Congressman Mark Takai; New Perspective on Honolulu Housing; Eli Duo; Marsy's Law; Green Island
Legislative Priorities: Congressman Mark Takai
Congressman Mark Takai’s list of issues is long. One topic that was recently answered succinctly was his response to whether he’d run again given his ongoing cancer treatment. That was a yes. Congressman Takai is back in Honolulu and he joined The Conversation to look at some of his focus points, including yesterday’s action by North Korea. Takai represents Hawaii’s first district and was a 20 year member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives before his 2014 election to Congress. He serves on the House Armed Forces Committee and on the House Committee on Small Business.
- Intro Music: Wishing You Prosperity Dance by Music Time
- Outro Music: Finding A Leaf In Your Girlfriend's Hair by Lullatone
New Perspective on Honolulu Housing: Sumner La Croix
At just about every level, the high cost of housing is part of life in Hawaii. Although some of the reasons (finite land mass, development conflict) seem obvious, others are not, and there may be myths that are often repeated, blurring true housing comparisons. To dispel that, economist Sumner La Croix joined the show with a perspective that may be surprising. La Croix is Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa and is a research fellow with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.
- Intro Music: Finding A Leaf In Your Girlfriend's Hair by Lullatone
- Outro Music: Backyard Quiz Theme by Jon de Mello
Classical training can take a musician almost anywhere he wants to go if he’s willing. The more rigorous your approach to your instrument when you’re learning your craft, the more freedom you will have when you’ve gotten your chops together. Duane Padilla and guitarist Ian O’ Sullivan are bringing their training to bear on a wide variety of tunes in an upcoming weekend concert, and Duane joined us, violin in hand, to offer a preview. Padilla and O’Sullivan will perform as the Eli Duo Saturday evening in HPR’s Atherton Performing Arts Studio.
- Intro Music: How High the Moon by Duane Padilla
- Outro Music: Omaopio Road by Duane Padilla & Ian O'Sullivan
Supporters of Victims rights will try again this year. As in the original California campaign, they know it may take time to see that our state has its version of Marsy’s Law. That’s the 2008 law named for a young woman murdered in Santa Barbara in 1983 after being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Since its passage, states around the country have tailored parts of it to meet their state’s needs. But in Hawaii, the bill would call for a constitutional change. Meg Garvin is the executive director of the National Crime Victim Law Institute and she is again in Hawaii to make the case to lawmakers this session.
- Intro Music: Got Django by Hot Club of Hulaville
- Outro Music: Epigram by Tycho
Green Island: Shawna Yang Ryan

History is best understood through the lives of those most closely affected and historical upheavals can remain an abstraction for most of us until we’re made to understand how we would feel if we were thrust into the middle of them. The turmoil of modern-day Taiwan, as seen through the lives of the characters in Shawna Yang Ryan’s Green Island, will be an unfamiliar story to many of her readers, but that can only add to its power. She’s with us this morning. Green Island, published by Alfred Knopf, will go on sale February 23rd. Shawna Yang Ryan will be reading from it on March 13th at Revolution Books in Honolulu.
- Intro Music: Chinese Dragon by Lunar Synth
- Outro Music: Nobody by Hiatus