SpeakOut 8/8

Thursday, August 8, 2002

Call 471-6636

I understand that Amtrak lost over $100 on each ticket they sold last year. I was wondering if I could find out to apply and let them help me with my car expenses. It seems that there is just more good money after bad since they have never made a profit and never even broke even. They consistently ask for millions of dollars. Maybe they should give part of that to the Post Office since the Postal Service serves the entire population, where Amtrak just serves a small percentage. The Post Office has to deliver to everybody, no matter how far out of the way. It just seems to me the money would be better spent by giving it to them.

I would like to thank Dave at Plaza Tire. We checked out other tire stores in town, but he made us feel comfortable at Plaza Tire. He made my wife very trusting in him and the tires he was selling us. He has earned our business and we just want to thank this very nice young man. He takes the time and goes the extra step.

In the July 30 edition, "Everything has a price," for the price they charge in a restaurant for a meal, they should at least give you water to drink if that's what you ask for.

Many restaurants do serve water to customers who are buying a meal. This wasn't the issue in SpeakOut.

I saw on TV where two foreign countries are at war with one another. I believe Mr. Bush is the cause of all this. I believe if the U.S. would have left Mr. bin Laden alone, these two countries wouldn't be at war with one another. So far, Mr. Bush has gone there to try to bring peace. That's not anything he's going to do because Mr. Bush is the cause of it all.

When I called about the price of rodeo tickets, I was quoted $14 for bleacher seats. When I went to pick up two tickets, I was charged a total of $30. When I questioned the sales person about the extra $2, they told me the $2 was to cover the cost of printing the tickets. Why don't the Jaycees just say what the actual price of each ticket is, instead of giving you a price and then charging an extra $2 for printing?

We called the ticket office with your question. The additional fee is a service fee for no matter how many tickets you buy. The service fee does help with the cost of printing the tickets. If you buy two tickets, the service charge is $2 overall; if you buy 10 tickets, the service charge is still $2 for the whole order.

As shown in Tuesday's election for New Madrid County auditor, nice guys do finish first. Way to go, Brian.

Someone called into SpeakOut, asking for the Rookie Cookies recipe for "Chocolate Chess Pie." I happened to cut it out. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar; 3 1/2 tablespoons powdered cocoa; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon cornmeal; 1/2 cup chopped pecans; 3 eggs (beaten); 1/2 cup milk; 1 tablespoon vanilla; 1 (9- or 10-inch) pie shell. Directions: Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk and vanilla, mix well. Pour milk mixture into mixture in large bowl. Mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.