KSTP1500 GOES ALL-SPORTS
As it changes, so will she -- her radio dial
As a longtime listener, I was very disappointed to hear about KSTP-AM's change to an all-sports format from what was once one of the best talk radio stations in the Midwest. The long list of personalities over several decades that graced the airwaves (Barbara Carlson, Geoff Charles, Bob Yates, Bob Davis, Ron Rosenbaum, and many others) along with the support crew provided easily accessible entertainment. My parents and several friends would listen to their favorite show to debate the local spin. No more. It is now all-sports.
Those who love sports may enjoy this 24/7 format; for me, the radio dial will permanently switch to other talk stations in town.
JULIE ROSS, ST. PAUL
PRESIDENTS DAY
Washington and Lincoln still can teach us today
On Presidents' Day, my children do not have school, but I am using this holiday to teach them about the value of leadership. The two presidents associated with the holiday -- George Washington and Abraham Lincoln -- displayed leadership qualities that transcend their eras and are as applicable today as when they were alive.
A leadership quality of Washington that is underappreciated was his willingness to embrace new ideas. While built upon classical ideals, the concept of democracy was very different from the monarchies of the 18th century. For my children, the lesson is that true leaders recognize good ideas and adopt them. Whether in school or work or politics, it is easier to maintain the status quo. However, a real leader is a pioneer who adopts a good idea, then brings other people along to support that idea as well.
A leader also recognizes opportunity and seizes the moment. Imagine, during the demands of the Civil War, President Lincoln signed into law legislation that established land-grant colleges. Anyone who has gone to the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin-Madison or dozens of other land-grant colleges has him to thank. For my children, the lesson is: In the midst of the demands and immediacy of the present, recognize and seize opportunity, however unexpected.
A final leadership quality displayed by both was humility. Confident in his abilities, Lincoln was not afraid to create a Cabinet of his rivals whose previous achievements and egos easily outsized his, and he benefited from their talents. Washington could have become king of the United States of America, but he declined. His act of humility, his willingness to act for the ages and not for the moment, benefits each and every one of us to this day.
So for my children, although school is out of session, the learning continues. Be a leader: embrace new ideas, recognize opportunity and be humble.
