Paper shouldn't run inappropriate photos
I was disappointed to pick up the Star-Bulletin last Friday to see a picture of a young couple "sharing the view at Sunset Beach." The photo is nice in every way, except that the young woman's hand is squarely on the derriere of a person described as her "boyfriend," not her husband or even fiance.
As the parent of teens and a pre-teen, I struggle every day to teach my children that what seems to have become the norm is still not decent. Please help us parents by not printing photos of such public displays of affection. We are trying to teach our daughter that such things as holding a boy's backside in public are inappropriate.
Genie Brainerd
Honolulu
Let Broadway show adapt to symphony
According to
Sidney Quintal, director of the city Department of Enterprise Services, the Blaisdell Concert Hall was "meant to be a multi-use facility" (
Star-Bulletin, Dec. 15). Perhaps its name should be changed to "Blaisdell Multi-Use Facility"?
The concert hall since its construction has been the home of the Honolulu Symphony. The symphony schedule for 2007 was already set when it was announced that it will lose the use of the concert hall from about Sept. 9 through Dec. 10, which is about one-third of the normal season. Subscribers have already purchased season tickets based on the schedule. Now the symphony is told that it is to find an alternative venue, and plans are in disarray.
This a major blow to the rather fragile Honolulu Symphony. The symphony is an important community resource, performing concerts for 30,000 school kids a year, as well as its regular concerts. Moreover, musicians' incomes flow back into the community, enriching the economy.
The Honolulu Symphony should be the first priority for the Blaisdell Concert Hall. If "Lion King" is to use this hall, it should fit in around the symphony schedule; it should not displace the symphony.
Fred Harris
Kailua
Interesting logic behind gas tax hike
Let me see if I have the gas tax increase straight.
The gas tax was reduced by 11 cents per gallon to promote the use of alternate fuels. Ten percent ethanol was added to all gasoline, so there was no alternate fuel, as gasahol was all that was available.
We are importing ethanol at a price higher than that for gasoline. We are importing more oil as a result of the poorer gas mileage we are all getting.
Now there is no need for the incentive -- never was, actually, as we had no choice in the matter -- the tax is raised by the 11 cents.
I guess this all makes sense.
Arthur Sprague
Honolulu
How many more will be sacrificed?
President Bush, what a glorious way to ring in the new year -- with the news of the 3,000th death of a U.S. soldier in Iraq. How many more of our country's young men and women must be killed before you realize that you were dead wrong in invading a sovereign nation under false pretenses?
As Voltaire once wrote, prophetically perhaps, "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
Hauoli Makahiki Hou, Mr. Bush; I hope you are tried next in the world court for crimes against humanity!
Dennis Triglia
Keaau, Hawaii
Headline gave biased view of Iraq situation
The Star-Bulletin dishonors the brave men and women of our military by simply focusing on body counts. Your Jan. 1 headline "3,000 dead," and many others, are offensive to us. You don't speak of the headway made by our troops in rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure, or the positive countless daily encounters made on the streets of Iraqi cities and villages. We find it sad and telling that my friends returning from tours in Iraq didn't know how bad it was over there until they get home and read your warped and liberal take on the progress telling us how bad it is over there.
Sure, it's bad. Name me a war that was "good." But the fact is that Americans are getting spoon-fed a biased view of the state of affairs in Iraq. You paint the darkest picture possible in hopes of turning popular opinion against the critical work we do to combat terrorism and to make the president look bad.
If you are so concerned about the 3,000 dead, give them credit for the work they did. Honor their sacrifice. Tell the real story. If all you had focused on was body counts in war stories from World War II, you would have been censored and branded as traitors!
Michael Jones
Retired chief warrant officer
U.S. Army Reserve
Honolulu