Everyone shares Ursula Retherford's special feelings about Hawai'i but her flap against Bill 6 (Letters, Feb. 16) is barely a semantic argument. B&Bs are legal in all climates in 178 countries and all 50 states including other places with jalousie windows.

Around the world B&Bs bring jobs and income to native people in rural and residential areas and share the host culture with visitors. This is also true in Hawai'i, even in Kailua.

Jobs and income make housing affordable. Rental restrictions do not.

The economy has crashed and foreclosures have skyrocketed. How many vacant homes do we need?

Bill 6 will create jobs and income here at no cost to taxpayers. The City Council is taking positive stimulus action now with Bill 6 to provide new licensing and regulation for these important small local businesses.

Eighty percent of Hawai'i residents support fair and reasonable licensing of locally owned B&Bs. It's time we start listening to the majority of residents who share the best interests of the people of Honolulu.

ELDERLY DRIVERS

TESTING WON'T BANISH OLD INGRAINED HABIT

Allen Toh (Letters, Feb. 23) has "tapped" a growing problem with us older drivers and the accidents we cause. My take on the problem is that when we elders learned to drive, there was no automatic shift and we had to use our feet to effect the shifting: with left foot on the clutch, right foot on the accelerator. Also, right foot on the brake. Then when automatic shifting arrived, we had no need for left foot clutch action. So, use the left foot on the brake. And so we did. But when an emergency situation arises, old habits take over and instead of hitting the brake with the right foot, the gas is pumped and there is the accident.

I don't believe any amount of testing is going to banish that ingrained habit from our learned responses. Maybe requiring that we only drive manual shift vehicles might do it; maybe not.

WHITFORD SENTENCING

ALCOHOLISM ARGUMENT WAS FLAWED, RACIST

On Feb. 18, Sarah Whitford was sentenced to 18 months in prison, five years probation and ordered to pay $7,777.48 in restitution for killing Vailale Fuiava Jr. in a March 31, 2007, drunken driving accident. Whitford's lawyer, Michael Green, argued his client should receive probation rather than lengthy jail time because she has a genetic predisposition to alcoholism through her father, a Choctaw Indian.

First of all, while there is copious research ongoing regarding possible genetic links to alcoholism, there are as yet no definitive conclusions. Alcoholism likely springs from a combination of social/emotional, environmental and genetic factors.

Second, Ms. Whitford may be an alcohol abuser, one who intentionally overuses alcohol, rather than a true alcoholic. Has Mr. Green investigated and tested for that possibility?

Third, the notion that Whitford is an alcoholic because her father is Native American is blatantly racist. My father was one-half Chickasaw Indian and he wasn't an alcoholic. Neither are any of his three children. It is shameful that Mr. Green would use such a racist and unsubstantiated ploy in a court of law.

H-1 FUEL SPILL

PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

Apology "accepted," Mr. Richard Parry, Aloha Petroleum CEO.

Whose responsibility (state -DOT, HFD or HPD) was it to inform the public via radio and television stations about the closures of the H-1 because of the Aloha Petroleum tanker that spilled 2,500 gallons of gasoline onto H-1 Freeway near 'Ewa off-ramp? Who?

It took me two hours to get to Kapolei, which normally would have taken me at least half an hour. But wait, I wanted to go to Kunia, not Kapolei. While surfing the radio stations, not one station broadcast the fuel spill which caused the traffic problems! However, the music was calming, but if I had known in advance, I would have turned around in Nanakuli and drove home to Wai'anae.

LINGLE, OBAMA

HOPE GOVERNOR HAS LEARNED NOT TO SNUB

I read the article about President Obama's meeting with the governors, including Linda Lingle, and according to Lingle's own statement how grateful and receptive the president was toward Lingle.

I hope Gov. Lingle has learned how to be humble and respectful and not to be snubbing like the way she behaved while our president was hosting the governors back in November.

WAYNE HARADA

MAHALO TO ALL FOR VERY SUCCESSFUL TRIBUTE

I think I can speak for our entire community when I say mahalo to everyone who had a hand in Sunday's hugely successful tribute to Wayne Harada, Hawai'i's "Mr. Entertainment."

Thanks to producer Cha Thompson, her Tihati staff, the program committee, the more than 80 local acts who offered to be a part of the event, and the hundreds who did perform. Mahalo to Roy Tokujo for the use of the beautiful Waikiki nei Showroom, and to the 700 fans who packed that showroom to enjoy more than 4 1/2 hours of nonstop entertainment. Mahalo also to The Honolulu Advertiser for all the space donated for advertising the event, and the Advertiser readers who, for 44 years, have rushed to the morning daily newspaper to read Wayne's reviews, stories, and Show Biz columns.

Wayne, you somebody. Keep writing.

I understand the event raised $32,000, surpassing by far the goal of $14,000. That included $5,000 from Carole Kai Charities, a big boost for Helping Hands, in this time of need, and another $5,000 for The Advertiser Christmas Fund.