• MIS in Minnesota • Empathy and compassion • Helicopter safety • Helicopter warning system MIS in Minnesota Mahalo for Paul Curtis’ article (GI Sep. 29) telling of the warm welcome extended by Minnesotans to Japanese-American soldiers sent to Minnesota
• MIS in Minnesota
• Empathy and compassion
• Helicopter safety
• Helicopter warning system
MIS in Minnesota
Mahalo for Paul Curtis’ article (GI Sep. 29) telling of the warm welcome extended by Minnesotans to Japanese-American soldiers sent to Minnesota to train at the Military Intelligence Service Language school at Camp Savage and Ft. Snelling. Having grown up in Minnesota I am very familiar with this story. Over the years, articles about the MIS school and its students have appeared many times in the St. Paul and Minneapolis newspapers.
Fort Snelling is close to downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis and many people recall seeing those soldiers or know families who entertained them in their homes. That Minnesotans should be so hospitable is no surprise. At that time Minnesota was populated by immigrants and the sons and daughters of immigrants. These were essentially hard working, religious people with rural, small town, family oriented values.
They also were very patriotic (my father enlisted the day after Pearl Harbor and, because of his age and family status, my mother had to sign a release). The people of Minnesota respected the Japanese-American soldiers and honored them for what they were doing. The least Minnesotans could do was to show their appreciation by extending basic Minnesota hospitality.
Myles Fladager
Koloa
Empathy and compassion
To the the letter writer who invoked the word empathy and compassion. Empathy as the ability to place yourself in another’s position or in their shoes, in this case it leaves a lot to expect. How can you feel and understand the fanatic Islamic hatred of Christian and Jewish people all over the world? How can you read the verses of the Koran that call for killing Christian, Jews or any non believer and feel empathy? Even in the recent translation of The Koran from Oxford University Press it appears the translator ignores the implications in English of verses that say “kill them wherever you encounter them” (2:191 or “wherever you find the polytheists, kill them, seize them, besiege them, ambush them” (9:5). In an interview the translator says that in many instances, both Muslim extremists and outside opponents of Islam have seriously distorted the meaning of God’s revelation. The question of what is the true revelation of God aside, in plain English, killing is sanctioned in a religious book.
Can you feel compassion for the suicide bombers who for years have killed bus loads of children in Israel or compassion for the payments of $25,000 dollars sent by Saddam Hussein to the family and mothers of those “martyrs.” Arafat got a Peace prize for encouraging Palestinian martyrdom. So much for that peace prize. Bill Clinton should have kept Arafat in Camp David until he agreed to the only workable solution. Clinton had his chance and failed because as he admitted in his book he was too involved with lying about his many affairs. Do you really want to put your belief in empathy so misguided.
The Middle East conditions are largely the result of the Koran. Under the Koran Society the letter writer would not have been allowed to write her viewpoint nor drive her car to the grocery store. Have the letter writer publish her article in Al Chasera. If she can convince Arafat and Al quida to stop killing I’m sure no American President would wage war.
Marv Taylor
Lihu‘e
Helicopter safety
I just read a letter that said in the past 10 years, the helicopter adventure tours on Kauai have been responsible for 14 deaths. Then the author asks if any other paid adventure aproaches that level of fatalities. It would seem to me that since the visitors pay to come here, then every adventure is paid for, and our local number of drowning deaths, or traffic fatalities over any ten year span is far greater.
One of my best friends is an A&P mechanic for Air Kauai, and I personally help maintain the shuttle vans for Jack Harter Helicopters. I have first hand knowledge of the employees in this industry, and can tell you that every one of them is 110% committed to the safety of their passenger, employees, and every single other person that could possibly be influenced by their actions and service.
So if you want to critisize, stick to what you know. The world is full of unmarried marrige counsellors. As far as the helicopter tour industry goes on Kauai, it is beyound reproach.
Joseph Lavery
Kapa‘a
Helicopter warning system
If the helicopters are mandated to remain above 1,000 ft. elevation for the public’s comfort and safety, why not an onboard sensing device, radar or sonar or some such, that let’s the pilot and the passengers know when they are within a certain guaranteed safe amount of distance vertically and horizontally from terra firma (solid stuff). Perhaps a loud beeping noise that not only pilot but passengers could hear so that all on board could listen and heed the warning. I believe the technology exists as airliners have warnings for close proximity of other moving aircraft…”Pull Up!”…”Pull Up !”. Isn’t that what we have read/heard in the past.
Shouldn’t there be more no fly days determined by a knowledgeable third party non-helicopter company weather observer? That is one independent from ‘copter income…even the Kauai Fire Department Rescue Team has no fly days, as just experienced, and they are not going sight seeing, they are going rescuing.
Why do we have the most beautiful island in Hawai‘i, luring visitors, innocents, lovers, and dreamers to the island; yet having the proven by statistics for visitors, the most dangerous air and ocean conditions.
More stringent regulations is not fun, but in the face of too many fatalities up in the air and in the water; what is up with that? I can’t advise for helicopter activities; but for swimming, perhaps signs should be posted…”Visitors Swim Here”; and then load that area with Life Guards. ProActive Prevention Kauai is not on-line yet. What could be a prevented loss of life…hangs a pall, a gloom, over the island. The ‘copter companies should regulate themselves.
Jay Trennoche
Kapa‘a
