Perhaps trustees should look up 'fiduciary'
Judge Samuel King said of the Bishop Estate trustees, "I doubt if they know how to spell the word fiduciary." Even a septuagenarian such as myself knows that the spelling of a word is not critical.A computer's spell checker can handle that. And there's often software to correct our grammatical errors. But understanding and identifying with the words like "fiduciary," "trust," "confidence" and "straight shooter" is the important thing.
A trustee who genuinely has this understanding shouldn't have any problems.
Herb Robisch
Kailua
(Via the Internet)
Lindsey's defense proves she's way out of touch
As if we needed any more proof of Lokelani Lindsey's arrogance and contempt, the analogy that popped into her mind when defending her actions was revealing: "Employees of the Coca-Cola company do not determine how many bottles of Coca-Cola must be produced each year. That's a management decision."The revered authors of both "Broken Trust" essays wrote hundreds of pages to thoughtfully and eloquently express their concerns. And, in just two sentences, Trustee Lindsey confirmed everything they wrote about and just how drastically out-of-touch she remains, while managing to insult both the teachers and students of this proud institution.
True, Kamehamehas School teachers are concerned about quality more than quantity. But the ingredients they must balance on a daily basis to assure quality are as important to Kamehameha Schools' success as the coveted Coca-Cola formula.
If the trustees are concerned only with "how many," and see students merely as empty bottles to be filled by mechanized teachers, then they will continue to miss the mark.
Perhaps it's no coincidence that Lindsey's press release was issued on Turkey Day.
Margaret S. Black
Bishop Estate Archive
Aki should not serve in Legislature anymore
In spite of Sen. James Aki's age, political experience and the education he has obtained, he either suffers from a severe case of naivete, is totally ignorant or is, in fact, a criminal.None of these three character traits is suitable for one charged with being a lawmaker.
Out, out, out!
Don Neill
(Via the Internet)
Being so reliant on tourism is dangerous for economy
Thinking about how Hawaii is currently doing, I remembered a billboard that was up near the airport in Seattle during the "crash" times in the early 1970s. The billboard said, "Last one to leave turn the lights out."I hope we can recover from our reliance on a single industry (Seattle had Boeing) before we get to that stage.
Lance Bateman
Voters continue to be fooled by politicians
Larry Johnson's admitted intent to purchase influence is just a symptom of the real problem: the enormous power we have turned over to politicians, of all people. Ever larger bids for political favors give us accurate appraisals of that increasing power.Politicians will use whatever power is available no matter who influences them. Since the electorate consists of thousands of voters with conflicting desires, most are bound to be disappointed with the result.
Yet even when politicians openly state their intent to expand government powers, making contradictory promises to give everybody whatever they want, we continue to vote for them in the childlike hope that somehow, someone will be elected who will favor us with their power.
Lane Yoder
Kaneohe
(Via the Internet)
Why should we care if inmates are happy?
Something needs to be done about the overcrowding of Hawaii prisons that has caused our state to ship hundreds of inmates to Texas prisons. Because Hawaii inmates have more space, are kept occupied during the day and are treated better in the Texas institutions, most of them like it better there (Star-Bulletin, Nov. 24-27).But why we are so concerned about the wants and likes of the Hawaii prisoners? Has anyone ever stopped to think about why these people are in prison?
Obviously, they must have committed some sort of crime.
The state should not be concerned with pleasing the prisoners. If I were a homeless person, not satisfied with my life, all I would have to do is commit a crime and I would receive three adequate meals a day and a place to sleep.
By bettering prisons, are we not, in a way, encouraging crime?
Raimi Ishikawa
Mililani
(Via the Internet)
UH performed well in football, basketball
Wow! I mean, W-O-W! What a great game Saturday. But for one error in the first 15 seconds, the University of Hawaii vs. Notre Dame football game was all UH!If I could change anything, it would have been the first 15 seconds and the last 10 seconds of this game.
All the coaches and players should stand tall in light of the performance they were able to produce against a perennial national powerhouse.
Coach Fred vonAppen should be proud of the way his team presented itself. No cheap shots, no unsportsmanlike conduct, just pure pride and aloha spirit. I must admit, though, that I felt a twinge of glee as I saw Notre Dame begging for calls from the officials.
Now add this to the UH basketball team's beating - no, make that stomping - of Indiana and Bobby Knight on Friday night.
The only true downer for UH this past weekend was Na Wahine losing the WAC volleyball title to (ugh) BYU. No need worry though because, all told, this was a great weekend for UH athletics.
Hugh Yoshida and company should be very proud.
Jim Duff
(Via the Internet)
Bishop Estate Archive
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