Letters to the Editor

Kurt Umbhau's attempt to justify the Humane Society's efforts in saving Hokget is stunningly inaccurate. As the 14th District Chief of Operations during this period, I can assure you that it was not the Humane Society that kept us focused on the Insiko. The Coast Guard found the vessel and provided that information to the tug under contract to the Humane Society several times over a three-week period before they were able to successfully retrieve the dog.

The Coast Guard's main focus was the Insiko 1907. When the owner refused to take any action and it became apparent that the vessel might run aground on Johnston Atoll, the Coast Guard retrieved the vessel and brought it back to Honolulu for cleanup and disposal. That effort, paid for by the emergency oil pollution fund, ran well over half-a-million dollars. You and I really financed that every time we filled our gas tanks.

Whether you agree with the Humane Society or not regarding Hokget, to extend credit for saving the environment is unjustified. The Humane Society took care of their business, and the men and women of the Coast Guard took care of ours.

Retired Capt. Steven A. Newell

Warriors more fitting than 'Rainbow tradition'

I am sick of hearing about changing the UH logo back to the Rainbows. Why in the world would the university possibly want to do that? The current logo and uniforms of all of the varsity teams are a refreshing change to what we used to have.

We went from having some of the worst uniforms in the nation to having one of the best. The "H" logo looks better on team uniforms and school apparel because it is simple and adequately represents a Hawaiian look that the school is trying to project.

Some people like to cry tradition, but that to me is a weak point. We had no real tradition here at the school. When I attended UH, we would always reflect on how little tradition we have for our teams. During homecoming week, if you weren't playing a sport, most never realized that it was homecoming. There were no events that created anything different from any normal week. The only worthwhile tradition that the football team had and kept is the senior walk.

The school is starting to create a tradition now, a tradition of winning, and that is the only tradition that I care about. Besides, if we really followed "tradition" we'd still be called the Fighting Deans.

I think that all the varsity teams should go with "Warrior" or "Wahine" and do away with the "Rainbow" all together. Hawaiians were a warrior people and both "Warrior" and "Wahine" are labels that we can all relate to.

What the heck is a Rainbow Warrior anyway? I don't know and sure can't relate it to any credible story. Sometimes change is good and I feel this is one of those times. The teams are proud of what they wear. Revenue for the school merchandise is better and fans are all able to present a piece of Hawai'i to the nation in a way we all can be proud.

Let's all move on. We have a new look and it's staying so all that's left to say about that is: Go Warriors and Go Wahine!

Lopaka Ornellas

Cats don't have record of violent behavior

As a "cat person," I would like to apologize for the rampant killing of Sheartail birds.ÊIt is terrible and cat lovers are as appalled as any cat hater. Too bad it wasn't pigeons.

Before you cat haters run out to slaughter all the felines in your neighborhood, which does happen, remember this:ÊThere has never been a case of a cat ripping a human to shreds, causing death.ÊThere is no record of a pack of cats bringing down an animal and tearing out its insides while the animal was still alive. Cats do not dig up corpses to feast.ÊCats don't eat or roll in feces.

To cat owners, please be responsible. Spay or neuter your cat.ÊKeep it in, especially at night. Don't abandon any animal you no longer want. Call the Humane Society first.

Jeannette Clark
Kailua

Commitment remains in preventing deaths

It is important for the community to understand that domestic homicides are not an inevitable outcome of intimate partner abuse. We have worked very hard in this community to design a system and develop procedures utilized by law enforcement, courts, child protection agencies, schools and other entities to reduce violence in the family. Our professionals and our programs are preventing homicides every day.

I was misquoted by Rod Ohira, in an article printed in the Aug. 1 Advertiser. I told the reporter it is my belief that we cannot prevent EVERY homicide, and we are not able to predict, with absolute certainty, which perpetrators will become homicidal.

It is our intention, and it has been our commitment in this community, to prevent the deaths we can and assess the dangers that face victims. The goal is to remain alert, provide avenues for escape, be aware of the red flags, let victims know there are programs available to help and let perpetrators know there are consequences for committing violent crimes against their partners and children.

Further, we must never minimize the seriousness of abuse, because it sometimes leads to death. We have lost four victims in Hawai'i this year. Let those be the only ones.

With a collective vigilance, we can see what to do differently, what to do better and how to bring peace and safety to our families.

Nanci Kriedman, M.A.
Executive Director, Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline

'Electronic Pigeon' uses sophisticated camera

In regard to Alvin Wong's reference to the Sea Hunt Project — pigeons trained for search and rescue — local technology companies are now actively working on an "Electronic Pigeon" project to help find people lost at sea. Sophisticated camera and computer systems have been built to automatically spot orange-colored objects or uniquely shaped objects. The research is receiving local and federal money by the Center for Excellence in Research of Ocean Sciences.

Nevertheless, people venturing out to sea (or on hikes) should always carry as much emergency distress signaling technology as possible (e.g., streamers, VHF radios, EPIRB's, flares, etc.) to make their visual target or location as large and precise as possible, thereby providing USCG search-and-rescue teams with a good chance of seeing a "wet needle in a haystack."

Dr. Robert Yonover

It would be safer for drivers to wear helmets

I was reading about a motorcyclist who revealed that he wouldn't be caught dead without a helmet and went on to detail how motorcycle accident victims don't have enough insurance to have an accident.

In 2000, it appears that there were more than 125 traffic deaths in Hawai'i and 18 of those deaths were attributed to motorcycle fatalities. What this cyclist appears to have skipped is that more than 100 deaths were attributed to automobiles and how many lives could have been saved if the occupants of those cars wore helmets.

Have you noticed how a car looks like a crushed beer can after an accident? We don't need a study to show that it would be safer for car occupants to wear helmets and taxpayers would not have to pick up the tab for uninsured motorists, which is much greater than that of motorcyclists.

I rode a motorcycle for more than 20 years and also chose to wear a helmet, but I wouldn't force another cyclist to wear one. It sets an awful precedent where the majority (motorists) can require cyclists to wear helmets so when they are hit by a motorist, the motorist won't feel so bad because the cyclist is sort of protected.

Ron Rhetrik
Mililani

It's time to put those words into action

There is a saying, "Your actions speak louder than your words." I was reading both Linda Lingle and Ed Case's agendas for Hawai'i. And to me it's all fine in print. But they are merely words.

We all have gone through many government officials promising change and a brighter future for everyone. But all we get are broken promises. It's time for action and not just words.

I hope that Lingle and Case will put action into their promises. Anyone can make promises, but it will take a great leader to follow through. I think the people of Hawai'i are tired of broken promise after broken promise.

It's time for real leadership in this state. It's time for real leaders to be elected.

Alan Kim
'Aiea

Owner-occupants at mercy of landowners

There are thousands of people in Hawai'i who are owner-occupants of apartments that are on leased land. Most of the leases are long-term, many for 55-year periods.

The people who live in these apartments have sometimes lived there for many years, paying property tax on their apartments every year. Yet they have no rights at the end of the lease. The landowners often will not say whether they will renew these leases when they expire, thereby closing off other options.

During the final decades of these leases, apartments on such land often become unacceptable as a choice for potential buyers because of the uncertainty of what will happen when the lease expires.

Even when buyers are willing to take that chance, they are not able to find financing for the purchase because most companies that make mortgages won't loan unless the mortgage ends within the lease period. Banks and mortgage companies know that if the landowner exercises the right to take back the land, their collateral is then gone.

Landowners can exercise their "reversion rights" and tell the lessees to vacate the land, which means taking the lessees' homes, too. Landowners are not obligated to compensate the apartment owners at all. Not a dime.

Under present law, this is legal. Our organization is aware of many such leases that are set to expire in just a few short years. The state Legislature should not wait until the very last minute to address this important issue. Any bill the Legislature passes could face a lengthy court challenge by the landowners. They've got the money to do it.

The time to get this issue settled is now. Is there a member of our Legislature willing to not pass the buck on this issue and willing to sponsor legislation giving leasehold apartment owners who are owner-occupants the legal right to stay on the land — and keep their home — after the lease expires?

Joseph O'Brien
Secretary, Leasehold Cooperative Committee of the Hale Coalition

Jaywalking is illegal, but seems safer

I consider myself an expert of sorts on crosswalk safety. I have the pleasure of living on a pleasant country road, and a crosswalk leads from my driveway to the elementary school across the street. I walk my children across the street daily to school, and then pick them up at the end of the day. Did I say pleasant country road?

Crossing Kamehameha Highway in La'ie is taking your life into your own hands. The Aug. 6 article on crosswalk safety suggests we "cross only at crosswalks. Jaywalking is illegal and dangerous." I contend that jaywalking may be the safest route because there is a perception of safety in a crosswalk when there is none.

The existence of a crosswalk lulls pedestrians into thinking that most drivers have some awareness of the presence of them and their desire to survive the walk across the street. But this is generally far from the case.

For example, after waiting for several minutes, observing many drivers speed through the school-zone crosswalk at more than 40 mph, eventually a kind driver comprehends that we might want to cross the street and slows down to a stop. Said driver will sometimes then impatiently wave us across, whether or not the drivers in the other direction have bothered to stop. The wave or honk suggests, "I'm in a hurry; I've stopped; now you get across!"

Another common scenario: Traffic stops in one direction, we wait for cars in the other direction to come to a halt, but then a typical North Shore driver decides to pass the stopped cars on the right (because that's okay in the country, right?) and heads right toward us pedestrians shaking in our shoes on the shoulder.

Or another common occurrence: A Good Samaritan stops to let us across, but then the driver behind that person, inattentive, slams on the brakes and to avoid a collision with the stopped car ahead, veers onto the shoulder where we wait.

Two years ago a drunken driver took out the crosswalk sign — it has never been replaced. Then last year, the flashing lights rusted and fell — they've never been replaced either.

Crosswalks need much more than crossing guards. They need drivers who have a sense of respect for the safety of pedestrians — and a little maintenance wouldn't hurt either.

Colleen Spring
La'ie