Teach your child a secret password

After reading the article about "Tips for parents to keep kids safe" (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 14), I would like to add something. Teach your child a password. It should be something only your child and you know. Since some tragic things happen to children within family ties or close friends of family, a password works great. If you don't know the password you can't abruptly pick up the child from school or anyplace else. With practice, your child will know exactly who is safe to go with in case of an emergency. Using a password is a simple way to help keep kids safe.

Janice Peoples
Olympia, Wash.
Former Hawaii resident

Kahealani will have Christmas in heaven

Friends and family of Kahealani Indreginal now sit in their homes before this Christmas Day, feeling very sad without her. She has gone to heaven, and is celebrating the joy of Christmas with Jesus. And we find ourselves thinking about the joy and love that she had given everyone, for these precious memories will never be taken away.

Let us all thank the Lord for his gift of Kahealani, who touched many people's hearts and souls. Treasure the precious moments and memories. We know this will be the saddest Christmas of all. But every year, we will wish Kahealani a Merry Christmas.

Arsenio Ramirez Pelayo
Aiea

Poor pigeons must fend for themselves

Auwe. The Honolulu Zoo has a double standard when it comes to the care of animals. The beautiful white pigeons that were residents of the zoo back in the early 1950s are now forced to live among the wild birds. The very animal that brought happiness to all of us growing up is now condemned to a homeless existence. It is time for the zoo to take responsibility and correct a mistake by bringing the pigeons back to where they can be appreciated with all the other zoo animals.

Alvin Wong
Pearl City

Lingle should get both sides to negotiate

Governor Lingle should follow through on her comment made on TV about intervention with the nurses' strike. It is of utmost importance that the governor of Hawaii help to bring about a fair and equitable conclusion to the strike, and get both sides back to the negotiation table.

Each day I drive by the nurses and see that the negotiations are at a halt. Each day I think about the large sums of money that the administrators at the striking hospitals are spending for airfare, accommodations and salaries in order to break down the reserve of the nurses here in Hawaii. That money should stay here.

The nurses I know say they want the hospitals to stop the unsafe working conditions brought on by 16-hour work shifts. Sleep deprivation is a real concern and a safety hazard for those in their care.

Show that Hawaii cares about workers and respects the contributions they make to our state. Assist both sides by getting them back to the negotiation table. Every day the nurses are on strike is that much more the administration spends on others from out of state. It's money that could be staying here.

Carolyn Martinez Golojuch
Makakilo

Lott unfit to serve in leadership role

Republican Sen. Trent Lott has a history of caving on important political issues when he meets up with media scrutiny. From his compromises in the GOP's "Contract With America" to the Senate leadership's decision against impeaching President Clinton, the Mississippi senator has paved the way to compromise. A more recent example of this behavior was his unnecessary move to share Senate leadership with Democrats.

Now, amid the controversy over comments made at Sen. Strom Thurman's 100th birthday party, Lott once again finds himself the object of media scrutiny.

There can be little doubt about Lott's next move. In an attempt to distance himself from the extremist connotation of his statement and to avoid further media pressure, Lott will try to redeem himself through compromise.

If any race-based legislation crosses the desk of this senator, his vote will fall squarely on the side that makes him appear less racist, regardless of the impact of the legislation.

On the other hand, should he suddenly discover political integrity, if he were to vote boldly against any race-based giveaways of federal money, he risks tainting the party with the brush from which he has been painted.

This makes Trent Lott a political liability, and not just within the Senate but to the House and the executive branch as well.

This conflict makes Lott unfit to serve in any leadership capacity and he should resign his position as Senate president.

Jay Sasaki
Kailua

Strange charge-card policy at post office

I recently had the most bizarre experience at the post office. I wanted to pay for my postage with my credit card, but the clerk said, "It's against post office policy to accept a charge card without a signature on it."

Since my card had been stolen in the past, in lieu of a signature I have written on all my cards, "check for ID." I offered my identification but she still refused to accept my card. However, she did allow me to "scribble" my name on the back and then said, "OK, I can accept that." Unreal.

Can someone from the Postal Service explain? I have been charging all of my postal needs for more than 10 years without my signature on the back of my charge card. One would think that a photo ID would be preferred as a more positive identification than a mere signature that she couldn't even read.

S. Sato

Congress should stabilize basis of stock

It is difficult to have confidence in my share of stock when my company may distribute similar shares, of perhaps preferred shares, as a gift or "option" to others, free or at some other unforeseen price. Also, insiders can reap big rewards by merely being associated with us other shareholders.

We should ask Congress to "stabilize" the basis, the integrity of a share of stock by prohibiting all distributions of stock and stock options that dilute existing stock worth, unless the owner of each and every share of stock receives the exact same distribution.

Congress also should prohibit insiders from purchasing IPOs of a company without first giving notice and benefit to the company and/or owner of each and every associated share.

John Bauer Martinez

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