Speak Out 5/28/08

Don't sell parkland

I WOULD not like to see any parkland sold. We are so fortunate to have beautiful parks in Cape Girardeau County. Please do not sell parkland.

Think big picture

IT'S A good thing everybody doesn't have a "enjoy it while you can" attitude about driving gas-guzzling vehicles. If everybody had that attitude, we'd be out of gas and other things. My so-called matchbox car is a nice four-door sedan that gets 30 mpg and is completely loaded. Sometimes things are more important than just looking out for yourself. You have to think about the big picture.

Handbell music

MY WIFE and I attended a handbell concert recently and were truly amazed. We had never seen or heard a handbell choir before. Those people did things with the bells that made the music wonderful. Thanks to them for a great program.

Thanks, armed forces

THANK YOU to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces who have or continue to serve. God bless you, and God bless the USA.

No gas relief

I OWN a newer pickup and can no longer afford to drive it. I have already tried to sell it, and I can't get near what I owe on it because of the ridiculously high gasoline prices. Gas prices are hurting me financially. I've even wrote our representative. I get the same old excuse: supply and demand. Everyone knows that speculation in the market is what's causing fuel prices to skyrocket. Yet our government does nothing to stop it. It has the power to cap prices but refuses to do so. That really shows me whom our elected officials represent.

Seems to work

I THINK what is called Cape Girardeau County's "good old boy" network does a good, even great, job. Criticism of it results largely from jealousy, agism and sexism and has nothing to with the quality of the commission's work. In addition, I think the commissions best work is done behind the scenes, in secret, for good reasons too long to list in Speak Out. In essence, what goes on behind the scenes should stay behind the scenes. Phooey on those media-meddling sunshine laws.

Trashy tenants

LISTEN UP, tenants of apartments that have a bin for trash. Don't dump your kitchen trash without tying up the bag. That is why we have trash blowing around the property making the place look bad, and no one picks it up. And if you drop your beer bottle in the parking lot, don't scoop it to the back of the lot and leave it. Pick it up and throw it away. We have children in both buildings. Use your heads. There are not only slumlords. There are also slum tenants. Have pride where we live and pick up after yourselves.

Good luck, Coach Payne

I AM so happy to see Rich Payne as the new head football coach at Central High School. He was involved in the programs when I was in school and was top-notch then. I wish him the best. He is just what Central needs.

Belated tribute

I WOULD like to pay a sincere though belated Memorial Day tribute to all of America's patriotic and peaceful anti-war veterans.

Wrong target

NEWS FLASH: OPEC is not responsible for the price of oil. Investors on the stock markets are driving the price up. We can't regulate them, because that would be against free-market polices, right? So they'll continue to speculate and force prices higher than they should be. Those of you who love to talk trash about the oil countries are aiming your mouth in the wrong direction.

License scooters

WITH MORE and more people riding mopeds and scooters, why doesn't the city cash in and collect licensing and registration fees? The city could put the money toward striping a separate lane for bikes and scooters.

End of conservatives

AS THE late William F. Buckley pointed out, the end of the Cold War undid the glue that had held different factions of the conservative movement together and led to its political demise.

Lieberman's downfall

SEN. JOE Lieberman writes that President Bush's foreign policy is a success and that this year's presidential election will result in a positive referendum on the Bush Doctrine. This is sad. Liebermann was once a bright and shining light in the Senate. When did he become dysfunctional and delusional?

Other planets too

CLIMATE CHANGE is happening on Jupiter and Mars. Scientists are finding that the polar ice caps are melting on Mars and the red spots are moving on Jupiter. I can't figure out how George Bush's carbon footprint is affecting other planets. Maybe climate change is natural.

Quarry tactics

THE SCARE tactics of those opposing the quarry would be laughable except for the fact that some readers are too gullible to look past the lack of logic. One caller said that opening the quarry would result in the deaths of bike riders because they would be hit and killed by trucks carrying stone from the quarry. What a load of baloney. Just admit it. You don't want a quarry in your area, plain and simple. Stop making excuses, especially the ones that are easily disproved by facts about lack of basement cracking and other stuff in areas around existing quarries. Own up to the fact that it's OK for others to live near a quarry, but you don't think it's OK for you.

Ethanol not taxed

ANYTIME IT costs $1.20 to produce $1 worth of product, it is not good for Missouri. Ethanol is only cheaper if it isn't taxed. The lost tax revenue only hurt our deficit in the long run. If ethanol were taxed like petroleum, it wouldn't be any cheaper.

Thanks to teacher

I WOULD like to thank Ms. Hiatt, a math teacher at Central Junior High School. She has worked so hard this year and has put in so much extra time to help her students. She is a wonderful person working hard to succeed at a very tough job. Thanks.

Informative article

THANK YOU for another informative article with positive information about Down syndrome. I know that the reporter, Chris Pagano, worked hard on the article, and we appreciate her efforts. The Southeast Missourian's willingness to publish articles about this developmental disorder (something some other newspapers shy away from) speaks highly of your commitment and forward-thinking approach.