More volunteers, cleaner beaches

Last September, The Honolulu Advertiser published my letter to the editor about beach cleanup. At that time I thought that perhaps quantifying and qualifying the trash that I was collecting every Sunday would help more people understand the problem that we have in our beaches.

Within fifteen collections the size of a supermarket bag, I collected more than 95 pounds of trash. My students counted 2,200 medium and big pieces of plastic, more than 150 pieces of rope and more than 100 pieces of rubber. Among the identifiable items collected were toothbrushes, light sticks, pipes, lighters, bottle caps, clothing, wax, combs, slippers, buoys, pens, fishing hooks, tennis balls, bottles, cans and beach toys.

If one person can take away all this garbage from our beautiful beaches working for less than one hour a week, imagine what we can accomplish with more volunteers!

Anti-government mindset childish

I once heard a funny line by a middle-school kid to his parents that went like this: "Stay out of my life! But first, could you give me a ride to the mall?"

Unfortunately, that same twisted logic applies to much of the rhetoric about the proper role of federal government.

Opponents of the Obama administration routinely accuse it of vastly overreaching on health care, financial reform, consumer protection, etc. Yet, these are precisely the issues that need government attention because the status quo approach hasn’t worked.

Much of the nation has a middle-schooler mindset about what we want our federal government to do.

I’m just waiting for some opportunist to tell the president, "Get out of my Gulf! But first, could you plug that leak?"

DLNR helps users of Ala Moana Beach

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources did a great job in moderating and promoting a reasonable solution for recreational use between swimmers and paddleboarders at Ala Moana Beach.

I am in the water every day and see the usage. Sometimes there are paddleboarders outside of the markers as well as swimmers in the paddle lane. What I have definitely seen are people on both fronts exercising tolerance and understanding so everyone can enjoy the water.

SB 2469 needed for our kupuna

I’m asking Gov. Linda Lingle to support Kupuna Care by signing Senate Bill 2469 and releasing the money.

I am 90 years old and live alone in the home my late husband and I built in 1950. I need special help, like qualifying for Meals on Wheels and a little home care assistance. Her releasing the funds will help seniors like me live in my own home with all my familiar surroundings and good neighbors a little longer and happier, until I can no longer live alone.

Djou’s mailers part of the job

This is in response to the criticism from John Jaeger ("Djou mailout is hypocritical," Letters, June 17) about Congressman Charles Djou’s mailing to constituents.

For simplicity, I overlook his "spurious" and "right-wing" terms and offer a simplified explanation: It is what politicians need to do in a state prominently blue.

Jaeger is smart to, in his own words, "not hold my breath" until Djou rescinds franking privileges (free postage) and pays the cost. That kind of leadership should be shown first by our true-blue senior senators.