The long-term cost of live-fire training

It ought to seem pretty clear from progress reports on the Kahoolawe island cleanup that this project has no short-term solutions. The bottom line is that the $400 million alloted for the cleanup of what used to be a target for Navy bombing practice is due to run out in 2016, with only 13 percent of the job done.

Does this kill all prospects for reclaiming the island? No, but some other funding strategy will be needed and the plans for future uses adjusted.

It also should make decisionmakers consider carefully whenever using ordnance is being proposed. The land may be rendered useless, for all practical purposes. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but cleaning such a place is next to impossible.

Age discrimination, with a youthful twist

A senior engineer with the Kauai County Water Department is suing the county in state court because he claims that he was demoted and his pay cut because, at age 32, he wasn’t "senior" enough.

Dustin Lee Moises says he gained senior engineer, design and construction experience a decade before he would expect to reach that level but the county didn’t give him adequate credit for his experience.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that the federal law against age discrimination was meant to protect workers whose employers think they are too old, not too young. "The enemy of 40 is 30, not 50," explained Justice David Souter, citing "social history" of "age discrimination as aimed against the old." On the surface, Hawaii law protects employees young and old alike.