What happened to aloha spirit?

Did other presidents have their states or communities gripe every time the First Family visited their hometowns for the holidays or family get-togethers?

What happened to the aloha spirit?

What’s a couple weeks of "inconvenience?"

I am very proud that Barack Obama is from our little island state and I welcome him and his family home any time.

Kandi Heleloa
Kaneohe

It’s doubtful ban will be enforced

No smoking at the bus stops?

Pity. The smoke helped mask the odor of the campers sleeping on the benches.

But it’s very doubtful that the law will be enforced. Highly visible and illegal bicycles and skateboards plow through the crowds at the bus stops, anddrug pushers conduct their business with impunity, sothe only smokers are the half-awake campers, and the authorities certainly don’t want to inconvenience them.

Roger D. Van Cleve
Waikiki

E-cigarette and GMO ads similar

There is a great similarity in the ad campaigns pushing e-cigarettes and genetically modified products.

Altruism is the tone.They both push how much they will do to help cure social ills.

GMOs tout how they will cure world hunger.This claim has been proven false by the Rodale Institute. When compared to organic methods, the result is the same yield, and in drought years, organic methods are better than biotech.

E-cigarettes are supposed to help cigarette smokers stop smoking. Instead, they are hooking a new generation to a nicotine-delivery system with pineapple flavors and colorful holders.

In both cases there are no definitive studies proving safety, yet there is money to give to spokespersons who pretend great outrage when health aspects of these products are questioned.

The spin is so excessive that companies selling GMO products now want to use the label "natural."

Judith Pettibone
Makiki

Find new routes for incoming jets

I agree with Loren Madei-ros’ comments about the incoming jets flying over Palolo/Kaimuki/Manoa ("Planes flying over homes dangerous," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 30).

It could be dangerous for the residents below, should something go awry.

Fortunately, they don’t fly so low that they make a lot of noise, but it’s noise nonetheless.

We live in the middle of the largest ocean in the world. I can’t believe the Federal Aviation Administration can’t find an incoming route that flies over the ocean instead of over us.

Roberta Lee
Kaimuki

Bus ads a threat to Hawaii culture

The city is proposing to cover TheBus exteriors with advertising.

This would countermand the historical intent and value of the billboard ban and the city’s own prohibition of such advertising.

These laws were passed to benefit public welfare.

Circumventing them would destroy such benefits.

Is the value of advertising on buses the equivalent of the value of the billboard ban? Not on your life!

Ad-covered buseswould saturate Oahu with roving billboards.

The culture shock on the quality of life with billboards would top the Richter scale.

The proposal needs at least an environmental assessment, for its impacts would be considerable.

Perhaps the public should ask the Caldwell administration to seek the value of living within its means.

Don Bremner
Gig Harbor, Wash.

Thank goodness fire wasn’t lethal

It’s unfortunate to learn that the "Hawaii Five-0" actor Alex O’Loughlin’s house was damaged by fire.

Nevertheless, the fact that he and his family are safe is most valuable.

The damage to his property and items are replaceable, but not the loss of lives, which in this case didn’t happen.

Joyce Choy
Salt Lake