Bonanza of speakers

Southeast Missouri State University has an outstanding schedule of outside speakers for the year. Aron Ralston spoke Tuesday night. He's the motivational and courageous mountain climber who was trapped when an 800-pound boulder pinned his right hand and wrist. After "six days of hell" he amputated his own arm to survive.

Newt Gingrich and Howard Dean will debate/discuss health care reform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Show Me Center. Admission is $8 for the general public and free for those with a Redhawk ID.

On Jan. 20 Christopher Gardner is another speaker. The movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" was based on his life.

Other speakers are scheduled, including many that fly below the radar, including the Atheneum Series in Kent Library.

Take advantage of these learning experiences. They are another benefit of living in a university town.

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Copper wiring: After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed a California archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet.

Shortly after, a story in the Los Angeles Times read: "California archaeologists, finding traces of 200-year-old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."

One week later, a local newspaper in Cape Girardeau, Mo., reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 feet in his pasture near Jackson, Mo., Stanislaus Ubiquitous Fudd, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Fudd has therefore concluded that 300 years ago Southeast Missouri had already gone wireless.

Just makes you proud to be from Southeast Missouri.

-- Web fun (Note: Later I will have a similar update on the science behind global warming)

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Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. We know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others.

However, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it was not the senior citizens who took:

The melody out of music.

The pride out of appearance.

The courtesy out of driving.

The romance out of love.

The commitment out of marriage.

The responsibility out of parenthood.

The togetherness out of the family.

The learning out of education.

The service out of patriotism.

The Golden Rule from rulers.

The Nativity scene out of cities.

The civility out of behavior.

The refinement out of language.

The dedication out of employment.

The prudence out of spending.

The ambition out of achievement, or

God out of government and school.

And we certainly are not the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others.

-- Web Wisdom

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Joe Legal versus Joe Illegal: Here is an example of why hiring illegal aliens is not economically productive for the United States.

Try to follow along.

You have two families: Joe Legal and Joe Illegal. Both families have two parents, two children and live in California.

Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security number and makes $25 an hour with taxes deducted.

Joe Illegal also works in construction, has no Social Security number and gets paid $15 an hour cash under the table.

Ready? Now pay attention.

Joe Legal: $25 an hour x 40 hours = $1,000 a week, or $52,000 a year.

Now take 30 percent away for state and federal tax. Joe Legal now has $31,231.

Joe Illegal: $15 an hour x 40 hours = $600 per week, or $31,200 a year.

Joe Illegal pays no taxes. Joe Illegal now has $31,200.

Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for his family at $600 a month, or $7,200 a year. Joe Legal now has $24,031.

Joe Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0 a year. Joe Illegal still has $31,200.

Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or welfare.

Joe Legal pays $500 a month for food, or $6,000 a year.

Joe Legal now has $18,031.

Joe Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps and welfare. Joe Illegal still has $31,200. (Let me park here for a minute. Who do you think is paying for Joe Illegal's food stamps and welfare. Yep, you guessed it: You, me and Joe Legal.)

Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200 a month, or $14,000 a year. Joe Legal now has $9,631 left.

Joe Illegal receives a $500 a month federal rent subsidy. Joe Illegal pays $500 a month, or $6,000 a year.

Joe Illegal still has $31,200.

Joe Legal pays $200 per month, or $2,400, for insurance. Joe Legal now has $7,231.

Joe Illegal says, "We don't need no insurance" and still has $31,200.

Joe Legal has to make his $7,231 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, clothing, etc.

Joe Illegal has to make his $31,200 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, clothing and what he sends out of the country every month.

Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part-time job after work.

Joe Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.

Joe Legal's and Joe Illegal's children both attend the same school.

Joe Legal pays for his children's lunches, while Joe Illegal's children get a government-sponsored lunch.

Joe Illegal's children have an after-school ESL program.

Joe Legal's children go home.

Joe Legal and Jonee Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services, but Joe Legal paid for them, and Joe Illegal did not pay.

Do you get it now?

-- True or False Web comments

Gary Rust is the chairman of Rust Communications.