ENERGY

WORLD CAN'T DRILL ITS WAY OUT OF OIL MESS

Several recent advocates for drilling in ANWR to lower gas prices have left out several important realities.

To maximize profits, large oil companies will try to sell ANWR oil mostly in the Far East (Japan and China), where transportation costs will be minimal.

John McCain voted against a bill that would have forced Big Oil to sell Alaskan oil in America only. The elephants in the room are that on the supply end, we are now at peak oil, extracting approximately 85 million barrels a day from a limited total pool. In a few years that amount will begin to decline (this is why new refineries are not being built).

The decline will accelerate rapidly in about 20 years as the large oil fields dry up much faster than new fields can be discovered.

On the demand end, it took 2,000 years to add the second billion humans to our Earth. We are currently adding the seventh billion and it will only take 12 years. As T. Boone Pickens has pointed out, we can not drill our way out of these realities.

CHINA

BUSH IS RIGHT TO ATTEND OLYMPICS IN BEIJING

Regarding Richard Halloran's Aug. 3 column "Beijing Olympics will be the most politicized since 1936":

Peaceful engagement is the smart way to push China toward the right direction.

Along with lessons from other crises, China demonstrated some improvements on media control in the recent earthquake and management of the Darfur issue. But, at this moment, a presidential boycott would be a strong symbolic statement and could intensify China's resentment toward the West.

President Bush's decision to attend the ceremonies while bringing human rights and Tibetan issues in another venue is correct. It saves face for the Chinese, an important cultural value, and serves as leverage for China's cooperation in human rights and international responsibility.

China should not interpret the attendance of President Bush as a sign of his unconditional support. At the same time, in keeping with the Olympic slogan of "One World, One Dream," China and some Chinese-controlled media finally recognize Taiwan's team as "Chunghua Taipei," which is an encouraging momentum for relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Meanwhile, let's hope China will seize this golden opportunity to demonstrate its peaceful rising. All eyes are wide open.

HAWAI'I FAMILY FESTIVAL

RIDE-WRISTBAND USE SHOULD BE EXPANDED

I enjoy going to the Hawai'i Family Festival at Magic Island, and I would like to see them change their hours for using the ride wristband.

All other events include Sunday noon to 6 p.m. for use of the ride wristband. This is the day and time that a lot of working families are able to take their children to an event such as this.

A lot of parents and children are disappointed when they find out that the ride wristband cannot be used during this day and time. How sad it is to see children unhappy because they can only ride two or three rides.

They should at least include this information when they run their advertisement so people will be informed.

TRANSIT

WHO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR RAIL?

Dawn Webster's Aug. 4 Island Voices column "Let leaders lead — it's why they were elected" sounds good. But it is commonly accepted that this mayor will run for governor in 2010. Win or lose, he will have to resign as mayor to run for governor. How do we on O'ahu hold him accountable then?

This (longest and most expensive) rail project will outlast most politicians who support it today, and the numbers do not add up.

The city will get $900 million from the federal government (maybe) and $3 billion raised by the excise tax (probably less as tourism is dropping and unemployment is rising). But let's accept the $3.9 billion figure; $3.7 billion for rail, $350 million for the airport spur. Comes to $4.05 billion. You do the math.

All this assumes there will be no unforeseen problems during construction. Also, since public transportation systems run at deficits, where is the money to pay for the electricity to run the system, the maintenance cost, employee salary and benefits, and graffiti cleanup (those concrete towers will be magnets)?

RAIL COST WILL LEAD US INTO A FINANCIAL MESS

One subject seriously bothers me about the future of the economy in Hawai'i that I haven't heard addressed: It's clear that the cost of oil is going to continue to go up due to increasing demand and decreasing supply. But, while there are other ways being developed to power cars, trucks, buses and ships, it does not appear that there is any other economical way to power airplanes than oil.

This means endless increases in airfares and a future in which only the wealthy will be able to come to Hawai'i.

We could easily lose one third of our tourists within the next five years.

This will have a trickle-down effect on our economy, and will mean much lower tax revenues.

How we are going to pay the $4 billion that is currently estimated for rail?

Given these facts, $4 billion for rail is an awful bite for taxpayers to have to chew.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann is on the verge of getting us into the same financial mess that President Bush has accomplished nationally.

It's time for new leaders who are able to realistically look forward. Help!

CONGRESS

DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO HELP EASE OIL PRICES

Congress adjourned on Friday for a month.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blocked votes that would have opened U.S. continental shelves to recover the 80 billion or so barrels (enough for 20-plus years of independence from OPEC and the like) of crude oil that lies there.

Democrats in Congress, each of whom "earn" almost $200,000 per year for part-time work, left Washington, D.C., after refusing to take action to counter the absurdly high price of fuel — preferring to ignore $4.50 per gallon gasoline and the flow of $700 billion a year to countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Iran.

Speaker Pelosi actually turned off the lights in the House chamber Friday to chase away Republicans who refused to leave.

It's clear the mere threat of prompt drilling affects the price of crude oil. President Bush's recent lifting of an executive order against drilling resulted in a 15 percent drop in price. Most oil experts agree that the claim that it will take 10 years for drilling to have an effect is bogus.

Hawai'i Sens. Daniel Inouye and Dan Akaka and Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono should expect no welcome-home parties. Their party leaders would rather pander to special-interest groups than the rest of us.

MIDEAST

MEMORY CLOUDED OVER U.S. STRUGGLE IN IRAQ

What is most troubling about Ellen Goodman's July 26 column "Iraq and America's summer of discontent" is the certainty with which she decries the great mistake of invading Iraq.

Her recollection seems to be void of some critical pre-invasion conditions, like the repeated refusals of the Hussein regime to honor U.N.-mandated inspections of some particularly nasty WMD-related locations and facilities.

Her selective memory is convenient for the purposes of her column, but it boxes her into the same critical corner with which she attempts to paint the president and Sen. John McCain.

How can she possibly know with perfect clarity that a regime that has used WMD on its own people and during its war with Iran would not have collaborated with al-Qaida to allow the terrorists to keep the momentum with dirty bombs? We could clearly not take that chance.

The brave Americans who have given their all in the fight in Iraq have done so mindful of the grim probable outcome if the Hussein regime continued unchecked. This is why we thank and honor our military heroes.

I am certain that Ms. Goodman shares in this gratitude, but it's tough to square it when she allows politics to cloud her memory of this great struggle of our times.

MAHALO

ALOHA SPIRIT STILL LIVES, EVEN IN TOUGH TIMES

On July 30, my sister was on her way to Honolulu International Airport to come home to Hilo when she realized that she had lost her wallet with her ID.

A kind and honest man named Al from Keolu Hills found her wallet, and it was subsequently returned to us.

Thank you, Al, for showing us that aloha spirit is still alive here even in these hard and stressful times.

MAPUANA DE SILVA

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES AD'S TRUISM IS REFRESHING

I really dig the Hawaiian Airline commercial that features Mapuana de Silva's halau from Kailua, O'ahu.

She emulates so much truism that it's refreshing. In a time when worldly issues dominate our daily lives, it's so calming to realize that the idealisms of hula can bring such insight.

The commitment to hula is huge. The rewards are priceless. Hula is more than entertainment. It's a lifestyle.

Mahalo, Mapuana. Mahalo, Hawaiian Airlines.