Thursday, August 9, 2012

Musings: Critter Control

Out early, walking with the dogs beneath a clear, white half-moon, the buzz of bees louder, in some areas, than cricket song, a hot pink smudge laying low in the east, and above that, snakeskin clouds that started out white, and then turned gray, before shifting into soft apricot. As the sun rose, Makaleha's summit became a golden crown, the mountain itself appearing as primordial and ethereal as someplace in Middle Earth.

Most of us know that Kauai is a special place, and not just because of its distinctive light and landscape. So I was intrigued to find, on a British website about genetically modified foods that has a neutral to pro-GMO tone, an article that states:

With Hawaii having an abundance of biodiversity, it would seem like one of the last places anyone would want to grow controversial genetically modified (GM) crops. Despite the concerns and debate around GM food production in Hawaii, it is actually the number one industry here.

And that got me wondering, given the overwhelming support the state and counties have shown for those lucrative GM seed crops, what role might the Islands play in the newly emerging field of genetically engineered insects? 
I recently read a long article in The New Yorker, abstracted here, about one such effort under way to combat dengue fever, a disease now present in Hawaii:
Now a British biotechnology company called Oxitec has developed a method to modify the genetic structure of the male Aedes mosquito, essentially transforming it into a mutant capable of destroying its own species.
The company has applied to the FDA for permission to release the insects in Key West, Fla., but ran into public resistance. The "terminator" bugs have already been released in open air field trials in the Caymen Islands, Malaysian and a Brazilian jungle.

The scientists who developed these transgenic mosquitoes say they're safe, and will reduce the use of pesticides, some of which are no longer effective on the creatures. As one researcher told The New Yorker reporter: "The objections so rarely have anything to do with the science or the safety of the research. It is an opposition driven by fear.”

But given what we've seen with GMO crops, fears, it's totally legit to have some fears about this technology, or at least, some reservations.  For example, the chemical companies that developed these products long dismissed concerns about cross-contamination and the creation of superweeds resistant to herbicides, both of which have come to pass. We've also seen the transgenic papaya lose effectiveness against the ringspot virus it was created to resist, a problem that also seems to be occurring with Monsanto's Bt corn and the corn root worm. In short, these transgenic creations are not a cure all, or even a long-term fix.

With so many questions still unanswered about GMO crops, it's a little worrisome to think we are now moving this technology into insects. Besides the mosquito trials, the U.S is currently testing a transgenic cotton bollworm, and more creations are to come. Since Kauai was previously the site of a failed sterile fruit fly study, it's not too far-fetched to think transgenic insects might also be tested here.

As an article in the peer reviewed PloS Journal notes:

The release of GM insects into the environment poses two broad risk issues. There are potential environmental risks associated with the introduction of large numbers of any selected mass-reared population, in many cases of an alien species, that can interact with both the wild population of that species and other, non-target organisms, including humans.
There are also specific risks related to the GM technologies introduced into the process, which may also interact with the broader environment through particular expressed traits, such as metabolic products, or through fitness differences compared to untransformed insects.
There is not yet any widely accepted specific guidance for GM insect releases.
Just something to pay attention to, since I can pretty much guarantee our elected officials are not.
Speaking of which, Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho has once again ignored my request for public documents, requiring me to ask the Office of Information Practices to order her to comply. It's getting so tedious, seeing how this is the third time our "pono" prosecutor has flagrantly violated the public records law.
Specifically, I am seeking:
Records of all expenditures for accessories identified explicitly or implicitly with OPA's POHAKU diversion program, including, but not limited to, orange and black T-shirts, orange and black shopping bags, orange and black hand-held fans, pens, baggies of Hawaiian salt and bracelets, as well as OPA POHAKU booth fees for the County Farm Fair in August 2011.
In an opinion that supposedly "cleared" Shay and POHAKU, Special Counsel Gary Slovin claims, “No public funds were expended” on the program. So who did buy all this promotional paraphernalia?

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

She's not cooperating because of your blog...I can guarantee she's pissed off at you Joan and once you do that to Shay, forget it. You'll get nothing willingly from her. Just look what happened to Tim and others who have dared to question her.

She's pulling out all her guns to defeat Justin. I'm disappointed to see Solette Perry endorse her. Shay may have been there for her and the Chief during that debacle BUT we need to look at the big picture....Shay's got some serious faults and she has cost the County needless expense. I can't vote for her nor do I really want to vote for Justin so I guess I no vote for nobody. Our County government is dysfunctional big time and we need a major overhaul beginning with the Mayor on down. Aint gonna happen cuz Kauai is stuck in the past. So when life sucks due to traffic, high cost of living, over-development, out of control utility bills, poisoning of our water and soil by GMO Corporations, etc....its our fault for voting in the same idiots every election! Shay stop desecrating the word pono...you are so far from living it its shame. Auwe.

Anonymous said...

"I can guarantee she's pissed off at you Joan and once you do that to Shay, forget it. "

That one of the many problems about Shay. She lets her personal feelings interfere with her work. So much for justice is blind. She also thinks she is above the law. Both very bad qualities in a prosecutor.

Anonymous said...

It's Joann Tim and Al who are costing the taxpayers with their frivolous, politically motivated "investigations" and harassment.

Anonymous said...

The POHAKU "controversy" perpetuated by this blog is wasting a lot of people's time. Let's move on to more substance like getting rid of GMO's here on Kauai!

Anonymous said...

I appreciate Joan's investigative reporting and if not for alternative news sites, we'd be in the dark about the inner workings of our government. That's the way they like it, to control the media and keep Joe public clueless. We can make our own decisions based on the information Joan researches and posts. If Shay were above reproach than she has nothing to hide and shouldn't resist transparency but she is at every corner. What's up with that? Hard not to conclude that she is guilty of something.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 9:53AM...if you seriously want Shay out of the Prosecutor's Office, you must vote for Justin. A no vote for either candidate could be an invisible vote for Shay. I say give Justin a chance. Shay has already shown that she's not capable of running that office.

Anonymous said...

I just love the 10:25 post " She lets her personal feelings interfere...". You all should turn around look in the mirror and you will see that you are doing exactly that by 10 fold. Nothing more than a bunch of cackling hens with too much hatred and time on their hands.

Anonymous said...

GMO insects, Shit what will happen when they run out of mosquitos to feast on. We will be next in the food chain.

Anonymous said...

re: 10:32, Joann and Tim elected. That can be fixed. Al on the other hand will have to answer to his boss the Mayor for the bad advice. When Al looks for the fall guy ... You figure!

Anonymous said...

August 9, 2012 1:10 PM

What an asinine comment. Shay is an elected official. That's the difference.

Anonymous said...

August 9, 2012 9:53 AM

That may be the case however FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) supersedes her ability to deny the public the public funding expenditures.

Period.

Shayme may not like it - but it's not her call.

Anonymous said...

Keep the negative comming ... love it.

Anonymous said...

Shows your true character

Anonymous said...

oh for the love of god just get over it. you guys are grasping at straws with this pohaku program. Now you want to know where she got the orange T-Shirts?

give it a rest.

I wouldn't cooperate with you either if I were her. In fact, i hope she doesn't. I hope she stonewalls your every attempt and I hope you keep coming here and whining about it, long after she's re-elected. It'll give you another 4 years of bitching for us all to be amused by

Anonymous said...

I always come here to read the comments from those who say give it a rest, leave POHAKU alone, blah blah blah...that's the same kind of "give up" attitude that allows politicians to sweep stuff under the rug without feeling guilty about it.

Anonymous said...

The problem is the orange and black freebies happened at the Farm Fair. 90% of the people who visited that booth assumed it was a campaign booth.... paid for by?? That is why it matters.

Anonymous said...

"I wouldn't cooperate with you either if I were her. In fact, i hope she doesn't."
August 9, 2012 2:43 PM

Glad you are not a public official that understands or is REQUIRED to abide by the LAWS.

Office of Information Practices - TAKE NOTICE - a formal request for the expenditure of PUBLIC funds has been made...

Anonymous said...

those who don't care how their tax dollars are spent or misspent - they vote for Shayme!

LOL

Anonymous said...

Get rid of KipuKai Kualii. He is arrogant and is a prime example of why he should have never gotten on. He is all talk and campaign rhetoric. I find it amazing that he Is opposed to banning smoking in county parks and is willing to show all of kauai how spineless he is by passing a resolution asking the legislature to ban smoking from beaches. Talk handing the ball off. I will never support him again.

Anonymous said...

Shay is a Human GMO- Very Toxic Person for the Island and community of Kauai.

Vote for Justin Kollar and Get Rid of the Human GMO-No Shayme Melfesance.

Anonymous said...

I Agree with you 99.9 percent but a NO votes goes to the incumbent Shay so vote for the lesser evil Kollar and rid Kauai of one part of our deadly corruption.

Anonymous said...

From the Garden Island:

“Justin has been a huge asset for KPD,” said Police Chief Darryl Perry, describing Kollar’s work as a blessing. “I know he was a very, very good prosecutor and his talents just translated over to us.”

Craig De Costa, the former Kaua‘i prosecuting attorney, said Kollar has the skills necessary to serve. He brought Kollar into the OPA in 2008, where he excelled at handling driving under the influence cases on the island.

“I believe he has what it takes to be an effective prosecutor,” De Costa said. “He’s been there in the office, he understands what the role of that office is, which is to seek justice. And he has the ability to work with the police, courts and the community collaboratively.”

He added that Kollar’s demeanor, intelligence, willingness to listen to and work with others makes him a strong contender.

Perry agreed that Kollar would make a viable candidate for the position.

“He has the experience, temperament, and requisite legal skill sets to do an outstanding job,” Perry said. “He is very dedicated and committed to serving the people of Kauai.”

http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/deputy-county-attorney-to-run-for-prosecutor-seat/article_da10ba52-a21f-11e0-9cf4-001cc4c002e0.html

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a pretty strong endorsement to me!

Anonymous said...

Nice words but if you ask him he will tell you he has not endoresed Kollar. Go ahead. Ask him yourself if you don't believe me.

Anonymous said...

Pohaku and a refusal to fiscally account for it during the budget process. Her need to hire special counsel before answering any questions? Waste of taxpayer money. And if everything was above board, what's the problem with being transparent? Its obviously a power struggle amongst opposing players. Such a waste of our time and money. She also has had major personnel issues and high turnover in her office. The latest settlement in the Wilson case a prime example. She stone-walled Joan previously on releasing information and she's doing it again. Hoping to win the election before being forced to release documents. What are you afraid of Shay?

Anonymous said...

It was Al and Joann and Tim's attack of Pohaku, and Al's announcement that he therefore has a conflict and cannot advise the OPA concerning POHAKU and that the OPA therefore needed its own counsel that is causing the taxpayers money. It's nothing Shay did. It's the politically motivated attacks on POHAKU - a good program by everyone's estimation, by the way - that are causing the waste of time, money, and county resources. And this blog and its cult following are cheerleading the effort. Blame yourselves.

Anonymous said...

This GMO stuff is simply silly. Just silly.

Anonymous said...

Shay should've just answered the questions posed by the Council. For someone who's usually opinionated and loud, she suddenly went mute. Other department heads answer budgetary questions the Council asks. Why won't Shay?

Anonymous said...

Joan, why don't you cover the Mayor's alleged theft of gas? And the use of his Holo Holo 2020 program as a campaign vehicle? Why can't you be responsible in your reporting? It is so obvious that you have a one-track mind. You have dedicated your career to dis the OPA. There is much corruption here on Kauai, but you have chosen to focus on the Prosecutor's race. Shame on you.

Anonymous said...

Good points about corruption. da gas was fo' holoholo.

Anonymous said...

Joan did cover mayor's alleged gas theft. Lioks like SIC campaign has a troll on fulltime duty posting repeated pro Shay comments. Must be running scared.

Anonymous said...

When one has a scab....one tends to pick it.

Shayme is just of one of the scabs on Kauai, Syngenta is a more permanent wound on Kauai that will effect the future health of all living on the island, especially the keiki.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

That Troll is probably going to get the POHAKU position that they are trying to get funded.

Now they asking for a Kid pohaku program because its all about profits, if they get their family and friends kids to sell drugs in schools and they have a program that will be easy for them to get out on, why not use the system in that way. Frickers think they out smarting us but we know they going use this to help get bigger drug money profits and cover their kids ass.

Anonymous said...

"OPA therefore needed its own counsel that is causing the taxpayers money. It's nothing Shay did."

untrue and incorrect -

Anonymous said...

misquoted and misguided -

Anonymous said...

ISERI-CARVALHO, Shaylene 6691 44.5%
KOLLAR, Justin F.
6883 45.7%

Well all right!

Anonymous said...

You cannot believe the number of current and former prosecuting attorneys who are ecstatic about tonight's results.

Anonymous said...

Members of the community at large are also ecstatic about the election results in the Prosecutor's race.

Anonymous said...

The Sleeping Giant is awake.

God Blesses Kauai.

Shay's orange and black is in the Red.

Anonymous said...

Kauai is so corrupt !! High cost of living, highest rates in electric, now this gmo crops! Elect all new officials! Yeah I'll vote for Kollar