Why such secrecy and high salaries at UH?

The Sunday Insight article on the University of Hawaii shows why the public should be suspicious of the high salaries paid to members of President Evan Dobelle's administration ("Dangerous Equations," Star-Bulletin, July 6). Thus far he has proven to be a high-priced talker with few accomplishments.

I also was interested in the Sunday "Raising Cane" column by Rob Perez, about the secret $800,000-a-year contract for UH football coach June Jones -- half paid by the university and half by secret contributors. If, for example, a state judge or other official who was a staunch UH football fan, were soliciting funds, there could be a conflict of interest.

Charles E. Frankel

Bring focus of UH back to local community

If even half of the information in the Sunday Insight story about the University of Hawaii and its president, Evan Dobelle, is true, we are long past the time for Dobelle and some of his friends to leave. Do we know the cost of terminating his contract?

When will we learn that rewarding would-be big-wigs from the mainland at the expense of the professors, support staff and the entire student body is not only bad business, but will bring disaster? Surely there are qualified, deserving individuals in Hawaii who could and would do better at reasonable salaries.

I say forget the "world-class university" idea and get back the University of Hawaii as it was when local folks could afford to go there.

If we taxpayers continue to be faced with this and similar situations, many of us will exercise our right of free choice and move elsewhere.

Donald H. Burger
Kailua

Parade ruling wasn't victory for 'all children'

Hawaii Christian Coalition Chairman Garret Hashimoto claims the ruling against allowing gay groups to participate in the Family Day parade is a victory for all children.

What about the children born to lesbian parents? Adopted children with gay parents? Gay children born from straight parents? Are they lesser children than those marching in the parade?

For years, the Christian Coalition has been accusing gays of not having family values. Now when we are also creating families, we are chastised by not being included in a family parade. Was this "family value" agenda just a cover-up? Jesus would never exclude these children from marching along with their brothers and sisters.

I suggest that we look through the eyes of all children. They will be our future. Let's hope they will create and enjoy a world of tolerance, understanding and compassion rather than ignorance and fear. Being gay is not a choice. Gays are born gay, created and blessed by God. I say this through experience.

Steven Leong
Aiea

Beach events attract neighbor islanders

I recently visited Oahu and was there for Father's Day. I am a senior citizen and my father is long since gone, but with my ohana on Oahu I had occasion to visit Brunch on the Beach. I found it to be one of the most delightful experiences that I have had in a long time, so hearing that it may have to be discontinued for lack of city funding was very sad.

I hope that somehow the funding will be renewed and that this lovely occasion will be there for a long time to come. It is, you know, just another incentive for us on other islands to go "holoholo" to Oahu to visit. Thank you.

Judi Roesch
Lihue, Kauai

Keep toxic dioxins out of your diet

The National Academy of Sciences recommended this week that the U.S. government induce young women to reduce their consumption of meat, dairy products and other animal fats to protect their offspring from deadly dioxins. The expert panel also criticized the congressional mandate that schoolchildren drink a glass of whole milk each day.

Dioxin is one of the deadliest toxins known to science. The Environmental Protection Agency attributes more than 36,000 cancer deaths per year, as well as numerous birth defects, to dioxin exposure. Fetuses and breast-feeding infants are especially vulnerable.

In 1983, the entire town of Times Beach, Mo., was razed after discovery of severe dioxin contamination.

Dioxin is a waste product of paper pulp production and waste incineration that contaminates animal forage and waterways. It enters the food chain through consumption of meat and dairy products from animals eating contaminated forage and fish from contaminated waterways.

First came the warnings about cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases, then the obesity epidemic, "Mad Cow" disease, and now this! Isn't it time to replace animal fat and meat in our diet with wholesome, cholesterol and dioxin-free vegetables, fruits and grains?

Laurelee Blanchard

Move noisy, diseased chickens to farms

The Hawaiian Humane Society should be in charge of catching the wild chickens ("Fowled up," Star-Bulletin, June 22).

I used to live in Kalihi and I remember waking up to feral chickens crowing in the middle of the night. Kalihi had a bunch of feral fowl. It was so disturbing and nerve-wracking that I couldn't sleep at all. The crowing was endless.

Not only do feral chickens make a lot of disrupting noise, but they also carry disease, mites and lice. The spread of these little critters could cause an outbreak so uncontrollable that human beings could become infected. Innocent kids who might come across these wild chickens could get hurt or sick.

The Hawaiian Humane Society should have more cages and traps for these feral chickens. Once caught, they should be sent to other places like farms where residents are not disturbed and their gardens don't get destroyed. With fewer nuisances, the problem with wild chickens won't be such an island-wide issue.

Jeannie Fernandez

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What should be done about those triangle-shaped concrete islands created when the city makes two-way streets one way?

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