Pro Bowlers were special

Hawaii benefits greatly from hosting the Pro Bowl, but one of the lesser-known ways the NFL makes a difference is through its community service program.

While the game on Sunday is the main event, Pro Bowlers are in the community, sharing their time and talents. Despite heavy rains that caused the cancellation of our Special Olympics Pro Bowl Punt, Pass and Kick event, seven amazing Pro Bowlers volunteered to stay to "meet and greet" 50 Special Olympics Hawai‘i athletes. Many Special Olympics Hawai‘i athletes waited hours in the rain, but thanks to these remarkable gentlemen, they were not disappointed. A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham (Cincinnati Bengals), Matt Schaub (Houston Texans), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts), Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs), and Jerod Mayo and Matthew Slater (New England Patriots) braved the torrential downpour to spend precious time with the athletes.

A warm mahalo to the NFL, e2k Productions and these inspiring Pro Bowl athletes.

Cindy Ujimori
Director of volunteer and corporate relations, Special Olympics Hawai‘i

Replace ‘Danno’ or lose a viewer

I guess Scott Caan likes the paycheck he gets for shooting "Hawaii Five-0" in Hawaii. However if he dislikes it here so much, maybe he should find himself another gig.

I know that having "Hawaii Five-0" filmed here is great for the economy in multiple ways. However, I can no longer support it. If they replace Danno, then maybe I will come back.

Kathy Bentley
Kaneohe

Corporations not real persons

Kudos to Rep. Karl Rhoads for introducing the bill to limit free-speech protections to "natural persons" ("Proposal calls for limits on free speech," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27).

This bill, of course, is a reaction to the Citizens United case that allows corporations to make unlimited political contributions because they are "persons" under the law.

Everyone understands the economic importance of corporations being treated as persons for the purpose of such things as contracts and suing and being sued, but the extension of this privilege to unlimited political contribu- tions goes too far.

Those who say that nothing can be done because the U.S. Supreme Court has acted ignore the fact that the decision could be modified, or even the Constitution amended, if necessary.

I, for one, will agree that corporations are the same as natural persons when I see the first corporation get pregnant.

Chuck Prentiss
Kailua

Soda tax would save in long run

It goes down easy.It is sweet, refreshing and hits the spot on a hot day or if you are having a burger with fries.

The problem with soda and other sugary drinks is that they are just empty calories and provide no nutritional benefit. They won’t make you full.

Sure, loco mocos and fried chicken aren’t the healthiest of options, but they at least provide satiety. Sugary drinks represent the largest source of excess sugar in our diets and have been linked to obesity and diabetes.

Current research has shown that a penny-per-ounce tax would reduce consumption and reduce the incidence of diabetes and heart disease. It may seem like an annoyance on your grocery bill, but this modest tax has the potential of saving us millions on the medical expenditures and cost burdens associated with obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Lana Young
Nuuanu

Rail will never pay for itself

I just read "Rail On Track" (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27) and flashed on the fact that rail will join two more public works projects — Aloha Stadium and the Hawaii Convention Center — that will never in a million yearspay for themselves.

All three projects have been on track, and will continue on track — draining the taxpayers year after year.

Chip Davey
Downtown Honolulu

Mayor ignoring bus problems

So far Mayor Kirk Caldwell has posed for a photo-op pretending to fix a pothole and been lauded by columnist David Shapiro for requesting the state’s skim from the rail tax.

But what about the promise to restore bus cuts?

Why is it still all about rail when rail isyears in the future?What about now and the long wait for overcrowded buses?

Judith Pettibone
Makiki