Earth is in bad shape because of air pollution
The increase in cars is one of the major causes of air pollution. The gases that are produced by the cars are wearing down the ozone layer. If the ozone layer disappears, we will have to start wearing lots of clothing, because we will get skin cancer from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Without the ozone layer the sun would also be much hotter than usual. It would fry us like bacon in a frying pan.At this very moment, people are polluting everywhere, contributing to the thick blanket of pollution covering the entire planet. The thick blanket traps the heat from the sun, much like a greenhouse. The heat from this greenhouse effect is already starting to melt the ice from the poles, which will eventually flood cities everywhere.
We can all help by using car pools and thinking about making light rails or satellite cities.
Sam Lee
Age 11
Taxes should be raised on empty hotel rooms
What would Adam Smith say about the causes of Hawaii's economic plight? Would he propose as a "fix" replacing the existing 6 percent room tax, which is now added to the present sky-high nightly hotel room charges, with an even higher room tax?I think not. What kind of an idiot would propose such quackery?
To fill those 10,000 existing Waikiki rooms that are going empty every night, the state should, instead of taxing rented rooms, tax empty rooms.
Nearly 100 percent occupancy in the near future is possible with the correct incentives aimed at the hotel owners and operators. By establishing a fair scale of room rates that the market can bear, the occupancy will rise immediately and hotel operators would thereby avoid paying the "empty room tax."
As a result of the full rooms, the entire state economy would benefit by there being 20,000 more people in Waikiki every day spending millions buying tours, meals, souvenirs, etc.
Will the wealthy hotel special-interests connected to the House speaker allow him to support such an "empty hotel room tax," which would clearly benefit the entire business community and whole state economy instead of the present "rented hotel room tax" scheme, which so obviously only benefits a few multi-millionaire hotel property owners and operators?
Robert Rodman
'Learning Farm' results in harvest of humanity
Your May 12 article on the "Learning Farm" (Hoa aina 'o Makaha) was very inspirational. I was especially impressed by Gigi Cocquio, the former Catholic priest. He is an extraordinary man, whose deep spirituality shows through in his love for the land and the children of Makaha.At a time of economic hardship, and a growing gap between the haves and have-nots, this is an example of what people can do sharing a sense of aloha.
The vision of Gigi Cocquio should encourage each of us to do our part in making Hawaii a better place in which to live. If we can do this, Hawaii could lead the world toward a transfigured humanity, where the disgrace of poverty and injustice can be overcome.
Bob W. St. Sure
Waikiki residents know what they want from center
Regarding your March 25 editorial, the holding up of funds by Sens. Carol Fukunaga and Rosalyn Baker for the Hawaii Convention Center had nothing to do with, as you put it, "unrealistic demands" of the community.The demands, signed by the governor, are those of the environmental impact statement and state laws, which to date convention center officials have not followed.
The "few hundred neighbors," whom you stated were "not clear what it would take to satisfy them," have always been crystal clear: Follow the traffic concerns in the EIS and listen to your own experts who proved that roof-top noise at the center would exceed the law.
Oh, and by the way, make that a few thousand unhappy neighbors, not a few hundred.
Bobbie Jennings
More scholarships are needed for youth
Every year, many deserving seniors graduate devoid of hope. They spend four years maintaining excellent grades, participating in clubs and athletics, and serving the community. They spend countless hours filling out scholarship applications, then wait.Disappointment mounts as the rejection letters roll in. Depression sets in, hope is lost and another great mind, another ingenious invention, is lost forever. This scenario has become all too familiar as the shortage of scholarships increases.
As a finalist in the Honored Scholar Program of the National Alliance for Excellence, I speak on the behalf of all students who strive for excellence. It must be made clear to corporations, as well as to the general public, that more merit-based scholarships need to be made available to our students.
To repair our economy, we must first invest in our children, who will assume the roles of responsibility 20 years from now.
I wish to especially commend the Honolulu Star-Bulletin for its sponsorship and support of the Sterling Scholar competition. With its help, 65 of the finest students in Hawaii are recognized for their outstanding achievements annually.
Nelson Ye
Fashion show helped foster kids program
Why is it that good news is rarely featured in our newspapers? Every day, hundreds of community volunteers help make Hawaii a better place through their efforts.For example, on April 25, a young woman named Michelle Wong staged a fashion show to benefit the Friends of Foster Kids, a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of foster children by funding needs and services not covered by foster board payments.
Michelle heard about FOFK and decided to help by using her modeling agency, Storm Models Inc., and enlisting sponsors to supply the fashions and venue for this event at Alii Brewing, called "For Da Kids." Many of the talented young models were not much older than some of the kids they were helping.
Michelle, Alika Winter (owner of Soljah Clothing) and Duke Ah Moo (chief operating officer of Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts) came up with the idea. All three are 1989 graduates of Punahou School.
If more people would take the initiative to get involved like these exemplary young people, instead of waiting for the government to solve our problems, we might see some positive change in Hawaii.
Betty Kamida
Dan Barretto
Friends of Foster Kids
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