Who would want to visit Waikiki?

When a "tourist destination" can't offer the most basic elements that make it an attractive place to visit, it has become dysfunctional. Welcome to Waikiki.

Why are street performers who dress up in metal foil and scare unsuspecting tourists by pounding on drums part of our Hawaii experience? A walk down Kalakaua would convince even the most desperate tourist that he has come to the wrong place to relax and smell the ocean air, or walk barefooted through our sandy beaches (oops, watch out for the cigarette butt!).

We have allowed Waikiki to become disgusting sideshows full of mainland drop-outs and welfare leeches. Photos of abused birds for $10-$15 each, with a demand for a tip, is not my idea of a visit with nature. Our zoo is a mess, our hotels are losing their ratings, and the tour buses sit in smog-filled streets full of disappointed tourists.

Mike Reilly
Kaneohe

Discourtesy and danger rule the road

This letter is to voice my disappointment over the loss of aloha when it comes to what some consider the extension of their personality -- the use of their car.

They blast their music so loud that you can hear them six cars behind or ahead of you when you're at the light.

They cut you off at a reckless speed and there they are when you pull up alongside at the light. The light turns green and they buzz past another car. You can only pray that the next time they take off, they don't hurt someone.

They think the freeway is just a speedway on which they can travel at any speed they want and weave in and out of traffic.

They park alongside beside you and ding your car, leaving a dent the size of a basketball and don't bother to leave a note.

And sadly, this attitude is shared by a lot of young drivers today. What do we have to show for all this? Three more dead youths.

William J. Henry Jr.

There are other questionable holidays

I found your April 13 editorial questioning Good Friday's status as a state holiday informative. Your suggestion to change the name to something other than Good Friday is good. You could have added that maybe the state should change the name of Christmas Day to another name.

Bob Akamine
Member of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Hilo, Hawaii

Save Mahaulepu from developers

I want to applaud the Kauai County Council for its efforts in preserving Mahaulepu. I am one of many tourists who have fallen in love with this lovely island. I come "home" to Poipu every year and would hate to see such a beautiful area become yet another resort.

Teresa Bentley
Rainier, Ore.

Strikers shouldn't harass citizens

I just wanted to tell readers about my not-so-positive recent experience associated with the teachers' strike.

Two days ago, I went to a local elementary school to obtain tax-related information, unrelated to the instructional program, from the administration building. My right to access was infringed upon by a crowd of people chanting and attempting to prevent me from entering the parking lot area to complete my business. I went through the same nonsense upon attempting to exit the parking lot.

I respect an organization's right to strike; however, the participants do not have the right to restrict or deny access to citizens going about their day-to-day business.

Perhaps a better display of maturity and common sense, which clearly demonstrates to the public that teachers are a cut above, will provide them with more support in their quest for better pay and benefits.

Greg Mescan
Aiea

[QUOTABLES] "I don't want to say 'I told you so,' but the last election should have been our wake-up call." Sen. Daniel Inouye, Saying the combined effect of the two public worker strikes is hurting the Democratic Party and adding fuel to the re-energized Republicans, who came within 5,000 votes of winning the governorship three years ago. "Why are these guys speeding? Trees and guardrails don't jump in the way of the vehicle." Alfredo Antonio, North Shore Neighborhood Board member, discussing last week's fatal car accidents on Kaukonahua Road in which three teens died. Since Feb. 21, there have been eight fatal traffic accidents along the road.

Hawaii power problem isn't like California's

Chris Shirai of Hawaiian Electric published in these pages on April 8 an article in which he sought to link a failure to build the proposed Kamoku-Pukele transmission line with energy shortages in California.

Constrained transmission, however, is not at the heart of the power difficulties in California. Instead:

1. In 1993 and 1994, the California utilities successfully appealed to the federal government to void California Energy Commission recommendations that they build new power plants and sign new long term contracts for renewable energy.

2. The rules for restructuring the utilities in California did not support meaningful competition.

3. The California utilities struck a "Faustian bargain" -- in return for having California's ratepayers pay off a $28 billion debt on California's nuclear plants, the utilities agreed to freeze rates for four years.

4. Wholesale market sellers used that bargain as an opportunity for market manipulation.

These are not the issues that confront Hawaii today. Sound technical and economic arguments can be made that the long-term consequences of building the Waahila power line could lead to a power crisis in Hawaii.

Donald W. Aitken
Union of Concerned Scientists
Berkeley, Calif.

Let's require bike lanes in some areas

How about passing legislation requiring that bike lanes be put in when feasible whenever a street or sidewalk is rebuilt?

As I attempt to maneuver my bike on the non-bicycle-friendly streets of downtown Honolulu, I think of all the lost opportunities for bike lanes, such as the state Capitol on Beretania Street and the First Hawaiian Bank building on King Street.

Then there is Ala Moana Boulevard, where through the years there could be three blocks in a row with a bike lane, i.e., moving in a Diamond Head direction, the Federal Building, Restaurant Row and the computer store.

Richard Hargreaves
Kapolei

We must make voting process easier

If we want more people to vote, we need to make voting easier. Registration is not the problem. Technology is the solution.

If we computerized our voting system (1) the location of the voting booth becomes unimportant. (I believe the need to go to a voting location is a major impediment), and (2) it allows not only access to the handicapped, but also those who cannot read.

A computerized system could also give us with more information about the candidates or the issue before us.

Jerry Okamura

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