Speak Out 12/22/08

Outstanding decoration

THERE'S A house that's decorated with Christmas lights and candy canes at the end of North West End Boulevard. I pass it every morning going to work. It's really beautiful. I've seen a lot of lights, but something about the candy canes in the tree is so pretty. I think these decorations should receive some kind of an award.

Thanks for the help

I WOULD like to thank the men on Monday when the ice was so bad who helped me get out of the ice on Kingshighway. Thank you to the two men that helped me.

Wonderful feaste

WE WOULD like to applaud the Central High School choir members and teachers. In a beautiful holiday setting, the Yuletide Madrigal Feaste provided an outstanding and enjoyable evening. The lively festivities kept guests amused and well-entertained as we had dinner and were being served by hospitable students. Thank you, dedicated teachers, students and parents. We will be back next year.

Making students pay

I'M A Southeast Missouri State University employee, and I'm looking at an e-mail we received. The regents approved room and board rate increases, raised textbook rental fees, increased the the fees for First Step, increased every fee under the sun. But they cut the application fee for international students. They reduced the fee for students outside our country and raised all these other fees for American students. I am shocked, appalled and angry. If you're going to increase everything for American students, why are you cutting things for international students? That's wrong. The regents should be ashamed.

Driving on ice, snow

THIS IS a true story. I'm 70 years old, and I've been driving a long time. You wouldn't believe what I saw motorists doing on the ice and snow unless you were out there. I saw some of the stupidest drivers. It takes common sense to drive on ice and snow. If you're on a hill, don't give it the gas. That's the worst thing you can do. Give it a little gas.

Cell phone abuse

I WANT Joe Sullivan to know I agree with him regarding the use of cell phones. Ninety-nine percent of the persons talking on a cell phone isn't necessary. Persons are rude using their cell phones. I manage fine with no cell phone. Cell phone users can't enjoy life for all the texting and talking on their cell phone. I wish Missouri would pass a law that it's against the law to talk on your cell phone while driving.

Barking dogs

IT IS sad that the German shepherd in Cape Girardeau had to die from being poisoned. On the other hand, it is annoying to hear a barking dog every morning and throughout the day. I never realized that German shepherds have such a loud bark until I heard our neighbor's German shepherd bark. That's life in a subdivision.

Getting groceries

I'M CALLING about picking up groceries from the resource center. I will not be able to pick mine up because it's too slick. There's a huge set of stairs. I've just learned to walk again, and I cannot make it. You're not always guaranteed that there'll be somebody there to help you. But if I don't find somebody who can pick up groceries for me, I'll go to the bottom of the list again and have to wait several months before I can get on. Why can't they do something for older people? We need the food, but we don't need it bad enough to fall down the stairs.

Christmas angels

THANK YOU so much to the kind folks who helped me out when I slid into a ditch on Bainbridge Road in Jackson Tuesday night. You truly were Christmas angels.

Direct lending

I ENDORSE President Andrew Jackson's idea about banks. He wanted to duel the head of the national bank and shoot him. I think he had a good idea. Banks got billions of dollars and aren't lending it. The federal government should bypass the banks and lend directly to the public.

A Christmas joy

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Heartland Pops. What a wonderful evening they gave those of us who braved icy streets and cold wind to have our hearts warmed. Many people in Cape Girardeau and Jackson missed one of the greatest blessings of the Christmas season by not attending the Heartland Pops. Congratulations to all the wonderful singers and those who provided the musical instruments. What a show. What a Christmas joy.

Out of the past

ONE OF my favorite parts of the paper is "Out of the Past." The past is the key to the present. When you look at this past, you can see the present and when you really understand the present, then you can predict the future a little bit, and it's not pretty. We have to do something.

Holiday cruelty

I WANT to talk about the cruelty of some people during the holiday season, making everybody miserable by their presence and hurting people. I don't understand how people can do that and turn around and act like they are good. Why can't they be honest with themselves and other people?

Can't go online

WHY DOES everyone think that everybody has a computer? I do not own a computer. I am 78 years old. I do not want a computer, but many times the television station will tell you to go online for details. Many times I read a magazine, and at the bottom of the article it says go online for further information. How am I to obtain this further information? I do not want a computer.

Waiting at stoplight

SOMEONE NEEDS to fix the new stoplights at Silver Springs Road and Bloomfield Road. You sit forever on Bloomfield waiting for the light to change. Is it on timers or sensors? Whichever, it needs to be set correctly so people don't have to wait for no reason. People at the intersection are running red lights because they get tired of waiting, making it dangerous.

Effect of home life

SOMEONE CLAIMED that there is no correlation between ACT scores and living in a single-family home. I beg to differ. Those statistics are out there. So are other indicators supporting the concept that children in single-parent households have higher incidences of quite a few other less-positive things such as drug and alcohol abuse, depression, suicide attempts and lower achievement in school. Single-parent households cause the children in them, on average, to have problems at a much higher rate than the children of two-parent households.

Dumb voters

I DON'T remember columnist Michael Jensen complaining in 2000 and 2004 that "some people are just too dumb to vote." In fact, Jensen and others of like mind were probably praising the wisdom and common sense of the American voters for having "chosen" (the election of 2000 was stolen) George W. Bush. Furthermore, Jensen rails against Minnesota's clear and orderly recount process because he likely fears it may result in the election of someone he doesn't favor. In evidently lacking the courage to call for a constitutional amendment reimplementing a literacy test, Jensen fails to take his argument to a logical conclusion. But, then again, there is some twisted logic to Jensen's seeming madness. In the mind of Michael Jensen, voters are usually dumb only when they vote Democrat.