Don't like that rumble? Slow down

To all Pali Highway drivers who object to the rumble strips: How many of us Nuuanu residents have to be killed or hurt by speeders before measures to make us safe can be implemented?

If you don't like the strips, please do one of two things: Either slow down or find another route into town. We who live here would appreciate it.

Shay W. Auerbach
41-year Nuuanu resident

Envy motivates critics of Joe Moore

Regarding the story, "Joe Moore comes clean on 'Dirty Laundry' criticisms," Star-Bulletin, May 2): Did you know, when one crab climbs up to the top of the bucket, the others claw him back down? In Hawaii it's known as the "alamihi crab syndrome."

Joe Moore's play, "Dirty Laundry," was excellent. He and his cast were superb, and we thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday afternoon with them. Hope he continues with more.

Plagiarism? Jealousy-ism!

Mamo Howell

Jossem 'served but never offended'

Remembering Jared Jossem as the chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party is to remember a cordial and articulate gentleman with kind and well- chosen words ("Former state GOP chairman dies at 60," Star-Bulletin, April 23).

Jared always served but never offended; his secret dream was to someday serve the people of Hawaii along side his college roommate, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden. Jared will be missed by those of us he helped along the way in his short life.

Gene Ward
Former Hawaii state representative Vienna, Va.

Prison staff shortages make escapes possible

Correctional officers should not be blamed for the recent prison escapes. We are not in control of staffing of posts within prison facilities.

We have made it known that closing posts and cutting staff at facilities is not only making it unsafe for staff but compromising security and escapes are likely. This has been known for quite some time within the correctional officer community.

On March 28, we had a meeting with the United Public Workers union to address this problem. Our UPW handbook describes essential posts and non-essential posts. What is not essential can be closed down in lieu of staffing needs. Posts that are essential must be manned at all times. Correctional officers disagree with this. Correctional officers do not have fair representation in the process in which policies are decided.

Listen to those correctional officers who work on-line. Listen to their input on where the security breaches may be, and staff those areas.

Samuel Gutierrez
Adult Correctional Officer

Dems in Legislature alienating voters

Pam Smith's letter, "Lingle trying to do what electorate wants" (Star-Bulletin, April 23), hit the bulls-eye. There were thousands of Democrats who were sick of the same old bull from our elected Democratic leaders, so we supported Lingle. Unless our Democrats in the Legislature start supporting the governor's initiatives, I'm sure other disgruntled Demo-crats like me will support the governor's re-election.

I sincerely believe in the Democratic philosophy regarding "equality and fairness for all, supporting the little guys," but unfortunately not all legislators believe in those principles.

Furthermore, with the hostile Democratic Legislature our Republican governor must contend with, she would be a damn fool if she didn't surround herself with people she can trust. But she's no fool, despite all the letters to the editor from Democrats condemning her appointments.

The Legislature eventually must support Lingle's initiatives on education and cleaning up corruption. How many more Democrats must go to jail before we do something about it?

Art Frank
Waianae

Public ignores Bush's tarnished record

It amazes me to see so many people give President George W. Bush a pass on his failure to serve honorably in the Texas Air National Guard. He struts in a flight suit among heroes, men and women who sacrificed a lot to serve in a war zone, when he did not even complete his sworn duty to serve six years in the "champagne unit." He had more important things to do, apparently, than show up for required drills for two years. I wonder what would have happened to any of those thousands of fine sailors and Marines on the USS Abraham Lincoln if they didn't bother to report for duty?

Paul Pollitt

Just how clean is clean energy?

Regarding the Star-Bulletin's April 25 article on fuel cells research, I question the claim of the scientists that their fuel cells produce "clean energy." The hydrogen used to feed the fuel cell does not exist in nature in its pure form. It is chemically bounded in water or in hydrocarbons; and energy is required to break the hydrogen free.

This energy has to come from somewhere other than the fuel cell. The standard commercial process, steam reforming, for freeing hydrogen creates as byproducts carbon dioxide and various hydrocarbons.

So where do we put all these byproducts in the balance sheets to rate how "clean" the fuel cell is?

Some would counter that one can produce electricity cleanly with a solar cell and then use electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen to feed into a fuel cell to generate electricity.

But if the solar cell is already creating electricity, why bother to use a fuel cell? So I say, let's research fuel cells all we want; but let's do honest bookkeeping when we make claims about "clean energy."

Raymond L. Chuan, Ph.D.
Hanalei, Kauai

Santorum's comments are worrisome

Let's take the "spin" out of Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's statements, and look closely at what this chairman of the Senate Republican Conference actually has said.

Quote: "If the Supreme Court says you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything."

He has tried to spin that he didn't say "gay." Is he actually trying to make us believe he feels Texas has the right to regulate consensual sex of married or heterosexual couples in their own home?

We're worried.

He tried to spin that he believes "All are equal under the Constitution," but in the same statement, says he is worried about the "impact on the family."

We're worried.

He tried to spin that the Texas case could result in extension of the right of privacy to a variety of different areas that I think would be injurious to our country. Especially in conjunction with Ashcroft's privacy invasion initiatives.

We're worried.

Looking at Santorum's Senate Web site, you find he considers himself a leader in furthering this administration's faith-based initiative. He brags about his program using a partnership of FNMA and Countrywide Lending, to "provide special low-rate federally backed home loans to Christian congregation members." I guess all others need not apply?

We're worried.

Any time an administration and its functionaries try to limit civil rights, or to redefine civil rights on the basis of their unique view of religion, we're worried.

William Woods
Chairman
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii

Staggered work hours already implemented

Garry P. Smith's recent letter ("'Road sharing' also would trim traffic," Star-Bulletin, April 25) stated that government employees ought to start work at staggered hours in order to alleviate traffic. Been there, done that. The policy has been in place for many years.

At the city, most employees within my department have the option of selecting our start time. That time must be between 6 and 9 a.m. I'm at my desk by 7:30 a.m. Many are here by 6.

Many state agencies allow this as well. The only ones who normally start at 8 a.m. are those who are directly involved with serving the public over the counter and on the phone.

Additional flex scheduling isn't going to make much more of a dent in traffic. I have a better idea -- ride the bus to work like I do every day. It's a no brainer. It only takes 45 minutes to commute from Kailua. My monthly transportation costs is a whopping $27. Just think of the money you could be saving.

Debbie Stelmach
Kailua