”;Random drug tests get UPW approval,”; Star-Bulletin, Sept. 30: What is the status of the drug-testing program for teachers? Are they still trying to weasel out of the agreement they made? Their plan seemed to be “;let's agree, get our raises, then scream about the constitutionality of testing.”; Very disingenuous, and it suggests to their students to be sneaky, do not do the honorable thing, do whatever it takes to get what you want.

  It just goes to show you having a teaching certificate doesn't necessarily mean you have brains. If the UPW can resolve their differences with the city regarding drug testing, then the teachers should be able to.

  ”;Tumbling economy proves too much for isle retailer/ Hilo Hattie upbeat despite Chapter 11,”; Star-Bulletin, Oct. 3: Sadly, all tourist-based businesses in Hawaii are going to be severely stressed for the foreseeable future. Hawaii's leaders have known for years that the state was overly dependent on the fortunes of only one industry and failed to diversify. In fact, they did just the opposite by allowing agriculture to disappear thereby putting more eggs in one basket. If it wasn't for the boost that the military spending provides, things would be even worse. The sad part is they were warned of this for many years and did nothing to stop it. Now the poor people of the Aloha State are the ones who will have to suffer. Auwe!

  We must remember the governor once said something like it only a slow down. If this is a slow down I'd hate to see the next step.

I think this is getting pretty scary.

  ”;House passes bailout; Hirono and Abercrombie vote yes,”; Star-Bulletin, Oct. 3: Sad to see Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono change their votes when the fundamentals of the proposed bailout did not change. What was so different this time around (four days later)?

We are still paying $700 billion to bail out the banks. The money can still bail out foreign banks. Henry Paulson is still in charge. (He is on the oversight committee.) The stock market was up over 300 points before the vote and since then has closed down at 157. (Even lower than Monday)

Why did Neil and Mazie switch?

  Good to see this bill finally passed. It's a shame that it'll cost taxpayers an additional $150 billion in “;sweeteners”; for the same exact bill. Nothing changed in the legislation. What changed was Abercrombie's and Hirono's understanding of how the bill is supposed to work, and how it protects homeowners from being foreclosed on. (Section 110) Let's stop the bleeding on Wall Street (and our retirement funds) first. There will be plenty of time for investigations and trials once the immediate crisis is averted.

  Abercrombie said the new bill offers improvements and protections beyond the original House bill for individual taxpayers. The improvements are pork belly projects that had no business being on the bailout bill.