SPEAKOUT

Call 471-6636

I live here in town and have taken the daily paper for 50 years. I read where people are needing help for Christmas. I'm sure they do need it, but I noticed one thing. Some of them do need it. Sometimes people will buy stuff and when they get tired of it, they get new stuff and buy the real, real good brands. Needy people can get a lot more good used stuff than they would otherwise, but some of them are so demanding and just want everything new.

Whoever wrote "Who's Michael" really doesn't have a life.

There's a building at 120 E. North St. that I think would be a wonderful location for a post office. I don't know why they call it one now, because you go in now to buy a stamp and I think about all you can get is a 34-cent stamp. You can't get 2-cent or 5-cent stamps. I don't know why they don't order them. I know they're available because I worked at a post office for 30 years and you can get any number of stamps in different denominations. I wish they would actually act like it's a post office.

All I want to hear is two words: "He's dead." I don't believe in a long, expensive trial for bin Laden. In fact, I hope he doesn't live to have a trial. He sure didn't give our people any chance. He's just a neurotic, rich man who is driven by his hatred of the United States.

You are absolutely correct in regard to Missouri's $280 billion request for funds to help combat terrorists. Probably we taxpayers will pick up the salary for at least one present employee and for others throughout the state. Of course, that will mean a new computer, desk, phone, etc., etc., etc.

Comments on comments

I am calling in reference to several SpeakOut comments: "For the birds," published Nov. 26; "Seasoned wood needed," published Nov. 27; and "Here's Michael" published Nov. 28. Each of these responses in some way represents a request for or offer to provide a good or service. When will the readers who subscribe to this paper, or perhaps more befuddling, the publishers of said newspaper realize that by submitting or printing such items in SpeakOut, they are surreptitiously taking advantage of or inexplicably providing free advertising space? I was raised to believe in and appreciate that kind, generous nature of Southeast Missouri folk, but this is ridiculous. The Standard Democrat should realize that, even though the electric press of on-line journalism, the same hand that enrolls newspaper readership nationwide, has not fully reached the Bootheel, providing ads gratis will continue to erode its advertising revenue and eventually deprive Southeast Missourians of this bellwether of present hometown news.

I'm calling about the cable increase. I wonder if our city officials don't have any power to control the cable prices or if they just don't care. The cable company mails us the increase before it even goes into effect. Why do they even contact the city? Any other utility has to present their cases for an increase. Why doesn't the cable company? My rate with a senior citizen discount is still more than my sister's is in Cape Girardeau without a discount. Why not let some competition come into Sikeston?

I am looking for specific Bible verses regarding witchcraft. I keep reading that the fictional witchcraft in the Harry Potter series is a "no-no" based on scripture. Then I hear from Christians that some forms of fictional witchcraft and sorcery is OK, such as in Disney films. I would like to read some Bible scripture that will differentiate between good witchcraft and bad witchcraft. My opinion is that Disney's "Snow White" would be wrong for having a black magic-using witch just as Harry Potter's would be wrong for having a boy go to a fictional school of sorcery. And let's face it. Most people's interpretations are opinions, including mine. It's just food for thought. I eventually want this answered based on scripture. Why is Harry Potter considered worse where sin is concerned than other forms of witchcraft, such as "Bewitched" and Disney.