BY SAM SLOM – Snowden: Hero or Traitor? Edward Snowden, the 29-year old former CIA technical engineer and NSA whistleblower, has been in the news this past week. Snowden told the world about “PRISM”, an NSA program that collects data on Americans’ emails, instant messages and Internet transactions, and he also updated us on the government’s collection of our phone records through Verizon. Snowden, an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Hawaii office until he was officially fired on Tuesday, lived in Kunia for the past four years and worked in the NSA office here.
The question: Is Snowden a hero or traitor? Both Snowden and the journalists at the UK’s The Guardian who reported his story are being condemned. The story is not about Snowden or the journalists. The story is about the Obama administration gathering the phone records and emails of American citizens. Did President George Bush collect records as well? Yep, and that was wrong too, although President Obama’s administration has apparently stepped up and expanded the program. The main concern is Obama’s people have made targeting domestic political enemies an art form. “Nobody is listening to your phone calls.” President Barack Obama said last week. Do you really believe that? Remember the famous saying: “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.”
Father’s Day is Sunday. This Sunday, do something nice for Dad, Father, Pops, your old man. I’ll be at the annual Father’s Day Pancake Breakfast, sponsored by the Hawaii Kai Lions, at Kaiser High School, from 6 a.m. to 10 am. It is a wonderful community event.
See You Tomorrow! I will speak to the Hawaii Independent Insurance Agents event at noon tomorrow and then off to the Maui Tea Party’s event at 6 p.m. on Maui. Hope to meet you at one of these events.
DC March on IRS Speaking of the Tea Party…Â A massive and unprecedented “Audit the IRS” Tea Party rally is set to take place in Washington DC on Wednesday, June 19, beginning at noon. Local and national Tea Party groups and patriots nationwide will converge on our nation’s capital and swarm the streets of DC demanding, “NO MORE ABUSE OF POWER BY THE IRS!”
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PAYCHECKS HAWAII Rates Hawaii Legislators.PAYCHECKS HAWAII, the private, non-partisan, independent, political action affiliate of SBH, founded in 1984 by Lex Brodie, released its annual rating of all 76 of Hawaii’s State Legislators on line (included in the June SB NEWS as well). The ratings are based on business votes and business advocacy (not social issues) and lawmakers are ranked from a #1 (best) to #5 (worst). >Click for more
Vicky Cayetano to Speak June 27. Vicky Cayetano, a savvy businesswoman and former Hawaii First Lady, will speak to the Smart Business Hawaii members on “Having a Successful Business in Hawaii” at the next event, Thursday, June 27, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Alan Wong Pineapple Room in Ala Moana Center. Mrs. Cayetano is President and CEO of the highly successful United Laundry Services and Managing Director of United Laundry Kona, LCC. Mrs. Cayetano, wife of former Gov. Ben Cayetano, is involved in cultural preservation, promoting better health care and the Honolulu Symphony.
Congratulations to Hawaii attorney/movie producer Teresa Tico and Hollywood writer/director Mary Lambert who will debut their movie, Fishing Pono, at the opening of the Maui Film Festival tonight, June 12, in Wailea. The World Premiere of Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau will also be shown. The screenings take place at the Celestial Cinema, an enormous outdoor theater on the greens of the Wailea Golf Course. Some 3,000 people are expected. Check out  www.mauifilmfestival.com for more details.
Rusty Humphries Coming! Popular radio talk show host, conservative commentator and songwriter Rusty Humphrieswill speak in Honolulu on Friday, July 19, at an event sponsored by the Hawaii Independent Republican Assembly (HIRA). More details next week.
Hawaiian Airlines Appoints Meredith. Bill Meredith has been named Director of the Project Management Office for Hawaiian Airlines. He will be responsible for leading a team of program managers, project managers and business analysts in implementing information systems and business process strategies for Hawaiian.
Mobile Doc Retires. Bob Cahn, who pioneered the mobile auto repair business here with Car Doc Mobile Repair some 23 years ago, has announced his retirement in order to “answer the call of his grandchildren.” Bob is a great guy and has 38 years of experience in the automotive field. We’ll miss you, Bob!
AOP To Close.
The Academy of the Pacific, formerly known as Honolulu Junior Academy, was established in 1961 in Alewa Heights, and focused on working with students with “unique needs” unmet in conventional classroom settings.
Honolulu Weekly Comeback? After the announcement by publisher Laurie Carlson that after 23 years the Honolulu Weekly would cease publication last week, there is a move afoot by staffers to secure private investment funding to keep the liberal newspaper alive. We wish them luck! Hawaii needs all the alternative voices it can get.
Movie Tax Credits Up. The Governor signed a bill passed by the 2013 State Legislature that increases the film tax credit from 15% to 20% on O’ahu and to 25% on Neighbor Island counties, effective July 1. Stay and watch the “end credits” at movies as I do, and you will be struck by the number of films that are financed through tax credits in Georgia and Louisiana.
“The Internship” – Great Google Marketing. The new Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson flick, “The Internship,” is the ultimate in ad placement movies; it’s all about Google, but it is funny, entertaining and rated PG-13.
UH/UCLA in LA. The University of Hawaii announced Monday that the UH Rainbow Warriors (there, I said it) will play UCLA in Los Angeles. When? In 2017. That’s 5 seasons from now! Will I even be alive? What about THIS season (2013) where season ticket holders continue to decline? UH in a Pac 12, 14 or 16? UH Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple thinks so and talks mostly of the millions it would bring.
Search for New UH President. (From Hawaii Reporter June 7): “Wanted: Manager needed to handle 60,000 teenagers and young adults, 8,000 faculty and staff, outside investigators, financial scandal, catastrophic planning problems, students responding to skyrocketing tuition by turning to online sugar daddies, and a multi-billion dollar annual budget with gaping holes in it. Concert promotion experience a plus.” Any takers?
NOAA Leaving For Tsunami Zone? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) brand new Pacific Regional Center on Ford Island is accessible only by a pontoon bridge that will be shut down and possibly rendered inoperable by a hurricane or tsunami, according to documents released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In that event, NOAA operations, such as its Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, may be compromised at the moment they are needed most.
The new center, now called the Daniel K. Inouye Pacific Regional Center, would house all agency operations in the region, except for the Honolulu Weather Forecast Office. It is located on Ford Island, a low-lying island in the middle of Pearl Harbor. Ford Island is owned by the U.S. Navy, which also operates the only bridge connecting it to Oahu. Prior to any major storm or after a tsunami warning, the Navy will raise the bridge to evacuate its ships.
NOAA developed an evacuation plan using small boats during bridge closures. In response to employee questions about this plan, on May 13, 2013 NOAA issued a “Questions and Responses” document that appeared to raise more questions than it answered.
Young Professionals: Time to Join SBH. Smart Business Hawaii (SBH) is reaching out to Young Entrepreneurs with a special place within SBH for younger business owners. The SBH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS is now up and running. Annual dues only $75 if you are under 30. Contact me directly (SBH@lava.net), go online (www.smartbusinesshawaii.com) or call Darlyn at 396-1724 for details. Welcome aboard!
SBH PAU HANA at Hilo Hattie. A fun networking social at Hilo Hattie open to all Wednesday, July 17 – Friends, Food and Trivia 5:30 – 7:30 pm – $20 SBH Members $30 non-members RSVP Darlyn 396-1724.
Dr. Panos Prevedouros, is a weekly guest on Rick Hamada’s Tuesday morning radio show every Tuesday, 7:05 – 8 am. Tune in!
Read SB NEWS. Don’t forget to read your current monthly SB NEWS by PDF attachment or link. More expanded news and views for the Hawaii business community.
7:05 am on KHVH. Get the REAL news with Malia!
SBH can help you with YOUR business. Just starting a business?  Call me personally for help at 396-1724 or email: SBH@lava.net. Smart Business Hawaii Means Business and we’re here to help you.
Aloha,
Hawaii Reporter On The Air. Go to www.HawaiiReporter.comfor the real investigative news. HR, founded by Malia Zimmerman, continues to break major investigative stories that most of the media won’t touch. Tune in to KHVH (830 am) every week day now at 7:05 am to hear Malia’s report.
See Your Ad Here.  Some readers have inquired about placing an ad on the right margin of these weekly blasts which reach more than 10,000 people. Interested? If you want your business ad posted, the cost is $50 for one placement or $150 per month (4-5 placements). Contact Darlyn at SBH (396-1724) for specifics.
Do More Business: JOIN SBH!. Is YOUR business a member of SBH?  No? Lots of benefits. Strong networking organization.   Call Darlyn today (396-1724) or go online towww.smartbusinesshawaii.com.
Want more local business information? Please visit the several SBH websites at:: www.smartbusinesshawaii.com,www.educate808.com and  www.sbhfoundation.org.
What? Not receiving your copy? Send PR, additional requests and email address to  SBH@lava.net or call Darlyn at 396-1724.
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What Snowden did was extraordinary. Illegal, but extraordinary. At some point you have to look at the consequences of his actions and that he fully knew his life would essentially be ruined but felt strongly enough about the injustice to act anyway. So, America… who do you believe?. Snowden, a whistleblower on the run or the White house? It is a sad day when this even a question.
I think the President is going to need to hire a new cabinet position just to handle to overflow….. entitled the Scandal Czar…. I am getting scandal fatigue…. every week, I am starting to lose track of the mess…. just saying…
If you see something,Say something. and that's what Edward snowden is doing.
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