Consultants sure spend our money fast

Gov. David Ige this week pulled the plug on what was called the Financial Accounting System Transportation (FAST) project, intended to improve accounting and cash flow at the Department of Transportation.

The only thing fast about it, though, was the speed at which $13.9 million was spent.

Ciber Inc., was hired in 2008 for FAST, work that was supposed to be done in 18 months.

Ige said the state relies too much on consultants. True, that. What we need are people handling procurement in all departments who are at home in the IT universe.

Another reason Hawaii is wonderful

Hawaii bears its share of risk where volcanoes, hurricanes and tsunamis are concerned.

Tornadoes? Not so much.

We do get them — one quick-thinking photographer caught a snap of one near Kalaeloa Thursday. But they tend to be relatively minor events, more commonly called a "land spout" than a tornado. The most violent tornadoes require both severe instability in temperature and "wind shear," or changing wind speed and direction.

That’s most prevalent in the middle part of the mainland. Sometimes small land mass is a good thing. So although yet another hurricane season looms, Hawaii can count itself as lucky on that score, at least.