LETTERS: Whales, potholes and more

Whales mistreated for our amusement

While I am very saddened by the death of the trainer at Sea World, I am not surprised . This animal was given a life sentence of solitude. For what? Just to give little Johnny or Janie a giggle? These are highly intelligent animals who belong in the open ocean.

All this whale does is swim back and forth like a prisoner in jail. Eventually, it will snap. I think it's cruel and horrible that these whales are subject to these conditions. Let them go where they belong. If you parents want to give your little Johnny or Janie a laugh, take them to a funny movie.

John DeVoure

West Sayville

Drivers responsible for pothole damage

Regarding "Who pays for the damage?" , the answer is simple - and those seeking restitution are chasing their own tails. The pothole in the street may cause damage, but the responsible party is ultimately the driver of the vehicle. One can stand at any street corner and observe the huge number of vehicles that are going too fast for the condition of the road, be it wet from rain or snow, icy from freezing temperatures or just plain unrepaired.

The answer is to slow down. I'm willing to bet that those drivers who incurred damage were traveling much too fast. Few drive carefully - and that means slow enough to avoid causing damage to their own property and to that of others as well.

Charles Pallateri

Merrick

Kids at the controls

It must have been a slow news day, to give the story about the children who spoke to pilots at Kennedy Airport headlines . What's the big deal? The children spoke to pilots in jets that were at the head of the runway about to take off, not flying aircraft. The words spoken were obviously directed by the adult air traffic controller and were accurate instructions to the aircraft's crew. There was not, nor could there have been, any harm done.

Allowing the children to speak on FAA radio frequencies was in poor judgment, inappropriate and should not have occurred. However, let's get real, news media: "No harm, no foul." Let's stick to important news.

David Ragusa

Elmont

The air traffic controller who brought his young children to work should not be suspended. He should be fired, along with his boss.

Robert J. Karl

Elmont