Suffering people need medical marijuana

Thank you for the great editorial ("Don't let DEA's dogs loose on medical pot," Star-Bulletin, Aug. 22). Please continue to find courage to support these people who have a small voice and little strength but so greatly deserve to maintain their dignity and self-determination in the face of terrible illnesses.

Robert Grayson, R.N.

Travel agents are an endangered species

The airline industry has dealt travel agencies a heavy blow with American, United, Delta, Northwest and KLM cutting commissions for ticket sales.

Travel agencies in Hawaii rely heavily on airline commissions for survival. Cutting commissions will be detrimental to the stability of the industry, which is probably what the airlines are aiming to do.

Travel agents supply a much-needed service to the community. Good agents are knowledgeable, experienced and give their clients information on the best available fares. They will also monitor fares as they change and inform clients of decreases. The difference is returned to clients or can be applied for use on another ticket. The airlines will not do this.

Let's hope that the government will see the writing on the wall and intercede before the travel agency industry becomes a business of the past.

Ruth I. Generalao
Travel agent

[QUOTABLES] "We don't think it's any laughing matter. It was inappropriate and was illegal." Lee Donohoe, Honolulu police chief, on two high-ranking officers' indictment for allegedly diverting police funds to feed rack of lamb, prime rib and other feasts to police officers. "Don mentioned that he was retiring. I reacted and said, 'Oh, that would be an interesting job for someone.' He figured out I was interested, and I said I was." William Brown, New Bishop Museum president, about being told of the job opening by his predecessor, Donald Duckworth.

Propane grills should be banned on lanais

I was reading the Star-Bulletin's story Aug. 20 about the fire at the Aliamanu Military Housing and noticed that someone had a propane gas grill on their balcony, and the tank exploded during the fire. I was a firefighter back East (Fairfax City, Va.), and the fire codes there and in surrounding Fairfax County prohibited possession of gas grills or propane cylinders larger than one pound in garden apartments or high-rise buildings.

It was such a big deal that if someone reported a gas grill in use on a balcony, the fire department dispatched an engine company with lights on and siren going.

Doesn't Honolulu or the military have similar ordinances? If they don't, shouldn't they? Once again, I'll throw in a plug for sprinklers in all multi-family buildings and all high-rises.

Wayne Huffman

Out with heretical disbelievers

I was fascinated with the vision for higher education proposed by letter writer Shelly Bowne (Aug. 14). She proposes firing any University of Hawaii professor who teaches theories scoffed at by "the vast majority" of the populace who believe in a supreme being.

So which heretics at UH would we purge for teaching farfetched theories at odds with common sense and/or the Bible under this singular vision?

>> Biology department: Darwinian evolution. 'Nuff said.

>> Geology department: These folks have the gall to say the universe is billions of years old.

>> Political Science department: Keep nattering about that pesky First Amendment.

>> Physics department: Say energy and mass are really the same thing (E=mc2), and then there's that weird quantum theory.

>> Math department: Talk about solving equations using "imaginary numbers."

Any takers for this plan?

Jim Henshaw

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