Letters to the Editor
In-house workforce simply doesn't work
The article about the Army retaining the in-house workforce struck me as a joke.
I have been at Schofield for about five months, and the maintenance on the houses is horrible. I would like to know how the efficiency study was done and on what houses. I have been told many times that repairs to my toilet would be done in 24 to 72 hours, but have waited for over a week and still no repair.
The excuses I have gotten about why no one shows up is that so many houses are in tough shape. Is that efficient when I wait for three days and no one shows up? I think the study was done on the new houses, not on the old ones.
I think that our congressional delegation needs to see my home — and all of the old homes on post — and then tell us that the system is still good.
Penny Robertson
Wahiawa
Huge Wal-Mart plan will hurt neighborhood
My skepticism of the power of "we the people" in the political arena has prevented me on many occasions from expressing any opinions I may have had of past injustices that huge corporations and developers have imposed on unprotected neighborhoods.
I could not visualize what a 317,000-square-foot shopping complex proposed by the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club project would look like until someone compared it to 17 Beretania Street Safeways in one location. This would be the largest Wal-Mart in the world. Isn't this excessive, considering the plan to use one small street (Sheridan) for three accesses into the property?
One access will service huge container trucks, another for a trolley turn-around and the third for the thousands of cars flowing in and out 24/7.
I'm sure there are hundreds of people happy to welcome a Wal-Mart/Sam's Club store in town, but would you be comfortable knowing there are children and their families who would be affected by the toxic, noisy and dangerous conditions that this project will surely create?
This is the time for "we the people" to speak out — not only to protest, but to protect. Who should be our protectors? We place our trust and our lives in the hands of our elected officials, who need to search their hearts for the right solutions.
Barbara Miyashiro
Celebrate Thanksgiving the vegetarian way
This Thanksgiving celebration should provide welcome relief from the violence-ridden national debate over war with Iraq and terrorism. Unfortunately, many Americans will perpetuate the violence by giving thanks for their life, health and happiness on the grave of a tortured, dead bird on their dinner table.
The 340 million turkeys raised in the U.S. each year have nothing to give thanks for. For 16 weeks, they breathe toxic fumes in crowded sheds, with their beaks and toes cut off to reduce damage from stress-induced aggression. At the slaughterhouse, they are beheaded by an electric saw and dumped into a vat of scalding water, sometimes still conscious.
Ironically, turkeys get their revenge. Their flesh is laced with cholesterol, saturated fats, hormones, antibiotics and deadly pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter. Careful adherence to government warning labels is required to avoid food poisoning.
The grain fed to turkeys denies lifesaving foodstuffs to millions of starving people in Africa and Asia. Each year, U.S. turkey factories dump 10 billion pounds of manure into our waterways.
I invite you to join me and millions of other Americans in celebrating this Thanksgiving with nonviolent, wholesome, delicious products of our earth's bounty: grains, vegetables and fruits. Our holiday fare may include a "mock turkey" made of tofu or seitan, lentil or nut roast, stuffed squash, corn chowder or chestnut soup, candied yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin or pecan pie and carrot cake.
An Internet search on "Vegetarian Thanksgiving" will provide more information.
Aliaska Brozen
Kihei, Maui
West O'ahu campus should be like a mall
The architect who designs the new West O'ahu campus should be a person who designs shopping malls: one centrally located, self-contained, air-conditioned building, completely surrounded by parking spaces.
We pay our good, hard-earned money to get an education. It is a total waste of time and money to have to leave two to three hours early just to find a parking space — or spend 15 to 20 minutes walking from one end of the campus to the other to get to the next class.
For those who want a sprawling, lush campus, let them plant shade trees in the parking lot or paint the parking spaces green. My idea of a new university campus is to model it after Windward Mall.
Stan Wright
It's a time of hope for a better Hawai'i
Reading the past several days' editorial pages, I have noticed letters expressing happiness with our governor-elect, concern that she will do the right thing, regret that the Democratic Party has lost the governor's seat and many demands that Linda Lingle "fix things."
The single incident of commonality in all these letters is "expectation." All are expressing a renewed anticipation of a future that can be bright and filled with good decisions, a renewed trust in our government and hope.
Hope for a future that lacks headlines expounding on the latest politician who is in front of a grand jury. Hope for a future absent of cries of favoritism in contracts and job placements. Hope for a brighter future for all Hawai'i.
Charles J. Leland
Lingle's economic philosophy correct
Winston Churchill wrote, "We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle."
Linda Lingle's victory will bring an economic philosophy based on productivity rather than dependence on government and taxation.
Bill Pfeil
Moloka'i
Medical insurance firms need reining in
As a healthcare provider practicing in both Hawai'i and Kentucky over the past 26 years, I feel qualified to write an opinion about the rising costs of both healthcare and insurance coverage.
All my middle-aged professional friends — including surgeons, dentists, obstetricians, gynecologists, pharmacists, pediatricians and neurologists — agree that we were making more money 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, a family medical policy never cost $400 per month.
So why are costs increasing more than inflation? Because of advanced technology, better drugs, better lifesaving procedures and insurance corporations.
I don't know about you, but I do not want to compromise the first three of these items. Perhaps the insurance companies should lay off most of their highest-paid executives and keep all their hard-working employees. Insurance company employees are serving their real bosses, the policyholders.
That's right. You policyholders need to take control of your profitable "nonprofits."
You and your boss both pay for their "nonprofit" status through higher taxes. Your paycheck is smaller because your boss must pay for the policy — because more is now withheld for your portion — and because more is withheld for taxes.
Let's all endure these hard times together as we watch the results of new laws passed by last year's Legislature.
Dr. Nick Ochs
Former Lana'i resident
Election to fill out Mink term a sham
On Nov. 30, we will have a special election to fill out the remaining month of Patsy Mink's term in a Congress that is not even in session.
Dwayne Yoshina, the state's chief election officer, said he relied on state law and the advice of U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie in scheduling the election. Abercrombie held that it is essential for Hawai'i to have full representation in Congress.
Isn't this the same Abercrombie who assured the people of Hawai'i that Patsy Mink was on the road to recovery just days before her death?
I've been an unfailing voter in Hawai'i elections for the past 27 years, but I refuse to vote in this sham. Fool me once, Mr. Abercrombie, shame on you. Fool me twice ...
Robert Chanin
Kailua
Let other countries be 'very afraid' of us
I am appalled that a "senior Bush administration official" is quoted as saying in your Nov. 16 lead article, "Our message is be afraid, be very afraid."
No! We should be vigilant; but they should be made to be afraid.
Our government needs to advise all countries that they will be held accountable for any terror attacks originating from their country or committed by their citizens. But really accountable. Let them be "very afraid," not us.
Steve Grossman
Kailua
This teacher won't miss Gov. Cayetano
I won't miss you, Gov. Cayetano. Robert M. Rees does not speak for me (Counterpoint, Nov. 18). I could go item by item with counter-arguments, but what a waste of time that would be.
Ben's on the way out, and I'm glad. Is a governor really supposed to lead public opinion? I mean, who's working for whom?
My main beef is that Cayetano did not endure the teachers' strike. Teachers, parents with children and the public school system endured the strike. It was Gov. Ben who caused us to walk in circles eight hours a day, week after week, in the blazing-hot sun. He tried every dirty trick in the book to break us, but we endured.
So speak for yourself, Mr. Rees. I, for one, won't miss Gov. Cayetano one bit.
Jordan Gibbs
P.E. doesn't mean cut in education, arts
I believe that Hawai'i high schools should have more, not fewer, P.E. requirements.
I came from a school in Hawai'i that required all students to train for and complete a 10k run as freshmen, and a 5k-run/2k-swim biathlon as sophomores. These events took months to train for by running up to three times a week for two miles, all during class time. However, with these "two years" of P.E., I could still take college prep academics and performing arts.
Thus, I believe a similar program in public schools would not only lower Hawai'i's high teen obesity rate but, as I have found, build good habits that students could take with them. These habits would be a positive step toward a healthy lifestyle as adults.
Kekai Cone
Kamehameha Class of 2001
Helicopter performs a valuable service
I commend Chopper 8, its crew and KHNL.
For some people, traffic is a hassle, is frustrating and sometimes brings out the worst in people. For others, it's our lives. As an owner/operator of a towing business that constantly puts our lives in harm's way, it's upsetting to read that people are so unappreciative of a free service that benefits thousands of people.
Thirty seconds of helicopter inconvenience is a small price to pay for the benefits gained, versus a nightlong aggravation of roosters crowing.
I know firsthand what it is like to receive undue grief when I need to block a lane of traffic to remove a vehicle that is causing miles of backup. I did not stop the vehicle there, I was not driving it when it rear-ended someone else, I was not the one who ran over something. But as I do the motoring public the favor of removing an obstruction, I am rewarded with the same unthankful stares, glares and verbal obscenities as someone has tried to bestow on Chopper 8 and KHNL.
I applaud you guys in the sky and all involved in making rush-hour traffic less stressful.
Anthony Freitas
Masa's Towing, Waipahu
Mauna Loa article triggers memories
Christie Wilson's Nov. 19 article was informative and gave a good perspective about the possible threats of a Mauna Loa eruption.
It was interesting to note people's fatalistic attitude about living on the volcano's slopes and recognizing the possible consequences. I was a native of Hilo, and my family was well aware of the potential danger areas.
One thing I came away with was an understanding that I would never buy property to live on in certain areas of the Big Island. A volcano eruption is one natural disaster that is 100 percent avoidable if you know where not to be. Too bad we can't say the same about earthquakes.
There was a gross understatement in one of the captions next to the map on the first page. It mentioned the 1950 flow "damaging several buildings." I was a kid at the time. I don't know the building count, but I remember seeing barren lava fields where buildings as well as forests had been. Sounds more like "destroying" rather than "damaging." Something the people on the southwest rift and elsewhere may have to anticipate.
Reginald Jaderstrom
Mililani
