Price of gas always benefits Big Oil
I am amazed that I haven't seen any letters complaining about the gas companies here not reducing the price of gas commensurate with the falling price of oil. Four weeks ago, the price of a barrel of oil was over $145. Today, it is selling for $118 a barrel. I realize that it might take some weeks for that $118 oil to reach our markets; however, oil at prices lower than $145 should be here and gas selling at a lower cost to the consumer.
But one thing I'm not sure about. The oil companies say that they can't lower prices quickly because they are using the higher-priced oil, but, if you remember, when the price of oil spiked by $11 a barrel overnight, within a couple of days the price of a gallon of gas jumped by 10 cents. So, the oil companies are not being honest with us and should lower the price of a gallon of gas immediately.
L.M. Fryer
Honolulu
Oil price is falling but not in Hawaii
The cost of oil has continued its steady decline during the last few weeks with pricing falling at the pump some $0.35 to $0.40, but not in the Aloha State where prices finally dropped a whopping $0.04 yesterday morning. We shouldn't be surprised by this since the Public Utilities Commission and our state government continue to do nothing to force the hands of the oil companies in Hawaii. Why should they, the state gets the highest profits from each gallon of gas sold, which is supposed to be used to keep up our roads, but like always we spend the most and get the worst.
Bob Martin
Honolulu
Blame the Bushies, not the oil companies
I have read that many Democrats want a windfall profits tax on the oil companies. Many people are familiar with the story of Robin Hood and how he robbed from the rich to give to the poor; or how about an incompetent person who robs Peter so he can pay Paul what he owes?
I want to recommend to the oil companies that they pass the increased costs on to the consumers at the pump, if new taxes are imposed. Plenty of lost souls in the Bush administration are the people who we should focus on bringing to justice, not the oil companies.
Phil Robertson
Honolulu
Noisy, messy vagrants are ruining Waikiki
Often those of us living in paradise get so involved with "life" that we forget we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. My husband and I are guilty of this, so we have started "re-seeing" a different part of our lovely island every Monday. This week we went to Waikiki to enjoy the beach, watch the tourists, and eat an overpriced lunch at a coffee shop. But I have no desire to go back again any time soon.
I was appalled by the homeless people who have taken over Waikiki Beach. The tables and benches that have been redone under the covered areas are wonderful. Unfortunately, several of them have been claimed by the homeless and their bags, boxes, clothes and blankets. They are on the beach too. I watched a lady sleeping on a small concrete beach table; a young female waking up and checking out the tourists to try to bum a cigarette; a guy bumming cigarettes and lights from tourists on the beach; and his buddy, who was so drunk or stoned that he just lay on the beach and yelled, tossed and turned and begged his buddy to help him.
This is not a good advertisement for an area already suffering from a loss of tourism. If we can clean our Leeward beaches of the homeless, how about making an effort to clean up Waikiki Beach? Why can't the police round up the Waikiki Beach homeless every morning and make it against the law to "live" on Waikiki Beach? Let's get them into some of the great new shelters opening on the Leeward Coast and Barbers Point. Or better yet, into drug and alcohol rehab or mental institutions, where maybe they can actually get some help. Everybody talks about wanting a national health care system -- this would be a good, productive start.
We will be getting our beach "fix" (no pun intended) some place other than Waikiki.
Kathleen Ebey
Aiea
Turn Falls of Clyde into bar, dining area
I always thought it would be really neat if the Falls of Clyde were opened to the public as a bar and restaurant area. The museum could pay for her upkeep by collecting monies from vendors renting certain portions of the top and lower decks. It would be a unique and awesome experience to eat, drink and shop aboard the Falls of Clyde. Win-win for everyone. You need to open her up to save her -- keeping her sealed up as a dead museum piece has only led to her demise. I don't think there would be another place like it in the world. It would become a living landmark, and very popular I believe.
I am not a vendor or businessman of any sort, just another person who thinks it would be a shame to see her go prematurely.
Eric Tashima
Pearl City