With a new study pointing the finger at high fructose corn syrup as a culprit in America’s explosive epidemic of obesity, it is important to remember just why we are consuming so much of this commodity as opposed to table sugar....

January 3 - 15, 2013....

The deal is being characterized as one aimed at “stopping taxes from going up on middle class families,” but in fact the expiration of the 2% social security payroll tax holiday means that employees will see 6.2% instead of 4.2% withheld.... 

...influential British maritime journal Lloyd’s List published three articles today regarding the long awaited US. Government Accountability Office release of a report on their study of the impact of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico....

...the situation would be much worse for the refineries as we add another 25-30 kb/d demand cut by introducing LNG into our energy system....

"With the support of a majority of the House of Representatives, Speaker-elect Joe Souki has established leading committees ...."

Intermediate Court of Appeals held that the Hawaii Senate's failure to confirm a sitting Land Use Commissioner for a second term did not disqualify him from office ....

“I see no compelling reason to significantly revise the current policy at this point in time.” -- Response to Audit from Council Chair Ernie Martin 

Reid has already effectively shut down the opportunity for minority Senators to offer amendments to bills. Now he is angling to change the Senate’s rules so that minority members cannot filibuster a bill.

Applicants include Nicanor E. Casumpang, Jr., Loretta Giannotti, Robert George Hill III, Natalie A. Kama, Gilbert Samuel Coloma Keith-Agaran, Clifford R. Libed, and Mary D. Wagner.

there are now more Republican minorities in the Senate (South Carolina’s Tim Scott, Florida’s Marco Rubio, and Texas’s Ted Cruz) than Democrats (New Jersey’s Robert Menendez and Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono).…

...update on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and healthcare transformation in Hawaii....

HIC is to conduct a study on designating safe facilities located at camping areas .... 

The purpose of this briefing is to provide the legislature with an overview of the current projects, the priorities of the divisions; a report on whether the Department of Transportation is using renewable energy and its efficiency; and a departmental 5 year plan....

 "...revenue enhancements such as making permanent certain tax provisions that are due to sunset in 2015 and beyond.”

In 2009, in the "Superferry" case, the Hawaii Supreme Court, after years of hinting (but not finding a suitable vehicle), formally adopted the "private attorney general' doctrine ....

Hawai‘i secures conditional approval from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to operate a state-based health insurance exchange....

The mother claims that her daughters teacher and state administrators not only failed to investigate the abuse that occurred on and off school grounds, but conspired to cover it up, and then suspended her.

Original warranties on turbines have expired and extended warranty options are not available....

The real “selfishness and duplicity,” however, comes from those who insist that this bill is meant for Sandy’s victims—when in reality, it is a special-interest money fest....

...step forward and demonstrate that we were listening and paying attention to his lessons on leadership and humanity (because you know he is watching us).... 

...this project will provide land acquisition for the last remaining, undeveloped parcel of land contiguous with existing harbor lands....

Bloomberg calls for major Jones Act reform in two parts: elimination of the U.S. build requirement for ships engaged in domestic coastwise trades; and, a more controversial proposal to allow foreign ship owners to compete....

...real billionaires, like Warren Buffett, are going to be affected very little by the new higher rates (unrealized capital gains will still be taxed at a rate of zero), while entrepreneurs with pass-through income are going to get hosed....

A growing number of hospital systems are moving to start their own insurance plans, aiming to broaden their roles and prepare for the changes coming under the federal health care overhaul, says the Wall Street Journal....

The Wall Street Journal calculates that the “typical U.S. family earning $50,000 a year” will lose “an annual income boost of $1,000.”

The deal also greatly relaxes the standards for companies to qualify to grab that tax credit.... 

HEWA: we do NOT endorse this unexpected news that OHA is giving us, Makaweli Poi, away to a random group we never heard of before....

When Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush increased taxes in return for spending cuts—cuts that never ultimately came—they did so at ratios of 1:3 and 1:2....

Postpones sequestration’s automatic spending cuts (including those to defense) by two months....

OHA is partnering with The Queen’s Medical Center, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center, the Hawaii Department of Health, the Department of Native Hawaiian Health and Hawaii Medical Service Association....

Wavecom Solutions provides voice, data and converged services to small and medium-sized business and carrier customers through a six-island subsea and terrestrial fiber network.
 

Monday, January 7 at their introductory luncheon at the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m....

The interim appointment fills a new seat in compliance with Act 139 of the 2012 Legislature, which increased Hawaii Paroling Authority members from three to five.

No public testimony will be accepted....

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING SCHEDULE January 3-18, 2013

A half-century into the War on Poverty, liberals can hardly declare victory. But they can claim the dominant anti-poverty narrative: Fight poverty by spending more....

With protesters unleashing their fury on Abercrombie’s Public Lands Development Corporation, political insiders have been scheming.  And on December 28, they quietly announced their plan....

On January 1, regardless of the outcome of fiscal cliff negotiations, Americans will be hit with a $1 trillion Obamacare tax hike....

...a right to keep and bear arms for personal self-defense in the eighteenth century could not rationally have been limited to the home....

On January 11 & 12, 2013, I Aloha Molokai is hosting our second annual Alternative Energy Festival....

I will be filing additional resolutions today before my term officially ends on January 2nd, at noon....

Next step the Ninth Circuit?

As a result of being the beneficiary of such generous bounty from the federal government, Hawaii really has not had to face head on the fact that it is a poor place to do business....

Jesse Broder Van Dyke – Director of Communications....

"The proliferation and use of unpermitted kayak rentals being conducted at Napoopoo have resulted in concerns .... " 

Hawai`i residents join nearly 6,500 others nationwide in saying no to the wind PTC ....

The managers who made this year’s list of America’s Worst Bosses were named in workplace lawsuits filed by their employees ....

Judge Ochiai, 57, will fill a vacancy left by Judge Richard Pollack, who became Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court....

The U.S. Department of Education releases first-year progress reports for the 12 winners of the Race to the Top grant....