Dismantling the Mufi Hype

Breaking up the hype about Mufi. In this amazing video, Mufi claims his pride in his grandfather, who ceded two islands in Samoa to the US. So, how can Mufi Hanneman be in support of anything for Native Hawaiian Sovereignty? He can't. Because his values are to cede and deed lands to the US. That is his families heritage.

I will grant that Mufi has amazing accomplishments in his life, and I applaud him for that. However, after attending Harvard and being a Fulbright scholar, you would of thought that the man would have been more sensitive to the needs of the poor and homeless. Yet his policies have been cruel and heartless towards the homeless in his area.

You would have thought also, having attended Harvard and been a Fulbright Scholar that Mufi would have been more about the equal rights of others, such as gays. But Mufi has actively campaigned against gay rights.

Mufi is a Mormon. This religion cannot legislate fairly because of its many prejudices and personal philosophies. I know.; I am an ex-Mormon. I know what the Mormon church stands for. And it isn't equality and Justice for all.  The Mormon Church is an ultra conservative right leaning institution that only in recent history has allowed people of color to be full members of their church. That is a fact that cannot be denied. The Mormon Church has heavy influences in Samoa and Tonga, and fully most of the islands there are Mormons.

Hypocrisies about in his statements. He says that the people of Oahu gave a mandate in favor of the rail. However we know that there is large opposition to it in Honolulu and is as contentious as our own bike path has been.

In Kalihi where there has been a crack down against housing residents and curfews against other ethnicity's other then Samoans, (such as Tongans, the hereditary enemies of the Samoans, and others such as Micronesians) one can see where one sided tribal loyalties may significantly affect his ability to rule on matters regarding other Polynesian people such as Tongans, Cook Islanders and Micronesians. He has a new CD out in many languages including Hawaiian (Olelo). However, it is the University of Hawaii dialect. Something that many elderly speakers, and no Niihauans can understand well or at all.  Which shows no sensitivity to the outer Islands, especially Niihauans, who being very conservative Christians would probably like him./ If they could understand what the CD said. But his concern is not for the poeple of Niihau understanding him, obviously.

As far as Native Hawaiian rights go, Mufi has clearly stated that he is from a heritage that supported annexxation to the US. So how can Native Hawaiian rights get a fair deal under Mufi?  Since he is proud of the fact that his family ceded and happily the lands under their stewardship to the US, rather then continuing the heritage of the chiefly class. In Tonga, and in Samoa, many chiefs did not sign away the lands. That is why we have American Samoa, and Samoa, and Tonga separated. They still have their chiefly class.

Mufi claims to be  Democrat. Yet on many issues, He has sided more with Republicans then with Democrats, and has caused much division within the Democratic party because of it. His policies are not progressive, and he has proven that he legislated and makes decisions on issues based on his political and religiousbeliefs and does not accept the separation of church and state. This is  blaringly evident in his very vocal and public opposition to Bill 444. He is a vocal opponent of gay rights, and supports his religious belief's over the freedoms of others. On the environment Mufi has only done lip service to this, and was in favor of the SUperferry not doing an EIS before coming to the outer islands. This flew in the face of logic, and eventually the law. Thus the failure of the  Superferry of which he was a strong supporter. He had the audacity to make sttements here on Kauai that he would bring the Superferry back. It did not get a kind response from the audience. Which just goes to show how completely far removed he is from the feeling and sensitivities of the outer islands.

He has designed a railway system that has caused deep division among the people of Oahu. Will he want one here on Kauai" That is their biggest problem I have with Mufi. His Oahu ego centrism. Mufi, in this video says nothing about the outer islands. Not one single word. And I believe that is how he would Govern as well. From Oahu, for Oahu, by Oahu, all for Oahu. This is the single biggest issue facing outer island people today. The fact that we do not want to be ruled by Oahu any More, and are frankly sick of Oahu treating our islands like their back yards, and like second class citizens. I see nothing in Mufis record, or this video that changes my mind. Because he doesn't even talk about the other islands. Only Oahu.

Democratic leaders in name only who push a conservative Republican agenda. So, what really happens, is that Mufie and Dukie are both the same.
He stated, is that he is the first "native born" Mayor in 40 years.  That may be true, but he wouldcertainlynot be the first Native Born Governor. So that is a glass ceiling that has already been broken. I want a native born Governor that  isn't a coconut sell out. That's what I want.

What is really surprising, shocking and saddening to me, is that here we have two native sons, handsome Polynesian men with amazing educations and all of the opportunities in the world to really show how much about equality, equity, fairness and Love of land, love of people they can be. Yet, these two have chosen to both go to the conservative agendas. And the last candidate standing, although a bit shorter is a Caucasian gentlemen who has shown more understanding of what really matters to most local people then these two has. That truly makes me upset. It seems as if being a front for Conservative Christian White Jihad Domestic Terrorists in Hawaii has been the way of local politicians too long. To the point where it has become an embarrassment and a travesty.t

The election of Neil AMbercrombie would send a strong message to local politicians. The days of having to be conservative, and pander to white special interests so that they can put a local face on their prejudiced and racist agendas is no more. Those days are over. You can now really do, speak, say and be the way you really want to be. And Neil AMbercrombie not being and egocentristic person bent only on the interests of Oahu and being in favor of equal rights for all, and far more sensitive to native Hawaiian rights then Mufie or Duckie is, in my book a huge wake up call for both of them. This must transcend race, religion and familial alliances. This must be a logical decision that will not dishearten the people any more. The people can't take anymore. We need a champion that will fight for US.

And that for me is certainly not the conservative, gay bashing ego centristic all for Oahu Mayor of Honolulu.

Another Public Housing Whitewash Article, and I will be calling up Shaun on Monday!

new ideas for public housing - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

With the flurry of public debate, and my relentless fight to attempt to get someone to listen to the actual housing residents, it has been my biggest problem to find poeple willing to speak out. WHy? From the exact fear, you hear echoed in these and other articles. I for one do not fear speaking out. But many others do. Perhaps it is becasue on Kauai we have a very good management team here that is empathetic, takes calls about repair issues, fixes them promptly as best as they can, and the office staff is kind and considerate.

But in other parts of this state, that is obviousely NOT the case. When it comes to repairs, we, in our housing complex are currently awaiting a new sewer system to fix the one that has been backlogging and causing a horrible stench now for ovwer a year, backflowing into our yards. We have 2an entire building that is boarded up and uninhabitable, as well as another 2 bedroom unit. Since we only have 8 units here, it is very noticeable. We have heard that these units will be getting repaired soon. People have been here, looking at it, and we are hopeful that those units will soon have families in them, since the building has 2 four bedroom units and can accommodate 2 large families.

The plan to evict law abiding, rule following and good tenants is for one thing, more then likely unconstitutional, and as I continue my quest for an attorney to represent us should that happen for a class action lawsuit more then likely very expensive for the state. I plan on contacting Sean Donovan's office, hopefully my last name (maiden) might help since it is the same as his, and we can get some dialogue going on this.

Public housing is currently the ONLY permanent housing solution for Hawaii residents who sincerely cannot afford more then 30 percvent of their incomes. Besides some minimal county projects, this is it. So, if you evict people who have been there for years, because there IS NO OTHER OPTION, not because they are "lazy, and need a wake up call, and need to go back to the beach to wake themselves up", a more or less direct quote from the rogue Democrat Representative Cabanilla. you are asking for the state to potentially be paying out millions of dollars in legal fees and restitution to those possibly slated to be evicted.

This is trul;y the states negligence, the real estate industries greed, and the legislature and the governors short sightedness on the true housing issues in this state.

While they have waxed blossomed cheeked over their apperent "triumphs" of so called "affordable housing", and so called "gap housing" for the middle class, the truly suffering have really had no options. As I have said time and time again, these are single mothers with kids, who just can't make it out there in the housing market who need a roof over their kids heads, so they are following the rules, keeping their hyeads down and trying to be good tenants so they can stay year after year in order to raise their children.

As to any idiotic fools who think that anyone in housing gets a free ride, you have to pay rent to live in public housing, as well as pay utility costs as well. SO what in the heck are you talmking about? The general public seems blind to the fact that the residents of public housing are elderly, disabled, and the WORKING poor, many si9ngle parents. Where would you like them to go? On the streets? As a punishment for WHAT exactly? The crime of being elderly? The crime of being disabled? The crlime of being single, working poor parents of children? This is somehow a crime punishable by eviction? You want top put these people out on the sreet to put in the homeless that are on the street now? So they can liove there another 10 yhears or so, while you still WHINE about the homeless on the street? Does anyone else think this is ludicrous, preposterous, and also might I add unconstitutional and defendable in a court of law, where the outcome is state=0, evicted residents of public housing =one million per ?

Use your heads, and get a grip. Shaun, my freind, I got ya on speed dial. Talk to ya on Monday!!

URGENT NEWS FLASH: KUMU ILLEI BENIAMINA PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING HERE ON KAUAI AT APPROX> 10 AM.

Aloha. ALthough I didnt get the call untill late this afternoon, I have just learned that one of the most revered, admired and respected people in the state, on this island, and in many places aropund the world has just passed away on Kauai, and apporximately 10 am this morning.

Kumu Illei was many things to me. I saw her peassing in a dream last week, and called someone close to her, and begged that person to take me to her. SHe had rallied hber spirits, and m,y freind said she was fine. SO I put it out of my mind and determined to visit her in Kekaha, later on. However, true to my dream, she died today. THis has been devastating news for me. Kumu Illei was so many things to me. A beloved "Aunti-Mom_Sis", as we say here, of close hanai that are too old to be our moms, not quite old enough to be our aunties, and are more like older sisters. SHe was a wise, wonderful, kolohe brilliant person and human being.

She was everything  that anyone could have asked for in a Kumu. KNowlegeable, poatient, kind, loving but strict. HSe did so many amazing things in her life. But she tried to be tuff and independent right to the end. SHe instilled a beleive that truth was a heck of a lot better then fiction, thats for sure.

I cant typoe any more right now. Just too upsetting right now. I will right more, becasue I just got this news about an hour ago. P;ease spread the word to all who loved her. Mahalo

HEWA Waimanalo homeless await rumored sweep - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

SO Much for the "Homeless are all mainland good for nothings argument". How many times can I say this ad nauseum? How long can I keep saying shame, and hewa!! When will anyone listen?!?

So, all of you know how extensively I have been trying to educate people on the fact that the state has plans to EVICT LAW ABIDING HOUSING RESIDENTS, to put in the homeless there are now, to just replace these homeless with others who have done NOTHING TO DESERVE IT!!

The HAWAIIANS ALL DESERVE A PEICE OF LAND AND A HOUSE. Period. End of conversation. FOr everyone else, there needs to be LOW INCOME AND VERY LOW INCOME HOUSING BUILD IMMEDIATELY!!

The Red Cross should step in. Guess why they can't? The REd Cross can only come in if government officials ask them too.

This entire state should be declared a state of disaster. This needs to end. The people have had it. This is the most inhumane thing I have ever seen. It is beyond comprehension!! I can't even type anymore. I am just too disgusted.

Waimanalo homeless await rumored sweep - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Web site for public comment on UN Declaration | Indian Country Today | Content

Web site for public comment on UN Declaration | Indian Country Today | Content
http://www.state.gov/s/tribalconsultation/declaration/index.htm THIS IS THE RIGHT LINK THE ONE IN THE ARTICLE IS WRONG!!

This is the official link, and the article appearing in Indian country today. I suggest everyone get their fingers cracked and start slapping the keys and get in your comments!

This is about renewing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

There is a comment period for everyone. The link ins in the article. I did it, and I challenge the rest of you do do so as well!

sincerely,
Anne Punohu
Me kealoha pumehana

Houselss, Homeless, Potato, Potah-to-Conference reeks of rotten eggs

Mayor blasted over homeless - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com
You clearly have got to love this article, and a lot of the responses to it. If the ridiculous could be any more sublime.

So, I f you haven't guessed yet, as I write on this topic and advocate for fair and equitable housing ad nauseum and no one really listens to me, I will of course be repeating myself.

I have recently met some people, who are responsible hard working people. One is a mom with three kids. The other is a professional woman. Both have degrees. Both are articulate, intelligent, have no vices, such as drinking, drugs, or questionable behavior, and no mental illnesses. They are perfectly deserving of a decent job and decent housing.

However, neither can find that. They are houseless not homeless. They are part of the much larger numbers of people that do not have a tent parked at the beach. They stay with friends, or live in other peoples back yards, wherever they can go. The word has gone out about a 500 dollar dine for sleeping oin your car, and the rousting of people from beaches. People are clearly terrified. No one wants to step forward. People do not even tell other people that they are actually homeless.

Many poeple on o0ur island, get up get dressed, get their kids off to school, go to work, pick up their kids, and then its a struggle to get through the night. It is more expensive to be on the street. You cant always cook for yourself, you use more gas in your car, and getting a hot shower can also be a problem.

(f you are working, shelter hours here on Kauai are a nightmare. You have to check in by 4 pm. Many cant go there, because of the geographical location of the shelter, being in Lihue. The gas money alone, if you are trying to save up for a rental is hard if you are working in Kapaa, the North Shore, or the South Side. The shelter here is very good. However we need more very low income housing. And quick.

On Oahu, its an epidemic proportions. I know many families there that are homeless. I guess on Oahu there must be an influx of the severely mentally ill, and druggies and others, but i also know there are a significant number of houseless, and families.

The problem is there is no permanent housing here that they can afford. The solution, accodording to some law makers, is to push out existing families out of public housing that have been living their in their opinion for too long, and have extended family members living with them.

This is their solution. Kick out one group of people, who have been following the rules and paying their rents for years, and make them homeless, so that these other homeless can get into housing, and off the street.

WOW. Now THERE is an intelligent solution!~! NOT!!

That solution woujld also cause a flurry of lawsuits. Forget flurry. Try avalanche Can anyone say the words "unconstitutional?" If anyone else had been renting in the private sector, and been a longstanding teneat, would we say to them, "Hey you have been paying your rent and following the rules here long enough!. Its time to get on with your life and get another rental you lazy worthless bum!". Would we say that? Nope.

However, that is exactly what some state legislators are planning come January. Some of them think, rather insanely, that public housing residents are somehow now a worse scurge against hum,anity than the homeless they often treat like wild, untamed animals. Now its the public housing residents that are the terrible, lazy bums. Even though most families are law abiding, pay their rents and follow the rules. What sort of a farce of a government says "Hey lets kick out the public housing residents, so we can stuff these guys in there and put those guys out on the street."

A lot of public housing residents work, and have children. If you evict public housing residents, arbitrarily, after deciding how many years is "too long" to live in public housing, which is by the way labeled as "permanent housing", and NOT as a "temporary housing, or shelter", then you are essentially putting a lot of working class and the working poor on the beaches. Which they are not allowed to stay at. Which will put them back in a homeless shelter. So they can wait to get back into public housing.

Yeah thats a really good solution. makes a hell of a lot of sense. NOT.

The only solution, is to do a few things:
1. Residency policy for social services.
2, Immediately construct more low and extremely low housing facilities.
3. Fix up the units that are empty all over public housing, and get them occupied.
4. Rent control., and new laws to cap what people can charge for rental units in this state, based on 30 percent income.
5. NEWw laws that state that if you re coming here to do business and hire employees, then you m,ust put into a worker housing fund to provide low uiincoime and extreme low income housing in this state. (Oh people will scream about that one!) I don't care.

If I was in government, these are the steps I would take.

Kaua'is TVR : Ag vs Vacation Rental "supplement". No Excuse for not being able to produce off the land.

Give me one acre of land, I could do a LOT of agriculture on it.

But then, ag lands do not go to people like me, who can actually farm, know what to plant and where and how to ammend the soil and make things grow.

It goes to rich greedy fake so called "farmers", who come here, don't know what the heck they are doing, fail, and then cry and moan that they HAVE to have a vacation rental, or they can not possibly make it!!

What a ridiculous, unfair farce.

The worst thing is when the council whines they don't know what agriculture is and they are trying to figure out how to define it. That's like saying they don't know how to eat, or walk, or stand upright, and they have to define it.

It reminds me of the ridiculous debates a few years ago about what constitutes an "environmentalist", regarding the seat on the planning commission that states there must be a representative from enviromental interests on the planning commission.

Its the same thing. Some people said, well I know which bin to put cardboard in, and I drop off my cardboard at the recycling center. Therefore, I have been active in the enviromental community and know enough to represent that seat on the commission." That was what some people were actually saying, I am not kidding you.

The same theory is now being applied to agriculture. "Well I have plants on my land, so I am a farmer. See all this grass?".

I just cannot tell you how totally p.o.'d that kind of very ignorant, and fake stupid "well I dont know I am innocent. Whats agriculture anyway? How do we define it? Lets ponder this until after the election. "

I will never forget, at the meeting I had a great conversation with one of the landowners, who actually turned out to be a really great couple.

I mentioned to the wife, that if they paid more attention to doing ag on their land they probably would not even need to supplement their income with the vacation rental, after finding out how much they charged for a room rental.

She agreed but said that the mortgage payments on the house were very high and that is why they needed to rent out rooms, but that if they did do more ag it probably would produce more.

Another issue that I heard, not from this couple whom I actually like, and think they really are pretty sincere poeple, I often here from these "farmers" that they can't sell their crops. Thats ridiculous. People are SCREAMING for Kauai produce.  When I mention this, then they say that they can't get a good enough price for it if the market is flooded with certain seasonals.

So I tell people you need to niche market. Do hierlooms. Look at other varieties of crops. Do people listen? Nope. Want to know why?: Its real simple. They will "token farm", and then delight in failing, so they can say see, the land can't produce we cant make it work. SO we need to change the zoning because this ag land is just no good for farming.

That is the most bogus argument there is in this modern agricultural era. There are tons of soil ammendments that are safe, like sunhemp, a natural soil conditioner. Two or in the worst cases three rounds of this crop and you can fix the most depleted soils. A round of liming afterwards, and there is just absolutely no excuse for not being able to get in a crop of anything. A good load of loam from the west side maybe, if you need to, and six inches or organic topsoil tilled in, and you are on your way to a highly productive peice of land. There is NO EXCUSE for not being able to bring in a crop. Especially if land has been fallow for awhile. Everyone knows fallow land is the best for ammending and rejuvination, and will be able to produce well if you take care of your spoils properly.

But all this is a waste of breath. These poeple will do the exact opposite to ensure they DON'T get a good crop or do well. Then they can whine, moan,  and complain. THey waste all of the ag lands, they trash them, they do everything wrong, and they are the ones that contribute to the degeneration of our soils and ag lands.

I would like an ordinance where we take the land away from farmers, and give it out to poeple like me who can actually farm. WHo know how to produce food, or to ranch and produce meats, cheeses, or who can grow herbs or medicinals, or who can produce traditional canoe plant crops, or florals that can be used for mass producing leis, such as vanda orchids, and plumerias.Ho0w about growong ipu gourds, and Kauai wauke, and producing real Hawaiian tapa again? how about lauhala groves, and a manyfacturing area, where we can produce lauhala weavinjg from right here on Kauai? How about ulu groves, and the selling of breadfgruit? More taro farming? how about hawaiian medicinal plant farms?  How about niche marketing, such as truffles, vineyards, and then wines produced right on kauai? Fruit tree groves, and then the production of jams and jellies from them? What about the numerous varieties of teas, and then the manufacture and packaging right here? What about the fruits which we need to export such as papayas, mangoes, bananas? How about edible gingers, and a host of other hierloom and niche marketing crops? This is what agriculture is.

The guy that said he couldnt grow an orange tree by the ocean, obviousely a mainland transplant does not understand that years ago, in the kalalau valley true farmers came here form the mainland, planted citrus in the kalalau valley, on the ocean, on the coast, with wind and rain, and saltwater, and were able to supply all of California with citrus, including oranges limes and lemons. When I hear this guy complaining he cant grow an orange tree, that just really insults the intelligence of Kauais people. since we know the history of citrus here. In particular the varieties of Ka'u oranges that are adapted to those conditions, the Hawaiian lemon s and limes, ect. So we know the guy is just totally incapable. HE should not have that land. Give it to a real farmer.

Got WIndmills post, and my history with the "Olelo Hawai'i or the Hawaiian language

http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2010/06/word-imperfect.html (link to aundy's post)

Oh I LOVED this post, Andy. Kumu Illei was not my first teacher of 'Olelo. That teaching came originally from hanai 'ohana, with my first formal introduction to the "university style" coming from the late Kumu Helena Maka Santos, who single handedly created a new interest in 'olelo Hawai'i mostly amung the born and raised of the North Shore. I spoke it,semi- passaby although often broken up with English with the North Shore dialect but did not know how to read or write the language.

However here is some history which I'm sure you already know.

The people of Hawai'i never used the 'okina and the kahako before when the language became a written one with the first printing of Na Bibela. The Exception was among the Ali'i. As I am sure you know, there was the "upper class" 'Olelo, reserved for the Ali'i, and the court and retainers, and the language of the common people, which was what I was familiar with.

When the Ali'i dealt with other leaders and countries, the language was often used more phoneticlly and deciphered mostly from linquists or botanists or historians aboard ships that traveled here. That is how the misspelled and misprounounced words for the major Islands occured, such as "Ohwyhee, Mowree, and Atooi", but this redated the creation of the 'okina and the kahako, although the macron was used in many phonetical spelling attempts. That is why you might see these incorrect spellings in documents of the period.

The people were fluent enough in the language not to need it. However if you read the old Nukapepa, you will see many liberal and creative spellings of "Hawaiianized" words. The "s" and the "t" was used far more liberally as well.

How the use of the 'okina and the kahako came about was of course from the great writer of the Hawai'ian Dictionary Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Elbert who were commissioned to do it by the territorial Government.

It was the creative genius of these two that came up with the idea of the 'okina and the kahako, the 'okina to replace certain sounds, most importantly the "glottal stop", and the kahako to teach people where to elongate the vowels.

This was done since about the time of statehood the language was practicly non existant despite its being named as the official state language.

The use of the 'okina and the kahako to teach almost anyone to read, write and speak the language of 'olelo Hawai'i is one of the most brilliant attestments to the creative genius of the people of Hawai'i to adjust and to perpetuate the living, breathing culture of this place.

While Kaua'i, and its distinctively different dialects, (from the North Shore and Na Pali dialects, the Ni'ihau dialects, a and the West side dialects are distinct and unique Kauai still ranks as the purest of dialects in Hawai'i.

I still prefer to read and write 'olelo without the use of the 'okina and the kahako, since it is not neccessary for me.
This helps to decipher older documents especially Palapala Sila Nui, as well as chants or mo'olelo that were written before the use of the 'okina and the kahako. To do that however you must be able to put the words in its proper context and kaona, so sometimes that takes quite a bit of research, otherwise you will actually get your meanings all wrong.

When I first learned to write and read 'Olelo with Auntie Helena, it was almost impossible for me to understand the concept of the 'okina and the kahako. Auntie Helena taught us first what we knew and were used to and then introduced the new "University" style.

Kumu 'Illei did the same thing. To this day I can tell if someone is a native speaker, or only learned the "University " style. O'ahu speakers are the best example of this. When they speak, it sounds more like german to me and is hard and gutteral, rather then the soft, lilting musical quality that is distincly the sound that most outer island fluent and native speakers make when they speak 'olelo.

When I took from Kumu Illei as I am sure she can attest I had a very hard time with the "university Hawaii" sentence structure. In fact I was very bad at it. But to be fair, I suck at English sentence structure and grammar as well, so it is no wonder I also suck at University 'Olelo as well!


However when I write something for others I always use it. I will write it out without it, and then go back and pop in the 'okinas and kahako.

I enjoy reading the Nukapepa from the old days. A lot of words I still need to look up and its always fun to see how the words were "Hawaiianized" even back when the 'okina and the Kahako were not in common use.

Long live Ka 'Olelo 'O Mokupuni Pae 'Aina 'O Hawaii Nei!(Andy's original post on his blog, and a breifer post from this post of mine.

My take on the Political Congressional Debates and the Democratic Party

I would never n a million years vote for Ed Case. He got his chance we sent him home. I am by no means a tow the line Dem, and I often have not seen Colleen as personable enough and I have had major issues with her speaking style. But to let Djou in the door would be like letting Lingle Lunacy continue.

SO what do I do as a Democrat? I personally don't care what the Oahu centralized polls say. I will go with Colleen. It wont split the votes enough, because the Republicans can't vote for Case. Essentially the conservative wing of the Democratic party will vote for him. Virtually every single former Republican who has switched to the Democratic party will vote for Case. The more liberal and progressive voters will vote with Colleen.

It will be very telling to see just how the Republicans have infiltrated and very successfully the Democratic Party.

Just look at our current Mayoral race. I once told everyone I knew, watch if in 2010 the Republicans do not run a Mayoral candidate. If they don't it proves that their stranglehold on the Mayors administration is extremely strong. So strong and confident and blatent about it that they have no need to even run a candidate. They already have one. The Mayor. He is a Democrat. See the picture yet? Our party needs a major purging, period.

I think our party needs an enormous wake up call in this state. We have cow towed and bent over for conservative values and ideas for far too long.

For me the biggest issue is former Republicans who change parties and waltz into public office. To me that is highly repugnant.

We need to send the Republicans in Democratic sheeps clothing back to the "Party of Me, the GOP" and get back to the core values of the Democratic party which is to fight for and support the real people of this country, and to truly believe in equality equity and civil rights.

No one who voted against civil unions, or who has voted in favor of bills for creating laws that discriminate against people should be in public office period. I will not be supporting any Democratic candidate who has voted against the civil, equal rights of anyone or been a party to creating laws and voting in favor of laws that discriminate.

Don't be surprised who steps forward in the next election cycle. You can take that anyway you want to.

I hope my party heard that loud and clear. We need to get back to the party of Kennedy in this state.
We need to walk our walk. We need to stop pretending to be Democrats and start voting like Democrats.

It is my opinion that a third party would be very good for this country. Although I myself would not switch, I feel that can go two ways. Extreme Liberalism, and extreme Conservatism. We may even get 2 strong independent parties that can jostle with each other. Who knows, with more strong political parties in this country we may see much better who is actually for what. It may pull votes from both parties but it may also strengthen both parties.

If the conservative Democrats were to leave the Democratic party, and the Liberal thinking Republicans, and the ultra right wing militants were to leave the Republican party, you might actually see the two parties revamp themselves into a more purer form of what each party actually is supposed to represent.

To me, that can only enrich the political landscape. For me as a Democrat I would feel much better as well as I feel the quality of candidates would improve and confusing rhetoric would be lessoned. I believe strongly in the real Democratic party and I hope one day to see it return to its pure form.

Large scale Commercial Ag worker issues-My thoughts.

 Using an anacronym I posted to a freinds blogs my thoughts on Ag large scale commercial operations in Hawaii and ag labour issues.


When we talk about large scale ag, even if we are using the most sophisticated tech out there currently today, which essentially cuts labor force needs in half, and requires some levels of technical skills for at least half of those workers, as well as supers and crew chief leaders, you are still talking about a significant number of people needed for stooped over labor work, in the hot sun, able to withstand that sort of a physical job. Too many people cite the whole "Hey, we can rehire all of those retired sugar workers.

They are probably dying to get back into ag. We will just hire them." Ok, lets be realistic. The majority of those folks would be 50,60, even sometimes 70 and 80 years old. These types of workers truly are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet.

They can do things with seemingly frail looking bodies that would embarrass most teenagers due to a lifetime of hard physical labor. However, frankly there are simply not enough of these people to go around. This rare group of amazing individuals needs to be supplemented by younger crews.

That is a necessity and a fact. So, where will these people come from? Most of the people here would rather work on their own pieces of property and farm for themselves and sell their produce rather then go and stoop labor in someone else's, unless the job was a technical or supervisory position. So where does that leave large scale commercial ag? Needing to import labor.

Now, you have just gone backwards 150 years into Hawai'is past. You need worker housing. You need to provide for them. They will eventually assimilate. Where will they live permanently? Will they come on worker Visas? How will they get along with the locals? How will you treat them? Will they be on contract?

Now, I am coming from a former ag supervisory angle on this. So the issue is far more complicated. Right now, workers are being imported from Asian countries and Mexico to fill out the labor force from local ag workers because the pool is so thin.

They are currently being housed on private properties scattered throughout the islands, and right now do not have it so bad, but the fact remains that they are indentured contracted workers. Their freedom of movement is curtailed, there are language barriers and fraternization is watched carefully by the handlers.

They are not allowed to currently bring spouses or children, so they lack female companionship which is also a concern for various reasons, as it was a major area of concern 100 years ago. Immigration issues are also a concern.

Costs for them to purchase equipment and clothing,as well as food and housing are taken out of wages exactly as it was done 100 years ago in Hawaii, as well as all personal needs. As you are all well aware, isolation, inflated costs and homogenous groupings contributed to much of the strife suffered by indentured workers in Hawaii.

It is a fact that over half of all laborers returned to their countries of origins many times poorer then when they began for most what was a 7 year journey. This is the human side of this issue.

MERRIE MONARCH: IS THERE TOO MUCH SMILING DURING KAHIKO, WHERE HAVE THE SYMBOLS GONE?

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER

Is there too much smiling during Kahiko performances amung the women?
A resounding YES!! It seems the men were encouraged to keep up[ a serious air, while the women have been increasingly giddy while performing the sacred Kahiko. Everybody gives the same excuse. Oh your just so excited its such a rush when the audience is screaming and yelling, sometimes with the meanings its hard not to smile, ect., ect.,

Now before you people start calling me a no nothing armchair quarterback, let me just inform you that although I have never been able to go physically to a merrie monarch hula competition, I have been a hula dancer and chanter for over 35 years. I first danced hula on a stage at age 12. I am a traditional hula chanter, and a kumu in my own right although I do not have a known halau. My halau follows the old ways. Those whom I teach I each in private for free without charge and without public performances. I teach a religion not a public spectacle for the enjoyment of the tourists.

I hve been critiquing the MMHF since it was first aired on TV and those of us on Kauai were able to watch it. Over the years I have seen it essentially going down the tubes. It has become a commercial tourist extravaganza with younger and younger papered or "palapala" kumus coming to the forefront. Those of Native Hawaiian ancestry are becoming fewer and fewer amung the ranks of the halaus.  You see a huge influx of caucasion, asian and filipino dancers now being the majority in all halaus.

Now you are going to say hey your a racist hula is for everyone, bla bla bla. Yeah, but like everything the Hawaiians, and Polynesians begin, everyone else has to do them one better. Just like outrigger canoing, and surfing. Everybody does it now. Hula is now the same.

With its glut of fake kumus who took a few lessons from some papered kumu now flooding the world with their cheesy versians of what Hawaiian Culture is. OK now there are going to be those of you squaking: Hey your just jealous becasue your not papersed! You never unikie'd! You are half white! AND YOU ARE NOT EVEN HAWAIIAN SO SHUT UP!!  blah blah bhlah!!. Ok lemme answer that. Yes, I DID uniki,. long before someone came and cut down  all the vegetation so that Kee heiau could be seen. It had been hidden for decades on purpose. Im may be part Native American but like I said, I was orpaned at 12 years old and hanaid. The REAL hanai, not the  u come for christmas and thanksgiving kind.Then of course the idea to reopen it for everyone to come and uniki and all the halaus to come, ect. As long as you put down the la'i, and danced with your halau you were considered unikied.

Hey man thats not how ke'e WORKS.

To uniki is a PRIVATE, and INDIVIDUAL thing. Further, not even the GREAT Iulani Luahine OR Auntie Nona Beamer was able to uniki at Ke'e. Are all those little high school kids and their paper kumus telling me they were better then THEY were? That 20 poeple can be louder than the wind and surf I agree. But can each one of them pass the old test?

I used to go once a year, with a freind, or hanai relative. I would make the trip up to Ke'e quietly without fanfare. I would cleanse, do all of the rituals, and we would go before dawn. I would ascend to kee and chant by myself. I went in the winter not in the summer, so the elements would be loud. WInd, high surf. Some years it was nearly impossible to get up there, and some years i thought the wind would knock me down. But, when I was able to physically i would go and do it.

I only brought one witness. They didnt even have to know about hula. Sometimes i even brought a tourist or two. All they had rto do was one thing. Tell me if they could hear my words clearly from the beach at Kee by the old trees. If they said yes, I knew I had yet again passed, and i continued to dance and chant.

I have failed this test a few times.  In those years I NEVER DANCED OR CHANTED.But I will say that in the last 35 years I have failed maybe 5 times. Thats pretty good odds. However I have missed the last 2 years, because of my health. SO I am unsure wether i still have the right to dance or chant. BUT this is following the CORRECT way.

A pecve of paper can NEVER make u a kumu. EVER. That idea was started in the modern era. It does have its goodthings about it. A haumana who has studied 10 or 20 years, I beleive DOES have the right to call themselves a kumu. HOWEVER, I beleive that age is an important factor. Young kumus may have new ideas, but they lack the knowlege of experiencing the gods. You dont get to have that knowlege enough in your youth. IN my opinion a Kumu should NEVER be under the ago of 35 oe 40 years old.

If you really take that to its farthest conclusion I actually beleive you should be a kupuna before you begin to teach. Many would say thats ridiculous. You would not have time to teach a haipo. I dissagree. That may be for a commercial halau, but not for a traditional one. The eldest child, or the second eldest if the oldest shows no talent, or your hanai, should have been being trained by you in private all along, and ready to assume leadership. Kumus tratitionally have long life expectations. This is becasue REAL kumus do not ussually engage in alchohol, cigarettes or drugs, although many modern kumus do. Even Iolani Luahine was a famous drinker, although she was a sacred kahiko dancer, NEVER SMILED, and was purely POSESSED when she danced.. But during hula, or teaching this is strictly kapu. SO in the end, much less bad habits amung the kumus then acverage helps to prolong life as well as the rigors of hula.

Now I am not against paper halaus. I just dont beleive they should turn into Kumu mills, where if you spoend x amount of dollars, take x amount of clasases, and techhniclly pass everything, and you umiki in some public ceremony, which was never supposed to be public however, that you get your palapala and now you can teach. BUT what is your experience, on your own? what is YOUR style? who are your kino laus? what gods and godesses will you follow? You may have a church given hula name, but who are you really?

Ok what does this have to dfo with SMILING at the merrie monarch? P:ENTY!!! Modern paper halau Kumus allow students to smile. They are not following a religion. They are PERFORMING. Hula Kahiko is a RELIGION. It is poart of a RELIGIOUS practice SACRED to the gods. You dont smile. You become the gods, and the godesses much like voodoo in haiti, although different as well. There is nothing in this practice to show you are HERE in this mopdern world. You are SUPPOPSED to be gone. transfixed and POSESSED of the God or Godess you are SUPPOSED to be posessed by. Not smiling like you are in some hula show, sweetly and dem,urely, and all coherent and  whatever. THAT IS NOT KAHIKO!!

I can remember the arguments about smile or not to smile. The rules in MMHF were changed to allow smiling. Many of us were appalled. If a halau smiles and is NOT attentive top the God or Godess they are too me honoring I COMPLETELY mark them off my list asa a good halau, and the kumu to a paper kumu only.

Now here is ANOTHER pet peeve of mine. The halaus have become to PLAIN!!!! The material, devoid of symbolism, the skin, devoid of symbolism, all traces of the ancient meanings gone. Some halaus do better with the traditional pau then others, some at least make an attempt, and the men especially seem to be allowed more traditional roles then the womne. Which is a completel fallacy because women had their own heiaus, and their own sacred ceremonies which were completely kapu to men, including dances and mele and oli.

The fact is that the polynesian dance has ALWAYS been one of symbols. Tatoos, markings on the clothing, ect. In some years of the MMHF this has been popular, but as I said, the MMHF has become a populist tourist attraction. Tourists want to see pretty thin girls in flowers, and pretty church like dresses smiling sweetly and being flirty, while they want to see muscled warriors greased up and looking like warriors shouting and whooping. This is what Kahiko, the most sacred religious observance of the people has turned into.

Now dont get me wrong. We are looking at the Merrie Monarch period here. We are looking at the Kalakaua period with its western influence. But the kings idea was to bring back traditional observances. If you will notice at his coronation, dancers did NOT smile, they were NOT young, and there WAS symbolism. All too often, the merrie monarch has become a dance of high school kids, with the older members delegated to the back row, instead of up front where they belonged.

There is a famous woodcut from the 18 century showing a halau block of maybe 30 women, the hair all short and limed in front, tattoed and topless performing. TO those who dfo NOT know, these women were NOT YOUNG. Hair was cut after a certain age, and the fashion was to lime it around the edges. These women w90uld have all been older, not young girls. And they were tattoed even on thier faces.

ANOTHER pet peeve of mine is short western hair for the men. Traditional dancers had LONG HAIR, not short cropped Mormon missionarry hair. NOR did they wear womens style lei poo. I am sick of all the men looking so squeeky clean Mormon missionarry style. I would prefer to see some real warriors out tthere. Also I would like to see more lua movements in Kahuiko for the men, as that was what the male kahiko was composed of. Enough with the flowery stuff. I will also say I am impressed with the womens lua movements however they are not performing their own traditional religious movements. Of course they would probably shock the audience so I suppose they cant be allowed to move out of their missionarry looking poerformances. However the men seem allowed to do their movements to no shock of the audience. I teach my women traditional ma'i. The movements are not pretty and graceful. They are what they are, honoring the female godesses, of which there are aqt least 20 thousand. Thats another thing. Honour some other gods and godesses besides the main ones. There are thousands. FInd some of them. Much has been lost, but much can be regained.

Lets return Merrie Monarch to what it is supposed to be, shall we? Or not.  Well thats my rant. You can pick it apart, and pull it to shreds, and call it jealousy, sour grapes, or just chalk me up to a crazy half white lady who is old and embittered and a gfftaud and has no idea what I am talking about. But those of you who know I know exactly what im talking about will probably be in complete agreement. And it sure feels good to get that all out!!

Now its time to watch Auana night. Of which I have no complaints, since its a free for all. In my opinion save the smiling for Auana night, and get back in touch with the gods on Kahiko nite, thats all. And QUIT SMILING.

THEY DONT REALLY CARE ABOUT US JOIN US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE WAR ON THE POOR

LIKE THE SLUMS OF BRAZIL< THEN POEPLE OF KALIHI WERE CONFINED TO THEIR PERIMETERS DUE TO OUTSIDE GANGS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE PROPERTY

THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS TO EVICT ALL HOUSING RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING THERE ACCORDING TO THEM FOR TOO LONG

PEACABLE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WILL BE TOLD TO VACATE THEIR UNITS AND LEAVE TO PUT IN OTHER HOMELESS ACROSS THE STATE

ASSTAND UP AND SPEAK OUT JOIN US FOR SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED GATHERINGS AND RALLIES

Did Rep Mizuno say something wrong? NO I heard him.

I was sitting in the very fromt seat of the March 10 meeting on Kauai. At no time did Representative Mizuno reference Linda Lingle, or single her out as the one who was giving contracts to freinds. He was speaking in general terms about the process and what happens sometimes with privatization.

I do not here what some poeple heard, this is the way I heard what he said. He did not say "Governor Linda Lingle is giving contracts to her freinds."

What he said was about process. "When privatization happens, its usually about taking care of your freinds.".

He did not say Linda Lingle was doing this. He was speaking in general terms.

How strange that she jumped on this statement, and missed everything else that was said in that meeting, including Cabanillas statements regarding public housing, which were more shocking thenn anything else in the whole meeting in my opinion.

Why dont you be shocked about important things, Lingle like shifting out housing residents who havent done anything wrong just becaue you think they have been there too long. Put them on the street to shift in the ones who are there now? Where do you poeple come up with this stuff.

Please do not make everybody go out and find out how many azssociates and campaign supporters of yours have copntracts with this state.

The question is not if Mizuno actually said these statements but if they are true.  In my opinion I am sure your hands are not clean in this matter. If they were you would not be making such a fuss. Me thinks you doth protest too much.

Gay Man Beaten By Pro Marriage Actiovist and Other Gay Neating Videos Is This what you "Family Values" people had in mind? SHAME ON YOU

(Children showing how parents are teaching them to kill gay people. Watch closely. What looks like play is really religious dogma, these boys may commit murder one day.)


(Sean Hannity promoting Hate against Gays)

















RHIS IS WHAT IS REALLY BEHIND THE "FAMILY VALUES" PROTESTORS OF CIVIL UNIONS FOR GAY PEOPLE> DO YOU WANT TO BE AS UGLY AS THESE PEO_PLE? COMMITTING HATE CRIMES EVERY TIME YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTHS? SHAME> THINK> BLINK> THEN RE THINK

My reaction to the HB444 Rally-APPALLED AND DISGUSTED

Thousands rally against same-sex civil unions bill | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser



MY OFFICIAL RESPONSE

You might want to examine the actions of the "Rabbi Daniel Vargas", who, according to legitimate synagogues is NOT an ordained rabbi, and his screaming that the buildings should fall and the city should be destroyed and then having people blow 10 ram horns was considered highly blasphemous to the Jewish faith. Also, Mufi Hanneman and Duke Aiona are public servants and have a conflict of interest by showing up and espousing their religious beliefs at the state capitol which is not Gods house but ALL OF THE POEPLE'S HOUSE, including taxpaying gay legal citizens of the state of Hawaii. What that means, is that by association, these two politicians were in favor of crashing down buildings by blowing ram horns, and therefore share in the fake rabbis blasphemous sin of misusing the name of another legitimate religious belief. Truly shameful.

Were all of you wearing white because you think yourself more pure than the rest of the people in this state? It was quite gruesome, and I found the videos of the event quite disturbing. Native Hawaiians believed the color white to be the color of evil, and it was the color of all practicing anaana kahunas (ie the ones that prayed people to death). It is also the color used in voodoo ceremonies to pray an enemy to death. That, coupled with the screaming fake rabbi calling for the destruction of public property was nothing to be proud of.

Further, civil unions have nothing to do with religious marriage practices, and will not affect YOUR marriage status at all, therefore I do not understand what your issue is with a secular process, since it has nothing to do with any of your religious beliefs, since according to all of you gays are not permitted in all of your religions, why would you have a problem with it? Its not as if they will be joining any of you in your churches or religions anyway.

SO why don't you just stick to your religious beliefs and practice whatever you want to in your religious life, and leave the secular civil unions alone? It really has nothing to do with any of you, and is not about any of you, and none of you have any stake in it what so ever. Frankly it is none of your business. Further, I am apalled that Mufi who claims to be a Democrat would publicly attend an event like this, and be openly prejudiced against people. I thought only republicans did that shame on all of you. For the record, I am not gay., but straight.

Further, it is entirely reprehensible to me that so many people could be whipped into a frenzy over religious zealotism. Haven't you people learned anything from Jihadist terrorist groups making Islam look like a mockery of itself. You are nothing more than terrorists. Yes terrorists. You are inciting violence against your fellow human beings, you are publicly supporting prejudice, and you are coming out in force to say that some people do not deserve the same CIVIL RIGHTS as you do. WHen I see people of color, and young people in those crowds that's when I really become sick to my stomach.

How many of you are aware that people of color could NOT HOLD OFFICE IN THE MORMON CHURCH as recently as the 80s!!!! And that would include MUFI HANNEMAN!!! I was once enrolled in the Mormon church and was a convert. Not anymore. I found the more I realized what that religion was all about the least I wanted to do with it. I was grown up as a DEVOUT CATHOLIC!!! ANd I was so devout, I went to a Catholic private school, and believed in the church wholeheartedly. That was until all the priests started molesting little boys and girls, and I found out the histories of abuse, murder, torture and mayhem perpetuated in the name of Christ by the Catholic church. What are all of you talking about anyways? Is traditional marriage truly traditional?

I happen to know no fewer than THREE MORMON BISHOPS that have left their wives and children to fool around with mistresses. HOW IS THIS TRADTIONAL FAMILY VALUES? That really turned me off to the Mormon Church permanently and forever. But this show of prejudice, hate and fearmongering is the last straw for me. Do not expect me to stand by while all of you espouse your holy perfections and holier than thou attitudes while you continue to belong to religions that support such reprehensible beliefs. If Christ was here, he would throw you all out of the House of the Lord, let me tell you that. Christ was very political. All of you are like the Pharisees in the bible, which you all claim to espouse so perfectly.

The Pharisees were the conservative, judgmental law of the land who thought they were the be all and the end all of moral values. Christ ran around with 12 men, kissed them publicly on the cheek regularly and was unmarried and had no children. If Christ were alive today, you people all gathered there with your self righteous pompous attitudes would have surely accused him of being gay. DO NOT LIE because you KNOW YOU WOULD HAVE. You would be the ones to have condemned him, nailed him to a cross, and killed Christ, who would have died for your idiocy and stupidity. SO DO NOT TELL ME that you are all about CHRIST!!

There is NOTHING CHRISTLIKE in ANY of you, at all. I remain forever disgusted and embarrassed for each and every single one of you. When your time comes you will be most certainly judged. I am no longer a Christian, but I do believe in Christ. Believing in Christ is far different from being these modern styled self righteous judgmental prejudiced people that these individuals have become. Sickening. Shame.

Let Us Hope It deosn't SINK! "Superferry To Be Used for Haitian EQ Relief"

Superferry To Be Used for Haitian EQ Relief

I find this facinating, since all of the ports of Haiti are completely destroyed, and it is going on one week since the disaster, and there is no way that the SF could have been used for immediate releif, becasue there are no workable ports at this time at PoP. Now, if the SF is being used this way, good for it. However, it does not mean that what happened to the SF in Hawaii was a bad thing. The ship belongs in military use, obviously. However, what do SF proponents have to say about other SF which sank with passengers aboard earlier this year? Im just sayin, people.

SuperFerry sinks off Zambo Norte coast

Disaster cause still not clear

Associated Press, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:25:00 09/07/2009

Filed Under: Maritime Accidents, Waterway & Maritime Transport

MANILA, Philippines—The text messages to relatives came early Sunday from passengers aboard the SuperFerry 9 midway on a voyage from General Santos City to Iloilo City that the vessel carrying more than 900 people was listing to its starboard side.

Rosalie Solarte, 40, said she called her husband Alberto, 52, at around 5:30 a.m.

“He said he was about to jump from the ship,” said Solarte, one of about 20 people who had rushed to the Iloilo port to ask about the fate of their relatives aboard the ill-fated vessel.

“I told him to wait and observe first what is happening. I can’t contact him now,” the Guimaras resident told the Inquirer.

As dawn broke in waters off the Zamboanga peninsula on a clear day, the SuperFerry 9 had capsized, according to officials, leaving at least twelve people dead in the panic and scramble for the exits.

Coast Guard chief Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo said that as of 9 p.m. Sunday night, 926 survivors had been rescued—some of them on life rafts—by two commercial ships and several Philippine Navy vessels and taken to Zamboanga City.

A search was under way for more than 30 people who remained missing, Tamayo said, adding that they may have drifted with their life jackets or have been rescued but were not yet listed as survivors.

“We really hope they’re just unaccounted for due to the confusion,” Tamayo said.

Navy ships were deployed and Air Force helicopters scoured the seas, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said.

The US military station in Zamboanga City conducting antiterrorist training dispatched a support vessel with a medical team to help in the search.

Survivor Raffy Borro said it was his first time to see babies and children thrown out to the water as their mothers cried.

"Parang Titanic Filipino-style. Para kaming nasa pelikula pero totoo talaga (It was like Titanic Filipino-style. It was like being in a movie scene but this was all real)," Borro told the Inquirer.

He reported a shortage in life jackets and life rafts.

"Agawan. Maginaw. Madilim. Kaya natakot lahat tumalon sa dagat. Noong mabilis ang pagtagilid, ang daming tumakbo at nag-panic, maraming natakot. Ang mga bata nag-iiyakan, mga magulang iyakan hingi ng tulong (People were grappling for life jackets. It was cold. Dark. That’s why people were so scared, they just jumped into the sea. When we felt the ship listing fast, many ran and panicked. The kids were crying and the parents were wailing for help)," Borro recalled.

Passenger Chelona Pabit of Trento town in Agusan province said she saw babies and children being thrown out of the boat. "It was like you were leaving it all up to fate on who will survive," Pabit said.

Before leaving the General Santos City port Saturday morning, Pabit said, she heard a loud bang below the boat.

"Then the boat started to tilt. We were travelling on a tilted boat," Pabit said.

Pabit said she even asked a ship crew why the boat was tilted, and all the response was: "strong wind and waves."

Romeo Billano, 62, had the same observation.

"It was like a container van slammed on the wall below," Billano said.

"There were no big waves. The weather was fine," he added.

All Billano had with him as he jumped off the boat was a piece of paper where the mobile phone number of his daughter was written.

Roderick Teves, a driver and one of the survivors, told Bombo Radyo-GenSan in a mobile phone interview that 19 crew members of Tanging Pamilya were aboard the ill-fated ferry.

But Teves said only nine of them were rescued.

"I don't know whether my 10 other colleagues were rescued by other vessels who helped in the rescue efforts," he said in Tagalog.

Teves identified eight co-workers who were saved with him as Joe Carlo Aquino, Joseph Noble, Raniel Billones, Manuel Malixi, Victor Gevilo, Mike Lungos, John Michael Roselo and Gaspar Capalar Jr.

Teves, a resident of Libis, Quezon City, claimed that their equipment and two service trucks sank with the vessel.

He revealed that around 2 a.m., the passenger ship tilted to the right, when container vans apparently slid to the right.

"I guess the ship lost its balance. We were on the vessel waiting for the rescue. Other passengers who panicked grabbed life jackets and jumped off the ship," he said.

Cause of sinking unclear

The cause of the listing was not clear.

The ferry skipper, Joel Yap, initially ordered everyone on board to abandon the ship as a precautionary step, said Jess Supan, vice president of Aboitiz Transport System, which owns the steel-hulled ferry built in Japan in 1986.

Supan said the vessel carried 847 passengers, a crew of 117 and four sea marshals.

Supan ruled out a terrorist attack as the cause of the disaster, similar to the February 2004 assault carried out by the Abu Sayyaf bandit group on SuperFerry 14 that killed 116 people aboard.

But survivor Jude Borro, a resident of General Santos, belied the claim of Supan that the vessel captain gave instructions to passengers to abandon ship.

"There was no instruction from the captain. The ship's crew were even the first to jump off the vessel. The passengers helped each other," Borro said during the same interview.

Borro said the SuperFerry 9 was apparently overloaded.

Borro claimed that about two hours after cruising past Zamboanga City, he heard a thunderous noise from under the vessel where the container vans where loaded.

There were reports that the ferry listed to the right due to a hole in the hull, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

Potential oil spill

The 7,000-ton vessel was carrying 220 tons of fuel oil, Supan said, adding that the salvage ship Harbour had been sent to the area to contain any possible oil spill.

He said the Coast Guard had also called a team from Palawan with oil booms and oil dispersants.

Passenger Roger Cinciron told dzMM radio by cell phone that he felt the ferry was tilting around midnight, but he was assured by a crewman that everything was well.

About two hours later, he was roused from sleep by the sound of crashing cargo below his cabin, he said.

“People began to panic because the ship was really tilting,” he said as he waited for rescuers to save him and a group of more than 20 other passengers.

The ferry, which left General Santos City at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Iloilo at 2 p.m. Sunday, ran into problems midway and began to list about 15 kilometers from the nearest shore, Tamayo said.

Fair weather

The weather was generally fair in the vicinity of the Zamboanga peninsula, although a tropical storm was battering the country’s north, the Coast Guard said.

SuperFerry 9 “encountered an undefined problem 17.5 nautical miles off Sibuco Port, Zamboanga del Norte, at 3:35 a.m.,” the maritime police said.

The ship captain then instructed passengers and crew to abandon the sinking vessel, which at the time continued to list to its starboard side.

In its 8:30 a.m. update Sunday, the Philippine Navy said the vessel had already capsized with “bottom hull sighted” some 5.2 nautical miles southwest of Tulalu Point, Sibuco Bay.

Previous accidents

Last year, the MV Princess of the Stars overturned after sailing toward a powerful typhoon off Romblon, killing more than 800 people on board.

In December 1987, the MV Doña Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the Philippines, killing more than 4,341 people in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.

Among those in the Iloilo port waiting for word of survivors was Elvira Casumlon, 71, of Badiangan town in Iloilo province. Her son, Pepito Jr., 31, was aboard the vessel, traveling with his wife Lita, 36, 7-year-old son Christopher and neighbor Sueden Bolero.

‘I pray that they’re safe’

“I last heard from them Saturday morning when the ship left. I kept on calling them but I failed to contact them,” Elvira said.

Teresita Monijaque from Leganes town in Iloilo has been sending text messages and dialing her cell phone in the hope of reaching her 29-year-old son Jobert and 3-year-old granddaughter Name.

“He sent a text message around 3:15 a.m. that the boat was sinking. I pray that they’re safe,” she said.

Others who arrived early at the shipping port to fetch their kin were shocked to hear that the ship sank.

“I only knew what happened when I got here,” said Giovanni Projio, who came from Sigma town in Capiz province to meet his father-in-law.

Frantic calls from relatives swamped radio stations who covered the rescue operations. Others waited at the radio stations which were trying to call passengers. With reports from Tarra Quismundo, Riza T. Olchondra, Amy Remo, Marlon Ramos, Kristine L. Alave and Nikko Dizon in Manila; Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas; Julie Alipala and Aquiles Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao, and Associated Press

IS THE JEWISH RELIGION BEING MOCKED IN THIS PROTEST AGAINST GAYS??

Apparantly the answer is YES. In what has become my very first crack at "investigative reporting", I knew something was up when I saw this video. When The nice Rabbi gets all these 12 sacred horns, and has people hold and blow them that aren't of the Jewish faith, while wearing the sacred prayer shawls of the Jewish people, I was immediately alerted to protocol red lights going off in my head.

Maybe it is because I am a cultural practitioner, and I have seen so many many people ripping off the Hawaiian, Buddhist, Hindu, and Native American and Amazonian and South American tribal customs that the hairs stood out at the back of my neck. And it was NOT the costuming!~!

It was what the "Rabbi" was screaming at the top of his lungs..."GOD SAID LET THE BUILDINGS FALL LET THE CITY BE DESTROYED LET THE CITY BE DESTROYED!!", in apparently a re enactment of the "Walls of Jericho" incident in the bible/Torah.

Now, I smelled a RAT. A great big fat one that you could saddle up and ride if you could. SO I started investigating. I called my friend Mr. DePledge over at the Honolulu Advertiser, who gave me the name of the gentleman responsible for calling on the destruction of concrete buildings, while people in Haiti were crawling out from their own destructive earthquake which the "Reverend" Pat Robertson had just declared was "Their fault because they made a pact with the devil". (More on that on my blog).

Then, from there, I tracked him down to the GovernorsPrayerTeam website, calling the coordinator, who I did reach on the mainland. Turns out it was an old number, and the gentleman is no longer a part of the organization.

Well, I decided to unload on the poor guy anyways. Come to find out he was triple X shocked art what I told him, and he said that no Christian group or Jewish group would call on the destruction of buildings which would surely lead to loss of life.

It was then I realized, from looking back at the video I thought I saw someone blowing the horn that was from Kauai and a very prominent leader and an old freind of mine, and certainly not Jewish. But I am thinking maybe my eyes are bad, S so I am asking around trying to see if others think it is that person before I call that person up and give that person a decided piece of my mind.

Ah, but back to the Rabbi. So I tried to call him, but he wasnt taking calls it seems. The gentlemans name, "Rabbi" Daniel Jeshurin Vargas was the man in question. Now before I go on about someone, I need facts, so I called up one of the terrific Synagogues here, on Oahu, and got a terrific person on the other end who was frankly shocked and appalled as well.

I was told, that this person was known and was NOT A RABBI, but believed in coverting Jews to Christianity, or believed in some form of Jewish beliefs and Christianity all mixed up into one another. When I detailed the specifics of the ceremony again, the person was very shocked. I did get their views on civil unions and gays, which I actually found quite reasonable.

But I was told decidedly that his behavior was absolutely NOT CONDONED by the Jewish faith, and that Jewish people would NEVER CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS OR LOSS OF LIFE> I also learned that again, this "Rabbi" is no Rabbi at all, and is not in any way connected to any legitimate ordained order or sect of the Jewiosh faith.

Then I sent this person, who was with the Chabad Of Hawaii (I did get permission to use the name) emphaticly stated several things:

1. The Jewish community would never condone such behavior
2. He is NOT an ordained Rabbi
3. The Jewish Community is not coming out against civil unions
4. What he did is completely against any type of Jewish faith.
5. He may be of Jewish ancestry, but is NOT a Rabbi
6. It was highly sacriligious to use such sacred items in such a way

So, to Mr. Vargas, I would like you to know that I will make sure people know about you, and your blasphemous group, and how you blasphemed the Jewish religion and faith by your actions. Shame and HEWA.

Of course, I realized after watching the video again how funny it was, if your idea had actually worked, the people were all crowded into the rotunda, thousands would have died, if the building had indeed fallen, and the city of Honolulu, had you been right and the horns would have destroyed the city, hundreds of thousands of people would have died, and a similar tragic situation would have been seen around the world.

And you, MR VARGAS would have been RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT!

I invite you to post here, Mr. Vargas and explain your heinous act of TERRORISM!!

Should Costco Accept Food Stamps? Join the debate.

The issue is debated here, read the posts and lets get the ball rolling on this conversation

Of course you might guess my take on this issue. It is especially offensive to me that Costco seems to be for some sort of higher end shopper. Becasue that is not how they sold themselves to Kaua'i, No indeed-ee. They said they were here to help Hawaiis large families, and ESPECIALLY Native Hawaiins.

They make items that families cannot really afford enticing, and then refuse to allow food stamps to be used to purchase bulk items, which would of course help larger local cfamilies to stretch their budgets for food, which is exactly what they testified on when they wanted to build here.

Can you say Pinochhio? Or liar, liar pants on fire? How about elitist? Cutting off your nose to spite your face? But now, COstco, far from keeping its "high- makamaka" (yes, I Hawaiianized that. get over it) nose in the air, they are now whistling a different tune now that profits are punching out their teeth in record numbers in the all important bottom line.

Let us really take the Costco mentality to its fullest consclusion. Let us assume that the argument that Costco is private, and should not have to give "charity" to food stamp "people" who "probably can't afford to buy the bulk items anyway",  Now let us assume that everybody who sold food in a store had the same idea. Let us assume, that in costcos perfect little world NO ONE accepted food stamps.

Think about that. 38 million Americans who qualify for help, including the sick, elderly, children with disabilities, the disabled and the WORKING poor had no where to go to buy food.

COuld you imagine that? Well, apperently Costcos has changed its mind and is now accepting food stamps at at least half of their stores nationwide. Why, you ask? Becasue they did some sort of a no brainer "test" that showed that poeple with foodstamps came in to buy food. Apparently Costco executives were SHOCKED.

When elitist, conservatgive organizations and corporations try to shut out the poeple of this country from shopping for a bargain, watch out. Eventually you will feel the pinch.

After all, we are the back of the land. The spine. The maka ainana for a reason. WIthout your back, you fall flat on your face.

Ok, comments will be moderated. You know the rules.

PALIN-TOO CHEAP TO BUY A VISOR AT ABC STORE FOR 3 BUCKS RUINS VACATION

 THE FAMOUS SARAH PALIN I RE USED AN OLD CAMPAIGN VISOR HAT BECAUSE I AM TOO CHEAP PHOTOS

 

WOW Sarah, I thought I let MYSELF GO, (which of course I have, but who cares about me, I am a little nobody.)  GIRL FRIEND LOOKS AWFUL

Guess when you have that Alaska sun in your face it is a lot more flattering. Maybe I should go there, it might take 20 years off of my looks too)


Palin cuts short Hawaii vacation over photos of redacted McCain visor | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Even though my Sarah Palin Bookburning was nmeant to coincide with her trip, and she left early and came back home to Alaska today, I am still going to have the event at Lydgate Park from 9-11 Am bring a downloaded printout of the front cover of her book, and attach it to a book so we can get a pic of you with it. We will then burn it in the lflames, (Not the book, the paper with the bookcover printed on it). Bring something for the potluck, too.

ALoha, and ALOHA OE SARAH PALIN

IMPEACH LINGLE SHE STOPPED THE BUS SERVICE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/global/story.asp?s=11684673

This is ridiculous.

Here is how this breaks down. The Union wanted to increase bus fees. The leg admitted it costs more for gas, employee costs, ect. But lawmakers refused to increase the bus service dues.

This meant the DOE would run out of funds to keep the bus service going. SO the lawmakers said oh well too bad. So now, the bus will not be rinunning past march.

This will force most children to walk to school, if they live a mile and a half from their school. That means on dangerous shoulders on the highways, across places where there are no stoplights, and in the pitch dark at this time of year.

What is the matter with those lazy parents you say? Well, popular to local folklore, Hawaiis parents sometimes work 2 jobs to support their children. They have to get up early for work. Hence the I cant take the kids to school, you will take the school bus.

I was one of those parents. I worked overnight, came home at 6 30 and collapsed. My kids had to learn how to take the school bus.

Not only that, My daughter lives miles from school.  We have no Jr High in our area, and next year she starts High School which is even farther away. Encouraging the kids to get off the school bus and onto the county bus service would be disastrous. How are you going to pack 60 kids onto our county buses? You arent.

Do the buses coordinate with the times for school? No. Why? Becasue there are school buses for that. Will the sceduals change? Will the Kauai bus add more buses? HEY TOO BAD THERE ISNT A NICE WALKING BIKE PATH THAT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO GET THE !@ MILES TO SCHOOL< HUH?

Ok to say that I am !*@&#%!&@#%  about this is a huge understatement. A phonecall to the governors office from me today got me this response:

"It is the unions fault. We gave them money. They have to figure it out  Well, we actually gave them a lot less money so they had to prioritize. Classes, or no classes, school bus or no school bus. It was their choice. We are not going to give them any more money.

Hey Lingle, I hope you enjoy your holiday season WE won't.

IMPEACH LINGLE NOW