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Quotables "The media always say that I am from Honolulu, but I always correct them. I tell them I'm from Waipahu. It's my home and my backbone." Brian Viloria 19-year-old member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team While touring his alma mater, Waipahu High School, last week "It's real good because the head isn't very forgiving on the concrete. You definitely need some protection to take care of your noggin." Jay Sobe Hawaii Kai father of 2-year-old bicycling enthusiast (with training wheels), Kai On a bill requiring any child below the age of 16 to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle

Francis gets favored GOP treatment

I am once again a candidate for the U.S. House Second District, for which I was the Republican nominee in November 1998. When I won the Republican primary two years ago, it was a surprise. But I was happy to be representing concerned people who wanted real change in Washington, D.C.

I hope you will acknowledge that Russ Francis has to win the Republican primary in September to be the party's candidate. Unfortunately, media coverage has neglected to mention this.

I understand that GOP Chairwoman Linda Lingle is escorting Francis around to various news organizations and is giving the impression that Francis is the Republican candidate. According to party rules, however, she is not allowed to endorse or give preference to any candidate in a contested primary.

Therefore I object to her bending (if not breaking) the rules to promote a friend of hers, and manipulating the media to give the wrong impression for a particular candidate's political benefit.

Carol J. Douglass
Hilo

Much must happen to lure high tech

I was disappointed with Stacy Hernandez's April 15 View Point, "Don't Silicon-ize Hawaii." Her commentary paints an unlikely and unfounded scenario of a massive influx of high-tech companies to Hawaii that would destroy the quality of life that we treasure.

Apparently, Hernandez is satisfied with the status quo in which Hawaii remains in a prolonged recession due to its reliance on an undiversified economic base of tourism and real estate.

This lack of diversification gives us the dubious distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in the country and little participation in the profound global economic boom being led by the technology industry.

Hawaii currently ranks 42nd in the U.S. for high-tech jobs. We have a long way to go before our state becomes the preferred destination for high technology.

We would need to vastly improve our public schools and university system, reduce the burdensome costs and taxes incurred by local companies and develop a culture of progress, innovation and risk-taking.

By the way, all of these changes would be constructive improvements and should be encouraged, not feared.

Tareq Hoque

President, Adtech Inc.

Gun makers are going to get rich

Will new firearms regulations kill the gun dealers? Not to worry; this is America!

Enterprising gun manufacturers will soon realize there is money to be made by complying with the new regulations. In no time, they'll be selling firearms that can only be activated by the owner's thumb print or some other restrictive measure.

This, of course, will mean that one gun will no longer guarantee the safety of the household, so it will be necessary to buy another gun for the wife, grandma, baby sitter, teen-aged son, teen daughter, etc.

Gun dealers will be giving Bill Gates a serious run for the Forbes list of richest Americans.

The moral of this story is clear: Pull your money out of Internet stocks and buy shares in gun manufacturers. A boom is on the horizon!

Rico Leffanta

China is threatening to start World War III

The Chinese military's threats against Taiwan are useless except in creating a World War III.

It is foolish and unnecessary for Communist China to force a reunification of Taiwan with its saber-rattling based on useless pride. Nothing will be gained with the destruction of Beijing, Taipei or Washington, D.C., because some fool initiated a useless war for pride and financial gain.

The free world should mandate the prosecution to the fullest extent of all foolish dictators who fire the first shot in any unprovoked war.

The solution for the peaceful reunification of Taiwan is by deeds, not words. Prove to the world that you are a good neighbor and human being who has respect for freedom, democracy and human rights.

Chester Lau

Defense of federal raid in Miami is illogical

I wasn't at all surprised by your ridiculous April 24 editorial supporting the Reno/Clinton raid to seize Elian. The same false, illogical reasoning that you displayed in this editorial, and many others, is one of the reasons your newspaper is going under.

You have disgraced yourself by turning your back on the truth and putting yourself squarely behind our liar-in-chief. If the father wanted Elian so bad, why wasn't he there immediately after discovering the boy was plucked from the sea when his mother perished trying to get him to freedom?

Why were Clinton's clowns in such a hurry to risk the lives of many and go against the court of appeals ruling by storming these innocent people's home?

You defile yourselves and our community with your lapdog rationalizing for the most corrupt administration in our history. Maybe they will send in their jack-booted troops to keep your pathetic newspaper alive, even though the free market has already decide it isn't worth much.

Richard Garver

Kailua

Nix prostitutes, not street performers

Our family recently visited your island for 10 days. We had a beautiful stay and enjoyed our time immensely.

Every night my children looked forward to the entertainment on the streets of Waikiki. It is wholesome entertainment that harms no one and costs tourists nothing except what they want to donate.

Instead of your city government trying to regulate these sidewalk entertainers, it should concentrate on eliminating the prostitution racket. We were appalled that, at 9 p.m., young girls were working the streets, in pairs, literally pushing themselves on any male walking by.

This is the trash that needs to be removed from Waikiki.

Sara Messbarger Hermanson
Pierre, South Dakota

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