I think the citizens of Oahu need a reality check now and then. Tropical Storm Darby gave us a cold slap.

We watch other islands take hits from storms like Iniki and Iselle and we become complacent. We carry on like it’s a normal day. We visit friends and family or go shopping. It’s no big deal.

Guess what? The National Weather Service never lifted the tropical storm alerts.

Then Darby struck. The rain was coming down so hard I couldn’t see the buildings of Waikiki. The thunder and lightning were tremendous. I watched the news and couldn’t believe how many cars were on the road. I shook my head. If you have to work or it’s an emergency, I get it. For the others, I don’t understand why they put themselves in harm’s way.

Take Mother Nature seriously. She doesn’t play by the rules. She has the final say.

Robert K. Soberano

Moiliili

Don’t help victims who don’t prepare

Another storm and flooding again in the Mapunapuna area (“Darby leaves a mighty mess,” Star-Advertiser, July 26).

When will the city and state decide to do something for a permanent fix? How many millions have been wasted so far? If a permanent fix is not feasible or possible, possibly the use of eminent domain should be considered.

If the owners or occupants are not willing to prepare, they should then be left on their own for any future flood damage.

Don Chambers

Mililani

Disneyland still has many feral felines

Celeste Kato cites Disneyland as a feral cat “success story,” but if trapping, neutering and releasing (TNR) cats helps reduce the population, why are there still 200 cats at Disneyland after “managing” them for all these years (“Feral cats could be symbiotic opportunity,” Star-Advertiser Letters, July 24)?

TNR increases homeless cat populations because more people are likely to abandon their cats if they think the cats will be “cared for” and because the food set out for colonies attracts more cats. It also sentences cats to pain and death from diseases, parasites, cars and attacks by dogs and cruel people, and contributes to the decimation of local wildlife populations.

Veterinarian and syndicated columnist Dr. Michael W. Fox calls it “unconscionable” to abandon “unadoptable” cats, explaining that, “It is time to reevaluate the ‘no-kill’ policies that incentivize these terrible outcomes for cats and wildlife.”

He’s right. To protect cats and wildlife, all cats should be spayed and neutered and kept indoors.

Teresa Chagrin

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Norfolk, Va.

Hawaii now has too much of everything

Lee Cataluna said it all in “Age-old conundrum should spur debate on newcomers” (Star-Advertiser, July 6).

We have run out of space. There are too many people on this small island. What was once paradise is long gone.

We have the politicians in the 1950s who pushed for statehood to thank for this. We should have stayed a territory. It was a good way of life back then.

Sad to say, it’s too late. We have become a state of “too much of everything.”

Birtille Fung

Hawaii Kai

Hawaii was ripe for being ‘stolen’

David Kruger claims the U.S. “criminally stole” the Hawaiian kingdom, lands, culture and more (“Don’t expect Hawaiians to be grateful to U.S.,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 2).

I am part-Hawaiian and a lifelong resident, so I’ve heard all the arguments for and against U.S. involvement with Hawaii. Here’s one thought, however, that doesn’t seem to be broached in this never-ending debate.

Given our strategic Pacific location in terms of military and commerce, does anyone think for one minute that, going back to the 1800s, if not the U.S., some other country would not have “stolen” Hawaii? Realistically, whether it was Russia, Japan, Spain or some other empire- building country, there is no way Hawaii would have been left completely untouched.

And seriously, had it been a country other than the U.S., does anyone really think Hawaiians would have been treated better by that country, back then or now?

David Dela Cruz

Honolulu

Sell-out of our city goes on unabated

I am saddened but not surprised by the recent comments from Mike Formby, the city’s Department of Transportation Services director and member of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board, relating to the securing of additional funding for rail (“Feds give city until end of year to address $1.5B deficit,” Star-Advertiser, July 23).

In a continued sell-out of our beautiful city to developers and foreign investors, he proposes pursuing funding partnerships with private developers in Kakaako to help close the rail’s daunting budget gap.

Of course, he continues, this would involve “give and take” in which the city would work with developers on more lucrative building densities and heights, or other incentives.

As usual, the public would be be the biggest losers. Do we ever learn?

Michael Groholski

Downtown Honolulu

Have rail use H-1 past Middle Street

Why not redirect the rail route to run down the middle of H-1, from Middle Street to Kahala Mall, with stops at Vineyard Street, Pali Highway, Keeaumoku Street, University Avenue and 10th Avenue?

Streetcars from the Keeaumoku rail stop could take riders to Ala Moana and Waikiki.

It would provide the increased ridership needed to help rail pay for itself.

Linda Paul

Kailua