HSTA’s ‘Multi-Front War’ Against ‘Rogue Teachers’
Hiram Fong First Asian-American Senator, An R From Hawaii
NFIB: So Where Do We Stand As A State?
Pulpit Freedom Sunday: Hawaii Pastors Join Nationwide Challenge to IRS
Mayor Wright Housing: FACE Grabs for Seat at Redevelopment Table
UPDATE: Organic Berries Cause 79 Cases of Hepatitis
Abercrombie Quietly Orders Pay Hikes
Governor Signs Bill Establishing 'Civil Liberties and the Constitution Day'
Disgrace - Iwi Kupuna at Ewa Plantation Cemetery
NYT: Obama 'has Lost All Credibility' on Spying
NYT: Within hours of the disclosure that federal authorities routinely collect data on phone calls Americans make, regardless of whether they have any bearing on a counterterrorism investigation, the Obama administration issued the same platitude it has offered every time President Obama has been caught overreaching in the use of his powers: Terrorists are a real menace and you should just trust us to deal with them because we have internal mechanisms (that we are not going to tell you about) to make sure we do not violate your rights.
Meanwhile a trip down memory lane leaves the local media embarrassed....
Best Comment: Here's what then Senator Obama had to say about the Patriot Act back in 2005:
"And if someone wants to know why their own government has decided to go on a fishing expedition through every personal record or private document - through library books they've read and phone calls they've made - this legislation gives people no rights to appeal the need for such a search in a court of law. No judge will hear their plea, no jury will hear their case...This is just plain wrong."
Hypocrisy much?
UPDATE: Hawaii Based NSA Worker Exposes Obama Spying, Flees to Hong Kong
Other Coverage:
read ... The End of The Obama?
Obamacare Solution: Build 'Integrative Care Team' Without 'Expensive Doctors'
SA: The Accountable Care Act, the centerpiece of health care reform, was designed to provide care to millions of Americans who are without adequate health insurance. It was also created to improve the quality of care. Critical to the success of health care reform is that costs come under control.
Integrative medicine is well suited to make a profound contribution to this process.
Cost efficiency and quality care depend on a collaborative team-based approach, the foundation of integrative medicine. Conventional medicine historically centers care on the physician. However, this has proved to be costly and inefficient. Physician education focuses on understanding mechanisms of disease, diagnosis and treatment. Doctors are generally ill equipped to handle administration, process change or work flow redesign. Physicians are also the most expensive members of the care team.
The strongest care team might include nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, mental health providers, acupuncturists and nutritionists. The broader team is well equipped to offer patient education, preventive care, health promotion and wellness. Integrative medicine focuses on diet, lifestyle, adequate physical activity and psychosocial well-being.
Collaborative integrative care teams can also offer centers of excellence for chronic disease such as obesity, diabetes, pain and for end-of-life care.
Integrative medicine is not only about who is on the care team, but also how the team works together. Effective multidisciplinary care requires active communication, conducive work flows and a passionate team spirit that is supported over time.
read ... Dump the Doctors
Opponents appeal permit for telescope
MN: Opponents of a plan to build the world's largest optical telescope at the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano are appealing their case in the state courts.
Environmental groups and petitioners say building the Thirty Meter Telescope will harm the mountain's natural resources, undermine its scenery and destroy areas of historic importance.
Kealoha Piscottia, president of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, one of the groups, said last month that she and others appealing aren't opposed to astronomy. (They just wanna get paid, that's all.)
The opponents filed a notice of appeal in Circuit Court in Hilo on May 13 against the state Board of Land and Natural Resources' decision in April to grant a permit for the telescope's construction.
read ... Money Grubbers
Hilo Saddened by End of Furlough Fridays
WHT: Employees at Hilo-area shopping centers and beaches didn’t want to be identified by the newspaper. But several characterized the end of Furlough Fridays as bittersweet, and some said they’d just as soon have the extra day off each month.
Kenoi said he’s also heard from staff who appreciate that extra day off each month.
“We’ve received some positive feedback from some staff, especially those with children who want to spend more time with their families,” Kenoi said. “We’re looking at how some can provide the same level of service (as a five-day workweek), say in four 10-hour-day workweeks. It’s a conversation that will be ongoing. We’ll take a measure.”
Early predictions of inconveniences or extra overtime costs because of furloughs proved to be unfounded.
A West Hawaii Today survey in 2010 found few people inconvenienced by what were then twice-monthly furloughs, and more than half surveyed in West Hawaii weren’t even aware employees were taking them. (But they sure were useful in generating empty talking points for the Abercrombie campaign.)
read ... Aloha, Furlough Fridays
Waimanalo public housing unit used as storage shed
HNN: An apartment that was rented by disabled tenants at a Waimanalo public housing project is now being used as a storage shed. The unit at the Kauhale Ohana public housing complex is the only single-story apartment on the property.
Glen Murray lives a few units down. He said the last tenant moved out over a year ago and he expected someone with special needs to move in immediately. But that hasn't happened.
"In the meantime the private contractor is using it as storage for materials and equipment. Additionally, the maintenance people use it as a break room," he said.
He believes the apartment was fit for a new tenant when the last one left.
read ... Waimanalo public housing unit used as storage shed
Kalapana: Strangled Camper, Boyfriend Threatened by Rival Tour Guides
WHT: a commercial lava tour guide threatened her brother. “He just showed up at my brother’s house in Kalapana,” she said. “He was under the impression that we’d been taking these people out to the lava for pay. He said he owned all 900 acres of the lava, that he owned it and that we weren’t allowed to go out there.” She said the guide said he had a rifle and would come back to the house and “shoot it up” if they continued to take people out to see the lava. She said she didn’t call police for fear of retribution. The Johnsons showed the Tribune-Herald some online reviews from tourists who wrote that they were harassed and threatened by guides for declining a tour and traversing the lava field on their own.
read ... Somebody's Cousin
Medical Examiner Changing Story on Dinnan Case?
HNN: "The autopsy report when it's finally prepared will (likely) indicate that Mr. Dinnan died of asphyxiation, applied force when in restraint and the only people responsible were the police officers on site."
Breiner says Dinnan was held down so hard he suffered a broken bone in his neck and that pressure applied to his chest may have caused him to stop breathing.
The arresting officer, a 26-year veteran, was placed on administrative leave shortly before Dinnan died at Castle Medical Center Tuesday night.
Dinnan's death could wind up costing the city millions of dollars if the medical examiner's final autopsy determines that his dead was a homicide. It also exposes the police officer to potential criminal charges.
Earlier today, the medical examiner's office clarifying comments it made on Tuesday that Dinnan did not suffer "assaultive-type injuries."
It now says that Dinnan suffered injuries while being restrained -- but was not beaten by another person nor was he hit by a hard object.
The autopsy will not be completed for another six to eight weeks.
read ... Coverup?
Sun Mei, Brother of Sun Yat Sen
MN: A Kula resident, Sun Mei was the owner of Kahului General Store and of 100 properties on Oahu and Maui. As Sun Yat-sen planned the revolution in China, Sun Mei sold his assets to support his brother financially.
read ... Kula Revolutionary
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