Energy

Full Tilt Poker, one of the world’s top Internet poker sites—and potentially a key beneficiary of SB755--is now under Federal investigation for money laundering.

Hawaii jumps one spot to the top of the list this month. Leisure travellers are taking advantage of recent airfare sales to Honolulu, driving hotel demand and increasing rates....

 The assumption that political and social progress will increasingly marginalize religion has dominated many academic circles. However, data on religious belief and practice in the U.S. and around the world defy that theory.

If the majority of the lawmakers and Hawaiian Electric Co. get their way under Senate Bill 367 — the bill designed to finance an interisland cable — the Oahu ratepayer will be solely responsible for the cost of the project, predicted to cost somewhere between $500 million to $1 billion.

Residents and business owners should report any damage to their property, home or business to Aloha United Way by dialing 2-1-1 (Monday through Friday) or to the State Civil Defense toll free line at 855-211-7456 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

For years the Hawaii Republican organization has been controlled by Lingle loyalists—even Lingle herself.  But in 2009 Republican delegates elected Jonah Kaauwai GOP Chair.... 

The Commission on Water Resource Management is extending its nomination period until Wednesday, April 6, 2011.  The original application period (October 17 - November 22, 2010) ended before Governor Neil Abercrombie took office.

SB1078: Specifies that the benefits of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund are subject to negotiation. Clarifies that a decision of an arbitration panel shall be final.

The Hawaiian Homes Commission gave final approval to a general lease agreement allowing Hawaii DeBartolo LLC to develop 67 acres for the Ka Makana Ali‘i Center in East Kapolei. Under the agreed upon terms, Hawaii DeBartolo will pay more than $140 million in rent, over the course of 65 years, to DHHL for use of the land.

Democrat members of two House Committees voted to gut a bill that would have helped parents buy school supplies for their children and inserted language to legalize gambling in Hawaii.

SB 755, which started as a proposal by Senator Carol Fukunaga to help school-age children, was completely rewritten behind closed doors.  Further, the bill was allowed to pass without the standard 48 hour notice to give the public time to comment on this measure.

Companies purchase hotel rooms from hotels at wholesale rates and sell them at marked up rates to consumers.  The Companies collect amounts sufficient to pay these taxes – based on the retail amount charged to the consumer – from the renters of the hotel rooms, but then fail to remit the full amount owed to Hawai‘i.

This legislation appears unlikely to make it out of committee. There is, however, an effort by a dedicated few to attempt to have the bill waived out of committee and put to a floor vote, so we must remain vigilant....

As defined, the offense of violation of privacy in the first degree involves the installation or use of “any device for observing, recording, amplifying, or broadcasting another person in a stage of undress or sexual activity in that place.” – Attorney General Louie

A long list of bad bills that will take away more of your liberty, freedom and money crossed from both houses of the State Legislature as crossover voting commenced on March 8 and 10.

This Sunday, March 27, the NRA's state association, the Hawaii Rifle Association (HRA), will be hosting its annual members meeting at the Kokohead Shooting Complex at the "LIFE" shooting bay (first action shooting bay). 

For the city of Kapaa in particular, it’s all too telling that a simple search for the phrase “Kapaa alcohol” on Google doesn’t turn up a list of fun bars to hang out at but rather a long list of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers.

Hawaii residents ... have to pay the equivalent of overnight shipping for the slowest shipping times in the country. On average, an order shipped to Hawaii costs $19.17 and spends 4.57 days in transit.

Information required on the application for a casino license will include: 

A statement listing the names and titles of all public officials or officers of any unit of state government or county government in the jurisdiction in which the casino facility is to be located, and the spouses, parents, and children of those public officials or officers who, directly or indirectly, own any financial interest ....

From “Veterans Today” a 9-11 trooother site run by a former boss of Pakistan’s Intelligence service, a Russian ex-Colonel, and some Serbian spies, among others….

 Do our Senators and Representatives support President Obama’s decision to take action against Qaddafi without congressional approval?  Do they support full regime change or some other limited action?  If they oppose military action, why have they been silent?

Kucinich quotes Obama: “The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation which does not involve stopping an actual or imminent attack on the nation.”

In 2004 Kucinich won 27% of Hawaii Democrats Caucus Vote....

• Senate: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
• House: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
  House: NSP Termination Act
  House: NPR Federal Funding Ban
  House: Afghanistan Withdrawal resolution

Rep Tom Brower (D-Waikiki) says Hawaii is an “intolerant place” which needs to “create a market to attract progressive, educated individuals..."

For purposes of reality appreciation, we have added background info on the appointees....

The new benefit agreement covers a term from January 1, 2011 to October 31, 2014 and includes changes to medical, dental and vision plans and increased employee contributions and changes to retirement benefits for employees commencing employment on or after May 1, 2011.

NotHaus is co-founder of the Royal Hawaiian Mint and creator of the Free Marijuana Church of Honolulu.  NotHaus also produced the Ron Paul Dollar. 

...today’s Star-Advertiser says “nothing to see here, just keep moving.”  The SA’s in-house DoE flack Mary Vorsino claims it is the Terra-Nova test which would be eliminated.... 

EC-- (Inouye) would facilitate contributions to the Democratic Party.  The Democratic Party really became overly dependent on his funding for its survival.

MZ—Similar thing with Linda Lingle (and the Republican Party), I think.

EC—Probably so, sure.

Following the November 2010 elections, the suicide lobby announced that they will legalize assisted suicide in at least one eastern US state and that their push will lead to several states legalizing assisted suicide within the next few years.

It appears that the goals of the suicide lobby are failing.

”While Act 196 achieved one of its purposes–-to generate a one-time windfall of revenue to the state–-the long-term effect has been to hinder Hawaii's economic recovery by placing an undue burden on the business sector.”

While she is not a household name, Kim's interest in the race illustrates how a Democratic primary that already promises to be crowded could grow, in time, to become even more jam-packed.

On April 1, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Nader v Nago, 10-728, the Hawaii ballot access case.

HCF is providing a $3 million grant for this new initiative from the Omidyar Ohana Fund, a donor advised fund established through the support of Pierre and Pam Omidyar.  The grant is in part conditioned upon monies from Senate Bill 1287/House Bill 1060, currently being considered by legislators, as well as future legislation which together will provide the majority of the funding for the transformation effort.

When the people of Hawaii voted for change in November, they voted to end a policy that said all people must fend for themselves.  They rejected the status quo where we fail to invest in ourselves; where we ignore long-term problems for political convenience; where we make government the enemy of the people instead of the instrument for reaching our goals; where political drama and private interests drown out the voices of the majority; where we stoke distrust and disdain for one another instead of treating each other with fairness and respect.

The war of each against all, which has an iron grip on our country, is coming to an end in Hawaii.

Will the Legislature bow to pro-abortion extremists and risk closure of two hospitals, loss of medical personnel, and possible statewide loss of millions of dollars of federal health funds? 

Hawaii presents the most decisive defeat for assisted suicide and euthanasia to date. According to Schadenberg, opponents from the Christian and disabled communities testified so convincingly before the legislature’s Health Committee that it defeated the measure unanimously.

Hawaii. One of the newly open Senate seats where we haven't seen any numbers at all, not even internal polls.  The big question here-does Linda Lingle actually make this competitive or is it an easy keep for Democrats no matter who the Republicans put up.

Although usually benign, KI can be harmful to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, those with certain skin disorders, or those with thyroid problems. Observed but infrequent side effects of ingesting potassium iodide include nausea, intestinal upset, rashes, inflammation of the salivary glands, and possibly severe allergic reactions.

$120M COFA, Japan Tourism dropoff, CoR revision, 13 Hospitals bleeding 25-30M a year…

• Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00PM
• Ewa Makai Middle School cafeteria, 91-6291 Kapolei Parkway, Ewa Beach

• Senate: Patent Reform Act of 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• Senate: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011
• House: FHA Refinance Program Termination Act
• House: Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Termination Act

Bad Day for Tax Increases - Governor Abercromie promised during the campaign, “We will not be raising any taxes, what we will be doing is utilizing state government in a way that brings the hope and change people want.” After taking office he quickly broke this promise and has proposed at least $500 million in new taxes for Hawaii residents over the next 2 years.

The goal of the project is to give Big Island homeowners who have been served with a foreclosure action the opportunity to participate in mediation with the lender and a trained mediator before the case is heard by a judge.

The war between Neil Abercrombie and Dan Inouye for control of the Democratic Party now focuses on a key battle over whether to raid the Rail Fund to patch Abercrombie’s artificially-inflated budget gap.

At the New York City Regional, students from Waialua High School earned the competition’s top honors by being named the Chairman’s Award winner in addition to winning the field competition, beating out an impressive field of 65 competitors. As the Regional Champions and Chairman’s Award winners, Waialua has earned a position at the World Championships in St. Louis.

The Senate had rejected requests for a "healthcare right of conscience" exception for SB 218 (Emergency Contraceptive) and passed the bill 22 to 3.  We are grateful to Senators Gabbard, Kochi and Slom for standing courageously to oppose SB218.  The bill has been referred to the House Health and Judiciary Committee for hearing.

Those interested in making a contribution to the Japan-Hawaii Relief Fund may do so at any First Hawaiian Bank branch through March 31, 2011.

Description: Amends provisions of the code relating to adoption records and the secrecy of proceedings and records, allowing access to adoption records....