teachlaw

A Sister's Memories

2010-11-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

A SISTER’S MEMORIES

My mother, Joyce Lynn (McGuire) Salling (DOB November 1, 1917) wrote the letter which follows to her older brother Noland McGarvey McGuire after visiting him in Oakland, CA in 1988, following his surgery for a life threatening illness. Joyce drove from Denver together with her sisters Cassandra Ireland (formerly Muriel McGuire) and Audrey (McGuire) Malloy. Noland died not long after, and Joyce in January, 1995. Joyce reported that Noland's reaction to the letter was not entirely positive.

December 7, 1988

Dear Noland,
Since I saw you I’ve been remembering a lot of things from our past. I’ve decided I’d better get started if I want to share them with you. I also wonder if you remember any of this which, evidentally, are high points from my childhood.
The first thing I remember was a man holding me on his lap after dinner and turning over in his chair. I went whimpering to mother, who was outside hanging up the “washing”. The man definitely was Uncle Bee. He spent a summer in Colorado helping Dad, when I was two.
I remember you and I riding in a wagon with this hired man named Jake Schrock. He helped us down and I can hear him saying, “Come Polly” and holding up his arms for the jump into them and to you saying, “O.K. Pucket” and you jumped to him!
Probably the next thing I remember was Dee’s birth. The night began strange. You and I were bedded down in the bedroom, not in our bed in the front room. Some time later I waked. I could hear Taylor and May Havins voices. I could also hear a cat that was really howling! The next morning Dee was there, and she was still doing the cat howl!
My next memories are of you and I playing; chasing the calves up and over a big cane stack that was in the barn, licking the salt block and squeeling and kicking at each other and then drinking from the tank—we were being horses, I guess. I remember mother leaving her riding horse, Gyp, standing tied to the fence, still saddled and bridled and ready to go. You helped me get on and I went for a ride. Gyp walked, probably a quarter of a mile, down the road, which was fenced on each side. The fence stopped and I was ready to turn around and go back home. Gyp wasn’t ready to home. Off in the distance she could see other horses grazing, and so she neighed and started galloping across the prairie around them. I distinctly remember getting both feet on the same side of the horse and then jumping. I also remember the walk home and the loud noise Dad made before finding the pony and returning her to my Mother. And you know what, I doubt I had had my fourth birthday yet. We still lived at the Allie Cline place, and I was probably four when we moved to the High Prairie farm. I know we spent one winter there. I have vivid memories of going to Mays and Taylor’s in a wagon and through prairies covered with snow. As we returned home that evening the horses were trotting along very briskly and some how as you and I horsed around in the back I did the neatest summersault right out of the wagon. Very clearly I remember running very hard trying to catch up and ride home!
Do you remember the new Ford Touring Car and Dad’s trip to New Mexico and Missouri? Do you remember our summer and fall trip to Kentucky and Missouri? The hills the Ford couldn’t climb and we’d all pile out while Dad put it in reverse and backed up hill. Once Dee squatted behind a rear wheel to pee and was almost run over! Do you remember the tent? Dad slept on a folding cot of his own; Mother and Dee slept on one and you, Erwin and I slept together on one. I have memories of lots of pork & beans, Post Toasties and I think, Bran Flakes. In Kentucky I remember crowds of relatives, Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. I really do remember carriages, buggies, a spinning wheel and a big weaving loom up in Grandmother’s haymow. I remember Aunt Carma working up there. We saw our first aeroplane while there. It was “down” in a field and was waiting for repairs, I think. People came for miles to see this thing. We packed a picnic lunch and spent the day. This is definitely my first memory of a gala family affair.
I loved that long period of time we spent at Grandma Hooks. I slept with her and I thought she and I were the best of buddies. You and I had a great time playing in the orchard with Aunt Phyllis and Donald and Elizabeth Lowry. Aunt Phyllis was ten that July and you were seven the same month! You haven’t had it so rough, Noland, that poor lady has been in a vegetative state for probably the last thirty years and still lives on! Poor Uncle James.
That Christmas spent at Grandma Hooks was most exciting and so much fun, remember?
I also remember Doyles arrival—he was “just there” one day when we got home from school!
Bucklin has very pleasant memories for me. Some memories are: the robins nest above our hammock, the crotch of a very large tree, the brown Thrush and her nest above the living room window, the Wren nest inside a small hole in a back yard fence. Some traumatic memories: mom letting this “mama hen” chase me around and around her and her doing nothing but laugh, Dee putting my baby bantam chicken into the boiling water of the stove reservoir, my getting Doyle up on top of the barn and almost dropping him off as I tried to get myself up, baby Doyle’s penis turning purple and an emergency trip to see a doctor! To this day I don’t know if that was a permanent condition or just something going around!
Do you remember the wonderful bobsled Dad made and those big beautiful sledding hills? A most exciting thing I remember was Catherine and Mary Easter Riley and I lining up across the middle of the hill and playing chicken as you and Bernard came racing down on your sleds, I was the most daring evidentally. I stood so long I was hit by Bernard’s sled, above the ankles, and I did this neat flip and landed behind him and I rode down the hill. This is absolutely a truthful memory!
Do you remember Mother making us each sew a quilt block before going out to play? Do you remember the wild strawberries, picking Hazel nuts, and that very steep wagon ride down the hill to the bottom land? Remember the mud and Dad taking us to school riding the mules? Evidentally Bucklin lost it’s glow for Dad, but I’ll never know what interested him in Morrilton. What a trip the move to Arkansas was! My memory is very clear of following faint trails through heavily wooded areas. Just when our parents were sure they had lost the trail a highway numbered marker would show up nailed to a tree trunk. We drove and drove and drove and finally arrived at a little tobacco farm carved out of the woods. We made the acquaintance of Mom’s cousins, Ethel, husband Emmet Campbell and their three daughters, Lois, Lenore, and Monabell. (Lenore’s wedding and reception was the one we attended in Arkansas that Christmas.) Thank goodness they were happy to see us because we sure stayed a long time. Dad waked the next morning very ill. He had come down with the chicken pox we kids had been having. Do you remember sampling the tobacco hanging in the barn in the twists?
Two weeks later we continue on to Arkansas. We spent a few days with Mom’s cousin, Ena Covey, rented a little house down the street from them and evidentally furnished it. I remember two beds, a leather davenport that made into a bed, a table, a cookstove with a sheepskin in the floor behind it (what a cozy, warm spot?) and an ice box into which the ice man put ice in about every other day. Do you remember the outhouse and the honey wagon, late at night? Do you remember our first hint that that there was a difference between blacks and whites? The ice plant had the most delightful ice water receptical, on the outside of their building, for the enjoyment of all persons passing by. There were two metal cups chained beside it. One was just a tin cup and was for white folks. The other was painted black and was for the black folks. Once I almost made a mistake and drank from the black cup. Really I gagged at the near mistake! In later life I’ve wondered if any blacks ever drank from “our” cup, just to get even!
Evidentally Dad wasn’t happy with jobs available there. His job with the “dray” company didn’t last long or the one in Traywicks store. I know that before long a period of time he joined Uncle Dee in Detroit and worked for General Motors. I understood that we’d all join him there when they had enough money.
In the mean time you and I thought we were the head of the house. We took our huge basket and picked up and delivered laundry from the girls dormitory at Harding College. Mother did the washing and ironing for the girls in the dorm, who could afford her services. I thought dorm life was terribly exiting. Their laundry smelled beautiful, they probably really poured on the perfume. I always had to preceed you up the stairs calling out “man on second floor” and “man on third floor.” We really got a laugh out of that! For years I dreamed of going back and living in the dorm and going to school!
You know, Noland, I think in Morrilton you received quite an extensive sex education. Our Mother was very friendly with a Mrs. Stanley and her two daughters. There didn’t seem to be a man. The daughters were Dorothy, in my grade, and Doris, an eighth grader and as big as Mother. When our mom’s went to church at night they would leave all us children at home, and big Doris was in charge. Do you remember any sexual activity with her? She would make all us kids stay in the bedroom and she would take you into the kitchen – to “hunt cake” she would say.
There were lots of vacant homes in and around our area and none seemed to have the doors locked. We played in them and had such fun, especially you and Doris! She would take you into the bathroom and something went on between you and Doris in the bathtub! I was posted as a look out to announce the sighting of a mother. What I find so strange about this arrangement was the fact that you are fifteen months older than I and you were her partner in the tub. I was small enough that she would put me on her back and gallop around through the vacant house. This was my treat if I wouldn’t tell about the bathtub game.
I’m sure it was for the best that hard times hit General Motors and Dad was again unemployed. I’m sure Colorado was much kinder to poor people with large families. I certainly was horrified by the Colorado farm scene when we first arrived there. Those badger holes were terrifying to me and the thought of a rattle snake slithering out of them was just to much! We did survive, which is about all I can say!
Do you remember one of our first “chip gathering trips?” You, Erwin, and I filled out wagon with those things they you tied the driving lines around the hub of a front wheel. You and Erwin then walked to a vacant farmstead about a fourth of a mile away telling me to watch the horses. As I remember it, there was plenty to watch! Probably the lines were tied a bit to tight or the horses became tired of standing around. They began to back up and every inch they moved back made the driving lines pull tighter on their bits, which where in their mouths. As the lines tightened, the horses were pulled back on their back feet and then they fell over backward into this screaming pile of horse flesh. I ran for you and I shall never forget how loud you howled as you frantically worked over the mess! I’m still impressed at how smart you were for a dumb city kid. You finally got the bits, which were still in their mouths, apart and then the bridles off their heads and this released the tight pressure. Anyway, you got them up and baked back to the wagon and we all rode home just like nothing had happened! It shocks me to remember how hard you worked at least by the summer of 1929, actually about like a man. I worked hard, too, but I don’t think Mother was quite the expert slave driver that Dad was!
At any time has it ever occurred that all we kids were unkind to you? I don’t think I see it that way. I remember it more as “some younger kid would get in your bad graces” and it took all the rest of us to try and save the victim from you! Somehow you must have invited teasing. Do you remember that pig that you called yours and named Hosana? Well, as I remember, it was always good for a very wild time if we went out to slop the hogs, and we’d yell “Don’t let Hosanna eat”, and we’d her over the head and yell again “Don’t let Hosanna eat!” Talk about a distorted view of fun.
There are lots of nice things I remember about our relationship. You gave me $1.50 to get my first hair perm. They almost burned me to death, however, I have worn my hair straight basically straight ever since! You gave me $3.00 to by a class ring, also the $3.98 to purchase a sleazy black dress, which I thought so beautiful. Do you remember where the money really came from? From Dad’s pocket, that winter he was ill with a lung problem, and his overalls, with billfold, hung in the kitchen! I went along with you, we thought if we did the work, we should have a dollar now and then!
You gave me other money after you left home. One time enough to buy a red sleeveless sweater and a pair of black boots. I wore these with a black skirt and one of your white shirts every single day that I went to school in Fort Collins. It didn’t take me long to discover that the “Minnie Pearl type cotton frock” was not the uniform of the day, on college campuses, even in the old days! This is just a little tidbit that I’m tossing in. That semester, at Colorado State, I had the highest grade in the freshman class of plus six hundred students!
By the way, what year did you actually leave home? I’m sure you were around for Curtis’s birthing, November 10, 1929. That’s the first time I really caught on to the signs of a new arrival. If we kids got up, Dad was making breakfast and Mom was still in be, start moving over at the table and in the beds! Curtis arrived through a terrible blizzard stranding us kids down in the terrible cold basement or hours. Dad officiated, evidentally, he didn’t go to the basement.
Perhaps you were gone and missed Audreys arrival, October 23, 1932. By this time I was also catching up on the cause of the problem! I heard Opal Simpson tell Mother that if Richard so much as laid his trousers across the bed she became pregnant! I could not understand why Dad wasn’t more careful—he probably only had a couple pairs of trousers to keep track of!
In spite of all your obvious problems with Dad I felt hat when you did make your appearances you showed a very genuine respect for him. I thought you did a better job of forgiving and forgetting than I did. I also felt, that in God’s eyes, he did a very good job – the best he knew how. I really believe that, so why does it still annoy me to remember certain times? I remember working so hard and so long that my arms ached until I could not sleep. This particular bad memory was when Mom was so very ill and in the Brush Hospital. The morning finally arrived when she was able to return home. Dad brought the first pails of milk to the basement to the separator and I haven’t got the cream pail in place! Do you know how he handled this oversight? He comes roaring into the kitchen and he is yelling “Where is the cream pail?” “If you can’t do anything right around here get out! I’ll hire someone who can do something.” I stuck around and do you know why? Because he never, at any time, thought of hiring anyone. Mother was getting home and she could do it! There, I have that off my chest, now I can forget it.
You know, there is one very positive and wonderful thing about my life and I give Dad all the credit for that and I’m grateful. You wouldn’t guess in a million years what that is so I shall tell you. I always was very determined never to marry and be reduced to this non-person that I felt Mother was. Probably this accounted for my fun times with much younger guys. Dennis kind of sneaked up on me!
Dennis and I had so much fun. He had this wonderful fun loving nature, and he loved his mother so much and was so kind and good to her. He also had good ideas about marriage. I couldn’t resist! I’ve never regretted it and I hope he hasn’t. We’ve had a very wonderful life and wonderful children. How I love them, I wouldn’t want to change a thing, so I guess it is time to say “Thanks Dad, you are forgiven!”
Also, it is time to say, “Bye, Noland, I love you, and I pray I’ll see you in heaven.

Joyce

A Homestead Christmas

2010-07-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Written in 2005 for a collection of Christmas Stories in a collection published by our "writer's group" at CHURCH OF THE CROSSROADS (Honolulu, Hawaii.)

A Homestead Christmas

The summer before Joyce left her father’s homestead for the Colorado School of Agriculture at Ft. Collins 100 miles away was difficult enough that she told her children about it years later, although it was in no way an unusually harsh time for her or her seven siblings. All but bullying Noland were younger than she, and a number of them looked up to her almost as they would a second mother. Though over five feet, the girl could outrun all but the swiftest of her schoolmates, and was often chosen to round out a five “man” basketball team. There was general agreement with the proposition that: “that Joyce can run like a bay steer”. Once in a particularly rough game she had been knocked unconscious. No substitute was sent in as a replacement, because there was none to be had. Smelling salts were bought out, the game was delayed briefly until the field-toughened teenager was on her feet again, and she was sent back to finish the match with the High Prairie School team.
For most everyone in their community on the eastern slope of the Colorado Rockies, the dustbowl days were a stark and recent memory. John and Hazel McGuire had lived on a number of farms and homesteads during their marriage; at one point John left the family near relatives in Arkansas and went north to seek wages in the factories of Henry Ford. In some ways setting out for the dry plains of Colorado in the 1930s must have been a desperate gamble.
For those today who think of the summer hiatus from school as a vacation, the lives of Joyce and her siblings would be an appalling eye opener. In the land of “winter wheat”, the crop springs forth following snowmelt in March and April; harvest takes place in the hottest months of summer. During those months labor was constant on the McGuire homestead, beginning before dawn, with chores such as milking and feeding animals. The morning meal was speedily finished, then work in the fields began—days often ended after sunset, 14 to 16 hours later. The blessing of a bed only partially compensated for the knowledge that another day of constant effort would come far too soon.
The days after arrival of the itinerant harvesting crews were especially hectic. McGuire’s obsession with work was intensified by the need to pay the crew for each day’s services. He issued commands to one and all like an implacable god. No one questioned his authority, least of all his wife, who labored hours after everyone else snored, mending, scrubbing, setting the next day’s loaves to rise. Joyce’s primary job was hauling wheat—she got satisfaction driving trucks, as she demonstrated her competence to do any job her brothers or the hired men could do. Perhaps because he knew her labor would soon be lost to him, McGuire drove Joyce as never before that harvest season—no delivery was quick enough; Joyce was repeatedly reprimanded in front of others for “wasting time” in town. Any error made by one of the younger kids was somehow attributed to her failure to look after them. Even her mother’s lapses could redound in the form of a rebuke to the daughter. “Hazel would have had breakfast ready by now if you’d got the cook stove going earlier instead of staying in bed.” The truth was, neither Hazel nor her daughters let such treatment upset them much. Although it was unspoken, they considered the red-faced Irishman a tyrant. His wife worked like one of his animals, but McGuire seldom had a kind word for her. Yet babies continued to arrive as surely as the summer heat and the winter winds.
Joyce worked stoically that summer. An exceptionally intelligent and eager student, her teachers were unanimous in urging that her education continue after high school, and scholarship funds had been found for partial payment of tuition. Inside the teenager burned with anticipation for a new life away from the broken down farmhouse, the constant squabbles of her sisters and brothers, and the drab expanses of flat, stubble littered fields and dusty plains. She longed to meet new people—professors, students, a new church congregation, and the members of the doctor’s family where she would work in exchange for room and board. Joyce had no doubt her life was about to change forever, and for the better in every way.
The last week of August was agonizing. Temperatures reached the nineties daily, and McGuire was frantic to complete the threshing. Finally the day came when the last load of home grown gold was ready to be hauled to Akron. Joyce and her brothers rode in back of the truck on top of the grain, and watched while the truck was unloaded, as their father waited in the business office to collect payment for the summer’s sales.
Observing a hired man drink a cold bottle of soda purchased from a refrigerated cooler outside the office, Noland suggested that Joyce ask their father to buy one for each of them. “Are you scared to ask him?” she responded.
“He’s just gonna tell me to use my own money, but I didn’t bring any, Joycie. Go in and ask him. He ain’t gonna say no to you, not in front of those folks.”
Though she was not at all convinced she would be successful, the girl couldn’t resist a chance to show her brothers how to stand up to the “Old Man”. She tucked her shirt tail into her denim jeans, ran her fingers through her wiry auburn hair, and strode up the steps into the cramped room where several men stood. Her father was engaged in a conversation—doubtless about politics or horses—and Joyce knew better than to interrupt. During a pause she said in a low voice, “Daddy, the boys and I sure would like some pop on a hot day like this.”
“Daughter”, the patriarch responded with loud annoyance, “you get back out there and tell your brothers that money doesn’t grow on trees. You know you have to save every penny if you expect to go off to that college next week. Use your head, girl.”
She felt her ears and face redden at the rebuke, and looked up at him with anger, and clear contempt. “So you won’t even spend a nickel to buy soda pop for any of us after we’ve worked so hard all summer and never asked you for anything?’
Joyce knew she would regret those words before they were begun, yet somehow could not stop them. “That’s enough of your back talk, girl,” he growled. “Now you get out of here and get back in that truck or you’ll find yourself walking home. We’ll finish up this little talk later.”
Joyce rode home in silence, refusing to share the details of the confrontation with her brothers, blaming Noland especially for her circumstances. She hopped from the truck and raced into the house and up to the second level bedroom shared with two of her sisters. Soon she heard McGuire’s heavy boots pounding up the stairs. As he came into her room the girl realized he had removed his wide leather belt. She stood slowly and turned away from him, her jaw clenched and head lowered as the inevitable humiliation approached. “Just get it over with, please,” she mumbled. “I’m sorry I lost my temper.”
“I’m sorry you haven’t learned how to respect your elders,” he retorted, but less forcefully now. “Maybe this will help you to be more respectful in the future.” The whipping was not violent, and was soon over. Nevertheless, she was trembling with the effort to hold back any hint of a sob when he left the room. The tears came moments later as she lay on her bed when she felt plump, gentle hands on her hair. Her mother repeated again and again, “There, there, it wasn’t that bad.” It wasn’t that bad, Joycie.” Joyce wanted to thank her mother for coming to comfort her. She knew how sorely she would be missed by Hazel, and felt she should tell her mother that she loved her. But somehow, it was impossible to say the words. Her shame was too great, and she resented her mother’s inability to intervene on her behalf.
“I don’t care if I never come back to this God forsaken family,” she muttered, refusing to acknowledge the unaccustomed, but welcome attention.
Joyce’s first semester at the home of the “Aggies” was far more exciting and challenging than she had dreamed possible. Her employers were demanding—no matter how late she burned midnight oil in her little basement room, Joyce was expected to assist in preparing breakfast at 6:00 a.m. sharp. Classes were stimulating but challenging, especially Chemistry; it was the one that often kept her awake till 1:00 a.m. or later.
As the Thanksgiving holiday passed and the end of her first term of college approached, feelings of exhilaration gave way to gloom, however. Thoughts of her return to the family homestead filled her with dread. She had no doubt she’d be sent every morning to help with the milking, and wondered if she could avoid incurring her father’s wrath again. Yet her fate was sealed; Mrs. Adams had promised to drive Joyce home personally, and to pick her up after the New Year.
With exams completed and an unexpected “bonus” from the Doctor in her wallet, Joyce busied herself with another completely new experience: Christmas shopping. John McGuire’s fundamentalist religious beliefs enjoined celebrating the savior’s birth, even in the home—Christians were not expressly directed to do so in the New Testament. Watching as the Adam’s home was decorated lavishly and filled with gaily wrapped gifts filled Joyce with resolve to bring holiday cheer to her family’s Spartan homestead. The purchases for her siblings, especially the younger ones, were pleasurable in the extreme— picture books, dolls & knick knacks, balls & bats, candies, favors and stocking stuffers of all kinds—the things that Joyce had hardly known about during her childhood, now were in her reach. As she purchased an inexpensive bottle of perfume, lacy handkerchiefs and colorful scarves, Joyce anticipated the delight she would see in Hazel’s eyes on Christmas morning. Spending her hard earned money on her father was delicious revenge, a wordless but eloquent rebuke against his compulsive stinginess. After careful consideration she decided on a small, mother of pearl inlaid pocket knife. Every time he used the gaudy tool, he would be reminded of his daughter’s generosity, and his own lack of it.
The return to the ramshackle homestead was triumphal. The little ones crowded around their sister with incessant questions; four year old Audrey’s blue eyes brimmed with tears of joy. Mrs. Adams shared the surprising news she had learned from Joyce during the drive: the quiet country girl had received the highest grade on the final Chemistry exam. “Wait till your father hears about it, Joyce,” Hazel chuckled. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when you tell him. He went to Denver with Noland. They’ll be back tonight, but after supper.”
“You can tell him, Mama,” Joyce said flatly. “I’m going to bed early.” After eating hurriedly, Joyce retired, and ceremoniously barred one and all from the bedroom while she wrapped and labeled the gifts, hiding all under her bed. Changing to a night dress, she crawled under the covers with a book, secretly relieved at her father’s absence.
The next morning was Christmas Eve, and Joyce waited until she heard John leave for the milking barn before springing from bed. She hauled the gifts downstairs and arranged them on the piano bench in the parlor before entering the kitchen where Hazel was preparing an unusually large breakfast. The youngsters soon began to appear, but their mother forbad anyone to touch the food until the men folk came in from the barn. Joyce likewise made it clear the gifts in the parlor were off limits. When the McGuire entered the house he immediately sat at the head of the table where everyone soon gathered. Turning to Joyce he addressed her deliberately: “Welcome home daughter. You’ve been missed. I hear that you are a good student. Would you ask the Lord’s blessing on our house and this table?”
Joyce was stunned. Never before had she known of a female in the household being allowed the privilege of leading the ritual of mealtime prayer. She glanced toward her mother who smiled faintly and lowered her head. Joyce struggled to acquit herself acceptably, then remained mostly quiet for the remainder of the meal. At its conclusion, John unexpectedly ordered his sons to help clear the table and instructed everyone to meet in the parlor after attending to the cleanup. He feigned surprise at the carefully wrapped gifts, but watched intently as his children opened them, then took turns hugging Joyce with expressions of wonder and gratitude. Hazel seemed to be dumbfounded by her daughter’s generosity, while John clearly acknowledged the meaning behind his daughter’s gift to him. “This is much too fine a pocket knife for me. I’ll just lose it I expect. I want Noland to have it to take with him to his new job in Denver.”
When her father rose from his sturdy rocking chair, Joyce assumed he would leave the house to continue with the chores, but instead he crossed the room and pulled a boxy bundle from behind a chair in the corner. Placing the mysterious, wrapped item in the middle of the room, he said Joyce’s name quietly and beckoned to her. When she joined him he put his hand on her shoulder and said, “Your mother thought you’d be needing this. We’re both very proud of you.” He removed the wrapping and held up an expensive looking, hand crafted leather satchel, suitable for books, papers, and personal items—the kind Joyce had seen the Doctor and her professors carrying. For the first time in her life the girl saw that her father was close to shedding tears. Impulsively she wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her head in his shoulder. Words formed in her head, but for a moment she was terrified that she would be unable to say them, as she had failed to speak from her heart to her mother, a few months ago. But as she felt her father’s arms pulling her to him, and his large hand rubbing her arm gently, the words tumbled out like a confession, and tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you Dad; I love you,” she said quietly. Turning, she moved to her mother’s chair, bent down and took the round face in her two hands, and kissed Hazel’s prematurely gray head. “I love you too Mama—I love you.” Then facing the others and looking brother Noland squarely in the eye, she announced: “I’m so happy to be home. I love you all.”

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

A curmudgeon displayed an astounding degree of "Grinchiness" on "The Bachelor Guy" blog today in making the Ebeneezer Scrooge argument (bah, Humbug) about Valentine's Day :

Why Valentine's Day Needs to Die

It's an overpriced, competitive sham of a holiday

Follow the link above to newser.com to read my (possibly excessively treacle-filled) reply to this miserable human specimen.

; ^)

A Cry for Common Sense

2009-08-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

The thing I immediately hated about that now iconic Obama as Heath Ledger's Joker image was its ability to totally dehumanize on a visceral level the face of the man whom I (and I believe at least half the nation as well) are by now palpably, unashamedly "in love with." And I'm not simply talking about the kind of love that makes teenagers put posters of heart throb idols on the walls of their bedrooms-- the superficial icon crush that can wane in a matter of days or hours in favor of a different flavor, with a flashier poster going up to cover the face of the now forgotten object of fascination. The love affair in the heart and head that I'm talking about is the kind that can be transferred to every member of our President's family and White House staff, and makes me spend more time than I care to admit going through those Huffington Post slide shows displaying our man-child Commander in Chief in historic first of a kind photo-ops -- in cabinet meetings, cuddling his kids, canoodling his "first and only" First Lady, and gesturing in a thousand inspiring ways to adoring throngs across our benighted, withering globe. The instant I saw the crazy, leering "black man in white face" internet image of my beloved President (in the same way that the stricken-down POTUS John Fitzgerald Kennedy has become a beloved figure to me over the past four and a half decades) I became nearly physically ill. Bile rose within me and rage and grief welled up from somewhere deep in my gut. I wanted to reach thorough the computer screen and tear the sickening likeness into shreds of evil confetti. I wanted to hunt down the "artist" and pound him about the head and ears (of course it had to be a male.) I longed to slap him and choke him and bludgeon him while screaming and spitting in his face .... Yes, on an instinctive, mother grizzly level for an instant I needed to attack and destroy the creator of that vile image. To me it resembles nothing more than a callously thrown together shooting practice target -- the kind tacked on a fence for careless amusement accompanied by a penis enhancing, shriveled-ego boosting, friend-substituting firearm of choice. And yes, this is exactly the same way I feel about those cretins who are reported to be taking their firearms to public gatherings where their President has traveled in an effort to reason with their disgusting ilk. Damn them to hell. He can't say it, and his family can't, and the Democratic Party can't, but I can and will. I will shout it from the roof tops. Goddam their pathetic souls to hell.

Now is the time for a smart Senator or Congressperson to sponsor a bill that will make this kind of spectacularly stupid stunt illegal, and to strike a highly symbolic but long overdue blow for something which has become (in some way nearly incomprehensible to me) "politically incorrect" and verboten for any aspiring politician or elected official -- sane, reasoned, common-sense gun control. Russ Feingold ... Barbara Mikulski ... Neil Abercrombie ... Mazie Hirono ... hello !!! Is anybody home?

A Commander-in-Chief's Teachable Moment

2009-03-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

One American president’s thoughtless verbal miscalculation undoubtedly cost lives and may have prolonged a war; it took years for the POTUS to acknowledge the consequences of his “bring it on” taunt hurled at terrorist enemies in the heat of a deadly war. The latest example of conversational fallibility by a Commander-in-Chief no doubt disappointed millions and genuinely wounded the sensibilities of some (I doubt Governor Palin was among them.) Obama’s Special Olympics gaffe was followed by an immediate and unqualified public apology, and seems likely to result in a number of beneficial, if unintended, consequences. So far as I am aware, no grieving family or mother, and certainly not Cindy Sheehan, has received a similar act of civility and compassion from Bush.

midnite/epiphany

2009-03-10T02:47:00.001-07:00

dropping off to sleep with less than 3 hours before the alarm will sound I immediately begin dreaming and find myself in the midst of a mass of warm exciting bodies gyrating as one at a dance party/rave... it took me back to the night at Fort Collins in the mid-60s when I...

Senator Akaka's Bill

2009-02-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

I worked hard for Senator Akaka's re-election in 2006 along with a number of the poobahs of the Democrat Party --unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to get in on the ground floor with them when Obama announced and they hitched up to his rising star. Loyalty has always been one of my (various) Achille's Heels (I think even the most critical of my critics would admit this) and I felt I had to remain committed to Hillary Clinton. Actually, I did donate to both Barak and Hillar early on, and emailed each of their organizations urging they choose the other as a Vice-Presidential running mate. That's another story.
Admittedly, one reason I went to bat for Daniel Akaka was my dislike for his challenger (and colleague.) Many of the arguments that U.S. Representative Ed Case made about having two octogenarian Senators made sense, but there was no way I could stomach the idea that a Blue Dog Democrat, and especially an arrogant opportunist, should be the one to replace Dan. However, I didnt' shift my efforts into high gear until TIME Magazine did a pre-election cover story that called our kanaka maole (Native Hawaiian) kupuna (respected elder) senator one of the five worst in the U.S. Senate. I was not the only one who believed it was no coincidence that Ed Case's first cousin (Steve Case - former AOL CEO) just happened to be the largest single shareholder of TIME-Warner.
More importantly, though, I felt it was only right for Senator Akaka to get another shot at passage of the legislation that has been his career's passion, the so called Akaka "Hawaiian Sovereignty" Bill. Before long someone like Jon Osorio, Hawaii's preeminent 21st Century historian, will write a fascinating narrative about Senator Akaka's career, and his mission to secure passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.
Now that the U.S. House of Representatives is even more firmly in Democratic Party control, and the Senate is nearly filibuster proof, it appears that momentum is building and the legislation's future is brighter that it has been in the past. Apparently Akaka is feeling confident enough that to eliminate a provision which would have prohibited legalized gambling in any Native Hawaiian government established under auspices of the legislation. This had been deemed necessary for passage in the past; Native American gaming interests could be affected, obviously, not to mention the powers that be in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, etc.
I just submitted the following Letter to the Editor about an article that appeared in the February 8th Honolulu Star-Bulletin under the headline: Deleted Gambling Ban Upsets (Governor) Lingle. How about some comments... anyone?

A prominent Republican I spoke with after church last Sunday agreed with me that any state law maker truly against gambling in Hawai'i could propose a constitutional amendment requiring a "super-majority" for passage of enabling legislation. If approved by the voters, it would mean no casino could be authorized by the legislature unless the bill was adopted by a two-thirds majority of both houses. The 1978 Con-Con did this with respect to nuclear power plants and the voters concurred. Some now think that was a mistake. In any event, it is oxymoronic to conceive of prohibiting a "sovereign nation within a nation" from making the decision to allow gambling, unless state law prohibits it (only Utah and Hawaii do so completely.) It was logical for Senator Akaka's bill to omit the gambling ban as reported by the Star-Bulletin on Feb. 8th (if it is no longer needed to secure passage in Congress.) I hope President Obama has his answer ready when he's asked about the Akaka Bill -- Republicans will not hesitate to attack him if he supports it, as Carter was pilloried for "giving away" the Panama Canal.

The Inauguration Debate & More

2009-01-13T18:56:00.000-08:00

My favorite news website (Newser.com) is featuring a story that has (predictably) sparked unusually lively debate in its comments section. A black writer calls for whites to give up their places in the Inauguration Day festivities so that more African American may witness the historic occasion. I couldn't risk getting involved with some provocative remarks.

Likewise, I had to defend Caroline Kennedy from some incredibly hateful attackers on the site with the following post:

I can't believe the hate spewing forth in these comments. The oldest of the Kennedy sons gave his life on a near suicide mission in WWII. JFK was a war hero as well, and was the first president to give a speech on Civil Rights since Lincoln. Then without passing "GO" he went straight to the heart of racist Texas to carry the message of the NEW FRONTIER. When his life was taken, the way was paved for LBJ to implement the changes President Kennedy died for, and more. Listen to the words of the song "Abraham, Martin, & John" -- it became a timeless classic for a reason.

Bobby Kennedy put himself on the line opposing the worst (but not the first) murderous, imperialist American war overseas, knowing that assassination in the US was becoming common for those who championed the downtrodden and unpopular causes. Ted Kennedy's companion died in an accident, and JFK, Jr. may have been reckless. But why should this disqualify Caroline Kennedy? Why should she risk assassination running for office before the time is right? She bravely challenged the Clinton machine (and some in her family) to support Obama. New Yorkers should give her the chance to serve out Hillary's second term, and then run for the office in two years. In the meantime, she can help support the Obama agenda in the Senate, where he will certainly need her help. All of us in this benighted, faltering country need her help.

2009-01-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

If the Republican Party wants to have a shred of credibility four years from now it should again field a history making presidential ticket. Clearly Obama will have to fail fairly spectacularly to be denied a second four year term; knowing the conclusion is almost certainly foregone is even more reason for the Republicans to offer a slate that will go down into history despite losing. Nominating two women to head the ticket would be a surefire way to do that. A Palin / Lingle team would be credible, balanced, and appealing from a number of perspectives. Moreover, it could revitalize the party's image by championing the right to civil unions / domestic partnerships for same gender couples while still opposing gay marriage as Obama has (and does.)

I like this site

2008-12-13T23:12:00.000-08:00

Readers are predominantly hard left, but the mission of the site is to "preach" to other than the choir and "proselytize" for liberalism.

http://leftsolutions.wordpress.com/

Not that there should be any reluctance to hold high the banner of "liberalism." The presidents that the U.S. can be proudest of in the 20th century were all liberals or progressives: the Roosevelts, Truman, Carter, Kennedy (and yes, I'm adding Clinton to the list.) I'm especially fond of the following quotations by my two personal favorites:

A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It is a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity.
-- Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President

"… I'm proud to say I'm a 'Liberal': someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad."
-- John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th U.S. President
As for yours truly, I'd be most accurately described as a Christian Socialist at this point in my life. Currently, I'm reading: BETWEEN MARX AND CHRIST by James Bentley (a history of Christian Socialist thought) and THE MAKINGS OF A JUST SOCIETY by Chester Bowles. Neither is available on the internet so far as I know.

2008-12-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

This is how I described the blog until I changed settings today. This blurb is preserved for "historical" purposes.
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In 2006 Mike Salling considered becoming a candidate for the congressional seat vacated by Ed Case. Mike sought a platform for his belief that a Hawaii Constitutional Convention should be held in 2010 for the purpose of (1) enacting universal health care in Hawaii, and (2) establishing the right to a dignified death. The campaign was stillborn, primarily because Mike's services were deemed better directed to support Senator Akaka in his race.
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A new interest that I have is "people who are interested in noetic science" (particularly some new friends in the U of H community.) Yes, I'm interested in n.s. too, but not nearly so much as I will be in the future, I'm sure.

I've also started using my Facebook Page for the first time since I created it back in 2005, as I recall. I'm now recently in touch with some old friends who over the years have left markings on the wall for me (in vain until now.) This has been a real blessing. I'm making a slow come-back from a long winter of discontent (to put it mildly) and contact with friends is much needed.

Preparing for an upcoming IONS meeting - which will be Winter Solstice (not Christmas) themed - I was fortunate to find some easy to understand information about "Sunrise and Sunset in Hawaii" that some may find as interesting as I do. It's in a Word.doc format which unfortunately I can't figure out how to upload here. So, email me at kokuaguy@yahoo.com and I'll send you a copy. A dear and much valued friend made it available to me for public consumption. He's a retired UH prof. whose field is Geology, but if I've ever met a true Renaissance Man, it's Will.

a hui hou,
Mike in Honolulu

A Message to my Red State Cousin

2008-10-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here's how I responded today to one of my favorite people when I received an alarming and alarmist email message clearly intended to rally recipients to vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin. (If I were to make a list of individuals whom I believe hold loving feelings for me in their hearts, my cousin in Arkansas would be very close to the top.) Although I'll be in mourning for a long time if the GOP team defeats the "Obama phenomena", and while I couldn't disagree more strongly with the unsupported contentions in the forwarded message, nevertheless, nurturing the relationship with a beloved family member is far more important to me than rebutting a list of claims barely entitled to be referred to as 'arguments.' (As an instructor of persuasive writing, I recognize a fallacy of logic when I see it.) Therefore I took several minutes to compose a careful reply that I hope provokes thought, but most importantly I hope my words convey my deep affection for a deeply Christian woman I believe with all my heart to be deserving of my respect, admiration, and love.

I hope she sees it that way.

Great to hear from you cuz. It lifts my spirits to know I'm still on the list of those kept up to date about your passionate concern for our country's current situation and future well being. Because I believe the times demand it, and because in our hearts most of us know what is right -- love our neighbors / don't do things we wouldn't want others to do -- I'm convinced that our next president will be an honorable, hard working, intelligent, and idealistic "young" man who truly has the interests of all Americans at heart (but most importantly, the generations of Americans yet to be born whose fate is in our hands.) My prayer is that all who love their country will unite behind Barak Obama's efforts to secure a brighter future for Americans, and for all those on God's earth who come after us. As we came together after 9/11 in support of our president during an unprecedented crisis, let us do the same after this upcoming election, at a time when even more compelling circumstances have overtaken us all, clouding the future of humanity itself.

A Speech for the Ages

2008-08-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

At last I'm at peace with the outcome of the Democratic Party's nominating process. At some point the Obama pollsters must have made the determination (and this may have been true all along) that Hillary on the ticket would cost more than it would be worth in terms of the loss of potential "swing" voters. I cannot believe Barak Obama made this decision on any basis other than the effect it will have on the outcome of the election and the future of our country. Nor will I ever believe he made the decision on the basis that he is not "strong" enough to be president with Hillary Clinton as his VP.

It's possible this speech tonight and the others Hillary (and Bill) will deliver in the weeks to come may garner more votes for Obama than Hillary's place on the ticket would have. We all know how many women there are out there who have used her forgiveness of her husband's infidelities to rationalize their hatred of Hillary's feminism and success in a man's world. These are the women who call her a b**** and say all their friends are men (because women are petty, as I've heard them say.) Then there are the male mysoginists who may stay home or out in the duck blinds who might otherwise have been motivated to go to the polls to vote against an Obama / Clinton ticket.

When it comes to enacting the Democratic Party platform Barak will need the strong leadership of Senator Hillary Clinton. I'm not in favor of Hillary accepting a position in an Obama administration or doing anything more than remaining in the Senate and taking Harry Reid's place. When we have a woman Speaker of the House and woman Majority Leader of the Senate history will have been made nearly to the extent it would have been with our first woman president. And I believe we will have a woman president in 2016, and her name will be Chelsea Clinton.

In Memory of Tim

2008-06-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

What would Tim want us to be doing to honor his life’s work and mission? He was a graduate of my alma mater law school — Cleveland Marshall College of Law / Cleveland State University — no doubt its most famous alumnus. I think he might be pleased if Americans began to have serious, substantive discussions about the kinds of issues he often covered on his network broadcasts. One topic which I’d like to have readers of this blog / website weigh-in on is a measure that the U.S. could adopt which would instantaneously reduce its dependence on imported oil in a very big way, and which only one of our presidents was brave enough to champion. He’s still the most courageous living former president and I don’t think I have to be more specific than that.

Why not immediately lower speed limits nation wide to 50 miles per hour? The Bush / Fox talking points endlessly harp on the idea that the oil producing companies would realize the U.S. is serious about ending its oil addiction if the Democrats / environmentalists etc. would get behind drilling in ANWAR, etc. I think it would do far more to send such a message if we got serious about speed limits, gas mileage standards, and jump starting an Apollo Program to achieve independence from imported oil. Trucking companies are already imposing lower limits on their drivers, and this is something that is a no-brainer as I see it. Of course it could be political suicide for either McCain or Obama to support it during the campaign, so it won’t be mentioned if our candidates can possibly avoid it. But I think it’s time to begin a conversation that would pave the way for Congress and the next president to push for it in the first 100 days of the new administration. Comments anyone? I think I know how Tim Russert would pursue this if he were still with us.
Aloha O`e, ‘Big Guy’. You are, and will be missed.

And … how about some serious detailed discussion about exactly how Barak Obama should extricate us from the Iraq debacle in a way that will not label the Democratic Party for decades to come as the party that “lost Iraq” (or lost the Middle East?) For starters we could read two book discussed back to back on C-Span today. Check out my blog (teachlaw@blogspot.com) for more details.

The Genius of C-Span

2008-06-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

I awoke at 7:30, miraculously, after going to bed a little after 5:00 A.M. I'm determined to stay awake and make it to sing with my friends, the wonderful folks in the choir at Honolulu's (and possibly the world's) most liberal United Church of Christ congregations (U.C.C.) To give others an idea of how "liberal" Church of the Crossooads is I tell people that our church gave sanctuary to AWOL Viet Nam veterans in the 1970s. For an up-to-date example I could relate what happened last Sunday after we had finished a hymn and Pastor McPherson pointed out from the pulpit that its author was a member of Trinity United Chruch in Chicago. Cheers broke out in the choir and applause and calls of "Amen" and even "Praise the Lord" were heard from all sides of the sanctuary.

What kept me awake between 2:00 and 5:00 AM was C-Span, as usual. There's literally nothing else among the countless "premium" cable offerings I recently signed up for that interests me at that time of day. I turned the TV on around midnite because I'd finally screwed up the courage to tackle a smelly kitchen sink full of dishes, and turned on C-Span in the living room to help keep me energized. I had the kitchen nearly cleaned around 4:00, but by that time was enthralled by a British author and journalist who seemed to know everything there is about Iraq. His name is Johnathan Steele and the book is "Why America and Britain Lost Iraq." He's an author and journalist who has spent years in the Middle East and is so erudite he knows that Winston Churchill was probably even more ignorant about Iraq than George W. Bush. The thesis of the book is the absurdity of America's and Britain's leaders actually believing in 2003 that they could successfully remove S.H. from power by invasion, shock, and awe, and proceed to occupy the country imposing their will on the Iraqi people and society, thereby soon converting the polity into a model secular, enlightened, democratic one that would become a loyal and valuable ally of the West.

Johnathan Steele further argues that of course this was never believed to any serious degree by the Neo-Cons, who do not now and never did want a short occupation. He also believes that there is a chance of avoiding an internecine bloodbath or a protracted civil war on the post-Tito post Yogoslavia scale when the U.S. begins to withdraw troops. Apparently he had a post about this on Huff Post at one time. Check C-Span or Google to find him.

As any half-way intelligent and discerning TV viewer knows, C-Span is the only real real source of fair, balanced and completely non-agenda driven information that exists (sorry PBS - it's not your mission.) True to form, C-Span's presentation just prior to its coverage of Steele's talk in a book store was another such talk by a young Marine Captain who has authored what sounds like a fascinating book. It describes the years he served in Iraq supposedly training the Iraqi military, a near hopeless task then and only slightly less so nearly three years later according to the Captain. His talk was frightening and disheartening on several levels, despite the fact that the author is clearly a model soldier and a fine young man. Unfortunately, he's perfectly comfortable with McCain's 50-100 year projection for our Iraq debacle. In any case, it was wonderful hearing the two presentations back to back. They could not have been any different, or more interesting. I must add that I resent having to sign up for Time-Warner's Premium cable TV package to get all 3 of C-Span's offerings, but after a month of having it I don't see how I could live without it.

What does Mike want?

2008-06-07T02:54:00.000-07:00

Unlike the myriad pundits and armies of cable news and C-Span junkies I'm not asking What the *#$@ does Hillary want? Nor have I ever. I feel the Clinton's pain in my bones, as I felt the exhilaration two years ago when it dawned on me I just might live long enough to see the first woman in the White House. It felt great, but nothing like the tectonic spine tingles I've experienced regularly for the past 36 hours each time that my TV screen is graced by that Tiger Woods smile, stretched between the most awe inspiring ears since Dumbo's lifted him out of the Big Top to soar treetops and commune with those crows that only a child or a Disney could love.

One of my favorite pundits made me chuckle a short while ago when he said “the primaries are over, alas” – I’m sure most would have ended that sentence as I did with “Thank God!”

I think I know what Hillary and Bill want at this point, and possibly always have always counted on in the deepest lock boxes of their aging boomer parents’ hearts – they want the first woman in the White House to be CHELSEY, and I predict she will be, unless Caroline pulls a Dick Cheney and ends up being Vice-President.

At this point I’m going to die happy no matter what, just as long as Camelot is finally restored to Washington by Barak and Michelle, and my son continues to love me as I know in my heart that he does and always has. Anything beyond that will be frosting on each of my swiftly decreasing number of birthday cakes, and that includes the novel I’m going to write, the restaurant I’m going to open on Kaua‘i, and the horse I’m going to buy and ride and love as my Mom and her siblings did all their lives. And grandchildren? Oh yeah. They’re going to love my horse too!

Lonliness

2008-04-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

Loneliness is often the price of genius. Embrace solitude – it is the last refuge of the soul.

Barak's blunders

2008-02-02T07:25:00.000-08:00

I listened to FAIR's Counter-Spin on Wed. evening (it's the weekly radio program produced by the fairness & accuracy organization, FAIR.) Suffice it to say that their guest, Glen Ford, a popular and long-time print and broadcast journalist who has covered civil rights struggles for 30 years, was highly critical and dismissive of Barak Obama's civil rights credentials, and his credibility as a spokesperson for the African American community. He quoted Mr. Obama as saying that the black community in the U.S. today is 90% along the way to realizing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, and pointed out that a white politician who said such a thing would be uniformly crucified across the political spectrum -- left, right and center.

Check out the link to "The Black Agenda": The African American Journal of Political Thought and Action.

http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=483&Itemid=1

Debra Dickerson

2008-01-25T01:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time I discovered the motherjones.com website. Thank you Stephen Colbert-- I just offered the stuff below as a comment on a hilarous post about BILL's MLK DREAM on the Mother Jones blog of Steven's 'sexy new black friend. Debra Dickerson is HOT!!!
[ Go to the end for the URL. ]

Aloha from Honolulu, Debra,

I'm embarrassed to admit it took Stephen Colbert to introduce me to you, your work, and your delightful, wicked mind and musings. (Actually, I'm not ashamed. What better way to meet a sleek, left of center pundit featured on a website I'm TRULY embarrassed not to have discovered long ago. I've BOOKMARKED it now, and it to used to replace the Huffington Post, which I find to be increasingly biased and boring. And I'm proud to say that Stephen and Jon Stewart are among my idols; they've introduced this 60 year old "boomer" to a universe of mirth and enlightenment since I began watching, at first with my teenager, now a second year student at NYU. I actually enjoy their shows better without the writers-- they're forced to find more fascinating guests. Where else could one meet a Harvard law professor crusading for poker, and Stephen's sexiest new "black friend"?)

Anyway, like Stephen, I'm adding "sphincter like" to my vocabulary. I forgive Bill Clinton, however, as I have for nearly everything he's ever done that needed forgiving, with the exception of that calculated trip back to Little Rock to preside over a capital punishment photo-op. I'm sure it helped inspire GWB's proud legacy of state sanctioned homicide leading up to his coronation after losing the 2000 election. As for the Sistah Soljah moment, I have to check out the details; I know I should remember them. I'll take your word for it that it was beyond the pale.

I certainly agree that Bill needs folks like you to chastise him when he behaves like an intestinal endpoint. But if he's decided that his conscience can live with a strategy that helps deflect the inevitable anti-Obama backlash in Hillary's direction, rather than toward pretty boy John, I can forgive him. After all, when do the Obama crowd -- my offspring is among the most fervent Barak Believers -- or anyone else other than Stewart and Colbert point out the vicious bias against Senator Clinton, her gender, her vocabulary, her political savvy, her intelligence, and any other attribute that can be used to humiliate her? Ann Coulter and her ilk don't need to worry about piling on Hillary because the media whores are doing such a fabulous job of it.

I have another confession to make (I may make this a habit -- I get a kick out of doing it on your blog); shortly after dozing off a night or two ago I woke up giggling at the thought that Bill must at some point have made a deliberate decision to allow the media to disseminate such a quintessential passive / aggressive editorial comment on the windy oratory of MLK III. Imagine how many potential red state votes for the Democrat ticket in November may have been won in the process of a "gaffe" even the Clinton haters can identify with. (I bet MLK III even got a chuckle out of it--he may not be so quick to forgive your labeling him a wannabe, however.)

Well, that's enough for now. I'm gonna paste this on my blog and get ready for bed -- after watching the Colbert Report for the second time tonight. I hope this sparks a few more comments on your "Art of Napping" blog post. As for Matthew Tiffany, he sounds like a ringlike muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check out DEBRA's blog for MATTHEW TIFFANY.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/01/6935_maybe_all_the_c.html

2007-09-24T23:45:00.001-07:00

Host culture

2007-09-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

One of the more common methods of deprecation of Hawaiian culture utilized by immigrants (from the mainland U.S., most commonly) is to chide contemporary Native Hawaiians with the fact that they no longer practice all the traditional ways of their pre-contact ancestors --worship of the ancient gods, human sacrifice, separate dining facilities based on gender, a feudal societal hierarchy, to name a few. This insensitive attitude most often results from ignorance, usually intentional to some extent. All too often, however, undisguised bigotry is the genesis of statements such as the following: "Wake up natives, Hawaii is and always will a part of the U.S.A." As a non-native resident of the "Aloha State" for nearly 40 years, I resent such statements, and consider them to be foolish at best, but in all cases pathetic,and for the most part, wholly execrable.

Those who belittle the culture of another people are one step closer than the rest of us to the world view that tolerates colonialism, oppression, and all too frequently, genocide. As much as I detest the legacy of racism and lynching which stains the history of our "Red States", I have a sincere affection for their literature, music, art, spirituality, folklore, handicrafts, hospitality, and cooking, among other things. Moreover, the incredible sacrifices of the masses of the Southern populous during the "War between the States" never fails to amaze me, misguided and intolerant though the fundamental mission of "Dixie's" leadership was. Likewise the horrific legacy of Nazi Germany does not prevent me from desiring to learn more about and deepen my appreciation for the courage of Martin Luther, the genius of Wilhelm Richard Wagner, and the worldwide influence of the teachings of Karl Marx.

The foolishness of those who belittle the culture of Hawaii's host culture indicates a failure to recognize that each immigrant in America has an ancestral heritage worthy of understanding and respect, whether it be African, Hebrew, German, Asian, Latin, European, or whatever. My ethnic and cultural background is primarily Celtic (Irish), but that doesn't negate the importance (for me) of my English and Swedish roots. Nor should the fact that today's Native Hawaiians are mostly a mixed-race people who greeted outsiders with open arm and bedrooms, adopting lifestyle practices from every corner of the planet, in any way lessen the importance of their historic accomplishments-- world class navigation skills, impressive agriculture and aquaculture achievements, and a record of environmental sustainability second to none, to name a few.) More importantly, Hawaii's status today as an former colony of the U.S. empire, whose culture, language, and religious practices were ruthlessly suppressed by its "conquerors", demands a recognition by all who settle here of the historic injustice of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. (See link to the 1993 "Apology Bill" below.) An appreciation of these factors is a start, but only one small step, on the road toward to true appreciation of and respect for the unique history and culture of Hawaii Nei and the Native Hawaiian people.
(Link to the Apology Resolution -- Public Law 103-150: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apology_Resolution )

What people are ashamed of usually makes a good story.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Joyce's Toes

2007-09-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

My mother was a remarkable woman; I've written one short story based on her life and intend to write many more in the future. The tales of her childhood were a font of satisfaction for her four children, and and there were sevaral that we pleaded for again and again. I was the first born, and possibly the most cherished at certain times and for certain purposes. Though I occasionlly feel unfairly resented on a number of counts by my 2 sisters and 1 brother, there is no denying that I satisfied a number of my mother's needs throughout her life that the others were unable or unwilling to fill.
The absence of her husband due to the demands of his job, and Joyce's compelling need for human companionship and interaction, led her to deviate from my bedtime rules on a regular basis, allowing me to sit up with her till midnight sipping cocoa --and sometimes coffee-- watching the always stimulating, often outrageous and hilarious conversation and antics of Jack Paar and his guests. I was still in elementary school at the time; later we would be addicted to Johnny Carson. The younger children would never have been allowed this freedom, though usually they were unaware of the slightly wicked secret Mom and I shared.

One task reserved strictly for me was to assist Mom with her afternoon naps during those years when I was approximately 10 - 12 years old, on those days when the stresses of homemaking and child care required a brief respite from the day's demands. It may seem strange that she required my aid, but for her the afternoon rest was to be nothing more than a catnap, and I was required to awaken her no more than 15 mintes after she had drifted off in slumber. Dad's dinner must on the table when returned from a long, stessful day at H.W. Moore Equipment Co.--Colorado's sole distributor of heavy construction equipment for International Harvester Bulldozers, Hough "Payloaders" backhoes and excavating machines, Cedar Rapids rock crushing and highway paving equipment, etc.) More importantly, she fully realized how crucial her role as Dad's confidante, partner, and (I came to realize years later) enthusiastic bedmate, were for the health and durability of her marriage. Her concern at naptime was about not waking on schedule, not simply due to the time which would be lost if she overslept, but because for her anything more than a "cat nap" would result in grogginess and possibly one of her nagging headaches. A 10 - 15 minute rest was all that was required to refresh and reinvigorate her after a long day that began with the early morning preparation of breakfast for Dennis and the kids, along with lunches for Dad and any children who preferred them to eating in the school's cafeteria (Peggy-- 2nd eldest and almost exactly 2 years younger than me--was an especially finicky eater.) By midafternoon, after our arrival home from school, Mom had finished the daily dishwashing, baking, house cleaning, laundry, ironing, errands, yard work, along with various miscellaneous tasks, of course; she was more than ready for her nap by then, and I was chosen to perform an essential role in the ritual. The most important element of this vital interlude was getting Joyce off her tired legs and feet, even then lined with a network of varicose veins which she blamed primarily on child bearing. She frequently complained about how they swelled and ached, especially during that time of the month -- her "period". One vivid memory underscores this problem: Mom was 6 months pregnant with the youngest of her children (Kelly Jo, the little siser Peg dreamed of and prayed for); because she believed in educational summertime outings, Mom had taken her 3 children to visit the gold domed state Capitol building in downtown Denver and picnic on the surrounding lawn one hot afternoon. If climbing to the top of the dome on her painfully swollen feet and legs were not enough, on the way home, one of the kids who was walking barefoot ( I can't remember if it was Peg or Pat)was stung by a bee and had to be carried all the way to the bus stop. Mom insisted I put the sibling on my back and do the work, informing me it was only fair since she was already carrying a baby in her womb, and had legs so sore she could hardly walk herself.

Knowing what an important job it was, I took secret pride in being drafted to massage Mom's ankles, calves and knees, paying particular attention to the toes, as she drifted off to sleep on the living room sofa or a bed in the "guest room". Of course I pretended to object that it deprived me of essential television time, but I don't remember becoming petulantl or whining as I would when required to do the dishes. My ministrations could never be forceful enough for her, however, and she urged me to use all my strength, assuring me with occasional condescension that I was not strong enough to cause pain. That of course motivated me to be as brutal as possible, but never once did my manly efforts result in a cry for mercy.

An essential part of the excerise was to rub and pull on each of Mom's toes separately, and to rub the soles of each sole with hands hardened into tightly clenched fists. In no time Mom would begin yawning and then breathing regularly, and I would watch the clock for the alloted time before waking her with soft words and gentle stroking of her feet. Fifty years later these are the things I remember. What a pleasure it would be today to have the company of such a tender companion.

Climate Change

2007-09-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

While those who have been belatedly enlightened by Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" and Leonardo DiCaprio's "The 11th Hour" dither about what they should do to "stop Global Warming", others are telling us that it is too late to begin. While it's true that the quesion is not whether billions of inhabitants of "the Blue Planet" will have their lives seriously altered by climate change in the near future--but to what extent; nevertheless, there is plenty that can be done to minimize the effects. The following is a list of things that we can do to ameliorate the deadly consequenses of humaity's actions that are altering the future of Planet Earth forever: (NOTE: the list below appears in the "Peace Calendar" on the month of September page, and was compiled by Guy Dauncey and members of SCW Community -- copyright 2003 -- DVD, book poster, notecard, post card and bookmark available.)
--I've added a few of my own--send yours and I'll add them too!--
1. Visual the fragility of earth from space.
2.MAKE YOUR HOME AS ENERGY EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
(a) Switch to Energy Star applinaces.
(b) turn off lights / use solar panels & wind energy / no incandescent bulbs
(c) Put on a sweater.
(d) minimize use of air conditioners / consider a "swamp cooler"
(e) use a clothes line / get rid of that hair dryer
(g) buy tree free / post consumer paper
(h) GET OFF THE GRID !!
(i)
(j) [I'll add your emailed suggestions]
(k)
3. Drive only when you must/use a scooter, elec. or hybrid car.
4. Use public transportation & walk more - cycle more - skate more -- don't forget the cross country skiing option.
5. Eat locally grown food/ support local businesses.
6. Fly as little as possible; take the train or a cruise when possible.
7. Vote for and support climate friendly politicians.
8. Take pride in being "GREEN & RESOURCEFUL."
9. VISUALIZE and spread awareness of a SOLAR-HYDROGEN economy.
10.Boycott coal burning power plants / BUY GREEN ENERGY
11.SLOW DOWN / FIND AND USE YOUR UNIQUE VOICE
12.QUESTION THE PROPAGANDA OF ENERGY AND AUTO COMPANIES.
13.SUPPORT THE KYOTO PROTOCOL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.
14.Demand strict emission controls and fuel efficiency on all vehicles
15.Remember: "TO HELL" with the carbon economy

OUR WORLD WILL BE HEALED TOMORROW IF WE PAY ATTENTION TODAY!

RatherGate

2007-09-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Halleluhjah -- Dan will get his revenge after all, thanks to the lawsuit filed Wednesday against CBS, the CEO of CBS, Les Moonvies, CBS parent VIACOM, and the Chairman of the parent company, Sumner Redstone himself. Revenge is sweet, as we know, but for Democrats expecially, Dan's revenge will be SWEEEEEET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At last the truth will be told about George W. Bush's 2004 escape from a major scandal over his draft avoiding in the 1960s & 70s, and his status as a "deserter"--(AWOL from the Texas Air Guard.) Given the pace at which such litigation proceeds through the courts, by November 2008 the voters should at last have heard ,and fairly recently, the real story of the fratboy / future Commander in Chief whose Daddy's connections got him a coveted National Guard position when Average Joes were being drafted and shipped out by the millions to serve as cannon fodder for LBJ and Nixon. Even with that, the frathouse flyboy couldn't play by the rules. His Daddy got him transferred from Texas to Alabama to work on the election campaign of a racist Republican. Dubya's service in the Alabama Guard was practically nonexistent, according to official records.
Of course this story could have cost Bush his re-election in 2004, so it was essential for Karl Rove and his minions to do the following: (1)destroy John Kerry's reputation as a Vietnam warrior by waging a smear type campaign now known infamously as "Swiftboating"; and (2) find a way to blunt anticipated attacks on Bush's record as a draft dodger and "deserter." This was accomplished through the "Swiftboater's" slander, along with the huge smokescreen that emerged after Dan Rather's "60 Minutes" producers at CBS were duped into using apparently fraudulent documents linking Air Guard higher-ups to special treatment for the fratboy with the powerful Daddy. But where did those doctored letters come from? How could professionals like Rather and the "60 Minutes" team fall for such a hoax? Could these documents, like those that set the 2003 Iraq invasion, have been forged by insiders? Could Rove and the Bush re-election team have secretly leaked them for the purpose of "preemptively" discrediting CBS, Dan Rather, and critics of Bush's "military service", or lack thereof, by creating a smoke screen big enough to obscure an ignominious Vietnam "war record?" If so, the scheme worked like a charm.

These tactics are becoming so common that they are increasingly less likely to fool even average voters (the majority of whom in 2004 supposedly voted for the bumbling, discredited administration that launched an illegal "preemptive" war over non-existent weapons of mass destruction.) The story was far different in 2006, and unless Republicans succeed in vote stealing on a massive scale in 2008 (click on link below), a Democrat President and Democrat control of Congress by wide margins seems inevitable. Rabid right-wing attacks on MoveOn.org and war hero / congressional representative Jack Murtha are the latest examples of attempts to use blitzkrieg media campaigns to divert attention from Bush administrations outrages.
Here's the link: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092307D.shtml

the big apple

2007-09-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Aloha all,
Boy have I been busy. Haven't been hanging out with my LDS freinds lately-- I hope they haven't given up on me. Instead, I'm really tight with a number of the denizens of Fort St. Mall. Getting away from them was a big reason why I was eager to get away to New York City ( in addition to spending time with my son and my friends Jerry, Amy, and Lidia Wang ; the evening I spent worshipping at the feet of Vanessa Redgrave--literally, in the front row Center at the Booth Theater; and the chance to enjoy a lovely apartment in Chelsea near NYU on W. 24th St. and 9th Ave.)
More about this later.
Here is a photo of Jerry at Crystal Windows Co. in Flushing N.Y.)
a hui hou
Mike / Misha

My Greatest Independence Day

2007-07-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

I learned more today at the LDS Tabernacle on Beretania and Punahou in Honolulu at the annual obsevance of Independence Day than I ever recall learning on any previous 4th of July. All of it was important. Some of what I write about it later will not please the friends who invited me there, and on an odessey to Haleiwa later, which I will likewise remember as long as I remember anything in my life, I believe. But much of it was moving and enlightening and made me proud to have been invited there and proud to have friends there who desire my company and who care about the disposition of my eternal spirit, and the spirits of my family and loved ones.

I'm off to the family beach home of one of them in a few minutes, and will take my computer and see if a Clearwire wireless satellite signal can be picked up out there--we weren't able to do so at Camp Mokuleia in February. I can't believe I never blogged about that. Have a great day, and Google Robert Wai / Congressional Medal of Honor when you have time time today; it would be a wonderful way to pay tribute to the freedoms and privileges that Americans enjoy, and the many gallant warriors who have given their lives for in the past.
With warmest aloha,
Mike

A New Religion

2007-07-01T18:35:00.000-07:00

A client of mine (who wishes to remain anonymous) is privy to one who has been inspired by the revelations of L. Ron Hubbard to form and organize a new charitable, educational religious entity (church) for the purpose of disseminating as widely as possible the teachings of Father Hubbard, Osama Bin Ladin, and recently departed diciple and Christian brother, the Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell.

The name of the new institution will be "The Church of the Latter Day Atheist", and its mission will be to encourage the organization and activism of all atheists their supporters, and friends around the world, in support of initiatives and programs they shall choose by majority vote of the membership.

Upon receiving IRS approval, the church will immediately apply for grants and other funding from the Office of Faith Based Initiatives in the White House.

Yours for ecumenical solidarity,
Michael R. Salling
Attorney and Counsellor at Law

Of T-Bones and Caffeine

2007-06-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

My Mormon Fairy Godmother recently lost her patience with me when I ended an email message to her with the following typical (for me) wisecrack: “If God wants me to burn for eternity in fire and brimstone for my morning coffee and red wine with dinner, I probably wouldn’t get along with Her anyway. It has to do with Sam Harris's claims in "The End of Faith.”

The gist of the standard LDS rebuttal, restated very effectively in my friend's messag to me, professes that “conversion” means having the "light" of Christ’s truth revealed, and in turn that means a change of lifestyle and giving up all of one’s vices... unless one is “stupid.” It was my friend’s use of that word (more than once) that told me she had finally become impatient with me. In responding to her, my first reaction would be to point out that there are probably billions of people on the planet who would use the same word to describe those who preach that only the believers in Joseph Smith’s religion are committed to living a lifestyle consistent with the light of revealed truth. My second reaction (and a more typical one for me) would be to quote John Stuart Mill who said: “Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people… it is true that most stupid people are conservative.” I’ve been called many things in my life, and stupid is an epithet I’m quite familiar with, but not once in my memory have I ever been accused by anyone of being conservative. Therefore, the odds are that I am not stupid, though I may be crazy, still, (after all these years.) In any case, my dear Fairy Godmother need not worry about offending me; though sticks and stones may break my bones, her words certainly could never hurt me. I admire her far too much to let that happen.
Of course I realize she will probably become impatient again when she reads this, but perhaps it will make her happy to know that I am supporting Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination, and if I were faced with a choice between Edwards and Romney, I might vote for Mitt because he's such a certified flip-flopper I'm sure he'd switch to the Democrat party before seeking a second term. I like firsts, and if we can't have the first woman president, I want to have the first Mormon president. We've already had our first black president, and plenty of crackers and lawyers have had a chance to insure manifest destiny and tinker with their particular brand of the American Dream. I think Mitt would be a lot like Arnold in California, and I believe Arnold would be the next president if the constitution allowed it. I'm in favor of repealing that anachronism from the Consittution by the way, along with the electoral college.

Of course the above prologue is no rebuttal to the gist of my friend’s real argument about the meaning of faith, but I’m prepared to address it, and have formed the beginning of a thesis in my head. I’m looking forward to expanding and exploring my thinking about such issues in this venue; as I’ve said before, what else on earth is a blog for? And as others have said before: the best way to find out what we think is to constantly write about our ideas and beliefs. So here goes:

Dear “Adopted Fairy God-Mom”,

I’m a spiritual person because of the gut grabbing awe and terror which the beauty and the inconceivable vastness of the universe inspire in me. One of the reasons I’m a religious person springs from the common sense logic of Pascal’s Bet , which I have ultimately come to accept for my own peace of mind and comfort. (Of course it may not really be such a good bet after all, from the perspective of the probable future fate of our benighted, fragile planet—the Mother/Father of us all, in a very real sense. Note: I’ll add my explanation of that particular bit of deductive reasoning later, should anyone be interested.)

I am also a religious person because my parents and grandparents were, and many of the people in history whose accomplishments I most admire have chosen to worship a god—Thomas More, Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jimmy Carter, Mother Theresa, L. Ron Hubbard... just kidding about that last one. I’m convinced by their examples that I can be most effective in my determination to “love the Lord by serving the Lord’s Children” if I work in the context of a group of organized Christians who choose to believe and act as I attempt to do. Over the past 12 years I've chosen to practice my religion by supporting activist Christians in the membership of two Honolulu congregations: Pacific Community Church (now known as Anuenue Christian Church) and since 1998, Church of the Crossroads. More than any other that I know of, the latter congregation is one whose members choose to be in solidarity with them, have taken progressive stands on social issues, and ministered to the outcasts, despised, and oppressed in Hawaii. They have seldom shrunk from what they see as the Christian duty to speak inconvenient truths to the powers that be. Along with other members of United Church of Christ Congregations across our all too often disgraced nation, they have been shunned and despised by fundamentalists and evangelicals, but far more frequently than not, it has eventually been acknowledged as being on the right (and the righteous) side. In today’s culture wars as much as ever, members of U.C.C. congregations are the leaders in the struggle for peace and justice, and our Honolulu Congregation of “Crossroaders” is consistently at the leading edge of the movement, from the fight against the coming global climate catastrophe, to the civil rights struggle of the 21st century—promoting fairness and equality for all families and sexual orientations. As the bumper sticker I recently ordered for my car says: “Gay Marriage Doesn’t Scare Me; Hatred and Inequality do.”

I do not accept literally every word I read in every book of the Bible, and certainly not in the books of Leviticus (in which stoning is prescribed for every “abomination” from the sin of Onan to touching the skin of a swine) or theBook of Joshua (in which God dutifully follows Joshua’s command to stop the sun’s movement in the sky for a whole day, in order that his chosen people can finish their extermination of the Israelites’ enemies.)

As Clarence Darrow is said to have explained to the court during the Tennessee Scopes trial, this requires literal believers to deny the most basic principles of science taught in public schools from 1st grade on. In any discussion of the slaughter of Jericho’s inhabitants and the armies of the Amorites, as described in Joshua (Chapters 7 – 10) a committed fundamentalist / literalist must be prepared to assert and admit either that (1) our globe actually stopped turning, so the sun’s light would continue shining down on the battle, and thus that an understanding of the Bible’s language does sometimes require “interpretation”, and / or (2) that the human powers of reason and observation are essentially useless to, and inconsistent with, eternal salvation for practicing Christians.

So, I am resigned to being a “Jack Mormon” at best, regardless of what happens to me in the future. Lightning may strike; visions of Golden Tablets may appear before my eyes; I may receive thousands of email messages monthly from the LDS faithful around the world begging me to join them in an LDS crusade to end global warming; all of these would be good reasons for me to “convert”; but knowing what I know about myself and my character now, there’s no way I can believe I’d ever swear off that early morning mug of caffeine courage, or the obligatory and blissful glass of cabernet sauvignon with a fine steak dinner. Likewise, I doubt I could ever be more than a “Jack Buddhist”, knowing how hard it would be to give up those tenderloins, and T-Bone steaks.

Finally, no one can tell me that Mormons don't have vices of their own. Until their Prophet / President's epiphany in the 1960's, the "Sons of Ham" were persona non grata as Elders / Priests of the church, though the Jim Crow era was coming to an end in the U.S. It didn't escape notice of the sports fans in the Western Athletic Conference back then that the Prophet's "conversion" changing the status of African American men in the church occurred coincidentally when several university athletic departments were threatening to boycott Utah's Brigham Young University's sports teams on grounds of racism. And apparently even the most devout LDS believers routinely refer to the beliefs and practices of non-members as "stupid", a vice that seems clearly inconsistent with Jesus's admonition to "judge not, lest ye be judged." Maybe the Savior meant something different than it seems when he gave us that teaching, as I'm told he did when he talked about the rich man, the camel, and the eye of the needle. But my common sense tells me that I know how to interpret the injunction to remove the beam in my eye before pointing out another's mote, and I believe this principle overrides anything Leviticus says about pigs or sodomites. If you think I'm incorrect, tell me why? Let's discuss it, if not debate. I look forward to the conversation.

Common Dreams of Hillary

2007-06-28T03:40:00.001-07:00

I visited one of my favorite "progressive" Web sites today and was surprised by the hostility of its readers to the possibility of a Hillary Clinton presidency. These are the types who voted for Nader in 2000 and cost Gore the election. With a fraction of the 90,000 Florida votes that went to Nader, Gore would have had a clear win in Florida, and it would not have been possible for the U.S. to be "betrayed" by its Supreme Court. (See Vincent Bugliosi's book "The Betrayal of America at Google's Books website--hilite link, right click, and choose the "search" option)http://books.google.com/books?id=8_ZG0HAFw7UC&dq=&pg=PP1&ots=FbZvrjOFax&sig=UVsAtP3k8t8tzbh7L9v-GfbDAPQ&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fsourceid%3Dnavclient%26aq%3Dt%26ie%3DUTF-8%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enUS230%26q%3DVincent%2BBugliosi%2B%2522The%2BBetrayal%2Bof%2BAmerica%2522&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title#PPA5,M1I posted a comment in the Discussion comments to an article by Ruth Coniff titled "Hillary Clinton and the Woman Thing." You can read highlights below, or follow this link to the original post. Comments are welcome, as always.
Here's the link:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/06/27/2129/

The gist of my argument posted a few hours ago:
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Most of you so-called progressives are supposedly pining for a “humanist” woman or a “true progressive”, to vote for as president, but view “Billary” as the scum of the Beltway, un-derserving of your support under any circumstances. You blindly dismiss her achievements, political skills, and sheer powers of endurance, saying “[S]urely we can do better than this….” Well, you may need to wait another century or so for that chance–in the meantime, will your tunnel vision (changed from "obstinacy") enables our disgraced and disgraceful nation’s leaders to continue plundering and sewing the seeds of destruction for future generations. Richardson and Kucinich a dream ticket? Give me a break! How about Richardson as Secretary of State, and Kucinich as Secretary of HUD? In a Hillary Clinton administration, why not?

Please, Commondreamers, I implore you and your ilk — refrain from lending aid and comfort to those intent on sabotaging the good Senator’s chances of being the first woman and former First Lady to be become Commander in Chief and wielder of the bully pulpit. Work for Kucinich or Obama if you choose, and then stoically accept Clinton if she is the winner of the Democrat primaries. With a Democrat majority in both houses, and having made history simply by virtue of her election alone, President Hillary Clinton will be uniquely unfettered by the compulsation to ensure election to a second term. I predict history will be made: a Moon Program / Marshall Plan type initiative on global warming will be launched; restoration of civil liberties and rehabilitation of our voting system will be a top priority; appointment of appropriate judges and justices will be assured (Supreme Court for Lani Guinier?); world leadership and cooperation through participation in a re-invigorated United Nations could become a reality. And finally, the beginning of the end of the destructive Blue / Red State divide could be at hand– Bill Clinton could become not simply an ambassador to the world, but a builder of bridges between the estranged Americas as well.

You’ve really got very little to lose if you think about it, and a maybe a new world to gain. Let’s show our allies and the international community that unlike France, we can elect a woman chief executive — a woman who has pledged to end the war she would have been powerless to prevent, even if it had made sense to destroy her political career trying to do so. Admit it my fellow “progressives”: this is a war that none of us who has not been daily protesting in the streets for the past 5 years, or enduring a series of hunger strikes, can truly avoid responsibility for.

Fallacies of argument

2007-06-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

My WRI 1200 students seem to have the same difficulty I have with the often discussed concept "logical fallacy". I think that's an oxymoron of sorts, and prefer "fallacies of argument", "fallacies of rhetoric", or "fallacies of logic."
There's a ****load of them to be found in the latest Krauthammer Op Ed piece in today's Advertiser; however, I'm so happy I don't have to look at Victor Davis Hansen's ****eating grin that I can take anything from the paraplegic pundit, the supreme spinmeister of the Republican propaganda factory, and keep smiling. Charles K. raises to a high literary art the kind of hack's work O'Reilly does nightly in his "no spin zone" on the Fox network.

See how many non-sequiturs, canards, and downright lies you can find:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070612/OPINION03/706120312/1110/OPINION

Writing Things Down

2007-06-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

As I was falling to sleep the other night I thought of a great "Mormon Joke" and chuckled so long that I considered getting up and writing it down. I didn't, and of course the next day I could only remember that I'd laughed about it, and I've been trying to remember it ever since. It will go so well with the Christian Stand-up Routine I started writing awhile back but can't share here because of course someone might steal my material. I'm going to ask my brother Pat for help later in the week when son John and I go to Kaua`i. The point is, I've resolved to start using this venue to make a record of my epiphanies, brain farts, nightmares, and religious visions. What else is a blog for?
So, here's the latest brain fart, or whatevah. As my brain and I were having our early morning discussion about how the day would turn out, what we thought of yesterday's happenings, what needs to be accomplished in the remainder of the week, etc., I began a conversation in my head explaining to hypothetical Mormon friends the basis of my decision to join their church and hang out with them. The fact that they are all wonderful people and mostly rich folks who do exciting things like cruise around the world and experiment with ways to make even more money would not be sufficient to justify my conversion to them, I assume. My LDS mother-in-law, who knows what an accomplished "lawyer / liar" (spin artist?) I am when it suits my purpose, recently opined that any dicision to become a Mormon should be sincere. We didn't waste breath debating the meaning of sincerity, but I know that I will not quit drinking things with caffeine in them, and if I'm asked by anyone whether I'm addicted to coffee, I certainly won't bother to lie. So if they want to keep me from beoming a "latter day saint" on those grounds, so be it. I assume it's more likely that the gatekeepers will decide "better a Jack Mormon who tithes as required" than a heathen, and will welcome me with open arms. More on ideas such as "leap of faith" and how quantum physics and creationism are entirely compatible later, for now I simply want to record my idea for the creation of an International Island of Faith here in Hawaii. My dream would be that it could be located in what is now Volcanoes National Park after the U.S. cedes it to a newly created and sovereign Native Hawaiian entity. Since Hawaiians apparently won't be permitted to create gambling casinos here in the islands but will no doubt want to have a "visitor industry", I envision a huge campus with visitor accomodations and a place of worship for every religion in the world that wishes to be included, along with a central teaching complex, and of course space for any other group that wishes to construct its own facilities. I will be the Executive Director, of course.
That's all for now. Have a great day.

2007-06-08T03:32:00.001-07:00

By the way ...

2007-06-08T03:29:00.000-07:00

Christopher Hitchens has finally managed to redeem himself a bit in my eyes with his epitaph for Jerry Fallwell. Paraphrasing: If the mortician had given him an enema, they could have buried him in a shoebox.

2007-06-08T03:11:00.001-07:00

Jerry Falwell's Best Friend

2007-06-08T02:56:00.000-07:00

George Bush's vow to veto the latest stem cell bill is an obvious attempt to mend fences with his base, the fundamentalist Christian wing of the Republican party. Many are hopping mad about his refusal to allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. They figure that the sooner Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmed "mini-jihad", tries to make good on his idea of wiping Israel off the map, the sooner Israel retaliates with its estimated 200 nuclear weapons (which it denies having) and then Jesus comes a second time and raptures them all to glory land. Of couse the rest of us will be left here to rot for 1000 years before we're all sent to Hell to burn in damnation for eternity. The Jews who don't accept Jesus as their personal savior will of course suffer the same fate. God works in strange and wondrous ways, and those who pray for another holocaust at the earliest possible time are unshakable in their faith in the Lord's everlasting mercy and goodness.

Capital Punishment

2007-06-08T02:47:00.000-07:00

When are Americans going to figure out that the sooner they abolish capital punishment, the less often their TV screens will be filled with the faces of depraved human excrement like the alleged killer of the Kansas City teenager who disappeared from the parking lot of the local Target store last weekend after being sent there on an errand by her parents. If our legal system didn’t contain the option of “offing” a killer, drug seller, rapist, etc., trials would usually be unnecessary, as in Canada, where the death penalty has been abolished and the murder rate per capita is about 1/3 of that in the U.S. An accused killer’s choice could be to go to trial and risk a sentence of a series of consecutive life terms without possibility of parole, or cop a plea and receive a 99 year sentence with the possibility of parole. Parole for those like Charles Manson, serial killers etc. would be very rare; rapists might be more likely to be let out. By allowing their testicles to be removed and submitting to lobotomies, their chances of parole could be improved considerably, no doubt.

A Civil Rights Don Quixote?

2007-06-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Reading the pious, self-serving commentary of would be civil rights “Don Quixote” David Rosen in Sunday’s Advertiser on May 27th was enough to make this “local haole” want to upchuck his fried rice & bangers. It was worth it, however, to see the exposure given to the logically unassailable rebuttals from kanaka ma‘oli luminaries such as Jon Osorio and Oswald Stender. I’m disgusted to hear the word “aloha” coming from the mouths of those who use it for one purpose – to pervert its meaning and employ their twisted definitions for personal gain. Unfortunately, the “final authority” that attorney Rosen seeks to appeal to contains even more neo-con sympathizers and hacks than the Supreme Court which betrayed America in December 2000, and it may even be possible for Bush to appoint more justices before a new president takes office in January 2009. It is clear from the shameless hypocrisy of Rosen’s commentary that his mouth is still watering from coming so close to achieving the kind of name recognition O.J defender Johnny Cochran grabbed with his slight of hand during Simpson’s nationally televised murder trial. If this parasite manages to round up a sufficient number of gullible plaintiffs to make it worth his while to take another run at the KSBE windmill, I’ll be happy to donate money to the school’s legal defense fund, and won’t expect any tax deduction. Ultimately I believe that Pauahi’s sacred trust will prevail, whether the Bush Supreme Court forces it to choose between giving up tax exempt status or admitting non-Hawaiians; and whatever the outcome, there may be a greater silver lining to be found. Perhaps such misguided legal attacks on the birthright and entitlements of Native Hawaiians will have the result of uniting their community behind Senator Akaka’s bill. Whatever one thinks of the framework it would establish, there is no question that it begins to get the ball rolling in the direction of compensation of kanaka ma‘oli for the wrongs acknowledged by the U.S government in 1993. It is imperative that the momentum toward a measure of sovereignty and justice be reestablished, and that Congress be persuaded to enact an unassailable framework to protect against future assaults in the courts by plunderers like Rosen and his ilk. If Hawaiians had rallied behind a realistic plan during the Clinton years in the wake of our Congressional team’s historic achievement in securing enactment of the 1993 Apology legislation, the citizens of the “Aloha State” would be much further down the road toward a society based on justice, peace, and true aloha.

Bill Moyers

2007-05-23T01:07:00.000-07:00

I recently sent an email message to Bill Moyers's staff in response to a program that I found especially informative and meaningful. Any reactions?

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I watched from day one when Bill started the NOW program, and still watch David Brancaccio most of the time. I never stopped grieving about the loss Bill's departure from NOW represented, though I realize that he's risen from the Ashes at last, the Bush agenda at PBS was revealed in all its ugliness as a result, and there is perhaps some light at the end of the long, dark tunnel we've all been trapped in for the past six years.

One definitely needs an hour long format to do justice to the kinds of issues Bill and David focus on, so I am ecstatic that Bill is back with BILL MOYERS JOURNAL, and better than ever in my opinion, based on what I've seen so far. I've recorded a few of Bill's shows over the years, and occasionally I've shown them to our Adult Ed. group at Church of the Crossroads:

http://www.churchofthecrossroadshawaii.org/ .

More often I show them to my classes at Hawaii Pacific University, or loan them to studenst for purposes of their research on essays. As soon as I send this message I plan to order a copy of last Friday's show. It was one of the best I recall ever seeing on PBS. I've been saying for at least four years that Bill should be president and Scott Ritter his vice-president. Can you have Scott on the Journal in the near future? Also, I suggest that Bill and a crew spend a week or so in Hawaii doing a show on the many fascinating and challenging issues we wrestle with out here in the middle of the Pacific. The right wing Republican vendetta against our Senator Dan Akaka's Native Hawaiian Recognition bill needs to be exposed. An interesting sidelight would be last fall's senate race between Dan Akaka and Steve Case's first cousin, former Rep. Ed Case. A few months before the election TIME mysteriously labeled Sen. Akaka "one of the FIVE WORST U.S. Senators"-- of course we know who is the biggest individual shareholder of Time
Warner! Then there is a huge amount of Hawaiian history that needs to be understood by Americans in general. The overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy and the annexation of Hawaii by the McKinley administration in the midst of the conquest of the Phillippines and the Spanish American War is one of most instructive and apochryphal stories in the annals of American Imperialism.

The controversy over the "racially exclusive" admission policies of the Kamehameha Schools (the largest privately endowed, primary and secondary educational institution in the world) run by the trust
established by the monarchy in its last days is also in need of explanation and explication. Stories on ethinic harmony in a racially diverse culture are part of the more uplifiting aspects of the half-century history of the "Aloha State". Our political system is unique in several ways, one being the constitutional requirement that allows a majority of registered voters to convene a constitutional convention once every decade if they choose to do so. The next vote on that will be in 2008. The voters have been scared into rejecting a "Con-Con" in each of the elections since 1976 on one basis or another. In the last election opponents used the fear that "gay marriage" would be enshrined in the constitution, or that Native-Hawaiians would lose their special status in the state constitution.

Well, as you can see, I am in love with Bill Moyers, all he stands for, and all who are part of his mission and ministry at PBS. If you need someone to found the Moyers fan club here, put me on the list of
nominees.
With sincere aloha,
Mike S.

Victor Davis Hansen

2007-05-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

I just sent the following letter to the Honolulu Advertiser editors, responding to another of the screeds of the master of tortured (and tortuous) logic, part time raisin farmer, and darling of neo-cons and war mongers everywhere, Victor Davis Hansen. None of my prior letters complaining about Hansen's loopy diatribes has been deemed worthy of editorial favor, so I've taken a different approach (see below). The column published on May 17th in "Hawaii's newspaper" is little more than one of Hansen's periodic attempts to shore up his reputation as a "classicist", while bashing the usual liberal suspects -- Al Gore, George Soros, celebrity environmentalists -- for variety he adds a predictable hypocrite's kick at the beaten dog which shock jock Don Imus has recently become.
Enjoy:
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Since your editors seem strangely wedded to neo-con apologist, Democrat basher Victor Davis Hansen, and loath to publish rebuttals to his screeds from readers, perhaps I will be permitted to point out some common ground that even such a consummate spin artist as Hansen is forced to acknowledge: (1) "by all means" celebrities and environmental activists like al Gore should continue their "well meaning" efforts to save the planet; (2) those guilty of conspicuous consumption who cannot and will not give up huge houses and illiberal energy use are "offenders" guilty of "environmental sins"; and (3) Don Imus was "serially warned" that he would face severe consequences if he crossed the line with his foul, racist trash talk.
Thank you Mr. Hansen, for small favors. And thank you Advertiser editors, for these editorial crumbs.

Governor Ben

2007-05-15T03:41:00.000-07:00

I just heard on Public Radio that our illustrious former governor is coming out with a memoir titled: FROM STREET KID TO GOVERNOR. Obviously it's intended to be the impetus for an upcoming race for national office. Sen. Inouye or Akaka (or both) will step down in the not too distant future, and Neil Abercrombie (and Ed Case?) will battle it out for the seat. Perhaps Ben will join the fray, or content himself with taking over Neil's seat and teaming up with Mazie again as they did so successfully for 8 years. I plan to be in the audience at a public venue for a reading Ben is going to be giving from the tome next week. I can't wait to read Ben's stuff; there's sure to be a lot of juicy gossip alluded to, if not disclosed outright. For anything really juicy one would have to visit Ben's former "first lady", Lorraine, I suppose. I wonder if there will be any mention of Roddie!! Stay tuned.

Enablers

2007-05-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

The dynamic duo of morning radio and media in general in Hawaii are getting themselves in water nearly as hot Don Imus did recently. Most who know much about Larry Price would forgive him just about anything, and expected that he'd come to his senses and issue an apology to Senator Hooser and "haoles" in general, and especially to those of us who have been here long enough to think of ourselves as local, regardless of birthplace or hair and eye color. We know what he was trying to say (inappropriately and insensitively as he has admitted.) Politicians who pontificate, especially white ones from privileged backgrounds, are an endless source of annoyance and insecurity to local folks who are less full of themselves. Not that Gary Hooser is such a person; anyone with Kaua`i roots will tell you that he and his family have worked tirelessly to understand local perspectives and to champion those that are sincere and worthy.
Larry Price's problem is clearly not the kind of arrogance or racism displayed routinely on the Don Imus shock jock free for all. Price is simply addicted to the endorphins released in his brain when his antics and motor-mouth create general laughter -- we all know the type who's the life of the party, and generally liked, but sometimes goes too far and needs to be reminded that not everything emanating from his "waha nui" is a sparkling gemstone of wisdom.
Michael W. Perry's syndrome, on the other hand, is more problematical. How can one explain his failure to see that a perfect teaching opportunity had presented itself when his sidekick came to terms with some inner demons and outed them before their large local audience. Clear premediatation exists in Mr. Perry's far more insidious remarks ("you're crazy...to apologize.") Where is Perry's sensitivity to the obligation of all local broadcasters to promote racial harmony in our community at this time, after the emotional controversy involving an alleged violent hate crime in broad daylight in a busy shopping center, and the terrible murder on a public beach of a promising young mainlander planning to attend the University of Hawaii law school? Mr. Perry would say I'm only being critical because I haven't taken the time to go to the internet to listen to the original interview with Senator Hooser; but I don't have to. My beef is with Mr. Perry -- he's one of the clearest examples I've found of a case where the conduct of the enabler is far more harmful that that of the offender himself.

Planned Parenthood

2007-05-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

The big debate question on Wolf Blitzer's "Situation Room" today was whether the revelation that Rudy Giuliani and his former spouse gave $900.00 to Planned Parenthood will kill his chances of winning the presidential nomination. It shouldn't, if he points out that PP's work is much more about preventing pregnancy than abortion. The debate may now focus on just what it is that the "pro-life" cadres of his party seek in this regard. I'm convinced that a large percentage of Republicans have much in common with the three wing-nuts who held up their hands as "nonbelievers" in evolution in the recent debate; they're fundamentalists who would not only restrict a woman's right to abortion, but would invade the bedroom of each and every American to deny us birth control pills and other forms of contraception, and would shut down sex education programs in our public schools. The debate should be much broader than whether to reverse Roe v. Wade -- abortion was available in Hawaii, New York, and other states before 1973, and would remain so regardless of a retreat on privacy rights by the U.S. Supreme Court. Instead we should establish once and for all that freedom of (and from) religion is a cornerstone of the American experiment, and rebuff those who would require a religious test for any woman or man seeking to hold public office. In this I support Mr. Giulani, and I sincerely hope he wins the nomination of his party-- I do so for the same reasons many Republicans secretly hope that the Dems pick Sen. Clinton as their standard bearer. They assume she'll be easier to defeat than Obama or some others. I think they're wrong about that, but I'd bet lots that Giuliani will go down in flames like the WTC if he manages to spin his way onto the Republican ticket.

Draft

2007-05-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

When one awakes at 5:00 a.m. with an idea churning between one's ears it seems appropriate to document the phenomenon in some way, and when the idea involves the fate of millions of Americans, perhaps invite others to comment on it. That's the main function of this blog, so here goes....
If the U.S. is ever going to convince the fanatics of the world it is not a paper tiger that will eventually roll over in Iraq and abandon the population to their fate, we must start by reversing the world's perception that our intervention was solely the result of an evil neo-con cabal, or the whim of an airhead, spoiled brat President now on his way out. In truth, the Congress and most Americans supported this horror in the beginning, and it is in the self-interest of all of us to try to insure that the entire Middle East does not go up in flames when we leave, with Osama's allies taking the helm, and our "allies ' in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia (not to mention Israel)in his cross-hairs.

A good start would be an even more ambitious conference like that held in Egypt this past week attended by Bush's girl "Condi", at which she actually spoke to and rubbed shoulders with the foreign ministers of Syria and Iran. If in fact hell did freeze over as a result, it can only be a good thing, especially if it slows the rate of global warming. Who can argue against the idea of devising a plan for the injection of an international/regional peacekeeping force in Iraq as the U.S. presence is reduced and/or reconfigured? Obviously, this would give greater legitimacy to continued actions there by the U.S. (policing and training, etc., as well as the continued reconstruction effort which is a moral necessity if the U.S. is ever to overcome the sorry legacy of its Iraq wars and a decade of devastating sanctions.)

Nothing could do more to enhance U.S. credibility at this time than a popularly supported decision in the U.S. to reinvigorate and strengthen our military forces by reinstitution of the draft, providing the U.S. Army with a backbone of well trained "citizen soldiers" motivated by something other than reinlistment bonuses and the threat of courts martial. How can this be accomplished? Certainly no presidential candidate (even John McCain, who knows in his heart that it's the key to the massive "surge" strategy he has been urging for years) will have the "balls" to propose drafting our young people to be sent off as "IED" fodder in Afghanistan or Iraq. Perhaps McCain (or Sen. Clinton) could regain some credibility and respect with the skeptics in both their parties by advocating some form of the following plan. (1) Hold a national referendum on immediate withdrawal from Iraq--with the understanding that should Americans vote "no" on withdrawal, they are voting "yes" to establishment of a truly universal draft of all Americans, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. [2] The draft would be implemented at the same time that the volunteer army is supplemented with any current undocumented immigrants seeking the path to citizenship, and any qualified felon in the U.S. penal system seeking early release (obviously, the lifers and those on death row would have a difficult time qualifying, but the poor bastards who simply got unlucky under "three strikes" laws might make willing candidates.) [3] People without prior military service who are physically fit and able to pass a minimal intelligence test, despite the approach of retirement age, would be equally draftable (especially those like the author of this blog who are filling no job indispensable to the functioning of the economy, and have no young dependants to support.) My only stipulation would be that as long as I am serving in the military, my college student son would be exempt from the draft.(4 I would of course expect such a system to contain liberal standards for exempting one from combat duty based on conscientious objector status. Being one myself, I'd expect to be assigned to the medical corps or other support function that does not involve me directly in the use of deadly force. Nevertheless, by going to Iraq I'd be just as likely as anyone else to end up the victim of an IED or suicide bomber.

NOTE: Eventually, I'd expect the U.S. forces to become the main contingent of a U.N. sanctioned force like those in Bosnia and Kosovo. It is my dream that one day a comprehensive peace treaty will be signed by Israel and all nations in the Middle East pursuant to which Israel (1) would be admitted to NATO and the EU; (2)would sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty as a nuclear power with the obligation to disarm eventually; (3) would withdaw from most of the West Bank, and (4)would have its borders protected by a U.N. peacekeeping force with a large U.S. contingent. If "peace" (whatever that means) can be brought to the major areas of conflict in the world, the international community can finally turn its attention to the looming catastrophes of global climate change, population meltdown, and ocean poisoning. It can't happen too soon. In the meantime all I can do is live sustainably, and wake up early and post my "epiphanies" to this blog. Also, those who know me know that I'll do something else every day, faithfully and fervently. Each and every one of you all, as well as our planet, will be in my prayers. Yes, they may be the prayers of a confused, constantly backsliding reformed atheist, but they are prayers that I deeply believe are listened to.

Finally, if you want to know why a Citizen Soldier army is needed now more than ever, read all about the Christian Taliban's takeover of the Pentagon (sorry, they're not clickable hyperlinks):

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050307F.shtml

And if you believe there's nothing we can do to slow / stop global warming, here's what farmers and business owners (not just eggheads and scientists) are getting excited about:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050307R.shtml

Elders

2007-05-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic breath of fresh air Stephen Colbert sent our way tonight with his interview of former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel. The voters up there must be truly schizophrenic to have elected two polar opposites like the mercurial Gravel (pronounced like a frenchie: "grah-velle") and the terminally curmudgeonly Ted Stephens. Stand aside Barak Obama-- I want a vice-presidential running mate for Hillary who has the balls to stand up and say the reason the Spartans were such kick ass warriors was that they were homosexual, and they fought to protect the guys who shared their foxholes. One answer to the debate about the effect on military morale of allowing gays to serve their country might be to create an all gay boot camp, and all gay job classifications. In fact, why not create an "all queer" unit to fight in Baghdad like the "all Jap" unit that nearly single-handedly conquered the Italian peninsula, became the most decorated unit in the history of the U.S. Army, and in the process proved once and for all the patriotism and loyalty of all Japanese Americans.

Debate

2007-05-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

My final week of classes at Pearl Harbor (Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program) features a surprise debate (not mentioned on the syllabus) between teams in each class. With a bit of manipulation on the part of Darth Salling each class chose an excellent topic for debate:

Resolved: The first recipient of the Annual Media Ignoramus of the Year Award (known as the IgnorIMUS award or the “Imus” for short) should be Alec Baldwin. In the alternative, the negative teams may argue that the award should go to either Imus himself, or to Michael Richards of “Kramer” fame. (Mel Gibson will undoubtedly receive a lifetime achievement award at some point in the future.)

Resolved: If the Congress were to immediately pass legislation similar to that vetoed by the President on May 1st, 2007, which appropriated more money than asked for to support the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq, and contained a mandatory date to begin troop deployment / withdrawal from Iraq, as well as a non-binding benchmark for final withdrawal, the President should again veto such legislation.

While the Iraq debate is far more important, the IgnorIMUS debate will of course be more fun, so I’ll direct my self to that in the next update to this post (to follow shortly.)

It's now half an hour later:

The top three reasons chosen by my students to support the AFFIRMATIVE case in the IMUS debate are as follows:

1. Baldwin was stupid enough to record himself calling his 11 year old daughter IRELAND a "rude, thoughtless, little pig...."

2. Baldwin used his 11 year old child to vent his anger and frustration with ( ex-wife Kim Bassinger, the courts, lawyers, etc.)

3. Baldwin acted impulsively and arrogantly considering the negative financial consequenses not only for himself but for countless others dependant upon the success of his film and television career.

4. Baldwin did serious if not fatal damage to his credibilty as a spokesperson for various liberal and "do-gooder" causes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The top three reasons chosen by my students to support the NEGATIVE case in the IMUS debate are as follows:

1. Imus should get the award named after him because he was stupid enough to air his slurs to an audience of millions.

2. Imus should receive the first annual award because it was a public remark of a seriously insulting racist and sexist nature that was personally damaging and demeaning to the young women of the Rutgers team and their coaches & team staff, as well as to their families, all who look up to them as role models, the extended Rutgers family, and last but not least, to womens' athletics in general.

3. Imus should get the award because of the negative financial consequenses not only for himself but for countless others dependant upon the success of his radio and television career.

4. Alec Baldwin is attempting to use the incident in a positive way. He has taken steps to reconcile with his daughter by apologizing to her and (on "The View") to anyone else who was hurt or offended by his remarks. Baldwin is using the gaffe as an opportunity to advance understanding of the court system and the problems with child custody litigation in America; it is thus likely that Baldwin's image will be enhanced at the end of the day (certainly this will be the result in the case of millions of "downtrodden dads" who feel they have been abused by the courts, not to mention their wives and girlfriends who are often more frustrated by the tactics of the former spouse than the male is.) Baldwin's ex-wife (or whoever was responsible for turning over the recording to outsiders and creating a media frenzy in the process) owes an apology to young Ireland for involving her in such undignified, publicly humiliating news coverage.

5. Both Mel Gibson and Michael Richards are more entitled than Baldwin to become recipients of the IMUS

The best media account of this "black on black" farce / tragedy that I've seen can be reached using the link below:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=451268&in_page_id=1773

To my classes

2007-02-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

Your final big assignment for the course (regardless of the class you are taking from me at this time) is to create a blog about your "research topic." The blog will contain a section about your argumentative "thesis statement", and that is the assignment you should be working on now. If you are in one of my classes at PHNSY, you will be doing a work related project, possibly with the global warming theme discussed in class. For those involved in a group project, you may be on the "what can be done at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to address the coming global climate crisis?" Individuals can of course pursue the theme as it pertains to their personal lives--your instructor for example has changed out all lightbulbs in his home as recommended in Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." Also for PHNSY, your deadline for turning in by email the "work related process essay is Monday, February 26, 2007.
To be continued.

Eligible

2007-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

A week age I paid $10.00 for the last of the blue t-shirts with the word 'eligible' printed on the fr0nt in bold white lettering which all the workers at my credit union, from the executive lunchroom to the teller windows, have been wearing recently. I've not worn it, but I'm using it prominently as a throw in my apartment at Honolulu Tower; however, I woke up this morning realizing I don't look forward to wearing it any time soon. If I actually were 'eligible' in the way I think about when I think of wearing the blue advertizement, I certainly wouldn't need it to spread the word. I've done an adequate job over the past 7 years of making it clear to all and sundry that my marriage was not a conventional one, and those who are aware of the passing in December of my significant other (as distinguished from my spouse)-- the wind beneath my wings as I keep repeating--must at least be mildly curious, if not actively interested, about what turns the path of my life's journey will now take. None could be more curious than I, but as the days pass I'm more and more convinced my hope is for a turning, as it were, and my intention is to aim in a direction 180 degrees from where it must seem I've been headed, in the view at least of all but the most informed and expert observers, those closest to me, with whom I compulsively share my "intentions" , in eruptive stream of conscious fashion, to the extent that I recognize them as such.
(To be continued.)

Impeach "Attorney General" Alberto Gonzalez

2007-02-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

The consensus among knowledgable, informed critics and opponents of the Bush Adminsitration is that the leadership of Congress is correct in taking the impeachment of the president "off the table" at this time. The Republican attack / dirty tricks machine is clearly ready to spring into action at the first hint of such aggressive action against Bush. The back-fired attempt to smear Speaker Pelosi as the orginator of a request for "military transport" to her home constituency is clear proof, for those who need any. (See link)
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16646329.htm

Though lawyers I know are unaware if it, the constitution provides for impeachment of legislators, judges, and other federal officials, where they are guilty of "high crimes and misdemeanors." Clearly a case can be made that the Democrat controlled House of Representatives should begin impeachment hearings for Bush's henchmen such as Alberto Gonzales sooner rather than later. His latest testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of a law that strips federal courts of the right to hear cases of prisoners imprisoned indefinitely at Guantanamo provides another stark example of his lack of regard for the Constitition of the United States.

Chief among the crimes of the AG of course are his approval of torture in clear violation of U.S. treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions, and violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act [ FISA] requirements for domestic wiretapping and eavesdropping on the private telephone conversations of American citizens. Perhaps more shocking, however, is his eagerness to look for ways to put his own gloss on hallowed rights protected by the Constitution, such as freedom from unlawful arrest without due cause, and arbitrary imprisonment. These abuses were common in the days when our founders fought for their independence from the King of England, and that is why our constitution provides that the right of "habeas corpus shall not be suspended... unless in cases of invasion or rebellion the public safety shall require it." Yet, Gonzales feels it important to make the claim that "there is no express grant of habeas in the constitution." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/24/MNGDONO11O1.DTL

Right, Al. Likewise there are no express grants of "life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness." So is it possible that our founders considered the right of habeas corpus, recognized as it has been in the English Common Law since as early as the Magna Carta, to be "inalienable" and "self-evident", as is the 'truth' that all of us are created "equal" ?

As benign as this man's personal appearance and mild mannered demeanor make him seem, this is a dangerous individual. And the truth is that our president and vice-president have surrounded themselves with such types. None should doubt that they lie awake nights plotting strategies to help them escape the sanctions and public opprobrium that should be heaped on their heads during the two score months in which they will continue to hold the reins of government. Thus 'eternal vigilance' is the price that must be paid by those of us who want to see them bear the punishment which they have so richly earned . Let impeachment begin with this venal, despicable excuse for a chief law enforcement officer of the nation. None of the Bush gang deserve to be brought down more than Alberto Gonzalez, the sooner the better.

Electoral Milestone

2006-11-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

In the aftermath of a historic electoral milestone in our nation, the editorial board at the Honolulu Advertiser is full of "sage" advice for the new Congress that will be lead for the first time in the House of Representatives by a woman. David Shapiro is down in the dumps because ... well, I'm not sure why, but thank God for Sloanie's penlight and sidewalk cuts.

Sanctimoniously warning the House leadership against "radical changes in domestic policy" is merely a sly way of feeding the slanderous campaign against Nancy Pelosi's supposed San Francisco liberalism. Likewise, saying that Congress must "find funding to support stability in Iraq" is code for the kind of militarist, stay-the-course rhetoric that Ed Case and his ilk were so unsuccessful in trying to sell. Moreover, it is entirely disingenuous to use the editorial pages on such an occasion to imply that the so-called Republican "Contract With America" was ever anything more than clever spin and old-fashioned shibai.

As one who was labeled a peddler of far fetched conspiracy theories by these same sages and prognosticators in their blogs before the primary election, I am simply euphoric, and full of confidence about the wisdom of the Hawai`i electorate (despite the low voter turnout on Tuesday.) I'm almost ready to believe that two years from now voters will authorize convening the first Constitutional Convention in 30 years and have a go at establishing some of those reforms Dave Shapiro is so pessimistic about (like public funding for "clean elections" to start with, which would solve the voter turnout problem overnight, I predict. )

Despite prominent Advertiser endorsements in favor of Hawaii's "geriatric judges" and against taxation for affordable housing, the voters overwhelmingly decreed otherwise. Let's see if the they have sufficient sophistication and moxie to take on complex issues like access to health care, public funding for elections, unicameralism, and a constitutional ban on casino gambling in Hawaii.

I'm not depressed that Lingle and Aiona were given another four years, although I doubt much will happen in that time to
breathe real life into Hawaii's two party system (the Governor can thank our "greatest" president for that.) It is encouraging that Randy and Malama garnered the kind of support that they did, despite being outspent by $5 million or so. What would be even more meaningful would be the possibility of a multiple party system, with real alternative parties like the Greens in Europe, for instance. My personal commitment to "doing better" as a voter and a member of our civil society in the Aloha State is to work tirelessly during the next two years to advocate a CON CON in 2010. We have nothing to fear from it, and a great deal to gain.

Malama pono,

Ho'opunipuni & Ho'omalimali

2006-10-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

A political perfect storm is blowing our way, and in 3 weeks Republican hypocrites and manipulators like our 43rd president, presidential wannabe Senator Bill Frist, and the accidental House Speaker “Denny” Hastert, will see their curtains of smoke swept aside, their mirrored halls and walls crashing down, and their gilded seats of power and corruption overturned.
A great, sleeping American electorate is about to rise, urged on by insiders who shared authority with these culprits and their minions, most notably the “Mayberry Machiavelli”, Karl Rove himself. Well meaning Evangelical Christians, brought to Washington by the Bush administration when it established the “Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives”, are “outing” the political strategy of using such programs to surreptitiously fund House and Senate races around the country, insuring Republican control of Congress, and resulting in the ouster of Democrat leaders such as South Dakota Senator and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschele. Clearly the money directed to South Dakota evangelicals in 2002 & 2004 was used later to help pass the the nation’s most draconian anti-abortion laws, containing no exceptions for rape, incest, or pregnancies threatening the health of the mother, and making criminals of doctors who assist women patients in such situations.

You can fool all the people some of the time, and Bush’s cabal clearly did in 2002 and 2003 when a large majority supported its invasion of Iraq, an act of “pre-emptive” aggression that Kofi Annan called a violation of international law. Suddenly however, even those who had the most to gain from getting in bed with the likes of Bush, Cheney, and Rove are throwing back the covers. The first two men to be appointed to head the faith based initiatives office have now corroborated each other’s views that they and evangelicals like them were clearly being used, and used cynically, for partisan political purposes. David Kuo, who headed the office from 2002 to 2003, does so in his new book: "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction." The first director of the office who left in 2002 made similar statements, although he later apologized for being “rude.” If you don’t have time to read the book (I plan to) don’t miss the story by Jennifer Loven on page B3 in today’s Honolulu Advertiser (Religion section.) This should be the final nail in the coffin of the Republican congressional leadership; as the great Rove himself has said, all it takes is for the “red state” moral majority voters to stay home on election day, and I’m sure many are scratching their heads right now wondering what possible reason they have to go to the polls on November 8th.

Election time flag waving and beating the “war on drugs” drums by Hawaii elected officials such as Lt. Governor Aiona and conservative Democrat Senator Norman Sakamoto should be seen for what it is: a frantic effort to divert attention from their parts in supporting the deceitful policies of our warmonger in chief—political ho'opunipuni and ho'omalimali (aka shibai) in its purest form. Sakamoto says we need random drug testing of all DOE employees because “at all levels of society drug use is a problem, and we can’t step back.” According to that “logic”, state senators should be the first to step up to the cup, along with DOE employee Shawn Lathrop, who said on the Advertiser’s opinion page today that “coherency” should be the test of fitness of all teachers and workers in the public education system, and that drug testing is the way to insure this. Next Sakamoto and Lathrop will want our librarians to be tested, and why not the members of the Board of Education? However, lie detector tests and opinion polls might tell us more about how “coherent” an individual is, than testing to make sure a recreational joint wasn’t shared on that fishing trip last month, or in bed with one’s significant other the night before. Why not require drug tests and polygraphs for those who want driver’s licenses? Why should any of us who have “nothing to hide” worry about losing our privacy rights and freedom of association? And what about second hand smoke? And what about the political enemy who serves brownies or spaghetti sauce with a hidden "oregano" substitute?

Frankly, if Lathrop is entitled to know whether I’m “coherent”, shouldn’t I be entitled to know that he is not teaching our keiki that Adam and Eve rode to Sunday church services on dinosaurs? How can I be sure my child isn’t learning that Jesus hates condoms and wants the human species to continue reproducing itself to extinction, taking most other species on the planet with it? I suggest that teacher Lathrop and Senator Sakamoto look up the definition of the word “coherent”. Perhaps each of them should be taking a few tests of their own.

By the way

2006-10-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

The house at 3916 Sierra Drive which I've called home since 1995 is on the market. I've created a new blog to publicize my effort to find a buyer at the "asking price"...$1,000,000.00 OBO.
Check out the new blog. Let me know your thoughts by email.
Mike / Misha

Here's the link: http://my-old-house-mike.blogspot.com

The Carlyle Group

2006-10-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

The worst part about yesterday was forgetting it was Wed. and missing a PBS presentation I'd been looking forward to for weeks: BILL MOYER's "Is God Green?" Missing choir practice was the second worst... I truly thought it was Tuesday. I'm not sure at what point I completely lost my grip on reality; probably sometime around 6:00 pm when I should have been relaxing over dinner.
By this morning I was still delusional, and debated with Bea far longer than should have been necessary before she convinced me that today is indeed Thursday, and we do indeed have a commitment to deliver her brother and his girlfriend to HNL Intl. at noon. That means I'll be late for my lunch meeting with HPU colleagues, but I'm sure they'll save my sandwich for me.

Here's the blog entry I promised Randall at HawnTel (they go by first names there) an hour ago when he called to get to the bottom of my complaints about his colleagues and his overlords.

_________________________________________________________________

To: Fellow Blogger Terrance--
From: Mish
Time: 1:00 am 12 October 2006

Re: How's this for a blog entry?

In the past 24 hours I've had a near death experience (terminal indigestion) after single-handedly consuming half a Costo chicken (skin included) and at least 8 oz. of chocolate covered baklava (not to mention the pint of diet coke & greens); in additon, my car was towed on Nuuanu Ave. this morning, and I spent the next 12 hours in a nightmarish tech-support netherworld being bounced back and forth like an exer-ball at a fitness club for deranged speed addicts, between Satan's minions (Carlyle Group's phone co.) and an odious purveyer of wireless internet routers with a name onomatapoeticlally similar to the sound I've been making all day, and the sound I wanted to make over the toilet all the night before, but never succeeded in doing.

Now the desktop computer monitor I've been in front of all day inexplicabley displays only that dreaded 4 word error message on its starkly vacant screen, black as the soul of the tech support demon who hung up on me this afternoon after I'd waited in the f----- "queue" for at least 15 minutes (for the 3rd or 4th time.)

Is there a silver lining? Yes, this is America after all, isn't it--the land of the free, not to mention the empowered and the entitled? And I am as as stubborn and neurotic as most underemployed Irish seniors in America today (picture Jack Nicholson in The Departed) hoping against hope that each crisis is more of a midlife, rather than an "end of life", phenomenon.

The good news? This message is being sent to you via our new (secured) wireless network (Belken_510). I did it all by myself (OK - Bea helped.)

May I have an audience tomorrow antime at your convenience?

PS (10:00 a.m.)

Bea also fixed the Compaq--something about the F1 key.

----------------------------------------
"Knowledge is happiness. [It is knowing]
the great heart-throbs of humanity
through the centuries; and if one does
not feel in these pulsations a
heavenward striving, one must indeed be
deaf to the harmonies of life."
- Helen Keller -

The Akaka / Case Debate

2006-09-02T03:48:00.000-07:00

My comments on the August 31, 2006 debate can be found on two Honolulu Advertiser Blogs: AKAMAI POLITICS by Jerry Burris, and VOLCANIC ASH, by David Shapiro. Look for "Mike" and "Misha".

News Flash

2006-07-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Michael R. Salling, potential candidate for Hawai`i's Second Congressional District Seat (the one Ed Case got tired of) released to following statement on Tuesday, July 25th to the public media:

Despite the overwhelming and humbling enthusiasm of my supporters and the members of my campaign organization, I have reluctantly decided to withdraw my name from consideration as a candidate for elective office. Professional commitments and the desire to spend more time with my family, despite their perennial popularity as matters of deep concern for office holders and office seekers such as myself, definitely have had nothing to do with my reconsideration. Nor, despite persistent rumors to the contrary, has the likelihood that intense scrutiny by the news media would unearth past indiscretions and/or embarrassments in any way been a motivating factor in coming to this decision. Additionally, it should not be supposed that a dearth of financial resources would make a political career inaccessible; only an abiding reluctance to spend money of my own has proved to be relevant to the calculation which now dictates the prevention of an ill-conceived candidacy that could ultimately end in being aborted.

Rather, it has been the lack of any indication that such scrutiny would result from my candidacy that has been disheartening, since admittedly my action in taking out nomination papers two months ago was motivated largely by a desire for the warming glow of the public limelight. The primary motivating factor for my inaugural foray into Hawai`i's political arena was that it provided an opportunity to publicize the upcoming vote on the Constitutional Convention ballot question; having learned recently that the appearance of this ballot question has been scheduled for 2010 rather than 2008 has opened up other, previously unconsidered opportunities for publicizing and educating the electorate about this unique and important democratic (small "d") process in Hawai`i.

I extend my warmest gratitude to those who have been influential in the process that has resulted in my actions over the past 60 days: those nearest and dearest to me. May all who have been involved in my campaign heretofore join together with Democrats throughout Hawai'i Nei in pledging their energetic and enthusiastic support to the victor in the primary election this September.

Agendas

2006-06-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

Imagine for a moment that you're Republican Bill Frist, the Senate's Majority Leader, and you have the power and awesome responsibility to control what issues the Senate considers and when it considers them. Knowing everything you do about the crises facing our nation and the things that most concern Americans, would your top priority be to:

A) Force the administration to change its failed strategy in Iraq;

B) Help consumers walloped by $3.00 a gallon gas and take steps to reduce our oil addiction;

C) Pass the first minimum wage increase in 10 years and develop plans to create good jobs in America;

D) Expand educational opportunities for college by providing relief from skyrocketing college tuition;

E) Ensure access to health care for every American;

F) Amend the Constitution to deprive gay people of equal rights under the law?

As someone who cares deeply about this nation, its problems and its future, you probably said A, B, C, D, or E. But Republican Majority Leader Frist chose F. Why?
Because it's an election year, and Republicans are in deep trouble. So they've decided that instead of addressing the things Americans really care about, they're trying to change the subject and using wedge issues in hopes of distracting from their failures and dividing Americans to win elections. It worked for them in 2004--this time the U.S. Constitution is their pawn.

Majority Leader Bill Frist plans to bring up the "Federal Marriage Amendment" as the first order of business when Congress reconvenes. And to drive the message home, President Bush will host a Rose Garden event that same day, to reiterate his support for this divisive, unnecessary and diversionary attack on LGBT Americans and on our Constitution. Even Vice President Cheney opposes the amendment and Laura Bush has opposed such tactics. Our soldiers are being killed at the rate of 2 per day in Iraq, and are snapping under the strain of doing an impossible job. Hurricane season is upon us again and still thousands are not able to return to their homes after Katrina. Global Warming is accelerating, drougts threaten farmers at home and around the world, and cures for diseases like Bird Flu and HIV/Aids still have not been found. Yet Republicans like Frist are only interested in issues that divide Americans, not phony campaigns that the people are not really concerned about.

Republicans have intentionally put divisive, anti-gay initiatives on the ballot in many states as well, and no doubt many nervous GOP Congressmen hope they can get reelected by scapegoating LGBT Americans instead of dealing with the challenges confronting our nation.
You can show Bill Frist just how wrong he is by signing this petition to stop this divisive amendment and tell him to put the Senate to work on the things that really matter to America and to Americans. Sign on here, and your message will be delivered the day the Senate begins debating the issue:

http://www.democrats.org/lgbtdiscrimination

Maybe I'm crazy but ...

2006-06-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Someone whose opinion I value highly has advised me in no uncertain terms that I must open up this forum to comments from ANYONE (not just registered users) if I hope to get much input and feedback. Even though a registered user can remain anonymous, I'm going to try opening up the blog as widely as possible to see what happens. "Bring it on."
Mike / Misha

Platform

2006-06-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

The two voters with whom I've discussed my Congress race most recently have both been Republicans ( one a strong supporter of the President AND his war.) I felt very comfortable talking about my views, though I was pretty certain that the more I said the less likely I was to win their support. I pray to God that this will continue to be my course of action--perhaps one or two Republicans will end up voting for me simply because I had the honesty to defend my views in plain terms. The woman with whom I spoke today is an executive administrator, well educated, and somone with whom I have much in common. Yet we also have profound disagreements.

Asked to outline my platform, I spoke about the 3 main issues I'd listed in my talk to the Maui and Big Island Democrat delegates at the Democratic Convention last weekend. First I listed the necessity of bringing the Iraq debacle to an end, "with or without honor." Of course this phrase will shock and offend some who hear me say it, but we must not make the mistake the country made during the Vietnam era, when it elected the Republican Richard Nixon, who claimed to have a "secret plan" to end the war. Seeking to end the war "with honor", Nixon and Henry Kissenger widened it by expanding the bombing to Laos and Cambodia, overthrowing neutral King Sihanouk in the process, and setting the stage for Pol Pot's genocide in the years after the ignominious withdrawal of the U.S. from Saigon. During those four years of futile searching for "peace with honor" another 25,000 American soldiers died, along with hundreds of thousands of Southeast Asians. President Bush claims that the U.S. will "stand down" when the Iraqi forces and police "stand up." In the meantime gigantic military bases are being built all over Iraq, and a U.S. embassy is going up in Baghdad that will be the world's largest, bigger than Vatican City. This is an indication that the mayhem will still be going on when a Democrat Congress is elected this fall, and it will be up to the new Congress to set a deadline for withdrawal. So be it. I welcome the opprotunity to participate in that process. "Bring it on."

The second major issue I'm talking about is the frightening danger of global warming. I'll be adding a link here to a recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser by a scholar at the Brookings Institution who in the past has been skeptical about the scientific evidence of the thawing of the polar regions and the fundamental changes in the ocean currents that have warmed Europe and North America for thousands of years. He is skeptical no longer. The article methodically lists the scientific experts and public entities that are now making nearly unanimous and identical statements warning of a dark and violent future due to climate change. The list includes organizations which advise President Bush directly. Even the President's newly nominated Secretary of the Treasury is a believer in the need to make fundamental changes to lessen the threat. For the people of Hawaii, and Pacific Island peoples in general, the threat could not be more serious. One of the reasons I have entered this political contest is because I want any grandchildren I may have, and all those who come after our generation of "boomers", to know that not everyone sat behind the wheel of a Hummer or Escalade listening to Rush Limbaugh while their future was being destroyed. Well known Christian Evangelicals are joining the call for sanity when it comes to protecting the Earth's environment. None of us can afford to do less.

Finally, I believe that I have the ability as a communicator to be effective in moving the U.S. House of Representatives to support passage of a companion to Senator Daniel Akaka's legislation for Native Hawaiians. The "Akaka Bill", though far from perfect in its present form, will begin the process of restoring a measure of "nation within a nation" sovereignty to an entity made up of Native Hawaiian people, the decendents of those who were wronged by the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and to whom the Congress and the President offically apologized in great detail and with admirable frankness in 1993. The federal courts are threating the Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaiian Homelands program--who can doubt that by doing so our treasured Aloha Spirit will be destroyed forever?

I believe that Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka can get the bill through the U.S. Senate in the next session of Congress, and Hawaii's delegation in the House must be ready to do its part when the time comes. I am fully prepared to meet that challenge, and highly qualified to do so.

Imua!

Jack Johnson

2006-05-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

I love Jack Johnson’s "In Between Dreams" CD—along with anything by COLD PLAY it’s one that my son John and I can always agree to listen to in the car. I’ve talked to friends about how much I love Jack’s song “Good People,” and what a great campaign song I think it would make. At one point John told me that his high school teacher knows Johnson and might be willing to approach Jack on my behalf. It’s been in the back of my mind ever since, but I had an experience today that caused me to decide to take action sooner rather than later.
After dropping John off for his driving lesson today at Kahala Mall I was under the overpass on Waialae waiting to make the U-turn and head back up toward my house (for sale, by the way.) A young boy selling the Star Bulletin came up to me and asked if I’d buy a paper. Supporting these young entrepreneurs is one of the only reasons I’d buy from a street vendor, and on a Sunday or a holiday like Memorial Day it seems especially fitting to do so. I took the paper but when I checked my wallet I had only a $20 bill. The young fellow was not disappointed when I apologized and offered the paper back, and after quickly determining that he did not have enough change to break the bill he said: "I see you have a Jack Johnson CD; I like him too so I’ll let you keep the paper for free."
I was surprised, but thanked him and said, “OK. I’ll pay you next time.”
The youngster gave me a big smile and replied “Oh sure. There’s always a next time. Have a good day.”
Well, 15 minutes and a trip through McDonald’s drive-thru later—I bought only 2 side salads, I swear—I was back at the same stop light where I found the boy and his buddy sitting down for a rest. I hailed my new friend and held $2 out the window. As he came up to me grinning I said “Do you like Jack Johnson’s song about where all the good people have gone?” He nodded and I said, “Well, I’ve met one today, and I want to say that someone with an attitude like yours will go far in the world. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.” He was still calling “thank you” as I rounded the corner and drove away.
So, Jack, what do you think? Would you be willing to talk to me about letting me campaign for Congress using your song?

Adoption rights

2006-05-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

I recently sent the following reply to a student who claimed to have been taught in a college class that the homes of homosexual couples are "disfunctional"--she justified her opposition to "gay adoption" on that basis. Here's my comment:

A recent PBS program (Frontline?) looked at a same gender couple in Florida who were allowed by state law to provide foster care for a very unfortunate young girl. The girl thrived to the extent that it convinced social workers to place an older sister with the homosexual couple. Because adoption by gay individuals is forbidden in Florida (not to mention marriage or civil unions) the couple were forced to go to court to try to convince a judge to grant them permanent custody in order to decrease the likelihood of some intervenor trying to take away their foster "daughters" based solely on the couple's sexual orientation. Finally they were successful after much time and expenditure of money. From the PBS coverage, the family's home environment seemed far from disfunctional and the girls obviously loved "Dad" and "Daddy" very much. The courts and social welfare agencies found a way around a Florida policy that other states have rejected. Since the days when Anita Bryant led a crusade to stop Florida communities from passing laws to prohibit discrimination against gays, Florida has been one of the hard line states when it comes to these kinds of issues. It's one of the reasons I'm proud to live in the Aloha State, and would never consider living in Florida longer than it took to establish voting rights in a presidential election year.

Notice / Disclaimer

2006-05-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Very little that will be found at this site is in any profound way original. This is not simply due to the universally acknowledged fact that nothing under the sun is "new"; much of what you will find in my writing is consciously or uncon-sciously "borrowed" from those upon whose shoulders we all stand. This is not plagiarism as such, since readers have been forewarned. There's a reason that every email message which I send to my students at Hawaii Pacific University (Military Campus Programs) bears the following words of Helen Keller:

"Knowledge is happiness. [It is knowing] the great heart-throbs of humanity
through the centuries; and if one does not feel in these pulsations a
heavenward striving, one must indeed be deaf to the harmonies of life."

All my life I have had a deep thirst for "information"-- knowledge, if you will. As a small child the enforced "naptime" ritual was for me the closest thing I could conceive to the the endless tortures of Hell. It wasn't long till I began to have similar issues with the eternal 'boredom' of the Heaven that was described to me. In my lifetime of readings that has omitted few schools of thought or realms of imagination, I have occasionally have come as close to paradise as I believe it is possible to get in our temporal sphere. Thanks to GOOGLE it far easier today for me to try to track down an idea/concept from the media I constantly expose myself to: books, periodicals, and websites, as well as television and radio, not to mention the innumerable enlightening exhanges I have daily in my professional, social, political, and spiritual discourse. For the purposes of this blog, and the congressional campaign it has now become a part of, I will not take the time to track down and attribute my borrowings. Rather, if I come up with some "pearl" which I truly believe to have originated in my head in some sense, I will label it as such. Should you discover the likely source of anything not so labeled, please share it with the readers of the "Teachlaw" blog. We look forward to hearing from you.

Qualifications

2006-05-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Your comments are desired on some notes I jotted down yesterday in a few precious minutes of spare time; you do have to create a username, etc., but it can be as anonymous as you wish. Here is a short list (in "slogan format") of challenges I have met and causes I have supported in my career in the law, politics, and business over the past 30 years:

When the powers that be wanted to bypass Kaua`i’s 55 foot height limit for hotels and condos—Mike fought it.

When community members and leaders wanted to form a new United Nations Association to support the work of the U.N. and reform it--Mike helped and served as a founding member on Kaua`i.

When Native Hawaiians needed the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hawaiian Homelands reforms—Mike helped in fight at the 1978 Con Con and the Hawaii State Legislature.

When victims of Agent Orange needed compensation for their disabilities—Mike fought for them.

When the builders of H-Power wanted to eliminate scrubbers that would lower emission of pollutants--Mike joined the fight to ensure environmental safeguards.

When it was time to fight Hawaii’s dysfunctional judicial selection system—Mike fought for justice.

When some in the scientific community joined the energy industry in opposing the Kyoto treaty's controls on greenhouse gas emissions--Mike joined the fight against global warming and climate change that threatens Pacific Island peoples and millions around the globe.

When the Attorney General attacked the Constitutional Amendments passed by the people of Hawaii in 1996—Mike fought to uphold them.

When help was needed by victims of fraud, abuse, neglect, negligence, homelessness, harassment, natural disasters, bureaucracy, police violence, and government indifference and over reaching-- Mike fought for them in the Courts.

When it was time for Americans to stand up and be counted in opposition to Neo-Con plans for launching a pre-emptive war and the occupation of Iraq--Mike has stood firm in opposing the disastrous policies of the Bush administration.

Mike will continue to fight for Hawaii and its people in the U.S. Congress.

Fight for our future. Vote for Mike Salling for U.S. Congress.

A new face / A strong voice.
Mike Salling for U. S. Congress

I was just having fun with this, but your input would be helpful when it comes time to design a brochure and mailers for the campaign. For most of these "bullet points" a Hawaii Supreme Court citation can be supplied, along with dates, etc. Please share your comments, insights, and reactions. Be brutal!

Mike / Misha

Update

2006-05-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

The campaign for 2nd District Congress seat is picking up steam. Wherever I go these days it's more and more likely that I'm speaking to someone who knows about my decision to run. In addition, I'm increasingly likely to be willing to share the big news with those whom I encounter at random; for example, Nancy Hedlund wished me well today when she came into the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) at HPU looking for Mike Dabney and I asked what congressional district she lives in. It's not my district but I got the feeling that Nancy would vouch for me if ever called on to do so. What an ego booster that was! I had lunch with another HPU colleague (a Political Science instructor) who said the following: "I'm proud of you Mike, and I congratulate you for making the effort. I support your candidacy 100%." This is a person who has worked for U.S. senators and presidents, whom I have not known long but have been very open with regarding my past personal and professional experiences.
So... please do as the prior post asks and give me your thoughts. They will be taken into consideration.
With aloha,
Mike

Your input is desired

2006-05-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

The reaction to my letter in the April 28th Honolulu Advertiser (see previous post for the link) has prompted me to share with a few close friends my desire to enter the race for Ed Case's open seat (the second congressional district--rural Oahu and the neighbor islands.)
Reactions have been primarily positive; there have been strong negatives which I will consider carefully up to the filing deadline. I think the negative views are of primarily two kinds. Some folks are aware of my prior disappointments and bouts of depression and don't want to see me suffering that way again. I strongly believe I'm in greater danger of that if I fail to act on my desire to change my life, work for the common good, and continue to explore boundaries and my own limitations. I feel strongly that an opportunity exists for me now and for the people of Hawaii as well. The chance for the voters to choose a representative with a new face and a strong voice such as mine mayl not come along again any time soon.
The second kind of reaction troubles me less, although it comes primarily from individuals whose opinions and experience I have great respect for. It has come in the form of the suggestion that my entering the race is a bad idea because I have not solicited or received the blessing of Hawaii's "political leaders." I have in fact solicited opinions from members of the Congressional delegation, and I await eagerly their replies; however, I happen to believe strongly as Ed Case does that no one should be bound to await sanction from "on high" in order to seek election to any public office. My initial reaction to Ed Case's announcement of his candidacy was that the timing was bad, given the need to hold on to every congressional seat and obtain control of the House of Representatives for the Democrats. As I said in a letter that my friends at the Advertizer were kind enough to publish at that time (in expurgated form) when Hawaii's Dems fight among themselves, the Republicans win. The tragedy of Ed's challenge would be if he succeeded in knocking Dan Akaka from the ticket, but lost the race to a strong(and yet to appear) Republican candidate. Likewise, Bob Hogue or Quentin Kawananakoa might end up grabbing the congress seat and cancelling out Neil Abercrombie in a "censure" or impeachment vote.
I also felt (and said very publicly in my letter) that no one has a better chance to achieve passage of the "Akaka Bill" than the grand old man himself. Students of Hawaiian history know that we celebrate the birthday of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole today because of his legacy as a beloved member Congress (without a vote) who convinced the federal government to set aside lands taken from the Hawaiian Kingdom for the "rehabilitation" of the Hawaiian people. There are those in Hawaii who would like to see the Hawaiian Homelands program opened to all residents of the state. This is the great threat that those of of us who are concerned with the future of the Native Hawaiian people (and the Aloha State) are ultimately most worried about. This is the bottom line of the Akaka bill as I see it, and there needs to be widespread understanding ot the issues involed and debate about them at all levels of our state, and in the Congress and White House.
Now that the race for the Second District seat has become a free for all and a kind of crap shoot among a list of well funded and high profile kamaaina, as well as a few malihini like me, I figure that my entry into the race cannot increase the likelihood of any Republican victory in November, and will definitely increase the chances that there will be a robust debate about issues like sovereignty, the Iraq war, Global Warming, the "GWOT", drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, homelessness, protection of our civil rights, etc.
This thought fills me with excitement. When the doubts and fears pop up I examine them and put them aside to sleep on. So far every morning that I wake up my desire to follow the motto of my son's high school alma mater grows stronger: "IMUA" !

Let me hear your ideas, reactions, and "mana`o".
Mike / Misha

Case v. Akaka

2006-04-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the text of a letter I sent to Time.com with a similar copy going to Honolulu Star Bulletin. It was my friends at the Honolulu Advertiser who decided to publish it in a slightly different form.
Here's the link to the online version from the Friday, April 28, 2006 edition:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060428/OPINION02/604280383/1108/LETTERS

Enjoy.

Aloha Editors:

A local Honolulu columnist pretends he can't believe that TIME's biggest shareholder, Steve Case, had a role in TIME's April 24 story helping Case's first cousin by calling opponent Senator Daniel Akaka one of the 5 worst U.S. senators. I can't believe that there's anything else which explains this "timely" and shockingly subjective decision to include Akaka (one of the most beloved figures in the U.S. Senate) with a crop ofAbramhoff lackeys, immigrant bashers, dullards, and lame ducks like Bunning, Dayton, Allard, and Burns. On the same page that Akaka is branded parochial because he stays focused on the work of powerful Senate money committees, allowing Senior Senator Inouye the limelight, Sen. Kyl of Arizona is lauded for staying hidden in shadows and mastering the art of "subterfuge." And why was Sen. Akaka not given a chance to talk about funding he has provided for military bases (like Maine's Snow) or the bills for oppressed Native Hawaiians that he helped "get passed." Sen. Akaka succeeded in getting Congress and the President to apologize to the Native Hawaiian people for egregious colonial exploitation by the U.S. He has a far better chance of returning a measure of sovereignty to a native Hawaiian "nation within a nation" than Ed Case and his billionaire cousin would ever have ( if they wanted to.) That is the kind of legacy any U.S. Senator can and should be proud of, and which few will ever match.

Constitutional Convention

2006-04-25T23:48:00.000-07:00

I was on Union Mall today walking back to Hawaii Pacific University and a tall, distinguished gent with a patrician face that I recognized at once walked past me, his head down. It took a minute to realize that he is someone I've been needing to talk to for months (though I wasn't aware of it). I've been busily promoting the idea of a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) for the Aloha State in 2008, and racking my brain for ideas about the best way to do so. William "Bill" Paty was elected Chairman of the last Con-Con held in Hawaii in 1978. Lehua was a delegate, along with Jeremy Harris (also from Kaua`i) and other luminaries like John Waihee, Carol Fukunaga, and Anthony Chang. One of their singular achievements was the creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), which the U.S. Supreme Court has put in jeopardy with recent rulings. I walked back quickly and called to Bill as he was cautiously crossing Hotel Street. I'm guessing he's over 80 now. He greeted me cheerily as I came abreast of him on the sidewalk, and after a brief self introduction he recalled me, and we began sharing recollections and news about our families, etc. After answering his queries about Lehua and my father-in-law, I asked what he thought was the reason that it has been nearly 30 years since the last Con-Con. I was not surprised when he gave a quick answer that had the ring of an oft repeated sound bite. When I asked how he would vote when the question appears on the ballot again this fall, he seemed to realize I'd be likely to quote him and expressed careful but tentative reservations about the concept. However, his attitude changed immediatly when I mentioned my pet issue, and posed a pointed query: "Don't you think a Con-Con would be the ideal body to address death with dignity issues? Wouldn't you like to see the voters given the chance to take a position on their right to make decisions on the end of life issues?" He nodded heartily, turned to look at me directly, and responded, "Yes, that is one idea that I would be happy to see a Con-Con address. And maybe you're right--maybe the voters should get to consider issues like that at another Con-Con, instead of being given all these amendments to vote on piecemeal."

I love serendipity. Now I'm giving even greater consideration to the idea of entering some political race this year, just to call attention to the upcoming vote on whether to hold a Con-Con in 2008.

Post Script (Nov. 12, 2006): As subsequent posts to this blog indicate, I did briefly give notice of an intent to enter the race for the seat vacated by Ed Case. It was fun till the July 23rd deadline arrived for actually filing the nomination petitions (only 25 signatures are needed), but at that point I'd figured out that the powers that be had figured out a way to postpone the vote on a Con-Con till 2008. See my latest post (today) for my current thinking on this subject.
Misha

Brokeback Mountain

2006-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

It seems fitting to write here about the film everyone is writing and talking about. As I swam my laps a few minutes ago I had to stop to keep from choking while sobs swept over me briefly. It was a caused by a recollection of the last scene before Emmit's open closet door, with Jack's jacket and shirt hanging there in its rustic shrine. My momento is a wildly colored windbreaker once worn by my too early departed Dad. I still treasure it and always will, and sometimes imagine his touch and fragrance when I slip it on. Tears run now as I recall his beard on my face, his arm across my chest. He always gave me love and trust of a kind it seemed no one else would give. And it occurs to me as I think back on this afternoon in the hushed theater (it was the quietest movie audience I can recall ever being a part of) that failure to trust was the central tragedy of the story. At a deep level I feel clearly that Emmit's wife would have tried to understand, would have succumbed to Jack's charms, may even have welcomed both into her heart--could there have been a "Paint Your Wagon" happy ending, or at least a kind of instinctual, sibling love between three of them, or even a communal family in which love conquered all? Time's story on the movie referred to a scurrilous comment about "the homosexualizing of America". What my best friend and I partook of together this afternoon was perhaps, at long last, the beginning of the "de-homophobizing of America."

2006-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Over half a year has passed since my last post--Cindy Sheehan will be in Honolulu this week. It was the death of her son on my birthday that provided part of the impetus to get this blog going. I'm looking forward to hearing Ms Sheehan speak (and to meeting her I hope) at my church--Church of the Crossroads--for years it has been Honolulu's most liberal and politically active U.C.C. congretation. It is only natural that Cindy Sheehan should come there to deliver her first messages in 2006. This is the year she says the Chickenhawks will be sent home to roost. I hope this is the year some of them will be removed from their gold plated perches, and cooped up to serve long prison terms.

I've neglected this blog mostly because of the hectic pace of events this year. My last posting detailed the excitement over John Michael Kainoa's first prom date. That event almost immediately developed into a whirlwind romance. One of the high points was John's publication of his first volume of poetry in honor of Lindsay Wilhelm's 17th birthday. It was a top secret project that of course he failed to keep hidden from "Big Brother" (read "Dad".) John was angry that I snooped (we use the same computer, for Pete's sake) but I think he forgave me when he saw how profoundly his work moved me. It is wonderfully creative, eye opening stuff, and I hope before long he will be sharing it with the world. He started guitar lessons this year and I see him as a songwriter in the Rufus Wainwright / Fiona Appell mode. No doubt John's first songs will be about Lindsay--what a star! She's a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist like John, and Editor-in-Chief of the Kamehameha Schools student newspaper: KA MO`I. At her young age she's already a world traveler, having visited Europe a couple of times; this fall she attended a convocation of high school publishers in Chicago and visited the University of Chicago campus, which she's very excited about.

I have big plans for 2006. I'll be finishing my thesis on privatization of public services, and mounting a campaign for readmission to the U.H. Manoa Public Adminsitration program. If you have some knowlege of what I've been doing with my life over the past seven years and would like to add your name to my "petition of support", please contact me at teachlaw@gmail.com .
Sylvia Law is coming to Honolulu to present a high profile Colloquium for the U.H. medical and law schools, and I have been invited to participate in an observor/contributor capacity. I plan to be doing a lot of traveling this summer while I teach my online writing courses; let me know if a visit from me would not disrupt your life to an unacceptable degree. My dreams of real estate development in Honolulu may finally be coming true. This time next year I hope to be sending out inviations and solicitations to visit 3916 Sierra Drive. I expect it to be newly renovated with an awesome gourmet kitchen, a sauna and jacuzzi, and sleeping and party space for groups as large as 8. What fun!
Laterz--
Mike / Misha

It's May already

2005-05-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

What brings me back to my blog? I must have seen a reference to a blog somewhere and been reminded of this so far quite pitiful effort. It wouldn't be so pathetic if I found something important to opine / pontificate about. Let's see . . . I have it. I'll post a link to the poignant and important interview I read yesterday.
It was reassuring to once again find news about the work of Nobel Prize winner and long-time anti-nuclear activist, Helen Caldicott.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/050405EB.shtml

Please read it if you are concerned with the future of our children's planet.

Laterz,
Misha

Birthday coincidences

2005-04-12T03:26:00.000-07:00

The significance of my birthday was altered forever for me on April 4th 1969, when Martin Luther King was asassinated. (His killer's name was James Earl Ray--my double cousin is named James and my middle name is Ray.) And another coincidence involving birthdates and numbers is the fact that my only child's birthday is the same as my only brother's. My in-law's home telephone number combines the years of my birth and high school graduation: 48/66.My brother's first phone number in Hawaii was xxx-1971 (I was married in 1971.) Then there's the date of my father's death in a freak highway accident on September 7, 1995, nine months after Mom died. Dennis was recently remarried to Betty, and was on still on thier "honeymoon." But it was on Joyce and Dennis's 49th wedding anniversary that he was "called home." Another coincidence that gave me pause at the time occurred on Friday 13th, 1989, when the jury verdict came back against my clients in the longest and most important trial I'd ever conducted in my law practice on the Island of Kaua`i--the jury gave us the "bird" and let a trigger happy cop off the hook on that unlucky day.
Therefore, it's not at all surprising to me that yet another American mother, Cindy Sheehan, lost a son in Iraq on my 56th birthday.
Here's Casey's story:
www.truthout.org/docs_2005/040805C.shtml

More about my birthday

2005-04-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

The date April 4th has had a somber significance for me since the day in 1968 when one of the regular "lounge loungers" at Cambridge House Apts. in Ft. Collins, Colorado gleefully informed me of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That's not the name the abysmally asinine Aggie called the martyr, of course. The epithet is a vile one I'll never forget; it made me more conscious than ever before how much I was a foreigner in the land of my birth. Another such downer marked my 56th birthday, but I didn't learn of it until Casey Sheehan's mother began publishing his story and it came to me via truthout.org. I'll post the mother's story of her first born's martyrdom in Iraq in the near future on this blog.
Today's historical significance involves the first prom date of our 'ichiban & only'--we procured his tuxedo earlier and will leave in a couple hours to pick up the flowers & meet up with his girl at the Ilikai Hotel in Waikiki. We get to meet the parents as well. I'm sure John dreads some Ben Stiller stunt on my part. He calls me the 'loose cannon.'
Note: I got an email from Jon Gordon at Minnesota Public Radio. His production is Future Tense, as you will recall--the web address for his cool website is http://futuretenseweb.org .
Laterz
M

I'm A Blogger ( & Photo)

2005-04-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

The folks at www.futuretense.org say there are now millions of bloggers--or was it billions? It's a shame not to be one of them, especially when it can be done for free. As usual I've turned to the world of Google for kokua. I don't have much time to spend on this. I haven't even had time to keep up with truthout.org as I usually do. I want to put together a good short story before the next meeting of my writer's group at Church of the Crossroads. Then of course there's the stuff at HPU that's waiting to be worked on (some for pay, some pro bono.) Gotta take care of my legal work (definitely not pro bono--those days are gone.) I'll be getting lots done over the next week--no distractions!
Laterz, you all.
Misha