The Wall Street Journal reports that a Russian academic has predicted the United States will meet the same fate as the Former Soviet Union, although not for the same reasons.

Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces — with Alaska reverting to Russian control.

HALL: Matt, I bring up location because obviously I think if it were really a big deal and there was something that he needed to do, meaning the President-Elect, any type of damage control, he would be in Chicago and not on vacation, which gives off the idea obviously he knows what's in the report. If he's easy-going at the golf course, whatever we read tomorrow won't be a big deal.

LEWIS: I think it's very likely what we read tomorrow will not be a big deal. However, you know, you could make an argument that if he wants it to appear to be not a big deal he would be out of the country.

KAHULUI - Due to a large turnout, Maui Community College officials will repeat a free lecture on the ceded lands issue at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Ka'a'ike Building, Room 109.

MCC Hawaiian studies instructor Kaleikoa Ka'eo will present historical and contemporary perspectives on the 1.2 million acres of ceded lands once owned by the Hawaiian monarchy.

In a unanimous ruling last January, the Hawaii Supreme Court blocked the State of Hawaii from selling or exchanging ceded lands until resolution of Hawaiian claims to those lands.

Gov. Linda Lingle's administration has appealed the Hawaii court's decision and is preparing to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court that Native Hawaiians have no ownership claim to the lands formerly held by the monarchy.

For information on the MCC lecture, call 984-3313.

The Lingle administration will argue before the U.S. Supreme Court that Native Hawaiians do not have an ownership claim to land that belonged to the Hawaiian government prior to its overthrow in 1893.

News of the legal brief filed by state Attorney General Mark Bennett on Thursday in the state's case against the Office of Hawaiian Affairs did not sit well with Native Hawaiians gathered at Central Union Church yesterday for a swearing-in and investiture of OHA trustees.

"It's a pretty immoral position for the governor to take," said Bill Meheula, an attorney representing OHA in the case.

At issue are 1.2 million acres of ceded lands once owned by the Hawaiian monarchy which were taken by the provisional Hawaiian government following the overthrow of the monarchy. Those lands were then handed over to the U.S. government when Hawai'i became a U.S. territory, and finally the state of Hawai'i in 1959.

In 1993, the U.S. Congress approved an apology to Native Hawaiians for the federal government's role in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. The apology, signed into law by President Clinton, called for Congress to support reconciliation between the nation and Native Hawaiians.

"Now the governor is telling all Hawaiians, 'You don't have a claim to the ceded lands even though the overthrow was illegal,' " Meheula said.

In an e-mailed statement last night, Gov. Linda Lingle's office said, among other things, that:

The Hawai'i Supreme Court erred as a matter of law in finding that the 1993 Congressional Apology resolution either changed the legal landscape in any way, clouded the state's title to the state's public trust lands, or forbade the state from selling or transferring those lands to fulfill any one or more of the purposes set out in the 1959 Hawaii Admission Act;

And that as a matter of law, the state's title to its lands is unchallengeable in the courts.
The state previously had argued that it has the authority to manage the ceded lands, but did not argue for ownership rights, as Bennett's new brief does, Meheula said.

"They are seeking a ruling from the United States Supreme Court that Native Hawaiians have no claim to the ceded lands," he said.

In 1842, Kamehameha III had a “very strong desire that his Kingdom shall be formally acknowledged by the civilized nations of the world as a sovereign and independent State.” To accomplish this, he appointed Timoteo Ha'alilio, William Richards and Sir George Simpson, a British subject, as joint ministers plenipotentiary on April 8, 1842. Shortly thereafter, Simpson left for England, via Alaska and Siberia, while Ha'alilio and Richards departed for the United States, via Mexico, on July 8, 1842.

After Ha'alilio and Richards secured President John Tyler's assurance of recognizing Hawaiian independence on Dec. 19, 1842, the delegation proceeded to meet Simpson in Europe. On March 17, 1843, King Louis-Philippe assures them of France's recognition of Hawaiian independence, and on April 1, 1843, Lord Aberdeen, on behalf of Queen Victoria, assured the Hawaiian delegation that “Her Majesty's Government was willing and had determined to recognize the independence of the Sandwich Islands under their present sovereign.” Confirming these assurances, Great Britain and France formally recognized Hawaiian sovereignty on Nov. 28, 1843, by joint proclamation at the Court of London, and the United States followed on July 6, 1844, by letter of Secretary of State J.C. Calhoun. Nov. 28 was a national holiday celebrating Hawaiian Independence, Lā Kū'oko'a.

When the Messenger spacecraft begins orbiting Mercury in March 2011, it will look down on "Nawahi Crater."

A little smaller than Kauai, the crater is named for Kaho'oluhi Nawahi, also known as Joseph Kaho'oluhi Nawahiokalaniopuu.

The self-taught artist from Puna, who died in 1896 at age 54, was known as a Renaissance man with many talents and interests from art, law and teaching to newspaper publishing.
[...]
According to the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Nawahi, born in Puna in 1842, was educated at Hilo Boarding School, Lahainaluna Seminary and the Royal School in Honolulu. He was a teacher and principal of Hilo Boarding School, trained as a lawyer and passed the bar exam given by the Hawaiian Supreme Court. He also started the Hawaiian language newspaper Ke Aloha 'Aina in 1895, which opposed the annexation of Hawaii by the United States.

The FBI is investigating several local companies that allegedly bilked homeowners out of more than $300,000 on O'ahu, the Big Island and Maui with false promises to help them avoid foreclosure, according to local lenders and law enforcement officials.

The families, many of which are Native Hawaiian, were charged between $2,500 and $10,000 to attend seminars or counseling sessions on avoiding foreclosure, and were told they would receive bonds worth $1 million that could be used to pay off the outstanding balance of the mortgage.

Officials said the bonds were bogus and no mortgages were paid off.
[...]
The bogus bonds are not sold through an investment firm or brokerage house, as legitimate bonds are. They also purport to represent ownership in a fictitious Hawaiian nation.

The companies pushing the bogus bonds, several claiming to be affiliated with Native Hawaiian sovereignty movements, are targeting Native Hawaiian homeowners and others who are facing foreclosure.

After attending the seminars, families are told that a $1 million "Royal Hawaiian Treasury Bond" will be sent to the homeowners' bank with a letter explaining that it will cover the outstanding balance of the mortgage.

The companies tell the homeowner that because they are members of the "Hawaiian nation," the bank will no longer be able to demand money from them because they are the land's "rightful owners."

U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

For Immediate Release
Monday, November 17, 2008

FBI ALERTS PUBLIC TO RECENT FORECLOSURE FRAUD SCHEME

Promises to pay off mortgages with phony Hawaiian and Government Bonds

Honolulu, HI -- The FBI is warning the public to avoid falling victim to an on-going scheme designed to take advantage of island homeowners facing foreclosure or other financial difficulties. The scheme, which comes in several variations, usually starts out by offering individuals a "too good to be true" scenario in which 1) a person can stop making their mortgage payments and property taxes, 2) an artificial bond will pay off their mortgage, and 3) the homeowner can keep their home without a foreclosure or eviction. The phony bonds have utilized government officials names in order to add legitimacy. The scheme has utilized Hawaiian heritage rights as part of the financial backing for the phony bonds, thus preying on Native Hawaiians. Those who have participated have paid thousands of dollars for the organizers' services. The schemes utilize a variety of legal documentation filed with government offices to make them appear legitimate. Further, the schemes have been reported to use false tax return processing which shows the participant being owed large sums of money without having a legal right for such refund. If you, or anyone you know, has been contacted for participation in one of these schemes, please contact the local FBI office.

You know that feeling that you get in your na'au when you drive past 'Iolani Palace or when you hear Kaulana Nā Pua? That chicken-skin feeling that comes over you and lets you know that your kūpuna have been disturbed? That intrinsic sense that wrong has been done?

Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawai'i captures that feeling on film.

While it is true the State of Hawaii does not own the “ceded lands” neither do the so-called “native Hawaiians.”

By citing “native Hawaiians” as the default claimants to the “ceded lands” the State Supreme Court perpetuates a critical error, ignoring the historical and lawful fact that the lands in question belong to the Hawaiian Kingdom, not the “native Hawaiians.”

This mis-direction is employed to avoid addressing the actual crime — the theft of the national autonomy and the national lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It also avoids the rightful remedy — the return of the national autonomy and national lands to the Hawaiian Kingdom.

The rightful owners of the land are the parties from whom they were stolen: the crown (ruling monarch) and the government of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The monarch and the national government hold these lands in trust to benefit the people of Hawaii.

Seven members of a Hawaiian kingdom restoration group refused to enter pleas at arraignment to charges stemming from the takeover of Iolani Palace two months ago, maintaining that the Circuit Court has not established jurisdiction over them.

The members of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation, also refused to sign an order barring them from re-entering Iolani Palace, a state property over which they claim ownership.

After two high-profile occupations of Iolani Palace grounds this year, the state has created new security rules specifically for the palace to discourage similar protests.

The rules for the Iolani Palace State Monument, unanimously approved yesterday by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, include prohibition of obstructing public access and unauthorized occupation of the grounds. The rules will take effect in a few weeks, officials said.

PROHIBITED AT THE PALACE
New security rules for Iolani Palace prohibit the following actions:

» Obstructing public access to the grounds, buildings or structures
» Unauthorized occupation of any structure on the grounds, including but not limited to, Iolani Palace, Coronation Pavilion, Kanaina Building, Iolani Barracks Building and the Kekauluohi (Archives) Building
» Entering or remaining on the grounds during the hours they are closed, provided that persons with parking permits issued by the state Department of Accounting and General Services may enter and exit during the hours the grounds are closed for the purposes of parking and removing their cars
» Engaging in any activity so as to obstruct or impede pedestrians or vehicles, or harass or intimidate visitors, volunteers or employees traversing or on the premises either verbally or with physical contact or barriers; including but not limited to hindering or interfering with the public's use of one or more of the entry gates to the premises or building entrances
» Displaying signs of a size greater than 12 square feet.

RUSH: This secession business is one of the lamest straws, the lamest little twigs that the left have out there to try to go after Sarah Palin on the basis that her husband Todd supported secession for Alaska. Now, two things. Look at me on this. Follow me. Two things. Now, I don't support secession, obviously, but I can damn-well understand why people in Alaska feel put out. Here you have a bunch of elite, city slicker liberals in New York and California and elsewhere. They don't like liberals in these rural areas. They don't like liberal politicians telling them when, how, and where they can explore for and drill for their own natural resources. They don't like having to hear Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi tell them when and where they can't do things.

They don't like hearing it from Obama. They don't like being told that they can't use their habitats and all of that. Now, I don't support secession for Alaska, but I understand why people get ticked off up there. But can we go back to the recent past? There was a piece by John Fund on June 12th of 2006 in the Wall Street Journal. Senator Akaka [from Hawaii] "undermined his own bill last year when he made statements to National Public Radio that the sovereignty granted Native Hawaiians in the [Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act] bill could eventually lead to secession. 'That could be,' he said. 'As far as what's going to happen at the other end, I'm leaving it up to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.'" Obama and Biden both voted for Akaka's bill that opened the way for Hawaii to leave the union! And when this bill came up, we were all talking about how this is going to potentially lead to secession," and Obama and Biden both voted for it! Now, this is a clear example of a double standard.

Alaska hasn't done anything like this. They certainly haven't had a member of their congressional delegation propose it. But Daniel A-ka-ka (I love pronouncing that name) Daniel A-ka-ka from Hawaii not only proposed it, but it was debated and almost passed voted for by Obama and Biden. So what is this? The double standard just reigns extreme. But, see, we don't live in a monopoly anymore -- and the left cannot seem to get it through its head that we have researchers and that we have an archive of the stupid, contradictory, hypocritical things that they have and said how they've voted. The rope-a-dope again: "Okay, you want to go after Todd Palin for flirting with Alaskan secession? Fine! Obama and Biden voted for a bill that could lead to that very thing in Hawaii, by the sponsor's own admission, Daniel Akaka."

Hawaiian rights activist Dennis Pu'uhonua "Bumpy" Kanahele's planned constitutional convention for Native Hawaiians won't take place next month as some had envisioned.

Kanahele said he is still gathering support from Native Hawaiians for the effort, which would be separate from a Hawai'i state ballot issue in November asking voters whether they want a convention that would consider changes to the Hawai'i State Constitution. Kanahele believes a Native Hawaiian convention could work toward unifying the historically fractured Hawaiian independence movement.
[...]
Kanahele last week said [...] he is now focused on getting a minimum of 50,000 signatures supporting a constitutional convention before he wants to move forward.

He would not say how long he thinks that will take. He estimated that he has "over a few thousand right now." About 10,000 forms have been released and those have the potential of becoming 100,000 signatures, he said.

"We're just plugging away and getting more signatures," Kanahele said.

The signatures are considered important because they would form the basis for people who would vote in a constitutional convention and because the signatures would establish credibility with an international tribunal or independent entity.

The leader of the Independent and Sovereign Nation State of Hawaii (Nation of Hawaii), Kanahele has stressed that while he wants to take the lead organizing a gathering, his group's view will be only one of the views that would be presented for participants to consider.

Convention participants may ultimately decide they favor federal recognition for a Native Hawaiian entity through the Akaka bill as advocated by OHA instead of sovereignty, he said.

But that's not likely, given that most sovereignty groups don't think federal recognition will offer enough in compensation for the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian government and that a Hawaiian government entity should be negotiating with an international tribunal rather than the U.S. government.

Thomas Clark, a candidate for the Territorial senator from Maui, holds that it was an unconstitutional proceeding on the part of the United States to annex the Islands without a treaty, and that as a matter of fact, the Island (sic) are not annexed, and cannot be, and that if the democrats come into power they will show the thing up in its true light and demonstrate that that (sic) the Islands are de facto independent at the present time. Thomas, necessity knows no law, and it was absolutely necessary to access the Islands at the time it was done. And further, Thomas, if it becomes necessary to annex Cuba, it will be done quicker than a wink. It is but fair to give you credit for being honest in your views, Thomas, but you don't quite understand the American people just yet, hence you are very misleading.

It was a time of healing for Iolani Palace on Sunday morning, more than a week after Hawaii sovereignty activists briefly took over the palace.
[...]
Four royal societies marched in full regalia in a show of support for the palace and its place as an historic Hawaiian treasure.

"It served as the home of our aliis. It served as the government of our aliis. It served for the people of Hawaii," said Edward Akana of Alii Ai Moku.

The societies included the Royal Order of Kamehameha, Kaahumanu Society, Hale o Na Ali'i o Hawaii and Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors.

ARTICLE 22.

The Crown is hereby permanently confirmed to His Majesty Kalakaua, and to the Heirs of His body lawfully begotten, and to their lawful Descendants in a direct line; failing whom, the Crown shall descend to Her Royal Highness the Princess Liliuokalani, and the heirs of her body, lawfully begotten, and their lawful descendants in direct a line. The Succession shall be to the senior male child, and to the heirs of his body; failing a male child, the succession, shall be to the senior female child, and to the heirs of her body. In case there is no heir as above provided, the successor shall be the person whom the Sovereign shall appoint with the consent of the Nobles, and publicly proclaim during the Sovereign's life; but should there be no such appointed and proclamation, and the Throne should become vacant, then the Cabinet, immediately after the occurring of such vacancy, shall cause a meeting of the Legislature, who shall elect by ballot some native Alii of the Kingdom as Successor to the Throne; and the Successor so elected shall become a new Stirps for the Royal Family; and the Succession from the Sovereign thus elected, shall be regulated by the same law as the present Royal Family of Hawaii.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has scheduled a series of statewide hearings to gather input on proposed rule amendments for the use and protection of the 'Iolani Palace State Monument.
[...]
"The state is proposing to establish new administrative rules for 'Iolani Palace State Monument that will help protect and preserve the historic and cultural significance of this important piece of Hawai'i's history and heritage for future generations; and meet the monument's education mission to preserve the character of Hawai'i's monarchy era," said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chairwoman.

"We invite all interested individuals to attend a public hearing to present relevant information and opinions for the DLNR to consider," Thielen said.

Meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. except on Lana'i where the meeting begins at 5 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

Moloka'i – Aug. 12, Kaunakakai Elementary School cafeteria, 30 Ailoa St., Kaunakakai.
Lana'i – Aug. 12, 5 p.m., Lana'i High and Elementary School, room L16, 555 Fraser Ave. Lana'i City.
O'ahu – Aug. 13, DLNR Board room 132, 1151 Punchbowl St., Honolulu.
West Hawai'i – Aug. 13, Events Pavilion, Old Kona Airport County Park, 75-5480 Kuakini Highway, Kailua, Kona.
Maui – Aug. 13, Maui County Planning Department conference room, 1st floor, 250 South High St., Wailuku.
East Hawai'i – Aug. 14, State Office Building, 75 Aupuni St., conference rooms A, B and C, Hilo.
Kaua'i – Aug. 18, State Office Building, 2nd floor conference room, 3060 'Eiwa St., Room 209, Lihu'e.

Anyone unable to attend or wishing to present additional comments, may mail written testimony by Sept. 5 to Administrator, DLNR Division of State Parks, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 310, Honolulu, HI 96813.

The proposed rules are posted at www.hawaiistateparks.org/administrative/index.cfm. A copy of the proposed rule changes will be mailed at no charge upon receipt of verbal or written request to: Administrator, DLNR Division of State Parks, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 310, Honolulu, HI 96813. A copy may be also requested in person from the state parks offices on each island. For more information on the meetings, contact Steve Thompson at 587-0303.

Hawaii’s Board of Land and Natural Resources is considering whether to approve a public hearing on proposed new rules for Iolani palace after on-site protests by native Hawaiians.
[...]
But International law professor at the University of Illinois, Francis Boyle, says the group is within their rights to possess what is essentially their land and under international law have an airtight case.

“I think its significant for the fact that they have actually now tried to reclaim the Iolani palace, that was the headquarters of the Queen where she lived until she was overthrown and imprisoned. So I think it has a great deal, certainly of symbolic, and political and legal significance.”

An indigenous Hawaiian senator says Ionai [sic] palace is a public space and native Hawaiians are entitled to use the property.
[...]
Senator Kalani English says many native Hawaiian groups are determined to protect and utilise what they say is rightfully their land.

“One of the things that always strikes me is that people always try to romanticise our culture and turn us into a museum piece. And that’s always very scary, because we’re still here, we’re still 20 percent of the population, quite a large segment of the population, and yet we still have real issues.”

Oh, honest Americans, as Christians hear me for my downtrodden people! Their form of government is as dear to them as yours is as precious to you. Quite warmly as you love your country, so they love theirs.

—Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, 1898