Oops…?

KITV is reporting that the Hawai’i state flag that flies over our state capitol is sewn incorrectly, with the union stripes on the bottom incorrectly placed.

The flag was originally designed by Kamehameha I. According to the story:

The exact placement of the lines on the flag is significant because when Kamehameha the Great designed the flag, he purposely put the British Union Jack together with the stripes similar to the United States to show respect for the two great superpowers of the era.

The picture on the page isn’t too clear. To me, it looks like if you flip the flag on the left side over, it’ll be correct. If this is what the people-in-charge have to look at when they check, I can’t really blame them for missing it. It’s certainly a more minor mistake than, say, flying it upside down, which Burger King has done in the past.

There’s a Wikipedia article that adds to the mystery.

Hmm…

I’ve Voted…

…Have you?

If you haven’t, you really should. It’s free. It’s a right thousands of Americans have died for over hundreds of years. It’s basically your only method of controlling your government. It gives you the right to complain when your representatives mess up or ignore what you want. It makes a difference. It takes only a couple of minutes. You can request an absentee ballot and vote in the comfort of your own home.

It doesn’t matter who you vote for, and this blogger is just as frustrated by the lack of decent choices as you. Just do it. There’s still time to register for the General Election on November 2nd.

Trust me. You’ll be glad you did.

In Memorial

9/11 Memorial at Honolulu Hale

Let this eternal flame unite our country in memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and honor the brave men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to save others. The love and spirit of our grateful nation, and the hearts and prayers of our people will always be with them. – September 11th memorial at Honolulu Hale

Three years ago from this moment, four planes were crashed by terrorists. The resulting world unity, instant and sustained, was unprecedented in the history of humanity, and may never be seen again.

Even on a day where so much went wrong, God was very much at work to bring life from the ashes.

Restore our fortunes, LORD,
   as streams renew the desert.

Those who plant in tears
   will harvest with shouts of joy.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,
   but they sing as they return with the harvest.

Psalm 126:4-6 (NLT)

And Ivan Makes Three

Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was the third hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic in a span of weeks. (Photo courtesy NOAA)

I’m terribly saddened to hear of the damage caused by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan over the past few weeks. Hawai’i receives its fair share of damage from hurricanes – in 1992, Hurricane Iniki left two dead and over 11,000 homes damaged or totally destroyed.

I still remember so much of the few hours the wind was howling outside. My most vivid memory is of veteran KHON reporter Ray Lovell declaring, “Hurricane Iniki is heading straight for O’ahu.” It was not a particularly high note in my life.

As unpleasant as that was, I can’t imagine how terrible it must be to have not one, but three storms attack your community at almost the same time.

Please remember the people of Florida in your prayers, and give generously if you’re able.

Man Crashes, Burns SUV at Kahului Airport

Breaking News: The AP and local media outlets are reporting that a 52 year-old male drove a sports utility vehicle into Kahului Airport on Maui – the second-busiest airport in Hawai’i. The driver immediately lit a can of gasoline on fire with a lighter.

TSA officials arrested the man immediately, and closed the airport to outgoing flights for 10 hours. Arriving passengers were allowed to retrieve their bags.

The FBI said in a statement that the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism.