Category Archives: Culture

Culture, Environment, Holidays, humor, Lifestyle, News, Politics, Random, Weather

Rainy Season Kicks Off in Hawaii

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It’s that time of year again. I’m not talking about returning holiday gifts or scooping up retail bargains. It’s rainy season in Hawaii.

Like most Decembers, 2008 did not disappoint. While everyone on the Mainland wonders if they’ll have a white Christmas, here in Hawaii residents wonder if they’ll have power. Recent deluges have flooded our roads and yards, leaving many–like a million people on the island of Oahu–without power for several days. Blackouts in December signal that our wet season has arrived.

(My street turns into a river this time of year. )

It’s also the time of year when I gloat. While Barack Obama rushed out the buy a generator, I remained comfortably plugged into my off-the-grid solar power system. Didn’t have to get my slippers wet or stand in long lines. Never mind that I can’t use a hair dryer or hot plate because of my system’s limitations. The fact that I don’t pay a power bill–ever–far outweighs such minor inconveniences.

Obama may be our president-elect, but he and others in line with him at the Mart can still learn a thing or two about sustainable living–like how not to be dragged into the mud by their reliance on unsustainable energy. This isn’t rocket science, Obama, just one decision: use alternatives to fossil fuels.

Culture, Politics

Election Impacts Cannabis Supporters

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In Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan, legislation put before the public on Election Day 2008 will directly impact supporters of cannabis.

In Hawaii County (the Big Island), about 50% of voters were in favor of making the prosecution of cannabis-related crimes the lowest prosecuting priority (about 42% were against). The measure passed.

In Massachusetts, the majority of voters chose to decriminalize the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana. The Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative was approved.

In Michigan, voters approved a medical marijuana measure. Proposal 1 removed state penalties for registered patients to buy, grow and use small amounts of marijuana. Michigan joins a handful of states, including California and Oregon, with exceptions to drug laws for the use of medical marijuana by severely ill patients.

Culture, Family, News, Politics, Random

Barack Obama Acceptance Speech at the Democratic Convention

Wow! Saying that Barack Obama is the best orator of our generation does not do him in justice. He is a phenomenon that our country is better for having, regardless of the election outcome.

What I loved most about this speech is that he doesn’t promise to fix everything for us, but to help us believe that we can fix what’s wrong in our country for ourselves. I think that’s called democracy, and he is one politician that seems to really believe in it.

Barack Obama also achieved today what so many thought impossible in the US: a black man was nominated to be president. Even better that he accepted that nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream speech”.

It makes sense that a post-racial candidate like Barack would come from Hawaii, a unique place that prides itself on functional ethnic mixing and tolerance.  If all of this doesn’t give us healing and hope, I don’t know what will.

Shortly after his speech, a dear friend emailed me her reaction: “Cried so hard. I realize how thick my wall of cynicism is and how much I do want America to be a better country. Ah…hope can I really believe in it?”

Dear readers, that may be the question of our time.

I listened to all of Obama’s speech on NPR.  If you missed this speech that is history in the making, you can still hear on NPR in its entirety.