Posted on: Saturday, July 12, 2008
Politicianswork hard to undo hard work
By David Shapiro
Political jokers and ticked-off smokers lead our "flASHback" on the week's news that amused and confused:
Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a record 53 bills passed by this year's Legislature and lawmakers overrode 17 of them. Imagine how much they could accomplish if they didn't spend so much time undoing each other's work.
Bar owners, gun enthusiasts and motorcyclists joined forces at the Capitol to protest the state's anti-smoking laws. I'd disagree, but I'm afraid they'd take me for a ride to the country, get me drunk and shoot beer cans off my head.
Body-piercers are petitioning the state for more stringent regulation. I'm for that. Anybody who proposes to tear me a new one should have to pass a test.
The cost of an ambulance ride to the hospital is going up as the state revises fees. These are hard times when you can't even afford a heart attack.
Prosecutors hope that removing parking spaces on Pauahi Street in Chinatown will stop unsavory characters from doing their business. They shouldn't get their expectations up. Frank Fasi bulldozed the City Council's parking spaces and they kept coming back.
An attorney sponsored by the Hawai'i Judiciary is offering a free talk on "Divorce Law in Hawai'i." Don't be fooled. Once lawyers start divorce proceedings, nothing is ever free again.
CalorieLab Inc. says Hawai'i is the second-leanest state in the nation. I had my doubts until I saw a Census report that Honolulu's population shrank in 2007.
Feral guinea pigs are running amok in Nu'uanu. Just what we need, more feral cat food.
Three O'ahu men facing stiff state fines for using the Superferry to take river rocks from Maui said a bishop sent them to get the stones for their church's charity imu. We'll see if the Land Board agrees with the Bible that charity shall cover a multitude of sins.
Speaking of church guys and stones, a microphone caught the Rev. Jesse Jackson crudely expressing a desire to lop off Barack Obama's Hawai'i-grown testicles. Jackson apologized and called the dig "hurtful." That was the political understatement of the week.
And the quote of the week ... from Honolulu liquor administrator Dewey Kim Jr., after nearly half of bars and restaurants checked by undercover agents served liquor to minors: "We need the businesses to take this stuff seriously. The law is the law." You'd think something simple like pulling their liquor licenses would do the trick.
David Shapiro has covered Hawai'i and national news for four decades as a reporter, editor and columnist. Read his blog, Volcanic Ash, at http://HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Blogs.
Reach David Shapiro at dave@volcanicash.net.
