Brainstorm! Challenge

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Fourth of July parade unites political foes

Capitol Bureau reporter Richard Borreca reports to us the reasons why island Republicans and Democrats wanted to participate in Kailua's annual Fourth of July parade ("Kailua fireworks spark show of political force / Democrats plan a big parade presence to match Republicans," Star-Bulletin, July 2).

Republican: "We participate just because it's fun. It's purely an enjoyable day to kind of celebrate."

Democrat: To join the parade is "to be a part of a wonderful celebration of America."

Both explanations are obviously sincere and heartfelt with the meaning of Independence Day. However, for me, Democratic Party chairman Brickwood Galuteria gets it and waxes eloquent with political grace. Mahalo, Brickwood, from an independent nonpartisan.

May love, peace and liberty prevail throughout our Hawaii, our America and beyond.

Ka'upena Wong
Waianae

Would you keep this miserable job?

What is it like to work at a job that is not unionized?

>> You don't get any pay raises year after year, no matter how high the cost of living goes up in Hawaii.

>> Whether you have one day of experience or have worked at the job for more than 30 years, you get the same pay as a newly hired worker.

>> If you have a doctorate degree or not, whether you're a veteran or not, it doesn't matter.

>> You don't get any fringe benefits, such as medical, dental and vision care. Forget about sick pay or vacation time off with pay. You don't work, you don't get paid, whether you're sick or not.

>> If you complain about work conditions, you get black-balled from one job site and shifted to another work site.

What kind of terrible job is this? It's a public school substitute teacher in Hawaii who sometimes teaches your children for days, weeks and months.

I'm moving back to the mainland where I'm treated like a human being, even though I might be only a retired school teacher and sub.

Roy H. Todoroki
Laupahoehoe, Hawaii

City should undo recession measures

During Honolulu's long recession, the mayor and the City Council members promised not to raise taxes. Instead, they chose to raise old and invent new fees, fines and licenses; cut manpower, programs, services and maintenance; borrow heavily and divert special funds.

Now that the recession is over and revenue from traditional sources is flowing once again. Have the mayor or Council members given any thought to rescinding any of these emergency measures? Or will these measures become permanent, surreptitiously or by default, and provide the mayor and Council with revenue galore for their unceasing wasteful spending?

Richard Y. Will
Waikiki

Castle High's fans sport rude demeanors

I am an avid high school sports fan, especially football, basketball, baseball and even volleyball. Boys and girls alike. For 25 years, I have attended hundreds of games and have seen all kinds of people who play and/or watch the games.

I realize that these games often draw excitement from the fans, and I enjoy, appreciate, and enter into the cheering and noise of approval and dismay so long as it is clean and expressed with good will.

However, nothing ruins our enjoyment more than rude, immature and disgusting fans. Such folks yell and gripe to the officials every time a call is made against their team, or pick an argument, or worse, a fight, with neighboring fans. This type of "fan" often uses obnoxious, offensive, foul and derogatory language that really offends everyone around them.

Sadly, I have witnessed this type of behavior at many of Castle High School's games. While it is occasionally evident at other contests, Castle seems to be the worst offender.

Recently, I witnessed a very specific event. A group in an area where I was seated was particularly offensive and obviously abusive to the officials and the opposing teams. When another family turned to them and asked for consideration and toned-down rhetoric, they responded with foul and obscene comments, nearly provoking a fight.

I spoke to these folks after the game and urged them to call the school officials, and their query to me, "What happened to the aloha spirit?" was telling.

From my attendance at many games, I sense that the attitude of the Castle fans (perhaps family or close friends) has pervaded the team itself. This has been confirmed to me through discussions with some of their opponents. To me, it is a sad commentary on the Castle athletic teams and the school itself.

Michael E. Soeda
Honolulu

Rubin offers more than business as usual

After suffering the writings of Richard Briscoe, whom I view as a lunatic for his status quo ad nauseam pap, and determined not to read a newspaper offering such baldly bad advice, I am astounded to find Irwin Rubin, president of Tememos, Inc., on your business page ("Leadership qualities," May 2).

Rubin's methodical presentation of authority and responsibility in the workplace is meticulously developed, and I sent it to my son at the University of California-Davis.

But more than that, reading his column was a personal experience. I remembered my upbringing by my mother, a stellar fourth-grade teacher who changed kids' lives, played the piano and directed all the school productions, whose most profound words to me as a youngster were, "Look it up." I found that the dictionary was my boon companion. I'd look up one and find lots of words to describe it. I would use those words to look up the other words that described my term paper subject even further. No matter how long the paper, I never ran out of words or new thoughts by consulting the dictionary.

Bravo, Mr. Rubin, for starting on page one and guiding us through a learning experience in one short column. Never too old to learn how to learn. Finally, a mench.

Joel Efrein
Kilauea, Hawaii

Story of 'hooked' seal lifted our spirits

Imagine the pain and excruciating burden of having a 5-inch fish hook stuck in one's esophagus and then experiencing the joy and relief of having it removed by a team of dedicated and skillful veterinary surgeons ("Monk seal returning to Kauai after surgery," Star-Bulletin, July 3).

It not only made TT40,the injured Hawaiian mock seal, a happy creature, it also gave us a heart-warming feeling to know that in spite of all the depressing events of terror, war and killings that abound in our world, there is still a lot of goodness in the human soul.

Also, such an incident might only happen in the United States. God bless America and the people responsible for saving an animal and for having brought such good thoughts and feelings to all of us. Mahalo nui loa.

Tetsuji Ono
Hilo, Hawaii

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[ BRAINSTORM! ] The city owns a large, underground facility at Fort Barrette in Kapolei that is sitting empty. What could it be used for? Some sort of archive? A place to stash gigantic holiday decorations? A temporary storage site for Evan Dobelle’s ego? Send your ideas -- include your name, address and phone number -- by July 16 to: brainstorm@starbulletin.com Or by mail: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Or by fax: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson 529-4750