SPEAKOUT

An amazing scientific discovery

NEW ELEMENT discovered: The heaviest element known to science was recently discovered by physicists at Tokyo University. The element tentatively named Administratium has no protons or electrons and thus has an atomic number of 0. However it does have one neutron, 125 assistant neutrons, 75 vice-neutrons and 111 assistant vice-neutrons. This gives it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together in a nucleus by a force that involves the continuous exchange of meson-like particles called morons. Since it has no electrons, Administratium is inert. However, it can be detected chemically as it impedes every reaction it comes into contact with. According to the discoverers, a minute amount of Administratium caused one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally occur in less than one second. Administratium has a normal half-life of approximately three years, at which time it does not actually decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which assistant neutrons, vice-neutrons and assistant vice-neutrons exchange places. Some studies have shown that the atomic number actually increases after each reorganization. Research at other laboratories indicates that Administratium occurs naturally in the atmosphere. It tends to condense and concentrate at certain points such as government agencies and universities and can usually be found in the newest, best-appointed and best-maintained buildings. Scientists point out that Administratium is known to be toxic at any level of concentration and can easily destroy any productive reactions where it allowed to accumulate. Attempts are being made to determine how Administratium can be controlled to prevent irreversible damage, but to date results are not promising.

Patients shouldn't stand for it

THIS MORNING I walked out of a doctor's office. I had fasted for 12 hours. I was waiting in a paper cover-up, frozen. Now, two hours is just too long to wait. Can't you people help and walk out also? What is a doctor? Is he a god? Can he treat us like cattle? Why do we take it? The doctor depends on us for his income. No other person we pay for services is able to treat us as they do. We are afraid of them. They take care of our bodies, our pain. Walk out. Walk out. Hit them in their pocketbook. Maybe, just maybe, we will get more respect.

Concerned about effects of new drug

I'VE BEEN seeing a lot of advertisement on TV recently about the drug Recida, which is manufactured by Merrick Laboratories as a treatment for baldness in men. I can remember thalidomide and Times Beach. There's a warning with this drug that says it causes birth defects. I question whether we want this drug in Missouri. I would appreciate hearing from others. I, along with some members of the Society for Disabilities Studies are putting together a petition to ask state Sen. Peter Kinder to ban the sale of this drug in Missouri. I'd appreciate feedback from other readers.

Against death penalty, for abortion

I WAS watching a program on TV where Jesse Jackson, a very liberal Democrat, wants to remove the death penalty from criminals, no matter how hideous the crime. But he demands and supports abortion to kill children. As a minister, how can Jackson support the homosexual lifestyle, abortion and a pervert president? I think he should drop the title of Reverend.

One vote against artificial turf

IS SOUTHEAST really wanting to put artificial turf on the football field? Artificial turf stinks. There's no depth of field to it. The athletes get hurt easier. And it just takes away from the game. Besides, they might as well just play football in my living room. What's the difference? I hate artificial turf.

Use surplus for college educations

THE PLACE to put those trillions of dollars of surplus the politicians are having such a struggle over how to divvy up is in our children's future: a college education for all students who qualify on an entrance exam. Let's invest in America's future, educating the children of America. No better use can be found for all those excess trillions of tax-payers' money. The man who can get that done for America's future will be the next president of the United States. Invest in the children. They are the future of the America.

Evaluations should be a surprise

I READ where Oran schools got an A-plus rating from the Missouri Board of Education. I would have liked to have seen the grade they would have gotten if the board hadn't given them notice months ahead that they were coming. This is where the board goes wrong. They should just surprise schools, then they would see the schools the way they truly are. Not give them notice and time to tidy up their house and get everything in tip-top order.

Straightening out the confusion

IN A recent Speak Out comment, one of the callers was a little confused. He said he wanted to get the perspective straight about the president's health-care plan back in 1992 that flopped. It didn't flop. The Democratic Congress in power at that time beat it down, because they realized how stupid it was. Secondly, he also said Kennedy put in Medicare, and if President Kennedy had done right he could have gotten this health-care plan in. He repeated again that Medicare was put in by Kennedy. President Kennedy didn't put in Medicare. President Lyndon Johnson was responsible for Medicare along with a lot of other great social programs he brought in during the late 1960s, which has made this country a stinking socialistic mess.

Farmers are political pawns

THE PERSON who called in to Speak Out and said that farmers should starve and quit their griping doesn't know what he is talking about. The farm prices are down because President Clinton has put grain embargoes on over 60 countries just in the last six years. The U.S. government is using the American farmer as a political pawn in some type of global political game. If the government would truly give the American farmer freedom to farm and let the grain sell to the highest bidder, the grain would be at acceptable prices. There is only one-half percent of the American public in ag production. This is a very small number. But the over 20 percent of public is ag-related jobs. That number is a lot larger. With the lower production there would be a flood of unemployed workers. Many occupations, from transporting to shipping to processing, not to mention the need for less machinery and the many factory workers who would be out of jobs. If big oil companies, with all their money, wouldn't have such a hold on the government, people would be able to use ethanol and soy diesel, which burn cleaner with less pollution, better for the environment, better performance and better renewable. In closing, don't complain about farmers with a full stomach.

Qualified teachers are overlooked

I READ your article on Cape schools trying to attract quality teachers and had to laugh. Cape has teachers working as assistants now, and they won't hire them to teach. I have a family member who's worked her whole life to be a teacher. She's been a teaching assistant in Cape for four or five years, and every one of those years there's been elementary openings. She's always passed over despite the fact she has excellent references and is extremely well-liked by students, staff and parents. She's had two jobs most of her stay as an assistant because her salary, stretched out over 12 months, is barely minimum wage. She was recently forced to take a teaching job out of town. So now she has to move and has to give up her family, her friends, her home and even her pet. Cape schools has succeeded in losing an excellent teacher, and you can bet we're going to remember it the next time they want money from us.

Or watching grass grow

ABOUT THIS world women's championship soccer match, somebody said in Speak Out he thought it was very boring. Well, I guess boring is a good word. To me, the experience was something like watching paint dry.

Walker picks up trash along the way

I WANT to say thanks to a young lady who walks around the block of Bordeaux, Cordova, Chateau and Farrar, which is a circle. She picks up the trash as she goes, which I think is a great idea for all workers. A big thanks for the young lady for setting a good example for others, keeping our city clean.

National debt was overlooked

AFTER READING your July 20 editorial on cutting taxes, I have come to the conclusion that you must be thoroughly absent-minded, especially since you did not mention our $5 trillion dollar debt that was mostly created by the Reagan administration with his tax cuts for the wealthy. President Reagan hurt the auto worker more than any other president I know. He campaigned on cutting taxes, which he did for the wealthy. The budget deficit and our national debt soared. The minimum wage was not increased one cent in his eight years in office. There was no talk of any programs to help the struggling working man pay his medical bills or help to pull him out of the gutter. There was only one thing evident from his policies: The rich got richer and greedier, and the poor got poorer. I believe in helping the poor and less fortunate. Now where is your morality?