Posted on: Wednesday, March 9, 2005

Letters to the Editor

Help put classroom design at forefront

Portable classrooms have slowly evolved into what they are today and, though flawed, generally satisfy the primary need to build the most classrooms for a fixed amount of money. It is a matter of quantity versus quality. The solutions to the construction of a comfortable portable can only start with the recognition that there is a flaw in the existing design.

Department of Accounting and General Services and the Department of Education are aware of the flaws; but each believes that air conditioning is the solution to the problems. With that solution in mind, it has becomes less important to look at the flaws of the present design and consider modification to improve the design.

DAGS and the DOE must recognize that design criteria are important and design for the worst environmental condition or have another set of criteria for hot areas or buildings that do not have air conditioning.

Until such time that parents, teachers, students and their respective legislative representatives require improvement of the learning environment in their area, nothing will change.

Review couldn't see past dislike of script

I've read Joe Rozmiarek's reviews for years without feeling compelled to write a letter before, believing that his reviews are, by definition, opinion, and not subject to second guessing. However, I feel his review of Army Community Theatre's production of "Miss Saigon" was less than suitable, primarily for reviewing the show itself and not the production.

The first three quarters of the review is dedicated to a discussion of why he doesn't like the show (which looks suspiciously like a mere dusting off of the review he wrote when the same show played at the Blaisdell), along the way telling the entire plot of the show. A paragraph or two explaining that he's biased against the show itself would have been sufficient, then perhaps he would have had some room left over to review the outstanding performance, since his job is ostensibly the review of the performance itself, not the script. His evaluation of the production in the last few paragraphs seemed to be an afterthought.

The cast and crew of "Miss Saigon" have put together a fantastic production of the show; they deserved more from Mr. Rozmiarek than to have his distaste for the show itself to be the primary focus of his review.

A final observation based on the headline of the review, "Strong 'Saigon' lapses into melodrama": The show is a melodrama by any definition of the word; there's no need to sling the accusation as though it is bad theater. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, "If you don't like melodrama, don't review melodrama."

Blame the DOE, not schools, for takeover

I am the husband of a very hard-working and very good and dedicated public-school teacher. She has been a teacher for about 20 years. My observation over these many years is that despite what we may think, very little is decided at the local school level. So much of what occurs — policies, procedures (endless) and red tape — are dictated "by the district."

This being the case, the centralized Department of Education has obviously failed in achieving the required levels of success at certain schools. So why is this very entity, "the district," taking over these schools? It doesn't make sense to me.

Military recruitment of kids disingenuous

Did you know that the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires the Department of Education to release the names, addresses and phone numbers of students grades 6 to 12 upon the request of military recruiters? This happens automatically, unless the parent finds, and signs, the "Non-Disclosure of Directory Information" form. Non-disclosure forms need to be requested and must be resubmitted annually.

Reading the obituaries of hundreds of dead soldiers, the words, "signed up for the free college education" re-emerge constantly.

Children under the age of 18 aren't allowed to make many decisions on their own because we know that they are easily swayed and don't think things through. I think it is very unethical to allow military recruiters access to our children. They make it sound like being in the military is all about college and doing cool obstacle courses.

They neglect to inform you that sometimes it's about you or your buddies dying or being horribly injured. About killing to not be killed, and sometimes killing innocents because you're scared to death, and only have a split second to make a decision. About living with these mental or physical scars for the remainder of your life.

Don't blame homeless for society's problems

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets and to steal bread." — Anatole France.

Shame on us for blaming the homeless for society's problems.

The homeless in 'Ewa Beach are not the cause of crime and other ills that are clearly part of the community as a whole.

Don't treat the homeless as outsiders. Some of the homeless in your article are from 'Ewa Beach families and lived and went to school in the very community that seems intent on shoving them out.

One'ula Beach Park has been a mess almost since the day it was created. My late father and I fished the area for over four decades. We gave up going there because of lack of maintenance at the park and the rubbish that was dumped there. This was long before the homeless moved in.

As a point of clarification: Hau Bush is at the diamondhead end of the park just off the end of Papipi Road. It's called Hau Bush because of the hau bushes growing there.

A HOT alternative to costly rail transit

Dale Evans got it right in her Feb. 27 commentary. Rail will be bad for O'ahu. It will do little or nothing to relieve traffic congestion. It will be terribly expensive — $2.6 billion, even before the inevitable cost overruns and escalating operating costs.

And there are far less costly, more practical ideas that haven't been tried, such as high-occupancy tollway lanes (HOT lanes) like those that are already being used successfully in Houston, San Diego and Orange County.

Why spend ourselves into ruin in pursuit of something that won't work? The vision of rail is a mirage. Let's go for the option that works — and that we can afford: HOT lanes.

Bus punctuality is going downhill

I have been taking the bus for two years and for the most part it hasn't been too bad. But it seems over the past six months, buses are always running late. I don't mean a few minutes, either; I'm talking in some cases I have had to wait up to an hour at times. And it seems worse out in the Hawai'i Kai area.

The only time the buses are ever on time is the express bus in the morning.

Just yesterday I had to wait two hours for a bus to come by off Lunalilo Home Road. Three "not in service" buses came by. It's bad. And you mention it to the drivers and they don't give a damn.

They really need to improve on their time schedule. I mean, that is why the city gave them raises, right?

This whole recycle system just doesn't make sense

In last week's Advertiser, the city's recycling coordinator, Suzanne Jones, had some positive things to say about our current recycling efforts. However, she made other comments that raise serious questions about the overall program.

According to Jones, curbside recycling is not an alternative to the bottle deposit program, but rather, they are complementary systems. The big question she does not answer is: Why do we need two "complementary" systems? Does it make sense to take beer and soda bottles to redemption centers, but place wine and liquor bottles in curbside bins? The same thing applies to plastic bottles; some go to the curb, others must be redeemed. Why can't all bottles go to the curbside, eliminating extra handling, needless trips to redemption centers and time wasted standing in line to get back deposits?

If we are to have curbside recycling, then let's have it and do away with all the fuss of deposit and redemption.

But Jones maintains that redemption will be easier for everyone "once the retailers come on board." Excuse me, but everything I've read shows that the retailers have fought tooth and nail to avoid involving themselves in the redemption process. And unless bottles and cans can be returned to the stores, the process creates a burden that most people will not shoulder.

The fact that the state collected more than $5 million in deposits but redemptions totaled only $333,000 in the first report clearly shows that redemption is not working. People who would willingly place bottles in curbside bins are discarding them in the trash rather than go through the hassle. The bottles are going to the landfill, we are paying an extra 6 cents tax per beverage and the state is pocketing the money.

Why can't I help thinking this may have been the intent all along?

Aloha to three-war Marine hero

On March 2, retired Marine Col. Lyle V. Tope was laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Col. Tope loved Hawai'i and had made it his home for the past two decades. I had known Lyle as a co-worker and friend during the 1980s at Pacific Resources Inc. in Grosvenor Center in Honolulu.

Until I read his obituary in the Feb. 28 Advertiser, I had no idea that this quiet, unassuming man was one of the true war heroes of our time. Even though I was a fellow retired military officer, he rarely spoke to me of his wartime experiences. When the Navy chaplain who presided at the services gave the eulogy, most of us were left in awe at what this man had done for his country. My own 25 years of naval service paled by comparison.

Col. Tope survived being a combat pilot in three wars: World War II, Korea and Vietnam, flying many different types of fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. He flew 484 combat missions and sorties operating from 13 aircraft carriers.

In Korea, he was shot down, ditched in the ocean and rescued. He commanded a helicopter detachment in the Project Mercury recovery of astronaut Wally Schirra. He served at MCAS Kane'ohe for several years, primarily as C.O. and executive officer of various aircraft squadrons. In Vietnam, he piloted a severely damaged helicopter to rescue a badly wounded Marine sergeant and his combat dog. He was assigned to U.S. Embassy diplomatic duty as the naval attachŽ in Jakarta during a particularly critical time in that nation's history and its relationship with the United States, and handled many high-level diplomatic assignments. He was assigned as director of intelligence (G-2) for the Marine Corps and was a member of the National Military Intelligence Board.

Among Col. Tope's 23 decorations, medals and awards are the U.S. Distinguished Service medal; Indonesian Jalasena Star medal; two Legions of Merit with combat "V"; two Distinguished Flying Crosses with combat "V"; the Purple Heart medal; 11 Air medals as well as Meritorious Service and Commendation medals.

As I listened to his eulogy, which only touched briefly on his later civilian accomplishments, it occurred to me that this brave man was a cross between a real-life James Bond and Indiana Jones. His life was an inspiration for many of us, and I left Punchbowl walking a little taller and proud to have known this true patriot.

Punchbowl is home to a great many heroes, and I know Lyle will be in good company.