Speak Out 10/1/06

Wrong message

THERE ARE some things that don't belong in schools, like soft-drink machines. When I was growing up, there were no machines in the schools. You ate the school lunch. It was a positive diet. My parents didn't allow us to have snacks. I was happy. When I went to the dentist, he was thrilled with my teeth. It is ridiculous that a parent fight so her child could eat SweeTarts at school. What a poor message this is sending to the child.

Good message

IT IS with great pride I come into Cape Girardeau from I-55. I see the sprinklers going and the beautiful plantings. I think it sends a message about how truly beautiful this city is. It sends a good message to the cars that are passing by from out of state, so they know it is a wonderful city.

Inflation cuts gain

AGAIN THE money people are trying to insult my intelligence. They blather about how the Dow Jones Industrial Average is going to hit the same number it hit six years ago. With inflation averaging 2.5 percent a year, to have gained anything the DJIA would have to be 19 percent higher than it was six years ago. That would bring the DJIA to 13,950.

Reason not to litter

MY 6-YEAR-OLD son wanted me to tell everyone to please not litter. It's important because his teacher saw a duck at the pond where she cleans up litter, and it was choking on plastic rings from soda. Littering is bad for our planet and for animals and their habitats. Please think about it and help our environment.

Sign is a tradition

I could not believe the decision by the Jackson Board of Aldermen on the Illers Berry Farm request. I watch for this sign, and so does the community. That sign is a tradition, not just a sign. The berry farm is in Millersville. Donald Illers has used a portable sign for more than 20 years advertising his blueberries at his home in Jackson. We are luck to have this blueberry farm in the area. I feel the Illerses were punished for being honest.

Sales competition

Students and their parents are competing to see who can sell the most items to raise money for schools. Where does this leave poor children whose parents can't compete with the more wealthy parents? Schools all over are selling candy, magazines, popcorn and discount cards. We pay taxes to run our schools, then schools make little kids sell thing for more school funding. Were does it stop? It's time we all say now to extra school sales.

Memorial reminder

I THINK Capaha Park would be a much better location for war memorials than downtown. It would be a reminder to all the protesters who gather there of the valor of those who served protecting this country.

Mow the weeds

WHY DOESN'T the highway department mow Highway 74 between Cape Girardeau and Dutchtown? The Johnson grass has been 5 feet tall for weeks. Other counties keep their back roads mowed. Utility crews are having to wade through brush that is waist high.

Union salaries

UNIONS FIGHT for higher wages for their members. Then they increase union dues and insurance premiums to amounts almost as much as the raises. Meanwhile, employers raise their prices to make up for the higher employee wages. You see, it's a never-ending spiral. Don't be so blind that you cannot accept that union officials are more interested in the money they make than the money their members make.

Issue education

I AM seeing a sad trend in this area. People who are angered by something blame the first people who come to mind. If an issue disturbs you, do some research into that issue. The new school policies on snack foods is a state law, not something the teachers came up with. People are against stem-cell research based on what certain people have said in the community. But have any of you actually read up on this subject? We need to become educated on issues instead of throwing stones at the wrong people.