CHILDREN CHEATED OUT OF EDUCATION

I would like to thank Gov. Lingle and the Hawai'i state government for cheating my child and her peers out of a quality education. Based on the current success of the Hawai'i public education system, I can see how you would choose this as the item to trim fat off the current budget. I am sure that three weeks less of classroom instruction will give these 170,000-plus children an advantage as they attempt to succeed in a global environment, where knowledge is crucial.

While I understand that during these challenging economic times difficult decisions must be made, I cannot understand how you can take away the basic right of education from our children. For the record, the 17 fewer days of school are the equivalent of about 10 percent of the current days Hawai'i students attend school. What 10 percent do you think they should not learn? Which subjects won't be needed as they struggle to get into college or land a successful career?

Shame on you. Furloughing teachers cannot compare to regular department cuts; it's about cheating a whole generation of children.

Liz Sager | Lahaina, Maui

AIRPORT AGENTS

VISITORS' 1ST CONTACT SHOULD BE PLEASANT

After a great trip to Japan, I was sorely disappointed when "greeted" on my return. Maybe it was too early in the morning, maybe they didn't have their coffee — but the immigration and customs agents acted as if they were doing us a favor.

Brushing it off as a one-time incident, I felt compelled to write this as I heard similar comments from friends and associates. Being that this is the first encounter with our state, the first impression that a visitor has, shouldn't there be better management of the personnel staffing these functions?

I'm quite certain there are good agents but all it takes is one — and for that one, it's unfortunate that we can't say "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

George Mosier | Pearl City

WHITE HOUSE POLICY

NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS EFFECTED DOOZIES

In just eight months the White House has changed the name of the "war on terror" to "an overseas contingency," proclaimed that nondomestic terrorists should be given Miranda warnings, ordered the Justice Department to investigate and bring charges against CIA interrogators doing their best to keep us safe, ignored the killing of Iranian protesters, agreed to Russian demands to ignore mutual defense pledges with Poland (with no apparent quid pro quo), bowed to Muslim kings, exploded the national deficit more than all past White House administrations combined, promised to severely reduce our nuclear arsenal as unfriendly countries want to build theirs and has delayed giving Gen. McChrystal the troops he says he needs to confront the al-Qaida threats in Afghanistan. I feel safer already.

Mark Desmarais | Honolulu

STREET LIGHTS

HAWAI'I KAI NEEDS THE IMPROVEMENT

I am really appalled that there was so much stink addressed by a select minority of 50 people at a recent Hawai'i Kai town hall meeting regarding the city's street light project.

We should embrace projects that improve the overall livable quality of our community. This new lighting plan will improve nighttime driving conditions, provide safer evening street crossings for pedestrians, deter crime for homes and cars along the roadway and provide safer pathway lighting for walkers and joggers.

Why not update the community with newer street-lighting technologies and systems featured in newer master-planned communities? Lunalilo Home Road is a busy stretch of roadway with a number of four-way intersections, thousands of evening commuters, a busy shopping center, a high school and several major apartment complexes — and it requires this type of infrastructure improvement.

I support the city's project, and it should be completed as scheduled. In addition, it needs to be continued onto the mega-busy stretches of Hawai'i Kai Drive, Keahole, and Wailua as planned. Good grief, Hawai'i Kai, let's forego the passe '60s and '70s street lights and not be left in the dark on this one!

Matthew Derby | Honolulu

THUNDERBIRDS

THANK YOU FOR SHOW, EVERYDAY COVER

Thank you to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds for their impressive shows of aerobatics over O'ahu. Their precision in flight along with their brother U.S. Navy Blue Angels defy description.

Even more impressive, however, are our Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve F-15 Eagles. Our Eagles, day after day, protect our state, and cover our U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Every day they do the fly-overs that provide protection and freedom for us all. Thank you to all the F-15 Eagle drivers and their ground crews.

John Q. Andrews | 'Ewa Beach

STORY COULD HAVE COVERED COST, ETC.

Michael Tsai's front-page narrative of the Thunderbirds' "thrilling" and "patriotic" Hickam performance is no doubt an accurate reporting of the crowd's response. (Advertiser, Sept. 20) With all the shock-and-awe daredevil feats of a digital video game, the skills of the pilots must have been impressive. That the U.S. Air Force has the budget and financial resources to produce such an "open house" is somewhat surprising given the current economic situation.

To add depth and context to the story, the reporter might have provided readers with information as to the cost to taxpayers, how priorities for public relations are negotiated, and a consideration of possible (more "green," less militaristic) alternatives for public celebration. A deeper philosophical question might consider whether citizens could bond and have fun celebrating peacemaking, conflict resolution, and downsizing the military's mighty technical footprint.

Nancie Caraway | Honolulu