SPEAKOUT

A good Samaritan

I WISH to thank the man who came to my rescue on Saturday when my car became disabled on Cape Rock Drive. He left to call AAA and then returned and stayed until the wrecker arrived. It is refreshing to know there are still people who care and are willing to inconvenience themselves for others. In the confusion I failed to get his name, but he knows mine. I would appreciate it if he would call so I could compensate him for his generosity.

Good Jackson play

I'M CALLING about the play that was put on by the 11th and 12th grade of Jackson. I want to let everyone know if they didn't see the play, they really missed something. It was enjoyable. Everything about it was really perfect to my notion. I think more of these should be put on, and I really appreciated it. It was uplifting.

Go, Rush, go

KEEP IT up, Rush. The truth is hurting the feelings of some of the local non-fans. Instead of turning you off, they're turning you on. They'll change, and soon they'll be dittoheads too.

Medical oversight

I SEE the Republican Party is trying to pass legislation where you can only sue for $250,000 for pain and suffering. Now I read in the paper where Peter Kinder, who's father and brother are both physicians, wants to abolish the board that regulates what hospitals and nursing homes, the equipment they use and the amount of money that they can charge you. So they'll be able to use anything, charge you any amount of money and you can only sue for $250,000. Looks like, maybe, we're going to be going down the river.

Spring arrives loudly

YOU CAN tell you we're heading into spring. The inconsiderate, drooling morons are already rolling down their windows and blasting through towns with their absurd, rolling boom boxes. They're too stupid to know what they're doing to themselves and don't care about anybody else. Therefore, the rest of us should show no regard for these idiots. Let's break out the old garden hoses and maybe even a few rotten tomatoes and make these jerks run the gauntlet through our neighborhoods. Better yet, let's start bugging Cape Girardeau and Jackson to enforce peace disturbance laws as much as speeding laws. Or come up with even better laws. In fact, why not just outright ban boom boxes. Enforcing these laws should be an easy source of additional municipal funds because you don't need a radar to catch these bozos. You can feel them coming ever before you see them.

Making the laws

PETER, PETER, lawmaker. I understand you're sponsoring a bill to hide environmental violations by big manufacturers. My, what a friend of the manufacturers you are. Don't try to use the facts to get the government off the people's back. You care, apparently what we breathe, just so you take care of your wealthy, influential friends. Maybe when we go to the polls this year, we'll remember you. I can only hope so.

Earning respect

I FEEL the office of the president of the United States is respected. The person filling that position has to earn that respect.

Making changes

THIS IS regarding making a change of the location of the school board meeting. Mr. Thompson said they could not move the meeting at the last minute. It seems to me the changes of the commencement ceremony last year were made at the last minute.

Paper angel

I HAVE wondered all winter who the nice person who was putting my Southeast Missourian newspaper up at my door at Bordeaux Drive. I found out today. We have male angels. It was the man next door. I want to thank him. It was so nice not to have to go out in the cold to get it. Thank you, paper angel.

Unsatisfied customers

THERE ARE all kinds of people in this world today. For instance, these people who call in food take-out orders. They call it all up, and then they call back in and cuss the managers because they didn't send enough ketchup or mayonnaise or something was wrong with the food. They just try to see if they can get another free meal. This happened last week, and I'm very upset about it, because it happened to my daughter. To me, they stand right up next to a crook or a robber.

Shumate's comment

A COMMENT about Southeast Missouri sports. I still can't believe Coach Ron Shumate made the comment after the last Florida game that he had no facility to practice in. He was very instrumental in the Show Me Center and was well advised that a lot of activities would going on there, not just basketball. I'll be so happy when he grows up and learns and appreciates just what he's got and works more diligently toward promoting the rest of the Southeast Missouri sports programs as much as he promotes and supports his.

Thank God for Rush

TO ALL you people who do not like Rush Limbaugh, get used to it. As for me, I thank God everyday that there's someone like Rush Limbaugh out there speaking the truth, and so what if it happens to be against Clinton. The presidency is not what being attacked, it's Clinton.

THIS IS one vote for Rush Limbaugh. Go, Rush.

Shooting at birds

IT'S STARTING to become very frustrating to me as a resident of the Pioneer Mobile Home court when I come home of a evening and sit down after working a long day only to be disturbed by the sounds of blast of a man working for the city who's come to our trailer court every night between 5 and 6:30 to shoot at the birds to get them out of the trees. While this may not seem like much of a hassle to the city, it becomes frustrating because you cannot eat dinner or watch the news in peace. Doesn't the city have anything better to do than send someone around to make our evenings miserable just because two people don't want bird droppings in their yard?

Social Security barbs

IN REGARDS to the self-righteous varmint who referred to stupid people who are concerned about Social Security. I would like to inform him that's there's plenty to be concerned about with this balanced budget amendment. A lot of people, that's all they have to rely on. They worked for minimum wage where they were not put into retirement and all that. That means a lot to some people. It may not mean a lot to him, because he mentioned his bank account. I think he'd better find out the facts before he goes shooting his mouth and referring to stupid people concerned about their Social Security.

Use the Guard here

WITH THE austerity program being presented by Congress, will someone please tell me why our country couldn't use this money and expertise of the National Guard here in our own county? Why is Panama more important than home? Cape needs a school, Jackson has a big tax-supported debt for their new school. Roads, streets, bridges and everything else concerning to transportation are in drastic need of repair. How about the slogan of the country? Bring it home to America.

Other cuts first

NOW THE Senate has the budget controversy. If you will read your newspaper, you will find Social Security on the list of cuts as, usual, and this is hard to believe. Now government workers and military retirees will be required to help a little. But how about Congress and the retired presidents? Why not a good cut there first?

Governor in Kennett

HOW COME you can print Kennett's literacy problem on the front page, but when the governor comes down to look at the technology at classroom, it's a big deal covered by several television stations and several newspapers, you can't even print not even one inch about it.

Ink solutions

THE BEST solution for ballpoint pen in cloth is to spray it with hair spray.

TO REMOVE ballpoint pen stains out of clothing, saturate it with rubbing alcohol before you launder it. I've also heard that hair spray works but I've never tried that. However, this works only for pens that are non-permanent. If you pen has permanent ink, then you've got permanent stain.

The rich and taxes

CAPE TAXPAYERS are in for a big tax effort by the rich people who can easily afford to pay the tax hike and make money on the tax itself.

Tips are rewards

AS MR. Owen pointed out, a tip is a present or gift. It should never be obligatory. Employers hire the people to work for them, and as such, should provide at least a minimum wage to them. A customer's tip should be a reward to the server for good or exceptional service above and beyond minimum requirements.