Military doesn’t need Trump’s big parade

So, President Donald Trump now wants a big, expensive military parade to honor our military, which he often refers to as his military.

Early estimates are the cost will be in the millions. The Pentagon is currently distracted with trying to plan this event.

If the president really wants to honor our military, he should consider spending that money to improve the quality of life for members of the military — like upgrading VA hospitals or buying new military equipment. And he should let the Pentagon get back to issues more important than planning a parade.

This grandiose plan of his sounds more like the ongoing “my button is bigger than your button” battle of egos he continues to pursue with North Korean President Kim Jong Un.

Carol Schmus

Mililani

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Everyone can feel joy of life in Hawaii

As I walk along the water’s edge, I see people, sunshine and a glistening ocean. I see people from all over the world experiencing the exact same scene and enjoying it immensely.

All types of shapes and bodies and colors of people are relaxing in the water or soaking up the sun, reading magazines, reading books, some in the shade and some in the bright light.

It is as if God painted a rainbow of people for an artist’s delight — small children, boogie boarders, babies, newlyweds, selfie portrait takers, middle-aged and older.

It didn’t matter what you looked like, where you were from or how you got here.

The enormous ability to feel the joy of this place called Hawaii was everywhere.

Sandra Armstrong

Kailua

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Conflicting legislation to save Oahu’s pueo

Michael Lee’s letter, “House bill would save Ewa wildlife” (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27), gave hope that the last pueo habitat in the region would be preserved.

However, state Sen. Mike Gabbard held a hearing on Senate Bill 2078 that would, if passed into law, do three things after a two-year study: Appropriate funds to research where pueo inhabit; identify habitat on a map; and monitor and manage pueo to garner data on the species.

What is odd is that House Bill 2629, which Lee referenced, would accomplish what Gabbard seeks to achieve, without delay and without the need for any additional funds.

The Legislature received a report in October 2017 that identified pueo inhabiting the University of Hawaii-West Oahu campus. The pueo are there right now, available to study.

If saving pueo is indeed the goal, SB 2078 should adopt the language of HB 2629.

Edlynn Taira

Ewa Beach

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Require 2 operators to issue missile alert

There is a simple, zero-cost change to the ballistic missile alert system that should be made immediately while we design a long-term solution.

There should be a requirement that two authorized operators need to agree to send out an alert. There should be numerous authorized operators on each shift.

Each authorized operator should be assigned a unique password.

The first authorized operator inputs that person’s assigned password and activates the send-warning button.

The second authorized operator inputs that person’s password and then activates the send-warning button.

Only then can the warning be sent out.

It’s hard to believe that two individuals would both mistakenly believe that a threat was real.

The reprogramming should not take more than an hour of programmer time, so no cost is involved.

Let’s keep it simple.

Bill Quinlan

Velzyland

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Stop missile alert sirens temporarily

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz advocates that missile alerts be a federal responsibility. We should go one step more and discontinue missile alerts via sirens on Fridays at noontime.

The sirens are OK if they are mostly for weather-related alerts and like concerns, but to use them routinely as they are now for testing missile readiness only heightens our worry about another gross miscalculation by the state.

Hawaii should not be on the front lines to accidentally start World War III. The governor should put a temporary hold on the missile siren alerts until Schatz’s recommendations are addressed.

Jay Pineda

Waikiki

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HI-EMA supervisors made mistakes, too

I read with interest and yet no surprise the button pusher’s comments about the ill-fated Saturday scare (“I did what I was trained to do, and I feel very badly about what happened,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 3).

I felt sooner or later this employee would use inadequate training as an excuse. This seems to be the excuse most often used when a mistake is made.

However, the actions of the supervisors only elevated this mistake in the following days. This gave some credence to the actions of the employee due to the lack of safeguards against a mistake being made.

My fear: How will the public react if a similar message is sent in the future?

Chuck Reindollar

Makiki

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Sprinkler bill not ready for passage

What matrix is being used by the Honolulu Fire Department to determine if an individual building can qualify to waive sprinkler installation? I have not seen any information being provided to the public. Buildings that currently lack fire sprinklers may not be able to pass the Fire Department “test” and will have to install some type of sprinkler system.

What are the alternative fire prevention and fire safety systems that must be installed to pass inspection, and what will they cost? They are not mentioned. Will the figures provided by the City Council be as inaccurate as the figures provided for the rail project?

Until further research is done and shared with the public by the City Council, any passage of legislation mandating sprinkler systems is premature. A full disclosure of Bill 69’s impact is critical so owners in the 360 impacted residential buildings are fully informed. I thought that was the role of the City Council, but perhaps I am mistaken.

Rebecca Nadler

Moiliili