Get legislative updates at Rotunda Roundups

Even civic-minded folks can have trouble keeping up with the lawmaking churn this time of year.

Fear not, citizens: Common Cause Hawaii and Kanu Hawaii, nonprofit sheriffs of the legislative Wild West, will corral it all for you. Just turn up at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, and every Thursday, in the state Capitol rotunda.

Sponsors say the time was set to offer convenience to people who can’t take time off work but still want to keep up. There may be details about guest speakers posted on the Common Cause Hawaii Facebook page and Twitter feed (@CommonCauseHI).

At each of these weekly "Rotunda Roundups," all will be made clear — or at least as clear as the doings of our politicians can be.

Have we seen the last of $4-or-less gasoline?

The adage that whatever goes up has to come down may not apply to gasoline, now that it has crossed the $4-a-gallon brink in Hawaii.

Combine Middle East instability with the sharp increase in the number of automobiles in China and India, add the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and expect prices to continue to go up.

Ironically, oil prices fell in recent days as investors reportedly expected Japan’s damaged factories to close, cutting down on energy use.

However, oil and gas will be needed to replace uranium, which has accounted for one-fourth of Japan’s electricity.