I'm sure there are more nontraditional ideas out there, and we will all be served by thinking outside the box. Next time it could well be us.

DISASTER

HAWAI'I SHOULD BEWARE BUSH TEAM RESPONSE

Hawai'i residents should carefully consider what to expect under the Bush administration if a disaster of Hurricane Katrina's magnitude hits the Islands. By any developed country's standards, the handling of the preparation for and aftermath of the hurricane has been downright inexcusable.

The taxpayers of this country have generously funded — primarily at the federal level — rich resources for disaster management. We have had the scientific knowledge of the high likelihood of this type of hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast and its probable wind, water, material and human damage. For the logistics of implementing such knowledge, we have the technology, material supplies, manpower, transportation capacity, federal and state agencies, and democratic values to respond to a disaster in a timely and kindhearted fashion.

Instead, thousands died when they could have been saved, and hundreds of thousands have been forced into near-death and squalid conditions for far too long.

Why did the Bush administration not provide a more humane response? The excuses given are indefensible. Unlike the war in Iraq, the hurricane was televised. No room here for bald-faced lies. We can see for ourselves.

NEW ORLEANS

WE FIGHT BUT CAN'T AID

The United States government and the president should be ashamed that our country can deliver troops and munitions to Iraq faster than food and water to the U.S. evacuees in New Orleans.

TRACKING PRICES

GAS CAP IDEA WAS MISTAKE FROM START

Finally a Democratic legislator, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, has admitted that the purpose of the gas cap law is not to lower gas prices, but (and I quote from Friday's Advertiser) " ... to make Hawai'i prices track the price of oil on a national basis." One of the pricing sources the law uses is the Gulf Coast, so stand by.

There was an absurd statement floating around during the debate over this law: "Prices in Hawai'i go up but they never go down." If prices only went up, gasoline would be a hundred dollars a gallon by now. The fact of the matter is, prices have always gone both up and down in Hawai'i, but at a much slower rate than on the Mainland. That's called "stability," and it's a good thing.

Well, not anymore. Under the gas cap, when there's a petroleum event in the world, you're going to feel it right at the pump the next week. We are looking at huge increases in the next couple of weeks, which we would absolutely not have seen before the gas cap law. No more "Lucky you live Hawai'i" when it comes to gasoline disruptions.

Remember this: Catastrophes happen suddenly, but recoveries are slow. Gas prices go up quickly when there is a hurricane, a fire, etc., but go down very slowly as things recover. Our Democratic legislators have written and passed this law, against all expert advice. The law does not control the price you pay at the pump, and is not even supposed to lower prices — just make them respond to Mainland prices.

Great. Be careful what you wish for.

O'AHU

DISASTER QUESTIONS REQUIRE ANSWERS

Doug Carlson's Aug. 2 commentary is right on point. When I look at New Orleans and know that trucks and helicopters can get there from surrounding areas, and they're complaining about the slow response, I know that O'ahu disaster plans are inadequate. The recommendations of three days of food and water in a personal family disaster kit won't get us through a direct hit.

Please investigate and report on the answers to Mr. Carlson's questions.

CAP COMPLAINT

GOP LEGISLATORS ARE MAKING MATTERS WORSE

I was very disappointed and frankly disgusted to see Republican legislators walking the gas lines at Costco the other day criticizing the gas cap and Democrats. This is political opportunism at its worst.

It's reprehensible that they would play on people's fears for political gain. The gas situation is bad enough without scaring people and creating panic. That will only make things worse.

Perhaps that is just what the Republicans want to advance their agenda. Too bad they can't put the people's interest first.

GAS CAP

NO GOD-LIKE POWERS

Over time, our Legislature will come to the realization that its members lack the collective power to repeal the law of supply and demand. Meanwhile, Hawai'i's residents will pay far more than they should for gasoline.

GASOLINE

LAWMAKERS MESSED UP

The gas cap is a bad idea. Last week I filled up at Costco for $2.58. Today I was shocked to see the price at $2.79. I blame the gas cap and those who voted for it for this 21-cent spike.

The Legislature's stupidity is raising the cost of living in Hawai'i. Let's vote them all out next year and start over.

TRANSIT

SYSTEM SHOULD BE WITHOUT TRANSFERS

Rail transit's main flaw is that it needs an expensive, immovable right-of-way infrastructure from the beginning to the end of the line.

Rail systems do not tolerate change well. The fabric of the communities served will have to adapt to the route instead of the route adapting to the communities. I'm not sure that this is a good thing.

It is expensive, if not impossible, to construct the rails everywhere to satisfy the multitude of destinations. Therefore, most customers must transfer and use more than one mode to reach their destination. Transfers wipe out most of the speed advantage and convenience touted for rail.

If we are going to spend all this money wisely, I believe that ride times and travel experience will be better on a transit system that uses rubber-tire technology and elevated or exclusive right-of-way construction only to bypass choke points.

The transit vehicles in such a system would also run on ordinary streets, or lanes converted as HOT, HOV or busways to reach final destinations without transfers. Routes can be reasonably changed to suit future city development.

JUNIOR DIVISION

'AIEA WAS FIRST IN ISLES TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP

I would like to send my congratulations to the 'Ewa Beach team that won the World Series. We had our game faces on that day and were cheering for Hawai'i.

Everyone keeps on saying that this is the first team in Hawai'i to win a World Series. Just to let people know out there, in 2000 and 2001, the 'Aiea Little League Junior Division won the World Series back to back. In 2001, 'Aiea played Venezuela for the World Series title, and they were tied in the seventh inning. 'Aiea beat Venezuela with a solo home run, ending the game to become the World Series champs.

Actually, everyone was calling them the Come-Back Kids from Hawai'i because every game they played they came from behind.

FRAGILE

STRYKER BRIGADE IS BAD FOR OUR ECOSYSTEMS

I very much support our country's military but also find myself supporting those who are against the military's plan to station a Stryker brigade in the Islands.

The military, with its "rapid deployment capabilities," doesn't need to further exacerbate the fragile ecosystems of both O'ahu and the Big Island. Better that it begin restoration activities on what has already been ecologically disrupted and plan to minimize any further damage. We need a military presence in Hawai'i, but not to the extent of that being proposed.

Keep the Strykers on the Mainland and in such places as the Yakima Training Grounds in Washington state, where they have thousands of acres to train on land that has been disturbed for many years. And, as demonstrated in Iraq, the Strykers can be deployed very quickly to most any place in the world if the need arises.

Our natural resources are being diminished more rapidly than they're being restored, and stationing a Stryker brigade here will only hasten their loss.

UNDEFEATED

UH WARRIORS PLAYED WELL AGAINST USC

On Sunday, the day after "the" game, a headline in at least one newspaper was "Trojans trash Warriors."

I have two degrees from USC and am a diehard fan of the Trojans, but the Warriors and coaches June Jones and Jerry Glanville don't have anything to be ashamed of. The Warriors didn't get trashed. They did a great job of defense and offense as they got two touchdowns and a field goal against an undefeated team for two years running. I'd say they did a magnificent job, especially for such a young team. Hawai'i residents should be proud of these guys and their coaches. Great things are in store for them.

I'm proud of the Trojans, but playing against this young team, the score should have been 63 to nothing.

So "Go, Warriors" — you have a great future ahead for you.

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE MAKES ART SHOW WORTHY

The writer Henry Miller once said, "Art teaches nothing ... except the significance of life." Last month, I was honored to have my artwork selected as part of the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce art exhibit "Commitment to Excellence," and through this experience I came to fully appreciate the meaning of those words.

My greatest reward as an artist is when my work can truly enhance the quality of someone else's life. For many artists, there are few opportunities to share our art, essentially our hearts and souls, with the people. The HJCC paves the way for this opportunity to happen. Over the past 27 years, it has built "Commitment to Excellence" into one of the most prestigious juried shows in the state so that it is an exceptional honor to be invited to participate and a tremendous accomplishment to be selected by the jurors. It builds bridges for the artists to reach the business community and the general public. The inspiration and hope that this organization provides us are priceless.

True to its theme, the HJCC's annual exhibition recognizes and promotes the vital importance of art in all of our lives. Its commitment to excellence is a commitment to us, the artists. Its goals are our goals.

It is the support of the community that makes this show so special. The artists would like to thank Servco Pacific, which committed to purchase an unprecedented $5,000 of artwork and established the first Servco Award of Excellence. All of the sponsors, the donors, the volunteers for their endless hours of devotion, and the jurors deserve our deepest appreciation, especially Wayne Kawamoto for his installation genius, treating each work of art as a masterpiece.

My hope is that this message will represent not only the artists in the show this year, but every artist who ever entered his work in the HJCC's juried exhibition, striving to reach the same standard of excellence that HJCC lives by.

Clay artist Jeff Mincham once said, "In art, your best piece is always your next piece." And because of the HJCC's commitment to Hawai'i's artists, we will all make that next piece.