SPEAKOUT

Spell it out, no abbreviations please

I AM more than just a little sick and tired of initials and abbreviations. I think we're going to have to start spelling things out. I just saw on television that an MIR can save you money. I had an MIR in the hospital. It cost me money. Come to find out, this MIR they're talking about is some financial institution. It can be very confusing, not just for old folks but for young folks too.

Politicians scarier than aliens

I CAN easily understand why a member of the federal government or some famous person would try to cover up some incident that had happened to him or something that would defame him simply because that person wants to go down in our history books as something other than what he actually is. But in my view, who the heck cares what's in our history books? You'll be dead anyway, and you won't even know what's there. But I cannot understand why in the world any government would cover up a UFO sighting or an alien visitation or anything such as this. I'm more afraid of what the actual politicians do in Washington that we know about. That's scarier than having a visitor from some alien from some other planet. Thank you.

God speaks, if we will listen

THERE IS so very much we don't understand, but I can tell you that God does answer prayers if we'll only listen. When my mother was in the hospital with a tumor, I went across the street to the Catholic church -- I'm a Methodist -- where I prayed for my mother. I was in awe there. When I returned to the hospital, feeling confident for some reason, her doctor told the family that he did not know why but when he injected the needle into the tumor it just "simply collapsed." And another time, as my mother was passing away, my aunt and I went into the hospital chapel to pray. After some time, I don't know how long, God let me know that it was time for him to take my mother, but my aunt was a much more religious person than I ever was. I knew it before any human being told me that Mama was gone. I think we should place a lot more importance upon the power of prayer. Just let God answer us. We don't listen.

Put an end to pet overpopulation

I VERY much appreciated the article that the newspaper did on the Humane Society business in the last year on the front page. I thought the article was very well done. I was very concerned and very shocked, though, to find out that almost 75 animals a week are being put to sleep because of irresponsible pet owners and irresponsible individuals in our communities. I just hope that other people read this article. I hope they understand that every time their cat has a litter of kittens or their dog has another litter and neither are spayed or their male dog is running loose, they are contributing to this needless death of pets. And I hope it makes a difference to read this information. I hope some people can be responsible in taking care of animals to put an end to this. Pet overpopulation is tragic and can be stopped.

Please fix the audio during council coverage

I'D LIKE for somebody to get the audio microphones at the city council meeting fixed. I'm tired of watching the city council meetings and only hearing half of what everybody says. If they're going to continue to keep them like that, they ought to quit showing them on TV.