• KIUC charges fair? • Renewable energy way to go • Corn syrup and obesity • Waimea’s on the map • A woman for the White House KIUC charges fair? I called KIUC and was told they have approximately 65,000
• KIUC charges fair?
• Renewable energy way to go
• Corn syrup and obesity
• Waimea’s on the map
• A woman for the White House
KIUC charges fair?
I called KIUC and was told they have approximately 65,000 customer accounts. How on earth can they justify doubling the charges on each and every account to make up for their increased fuel costs? Seems to me a dollar per account would be enough. An extra $1 per account would give KIUC an increased income of $65,000 per month, or $780,000 every year. Wouldn’t that be enough to cover their extra fuel costs? And if they charged their large commercial customers an additional amount, they could bring in extra millions each year.
Assuming KIUC doesn’t have to pay the same retail prices that we ordinary people pay at the pump, and assuming their fuel costs doubled, they still would not be justified in passing along 100 percent of their increases to every customer. Instead, they should apply a proportional formula, charging each customer a proportional fraction of their increased costs.
The average person is being hit with huge increases in every bill they pay, from groceries to gasoline to utility costs. Just two examples: a gallon of milk, which cost $4 only a few years ago, is now $8 per gallon. My gasoline costs have doubled, from about $1.79 per gallon in 1994 to $3.59 last week. Paying double for everything might be OK if individual income doubled as well. Some people do have salary increases every year, but not usually 100 percent. Other people, especially retired people, have no raises at all yet still have to pay these exorbitant prices.
In addition to this injustice, I must ask how short-sighted can KIUC be? They are just now catching on to the need for alternative fuels, when that should have been their number one priority from the time plans were first made to purchase Kaua‘i Electric in 1999. It is the duty of political leaders and utility monopolies to do far-reaching advance planning; but as we have seen time and time again, they always seem to be playing “catch up.” A major problem, as I see it, is that they listen only to themselves and their supporters and shut out the voices out there crying in the wilderness.
Barbara Elmore
Lihu‘e
Renewable energy way to go
Some may rail against wind generators because they could spoil the scenery. This should not be the main argument against renewable energy. Wind, solar, hydro-generators are the current known solutions to our dependency on fossil fuels. Global warming and peak oil are urgent considerations and we have to take appropriate action. Renewable energy from many sources is needed and it will be utilized because we must — because of the dangers of burning fossil fuels and because of increasing fossil fuel scarcity. The real case to be made here is against the “business-as-usual” solution.
Sustainability and resilience are goals that will help us provide most of our essential needs: food, water and energy from multiple sources so that in the event of large-scale system failures that we may soon be faced with, local collapse could be averted because our local community has the resources to fend for itself. This is the quality that has been systematically eroded by the globalization process. The time for seeing globalization as a viable future, or localization and sustainability as some kind of lifestyle choice, is over.
We need KIUC directors that are forward-thinking, up to the challenges that are upon us, and willing to go against the popular “business-as-usual” choices.
David Ward
Lihu‘e
Corn syrup and obesity
The March 2 column “Down with King Corn,” A8, may mislead consumers about high fructose corn syrup.
Dr. Walter Willett, Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Department Chairman, told The New York Times, “There’s no substantial evidence to support the idea that high-fructose corn syrup is somehow responsible for obesity.”
New research continues to confirm that high fructose corn syrup is safe and no different from other common sweeteners like sugar and honey.
High fructose corn syrup is a natural sweetener and has the same number of calories as sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup “Generally Recognized as Safe” status for use in food, and reaffirmed that ruling in 1996 after thorough review.
High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits, too. It keeps foods fresh. It enhances fruit and spice flavors. It retains moisture in bran cereals and helps keep breakfast bars moist.
Consumers can see the latest research and learn more at www.HFCSfacts.com.
Audrae Erickson, president, Corn Refiners Association
Washington, D.C
Waimea’s on the map
As a former Waimea High School graduate and a Waimea, Kaua‘i, resident I was happy to hear that the West Kaua‘i Business and Professional Association and the business community are keeping Waimea on the map by having their annual Waimea Town Celebration. When I left Kaua‘i in 1955 for Iowa I thought the town of Waimea was on the slide.
I visited Waimea in 2007 and found that the town of Waimea is getting more business and atracting more tourists to Waimea with many new shops and eating places as well as food specialty shops. I wish I was there for the celebration as I miss the local food and malasadas. It’s great to know that Waimea is growing and the wonderful people living there are making the difference. I’m proud to say that I was born and raised in Waimea.
Robert Inouye
Roland, Iowa
A woman for the White House
Most voters agree that the Democrats have fielded two fine presidential candidates.
There are two choices. Should voters, including all women, vote to break the most impenetrable glass ceiling, and elect a woman president of the United States? Or should the voters vote for the first African American presidential candidate in our history?
I believe that if we blow this rare opportunity to elect a woman, it will be a very long time before another such chance presents itself. I believe that in the future there will be far more opportunities to elect a black president than to elect a woman.
Name recognition being a most important element in a successful run for president, there are so many more African American men of the stature required than there are women of any race.
I repeat: Women voters of America, put your money where your mouth is. Don’t blow your greatest opportunity to advance your status since you received the right to vote.
Harry Boranian
Lihu‘e
