Kudos to Kansas DMV

I renewed my driver’s license this morning at the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles office on Johnson Drive. The process was quick and efficient, and the staff was courteous, friendly and helpful.

The new electronic check-in system was user-friendly, and taking photos right at the first window also speeded up the process. I was very concerned this process would take a long time, but it was surprisingly easy.

Thank you to the Department of Motor Vehicles folks who are working hard to serve the citizens of Johnson County.

Martha Gershun

Fairway

Climate change debate

Some letter writers say people who do not believe that climate change is caused by the population’s growth and behavior are self-centered, self-serving and reckless.

I think that such letter writers, who believe that our Earth’s climate can be altered by changing our habits, are arrogant to a huge degree.

Our feeble attempts to change heating fuels and transportation modes could not feasibly raise or lower the average temperature of an entire enormous planet.

Amy Brown

Leawood

Support the Royals

For years, people have called the Glass family cheap, uncaring, interested only in profits ... all things “selfish” entails. They forget that without the Glass ownership we probably would not have the Royals in Kansas City.

They want the owners to spend their millions so that the fans can have a winning team. One of the reasons the hitting coach was let go is that the team is trying to develop a winner.

Changes are being made. If the interview with Mr. David Glass did nothing more, it showed how much knowledge of baseball he has and how well he is aware of the Royals’ farm system.

So I would hope we support the owners, the manager and general manager until we can determine that more changes are needed or that we see a winner.

Edward H. Barnes

Prairie Village

Kansas City truancy

Finally, the Kansas City Public Schools district is getting busy about the truancy problem. Unfortunately, the chosen location, Northeast High School, may not be the best.

I propose that the school district move the truancy court to the south-side front steps of the now-closed Northeast Middle School. The district would find a steady supply of peers for its jury there.

These “jurists” are available daily from 8 a.m. until the dismissal bell at Northeast High School.

Penny Jones

Kansas City

Overland Park and guns

I wonder whether The Star and some of the other media realize how ridiculous it sounds when you refer to Overland Park, or any other open carry city as “the Wild West.” Now that is comical.

I was in Overland Park recently and I didn’t see anyone with a gun on his hip. I didn’t see anyone with a cowboy hat spitting in spittoons or Wild West shootouts between cheating card players.

I didn’t see any tumbleweeds or swinging saloon doors. I mean really.

Do you hear yourself when you make these types of statements? What I did see was almost every building with gun-buster signs posted, and just as they have the right to post those signs, law-abiding citizens have the right to open carry.

People don’t carry for “gunslinging role-playing,” to use on annoying people. They carry when people (like those in the news lately) decide they want to storm into theaters or a Walmart and do harm to others.

They carry to protect their families because when seconds count, the police are minutes away.

David Andrews

Kansas City

Surrendering to greed

I am outraged that stores have chosen to reopen on Thanksgiving Day. These companies are putting greed before their employees.

They are stealing time that employees should be spending with their families.

If these companies get away with this, the next step will be to not close for holidays at all.

If companies have to steal employees’ time with families to balance their bottom lines, what is that saying to the world about American business values?

We need to stand up for each other every day, not just when things such as Superstorm Sandy pull the rug out from under us.

Loving each other and valuing time with family are part of the fabric that this great nation was founded on. If we are to stand strong for another 200 years, the time is now to take that stand.

We must buy American-made products and support the American worker in any way that we can.

God bless our great Union.

Sharon Mingucci

Kansas City

Unfair advantages

I am telling my husband to cancel our health insurance immediately and to go from full-time employment to part time. That way we can enjoy thousands if not hundreds of thousands and maybe millions of dollars even of free health care.

I personally know of people who do it every day. The lazier you are, the more free benefits our government happily doles out.

If you are on disability, all you have to do to requalify is simply show a paycheck stub, showing you only work part time. I know someone on disability for being “not so bright.”

All I know is she works and can sure steer her way around her new smartphone. I myself could never figure one out.

She also keeps QuikTrip in business by buying three to four soft drinks a day and thinks nothing of driving 40 miles for a special on tacos.

Needless to say, I am steaming mad going to work on crutches after a bad fall so these people can enjoy nothing but the best while watching soap operas all day on television and being chain smokers.

Like I said, the lazier people are, the more freebies they get.

Susanne Carpenter

Kansas City

Question for Obama

President Barack Obama, how are you going to save Social Security and Medicare?

What is your plan?

George Beiler

Stilwell

Safe driving aids

Kansas City police have a new program called “Know Your Limits.” Officers allow bar patrons to measure their blood-alcohol content before driving home, without repercussions, and compare those results to their perceived level of impairment.

This overlaps with other unsafe habits such as texting and using cellphones while driving.

But unsafe driving habits do not stop there.

Ford Motor Company conducted a survey in Kansas City and found that 88 percent of drivers have driven or know someone who has driven when they were too tired and should not have. Kansas City was among the three highest percentages of the 25 cities surveyed.

Although these accident-causing problems may seem unavoidable, they’re not unsolvable. Automobile manufacturers are developing safety technology features to accommodate a growing number of distracted and drowsy drivers.

For instance, Ford Motor Company is installing unique driver assist features in 2013 Fusion models. These include a lane-keeping system that warns a driver if he or she seems to be falling asleep and drifting into another lane.

Automotive technology is catching up with a fast-paced, high-tech lifestyle, but the car cannot do all the work.

Kathy Zents

Executive Director

Safety and Health Council

Western Missouri

and Kansas

Kansas City

Keep health care act

My choice is to move forward with the Affordable Care Act. I believe it is the duty of the government to see to the health and welfare of its citizens as well as protecting us from aggression.

Ruth Kyger

Raytown

Appreciating others’ art

I believe that doing and creating some type of art form makes a person more culturally well-rounded. Through dance, I have met people from all around the world.

I am very involved in practical art as well. Last year, I traveled to Ireland to further my education. I met people from all around the world and learned about the ways they live.

Being with these people for almost a month affected me and the way I live. Many of my friends are musicians, and by using music they have learned so much about other cultures.

They explore the history of the music that they learn and play, and they always know where and why the music was created.

Some say art has nothing to do with being culturally diverse.

It’s where you take the art that makes an artist, but a person’s culture is defined by his or her customs, values, history and art. If you observe someone else’s art, you are automatically given insight to his or her background and culture.

The only way to view art and not be introduced to other cultures is to refuse to appreciate others’ art, in which case your personal art couldn’t possibly grow.

Molly Pluenneke

Lee’s Summit