Hawaii

ᔥ Stuff.co.nz

People crow that the US doesn’t care that we exclude their navy from entering NZ ports. They do, actually:

Despite New Zealand signing a sweeping new agreement on military co-operation with the United States, its anti-nuclear legislation is the reason two navy ships have been refused entry to Pearl Harbour during the world’s largest maritime exercise.

For the first time in 28 years, the Defence Force is taking part in this year’s Exercise Rim of the Pacific, known as Rimpac. The force has proudly publicised New Zealand’s involvement in the US-hosted exercise.

The frigate Te Kaha and Auxillary Support Vessel (fuel tanker) Endeavour are in Hawaii, along with a rifle platoon from the Infantry Regiment, a counter-mine team, an air force P-3K Orion and a dive team based in San Diego.

The ships made front-page news in Honolulu, with the local Star-Advertiser reporting New Zealand was the only country “refused entry” to Pearl Harbour.

Prime Minister John Key said there was “nothing new” in the United States’ position.

“That’s been the position since the (nuclear-free) legislation was passed in 1987.”

It did not affect the exercise which was being conducted out at sea.

A dead Marine is returned to the USS Arizona:

A Marine who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has returned to the USS Arizona for eternity.

Divers took an urn holding the cremated remains of Frank Cabiness from the late Marine’s family, swam over to the sunken battleship, and placed the container inside during a solemn ceremony on Friday, local time.

Hawaii-based Marines from the 3rd Marine Regiment performed a rifle salute and taps during the solemn ceremony some nine years after Cabiness died in Lewisville, Texas, at the age of 86.

His son, Jerry Cabiness, said his father always wanted to return to his ship.

“He said it was because that’s where he belonged. Because he lost all of his friends there and he wanted to be with them,” Jerry Cabiness said after the service.

The family took some time to fulfil his father’s wishes because they had some financial problems and it’s expensive to travel to Hawaii, he said.

“But we finally got it done. And it was a beautiful ceremony. The Marines did him proud,” he said.

Dozens of Arizona crew members who lived through theDecember 7, 1941, attack have chosen to have their ashes interred on the battleship after death. Many do it out of a desire to join those they left behind.

Maryan Street really knows how to rub it in:

On train between Bergamo & Milan. Trying to snow. Maybe for Xmas Day. Thinking of Chch people. Am with family I love. Hope you all are too

December 24, 2011 8:30 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite

@MaryanStreetMP

Maryan Street

We don’t need to imagine the outcry from teh left if John Key had tweeted that he was loving the sun and surf in Hawaii. The left wing bangs on about him having rich prick holidays overseas, but as we can see their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Hawaii is a lot closer than italy, pretty down market and full of fat americans. Italy is top notch European fare, a bloody long way too for airfares and you just know she will be troughing it up on the taxpayer.

Her tweet smacks of “The working class can kiss my ass, I’m off on my Italian trip at last”.

Even the LAbour party aren;t safe from SMOGs on Christmas Day.

Ah the politics of envy…never gets old…not for Labour and Phil Goff in any case:

Labour’s thinly-veiled attacks on Prime Minister John Key have continued today with leader Phil Goff bringing up the subject of Hawaiian holidays.

In the heartland Labour territory of South Auckland this morning, Goff got a warm reception at the Otahuhu market.

A small Grey Power audience gathered at the Wesley Methodist Church to hear him speak this morning.

“People at the top have got a lot of money and they take their holidays in Hawaii,” Goff said.

“People at the bottom can’t even afford to put good food on the table for their kids.”

Key, a multi-millionaire, regularly holidays with his family at a home he owns in Hawaii.

Phil Goff, cementing himself and Labour as the nasty party of New Zealand