Tag Archives: Hawaii

HAWAIIAN SHAKA SIGN IS NEW SYMBOL OF THAILAND’S PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS

November 21, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

File photo: American actor Jake Gyllenhaal flashes the Hawaiian shaka sign

Bangkok, Thailand (The Adobo Chronicles) – A cinema chain in Bangkok has cancelled screenings of the new Hunger Games film after protesters adopted the movie’s three-fingered defiant sign against totalitarian rule.

Activists say police ordered the move after hundreds of students planned to protest at an opening day screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 on Thursday. Thailand has been under military rule since May, and authorities have banned the salute as part of an ongoing crackdown on pro-democratic dissent. protest

The students were obviously disappointed at the film cancellation. They have been waiting a long time to see the popular new film that stars Academy award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence. They appealed to the cinema chain and the police to bring back the screening of the blockbuster film series.

As a compromise, the students promised to change the symbol of their protest from the three-fingered salute to the Hawaiian shaka sign. They were hoping that the Thai military government would be more tolerant of the laid-back, less intimidating symbol of Aloha.

Business, Politics, Tourism

500 FREE ONE-WAY TICKETS BEING OFFERED ON HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

October 30, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Honolulu, Hawaii (The Adobo Chronicles) – It is rare that commercial airlines offer free tickets with no strings attached. But that is exactly what Hawaiian Airlines is offering – complimentary tickets to as many as 500 passengers. What’s the catch? The tickets are one-way — out of Hawaii.

The offer is part of a new initiative between the Honolulu government and private businesses in Waikiki’s tourism industry.

For several years now, Waikiki has seen a sharp increase in homeless people lining Kalakaua Avenue directly across from Waikiki Beach. Honolulu’s City Hall and Waikiki merchants have agreed that the sight of homeless people — many of whom are from states in the U.S. Mainland — is not good for tourism which is the top revenue-earning industry of Hawaii.

Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) is giving the Institute for Human Services (IHS) $100,000 this year in addition to the same amount next year. But that’s just to kick start the program. The funds will help pay for the tickets on Hawaiian Airlines.

“When the number one complaint from our visitors on why they will not be coming back to Hawaii is the homeless, you have an issue,” said George Szigeti, President and CEO of HLTA. “So when IHS came to us with a plan of action tailored to address the homeless situation in our Waikiki community, we were pleased and we immediately pledged our support,” Szigeti said.

It is estimated that currently, about 500 individuals call the streets of Waikiki home. The city would need an additional $400,000 to complete the process of sending the homeless back to their home states. It hopes to raise that amount quickly from businesses in Waikiki.

To qualify for the complimentary tickets, homeless people must appear at City Hall for a mugshot and fingerprinting and sign a pledge never to return again to the Aloha State. If they prefer to fly first class, they have to personally shoulder the price difference.

Say ‘Aloha!’

Politics, Tourism, Travel

A PRESIDENT OBAMA BEACH IN HAWAII?

October 5, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Honolulu, Hawaii (The Adobo Chronicles) – Hawaii may not get a Presidential Library, but it may get a Presidential Beach, if Honolulu City Council member Stanley Chang gets his way.

Chang and fellow council member Ernie Martin are hoping to rename Sandy Beach Park to President Barack Obama Sandy Beach Park. It comes after a video was taken of the President bodysurfing back in August 2008.

Known for its powerful waves and white sandy beaches, Sandy Beach Park is one of the most scenic spots on Oahu.

“We’ve already included funding in the past year’s budget for a plaque commemorating his love for bodysurfing there, and we hope to generate additional interest in the park. We hope to have it as an additional showcase for residents and visitors from all over the world,” said Chang.

But not everyone is convinced.

“I think you should just leave it as Sandy Beach”, said one beachgoer.

“I don’t think it’s fair because, personally, he’s done nothing for our beach over here,” Waimanalo resident Kanaloa Kane said. “Maybe he did grow up here, but as a local, I’ve been surfing here for 10 years easy and I don’t think it’s fair.”

Is renaming a beach good enough for the President of the United States? Obama doesn’t think so. “Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Facebook’s Mark Mark Zuckerberg get to name entire islands like Lana’i and Moloka’i after them,” said Obama, “so I’d rather rename the entire island of my birth place Oahu to Obama Island.”

Chang was disappointed at Obama’s comment, but he seems to be warming up to the idea of renaming the entire Oahu to Obama Island.