Kaneohe rep helped get cemetery funding

Thank you for your article "Help coming for vets' burials" (May 15) that provides reassurance to war veterans and the families of veterans that the Kaneohe veterans' cemetery will have the funding it needs to make critical repairs and proper burials. Nevertheless, I feel that the Star-Bulletin was greatly remiss in failing to mention that the needed funding was appropriated in large part due to the efforts of Rep. Ken Ito (D, Kaneohe).

A big mahalo to all those who have worked so hard to make the veterans' cemetery in Kaneohe the place of honor that our veterans deserve.

Future holds more thrilling discoveries

The 20th century has passed. The 21st century has just begun. There have been many achievements and discoveries by man, such as electricity, the conversion of natural resources, oil to gasoline, the splitting of the atom, nuclear bombs and nuclear power.

As a result, there have been changes, improvements in medicine, transportation, environment and politics.

But man still has a long way to go. It is exciting.

Free bus rides would make rail unnecessary

The city should offer free bus rides along commute corridors. Try it first along the Leeward commute corridor during commuter rush hours. Pay for it with the newly added excise tax. Add buses as needed by demand. Get riders into free buses because it's cheaper than driving your car.

If it works, expand it to other commute corridors. If it fails, just forget it. Small loss.

Give buses priority HOV lanes. Added buses and added lanes are less costly and more flexible than fixed rail. Go where the demand is. Ridership is guaranteed. It's certainly worth a try.

Relief today, not years from now, if ever, with rail. Think about it.

If more rode TheBus, we wouldn't need rail

Of all the letters I've read in support of rail, not one says they ride TheBus now or will ride rail if or when it's built. It's always for the "other guy" to ride. It seems to me that if you support a future project you should use what you have now.

Currently, TheBus runs on 20 percent ridership. Like any responsible parent, wouldn't you want your children to use the computer you bought them yesterday before you buy them a new one tomorrow? Politicians, public workers and supporters of rail: If you all rode TheBus today, we would not need TheRail tomorrow. And leave my pocketbook alone until you do so.

Criticism about Newsweek hypocritical

It is the height of hypocrisy for the Bush administration to attack Newsweek magazine. Newsweek at least reported information it believed to be true, not information it desired to be true.

The White House spent all of 2002 and much of 2003 making false statements about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Our president used anonymous sources and cherry-picked intelligence to support a pre-determined policy to invade Iraq. I haven't heard any apologies or retractions from President Bush, only excuses.

What is worse, Newsweek making an honest error or our president making false statements to get us into a war that has killed 1,700 Americans so far?

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