I’ve Been Selected to Try Out the New Google Glasses!!!!

Oh my god!  I just got selected to be one of the BETA users of the new GOOGLE Glasses!!!

Of course I will have to fly to the mainland and sign off on a bunch of things before I become one of Googles Testers!!!!

I hope this isn’t a joke and will keep folks updated!

Mahalo Google and Project Glass!

http://www.google.com/glass/start/

Many folks on the internet are considering this the same thing as winning the “Golden Ticket to the Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory”.

I’m totally stoked and will learn more about what I need to do to get these glasses.

From my current understanding… I will need to pay my own way to the mainland to get them… but it’s so worth it!!!!

Governor Announces Nominations to Land Board, Water Commission

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the nominations of James A. Gomes to the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) and Kamanamaikalani Beamer, Ph.D. and Milton D. Pavao to the Commission of Water Resource Management (CWRM). Their 4-year terms are effective July 1, 2013, subject to state Senate confirmation.

“Each of these nominees are not only accomplished in their respective fields and occupations; they are also deeply invested to the future of these islands and our natural resources,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “I have the utmost confidence in their ability to serve the people of Hawaii in the responsible management of our land and water resources, which are critical to the future security and vitality of our state.”

James A. Gomes is the operation manager for Ulupalakua Ranch Ltd. He has served on the Maui County Liquor Commission since 2000, including as vice-chairman and chairman; on the board of the Maui Cattlemen’s Association since 2006; and as director of the Central Maui Soil and Water Conservation District since 2007 (recently re-elected to serve a 5-year term). Previously, he served as director of Wailuku Mill Yard, a member of Mayor James Apana’s Community Advisory Board, and a delegate to the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. Gomes earned a liberal arts degree at UH Maui College. Born on Maui, he is a resident of Kula.

“Kamana” Beamer is the director of the First Nations Futures Program and an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and William S. Richardson School of Law. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Beamer is fluent in Hawaiian language and earned bachelor’s degrees (double major) in Hawaiian Studies and Philosophy as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in geography at the University of Hawaii. Beamer also earned an associate’s degree from Marymount College and a First Nations Futures Institute Certificate from Stanford University. Beamer is a resident of Oahu and Hawaii Island.

Milton D. Pavao retired in 2011 as manager and chief engineer for the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply. He is a licensed professional engineer and earned the Engineer of the Year Award in 1999 from the Hawaii Society of Professional Engineers. He is also the co-founder of the Kona Water Roundtable. Pavao earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Hawaii. He is a resident of Keaau.

The BLNR is composed of seven members, three at-large and one from each of the State of Hawaii’s four land districts. CWRM consists of seven members with five members appointed by the Governor. The chairperson of the BLNR serves as the CWRM chairperson, and the Director of Health serves as an ex officio voting member.

Konawaena Student is Driving Force Behind Sustainability Resolution

Two years ago an essay contest on sustainability caught the attention of Trevor Tanaka, currently a senior at Konawaena High School on Hawaii Island. He realized that he did not know a lot about sustainability and, more importantly, while private schools incorporated sustainable education into their courses, it was woefully absent from the public school curriculum.

Trevor Tanaka

Trevor’s journey to do something about this began at the Hawaii State Student Council’s Secondary Student Conference in the fall of 2011 where he presented a resolution requiring public schools throughout the State to incorporate sustainable education into their science curriculum.  At the conference, the resolution garnered the support of 85% of the student delegation.  He was then nominated by Nancy Redfeather from The Kohala Center to join the Sustainable Hawaii Youth Leadership Initiative (SHYLI) and presented his resolution at the 2012 Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last July and at the SHYLI Youth Leadership Forum in Kamuela in January 2013.

In addition to drafting HCR 178 and its companion SCR192, Tanaka solicited officials like Mayor Billy Kenoi and other Big Island community leaders to submit testimony.  Earlier this week Trevor came to Honolulu to testify on his resolution before the House Committee on Education. HCR178 passed the House committee and will go to the full House for a vote before being sent to the Senate for its consideration.

“When I meet someone like Trevor I know that the future of Hawaii is in good hands,” said  Rep. Denny Coffman (District 5: Na’alehu, Ocean View, Capt. Cook, Kealakekua, Kailua-Kona) who introduced the resolution on Trevor’s behalf.

“Trevor discovered a gap in his school curriculum and decided to take the initiative and do something about it.  We could all learn a thing or two from this exceptional young man,” Coffman added.

Bill to Create Public Funding Option for Elections Headed to Final Committee

Advocates for campaign finance reform were pleased today when the Senate Ways and Means Committee passed House Bill 1481.  The bill would create a law that would modernize Hawaii’s outdated partial public funding program for elections.

The original public funding program was implemented during the 1978 Constitutional Convention, but has become ineffective over time.  In the 2012 election cycle, only one house candidate used the program.  Advocates in favor of house bill 1481 say it is now time to upgrade the old program.

“Delegates in 1978 fought hard to implement this important program, and we owe it to them to modernize it to make it useful once again”, said Kory Payne, executive director for Voter Owned Hawaii, a non-partisan non profit organization working to pass the bill.

This proposed policy has been gaining national attention also.  Public Campaign is a non-partisan, non-profit that works on federal legislation for publicly funded elections and has been supporting organizations locally.   According to Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign, “States are the true laboratories of democracy and Hawaii has the chance to be a national leader in addressing the growing influence of special interests in our political system.”

“We’re delighted with this bill’s passage, and excited about the prospect of leveling the playing field for House candidates,” said Janet Mason, Vice President of League of Women Voters, Hawaii.

In 2008, Voter Owned Hawaii led and effort to implement a similar program for Big Island County elections.  That program ran in the 2010 and 2012 elections and was deemed successful.  Currently, five out of nine councilors on the Big Island were elected without accepting money from special interests.

Payne says the program is intended to serve taxpayers.  “Special interests donate to politicians to get a return on their investment, and right now they’ve cornered the market on elections and the public is not invited to the party.  Publicly funded elections will save taxpayer money by allowing politicians to make decisions based upon what’s best for the people instead of campaign donors,” he said.

 

Steven Spielberg Movie “Blaws” to Be Filmed in Hawaii???

I just noticed the following and it’s kind of a trip… not sure how true it is:

…The movie’s tentative title is “Blaws,” and it’s about an ageing reporter who blogs while he’s trying to catch a big fish. When Spielberg told me it would be shot in Hawaii and he needed a month of my time, I figured that was a dealbreaker…

More here: Video: Spielberg taps reporter for new movie.

I’ve looked online for other information about this pending movie but I can’t find anything about it now.  Here is a picture of Peter Fischetti whom the quote can be attributed to.

Peter Fischetti is the new Corona-Norco reporter for The Press-Enterprise

Department of Education Schools Lead Strong Hawaii Showing at National Student Television Awards

Led by five awards from Waianae High School, public schools captured 16 of 17 awards won by Hawaii schools this month at the 10th Annual Student Television Network (STN) Convention in Los Angeles, Calif.

Nearly 2,500 students from 153 middle and high schools across the country attended this year’s convention, March 7-10. Hawaii was well represented with the third-largest contingent with 15 public and private schools. During the four-day convention, students and teachers were able to select from more than 90 breakout sessions taught by industry professionals covering all areas of broadcast journalism, video production, filmmaking and media.

Also as part of the convention, STN held onsite contests for video production in 27 categories, during which public schools dominated Hawaii’s cadre of awards. Kamehameha Schools Maui took home a second-place award in the “Tell the Story” category. Here is how island public schools placed in the competition:

Waianae High School:
1st Place – Convention Recap
1st Place – STN Excellence Award for Monthly Broadcast
2nd Place – Laptop Journalist
3rd Place – Short Story
Honorable Mention – Broadcast News Writing

Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School (Kauai):
1st Place – Spot Feature
2nd Place – Middle School Movie Trailer
3rd Pace – Middle School Public Service Announcement
Honorable Mention – Middle School Anchoring

Waianae Intermediate School:
2nd Place – Middle School Music Video
2nd Place – Sweet 16 Broadcast Journalism

Moanalua High School:
Honorable Mention – Laptop Journalist
Honorable Mention – Music Video

Waiakea Intermediate School (Hawaii Island):
3rd Place – Middle School Anchoring

Waiakea High School (Hawaii Island):
Honorable Mention – High School Anchoring

Maui Waena Intermediate School (Maui):
Honorable Mention – Middle School Public Service Announcement

“There is an extraordinary wealth of talent among our public schools,” said Candy Suiso, a Waianae High teacher considered one of the pioneers of student video production in Hawaii. “Waianae High continues to set the standard among Hawaii’s schools, but what is rewarding is to see how many other schools have invested in this medium as part of their curriculum over the past decade.”

Waianae High School’s videos are available for viewing at http://vimeo.com/spwhs, while Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School’s winning videos can be found at http://vimeo.com/cktvmediaproductions.

STN is a nonprofit organization started in 1999 by a group of dedicated teachers who volunteered their time, energy, and vision. With hundreds of affiliate public and private schools, STN embraces the educational components of broadcast journalism, video production, filmmaking and media by networking students and teachers with professionals in the industry. A list of competition winners can be found at http://www.studenttelevision.com/convention.htm.

 

 

70 Year-Old Canadian Man Drowns at Kahalu’u Beach Park

A 70-year-old Canadian man apparently drowned Wednesday (March 27) at Kahaluʻu Beach Park.

Responding to a 3:40 p.m. call, Kona police officers learned that witnesses had observed a swimmer snorkeling when he became motionless about 40 feet from shore. A lifeguard brought the man ashore and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The victim was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:13 p.m.

He has been identified as Ian Michael Gordon of Alberta, Canada.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest and are awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death.

 

Public Meeting Announced for Pahoa Park Master Plan

The County Department of Parks and Recreationannounces a public meeting to present the final Master Plan for the proposed development of Pahoa District Park:

When:​​April 10th, Wednesday

Location:​Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility

Time:​​6pm to 7pm

Staff from the project’s design team, headed by WCIT Architecture, along with County representatives from the Mayor’s Office and the Department of Parks and Recreation will be conducting this meeting to present the final Master Plan and related project information to park stakeholders and the public.

Persons requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting should call 9618311 at least 3 days prior to meeting date.