Choosing sides in
governor’s raceLingle did terrible job in promoting Hula Bowl
Maui Mayor Linda Lingle's Hooters Hula Bowl was no accomplishment. The game fell far short of Lingle's sales pitch to the Maui taxpayers to underwrite her plan and stage the game on Maui.Instead of netting Lingle's promised $100,000, the taxpayers got only $21,207 -- one fifth of what the mayor said she would make happen. The taxpayers spent $2.1 million on this boondoggle.
And on the basis of this track record, Lingle wants to be governor?
Leonora C. Albayalde
Lingle has made Maui into a tourist favorite
Even before the elections, my husband and I met so many mainlanders who rave about Maui. Everyone talks about Maui this and Maui that. Some people don't even visit Oahu, but head straight to Maui.Obviously, this island is becoming the choice of visitors. It didn't happen overnight. We credit Mayor Linda Lingle for this amazing feat. Either she knows how to make an economy successful, or she really knows how to surround herself with good, capable people. She definitely gets our vote in November.
Michael and Julie Ohara
Cayetano is obviously friend to environment
I was glad to see that our state government is taking a proactive role in working with the community to better manage our bottomfish resources. Our natural resources are our legacy to our children and their children, and our resources need to be sustained for the long-term.Based on her environmental record on Maui, Mayor Lingle doesn't get it. With the right leader, we can pursue vigorous economic development while balancing preservation of our natural resources.
From where I sit, the Cayetano administration is committed to keeping the balance right -- not an easy task!
Ronald H. Schaedel
Waianae
Cayetano has already had his shot at leading
Hawaii's economy has been suffering for over eight years. Ben Cayetano has been governor for four of those years and lieutenant governor the rest of the time. Nonetheless, he wants us to give him another four-year term.Well, Ben, I may be stupid for wanting a change as implied by your television commercial. Then again, it doesn't take a whole lot of brains to see that the leadership just isn't there.
Robert Chanin
Kailua
Democratic Party still embraces little guy
People who mistakenly interpret appealing to "local values" as another form of the "race card" prove that they aren't local. "The race card" was a tactic of the plantation owners, pitting one immigrant group against another.We've outgrown that. Now it's one economic group against the other, disguised and manipulated by some as a race issue.
The Democratic Party, in spite of its massive blunders, still represents the little guy. That's why -- in spite of the recommendation of my union, UHPA -- I am supporting the Cayetano ticket.
Jean Yamasaki Toyama
We'd be stupid to fall for Cayetano's ads
If we allow ourselves to be emotionally manipulated by Ben Cayetano's social and racially based television ads, then we ARE stupid.Juan Rivero
(Via the Internet)
DataHouse gets contracts because it's great company
Your Sept. 15 front-page story implies that our firm has been the recipient of contracts because of my personal relationship with Yukio Takemoto. Let's set the record straight. Unlike monopolies like your newspaper, our business is built on continually delivering high-quality services and satisfying our customers.DataHouse has been the largest technology consulting firm in Hawaii for more than 23 years. We are proud of our customers, which include most of the large, prominent companies in Hawaii.
In 1995, we began an expansion program to the mainland, competing with the best technology consulting firms in the country. I'm proud to say that we have done exceptionally well and continue to do so.
All of these companies are not hiring DataHouse just because of my relationship with Mr. Takemoto. IBM and Lotus have recognized DataHouse as a unique firm with talented people.
Dan Arita
President, DataHouse
(Via the Internet)
Trolley wouldn't solve city's transit problem
Your Sept. 26 editorial's assessment that a trolley system would be much less effective than an elevated rail transit approach was correct for several reasons. The biggest is that the trolley would not address Oahu's greatest transportation need: timely and cost-effective mobility for commuters.The city's concept would have automobile commuters switch from their cars to the trolley at a location outside the urban core, such as Aloha Stadium. Research shows that the biggest reason commuters change their habits is to gain a time advantage; secondary is cost.
It is hard to imagine how an at-grade trolley line -- with no dedicated right-of-way and therefore susceptible to cross-street traffic interruptions -- could take the commuter into downtown Honolulu faster than staying in his or her car, especially when you factor in the time it would take to park and switch at the trolley station. The switch time on the homeward-bound trip also must be considered.
Auto commuters switch over when mass transit's time advantage becomes obvious, but it seems just as obvious that an at-grade trolley line tied to a park-and-switch facility won't be time efficient.
Nothing has changed the fundamental fact that the elevated fixed guideway concept rejected in the City Council by one vote in 1992 is still the best way to move Oahu's commuters relatively long distances while passing the time and cost test. Let's renew our efforts to find funding sources for a mass transit line by encouraging city officials to rethink the trolley concept before they push it too far down the track.
Doug Carlson
(Via the Internet)
Where is Stan Sheriff when we need him?
The current state of University of Hawaii athletics is in dire straits. However, I really don't have any comment about:
Our football team not defeating Arkansas State University, which has not beaten a Division IA team since 1994.
The only comment I have is this: I really miss Stan Sheriff.
Brian Tanabe
(Via the Internet)
St. Louis puts too high a priority on football
The St. Louis School incident in Las Vegas should come as no surprise to anyone who knows high school football. When a school puts its football program above academics, rules and moral standards, it's surprising that incidents like this don't happen more often.It's common knowledge that many St. Louis students are there for one reason -- to play football. In a situation like that, a football team can turn into a professional team. Instead of being at a school to learn, you're there to score points.
The coach is ultimately responsible for making sure something like this doesn't happen. Being a coach means not only controlling your players on the field but off the field as well. If you think for one second that Cal Lee was thinking as a coach when he left his hotel room at 2 a.m. to gamble on the strip, you're wrong.
Eric Hananoki
(Via the Internet)
Talented ventriloquist is silenced by tragedy
It's hard to believe that ventriloquist Freddie Morris isn't with us anymore. I know everyone in Hawaii as well as on the mainland will miss him so much.He was always so much fun to be with, and I am glad to have the photos of him that I kept throughout the years. My deepest sympathy to his family.
Dolores (Kololeke) Treffeisen
Philadelphia, Pa.
(Via the Internet)
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