Coach Jones' support of Sia is bizarre

I have been glad to see the reaction to June Jones' support of (now) convicted thief Sukamto Sia. But two things are missing:

>> I realize that Judge Ezra is constrained by federal sentencing guidelines, but I will never get used to bank robbers drawing 20-year sentences while the Sias of the world, who have devastated retirees and effectively committed financial homicide, get three years.

>> Teaching at a university is an honor. We give that privilege to people who have struggled for years to develop expertise, usually at low or no salaries, and who have maintained personal integrity. That Jones would suggest that a larcenous character such as Sia has any business teaching at Jones' own university suggests how far out of touch Jones is with academic principles.

William Haning

Waikiki beach events are bad for business

Taxpayers are spending more than $300,000 for the Brunch and Sunset on the Beach events as part of the city's efforts to revitalize Waikiki. What is being overlooked is how much money these events are costing private businesses.

Some members of the Hawaii Activities and Tours Association report losing upwards of $12,000 each event, primarily due to lost revenue and traffic congestion in and around Waikiki before, during and after the events.

Transportation companies are frustrated by the city's lack of notification of street closures and inaccessibility of the city's traffic-cam Web site during these crucial times. Tour-bus and taxi services are delayed or tediously rerouted, frustrating not only drivers but also customers and hotel doormen.

Activity and attraction operators report that their customers complain about being stuck in traffic getting to their destinations. Our dinner cruise members, for example, must depart at a specific time to make their sunset cruises -- after all, the sun will not wait to set because of a traffic delay.

The Brunch and Sunset on the Beach events are damaging the visitor experience and hurting private businesses. Monies lost from these events would have been put to better use in revitalizing Waikiki's infrastructure.

Darci Evans
Hawaii Activities and Tours Association

[Quotables] "I think that after the police chief gets to experience the Segway, his thoughts and ideas may change." Matt Dailida Lobbyist for Segway LLC, which produces and markets the Segway Human Transporter, on groups such as the Honolulu Police Department that want more time to study the devices before amending the state traffic code to include them. Above, Segway inventor Dean Kamen demonstrates the two-wheeled transporter. "I grabbed my equipment and started running. The closer I got to the beach and the more people were telling me what happened, it turned from a swimmer in distress to a shark attack. When I got there, I could see his foot and ankle were gone." Kalani Vierra Brennecke Beach lifeguard, describing what happened after he got a "swimmer in distress" call from a fire dispatcher. The swimmer turned out to be a 17-year-old bodyboarder who was attacked by a suspected tiger shark. Hoku Aki, of Koloa, lost his lower left leg in the attack. He told rescue personnel he punched the shark in the head and gouged one of its eyes, at which point it finally released him.

Children need more exercise during P.E.

As a mental health counselor, I often visit local schools. Recently, I was observing at a school where the children played softball during P.E. I noticed that most of the children were not really exercising. They were either standing around the field waiting for a ball to come their way or sitting in a line-up waiting their turn at bat. During almost one hour of physical education, any one child probably got no more than 10 minutes of physical activity.

Physical activity not only is important for physical health, it also is intimately connected to mental health. Considering the growing number of overweight children and the increasing number of mental health problems, an improved physical education curriculum can be helpful. Anyone concerned about the physical education of children should log on to the Internet and search for "The New P.E." This program can have a wonderfully positive influence on our children.

The New P.E. movement is worth serious consideration by the Hawaii Department of Education.

Kenneth Fields
Child and Family Service
Kahului, Maui

Voters will remember dignified decision

Sen. David Matsuura of Hilo made a historic "decision with dignity" concerning the proposed "death with dignity" bill (HB 2487-SD1): He said, "No." The bill that would have allowed our island physicians legally to commit murder has been stopped indefinitely.

We have shown our respected ohana elders that they are not a burden on our families or on our society. More important, we have convinced our legislators that the government can not intervene in the issues of deciding who should live and who should not. Let the nation see that Hawaii will continue to find the financial and emotional means to care for the elderly and terminally ill. In the meantime, I personally thank Matsuura and all the others who voted against this horrific bill. Come election time, the voters will certainly remember you.

Karyn Herrmann
Hawaii Kai

Bureaucrats should stop acting childishly

I have been watching the charter schools issue with some interest. Board of Education member Karen Knudsen complains that the bills are flawed. BOE chairman Herbert Watanabe says that the costs are "going to hurt." Superintendent Pat Hamamoto gripes that other campuses are going to be shortchanged.

Complain, complain.

If these bureaucrats had actually done the job they were hired to do, instead of coming up with lame "the dog ate my homework" excuses, then we wouldn't be in this mess.

The DOE and BOE can try to make things less painful for themselves, or continue acting like spoiled children. Either way, this change will give them a harsh wake-up call.

Gary Li

---

Letter guidelines The Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point on issues of public interest. The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed, must include a mailing address and daytime telephone number. Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@starbulletin.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813