Let's even the odds for visitors to Hawai'i

No one deserves to be the victim of unprovoked assault.

but visitors seem to be especially vulnerable. A modest proposal:

If preventive detention or relocation to the Mojave Desert based on criminal history is impractical, perhaps the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau could issue designer handguns at the arrival gate of Honolulu International Airport. The cute pink or blue weapons could be surrendered when visitors depart or be purchased as souvenirs.

If it's state land, why is it city's problem?

In his letter yesterday, Peter Apo, director of the Hawaiian Hospitality Institute, comments on the city administration's proposed restoration of the Natatorium. Among other things, he states that the state is the landowner, not the city. Is this true? If so, why is the city involved at all? Why isn't the Natatorium a problem for the state?

Why are planes still vulnerable?

Regarding the Sept. 29 story "Planes vulnerable to suicide bombers": After four years, thousands of extra hours of waiting in line, having our personal belongings pawed through at the airport and the creation of the most bloated government bureaucracy of all time — the Department of Homeland Security — Bush still hasn't figured out how to keep the terrorists from blowing up our planes?

Perhaps one of the hundreds of new terrorists cutting their teeth in the chaos that is Iraq?

Al-Qaida has never had it so good. Are we really safer under Bush, or just lucky?

Fans deprived of big-screen live video

I read your "American Idol" story. I was a dad who was dragged along but enjoyed the show nonetheless.

I was surprised you didn't mention what I would consider the biggest problem with the show — no live up-close shots on the screen above the stage during the performance.

For the many in the crowd in the upper level, one could hardly see the kids on stage without binoculars. I was disappointed that they didn't have any live shots going, as this would have put the show on a much higher level for the entire audience.

They did play some short takes of the "Idol" show; so they did have the capability to screen video.

But for whatever reason, they chose only light effects and some pictures rather than the full experience. I for one would have brought along some binoculars if I had known that we would be barely able to see the performers (and we were in the front of the upper level).

Hawaiian kids aren't being threatened

I am an 84-year-old resident of Hawai'i dismayed at all the talk by Bishop Estate over leasehold conversion, saying that it will hurt Hawaiian kids.

This is shibai. Just look at all the millions, if not billions, that Bishop Estate has in investments with golf courses, shopping centers and the like on the Mainland.

It is making so much money from these investments, which is evident by the enormous salaries that were paid out to trustees.

And what Hawaiian children are they talking about? When one watches the Kamehameha Schools song festival, one sees more non-Hawaiians then Hawaiians performing.

There are so many families that live under leasehold and are paying so much for homes that they don't even own year after year. Do you think it's fair to take homes away from these families who have children — to support the children attending Kamehameha Schools?

I'm quite sure that the trustees and Bishop Estate can and should find other means to acquire revenues to support their needs instead of ripping off average families that every day dream of owning their own home.