… This Friday evening is the 21st Annual Town Meeting sponsored by LAHAINATOWN ACTION COMMITTEE at the PIONEER INN COURTYARD at 5 p.m. Heavy pupus will be offered with refreshments and an open host bar. Guest speaker will be SEN. ROZ BAKER, so do attend, support this worthy organization and hear their plans for 2010…

… well, the movie “Hereafter” on Front Street came and went, and if you think Lahaina will get any benefit from the film, think again — the street was dressed to look like an Oriental bazaar, and nothing was recognizable as Lahaina. But as it is depicted as a tsunami scene, it’s probably just as well…

… the NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION will hold a reception to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the foundation’s creation and the presentation of the Lahaina Orientation Facility in the OLD LAHAINA COURTHOUSE. Understand Sen. DANIEL INOUYE will attend…

… and the world news has been dominated by the tragic earthquake in HAITI — the aftershocks have been as severe as the original quake, and it will probably never be known the death toll, given the huge burial process in common graves. With the capitol completely destroyed, there could be the chance to rebuild and start over, but given the history of this sad country over the past 200 years, it will take more than just the will to make changes and follow through with them. But the Dominican Republic made it work!…

… and over on the other side, China is flexing its muscles in the standoff with Google. I read this past week that China is concerned that its exports are falling and blame it on the poor economy. But the world’s distaste for Chinese goods — poor workmanship, questionable ingredients in food products  — and a glut in the market of everything Chinese are the more likely reasons. When I see “Made in China,” I put the item back unless I absolutely can’t live without it — that hasn’t happened yet. There is always a like product made elsewhere. It’s history repeating itself from World War II with Japanese products — but not so today with Japan…

… and back home, Lahaina hosted a well-known catalog shoot with the models in a back drop of our historic sites — and they didn’t cover them up either!!…

… the business picture is still pretty dismal — but maybe with Continental flying into Maui in March, things will pick up…

… Councilwoman JO ANNE JOHNSON put husband JIM to rest at Makawao Veterans Cemetery with a dignified and moving ceremony complete with bagpipers, a four-gun salute and the playing of “Taps” befitting a veteran of W.W.II…

… and Lahaina resident HONEY LABORTE lost husband ALBERT, also a W.W.II veteran. He was one of the soldiers positioned on adjoining islands when the hydrogen bomb was tested in the Pacific and subjected to the fallout (many of them did not survive their use). Aloha ’oe Albert — you beat the odds!…

Up Front Lahaina is a twice monthly feature. To protect his innocence, the writer chooses to remain anonymous. The views expressed in this column belong to the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Lahaina News staff and owners.