From readers
LATE MOWERS
Rant: “Here it is, 9 p.m., and my neighbor is just starting to mow. The mower is big enough to cut golf courses, so you know how loud it is for us. What’s the deal? Maybe because they don’t need to get up at 5 a.m., they don’t see the need to be considerate to those who do? How about starting at 8 p.m. or even 7 p.m.?”
POOLS OF THANKS
Rave: “A big thank you to Arch McCord and all of the pool staff at Hidden Oaks Middle School. My three boys just completed the Session I swimming lessons and learned a tremendous amount and had a great time. Everyone I came in contact with related to this program was knowledgeable, courteous and caring. What a wonderful example of how community education can really make a difference in the community it serves. Great job, everyone. Keep it up!”
From staff
ROLLING ROVER
Rant: I realize our newspaper – with its in-depth report on dog behavior last Saturday and the two Rover-related rants last week –has gone to the dogs lately, but I just have to rant about people letting their dogs hang out the windows of their cars while driving. I recently saw a car apparently being driven by a Westie heading down Williams Drive in Savage. Upon closer inspection, there was an actual human driver, but the dog (which probably weighed no more than 15 pounds) dangled out the wide-open driver’s-side window, tongue wagging and ears flapping in the breeze. Four words: Accident waiting to happen. This rant isn’t only about the safety of the dog; it’s a plea to drivers to pay attention to the road and keep the cute, wiggly distractions in the backseat. – Lori Carlson
BEST BEER BRATS
Rave: Bratwurst isn’t exactly good for you (preservatives, anyone?), but sometimes a brat on the grill is just the thing on a warm summer day. A friend of ours recently shared his secret for great beer brats: Boil the brats in a pot containing chopped onions and “quality” beer (Budweiser and Miller need not apply). Then – and here’s the key – after grilling, put them back into the pot for a few minutes. Excellent. Happy grilling this Fourth of July! – Lori Carlson
DRIVER’S ED
Rant: This is probably my 20th rant over the past few years about people’s driving habits, but in lieu of the Fourth of July holiday – which sees a lot of travelers across the state – I just hope people slow down and drive responsibly to wherever their destinations may be. On one round trip to and from work this week, I believe I saw more moronic driving moves than I have all spring. First, I witnessed a person pass a vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 35E, nearly causing a major crash. This stunt was shortly followed by a driver tailgating another by about 2 feet while traveling in the left lane at about 80 mph. Please, have a bit of patience this weekend. The roads will be full of drivers, so let’s get to our holiday destinations safely so we can all enjoy family, friends and fireworks. Have a happy Fourth of July. – Shawn Hogendorf
ANOTHER FANTASY SPORT
Rave: I have been playing fantasy sports for quite a few years now, but this is the first time I have been in a fantasy baseball league. When I drafted my team, the initial thought by those in my league was, “That team would have been good five years ago – when these players were in their prime.” But as the mid-way point of the season approaches, my squad full of “old-timers” is actually holding up pretty well. Sure, I made a questionable trade (that didn’t exactly work out in my favor); I dropped a few players who are since doing really well (I forgot baseball is a long season); and I held onto a couple of players who probably never should have been drafted (they were good in 1992). But overall, it’s been a lot of fun staying on top of the season. I have enjoyed getting to know some of the newer players in the league, so now when people ask me about baseball, my knowledge is a bit more than that of a homer always rooting for the Twins. – Shawn Hogendorf
FOLLOWING DILLINGER
Rave: I’ve always been fascinated with John Dillinger and other Depression-era crime figures, so I’m really excited about “Public Enemies” – the new flick starring Johnny Depp – and all the hype surrounding it. Depp – who also happens to be my favorite actor – is portraying the late bank robber, whose brief stay in the Twin Cities in 1934 has become the stuff of legends. Obviously, I’d never condone felonies, but it’s hard not to find interest in a man who gained rock star-like notoriety while repeatedly embarrassing FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover. Fortunately, the movie’s release is bringing Dillinger history to the forefront. A number of events are being held in St. Paul, and I can’t wait to attend. – Josh Chase
SCARY STUDY
Rant: A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota found that a startling number of teenagers think they’ll die at a young age. According to the data, one in seven adolescents believe it’s likely they’ll die before they reach 35 years of age, and because of that kind of thinking, many are engaging in risky behaviors. In fact, that same 15 percent of students are seven times more likely to get HIV or AIDS than their peers. It was an interesting study, to say the least, and a frightening one, to be sure. How can we expect to make the world a better place when such a large percentage of us don’t even expect to be around when it happens? I don’t know how to do it, but I think this problem needs to be addressed quickly. – Josh Chase

Do you have a rant or a rave? Send us your musings:
E-mail: rantsandraves@swpub.com
Address: Prior Lake American, Attn: Rants and Raves, P.O. Box 538, Prior Lake, MN, 55372
Guidelines: Reader rants and raves should be no more than 175 words. The deadline is noon each Wednesday.
Rants and raves that are potentially libelous will not be printed or will be edited.
Submissions will not be refused because staff disagrees with their content. Anonymous submissions are acceptable; however, including a contact name and/or phone number is helpful for staff, who may have questions about the submission.
Rants and raves may be edited as space requires. All publication decisions will be made by the editor.