OBLITERATED SIGN

LOST IN NU'UANU — NOW WHERE DO WE GO?

It is nice that the City and County of Honolulu spent taxpayer money for the Nu'uanu community signs.

I live on the Windward side and travel Pali Highway often. It is such a comforting feeling when I see one of these signs that say, "Nu'uanu." I know I am not lost.

However, the yellow hibiscus now obliterates the name, "Nu'uanu," and the other day I found myself in Mo'ili'ili. The next day I found myself in 'Ewa. Can anyone help?

NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD

ONLINE BALLOTING IS A MORE SECURE METHOD

Lynn Matusow's letter (March 30) fails to meet a simple logic test.

She writes: "The 'secure' 10-digit voter number that comes with the paper ballot to enable us to vote on the Web appears on the outside of the return envelope to be used by those voting by mail, along with the voter's name and address. With that information and the last four digits of a voter's Social Security number, anyone can vote via the Web before the mailed ballot reaches the commission. Once the Internet ballot is cast, the paper ballot is invalid."

If someone steals your ballot out of your mailbox, why are they going to take the extra step of stealing your SSN (from some other source) when all they would have to do is fill out the paper ballot and mail that back in?

It is much easier for someone else to cast your paper ballot than to cast your online ballot.

The paper ballots are an insecure method of voting, with essentially no security features.

We strongly encourage people to vote using the securer online method, which also saves taxpayer money.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

SB 14 DOESN'T POLITICIZE UH REGENTS' SELECTION

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona's got it all wrong.

His opposition to SB 14, creating a candidate advisory council for University of Hawai'i Board of Regent nominees — as well as the opposition by Gov. Linda Lingle, House and Senate Republicans, UH President David McClain and the chairman of the UH board of regents — on the grounds that it politicizes the process is unfounded.

They have provided no evidence that such a process has led to control of a university anywhere by the legislative branch or any political party.

On the contrary, with few exceptions, Lingle's regent nominees and their immediate family members have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Lingle's campaign war chest.

Some have served in high positions on Lingle's campaign.

How much proof do you need that the current system is highly politicized?

Perhaps Lingle should have assured legislators she would no longer nominate her campaign donors/workers.

SB 14 ensures that future governors and legislators are prevented from inserting political influence over Hawai'i's university system.

It's not just about Lingle. Vetoing SB 14 is calling for continued politics at the University of Hawai'i.

DO NOT TAKE POWERS AWAY FROM GOVERNOR

In his Island Voices commentary of March 30, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona accurately points out the objective of certain Democratic legislators to strip the powers of the governor regarding appointments to fill various positions from judgeships to regents to board positions.

I hope those same legislators remember the words of HGEA Executive Director Russell Okata, who in a recent letter defending Sen. Clayton Hee said the Senate "has the grave duty of confirming executive and judicial appointments."

That is exactly as it should be — the governor appoints, the Legislature confirms. We do not need the Legislature making and confirming appointments.

Concerned citizens should contact their respective legislators and tell them to oppose stripping the governor of constitutional powers.

IRAQ

FUNDING VOTE SHOWS MAJORITY'S TRUE COLORS

The recent Iraq funding bill in the House of Representatives was supported by Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono.

Their vote for the Iraq bill shows their true colors as first- class porkers.

The Iraq bill funds the Iraq war plus $74 million for peanut storage, $25 million for spinach growers, $283 million for dairy farmers, etc. It totaled some $20 billion in vote-buying earmarks. Wonder what the price was for the two Hawai'i votes?

Wasn't it Abercrombie and Hirono and all the other Democrats who campaigned against earmarks last year?

Voters understand more than politicians that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Our two Hawai'i porkers are now part of the controlling majority and should be ashamed.

IT'S TIME TO PULL OUT OF ATROCIOUS, HORRIFIC WAR

It is time for this country to pull out of this unnecessary and horrific war.

The death of Army Spc. Pat Tillman is an outrageous example of the lengths that President Bush and his puppets will go to misconstrue information for their own benefit.

Recently there has been a plethora of letters from people supporting the war.

U.S. war casualties and loss of military personnel now exceeds those lives lost in 9/11. Isn't it time that this country wakes up, pulls our troops out and brings home what is left of our troops?

The leader of this country continues to mislead the American people regarding this atrocious war.

This is one president who should be impeached.

AMERICA MUST STAY THE COURSE IN MIDDLE EAST

Quoting Cicero as rationale for bring our troops home (Letters, March 28) is ridiculous.

Cicero was a great philosopher, but a weak politician who lacked the determination to achieve success.

We need to stay the course. To do otherwise is not in our national interest. These interests include maintaining stability in the Middle East that is essential for the uninterrupted flow of oil and terminating al-Qaida, a group that is bent on destroying our way of life.

GOVERNMENT

LEGALIZE GAMING TO CUT RESIDENTS' TAX BURDEN

Isn't it time to bring up some form of gaming here? Why are we so against it?

Other states get by just fine with lotteries, why not us? Why are we so afraid of doing it?

In the meantime, we are going to let the state and city tax homeowners to death.

It's time for us to step up to the plate, and start putting forward a gaming bill.

RURAL AREAS

PSYCHIATRISTS WORKING TO IMPROVE CARE ACCESS

To help adults and children in rural areas of Hawai'i obtain mental health services, professionals in this field formed the Psychiatric Access Collaboration in June 2006 to identify systemic problems and determine immediate to long-term solutions.

Members from across the state regularly engage in video teleconferences to discuss policy changes, coordination issues and legislative proposals for improving access to psychiatric care.

One solution is telepsychiatry. Two University of Hawai'i psychiatrists now see patients once a month on Maui and Moloka'i and during the interim they are available by video teleconference or by phone for consultation and medication management. This effort has produced excellent results so far, and may be expanded to rural Ko'olauloa on O'ahu.

Another approach is placing more psychiatrists in community health clinics, where many uninsured patients and Medicaid recipients are treated.

These physicians, who are supported by Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements and money from the state general fund, now work with six of the 13 federally affiliated community health centers in Hawai'i, and under a current bill, SB900, additional state funds would be allocated for psychiatrist positions in area of greatest need.

Yet another approach is providing incentives for psychiatrists to practice in rural areas. Hawai'i ranks ninth in the country for number of psychiatrists and second for child psychiatrists, but most of these physicians are on O'ahu.

To encourage them to serve rural communities, incentives could include student loan paybacks, signing bonuses and higher reimbursement rates on the Neighbor Islands.

ENVIRONMENT

RAIL TRANSIT WILL REDUCE AUTOMOBILE EXHAUST

Lately, there's been more media attention given to the environment and the problem of global warming. It's about time we take this threat seriously.

One of the biggest polluters of our air and water is automobile exhaust.

If we continue to be an automobile-dependent society, we will only increase global warming and create more harm to our environment. That's why I'm a strong advocate of rail transit.

The city made the right decision on rail. Now let's move forward. We need rail for the good of our island home and our people.

AMMUNITION

WAI'ANAE TOO OFTEN MADE A DUMP GROUND

Many Wai'anae residents want the military ammunition removed from the ocean.

Would it be "no problem" if the ammunitions were dumped in the waters off Waikiki, Kahala, the North Shore, Kailua or Lanikai? I don't think so.

The issue would have been dealt with immediately.

As usual, Wai'anae is considered the dumping ground for people and things.

Enough, already. Clear the ocean of ammunitions.