TANTALUS SHOOTING

FUNDRAISER STARTED FOR LIANNE TAKAMORI

In response to the tragedy at Tantalus Lookout and the article published on July 8, college friends of Lianne Takamori have set up a fundraiser for her called "Spread the LOVE."

Our objective is to lift Lianne's spirits after the horrific loss of her parents by helping her lessen her financial burdens. T-shirts have been designed for this fundraiser and are available for a monetary donation.

For more information on fundraising efforts and how you can help "Spread the LOVE," please visit: http://memorial.ucipiphi.com.

AFFORDABLE UNITS

CITY SHOULD CONSIDER PUBLIC HOUSING LEASE

Concerning your Aug. 27 editorial "Perpetuity key to public housing sale," I suggest the city consider using a 99-year lease provision with a start date from the date of conveyance to the new developer — rather than convey in fee simple. There would be no monthly lease rent with the conveyance, as the sales price would reflect the discounted cash value of the properties over the next 99 years. This alternative allows the market to keep the prices low, as leasehold property is generally priced lower than fee property.

To further ensure the housing remains affordable, the city can require the developer to lock in the initial buyers for a five-year ownership period (with no right of rental) to dissuade speculators from the market. While neither provision will automatically ensure the units remain affordable in perpetuity, it should give at least one or two generations of families the opportunity to afford their own home and allow future governments the flexibility to deal with changing urban issues.

Both of these policies are used in Singapore today without any loss in profit to the government.

NEGOTIATIONS

HOTEL WORKERS DESERVE FAIR WAGES, BENEFITS

The Sheraton and Hilton hotels should offer their employees a contract that rewards them fairly for the contributions they make.

After all, who generates the wealth enjoyed by hotel owners? Primarily, it is the underpaid and overworked restaurant and hotel workers, such as the members of Local 5. These working people and their families have important concerns about such things as workload and healthcare. They should not have to face the possibility of living in poverty after a lifetime of work; retirement benefits are a necessity. The high cost of living in Hawai'i nei is especially burdensome on these hotel and restaurant workers. It is not acceptable for any hotel management to short-change the people they depend on to serve their customers. Nor should workers be pushed to the brink of a strike to get a contract.

These working people and their families deserve a fair share of the income that their hard work generates for the hotels.

ELECTION 2006

SENATOR NEEDED WHO CAN REACH TO THE CENTER

How effective is Dan Akaka if he can't get the Akaka bill passed? Of course his fellow Democratic senators like him. But being likable doesn't get done the things that need to get done if we're going to leave our children a safer, healthier, more prosperous world. Hawai'i needs a U.S. senator who can reach across the political aisle and build bridges to the center. Hawai'i needs a U.S. senator who is more "pol" and less pal.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

HONOLULU DANGEROUS CITY FOR PEDESTRIANS

How heartbreaking that yet another life has been lost by a pedestrian merely crossing a street!

As a frequent pedestrian (out of necessity and for exercise) I am constantly made aware of how dangerous and difficult this city is for walkers. Instead of painting over crosswalks can we not figure out how to make walking and bicycling easier and more convenient?

It is ridiculous to expect those walking to sometimes go far, far out of their way (especially our elders carrying groceries!) to get to a lighted crosswalk that has been established for the convenience of drivers.

Get out of your cars, politicians! Come see what it is like to walk around this city. Then you won't be so quick to make it even harder for those of us without cars or who choose to exercise outside a gym!

STUDENT LEARNING

MANY HAD ROLE IN 'AIEA ELEMENTARY'S SUCCESS

As the mother of three 'Aiea Elementary graduates in the 1970s and 1980s and a current volunteer tutor, I was thrilled to read of the accomplishment of this school in meeting adequate yearly progress for the first time. The current principal (who began his appointment in July), Ed Oshiro, was quoted as saying "We made history at 'Aiea."

I suggest the "we" includes teachers, administrators, staff, tutors, the Edison Company, parents and extended family who mentored these students.

The one person whose name was missing from this article was Art Kaneshiro, former principal at 'Aiea Elementary. The quotes from Oshiro referred to progress made under the leadership of Kaneshiro, who retired last June.

Our sincerest mahalo to the former and current administration of this school as we look forward to continued progress.

CONSERVATION

CONSUMERS CAN OFFER ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

During the past several months, there has been much said about alternative sources of energy, such as biofuels, solar, wind, ocean and even nuclear power — each being touted as a potential solution to high oil prices. In 1974, when electricity cost $0.04 per kilowatt-hour, the late Jim Person, visiting professor of architecture at the University of Hawai'i, presented in his Hawaii Home Energy Book practical solutions that conserve vast amounts of energy. Jim understood that to minimize interior heat gain into a building, adequate ventilation as well as installation of radiant heat blocking materials such as a reflective foil radiant barrier must be part of the design. Most of today's custom homes cannot be lived in without air conditioning as a result of heat gain through the ceiling, walls and windows.

Homeowners can reduce the heat inside of their homes and substantially lower their utility bill by simply adding a solar-powered attic fan and/or a reflective foil radiant barrier. Federal and state tax credits offset more than 50 percent of the cost of the solar portion. Consumers can provide alternative sources of energy by conserving it.

MEDIA

TV NEWS MISUSES, MISPRONOUNCES WORDS

I enjoyed Chuck Freedman's essay in the Focus section (Aug. 27) on the changing media scene in Honolulu. As another old-time business communicator, I agree with most of what he said, but there's one point he didn't address. The print media and wire services have always paid serious attention to writing right. They've made a point of caring about grammar, spelling and the effective use of language. Style and usage mattered. As a result, the newspaper reading public was given good language models to follow.

With the switch to TV as the primary news medium, we've lost that. TV reporters aren't graded on grammar, vocabulary, word usage or spelling. We see misspellings regularly in supers. Words are repeatedly misused — such as making "fatal" a noun in describing accidents. ("Fatal" is an adjective; the noun is "fatality.") Reporters and anchors don't get upset when they misuse and mispronounce words. Just glide right by it and maybe no one will notice! Or could it be they don't know the difference? I'm not sure TV news directors even care about requiring good language on air. Yet the responsibility is theirs nonetheless.

Why? Because viewers take TV news people seriously, and as such, the language they use becomes a role model to viewers. If you wonder why we have so many young people "disrespecting" the language, TV news is certainly one source of the problem. Don't get me wrong. A vibrant language is important to our society. Language should never be stagnant, but its growth should stem from new ideas and concepts, not from the careless misuse of existing ones.

PBS HIT

'ROADSHOW' LACKED CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

I am a fan of "Antiques Roadshow," but I must say they lacked cultural sensitivity on their visit to Hawai'i. Our diversity and history make us the most unique place in the world, which was totally disregarded by the show.

I was amazed that the show did not account for the fact that the majority of Hawai'i's population is of Asian descent and logically that should suggest that people will be bringing Asian treasures. Two appraisers, based on their behavior, were clearly overwhelmed and stressed to handle the entire Asia artifacts category.

The lack of preparedness in retaining more Asian appraisers became painfully apparent when after the first two-hour wait, we had to wait for another two hours to get two minutes of time from the appraiser.

There was no category for Hawaiiana, nor Polynesia. I felt strange, even though I had no items myself nor am I Hawaiian, watching people with beautiful Hawaiian pieces waiting in a line under the category of "Tribal Art."

I do hope "Antiques Roadshow" comes back to Hawai'i soon, but this time with a better understanding of who we are.