PRESIDENTIAL RACE

DON'T BORE READERS WITH REPETITIVE NEWS

My New Year's resolution is to try to avoid reading anything about the presidential campaign from March, when the nominees are decided, until October when I should start to think about who to vote for.

Can you imagine the trivia that the press will have to write to fill their pages for those six months?

Dear Advertiser, give us a break and don't bore us with repetitive non-news about the candidates.

Please use those six months to discuss, in depth, the issues facing the country and to analyze possible solutions on which we might come together.

OBAMA'S RIGHT ON NEED TO RECLAIM GOVERNMENT

If anybody asked me if a black man would win the the Iowa caucus this year or any year in my lifetime, I would have laughed. Iowa is more than 90 percent white. Is it possible that America is finally ready to elect a minority president?

Or is it simply that Iowans listened to what every candidate had to say, decided which candidate they thought had the best message and Barack Obama just had the best message?

I think the latter is the case. Obama does have the best message. He is saying we need to take our government back from lobbyists and big-money interests, and every person I know agrees.

The overwhelming majority of Obama voters in Iowa were under 30, and many were first-time voters.

Obama is inspiring the next generation in much the same way John F. Kennedy inspired the youth of the '60s. Grab democracy by the horns and vote for change. Vote for Barack Obama.

POTHOLES

CITY MUST BE MORE POSITIVE IN RESPONSES

In her Dec. 28 letter, Laverne Higa threw a below-the-belt punch to people who write letters to the editor.

Ms. Higa's example of road repairs in Waipi'o does not carry much weight. The city repaved numerous dead-end streets that were in excellent condition, yet ignored heavily traveled main streets desperately needing repair ('Uke'e Street and Waipi'o Uka). Is it any wonder the public is frustrated?

Ms. Higa directs the public to call the appropriate pothole repair line. How many people know which streets are city or state responsibility for repair?

The city and state should collaborate to set up one phone line to report all potholes. Don't require the public to figure out who has jurisdiction.

Although some good progress on pothole repairs has been made, much needs to be done.

Rather than taking cheap shots at the public, whose taxes fund her job, Ms. Higa should adopt more positive means of addressing complaints. It's called good customer service.

LET BIG ISLAND CREWS PATCH O'AHU'S STREETS

Four years ago, I submitted a letter to The Advertiser complaining about potholes, and how I thought paving was done with defective materials or substandard methods.

Today, the problem is worse. Why did we have huge craters deep inside the Pali tunnel last year, where it doesn't rain? Why are Honolulu's streets deteriorating faster than the road crews can fix them? In town, I see streets that were paved as recently as two years ago beginning to crack and crater. Something is very wrong.

Although I'm not an engineer, I think I have a solution. Hilo is known for its frequency of rain. The pavement there doesn't crumble. My parents live on a street in Hilo that has endured more than 40 years of rain, and has never needed to be patched.

The Superferry is scheduled to begin making trips to the Big Island in 2009. My solution? Bring over the Big Island's paving equipment with the Superferry and have their crews pave O'ahu's roads! They'll do a good job, and Honolulu's streets could last a long time no matter how much it rains.

FIREWORKS

AERIALS ARE A CHRONIC PROBLEM IN 'EWA BEACH

How humorous were the letters from Mark Barnes (Dec. 24) and Diane Choi (Dec. 28) discussing fireworks in Waipahu and Kane'ohe that begin in November.

Where I live in 'Ewa Beach, that would be months of peace and quiet. There are about five families in our area who shoot their aerials and bombs from October through February and from June through August every year. That's eight months of the year with fireworks at all hours of the day or night with no concern for the sick, injured, young children or babies, people with two or more jobs, or anybody else trying to sleep or rest.

This is not cultural — this is absolutely disrespectful to the community for their own immature, insecure selfish purposes.

It would really help if neighbors would report these people to the police. There must be a way to do this to protect the whistleblower's identity.

It's amazing how a small group of selfish families can hold an entire community hostage to their need to boost their egos.

WHY HAVE LAWS THAT ARE JUST CIRCUMVENTED?

Reading and listening to the media reports of lagging sales of fireworks permits made me chuckle out loud.

Apparently, the general public has caught on to the government's ploy to intake more money from them.

With "paperless" fireworks now produced to circumvent the laws and the availability of illegal fireworks in every neighborhood, who needs permits?

Meanwhile, with fireworks, including illegal professional-grade aerials going off nearly nightly all year — and no law enforcement in sight — why have laws?

LET PEOPLE VOTE ON QUESTION OF FIREWORKS

Why is there so much fuss on the celebration of a New Year's with fireworks?

Yes, people have been injured by fireworks, but how many people have be injured or killed by fireworks compared with drunken drivers on the road for a whole year?

What is being done to curb the sale of alcohol in the stores? Maybe there should be a permit to purchase a six-pack of beer like there is a permit to purchase 5,000 firecrackers. What a joke that is.

If there was not a permit requirement, imagine how much more money the state would get on the excise tax of all fireworks sold.

I have enjoyed the use of fireworks for the 50-plus years I have lived in Honolulu, and there is no better way to bring in the new year.

Let's put the question on a ballot, and let the majority of people rule instead of just some people who object every New Year's.

LEGISLATURE

STATE'S GRANT PROCESS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED

The Legislature doesn't need to reform the grant process, it needs to eliminate it.

The state departments are charged with recognizing needs and incorporating them into standard requests for proposals, whether they are for services, operations or capital needs.

All individuals, legislators, non-profits, for-profits or the governor can submit a specific legislative bill to address unmet needs in the community.

CONCON

INITIATIVE, RECALL AND REFERENDUM NEEDED

We are far overdue in amending the state Constitution to include initiative, referendum and recall. We can do this by including the amendment in the next state election or by convening a constitutional convention.

It seems our legislators will not change the law to ban fireworks. We can do this by initiative and referendum. Recall will allow voters to recall elected officials for unethical practices, misdemeanors, felonies, etc.

Our elected officials are against initiative, referendum and recall for obvious reasons. Now is the time for voters to push for this amendment.

GLOBAL WARMING

HISTORICAL FACTS POINT TO NATURAL CAUSES

Historical fact: The last few thousand years of history of the planet's weather proves that the global temperature has been much warmer than it is now for hundreds of years at a time. So natural, not manmade, global warming is proven by history.

Historical fact: History has proven that scientific studies, research and predictions are wrong most of the time. Especially if they contradict known history.

So-called manmade global warming is false because all weather history trumps it. The debate really is over.

SALT PONDS

POLLUTION THREATENS OUR ANCIENT TRADITIONS

Your Dec. 22 article about asphalt pollution endangering Hanapepe salt ponds points to a great potential loss.

Harvesting salt is a tradition that has survived for 1,500 years or more. It is not just a bit of local color, but ranks alongside poi production as an example of Hawaiian excellence in agricultural engineering.

Ancient traditions now found only in small areas can vanish almost overnight. Legislators need to act now, not talk. Within a few months it could be too late.