Our beloved City Council wants to stop the bleeding of the rail’s death-spiral by capping funding at today’s deficit of $910 million (“Council leader offers a plan to ‘stop the bleeding,’” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 20).

Tomorrow, we will see stratospheric costs as construction approaches and starts to cut through our city center.

Council posturing only kicks the 55-gallon drum down the road. The only way to stop the bleeding is to kill the patient.

Michael G. Palcic
St. Louis Heights

Find ‘wherewithal’ to fund critical needs

My wife likes to use the term “wherewithal,” as in, “I don’t have the wherewithal to do the dishes tonight, honey,” or, after a long day at work, “I need to find the wherewithal to go for a walk.”

The term wherewithal comes to mind when observing the tax-and-spend priorities of the city and state. Our elected officials have the wherewithal to extend the general excise tax surcharge to fund the current (and counting) estimated billion-dollar rail shortfall.

Imagine if this wherewithal were used to raise a billion dollars for other critical needs, such as homelessness, air conditioning for schools, public hospitals and infrastructure repair.

Rail seems to get wherewithal on steroids while other needs get Lean Cuisine. It looks like lobbying plus political contributions really pay off.

Peter Hochman
Kahala

High court judges offer poor example

There seems to be a lot of concern about ethics and conflicts of interest by many entities of our government — from newspaper editorials and ethics commissions to lawsuits from noted people and letters to the editor.

They’re all concerned about bias, prejudice, gifts, benefits and even the mere trace of conflicts of interest.

However, just prior to the U.S. Supreme Court hearing arguments on same-sex marriages, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan officiated at marriages for same-sex couples. Weeks later, they voted for same-sex marriage. Their two votes carried the majority to allow same-sex marriage.

To officiate for and then vote for same-sex marriage is so blatantly biased and prejudiced, that what we have in Hawaii is nothing. If members of the highest court can do it, everyone can follow their precedent.

Kenneth Chang
Kaneohe

Bicyclists doing everyone a favor

On most days I drive past the King Street Cycle Track and have noticed an increase in the number and kinds of riders using it.

That means fewer parking spaces needed at home (good for the rider) and at work and school (good for the employer or school). It’s a savings in gas and parking and can mean one less car for the rider’s household — great on the budget.

It means exercise and better health for the rider and less air and noise pollution for the rest of us. It also means fewer bicycles on the sidewalk, so it is safer for pedestrians.

It’s a tiny step toward making Oahu less fossil-fuel dependent.

I am happy to share the road with bicyclists.

Amy Kimura
Makiki

‘Blue Zone’ values could help rail

The Windward Blue Zone project, which aims to substantially increase the wellness and longevity of Windward residents, is based on values and practices author Dan Buettner found in five small communities (in Sardinia, Greece, Okinawa, Costa Rica and, surprisingly, Loma Linda, Calif.) where centenarians are common, thrive and lead vigorous lives.

Some of these values reflect common wisdom, others are quite surprising.

There are now four Hawaii Medical Service Association-sponsored Blue Zones in Hawaii — one on Oahu, two on Hawaii island and one on Kauai.

Blue Zones are not glib “live, work, play” slogans. They require community commitments to specific practices and amenities.

Hawaii government leaders, urban planners and prospective residents of our future transit-oriented-development areas should give serious thought to these Blue Zone prescriptions. It is a worthy mission that would establish credibility for the contentious rail project.

Roger Jellinek
Kahaluu

Maui cane smoke ugly and unhealthy

Leaving the health issues of sugar consumption aside, the burning of cane on Maui is preposterous in 2015.

This antiquated process is dirty, unsightly and, most important, a health hazard.

The unparalleled beauty of Maui is jarringly marred when one sees these giant plumes of smoke towering into the sky.

Brian Scott
Wailuku

Telescopes help protect human race

An incoming large asteroid was discovered by a Hawaii observatory on Maui (“‘The Great Pumpkin’ asteroid will buzz Earth on Halloween,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 23).

Due to its large mass and great speed, its kinetic energy would have an impact on Earth equivalent to a 10-megaton explosion.

I pray that all those protesting telescopes in Hawaii understand that the human race could face extinction from such an event, and therefore telescopes on Hawaii mountaintops in fact play the sacred role of protecting the human race.

Milton Allione
Kailua