December 20, 2008

The Keiki Slippah Wish Fund Delivers

The Keiki Slippah Wish Fund rolled through Waianae today, bringing early Christmas cheer to children and families living on the beaches and in shelters. W egathered just as the sun was coming up. We worked assembly-line fashion transferring the slippahs and other gifts to the truck and hanging a banner off the tailgate.

Our first stop was the long-established encampment at Keaau Beach Park. This is one of the largest concentrations of homeless on the coast. One resident told us that about a hundred people left Keaau after the recent floods destroyed or carried away all of their belongings.

The back of the truck was soon surrounded by park residents who were curious as to our mission. We had plenty of slippahs for adults as well as children, so everyone got something.

Additional campers emerged from a wooded area near the park and came to join us. The beach park is fully visible from the highway, so some campers opt to live a little further from the park amenities but with greater privacy.

We had clothing, toys, books and snacks, in addition to slippahs. This young girl shared her beautiful smile with us and was quite happy with her tee shirt and teddy bear.

Volunteer Yvonne brought a large bag of slippahs with her. She had the only pair that fit this young boy. His mom had a baby this morning, so he and his brother are being tended by family and friends at the camp, who made sure they weren’t left out of the distribution.

We discoverd that most of the smaller slippahs had been left in the trunk of a car at our start point, so I left the group and went to get them. They continued on to other encampments and I couldn’t find them after I returned. We finally met up again about an hour later as they arrived at one of the Waianae shelters. We parted company after I delivered the slippahs, as they were headed off the coast to Barber’s Point. My involvement was minimal this year, but it was great to have the opportunity to participate. Next year I hope to have the chance to offer online suport, as I expect to be living away from Hawaii by then.

Mahalo to my readers who donated to the Slippah Fund, and to friends and fellow bloggers who helped spread the word. The Keiki Slippah Wish Fund Project is a grassroots effort, so each of your contributions is greatly appreciated!

[tags]charity, Christmas charity, Hawaii, homeless, Keiki Slippah Wish Fund[/tags]

November 4, 2008

Didja, huh?

It’s so important. There are people in the world who would die for the opportunity to do what we’re doing today. There were people in this world died so that you and I could do it. Like you, I sometimes wonder if we are making a difference. Is my vote merely balancing out yours? Are we putting people in office who can and will make a real difference? Will what we do today have any impact at all? Sometimes I doubt it, but most days I know that to not vote would be the worst kind of obscenity. Whether or not we get the changes we seek, we must let our voices be heard. This is our chosen way of doing it.

Go vote! It’s a right. It’s a privilege. It’s a duty.

[tags]election, voting[/tags]

October 31, 2008

I’m ready

I’m not sure yet if I’ll open up my gate tonight and leave the front lights on. I’ve been falling asleep early most nights, usually during one of my favorite primetime shows. The very physical labor of getting the house ready for sale and packing things up is taking a lot out of me. Then there’s the mess on the carport. Paul has sawhorses set up out there with cabinet fronts currently sitting on them. One garage sale table is also still set up, cluttered with my dive gear, some household goods, Paul’s magazines and art - I think we’ve got everything but Harley parts ready to go on offer when we do the next sale. Still, there are kids in the neighborhood and I hate to disappoint them. I think I only had a dozen or so trick-or-treaters last year, but I don’t want to let down even a few, so I’ll probably go ahead with this. I’m reading an old Heinlein anthology I can keep out there with me so I won’t get bored during the wait between visitors. If Paul gets the first cabinet front installed today maybe I’ll get to stain and wax the next set while I wait. I’m sure I can find something to do with myself for a couple of hours as I bide my time waiting on little ghosts and goblins. Yeah, I think I’ll do that. It’s my last chance to make a friendly gesture to the neighborhood I’ve called home for so many years. I shouldn’t let the chance pass me by.

[tags]Halloween, Halloween candy, trick-or-treaters[/tags]

September 25, 2008

Neighborhood growth revisited

We’ll be getting new neighbors soon. Back in November of 2006 I first blogged about the transitional housing community that was planned for some vacant government property near my home. When I first met with the state official in charge of the project I was told that completion was scheduled for September of 2007. The work was being fast-tracked because of the housing crisis throughout the state and the alarming number of homeless camping on beaches and other public lands. Bureaucracy is a slow and lumbering beast, and it was early 2008 before we began to see any signs of development.

Last April we finally started seeing real progress. Keawi and scrub brush had been bulldozed and hauled away. Truckloads of building materials arrived daily. The entrance street for our community was dug up so water lines could be upgraded and extended into the new project. At public meetings before construction started, we asked that the sub-street work be completed prior to commencement of building. It seemed sensible to us (neighboring homeowners) to dig up the street, do the work, and then get it put back together before the daily onslaught of construction traffic began. I guess the state didn’t see any logic in the suggestion.

A few weeks ago I blogged about the headaches that could have been avoided if the state had listened to us. Sure enough, the old and crumbling water lines could not handle the added traffic and new connections. Water main breaks became a way of life. Our community has, for the most part, rallied in support of the transitional housing development. We know our property values will decline a bit, but the homeless situation is so huge that everyone needs to make a few sacrifices as solutions are put in place. We all wish our personal sacrifices hadn’t incuded giving up little luxuries like access to fresh water, but that phase of the work seems to finally have reached completion. All of the excavations beneath our streets were filled in about a week ago. It’s still a bumpy, muddy mess, but repaving should commence as soon as the fill has had time to settle and compact.

I’ve grumbled a little about the disruptions, but I haven’t really minded. If it gets on my nerves I only need to remind myself that I have been incredibly blessed. A half-mile from my home people live in tents. Many of them have been without the security of solid walls and the comforts of on-demand utilities for years. While I’m fretting about how slow my work has been lately, some of them are wishing they had an address to put on job applications. While my neighbor is looking for funding for a franchise opportunity, they’re looking for a few dollars to put shoes on their kids’ feet. Going without showers for a day or two and being awakened by heavy machinery every day - not that big a deal.

A year ago this was nothing but a weedy, brush-filled lot. Eight months ago the transformation started to become visible. Only a few weeks ago the new buildings looked raw and unfinished sitting in their muddy field. Since then we’ve seen streets and parking areas paved. I was excited the first time I saw the stair-railings in place - the first decorative touches I’ve seen. It makes the dream more real. I’ll be getting new neighbors soon. That’s pretty cool.

[tags]construction, Hawaii, homeless, housing crisis, transitional housing[/tags]

September 24, 2008

The porn-for-pay offer that wasn’t

Yesterday I got an email that began:

We’ve seen your website at http://skeetsstuff.skeeterbess.com/2008/01/16/skeet-porn/
and we love it!

The writer then offered to pay me up to $4800 a month for links on my blog. $4800 for links on skeet’s stuff? Okay, that got my attention. Then I re-read the first line and noticed which post they were referring to. Uh-oh! That one, hmmm? Okay, they found a link to Skeet porn and they want to pay for space on my blog. That can only mean one thing, right? They’ll pay big bucks if I let them put porn links in my sidebars and on banners splashed all over the blog. I get offers like that all the time. It was only the payout amount that made this one unusual. Can there really be that much money in porn, that they can offer who-knows-how-many bloggers $4800 a month to advertise it? Whatever amount was being offered, I wasn’t interested, but I was greatly amused. I tweeted the news and started a tempest in a teacup. Everyone wanted details, but since I hadn’t followed up on the offer I had no details to give. In fairness to my tweet-peeps I had to investigate.

It didn’t take me long to confirm that it was a scam (if it seems to good to be true …) and that it had nothing to do with porn. Why the author of the letter chose that link remains a mystery, but I’ll speculate on it. I think that, having found a link flagged “porn,” he decided I might be lacking in moral fortitude and willing to help perpetuate his scam. Guess again, buddy! That post is about how having the word “porn” on my blog brings me all kinds of creepy traffic from folks looking for actual porn. Read my lips, sweetie … skeet don’t do porn. I’ll take your money to talk about Phentermine. If the offer is good enough I might be persuaded to blog about erectile dysfuntion or plastic surgery (in a tasteful manner, of course.) But porn? Nope! Not gonna happen!

For those of you who really want to know, here’s what he was touting. I was to put four block ads on my blog, then send out 100 emails daily encouraging others to do the same. If X-number of those people signed up X-number of people, who also signed up X-number of people, well, then I’d be rolling in money! There’s a catch of course - there’s always a catch. Once I’d reached the third level of sign-ups I’d need to pay a montly fee in order to advance in the scheme. The first two levels would actually be easy to reach, because there are plenty of fools in the world who would see that $4800 offer and sign up without finding out what they were getting into. The entire program is designed to pull people into the third level, where they would have to pay to continue. It’s a classic Ponzi scheme, aka: a pyramid scheme, in which each successive level of dupes is paying the previous levels for the right to join the scheme. Want to know the dead giveaway? The ads are all for the scheme. There’s no product or service being offered. You’re selling ads to encourage other people to sell ads that don’t sell anything except a spot in the pyramid. Those who sign up early will probably make a little money with it. That money will come from the fees of later sign-ups. Ponzi schemes always implode from their own weight. The early recruits will make money for a while, but the payouts get slimmer and slimmer as more folks sign up and only work the first two levels. When they don’t make any money because a saturation point has been reached, they won’t sign up for the third level, won’t pay the fees and the pyramid will collapse. Here’s a tip: any program that can only pay investors from money brought in by later investors is a Ponzi scheme and is predestined for failure. Don’t buy into it.You’re smarter than that.

[tags]fraud, Ponzi Scheme, porn, pyramid scheme[/tags]

September 18, 2008

Neighbors lose all to fire

A brush fire destroyed a homeless encampment right up the coast from me today. Four families lost what few possessions they owned. Some might consider this a small thing. After all, how much could they have lost, living as they do? A tent, a few clothes, perhaps some cooking implements. Try looking at it from a different perspective, though. This morning they had homes (albiet, unconventional ones) and their stuff, whatever that consisted of. Tonight they have nothing. How is their current situation any different from that of someone whose wood-sided home suffered the same fate? Each scenario is as devastating as the other. Each leaves its survivors without shelter or worldly goods. The Red Cross, other organizations and concerned citiziens will offer the same assistance, regardless of former circumstances: temporary shelter, food and clothing. The difference will come in a few days or weeks or however long it takes for red tape to untangle itself. It’s a good bet that my tent-dwelling neighbors did not have homeowner’s policies. No insurance adjustor will come around, assess losses and order checks to be written. Contractors won’t be clamoring to help them rebuild what they’ve lost. They will likely return to situations very similar to those that existed when they began their day this morning. Only then will differences emerge. The suburbanite will eventually have sturdy walls and a roof again. Those with a less substantial support system will pitch their new tents in an uncharred spot. All will try to get on with their lives in whatever way works for them. Tonight they are all the same, people who have lost all that they own and are worthy of compassion.

I was struck by one point in all of the news reports about the fire. It’s one small fact which may help explain why these people live as they do. Several new homeless shelters and transition centers have opened up on the coast over the last year or so. Hundreds of formerly homeless citizens of the Waianae Coast are now living in more conventional circumstances. Hundreds more are still on waiting lists, but there are others who have never applied for assistance and maybe never will. Mental illness, social dysfunction, drug use and criminal backgrounds have kept some out of the system. I don’t know the backstories or circumstances of the folks involved in today’s tragedy. What I do know is this: they have pets. Homeless shelters and transition centers don’t allow pets. I understand the practical reasons why this is considered necessary, but I think it’s a problem that can be solved. Following Hurricane Katrina it became known that many people in the devastated area had refused to leave their homes because evacuation centers would not allow them to bring their pets. They chose not to abandon those valued family members and some paid a terrible price. Changes have been made since then. Some municipalities now make arrangements for pets to be included in evacuation shelter plans. Surely similar considerations should be made for the homeless. When all you have is a dog and a sleeping bag, an offer of shelter that requires you to abandon your companion must feel like no solution at all. Solving the homeless problem requires more than just money and shelters. It needs understanding hearts and a little creative planning. And that’s all I have to say about that.

[tags]fire, hawaii, homeless, homeless solutions[/tags]

September 6, 2008

Call to duty

I got a knot in my stomach when I saw it in the mail. I’ve never tried to avoid jury service. Despite whatever deficiencies it may have, I believe in our justice system. I believe it’s a right, a privilege and a duty to serve when called. I’ve been called on several times in the past. Several times I spent a few days waiting at the courthouse but never being selected to actually sit on a jury. Once I was selected, but the civil case was settled just as the trial was supposed to start. Then there was last time. Last time I was seated on a jury hearing a criminal case. The man on trial had already been convicted and had already served some of his sentence. There was a question of the constitutionality of his conviction, so he was granted a retrial. As jury members we knew little of this. We didn’t know that the man had been convicted and were told only that this was a retrial and we were not to be concerned with why.

I watch a lot of crime TV. The first adult books I read were detective novels and police procedurals. While there’s a lot of realism in such fiction, it does nothing to prepare one for involvement with our real-life justice system. The proceedings of the court may have a familiar feel - how many times have you seen the same thing on Law and Order? - but the awareness that you are involved in the lives of real people lifts it to a different realm. The case we were hearing involved a murder. The wife of the victim testified early on. She was not allowed to sit in the courtroom once she had testified, but we saw her each day. The prosecutor made sure we did. She sat on a bench right outside the courtroom door. I have no doubt that the peacock blue jacket she wore each day was a device recommended by the prosecutor’s office. They wanted us to see her each time we entered and left the courtroom. They wanted us to be constantly aware that she was a woman who was alone because her husband had been brutally murdered. We all knew that we were being manipulated, but it worked anyway.

It doesn’t bother me when Gil Grissom collects insect specimens from a body on CSI. It makes me a little squeamish sometimes, but I watch anyway. It’s only fiction. In real life, I almost passed out when we were looking at photographs of what was left inside a man’s skull after several days of exposure to insects and the elements. I don’t know if I gasped out loud or if it was something in my face, but the judge asked me if I needed some time - should he give the jury an unscheduled break? It did not feel right to inconvenience the jury or any of the others involved, so I said no. Later testimony and evidence was equally unpleasant, but those first photographs prepared me and I was able to control my natural inclination to react or look away.

I was selected by the other jurors to serve as foreperson once we retired to consider the verdict. It was a no-brainer. The murderer had confessed, so the only thing we needed to consider was whether he was of sound mind when he committed the crime. He claimed it was a momentary loss of control due to emotional distress, but I reminded the jurors that he came to the scene with the murder weapon- a machete - hidden inside a lawn chair. We took less than an hour to reach our guilty verdict.

That was my last involvement with the justice system. Despite my feelings about duty, I had hoped it would be my last ever. I still do. Since I don’t have a doctor I can’t provide the court with a medical certificate, but I’ve written them a letter asking them for special consideration. My medical condition would make it extremely difficult for me to serve. That’s legitimate, but I’ll admit that I think I would be reluctant even if I were in perfect health. I think the courts should make a special allowance for people who have served as jurors for cases involving heinous crimes. Once in a lifetime should be enough.

[tags]criminal justice, jury duty[/tags]

August 25, 2008

Halloween costumes

Do you remember last year when I painted my face for Halloween? It turns out I don’t make a very convincing clown. I think I frightened more children than I amused. I’m not into scaring little children, so I’m already thinking about what I can do this year that will add a little fun to Halloween for the neighborhood kids. Back in “the old days” I always costumed at least twice a year - Mardi Gras and Halloween - and I’ll admit that my prime consideration then was “How hot can I look?” My criteria these days have changed - it’s no longer “all about me.” Now I’m more interested in Halloween costumes that will amuse and entertain the the little folks. I noticed last year that several adults in the neighborhood costumed for Halloween, so I’m hoping there will be even more this year. I wish our homeowner’s association would do a block party for the kids and encourage everyone to make it a family affair. We did that once in the years I’ve lived here and it was a great success, but I don’t think that’s going to happen this year. The good news is that there are more kids in the neighborhood this year, so I think I’m obligated to now that it’s taken me a while to sort through them all and narrow down my choices, but I think I’ve finally found one that just right. That’s it over on the left. What do you think? Once I decided on a pirate costume I had to sort through them until I found one that was appropriate for a woman of my … ahem … mature years. A lot of them are pretty sexy and just the sort of thing I’d have worn in days past, but I’d look a little ridiculous in them these days. This one, though, is all about pirate fun, so I think contribute to the spirit of the thing for them, don’t you? I’ve been looking at costumes for a couple of weeks. I really like the period costumes - something from the French court or reminescent of a Jane Austen heroine - and those fit well with my own interests, but I don’t think kids would “get” them. Kids are more interested in acton and adventure and whatever is hot at the moment, so I’ve pretty much decided that Pirate Costumes are the way to go. There are so many wonderful costumes availableit’s right for any woman, regardless of age. I’ve pretty much settled on it, but I have a ittle time before I have to commit, so I’ll keep checking for udpates at blog.halloweenadventure.com until it’s time to make up my mind. Since online orders can be delivered so quickly these days, the only time constraint I have to be concerned with it that I have a coupon code that expires on October 10th. You’ll want to make a note of it for yourself, of course: Coupon Code: PPP05BLOG2008 will give you 5% off TILL OCTOBER 10th, 2008.

Hey, maybe we should make a pact to have an online Halloween party this year. We can all costume and pass out virtual candy to each other. You’ll have to post a picture of yourself in costume in order to participate, but I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours. What do you think? Any takers? We could have some fun with this! Ha, now that I’ve thought of it I’m liking this idea! Let’s just do it, okay? Comment below, let me know that you’re interested and tell me what costume you’ll wear. I’ll see if I can find someone to make us a badge for everyone’s blog and we’ll have some fun trick-or-treating at each other’s places. You on board? Please, please, please say yes!

[tags]costumes, Halloween, Halloween costumes, pirate costumes[/tags]

August 24, 2008

Waipi’o Majors Little League Day in Hawaii (by proclamation)

I don’t make it a habit to copy others’ words and post duplicate content, but this is special and needs to appear as is. From the office of Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle:

On behalf of the people of Hawai’i, we would like to congratulate the World Champion Waipi’o Majors on winning the 2008 International Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 24, 2008.

Since 1939, Little League Baseball has promoted and nurtured the interest of baseball in our youth. Discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship and physical fitness are developed through coaches’ exemplary leadership, shaping not just high-quality athletes but good citizens as well.

Throughout this year’s World Series, Hawai’i’s Waipi’o Majors embodied the legacy of Little League Baseball that has shaped the character and leadership skills of so many youth who came before them. The team’s performance was truly inspiring, with a thrilling, historic, “one-for-the ages” 7-5 comeback victory to win the United States Championship over a talented team from Lake Charles, Louisiana, becoming only the third team from Hawai’i to earn the national title.

The skilled outstanding performance throughout the tournament was capped off in the final game against the international champion team from Matamoros, Mexico as the team captured the World Championship in decisive fashion by a score of 12 to 3, scoring in every inning with great pitching, hitting, and fielding. With gritty and focused determination, the Waipi’o Majors fought back from the brink of elimination at the state championship tournament in July to win for the third year in a row.

Throughout the regional championships, working together the team collected wins against teams from Utah, Massachusetts and the previously unbeaten team from Nevada. The entire state of Hawai’i cheered the players on as Waipi’o finished the West Region tournament with a 5-1 record.

The team’s overall 12-2 record in the 2008 International Little League Tournament will not soon be forgotten.

The team’s spirit, hard work and passion brought much pride to all our residents and honor to our state. Only nine teams from Hawai’i have claimed the achievement of participating in the Little League Baseball World Series with only two of those teams reaching the championship game.

Manager Timo Donahue and coaches Kiha Akau and Gregg Tsugawa’s guidance, mentoring, knowledge of baseball and hard work clearly helped lead the Waipi’o Majors Little League team through a triumphant season, resulting in capturing the 2008 International Little League Baseball World Series title.

THEREFORE, I, LINDA LINGLE, Governor of the State of Hawai’i, and I, James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr., Lieutenant Governor, do hereby proclaim today, August 24, 2008, as WAIPI’O MAJORS LITTLE LEAGUE DAY in Hawai’i, for the team’s hard work and sportsmanship resulting in winning the 2008 International Little League Baseball World Series. Representing the United States, the State of Hawai’i and our community with sportsmanship and aloha, the Waipi’o Majors brought great pride to their family, friends and coaches. These athletes are true champions in every sense of the word. Congratulations Waipi’o Majors!

DONE at the State Capitol, in the Executive Chambers, Honolulu, State of Hawai’i, this twenty-fourth day of August 2008.

Linda Lingle Governor, State of Hawai’i
James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. Lieutenant Governor, State of Hawai’i

Adding my own congratulations to the boys from Waipi’o, and mahalo to Governor Lingle and Lieutenant Governor Aiona for recognizing that Little League is about more than “just” baseball and that baseball is more than “just” a game. My son played for Pilney Little League in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana throughout his growing-up years. I can attest that participation in Little League builds sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork in all of the kids fortunate enough to participate, along with a long list of other desirable qualities that they’ll carry within them for life. The World Little League Championship goes to the Waipi’o All Stars, but every Little Leaguer is a winner in my book.
[tags]baseball, Hawaii local news, Little League Baseball, Little League World Series, Waipio All Stars[/tags]

August 20, 2008

Hawaii Little League in World Series Finals!

Breaking news! This is so fresh that I don’t have a photo for you (and you know I love to put a photo in every story!) but I wanted to be the first to share this great news with you.

Our Hawaii Little League Team from Waipio has just advanced to the finals in the Little League World Series. We love sports in Hawaii and folks here are especially supportive of youth sports, so you know we’ll all be watching and cheering on Saturday when they play in the National Championship Game. If they win there (I should say when they win there!) theyll play for all the marbles on Sunday in the World Championship Game.

Read the whole story on KITV4 News and bookmark the site so you can check back later for updates.

Congratulations to the Waipio All Stars and good luck this weekend. We’re all so very proud of you!

[tags]baseball, Hawaii local news, KITV4, Little League Baseball, Little League World Series, Waipio All Stars[/tags]