Cold-hearted theft gets us pretty hot

In strictly monetary terms, the theft of a jar containing $200 isn’t so surprising. But the fact that it was a donation jar for a little girl in desperate need of a heart transplant makes the theft mind-boggling, and outrageous.

Madisyn Tamaki, 8, was a vibrant and smart Pahoa Elementary School third-grader on winter break when she suddenly fell severely ill. She’s now in a Seattle hospital, on life support after suffering cardiac arrest and being diagnosed with an inflammatory disease that attacks the heart muscle.

Madisyn needs a new heart and is fighting for her life. Meanwhile, some lowlife lucky to be healthy stole the money her family desperately needs.

"That’s beyond cold-hearted to me," said the manager of the store where a surveillance camera caught the theft on video.

A couple has since been arrested. If there’s anything to bad karma, the guilty ones deserve every bit of it.

Definitely not the way to go

This week’s cause for relief comes in the decision by the state Senate to shelve a proposed constitutional amendment initiative that calling for a public vote to reverse the semi-autonomy voters granted to the University of Hawaii 15 years ago.

Minority Leader Sam Slom said it best:

"Lord knows I’ve been critical of my alma mater. Lord knows they deserve it. But this is definitely not the way to go. We should not be micro-managing."

UH administrators and regents: That’s not exactly a compliment. Better read Slom’s second sentence again, and again.