Hawaii residents are among the most optimistic in the country about the economy, according to the Gallup Economic Confidence Index.
The pollsters reported that no state exhibited strong economic confidence last year, but that Hawaii was tops among them in its index showing. The index allows people to rate the economy over a 200-point range, with 100 representing an economy in which all residents say it is excellent and or good and is improving. A minus 100 ranking would represent an economy for which respondents say it is poor and getting worse, according to Gallup.
Hawaii’s index stood at -11.3 in 2010. Only Washington D.C., a non-state, was better at a +1.6.
The national average was -28, up from -35 two years ago and -50 in 2008, Gallup said.
Besides Washington D.C. and Hawaii, Iowa and Maryland had the highest economic confidence last year. People in West Virginia, Idaho, and Rhode Island were the least confident, said Gallup
The index is compiled from responses to questions about the U.S. economy and whether economic conditions are getting better or worse.
Hawaii Residents Sleep Less, Snore More
Hawaii residents need more fitful sleep, according to the results of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
The CDC polled people in 12 states as part of its Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reporting and found that more Hawaii residents slept less and snored more compared to the other states. They also fell asleep while driving more.
The CDC reported about 45 percent of those polled in a random telephone survey in Hawaii got less than seven hours of sleep each day. That compared to the 35 percent average in the 12 states.
Hawaii residents also:
More than half, or 54 percent, reported they snored. That compared to the 48 percent average.
Hawaii was above the 12-state average of about 38 percent for people who unintentionally fell asleep during the past month. Almost 43 percent of Hawaii residents reported doing so.
Only 4.7 percent of people in 12 states reported falling asleep at the wheel. Hawaii tied with Texas with 6.4 percent of people saying they had unintentionally napped while driving during the prior month.
Other states in the survey of 74,571 people in 2009 were California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Texas and Wyoming.
Historic Hawaii Photographs sell for $27,650
A collection of historic photographs of Hawaii sold for $27,650 during bidding at a British auction house, topping estimates that they were worth a little less than $17,000.
The collection included one of the earliest known photographs of a surfer, portraits of King Kalakaua, Queen Liliuokalani and Princess Kaiulani will be up for sale on Thursday at a U.K.-based auction house. In all there were 82 photographs believed to have been taken between 1887 and 1891 up for bidding at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Gloucestershire.
The collection also included historic photos of Fiji and was valued between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds. The auction house’s website shows the lot sold for 17,000 pounds.
Book about Stanley Ann Dunham to be Published
A biography about Stanley Ann Dunham, President Obama’s mother, is scheduled for release on May 3 by Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin Group (USA).
A Singular Woman is written by New York Times reporter Janny Scott and cover’s Dunham’s travails through her life in Kansas, Indonesia and Hawaii. Scott said she has interviewed about 200 people for the 384-page book, which will retail for $26.95.
St. Louis Television Station Reports Missouri Welfare being spent in Hawaii
KMOV, a St. Louis Television station reports that Missouri residents receiving food stamps and welfare payments are spending them in Hawaii and several other states.
The television station reported that in January Missouri EBT cards were used to withdraw $362,682 in cash outside the state. In Hawaii Missouri EBT cardholders spent $2,737 on food in January. During that same time period there were 6 ATM transactions totaling $175.
The station quoted Brian Hook of Missouri Watchdog, a non partisan group that digs information out of government agencies, as saying the transactions might not be fraud, but likely illustrate waste.
“The first thing that jumps to my mind is where did they get the money to get to Hawaii and Alaska,” Hook told a KMOV reporter.
Abercrombie, Others to be Covered in CNBC Reports
CNBC Correspondent Jane Wells said she will be meeting with Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie and interviewing people about Hawaii’s energy issues in a series of reports to air on the cable network later this month.
Wells wrote on her blog that she is in the state to cover unique economic challenges facing Hawaii and to moderate the state’s annual CFA forecast dinner.
Maui Friends of NRA Banquet
Maui Friends of NRA will have a dinner event at 5 p.m., March 12 at the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Wailuku. Cost for the event is $50, with proceeds from the event going to local, state and national programs.