Feral birds and homeless earn leaders’ compassion

It’s summer, so why are we still hearing about the Legislature? Find out as we plant tongue in cheek and "flASHback" on the week’s news that amused and confused:

» Legislative leaders said theywon’t call a special override session to deal with nine bills Gov. Neil Abercrombie says he may veto. None of the measures is important enough to interruptlawmakers’off-session junkets.

» One bill on the veto list would make it a public nuisance to feed feral birds because of their propensity to poop on everything. The governor is inclined to givethe pigeons a break out of professional courtesy.

» Abercrombie said seven agriculture bills he signed from this year’s Legislature will make Hawaii brands "iconic" and give local farm products "a premier position in the world economy." Not unless legislators pass an eighth bill legalizing pakalolo.

» State Rep. Isaac Choy said the Legislature’s revised technology tax credit isn’t perfect, but "it’s better than a poke in the eye." If only they’d pass something that’s better than an insult to the intelligence.

» Hawaii U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said skeptics of man-made global warming "have to be ridiculed, they have to be run out of town rhetorically." Before he gets too far ahead of himself, let’s see if he has the rhetorical chops to run Colleen Hanabusa out of town.

» Less than six months into her freshman term, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is replacingthe two top staffers in her congressional office. What, they didn’t get her to the Senate fast enough?

» City Councilman Ikaika Anderson challenged Mayor Kirk Caldwell to work with the Council on budget disputes instead of "needlessly bringing D.C.-style politics to Honolulu." Actually, accusing other people of D.C.-style politics is a staple of D.C.-style politics.

» Caldwell promised to practice "compassionate disruption" in enforcing the city’s new sidewalk nuisance law by giving the homeless a "heads-up" before confiscating their tents. That way, they can have their ACLU lawyer waiting for him.

» City officials said they’re lowering the minimum amount for city grants-in-aid from $50,000 to $25,000. It will allow our elected leaders to take care of twice as many campaign donors.

» Because of Hawaii’s soaring electricity rates, the cost of operating an electric car here is the gasoline equivalent of $3.69 a gallon, more than triple the national average. Now that’s sticker shock with some real voltage behind it.

And the quote of the week … from Abercrombie on reaching the age of 75: "Somebody told me 75 is the new 40. I said, ‘No, it isn’t.’" May he have a happy birthday and take heart from what George Burns said at his 99th birthday show: "I’m glad to be here tonight. At my age, I’m glad to be anywhere."

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