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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 23, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Backing of Sia mars fine coaching career

Coach June Jones lost some public confidence over his yet-unexplained accident. His support of Sukamto Sia is another example that he has gone overboard with what he must think is his overwhelming power of public opinion.

His backing of Sia is disgraceful and puts a black mark on his fine coaching career.

Bob Anderson
Kailua


DOE, UH already are working together

In a March 14 letter to the editor, Russel Noguchi suggested that one step that might be taken to improve the use of taxpayers' dollars would be collaboration between the DOE and UH to provide students with early access to college.

Mr. Noguchi will be happy to learn that such a collaboration is already under way. The "Running Start Program" provides qualified high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn credit that applies both to their high school diploma and to an associate of arts degree from any of the seven University of Hawai'i community college campuses around the state.

A student who has participated in both 11th and 12th grades may graduate from high school having already accumulated a year or more of college credits — transferable to any campus in the University of Hawai'i system.

The University of Hawai'i community colleges are pleased to be active partners in this collaboration with the state Department of Education.

Kathy Jaycox
Executive director
UHCC Ka Pilina Program


When hurricane comes, have your roof tied down

Folks are worried about the Hurricane Relief Fund. Never fear — your weatherman is near.

Presuming that the home is so constructed that it can handle winds of 70 mph or more, there is one real problem — the sloping roof. When a strong wind races across a sloped roof, the slope acts like an airplane wing. The higher the wind speed, the more it wants to fly away.

But there is a solution and it can be very inexpensive. Most homes are built on a concrete slab, in which the water pipes are imbedded. The piping and the concrete act as a beautiful anchor. A 100-foot length of rope is generally more than adequate to use as follows:

• Tie one end of the rope to a faucet.

• Throw the length of rope up on the roof — climb up with a ladder and carry the rope diagonally across the roof and toss it down the other side.

• Find a faucet outlet around that corner area and tie the rope to it.

Caution: Hemp rope when it gets wet will shrink. Don't pull the rope up snug, but leave some "play" so it can shrink as the rains come and yet not start to crimp the roof itself.

If you want to be double sure of securing the roof, find another spigot, toss another 100-foot section of rope up on the roof, carry it over, drop it to the other side and secure that to another spigot. In other words, looking down on your home, the ropes would form something like an "X."

Voila! Neighbors may think it strange that you are hauling ropes around on your roof, but when the winds get to hurricane strength, you stand a much better chance of having a house with a roof after the hurricane passes.

Ted Gibson
Kailua


ICU nurses played critical role in recovery

Sooner or later, we all learn that health is the most precious thing we have.

When I recently found out I had to undergo open-heart surgery, I had very mixed feelings about going to the hospital. We all take the skill and knowledge of our doctors for granted, but what surprised me most was the quality of the care and attention given to me by the nurses of the intensive-care unit and during recovery.

They always came when I needed them, day and night. They always had a kind and encouraging word. Their knowledge, help and support were so very important in the healing and recovery phase. There was a quality of care that you would only expect from your mother.

Having had this wonderful experience, I would like to thank the nurses at Kaiser Moanalua Hospital in the intensive-care unit and the cardiology section for their wonderful care and helpfulness. I am sure that patients know about the good care they got, and doctors know it, but I feel that the public should also be made aware of the role that good nurses play in our recovery.

Klaus Wyrtki