Fireworks is 'tradition' that needs to end

This session of the state Legislature might be our best opportunity to finally ban fireworks once and for all.

We cannot expect our overworked police department to control the misuse of fireworks with other more important duties to enforce. We are just lucky this year that fireworks did not cause any major fire.

Firework bombs started exploding as soon as sales started and continued for several days after Jan. l. Let's ban fireworks once and for all despite what some people say is a religious tradition.

We need clean power, owned by the public

We have a unique opportunity to replace our aging, expensive diesel-generating system with cheap, clean unlimited power from geothermal.

President Obama promises green energy development funds and Sen. Dan Inouye can dispense them. If public funds are used to develop the system, common sense tells us to establish a publicly owned power system. Iceland's state power company produces 600 megawatts of geothermal electricity for $0.008 to $0.014 per kilowatt hour, about 30 times less than we in Hawaii pay our private system.

Imagine running your electric car for pennies per mile. We have a well-run public water system; why not a public electric system?

Eliminate power politics from the decision to establish a publicly funded Hawaii state-owned and -operated power system so our people benefit instead of off shore financiers. We owe it to ourselves. As Barack tells us - it's time for a change.

Obama can help change Honolulu - with rail

Our state as well as our nation eagerly anticipated the inauguration of Barack Obama, a son of Hawaii. He represents change and a new way of looking at our world.

We must also embrace change, and take on a new way of looking at old problems. One of Oahu's decades-long problems is traffic congestion. From what I hear, Obama is a strong supporter of public transit and welcomes a modern rail system planned for his hometown of Honolulu.

To borrow a phrase from our new president, this is change that can happen. And it will benefit all of us.

One word describes national feeling ......

Pride.