Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Company Coming!

Aloha!
Come in!
click on photos to enlarge
"First rate men and women will not and cannot work under conditions fixed by those who are afraid of ideas."
Henry Steele Commanger


"Fire the MBA's and hire a poet!"
P.J. O'Rourke on saving the US auto industry



Princess Kaiulani & Peacock



"There are joys that long to be ours. God sends ten thousand truths, which come about us like birds seeking inlet; but we are shut up to them, and so they bring us nothing, but sit and sing awhile upon the roof, then fly away."
Henry Ward Beecher



In 1881, Hawaii's King David Kalakaua was the first head of state to meet with Emperor Meiji after the opening of Japan.

Kalakaua requested, and Meiji later signed, an agreement (1885) allowing the immigration of Japanese workers to Hawai‘i.
Those issei (first generation) immigrants and their descendants have contributed much to the multicultural society that is Hawai‘i.

During his visit, Kalakaua also proposed betrothing his 5 year old niece Princess Kaiulani (statue above) to Japanese Prince Komatsu Akihito. Though ultimately this came to nothing.

Next week, another Akihito will be visiting us here in Hawaii. Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will be here to observe the 50th anniversary of the local Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation.

"The Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship is awarded to 1) graduate students in Japan for study at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (My alma mater ;-) ; and 2) American graduate students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for study in Japan who are pursuing a subject area leading to better understanding between Japan and the United States."

From the website; http://www.jashawaii.org/cpas.asp

The royal couple is also slated to lay a wreathe at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. In doing so they will honor many WWII veterans including the grandfather with whom President Barack Obama lived.

The president of Taiwan was here a few days ago. . .

Rumor has it that our president will be visiting in December. . .

We'd better clean up!


A L O H A! Cloudia

bonus pic !





17 comments:

icloudia said...

You keep Hawaii history alive and tie it to the present.

The Grandpa said...

What a great bonus pic. If you invite the royal couple to dinner, please take a picture and share it. :0) Aloha, Coudia.

Dina said...

I'm sure you treat all the guests "royally." Aloha

Anonymous said...

Cloudia--Just when I think your posts can't get any better-- they do. Outstanding photos! The first one is just stunning. Aloha friend.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Always interesting to drop by. Those blue flowers are amazing.

Jenn Jilks said...

Precious thoughts and photos, as always, Cloudia.
Aloha!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

"Fire the MBA's and hire a poet!" wonderful!!! Oh, how lovely to work with people who are not afraid of ideas. Lovely to be here at your blog, Cloudia - summer is so busy, I've had to curtail blog visiting, so this is a real treat!

the walking man said...

Imagine that! An emperor of a 1300 year old hereditary dynasty, coming to Hawaii for a little Aloha! Remember, be polite and don't ask for an autograph.

Yes they should have gotten a poet to save the US auto industry. The banks and not the taxpayers, workers and shareholders would have been left holding the bag on this one.

Specifically Goldman-Sachs which by new evidence emerging has been manipulating the market to its own benefit for decades. All the bubbles and busts originated there, all the government flunky's that sent them hundreds of billions came from there.

A poet would have poetically told them NO institution is to big to fail.

Cloudia said...

Hi, Free & EZ
Grandpa
Dina
Tricia
Elizabeth
Jenn
Ralph (!)
And Walking Man for Economic Czar!

Aloha friends, so great to see you here!

Anonymous said...

fun!

Teresa said...

Loved the bonus photo today, Cloudia, and the diplomatic history of Hawaii and Japan. Really cool. I agree with the economic diatribe spurred by your best quote yet: "Fire the MBA's and hire a poet!"

Charles Gramlich said...

I like that opening quote. What could it hurt? HIre a poet indeed.

Daryl said...

As always I learn something fascinating about Hawaii ... aloha! xo

Junosmom said...

Love the flower!

SandyCarlson said...

So much good going on and on among those islands. Wonderful stuff, my friend.

DeniseinVA said...

What an exciting event that will be, loved your photos, this whole post, as always.

Cloudia said...

WOW, thanks!!!!