Stephens Media is Suing Bloggers. TAKE NOTE.

Most people know that Stephens Media owns West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, and Big Island Weekly, basically a monopoly of the Big Island's print media. Stephens also own newspapers nationwide.

What Big Island bloggers need to know is that Stephens Media's Las Vegas Review-Journal has partnered with Righthaven, a legal extortion operation, to file 81 (as of July 20) lawsuits against bloggers or website operators who have reposted part of all of LVRJ articles. No "take-down" or warning letters are sent before the lawsuit is filed. As the attorneys representing one of the people sued by Righthaven put it, "This strongly suggests that these suits were filed, not for the legitimate purpose of enforcing copyrights, but rather, to coerce several settlements as part of a massive cash grab facilitated by judicial process."

The most ominous quote, for Hawaii bloggers, is from the WIRED article (check out the picture of Righthaven's CEO. His picture can also be found in the dictionary, under "smug a$$hole" I'm informed, and believe):

Now he’s talking expansion. The Review-Journal’s publisher, Stephens Media in Las Vegas, runs over 70 other newspapers in nine states, and Gibson says he already has an agreement to expand his practice to cover those properties. (Stephens Media declined comment, and referred inquiries to Gibson.) Hundreds of lawsuits, he says, are already in the works by year’s end. “We perceive there to be millions, if not billions, of infringements out there,” he says.

More information here, here, and here. The "Stop the LVRJ/Righthaven Witch Hunt" Facebook page is here.

So don't re-post articles from WHT or HRH, don't quote from their articles, and (in my opinion) don't even link to them. Isolate the bastards.

Two Legal Hikes

The 1801 lava flow that Kona International Airport is built upon crosses the highway just north of the airport. Walking there yesterday I came upon this sobering sight, in a lava tube. Looks like he just lay down there.

The lava is very easy walking, if you remember the first rule of walking on lava - always watch your footing. But during the day, especially if the sun is out, it's very hot. Some days, like yesterday, I like that. It's great walking, though I understand it's a tough landscape to like for a lot of people. To me it has a rugged beauty. Click this next one for larger:

When I say it's easy walking, I mean that it's fairly level, and the footing is very secure -you're walking on bare rock (though like I said, always look where you are putting your foot). There are no trails, because the pahoehoe lava is walkable in almost any direction. I highly recommend walking this area both mauka and makai of Queen K.

Then, a pleasant Sunday morning walk at the Hao Street DLNR trail. About a mile in is a trail directly uphill - an intense half a mile. Turn left at the top, follow that trail (part of the Mahaki Street trail complex) about .4 mile, turn left into the forest, a winding 3/4 mile downhill through the mostly christmas berry forest, back to the main trail and back to the entrance. 4.2 miles or so. Another nice walk.
Ran into a pit bull alone and seemingly lost on the trail. Hope he gets found.

Here's a kahili ginger from the lower trail. I know it's invasive, but just look at it:

Monday Panorama

Click for larger view. The back of Hualalai and Pu'uwa'awa'a, from where the 1859 Mauna Loa flow crosses the upper road, just north of Pu'uanahulu.

Old Goat on a Rock

Which is the alternative name for this blog.

Typical Afternoon at Kaloko-Honokohau

Wordless Wednesday

Bees on newly-opened maiapilo, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, sunset.