Props and Slops: April 6-12

IN MEMORIAM

• David Lance Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (April 7)

HAWAII

• Props:  A tie.  First, local CBS affiliate KGMB9 for winning 3 Edward R. Murrow awards. News Director Chris Archer (@KGMB9Archer) has more details on his witty and well-written blog. Second, Hawaiian Airlines (@HawaiianAirline)for being named the top in airline quality in 2008 and for being the nation’s most on-time airline in February.
  • Honorable Mention:  Honolulu for being named the 8th best walking city in the U.S.
    

GEEK/TECH/BLOG

• Props:  Jeanne Thomas, a Florida woman who caught burglars in her home using a web cam from work.
  • Honorable Mention:  Technology, like Second Life, for allowing artists to make a living online.
• Slops:  Online criminals in Hawaii for making us rank #8 in the nation for cybercrime.
  

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

• Props:  The U. S. Department of Defense for lifting a ban on journalists witnessing the return of fallen service members. It comes with restrictions, and only if the fallen soldier’s family consents.  The ban had been in place since the Gulf War.
  • Honorable Mention:  Same-sex marriage advocates for making headway in Washington, DC (on the local level, not in Congress), Vermont, and New York.
• Slops:  Sheikh Habib Al-Habib, a Saudi judge, for upholding a marriage of an 8-year-old girl to a 47-year-old man.  Now, I usually try to be accepting and tolerant of cultural differences, but this is just wrong.

PROP AND SLOP OF THE WEEK

• Prop of the Week:  Kauai residents for being featured on CNN for fixing Polihale State Park in only 8 days – using no State resources.
• Slop of the Week:   Texas State Rep. Betty Brown, a Republican, for suggesting Asians should change their names to make it easier for other Americans to pronounce. If you’re as outraged as many others, there’s even a Facebook group called Down with Betty Brown.

That’s it for this week.  Be sure to visit next week for another edition of Props and Slops, my favorite feature on Capsun’s Corner.

Mahalo!

Please note:  The views expressed here are mine and mine alone.  While I am employed by and affiliated with organizations and individuals, permission has neither been asked nor granted to write on the topics discussed here.

Tagged as: betty brown, chris archer, cnn, cybercrime, dungeons & dragons, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Hawaiian Airlines, honolulu, KGMB9, murrow awards, polihale state park, props, props and slops, same-sex marriage, second life, slops