Speak Out 9/21/07

Speed increase

WHEN DID the speed limit on Perryville Road increase to 45 mph?

Final honor

IT IS a shame that we cannot honor our military (veterans and active duty) with a live bugler playing taps at their funerals. This is one last honor each person deserves as a tribute. However, Missouri government has to put money elsewhere. Where are our priorities?

Fat receipts

I WOULD like to find out how we can get rid of the extra-long receipts we receive from retail stores. These are a hassle to deal with and bulk up our wallets too much.

Road needs repairs

CAPE GIRARDEAU County, how about doing something about the terrible road condition on the short stretch of road that runs south from Nash Road on the west side of the BioKyowa plant. Scott County fixed its part of that road a couple of years ago.

Driving dangers

WHY ARE people out to get everything outlawed? Some people want talking on a cell phone while driving to be against the law. How about talking to the passenger in your car? How about drinking a beverage, listening to your child crying in the back seat or changing your radio station? Let's make laws against everything.

Out of touch

THE ARTICLE about ethics in our government and the closed meetings that obviously should have been open are good examples of why we need term limits. The longer our politicians are on our payroll, the more egotistical they get, believing that our votes for them are permission to do whatever they want regardless of the laws. We should be finding ways to push for term limits instead of allowing our elected officials to become so jaded and so out of touch with their employers.

Smoking at the fair

I WISH the SEMO District Fair would ban all smoking there too. I took my daughter to play and have fun. I couldn't believe the amount of cigarette smoke in the air. She kept asking why so many people were smoking. Adults and teens were smoking nonstop in front of small children. I wish these people would at least respect children, since they do not respect themselves.

Complain about dog

IF YOUR neighbor is abusing a dog, call the police and ask to file a police report. Demand to make a formal complaint.

Crosstown mail

I AM responding to the comment about the mail. A letter mailed in Cape Girardeau to another Cape Girardeau address does not have to go to St. Louis before it is delivered. It gets processed at the plant here, then put on a mail truck and delivered.

E-mail records

GOV. MATT Blunt knows good and well that computers are the way that correspondence is sent and received now, and that he should be keeping e-mail for public record. Letters and correspondence have always been kept. Shame on him.

Scrunched fair

MY FAMILY and I enjoyed the SEMO District Fair this year except for armband night, which was crowded. There's plenty of acreage to spread the amusements around. Why cram it in such a small place?

Fitting tribute

I READ with disgust the article about taps being played at military funerals with a recording. My husband is still bothered over his time in Vietnam. Those weren't fake bullets being shot at him. I have been to several military funerals, and taps and color guard have always been a special tribute to veterans.

Engineered grass

THERE IS a need for bioengineered grass seed. If a seed could be developed which would be limited in growth, we could eliminate having to mow the yard. It would save a tremendous amount of energy, gasoline and income.

Helping the mail

THE POSTAL system has tried to speed up snail mail by using more machines to process mail faster. But it hasn't educated the public on what is machinable mail and what is not. Letter mail that is machinable contains up to five sheets of paper with the flap properly sealed. Any items like coins, ink pens, keys, DVDs and jewelry should not be in machinable mail. They are manual mail. Mail machines are like the scrambler at the fair. Anything loose will be thrown out of the machine and will not make it to its destination. Give manual mail to a window clerk. If you do not use a photo mailer, put your name and address on the back of every photo that you mail. That way they can be returned to you when they're found in a machine. Please do not put rubber bands around machinable mail. Just drop them in the box. Please use this information to speed your mail up and keep costs down.

Lacking grammar

AS AN English teacher, I agree with the comment about the poor grammar, spelling and writing skills of students. Sadly, many English teachers do not know grammar or sentence structure themselves. When I took graduate courses at Southeast Missouri State University. some in the English department ridiculed teaching grammar. And the curriculum in schools no longer includes grammar As a result, we no longer have traditional English classes but we have reading classes. How sad it is to see the beauty and correctness of the English language disappear.

Keep them in line

IN REGARD to school bullying: Good job, Officer Al. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep those students in line.

Street work

THE CITY had all summer long to repair the street in front of the Cape Christian School, but it chose to wait until school was open. It was utter chaos for parents or anybody else trying to get in and out of the school during the work. It could have been done when the school was closed. Mighty poor planning or just plain ignorance is all I can say for it.