SPEAKOUT

Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Call 471-6636

When it comes to fines imposed by the court, they have to figure you can't get blood out of a turnip. I'm sure that is why they accept a portion of the fine. In my opinion, if the person has a job, a payment schedule is appropriate. If he or she is unemployed, they should be given community service. This will help others as well as occupy the time of this person, keeping them out of more trouble. If they do not show for the community service, give them a few months free room and board in the county jail.

Is the excessive volume on ESPN created by our cable company or is it something that ESPN is doing on its own? Whoever is to blame, stop it now.

I was glad to read your comment on neighbors who blow their grass into the street. I wholeheartedly agree, but my pet peeve is my neighbor, who plants every bush and tree on or near the property line. A good rule of thumb would be five feet inside the property line for bushes and 10-15 feet for large trees. Remember, your neighbor didn't ask for the shade or the mess your trees leave.

I would like to thank the people who put the things on the door who are going around for their church and leaving the things. It was nice for them to take their Saturday to go around and putting them on the doors for people to read, especially senior citizens.

I see where George Bush has told China that the United States will not interfere or complain about them adding more nuclear missiles to their arsenal. Thank you, Republicans, for the man you put into office. Better yet, look at your children and tell them what a better world he is making it.

I see where the Democrats are always putting the Republicans down. They know they've got the highest taxes in the communities where the assessors are all Democrats. They never say anything about that, though. All they want to holler about is what they can do and I'd like to see that in the paper once in a while. If they'd just put the raises that they give all these people in the courthouse, they wouldn't have to raise the taxes so far. If Holden would cut his salary, plus half of them salaried people who are sitting up there who aren't doing anything but chasing their secretaries around their desks, we would have a lot better country.

Are there certain requirements you have to have to be in the Standard Democrat Calendar Girl? There seems to be only white girls and I wondered if there are special requirements for this?

Calendar girls are the 12 finalists in the Miss Sikeston pageants held at the Cotton Carnival each year. The Standard Democrat has nothing to do with those choices.

Have you seen where George Bush's regime just designated 79 million tons of rotting garbage as America's newest national landmark? This is a polluting, ground water, super-fund toxic waste site and a perfect example of Republican environmental policy. Thank you, Republicans, for leaving our children a legacy we can be proud of.