TRANSIT

TO STUDY RAIL, LOOK TO ESTABLISHED SYSTEMS

Cliff Slater does his homework, but his Oct. 9 piece is short on analysis. He focused on new rail systems, ignoring those that have had time to grow. He noted that Denver gained 240,000 commuters in the 1990s, but only grew mass transit by 17,000.

I lived in Denver and commuted by rail. The driving numbers grew because Denver was one of the fastest growing in the country — and because rail had not yet reached many of the suburbs. As new lines opened they were filled to capacity.

Living overseas, I relied on mass transit in Singapore and used it often in Vienna. Singapore's rail system is still young, but is a masterpiece of integrating rail with bus. Vienna's tram is a venerable backbone of the city, and its subway is becoming another. I have used rail to move around Moscow, Berlin, London, Rome, Washington and more. My message: The benefits of rail become obvious as the system grows. Basing your analysis on new systems guarantees a negative bias.

NORTH KOREA

ALL COUNTRIES SHOULD GET RID OF NUCLEAR ARMS

"N. Korea explodes nuclear weapon." Front page news! President Bush is all upset! The world is upset!

How many times has our country "exploded" nuclear weapons in deep holes in our deserts, on several Pacific islands (made them unhabitable) and twice on Japan? And we are self-righteously appalled at one little explosion in North Korea? And appalled that Iran may do the same?

Believe me, if my enemy had a gun, I would have a gun, too. But if I did not want my enemy to have a gun, I'd negotiate that we both got rid of our guns. So, Mr. Bush, and the rest of the self-righteous leaders, how about we all get rid of our nuclear weapons?

What makes my country think that other countries should trust us that we would not use our nuclear weapons "unwisely?" We've proved that we will use them to kill hundreds of thousands in order to shorten the war!

Some great American said, "We'll either hang together or hang separately." I say, "We will either disarm together or blow up together!"

RECYCLING WOES

CONTAINER REDEMPTION WASTES TIME, MONEY

Today was the first time I took beverage cans to a redemption center. I went to the one in Mililani Mauka.

I counted and put 100 cans in each trash bag. I took a total of 600 cans in six trash bags expecting to receive $30. The cans were weighed and I only received $28.20 for 18.8 pounds.

Information at the site indicated that the weight of cans was 30 cans per pound. My 600 cans should have been 20 pounds.

I went to the center at about 9:10 a.m. and was third in line, and it took almost an hour to receive my payment because the workers were delayed at a bank and took some time setting up when they finally arrived. Processing also took a lot of time. Beverage containers had to be placed in containers and weighed. One worker had to bag the beverage containers after they were weighed.

In the past, I donated my beverage containers to a school. I wanted to write off the 5 cents per container as a donation on my tax return. But my accountant told me that I needed a receipt to do this. I suggested this to the school but found that it was a difficult thing for the school to do. So I decided to take my containers to the redemption centers instead.

After today's experience, I believe that this law is a waste of money and time.

ELECTION 2006

THOSE WHO VOTE ARE THE REAL POWER HOLDERS

During this election period, some political writers (not yours) have disparaged candidates with the label that they are "machine" favorites. While active Democrats and organized labor are often in agreement, the fact is there has been no united "machine" for several elections.

That was certainly evident in the battle for the Democratic Party nomination in the 2nd Congressional District, where all the major labor unions remained neutral. The so-called "machine" scattered in various directions, as it did in the 2002 race for the Democratic Party nomination for governor. Mazie Hirono won that primary and now has won the nomination for Congress. Mahalo for your endorsement.

The real holders of power are the people who show up. The people who vote. It was exciting to see that the vast majority of individual voters wanted a woman in our congressional delegation, either Mazie or state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa. No "machine" twisted the voters' arms to do that.

IWASE LACKS EXPERIENCE NEEDED TO GOVERN ISLES

Randy Iwase lacks the experience and leadership needed to govern Hawai'i. He is so focused on negative attacks that he can barely articulate his own vision, and when he does it's nothing original or new.

He doesn't have a clear understanding of what Hawai'i's challenges are, nor does he have a plan to address these now and into the future.

Thankfully, Gov. Linda Lingle has proven to be effective in getting things done over the last four years. Her leadership is working. In fact, she's the best leader we've seen in a long time.

DISTRICT 40

HAR EPITOMIZES CHANGE NEEDED IN WEST O'AHU

I write this response to Bob McDermott's letter (Oct. 8) and The Advertiser's endorsement of Sharon Har, the Democratic candidate for House District 40 (Kapolei, Makakilo, Royal Kunia).

I am a lifelong Republican and resident of District 40 for 37 years, and my husband and son are former Marines. I am offended by Mr. McDermott's comments.

District 40 was the only district in which Congressman Ed Case lost to Sen. Dan Akaka by four votes. This demonstrates that the voters of District 40 are amenable to change — real change for the betterment of our community as a whole.

In this year's election, we have a candidate, Sharon Har, who epitomizes the very badly needed change we need in District 40. She is young, energetic, progressive and proactive and is uniquely qualified to represent our community.

The Advertiser recognized Ms. Har as an independent candidate who will put the needs of the community first. She is exactly the type of representative District 40 residents have been searching for.

I agree with The Advertiser's endorsement of Ms. Har and I, along with members of my family, will be voting for her in this upcoming election.

POLITICIANS SHOW THEIR SELF-SERVING AGENDAS

I am surprised that The Advertiser prints letters from people with obvious self-serving agendas, such as the recent ones from former Republican politician Bob McDermott (Oct. 8) and from current Republican representatives Lynn Finnegan, Kymberly Pine, and Colleen Meyer (Oct. 9).

They are complaining that Mark Moses, the incumbent, didn't get The Advertiser's endorsement, which went to newcomer Sharon Har.

None of these politicians even lives in the district, and all they're doing is trying to protect one of their own. Why don't they let the voters in District 40 decide who's the best candidate?

It's also telling that they don't seem to mind The Advertiser's other endorsements of Democrats running against Republicans. It must be that they don't care about their colleagues in those races.

FISHING

FESTIVAL CELEBRATES CHERISHED LIFESTYLE

Kudos to Pacific Islands Fisheries Group for organizing what promises to be "the" annual community event of the year — The Hawai'i Fishing and Seafood Festival, held this year on Sunday, Oct. 8, at the state's Pier 38 Fishing Village.

Family and children's activities, games, demonstrations, educational programs, art exhibits, seafood samples, award-winning chef-cooked meals, entertainment, and 12,000 residents celebrating one of Hawai'i's most cherished lifestyles — fishing and seafood. Way to go!

COPPER

CAMERAS, REGISTRATION WOULD TRACK THIEVES

Our family always notices the lights out on the freeway. Your article mentioned that the state Department of Transportation is looking for help from the public.

May I suggest placing the traffic cameras in key areas where the wire is being stolen, and also ask for the help of our Legislature to pass laws that would require people who resell highly valuable items like copper to register their identification? That way the copper could be tracked to who is selling it.

FEDERAL STATUS

AKAKA BILL REPRESENTS JUSTICE FOR HAWAIIANS

Wilbert W.W. Wong mischaracterized the Akaka bill as a form of racial prejudice, and said it would cause "great dissension" in Hawai'i. (Letter, Oct. 6)

He's wrong on both counts.

For 2,000 years before Capt. James Cook's arrival in Hawai'i in 1778, Native Hawaiians exercised their sovereignty in these islands. Their political status as Hawai'i's indigenous people has remained constant through the overthrow of their beloved kingdom (achieved with the help of U.S. Marines), annexation and statehood.

During this time, Native Hawaiians lost not only much of their sovereignty and land, but were forced to stop practicing many aspects of their culture, specifically their language.

Over the years, Congress has dealt with Native Hawaiians as a distinct indigenous group through hundreds of congressional acts. Through the Akaka bill, Congress would formally recognize its political relationship with Native Hawaiians, thereby extending a federal status to Native Hawaiians already enjoyed by the two other indigenous groups in the U.S.: Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

The Akaka bill represents justice for Native Hawaiians and would help to heal many of the social wounds inflicted upon them over the past 200 years.