Think outside the box for cheap housing

My work experience in Chinatown of trying to find, without much success, affordable relocation housing for low-income, single, elderly residents displaced by urban renewal leads me to believe that advocates of shipping containers as housing are on to something.

As everybody knows, Hawaii has an acute shortage of affordable housing, and the problem will worsen ("Chasm widens between rent, median wages," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 2).

Several recent articles in the Star-Advertiser argue, with supporting data, that converted shipping containers provide quicker and cheaper housing than traditional ones. The end result: housing that is timely, compact, attractive and above all, affordable.

Surely such units meet the needs of many of the singles who make up the homeless population here.

It’s time to think boldly — outside the box — and to act decisively. Recycle the box!

May Lee
Kuliouou

True eyesores are any public restroom

My husband and I have visited the USS Arizona Memorial several times during the past couple of years.

We like to take our visitors, both from the mainland and Europe, to this beautiful, solemn, historically important place. We have always found the memorial well maintained and the tour and the exhibits very well organized.

If the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Star-Advertiser reporter William Cole want to see, and report on, neglect, I suggest they visit a public restroom at any beach park onOahu.

Paula Jech
Kailua

UH academic levels lower than in Pac-12

The University of Hawaii-Manoa’s long-term goal of joining the Pac-12 athletic conference may require the school to improve academically and administratively.

At this time, UH*is an average national university, and any graduate like myself can feel proud of having earned a*UH*degree.

The problem is that Pac-12 and "Big Five"*schools rank above average. In the current U.S. News & World Report rankings of 300 universities, UH*ties for 158. Pac-12 school rankings range from 5 to 142. Among the 65 Big Five schools, the mean rank is 78 and the median 73; three schools rate below UH.

During President M.R.C. Greenwood’s tenure, UH’s ranking improved consistently. Since her departure, it has declined. While the long-term viability of UH*athletics may hinge on its gaining membership into the Pac-12, ironically the school may need an academic and administrative upgrade to achieve this.

Of course, such an overall improvement would be great for Hawaii.

Dane Lee
Punchbowl

HECO profiting well from PV customers

Hawaiian Electric Co. President Dick Rosenblum’s latest quote, "We just want them to pay their fair share" regarding residential PV owners, really galled me.

HECO proposes to not only increase the base charge but also reduce by half the price of the credits it’s giving solar owners, citing fairness and pandering for support from those without PV panels upset about paying full price.

If Rosenblum wants to talk fair share, how about HECO sending a check for that electricity they’re taking from me and selling to non-solar owners?Even at the reduced rate, it would be a pretty penny every year.

HECO doesn’t pay a dime for residential PV systems yet profits by re-selling any annual over-production from the panels at full price with absolutely no overhead to itself when the credits zero out.

I hope the state Public Utilities Commission sees through this charade to pad HECO’s bottom line and that the Star-Advertiser does a little investigative reporting to bring the heat.

Mike Hanson
Mililani

Make changes, if you want a better Hawaii

All too often, we as a community become entangled in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

Commuting to work, paying the bills and taking care of our kids are the predominant forces that drive us to get up in the morning. We sometimes only just make it by, and throughout the struggle we forget that we have the power and freedom to make change.

Our state is one of the most dynamic and culturally rich places in the world, and if we want to leave it in better condition for future generations, we need to start making changes. By electing the same politicians, we secure Hawaii to a future of more dependence on government and less dependence on ourselves.

Do we want the state to dictate our children’s lives? Or do we want to teach our children how to live? The choice is ours.

Daniel Elsbree
Kaimuki

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

"Little libraries build community of book lovers," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 1:

» What a wonderful idea.

» I love it!

"Elders focus last talk on achieving peace," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 1:

» Pretty good gig for the oldsters. I think they got the idea from the Dalai Lama.

» It’s funny that these so-called peacekeepers are in Hawaii. Why not where they actually need some peace talks, say, like, Syria or Iraq? It’s all talk, that’s why.

» They wouldn’t get out alive there. Besides, it sure is prettier here.

"17-year-old’s body recovered at Kapena Falls," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 2:

» This is another reminder of the extreme attentiveness and care required for any such innocent outings.

» Be grateful for your family and friends every day. You never know when you might suddenly lose one. How sad.

"Chronic absences lower test scores," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 2:

» We needed a study for this? And how much did that cost the U.S. tax-payer?

» You could have asked any teacher anywhere and have gotten the same conclusion.

» This study really highlights how important parental involvement is. If the parents allow their kids to stay home when they don’t feel like going to school, they won’t do as well. Take it a step further and look at how much better the kids will do in school if the parents make sure the kids do their homework.

"Road work ahead: A yearlong overhaul of South Beretania Street starts Monday," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 3:

» Beretania will be madness for all. Stay away from there.

» One year for 2.3 miles?

» It’s about time. Get ‘er done!

"Anxious residents fill lava meeting," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 3:

» Seems most of the folks understand what it means to live near a volcano. It seems they are just seeking information on what the lava is doing, when or if they will have to move, and how much warning time they will have. To me, it all seems to be reasonable information to ask for.

» Don’t wait. Place that property on the market right now and take whatever someone else is willing to give.

"Solar firms scald utility," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 4:

» The problem is not just Hawaiian Electric Co. Our elected officials are as much to blame if not more. HECO is what it is and will always only look out for one thing: itself. Those we elected are there to provide us with representation and are supposed to be looking out for us. They have fallen pitifully short of performing their duties.

» The state Legislature needs to stop protecting HECO’s monopoly. HECO is strangling Hawaii’s economy with its refusal to adapt to the new reality of rooftop solar being the most efficient means of producing electricity.

» A public utility should be just that, publicly owned. The highest paid CEO in Hawaii is HECO’s. That should not be.

"UH scientist leads mapping of Milky Way’s neighborhood," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 4:

»  Great scholar and gentleman. The University of Hawaii is the best. Let us support it as it supports the state and nation!

» Very cool work. The Hawaiian name represents the great research that is being done in the islands.

"Selection of Chevron will reduce power bills," Star-Advertiser, Sept, 5:

» Is this a start of something good?

» Wow, a whopping $2.40 a month.

» The only way to lower the prices of electricity is by making this a public utility, not a private company.

"Sex education program is back with 10 key changes," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 5:

» Many of those in the education profession think that parents are too stupid to understand what is best for their children. They believe they have all the answers and parents should never question them.

» Most parents are too busy to know, and if you do not want your kids to learn about sex, then lock them up and do not let them out of the house and get rid of the TVs, computers and telephones.

» Opt-in is better than opt-out.

» This is another example of a so-called enlightened government that is forcing the wishes of a vocal minority on the public.