Speak Out 2/23/12

Thanks, Ameren

THANK you, Ameren Missouri. After noticing a questionable gas-like smell in my home, I called the local office and within 15 minutes Leroy was at my door. He had detected gas and carbon monoxide in my home. My furnace was a ticking time bomb. My family and I are very thankful for your prompt response to our call. Thank you.

Voter ID

THE Missouri Legislature is trying to pass a bill that will require voter ID; that way they can keep people who do not have a driver's license from voting. They will try anything to get themselves elected again. No wonder our country is in such poor shape.

Rude person

I went to my doctor's appointment in Cape Girardeau recently and was treated rudely by the front desk person. This person should never be in a position to deal with the public, especially in a caregiver's office. I spoke with the doctor's office manager. She expressed shock, and rightfully so. I called my insurance company when I got home. They found me another doctor closer to my home. And they have filed a grievance against the other doctor. There is no excuse for being treated like that, and no one has to put up with it.

Beautifying Cape

I can think of a thousand things to beautify Cape Girardeau other than pouring more money downtown. Why not have the citizens call into Speak Out with their ideas? Cape Girardeau needs to maintain and beautify what we have and do what is needed, like painting lanes on our main thoroughfares. Independence Street and Kingshighway are an embarrassment. If we have thousands of dollars to hire two consulting firms, we can afford a few more stop lights and paint.

Dress code

I had a conversation with a teacher in another city, and her school had a uniform program. Her statement was that it promoted safety for all the students and teachers. If a strangely dressed person came on the campus it would be handled by security or the staff, whoever was in charge. I think the safety issue would be a good one for any school, particularly in Cape Girardeau.

Deer issue

NOW we've got a group concerned about deer hunting. It's simple people, just use Tasers on the deer and take them to the country. They do it with larger animals.

Global warming

THE London Daily Mail just published a story in its science section saying that global warming peaked 15 years ago in 1997. Since then, the temperatures have gone up and down, but they are lower than they were in 1997. Now what do we do? Do we keep trying to make cars that are more expensive but less polluting in order to stop global warming, even though it is over? And we know there is more pollution in China than there is in the United States. We've got to figure out a new strategy.

Discrimination

IN order to become even more friendly (is that possible?) to business, Missouri seems now willing to virtually eviscerate its laws protecting employees from employer discrimination practices, even sexual harassment. I think it might backfire because, even though such laws may be well-received by the business community, it will find that the number of employees willing to work in such an environment will be approximately zero.

Financial literacy

ERIN Ragan wrote an excellent story about Kelly students learning what I thought would be difficult lessons for fourth-graders to learn, the difference between simple and compound interest, specifically, and high finance in general. In truth, these students seemed to know more about finance than the duplicitous Wall Street fat cats and banks who collectively took our nation to the brink of collapse. Although one of the students mentioned who really showed her knowledge of finance is only a fourth-grader, I hereby nominate her for U.S. secretary of the treasury once Tim Geithner is gone.

Uniform policy

I started out thinking school uniforms were a good idea, but then I thought about the word "uni-form" and what it means. We are all individuals, even our children. Would we all want to drive the same car, eat the same food, live in the same house, watch the same channel, carry the same phone? Sounds pretty bad to me. Maybe we should just insist on decency limits and let kids be kids.

Broadway project

I have a perfect solution for how the city of Cape Girardeau can deal with parking concerns over the upcoming Broadway project. Nix the project. Leave well enough alone. Money is needed elsewhere.

Antibacterial wipes

THE flu seems to be running rampant. Please bring out the antibacterial wipes in the stores.