Well before the moon rose, Koko and I were out enjoying the stars and especially the planets — twinkling Venus foremost among them — that were huddled together in the western sky. The moon came much later and hung around over my house, peering in through the skylight, tricking me into believing it was time to get up.
By the time I actually did there was a thin band of rose along the eastern horizon, topped by another band of blue and above that a puffy mottling of yellow-gold-pink clouds that faded to gray before Koko and I returned from our walk this morning. Later, in the kitchen, I realized the sun is no longer rising in my front windows, but the ones on the side, offering evidence beyond the vase of yellow ginger that fall is on its way.
I made my way up to Anini yesterday to attend a picnic of the Sierra Club, which kindly gave me their Pono Award in recognition of my blogging and journalism on behalf of the environment. I hadn’t been out there in a while, and as I drove along that narrow road to the beach park, I thought of how so often people use Anini as an example of a place where they can't possibly farm, and so instead seek a vacation rental use of their ag land. And I was thinking, yes, they can't farm their half- or quarter-acre because their house takes up most of it.
Rep. Mina Morita and former Sen. Gary Hooser, who is now running for lieutenant governor, were there to present the awards and say a few words. Gary is still hanging in there and needs small contributions — under $100 each — ASAP so he can qualify for matching public funds and buy more ads before the primary. Go Gary!
Mina said all the state departments have “been decimated,” the Office of Environmental Quality Control has “been gutted” and the Lingle Administration is proposing sweeping changes to agency rules, including those that govern the conservation district, to further entrench its philosophy before she leaves office.
“I don’t think the state can survive another eight years of Republican leadership,” she said, before urging folks who care about the `aina to support Neil Abercrombie for governor. “Mufi Hannemann doesn’t have an environmental bone in his body.”
Interesting, then, that our own Mayor Bernard Carvalho endorsed him. At any rate, it’s going to be a close race, and as several people mentioned, the guv's race makes voting in the primary worthwhile.
Later, talk turned to the county election, with much discussion about who is vulnerable. We agreed that the Council’s flat rejection of Tim Bynum’s three agricultural land bills last week offered pretty strong proof that he is dead meat on that panel, in terms of advancing any legislation. That doesn’t mean, of course, that he won’t get re-elected.
There seemed to be a general consensus that newcomer Nadine Nakamura is going to get in, and most likely former Councilman Mel Rapozo and incumbent Jay Furfaro. But questions surrounded the rest. Has Kaipo Asing seen better days? Has JoAnn Yukimura fallen so far from grace that she can't get re-elected? Has Dickie Chang got a shot? We’ll just have to wait and see.
I’ll also be interested to see if Kealanani, that ill-conceived ag subdivision on the mauka side of the highway at Kealia does, indeed, die a well-deserved death. That fake farm project should never have been approved, and now it’s looking like the economic downturn is taking a fatal toll.
Economics could also spell the end of blogging in Philadelphia, where the City Council has imposed a $300 business privilege license on local bloggers, even if they make no money, as well as various taxes. That’s one way to silence your critics.
Meanwhile, the progression of information technology races on unabated, as this video shows. It ends with a question that is very often on my mind: So what does it all mean?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
18 comments:
You left Kawakami and Kualii out. I think Kawakami is guaranteed to get in. Kualii has a good chance also. Daligdig as the sole republican has a chance also.
I can't believe that 2 years ago I had a Bynum sign in my yard and in my mother's yard. That guy can't get his things passed because he is an idiot. He loves to grandstand and whine. What kind of psychologist is he? Not a very good one apparently based on his childish behavior. That guy had the nerve to just put a sign in my yard again without asking. That sign is somewhere in Kekaha now. Furfaro is a flake too. If he is Chair it will be worse than Kaipo's reign. He is an egomaniac who always has to talk first and tell people I did this I did that. Geez! I am block voting for Nakamura, Kawakami, and Yukimura. To me that is a good balance. A planner, a businessman and an environmentalist.
I refuse to be swayed by the anti Kaipo brigade. He probably won't get the tvr/realtor vote, and that's precisely why he's getting mine.
I agree with the previous post. The anti Kaipo crew has made it clear that their interest is invested in themselves. I wonder how big Bynum's house is on his ag lot and what it is that he is farming.
The anti Kaipo crew has made it clear that their interest is invested in themselves.
First, that's not even true. Most anti-Kaipo rhetoric centers around his high-handed attitude as chair more than any particular 'interest' he consistently offends or favors. Second, it's a rank guilt-by-association fallacy that tries to make a person who is anti-Kaipo doubt their position by associating their dislike of Kaipo with pro-development. It's not true. You don't have to be a land-raper to be sick of Kaipo.
Yeah, you pretty much do....
The Garden Island article said that the $18.4 million was supposed to secure infrastructure improvements but the County questioned whether the money would be "reinvested back into our community". So what was the money going to be used for? That article was confusing.
Yup, Kaipo has my vote too. Tim does not. Tim's too cozy with the richies, trying to make himself look good, well he doesn't.
Don't vote for any of the clowns that just allowed ag lands to be resort. And then after that fiasco , tim has the nerve to try to say he wants to preserve ag, Tim is talking BS
I agree with 5:34.
Vote for Kaipo and his very informative power point presentations! He's stood by us and will continue to do so.
congrats on the sierra club award joan. contrary to some of the commenters on your blog, the SC recognizes what many already know; u'da bestest!
Mahalo!
Yes, Congrats Joan!
Bynum is such a hypocrite it makes me sick. It is no wonder he follows Joann Yukimura like a little puppy. She subdivides and CPRs her ag land in Kalihiwai and now that she has hers it needs to be stopped so she can save Kauai. Please what a double standard. And how big is Bynum's house on his ag lot? Must be smaller than 2500 sq feet. Please!
When will Kaua`i voters stop voting for a candidate just because "s/he's my cousin" or "we've worked together for years" or "s/he's my neighbor"??
Change begins with voting for the CAPABLE candidate(s)!
Daryl is consistent. He wants ag land owners to max out the value. Kaipo, Derek, Tim, Lani, Joann, who knows? Mel can bitch about abuses on ag land. Can he do more? We know the incumbents are violating the law but what do you propose to do, Mel? If it's more finger pointing and yelling "You guys are idiots" at clueless bureaucrats that we all know are clueless, no thanks. Wish the choice was clear but politicians can be for and against the same position without much effort.
VOTE BYNAM OUT
Regarding the candidates. Tip for ya. There is more to the Kukui'ula vote. Check the candidates' most recent campaign finance reports. There are some unreported material events... The details are quite interesting... Somebody will write about it soon.
Post a Comment