Removal of trees was devastating

Online comments relating to the Park Lane Ala Moana luxury condominium development center on the absence of local affordability.

Further, a most devastating effect of this development by a consortium of Hawaii development juggernauts was the adverse impact to the scenic quality of the boulevard along Ala Moana Park, where the mauka line of monkeypod trees and their magnificent shade canopies, gracefully wrapping around the corner of Piikoi Street all the way to Neiman Marcus, were ripped out to clear the way and views for incoming condo dwellers and speculators.

This demonstrates that the Kobayashi Group and McNaughton Group, et. al, with the Honolulu Outdoor Circle seated at the table, paid no heed to established local values and longstanding efforts to ensure that these trees remained part of the significant scenic resource at the entrance to Waikiki, protected and preserved intact in the greater public interest.

Michelle Spalding Matson
Diamond Head

Uncertainty is only certainty

In a letter to the editor concerning certainty, a reader commented that we should keep in mind Mark Twain’s saying that "It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble.It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so" ("Certainty can lead to cruelty," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 14).

This is just one more thing that ain’t so. Mark Twain didn’t originate this saying, although it is quite often attributed to him.The writer was a contemporary of Twain’s, the humorist Josh Billings (with the pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw).

Edward K. Conklin
Waikiki

Many homeless just irresponsible

Hawaii has become a mecca for the homeless. Those who choose to live on the street seem to feel that Hawaii owes them a living.

Perhaps our legislators should understand the homeless are not the victims of our society. Instead, the citizens of Hawaii who are trying to make ends meet are the victims.

While donations are pouring in to help the homeless, they do not help themselves. We need a program that will give the homeless an incentive — pay to play, a public-work project such as cleaning up the mess they have made.

We have gotten away from personal responsibility and accountability. The homeless too often may feel entitled to what others have achieved through hard work and dedication. They often, too, may feel justified in taking and destroying public property instead of working and building it.

We should be compassionate but not feel sorry for them. We should make them be responsible.

Yolan Garrett Chan
Palolo

Train useless, just like Council

Well, our "train to nowhere" is on schedule to stop at the taxpayers’ banks on time once again.

Since we are now going to build two hotels and an outlet mall in Kapolei, why not build theObama presidential library out there as well? That would attract more business to the area and give everyone an opportunity to ride the train in that direction.

Oh, wait, the rail does not go that far. But the rail also won’t go from Waikiki to the Kakaako waterfront, where they want to pile on more congestion.

When will we ever learn to do some proper planning as a community?

Why don’t we have the city put its meetings on the train? Then we could watch them shuffle responsibility, bills, decisions and blame as they go back and forth. Truly then it will be the train to nowhere.

John Waring
Kailua

Horse usually goes before cart

In his proposal that we endeavor to proceed as best we can with the soup sandwich that is the rail project, Harold Slate suggests that since construction has already begun, we now have the job of designing the best system for the least cost possible ("Let’s just finish rail the best way we can," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 15).

Since when is it sound logic to enter the construction phase of a project and then lend thought to design?

Oh,I forgot.I’m in Hawaii.

Stephen Hinton
Haleiwa