Backward thinking plagues Ewa Plain

The article about extending Makakilo Drive that accompanied Saturday's story about the runaway dump truck indicated why we have traffic problems on the Ewa Plain. Commenting on the mile of road needed to connect Makakilo Drive to the proposed North-South Road Interchange after Castle & Cooke extends the existing road to service its new development, Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa said that whoever develops the area will complete the drive.

Aside from the fact that the drive is a City and County, not a state, road (i.e., not DOT's business), it seems as if Ishikawa never heard of implementing infrastructure before approving development. Those of us who have long been advocating the second access for Makakilo -- and currently see only planning funds in the Transportation Improvement Program for the next three fiscal years -- are not encouraged by the "backward" thinking of our transportation planners. While seemingly unable to complete Makakilo Drive's extension at the same time as the new interchange and the opening of the University of Hawaii-West Oahu campus, the City and County does include $28,500,000 for the Alapai Transit Center in the current TIP. The big bucks go downtown while residents of the "second (class) city" of Kapolei get patronizing remarks.

Multifamily homes cause more problems

Bed & breakfast places have been around in Europe for more than a hundred years with only positive effects, and most people love them, except the big hotels, who lose customers to them. If everybody would be allowed to rent out just one or two rooms with a maximum of four occupants, traffic and noise would not be any worse than now.

Our neighborhood and property values are not damaged by tourists but by local people who overcrowd single-family houses with numerous relatives, so that within one block of our house there are several houses that have many cars parked all over the sidewalks. Bed & breakfasts would be especially suited for rundown, declining neighborhoods because the extra money would motivate and help people improve their houses, which from my experience they would certainly do.

Drug-taking mom responsible for death

I am saddened that so many organizations are advocating the overturning of Tayshea Aiwohi's sentence (Star-Bulletin, July 6). This woman made a conscious choice to endanger her impending newborn by choosing to do drugs. She had five other children at the time! By doing drugs, she endangered them, too. No one is going to try to tell me she was a model mother who just happened to make a bad choice. The appropriate response to this situation is education and awareness, getting to our children early and often with warnings about drug and alcohol abuse. However, once they make that conscious decision to do drugs and commit crimes, they must realize they will be held accountable for their actions. Drug dependency may be a disease, but it does not excuse the actions of an individual.

The analogy that is made that the state will go after diabetic pregnant women is ludicrous. An alcoholic who drives drunk and kills a family when he runs into them head-on is not excused from his actions because he has a disease. The overturning of this sentence would open the floodgate to allow everyone who has a drug dependency and who commits a crime to be eligible for treatment instead of punishment. Allowing irresponsible people to dodge responsibility for their actions and not accept the resulting consequences is sending a wrong message to our youth, and our legal system.

This world is all about choices. People make a choice to take drugs, and thus become dependent. People also make a choice to commit crimes. Our system punishes those who make wrong choices. To give them an excuse or an out is ridiculous and morally wrong. I pray the Hawaii Supreme Court can see clearly that overturning this sentence would be a tragic watershed event in the protection of unborn children, and would be precedent setting in allowing a loophole for drug-dependent criminals to circumvent the punishment they deserve when they commit a crime that endangers and even kills another human being.

Chinatown is a haven for drug users

Attention all illegal drug users: Come to the downtown area near Bethel Street and the surrounding streets. Drug dealers are on duty almost around the clock to service your habit. Often there is more than one dealer to choose from so you are sure to get the best deal. They also are very outgoing and will not hesitate to approach you to find out your needs. Don't worry about police, either. They are all in Waikiki protecting the tourists.

Agency should review same-sex policy

The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, a state agency established by the Legislature in 1965, is attached to the University of Hawaii for administrative purposes. I am an RCUH employee who legally married my same-sex partner of 10 years last year in British Columbia and possess a valid Canadian Marriage Certificate.

RCUH's State Family Leave policy states that "Reciprocal beneficiaries are covered under the State Family Leave law, but must provide a Certificate of Registration of Reciprocal Beneficiary Relationship form authorized by the state Department of Health."

Since we are married, we assumed it unnecessary to file for Domestic Partnership and settle for second-class citizenship to receive state Family Leave benefits should the need arise. When I inquired of RCUH, I was informed that my husband would not qualify as my spouse under RCUH's state Family Leave policy. I also was told that married heterosexual couples do not have to show a valid marriage license to qualify.

Such blatant discrimination against same-sex couples has no place in the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii. I strongly urge them to revisit their policies.

Michelle Wie could hit better if only ...

Maybe, just maybe, if she would discontinue wearing those darn earrings ... she would possibly get in the winner's circle.

What if train passes through ceded lands?

Rail ... Akaka ... rail ... Akaka ... choo-oo chooo!

Hey, here's an idea that might work! Let's cancel any thought of more taxes for a stupid rail plan until we can be sure that the rail line will not pass over any ceded lands.

The rail will probably run through ceded land. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs demands 20 percent of ceded land revenues. And if the Akaka bill passes, then the new Akaka tribe will tax the heck out of any rail passing through its sovereign lands. Same thing if we build toll roads instead. OHA thinks just because a little corner of the airport is on ceded lands they should get 20 percent of all airport revenues, and even duty-free shopping for stuff bought by tourists at stores in Waikiki that passes through the airport duty-free station. Just think: If any part of the rail goes through ceded land, OHA will want its cut of rail tickets, coffee bought at Starbuck's but drunk on the train, etc.

I mean, how could we possibly build a transit line that might become subject to control by the new nation of Hawaii if Akaka passes?

For this and many other ethnic-privilege-related offensive buffoonery, the Akaka train ain't one I want to be boardin' any time soon.

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