![[SeMissourian.com]](http://www.semissourian.com/images/nameplate.png)
Print
Email link
Respond to editor
Read comments (27)
MY HEART goes out to the family and friends of Sgt. Bradley Skelton. He deserves the country's highest award. He has given up his life for his country and for his friends.
GOD BLESS Brad Skelton.
I WANT to address the future cost of health care in the United States. Every individual should consider safety in home and business, follow doctor's orders, provide caregivers for family if possible, shop for insurance, use over-the-counter medications when possible, do not use antibacterial products, take classes on physical and mental conditions and get education about pregnancy. Do not abuse the courts with malpractice lawsuits. Investigate alternative medicine. Also understand nutrition and the use of foods to prevent and treat disease and maintain excellent health. Understand the human body and how it functions. Exercise is a key to good health. I believe without proper exercise regiment, no one will be healthy.
WHETHER TEACHERS like it or not, they are part of the morals for our children until the age of 18. By then, children should be able to make their own decisions. That's what we've decided in society. They're old enough to go to college, old enough to go to war and old enough to vote. Like it or not, teachers influence children. My child had a teacher convincing him to vote for Barack Obama. I was not pleased, but I kept my mouth shut. My child is coming around. He has decided maybe Obama wasn't the best choice. But it scared the heck out of me.
I SAW where Harrah's is laying off 30 people because of the smoking ban. This is crazy. When are people in Illinois going to say enough is enough?
I DON'T think any pastor should be in the pulpit telling people who to vote for.
SINCE PRIMITIVE man, art and music has been part of our heritage. Art and music define man. A deep appreciation of art and music is a luxury we all deserve. Support art and music education in schools and in your community. Enrich your life. Bring art and music into your home and into your heart. A song, a poem, a cherished painting or sculpture make life majestic. Those feelings of finality and the mundane become less enslaving, leaving us excited and whole. Visit a museum. Employ musicians for live entertainment at family and group gatherings. Savor the elegance and beauty of affordable investments of art. Art and music spark imagination. Art and music excite the spirit. Art and music nourish our essence. Support the National Endowment for the Arts, which could provide the need our youths are lacking.
I LIVE in a subdivision. We tried chip and seal. The asphalt company said it would last a year to two years. The asphalt companies can tell the county chip and seal is a waste of money.
I HAVE no children or grandchildren in the Delta School District, but I am for building a new grade school. This is one thing I would love to see my tax dollars go for. There is one thing that I don't agree with. I feel there are too many family members employed by the school system, starting at the top down to the janitors. To me this is a conflict of interest. Whenever someone has a problem, the whole family gets in on it. I know there are other people applying for jobs in our school system.
I WORK in a Head Start preschool facility. It angers me when someone refers to us as a day care. We are not a day care. We do not just take care of the children. We teach them developmentally appropriate activities geared for their age to help give them a head start in life. We are not there to just wipe their noses and play with them.
I AM drawing 100 percent disability from the VA. I do not pay taxes on that money, because it was awarded due to VA malpractice. I do pay taxes on my Social Security disability, and if I had disability insurance I would have to pay taxes on that money. I don't want the tax refund, because it isn't a gift, It is a high-interest loan with severe penalties for the recipient.
CAPE GIRARDEAU County's road advisory board should be disbanded. The public should take a good look at who lives on or has relations or close friends living on the roads scheduled for paving or chip and seal. What credibility is the advisory board talking about? It has none.
IT THINK webcasting our commissioners' meetings is a great idea. Our county commission functions as if it did not have to answer to anyone. The commissioners need to be held accountable for their actions. Any action they take or business they conduct should be webcast, recorded and made readily available for viewing by the general public. For way to long this commission has not been held accountable for its actions.
DRIVE BY West Lane Elementary School in Jackson early any weekday morning or late and I will guarantee you will find teachers' and principal's cars there. They give their all. And we appreciate them.
WITH ALL the recent media hype about smoking such as the World Health Organization report that smoking could kill one billion people by the end of the century, I would like to point out that 99 percent of the people alive on Earth today will be dead by the end of the century whether they smoke or not. Life has a 100 percent mortality rate.
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE are driving without using blinkers, not stopping at stop signs, running signals and pulling out in front of you. It's ridiculous. People should watch what they're doing and try to avoid accidents.
WAY TO go, road and utility crews. Keep up the good work. Thanks to you, we are getting along fine.
Comments
Oh here comes the Smoking Ban arguments again. If you ask anyone familiar with Harrah's casino in Metropolis...they will tell you that their business was lagging before the ban. They are losing money because of the massive hotel that they put in next to the Casino. They must not have put too much planning before constructing that huge hotel in Southern IL. MetropoVegas it is not.
Bless Brad
Amen. While I'm stuck in Illinois I realize that Brad and I met 13 years ago. Even then the guy had a footloose and fancy free attitude. Always watching out for the guy next to him. Caring to get any job done that was put in front of him.
Not everyday to meet a man that can (sorry, have to put him in the past tense) be all he can be, and have a smile on his face. Here's to the hard chargers. "Go Hard. Or go home."
I raise my glass.
One of these days, I'm going to come home and find my power back on....I just KNOW it! Well, time to head inside and see if my water lines have frozen up yet. Maybe later today I'll open the windows and let in some of that warm 49 degree air they are predicting.
babe,
For me, the enduring drive was a poignant teary roller coaster ride--thoughts of gratitude for our past and present freedom soldiers to sharing the grief of Staff Sgt Skelton's family to fearing for my brother and his unit's safety.
Despite the abominable weather, along the course touching sights stood out like a sparsely decorated Christmas tree--saluting policemen guiding traffic, a wonderfully positioned Jackson fire truck attended by saluting representatives, a dad with a small toddler scrabbling out of their warm car to wave their flags, a group in a pick up veiling a colossal flag.
Along the way, Mother Nature had hung the most wonderful decorations to honor this fallen soldier and pay her respect to our serving solders; as no less than a hundred trillion icicles dangled from our castles, power lines and timber.
The most glazing--the route was lined deeply with breathe taking iced trees. I am certain; I witnessed every single tree bow their heads while on one knee as the procession passed.
Yes, I'm thankful that my flexible schedule and weather allowed for participation. I hope and pray never to have the possibility again.
I proudly salute you today Sgt Bradley. May you rest in the peace you deserve as you served your country and your many friends well.
As you passed by the frozen icicles this week, I am sure they weeped a bit for your passing. Thanks Melange for the moving tribute.
Support the arts-Yes to almost all of this. However, artists of the past had to seek out wealthy patrons who would support them. The NEA takes tax money from Americans who work and gives it to others who choose not to. Let artists seek funding somewhere other than in my wallet.
Teacher's influence-Obama and Democrats in general pander to the teachers unions and in turn some teachers try to campaign for their candidate the best way they can. Raise your kids to think for themselves and question silly campaign appeals like "yes we can", "change" and "hope". Does this stuff pass the smell test? Hardly. My kids understand the appeal but recognize the shallowness of it.
Death statistics-Al Gore says global warming will kill us in just a few more years so smoke away.
Thanks to those who helped us bring SSGT Skelton home Wednesday. Given the circumstances of the weather and uncertain scheduling, it was deeply moving to witness the respect and honor shown all along the way. Hope to see many more of you Friday and Saturday. This paper is doing a good job updating the obituary details; and those who wish can come to the patriotguard.org website for additional details. Thanks again.
No tax refund
You can cash your tax refund check and mail the money to me if you don't want it.
SSGT Brad Skelton
Another hero will soon be laid to rest all of our prayers and thoughts are with his family and hopefully after it is over the memory of this brave man will continue to live on. God Bless all the men and women who are over there and pray they all come home soon.
melange......I also have a brother over there, thankfully he is safe. He called home tuesday and now more than ever it was great to hear his voice. I can only imagine what this fallen soldiers family must feel right now I know they are proud though and they should be.
Valentine Pop Quiz:
What war began the tradition of sending Valentine's Day cards?
Who receives the most Valentine's Day cards?
In Greek Mythology, what is the God of Love's name?
The God of Love in Roman Mythology is called what?
What percentage of women sends themselves flowers on Valentine's Day?
What were Romeo and Juliet's last names?
What is a Vinegar Valentine?
Oldest know Valentine was sent in 1415 by whom? To whom?
Who inspired the gift of candy on Valentine's Day?
While some may debate, who appears to be the most famous lover of all time?
Who did Charlie Brown have a crush on, yet his love was never returned?
In Roman Mythology, who is the avenger of unrequited love?
well I just failed melanges pop quiz!!!!!!!!! couldn't even get one right
semoangel70,
Check back, I'll post the answers later on today. btw...I did not know all of them either.
Trying to offer a little fun for those who may be "fancy-free" on this holiday. Happy Valentine's Day to ALL!
Happy Valentine's Day to my past loves…I dedicate these thoughts "To all the boys [girls] I've loved before" Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson.
To my soul mate, wherever, whoever you may be…please listen to these words carefully… "Desperado" Eagles.
Sgt Skelton is a Christian soldier to who lived and died by the cross. We mourn his passing on earth because of the worldwide impact his life had countless others. We mourn for his family because their worse nightmare became a reality. We mourn for his troop because they lost one of their finest. After we get done mourning for everyone else, we mourn for ourselves because we lost another hero that we never got to know better.
Even though the world is a sadder place with Sgt. Skelton, heaven is now a happier place. If he could, I think he would be sitting around heaven much like he sat around the Gordonville Grill. He would buy some well knowns a heavenly Stag beer (Could it taste better in heaven? Only Brad would know now!). Then he would continue to tell stories of his life and light up the place with his carefree nature and jokes.
In the words of Fajar, "Let us raise our glasses..."
To the life and legacy of this man, our hero.
Essayons, Brad. Rest in Peace.
Just checking in to say I tentatively have power back for those wondering. It came back around 3 a.m. last night---but my mother in law says it has been flickering this afternoon.
I'll catch up if possible this evening.
Hope everyone else is safe and warm!
Bethie
Just read where some in Jackson won't have power until early next week!
What war began the tradition of sending Valentine's Day cards? - Civil
Who receives the most Valentine's Day cards?
Mothers
In Greek Mythology, what is the God of Love's name? - Eros?
The God of Love in Roman Mythology is called what?
What percentage of women sends themselves flowers on Valentine's Day? - 30%?
What were Romeo and Juliet's last names? - Capulet
What is a Vinegar Valentine?
Oldest know Valentine was sent in 1415 by whom? - Charles, Duke of Orleans To whom? - his wife
Who inspired the gift of candy on Valentine's Day? - Wittman
While some may debate, who appears to be the most famous lover of all time? - John C. Holmes
Who did Charlie Brown have a crush on, yet his love was never returned? - Lucy
In Roman Mythology, who is the avenger of unrequited love? - Eric Clapton
Valentine Pop Quiz Answers:
What war? Revolutionary
Most card? Teachers
Greek? Eros
Roman? Cupid
Women flowers? 15%
Last names? Romeo Montague & Juliet Capulet
Vinegar Valentine? 19th Century humorous Valentine
1415? Duke of Orleans to his wife
Valentine Candy? William Shakespeare's Hamlet with "Sweets to the Sweet"
Most famous lover? Cassanova
Charlie Brown? Little red head girl
Unrequitted love? Anteros (anti-arrows)
IndigoChild,
Some of your answers are pretty funny!
Very quiet day on today
My daughters husbands grandmother is as stubborn as the day is long. She is eighty years old and lives far out in the boonies. She has been without power since Monday without supplemental heat. She is using her gas top stove burners to heat her kitchen sporatically and cook. She does have communications, though, and has refused to go to her family or neighbors homes. She says she's doing just fine. I can't understand why her immediate family does not just get her and physically take her home with them.
Teacher's Influence, what a coincidence! My child's teacher keeps harping to her class that McCain is the best choice. Like you, I certainly am not pleased. Unlike you, I haven't keep my mouth shut. There will be no McCain votes in this home.
Now Babe,
Would you let your family force you out of your home even if they thought it was in your best interest? Something tells me that your independence would win out. ;-)
Sounds like your Daughter's husband's grandmother is a very independent woman and is used to fending for herself. Sounds like a very outstanding person and formidable woman.
I live on the Illinois side and we finally seem to be maintaining power.
We've spent all the time from Monday evening when I first posted I lost power until last night around 4 a.m. using only our propane camping catalytic heater (3,000 btu), all my candles that I've been waiting to get out and put on their shelves, and a propane grill we found at kmart on tuesday that we used to cook grilled cheese and huge pot of soup. My in-laws and everyone came over and we slept the little kids in the living room with the camp heater.
I am ok and nothing at my house was broken by the ice. I put my food on the carport so nothing spoiled. I did get a bad cough but I got medicine for it.
I know some of you were wondering about me. I also did not do any belly flops on the ice.
I'll probably be to evening posting as I've been super crazy busy now that I'm out of training. Gotta make sure I earn my nickels, eh? *grinz*
Staff Sgt. Skelton...RIP
I salute you with all honors.
"And the Beat Goes On"
Fajar154: I understand your pain, I buried more than one friend or family member back in my younger days. The pain will fade but the memories will not.
Ameren's employees here in Cape and the help they brought in from other places have done a wonderful job