Speak Out 9/9/05

Expensive tastes

WHEN I got home from work last night, my wife demanded I take her "someplace that's expensive." I took her to a gas station.

Lots of pressure

DAVID LIMBAUGH speculated that if democracy and freedom weren't compatible with Islam and the Arab world, the Iraqis wouldn't be as far along as they are in drawing up a constitution. That's true, though I also think that to an extent they are motivated to get a constitution drawn with pressure exerted by the United States equal or superior to that exerted by Katrina.

Wait till next year

MY FRIENDS the Cubs fans used to say, "Wait until next year." Well, Republicans, wait until next year. Thanks to the way you've handled the situation in New Orleans, your time is up.

Slow down and save

I'M SOUTHBOUND on Interstate 55, and I'm traveling at 60 mph trying to conserve gasoline. I'm about to get run over. I realize the speed limit is 70 mph, but have these other motorists ever heard of gas conservation? When you're looking at $3 a gallon for gas in this area, people might want to slow down 10 mph or so and see how much gas that saves.

Customer parking

AS A business owner in the uptown Jackson business/historical district, I am frustrated that my customer parking on Main Street is occupied by city workers and the city attorney, who work at city hall. City hall has a big parking lot at the rear of the building for their use. The uptown businesses have always struggled for enough parking. City administration, please ask that your employees use the parking lot provided behind city hall.

Dragging their feet

IT MAKES you think about what would you would do if you were in such a predicament without food, water, transportation or shelter and your government was so slow getting help to you like our government did in New Orleans. Summer in New Orleans is so hot and humid. It's a nightmare, and our president and government dragged their feet getting help for these people.

Gave me chills

WHEN I read the column Joe Sullivan wrote about the little girl and her birthday and her father, it brought tears to my eyes and gave me chills. God bless you, Joe Sullivan. I know God will.

Riding scooters

ONE OF the reasons that gasoline prices are so high is that demand is so high. I applaud the people who choose to ride scooters to save energy.

Spraying the weeds

I'M DRIVING on Highway 74 from Dutchtown to the interstate, and I notice that the Johnson grass has been sprayed on both sides of the highway. Why is the Missouri Department of Transportation spraying the Johnson grass here, but it has not touched any of the Johnson grass at Center Junction or along the interstate between Cape Girardeau and Scott City and the Scott City interchange?

Mark turn lanes

TRAFFIC IS backed for three miles every morning going into Jackson on Highway 72 because of all the highway construction. The road is wide enough to have left-turn and right-turn lanes marked off to help traffic flow. Every time a vehicle turns left, traffic backs up. Center Junction needs a longer right-turn lane onto I-55.

Beautiful article

WHAT A heart-wrenching story written by R. Joe Sullivan Sept. 2. After reading "A present for Little Girl" I sat there and simply cried. Then tonight I read it to a friend of mine, and when I finished my friend sat there with tears running down his face. Thanks, Mr. Sullivan, for that beautiful article and especially so in this day and time. You really should show that side of you a little bit more often, you know.

High and dry

WHEN OUR government starts rebuilding houses in New Orleans, I hope it will require that all houses be built above sea level, because we don't want people's houses to get flooded again. We want houses to be up high and dry.

Upgrade golf carts

I PLAY at the Jaycee Municipal Golf Course every week. I am getting tired of riding in carts that are junk. You don't know if they're going to make the tee box on the next hole or stop in between somewhere. A bunch of money was spent on a tee box that wasn't needed, while the golf carts are breaking down.

They're not refugees

THE PEOPLE of New Orleans are not refugees. Those people are our people. They are American people. They're taxpayers just like we are. Refugees are people from a different country. When terrorists bomb something, we are all Americans. But now since the hurricane and flooding in New Orleans we're refugees. I don't think that's right.

Thanks for purse

I WOULD like to thank the woman who turned in my purse at Aldi's. God bless her.

Where the buck stops

AFTER THE tragic events of the hurricane, everyone is throwing blame around. Perhaps it's time to think of the words of Harry Truman -- "The buck stops here" -- and remember where the top is.