U.N. DAY

IT'S BEEN 60 YEARS OF MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

On this United Nations Day, we should take the opportunity to reflect back on the important accomplishments of the organization since its founding 60 years ago. As an American from Honolulu who works at the U.N., I feel fortunate to have been able to witness the United Nations' role around the world to foster democracy, provide humanitarian relief, keep the peace in violent areas and provide healthcare to those who otherwise would not receive it.

I am particularly proud that over these six decades, the American people have recognized the value of the U.N. and supported it. The U.N. has been a partner of the United States, helping us address the international challenges that otherwise we would have to bear the burden of alone.

The U.N. is now taking important steps to reform itself to more effectively address today's global challenges. The U.S. needs to play a critical role in this effort so that together we can help forge a U.N. that is more effective and accountable for the 21st century. It is in our interest and the international community's interest.

PRO GOLFER

WORLD NEEDS MORE FOLKS OF WIE'S CALIBER

Please let me be among the list of people who commend Michelle Wie for her integrity, honesty, acceptance and being the stand-up person she has shown us all. All the rewards will come her way, and the world would be a better place if we had more people of her caliber.

Her parents should also be commended, as their child is so exceptional in so many ways. It didn't take a village, but you two should take a bow. The timing and examples I read and saw only show that if these are the experts, I would hate to see how the amateurs would handle it.

BANKRUPTCY

FAT-CAT EXECS SHOULD TAKE CUTS FOR COMPANY

I find it utterly ridiculous when union employees are asked to take reductions in pay and benefits, work rule changes and even contract dismissals because their employers are facing financial difficulties. CEOs and executives of companies are commanding huge salaries to run these businesses and yet consistently look to the union workers to solve their financial problems. Maybe if these executives had salaries equal to their union counterparts, the companies wouldn't be in such difficult times.

An example of this is Hawaiian Airlines, which spent more than $24 million to get itself out of bankruptcy (most expensive reorganization in Hawai'i history). Hawaiian Airlines' bankruptcy trustee made $600,000 a year. He also received pay for renting a beachfront house, a car and travel and relocation expenses. He has been noted to charge every little thing to his expense account, even a cup of coffee. To add insult to injury, he is seeking an $8 million success fee.

Now Aloha Airlines wants to do the same thing. Is it going to cost it $24 million or more to get out of bankruptcy at the expense of its employees too?

It's about time employers stop picking on their employees and take responsibility for the financial troubles that come about from their mismanagement and exceedingly high salaries with expense accounts. Leave our unionized workers alone because they all need to make a living, too!

CONSUMER CHOICE

ORGANIC, CONVENTIONAL FOOD NOT SO DIFFERENT

I am delighted to see that the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources will dedicate a portion of its Web site to organic farming ("Organics Web site launched," Oct. 17).

This is a rapidly growing sector of agriculture throughout the nation and it is appropriate to place resources and information at "the fingertips" of organic farmers and those interested in organic farming. However, we must make sure that the information is accurate.

In the Oct. 13 "Shape Up" column by Charles Platkin in the Island Life section, it was stated that in order to be a certified organic farm, one "may not apply 'prohibited substances' (i.e. pesticides, synthetic fertilizers) to the land ..."

While I am sure that this statement was merely a technical oversight, the fact is that there are organically approved pesticides that are allowed to be used in organic food production.

Additionally, the column heading: "Organics grow slowly, taste fresher" is in direct contradiction with the substance of the column. When asked whether organic food tastes better, "Joseph Rosen, a professor of food science at Rutgers University in New Jersey ... doesn't believe there is any difference." In fact, the whole section on whether organic foods taste better was more a matter of opinion than objective fact based on volumes of research.

In the end, the production and consumption of organic food is a consumer choice, and I, for one, am thankful that we live in a place and time where we have the opportunity to exercise that choice.

NEGLECT OF MAKIKI LIBRARY A BLOW TO OUR COMMUNITY

The Makiki Community Library must feel very left out. Anyone who has driven by the Makiki District Park can't help but notice what an eyesore the library is, especially given that the buildings around the library have been improved or are in the process of being renovated. The changes at the park have had a profound effect on the community. We have a place to go. Yet the Makiki library still sits waiting, despite the Legislature's $4.5 million appropriation.

I live in Makiki. And I watch my 10-month-old son half days. I look for things to do with him in our neighborhood. The library would be a great spot. In fact, it would be a nice way to start him off in life. That's why it's hard to understand why Gov. Linda Lingle has dealt such a blow to our community by refusing to release any of the renovation funds.

Everyone who lives in Makiki knows that the district park is about the only space where families can gather. And the library should be an important component of this gathering place. It has the potential to help our keiki learn that reading is fun and to provide our many elderly residents with a community reading room.

When you live in one of the densest populated areas in Honolulu, you learn to do without because the elected officials sometimes forget about you. But in 2004, Rep. Brian Schatz and the Legislature recognized the community's need and dedicated resources to improve and renovate the library.

The building has been plagued by frequent vandalism, but would be provided with a new security system as part of the renovation. It also has outdated computer systems, which will be updated with Internet access. And perhaps most important are renovations that will finally make the library handicapped-accessible.

I understand that the state has a surplus of funds. And yet the governor has cited the close proximity of the McCully library as a reason for not investing in the Makiki library. So, should the Makiki kids after school have to travel more than a mile in traffic to do their homework or to use the Internet? These keiki are our future and they deserve a fair chance.

If the community and Rep. Schatz managed to convince 75 other legislators that the library is worth funding, the least the governor could do is release the money.

CURBSIDE RECYCLING

RESIDENTS READY TO TALK TRASH

LET'S RETURN BLUE BINS TO OWNERS: CITY HALL

Since the city has scrapped its curbside recycling plans, perhaps we voters should implement an alternate recycling plan and return the blue bins to their rightful owners — curbside at Honolulu Hale, corner of South King Street and Punchbowl.

And, if you've got a pile of bottles and cans, but can't find an open recycling center, the politicians who passed the bottle bill with the intent of raking in millions from unclaimed deposits are conveniently located a block away.

NOTHING CAN REPLACE CURBSIDE PROGRAM

The mayor's decision to cancel, for now, the curbside recycling program is a setback for all of us, not just environmental activists. There were early signals the program was in trouble when the City Council started talking about cashing in on the state's bottle deposit law, diverting its attention from the more mundane items that could be diverted from our rubbish stream.

The mayor's challenge to the public for better ideas is just rhetoric. We didn't hire him to coin one-liners; he sought the job saying he could do it.

Our city leaders clearly showed that they are willing to act when they believe in something; witness the raising of the sales tax. Their inaction on curbside recycling demonstrates a lack of political will to see this through.

Some of them fret over the cost of the project. The costs are nothing compared to the costs of our alternatives once our landfill space is used up. But, what the heck, none of the current city leaders will be in office when our landfill space runs out, so why should they worry about it?

The mayor indicated the city would work for the placement of additional containers in parks and schools around the island. That's fine, but that will not come close to equaling what curbside recycling can accomplish. We can ensure the greatest degree of participation by making it easy for the population to recycle, and that means curbside.

BLUE BINS ARE TERRIFIC MODERN ART EXHIBIT

It seems that some people are confused regarding the purpose of the Big Blue Bins.

While the previous mayor gave us such "unhip" permanent art displays such as the Nu'uanu Cemetery markers along the Pali, this mayor is much more in tune with modern art and has been adorning many neighborhoods with an exciting new art exhibit. The mayor and the city have been remarkably forward-thinking in this venture.

The Big Blue Bins art exhibit is durable, mobile (constantly being rolled into differing configurations), covers a large area and is completely without purpose (as all true art must be). In my opinion, this art display expertly captures the subtle nuances of Hawai'i: durable and rugged as the mountains, mobile as a lava flow, while the bins represent small islands spread over a vast ocean area and, of course, the vibrant blue color of the ocean and sky. This is innovative art that rivals recent Christo displays.

Also, if people really don't like this display, it's not permanent and may disappear as fast as the $3 million spent to lease it.

ISLAND LIVING MAKES RECYCLING CRUCIAL

Our political leaders have once again shown how disconnected they are to what is really going on in our Islands. Canning the curbside recycling again shows that they just don't get the fact that recycling is vital to solving our waste problems.

Just like every other problem here in Hawai'i, our indifferent leaders choose to do nothing instead of lead. Do they not understand that we live on an island? Sustainability should not be put on the back burner, it should be a daily goal for every person living here in the Islands.

Mr. Mayor, when are you and the council going to realize that almost all waste can be recycled? When are you leaders going to lead? Gov. Linda Lingle talks of extra money that the state has. Why not use that to invest in making Hawai'i a leader in recycling innovation? Being on an island gives us enough of a reason to take recycling seriously today.

ONLY CONFUSION COMING FROM MAYOR'S OFFICE

Blue trash buckets. Perhaps I have read incorrectly that our rubbish dumps are becoming overloaded with trash. So what does our mayor do? He decides to have us dump newspaper and other paper goods into the normal trash collection instead of having them recycled.

What is the confusion over the law? Seems to me the only confusion comes from the mayor's office. If the union refused to pick up paper, how does he expect members to pick up green waste from these same blue buckets? Good luck, Mufi.