Letters to the Editor

Lessons for Sanford

Having just completed former Gov. and former U.S, Sen. Fritz Hollings' book, "Making Government Work," it occurs to me that our present governor and former U.S. congressman from the 1st District, Mark Sanford, should by now have learned some of the lessons Mr. Hollings details.

It is valuable to be willing to share credit and, indeed, to offer acknowledgment and praise to others when you are trying to accomplish goals that are mutually important to the public.

It is desirable to be willing to accept and share blame where appropriate and admit when you are wrong.

You can accomplish a great deal if you are willing to demonstrate respect for those with whom you agree and for those with whom you do not. It is rewarding to cooperate with those persons with whom you share responsibility for governance, even when they have positions that are different from your own.

And, perhaps most important, it is rather revealing when you absolutely cannot learn or refuse to learn lessons from your experiences and from the advice of others.

Mr. Sanford has spent six years in the U.S. Congress and six years in the governor's office. From all indications, his learning curve is still growing.

He is also the personification of a politician who could never be elected if he had to raise all his funds from those persons within the constituency he serves, a position Mr. Hollings suggests we incorporate into our election laws.

CERMETTE CLARDY Jr.

Carolina Boulevard

Isle of Palms

Faulty premises

I have both read and viewed a lot about our future cars aimed at reducing our dependence on oil and reducing global warming emissions, such as CO2.

The first one recommends a hybrid using both gasoline and electricity to increase mileage.

Another is to make a car totally electric, emitting no global warming gases.

The third is to use a cell to recombine hydrogen and oxygen for combustion emitting nothing but water vapor.

All of these are noble ideas, if one does not stop to think about each one's premise.

The first one clearly reduces gasoline consumption, leaving us to consider only electricity usage which is not discussed. The second is an emission free vehicle to be plugged in an electrical circuit for recharging, again with no emissions. The third relies on the combination of hydrogen and oxygen in a cell to provide energy, again with no emissions beyond water vapor.

So far, so good. Let's examine each case in which electrical energy is required. If this electrical energy is provided by coal-fired power plants, as is the case with most of Santee Cooper's plants, global warming is made infinitely worse, never mind the other, beneficial attributes.

Equally, dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen in an electrolyte requires electrical energy.

The only combination remaining fully benign with respect to providing no global warming emissions at either stage is to use nuclear power plants to make electricity, as France has done in fulfilling over 80 percent of its demand. Santee Cooper has waffled about this for over a decade, and is now asking the EPA for a permit to build yet another coal-powered plant near Florence because of an emergency need.

If you are serious about this matter, write to Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Science and Technology, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Mail Code 43047, Washington, D.C. 20460, and express your views.

AUVO KEMPPINEN

Lake Moultrie Drive

Bonneau

Ease traffic

I am writing to address an ongoing problem on one of West Ashley's busiest streets. Residential properties once lined both sides of St. Andrews Boulevard. When this neighborhood was a much less congested residential community, the typical, single-lane driveway was completely adequate with the occasional need for overflow parking along the curb.

Today, due to zoning changes, most of the properties facing St. Andrews have been converted to business or commercial properties.

Based on the number of vehicles parked along the street, all day, every day, these businesses must be thriving. While I am thrilled that they are doing so well in this economy, the curb lanes of this boulevard were not designed to be parking spaces.

The far lanes on this type of boulevard were designed as turning lanes.

Just as the center lane allows vehicles to get out of moving traffic before making a turn; the far lanes allow one to ease into the turning lane while slowing down. This keeps traffic moving smoothly and forestalls the danger of sudden braking.

As the traffic on St. Andrews has gotten heavier and faster, the use of the far lanes for making turns from the boulevard onto the neighborhood side streets has been reduced to the point that they are unusable.

The most reasonable use of these lanes would be for cyclists. The lanes could then still be used as designed; as turning lanes for vehicles entering and exiting the driveways and streets of Avondale and St. Andrews.

With a little creative planning, we could significantly open up this part of West Ashley to the downtown area; perhaps easing the traffic problem a little bit.

BOBBIE ROSE-UCCIFERRI

Arcadian Park

Charleston

Unfair to Folly

I find the new Police Blotter reports in the Journal section offensive and objectionable. Residents, police, City Council and business owners work hard to portray Folly Beach in a positive light.

The Blotter, written in a seemly satirical way, does just the opposite.

It is demeaning and disrespectful to the people who live and visit here.

Having a run-in with the police is no laughing matter as I'm sure they will tell you themselves. Why the negative focus on Folly?

CHRIS WILKERSON

West Hudson Avenue

Folly Beach

Williams' impact

Change is inevitable, but it seems impossible that Barbara Williams will no longer be the editor of The Post and Courier.

From an ace reporter to editor, she has had a tremendous impact on the quality of our daily paper.

I have had the privilege of working with her on many community projects, including the Tricentennial Celebration, Charles Towne Landing, Historic Charleston Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce and numerous planning and tax issues.

She has always been fair, insightful, and thorough in her reporting and editorial analyses. She will be missed as a spokesperson for the good of our community.

To her successors, we recommend her as their guiding light and send best wishes to her in her retirement and best luck to those who follow her.

THOMAS E. THORNHILL

CCIM

CC&T Real Estate Services

Evatt Lane, Suite 107

Charleston

Outstanding care

We would like to express our deep appreciation to both Carolina Hospice and Savannah Grace at the Palms in Mount Pleasant. The care and the deep concern expressed to each of us and our mother for many months during her stay at the Palms is deeply appreciated. Her care was excellent and was given with much grace. A special thanks to Marshall Stanley, chaplain with Carolina Hospice.

Our hearts are full of thanksgiving, love and admiration for the nurses, care givers and Marshall who stood by our side as mother exchanged this life for her new life and final home with her Lord.

LINDA BLANKENSHIP

For The Blankenship Family

Farm Quarter Road

Mount Pleasant