tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196459042009-11-25T15:12:15.912-10:00News you may not find in the local media. Learn why it was disappeared.Larrynoreply@blogger.comBlogger1796125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-67025973136357992562009-11-25T15:12:00.001-10:002009-11-25T15:12:06.957-10:00

by Larry Geller Something else to worry about. Check out this YouTube video of a news report on how easy it is to steal the data from these chips. You would think that someone would have thought about this. RFID readers are getting better at reading at a distance. I’ve wondered if an aluminum foil wrapper would do the trick. Technorati Tags: Security, insecurity, RFID, identify theft, ID theft

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-21086956096111999192009-11-25T11:59:00.001-10:002009-11-25T12:40:19.981-10:00

by Larry Geller Cute little fella, huh? I have enjoyed shopping at the Chinatown markets and didn’t think of visiting there at night with a camera, so I was intrigued when invited to come along and shoot some video. Check it out. It was worth the trip. According to regulars in the small crowd outside the market window, the spectacle is a regular nighttime attraction. In other words, it happens

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-69415158024007385862009-11-24T07:00:00.001-10:002009-11-24T08:21:40.736-10:00

by Larry Geller Please enjoy shopping in Chinatown, Honolulu.   Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Chinatown, Honolulu del.icio.us Tags: Hawaii, Chinatown, Honolulu

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-77168950452525097872009-11-24T06:35:00.000-10:002009-11-24T10:23:22.850-10:00

by Larry Geller According to reporter Jeremy Scahill, even Obama may not know what Blackwater is doing in Pakistan: Blackwater is also said to be involved in a previously undisclosed U.S. military drone campaign that has killed scores of people inside Pakistan. The article says the program has become so secretive that top Obama administration and military officials have likely been unaware of

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-13764490909572610522009-11-23T17:27:00.001-10:002009-11-23T17:27:47.156-10:00

by Larry Geller Today’s Advertiser breaking news features the story Hawaii auditor calls for removal of DBEDT Director Ted Liu which begins: The state auditor, citing "numerous and egregious acts," has recommended that Gov. Linda Lingle remove Ted Liu as director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The auditor speaks with some authority (the article is based on

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-65069838160321079952009-11-22T15:58:00.001-10:002009-11-22T15:58:39.368-10:00

by Larry Geller It’s clean, it’s green. At last, it moves. It takes two minutes to fill the tank of this futuristic prototype air-powered car. It emits zero pollution. There are no batteries to replace or recycle, no hydrogen to explode in a crash. No fuel cell. But still too weird, too small, no aircon yet, (not even a seat belt!). Who knows if it will succeed, but this may bear watching. The

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-26984333230224959322009-11-22T14:46:00.001-10:002009-11-22T14:46:11.452-10:00

“Once upon a time 13 colonies-states on the Atlantic seaboard were peopled by Albion's Seed… USA, can you deny others what you made yourself? Why not rather help them, give institutional advice, do not leave that to the Europeans alone.  Make them your friends, do not try to turn the time machine of history backward.  Do not rest on past glory letting that exuberance run away with you.  Rather,

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-8203084774211178982009-11-21T12:11:00.001-10:002009-11-21T18:42:44.557-10:00

by Larry Geller   Today’s Star-Bulletin features a very clever movie poster style illustration by Bryant Fukutomi to accompany Richard Borreca’s article, Labor agreements to be redrawn (11/21/2009). Clicking on the image on the Star-Bulletin website gets a larger, almost-readable, gallery view of the poster. Try cntrl-+ to make the pic even larger so you can read the fine print. While the

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-79494117746358352592009-11-14T17:53:00.001-10:002009-11-14T17:53:22.684-10:00

by Larry Geller Bob Babson, lead plaintiff in the Babson v. Cronin lawsuit, has documented some of his concerns and suggestions in an email request for new legislation that I hope our lawmakers will take very seriously. As I read through his document, I was alarmed at some of the revelations. See what you think. In response to Babson’s lawsuit,  Judge Joseph E. Cardoza enjoined Hawaii’s Office of

Larrynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-65663263840754306852009-11-12T09:55:00.001-10:002009-11-12T09:55:28.301-10:00

by Larry Geller Labor is asserting itself in Washington State: The Washington State Labor Council, the Service Employees International Union and unions representing teachers and state workers have either stopped or sharply reduced donations to Democratic caucus political-action committees that back candidates for the state House and Senate. …There's even talk of trying to defeat some Democratic

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-76660104960696611492009-11-11T16:46:00.001-10:002009-11-11T16:46:55.979-10:00

by Larry Geller So what would encourage Obama and the Russians renew the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expires December. 5? They could claim credit for reducing global warming. Read this snippet: Warheads are no small part of America's nuclear power industry. Currently, 10 percent of American electricity is nuclear (compare that to 6 percent for hydro, or 3 percent for solar, biomass,

Larrynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-40456088406578561542009-11-11T13:49:00.001-10:002009-11-11T13:49:06.064-10:00

by Larry Geller So what do I think of the judge’s decision in the Friday Furloughs cases? You’ve read in the papers that 9th Circuit Judge Wallace Tashima did not grant any injunction to stop the DOE from closing schools for 17 days this year. I think he’s wrong. I was raised to respect certain authority figures and not others. Forget the mayor or anyone from the City Council. If New York had a

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-70030935293020730992009-11-11T09:20:00.000-10:002009-11-11T17:06:33.194-10:00

by Larry Geller As an antidote to all the depressing news these days, check out these clever coffee mug designs. Actually, the site has clever alarm clocks, some strange and clever watches, and even some excellent examples of HDR photography (actually, tone mapping, the comments explain the difference). For a nostalgia trip, check out The 25 Funniest Vintage Tech Ads. I don’t know how I got on

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-6812483263738413852009-11-10T14:49:00.001-10:002009-11-10T14:49:58.292-10:00

by Larry Geller Long-time energy advocate and watchdog Henry Curtis has an op-ed in today’s Honolulu Advertiser, Creating a new path to reduce energy footprint (11/10/2009). Henry follows in the path of Thomas Alva Edison in favoring decentralized generation of electrical power. Curious about feed-in tariffs (mentioned in Henry’s op-ed)? See earlier articles on the subject here. Technorati Tags:

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-68578147837607759292009-11-09T06:57:00.001-10:002009-11-09T07:18:14.059-10:00

by Larry Geller Hawaii’s government has done little to nothing to reverse the cuts that placed us last among all states with only 163 instructional days in the year. The state legislature has declined to meet in a special session to work on the issue. Despite a popular parody song, national and even international focus on the state (our “no school Fridays” were even the subject of an English

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-74148661146161898952009-11-08T12:22:00.001-10:002009-11-08T12:22:46.754-10:00

by Larry Geller Of course, the tragedy at Ft. Hood last week dominated not only the mainstream news but also echoed and re-echoed in the twittersphere and elsewhere in online media. The problem with following tweets wherever they may go is that while many stops along the way are useless (“OMG I can’t believe it!”) some lead to new insights. Not all of these are any more encouraging that the Ft.

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-53606647472841627292009-11-08T10:15:00.001-10:002009-11-08T10:27:24.401-10:00

by Larry Geller (click for directions) If you can, why not be where the action is and also show your support for the attorneys fighting Hawaii’s toxic Furlough Friday school closures. No one is working harder for parents concerned about their children’s education than these attorneys. The hearing is set for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 8, 2009 at the Federal Courthouse at 300 Ala Moana Blvd.

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-52500176677677671542009-11-07T22:15:00.001-10:002009-11-07T22:15:28.899-10:00

by Larry Geller Hawaii’s trashing of its children’s education is still achieving national publicity. Two letters to the editor kept the discussion going in the New York Times today. The latest word on Furlough Fridays is that Judge David Ezra, acting as Special Master to mediate between the parties in the various lawsuits, has failed to come up with a solution. Why am I not surprised—he only had

Larrynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-40114217920928185492009-11-05T21:18:00.001-10:002009-11-05T21:18:56.820-10:00

by Larry Geller As a country, we are very respectful of our dead. We and the world were shocked by the tragic losses of 9/11, and we grieve those who sacrifice their lives to defend our country in wartime. Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida is honoring those we prefer to forget: the 44,000 or so Americans who die each year simply because they have no health insurance and our country won’t provide them

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-41424044287312817842009-11-05T15:43:00.001-10:002009-11-05T15:43:30.086-10:00

by Larry Geller The Star-Bulletin reported today: Third furlough lawsuit claims rights violation (11/5/2009). Tune in to tonight’s Town Square, Hawaii Public Radio 89.3 FM or streaming from hawaiipublicradio.org, 5-6 p.m. Host Beth-Ann Kozlovich takes phone calls, so listen for the number and call with your question or comment. Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Furlough Fridays, furloughs del.icio.us Tags

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-51906028769970498482009-11-04T19:14:00.001-10:002009-11-04T21:16:56.509-10:00

by Larry Geller (Click for larger) Carl Varady (center, right) answers press questions (center left is Tom Grande) (see previous article for judge’s ruling) The Hawaiian Homelands Trust is an obligation that Hawaii assumed as a condition of statehood. This trial covered a limited time period of 1959 (statehood) to 1988 and asked for compensation for losses resulting in delays in awarding

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-69274748794862635472009-11-04T11:30:00.001-10:002009-11-08T21:58:23.233-10:00

by Larry Geller What can be more clear than this: The court, having concluded this five-week trial from 8/4/09 through 9/11/09 and having considered the trial evidence and arguments of counsel, determines that Plaintiffs proved by clear and convincing evidence breaches of trust by the Defendant State of Hawai'i ("State") and Defendant Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ("DHHL") during the claims

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-7240407477527732762009-11-04T10:28:00.001-10:002009-11-04T10:28:27.832-10:00

by Larry Geller After ten years… the telephone tree says that Judge Eden Hifo of the First Circuit Court in Honolulu has delivered a written ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. This is very good news at a time when most news has been bad.  In many ways this has been the "trial of the century" for Hawaii. Since 1921 there has been an obligation to put Hawaiians on their land that has been shirked.

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-26358231607097960612009-11-03T21:12:00.001-10:002009-11-03T21:12:36.534-10:00

by Larry Geller The associations of the Ko`olani and 1133 Waimanu condos in Kakaako have sent a letter dated October 29, 2009 to the US Department of Transportation expressing their concerns about the elevated rail transit system Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The first concern is that the DEIS does not conform to the Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register that states:

Larrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19645904.post-64978339641668768692009-11-02T17:13:00.001-10:002009-11-02T17:13:34.176-10:00

“The problem is not Goldman Sachs bonuses --that is even some kind of socialism-- but that they have that much to share.  A local level connect is needed, with cooperatives, decent savings banks sprouting, and labor and people, not only capital in command.” Disconnected Giant on Clay Feet By Johan Galtung - 2 Nov 2009 Greensboro-NC, USA:  What is the mood of the giant these days?    One

Larrynoreply@blogger.com0