Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Musings: Naturally

At the grocery store today, the woman in front of me rejected one of two apples she had selected when she discovered it was not organic.

“It's a gift,” she explained to the cashier. “So I wouldn't want to give them something with pesticides on it.”

“Well, they [the Environmental Working Group] do say apples are one of the fruits that has more pesticide residue,” the clerk chirped. “Organic shows you care.”

I bit my tongue to keep from saying, “No, it shows you're a sucker for marketing.”

The EWG regularly publishes its “dirty dozen” produce list as a fundraising ploy, and the media — and ignorant store clerks — dutifully regurgitate it without question. But in reality:

Some pesticides are drastically more toxic than others, but the EWG's scoring system considers all pesticides to be equal, and they don't relate the pesticide amounts to known safety standards. Two food scientists did a reality check on the EWG's numbers from their 2010 list (which uses the same methodology as this year's). Their analysis was published in the Journal of Toxicology.

It turns out the "Dirty" foods are fairly clean, and organic foods aren't free of pesticides anyway. You'll notice that the EWG only mentions the pesticides found on conventional produce: that's because the USDA doesn't test for organic pesticides.

So why aren't the foodies screaming for pesticide testing and disclosure on organics? Is nothing sacred?

And why are some of the most vocal critics of ag pesticides now defending their use against the little fire ant [LFA]? Seems it's OK to use pesticides when their own comfort and economic interests are at risk. But they're not willing to allow farmers the same choices.

An example is the ill-informed, but very vocal, anti-ag activist Karen Chun. She used Facebook to aggressively advocate for pesticide use to control the LFA:

You folks know I oppose pesticides on our food, in our parks and along our roads. But there IS a use for pesticides and Little Fire Ants are DEFINITELY it. We really DO have to choose the lesser evil sometimes. And in this case pesticides are WAY lesser than LFAs!

Just like pesticides are WAY lesser than losing an entire crop to insect damage.

Everything has its upsides and downsides. Because of the corruption of the ChemCOs, there is a knee jerk reaction against any use of pesticides.

In this case, that reaction will lead to you abandoning your home lest your baby be blinded by ant bites — or at the very least your livestock or pets being blinded.

Gee. Still resorting to fear-mongering, I see.

Yes. Pesticides are not good and have negative effects. But a reasonable person weighs those negative effects against not using them and makes a judgement [sic] based on which course of action leads to the least negative effects.

Indeed. Which is why farmers prefer pesticides to crop loss and bankruptcy.

They are not using DDT nor PCBs. And they are applying only what is needed. This is SO different from the wholesale, careless pesticide application (that any homeowner could buy and use) of the 50s and 60s.

Uh, hello! That's what we've been trying to tell you about the sugar cane and seed companies, ya dumb ass.

The Maui News did a good job of covering the conflict between the Maui Invasive Species Council, which is trying to eradicate the destructive insect, and people who are opposed to the use of pesticides. Seems some folks are wedded to the idea of using “a more natural product,” like boric acid, even if, according to MISC, it's “more toxic than other chemicals and can kill people and domestic pets.”

The “natural” bit came up in Chun's Facebook thread, prompting Daren Ash to reply:

And your natural part? What bollocks. How do you think LFA got here? They hitched a ride with humans on unnatural forms of transportation, they didn't swim here on their own. Even if they had swum here on their own (they didn't) and were considered "natural," the devastation they cause to other natural things (native species) is massive, so it's more "natural" to use pesticides to eradicate them and save other natural things. Also remember that things like arsenic, Polio, Ebola, cobra venom, fire, death, pain, and misery are natural too, it doesn't mean they're good.

Which leads us to Civil Beat's promo piece today on Gary Hooser's HAPA Kuleana Academy. The article quoted Tim Vandeveer, chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, as saying it's a good thing when people run for office.

Which is true. Except when they are running on a very narrow platform — anti-ag, anti-GMO, anti-TMT — that appeals to only a small segment of the population. Then it's not so good.

But then, that's the sort of social engineering that Civil Beat funder-founder Pierre Omidyar endorses — he gives money to Center for Food Safety, which in turn funds HAPA — so his vanity pub promotes it, too. 

Which is why the article inanely asked whether Hawaii's “progessive movement” — since when have intolerance, bullying, fear-mongering and lying been defined as progressive? — has “staying power.”

It seems that question was already answered in the Primary, when voters rejected purt near everybody associated with HAPA and its Kuleana Academy. And that includes its pappy, Hooser, who ranked ninth in a race for seven council seats.

I did have to laugh when Hooser claimed his movement was about “food justice.” So then why are they focused on promoting high-priced organics? Why aren't they out there supporting the food banks and SNAP — programs that actually put food in the mouths of hungry Islanders?

I also giggled at this line about the "progressive" candidates:

They are often critical of business and development interests that pump money into local campaigns.

Except their own campaigns and nonprofit groups, of course. Then it's perfectly OK.

I was also interested to learn that Councilman Mason Chock is one of the trainers for the Kuleana Academy. Just something to keep in mind when you're voting come November.

80 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really? Mason is an instructor with the Kuleana Academy? That's very interesting. I wonder if it's disclosed in his ethics disclosure. I'm sure he's getting paid.

Anonymous said...

Well, Mason just lost my vote. I guess it's Brun + everyone below Hooser.

Anonymous said...

Those poor MISC employees! The State needs to get rid of these quasi-governmental agencies that have no authority to do anything that they are required to do. It all goes back to the Lingle cuts across land and health management State positions. Yes there is/was dead-weight, but cutting positions, then re-hiring them all in glorified 'temp' agencies like MISC (RCUH) with no authority to do what they are being called upon to do, is a piss-poor way to manage our environmental problems in Hawaii.

Anonymous said...

You are a quack if you think there is no difference between an organic apple and a non organic apple.

Joan Conrow said...

And you apparently have a reading comprehension problem, 12:22. Nowhere did I say there is no difference.

Anonymous said...

@12:22 there is a difference one is fertilized with shit and one not. Also no one has ever gotten sick from GMO's and people have died and had many recalls from organics. That is why I don't buy organics and don't feed my family organics. I cannot see myself eating something that has been fertilized with shit. Sorry enjoy your organics and I will enjoy my GMO's. Guarantee More Ono

Anonymous said...

That's disappointing about Mason, but if we pull our vote for him Hoosier may be able to squeak in. I guess it's back to voting for Joanne. This is truly the year of voting for the lesser of the two evils from the Presidency down to Kauai County Council.

Anonymous said...

Science and open mindedness is the only thing that will save/help mankind.

Not religion, superstition or organics. The earth's population went from 1.6 billion to 6.1 billion in the 20th century. All those people have to go, eat, live and poop somewhere and it is only through science and technology will we be able to survive. The old ways of farming are not producing enough to save us from ourselves.

(by the way: I think most of those billion of people are driving through Kapaa right now)

Anonymous said...

It is a disappointment. It's back to voting for JoAnne and Juno and may the best woman win the 7th spot.

Anonymous said...

@1:32 pm

Fertilizing fruit trees with raw human waste is questionable. But fertilizing leafy vegetables that actually touch the ground and are eaten raw such as lettuce, kale and the likes with human waste is quite disgusting and risky.

John Kauai said...

Not that it means anything, but I just bought 8oz of Organic Prunes at Safeway. They were $1 cheaper than the non-organic Sunsweet prunes.

(I put them on top of the brie and garlic spread over the Safeway baguette. Makes me wonder what a baguette made in Paris would taste like. )

2:06:
Perhaps Kauai should tax them? Oh, wait, that was what Chip Rogers was talking about in TGI. "Taxes are too damn high." Of course, he offers no solution for how to move those billion through Kapaa, but then he doesn't live there.

Anonymous said...

And your next council is ...

Kawakami - Chair and Mayor in waiting
Kaneshiro - Vice Chair and only one who really understands the budget
Kagawa - Bully who's not sure who to pick on when Hooser is gone
Rapozo - Loudmouth and proponent of having Police run the county
Kuali'i - Seems lost and focused on the obscure, and doesn't understand finance
Brun - Newbie who's turned around his life and maybe can turn around the county
Yukimura - Blabbermouth who will beat Hooser and Chock if she can just shut up once in a while

Really would like to see Apalla grt on but the numbers don't look good for her. Kuali'i needs to go, but sadly his numbers seem too strong to overthrow.

Anonymous said...

What is the big deal about a Progressive Democrat? In Hawaii, which is as close to a complete government controlled State as possible, what would a progressive do?
The needy have 100 percent paid healthcare (along with about 70 percent of the total population), free birth control, food stamps for the asking, housing allowances, medical marrywanna, delivered lunch for the elderly etc.
We have more government workers per capita than any other State. We have the County, State and Feds controlling firearms up the ying yang, more rules and regulations on Ag, building, commercial activities etc . We need a license to do about anything.
Why do we need a progressive in a already completely government controlled State?
What we need is to get rid of half of the Government Workers who essentially sponge off of the few that actually produce a product.
Gary's progressives are his son Dylan yelling at politicians, his worker/confidant flipping off the Country on TV, his own "bite me" comments, his obstructionist tactics, his Anti-Ag, Anti-Housing, Anti-PMRF positions etc.
Enough already with these whiny foul-mouthed and rude "progressives"
And Mason, who got into the Council via Jay Furfaro's midnight insertion as a teacher at Gary's School for activism? No to Mason, another do-nothing.

But in the end..Jay Furfaro (the true creator) of the Anti-Ag law which is still costing the taxpayer money and still has social division dimensions --gets a 100,000 plus per year job from the same County that he f^cked up.
Bad behavior does pay. Shucks, maybe Gary has a 100K job lined up with the County if he loses. A den of political thieves.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy cancer

Anonymous said...

Did you hear Apalla speak at the candidate forum?

Anonymous said...

3:14 thats really close to the local booking. but on the individual bet odds kualii vs apalle is apalle 4/3 and yukimura is 3/4 to place, hooser is 7/3 no place.....the rest is like the max allowed 10/1 but you can bet on amount of votes ( in %) for the losers as an AC bet (alternate contest) or better known as a side bet. for the top 7 theres an AC for vote spreads and theres even a big bet on total votes cast. lotsa money on this one.

Anonymous said...

Rapozo, Kagawa and Kualii - voted against all tax and fee increases, and exec pay raises. Can't say that about Kaneshiro.

Anonymous said...

@3:14 good choices but Derek cannot be the chair we will be at another Jay run Council horrible

Anonymous said...

Rapozo, Kagawa and Kualii should tell us how they're going to pay for the millions in road repairs.

Anonymous said...

"The needy have 100 percent paid healthcare (along with about 70 percent of the total population)"

I've been paying thousands for health care when 70% of the population get it for free? I'm voting for Trump. He'll legalize everything and build a gigantic casino/marijuana super store. The rich stoners will lose their okoles and we get lots of taxes (except for the yuuuuge tax credits and deductions that Trump will negotiate).

Anonymous said...

Like I said may the best woman win but If Apalla comes in above Hoos and under Maso she'll get elected in 2018. After all this is just her debut. She is smart and learns quickly.

Anonymous said...

My citrus is covered with black mold. I know what it is and how it is spread. I have tried for a year to kill it all organically. Ants, aphids, and mold. I have even washed leaves. It is going the other way. This weekend I sprayed Diazinon. I have had enough of this mold killing my blossoms and stunting my leaves.

Anonymous said...

if kaneshiro gets vice chairman, I quit. he shouldn't even get a seat at the table let alone a chairmanship. for U who believes he's the only one understanding the budget remember he's the guy who was pushing for raises because we need the "'BEST" even though there was no money to fund the raises. this from the councils finance committee chairman? considering who we got, that was the council joke of the year.

Anonymous said...

if kaneshiro gets vice chairman, I quit. he shouldn't even get a seat at the table let alone a chairmanship. for U who believes he's the only one understanding the budget remember he's the guy who was pushing for raises because we need the "'BEST" even though there was no money to fund the raises. this from the councils finance committee chairman? considering who we got, that was the council joke of the year.

Anonymous said...

Mason does leadership training at Waimea High School and hey like him there. If he has the ability to do a good job at it, why the hassle if he is doing it for HAPA? By the way, what's the problem with Mason, why do you want him out of the council?

Anonymous said...

6:18

here's how rapozo. kualii and kagawa will pay for road repairs; by not funding projects like the Lihue town core/rice street, the fancy useless road /bike/walking lanes by wilcox school and convention center, the recently defeated (by resident uprising) cancellation of fancy improvements/ road changes to Puaole street, the waikomo road walk to school project, undeserved pay raises, wasteful spending like the mayor vs KPD suit, transfer station fines and more. These guys have been saying these things for the past 2 years. With kawakami and kagawa heading up the new council, maybe there will be less talk and more action

Anonymous said...

"Enjoy cancer"? The censored stuff must be really horrible.

Anonymous said...

3:14 if you're correct, who's going to float the no dried fish and poi consumption in a public place bill?

Anonymous said...

The problem with Chock is he's beholden to Hooser (remember how he got on the council?) & his sister is cozy with Hooser as well.

Anonymous said...

8:28 the money for though projects were specifically earmarked and can't be used for road repairs. Try again.

Anonymous said...

And they're not going to pay for the fines? Who will? All the money "saved" by not funding all of the projects and obligations you mentioned would be a drop in the bucket when compared to the money needed to fix the roads.

Anonymous said...

@618 it'll be with that 30k they saved refusing the mayor's special counsel request, right?

Maybe KipuKai can introduce a resolution urging the roads to fix themselves?

Anonymous said...

Talk about pesticide use..last night I met this huge cane spider. It was in a place where I could not smash it. First thing came to mind was bug spray, any kind, I had to spray the spider. I connected on the first shot. I had to waste a shot before that wanting to make sure trigger/button worked. The spider went ballistic. I shot it three more times to assure myself it would never return. Thank goodness for the bug spray..
To all the "organics" good luck with the pests... And I vote.

Anonymous said...

Having supplied the vote to pass Bill 2491, the reason Chock was brought onto the Council, he has done nothing substantive to deserve reelection. Granted, he took the seat of Nadine Nakamura so he fails to compare to her by any measure, but it is difficult to see why he should stay unless it's to keep Hooser off in the final analysis. And Hooser should get the boot even at the expense of Chock's return as the lesser of two evils. Yukimura would be a better choice than Chock, but she should join Wala'au Anonymous and take the pledge first.

Anonymous said...

those were just some examples of where the councli/administration could stop foolish spending to save money for the needy stuff like road repairs. how its been going is, keep pushing critical infrastructure fixes back, while they propose , seek grants and fund the fluffy stuff like Rice Street. cut fluffy spending until they figure out a way to do the important stuff first. this includes not ear marking funds for non critical projects. this is called prioritizing.

Anonymous said...

those were just some examples of where the councli/administration could stop foolish spending to save money for the needy stuff like road repairs. how its been going is, keep pushing critical infrastructure fixes back, while they propose , seek grants and fund the fluffy stuff like Rice Street. cut fluffy spending until they figure out a way to do the important stuff first. this includes not ear marking funds for non critical projects. this is called prioritizing.

Joan Conrow said...

@7:21. Cane spiders aren't harmful. There's no reason to kill them.

John Kauai said...

Speaking of Rice Street, is there a web site that has the proposed changes? Tnanks

Anonymous said...

Rice Street expansion is filed under "wasteful spending". This is an area that the owners and tenants of the Rice Street properties have been slum commercial tenant/landlords, never repair, never fix anything (except for the County's own li'l beer garden and real place for political manipulations) and could care less, and there will never be a revitalization of Rice Street since the County moved ALL expansion to Puhi.
Rice Street is a tired old street and the Feds and County have given undeserving property owners a 12 million dollar gift. Welfare for the rich. Misspent County money. A joke and a perfect example of the County priorities as they spend 2 million on BS and leave need needed projects foundering. IE WATER SYSTEMS, road repair and Sewers. Great Gawd almighty...JoAnn, Gary and Mason and their cute little beautification Bike Paths and Coffee Cafe is a reality. Who cares if there is big dough from the Feds...it still COST the County 2 million....
Kapaa Town/Koloa Town/Hanapepe/Waimea were revitalized and built on the blood sweat and tears of owners and tenants...and not a dime from anyone to even fix the roads or co-operate with the State on widening Kuhio Hwy or other drastically needed projects.
Who really benefits from this Rice Street scam? Not the residents of Molokoa, not the drivers of cars etc...the beneficiaries are the County workers who will have a park like work area, the owners of Rice Street properties and the BIKE PATHS and cute little beer and coffee gardens. Enough to make me puke my Genki Sushi.
Reward the unworthy.
Bureaucratic entitlements at the extreme.

John Kauai said...

9:45
I agree with your portrayal of Rice Street being "tired". You are possibly right in your description of who is undeservedly benefiting. However, cars screw up everything. The downtowns of towns and cities in Europe are fascinating because there are no cars and one can walk (actually stroll) around looking at the old architecture and imagining what it used to be like. The Larimar Square revitalization in Denver also got rid of the cars and those 100 year old buildings give one a really cozy feeling. Santa Cruz still has cars on the main downtown drag, but they can only go 3 miles an hour because of all the people. Downtown Salinas is beautiful.

The only place in Hawaii that I can think of that matches this "mood/emotion" is Lahaina. Kona used to be like that (actually better) way back in 1979.

I cannot imagine how Lihue could be changed to match the feelings one gets in "walkable" cities. (I'm glad the Safeway came, but yet another stupid mall!) Kapaa could become that if all the traffic were funneled around downtown and the streets closed. Cars just screw up everything.

Anonymous said...

The problem is not with the council but with the incompetent administration. We need to get rid of the mayor and his family and friends appointees.

Anonymous said...

so john, we agree to make downtown lihue a walkable place, like venice italy for example. so what do walkers see? the old kress building soon to have for sale signs in the window, a closed bank building,, a service station, the kauai museum, government buildings, a small tawdry strip mall, a couple of restaurants and shops and that's it. nothing to write home about and certainly not something visitors will fly in from afar to see. the feds commit to spend +/- $13 M plus $2M more the County has to kick in. we spend $15+ M to dress up rice street, but you know what? none of the abutting owners property owners will be rebuilding or upgrading any time soon. what do we end up with? certainly not a revitalized lihue for sure. maybe incentives should be given first to landowners so they can create a town that people will be attracted to. then talk about $15 M of non critical road improvements.

Anonymous said...

Actually many non organic farmers use animal based fertilizers as well.

John Kauai said...

1:54

I do not disagree with you. Or more correctly, I'm afraid you are probably right. It will be a poorly implemented facelift that will make the old girl look even older. But I don't have access to the plan so maybe I'm wrong.

In other cities and towns, before a plan like this would be implemented, there would be buy-in from those property owners that would benefit. I assume that happened in Lihue, but perhaps not.

Perhaps you will start a Kauai Revitalization Society that can lobby for making some common sense changes? :^)
I'll contribute.

Anonymous said...

i avoid lihue proper like rice st. and that whole area unless i have to, like license renewal or airport stuff....i dont go further than costo or home depot nowdays rarely.i used to do a lot of business in kapaa and n.shore but no more just bcuz of kapaa traffic. i livad in kapaa from early 70s to late 90s and looking back the best thing i did was move to west side. its getting crowded here too so much tourists and traffic. there are wide cane roads all around the island. back not too long ago i could drive from anahola to kahili with roads going down to kapaa and lihue then from poipu to hanapepe with roads going up to lawai and kalaheo, the roads are there crushed coral. the same base they use for the blacktop. want to ese traffic / make the already established cane haul routes that arent being used now.


Anonymous said...


I'm not organic, but I love steer, horse, and chicken manure as fertilizer.

As far as using human feces---- that's shit they would do in Mexico. Big difference between animal and human poop.

Anonymous said...


Organic farmers don't really use human feces do they?

Anonymous said...

Lihue should have a Friday festival or something like Hanapepe and Kapaa. Food trucks and music and the bars might draw a thirsty pedestrian or two.

Anonymous said...


5:49 is right of coarse. I thought this was a no fault state? Meaning you cannot sue the ---------- Nevermind. If I was a large landowner I would shut the gates also.

However, has anyone tried to negotiate the use of a cane haul road AKA Bette Midler? Sometimes you just got to ask? Because this will NEVER happen with these sorry fools that represent the Gov. And yes, if you resemble that remark we are talking to you!

And large landowners, toll a fee for passage! I for one would pay. And yea crushed coral is better than whatever is used as an excuse for asphalt round here.

Anonymous said...


9:00 pm, that's why god made Kalipaki. That's Liehoo last I checked.

Anonymous said...

Farmers everywhere, including organic and not organic use composted animal manures. No one uses raw shit. Now are there some creepy farmers that don't have their wastewater systems up to par, maybe

Anonymous said...

When a GMO quack writes something like organic farmers use raw human waste Joan lets that go without a reply as if it were true. But, when a NO GMO quack makes a dumb statement she won't shut up about it? Saying organic farmers use raw human waste as fertilizer is fear mongering GMO style.

Joan Conrow said...

Except nobody DID say that organic farmers use raw human waste. A commenter asked the question, and it was answered by someone who said, no, they don't.

Try reading more carefully, instead of just looking to grind your ax, 6:55.

John Kauai said...


China is noted for using night soil (raw human sewage) but that practice may have changed.

This is an interesting article on "biosolids".
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/07/stink-human-poop-fertilizer/

Which brings up the question of what does the Kauai treatment plant (that stinks so badly so often) do with the leftover biosolids and a second question, what happens to the waste pumped out of your cesspool or septic system?

Looking for the answer, I found instead that you can get a $10,000 tax credit to upgrade your cesspool. The site includes the tax map key for qualifying parcels. Of course, for a tax credit to be useful, you have to have a tax bill. Anyway, in my experience, tax credits aren't very useful for most taxpayers.

http://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/home/taxcredit/

Anonymous said...

I won't mention any farms names but in Kilauea they have workers who live in tents on the property. They crap in buckets and dump the raw human waste in the fields. Or as John Kauai says night soil.

Anonymous said...

Do your doody and join the bowel movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAYivnDsp-Y&index=17&list=PLFD5D0CE103FD3A56

Anonymous said...

Of course, non-organic farmers use livestock manure as well. In fact, according to CPS and BEI in Lihue, the processed, heat-treated chicken pellets they stock is one of their best selling fertilizers to many conventional farms here because of its excellent, slow release nutrient characteristics. It also is lower priced than many of the salt-based chemical fertilizers which are becoming more and more expensive to manufacture.

On the mainland, diversified (both conventional and OG) farms, clean out their barns and spread manure on their fields in the fall to overwinter, then plow it in the spring. Common practice. Properly composted animal manure is one of the best soil additives around due to its biological activity, organic matter, and nutrient content.

Composted means allowing natural aerobic microbes in organic matter to heat the material to temperatures between 131 -160 degrees F. and hold it there to kill off pathogens. (Natural pasteurization). Commercial, bagged manure products are dry heat processed or composted, not raw manure.

Certified organic farmers use many other fertilizers, and not all of them even use composted or processed manure.

The food safety auditors actually commend Certified OG farms because they do not have to struggle with teaching them to keep records. OG farmers keep excellent records because they are already audited annually by USDA certified and regulated inspectors.

John Kauai said...

RE: BioSolids.

Chicago is having a naming contest for the "biosolids" they are making available to the public for direct purchase. This press release talks about other large cities that are already doing it. It makes claims that this "natural fertilizer" lasts 3 times longer that chemical fertilizer.

http://www.mwrd.org/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MWRD/internet/News&Media/Newsroom/Media/Press_Releases/2016/16_0815_%20Biosolids_Naming_Extended.pdf

Objections to using biosolids from a source like this include claims that antibiotics and other drugs are then spread across the fields and absorbed by plants and supposedly people end up eating SSRIs etc.

Interesting stuff.

Joan Conrow said...

Yes, I have heard about those objections, too, John. But as this publication from Oregon State University notes:

Wastewater contains a variety of synthetic organic compounds, and research on the effects of these compounds is ongoing. Recent research has focused on personal care products (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.) and fire retardants. Research indicates that risks to human health and the environment from these compounds are negligible when biosolids are managed according to state and federal rules.

These compounds are unlikely to endanger human health or the environment for three reasons.
• Synthetic organic compounds that survive wastewater treatment are degraded or strongly bound to organic matter in soil.
• Plant roots do not take up significant amounts of these compounds.
• Site management practices for biosolids (such as buffer zones and restrictions on application timing) reduce the opportunity for these compounds to move to water bodies.

Anonymous said...

Did you listen to Apalla's answers during the candidate forum?

Anonymous said...

And you understood and/or were impressed with her answer?

Anonymous said...

@7:08 PM; I listened to her speak at the candidate forum, and I came to a different conclusion; her answer to the last question (re: unions) reminded me of the North Carolina beauty queen answer (Iraq, Africa, etc.).

John Kauai said...

Thanks Joan:

Like I always do, now I have to see if you're right. :-)
It isn't a challenge, it is just double checking so I can make an informed opinion. (Which means no opinion at all.)

First though, I would use this stuff given what I know about it. It turns out that there is a source for it here in Hawaii. They have a number of sites around the USA. The DoH pointed to the one being built on Sand Island.
http://www.synagro.com

The wikipedia entry states that the Milogranite sold by Milwaukee was found to be contaminated by PCBs and apparently legal action ended up costing tax payers $4.7M. Not as bad as switching the water in Flint.

The US Geological Survey completed a study on biosolids in 2014. There is way too much information here to summarize other than to say they did find a lot of contaminants. I'm not saying this counters the OSU study.
http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/biosolids.html

I called the Kauai Wastewater folks. Kauai is investigating whether or not an investment in biosolids will be useful. They have one potential commercial customer. It "would be nice" to be able to put something in place because the solids now are sent to "Mount Mana" (Kekaha) and are a significant contribution to its growth.

I repeat, I'd use this stuff. Mostly, I'd support its installation so I could feel better about swimming at Lydgate. ;-)


Aria Juliet Castillo, Program Manager, Kuleana Academy said...

Mason Chock is hired through his company Kupu A'e to provide training via The Leadership Challenge and DISC Assessment.

Anonymous said...

Give Apalla a break. If she responded incorrectly during the forum it was an honest mistake. On the other hand, you have incumbents who are attorneys, ex policemen, a CPA, a real estate developer and a leadership training guru, with oodles of practical political experience lying through their teeth as they purposely mislead constituents. Common sense says vote Apalla in the general. She's has way more upside than some of the duds in there now.

Anonymous said...

@3:06 Touché on your comment "She has way more upside".

Anonymous said...

9:51 upside she can be what Imelda Marcos did for the Phillipines people no thank you

Anonymous said...

@11:00am ------ Wow racist much!

Anonymous said...

Fucking racist hacks always trying to talk down on the Filipino people. Say: "Why they wanna build a Filipino cultural bldg?" Well for your ignorant ass; All the other races have their own cultural centers but you fakahs only want to hate on the brown man like you fucking racists hate on blacks and Mexicans in the states.

John Kauai said...

Hey, I saw the sign for the Filipino Center on my way to the fair. I'm looking forward to seeing what it has to offer. I kind of wish it could be closer to the Kauai Museum so that they could build some synergy. I imagine it took a few guys with a lot of guts and imagination to make it happen. I would be nice to hear about them.

Anonymous said...


Since many of us seem to like odds making on this site---

Betcha 3:07 is a White guy making problems.

You know why none are going to take my bet 3:07?

Because the cruel game you are playing is sadly not original.

I'm a white guy, I've never heard anybody talk down about anyone's "cultural centers", even when we are all using the "secret white guy codes"!!!

Anonymous said...

Notice that the two non-incumbents who testify at the council did poorly? The lesson: voters want you to stop talking about every issue and exposing your yuuuge ego and ignorance.

Anonymous said...

we can only hope Matt stops thinking he should speak on every topic, what a time waster to have Glenn, ken, Matt and Joe always speak on every issue, they are not the gallery council and should stop being so egotistical as to think we need to hear their every thought.

Anonymous said...

@6:17 aml

Touché ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!

Anonymous said...


Bull shit on your tense words.9:33,3:53 and 6:17am

I want Matt ,Glenn, Norma and anyone else that has the gumption to step up and speak !!!

To say it Lima Charlie! Take your French Touché and beat it.

No disrespect toward the good people of France!

Break down what you disagree on ,,,, and ask them? But to just say they are arrogant? I will just say you folks are world class cowards!

Anonymous said...

Who said they were arrogant? We said that they're ignorant and egotistical.

Anonymous said...


Ok 0531, correction noted.

Tell us why they are "ignorant and egotistical?

Anonymous said...

@5:31am

TOUCHÉ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.!

@8:44 ,,,,,,, give us a break, enough already! It's beyond egotistical! Imagine if the same 50 people testified every day on every subject. But of course, one of the council members can easily use that much time.

Anonymous said...


So 8:24,

So in your world people should be seen and not heard?

I have not a clue who you are 8:24, but I sure as heck stand up for you and your opinion! ( if you had one)

I never said anything about agree or disagreeing with them. But I am proud of them for saying it.

I hope that one day I will be a brave American like they are!!!!

Anonymous said...

@ 6:35

If people want to be seen or heard that is their option not yours. If I have an opinion, with all due respect, it may not be the same as yours. So by arbitrarily saying you are standing up for me is bogus.

Land of the free ,,,,,