Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Aloha Air flight did not
report seeing shuttleQuestion: As NASA has requested all relevant information about the Columbia disaster for a thorough investigation and closure for the Columbia crew's family, could you find out whether Aloha Airlines or some of their flight crew reported a sighting of the space shuttle consumed by flame on the morning of Feb. 1? I was on an Air Canada flight that left Maui at 11:50 p.m. Jan. 31 and arrived in Vancouver at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 1. Our captain said he had overheard a conversation between an Aloha Airlines crew and air traffic control over the Pacific Ocean regarding a flying object the crew couldn't identify. Air traffic control said this was likely the space shuttle on re-entry. The Aloha crew responded that they could not verify this, as the object they saw was trailing a long orange flame behind it. I have not seen any reports of sightings over the Pacific. Is it possible that this was a significant event that NASA would be interested in?
Answer: Aloha Airlines says it cannot corroborate the events you describe.
Spokesman Stu Glauberman checked with Aloha's chief pilot, who checked with the captain of the plane that would have been flying in the area at the time.
The captain said he did not make a call about any sighting and also did not hear anything on the frequencies as you describe.
Q: I was at Kakaako Waterfront Park about 10 a.m. last Tuesday. There was a worker driving a golf-cart-size vehicle with a large dispenser throwing out small pellets. It could easily be seen on all the walkways. He was completely swathed in blue plastic and had a blue plastic mask, totally protected. But what about the children and other park visitors, not to mention birds and other wildlife? It was windy and stuff was blowing. What kind of poison was he scattering, and why weren't there signs warning people to be careful?
A: The worker was not spreading poison, Jan Yokota, executive director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees the park, assures you.
The worker was applying NPK 24-5-10 with 2 percent iron, which is a common fertilizer found at garden shops and which is "not deemed to be hazardous," she said.
The fertilizer is composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron, she added.
Yokota said she was told the person who was applying the fertilizer was wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt and a dust mask.
Although protective gear is not necessary when applying the fertilizer, workers may choose to wear masks or other protective gear when handling it if they wish to do so, she said.
But it's not required by any governmental regulation, Yokota said.
Auwe
It was some time since I had traveled on Kapiolani Boulevard. But I was on it recently and was shocked. Kapiolani is one of our main thoroughfares, and it is without a doubt the worst road in Honolulu, maybe in the whole state. It's no wonder that I haven't been driving on it. -- No Name
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