SPEAKOUT

Wednesday, January 16, 2002

Call 471-6636

When you grow older, don't ever move anyplace where you don't have any neighbors you can visit or talk to because it's the loneliest thing you could ever do.

Have you considered visiting a senior citizens center in your area? In addition to meeting people in your age bracket, some who may share the same interests you have and many also offer a variety of activities. In Sikeston, you can call Yuvonne Craig at 471-6047 for information about the Nutrition Center, trips, games and other things seniors do.

What's wrong with these kids nowadays, the ones who have grown up and gotten married? Don't they think their parents are important enough to visit or see, or are you supposed to live in the same town they do before they'll come to visit.

I would like to inquire with the local cable company why their rates are so high? I have a relative who lives in Poplar Bluff and buys expanded basic with 73 channels for $29.95. Their digital is 93 channels with 45 channels of movies and it's just $39.95. Their most expensive package, which is digital, is 119 channels of television viewing and 45 channels of music for $75. If they can do that in Poplar Bluff, why can't we? I don't understand why we have to pay a monopoly price to a company that gives us less viewing for more money. There has to be some kind of profit in it or Poplar Bluff couldn't do it. The terrain over there is a lot harder to work in. I'm sure the expense of putting in a system was a great deal more than it could ever be here. I'm just wondering why our City Council is allowing this monopoly to go on? Why don't they do something about it?


I want to SpeakOut about the cable system. They're doing it again. Five more dollars starting out this month from $42 to $46-something. This is getting ridiculous. They need to put a stop to it. A lot of people around here, like me, are on a fixed income and the higher it goes - I don't want to be without it because I'm a disabled person and that's all I've got to do besides what I have to do in my house, but that really hurts. I don't want to give it up, but come on, people, let's get together and try to solve this.

President Clinton's companion "Buddy" knew way too much, and we know what happens to friends of Bill when they know too much. Buddy had been snooping around in the park. By the way, if Buddy was Bill's companion, then who's Hillary? Just sign me a right-wing conspirator.

I'm calling in about the huge ad for the Girl Scouts that you put on the front page paper. Are you guys just needing news really bad or something? Girl Scout cookies, front page - two pages? And here they've got the 2000 session of the Legislature begins down in the right corner? I think you need to do some thinking down there. This is a crappy Wednesday paper. At least think about it.

I'm a parent of a fourth grader at Matthews Elementary School here in Sikeston and I also have a job. None of the fourth graders have anything on the playground at the school. Where are our tax dollars going? They have nothing to play on but the ground. They need something to play on, a swing or something, don't you think? Use our tax dollars for our kids.