All aboard the 'Honorail'
I'm disappointed that the transit panel didn't choose the monorail option. Unlike steel rail, a monorail system uses narrow-width tracks, and the overhead concrete guideways would cast minimal shadows in our sunny climate.
As in Walt Disney World, the trains would be sleek, fast and futuristic in design, and blend in well with the environment. The trains would be less noisy than steel rail, because they use rubber tires as they whoosh by.
Most of all, we could tell folks to "take the HONORAIL!"
Kevin Haynes
Honolulu
STAR-BULLETIN / 2002
Proponents say a ban on plastic bags would reduce flyaway litter, among other benefits. Rhea Bautista, Ashley Mariano and Mitchelle Bareng pick up trash as volunteers for Kokua Kailua, a beach cleanup along Kailua Beach.
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Ban on plastic bags would be a great legacy
At some time in life, almost everyone thinks about his or her legacy. How will they be remembered? What did they accomplish? What life work gives them pride? Everyone wants an outstanding legacy. We are speaking to you as your children and grandchildren, who want to inherit a world equally as splendid as the one you inherited. We would like a world with fewer environmental problems, including those caused by plastic bags. That would be a legacy we would inherit with pride and admiration.
Last summer a group of students from our school traveled to Europe, where they experienced life without plastic bags. When they went to a store in Germany they forgot their cloth grocery bags, and had to buy plastic deposable bags for a quarter apiece. The store clerk was astonished. Even worse, they had to experience his obvious disdain. Europeans understand the value of resources and the problems living in a disposable society can cause. Their countries are smaller than ours, which causes them to be thoughtful neighbors.
Most of us never see a landfill, so when we throw away items, we aren't aware of the impact. We are the "out of sight, out of mind" society. It isn't that easy or simple. Plastic bags take more than a thousand years to biodegrade. At this rate, if you were to go to the store, buy groceries and use a plastic bag, this bag would be in your landfill for your children, their children and so on for many generations to come. In fact, if we define a generation as 30 years, the plastic bag would be in the landfill for 33 generations!
As a state, we need to have courage to make a change that will benefit not just this generation but also the next 33. Banning plastic bags is a positive step.
Sydney Olana Chow Moriah Jenkins
Akaula School students
Kaunakakai, Molokai
Inouye has forgotten whom he represents
Louie Vierra's letter "Inouye said aloud what many are thinking" (
Star-Bulletin, Feb. 28) expresses exactly what is wrong with America today. Sen. Dan Inouye is an elected official. He took an oath to represent the interest of the people he serves. His stubbornness (in backing Hillary Clinton) and his lack of understanding of what is modern America should not allow for his lapses in judgment to be overlooked. He, like any other elected representative, should be questioned, balanced and debated. He must be held accountable for all of his actions; especially when those actions speak against and promise to vote against the will of his constituents who chose Barack Obama in the Hawaii Democratic caucus. Inouye should not be given a break for acting against the will of the people and undermining what should be a democratic process.
As a senator, Inouye has been in office too long; he has his own agenda at heart and its begging to show through. We must send the senator a message; we must let him know that the people's voice is strong! If he chooses not to head the people's warning, he does not deserve re-election in 2010.
Scott Nolan Smith
Washington, D.C.
Formerly of Kaneohe
Truth can be found in senator's words
That's the way, Dan, you tell it like it is. No more mincing of words in 1934, your high school days. What's there to apologize? It's a fact that many tried to deny. But in those days, you could cause retaliation by the enemy like some graffiti or the artistic touch of many paint brushes. Let's hope it's for fun only.
Leonard Chun
Honolulu
GE misinformation won't help consumers
The commentary by Sen. Mike Gabbard ("
Hawaii consumers have a right to know if their food is GE," Feb. 27) is specifically targeting the papaya industry. The only whole food that is transgenic in Hawaii are the "Sunup" and "Rainbow" papaya varieties.
These transgenic papayas already been approved by USDA, FDA and EPA and are tested safe for human consumption and to the environment. Since the chemical composition or nutritional values were not altered, it remained similar to the conventional papayas, so no requirement for labeling is necessary. These transgenic varieties do not taste any different, appear any different, nor affect the human body differently.
Labeling is for relevant information such as probable allergens or a significant changed in nutrition and could mislead consumers. Labeling the transgenic varieties will have people thinking that there is a difference between transgenic and conventional papayas.
One of a few senators who persist to introduce negative bills against the progression of biotechnology.
Loren Mochida
General Manager
Tropical Hawaiian Products
Keaau, Hawaii
Jamboree gave girls opportunity to shine
I would like to thank Mayor Mufi Hannemann for holding his 15th Annual Girls Basketball Jamboree. It was a great experience for high school girls' basketball players to play with ex-collegiate and other all-star high school players. We got to meet and make friends with other excellent athletes and also their coaches.
It was also a good experience for the younger girls' teams that played because they got to compete with great teams such as Coach Bobbie Awa's team from Kona, the Stingrays, who eventually won the championship for the 14-under division. They also got the chance to watch the older women perform at a higher level that they might someday play at.
It was fun playing at such a high level and I also learned a great deal from people such as Brandy Richardson and Michelle Gabriel. Overall, it was a great day for girls' basketball in Hawaii and this is a great event for women's athletics. I watched my sister play in the Jamboree last year, and I hoped I would be able to experience it this year. Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity!
Britni Ronolo
Moanalua Girls Basketball
Interim AD should be made permanent
As an ardent University of Hawaii football fan and season ticket holder, I believe it is important to all of us that our successful football program continue and grow from our last season. It seems to me that Coach Mac was a perfect fit, been there done that. I feel the same way for Carl Clapp; by all indications, he has been doing a great job, knows the program and I feel he should be awarded UH athletic director.
Ron Baumgartner
Waikiki