NEWSCASTS

HANALULU, HONOLULU — TAKE YOUR PICK

Mr. Warner King (Letters, Aug. 31) need not be upset about newscasters pronouncing "Hanalulu" rather than "Honolulu." Bob Krauss covered the topic in a column on Aug. 22, 1993.

According to Ruby Johnson, University of Hawai'i professor of Indo-Pacific languages, her mother was born in Puna in 1880, and she always said "Hanalulu." Both "Hana" and "Hono" mean "bay," and "Honolulu" is the newer pronunciation.

MISPRONUNCIATION EXTENDS TO HAWAI'I

Warner King (Letters, Aug. 31) addresses the point that the talking heads on the newscasts consistently mispronounce Honolulu as Hanalulu.

Let's take it one step further and say unequivocally that these same talking heads to a man/woman crucify the name of our great state in saying Ha wa i.

People, the word is Ha-wai-'i. To help one understand, pay close attention to the placement of the okina. Sadly, this gross mispronunciation is rampant in almost every person doing voice-overs for any advertising. Please stop curdling my poi as you have chilled Mr. King's kim chee. Aue No Ho'i E. Aloha Ino!

TRANSIT ZONING

COUNCIL NOT FOLLOWING LAW OR GOOD PLANNING

Our City Council seems unable to grasp some fundamental legal requirements when it comes to zoning.

They cannot just decide to change zoning provisions on a willy-nilly, spur-of-the-moment or piecemeal basis. In a 1969 decision, based on 100 years of case law, the Hawai'i Supreme Court emphatically told the city that "proper planning must precede all zoning."

Hawai'i, like all other states, has a statute specifying that zoning can only be accomplished legally if it is based on a comprehensive plan.

Yet this council has sent a record number of resolutions directing the Department of Planning and Permitting to process zoning amendments based on no planning, and without reference to how their such proposals comply with the city's official General Plan and development plans. The action is like asking a doctor to perform surgery without a medical diagnosis or advice on its ramifications.

Last week, the zoning committee of the council approved two more resolutions directing the administration to process zoning amendments allowing hotels in the vicinity of transit stations and to create "transit-oriented development districts," a euphemism for increasing density and crowding people and activities around transit lines and stations.

Again, these resolutions contain no concern for whether our comprehensive plan, or good planning for that matter, can support such directions. Without such a basis, following the council's directive would result in improper zoning actions.

The safeguards contained in the law of planning and zoning are to protect the public from arbitrary actions of its government. Now all we have to do is get the City Council to follow the law governing its own actions.

RECYCLING

WEIGHING REQUIREMENT SHORTED THIS CUSTOMER

Recycling has hit a new low. The state Department of Health has mandated that all recyclable containers must be weighed.

At a recent exchange in Hawai'i Kai, the weighing method shorted me $5. Isn't it enough to rob us of 6 cents per container, make us store the containers in our homes and apartments and waste our time standing in line for a refund of our own money?

Customer counts are now forbidden, according to a Reynolds Recycling handouts. What can our state and lawmakers think of next to separate us from our hard-earned money? Let's recycle our state government in exchange for a Legislature-free state!

150 YEARS

HISTORIC PHOTOS KEEP MANY MEMORIES ALIVE

May I extend a word of praise to the Honolulu Advertiser for your ongoing series, "Celebrating 150 years of service," including online historic photos with captions, one being of Piggly Wiggly, 10th and Wai'alae avenues in Kaimuki, where I once worked. Also, the Civic Auditorium, where I attended many local activities, including amateur boxing where I fought four-round preliminary bouts. Yes, you have pushed my emotional buttons!

I was born in Kaimuki Dec. 3, 1924, at 4th Avenue and Mokihana Street. My father was lighthouse keeper at Kilauea, Kaua'i, as well as at Kalaupapa, Moloka'i, and Makapu'u Point on O'ahu.

As a young boy, I delivered the early morning Honolulu Advertiser. My home was three blocks from the original Honolulu Advertiser, which shared the same building with radio station KGU.

We cannot live in the past, but the Honolulu Advertiser keeps our memories alive.

HAKA

KEEP UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL HAWAIIAN

In response to Louisa Te'i's letter to the editor, "Haka inappropriate for Hawai'i football team," (Aug. 31), I agree wholeheartedly and believe the haka is a spiritual and traditional part of the Maori culture and we as Hawaiians have to respect that.

Yes, we as Hawaiians do believe in our historical tie to the Maori people. People are performing the haka for the wrong reasons. Let's keep Hawai'i Warrior football Hawaiian!

I'm sure with the abundance of talented kumu hula across our beautiful state, they could compose something that reflects Hawai'i Warrior football and Hawai'i as a state.

SENATE RACE

CASE WILL LOOK TO WHAT IS BEST FOR HAWAIIANS

It is sad when one has to search for truth when e-mails are circulated and information is not accurate.

There is much said both positive and negative about Hawaiians and our benefits. These benefits have included educational rights, land rights, revenue rights and much more.

Rep. Ed Case worked toward giving back accountability to our Hawaiian people. Bishop Estate trustees were outrageously over-compensated. Sen. Dan Akaka supported their high salaries, and in the book "The Broken Trust" you will find that even his brother, the Rev. Abraham Akaka, did not stand with him.

My support goes to Ed Case, whom I believe is looking at the bigger picture for us as Hawaiians. I value his integrity and have confidence that he will continue to look to what is best for Hawai'i and its people.

CASE TOOK RIGHT STAND OVER BISHOP ESTATE

Dave Shapiro (Volcanic Ash, Aug. 30) brings up a good point about Rep. Ed Case defining himself vis-à-vis Sen. Dan Akaka. I look no further than to their different reactions to the tragedy of power politics that brought ineptitude via greed to the top at the "old"' Bishop Estate and undercut its mission to educate the children, the biggest event in local politics of the last 10 to 20 years.

Both candidates got to show what they were made of. Case stood up and fought, Dan rolled over and did nothing, saying only that they not only earned their trustee fees, but deserved more — and in doing so, he cut out the hearts of all those, Hawaiians and others, who stood on principle, spoke out against injustice and took a tremendous personal risk to do so.

I regret that the old trustees wasted all that money fighting to stay in power; money that could have educated more Hawaiian kids. I'm giving my vote to the guy who stood by our kids.

ELECTION 2006

SCHATZ STANDS OUT IN CONGRESSIONAL RACE

The political forum hosted by the Democratic Party really gave viewers an opportunity to get beyond just the names of the congressional candidates.

Brian Schatz really stood out. Not only is he the only one talking about the issues, he seems to be the only one truly capable of understanding how Hawai'i fits into the big picture of what's going on across the country and globe. Schatz is thinking about global warming and global peace at the same time.

It's clear to me that Schatz has the foresight and skills necessary to represent Hawai'i in Washington, D.C. There may be a lot of candidates in this race, but Brian Schatz is the one who stands out.

LABOR DAY

HAWAI'I UNIONS HONOR THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE

Labor Day is very special for me. I grew up in the sugar plantation village of Pepe'ekeo on the Big Island. A nurturing family and the influences of the ILWU molded my values.

Time erases memories of our grandparents' struggles. We must never forget the bitter strikes of 1900, 1901, 1905, 1906, 1909, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1937, 1938, 1940 and 1941. Strikers died violently on picket lines, went to prison and sacrificed so future workers would gain dignity and respect.

When an entire generation of young men returned from World War II, many armed with college degrees, they transformed Hawai'i into a land of equality and opportunity. Aided by labor's turnout, these young Democrats captured the 1954 territorial elections, winning a 22-8 majority in the House, a 9-6 majority in the Senate, and the majority on the O'ahu, Maui and Kaua'i county councils.

Side-by-side, Democrats and unions fought for social justice to uplift our most valuable resource: Hawai'i's workers. Visionary legislators fought for workers' compensation, child labor laws, unemployment insurance, minimum wage, affirmative action, workplace safety, 40-hour workweek and other protections.

We celebrate Labor Day as the beneficiaries of great sacrifices, hopes and dreams. But, these achievements are under attack. Our public schools, worker pensions, health benefits, civil rights, and community sense of caring for social justice and welfare are at great risk.

Hawai'i's unions are fighting to continue the dream. We celebrate Labor Day by honoring the workers upon whose shoulders we stand.

Beyond Labor Day, Hawai'i can trust our workers to do their best every day to improve the lives of all people. We are Hawai'i's workforce and proud of it.