Protecting forests will ensure water supply

While it is interesting that Hawaii’s wettest spot has shifted to Big Bog on Maui from Mt. Waialeale on Kauai ("Wettest spot in Hawaii shifts to Maui," Star-Advertiser, March 7), the real story in the article is that University of Hawaii climatologist Tom Giambelluca’s study confirms that Hawaii has been seeing a century-long trend of decreasing rainfall, with greater declines in the last 30 years.

Also notable was Diana Sellner’s letter supporting a bill that would place a small fee on single-use plastic and paper bags to discourage consumer use of these unsustainable products and to generate revenue to protect Hawaii’s environment ("Protect aina via plastic bag ban," Star-Advertiser, March 7). Most of the revenue from the fee would go to the state to Department of Land and Natural Resources’ forested watershed protection initiative.

It would seem prudent to invest in protecting the health of our forests so we can capture as much rain as possible, since it looks like there will be less of it to go around.

Devan Rostorfer
Makiki

Stop complaining about plastic bag ban

Kauai’s plastic bag reduction law was established by the Kauai County Council for a variety of reasons, including the environmental impacts of plastic checkout bags.

Prior to the ordinance, plastic bags littered our highways and beaches and threatened marine animals through ingestion and entanglement. Checkout bags from retailers and bags from food establishments are no longer on our roadways and beaches, indicating the success of the ordinance.

Paper bags are allowed under the law, but they do not present the same environmental problems as plastic bags. They will decompose if left out in our elements.

Municipalities across the world are banning plastic bags. Instead of criticizing the law and crying about the use of paper bags, people should become part of the solution, bring their own bags to the store and encourage others to do the same.

Pat Gegen
Zero Waste Kauai

Former bureaucrats working the system

Robert Fishman is working the system very well.

As a career bureaucrat and longtime insider to the local political and business culture, he is among those who have managed to set themselves up with high-paying part-time jobs at taxpayer expense ("89-day pacts let retirees return to city, state jobs," Star-Advertiser, March 5).

Fishman’s revealing statement that, "This is not a lot of money for me," pretty much shows how out of touch he is with the realities faced by most taxpayers.

I guess Fishman and other double-dippers can hide behind the fact that this practice is not against the law. Yet it most certainly reveals a disturbing lack of good judgment, let alone sound ethics on the part of those in positions of authority who not merely allow but encourage this apparent abuse to exist.

Tom Haynes
Kaneohe

Blood donors are our unsung heroes

I enjoyed the heartwarming story about Hokuanu Aki and how he is dealing so well with the loss of his leg in the shark attack 10 years ago ("Shark attack fails to faze victim," Star-Advertiser, March 5).

However, I was disappointed that while the story gave well-deserved accolades to those who helped save his life, it failed to mention those heroes who donated the blood without which there would not have been a good ending to the story.

Day by day, dedicated individuals take time out of their busy lives to donate blood and, for the most part, receive no recognition their acts of altruism. For his part, once he was mobile, Hokuanu expressed his appreciation by participating in donor appreciation events with the Blood Bank. I hope that in the future, opportunities to acknowledge such dedication in your stories will not be missed.

Jack Lockwood
Kailua

Why no criticism of liberal name-callers?

In response to the article "Hilo radio station dumps Rush Limbaugh’s show" (Star-Advertiser, March 6), I wonder if the same people called to complain about similar name-calling made by liberal national radio and TV personalities? I doubt it. In the meantime I will continue to support KHVH-AM 830 in Honolulu and feel sorry for KPUA-AM 670 in Hilo.

Daniel Spenn
Aiea

Radio station right to cancel Limbaugh

How many times do we hear apologies from certain individuals, only to hear them repeat their irresponsible acts? One step for mankind. Thank you, KPUA, for stepping up to the plate.

Wilma Boudreau
Kailua

FROM THE FORUM

"Hilo radio station dumps Rush Limbaugh’s show," Star-Advertiser, March 6:

» Hooray! I commend the station management for taking a stand against such slanderous, sick broadcasting. Taking a stand against Rush Limbaugh’s tactics is long overdue. He definitely needs to take charge of the words that froth from his vocal chords. Apology not accepted.

» Let’s not forget that Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Every listener has the ability to just switch the channel. By the way, I do agree that Limbaugh’s comment was in very poor taste. Any sponsorship loss will hit him in the pocketbook. The bottom line: You are responsible for what comes out of your mouth.

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"Good Samaritans rescue dogs from stream," Star-Advertiser, March 6:

» Atta way to go, guys! Super!

» Great news to bring a big smile to us who love dogs during this nasty weather that has been affecting four-legged as well as us two-legged ones with lots of hassle and inconvenience. Let’s hope the thunder, lightning and drenching rain pass by real soon. Kudos to the Moffat brothers. "Woohoo!" for your caring and helping.

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"Sleuth will vet response by school," Star-Advertiser, March 7:

» There is a policy already in place and we (teachers) had to watch the video every year. We were told if we did not report the information to the proper authority we could be held individually liable and terminated. I assume the way the state Department of Education works is that Keith Hayashi will either be allowed to retire with a huge pension or they will find or invent a position in the DOE for him. They take care of their own.

» What a waste to hire a sleuth. The police are already involved. The only rationale one can make is to protect the DOE. The rest is shibai.

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"Judge sends 2-time embezzler to federal prison for 44 months," Star-Advertiser, March 7:

» Unbelievable. If this girl’s mouth is moving, she’s lying. Good call on the investigation reimbursement cost. Just don’t let her out on parole.

» The prison office should be careful not to assign her to a position where she can con and steal. She is very shrewd and will manipulate the prison guards, is my prediction. She is a born con artist and rotten to the core.

» That’s how our judicial system runs: Crooks get off light then they’re at it again until they get caught again. It goes round and round.

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"Home prices hint of pickup in market," Star-Advertiser, March 8:

» Interest rates are low and prices are poised to rise. This is the time to lock in on a home so you can tell people at parties in the years to come that you bought in 2012 and watch their looks of envy!

» Actually, Honolulu is poised for a property rate increase following this election year. Increased sale prices meant that the city will issue assessments of higher value for property owners. So, expect to pay 9.6 percent more in property taxes next year without any change in tax rate.

» You’re so correct. Simply put, all I want to do is hang onto my place and live here, but with the real estate market being overvalued, it’s going to be difficult for all of the kamaaina.

» When the market is on an upswing, the City Council should be lowering the rate at which they charge per dollar of value. That is a political choice, not a reflection on the real estate market.

» Real estate prices in Hawaii will never go down. Hawaii is different. Not enough land.

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"Capitol surveillance system dysfunctional," Star-Advertiser, March 8:

» This is dangerous. Everybody knows the Legislature is a high crime area. That building is full of crooks.

» I was thinking about this last night, as I dodged potholes on the way home. Is there anything that the state or city actually are maintaining properly? Think about it: water main breaks, sewer system malfunctions, poor roads (at best), right down to broken and filthy bathrooms in Waikiki and now the Capitol surveillance system. Yet these same people feel that they can run a bank? Maintenance of existing public facilities and infrastructure is their primary job. This is Management 101. These characters couldn’t manage their way out of a wet paper sack.

» From a security standpoint, it’s stupid to be publicizing this.

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"Objections raised to bill to ban disruptions at Capitol," Star-Advertiser, March 8:

» How does this help the economy? Average people can’t keep their homes or get a job? Get to work on those issues!

» I guess Calvin Say doesn’t want anyone rocking his boat, either inside our outside of the Democratic Party or the democratic process.