Speak Out 04/11/04

This isn't right

SOMETHING IS terribly wrong in a society where kids run wild and dogs are sent to obedience school.

Allergic to pets

SOMEONE BRAGGED his dog was friendly and sociable when he took it out in public. He is the problem. Just because he loves his dog does not mean I want him licking me and rubbing against me. I don't want to pet him either. My allergies bother me for hours after I am exposed to someone's pet. It is great that he loves his pet. Just keep it away from me.

Tongue twister

AM I the only person in the country who remembers when our Pledge of Allegiance did not include "under God"? And what a tongue-stumbling time we students had every morning for a few weeks, trying to remember to add that phrase and still keep the cadence of the pledge.

Leave earlier

I WOULD like to comment on the speeding that takes place each morning on Lexington Avenue. If parents would leave their homes just five to 10 minutes earlier, they would not have a reason to break the speed limit. This would allow for much safer trips to work and to school.

Change the stoplight

I FIND myself driving down Broadway at 11:45 p.m., and I hit a red light on Caruthers Avenue. Seems like every night I hit a red light at Caruthers. Would the city please arrange the timing on this light to make Broadway the mandatory street? Caruthers does not need a green light because all the school buses turn the other direction. They come down Broadway and turn right onto Caruthers. That way they can open their doors on the curb next to the school. Cape Girardeau, please fix this stoplight. It is ridiculous.

Getting the message

SPANKING WORKS if a person spanks a kid his butt tells his brain he can't take it anymore. He'll start shaping up. When Dr. Spock came out with no spanking is when kids started getting into trouble. It will continue until parents go back to some spanking.

Hold off on mowing

ON THE city median islands, the jonquils are a lovely announcement of spring. However, the green should be allowed to continued to grow after the yellow flowers are gone. This allows for more flowers the next season. Each year the city mows them all down, some before they have stopped blooming,. Each year there have been fewer blossoms.

Spank now and then

IT TAKES more than unconditional love to raise a child. We have several, so we've been allowed in the great laboratory of life to make lots of mistakes. My spouse spoiled our youngest. He got lots of unconditional love but no spanking when needed. As a result, he is the tyrant of our household. I fully agree with the Bible: Spare the rod, spoil the child. Of course, that doesn't mean beating your child, but a spanking now and then by parents who use good judgment is not wrong.

Turning while talking

RECENTLY I was driving on Independence Street. When I got to Kingshighway going east at the stoplight, someone on Kingshighway made a legal left turn to go west on Independence and carried his phone at his ear all the way on the turn. That looks pretty dangerous.

Early-bird flim-flam

MY AD said my garage sale would start at 8 a.m. At 6:45 a.m., a woman rang my doorbell. She insisted on coming in to see the baby cradle I had advertised. She pulled it out on the carport along with two car seats, a swing and a walker. She said she was expecting a grandchild. To my surprise, all my items were for sale at a flea market the next day in Illinois. People will lie to you and get you to decrease the amount you want for your items -- for their benefit. I should have called the police. This woman ruined my day. I told her my baby was crying, but she wouldn't leave so I could go back into my house. Garage sale people, beware of early-bird seniors.