THOMPSON TRIBUTE

DON HO SHOWED TRUE SPIRIT OF ALOHA FOR US ALL

I was golfing at Waialae Country Club when my daughter called to tell me Don Ho just died.

My heart sank as if this would or could never happen. Not to Don Ho, the granddaddy of the entertainment world in Hawai'i. The one who could promote Hawai'i without even trying.

I was a young kid when I worked for Don at the old Duke Kahanamoku night club in the International Market Place in Waikiki.

My first assignment was to park Kimo McVay's white Lincoln Continental whenever he came into the club. I was also to run into the kitchen and bring out Duke Kahanamoku's poi and raw fish and set it on his table whenever he visited Don.

Don Ho exhibited to us all the true spirit of aloha — getting along, sharing and caring for one another.

Now that you are with Alfred Apaka, Gabby Pahinui, Kui Lee, Dick Jensen and the Duke himself, enjoy the great lu'au in heaven.

Rest in peace, great one — Hawai'i will never be the same without you. Manuia le malaga.

VACATION HOMES

LOCAL FAMILIES COULDN'T PAY BEACHFRONT RENTS

In all fairness to investment property owners, Barbara Krasniewski (Letter, April 17) ignores the fact that a $3.5 million beachfront vacation rental would need a long-term fair market rent of $11,500 per month at a one-third of 1 percent rent-to-asset ratio.

Turning multi-million-dollar beachfront vacation rentals into long-term local rentals is a joke.

No local family can afford fair market rent for those places.

YOUNG VOTE

SENATE CHOSE HGEA OVER PROTECTING 'AINA

I don't always agree with David Shapiro's Volcanic Ash columns, but on April 25 he hit the nail on the head.

What the Senate did in denying another term for Peter Young was embarrassing. It was so blatantly obvious that the objective of the hearings was to contrive reasons to reject Mr. Young.

Apparently, those who voted for his ouster have decided that the Department of Land and Natural Resource's mission should be to keep the HGEA happy as opposed to protecting state lands and our environment.

Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland represents my district and chose to vote out Mr. Young. In the next election, I will vote for anyone who will run against Ms. Chun-Oakland, Democrat or Republican.

GLOBAL WARMING

HAWAI'I COULD BECOME LEADER IN 'GREEN' CAUSE

On April 17, I read Jeff Mikulina's Island Voices column, "Hawai'i can make climate-change difference."

As a Californian, I am proud that my state's legislation aimed at trying to curb global warming is influencing other states.

Hawai'i may have more to lose from global warming, in the short run, than does California — in direct proportion to how it could hurt your tourist industry.

However, Hawai'i also has a greater opportunity to educate people from all over the world about this growing danger.

What a grand statement could be made to everyone who visited Hawai'i about your state's commitment to curbing global warming if you outlawed plastic shopping bags. You could push "green" recyclable or reusable bags that advertise your state's commitment to House Bill 226. How many pounds of greenhouse gases would be avoided with this one ecological and educational venture?

MAHALO

ISLE VOLUNTEERS PLAY BIG ROLE IN GIRL SCOUTS

Despite Hawai'i's surprisingly low ranking in volunteerism (April 16, "Isles 43rd in volunteerism"), the state has actually experienced a significant increase in volunteerism in several categories, including "educational and youth service."

According to the cited "Volunteering In America 2007" report, volunteers in this category have nearly doubled from 16.5 percent in 1989 to 29.5 percent in 2006.

This set of statistics makes sense to Girl Scouts and other youth organizations.

It is only with the ongoing support of our volunteers that Girl Scouts can continue to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Our volunteers play a critical role in helping to address the complex and ever-changing needs of girls in today's world by giving of their time, energy and resources.

For the past 90 years, tens of thousands of volunteers have made Girl Scouting possible for girls throughout the state.

On behalf of Girl Scouts of Hawai'i, I extend our deepest mahalo to our volunteers and all others who are committed to making a difference in the lives of our youth, including the 105,000 girls (ages 5-17) growing up in Hawai'i today.

MOLOKA'I PROPERTIES

WATER CONSERVATION PART OF LA'AU PT. PLAN

Adam T. Kahualaulani Mick's letter ("Not enough water for La'au Pt. development," April 21) was erroneous and misleading.

Someone who lives in Kailua and did not participate in the hundreds of meetings on Moloka'i that resulted in the community-based plan cannot truly understand the situation or what the sentiments of the people of Moloka'i are with regard to the La'au project.

There is tremendous support for the plan on Moloka'i. Unfortunately, a vocal minority has made itself heard over the silent majority.

Mr. Mick's claim that there is not enough water on Moloka'i to support the La'au project is a misrepresentation. A reading of the draft environmental impact statement would reveal that Moloka'i Properties Limited is not proposing to use any additional potable water.

Using modern techniques, La'au is environmentally sensitive. La'au will use nonpotable water taken from brackish wells. These water conservation measures are in the forefront of modern design and forward thinking. By taking these costly measures, the La'au project will have no impact on Moloka'i's current potable water supply.

Moloka'i is not suffering a water shortage. Moloka'i's water has been fought over and used in a noncohesive manner for some time. Moloka'i Properties has committed to a long-term study with the county and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to plan for Moloka'i's water resources.

WAR

IF U.S. LEAVES IRAQ, TERRORISTS WILL THRIVE

Garrison Keillor's column of April 22 ("Hindsight pulling the rug from under the smug") accurately acknowledges history as the arbiter in determining who is right or wrong on issues of national consequence.

In the 1860s, Clement Vallandigham, a Democrat, attempted to stop President Lincoln at every turn in the Civil War. Vallandigham was wrong.

In the 1970s, President Carter allowed a dictatorship to be replaced by a theocracy — our modern day Iran. Carter was wrong.

In the 1980s, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, Democrats, endorsed a unilateral nuclear freeze and opposed deployment of Pershing missiles in Europe. Both wrong.

In fairness, President Truman, a Democrat, chose to drop two atomic bombs. Truman saved thousands of American lives fighting an enemy determined to fight till the death. Note: We still have troops in Japan more than 60 years later.

Presidents Truman and Lincoln taught us that brutality in war can be followed by benevolence in peace. Lincoln destroyed cities and towns and left the Shenandoah Valley a wasteland. Truman's decision to drop the bombs brutally killed innocent civilians. Benevolence followed brutality.

Unfortunately, most Democrats, some Republicans and, yes, President Bush, want to fight a police action rather than a war.

Policing never ends, wars end in victory. War should be avoided at all cost, but when it comes, allow our army to win without fear of persecution.

If we left Iraq today, a home for terrorists bent on killing Americans would thrive.

Mr. Keillor, keep reading, you can ignore these words, but you can't ignore history.

KUPUNA

ENCOURAGE CARE HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

I just don't know where people come from when they try to stifle the growth of care homes. The whole idea is to let our elders age in their communities instead of an institution.

While the Manoa folks say they don't want to ban care homes, the hoops that they proposed in a resolution at the Legislature will all but kill the industry and this popular option for our elders.

As it is, getting a license from the Department of Health is already a task that few will take on. Operating a care home requires someone with enough money to take on substantial remodeling costs to accommodate the elderly and comply with the rules. It also takes a family willing to live with strangers and care for them on a 24/7 basis; another challenge that few will take on.

In order to stay licensed there are more than 70 pages of rules to follow or get fined and possibly have your home closed.

This is truly one of the saddest cases of "NIMBY" (Not In My Back Yard) I've seen. Instead of trying to find ways to accommodate care homes, some seem to be determined to find ways to frustrate the process of opening one, especially if it is in their neighborhood.

What has Manoa got to complain about with seven care homes, when areas like Kalihi and Waipahu have 100?

Wait until your parents get old, and you need to find them a place to age peacefully, enjoyably and with respect.