Lack of a flyover was perplexing

It’s amazing that our government can afford to spend millions of dollars and fly several planes on an 8,000- mile round trip for the funeral of Nelson Mandela — but cannot spend the dollars needed to fly the "missing man formation" at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 to honor those who gave their lives there 72 years ago.

George Montague
Kaneohe

Shapiro column was uplifting

Thank you for David Shapiro’s sweet eulogy of his mother-in-law ("Smiles followed wherever mom brought her songs," Star- Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, Dec. 8). It reminded me of what is important in this life and in this time: laughter, song, love.

We should all have colorful clothespins!

Gillian Burgess
Diamond Head

Cleanup workers must follow rules

I applaud those organizations and companies that "adopt a highway" to keep our state and counties clean.

However, as an advocate for safety in all fields, including roadways and highways, I see too many organizations/companies trying to do good by taking on a highway and having its volunteers clean them up.

My concern here is the seeming lack of compliance with federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards. Under the state Transportation Department program, it clearly states that it will "provide high-visibility safety vests, trash bags, gloves and information." Now, under the safety tips on "What Should We Wear," it says to wear an Adopt-A-Highway T-shirt or safety vest. The T-shirt needs to meet federal standards for highway traffic devices.

Thank you to those for keeping Hawaii clean, and please do it safely.

SeaRay Beltran
Kihei, Maui

Go quid pro quo on nuclear issue

I take umbrage with George Will’s column, "Containment continues to be best option with Iran" (Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8).

He concludes that the world needs to contain Iran because of its nuclear program. However, Iran has no nuclear bomb or a policy to build one.

Meanwhile, we have Israel, in the same neighborhood, that is heavily armed with nuclear bombs and does not admit it honestly or openly to the world.

What to do? Employ the policy of a quid pro quo (something for something). To that end, Israel should give up its entire hidden atomic stockpile for a total cessation of Iran’s nuclear program.

This would result in a nuclear-free Middle East; Israel would have eyes on the ground in Iran and vice versa. The doomsday clock would be dialed back, and the world would be a safer place.

Thomas Gambino
Kailua

Tea party slur is misleading

A full-page newspaper ad for U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz calls him "A Leader in Creating Clean Energy Jobs" and goes on to say "he’ll stand up to the special interests and the tea party who want to weaken this important job-growing industry."

The tea party’s platform on energy clearly states its support to "reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries and reduce regulatory barriers to all other forms of energy creation, lowering prices, and creating competition and jobs."

Nowhere does it state or even insinuate that they "want to weaken this important job growing industry."

As an independent voter, I had planned to vote for Schatz but when I see blatant printed lies and deception from any political candidate, Democrat or Republican, I seriously doubt their integrity on all issues.

Melanie Johnson
Kaneohe