Queen Mary 2 in Honolulu

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 stopped in Honolulu on Friday, February 9 as part of her 81-day around the world cruise. She left from San Francisco a few days before. Spent a whole day in Hawaii before leaving the same night for Pago Pago American Samoa. She is shown docked at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 2 in the late afternoon hours.

Smokers March to Overturn Ban

Smokers and bar owners were protesting Hawaii's new anti-smoking law at the State Capitol yesterday (Feb. 9).

I can understand banning smoking in restaurants, stores, shopping malls, government buildings and other places open to all ages of the general public. Stand alone bars and adult entertainment places are off-limits to minors. Tobacco which is a legal adult product, should be allowed to be consumed in those places. Business owners of these establishments should decide whether or not their places will be smoker friendly or smoke free.

Several bars and adult entertainment businesses are losing a lot of money because of the new law.

A half dozen bills introduced in the State Legislature this session have smokers and bar owners hopeful that the smoking law can be banned or at least adjusted to address their concerns. One such bill, SB 1970 is scheduled to be heard in the State Senate Health Committee on Monday, Feburary 12 starting at 1:15 p.m.

I am a non-smoker and have been all of my life. I don't intend to start smoking ever. However I can see the plight that these business owners and smokers are in. There should be a public place where smokers can congregate to "do their thing".

Photo: Taken by me at State Capitol during Smoker's march. More photos on my Flickr site.

Additional Links:

• Hawaii's New Smoking Ban - discussion topic
  
• Anti-Smoking Law Protest Heats Up - KGMB TV

Does the State Need its Own Airplane?

Does the state need to spend $1.9 million to buy its own executive airplane? Democrats think so. SB 1977 is scheduled for a hearing in the Transportation Committee by Senator Kalani English this coming Wednesday, February 7. The bill was introduced "by request" through Senator Colleen Hanabusa's office. Senator English thought the bill is part of the Governor's package. It's not. The Governor's office through the State Department of Transportation will probably oppose the bill as indicated in today's Star Bulletin article.

Should the state pursue this wasteful expenditure, about the only kind of plane that it can purchase new would be some sort of prop plane like the Cessna 208 Caravan pictured above. Pacific Wings, the local air commuter flies a fleet of these. They are apparently very nice planes and can go to all airports throughout the islands. The plane does not have the range to fly to the mainland. For that, the state would have to buy a more expensive jet aircraft.

The state does not need an executive airplane for the Governor and other officials including State Legislators. Hawaii has enough commercial airlines to take these officials to the various airports located around the islands. The funds could be used to address more pressing state transportation needs like improving airport and harbor infrastructure and maintaining our roads.

It is best that SB 1977 die in committee.

UPDATE 2-8-07: The Senate transportation committee killed this bill on Feb. 7. It was introduced on the behalf of Rep. John Riki Karamatsu.

Photo credit: "Idetama" at Flickr.com.