Letters to the Editor - Hawaii Editorials

"Wouldn't it be easier to run for a higher office by not taking on anything controversial?"

Well maybe, unless you are being backed and funded by all the people and groups who will make a fortune off the rail project......at taxpayer expense of course.

Samson Hirotomi's letter is incorrect.

Instead of applauding, you should be booing mufi, his crony contractors, letter writing architects, p.r. mouth jobs and the rest of your sycophants feeding at the public trough of this make work project for the politically connected that we, the Tax Payers, cannot afford.

You advocate mufi shoving this extravagant luxury we don't need RIGHT NOW, down our throats "even if it damages his political career."

That's right, it has and will cause "damages (to) his political career" as you acknowledge.

Tyrants can always count on lolos like you to idolize them, and mufi surrounds himself with such yes-men and hostesses.(See former KSBE hostess Elisa Yadao, and her walking off with $500,000 CASH for printing shiney brochures to "promote rail." Yadao worked on mufi's campaign too as a "volunteer" too.)

You are like cattle on the way to slaughter.

Eh, Hirotomi, taxes and fees went UP under mufi to offset monies funneled into the pockets of those profiting off of your stupidity.

Here they come -- Mufi haters willie and Hirotomia O. As ever, they're so fixated on the object of their hatred that they can't see who the real winners will be when the rail project is completed: commuters who today have no choice but to devote hours in their cars sitting in congestion.

Just once, willie and Hiro: lift yourself out of Attack Mode and see rail for what it is -- a lifestyle-enhancing, traffic-avoiding, economy-stimulating good thing. Can you do that?

Didn't think so.

BuildRailNow wrote:

Here they come -- Mufi haters willie and Hirotomia O. As ever, they're so fixated on the object of their hatred that they can't see who the real winners will be when the rail project is completed: commuters who today have no choice but to devote hours in their cars sitting in congestion.
Just once, willie and Hiro: lift yourself out of Attack Mode and see rail for what it is -- a lifestyle-enhancing, traffic-avoiding, economy-stimulating good thing. Can you do that?
Didn't think so.

Spoken like a true union guy.

Apparently Kirk Caldwell is now calling himself Samson Hirotomi. Nice one Captain Kirk!

BuildRailNow wrote:

Here they come -- Mufi haters willie and Hirotomia O. As ever, they're so fixated on the object of their hatred that they can't see who the real winners will be when the rail project is completed: commuters who today have no choice but to devote hours in their cars sitting in congestion.
Just once, willie and Hiro: lift yourself out of Attack Mode and see rail for what it is -- a lifestyle-enhancing, traffic-avoiding, economy-stimulating good thing. Can you do that?
Didn't think so.

Sure thing. All one has to do is read current events. Take a gander at the mass transit situation in Philidelphia. I really do want to ditch my car and depend totally on rail only to have the union minions grab me by the short hairs and go out on strike. I really would not mind burning up all my vacation time because I can no longer get to work on the rail.....assuming of course I live within walking distance of a station and my job is within walking distance of a station.

As to "economy-stimulating " leave the 5 billion in the hands of the taxpayers and you will stimulate the economy far more than handing it to the folks who may or may not spend it in Hawaii.

Have a great day.....I know I will watching them struggle to fix the water main break...funny how we can't maintain what we have and yet folks want to build a white elephant that will cost hundreds of millions a year to subsidize and maintain.

In response to Mark Hanson, I do not blame teachers, I blame your union for making the terms of the agreement have the most negative impact on the students. The goal of the union appears to be to make the result so negative on the children that the Legislature will ride in on their white horse and create money where it does not exist. It is not going to happen and the teachers should take out their frustration on their union leadership at their first opportunity.

So, willie -- let me get this straight. Because there's a transit strike in Philadelphia, Honolulu dare not build rail? Can't quite get my arms around that. And if Northwest or United go on strike (as they sometimes do), we shouldn't improve our airport in Honolulu?

This tendency to extrapolate from an isolated event to reach conclusions about what we should or shouldn't do really can't pass the logic test.

No doubt that building big expensive high-tech things require money to operate and maintain....but if you have a way to help commuters avoid the gridlock on the H-1 twice a day AND do so without spending any money, by all means, tell us what it is.

BTW, if somebody you rely on goes on strike, figure a way around it until the strike's over! It's called having alternatives -- like rail will be to driving 3 mph on the freeway morning and night.

The rail will never be built as their will be several groups that will tie it up in court on a enviromental basis. The idiocy of this project is beyond words and Mufi and his cronies are thugs plain and simple.Its the same rational for building "dog parks" while our homeless situation increases...wheres the rational?

BuildRailNow wrote:

So, willie -- let me get this straight. Because there's a transit strike in Philadelphia, Honolulu dare not build rail? Can't quite get my arms around that. And if Northwest or United go on strike (as they sometimes do), we shouldn't improve our airport in Honolulu?
This tendency to extrapolate from an isolated event to reach conclusions about what we should or shouldn't do really can't pass the logic test.
No doubt that building big expensive high-tech things require money to operate and maintain....but if you have a way to help commuters avoid the gridlock on the H-1 twice a day AND do so without spending any money, by all means, tell us what it is.
BTW, if somebody you rely on goes on strike, figure a way around it until the strike's over! It's called having alternatives -- like rail will be to driving 3 mph on the freeway morning and night.

There are more than two airlines serving Hawaii and last I checked will only be ONE rail line (thank goodness). Anyone with half a brain knows the unions own the islands and have an iron fist. They HAVE to be considered in the overall scheme of things.

BTW, when did 200 year old technology suddenly become "high tech" ? Railroads been around a LONG time in case you just fell off the turnip truck.

Let me see, avoid grid lock...well you could start with having a few lanes dedicated to car pools...get most of the single rider cars off the road. Next would be a serious limit on new growth of any kind. Need more housing, rehab EXISTING houses rather thna buikld a 5 bilion dollar rail line to a plot of ground so you can add 12,000 NEW houses to an already overcrowded island.

Rail, for what it will cost and the way it is planned is NOT going to reduce congestion at all..in case you missed that tiny fact..it was never touted to in any case....

Common Sense wrote:

The rail will never be built as their will be several groups that will tie it up in court on a enviromental basis. The idiocy of this project is beyond words and Mufi and his cronies are thugs plain and simple.Its the same rational for building "dog parks" while our homeless situation increases...wheres the rational?

oHA will sue claiming endless bones..etc. Rail is dead.

E. J.Conboy should get off his partisan soapbox. Nobody I know is blaming the governor for the economic mess. For that, you need to go all the way back to Reagan whose supply side economics opened the door for corporate greed to fester and grow. Lingle, however must answer for the way the mess has been handled. In the summer of 08, she, along with Bush, McCain and other Republicans believed that the economy was "fundamentally sound". She hit the campaign trail with the presidential hopeful and was gone from our state for three weeks. We know what happened just a few weeks later. Fast forward to the state contract "renegotiations". Lingle's "negotiations" consisted of sending Laderta to to table with one offer - FURLOUGHS. There was no compromise. She gets her furloughs and the unexpected public outcry has her tryibng to spin the deal to blame the teachers and their union. Try to see the big picture.

People are really STUPID. For those living out in west Oahu or the Leeward-Kapolei-Waianae-Waipah u area, this rail will be a blessing just as much as the H-1, H-2, & H-3 has helped to relieved much congestion. Try imagine Oahu w/o the Pali & Wilson tunnels or all H HIGHWAYS....IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MONUMENTAL MESS or when the arterial highway aka H-1 was first built in the mid-fifties and people were displaced but it has facilitated traffic even though there are more congestion now what would it be w/o these new transportation pathways. Yes, it costs monies, and yes, like anything else, there will be delays, overruns, etc...etc....grumblings etc....but in the long run when its completed, it will definitely be a blessing in disguise. I'm paying my taxes just like everybody else probably more than everybody else but I see a need for this venue unlike YOU SHORTSIGHTED IDIOTS. If you don't like it, move to west Oahu and enjoy your commute to Honolulu everyday.

Willie: your quote: "BTW, when did 200 year old technology suddenly become "high tech" ? Railroads been around a LONG time in case you just fell off the turnip truck."

Response: Guess you haven't heard about computer-controlled driver-less trains....

Your quote: "Let me see, avoid grid lock...well you could start with having a few lanes dedicated to car pools...get most of the single rider cars off the road. Next would be a serious limit on new growth of any kind. Need more housing, rehab EXISTING houses rather thna buikld a 5 bilion dollar rail line to a plot of ground so you can add 12,000 NEW houses to an already overcrowded island.

Response: Now THAT's an idea that's never been tried -- car pools! Continued reliance on the car...and build more highways to accommodate car pools....just amazingly unoriginal thinking. Re one-child or no-child families or whatever means you have to curtail growth: Ain't gonna happen. Society provides for the next generation, and the next and the next. Oahu's continued growth will come from inside, not from immigration. Or maybe you just want to mandate young families live in rehab homes... Hey, draconian measures work in Singapore; maybe they'll work in Hawaii, too!

Your quote: "Rail, for what it will cost and the way it is planned is NOT going to reduce congestion at all..in case you missed that tiny fact..it was never touted to in any case...." At least you have that last part right; rail was never touted to "solve" traffic, but you got the rest wrong. Rail WILL reduce congestion from what it would grow to without rail. It'll leave more lanes for the turnip trucks.

BuildRailNow wrote:

but if you have a way to help commuters avoid the gridlock on the H-1 twice a day AND do so without spending any money, by all means, tell us what it is.

Please name a city, anywhere in the world,which;

1) Had a traffic problem
2) Built rail
3) No longer had a traffic problem (especially at commute times)

Fact is there is none.

Rail never improves traffic.

It actually worsens it by doing what it is really intended to do,... that is to allow more development, more housing, more people, more cars.

That enriches the developers and the Unions.

But it NEVER solves traffic problems.

It makes traffic worse.

It is too bad that people in this section can't stick to the facts. Personal attacks on people and even on people you do not agree with are unwarranted. If something is missing in your life that you feel you must sit an attack (anonomously) people who are trying to do what is best for the people (as evidenced by the vote that was taken last year)- they should maybe find a hobby or something constructive.
Facts are whether you like the Mayor or not at least he is not one of those politicians who leads as the wind blows. You know those types who never get anything done, never do anything controversal and after 8 years in office have no accomplishments to show for it.
I salute the Mayor for standing alone for a project that my fellow neighbors on the west side are screaming for because it is needed.
Please throw solutions not stones.

Poi wrote:

<quoted text>
Please name a city, anywhere in the world,which;
1) Had a traffic problem
2) Built rail
3) No longer had a traffic problem (especially at commute times)
Fact is there is none.
Rail never improves traffic.
It actually worsens it by doing what it is really intended to do,... that is to allow more development, more housing, more people, more cars.
That enriches the developers and the Unions.
But it NEVER solves traffic problems.
It makes traffic worse.

Poi, you're using the old Cliff Slater argument: show me one city where traffic has been reduced when transit's been built. There are none -- but not because of Cliff's and your assertion that rail's a failure. It's because city populations grow! Of course traffic gets worse. But guess what: without rail transit, there's no alternative to sitting in that traffic.
So you're absolutely right. Rail never solves traffic problems....but I have to chuckle at your assertion that it makes traffic worse. Families having babies makes traffic worse; continued reliance on cars without an alternative makes traffic worse.
Just go inquire of the millions who commute by rail transit around the world whether it works or not. There's no question about it.

buildrailHOW wrote:

Eh, everybody, you notice Mayor Bananamann's usual legion of boot lickers are on furlough too?
Okay, get one brown noser but, that's it!
That means when the Big Rat is away, all his little mice go out and away.
Sing along now:(It's Aloha Friday. Mufi's stooge taught us this way of communicating.)
"It's a furlough friday
no need kiss mufi's okole
It's another Yoshioka pig out day
another Bill Brennan getting drunk---hey
It's a furlough friday
no more class at school
and no more class down Honolulu Hale
no need make karaoke
Da Samongi Sinatra
he go far away
He eat da sushi
you make da she she
in and along da Ala Wai
where get plenny more kukae
Diggin up da street again
union hacks making like dey work, den
your taxes going way up AGAIN
but wait till next election
dat train, we no can
with the EIS,
no worry
we'll tink of something
this land was made for you and me...
we'll think of something

The quality of your rail critique is unremarkable.

Spock wrote:

Apparently Kirk Caldwell is now calling himself Samson Hirotomi. Nice one Captain Kirk!

Please don't disrespect people's views as I am sure you wouldn't want anyone disrepecting yours. It is clear Mr. Hirotomi took the time to write this letter.

Thank you Spock Carslile for your views.

BuildRailNow wrote:

Response: Guess you haven't heard about computer-controlled driver-less trains.....

Sure, here is a nice news story about one, there are tons more shall I dredge them up too?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/22/washington.s...

I never said build more roads turnip...just make better use of the CURRENT ones.

Here is a novel idea for you, have the people who will benefit from rail pay for rail, like the builders of those new subdivisions, the riders etc...also, charge what it actually will cost to run and maintain it...even if it turns out to be $20 one way...you like THAT idea?