PARENTS, TEENS BOTH CARRY HEAVY BURDENS

Stress. It's not amusing whatsoever. As a teenager, we feel the pressure as much as adults do.
Just because we don't have a family of our own or full-time occupation doesn't mean we aren't overloaded with stress. We go to school for seven hours daily, don't we? We participate in hours of extra-curricular activities, some have jobs and, on top of that, we have more homework than ever with 17 furlough days. There's no comparison.
Times are especially tough now, with the recession. For the employed, workers must endure pay cuts while some are let go.
If you're an athlete, the state has limited sport participants and money for teams. And paying for club dues is a crimp in our budget. Not to forget winter balls, which can easily be $100-plus. All this can equal unwanted stress, a change in our attitudes, excess eating and sleep deprivation.
So before parents and teens lash out because someone is stressed and moody, we should see that both carry burdens. Parents have careers and kids, while teens are stuffed with work. We're all feeling the strain but now is when we need the love and support to get through this together.

miche macmahan | Student, 'Aiea High School

FURLOUGHS

SUSPEND WAIVER, COLLABORATION DAYS

Once again our teachers have proven how smart they are. The most recent being the drug testing issue and now work furloughs.

Our teachers are adamant that they are not giving up their planning/collaboration and waiver days. It appears that these days far outweigh a student's education.

Collaboration and waiver days should be suspended and the furlough days implemented during this scheduled period.

Federal grant monies for education may be in jeopardy because of the loss of school time for students. We all are making concessions during these difficult times.

Let's keep the students in school and suspend the collaboration and waiver days.

michael riviera | Hilo, Hawaii

CHOCOLATE MILK

SCHOOL LUNCH CHOICE BENEFICIAL FOR KIDS

Yes, I'm raising my hand for keeping chocolate milk in schools. Hooray for Vivien Godfrey of the Milk Processor Education Program ("Fight brews over chocolate milk," Nov. 9) for fighting to keep chocolate milk in school lunches. Milk is important for building strong bones; your body doesn't know what color it is.

Contrary to the misguided experts' opinion that this is a way to fight obesity, it is my opinion that removing chocolate milk will do something worse (i.e., prevent some kids from getting their recommended daily calcium intake). I was one of those kids who couldn't stand dairy products because to me, dairy products stink. Anything dairy smelled bad, but I'd drink milk willingly if it was chocolate. Not because it was sugary sweet, but because it successfully camouflaged the smell and dairy taste.

Got milk? You bet: whole, 2 percent, 1 percent, skim, and/or chocolate.

Yvonne wilson | Honolulu

TRAFFIC LAWS

NEW CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD CRACK DOWN

The new chief of police will have to be strongly committed to enforcing our traffic laws. Right now we have a complete vacuum of traffic law enforcement. I drive for only half an hour and watch at least half a dozen traffic law violations.

Let's enforce the most important one. Stop at the red light. If a police cruiser or motorcycle has to stand around some corner, so be it. A $100 ticket minimum. That should cut back on most traffic accidents.

Next, stop crossing solid lanes and stop making turns without signaling. Substantial fines. And minor tickets for loud boomboxes, disconnected or illegal mufflers. Uninsured cars need to be towed immediately and released only after towing and storage charges, a fine and proof of insurance.

And finally, establish a fast response team for traffic accidents. The nonsense of closing highways for hours on end has got to stop. The California Highway Patrol does that in an hour or less.

Never mind wasting police efforts on methamphetamine users. They will just be recycled by our courts, and if they wish to fry their brains, it's their own problem.

gerhard c. hamm | Waialae Iki

HEALTH CARE

GOVERNMENT-RUN SYSTEM NO GOOD

I am saddened and disgusted that our representatives are supporting this health care bill. I doubt that they have read it or understand its far-reaching consequences.

This administration's goal is to have a single-payer, government-run system, and this bill was crafted to do just that. It will ultimately force private insurers out of business, leaving me with no choices.

A government-run system has been a proven failure throughout the world. We have the highest cancer survival rates because we can get treatment when we need it. This will change. We'll get rationed care and stand in line to get it! My health care should be between my doctor and me, not determined by some bureaucrat in D.C. whose job it is to cut costs.

Our government has proven itself inept with every program it's attempted, and now they want to take over my health care. No, thank you. Why was it written behind locked doors? Because it stinks. Why has Congress exempted itself from having to be on it? Because it's not good enough for them. Well, it's not good enough for me either. Shame on those who support it.

lois zygowicz | Honolulu

B&BS

OPERATIONS PROVIDE US NEEDED REVENUE

Regarding the uproar over licensing bed and breakfast homes, we must ask a few simple questions.

Since when does it harm anyone for residents to open their homes to visitors who are willing to pay for an experience other than one at a hotel? Who are these people who have contrived a problem with private citizens opening their doors? Does the anti-visitor group realize that the county has no real record of complaints against bed-and-breakfast homes?

When the county closed the registration of homes in 1989, many home-based renters simply and quietly went about their business offering their homes and paying their taxes.

Do the complainers realize that the general excise tax and transient accommodations tax revenue from these families willing to open their homes amounts to a huge revenue source for the city and state? Ask ourselves: Do we need tax revenue to help heal the current financial meltdown and get our kids back into school? Do the math. These two taxes alone take nearly 15 percent of each rental. Support by our City Council members for common-sense regulations is a wise, compassionate and necessary endeavor.

m. hart | Ewa Beach