Big protest over on Kauai, where a developer is desecrating a graveyard with 48 burials by building a house on top of the remains.

It rained, and Palikapu [Dedman] invited the cops to come under the tarp that protected a picnic table from the elements. "Come inside, we’re not enemies," Palikapu said. "No, none of us are enemies," a cop replied, smiling, and he joined the protestors under the tarp. [Stand-Off Ends in Stand Down at Naue, KauaiEclectic, 8/7/2008]

Remember Seattle? Remember mass arrests at national party conventions?

Yes, today’s protestors came prepared to be arrested. Instead, they shared their tent with the cops.

Only in Hawaii, I think, and it’s something I hope is never lost.

My wife and I were taken in by the warm and compassionate Kauai Filipino community at the West Kauai United Methodist Church. Little did I know when they took us in with their aloha, that, through a bizarre turn of events, I would one day stand up in the middle of a sermon and bring an end to a ministry gone wrong.

Father's Day 2004 at Kaumakani United Methodist Church, Kauai

(I'm in the back row close to the cross.)

What the hell is one of the sunniest places on earth doing getting its power from coal?

I stood proudly with my people Thursday night, the people of Kaua`i, and yelled “Liar!” at my Republican Governor, and her minions, for over 3 hours.  What a great feeling!  She stood at the podium and smiled as she let the crowd blast her, calmly telling us that the state is shoving a business down our throats at the point of a gun, and that we’ll like it or they’ll arrest us.  Not just any  business, but one that will likely cause environmental disaster, kill whales, and cause social upheaval in most of the state.  And that if we allow our children to protest this invasion, and exercise their own constitutional right to free speech, the government will not only arrest them, but will take our children awayfrom us and charge us with child abuse.  

One man, with courage and determination, can make a difference.

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Photo by Jonathan Jay courtesy of Juan Wilson.
Hawaiians, surfers, environmentalists and concerned citizens united to stop the "Hawaii Superferry" from coming to Kauai without first filing an environmental impact statement as required by the Hawaii Supreme Court. One determined surfer held back the advances of Superferry while threatened by the coast guard in an image reminiscent of the student halting the tanks at Tiananmen Square, China.

Moving from the Maryland suburbs of DC to Hawaii is moving overseas. Many mainlanders can't make the transition to life on the islands because it is so different and there is so much local hostility to newcomers. Nowhere is that hostility more evident than popular surf breaks. Most newcomers stick with tourist beaches and stay out of trouble. That's the smart thing to do for most people. I was not one of those people.

However, I learned much from the ocean and from the surfing community that our Democratic politicians seem to have forgotten about how to get respect and keep it. I really miss my body surfing buddies now that I'm back in North Carolina for reasons beyond my control. Now, for the first installment.

Kaua‘i history buff Keith Robinson has tried to solve a mystery that has captured his interest for 55 years. Who was the U.S. military man who came to his family’s island of Ni‘ihau years before the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941?

So begins the article in the August 6, 2006 issue of Kauai's The Garden Island News.

I would like a minute to thank all those who contributed to fighting tyranny in WWII, especially the brave Japanese American soldiers from Kauai and the other Hawaiian Islands who fought so valliantly for America. Thanks to our veterans tyranny was stopped and democracy brought to Japan.

Here is the untold story of thwarted invasion which was written almost 65 years after Pearl Harbor.

I'm hoping that the costs associated with the recent earthquake will impede the plans for the so called "Hawaii Super Ferry." The ferry is clearly a money-making venture inevitably bound to impact the way of life of the local residents in a terrible and negative way. The truth of it is that we don't know the impacts because our Democratic legislators and our Republican Governor have neglected to provide an EIS.

Two weeks ago I worked in a hospital. Seeing those sick patients was an Office Space moment for me. I've only got one life, and I spend it sitting at a desk and living in a place that is cold half the year.

This past week I lived in a hostel in Hawaii and swam with an endangered monk seal. I love hostel life. I love the feeling of having few possessions and a borrowed bed and living practically outdoors (while enjoying the conveniences of modern plumbing).

What could stop me from quitting my job, moving to Hawaii, and living in a hostel? Then I remembered what: health insurance.

I gleaned a bit of insight into the history of our healthcare system today from a doctor. If you've ever wondered how the hell we got this f'ed up, keep readin'.

Beyond the flip: Details on my trip to Hawaii (the fun half) incl some encounters with endangered species in the wild, existentialism, and some talk of politics regarding bankruptcy laws, universal single payor health insurance, and social security.