U.S. Supreme Court Requests a Response from Hawaii in Nader Ballot Access Case
Bachmann visit shows there is hope for the left after all
Inouye introduces Felony Fishing Bill
Hawaii Meth Project Sponsors Student Artwork at the State Capitol
SB 197: Senate Committee to debate Dim Bulbs Feb 8
SB602: Legalized Gambling to be heard Thursday Feb 10
House Hawaiian Affairs Ctte Hearing TODAY On State-Recognized Indian Tribe for Hawaii
The Akaka bill may be on life-support in the U.S. Senate, but the state may still pay for establishing recognition of a Hawaiian nation.
House Bill 1627, set to be heard at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow — yes, Saturday — in Conference Room 329, would "establishes procedures for state recognition of a first nation government" and appropriate funds accordingly.
It's the only bill on the schedule, and it will be heard by House Hawaiian Affairs. The dollar amount is not specified.
Even if HB 1627 makes it out of this committee, it faces tough questioning in House Judiciary and House Finance.
RELATED: A State-Recognized Indian Tribe for Hawaii?
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Pensioner: Abercrombie makes me vomit
With Linda Lingle, I thought things couldn't get any worse. With Neil Abercrombie, the worst is yet to come.
His proposals have insulted me. If one more politician tells me I have to share the sacrifice for their incompetence mismanaging government, I will vomit.
Abercrombie contributed to this financial debacle. We've forgotten Abercrombie's history raising taxes during 20 years in Congress; abandoning office to run for governor cost Hawaii more than $1 million; paying off union backers adding $18 million to their health care.
As a three-time cancer survivor, I wish sugar daddy Neil contributed to my health care instead of me paying.
I'm in my 60s, retired (not by choice), living on fixed income. Neil plans on taking away my individual income tax exemption and taxing my pension. Regarding Neil's priority - education - he'll reach into my wallet to fund that, too.
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Hawaii unemployment, underemployment averaged 16.9% in 2010
Hawaii did worse than the nation last year as a whole in terms of the broadest measure of unemployment.
Figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show 16.9 percent of people able to work were either unemployed or underutilized last year, or higher than the nation’s 16.7 percent rate.
SA: A new forecast predicts increases in the industry even if the rail project is delayed
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Star-Advertiser co-owner backs Abercrombie's Secrecy
Dan “GroveFarm” Case: “We felt that many, if not most, of the attorneys believed to be the best attorneys in the state would not apply for a judgeship if their applications would be made public because it might well affect the goodwill of their clients, as well as their partners and associates, whether put on the ultimate list or not.”
This kind of secrecy is alleged to have served Mr. Case very well in his dealings with the Wilcox family over Grove Farm.
Secrecy and deception are very profitable: GROVE FARM - A HOUSE DIVIDED
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More Lies from Abercrombie Admin: Hawaii Health Department Director Gary Gill must go
Carroll Cox was met with a barrage of misinformation, stonewalling, lies and character assassination in the form of a January 27, 2011, Honolulu City and County press release labeling key elements of Cox's statements as "false and incorrect information,"
In a published interview (January 28, 2010) with Hawaii's Civil Beat, Gill said the release of the contaminated water and debris had been approved by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.) Gill quickly backtracked on his statement after Cox called the EPA and learned the Deputy Health Director 's statements were not true. Now, according to Civil Beat, Gill is claiming, he started working at the Department of Health on Jan. 3 and could not speak to what had happened before his tenure."
Cox says, "This too is an outright fabrication. Gill's appointment was announced on December 18th, 2010, and I have it on good authority -- from eye witnesses -- that Gill was taken on a tour of the problematic landfill and briefed by officials of the Solid; Hazardous Waste Branch of Hawai`i's Department of Health in late December of 2010 -- weeks before these recent disasters. He knew about the potentially catastrophic situation long before January 3, 2011 and he failed to act."
Cox: NEEDLES AND OTHER NONSENSE
HNN: Local haulers feel pinch of landfill closure
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The Gay Advantage: McKenna wins Senate Judiciary vote
Retired Associate Supreme Court Justice Steven “Broken Trust” Levinson told the committee: “In my opinion, Judge McKenna exhibits all of the attributes that are required of a trial and appellate court judge.”
Last week, Hee, discussing pending legislation that would permit civil unions between gay couples, cited McKenna as an individual who would benefit from the bill.
Committee member Sen. Sam Slom, R-8th, (Hawaii Kai, Aina Haina, Kahala, Diamond Head), later objected to Hee’s introduction of McKenna’s name in the civil union debate.
McKenna told the committee that she had permitted Hee to use her name in his comments, but that after she saw news reports of Hee’s comments, she checked with the state Judicial Conduct Commission to see if she had acted appropriately.
(Naturally) The commission determined this week that she had violated no judicial ethical canons, McKenna said. they wanted to support her nomination specifically because she is so obviously biased and political. And putting the Commission’s imprimatur on it completes the humiliation.
Slom, the only Republican member of the senate, joined his colleagues on the committee in supporting McKenna’s nomination.
(It is an advantage, not a disadvantage, to be gay.)
SA: Nominee to Supreme Court easily wins Senate panel's OK
KITV: Abercrombie Picked Openly Gay Judge For High Court
CB: Bar Association Says McKenna Is Qualified (But Leonard was not)
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OIP becomes tool to undo Recreational Renaissance
But the BLNR failed to meet that standard when it announced its plans to consider changing portions of all administrative rules -- 16 chapters -- applying to the DLNR's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, according to the opinion signed by Cathy Takase, OIP acting director.
The agenda listed only proposed amendments to Chapter 230 and subsequent chapters. Part of the state's "recreational renaissance," some of the changes dealt with fees the state charges at specific harbors, although the agenda didn't indicate that.
"OIP finds that the Aug. 14 agenda was not sufficient under the Sunshine Law because it does not reasonably allow a member of the public to understand what rule amendments the BLNR was discussing," Takase states in her three-page opinion.
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US Supreme Court asked to consider if Hawaii’s non-judicial foreclosure law is Unconstitutional
Bill would hold publishers liable for accidents while trespassing
LIHU‘E — Two bills moving through Senate and the House could change the entire travel writing business in Hawai‘i.
SB 1208 and HB 552 require authors and publishers of travel publications that encourage readers to trespass to access an attraction to be held liable for injuries sustained by the reader on such property.
“You won’t be seeing any more books about Hawai‘i from Mainland publishers because they’re going to be terrified about this bill,” said Andrew Doughty, co-author of The Ultimate Kaua‘i Guidebook.
Rep. Jimmy Tokioka, D-Lihu‘e-Koloa, co-introducer the House bill, said the bill addresses publications that encourage people to go to dangerous places such as Kipu Falls, in Puhi, knowing that to get there the readers will have to walk through private property.
Kipu Falls has been the site of many serious injuries and deaths. The last person to die there was in December, when a 26-year-old O‘ahu visitor drowned after diving off the falls.
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Chromium 6 Scam: Expert Witness readies himself to profit from Erin Brockovich Assault on Honolulu
Chromium 6 can be dangerous and has been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Chronic exposure has been shown to result in DNA damage and gene mutations. Trivalent chromium (chromium 3), on the other hand, is a human nutrient. The problem is that when chromium 6 enters the body, it does its damage rather quickly and then converts to chromium 3. As such, it is not possible to test blood levels for the more toxic form.
(The reality is that Chromium 6 causes cancer WHEN INHALED. When ingested it is quickly transformed into Chromium 3 when it reacts with stomach acid. It is not possible to test blood levels for Chromium 6 because Chromium 6 never reaches the bloodstream. The statement “it does its damage rather quickly and then converts to chromium 3” is ridiculous and supported by exactly ZERO science.)
The author Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. (And as a “legal medicine” practitioner – available as an expert witness in Erin Brockovich’s cases -- therefore may make a buck on this scam.)
REALITY: Honolulu is #2 on Erin Brockovich hexavalent chromium hit list
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Tree Huggers begin burning trees
Hamakua's signature stands of eucalyptus are starting to come down, following years of delays and numerous missteps in local plans to make use of the sappy evergreen.
The fragrant wood is being cut at Paauilo and stacked at Kawaihae Harbor. The logs will be heading to Oahu, to be tested as a fuel in the coal-fired generator near Kapolei operated by AES Hawaii Inc., according to officials in the industry.
About 3,300 tons of the wood will be used for the experiment, but it's not known whether a successful test will increase the industry's appetite for the wood.
(These clowns can be talked into anything.)
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Powerful year for solar energy in Hawaii
Based on data compiled by Hawaiian Electric Co., installations more than doubled between 2009 and 2010. During 2010, a total of 3,967 solar systems were connected to the utility grids, compared to 2009 when 1,916 systems were installed. In 2010, the systems added an extra 13 megawatts of solar capacity on the islands of Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, raising the total megawatt capacity to 33 mw.
(When producing at full capacity) This represents about 2 percent of the three islands’ combined peak energy demand.
WHY THE RUSH? Here’s why: Federal Cash Giveaway: Wind Energy Developers get one-year extension
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Senate Committee Votes to Decriminalize Marijuana
A bill that would effectively decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana has been approved by the state Judiciary Committee.
The measure would classify possession of up to an ounce of cannabis –what one law enforcement official described as 56 individual joints – as “a civil violation subject to a fine not to exceed $100.”
In response to opposition from law enforcement agencies, the committee voted to add language in the bill to make it clear that possession of marijuana, regardless of the one-ounce threshold, would still technically be classified as a crime.
(Marijuana makes perfectly good human beings into liberals, hence the urgency.)
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Obama's Visit Cost HPD $228,000 In OT
HPD said it spent $228,000 in overtime for the president's most recent visit. The department's costs for the visit were actually much higher, since many police officers were assigned to protect the president during their regular shifts. Those costs that are not reflected in the $228,000.
Last year, HPD reported spending $248,000 in overtime for his previous visit, when the president and his family spent less time on Oahu.
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Vehicle registration fees racing upward
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Drivers on Oahu have already seen the city's motor vehicle weight tax jump 66% in the past three years. Now the state is poised to more than double some of its vehicle registration fees.
On January 1, 2011 the City and County of Honolulu increased its vehicle weight tax from 4-cents per pound to 5-cents per pound. Someone with a vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds will pay the city $40 more this year than last year.
Under new governor Neil Abercrombie the state administration is asking lawmakers to approve fee hikes to state registration fees.
"It's the only way we can maintain our roads and maintain this highway fund. We have more than 2,400 miles of highways, freeways, and other state roads across the state. We have to continue to pave them," said Dan Meisenzahl, spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation.
REALITY: Weight Tax Increase? Souki admits road maintenance funds have been regularly raided
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