SPEAKOUT

Don't drink and drive

13 YEARS ago I was in a car accident, hit by a drunk driver at 8:30 a.m. Four surgeries later and not able to work, I don't know a day without pain. I still have to have total knee replacement for both knees. I'm sure I speak for many, many drivers: Please, I beg you, don't drink and drive. Minutes can change the lives of a victim and their families forever. Thank you.

Clinton good for everybody

THE Republicans are at it again, spreading gossip about the Bill Clintons. That's their policy from on now until the next election. They don't care what happens to the country. They never have. All they want is money, power and a high-paying position, but the people have caught on, and that's why President Clinton today is our president and that's fine with me and it's good for everybody.

Cable out during storm

THIS IS to Marc Powers. Thanks for doing that write-up on cable TV. Since cable was out because of the recent storm, which it seems to always do, would you check with the other cities and find out if they have the same problem when it's bad weather? I've lived in many cities, and the cable never went off when it was bad weather.

The value of college help

THE CALLER'S opinion that President Clinton's proposal for two years of college is impractical and will be of nearly no use to a student is plausible. But I prefer to think that after two years of college, those people who previously were uninterested in college may be inspired to continue their learning somehow. It needn't all be monetary. Sometimes people don't go to college because they simply can't stand one more second in the classroom. Anyone who's been to any kind of a decent college and had any kind of decent college teachers knows that college, even at it's worse, is different from high school. And people there aren't constrained by the immature, on the whole, in the classroom. There are people who are there who are interested in being there. It's voluntary. You're not there because the law forces you to be. And if you are surrounded by people who enjoy learning, you too might enjoy learning. You may do this outside of class. A lot of learning takes place independently, and it would be great for people to be exposed to the joy of learning. So I don't see where it is all that bad a proposal of President Clinton's.

Senator betrayed constituents

IT SEEMS that Peter Kinder has betrayed a lot of the people who trusted in him. What does he have to gain by getting into this lake project? As Mr. Wiesner stated in his letter, "This is an unneeded, high-cost project, and Sen. Kinder is supporting a position not popular with most of his constituents. This lake support of his will be remembered by many voters in the next election."

City should buy old hospital

BACK TAXES would pay for most of the old St. Francis Hospital block on Good Hope and South Pacific. Give me one good reason why the city could not buy this property. City council and mayor, back up your words and buy it. It's a good deal.

Gas tax and competition

AS A marketing management employee with a major oil company for many years, I want to explain the primary reasons that contribute to higher gasoline prices in Cape and area. This might help the caller who called in about this. First, the Missouri gasoline tax offers a sizable savings to Illinois motorists who cross our bridge on a regular basis. Therefore, this provides a captive market to Cape Girardeau gasoline retailers. Next, there is a small number of wholesale gasoline distributors that control a large number of gasoline retail outlets in this marketing area. Therefore, you don't find the amount of competition that you would normally find in markets of this size. Again, I hope this might answer questions that people have about the higher gasoline prices of the Cape area.

Uninformed position

I WOULD like to comment on Russ Mayfield's letter to the editor where he argued that the ozone hole was discovered in the 1800s, long before automobiles, air conditioners and Freon were invented. He also went on to argue that Freon could not possibly be implicated as the culprit as the ozone loss problem since it wasn't used at that time. If we check the facts, we'll find that atmospheric ozone wasn't even measured until 1956. In another weird diversion, Mr. Mayfield also criticized the tightly controlled simulated conditions under which tests of Freon are conducted, seeming to suggest that he would have been happier with uncontrolled and sloppily designed studies. It seems to me that Mr. Mayfield just wanted to make some facts and arguments to support his uninformed position that Freon is harmless and should not be controlled.

Smelly water

I LIVE in Scott City, and my water seems to smell and taste like algae. I was just wondering, is everybody in Scott City having this problem and if they are, what is that smell and what is that taste? Is there anything that can be done about it?