By Kris Hutchington

There are so many blood and guts flying around these days it’s difficult to keep track. Today the world is  focused, not unreasonably, on the Israeli invasion of Gaza. I want to talk about Pakistan, but I need to get there through Gaza.

I stand pretty clear on this: Israel needs to crush Hamas. Period. And, I would like think, permanently. Yes, innocent people are going to be killed. It’s a war. The innocent always get killed. Today a person told me they were outraged by the pictures of the innocent Palestinians maimed and killed now flooding the newswaves. Well, I said, where has your outrage been the past several months when Hamas has been lobbing volleyball bombs into quiet suburbs and blowing up Israeli schoolchildren?

Israel did not randomly decide on a whim to invade Gaza. They were provoked by the deaths of their citizens.  They would most definitely prefer not to spend the time, money, and Israeli deaths which will occur as a result of this war. They are being forced by the despicable actions of a “duly elected” Palestinian government.

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National Bird Day Day 5 of 2008 360 days left in this year

HAWAIIAN PROVERB OF THE DAY — “The bird of the day reaps its reward.”

WEB SURF SPOT OF THE WEEK — Think Green Hawaii
WEB VIDEO OF THE WEEK — Dance around the world with Matt
NETCAST OF THE WEEK — Slate’s Podcasts
GOOD DEED SITE OF THE WEEK — Maui Food Bank

MAUI’S  BIRDS: The native birds of East Maui have adapted and evolved to co-exist in the Maui’s unique and complex volanic ecosystem. Scientists believe that all of East Maui’s forest songbirds (passerines)  evolved from an unknown finch-like species. These birds are collectively called honeycreepers.

• Hawaii Audubon Society
  Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
  DLNR East Maui Forest Birds
  Listen to Maui’s Native birds

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