PEDESTRIANS

REASONABLE ASSURANCE OF SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT

The Honolulu Advertiser's Rob Perez and KGMB's Stacy Loe are to be commended for their excellent series on needed pedestrian safety improvements.

By going beyond statistics and putting a human face on this important issue, we can better understand the impact of pedestrian accidents on individuals, families and our communities.

As pointed out in your series, AARP volunteers have lobbied strenuously for preventative safety measures, such as recalibrated crosswalk signals to allow the elderly and disabled more time to cross the street safely.

While I applaud the state's willingness to lengthen the crosswalk timers in some areas, I have to take issue with the former Department of Transportation spokesman, who suggested that slower crossing rates be applied only in areas where there are senior facilities and communities with significant numbers of elderly residents.

This kind of thinking suggests that vulnerable populations are confined to specific geographic areas. Independence and mobility are basic rights that should come with a reasonable assurance of safety for all pedestrians — on all of Hawai'i's roads.

WALLET RETURNED

TOURIST EXPERIENCED HAWAI'I'S ALOHA SPIRIT

Recently, we had a guest visit us from California.

While visiting the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, our guest, Donna, lost her wallet but did not realize it until we had driven into Waikiki.

We immediately hurried back to the stadium. After identifying the lost wallet to the attendant at the front gate, she checked and let us know that the wallet had been found and turned in.

Much to Donna's surprise, the wallet still contained all her credit and debit cards and cash.

A very honest vendor had found the wallet and turned it in to security.

No doubt Donna left this island with many great memories, and most of all she will take back to California the true Hawai'i aloha spirit.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

VOTERS SHOULD ELECT THOSE WITH NEW IDEAS

I think the most poignant criticism in the recent editorials about the political leadership in our state was The Advertiser's assessment that Ed Case "defied the (Democratic) party's pecking order" and is thus "still on the outs."

The way the Democrats treated Ed Case, a true leader in his own right, is representative of their entire cut-throat structure. The centralized control of the party, the nature of having labor unions as "big brother"and the antiquated leadership of our state's two senators stifle any up-and-comers.

The Hawai'i Democratic Party has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in Hawai'i's political world. Party members continue to toe the party line with little or no challenge to the status quo. What's worse? Hawai'i residents are incredibly hesitant to engage in the process for fear that they may be bullied, reprimanded or retaliated against.

At their convention, they picked a 30-something to be their chair. But from what I read, he is beholden to the old guard for his new position. And, they chose the real "old" guard for a superdelegate and committeeman.

I am not fooled, and I hope voters will begin to make their voices heard by electing people who actually care about fostering new ideas that will benefit all of us.

DR. CINDY TA

SUCCESS STORY A CREDIT TO ISLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The story on Dr. Cindy Ta ("For family, another dream fulfilled," May 21) shows that our public school system is doing a terrific job.

The mission of the public school system is to educate everyone, from students of upper-middle-class parents with a good grasp of English to immigrants who are not able to speak English to special education students.

The media frequently publish test scores comparing public schools. This is not a true indication of the success of public education. No adjustment is made for the fact that immigrant students tend to be clustered in certain districts.

The clustering of immigrant students tends to bring down individual schools' test scores. The comparing of test scores is no indication of the success of schools dealing with a high percentage of immigrants.

In fact, it is more difficult to teach students with no or a poor grasp of English than it is to teach upper-middle-class students with a good grasp of English and an understanding of Western culture.

Immigrants are a dynamic mix to our societal and economic well-being. Thank the public school system for this.

NUCLEAR TESTS

U.S. SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISES TO BIKINIANS

I am a student at Niu Valley Middle School. We are currently learning about the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests in social studies.

Our assignment is to find a solution on how we might help the Bikinian people after the devastating bombing that occurred on their island when the U.S. government used it as a test site for nuclear bombs after World War II.

Bikini Atoll is one of the 29 atolls in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. government forced the Bikinian people to relocate to another atoll, where there was not enough fresh food and water for everyone. Many got sick and died. To this day, many have not returned to their homeland.

My solution is to inform/educate the U.S. public about the promises the U.S. government made to the Bikinian people: that they would help clean up the contaminated radioactive areas and would compensate the people approximately half a billion dollars for destruction of their land, personal injury, healthcare, and hardships they still endure.

I believe that our government must keep those promises to help those whom we wronged.

RAIL

NEED FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT WILL CUT USE

The reason people will not use the rail system is simple: freedom. They want to run errands, shop, etc., on their own time. They want to go where they want, when they want. That's why there are almost three cars to a household.

Everyone wants to be independent. How convenient will the rail system be in emergencies, such as when your child gets sick at school or when your burglar alarm goes off? These things need to be responded to quickly, and the rail system (or TheBus for that matter) is just not going to cut it.

Although west-side residents did help pay for the H-3 through taxes, they use it to get to the Windward side.

However, people from the east side have no reason to go to Kapolei to ride a train to town.

WILL RIDERS BE ABLE TO CARRY LUGGAGE ABOARD?

That's great news that the rail will stop at the airport.

At present, passengers are not allowed to carry luggage onto TheBus. Will passengers be allowed to carry their suitcases onto the rail?

GASOLINE

PRICE SHOULD REFLECT COST OF OIL IN TANKS

Why is it that within a day or two after the the price of a barrel of oil goes up, the price at the pump also goes up.

I don't know at what stage of the process the barrels are paid for, but it would seem to me that the gasoline that has already been produced should not increase in price until the new oil that has a higher price is being processed into gasoline and other products.

It is my opinion that some service stations raise their price even though the gas in their storage tanks has not been replaced yet.

Shouldn't the oil products already in the pipeline and in storage tanks at the service stations and refinery reflect the price of the oil when it was delivered to the refinery?

Seems to me the consumer is once again on the short end of the stick and no one really cares.