Residents didn't have a chance at Kokua Fest
In response to "Kokua Fest sells out in minutes, leaving fans at a loss" (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 20): I think the issue here isn't that mainlanders took all the tickets to the Kokua Festival; it is that there were no tickets to sell to the general public on Feb. 16, and no one will admit it. If Tom Chauncey and Jack Johnson want a solution to this problem next year, perhaps they should only sell their tickets to Kokua members and make the Kokua Festival a private concert. That is essentially what it has become this year.
And who was the genius who thought the Waikiki Shell was going to be big enough for Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds and Jack Johnson? C'mon guys get real!
Tracy Moorhead
Aiea
Anti-gun hysteria hurts only the law-abiding
Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa and Maj. Gregory Lefcourt are pushing their own antigun agenda by telling scary stories about .50-caliber rifles. Shoot down airplanes? Vaporize animals? It's shameful, because they know better.
Our troops use these rifles to engage the enemy at a safer long distance. John Browning, a civilian, designed the cartridge. The rifles are designed and built by civilians. Thousands of .50-cal. competition and sport shooters are a de facto research group, using their resources to make the guns more accurate and dependable. Their efforts are used to improve the ammunition and rifles to help our troops, all without government help. .50 cal. shooters are a dedicated bunch, as the rifles can cost more than $6,000 and a cheap cartridge costs almost $5.
Criminals don't use the .50-cal. rifles as it's hard to conceal a 55 lb., six-foot-long rifle in even the baggiest of pants. In the long run, a ban can only hurt the survivability chances of the young men and women who serve to protect us, and won't reduce crime. Infringing on the rights of honest people is damaging, not beneficial.
Brian Isaacson
Kailua
We might yet again have a lefty leader
The way the election is shaping up, unless Hillary Clinton pulls off a miracle, we will have a left-handed president once again. George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and both John McCain and Barack Obama are lefties. That would be three out of four presidents over 20 years. Considering that society believes being right-handed is being normal, it is ironic that the odd man is "W".
Bob Miller
Kaneohe
Future looks bright with Mufi's vision
At the end of his State of the City address, Mayor Mufi Hannemann talked about our youth and what type of island we want them to inherit. So I asked myself what type of place will Oahu look like if we continue on the path Mufi has set. Five years from now, I see a place with islandwide curbside recycling, modern sewers and pothole-free roads. I see an island with a functioning rail system from the West side with plans to extend it to Waikiki and the University of Hawaii-Manoa in the works. I see a city with very few homeless people living on our beaches or in our parks, and a city whose first responders have modern equipment and training. I see a city that is financially secure.
I hope the people of Oahu continue to support the mayor as his administration continues to move us toward this vision.
Vanessa Matautia
Honolulu
Superdelegate should follow people's will
In the wake of the recent landslide Barack Obama victory at the Hawaii caucus, a news report you carried made mention of one Richard Port, a Democratic national committeeman and one of Hawaii's superdelegates. He reportedly ran one of the precincts voting at Jefferson Elementary School on Tuesday.
Mr. Port proclaims right out that he is unaffected by the overwhelming number of votes cast for Obama at last Tuesday's caucus, but rather insists on voting his predilection for Hillary Clinton. I am puzzled by Port's admitted refusal to be guided by the will of the people. Can one of your readers clarify for me if there is something here that I am missing?
Al Braidwood
Honolulu
Steel wheels on rail aren't the best option
So the city panel has chosen steel rail as the preferred system for Honolulu (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 23)? What a surprise! The mayor wanted steel rail and the consultants are most familiar with steel rail. Wow! They say we got the cheapest option or did we? We should be happy with our government? Nah! has anyone factored in the costs, both economic and environmental, of the second power plant that will be required to power the rail version? Nah! Was sustainability a metric to be factored into their decision? Nah! Howzabout flexibility of purpose? Nah! Will steel wheel on rail be faster and more flexible than other options? Nah!
Now, I can believe that Mufi's boys chose what he wanted. What I cannot believe is that our City Council persons are not asking the right questions. Let's get it right this time. Rubber-tire vehicle on managed lanes is much cheaper, flexible-use and we will not have to site and build another coal-oil fired power plant. Come on Council. Make the right decision for the people this time. We are watching you.
Rob Kinslow
Honolulu