Approaching Storm (Predicted, Anyway) Yields Clear Skies

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

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

Wiliwili comeback and the drought takes a break.

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

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

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

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!