Online readers are able to respond immediately to Star-Bulletin stories through our Web forum, which can be accessed at the end of stories, editorials and columns at starbulletin.com. Below is a selection of forum comments that appeared last week. Most forum contributors use pseudonyms; their "names" have been omitted here.
"Anti-rail group's effort denied by courts, clerk," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 4:
Can't wait for the rail to be complete. I surely would like to give this new option a try as it reduces the time sitting in that traffic, which is worse than anything. It will mean less stress from being on the road because you got people that don't know how to drive, and cost me less gas money.
Perhaps there are people who may not agree, but this is just my vision.
Rail is the best thing to happen to Honolulu. It's about time things got started. Go Mufi!
Wow, what a shock, the citizens are asked to hand over their wallets with no say in the matter. Hope ya like paying a ton for a system no one is going to use.
So, rather than wait in traffic you can wait to find a parking spot near a station (which may or may not be easy to get to from your home). Then you can wait for an actual train. With any luck at all you won't have too far a walk to work from your destination station; otherwise, time wasted walking to work from it. Reverse the above for the trip home. All that and a multibillion-dollar tag to build it then huge subsidies to keep it running.
"Lingle defends backing Palin," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 5:
Go Palin! Go Lingle! Both of you rock.
Remember folks, you read it here: (State Sen. Colleen) Hanabusa called Lingle a centrist. Remember when they used to say that about McCain? Right up until he got the Republican nomination. Now he's suddenly a right wing reactionary. So Colleen: if Lingle is a centrist, and you and your minions constantly complain that her policies are too conservative, then by your own statement, doesn't that mean you're a bunch of lefties? I mean I already know this, but it's so refreshing for you to openly admit it.
Palin will be the first woman U.S. president. Get over it.
No way that McCain will take Hawaii. Hawaii is a Democratic state, especially with Hawaii-born Obama. Hillary supporters will vote Obama and maybe a small percentage of woman voters will vote Palin. What about the men? What do you think? Let's wait till after the vice president's debate for a clearer determination.
I am a woman, and Palin is NOT my choice! Her policies do not support me or my values at all! Frankly, anyone that now supports McCain and Palin because there is a woman on the ticket needs to re-evaluate their own values. The Republican ticket does not support the policies Hillary supported. Please remember, this choice is not about who is what. It is about what these candidates believe and what they stand for. It is about deciding which direction we really want this country to move - forward or backwards. If you support women, then I urge you to support the values and policies that support women.
It's great to see a women getting an opportunity to lead. Finally the glass ceiling can be broken. It's real victory for women everywhere. I'm just sad Hillary wasn't even on the ticket, after all that hard work. I thought they represented me. Shame on the Democrats! They will never represent me again.