Category Archives: History

Hawaii, History, Travel

Ke’ei Beach

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This beach was not accessible by car south of Kealakekua Bay. The road had long been unnavigable. I don’t think even with a 4-wheel drive vehicle it would be possible due to the road condition, which it didn’t appear anyone was in a rush to repair. That was surmountable because the walk was scenic. I just wish the GPS didn’t try to get us to keep driving to the actual beach that we ended up at.

In the distance for the first time, I saw the Captain Cook monument, not knowing for certain if we’d be near it to snorkel a few days later (but we did). There was almost no one else on the beach besides us and maybe four other tourists while we visited, and maybe a few locals with their homes nearby, although a few of them might have been vacation rentals. Either way, this was no tourist spot.

Here’s some open sea kayaking for you. I’m not sure if I’ll ever venture into open water like this myself.
Art, Hawaii, History, Travel

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park

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While I had been to this park a few times before, knowing it was expected that one treat the grounds as sacred, I had never ventured quite as far into the park as I did this time. Researchers were studying the freshwater ponds that had been created, which makes sense for the indigenous populations that lived here as a place to store fish near this ocean spot, a woman weaving traditionally and explaining to visitors her process. Shea did not wish to be photographed here, although he might be in the background of a video.

After leaving the park, in other parts of Hōnaunau Bay we got to enjoy an accessible beach where people were snorkeling. We didn’t see a place to rent equipment so I just went in for a dip while Shea read on the beach. Between the cultural center and the beach, near the parking lot, I took a picture of some of the wild goats.

California, History

Quarters Cafe on Mare Island

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Shando and I finally got to check out the gorgeous Quarters Coffee House in an old officer’s quarters on Mare Island. What a cool spot with great indoor and outdoor seating. It’s dog-friendly too, so we brought a couple of our dogs and remained outside!

I regret that I didn’t take any long shots of the front of the building, since I love the architecture so much, but you get an idea of what the building looks like from the design of the one next to it in this first picture.

I forgot to take a picture with my friend Lisa Gutierrez-Wilson, but it was her idea to check this new place out. What a jewel in Vallejo and one of our many hidden treasures. Mare Island is full of surprises!

History, Politics, Religion

Haiti Earthquake – Text a donation! Boycott Limbaugh and Robertson even more!

I just made a $10 donation (legitimate as per Ben Stiller on CNN’s Larry King) which will be automatically billed to my phone by texting HAITI to 90999.

I’m trying not to think about it too much, because I know I’m going to cry the more images I see of corpses on the streets that were lives that could have been saved if a better infrastucture or help got to these people fast enough.  My heart goes out to the people in Haiti.  I have so many Haitian friends in New York that I’m thinking about now and I remember some of their stories about the incredible poverty they witnesses when they visited.

Haitian American interviewed on local news here in northern CA:  “They say men don’t dry?  I do cry.”

I never imagined that the same fault link that goes through California runs right through the West Indies!

On a less positive note, why are there are disgusting people like this “xtian” who I thought was dead (or was that just some of the other old-timer televangelists who prey on lonely people at home watching them?):

Pat Robertson: Quake Hit Because Haiti ‘Swore Pact to the Devil’

Hey Pat Robertson, did your gawd tell you that all those babies, among others, crushed under collapsed buildings in Haiti were devil worshippers?!?

Talk about prejudice!  So his gawd thinks the children who died under crumbled buildings yesterday were devil-worshippers?  Are people not entitled to want to be independent of imperialists, or is it just BLACK people he has a problem with?

Why don’t we see droves of xtians withholding their donations to his tele-church?  You don’t need to have a law degree, like I happen to have, to know that the First Amendment does NOT entitle one to a television show or religious channel to spew propaganda, and free speech has many  reasonable limitations, like not inciting riot by screaming “fire” in a theater, which is tantamount to what he’s doing from his satan fear-mongering pulpit.  Are there actually companies that pay for advertising on his show?  Have any of them withdrawn?  Let us hear from his followers and commercial sponsors as to their outrage for once.

When I first saw this video, I couldn’t believe it was in RESPONSE to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people less than 100 miles off our shores.  I actually gave Pat Satanson the benefit of the doubt by thinking it was from an archive from decades ago preaching about how wonderful colonialism is!  And who is this UNCLE TOMASINA in the video with him?  Does she think it is terrible that slaves brought to Haiti by Europeans actually wanted self-rule even though (gasp) they were Black like her?  Maybe he thought he could look this woman of color in the face because she’s his hired yes-mammy.

Limbaugh is telling Americans not to donate to Haiti because we already have with our tax dollars?  Ice cold heart doesn’t begin to describe him.

Here are some responses to my Facebook post:

Jim Hoffman and good ol’ Rush is bitchin because the US started sending help the very same day because our president is trying to make point with the black community and Obama waited 3 days to say anything about the underwear christmas bomber!! WTF is wrong with some people??

Anthony Davis he is a demented bastard

Bill Miller WE can only hope that Pat Robertson gets crushed by anything – hopefully a big meteor sent form God himself. Splat!

Joe Cuellar media shouldn't even give jerks like him airtime, only gives him more publicity for his causes

Dallas DeBurger No shit…they should shut him down!

Rich Allen It is impossible for me to think that in this day and the times that we live in – that a-holes like Pat Robertson are still allowed to spew out their sickening garbage… it reminds me of Hitler’s filth… we condemn him now – why not Pat Robertson??

John Barber we shouldn’t condone what he says or does, but we should let him speak, so we can always be reminded why we need to stand together and not alienate each other. freedom of speech does exist for all, even the ones we don't want to hear. I know first hand about censorship and how if you speak of peace, they want you to be quiet. let’s get louder!

Steve Reeder the Hatian Ambassador already shut him down.

Adiv Abramson His god, as told in the bible, had no problems drowning millions of people, including infants, in the superheated, sulfur-laden, roiling waters of The Flood. This latest massacre is a rather small scale affair, compared to the other mass slaughters perpetrated by the warrior god Mr. Robertson worships. :-\

Robert McDiarmid if you follow his logic – then America is all devil worshipping as well – because of our deal with the devil to expel the british in 1776.

Steve Reeder @Rich, the reason he is still allowed to spew his nonsense is, for better and for worse, the First Amendment. Pat Robertson can have any opinion he wishes and can say it out loud. Fortunately, thanks to good judgement and discernment, a vast majority of people choose not to validate or lend credence to his opinions. and we are free to condemn him through our First Amendment right.

Rich Allen Steve, you are right!

Aaron Wiegel I really don't think 99% of Christians consider his remarks appropriate. I am not Christian myself, but I know enough to say that saying things like that is most decidedly not Christian in the least.

Steve Reeder @Joseph: I’ve been combing the CBN website and it seems they don’t have commecial sponsors, only doners like PBS. While the First Amendment certainly does not entitle anyone to a TV show, a broadcasting license and transmission outlet seems to provide for that. Thanks to other fools, THIS fool has a lot of money and is able to air a ridiculous show on his own network. The people who fund him likely trust him to a tragic degree and believe he is an authority on what he speaks. We know better, but his bills are paid and he’s still on the air. What can we do about that? No, really… WHAT can we do? How can we be of service?

Steve Reeder update:  here’s insight into how Pat Robertson is funded, from a 2005 article.

Chanin Philip robertson is a douchebag

David Wickham don’t compare him to a douchebag; douchebags are much better than he is

Joe Cuellar guess with his thinking we should still belong to England

Carlos Salazar I agree with the douchbag thing…..capital letter J for Jerk…..

Linda Johnson Personally, since I'm a woman, I can appreciate a good douche bag … but Robertson, Limbaugh, and other jerks like them I do NOT appreciate!!

John Barber They are showing that racism still exist and we must stand strong against all bigotry. all people are entitled to self-rule. WE ARE THE PEOPLE!

Jack Bixby Religulous!

Jonathan Lamb he also believes the people of haiti are cursed to tragedy because they made a pact with the devil…which is insane cuz he is the devil…or just one of his minions…

Jimmy D’Hont I wonder if there are some psycho-tropic medications that might help Pat Robertson with his delusions???

Vance Stewart How can one say they are a minister and tell people not to donate, help, or support the people of Haiti? Unfathomable.