Kona - a pedestrian view

Honokohau Harbor Shows Little Damage

2011-03-11T13:40:00.003-10:00

I went down to the harbor today about noon. I walked into Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (which, technically, was closed) and was pleased to see that, at least in the area by the fish trap, the water appeared to have come up no further than high surf during a high tide normally does.

The harbor looked OK. The water was murky, the boats were being gently swept back and forth by the weird tides. Probably there's damage I didn't see, but it looked fine (click for larger).

Pu'u Huluhulu Koa Grove

2011-01-27T20:47:00.000-10:00

The boughs of the ancient koa grove intertwine in the afternoon sun on Pu'u Huluhulu, the native tree refuge just off Saddle Road at the intersection of the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea access roads. The bad news in the photo is the invasive English Ivy covering thr ground and slowly making its way up the trunks of the trees.

Wordless Monday - Pukiawe with White Berries

2011-01-17T20:19:00.000-10:00

Pukiawe is native to Hawai'i, but is considered indigenous rather than endemic because it is also found in the Marquesas.

Miscellaneous: Snow, Speed Trap, Spooky Old House and Species (Endangered)

2011-01-09T13:01:00.007-10:00

The problem with only posting every five weeks is that things accumulate.
First, a view from the Old Airport Park yesterday showing a good amount of snow on Mauna Loa, visible over the shoulder of Hualalai.

Second, an observation: Twice last week I drove out to Kealakehe Parkway in the morning. Both days there were three cars pulled over at the same time for speeding by HPD. Former Councilman Greenwell may be the entitled nutjob everyone thinks, but he was surely right about the speed trap between Makala and the Police Station/Transfer Station. It's a divided highway with no side streets, driveways, or pedestrians. The police get people there, either anticipating the increase in the speed limit from 35 to 45 too soon (going North), or reacting to the decrease from 45 to 35 too late (going South). Hard to see a public safety angle - it looks more like simple revenue enhancement.

Next, another photo of an old ranch house at about 5500' up the Palani Ranch state forest access road at the end of Kaloko Mauka Drive. I know I've posted pictures of this old place before, but I like its look.

Next, the stunning flower of the "critically endangered" kokia drynariodes, planted along the trail on Hao Street in Kaloko Mauka.

Finally, from Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, the indigenous (not endemic, apparently found elsewhere) 'Ulei or U'ulei, a member of the rose family, along with a fly from the same genus as the Hawaiian picture-wing flies, some of which (there are supposed to be 1000[!] species in Hawaii ) are endangered.

Approaching Storm (Predicted, Anyway) Yields Clear Skies

2010-12-09T20:12:00.002-10:00

We'll have to wait and see if this storm, like many others, will weaken and dissipate before it gets this far south, but today was a clear day in Kona. The photo above was shot early this morning - the top of Hualalai from Keauhou. The semi-panorama below shows in the foreground the parking lot at the Kaloko-Honokohau visitor center, with Hualalai and Mauna Loa (right) in the background. Hualalai, let me remind you, is only the third highest peak on this island, but it's higher than anything in North America east of the Rockies. Click for larger view.

Oceanic Phone Service Outage

2010-12-03T10:36:00.002-10:00

Yesterday Oceanic Cablevision's phone service was "down" for several hours. No dial tone, no calls coming in. We switched from Hawaiian Tel, or whatever they're called these days, about a month ago. 35 years of Hawaiian Tel, no service interruptions. One month (one goddamn month) with Oceanic and we get this.

The Comic Genius of Leslie Nielsen - RIP

2010-11-29T21:46:00.000-10:00

Wiliwili comeback and the drought takes a break.

2010-11-16T22:01:00.012-10:00

The wiliwili are back.

In 2005, when the gall wasps were first found in Hawaii, it appeared that "saving the wiliwili [was] in doubt." Five years later, all the introduced coral trees, relatives of the wiliwili, are gone, at least from Kona, but the natives in Pu'uwa'awa'a seem to be back.

Heroic Department of Agriculture entomologist Mohsen Ramadan identified a predator wasp in East Africa. Moving with amazing speed, the state Department of Agriculture released the predator wasps on every island in late November 2008. Government working as it should.
Two years later, this little tree just off the Halapepe Trail at Pu'uwa'awa'a looks just fine:

Future generations owe a debt to Ramadan and the other government workers who found a way to save this beautiful native tree.

As usual, I'm way behind the curve. Our Green Maui announced six months ago, with admirable alliteration, that "The Wiliwili War is Won."
The photo above and the one below are of a small stand of wiliwili just mauka of the highway about three miles south of the entrance to Pu'uwa'awa'a Ranch.

On a related note, at least as far as the lands between Kailua and Waimea, the drought seems to be taking a break, at least. Pu'uwa'awa'a Ranch has been bone-dry, but now there's an undertone of green coming through. The countryside just south of Waikoloa is even greener.

Finally, an ohia lehua on a hillside at 5800' and the moon,

and a really big halapepe plant, just off the eponymous trail.

As always, click on a photo for larger images.

The Only Thing More Obnoxious Than All The Negative Campaign Ads

2010-11-01T10:03:00.002-10:00

Are the sanctimonious politicians denouncing negative campaign ads.

Certainly they'd appear less disingenuous if they weren't preceded and followed by negative ads on behalf of the supposedly outraged candidate.

Thank God it's almost over.

Sunsets, Stilts, & a Snuff Film

2010-10-02T22:34:00.004-10:00

First, a couple sunset pictures from Kaloko-Honokohau. Both have the same cruise ship heading out from Kailua (As always, click for larger):

This is part of the largest gathering of (federally endangered) Hawaiian stilts that I've seen in several years of walking at the park. I counted seventeen in all. I love these birds, with their elegant long legs:

Finally, for anyone who hasn't yet seen this, is a snuff-film fantasy from the hysterical, eliminationist wing of the environmental movement. I suppose lots of people have dark thoughts about just getting rid of those who don't agree with them, but it takes a certain cocooned self-righteous mentality to conclude that such a fantasy would make a great advertising campaign (Disturbing content if you disapprove of exploding schoolchildren):

Greenwell's Effort Falls 335 Votes Short

2010-09-19T11:41:00.003-10:00

Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell's year-long attempt to alienate every single voter in his district fell just 335 votes short of his goal on Saturday. It's unknown at present whether all of the 335 votes he received are attributable to Greenwell's family members or escaped mental patients, but one has to salute a valiant effort by the 69-year-old. Greenwell gave 110%, advocating numerous absurd, unpopular policies, and even managed to get himself arrested on a traffic stop. Good try, Kelly!

Stephens Media is Suing Bloggers. TAKE NOTE.

2010-08-31T17:20:00.004-10:00

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

2010-08-15T16:11:00.001-10:00

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

2010-08-09T18:38:00.002-10:00

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

2010-08-08T12:48:00.000-10:00

Which is the alternative name for this blog.

Typical Afternoon at Kaloko-Honokohau

2010-08-08T08:58:00.000-10:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T17:37:00.000-10:00

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

Kaloko-Honokohau NHP is Growing Hawaiian Plants

2010-07-29T18:36:00.001-10:00

Bottle gourds, used to make ipu drums for hula.

Greenwell Continues Charm Offensive; Hokukano Shenanigans

2010-07-27T20:38:00.003-10:00

Evidently, Kelly Greenwell is worried that he hasn't alienated enough voters with his " Let's bring some Al Qaeda guys to Hawaii" proposal or his getting himself arrested for a simple speeding ticket. His new cause is protecting the County Council's ability to decide policy in secret. That should turn his campaign around!

Interesting story in today's West Hawaii Today alleging that local residents Jeff Lee and Wade Lee (through an LLC, natch) are logging old-growth sandalwood from land on Hokukano Ranch above Kealakekua, and selling it under the name "Keala Ke Aloha." It's true that Keala Ke Aloha is selling sandalwood, and that Wade Lee is the contact person, according to this site. Unknown if the sandalwood is being taken from old-growth, but if the company is in financial straights and needs quick bucks, it could be desperate. The only part of the story that seems odd is Tom Pace as guardian of the environment.

Semi-Wordless Sunday

2010-07-25T10:20:00.001-10:00

Moss on a fallen hapu'u, Makahi Street trail, Kaloko Mauka.

Bishop Estate is back to enforcing "No Trespassing" at the top of Huehue Street. They've added a sign noting the cultural resources and asking "please" no trespassing, which will be harder to ignore in good conscience.

"Kitty" Galore. Haha, Get It, Children?

2010-07-23T17:50:00.004-10:00

Noted in West Hawaii Today; a big layout on the new "kids'" movie "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore."

I remember when the movie "Goldfinger" came out. I was in high school. How we snickered about the naughty character name, Pussy Galore. The name of the new "kids" movie is a play on that name, obviously. Kids won't get it, unless they check the internet or ask their parents. Is the title supposed to convince grown-ups that the movie's for them? Who could think that such a reference is appropriate for a kids movie? Or was it, as so many references in kids movies seem to be, just a sniggering in-joke for the parents?

Is our popular culture crude and debased, or am I just too old? Or both?

Jumping on the Bash Kelly Greenwell Bandwagon!

2010-07-21T20:05:00.003-10:00

It's been more than a year since my first reasonable, thoughtful, non-inflammatory post about our Kona Councilman, Kelly Greenwell ("Kelly Greenwell: Insane or Reckless?"). Now, with his recent arrest for resisting arrest, bashing Greenwell in in fashion. I think whatever slim chance he had of getting re-elected has evaporated. Some random thoughts:

Has he never been stopped by the police before? How does someone get to be 69 years old without learning not to get out of the car and not to be aggressive and confrontational with the police? For that matter, how does one get to be 69 years old without knowing that "Why did you pick me, because other people were also speeding" isn't an effective defense?
Was it the combination of being born a Greenwell in Kona and becoming a Councilman that gave Kelly such a toxic level of entitlement? He probably considers himself one of the ali'i.
35 really is a ridiculous speed limit for a four-lane divided highway with no cross streets, and 51 is a perfectly safe speed for that area. Setting up a speed gun there has nothing at all to do with safety - it's an opportunity to increase the number of speeding tickets, nothing more.
The police have become more military-like over my lifetime, in their treatment of citizens, but then citizens have gotten more aggressive and confrontational with the police. Sheriff Andy Taylor would have just laughed if the mayor had gotten out of his car to challenge a speeding ticket, and gently steered the mayor back to his car. Another reminder of the age we live in, I suppose.

Furlough Friday Pu'uwa'awa'a Workday

2010-07-16T20:35:00.002-10:00

Since today was a furlough day for us state workers, I was able to take part in a planting day at Pu'uwa'awa'a. We were trying to re-introduce forage plants and other native species to a nene sanctuary about 3800' up the mountain. I had forgotten how tiring it is to use an o'o to dig holes in very rocky soil.

This is the view from where we planted native plants today. Pu'u Wa'awa'a (seen from the rear ) with Kohala and Mauna Kea behind.

The planting site.

A fenced-off area in the wildlife sanctuary. Volunteers are looking at a planted Hau Kuahiwi (Hibiscadelphus Hualalaiensis) which, as the Hawaiian and scientific names tell us, is a hibiscus/mallow that grows on Hualalai mountain. The plant is so endangered that no wild specimens exist. These, having been planted, don't count.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-14T20:13:00.000-10:00

Lava formation, Ka'upulehu lava flow @ 1700' level, below the scenic lookout.

More fire, ghost forest, and scenery from last weekend

2010-07-13T19:37:00.003-10:00

The fire was stopped by the bulldozed service road. The burned area looks grey. That whole tan (fountain grass) area below the road, containing remnants of the dryland forest, could easily have been burned out. The fire was probably caused by fireworks, according to police. Morons playing with fireworks. The police didn't specify morons. I'm guessing.
Click for larger picture

We're witnessing a decades-long slow-motion battle between native plants and invaders. The native plants aren't winning. 95% of dryland forests are gone, a little more with every fire season.

So we all just lost something even if we didn't know it was there.

And the ghost forest is dispersed by the wind and rain and scattered.

[/maudlin]
On the other hand, Saturday was a fine day, with fine views below the lookout, Kiholo in the background.

Enock Freire: Guy Enriques Redux?

2010-07-11T15:28:00.004-10:00

Suddenly there are huge "Enock Freire District 7" signs everywhere. The candidate and his family wave to me as I drive home, but I live in District 8 and am favorably disposed toward Brenda Ford, based on her record, so my opinion is neither all that relevant or important. Plus, I'm old and cranky and inclined toward cynicism. But all the signs make me wonder.

Feire's website stresses, with Bold Typeface, that he will WORK TOGETHER WITH OTHERS because WE WON'T GET ANYWHERE BY CAUSING DIVISION. Brenda's been a reliable thorn in the side of the majority, and their sponsors. Does that mean that Freire will be a pro-development drone, like Enriques (who also had big advertising), who had big bucks behind him and took out a conservationist council member, becoming a reliable vote for the grease machine? I don't know the man, and I don't vote in his district, but I wonder.

Ane Keohokalole Highway Already Graded Almost to Henry Street

2010-07-11T14:30:00.002-10:00

Just to remind everybody: This project was approved last November; groundbreaking was in March (4 months ago). At this point, a year or so in, most government highway projects are just getting to the second revision of the EIS. Actual construction work would be years away. This project is roughly graded, four lanes wide, from the high school to within (my guess) half a mile of Henry Street. Good to see "stimulus" money used to actually improve the infrastructure, and construction moving (for a government project) at lightning speed. Kudos all around.

Looking back (north) at Kealakehe H.S.

Hawaiian Dryland Forest Update. The undeveloped land along the new highway is dominated by haole koa and fountain grass, with clumps of christmas berry (at the right). The conifer-shaped bush at left center is another remnant of the Hawaiian dryland forest: the native alahe'e, the indigenous member of the coffee family. After rains it produces masses of fragrant flowers.

Ghost Forest - One of the world's most endangered ecosystems just got smaller

2010-07-09T21:25:00.007-10:00

Click for Larger Version
Earlier this month, there was a "brush fire" around the 27-mile marker on the upper highway between Kona and Waimea. It was a fairly small fire, no homes were in danger, and the story disappeared. This afternoon I went walking below the scenic lookout, and I made my way down and over to the fire area. A few places were still smoldering in the blackened 500 acres, and a few scorched, doomed trees still were standing, but what caught my attention were the white outlines of the trees reduced to ash.

Hawaiian dryland forests are one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. And we just lost another chunk. Not 500 acres, though. Most of the area burned by the fire was devoid of trees due to a previous fire in 1993 or so, but there were significant stands of native lama and ohia, now ghostly outlines.

The native trees adapted (or evolved) to withstand brushfires of native pili grass, but fountain grass has displaced the native grasses and it burns at a higher temperature, so when it burns, a forest remnant is lost forever, unless expensive and labor-intensive reforestation happens in the future. Fountain grass seeds are fire activated, so the fire helps the invader. And the current terrible drought looks to continue, so expect at least one more fire this year. And the endangered ecosystem will continue to shrink, another remnant of the dryland forest will be lost, leaving only a ghost forest behind. And even that will be gone with the first good rain.

Turkeys are bad mothers (shut your mouth)

2010-07-01T18:37:00.003-10:00

Today I arrived home to see a mother turkey with about 12 new, fuzzy chicks in our back yard. About half an hour later the turkey lands on our roof, making those turkey-mother-come-here-where-are-you sounds, obviously having lost track of her chicks. A little while later, the mother and about seven chicks are trying to get down into the yard behind. They disappear.

A little while later I hear a chick's "here I am" urgent peep. I hear it again when I'm in the kitchen but I look out the window and see two turkeys, two chicks and figure everything is cool. The turkeys start out with a lot of chicks so that when 90% are picked off by mongoose, cats, and dogs, they'll still have a new generation. That's how nature works, I get it.

So I'm back at the computer, checking e-mail, the news, politics, Big Island Chronicle, you know, just surfing, when I hear the chick's distress call again. I walk out in the direction I heard it, look down into the neighbor's yard and see two adult turkeys, no chicks. I go back in. I hear it again, but it stops when I slide the screen door open. I go out to where it seems like it was coming from, but can find nothing. The next time it starts, I pause at the screen to locate the source. I go back to the same place and glancing to the left, I see a chick who looks at me and makes for cover. I go back in, get a shoebox, return and find two little fuzzy turkeys. I take the box across the street to our other neighbor, who once said she had a friend who raises turkeys. They already had five of the same brood, in a little pen in their anteroom.

So in one day this turkey mother LOST (not eaten by mongoose, just left behind) SEVEN of her babies. Not to be judgmental, but that's just poor parenting skills. It's really amazing that we have any turkeys at all, based on that sad performance.

Old color movies of Honolulu on VJ Day, 1945 (& maybe a glimpse of Kona)

2010-06-23T18:21:00.002-10:00

A lost world.

Very cool video assembled from 16mm film by Richard Sullivan (who also shot the film, according to a comment by his son, here). Interesting shots of how Honolulu looked in August 1945, and at the 3:04-3:08 mark what looks like a woman enjoying the view from the upper road between Kona and Waimea( near where the scenic viewpoint turnoff is now, it appears), looking towards Pu'uanahulu and Kohala. Anybody else see that?

On a related note, the kissing nurse in the famous VJ Day photo passed away this past Sunday.

Kona Association for the Advancement of Alahe'e (KAAA)

2010-06-19T19:00:00.002-10:00

Unfortunately, there's no such thing: the alahe'e is a good looking, fragrant plant with clusters of white flowers. Kealakehe residents (or people with kids at the schools there) know that when they're in bloom, they perfume the air of the whole area. Recently, the (badly-needed) widening of Palani has taken out a number of sterling specimens of alahe'e, including the one pictured here. RIP, buddy, thanks for the blossoms. (Click on image for larger.)

In the "plants still alive" category we have a vivid orange lehua, from Huehue Street, in the mist and clouds:

Hawaii Photo Expo in Hilo June 4-23

2010-06-05T12:40:00.001-10:00

Last night I attended the opening of the Hawai'i Photo Expo at the Wailoa Center Gallery in Wailoa Center State Park just makai of the State Building in downtown Hilo. I went because I have a picture in the Expo, shown below:

That's a real fire extinguisher, by the way, not a piece of conceptual art. That's also not a trash can right below my picture, though it confused me at first, too. Anyway, my picture is right by the door, and there are many lovely and interesting photos by much better photographers than I. Worth a look.

The Huehue Flow - Mauka from Queen Kaahumanu Highway

2010-05-22T21:48:00.001-10:00

North of Kona Airport, the highway crosses the 1801 Huehue lava flow from the Puhia Pele vent. The lava tube that's visible from the road continues mauka. I walked just over 3 miles, a mile and a half in and back. The landscape is rugged:

The photos have been manipulated in GIMP. I think it brings out something about the lava. Click for larger.

Friday Foto

2010-05-21T17:10:00.002-10:00

Pu'ukohola heiau scaffolding

Nothing to Applaud

2010-04-28T18:53:00.003-10:00

Aaron praised this letter to the Tribune-Herald, saying that it "pretty much sums why I find the TEA Party movement so disgusting."

I think the letter is a dismal example of how low our public discourse has sunk. But here's the letter, in its entirety:

The Tea Party movement has finally made its way to Hawaii (Tribune-Herald, April 16). Many locals, including myself, believe Hawaii is exporting some of its aloha spirit, and if so, do we really need to import the high level of negativity and uncontrollable anger the Tea Party movement is known to spread across America?

Although the protest here was "Meek," the namesake of one sign-holding family, it will only grow into the monster it has become on the mainland.

Is the Tea Party movement truly about higher taxes and big government? This argument dates back to Boston's Big Bash in 1773. Why the urgent need to resurrect this issue with such anger? Is it the historic but "grave-shaking" election of America's first African-American president? Who knows. Before Mr. Obama had a chance to sit at the White house desk, invitations to the party were already handed out!
The GOP and Tax Day Patriots would have you believe Obama's tax increases are the worst in history, when in fact his increases were offset by tax credits. Therefore, most Americans received a tax cut this year and are paying the second-lowest percentage (4.6 percent per family of four) in federal tax in the last 50 years! (sources: The Fact Checker and the April 16 Huffington Post, "Tax day fact check"). Poll numbers indicate Americans are barely aware of these developments.

Tea Party members are misguided. Local businessman Jim O'Keefe blames the "Jones Act," a 1920 federal law (formalized in 2006) that protects U.S. workers' jobs on American vessels, between American ports, for the demise of his bakery. At the protest rally, Mr. O'Keefe admitted he's "not very good with math." I concur with his self-assessment because he also believes the shipping cost of "his" flour by American workers was too high and the ultimate cause of his business sinking.

John Kai said at the protest, "The mast majority of people at the rally were taxpayers." Since it's a known fact that more than 80 percent of Tea Party members are Caucasian, well-educated, wealthy males, are we to assume minorities (non-whites) don't pay taxes? Hawaii is a state with nothing but minorities or, according to Mr. Kai, "freeloaders."

Protesting higher taxes and big government is a good thing. However, it shouldn't be used as a platform to cover up bigotry.

David B. Lee

Hilo

In the second sentence, the cheap racial undertone is set: "many locals" are worried about the tea party (because the tea partiers are you-know-who, not "local"). Next comes the unsupported assertion that tea partiers harbor not just anger, but "uncontrollable" anger. Watch out! David Lee is on a mission to smear his fellow citizens.

After admitting that the tea party in Hilo on April 15 was not at all angry, Mr. Lee notes that tax protests date back to Revolutionary War days, then bizarrely "wonders" whether this protest is the result of the election of "the first African-American president." Having made the charge of racism, Mr. Lee fakes agnosticism. "Who knows," he asks innocently, leaving out the question mark. So the baseless, fabricated charge of bigotry just sits there steaming like a turd.

In the middle two paragraphs, Mr. Lee tries, and fails, to construct a substantive argument, tossing out half-digested talking points from somewhere, and, probably working out a personal grudge, writes a semi-coherent insult to one of the tea party protesters.

The penultimate paragraph is the worst, so I'll quote it in full:

John Kai said at the protest, "The mast majority of people at the rally were taxpayers." Since it's a known fact that more than 80 percent of Tea Party members are Caucasian, well-educated, wealthy males, are we to assume minorities (non-whites) don't pay taxes? Hawaii is a state with nothing but minorities or, according to Mr. Kai, "freeloaders."

Got that? John Kai (whose name doesn't sound like a you-know-what) said that the people at the protest were "taxpayers," a non-racial term. David Lee, showing some real creativity and commitment to his smear, concocts the following proposition: Because Mr. Kai said the protesters were taxpayers, and because "it's a known fact" that tea partiers are white, Kai intended to insult minorities as "freeloaders." It's a transparent, cheap, and despicable smear. David Lee should be ashamed.

Good News and Bad News about Kaloko Trails

2010-04-24T09:01:00.005-10:00

The first bit of Bad News is that KS/BE is still posting employees at Huehue Street and others inside at some of the other gates and is apparently very serious about stopping the longstanding use of that area for recreational purposes. Several calls to KS/BE have gone unanswered.

Palani Ranch, owners of the roadway/trail that starts at the end of Kaloko Drive, are doing some grading (putting in housepads and driveways) just below the crest, and, as a result, are patrolling the trail on weekends to discourage trespassers, for more Bad News.

There's more Bad News, but let's get to the good news: The trail at Makahi Street is in very good shape (click for larger view):

Lots of Hawaiian forest-y beauty along the way:

and:

The other bad news is that just before the trailhead, this is partially blocking Makahi Street:

Notice how the ginger near the car is wilted and dried by the heat of the flames. Must have been quite a fire. The taped "AV" seems a little gratuitous.

Cool Animation of Iceland Volcanic Plume

2010-04-18T16:02:00.000-10:00

"No CO2"

2010-03-28T10:33:00.003-10:00

Violating their own slogan every time they exhale, Taiwanese place energy-efficient LEDs to commemorate Earth Hour, which apparently was last night.

Kiholo going South

2010-03-24T20:43:00.006-10:00

Looking north from the [1750-1800] Ka'upulehu lava flow, Kiholo Bay, with Luahinewai, the sacred pool where Keoua, Kamehameha's rival, stopped to ritually prepare himself to be put to death in 1791 (now privately owned and zealously kept private), in the middle foreground. Click for larger.

Kalaemano, the land on the south side of the Ka'upulehu flow. 2,000 year old flow. Pohuehue, foreground, and Tree Heliotrope.

The trail over the Ka'upulehu flow.

"Wordless" Wednesday

2010-03-24T20:24:00.001-10:00

Gold Tree, Kuakini Highway between Seaview Circle and Kam III. Scare quotes around "wordless" based on this comment to this post (which will, I predict, attract a number of visits by people expecting something quite different). Elsewhere, Andrew has a nice picture and Margaret Wille posits that the answer to limited access to the legal system by poor people is to lower the standards, i.e. more crappy attorneys.

Fess Parker has died

2010-03-18T16:12:00.002-10:00

Like many others, I had a coonskin cap in honor of Parker's Davy Crockett when I was seven:

After Davy Crockett he portrayed Daniel Boone, the same character with a different name (Sorry, actual history!). Today he died, at the age of 85. Parker sang the Davy Crockett theme, above, and also this farewell. RIP:

"The fellers like it, too!"
The fellers include Hans Conreid and Robert Shaw!
Buddy Ebsen sings!

Wednesday is still wordless

2010-03-17T16:15:00.000-10:00

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T06:50:00.002-10:00

Men's locker room, Kukio golf clubhouse

Phrase indicating enthusiasm!

2010-03-13T12:49:00.001-10:00

I smell a rat in the Prius sudden acceleration case

2010-03-10T18:07:00.005-10:00

Maybe it's the suspicious timing, but I smelled a rat when I heard about the supposed Sudden Acceleration Prius case. Maybe it was because I'd read this story about how Toyota's decision to close a (union) Fremont California plant made it the target of the United Auto Workers, joined by the SEIU (service employees' union) and class action ~~bloodsucking leeches~~ plaintiff's attorneys. A quote from the article, from February 12. 2010:

“You are going to see an attack on Toyota that is unprecedented,” said Rome Aloise, a top Teamsters official.

And we have. Our General Motors owning, union-pandering government jumped in on the dogpile. Then, coincidentally on the same day Toyota held a news conference to refute the class-action lawyer paid "research" allegedly showing an electronic problem, this guy just happens to have his incident, followed of course by a press conference. He didn't think to put the car in neutral, and somehow the brakes, which couldn't stop the car for 24 minutes, were able to bring the car under control when the cops and news helicopters showed up. Others have pointed out the "WTF" aspects of his story.
I found some interesting comments here:

Jim Sikes?.....The name sounded familiar to me, then it clicked. He was the owner of a foreclosed home that we were trying to buy last year in Bonita, a suburb of San Diego.That in-of-itself is not enough to question someone's character, but the fact that he gutted the ENTIRE kitchen out of this 4,000 ft custom home certainly is! They stole EVERYTHING before moving out. Appliances, cabinets, granite countertops....even the lights! What made it even more pathetic at the time was we learned that he and his wife were pretty well known local realtors whom you'd think would be above such sleazy shenanigans. I'm tempted to contact Toyota corporate and have them scrutinize this joker carefully.Posted: Mar 10, 2010

and

Former Co-Worker
(Unregistered)
James Sikes and his wife Patty are former co-workers at a real estate brokerage I worked at in Bonita, CA (Realty Executives Premier now Coldwell Banker Premier). They are sleazy operators and were let go after numerous complaints and warnings due to their under handed and under cutting tactics they used on other agents in our brokerage. They have no scruples and a lousy reputation. It seems to me that James also has a prior law enforcement background. That would be very interesting to check out. As soon as I heard his name my scam radar turned on.
Posted: Mar 10, 2010

I smell an opportunist looking for a payday.

UPDATE: Uh-huh

UPDATE #2: Call me Nostradamus

Government program actually works!

2010-03-02T07:13:00.002-10:00

Success!
The combined government/media smear of Toyota has yielded big results. Sales of crappy GM cars are up 11.5%! Who says government can't get things done?

UPDATE: GM is recalling 1.3 million (crappy) cars for a steering problem. I'm betting we won't be seeing Toyota-like headlines and congressional hearings on this.

Watching Hilo Bay Churn - Tsunami Tsaturday

2010-02-27T19:07:00.004-10:00

6 a.m. and the sirens went off, as they did every hour until 10, then 10:30 and 11:00. We'd seen the earthquake reports the night before, so we knew what it was. A tense, though fairly normal early morning, then watching the news starting about 10. Over the next several hours Hilo Bay churned as water flowed in and out. After about 11:15, the news readers on KGMB ran out of things to say, so it was just Guy Hagi looking at the same pictures we were seeing and saying the same things we were saying.

Stephanie Lum said that their "jaws were literally on the floor" about something or other, and we had a good laugh about that. Later she said that Waikiki was "literally a ghost town" and we had another laugh. The water flowing in Hilo Harbor was cool to watch, but being jaded by Hollywood, I was hoping for a huge wave to cover Coconut Island, breaking right on top of it with a tremendous roar and destroying those two buildings, ideally with an explosion of some kind, but it was not to be.

Finally, about 12:30, it became clear that the show was over, so I went to Keauhou Shopping Center to get the mail. The Center was packed. No parking places, cars double parked, and people everywhere, sleeping or resting amid the landscaping, eating take-out food, or just standing around aimlessly. Almost all of them seemed to be tourists, I assumed, from the condos makai of the center.

Later I walked at Honokohau. The ocean seemed to be doing a gentle version of the surge-and-recede seen in Hilo Bay, but I couldn't really be sure. I did get a picture of two other residents avoiding the churning water:

We should be grateful that today proved to be nothing more than what it was. It could have been a lot worse.

Friday Foto

2010-02-26T11:39:00.001-10:00

Lichen mat mauka of closed-off trailhead at end of Huehue Street. Click for larger view.

What is it about the phrase "invasive species" these people don't understand?

2010-02-23T15:08:00.003-10:00

Margaret Wille casts her lot with " medical anthropologist"(med school dropout)/coqui frog defender/ antibra crusader/crank Syd Singer and his lawsuit against various entities to halt the poisoning of mangroves anywhere on the island.

No doubt relying on extensive training in environmental engineering, Margaret notes that mangrove removal was a negative factor when New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Mangroves play an important part in anchoring the silt from the Mississippi River in the Louisiana delta, where they are native. She doesn't consider that such anchoring might be necessary for an area comprised of silt and mud, but useless or worse in Puna's recent lava land (which is, I have noted, fairly solid), or why a thicket of mangroves preventing access to the shoreline is desirable.

Huge areas of this island are overgrown with one or another invasive plants. Some people like the invasive plants. Most newcomers, though, understand the need to protect, to the extent possible, Hawaii's native environment. They understand that if they want to live around mangroves, there are planes to Louisiana and Florida every day. They understand that when they champion the destruction of Hawaii's native environments, they join an only too-familiar tradition. Busybodies and Cranks, on the other hand, don't care, and are themselves a kind of invasive species.

Bishop Estate Halts Huehue Street Access

2010-02-21T18:47:00.005-10:00

I've been hiking on Kam Schools/Bishop Estate property from the end of Huehue Street in Kaloko Mauka ever since I moved here, in 1991. Over half of the photos I've published on this blog, I'll bet, were taken there. All these, for example. I've always known it was private property, and that there was no legal public access, but I had always assumed that Kam Schools/Bishop Estate knew, and tacitly allowed, the public use. And the evidence pointed that way. Example: The "no trespassing" part of the sign at the gate has been painted over with graffiti for at least two years, which indicates not that access is legal but that the landowner is not very concerned with keeping people out. The only legal access I know of is through Rob Pacheco's Hawaii Forest and Trail at $115 a pop. In those 19 years hiking up there I'd never heard, as they say, a discouraging word, though two friends of mine recently were berated, when they tried to hike early one Sunday, in profane and crypto-racial terms ("you people").
So when, Sunday afternoon, I reached the top of Huehue Street and saw a pick-up parked by the gate, I suspected it was KS/BE. A very polite and professional young man asked me if I was planning on hiking through the gate, and upon receiving an affirmative response, apologized to me and informed me that I did not have permission to enter, and that I'd be trespassing if I did.
I told him that I understood. I admitted that I'd always known it was private property, but thought that KS/BE didn't care. I explained how long I'd been hiking up there and my feelings about the land. I said that I try to take care of the land by picking up rubbish and pulling invasive plants. I said that I'd be willing to buy a permit to hike, and that I would miss hiking up there. We talked for a while about the land, a good talk, I'd say.

I understand, and appreciate, that KS/BE is trying to protect the land. I'm on their side, and want to help. I'm betting that there are more people out there who have found a moment of peace or a connection with nature up there, who would be willing to help with conservation/replanting projects up there and/or pay a fee for an annual permit or pass. I hope something can be worked out.

Thursday Sunset

2010-02-18T19:26:00.000-10:00

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park

Wordless Wednesday, One Day Late

2010-02-18T19:04:00.000-10:00

Ae'o, the Hawaiian Stilt at Kaloko Pond.

The Whales Are Putting on a Show!

2010-02-14T16:03:00.006-10:00

Yesterday I noted that the north fork of the Ka'upulehu Lava Flow abuts Kiholo Bay on the south. Today I walked on the flow that abuts Kiholo Bay on the north, the 1859 Mauna Loa Flow. It's the longest lava flow in the state, folks. The lava surfaced at about the 11,000' level and reached the ocean 32 miles away in 8 days, destroying a couple villages, and filling in a fishpond.

A little north of where most people park to go to Kiholo is a little switchback to a former base for highway equipment. The trail starts there.

Not quite a quarter mile later, you reach the border of the 1859 flow:

Crossing the black pahoehoe in the middle of the day is very hot, and not advised unless you're in the mood for heat and you have plenty of water. But some of the forms are interesting and beautiful:

Instead of going directly for the pond, I went north, hoping to see some whale activity from the cliffs. There were whales, seemingly, everywhere offshore. There is more whale activity this year, it seems to me, than I've seen in Kona for a while, maybe ever. Though I saw several breaches, this is the only one I was able to get a half-decent shot of:

Later I watched the same whale just lolling on his (or her) back, flippers in the air:

I made my way south to the pond:

The bright aqua water against the black lava is always striking:

84 Mile Marker, Etc.

2010-02-13T09:17:00.013-10:00

Some time before 1800, a large eruption at the 6000' level on Hualalai produced the Ka'upulehu Lava flow. At about the 1000' level, the large a'a flow divided in half. The south fork abuts Kona Village and is presently the scene of development (For all photos, click for larger version):

The north fork of the a'a flow abuts Kiholo Bay. In the middle, the pie-wedge of 2000-year-old pahoehoe is called Kalaemano, or Shark Point. It was the subject of litigation I may have mentioned before.

The 84 mile marker on Queen Kaahumanu was where the road down to the shore at Kalaemano started. It wasn't really a "road", it was just a trail of white paint sprayed or splashed on the lava to mark a navigable path, except for one place where an opening was smashed through a small sharp ridge to enable a 4WD vehicle through. Now the road is "officially" blocked by the state DLNR, although the barrier can be easily avoided.

The road is still there, in any case:

15 years ago I used to drive down that road to the shore (about a mile and a half by measurement) , to camp and fish. Ah, well, passage of time and all that.

Speaking of the Ka'upulehu Lava Flow, here's a one minute video of clouds filling the westernmost (and largest) of the craters from which the flow, uh, flowed. Don't expect excitement.

Continuing on with the theme, here's a lava formation and ohia in about the middle of the Ka'upulehu Lava Flow, just above the Scenic Lookout on the Upper Road (Mamalahoa, Hawaii Belt Road):

Looking to the north, at sunset, at about the 2000' level on the Ka'upulehu Lava Flow. Pu'u Wa'a Wa'a and Mauna Kea in the background:

Finally, no post would be complete without a repetitive photo of another Hawaiian plant, this time an a'ali'i, on (again!) the Ka'upulehu Lava Flow, just below the lip of the westernmost crater:

Quote of the Day

2010-02-08T14:16:00.003-10:00

"Public-sector unionism is a very different animal from private-sector unionism. It is not adversarial but collusive. Public-sector unions strive to elect their management, which in turn can extract money from taxpayers to increase wages and benefits -- and can promise pensions that future taxpayers will have to fund."

Michael Barone Washington Examiner

This, by the way, is the answer to the question "How did Hawaii state government get so messed up?"

What do you get when the government owns one or two car companies?

2010-02-05T10:07:00.003-10:00

A built-in conflict-of-interest in investigating and publicizing safety concerns.

A government-driven scandal and West Hawaii Today's gigantic headline about a brake problem that's caused 4 accidents and 2 minor injuries. Ever remember the government making such a big t0-do about auto recalls before now?

Today's Hawaiian Plant

2010-01-31T19:01:00.002-10:00

The first half-mile or so of the trail off Hao Street features numerous examples of today's native Hawaiian plant, 'ie'ie. This morning a small ohia tree supporting a huge rack of twisting 'ie'ie had fallen across the trail, blocking it.
Here's 'ie'ie in its more usual incarnation, climbing a large ohia tree.

'Ie'ie is, as it appears to be, a relative of the Hala, or pandanus.
This morning was a lovely cool morning for a walk.

West Wind Whips Away Vog!

2010-01-26T21:37:00.003-10:00

What a difference wind direction makes. This was the view today of the same vista that looked so gray and poisonous last week Wednesday:

The view looking south from Old A was equally clear:

A little panorama at Kaloko-Honokohau:

Saturday Miscellany at Kaloko-Honokohau

2010-01-24T13:25:00.003-10:00

A turtle resting on the lava.

Opae'ula in an anchialine pond:

'Aimakapa Fish Pond:

Wordless (because it's hard to breathe) Wednesday: If the volcano doesn't get you, the vog will!

2010-01-20T19:06:00.003-10:00

Let us take a moment to put aside our fears of a catastrophic volcanic eruption, exciting though they may be, in order to contemplate and fully appreciate the quality of the "air" we're breathing today in Kailua. This was the view from the Kam III Road lookout, looking north toward town, about 4:40 this afternoon.

Hualalai: Ticking Time-Bomb or Tragedy Just Waiting To Happen?

2010-01-18T17:05:00.009-10:00

Seriously, if Hualalai does erupt soon, in horrific, destructive fashion, I'm going to look like a jerk for mocking the "sleeping giant"*. The USGS, for one, says that "Hualalai is considered a potentially dangerous volcano that is likely to erupt again in the next 100 years." "Likely." And that page is dated 2001, so we're down to 90 years.

UH's School of Oceanic and Earth Science and Technology (Or SOEST, which took fourth in the "worst acronym of 2003" awards) provides no more comfort: "[Hualalai's] summit is only 15km ( 9.3 miles!) away from the town of Kailua-Kona and a flow as voluminous as the 1800 eruption could cover that distance in a few hours."

A letter to WHT's editor from a local teacher, dated September 11(!), 2009, gives us even less time:

One volcanologist I spoke with told me, and he was clear that his statement to me had to be "off the record," that he would "bet my career" that Hualalai will erupt within the next 50 years. Hualalai is a time-bomb waiting to go off and the government has no plans at all to evacuate people from the area.

and

Civil Defense has no plans for an eruption; indeed, most people in Kona think the volcano is extinct. Due to her steep slopes it has been estimated that in the 1801 eruption lava from Hualalai went from summit to sea in only about two hours.

Two hours? Imagine trying to evacuate any part of Kona in two hours. Our government unprepared and clueless? I'd say "run for the hills" but that's probably not the best advice.

Second Attempt to Capitalize on Fear About the Geologically Impending Catastrophic Eruption of Hualalai!

2010-01-18T13:26:00.004-10:00

As part of my ongoing effort to leech onto the "Is Hualalai Going to Erupt?" campaign, I present this little-known documentary about the last time Kona was devastated by a volcano. Who can forget those awful days when the old Kona Surf was bombarded with flaming lava bombs, imperiling not only Paul Newman and Jacqueline Bisset, but James Franciscus, Red Buttons, Ernest Borgnine, Burgess Meredith, Pat Morita and William Holden as well!

I emphasize that the film is only fictionalized reality, so unreasonable fear and panic is ~~probably~~ not warranted ~~quite yet~~. Still, we can be reasonably sure that a real eruption would be almost exactly like this:

UPDATE:Because this movie a) was shot in Kona; and b) is cheesier than a Packers' tailgate party, it's worth sharing more. Watch Pat Morita do a double back somersault into a lava river! See the Kona Surf destroyed, taking out Veronica Hamel and Barbara Carrera too! Marvel at Burgess Meredith's ludicrous (and seemingly endless) tightrope walk over molten lava, carrying a little kid on his back!

When Will Hualalai Erupt and Bring Death and Destruction to Kona?

2010-01-17T17:54:00.006-10:00

Will floods of molten lava pour out of this crater at the 7000' level and wreak fiery havoc on the peaceful communities nestled on the slopes of this dangerous volcano? Eventually, I suppose.

The title of the article is confusing. "The Sleeping Giant" is a touristy name for Nounou, this mountain on Kaua'i:

And "giant" lacks the note of menace you want in an article like this.

Aaron is right about the factual error. The 900-foot thick Pu'uanahulu flow didn't reach the ocean. It stopped to comprise the (900-foot thick) Pu'uanahulu hillside that the Big Island Country Club sits on top of, seen here from Kalulu at about 6350'.

Amazing Level of Compliance?

2010-01-05T18:47:00.003-10:00

Today I spotted a driver talking on his handset while driving, and I realized that he was the first person I'd seen breaking the new ordinance since New Year. Before the ban, some days it seemed like half the drivers had a hand and a phone at their ear. If my unscientific impression is true, that's a very good level of immediate compliance. Isn't it?

West Wind Brings Beautiful Weather to Kona

2010-01-04T21:17:00.005-10:00

The west wind today gave us a razor-sharp horizon and clear air, and, I suspect, drove the smoke from the continuing fires elsewhere. Certainly the TV weather people in Honolulu were whining about how hazy it was. Cry me a river.

Kaloko-Honokohau at sunset. Click for larger.

On Damon Tucker's blog, Syd Singer makes perhaps the most ludicrous allusion to genocide in history, invoking the g-word in a sanctimonious and hysterical defense of mangrove trees. Yes, mangrove trees. Singer is reduced to tears as he mourns the mangrove plants, "left to rot in place." I suppose we should give them a decent burial.

Singer is the professional crank who has previously made hysterical and sanctimonious defenses of coqui frogs and strawberry guava, and agitated against women wearing brassieres (I'm kind of with him on that latter issue, though not necessarily for health reasons).

Smoke Smell Returns to Kailua

2010-01-03T21:09:00.002-10:00

As of 9 pm Sunday. I suspect at least one of the fires is still burning.

UPDATE, Monday morning: No smell, and beautiful clear sky.

Messing Around With Long Exposures On My New Camera

2010-01-03T19:29:00.002-10:00

60 second exposure looking across the street toward the moon rising over Hualalai:

Hao Street Trail

2010-01-03T13:30:00.004-10:00

Go up Kaloko Mauka Drive to the third Hao Street intersection, turn left, and the trail starts on your right, just a short distance down. It connects to the trails at Makahi Street, further uphill, and features numerous native plants.
For example, mamaki, which is familiar to most people because it's used for medicinal tea.

There are numerous plantings of an extremely endangered plant, kokia, also known as hau hele 'ula, (kokia drynariodes) which had been reduced to less than ten plants in the wild.

There are a few plantings of hibiscus brakenridgei, mao hau hele, Hawaii's state flower.

Happy Non-Zombie New Year

2010-01-01T17:37:00.003-10:00

Today was a gorgeous clear day in Kona. From the 5800' level, a panorama with the main crater source for the (1750-1800) Kau'pulehu flow. In the background, Kohala, Kawaihae, and Maui (click for larger photo):

And, of course, another in my tiresome series of ohia lehua pictures:

Happy New Year, Zombie Style!!

2009-12-31T19:16:00.005-10:00

2009 was a difficult year in many ways. Happy New Year to all, and hopes for a better 2010. Like last New Year's Eve, I'll be watching zombie Dick Clark usher in the new year.

SPOILER: He screws up the countdown. Honest to God, isn't it time to call it quits? Haven't they squeezed enough out of the franchise? After he dies, are they going to have him stuffed and wheel him out for another "Rockin" New Year?

It's not that I have anything against old people. Hell, I'm 62 myself. But having a surgically-enhanced cadaver try to sell me on a "rockin" new year creeps me out. I think it's the combination of the stroke and the cosmetic surgery that makes him look like what he really wants in 2010 is a reliable source for sweet, sweet brains. Ugh.

Two Fires Still Burning, Still Choking Kona

2009-12-28T18:46:00.009-10:00

As I drove to Hilo early this morning I could see the south wind pushing smoke around the back of Hualalai, hazing up Waikoloa and Waimea. I confirmed with Hawaii County Civil Defense that both the Honomalino fire and the Hokukano fire are still burning. According to both HCCD and Hokukano Ranch, the Hokukano fire is too remote and in too rugged country for ordinary fire-fighting equipment. Both Hawaii Fire Department and Hokukano bulldozers are being used up there to create firebreaks. So another night, at least, of itchy eyes and noses. Too bad, too, about the native forest being consumed.

UPDATE: Make that three fires, according to WHT.

UPDATE 2: A commenter suggests that the fires were deliberately set, and that the fire department is letting them burn. According to WHT, Fire Chief Darryl Olivera said the fires were "likely" due to "natural causes." Aside from lightning, what would those causes be? Olivera also said that it's "more economical" to just let the fires "burn themselves out." Another item for the "your county government cares about West Hawaii" file.

UPDATE 3: According to Damon and WHT, the county is not just letting the fires burn themselves out, but is actively trying to extinguish them. Perhaps our non-stop ~~whining~~ blogging about the fires and smoke prodded the county to issue the press release, but in any case, good on them. No smoke smell yesterday (12/29), but that was apparently due to the north wind, because the smell is back this morning (12/30).

UPDATE 4: The Advertiser says that while lightning is suspected in the Kealakekua Ranch and Yee Hop fires, the causes of the Hokukano Ranch fire (property owned by the Pace family with a history of questionable land practices) is "under investigation."

UPDATE 5: Fire Chief Olivera apologizes and assures us that they are "trying to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible." Still a smoke smell in the air, though (12/31).

The World's Greatest Deliberative Body At Work

2009-12-27T08:58:00.001-10:00

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T18:08:00.002-10:00

As the smoke from the Pace family fire continues to burn our eyes, let us turn our thoughts from the furtive deeds of rapacious landowners to more pleasant things, like Christmas.

Pace Family Fire Continues - Smoke-kukano

2009-12-23T18:25:00.003-10:00

The eye-burning smoke from the Hokukano Ranch Fire was back today, and word is that the fire is still smoldering. As Chuck noted in a comment at Big Island Chronicle, the fire will only increase the flood danger down-slope of the Pace's property.

We don't know, at present, that the Pace's history of allegedly bulldozing large stands of native sandalwood, and excessive flood-causing grading created unnatural clear areas at the 500o foot elevation, causing the fire. But the history presents a very cohesive narrative to that effect.

The forest areas that the Pace family bulldozed are gone forever, probably, and the fire they set the stage for has taken more.

Waterspouts and the fire

2009-12-21T11:11:00.005-10:00

I return from Kaua'i to find I missed the most exciting weather Kona has had certainly since I've been here (1991). Some of the reports say there were several waterspouts. Damn!

Following up on the previous post about environmental criminals, I did not miss (but was prevented from blogging about it by computer problems) the nasty, heavy, eye-burning smoke from the Hokukano Ranch fire (I wanted to call the post "Smoke-ukano Ranch" - gettit?). There is supposed to be (or was, until the Pace family got the land) large stands of sandalwood up there. While early reports indicated that the fire was still confined to the large areas where the native forest has been cleared (either by the Paces or the Greenwells who preceded them) for cattle ranching, the latest Advertiser story calls it "a forested area" which could mean that the rare sandalwood forests (the ones not bulldozed and sold to China by the Pace family) are indeed burning. Since the fire without doubt adversely affected the health of Kona residents, there should be an investigation to see if bad management practices by Hokukano Ranch played a part in this health and environmental fiasco.

The Pace family placed the ranch on the market earlier this year. Over years, Hokukano Ranch and its owners have been accused of causing flooding with their grading activities (in 2004) and of bulldozing native sandalwood forests and selling the sandalwood (in 1988). An article in the Hawai'i Island chapter of the Sierra Club's magazine claimed that possible a million dollars worth of sandalwood had been shipped from Kona to China in a very short time. The Pace family admitted selling large amounts of sandalwood to China, but denied reports of large-scale clearing, saying that they were merely reclaiming already-bulldozed piles of old trees, and claiming that the profits were a mere $40,000. The article cited discusses the history of the exploitation of Hawaiian sandalwood, noting that the Pace family is merely continuing a sad tradition.

Although they've styled themselves environmentalists, (for example ~~planting stories~~ issuing press releases in 2002 about "blending nature with development" and promising to re-forest the land and to develop not more than 1,000 acres), Hokukano Highlands these days is selling 6400 acres (!) of "ranch properties" with that "wide-open" (i.e. not forested) feeling. The photos show huge tracts of cleared land (though not when the land was cleared). Hopefully, there will be an investigation to figure out where the fire started and why.

Greetings fellow environmental criminals

2009-12-08T11:46:00.003-10:00

The EPA has classified carbon dioxide as a pollutant. That means that I am emitting a pollutant as I type this as are you the (theoretical) reader, as you read it. Fortunately, most observers agree that fees for permits that allow individuals to emit CO2 are "years away," and that "in all probability" already-living individuals will be "grandfathered in" without having to apply for a permit to exist. Good news.

Does HELCO care? An online poll!

2009-11-23T14:23:00.001-10:00

HELCO doesn't care about you: Exhibit "A"

2009-11-22T10:15:00.002-10:00

The Kealakaa/Palani intersection remains uncompleted because HELCO has yet to move their power poles, replacing them with special new poles that had to be ordered from the mainland. Aaron noted at the beginning of August that the poles were the only thing holding up the completion of the intersection, and reported later that month that the fancy new poles were on their way from California, and would arrive in 2-4 weeks*. In September he reported that HELCO would be finished replacing the poles by December 2009. Here we are just before Thanksgiving, and there's no sign that HELCO even remembers the project.
Bear in mind that this project has been underway for at least three years*. Remember HELCO holding up various parts of the Queen Kaahumanu project. Go down to the Coconut Grove Marketplace and look makai (that's going to be Exhibit "B"). The only conclusion is that HELCO just doesn't care, on a basic level, about its customers and community.

*they've known about this pole replacement for three years. Why only order them from California after the rest of the intersection was completed? Because they don't care.

If you've flown into Kona, you've flown over this landscape

2009-11-21T18:33:00.007-10:00

The coast south of Mahaiula. Basically, you go to Kekaha Kai State Park and take a left, through this gate:

The road is moderately difficult. Four wheel drive and a good clearance are necessary. From this angle, it's pretty obvious that Hualalai is a volcano:

Now and then, a roadway over the lava goes off to the right as you cruise south, toward the airport. There's a grey sand beach, plenty of cliffs, and a little storm beach with a grove of trees:

A little further south is my favorite site on this part of the coast:

A little more south and you can see the security fence around Kona Airport. A connecting road goes off mauka and connects to Queen Kaahumanu Highway about a mile north of the airport entrance.
This is all the Huehue lava flow came down in 1801 or so, from Puhia Pele, only at the 800 foot level or so:

Near the airport fence, there are several hornitos, little spatter cones. Click for a bigger picture (twice for an even bigger picture) of the detritus at the base of one:

Wordless Wednesday - Maiapilo

2009-11-18T19:49:00.002-10:00

The native caper.

Who Would Have Thought?

2009-11-16T20:15:00.002-10:00

Cutting $500 billion from Medicare will reduce health benefits for seniors.

Shocking?

More like "Duh!"

Views of Waipio and Hi'ilawe

2009-11-06T16:30:00.009-10:00

(as always, click on photos for larger view)

Yesterday I got up at 4:30 to be at Hawaii Forest and Trail (on Queen K by the harbor/Kealakehe turn). I got a free Waipio Rim Hike Adventure.
One of my friends from the Aloha theater, Joel Michelson, who works for Hawaii Forest and Trail, could not participate in a photo shoot to publicize the new Waipio Rim Hike, so they needed another old guy for the photos. Wanting to jump-start my new career as a male model, I agreed.

A large mini-bus transported us smoothly past Waimea to the country club, where we transferred to one of their Pinzgauer vehicles for a bouncing ride through one of those eucalyptus groves (planted on former sugar land and someday will be harvested for some purpose or another) to the trailhead.

The trail is about three miles long, winding through the rainforest, the strawberry guava crowding out the native ohia in places, past native lobelia, with several small waterfalls (like this small one above Hi'ilawe) en route. There are many vistas of Waipio from different vantage points, like this view of Waipio stream meeting the sea:

Plus, as much culture, natural history and Hawaiian legends as you can cram into your skull, all presented professionally. If I had paid the $149 for the hike, I would have felt well-served indeed. Of course, had I paid for the tour, I wouldn't have had to cross a stream several times to get the shot just right and then again a few times for the video. The life of a male model is tougher than I thought!
At one point we trekked down a little stream to the edge of a 1000' drop. A hands-and-feet-tingling moment. The amount of water isn't enough to create a waterfall, though. It dissipates into mist before it hits the ground. The photo doesn't do it justice:

At the end of the tour we got a spectacular view of the storied waterfall, Hi'ilawe:

Finally, here's the song about the waterfall, by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole:

Wordless Wednesday - Kaloko-Honokohau NHP

2009-11-04T18:30:00.002-10:00

KGMB and KHNL news "merge" - sad farewells

2009-10-29T18:38:00.003-10:00

KHNL/KFVE, KGMB Merger To Cut 68 Jobs
"There are 198 full-time employees at the three stations. KGMB employees were told 130 will be kept, and about 68 from either KHNL or KGMB will lose their jobs."

Among those cut:

Diane Ako;

Sharie Shima (in healthier times).

It's a sad day in TV journo-babe history.

But if it means no more "Think About It" segments, it might just be worth it.

Soupy Sales Died Yesterday

2009-10-23T15:51:00.002-10:00

Berry Bonanza on Hualalai

2009-10-17T10:21:00.002-10:00

Yesterday was a furlough day for me, so I went up the mountain. There are choke ohelo berries up there now. This little plant was only about 4" tall, but look at how many berries it has.

Of course the usual sights were there as well:

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T12:20:00.003-10:00

A'ali'i
(Andrew should be getting credit for the Wordless Wednesday meme)

Friday on Friday

2009-10-02T07:14:00.000-10:00

Another Native Hawaiian Plant You Probably Never Heard Of

2009-09-28T16:41:00.003-10:00

Neneleau
The Hawaiian sumac. Found along the Saddle road, just about where the houses end on the Hilo side. Also found along the Hamakua coast. As always, click for a larger image.

Wordless Wednesday - Dew

2009-09-23T18:03:00.002-10:00

Wordless Wednesday - Somewhere that's green

2009-09-16T19:39:00.001-10:00

Ferns and ohia - Kaloko

Jumpers

2009-09-11T09:28:00.004-10:00

As a tonic for stories like this about how muslims are the real victims of 9/11, still waiting, after 8 years, for that invisible "backlash" to arrive.

Minimal Word Thursday

2009-09-10T22:10:00.003-10:00

Two native plants from Kaloko-Honokohau:

'Ohai -Sesbania tormentosa (endangered, endemic)

Maiapilo - Capparis sandwichiana ("vulnerable," endemic)

Pine Trees and Beach Access

2009-09-05T09:16:00.003-10:00

I've enjoyed the four-wheel access to O'oma and Kohanaiki for many years and favor public access, generally. But I had mixed feelings about the recent NELHA gate closure controversy.

First of all, the coastal road goes very close to archaeological structures, and that was one of the reasons given for the gate closure that so outraged the public. Imagine if a developer, or even the government, wanted to put a road that close to a Hawaiian structure. What would some of the same people be saying?

Second, I don't agree that all parts of the coast should be easily accessed by vehicles. The O'oma/Kohanaiki coastline is very clean and well-kept by the users, but something is lost when you have trucks constantly going by right next to the coast, and heavy usage inevitably degrades the ocean environment. Public access shouldn't necessarily mean 4-wheel-drive access.

Third, the new access road through the new development is fine, and connects to the same coast. Access to the new road is limited to southbound traffic, and the egress is southbound only as well, necessitating a turnaround at OTEC or Matsuyama's, but it appears to me that that's a temporary situation, and eventually the access road will have a traffic signal.

So I'm not sorry that the gate has been re-opened, but as I understand things, the plan is still eventually to close off access to protect the archaeological resources. Hopefully at some point we can have a reasonable discussion, instead of a knee-jerk torches and pitchforks uprising, and the resources will be protected from further damage.

Take me for a walk in the morning dew, my honey..

2009-08-30T13:04:00.005-10:00

Beautiful morning at 7:30 at 5000'+ on Hualalai.

Ohelo berries:

Pukiawe leaf clusters:

Lehua flower & buds:

The original "Morning Dew" by Bonnie Dobson.

Minimal Word Thursday

2009-08-27T20:34:00.002-10:00

From left: Kiawe, Naio, Milo, Ilima. Click for higher res.

Above Opelo Road in Waimea

2009-08-23T18:51:00.004-10:00

Almost Wordless Sunday (click for higher resolution):

Waimea

Atop a little Pu'u in the mist

Foraging for Food Not As Glamorous (Or Germ-free) As You Might Think!

2009-08-23T14:16:00.004-10:00

Love the Advertiser headline:

Adventurer dies on Kauai

Oregonian fell ill after living and foraging in wilderness

By Diana Leone
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — An Oregon man who gave up his material possessions to live off the land in Kaua'i's Kalalau Valley this summer in an adventure reminiscent of the "Into the Wild" book and movie died suddenly Aug. 14 of an acute respiratory illness.

Kenny Cox, 31, formerly of Eugene, arrived in May and for 70 days lived in the open, gathering and eating fruit, plants and even grass after he ran out of rice and beans. Kaua'i residents who befriended him after he came out of the wilderness area in mid-July recalled him as free-spirited and down to earth.

Top of Huehue in the Afternoon

2009-08-21T19:55:00.003-10:00

Two images from an afternoon walk starting at the 5000' level, top of Huehue Street.

A'ali'i seed pods and leaves.

From 3000' -4500' was socked in.

Somewhere, William Wallace is Weeping

2009-08-21T09:57:00.005-10:00

The Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill (heh) decides that the interests of the 270 dead, and their survivors, matter less than the current suffering of the only man convicted in their deaths. But the decision wasn't really about Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, or his prostate cancer, it was about a politician and an attorney (surprise!) making a display, to the whole world, of his own moral splendor, his compassion and mercy shining like a peacock's feathers. Self righteousness, or to put it in Christian terms, pride, is at the heart of this . In this case, pride in his own compassion and mercy. Of course, that's assuming there isn't a Libyan oil money angle.

Another view, from Alan Black (who writes that al-Megrari is probably guilty, but convicted on marginally sufficient evidence) :

When the Libyan terrorist was accused, had the case been a regular one, the preponderance of evidence would likely have seen him walk, not proven. Much opinion was given to the security of the conviction at the time (many people thought Iran or Palestinian groups were involved.) Political pressure was enormous for a guilty verdict, and it was delivered, in a special court set up without a jury. Maybe the government feared the possibility of the third verdict. Had the suspect gone free, not proven, the desire for more investigation would have ratcheted up. Maybe another suspect would have been charged. Maybe not. One thing is for sure, the Libyan terrorist's burden of shame would have been meaningless in Libya. Like today, he would have been received as a hero.

The failure of the Scottish court to follow its own evidence standards has lead it to this shameful day. They made the bed. Now they have to lie in it. Coupled with Scottish isolation is the ridiculous nature of the nation's inferiority complex exhibited by the Scottish Justice minister in his television appearances. He preached to Wolf Blitzer on CNN like a Protestant minister delivering the self-righteous sermon in a dreary Scottish church. Ultimately, you can't rely on a country that isn't independent. Or a man who covers his weakness with the self-righteous cloak of phony principle. Scottish independence is needed immediately so that the current narrow form of Scottish nationalism can wither.

"When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities" said by David Hume, the 18th century Scottish Enlightenment philosopher.

Maybe the Justice Minister should have looked at his nation's greatest philosopher before letting the party begin in Libya.

Kona - a pedestrian view

Honokohau Harbor Shows Little Damage

Pu'u Huluhulu Koa Grove

Wordless Monday - Pukiawe with White Berries

Miscellaneous: Snow, Speed Trap, Spooky Old House and Species (Endangered)

Approaching Storm (Predicted, Anyway) Yields Clear Skies

Oceanic Phone Service Outage

The Comic Genius of Leslie Nielsen - RIP

Wiliwili comeback and the drought takes a break.

The Only Thing More Obnoxious Than All The Negative Campaign Ads

Sunsets, Stilts, & a Snuff Film

Greenwell's Effort Falls 335 Votes Short

Stephens Media is Suing Bloggers. TAKE NOTE.

Two Legal Hikes

Monday Panorama

Old Goat on a Rock

Typical Afternoon at Kaloko-Honokohau

Wordless Wednesday

Kaloko-Honokohau NHP is Growing Hawaiian Plants

Greenwell Continues Charm Offensive; Hokukano Shenanigans

Semi-Wordless Sunday

"Kitty" Galore. Haha, Get It, Children?

Jumping on the Bash Kelly Greenwell Bandwagon!

Furlough Friday Pu'uwa'awa'a Workday

Wordless Wednesday

More fire, ghost forest, and scenery from last weekend

Enock Freire: Guy Enriques Redux?

Ane Keohokalole Highway Already Graded Almost to Henry Street

Ghost Forest - One of the world's most endangered ecosystems just got smaller

Turkeys are bad mothers (shut your mouth)

Old color movies of Honolulu on VJ Day, 1945 (& maybe a glimpse of Kona)

Kona Association for the Advancement of Alahe'e (KAAA)

Hawaii Photo Expo in Hilo June 4-23

The Huehue Flow - Mauka from Queen Kaahumanu Highway

Friday Foto

Nothing to Applaud

Good News and Bad News about Kaloko Trails

Cool Animation of Iceland Volcanic Plume

"No CO2"

Kiholo going South

"Wordless" Wednesday

Fess Parker has died

Wednesday is still wordless

Wordless Wednesday

Phrase indicating enthusiasm!

I smell a rat in the Prius sudden acceleration case

Former Co-Worker(Unregistered)

Government program actually works!

Watching Hilo Bay Churn - Tsunami Tsaturday

Friday Foto

What is it about the phrase "invasive species" these people don't understand?

Bishop Estate Halts Huehue Street Access

Thursday Sunset

Wordless Wednesday, One Day Late

The Whales Are Putting on a Show!

84 Mile Marker, Etc.

Quote of the Day

What do you get when the government owns one or two car companies?

Today's Hawaiian Plant

West Wind Whips Away Vog!

Saturday Miscellany at Kaloko-Honokohau

Wordless (because it's hard to breathe) Wednesday: If the volcano doesn't get you, the vog will!

Hualalai: Ticking Time-Bomb or Tragedy Just Waiting To Happen?

Second Attempt to Capitalize on Fear About the Geologically Impending Catastrophic Eruption of Hualalai!

When Will Hualalai Erupt and Bring Death and Destruction to Kona?

Amazing Level of Compliance?

West Wind Brings Beautiful Weather to Kona

Smoke Smell Returns to Kailua

Messing Around With Long Exposures On My New Camera

Hao Street Trail

Happy Non-Zombie New Year

Happy New Year, Zombie Style!!

Two Fires Still Burning, Still Choking Kona

The World's Greatest Deliberative Body At Work

Merry Christmas!

Pace Family Fire Continues - Smoke-kukano

Waterspouts and the fire

Greetings fellow environmental criminals

Does HELCO care? An online poll!

HELCO doesn't care about you: Exhibit "A"

Former Co-Worker
(Unregistered)