Show some love for those in need

The holidays are a time for thanksgiving and spending time with friends, family and loved ones.

For too many of our kupuna and ohana in our island communities this is not the case. Many families are struggling each day to make ends meet, and many of them are alone or homeless.

Let’s join our neighbors in the spirit of lokahi this holiday season to help those who are less fortunate and most vulnerable to make sure they are not alone.

Many families face overwhelming challenges and are struggling due to circumstances beyond their control, and could use a helping hand.

These situations lead to increased demand for limited services and program resources. With our collective kokua, we need to ensure every effort possible is made to provide families with the essentials and a better quality of life.

Let’s show them that someone cares.

William Anonsen
Kakaako

Pot prohibition has unintended effects

We agree with your view, "Marijuana not a good idea for kids" (Star-Advertiser, Off the News, Dec. 21), as shown by recent research.And the just-released Monitoring the Future study shows that use of marijuana among adolescents has risen.

But that government survey also shows that the use of cigarettes and alcohol among teens is at an all-time low.

The use of prescription painkillers and synthetic marijuana is also down.

The harms of marijuana pale compared to these other drugs.

None of us wants to see kids using pakalolo, but that’s not a reason to continue marijuana prohibition with its negative side effects — diverting the police from real crime, enriching cartels, criminalizing young people, and perpetuating racial inequalities to name a few.

For the past 40 years these laws have failed to make marijuana less available to young people. Like other states, Hawaii must rethink the unintended consequences of marijuana prohibition.

Pamela Lichty
President, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii

Use College Hill for Obama’s library

When I opened up my newspaper, two articles struck me with an idea ("Obamas at home for the holidays" and "UH’s plan to finance repairs is panned," both Dec. 21).

It is common knowledge that President Barack Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii, he was born at Kapiolani Hospital, attended Punahou School, worked at Baskins & Robbins and grew up in Manoa.

It is also common knowledge that the College Hill mansion for the University of Hawaii president is in need of repair and has sat vacant since the departure of Evan Dobelle.

Since the foundation for the presidential library for Obama will have funding for the facility, why not offer the College Hill mansion as a logical location for Obama’s library?

It would be a fitting location for the Obama family to visit during his annual holiday trip.

Jicky Ferrer
Mililani

Stocks game teaches kids wrong lesson

Financial education is essential for everyone in this day of self-funded retirement plans, but the Hawaii Stock Market Simulation, which "allows students to manage their own financial portfolio by buying and selling stocks at real-time prices," is unrealistic, if not teaching children the wrong thing ("Students’ investment in financial education pays off," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 20).

How realistic is it to hand kids $100,000 to invest, and then celebrate winners at the end of 10 weeks? Investment is for the long term. Furthermore, the vast majority of professional portfolio managers do not outperform index funds.

It would be more realistic to teach young people how to manage a budget and live within or below their means so they would have money to invest in the first place.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson was learned by the teams that lost money: If you need your cash in 10 weeks, better to keep it in a savings account.

Wynnie Hee
Mililani

Ansaldo contract poorly written?

When I first read about what Ansaldo is doing, I thought, "Why can’t the city enforce its contracts?"

Then I realized the contract probably was not written to specify what the city thought it wanted.If not, how could Ansaldo be so adamant about insisting it is fulfilling the contract? This is another instance of incompetence in rail administration.

The malfeasance is compounded by insisting Ansaldo build four-car trains and running only four-car trains. Why not run only rwo-car trains and run more frequently?If they’re full, passengers would have a shorter wait for the next train.

Another instance of incompetence in rail administration.

Pearl Johnson
Pauoa Valley

Build golf course for isle youngsters

The state of Hawaii was recently recognized as the healthiest state in the union.

I believe this recognition was largely due to the city’s active involvement in building sports facilitiessupporting sporting events.Our residents, especially the youth, have raised their skills in sports to another level.The nation’s top colleges have begun increasing their local recruiting activities.More of our youth are involved professionally.

The city can go further by building a golf complex next to the Ted Makalena Golf Course in Waipahu where our 12-and-under children can learn this sport.An easy five-hole, par-3 course (under 100 yards) could be built where only they and their immediate family can play for free. To accommodate senior golfers and others, a regular user-fee, nine-hole par-3 course and a driving range with assorted training areas could also be added.

Roy S. Tanouye
Waipahu