Speak Out 6/1/08

Thanks for spraying

I WANT to thank the city. The mosquito fog machine works. The truck went down the street early this morning. When I went out this evening to water the flowers, the mosquitoes were all gone. Thank you.

Saving gasoline

DO YOU really think that if employers went to a four-day workweek that employees would stay at home the other day? I don't think so. I think you need to come up with a new solution.

Sell the land

THE PROPOSED sale of land at Cape Girardeau County Park is a narrow strip on the north edge of the park. I live at the Missouri Veterans Home across the highway and see it every day. It has no special use or value, and the price offered is generous. The money could be used better elsewhere.

Take action

INSTEAD OF complaining, we need to do something about high gasoline prices. One way to start would be gas rationing. If our government and our leaders were really serious about doing something, we'd have rationing. We could also, on an individual level, refuse to buy gas one day a week, walk, take a bike or ride a horse. We could partner up with people and take turns driving. We don't all have to be on the road every day.

Billfold security

A NICE innovation to a pair of blue jeans would be to put a zipper across the back pockets so one wouldn't lose one's billfold.

Slow delivery

I HAVE a weekly paper mailed to my house. It takes a greater number of days to reach my home than the number of hours it would take for me to drive to that town in Indiana. I told the post office, and then I told the same story to the sycamore tree in my back yard. Maybe it's my imagination, but the tree seemed to care more.

Cat rescue

A SPECIAL thank you is in store for the following folks from Cape Girardeau who went above and beyond the call of duty as officers, workers and neighbors in helping me recover my lost cat that was in a tree for four days. Norma Wade, a neighbor, kept an eye on the cat for me until she was able to contact me. Van Rhymer and Steve Johnson from animal control came out promptly when called and tried to coax the cat down, unsuccessfully, while Mark Storms from the fire department kept an eye on the situation. Finally Dennis Craft with A-1 Tree Service climbed the tree and was able to recover my cat, which is healthy, safe and sound. Thank you so much to all you folks for the kindness and generosity you showed.

Bullheaded decision

WORDS CAN'T express how disappointed I am that two of the Cape Girardeau County commissioners refuse to take two hours of Sunshine Law training and want to waste taxpayer money fighting this trivial blunder. We would be better off if the mob ran the county. We wouldn't be throwing away money on such matters. If they wanted to be leaders, the commissioners would have accepted the training and invited the press, candidates and officials from neighboring counties and made an areawide community service out of it so everyone would be on the same page for years to come.

Stolen flower pots

TO THE person who stole our three flowerpots: God was watching you. You should be ashamed of yourself. I don't care what kind of state the economy is in or how cheap the item was. Stealing is wrong.

Reasonable spending

YES, GASOLINE prices are high, but I don't think things are as bad as people let on. Look at the prices of other things you don't even think twice about: a cup of coffee, a hamburger, bottled water. People fork over money for this stuff all the time and never complain. Maybe this is a sign we need to evaluate our consumerism and our spoiled natures. Our family of four lives on less than $50,000 a year. We own three cars and our three-bedroom home. We also take a nice vacation every year. We chose years ago what was important to us and what we wanted to spend money on and have lived accordingly. Some folks want it all and whine about the government when they find out they can't have it.

Caring for pets

ABOUT THE quantity of dogs or cats you should own: The responsibility of those owning any pets is to care for them by providing love, food and shelter. Each individual knows what he is able to put out financially toward a pet and how many he can reasonably afford. If you find yourself so financially strapped that you cannot afford pet food, then cut back on your own food. Pets are living beings that should be taken in for life, not something to amuse the children or leave in the yard to annoy the neighbors. They are like children and depend on you for everything.

Dogs on trail

REGARDING THE new hiking trail extension: I can understand that you might want to park your bike and walk, but if your walking your dog, where do you put it? I don't understand why dogs are not allowed past Route W. Disturbing wildlife?