SPEAKOUT

THERE AREN'T A lot of things that rock my boat, but the articles in the paper lately about earthquake preparedness are really getting to me. The guys who are knocking Browning and Stewart aren't doing the right thing. The people and buildings in San Francisco are prepared. Just look at the difference in the deaths and destruction caused in San Francisco and Armenia, which was totally unprepared. This leads me to believe that by Browning and Stewart making us more aware of the danger we live in, and we're preparing for it, that we can only be better for it. They mention that they weren't concerned about San Francisco having the quake at the same time as us. Maybe that's because San Francisco has already prepared. Here we've been living on this fault for years, and no one has paid one bit of attention. All of a sudden we had the little 4.6 in September and we had Browning's prediction, and now finally it was enough to open our eyes to do something about it. How can they criticize these people for finally making us aware of what we're dealing with?

I'VE READ IN the paper recently that the fitness trail that's been approved by the voters of Cape has a serious safety issue at stake. This is a proposed crosswalk at Christine and Bloomfield. Put the trail where it should be: put it under Bloomfield Road. A new bridge must be built there anyway. Let's do it right the first time. Let's give us taxpayers what we voted for, a safe fitness trail we can use for a long time.

I'D LIKE TO voice my support for Dr. David Stewart. I'm very sorry that he has resigned as director of the Center for Earthquake Studies. I read the statements that Dr. Stewart made regarding the prediction made my Dr. Iben Browning, and I don't feel that Dr. Stewart said anything irresponsible or unprofessional. Also, as a former student of Dr. Stewart, I'd like to say that I think he's one of the best teachers at SEMO. Thank you.

FOLKS, I'M CURIOUS. I just watched Mike Shain interrogate Dr. Stewart on the news after his resignation as director of the Center for Earthquake Studies at Southeast. I cannot believe that the media, the university or anybody else actually tries to make idiots out of the viewers. We all know that all the big dogs at the university were there in the same room with Dr. Stewart pointing guns at his head and saying: If you want to keep a job as teacher here at Southeast, you had better say the right things. So the man made a mistake. You don't have to make a fool of him and try to unsettle our intelligence at the same time. I just hope the students will give Dr. Stewart a chance. I had him in an earth science class when he first came to Southeast. He's a great teacher and even better individual. Good luck, Dr. Stewart. Thank you, Speak Out, for giving me the opportunity to voice my feelings.

No one was actually pointing guns at Stewart's head nor were they telling him to "say the right things."

I WANT TO thank Dr. Stewart and the Center for Earthquake Studies for all of their help. I wish Dr. Stewart the best of luck. Thank you.

ON DEC. 11, I was privileged to attend the fourth-grade Christmas program at West Lane School gymnasium at Jackson. Having a granddaughter in the group made me especially proud, but seeing this group of children presenting such a great program made me even prouder of what I think to be a fine school system. I'm sure the staff must be very patient to have directed and presented this very special group with such wonderful results. To the speakers, the musicians, the singing groups and the chorus, you did an outstanding job. Thank you.

DEAR DR. STEWART: I'm sorry that you're resigning your post with the earthquake center at SEMO. I feel that the news media has caused you great duress in the decision. I'm sure it was the news media that was at your door every time they felt a tremor under foot. I'm sure it was the news media that was at your door as every day passes closer to Dec. 3. I'm sure the news media will not apologize for causing you the problems that you have had in the past. Thank you.

IF DR. STEWART IS resigning for the reasons he stated on TV to teach and spend more time with his family then he's truly an admirable man. However, if he's resigning because of all the flak about Dr. Browning, then I think he's making a terrible mistake. Our family is among thousands who are much better prepared for a disaster because of him. And what about all these I-told-you-so's? Why did they wait until after the first week in December to voice their opinions? Could it be they were unsure? Thank you.

I AM ASHAMED OF, appalled at, and thoroughly disgusted with the treatment of Dr. Dave Stewart. All the man ever said was that he neither believed nor disbelieved Dr. Browning, but that he wasn't taking any chances. Any idiot knows that to say there's a 50-50 chance of anything is another way of saying I don't know. Dr. Stewart has been misquoted, misused, misinterpreted and maltreated by his peers as well as by the general public and the media, who have caused his resignation as head of the Center of Earthquake Studies here. Dr. Stewart never said that there definitely was a scientific basis for Dr. Browning's methodology; he said that there might be and that Browning's methods should be more thoroughly investigated. How childish and petty of Dr. Arch Johnston to say Memphis State would no longer provide information to Southeast because of Dr. Stewart. Dr. Stewart's good named has been tarnished by his peers, who obviously are a bunch of egotistical blind children who are not as knowledgeable, reasonable, or as caring as Dr. Stewart. We should all ask for Dr. Stewart's forgiveness for the terrible suffering we have caused this good man Thank you.

THIS COMMENT IS directed at KFVS TV. Is anyone else tired of hearing the word heartland on the local TV news? It seems every news story has to contain that word. It is ridiculous the way that phrase is being used. Please stop, KFVS. I would hope someone at that station would realize how silly that sounds.

HOW TO MAKE money for the Cape Municipal Golf Course: 1) Require cashier to issue a receipt for each fee, and also each cart rental. Register tape would work. 2) Post a sign in the clubhouse saying, Free one day pass if we do not give you a receipt. Free passes to be numbered and duplicates turned into course auditor. 3) Course marshal to patrol course, checking for receipts and keeping slowpokes moving. One tour each two hours would be enough. 4) Fire cashiers who leave the cash drawer open and make change without ringing up a sale, as they did when my wife and I played there last. On the subject of mismanagement: The last time we played there I paid two fees and asked for a cart rental for 18 holes. They made change from the open drawer, and we went to play golf. After nine holes we were flagged down while passing the clubhouse, and were told that we had to relinquish the cart so that others could use it. I protested that I had rented it for 18 holes and was told that they would not rent for more than nine holes that day, and they had not rented it to me for 18. I asked why, and was told it was due to adverse conditions, as it could rain. So they took the cart. I asked to rent another cart for the remaining nine holes. It went like this: Do you have any more carts? Yes, plenty. Ok, I'll rent one. Well, the batteries aren't charged up yet. How long will it be? Well, we haven't got any being charged yet; we will have to hook one up. We waited 45 minutes for another cart. We haven't played there again. Would you?