Speakout 9/15

I am writing to speak-out on the matter of the Return To Sunset event each year. Don't get me wrong for it is a wonderful thing to be done for the Sunset community, but my complaint is as follows: Each year this event goes on and the city takes no interest in keeping the open lots that have grass/weeds growing out of control clean until then; about the week of the event. It is outrageous that this has happened for so long and no one has said anything about it. I say as a citizen here that if you are going to make it look good for this event then the city should at least keep the lots/fields cut and clean once per month. True it may not be the city's job to perform such a task; yet something should be done for those who own these lots. Furthermore, if the law says that you have to do one thing but the lawmakers do what they want to do then it isn't right.

The Army Corps of Engineers asked for $105 million for hurricane and flood programs in New Orleans last year. The White House carved it to about $40 million. But President Bush and Congress agreed to a $286.4 billion pork-

filled highway bill with 6,000 pet projects, including a $231 million bridge for a small, uninhabited Alaskan island.

Boy, do I feel sorry for the poor guy whose doctor is so gullible and stupid that the doctor could be completely fooled into making a diagnosis of disability strictly on the word of the patient. Malingering is pretending to be ill in order to avoid work, and doctors are trained to recognize the signs of it by objective and subjective findings. Doctors can't be right 100 percent of the time, but if they're practicing due diligence, they can detect this kind of thing most of the time. I don't know why some doctors are passing people through for disability when they don't really need it. That's anybody's guess. There are many reasons. But our first line of defense against this type of fraud is the medical profession. If they won't step up to the plate, we'll never get it fixed.

When and only when all families in the R-6 school district stress the importance of an education and the support of that education begins in the home as well as support of the school and its teachers will test scores start to meet standards in all areas. If a parent is illiterate they need to learn, right along with their children and alter their attitudes and behaviors toward an education, rather than maintain a cocky, uncooperative attitude. There are bright people who foster belligerent and negative attitudes in their children, as well. The opportunities for a good education are here, they just have to take advantage of the educational system in a positive manner. Pride and self respect need to be stressed within the home and that will flow over into the classrooms, rather than students being a disruptive force backed by parents unwilling to insist their kids follow the rules that everyone should be held accountable to/for.

Amen!

Interesting that the Governor's office issued a press release Recently indicating that there were surprisingly few official complaints regarding the recent Medicaid cuts. If memory serves me correctly, I think I read an article just a few weeks ago indicating that Division of Family Service caseworkers were reprimanded by the Governor's office for telling Medicaid recipients to contact government officials with complaints regarding the cuts. Damned if you complain, damned if you don't. Who's the pot in this situation?

The compalint issue involved phone calls to legislators. This release pertains to written requests for reviews of specific cases. The two are not related.

Hey, Jesse Jackson. If the only reason we didn't get to these people and help them is because they are black, then why the hell did we ever get there. Jesse Jackson is the racist....

I was at our local animal shelter the other day and watched a man yell at the two young women working there because they had no room to take an animal that was snapping at them, he then left the parking lot slinging gravel. I wonder how many of you realize what the people at the shelter do. They care for, take care of, clean up after, and give love to those poor animals you can no longer bother with. I have visited the shelter more than a few times and have seen these young women work as hard as any man, have seen them hug and as one say's "give kisses" to, and even cry over these animals. While some may be low class enough to yell at these ladies, I hope that a few of you who read this give them a call and say "thank you" for them having the hearts they do. How many of you think you could do the job they do?

There is an older man name Ray Graham who has an idea. On the military bases that was closed up. How about the refugees in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, how about them moving in those bases until they get on their feet. They can claim stuff and get on their feet.