Not in Kansas (or Minnesota) Anymore
I just finished reading Tim Gihring’s story “Who Stole the Ruby Slippers?” (March 2009) last night and loved it. In fact, I laughed so hard, that I actually snorted wine through my nose at Steve Jarrett’s comment, that he has to boot people off his website “left and right…because something’s just not right with them mentally.” (The Wizard of Oz has always scared the bejesus out of me—I still hide when it comes on.) Fortunately, I get two copies of Minnesota Monthly delivered to my home—one for the coffee table and one for the bathtub.
Nina Shepherd
Deephaven
We visited the Judy Garland Museum shortly before the ruby slippers were taken and we, too, were amazed at the lack of security that was given to these world-famous shoes. In fact, my heart skipped a beat when our daughter bumped into the stand with the Plexiglas cover and almost knocked over the display. I commented to my wife that somebody could take these real easy. Unfortunately, that was to be their fate.
Dana Hyberger
Rochester
Thrifty Advice
Like most families, we’re looking for ways to “trim the fat” from our monthly budget. Prior to the global economic meltdown, my husband and I would enjoy at least two nights out a month for date night. Now instead of spending at least $200 per night (dinner, parking, babysitter), we use Dara’s incredibly resourceful guide to takeout (“Moveable Feast: The Ultimate Takeout Guide,” March 2009): We pick up a great dinner with wine, forgo the babysitter, put the kids to bed, crank up the fire, and it’s better than going out. All for $40. That’s 80-percent savings with more enjoyment.
Amy Rolando-Sexton
Eden Prairie
Misdiagnosed?
Regarding “Great Places to Work” (January 2009): Mystic Lake Casino is not a good place to work. I worked there for over 10 years and was let go when I was on a medical leave of absence. The clinics that are there were just put in place about two years ago. The doctors that are in these clinics are not really doctors. They are physician’s assistants. They are not there looking out for the employee’s health. They are there for the company’s benefit: They get paid to make sure employees are able to work even if they have a serious health problem. The older you get and the longer you are employed there, the more likely you are to get let go because you start costing them money. They will search for ways to get rid of someone. Articles like this should be investigated more thoroughly before being published. On paper anything can sound good. You should talk to the people that are really involved.
—Online comment from “Unforgettable”
The Peppermint Cure
Regarding “Examining the Alternative,” December 2008: I’m a close friend (and “patient”) of Margie Belock’s, and I must say that she is doing what she’s doing to genuinely help people. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve sent to her, and how many of them have come back to me saying how they’re amazed at how she helped them with their ailments.
One of Margie’s famous “cures” is peppermint oil, which works amazingly well on headaches, sinus pressure, muscle aches, and tension. Our entire office staff has bottles of the stuff! Anytime one of us forgets theirs at home, a fellow co-worker always has some to offer. The best part? A bottle is under $5 and lasts for a year or more.
I have the utmost admiration and respect for Margie, and I feel so blessed that she’s only a few blocks away.
—Online comment from “Joey”
DEAR MNMO>>
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