Caddie didn't seem to help Wie very much
The latest Wie happening is the firing of caddie Greg Johnston. For those of you who have not been watching Michelle carefully these past 10 months, let me pass on some of my observations. Johnston did not help Michelle Wie read her putts, did not help align her on shots, did not club her, does not tell her when her tempo goes awry, did not advise her on handling hot weather, did not help her on dropping out of unplayable lies and, apparently, he did not advise her on the rules of golf. All he did was give her the yardages and carry her bag. He could have been replaced by a GPS meter and a pull cart.
The decision to fire Johnson obviously was made by B.J. Wie, who acts as Michelle's manager, with her concurrence. What were Johnston's duties agreed on when he was hired? I suspect Michelle wanted to make all decisions herself and might not have wanted much help. Being so young and inexperienced, she should use a good caddie. In any case, B.J. should be more sensitive to personnel management. Johnston should have been told where he fell short.
Vernon Wong
Waipahu
It's not caddie's fault Wie refused his advice
Any world-class athlete knows the rules of the game that he or she excels in; that is one reason they are successful. Unfortunately, Michelle Wie feels she doesn't need to know the rules of golf, as was evident in her last tournament. Asked after her penalty if she planned on reading the rules of golf, Wie indicated she did not have any plans to do so and said, "Well, they're not actually great reading material."
Even her caddie told her she was in violation of the rule if she hit the impediment in the bunker, but Michelle thought she knew the rule better than her experienced caddie, who by the way won four major titles with Julie Inkster. The caddie's reward: unemployment!
Michelle's arrogance is increasing with her failures, and her failures, in her mind, are not her fault. Letter writers have indicated the LPGA and PGA have it in for Michelle and are watching her more closely than other competitors. Well, when you refuse to learn the rules, then you will be watched more closely. She has yet to build any credibility with the professional rules authorities or the other players. When you start getting paid and treated like a professional, it's time to start acting like one.
James Roller
Mililani
Case's record speaks to his fine character
An
Aug. 10 letter to the editor stated that U.S. Sen. Akaka has better character than U.S. Rep. Case. The writer's only beef seems to be a criticism of Case's campaign management skills; apparently he believes that Case did not openly declare his intentions to run against Akaka. Imagine dismissing his entire character based on that.
Ed Case has a long track record as a leader who has challenged some of Hawaii's most powerful interests. His devotion as a public servant who is willing to rock the boat for what he believes is well documented.
Politics based on character assassination is the last thing Hawaii needs now.
Valerie Koenig
Honolulu
Case would not have seniority in the Senate
Seniority is a very big thing in Washington. Don't be fooled into believing that Ed Case can just waltz into the Senate chambers and make things happen. If this were the situation, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina would have vacated his seat 30 years ago.
Our congressional team is terrific in bringing home the bacon. Please don't upset this river of heavenly manna. I do like Ed Case but not enough to yield our vested power base.
Norbert Perez
Honolulu
Age isn't the issue; it's Akaka's effectiveness
I attended the Hawaii Publishers Association luncheon and found it to be fascinating political theater. Vigorously vocal Sen. Dan Akaka supporters outnumbered Rep. Ed Case's people by about 2-to-1. Case's very cogent and compelling themes, forcefully articulated, resonated with me and many others.
Case doesn't say Akaka is "too old," and his praise for Sen. Dan Inouye is effusive. The issue is one of effectiveness and legislative influence in the Senate. After 30 years in Congress, Akaka is rated at the absolute bottom in terms of political clout, while Inouye is very near the top.
Watching Akaka struggle with a question about the need for "transition" made it clear how strong that need is.
William H. Lambert
Honolulu
Kukui Gardens should be kept affordable
As a former professor at Chaminade University, I should have been pleased at the sale of Kukui Gardens, since it would benefit Chaminade, Saint Louis School and St. Francis Medical Center. However, the eventual elimination of 800-plus affordable housing units hardly seems a fitting activity for religious nonprofit organizations.
Part of Chaminade's mission statement speaks to "the commitment to work toward a just and peaceful society." Its vision statement says it will be distinguished by graduates who will have a "sense of ethical responsibility, and commitment to leadership through service to affect, positively, individual lives and the common good."
I hoped that Kukui Gardens would have been maintained by its board of directors as affordable housing. Failing that, I would have expected that the project be sold only to another nonprofit organization that would maintain the affordable housing. Any other course of action is certainly at variance with everything that Chaminade, Saint Louis and St. Francis should stand for. It is not only the Christian thing to do -- it is the Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu thing to do.
If we cannot have faith in those institutions that preach charity, where are we to turn?
Art Mori
Honolulu
Mayor could use a lesson in humility
When Mufi spoke to a crowd gathered at Pokai Bay for the beach clean-up, he did so under a banner declaring his name in big bold letters across the top. Why do all of Mayor Hannemann's initiatives have to have his name on them?
Mufi is doing a good thing by cleaning up the beaches on the Leeward Coast, but he should do it Hawaiian style, with humility and grace, and because it's the right thing for the people, not just so he can put his name on the banner. It's the residents of Honolulu County, the community of Waianae, the people of the Leeward Coast who were there cleaning up the parks. Why not put their names up?
I think he's gone a little too far this time. No wonder people are starting to call him "The Grandstander." Maybe if he could clean the beaches and take care of the homeless, instead of pushing them onto the state, then maybe he'd have something grand to stand on.
Andrew O'Riordan
Haleiwa
Same old rail critics, same old arguments
The city is proposing a rail system that will run in its own right of way, unimpeded by traffic jams, accidents and bad weather. When the weather is real bad on the mainland, commuters leave their cars at home and take transit because it's more reliable and immune to the snow, traffic and accidents. But we don't have snow here in Hawaii, so we don't need rail, say the critics.
Our elected officials have granted a local source of funding through the general excise tax, and the city will seek a federal match. But it will cost too much, so we don't need rail, say the critics.
A fixed-rail system will help direct growth and keep densities in urban areas, so we can keep the country country and reduce urban sprawl. But we can always build more freeways and widen highways, so we don't need rail, say the critics.
Rail will save commuting time and offer an alternative to being stuck in traffic. But we like our cars, say the critics.
Well, that kind of backward thinking has kept us from building a much-needed rail system for 30 years now.
Jadyanne Serikawa
Kailua
Vote for family values in November
If the defeat of incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut primary election is any indication of anti-incumbency by voters in this country, I do hope this anti-incumbency trend carries to Hawaii this November.
If you care about banning flag burning; leaving the term "under God" in our pledge of allegiance; protecting the unborn; and a constitutional amendment that says marriage in the United States is only for one man and one woman, then remove the far liberal left incumbent Rep. Neil Abercrombie and far liberal left incumbent Sen. Dan Akaka at the election poll this November.
Their voting records in Congress have shown their constant opposition to what is important to godly value families in this state.
Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City
Internet search yields unflattering results
August 10 was my birthday. Unable to sleep at 2:30 a.m., I decided to hop on the Internet and work my eyes into a cloudy glaze, then go back to bed.
While poking around I started thinking about who else shares my name. A quick Google -- drum roll -- I'm generic, in title at least.
Hundreds of returns featuring differently aged men with varying professions faced me. A text search was bearable because I felt a camaraderie with the accomplishments and distinctions of these guys. But when I clicked on "Images," my heart dropped.
In my mind, certain physical features define this name -- mine. Surely an adolescent boy, a sweaty man with a mustache, some guy generously bald and wearing thick glasses cannot fill the definition of me.
If that's it, that the person makes the name, not their photograph, then I want to amend mine. On my birthday, I celebrated Jeffrey Friedman Of Hawaii Who Teaches Preschool And Loves To Hike, Cycle, Read, Laugh, and Cook And Eat. Happy birthday!
Jeffrey Friedman
Honolulu
Reef fish desperately need our protection
The "walls of death" also known as lay gillnets are once again in the news with the Department of Land and Natural Resources debating since 1998 on what to do to save our depleted near-shore fisheries. The DLNR Web site needs a link to
www.faircatchhawaii.org so the public can understand the facts.
The biomass of large fish on the main Hawaiian islands is 65 times less than the isolated northwestern islands, mostly due to lay gillnet overfishing. Soon Hanauma Bay will be the only place to see any fish.
Will Hawaii's main islands' near-shore fisheries ever be saved by an enforced lay gillnet ban that every coastal state has but us?
Elmer Pichay
Honolulu