NEW STORES

ALA MOANA JUST SEEMS TO KEEP ON BUILDING

Enough already about the new Nordstrom's! Is there no real news to report these days?

Just what we don't need, when most of us are struggling with out-of-control housing costs, gas prices going through the roof, increasing hunger and homelessness, and looming recession and inflation, is another store where we can spend our money on luxury items.

And what is it with Ala Moana Center anyway? They just keep on building and building. When one wave of "improvements" is finished, along with all the dust, noise and confusion, we hardly get a chance to enjoy the result (and figure out the new parking patterns) before another wave of construction ensues, throwing everything back into chaos.

Hardly a pleasant shopping experience.

TORTURE

U.S. SHOULD NOT STOOP TO TERRORISTS' LEVEL

The scenario Russel Noguchi describes in his March 2 letter ("Torture OK against known terrorists") might occur in the fantasy world of "24," but it is farremoved from the actualities of counterterrorism.

First of all, how can someone truly be a "known terrorist" if they have neither been charged with a crime nor given a fair trial?

Torture is prohibited by numerous multilateral treaties, including the Geneva Conventions, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all of which the United States has ratified.

Waterboarding is unequivocally torture; Japanese authorities were prosecuted for its use following World War II.

Furthermore, the use of torture undermines our attempts to promote human rights abroad. It depletes our soft power and encourages the types of brutality by Middle Eastern governments that fuel terrorism. It discourages people from giving tips to U.S. authorities, which is our most vital source of counterterrorism intelligence.

Yes, terrorists are heinous criminals, but no amount of self-righteousness will reclaim the moral high ground if we stoop to their level of barbarism.

TORT REFORM

BLAME REP. WATERS FOR DOCTORS LEAVING HAWAI'I

Due to self-serving politicians, the medical tort reform bill is going to fail once again.

Thanks to Rep. Tommy Waters, we will find more doctors leaving Hawai'i.

Next time you have problems receiving medical care thank Tommy Waters for not letting the bill move on.

I hope the voters of Lanikai/Waimanalo remember this the next time he is running for office.

STEEL-ON-STEEL RAIL

NEARBY HOMES WILL FIND SYSTEM VERY NOISY

I have lived in Hawai'i for 16 years and have been caught in more traffic jams than I wish to talk about.

With that in mind, I have always supported a better mass-transit system for O'ahu — a system that does not share the roadways so as to be affected by vehicular traffic.

A light rail above roadways seems best suited for O'ahu, preferably a modern monorail.

However, our elected officials have chosen antiquated technology of steel wheels on steel rails. Have you ever been to Chicago or New York City?

Steel on steel is very, very loud.

I can foresee property values on or near the train route to drop like a rock. Get ready, homeowners.

ALA WAI

SLIPS CONTINUING TO DETERIORATE AT HARBOR

Last October the Department of Land and Natural Resources held a press conference to announce the new floating docks at Ala Wai Harbor.

At that time, there were several abandoned boats taking up valuable space at the Ala Wai.

The boats had been abandoned for more than 10 months, resulting in thousands of dollars in lost revenue and limiting access to one of the state's most valuable resources — boating.

Nothing has been done to resolve this problem. The boats are still there, taking up valuable space and staff time. They are deteriorating and at risk of sinking (requiring significant state resources to remove them) and continuing to cost all of us in lost revenue.

The state recently conducted an auction (second attempt) to dispose of one of the boats. Only one bidder showed up. He refused to bid when he learned the minimum price set by the state was almost $1,000 more than the appraised value of the boat.

Because of lack of maintenance and continuing deterioration, more and more slips are being condemned and closed every day, and the wait time for slips is growing with no hope in sight for real improvement.

Now Gov. Linda Lingle wants to acquire and "manage" our North Shore?

TOSSING INCIDENT

MARINES ANGRY, UPSET OVER IRAQ PUPPY VIDEO

I served in the Marine Corps for 12 years, have two combat tours under my belt and numerous overseas deployments.

Not once before and during my tour did I experience or hear of anything like the puppy video taking place in the corps until now.

I can assure you that every Marine who vented to me at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i was very upset over this video; many were extremely angry with the individuals who perpetrated this act.

The reaction from our Marines over this incident assured me personally that our Marines have the highest regard for all life, are morally fit and are professional about being Marines.

The environment our Marines are exposed to is very hostile; death and carnage are common. Regardless, Marines don't compromise their morals, ethics and humanity by entertaining themselves by abusing innocent lives, human or beast — in this case a puppy.

I continue to have the highest respect for our Marines. Rest assured, if this act is authentic and the perpetrators are identified, the Marine Corps will prosecute the individuals under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That I am sure of.

CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL

UNIFORM TAKES AWAY STUDENTS' FREEDOM

I am a student at James Campbell High School. In our school, we are forced to wear uniforms.

We don't like being forced to wear uniforms because it makes us feel that we don't have any freedom of speech.

Since we aren't allowed to wear what we want, it seems like we can't express who we really are.

We should be allowed to wear whatever we want since it shows that we are all different.

If we don't have our uniforms, we are sent to the office. We then have to call our parents to tell them that we have to pay $5 to borrow a uniform and $6 to buy a new shirt.

Why should we be charged $5 just to borrow a uniform? If we didn't have uniforms, we wouldn't have this problem of remembering to bring our uniforms and we wouldn't have to be paying anything.

ELECTION

BARACK OBAMA LIKENED TO PHILOSOPHER KING

I just read the preface to Barack Obama's book, "Dreams from My Father."

If we are fortunate enough to have this brilliant man as our president, the country and the world will experience a transformation approaching the magnitude of Europe's emergence from the Dark Ages.

Obama is the closest to Plato's ideal of the philosopher king I have ever seen.

SEN. OBAMA DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ECONOMICS

Donald K. Miller (Letters, Feb. 29) is dead-on right. If somebody can name one program that Sen. Barack Obama has in mind that doesn't require a massive tax hike, send it in to The Advertiser so they print it.

All I've heard him talk about is more social programs, tax hikes and taxing the rich.

I recently heard him say he was going increase the corporate tax rate. Boy, that's guaranteed to stimulate the economy.

The man knows nothing at all about economics. The government spends money, the more the merrier, and the private sector generates the capital that the government confiscates.

There is no substance to his speeches. All he does is promise to "take care of everybody's needs and wants."

A little lesson in Economics 101 — who is the federal government going to turn to when it needs the economy stimulated? They return some of our taxes they withheld for us to spend. Why don't they let us keep it in the first place?

ENVIRONMENT

TRIP TO LANIKAI BEACH RESULTS IN PILE OF TRASH

My daughter made it her mission Saturday to do something to help the environment.

As we sat on Lanikai Beach, Felice saw beer bottles in a nearby bush and pulled out 10. She found more in the next bush. So she pulled in other kids to help, and equipped with plastic bags they found, they collected more bottles, cans and other trash.

I asked her to pile them up so people can see what was happening. The kids also asked other beachgoers for their empty bottles so they could make some money recycling.

At the end, the pile included 250 bottles and cans, three broken beach chairs, one large fishing net, three beer boxes, kids' beach toys, three single slippers, two diapers, one tampon and various plastic utensils.

It astonishes me that people are so ignorant and do not take their used stuff to the trashcan or the recycling center. Some people don't understand yet that our planet and every creature's survival is in danger. Who is going to explain to our children and grandchildren that we really messed up?

Why can't there be enough recycling containers at the beach? Why are there still plastic shopping bags? Why doesn't the Styrofoam bill go through?

The landfills are filling with nonbiodegradable waste that will contaminate our drinking water and cripple our environment.

Politicians are not doing enough, so community efforts are necessary to keep our place a clean paradise where we like to live.