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Imprisoned by old ways of doing things?
Ohio made history this week when it became the first state to sell one of its prisons to a private firm (pending the outcome of a lawsuit questioning its constitutionality). Maybe Hawaii could follow suit?
The sale of its prison on the shores of Lake Erie to Corrections Corporation of America is expected to result in annual savings of $3 million for the state, since CCA figures it can operate the institution for 8 percent less than Ohio’s state government could.
Again, something for Hawaii to explore? It’s not like we couldn’t use the money.
Pop, pop, fizz, fat …
If you’re sitting next to someone, chances are either you or he drinks at least one soda or sugary beverage each day. And if you’re one among 20 people in a room, one of you drinks more than four cans of pop a day.
Those are the findings of a new report about the high consumption of soda and sugary drinks, despite health urgings of less than half a can per day, due to the links between sweetened drinks and obesity and other medical problems.
The Abercrombie administration just might want to keep this report on file (www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db71.pdf). The Legislature is four short months away — and this time around, a soda tax proposal might not leave such a bitter taste in taxpayers’ mouths.