune Lune), the promotion kit for members of the media coming to the Republican National Convention drew a lot of feedback from readers. Some of it was actually positive.

We heard from folks who offered up their own goods, including purveyors of wild rice and someone making cookies in the shape of Minnesota. But we also heard from literature lovers, out-staters who thought the packet was too Twin Cities-centric and the inevitable Republican-tweaker.

Some of their suggestions:

Phil Bjerken, Mound: "What, no red and white bobber, no fishing hook, or fishing hat? We are not welcoming foreigners or Communists -- let's give them the good stuff."

John O'Rourke, Austin, Minn.: "What would be more appropriate than a sample of Spam? Put one in each box and they would have some good food to wash down the usual convention offerings."

Richard (Chi) Johnson, Minnetonka: "How about a U of M tuition statement? And maybe the tab for all the roadwork that will be necessitated once it becomes obvious that the East River Road is not designed to handle the kind of traffic that Washington Avenue does? Or just an ear of corn, slathered in E85."

Steven Hepokoski, Maple Grove: "Lefse, with instructions on how to properly butter and sugar it for the best snack ever; certified lead-free venison sausage; a hot-dish cookbook, a Bundt pan. And finally, tickets to a Twins game, down the first base side -- the surest way to make the staunchest Republican turn left (and possibly incapable of turning back right for several days)."

Brian Ziegler, Coarsegold, Calif. (formerly of St. Peter, Minn.): "How about a bag of wild rice, a can of Le Sueur peas, some taconite pellets, a few Lake Superior agates, a reel of fishing line, a Bob Dylan CD, and maybe a bottle of water? On the bottle label it would read, 'Melted Minnesota snowball. Come back this winter to see the real thing.' "

John Humleker, Minneapolis: His list included "a rusted plate from the 35W bridge (can be used as a paperweight), a self-guided tour of the bathrooms at the airport, a tour of the Veterans Hospital for some bonding with our Vets and a bag of confetti from the Xcel Center's Obama celebration."

Sue Hilgert, Olivia, Minn.: "Because Minnesota is such a great literary state and because I am a public librarian, I would suggest a paperback book by one of our very own authors. Any title by Lorna Landvik, William Kent Krueger, Sarah Stonich, Bill Holm, Ellen Hart, etc."

Bill Ward • 612-673-7643