Hawaii is a little less unfriendly to business

Hawaii’s reputation for treating business has improved in the past year among 500 corporate leaders surveyed by Chief Executive Magazine, but that is hardly encouraging. The state moved from 43rd to 41st among states ranked in areas of taxation and regulation, workforce quality and living environment.

The magazine gave Hawaii a good score for the latter category but miserable in the other areas, which has been the complaint among businesses for years.

"Hawaii and California are incredibly unfriendly toward business," the magazine commented. "Too many regulations, restrictions and new taxes. Local government does not care about your problems."

Politics, posturing and potted plants

What is it about lawyers and potted plants?

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano, a lawyer, chastised his opponents, also lawyers, in last Wednesday’s mayoral debate, asking if they were "potted plants" for their effusive praise of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

You’ll recall this phrase gained notoriety when used by Brendan Sullivan, the lawyer for Oliver North, during the 1987 Senate Iran-Contra hearings: "Well, sir, I’m not a potted plant. I’m here as the lawyer. That’s my job."

He was responding to a dressing-down by the chairman of the select committee — Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.