Entries for October 2011

...he wished conservative lawmakers "had some notion of what it was like to be on the other side of a gun, or [to have] a 200-pound man standing over you, telling you to submit."

The four communities - Clackamas County, Ore; Essex County, Mass; Saline County, Ark; and Tarrant County, Texas - are part of the Honest Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) project and funded through the Second Chance Act of 2007 ....

...Scott O'Neal, the counselor named in the lawsuit, and his lawyer, Randall K. Schmidt, fired back with a request to enjoin Green from making further media statements to ensure a fair trial....

Road closures, parking restrictions, and changes to public transportation routes and public works services will be necessary during the APEC Economic Leaders’ meetings beginning the evening of November 11 through November 13.

File Photo: Gaddafi greets Nation of Islam boss, Louis Farrakhan.

Former Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi is dead from wounds he suffered during his capture near his hometown of Sirte, according to Reuters reports.

“It was an extremely productive trip that will benefit Hawai'i as we look to strengthen our economy,” Governor Abercrombie said.

The Office of the Governor is pleased to announce it has submitted its application today for the “Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge” grant competition, a new federal funding opportunity by the Obama Administration.

The Senate today will begin the markup of Harkin's 860-page proposal to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), now known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

If the 1909 statute made assisted suicide legal, which it does not, then Hawaii would quickly become a breeding ground for abuse of those at the worst time in their lives – those who are sick and contemplating suicide.

She took the opportunity to relay her decision to run, the reasons behind it as well as priority issues she will focus on if she becomes Hawaii's next U.S. Senator to enthusiastic residents on Kauai, Maui and Hilo and Kona....

Linda Lingle's image has rebounded over the last 7 months after she left office unpopular, and it looks like she might be able to make the Hawaii Senate race competitive. 

Horizon Lines completed a complicated $652.8 million refinancing that saves the largest U.S. domestic ocean carrier from bankruptcy and will leave bondholders with most of the company's stock. 

In Hawaii Cain is at 36% to 24% for Romney, 8% for Gingrich and Perry, 6% for Bachmann, 4% for Paul, and 1% each for Huntsman, Johnson, and Santorum. 

Lingle is at 88% approval in the GOP Senate Primary.

 ...

Sheila Weinberg spoke in Hawaii Tuesday, Oct. 11 on "Government Accounting: The Seen and the Unseen -- What Needs to be Done?"

Kathryn Tucker, Director of Legal Affairs for Compassion & Choices, claims that physician-assisted suicide, which she terms "aid in dying," is already legal in Hawaii.  Her claim, based in part on a 1909 statute, fails for the reasons set forth below.

Thursday, October 13, on Public Television's KHET Channel 10, Governor Cayetano and Cliff Slater were part of an Island Insights discussion of rail. They were joined by former Honolulu City Councilmember Gary Okino and Drew Astolfi, head of FACE....

The Star Advertiser report on jobs associated with the rail project is pure editorial posing as reportage....

On Sunday, these anti-capitalist protesters got a helping hand from none other than the President of the United States.

According to the most recent U.S. Solar Market Insight report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Hawaii grew to 7.2 megawatts in the second quarter of 2011.

Prior to joining DBEDT, Glick headed operations and economic development for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs....

The group of taxpayers now seek review in the U.S. Supreme Court. Cato, joined by the Pacific Legal Foundation, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, the Goldwater Institute, and Professor Paul M. Sullivan, filed a brief urging the Court to take the case ....

United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act - Vote Passed (278-151, 4 Not Voting)

The House passed this trade agreement with South Korea. The Senate approved the bill later in the day and the president is expected to sign it into law.  (Hirono voted NO.)

Today marks the 1,000th day of Barack Obama's presidency....

A squad of DoTAX bureaucrats pounding on doors—desperately seeking a scapegoat.

This is bigotry buttressed by irrelevance fortified with invincible ignorance.

Law enforcement officials have reported an influx of criminal groups and independent growers from the West Coast who are relocating to Hawaii .... they often find medical marijuana certificates while serving search and arrest warrants but seize far greater amounts of marijuana than allowed by law, in addition to other illicit drugs and weapons….

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan's former Chief Administrative Officer claims she was fired for protesting that the putative nonprofit was "funneling funds to related for-profit Kaiser entities ... (and) using its fraudulently obtained tax-exempt status to fuel its market expansion/dominance."

The bulk of the $14 trillion debt the nation has borrowed is from other nations.

Djou for Hawaii campaign raised $81,410 in the first 6 weeks of the campaign. The campaign had 411 donors and the average contribution was just under $200. 91% of the money raised was from Hawaii donors and 99% came from individual donors. The campaign has $243,931.70 on hand.

Saturday Oct. 15 Kona, Sunday Oct. 16 Hilo

If rail transit becomes a reality, what will be its effect be on Hawaii real estate?

We averaged the Runway Incident Rate-the total number of runway incidents divided by the total number of runway operations (takeoffs and landings)-over the five years covered in our survey period.

This is a map of Pallada’s route through model-projected debris field as of September 25.

Residents of Hawaii’s largest public housing facility began returning to renovated units this month. They enjoyed the fruits of a public-private partnership that supporters worry will not be replicated in the future because of threats to the status of tax-exempt bonds that underpinned the project’s financing.

Moody's notes particular concern with respect to recent financial results, with evidence of accelerating adverse trends in the company's Defence Electronics and Aeronautics business lines now also negatively impacting margins and exacerbating longer-term restructuring needs related to its Transport rolling stock operations.

The President proposed permanently raising taxes by $1.5 trillion over 10 years....

...with former Gov. Linda Lingle’s announcement this week that she would run for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Dan Akaka, this race moves from the Solid Democratic column to Toss Up....

Little noticed outside financial circles, a tax increase in the bill would have sharply increased the cost of borrowing for state and local governments nationwide.

Latest "millionaire surtax" proposal would put Hawaii tax rates above Denmark, Sweden, California, and New York....

The DOE public schools enroll 172,104 (+2,117 from last year) students, about 95 percent of the total; while charter schools have 9,109 (+907), or 5 percent of the total.

Hanabusa calls Lingle an "extremely good politician" and a "formidable candidate" with an uncanny ability to connect with voters.

"Because assisted dying is legal, it won't be a clandestine practice any longer. Physicians will be able to openly discuss the best practices.... Hawaii is a prohibition-free state.”

Yesterday, America learned that Iran conspired to launch a terrorist attack in Washington, D.C., with a planned assassination of the Saudi ambassador and bomb attacks on the Saudi and Israeli embassies.

Two men have been charged in what law enforcement officials say was a bombing plot in the United States approved by senior members Iran's Revolutionary Guard Quds Force.

The plot targeted the Saudi ambassador to the United States for assassination and may have included other targets including the Israeli embassy,...

Lingle stressed that one of her strengths is getting people to work together regardless of party affiliation, a concept that she believes is in short supply in Washington.

“Hawaii is taking another bold step forward to accelerate education reform, raise accountability, and ensure all students graduate college- and career-ready,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said in a news release, displaying her ability to say exactly the opposite of the truth with a straight face.