Resident doctors need scheduling relief, too

Nurses claim their concern is "mandatory overtime," causing some nurses to work 16-hour shifts which adversely affect patient care. The correlation between long hours and medical mistakes is indicated as the reason to reduce hours. Are the nurses concerned with the hours of all patient caregivers?

Most resident doctors work in excess of 110 hours a week, sometimes for 40-plus hours straight with no sleep. This has been going on for decades. These doctors do not have the benefit of a union to assist them.

This does not matter to the patient, however, as the same tired and rundown young faces are starting on their second straight day, alongside the nurses returning from a home meal and a nights' sleep, ready to go through another full work day before they can do the same. Doctors couldn't do it without nurses. Nurses couldn't do it without doctors. If the nurses' true primary motivation is patient safety, then I hope their voices do not go mute upon a contract settlement. That is, of course, if it is the patient and not the contract that is important.

Dan Morin
Salt Lake

Nurses chose to strike during holiday season

I find it hard to feel sorry for nurses on strike who are having problems with finances and providing for their children during this Christmas season. It was their decision to go on strike with the Christmas season upon us. Why don't they get financial assistance from the unions that they support?

They should appreciate the nurses that were flown in from the mainland who are here caring for the patients that they have abandoned. They say that patients come first -- well, where would those patients be if mainland nurses weren't here to help care for them? This strike makes it look like nurses come first, not the patients.

Kaiser and Kapiolani have settled. Why can't they?

File Keliiaa
Waianae

Denver stadium trip was worth the money

I just returned from a trip to Denver and wanted to correct misconceptions in a letter to the editor by Joel Kam ("Officials' Denver trip wasteful, unnecessary," Dec. 15). The University of Hawaii delegation and one senator were already on the mainland for other business and detoured to Denver for the briefing.

An extensive meeting and site inspection could not be done by a video conference or phone calls. The executive branch of government and other Senate and House leaders were informed as was the public before the meeting in Denver.

To characterize the trip as a "boondoggle" is wrong. One of Hawaii's real boondoggles is the existing stadium that has been hemorrhaging tens of millions of taxpayers dollars since it was built. Through the generosity of part-time local boy and Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and his leadership team, we learned much. They built in Denver, on time and on budget, one of the nation's best stadiums and it is making an operational profit for the taxpayers of Colorado. Sports is a big business in Hawaii, too.

A public/private partnership to build and operate a stadium as opposed to a government monopoly could save taxpayers millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars.

Sen. Fred Hemmings

Visitors ran off with memories of aloha

My husband and I were in paradise for the 30th Honolulu Marathon and to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. Thank you for the interest from photographer Craig T. Kojima (Island Images, Star-Bulletin, Dec. 7).

Back home in Anchorage, we are reflecting back on the beautiful memories we have of your wonderful people and of the awesome scenery along the 26.2-mile marathon route.

Truly, it is our pleasure by way of this letter to thank the folks at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel for their friendly hospitality as acting host for this event. To J. Barahal, the race director, we say "outstanding!" To the sponsors and the city of Honolulu, you did yourselves proud with all the locals lining the streets, cheering for the runners as they headed toward the finish line. I still can't believe these volunteers got up so early not only to cheer us, but to offer water, ice and Amino Vital along the route. Many volunteers stood in the heat all day long. You made a difference. Thank you very much.

We met so many wonderful runners -- I will never forget resident Norman Lu, who was filled with the aloha spirit as we ran together. I hope to see him and some of the other runners come to Anchorage for a fun marathon trail race someday, so that we can repay your fine hospitality.

Life doesn't get any better. Memories are paradise!

Maria and Ken Cobb
Anchorage, Alaska

Young couples sang in spirit of Christmas

I want to thank the people of Oahu for the wonderful hospitality they showed me on my recent visit to Waikiki. I hope that I've taken at least a little bit of the aloha spirit home with me to share with my friends and family on the East Coast.

One of the most memorable moments of my trip came when I saw three young couples taking pictures and singing in front of the Stand Up for America display next to city hall. The couples had their arms wrapped around each other as they loudly sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus." This touching moment reminded me of what Christmas is really all about.

Thanks again, Hawaii, and thanks to Stand Up for America for making my Christmas a special one.

Ruben Perez
Bayonne, NJ

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