StarBulletin.com

From the Forum


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POSTED: Sunday, March 29, 2009

”;Legislature session hours hidden,”; Star-Bulletin, March 24: Legislators hide a lot of things. There is no sunshine in the state Capitol. Anyone who thinks that the public makes any difference in what deals get made is severely deluding him/herself.

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”;9 parked cars vandalized in Halawa neighborhood,”; Star-Bulletin, March 25: Silly American youth. In France, they get real and go after the 100K cars that the bankers and politicians drive. Summer riots coming to you soon as more disenfranchised people feel the heat.

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I don't understand it. I guess I am stuck in the old-fashioned ways. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What has happened to personal responsibility and respect for other people's property?

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Instead of spring break, the schools should have the kids stay busy — pick up trash, paint buildings and go home by 7 p.m. curfew. Save the state and county some money!

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”;Lingle plan to use BOE funds attacked,”; Star-Bulletin, March 26: Is it legal for Gov. Linda Lingle to use federal funds to make up her revenue shortfall? There are a lot of companies that would love to have federal funds to make up their revenue shortfalls.

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Donna Ikeda claimed, “;I think it is morally wrong, if not illegal,”; in regards to Lingle wanting to use $90 million of the DOE's budget. What I find immoral, illegal and criminal is when our state Department of Education receives an annual budget of $2.4 billion yet uses most of that money for administrative expenses rather than on educating our children in public school.

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Lingle is showing her true colors by pinching the DOE's money.

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The simple solution is to raise taxes to give every department what it wants — more money. That ain't going to happen! So do what you gotta do. They are going to throw the kids out as a sympathy card. Gambling is starting to sound like a good, viable option.

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No surprise that Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto and the board would get angry at the idea of having to balance the budget. We're sick of giving them handouts when they don't do a good job, at the expense of our children.

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”;Budget head fires at schools' chief,”; Star-Bulletin, March 27: Make it mandatory for state officials and politicians to send their own children to public schools while in public service. This would only be fair and give the public the confidence that these people who are in charge of public schools have true faith in the public school system!

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Pat Hamamoto's claims make me think of the Randy Newman song “;Political Science,”; which contains the lyrics: “;Let's drop the big one now.”; Pat didn't like Gov. Linda Lingle taking away the huge windfall the DOE hoped to get from federal stimulus money. (Money that you can be sure they would quickly put to waste.) So Auntie Ham decided to let drop the big bomb by claiming schools will have to close early. Good one, Pat. Now if only you could be so dramatic about improving test scores.

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”;Maui wind power plant looks to grow,”; Star-Bulletin, March 27: Wind power machines are not cost effective. The all-in costs to design, build, operate and maintain the equipment and the damage to the environment are catastrophic. The electrical energy produced costs 10 times more than other production methods. The promoters of wind power would fail without huge public financial subsidies. Wind power is not for Hawaii.

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The state license to Kaheawa Wind Power allows up to 60 dead nene during a 20-year period and 40 for the Hawaiian petrel. Sixty dead nene is OK? What? If I accidentally kill (or even just harm) one nene the penalties range from $500 to $50,000, and/or imprisonment of up to one year in jail. Once again money talks and the rich/big business get a free pass. Say goodbye to your birds Maui. These windmills are mass bird killers.