Speakout 8/1

Tuesday, August 1, 2006

This is Joseph Hood. There was an ad in SpeakOut about sharpening scissors. You can call us at 471-0313.

This is in response to the man who removes satellite dishes. I have one. My number is 471-1958.

Signing petitions against train traffic through the City of Sikeston? My goodness people, wake up and realize what it's going to cost to have lumber put in your backyard if you don't have trains running up and down these tracks hauling this material. Hell, while we're at it why don't we just stop the 18-wheelers from running up and down the road? Hey we don't need groceries either. Let's do one more thing. Let's just shut off the farmers. Buddy, I'll tell you what, you better wake up and you better do it quick. It's all going down the drain. I thought where I was from was a good hometown. Hmm. I'm changing my mind.

My speakout is against a power company and I feel that they have forgotten their values on what customer service is really about. You know people forget about dates and they forget to pay and they have legitimate excuses why they don't pay their bill on the exact day and time they expect it. Now I'm a local customer and I have a legitimate problem that I needed to get taken care of before I could pay my bill. Now for them not realizing what customer service was and taking care of human needs, my power has been shut off and it's going to cost me a $125 extra. If I'm not mistaken, that sort of thing is called a monopoly which is against our constitution and against the law. Depriving a person's rights because they made a mistake or forgot a date is not right. Who do they have working for them? Do they have actual people or robots? The people who work for them should understand what it is like to be a person and understand things come up. I'm without power and I have to stay somewhere else because a mistake in a date has been made. They need to understand about people and business. If they are all about money they should make it known. Quit monopolizing this part of the state. I hope this company realizes this and changes their policy.

Mike, I agree wholeheartedly about your assessment on the Schnucks' parking lot incident in Memphis. The news story could have been "Schnucks' employee stabbed to death by disgruntled co-worker." Thank God that this was not the case. Better yet, maybe we should ask the employee that was most likely saved by Mr. Chris Cope his opinion of Mr. Cope's deed.

I was calling in about a comment about food stamps. Some people actually need food stamps, such as low income. I work at Dairy Queen and I make maybe $500-$700 a month. Pay my rent, pay my electric, pay my gas bill, put gas in the car, pay insurance on the car, pay the car note and maybe there is $10 left for food. So yeah, I get food stamps and I'm proud of it.