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POSTED: Saturday, November 22, 2008

HNL concessionaires applaud upgrades

Our group, composed of businesses at the Honolulu International Airport, would like to offer a “;well done”; to the state administration for two projects benefiting all airport users using a revised method of erecting a new building. The garage between the interisland and overseas garages will open in record time in mid-December.

The facility should greatly simplify everyone's use of the airport.

Another successful project is the inter-terminal Wiki Wiki bus system, often cited by users as substandard. New, comfortable and air-conditioned Wiki Wiki buses are in service and receiving compliments.

 

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Following union’s lead won't help teachers

Matters are even worse than John Kawamoto supposes (”;HSTA takes status quo over improvement,”; Letters, Nov. 12). He noted that “;a constitutional amendment could improve public education by restructuring the school system”;—a polite way to describe the eradication of the obscenely overfunded Department of Education bloat-o-cracy by way of establishing real school districts under home rule at county and sub-county levels whose officials could be held accountable.

Teachers flim-flammed by their union into opposing the Constitutional Convention have learned DOE heavy hitters are planning to reduce expenses next year by either cutting the number of school days or asking teachers to work for free on those days. Either way, this will be a self-inflicted pay cut for teachers stupid enough to have followed the urging of their union to protect DOE.

The public may be forgiven for concluding a pay cut is entirely appropriate: We teachers allowed our union to renege on that part of the current contract—with its generous pay raises—that included a provision for the random drug testing of teachers ... which the union did in fact sign after we voted to ratify it.

Hark! I can hear it now: “;Serves 'em right, the stupid heads!”;

We bargaining members might not be the dumbest teachers in the nation, but we damned sure are contenders for that title.

We need to better control immigration

According to the Associated Press, American women have been reproducing at or below zero-population growth rates for the last 30 years. I still think we need population control. God has not provided us with vast new continents with good farmland, but the people invented birth control techniques instead.

Most of our population growth is coming from immigration, both legal and illegal. I do not believe that everyone in the world can all live in the United States, so I hope that the government can get a better handle on immigration.

Financial scandals part of Bush family legacy

In the words of the infamous Dubya, “;Fool me once, shame on you, fool me, you can't get fooled again,”; except that George Bush seems to be trying to fool us again.

With the same sense of urgency used to sell mythical Iraqi WMDs, President Bush conned Congress into approving a $700 billion Wall Street rescue package to restore confidence in the market. On Oct. 3, Bush signed that bill into law and within six weeks the Dow lost another 1,600 points.

After asking Congress for the money to purchase troubled assets, Bush has changed his mind and wants, with little oversight, to divert the money to help, among others, credit card companies and who knows what else.

It's a matter of record that Bush's grandfather Prescott, his uncle Jonathan and brothers Neil and Jeb have been involved in financial scandals that have cost taxpayers billions. Is this current bogus bailout a family tradition of feigning patriotism while violating the Constitution and profiteering? Will Bush pardon himself or will you (and Congress) bring him to justice?

Olelo to broadcast HBO 'Addiction' series

Olelo Community Television will be showing the award-winning HBO documentary “;Addiction”; for free on public access TV. The complete 14-part series will be broadcast on Channel 49 over a two-week span, beginning Nov. 25.

Every day, thousands of people in Hawaii struggle with substance abuse, yet fewer than 10 percent are getting treatment. Partly it's because of the stigma associated with addiction. It's also because many don't know that it is a treatable disease. This groundbreaking TV series demystifies addiction and the recovery process.

If you or someone you love has a drug or alcohol problem, please watch these programs. Mahalo to the following for their support of this special TV presentation: Hawaii Medical Services Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, PACT Kaneohe Community Family Center, Community Works in 96744 Coalition and Olelo.

For viewing times and topics, please visit http://www.olelo.org. For more information, please see www.hbo.com/addiction.