Ready for the Great Aloha Run
So one of my goals this year was to walk the 8.15 mile Great Aloha Run. I signed up thinking I’d join in with some friends, but wound up doing it solo in 2:51:42! No bad for no training, right? There’s a link to more pictures on my Flickr site if you click on the pic. Enjoy! **Warning, I even took pics of my HUGE blisters.**
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Tags: GAR
Apply NOW!
So I’ve been missing in action lately due to PCF activities and graduation last night (how sad we’re done!), not to mention my crazy work schedule, but I wanted to let you know that applications for the next class are due this FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28. It’s not too late, but you best be getting your letters of recommedation done ASAP to make the deadline. Remember, you can find the application here and any questions go to Charlyn Dote at dotec@hawaii.rr.com or 808-235-3733. She’s truly the best ever, so be nice! Good luck!
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PCF 08 Fellow Elizabeth introduces her boss, David Carey from Outrigger, Keith Vieira from Starwood and Frank Haas from the UH TIM School (and no, that is not PCF 08 Tim Schools)
Speaking of Outrigger, we were next treated to a panel of noted hotel and travel industry icons in Hawaii including David Carey, CEO of Outrigger, Keith Vieira Senior VP and Dir. of Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii and French Polynesia, and Frank Haas, who was once the chief marketing guy at the Hawaii Tourism Authority before leaving to teach future leaders of the tourism industry at the University of Hawaii’s Travel Industry Management school. It was interesting to hear their perspectives on where we are now, what they see as problems in the future and how they are planning for those challenges.
One that stuck with me was the issue of the housekeeping staff aging and a lack of replacements coming up the ranks. Turns out they are finding that most Gen Y kids don’t want to clean up after other people, regardless of the pay and benefits. Not something you would normally think about, right? I guess we just take it for granted that everyone needs a job and housekeeping is a tough but good one.
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Tags: PCF, Hawaii, Outrigger, University of Hawaii at Manoa Travel Industry Managemen, TIM School, Frank Haas, Keith Vieira, David Carey, Starwood, Hotels
PCFer Kevin Sakamoto introduces Paul Brewbaker
**So I started this back a while ago and I got a bit busy with work and more PCF activities, so I’m sorry it’s taken so long! You’ll note I’ve decided to break up our days into each section so you it won’t take me so long to do the posts and they’ll be shorter. I hope you like the new format! — Amy
May brought a deeper look at all things Economic Development, with a special emphasis on our number one industry – Tourism! As a Fellow, you are often involved in helping plan the itinerary by calling on contacts you might have or arranging for speakers. Since my company is heavily involved in many areas of the economy, I was excited to help a few of our other Fellows (great job Elizabeth and Greg!) make Char’s life a little bit easier. It’s amazing how much coordination goes into one of these days. So many speakers, so many changes… 9 agenda drafts later and we locked it all in. The day before, I might add! No pressure, right?
First up was an early morning breakfast with Bank of Hawaii’s chief economist Paul Brewbaker at the new Embassy Suites at the Waikiki Beach Walk courtesy of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. If you haven’t seen Paul present his predictions, it’s always insightful and usually very entertaining and down to earth. I consider that a feat because some of that material can be pretty darn dry! Bottom line – we are NOT in a recession. Or at least we weren’t then. I’m not so sure about now, despite what the experts say…
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Tags: PCF, Hawaii, Economy, Bank of Hawaii, Paul Brewbaker, Embassy Suites, Outrigger
Mercy, Mercy Me!
From time to time we break from agenda and get to take a side excursion to look at something cool that affects our community. On May 9 the Fellows were invited to tour the US Navy’s Mercy before she began her journey as part of the Pacific Partnership bringing aid to underdeveloped countries in the Pacific region. Our group was comprised of current and alumni Fellows, so it was neat to mix and mingle with folks who’d been through the program already.
PCF Mercy Tour Group - Yep, that's the ship behind us!
The Battleship Missouri and Arizona Memorials off the starboard side from the bridge.
One of our tour guides was taking pictures of Flat Stanley for her niece’s class project as we journeyed around. I managed to capture one shot of her in action. I figure that kid’s project will be pretty darn cool with the journey ahead!
Afterwards we took a stroll on the deck and I got a clearer shot of the Missouri and the Arizona. Then we headed into the ship and toured all of the medical facilities. They have a full emergency room that has about 50 beds (if my memory serves me right)!
We saw their MRI scanner and took a tour of one of the operating rooms, which was super cool. They put them in the dead center of the ship to make them move as little as possible for surgeries. Still, all of the equipment is tethered down in case of high seas. Can you imagine going in for a complex surgery on a rocking ship? I give those doctors and nurses so much credit for keeping it going in tough conditions! Here are some more pictures to show you what we saw on the tour…
Mercy's Bridge with Flat Stanley at the controls and a few helpers who have worked on several missions.
A view of the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Arizona Memorial from the deck of the USN Mercy.
One of our guides shows off the 50 bed emergency/intake/trauma area on the USN Mercy. It's huge!
Here's more of the trauma area. Cool, huh?
Yes, that's a fully functional MRI scanner on the ship! How awesome that they have capability in arms reach to treat those in need.
I was excited to see they had their own way of handling recycling. Pretty tall brown bags, huh?
Not the best shot of this poor guide with his eyes closed, but I loved the hanging monkey on the bunk next to his head! He was explaining the sick bay modifications needed to create a children's ward with the comforts of home.
Speaking of the kid's area... Here's the playroom filled with toys, games and materials donated by the wonderful people of San Diego to aid the ship on its mission.
And thar she blows off the port (left) side of the harbor! Such a monster ship with an incredible impact on people's lives.
Needless to say, but this was a very cool look at an awesome part of the US Military! If I get really good, I’ll post some of the pictures and/or PowerPoint updates we’ve been receiving that document the progress of the ship’s work along the way.
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Tags: Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, Flat Stanley, Hawaii, Mercy, Navy, Operation Smile, Pacific Century Fellows, Pacific Partnership, PCF
Time to Get Edu-ma-cated!
Sorry it’s been awhile since my last post! I started writing this a few weeks ago, but it’s taken a bit to finish.
The end of April brought the Fellows up close and personal with all things school for Education Day. This particular area is especially important to me since I grew up in the world of academics with a professor for a dad and most of my volunteer efforts are in this arena. I’m a PROUD public school – Go Waiakea Warriors – and University of Hawaii graduate. Must be a warrior thing, no
PCF listens to Senator Sakamoto, Superintendent Hamamoto and HSTA President Takabayashi talk about Hawaii's public school system.
First up for the day was a panel on Hawaii’s public school system featuring DOE Superintendent Pat Hamamoto, Senator Norman Sakamoto and HSTA President Roger Takabayashi.
We learned about the challenges and benefits of running a statewide school system vs. each county managing its own. They talked about the weighted student formula which helps decide how much money each school gets relative to its student population – bottom line – not enough. And we discussed the teacher shortage and how it affects the student teacher ratio. All heavy topics, but very interesting discussion!
Next up was a panel featuring leaders from all over the University of Hawaii system including President David McClain, Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, West Oahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni and John Morton, VP for the Community Colleges. As a graduate of UH-Manoa and the daughter of two UH-Hilo employees, it was interesting to listen to the issues that are top of mind like curricula, faculty recruitment and retention, facilities improvements, future growth.
Principal Gail Awakuni talks about Teach for America and how she manages the business of her school.
Then we took a ride out to James Cambell High School for a tour and talk with Principal Gail Awakuni and several of the fantastic teachers from Teach for America that are working their magic on campus. We were treated to an amazing lunch prepared and served by the students who are learning about the business of food service. I wish I had a picture, because it looked like something you’d get at the Pineapple Room (which I love)! If you don’t know anything about Gail Awakuni, you have to get to know her. She’s a dynamo and she’s really figured out how to work the system to get what she needs to run her school the best she can for the kids and the teachers. It’s super impressive! We also got to see the learning centers like where they grow hydroponic lettuce for their food service as well as to sell to local restaurateurs.
Next up was a trip to space… Well, not really space, but it sure seemed like it at some points! We visited an awesome little hidden local gem called the Challenger Center tucked away in the unassuming classrooms of Barbers Point Elementary School. The Challenger Center was set up in memory of the crew of the final Challenger Shuttle Mission who lost their lives in 1986. The crew included Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space, and Ellison Onizuka, a Hawaii-born and raised astronaut, so the Center’s mission to excite local kids through education about space exploration is especially close to home.
The Fellows are briefed about the mission to rendezvous with Comet Halley.
Our mission was to rendezvous with Comet Halley and test our STEM skills in the process. STEM is a buzz word in education these days and it stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.” After an initial briefing on the program and the mission, we were divided up into two groups. One went off to Mission Control and the other one went to the “Space Station” to set up and begin the mission.
The Space Station ISO crew getting instruction on what to do.
The crew works hard in Mission Control to make sure the shuttle can launch safely.
I was tasked with counting the number of holes in pieces of metal by using a robot arm to maneuver the metal plates so I could look at them. It was a bit tricky to do, but it was fun! The clock is ticking and there’s a lot of distractions and procedures that fight for your attention. It really gives you an appreciation for what the astronauts have to do to get their work done and how they are a team with the folks back at Mission Control.
About an hour later we switched places and found out what our work in the Space Station did at Mission Control. Luckily my team was good at figuring out how to avoid an asteroid field and we were able to launch the shuttle safely to rendezvous with Comet Halley! Normally teachers are given training and they prepare the students in advance of their visit so they have a deeper understanding of their roles and what skills are being tested. It’s a fun way to incorporate the STEM skills in a practical lesson plan and I wish we’d gotten to do something like this when I was in school. Maybe I’d be better at math? Just kidding!
It was an action packed adventure of a day and it really showcased the job our education community is doing to ensure our local kids are getting the best education possible. It’s a tough job and I’m glad there are great people who are dedicated to fighting the battle on behalf of our kids.
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Tags: Campbell High School, Challenger Center Hawaii, DOE, Hawaii, Pacific Century Fellows, PCF, Public School, Teach for America, University of Hawaii
Breakfast with Mineta
So from time to time, the Fellows are fortunate to gain access to noteworthy folks who are in town for one reason or another to listen to their wisdom and learn. You never know who or when, but if you get the email or the call, it’s be there or be square. We got one of those emails in April inviting us to breakfast with former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who was in town to testify about the proposed rail transit initiative.
The Pacific Century Fellows meet former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta
We gathered at one of Honolulu’s best places for breakfast – Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab – to listen to Secretary Mineta. Figuring we were in for a talk on transit, I know I was surprised when he instead spoke about his path to public service and the leadership skills he learned at a tender age from watching the challenges faced by his father during World War II.
He shared his experience in the internment camps of Wyoming and how he saw the effect on his family, especially his father, and their friends in the community. It was really fascinating to hear what their lives were like and how they coped. You hear about internment in school, but they don’t really go in depth on what happened during and after.
Mineta became a public servant in the 1960s, where he first served as a city councilman for San Jose and then got elected as the first Asian-American mayor in the country. He went on to the House of Representatives and then later was appointed the Transportation Secretary under President Bill Clinton, making him the first Asian-American in the Cabinet. He also has the distinction of being the longest running Transportation Director as well as the first to serve under both a Democrat and a Republican, when he was reappointed by President George W. Bush. I’m sure there’s something I’m forgetting, but the bottom line was that he’s a pretty incredible individual.
He encouraged our group to focus on the task at hand and do it the best we can, because if you are successful at what you are doing now, the right opportunities will reveal themselves when the time is right. He spoke about those who spend so much time looking ahead to what they want, that they forget to mind the present and trip up their careers. Mineta also told us to remember those below us, that we would not be leaders if it weren’t for their help, and to make sure we pull them up as we go to give them similar opportunities to achieve as we have thus far. Pretty smart guy, yeah? I know I was impressed.
Sadly, I had to leave early to catch a plane that day, so I didn’t get to hear the end of his talk but the other fellows said it was great! Perhaps one day I’ll get to hear him speak again soon.
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Tags: PCF, Pacific Century Fellows, Hawaii, Honolulu, Norman Mineta, Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch and Crab
It’s Easy Being Green
March brought our next adventure, Environmental Day. First thought that comes to mind… “I love the smell of raw sewage in the morning.” Yep, that’s right, we started at the Honoulului Wastewater Treatment Facility. And yes, I’m kidding about the smell. It was HORRIBLE, especially in certain areas we toured, though we got a tiny bit used to it by the end.
Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor Robby Robinson talks to the Pacific Century Fellows about the treatment process.
But first, we had a really informative explanation of how the sewer system works for the island by the plant supervisor Robby Robinson. He was great at breaking down the engineering into easy to understand terms, except that he kept using food analogies. I am absolutely sure none of us look at a cup of hot chocolate quite the same anymore. Get the picture?
Did you know that this one plant handles the waste all the way from Red Hill up to Mililani and over to Ko Olina? He said it takes about 3 DAYS for the waste from Red Hill to work its way over to the plant. Crazy, huh?
We took a walking tour to see how it all works from primary treatment to secondary treatment and all the stuff in between. We saw the digester, where the leftover sludge material is sanitized before transfer to the landfill. Robby put on a glove and dug out a handful to show us what it looked like and commented that it was the biggest ‘okole we’d probably ever see. I thought that was pretty funny, considering! I wish I had a picture of the other fellows’ faces when he stuck the handful of stuff near them!
This is the first group observing the primary treatment process. Check out my face! I think that was post-corn recognition. It was not a pretty picture and it smelled. We were all trying not to fall in. Can you imagine?
What I do have is a picture of my face (thanks to Char!) when we were standing on the walkway over the Primary Treatment tank. This is where the hot chocolate analogy comes into play. The really bulky sludge stuff like rags and toys and things that get flushed down the drains of our storm drains and toilets sinks to the bottom and settles there to be drained out and sorted, while the water and lighter items floats to the top. Then the floaters are skimmed off the top and the water moves on down the line in the process. We went out in small groups to take a peek and I swear we saw floating corn bits. I guess what they say is true… ewww!
After everyone got a look we moved on to see the area where they sort through the bulky sludge material for items like money, jewelry, and other stuff. People call looking for their wedding rings that accidentally got flushed, along with other things. The most interesting call was for a set of dentures! None of us could imagine wanting to put anything in our mouths that had been through those pipes, but I guess he really needed them. Unfortunately for him, they were never found.
Then it was off to the biotowers that lead to the Secondary Treatment area. Robby pulled out another food analogy to describe the bio-digestion process, where he said bacteria that are like hamburgers float on top of the water waiting for their next meal. They gobble up the nasty stuff left in the primary treated water and fall to the bottom when they get full, making room for new bacteria to start chomping. Hungry yet?
We also got to look in the Secondary Treatment tank, where the water looks nearly fresh and clean. It was a dramatic difference from the Primary tank we saw earlier. The gray water that’s recovered goes into a separate pipe system so it can be reused for landscaping on golf courses and other non-potable areas. Since not all water goes through that process yet due to capacity and budget, the other primary treated water is let out of an offshore outfall. Apparently the fertilizer effect makes for really good fishing in the area. Who knew?
PCF tours H-POWER to check out Oahu's waste-to-energy process. Cool hard hats, right?
After checking out the liquid waste disposal process, we headed to H-POWER for a tour of the state’s only waste-to-energy facility. If you don’t know about waste-to-energy, it’s where they take truckloads of our trash, remove the metals and other non-combustibles, then shred and burn it to create energy to add into the island’s power grid. Pretty nifty, huh? The existing plant is operating at capacity and then some, so they’re looking at adding another burner to process more trash.
With the limited space on our island, it’s great that we can shrink our rubbish impact by turning it into renewable energy and then burying the resulting ash, instead of more trash at the landfill. That means our landfill has greater capacity for the future and we won’t have to continually build more until it’s absolutely needed. I think it’s important to disclose here that I work with the operator of several of Hawaii’s landfills, so I probably know a bit more about this stuff than most of the Fellows. But we’ll get to that a bit later…
Check out the City's Recycling information here.
Next up was a tasty non-hamburger lunch at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park courtesy of fellow Fellow Jerry P. (yes, we actually ate after all that!) with Suzanne Jones, recycling coordinator for the City & County of Honolulu. If you’ve not met Suzanne, you’re missing out! This is one passionate lady who clearly loves her job. I’ve had the pleasure of working with her on a few projects, so I was excited to see her and hear what she had to say. She spoke about the successful start for the City’s Curbside Recycling program and where it will go from here. She also talked about how more people can become involved in living greener lives through plastics and metal recycling, as well as composting. We talked about the possible ban on plastic shopping bags and she gave us each a bag made from recycled materials to get us started on bringing our own when shopping.
We had a lively discussion on the value of Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) and if they were good for the environment because they contain a tiny bit of mercury. According to our local laws, you can throw household CFLs in the trash without penalty, but it’s better to recycle them if you can. Hawaiian Electric Co. offers coupons to help lower the cost of replacement, as well as links to places where you can get recycling packets here. If you were wondering if it’s worth it to switch, check this out – CFLs reduce the energy used to light your home by up to 75% when compared to equivalent, regular lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than regular bulbs and they produce roughly 70% less heat. Best of all, you can save about $25+ a year with all of that! I’d say it’s worth the investment. Special mahalos go out to Carol Ai May and City Mill for donating packs of CFLs for all of the Fellows!
Check out the PCF crew and the massive pile of metal shavings collected at Schnitzer Steel that's waiting to be shipped off to the mainland for recycling.
With our stomachs full and our minds buzzing with all that we’d learned so far, we boarded the bus again to head to Schnitzer Steel to see its metal recycling operation. Rene Mansho and Jim Banigan greeted us with a lively talk about the many tons of metal they process and ship out to be recycled each month. We saw huge stacks of old cars, washers, dryers and even old ship parts. It was quite a sight to see an entire car lifted onto a conveyor belt, travel up and over the top and then come out as metal filings on the other end. The folks at Schnitzer put the metal filings into what becomes a huge pile in the back and then package them up for shipment to the metal recycling facility on the mainland to be processed.
One really cool initiative the company has started is to recycle old fishing nets. Instead of letting the old nets take up space in the landfill or wind up floating in the ocean causing harm to marine life, the nets are collected from bins placed near the harbors and then run through the shredder to chop it up into little pieces that are taken over to H-POWER to burn for electricity. Very cool!
Not my best shot, but here I am introducing Russell Nanod before we drove up to see the working face at Waimanalo Gulch Landfill.
Our last stop for the day was especially near and dear to me because we went to visit my client, Waste Management’s Community Affairs Manager Russell Nanod at Waimanalo Gulch Landfill. This is a shameless plug, but if you haven’t been to the landfill then you need to get out for a tour! Russ is the best at showing off all of the ins and outs of the site and how it fits into the overall solid waste management plan for the island.
Most folks think a landfill is a huge open pile of trash that’s stinky and gross like you see in the movies or on the news. I know I was surprised at my first visit when it turned out to be a small patch of trash called the working face that is continually compressed and covered with soil to keep the area as odor and litter free as possible. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think it was a quarry or construction site.
This is an example of the working face at Waimanalo Gulch Landfill. Tiny, no?
Russ explained that the current site is permitted to operate in its current footprint until May 2008 (it since got a permit extension through November 2009) while an environmental impact study is done for the expansion of the site to the back of the valley for an additional 15 or so years of life. Working together with H-POWER, curbside recycling, possible offshore shipping and with the public more aware and engaged in the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – the landfill’s life could be extended further so that the majority of it will be for ash residue and non-recyclables. Since there are limited options for a new landfill at this time, it is important for everyone to do their part to keep the current one operational as long as possible.
The Fellows seemed to enjoy Russell’s lively narration and left carrying more reusable grocery bags and a deeper appreciation for the importance of a landfill. Anyone interested in a tour can contact Russ via the Waste Management website here. Okay, I’m done schilling for this post.
If you’ve made it this far, I give you credit! This was a long one. Hopefully somewhat entertaining… Just remember folks, it’s all about the 3 R’s — reduce, reuse and recycle!
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Tags: City Mill, H-POWER, Hawaii, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Honouliuli Wastewater, Jim Banigan, keepinghawaiiclean.com, landfill, opala.org, Pacific Century Fellows, PCF, recycling, Rene Mansho, renewable energy, Russell Nanod, Schnitzer Steel, Suzanne Jones, Waimanalo Gulch, Waste Management, waste to energy, WTE
Book ‘Em Danno!
(**Warning – this is a LONG post, but there’s a lot to say. This might be par for the course as we go, but I figured I should warn you to grab your coffee and settle in for a tale.)
Our first big adventure was Criminal Justice Day. I was recovering from a really bad cold that day, so I was worried about making it through on my first day out of bed. Luckily I made it with the help of my Kleenex pocket pack and water bottle. I don’t think I infected anyone along the way and I know for a fact it didn’t matter to the folks in the morgue! Yep, I said morgue. But let’s not put the cart before the horse…
We started off with an awesome tour of the Halawa Correctional Facility including an informative talk with leaders from the Corrections Department and the Parole Board. Do you know the difference between a jail and a prison? Turns out most of us didn’t either. Jail is where you go while awaiting trial, while Prison is where you go to serve your sentence if convicted. And, did you also know that prison is under the jurisdiction of either federal or state, while the jail holds people accused under federal, state, county and/or city laws? Consider yourself educated!
We had a great discussion on recidivism, or the return rate of the prisoners, and what they are trying to do to help the inmates rehabilitate. There are the ones who come and go once having learned their lesson, and then there are the ones who come to believe their life behind bars is better and they work real hard at staying there for whatever reason. I think they called it being “institutionalized” in the movie Shawshank Redemption? Speaking of behind bars…
PCF touring the Halawa Prison yard.
The tour of the prison was informative and fun. Well, as fun as a prison tour can be. Even though we were there as visitors, the buzz and slam of the big doors was a bit jarring. We were told to be cautious while there and our guards would do their best to protect us if anything should happen. Thankfully, the prisoners were well-behaved and you almost forgot where you were. The yard in the middle of the facility is actually really pretty and well-maintained with landscaping and all. We saw their computer lab where they do educational classes to earn a GED, as well as their library, health clinic and commissary. I have to admit, when I later saw Starbucks doing its book drive for prisoners I made sure to bring in some books to help out. They have a decent library, but it sure could use some more. Think about if you were there for 15-20 years. The books on the shelves would get pretty old if you’re a voracious reader!
Our guide was very forthright about the challenges they face with the issue of inmates being shipped to the mainland. Seems that a lot of the inmates who used to work for Correctional Industries like printing, machine shop and sewing are sent away to serve their time due to space and budget issues, so CI can’t do as much as it used to and that affects the funding available to keep the prison operating well. We saw all of the operations areas and it was pretty empty, but what they did have was impressive. They sew all of the uniforms used at the facility – guards, prisoners and all! They also fix desks for schools and work on state motor pool vehicles.
We toured a cell block that was under renovation, which was really interesting. Turns out it was the same one where Mackey Feary stayed before he took his life. I know I got chicken skin just thinking about how sad he must have been to do that in this place. So much talent lost, and not just him… The tour just emphasized to me the lost potential that can be reclaimed by some of the prisoners if they really want it. Looking at those tiny cells and thinking about how tough it would be to give up your freedom and live there was eye opening. I think if more people knew what it was like in there, they might think twice about committing a crime in the first place. At one time, they told us they had up to 3 people in there, with one on the floor on a mattress! Talk about crowded! I got why we need to send prisoners away, but I also saw the negative side of it. Such a challenge…
Dave and me touring a cell at Halawa. Yep, it's that small. And, yes, I was in bad need of a haircut!
We then boarded the bus back to town where we had lunch and listened to the Public Defender, Prosecutor and Judge discuss the criminal justice system and the challenges and opportunities they face each day. It was interesting to hear them discuss the never-ending balance of factors in each case, how no two cases are alike and decisions can’t always be black and white. Do you sentence a kid who just turned 18 and was in the wrong place at the wrong time the same as someone who’s a repeat offender for the same crime? That’s tough. A crime is a crime, but… Something to think about, yeah?
Then it was off to the Honolulu Morgue to meet with Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kanthi De Alwis and her team for an overview of the work they do and a tour of the facility. A tour of the morgue? Yep, and it wasn’t as scary as I thought.
Dr. De Alwis shares the secrets of the morgue and I try not to smell anything that's coming out of the cooler. Wow, it was not helping me with the cold...
We listened to Dr. De Alwis talk about her job and department, as well as saw a presentation on drug-related deaths, violent deaths, as well as alcohol and speeding related motor vehicle deaths. It was also interesting to hear her talk about the increased interest in forensic science and working as a medical examiner thanks to shows like CSI. But, it’s also creating a problem called the “CSI Effect” that has resulted in juries and even investigators thinking they will get results in a matter of moments instead of the normal processing time needed to find data. Funny how people take fictional television as the real deal. The lab wasn’t nearly as high tech as what you see on TV, but it seems to get the job done.
They had cleaned it up so we didn’t see an actual autopsy taking place and it wasn’t too bad until she cracked open one of the coolers where they store the processed bodies. I don’t know if it was my cold or what, but WOW that smelled really bad and the tagged foot I saw probably added to the effect. Perhaps I can go back one day when I’m not sick and see if it’s as bad as I remember?
Anything after the morgue seems like it would be tough, but the Honolulu Police Department turned out to be really cool too. It was neat to see how all of these City departments we take for granted really work and all of the great folks behind the scenes. We met with Chief Boise Correa, asked him all kinds of questions and then listened to an awesome presentation on Identity Theft while enjoying tasty sandwiches. Keep your personal information safe, kiddies… Major damage lies ahead if not!
HPD preparing the Fellows for the Ride Along
Last, but certainly not least, we had the privilege of doing a ride along with HPD on patrol! We were each assigned a car and cruised around looking for action. Sadly, the night didn’t yield much criminal excitement for Heather and me, but we had fun getting to know reserve Officer Devens while we cruised around town and we finished off with an arrest in Chinatown for a stolen vehicle and bench warrant. Not bad, right? Poor guy didn’t know what hit him, I think.
Special thanks to Char (told you she’s the best!) for supplying me with photos to make this look a little less wordy (umm… yeah, right?) and a bit more visually appealing. Let me know what you think. Until next posting…
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Tags: Criminal Justice, Halawa, Hawaii, Honolulu, HPD, Morgue, Pacific Century Fellows, PCF
Sweet Retreat
Okay, so now that you know how to become a fellow, I’m going to work my way through our adventures from the first activity to now. I have to warn you, I didn’t have my camera with me for the first few adventures so it’s not nearly as visually exciting for a bit. But, hopefully my witty prose and wildly entertaining anecdotes will keep you coming back for more!
And now… the retreat! We kicked off the year in January with a two-day retreat at the Turtle Bay Resort.
Turtle Bay Resort Looking Luscious!
Talk about a great place to be excited and nervous at the same time. It’s so gorgeous there!
We all were assigned roommates by Char and didn’t know who they were until we opened the door to our room. I was lucky enough to be roomies with Elizabeth, who I found out has more than a few things in common with me. We started out on our laptops comparing notes on how much work we were trying to squeeze in before the retreat got started, then found out we have a mutual friend in common – on the mainland! What a small world. But then that happens on an island, doesn’t it?
Me and fellow Fellow Nikki reconnecting at the opening reception.
The fun kicked off with a cocktail reception so we could all mix and mingle and get to know each other. There were a few friendly faces including Liann, who’s my high school classmate; Kevin, who’s married to one of my best friends from school; Chris, who I work with all the time; Nikki, who I worked with on a project; and several of my Forty Under 40 classmates from 2007. An amazing group of people, and they all turned out to be fun too!
The rest of the weekend was a blur of exciting and inspirational speakers including Dick Gushman moderated by PCF ‘06 Evan Leong and his lovely wife and partner PCF ‘07 Kari Leong. If you don’t know Evan and Kari, check out their show Greater Good where they get Hawaii’s most influential business leaders to open up about what makes them tick. For instance, you can learn more about Dick from his interview with Evan and Kari here.
PCF Class of 2008. What a good lookin' group!
The next day including time with Mayor Hannemann to learn “Mufi’s Maxims”, or his twelve points to leadership success including being courageous, saying thank you, leading by example, living with core values, leaving your surroundings better than you found them, being prepared, having balance and keeping family first.
Next up was a session with renowned leadership trainer Glenn Furuya from Leadership Works with a focus on island-style leadership skills using Eastern and Western principles. Ramsay Taum shared Hawaiian principles of how ancient leaders took care of the land to impress upon us the importance of taking care of others. Then we got to listen to and talk with David Heenan, who was awesome! He gave us copies of his latest book, Flight Capital, which is an interesting discussion of the exodus of our brightest talent to other countries. Very interesting reading, so I hope you check it out. You can listen to Evan and Kari’s interview with him here.
The rest of the retreat was spent discussing our topics for the year. I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but that gives you the gist. I can’t wait to start sharing those days’ adventures with you! Stay tuned…
Filed under: PCF, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Tags: David Heenan, Dick Gushman, Evan Leong, Flight Capital, Glenn Furuya, Greater Good Radio, Hawaii, Kari Leong, Mayor Hannemann, Pacific Century Fellows, PCF, Ramsay Taum, Turtle Bay Resort
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