Exercise care to avoid Moby Dick in Hawaii
The recent report of a pilot whale ramming a 40-foot sailboat as the boat approached a pod of whales is unusual but not without precedent (
Star-Bulletin, July 29). In 1819 the Essex, a whaling ship out of Nantucket, was stove by a sperm whale several thousand miles southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. In Nathaniel Philbrick's recent best-seller, "In the Heart of the Sea," the first mate describes the attack: "He came directly from the shoal which we had just before entered and in which we had struck three of his companions, as if fired with revenge for their sufferings."
Skipper Nick Barran's comment of Friday's attack was uncannily similar: "It was not an accident; it was a purposeful, protective strike."
Considering that whale-watching is popular here, caution is advised even though such contemporary vessels do not engage in the provocative harpooning acts of the Essex's crew.
Michael Bornemann
Hawaii Kai
Lingle helps those who want to come home
Has it occurred to Linda Lingle's Democratic opponents who describe her re-election coffers as "obscene" (
Star-Bulletin, July 29) that there are hundreds or thousands of Hawaii residents on the mainland who have had to move out of Hawaii in order to get jobs and fair compensation to earn a decent living to support their families? And it's those Hawaii ex-pats who are supporting her. No wonder she has nearly $6 million! She deserves all the support she is getting.
There are huge Hawaii clubs in Texas, California, New York and other places all over the mainland. Many Hawaiians yearn to come back home to the islands but can't until there is an appropriate reason to raise their families here.
It's a crime what the entrenched Democrats have done to business in Hawaii during the past four to six decades.
This constant mud-slinging by her opponents is just another indication of why I won't be voting for any of them.
Bill Martin
Kurtistown, Hawaii
We must be careful about unwanted fires
It's sizzling hot. Now is the season again to be extra careful about fire. Our fire management officials must establish a solid and careful equation between unwanted fires and allowing the useful characteristics of fire under favorable conditions.
Whether a fire is ignited spontaneously or started by a human being, it can really pose catastrophic damage to our resources, properties and loss of lives as well. It is potentially very destructive, but on the other hand, we should fully recognize the useful characteristics of a fire that is responsible in sustaining and preserving the beauty of our natural resources.
Fire is powerful. Let's make it a goal to prevent, protect, suppress and preserve our land, communities and properties from unwanted fires.
Felino B. Damo
Waianae
Kapahulu bus route would be popular
After reading about the new Safeway planned for Kapahulu Avenue and the associated bugaboo of "traffic," the same old thought came to my mind: Why don't we have a bus route running along Kapahulu Avenue? It's not for lack of potential riders, as I see hundreds of university students streaming down to the beach every day, and the new shops should bring in a considerable number of people.
It is time to consider a new bus route to alleviate the coming traffic woes. Perhaps it is also time to reconsider the automobile-centered approach to transit on Kapahulu Avenue.
Justin Hahn
Honolulu
Thieves take mother's final gift to daughter
My family left Oahu Saturday evening after a wonderful week of sun, fun and creating warm island memories. Six hours before our plane departed, we drove to the North Shore. While visiting Ehukai Beach Park and looking at Pipeline, our locked van was robbed. We were no more than 40 feet away, and it all happened in 48 seconds.
Two things brought us all to tears: a week's worth of photographic memories on a digital memory card and the loss of an inexpensive gold necklace with a round Chinese pendant bearing the symbol for longevity. The necklace belonged to my 16-year-old niece, who inherited it from her mother, who died in May. She left the sentimental gift in the locked van in her hidden purse rather than chance losing it on the beach.
We would gladly pay a reward for the return of the necklace. We lost four backpacks and two handbags filled with identification, travel documents, memories and treasures of little interest to even the lowest of thieves. We fear the bags were thrown by the wayside between Sunset Beach and Haleiwa.
We pray that the wonderful people of the North Shore will contact the District 2 police if they discover discarded backpacks, purses or beach bags.
Laurie Paternoster
El Paso, Texas