Posted on: Friday, November 14, 2003

Letters to the Editor

Kalaeloa is proof that the military benefits us

I would like to respond to Gwendolyn Kim's letter regarding her comments on not letting the military expand here. In her letter, she talks about the beautiful swaths of land never seen or enjoyed by people. Gwendolyn, I ask you: Have you been to Kalaeloa (formerly Barbers Point Naval Air Station) lately?

Since being turned over to the state, this once-beautiful piece of land is now a dumping ground. The once-beautiful beaches are littered and unkempt.

I firmly believe in peace through strength. Without a strong military, you and I would not be able to voice our opinions through this medium.

High school debate: a sparse resource

When I was a junior at 'Aiea High School, my closest friends were changing and I had few to turn to. That year, I joined the speech and debate team, a place to speak. Cliques didn't matter to the team. It was common to see the senior prom queen getting help with her case from the punk rocker.

The debate team wasn't only about making friends; it was competitive, educational and time-consuming. We had tournaments once a month and practiced three times a week. We kept up to date on issues ranging from ocean policy to cell phone usage in cars. It was rigorous, but it taught us how to speak in public and helped us hone our writing skills.

I am now co-coaching at 'Aiea. I remember how the team helped me through hard times. I want to pass that on to others.

We have run into problems this year. We are short on Internet-accessible computers, printers, means of copying our evidence and various office supplies. If you'd like to help our cause, please send donations to AHS Speech and Debate Team, 98-1276 Ulune Street, 'Aiea, HI 96701.

A revenge kill won't prevent future attacks

Regarding Dan Stillman's Nov. 5 letter: Attempting to kill the very shark that bit Bethany Hamilton on Kaua'i would pacify the human emotion for revenge, but it is almost certainly an impossibility.

As another letter stated, how would the shark posse know it was the right shark?

After they kill a 12-footer, measuring the bite radius might confirm that was the one, but a revenge kill will not stop further attacks. Another tiger will take up the slack at "Tunnels," fulfilling nature's food-chain laws.

Unless you want to kill all the sharks in the ocean, like Asians for their "shark fin soup," the battle man vs. beast is a loser.

This revenge mentality was honed in San Diego. As urban sprawl encroached the mountainous areas (since all the beachfront was already built), mountain lions, or cougars, would attack hikers and joggers. After every attack, some fatal, the Park Service would hunt down and kill the suspected lion, claiming "something must be wrong with it." Based on paw prints, hopefully they got the right one, usually a female protecting her young.

Just like sharks, humans are guests in their home, and by nature, these animals are territorial.

Politicians need to have appropriate information

Cliff Slater should have put a little more thought to the basic premise of his Nov. 10 column.

He stated "Our latest effort to reduce traffic congestion appears to have 15 elected officials, none of whom have any expertise in urban transportation, cogitating about traffic ..."

I would like to inform Mr. Slater that I was one of those 15 elected officials, and I have expertise in urban transportation and access to one of Hawai'i's top experts on the subject.

The point I'd like to make here is that we are elected officials. There is a huge amount of money in mass transportation. These billions take the form of contributions to candidates, wages for public and private union members, land development projects, consulting contracts, construction contracts and a huge public debt.

When the subject of traffic congestion comes up, guess whom we hear from continually.

At the meeting Slater describes, we concluded the solution to traffic congestion was "Eureka, I have it ... light rail." Not so! We concluded, quite simply, that if the folks we hear from daily are right about rail, we need some very simple information.

What has changed to make rail a solution? Remember, it was information about the cost overruns of rail systems that killed the project in the mid-'70s. The same facts, plus lack of ridership, killed the project in the '90s. As politicians, we want to know what has changed to justify such a huge expenditure.

Mr. Slater is aware that transit demand peaked in the United States in 1923. It has declined continually since then with the exception of the World War II years. What we as politicians need to know is, has this trend changed enough to warrant the huge expenditure and its concomitant impact on the finances of the citizens of Hawai'i?

We are waiting for new evidence before we make a decision.

Light-rail systems are not working elsewhere

Some U.S. cities with light-rail systems report they haven't reduced traffic congestion, ridership doesn't support the operation and it isn't cost-effective.

The Southern New Jersey Light Rail Transit System reports ridership is so poor that fares were slashed to $1.10 for about a 25-mile ride. A bus ride over the same route is $3.20.

That rail system's costs, projected at $603 million, have grown to $813 million, and the $1.1 million in anticipated fares during the first year may be insufficient to cover the cost of fare collections.

A powerful lobby of engineering and other related firms that benefit from rail-system construction has emerged in the wake of the federal government giving billions of dollars to cities to fund rail systems. Often unaware, poor and middle-class taxpayers pay for businesses to profit through this corporate welfare.

An elevated light-rail system in Hawai'i will repulse tourists, who visit the Islands to enjoy the natural, unspoiled beauty, not to ride around in a light-rail system like the one they probably have back home. Why should Hawai'i become more like what the tourist is trying to escape from?

Relieve the traffic and create jobs, too

I certainly agree with Peter Osborne in his Nov. 9 letter ("There's a better way to handle traffic jams"). It certainly would be "absurd" for our state to propose a light-rail solution for, as he states, the relief of east-to-west morning traffic. Silly me, and all the time I thought we are trying to relieve west-to-east morning traffic.

Oh well, with his plan we could drive through Honolulu, after waiting to pay a toll at "strategically" located on-ramp toll booths, and park at Aloha Stadium in order to board city buses to go back to Ho-nolulu. I figure this would only add an hour to the commute time. Anyone been in the toll booth backup while crossing the S.F.-Oakland Bay Bridge on morning commutes?

Anyway, his plan would certainly increase employment, if only for two to three hours in the morning.

Mahalo for HPD patrol of Ala Wai bicyclists

Many thanks for the frequent presence of the Honolulu Police Department bicycle units on the Ala Wai Boulevard mauka sidewalk.

During, and since, the recent bus strike, the number of bicycles on the sidewalk proliferated. As late as Tuesday of last week, in any given 30-minute period, 15 to 20 bicyclists whiz by in arrogant disregard for, or ignorance of, the law. Ignorance should not be the case, however, as several signs along the walkway clearly indicate that it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk.

Bicycles on the walkway endanger senior citizens taking their walks, joggers, pet owners, families with baby strollers and keiki playing on the sidewalk. It appears the police have stepped up surveillance of this walkway. Thanks to those police officers, the number of bicyclists appears to be waning to a manageable few. Thank you for your efforts to protect all of us.

Portable ashtrays should be in wide use

In spite of the tragedy of having several hundred thousand acres of California burn up, I still see people throw their still-lit cigarette butts on the ground.

I wonder what it will take for more people to carry and use small, portable ashtrays. (I've seen about three in the past five years.)

Thanks for your help after traffic accident

My son was recently in a car accident, and I would like to thank the following people for their wonderful help. Navy and staff, EMS, Queen's Medical Center and staff, Tripler Army Medical Center and staff.

The bus drivers who were so nice to me, and the kindness of total strangers. I will never forget you. The Lord will truly bless each and every one of you.

The movie that was never made

Kimo		Duke
Henry		Blue

It seems like it was only yesterday when the late promoter and talent manager Kimo McVay talked about possibly making a movie about Duke Kahanamoku and his life. It all took place at the McVays' old house in Kahala back in the mid-'60s.

Kimo, at that time, was starting to groom a then young, handsome and athletically built Henry K. Ayau Jr. for the lead role as Duke Kahanamoku, as he was already a protégé. Everyone mentioned here, including "Uncle Paoa" (the Duke), was alive and well when the movie was brought up at the barbecue that evening — decades before the current hit "Ride" became a reality (featured in the Nov. 7 Island Life section).

I'm flying to Honolulu to see it, and I'm sure Uncle Paoa would've been proud of filmmaker Nathan Kurosawa's outstanding production. Kimo McVay would've been proud as well, considering the difficult final years of his life, i.e. his battling with the Navy's false accusations of his father's improper commandership of the USS Indianapolis, and finally his deteriorating health condition at the end. Kimo always considered Duke Kahanamoku and Henry Ayau Jr. as two of his favorite people.

About 10 years ago, perhaps to this day, a group of us gathered at Duke's at the Waikiki Outrigger Hotel, right after legendary beach boy Blue Makua's sea burial services, for an aloha drink. Kimo had his usual orange juice. We all sang, played music and talked beach boy stories with each other. Everyone had a wonderful time.

I leaned over to Kimo and casually asked him about the movie that he had once talked about featuring Duke Kahanamoku. He paused, looked at me and said, "You know, Blue Makua was a major player as a beach boy in Duke's life when Duke was young." He said Blue had shared a lot of interesting stories of his and Duke's younger days at Waikiki. Blue revealed his tales when he'd venture into the original Duke Kahanamoku's, where Don Ho had prospered so eloquently and which Kimo once owned. Sadly, though, Kimo took those stories with him when he and Blue Makua and Henry Ayau and Uncle Paoa (Duke Kahanamoku) went home too soon to be with Akua.