Welcome to the Upper Management Team!

Dear Veilcorp employee,

Congratulations on making it to VL10 and welcome to the upper management team! We are excited to be able to harness your expertise to make Veilcorp an exciting and engaging workplace.

As you may have heard, there are a number of unique benefits offered to VL10’s not available to others inside the company. You should be receiving an information pack soon from Larry Block, HR’s special executive business partner (and a VL10 himself), detailing the specifics of your new package. He will guide you through all your options and accommodate you in any way he can. Please direct all inquiries directly to him.

Please note that you have already signed your non-disclosure agreement. It is important to remember not to share any details about these benefits with your subordinates. Any failure to keep this information to VL10’s and above will be met with consequences including curtailment of benefits to immediate termination, and might include civil and criminal complaints.

Without getting into details here are a few of the many wonderful new benefits afforded to you.

  • Free travel to any Veilcorp location across the world is of course available to you and your family. In addition, you will have access to staging specialists who will take furnishings and elements from your home to decorate whatever accommodations you have booked, giving you a feeling of home wherever you go.
  • On-Demand Newuskin treatments for you and your immediate family so you all can look and feel your best.
  • Access to one of the company submarines, use of the ski chalet, and access to veil-net for personal dataset syncing.
  • A 10% discount on veil corporation merchandise.
  • Subsidized tuition set aside for your children or any niece or nephew that you might want to help.
  • A VeilCorp provided loan instrument for the purchase of a home, if you need it, or are looking to upgrade.
  • A million-dollar donation budget that you can direct at your leisure (the urchin restoration project is a popular choice for some of this money)
  • A ceremplant upgrade for your family and loved ones, with complimentary satellite tracking, and an ambassador class security team available when you wish.
  • A 127 powered home generator that will provide you and your family with all the energy you will need for your lifetime.
  • Hailoha black diamond status providing you with free safe transportation within 5 minutes in over 200 cities worldwide.
  • Access to a veil-dug emergency shelter. You and your family will be safe and secure within our luxury facility. Larry will contact you to work out the specifics of the personal emergency veil we’ll need to install in your home.

All of these wonderful benefits and much more are now yours to enjoy. Your negotiated and updated financial package is available via VALARIE. Eric and I look forward to working more closely with you in our shared future.

Sincerely,
Lisa Hunt
COO
Veilcorp

Veilcorp and Glimpsea Launch “Familiar Faces” App

You find yourself in a new city, far away from the place that you call home. The sights, sounds, and even smells are unfamiliar. Everyone’s accent is different and there is a whole host of local slang terms to learn. Even the street food is different here. You’re not sure where the cool place to hang out is or if you’ll have anything in common with the people there. You are on your own. It’s one of the hardest parts about being a child who moves to a new town, but is it also a burden for tourists? Veilcorp seems to think so. The company is launching a new app called “Familiar Faces” designed to help visitors feel more at home and help them connect with local businesses while staying in Lahaina.

The ceremplant app helps visitors locate others from the same geographical locations, using Veilcorp facial recognition data and Glimpsea’s Lahaina View Project. In addition to helping visitors find others from the same area, the app provides companies with highly targeted ad opportunities.

“We run the feed from our cameras through a Veilcorp facial recognition system and Familiar Faces does the matching. A map shows you where people from your area are in real time. Feeling like a stranger in a strange land can be one of the hardest parts of traveling. The app is great way to find someone to talk to when you’re far away from home. We’re excited about the possibilities here and are already in talks with other cities about expanding the service. I believe tourism bureaus across the country will be begging for this kind of program,” says Simon Ike Vice President of Glimpsea.

Veilcorp has big plans for the pilot program. They see Familiar Faces expanding into other areas and becoming an integral part of everyone’s vacation experience. Brie Howard Vice President for Special Projects and Strategic Growth (VPSPSG) says, “The app also uses information gathered by our 3rd party partners to identify people with shared interests. If you’ve booked an ATV tour of the preservation zone, you’ll see others who have as well. If you asked about deep sea fishing, you’ll see who else has booked a charter. It’s a giant win for local businesses. With a premium subscription, a company can get a real time map of people interested in their services. This offers a wide array of valuable and highly targeted marketing information.”

However, not everyone is excited about having a real-time location service available to anyone. Many have accused the Familiar Faces app of being a stalker’s “dream come true.” They accuse the company of “pushing the boundaries of personal safety for a dollar,” pointing out that the program is currently opt-out for visitors. Some have more basic concerns about the program.

Local resident John Driscol is a vocal opponent of the new app and was one of many protesting in front of the Mayor Cravalho’s office this week. He says,

“I was not born and raised here but I found things to do without the help of an elaborate tracking system. I started counting waves the very first day I arrived. Part of the joy of wave counting as a hobby is the solitude it provides. A guy can sit and really ask himself the important questions in life: Will this cooler keep my drinks cold enough? Will I be able to completely relax in the next 7 hours before my kid gets home? Will they have the initiative to make themselves something to eat if I’m late again? The last thing I need is some out-of-towner who thinks that counting waves is easy, breaking my focus by wanting to talk. It’s not just the hassle of being interrupted that I’m concerned about. My life is significantly different now than it was before my wife and I moved here. I was a legend back home. No event was complete until I made an appearance. They could have made movies about my life in my early 20’s. I don’t want someone from my home town seeing me now and reminding me of what might have been. There’s a reason I skipped my 20th class reunion. I had some great times back then. Being a husband and father is really hard work, and the last thing I need is a walk down memory lane.”

Lahaina Celebrates Reality Star Malie Kahiko’s 111th Birthday

Malie Kahiko, one of Lahaina’s favorite daughters, is celebrating her 111th birthday today and visitors and residents alike are helping her celebrate. The popular star of the online series, “Malie’s List”, says that she appreciates all the well wishers and says she doesn’t plan on doing anything special to celebrate her birthday. “After 100, every day is just another day,” she says. Kahiko credits her long life to “genetics, a bit of luck, and trying everything at least once.”

When Malie Kahiko was born, the federal government had just raised the minimum wage to 40 cents, Germany had annexed Austria, oil was newly discovered in Saudi Arabia, and a man named Howard Hughes set a new “round-the-world” record of 3 days, 19 hours. A lot can change in a lifetime, especially a lifetime that lasts over a century. Malie says that veil travel and ceremplant technology are at the top of her list of amazing developments during her long life.

In addition to her longevity, it’s lists that have pushed her into the spotlight, but according to Malie, that was never the plan. “To be honest I never planned or even wanted all this recognition. I started going through my bucket list when I turned 88. It took me 10 years to get through the whole thing. I never imagined I’d actually get through it. Then I spent a year doing things I sorta wanted to do, and made it to the end of that list too. I was 99, I had done everything I ever dreamed of doing. I had buried 3 husbands, a couple children and a grandchild. All of my old friends were long gone and I was honestly struggling to figure out what to do with myself. Some of my great-grandkids suggested I finally get a ceremplant. I’ve never been a big fan of that sort of thing, but they said it’d be easy to use and it’d give me people to talk to. They couldn’t have been more right. I started telling people about my life and my bucket list. Everyday it seemed like a dozen more would message me and before you know it I had my own channel. On my 100th birthday someone said they really wanted to go cliff diving but always chickened out at the last minute, so I said I’d give it a try for them. I figured it might be fun and if it went bad….well I’d get to see my friends again. That was the beginning of the series.”

Malie’s List sees Kahiko scratch off items from viewer’s bucket lists, and has made her one of the most recognized faces in Lahaina. Along with her black mobility scooter Betty, she has spent the past 10 years traveling the world and completing over 250 viewer suggested tasks. Malie has: scooted with the bulls, shuffled off the top of waterfalls, dived with sharks, helped tag the Duracave elephant herd, been hoisted up a sheer cliff face, and even sailed through a hurricane. Surprisingly, Kahiko says she doesn’t see herself as a daredevil, “I’m just a lady who has lived so long that I figure there’s nothing to lose anymore. I go to the Abramo Chop House at least 3 times a week and always eat as much as I can from the Long Pig Buffet, despite what my doctor says. If there’s no lifeguard on duty, I love wading into the surf during a good storm. there’s nothing more beautiful than watching the lightning in the breaking waves. I try not to let anything slow me down. If Betty can get me there, I’m up for it.”

Malie says she doesn’t know what she’s going to do with all the cards and gifts she’s got so far. She even received a prototype wrist device that interfaces with her implant. “To be honest, I’m not sure of everything this thing does. They’re supposed to be sending a tech over to explain it to me. All I know is that it monitors my health and they said it will help protect me from any major injury. I just like the way it looks, even if it does chafe my arm a little. I’d say they need to make the next one a bit more comfortable.” A Reparre spokesperson said they were thrilled to be able to provide Kahiko with the company’s latest technology but could not comment on the device’s specifics.

Inventor Ano Lee, one of Malie’s most diehard fans, gave Betty some upgrades this year as a birthday gift. “I never miss an episode of Malie’s List. I know that there are a few things she can’t do because of Betty’s limitations and I wanted to change that. She inspires so many with her show that it inspired me. Most mobility scooters have less than 2 hp and a top speed of around 8 mph on pavement. I thought I could do a lot better than that, and I was right. After a little power rerouting and tinkering, we got Betty to hit 35 mph on the sand. I figure she’ll go at least 50 mph on the road. We lifted the body, added better stabilization controls, and synthetic all-terrain tires. Now she’ll be able to cross all the deserts and jump all the buses she wants. We added a flash freezing unit to the basket to keep her drinks cold, speakers, a 120 decibel dual air horn system to let people know she’s coming, and a hula girl bobblehead on the handles, to help her remember her home no matter where she is. I hope these modifications last her another 111 years.”

Kahiko says she’s overwhelmed by all the kind words and amazed at Betty’s upgrades. “Just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone gives you a souped up scooter with heat resistant tires. I can’t wait to go volcano exploring while listening to Benny Goodman.”

Controversy Grows Over Newuskin and Ceremplant Acquisition With Release of Troubling Video

It was the biggest acquisition in history and sure to turn the healthcare and medical industry on its ear. At the beginning of the year, Reparre Biologic confirmed the rumors that had been circling the markets for months. They had reached a deal with Vereserum for the purchase of their widely successful Newuskin business and the perennially floundering Ceremplant. Almost immediately, Reparre was criticized over the purchase price, and allegations of misdealings began to leak out to the media. Now, almost three months later, the accusations have reached a fever pitch over a video that purports to confirm stories of animal mistreatment at a Reparre research facility.

The deal was the largest ever, worth a whopping $295 billion. The news was huge but was soon overshadowed with questions about how Reparre was able to secure the capital for the deal, the viability of their business plans, and allegations of government collusion. However, the deal was not without its backers.

Many pointed out that the Ceremplant was originally created to treat those with visual impairments, a field that is currently dominated by Reparre. In addition, the company’s successful telemedicine program relied heavily on data received through Ceremplant technology. Reparre had also recently partnered with Nuuskin to offer Tailored Cellular Optimization (TCO) treatments for animals, changing the future of large-scale farming. To some, the acquisition allowed the company to better control the largest growth areas it had ever seen.

President of Reparre Biologic Shawn Hastings said, “We are excited about continuing the work we’ve already begun as partners, and look forward to exploring the future with our new family members. We plan on more tightly integrating Ceremplant and Newuskin technology, as well as bringing our TCO research into more mainstream medical fields. We’d like to incorporate more complex services and explore the deeper medical possibilities created when you combine Newuskin technology with our tailored DNA and stem cell medicine. I think we’re just stepping through the doorway into a whole new realm of advanced medical procedures.”

Less than a month later, Hastings promises seemed to be coming true when the company announced the introduction of NU-U booths to facilities offering Newuskin treatments. Any positive momentum was cut short this morning however when a troubling video was released by Gaia Guard that purports to show the horrific treatment of animals at a Reparre research facility.

There had always been rumors of ghastly experiments mirroring the infamous baboon whiplash study conducted at the Head Injury Clinic in Philadelphia in the early 1980s, surrounding Reparre’s TCO research lab. Stories about dogs being progressively more injured and then healed using the company’s technology were never confirmed but were widely circulated. These experiments reportedly became more gruesome after the Newuskin and Ceremplant acquisition. While the video doesn’t show any of the more outlandish stories, like animals being severely burned or dismembered before being treated, it is troubling enough on its own.

In the 6 minute long video, dozen of dogs can be seen receiving implants and enduring a wide range of surgical injuries. From simple contusions to gaping lacerations and even the severing of the spinal cord, the animals are injured and then healed. Many of the animals in the footage are heavily scarred suggesting that they have endured multiple procedures. The video ends with what appears to be a dog being chemically euthanized before being brought back to life.

Reparre denies that the footage is from their facility and says you only have to look at the credibility of the source to determine the truth. They say that their facilities are closely regulated and monitored by numerous government agencies and find the treatment of the animals in the video “repugnant”. They have also expressed outrage over the media outlets who have shown the video, calling it a piece of propaganda produced by a terrorist organization.

The Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR) says that there is no evidence that the video is from a Reparre facility and agrees that the source cast doubts on its authenticity. They are however launching an investigation with their own personnel and veterinarians from the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Reparre says they are cooperating fully with the agency and promise to be “completely transparent” during the investigation.

Lahaina City Council Votes to Put Severe Restrictions On Ceremplant Use

It many soon be illegal to use your Ceremplant while driving or crossing the street in Lahaina. The proposal passed with a 6-3 vote in favor with Councilmembers Bob Abramo, Annie Martin, and Ernest Malu voting no.

A number of larger municipalities have recently passed measures making Ceremplant use while driving punishable with a fine but the Lahaina law is by far the most stringent, covering a wide variety of activities. Proposal 7 would prevent pedestrians from using phones, pagers, cameras, handheld devices, computers, and Ceremplants while crossing the street. In addition it would further ban the use of those technologies while cutting hair in a salon, cooking food in a restaurant, applying a tattoo, or while working as a lifeguard in the city limits.

Those caught face fines of $200 for the first offense, and up to $1000 for a third citation. Supporters say that the proposal will hold pedestrians, motorists,and those working in the service industry accountable for their actions and help reduce accidents caused by distractions. They point out that in 2045 alone, 4,398 people were killed in distraction related crashes. Over 513,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver, and 16% of drivers involved in fatal accidents, were reported to be distracted at the time. Critics point out that there is a lot of data about distracted driving but almost none covering the other possibly prohibited activities. They call the proposal intrusive, unconstitutional, and a gross government overreach.

Kurt Bickley of the law offices of Suter, Stine, Burn & Partners (SSB&P) calls the proposal “ridiculous” and says that his office has already been contacted by a number of individuals about possible legal proceedings should the ordinance pass.

“I have listened to music many times while cooking dinner and I have somehow always managed to never stab myself in the eye because I was so enthralled with the chorus. This is nothing but the nanny state trying to exert its authority. They have no research, studies, or proof that Ceremplants interfere with many of the activities included in the proposal. They certainly don’t have a legal right to ban their use. I will concede that there is evidence that driving while distracted is more dangerous, but if we’re going to legislate driving based on numbers we should look at the fatality rates of elderly drivers too. The fatality rates of drivers over 65 is 20 times that of those 25-64. Using the city council’s logic we should start banning early bird specials at local diners since those promotions are killing thousands of grandmothers and grandfathers a year. Honestly the only place I’d want this law to apply is in the lavatories in the council building where I swear Big Bob has Ceremplanted himself in the stall for hours at a time.”

Besides the legality of the bill, there is the matter of enforcement. The Lahaina police say they will be using specially made scanning ammeters which will be able to “help officers determine when a subject is actively using their Ceremplant in a prohibited manner.” Critics point out that the scanners haven’t been properly tested for safety or efficacy. Many have concerns about possible health ramifications and damage to their implants.

Kimberly Hekili a senior at the University of Maui Lahaina College says she’s very concerned about the proposed law and the damage the scanners may do.

“My vlog, ‘A Day In the Life of Kim,’ has thousands of followers and it’s not fair to me or them to limit my ability to express myself. How will my fans know when I’ve gotten coffee and how I feel about it as I walk to class if I can’t cross the street? I assumed I could get a waiver since A Day In the Life is consistently in the top 10 of Hawaiian Vlogs, but the office was very rude to me when I called and was anything but helpful. I’ve also heard that those scanners might break your implant or scramble your brain. I find both of those possibilities unacceptable. I have collected almost 4 years worth of my Psi Pi Chi sister’s photos and memories with my Ceremplant. They say you can’t put a price on a memory but I bet my dad’s lawyer can.”

The bill will now head to Mayor Albert Cravalho’s desk. The Mayor’s Office will hear public comments on the proposal for two weeks before making a decision. If signed into law, enforcement could begin in July.

Your Ceremplant Policy is Unacceptable!

Dear Dean Mahelona,

I wanted to attend the University of Maui Lahaina College because I believed it was an institution that emphasized lifelong learning, Native Hawaiian culture, and global understanding. That’s what your brochure said at least, and what I was told at orientation. What I soon learned however, was that you stopped learning decades ago, are only interested in promoting a culture of ignorance, and your understanding extends to the edge of your corporately owned desk. Your policy in regards to Ceremplants is particularly egregious!

Telling me that your policies are clearly written in my enrollment materials is unacceptable. Do you actually think people read papers before they sign them? When I asked what all the stuff about the college needing access to my implant was about, I was told it was for my benefit. At first I thought it was nice. Every morning I’d get the news after the morning update and the synch times were short so they didn’t slow me down. Your mapping program was a big help learning the campus, and finding the shortest way to class and stores around town. Then I started to learn more and I felt sick.

I soon learned that all my pictures were being stored by the college. I had no idea that everything I recorded for my personal use was automatically being captured by you as well. When I was taking images of my Psi Pi Chi sisters it was so I could look back on them one day, and relive those memories or use them as leverage. I didn’t expect you to keep them as well. I’m going to need to find a job one day, and I don’t think some of the things you’ve made copies of would help.

It just wasn’t just pictures and video either. I’m not sure you’re aware that the school’s “daily steps” feature does far more than just “Show you how much you’re moving in a elegant way and gives tips on how to be more active.” It not only tracks your steps, it keeps track of your movements on campus and produces a daily map of your activity. I call it a kidnapping treasure map, because I can’t think of a more dangerous piece of data to be kept about a young woman. You can actually go back and see where someone goes every day, and at what time. I assume that you are making money somehow off of this data because I can’t understand why else you would have it.

When I called to have my personal data deleted I was told it was an easy process. That turned out to be another lie. After hours of back and forth, and a number of unnecessary reboots, I was told everything of a personal nature had been removed. Then today I got my “Morning Memory” as usual and it was a picture of Holly Kalili and me standing on the beach. I saw red!

While it’s true that Holly and I were good friends last semester, that was before we learned about her gross beliefs. Holly thought that the new veil quota law was a good idea and that it would help preserve the delicate natural areas on the island. Do you know who else has quotas? People who run slaughterhouses, that’s who! Our sorority could not support someone so hateful that they would support a measure that would make it harder for friends and family visit. She was barely done asking why the locks were changed and her things were in the street, before we all deleted her pictures. Yet, I was now being forced to remember her, and her bigoted beliefs. The only way that was possible was if you somehow had saved pictures of her after I asked you to delete everything.

I immediately complained and demanded that you stop syncing with my implant. Then you dropped the bomb on me. I was told that I would be unable to get my grades until I restored access. That is offensive, and your complete lack of making an exception in my case is unacceptable! I’m not accustomed to dealing with people who choose to flaunt their authority. It’s gross. I don’t work well with people who disagree with me, so you can understand why this has been so hard. In retrospect, I should have known that you were in the pocket of big business. The artwork on campus is devoid of inspiration and clearly corporately sponsored. Even the shrubbery is contrived .

I’m drawing a line and demanding that you change your policies, and void anything I may have already agreed to. I’m pretty sure you can’t hold someone responsible for what they’ve signed if what they’ve signed is stupid! I don’t think you fully understand how many online followers I have, and just how popular I am on campus. I still have people stop me and ask about the story I did freshmen year on how hard it is to live with headgear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called brave for letting the student paper take those pictures in the middle of my quest for straighter teeth. What do you think would happen if I let everyone know that you wouldn’t accommodate my wishes? I’m not trying to threaten you. I’m just letting you know that you don’t want to be on the wrong end of an argument with me, just ask Holly. You have 24 hours to agree to my terms.

Indignantly,
Kimberly Hekili

HealthCare Professionals and Parent Groups Start Petition Seeking Ban on Taste-T App

Taste-T, the app designed to help you like the taste of foods you normally don’t care for, may be the biggest Ceremplant hit of the year, but not everyone is singing its praises. A coalition of healthcare professionals and parent groups have started a petition to have the popular app banned, and raise awareness to the “real and serious dangers of using Taste-T.” The app’s creator says the technology is safe, and poses no danger when used as released. Ceremplant officials say they are looking into the matter.

Alex James is no stranger to ceremplant users. His “Emotional Compass” (EC) app took the Ceremplant world by storm back in 2034, and still remains one of the most popular apps for users of the ubiquitous implants. Taste-T has sold twice as fast as EC in its first year. “I got the idea from my nephew who famously hates the taste of peppers. He wouldn’t touch anything with peppers in it, no matter how delicious. I wondered how hard it would be to train someone to associate a flavor they didn’t like with a flavor they did. I started investigating if you could transform a “bad flavor” reaction in the brain with a “good flavor” reaction, targeting specific areas with electrical stimulation. I learned quickly that there wasn’t much scientific study done in the area. If it wasn’t for the amazing work of Dr. Adler Walters, I’d still be working on the software. His discoveries about how the brain responds to taste, while working on the kükenroot, and his database of compounds found in edible plants, was vital to the development of Taste-T.”

Taste-T transforms the brain’s response to an unliked food to one that a user finds delicious, over the course of a few days. Once properly calibrated, the taste of every food can be your favorite. With record sales it looked like Taste-T was well on its way to be the most popular app ever made for the Ceremplant. However, users began to exploit an unfortunate flaw in the program, which allowed users to greatly enhance the brain’s pleasure response to certain flavors.

Soon, many were using “enhanced” versions of the app. Healthcare professionals say that using the enhanced version of Taste-T can be dangerous. While most experience a mild euphoria, a sense of relaxation, or an altered perception of time when tasting specific foods, many can experience much more drastic effects when eating certain items, particularly with first time users. Instead of relaxation and euphoria, some users can experience aggresiveness (asparagus), fear (tuna), or feelings of distrust (SSHAM). In extreme cases the altered app can lead to long-lasting disorders or even permanent rewiring of the brain according to some in the medical community. While Alex has since upgraded Taste-T to disable the exploit, parent groups say that it is easy enough to rollback the software to an earlier version if you know where to look. They say the potential for abuse is too high, and they want the app pulled from stores.

Well known Lahaina restaurateur and business owner Bob Abramo has banned anyone using the app from dining in his famous Chop House. “I take the art of grilling and preparing meat seriously, and want customers who appreciate the true taste of our offerings. Meat tastes good without the use of Taste-T, although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little intrigued. I bet you could even make people taste like cured pork belly with the app, if you wanted.”

“It’s the kind of thing you think only happens to other families, not your own,” says one of the most vocal critics of Taste-T, 40-year-old mother Brenda Ronner. “My son Max never liked the taste of onions. It wasn’t an issue when he was younger, but as he grew up it started to become a real problem. Just about everything has onions in it, and he’d spend hours a week meticulously picking them out of food. We had to avoid certain restaurants all together because of their limited onion-free options. On his 12th birthday his father and I decided to finally do something about it, and get him the Taste-T app.” Brenda says it was one of the worst decisions of her life.

“Everything seemed fine for a few weeks. We went through the calibration phase, and soon he was loving the taste of: onions, shallots, chives, leeks, and even garlic. Our food options and future seemed wide open, but Max started hanging around with a bad crowd at school, biohacker Taste-T vegetarian kids with wifi studs in their foreheads, and LED eyebrows. His grades began to slip, and I started noticing onion skins in his room, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. Then he was caught trying to steal a head of garlic from the store, and the truth came out. Those kids had done something to his app, and he had been on a tasting binge for months. We took him to the doctor, and applied the upgrade. I thought I had my old Max back again, but I was wrong. A few weeks later, I came home early, and heard music blaring from his room. I could smell the onions halfway up the stairs, despite the towel he had put at the bottom of his door. What I saw will be burned into my mind forever. The reggae music was deafening, and there were half-chewed leeks everywhere. I even found a shallot in his underwear drawer. He was sitting in his chair with his eyes rolled back in his head, licking the biggest vidalia onion I’d ever seen. He was so out of it, he barely moved when I screamed his name. I want to save other mothers from seeing their sons like that.”

Brenda says they’ve had to enroll Max into an institutional learning facility equipped to deal with the issues caused by his Taste-T app, and she is not alone. Hundreds have claimed to have similar experiences to the Ronners, and many healthcare professionals say the potential for harm is high for those using the app. Ceremplant says they take their customer’s health and well-being seriously, and will address the petition after a thorough review of Taste-T, and their third party app policy.

First Phase of Next-Generation Telemedicine Trial Nears Completion

Imagine a time when most of your medical issues can be treated from the comfort of your own home rather than going to the hospital. For many patients it would be a dream come true. Studies have shown that people recovering in a familiar and comfortable environment, like their homes, have much better outcomes and recover up to 20% faster. Hospitals would benefit as well. It would open up beds for the most seriously ill patients and provide an effective way to isolate those with infections or communicable diseases. It has been estimated that over 800,000 people die every year in hospitals after developing infections. Now, thanks to an advanced telemedicine project by Reparre Biologic and The West Maui Medical Group, that time may be right around the corner.

The roots of telemedicine took hold in Australia in the early 1900s. People living in the remote locations of the outback developed an emergency system for communicating with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia using a two-way radio system and a dynamo driven by bike pedals. Almost 90 years later an interactive system was designed to diagnose and treat patients who needed cardiac resuscitation. The field expanded into a few additional areas over the next 40 years but was mostly relegated to consultations, remote monitoring, and diagnostic services. Actually treating patients or performing procedures remotely was a rarity, and that was something Shawn Hastings, President of Reparre Biologic, wanted to change.

A total of 80 Maui residents participated in the first phase of Reparre’s telemedicine project. The program uses the ubiquitous ceremplant to allow nurses and hospitalists to monitor patients, helping to catch problems earlier and prevent potential crises. Twice a day physicians specialized in intensive care, take part in virtual rounds where they can ask questions and order new or different treatments. Those orders are then relayed to a specialized Reparre injectable medicine unit which is located in a patient’s home.

“We’re taking Telemedicine to the next level,” says Hastings.

“Of course this opens the door of possibility when it comes to treating people in remote locations but we’re trying to expand the idea to make it an everyday part of life. Our hope is that one day soon, with the help of this monitoring system, a board certified physician, and our personalized DNA medicine, hospitals will be reserved for the critically ill and those undergoing major surgery. Everything else will be treated safely and efficiently, with one of our injectable medicine units from the comfort of your own home. The first phase of our study is just wrapping up and everything is looking promising. We’ve seen a huge decline in secondary infections and other complications. In addition, recovery times have decreased greatly for those in the program and their overall satisfaction with their care is quite high. If the preliminary data holds true, we plan on expanding the program during phase II to the big island and will include a handful of remote and automated outpatient procedures at participating West Maui Medical Group facilities here.”

The second phase of the program would provide simple outpatient services for Maui residents such as: implantation of robotic stents that would help keep major vessels clear of plaque and obstructions, minor orthopedic surgeries, biopsies, and various endoscopy procedures. Hastings’ goal is to make most medical procedures as simple as making a bag of popcorn. He says a happy patient is a healthy patient.

Local inventor and engineer Ano Lee was one of the subjects who participated in the first trial and he couldn’t be happier. Lee developed a life threatening infection called Leptospirosis and let it go untreated until it was almost too late. “I just thought I’d been spending too much time in the hookah barn until I started to cough up blood,” he says. Usually passed on by rodents in developing areas, in recent years a number of people have contracted the disease in Hawaii from pigs contaminating water supplies. If left untreated the infection can cause bleeding in the lungs, meningitis, or kidney failure. In the past, cases as advanced as Lee’s would be deadly even if diagnosed, with a death rate greater than 50% with antibiotic treatment.

“I really dodged a bullet. They told me that Reparre’s stem-cell-therapy in conjunction with heavy antibiotics improved my chances of survival quite a bit, but there was still a chance that I wouldn’t pull through. Going through something like that makes a person think about what’s really important in life. I remember spending hours staring at the injectable med unit on the wall, wondering if I was going to make it and I knew what I had to do. Between treatments I went out to the printer shed and built a housing for the unit and added a film screen so I could use it like a digital picture frame. I added a multicolored LED border with 12 preset light patterns that would accentuate any image or match whatever mood I was in. I spent the rest of my recovery sitting in my favorite chair, in my favorite place, looking at my favorite memories highlighted with various color patterns. I don’t think that I could have gotten better care at the hospital. I know they wouldn’t have let me bring my light-frame. I owe my life to the program and would recommend it to anyone.”

Charges Dropped Against Mother Accused of Removing Her Daughter’s Ceremplant

Charges have been dismissed against a West Maui woman who faced possible jail time after having her 14-year-old daughter’s ceremplant removed as punishment, after the girl got in trouble at school. Gina Hekili of Lahaina says she was “just trying to be a responsible parent” when she had the ceremplant removed, but was arrested on a misdemeanor larceny charge after her ex-husband filed a complaint saying he owned the implant. Prosecutors say they decided to drop the charges after further review and told a judge this morning that since Hekili is “the mother of the minor involved” that it “changes the case significantly.”

Despite the charges against her being dropped, Hekili says she is still angry about the ordeal and doesn’t understand how prosecutors let the incident go so far. “I never thought that punishing my child for skipping school would put me in jail. I’m still in shock to be honest,” she says. News of her arrest spread quickly last week, with public opinion overwhelmingly on Gina’s side.

However, Grant Wanawie, the father of the girl involved, says he’s disappointed in the decision to drop charges against his ex-wife, and will be pursuing a civil case against her saying, “This isn’t like taking a toy away for a few minutes or putting your child in timeout. I paid for the ceremplant, and I believe I’m the only one who has the right to punish her by taking it out.”

Kurt Bickely, of the law firm Suter, Stine, Burns & Partners (SSB&P), is representing Wanawie and says a formal complaint will be filed in the next few days unless Hekili is willing to publicly acknowledge her culpability, and pay an amount “fitting of her thoughtless actions” in the incident.

Bickley says this is the first such case his firm has handled but expects to see more in the future as “the law does not adapt as quickly as technology.” Even though the case breaks new ground, he says he’s confident in its outcome.

“Without having instant access to the latest social media news or celebrity gossip, our client’s daughter risks falling behind in the latest trends, causing real and lasting harm. While the medical procedure to remove the ceremplant is a relatively quick one, lasting only minutes, the fallout from it can last a lifetime. Over 95% of Hawaiians have a ceremplant now, with only weirdos, the ultra-poor, and the troubled choosing to live their lives without this ubiquitous device. The mother in this case fails to appreciate how an under-concentration on trivialities can lead to her daughter being ostracized by her peers, leaving her depressed, confused, and unaware of the day’s latest fad. What is she supposed to do to keep up? Dig out her parents old phone or tablet? This is serious stuff we’re dealing with here.”

While many have expressed outrage over the incident, Wanawie does have one high-profile supporter in his corner, famed inventor, and technology gadfly Ano Lee. Lahaina’s most tech savvy son says that many people of Hekili’s generation fail to realize how intertwined ceremplants are to the social structures of people her daughter’s age.

“The truth of the matter is that we are living in a new social ecosystem, vastly different from the one that existed even just ten years ago. Having instantaneous access to your favorite music and videos of people tasting ultra-hot peppers, or potentially hurting themselves by participating in the latest viral trend, without having to move a muscle, is a necessity. Previous generations have enjoyed these sorts of things as well, but they have always been considered a diversion, or guilty pleasure to be enjoyed occasionally because they relied on handheld devices or old fashioned computers. They didn’t grow up with the ability to endure a reprimand by watching a tutorial video surreptitiously. They can’t conceive of tuning out a boring class by organizing their game achievements hands-free, while their teacher prattles on none-the-wiser. These aren’t just pleasures to this generation; they are woven into the fabric of society and have become rights.”

Tipline Shutdown After Swatting Incident, Local Man Arrested

The Lahaina Police Department have temporarily shutdown their ceremplant tipline, Tel-IT, only months after its launch. A second swatting incident, this time at the popular Abramo Chop House, has officials saying that they will take a closer look at how the system operates, and add training to better deal with false reports. Nobody was seriously injured in the episode Saturday evening. Police have arrested 35-year-old Gary Puniwale for submitting the tip leading to the incident and abusing the system, calling the local resident “criminally ignorant.”

After the vicious Veilcorp attack this Spring many had one question on their minds, “What can we do to make sure this never happens again?” In addition to tighter security around the Lahaina Veil Station, and increasing the number of emergency personnel, the police released the Tel-IT system, banking on citizen policing to help islanders feel more secure.

“Report a Crime In No Time!” was the slogan that launched Tel-IT in June. Based on the controversial PZTip reporting app, which allowed residents to use their ceremplants to report preservation zone violations, Tel-IT quickly ran into some of the same problems. In addition to being swamped by frivolous tips, and numerous complaints, the police have had to deal with a handful of more serious issues, like the swatting incident this weekend, thanks to people like Gary.

According to Bob Abramo it was a normal busy Saturday evening at the Chop House until the flash grenade went off in the dining room.

“It was the middle of the dinner rush and all of a sudden windows were breaking and flash-bangs were going off in the dining room. They wouldn’t even let my customers cover the bread before getting on the floor. I had to comp dozens of meals. They stormed the kitchen looking for hostages, but didn’t find anything but the best steak and pork on the island. Someone said that we were holding federal agents in the walk-in cooler, and working with Gaia Guard to get rid of them. It was ridiculous! It screwed up the whole service. We didn’t turn tables in time for the next sitting, and the grenades totally flattened the soufflettes. I remember wishing that I could watch whoever was responsible die in the window with all the steaks waiting to go out. I’m not surprised to find out Gary was responsible.”

Police refuse to discuss specifics in the case, but confirm that they have arrested local resident Gary Puniwale in connection with the false report. A fact checker for the Lahaina Advertiser, this is not the first time Puniwale has run into trouble with the Tel-IT system. Reports show that since its inception, the 35-year-old has sent in well over a thousand tips, and many inside the department consider Gary hopeless.

An anonymous source inside the department says that Puniwale has been contacted numerous times about his excessive use of the system, and had been warned that further abuse would lead to legal action. They say, “Unfortunately the anonymous nature of the Tel-IT service has made weeding people like Gary out a real problem. He has reported just about everything you can imagine. While most are minor infractions like littering or jaywalking, there are numerous reports of serious crimes as well. Ranging from a home invasion that turned out to be a child’s birthday party, a family game night reported as a murder in progress, allegations about illegal experiments at the SSHAM factory, and of course the hostage thing at the Chop House. He definitely needs to be stopped, but I don’t think he’s being malicious, it just seems like he believes everything he reads.”

Mr. Abramo says that he appreciates what the police are trying to do, but says the tipline is causing more harm than good currently. In addition, he has little sympathy for Puniwale, and those who would abuse the Tel-IT system.

“They tell me that Gary’s tip wasn’t ill-intentioned, and I guess I can believe that. You have to have a brain to have intentions. Have you ever read the Advertiser’s weekly Corrections and Clarifications page? Gary is their fact checker, and lets just say many facts are overlooked on a daily basis under his watch. I still have a hard time believing that anyone would follow up any tip Gary submitted. It’s insane to believe that we’d just chop someone up, and serve them without cleansing their system with a grain and fruit diet for at least a week beforehand. There’s no telling what people eat these days. On top of that, do you know how much damage adrenaline does to the flavor of meat? The idea that we could just pass off a bunch of scared, junk food eating federal agents, as one of our top of the line pork dishes is offensive to say the least! I hope that Gary gets served a heaping portion of jail time, saving his family the embarrassment he must cause on a daily basis, and the police fix their crappy system before someone gets hurt.”