Letters for Wednesday, January 5, 2011

• Going steady • Respect for the living

• Kaua‘i needs law against barking dogs •

The best things in life are free • Longer

contra-flow makes sense •

Preposterous

Going steady

Regarding Saturday’s “Bicycle gender” letter: Being of Flemish/Dutch origin I have the explanation for the difference in bicycle design between male and female units.

First, one must understand that bicycles in Europe are not considered “recreational” but rather modes of transportation.

The girl’s bike design without a bar goes back to the days when girls only wore skirts. They are designed so that the ladies can mount and descend their bikes in a lady-like manner.

Stepping onto the bike by passing the opposite leg in front of the seat and descending in like manner without having to swing the leg over the bar as men do on their bikes. One could sort of compare it to the action of sitting down on a piano bench. The men usually swing their leg over the bench while the ladies step in front of the bench to sit down.

As to why the men bikes have a bar I have the rather “romantic” explanation as well! Years ago, many years ago, men used to take their ladies on a date by having them seated sideways on the bar. In Flanders it was a sort of statement that one was going steady if you rode on the bike- bar of a boy.

Anika Magwood, Jacksonville, Fla.

Respect for the living

Mr. Donald Cox of Portland, Ore., asks the ‘ohana of the island not to leave him disgusted by the state of our cemeteries by Port Allen.

As I recall, Portland is notorious as a center of teenage prostitution, a haven for teenage runaways and center of great drug activity. Please, Mr. Cox, do not point out the sliver in our eye when you have a log in yours.

Eduardo Valenciana, Lihu‘e

Kaua‘i needs law against barking dogs

In your Sunday editorial (“Marching forward into 2011,” In Our Opinion, Jan. 2), you listed several good ideas for the new year.

I can think of one you left out — a barking dog ordinance. Please help us pressure the mayor and council to pass a law similar to the other islands.

Doug Henry, Kalaheo

The best things in life are free

Experience exotic fruits on Kauai such as mangosteen, lychee, rambutan, atemoya and the awesome sugar-loaf pineapple.

Experience the same in vegetables from the ulu, (breadfruit,) to the many variety of eggplants, japanese cucumbers, okra, kale, and Hawaiian chili peppers, great for making chili pepper water.

There are numerous varieties of fruits and vegetables, the list is endless. Guess why Kaua‘i’s moniker is the “Garden Island”?

Without a doubt the Kapa‘a Sunshine Market has my vote for the best experience one can encounter on any given Wednesday.

It may be called the Sunshine Market, however, it’s as much a rainy day market to be enjoyed no matter what the weather brings.

Prices are reasonable compared to the local supermarket where most of the fruits and vegetables are imported from the Mainland United States where they are not nearly as fresh or exotic.

Eating local is supposed to get you in tune with the ‘aina (land). Eating things from the ground where you live can connect one spiritually. There is a big push to eat local for sustainability, and to create more local jobs and better ones health.

Many vendors don’t like to take the extra ripe fruit and vegetables home with them, therefore you avoid the crowds and vendors have time to answer all your dumb questions if you go late.

Support your neighbor, buy local, connect spiritually, strive for sustainability, eat healthy, get great deals and shop Sunshine Markets happening daily around our cosmic island. Admission is free and many days there are even street musicians performing their masterpieces. Remember the best things in life are free and this is one of them.

James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a

Longer contra-flow makes sense

I think the suggestion by Syd Jacobs (“Kapa‘a traffic jam,” Letters, Dec. 27) to leave the road cones up longer/all day to improve traffic flow south from Kapa‘a is a good one.

The airport and Wilcox hospital seem more urgent destinations than the North Shore. Has the north/south traffic flow been studied recently to determine if the current cone schedule is actually the best one?

Toni Morath, Princeville

Preposterous

In response to the concerns over the alleged “chemtrails” in the sky, the whole thing is so preposterous.

The photo clearly indicates that it is a trail from an airplane that had just made a turn. I have been in Aviation for 50 years as an airline captain and instructor. I also volunteer here with the Civil Air Patrol.

Cliff Waeschle, Kilauea