Letters to the Editor
Casinos' glamour can't match our own
Dreaming of the sparkling lights of Las Vegas on our horizon? Forget it — they won't fit in because our gorgeous sunsets will put them to shame.
Do you think tourists will prefer the clanging sound of the gaming machines over the roar of the ocean waves? I doubt it — not the tourists who are spending big money on airfares to come here instead of to a Mainland resort.
The thrill of casino gambling would be far more appreciated in the middle of the desert or in a crumbling country town in need of resurrection. Admittedly, gambling is a welcome diversion on a gray winter day on the Mainland. However, our island paradise is no place for a casino surrounded by parking structures crammed day and night by patrons who got hooked seeking to fill their lives or fortunes with something lacking.
A healthier pastime would be to have a picnic on the beach, breathing in fresh air. Let's think twice before we desire a casino here.
Judie Thomas
Kapolei
$18 million wouldn't cover startup costs
Klaus Wyrtki suggested, in his Jan. 20 letter to the editor, that the $18 million bailout for the airport concessions could have been better spent supporting 1,000 families left jobless by recent events. He projected that these families could receive $1,000 per month for 18 months.
Though Dr. Wyrtki was one of my best professors at UH, I think he is sorely mistaken in his math. Before state government can provide support for these families, it would need to screen the applications, add staff to handle the increased workload, expand an office or two, hire a new administrator to oversee the new hires and equip everyone with computers. Since driving is a "right" for welfare recipients, the state would need to pay the auto insurance plus medical insurance costs of these new additions to the welfare rolls.Ê
By the time the state has expanded its bureaucracy (again), most of the $18 million would be locked up in payroll and other costs.
I suspect that the recipients could only receive a month or two of the state's largess, or else the new program would just add another $12 million, or more, in annual operating costs funded by the few taxpayers left with jobs.
Steve Stephenson
Volcano, Big Island
Opening up Hawai'i ports would be boon
As a part-time resident of Hawai'i and a cruise ship enthusiast with extensive cruising experience, I found it encouraging to read The Honolulu Advertiser's editorial supporting changes to or the repeal of the 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act.
With cruise lines looking for safe havens away from the turmoil of the Old World following the tragic events of Sept. 11, the time is right for America to do whatever is necessary to encourage foreign-flagged carriers to home-port their vessels in cities such as Honolulu, and to allow cruising between U.S. ports without going through the charade of sailing to a foreign port (can you spell Kiribati?).
For Hawai'i in particular,Êthe fiscal impact of having Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess and other cruise lines operate in its waters on a permanent basis would be a shot in the arm for the state's struggling economy, benefiting airlines, hotels, restaurants and myriad other businesses.
About cruise ship gambling: Sen. DanielÊInouye's and your editorial writer's assumption that "even limited shipboard gambling would be a foot in the door for other forms of gambling, both on shore and off," is a bit preposterous.
Cities such as Miami, Port Everglades, Tampa, New York, Seattle, Vancouver and Los Angeles, where I live, have not become gambling meccas simply because the ships that call there offer on-board gambling once they are at sea.
Joe Ruszkiewicz
Seal Beach, Calif.
Parents have choice in public education
There is a wide range in the quality of services provided by our public schools.
Last year, after struggling through four-hour special-education IEP meetings and getting nowhere, we decided we had to do something to improve our children's chances for a better education.
During the "open season" for geographic exceptions, we did our homework. We spoke to other parents, school officials, teachers and therapists and identified a handful of public schools with good reputations that could be driven to practically and still allow us to maintain our work and outside-activity schedules.
Next, we went through the somewhat cumbersome process of filling out the geographic exception forms. Since priorities are given to "other" than those seeking a better education, your child may not get accepted to your school of choice. We submitted several applications. Applications must be submitted between Jan. 1 and March 1. We were accepted by three schools and chose one.
The relationship between parents and those involved with our children's education has improved 100 percent at their new public school. The transition adjustment for the keiki in their new school took about two days, and it's been smooth sailing since. And it's been well worth the drive.
Greg Weathers
Kane'ohe
Speeding drivers are just criminals
To all those people who have been enjoying speeding by going 10 miles and often more over the speed limit and never been busted by the cops: Stop your crying.
I'm tired of all these people who like to think of themselves as law-abiding drivers making up their own road rules. They speed, they cross the center line, run red lights and cross double lines, and the cops don't do anything.
Few people get ticketed for speeding or engaging in any other dangerous driving behavior. The roads have become a free-for-all, and the most aggressive drivers win. In short, the criminals have taken over our roads. Yes, criminals. People who break the law are criminals.
Just because these criminals have gotten used to breaking the law and are now upset that they are going to be penalized for breaking the law does not make them any less criminal. Now they are crying because they are about to get caught for their crimes. Their solution? Make their crimes legal by raising the speed limits.
Ralph Rubique
Kailua
Police 'discretion' doesn't always work
The Jan. 12 article about a police officer ticketing a state traffic camera van shows the start of a turf war between the agencies, with the HPD saying that a police officer's discretion is necessary to properly issue a speeding ticket.
I witnessed the HPD's discretion recently when, after dodging the camera vans lurking along the Pali Highway, I returned to Kailua and encountered the 25-mph speed zone approaching Castle Hospital (45 mph in the opposite direction). A police officer appeared from nowhere, and even though I was traveling at a speed that was appropriate for a 4-lane divided rural highway, he wrote me a $152 citation for going twice the speed limit.
Today I returned to the scene of the crime and adjusted my speed to exactly 25 mph. All I saw was a large SUV grill several feet from my rear bumper and angry faces staring at me while passing in the right lane (I normally turn left at the hospital).
Until these ridiculous, artificially low speed limits are increased, traffic is going to be in turmoil. And if anyone gets stuck behind a gray Honda in Kailua, now you know why.
Thomas Sanders
Kailua
Drivers slamming on brakes near vans
Being a daily commuter from Kailua to Manoa, I have noticed a change in the speed of drivers on the Pali.
Everyone seems to be slowing down, but not the way the state expected. They slow down only when they see the vans on the side of the road. While the locations of these vans do shift, the favorite placement is, logically, around blind turns, allowing as little time as possible for drivers to notice them and slow down.
Here's the problem: Everyone slows down, immediately causing traffic to back up bumper-to-bumper as people creep by the vans. Traffic drops from 50 mph to 30 mph in a few seconds.
Imagine this: You are driving home from work over the Pali, traveling a safe and controlled 50 mph. Traffic is heavy but flowing nicely. All of the sudden, you round a turn and everyone has hit their brakes, slowing down to 30 mph. Crunch.
Seems strange to me that the state would want to install cameras to dangerously slow drivers and back up Hawai'i's already nightmarish traffic even more.
Seems that another flaw has been found in the camera system. How many more will it take to shut it down and restore order to our formerly safe roads?
Brian Steinwascher
Traffic cam vans don't enforce public safety
I found one of these photo-enforcement vans parked illegally on the side of the Red Hill highway recently. A reasonable person could expect that the individuals inside could be motorists in distress and possibly do more harm than good in an attempt to help out.
Additionally, our officials would have us believe that this is about public safety. If it were truly about public safety, these vans would be painted bright orange and marked 1,000 feet in advance in order to derive maximum effect on traffic and public safety. By the program's nature, these vans are photographing speeding vehicles but can do nothing to slow them down at that time — thus public safety is not directly affected by these cameras.
It seems that the state is trying to revive the old revenue-generating speed trap — instead of the sheriff hiding in anticipation behind a billboard, we have the photographer hiding behind tinted glass.
Kory L. Turnbow
Waipahu
Admissions preference clearly for Hawaiians
Paul DeSilva says in his Jan. 14 letter regarding the Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy, "If the princess had so intended, she would have certainly specified that Hawaiian blood was required."
The plain language in the will says " ... giving the (admissions) preference to Hawaiians of pure or part aboriginal blood."
What DeSilva is correct about is that the will does not "require" Hawaiian blood. It is a "preference" only.
This means that Hawaiian children are to step to the front of the line. Considering that all Hawaiian children who apply are not admitted due to lack of space, the admission of non-Hawaiians cannot be accommodated.
Constitutional challenges? The Supreme Court has never mandated an "equal protection standard" when dealing with the disbursement of monies from a private estate as dictated by the will of a private person.
Damon Senaha
San Diego, Calif.
Harris is ignoring intent of the law
Do I have this right?
Jeremy Harris won't resign as mayor because he's not officially in the running for the governorship. But he now claims his gubernatorial campaign has been damaged by recent actions of the state Campaign Spending Commission.
If he ever figures his way out of that black hole of logic, I hope he doesn't expect my vote.
Patrick DeBusca Jr.
Waipahu
Democrats could populate new prison
Ben Cayetano is on the right track with his latest proposal. Construction of a new prison would be great for Hawai'i. A 500-bed prison to house the never-ending supply of corrupt Democratic politicians would be ideal.
To further stimulate our economy, a 200,000-bed insane asylum to house those who continue to vote for them would also be welcome.
Stubai Kernmantle
Cayetano ignored chance to buy local
So much for Gov. Ben Cayetano practicing what he preaches. He has encouraged the people of Hawai'i to "Buy Hawai'i." "Help our economy," he says.
He had an opportunity to do just that when he was selecting an artist to paint his portrait. There were six finalists (three from Hawai'i). Who did he choose? Daniel Green of New York. What? Hawai'i artists aren't good enough?
Shame on you, Gov. Cayetano.
Steven Loretero
Kane'ohe
How can voters see through the 'spin'?
In this election year, many speeches extolling the virtues of each candidate will be presented. Ads will further enhance the "spin" of each candidate, as bold statements and promises are made.
As the 2002 election nears, I wonder if an honest politician is an oxymoron?
As lay people, how do we filter the spin? In essence, can we know truth and who is truthful? Perhaps some politician, political analyst or someone else in the know would share wisdom and provide insight to us voters.
Russell Stephen Pang
