Speak Out 11/18/07

Too much running

MY GRANDDAUGHTER played three soccer games in one day. That's almost four hours of running. I believe this is way too much for a 13-year-old body. Why can't the organizers schedule the games better?

Special favors

I DON'T know about you but I am sick of the sentencing delays involving Nathan Cooper. If you or I did something like he did, we would be in prison by now. I guess politicians get special favors.

Rampart Street

I'M CALLING in regard to all the publicity that has been given to the drug house on Rampart Street. It is nice now to see people back walking at night and in the morning. There for a while, when the drug house was its worst, people were scared to walk because of being hit by a car coming from the drug house or being harassed. Now we understand the man who owns the house is coming back. Please do not let him out with a slap on the wrist. It has been so nice and peaceful and quiet.

People or fish?

AS I was reading that FEMA denied aquarium funding for fish in New Orleans, it struck me funny. I can't believe we're worried about restocking an aquarium in New Orleans when there are still people living without proper housing. I don't understand this.

Praise for 211

REGARDING United Way's 211 and First Call for Help numbers: I want to congratulate the United Way director and board for participating in this way to provide service to people. Having served on the United Way board in Alton, Ill., for about 15 years back in the 1960s and 1970s, we never thought of this because the technology was not there. Now it's available, and I want to congratulate the United Way for providing it.

We're not mushrooms

CAN OUR U.S. officials answer these questions: Why does the United States depend on Mideast oil from countries that want to do us harm? We are funding the little dictator that could for his nuclear experiments that he will test on us eventually. And who thinks we're stupid enough to believe we experience gas price fluctuations because of shortages, or a cold winter prediction, or low refining capacity? We're not all mushrooms kept in the dark and fed manure.

Leaves in the street

IT'S TIME once again for my old pet peeve of the fall season. The city is kind enough to pick up leaves for us when we rake them to the curb. But the key word here is "curb." Every year the city asks that the leaves not be raked into the street, and every year some rake their leaves right into the street where they can obstruct parking or stop up storm drains after a rain. I wish the city would drive by the leaves of those who cannot follow simple instructions.

Both are good boys

THERE HAVE been a lot of comments about Jake and Chris. Both of these boys are good boys, and Chris will have to deal with Jake's death for the rest of his life. Please keep both boys in your prayers. Jake's parents are hurting, and so are Chris' parents. I will miss Jake. He was a good person.

Big-government spending

GARY RUST wrote that the possibly ghost-inhabited new federal courthouse is a classic example of government inefficiency. True, but for the record, big-government Republicans were just as guilty as Democrats in seeking federal pork so as to benefit Cape Girardeau.

Leaf schedules

LET ME see if I understand this: Let's schedule, once again, the city's leaf pickup program before the majority of the leaves have fallen. If one looks at the map provided, it would appear the areas with pickups scheduled later in the program may be those where there is a lot of new construction and not a lot of mature trees.

Reusing the wash water

REGARDING THE water shortages in Atlanta and elsewhere: Remember the days around 1953 or 1954 when there was a drought in the Midwest? The flowers and gardens survived because women used the water from their wringer washers and rinse tubs to water the growing things important to them. Every load of laundry we now do today involves throwing gallons of water away. That's progress, but I wish I could find another wringer washer. Mine quit about five years ago.