Friday 5 for December 30: Out with the old

This is the last Friday 5 for 2022. Questions are from its usual source.

1. Among people with whom you are not personally acquainted, who most made you laugh in 2022?

The people who made me laugh in a cynical way were local government officials who were busted for various crimes.

I had to laugh at former State Senator Kalani English, once the Senate Majority Floor Leader, who tried to hide a $6000 check of illegal bribe money. It was found under the rug of a vehicle he was riding in when busted by law enforcement. It was part of a federal wire fraud investigation.

Today English is serving a 40 month sentence in the federal slammer for taking bribes from a lobbyist to manipulate sewer legislation. It was so criminal that this became funny in a sick, warped way. Shit happens.

English was not the only one. Former State Representative Ty Cullen was busted on similar charges.

We have the former Honolulu Police Chief serving time in the federal slammer for numerous crimes. His wife, a former deputy prosecutor is also doing time in federal prison for a number of crimes including stealing from a trust fund, her grandmother and framing another relative. There was also a cover up involved between the two and other officers in the police department at the time of her husband's tenure.

Three former City and County of Honolulu officials were arrested by the FBI for misuse of city funds to pay for a severance to the convicted police chief mentioned above. Their trials are upcoming.

This past election year saw two state legislators arrested for D.U.I. Their charges were dropped by the court for various reasons. The voters were not as forgiving. Both lost their re-election bids.

Hawaii is full of corruption that go back many years and decades. I am sure the comedy of corruption will continue in Hawaii for years to come. We're just like a banana republic.

2. Among people with whom you are not personally acquainted, who most inspired you in 2022?

Nobody I can think of.

3. What were your food discoveries in 2022?

I tend to eat the same things day in and out. This is due to the high cost of living in Hawaii. Because fuel, energy and shipping prices have spiked up since 2020, I don't have the income to eat at fancy places or buy exotic grocery foods. The price of groceries and dining out have increased.

That said, probably the only new foods I tried is when my seasonal employer took us out for lunch one day at a high end restaurant I never been to before. I had some fancy burger and exotic dessert. Can't remember what they're called. See pictures below.

4.What were your music discoveries in 2022?

The top ten artists that I discovered and played for the first time this year are the following:

Rank & Artist	Most Played Track	Count
1. Cannons	Hurricane	331
2. Cuco	Sitting at the Corner	84
3. Stephen Sanchez	Until I Found You	48
4. Duke & Jones	Jiggle Jiggle (It Folds)	38
5. Rammstein	Zick Zack	33
6. Envy of None	Never Said I Love You	28
7. Cazzi Opeia	I Can't Get Enough	21
8. Liamoo	Bluffin	21
9. Jay Phung	Step By Step	19
10. Brim	California Gold	16

Data pulled from my Last.FM profile as of December 30, 2022.

5. Where will you be when the clock strikes midnight on January 1?

I am 99.999% sure I will be at home with Lisa listening to the crazy and reckless people setting off legal and illegal fireworks.