THESE OPERATIONS REEL IN THE MONEY

Ashlee Duenas' story about the shark tour controversy was well done, quoting many sources and presenting both sides of the debate.

But when I read Stefanie Brendl, owner of Hawaii Shark Encounters, saying "our work has nothing to do with making money," I had to laugh. My cousin took the tour last year, and by the time he paid the fare and purchased the video and the "I swam with the sharks" T-shirt, he had spent about $150.

I live on Waialua Bay and watch the parade of shark boats that begins at dawn and continues throughout the day. Rarely is there a time when a cage boat is not in the water. If there are only 10 people on each boat spending that much per person, multiplied by the number of daily trips made by the company's fleet, Hawaii Shark Encounters is grossing many thousands of dollars per day. As for the potential danger, if I'm in my kayak, I take precautions to be far away when a shark boat is headed back to the harbor.

John Wythe White | Hale'iwa

KAPI'OLANI

WHY DESTROY TREES AROUND MONUMENT?

It was so disheartening to see the destruction of the small monument to Von Hamm Young on Kapi'olani near Cooke Street. In a way I could understand the demolition of the monument. It was in a sad state of disrepair, and the pump that once fed the fountain was not working for awhile, leaving water stagnating in its well.

However, I could not understand the reason for the recent cutting down of all the trees. They provided some shade and, more importantly, aesthetic value to what is now just a barren corner of concrete. With all the emphasis on being "green," I wonder how cutting down of trees that probably took maybe 30 to 40 years to grow could be justified.

C. Yamaguchi | Honolulu

BUDGET

TIME TO TAP SPECIAL FUNDS TO BRIDGE GAP

Furloughs are not the only answer. We need creative thinking, brainstorming, to get the state through the economic downturn with the least harm.

Furloughs can be part of the solution, but the state should use money reserves that are available. The hurricane fund is not permanently available to the formerly insured. Private hurricane insurance has taken over. Like any insurance, the hurricane fund when not exercised is absorbed by the insurer, in this case, the state. Use the hurricane fund.

Use also the Tobacco Settlement Special Fund. According to Chapter 328L-3(c): "Expenditures from the emergency and budget reserve fund shall be a temporary supplemental source of funding for the state during times of emergency, economic downturn, or unforeseen reduction in revenues." And there are other idle special funds.

If the governor wants to reduce labor cost, call back the Legislature to authorize three years of service credit as an incentive to retire. People in the highest income range will retire and the labor cost will transfer to the retirement system. The savings to labor costs will be permanent. Layoffs would save only from the lowest income ranges.

With one day per month furlough, use of existing special funds, retirements, the savings will be enough to require only a temporary 0.25 percent excise tax increase that everyone would pay, including public workers. Think about it. The economy is recovering. We just need to get through a revenue dip.

Michael Lee | Honolulu

OBAMA

CRITICS FORGET BUSH CREATED THE MESS

How fast Americans forget. How quick they are to judge.

Obama has been president for 200 days, under constant fire from the Republicans and, if you believe right-wing cable television talk show hosts, he is not doing very well.

He's had 200 days to undo the damage done to our country by G.W. Bush in 2,920 days.

Obama is accused of building bigger government. They forget that Bush gave us the biggest, most invasive, most secretive government in the history of our nation.

They talk about the debt, forgetting that Bush borrowed more money in eight years than all 42 former U.S. presidents combined.

Obama is under fire for not fixing the economy, as if he created the problem. The same might be said about war and how we are viewed around the world. It was Bush, not Obama, who started the Iraq war, and who caused us to lose the respect of the world.

The health care problems that he is addressing, have not been solved by our leaders in the past 70 years.

He's even being criticized for trying to correct too many of our problems.

Let's cut Obama a little slack and show him some support. Wanting him to fail is, in my humble, patriotic opinion, un-American.

Keith Haugen | Honolulu

TUIMALEALI'IFANO

WOUNDED SOLDIER GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT

I want to thank you for your blessings, your prayers and love through your responses. The amount or offering of any kind, whether of labor or spiritual gratitude, is more than I can ask or request of anyone or group.

I was caught off guard by the dramatic passion poured into the article (Advertiser, July 20) once agreeing to bring awareness to the public — the very reason the military has procedures and protocols in place to counter or assist in such stories or events.

I feel part of the story may have suggested the Army, my unit, the organizations with it as well as the ones who profit nothing, and the men and women in my outfit, did nothing for me. I can assure you that thought is untrue.

Yes, I did break my neck in that fall and am grateful to God I was able to recover and push out. I am recovering far beyond what I am supposed to, knowing that this shall pass and a testimony will be preached.

There are many wounded amongst us, those with injuries that are visual and in plain sight like mine, and those whose injuries are within and not in plain view at all. Fa'afetai.

Sualauvi M. Tuimaleali'ifano III | Kapolei