Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Musings: Common Narcissism

Proving once again that he's oblivious to irony, and knows nothing about agriculture, Kauai Councilman Gary Hooser — cheerleader of the anti-GMO/anti-ag movement in Hawaii — is whining about the speaker line-up at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) annual gathering, now under way at Kailua-Kona.

Gary writes:

Where is the balance? Where is the respect for views and opinions and science that support a more sustainable approach to agriculture? Where is the perspective that says local governance at the County level is a valuable participant in the decision making process? Where is the common sense business approach that says Hawaii should go after niche organic markets?

Gee, Gary. Where was the respect for views and opinions and science that support biotechnology while you've been waging your ongoing witch hunt against the seed industry? Where was the perspective that says local government has one role, and state and federal another? Who, pray tell, is stopping any farmer in Hawaii from going after niche organic markets?

And why in the world have you bought into the trope that biotechnology is at odds with a sustainable approach to agriculture, when in fact it's part and parcel, as in reducing pesticide use, and the tilling that results in top soil loss and runoff?

Gary, meanwhile, is trying to organize an international gathering of anti-GMO folks in Hawaii. Do you suppose he'll broaden the speaker line up to include seed company and industry reps, to ensure balance and a wide range of perspectives? 

Uh, don't count on it. He's king of the “do as I say, not as I do” mindset.

Gary is especially irked by one speaker in particular — former state Attorney General Margery Bronster. Her law firm has represented farmers and seed companies who succeeded in striking down two flawed county bills — including one written by Gary (well, actually written by his handlers at Earthjustice and Center for Food Safety, but introduced by Gary) — that tried to subvert state and federal regulatory authority over pesticides and GMOs. He writes:

I thought this invitation faux pas was bad enough but it gets worse.

To have Ms Bronster speak without inviting a contrary opinion is offensive both to the elected County officials who worked and voted on these issues, but more importantly to the citizens who supported those votes.  On Maui over 50% of the voters supported County regulation and their voices and perspective deserves also to be represented.

Yet Gary thought nothing of crashing a Syngenta shareholders' meeting in Switzerland, where he made like he was speaking for the entire Kauai County, and much of the state, in criticizing that company's policies, while ignoring the citizens who clearly oppose his stance, given his poor showing in the past election.

As I've noted repeatedly, the guy is totally devoid of any introspection.

In a previous post bashing Margery, Gary repeats again one of his most bold-faced lies:

[T]he largest chemical companies in the world are suing Kauai County for the right to spray poisonous chemicals next to schools, hospitals and homes.  The court action also prevents Kauai residents from knowing exactly what chemicals are being used in their neighborhoods (disclosure).

Now Gary knows darn well that none of the companies are spraying poisons next to schools, hospitals and homes. He also knows they're disclosing their restricted pesticide use to the general public and to nearby residents. What's more, the companies have voluntarily imposed the buffer zones his bill sought. 

So why does Gary Hooser keep lying? Is he afraid the money will stop flowing to his causes if he tells people the truth?

What really bugs Gary is that agriculture in Hawaii, and elsewhere, is chugging along without him or the equally misinformed and irrelevant Babes Against Biotech, which is planning a protest — yawn — at the meeting today.

The message is clear: They aren't players in this arena, nor should they be. The folks attending this conference want to hear from people who know WTF they're talking about, not people parroting Natural News, the Food Babe and Mercola.

Oh, and btw, Gary, if you're going to keep raising a fit about pesticides, you might want to drop the Frontline flea and tick control ad on your blog. It simply serves to underscore your hypocrisy as you grovel for a few cents from an ad click.

Speaking of the misinformed stirring up ill will and trouble, North Shore Kauai marine life know-it-all Terry Lilley is again making outrageous claims about military microwaves, which the gullible lap up as kittens do cream. Terry is now claiming:

The Kokee Air Force and Navy microwave towers beam out over 30 million watts of pulsed microwaves at night. We have this info from a NASA data bank.

Once again, I checked in with Capt. Bruce Hay, commander of Pacific Missile Range Facility, who replied:

As I have previously mentioned, I only turn on radars when absolutely necessary due to the high cost of electricity.  The last night missions that would have required the radars at Kokee were in late July.  Those four radars located at Kokee are rated for 2.665 megawatts total at maximum power.  A good analogy is your car.  The manufacturer lists the maximum horsepower at maximum load when in reality your engine rarely if ever achieves that load.  The radars are rated and operated similarly.  I am at a loss to understand where 30MW nightly comes from as Mr. Lilley suggests.  

NASA does operate equipment at Kokee.  In conjunction with the Naval Observatory, measurements of the earth's rotation are taken and then transmitted for use in the global positioning satellite system.  We are aware of the frequency and power because of possible electromagnetic interference during tests.  The signal is extremely low power.

On a brighter note, 468 green sea turtles hatched along the PMRF shoreline this year — a success story that only makes the Air Force's impact on endangered birds at Kokee — 126 rare Newell's and Bonins have gone down, killing 10 — look all the worse. 

Come on, guys. This lighting fiasco, and your inability to correct the problem quickly, is inexcusable. The adults that went down were all tending nests, imperiling the fledglings and making the problem all the more serious.

But kudos to the U.S. Pacific Fleet for agreeing, albeit under legal pressure, to curb its use of radar and explosives during training exercises around Hawaii and Southern California.

Of course, Terry Lilley was right there to grab credit, claiming he's been providing Earthjustice with "information supporting the damaging effects of sonar use on Kauai’s North Shore." Mmm, like the bogus 30 million watts of microwaves? I'm sure Earthjustice attorney David Henkin is much smarter than that.

Still, the repeated cries for attentionfrom certain members of the community, such as Hooser, Terry Lilley and KKCR talk show hostess Felicia Cowden, prompted one reader to write:

Do we have this among us? Lilley and Felicia Cowden strike the match, fan the flames of fear and then shout, "I have a hose!"
Is this common narcissism or something more sinister or possibly Maunchausens?

I don't know, but something's not right.

13 comments:

Allan Parachini said...

After a while, it gets tiring to have to counter the same old anti-GMO dogma again and again. You're right that Gary Hooser has been responsible for significant damage to the community fabric of Kauai, all the while without ever gathering base information that might have made his legislation more informed. It's a shame.

Anonymous said...

You got it Joan...once again!!!!

Spotted Kauai's GMO Reaper Geoff Morris at the airport this morning; likely headed to the Big Island to harass the nation's agricultural heads. SHAME.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile back at the ranch, those of us who have known Gary since he was a slender guy, using harsh chemicals cleaning carpets and selling high end real estate, are surprised that he has lasted this long. It is a little tiring.
And for Da Hoos to cry about the former AG Bronster is a ricecooking hoot. She was the very same attorney who represented Gary's BFF Fistee Timmy Bynum in his rape of Kauai tax payer....which Gary supported most strenuously. Maybe Gary and Timmy are going to be pardners in the Marrywanna clinics, using Timmy's big buck bonanza granted by Gary.
And with a continuous stream of new voters and a large following of rich Realtors, Gary has found a permanent spot in politics. Money and fame has been everything to Gary.
I just hope our current elected officials are taking notice of the demographic changes on this island. Soon the wealthy new comers will control local politics.
Hard for beleeb, that Da Hoos for all of his whining that he really should be considered a "local", that he consistently works against local values, families and jobs.
His impact on the local/haole mystery has created a greater divide. And then with Baby Hoos, whining in Daddy Hoos' footsteps there may be a couple of Hoos' in office. Baby Hoos is challenged a bit by lack of intrinsic intellect, but Daddy is training him in canned political speak.
Gary, Tim, JoAnn, Mason and of course the real grease in the Anti-Ag gaggle, Jay Furfaro have set BACK any chance for home rule in Land and Water use. Kauai was solid in the belief that Water and Land uses should be at the County level, now there is little chance that a home rule voice will be raised.
Just think if Kauai had home rule, Ag on the island would be dead. The large land holders would be pertneer bankrupt with the loss of land lease revenue and the lands would be sold. And then with the Timmy (former Ag estate owner), Da Hoos (former Land developer), JoAnn (the Kalihiwai Ag CPR Queen), Mason (who wouldn't know an Ag lot from a Condo) and Jay (I am really a tough guy from west Oahu and who follows the big bucks) the big lands would be chopped up and voila! Ag would really be dead.

So the State will hold all Water rights and Land use in her hands for ever. RIP Home Rule.
And Mel, the hard working silent locals just go to work every day and wonder, "when in the f*cking world" will the County allow some homes to be built for the families? The last Sub-D for local families on the eastside was built over 30 years ago. And we don't need JoAnn's goal, apartment houses...we need single family homes with a yard to put in a tree or two and a little garden.
Shame on all of these political people and especially the BS new Planning Director who is intent on stopping ALL local housing.
Our leaders have forgotten the people.
Is there no leader for the people?

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Ms Joan. You right real good.

Anonymous said...

At the center of Gary's world is, drumroll, Gary- like a fat poisonous spider pulling the strands of his nasty web manufactured by PANNA, CFS, Greenpeace and some other organizations reaping the fundraising benefits from scaring people who don't know better or are too lazy to do some work of their own. What have his machinations given us? 2491, the keystone of his anti ag, anti corporation, anti science, offensive to the law and deceitful view of how things should be. His vindictive anti ag tax bill (with Bynum thankfully gone from the political scene) and other maneuvering from his HAPA lair are an insult those of us who did not vote for him. And that's most of us who voted. We need to remember and redouble the effort next year to send him to Progressive Activist Valhalla, wherever that may be. Enough is way too much.

Anonymous said...

11:40am. Wow you one angry dude. Sounds like you don't get enough people paying attention to you. Sounds like the little dog syndrome. Suck it up dude and know that you really are a powerless nobody relegated to the anonymous comment section and will never get front row seats, let alone be allowed on the field.

Manuahi said...

“the common sense business approach that says Hawaii should go after niche organic markets?”

You’ve got to be kidding me!!! Hooser The Loser who couldn’t manage a business himself and had to find a job in government because of it, thinks he knows what a “business approach” is? “niche organic markets” ??? Ya, which would generate all sorts of tax revenue. [NOT!!!] You know "tax revenue"......that stuff that Hooser collected but never paid to the government preferring instead to pocket it like the petty thief he is. Thanks for your input, Gary!!!

Anonymous said...

As if the chemical cartel generates tax revenue. Not! It is all a scam. These large companies generate far less in tax revenue than if even 1/4 of the land was leased to farmers who grew stuff to actually eat. So please don't talk about tax revenue because there is none.

Anonymous said...

You're way off. All farms pay property and excise taxes. Seed farms pay more because they're bigger.

Anonymous said...

Hawaii law says that the general excise tax is paid by the seller of goods and services. The chemical cartels on Kauai do research and send off their seeds to the continent for further growth and research. They sell nothing in Hawaii and thus pay no general excise tax in Hawaii. When the companies buy their pesticides in Hawaii, the seller of those pesticides is required to pay GET on those sales, and like all sellers is allowed to pass on
to the buyer that cost. But the chemical companies themselves do not pay GET on their operations as opposed to a conventional farm growing crops for food that is sold locally, who would in fact pay GET when they sold those crops locally. So it is not true that they pay more "because they are bigger".

Joan Conrow said...

@6:04 and 7:54 -- What difference does it make when there are no farmers available to work the land — not even 1/4 of it — that the seed companies are leasing? You're acting like they're displacing tax revenue-generating farmers, and they aren't.

Anonymous said...

Joan you are wrong on this part. Check with the cattle ranchers. First some of them have in fact been displaced and lost their Grove Farm leases to the agrochemical companies. Secondly there are large local grass fed cattle operations trying to gain access to these lands that are locked up by these companies.

Joan Conrow said...

Yes, I know that some cattle ranchers were displaced, but were they selling their cattle locally and paying GET? Or were they shipping them to the mainland for finishing and slaughter? And did they fold, or did they relocate? I was told one bull operation moved to Maui; was it paying GET on semen? As for large local grass fed cattle operations trying to gain access to land, the seed companies recently relinquished significant blocks of acreage that they aren't using, and they have other land available for sub-leases. Thousands of acres are fallow on this island. Surely there's plenty for the cattle ranchers, and unless slaughterhouse capacity is substantially expanded on Kauai, they aren't going to be selling their meat locally and paying GET, either.