Netlets for Monday, April 28

In response to the April 21 letter on medical marijuana written by Dakota County Attorney James C. Backstrom, one can only hope for his sake that none of his loved ones ever get any serious affliction.

My wife passed away last August from complications resulting from kidney failure, breast cancer that had metasticized and an infection in her dialysis port produced by a hospital in Salinas, Calif. We lived in Monterey County at the time. We had done dialysis at home for two years without any complications or infections prior to her being hospitalized.

She had access to medical marijuana, as well as the Marinol cited by Backstrom. The marijuana helped her appetite, helped her nerves and allowed her to sleep better, soothed her upset stomach and offset a lot of the results of chemotherapy. When on the Marinol alone, she could feel very little benefit or difference in her general conditions brought on by the diseases.

Perhaps Backstrom visualizes patients sitting around continuously puffing on a joint, or sucking on a bong; I don't know. But until he has had someone who has experienced the benefits of medical marijuana, he should keep his opinions to himself. A marijuana cigarette two or three times during the day truly helped ease her through the last months of her life!

I guess we were lucky to live in California when my wife's health went south. Had we still lived up here in the Midwest, she would have had a tougher time, except that she probably would not have gotten the infection from a hospital in North Dakota or Minnesota. But, the cancer was treatable, not curable, and the results of that are what the medical marijuana helped.

TERRY D. OLSON, FARGO, N.D.

Congratulations to Nick Coleman; he missed the target again. In his April 22 column, "By picking pro to lead MnDOT, Pawlenty puts politics aside," he failed to examine the reasons for Carol Molnau's failure as state transportation commissioner.

A provision in our state Constitution requires that the transportation fund receive all the money from the state's gas tax and license tab fees, which can only be used for rural and urban highways. In 2001, these fees amounted to over $1 billion. A former head of the Senate Transportation Committee has said that the biggest problem is convincing rural legislators to approve funds for urban projects, including expensive bridge replacement.

Coleman blames Molnau for the "mess" Minnesota is in. I would like to see him write an accurate and unbiased column on the gridlock and divisive politics which goes on in our Minnesota Legislature. I won't hold my breath.

JOHN SAMUELSON, SPRING PARK

So Marty Seifert and the House Republican Caucus want to inundate us with commercials while we fill our tanks blaming the high cost of gasoline on the DFL? If SuperAmerica Stores want to keep my business, they'd better install a mute button!

PATRICK J. GUERNSEY, ST. PAUL

In her April 16 column, " 'Glass half full' attitude is one sure cure for economic blues," Katherine Kersten subverts her own proposition by quoting her mother's reluctance to complain: "Why should she, when her life was so much easier than her own parents' had been?"

Until recently, the average American family's trajectory of economic well being had always been upward. My generation had it better than our parents; they were better off than our grandparents. I grew up with moms at home, strong public education, affordable higher education and equitable wages for all workers. I experienced the two-income family become an economic necessity and watched the steady erosion of public education. Ever-increasing tuition forced college students to carry hobbling debt. Middle-class income has eroded like ice in spring.

"Glass half full" is the appropriate attitude when opportunity for growth and self-improvement are supported by society at large. Now the average American family requires a full glass just to keep itself afloat financially. As economic stagnation, staggering government and trade deficits and a "you're on your own" attitude conspire to evaporate the water, families know that a half-full glass can't cut it anymore.

THOMAS W. MILLER, COON RAPIDS

I don't know if it's the water or the cold, long winters, but the Minnesota teams college and pros continue to disappoint.

We get so filled up with the hype from the coaches and sportscasters and writers that we really expect gangbusters but end up with being a bridesmaid. They are all over the air and print about the promise of a championship or into the playoffs and when that collapses they come out with "oh they weren't that good anyway." It will be starting now when we'll be hearing "we'll be great next year," and so the baloney continues.

FRANCIS TARANTO, MINNEAPOLIS

I am surprised by the press reports that most fans are happy with the Vikings* trade for Jared Allen. I have been a huge Vikings fan for over 25 years, but I am shocked and disappointed that my favorite team would make such a move.

Not only have the Vikings significantly overvalued this player, but think about what kind of message the team is sending by signing a player with such a troubled past to such a huge contract. How do we explain such a thing to our youth? This move has upset me, and I am embarrassed to be a fan. Shame on the Vikings.

GARY LUDWIG, BELLE PLAINE