From the Forum

Readers of the Star-Advertiser's online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

"New HPD site lets users track neighborhood crime," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 3: Crime mapping is a step in the right direction: law enforcement providing information that empowers the citizenry. The citizenry, in turn, empower the law.

Checked out the website. It's useless. Doesn't say much. Needs to give more details. It's a waste of taxpayer dollars.

The best crime stopper is an alert neighbor who will not turn away from what he/she sees. Too many people think it is not their business and they do not report what they see, especially drug-related issues.

Why not map where the convicted criminals live, just like the sex-offender registry? That would be useful, too. In fact, maybe that would help them with some of their "unsolved" crimes in specific areas.

"Hawaii-born singer Bruno Mars scores seven Grammy nominations," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 2: I hope all his fame doesn't go to his head and he ends up in rehab. Possession of 2.6 grams of cocaine? I don't think he will see jail time. Probably community service with a fine.

Seven Grammy nominations and one charge of cocaine possession. You can do a million things right but the most memorable is the one thing you do wrong.

Almost thought the title said "Bruno scores seven grams ... " lol

"Hawaii woman quits 'Survivor,'" Star-Advertiser, Dec. 2: She should have done something to disqualify herself rather than quit because now, as one poster noted, fair or not, she will now be labeled as a quitter.

She's from Arizona, not Hawaii. Just because she goes to school here, doesn't mean she's from here. Another black eye for Hawaii, thanks to the media.

"Hawaii astronomers estimate 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 2: The national debt will match that number soon.

300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars: I wonder what the margin for error was? Plus or minus 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, if it's within 3 percent.

Honestly, if the universe is infinite then infinity would be the correct number -- unless our scientists expect to run into a wall or fall off the edge of the universe if you go too far.