LUGGAGE

WEIGHT RESTRICTION MAKES MORE SENSE

United Airlines would do well to re-think its newly announced policy of allowing only one free checked bag per passenger.

The obvious solution is to travel with a bigger, heavier bag. Since weight is the issue in determining aviation fuel consumption, it would make more sense to establish a maximum luggage-weight limit per passenger.

I am a senior with orthopedic problems due to age and arthritis. I cannot lift more than 15 pounds.

I usually travel with two small bags so that I can manage my own luggage.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that "reasonable accommodations" be made for people with disabilities. Two small bags does not seem to be unreasonable.

Let's hope it doesn't take a class-action suit to bring United into compliance.

DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

SUPERDELEGATES SHOULD GO WITH MAJORITY VOTE

Never before have I so closely followed the primaries. And perhaps never before has Hawai'i had such a chance to affect the Democratic nomination.

Therefore, I am quite upset that many of our superdelegates not only get to vote like the rest of us, but they get "supervotes" as well.

At least three of our superdelegates have already publicly lined up their votes, before our state caucus has even occurred. Shouldn't they wait to see what the outcome is?

I implore all of our senators, congressmembers, and DNC chairs to pledge they will cast their votes according to the general population's decision.

So please, Reps. Mazie Hirono and Neil Abercrombie, Sens. Daniel Inouye and Dan Akaka and the others, don't play politics as usual and give your vote to the person who raised the most money for you or granted you favors.

Rather, make us feel like we really live in a democracy. Make us feel like our votes actually count toward something.

CAMPAIGN FINANCING

CLEAN ELECTIONS GIVE PUBLIC MORE CONTROL

This letter is in response to the Feb. 3 Page One article "Cost key to public financed elections."

Campaign Spending Commission Executive Director Barbara Wong wonders if taxpayers will be willing to pay for voter-owned elections. Any taxpayer who reads that knows that Wong's asking the wrong question. We've been paying for our politicians for years, in the form of big business, poor air, poor water, poor roads, etc.

A better question would be: How would we like to pay?

Would we like to have control over our public officials and have them serve the people who elected them, or the private corporations that are financing them behind our backs?

It's all a matter of accountability, not money.

Besides, Wong is misrepresenting the facts. There is $6.5 million in the fund and we only need $1 million. Where's the problem?

In response to her car analogy: How do we know we can't talk them down on the price once we see how crappy the car runs? Or rather: Don't knock it, until you've tried it.

DEATH PENALTY

HAWAI'I LOSING BATTLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ICE

When are the people of Hawai'i going to decide that enough is enough? How many more lives will be ruined before we do something? How many more murders, robberies, assaults, burglaries, child abuse and intimidation cases do we have to endure? How many more families will be ruined? How many more traffic jams are we going to be forced to sit through? How much money is being wasted by the state and by businesses just dealing with the effects of crystal methamphetamine?

Huge amounts of money and time are wasted on police, fire and hospital personnel to assist the community in dealing with this problem. That money and time could be put to use to improve our public schools, help the homeless and elderly, repair our highways and so on.

We are losing the battle against this drug, and it is time to take some serious steps to force change.

There is an old saying that the best way to kill a snake is to cut off its head. Therefore, I believe that the time has come for this state to restore the death penalty for those individuals who import or manufacture crystal methamphetamine. They are just trying to make a buck and have no regard for the welfare of our children. Why should we have any regard for them?

I bet if this was put to a vote by the people of this state, it would be overwhelmingly accepted.

RAIL

WHY NO PROVISION FOR EXPRESS TRAIN SERVICE?

I support mass transit, but wonder why the city's plan makes no provision for express-train service.

Imagine every third train in rush hour making four or five stops from Kapolei to Ala Moana, instead of 19.

Sure, adding bypass tracks would increase the construction cost, but how many more west-side commuters would be tempted to leave their cars at home if last Wednesday's headline, instead of 40 minutes, had said "Kapolei to Downtown: 25 minutes?"

SKEPTICAL ABOUT SOME TRANSIT SPECIFICATIONS

I am skeptical about some of the items in the recently published specifications for the proposed transit system.

A fare of $2 is very iffy. Just a few years ago, the bus fare was doubled and the senior pass fare was tripled. In the years it will take to build the rail system, I doubt that the fare specified will be in effect.

Stops of 20 seconds do not seem practical. I have traveled on the bullet trains in Japan, which have a two-minute station stop. It is a mad rush for people to get on and off. Twenty seconds does not seem practical to safely handle boarding and leaving a train.

Average speed of 30 mph? With only a mile between station stops, I would doubt such speed would be attained. With accelerating and decelerating, not much distance is left for speed.

I suggest that the city take another look at these specifications.

THEATER REVIEW

'BAREFOOT IN THE PARK' DELIGHTFUL PRODUCTION

What is still going on with Joseph Rozmiarek in connection with his Feb. 8 review of "Barefoot in the Park" at Diamond Head Theatre?

My husband and I have been supporters of Diamond Head Theatre for several years. More recently, I am a member of the board. Throughout this period, I rarely recall an instance when Mr. Rozmiarek's review has been positive.

Rather, he seems to be locked into a comparison with Broadway of years gone by.

"Barefoot in the Park" was an opening-night delight. Erin Kim's performance was excellent.

Unlike Broadway, these are local folks who enjoy the opportunity to volunteer for community theater in Hawai'i.

This is a wonderful complement to Honolulu's performing arts. It is time to appreciate these local thespians rather than conjure up some excuse for unproductive criticism.

We thank them for their efforts and contribution.

PROPOSED BAN

CONSUMERS CAN REFUSE TO USE PLASTIC BAGS

Council members Donovan Dela Cruz and Ann Kobayashi proposed banning plastic shopping bags.

After I read the article, I asked myself why I need a law to stop accepting plastic shopping bags at the check-out counter.

I then made a conscious decision to do the following: Use my 99-cent shopping bag to do my small shopping, refuse shopping bags altogether and use empty boxes.

I also decided that after using plastic bags and polystyrene containers I would tear them into pieces before disposing of them in receptacles and to recycle boxes.

Looking ahead, it's election year — will there be a ban on campaign bags?

MAINTENANCE

TALL WEEDS, OVERGROWN GRASS LINE H-1 FREEWAY

When I am caught in the usual 5-mph traffic jam in the morning and afternoon in Honolulu, I try not to fret because it gives me a chance to view the landscape.

What I have come to accept as a sad fact is that the maintenance of the freeway landscape is absolutely disgusting.

Overgrown grass and tall weeds line both sides of H-1. I wouldn't be surprised if the grass hasn't been cut in six months.

If I were more naive, I would seek who's responsible for this mess. But after a handful of years as a Hawai'i resident, I know I'll just enter the political blame game that Hawai'i has become famous for.

WOMEN

MEN NEED TO STEP UP TO HELP STOP VIOLENCE

There were two letters on Feb. 12 from women, one speaking of a mysogynistic message on a bumper sticker and one expressing her fear after a road rage incident.

I work for a domestic violence agency, and we know that one of the key factors for stopping men's violence against women will be for the well-meaning men to step forward and say to their brothers: "Enough!"

When men tell men that they will not support the bumper stickers, that it is wrong to beat on a woman's car, that objectifying women is not how a real man acts, we will begin to see change.

Women have been working for years to keep other women safe, now it is time for our brothers to be vocal and public in their declaration that violence against women is wrong.

I know it is difficult to be that lone voice of sanity in the midst of the chaos, but if you don't do it, you are keeping your sisters, mothers, aunties and friends in danger.

Please be part of the solution — we welcome you!