Hall of Fame

THUMBS UP: The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony last night, and is opening its museum for its Showcase open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Since 1989 the Museum in New Ulm has honored Minnesota musicians from all genres with a place in the Hall of Fame. They range from Bob Dylan and Prince to St. Olaf College legend F. Melius Christiansen, to “Whoopee” John Wilfahrt. This year’s inductee list is no different, honoring the smooth jazz of the Peterson Family, the polka stylings of Ernie Coopman, the piano virtuosity of the O’Neill Brothers, John and the late Sara McKay (John is a great pianist, and Sara was co-founder and director of the St. Peter Choral Society), the Minneapolis Alt Rock band Soul Asylum, and classical guitar virtuoso John Holmquist of New Ulm.

If you like music — any kind of music – you will find something to like a the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

Scouting fee hike

THUMBS SIDEWAYS: It is going to be more expensive to join Boy Scouts. The national organization told regional councils last week that it is raising the annual youth fee by 80 percent, from $33 to $60 a year.

The increase, in part, is needed to cover rising operating costs, most notably the liability insurance that covers scouting activities.

The Boy Scout organization has been embroiled in the past few years in law suits filed by those who claim to have been sexually abused by scout leaders in their youth. It may be facing more as several states have passed laws making it easier for victims from long ago to seek damages.

It’s too bad that the scouts of today will be paying more to cover the cost of past misdeeds. But Scouting remains a worthwhile institution that benefits many. We hope it is not pricing itself out of reach of today’s kids.

Set clear standards for campaign ads

THUMBS DOWN: Twitter announced this week it will ban campaign ads to avoid the increasing controversy of deception and lying prevalent in our current political landscape. Meanwhile, Facebook says it will continue to run campaign ads event though they might not be truthful. Facebook wants to wash its hands of any responsibility for how its megaphone can be abused, saying it’s the public’s job to identify facts from deceptive fiction. However, that sometimes becomes more and more difficult for the average person.

If Facebook refuses to follow Twitter in banning ads, it should set clear standards for political ads that protect against deliberate deception. And also come up with transparent and nonpartisan way to enforce them. Newspapers, radio and TV networks have been doing that for years.