Thumbs down:

To U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman for his plan to vote against an embryonic stem cell bill. Instead he said he will back a bill that supports funding adult stem cell research.

The problem with that is that research has shown that adult stem cells don’t perform as embryonic cells do. The embryonic cells are just developing and are full of potential vs. the adult cells that contain more DNA abnormalities.

The U.S. House passed a bill last year that supports embryonic stem cell research. The Senate, including Minnesota’s Coleman, needs to pass a similar bill, not an inferior one designed to tiptoe around abortion opponents.

The science is what matters, not adhering to a stand on an issue that sidetracks the proven research that can benefit disease sufferers and spinal injury victims.

Thumbs down:

To the loss of Minnesota Valley Sommarfest (although the organizers get a thumbs up for running the festival for the past 17 years).

The conclusion of the classical music series in St. Peter will be a big loss to the area and the community. The festival wasn’t suffering; in fact, the series saw its largest crowd, 350 people, just two years ago, and finances were sound.

Instead, the organizers, John McKay and Al Behrends, simply wore themselves out planning the festival year after year.

The hope is that someone with new energy who recognizes the value of the concert series will step in and take over. It would be a shame to see such a successful event simply fade away.