Warabeya U.S.A. Inc., a Honolulu, Hawaii, establishment, (which keeps House Speaker Calvin Say on a $1000/mo retainer) is recalling approximately 1,550 pounds of convenience meals that may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes....

• Lynn Fallin as Deputy Director for Behavioral Health of the Department of Health (DOH)
• Jade T. Butay as Deputy Director for Administration of the Department of Transportation (DOT)

Oversight of the Honolulu Department of Community Services has been transferred from a committee headed by Councilmember Tom Berg to a committee chaired by Kobayashi.

“Subject got his USC wife ‘Hapai’ [Hawaiian for pregnant] and although they were married they do not live together and Miss Dunham is making arrangements with the Salvation Army to give the baby away,’’ according to a memo describing the conversation with Obama written by Lyle H. Dahling, an administrator in the Honolulu office of what was then called the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Fifteen years ago, Hawaii had a combined obesity and overweight rate of 42.2 percent. Ten years ago, it was 49.4 percent. Now, the combined rate is 57.5 percent.

Republican congressional leaders will meet in the White House today with their Democratic counterparts and President Obama in an effort to reach an agreement on the debt ceiling.

Sources within New Hope Church say that Democrats are scheming to plant a hand-picked candidate to make a seemingly suicidal attempt to defeat Linda Lingle in the August 11, 2012 Hawaii Republican Primary....

Recently, my own website and email were hacked into and meddled with. Sadly, numerous people have come to me since that incident with similar experiences. This is a widespread problem from which no one is guaranteed complete protection. 

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into law a measure that recognizes Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of Hawai'i. Act 195 gives the Governor the power to appoint a five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission that will build the foundation for self-determination.

Sometimes magic tricks just aren't that great, and even the most innocent, wide-eyed child can't be fooled by the illusionist's flourish.

“At first, we questioned the state’s call to relocate our services,” said Brother Sage of Ohana Family of the Living God Ministry, which is in the process of moving its services from A'ala Park to coordinate efforts with the Institute for Human Services’ shelters. “But after much thought and collaboration, we see the potential of benefits to the community that our change and transition in service will make. We are still fulfilling our mission of serving those who need our help while contributing to our collective goal of creating solutions to end homelessness.”

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011
• Senate: Confirmation of David H. Petraeus to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

From the halls of Congress, those individuals traveled to the gates of the White House, where they "complained that [President Barack] Obama had supported immigration reform with words and not deeds," as Fox News reports.

...Those credits were then followed by the now infamous Act 221 tax credits that were designed to attract investment funds to underwrite the high technology industry as it was difficult for start-up companies to attract investors. But the generous tax credits made it more of a boondoggle than a true tax incentive that invited participation.... 

The Declaration announced to the world that the American colonies were free and independent states. But this alone does not make the document or America revolutionary. What is revolutionary about the Declaration is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances but that they did so by appealing to a universal standard of justice: equality. What is revolutionary about America is that it is built upon a foundation of universal principles, not petty interests.

The start of July marks the effective date of the many bills that did become law this session. Below are some that might be of most interest to you.... 

Senate Bill 219 prohibits physically restraining inmates who are pregnant....

The only question is what will that HSTA courtroom victory look like?

The Abercrombie administration’s “last, best, and final” offer to the Teachers Union--which has now been unilaterally imposed--says nothing about implementing the 180-day school year....  The State’s contract also says nothing about implementing anything even vaguely resembling the teacher accountability requirements mandated by Race To The Top.

The continuing rise in the cost of living has not been offset by increased productivity: gross state product decreased by $2,363 per capita in 2009, the worst decrease in the nation....