Letters for Sunday, December 30, 2007

• A suggestion for your charity

• Manawaiopuna Falls

• The air is different downwind

• Cruise ships here aren’t doing it voluntarily

• Dangerous dog

• Another ‘affordable’ bone

A suggestion for your charity

This is rather short notice for this year, but it probably works for next year, too. I received a postcard from an IRC 501(c)(3) charity (a not-for-profit group) as a reminder that if you are 70 1/2 years or older, you can make a tax-free distribution in 2007 of up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to an approved charity, designation type above, of your choice, as a deductible charitable contribution.

Distributions are tax-free and count toward your IR-required minimum distribution for the year. Simply send an explanatory letter to your IRA custodian to make the charitable distribution.To be deductible this calendar year, of course this must be done by Dec. 31, 2007.

Now if you are floundering about with no specific cause in mind, may I suggest my most favorite local charity, the Friends of Children’s Justice Center, who support Kaua’i’s physically, sexually and emotionally abused children who need to go through the Children’s Justice Center for relief. Oft times, they need tutoring, membership fees for sports, trips off-island to visit supportive relatives, perhaps musical instruments such as ‘ukuleles to enhance their emotional welfare and heal their souls. Mahalo and aloha. Alice Parker,

Lihu‘e

Manawaiopuna Falls

If I am reading/watching this right, the largest land owner on the Westside, the Robinson ‘ohana, and a local tour company, Island Helicopters, have presented their case. The proposal presents the benefits of limited access to Manawaiopuna Falls in Koula Valley, Hanapepe ahupua‘a, here on Kaua‘i.

The problem with the proposal is that it serves our island visitors with a better bill of fare than local families would enjoy by a visit to the falls. Oldtimers here in Hanapepe town have told me that they, as small kids and young adults and their families, would walk to the falls on Sunday outings.

I am in favor of guided visits for a fee to this hidden and special area; however, let’s begin with guided family walks a few times a month. Visiting groups could make a donation to cover costs and some extra going to island charities. Special visits from school age youngsters for cultural and scientific studies could begin these interpretive programs with helicopter visits following on their success, that way, everyone benefits.

Special mahalo for the long hours logged by the tech crew of Gov Access TV, making it very helpful to understand this important decision by a dedicated, yet unmistakably over-worked Planning Commission. Mark Jeffers,

Hanapepe

The air is different downwind

Referencing the letter by Casey Brown of Clovis, Calif. (Letters, Dec. 27).

Obviously Casey has not been downwind of the NCL smokestacks nor spent time in Niumalu to experience what residents there have been dealing with: headaches, nausea, respiratory illness and other negative impacts from the cruise ship industry.

Burning bunker fuel has been outlawed in some harbor areas where Casey lives, but not here in Hawai‘i. Casey may want to rethink the comment after learning what residents — and not visitors — experience before pronouncing the harsh judgment as unfair. The air is different downwind, just ask those affected. Jimmy Trujillo,

Kapa‘a

Cruise ships here aren’t doing it voluntarily

Casey from California (Letters, Dec. 27) must not realize that NCL has chosen to ignore the health complaints of the residents of Niumalu and continue to burn bunker fuel while in port in Nawiliwili.

I wish that NCL were as concerned with our health as you think they are. There is a bill being introduced in our state that will stop this and force not only NCL but all vessels that choose to port Nawiliwili to burn cleaner fuel than bunker fuel.

The cruise ships aren’t doing it voluntarily as you seem to think. Walt Toerge,

Lihu‘e

Dangerous dogs

One can learn all kinds of interesting things from the “experts” here on the Forum. For instance, last week Shana in Kilauea informed us that a chihuahua is actually more dangerous than a pitbull! I wonder what all the families who have had loved ones disfigured and mauled to death by pitbulls would say about that one?

The truth is that while pitbulls make up less than 1 percent of all dogs, they are overwhelmingly responsible for the majority of fatal dog attacks.

Dogs are predominantly working animals and were bred to do specific tasks. Training is not even necessary to bring out these characteristics. For instance, using sight or smell hounds chase game, Aussies herd sheep, labs swim and retrieve, pointers point, huskies pull, terriers kill rats and, unfortunately, sick people have bred pitbulls to be aggressive and fight to the death.

While a chihuahua may be more “nippy,” its bite does not have the potential lethalness of a pitbull. Few other breeds exhibit the tenacity with which a pitbull will continue an attack and not stop until killed or physically restrained.

We can start this topic up again when the next person is killed by a pitbull — oh wait, a woman was killed by a pack of pitbulls Christmas day in California. Could this just as easily been a pack of Chihuahuas? Let’s be serious. T.L. Cameron,

Boulder Creek, Calif.

Another ‘affordable’ bone

My comments in reference to “Governor releases $1 million for Kalepa Village.”

Knick-knack patty whack give a dog a bone. This old man came rolling home. Wow, Lingle throws the dog another half-eaten bone. Thanks, Lingle, for doing Kaua‘i such a great service with all your help in providing a place for the community to live “affordably.”

Note sarcasm.

While we are at it, why not crack down on the irresponsible real estate developers building private estates and billion-dollar development properties that aren’t primarily lived in as a first home, or even Hawai‘i as being listed as their primary state, which jacks up everybody else’s living costs and taxes.

Hmmm … that might be a better idea than jam-packing more people in places where they are already struggling to survive in “affordable” houses.

Sounds like it’s ghetto transformation to me.

Here’s an idea: Instead of making more “affordable homes,” let’s make less of those ridiculously unreal, expensive ones! Or are there a few too many real estate agents’ greasy pockets that are just getting too fat off of the rape of more land?

Makes you think, doesn’t it. Hale Mawae,

Anahola