Do something useful with bailout money

Take the $700 billion financial-industry bailout money and give a million dollars to every American household so they can pay off their house and credit cards, buy a new car, vacation in Hawaii and live happily ever after. Simple answers for simple problems. What's so hard about that?

HHSAA tourney has its own problems

There has been much talk about how unfair the Bowl Championship Series system is. However, locally we have our version of the BCS: The Hawaii High School Athletic Association football tournament.

While the concept of a playoff is fair, it generally favors the Oahu Interscholastic Association, much like how the BCS favors certain conferences. It was designed to topple the St. Louis Prep Bowl dynasty of the '90s and stacked four OIA teams against the Crusaders (the lone Interscholastic League of Hawaii seed). It was so obviously stacked that the governor at the time had the nerve to proclaim “;Kahuku Red Raiders Day”; after they defeated St. Louis in the first tournament.

So now, the team that has held the No. 1 spot in the state for most of the season will not be participating in the tournament simply because it is an ILH team. Instead, No. 5 Leilehua and No. 4 Farrington will participate because they are fortunate to be part of the OIA, much like how Cincinnati is fortunate to be part of the Big East and can clinch a guaranteed BCS berth with a 10-2 (possibly 10-3) record while undefeated Boise State might not play at all.

We cannot fix the BCS. But can we fix the HHSAA football tournament?

Obama gets it right on responsibility

Although I voted for McCain/Palin, I sincerely accepted the will of the majority. I congratulate President-elect Barack Obama and I hope all Americans will support his upcoming programs, which will be difficult to achieve, but with a lot of sweat and courage, America will again be No. 1 in every field of endeavor.

Since Obama addressed the Germans in Berlin with more than 200,000 listening to his message and the large crowd at Denver football field and another large crowd in his last speech at Indianapolis I already knew that Obama will be our next president. His victory speech impressed me. He repeated the word “;responsibility”; and addressed every one of us to be responsible for the good of ourselves, our country and the world.

It means to me that what we sow will be what we reap. For example, a man who fathered a child - in or out of marriage - should support his child until the child is educated and be able to survive in this society.

Obama is aware that young, bright black men ended in jail or cemeteries because they were deprived of care and proper management during the years they need help and guidance. Obama wants and expects every child in America to be like him. He wants everyone to have the opportunity to succeed in life and live with comfort, peace and prosperity.

Don't blame landowner for dam's failure

Whenever an indictment is brought down on an individual for a criminal act, one might assume the cards are stacked against him or her, more especially when loss of life occurs.

The Ka Loko tragedy somehow reminds me of the true story of a city and county citing a local farmer for causing severe flooding in a small township, but fortunately with no loss of life.

The farmer responded with a formal letter accusing two beavers that had constructed a veritable dam across a river that flowed through his property, and that they should be duly indicted.

One might conclude the county of Kauai should indict the Almighty for disorderly conduct.

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