UH men's basketball needs a new coach

I am concerned about the University of Hawaii men's basketball team. They keep losing, and often to weak opponents. Could it be that we have the wrong coach for that team? When we hired the coach, did we drum up enough candidates for the job? Did we rush to hire a "local" coach? Or is this just another of athletic director Herman Frazier's mistakes?

I believe it's time to search for a new coach. While local coaches should be considered, we most likely will find the best candidate on the mainland, simply because it requires a rare sort of candidate. When we do this search, let's do it right and not rush to hire a "local." The team needs a new coach right now. The sooner we start searching, the better.

Those on public aid should be drug-tested

As we all know in this day and age, most employers require us to take a drug test to be hired prior to employment. Then we pay our taxes, and could be subject to random drug testing in the future. Has anyone thought of drug testing to be on welfare? I'm sorry, but I see so much abuse of our welfare system. How many times as I shop, I see young women with huge rocks (diamonds) on their wedding hand and a ton of gold Hawaiian bracelets halfway up their arm. And then they whip out that infamous EBT card to pay for everything. Then proceed to the parking lot and get into a brand-new SUV. Then we see their boyfriends all high getting cash back on their purchase to buy ...?

Do you know how much money we could save by drug-testing welfare recipients? If they test positive, the should be banned for a year. Come on, John Q. Hawaii, let's step up to the plate to control this fraud. If the teachers are gonna be tested, so should welfare recipients.

Why not use unwanted animals for food?

With all the letters pouring in about the killing and eating of Cubby the family pet, why doesn't the Hawaiian Humane Society see this opportunity to make some money and stop putting down perfectly good food, I mean animals? If they are going to kill them anyway, why not sell a dog or cat that is in its last days on death row to a needy family that might prefer dog or cat to other, more expensive meats? As long as the animal is put down in a humane way.

Let's face it, people, it is culturally acceptable to eat animals that some people consider pets. At least the animal would be killed for a reason other than it was taking up space.

Neighbors must fight illegal fireworks

Mel McKeague's letter "We shouldn't put up with illegal fireworks" (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 26) is so true. I live in what everyone living here considers God's country, Waimanalo, but now it seems more like a war zone. Here, too, the illegal aerial fireworks and loud booming cannons go off daily, throughout the night and into the early morning hours. Calling the police didn't help. They said they can't send anyone out unless they have an address. It wasn't my neighbors so I couldn't give them one. I wondered why the neighbors of the guilty culprits did nothing. Are they afraid or just as guilty?

I agree, enforcement of Hawaii's fireworks laws is nonexistent; otherwise, why are people still getting away with using illegal fireworks during times they should not? People of Waimanalo, it's up to you. If you want Waimanalo to remain God's country, where we enjoy the beauty of the ocean and mountains and peace and serenity, don't let the few individuals spoil it for the rest of us. If you see or know who are illegally setting off fireworks, call the police and give them an address. Don't confront the persons blowing the fireworks!

Death penalty a part of civilized society

In spite of the usual falsehoods perpetuated by anti-death-penalty advocates, such as those in Thursday's editorial, the simple facts are this: Capital punishment, when carried out, is 100 percent effective at deterring repeat offenses by the guilty. The same cannot be said for "life without parole" sentences.

"Civilized" society ensures that the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for its law-abiding members are not subordinated to the criminal-minded. The cost of an execution is representative of nothing more than a process that is inefficient and ineffective due to abuse of the legal system.

I sincerely hope that this great country of ours never relinquishes her sovereignty to the likes of the socialist crowd at the United Nations that hovers like a pack of wolves at our door.