Ex-FBI clerk deserved harsher punishment

The sentencing of an ex-FBI clerk who tapped into secure databases to warn her drug-dealing husband was unbelievable. Federal Judge David Ezra stated, "The court must send not only the right message to her but to the community that this type of behavior is unacceptable."

What is clearly unacceptable is Judge Ezra's sentencing of her to four months in prison, two months home confinement, three years probation and a whopping $100 fine. The only message here is that if you commit a serious crime and get a bleeding heart judge like Ezra you can almost skate away scot-free.

Where is the justice in that?

People can be trusted with referendum

The Star-Bulletin's Aug. 10 editorial, "Court right to reject tax referendum," leaves one with the impression that the people in Hawaii for some reason do not have the intelligence to hold referendums to force government to do what is right for the people. If our politicians listened to the people and were in essence "benevolent dictators," then that might be true. My property taxes increased 65 percent in the 2007-2008 tax year. My tax went up $904 in one year.

My representative, Councilman Todd Apo, told me the county needed my money -- more than I do, I suppose. If, according to the Star-Bulletin, representative government should dictate to the people what our taxes should be and the right to referendum by the people is something the people are not capable of handling, then we are doomed to a government that will take our money when it feels it needs it more than we do. Oh, they just did.

Rapid urbanization afflicts our Hawaii

The chronicles of the state will tell you that Hawaii is not the Hawaii that was 30 years ago.

It's not the Hawaii that was 20 years ago, and it's even not the Hawaii that was 10 years ago. There is less and less space where you can observe and enjoy the natural beauty of the unique islands.

What's the reason? The answer is simple: Hawaii is too rapidly affected by the urbanization process. Every year there are more and more skyscrapers hiding the sun, there are more and more cars flooding the streets and there is more and more concrete covering everything on the islands except for artificial grass plots.

Urbanization kills the real nature and creates an artificial world. It will be one of the biggest problems of the 21st century.

We didn't inherit this planet from our forefathers; we borrowed it from our children. If we want to give them bright futures, we must stop the rapid urbanization.

Critics of military just sound jealous

I've read some letters that are fairly out there, but the last couple about how military personnel get an unfair helping hand to buy a house were just a big giant slap in the face. If you are so jealous then why don't you get a better paying job and buy a nicer house instead of just complaining about it?

In response to Justin Hahn's letter Aug. 10, I'm just going to chalk that up to the general ignorance and immaturity typical of high school and college students. I don't know where he gets his statistic that only .002 percent of military people have seen combat, but I'm sure that not only myself but the tens of thousands of troops currently in Iraq and Afghanistan and the surrounding areas would disagree with him and love the opportunity to change his views.

Thanks, Bette, for scrubbing the scrub

Bette Midler "grubbed and graded" her lot on Kauai without a permit and was hit with a $6,500 fine (Star-Bulletin, Aug. 21). Is that change from the bottom of her purse?

But, gee, Bette, removing those non-indigenous scrub trees along with native species? Mahalo dear.

Let people vote on building rail system

Please, Mr Mayor. Talk to us! Why have we not been allowed to vote on the railroad from nowhere to nowhere?

What will it do to traffic for the next five years? What will happen if earthquakes or terrorists take out a section of the elevated track?

Meanwhile, our fine bus system is being ruined by taking out bus stops and cutting down on the number of buses, so they run overcrowded during all rush hours.

If we spend billions on your elevated light rail system, how are we going to take care of our immediate sewer, parking and traffic problems? Can we have a few answers?

Pint-sized singer captures the joys of childhood

A precocious and very talented 6-year-old girl, whose permanent teeth had not yet set in, took the stage of a popular television program called "Britain's Got Talent" and blew away the competition.

Connie Talbot is less than 3-feet tall with long straight hair and a smile that could melt a glacier. She bounced onto the stage before the delighted eyes of hundreds of people. Before she even sang a note, the sight of her standing alone so boldly before a panel of adult judges and holding a microphone that seemed outsized in her little hands, caused a murmur of surprise and rapture.

The audience was charmed by her innocent responses to the judges' questions. When she began to sing everyone held their breaths and as each note rang in almost perfect pitch, one after the other, the tension soared for fear that she might falter. Finally, there were tears, laughter and applause when the last note was sung as sweetly as the first.

What happened? What was so remarkable about her performance? Sure, she was talented; she could sing well indeed, but her voice was naturally sweetened by the lilt of her childhood. She was adorable and lovable, huggable and kissable. She was everyone's child. She had won before she had even begun to sing, for her voice did not and could not have had the finesse, the maturity, the polish and skill of a seasoned singer.

She won by winning the hearts of her audiences, not as much by her talent as by her childhood.

Thank you, Connie, for reminding us of the blessing of having children. Your parents' pride and tears of joy requite the so-called difficulties of parenthood. Somehow we had forgotten that the joy of children is its own reward and that that reward is beyond compare.

Connie's performance, and more importantly, that of the spectating adults, can be seen on YouTube. Go there if you dare to endure tears of joy.