Letters to the Editor
Religious material never hurt anyone
Regarding "Religious material distributed," April 24: I live in Wai'anae. On Tuesday, both of my keiki brought home the yellow bags containing the material described in the article. They told me they got it at school, Wai'anae Intermediate, and that it was given to them by some people. I looked over the material and did not find anything wrong with it.
After reading the information on where it came from, I thought it was rather cool that so many churches could get together on something like that. It's well-presented and somewhat costly. I think the DOE did the right thing.
I would have no trouble with my keiki receiving more faith information. That's how we learn about one another. Being Mormon, I can feel the keiki's pain when what she believes in is trashed. Pick it up. Give it to someone else.
I don't think it opened the door wide; there are safeguards. A little religious material never hurt anyone. Good job.
Ronald A. Young
Wai'anae
Smoke-free campus bill should be OK'd
Currently, UPW workers smoke in some school buildings and on school campuses because of an arbitrated administrative rule that mandates a smoke-free campus. The DOE and UPW have previously been given an opportunity to resolve the problem of UPW employees smoking on campus, and they have failed.
The community has shown enormous support for HB 248, which offers protection of schoolchildren and co-workers on school campuses from the unhealthy effects of exposure to smoking. In addition, HB 248 would correct the problem of Hawai'i currently breaking federal law (1994 Pro-Children's Act) by its allowance of smoking inside school buildings, and is thus subject to enormous fines.
For the good of our children, and the union workers, I encourage the Senate and House to pass this legislation. Hawai'i's children should have protection of their health, and that protection needs to come this legislative session.
Frank Deam
Mililani
Young Street bike corridor is a must
Good grief, if ever there was a no-brainer way to alleviate traffic congestion and parking woes, the Young Street bike corridor has to be it.
The initial start-up cost is minimal, especially when compared to other alternatives. We live in a place with virtually perfect weather, and this is near the university.
Yes, the city budget is tight. But bikes are a cheap and healthy way to get around; let's support them. The long-term benefits outweigh any reluctance to balance the budget without this item restored.
Tell the City Council that Honolulu supports bike corridors. It's time to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Kathy Harter
Traffic detour after accident frustrating
Having the highways closed down is bad enough, but when Farrington was closed due to the three-car accident on April 19, HPD forced east-bound traffic up Kaukama Road, which is a dead-end road.
Hundreds of cars were forced to make U-turns and retrace their way back onto Farrington to Ma'ili'ili Road and then onto Pa'akea Road, which eventually gets back to Farrington. This happened almost five hours after the fatal accident and caused an immense traffic jam and much frustration.
It caused many of us to wonder "WHY?"
G. Hoffman
Wai'anae
Japan travel no big deal during SARS scare
Thank you very much for your editorial "Japan is hardly a SARS hotbed; keep the visit."
Many tour agencies advertise in The Honolulu Advertiser for escorted tours to Japan. The ads alone have not convinced the expected travelers to sign up for tours. Positive editorials and columns will help the people to decide.
I traveled with 34 others for my cherry blossom tour to Japan. We did not encounter any problem. Honolulu Airport was not much of a challenge. The Japan airport was a breeze. We traveled from Kyushu, the southern island, to Tokyo without any health concern. We enjoyed the cherry blossoms, cloudy Mount Fuji, good hotel accommodations, excellent meals and wonderful Japanese people. Of course, I had terrific people to escort who jelled into an 'ohana.
Please help to convince the potential travelers that Japan is a very safe place to visit. Surely, the travel agencies will appreciate your kokua. Mahalo!
Albert Yoshio Matsumoto
Ag board blew it on transfer of orangutan
After a short public hearing in February, the Board of Agriculture gave its approval to allow the transfer of Rusti the orangutan from the Honolulu Zoo to Kualoa Ranch. Recently, however, it was discovered that not only was the orangutan's cage constructed without a building permit but neither Kualoa Ranch nor the Orangutan Foundation International had applied for the proper zoning permits required to display "exotic animals" in an outdoor recreational facility.
It appears that the Board of Agriculture missed the boat on this one. The board should have deferred approval to move Rusti until it verified that all the paperwork was complete and that the necessary permits were obtained.
Orangutans are strong, highly intelligent primates that are not only capable of causing injury to themselves and others but also capable of transmitting human diseases. I hope that in the future the Board of Agriculture will be more thorough when making decisions regarding public safety.
Linda Vannatta
Health benefits held hostage to pay raises
Regarding the April 26 article "State extends union contracts": The big shell game begins. Public workers' health benefits are held hostage as three of their unions exchange chances for a pay raise so members would not lose health benefits.
Whatever happened to the $60 million cost savings elected officials bragged about under Act 88 of 2001, creating the new Employer-Union Trust Fund?
Public workers are easy targets for politicians. Many have good jobs, and some not so good. However, all are hired on their competence and talents. Most have families, household bills, and pay the same taxes as everyone else. And, all have the same desire for stability as they keep up with the cost of living.
Having public-worker health benefits ransomed for pay is a bad idea. This shell game will be the start of many future attempts by politicians to balance the budget at the expense of public workers, retirees and their families.
I've always believed Act 88 was pilau when it passed in 2001, and this proves it.
Earl Arakaki
'Ewa Beach
Shapiro's Quackenbush column was a 'hit piece'
This is in response to David Shapiro's April 23 latest op-ed "hit piece," "Quackenbushes are in denial."
I don't know anything about Chuck Quackenbush's past, but I do know something about Chris Quackenbush's present. She has successfully organized and leads the Community Quarantine Reform Coalition, a public service effort sorely needed in this state and long overdue.
Shapiro's claim that she is "leading a campaign against quarantine" is completely false. The Reform Coalition is strictly about quarantine reform, not elimination.
Shapiro amply demonstrates how many writers of his ilk play "hard and loose with the facts." His gross inaccuracy at the outset completely discredits his piece. How much more subtle shading of the truth has he used? Where else has he misrepresented the facts or drawn conclusions by using omissions or half-truths?
Charlie Curtis
Kane'ohe
Controversy over UH logo design
What's wrong with football team logo?
Why is UH wasting taxpayer dollars ($82,000) on something so trivial as a logo? The money could have been used for upgrading the university system itself, its programs and facilities.
The two logos do not capture the uniqueness of the UH system. I must admit that the final two selections are unique — one is too effeminate and the other is too "kung-fu-ish." There's nothing wrong with the designs if they were for a girls' organization or a martial-arts organization.
What's wrong with the logo used by the football team? It's uniquely Hawaiian, and it displays strength, character and virtues.
Jo Anne Yamamoto
Kane'ohe
Logo finalists don't capture Hawai'i at all
Concerning the final UH logo designs: I commented on these images last month in a UH Ka Leo interview concerning the general concept of the graphics. I said then, and I repeat now, that I think the designs are a joke.
The concept has nothing to do with Hawai'i and the proud tradition of the host culture and the honorable reputation of scholarship and technical research that befits the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. The images are trite, imitative, amateurish and expensive.
As a professional artist and professor of art at the University of Hawai'i, I am embarrassed and frustrated with the presentation of these images. To announce that these are the two designs for final consideration is a farce.
No matter what the intention of the administration, it evidenced very poor judgment in not consulting with designers at the university and graphic designers in the state. It is the height of bureaucratic arrogance to overlook, dismiss and ignore the notion of consulting with Hawai'i-based designers who have international reputations and credentials from some of the finest design departments in the country.
I realize that the administrators of this project have their opinions and did not intentionally search out and present an unresolved and inadequate design concept. However, I am obligated to state my opinion in this situation because a basic professional courtesy has been tarnished and needs to be addressed in public.
Ron Kowalke
UH Art Department
Too many problems with proposed UH logo
The whole idea of the logo is ridiculous.
First off, the University of Hawai'i has a very capable art department, so I don't understand why $82,000 has to be spent to hire an outside firm to design something that the art department is completely capable of creating internally with numerous graphic design students and faculty at hand.
The administration is sending a message that UH's own art department is not good enough to design a logo for UH.
Second, what is with the purple and blue? UH fans barely know what to wear at games anymore, given the switch from green to black. Now we're going to have people in the stands wearing green, black, purple or blue, or whatever color that corresponds to the new logo.
Finally, say the logo is on the back of someone's shirt, or on a coffee mug; no one is going to know what on earth this big "H" stands for other than people already familiar with the logo. What's wrong with putting a "U" before the "H" so people can at least know it's a logo for a university?
The administration says this is meant to create a cohesive and consistent message, but all this will do is create chaos and confusion.
Charles P. Izumoto
We don't need outside firm to design UH logo
I am really upset at the news of UH's proposed logo. If UH really wants to promote solidarity, I suggest that it take the loss and dump these two $82,000 logos from the Baltimore firm.
As an alumnus, I strongly feel that the students, faculty and people of Hawai'i should design the logo that represents them. A logo is nothing but symbolic. The designing of a UH logo is a blessing that should have been given to the people of Hawai'i, if not, at the very least, the UH students.
Assuming that everyone will either hate the logo or love it is self-defeating. If UH wants a unifying symbol, it first needs to unify itself and stop the practice of hiring Mainland companies to do what UH can handle.
UH needs to stand on its own feet. It does not need to pay for representation from the Mainland.
Russell Kaya
Bring back the rainbow
Didn't we just change the logo at the University of Hawai'i? Things could be so simple: "Hawai'i Rainbows," "Rainbow Wahine" and "Rainbow" logo.
Clark Himeda
