SPEAKOUT

Stop shocking with the obvious

THE SOUTHEAST Missourian recently referred to the federal budget agreement as "incumbent friendly." I often read the Southeast Missourian early in the morning. I would appreciate it if the author of the editorial would refrain for shocking me so early in the day with a stunning revelation that members of Congress are interested in perpetuating in their own existence. My heart can't take much more.

Speak Out statements are forms of opinion

CAN WE depend on Speak Out to print facts that are true? How about the paragraph entitled "Climate always changes and always will. It is very important that we know if it is the truth. I must tell my grandchildren the truth.

REPLY: Speak Out is a collection of readers' opinions. Often readers express their opinions in the form of statements that they believe are accurate, but many such statements are open to dispute.

Caller is sage on the environment

A SPEAK Out caller recently told us that global warming is occurring and it is not our fault and it's no be deal. It's comforting to know a Speak Out sage is evidently the world's leading expert on the environment. I hope he or she keeps calling.

Ozone problem is clearly manmade

I WOULD like to address this issue to the person who said volcanoes are the main culprit in ozone depletion. First of all volcanoes do emit carbofluorocarbons (CFCs). However, these chlorides being highly water soluble are mostly absorbed by the massive amount of water vapor that accompanies all volcanic eruptions. The greatest part return to the earth in the form of rain and do not make it to the upper atmosphere where the ozone layer is. Two years ago, NASA announced the conclusion of a long study using satellites in the upper atmosphere. The chlorides that were destroying the ozone were linked to foreign gases which do not occur naturally in the atmosphere. This proves conclusively that our ozone depletion is a manmade problem, not one caused by nature. As for global warming, some scientists do not agree that this is not a manmade problem or that it even exists. But the vast majority believe otherwise. For some reason, evidence such as a rise in average ocean temperature or the recent acceleration of the melting of ice shelf in Antarctica is often overlooked. It is incredible to think some people believe that you can pump billions of tons of pollution into the atmosphere and have no consequences.

Turn on the light for home deliveries

I WORK at a pizza delivery place here in town. I want to tell the people of Cape if you have food delivered to your house, please put on your porch light. Have a little consideration for those that are delivering food to your home.

Stop wasting money on campaign hearings

I THINK it is about time to shut down the committee that is looking at the campaign contributions. It looks like a mess with a bunch of skunks that are getting themselves all stinky and not doing anything worthwhile and costing the taxpayers money. There is no use making the committee waste more money.

Arches cause panic attacks

I REALLY enjoyed Sam Blackwell's column about going up in the St. Louis arch. Frankly, I envy him. I would be scared to do that. I hate to admit it, but I have panic attacks when I eat at the golden arches.

How about freedom of expression?

RICHARD KLINE recently had a letter to the editor published in the Southeast Missourian. In the letter, Kline raised numerous questions. One of them was, "Is there anything our government has done that we can take pride in?" In my opinion, there are lots of things our government has done that makes me feel proud. One that comes to mind: our government ongoing commitment to freedom of expression to the extent that Kline is allowed to write and have published off-the-wall letters to the editor.

Johnson grass doing well in county

SOMEBODY SHOULD give Cape Girardeau County a purple ribbon for the beautiful Johnson grass being raised around the county. If somebody wants to see the most beautiful display of Johnson grass you have seen in your life, just take a drive out Route W going north from Cape. You're going to see something you wouldn't believe. Here we have taxes to get rid of Johnson's grass, and Cape County has the worst problem with Johnson's grass I ever saw.

Fix streets in Jackson before annexing

TO THE city of Jackson: You're always wanting to annex more land to the city limits. Why don't you consider taking care of what you have by filling holes on one of the streets leading on to Highway 61? It is almost like the Grand Canyon. Maybe you should try to get on the highway sometimes and see what it is like. I hope you will fix it soon. Thank you.

Give credit for economy where due

I GUESS we should compliment President Clinton on the economy. He better kiss the ground that Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan walks on, because he has led the economy for two or three years in the right way, and low interest rates are the answer. If they are low we are in good shape. I wonder if Clinton will blame the Congress if the economy goes bad. Let's give Congress some credit for the good economy. We see a Democrat president now doing a lot of things that Republicans wanted to do. President Ronald Reagan was the cause for the Berlin Wall coming down. Now we are not spending a billion dollars a month on military spending, which is helping the economy a lot. Let's give Reagan some credit.

Column deserves national distribution

TAMARA ZELLARS Buck's column, "Home training practice makes perfect," published Aug. 2 should be picked up and reprinted by every newspaper in the country. It should be carefully considered by every parent, grandparent, teacher or anyone.

Lawsuit is stinky treatment

I READ in the Southeast Missourian that Jackson is being sued over sewage treatment. How stinky.

Renaissance OK, but no revolution

DOWNTOWN CAPE is experiencing a renaissance. That is wonderful. However, I hope it never gets to the industrial revolution.

Driving too slowly is dangerous too

I WILL like to respond to the person who was complaining that people were giving her dirty looks while she was driving 30 mph on Kingshighway. The speed limit there is 50 mph. At your speed you will start a collision. You will cause someone to run into the back of you when you are doing half the speed limit.