Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor (July 30, 2004)

Restaurant writing improved

Editor:

Based on reading the July 16 restaurant review of Frankie, Johnnie, & Luigi Too! by Dale Bentson, I wanted to congratulate the writer for such a professional job, and the paper for a general improvement in restaurant writing in the last year or two.

I don't know this particular restaurant enough to compare specific impressions, but I thought the writing was well researched, forthright, and highly readable. Please keep it up. (Now I must return soon to Frankie and Johnnie's and try some of those dishes.)

Max Hauser
Loreto Street

Filtering out the chloramine

Editor:

I was glad to see the article about the chloramine in our water supply as I have been distressed about it for many months.

I have a water filter for the entire house designed and installed by my son, who is an environmental engineer.

I also have a built-in filter on the kitchen water faucet, so my water is highly filtered. In addition, I prefer the taste of distilled water; so I have a little one-gallon distiller that I use for drinking water.

The water put through this filtering and distilling process used to produce wonderfully-tasting water. Then it began not tasting good and smelling and tasting of chlorine even after all of the processing. It was my son who told me it was probably the chloramine.

I understand chloramine is something that doesn't dissipate at the beginning of the pipes so it can do its work further downline. I also understand it is made of some nasty chemicals including chlorine and ammonia.

I am not surprised it kills fish. Your article did not say how this water can be processed so it is safe for fish. Perhaps we could do something like that to make it safe for humans for I feel it cannot be healthy.

What tests have they done on this chlorine-ammonia chemical elixir and its potential health hazards? They may have solved one problem for the pipes by using chloramine, but then created a worse problem for humans in time. I want to know about the safety tests and their results.

Joan Stivers
Barbara Avenue

Is chloramine hurting humans too?

Editor:

This is in response to the July 16 editorial "Citizens can counteract effects of chloramine." The big question that arises here is, why should citizens have to counteract any effects of any sort in regards to their municipal tap water which should be safe to drink and bathe in?

For decades, we received chlorinated water through our taps and at no time did we have to "counteract" the effects of chlorine. No, the chlorine merely dissipated and the water became basically chlorine-free after sitting for 24 hours. Relatively speaking, fish had it easy in those days. Today, they just go "belly up." These fish did not necessarily float to the top of their tanks and ponds because Mountain View residents and business people didn't read the literature supplied by the city.

The fish succumbed because of the complexity of trying to restore a safe, aqueous environment from one laced with chloramine that can vary in concentration anywhere from one to four parts per million (EPA range).

Without meticulous measuring, the average fish owner cannot ascertain what level of sodium thiosulfate (to reduce chlorine) versus what level of zeolite (to reduce ammonia) must be mixed to keep the overall ammonia concentration below 0.1 ppm (which is the maximum safe level for fish). Even if the proper balance is achieved, the resulting chemical stew cannot possibly enhance the life span of the fish, but must surely curtail it so that "people appear to be reporting more problems with fish."

The "problems" here refer to a bunch of dead fish which should not be equally compared with the problems humans are experiencing, which so far include no deaths (that we know of). Human problems do include a whole gamut of maladies from swollen hands to welts on arms and legs, to dried out mouths, and intense itching, and other severe allergic reactions.

Instead of "less clear health risks" as mentioned in the article, these health risks are crystal clear. If the fish represent the proverbial canary in the coal mine, can what is happening to the fish today be what is in store for humans tomorrow?

David Heran
Acacia Avenue

Don't mix religion and government

Editor:

Some voters feel that they must support President Bush in order to remain true to their religious beliefs. I implore these voters to consider the damage to the Earth, the people of the world, and the workers of the U.S. being perpetrated by the Bush administration and withhold their support in the upcoming election.

Work in other arenas (nonprofit, faith-based organizations) but please avoid making our shared civil government your means for furthering your religious beliefs. It will hurt government and provide results that will be disappointing to you and all concerned.

Ed Taub
Devoto Street

The joy of public service

Editor:

Thank you for writing your large editorial last week encouraging people to run for local elected offices. You asked, "Why would you run for public office in Mountain View?"

I ran for a seat on the Mountain View-Whisman School District board two years ago and have never regretted it. I ran for the reasons you stated in your editorial -- a commitment to public service, and a dedication to making a community better.

Not only has this work been highly rewarding personally, I have been thrilled to see up close the high quality of work and dedication by other Mountain View office-holders. I think anyone interested in a challenge, who holds a sense of optimism, and is willing to work for what they believe in would be glad they chose to run for office or volunteer to serve on a committee in our town.

Aspiring do-gooders often think it's at the state or national level that the important work is done, but working at the local level we make decisions at every meeting that directly affect our children and our quality of life. And, people who are discouraged by politics at higher levels would be refreshed, as I have been, by the good work that we local decision-makers can do.

Yes, it is hard work. We work long hours, get complaints, and continually struggle with how to best serve the people we represent. But, working to solve problems with other dedicated people who are trying to do their best, and making some good changes, are the highest rewards. I encourage everyone during this election season to consider what part they can play in making our community better.

Ellen Wheeler
Trustee, Mountain View-Whisman School District
Brookdale Avenue

E-mail a friend a link to this story.