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It looks like I have to take back what I said here on Saturday about Gary Rodrigues’ attorney finally admitting the former union leader did something wrong. That comment is no longer operative, according to a quote attributed to the attorney, Doron Weinberg, in yesterday’s Star-Bulletin.

“As his lawyer and someone who studied the case for six to seven years now, I’m absolutely confident that he never misappropriated a penny from the UPW or its members and never committed any of the crimes for which he was convicted,” Weinberg said.

So it appears we’re back to the arrogant and unrepentant Rodrigues backed up by his high-powered attorney. Any possible sympathy for the former UPW director evaporates along with the now-inoperative contrition.

A friend in Kaaawa forwarded me this link regarding HR 1955, federal legislation making it a crime to be involved in the “process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.”

Would inviting a Palestinian advocate to speak at the University be considered “promoting” an “extremist belief system” (in who’s eyes?) for the purpose of “facilitating” (whatever that means) “ideologically based violence”?

This does sound like a very dangerous measure as currently drafted. The bill passed the House with only six votes against, including Congressman Neil Abercrombie. Thank you, Neil.

Rep. Hirono voted for the measure.

My friend comments: “Maybe I’m missing something. I truly don’t understand why this is not being covered in the media. ”

Speaking of things not being mentioned in the media, another reader forwarded this link to a weekend story in the Daily Mail (UK) concerning the sudden and unexpected appearance of a Chinese submarine in the middle of a U.S. Navy training exercise somewhere between Japan and Taiwan. So it’s news in the UK, but here, it seems, the norm is “No press release from the Navy, no story”.

Another reader wonders about the unacknowledged dual roles of Jason Taylor, apparently simultaneously serving as “Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing” for the Honolulu Advertiser (appointed September 2006), and as president and general manager of the Chattanooga Times Free Press (appointed October 2007).

According to this apparently informed reader:

He (Taylor) claims that he is flying back and forth on the corporate jet to work the Honolulu market…

Better yet, the Advertiser hasn’t told anyone he’s gone.

I’ve been enjoying the new blog by Howard Dicus (“Howzit Howard), now over at KGMB (and often spotted at PBS Hawaii). Howard manages to get in comments that are more on point than much local reporting. Yesterday he wrote:

The problem is that hotels have become such cash cows that they have attracted flippers, the sort of investors who don’t care much about what they buy – so long as they reap a quick, easy, massive short-term gain.

They’re not interested in what shape a property will be in 20 years from now. They’re not interested in the property’s vendors, no matter how long they’ve been on the premises. They’re not interested in service unless it declines so much that it impinges on their ability to quickly cash out.

Labor negotiations at hotels are never an easy proposition, but one local union official told me that it gets even harder when a hotel has a new owner who knows nothing and cares less about how a hotel runs.

That’s pretty straight talk for a business reporter! Now you’ve got to wonder how that “nows nothing and cares less” attitude is going to translate into visitor satisfaction figures a few years down the road.