Cruise lines correct
I know what I have to say is going to put me on a lot of people’s “hate” list, but I only say the truth.
I commend the cruise lines for being smart, as well as brave enough, to temporarily suspend their stops on the Big Island as a way to protect their crews and tourists. It was a thoughtful move on their part.
I moved here about 15 years ago from the mainland, where I lived on a reservation. I was also a firefighter, first responder, EMT and fire police officer, so I have seen firsthand how foolish and troublesome tourists can be in the time of emergency. There were many times we would curse the sale of scanners.
While it is great to have tourists wanting to come and spend their money, do we really need these people tying up the traffic, our roadways and using our precious resources when they get too close to the magma and get burned or trespass (because most have no respect) and get hurt by the gases or lava? It is better they stay out of the way for now and come another time?
It is too bad other companies do not think of this instead of money. Take, for instance, Hawaiian Airlines. It would be so easy to stop people on Oahu, and if they do not have a state ID, then they do not fly here. Very simple!
Jay Wason
Hilo
Can’t all be No. 1
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of valedictorian is “the student usually having the highest rank in a graduating class who delivers the valedictory address at the commencement exercises.”
Note the word “student” is singular. If two or more students have the same, stellar GPA, they are co-valedictorians.
Unfortunately, more and more students from the same graduating class are called valedictorians these days. It’s bad enough that everyone in a Little League baseball tournament gets a trophy. Applying similar reasoning to scholastic achievement belittles the achievement.
The same could be said about the “everyone graduates” mantra that is overtaking our high schools. It demeans the diploma.
In the real world, some people perform better than others. Is that bad?
Fred Fogel
Volcano
