Pele should save lava to pour at Saddam

As a former longtime Hawaii resident, I nearly fell off my chair the other night when TV news mentioned that Madame Pele, the Hawaii volcano goddess, finally got "mad" and sent an angry river of molten lava out to sea heading for Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaida.

I'd like to ask Madame Pele to please save some of this angry molten lava for Iraq, should it be found that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 terrorist attack on America.

Franklin Kam

Elizabeth City, N.C.

Bill opponent works for plastic-bottle maker

Linda Smith's letter ("Curbside recycling more sensible," Star-Bulletin, July 25) should be read with a grain of salt.

Smith is manager of Pacific Allied Products, a manufacturer of plastic bottles. She testified before the state Legislature in opposition to the bottle bill, saying that we should burn the plastic, not recycle it. No surprise, coming from someone who benefits from manufacturing new bottles.

Smith wrote that curbside recycling would be better than the time-tested bottle bill. Such a program would augment the bottle bill nicely, but it is no proxy.

Curbside recycling would do nothing to address our litter problem and tourists have no curbs. New York City, in fact, has abandoned its curbside pickup for certain beverage containers, but continues to embrace its bottle bill.

With results like smaller landfills, less litter and new industry, it's no wonder that no state has ever repealed a bottle bill.

Nikki Love

Human errors don't devalue life

In criticizing recent drowning victims for not obeying warning signs (Letters, Star-Bulletin, July 29), Miriam L. Gans states that she is not naturally a callous person.

Perhaps not, but the tone of her letter seemed to me a little condescending.

We human beings are all less than perfect and we all make mistakes.

Sometimes we pay for our mistakes with our lives. Mistakes, even seemingly foolish mistakes, do not diminish the tragedy or the value of lost human lives.

Good judgment can prevent accidents and save lives. But good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from errors in judgment. Most of us learn from others' mistakes. We should consider ourselves fortunate and "judge not, lest we be judged."

I have spent the larger portion of my life in the public safety profession. I have had the great privilege of participating in rescues and have helped save lives. There is no more fulfilling or meaningful experience. I also have been rescued once or twice.

There is no more appropriate or worthwhile expense of public money than to save or safeguard human lives. Even so-called avoidable or preventable rescues have value in providing experience, training and helping to develop rescue resources that otherwise might not be there for us when we need them. Every rescue has value because every human life is precious and irreplaceable.

Gary F. Anderson

Lingle poised to act while others only react

Kudos to Linda Lingle for her publication, "A New Beginning for Hawaii." At a time where accountability is something very few politicians understand, at least we have one candidate for governor willing to detail, in writing, what her plan is.

Only time will tell whether this plan is workable in this state. But if she is elected, we will have written evidence of her promises after four years in office. I don't know of any other candidate, Democratic or Republican, who is willing to take a risk like this.

Of course some opponents will use state money and resources to critique every letter of every word in the agenda, and some will ask for Linda's response on the radio, but not face to face. Some will sit quietly and mumble, safely behind their koa desks.

Reaction is and has been the norm in Hawaii, but it's action that's needed to be a truly effective leader. There's only one gubernatorial candidate who's willing to take action, and not react. That just happens to be the one with the agenda.

Thomas Haae

Kapolei

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