Killing a pet should be harshly penalized
As a former Hawaii resident, supporter of the Hawaiian Humane Society and reader of the Star-Bulletin online, I was appalled at yesterday's story "
2 nabbed after dog allegedly stolen and eaten." My heart goes out to the Manumas, as I have two Shelties who are our "children." I truly hope these two "men" are jailed and fined as long and as much as possible. If not, Hawaii laws need to be changed further. The suspects appear to have the minds of cavemen and should be afforded nothing. I honestly have a hard time putting my feelings into words! I tried.
Kae Baker
Bellevue, Wash.
Formerly of Hawaii
Legislators, get harder on animal cruelty
I want to express my support for Debbie Weil-Manuma and Frank Manuma for the loss of their beloved pet Caddy. I own two wonderful dogs myself, and I can only imagine how much they are suffering right now. I consider my dogs family members and love them very much.
I would hope that this sends a message to our legislators make stricter animal cruelty laws and punish those individuals who intentionally harm innocent animals such as Caddy.
Roy Yonashiro
Honolulu
Go hunting if you want to kill something
My heart broke reading the story of Caddy, the dog who was stolen and butchered. My sympathy goes to his owners. And even worse, until recently this was only a misdemeanor!
As with other recent cases of animal cruelty (dog fights, pet pigs shot) lawmakers should really think about changing the law to add heavier penalties. Someone's pet, be it a pig, dog, cat, bird or chicken, is like a member of the family.
One can't be that hungry to justify killing a pet. Civilized people do not kill pets. We have forest for that purpose -- so go on to the mountains and satisfy your killing needs.
Rosita Sipirok-Siregar
Makakilo<
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Better technology can help us get around
The people of Honolulu have benefited from new technology. We can now move electronic documents thousands of miles in one click of a mouse, where previously it took days to send by mail. We can talk to anyone around the globe via mobile phone. Videoconferencing allows us to participate in meetings in New York, Chicago or San Francisco while in our Hawaii offices.
But we can't move ourselves around efficiently. A 20-minute drive now takes 45 minutes in traffic. And parking has become scarce and expensive in the heart of town.
We need a better technology to get around. The answer is building a modern, efficient light rail system like many other world-class cities. Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Denver, Houston and many other cities have already done so. It's time to get on board the train. It's time to build the transit system.
Ronn Serikawa
Kailua
Students learn ups and downs of market
We would like to thank the Star-Bulletin for publishing the weekly
Hawaii Stock Market Simulation results.
We also would like to thank Tung Chan, commissioner of securities, Theresa Anne Kong Kee, investor education specialist, and state Rep. John Mizuno, who visited our classroom to give us their investment advice and to support the Hawaii Stock Market Simulation along with the Hawaii Council on Economic Education.
We learned that the stock market has many stocks that can either make money or lose money. Our team did not do well, so our teacher invited some guest speakers who helped us with some investment advice. Maybe we will do better in the next session.
Thank you to the Star-Bulletin, the Hawaii Council on Economic Education and the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Business Registration Division for their support of the Hawaii Stock Market Simulation.
Branden Agustin Tony Carter
Team Hello
Farrington High School
We can grow our own fuel in Hawaii
With the announcement that there might be a climate conference here in Honolulu, I was wondering what our Washington representatives have to say about the lack of fossil fuel alternatives right here in the islands. We have killed off our sugar cane plantations, and Brazil is cultivating sugar cane for ethanol production. Most of the vehicular fleet in Brazil runs on ethanol.
Ethanol from sugar cane is much cheaper to produce than from corn or other biofuel sources since one doesn't have to tackle the celluloids. We could be independent of fossil fuels right here in Hawaii. There is no excuse for us not growing our own fuel supply.
Johannes Bendtz
Honolulu
Drunken driver wasn't a paragon of virtue
I am tired of people telling us, reading and seeing stories about how great Lisa Matsumoto was (
"Matsumoto was drunk during fatal car accident," Star-Bulletin, Dec. 18), almost to the discredit of the other woman going the right way down the H-1 who was seriously injured and whose life has been changed forever.
Matsumoto was smashed and driving the wrong way on the H-1. No honor at all for this woman, only shame.
Ronald A. Young
Waianae