... And a Happy New Year!

I feel quite lucky to be in Hawaii for new years this year, for several reasons.

First of all, the weather report was a high of 85 and a low of 65, partly cloudy. For the entire week. While I do already miss snow, it's a far cry from the Wisconsin freeze-your-hair-and-break-it-off winter I have been used to experiencing in years past. Well, not for New Years, but you get the idea. Here, there's a severe weather warning almost every day, but it means "good surfing conditions," not "hope that war for oil works out before we die." That meant that today, I was able to go see 20 foot tall waves at the North Shore instead of chipping four inches of ice off of the driveway. Sorry, David.

Secondly, I don't know what it is about Chinese people and fireworks, or areas with a lot of Chinese people and fireworks, but I am not complaining. It is six PM here, and already I have heard fireworks ranging from the small and legal to the "Cletus and Bubba Sewer Pipe Special" size.

Apparently, they are so serious about fireworks here that they recommend people with respiratory issues stay indoors on January 1st. Seriously. Apparently the cloud of smoke lingers for days. They had to start making people buy permits for more than 1000 firecrackers because one year the smoke caused a huge bird kill. No, seriously. I am psyched.

Third, Hawaii is in the last time zone to change over to 2006. Extra year, at no additional cost. Add in that leap second, and I am practically a time traveler.

Enough of my rambling. Watch this space, film will be developed by January 2nd.

Happy new year!

Your tax dollars at work

Well, tax dollars from the Reagan Years, anyway.



Read the rest here!

Mele Kalikimaka

In a few hours, I'll be departing for Honolulu, so a Mele Kalikimaka to you all.

Apparently, that's the the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas day.

For those of you that prefer a more politically correct greeting, please have an inoffensive secular holiday period.