POWER LINES

WE DON'T COMPARE TO FLORIDA IN BAD WEATHER

The Advertiser headline article on Sunday, Jan. 11, implies that HECO should string its power lines farther apart the way Florida does. HECO transmission lines are 10 feet apart, while Florida lines have 15-foot spacing.

But you fail to mention the fact that Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the country, while Hawai'i has the lowest thunderstorm frequency of all the states. Florida has so many thunderstorms that from 1998 to 2008 an average of 74 people were killed by lightning each year. (www.infoplease.com/science/weather/lightning-deaths.html)

As you state in the article, the cost of all new transmission lines would be "extremely expensive" and it would be borne by the customers.

We did have an islandwide outage two years ago, which was due to an earthquake, but how often has lightning been the cause of one? Since Hawai'i already has among the highest electricity rates in the country, it seems to be a reasonable risk to keep the 10- foot spacing.

NUUANU HALE

FACILITY'S EXPERT AND LOVING CARE OVERLOOKED

There were several front-page articles in The Advertiser about one family's problem with not paying their hospital bill. Nuuanu Hale received a poor rating from a government agency, but I've experienced otherwise. I have been spending at least four hours per day for the past 15 days at Nuuanu Hale, where my 90-year-old grandmother was admitted for broken hip rehabilitation.

The facility is neat and airy, with art and flower arrangements. There is a cafeteria where families can gather to visit and eat with residents. Outside, there is a spacious tiled lanai ringed with pots of flowering plants and shrubs.

The activities staff, besides running its regular games and gardening, brings in cultural performances such as Japanese dancing and hula. The nurses and physical therapists are attentive and cheerful. They go over and above the call of duty. They have a range of patients, some who speak different languages. I have seen how the nurses take the time and effort to learn and speak basic phrases in Chinese and Korean.

I hope that other discriminating readers of your paper realize that the Ko case is an isolated incident. Straub was in charge of placing Ms. Ko in a new place, which it did. The Ko case does not deserve so much attention. Instead, I feel there should have been some investigative reporting that might reflect the expert and loving care being given to all the patients and their families at Nuuanu Hale.

MILITARY KIDS

MONEY TO DOE SHOULD BE USED AS DESIGNATED

I just heard on the news that Hawai'i Department of Education is going to receive about $3.1 million from the federal government to support students of military families living in Hawai'i.

Someone on the news was also quoted as saying that this money could help offset the current deficit the school system is facing. This statement sounded a little vague.

I hope this money will go to the schools that provide services for military dependents and that it will not just be used for whatever the state government feels like spending it on (like high administrators' salary raises!)

FOR CHILDREN

NATIONAL PARKS MOST WORTHY OF BAILOUT AID

Hawai'i's children need the option of seeing America's national parks. With the multitude of groups in queue for government bailouts, none of them offer more to the future children of our republic than the National Parks System. The infrastructure of the many national park treasures is in need of rebuilding so our children and their children will know how great and beautiful our country is.

For them and all of us, please take the time to telephone or write to our U.S. representatives so we can get our National Park System ahead of the Wall Street greedy and bankers who hoard money so that something lasting can be given to our future Americans.

AMBIANCE

WAIKIKI JUST NOT SAME WITHOUT TORCHES LIT

Why are the torches along the Kuhio Beach area on Kalakaua Avenue not being lit each evening as has been the custom for so many years?

The ambiance the lit torches create makes a nightly stroll along the beach and avenue a delightful pleasure for both residents and visitors alike.

Can someone arrange to have this little bit of Hawai'i brought back to life?

ROLAND BURRIS

RACIAL COMMENTS DIVISIVE, IRRESPONSIBLE

Not seating Roland Burris as the junior senator of Illinois isn't because he is black, but because of the enormous baggage of the person (Gov. Blagojevich) who appointed him. I personally believe that Mr. Burris is more than qualified to be seated as senator, but his supporters are saying that if he is not seated it's gonna remind them of being "lynched" or "being sicced on by dogs" is totally unnecessary and irresponsible. Elected officials, no matter their political ideals, should be aware that this past election cycle, we as voters rejected the notion of fearmongering and divisive speech and chose hope over fear. Although the issue of race hasn't progressed as fast as I think it should have, language like this doesn't get us anywhere and is not relevant to the circumstances surrounding this matter.

I am of minority descent and voted for Barack Obama as president, but this type of talk just sets us back from the new vision and change we have been longing for and voted for.