Courageous Dissent

Hiram (Harry) Bingham IV grew up in a Connecticut family whose members were well known for being missionaries (Hiram I & II) and explorers (Hiram III.)

He was a US diplomat stationed in Marseilles, France during World War II when Germany was invading France.

At great personal risk and against State Department orders, he (a Protestant Christian) used his government status to help over 2,500 Jewish people escape the Holocaust as they escaped Hitler's occupied Europe from 1939-1941.

He organized clandestine rescue efforts and escapes, harbored many refugees at his diplomatic residence and issued "visas for life" and affidavits of eligibility for passage.

Hiram IV helped some of the most notable intellectuals and artists to escape, including Marc Chagall, (artist;) Leon Feuchtwanger, (author;) Golo Mann, (historian, son of Thomas Mann;) Hannah Arendt, (philosopher;) Max Ernst, (artist and poet;) and Dr. and Mrs. Otto Meyerhof, (Nobel Prize winning physicist.)

When the State Department learned of his actions, he was transferred to Lisbon, Portugal and later to Argentina.

In the eyes of the State Department, he was an insubordinate member of the US diplomatic service, a dangerous maverick who was eventually demoted.

He was not following established State Department policy - ultimately, he had to resign from the Foreign Service.

Bingham refrained from speaking about his service; his family had limited information about what he had done during the war.

Little was known of his extraordinary activities until after his death; then, family members found thousands of letters and official documents attesting to his quiet heroism.

His son, Robert "Kim" Bingham, wrote a book about him titled, "Courageous Dissent: How Harry Bingham Defied his Government to Save Lives".

In 1998, Hiram IV was recognized as one of eleven diplomats who saved 200,000-lives from the Holocaust, which amounts to one-million descendents of survivors today.  

He is the only US Diplomat who has been officially honored by the State of Israel as a "righteous diplomat."

He was the only American diplomat recognized during Israel's 50th Anniversary at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.

Sixty years after leaving the Foreign Service (in 2002,) the State Department posthumously recognized Bingham with the department's American Foreign Service Association "Constructive Dissent" award.

In 2005, Bingham was posthumously given a letter of commendation from Israel's Holocaust Museum.  In 2006, a US commemorative postage stamp was issued in his honor.

More than 450 supporters of the Simon Wiesenthal Center gathered for the 2011 Humanitarian Award Dinner. There, the Medal of Valor was awarded posthumously to Sir Winston Churchill, Hiram Bingham IV and Pope John Paul II.

Hiram I is my great-great-great-grandfather, Hiram Bingham IV is a cousin. We did not know this story until a couple years ago.  Kim came to visit in Hawaiʻi and we had the opportunity to sit down with him and learn more about his father (Hiram IV, Harry.)

Social Engineering Through Gas Pricing

A couple days ago, I posted on my Facebook page some comments about gas prices and how government officials initially say one thing (want higher gas prices) and then, ultimately, say something else during an election year (want lower gas prices.)

http://www.facebook.com/people/Peter-T-Young/1332665638 

The gist of the piece dealt with prices – some say prices are getting too high.

I was shocked to read that others believe we “NEED” to raise prices, “to force us to drive less & carpool & ride public transit & bicycle more...” or “the only way we will look for alternatives is if gas gets too expensive.”

Huh?

Sorry, we are not lab rats in need of social engineering.  We are humans with free will and a brain to decide between right and wrong.

While I agree price can cause pause in purchasing, are we so weak individually and collectively that we cannot restrain our use of the car and gasoline?

In addition, the suggestion that simply raising the price of gas is the answer to our use of the automobile ignores secondary ramifications of this price fixing.

Stuff we buy gets delivered to the stores selling it.

When we increase the cost of doing business for those delivery folks, prices on the items they deliver will also automatically rise.

Or, are we expecting the delivery folks to suck it up and cover the cost, putting their businesses in jeopardy?

If we simply raise gas prices (without affecting the cost to produce it,) who gets the financial windfall?

People complain the oil companies are already gouging us and making too much.  Are we suggesting they get these added profits?

I suspect not.  In fact, I suspect people believe it should go to the government.  But why them?

What logical reason is there for the government to benefit from this social engineering?

We already have enough examples of government waste to convince us they are the wrong group to receive this premium.

Sorry, I don’t buy the idea that we need government to artificially raise prices to a point that will cause us to end up doing what we already know is the right thing to do.

Likewise, I do not agree that government deserves a financial windfall (at the expense of all of us.)

If you feel strongly enough that you are driving too much and wasting gas, then take some personal responsibility and buy a hybrid, drive less, ride a bike, take the bus, car pool or any of the multitude of options available to you.

If you know of others wasting gas, talk to them and inform and encourage them to be more responsible.

Please don’t ask to raise my prices because you and others can’t control yourselves and you want government to take control of your actions.

Honolulu, 1810 - Map

This reconstructed map (from Bishop Museum Press,) reportedly a reasonably accurate depiction of Honolulu in 1810, is based on three documents:  John Papa ʻĪʻī recorded the location of trails and various sites in Honolulu between 1810 and 1812 in his “Fragments of Hawaiian History;” a sketch map made by lieutenant Charles Malden of HBMS Blonde in 1825; and a government road map of 1870.

The map notes locations of uses in 1810 (in black) with subsequent road alignments as of 1870 (in red) - the present day street alignments are generally similar to the 1870 road alignments.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  For me, maps and pictures capture moments in time and, in doing so, tell us stories.  I love maps, especially old ones, because of the stories they tell.

This map tells lots of stories.

Here are highlights on some.

The first thing that jumps out at you is the timeframe and location of the map – 1810 in Honolulu.

As you will recall, 1810 marks the ultimate unification of the Hawaiian Islands.

It was here, in 1810, at Pākākā (the point jutting into the harbor,) where negotiations between King Kaumuali‘i of Kaua‘i and Kamehameha I took place - Kaumuali‘i ceded Kauaʻi and Ni‘ihau to Kamehameha and the Hawaiian Islands were unified under a single leader.

This time and place marks the beginning of the unified islands.  This location continues to be the center of commerce, government, finance, etc in the State.

A bit more history: Kamehameha I, who had been living at Waikiki since 1804, moved his court here in 1809.  His immediate court consisted of high-ranking chiefs and their retainers.

Those who contributed to the welfare and enjoyment of court members also lived here, from fishermen and warriors to whites and chiefs of lesser rank.  (Kamehameha’s home and surrounding support uses are noted with his name (adjoining Pākākā.))

In those days, this area was not called Honolulu.  Instead, each land section had its own name (as noted on the map.) 

However, there are reports that the old name for Honolulu was said to be Kou, a district roughly encompassing the present day area from Nuʻuanu to Alakea Streets and from Hotel to Queen Streets, which is the heart of the present downtown district.

Honolulu Harbor, also known as Kulolia, was entered by the first foreigner, Captain William Brown of the English ship Butterworth, in 1794.  He named the harbor “Fair Haven.”

The name Honolulu (meaning "sheltered bay" - with numerous variations in spelling) soon came into use.

As you can tell by the overlaying 1870 road map, it is obvious that following this timeframe, the fringe reefs noted on the map were filled in and land added to the water front.  (In 1810, the waterfront was along the present Queen Street.)

Between 1857 and 1870 a combination of fill and dredging formed the “Esplanade” (not labeled on this map (because it’s over the reef) between Fort and Merchant Streets, creating the area where Aloha Tower is now located.)

In 1907, the reefs fronting the Kakaʻako area (on the right of the map) were filled in to make Fort Armstrong.

Fort Street, one of the oldest streets in Honolulu, was not named for Fort Armstrong; it was named after Fort Kekuanohu (aka Fort Honolulu,) constructed in 1816 by Kamehameha.

Today, the site of the fort is generally at the open space now called Walker Park,  a small park at the corner of Queen and Fort streets (there is a canon from the old fort there) - (Ewa side of the former Amfac Center, now the Topa Financial Plaza, with the fountain.)

The left section of the map (where Nuʻuanu Stream empties into the harbor) identifies the area known as Kapuukolo; this is "where white men and such dwelt."

Of the approximate sixty white residents on O‘ahu at the time, nearly all lived in the village, and many were in the service of the king.

Among those who lived here were Don Francisco de Paula Marin, the Spaniard who greatly expanded horticulture in Hawaiʻi, and Isaac Davis (Welch,) friend and co-advisor with (John Young (British)) to Kamehameha.  (The Marin and Davis homesites are noted on the map.)

The large yam field (what is now much of the core of downtown Honolulu) was planted to provide visiting ships with an easily-stored food supply for their voyages (supplying ships with food and water was a growing part of the Islands’ economy.)

This map, and the stories it tells, gives us a glimpse into Hawai‘i’s past.  I will be focusing and expanding on some of these individual stories in future posts.

Mokulua Islands, Lanikai

Mokulua (meaning, "the two islands") are two islets off the windward coast of O‘ahu.

They are also commonly known as "The Mokes" or the "Twin Islands." They are about a mile off Lanikai.

The larger island is also known as Moku Nui, Big Moke and Two Humps (13-acre land area.)

The smaller island is also known as Moku Iki, Baby Moke and One Hump (9-acre land area.)

The Mokulua islands are part of the summit caldera of the Ko‘olau shield volcano that slid into the ocean in one or a series of massive landslides more than a million years ago.

In what scientists call the Nu‘uanu Debris Avalanche, a landslide sheared off a third of O‘ahu and swept material more than 140 miles north of O’ahu and Moloka’i.

These old offshore islets (as well as many others off O‘ahu and around the Neighbor Islands) form the Hawai‘i State Seabird Sanctuary, created to protect the thousands of seabirds who seek refuge in and around the main Hawaiian Islands.

The sanctuary, administered by DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife, exists to protect not only seabirds but also endangered native coastal vegetation.

Mokulua are primary nesting sites for ‘Ua‘u kani (Wedge-tailed Shearwater) and ‘Ou (Bulwer’s Petrel.)

The Wedge-tailed Shearwater is a dusky brown bird with white breast feathers, long and thin wings, a hooked bill and a wedge-shaped tail.

The wailing sound made by these birds at their burrows at night inspired the Hawaiian name, which means “calling or moaning petrel.”

The Bulwer’s Petrel has long pointed wings, a long pointed tail, a black bill and pale short legs.  Adult males and females are overall sooty-brown, with a pale bar across the proximal half of upper wings.

Access is restricted to areas below the high water mark, around the perimeter of the island to minimize disturbance to the birds.

You cannot go onto the island without a special permit; access is restricted to daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset.

Overnight camping, alcohol and dogs are prohibited on the Mokulua Islands

The sandy beach at Moku Nui is a destination for thousands of (resident and visitor) kayakers, surfers, and boaters every year.

Multiple commercial operations cater to the Mokulua-bound kayakers and provide equipment rental and guided eco-tours.

Because of growing public use and associated concern for water safety, last summer the city quietly set-up an undercover state-of-the-art camera surveillance system.  The city installed the camera on the smaller island.

The camera faced its sister island and monitored what was going on using a wireless satellite connection to transmit video back to the lifeguard headquarters.  Having monitored the situation, the City removed the camera to use at another undisclosed location.

Riddling

Riddling – no, it’s not telling tough, puzzling stories with veiled double meanings.  It’s a process used in the making of sparkling wine (champagne - under the traditional "Methode Champenoise".)

First, some very basics in wine making.

Grape juice has sugar; yeast is added and it ferments the juice, consuming the sugar - producing alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat.  Made in unsealed containers, ‘still’ wine has no bubbles.

In making a sparkling wine, first the winemaker makes a still wine (no bubbles) and puts it into a champagne bottle.

Then, to make the bubbles, a small amount of sugar and yeast is added to the wine in the bottle.

A bottle cap (like a Coke bottle cap) seals the bottle and it is set aside to referment; this traps the carbon dioxide bubbles produced by the fermentation of the added sugar and yeast.  This process also traps the dead yeast cells in the bottle.

After appropriate rest, it’s time to remove the yeast residue.  The bottles are put in A-frame holders and the riddling process begins.

Over several weeks of periodic turning and tapping of the bottle, the yeast residue slowly moves toward the cap.  (The video shows the riddling process.)

Now it’s time to disgorge the residue.  The bottles are set upside down in a freezing brine solution to freeze the yeast sediment and form a "plug" near the cap.  The bottles are turned upright, the cap is removed and the trapped gas shoots the frozen plug (with the spent yeast) out of the bottle.

Some extra sparkling wine tops off the bottle and a cork is added to seal the bottle.

The cork seal keeps the carbon dioxide in the sparkling wine (the wire cage over the cork prevents any possible premature decorking from the high pressure contained in the bottle.)

Chill your sparkling wine prior to serving.

To remove the cork, keep the cork pointed in a safe direction and remove the foil around the cork and wire cage (keep a thumb on the cork, just in case.)

With the cage removed, hold the cork in one hand (usually under a towel) and the base of the bottle in the other.

Turn the bottle, not the cork, slowly and gently.  You want the cork to ease off with a soft "whoof" (with the cork in your hand,) not with a “pop” – and the cork sailing across the room.

Usually, a tall, thin sparkling wine glass is best to extend the life of the bubbles in the wine (the flat, broad glass allows the gas to escape faster.)

www.facebook.com/people/Peter-T-Young/1332665638

John Webber Images of Old Hawaiʻi

John Webber (1751 – 1793)

John Webber served as official artist on Captain James Cook’s third voyage of discovery around the Pacific (1776-1780) aboard HMS Resolution.

On this voyage, during which Cook lost his life in a fight in Hawai‘i.

Webber became the first European artist to make contact with Hawai‘i, then called the Sandwich Islands.

He made numerous watercolor landscapes of the islands of Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i, and also portrayed many of the Hawaiian people.

I have uploaded a number of John Webber images (landscapes, portraits and other scenes) into a folder of like name in my Facebook Photos section.

www.facebook.com/people/Peter-T-Young/1332665638

Photo Identification To Vote – Guarding Against Vote Fraud

News reports note that, apparently, adequate identification (i.e. photo ID) is not required to vote in some states.  Huh?

How else can we start to assure the validity of people who are about to vote without proper identification?

Photo Identification is not a new thing; picture IDs are required for a wide range of activities, including:

   •  To drive a car

   •  To enter a federal building

   •  To get on an airplane

   •  To open a bank account

   •  To cash a check

   •  To buy liquor

   •  To buy cigarettes

   •  To pick up event tickets at "will call"

Some suggest that requiring photo IDs in order to vote will disenfranchise the poor and requiring an ID constitutes a poll tax against the poor in order to vote.

However, the fact is that you need valid photo identification to establish your identity in order to qualify for government programs.

The exact government programs that are designed to help the poor require photo IDs. 

Of course this makes sense because the administrators of these programs want to eliminate fraud.  Photo IDs are required:

   •  To apply for food stamps

   •  To enroll in Med-QUEST

   •  To apply for General Assistance

   •  To apply for welfare benefits

The Constitution provides that citizens of the United States 18 years of age or older shall be allowed to vote in federal elections, but the Constitution otherwise leaves the eligibility of voters pretty much up to the states.  Some states, for example, provide that convicted felons lose their right to vote.

The key constitutional requirement, however, is that a voter must be a citizen of the United States.  There is nothing unique about this requirement, as every nation on the planet allows only its own citizens to vote.

Voting the names of the dead, the non-existent and the non-eligible cancels out the votes of citizens who are exercising their rights.

Requiring photo IDs is a legitimate measure to guard against vote fraud.  Why is that not appropriate for every state?