DIABETES

SERIES WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR MANY

Wow! What can I say!

You weren't kidding one bit when you took this on. It took my breath away when I picked up my Sunday paper and there were the bold headlines. Imagine diabetes making Sunday front-page headlines in big bold print. The work you are doing is not only great work, it will make a huge difference to the people of Hawai'i.

It will make a difference to the people who have diabetes, from infants to the elderly, and to the many who care for people with diabetes.

It will make a difference to those who have pre-diabetes and to family members as well as others who are at risk.

It will make a difference to our healthcare providers and scientists.

It will make a difference for our health plans, for our employers and eventually our schools.

Ultimately, your generous and thorough attention to diabetes as a huge burden on individuals, families, groups and communities will improve the public's health and will have a significant economic impact on our state. It's my lifetime dream come true.

You are indeed, making a diabetes difference.

COAST GUARD CRASH

MARITIME COMMUNITY IS SADDENED BY LOSS

I was shocked to learn late Friday night of the tragic loss of a U.S. Coast Guard SAR helicopter off O'ahu that crashed into the ocean during routine night training operations. As a harbor pilot, I frequently see the Coast Guard SAR teams conducting these training sessions off the south shore of O'ahu.

These individuals who fly into harm's way every day as part of their normal job are truly unique individuals.

In their efforts to render aid to those who need the professional skills and experience of a true "search and rescue team," these brave men and women represent the greatest qualities within the human spirit. They have committed to self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. They place themselves at risk to save someone else they don't even know nor have any connection with. How incredible is that?

I know all in the Hawai'i maritime industry, the waterfront 'ohana, are saddened by such a sudden and tragic loss.

Those of us who make our living on the water every day rely on these brave men and women to come to our aid whenever we call for help. They always respond. They are always there.

To the entire Coast Guard service community and especially to those families of the flight crew, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

THEATER

DISAGREES WITH REVIEW OF 'OLIVER!' AT ACT

I couldn't disagree more with Joseph Rozmiarek's scathing review of Army Community Theatre's "Oliver!"

I found it thoroughly delightful. And judging from the reaction and comments of those seated around me, so did everyone else who was there. But then what do we know? We're just the average citizens who actually paid to go see it.

Did I miss something? Rozmiarek laments the fact that the characters got in the way of his in-depth study of the set and lighting, while I only noticed set and lighting as a background for the characters.

A word of advice to Mr. Rozmiarek: Lighten up, it's community theater, for goodness sake.

All said and done, I suppose we all came away satisfied. Rozmiarek got to be critical and the rest of us got to be entertained.

MAYORAL RACE

PREVEDOUROS A WISE CHOICE FOR MAYOR

It seemed too good to be true, but now it actually seems possible. An expert of world reputation in the field of urban planning and management could be the mayor of Honolulu.

This is the person we would have paid for a consultation, for an evaluation and recommendation about any of our city's pressing problems. We are fortunate that this man lives here and loves this city and is not only willing, but apparently bursting with enthusiasm, to bring his experience and skill to develop 21st century solutions for our crumbling infrastructure. This man is Panos Prevedouros.

The immediate problem is the looming specter of the rail system. Though the idea for mass transit is both environmentally sound and a solution we must seek, the current plan is an expense approved at a time of prosperity and budget surplus. That bubble has certainly burst and we now face the prospect of huge excise taxes to meet those costs. Our people cannot be burdened with a regressive tax of that kind.

Prevedouros has proposed a solution that is much more flexible in application and will cost less than a quarter of the rail as it currently stands.

Be sure to vote on Sept. 20 and support Panos Prevedouros for mayor.

ELECTION 2008

IF YOU WANT CHANGE, VOTE DEMOCRATS OUT

Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser is of the opinion that Gov. Linda Lingle is "totally out of touch" because she spoke at the Republican convention.

I agree with the majority leader that Lingle is out of touch. She is out of touch with the local Democrats who, with their union buddies, have held Hawai'i in thrall for the past 50 years.

If you want "change you can believe in," vote the local Democrats out of office and keep Barack Obama from bringing the most liberal administration (the addled "Bush lied and people died" crowd) you have ever seen to the White House and from bringing apartheid to Hawai'i with the approval of the Akaka bill.

Seeing that John McCain is now ahead of Obama in the polls, I guess Hooser and company are now out of touch — at least with the rest of the nation.

OBAMA GIVES A FEELING OF HOPE FOR CHANGE

Let's get real, folks. Sarah Palin likes oil companies. Do you?

She does not support abortion even in the case of rape or incest. Do you?

First she says, yes, we'll take the money for the bridge, then, when the eye of scrutiny is upon her, she says, "Thanks, but no thanks." Is this what America needs?

This is not just more of the "same;" the GOP ticket is a giant step backward at a time when we can least afford it.

To the rest of the world, we are now morally bankrupt. China holds a large portion of our national debt. Where do you think funding for our wars comes from? What happens if they decide to dump the dollar and switch to the euro as a means of control?

I am not saying that Barack Obama is perfect. But there now exists in our country an excitement, a feeling of hope for change. Isn't this worthy of your support?

PALIN'S SPEECH MEAN AND DEVOID OF CONTENT

Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican National Convention last week was mean-spirited and devoid of content.

She did the country no service by failing to give her own positions on the critical issues we face. She distorted Barack Obama's position on taxes, failing to mention that all but the top 5 percent of income-earners would get tax cuts under Obama's proposal — greater tax cuts than under John McCain's plan, which seeks to keep tax breaks in place for the wealthy.

Palin discounted and made fun of Obama's community organizing work and his hope for the future. Her speech was full of little sound bites and sarcastic barbs.

She displayed no knowledge of foreign affairs or the dire economic straits in which Bush and the Republicans have placed us. Since Palin can hardly run on her record or experience (she has so little), she is apparently designed to be the "Stepford wife" charged to make snide attacks on Obama in order to evade any real discussion of issues.

As the first woman nominated for vice president by the Republicans, she failed to advocate any positions that would advance women.

Instead, she focused on putting down another historic candidate of a major party — the first African-American nominee for president, and disparaged his service and his platform.

In my book, Palin's speech bombed.