There's still plenty of time to vote...
You've heard of the Oscars? Well, now there are the Oscats!
And our Kaaawa Cats are nominees for this month's Oscat Award.
Please visit the Oscat nominees by clicking on the Kaaawa Cats (below) and then cast your vote at the bottom of the Oscat page.
April 23, 2005 - Saturday
Worries about a housing "bubble" are apparently global rather than local, according to a story appearing in The Economist earlier this week. The article cites a number of indicators that make real estate seem a risky investment at this point in the economic cycle. The story also includes several useful links, including an analysis of housing values published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Major implications here for Hawaii.
From Minnesota comes an interesting experiment in blogging, City Hall Scooop, written by two city hall reporters for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. And there's talk at NBC of setting up news anchors with their own blogs.
And from California, a court ruling that the Contra Costa Times is entitled to obtain records of salaries of public employees, which had been withheld to "protect" employees' privacy. Perhaps it's time to revisit the Hawaii legislature's decision not to require disclosure of most salary information.
A message from Romeo, typed in his own paw: "hgggggt7". Must be code.
I'll get to a kitten update tomorrow.
April 22, 2005 - Friday
I have no inside scoop on why UH regent nominee John Kai was bushwhacked in committee, or whether his charge of "loaded questions" is true. But it did remind me of an experience "way back" when I still had the crazy idea that I might want a job teaching and applied for a full-time position at Honolulu Community College. I showed up on the appropriate day for an interview with the dean. At first all seemed relatively normal as he asked about my education and background, my interest in teaching, etc., etc. Then at some point he rolled his chair back and got a serious look on his face.
Here comes the big question, I thought to myself. Get ready to discuss educational philosophy, the need for a liberal education, the role of community colleges, or some other weighty matter. And sure enough, the big question followed. Indeed, the killer question.
He asked simply: "What is on the third floor of Building Six?"
I'll never forget that question. I recall the feeling of shock and awe as I tried to swallow my amazement at this unapologetic trick question that only someone already teaching in Building Six would have known. I don't remember exactly how I answered, except that I mistakenly tried to treat it as a joke. Wrong. No joke. It was, instead, my useful introduction into the process of "make it come out right" decision making. When all else fails, use the trick question that's guaranteed to get you to the preordained conclusion.
Needless to say, I didn't get the job but I did get a very useful lesson in the ways of the world.
So I don't know why John Kai was given the business, but I find that I can relate to his frustration.
April 21, 2005 - Thursday
Richard Borreca reports in this morning's Star-Bulletin on the mini-flap at the legislature over fundraiser tickets sent by Senate Higher Education chairman Clayton Hee's campaign to university officials, including nominees for the Board of Regents who needed Hee's support to gain legislative approval.
The situation has highlighted the role of UH administrator Amy Agbayani, currently on "loan" to Hee's office during the legislative session. This means that she continues to be paid by the university while working at the capitol. It's a system routinely used by different agencies during the session, and is designed to provide legislative committees with technical subject matter expertise they would otherwise lack.
But Agbayani's case illustrates how the system can be corrupted when no distinction is made between technical and political assistance. At that point, the practice of staff loans becomes an inappropriate use of public funds. There's potential for abuse and at least the glaring appearance of conflicts on both ends of this kind of deal as the legislator is not the only beneficiary. The staffer on loan also gains power and leverage in their "home" agency as the result of their insider status with the committee that has oversight over the agency's budget and policies. It's a source of power that can easily be abused.
It's also a chuckle to look back at Hee's posture in favor of campaign finance reforms during his 2002 campaign when he said "business as usual cannot continue." Also check my comments on Hee's last campaign which appeared here on Friday, Sept. 17, 2004 (you'll have to scroll down to the proper date).
| Do you have a place in your household for a hand-raised kitten? We're actively seeking homes for the three rescued over the weekend. If you're potentially interested, please email me at ian@ilind.net.
They're making good progress. During this morning's 3 a.m. feeding, this little black gal managed to eat out of a saucer on her own, although the other two still relied on the bottle. In any case, just click on the photo for a small selection of images.
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April 20, 2005 - Wednesday
Am I the last person in town to be finishing up my state taxes? Today's the due date, and I'm just going to make it. I'll walk in and get a Kaaawa postmark, so at least won't have any worries about it getting processed by the post office ahead of the deadline.
I thought the Advertiser's transportation writer, Mike Leidemann, did a very good job on "Driver Beware," a special package of stories identifying dangerous places on Honolulu roads based on an analysis of one-year's worth of accident reports from the Honolulu Police Department. The newspaper did a good job of graphics, both in print and online, to support the stories.
But I was especially impressed by Leidemann's excellent and detailed assessment of the state's tight control of traffic data. Faced with the threat of lawsuits by accident victims, the state appears to favor secrecy over solving the underlying problem of dangerous highways. Leidemann got down into the details of the state's logic and contrasted it with the current trends in state and federal policy. It made and underscored the downside of secrecy without preaching.
What was the deal on KHON (Channel 2) last night? The Legislature is at a critical juncture, with House and Senate negotiators trying to hammer out final versions of surviving bills in conference committees. But instead of reporting on actual legislation, KHON's 6 p.m. news broadcast featured a long story about Republican Rep. Galen Fox, who is apparently considering whether to introduce legislation in the future to ban car alarms. The earliest for that would be next year, of course. It's the sort of story that's appropriate for September or later, when speculation naturally arises about bills to look forward to when the legislature convenes in January. But why run such a story while real news is being made at the capitol? Right now, at about 5:30 a.m., it's still listed as one of the top local news stories. Go figure.
From Boston Magazine, a selection of headlines illustrating contrasts in reporting by the Boston Globe and Boston Herald or, as they put it, "mixed signals from Boston's rival dailies".
April 19, 2005 - Tuesday
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| I've survived the second night with the 2 a.m. feeding. Those who were fed are surviving much better than the feeder. They are in the wonderful sleep-eat-sleep cycle, soon to be disrupted by periods of play now that they're connected to a regular food supply.
I can't believe that we're back in the baby bottle and eyedropper routine. But what can you do when the girls across the street save a litter of kittens that were being abused by some as yet unidentified boys and run to you for help on an otherwise lazy Sunday afternoon? They say, although the story is unverified, that one ran home and got $20 to pay the boys for the kittens. When their parents were either not home or less than receptive to the kitten thing, the girls came running (literally) to our house. "We know you like cats," one said in a worried voice, holding up her cupped hands with a calico kitten huddled in it.
And so it goes in Kaaawa. By the way, does anyone have a good technique for putting a proper kitten-size hole in the rubber nipple of a small baby bottle? These are the small things of life that take on great importance at times like this.
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April 18, 2005 - Monday
Carl Ford on John Bolton: "...a quintessential kiss-up, kick-down sort of guy".
Now that's a doozy of a description. You just don't hear testimony like that every day.
Did you notice the Hawaii Association of Realtors advertisement yesterday? I saw the one in the Advertiser, although it probably ran in both newspapers. It's repeated on the group's web site. It seems somewhat extraordinary to me that their pitch never mentions transit. It just never comes up. Instead, they completely sever the issue from its context and purpose. It's an interesting, although less than honest, approach to an issue of significant public policy. And there's that pesky statistic about average exise tax costs so casually thrown around again. They could just as usefully tell us what reat estate commissions. rents, and speculation cost consumers when you total them up through the chain of commerce.
I received two substantive comments on the question of airlines and oxygen. The first is from a former islander working in the corporate marketing world.
A family friend had a similar experience with Aloha Airlines and using oxygen just last month. So I actually know a little bit about this.
The problem is Aloha's transpacific planes are not equipped for oxygen except for emergencies.
http://www.alohaairlines.com/fly/aa-sn.htm#oxygen
That's probably why it couldn't accommodate this newly disabled passenger returning to the Bay Area. But to not refund their money or help them book with another airline is unconscionable. (But the whole story may be a little different -- need to hear Aloha's side of it.)
It's also hypocritical. Just two paragraphs down from the "no oxygen available" statements, Aloha states:
Affirming the Rights of Customers with Disabilities
Aloha Airlines is committed to making air transportation accessible to Customers with Disabilities. Our policies and practices are developed in the spirit of and in compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act (Title 14 CFR, Part 382) and other federal legislation that prohibits discrimination against Customers with disabilities.
For information on the rights of Customers with disabilities, visit the U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Division Web site:
And, under its Customer First commitments, it states:
Properly accommodate disabled and special needs customers
We will provide safe, secure travel for unaccompanied children, ages 5-11.
We will promptly address any and all special requests and questions.
And even worse: Aloha's web site still states it allows oxygen on interisland flights, BUT apparently that practice changed back in February and it is now prohibited.
Aloha (so to speak).
The second came from an employee of another airline:
Most of the traveling public is unaware of airlines and their policies regarding use of onboard oxygen. Airlines provide the oxygen for use on board but this must be arranged prior to the flight and must be cleared by Medlick (a private firm that airlines use for onboard oxygen and medical advice while in the air). Oxygen use, while in the airport is provided and arranged by the passenger.
I do not know Aloha Airlines policy but I am assuming that they do not provide onboard oxygen and they were right in refusing to transport a customer in need of oxygen. It is just not safe to travel, if you need oxygen and the airlines does not provide it. The question as to why they refused to refund the ticket is another matter and Aloha Airlines did not do themselves any favor by refusing to do so.
I work for Continental Airlines and we do provide oxygen on most of our flights. I'm sorry that the writer of that article didn't do any research before complaining about polices that she was unaware of.
Yesterday popped another surprise on us, but I'm out of time and space for today. Stay tuned.
April 17, 2005 - Sunday
Another arbitration award in the case of a public employee union, another spate of news stories, and again absolutely no indication in any of the stories that the reporter had the arbitration panel's decision and order in hand. So once again the "story" devolves into a predictable "he said-she said" back and forth between union representatives and politicians. And once again I'm left wondering about crucial details. Was there a consensus among the three arbitrators? What issues did they see as crucial?
Also missing was any real understanding of how this kind of matter gets to arbitration. Some broadcast reports last night gave the impression that arbitration was required by law in all cases.
The HGEA web site provides a bit of crucial perspective. According to the HGEA account, the state simply stonewalled during negotiations and offered no increases--zero and zero--over the two years of the contract.
"...despite every opportunity over many months to make an offer, she proposed zero and zero raises over two years to our negotiating teams. It was only when the arbitration process required her to make a final offer did she propose 1.5 percent and no steps.
If that's true, then it would appear the Lingle administration was out to set up just this situation for political purposes rather than bargaining in good faith.
In any case, what's so hard about reporters getting the arbitration award or explaining why it is not being cited?
The Oakland Tribune has a column by a doctor whose partner fell ill during a trip to Maui. Tucked away at the bottom of the column is this bad press for Aloha Airlines and, by reflection, Hawaii as a destination:
"Aloha Airlines refused to fly us back to the mainland with oxygen, to reschedule us or even to refund our tickets. Then the flight we were forced to arrange on an alternative airline was cancelled minutes before boarding, leaving me to figure out how to acquire more oxygen tanks to sustain my friend in the airport lobby over an eight-hour delay."
I wouldn't want to fly Aloha after reading that, and others will probably have the same reaction.
| And there's another round of Kaaawa dog photos available. Just click on Ms. Pua here to see more. |
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