Homespun Honolulu

Normally I would just ignore a story like this but I decided to read it.  I’m still angry about the so-called “hunter” who killed someone’s pet not too long ago.  This time is different.  An officer, charged with keeping the peace and protecting the environment for the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, overstepped his bounds. I need to side with the hunters and their families on this one. 

I used italics and quotes around the word hunters at the beginning of this post because the idiot who killed someone’s pet was anything but!  He was stupid, obnoxious, on private property, and a slew of other things I could say.  I grew up around people who hunted regularly and  something like that was unheard of! 

I never liked the sport because I tend to hate anything that involves the killing of animals.  But, we really need to look at the big picture.  The goal is to catch the animal, not to torture it.  The animal is not discarded, it is used to feed those who are lucky enough to benefit from such a catch.   I speak from experience when I tell you that wild boar blows away the fatty pork you buy in the grocery store! It makes the best laulau. 

Okay, all of that aside, we need to remember that the wild pigs on Oahu are not indigenous to our islands, they are destructive to our rain forests, and they probably have a huge hand in all those leptospirosis warning signs we see posted near many of our rivers.  In short, the hunters (the real ones) are doing us a favor.   

I will say that, yes, on one reported occassion, there were youngsters who broke the rules and were trespassing.  Those rules are there to protect our property and safety.  Agreed.  But, I’m sorry, you don’t pull a gun on a bunch of minors because they were being stupid.  What was he thinking?!?  I am also of like opinion with those sharing the details that a loose canon like that should not be carrying a gun, nevermind any other kind of weapon.   

Let’s see, I do believe that the Honolulu Police Department would classify that as assault and terroristic threatening.  Even HPD would not hire an abusive person like that.  In the real world, we all know that you don’t uphold the law by behaving like a criminal yourself! 

If the DLNR officer in question is that caustic and confrontational, he should join the Army and go to Afghanistan.  This is not a war zone, it’s a community — a crowded one where tempers do flare, but it is a community nonetheless.  

Sending out a special aloha to Ollie Lunasco, the current President of the Oahu Pig Hunters Association, and to the community on the North Shore that I don’t write nearly enough about.  I have to admire you guys for standing up for what’s right and for following up and not just letting it slide — that’s a Neighborhood Watch at its best!   

We want to bid a heart-felt aloha to Madelyn Dunham who passed away just one day before the election of her grandson to the highest office in the Nation and across the globe.  We were all devastated that it happened just one day too soon.  Sigh. 

She was a heck of a lady and one that no one ever forgot.  She left her mark on people she worked with and on people, like me, who only heard about her.  Apparently, from what I’ve read and followed (thank you, CNN); she left her mark on her grandson as well.  He will carry on her drive and determination — we’re counting on it!  I’ve read about things he has done in the past and I don’t doubt it! 

I don’t know who to give credit to for this photo.  I have seen it everywhere.  I have to send a huge mahalo out to whomever it was that took this picture.  I chose to include it here because it shows, not only her maternal adoration of her grandson, but it also confirms that she really was the support that Barack has always claimed her to be.  Most significantly, it shows how very proud she was. 

Many of us, me included, were devastated when she passed away the day before his election.  But, I took comfort in Obama’s acceptance speech when he stated that he knew she was watching.  He’s a strong man but that had to hurt.   

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To the likes of Michael Savage and Rush Limbaugh, I hope you guys are pleased with yourselves.  Here is what Limbaugh said:

“Who announces days in advance they’re rushing to the side of a loved one who is deathly ill, but keeps campaigning in a race that’s said to be over, only to go to the loved one’s side days later? See, I think this is about something else… This birth certificate business, this lawsuit that a guy named Phillip Berg filed in Philadelphia in August for Obama to produce his genuine birth certificate, and he still hasn’t replied, he hasn’t done so.” 

As much as I hate to admit it, I used to listen to Limbaugh because I thought he was an informed and gifted speaker.  I don’t know what happened but he’s become nothing more than a no-class loser!  To compound the felony, I actually bought Michael Savage’s book because I thought he was intelligent.  Again, what happened?  

Personally, I hope Barack Obama makes them all eat crow! 

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You raised a heck of a man, Mrs. Dunham!  I personally thank you for your accomplishment in that regard.  I also thank you for the example of leadership you set for those in your line of business.   Quality leaders one and all!  Yours is one bloodline that I am very happy to have leading my country!

Aloha, Madelyn, may your memory stay with us always!   

Welcome to Chapter 15 of the Carnival of Aloha!  There was a pretty interesting combination of blog posts for this Carnival.  People are so busy coming into the holiday season that it looks like it’s going to be very interesting this year.  Between the pending holidays and the hectic election year coming to a close tomorrow, we’re all walking into walls with all of the propaganda flying around our heads — vote for her, vote for him, say yes, say no, etc., etc.  In spite of it all we’re still able to maintain a little bit of focus.  I think it’s safer if we keep our feet on the ground so I didn’t find us a mode of transportation this time.  🙂

Angie gets us ready for the Carnival by sharing her birthday lunch with us with her Review: Haliimaile General Store & Tavern posted at True Aloha, saying, “These pictures still make my mouth water!”  I can see why!  Angie says this will keep us content for nine hours so we should be good for the rest of the Carnival. Thanks, Anele!  🙂

GrrlScientist educates us with The Race to Save the World’s Rarest Bird: The Discovery and Death of the Po’ouli that we can find over at Living the Scientific Life.  GrrlScientist explains that this post is, “A review of the new book by Alvin Powell about the desperate struggle to save the world’s rarest bird, the Po’ouli of Hawaii. This book reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the US Endangered Species Act.”  Perhaps this is another things we have to look at since our government is so much in focus these days.  I have to admit that I was excited to see this post come in and add some science to the Carnival.  I love the chemical sign for the Scientific Blogger “element” — Sb — too cool!

Adam Schaefers shares his Reflections from the Marshall Islands that he has posted over at Majoring in minors because our little things are our big things saying.  Adam is sharing, “My reflections from two summers spent in the Marshall Islands. Learning Marshallese, a new culture, and serving the poor.”  Maybe Adam can help us better understand these people who have changed the social make-up of many of our neighborhoods.  Thank you, Adam, for sharing your experience with us!

As Adam reaches out to provide assistance, we’re not without our own share of giving right here at home.

Lynn lets us know that The Keiki Slippah Wish Project 2008! is going to be in full swing again this year.  Posted over at AuntiePupule.com, Lynn tells us that her brainchild, in addition to spreading across the island of Oahu, has spread over to Kauai as well!  Awesome!

Pua over at Best Hawaii Vacation blog invites Big Island visitors and residents to share some Hawaiian traditions at the ‘Moku O Keawe’ Festival at the Waikoloa Beach Resort 11/5 – 11/9/08 .  Pua explains that this is an “impressive hula competition by dancers from Hawaii and Japan and several cultural workshops led by some amazing kumu in the arts of chant, hula, lei-making and language.”

Jon Swift missed the deadline but since his post was about the Great Moments in Election-Year Blogging posted at Jon Swift, it would have been too untimely if it had to wait another month.  I’ve known and read this blogger for quite some time, thanks to MyBlogLog.  I admire his selection of pen name for his blog because I have read and admired some of Jonathan Swift’s political satire.  In spite of my admiration for this blogger, I have to admit that this post is a step over the line for me.  I did think of putting it off until next month, not only because of the deadline issue but because I think the bulk of it is preposterous. Sorry, Jon.  I have to say that posting things against Hawaii’s Presidential hopeful here may not have been the best idea.  But, I have to be fair and try not to let my opinions get in the way.  This was very hard for me to do since I’ve been an Obama admirer since February or so. I’ve been hanging on CNN for months and I haven’t missed much of the slander circulating around the media.  I’ll tell you, Fox News used to be one of my favorite news sources but they are so bias and make no attempt at apologizing for, or correcting, their errors.  Sean Hannity is a nut case and Rush Limbaugh, who was also a favorite of mine, has lost his mind and is poisonous to the young and impressionable.  Not good media sources, in my opinion. But, I still love you, Jon, even though you hate me now.  It is very engaging and an entertaining read.  🙂

Evelyn (me) talks about yet another thing to take up more of our time in November as she wishes Happy Anniversary to Organized Literary Abandon! right here at Homespun Honolulu.  If you can’t figure out what to do with your time in November, NaNoWriMo will keep you busy!

That concludes this Chapter of our Carnival. I must say, it was certainly an interesting one. Submit your blog articles to the next edition of Carnival of Aloha using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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