Deductible Junkets
Headed to Honolulu for INET?
OK, OK - so your idea of a Hawaiian holiday is big blue drinks on the beach at Waikiki. Fine. But can we compromise on the blue?
Take it from me, a keiki o ka aina: for that mai tai, you'll want to visit one of the grandes dames of Hawaiian hotels: the Royal Hawaiian, the Moana, or the Halekulani. But go just before sunset: the tourists are fleeing, the pink-sailed catamarans are beaching, the outrigger canoe clubs are practicing, and the sun will soon play hukilau, casting its nets of color into the sky.
These hotels hark back to Old Hawai'i, and yes, there's more of a graceful past here than WaikI-kI- would ever suggest. Start with Ka'ao o Honolulu, walking tours with themes like "The Revolution of 1893" and "Ghosts of Honolulu." Then head to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and Planetarium for everything from the anthropological to the astronomical.
In the heart of downtown is 'Iolani Palace, an Italianate stone, stucco, and koa-wood colossus that pays poignant tribute to Hawai'i's last monarch, Queen Lili'uokalani. The native Hawaiians' tragic story and Lili'uokalani's imprisonment in the palace will break your heart.
While downtown, stroll down Maunakea Street, whose turn-of-the-century stone buildings recall Honolulu as wharf town. Long renown for its lei shops, the area is also home to art galleries, Chinese apothecaries, and some hot (and spicy) cafés. Try Duc's Bistro for French cuisine-la Viét Nam, or to save two bits, go to Duc's brother's place, A Little Bit of Saigon.
More good kaukau - and some jumping night life - are nearby at the Aloha Tower Marketplace. The Big Island Steakhouse is my brother's pick; Mom prefers the Abner T. Longley Fireboat (harbor tours narrated by local comedian K.K. Kaumanua); the critics commend Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant. But I say don't miss the free Hawaiian music on the pier every Friday afternoon.
But to taste O'ahu's best treasures, go west - through the pineapple and sugar cane fields to the North Shore and the rustic seaside town of Haleiwa (my home turf). Stop at Megs Country Drive In for plate lunch and don't miss the shave ice at Matsumoto's.
From there, head for Waimea Falls Park, a lovely valley with a 45-foot waterfall, botanical gardens, hula shows, and excavated ruins. Waimea Bay offers a 60-foot-high rock for world-class diving and an underwater puka you can swim through. Finally, stop at the Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau, an ancient lava temple perched atop a cliff. The spirits here will give you "chicken skin," the Hawaiian version of goose bumps. On the drive back, turn that radio dial to the all-Hawaiian KCCN (am 1420, fm 100.3).
When the Internet yaddah yaddah becomes a yawn, ditch the digital highway for tropical footpaths. Walk around Makapu'u Point or disappear into the forest via Pu'u Ohia (at the intersection of Tantalus and Round Top Drives) or Manoa Falls Trail. Go to the Maunalani Heights trailhead, which lies between a fence and the water tank on Maunalani Circle. Hike for hours along the spine of a ridge: the mist will beckon from atop the Ko'olau Range, lush valleys will drop off on either side, and the cyberworld will be left far, far, far behind.
Kiakahi Hale
June 7-9
Artificial Intelligence Applications on Wall Street; New York
Forget biz school - all you need to make it big on Wall Street is a little intelligence. Artificial intelligence, that is. This third annual event, sponsored by Pace University in cooperation with the ACM and others, draws speakers from the nerdy depths of MIT to the executive suites of Lehman Brothers. Panels cover intelligent electronic exchanges, advanced trading techniques, and new computer infrastructure. Registration: around US$500. Contact: +1 (914) 763 8820, fax +1 (914) 763 9324, e-mail satwell@mcimail.com.
June 20-23
Ars Electronica; Linz, Austria
Subtitled "Mythos Information: Welcome to the Net Worlds," the venerable Ars Electronica program delves into our postmodern information society and finds that the transition from mechanical madness to slick information machine raises many questions. Then there is the prestigious international Prix Ars Electronica, awarded to the most dazzling electronic art and - new for '95 - Web sites. Registration: free. Contact: 43 (732) 7612 271, fax 43 (732) 7612 350, e-mail arsliva@ping.at.
June 27-29
Women in Technology Conference; Santa Clara, California
Face it, if you're not an old boy, the old network doesn't work. Professional women can network, brainstorm, and - yes - vent at "Channels for Change." Famed feminist Gloria Steinem and White House scientist M.R.C. Greenwood keynote this industry event, organized by the International Network of Women in Technology. Registration: US$375. Contact: Laurie Clark, +1 (818) 990 1987, fax +1 (818) 906 3299, e-mail witi@crl.com.
June 27-30
INET '95; Honolulu
"And what rough beast, its hour come at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" A global information beast. But at the annual Internet Society conference, Net workers investigate the theme of "The Internet: Towards Global Information Infrastructure" in an effort to tame the beast. General sessions range from network engineering and operation to policy issues and business applications. Special workshops cover the educational use of the Net and network training for developing countries. Registration: US$475 before May 26. Contact: +1 (703) 648 9888, fax +1 (703) 648 9887, e-mail inet95@isoc.org, WWW www .isoc.org/inet95.html.
July 5-8
Alliance for Community Media International Conference and Trade Show; Boston
What is the appropriate model for the information superwhatever? How can we ensure that community access and involvement are not totaled in the convergence-slash-collision of the computer and telecommunications industries? Organized by the Alliance for Community Media (originally the National Federation of Local Cable Programmers), this forum attempts to shape a democratic new telecommunications policy. Registration: US$400 until June 5, then $430. Contact: +1 (503) 233 1224, fax +1 (503) 233 0772.
Out on the range
__July 27-31 The Fourth Quinquennial Science Studies Workshop: Humans, Animals, Machines; Bath, England. Contact: fax + 44 225 826381, e-mail h.m.collins@bath.ac.uk.August 4-6 DEFCON III; Las Vegas. Contact: e-mail junkets@wired.com.
August 6-11 SIGGRAPH; Los Angeles. Contact: +1 (312) 321 6830, fax +1 (312) 321 6875.
Got a good junket? E-mail junkets@wired.com.__
