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Letters
to the Editor

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Saturday, December 16, 2000

Microalgae dispute is unfortunate

The problems between Cyanotech and Aquasearch regarding astaxanthin production patents are a sorry paradigm for business in Hawaii (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 6).

This state is blessed with a nearly perfect environment and, in the case of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii where the two companies are quartered, NELHA has a good location and infrastructure for the pursuit of sciences and spinoff technologies that have much promise for Hawaii's future.

The experimental work of both companies, as well as the other companies nurtured by NELHA, should be directed toward cooperation and bringing profitable products to market with little risk of intellectual property litigation.

If the two parties can agree to a settlement, with each of them producing the microalgae instead of spending thousands of dollars on legal fees to fight over patent rights, we might all be the beneficiaries of Hawaii's so-called commitment to high-technology business development.

Ours is a wonderful state for many types of aquacultural, terrestial and planetary research. It's sad to see energy spent over improprieties and greed when we've all been taxpaying partners in the development of NELHA.

Richard Duggan

Quotables "I was furious. They laid it out; he walked away." Frenchy DeSoto FORMER OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TRUSTEE Angry about how Maj. Gen. James Dubik, commander of the 25th Infantry Division, and his staff delivered a report to the Waianae community informing them that live-fire training will continue in Makua Valley. Those attending the meeting were not given a chance to comment. "Brush, Floss and Eat Your Wasabi." Hideki Masuda DIRECTOR OF MATERIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES AT OGAWA & CO. LTD. IN JAPAN Title of his talk at the Honolulu meeting of the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, extolling the virtues of the green horseradish as a cavity-fighting dentifrice. Masuda said he'd like to see a wasabi-based toothpaste.

Public can testify in favor of coral reef protection

The people of Hawaii have been given the rare opportunity to make a huge public statement about our respect and concern for the protection of the fragile coral reef ecosystem in our Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

President Clinton has designated the pristine atoll area to be a reserve.

We all know that it is far too late to make a difference in our main Hawaiian islands -- with its overfishing and extreme golf course herbicide/pesticide residues, raw sewage spills, leaking dry-cleaning chemicals, dumping of spoiled milk products, polluted drainage ditches, discharge from construction outflow, seawalls and sand alteration projects, and military nuclear waste all ending up in our surrounding coastal waters.

Our children can certainly look forward to seeing more honu (turtles) with tumors, dying monk seals, marine debris, strip-mining of precious corals, endangered native species, diseased reef fish, dredging for harbors, and a decline in the already limited living coral reefs here.

So why not take a moment to voice your support of protecting these yet untouched Northwestern Hawaiian Islands before it is too late?

Public comments will be accepted until Jan. 8 at hawaiicomments@noaa.gov .

Karyn Herrmann

Hawaii Kai board considers community needs

In her Dec. 9 letter, Bernadette Gruzinsky criticized the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board for voting to approve the proposed cemetery in Kamilonui Valley in spite of objections from the residents of Mariner's Cove.

What she and others fail to realize is that the board represents all of Hawaii Kai. We must weigh the wishes of one small area against the needs of the entire community. And that is what we did.

Based on my conversations with constituents, most of the people in Hawaii Kai favor the cemetery. We are an aging community, and many of us will need a burial site before too many years. It would be nice as we age not have to drive too far to visit our family.

Many opinions were offered by those opposed to the cemetery. Most of those were emotional and not based on fact. Some thought it would lower their property values, although no evidence was offered in support; others just didn't want to live near a cemetery. In fact, testimony was given that property values were not hurt by existing cemeteries.

The board cannot make decisions based on emotional, nonfactual testimony. The property owner also has a right to develop his property, as long as all legal requirements are met.

Finally, Mariner's Cove will not border the cemetery. The closest house is almost a half mile away.

I have served almost 10 years on the board. Whenever any new development is proposed, the NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yards) are out in force. If the board and City Council gave in to them every time, we would have a lot less development, and Hawaii Kai would be a less desirable place in which to live.

We would not have the Towne Center and Costco, and many of Hawaii Kai's residents would not be living here now.

Bob Speck
Member,
Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board

Cemeteries are beautiful, peaceful places

I am a resident of Hawaii Kai, having moved here from Las Vegas more than four years ago. It is my permanent home because it is so beautiful.

I cannot understand the concerns of the few Hawaii Kai residents who have complained or opposed the development of a cemetery. It would be such a magnificent and necessary addition to our planned community.

The elegance of the cemeteries on Oahu is impressive. Each is, in essence, a peaceful and majestic park.

I love Hawaii. I love Hawaii Kai. Why can't I spend eternity in this special, beautiful environment?

Leslie Morris

Star-Bulletin should become more conservative

Almost half the total voters of Hawaii, in the gubernatorial election two years ago and in the last general election in November, have shown themselves to be moderate conservatives.

Yet they have no voice in the print media in Hawaii and have had none since the old Star-Bulletin under Joe Farrington.

That's why conservatives are really interested in finding out about the political leanings of your paper's soon-to-be new owner, David Black. Will the Star-Bulletin be nothing but the same shadow of itself, a mild copy of the morning paper or champion the other side of the story? That is the question.

If it turns out that Black is a conservative and his newspaper reflects a fair and balanced editorial stance, something that has been missing in Hawaii for years, I would predict the Star-Bulletin's circulation to double in a very short time.

Then Hawaii will have a chance of coming out of the recession it has been in for years and will once again be a place we can be proud of.

It will no longer be a place in which its students score the lowest and government union bosses, not the voters, run the state.

Don McDiarmid Jr.
Kailua

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Bulletin closing archive

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U.S. Supreme Court usurped election

Justice Scalia explained that the U.S. Supreme Court halted Florida's recount because "count first and rule upon legality second is not a recipe for producing election results that have public acceptance that democratic stability requires."

However, the court's actions of stopping the recount and delaying the prescription of a remedy to the last second became the recipe that cooked Gore's goose.

The Supreme Court's fatally delayed prescription of a remedy lacked the very ingredients of due process and equal protection that it claimed Florida's Supreme Court decision lacked.

The cause of "democratic stabilty" was not served by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Richard Y. Will

Irreparable damage was done to Constitution

The U.S. Supreme Court, in one fell swoop, destroyed the right to vote and set the Constitution back 226 years.

Edwin Veriato
Mililani

Bush's opponents should fight on

Mr. Bush has no real power. Real power comes from a place of honesty and integrity and love. It embraces, heals, is not destructive and is all-encompassing. The more this is true, the greater the power.

Without real power as his foundation, he has only pseudo power that others such as the Supreme Court place in him. I personally will not allow him to:

Do damage to our Earth, motivated by corporate greed.
Remove any of the benefits or rights secured by women or those with low income.
Force his belief system upon children.
Attack or minimize any segment of society, inclusive of homosexuals.
Do damage to this country's economic improvements.
Destroy relations with any country or any aspect of our world.

I hope that thousands of disenfranchised voters in Florida and throughout the country will not get discouraged, and that the tragic outcome of this election will not destroy any spirits, but ignite them.

Jon-Paul Chevalier

Baker helped Bush reach White House

Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court has terminated the flawed recount verdict of the Florida Supreme Court, thus ensuring the presidential victory for George W. Bush.

Bush's ace in the hole was James Baker, former U.S. secretary of state. He displayed impeccable savoir-faire, undisputed knowledge of constitutional law, and class. He was Bush's only legal advisor to appear before the media over the past few weeks, and he was a joy to behold.

Baker was always a gentleman. He spoke in clear, concise and logical sentences with absolutely no spin.

The American people also deserve praise because of their patience and tolerance throughout this devastating legal ordeal.

I believe that George W. Bush will surround himself with high-caliber people such as Baker who will advise him throughout his administration.

Good fortune to you, Mr. President-elect!

Robert M. Lowe

Gore has good chance to triumph in 2004

Al Gore lost, but George W. Bush did not win. Bush won because of the father-son mystique. Gore lost because of the "Clinton fatigue."

But fear not, Al. You will easily be elected come 2004 since, by then, this country will be overly fatigued by George W.

T. Ono
Hilo

Bush still has that fighter pilot attitude

I was disappointed to read in your Nov. 7 online edition that, at a Democratic political rally in Hilo, Sen. Dan Inouye "blasted" George W. Bush on his service with the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. Maybe Inouye would be interested in comments made by retired Air Force Col. Thomas G. Lockhart regarding Bush, in the Nov. 5 letter in the Orlando Sentinel:

"I was...one of his instructor pilots...Bush put himself totally into the task of becoming the best aviator in the class. His unit flew Century Series jet fighters, which required the best pilots...Bush appeared to have that fighter pilot attitude from our first meeting... My personal bottom line used to be: Would you follow this person into combat? I'm a bit old now for combat, but I respect George W. Bush's leadership abilities and would follow him anywhere."

Rather a stark contrast to Inouye's current White House buddy and current commander-in-chief, the draft-dodging Bill Clinton.

Fred Rohlfing
Captain, U.S. Navy Reserve (Ret.)
Kula, Maui

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