The news that Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park have been paid less than Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan shocks many of us in Hawaii (“Kim, Park leaving ‘Hawaii Five-0’,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, June 30). Based on other casting decisions by Hollywood, this follows a line of thinking that makes haole a four-letter word.

But I have a solution.

First, Daniel Dae Kim will star in the next Lincoln epic as, yes, Abraham Lincoln.

Second, Grace Park will play Queen Elizabeth II in a new blockbuster film.

Richard Lightner

Waipahu

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Make ‘floatilla’ a regulated event

A simple solution for the Waikiki “floatilla” fiasco would be to make it an event, with organizers required to get permitted and post a bond (“Booze, wind stir up chaotic ‘floatilla’,” Star-Advertiser, July 5).

If there are too many incidents, the bond would be forfeited.

Permittees would keep a roll of attendees. Attendees should get tickets or e tickets, or wristbands, for access to events.

Joel Choo

Honolulu

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Fasi a visionary on rail transit for Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi’s proposed rail system in 1992 was priced at $2 billion, of which $700 million was secured from the federal government, thanks to our congressional delegation. The City Council voted it down. Some say that Councilwoman Rene Mansho, who represented Central/North Shore, was the deciding swing vote and she voted no.

Then-state Transportation Director Rex Johnson said, “I doubt if Honolulu will ever again be able to afford a rail transit system. We’ll look back 20 years from now and kick ourselves for letting this project get away from us.”

No truer words spoken.

Fasi was truly a visionary and we needed him then and we truly need him now.

Ashly K. Garcia

Mililani

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Abandoned cars litter highway

One of the most beautiful drives in all the islands is the drive from Kaneohe to Laie.

Unfortunately the view is now being sullied by at least a dozen abandoned vehicles, most of them between Kahana Bay and Laie. Dozens of tour buses traverse this route daily, and it saddens me that this sight greets the eyes of the hundreds of tourists.

I wrote a similar letter to the editor many years ago about abandoned vehicles on the road between Laie and Turtle Bay. A reporter did a follow-up article and within a few weeks the vehicles were removed.

If this reporter is still around, perhaps he needs to write another article.

Zane Clark

Laie