Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: Since anthrax spores are so minute, is it possible to spray Lysol or to put mail in the microwave oven to kill the spores? We're getting mail from New Jersey. Sorry, nuking your
mail not advised for
killing anthraxAnswer: There's little the average person can do to kill the spores, according to health experts. But most add that such precautions are unnecessary because the risk of being exposed to the anthrax bacteria is "extremely low."
Still, with the anthrax scare in full force around the country, there have been various suggestions on how to get the bacteria before it gets you. Microwaving and ironing are two popular suggestions.
Commercially, some companies are promoting irradiation as a way to zap the spores successfully.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says exposing letters to microwave, ultraviolet light or ironing may kill some spores, but it's not known what procedures to use (length of time, temperature, etc.). Because of insufficient data, the CDC "does not recommend these techniques for reliable decontamination."
The Washington Post, in a question-and-answer column on anthrax, was even more adamant, saying applying heat "could be dangerous. Microwaving may cause a sealed envelope to rupture or burn, thus spreading anthrax spores that might be inside. Ironing a letter with a steam iron could allow any anthrax spores to escape the weakened envelope and be released into the environment."
The state Department of Health is not making any recommendations on treating mail. "To date, there has been no evidence of any terroristic threat of anthrax in Hawaii," said spokeswoman Janice Okubo. "The Hawaii Department of Health continues to open its own mail and does not treat or disinfect its mail in any way."
Auwe
To radio stations I-94 and Island Rhythm. At the premier of "Corky Romano" at Dole Signature Theatres, my family stood in line for over an hour to get in. But the radio staff let friends and family members in early. By the time we got in, the theater was half full. Those people let in early were reserving seats for their friends and family, so it was hard to find seats and the theater quickly filled up. Many people outside left in frustration. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated and should be prevented in the future. -- RobertKIKI (I-94), KDNN (Island Rhythm), FOX2 and the Honolulu Weekly held an advance screening of that movie. But two hours before the screening, "we were told that there had only been one theater" set aside instead of the expected two, said I-94 promotions director Kamuela Kanekoa.
Typically, staff and sponsors are let in early for such promotions. With double the number of title sponsors (four) and secondary sponsors (10), 69 people were allowed in prior to the public. With only one theater, many winners, sponsors, and clients had to be turned away, Kanekoa said, adding, "I truly apologize for any inconveniences (the situation) may have caused."
Kanekoa explained that for an event like this, movie companies typically overbook a theater by 20 percent to 30 percent to account for expected no-shows. In this case, he said, "We had a double-booked theater." With roughly 400 seats, that left 200 to 300 winners without a seat.
To account for overbooking by movie companies, all passes warn people to arrive early because seating is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-serve basis, Kanekoa said.
Street-numbers mix-up
The general rule of thumb is that odd numbers in street addresses are on the RIGHT side of the street and even numbers on the LEFT side. Sunday's Kokua Line had the sides reversed. The city Department of Planning and Permitting is responsible for approving the names and addresses of streets through a "street resolution" process.
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com