Netlets for Monday, Dec. 10

Baloney! That's what I (and probably most Minnesotans) thought upon hearing that the Minnesota Department of Transportation's former emergency manager is appealing her termination ("MnDOT emergency manager wants her job back," Dec. 5).

How often does the state give the boot to an "extremely hard-working, dedicated public servant" (which is how Sonia Morphew Pitt's attorney characterizes her)? Pitt ought to face facts: Her unethical and self-serving actions led to her downfall.

It's time for the disgraced, travel-loving Pitt to wander off to greener pastures.

LISA DELFIACCO CUNNINGHAM, PRIOR LAKE

Taxpayers still paying for Pitt I don't know which is more disheartening: that Sonia Pitt thinks she deserves her job back, or that taxpayers need to spend more of their money so this can be determined by the courts. Apparently, poor judgment is not grounds for termination.

RANDY EVANS, EDINA

Mr. Mayor? In reference to Nick Coleman's Dec. 2 column, "For Minneapolis cops, no good deed goes unpunished": Like many other south Minneapolis residents, I was shocked and saddened at the senseless murder of Mark Loesch, who was beaten to death while riding his bike on our streets back on the night of Sept. 12. What made this situation even worse was to hear a police official's statement that the suspect in the murder had alleged that Loesch had been trying to buy drugs even though there was no evidence to support this claim.

If this goes unaddressed, Mr. Mayor, then this is a huge black eye to you and your police chief.

MARTY FORSETH, MINNEAPOLIS

China's next stage In his Dec. 5 column about the educated elites running China ("How to succeed in China"), David Brooks speculates on if they will be able to convert their quite successful manufacturing economy into a service economy. He imagines that many of them worry that no matter how brilliant they are they will find it impossible.

I think that many Americans (including David Brooks) may worry that they might find it possible.

DON KAFFINE, DEERWOOD, MINN.

Since 1990, Hennepin County's Strong Beginnings Child Cares, acknowledging parents' critical role as children's primary teachers, have been promoting healthy parent-child relationships for low-income families as an integral part of their very successful school readiness efforts. For the last five years, four of these 10 centers have been piloting the integration of intensive, relationship-based family services into high quality child care, specifically targeting infants and toddlers. Known as the Baby's Space Partnership, and funded by the Bush, McKnight and Harris foundations, the initial outcome data are very promising.

By attending to the needs of high-risk, low-income families and the needs of infants and toddlers, child care has extraordinary potential to promote healthy relationships, which are the foundation for self-esteem, empathy, self-regulation and social skills, as well as school success. We are fortunate to have some successful models in our community, making a difference is the lives of young children and their families.