Filing 1099-Misc

It's the end of the year, so it's time to get all of the tax documents in order. I have hired a few contractors this year, like a DP and a web designer, so I have to file some 1099 Misc. It is actually pretty easy to do, you just have to request for the forms through the IRS website. It takes about one to two weeks for them to be delivered. You can also get an instruction sheet that helps you fill them out properly if it is your first time.http://www.irs.gov/businesses/page/0,,id=23108,00.html

The deadline this year to get copies to your non-employees is February 1, 2011 and the deadline to get them to the IRS is March 1, 2010 or March 31, 2011 if you are filing electronically. So there is still plenty of time to get it done.

Photo by JD Hancock: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/3446025121/

Happy Holidays! Silent Night / Po La`ie

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah!

As an aside, why am I the only Hawaiian that can't sing?

Eye-Land: My New Homeless Friend Kapi`i

I went to Inglewood today to talk about a youth media program that I am developing with the Tongan Community Service Center http://tonganla.net/ I was taking the Blue Line Metro back to LA when a middle aged man with a bright green longboard got on at the 103rd Street stop in Watts. He had a Maui sticker on the back of his black helmet, so I slid across the aisle to take a picture of the back of his head. Then I noticed that written in broad black permanent marker was "Maoli Nō!" ( which translates to Hawaiian Indeed!) It was hard to see against the black background of his helmet.

It took a couple of seconds to work up the courage to tap him on the shoulder and ask if he was indeed Hawaiian. He said yes and told me his name was Kapi`i. I told him my Hawaiian name. He told me just about everything about himself. He had been living in the Watts area for about five years. He told me that he missed fishing in his boat in Hilo and showed me a picture he had of himself holding up two large Ono.

He also showed me the large scar he had across his elbow, which he said he got for being "too kolohe (crazy) and hanging out with the wrong kind of people". He said that he was staying in a shelter somewhere in Watts and kinda laughed. Looking with sincere directness at me he said "Well, you know how it is for us in Hawai`i we just all stay on the beach. Being on the street isn't so bad, here though it's good to stay in the shelter." He went on "But you know there is always a way off the street."

He was on his way to go to a business class near USC so he got off just one stop before mine, he is studying so that when his father passes away he will be able to go back to Hilo and continue on his family's fishing business.


The Maui sticker that started the conversation.

Radio Show Download: Violent Crisis on Rapa Nui Island

As I mentioned on the blog last week here is the download link to the Indigenous Politics: From Native New England and Beyond episode on the events taking place in Rapanui.

http://indigenouspolitics.mypodcast.com/2010/12/The_Violent_Crisis_on_Rapa_Nui_Island-335489.html

Host J. Kehaulani Kauanui focuses on a dire situation that's been unfolding on the island of Rapa Nui. Where the indigenous Ma`ohi people are reclaiming traditional ancestral lands that the Chilean government seized for private development. We will hear from Susana Hito who is following the situation carefully through her husband Santi Hitorangi (Ma`ohi) who is currently on the island and who is directly involved with his extended family. He was shot during the weekend while filming a clash with the Chilean police opened fire on unarmed Rapanui civilians. Santi Hitorani is a filmmaker, artist and Rapa Nui representative of people to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. He and Susana make up Te Pito Productions. Original air-sate: 12-07-10.

Moai photo by: http://www.flickr.com/people/pretamal/

THE ANIMATED ADVENTURES OF JUDO GIRL

This is a really cute documentary that is in Production at Making Waves Films http://makingwavesfilms.com/. Director Kimberlee Bassford has recently completed a fundraising trailer for the film, which is included just above in this post. Kimberlee and her camera were with Teshya and her younger sister Teniya in October when they both swept their divisions and won gold at the Infantil Pan American Judo Championships in Panama City, Panama. It was their first international tournament and first time competing on the USA National Team. Teshya and the film project were even featured in an TeamUSA.org article, the official website of the United States Olympic Committee.

Kimberlee wil continue to film Teshya and her family over the next two years as she prepares for the 2012 Judo World Championships. It's bound to be an animated adventure!

Free Screenings of film featuring an inspirational Samoan Minister

Free screenings of a great new film called "The Calling" which features a brilliant young Samoan American minister will be held in:

Long Beach, CA - Tuesday, December 28, 2010 6:00PM Location: Long Beach Public Library (see attached flier for more info)
Oakland, CA - Thursday, December 16, 2010 Doors Open @ 6:00pm Oakland Asian Cultural Center (see attached flier for more info)
San Francisco, CA - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Doors Open @ 5:15pm San Francisco Main Public Library, Koret Auditorium (see attached flier for more info)

Here is a little more detail about the film:

Rob Pene, a Samoan, is busy studying at the Haggard School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University, working with a Presbyterian Minister in an upper-middle-class Los Angeles church, and mentoring poor teenage boys. All this is on top of a budding career as a Christian rapper, which he sees as his tool to minister to young people. Rob recently launched a new business focused on serving ministries, small businesses, schools, and mission-minded individuals.

Rob is just one of four characters (of different religious denominations) in the film on a path to the robe. The film follows Rob back to American Samoa during a difficult time, and speaks volumes to the unique, oftentimes difficult Pacific Islander experience in America when confronted with issues of identity, cultural preservation, and family. I really think that Rob’s role in this film will strike a chord in islanders living in the Los Angeles and Bay Area.

The film's website is: http://www.itvs.org/films/calling

Please forward on to anyone you think may be interested in watching and I hope some of you are able to get out see this film and show that Pacific Islanders are interested in seeing more of their stories in motion.

To Download Flyers for San Francisco go to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/45239426/Calling-FlyerSF

To Download Flyers for Oakland go to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/45239389/Calling-FlyerOAK

To Download Flyers for Long Beach go to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/45239465/LONG-BEACH-Large-Flier

Eye-Land: Conan Says Hawaiian

Conan says Hawaiian is part of a group of videos called Eye-land, which is kind of a dumb name for a collection of clips that mention Pacific Islanders. As Pacific Islanders sometimes we think we aren't in the public consciousness. So here's to showing that we're out their for better or worse. What do you think this clip says about being Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander? Does it matter?

Maybe later I will figure out some kind of project to do with my collection.