History will be kind to Barack Obama

Lately, the front pages of most newspapers were adorned with news about sinking gas prices, a soaring stock market, lower unemployment rates and shrinking deficits. Such news brought a sense of optimism for many Americans.

A few years ago, we had a fragile economy, anemic job growth and high gas prices.The Republicans blamed those conditions on President Barack Obama’s policies.Now the economy is heading toward a robust recovery, unemployment is below 6 percent and gas prices are under $3 a gallon, which indicate that the president’s policies are working.

However, the Republicans refused to give him credit for the economic resurgence.They seem to have difficulty in handling the truth.

The president didn’t let the voices of fear and panic emanating from the GOP dictates his policies.Instead, he continues to advance policies designed to help working families. This is why history will be kind to him.

Rod B. Catiggay
Mililani

Christmas was day for great memories

Throughout Christmas Day, I saw the following events from my balcony, unfolding throughout the day at Pearlridge Park in Aiea.

First, a father was teaching his young son with a new bicycle how to ride while holding the bike until he got his balance.

An hour later, a father was teaching his son with a big new remote control airplane, which he was still practicing with an hour later, and consistently began to easily take off and land the plane inches from their feet.

A few hours afterward, I looked from my balcony and saw someone with a new remote control dune-buggy car making awesome jumps from a mound of dirt in the ground.

At the same time, a father and his very young son with a new skateboard in hand was going to the basketball court area to learn the basics of riding the board.

These four events, I am sure, are just the tip of the iceberg of a lot of great memories that were forged among close local families throughout all of our truly warm islands of Hawaii.

John A. Burns
Aiea

Keiki’s drawings wonderful to see

How pleased I was to see all the cute and imaginative drawings done by Hawaii children in the Star-Advertiseron Christmas Day ("Keiki Kalikimaka," Dec. 25)!

It really was a pleasant relief from all the negative news stories about race problems in America, cost overruns in the Honolulu transit system and problems at the University of Hawaii.

Seeing the pictures on Christmas morning all displayed together in the "Today" section really warmed my heart.

Congratulations to each child and congratulations to the Star-Advertiser for sponsoring this expression of our keiki.

Rico Tudor
Hawaii Kai

Rail delays benefit special interests

Was the Honolulu rail transit system supposed to be within budget?

The more rail costs, the more money the special interests that pushed rail through will make.

Politicians will get more campaign donations from those special interests the more it costs and the longer it takes.

Sure, special interests are people, too, so perhaps certain groups enriching themselves off the tax dollar is not so bad for the state with the heartbreakingly lowest voter turnout.

The best long-term, win-win-win traffic solution would have been to create and move jobs near the Ewa Plain, so that eventually the jobs would be where the people are.

That way we would not have to spend all our money, resources and time moving an ever-increasing number of people 20 miles between Ewa and town twice a day forever. Parents would be closer to their children.

Leighton Loo
Maunalani Heights

Freedom of speech has ramifications

A thought on the movie, "The Interview": This artist will put his neck in the noose with hopes that no one kicks the soapbox supporting him.

American exceptionalism is a disaster waiting to happen, andSony hasopened a Pandora’s box of potential disasters.

Our idea of free speech and expression gives Americans the "right" to espouse the assassination of a living foreign leader. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Fair play, American rules.

Let’s suppose foreign moviemakers (there are some good ones out there) decided to make a movie or series of movies that, tongue in cheek, showed plausible methods to bring down America, Americans and all things American.

Their freedom could not be impinged according to the American rules surrounding the "Interview" affair.

What we have here is a display of poor judgment from the arrogant artists cooperating in this production. With freedom comes responsibility and the forethought to consider ramifications.

Tomas Belsky
Hilo

Best hackers should be hired by U.S.

In the world of supply and demand, one side of the equation rises or falls to accommodate the other.

The recent hoopla over the movie, "The Interview," a satire about North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong-Un, has definitely spurred the demand side.Fortunately, in the new digital age there are more ways than simply movie theaters to satisfy the supply-side.No doubt Sony realizes that.

I like President Barack Obama’s response.It’s about time we start hacking the hackers.Perhaps the U.S. government could reward the best hackers by gainfully employing them.

Since North Korea’s Internet belongs almost entirely to Kim, the possibility of collateral damage should be of little concern.

Fred Fogel
Volcano, Hawaii island