SPEAKOUT

TODAY WAS MY paper boy's last day. I will really miss him. Good luck, Josh.

I WOULD LIKE to thank the owners of Mollie's restaurant on Good Hope for the very fine Thanksgiving Day buffet. It was one of the best that I have ever enjoyed. I think they are a wonderful, fine couple, and they did a very worthwhile job putting on this Thanksgiving buffet for everyone. It was free to the public. I just cannot keep from thanking them and wishing them the best in everything they attempt to do. They have not had the support of the city council in some of their endeavors here lately. I wish the city council would go over and have a nice meal with the owners, and just see what kind of a nice place they are operating. Maybe when they ask a favor of the city council sometime in the future, they will be with them and not against them as they have been in the past. Again, I thank them for a wonderful meal and wish them the best of luck in their endeavor to try to run a nice, decent place over here on Good Hope. Thank you.

ACCORDING TO President Bush we are not in a recession, but everything is just fine and we'll just gradually come right out of it. So don't worry. I wonder what these people all over the country think about that. Many of them have said they just can't understand what is wrong with him; they had voted for him once but they wouldn't think of voting for him again. Isn't that proof enough? What does he want? The economy is in about as bad a shape as it can get. People are being laid off, not only around here but all over the United States. Yet, he'll get up there on TV, as you know, and look you right in the eye and say he doesn't think we're in a depression; we're going to come right out of it and everything is going to be just fine. Well, I just can't understand how a leader of our country can say that when everything is folding up and going down all around him and all around the country. What are we going to do? Just ask ourselves this: are we as well off or better off than we were four years ago or eight years ago? Ask yourself that question and then remember that the election is next year. Thank you.

I'M CALLING IN response to the statement made by the professional truck driver about the rough highway west of Jackson. I've driven that road with a cup of coffee sitting on my dash several times without spilling a drop. I know how the state is limited on money to fix that stretch of road. In case he didn't know it, the state is running out of money. The bottom line is he needs to work on the suspension on his truck, stop overloading his truck, drive the speed limit, or think about changing professions. If he can't hack it on that section of road, I shudder to think what's going to happen if he ever ventures out on our interstates because they're twice as bad as that road. By the way, wearing your seat belt will keep you from getting thrown through the windshield. Thank you. I'm another professional truck driver.

MAMMAS, DON'T LET your children grow up to drive Chevys. How many times have we heard that lately? I'm getting sick and tired of it myself, and I imagine you are too. I think it's a very poor ad for Ford to run against the fine products of Chevrolet. They're both good companies, they both have good products; but, if they want to run an ad like that, tit would be much more appropriate to say, Mamma, don't let your children grow up to drive Toyotas. Thank you.

DO YOU REMEMBER Magic Johnson? I'm sure we all do. He was at one time one of our great basketball players, not really the best, but one of the best. But what has happened to him lately? The way he has handled the situation has made me look upon him as not a hero but as a fool. The way he carried on after he knew he was infected with the HIV virus; he went ahead and had sex with women knowing that he had this infection. That is about as low as anybody can get. I, myself, would not buy any product he advertises. I think that's one way to show the sponsors that have sponsored him over the years that we do not approve of them continuing to let him advertise their products. I will not buy any product that Magic Johnson advertises.

IN RESPONSE TO the person who wrote in scorning the person that criticized the honor system in the school district concerning gifted people: This person wasn't very gifted on tact and kindness. Apparently the person that called in perhaps did qualify, but was rejected because they felt discriminated against, which I'm sure does go on in any institution of education of that sort. I only hope the person wasn't a teacher. A teacher preferring gifted students, to me, is like a doctor preferring all well patients. What are they in business for if every one of their students is gifted? Certainly that's the place to learn for people who are not so fortunate. Thank you.

I THINK THEY OUGHT to impeach President Bush for letting people charge $50 for flu shots.

TWO OR THREE people are going to be killed at once if somebody doesn't do something about the people driving straight through the Clark and Broadway intersection from the right-turn lane.

I WOULD LIKE to talk about the trash pickup in the city. The city manager has said they would enforce the rule of three cans per week. Even before we had recycling some of my neighbors in the neighborhood have been putting out more than three cans, and they put out more now and they're picked up. I, for one, recycle and I enjoy the program because I think it's worthwhile. I only put out one can per week now. I think these people ought to be charged a surcharge. They said they were strictly going to enforce the rules. They have not. The city is putting it to the common taxpayer with their charges for trash pickup without examining the situation in depth and charging people accordingly. Thank you.

I REALLY FEEL for the grandmother who realizes her grandson needs help. He's young and now is the time to do it. Please don't wait. In the meantime, continue to talk to him and listen to him. He has deep-seeded problems already. Get the lines of communication open. I suffered from this when I was a child: no communication; therefore I felt rejected all my life. He reminds me a lot of myself. I'm getting help now through counseling. Find somebody to listen. Maybe you could contact his school counselor or get outside help.

ABOUT THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW with Mr. Emerson in Sunday's paper: Mr. Emerson sure blamed the Democrats. After he got through blaming the Democrats and Congress, he said he hoped Congress can find it possible to lower the level of rhetoric. This is talking out of both sides of his mouth.

THANKS TO Mr. Browning and Mr. Stewart, we do have our emergency kits ready: one kit in a closet near a window we can crawl out of or back in to retrieve, located over a corner of our basement. We plan to use a tarp, charcoal, blankets, warm clothing, water, food, medication, which we have kept rotated and dated every three months, and big garbage bags. We have a similar, smaller version in the trunk of our old, second car, which is parked on the street away from trees and power lines. A set of house and car keys are in both the house and the car. We are not afraid to die from an earthquake, ice, snow, tornado, flood, or fire; we simply do not wish to have to leave our home to go to a shelter for others to care for us. We want to stay if at all possible and protect what is ours. That's common sense.

I'VE BEEN READING the Sunday paper and I want to tell Dr. Stewart that I am grateful to him and people like Dr. Browning because I think a lot of us are a lot more prepared in the event of an earthquake because of them. They weren't wrong; the news media twisted it. They didn't say there would be an earthquake; they said there could be an earthquake. I also want to comment to the grandmother who was worried about her grandson. There is a really good book that might help you. It is called "Learning Disabilities in Children" by Barbara Cardone. It's available through SIU Press. It really helped me when I read it. I realized my problem child wasn't really a problem child; he had a problem. Thank you.

IN REGARDS TO the 20-year-old college student whose comments were in Monday's Speak Out, I hope he takes some economics in college, also some history. Over 40 percent of our income goes to taxes. He wants to tax industry at least 20 percent. We need business. He would bankrupt America faster than the communists did Russia. He is a real liberal, probably a Democrat. We have a recession, not as bad as the one at the end of the '70s and early '80s; we have high inflation; 8 percent-plus unemployment; and high interest rates. Our politicians for political gain are responsible for these irresponsible ideas. It is popular for politicians to attack the rich and business. We need business and people who can and will invest in business. Thank you.

THE ISSUE OF cameras in the courtroom should not be allowed. A trial is serious business for everyone concerned. Too many people want to be on television now, and this would turn this into a three-ring circus.

I HAVE HOPES in the next presidential election that people will take a serious look at who and what they're voting for. We don't need any more jelly beans and pork rinds in the White House.