HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE PROVES TO BE UNHELPFUL

"No, you can't talk to supervisor."

"No, I can't connect you to a Hawaiian Miles representative."

"Hold while I try to find an answer to your (simple) question."

"Repeat the question."

"Continue to hold."

Those are the frustrating responses I got when I tried to get some answers from Hawaiian Airlines' call center about a pending reservation.

At least, I think that's what I was told.

It took three attempts. I have a slight hearing impairment and have trouble understanding the strong accents of the agents in Manila, India or wherever in the world I was connected.

I am a frequent visitor to Hawai'i, and have always lauded the service I've received from Hawaiian.

I miss the competent, friendly folks who used to help me so graciously.

More than that, I'm appalled at the lack of knowledge — and the refusal to transfer a call to someone who might be able to actually provide some customer assistance.

Bad move, Hawaiian!

TURTLE BAY

STARWOOD'S DECISION A VICTORY FOR OPPONENTS

Starwood Hotels & Resorts' decision not to get involved in the proposed Turtle Bay expansion should be considered a victory.

Mahalo to the thousands of citizens who signed petitions, attended community meetings, held signs at rallies and testified at city and state hearings against this massive development in rural O'ahu.

Every day across the island, I see more and more T-shirts and bumper stickers exhorting the powers that be to "Keep the country country."

The residents of this island have stopped urban sprawl on the Ka Iwi coastline, in Waimea Valley and on the Pupukea-Paumalu Bluff.

I know we all can continue to work together to preserve the hundreds of acres of undeveloped and agricultural land surrounding Turtle Bay along with the last several miles of raw, untouched coastline remaining on O'ahu.

PROPERTY

CITY WILL CITE OWNERS FOR UNSAFE CONDITIONS

The July 26 article on the recent lanai collapse ("Walk-up's lanai, stairs collapse but unit is 'best we can afford' ") needs clarification.

Property owners have the option whether to renovate, but also have the responsibility to maintain their property in a safe condition.

The Department of Planning and Permitting will cite owners for unsafe conditions when noticed and will require correction.

ANIMALS

KILLING OF RABBITS IS HARD TO COMPREHEND

By what criteria is one member of a species welcomed as part of the family, while another ends up marketed as a food item?

In his June 27 letter, Lawrence M.O. Chun writes of raising California rabbits for their meat, but keeping a lucky few (which he would "never eat") as pets.

I cannot imagine how anyone who has enjoyed the friendship of a companion animal could consign others of the same stock to slaughter.

Eating rabbits is by no means necessary to the economy.

I fail to comprehend how a swift, relatively "humane" method of destruction leaves a healthy, sentient creature any less dead.

SPORTS SALARIES

ONE EXPLANATION FOR WHY JOHNNY CAN'T READ

An overpaid football coach and an underpaid teacher?

Johnny can hit, but Johnny can't read!

NOISE

CITY HAS RESPONDED TO CHICKEN COMPLAINTS

Contrary to the claim by Cathleen Matsushima of city inaction (Letters, July 26), the Department of Customer Services has aggressively sought to address the growing number of complaints regarding crowing roosters and feral chickens.

We retained the Hawai'i Game Breeders Association the past two years to handle the problem. The association successfully responded to more than 200 calls a month and successfully resolved the majority of the complaints. (The association may be reached at 783-8199.)

However, the ever-growing number of complaints and the city's limited financial resources have been challenging.

We recently retained the Animal CARE Foundation, which was low bidder on a new contract, and that group will be responding to chicken complaints beginning Sept. 1. Effective Sept. 1, call 396-3333 or e-mail animal_care_foundation@juno.com to report problems.

We are mindful of the impact that crowing roosters and feral chickens have on a neighborhood. We will continue to make every effort to meet the needs of our residents.

AMERICA

FLAG SYMBOLIZES MANY FREEDOMS WE ENJOY

I would like to commend and thank the pastor and members of the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church on Nu'uanu Avenue for their recent continual flying of their large and beautiful American flag.

We can see it each day from our home in Pacific Heights, and I can't begin to express how much seeing that flag every day means to my husband and me.

My first husband truly reinforced the meaning of the flag, our daily freedoms and what it is like to live without these blessings while he was a prisoner of the communists in North Vietnam for more than five years.

In addition to his experience, my first husband was shot down in Southeast Asia and listed as missing in action for more than seven years. He ultimately gave his life for the freedoms we all enjoy.

Freedom is precious, perhaps more precious than many Americans realize. The Central Seventh-day Adventist Church flying the symbol of that freedom means more to our family than my mere words can ever express.

ENVIRONMENT

ONUS ON RETAILERS TO STOP PLASTIC-BAG LITTER

Thanks to Maui County for proposing a bill that would hold retailers accountable for their proliferation of plastic bags in Hawai'i.

The Advertiser article about it ("Maui may ban plastic bags," July 27) said "business leaders and others wary of a ban say plastic bags don't litter, people do."

Such selfish thinking is the root of all our environmental problems.

Retailers put most of these plastic bags into the waste stream, and thus should be held responsible for removing them from it. They've had a long-standing opportunity to do the right thing, but have failed to provide an effective solution.

People do litter, but they would not be able to if we stop the plastic-bag litter from its source — large retailers.

IRAQ

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM BACK HOME

Did you know that brain injury is the "signature wound" for the Iraq conflict? According to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, between 10 and 20 percent of all returning soldiers are affected by brain injuries.

Because trauma medicine has improved and body armor gives some protection, the death rate for U.S. soldiers in Iraq is lower than in the Vietnam conflict (1 in 100 in Iraq compared with 7 of every 100 in the Vietnam War).

However, a soldier's head remains vulnerable. Even mild cases of brain injury, resembling shaken baby syndrome, can devastate the soldier as well as family and loved ones.

So, thank you, Sens. Dan Akaka and Daniel Inouye and other leaders, for your continuing efforts to end the war and to hold the present administration accountable.

The best support for our troops should mean that we bring our men and women home — whole in body, mind and spirit.

ISLANDS

SELF-RELIANCE POSSIBLE, BUT THERE ALSO IS A COST

On July 16, Mike Fitzgerald argued that imports of food and oil are a drain on the Islands' economy. That depends on the cost — and quality — of the alternatives.

Can Hawai'i really produce energy at lower cost and with less damage to the environment than we get with imported oil? Or imported biofuel?

Hawai'i does import much of its food, but that does not necessarily translate into food insecurity. Drawing from many different suppliers around the world is a great source of security, while depending on just one vulnerable supplier, here at home, could put us at greater risk.

We cannot produce the huge diversity of products now in our supermarkets. There are very few products that we can produce cheaper than we can import them. Yes, food self-sufficiency might be feasible if we were willing to change our lifestyles and live much more simply, but few people would support that.

The arguments in favor of unfettered free trade have been greatly exaggerated by ideologues, who pay little attention to the harm it causes. The remedy is not to counter this with an ideological argument in favor of self-reliance.

We don't need blind commitments to either free trade or self-reliance. A pragmatic approach to the issues requires serious analysis of both benefits and costs, at all levels of society.

Yes, Hawai'i could become more self-reliant in terms of food, fuel, shoes, computers and many other things. Let's get clear about why we should do that — and why not.