Pests like bin Laden, Taliban, always survive

It will do no good to bomb the Taliban or Osama bin Laden because everyone knows cockroaches can survive even an atomic blast.

John Delee

Hawaii needs to make gambling legal now

We need gambling in Hawaii immediately. I know I am going against the newspaper editors, the tourist entertainment businesses and the religious conservatives (who feel what is good for them is good for everyone else). Hawaii has just been dealt an incredible economic blow. It will rapidly get worse.

Gambling in Hawaii needs to include hotels, new casinos and the cruise ships. People who want to come here for sun, surf and sky will continue to do so. But people who want to sit at a slot machine and play black jack will come as well. Why go to Las Vegas when you can be in a lush Hawaii hotel and play in its casinos? Let them all know we want them to visit Hawaii. If gambling is what you want, then we have it!

Gary Edwards

Politicians fiddle, while Waikiki burns

I hope the rest of the country does not turn to Hawaii as an example of how to deal with the repercussions of Sept. 11.

Tourism is our only real industry. It is the only real industry in Las Vegas, yet Vegas has already started a $12-million campaign to get tourists to come back. What are we doing? Nothing.

As ads start to fill our televisions about the fun and excitement of Las Vegas, we are having hearings and meetings. Our politicians, as usual, are micromanaging the advertising campaign we needed to be doing yesterday. They will quibble over how much money for this and how much money for that. They will argue about the layout of a magazine ad and its message. We will fiddle, while Waikiki burns.

When the tough decisions need to be made with a unified voice, you can depend on one thing -- our politicians won't make them. So as everyone boards that plane for Vegas, we will ponder yet another lost opportunity.

Mark Middleton
Kapolei

[Quotables] "Deciding not to throw any more good money after bad -- raising fruit for thieves -- is probably the most difficult decision of my life." Morton Bassan Owner of Kau Gold Orange Co., the only major orange grower in the state, who says years of extensive theft of his crops will put him out of business after his next harvest in June. He is shown above at a 1997 food and products show. "It means a lot to Hawaii, especially to the neighbor islands and especially to Kauai." Bill Thayer President of Waldron Steamship Co., the Carnival Cruise Lines' port agency, on the successful docking of the 963-foot Carnival Spirit cruise ship in Kauai's difficult to navigate Nawiliwili Harbor.

Use construction money to fix schools

Governor Cayetano has proposed spending $1 billion on construction projects. Since we have active duty military refusing orders to Hawaii due to the poor condition of the school system, both teachers and facilities, what better way to spend some of that money?

Give the teachers the money they won in the last contract, then upgrade the school facilities. Radford High School in particular is nearly falling down, and that is one of the major military schools in Hawaii serving the personnel living close to Fort Shafter and Pearl Harbor. Let's build new classrooms and eliminate the so-called "portable classrooms" that have been in existence for the past 30 years, add cafeterias where they are required and make the school system one that everyone in Hawaii can be proud of. No one likes to work in facilities that are run down, shabby and dirty.

Have the University of Hawaii upgrade its teachers' program so that we can provide more homegrown teachers without having to import them from the mainland. Just spending money to bring work to the construction trades is good, but use it wisely to improve the way of life for our children.

Dick Pickering

Equipping pilots with guns is workable idea

As an former Marine and airline captain, I know that arming pilots in the cockpit will generate considerable opposition, even among the pilots. I favor arming pilots, but only those who are comfortable with the concept and properly trained.

The logistics of arming these pilots at first looks to be an insurmountable problem, considering the various security checks and flights to countries prohibiting weapons.

A solution might be to make the weapon a part of the aircraft equipment in a secure, locked and easily accessible part of the cockpit. Only those pilots trained and issued a "smart card" would be able to access the locked weapon. In that way the captain would retain his authority to determine if a weapon could be used on an aircraft under his command.

The gun would be loaded with ammunition that would not penetrate the hull and be under the control of a person specifically trained to fire the weapon in a confined area.

I think this approach would overcome the reluctance of those pilots who do object to a gun in the cockpit.

Equipping aircraft with a "panic" switch to lock out control of the airplane from the cockpit and have a ground controller or an automatic system land the airplane is a dumb idea that must have been concocted by a committee of non-pilots or morons.

Mike Bremner

Kamaainas help out, then are forgotten

I recall during and after the Gulf War how our local economy was hurting badly. I remember how the stores were so happy to have the kamaainas come in and shop. I also remember the many specials enticing kamaainas to hotels, restaurants and specialty shops.

As soon as our economy got on its feet the specials for kamaainas seemed to dry up. I remember calling a hotel for kamaaina rates and being told that they didn't have any rooms available. I remember the embarrassment I felt. I remember, too, a friend being snubbed at a speciality shop.

We are once again faced with a similar, if not worse, situation. Once again these same establishments are calling on the kamaainas for help.

I'll do my share to help boost our local economy, however, I wonder how soon after they get back on their feet that these same hotels, restaurants and shops will still remember the us and our help?

Beverly Matsuo

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