Brainstorm! Challenge

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Ethanol saves money, pollutes less

Your editorial on pending ethanol legislation ("Good intentions, unpredictable results on ethanol," Star-Bulletin, April 28) focused on spurious concerns that ethanol will raise the price of gasoline while essentially ignoring the very real economic, energy, environmental and consumer benefits from ethanol production and use.

Blending ethanol in Hawaii's gasoline will expand supplies and reduce the need for expensive imports. Both these factors work to reduce pump prices for consumers. At the same time, using ethanol will lower gasoline toxics levels, protect precious water resources, and reduce smog and greenhouse gas-forming emissions.

Ethanol production from sugar in Hawaii could revitalize an industry, create dozens of good jobs, boost prices for local agricultural goods and increase tax collections.

Ethanol is now blended in 30 percent of all U.S. gasoline. Hawaii is perfectly situated to share in the benefits of ethanol production and use. The positive results are well documented.

Bob Dinneen
President
Renewable Fuels Association
Washington, D.C.

Gay unions a result of self-worship

Having just noticed the headline "Same-sex pairs tie the knot," I couldn't help but immediately think that in the beginning, it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, and that it was God that celebrated the first marriage, not a city clerk in Massachusetts. Are we going to remember that? If we do, we will be better off for it.

The issue is one of worship. Has self become our God? You can now buy a magazine by that title -- "Self."

Howard Loewen
Honolulu

Most Iraqi prisoners mistakenly arrested

I would like to commend reader Kerry Lewis ("Shall we read them a bedtime story, too?" Letters, May 15) who suggested, "Why don't we just give those Iraqi prisoners a kiss on the cheek and blow in their ears?" It is certainly the humane course in view of the Red Cross' finding that 70 percent to 90 percent of the prisoners were mistakenly caught in sweeps and roundups.

Since the majority of prisoners have nothing to say, Lewis' recommendation that they be released in the morning is a kind thing to do. At a stressful time when it is so easy to go off half-cocked, we must be careful not to sacrifice the innocent in our pursuit of the guilty.

I applaud Lewis for standing up and defending the American way of fair and equitable treatment for all.

Charles Luce
Honolulu

Proud to be a Dole Diplomat

I want to tell you why I am proud to be a Dole Middle School student.

Our principal, Mr. Monte, changed our school song and I never knew that we had one. Mr. Monte and Mr. Romero, our chorus teacher, teamed up to write a school song. When they were finished, Mr. Monte decided to adopt it as the school song. Later on, he introduced us to the song, "Stand Tall." When we sing it, it makes me so proud to be a Dole student.

Mr. Monte made us an eighth-grade graduation program. You have to pass a lot of requirements before you graduate and move on to the next grade. The best thing about graduation is the Big Twin Screen. When they call you to get your diploma on the left, there is your picture and on the right a list of things that you did in school. I cannot wait until next year to be in the graduation program.

My counselor, Ms. Boyer, has helped me a lot. If I have problems, she is there to help. She's like a best friend to me. If I have a hard time with my work, she tells me, "Try your best." When I am sad, she sometimes tells me, "Be proud you're a Dole diplomat."

When people say "Dole is not a good school," I say you're wrong because I am proud to be a Dole Diplomat.

Omega Viernes
Seventh grade
Dole Middle School

Shot clock would improve basketball

Hawaii high school girls basketball should incorporate a 30-second shot clock to eliminate stalling, prepare players for college, and keep the game uptempo and exciting. Hawaii is one of the few states that have not integrated a thirty-second shot clock and for players going on to the college level, and this could be detrimental.

Integrating a shot clock would eliminate a key strategy of some teams, stalling. Basketball is based on scoring. However, some teams find that a three-point lead is all you need when you have no time limit and can hold the ball as desired. An example of this was the 2000 state championship game between Kalaheo and Kamehameha. Kamehameha held a three-point lead with slightly less than five minutes remaining. The point guard proceeded to hold the ball stationary at half court for nearly three minutes. The rest of the game was spent playing keepaway. Although in a way this is a good strategy, it leads to a pointless game, literally.

While players around the country are comfortable playing with a 30-second shot clock, we here are not. This puts us at a disadvantage in that we have one more component to adjust to when entering the college level.

Taylor Smith
Kailua

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[ BRAINSTORM! ] The ponds at the state Capitol are full of icky green stuff. What, besides holding an election, can we do to get rid of all that scum at the Big Square Building? Or should we just replace the ponds with something else? Tell us what you think, whether you know of a way to clean the ponds or if you'd rather see a remodel of the Capitol grounds. Anything would be an improvement. Send your ideas by June 16 to: brainstorm@starbulletin.com Or by mail: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Or by fax: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson 529-4750