Entries for September 2011

Orsi said Sept. 20 that there were no parties in advanced talks to buy AnsaldoBreda and that the unit’s newly appointed CEO, Maurizio Manfellotto, is working on an updated business plan.

Solar Reserve lists PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund (East) LLC as an investment partner. Ronald Pelosi, brother-in-law of the House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, is an executive with PCG. Another investment partner: Argonaut Private Equity, is the employer of Steve Mitchell, who served on the Solyndra LLC Board of Directors....

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has written a letter to President Barack Obama warning him that his administration will “precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions” if it does not “end its campaign against DOMA, the institution of marriage it protects, and religious freedom.”

American-born al-Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was killed Friday by a U.S. airstrike in Yemen, administration officials say.

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“The recent inclusion of the Republic of Korea in the Visa Waiver resulted in double number of visitor arrivals from Korea,” said Councilman Tom Berg....

...the commission finds and concludes that the contract price for the AKP-produced biofuel, which the HECO Companies chose to file and retain under confidential seal, is excessive....

The state today released a report detailing its information technology (IT) assessment, a critical component in the Abercombie (sic) Administration’s long-term plan to transform technology.

"The average premium for single coverage in 2011 is $452 per month or $5,429 per year ... The average premium for family coverage is $1,256 per month or $15,073 per year."

What's driving those costs? In large part, Obamacare.

Kaauwai restored some measure of respectability to the party by fielding candidates for nearly all legislative seats last year after the disgraceful 2008 campaign in which the GOP failed to compete in 40 percent of the contests.

"The Defendants’ effort to remove some of the Plaintiffs from this case is a waste of the court’s time and the taxpayers’ money."

...everyone else is dying off," he said, referring to several other projects in the Islands that have stalled or been halted altogether....

While the general fund budget may be balanced, the total fund budget is often far off the mark. To make matters worse, neither the state's general fund budget or its total fund budget take into account unfunded pension liabilities....

This affirmative request to withhold funding from the Political Action Account must be made each year. The Allocation Objection Form must be completed and returned to UHPA ....

Get the facts quick before the sheep stampede....

...they claimed that “a reusable bag needs only to be used eleven times to have a lower environmental impact than using eleven disposable bags.” They were close. It was actually 393 times or roughly 7.5 years to replace reusing a plastic bag just three times....

Earlier this month, the HLRB also dismissed one of HSTA’s motions. In its ruling, the HLRB noted that the actions of HSTA amounted to “an egregious and reckless disregard for the truth” and “appear intended to mislead the board.”

...Mullen declared that the military intelligence service of this supposed U.S. partner is directing the Haqqani network, a militant group responsible for attacks on Americans, including the 20-hour assault on the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, that left 27 dead....

"Production drives the economy, not spending."

Rick Perry has tumbled by more than 20 percentage points over the past month among Republican presidential primary voters and is now second to Herman Cain, who leads the field with 28%.

His plan is to have the city's Committee on Transportation pass Resolution 11-249 this Thursday that would urge the Hawaii State Legislature to allow the City and County of Honolulu to raise the General Excise Tax a half percent to fund road and bike lanes.

"I hope everybody can come together and move forward to win elections," said Dylan Nonaka, the former GOP executive director under Kaauwai. "We've got a lot of big opportunities next year, and it's time to move on and focus."

Yesterday, with Reid on the brink of forcing a government shutdown, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced things aren’t so dire. The agency has $114 million on hand for the remainder of the week, enough to get through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

• Senate: Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011
• House: Short-Term Continuing Appropriations
• House: Cumulative Regulatory Analysis

My very best goes out to 1st Vice Chair Beth Fukumoto, who by Party Rules will be the Interim State Chair. As a candidate in 2010, Beth understands the importance of a grassroots-focused party for all candidates. My hope is that everyone will offer their support, guidance and assistance as this transition takes place.

EUTF Board Member Dean Hirata Quietly Slipped Away from his Appointed Position as Deputy Director of Budget and Finance on July 30th. 

In an "urgent" call to action distributed as a bulletin insert at Catholic churches across the country on Sunday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said that a new federal regulation proposed under President Barack Obama's health-care law "poses an unprecedented threat to individual and institutional religious freedom."

...on Friday, Obama doubled down, and did so by circumventing Congress and rewriting the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law unilaterally in the White House.

...federal and state tax credits behind Hawaii’s wind and solar development bubble are pushing even more money out of the pockets of Hawaii ratepayers and taxpayers and into the coffers of mainland hedge funds, banks, insurance companies, utilities, and even tobacco companies....

Initially set at a rate of 1.5%, it rose to a rate of 2% during the war years, and then just prior to statehood in 1959 to a retail rate of 3.5%. ...the retail rate was increased in 4% in 1965....

Both sides need to focus on the elections, not on their own factional interests....

(The UN) doesn't only cast Israel as the villain; it often casts real villains in leading roles: Gadhafi's Libya chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights; Saddam's Iraq headed the UN Committee on Disarmament. 

How many professional protesters will be flown in by the well-heeled socialists who fund this circus?

Perhaps this would be a good time for airlines to adopt strict body odor rules on Hawaii-bound flights.

This week there was discussion in the media concerning the Governor's use of emergency powers....

After blowing their first attempt to interfere in the Republican Senate primary, Hawaii Democrats are trying again.

Among the 20,000 Chinese with at least 100 million yuan ($15 million) in individual investment assets, 27 percent have already emigrated and 47 percent are considering it, according to a report by China Merchants Bank and U.S. consultants Bain & Co. published in April.

Disney must now submit updated consumer-disclosure materials to regulators and other states. The company will begin with Florida, California, New York and Illinois, its most-important sales markets....

“The true engine of economic growth will always be companies like Solyndra.” – Barack Obama

Hawaii's, South Dakota's and New Mexico's sales taxes have broad bases that include many services....

President Barack Obama makes it sound as if there are millionaires all over America paying taxes at lower rates than their secretaries. The data tell a different story, says the Associated Press.

...federal health experts told them via email that CLASS would result in an "insurance death spiral." Congress passed it anyway.... 

• Saturday, September 24th, 2011
• 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• ‘Ewa Makai Middle School
• 91-6291 Kapolei Parkway, ‘Ewa Beach

A final decision regarding this case is expected within 30 days.

...authorize the City and County of Honolulu to impose a general excise tax surcharge — much like the one already in effect to fund the rail project — for highway and bikeway construction....

In a move highly anticipated since its initial announcement in April, public libraries and schools in the U.S. can now lend eBooks for the Amazon® Kindle.

Weekends at the Koko Head Shooting Complex (KHSC) are packed, and it is not unusual for people to be waiting for tables throughout the day....

President Obama proposes to pay for his $447 billion jobs bill mainly by limiting tax deductions for wealthy Americans. Unfortunately, if enacted, this policy will likely dampen charitable giving....

“(Under ACA) the price of individual health insurance coverage might rise about 55% to 85%, excluding the impact of medical inflation….”

The President's words yesterday come after nearly three years of being weak on Israel, failing to condemn those who threaten the country's existence, and failing to draw a distinction between a freedom-loving nation and those who seek to wipe it off the map.

More registered voters say they would definitely vote for Mitt Romney or might consider doing so (62%) than say the same about his two main rivals in the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama (54%) and Republican Rick Perry (53%).