Oil companies are to blame for price cap
The Legislature has been portrayed as the "mad scientists" who created Frankenstein, but the reality is that the oil companies deserve all the credit for the passage of gasoline price cap legislation.As one who has been involved for years on this issue of "price-gouging" at the pump, I have witnessed the lies, threats and misleading information that the oil companies have submitted in testimony at the Legislature.
The oil companies' solution to the high price of gasoline in Hawaii is to do nothing. But in the anti-trust lawsuit they conceded that the Hawaii market was a haven for high margins and high profits, and this practice would continue as long as it was legal.
These large corporations made a business decision to continue their practice of price-gouging in spite of the negative publicity and consumer outcry. Our legislators were forced to fight back and protect the consumers of Hawaii.
The oil companies had a choice; they could have been less greedy and lowered prices by 20 cents when production costs fell by 40 cents a gallon last November and the golden goose would probably have stayed fat and healthy.
Instead, they chose to flex their muscles and challenge the very market that was laying the golden eggs. This choice may have been a bad decision. Greed is not a bad thing; but being overly greedy is another thing.
Frank Young
K&Y Auto Service
Where will lawmakers stop with price caps?
Now that Hawaii's legislators have approved a "gas price cap" bill, I wonder what is next. Will we have a "burger price cap" bill for McDonalds, or maybe a "hotel room rate cap" bill? Could rent controls be next?Gasoline production is complicated. First, money is spent on exploration, then drilling, shipping, refining, distribution and then dispensing. Did any of our politicians check the price of bottled water in the stores? The last time I checked, bottled water was twice the price of gasoline!
Martin Wyss
THREE CHEERS FOR VOLLEYBALL CHAMPS
UH volleyball Warriors showed hard work wins
I thank and congratulate the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for claiming its first national championship on behalf of all the young volleyball players of Hawaii.For the past seven or so years the team has been trying to get into the Final Four but had always been beat out by a bigger powerhouse like BYU, UCLA or Pepperdine. This time, the Warriors beat the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in the championship game.
I also thank the UH men for the all the hard work and effort they put in, because people around the nation finally are starting to realize how good players from Hawaii really are.
Isaiah Chang
Waianae
Three generations cheered for UH
Congrats and big cheers to our University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, the 2002 NCAA men's volleyball champions!As a 1969 graduate of the UH School of Public Health, it was a thrill to be in Pennsylvania cheering them on. I felt like one of the few rooting for Hawaii at the Penn State game. Having lost to UH in the semifinals, local Penn State fans loudly cheered on Hawaii as well for the championship.
One of the greatest ideas was to have the Hawaiian drummers come and electrify the crowd. They were terrific and my grandson Gavin, age 2, was cheering "Go Hawaii'i" too. My daughter Barbara, now on Penn State faculty, was born at Kaiser Hospital in Honolulu, so it was great to have three generations cheering.
Jane Rushforth Schaefer
Elkton, Md.
Proud UH grad praises volleyball team
I am an island boy away from soft beautiful sands of Hawaii and have been tracking the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for the past year since I was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.I cannot tell you where I am but I am protecting our national assets in a foreign country. Getting back to the volleyball team, I got mean chicken skin when I opened the email to check how Hawaii had done.
They won! Moments like this make me so proud to be a local boy away and a UH alumni. I have my UH shirts and shorts with me. People poke fun at me because they call us the Rainbows and not Warriors. I continue to call ourselves "Da Mean Green Fighting Machine Warriors." Please pass on my congratulations to the team.
Glen Kamanao
U.S. Army
Minnesota fans cheer UH VB team
I am just ecstatic that the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team finally overcame the Pepperdine jinx. I have been a UH fan since graduating from high school in 1974.I have been a resident of Minnesota since 1983. My wife, who is originally from Minnesota, also is an avid fan. It is great to see that the sports programs coming around and getting national recognition. It was great to see the football team on ESPN2 this past season.
I guess now everyone on the mainland sees that great athletes go to Hawaii for something other than sun and surf.
Way to go, Rainbow Warriors. No ka oi.
Clayton & Arlene Lum
Coon Rapids, Minn.
Mahalo to Hawaii's great volleyball fans
Mahalo to the University of Hawaii volleyball fans -- the greatest fans in the world.The warm welcome, the cheers, the leis, the pictures -- what an incredible journey; I will long remember it. UH's victory in the National Men's Volleyball Championship is for the people of Hawaii.
This championship is also for all the past players who helped to lay the groundwork for this victory.
Thank you coach Pono Maa for teaching me to play from the heart. Thank you to my family, friends and fans who encouraged me to never give up. Thank you for allowing this local boy to realize his dream. Go 'Bows.
Tony Ching
Outside Hitter
UH Men's Volleyball Team
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