Principal's grammar sets bad example

While reading "State asks school to weigh in on disputed book" (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 3), I was pulled up short by your quote of Kipapa Elementary School Principal Bruce Naguwa. He said, "We don't want to be caught in no controversy."

I guess if our elementary school principals cannot speak correctly even when being interviewed by the newspaper, we should expect no more from the students. What a shame.

Buying state jet would be outrageous waste

So now the state wants to buy its very own jet (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 4). Woo-hoo! Let's see ... need a pilot (what's the going rate plus bennies these days?) and a co-pilot and mechanic(s) and a place to park it (rent money) and replacement parts (money) and jet fuel (more money).

Gimme a break. These officials are "servants of the people," so why should they be treated better than the people? Besides, with our record of taking care of things (wait till they fall apart, then panic), how long before the wings fall off or something because of budget cuts? And I'll bet anything, if I want a ride, they won't let me, even though I (and all the other taxpayers) paid for it.

For the price, a lot of schools could have their roofs repaired, or some could get air conditioning or (wonder of wonders) have enough textbooks so each student has one of their very own for the entire term.

For the price, a lot of good work could be done to bring our state marinas up to some condition other than shamefully awful.

For the price, a lot of trees could be planted to replace the poor dead wiliwili trees.

Need I say more? As my friend Tony says, "Fugeddaboutit!"

Trump condo tower a harbinger of lost era

My husband, daughter and I had spent every summer at the Outrigger Royal Islander for the last 25 years and had enjoyed the beach, the spectacular sunsets and the views from Rooms 1203/1204. Our daughter had brought along a cousin or a friend throughout the years, and the kids had a marvelous vacation and enjoyed the inexpensive restaurants along Lewers Street and Beach Walk. We were saddened to see our memories of Waikiki disintegrate before our eyes with the Trump condo tower being erected in place of the Royal Islander. All the affordable places are gone.

Families come back to Waikiki year after year because of pleasant memories. On our last trip to Waikiki this summer, we ran into old friends and their families as well as other families we had known throughout the years. We all agreed that the affordable Waikiki is long gone and that familiar faces we had known in the hotel, travel and restaurant industries are no longer in the area. This is sad for people who loved and cherished Waikiki.

Our fondest aloha and mahalo to the Ohana Royal Islander staff, McDonald's, the Waikiki Broiler, Lewers Fish Market, Pieces of 8 and the wonderful Buzz's Steak House. Our future visits will never be the same.

Dems' racial slurs get little media attention

I am appalled by Sen. Joseph Biden's racial slur about Sen. Barack Hussein Obama! Biden used the words "the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy" to describe Obama in an interview. First articulate and clean mainstream African American? What about Condoleezza Rice or Gen. Colin Powell?

Liberal leaders can call them "houseboy or slave" because they are black Republicans, and the mainstream media give Democrats a pass. Racism continues because we do not hear of liberal racist slurs and so cannot speak out against it.

What if a Republican senator said this? The response would be deafening by all the media.

While the Democratic Party has many politicians who use racial slurs about nonwhites in public, few media sources will go after sleazy liberal pols.

They turn a blind eye or might even lie to push the liberal agenda. CBS ring a bell? ABC, NBC, CNN all pushes a liberal agenda. Even Hawaii has a liberal slant in the local media.

3 iconic images best represent Hawaii

Regarding the Hawaii quarter designs (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 2): I admire most the design with King Kamehameha, Diamond Head and the word "Aloha."