Thus, "factory reconditioned" and "as is" can be considered as two subclassifications of "used." Then, I can agree with you that there is an implicit promise that "reconditioned" means that the unit / item has been restored to its original factory specifications. And were it my kids who had inadvertantly received the advanced education in human anatomy and sexuality, I'd be angry with the manufacturer, too.

But that said, human beings do sometimes make mistakes, and a manufacturer's given protocols for the reconditioning of electronic devices can sometimes be accidentally sortcircuited, no pun intended. In this particular instance, I think one can safely assume that nobody was hurt or killed, and that the only real damage incurred was probably the personal mortification felt by the parents, who were perhaps compelled to answer some awkward questions from their own children.

And speaking for myself only, I'd like to think that a subsequent lawsuit to extract a large cash settlement from someone with deep pockets, i.e., SONY, is not exactly the sort of teachable moment I'd want to provide to my own children in the aftermath of any such embarrassment.

I was not surprised, of course, because I was raised Catholic and saw a lot of that thinking that the pesky laws of this land do not matter a whit.

From a personal, admittedly anecdotal, experience:

I was the designated caregiver for my father-in-law when he suffered what seemed to be an end-of-life medical crisis. While at the hospital I inadvertently overheard the conversation the just coming on duty Physician's assistant was having with the station nurse. The PA, after ascertaining the existence of a valid DNR authorization, determined that the correct action was to "pull the plug." Having been closely involved with my father-in-laws medical situation I felt that the PA wasn't fully comprised of the facts. A simple procedure reducing the patient's temperature would permit another simple procedure which would bring his respiration back to normal. So, I overruled the DNR, the procedures were performed, and he lived another four relatively happy and healthy years.

It does not set well with either side, or at least those who demand 100% obedience.

You see, I grew up so poor that when my mom threw a chicken bone out the back door the dog would signal for a fair catch... ;-) (drum roll, please...)

My parents were sharecroppers. I know what a "company store" looks like and how it operates. I watched my dad and uncles come back from WWII and use government funded training to move up in the world and I watched them unionize the local Brown Shoe company with all the drama, threats and some violence that goes with those... And I watched him toss a Deputy Sheriff, a supposed friend, out of our home because the DS wouldn't quit using the N word.. I've carried a union card...

So don't lecture me about social things. I've lived a bunch of them. Mostly likely far more than you.

But to return to the Senator.

He was a man I admired. I didn't know a lot about him but over the years I read somewhat and since I spent a lot of time in Hawaii in the 70's through 90's I picked up from friends about how admired he was.

So it seems to me that a man who gave as much as he gave to his Party, his state and his country should have his request honored.

But that's just me. I don't ask people who have done a lot, "What have you done for me lately?"

My point is that I think it is disrespectful based on who this Senator was. He wasn't just your average Senator.

I would also like to share with you and everyone here a rather clarifying bit of information which I only learned this morning, that when our committee voted Wednesday to determine which three nominees from among the dozen applicants we would be forwarding to Gov. Abercrombie:

• Brian Schatz was the only one whose name was listed as among the top three finalists on ALL the ballots cast; and

• While Congresswoman Hanabusa received a clear plurality of first position votes, fully one-quarter of us didn't even list her name at all amongst our preferred three finalists.

(And for the record, my three preferences were (1) Brian Schatz, (2) Colleen Hanabusa, and (3) Donna Mercado Kim.)

Therefore, Gov. Abercrombie's final decision actually mirrors the committee's collective thoughts on the subject, and thus, "Brian Schatz, U.S. Senator" is not really so much of a surprise after all.

In this instance, the people now wading knee-deep in the swamp grass are the Hawaii Democrats' "Old Guard," as exemplified by Ms. Sabas and her good friend Walter Dods, former Chairman and CEO of Bankwest Corp.

That Old Guard made a crude power play when they chose to deliver Sen. Inouye's "last wish" to Gov. Abercrombie's office by messenger, while simultaneously releasing the contents of that correspondence to the local and national media -- and they lost.

Abercrombie's surprisingly swift consolidation of power is now nearly complete, with his appointment of State Senate President Shan Tsutsui, a 41-year-old economist from Maui, as his lieutenant governor to replace the just-departed Brian Schatz. Further, the governor also gets to choose Tsutsui's successor in the legislature, once Maui Democrats determine the three finalists for their now-vacant State Senate seat.

Given Sen. Inouye's advanced age, it was in prospective anticipation of this inevitable moment that I was one of the first Hawaii Democratic Party officials to publicly support Neil Abercrombie's gubernatorial candidacy three years ago, and why I worked so hard to ensure his election in November 2010. Without a doubt, he has seized the moment, and I'm very proud of him for having accomplished it in rather decisive fashion.

You know, looking back at everything I've written here at TL over the last two weeks, almost from that moment on the night of December 16 when we first got word that Sen. Inouye was probably dying, I actually held a front row seat to some rather extraordinary events which have played out locally over the course of the last ten days or so.

We've just seen a sudden and dramatic shift of political power in these islands, literally from one generation to the next, which has now resulted in near-complete control by the liberal-progressive faction of the Hawaii Democratic Party, of which I've long been part.

Suffice to say that we don't often get such first-hand opportunities to witness and take part in political drama, and I'm really glad that I was able to share a lot of it with all of you in real time, as it was actually happening.

We're off to Maui for the weekend. If I do say so myself, these past two weeks have been quite exhausting, both mentally and emotionally, and I'm ready for some quality down time with family and friends.