Reader Letters | Nov. 20, 2008

GIVE MOLES EX-LAX, CHOCOLATE
    In reference to your article on moles (“Moles Make a Mountain of East Hill,” Oct. 23 issue), “no hair” or “no-hair” is not the answer! Two ways.

    There are mole traps, the best one I’ve seen is at Potting Shed with two hoops you push into the ground. I used to use my garden knife to pre-cut the hoop inserts. 100 percent! Never miss! The mole traps with the spikes – useless!

     The other trick I learned thanks to Mother Earth mag was this: simply drop into the burrows Ex-Lax and chocolate, of course. This is the No. 1 remedy after traps. The rodents simply dehydrate themselves, thus adding organic compost to enrich your yard. Might even show up as four-by-eight bright green spots in the grass … who knows?
– John Knudson

POLITICAL ACTIVISM ISN’T OVER
    As we all know, the polls have been closed, the people of America have chosen their President. However, if you dont live in California or know someone that does, you may NOT know about Prop 8.

     Proposition 8 was placed on the California voting ballads for this Election, and what it will do is Ban the existing RIGHT of GLBT AMERICANS to be married.
Although the election is over (votes are still being counted), but as of right now, as of this moment California voters have voted to take away a rights of their neighbors, friends, mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, children and grandchildren.

    Please I urge YOU to take a stand for your friends, your family, and the future of your children and grandchildren.
– Christopher Larson

A THOUSAND WORDS PER PAGE ...

 
A couple issues back (Oct. 23) we printed an entirely blank page with the heading “YOUR IDEAS” and our mailing address, in hopes that some of you would sieze the opportunity and maybe sketch out your brilliant plans for downtown redevelopment, stopping global warming, or an amazing sandwich. Thankfully, a handful of you took us up on it and shared some opinions. Pictured above are a few of our favorites. Looking forward to winter and in reference to Eau Claire’s recent smoking ban, there’s the well-rendered illustration of a half-dozen locals smoking in the snow outside their local bar, with the caption “Thanks City of Eau Claire!!” Then there’s the suggestion that we use such a blank space for a game of “Take’n 5,” where you connect the dots to beat your opponent at making little boxes. And another was a simple drawing of an issue of Volume One, which is then equated to a steaming, fly-covered, pile of crap. Words like “pretentious,” “condescending,” “dull,” and the ever trendy “milquetoast” were also applied. We get such correspondence from time to time, with the one consistent factor being the writers’ fear of providing real contact information as to engage in any actual discourse. In stark contrast, another idea writer encouraged us to start a column devoted to random acts of kindness in the community, “We are always hearing (in the news) what bad things bad people have done,” K.D. said. “Let the voices of good, considerate, caring people be heard.”  Seems logical enough. Thanks to those of you who filled out the blank page. And if anyone still wants to submit theirs, please do! – V1 Editor Nick Meyer