Zoo is a huge waste of prime real estate

I question the wisdom of having a zoo in Honolulu in the first place ("Zoo director resigns from troubled facility," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 6).

It’s a huge waste of prime real estate, a prison for animals not unlike Sea World, with out-of-control costs, unstable leadership and mismanagement. The zoo generates little revenue.

Whoever hires a director with no zoo experience should be fired.

The zoo should be closed and the animals given freedom. The zoo has nothing to do with Hawaiian culture.

I hate over development, but it would be cool to then build low-rise condos that can provide much-needed rentals for an industry workforce that can walk or bike to work in the zoo that is Waikiki.

Kimo Kekahuna
Waikiki

Homeless deserve humane treatment

The homeless should be treated with aloha just like the tourists we welcome, and not like cockroaches.

Regular police sweeps roust them and confiscate their meager belongings in Waikiki in the middle of the night.

Yes, they are an eyesore, but they deserve humane treatment. Most are not homeless because they choose to be. Perhaps they missed a rung on the ladder of success, or have dependence or mental issues, but they are not worthless.

Defunding federal social programs under the Reagan administration put many of these people out on the street.

It may be one of the reasons America is No. 16 on the United Nations list of happiest countries. Could we learn from Denmark, which is No. 1, or Canada, No. 5?

Our elected officials have work to do.

John Foley
Kuliouou

Closing Leahi Hospital would be unfortunate

When an irresponsible driver crashed into me in a crosswalk on Ala Moana Boulevard last June, I spent nearly four months in hospitals, amid fears that I might never walk again.

The last five weeks were spent at Leahi Hospital, where a pleasant, optimistic and extremely capable physical therapy staff got me on my feet, and then walking, first with a walker and then with just a cane.

During my stay at Leahi, I and my visitors were impressed by the kindness and careful consideration that the excellent staff paid to both the temporary residents such as I, and the permanent ones.

Some of the patients have passed the century mark and have acquired unendearing habits. Never once did any of us hear a harsh word, just saw compassion and tender care.

To close such a useful and efficient establishment, as is threatened, would be more than a tragedy, almost a crime.

Don’t do it.

Jim Becker
Makiki

Where is the aloha at Hawaiian Airlines?

I invite the CEO of Hawaiian Airlines to take a ride in the coach section of one of the company’s newly reconfigured inter-island jets.

I’m of average height, yet my knees bumped up against the seat in front of me. My friend of over 6 feet had to sit spread-legged, and still couldn’t avoid being banged in the knee by the seat arm in the row ahead.

Really, was it that necessary to cram a few more seats into these planes? Isn’t Hawaiian pulling in enough cash from the baggage-check fees and the decline in jet-fuel prices?

While Hawaiian is busy expanding routes to Asia and elsewhere, it’s giving the shaft to the people of Hawaii, who have no choice but to fly to neighbor islands and are being packed like sardines.

Is there no end to the greedy pursuit of more profit at the expense of the paying public? Where’s the aloha?

Nancy Davlantes
Kaneohe

Rail’s advantages will make up for its costs

I would like to add my thoughts to Gordon Wolfe’s letter supporting rail ("Anti-rail crowd being unrealistic," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 7).

The rail authority has done the correct and transparent thing by keeping us informed of possible costs, while the I-told-you-so tone of critics ignore some critical points.

Critics cite increased costs as a reason to stop the project, but already expended costs, plus the costs of undoing construction, plus the possibility of returning federal funds, add up to a huge loss with nothing to show but continued traffic gridlock.

Rail is the only option that will get commuters off the road. The rail commute should take about 25 minutes, but automobiles and buses even now take an hour or so in rush hour and more when there is a fender-bender or bad weather.That will be strong motivation for people to use rail.

Tom Koenig
Mililani

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“Coconut crab in the road no monster, merely thirsty,” Star-Advertiser, Jan 5:

>> Thanks for a great story, and thanks to the rescuer with a box!

>> Poor thing probably became lost whilst searching for decent happy hour. Head for Waikiki, coconut.

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“Sand erosion in Waikiki poses potential dangers,” Star-Advertiser, 

Jan. 5:

>> Nice waste of $2.2 million by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

>> If they remove the Natatorium, we will lose most of the remaining sand at Queen’s Beach and all of Kaimana Beach, too. DLNR should get a grip.

>> Nature doesn’t want a beach there. You can fight against nature in the short term, but in the long run nature will win. In the meantime, fighting against nature only makes things worse: The replenished sand just washes away and kills the nearby coral; sea walls aggravate erosion farther down the coast, etc. I’m sorry expensive hotels were built where nature doesn’t want a beach to exist, but that’s life.

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“Zoo director resigns from troubled facility,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 6:

>> It costs $48 to go to the San Diego Zoo with exhibits, tram rides, the full deal. It is an all-day experience well worth the money. We charge $14 to do the walk, half the time looking for the animals. You pay for what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. You want mediocre, you get mediocre. You want excellence, you have to pay for it. 

>> The San Diego Zoo is a private facility. It also gets a lot of its revenue from the multitude of concessions throughout the facility. The Honolulu Zoo is a public facility that sits in Kapiolani Park. That fact restricts the commercial concessions that can take place within the park.

>> I sure loved going to the zoo in the ’50s, but maybe it’s outlived its glory days. The trend these days is away from caged animals and in the direction of large enclosures that are as close to natural habitats as possible. Our zoo lacks sufficient space for that, and out of respect for the animals, perhaps we need to let it go or build a new one elsewhere, where there’s sufficient room to do it right.

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“Connector expects to be out of the red by 2022,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 6:

>> Sure, and a chicken’s got lips.

>> For $28 million, I’ll promise to find the government a chicken with lips by 2022. I will hire local talent and create jobs, which will generate tax revenue for the government. Win-win!

>> The Hawaii Health Connector is just a portal to the two medical providers in the state. Get rid of it and have subscribers shop directly.

>> The rail should be up and running and making a profit and cutting traffic congestion by 2022, too.

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“Supersize solar setup underway on Big Isle,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 7:

>> An enviable lifestyle. Money helps.

>> Give that guy a Hawaii Nobel Prize!

>> Let technology make more progress and those batteries will drop in size and increase in capacity. Same for the PV panels. Hawaiian Electric Industries and its suitor are terrified the use of this technology will spread to homeowners, letting them completely drop off the grid. HECO still wants to charge these people a “grid maintenance fee” just because they can.

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“Analysts concur that Mariota has NFL talent, but must adapt,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 7:

>> I wish him the best when he turns pro. It is a different ball game at that level. 

>> Hopefully, he’ll be drafted by a team that allows him a year or two to develop.

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“Nesting nene silences rifles at firing range,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 8:

>> How is anyone supposed to endure a month and a half of not shooting rifles? It’s inhuman.

>> I hope nobody tries to harm these birds out of anger for the inconvenience. There are some serious nut jobs out there (thinking of the monk seals on Kauai).

>> I don’t understand all the ridicule of the gun-range people. It was a firearms instructor who alerted the Department of Land and Natural Resources and initiated this. It demonstrates a concern about the wildlife and responsibility. Everyone involved is doing the right thing. How often does that happen?

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“Senators suggest Kealoha be assisted by co-chiefs,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 8:

>> Yeah, just what we need. Two paychecks instead of one. 

>> Why is the state (the senators) getting involved in a county matter? The state is stepping out of bounds and testing our Constitution.