Hawaii News
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Marine Debris Action Plan Unveiled
Jan 13th
NOAA and several partners in Hawaii announced a comprehensive long-term plan to actively assess and remove plastics, derelict fishing gear, and other human sources of marine debris from coastal waters and coral reefs along the island chain. The plan, a first of its kind for the nation, will be instrumental in protecting the state’s coastal communities and marine life from the thousands of pounds of marine debris that wash ashore each year.
“For too long marine debris has marred the natural beauty of our ocean and threatened our marine ecosystem,†said Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii. “I have long championed a coordinated effort to mitigate the many tons of debris that suffocate our coral, kill our fish and aquatic mammals and blanket our coastlines. This is a critical issue for our state and I am proud that Hawaii is taking the lead in finding a solution to this global problem.â€
For the last two years, numerous governmental, non-governmental, academic, industry, and private business partners from across the state worked alongside NOAA’s Marine Debris Program to develop the Hawaii Marine Debris Action Plan. Building on significant ongoing and past marine debris community efforts, the plan establishes a comprehensive and cooperative framework for marine debris activities and projects across the state to reduce:
- the current backlog of marine debris;
- the number of abandoned and derelict vessels;
- land-based debris in waterways; and
- fishing gear and solid waste disposal at sea
Numerous strategies and activities fall under each of these goal areas, many of them already underway by Hawaii’s marine debris partners. These include debris removal efforts, emergency response, prevention and outreach campaigns as well as increasing research and technology development. Progress will be tracked and measured for each of these areas.
“We’ve all been working to address marine debris in Hawai‘i in our own way for years. It’s great to have a plan that we can all contribute to and work together on to tackle marine debris in Hawaii,†said Marvin Heskett, member of the Surfrider Foundation’s Oahu Chapter.
“This roll-out demonstrates NOAA’s continued commitment to working with partners from across the state of Hawai‘i on the issue of marine debris,†said David M. Kennedy, acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “We are proud to take part in the development of the nation’s first marine debris action plan in Hawaii.â€
The plan, supported and coordinated by NOAA with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is available online. Video is also available for download on the site.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.
Punahou, Iolani top LEGO robotics competition
Dec 21st
The FIRST LEGO League 2009 season drew to a close today with an intense competition for the 2009 “Smart Move†Challenge Hawai‘i State Championship. At the Neil S. Blaisdell Arena, 48 teams of students demonstrated their problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship and sense of community.
FIRST stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” This year’s competition called for teams of 9 to 14 year-old students to research and present their own creative solutions to one of today’s most relevant topics: gaining efficiency in transportation systems.
The Champions Award was presented to Punahou School’s team, Punabots Blue. ‘Iolani School’s Roboraiders Zoom team was named runner-up.
As the state champion, Punahou School will represent Hawai‘i at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival, to be held in conjunction with the FIRST Championship, April 15-17, 2010 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.
Other award winning schools include:
- King Kamuali‘i – Judges Award
- Waimea Canyon Middle – Rising Star Award
- ‘Aina Haina Elementary – Team Spirit Award
- Pauoa Elementary – Core Values Award
- Highlands Intermediate – Gracious Professionalism Award
- Kaunakakai Elementary – Creative Presentation, first place
- Emmanuel Lutheran School – Creative Presentation Award, second place
- ‘Iolani School – Innovative Solution Award, first place; Research Quality Award, second place
- Kapolei Elementary – Innovative Solution Award, second place
- Holomua Elementary – Research Quality Award, first place
- Punahou School (Team Firewall) – Robot Design Award, first place
- Hawai‘i Baptist Academy – Robot Design Award, second place
- Mid Pacific Institute – Team Work Award, first place
- Honolulu Christian Homeschoolers – Team Work Award, second place
- Punahou School (Team Buff n Blue 100) – Robot Performance Award, first place
- Punahou School (Team Firewall) – Robot Performance Award, second place
Student teams programmed their robots to complete “missions,†including how to plan efficient routes and sequences, climb steep ramps, respond to changing conditions, travel along narrow bridges with no guard rails, and endure successful crash tests. Through this research and competitive play, students are exploring the growing questions around how to make transportation more efficient.
The FLL competition is judged in four areas: project presentation; robot performance; technical design and programming of the robot; and teamwork. The highest honor will go to the team that best exemplifies the spirit and values of the program.
In addition to the Championship competition, nearly 200 Junior FIRST LEGO League participants displayed their LEGO models and research projects. Junior FIRST LEGO League is geared toward 6 to 9 year-olds, introducing them to the wonders of science and technology through traditional, open-ended LEGO building with an age-appropriate challenge based on the FIRST LEGO League theme. Hawai‘i currently fields 45 Junior FLL teams.
Participation in the FIRST LEGO League and Junior FIRST LEGO League programs in Hawai‘i has skyrocketed from six to a record 172 teams, in the six years of the programs operation in Hawai‘i.
This weekend’s FLL Hawai‘i State Championship Tournament was sponsored by Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC), Women in Technology, Hawaiian Electric Company, TESORO Corporation, City & County of Honolulu – HTA – CPEP, UH Manoa College of Engineering, Honolulu Community College – Construction Academy, Department of Education and isisHawaii.
FIRST LEGO League is one of six major programs in which Hawai‘i students can participate. The six programs which fall under the umbrella of the Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC) include FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Robotics, Botball, VEX Robotics, Underwater Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV), and Micro Robotics.
Recognizing the importance of promoting robotics at an early age and sustaining students’ interest in STEM education throughout their schooling, the six robotics programs which previously operated autonomously joined together to form the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC) (www.robotics.hawaii.gov). This is the first time all six of the robotics programs have coordinated their efforts to promote robotics education in elementary, middle and high schools statewide.
To learn more about student robotics in Hawai‘i as well as to view highlights and photos of the Hawai‘i FLL State Championship, visit www.hawaiiroc.org.
The following schools and youth organizations will participated in the “Smart Move†Challenge this weekend:
O‘ahu
- Aina Haina Elementary School
- Hawai‘i Baptist Academy
- Highlands Intermediate School
- Holomua Elementary School
- Honolulu Christian Home Schoolers
- ‘Iolani School
- KÄne‘ohe Elementary School
- Kapolei Elementary School
- Kapolei Middle School
- Lehua Elementary School
- Ma‘ema‘e Elementary School
- Makalapa Elementary School
- Mid Pacific Institute
- Mililani Mauka Elementary School
- Moanalua Elementary
- Noelani Elementary School
- Pearl City Elementary School
- Pearl Ridge Elementary School
- Punahou School
- Sacred Hearts Academy
- Salt Lake Elementary School
Maui
- 4-H Maui
- Emmanuel Lutheran School
- ‘Īao School
- Queen Ka‘ahumanu Elementary School
- Seabury Hall
- St. Josephs School
- Moloka‘i
- Kaunakakai Elementary School
LÄna‘i
- LÄna‘i Elementary School
Big Island
- Keaukaha Robotics Program
- Myron B. Thompson Academy, PCS
- Pauoa Elementary
- WaiÄkea Elementary
- Waiakeawaena Elementary
- West Hawai‘i Explorations Academy, PCS
Kaua‘i
- King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School
- KÅloa Elementary School
- Waimea Canyon Middle School
ABOUT FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With the support of many of the world’s most well-known companies, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge for high-school students, FIRST LEGO League for children 9-14 years old, and Junior FIRST LEGO League for 6 to 9 year-olds.
FLL is an international program for 9 to 14 year-old children (10 to 16 outside the U.S. and Canada) created in a partnership between FIRST and The LEGO Group in 1998 based on their common belief that fun and learning go hand-in-hand, and that an inspired mind can accomplish anything. Each September, FIRST LEGO League announces the annual challenge to teams, engaging them in authentic scientific research and hands-on robotics design. Using LEGO MINDSTORMS technologies and LEGO play materials, children work alongside adult mentors to design, build, and program robots to complete missions based on real-world challenges. After eight intense weeks, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments.
ABOUT THE LEGO GROUP
LEGO Systems Inc. (LSI) is the Americas (North America and Latin America) division of The LEGO Group, a privately-held firm based in Billund, Denmark. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities through high-quality, creatively educational play materials, and its employees are guided by the motto adopted in the 1930s by founder Ole Kirk Christiansen: “Only the best is good enough.”
Snow at Sea Life Park
Dec 9th
The weather forecast for Sea Life Park is calling for snow — about 14 tons of it over the next couple of weeks.
This Friday, December 11, and again on Saturday, December 19, from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Sea Life Park Hawaii will be offering special “Snow by the Sea†events at the Park’s Meadow where keiki can build a snowman, make snow angels, snowball fight and pose for pictures. In addition, the kids can enjoy an inflatable bounce house.
“Christmas is never quite Christmas without snow,†said Jesus Bravo, general manager of the Park. “While our snow at Sea Life Park may not come from the sky, it still offers the unique feel of playing in the snow and will help get the whole family in the holiday spirit. Make sure the kids are bundled up in hats, snow pants, and gloves!â€
“Snow by the Sea†is free with Park admission, and after playing in the snow, families can enjoy the Park’s regular attractions. For more information, call Sea Life Park at 259-7933.
Sea Life Park offers a variety of marine-life shows, exhibits and educational programs for all ages and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Among its most popular features are the swim-with-dolphin programs.  For more information, visit the Park’s Web site at www.sealifeparkhawaii.com.
Governor’s Innovation Awards for November 2009
Dec 1st
Governor Linda Lingle today recognized three recipients of the Governor’s Innovation Awards for their role in helping Hawai‘i create an innovation-based economy and a stronger future for the state. The winners have developed innovative solutions to challenges, invented and implemented new technologies with worldwide applications, and contributed to the long-term economic well-being of the state.
“This month’s Innovation Award Winners have demonstrated that developing innovative solutions to improve our community is important in every sector of our society,†said Governor Lingle. “One recipient is leading the way in using science and technology to develop innovative retina treatments. Another is employing innovative ideas and partnerships to ensure that our youth do not miss out on athletic opportunities due to the current economic and fiscal challenges. Our third recipient is a government agency that has a proven record of developing innovative programs to help prepare those who made mistakes in the past to lead productive lives in our community.â€
The recipients of the Governor’s Innovation Award for November 2009 are:
Innovation by an Organization: Retina Institute of Hawai‘i
The Retina Institute of Hawai‘i is regarded as one of the nation’s leading retina treatment practices, especially for its research and clinical trials. The Institute is currently participating in 13 clinical trials that allow it to offer Hawai‘i residents the latest state-of-the-art treatment and therapies. The Institute is also in the process of securing at least four patents on several types of retina surgeries. In addition to its advanced research and clinical trials, the Retina Institute of Hawai‘i has invested more than $300,000 to launch “Project Vision,†an innovative, non-profit mobile office that provides free retinal screenings via a converted 35-foot bus that is furnished with an examination laboratory and digital imaging equipment.
Innovation by an Individual: Keith Amemiya
Since taking the position of executive director of the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) eleven years ago, Keith Amemiya has devised innovative ways to increase and enhance opportunities for Hawai‘i’s youth to participate in high school athletics. Without counting on State funding, Amemiya formed strategic partnerships with Hawai‘i’s businesses and the community to expand the number of state championship tournaments, providing more opportunities for more student athletes – both boys and girls – from across the state to become involved. Hawai‘i now has the most high school sports championships in the nation – thanks to the pioneering work by Amemiya to find creative ways to establish championship tournaments in sports such as girls wrestling, air riflery, cheerleading, girls golf, girls water polo and judo.
This year, facing what could have been a monumental challenge when the Department of Education cut $1.2 million from Hawai‘i’s public school athletic departments, Amemiya used his innovative skills to form the HHSAA Save Our Sports campaign. Since July, the campaign has raised more than $1.3 million in private donations, ensuring that our student athletes will not miss out on opportunities to participate and excel in their chosen sports, despite the current economic and fiscal challenges. Amemiya will step down as executive director at the end of the year, but through his innovation, he leaves HHSAA with a stronger future and a winning record for Hawai‘i’s student athletes.
Innovation in Government: Dept. of Public Safety, Hawai‘i Correctional Industries
Hawai‘i Correctional Industries (HCI) continues to implement innovative solutions that allow inmates to learn job skills, while saving the State and private companies valuable resources. HCI, a self-sustaining division of the state Department of Public Safety, provides inmates with real-world work opportunities to help increase their employment prospects upon release. HCI has developed inmate work programs that provide printing services, labor resources, furniture making, and construction services. Over the years, HCI work crews have constructed playgrounds at elementary schools, installed office furniture at state agencies, cleared weeds and brush along State highways and packaged papayas for a Hilo company. The labor provided to the government agencies comes at significant cost savings, which is especially helpful as the State works to provide quality services with fewer resources. Inmate labor costs only 50 cents per hour and the inmates gain a positive work ethic while learning real-world skills that they can use to turn their lives around and create a stronger future for themselves when released back into the community.
About the Governor’s Innovation Awards
Governor Lingle initiated the Innovation Awards in May 2008 to acknowledge and encourage innovation across all sectors statewide. The awards recognize deserving individuals, companies, nonprofits, organizations and government agencies that are developing innovative products, services and processes. The award is part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s Hawai‘i Innovation Initiative, a comprehensive plan to transform Hawai‘i’s economy from one dependent on land development to one that builds on human ingenuity and the ability of Hawai‘i’s people to innovate.
The Governor’s Innovation Awards nominees are evaluated monthly by a 15-member selection panel comprised of industry, education and government representatives statewide. Nominations are submitted online and are judged on creativity; effectiveness in achieving a goal or purpose; transferability and adoptability by others; and significance in addressing an important local or global issue, problem or opportunity. The selection committee provides final recommendations to Governor Lingle for her approval.
For additional information or to submit a nomination, visit www.hawaii.gov/gov/innovation-award.
Helemano Farms opens Friday for Christmas tree sales
Nov 23rd
Helemano Farms, which grows thousands of Norfolk pine Christmas trees in Central Oahu, will open on “Black Friday.” This is the company’s fifth year of tree sales. The farm will be open every day, from noon to sunset on weekdays and 10 a.m. to sunset on weekends, until two days before Christmas 2009.
Prices for all Norfolk trees up to 8 feet tall are the same as last year: 6-foot Norfolks are still only $40! Our locally made Christmas wreaths also are the same price as last year: $25.
Visitors at Helemano Farms choose from thousands of Norfolk Christmas trees, which range from 5 to 20 feet tall. Employees cut, wrap and load trees free of charge. And Norfolks grow back after they’re cut down.
Potted Norfolk Pines are not available at the farm and the company does not ship trees off Oahu.
Helemano Farms has planted its popular Leyland Cypress trees, which sold out in 2008. The new Leylands should be ready by Christmas 2010.
Helemano Farms LLC started growing Christmas trees in Central Oahu in 2002. The farm began as the green retirement project of late agriculture executive Mike O’Brien, whose family runs Helemano Farms in his memory. The farm is in Whitmore Village in Wahiawa at the end of Whitmore Avenue.
For volcanoes, acting locally causes effects globally
Nov 20th
A visit to Kilauea can bring a sense of awe and appreciation for the earth’s volcanoes. Over the past weeks, the east rift eruption has produced multiple ocean entries, and photogenic surface flows, which have touched off fiery infernos in the rare remaining kipuka (island of vegetation). The flows came uncomfortably close to the tourist trail that has carried tens of thousands of admiring visitors, and engulfed and destroyed a lone structure. Not to be outdone, the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent has offered glimpses of a rising and falling lava pond, as well as a landscape of molten, shifting holes opening into a deep cavity within the vent.
In contrast, living downwind of Kilauea’s copious gas emissions, or in the path of lava flows, can bring an exclamation of “auwe†(“oh dear!†or “Alas!â€). Since the onset of summit activity in 2008, impacts from Kilauea have increased. Hawai`i County was declared a federal natural disaster area owing to agricultural losses, and air quality in downwind communities frequently exceeded federal and state standards.
While Kilauea does contribute modest amounts of gasses to the atmosphere, most impacts are local to Hawai`i. We might count ourselves lucky because growing evidence suggests that very large volcanic eruptions have extreme effects on the global environment. For example, massive volcanic activity around 60-70 million years ago occurred on the Deccan Plateau in what is now west-central India. This activity, which produced the Deccan Traps (from the Swedish word for stairs, Trappa, which refers to the feature’s step-like landscape), is one of the largest known eruptions to occur since the Earth’s initial formation.
There are distinct similarities between Kilauea and the Deccan Traps. While Kilauea is being created by the Hawai`i hot spot, the Deccan Traps were likely a product of the Reunion hot spot. The eruptive style of both can be characterized by multiple volcanic events separated by relatively short repose periods. They produce basaltic lava and have flow units with pahoehoe toes as the basic building block. In fact, scientists have studied Kilauea’s active volcanism as an analog for processes that would have created the Deccan Traps.
During the 0.5 million years or so since Kilauea first began growing from the floor of the ocean, 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) have been covered by lava, or about 1/7 the area of Hawai`i Island. The Deccan Traps currently cover 500,000 square kilometers (190,000 square miles), an area somewhat greater than that of California. During its peak, which likely lasted less than 1 million years, the eruption rate of the Deccan Traps was at least 15 times that of Kilauea’s current eruption rate, or at least 25 times that of Kilauea’s more modest lifetime eruption rate.
The timing of the Deccan Traps is intriguing, with the peak in activity occurring at around 65 million years ago. Movie buffs and dinosaur fans might recall the tagline for the 1993 movie Jurassic Park: “An Adventure 65 Million Years in the Making,†referring to the timing of the transition between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. Known as the K-T boundary, it was characterized by mass extinction of species, including the non-avian dinosaurs.
There is strong evidence that the impact of a large asteroid or comet contributed to this mass extinction due to the presence of enriched iridium in the fossil record at the K-T boundary. Iridium is an element that is much less abundant in the earth’s crust than in meteorites, and, thus, likely originated from space. The Chicxulub impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, has been identified as a likely candidate for a K-T impact event.
However, growing evidence suggests that volcanic activity from the Deccan Traps was a significant contributor to the mass extinction event. Recent studies examining the fossil record were able to correlate an abrupt change at the K-T boundary in species of tiny sea creatures known as foraminifera, with the main eruptive pulse in the Deccan Traps.
Volcanoes great and small can affect life on earth, from contributing to the extinction of dinosaurs to impacting Kilauea’s neighbors.
Kilauea Activity Update
Lava continues to erupt from the TEB vent on Kilauea’s east rift zone and flow through tubes to the ocean at two locations—Waikupanaha and west Waikupanaha. Small surface flows have been sporadically active on the coastal plain for the last several weeks. In the past week, these surface flows were scattered mostly over a broad area more than 1 km to the west of the Hawai`i County lava viewing trail.
Glow above the vent at Kilauea’s summit has been visible at night from the Jaggar Museum. Incandescent openings, sometimes providing views of the lava surface, were visible on the floor of the vent cavity throughout the week by the Webcam perched on the rim of Halema`uma`u Crater. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind.
One earthquake beneath Hawai`i Island was reported felt this past week. A magnitude-2.8 earthquake occurred at 6:04 a.m., H.s.t., on Sunday, November 15, 2009, and was located 3 km (5 miles) north of Paa`auilo at a depth of 11 km (7 miles).
Visit the HVO Website for detailed Kilauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kilauea summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
UH hosts Physics & Astronomy Open House Nov. 21
Nov 11th
The University of Hawai‘i at MÄnoa will hold a Physics and Astronomy Open House from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, November 21. Eleven sites—including Watanabe Hall, Krauss Annex and the Physical Science Building—will feature physics and astronomy research and applications presented by Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty and students.
The public is invited to attend the 2009 open house, which will also draw high school teachers and their students. There will be physics demonstrations, and presentations on density and buoyancy, nanophysics, anti-matter, free electron laser, cosmic ray physics, astronomy, astrobiology, geo-neutrinos, the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) project, and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The welcome and overview will take place in the Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics Auditorium at 8:30 a.m., with sites open from 9:00-11:00 a.m. for group visits, and 11:00 to noon for informal visits.
“This is an opportunity to learn what is happening in physics and astronomy in Hawaii and elsewhere,†said Michael Jones, an Associate Physicist in the UH MÄnoa Department of Physics and Astronomy. “Attendees have found previous open house events to be interesting and enjoyable.â€
A full schedule is available online in the News & Events section on the bottom of the Physics & Astronomy website at www.phys.hawaii.edu.
Hawaii receives $3.8 million for energy conservation
Nov 2nd
U. S. Representative Neil Abercrombie today announced that the City and County of Honolulu is receiving $3,863,700 for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The block grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to help communities improve their energy efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and create green jobs locally.
“Ultimately, this helps families save money on utility bills,†said Rep. Abercrombie, “because the more energy efficient Hawaii’s communities are, the smaller our overall energy demand and the less fuel we’ll need to generate electricity.â€
Activities eligible for grants funding include home and business energy audits and building retrofits, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections, and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.
“The other sustained benefit to these grants is the creation of new green jobs, from conducting energy audits and retrofitting buildings, eventually to the creation of Hawaii businesses to manufacture energy efficient equipment.â€
Hawaiian Airlines pilots seek release
Oct 26th
Hawaiian Airlines pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), declared today that they believe their contract negotiations are at an impasse and asked the federal government to release them from mediation, a process that could start the clock for a future pilots’ strike at the airline.
In a letter sent to the National Mediation Board (NMB) on behalf of the Hawaiian pilots, ALPA President John Prater outlined three years of stalled negotiations where HAL management has repeatedly demanded contract concessions from its workers while the airline soared to unprecedented profits and richly rewarded its senior executives.
“The Company continues to insist that its present business plan requires significant sacrifice from pilots and other employees. That position is not justified by either the competitive environment, the Company’s place in the industry, or its present financial condition,†Prater said. “There is simply no reason to believe that the Company will change its position without the imposition of a deadline and the possible release from mediation. The Association believes that further mediation is not likely to lead to an agreement and that further bargaining, in the absence of a proffer, will be futile.â€
In response, Hawaiian Airlines released a brief statement:
“ALPA’s request is nothing more than posturing for negotiations, which continue with the oversight of the National Mediation Board. Hawaiian remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with its pilots union.â€
ALPA formally requested that the NMB end its mediation efforts and issue a Proffer of Arbitration to both parties. If the Board makes a proffer and either ALPA or Hawaiian declines to enter binding arbitration, the two sides would be released from mediation and will enter a 30-day cooling-off period after which the parties are free to take self-help. At that point Hawaiian’s pilots could strike.
Capt. Eric Sampson, chairman of ALPA’s Hawaiian group, said the final straw came last week, when the company announced a $30.7 million net profit for the 3rd quarter of 2009 at the same time they asked pilots, in large part, to fund pay increases with productivity savings and work rule changes. The Company continued its track record as one of the most successful airlines in the United States and put it on target to record over a $100 million profit for the year.
With that profit, like last year, company executives will share millions of dollars in bonus money – enough, in fact, to fund the contract improvements ALPA is seeking. The bonuses and awards that Hawaiian gave to just its top five executives in 2008 are almost double the amount ALPA has asked for in 2010 pay raises for its more than 400 HAL pilots. HAL CEO Mark Dunkerley alone received a 42 percent increase in his total compensation in 2008.
“Our pilots have worked under a bankruptcy-era contract for almost five years, while the airline made more and more money. Every time the Company needed help, we stepped up to the plate,†Sampson said. “We helped them emerge from bankruptcy, we made acquiring new Airbus A-330s possible by agreeing to fly those larger planes for the same rate we fly our current Boeing aircraft, and we waived work rules to fly more hours so the Company could fill the void left when Aloha and ATA stopped flying.â€
“To us, ‘ohana’ and ‘aloha’ aren’t just company marketing slogans. They mean something. We’ve had enough and we’re stating simply that pilots and other employees have to be rewarded the same way that management rewards itself for the Company’s unprecedented success and extraordinary financial performance,†Sampson stated.
In a strike authorization vote taken earlier this fall, 98 percent of participating HAL pilots gave their leadership the go-ahead to declare a strike if the NMB releases ALPA to self-help. It would be the first walkout in Hawaiian’s 80-year history.
“White on Rice” Opens in Hawaii Theaters
Oct 13th
“White on Rice,” an award-winning comedy film directed by Brigham Young University student Dave Boyle, is on the verge of becoming a grassroots success story. It will open in Honolulu on October 30 at the Regal Dole Cannery 18, with other theaters to follow. The film is also an official selection of the 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival.
The Japanese and English language family film, which the San Francisco Chronicle’s Jeff Yang calls “a cinematic milestone,” has previously opened in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, San Jose, Salt Lake City and other markets courtesy of distributor Variance Films. The trailer can be viewed here.
Director Dave Boyle and star Hiroshi Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima) will attend the Hawaii premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival on October 19. The film also stars James Kyson Lee (NBC’s “Heroes”), Lynn Chen (Saving Face) and Japanese Academy Award winner Nae. Boyle and Watanabe will be in Hawaii from October 18-23 for promotional events at local universities.
Film Synopsis:
Jimmy (Hiroshi Watanabe, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) loves dinosaurs and sleeps on the top bunk. Unfortunately, Jimmy is 40 and shares that bunk with Bob (Justin Kwong), his 10-year-old nephew. Freshly divorced, Jimmy lives with his sister Aiko (Japanese Academy Award winner Nae) and her family while boldly searching for a new wife. His brother in-law, Tak (Mio Takada, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) thinks he’s a disaster. And although Jimmy may lack social grace, he is convinced the best years of his life are just beginning. His plan seems like it’s all falling into place when Tak’s beautiful niece Ramona (Lynn Chen, SAVING FACE) moves in. But once Jimmy sets his sights on stealing her from his best friend Tim (James Kyson Lee, “Heroesâ€), he sees his intentions go hilariously awry.
Hilarious and touching, “White on Rice” is a Japanese-American comic treat that reminds us families stick together…like white on rice!
