Learning from Katrina mistakes
With good intentions, Brad Pit generously created the rebuilding project called “Make It Right” (after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005).
Calling in respected architects from around the world, homes were quickly rebuilt. Apparently, they unfortunately “made it wrong.”
Residents were not consulted about how to rebuild. Those recently rebuilt houses are now falling apart, and the residents who used to live there cannot afford to be there.
Hopefully, we can learn from this fiasco when looking at how to use the generous influx of money to rebuild on Maui.
Let’s pray that the Lahaina residents will be consulted. Let’s hope that there will be small, well-constructed self-sustainable homes affordably available to previous residents — with parcels of land and water for growing food.
At the moment, we have what my mother used to describe as “a concatenation of erroneous circumstances.”
This Lahaina fiasco calls for love, compassion, positive thinking, valuable solutions and cohesive community action.
Barbara Moore
Captain Cook
The wisdom of Ripper Collins
Friday morning, I was watching two high school baseball teams on TV in the state semifinals. They bunt, they steal, they make wild pitches and commit errors.
They also make spectacular diving catches in the outfield, crack home runs and play with the wonderful verve of youth. Way more entertaining than the Major League games.
During a break, the pitcher and catcher met on the mound and covered their mouths while talking. Why? Are there actually lip-readers in the stands who somehow transmit information to the teams?
Must be, or why else would their coaches teach them to do it? Is an assumption of cheating now the norm?
Or, perhaps, we now follow the advice of the legendary big-time wrestler a few years back, Ripper Collins. Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.
Peter Easterling
Pahoa