Thumbs up to Falls Rotary
Thumbs up to the International Falls Rotary for raising and donating $15,000 to the city of International Falls to create a picnic area with pavilion at Riverside Park. It’s these kinds of community improvements that can draw visitors, business owners and residents to add to our area’s economy.

Thumbs down to pig farm
Thumbs down to MowMar Farms LLP, Fairmont, for allowing the manager of a pig farm to remain on the job, after he was seen on video abusing pigs at the farm. The man should face criminal charges and lose his job immediately.

Thumbs up to scientist
Thumbs up to the scientist who developed buckypaper. Buckypaper is 10 times lighter but potentially 500 times stronger than steel when sheets are stacked and pressed together. It conducts electricity like copper and disperses heat like steel. Buckypaper is made from carbon molecules and due to it's unique properties is envisioned as a wondrous new material for light, energy-efficient aircraft and automobiles, more powerful computers and more.

Thumbs up to improving system
Thumbs up to the city of Ranier for initiating the costly and difficult task of replacing its water system. At the council meeting Monday night, city trustees voted to replace 300 feet of pipe and listened to engineers discuss the larger project and financing options.

Thumbs up for qualified appointee
Thumbs up to Gov. Tim Pawlenty for appointing Dan Bartholomay as commissioner of Minnesota Housing. Rather than a political appointment alone, the governor selected a highly qualified leader with experience in the nonprofit housing and economic community, to oversee the state agency charged with improving affordable housing for low and moderate income people.

Thumbs up to poetic justice
A Connecticut man playing a police officer was arrested after pulling over an off-duty Hartford police lieutenant. The man turned on flashing lights and used a siren and loudspeaker to coax the lieutenant off the road while the lieutenant called for backup.

Thumbs down to charges
Thumbs down to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for charging the state for her children to travel with her, including events where they were not invited. She later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business. Alaska law allows for payment of expenses for anyone conducting official state business. Three weeks before Palin was chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate and after Alaska reporters asked for the records, Palin ordered changes to previously filed expense reports for her daughters’ travel.

Thumbs up to residents
Thumbs up to Borderland residents who, in spite of all the worries for the community and the country, still decorate with fun and anticipation for Halloween. It is a comforting distraction to see the bright whimsical icons of the season — pumpkins, witches, goblins and other harvest symbols. Their efforts lighten the hearts of young and old.
It’s knowing that traditions still live in the hearts of the American people that helps foster the prospect of hope for the future, and all holidays to come.

Thumbs down to lack of service
Thumbs down to clerks and business owners who do not realize the importance of saying “Thank you” to their customers, especially in these fragile financial times. “There you go,” or “Have a nice day,” just doesn’t cut it. Worse yet, is saying nothing or robotically counting change back into the hands of a customer who stands and waits for some small human token of appreciation that doesn’t come. Work days are hard. But those who spend their money at a business are who it’s all about. Look ’em in the eye and let them know they’re appreciated by saying “Thank you,” and hearing the meaning of those words.

Thumbs down to unneeded research
Thumbs down to University of Minnesota's Boynton Health Services for researching bad health habits that tend to lower grades. Researchers surveyed more than 9,000 students and found that low grades were more common among undergraduates who didn't exercise, gambled, smoked, drank, watched too much TV or didn't get enough sleep. This seems like a logical conclusion without doing the research, don't they have something more important to study? Like a cure for cancer?