Bad pothole repair dumped motorcycle

I was traveling up Liliha Street at 25 mph when I noticed a large, freshly filled pothole directly in front of me. In good faith, I drove over it. As I did so, I felt my tires go right out from under me. As they sank into the freshly filled pothole, it kind of felt like the effect of standing on a carpet and having someone pull it out from under your feet.

I hit the ground hard on my right elbow and knee, then sprang to my feet and ran to the side of the road so I wouldn't be run over by the cars approaching from behind.

On this sunny day, 25 years of surfing ruled in my favor, helping me jump to my feet after bouncing off the road at 25 mph.

Thank God and my guardian angels I'm OK. (Injuries and damage: scarred right elbow and knee, gravel imbedded in my right elbow and knee, broken right and left mirrors on motorcycle, misaligned front wheel, favorite Gap jeans ripped, favorite jacket ripped, gas tank dented.)

I've read various articles and complaints about our roads and damage from potholes. In my case, a poorly repaired pothole almost cost me my life.

Lenny Van Horn
Honolulu

UH men's basketball beat the odds

Hawaii should be proud of the University of Hawaii men's basketball team for its victory over Utah State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. The UH team was not given much of a chance in this game because it had to play a nationally ranked opponent on its home court, where the opponent had not lost all season. In addition, the UH team had to deal with a long and tiring travel itinerary to get there. Despite all of the adversity, the team showed up ready to compete and it played one of its finest games of the season.

Riley Wallace should be congratulated for the great job of coaching he has done, not only for this season but for the 17 years he has been with Hawaii. In addition, Herman Frazier, the UH athletic director, should be credited for convincing the NIT to hold UH's second round game in Hawaii.

John Kawamoto
Honolulu

Democrats off base with Lingle criticism

It's unfortunate that the Legislature's Democratic majority continues to resist the people's desire for change, and is resorting to making unfair accusations against the governor and her cabinet.

According to a March 10 Star-Bulletin article, Sen. Brian Taniguchi said that the Democratic majority is "having problems communicating with the Republican Lingle administration." That charge is off base.

During the past 40 years, the Democratic-controlled Legislature enjoyed cozy relationships with Democratic governors. No news there. When Governor Lingle's election in 2002 broke the state's longstanding one-party rule, a certain amount of adjustment was to be expected.

Since taking office, this administration has made a good-faith effort to be open, forthcoming and cooperative, regardless of political affiliations and despite the fact that Democrats are often unwilling to approve our initiatives -- opting for political stalemate at the expense of progress.

Our commitment to openness continues, even while Democrats attempt to diminish the governor's powers. In his letter to the editor (March 17), Sen. Robert Bunda said a "too-strong executive branch breeds arrogance and the abuse of power," and accused the governor of ignoring "mandates" from the Legislature.

The most important mandate is the one the voters gave Linda Lingle when they chose her as governor because the people were fed up with the status quo.

Governor Lingle will continue fighting for real change on behalf of all the people of Hawaii. That doesn't make her arrogant. That makes her the kind of leader our state has needed for a long time.

James R. "Duke" Aiona Jr.
Lieutenant governor

Gas, water prices like apples and oranges

I read with much humor about the comparison of placing price caps on bottled water with price caps on gasoline (Letters, March 22).

Bottled water is not a necessity in life. Water is.

Many studies have been made comparing bottled water with tap water and all of the studies (with the exception of those made by the bottling companies) have concluded that tap water is as good and in most cases better than bottled water because of testing regulations imposed on city water.

With hindsight, I wish I would have invested in the stock market in companies that make bottled water and sell it to anyone who pays $2.50 for a bottle of water when the person can get a better product for free.

Gasoline price caps are needed to stop the oil companies from gouging profits on a product that we really need. No other companies make seven times the profit on a product they sell in Hawaii compared to the profit they make elsewhere.

David Soule
Pearl City

Iraq-9/11 scandal may rival Watergate

People watching Sunday's "60 Minutes" witnessed riveting allegations against the Bush administration's handling of terrorists' warnings prior to 9/11 and the subsequent war against Iraq.

If this interview with President Bush's top "terrorism czar" does not become a litmus test for his re-election bid for the White House, nothing will.

I doubt Richard Clarke has a partisan ax to grind. He served under Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II; as such, his credentials are impeccable.

Either the American people believe his story as fact: that George W. Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld manufactured a link between 9/11, al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein, justifying this war and occupation, or as the administration's spin machine already has said, "It's all untrue, he's wrong."

Watergate, which brought down the Nixon administration, will historically pale in comparison to this fiasco if Clarke is right.

Paul D'Argent
Kihei, Maui