Rail is Not Sustainable

Organizers at HonoluluTraffic.com held a protest rally against the City's proposed $6.4 billion rail system. About 60 to 80 people showed up in front of Honolulu Hale today to air their views against the costly fixed rail proposal and the exclusion of a much more cost effective "hot lanes" plan. The only thing the rail project will do for Hawaii citizens is take away more of our hard earned dollars and not reduce traffic congestion one bit. The tax train must be stopped.

Additional & Archival Links

• Public Railroaded on Route to Rail, by Councilman Charles Djou
• 'Rigged Plan' for Rail Sparks Protest at Honolulu Hale
• Fight Intensifies Over Direction of Honolulu Rail Route, by Don Newman
• Transit Forums to Search for Environmental Concerns, Honolulu StarBulletin.com
• HonoluluTraffic.com
• We Cannot Afford to Pay for Rail
• City to Rake in $200 Million on Surcharge
• Tax Burden Still High in Hawaii
• Rail: We Cannot Afford It
• Hawaii's Train to Tax Hell Continues
• Govenor Lingle Rescinds Decision to Veto Tax Increase

Photos taken at rally held in front of Honolulu Hale, March 28, 2007.

What's Up With 'Justin.TV'?

For more than a week now, the biggest internet rage seems to be "Justin.TV." The media, geeks, bloggers and many others are viewing and covering this internet "experiment".

What is Justin.TV? It's a live web feed on this guy named Justin Kan. Mr. Kan is a young man who has made it his priority to have a live camera strapped to himself or one close by to record his every move and utterance throughout the day. The images and sounds are transmitted out to the world on a live internet feed. You can watch Justin wake-up, eat, sleep and engage in his day to day activities. It's kind of like having YouTube following you around 24-7.

People have written extensively about this guy in the last 9 days since the webcast launched. Ryan Ozawa, one of the geek experts that I know writes on his blog "So Meta it Hurts. Yes, there's something deeply compelling about watching "online life" and "real life" blend so thoroughly. Justin chats up a girl at the bar, and viewers on his website jeer as he strikes out. He ducks out to go to the bathroom, and people on the other side of the planet question whether he washed his hands or not."

JustinTV may be the latest rage on the net. I am quite sure that imitators are strapping on their own web cams and starting their own online chronicle. Some blog boldly states that our private lives are over and that every move of our day is being recorded, chronicled by someone, somewhere. Not a very comforting thought.

I don't like being photographed or recorded by someone else. In today's modern and connected world, it is getting harder and harder to be somewhere where a surveillance camera or someone with a camera phone is not around recording your presence and those of everyone else. Our privacy is eroding.

As a public service for this latest web rage, I offer you a live feed of JustinTV right here on this blog. All you have to do is click on the button within the embedded Justin graphic and see what this guy is up to... right there and right now. Have fun!

First Hawaiian Auto Show

Everyone loves new cars. The sights, the smells, the power... the prices... well not everything. This weekend thousands of people flocked to the annual First Hawaiian Bank Auto Show held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. I attended the auto show and took a lot of photos, not to mention sat in a few of the display cars and checked out their features and prices. Am I in the market for a new car? Not so at this time. My old Toyota still gives me good service and is all paid for.

Top photo: Chevrolet Corvette, Bottom photo: Lincoln MKX Crossover SUV

More photos: Mel's Auto Show Page | BuzzNet | Flickr

We Cannot Afford to Pay for Rail

The City and County of Honolulu wants to spend $1 million to commission an independent study on the potential cost impacts of the rail transit project on city operations. In an article published today in the Honolulu Advertiser, the study will "include a litigation risk analysis and response plan, and would examine how additional money for the transit project could be temporarily secured while the city is awaiting federal support," says City Deputy Budget Director Patrick Kubota.

City Council member Ann Kobayashi chirps, ""We're already in this project and there's no turning back."

No turning back? All it takes is a new bill and a vote by the City Council to cancel the expensive rail project. Either that or elect new council members in 2008 who have the courage to see the debaucle rail is turning out to be and have them cancel it.

In the meantime organizations like LetHonoluluVote.org soldiers on with their campaign to put a city charter amendment question on next year's ballot to allow voters to place tax questions up for public vote.

It is not too late to stop the tax train. Let's do it now!

Links

• Can City Afford Transit System, Honolulu Advertiser
  
• Let Honolulu Vote
• Rail: We Cannot Afford It
• HonoluluTraffic.com

$19 Fares: Here They Go! Again

You gotta love competition. The Hawaii interisland airline war has re-ignited with Mesa Airlines' Go! once again offering $19 promotional airfares. This is $20 off Go's regular $39 discount fare that sparked the interisland airline war in June 2006.

The trigger for the $19 fares is the announcement of Go!'s new Go! Express service which is a small commuter airline flying the Go! colors by partner Mokulele Airlines. Go! Express is offering $19 fares to destinations such as Kapalua, Lanai, and Molokai. Go Express utilizes recently acquired 12-passenger Cessna Caravan jet-prop aircraft. Go! flies 50-seat Bombardier RJ 200 jet aircraft on their main interisland routes.

Tickets went on sale this weekend with the offer lasting until March 23. Travel must be completed by April 23.

Rivals Hawaiian, Aloha and Island Air have matched Go's airfare. The start of Go Express will cut into Island Air's and Pacific Wings' market share. The two airlines specialize in servicing Hawaii's smaller airports.

Despite the discount fares, interisland air travel has somewhat leveled off in recent months. Many people have said and I agree, that the low fares can't last forever. Someone will be "throwing in the towel" in the future.

It is too bad for me that the travel window for the current $19 fare is only up to April 23. I usually don't travel between the months of January and May. I expect another round of discount fares to happen this summer as the airlines near the date of Hawaii Superferry's launch. If you can travel interisland today, by all means enjoy the ride!

New Radio Stations Signing on in Hawaii

In the last few weeks two new radio stations have signed on in the Hawaii market. This past week radio station KHAI FM at 103.5 became radio active with their Christian rock Air 1 format. The station's activation was covered today in Erika Engle's Buzz Column as well as a few days earlier in a Hawaii Media Forum post made at HawaiiThreads.com. KHAI's new signal is a marked improvement over the weak low power transmitter they had for a few years playing Air 1's format. That signal could only be heard in some parts of West Oahu.

The other new station signing on is Visionary's KMKK FM at 102.3. which is playing an all Hawaiian music format. The station can be heard in certain parts of Oahu. The facilities for KMKK are located on the island of Molokai, which may be an ideal location if Visionary's goal is to have KMKK service three communities... Maui, Molokai and Oahu. We'll see who buys advertising on this station.

Several other radio stations may hit Hawaii's crowded airwaves as new frequencies are snatched up and become active.

Additional Links

• Broadcaster Initiate 2-island Radio Station Swap, Honolulu Star-Bulletin.com
• Bids for Kona radio station, Honolulu Star-Bulletin.com
  
• Hawaii Radio & Television Guide

Glenn Kim Appointed to Third Circuit Court

Glenn Kim (center) and his supporters had a good reason to be all smiles yesterday after he was appointed to the Third Circuit Court of Hawaii after an hours-long State Senate floor session. Kim won his appointment by a larger than expected margin of 16 to 9 after most Democrat Senators split from their Judiciary Committee recommendation of "not to advise and consent". The approval of Kim by 11 Democrat and 5 Republican votes was a huge setback for Judiciary chairman Clayton Hee and his followers, who were opposed to Kim's nomination largely on the testimony and letters of two disgruntled former colleagues.

Support for Kim in the legal community was huge and a large victory for Governor Linda Lingle who made the appointment. It had been said that Democrats in the Senate would heavily oppose some if not most of her appointees as she heads into her second term of being Hawaii's first GOP Governor in more than 40 years.

Mark Recktenwald, Director of the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs was appointed by a unanimous vote of 25 to 0 in the State Senate to be Hawaii's newest head judge in the Intermediate Court of Appeals during the same Senate session.

Additional Links:

• Controversial Judge Gets OK, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
• Senate Confirms Kim for Bench, Honolulu Advertiser

Photo by Melvin Ah Ching

Hee vs. Kim

Things come to a head today in the Hawaii State Senate as Deputy City Prosecutor Glenn Kim faces an uphill battle in being confirmed as a new Circuit Court Judge. On Wednesday, March 14 Mr. Kim appeared before the second of two Senate Judicial committee hearings where he faced opposition from subpoenaed witnesses called in by State Senator Clayton Hee to testify against his "judicial temperament" among other things.

The subpoenaed witnesses were called in by Senator Hee to find answers to damning allegations made by a disgruntled former colleague. Mr. Kim was supported by many colleagues and people in the legal community at a hearing that occurred the week before. Senator Hee's infamous "bullying tactics" were used with the usual aplomb at Wednesday's hearing where in the end, despite many hours of positive testimony on behalf of Mr. Kim, the candidate was voted down in committee by a margin of 3 to 2 to "not advise and consent".

His nomination will go before the entire State Senate today where the fragile Democrat majority of 20 will be tested. Senators are counting their votes. The voting may go along party lines with several dissident Democrats falling in line behind the 5 Republican Senate minority. Mr. Kim was nominated to the bench by Governor Linda Lingle, a Republican. Senate Republicans are expected to all support Kim with some Democrats also lining up behind them. The Democrat vote may go along the lines of current and former leadership members. The vote may be close. It will be a test of political will.

The Senate floor session will probably be long and colorful, filled with speeches praising and panning the nominee, the process and maybe even each other. The hottest action in the legislature since... opening day. Be there at 11:30 a.m. or catch it live on Olelo Cable TV.

Photo: Screen captures of Senator Hee (left) and Glenn Kim (right) from Olelo / Capitol TV.

City to Rake in $200 Million on GET Surcharge

City revenues are likely to increase up to $200 million this year thanks to the Linda Lingle and Mufi Hanneman train tax surcharge tacked on to the 4.16% General Excise Tax. The half percent (or 12% if you count the pyramidding) tax was implemented at the start of the year on every purchase made on the island of Oahu and many others elsewhere in the islands. This is to pay for the $6.4 billion rail project that the City and County of Honolulu wants to build starting in the year 2009.

Do we need it? Can we afford it? Can we maintain it? NO to all of these. Is it need to have or nice to have?

The $200 million of additional tax revenue our city is projected to take away from us could have been put into better use.... like stay in our own pockets or perhaps, a fraction of that going to fixing the sewers. But no, the city on top of the additional GET tax scheme continues to raise our property taxes and is also asking to raise sewer fees.... again.

The cost to make Honolulu's massively expensive choo choo train a reality will continually spiral upward as further studies, contracts and bureaucracies are created. Case in point is the Mayor's request for $4.1 million to start a "Rapid Transit Office" that will be initially staffed with up to 35 people. What do we need a new office for when there isn't any train to ride? Another bunch of paper pushers in the city to manage nothing yet drain our pockets of more tax dollars.

The creation of this office is "political". It is being done to fulfill some kind of federal requirement needed when a city wants to procure federal funds. Will the city council approve this budget request or kill it? If this is not approved, the rail project could end... fat chance though. Most of the members on the city council would rather spend your money to further enhance unneeded projects such as rail.

Sadly the tax nightmare for rail continues...

Superferry May Not Be Able to Start

John Garibaldi, CEO of Hawaii Superferry says that if the new version of SB 1276 (which was passed yesterday) becomes law service may be stopped: "If this stays in its current form, it would have a high likelihood of deferring service."

This is exactly what the Superferry opponents want and is what Senate Democrats led by neighbor island opponents Gary Hooser, J. Kalani English, Shan S. Tsutsui, Rosalyn Baker and Russell Kokubun did.... pass faulty legislation that will stop a privately funded business from starting up. The 4 neighbor island Democrats who introduced the anti-Superferry bill led the charge to oppose it and got all of their fellow Democrats to vote for the EIS requirement yesterday with the exception of former Senate President Robert Bunda, who said the bill was "based on politics".

Politics of "no", definitely at work here. Bending for the environmental whackos and the few transportation firms that do not want added competition.

The bill moves on to the House where an anti-Superferry bill was never passed out.

Meanwhile an online and unscientific poll taken at the Pacific Business News website indicates that most people do not think an EIS is required for Hawaii Superferry.

Additional Links:

• Revised Bill Could Delay Superferry, StarBulletin.com
• Pacific Business News Poll
• Measure Wouldn't Stop Superferry, Maui News
  

PBN Poll Snapshot

Tax Burden Still High in Hawaii

Let Honolulu Vote.org's Paul Smith reports this week that Hawaii continues to have one of the highest tax burdens in the nation. Smith says, "the Bureau of the Census reports that, on a per capita basis, Hawaii, in 2005, was the number 1 state for collections of general sales tax, and in 2006, had the fifth highest percentage (11.7 percent) of state and local tax burden as a percentage of state income."

The report does not take into account the new tax increase that started on January 1 to fund Honolulu's $6.4 billion rail transit project. That will surely push our tax burden higher the next time another report is filed.

Keep an eye on the State Legislature. You can't trust many of the politicians who work in that building. They may be pushing more legislation to increase our tax burden. More fees, charges, cost, taxes. When will it all end?

Tax hell is alive and well in the 50th State.

Save the Hawaii Superferry

The Hawaii Superferry needs your help. A bill and several lawsuits are pending which will force Hawaii Superferry to do an environmental impact statement (EIS) long after the courts ruled that none was required. Fact is Superferry already did their own study and it is available at their website.

Hawaii Superferry will offer the inter-island traveling public with another option of travel. Many residents and businesses want the Superferry to happen. I think Hawaii Superferry is a great idea and offers us the option of moving our vehicles between the islands. It may even be a hedge against higher airfares as the base price for individual travel on Hawaii Superferry has been announced at $42. That is competitive against air fare prices of $79 or more that Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines wish they could charge. Thank goodness Mesa / Go is in the inter-island airline marketplace.

Despite all of this, there are politicians, "environmental whackos" and several businesses within the transportation and shipping industries that oppose the Hawaii Superferry. Legislation was introduced this year to force Hawaii Superferry to do an EIS even though the courts say they don't have to. All the other shipping, transportation and airline companies including cruise ship lines do not and never had to do an EIS. Why is the Superferry singled out?

Has to be political. The effort to sink Hawaii Superferry using fear tactics pushed by the environmental whackos, the "hidden" transportation industry types (Aloha Airlines, Young Brothers, Matson) and a handful of Hawaii State Senators may come to a head tomorrow if the State Senate passes SB 1276 to require the EIS. The politicians leading the charge to sink Superferry include State Senators Roz Baker, Shan S. Tsutsui, J. Kalani English, Gary Hooser and Russell Kokubun. Several others may vote the same way as them if the bill makes it to the Senate floor tomorrow.

Now is the time for Hawaii Superferry supporters to take action. Call, fax and email your legislators. Tell them to vote "No" on SB 1276. Concentrate on the Senators today. The House has tabled efforts to thwart the Superferry. The bad bill is only happening in the Senate tomorrow. If it passes then it goes to the House.

Save the Superferry. Stop SB 1276.

Additional Links:

• Hawaii Superferry Website
• Clear Channel's Chuck Cotton's editorial (MP3)
• Hawaii Superferry Environmental Commitments & Actions
• Senate Bill 1276
• Opponents Attempt to Stop Superferry, Honolulu Star Bulletin
• Email Hawaii State Senators: sens@capitol.hawaii.gov
• Hawaii Superferry Discussion @ HawaiiThreads.com
• Spirit of Ontario Visit to Hawaii, April 2004
• Who Wants to Kill the Superferry
• Hawaii Superferry Photos

Photo: Hawaii Superferry, Inc.

Stupid in America? Yes!

Teacher unions and an entrenched political bureaucracy are holding back the public schools in Hawaii and across the nation. For years teacher unions have been largely responsible for keeping the status quo in the public school system as America's students fail to learn the basic necessities of modern life including skills related to reading, writing and arithmetic.

One of the most celebrated programs outlining America's troubled schools is John Stossel's ABC News 20/20 report "Stupid in America". In his 40 minute report Stossel visited several public and charter schools, talked to parents, students, teachers, union leaders and some politicians. He concluded that teacher unions and lack of political will continues to hold back America's schools.

In Hawaii efforts to allow vouchers and create local school boards continue to fail. The local teacher union, HSTA has a tight grip on the Hawaii political system with their members instrumental in keeping union sympathizing Democrat politicos in power.

On February 16, Apple CEO Steve Jobs blasted teacher unions when he stated that "no amount of technology in the classroom would improve public schools until principals could fire bad teachers." Jobs continued to say, "I believe that what is wrong with our schools in this nation is that they have become unionized in the worst possible way. This unionization and lifetime employment of K-12 teachers is off-the-charts crazy."

"Off-the-chart crazy," says Jobs. This is echoed in Stossel's report. It was interesting to note that getting rid of bad teachers is very difficult in the union dominated profession. And that is only part of the problem. Watch the video.

Then call your politicians. It's time to make a change.

Additional Links:

• Stupid in America on YouTube.com (4o minute video)
  
• Apple CEO Jobs attacks teacher unions

Image: ABC News 20/20

Upgraded Blog

I'm back to this blog. For a few weeks now I've been contemplating on a blogspot upgrade. Blogspot, the host site for this blog have been urging all users to upgrade to their new interface for several months. I was probably one of the few holdouts in fear that the layout I worked on would get messed up. I remember seeing several blogs hosted here change after the upgrade. I don't know if the changes were forced after the upgrade. Some probably were when the upgrade was in Beta. But Blogger has consistently stated that layouts would not change with the final version.

Today I took the plunge, and looks like everything is intact. My layout is still the same. There seems to be some new features implemented. I will probably use them and add some to my template. Hopefully this will motivate me to add to this blog more often, now that the annoying "Upgrade to the New Blogspot" messages are now gone.

Stay tuned.