Andrea and I went to the Sans Souci Beach Park for a swim on Thursday morning, September 1.
Friday morning I took a photo of the Waikiki Aquarium's back yard after doing some pullups on the Natatorium arbor bars.
Friday morning I took a photo of the Waikiki Aquarium's back yard after doing some pullups on the Natatorium arbor bars.
I regret to inform you that I intend to resign as your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Thank you for the honor of appointing me as senior ranking officer. The events of the last couple weeks have caused me to do deep soul-searching, and I can no longer faithfully support and execute your orders as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is my belief that you were doing great and irreparable harm to my country. I believe that you have made a concerted effort over time to politicize the United States military. I thought that I could change that. I’ve come to the realization that I cannot, and I need to step aside and let someone else try to do that.General Milley signed and dated the letter of resignation on June 8, 2020, but never submitted it, keeping it in his desk drawer.Second, you are using the military to create fear in the minds of the people—and we are trying to protect the American people. I cannot stand idly by and participate in that attack, verbally or otherwise, on the American people. The American people trust their military and they trust us to protect them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and our military will do just that. We will not turn our back on the American people.
Third, I swore an oath to the Constitution of the United States and embodied within that Constitution is the idea that says that all men and women are created equal. All men and women are created equal, no matter who you are, whether you are white or Black, Asian, Indian, no matter the color of your skin, no matter if you’re gay, straight or something in between. It doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jew, or choose not to believe. None of that matters. It doesn’t matter what country you came from, what your last name is—what matters is we’re Americans. We’re all Americans. That under these colors of red, white, and blue—the colors that my parents fought for in World War II—means something around the world. It’s obvious to me that you don’t think of those colors the same way I do. It’s obvious to me that you don’t hold those values dear and the cause that I serve.
And lastly it is my deeply held belief that you’re ruining the international order, and causing significant damage to our country overseas, that was fought for so hard by the Greatest Generation that they instituted in 1945. Between 1914 and 1945, 150 million people were slaughtered in the conduct of war. They were slaughtered because of tyrannies and dictatorships. That generation, like every generation, has fought against that, has fought against fascism, has fought against Nazism, has fought against extremism. It’s now obvious to me that you don’t understand that world order. You don’t understand what the war was all about. In fact, you subscribe to many of the principles that we fought against. And I cannot be a party to that. It is with deep regret that I hereby submit my letter of resignation.
Zombies.
Cartoon image downloaded from Facebook.
In the afternoon we went to visit Mom in the care home.
This Chinese banyan is only 15 years old but was a real crowd pleaser.
Two nice trees. The one on the left is a kengai by the HBA president, Warren Yamamoto.
A market was set up.
One of two food sections.
There was a lot of space.
The public was not admitted until 9:00 AM.
Andrea with the photo-op backdrop.
After opening, the bonsai exhibit was busy all day.
Hula on stage.
Harry B. Soria Jr. radio personality, founder of Territorial Airwaves and Hawaiian music historian passed away on December 7, 2021. He is deeply missed in the Hawaiian music world, but his legacy will live on through his famous record collection gifted to the Hawaii State Archives being digitalized for public access.Harry B. is survived by his beloved wife Kilohana Silve, sister Camille Miske, niece Maile Zambuto and husband Jason Zambuto and their children Bella and Nicolas, stepdaughter Vanessa Thill and step grandsons Kalani and Nankama.
A Celebration of his life and a Memorial Concert is being held at Kawaiha'o Church on Saturday, September 10th. Church Service 9am-10am. Concert 11am-3pm. Friends and fans are invited to enjoy this musical tribute by multiple generations of island musicians.
Andrea reading (book yoga) on the sand by the Kaimana Hotel, Sans Souci apartments, and the Colony Surf aparments.
After our Tommy Waters (city councilmember running for reelection) yard sign blew down for the fourth time, I drove this steel
pipe a foot into the ground and then pounded in the yard sign a few inches and zip tied it to the pipe.
We went for a swim again on Thursday the eighth. We have been seeing more Japanese wedding tourism. I did eleven pullups/chinups.
Meeting of staff and volunteers at the back of the church sanctuary.
I was assigned to help direct parking for musicians and speakers in this area.
Honolulu Hale (city hall) is just across King Street from the church.
With my parking asssistance associate Mahi'ai. Photo by Joan.
With Andrea. Photo by Joan.
Andrea got this photo of Billy V.
Photo by Andrea.
Bobby Moderow was among the many performers who came to honor Harry.
Fourteen people signed the attendance list.
Attendees had a chance to talk about trees they brought. John, a past president, talks about some of his bonsai.
I give advice to Monica on a tree she brought.
Later, several members went to Josephine's house to look at her bonsai.
Lenore Shirley Johnson, 97 years young, of Honolulu, Hawaii, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 6. Lenore was born to William James and Anna Roeder Shirley, on January 25, 1925 (a date she bragged about for its ease of remembrance), in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1942 and received a Bachelor of Science from USC College of Commerce and Business Administration in 1946. Lenore married Donald Dalton Johnson in 1945, and they lived in Pullman, Washington, for three years before relocating to Honolulu, Hawaii. She is survived by three children: William Johnson of Denver, Colorado; Janice Biles of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Andrea Wagner of Honolulu, Hawaii. Lenore is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her loving husband in 1993.Lenore was a dedicated volunteer committed to serving her community as a pollworker at elections and as a member and leader of the University of Hawaii Women’s Campus Club, the Friends of the Aina Haina Public Library, and the Aina Haina Community Association, among others. Her commitment to public service was recognized in 1985 by the City & County of Honolulu and in 2017 by the 28th Legislature of the State of Hawaii. Lenore brought her best to whatever she engaged in, from editing her husband’s books to serving as a census leader or acting as parent assistant to the Honolulu Children’s Opera Chorus, and passed her passion for excellence and community service to her children, encouraging them to explore new opportunities and always give their best.
Per her wishes, Lenore’s ashes will be spread at sea and the family will host a celebration of life. Friends are asked to e-mail rickandrea at gmail dot com if you would like to join the celebration, which will be scheduled at a later date.
Lots of people seem to ignore the barricade of the undermined walkway behind the aquarium.
Andrea doing her book yoga. The horizon is only slightly non-horizontal.
Our room had a mauka view.
Malama Maunalua setting up their exhibit.
Polynesian Voyaging Society.
At 4:00 PM the doors were opened for the guests.
At 4:20 PM.
Dawn and Lianna of Kaimuki Middle School with the hotel trust president.
Photo by Pacific Dream Photo.
Liveable Hawaii Kai Hui.
The Maile Ballroom doors were opened and everything was ready.
Kilohana asked me to carry the potted alahe'e to the silent auction table at a quarter to five. Photo by Pacific Dream Photo.
The event photographer snapped us.
Rai'atea Helm performed with her backing band.
Rai'tea is known for her beautiful voice.
Hailama Fargen and Manu Boyd were our MCs.
Preparing for the award to Kaimuki Middle School. Photo by Pacific Dream Photo.
Lianna Lam, Kaimuki Middle School award recipient, Sam Lum, and his wife Beth, were at our table. That's Mayor Blangiardi in the background.
Zoomed in version.
Hula performer waiting for action.
Hula to a drum.
Green branches in the hula.
Nainoa Thompson spoke with inspiring words. He said Hawaii should be a beacon of aloha to the world.
Nainoa with Lucy, Dawn, and Lianna.
Afterward Andrea and I went up to the Veranda cocktail lounge.
In the morning we had breakfast at the Plumeria Beach House. Photo by Andrea.
After breakfast we took a little walk to look at the little island with the two coconut trees.
Photo by Andrea.
The stage set of a speakeasy in 1934 when it was first performed on Broadway.
Afterwards we had dinner at Roy's.
Cheers! Photo by Andrea.
We tried the new dish by Roy. Photo by Andrea.
The stage set before the show.
Afterward we went to Pho Viet restaurant in the shopping center for dinner with Kilohana's halau.
People continued to arrive.
Sam Gon led a mele, Hoʻonani, before we ate.
Kilohana served us. Photo by Joan Rich.
Everyone had a good meal and a good time.
On Monday morning I photographed a kou tree I have growing for bonsai. Click the image to see the full resolution version.
Screen capture.
I'm getting some bonsai ready for upcoming shows. This is a Chinese banyan. Click the image to see the full size version.
We swam again on Thursday. I took this photo of the collapsing sea wall behind the aquarium.
The city had a cherry picker up near the banyan tree on Kalakaua Avenue.
A monk seal was resting on the beach by the War Memorial.
People were enjoying breakfast at the Hau Tree restaurant.
I planted mondo grass in a small pot for a future accent plant for a shohin.
Some of the sympathy cards received.
Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com