Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Musings: Pinging


The clouds were streaks and puffs of pinkish-orange, so I thought we were going to get a good sunrise show, but they all turned gray while the dogs and I were out walking this morning. A song and a cackle filled the air, here and there, as the birds woke, but mostly I was aware of a loud buzzing, as bees hung about 10 feet overhead, like stationery helicopters, occasionally pinging off somewhere.

I often wish I knew what they — and the human race — were up to.

I was talking to my St. Louis sister about the most recent shooting spree in Colorado and she said that same weekend, her local newspapers reported that six or seven guys had been shot and killed on the city's streets from gang violence. “But it's not on page one. It was on page two or three.”

Interesting, how one set of circumstances is deemed a tragedy worthy of personal attention by the President and a movie star, while another is just violence as usual.

Meanwhile, Colorado folks are reacting to the mayhem by buying more guns. As Democracy Now! reports:

The number of potential gun owners seeking background checks increased 43 percent over the weekend from the week before.

It seems to me that one of the biggest problems with guns, despite their propensity to maim and kill, is that a lot of the people who are so attracted to them are the last ones who should have them. And they justify their wackiness by the Second Amendment.

You know how folks justify the pesticide-spraying, gene-modifying seed companies because they provide important agricultural jobs? Well, here's your chance to sign up with a temp agency, which means no benefits, as a corn pollinator with a “premiere employer.

Job requirements? “Ability to work at a steady pace in warm temperatures.
Ability to bend and stoop regularly.” Pay? “$10.00/hr to start”

I've been told that just two persons attended last night's public safety meeting with Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho and Councilman Mel Rapozo. Meanwhile, 50 people were counted holding signs for prosecutor candidate Justin Kollar at KCC yesterday.

A certain Hawaiian activist made it clear on Facebook that she was none too pleased about being asked to hold sign for the same candidate who prosecuted her for protecting iwi from desecration..... Apparently Shay does prosecute her friends. Or at least, some of them....

And remember how I mentioned on Monday that it's not gonna be 40 or 50 years before we see substantial sea level rise? Yeah, seems the Greenland ice sheet melted at an unprecedented rate this summer. As The Guardian reports:

The rapid melting over just four days was captured by three satellites. It has stunned and alarmed scientists, and deepened fears about the pace and future consequences of climate change.

In a statement posted on Nasa's website on Tuesday, scientists admitted the satellite data was so striking they thought at first there had to be a mistake.

It was the second unusual event in Greenland in a matter of days, after an iceberg the size of Manhattan broke off from the Petermann Glacier. But the rapid melt was viewed as more serious.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

What Climate Change? Just a ruse used by the liberal-commies to decrease our dependence upon oil and coal burning factory furnaces.

No one running for president is talking about it, so therefore it does not exist.

Greenland Ice berg.......just Photo Shop?

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

Most people probably have heard of the term "Keep your the friends close but Keep your enemies even closer".

When youre dealing with these people you have to realize that you're messing with a Gemini.

You cannot trust either personality, they'll verbally chop a person up with you then stab you in the back.

Do not be so gullible for the serpent hands out the poisonous fruit frequently.

Anonymous said...

Dr Shibai, is your comment made in jest or are you that full of yourself (shibai)?

Anonymous said...

anyone noticed wailua bay lately? The ocean looks closer to the highway than I've ever seen it.

Anonymous said...

Of course my comments were sarcastic. Look at the world weather and in the USA. Its a "no brainer".

Climate change is a reality, and "waiting to see" what will happen is a common attitude amongst bureaucrats and politicians.

Power is in the people the promote change.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

How can a serpent HAND out anything??

Anonymous said...

Someone saw Al Gore holding a hair dryer up to an iceberg recently.

Anonymous said...

Who needs glaciers or beaches? We have the orb and the orgasmatron.

Anonymous said...

Proof that Dahligig doesn't know what he is talking about...

http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/initiatives/shoreline_ppr_setbacks.html#maui

"Case Studies:
Kauai County Ordinance Establishes Progressive Setback Standards

Kauai County's Shoreline Setback and Coastal Protection Ordinance was passed in 2008 (and amended in 2009) to reduce the impact of coastal hazards to property, life, and coastal resources, establishing the most progressive setback standards in Hawaii. While state law requires setbacks of not less than 20 feet and not more than 40 feet, Kauai’s ordinance requires that structures in Kauai be setback a minimum of 40 feet from the certified shoreline.

Specifically, the ordinance establishes two standards for setback determination based on average lot depths, building footprints, and annual erosion rates:

If a lot's average depth is less than 160 feet, the setback is based on average lot depth. If the average lot depth is 100 feet or less, the minimum setback of 40 feet applies. As the lot depth increases, so does the setback. For every 20 foot increase in average lot depth, the setback increases by 10 feet. So, a lot that is an average of 100 feet deep must be set back 40 feet, a lot that averages between 101 and 120 feet deep must be setback 50 feet, and so on.
If a lot's average depth is greater than 160 feet, the setback is based on the building's footprint, which includes decks, pools, and other out buildings, and a coastal erosion study. If the building footprint is less than or equal to 5,000 square feet, the setback distance is 40 feet plus 70 times the annual erosion rate. If the building footprint is greater than 5,000 square feet, the setback distance is 40 feet plus 100 times the annual erosion rate.

The latter standard, which can also be applied to shallow lots if an applicant so chooses, incorporates current science-based erosion data into land use planning. It helps to ensure that, even with average shoreline erosion, when buildings will still be approximately 40 feet away from the water when they reach the end of their design life (70-100 years)."

Anonymous said...

The same way you get your county of Kauai welfare check.

Anonymous said...

Direct deposit??

Anonymous said...

So going to these meetings that only have a few people gets me OT pay?

Shoots thats more money in the bank for my Las Vegas trip.

Can the serpent hand out free gas from the county pumps too?

Anonymous said...

The OPA should realize that the factors which effects the low turnouts at their meetings are the overall disease that they have caused.

The island of Kauai has lost trust, faith, and confidence in our judicial system.

How can you trust people who say one thing but Muderers roam free on kauai, criminals have connections, drugs, crimes, rapes, crimes against the elderly, robberies, home robberies, white collar crimes, blue collar crimes, desecretion of hawaiian graves, sweet plea deals, and so many destructive patterns that destroys the foundation of a judicial system.

The corruption on Kauai begins and ends here and now with the power to vote them out of office.

Anonymous said...

The PA is making a Cake and it's getting really messy, It's too bad no one is eating it and that's a POHAKU Shayme.

Anonymous said...

the villagers seem ready to take up torches and pitchforks and storm the castle.

no, wait, it's just another tempest in a teacup on Kauai Zoo.

Anonymous said...

Water shortages, shoreline erosion, extreme weather, forest fires and on and on. Sorry kids. We just couldn't get our shit together and we leave it to you.

Anonymous said...

Good job mayor and Castillo on black pot. About time.

Anonymous said...

I had intended to got the OPA meeting , had it in my calendar, then saw a notice in TGI it was cancelled.

Whatʻs going on?

Anonymous said...

Poor turnout at the Lihue event. Two people showed up. Too embarrassing to hold another one.

Anonymous said...

ok.makes sense.