CALIFORNIA FIRES NO COMPARISON TO KATRINA

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments made by author Steve Lopez in his commentary regarding the fires in San Diego and Hurricane Katrina. Different classes of people clearly generate different relief responses in government and the community.

When I first heard that the fires were being compared to Hurricane Katrina, I was disgusted at the audacity of people to state that they have gone through even an ounce of what the people of New Orleans experienced. Many of those who were advised to evacuate during Katrina could not afford a hotel, did not have anywhere else to go, or were afraid to leave their homes for fear that they may be vandalized.

Not only were the people of New Orleans virtually ignored for some time before relief came, many of those whose lost their homes and belongings may never afford to rebuild and start their lives over again. In addition, the degree of loss (human life and property) was much greater in New Orleans than in San Diego. I can imagine that many of those living in San Diego can afford to evacuate (not to mention they have had plenty of government help), and their community dynamic is completely opposite of New Orleans so there may be no need for them to fear that their homes be vandalized.

Hopefully our government has learned a great lesson from what they allowed to happen in New Orleans. The bottom line is, as stated in the commentary, "comparing any natural disaster with Hurricane Katrina is unfair."

SUPERFERRY

SOME INFORMATION ON WHALE COLLISIONS

Due to the Superferry fiasco, I would like to report on whale collisions with large ships worldwide.

The following data is from a National Fisheries Service report titled "Large Whale Ship Strikes":

From 1975 through 2002 there were 292 reports of whale collisions worldwide. This is an average of approximately 11 collisions per year.

Of the 292 cases, 20 occurred in Hawaiian or Alaskan waters, or an average of less than one collision per year.

Of the known vessel types in collisions (134), the collisions were with the Navy ( 23), whale-watching boats (19), cruise liners (17) and ferries (16). All other collisions were by other types of ships.

There are an estimated 30,000 humpback whales in the ocean, and the population is growing at the rate of 7 percent per year. That means there will be 2,100 more humpback whales next year. This is an endangered species; however, it's not endangered because of collisions with ships

You can draw your own conclusions as to how important it is to protect the humpback whales in Hawaiian waters from ship collisions.

PROTESTS SERVE ONLY TO DELAY THE INEVITABLE

Progress is inevitable. Americans do not cross the plains in covered wagons anymore. Hawaiians will not move their stuff from island to island in barges forever into the future. All the protesters are doing is postponing the inevitable and costing us money and jobs in the meantime.

CONCERN OVER WHALES NEEDS PERSPECTIVE

All through the U.S.A. and around the world, hundreds of people are dying daily from accidents — not even mentioning our soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere. Nobody protects them or worries about them. But here in Hawai'i, we are worrying that the Superferry may — accidentally — hurt a couple of whales?

Thousands of dollars are being wasted on meetings of legislators, courts convening sessions, trying to decide how to protect a few whales! Aren't we getting ridiculous? If it weren't so sad, it would be funny.

KAUAI RESIDENTS SHOULD SPEAK UP ON FERRY PLAN

I watched with interest as some people from Kaua'i loudly voiced their opinions for Governor Lingle. As a part Hawaiian, I am very disappointed that the local people of Kaua'i are letting the "transplants" speak for them. Come on, people of Kaua'i, stand up and be counted and heard. I have heard people saying things like "we don't want our lifestyle changed."

My question is this: Didn't you change the lifestyle of the people of Kaua'i when you moved there and started building and buying million-dollar homes? I am quite sure that the local populace could not afford a million-dollar home, not to mention what million-dollar homes did to land taxes.

I want the Superferry so I can visit my family on the outer islands, and I like having an alternative way to travel. I am quite sure if a hurricane hit Kaua'i today all of your complaints would die, because you would be getting supplies off of the ferry. Think about it.

IRAQ

GOVERNMENT MUST DO MORE TO HELP SOLDIERS

I am writing in response to your article "War Wounded Face Financial Pain at Home" (Oct. 1). Although I am personally against the war in Iraq, after moving to Hawai'i and seeing firsthand what our military has to go through, my perspective has changed.

Many are now comparing Operation Iraqi Freedom to Vietnam for the fact that we keep hearing about the wounded and dead and not the successes of the war itself. Your article discusses the pain and hardship soldiers have to deal with after returning from war. I find it sickening that our government cannot do more for the injured service men and women returning from war.

Recently moved to Hawai'i from the Midwest, I never really had firsthand experience with military personnel. I now have spent hours hearing firsthand stories from soldiers recently returned from Iraq. Even if they aren't physically injured, the government needs to do more about the mental state of the soldiers returning from war. After seeing such horrific things many of these soldiers are suffering from post-traumatic stress and the government is doing little to help the soldiers cope.

If our government finds it necessary to send thousands of men and women to fight a war that faces so much controversy, the least they could do is take care of them when they return.

These soldiers are willingly sacrificing their lives in the line of duty, and the least we can do is pay our respect to them once they return to the country.

IRAQ POSES SIMILARITIES TO VIETNAM REFERENCE

Robert Stone, a novelist who was a writer in residence at U.H. Manoa in the '80s, writes in his memoir, "Prime Green: Remembering the Sixties": "The degree to which the Vietnam War consumed the vital energy of the nation, degraded the honor of its stand against the hateful ideologies of the 20th century, and used up the lives of its youth was tragic. Tragic seems a paltry word, but what can one say? The ruin and death we inevitably brought down on Vietnam will always be held against us. It will be recalled as one of the crimes of history."

Substitute "Iraq" for "Vietnam" and add another enervation, another degradation, another crime to the list.

WHOLE FOODS

DISCOVERY OF BONES SHOULD RAISE QUESTIONS

I continue to be amazed that Whole Foods still thinks they can put a store on top of a graveyard and it won't matter. Experts say there are least 300 sets of iwi at the Ward site where Whole Foods plans to build. With new discoveries of additional iwi showing up in the news media all the time, it seems there is no end in sight.

Why any business in its right mind would want to build a fancy gourmet food store on top of a massive graveyard is beyond my comprehension.

I just don't get it. It is offensive to our Native Hawaiian community and our culture. Besides, who would want to shop, work, or live at a graveyard! It just makes no sense.

Maybe this Ward location should be called "Whole Foods Graveyard." Whole Foods should wake up to this obvious reality before it is too late and they end up burying themselves there.

NATATORIUM

CONVERT THE POOL INTO A USEABLE PLAYING COURT

I believe the present condition of the Natatorium in Waikiki, which has been closed for more than 20 years, with no progress in sight, can be put to good use if the city converted the broken swimming pool into a world class play court for basketball, volleyball, tennis or even skateboarding.

There are existing bath and locker facilities available which may require some maintenance or upgrading.

Parking is another problem. A mini multi-deck parking structure could be implemented into the project for the benefit of public access to the beach. The parking structure will eventually pay for itself with reasonable parking rates.

LION KING

SHARE SOME WEALTH WITH THE SYMPHONY

"The Lion King" is certainly one of the finest productions to come to Honolulu, and justifiably will earn millions in profit for the producers. Also, the city of Honolulu will set records for monies received in renting the concert hall during the course of the production. It is a win-win situation.

However, the phenomenon would be extended to a win-win-win if the producers and the city were to share some of the wealth with the Honolulu Symphony. Doing so would complete the "Circle Of Love" for the main entities affected by this production.

HAWAIIAN AIR

WHY WERE TRAVELERS CHARGED SO MUCH?

Congratulations, Hawaiian, for winning your case against go! airlines. Now please explain why we were being gouged so much for interisland travel before the arrival of go! if the analysts say that $40 is the break-even point. Is that too much to ask?