Talk-radio host wallows in negativity

Speaker at the Washington, D.C., CPAC

was talk-show host Rush, bellicose party hack.

He was bouncing and bellowing, his face all red

(They name his callers “;Ditto Heads.”;)

He said of our president, “;I hope he fails”;

Too much Oxycontin in the belly ails.

Ego is tied to a blinkered belief system and party

Cannot be magnanimous — only foolhardy.

When Clinton was prez, Rush called him a hog

The dropout even called Chelsea a dog.

His ugly thoughts sound like — well, dung

There is no filter between his brain and his tongue.

Poor Steele had guts to criticize his rant

but GOP said “;Beg pardon”; to the miscreant.

If we all lose our jobs he may take some delight,

and would say those choice words: “;Ha! I was right.”;

Speed bumps needed on 'Lahaina Freeway'

Police officers can give out a lot of speeding tickets if they just go to Lahaina Street in Waianae. Cars speed on this street day and night, and many are going 60 miles per hour, especially on weekends, making Lahaina Street seem more like “;Lahaina Freeway.”; Most of the drivers don't even live on Lahaina Street, they just want to avoid the traffic and stoplights on Farrington Highway. Stray animals and pets have gotten banged by these speeding cars driven by inconsiderate and reckless drivers. I've also seen cars almost hit children who were on the side of the road, and the drivers didn't even care to slow down afterward!

I've asked the city about putting speed bumps on Lahaina Street. The city Department of Transportation Services told me that it will survey Lahaina Street and get back to me in a few months.

I hope the City and County of Honolulu will make it a priority to put several speed bumps on Lahaina Street soon and prevent a tragedy due to speeding cars.

Other culprits damage reef more than Navy

Is the state trying to make up the budget deficit by collecting from the Navy for the damage to the reef when the Port Royal ran aground (Star-Bulletin, April 2)?

The Navy is the protector of the state and I think the different services try to be good stewards of Hawaii. The reef is damaged, as can be seen from photos, but actually it's not that big an area. The biggest threat to our coral reefs and ecosystem has for years been the runoff from golf courses and the sewage spills that happen several times a year, some by accident, but most deliberate releases into our canals and ocean. That does way more damage than this incident with the Navy ship. What do you do about those incidents?

Prison bunks add to inmate's punishment

Aloha. I am from Hawaii and currently incarcerated at the Otter Creek Correctional Center in Wheelwright, Ky. Upon arrival I was assigned a top bunk. I am 5 feet tall and weigh 160 pounds. I have no problem being on a top bunk except that there is no ladder. I have injured my left shoulder and broken my right toe while trying to get on my bunk. The solution was to give me a bottom bunk for seven days.

The bunks have one “;step”; that is used to get up on the bunk. From the ground to the step is 27 inches; then from the step to the top of the bunk is another 25 inches.

Once I get up, I need to stretch across my bunk to pull myself up. The bunk is 26 inches wide. Since my legs are about 27 inches long, I have a hard time getting my leg up on the step.

Then I need to pull myself up, and my arm is only 22 inches long. There are no rails, which makes it even harder to get up.

This is a problem for other women, too, and it needs immediate attention. I am not the only one who gets hurt trying to get up on the bunks. I hope we can get this problem resolved in a timely and proper manner.

Let's make the island safer for cyclists

Our son just returned from San Francisco raving about the bike lanes there. Then he showed me a National Geographic article praising other cities' efforts to make their communities bike friendly. Why can't Honolulu be a safer, more bike-friendly city?

Bikes are our primary modes of transportation. Thank God for TheBus bike racks and a big thanks for TheBus drivers who are so helpful to bicyclists on the road.

Riding home from Costco, the sidewalk was under construction by McKinley High School so we crossed over Kapiolani to the makai side of the street. Once we passed the pickup truck parked on the sidewalk and the cars in front of the carwash, also blocking the sidewalk, we crossed back to the mauka side and there was a construction truck parked on the sidewalk. Next were two pizza delivery vehicles parked on the sidewalk.

My idea? Scrap the rail plan and spend that money making Oahu/Honolulu a better, safer biking island/city.

Editorials got it right on gambling, plastic

I agree wholeheartedly with your two “;Opinions”; in the Feb. 13 newspaper.

Gambling on a statewide, authorized, legalized basis would only cause more problems economically and morally. There's enough gambling as it is right now — everywhere. I can't understand Sen. Donna Mercado Kim's logic in supporting legalization. Ridiculous.

Your suggestion that customers should pay for plastic bags makes sense. I use them mostly for purposes that you suggest, although I do take some cloth bags to the grocery store to reuse for each visit. It works out well. I'm very frugal with plastic bags.