Posted on: Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Letters to the Editor

Parents can demand good education now

Regarding the Aug. 4 lead story "Wai'anae Coast losing students": As a resident of the Wai'anae Coast with two keiki in the intermediate school, I see this as mostly good.

My family loves the Wai'anae Coast. It offers many advantages the rest of the island does not. I am not sure if the article was bragging or complaining. I am glad that the student population is dropping to more manageable levels, regardless of the reason. It is most likely a combination of reasons, all mentioned.

Now that the student population is dropping, overcrowding can no longer be used as an excuse for poor education. Or the expectation of no expectation. Perhaps parents can demand and get a good education for their students here where they live instead of having to flee. You can do it where you are. I do.

People can leave; better housing is a good reason. I have a better house in Wai'anae. Except for the tear-downs, people will come and buy. New houses are being built. The west side is alive and well and a happening place.

Hawai'i should have been sold as 'safe'

After reading your article on the effectiveness of Linda Lingle's trip to Japan, I have to admit as a Hawai'i-born person living in Japan that I, too, was a bit puzzled by her trip here.

I read and speak Japanese, and although her visit did hit the news here, I saw no real "extra" exposure to Hawai'i other than the usual "Hawai'i is a beautiful place" concept.

The domestic travel in Japan has picked up a lot because of all the negative events that are hitting the world, and if there were an attempt to sell Hawai'i as a "safe" location, this would have had a much bigger impact.

Also, having traveled between Hawai'i and Japan quite often, I find that the process of getting in and out of Hawai'i alone now is having a negative impact on Hawai'i's image. If there were a way to speed up this process for the Japanese without compromising safety, I believe this would help. After all, waiting in the X-ray line for an hour in a non-air-conditioned HNL as a final experience is not the greatest.

Let us know what evaporation rate is

Board of Water Supply Manager Clifford Jamile's TV slogan of "Use all the water you need, but please don't waste" should now read "Conserve and cooperate — or else!"

It is good the board is addressing its concerns first with the 100 largest water users. One in particular, the city Department of Parks and Recreation, has been a habitual abuser of such. What good is watering weeds and the roads?

The board must also tell the public that if one waters on a hot day of 85 degrees and 15 mph winds, the rate of evaporation will be such and such. Just saying evaporation occurs is not enough. What is the amount — 10 percent, 25 percent, etc. I have asked but no one in this department knows. Why? Shouldn't this be part of its knowledge?

Somebody, please, give us an idea of evaporation factors.

I go along with what was mandated over a decade ago. Those units with odd numbers water on odd calendar days and the same with those with even numbers and at required designated times.

Or how about assessing additional cost to the water bill if people go over their use during a comparable period in 2002. Say if you go over 10 percent, your water bill is 10 percent more. This would get those abusers thinking twice. Or to reward those who cooperate and reduce water use, give them a 10 percent reduction in billings. Mr. Jamile, what do you think?

Hey, I just replaced over 100 square feet of mondo grass and plantings with red cinders to change my watering patterns. Makes me more creative in designing more mini Oriental rock gardens, with very limited plants for watering.

Punishment or reward? I say, make it mandatory but use the odd/even system of watering.

This hugging thing has gotten out of hand

Joel Kennedy's brazen promotion of promiscuous hugging ("Doing more hugging could help heal our world," Focus, Aug. 3) is yet another example of the liberal media's campaign to achieve not just tolerance but outright acceptance and affirmation of adult male full-body contact.

This will not stand. Civilization was built on the mother-child embrace, and the mother-child embrace alone.

When elite women intellectuals began hugging each other, males did not speak out. We wanted to appear "tolerant." (And, besides, two women are kind of different from two men, you know?)

But it was a slippery slope. Next, males were being urged to hug their wives ... then their children ... then their own male friends ... now Kennedy even wants us to hug dogs!

This is not what our Founding Fathers envisioned. Can you imagine the signers of the Constitution dropping their pens and celebrating in some mass orgy, all hugging one another? (Or one another's dogs?) I think not.

Apparently we have to spell out what was just common sense in their day. It is time for a constitutional amendment specifying that hugging is something that takes place between one mother and one child (preferably in private, though states should be allowed to make local laws about that).

Thanks for the rescue

On Sunday, July 27, I was hiking alone at Maunawili Falls Trail because it seemed easy enough. I was almost at the falls when I either slipped or tripped good enough to knock myself out and cause a concussion.

I don't remember too much until I was recovering at Queen's Medical Center, but I know there were hikers who helped me out and stayed with me until I was flown out.

To the hikers, rescue crews and Queen's medical personnel, I'm hoping you read this or get word of my deepest gratitude.

Quarantine exemption for guide dogs working

I have been critical of the state's animal quarantine program since at least 1991 when I undertook to represent the blind who could not come to Hawai'i with their vaccinated guide dogs despite scientific evidence that vaccines are better than quarantine in protecting us from rabies.

After six years of protracted litigation and an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, which held Hawai'i's quarantine violated the Americans With Disabilities Act, the state finally granted an exemption for vaccinated guide dogs in 1997.

I also brought an action on behalf of the deaf who similarly could not come here with their vaccinated hearing dogs. That case was settled this year.

Now, in a historic change, the state, under Gov. Linda Lingle's able leadership, granted major new exemptions for appropriately vaccinated pets that meet a number of qualifying requirements.

I have observed the new exemptions in action. Although they are not perfect, and are exceedingly cumbersome and complicated, they do work for those who have the time to fulfill all their requirements. A recent traveler spent more time waiting for baggage to off-load than it took to retrieve the traveler's vaccinated cat from the airport quarantine station. And the staff at the airport was courteous, cheerful and helpful.

While I have been critical of quarantine in the past and the program still needs improvement, the new rules implemented under Gov. Lingle are a giant leap in the right direction and a source of great relief to travelers and their vaccinated companion pets.

Can't someone here stabilize gas prices?

Is that why so many families have moved to Las Vegas and California? How is it that the cost of living is so affordable there and not here?

Why can't gasoline prices here be stabilized? Why is it that Aloha unleaded gas sells for $1.88 in Kalihi and $1.91 in Kane'ohe and then again for $1.96 in other places? Then again on the Neighbor Islands, same Aloha stations are $2.45 and up. Isn't there a way to stabilize gas prices in Hawai'i?

Please, someone, do something. Raising prices and taxes only puts a bigger weight on everyone, and not everyone gets a pay increase to cope.

Singapore offers lesson in dealing with traffic

In recent years, I have watched with growing concern the ongoing debate in Hawai'i over public transportation, increasing traffic congestion and potential ways to solve these seemingly intractable challenges.

I currently live in an island nation in Southeast Asia. The government long ago took some very strong stands on public transportation and car ownership. These decisions have never been politically popular but have been proven sound over the past 20 years. It starts with a belief that as an island, there is a finite amount of space to build new roads. At some point, you run out of land to shove more cars on the road.

To address the issue, the government looks to the private sector to build and run a world-class public transportation system. Funding this system and maintaining the existing road infrastructure is based on a very high use tax on cars. The government has made it clear to the public that car ownership is not a necessity when there is a perfectly acceptable, world-class public transportation system available. Anyone can own a car; they just pay for the privilege.

In Hawai'i, what seems to be lacking is political will and maturity on the part of both elected officials and citizens to make tough decisions on the future transportation needs of the state. Continuous debate on the merits of various transportation solutions is ridiculous. Hawai'i has some hard choices to make in this area, and it needs to make them fast.

And should you want any help, I'm sure the Singapore Land Transport Authority would be happy to visit the state for some benchmarking and best-practice sharing sessions.

Don't muscle in on kanaka fishing grounds

The people of Kaua'i are saying that the fishing around Ni'ihau is better so they should be allowed to fish there. Nonsense! Just because you ate all of your fish doesn't give you any right to anyone else's fishing grounds. Instead of trying to muscle in on someone else's fish, manage your own better.

Ni'ihau residents already have permits to fish there. It's called "residency." If the fishing ban goes into effect, there won't be a need to report anything to the state, since the population of Ni'ihau is less than the membership of some Kaua'i boat clubs.

Leave the fishing grounds of Ni'ihau to the kanaka maoli of Ni'ihau.

Thunderbird support staff was outstanding

Kudos and mahalo to Hickam AFB and the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard units that participated in this past weekend's Friends and Neighbors program.

The entire event was professional and enlightening, the crew members were courteous, friendly and educational, and the planning and execution by the Hickam staff to accommodate the thousands of visitors were flawless.

And those Thunderbirds — wow!

I'm proud to know these men and women are our armed forces.

Stripped cars mar heiau on North Shore

I am visiting O'ahu from the Mainland. I am impressed with the multiculturalness and heritage of Hawai'i, something the other states do not have.

On Monday, I visited the North Shore and Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau. I took TheBus and hiked from the bus stop up the hill to the sacred site. When I turned onto the access road, the first thing that caught my eye was a stolen car that was stripped and destroyed. As I walked, I saw another car stripped and pushed off the side of the hill. There were also numerous car parts, engine parts and car seats alongside the road.

I know that some Hawaiians treat this site with the respect it deserves, as there were fresh flowers and offerings at the site. My question is, why isn't this site better treated by the state and city governments? It is poorly marked, poorly treated and, if nothing else, it is a heritage site deserving of more.

Bring back the 'Bows

At last Monday's meeting of the Honolulu Quarterback Club, June Jones was still trying to justify the dastardly deed of dumping the UH Rainbow nickname and logo and replacing them with something supposedly more masculine and marketable. With no apology or regret for doing away with the rainbow, suddenly and unilaterally, he related that the change resulted in an "unbelievable" increase in logo revenue.

If he is interested in a more "unbelievable" increase in logo revenue, all coach Jones has to do is dump the Warriors logo and bring back the Rainbow name and logo and watch the money roll in. Want to roll in dough? Bring back the 'Bows!