From Paradise to Paradice

That’s “Paradice,” as in “ice” - and snow.😁

In a matter of a few days, okay make that a few hours (flight time), I went from a place of clear sunny blue skies to one where the snow flies. From blue ocean and super warm temperatures to cold and freezing conditions. I went from the land of Lilo and Stitch (aaand Moana) to the land of Elsa and Frozen - befittingly.

Here’s what I mean ...

from paradise ...

to paradice

On the weekend of Presidents’ Day (February 19th), we (Dearie, I, daughter and two granddaughters) hopped out to Oahu, Hawaii for the long weekend.  A snowstorm was in the forecast at home for Sunday and Monday so it was not a bad plan after all. Actually any plan involving a day or two spent in Hawaii is never a bad plan. Unless, of course, there’s a real missile heading there at the time ...lol.  And yes, the false missile alarm was still the topic of conversation among the locals.

Having lived in Hawaii for some years in the past, this time I’m back as a tourist. And from such perspective, the islands feel a lot more exciting, more beautiful and even much more inviting still. It rained heavily on one day, but the sun was back in hot vengeance during the rest of our brief getaway.

We stayed in Waikīkī, then also at the North Shore side (Marriott’s). It’s modern vs. traditional island settings respectively. Stark opposites! Then we spent a whole day at the PCC, my old stomping grounds.  Though much has changed in the physical layout and available commercial offerings, the feel and beauty of the place and the people (students mostly) still remain. There were so many recollections and memories of this amazing and inspiring place which has changed my life in several profound ways.

Anyway, some pics to tell the rest of the story...of Paradise

Waikīkī Sunrise ...view from hotel

...her favorite, the niu

...seki a le giu mamaka ae sali i le 'aisali mo'i .. lol!
the vendor gave me a plastic spoon but I took his machete and
cut for myself an 'aisali...

Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) ...

... a feel of Samoa
chief's house in Samoan village (PCC)

... Samoan village, from across the "lagoon" (PCC)

the umukuka...
where I used to do the coconut husking demonstration years ago (PCC)

..daughter and granddaughters

Maori Marae (PCC)

PCC Night Show - Finale

Waikīkī...

Waikīkī  Beach

... touring Waikīkī

Samoa's PM on Israel's Punishment

From a Samoa Observer article:

“Yes we all know Israel is God’s country,” [Tuilaepa] said. “We all read the Bible.”

But Tuilaepa said there is a reason for war and strife in the area.

“Israel is still paying the price for their decision to crucify Jesus Christ, that’s why there is war night and day,” he said. “Remember what the Jews said when they decided to crucify Jesus, they yelled ‘let this decision be on our heads and our children’s heads.’ Well that’s what’s happened and until the penalty for that decision is fully paid, then there will be peace.”

The Prime Minister, who is a staunch Catholic, did not say when the penalty would be fully paid.

My Comment:

With all due respect to the Prime Minister, I believe that he has stepped way out of line in publicly voicing his harsh and callous opinion and feelings about a very sensitive and poignant issue. 

Sometimes he needs to be wise in his choices of how he makes his feelings known especially when done with the intention to malign a whole nation, country or people. For him as a leader, that was uncalled for. Such audacity is a blatant antithesis of good diplomacy and proper relations between nations and peoples. It also violates trust and amicable relationships among people and citizens of the world. Ironically, yet pathetically, it’s also un-Christian to pass such a scathing judgment and charge. Such charge can engender hate, bigotry and hostility towards a particular group. It’s simply divisive and very cruel.

Such an acerbic claim deserves our deepest, profound and prayerful reflections as Christians - especially Samoa as being an official “Christian” state. On reasoning and exegesis levels, we need to ponder the complexity of the whole issue and be wise about it. It’s attitude and mentality such as the PM's that would turn people into zealots, maniacs and extremists. By saying what he said, the Prime Minister is now openly and unabashedly supporting the horrors of the Holocaust, including any other cruel atrocity that befalls Israel and the Jews. Although such assumed fate can be implied in the scriptures, I still hate to play God in any elementary debate on the issue. Let God Almighty be the final judge and arbiter. He alone understands the whole plan from the beginning. Christ after all, according to the Bible is the lamb “slain from the foundation of the world.” In other words, He was destined to die to fulfill God’s plan for us mortals. Moreover, Christ himself said that “no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18 KJV). 

In quoting the above, I am not in any way vilifying, condemning and/or even exonerating Israel as a people and nation. Again, God is the only one that is omniscient and omnipotent. It is not our part and role as mere mortals to pass such a verdict and judgment on our other brothers and sisters.

I’m sure the Catholic Church, of which the PM is a member, would want to chastise and censure him for openly advocating such a horrible and creepy position. And I don’t care if it’s biblically, scripturally or popularly supported in some churches or religious circles as official dogma, it’s still one of those things you don’t go around and openly declare, endorse and preach it. The usual Samoan maxim comes to mind: “Atonu e sa’o, ae le a’o.” (“It may be right but not proper/appropriate”.)

Ma le Fa'aaloalo lava,

Legalize Marijuana in Samoa?

In other words, basically, “E Sa (banned), or ‘Samore’ (some more)?” ...  LOL!!

This is one of the hot debate topics currently in Samoa.  Like most debate issues, some people are for it and others are against it. But the Prime Minister has made his voice known in this article, basically equating and associating marijuana use, sale and legalization to "murder".  A couple of respondents have posted their comments in Samoa Planet along with my two comments below.

LV Letalu January 5, 2018 at 8:30 AM

Interesting and even ironic what the PM is saying associating legalized marijuana with murder or death. The Samoan translation for “marijuana” is “maliuaga” in the vernacular (k/g pronunciation). And in Samoan, “maliu” is “death” or “murder” and “aga” is “habit” or “behavior”. So, literally, “maliuaga” is “death habit”.


LV Letalu January 6, 2018 at 6:39 AM

I think this is an issue that’s not cut and dried yet. The jury is still out and therefore an absolute consensus on the legalization verdict is still moot. With every seemingly logical and definitive argument for legalization, there’s also an equally valid and/or effective counter argument. So I say that we not rush into it.

I’m sure there is a lot of useful and relevant information (scientific and otherwise) to consider before a better, informed and educated approach is taken. There also needs to be some education on the part of potential users, law enforcement personnel, government and health officials and members of society on the whole subject. In fact some of the states and places that have legalized marijuana are finding out some unsuspected issues and results. Colorado for example, which legalized marijuana two years ago, claimed to have made good money from it, however, that money goes right back to paying for the rising costs of resulting problems (ER visits, health issues, drugged driving, addiction, etc.). It’s a vicious cycle. Marijuana has been proven to have negative and harmful effects on the brain and other organs. And as for law enforcement benefits as claimed, here’s a citation (no pun intended) from a report on the Colorado law:

“Jackson, former president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, and other police officials said legalization simply moved much faster than law enforcement officers’ ability to keep up with it. Jackson, who sounded beleaguered in an interview, said a fallacy of legalization is that it would give law enforcement time back to focus on more serious, complicated criminal issues and bigger drug problems. Two years and two months into full legalization, he said, ‘we’re not seeing that.’”

According to the report, one of the biggest problems with legalized marijuana – and difference from alcohol – is in the infused edibles such as candy bars and other products especially with the dangers they have on children. The normalization aspect of marijuana use on children is one of my own biggest concerns.

So, at the very least, I’d say that Samoa is not ready yet – socially, medically, technologically, legally, financially, etc. – for legalized marijuana, especially recreational marijuana. It surely is going to be a heavily regulated business when implemented.

One thing I hate to see is when our people start using more land, time and energy cultivating cannabis ae le faia ma’umaga ma isi fa’ako’aga. Ia sa’o ai loa le kala a Pekelo, “…makuā oki a le mea a kakou.” Pun intended (re: maliu-aga). lol!

Christmas 2017 Pics

Family Traditions

A few days before Christmas: Put up decorations and Christmas trees

Christmas Eve: Enjoyed food/snacks, played games like Family Feud (home version), did Karaoke, and had lotsa fun!

Christmas Day To'ana'i (Brunch): This year we decided on a seafood menu

grandma and granddaughters 

Our Christmas highlight: youngest grandson skyping with missionary grandson on iPhone ... lol!!

Gone "Gatsby"

This past weekend we attended a birthday celebration (80th) for one of Dearie's cousins.  Guests were asked to dress Gatsby style of the Roarin' Twenties.  It was a beautiful and fun-filled party.  It brought back some memories of my university days studying F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" - a classic in American Literature.

Some of the guests came from as far away as Australia and New Zealand.  Marina Davis was one of them who wowed the guests with her vocal performances.

Some pictures from the party.

...us

...with daughter

daughter with cousin

dearie with cousins

dearie with niece and sister (front) with "Jade"

Samoa Observer Comments

I recently commented in the Samoa Observer on an editorial about the Prime Minister titled:
“Of course he’s not a ‘dictator,’ he is only the leader of a ‘one-party state’”

Dear Editor,

I think we should give this period of the H.R.P.P. and Tuila’epa rule the name: “Tui Myth” in the mold of the “Tudor Myth” of England of the 15th/16th centuries. There are some significant similarities.

One of these is the belief that the government/king is divinely sanctioned.

That means God watches over and governs the country through the leader/king. That has always been Tuila’epa’s shibboleth, which, unfortunately, may not and/or cannot be repudiated and refuted considering Samoa’s national motto of having been “founded on God”.

The recent constitutional change making Samoa a Christian state adds to that whole belief and psyche. But as I said in one of my recent letters:

 “The Samoa Christian churches, understandably, welcome and embrace the [change], but again there’s hidden venom underneath it. The government can actually become the proverbial camel that will slowly but surely encroach and eventually take control of the tent (or Church). If the government can pass a law to nationalize a particular religion, what stops it from regulating that religion?
The demarcation between church and state has become more indistinct and obscure as a result.

The irony is that churches now think that they are rightfully and deservedly sanctioned and are given a mandate by the government and yet, at the same time, they are unknowingly ceding to the government some of their autonomy and supposed authority and independence.

Therefore, churches/denominations better be ready and not be surprised when - not if - their ecclesiastical appointments, policies and practices will be infringed upon, if not dictated, by the government down the road. The government now has a vested interest in its religion nemesis. The camel is in.” 

Yes, the “animal” (donkey or elephant in the US political context) certainly is in the tent already. And the “divine right” claim, ironically, is now being used against the clergy and the Church in Samoa requiring their ministers to pay taxes, for example.

This sounds like something right out of an edict of a Tudor king. Practically, again, the church is now controlled by the government.

Another similarity between the present government and the Tudor dynasty is found in how the people continue to view the P.M. and H.R.P.P. as being authoritarian.

The government, however, can actually respond and - using one of the Tudor Myth’s claims and justifications for an evil king/ruler - say that it has been divinely called, too, to change and correct the people’s wicked and evil ways, if not become a scourge to them.  In other words, an evil people deserves an evil ruler. And this kinda goes along with the democratic notion of people deserving their leaders because they elect them (albeit indirectly in Samoa) to begin with.

Moreover, the P.M’s audacious and dictatorial tendencies may also be given validation and consolation by a popular notion articulated by a French political philosopher, Jean Bodin, who said, contextually, that the “... [Prime Minister], in whom the [power] resteth, is to give account unto none, but to the immortal God alone.”

This was said in defense of the monarchical style of government of Bodin’s time like the Tudor dynasty. Notwithstanding, the Bible has its own position in which the buck stops with the leaders: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”~ Proverbs 29:2 (KJV)

So either way, I guess, in a sense, it goes back to the people - if they’re mourning or rejoicing (or in emoji lingo, LOL!) - [notably] if they’re evil or good.

Samoa e, ala mai ia!

LV Letalu

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I also posted a comment on this article about the death of an LDS Church missionary.

In my Church, it’s always sad and tragic when a missionary passes away while in the mission field, especially as a result of a tragic accident.  Recently a missionary (elder), from Australia but of Samoan parentage, was killed in Samoa after being hit by a drunk driver. One of the related articles titled “Body of dead missionary to be taken home,” has this particular line in it:

“More than $9,000 was raised through a fundraiser to help take Patiole’s body back to [Australia] his homeland.”

The statement may be true with regards to the amount raised, however, the "purpose" part does distort and misrepresent the role and part of the LDS Church in such tragic cases, especially in helping the missionary’s family ease the pain through shouldering some related expenses; hence my comment (below) posted at the end of the article in the Samoa Observer.

My Comment:

Condolences to the family of the dear missionary. RIL!

Just a little clarification in case non-members (and some LDS Church members as well) misconstrue some parts of the article with regards to the core expenses. The following quote therefore may shed some light on the issue, and I'm certain the information is still valid and current, even though it was given two years ago at another missionary funeral where the same expense issues were raised.

"The death of a young missionary is a tragic time for the family and for all those who love them, and the Church seeks to ensure that there are no financial concerns that make the mourning process more difficult,” said Eric Hawkins, church spokesman. “When a missionary is injured or becomes ill and then passes away, the Church covers the costs of medical treatment and transportation, return of the deceased to their home and funeral expenses. Families may choose to supplement what the Church provides to personalize the funeral at their own discretion.”  - Daily Herald