January 11, 2009 > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Sunday, January 11, 2009

January 11, 2009
By Andrew Walden @ 8:56 PM :: 8485 Views

Chinese Communists and their Hawaii comrades hail defeat of Tibet uprising

(Check out the language in this AP article running in the Advertiser....)

BEIJING — Chinese-backed Tibetan leaders will soon set a date for what they call "Serf Liberation Day" to mark the defeat 50 years ago of a pro-independence uprising in the Himalayan region, state media reported Sunday. A holiday to mark the "emancipation of millions of serfs and slaves" in Tibet will be decided on during a meeting of the region's legislature starting Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency said.

LINK: The "Dixie Mission" connection between Mao Zedong and the Hawaii Democratic Party

SB: Gay marriage making a comeback in Legislature?

Two bills - one for civil unions and the other to allow same-sex marriage - are being drafted by the Family Equality Coalition Hawaii and are expected to be introduced by state Rep. Blake Oshiro (D, Aiea-Halawa). The bills will get a hearing in the House, Judiciary Chairman Jon Riki Karamatsu said yesterday.

The civil-union bill is based on a law passed in Connecticut in 2005, which provides same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities under state law as marriage. The marriage bill would redefine marriage as a union between two people, not just between a man and a woman.

Government should reduce our burdens, not raise taxes

For people from a privileged and wealthy background, like Sakamoto and his Democratic cronies, higher taxes mean nothing. But living in East Hawaii and working in a profession that is sensitive to a client's financial situation, it is an understatement to say that this is a difficult time for all of us.

This is not the time to tax us more. This is the time to let us keep more of the money we earn. This is the time to re-evaluate whether we should be taxed on food and medicine. This is the time to make sure employers can continue to do business and keep people employed. This is the time to make sure people can make it to the next paycheck instead of taking more money away from them.

Advertiser: Still in mourning for Cyrus

Today, one year later, many are still left with questions about the case — questions that may never be answered, especially if Higa never stands trial. The court is still trying to determine whether Higa is mentally fit to face charges.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Human Services, which oversees Child Welfare Services, has closed its case involving Cyrus. Child welfare workers were looking into allegations of drug abuse against Cyrus' mother, Nancy Chanco, including one made six days before Cyrus was killed, documents showed.

Child welfare workers had planned to go to Cyrus' home the afternoon he died.

KGMB Jan 20, 2008: Department of Human Services released 185 pages of documents showing Chanco has a very troubled past that includes child neglect.

Documents said Chanco was smoking ice while she was five months pregnant with Cyrus failing to get prenatal care. When Cryus was only four months old, Chanco was living without elecricity and coming home high.

"Ms. Chanco leaves the baby in the care of the paternal grandfather, while she leaves the home to abuse drugs," said a caseworker.

Advertiser Jan, 2008: Lilo Asiata has six prior criminal convictions, including harassment and resisting arrest....Police sources have said the toddler had wandered off from the apartment earlier in the day, and was returned to the home by a police officer in the area.

Advertiser: Fatal crash came during police chase

Pursuit of a suspect is not against Honolulu Police Department policy, but nationally, critics maintain that too many police pursuits are unnecessary and put public safety at risk. The nonprofit group PursuitSafety says it opposes chases involving nonviolent offenses and advocates a balance between the apprehension of drivers who flee and public safety. (And we know that nothing is more important than giving credence to the pontifications of thinktank liberals....)

Meanwhile, the Honolulu Medical Examiner's office found that Medeiros had methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash. And the dead man's father said his son had lost his driver's license in a child support dispute and that his son feared that he would go to jail if police stopped him.

HR: Unintended Consequences of Act 228

In some cases the homes in whole neighborhoods were built before 1958 and now have to get approval from the DLNR before getting a building permit to remodel or upgrade.

Sen Donna Kim: Legal gambling for Hawai`i

SB: When asked about declining revenue projections, she said the "G" word - gaming. While Kim didn't endorse legalization of gambling, she said some form of gaming should be looked at as a way to boost state revenue.

KHON: Gambling opponents prepare for battle

Lawmakers: You take cut, we're keeping ours

SB: Last month, Gov. Linda Lingle raised the ante, saying she would introduce legislation to suspend future pay raises for legislators, executives and judges for two years, for a savings of $4 million.

Although there was no legislation in place when the legislators' $12,808 pay raise went into effect, Lingle asked last month that they "for go the 36 percent salary increases."

“She (Linda Lingle) has left the public with the unfair and inaccurate impression that accepting the pay adjustment was somehow self-serving.” Colleen Hanabusa
Senate president

Advertiser: Hawaiian Electric's tight line spacing cited in blackout

Hawaiian Electric Co. might have been able to prevent last month's islandwide blackout by having more spacing between the wires that make up the company's major transmission lines.

Typically, wires to major transmission lines in Hawai'i run about 10 feet apart, whereas those in Florida are about 15 feet apart. The 5 feet of additional space makes it more difficult for lightning to hit three wires and set off a cascade of events that bring the whole system down.

"Ultimately, what we're talking about is the cost to the customer...."