Ferry traffic adds up to no problem at all

They should teach some math in law schools if the state Supreme Court has given any credibility to the proposition that the Superferry's service to Kahului Harbor is somehow going to create more traffic for Maui, thereby triggering the need for an environmental assessment of harbor improvements made to accommodate the ferry.

Let's see, the ferry carries about 200 vehicles to Maui, but then it takes 200 vehicles away from Maui. All together, class: "200 minus 200 equals 0" additional traffic problem for Maui.

As for the 900 passengers arriving and leaving on the ferry at the harbor, that just means 900 fewer passengers arriving and leaving at the airport. Now it's 900 minus 900 equals 0 additional traffic problems for Maui.

Naysayers should check their facts

It is surprising that those who give in to knee-jerk reactions against the Superferry have not bothered to use the Google search engine to inform themselves about forward-looking sonar. With such a device the crew will get advanced warning about large sea mammals and other objects so that course deviations can be executed in order to avoid collisions.

Invasive-species propagation by and through passenger luggage is remedied by Department of Agriculture screening of passenger bags. Simple ID check of passengers by police will help to curtail any drug-smuggling riffraff.

My hope is that the residents of Hawaii nei and visitors may be able to enjoy another way to see the islands. What a great way also for interisland commerce to bloom.

Group should change venues, not trees

It is tragically ironic that the Blue Planet Festival organizers are unable to cope with the natural -- albeit landscaped -- environment of Magic Island . Unfortunate that these "environmentalists" find these trees to be an impediment to their festivities.

Instead of altering the park environment disturbing the already fragile trees just to create a wide-open space, why not be smart and just use Kapiolani Park? It doesn't take an environmentalist to think of that one.

Put mo-ped trailers on city buses

With all the interest in Oahu mass-transit options, here's a potential solution: MopedBus is a bus pulling a trailer onto which customers put their mo-peds and bicycles. MopedBus travels only on highways and stops at stations located every 15-30 miles apart along the highways. Customers travel to and from the stations on their mo-peds.

Unlike ordinary mass transit, MopedBus leaves you with a vehicle at home and at work for maximum transportation flexibility, yet without the cost, congestion and pollution problems of automobiles. There's no need for expensive new infrastructure as MopedBus uses the existing highway infrastructure. It's easy on the environment and reduces the demand for foreign oil.

I'm testing the market for this alternative and have set up a Web site, mopedbus.com, where interested readers can vote their opinion on the concept.

Do we really need Big Brother on buses?

DaBus does it again! Instead of buying new buses or improving bus service, it is testing cameras to spy on passengers and monitor bus drivers' performance, and all this for better security, they claim. This shibai was tried several years ago and then abandoned at a large cost to taxpayers.

What next? An ID card check before passengers board the bus? Strip search for drugs? A monitor on board the bus to ensure that passengers are quiet and sitting correctly? If DaBus insists on installing cameras on its buses, I will stop riding the bus and drive instead.

Museum preserves squadron history

While the Star-Bulletin's Aug. 20 article "Historical photos capture the Navy's days at Barbers Point" is a really good one, it didn't mention that there is a lot left of VC-1 at Barbers Point.

1) A museum: Naval Air Museum Barbers Point (www.nambarberspoint.org)

2) We have almost every type of aircraft that VC-1 flew in the last 40 years. These are not models or pictures, but the real aircraft themselves:

» 3 A-4E "Skyhawks"
» 1 P-3 "Orion"
» 1 CH-53 "Sea Stallion"
» 2 UH-3H "Sea King"
» 1 C-45 "Expediter"
» 1 UH-1H "Huey"
» 1 F-4B/N "Phantom II"
» 1 C-47 "Skytrain"

That's 11 aircraft in our collection, the largest in the state. Of those 11, eight are former Composite Squadron One types.

3) We are the only museum in any airport in the state that handles the particular history of that airport -- in this case Barbers Point NAS, which is now known as Kalaeloa Airport.

Our primary mission is to preserve the history and legacy of Barbers Point NAS. We do that through school tours and outreach.

Our volunteers seek no fame, but they do work hard, and they, as well as the history of Barbers Point NAS, deserve to be given due credit.

Thank you for a otherwise excellent article.