Build it
Yes, let the Thirty Meter Telescope go forward and build and show the world what it can do in the name of science, and what a direct benefit it will be for Hawaii and the state.
As one of the many silent majority of believers in TMT, I say let us welcome and let TMT become one of the best things to happen here.
T. A. Shiroma
Hilo
Forward or back?
Wow, it sure looks like mob rule up there on the sacred mountain. Thousands of Hawaiians blocking the road to the observatories and limiting astronomers’ rightful scientific studies.
These telescopes are used by astronomers all over the world, and these Hawaiian extremists are only sending a disturbing message of intolerance. One Hawaiian even told me if I wanted to look at stars, I should just lay down on the ground and look up.
Sure, the TMT can move to the Canary Islands, and probably will, but just maybe there might have been some Hawaiian children who would have liked to study astronomy instead of being a taro farmer or hula dancer.
The TMT folks need a leader. Maybe some celebrity will show up to rally fans of astronomy, scientific research and understanding of the universe — things you can’t accomplish by laying on the ground and looking up.
It looks like it’s up to Gov. David Ige to decide.
Imua Hawaii, or follow Kahookahi Kanuha and the mob back to the Stone Age.
D. Maloney
Keaau
‘Not good enough’
On Thursday, around 11:15 a.m., tsunami warning sirens began to sound in my neighborhood. There was no information on the radio or television, and I had received no notice from Civil Defense.
I could hear a muffled man’s voice, but I could not understand the words and wasn’t sure the sound was even coordinated with the siren. I called the police nonemergency number to find out what was happening, and then I emailed a number of neighbors to tell them that it was just a test. Not one of them had been able to hear the voice announcement, or remembered a notice of the testing.
About half an hour AFTER the sirens began, we received a Civil Defense text announcing the test. When I called Civil Defense, the woman who answered was dismissive. She said there had been an announcement in the newspaper, eight days earlier. Eight days. When I asked why the half-hour late announcement didn’t coincide with the test, she told me the only reason they’d sent out the text announcement at all was because the police were getting so many calls.
This is just not good enough. In order for the system to work properly, it is important not to give the public too many reasons to learn to ignore the sirens. And it would be ever so nice if the employees at Civil Defense were, well, civil.
Jane Hoff
Hilo