Entries for July 2012

I was grateful to Dennis Egge, Vietnam veteran and VIP board member for presenting VIP's endorsement personally at my recent West O'ahu Talk Story in Kapolei....

Asians -- Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Filipinos, Vietnamese and Koreans -- are the nation's wealthiest, most highly educated and most aspirational voting demographic.

Obama's Labor Department on Monday issued "guidance" to the states, telling them that a federal law requiring advance notice of mass layoffs does not apply to the layoffs that may occur in January as a result of automatic budget cuts known as "sequestration."
 

The shared-savings agreement between Hawaii Medical Service Assn. and Hawaii Pacific Health puts 50% the hospital’s annual pay increases over the five-year contract term dependent on achieving both quality improvement and cost savings thresholds....

Solar scammers are pushing for even more taxpayer and ratepayer handouts. Here’s their latest blast of ‘research’.

Question: Is Siemens paying the 4.5% GE Tax on its "multi-million dollar" subcontract from Ansaldo?  Will Ansaldo write a change order to account for the additional 4.5% cost incurred because this work is not being done in-house? 

As Rail construction continues, Honolulu construction employments continues to drop, losing 1,300 jobs between June, 2011 and June, 2012....

On the late Milton Friedman's 100th birthday today, his words are truer than ever: "There is no respect in which inhabitants of a low-income neighborhood are so disadvantaged as in the kind of schooling they can get for their children."

Since 2010, she has served as the Accounting System Administrator for the County of Maui. Prior to that, she was the Director and Chief Financial Officer for the California School Employees Association.

Simple solution: If you fail, get rid of the test....

• Senate: Tax Cut Extension – Passage
• Senate: Cybersecurity – Cloture
• House: Tribal Land Leases – Suspension
• House: Levee Construction – Suspension
• House: Oil and Gas Drilling – Passage
• House: Federal Reserve Audit – Suspension
• House: Regulatory Overhaul

The projected enrollment of 10,097 represents a milestone for Hawaii’s charter movement, which served just 1,341 students in 2000....

...forcing nearly all employers to pay for abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization services.  Beginning August 1, employers must amend their health insurance offerings to include these drugs and services. And if they don't? How about a fine of $100 per employee per day for non-compliance....

"Unfortunately for the people of Hawaii, this type of resume-padding behavior is business as usual for Hirono, who is well versed in taking credit for the achievements of others."

A Democratic state representative says, “They’re like a couple of high school kids.”

Walk-In Absentee Voting Mon Jul 30 thru Thurs Aug 9 All Locations Open Mon – Sat 8-4 PM (except Molokai)

...former elected officials want to get back into the policymaking arena at a time when all of the chickens that they created in the past are coming home to roost....

“MEET THE CANDIDATES” Forum on Monday, July 30^th, 2012; at the NHIS Multi-Purpose Bldg/Cafeteria from 6:30 - 9:00 pm.

The Conference on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (U.N. ATT) has broken down and will not report a draft treaty to the member nations....

"In any expansion of gaming, we must make sure that the unique circumstances surrounding tribal sovereignty are maintained in any legislation." 

Will bureaucrats undermine public confidence in elections 'for a good time'? Read on ....

The annual lottery was started several years ago in response to requests from private groups interested in erecting displays which will be on view during Honolulu City Lights.

"John White ended up as Chief of Staff for Mazie Hirono and is smearing Ben Cayetano for receiving illegal campaign contributions. The truth is, Mazie Hirono accepted $98,000 in illegal contributions and he endorsed her – but he hasn’t said a word about that."

The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) today approved a new boating rule that requires boat operators to complete a boating safety course to operate a power driven vessel in state waters....

... BRT projects to receive at least 80 percent federal funding share each fiscal year. These provisions provide a significant opportunity for communities seeking to invest in BRT....

"Senator Gilbert Kahele was actively involved in working with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to legislatively see this appropriation through." -- Abercrombie news release

"On Monday, May 14, 2012 a Solicitation to Commit Murder case was opened by the Honolulu Police Department under report number HPD 12-175720 ...."

"You talk about your Providing Resources Early for Kids (PRE-K) Act in 2009 as if it were legislation that you passed. The fact is, regardless of its merits, you just couldn't get it done for the people of Hawaii when your bill died in the very committee you sit in."

People seemingly voting after they've been dead for years. Drug kingpins buying votes from poor people to sway elections. Non-citizens being bussed to the polls and coached on how to vote....

A different poll result was reported in the Star Advertiser this morning. This is not the first time this polling company has produced a contrary result....

This section of Kaumualiꞌi Highway is a two-lane highway and the only route providing access to the west end of Kauaꞌi, the county landfill, the wastewater treatment plant and the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands....

Yesterday, the Senate narrowly voted (51-48) to raise taxes on 1.2 million small businesses, which will likely kill more than 700,000 jobs ....

the Ward Research polling firm - who conducted the Star-Advertiser's poll - continues to conduct their polls using 62% identified Democrats. Their poll only includes 19% Independents and only 18% Republicans....

Biofuels may actually damage military equipment....

...additional costs to be incurred by carriers switching to low sulfur ship fuels as required by an international convention, which the United States Senate has not ratified but is being imposed anyway by President Barack Obama’s administration beginning on August 1, 2012....

Honolulu Habitat for Humanity invites everyone to upcoming informational meetings, especially families who are interested in applying for a simple, decent Habitat home....

Resolution 12-173, introduced by Councilman Tom Berg and Chair Ernie Martin urges the Mayor to find funding in the City budget to restore bus service cuts to numerous rural routes....

This year’s Data Book uses an updated index of 16 indicators of child well-being, organized into four categories: Economic Well-Being, Health, Education, and Family and Community....

“there is no half-cent currency! The small retailer will have to “eat” the half-cent on every single unit he sells. In this mandated business model, the more the retailer sells, the more money he loses.”

Deloitte: almost one of out of 10 employers said they are going to drop coverage for their employees because of Obamacare, while another 10 percent said they "remain unsure"....

As a resident of Honolulu City Council District 1, I am humbly asking you to support Kymberly Pine in her campaign for Honolulu City Council District 1....

We must focus our energy and effort on preventing his anti-teacher, anti-education positions from spreading to other political leaders in Hawaii.  As we approach the 2012 elections, we are evaluating candidates by a simple measure – are they better for education than Abercrombie?

L.B. Foster rail, concrete ties, direct fixation fasteners, third rail with accessories and special trackwork ....

President Obama said in 2010 that "the true engine of economic growth will always be companies like Solyndra."

Recently, Hawaii enacted a set of bills related to mortgage origination and servicing....

“It’s all in [my] head.” —DoTAX returns classifying officer’s response when asked why he does not have any written policies and procedures

Democratic congresswoman’s Hawaii Senate campaign faces tough primary challenge, criticism for being out-of-touch...

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