Speakout 9-5

I am calling to advise any respective new dog owners to be very wary about purchasing their animals at some locations here in town. Be sure to examine the registration papers carefully and check with accredited organizations such as the AKC to see if that breed is recognized. Beware of exotic-sounding breeds like a French-pug or German poodle. Some hybrid puppies have been pushed on unsuspecting folks here in town that do not, in reality, reflect their worth. If you're willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a mixed-breed animal as a pet, that's fine. If you ever intend to breed these animals, however, let the buyer beware.

This is in response to the Aug. 27 SpeakOut about handouts stopping. I believe somebody is mixed-up. Every time you turn on the TV, there is somebody giving some country so many millions or billions out. The caller implies that George Bush could stop the handouts and that is entirely wrong. Another thing about Amtrak, when are people going to learn that it's a bad deal? They continually have wrecks, breakdowns and lose money and they just keep giving the millions and millions and millions to keep then operating. Some day it's going to have to stop.

How long are we going to let this warmonger going to stay in office? Wake up, America. The minute GWB came into office, our great America started going down hill. It has not stopped and God help us if it continues. We do not need war. We still do not have bin Laden and Hussein has thousands of places to hide in, too. All the money is being thrown away on people who do not want a war to start. How can a leader of hardworking people destroy what we have worked so hard for? These deadbeat welfare people are not satisfied that we have supported them all these years. And now they want compensation for slavery? How crazy is this? They were not even around then and we had no ties to these people. Our veterans, senior citizens and Indians need to be taken care of first. Get this man out of office.

How can Jean Carnahan be our senator, according to the Democratic Party when she wasn't on the ballot? Nobody voted for Jean Carnahan. She was not on the ballot the last time around? How can she be our senator? She's a fraud.

I'm just a common citizen of this community but my friends and I have some questions that we would like for your paper to tackle. Who owns the Board of Municipal Utilities? Is the BMU covered under the Sunshine Law? Can we as citizens examine BMU stocks? What are the salaries of BMU officials and average salaries of BMU employees? How do these salaries compare with the average salaries of other city residents? What is the cost of the fence that now surrounds the sewage treatment plant? How can our BMU be placed? Who gets to use them? Who are the local bondholders? What are the profits BMU has generated while its existence? I could go on, but please, how about some answers? Some of us want to know.

I would like to comment about the most asinine statement I have ever read in the newspaper. The quote had to do with the reconstruction of Ingram Road. "The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will be monitoring the traffic around the construction area. Any vehicle not belonging to a resident in the area will be ticketed." That's American, isn't it? Just because a street is being reconstructed doesn't mean that taxpaying citizens of Sikeston are not allowed around the construction area. What if I have a friend I want to visit? What about if I have parents who live in the area or if I am new to the area and get lost? What if I'm looking for a house in the area? The list goes on and on. Where am I supposed to park? One block away? Two blocks? Six blocks?