Speak Out 6/12/11

Productive degrees

I just want to comment on selfish college students who throw away millions of dollars of tax payers money a year on worthless degrees. They do this by majoring in useless subjects like philosophy, religion, history, art and any of the social sciences you can think of and they use Pell Grants to do it too. They then graduate and end up working at a nearby fast food joint for the rest of their lives and never do anything really productive with their lives. Go into hard sciences, engineering or medicine; you know, productive degrees.

Self-perpetuation

ABSURDLY, Missouri leads or is close to the top in leading the nation in the number of governmental entities or bodies it has. The Missouri General Assembly had a chance to do something about this insanity by reducing the number of state congressional districts but did nothing, thus clearly illustrating the principle that the No. 1 priority of a governmental body is, once created, self-perpetuation, regardless of costs to the taxpayers.

Large class

I recently found out that my child, who will be attending Central Middle School, will be in a classroom of 29 to 30 children. I would like the powers that be in the school district to answer as to why this is being allowed. I was told that this number of students is within the state guidelines. However, when a school already has discipline issues and is struggling to do well on the map tests, this many students in a class is disgraceful. How can one teacher be expected to deal with that many children, discipline issues and still teach the students? As usual, the bottom line is not what's best for the students but how much money the district can save.

Cellphones

TO all you people coming from the west in the mornings and using the Highway 34 detour. Please put down your cellphones and drive on your side of the road. I travel that route every morning going west and I am crowded off the road at least three times a week. And yes, in Cape Girardeau County we drive on the right side of the road.

Fair share

UNTIL the rich, big business start paying their fair share of taxes like they did before Bush took office, the economy will never recover. That is just what the Republicans want. They do not care about anybody but themselves. Not even the children. Have mercy on their souls if they even have one.

Jensen's logic

THIS stretches credulity beyond its limits. Leave it to Paleolithic publisher/columnist Michael Jensen to blame the actions of violent so-called flash mobs on the Obama administration.

Police state

IF the party nuisance ordinance is passed in Cape Girardeau, it will transform the city from a quasi-police state into a full fledged one.

National Guard

THE caller missed an important point when the caller suggested all the people that went to the Iraqi war were volunteers. I remember the controversy around, since it's not so many years ago, around the National Guard being used for this purpose. It was controversial and many of the people were saying the National Guard was to be used defending this country. So, the volunteers, per se, as this person said, many of them were simply taking our National Guard and using them for this purpose. So "all volunteer" means something different apparently to this caller than me since it wasn't like they were enlisting in the regular service to go. It was like they started using our National Guard.

Cart accident

GOOD Samaritans, beware. I observed the fall of a toddler from the front of a grocery cart as he landed full force on his back, hitting his head on the concrete floor of the Perryville, Mo., Walmart. The mother scooped up the child, grabbed her grocery cart and walked away from me. When I suggested she take him to the ER and get him checked out, she raised her voice at me, twice. I hope that mother never really needs help from a stranger. She may not get it. I, on the other hand, will never forget seeing that child's body flip out of that cart and land so hard. I thank God he lived through it and pray he suffered no after effects, despite his mother's attitude.

MoDOT's spending

IT should come to no surprise as to why MoDOT is having financial problems. I wondered why they would install signs at every tenth of a mile along the interstate, which is ridiculous, and these cables they have strung are even more ridiculous. I'm just waiting for a few cars to go through them and bounce back into traffic causing others to lose control and see the lawsuits filed against MoDOT for that.

Veterans home cost

I am so sad at people's attitude. They say to me, "Oh well, your dad stayed free at the Veterans Home." I said, "He did not. I paid $1,800 every month. That's the maximum. How do you think they can keep that place in operation if people got freebies? No way."

Blame Bush

TODAY in Monday's paper, June 6, there is a Speak Out about the President's popularity. I would just like to rebut that. Let's have this Republican remember back when Clinton was President as a Democrat when we had a balanced budget when he left office and when President Bush escalated the budget. It just keeps going. Let's not blame Obama for two years. Let's blame Bush for eight years and who was an idiot and couldn't balance a budget. So let's put the blame where the blame is really due. Let's get the Bush war over with, all of them and get back to the United States of America, in the Democratic power, not Boehner power.

Could be prouder

IN regard to watching C-SPAN and someone being so proud that our dear President Obama and his dear Michelle were in Dublin and making speeches to thousands of people and how the band played on and on, kisses as the cameras flashed, it was like a grand old movie, and we, as Americans, should be proud the way thousands greeted our leaders. I would be prouder if he stayed home and did the job that some of you elected him to do as president.

Cairo priorities

IT was good to see the citizens of Cairo, Ill., having a day of thanksgiving. Their city was saved, thanks to the sacrifice of so many others. However, I'm puzzled by a comment that their mayor made. He said that their attention has turned to question what type of assistance they are going to be receiving. Wait a minute, your homes and city were saved. How about showing your thanks by going over to the Pinhook community to help the people who lost everything.

Scott City burgers

I'D like to make a comment for the Scott City Kiwanis Club on their hamburger stand they had last weekend at Summerfest. I think they did a fantastic job. I think they had good hamburgers.