SPEAKOUT

Invisible poison

THIS CALL is in regard to the Jan. 13 article on carbon monoxide poisoning. One year ago while house-sitting in a beautiful home in Jackson, I came down with what I thought was the flu. During my illness, I saw a TV commercial detailing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. I put two and two together, purchased a carbon monoxide detector and sure enough, half an hour after installing it, the detector went off. I called the gas company, which sent a representative to my home immediately. He confirmed there were potentially fatal levels of carbon monoxide in the house caused by a faulty cold air return system on one of the two furnaces in the home. Simple repairs were made, and my flu went away, almost immediately. Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen in your home. It's not selective. It can strike in a $200,000 home just as easily as in a $12,000 trailer. Don't assume it won't happen to you and your family. Have your furnaces checked regularly. I encourage you to purchase a carbon monoxide detector. It may very well save your life.

Clinton's methods

I WOULD like to compliment the Southeast Missourian for the fine columnists and for the reporting of the opinions of the people in the area. They all promote thoughts. However, I suggest to the person praising Bill Clinton to read up on Cecil Rhodes of Rhodes Scholarship and give some thought as to how Clinton got that scholarship. Maybe he got it like he got the presidency or the governorship: tricks and lying.

And beauty too

ABOUT THE new Missouri license plates. I see that people would like to see the Missouri mule, birds, or flowers or even Rush. How about a beauty queen in a bikini to give us macho men something to look at and dream?

Enforce parking

I NOTICED in the morning paper about the possibility of a new handicapped parking law that will be enforced here. The failure of the old law was that it was not enforced. There is no necessity to hire an individual to do this job. The police department can do this by diligently observing things as they drive around through this city. I have gone to the parking lots and unable to find a parking space that would enable me to shop without tiring myself out due to my disabilities. I am very happy if they will see to it that this law is enforced. If some fines are handed out, some people will begin to take notice and obey the law. But if you don't enforce it, they're just going to go ahead and park anywhere they want to regardless of whether it's a reserved space for handicapped people.

Hillary dodged too

ALL YOU Clinton bashers are overlooking a big opportunity. Why not accuse Hillary of being a draft dodger too? Women served in Vietnam too so all she had to do was sign up, just like Bill. I don't think you should miss out on this. Somebody should call Rush. He'll make the accusation. He accuses everybody of everything. Besides he probably was exempt from the draft for a good reason.

Slip and slide

I WANT to comment about the person who thought Clinton was so smart. Being slick is not smart, and the boy's not all that smart because he got caught. But he may be slick enough to slide himself and the dragon lady right into the penitentiary, the way it's looking.

One good column

IN MY opinion, of all the writing that is done on the opinion page in the Sunday paper, the only one that had something to think about for the good of the country was the Jack Stapleton column. That's the only one. Everything else was character assassination and gossip, hearsay, tear down and tear up strictly for political reasons. Nothing in the sense of building up people or for the good of the country, just to tear down. This is the only column, in my opinion, worth reading.

Tow violators

I APPLAUD the raising of the fines for people who misuse disabled parking spaces, but there's one more thing that should be done. Illegally parked vehicles should be towed away to wherever vehicles are towed and then let the people go there and get them. That way, disabled people won't have to wait until they come back to their cars, and the offenders will get another point in obeying the law.

Update, please

THIS IS for Jean Bell Mosley. Please keep us informed about what grew in your fish bowl that you planted.

America's team

I'D LIKE to direct this comment to Jay Eastlick. Well, Jay, I hate to admit it, but you saw the real America's team win today. The Dallas Cowboys have been America's team since way back in the 1960s when they came out of nowhere and went up against a powerhouse. They've been in more championship games. They've been in more playoff games. They've been to an unprecedented eight Super Bowls. This one coming up will make the fifth one they'll win. So you tell me if the Green Bay Packers are America's team.

Respect for flag

I'M SPEAKING out in regard to the person who called in about respecting our American flag. My children attend a public school. I was appalled to find out my daughter's class does not say the pledge of allegiance. I asked the teacher why. She said they don't have enough time. We're from California, and all the schools that my children attended there always made a big deal about saying the pledge and who would get to hold the flag. This is America, and we all don't know how lucky we are to live in America. I'm sorry, Missouri, but you don't get my vote on respecting the American flag. I suggest you all enforce it in public schools. Our children are the future of America.

No Rod Stewart

I DON'T know who is charge of recruiting musicians to come to the Show Me Center but they must have their head in the ground because nobody wants to see Rod Stewart perform.

GOP to Bosnia

ABOUT THE poll of sending the troops to Bosnia or balancing the budget. I'm for balancing the budget and sending all the Republicans to Bosnia.

Retaliation

TO THE person who complained about restaurant customers leaving snotty napkins at the table for waitresses to pick up. Maybe that was in retaliation for seeing restaurant cooks leave the bathroom without washing their hands. Maybe that should be considered before you complain too loudly.

Shoe Me advice

I'M CALLING in regards to the story about the Show Me Center losing money. My opinion is that if Cape Girardeau would start getting some acts, some rock n' roll, live bands such as the campus at Carbondale does for their college students, maybe they'd be making more money. All they ever have is country acts and gospel and such. So if they started bringing big bands, I'm sure they'd draw bigger crowds.

Golf handicap

I'M CALLING in about the crippled parking spaces that they have. I think it's a wonderful thing, but I do know of people that have them and are abusing them. If they can walk 18 holes of golf, then they can surely stay out of the crippled spaces.

Ticket problems

IF IT works why fix it? When the Show Me Center first opened, there were a group of die-hard country fans camped out all night or stood in line from 4 in the morning to 7 in the morning to get good tickets, sometimes during freezing rain or hot mosquito nights. Then someone got the bright idea to draw numbers for the places in line for the tickets. If you got a good number, you got good seats. So pretty soon the country fans got tired of this and they now go to Paducah, Nashville and other places that have country music concerts.

Young offenders

I READ something in Speak Out about if the kids get into trouble with the law, it should be left up to the parents to pay to get them out, and the parents should be responsible. It works two ways. I think that the juvenile should have to pay for it, and I'll tell you why. What's wrong is we don't have discipline. We don't have the laws to protect us like we did when I was a kid. When I got into trouble, my parent whipped me and they gave me things to do. Today, the kids can get divorces from their parents. They can turn them in and they can go to jail.

Abuse advice

AFTER BEING raised in an abusive environment and having a traumatic home life, I finally got the help I need and went through counseling, I now recognize abuse for what it is, and I found my voice and I can speak out about it and I won't shut up ever again and I won't be silent when someone hurts me intentionally. You know, abuse is a lot like somebody stepping on your foot every day, day in and day out, and watching your expression to see how bad they can hurt you, daring you to cry. Well, if anyone else suffers abuse and someone steps on your foot, make them accountable and make them apologize and get off your foot.

Chain gangs

I WOULD like to see all jails go to the chain gang like down in Alabama. Then convicts wouldn't come back into jail a second time. Let them bust some concrete blocks.

Bush was innocent

I BELIEVE a caller was trying to recall the circumstances of the Silverado episode concerning George Bush's son. Did his liberal press just forget to tell him that after extensive exhaustive hearings he was found completely innocent?