Netlets for Friday, Aug. 8

Enforcement saves lives A July 27 opinion writer questioned the swimming rules at our 12 popular beaches. Our park ordinance and beach rules are designed to provide a safe and friendly environment for park users. Many of the rules were established with families and young children in mind, and are more similar than not with other municipalities that have lifeguarded beaches.

Park Board commissioners and staff are committed to water safety. We spend approximately $170,000 each season for lifeguard services and there has not been a drowning within the designated swim areas with lifeguards for several years (there have been drownings and near drownings outside of these areas, often before and after beach hours). Our lifeguards are dedicated men and women who take their jobs very seriously and enforce the rules accordingly.

As a park system, we are also committed to providing the services our park users want and enjoy. During the remainder of the swim season, we will step up our discussions with beach users and review our beach operations to determine if and where improvements can be made. Our beaches attract hundreds of people each day -- we want them to be safe and fun for everyone.

JON GURBAN, SUPERINTENDENT, MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD

Choice of running mate must be more than strategic Bruce Weinstein's column, "Picking vice president is a matter of ethics" (Opinion Exchange, Aug. 2), is an important contribution to today's political environment. His encouragement of challenging criticism and emphasis on the public good is most refreshing.

Perhaps his penultimate sentence says it best: "After all, ethics isn't about describing the way the world is. It's about considering how the world might be if we were to focus on the things that matter most."

BOB HAYDEN, COON RAPIDS

As the Minnesota Environmental Coalition of Labor and Industry's (MECLI) co-chair, I am happy to see a shift in support for energy exploration and am hopeful that Minnesota's energy exploration efforts -- specifically Canadian oil sands expansion projects -- will help the state reach energy goals as well as improve employment and economic status.

Canadian oil is a reliable and plentiful resource for meeting Minnesota's growing energy demand and making the state more energy-secure. By upgrading refineries and pipelines to increase access to gas and other refined products derived from Canadian oil sands, Minnesota refineries will be less vulnerable to supply disruptions and the state's access to abundant (second only to Saudi Arabia), secure, nearby supplies will be maximized.

Not only will pipeline and refinery expansion address energy goals, these projects will bring economic development to Minnesota communities through job opportunities and increased tax revenue that will support various state operations. Construction and operation of the upgraded pipelines/refineries will introduce thousands of labor jobs to the state and will boost the economy through increased development.

JOAN ARCHER, ST. PAUL

Bridge collapse an American tragedy? I listened to the commemorative ceremony for the Interstate 35W bridge collapse on the radio. As the moment of silence for the victims approached, I was surprised that everyone's attention was directed to the new bridge, and in particular, to a huge American flag being unfolded.

Then Don Shelby asserted that the inclusion of the flag is appropriate because the bridge collapse was a national tragedy. It was? No, it was a Minnesota tragedy suffered by Minnesotans. Here's what an American tragedy is: our current horrible state of affairs, here and abroad, thanks to eight years of a corrupt, incompetent administration. Let's wave our flag about that.

DOUG WILLIAMS, ROBBINSDALE

Stay focused on issues What's happened to the John McCain of 2000? At that time he was a candidate for president who ran his campaign on issues, many, unfortunately, such as campaign reform and gigantic tax cuts for the rich that he has since flip-flopped on. Now he operates a campaign based upon pathetic, mean-spirited and totally irrelevant personal attacks on his opponent.

What point, for example, is there in claiming Sen. Barack Obama has reached a "celebrity status" comparable to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears of all people? Where is the value or veracity in such an inappropriate and absurd comparison? To what in us is he striving to appeal? Certainly none of our better, more intelligent qualities.

Why would we ever take such completely worthless mudslinging and unprincipled attacks for anything but they are: propaganda, name-calling and character assassination of the least credible sort? Let's demand more from our candidates for the most important office in the world, and let's choose a leader who cares about and stays focused upon the critical issues and problems of our daily lives. There's little doubt which of the two major candidates fits that description in this election.