Readers sound off on F train service, customer service and Paul Whelan

Brooklyn: An event is scheduled today at the Palace Hall on McDonald Ave. and Ditmas Ave. in Brooklyn. Hundreds of people are expected to attend. Being that the event is hosted by an institution located near McDonald Ave. and Kings Highway (Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute, 1795 Ocean Parkway), many guests will go to the F train for quick, easy and cheap transportation. When they arrive at the station, they will be informed that there is no F service, no shuttle bus and no way to get to the event.

According to the MTA Plan-a-Trip, the trip would take a minimum of 47 minutes, including 28 minutes of walking time to and from the B68 bus. This is unacceptable — and this has been going on for most weekends for the past two and a half years already. We understand that work has to be done, but there needs to be a shuttle bus.

A couple of weekends ago, Q train service was suspended from Stillwell Ave. until Prospect Park. This is very similar to the current F suspension to Church Ave. as can be seen on any map. The Q had not one but two shuttle bus routes replacing the service, a local and an express. Why does the F not get even one shuttle bus?

If this continues, I will stand by the stations during the weekdays and get petitions signed by thousands of people. For me, it’s worth the time. I work on Sunday and this disruption of service adds 45 minutes to my commute each way. Ezra S. Shain

Manhattan: Businesses in the U.S. are complaining about the cost of customer service sites where you speak to a human. They complain about minimum wage and yet almost every site is based in Asia, where the wages are considerably less. I have to stop dealing with businesses like Macy’s, where it is impossible to speak to a human being. Jim Baumann

Manhattan: On Friday, I visited Bed Bath & Beyond on the Upper West Side across from Lincoln Center. It was a most unpleasant experience. There are very few employees and if you do not know the store, you cannot shop there. Checkout is also a nightmare. It is only by a computer, so you had better know how to use it. Shame on you, Bed Bath & Beyond. Roberta Horowitz

East Northport, L.I.: Back in late 1978, the Daily News had the headline “Ho Ho Ho!” Late one night, a woman had triplets at New York Infirmary hospital, with the births starting before she got to a delivery room. The family name was Ho. I was working at NYI (which later left E. 15th St. and merged with Beekman Downtown), a then very young assistant manager of housekeeping. We were all very happy there that night and later heard that the mother and babies were all doing well. FYI: New York Infirmary was founded by the first woman physician in the U.S., Elizabeth Blackwell. Ron Troy

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: The true spirit of Christmas is not found in reindeer, Santa Claus or tree decorations. They are secular signs. The true spirit of Christmas is the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, who was born to die for our sins that we might become holders of the greatest gift of all: eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jim Black

East Meadow, L.I.: Voicer Anthony Mignone can’t believe Thomas Valva only got 25 years for killing his 8-year-old son. Being an ex-cop and considering what he did to his children, he’ll be lucky if he lasts 25 days in prison. Karma will get him. Jeff Tuck

Hartsdale, N.Y.: Just to bring some of my fellow Voicers who slept through their civics and economics classes up to speed, the inflation that is driving up the prices of groceries and other items was not caused by Democrats. Nor was it caused by Republicans. Inflation is a worldwide problem brought on by the aftereffects of COVID-19 and the backdraft of an open war between Russia and Ukraine. Please note that there were recent inflation-driven national strikes in France, Germany, Greece, Belgium and in the U.K. Hungary is suffering with 20% inflation; the Netherlands, 17%; Italy, 12%; and the European Union, 11%. In the U.S.? It’s 7.7%. As conveniently childish as it is to “blame Biden” for inflation, Americans should be grateful that he has acted to reduce the effects of inflation as much as possible — because the numbers show that many other national leaders could learn from him. Norman E. Gaines Jr.

Whitestone: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (?-AZ) couldn’t wait until the ink dried and the cheering stopped after Raphael Warnock’s big election victory in Georgia before she could grab the media attention to announce her departure from the Democratic Party. What an attention-seeking prima donna is Sen. Sinema!? We Dems knew you weren’t a true Democrat already, and you knew that. However, you had to grab the media headline the day after Warnock’s victory. You will be up for re-election in 2024 and it will be a rough ride for you. Michael J. Gorman

The Daily News Flash

Weekdays

Catch up on the day’s top five stories every weekday afternoon.

Scranton, Pa.: Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate Kari Lake / Lost her bid for Arizona governor and called the result a fake / She filed a suit and may melt into a heap / if her task to put herself in power is way too steep / and sell her own dessert called “Kari’s Sour Grapes Cake.” Vin Morabito

Manhattan: In exchange for Brittney Griner, the U.S. agreed to free Viktor Bout. He was responsible for supplying weapons to rogues and terrorists around the world, many of them committed to killing Americans‚ from the Taliban to Colombia’s leftist FARC rebels to former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. While I’m pleased Griner is out, there’s always a catch and it’s right before our eyes, although most won’t see it. Omar Branch

Yonkers: It’s great to see that basketball star Brittney Griner is back home in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I’m sure this spoiled and ungrateful American had plenty of time to reflect on her sheer stupidity and lack of patriotism during her sojourn in Russia. Now, to accentuate her legacy, the White House should institute the Brittney Griner award. This would be presented annually to the most unpatriotic and ungrateful professional athlete in the United States. Frank Brady

Yonkers: Swapping Viktor Bout for Brittney Griner was like swapping Adolf Hitler for Pee Wee Herman. Bout was responsible for tens of millions losing their lives. Brittney was responsible for throwing a basketball. It’s official! We are living in an insane period of time. Tom Deering

Brooklyn: Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for having .7 grams of THC oil in vape cartridges that she used for pain. Let’s all remember that Paul Whelan might not be a spy, but he isn’t an innocent American either. He was dishonorably discharged from the Marines for stealing Social Security numbers. He should have been locked up. Plus, he is a resident of four countries. Maybe one of those countries should help get him released. Harvey Kaplan

Congers, N.Y.: To all of the Voicers excoriating President Biden over the Brittney Griner prisoner swap: You do realize that Donald Trump had four years to negotiate to bring Paul Whelan home and did nothing, right? Beth Friscino

Far Rockaway: Former President Trump did not lift a finger to negotiate Paul Whelan’s release during his term in office. Welcome home, Brittney, and enjoy the holidays! Ora Reed