Dash of Calabash

Hawaii’s free-market blog

57 Simple Rules to Attend the Olympics

Jun 2

Posted by GRIH in Miscellaneous, Pacific Rim Perspective | No Comments

Capitalism sure is bringing freedom to China! According to the Wall Street Journal, the Communist government has put together a list of 57 rules for foreigners visiting during the Olympics. Some examples:

Visitors who plan to stay with friends or relatives in Beijing must register with local police within 24 hours

At major public venues, behavior that “disturbs order” is prohibited, the rules say. Inside Olympic venues, it is illegal to display “any religious, political, and ethnic slogans, banners, and other items.”

People hoping to hold marches or demonstrations must apply to the police for permission, the rules say, but they don’t explain where such protests will be allowed, if at all.

I’m sure it’s oh so easy to get permission from China’s authoritarian government to hold a march or demonstration, unless of course you are marching or demonstrating against the government itself. No doubt anti-Tibet rallies would be fine, though.

Read the whole Journal story here.

Welfare for Rich Farmers

May 30

Posted by GRIH in Economics | No Comments

It isn’t just ethanol that causes high food prices. Your tax dollars are going to rich farmers:

Agricultural subsidies benefit some of America’s largest corporations and some of its wealthiest citizens at the expense not only of taxpayers, but of everyone who eats and consequently pays the higher food prices necessary to sustain a bloated, profligate farm program.

Suggest you read the whole piece.

Posted by Harry Messenheimer

What do cars and cigarettes have in common?

May 29

Posted by GRIH in Economics, Environment, Free Market Economics, Global Warming/Climate Change | No Comments

In the EU, the answer may soon be health warnings, as explained by this article from Leigh Phillips at EUobserver:

Europe’s media giants have attacked proposals to slap environmental cigarette-packaging-style ‘health warnings’ on car advertising in newspapers and magazine.

The European Publishers’ Council, which represents major publishers and broadcasters across the continent, have warned that such advertising regulations, if adopted, threaten the freedom of the press.

“A state-imposed mandate on car advertising would pose a major threat to free competition and journalism,” said EPC chairperson Francisco Pinto Balsemao in a statement. Read the rest of this entry »

“Helping” Hawaiians

May 28

Posted by GRIH in Economics | No Comments

Two from the “you can’t make this up” category:

First, 12 nearly completed DHHL homes have been razed. According to today’s Hawaii Tribune Herald , the “Kaumana home was one of 12 along Uhaloa Road that the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands had razed before they were ever inhabited.” The Trib prints DHHL’s explanation uncritically, “the demolition was prompted by widespread mold, which was discovered after the unfinished dwellings sat vacant following the builder’s bankruptcy last December.” I wonder if it ever occurs to anyone that lack of property rights might matter, or, to paraphrase the late Milton Friedman: nobody spends money less wisely than when it is somebody like DHHL spending somebody else’s money on yet somebody else.

Second, (also from today’s Trib) here is what the money wasters at OHA are doing:

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has awarded Bay Clinic’s Keaau Youth Business Center (KYBC) Program $25,100 to train Native Hawaiian youths in state-of-the-art digital media, culinary arts and sound recording. The mission is to provide “healthy, exciting, and enriching opportunities for high school teens aged 14-18.”

The grant is from the Community Based Economic Development (CBED) branch of OHA. The OHA CBED program’s primary goal is to provide beneficiaries with opportunities to plan, develop, and implement sustainable economic projects that will serve the needs of the Native Hawaiian community.

I don’t think this second one needs any comment.

Posted by: Harry Messenheimer

UH Manoa to Measure Greenhouse Gas Output–No Similar Pledge by HECO

May 20

Posted by GRIH in Education, Environment, Global Warming/Climate Change, Science | No Comments

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has become the first institution in Hawaii to join The Climate Registry, an organization that seeks to objectively measure greenhouse gas emissions, establish baselines and measure improvements. UH Manoa has pledged to reduce energy use 30% by 2012 and derive 25% of its energy from renewable resources by 2020.

In 2007, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) produced 4.85 Gigawatts of electricity, chiefly from oil. In 2006 it pledged to produce 500 Megawatts of power, about 9.7% of its 2007 production from renewable resources in 5 to 10 years (2011 to 2016). As far as I can tell after skimming its 2007 Corporate Sustainability Report, it has not pledged to actually reduce its greenhouse gas emissions or lower the amount of oil it uses to produce electricity.

In all fairness, HECO had been working on the Kahe wind farm project for some time, but was not able to get the necessary permits from the county. HECO has also been working on a new power plant, a 9-year or so project for them. If it can remove one or more of its old inefficient power plants from operation, there will be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, we just won’t be able to measure it objectively.

I don’t know if The Climate Registry will help objectify the reduction of green house gas emissions. All I know is that they do not sell or advertise the purchase of carbon offsets on their site, a positive thing.

Posted by Wendy Fujimoto

A Research Trip to New Zealand?

May 19

Posted by GRIH in Economics, Government Accountability | No Comments

For only $50K! But not to worry, your Office of Hawaiian Affairs is using it “to promote language proficiency in elementary school children.” Yeah, right.

The project team will be visiting Maori kura kaupapa schools across the country, and is looking forward to learning more about their most recent advances in program, curriculum and evaluation development of Maori language literacy.

Can’t we put a stop to all of this waste by OHA?

Posted by Harry Messenheimer

Wal-Mart to Expand Low Cost Generic Drug Program

May 19

Posted by GRIH in Business in Hawaii, Health Care | No Comments

In late 2006, Wal-Mart introduced its $4 generic drug program. It recently announced that it will add 350 additional generic medications for $10 for a 30-day supply. In 2007 Wal-Mart began selling some women’s health medicines for $9 for a 30-day supply. As usual Wal-Mart reported that some drugs may cost more in Hawaii. As part of the program, Wal-Mart has lowered the price of many of its over the counter generic medicines to $4 or lower–these would be the Equate-brand versions of various medications. Sam’s Club also offers similarly priced generic drugs.

Kmart currently offers 90-day supplies of 300 generic medications for $15. Walgreens already has a discount program, as does Target–soon to arrive in Hawaii.

Click on the link to read the entire article, “Wal-Mart cuts drug prices in effort to lure customers”, Honolulu Advertiser, May 8, 2008.

Posted by Wendy Fujimoto

Hawaii gas prices not the highest in the US

May 17

Posted by GRIH in Environment, Miscellaneous | No Comments

AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report informs us that gas prices are higher in Alaska, California, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Michigan and West Virginia. The site records daily prices by state for regular, mid-grade, premium and diesel fuels.

Posted by Wendy Fujimoto

New Jason Satellite Indicates 23-Year Global Cooling

May 12

Posted by GRIH in Environment, Global Warming/Climate Change, Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

By Dennis T. Avery

Now it’s not just the sunspots that predict a 23-year global cooling. The new Jason oceanographic satellite shows that 2007 was a “cool” La Nina year—but Jason also says something more important is at work: The much larger and more persistent Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) has turned into its cool phase, telling us to expect moderately lower global temperatures until 2030 or so.For the past century at least, global temperatures have tended to mirror the 20-to 30-year warmings and coolings of the north-central Pacific Ocean. We don’t know just why, but the pattern of the last century is clear: the earth warmed from about 1915 to1940, while the PDO was also warming (1925 to 46). The earth cooled from 1940 to 1975, while the PDO was cooling (1946 to 1977). The strong global warming from 1976 to 1998 was accompanied by a strong and almost-constant warming of the north-central Pacific. Ancient tree rings in Baja California and Mexico show there have been 11 such PDO shifts since 1650, averaging 23 years on length. Read the rest of this entry »

Paying her for what?

May 2

Posted by GRIH in Education | No Comments

In stark contrast to the private sector, productivity has been falling in public schools. For example, here is a teacher who only worked part time on teaching. Taxpayers nonetheless are still paying her for full time teaching (thanks, taxpayers). Maybe we should think of it as providing her with unemployment compensation since she has, at least temporarily, lost her real full time job.

Posted by Harry Messenheimer