Hawaii
OPEN house Saturday at the Queen Kapiolani garden where you can see the 1,000 rose bushes which insurance exec Paul Yamanaka has provided free of charge. A Department of Parks & Recreation press release states there will be demonstrations to show "how to give a full sex life to the rose." And if that doesn't turn you on, there'll also be a demonstration to show "the proper way to terminate pregnancies in roses." We didn't even know they messed around. (May 17, 1971) ... 1971: Queen Kapiolani
garden gets fresh with rosesJUDGE Calvin C. McGregor sends along an interesting news story about how Japan Air Lines remodeled the interior of a DC-8 so they could transport a group of sumo wrestlers to Beijing for a tournament. The remodeling allowed more legroom between seats, and the arm rests were removed so two wrestlers could sit where three normal-size people do. The big problem, however, was the 18-inch-wide door to the toilets. Since they couldn't be widened, the sumo boys were asked to enter sideways. Or be very patient. (May 14, 1973) ...
WE suggested it in jest but the Aussies took us seriously, and this afternoon the leader of the New South Wales Trade Mission, Sir John Bryan Munro Fuller, arranged to have a beverage at Sir John's restaurant. (May 16, 1974) ... Ironic to note that the victim of what police say was Saipan's first armed robbery was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, in Saipan to write about the Marianas becoming a U.S. commonwealth. The reporter, Matthew Seiden, said after the robbery, "It seems to me this proves Saipan is already a part of the U.S." (May 18, 1976) ... Kam Fong and Ana Lang watched the actor's final show on "Hawaii Five-O," the one on which he was killed off, on the mainland. Later they were surprised and thrilled to see Kam's picture projected on the screen during the 11 p.m. newscast in L.A. and hear a commentary on his leaving the series. Also, L.A. Times columnist Cecil Smith devoted an entire column to Kam Fong's "expiring." (May 14, 1978) ...
YOU have to like the name of the country-and-western group that opened a six-week gig last night at Paul Stoudt's Texas Paniolo Cafe in Punaluu. They call themselves -- with apologies to John Travolta -- the Bourbon Cowboys. (May 18, 1982) ... When's the last time you strolled through Chinatown? Where else can you get hog heads, cow tongues, poi, smoked duck, limu and lomilomi salmon all under one roof? That would be at the Oahu Market, one of the 36 interesting tour stops selected for Historic Hawaii's Preservation Parade slated for May 20. In addition to open markets, the self-guided tour through the Chinatown Historic District features herb shops, historic buildings, antique and curio shops, restaurants, temples and art galleries -- the newest addition to a grand old part of Honolulu. (May 12, 1989) ...
ORDINARILY, tipping a cop would be tantamount to arrest for attempted bribery, but next Monday will be an exception. HPD officers will be waiting tables at restaurants throughout Ward Centre as a benefit for Hawaii Special Olympics. The gratuities they receive tableside will go to the local nonprofit organization. Take a camera so you can get a photo of yourself slipping a few bucks to a cop. (May 17, 1991) ...
FOLLOWING Kong Lung Co.'s extensive renovation after Hurricane Iniki, store manager Mina Morita's office remained upstairs, but buyer Pam Lightfoot's was moved to the main floor of the Kilauea, Kauai, emporium. Problem: They have to pass papers to each other, and neither was about to run up and down the stairs all day. Quipped Lightfoot, "I'd rather go to the gym. Too bad we don't have a clothes pin and a rope." Tom Bodner to the rescue. He created what amounts to an internal mail chute -- a clipboard that travels on a pulley between the two offices. Says Lightfoot, "Tom always arrives at the last minute with a great solution to any problem -- that's why we call him 'MacGyver.'" (May 18, 1994)...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com