'Lost' actors endanger others on the road

Regarding "'Lost' actors have a hard time finding the brake" (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 14): It just goes to show that being rich and famous doesn't make you smart. I guess one of them will have to seriously injure or even kill someone before they start obeying the traffic laws like everybody else. Makes me sick.

Don't let developer have Kewalo Basin

Regarding Kewalo Basin: Leave it alone! There is no compelling need to change. The plan is to offer public land for private gain. This isn't right. Let the state and Alexander & Baldwin show a compelling need to privatize public land. Let that be the issue at hand.

If we can preserve Waimea Valley from development, we can surely do the same for a gorgeous stretch of city coastline. By initially planning a circus of restaurants and towers at Kewalo Basin, Alexander & Baldwin now offers a cutback to a mere carnival. The editorial department of this paper bought into this ploy, and thinks that acceptance of the carnival is just fine, since it would be far worse with a full circus.

I think it would be even better than a carnival if it were left just the way it is. The land is an open sweep of sea and sky, free for everyone to enjoy.

Not every stretch of beauty has to be plowed under ... not every nail has to be hammered down. And not all shoreline has to be developed.

Church welcomes all, not just golfers

The article "Golf course is Promised Land" (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 11) truly captured the heart of the "miracle" now being experienced by members of First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu. It's not a done deal yet, but whatever happens with the sale of our church and the purchase of whatever property arises, this church believes in the miracle of God's hand to provide what we need.

I've been a member now for a year, after attending for a year, and am so grateful to find a place to call my church home and family. Unity, integrity, authenticity, generosity and true hearts for God and our community -- that's what I found here. Not to mention our parking dilemma. Making space for others as was made for me is a worthy thing to do. If the Koolau Golf Course property becomes our church's home, I say, come on down, it's open to all, including golfers and wedding parties!

Must fireworks be part of the marathon?

Another Honolulu Marathon has come and gone. Having lived the last several years in Aina Haina, I'd come to accept that it's probably best not to make any plans to go anywhere on the day of the race. Several months ago, I moved back into town and I correctly assumed that I would be able to avoid most of the traffic pitfalls that normally accompany the race. What I didn't bargain for, however, was being jolted from my bed by the loud explosions at 5 a.m. on Sunday. It took a little time to figure out what was going on and that the city wasn't under attack. It might seem strange, but I generally prefer to sleep at that time of the day.

I'm not questioning the value or necessity of hosting a marathon in our city, but are fireworks at 5 a.m. really necessary? Whose bright idea was that, anyway?

Get government out of housing business

Your Dec. 13 editorial suggests that money should be spent to repair the many damaged and vacant units of public housing. Oh, so there is a problem -- throw money at it! That seems to be your idea. Nowhere in the editorial do I see a suggestion that we should find out how the units are being damaged, or what can be done to prevent it. Nor do I see a suggestion that the tenants should cover the cost. No, it is we the taxpayers who once again are being asked to cover the cost of hideously damaged housing units. And we are not the ones who damaged the apartments.

Government often does a very poor job of managing public housing. If the units were sold off to private enterprise, they would be much better managed. Damage would be much less, and tenants would pay for repairs when they are at fault. The very idea of housing owned and managed by government for poverty-level people is an idea that has failed. Public housing has never filled the housing shortage, and, here in Hawaii, has failed to solve the homeless situation.

At some point taxpayers might wake up and ask, "Why do certain others have a better claim on my hard-earned money than I do?"