Letters to the Editor
Scholarship created in HPU student's name
My name is Patti Sherwood. My son John was a student at Hawai'i Pacific University who was tragically killed in a fall from an apartment balcony located in the Honolulu off-campus housing on Kapi'olani Boulevard one year ago.
John was 19 years old, majoring in communications with hopes and dreams of one day becoming an active part of a major broadcast company. He was a good son, a good student, a good friend and a good human being. We miss him terribly.
I would like to extend the genuine gratitude of my entire family to the people of Hawai'i whose letters and thoughts and prayers of condolence warmed our hearts and gave us comfort in our time of colossal grief. We will forever be connected.
I would also like to announce that the John Sherwood Memorial Scholarship has been formed at Moorpark College as a perpetual remembrance to this remarkable young man. It is offered to Moorpark College students who want to continue learning by transferring to other colleges, like John once did, in pursuit of greater education.
Information, inquiries and donations can be directed to: The John Sherwood Memorial Scholarship, Office of the President, Moorpark College Foundation, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, CA 93021.
In memory of our beloved son John, and on behalf of the Sherwood family, I thank you.
Patti Sherwood
Moorpark, Calif.
Macy's ceremony ignored Hackfeld
In the Nov. 24 ceremony marking the change from Liberty House to Macy's, it was unfortunate that Heinrich Hackfeld, the founder of Liberty House and of the largest corporations among the so-called "Big Five" of Honolulu, was not mentioned.
Perhaps the red, gold and black balloons decorating the event were selected to reflect a German connection, but the opportunity to provide a richer picture of the store's provenance was missed.
Those interested in the full history should read Niklaus R. Schweizer's "Hawai'i and the German Speaking Peoples" (Topgallant, 1982).
Mary Bitterman
Andy's credentials don't look so good
Andy Anderson asks us to judge him on the people he has brought together.
The list he features to support this contention is a list of yesterday's men if there ever was one. Is he saying that he is the candidate of the Democratic Party's "good old boys" network?
He also asks us to judge him on his positions and actions. What positions and actions? All I know of his proposed solution to our economic woes is a Ferris wheel in Kaka'ako.
Like the other major candidates, Anderson has only given us rhetoric so far. The truth is that Hawai'i is facing hard choices. What programs would you cut, Mr. Anderson, when you cut taxes? How many state workers would you lay off? How would you find them new jobs?
Where's the beef, Andy?
Lee Black
Battle over Chef Chai wasn't worth the effort
It's amazing to me that the INS has spent so much time and effort, nine years and untold dollars, to deport Chef Chai.
It's true Chef Chai left the country to see his ill father in Thailand, but only after he was assured by an INS agent that his status wouldn't be threatened if he left the country. Afterward they told him he should have known he couldn't leave without risking deportation.
Leave the guy alone. He provides jobs for many people and contributes every day to the American way of life. He doesn't suck up government services or plot to kill thousands of Americans. Go after the guys who spend their time in our country not working, not studying and planning terrorist acts.
Sharron Ehnes
'Aiea
Red-light runners should pay heavily
As a pedestrian who walks 100 miles a month in this town and sees cars consistently run red lights (sometimes with horns announcing "I'm coming through"), I'm greatly in favor of putting cameras at every intersection.
And the fine ought to be $1,000. Let's make these selfish, self-involved people be afraid to not obey traffic laws, since we can't put a cop on every corner.
Michael Cashman
A license to steal
Marilyn Kali, the Department of Transportation spokeswoman, not only says we are on "Candid Camera," but we will have to cough up $25 up front for the privilege of fighting for the negative (photo, that is). It's not punny MaGee. Sounds like a "License to Steal."
Don Neill
Decisions illogical on reapportionment
I returned to Hawai'i for my third visit in a decade on Nov. 14 — it was wonderful. But on Nov. 15, after reading a couple of articles in The Advertiser, I realized that I probably should come home permanently, and sooner rather than later.
The new City Council district boundary that placed Makakilo with Waipahu and left Kapolei with the 'Ewa Plain and Wai'anae was approved unanimously by the Reapportionment Commission. As near as I could tell by reading the article, the decision was illogical on its face and so poorly supported by the commission chair's published comments as to be laughable.
If you grew up in the 'Ewa Plain or in Makakilo, or if you lived in the area for any length of time, you would readily understand why Makakilo citizens like Michael Oakland, who wrote decrying the reapportionment decision, would be annoyed with the new district boundary.
I read the Nov. 27 Letters to the Editor on the Web — Marsha Joyner and Don Hayman wrote taking issue with a GOP move to have the Reapportionment Commission exclude military family members. What a slap in the face to the military community. Would the GOP proposal include the family members of Hawai'i residents currently on active duty and stationed locally?
I cannot help but wonder why they would do that. Military family members contribute millions to the economy in Hawai'i. Any state budget decisions impacted by the continued slowdown in the tourist industry would be significantly worse without the contribution of military family members.
Samuel Duncan
Northern Virginia
Kailua moving ahead with its solar project
I read the "Hawai'i is an ideal lab for wind, solar energy" editorial with great interest until I read the part that mentioned that "the Kailua Neighborhood Board is pushing for the city to spend $100,000 to study the feasibility of using solar energy to cool city buildings."
The Kailua Neighborhood Board allocated $275,000 for a solar thermal air-conditioning demonstration project. The draft feasibility study has been completed and is presently under review by the Kailua Neighborhood Board, Hawaiian Electric Co., Councilman Steve Holmes and any other interested parties. Solar thermal air-conditioning is the only available air-conditioning technology that:
- Completely eliminates the use of ozone-depleting chemicals.
- Reduces the generation of greenhouse gases by 98 percent.
- Reduces the dependence on fossil fuels by 98 percent.
- Is technologically feasible.
- Pays for itself within 10 years.
I believe this is an excellent opportunity to implement a project that will demonstrate actual cost savings as well as significant environmental benefits. Hopefully the solar thermal air-conditioning project will be an incentive for government and commercial and residential owners to shift away from their total dependence on vapor compression refrigeration.
Honolulu has a unique combination of moderate temperatures, high solar loads and a multitude of flat-roofed low-rise buildings. This combination of factors makes Honolulu an ideal location to demonstrate the feasibility of solar thermal air-conditioning to the rest of the nation as a follow-up to the highly successful solar water-heating program.
Bruce Huddleston
Kailua Neighborhood Board #31
Forget price of tree, you've got Hawai'i
As Canadians, we were amused by your Nov. 30 article, "Christmas trees selling in a brisk way," a portion of which reads: "Christmas tree dealers say sales are brisk, with quantities and prices about the same as last year. While some dealers said they expected to run out, others said there should be plenty of trees through the holidays. A surprise for several has been the popularity of the 10- to 12-foot Noble firs — which sell for as much as $280."
And that's $280 in U.S. dollars. And I bet it's not even a real tree either —you know — like a Canadian tree.
Hahahahaha. Hawai'i residents are such suckers! Hahahahaha.
HahahaWAIT! But you spend the holidays in Hawai'i with a way-overpriced tree and we're here in Canada with ...
Boy, are we STOOPID!
Ursula Keuper-Bennett
Ontario, Canada
It's up to us to oust crooked politicians
The Japanese television program "Abarenbo Shogun" is so amazingly popular because Shogun Yoshimune always comes to the rescue, executing the absurdly crooked official and his rich partner or partners in crime. Don't we all wish that we had a Shogun Yoshimune to do the same for Hawai'i?
I am Shogun Yoshimune, you are Shogun Yoshimune. So you're a card-carrying Democrat or Republican? So what?
Just like Shogun Yoshimune, you can get rid of these crooked politicians. Take a good look at how your senator, representative, council member, etc., make decisions. Do yourself and our state a big favor: Study and vote accordingly. Be Shogun Yoshimune and kick out the crooks before any more people like an Andy Mirikitani can steal money and benefits while awaiting sentencing.
And by the way, putting convicted sex offenders close to schools is like putting a kid in a candy shop. More brilliant ideas from liberals in control of our lives in this state.
Gary Suzukawa
Democratic Web link to city site is wrong
The office of mayor of Honolulu is a nonpartisan position. The Democrats, however, have listed Mayor Harris on their Hawai'i Democrats' Web site with a link directly to the city Web site.
It is bad enough that our mayor has announced for another elective office and that his focus is on running for governor rather than running our city. But to use the city Web site to promote himself and the fact that he is running as a Democrat demonstrates "bad faith" in complying with the law that made the mayor's office nonpartisan and by using a taxpayer-financed Web site to promote himself.
As others have suggested, he should "come out of the closet" now, be honorable and truthful, and resign so he can spend full time seeking the position to which he aspires. Otherwise, the City Council should request that the Democratic Web page link be severed immediately and the Harris campaign committee be billed for using public property.
Paul Smith
What about nonstop service to Las Vegas?
Frank Mauz suggests the air carriers based in Hawai'i start nonstop service between Phoenix and Honolulu.
What about Las Vegas? Few people in Hawai'i's business community realize how many in the 'ohana live in Las Vegas. Few realize that Hawai'i is the No. 2 vacation destination for people in southern Nevada. Neither Aloha nor Hawaiian Airlines offers nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Honolulu.
Sure, there are charters that leave Honolulu and go nonstop to Las Vegas. But something besides "gamblers' specials" is needed.
Maybe your Chamber of Commerce needs to talk to our Chamber of Commerce and share information. Both resort destinations can make out on the deal. And we in southern Nevada won't have to change planes in L.A. or San Francisco to get to the "Paradise of the Pacific."
John E. Kraft
Las Vegas
Economic council helps better region
In addition to developing and supporting policies to open markets and increase trade and investment in the Asia Pacific area, the Pacific Basin Economic Council works to make our region better by doing work on the environment and encouraging our member corporations to be socially responsible.
Another area in which we are having an impact is in fighting corruption.
I just returned from Tokyo where the council joined the Asian Development Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and senior government representatives of 17 countries to continue a three-year dialog on this most important subject.
Robert G. Lees
Secretary general, Pacific Basin Economic Council
Jorge Camara story inspiring, appreciated
Thank you for the uplifting article on Dr. Jorge Camara.
In times of adversity, it's inspiring to read about a truly generous human being. We too often focus on the small percentage of angry, misguided and hurtful people instead of the good people who make up most of our world.
Nancy E. John
Waialua
