Get rid of actual safety stickers
I am glad to see the state Department of Transportation is finally moving into the 21st century with an electronic safety check system.
I would recommend that to keep the cost to a minimum, it eliminate the actual sticker, as many people drive without valid safety check stickers and the police are prohibited from stopping someone solely for an expired safety check.
If drivers carry a copy of their safety inspection document with their car registration, the police could review it when the drivers are stopped for a traffic violation.
Removing the need for stickers also would eliminate the problem of people stealing them from other cars.
Charles Kramer
Ewa Beach
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Letter form: Online form, click here E-mail: letters@staradvertiser.com Fax: (808) 529-4750 Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813
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Vote for Obama seems wasted
I applaud Thomas Farrell’s insightful article warning of our president’s very disturbing consideration of engaging America in another war in the Middle East, this time with Syria ("Intervention in Syria requires congressional OK," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 28).
Although I abhor the evil of Syrian children being killed with poison gas, I don’t think Syria is now a direct threat to America.
I voted for Barack Obama twice. He promised to extricate us from war, not involve us further, especially when America is not being directly attacked.
Possibly America could consider joining a large multinational U.N. coalition to stop illegal chemical warfare in Syria, but only with congressional approval.
Deborah C. Love
Makiki
Who is to blame for DHHL mess?
The editorial in the Star-Advertiser ("DHHL court master needed," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 4) completely ignored an obvious need to focus on individual accountability for the horrible state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands mess.
Many, many people and agencies were named. But where is accountability — as in being compelled to pay a price for oversights of duty and good practice?
If a privately owned company had been involved, pounds of flesh as well as embarrassment would be demanded. But not from government; it seems immune.
There should be extensive hearings conducted with all living former governors, DHHL administrators and board members, legislative oversight committee members and others called forth to testify under oath. There should be conclusions reached and culpability by name plainly stated.
Only then will the public and its purse be protected from these careless officials.
Richard O. Rowland
Aiea
Feds’ oversight long overdue
I see that the incompetent federal government — which admits it hasn’t done its job of supervising the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands — is going to do a better job of said supervising of the incompetent Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ("Rules in work to clarify federal oversight," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 4).
Whew. We needed that.
Jim Pollock
Kaneohe
Article biased against Deedy
Your choice of words in Saturday’s editorial, "Trials must be open to the public" (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 31), is totally despicable: "A hung jury unable to reach a unanimous verdict against Deedy."
Oh, please. You are clearly voicing your opinion that Christopher Deedy should have been found guilty, when he was not. In fact, the vote was heavily in favor of acquittal.
State Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald should admonish the Star-Advertiser to remain silent until after adjudication.
Kedric Dean
Downtown Honolulu
Build memorial that’s flexible
It’s interesting that the proposed Daniel K. Inouye Center will be used to replace Henke Hall at the University of Hawaii Manoa campus.
Henke Hall was scheduled to be a multi-story classroom building.
What would make more sense in the long run is to allocate land at UH-West Oahu and lay out a multi-story building in the shape of a tako (he‘e).
Then build the legs of the structure only as needed with floors as required, for Daniel Inouye, Patsy Mink, Tom Gill, Frank Fasi and future public figures.
William J. King
Hilo