Daily Dunklin Democrat: Opinion

Murphy probably has a rule about that (03/21/10)
Jinxed Last week I talked a little about our latest venture, webcasting of Kennett High School basketball games. In mentioning some of the success we had at the local gymnasium and the additional playoff game held at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter, I probably jinxed our efforts...

Spring is upon us (03/21/10)
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that money would be available to improve the water quality in the Mississippi River Basin. The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) will provide approximately $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in 12 key states. ...

Thwarting meth (03/21/10)
For the ninth consecutive year, Missouri in 2009 had the most methamphetamine lab incidents in the nation. Since 2005, anyone purchasing over-the-counter drugs containing ingredients used to make meth has been listed on logs kept by retailers. This meant law enforcement had to go from pharmacy to pharmacy to see if meth makers were making purchases at multiple locations...

Delivering mail (03/19/10)
As the nation's reliance on electronic communications expands, the U.S. Postal Service's revenue is plummeting. One result: a proposal to drop Saturday mail deliveries to offset a projected deficit this year of $7 billion and the potential for losses of $238 billion over the next decade...

Church Safety (03/18/10)
Sometimes the burdens of the world are difficult to bear. For many individuals, some solace could be found as close as a neighborhood church whose quiet precincts offered a peaceful haven for prayer and reflection. While many churches strive to find ways to keep their doors open, they also are having to face the realities of safety issues. ...

Pop Quiz (03/17/10)
The way the DDD describes the purpose of my writing is to bring something different into your knowledge and taste of foods. I have tried to motivate into using different kinds of herbs and spices to make sauces that set off the flavors of a meal. To have something different I bring to you a test of various kinds of things that are produced from a pig. Can you figure out this easy puzzle?...

Troubled teens (03/16/10)
School shootings, particularly when those pulling the trigger are teenagers, are horrific news. These tragedies have, in recent years, occurred as close as Paducah, Ky., and Jonesboro, Ark. Now authorities in Stoddard County believe a Puxico High School student recently threatened to kill her classmates. Guns and a list of intended victims were found in the girl's home...

The Trend's Newest (Favorite?) Friend (03/14/10)
(Kansas City) He met a girl from Kansas. And on the poem went. A poem written by Michael James 'Mick' Astrachan about his bride, Sandee. A poem that perfectly set the tone for one of most glorious weddings this humble scribe has ever been witness to...

Spring is upon us (03/14/10)
Spring is in my sights and I can feel the excitement building. If you haven't started already, it is time to prepare your yard, garden, tools and shed for the full force of nature's growth. What should be on your to do list for this time of year? Your soil should be prepared for ornamentals and for the garden. ...

Notes from the Gulf Coast (03/14/10)
I slipped off for a few days along the Gulf Coast, specifically, Biloxi, Ms. Having been there last year and seeing what Hurricane Katrina had wrought in 2005, I was curious as to what progress may have occurred over the last 12 months. Many of the concrete slabs where motels, restaurants and shops once sat are still there and are still just slabs. ...

A good movie (03/14/10)
Writers for movie mags call it rom-com, the cinematic genre over which Sandra Bullock is the reigning queen. Bullock's regal stature has been honed by her many entertaining romantic-comedy performances with their predictable plots. This year's Oscar for best performance by an actress went to Bullock for her role as a compassionate Memphis do-gooder in "The Blind Side." Hers was not the best effort, considering the performances by other nominees in the same category, but who doesn't like watching a Sandra Bullock movie?. ...

Drug prohibition: Just say no (03/12/10)
I am grateful to Cape Girardeau lawyer John L. Cook for his op-ed piece against drug prohibition. It takes courage and clarity of vision. I have much respect for the Teen Challenge program and the individuals who are taking advantage of its help, as well as Dr. Jack Smart for directing the program. It takes gumption and faith...

Heroes Way (03/11/10)
Generous donors have responded to efforts to raise money for special signs along Interstate 55 in Southeast Missouri honoring soldiers who lost their lives while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. As a result, four of the signs are scheduled to be up by Memorial Day, and donations for other signs around the state are being accepted...

Well, Hot Dog! (03/10/10)
Call the children, these hot dog ideas are for them. Now some ideas on how to fix the old favorite "hot dog" and make it into an adventurous meal. You can use beef, turkey or veggie dog with any of these ideas. I have read many hot dog taste tests results and the Ball Park Kosher Beef Frank and the Ball Park Deli Beef Frank are always at the top in overall flavor and price...

Quake prep (03/09/10)
Deadly and devastating earthquakes around the globe have raised our awareness of what could happen in the U.S., particularly along major faults on the West Coast and within the quake zone of most concern to Southeast Missouri: the New Madrid Fault. Earthquake science has found ways to track shifts in Earth's crust, and the scientific understanding of these changes continues to improve. ...

The Answer Man (03/07/10)
Q: What is the Kennett Opera House? A: It is a place that will provide entertainment for the entire Bootheel area - plays, comedy, music. The SEMO Little Theater, and The Friends of Music have given us many nights of good entertainment: plays, comedy, military bands, and other music of all types...

Impact of recalls on peanut production (03/07/10)
During 2008 and 2009, one of the largest ever food recalls took place because of Salmonella poisoning. There were 714 illnesses and nine deaths attributed to contaminated peanut paste. The source of the outbreaks was found to be two plants owned by the Peanut Corporation of America. ...

A successful surrender to the war on drugs? (03/05/10)
John Cook is a well respected attorney in the Cape Girardeau community. However, I have some major disagreements with his op-ed piece last Thursday. He seems to be advocating a successful surrender to the war on drugs. I agree that the war on drugs has been less than successful, but I strongly disagree that discontinuing these enforcement efforts would somehow be beneficial. Despite the fact the war has not been completely successful, there are many individual battles that have been won...

Highway spending (03/04/10)
Among the many spending priorities being considered during Missouri's budget crunch is the construction and maintenance of highways. Contributing to overall shortfalls in state revenue is the fact that fuel consumption dropped 5 percent in 2009 from 2007 levels. The main source of highway funding is a 17-cent-a-gallon state tax on fuel. The less fuel purchased, the less revenue for highways...

Friday Night Five Course (03/03/10)
Have you ever wanted to have guests for a five course dinner and you didn't know where to start? Here is my help for a steak dinner with hot biscuits, grated Gouda cheese, figs, and fresh fruit for appetizers. The second course would be potato soup, and a fruit dish. ...

End the drug-prohibition disaster (03/01/10)
A Feb. 4 front-page story in the Southeast Missourian detailed concerns about Missouri's out-of-control criminal justice system. The article pointed out we have a completely failed drug prohibition policy in this country and that it is causing us to waste billions of dollars. Two prominent Missouri officeholders, who happen to be Republicans, are quoted in this article...

PAT is target of deep funding cuts (02/28/10)
As a parent, I am greatly disappointed by the deep cuts to the Missouri Parents as Teachers Program. PAT has been an invaluable tool for families across Missouri, helping them to better understand their child's development. My husband, Matt, and I participated in the program with our first son while living in Jefferson City, and we are looking forward to participating again with our second. ...

Missouri Century Farms (02/28/10)
As a person who was raised on a farm in Missouri, I cannot begin to list the skills that were taught to me before I ever stepped into a classroom. Being a member of a farm that had been in my family for over 100 years gave me a sense of purpose and pride. My entire life I have utilized the knowledge and values that were instilled in me while on the farm...

Names we know in the news (02/28/10)
As reported by the Post-Dispatch -- "In a move made without public notice, Fred Hanser has left his role as Cardinals Vice Chairman, Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. confirmed today. "Hanser, among the original group of investors which purchased the club from Anheuser-Busch in March 1996, oversaw legal matters and MLB compliance issues as well as operations of the club's holding companies and subsidiaries. ...

Power to/for/by The People, indeed (02/28/10)
As last week was a highlight reel full of flash vs. substance, this week gave us a couple clear illustrations of why some of us cling, still, to our political beliefs against a storm of evidence that it doesn't make an ant-hill's worth of difference...