November 6, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Friday, November 6, 2009

November 6, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 12:04 PM :: 4327 Views

LINK: Alleged Ft Hood shooter allegedly praised suicide bombers, other Muslim shooters

100 schools get OK to boost class time

Of course the DoE and HSTA could have negotiated this in the contract, but that would have served the interests of children's education at the expense of an opportunity to create political pressure for tax increases. First thing first!

If your school is not on the list you have until Nov 13 to make it happen. Don't let them talk you out of taking ALL of the "prof development" days--they are useless.

ADV: 95 Hawaii schools given approval to increase instructional time (Well? Which is it? 95 or 100?)

REALITY: Furloughs: How Unions and the DoE aim to co-opt protesting parents

Lawmakers still cool to session on schools

After meeting with Democratic House colleagues for almost three hours yesterday, House Speaker Calvin Say said he would prefer to address the matter during the 2010 regular session.

"At the end of the day, we just decided to have the speaker and maybe (Senate) President (Colleen) Hanabusa draft a letter to the parties to get their act together to go back to the bargaining table on behalf of the students in the state of Hawaii," said Say (D, St. Louis Heights-Palolo Valley-Wilhelmina Rise).

EXPLAINED: HGEA vs HSTA: The coming legislative budget crisis

Public grills lawmakers

Every time the voters are asked whether the Department of Education should be under the direction of the governor, the proposal is voted down, (Rep Bob Herkes) said.

(Then it should be a simple matter or legislators to put the matter to the voters one more time. Obviously we need an issue campaign to win voter support for the measure this time.)

SB: Diverse finalists vie to be top cop (political correctness gone mad)

SB: "The six finalists in the search for Honolulu's next police chief make up a diverse group, including a woman, an African-American, two Asians and a native Hawaiian."

(Think political correctness might trump skill and experience at the Star-Bulletin? What if the Hawaiian is part-Asian? Does he get extra points for that? Or lose? Do the Asians get extra points if their are of 'mixed' Asian ancestry. Japanese-Chinese = how many points? Filipino-Okinawan? Do they lose points for being part-Haole? Or gain? Its not fair to have a secret scoring system. The Police Commission should spell it out so young women will know exactly who to marry so their son or daughter will have a shot at chief in a few decades.)

(OK, just to be fair, the SB does mention some of the candidates qualifications waaaay down at the bottom of the article.)

ADV: List of applicants for Honolulu police chief pared down to six (Oddly, the Advertiser spends quite a bit of effort detailing the qualifications and experience of the various candidates and doesn't mention their ethnic background even once.)

EXPLAINED: Antonio Gramsci Reading List

Economists see 2011 recovery

In all the fluff, one line of no-nonsense analysis: "...next year more people will lose jobs, and the rate of inflation and unemployment will move up...."

Thanks, Obama: 10% Unemployment Shows Objective Failure of Obama Stimulus

Health insurance companies signal rate hikes in January

Hawaii Medical Service Association, the state's largest insurer with just under 700,000 members, has filed a request with the state Insurance Division to raise premiums an average of 9.9 percent for its large businesses that consist of more than 200 employees. This year, HMSA's average rate increase for its large businesses was 11.4 percent, while in July of this year, HMSA raised rates an average of 12.1 percent for small businesses on its most popular preferred provider plan.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, which lost $1.9 million through the first six months of this year, is seeking a 10.7 percent rate increase that would be the largest by the health maintenance organization since 2005. Kaiser, which overall has 224,000 members, also is requesting a rate increase of 12.8 percent for 14,000 members who seek individual coverage. The proposed increases do not apply to Kaiser's Medicare and QUEST (Medicaid) members.

(Hawaii is a model for Obamacare. Isn't it wonderful!)

Home sales on Big Island and Kauai rose in October

"I recently sold a 1,270-square-foot home for $130,000 in Hawaiian Shores Recreation Estates on the Big Island," he said. "The same house would have sold for $265,000 in 2005."

Dinits said bargain hunters are coming from Oahu and Maui, California, Oregon, Alaska and Canada.

The $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit, combined with the price drop, also has lured buyers who could not afford to participate during the last cycle, he said.

"There are houses selling for $70,000," Dinits said.

Restore housing office, group urges

The gathering was organized by (religious left) Faith Action for Community Equity, which is pushing for the city to do more to address the lack of affordable housing. The Rev. Bob Nakata, the O'ahu FACE president, said there is no better time for the city to start looking more closely at ways to address affordable housing. "The city needs coherent housing policy, he said....He said Honolulu is the only city in the nation with more than 200,000 people that does not have a housing office."

Yes, a Housing Office to hand out grants to all the "non-profits"

Here's what this is all about: Defeating the "homelessness industry" before it gets a grip on Hawaii

DLNR explains fee hikes; proposed payers upset

MAALAEA — Small boat Capt. Vincent Finazzo said Wednesday he was unhappy with a proposed state Department of Land and Natural Resources plan to upgrade parks and harbors, in part, by upping his daily mooring fee from $18.50 to $70 a day.

KONA: Boaters reject DLNR plan

Hawaii Co. Council delays action on contested bills

The council faced 4-4 votes on both Bill 132, requiring greater transparency in all county land sales greater than 10 acres or $500,000, and Resolution 216, authorizing the county's sale of 737 acres of Hamakua farmland. Five votes are required to pass a measure under council rules.

White powder delays UH Warriors football practice, investigated by FBI

From an HPD report: "Football practice at U.H. Manoa was delayed on Friday for nearly two hours. One of the offensive players, while on his way to the locker room, happened to look down and noticed a suspicious looking, unknown, white powdery substance on the practice field. The head coach, Greg McMackin, immediately suspended practice while the FBI was called in to investigate. After a complete field analysis, the FBI determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line. Practice was resumed when the FBI decided that the team would not be likely to encounter the substance again."

(Did KSSK fall for this gag?)