McCain sure to be a formidable foe
Kaneohe contributor Bob Miller (Letters, Feb. 26) claims it will take a miracle for Sen. Hillary Clinton to win on Nov. 4. As a lifelong Republican voter, I must confess to being torn.
On the one hand and for the health of our two-party system, I would be most grateful to Sen. Barack Obama for rescuing the once honorable Democratic Party from the death grip of 40 years of domination by vicious, degenerate crybaby boomers ... of which Hillary and Bubba are premier examples.
On the other hand, it will be interesting to observe the growth of stress-induced fracture lines in Obama's placid, above-the-fray facade as an increasingly desperate Hillary steps up the intensity of her attacks. I hope John McCain is paying close attention as well. Like another legendary naval hero, John Paul Jones, McCain can take as his campaign battle cry, "I have not yet BEGUN to fight."
Thomas E. Stuart
Vietnam veteran
Kapaau, Hawaii
Power rail system with alternative energy
Knowing what I know about commuter rail transport, I think that the choice for the city's experts was between steel rail and rubber tire technology such as is used in Paris, France. Other fixed guideway technologies such as monorail and magnetic levitation have deficiencies in the type of service that Honolulu requires, such as average speed level, switching and express service.
The point I want to make, however, is that the system will be powered by electricity, a lot of electricity. And the public has not heard much discussion of that. At this time in history, where a number of alternative energy technologies have "come of age" economically, it is imperative for the success of the rail system, and to help remedy the fossil fuel energy problem, that the city fully and honestly explores the use of alternative energy sources to power the system.
Chuck Prentiss
Kailua
Steel rail technology is an ugly choice
Let's please find an alternative to steel technology for the rail system.
Remember, Aloha Stadium was built with steel and was supposed to look beautiful when finished. How is this rail system going to look in 10 to 15 years?
Also, to paraphrase a line from "Field of Dreams," what happens if you build it and no one comes, or not enough people come? Will our taxes go up (again) to make up for the difference?
Just a thought.
Henry K. Konno
Honolulu
Why does anyone want such a big rifle?
What do these pro-gun people want to have the right to legally own 50-caliber guns for? Were the gun fanatics going to go wild boar hunting or wild dove hunting? I suppose each and every one of us law-abiding people should have a howitzer in our backyards to make the world safe for democracy?
Phil Robertson
Honolulu
Gun debate hijacked by fearmongering
As part of Friday's Honolulu Police Department news conference pushing for resurrection of the bill banning .50-caliber rifles in Hawaii, Major Gregory Lefcourt stated his concern that the rifle could be used to take a plane out of the air. I am a school-trained aerospace engineer, retired military pilot and recently retired from a 20-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration as an aviation safety inspector. I believe I am qualified to state that the possibility of a .50-caliber bullet causing catastrophic damage to an airborne airliner is so small as to be negligible.
During my tour of duty in Vietnam, I saw aircraft hit by multiple rounds of a similar caliber without fatal effect. We were being shot at by trained gunners using multi-barrel machine guns and sights designed for that purpose. Even with that equipment and training, relatively few aircraft were hit. An airliner in Hawaii's skies is more likely to be brought down by a lightning strike than it is by a .50-caliber rifle.
Al Bauman
Honolulu
Aunty Genoa touched many with her music
I am writing to send my condolences to the Keawe ohana ("Singer personified Hawaii's spirit," Feb. 26). This is a tremendous loss for Hawaii and the whole world. Genoa Keawe is a gem -- a true treasure of Hawaii.
Even if I live far away from home, I have always kept her and her music in my heart. I will also never forget how she taught my sister, my cousin and me hula at the Kahala Y when we were children. Unfortunately, I was not able to come back home for my grandmother's party where she sang. She has a voice of an angel.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Keawe ohana and all those she has touched in her life.
Lisa Noelani Robbins
Yorktown, Va.