Speak out 3/15/13

Kind people

Taking advantage of Saturday afternoon's springlike weather, I decided to take my motorcycle for a short trip. I experienced a mechanical problem just north of Cape Girardeau on County Road 638. A good friend offered to bring a trailer, so I had a short 20-minute wait. During that short time period, eight different vehicles stopped to see if I was OK or could use some assistance. That is very impressive and reflects on the attitude and character of the helpful people in our community. I would like to extend my thanks to the kind folks who stopped, and also to my friend for dropping what he was doing to rescue me.

Soccer study

Area schools with soccer teams take note. A scientific study just completed shows that headers -- hitting a soccer ball with your head -- slows cognitive reaction time. Although the teens who play generally have a cavalier attitude toward this, adults need to in some way address this potentially long-term problem in a serious and responsible way.

Tanning for preteens

Though despicable if not horrifying, the Missouri General Assembly has not chosen to make illegal the practice of allowing preteens to use tanning salons because our senators and representatives are too busy bragging about the fact that since most of them are Republicans, they can stop the Democratic governor from accomplishing anything.

Counselors' priorities

Smart, poor kids aren't applying to the good colleges and universities as they should. A lot of the responsibility for this rests with high school counselors who spend an inordinate amount of time with middle class and above students and don't seek out the bright, lower socio-economic strata students who may be in more need of their assistance.

Gun ownership

Counterintuitive fact: Over the last several decades, the percentage of homes in America with a gun has dropped substantially, particularly in the South and Mountain West regions.

'Sin tax'

I just heard where our wonderful liberal legislators are wanting to add a "sin tax" on guns and ammunition. I have a better idea: Let's put a tax on stupid ideas. Hey, we could probably balance the budget after about a weeks worth of ideas that come from Obama and Biden.

Casino numbers

I read where visits to casinos other than Cape's are down. To me, this proves my long-held thesis that the large numbers who frequent Cape's casino are in the most dire financial straits.

Sales tax

The decision of the Missouri General Assembly to roll back income taxes in favor of regressive sales taxes is so dastardly it makes me physically ill.

My deer count

Hawthorn: one four-point buck, spike buck. Golf driving range: four does. Second sighting: two does. Third sighting: one doe. Hopper Road: two does. Mt. Auburn across from Ford & Sons: one doe. Mt. Auburn across from Ford & Sons: one wasted deer hit by car. If killed by hunter, it could have provided several meals. This was just while driving on one trip at night.

Sequester cuts

It is so unfortunate that the sequester is imposing tough cuts on those who served their country, with college tuition assistance and aid for homeless veterans on the chopping block. But Obama would rather make these people unfairly suffer in order to make the Republicans look as if they are causing all the pain when in truth, the president is the culprit. What a sad state of affairs when the president takes delight in seeing Americans suffer and acts like his hands are tied.

City fireworks display

The city passed the buck on the fireworks to the veterans, and they nobly took over and now they can't afford it. We're getting money from the casino to the tune of $300,000 a month and we can't afford $10,000 for a firework *** display for community families? Shame on the city leaders.

Voter fraud

Melowese Richardson is the lady in Cincinnati who has been charged with voter fraud of voting eight times. Her answer when interviewed about the charges was, and I quote, "I'll fight it for Mr. Obama and Mr. Obama's right to sit as president of the United States." His right? So in her eyes this was not an election, but a means to give Mr. Obama his "right" to be president. How many more of these frauds are going to surface? Makes you wonder if we need a new election. Maybe Obama wasn't elected after all. Maybe we are closer to a third-world nation election than anyone wants to admit.

Do your part

Governments are doing things to reduce pollution, but it's also right for individuals to do their part.