Landowner didn't want to save historic theater
The
demolition of the landmark Varsity Theatre in Moiliili is a striking blow to that community. It is an example of anticipatory demolition, where a new property owner acquired a site with known historic resources, which it then failed to maintain and has now destroyed in favor of a parking lot.
Adding insult to injury is the lack of communication with either the preservation community or local stakeholders who cherished the building as a community anchor and who were actively interested in helping find a plan for its reuse and rehabilitation. Both the outcome and the process are shameful.
Kiersten Faulkner
Executive director
Historic Hawaii Foundation
Noisy roosters belong in the country
The story "Rooster hunters work with savvy, compassion" (Star-Bulletin, March 23) said, "More mainland transplants, who aren't used to roosters where they grew up, are also making complaints." I found this comment to be twisted and inconsiderate to any person from the mainland. So basically the city and county hired more cockfighting advocates to assist with crowing rooster complaints yet again?
Are you kidding me? I grew up on a dairy farm on the mainland and we never kept the roosters in the backyard next to our bedroom windows. I've lived in Hawaii for 20 years and I still am not used to the 24-hour crowing of the roosters in my neighbor's backyard.
Mainland, Japanese, Chinese, "local." Ancient practice or not. Doesn't really matter. Roosters should be kept in the country where they can do what they do naturally -- crow. If they are in a residential setting, the owners should have only two and take responsibility for their birds. Period. Let's keep the racial and cultural comments out of this debate.
Let's give an impartial entity such as the Hawaiian Humane Society back the right to enforce the law as it pertains to crowing roosters instead of cockfighting advocates who blatantly have their hands in too many deep pockets. Until then, I will keep on crowing until someone will listen.
Cate Matsushima
Honolulu
Police should target buzz-box drivers
There is an annoyance that has evolved to a very real traffic hazard in the last few years, and I am calling on local law enforcement to take action.
We have all seen the buzz-box drivers who dart in and out of traffic, pollute the tranquility of Hawaii with the noise they produce, and demonstrate wanton disregard of public safety.
Recently, my family and I were enjoying a stroll along Kalakaua near the zoo, when a group of Honda Civics screamed past us and startled my wife and me. However, when I looked at my 2-year-old son I did not see a startled or puzzled look, but one of fear. He was scared.
I'm sure it was the sound that scared him more than anything, but it was the squealing tires and the reckless speeds that are too often overlooked that troubled me.
Our police are there not only to prevent crime, but to ensure the quality of life for the citizens remains at the highest level. I call on the police to take this challenge. I call it that because it will not be easy to crack down on, which might be why it has gotten as bad as it is now.
Jesse Nichols
Kaneohe
Maybe Legislature can bail out airline
What's up with Aloha Airlines filing bankruptcy? Those guys need more resourceful board members or should hire smarter lawyers. Did they all forget that the state Legislature held a special session and passed a law last October allowing special considerations for large-capacity ferry vessels? Why didn't they consult Superferry CEO John Garibaldi, an ex-airline executive?
All they have to do is bolt a couple of pontoons to the wings of their planes and presto change-o: instant large-capacity ferry vessel. Just add water. Load them up, taxi out, take off and fly at a couple of hundred feet, over the whales and rough seas, land just shy of the harbors, taxi in and disembark.
Nobody needs an EIS anymore, just ask Linda Lingle. I'm sure she would be happy to pitch in a few million for docking ramp alterations and then they're good to go.
I even have a catchy name: Aloha FlyFerry.
Kenny Hultquist
Lahaina, Maui
Marketing won't make your hands cleaner
Antibacterial hand soap has made its way into most homes. I find it ironic the surge in people buying antibacterial soap thinking it is better than other soaps. It's almost like other soaps are bacterial soap. All soap is antibacterial; however, with proper words and marketing we all think we must use antibacterial liquid soap.
I know people who will not let bar soap suds go down their drains, they are obsessed with liquid antibacterial soap.
Good old Ivory bar soap to me is what soap is all about, the essence and epitome of soap and getting clean. I use Ivory bar soap as shampoo, shaving cream and even to handwash my undergarments and T-shirts.
Along the same lines, we now have whitening toothpastes as if to say that other types of toothpastes turn your teeth yellow. It's all in the words and how things are marketed.
Soap is soap, toothpaste is toothpaste and marketing is everything.
James "Kimo" Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai