SPEAKOUT

TV viewer doesn't believe in ratings system

CAN ANYBODY tell how anybody determines which television shows are watched the most? Nobody has ever in my entire life asked me what television show I am watching or have ever watched. In my opinion, the whole thing is just an assumption. Network people put on whatever television shows they want to put on, and they mislead us by saying this show or that show is the most watched show in the country.

Simple solution to computer 2000 problem

THIS COMPUTER dilemma in the year 2000 is intriguing. Ten years ago, a very simple program line would have taken care of that. Can some genius tell me if things have changed that much in 10 years? The program would simply be if "99 plus one equals 00, goto 2000." That will take care of the problem. By the way, send your $600 million in care of the newspaper, and I'll pick it up there.

City should get rid of old buildings

THE CAPE Girardeau city inspectors ought to be inspecting buildings all the way from Water Street up to Kingshighway. Inspect all the buildings there that are at least 40 years or older. There's a lot of them that should be on the tear down list or fix up. Don't worry about the homes of people. Get those old dilapidated, dangerous buildings off of Broadway, and there's some on Sprigg Street and also on Main Street.

Words of advice to non-smokers

THERE'S BEEN so many non-smokers calling in Speak Out and whining and whining. All I got to say to you non-smokers is this: If you can't stand the smoke, get out of the kitchen.

Wants local calling area expanded

I AM paying again to make a call to Cape. I would like to see the local calling area for Cape Girardeau expanded to include Chaffee, Delta, Oran and Benton. I called Southwestern Bell several times about this, but they said they didn't see anything in the near future.

Use control to lower phone bills

I'M CALLING in regard to the lady from Benton who has a petition against Southwestern Bell. Common sense would be to keep off the phone. Almost all households have teen-agers, and I bet that 90 percent of them have rules against long-distance calling to keep their bills down. I cannot believe that the newspaper is covering this. Yes, we would like to have cheaper rates, but the majority of us know how to use control.

Bar owner: Thumbs down on no smoking

I OWN a nice bar here in downtown Cape. Let me speak clearly. If a law is ever passed on no smoking in bars here, I will totally ignore it and tell my patrons to go ahead and light up. Ninety-five percent of my customers enjoy a smoke with their drinks, and anybody who can't take second-hand smoke, I don't want them in my establishment.

Elks members tend to holiday patients

THIS IS a comment about people who were in the Southeast Missouri Hospital at Christmas time. The patients very much appreciated the Elks Club which remembered them on Christmas by bringing Beanie Babies and candy canes to the people in the hospital.

Don't like pets, don't like kids

THIS IS to all the callers who have been calling to Speak Out and complaining about cats and dogs. I'll tell you what. When I was a kid, and that's been a long time ago, I always heard the older folks say, you find a person who doesn't like dogs and you'll find a person who doesn't like kids.

It was the other Kennedy brother

I KNOW I'm going to be one of many who will call in about the man or woman who said Michael Kennedy was wanting to annul his marriage. If they will just go back a few months, they will find out that it was not Michael Kennedy, it was his brother.

Extended Medicare is a good deal

THE PRESIDENT has offered a wonderful deal for people, I believe, who are 62 to 65 and are laid off by their employer to buy into national health care. Who's against it but the rich man's party, the Republicans in Congress? Let's face it, they're against anything that would hound in on their buddies, the insurance companies. They were opposed to anything to help the poor and the needy and the working man before. They're a rich man's party. The reason the health-care plan failed is people on welfare didn't give a hoot. They were covered. The people who were employed didn't care because their employer furnished it. But there are 8 million working poor without health care. This is a disgrace. You can't let it go on. They won't go away.