Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Musings: Sucky Stuffs

Waialeale’s summit was sandwiched between a pink sky and pink clouds when Koko and I, after a restless night of roosters that wouldn’t stop crowing, headed to the beach this morning, arriving just in time to see the sun rise orange and vibrant out of the sparkling sea.

Mounds left by burrowing crabs created the tropical version of a prairie dog village on the sand, and Koko busied herself with furious digging and stick chewing as I dove into water inhabited by hundreds of tiny blue fishes.

And then we returned to the parking lot, where a few piles of broken car window glass served as silent reminders that some folks are just waiting for their chance to grab what’s not theirs — you know, sort of like colonialism. Only people don’t go to jail for that kind of grabbing.

A surfer friend said the weekend’s big south swell drew crowds and a few thieves to Lawai Beach Park, where two surfboards were stolen and someone’s “wallet was rifled.”

It seems that surfboard thefts are relatively rare on Kauai, so as my friend described it, “usually you put one board on top (of the car) and go out. That sucks if you have to be paranoid about that now.”

Here’s another thing that sucks: As of today, the Kauai-Niihau Burial Council is down two members, so it won’t be taking up the burial treatment plan for Joe Brescia’s house until those vacancies get filled. Meanwhile, the hammers and saws are busily vesting Brescia’s interest. If you want to apply — and one of the vacancies is for a landowner/developer rep — call 808-692-8015.

While we're on the subject of sucky stuff, it seems there’s a conveniently-timed bright spot on Hawaii Superferry's horizon:

U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) has issued a Market Survey to ask about the cost and availability of U.S. ferry vessels. Anticipated delivery will occur on October 1, although the vessel owner may propose alternate delivery dates. The location of proposed usage will be Guam, Saipan, and adjacent Pacific Ocean waters. The time charter will be for 12 months, with the possibility for three additional year-long renewals.

How many other ferries, at least one of which is already equipped for military use — do you ‘spose are just hanging around in America? Never underestimate the strings that can be pulled by a former Secretary of the Navy....

And never underestimate the power of denial. In a New York Times op-ed piece, Paul Krugman rips (in genteel NYT fashion) into Congressional climate change deniers, whom he accuses of immorality, irresponsibility and “treason against the planet.”

Now there’s a case the World Court should take on….

Problem is, ain’t but a very few of us who aren’t guilty, at least as accomplices, in creating the conditions that threaten, as Krugman so vividly recounts, to change the world and life as we know it — and quite a bit faster than we might be expecting:

Thus researchers at M.I.T., who were previously predicting a temperature rise of a little more than 4 degrees by the end of this century, are now predicting a rise of more than 9 degrees. Why? Global greenhouse gas emissions are rising faster than expected; some mitigating factors, like absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans, are turning out to be weaker than hoped; and there’s growing evidence that climate change is self-reinforcing — that, for example, rising temperatures will cause some arctic tundra to defrost, releasing even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

I’m not a scientist, but from what I know about nature, and how everything is interrelated, I always figured that climate change would occur at an exponential rate, and by the time we finally got on it, well, it would be just a little too late.

But heck, until then we’ll have four lanes of traffic crossing the Wailua River, and if that isn’t progress, I don’t know what is. It’ll only cost $30 million to employ up to 150 people for a year and allow motorists, after slogging through 14 months of construction, to zoom over the river — only to get bogged down at the next bottleneck heading north.

I figure the DOT will have the traffic on Kuhio Highway running smoothly just about the time the sea has submerged the bike path and is lapping at the road’s shoulders.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

how does broken glass and stolen surfboards = colonialism? those are just acts of local thieves and litterers


"Congressional climate change deniers"

- those are prob the anti stem cell research people too. there is a good argument to handle and view carbon emissions differently, but i doubt any GOP people know it well


dwps

Joan Conrow said...

how does broken glass and stolen surfboards = colonialism? those are just acts of local thieves and litterers

I clarified that it was broken auto glass, so hope that helps make the connection that it's all about grabbing what's not yours — the basis of colonialism.

Anonymous said...

Rising seas due to global warming will resolve all sorts of other problems. The burials at Brescia's lot (and his house) will be underwater, Kuhio Highway, as it crosses the Wailua River, will be smashed by storm surge, so no need worry about traffic in Kapaa (not going have Kapaa), and surf spots will disappear, so no need boards. Da glass stay half full.

Anonymous said...

Guess what the subject on Democracy Now! was today...MICHAEL JACKSON! How cool is that?

Anonymous said...

"Guess what the subject on Democracy Now! was today...MICHAEL JACKSON! How cool is that?"

Let me guess. Uncool?

Anonymous said...

"Let me guess. Uncool?"

depends on how much of a news snob you are. I personally thought it was real cool, but then I don't have a hissy over celebrity news.

Anonymous said...

"depends on how much of a news snob you are."

Oh in that case it is the best show DN has ever done without a doubt. It was more than "real cool". It was ultra-super-maxi cool. Am I cool now?

Anonymous said...

Joan said - "grabbing what's not yours — the basis of colonialism."

Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell said, "Taking more than one gives, that's what capitalism is"

Anonymous said...

"Am I cool now?"

You could never be cool.

Maybe a tool, or a fool...but never cool.

Anonymous said...

I smell a misanthrope in Anon June 30, 2009 7:25 PM.

Agree or disagree with anon and it makes no difference. Disagree and you are called a "snob". Agree and "You are Maybe a tool, or a fool...but never cool."

Anon June 30, 2009 7:25 PM is what is called a Hater.

TUPAC SHAKUR Rap Dictionary V.2.0
(n) One who despises or speaks ill of another because he does not have any game of his own.

Anonymous said...

"Agree or disagree with anon and it makes no difference. Disagree and you are called a "snob". Agree and "You are Maybe a tool, or a fool...but never cool.""

You've mistakenly assumed they are the same anon. They aren't. I know because I'm one of them but not the other.

Anonymous said...

And i'm the other, but not the one.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for laying out the absurdity of the Kuhio Highway debaucle. It gave me a good belly laugh in the end in spite of the dismal reality.

Anonymous said...

Hater's logic?

Categorical proposition:
1. Major premise: People who like DN coverage of the death of Michael Jackson are cool.
2. Minor premise: I like DN coverage of the death of Michael Jackson
3. Conclusion: I am cool
4. Delusion: However, if YOU like DN coverage of Michael Jackson death your are a tool or a fool but not cool.

Comment"When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!
Remember what the dormouse said:
"Feed your head" - Grace Slick