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Oh, my! The banks are raising the wages of their minions to $15 an hour. That’s $31,200 annual pay before taxes. Who can live on that much money here in Hawaii? Read more

Oh, my! The banks are raising the wages of their minions to $15 an hour.

That’s $31,200 annual pay before taxes. Who can live on that much money here in Hawaii? Is there still some for school tuition? Health insurance? Savings for a down payment on a house? On only one salary?

In 2012, it required an hourly wage of $17 to approach that level of teetering existence — if one had a roommate to share housing expenses.

Oh, my!

How generous of the (probably mostly Republican) executives whose salaries are many times greater than those new wages. What prompts such largesse? Perhaps it is because those who make profits by using other people’s money know how deceitful the politicians were in passing the tax bill.

Perhaps they hope that admitting to the poor treatment before (and even after) this raise, it will somehow be forgiven, as will the additional profits they will now garner by the lower tax rate, both for the institution and the executives personally.

Oh, my!

Gene J. Parola

Downtown Honolulu

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Stop calling island Chinaman’s Hat

What’s up with the name?

In an age where being politically correct is front and center, why do we still have a famous landmark on the Windward side of Oahu called Chinaman’s Hat?

This is a disgrace to the all of the Chinese people living in Hawaii, and to the rest of the world for that matter. “Chinaman” is so yesterday. Someone needs to tell our elected officials about this oversight. We are a multi-ethnic island and do not need to slander any one race.

Roger Chang

Waialae Iki

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How many homeless accept offers of help?

Every article about homeless sweeps needs to mention the warnings that are given, and the outreach workers who are present to offer help in obtaining shelter, housing programs and other services.

Mention also should be made about how many people, at least in general terms, accept those offers, and how many refuse help. Failing to mention those things masks the complexity of the issue for the readers.

Part of the solution is having the shelters, programs and services available. But perhaps a larger part is figuring out how to deal with the homeless people who, for a wide variety of reasons, harm themselves and the community with their refusals to accept help.

More such information to more readers will bring forth more ideas for solutions.

Michelle Baie

Downtown Honolulu

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Lottery tickets will sell themselves

People cannot be pressed to give financial support. But if you give them the entertainment they need, they will, happily, gladly, and be very generous in giving.

No need to put out commercial advertising on the sale of lottery tickets. The tickets will draw them like a magnet, wherever tickets are sold. Buying, buying, buying tickets for the Big One.

Hawaii is one of two states that don’t have entertainment and lottery sale.

Help the Hawaii economy and the rail.

Pio T. Barbieto

Ewa