When I visited Switzerland, I didn't go traipsing off into the mountains guided by some ridiculous "Heidi" fantasy.
Many (if not most) of the visitors and people who move here have a misguided belief that this is "paradise." Maybe we should hand out literature at the airports and all over the state with this message:
"CAUTION. You are not on Fantasy Island. These people moving about are not actors, they are real people with real lives and real bills to pay. And guess what?
"Some of them are criminals who may rob or harm you, so don't go cruising around like this is the set of 'It's a Small World.'
"Also, see that big body of water? It is not a wave pool. It is the largest body of water on Earth, and we have no control over it. This ocean, like other features of nature, is beautiful but can be very dangerous. Since the ocean is not our natural habitat, there is a danger of being harmed or killed.
"Please keep this in mind when you go jumping into unknown surf to live out your 'From Here to Eternity' fantasy. Those were just movies, this is reality. See the difference?
Good. Now go speak with the lifeguard about swimming conditions."
Kealapono Young
Kailua
Not only are they reckless, rude, inconsiderate and irresponsible, but they seem to make a game of disobeying any and all traffic laws.
They run the obvious red lights, make illegal left turns on red and ignore expired meters. The worst are those who park in no parking zones.
On any day I can go for a walk in Waikiki and see someone running the red light. I don't dare cross the street when the walk light comes on before looking both ways and waiting for all traffic to stop. You take your life into your own hands when you step off that curb.
Why do police officers ignore these violators? If they would take a few minutes to write out some tickets, it would make the streets safer. And the revenue would certainly help.
Don Smith
Does Morgado think that because he opposed it, he doesn't have to obey it now but Harris does? Illegal contributions are still illegal whether Morgado supported reform or not.
Claiming that the mayor forced the corporation counsel to provide an opinion which favors the incumbent is a bit much.
Edward Ebarle
Waipahu
Remember the 1984 L.A. Olympics? During that time, there was a wonderful TV advertisement set somewhere in the heartland of America. Perhaps it was in the wheat fields of Kansas. The road was straight and the land was rolling.
At first, the only person you could see was a lone runner far off in the distance. After a few seconds, you realized that he was carrying the torch of the Olympic flame.
Then you saw two rugged farmers working in the fields, and they noticed the runner, too. As the torch bearer approached, the farmers dropped their shovels and started to clap - slowly at first, then faster, as the torch bearer passed.
When I saw that, I felt truly American.. Beginning at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Olympic flame will cross more than 15,000 miles of America this summer on its journey to ignite the cauldron in Atlanta and start the 100th Olympic games.
By the time the flame is passed from torch bearer to torch bearer, I hope and believe that the emotions experienced in 1984 will be rekindled in all Americans.
John R. Dwyer, Jr.