Ground-level rail will snarl traffic

I moved to Hawaii in 1981. Before that I lived in four other states and the District of Columbia, which had “;at grade”; rail service for public or commercial use. Here is what happens when you approach a rail crossing: The blinking red lights start to operate. The guard crossing comes down and blocks the road. All traffic comes to a stop and starts to back up. You sit there and wait for the train to go by.

Now, let's look at the same situation in Honolulu, if certain people on Oahu get their way: Traffic, already unbearable, will come to a standstill every time the train crosses a road. This will happen every day, every few minutes. Animals cross the tracks, people cross the tracks and cars get stuck on the tracks. Is this what the people want? No!

Where were these same architects when they were earning the big bucks designing towering buildings for Waikiki and downtown Honolulu? Not a peep.

Don't you find it amusing that Gov. Linda Lingle actually stated that she was for creating jobs for the people? Just what does she think the building of an elevated rail line would do?

'Jobs' argument unfair to Lingle

It's reported that Mayor Mufi Hannemann says Gov. Linda Lingle is against rail and against creating jobs. Is he being misquoted?

The truth is that Gov. Lingle is displaying rightful caution in revisiting the rail concept the mayor is so bent full-steam-ahead on by her pointing out the mayor's budget was made under far different economic optimistic times.

Her proposal takes that into consideration and also has a more circumspect view of the maintenance of the project.

For the mayor to maintain that Gov. Lingle isn't interested in job creation is grasping at a lame argument since whichever idea becomes adopted — at-grade or elevated — will result in a big up-tick in jobs that makes the mayor's arguments seem lame. I am glad Gov. Lingle has put a brake on the rail project and believe her ideas that I support will be seen as the right way to go.

Corporations are not individuals

Thank you for covering the outrageous Supreme Court decision to allow corporations to spend as they like on elections. To allow unlimited amounts of money from corporations to go into campaign ads is reckless and irresponsible.

People don't need a law degree to understand that a corporation is different than an individual person. This is what the Supreme Court verified by this outrageous decision.

This should be a wake-up call to our state and county legislators that we need to implement clean elections across the state. This is one of those times when legislators should put aside petty differences and political gamesmanship and think long and hard about what this means for the future.

Because of this ruling, corporations — even foreign ones — will be able to walk into legislators' offices and tell them they'll run a negative ad if the legislators don't vote a certain way.

Heterosexuals will still be here

In response to the letter entitled “;Civil Unions Vote to Hurt Politicians”; (Star-Bulletin, Jan. 26), I find it quite hilarious and a bit sad that Toshio Chinen believes that the passage of civil unions will lead to a baby-less society filled with no children. Exactly where, Mr. Chinen, do you believe heterosexual couples are going?

While equal rights supporters may frown upon reading your letter, I think you also have a lot of explaining to do to other heterosexuals who may not agree with your assertion that procreation will end because gays and lesbians have somewhat closer equal rights.

Hawaii Kai eatery is family-friendly

As a long-time patron of the Hawaii Kai Shack with family, friends and neighbors, I would like to voice serious displeasure with the person who complained to Kokua Line about pets and smoking (”;Smokers, dog owners violating health code,”; Star-Bulletin, Jan. 27).

This person was obviously not a regular of the establishment and certainly not aware of how much the Hawaii Kai community appreciates having this comfortable, family-friendly restaurant in our neighborhood.

We don't smoke, but those who do sit outside, away from the doors. We haven't always had a pet, but enjoyed the well-behaved family pets who stayed outside at The Shack. We now have a pet and love to be able to take her with the kids for a lunch or early dinner outside at The Shack. May I suggest that if you don't like it, don't go there. No one will miss you.

As in so many areas of life, if you can't appreciate something, don't approve, believe or participate — but do stop complaining and trying to spoil things for others who also have rights.