Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Musings: Been Wondering

It was all about color when I went walking with Koko and Paele this morning; indeed, the rosy glow soaking the world and seeping through the window was what spurred me to get up so quickly. Outside, the sky was streaked with great swaths of pearlescent clouds and awash in scarlet, which bled onto the jagged green ridges of Makaleha and turned it into an ethereal Maxwell Parrish landscape.

And then, in the course of just a few minutes, the color shifted to burnt orange, then pink, and on to pale lavender, mustard yellow, a faint robin’s egg blue and finally, the washed out grey of a cloudy pre-dawn waiting for the sun.

Right about that time the bamboo thicket came alive with the twittering of hundreds of birds, which come from all around to roost there, and they flitted and chirped and darted from branch to branch and I wondered, as I always do when I watch them each morning and night, why they chose that particular patch of bamboo and how they decide who should sleep where.

I’ve been wondering a few things lately, like exactly when the Planning Commission will choose a planning director to replace Michael Dahilig, who was put into the post when the mayor moved Ian Costa into a lesser position in another department. Or as was noted in the comments section of my last post:

I don't even see "interim" on his nametag, like we'll all just forget the charter and instead allow the Mayor to appoint the director.

I asked a commissioner if the panel had any intention of recruiting a director and was told yes, but an evaluation process had to be developed first, and commissioners, meanwhile, had gotten sidetracked with other things. And so the mayor’s choice keeps on serving…

I’ve been wondering why coverage of the Fukushima catastrophe has pretty much come to a standstill, even though occasional stories leak out — like this piece on radiation tainted beef — that make it clear we have yet to see the full ramifications of the crisis.

I’ve been wondering about the future of our food, and the ethics of our eating choices, after reading a New Yorker article on research into meat cultivated in a laboratory.

I’ve been wondering, where are the lychee, the mango? It’s late July, and I haven’t eaten even one of either fruit.

I’ve been wondering how Kauai Police Commissioners will respond to Henry Noa, prime minister of the Reinstated Hawaiian Nation, when he talks to them on Thursday about how nationals are establishing their authority on Maui.

I’ve been wondering why the new “official” telephone book is so thin. Has Kauai lost a substantial number of residents, or are more people dropping their land lines?

And I’ve been wondering about the strange stuff that happens off the coast of Anahola, where the Graces recently saw bright lights and I myself, when I lived there for six years, encountered silent black helicopters, loud booms, weird rumblings and unexplained lights.

10 comments:

  1. Dahilig tends to support developers e.g., letting helicopters in on pristine forests, changing Kilauea light industrial in support of ag to commercial, and support of illegal TVR's. He should be ousted for not following the General Plan; he is NOT the right person for this job.

    Little lychee and mango because of rains at the inappropriate times. :(

    Thanks for all your reporting Joan!

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  2. What these Planning Commissioners and County Council and Mayor must realize is that are a representative of a political subdivision of the State and nothing should deviate from State mandates through the HRS.

    Not that I agree with most of what the State does but these little shrimps on County levels need to reminded to perform accordingly or get out.
    Thereʻs a lot of very competent individuals that could replace them but seems like they want us (peons) to believe they are the only pool of candidates that can get the job done.

    I beg to differ.

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  3. Planning - last bastion of corruption on Kauai.
    They're not pro-development or anti development.
    They are pro-"friend", and anti-"outsider". Law is immaterial.
    That simple.

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  4. "yes, but an evaluation process had to be developed first"

    there is no evaluation process, already? REALLY?

    Planning Director / Executive Director /
    Director / Owner / CEO / President

    The employment level of Planning Director, Executive Director, Director, Owner, CEO, or President, is the top management level specializing in planning issues. Within a private sector planning firm or a nonprofit, the Executive Director directs all operations of the organization and reports to a Board of Directors. The Planning Director of a local, county or state government directs planning initiatives and typically reports to a Town/City Manager. Planning Directors are often given a significant degree of flexibility in accomplishing their tasks.

    Typical Functions

    Oversees the recruitment, employment, evaluation, and release of staff and contract personnel.
    Supervises all organization staff, either directly or indirectly through senior staff
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    Prepares division/department/organization operations budget
    Ensures that the Board of Trustees is kept fully informed on the condition of the agency and about any trends, events, or emerging issues of significance to the agency's success
    Report events and activities to senior management and elected and appointed officials
    Represents the organization on regional/local boards
    Implements General Plan or other planning projects
    Reviews all departmental reports and presentations
    Evaluates planning-related legislation and applicability to department projects
    Evaluates proposals to local governments for organization's planning consulting services
    Attends substantial number of evening and weekend meetings

    Typical Knowledge

    Considerable knowledge of the theory, principles and techniques of the planning profession and development process
    Considerable knowledge of federal, state and local laws, ordinances and codes pertaining to a wide variety of planning topics
    Considerable knowledge of principles of personnel management, including supervision, training and performance evaluation
    Considerable knowledge of the methods and techniques of research and analysis
    Considerable knowledge of the principles of budgeting and finance
    Knowledge of real estate terminology, laws, practices, principles, and regulations
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    Typical Skills

    Effective and persuasive leadership comfortable with all levels of staff, public and others
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    Minimum Qualifications

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  5. Joan - were the copters you saw by Anahola at night or day? Likely possibilites are anti-MJ surviellance (day) or military tests (night).

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  6. It happened both times right about sunset, and it was so odd, because two of them came from off the water, but made absolutely no sound and there was no sense of the air disturbance in regular choppers, even when they were right next to me, and they were traveling very fast and very low, as in level with the bluff's edge. And then they did a U-turn and headed south, with one going over land and the other heading back out over the water. They had no lights, even as darkness was growing. I figured it was military, but what were they doing? And what kind of craft were they using?

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  7. We Americans provide $$$ to our military to obtain sophisticated killing machines - the less visible and less audible weapons are the best kind, of course! Note to Joan: "stealth."

    What better testing ground than an
    island away from many city folks up and about all hours with their state-of-the-art videocams?

    Does anybody know what really goes on @ PMRF? Or for that matter, when does our Mayor do mayoring? In between all those "feel good" events? Just wondering...

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  8. Sounds like drones!!!

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  9. yes, that's it follow the blinking lights...much more interesting.

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  10. Interesting article, PBN

    http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2011/07/market-grows-for-short-term-vacation.html?ed=2011-07-22&s=article_du&ana=e_du_pub

    ReplyDelete

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