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The claim that trap-neuter-return (TNR) is the most effective way to control feral cats glosses over inconvenient facts. Read more

The claim that trap-neuter-return (TNR) is the most effective way to control feral cats glosses over inconvenient facts (“TNR: Most effective way to control feral cats,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, July 29).

With an estimated 300,000 feral cats on Oahu, and each female producing about five kittens per year, the few thousand sterilizations each year by the Hawaiian Humane Society and others barely make a dent.

TNR might stabilize (but seems not to reduce) the numbers in managed colonies, but all around the state, cats in the wild continue to multiply unchecked, ravaging native and endangered birds. They shed eggs of the toxoplasma parasite; runoff carries the parasite to the ocean, where it is deadly to endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

At a rock-bottom estimate of $25 per sterilization, it would cost $7.5 million — about double the annual budget of the Humane Society — to sterilize all the feral cats on Oahu, not counting the considerable cost of trapping them, if that were even possible.

TNR lets cat lovers feel good about doing their bit, but stabilizing the population at 300,000 is not enough.

David Monk

Hawaii Kai

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‘Be Change Now’ bullies candidates

Come on. “Be Change Now” is nothing but a big bully scheming to win by whatever means possible (“‘Be Change Now’ is working to fill Hawaii’s leadership void,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 7). Shame!

The state Campaign Spending Commission should levy heavier fines on such dirty advertisements and smears by Be Change Now, and on the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters for funding such unfair and unethical attacks against targeted defenseless candidates.

It operates independently of the candidates it supports, and so has a free hand to smear and harm their competitors — thus shielding “their” candidates. This is just another fancy legal tap dance concocted by smart politicians and unions to control our elections through whatever means.

Shady unethical actions and smear campaigns have no place in our land of aloha. Candidates supported by Be Change Now must know they are supported by unscrupulous bullies and they should denounce such dirty tricks to support their candidacies.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock

Chinatown

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Protect consumers from robocalls

How many times a week do you get an annoying robocall trying to sell you insurance or extend the life of your auto warranty?

The 808 area code received 10.5 million robocalls in June and banks like First Premier and USAA, major sources of robocalls to our area, are pushing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make the robocall epidemic even worse.

A recent court ruling called parts of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) into question, and D.C. lobbyists for the banks and corporations making robocalls wasted no time working to undo our best defense from unwanted robocalls. They’re pushing the FCC to eviscerate the TCPA’s prohibition against autodialed calls and texts to cell phones without our consent, and to strip us of our right to tell robocallers to stop calling.

With our privacy on the line, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, minority member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, should demand that the FCC protect Hawaii residents, not robocallers.

Victor Geminiani

Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice

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China shuts down games in Taiwan

China has once again exercised its sharp power and this time in contradiction to the Olympic spirit. On July 24, the East Asian Olympic Committee (EAOC), driven by China, unilaterally cancelled the 1st East Asian Youth Games (EAYG) to be held in Taiwan next year. China claimed this cancellation is a response to some Taiwanese citizens’ referendum campaign on Taiwanese team’s “name change” for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Ever since October 2014 when Taiwan was selected to host the EAYG, about $22 million was injected into the Games preparations. This abrupt cancellation driven by China is unjust and unfair, and crude treatment not only of Taiwan but also of the athletes from other countries in the region.

China’s action demonstrates its fear and zealous defensiveness toward Taiwan’s democracy. This is yet another instance, in addition to its unfair trade practices, of China’s reluctance to accept the global core values of democracy and rule-based international order.

Michael Y. K. Tseng

Nuuanu

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Giuliani talks, but Trump doesn’t listen

Each of us has one — a “talking friend.” A talking friend is someone you know and like who can’t exhale without talking at the same time. Since we usually like our talking friends, we politely put up with their constant chatter, by filtering out most of what they are saying while at the same time politely nodding and occasionally responding with a “for real?” or “no way!” or “uh-huh” comment.

Columnist Kathleen Parker pointed out that President Donald Trump has a talking friend in the person of Rudy Giuliani (“Rudy Giuliani talks nonstop, but he’s impossible to follow,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 4).

Fortunately, Trump doesn’t listen to him. Of course, neither does he seem to listen to anyone else. Nevertheless, it’s good to know that our president isn’t paying any attention to his talking friend’s exhalation exhortations.

Henry Trapido-Rosenthal

Manoa