Hawaii's governor says romance on the beach probably isn't as glamorous as it appears to be in one of Hollywood's most famous love scenes. Cayetano turns a cold
shoulder to ‘Eternity’ dipGov. Ben Cayetano broke from prepared remarks to the annual meeting of the Environmental Council of States last week to offer his take on Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's memorable embrace in the surf in the 1953 Academy Award-winning World War II movie, "From Here to Eternity."
Effusing about the rugged beauty of the Ka Iwi shoreline 15 miles east of Honolulu, the governor noted for the mostly out-of-town crowd that a cove along the shoreline was the site of the famous kissing scene.
Cayetano told the audience he doubted his wife, Vicky, would find lying on the sand in a full body embrace and being swept over by waves very romantic.
"It'd be like a cold shower," he said, provoking a laugh from the Waikiki crowd.
A Dem again: Former state Rep. Annelle Amaral, who last year helped organize the Aloha Aina Political Party for Hawaiians, has returned to her political roots as a Democrat at the urging of some Democratic Party officials.
Amaral said Jimmy Toyama, chairman of the Oahu party, was very persistent in persuading her to return to the fold.
Nevertheless, Amaral remains active in the Hawaiian community. With redistricting to open up new House and Senate seats in Leeward Oahu, the Kapolei resident wants Hawaiians to collectively use their block voting power in that area to field candidates for next year's elections who support Hawaiian issues.
"We do want to look at those seats and start to figure out where we need to get the information out, what kind of candidates we need to have run -- not just Hawaiian candidates, but people who love things Hawaiian -- and how to use that 20 percent vote," she said.
State rebate: If the economy is in trouble, we need fewer taxes, say Republicans in the state House.
Noting that the national economic growth rate is slowing, Rep. Galen Fox, House GOP leader, is calling for a new round of state tax cuts. "To inoculate Hawaii from the Japan recession and a near recession in the U.S., Hawaii must immediately eliminate the excise tax on groceries, medical services and rent," said Fox (R, Waikiki).
Fellow Republican Rep. Charles Djou (Kaneohe) added that the federal tax rebate checks are expected to ease the projected national recession, and the state should do something similar.
"To avoid another economic downturn, the Hawaii Legislature must pass tax relief during the next session," he said.
Easy green: Hawaii's Republican Party held two fund-raisers this past week.
More than 100 people attended a $500-per-person reception for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman on Aug. 26 at the Kahala home of real estate developer Duncan MacNaughton, raising as much as $50,000 for the local GOP.
Republicans held their annual golf tournament on Thursday at the Pearl Country Club, with more than 200 golfers signed up.
"Being able to host two such successful events in the same week shows how much people support a strong two-party system of government," Chairwoman Linda Lingle said.
Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes