Letters to the Editor

Boomboxes, mufflers even worse in Waikiki

S.W. Glasgow hit the nail on the head in his July 28 letter.

If he thinks the illegal mufflers and boomboxes are bad in Kane'ohe, he should live on the edge of Waikiki!

The Waikiki Neighborhood Board has supposedly directed the many police officers in the very limited Waikiki area to crack down on the noise, but those of us who live just off the Ala Wai on the other side of the canal are not seeing any improvement, and we get it on both sides. Kapi'olani Boulevard is a virtual Indy 500, both speed-wise and noise-wise, in the early morning hours.

The inspection stations that pass these vehicles should lose their licenses, as well as the many shops that do installations on them.

And maybe we could pay our officers more if they brought in the income from all these lawbreakers.

Motorcycle officers need maneuvering room

In view of the recent accident that claimed the lives of a motorcycle officer and a 10-year-old girl, I think it is time that the Honolulu Police Department seriously reviews the policy of allowing its officers to ride in tight formation.

I know it's impressive to watch and can be fun to perform, but riding a motorcycle directly alongside and behind another removes that all-important "clear space" that is necessary to have if an emergency maneuver should be required.

It is easy to see how Officer Goto may have been reluctant to swerve to the right, or abruptly apply the brakes, knowing there was another officer directly behind and another one directly alongside. Plus, formation riding requires fairly intense concentration on others in the formation, and reduces a portion of your ability to review the rest of the traffic around you. Even a hesitation of a tenth of a second could make all the difference in the world.

Having ridden motorcycles for the past 40 years without a serious accident, I understand how important that "maneuvering room" can be when things go wrong. Riding in tight formation may look cool, but it is quite dangerous and serves no practical purpose.

Bob Hope was our 'patriot supreme'

Thanks for the memories, Bob.

You will be missed by all of us who were lucky to share this era with you. Your wit, charm, humor and love for our country make you the "patriot supreme" of our beloved United States.

Your contribution to the boys overseas when you took your USO troops over to entertain through many wars will always be etched in our minds and hearts.

Millions are feeling this great loss, and God has blessed us with your 100 years of sharing your life with us.

Many Peace Corps volunteers returned

I was pleased to read John Griffin's informative commentary on the Peace Corps and returned volunteers in Hawai'i.

There is no way of knowing for certain how many returned Peace Corps volunteers and former Peace Corps staff members currently reside in Hawai'i.

My estimate is more than 1,000, based on frequency of contacts from such individuals during my 36-year career, which began with my arrival on a one-year contract as University of Hawai'i Peace Corps training director.

Nearly 3,000 Peace Corps volunteers and staff trained for overseas assignments at training sites on Hawai'i, O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i and Kaua'i over nearly a decade when Hawai'i served as the largest training center in the United States.

Many of those former volunteers and staff returned to Hawai'i to further their education and seek jobs. They chose Hawai'i, a place where intercultural experiences were a happy, common, everyday fact of life and racism was rare.

I second Griffin's closing remarks about the Peace Corps as a quiet asset for Hawai'i "and one that should continue to grow. Let's hope Washington doesn't screw it up."

Biosciences research in Hawai'i boosted

In a July 25 article, "Disease research site proposed: Japan-UH center would be built in Kaka'ako," The Advertiser describes how a unique new public-private partnership proposal "could bring an emerging field of disease-profiling to Hawai'i."

At a time when Hawai'i ranks 40th out of all the states in National Institutes of Health financing and 50th in terms of National Science Foundation financing, this collaboration could play a key role in advancing Hawai'i's vision of leadership in biosciences research.

With recent poll data reflecting the continued importance Americans ascribe to the retention of our global leadership in scientific research, it is particularly gratifying that Hawai'i is creatively capitalizing on its government, academic and industry resources.

Hawai'i's forward thinking in this area will have long-term benefits for one of America's fastest-growing and most ethnically diverse populations.