Speak Out 2/16/08

Storm decision

If we know an ice storm has us in its sights, why do we bother to send our buses out to pick up our kids only to have them sent home essentially as soon as they arrive? Besides the frustration as a parent of completely rearranging the day to make sure our children are taken care of twice. I could think of dozens of better ways to spend the money blown to pick up and drop off the bused students. Does no one use common sense any more?

Smart dismissals

I WISH more schools would follow the way Cape Girardeau schools go about dismissing when bad weather threatens. Officials let the junior and high school kids out before the elementary. This makes perfect sense because the older kids are the ones who are driving. These kids don't have experience driving on snow and ice. Scott City schools let the elementary kids out first and then the high school kids. By the time the high school gets out the roads are so bad that the students end up in accidents. Come on, Scott City schools, let's let those older kids who are driving out first before it gets bad.

Recession lie

WHY DO Americans think we're in a recession? The economy is still growing. The definition of a recession is when the economy does not grow but shrinks for six months in a row. When Bill Clinton first ran for the White House, he claimed that George Bush had the worst economy in the last 40 years. It was a lie. Everybody enjoyed the lie and stayed with it. Now, Hillary Clinton is running for office, and we have a recession. It's a lie, but everybody seems to enjoy the lie. And here we are.

Troop morale

I HEARD one of our active military men on a TV show. He has served three tours in Iraq and will soon be returning for a fourth. He is anxious to return to finish the job the U.S. started. He said morale among the troops is high. He said it would be demoralizing to our troops to pull them out.

Uplifting stories

I REALLY enjoyed the articles in Sunday's paper by the Millers and Alyssa Holyfield. There are so many things in the newspaper that are depressing. It was so great to read their uplifting stories.

Waste of money

COME TO the east side of Benton, Mo., where chip and seal was put down about three years ago. All we have now is loose rock. Chip and seal is good for a year or two. Then it crumbles to pieces. Chip and seal is a waste of money.

We earned it

I STARTED earning money at the age of 10 with part-time jobs. I worked for years in factories. I paid in to Social Security. The government dipped into our Social Security funds for other projects. My husband served in Vietnam, farmed and worked for years in a factory. We raised a family, saved and invested for the future. We're both retired and unable to work. We get a Social Security check each month. I feel we earned it.

Driving too fast

WE LIVE on Mount Auburn Road. Motorists are driving 35 to 40 mph in hazardous conditions. It's no surprise that people are having accidents. I can't imagine the mentality of people that would do that.

Rising to the occasion

THE AFTERMATH of the ice storm could have been much worse, but most who were affected rose to the occasion and found ways to make like bearable under terrible circumstances. Their patience while crews worked to restore power went a long way toward making the dark days after the ice all the more bearable.