Choon James: Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

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February 4, 2022 – February 20, 2022. The winter events are held in Beijing, National Stadium, Hebei. There are approximately 2,971 athletes competing from 91 countries.

This would be China’s distinct opportunity to hold a Summer Olympics in 2008 and then today’s Winter Olympics. I was in Beijing, China in 2007 and they were already selling the Olympics 2008 paraphernalia on the streets then. Certainly China has enough land to do both seasons.

With all the excitement and focus on medals, sometimes it’s hard for us to remember that these athletes sacrifice much and work their tails off to get to where they are today. We can’t forget the support of their families and mentors either. Their accomplishments make every sport seem so easy.

As wonderful as it is to praise medal winners, it’s just as important to praise others who won’t receive medals this time around. Years of training and sacrifice can be upended in “disasters” within seconds. It’s an unforgiving sport for sure. If it’s any comfort, it happens to the best. Even, Mikaela Shiffrin, who crashed out of women’s giant slalom yesterday.

Despite this unfortunate incident, her example of resilience, perseverance, and toughness is what the Olympics is all about. That’s the enduring character part that is the real winner.

Her remarks with CNN demands respect and admiration from us all: “We can go to a lot of different places in the season where we can put the blame, but the easiest thing to say is that I skied a couple of good turns and I skied one turn a bit wrong and I really paid the hardest consequence for that.”

“Shiffrin’s next chance at a medal comes in Wednesday’s slalom, the discipline she won gold in as a teenager at Sochi 2014.The three-time Winter Olympic medalist said she was “not going to cry” about the crash as it would just be “wasting energy.”

You go, Mikaela!

Choon James: Gambling Proposals in Hawaii 2022

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Every year, the Hawaii State Legislature seems to have a bill to introduce some sort of gambling in order to gain revenue. This year has House Representative John Mizuno introducing HB 1820.

RELATING TO CASINO GAMING.
Report Title:Casino Gaming; Waikiki; Legalization
Description:Grants a 10-year license for 1 stand-alone, members-only casino in Waikiki, not in a hotel. Allows guests 21 years of age or older who register to stay 1 day and night at a hotel on Oahu for each day of admission at $20-per-day pass. Establishes the Hawaii gaming control commission. Imposes wagering tax on gross receipts. Creates the state gaming fund and compulsive gambler program.
Companion:
Package:None
Current Referral:ECD, CPC/JHA, FIN
Introducer(s):MIZUNO

Interestingly, Representative Mizuno is hopeful that the revenues from a casino will help increase tax revenues. Also supporting a measure that permits gaming on Hawaiian Homelands is Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) Chairman William Aila.

Both of these men have been around for decades and are aware of the issues, including the social ills and the poverty around the people they supposedly serve and represent.

Bill 1820 cites “successes” of such operations, including those in Singapore. Yes, Singapore has two casinos. Singapore is also known for its consistent and strict enforcement. Drug dealers and the like can expect harsh punishments, including the death penalty. This is a huge deterrent to crime, corruption and graft.

Residents opposing the idea of gambling are questioning how the State of Hawaii can “regulate and enforce” safeguards for a casino with its ongoing dismal record on many issues, including fireworks, vacation rentals, and so on. Note SB 1820 mercifully proposes a “compulsive gambler program”.

Senator Jarrett Keohokalole‘s SB 2608 and Representative Daniel Holt‘s HB 1962 proposals would provide DHHL $500,000 to conduct the study for the 2023 legislative session.

It’s food for thought that the two States – conservative Blue State Utah and Liberal Red State Hawaii – are the only two States that do not legalize gambling.

Choon James: Status for SB 1357 to fine motorists with flags.

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SECTION 1. The legislature finds that flags flown from vehicles being operated or moved on streets cause distractions and create unsafe driving conditions. The purpose of this Act is to discourage unsafe practices.

This Bill was DEFERRED to Tuesday February 8, 2022 for the 3:05PM AGENDA. SB 1357 to prohibit flags display on vehicles on roads, etc. SCROLL TO 1:30 to hear the status: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Puas70MFA

We can’t have government incrementally shutting down Free Speech and Civic Participation. Although the State Capitol is one of the most ventilated buildings in Honolulu, it’s still closed to the public. The public cannot hold signs inside its meeting places. And now this shutting down of flags flying.

The Senate Transportation Committee Chair Chris Lee said yesterday that the intent of Bill 1357 was not to infringe on First Amendment Rights. The State Department of Transportation (DOT) submitted an unsigned testimony that it had received “numerous complaints and inquiries from the public about flags and other materials that impair the visibility of other drivers on the road. As such, we support all efforts to eliminate these unnecessary distractions.”

I wonder if DOT also received complaints and enquires about other traffic concerns.

Bill 1357 is not compelling enough except to shut down displays of discontent and public dissension. We must protect Free Speech at all costs.

There are lots of distractions and unsafe driving conditions on the road – Loose dogs. Drunk driving. Driving in opposite directions. Tourist trolleys. Huge vehicles blocking our view planes. Sign Waving. Display of huge banners on buildings along roads and so on.

The item that is most distracting and affecting road safety is the POTHOLES!!

We’re forced to keep our eyes down on the road to avoid the potholes which are EVERYWHERE. Our tires blow out. Cars swerve to try to miss the potholes on busy streets. The underbelly of the vehicles are damaged. POTHOLES are the most dangerous and most distracting.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent but our roads have become more and more dangerous. We would like the Hawaii Senate to focus on this huge distraction. It’s time to require a warranty on the road roadwork and so on to promote road safety.

It’s ridiculous that every time it rains, more potholes appear. There is no reason why the state cannot expect basic workmanship for the hundreds of millions that are spent annually.

Please terminate SB 1357 – It’s treacherous to free speech and an open democracy. Focus on the real traffic safety and driving conditions.

Choon James: Laysan Albatrosses Visited Laniloa Point Wednesday.

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Three of the five albatrosses must be having a meeting of some sort after gliding all around Laniloa Point. We think they came from the Kahuku Federal Wildlife Refuge. It was a rare sight.
Five Laysan Albatrosses decided to check out Laniloa Point Wednesday morning.

I decided to do a quick google-search and here are some of the fun facts list below! Click on this site and you can also know the age of probably the oldest albatross “on record”.

Did You Know?

  • An albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird
  • They can go years without touching land
  • They can live and raise chicks into their 60s
  • They mate for life, with some wiggle room
  • They court each other with elaborate mating dances
  • They can smell food in the water from 12 miles away

Flight

Albatrosses can sleep while flying.

It takes about two months for a Laysan albatross to fly once around the earth.

An albatross is known to fly 49,700 miles without touching land. Its long and narrow wingspans are used to ride the ocean winds.

They perform specialized gliding techniques in order to minimize the use of muscles and energy.

Before taking off, an albatross needs a run up to allow enough air to move under the wings to provide lift. It is the most energy demanding part of a journey.

Albatross uses their massive wingspan to travel long distances without using their muscles.

These birds can fly for many days high in the sky and do not flap their wings once.”

Choon James: Downtown Parking

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Someone told me a long time ago that, in the 1970s, developers were given quick permits to build in the business center of Honolulu without much thought for needed parking. This commerce center is obviously more congested today but I think that piece of information about not being cognizant of future needs is probably very true.

I had to go to a building yesterday for an errand and sure enough, there were no parking spaces connected to that tall building. All customers have to find their own parking elsewhere. It’s not convenient when there are bulky items to carry around. But I usually end up at Ali’i Place at 1099 Alakea Street, Honolulu, 96813 for my parking needs. It is a good place to know for those who are not familiar with Downtown Honolulu.

This is the place where I find inexpensive parking because it has a quasi city county parking at a good rate. It’s clean and safe. There are usually some spaces available. It also does not have a 2-hour limit; I can’t count the number of tickets I’ve gotten for expired limits. Ali’i Place is my ‘launching point’ to visit the State Capitol, Honolulu Hale, and the District Court, which is just across the Street.

Ushering in the Year of the Tiger

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Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous NEW YEAR!

I missed January 1, 2022! So this is my second chance to start a “NEW YEAR” resolution to highlight or share issues that affect us. I resolve to write something useful every day on this blog!

So much have happened since the advent of COVID19 in 2020. Here we are on February 1st, 2022 and we’re still struggling with this pandemic. COVID19 has brought out the worst and the best in humanity.

I will share this testimony below as my first post since I’ve just submitted it to the Hawaii State Legislature. If you feel this is an important issue, please write a quick testimony to let your senators know what you think. We should let them know of our expectations. Click on this SB 1357 to submit a quick testimony.

CHOON JAMES: TESTIMONY – STRONGLY OPPOSE SB 1357

Aloha Senators:

It’s very obvious that this SB 1357 is created to shut down citizen participation and involvement in Hawaii. There is no quarrel that Democracy can be messy, loud, and unpleasant, especially to authorities who are being resisted against.

Free speech, the freedom to protest, and to assemble with expressions must not be shut down through this thinly-veiled facade of  “ Traffic violations to PROHIBIT display of any material that distracts, obstructs the view of, or affects the safety of other drivers, including but not limited to flags, towels, sheets, and cloths, on vehicles being operated or moved on a public street, road, or highway, except when required to be displayed for loads that extend beyond the vehicle. Sets a fine.”

The public knows this SB 1357 is targeted at the recent displays of protests and discontent amongst many Hawaii residents. The displays of civil discontent have been displayed through banners and flags options that are available to the people. There have been no raids or violence or vandalism.

Instead of trying to shut down citizenship participation and discontent, it would be more democratic and effective to figure out how the government can improve to lessen this growing discontent.  

SB 1357 is too over-bearing and tyrannical. It violates the basic fundamental rights of a citizen to express oneself in a free society. This SB 1357 not only tries to stamp out dissension, it also wants to punish those who participate through their expressions.  

Please defer Bill 1357. It’s over-bearing and tyrannical to say the least. No elected official in the Hawaii State Legislature should think or behave like they are akin to the Community Party of China – to crush and shut down public participation through various means.   

Aloha,

Choon James

ChoonJamesHawaii@gmail.com

Choon James: Understanding Begins With Me

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I was a young mother with a 2-year-old boy living at Wymount Terrace on the BYU Provo campus in Utah. I was doing laundry with Robbie when a tall dark man walked into the laundry room.

I don’t know what his nationality was. He could have been a black-American citizen or a “foreigner”. But he did have a particularly dark pigment.

When Robbie saw him, his quick response was to point to him and said loudly, “Mom, what is that?”

That was awkward.

But I immediately told Robbie that he was our friend who had a darker skin than us. I said it loud enough so our visitor could hear it. Our new friend and I smiled at each other .

Our kind visitor understood a child. He did not get offended. He did not get angry. He did not blame me for my child’s actions. He did not start lecturing me.

I think about that incident once in a while. Someone who had no exposure to a black person could naturally react the way he did. I appreciate that good man with a kind understanding nature. It makes life less complicated.

Choon James: Let Peace Begins With Me.

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I consider myself fortunate to grow up in Singapore till I was seventeen. We lived happily and peacefully with so many different races, cultures, customs, languages, religions, cuisine, and so forth.

My childhood friends were Chinese, Malays, Indians, Tamils, and others. Some of my best childhood friends were Muslims. A neighboring Malay mother nursed me in addition to her own infant when my mother fell ill for a time and could not lactate.

My father’s drinking buddy was a Hindu Indian who spoke the Hokkien dialect. When Chandra died, mother was mad at him; she said that he did not cry his heart out for his own parents like he did for Chandra.

It was not that there were no racial conflicts or unrest. I remember the Malays and Chinese tensions headlines. (But there was no friction in our own community.) I’m guessing it was during the Singapore merger with Malaysia in 1963 or thereabouts. We were living on a farm off Holland Road area. I recall one night witnessing the menfolks together with their changkols. They were building underground pits with grass-top covers to prepare for possible raids from the outside.

All in all, with the Singapore government’s concerted efforts to unify and achieve racial harmony and equality, those racial tensions dissipated to a minimal.

I can’t recall any politician in my youth in Singapore stoking the flames of racial disruptions or exploiting one race or group against another. The message was always clear and precise: We were Singaporeans first. We must live in harmony, respect each other, and focus on the meritocracy of the individual.

So it was easy for me to live a simple life with a basic philosophy – to always respect others. Racial peace, respect, and understanding must begin with me.

Certainly, Hawaii is a wonderful place to be living in . Aloha abounds. A few mainland states may explode but let us always be anchored in the spirit of aloha in our island home.

SCOTUS: Justice RBG Seat Now Occupied by Amy Coney Barrett

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October 26, 2020

Judge Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed on October 26, 2020 Monday night by the US Senate voted 52-48. It was strictly along party line. None of the Democrats casted a vote for her. Susan Collins (R) from Maine opposed.

After the ceremonial oath of office, Barrett declared the following statement:  

“The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means, at its core, that I will do my job without any fear or favor, and that I will do so independently of both the political branches and of my own preferences. I love the Constitution and the democratic republic that it establishes, and I will devote myself to preserving it

Putting the partisanship aside, Justice Barrett’s advice to young women during the hearings is memorable and applicable to all:

“You shouldn’t let life just happen to you. Make a deliberated decision of what you want to be.”

Here are a few of my personal takes of the nomination process:

  1. There was an overload of partisanship and showmanship. So many were playing to the camera and their targeted audience rather than focused on the subject matter at hand. I watched part of the process on C-Span to escape those relentless talking heads from both parties.
  2. There is no guarantee that the 48-years-old Justice Barrett will live to be 87 years old. Or she may live longer than that. Will she retire early? Who knows? Who can see into the future?
  3. Remembrance of history could tame some divisiveness. Did the nomination process seem fast and unfair today? Blame it on Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada who was Senate Majority Leader in 2012. Reid championed the rules to prevent the minority party from slowing passage of legislation and nominations. The table turned in 2020 for the Republicans.
  4. It’s not surprising that a sitting POTUS will nominate a Justice who reflects his ideology. The opportunities to nominate have opened to both Democrat and Republican Presidents.
  5. Supreme Court Justices have proven that they can “surprise” legal observers with their decisions. After all, their job is to implement the rule of law and the US Constitution.
  6. This is not easily over-turned. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. How can we as a Society help our women improve their social and economic standing to prevent unwanted pregnancies?
  7. Whether we agree with Justice Barrett or not, her scholarship, intellect and keen recollection of cases and laws are noteworthy and remarkable. The American Bar Association (ABA) has rated Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett as “well qualified,” based on her integrity, professional competence and judicial temperament.