Honolulu still has good orchestra

Hey, Honolulu! We still have an orchestra!

It’s called the Hawaii Youth Symphony, and it is wonderful.

I attended a concert on Dec. 5. The sound that came from these young musicians was on par with some of the best orchestras I have heard. A wonderful piano recital really brought down the house that evening, and the older students were equal to anything I have heard professionally.

I urge all to support and attend the Hawaii Youth Symphony. Those of us who love classical music feel the loss of the Honolulu Symphony, but we have a bright future supporting our local student musicians.

First responders owed big mahalo

I want to express my sincerest thanks to all the wonderful men and women of the first-response teams, especially the firefighters and EMS personnel who came to the aid of my mom when she recently suffered a stroke. They were totally professional and caring and eased my mind in a tough situation. Also, my deepest mahalo to the Queen’s Medical Center doctors and nurses without whose care I may have lost my mom.

May God bless all of you!

Obesity is only rarely a disease

In a recent commentary, "The McVictim Syndrome," the author made some good points regarding obesity (Star-Advertiser, Dec. 13). However, the medical field has to share some blame. I work in this profession.

We have classified obesity as a disease. There is a percentage of the population that is genetically predisposed to being obese, but for the other 95 percent, there is no excuse. No one held a gun to their head and said, "Eat!" or "Don’t exercise." They chose to be obese.

We are trained to treat all patients with kindness, respect and dignity. Unfortunately, some people just don’t get it. Whenever a 300-plus-pound patient complains about back, hip and knee pain, I have to bite my tongue. I wish I could say, "Stand in front of a full-length mirror naked. That’s your problem."

At current projections, America will spend in excess of $150 billion over the next 20 years for treating obesity and its related diseases.

The medical field needs to be frank and honest. Sometimes the truth hurts.

Diplomat helped Pacific Islanders

Richard Holbrooke was not well known in the Pacific Islands region, but he was one of the best friends the islanders never knew they had.

In the late 1970s, as more island territories were gaining independence, Holbrooke as assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific developed a policy of positive U.S. engagement with the newly independent states.

He set up a separate Pacific Islands desk at the State Department headed by Ambassador Bill Bodde, gave his support to termination of the Micronesian Trusteeship, and relinquished U.S. claims to the Line and Phoenix Islands. He partnered with Australia and New Zealand to promote increased aid to the newly independent countries.

He was a true friend to the Pacific Islands region.

Nepotism could be broader issue

In response to Henry Lau ("Investigate all charter schools," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 14), the recent discovery of possible nepotism at one charter school in Hawaii does create the appearance of possible abuse throughout the system and therefore does suggest the possible merit of investigation. But lest a double standard is created, I suggest that practices in all areas of state government, including the rest of the Department of Education and Board of Education, be brought under scrutiny. I, for one, am curious as to the Legislature’s rationale in flatly rejecting the state Ethics Commission’s request for legislation preventing state employees from appointing or hiring relatives to public jobs.

Kudos to Akaka for fighting DADT

Congratulations to U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka for sponsoring legislation to end the destructive "Don’t ask, don’t tell" policy.

Akaka believes that the current policy not only discriminates against gays and lesbians but undermines our military effectiveness by senselessly disqualifying competent, trained and valuable persons who have served our country with distinction.

His prompt action underscores the difference between him and probable challenger Linda Lingle who, given her disgraceful veto of House Bill 444, would possibly have followed the shameful GOP opposition to this civil rights issue.

Let’s see mockup of a rail station

Bravo to Kioni Dudley and others for the Island Voices commentary on what a huge mistake the rail project will be ("Current rail plans rife with problems," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 13). Add my name to the list of signers supporting their views. I call for a plywood mockup of a section of the Honolulu rail, with a football-field-size station, to be built for all the public to view. Then let’s take another vote. This would be prudent, especially in light of the recent cost study that shows projected costs estimated to rise to $7 billion, if not more.

Current rail plan appears to be financially unsound

Mayor Peter Carlisle is now saying he is reviewing the state’s financial analysis after initially proclaiming the report "biased and an appalling waste of taxpayer money."

He also stated that the findings of the state study "are contrary to independent financial reviews conducted by the Federal Transit Administration which say the project’s financial plan is sound."

The state’s report clearly points out that the FTA’s Independent financial consultant, Jacobs Consultants, raised similar concerns in its assessment:

"First, it is questionable whether the city can afford the growth in subsidies presented in this financial plan, which require a higher portion of the general fund and highway fund revenues than has historically been the case. Second, the subsidies could be yet higher due to optimistic assumptions regarding operating cost growth for all services. Third, the projected cash balances of the public transportation system fund, inferred from current cash plus investments and the forecasted balanced budget, fall below the (standard) that would be needed to support a higher rating. Finally, there is some prospect that the project’s O&M costs could be understated …"

The question is not rail or no rail, but what rail can we afford? Hopefully, the mayor will consider the cost and the size of the debt that he intends to place on the people of this county in his blind pursuit of a project that by all indications is not financially sound.