Hawai'i will be better off with ethanol use

A recent letter contends that the use of ethanol is counterproductive to new fuel technologies and that Hawai'i would be better off purchasing imported gasoline.

Ethanol has less energy per unit than gasoline but increases octane and horsepower and reduces emissions. The net energy balance of ethanol from sugarcane is over nine times the net energy balance from the production of gasoline.

Ethanol production and use in Hawai'i will mean tens of millions of dollars per annum will stay in Hawai'i. Ethanol's net price will be less than the net price of gasoline in Hawai'i, increasing competition and benefiting consumers.

Ethanol is renewable and can be made economically from agricultural and waste products, and production from both are planned for Hawai'i. This will help preserve and revitalize our agricultural sector. Ethanol is an excellent fuel for hydrogen fuel cells, the next generation of fuel technology.

Rather than undercutting the free market, ethanol will enhance it with new competition and new technology. The governor should be commended for her actions, not derided.

Rapid-transit system for O'ahu must be built

This letter is a plea for rapid transit on O'ahu. Twice a single individual has killed rail rapid transit, once by an incoming state director and again by a city councilwoman. Nobody fought back and demanded a retrial.

The city's Bus Rapid Transit project is moving. Please do not again let any individual, regardless of his station, kill this project, unless something better comes along.

I have a dream: that our new mayor of Honolulu will ask the new state Legislature to re-enact Act 136, SLH 1992, which provided that "The city and county of Honolulu shall use the surcharges to develop a fixed-rail rapid-transit system." The beauty of O'ahu and the mobility of residents would be assured for all time.

Kuhio work impressive

On Sunday, I drove up Kuhio Avenue as far as Lili'uokalani Avenue and was very impressed with the planting and the new paving. The mayor and the city administration are to be complimented for the result so far. I realize there was temporary inconvenience to the residents and store personnel, but it looks as if it is all working out and they will benefit.

Liliha festival had multicultural flavor

I had to take a few moments to write about the "I Love Liliha" festival that took place Aug. 28. Congratulations to Corinne Ching and her team for bringing this event to life. You all did a great job!

In this day and age when politicians and their advisers put so much effort into tearing down their opponents, it is nice to see people working to bring a community together. This was one of the objectives of the "I Love Liliha" festival and, I believe, it was a great success.

As I journeyed through the many displays, I was educated on local history, as well as the many businesses and organizations that serve this area. I met fifth-graders raising money for a camp, a librarian with a clear passion for her work and some of my neighborhood board members. The event also had a beautiful multicultural flavor as people from various nationalities shared the stage.

I look forward to the second annual "I Love Liliha" festival. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, effort and skill to make our community just a little stronger.

Kuhio Ave., Ala Wai work had to be done

Everyone seems to want to jump on the bandwagon bemoaning the work being done in Waikiki.

Of course it has been a major inconvenience for pedestrians and drivers — no one would argue otherwise. But for Kuhio Avenue to be as downright ugly and rundown as it was, right here in the heart of Waikiki — the epicenter of our tourist economy — was absolutely shameful. As it is, Kuhio is starting to shape up, and it's going to be beautiful once it is finally completed. The same goes for the Ala Wai project.

This work had to be done, and I am glad someone in Hawai'i had the foresight, and the guts, to make it happen.

Public comment was sought in proposed bank merger

I would like to respond to Robert K. Fukuda's Aug. 18 letter concerning the merger of Central Pacific Bank and City Bank.

All Hawai'i financial institution mergers and acquisitions are subject to specific provisions of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes and related rules.

From April 2003 until February 2004, in accordance with the provisions of those statutes and rules, the Division of Financial Institutions' staff conducted a thorough study of the numerous issues involved in the Central Pacific Financial Corp./CB Bancshares Inc. application, which contemplated a subsequent merger of Central Pacific Bank and City Bank.

The public was also invited to comment on the issues related to the transaction and did so, both in writing and at a well-publicized two-day hearing attended by many hundreds of Hawai'i's citizens. The thousands of unsolicited written comments filed by the public and the strong sentiments voiced in the course of that open hearing were incorporated into the DFI staff deliberations leading to the writing of the final Decision & Order.

A copy of that Decision & Order was and remains posted at http://www.hawaii.gov/ dcca/dfi/press_release.html. The process that led to that decision was open, inclusive, thorough and fair.

A review of our files indicates that despite the concerns outlined in his Aug. 18 letter, Mr. Fukuda never wrote to DFI or provided testimony during the open hearing or the many months that the public and press actively commented on the proposed transaction.

Mr. Fukuda's negative comments about the acquisition and merger process thus does a great disservice to the thousands of people — bank employees, state civil servants, bank shareholders and members of the general public — who did in fact contribute to developing the February 2004 decision.

Hawai'i has plenty of talent

Your July 5 article on the lack of ethnic and racial diversity in Hawai'i-based TV shows rings true. Producer Chris Brancato is quoted as saying, in effect, that the pool of qualified talent in Hawai'i is shallow, a result of the long paucity of film and television work here.

Carmen Electra, Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff were part of the "Baywatch Hawai'i" cast. Honolulu Advertiser file photo • 2003

That is soooo bogus! These Hollywood types from L.A. have only to go down to any local theater production. In the regular theater season in Honolulu, you can go to a different play and venue every weekend of a month and still not exhaust the range and depth of incredibly talented local actors, playwrights, directors, costumers and set designers who have opted out of fake Hollywood portrayals of Hawai'i to focus on honest, true-to-life emotion and story-driven tales of these Islands.

In retrospect, it's amazing how much guts the producers of "Hawaii Five-O" had when they hired so many local actors, Hollywood experience limited, and they ended up being so progressive for their day and age. In doing so, they created a series that lasted for years on network TV and for decades in syndication.

In comparison, it seems that already the critics are saying that the shows being shot in Hawai'i are ho-hum, ethnically white-bread plain, formulaic and doomed to die an ignoble death before the new season is out, with the landscape and background being the only saving graces. Kinda reminds you of the late and unlamented "Baywatch Hawai'i," huh? That whole series had less story depth than one episode of "Spongebob Squarepants."

It seems as if the current producers are trotting out the same bad "Baywatch Hawai'i" formula of bad scripts with great scenes and Hollywood hunks and cuties, hoping that it will lure the 18-to-35-year-old audience. Forget that. I'll still watch reruns of "Law & Order" and "Homicide." Give me a good, tight script and great acting anytime.

Don't let the producers blame the supposed lack of acting or production talent in Hawai'i for their failure. We have talent up the yin-yang. We also have the writers who can write about this place with real depth and perception. It's just that they don't see Hawai'i the way the Hollywood people see it.

The real failing of those new shows will be the inability of their producers to go out on a limb and produce something of real cutting-edge quality and true uniqueness, that will truly showcase the talents of Hawai'i and startle and make viewers all over the world sit up and watch.