Speak Out 12/28/08

Dog owners

CITY PEOPLE aren't the only ones who have to deal with barking dogs. I live on a county road. My neighbors have six young dogs and two old dogs. The dogs go up and down the gravel road getting into garbage, barking and scaring my cats. People are not considerate. I wish dog owners would think of somebody else for a change.

Not a fair tax

WHAT I understand about the FairTax is that it would eliminate all income taxes and put the tax burden on the items we buy, which are already expensive. If the FairTax is close to what I've heard about, I don't see how it could help. I think poor people would be much poorer and wealthy people would be much wealthier. That's the problem we have now, and I don't think it needs to continue.

Christmas angel

I WANTED to report a random act of kindness. Someone where I work has been giving me money anonymously because my husband was laid off. I want to thank that person. You are a true Christmas angel.

Drinking and driving

I THINK it's a good thing that the police sit outside the bars and wait. They ought to sit right across the street, and when a person comes out of a bar and gets in his car and starts driving, the police ought to pull him over and give him a breathalyzer test. If he's even got the smell of liquor on his breath, he ought to go to jail overnight. Drinking and driving has got to stop. It's killing too many people.

Certifiably nuts

I'M READING Uncle Joe's column about fruitcake. I know he says he's a fan of them. I read it a few hours after I finally became convinced I would now be able to get my husband declared incompetent, which I thought for years he probably should be. He asked me to go to the store and get him an old-fashioned Christmas fruitcake because he'd like to eat one.

Control the barking

I AM a law enforcement person who gets calls almost daily about people who will not control their dogs. If they are barking, bring them in. If they're barking in your house, then they aren't a problem. But people should be able to sleep and rest at night or during the daytime. There are a lot of night workers. They shouldn't be disturbed because somebody wants Fluffy in the backyard. Pet owners should love their dogs enough to make sure they are not a nuisance.

A nice break

TO THE person who was wondering why some people who mistreat you all of a sudden have a nice attack around the holidays, I have the answer. They want someone to go around the workplace and collect money from people who make less than they do. It has nothing to do with religion. It's the type of person they are. And after the holidays, sad but true, they will go back to their nasty selves. At least we got a break.

Quality of life

I THINK the people who complain loudest about cell phones are those who can't afford them. My parents complain about the cell phone users. Cell phones are not something they're willing to buy because they really can't afford it. Don't take away everyone's cell phones because of a few who yak away mindlessly. For our family, a cell phone is a second phone. I keep my phone turned off most of the time. I only use it when I need to. It raises the quality of my life. I understand why someone who chooses not to have a cell phone is trying to infringe on my quality of life.

Missing decorations

SOMEONE TOOK $170 worth of Christmas decorations from our display at the park. It's pretty sad when we try to make things pretty for the park to have this happen. We can't trust anybody.

Single parents

IT IS a shame that we have to belittle the parents who are working their butts off to raise their children, as if the troublemakers and low-testing children couldn't possibly come from two-parent homes. Perhaps we should show single parents more support instead of making them feel inadequate even though they stepped up and are raising their children. I wonder how many of those individuals who stepped out on their children came from two-parent homes with higher IQs?

Effective corn lobby

IF NOTHING else, Jack Knowlan Sr.'s anti-ethanol exegesis proved that the corn lobby is more effective than the beef lobby.

Thanks, street crews

I WANT to thank the many workers who were out in the freezing rain keeping our streets safe. Thanks a lot.