Renewed rivalries and rants are like watch, wince, repeat

It’s the last Sunday of the month and time to "flASHback" on February’s news that amused and confused:

» A new Hawaii Poll showed Gov. Neil Abercrombie losing public approval as Democrat David Ige and Republican James "Duke" Aiona gained on him in hypothetical matchups. If only these were really hypotheticals and not our actual choices.

» Mufi Hannemann, beaten badly by Abercrombie in 2010, said he may run again as an independent. He thinks voters deserve another chance to decide whom they hate least.

» Abercrombie trumpeted his experience over opponents and declared: "I was never a spectator." That’s true. He was always more of a spectacle.

» Rep. Faye Hanohano, who last year insulted the artwork of "haoles," "Japs" and "pakes," faces House sanctions for new racial rants in which she denounced a student as a Westerner and accused a state employee of genocide. It would be a shame to cut her off before she finishes her greatest hits.

» House Speaker Joe Souki apologized to the public for "the actions of any legislator that they seem not to be happy with." If he has to apologize for one, he may as well make a blanket apology for all.

» A bill in the Legislature would spend $500,000 to remind us to save for long-term care. This from the lawmakers who are $8.5 billion short of saving enough to pay the pensions they promised public workers.

» The state released a smartphone app to help you identify your district legislators. That way, you can cross the street before they see you.

» China is expected to deploy submarines that can launch nuclear strikes on Hawaii. By then, the Chinese will own so many luxury Kakaako condos that they’d only be bombing themselves.

» The Caldwell administration hailed court rulings that gave the go-ahead to Oahu’s $5.26 billion rail system. After years of legal battles, the "train to nowhere" finally has its destination in sight.

» The city unveiled a nearly life-sized model of a rail car, with a movie running inside touting the benefits of rail. It shows rail’s maturity; the PR staff has graduated from giving out coloring books to building model trains.

» Atheist Mitch Kahle settled for $775,000 with New Hope Church — including some $200,000 that goes to him and his wife — in a lawsuit over church use of public schools. It gives new meaning to Abraham’s promise that "the Lord will provide."

And the quote of the month … from state land Director William Aila on Faye Hanohano berating his staff in Hawaiian: "This was a public hearing, and neither the testifiers, the audience nor the other committee members understood what Rep. Hano­hano was saying." It’s not fair to blame her Hawaiian; the same is true when she speaks English.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.