Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Musings: Fact-Finding and Terrorists

The Joint Fact Finding Group has again delayed its initial report on “Pesticide Use by Large Agribusinesses on Kauai.”

The draft report was due out today, with a public briefing set for Jan. 11.

But both the report and public briefing have been delayed indefinitely. As group facilitator Peter Adler noted in a press release:

Both have been deferred to allow additional time for the gathering and analysis of data, due to unforeseen circumstances. Both events will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity.

Hmm. Intriguing.

The group, which began meeting last March, is looking at:

Quantitatively, what are the actual agricultural “footprints” Kauai’s seed companies occupy and farm?

What pesticides do they use, in what quantities, and at what rates?

Are there detectable and measurable human or environmental health impacts on Kauai associated with seed company pesticide practices?

If the answer is a possible “yes”, what are the documented health or environmental impacts on Kauai and what should be done?

Is current oversight and regulation effective?

Shifting gears, as the standoff continues in Oregon, where armed militia have occupied buildings at federal wildlife refuge, there's been significant discussion in both mainstream and social media about the terminology used to describe these guys.

The Washington Post called them "occupiers." The New York Times opted for "armed activists" and "militia men.” Others are wondering why they aren't being termed terrorists. Or is that a term reserved only for people of color?

I thought Nathaniel Aka'akamai Mahuka Kahula-Davis had a rather interesting take, contrasting the hands-off approach of the feds in Oregon with the heavy-handed way that state authorities responded to peaceful kanaka on Mauna Kea:

"We fight for our land they bring guns for us."

23 comments:

  1. The Joint Fact Finding Group will be a tome. A long book.
    The shortest books according to Guinness is book of Bill Passed By Kauai Council.
    This book has 4 entries.
    Hooser's Fireplace Bill (which attempted to abolish all fireplaces, bonfires, and imus, because one couple didn't like their neighbor's fireplace.
    A bill to abolish barkers.
    A bill to cancel the bill to allow barkers
    Another bill to abolish barkers.

    The roads still suck. The County budget explodes. Weeds growing everywhere.
    The Council does nothing. The most discussed topic are the labyrinth of words that Mel and JoAnn have on why JoAnn can't talkie-talk all the time. Many words by JoAnn and Mel on why she can't talk...a conundrum.
    Almost as large a conundrum as "how can you have 4 smart guys on the Council do NOTHING"...except now RAISE TAXES by 20 percent.
    Beat my head in with Tim Bynums Million Dollar Rice Cooker, we deserve better.

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  2. The difference between the Oregon situation and the Maunakea situation is GUNS and very crazy white men...if the land should go back to anyone it should go back to the Indians......AND there are not any people from Oregon in that crowd....in fact the Oregonians want them off the land and out of the state....

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  3. Didn't kauai have armed men terrorizing tourists or hippies from going to a popular north shore beach?

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  4. From what I could tell, there were as many haole at there were kanaka at the Mauna Kea protests. And, while peaceful, they vandalized the property by placing rocks in the road, causing dangerous conditions, especially at night, for rightful motorists. In Oregon, the only activity they're blocking is bird watching. If they were blocking the Golden Gate Bridge, there would be police and/or feds with guns there to remove them. The only similarity I see is they're both religion-based protests.

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  5. My two cents on Mauna Kea:

    Scientific advancement for the knowledge and betterment of humankind should always supersede any culture ancient or modern. Respect should always be given but not at the expense of mankind.

    Re Oregon:

    They should be called criminals, trespassers and idiots. Except for the rarest of circumstances, you must always obey the law; then subsequently challenge it in a court of law.

    It is the law to pay your taxes. You pay them, then dispute them. Try not paying the IRS and see what happens.

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  6. No, the north shore never had armed people, whether hippies or not, blocking people from going to the beach, wtf are you talking about?

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    Replies
    1. Another ignorant lad that just flew here. Read old blog posts from years ago.

      People were complaining about the armed care takers and his militia for years.

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  7. Always enjoy your musings, Joan. Shows great effort and forethought. It was a waste of money to even have a committee with equal number of pros antis. Nothing will ever come out.

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  8. 11:23 No, but they did block the Super Ferry from landing at Nawiliwli. Now when I have to pay $300-$400 to fly to the Big Island, I curse those idiots that acted like ruthless thugs and mokes. A large number of these same ill-informed hooligans hijacked Council for the 2491 debacle too. If only they'd put the same energy and passion into cleaning the aina. Pick up roadside litter, tow your junk cars to the metal recycling center, or just clean up your yards. I guess if there's no press or TV air time, then it's not worth the extra effort.

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  9. Here's a fact:

    The largest farm in all of Hawaii announced today it will be shutting down at the end of the year (whoops, I mean "transitioning"). Nearly 700 people will be laid off and many more indirect jobs will be lost. What are these families going to do? Are there replacement jobs for them anywhere on Maui, or anywhere else in the state?

    Did it ever occur to the antis that their despicable lying activism might hurt our community WAY more than anyone here has ever been hurt by GMOs or pesticides?


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  10. 4:50 Facts-
    The lead Fistee, Da Hoos cares not for jobs.
    He has marched against PMRF.
    He has marched and chanted against Kauai Ag.
    He has constantly been against hotels and real estate development.
    He is anti-Tourist.
    As hypocrisy lives and breathes on the Garden Isle--
    Da Hoos also..... he was a big shot Realtor at Bali Hai and even had his own real estate brokerage. He did several REAL estate developments. Even on Ag land.
    He had a series of magazines that ALL WENT bankrupt and did NOT pay taxes, that gathered income from Realtors, tourist activities and Hotels.
    Was a Senator that gathered NO FRIENDS, brought no kala to Kauai...and when he needed simple things for his forays into Anti-Ag legislation NOT one of his old comrades in the Senate helped him.
    They know Gary is only for himself.

    He is anti business, unless it is he and his friends doing it. He is currently a commercial real estate land lord, ya know.

    This Milyun Dollah fact finding BS is a direct result of Da Hoos and his Fistees.
    And still to come...all the future stuff from HAPA (well funded by Da Hoos rich friends)

    Where are the good ol' guys like Smokey Louie, Jimmy Tehada and Kaipo Asing?
    Mel we need you to do something, your Council is getting extra 20 percent in property taxes....and nada from the fearless foursome...let's get some roadwork done, at least put pressure on the State to get the Kapaa highway mess fixed..Clean the parks...you all gots big money.Oh Lordee Jesus...
    Mel Just do something...bickering with JoAnn is not a good legacy.

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  11. Joan why do you publish libelous rants from hooser haters? Cause you hate the big fist you let anonymous commenters smear him with innuendo? I have known and worked closely with Gary for the past 20 years. While his publishing business struggled, he eventually made a profit, paid his bills and never filed bankruptcy. He did have some very successes real estate development projects but never on Ag land and he never rezoned land. Does the truth matter at all to you Joan. Your obsession with tearing hooser down apparently has no limits.

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  12. How did Hooser become majority leader of senate if he had no friends? Just sayin.

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  13. 6:13-- If you're so interested in the truth, how can you possibly support Hooser?

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  14. I don't agree with everything he says or does but fair is fair, and bold face lies against anyone is just not right.

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  15. Fair enough. So don't defend him and attack me next time I point out one of his bold-faced lies. I recognize your language, so I know you do.

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  16. 6:13 Oh my!
    The comments at 5:41 seem to be a broad stroke. Maybe Waioli Gardens isn't on Agriculturally zoned land. But I think it is. It is surrounded by Conservation, Agriculture and Hindus.
    Gary HAD friends in the Senate until they got to know him. Friendships last. Users don't
    Everything else in 5:41 is bible truth. He didn't go bankrupt, but he also didn't pay $80,000 in GET. He paid back some and the Tax people let him off.

    But the facts that he don't care about no jobs, his anti PMRF, anti-Ag, anti-Hotel etc stances are all true. He is smart, but conniving.

    Not to mention his brown nosing specialty, word is that WALTER RITTE went to Mariachi's and his flatulence sent supreme brown-noser Gary to ER for extreme hydrogen sulfide poisoning (hydrogen sulfide is only one percent of a FART, but you get the gist)

    He will probably be re-elected because of as*holes like you and many of the new ilk who imbue the island.
    Gary is anti-job. He is no friend of the working man/woman.

    Joan, thank you for allowing a forum for nutjobs like me to spill truisms.

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  17. 6:52 Gary was a developer. JoAnn sold million dollar Agriculture cprs in Kalihiwai.
    These two are against anyone else developing. The leading anti-housing council people.
    Only on Kauai can hypocrisy and greed be rewarded with political longevity.

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  18. Hawaii Dairy Farm EIS also twice delayed - guess they are hiding something too.

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  19. Nothing times nothing equals nothing. 2016 should be something times something equals something. Lets go County Council. Get something going for the people. We need you now more than ever. Taxes are killing us. Who cares about barking dogs...they don't pay taxes. People talk about traffic, carpool. If three people carpool there would be 2/3 less traffic. That's if you really care about traffic. If you are not willing to carpool...stop complaining. Monday to Friday 5 days of carpooling. You can put on your makeup, text message, all legal. Save money at the same time. Gas bill goes down. Now you can eat out with the whole family every Friday night with the money saved. You all have a nice day stuck in traffic.

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  20. 6:52

    If you think Gary is anti-GMO, anti-job, anti-development, anti-business, anti-local or anti-[insert your choice here], you completely misunderstand him.

    Gary is pro-Gary. Period.

    He will be pro or anti-anything, criticize behaviors in others that he exhibits to an equal or greater degree, etc. if he believes that it is in his personal interest to do so.

    The difference between him and any run-of-the-mill hypocrite is that he is relatively gifted at the calculus of weighing his options and estimating potential future consequences for himself, personally. He will burn a bridge or turn on prior "friends" only when he has his foot firmly on his next platform, or doing so will ingratiate him with what he perceives to be an even more beneficial demographic.

    His main shortcoming is that the horizon of his vision is limited, and he has repeatedly demonstrated a failure to understand that, in the long term, we are all in the same boat together. In the long arc of a lifetime on a small island like Kauai, helping others and building real, lasting relationships on a bedrock of integrity is the best way to ultimately help yourself. It is thus still the best thing to do even if helping others is not gratifying to you in its own right.

    As a result of the above limitation, the path of his professional and political career has been a long road full of momentary glimpses of success ultimately eclipsed by failure, bitterness and divisiveness (on the part of those involved--both former adversaries and allies). The only consistent theme has been that at the end of each chapter, Gary comes out OK. OK, but not great.

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