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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, September 2, 2003

Letters to the Editor

Bus transfers are big part of problem

If you read the back of a bus transfer, it should become apparent where the problem of bus fares may arise. The transfer specifically encourages multiple rides for the price of one. It details how to do so. Consequently, tourists for the most part are able to ride for up to one-quarter of the fare by using the transfer.

On any Waikiki-bound bus No. 8 boarding passengers, just notice the number of tourists with shopping bags from Ala Moana displaying a transfer. Each such occurrence is a ride for at least half-fare. I don't see why we seniors should subsidize such actions.

Transfers should be used for one purpose only: to effect a one-way trip to a destination.

Warner King
Honolulu


Police should perform drive-throughs at parks

Regarding the closing of parks at night: There is a simple, although partial, solution.

I live next to a city park on the Windward side. At times, the park is abused at night by people who are loud and drinking and who leave rubbish. It is also a hangout for neighborhood youth who are usually well-behaved, but sometimes not.

A call to 911 will bring police to the park, but as often as not, they take so long to arrive that the problem has ceased before they arrive. I resist using 911 since it is also used for emergencies, despite police assurances that it is the proper way to deal with annoyances as well.

I have requested many times that there be regular police patrols, simply a drive-through of the parking area since many of the late-night occurrences consist of people sitting in the parking lot partying at 3 a.m. The response has been that there is not time and it would be inconvenient and out of the way of the officer's normal patrol routes.

Inconvenient?

Maybe it's time to change the patrol routes, or even get the officers out of their cars (other than standing outside gas station mini-marts) and have them walk through the small parks with a flashlight, checking the restrooms (where, although it is hard to imagine why, much partying goes on late at night).

Let's look for other solutions and keep the parks open.

Richard Brill
Kahalu'u


Obesity research must be fully funded

Your newspaper's coverage of the childhood obesity epidemic should help sound a wake-up call for all parents who care about their children's health now and in the future.

The epidemic has sent shock waves through the pediatric research community, of which Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children is an important part.

According to a survey released in June by the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, pediatric researchers at children's hospitals, which house the nation's premier centers devoted to research on children's health, cite obesity and diabetes as the most underfunded areas of pediatric research. Kapi'olani concurs with this national finding.

In response to recent studies showing the rate of childhood obesity in Hawai'i to be twice the national average, Kapi'olani formed a working group of pediatricians, pediatric researchers, health administrators, and fitness and education professionals who have been meeting regularly for nearly a year to develop a multidisciplinary approach to solving this complex issue.

The group is preparing a white paper that will provide physicians, parents, educators and our entire community with a comprehensive analysis of the issue and recommendations for decreasing childhood obesity's short- and long-term effects on our keiki.

Obesity research is a primary area of opportunity for scientific discovery and advancement to improve children's health. For that to happen requires congressional support to grow the budget of the National Institutes of Health, the country's largest investor in research for children's health.

Through pediatric research, we can win this battle of the bulge and spare our children the multitude of lifelong and costly problems that come with it.

Lawrence F. O'Brien
Chief executive officer
Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children


Rep. Case should first get vote on Akaka bill

Rep. Ed Case's remarks make me wonder if he understands the different duties and responsibilities between a state governor and a congressional representative.

Rep. Case asks Gov. Lingle to do the heavy lifting for him and the rest of the congressional delegation to persuade President Bush to tell Congress that he wants the Akaka-Stevens bill to be passed. That's not how it works, Rep. Case. No Hawai'i governor has worked harder than Gov. Lingle to pass this bill, but now Rep. Case wants her to do his job in lobbying the president to twist the arm of Congress to pass the bill.

Since the Akaka-Stevens bill has never even been brought to a vote in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, maybe Rep. Case and the rest of the delegation should do their job first and get a vote taken on it. If the bill passes Congress, then Gov. Lingle can use her considerable influence to have the president sign it into law.

Maybe Rep. Case knows he can't do his job and just wants to put the blame on Gov. Lingle instead of admitting to his own lack of ability and the resulting political consequences.

Fred Gartley
Kane'ohe


Don't equate slavery with admissions policy

Equating the Kamehameha Schools' admission policy to an anti-discriminatory act passed in the United States regarding slavery is an embarrassment to this Hawaiian institution.

It was the United States that allowed slavery in the first place. It was through its own heinous actions that this act came into existence.

Princess Pauahi was merely looking to elevate her people's understanding of the Western world that was beginning to suffocate her people. Through her trust, the schools would elevate the Hawaiians to a more equal playing field.

Now the same body that once approved of slavery, then later came to its senses, wants to pass judgment on an organization that has done nothing but improve the lives of thousands of Hawaiian people for over 100 years. Why are wills and trusts being scrutinized that were already in place while we were still an internationally recognized independent nation?

The Kamehameha Schools is one of the last bastions of hope for the kanaka maoli. I hope those deciding the fate of the schools realize that Hawaiians are not the passive people we were once perceived as. We are a race of fighters and pursuers of justice. We will overcome.

Kainoa Daines
Kamehameha alumnus
Kane'ohe


So what if newspaper covers gay marketing?

Regarding the Aug. 24 "What's with the agenda?" letter: I would submit that The Honolulu Advertiser does not have an agenda on the sexual-preference issue. Ben Clinger believes that The Advertiser is ignoring the "family and heterosexual" market.

If he would deign to take an analytical look at today's popular media — advertisements for cars, relationship issue columns, cheesy romantic comedy movies — he would find that these all pander to the "family and heterosexual" ideal that society presents. As a minority group, homosexuals deserve respect and acceptance in our society.

Let me also assert that the gay community is lacking in a variety of social problems that plague the "family and heterosexual" world such as domestic abuse, divorce, unwanted pregnancy, child molestation and so on.

So what if The Advertiser covers this controversial topic fairly and in-depth? Also, our state is well known for embodying the aloha spirit — warm acceptance and friendly faces, and our income depends on the tourist industry. Approximately one in 10 people are homosexual; that's a pretty large market to tap, wouldn't you say?

Lacey Chong
Hawai'i Kai


UH football team needs to prove itself on field

Finally! A substantive and well-written criticism aimed at the June Jones cult of personality. Thank you, David Shapiro (Aug. 20 commentary).

UH and its fans want to be respected nationally as a top-tier team. There should be no question the team and its coach do not belong in the same discussion. A local sports talk show host claims to want respect "that on any given Saturday we could pull a major upset." Prove it on the field. Fresno State has earned such respect. UH hasn't. Last year's Alabama victory was never in doubt, and the home bowl loss was to a weak team.

The Mainland view agrees that the UH, and WAC, brand of football is exciting. But in reality, the teams are seen as an early season tune-up and a bowl disappointment in the eyes of major programs they play.

Dan Morin
Honolulu


Hanauma Bay isn't what it used to be

I recently went to Hanauma Bay with my family for the first time since it was renovated. In the past, going to Hanauma Bay was going at leisure, without mandated restrictions. Now it's literally a tourist trap.

We got there at 10 a.m. to find the parking lot closed, so my husband dropped us off at a lookout, and I hiked up with my 7-year-old and toddler in a stroller. My husband found parking a mile away outside the bay and hiked up to find us later at the park. My kids and I stood in a long line in the hot sun to get in. We are kama'aina so the admission is free. We did receive tickets to watch a video.

We were exhausted by now and just wanted to get to the beach so the kids could unwind.

So instead of waiting in another line to watch an orientation video, we went straight to the beach. An attendant asked for our tickets. She asked if we saw the video; we are from here and have been to Hanauma Bay numerous times before. She said we have to watch the video — it's mandatory. So we go back and stand in line again. Now I felt trapped. By now my 2-year-old was impatient. Another baby was crying, and the people had to listen to whining kids as they tried to make sense of the video.

Hanauma Bay is not what it used to be. What happened to freedom of choice?

Loretta Monico
Honolulu


Schools must focus on better financial literacy

The Hawai'i Council on Economic Education together with Sen. Daniel Akaka recently sponsored the first annual Financial Literacy Conference. The event was a huge success, with over 200 educators, politicians and business leaders attending.

Mostly, the conference focused on how we could improve financial literacy in our state. It was noted that in those states where economics and personal finance are mandatory subjects for high school students, the financial literacy rates are higher and personal savings rates are higher.

Meanwhile, in our state, the number of high schools offering economics or personal finance courses has been declining. Our savings rate is low. Our personal bankruptcy rate is high. On a recent survey, adults could only answer an average of 13 out of 20 routine economic questions, a failing rate. Many did not know you would never pay off a credit card debt if you merely pay the minimum amount due each month.

I wonder how long we will tolerate these results before we make the teaching of economics and personal finance mandatory for our high schools. We owe it to our children. We owe it to our future. We owe it to Sen. Akaka, who has been the leading advocate of teaching economics and personal finance nationally. We should provide him with a good example to point to while championing this effort nationally.

Not to diminish the importance of other subjects, but when was the last time you used an algebra equation in your daily life? Compare that to how often you must make financial decisions. I bet you make several of them every day.

As Dr. Robert Duvall, president and CEO of the National Council on Economic Education, says, "Economics and personal finance belong right there with the three Rs. It should be Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic and REAL LIFE!"

Dick Rankin
Nasdaq National Economics Teacher of the Year 2001