Hanabusa: Political Insiders are My Strength
Trump To Replace 'Liberal Lion' Of The Ninth Circuit
Tax Burden: Hawaii Ranks #2
Blue Planet: Working to Keep Electricity Expensive and Dirty so Silicon Valley Billionaires can Cash In
CB: Several years ago, when then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie was crafting an energy policy for Hawaii, he was hardly impressed by Blue Planet Foundation’s ambitious plans for pushing the state into an all-renewable energy future. In a speech, he referred to the foundation’s ideas as “magical thinking.”
Later, recalls Jeff Mikulina, Blue Planet’s executive director, “He actually called me ‘Harry Potter.'”
The particular issue was Abercrombie’s push for using liquefied natural gas, along with renewable fuels, as a cleaner substitute to replace the dirty coal and diesel that fuel many of Hawaii’s power plants — and as an inexpensive alternative for a state that pays the nation’s highest electric rates. Blue Planet had been opposing LNG, even as a bridge to renewables.
Reality for the Few who can handle it: Clean Energy Fail: While Most States Clean Up, Hawaii CO2 Emissions Rise Since '08
read … Fluff Piece
Fox, Henhouse: Ige Picks Union Member to Chair BoE
CB: Catherine Payne has been a teacher, vice principal and principal during her 36-year tenure with Hawaii’s public schools.
Now she’s positioned to step into a new leadership role as chairwoman of the Hawaii Board of Education for a three-year term starting July 1, pending Senate confirmation.
Payne, whom Gov. David Ige nominated last week as chair of the nine-member panel to replace the outgoing Lance Mizumoto, would be the first board chair in at least a decade who is an educator.
(Skip multiple paragraphs of rhetoric justifying the selection of a former HSTA member)
read … Ige’s Pick To Lead School Board Has An Unusual Background: Education
Molokai Mule Tour Operator Copies Coco Palms ‘Royal Patent’ Scheme
ILind: …A post here earlier in the week took a brief look at a legal dispute over land used for mule tours to Kalaupapa (“Dispute over Molokai mule rides makes NYT“).
After looking at more of the documents in the case, the situation is even worse than I thought.
The royal patents claimed by the family of the tour operators were only recently granted by themselves in a wild attempt to rewrite history and historical records.
And the basic document filed in federal court was followed by a series of similar pseudo-legal gobbledygook, clearly designed just to delay or sidetrack a legal proceeding rather than presenting any kind of plausible legal case. It’s painfully obvious that this is total and complete gibberish.
You can check out the document filed in federal court on behalf of Kalaupapa Rare Tours LLC using this link…
read … How to identify and avoid “pseudo law”
Wisdom: Don’t rush to ban sunscreens that can prevent skin cancer
SA: …It’s not just the Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hawaii Department of Health, American Cancer Society, American Academy of Dermatology and the Hawaii Dermatological Society that understand the importance of sunscreens. Please also consider the 2 out of 3 people in Hawaii who say they use sunscreens, and the 4 out of 5 Hawaii parents who use sunscreen to protect their children, in addition to the over 9 million visitors who come to Hawaii from around the world each year.
The very limited and questionable science that falsely accuses sunscreens for reef damage is dwarfed by volumes of local and international studies about the real threats to reefs which you stated yourselves: sewage, pollution, and the biggest offender, climate change. How is it that Midway island’s reef suffers the same damage that Oahu has, without the population and sunscreens? Recent independent studies of Oahu coastal waters have shown the levels of oxybenzone to be in the range of 1-2 parts per trillion, far below the levels that the laboratory study showed causing reef damage. We need legislative action to address the real threats not theoretical threats….
An arguably more important concern is the indisputable evidence that links the tragedy of sun exposure to the epidemic of skin cancer including melanoma, resulting in health care costs escalating and in some cases, death…..
read … Don’t rush to ban sunscreens that can prevent skin cancer
Schatz Claims GOP dedicated to making climate change worse
TH: "The Republican Party is the only major political party on the planet that is explicitly dedicated to making climate change worse," he tweeted.
"Climate change is real, caused by humans, and solvable."
(Fascinating: But what about this ‘inconvenient’ little slice of Democrat Reality: Clean Energy Fail: While Most States Clean Up, Hawaii CO2 Emissions Rise Since '08?)
read … Schatz: GOP the only major political party dedicated to making climate change worse
Hawaii Dem Legislators Push Fee Hike on Electric Cars
SA: …Charging hybrid and electric vehicle owners more for their vehicle registration because they’re not using gasoline is the most foolish thing I’ve ever heard (“Fee increase proposed for electric, hybrid cars,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 22)….
SA: Electric cars overtake gas cars in isle road map
read … Tax Hike
Suicide Squad Begins Push for Censorship
DK: The folks at DeathWithDignity.com also state that “in fact, terminally ill patients who legally access the Death with Dignity Act find the word ‘suicide’ offensive and inaccurate. Many have publicly expressed that the term is hurtful and derogatory to them and their loved ones.”
read … Thought Control
Insurance Bonanza: Kill off Gramps and Cash In on Life Insurance
SA: …Question: Regarding dying with dignity, will this be an out for insurance companies not to pay off life insurance policies due to what they classify as a suicide?
Answer: No. Hawaii’s law forbids it, and an industry spokesman says life insurers wouldn’t be inclined to do it anyway. “We are not interested in denying benefits to terminally ill people who exercise this option. In fact, many of our members offer accelerated death benefits to allow terminally ill people to access their policy benefits before they die,” ….
Although many people assume otherwise, death by suicide generally does not disqualify a life insurance payment, unless the suicide occurs within two years of the policy’s purchase, Dolan and other experts said….
Moreover, Hawaii’s aid-in-dying law (808ne.ws/hiaid) states that the person’s death certificate shall list the terminal illness as the immediate cause of death and that actions under the law “shall not, for any purpose, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing, murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide” or any other criminal conduct. The law also says that there shall be “no effect upon a life, health or accident insurance or annuity policy” of a qualified patient.
The law, which takes effect Jan. 1 (so don’t kill gramps before then!)….
read … Kill off Gramps and Cash in!
Hawaii island police are investigating an officer involved murder-suicide
KHON: …At 3:25p.m. Sunday afternoon, officers responded to a home in the Pacific Paradise Gardens subdivision in Mountain View.
According to police, officers found the lifeless bodies of a male and female at the residence. They say one of the deceased is a police officer.
Detectives have classified the case as a murder and suicide. An autopsy will be conducted this week to determine the exact cause of deaths.
The identities of the victims have not yet been released….
HTH: Cousin of woman identifies couple in murder-suicide
SA: The police officer served 11 1/2 years with the Hawaii County Police Department.
read … Hawaii island police are investigating an officer involved murder-suicide
UPW Members Torture Septic Haulers
WHT: …First and foremost, haulers say they need to get through the gates at WWTF. Hours of operation are 7-11 a.m. and 12-2 p.m. Access times have more or less remained the same over the years, Miguel conceded.
However, he said within the last several months the county has implemented a new “one-sided” contract haulers must sign if they want to use the facility.
“Basically, it states they can turn people away at any time,” said Miguel, adding it’s happened to him without warning.
Kucharski said the permit application remains unchanged, adding the stipulation exists “so that if operational issues at the (WWTF) are occurring, the county can modify the receiving times and where the waste is pumped at the facility.”
The second, and perhaps most vexing issue for haulers, is the 24-hour advance appointment requirement. Wilton said the stipulation doesn’t fit with the nature of the industry.
“To call 24 hours ahead we’d have to call every single day because you never know when you’re going to get a pump. A lot of people call me in the afternoon (or after hours) with emergencies,” said Wilton, noting Kona Commons and Kona Community Hospital have each been after-hours customers. “We need 24-hour access in case of emergencies.”….
read … Union Work Rules
Anti-Superferry Pacific Whale Buys New Mini-Superferry for Whale Watching
MN: The vessel is an “ultra-smooth power catamaran with 149-passenger capacity,” an announcement says. “The state-of-the-art vessel has two decks, shaded stadium seating on the bow, an aft viewing area dubbed the ‘selfie-station,’ aluminum cafe seating throughout, plus Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ‘heads’ or restrooms.”
Capt. Doug Hunt said an exciting feature of the vessel is its toggle steering.
“This allows us to steer the ship from two wing helms, in addition to the pilothouse,” he said.
Ocean Guardian’s eco-friendly features include its energy-efficient, low-emissions tier 3 engines. It’s also outfitted with whale-protection devices that guide whales away from propellers and running gear. (Yep. Unlike the jet-powered Superferry, this boat has whale-killing propellers.)
read … Hypocrites
Legislative News:
QUICK HITS: