SPEAKOUT

You can find pearls in televisionland

TO THE person who feels like television is not good for us. It is true that it is hard to pick quality television. I guess that is why shows like "Dateline" and other news magazine shows aren't doing so well on television. I think there are pearls are in everything if you seek them. I don't see how it would help you to get rid of your television set, especially in the case of the natural catastrophe. I just think you would want to be informed.

Top of the page for Speak Out

I WILL like to offer a personal definition of the word ecstasy. Ecstasy is the feeling I experienced when I opened the Southeast Missourian to the editorial section and found that Speak Out had soared to the top of the page.

Does that mean all nuisances?

I WAS really taken aback by recent headlines you ran. The gist of it was the city of Cape is going to rid itself of nuisances. I must be cursed. I just got here.

University construction is inconvenient

AS A student at Southeast Missouri State University, I would like to know who's bright idea was it to start every possible construction project on campus at the same time with just a few weeks before school starts. All these people are going to come in and not be able to get through on roads and not have places to park.

REPLY: Many of the university's projects have been under way for several weeks. The most recent project, the Henderson-New Madrid intersection, is expected to be completed in short order.

Editorials always favor tax cuts

SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN editorial writers sometimes mystify me. But by golly its hard to argue with them. Whenever the economy falters, Southeast Missourian editors write rock solid opinions on the need to cut taxes. On the other hand, whenever the economy is booming, Southeast Missourian editorial writers build arguments on the need for tax reductions.

REPLY: This astute reader is absolutely correct. The Southeast Missourian's editorial position has long been that taxes are too high and should be cut in order to allow taxpayers to have more control over the dollars they earn.

You mean they would meet on a highway?

ACCORDING TO a recent Southeast Missourian headline, the "GOP opposes session on roads." I don't blame them a bit. To have them there would be uncomfortable and dangerous.

Leave the humor to other columnists

SOMETIMES I get the haunting almost paralyzing suspicion that columnist Jack Stapleton is attempting to be funny. Stapleton's columns are insightful and very well written. But I wish he will leave the levity to humor columnists Dave Berry and Peter Kinder.

Safety of swimmers is a concern

I'M CALLING to voice my interest about the chemical spill in Jackson. It's interesting that the swimming pool was kept opened during the time the area was sealed off. It's seems like that should have been closed, and the children would have been kept away from that area.

Driving actions were reckless

A GENTLEMAN in an older white Camaro cut me off, flipped me off and slammed on his brakes to get me to hit him. I want to let you know I had three children in my van under the age of 3. Your stupidity nearly killed my family. People like you don't need a license. I hope later when you have a family you will learn not to take gambles like that.

Everyone benefits from taxes for roads

ALL PEOPLE use the highways and roads, even those who do not have vehicles. Fuel, clothing, food and building materials are brought in by trucks. But only those who own vehicles pay taxes that build the highways and roads.

Start from scratch on road plans

SCRATCH THE the 15-year plan for highways. It was flawed from the beginning. Start over. There is plenty of money if planned right.

Comments by telephone, not delivery service

THANK GOODNESS I didn't do it. I had been seriously thinking about sending my Speak Out comments via UPS.

WHENEVER YOU feel sorry for yourself and think you have a horrible job. you need to remember something. Things could be a heck of a lot worse. For example, what if you had to serve as the Speak Out transcriber?