If you didn't vote, then don't complain

Now that the primary election is over, let's all support the candidates and vote on general election day. The primary was challenging and the general more so. We all need to remember that if you don't vote, then don't offer an opinion, criticize or complain.

There is no excuse to not vote. It is our civic responsibility, duty and offers us a chance to voice our opinion on government and how it is run.

Thank you, Ed Case, for giving us a choice on primary election day.

Democrats clearly don't like moderates

News flash to Ed Case: A moderate can't beat the Democratic Party's anointed far-left liberal in a statewide Democratic primary. The old-boy network will beat you up every time. Try the other party, the one that welcomes moderates.

Voting for status quo is killing paradise

This election year, the people of Hawaii will once again vote for no change. With the sad results, people from this state will continue to move to the U.S. continental states to get away from Hawaii's high cost of living.

There are many expatriates, mostly in California, Arizona and Nevada, but they are the ones who are running from what they created; they voted for the same status quo. It is hard to imagine why they are moving to other states in droves. The answer is right in front of them, but they refuse to stay and clean up their own mess.

My family and I left our homeland 13 years ago because we were in the minority that had to escape to make something of our lives elsewhere. It is disappointing that we feel we will never return because of the outcome. Paradise is no more.

Volunteers help keep our democracy going

Kudos to every single individual who volunteered during Saturday's primary election. The election would not have been a success without the kindness and dedication of these volunteers.

For every election, thousands of volunteers are needed to run a smooth operation, from delivering and collecting the ballots to running the polling places. I was a part of the delivery and collection team, and I will keep volunteering in the years to come. Again, mahalo very much for all volunteers and for making Hawaii a better place.

Don't leave memories vulnerable to thieves

A vacationing tourist's car trunk was broken into recently on Maui, and his digital and video camera stolen, and all the photos of his honeymoon.

That same week on Oahu at Waimea Bay, someone broke into a professional photographer's van and stole everything in sight, including $5,000 worth of wedding photos, all on disc.

Other, similar crimes have been reported and mentioned in letters to the editor.

May I suggest to all visitors, keep the camera's digital computer card with you at all times while at the beach, along with your cell phone and wallet. When venturing into the ocean, have a beach-chair neighbor watch your belongings.

Bums, ice heads, stoners, drunks and the homeless are desperate people, and they do not read "Letters to the Editor" chastising them for their actions. They do not have jobs, except to break into cars and homes, and steal.

DOE should install photovoltaic units

That's good news that the Department of Education is angling for $75 million for electrical and air-conditioning upgrades for our schools (Star-Bulletin, Sept. 21). It's about time! But every new kilowatt should come from photovoltaic solar collectors on the school roofs.

That wouldn't necessarily mean the DOE would have to spend additional millions, though that would result in significant electricity bill savings over time. There are a number of ways photovoltaics can be installed through third parties that buy and install the units and take back rental fees based on electric bill savings.

In fact, if Hawaiian Electric invested in the photovoltaic units for the schools, the project would count toward HECO's renewable portfolio standard of 20 percent renewable energy by 2020. The DOE would see solar energy powering its newly air-conditioned schools at no additional capital cost, and the entire community would benefit with cleaner air and deferral of having to build new power stations.

In any case, solar photovoltaics should be a mandatory part of the DOE's new school electrical upgrade as well as all government building upgrades.