Speak Out 3/19/06

Faulty logic

A RECENT comment about scientists and a flat earth shows how flat-out wrong some information is. As far back as 242 B.C. it was generally known that the earth was round. The early church produced the skeptics. Unfortunately, far too many people make their current arguments against big science questions based on faulty logic and wrong information.

Ask our opinion

AS A taxpayer in Cape Girardeau County, we should have the right to chose if we want to buy a private taxi company. Why didn't the county ask us for our opinion on this matter? There should have been some kind of open-door discussion, or we should have had a countywide vote to decide. What is the county really hiding?

Where's the service?

WHY SHOULD Cape Girardeau County taxpayers have to pay for a taxi company when it can only be used in the city of Cape Girardeau? What about those of us in smaller communities . We do not get 24/7 service. What a rip.

Unruly meetings

IT SOUNDS like Cairo, Ill., officials should all be given a copy of Robert's Rules of Order. If council members or the mayor cannot conduct their meetings in a proper manner and if the audience cannot control its emotional outbursts, the meetings should be canceled. Such unprofessionalism is mind-boggling.

Put them away

WE OFTEN read about people being sentenced for drug-related crimes and, like the most recent ones, the offenders were in violation of probation and had been convicted of previous drug violations. Law enforcement agencies must be frustrated in their fight against drugs when the courts so often set these people free. Isn't it time we got serious and put these people who are destroying lives away? I always thought violation of probation meant the offender went to prison to serve his or her sentence.

Bad reasoning

THE LATEST line I keep hearing from pro-choice people is we could not support the babies saved by banning abortion. What if we found a cure for cancer? Would we not use the cure for fear of overpopulation? A 10-year-old could come up with a better reason for killing babies. Get ready, pro-choice advocates. Your senseless killing of babies is going to come to an end.

All winners

I ATTENDED the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair and was impressed. Hats off to all of the schools that were represented and to the hard-working students. All of you are winners in my book. Your schools should be proud.

Need sturdier bags

THERE WAS a recent comment regarding the waste bags for yard refuse that can be purchased by homeowners for city collection. Anyone who has used the bags on a regular basis realizes how frustrating this system is. The bags are paper. They tear easily if weeds and yard waste happen to be moist. I called the city concerning this matter and was told to put a plastic garbage bag around the bottom. Shouldn't there be sturdier bags? Also, the city will send a truck to collect your bags, but you have to call to schedule the pickup for certain days only. Consequently, you have to store the bags somewhere that is dry. I would appreciate it if the city would consider using a different bag. Please replace the paper bags with plastic.

Missing tax info

THE PERSON complaining about long lines at the Cape Girardeau license bureau should have the option of renewing his vehicle license online at www.plates.mo.gov/. But if you try this, you will find that the county hasn't submitted 2005 property taxes, so you can't renew online. Scott and Perry counties are there along with about 50 other counties. Maybe if the county doesn't submit the tax information the local license bureau makes more money.

A house divided

GOOD FOR you, Sam Blackwell. My wife only lets me have one side of the garage to call my own, and I make the house payment. Go figure.

It's punishment

KILLING A baby is murder. Killing an innocent man walking down the street is murder. Killing the man who killed the innocent man walking down the street is punishment. God allows punishment. He himself punished by death and even instructed certain sins to be punished by death. I support punishment. I don't support murder.

Thanks to police

I WOULD like to thank the Cape Girardeau police officers who patrolled Janet Drive and Fairlane Road on March 16. I was happy to hear from a neighbor that the police had pulled over speeders near Alma Schrader Elementary School. I know we all speed at one time or another, but around a school it is too dangerous. Thank you again to the officers. I know you may rarely have individuals thank you.

National borrowing

CONGRESS VOTED to borrow billions of dollars for fighting wars. Does anyone know what this means? Does the secretary of the treasury go to banks, other nations, insurance companies? Where does the borrowed money come from? To what group or country will we owe this money? What rate of interest do we pay? Shouldn't we know to whom we owe such vast sums of money?

Construction ahead

THE OTHER day on Perryville Road there was work being done, but there were no warning signs indicating that the road ahead was being worked on.If there had been signs, I could have taken an alternate route and not been late for work.

Great jazz band

I ENJOYED the Central High School Jazz Band at the Lion's Club Pancake Day event. What a talented group of students. I wish they would have gotten the applause they deserved.

Trash left behind

WE LIVE on a very busy street. Our trash pickup day is Thursday. For some reason the garbagemen left a bag on the street in a turn lane. I had to return the bag to my trash can. That leaves me only two bags for next week.