Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 29, 2008 at 2:43am
Preserving Makena historyBy CHRIS HAMILTON, Maui News, February 29, 2008WAILUKU — A group of cultural and environmental researchers has written a 401-page tome about Makena’s significance to Native Hawaiians, which they hope will someday convince future developers to preserve what remains unblemished in the growing resort community.With grants from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Maui Tomorrow, “Project Kaeo: The Challenge to Preserve Cultural Landscapes in Modern Makena” was released Thursday at the Wailuku Public Library. Archaeologist Theresa Donham and historical researcher Lucienne de Naie spent two years on the project.The book — which is part scientific study and part people’s history — is free and can be found in local libraries, on CD-ROM or online at http://projectkaeo.blogspot.com/.De Naie said that while it is presented in a technical format, it is still a story, and unfortunately, the story is a sad one.The researchers, which included Kukahiko Foundation President Maile Luuwai, investigated 1,000 acres of South Maui from Makena Landing to Puu Olai and up the mountainside to Ulupalakua Ranch. The Kukahiko family has ancient ties to the region.In that area, the authors documented nearly 550 archaeological sites containing thousands of features, de Naie said. Brought here by Polynesian seafarers, Hawaiians have lived there for more than 1,000 years, predating European explorers. Researchers believe it was an agricultural area and once the a chief’s kingdom.“We hope landowners will see the benefit to having a chunk of living history at least set aside within any development,” de Naie said.Development over the past 30 years between Makena Road and the shore has already destroyed most of the significant archaeological sites, according to the book. However, undeveloped lands still exist in the area.“And these deserve careful archaeological review and scholarly research, especially for subsurface remains,” according to the book.Kehau Luuwai of the Kukahiko family said she knows development cannot be stopped entirely.“But we need to preserve what we can,” she said.The researchers contend that while there have been numerous archaeological, historical and biological resource studies conducted in Makena over the past four decades, most of them were done to benefit golf course, resort and home development.Still, many of those studies concluded that Kaeo was likely South Maui’s most populated and farmed region. De Naie said as many as 10,000 people lived there in precontact times.Makena’s coastal area was once made up of at least four traditional land divisions, or ahupuaa. Those were Papaanui, Kaeo, Mooloa and Onau, according to the research. And Project Kaeo takes its name from the traditional ahupuaa at the center of modern-day Makena.The sandalwood trade and other modern developments converted much of the region from coastal springs, marshes and fishponds to dryland forest. The introduction of new plants and animals also changed the natural landscape.Diseases brought by Europeans who used the harbor took a heavy toll on the Native Hawaiian population. The name Makena is said to commemorate gatherings at Makena Landing to mourn family members lost to foreign disease, according to the book.Thanks to researchers’ work, the community is now equipped to better preserve the region, said Stan Franco, a deacon from St. Theresa Church in Kihei who presided over the blessing of the book.The researchers said a new approach is needed to preserve Makena, one that demands developers ask who came before them.“The remaining sites of Kaeo are worthwhile and numerous,” according to the authors. “They hold stories that are yet to be told. Kaeo, like Kahoolawe, and many other places of great significance, have important pieces of information about their past remaining to be revealed.”Luuwai said that the loss of history impoverishes the future.posted by Nin'iane
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Thought I'd swore to stay away from online social networking for good, but I suppose I Moms to blame for this one.Aloha no ho'i. Hana i ke kakahiaka, a laila moemoe au.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 28, 2008 at 3:54pm
Protecting Local KnowledgeBy Léo Azambuja, Molokai Dispatch, 27 February 2008Bioprospecting commission seeks to regulate usage of Hawaii’s natural resources.Businesses across the globe are increasingly using native Hawaiian knowledge of Hawaii’s natural resources to produce food, cosmetics, and medicines. While it may seem like an eco-friendly way of facing the future, many in Hawaii are upset that their traditional knowledge is being stolen for commercial purposes.The idea of using local knowledge to create commercial products is called bioprospecting, according to Vicky Takamine, president of ..Ilio..ula o Kalani, a coalition committed to protecting Hawaiian customs and traditions.Takamine, along with the coalition’s executive director, Kaho..onei Panoke, held an informative meeting last week Monday at the Kulana ..Oiwi halau.“Every indigenous people have ownership of their own traditional knowledge,” Takamine said. “We own our knowledge.”The state of Hawaii has no regulations on bioprospecting, according to Takamine.The Legislature passed a resolution on 2006, creating a temporary bioprospecting commission, which Takamine and Panoke are part of. The commission has no funding, making it difficult to gather better input from la..au lapa..au from different islands.This year, Takamine and Panoke are lobbying for a senate bill that would create a funded temporary bioprospecting commission. The bill, SB 151, has already passed three senate committees, and is now referred to the Ways and Means (funding) committee.The temporary bioprospecting commission would expire in 2010, but it may eventually become permanent. It would operate under the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Commissioners would be in charge of drafting a set of rules and regulations for bioprospecting, as well as a legal definition for bioprospecting.Panoke and Takamine said those interested in bioprospecting would have to receive permission from land owners, the state of Hawaii, and native Hawaiians before collecting samples. A part of revenues from commercialized products would be used to benefit Hawaiian communities.Takamine said rules would protect the intellectual rights of native Hawaiians, whose traditional practices have been handed down from la..au lapa..au for generations.Native Hawaiians are stewards of their natural resources, according to Takamine. She said they “need to work with the state of Hawaii to make sure there are rules and regulations affecting the gathering of those resources.”Don’t blame the kaloThe meeting also served for a brief discussion on a bill asking for a 10 year moratorium on genetic modified kalo.“We don’t want anyone messing with our kalo,” Takamine said.Takamine said SB 958 needs a hearing, and the community should call legislators requesting for it.“There’s a scientist in Hilo who continues to do scientific research on our kalo, taking genes from rice, wheat and grapes and injecting that into the kalo,” Takamine said. The scientist is trying to come up with a stronger variety of kalo, more resistant to pests such as the apple snail.“We didn’t ask them for that,” Takamine said. “Don’t blame the kalo, it’s not the kalo’s fault.”post fromNini'ane
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 28, 2008 at 3:21pm
Wetlands Going DryWetlands Going DryBy Brandon Roberts, Molokai Dispatch, 27 February 2008Disappearing Mana..e wetlands cause concern.The lack of zoning enforcement on Molokai’s wetlands may bring serious environmental problems and cultural violations. Community leaders met with Mana..e (East End) residents to discuss development which is potentially damaging the wetlands in the area.The lo..i (irrigated terrace) and the loko i..a (fishpond) are intrinsic with the culture and represent a living balance between the po..e (people) and the ..aina (land). Some of the development may be irresponsible and indiscriminate.The non-profit organization Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina hosted the meeting last Saturday at the Kilohana Community Center, to gather input from the residents. Guest speakers included Rep. Mele Carroll, DLNR Branch Chief Randy Awo, and cultural specialist Vanda Hanakahi. Community members also gave valuable testimony.“Indigenous knowledge cannot be ignored,” kumu ..Opu..ulani Albino said. “Best practices are found in the people who live with the land.”Carroll revived the ‘Aha Kiole advisory council on Molokai and across the Hawaiian Islands The ..Aha Kiole exists as a bridge between the farmer, the hunter, the homesteader, the community, and state legislators.Hanakahi, chairwoman of the ..Aha Kiole council, made a cultural presentation, explaining why the Mana..e coastal lands are a vital part of the Hawaiian culture.“We want to create a Hawaii that Hawaiians would like to see,” Hanakahi said.Prior to the meeting, Carroll, along with Awo and other officials took an ocean excursion to survey the development on the wetlands in Mana..e.The meeting was a chance for Carroll to listen to residents’ concerns and receive public comments on hb2788. The bill seeks to prohibit wetlands development that did not include a “public informative meeting”before a permit is issued.“What do you want to see in your community?” Carroll asked. “My role is to convey the message of the people.”Awo gathered notes on community concerns, from jet skis on the reef to zoning infractions on the wetlands . He reassured the attendees that he would speak with the proper agencies and follow up on these concerns.Possible zoning infractions were photographed by Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina and presented at the meeting in a slide show. The photographs show homes that speckle the Mana..e shoreline, some with Ho..olehua red dirt piles intended to fill the wetlands.This imported earth may contain heptachlor, an insecticide used on the old pineapple plantation fields. Many residents fear water contamination. Exposure to heptachlor has been linked to liver damage and is associated with an increased risk of cancer.The Environmental Protection Agency banned heptaclor in 1978, yet it still lingers in the environment.Other wetland residents may have illegal sea walls, boat ramps, and roads through the loko i..a. In some instances, shoreline trees were cut and bulldozed right into the ocean.Attendees were frustrated with the lack of consistency and communication between various governmental agencies, as well as inadequate enforcement. Currently there is no zoning enforcement agency on Molokai, and meeting attendees feel this is one reason why there is wetlands abuse.Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina President Linda Place wants to “work together to protect the wetlands.” She said this is possible through a “management swap,” which would transfer sensitive coastal lands into the protective custody of an appropriate governmental or non-profit entity.Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina strives to “assure development that is lawful and respectful of the environmental health and historical culture of Mana..e, Molokai,” according to its mission statement.Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina will host its next meeting March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Kilohana Community Center. All interested persons are encouraged to attend and share their mana..o.Posted byNini'ane
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 28, 2008 at 2:00pm
ALL THE MILITARY ROCKET TESTS ON KAUA'I ? Everything going on and in OUR AINA and the KANAKA MAOLI !!WHOM IS THE "REAL TERRORIST " !Aegis BMD FTM-13 Stellar Gryphon B-Roll Organic Consumers POISONS Click HERE Don't know if folks have seen this website/organization, but it is an alert of thecontamination of our food supply by the military.Perhaps a useful tool in organizing the general public on the dangers of militarism,weapons, etc.ALERT OF THE WEEK:STUDY SHOWS MILITARY POLLUTION POISONING U.S. FOOD SUPPLYA new analysis of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Controlindicates that a toxic chemical in rocket fuel has severely contaminated thenation's food and water supply. Scientists warn that the chemical,known as perchlorate, could cause thyroid deficiency in more than 2.2million women of childbearing age. This thyroid deficiency could damage thefetus of pregnant women, if left untreated. Perchlorate, the explosiveingredient in solid rocket fuel, has leaked from military bases anddefense and aerospace contractors' plants in at least 22 states,contaminating drinking water for millions of Americans. Despite massivecomplaints, defense contractors such as Kerr-McGee have done little or nothingto clean up the pollution. Perchlorate has also been widely detected inmilk, lettuce, produce and other foods. In an alarming study, the CDCfound perchlorate in the urine of every person tested. The OCA hasmobilized thousands of organic consumers to pressure the EPA and governmentofficials to begin a massive clean up of perchlorate for over a year.Learn more and take action:http://www.organicconsumers.org/perchlorate.htmon behalf of pikopohakuDMZ-Hawaii@yahoogroups.com
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 28, 2008 at 10:30am
LOL...THIS SMELLS OF ANOTHER SOILED BANDAID Like "OHA", Placed on a Deep & Growing WOUND !THIS ISNT THE ANSWER, SOVEREIGNTY , DEOCCUPATION and REPARATIONS is a START, anything else is"BUISNESS AS USUAL" = CULTURAL & RACIAL GENOCIED TARGETED at da KANAKA MAOLI the TRUE CARETAKERS of da AINA "ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED and RULED by usa" , KINGDOM of HAWAI'I!!
Mahalo: Nini'ane Date: Feb 28, 2008 5:07 AM
Act 212 will establish Native Hawaiian ‘aha moku councilsBy Nathan Eagle, The Garden Island, 28 February 2008A state-appointed committee rallied more than 50 residents Tuesday evening at Kaua‘i Community College to seek input from Native Hawaiians on how they want to form regional councils that will advise government agencies on traditional land and water management practices.Generations of fishermen and farmers shared fiery and tear-struck stories about the historic changes they have witnessed since Western civilization impacted the islands. They underscored a desire to return to the methods that had sustained the island for 2,000 years.*The Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau members of the Aha Kiole Advisory Committee, which consists of a governor-picked representative from each of the eight major Hawaiian islands, led more than three hours of discussion.“What we’re trying to build here is government from the people down,” said Sharon Pomroy, the Kaua‘i committee member. “If we have the councils in place ... we’ll have more voice.”The advisory committee, a temporary body empowered in 2007 when Act 212 became law, is a start-up group tasked with recommending how the state Legislature should establish an ‘Aha Moku Council Commission that will assist in the formation and eventually oversee regional ‘aha moku councils.“We’ve got to get back to basics,” said Ilei Beniamina, the Ni‘ihau committee member.The new system seeks to incorporate appropriate native Hawaiian knowledge and protocols for the preservation, cultivation and management of all native Hawaiian natural and cultural resources for future generations. The ‘aha moku councils will consist of residents having traditional Hawaiian cultural and generational knowledge and expertise as farmers, or mahi‘ai, fishermen, or lawai‘a, and caretakers, or konohiki, for each ahupua‘a, the old way of dividing land where a slice of an island went from the top of the local mountain (volcano) to the shore.The meeting’s coordinators likened the approach to weaving, noting the need to braid the knowledge together to achieve sustainability.“The knowledge of the kupuna, that is our connection to the past ... those are our experts ... those are who are going to be our teachers,” Pomroy said.Pomroy said the committee has until June 30 before it must report to the Legislature its organizational plans and “add the meat” to the law, which starts with these community meetings.There was some confusion among the crowd as to the purpose of the meeting. Many were fishermen who turned out after hearing rumors about a three-mile ban on fishing around Ni‘ihau.The Ni‘ihau fishing ban is a state proposal, which has died in the Senate but is still alive in the House, Pomroy said. It is an example of something the ‘aha moku councils could provide input on.The meeting attendance also suffered from poor advertisement, she said, which was affected by Gov. Linda Lingle not having yet released $110,000 appropriated for the committee to implement the law.The meeting on Tuesday was pulled together with personal funds, Pomroy said.Ha‘ena resident Tommy Hashimoto is a kupuna who was asked to share his insight on how the North Shore has changed and why the to-be-formed ‘aha moku councils could play a role.He talked about a time growing up when he learned how to fish from his father.“We used to just give it away ... you don’t sell the fish, you share with the people,” Hashimoto said. “Everything ... we try to share.”Now, he said, there are too many tourists in the water where the fishing was once good and the young people are lazy workers.Cathy Ham Young, a 78-year-old Wainiha resident, shed tears before she even started speaking about her observations over time.“It’s so sad to see what’s happened,” she said. “All of a sudden your dreams get taken away.”But she underscored her happiness and pride in Act 212 and the formation of the councils.“We need this group,” she said. “Be part of us.”Lingle signed Act 212, which had broad support, into law on June 27, 2007. The legislation found that over the past 200 years, the state has seen and experienced severe changes.These changes, the law states, include the deterioration of the Hawaiian culture, language, values and land tenure system, which have in part resulted in the over-development of the coastline, alteration of fresh water streams, destruction of life-giving watersheds, decimation of the coral reefs and the decline of endemic marine and terrestrial species.The legislation recognizes that Hawaiians have ancient knowledge of how to care for the islands and initiates the process to create a system of best practices that is based upon the indigenous resource management practices of moku, or regional, boundaries, which acknowledges the natural contours of land, the specific resources located within those areas and the methodology necessary to sustain resources and the community.
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There was a time when the slopes of Puowaina, now called Punchbowl, were covered in native pili grasslands. Hidden in the grass were the nests of the pueo, the Hawaiian owl. Stories are told of the reverence that Hawaiians had for these nests and eggs, encountered, but not molested, while pili grass was being collected for thatching. If eggs were taken to eat, it was sure to be followed by dire consequences.The story of Kapo'i comes to mind: He lived in Honolulu, and came upon the nest of a pueo, and took all seven of the eggs he found home to broil for dinner. But while he was building his fire, an owl landed at the entrance of his house and called out to him "O Kapo'i, give me my eggs!" Kapo'i obeyed, and the supernatural owl became his 'aumakua (ancestral guardian). Kapo'i built a shrine to the owl, but the chief Kakuhihewa had decreed that no man may build a shrine but the chief, and when word came to the chief that Kapo'i had built a shrine to his owl god, Kapo'i was captured and sentenced to be sacrificed at the heiau of Kupalaha, in Waikiki.That day, the owls from throughout the islands gathered at Kala-pueo (Owl-talon or Owl-proclamation) at Makapu'u, and at Ka-noni-a-ka-pueo (The-hoot-of-the-owl) in Nu'uanu, and at Pueo-hulu-nui (Great-feathered-owl) near Moanalua. At dawn the sun came up, but when the owls took flight, the sun's light was blotted from the sky. They attacked the chief's armies, scratching at the faces of the men, and befouling them with showers of owl droppings. The owls were victorious, and Kapo'i was released. The chief told him: "Yours is an 'aumakua of great mana," and from then on, that owl was elevated as a god of warriors, Ku-kaua-kahi.Even in 1825, Andrew Bloxam, naturalist of the HMS Blonde, wrote from Oahu that Hawaiian owls were "very numerous here and are constantly flying about all day, and not like those in England, which come out only at dusk." Today, pueo are still the only endemic birds that is found regularly in the dry lowlands of the islands, regions with almost no native vegetation. They are day-flying, medium-sized owls, with a brown back and beige breast, streaked flame-like in darker feathers, and a dark mask around yellow eyes. The introduced barn owl is larger, pale, hunts at night, and has a pure white heart-shaped face. Pueo feed on birds and rodents, and are considered an endemic Hawaiian subspecies (Asio flammeus sandwichensis), of the short-eared owl, Asio flammeus, a widespread species found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica, and even in the Galapagos, where, as in Hawai'i, it is recognized as an endemic subspecies, Asio flammeus galapagoensis.The great cultural significance of pueo extends to the present, with many Hawaiian families pointing to pueo as an 'aumakua. They tell of warrior ancestors who were saved by the pueo; people prevented from falling on cliff trails by a pueo, or guided to safety when lost by a pueo. In more modern times, it is said that the flight of a pueo in the path of a car may signify danger ahead.
Image above by Kekona. http://www.kekonaart.comIn my training as a chanter, my teacher, Kumu John Keolamaka'ainana Lake told stories of his pueo 'aumakua, so an experience I had on Kaho'olawe was particularly significant. I was participating in multi-day meetings on the island, planning its restoration, and one morning before dawn, I was moved to awake early, walk up a trail in the predawn light to the top of a nearby hill, to present a chant to the silent morning. The chant begins:E ala, ua ao, ua malamalama,ua hele kanaka aia i lunaAwaken, day has come, the sky is brightening,people are stirring aboveBut as I uttered those words there was stirring, as in the air around me came soft whistling of feathers, and the dark silhouettes of pueo circling. Four had flown from the nearby pili grasslands toward the sound of chant breaking the silence of the dawn. It was all I could do to maintain my composure and finish the chant, then stand in awe as the four owls continued to circle for a time, then head off into the surrounding landscape.When I told this to Kumu Lake, he explained further that the pueo, as a kinolau (physical manifestation) of the major god Kane, is associated with the day, so as my chant was dedicated to the breaking day, they were there to contribute to the mana of that event. It is still clear to me that Kaho'olawe, as one the islands where predators may be controlled island-wide, can become a true haven for ground-nesting birds such as the pueo. As one of the few endemic birds that can still be seen in our lowlands, the pueo is a reminder to us that we need to work to ensure the presence of native species that provide so much enrichment to our lives.
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AIA I KA'UKU, KAHI O KAMAPUA'AEia ke noho nei 'o Kamapua'a, ke kupua pua'a o Hawai'i. He luana iki keia i ka hakaka mau 'ana ia Pele, ke akua ahi, ka wahine 'ai honua, ke akua o na pohaku 'ena'ena. I Ka'uku ka ma'ukele, ma'o loa aku o na moku 'o Puna me Ka'u. Aia no ma Kilauea ke ahi a'a mau loa o Pele. I ke kaua 'ana mai o Kamapua'a (he akua o ke ao, o ka ua, a me ka nahelehele no ia) me Pele (he akua welawela, akua pulupulu ahi), ua ne'e hope 'o ua pua'a nei i ka nahele o Ka'uku ma Hilo, he moku ko'olau. Huhu loa na'e 'o Pele i kona kauholo aku, lele 'o ia i kahi o Kamapua'a, a 'o ka ho'opuka aku la no ia o na pu'u ahi ma ko Kamapua'a 'aina uluwehi. He kupaianaha no ka ho'i. No laila, eia 'o Kamapua'a, ke noho nei me ka mana nui a ka launa'ole, puni ho'i i kona mau kinolau: 'o ia no 'o ka puna wai o kona pa la'au, na 'ama'u, a me ka ua. Aia na'e 'o Pele ma hope ona, e ho'oku pu'u ahi ana i ko ia ala hahai 'ana mai i Ka'uku!'O ka po'o'olelo o nei ki'i palaka ke kahea o ke mele hula no Pele a me Kamapua'a. Ua ha'i 'ia mai la ke mele e pili ana i ko Ka'uku mau pu'u ahi i ho'okumu no ke kaua kaulana o Pele laua me Kamapua'a.me ke aloha---Here sits Kamapua'a, the Hawaiian pig god, pausing for a moment in his conflicts with Pele, hot-blooded goddess of volcanoes. At Ka'uku on the island of Hawai'i were stands of lush rainforest, far from the districts of Puna and Ka'u, eternal fire realm of Pele at Kilauea. In the battles between Kamapua'a, embodying clouds, rain, and lush vegetative growth, and Pele, embodying volcanic power, the pig god retreated to the rainforests of Ka'uku, in the northern, windward district of Hilo, but so hot was Pele's wrath that she pursued, despite being out of her realm, and cinder cones emerged in that lush land. So here again is Kamapua'a, sitting confident among his kinolau (physical manifestations of his mana): springs flowing from the pounding of his war club, ama'u ferns, and rain. Behind comes Pele, raising the cinder cones of Ka'uku in her hot pursuit!The title of this print is the kahea, or opening call, from a chant in honor of Pele and Kamapua'a, telling the story of the cinder cones of Ka'uku born of the renowned conflict between Pele and Kamapua'a.with aloha
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VOLUNTEERS FOR HAWAII RESEARCH NEEDED-thx RayBody: Hey Everybody,Your assistance in this matter would be highly appreciated. If you could repost this bulletin and make contacts with those you might know in Hawaii, I'm sure it'll be helpful.Mahalo,~Nalani~PS If you or someone you know might be interested, please contact me via this venue, mahalo.Looking for a person with computer skills and that could assist with research and data collecting.As a volunteer your work will be needed in depth and having the skills, and the patience we can build a team to help the situation of homelessness in Hawaii.Your efforts will be known locally and nationally.
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The real person you are is revealed in the moments when you're certain no other person is watching. When no one is watching, you are driven by what you expect of yourself. You're not attempting to impress anyone. You're not putting on a show. You're expressing your true nature.The foundation of success is built in the moments when no one else is watching. If your efforts are only made for appearance, they will fall short. When you make the effort even though no one else is keeping track, that's a sure path to achievement.What do you do when no one is watching? You can't keep any secrets from yourself. Success is built in the moments when you're truly free to be you. Make those moments count. Being a real winner is much better than just trying to look like one.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 27, 2008 at 5:45pm
FROM OPPERATING WITHOUT AN "E.I.S." ENVIORNMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT , TO CREATING THEIR OWN =OIL SPILL ...DINGLE LINGLE TAKE A BOW ,WE HAVE YOU TO THANK FOR THISFROM: Island Breathhttp://homepage.mac.com/juanwilson/islandbreath/SUBJECT: SUPERFERRY DAMAGESOURCE: BRAD PARSONS mauibrad@hotmail.comPOSTED: 27 FEBRUARY 2008Did Superferry create oil spill off Ko Olina?Editor's Note: It would seem that the time-line and simplest explanation for the source of the oil spill is the accident that occurred getting the Superferry into dry dock. The hull was damaged, and may have been breached. The USCG should answer whether they have considered that possibility.-------------------------------------------------------------Coast Guard monitors oil spill off Ko OlinaHonolulu Advertiser, 23 February 2008A three-mile-long oil sheen off the coast of West O'ahu chased dozens of people from the beaches of Ko Olina Resort today, but did not appear to cause significant environmental damage or injuries, officials said.The Coast Guard estimated the spill at 500 gallons and was monitoring the sheen as it moved westward late this afternoon and was trying to determine its source. Investigators said the sheen appears to be similar to a diesel-like marine fuel that evaporates quickly, said Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen.About 150 people using the beaches and lagoons at Ko Olina late this morning were asked to stay away from the water, Titchen said. Most then left the beach area voluntarily.Some beachgoers in the area reported a strong smell of diesel fuel; others said they could feel a light touch of oil on their skin. No one was injured, according to the Honolulu Fire Department. The oil sheen was reported in the water of three of the four lagoons at Ko Olina, but had not come ashore anywhere else, Titchen said.-------------------------------------------------------------Spill spoils day at Ko OlinaHonolulu Advertiser, 24 February 2008An oil spill chased about 150 people from the lagoons of Ko Olina Resort yesterday, but did not appear to cause any significant injuries or environmental damage, officials said. The oil from an unknown source, estimated to be about 500 gallons, spread a light 3-mile sheen in the water from Barbers Point to Kahe Point, said Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen. It was moving west last night, he said.The Coast Guard was monitoring the spill with a helicopter, C-130 plane and a 47-foot boat last night. Using money from a national oil spill recovery fund, it also hired a local company, Pacific Environmental Corp., to lead cleanup efforts. The sheen came ashore at three of the lagoons at Ko Olina about 11 a.m., causing some people in the water to report a strong diesel smell in the air and a light touch of oil on their skin, officials said. Several people in Nanakuli also reported encountering the oil last night, he said.Titchen said the sheen appeared similar to marine diesel fuel, which evaporates fairly quickly. At least two other spills of a similar size and substance have been reported in Hawai'i waters in the past year, he said. No one was seriously injured, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Terry Seelig. Security personnel at Ko Olina walked the beaches yesterday advising people to stay out of the water. By late afternoon the beachfront lagoons, which normally have hundreds of people on a sunny Saturday afternoon, were all but deserted."The good news is there's plenty of parking, and we got a cabana for shade," said Yvonne Walker of Salt Lake, who came to the beach with family members, including 5-month-old granddaughter, Milanna, who was making her first visit to any beach. "A lot of people went home, but we're just not going in the water," said Walker's daughter, Amber. "When we get hot, we go use the showers."The Coast Guard was working last night to determine the source of the spill, Titchen said. The state Health Department also was investigating. "It's mostly offshore at this point, but there is some shoreline impact," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Cameron. "We'll be out here working to ensure there is as little impact to the environment as possible."-------------------------------------------------------------Source of 500-gallon oil spill is unknownHonolulu Advertiser, 25 February 2008Coast Guard pollution investigators reported yesterday that an oil slick off Ko Olina, along the Wai'anae Coast, has mostly dissipated and had little impact on the shoreline. The cause of the slick remained under investigation. The estimated 500-gallon spill of marine diesel fuel caused a 3-mile slick between Barbers Point and Nanakuli Saturday.Swimming lagoons at Ko Olina Resort were evacuated by resort security personnel as a precaution. The Coast Guard and state agencies are working to find the source of the spill. Pacific Environmental Corp. has been hired to do any necessary cleanup. No visible shoreline damage has been reported.Minor vessel damage has been reported. Boat owners with questions are urged to call the Coast Guard at 808-842-2672 for more information.-------------------------------------------------------------Did tug seriuously damage Superferry?by Bill Schultz on 20 February 2008Editor's Note: The following report was held until a partial confirmation was available from the Honolulu Advertiser. This story, if true, is more bad news for the future operation of the Superferry.I just heard an unconfirmed report from a sea-faring friend on Maui. She says the ferry was being towed into drydock when the lines parted. She went aground and got stuck in the mud. A tug was called to push her off. It pushed a big hole in the side, damaging two of her ribs and at least two of the decks. Major repairs. Cursed ship. Have you heard anything about this?-------------------------------------------------------------Superferry Drydock extended 3 weeksHonolulu Advertiser, 20 February 2008The Hawaii Superferry will remain in drydock until March 24, three weeks longer than originally planned. Superferry officials said today the extended drydock time is needed to repair damage to the Alakai's hull that occurred during the drydocking process and additional maintenance needs have been identified. The Alakai was originally scheduled to resume service on March 3rd.Reservations for the March 25 sailing and beyond are now being accepted. Superferry officials said passengers holding reservations for affected voyages are being notified, re-accommodated on a future voyage or refunded.-------------------------------------------------------------Were Superferry Harbor Designs Rushedby Bill Schultz on 20 February 2008I was looking for information to confirm or deny the rumored damage to the HSF and came across this useful site:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/You'll find an emergency requisition request for the services of a Naval architect regarding a barge in Kahului. It's:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/attachments/emerg99.pdfI thought it odd that the requirements and scope of work require that the findings 'shall support assurances that the operations of state owned equipment are in the interest of safety of the operators and the general public', that the report should 'Provide load calculation, stamped by a professional engineer, for the Kahlui barge soft line mooring system SHOWING THE ADEQUACY AND INTEGRITY OF THE LINES AND MOORING SYSTEM' (emphasis added) and furthur that 'The calculations should be based on the basis of the original mooring system'.Apparently, the state had not previously had the load calculations performed by a professional naval architect or they would have simply produced the document at the CG's request after the barge broke loose and the bollards were sheered off.Would a reputable naval architect agree to the terms of the requested report given that the calculations had not yet been performed but the results are already specified?Why was the no-bid work awarded to a company as far away as Alexandria, VA when another emergency procurement regarding naval architect services and the barge evaluation was awarded to a local company on the same day? See:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/attachments/emerg98.pdfWhy would the winner of the $12,000.00 contract agree to these terms unless they had some interest in getting the HSF into service at the earliest possible date?The company is Alion Science and Technology, rated number 79 in the top 100 defense contractors of 2007.The same company whose declared growth strategy includes 'we anticipate expanding our support to the U.S. Navy in new ship systems such as DD(x) and LCS'. "LCS" is navspeak for "Littoral Combat Ship". This quote is from the 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange commision and can be found at:http://www.secinfo.com/dsvRq.vdf.htmThe same company whose chief science advisor is retired Admiral Edward Lindquist, one of the most prolific writers and outspoken advocates of LCS development.http://www.marinelink.com/Story/LCS+Mission+Packages+Being+Assembled,+Tested+at+ Panama+City-202603.htmlhttp://www.shipbuilding.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=208251http://www.nedsjotw.com/blog/DefenseJobs/EyeontheNavy/_archives/2006/5/17/2530657.htmlI haven't found what I was looking for yet but I thought you'd be interested in this revoltin' development.-------------------------------------------------------------Carlyle Group Dry Dock for Superferryby Juan Wilson on 9 February 2008Unconfirmed report from Hector Ryzak is that the Superferry Alakai is in a dry dock owned by Marisco near Barbers Point on Oahu. Marisco is owned by the Carlyle Group (Bush family multinational corporation). In the GoogleEarth image above the dry dock is the large barge-like vessel moored near the white roofed building. In GoogleEarth it scales over 500 feet long by over 100 feet wide. That is ample to handle the Superferry.A controversy has followed the dry dock's move from Alaska to Hawaii in 2001. See http://www.schlosserlawfiles.com/TDX-BSE/IslandDealtEconomicBlow.htmThis document, on the internet, from the law firm of Morisset, Schlosser, Jozwiak & McGaw states:REMOTE ISLAND DEALT ECONOMIC BLOWSAn impoverished Alaskan island in the Bering Sea faces economic catastrophe if the federal government succeeds in pressing proposed economic sanctions against it. These documents show the tortured paper trail of Tanadgusix Corporation’s (TDX) acquisition of the de-commissioned Navy drydock Ex-Competent for use in Hawaii, which has led to this peril......Matters turned threatening on September 26, 2003, when the United States filed a complaint against TDX and Marisco charging them with making false statements to obtain federal property, an action under the Federal False Claims Act that seeks damages of more than $15 million dollars, for a drydock the Navy classes as scrap.For details about Marisco visit:http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/marisco.htmThey say of themselves:Marisco is one of the largest marine and industrial services companies in Hawaii. The facility is located at the Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor near Campbell Industrial Park, Kapolei, Hawaii. The firm offers a wide spectrum of services including drydocking, machining, welding, blasting, painting, environmental cleanup, pipefitting, rigging, machinery troubleshooting and repairs. Marisco operates the largest commercial drydock and biggest industrial machine shop in the state. Marisco serves the governmental, commercial marine and industrial sectors of Hawaii. The governmental sector includes U. S. Navy, U. S. Coast Guard, and Military Sealift Command work.The local ship repair industry hit a low point after Navy jobs began to dry up. In the past, Navy work amounted to 60 to 70 percent of the business of the island's two largest private yards -- Honolulu Shipyard and Marisco Ltd. Budget cuts in recent years meant Navy contracts went from $37 million in 1995 to $13 million in 1999.Company founder Alfred Anawati established Marsico in 1972. In April 2001 United States Marine Repair (USMR), America's largest non-nuclear ship repair, modernization, overhaul and conversion company, signed a letter of intent to buy Marisco, Ltd., one of only two full-service shipyards in Hawaii. The acquisition gave USMR a strong local presence and an additional facility in which to perform work for the U.S. government and commercial customers. A company statement pointed to the increased demand for U.S. Navy fleet modernization, including the need for more surface ship work on cruisers and destroyers home ported in Pearl Harbor. USMR shipyards are located in San Diego, San Pedro and San Francisco, Calif.; Norfolk, Va., the company's corporate headquarters; and Ingleside, Tex.The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm, owned USMR. Frank C. Carlucci, former secretary of defense and assistant to the president for national security affairs under President Reagan is the chairman of Carlyle. James A. Baker, III, who has served as the 61st secretary of state in the Bush Administration and in other senior levels of the US government under three different presidents, is also a principal in The Carlyle Group. The acquisition closed in mid-June 2001.-------------------------------------------------------------Superferry to go to dry dock to fix ruddersEditor's Note: HSF was forced to remove the rudders after determining the extent of damage. I maintain that the little evidence we have suggests the rudder damage caused the ship to take on water. Temporary removal of the rudders and "patching" the damage did not work. The Alakai's was not stable enough to operate and has forced HSF into a three week dry dock for structural repairs. Without additional engineering, I would suggest that this will not be more than a temporary solution. Austal's (ship builder) website indicates that the original structural engineering was 'optimized" to reduce weight. This might mean the hull is designed like an eggshell and is close to limit of expected forces that can be applied to it. In illustration above note what appears to be auxilliary rudder at stern, and t-foil stabilizer near bow.Rough sailing forces Superferry on early breakby Dave Segal, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8 February 2008Hawaii Superferry, plagued by weather- and equipment-related shutdowns and low ridership levels, said yesterday it will place its 349-foot vessel into dry dock for nearly three weeks for maintenance and recertification by the U.S. Coast Guard. The company said the mandatory annual dry dock, originally scheduled for May, was moved up to Wednesday through March 2 to take advantage of the off-peak travel season and to make permanent repairs related to the ship's auxiliary rudders. Passengers holding reservations are being notified and will be reaccommodated on a future voyage or refunded.Hawaii Superferry, which restarted service Dec. 13 after a court-ordered shutdown in August over environmental concerns, had based its break-even business model on carrying an average of 400 passengers and 110 vehicles per trip. But the numbers to date have been far below those levels, in part because the restart of service was hampered by heavy winter seas.An exhibit filed by state Deputy Attorney General William Wynhoff with Maui Circuit Court on Jan. 31 showed that the number of passengers booked during January between Honolulu and Maui ranged from 83 to 349 on days that the Superferry actually operated. The number of vehicles for those days ranged from 19 on the 6:30 a.m. New Year's Day voyage to as many as 94 vehicles.The Superferry did not operate for seven days in January -- Jan. 16-17 and Jan. 27-31 -- due to weather conditions and rudder-related repairs, but bookings were nevertheless still shown for those days in the court filing -- with one day showing as few as seven passengers and four other days with 20 or fewer passengers.Terry O'Halloran, director of business development for the Superferry, said that the Superferry has not carried "anything close to those low numbers." The numbers filed with the court were bookings and "not actual numbers," he said."They're a snapshot of our booking report," O'Halloran said. "They're not accurate numbers. Passengers are booking relatively close to the time of travel, so at no time did we book anywhere close to the low numbers shown on there. Those (low) numbers say to me they were taken several days before those dates because those numbers reflect early bookings."O'Halloran said that he did not have exact daily counts available, but that the 83-to-349 range produced in the exhibit on the days of operation sounded "about right.""With any startup, you have a ramp-up period before you get to the number that you're anticipating, and we definitely want to see higher numbers," he said. "But we're not disappointed with the numbers we're currently having, especially in consideration of starting up in the winter season. We're looking forward to having the boat come out of dry dock in great shape and getting back into service and providing the service that we intended for the people of Hawaii."O'Halloran said the Superferry had planned on being idled for 2 to 3 percent of the time during the winter season due to inclement weather but that the downtime for the rudder repairs was unexpected. He said the rudders, which are used to improve passenger comfort and fuel efficiency, were removed for an interim repair but that the Superferry found that without them the ride suffered."So we thought we'd just move up the timetable and do permanent repairs on the rudders and maximize our passenger comfort and take care of our annual dry-dock requirement at the same time," O'Halloran said. O'Halloran said construction "is a little bit ahead of schedule" in Mobile, Ala., on the Superferry's second vessel, which is scheduled to go into service in early 2009. "We're committed to Hawaii and to the long term for providing this alternative form of interisland travel," he said. "The second vessel will allow us to connect all of the islands and provide a level of service greater than we can provide with one vessel." O'Halloran said the Superferry is still looking at beginning a second daily voyage to Maui beginning this spring. It has yet to set a date when service will resume to Kauai.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 27, 2008 at 8:40am
UH is chosen as site for new security centerWHO'S HOMELAND are WE TALKING ABOUT!usa CONTINUES covert and overt opperations against the SOVEREIGN and NEUTRAL SOVEREIGNTY of the ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED NATION and Kingdom of HAWAI'I...UH with Dealing with usa and Military "Navy & Monsanto Co." brought Agent Orange and G.M.O., just to name a few ! to Poison our AINA, thus POISON US, IS HEWA !RE: UH is chosen as site for new security center
UH is chosen as site for new security centerBy Craig Gima, Star Bulletin, 27 February 2008Some criticize the selection decision by the Department of Homeland SecurityThe University of Hawaii at Manoa is one of two universities selected for a new Department of Homeland Security research center, U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka announced yesterday.The Center of Excellence for Maritime, Island, and Port Security could bring up to $2 million a year during a four- to six-year period for "problem-solving research" into maritime and island security issues, according to a news release issued by the senators.However, opponents of a Navy research center at UH-Manoa said the new homeland security center raises similar issues."We don't believe that public universities should be turned into an agent of the national security state," said Kyle Kajihiro of the American Friends Service Committee and a member of the Save UH/Stop UARC Coalition.Kajihiro said there's a concern about whether research at the center would be classified. He is also concerned about the increasing amount of research money that comes from the military and homeland security agencies, which he said comes at the expense of funding for more basic research.Jim Gaines, the UH system vice president for research, and Gary Ostrander, the UH-Manoa vice chancellor for research, did not return phone calls yesterday asking for details of the new center.The news release does not indicate if the center will perform classified research or how it will be funded.Inouye cited UH's location, research expertise and its experience in natural disaster research in tsunami and earthquakes as reasons to locate the center at UH-Manoa.Inouye is a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which has jurisdiction over homeland security issues involving the nation's transportation infrastructure and telecommunications.Akaka, a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, added that UH-Manoa was selected "after a highly competitive selection process. That demonstrates UH has the intellectual muscle to be on the front lines in helping to secure our country."The Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., is the other center and will be responsible for research into port security. Read more…
Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 27, 2008 at 7:58am
Planning Commission approves comments for La'au EISBy: David Lichtenstein. Molokai Times, 25 February 2008The Molokai Planning Commission reconvened its meeting of Feb. 13 on Feb. 19 to finalize its comments submitted to Molokai Properties Limited in response to the most recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the La‘au Point development plan.MoPC Staff Planner Nancy McPherson composed a letter based on the comments submitted to her from the commissioners. Along with that will be written submissions from Alton Arakaki, Steve Morgan, Glenn Teves and Kahualaulani Mick to be included with the commissioners' comments. Even after these submissions, commissioners still had questions about the language of the DEIS.“How do we define such things as ‘adequate?'” Commissioner Steve Chaikin asked McPherson. Chaikin wondered what requirements MPL would need to demonstrate to show adequate water supply for the project to create 200 luxury homes near Molokai's southwest corner.Chaikin also questioned how the conservation zones will be set up within the development area. McPherson said that subzones will be created in the Covenants, Codes and Restrictions to specify these areas.“These subzones are critical and haven't yet been determined between MPL and the DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources),” said McPherson. In discussing the CC&Rs, MoPC Chairman DeGray Vanderbilt wondered why MPL would have the ability to change the language within the CC&Rs.“The EC (Molokai Enterprise Community) Land Use Committee voted 22-0 that CC&Rs could not be changed,” said Vanderbilt. “That's already a major violation in my mind.”Commissioner Joseph Kalipi also commented: “The Molokai Ranch Master Plan is one of the greatest plans I have ever seen. The plan has many great incentives. But in saying that, it doesn't mean anything about whether or not it should go forward … a lot of activists are showing us what is not adequate in the plan.“In reviewing and understanding water, the plan will never be adequate unless we can resolve these issues … There are other things that if we can't figure out we shouldn't even go to second base. We can't have an actual analysis (of water) if we don't know the present resource,” said Kalipi.Commissioner Lynn DeCoite was critical of MPL, doing business as Molokai Ranch, in her comments: “Molokai Ranch does not want to work with us. What does that say when they withdraw from the Water Working Group?” Molokai Ranch had recently withdrawn from the WWG, a group of local, county and state water stakeholders, citing existing legal questions over water use that need to be resolved before they will participate. When DeCoite became critical of Molokai Ranch, Chaikin cautioned the commissioners to remain neutral and reserve judgment on the larger issues of the development.He reminded the commissioners to just focus on the environmental impacts that the plan presents. “If we act prematurely things may come up and that may create problems down the road,” said Chaikin. To gain a better understanding of some of the relevant water issues, Chaikin asked if the U.S. Geological Service could make a presentation to the MoPC in regards to their studies of Molokai water.Vanderbilt mentioned that the USGS has been part of the WWG and any documents that come from this group can be shared with the commissioners. Chaikin then raised the question of why MPL would submit the DEIS during the Makahiki season. It was suggested that this may have been culturally insensitive to the people of Molokai. A motion was passed unanimously for this question to be asked of MPL.
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Words transcribed from a panel at the Aha Pawalu O'ahu:Topic: What is the role of traditional knowledge and practice in natural resource management?Traditional practice is based on 'ike [knowledge], coupled with what our na'au [gut] tells us is pono [right]. But as wise ones such as Judge Richardson tell us, each of us today lives in two worlds, so when we pull on 'ike we look to not 'ike Hawai'i alone, but ke akeakamai o ka honua a pau [the learning of the whole world].We live in a world where we can see the face of Kumu Ka'imikaua and listen to his words again, scant months after his passing, made pa'a [steadfast] in modern technological media. It is a way to extend the oral tradition to touch not only us here, but generations to come.
So too the puke [books] that great Hawaiians such as Kamakau, Malo, Kepelino, Papa 'I'i, and others made pa'a for us the leo kupuna [ancestor's voices], so they could be heard. And 'ae, add to that, the puke of Fornander, Emerson, Kelsey, and other po'e haole [foreign people] who likewise valued the huge richness of 'ike in the oli [chants], mele [songs]and mo'olelo [stories]of ka po'e Hawai'i [the Hawaiian people].They all contribute to 'ike, just as in this so-called age of information we are surrounded by books, blogs podcasts & web pages competing for attention and striving to influence. So we must recognize that there is 'ike in many forms, and some is good and some is trash and whatever form it takes, when it is pono, take it and malama [cherish], and ina 'a'ole, e kapae a'e – [if not, let it go].The important step is to ho'olohe [attend] – i mea e a'o ka na'au a ho'ona'auao – [in order to get enlightenment] and make decisions based on enlightenment.But ho'olohe is a matter of choice – the next question is: Ho'olohe ia wai? [Who to listen to?]In matters of malama 'aina [land stewardship], ua pono e ho'olohe: [it is right to attend to:]i ka hu, ka maka'ainana [to the masses, the common people]i na mea no'eau, mea akeakamai [to the wise, the learned]i na kupuna [to the elders]i na ali'i [to the chiefs] – and in these times, these are the accepted decision-makers in government and elsewhereand in this sequence of rank comes the highest group, requiring the most attentive ear:'o ka leo kupuna loa, leo 'aumakua, leo kini akua. [the eldest voices, voices of ancestor spirits, voices of the myriad gods] -- the voices that we have largely lost contact with, but which still guide many of us:
'o ka leo 'i'iwi i ka maha lehua [the voice of the 'i'iwi in the clusters of lehua blossoms]
'o ka hae li'ili'i o ka owali'i makali'i [the small banner of the owali'i makali'i fern] poking out of the hinehine'ula moss at Pepe'opae.
The sigh of the honu ne'e i kahakai, ne'e i uka [sea turtle crawling on the beach, crawling landward]When I listen to them and attend to their needs, I know it strengthens all of us now and seven generations forward.So what does it boil down to in community process?It means consciously seeking 'ike from the expanding rings of communities that extend outward from each place, the people there, the stakeholders, the knowledgable, the historians, the caretakers.It can be grueling, but it makes all the difference between failure and success., Two examples come to mind where efforts such as this, to call in stakeholders, decision-makers, practitioners, the learned – to envision together the desires to heal; to revive simultaneously the place and the people.
The two examples are the Kaho'olawe natural and cultural resource management plan of the KIRC and the restoration and management plan for Keauhou, Ka'u of the Kamehameha Schools.Both pulled in community, experts, and managers and built a foundation of shared knowledge, visions, and methods to address the challenges of realizing our goals at a place. Structured communication was established – networks of the participants who would continue to feed their mana'o into the process as it was implemented, adding detail as detail was needed.I hope the same for the Aha Moku Councils, but the challenge remains: can they effect the same kind of process? Perhaps, if their focus is place-based, their membership is rotating, and if the advice balances cultural rights with the huge cultural responsibilities to protect the resources of the land and sea generations forward. That is a heavy responsibility indeed!
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 26, 2008 at 6:00pm
Why The OHA Settlement is a Bad DealMililani Trask ..OHA land deal draws angry crowdBy Jason Armstrong, Tribune-Herald 26 February 2008Protesters at ceded land hearing say state is trying to cheat them out of their futureA proposed $200 million state settlement to resolve revenue claims from ceded lands was harshly criticized by Native Hawaiians who attended a public hearing on the pending deal Monday night in Hilo.Aole, or never, is what several of the approximately 75 audience members said about the proposed cash-and-land agreement the Gov. Linda Lingle administration has negotiated with the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs.Most of their objections centered around the value of the 209 acres of Oahu and Hawaii Island property, including 80 acres on Hilo's Banyan Drive, and the waiver of future lawsuits.Angry shouting started soon after the crafters of the potential deal explained their proposal to end a 30-year battle over money earned from the public and private use of 1.8 million acres. The former sovereign lands were ceded to the U.S. government following the 1898 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.Former OHA Trustee Mililani Trask demanded proof that the land offered to OHA is actually worth the reported $187 million."The Legislature's deciding on this this week. Give us this data," Trask said of the deal that would include a one-time payment of slightly more than $13 million.She and others said they won't agree not to sue to obtain future payments. Under the proposed deal, those legal claims would be barred if the state Legislature pays OHA at least $15.1 million in yearly revenues from the use of the former Kingdom of Hawaii lands."That's the agreement we negotiated," Attorney General Mark Bennett said.That didn't please Trask, who called the pending deal a "travesty.""We are not about to accept this waiver," she said.Trask's outbursts prompted others to express their anger toward Bennett and OHA trustees, some of whom spent nearly five years negotiating a settlement to end the dispute. A few objectors held signs opposing the settlement, which is now in the hands of the Legislature."This is disgusting. My kids over here, you're ripping them off for their future," Edwin Miranda said.He suggested Native Hawaiians will never receive the money they're legally due."There's no honor in the way you guys deal anymore," Miranda added.The comments, which regressed into an audience debate over the use of profanity and decorum, even got the attention of a uniformed police officer who attended the standing-room-only hearing at the Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center."You're going to have peaceful Hawaiians ready to bust heads," added one sign-holding man, who declined to give his name to the Tribune-Herald.Bennett said the state hired a private consultant to value the property in Hilo, along with 18.5 acres of commercial, waterfront land in Kakaako and 110 acres of industrial land in Kalaeloa, both located on Oahu.The consultant determined the tax-assessed value represented the fair market value of the properties, he said.OHA accepted the tax values, which typically are 30 percent less than what properties could be sold for, OHA Trustee Robert Lindsey Jr. said."We did not get an appraisal," he told the audience.That comment drew angry responses."We want 100 percent of this money. You guys using us Hawaiians," one man shouted back.Former OHA Trustee Moanaikeala Akaka, who helped negotiate the first ceded lands settlement in 1990 that called for OHA to receive 20 percent of the money the lands generate, called the new deal a "theft.""What is the maximum?" she asked of future payments that would be at least $15.1 million annually under a Senate version of the proposed settlement. "You guys don't tell us that, so there's a lot of concern that we're being cheated."Before leaving to catch a return flight to Honolulu, Bennett responded that 20 percent of the revenue from the lands proposed for OHA ownership comes out to about $12 million yearly. Boosting that to at least $15.1 million would represent a 25 percent increase in cash payments, he said.Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole, who joined state lawmakers in attending, shouted in Bennett's face, telling him that Hawaiians cannot agree not to sue in the future."We Hawaiians are loving people, but we got to act like this because of what we got to go through," said Naeole, a Native Hawaiian homesteader.The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort, one of the properties slated to change from state ownership to OHA, is now leased by Ken Fujiyama, who said it represents 82 percent of the Hilo property proposed for exchange.Fujiyama suggested the combined six Banyan Drive properties, excluding the privately owned hotels built on them, are worth about $10 million."From a land-value standpoint, it's hard for me to comprehend (the state-assigned value of) $34 million," he said.If the deal goes through, OHA will take over administering the Banyan Drive leases, said Jonathan Scheuer, OHA land management director.Bennett said anyone with questions can e-mail him at mark.j.bennett@hawaii.gov for answers.Copies of the proposed settlement are available at http://www.oha.org/pastdue/.Jason Armstrong can be reached at jarmstrong@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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Genetically engineered farming is a growing industry in Hawaii.
And many of us don't even know when we're eating genetically modified food, also known as GMO's.
But a new bill may change that and require all genetically engineered foods sold in Hawaii to be labeled.
Senator Mike Gabbard says consumers should be given the right to choose what they're buying.
Some call Hawaii the world capitol for genetically engineered crops.
The ideal climate has attracted companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Dow to set up shop.
But their biotech practices have always raised some question marks for some...
"There are new allergies coming up these days. I want to know why, what are they putting in the foods," questions Penelope Perez, a concerned mother who started the group Hawaii Citizens for Food Choice.
Along with producing unknown allergens in foods, some worry GMO's lose their nutritional value, or even weaken the body's immune system.
"This is not about the controversy whether genetically engineered foods are good or bad," says Senator Mike Gabbard.
"We have the the right to decide what kind of food we put into our bodies," he adds.
And 4000 Hawaii residents signed this petition saying they would like the right to choose as well.
But labeling these crops could prove detrimental to the growing seed crop industry..
an industry that employs more than a thousand people in our state.
And Hawaii's State Department of Health says there's no proof that GMO's are dangerous.
"If there's nothing wrong with the GMO fruit, than why not spend the money to educate people," says Gabbard.
"I dont know enough about the things they're putting in the food. So I want to know which foods have the so I can have the choice either to look into it and still choose to get them or decide it's not what i want for my family for myself," says Perez.
Gabbard says in order to keep senate bill 3232 alive, it needs to be heard and passed out of the committees by this Thursday.
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Iowa, Hawaii, and Barack Obama: The Human ConnectionsByDavid SmithersLike the fire and steam that is Pele, as her actions create geographic facts over millions of years or mere minutes, the past and present are brush strokes in the form of human lives that paints a picture of the future. In those brush strokes, Iowa and Hawaii, and their respective caucuses, are connected.I was born in 1953, in Des Moines, Iowa. I am now a 55 year old lifetime resident of Iowa. I have had a lifetime interest in politics. The Iowa Presidential “First-in-the-Nation” caucuses have gained more and more prominence. This year the victory of Hawaiian born and multi-cultural Barack Obama was the big news from the January 3 Iowa Democrat Party caucuses.I have supported African-American candidates such as Julian Bond (1975) and Jesse Jackson (1988). I was proud that, in this year’s contest, a woman, and African American, and a Hispanic American each had very good chances of winning the party nomination. Many people, from different perspectives, have talked about this election in 2008 will be a pivotal one in American history. The candidate I volunteered for, Senator Joe Biden said that the next President would have an FDR (President Franklin Roosevelt) impact on the future course of history. Obviously, Biden fell flat, and I became an alternate delegate to the county convention under Barack Obama’s banner.The Hawaii connection started with an acquaintance and friendship with a lady living only a few miles from me in the greater Iowa City region. I have a MySpace account at myspace.com/betterpolitics. The future friend and I first connected over the Internet.She is an aboriginal Hawaiian born in 1954, in Honolulu. After being raised there and on the big island, she married an U.S. Army sergeant, and Vietnam War veteran from New York. She and he left Hawaii, married in the mainland, and eventually came to southeast Iowa to raise a family. She has lived nearly three decades in Iowa, and learned about cultures and languages that exist here. But she was raised in the strong traditions of Hawaii, especially, in spiritual matters and in healing.Faith Nalani Bromwich, my wife, and I met this past summer, in an all night fest of conversation at a local casino. What had begun as an afternoon dinner dissolved in talking through till breakfast and heading back to our homes with the morning sun. Since that time, and many discussions, the picture I had of Hawaii and the life of a Hawaiian in Iowa transformed my mind. I soon learned about traditions, about Pele and about the lingering affects of the American takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom and history since.I became acquainted with a woman who had experienced domestic violence, living in a shelter, living in a cardboard box under an Iowa City bridge, and estrangement and stress with family in Hawaii and family here in Iowa. She became widow, and has since spent more than a decade repairing and rebuilding her life. It hasn’t been easy for her. But she, like her brother and sister Hawaiians back home, is more than anything, a survivor. Today she is a locally and Internet befriended promoter of Aloha.Ms. Bromwich’s connections with Barack Obama came suddenly as she joined the Iowa campaign in the Winter Solstice December days before January 3. A moment of symbolic significance occurred with meeting Barrack’s sisters from Hawaii and Kenya at Iowa City campaign headquarters. The meeting with the sister from Hawaii was wrought with language and references to “back home.”At a rally at a hotel on the Iowa River, in Coralville, an Iowa City suburb, on January 2, she traded words and a hug with Mr. Obama, as he left the stage. It was an exciting and huge gathering. Her experiences with the campaign and local caucus goers are ones that will linger in her mind for a long time.My friend claims that reading from my political blogs, and through shared attendance at some political events she gained a new appreciation in political activity that has since replaced her past cynicism. Another of our mutual friends makes a similar claim. I however, on January 2, was just a few blocks away working at Biden’s last rally. The foreboding that was in the pit of my stomach and in my aching head gathered strength going into the next day’s caucuses, and for weeks after. Turns out both Ms. Bromwich and our mutual friend became Obama supporters.Before and after the caucuses, Ms. Bromwich has been developing a book about her life experiences in Hawaii and on the mainland. With the assistance of my wife, Joyce, and I, she is making progress in creating the first products of “Memories in Time”. Together with this work, she continues campaigning on the Internet for Obama, and armed with prayer and healing, she has impacted the lives of many friends in cyberspace, including, quite possibly Obama, himself.A centrally significant aspect of her near future is a planned return to Hawaii. She seeks to help transform the lives of native Hawaiians and others who are impacted by poverty, environmental hazards, cultural, and economic marginalization. The homelessness and near homelessness of Hawaiians in the lands of Pele are particularly painful. She told me of a story about a mother living in a tin shed at a junkyard in the Waianae Valley. Meanwhile her daughter lives in the back of a truck in a camper. Stories like these are many.My wife and I hope that our help, and thatof others will aid her overcoming the many obstacles and challenges of her mission, especially, the probable mistrust of some natives of one who had left to live in the mainland, and then returns.
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'Ohu'ohu O'ahu i ka lei 'ohi'a LakaOahu is adorned in a lei ohia of LakaLa'au pua 'ula hikina, kea komohanaTree with red blossom eastward, white westwardKomo ka 'ohu i ka hana komo 'apanaThe mist enters on its dutiful district roundsHana ka 'ohu e ho'ohui ke ala 'ohi'aThe mist combines the fragrance of ohia'Ohu kani 'ohi'a wehiwa noho kuahiwiThe mist that waters the sacred ohia of the uplands'Ohu 'ohumuhumu ka wahine noho maunaThe mist that lends ear to the woman of the mountain'Ohu pahio i ka pali ku kawahawahaThe mist that leans on the straight furrowed cliffPali ku i ka pa makani ku makuaA cliff that stands in the strong gusts of the ku makua windHakali ka 'ohu, lewa 'ia e ka Laua'eThe mist is placed high, lifted there by the Lauae windHaka 'ano 'ole keia 'ohu nokenokeWithout break is this continual mistHaka lala ke kia manu i ka 'ohu, i ka 'ohi'a hamauThe bird-catcher awaits silently in the mist on the branch of the ohia hamauMai ho'ohamau i ka leo o ka lehua 'apaneDon't silence the voice of the red lehuaA pane mai paha i keia mamo e!Until an answer, perhaps, is given to this descendantHaku 'ia e Kamuela 'Ohukani'ohi'a Gon III ma ka la ma hope o ka 'uniki 'ana ona he kahuna kakalaleo, Pepeluali 22, 2003, Papa 'Uniki Laua'e o Kumu John Keolamaka'ainana Lake. Nui na mea hili 'ia ma keia oli: na 'ano like 'ole 'ohi'a a me lehua ('apane, mamo, hamau, a me Laka), na 'ano 'ohu: ho'ailona hana kahuna (komo 'apana, hui, 'ohumuhumu), a me na mea ho'ohanohano no Kumu Lake a me ka Papa Laua'e (Ku makua, makani Laua'e, lehua 'apane). Wahi a ka mo'olelo, he pua 'ula ko ka 'ohi'a Laka ma ka 'ao'ao hikina, a ma ka 'ao'ao komohana, he pua kea kona. 'O O'ahu ke one hanau o ka mea haku. He ho'okupu aloha keia no Kumu Lake a me ka Papa Laua'e, a he mea ho'omanao o ka inoa 'Ohukani'ohi'a.Composed by Samuel Ohukaniohia Gon III on the day following his passage as a kahuna kakalaleo, February 22, 2003, the Lauae Class of Kumu John Keolamaka.. ohia and lehua (red, yellow, silent, and of Laka), the forms of mist symbolic of the kahuna's work (appointed rounds, joining, counseling), and honorifics on Kumu Lake and the Laua`e Class (strength, support, wisdom). According to tradition, the ohia Laka bears red flowers on the east and white on the west. Oahu is the birth island of the composer. This is an offering of aloha to Kumu Lake and the Papa Lauae, and a name chant for Ohukaniohia.
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Protecting Local KnowledgeBy Léo Azambuja, Molokai Dispatch, 27 February 2008Bioprospecting commission seeks to regulate usage of Hawaii’s natural resources.Businesses across the globe are increasingly using native Hawaiian knowledge of Hawaii’s natural resources to produce food, cosmetics, and medicines. While it may seem like an eco-friendly way of facing the future, many in Hawaii are upset that their traditional knowledge is being stolen for commercial purposes.The idea of using local knowledge to create commercial products is called bioprospecting, according to Vicky Takamine, president of ..Ilio..ula o Kalani, a coalition committed to protecting Hawaiian customs and traditions.Takamine, along with the coalition’s executive director, Kaho..onei Panoke, held an informative meeting last week Monday at the Kulana ..Oiwi halau.“Every indigenous people have ownership of their own traditional knowledge,” Takamine said. “We own our knowledge.”The state of Hawaii has no regulations on bioprospecting, according to Takamine.The Legislature passed a resolution on 2006, creating a temporary bioprospecting commission, which Takamine and Panoke are part of. The commission has no funding, making it difficult to gather better input from la..au lapa..au from different islands.This year, Takamine and Panoke are lobbying for a senate bill that would create a funded temporary bioprospecting commission. The bill, SB 151, has already passed three senate committees, and is now referred to the Ways and Means (funding) committee.The temporary bioprospecting commission would expire in 2010, but it may eventually become permanent. It would operate under the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Commissioners would be in charge of drafting a set of rules and regulations for bioprospecting, as well as a legal definition for bioprospecting.Panoke and Takamine said those interested in bioprospecting would have to receive permission from land owners, the state of Hawaii, and native Hawaiians before collecting samples. A part of revenues from commercialized products would be used to benefit Hawaiian communities.Takamine said rules would protect the intellectual rights of native Hawaiians, whose traditional practices have been handed down from la..au lapa..au for generations.Native Hawaiians are stewards of their natural resources, according to Takamine. She said they “need to work with the state of Hawaii to make sure there are rules and regulations affecting the gathering of those resources.”Don’t blame the kaloThe meeting also served for a brief discussion on a bill asking for a 10 year moratorium on genetic modified kalo.“We don’t want anyone messing with our kalo,” Takamine said.Takamine said SB 958 needs a hearing, and the community should call legislators requesting for it.“There’s a scientist in Hilo who continues to do scientific research on our kalo, taking genes from rice, wheat and grapes and injecting that into the kalo,” Takamine said. The scientist is trying to come up with a stronger variety of kalo, more resistant to pests such as the apple snail.“We didn’t ask them for that,” Takamine said. “Don’t blame the kalo, it’s not the kalo’s fault.”post fromNini'ane
LOL...THIS SMELLS OF ANOTHER SOILED BANDAID Like "OHA", Placed on a Deep & Growing WOUND !THIS ISNT THE ANSWER, SOVEREIGNTY , DEOCCUPATION and REPARATIONS is a START, anything else is"BUISNESS AS USUAL" = CULTURAL & RACIAL GENOCIED TARGETED at da KANAKA MAOLI the TRUE CARETAKERS of da AINA "ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED and RULED by usa" , KINGDOM of HAWAI'I!!
FROM OPPERATING WITHOUT AN "E.I.S." ENVIORNMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT , TO CREATING THEIR OWN =OIL SPILL ...DINGLE LINGLE TAKE A BOW ,WE HAVE YOU TO THANK FOR THISFROM: Island Breathhttp://homepage.mac.com/juanwilson/islandbreath/SUBJECT: SUPERFERRY DAMAGESOURCE: BRAD PARSONS mauibrad@hotmail.comPOSTED: 27 FEBRUARY 2008Did Superferry create oil spill off Ko Olina?Editor's Note: It would seem that the time-line and simplest explanation for the source of the oil spill is the accident that occurred getting the Superferry into dry dock. The hull was damaged, and may have been breached. The USCG should answer whether they have considered that possibility.-------------------------------------------------------------Coast Guard monitors oil spill off Ko OlinaHonolulu Advertiser, 23 February 2008A three-mile-long oil sheen off the coast of West O'ahu chased dozens of people from the beaches of Ko Olina Resort today, but did not appear to cause significant environmental damage or injuries, officials said.The Coast Guard estimated the spill at 500 gallons and was monitoring the sheen as it moved westward late this afternoon and was trying to determine its source. Investigators said the sheen appears to be similar to a diesel-like marine fuel that evaporates quickly, said Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen.About 150 people using the beaches and lagoons at Ko Olina late this morning were asked to stay away from the water, Titchen said. Most then left the beach area voluntarily.Some beachgoers in the area reported a strong smell of diesel fuel; others said they could feel a light touch of oil on their skin. No one was injured, according to the Honolulu Fire Department. The oil sheen was reported in the water of three of the four lagoons at Ko Olina, but had not come ashore anywhere else, Titchen said.-------------------------------------------------------------Spill spoils day at Ko OlinaHonolulu Advertiser, 24 February 2008An oil spill chased about 150 people from the lagoons of Ko Olina Resort yesterday, but did not appear to cause any significant injuries or environmental damage, officials said. The oil from an unknown source, estimated to be about 500 gallons, spread a light 3-mile sheen in the water from Barbers Point to Kahe Point, said Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen. It was moving west last night, he said.The Coast Guard was monitoring the spill with a helicopter, C-130 plane and a 47-foot boat last night. Using money from a national oil spill recovery fund, it also hired a local company, Pacific Environmental Corp., to lead cleanup efforts. The sheen came ashore at three of the lagoons at Ko Olina about 11 a.m., causing some people in the water to report a strong diesel smell in the air and a light touch of oil on their skin, officials said. Several people in Nanakuli also reported encountering the oil last night, he said.Titchen said the sheen appeared similar to marine diesel fuel, which evaporates fairly quickly. At least two other spills of a similar size and substance have been reported in Hawai'i waters in the past year, he said. No one was seriously injured, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Terry Seelig. Security personnel at Ko Olina walked the beaches yesterday advising people to stay out of the water. By late afternoon the beachfront lagoons, which normally have hundreds of people on a sunny Saturday afternoon, were all but deserted."The good news is there's plenty of parking, and we got a cabana for shade," said Yvonne Walker of Salt Lake, who came to the beach with family members, including 5-month-old granddaughter, Milanna, who was making her first visit to any beach. "A lot of people went home, but we're just not going in the water," said Walker's daughter, Amber. "When we get hot, we go use the showers."The Coast Guard was working last night to determine the source of the spill, Titchen said. The state Health Department also was investigating. "It's mostly offshore at this point, but there is some shoreline impact," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Cameron. "We'll be out here working to ensure there is as little impact to the environment as possible."-------------------------------------------------------------Source of 500-gallon oil spill is unknownHonolulu Advertiser, 25 February 2008Coast Guard pollution investigators reported yesterday that an oil slick off Ko Olina, along the Wai'anae Coast, has mostly dissipated and had little impact on the shoreline. The cause of the slick remained under investigation. The estimated 500-gallon spill of marine diesel fuel caused a 3-mile slick between Barbers Point and Nanakuli Saturday.Swimming lagoons at Ko Olina Resort were evacuated by resort security personnel as a precaution. The Coast Guard and state agencies are working to find the source of the spill. Pacific Environmental Corp. has been hired to do any necessary cleanup. No visible shoreline damage has been reported.Minor vessel damage has been reported. Boat owners with questions are urged to call the Coast Guard at 808-842-2672 for more information.-------------------------------------------------------------Did tug seriuously damage Superferry?by Bill Schultz on 20 February 2008Editor's Note: The following report was held until a partial confirmation was available from the Honolulu Advertiser. This story, if true, is more bad news for the future operation of the Superferry.I just heard an unconfirmed report from a sea-faring friend on Maui. She says the ferry was being towed into drydock when the lines parted. She went aground and got stuck in the mud. A tug was called to push her off. It pushed a big hole in the side, damaging two of her ribs and at least two of the decks. Major repairs. Cursed ship. Have you heard anything about this?-------------------------------------------------------------Superferry Drydock extended 3 weeksHonolulu Advertiser, 20 February 2008The Hawaii Superferry will remain in drydock until March 24, three weeks longer than originally planned. Superferry officials said today the extended drydock time is needed to repair damage to the Alakai's hull that occurred during the drydocking process and additional maintenance needs have been identified. The Alakai was originally scheduled to resume service on March 3rd.Reservations for the March 25 sailing and beyond are now being accepted. Superferry officials said passengers holding reservations for affected voyages are being notified, re-accommodated on a future voyage or refunded.-------------------------------------------------------------Were Superferry Harbor Designs Rushedby Bill Schultz on 20 February 2008I was looking for information to confirm or deny the rumored damage to the HSF and came across this useful site:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/You'll find an emergency requisition request for the services of a Naval architect regarding a barge in Kahului. It's:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/attachments/emerg99.pdfI thought it odd that the requirements and scope of work require that the findings 'shall support assurances that the operations of state owned equipment are in the interest of safety of the operators and the general public', that the report should 'Provide load calculation, stamped by a professional engineer, for the Kahlui barge soft line mooring system SHOWING THE ADEQUACY AND INTEGRITY OF THE LINES AND MOORING SYSTEM' (emphasis added) and furthur that 'The calculations should be based on the basis of the original mooring system'.Apparently, the state had not previously had the load calculations performed by a professional naval architect or they would have simply produced the document at the CG's request after the barge broke loose and the bollards were sheered off.Would a reputable naval architect agree to the terms of the requested report given that the calculations had not yet been performed but the results are already specified?Why was the no-bid work awarded to a company as far away as Alexandria, VA when another emergency procurement regarding naval architect services and the barge evaluation was awarded to a local company on the same day? See:http://www6.hawaii.gov/spo2/emergency/attachments/emerg98.pdfWhy would the winner of the $12,000.00 contract agree to these terms unless they had some interest in getting the HSF into service at the earliest possible date?The company is Alion Science and Technology, rated number 79 in the top 100 defense contractors of 2007.The same company whose declared growth strategy includes 'we anticipate expanding our support to the U.S. Navy in new ship systems such as DD(x) and LCS'. "LCS" is navspeak for "Littoral Combat Ship". This quote is from the 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange commision and can be found at:http://www.secinfo.com/dsvRq.vdf.htmThe same company whose chief science advisor is retired Admiral Edward Lindquist, one of the most prolific writers and outspoken advocates of LCS development.http://www.marinelink.com/Story/LCS+Mission+Packages+Being+Assembled,+Tested+at+ Panama+City-202603.htmlhttp://www.shipbuilding.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=208251http://www.nedsjotw.com/blog/DefenseJobs/EyeontheNavy/_archives/2006/5/17/2530657.htmlI haven't found what I was looking for yet but I thought you'd be interested in this revoltin' development.-------------------------------------------------------------Carlyle Group Dry Dock for Superferryby Juan Wilson on 9 February 2008Unconfirmed report from Hector Ryzak is that the Superferry Alakai is in a dry dock owned by Marisco near Barbers Point on Oahu. Marisco is owned by the Carlyle Group (Bush family multinational corporation). In the GoogleEarth image above the dry dock is the large barge-like vessel moored near the white roofed building. In GoogleEarth it scales over 500 feet long by over 100 feet wide. That is ample to handle the Superferry.A controversy has followed the dry dock's move from Alaska to Hawaii in 2001. See http://www.schlosserlawfiles.com/TDX-BSE/IslandDealtEconomicBlow.htmThis document, on the internet, from the law firm of Morisset, Schlosser, Jozwiak & McGaw states:REMOTE ISLAND DEALT ECONOMIC BLOWSAn impoverished Alaskan island in the Bering Sea faces economic catastrophe if the federal government succeeds in pressing proposed economic sanctions against it. These documents show the tortured paper trail of Tanadgusix Corporation’s (TDX) acquisition of the de-commissioned Navy drydock Ex-Competent for use in Hawaii, which has led to this peril......Matters turned threatening on September 26, 2003, when the United States filed a complaint against TDX and Marisco charging them with making false statements to obtain federal property, an action under the Federal False Claims Act that seeks damages of more than $15 million dollars, for a drydock the Navy classes as scrap.For details about Marisco visit:http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/marisco.htmThey say of themselves:Marisco is one of the largest marine and industrial services companies in Hawaii. The facility is located at the Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor near Campbell Industrial Park, Kapolei, Hawaii. The firm offers a wide spectrum of services including drydocking, machining, welding, blasting, painting, environmental cleanup, pipefitting, rigging, machinery troubleshooting and repairs. Marisco operates the largest commercial drydock and biggest industrial machine shop in the state. Marisco serves the governmental, commercial marine and industrial sectors of Hawaii. The governmental sector includes U. S. Navy, U. S. Coast Guard, and Military Sealift Command work.The local ship repair industry hit a low point after Navy jobs began to dry up. In the past, Navy work amounted to 60 to 70 percent of the business of the island's two largest private yards -- Honolulu Shipyard and Marisco Ltd. Budget cuts in recent years meant Navy contracts went from $37 million in 1995 to $13 million in 1999.Company founder Alfred Anawati established Marsico in 1972. In April 2001 United States Marine Repair (USMR), America's largest non-nuclear ship repair, modernization, overhaul and conversion company, signed a letter of intent to buy Marisco, Ltd., one of only two full-service shipyards in Hawaii. The acquisition gave USMR a strong local presence and an additional facility in which to perform work for the U.S. government and commercial customers. A company statement pointed to the increased demand for U.S. Navy fleet modernization, including the need for more surface ship work on cruisers and destroyers home ported in Pearl Harbor. USMR shipyards are located in San Diego, San Pedro and San Francisco, Calif.; Norfolk, Va., the company's corporate headquarters; and Ingleside, Tex.The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm, owned USMR. Frank C. Carlucci, former secretary of defense and assistant to the president for national security affairs under President Reagan is the chairman of Carlyle. James A. Baker, III, who has served as the 61st secretary of state in the Bush Administration and in other senior levels of the US government under three different presidents, is also a principal in The Carlyle Group. The acquisition closed in mid-June 2001.-------------------------------------------------------------Superferry to go to dry dock to fix ruddersEditor's Note: HSF was forced to remove the rudders after determining the extent of damage. I maintain that the little evidence we have suggests the rudder damage caused the ship to take on water. Temporary removal of the rudders and "patching" the damage did not work. The Alakai's was not stable enough to operate and has forced HSF into a three week dry dock for structural repairs. Without additional engineering, I would suggest that this will not be more than a temporary solution. Austal's (ship builder) website indicates that the original structural engineering was 'optimized" to reduce weight. This might mean the hull is designed like an eggshell and is close to limit of expected forces that can be applied to it. In illustration above note what appears to be auxilliary rudder at stern, and t-foil stabilizer near bow.Rough sailing forces Superferry on early breakby Dave Segal, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8 February 2008Hawaii Superferry, plagued by weather- and equipment-related shutdowns and low ridership levels, said yesterday it will place its 349-foot vessel into dry dock for nearly three weeks for maintenance and recertification by the U.S. Coast Guard. The company said the mandatory annual dry dock, originally scheduled for May, was moved up to Wednesday through March 2 to take advantage of the off-peak travel season and to make permanent repairs related to the ship's auxiliary rudders. Passengers holding reservations are being notified and will be reaccommodated on a future voyage or refunded.Hawaii Superferry, which restarted service Dec. 13 after a court-ordered shutdown in August over environmental concerns, had based its break-even business model on carrying an average of 400 passengers and 110 vehicles per trip. But the numbers to date have been far below those levels, in part because the restart of service was hampered by heavy winter seas.An exhibit filed by state Deputy Attorney General William Wynhoff with Maui Circuit Court on Jan. 31 showed that the number of passengers booked during January between Honolulu and Maui ranged from 83 to 349 on days that the Superferry actually operated. The number of vehicles for those days ranged from 19 on the 6:30 a.m. New Year's Day voyage to as many as 94 vehicles.The Superferry did not operate for seven days in January -- Jan. 16-17 and Jan. 27-31 -- due to weather conditions and rudder-related repairs, but bookings were nevertheless still shown for those days in the court filing -- with one day showing as few as seven passengers and four other days with 20 or fewer passengers.Terry O'Halloran, director of business development for the Superferry, said that the Superferry has not carried "anything close to those low numbers." The numbers filed with the court were bookings and "not actual numbers," he said."They're a snapshot of our booking report," O'Halloran said. "They're not accurate numbers. Passengers are booking relatively close to the time of travel, so at no time did we book anywhere close to the low numbers shown on there. Those (low) numbers say to me they were taken several days before those dates because those numbers reflect early bookings."O'Halloran said that he did not have exact daily counts available, but that the 83-to-349 range produced in the exhibit on the days of operation sounded "about right.""With any startup, you have a ramp-up period before you get to the number that you're anticipating, and we definitely want to see higher numbers," he said. "But we're not disappointed with the numbers we're currently having, especially in consideration of starting up in the winter season. We're looking forward to having the boat come out of dry dock in great shape and getting back into service and providing the service that we intended for the people of Hawaii."O'Halloran said the Superferry had planned on being idled for 2 to 3 percent of the time during the winter season due to inclement weather but that the downtime for the rudder repairs was unexpected. He said the rudders, which are used to improve passenger comfort and fuel efficiency, were removed for an interim repair but that the Superferry found that without them the ride suffered."So we thought we'd just move up the timetable and do permanent repairs on the rudders and maximize our passenger comfort and take care of our annual dry-dock requirement at the same time," O'Halloran said. O'Halloran said construction "is a little bit ahead of schedule" in Mobile, Ala., on the Superferry's second vessel, which is scheduled to go into service in early 2009. "We're committed to Hawaii and to the long term for providing this alternative form of interisland travel," he said. "The second vessel will allow us to connect all of the islands and provide a level of service greater than we can provide with one vessel." O'Halloran said the Superferry is still looking at beginning a second daily voyage to Maui beginning this spring. It has yet to set a date when service will resume to Kauai.
WHO'S HOMELAND are WE TALKING ABOUT!usa CONTINUES covert and overt opperations against the SOVEREIGN and NEUTRAL SOVEREIGNTY of the ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED NATION and Kingdom of HAWAI'I...UH with Dealing with usa and Military "Navy & Monsanto Co." brought Agent Orange and G.M.O., just to name a few ! to Poison our AINA, thus POISON US, IS HEWA !RE: UH is chosen as site for new security center
Planning Commission approves comments for La'au EISBy: David Lichtenstein. Molokai Times, 25 February 2008The Molokai Planning Commission reconvened its meeting of Feb. 13 on Feb. 19 to finalize its comments submitted to Molokai Properties Limited in response to the most recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the La‘au Point development plan.MoPC Staff Planner Nancy McPherson composed a letter based on the comments submitted to her from the commissioners. Along with that will be written submissions from Alton Arakaki, Steve Morgan, Glenn Teves and Kahualaulani Mick to be included with the commissioners' comments. Even after these submissions, commissioners still had questions about the language of the DEIS.“How do we define such things as ‘adequate?'” Commissioner Steve Chaikin asked McPherson. Chaikin wondered what requirements MPL would need to demonstrate to show adequate water supply for the project to create 200 luxury homes near Molokai's southwest corner.Chaikin also questioned how the conservation zones will be set up within the development area. McPherson said that subzones will be created in the Covenants, Codes and Restrictions to specify these areas.“These subzones are critical and haven't yet been determined between MPL and the DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources),” said McPherson. In discussing the CC&Rs, MoPC Chairman DeGray Vanderbilt wondered why MPL would have the ability to change the language within the CC&Rs.“The EC (Molokai Enterprise Community) Land Use Committee voted 22-0 that CC&Rs could not be changed,” said Vanderbilt. “That's already a major violation in my mind.”Commissioner Joseph Kalipi also commented: “The Molokai Ranch Master Plan is one of the greatest plans I have ever seen. The plan has many great incentives. But in saying that, it doesn't mean anything about whether or not it should go forward … a lot of activists are showing us what is not adequate in the plan.“In reviewing and understanding water, the plan will never be adequate unless we can resolve these issues … There are other things that if we can't figure out we shouldn't even go to second base. We can't have an actual analysis (of water) if we don't know the present resource,” said Kalipi.Commissioner Lynn DeCoite was critical of MPL, doing business as Molokai Ranch, in her comments: “Molokai Ranch does not want to work with us. What does that say when they withdraw from the Water Working Group?” Molokai Ranch had recently withdrawn from the WWG, a group of local, county and state water stakeholders, citing existing legal questions over water use that need to be resolved before they will participate. When DeCoite became critical of Molokai Ranch, Chaikin cautioned the commissioners to remain neutral and reserve judgment on the larger issues of the development.He reminded the commissioners to just focus on the environmental impacts that the plan presents. “If we act prematurely things may come up and that may create problems down the road,” said Chaikin. To gain a better understanding of some of the relevant water issues, Chaikin asked if the U.S. Geological Service could make a presentation to the MoPC in regards to their studies of Molokai water.Vanderbilt mentioned that the USGS has been part of the WWG and any documents that come from this group can be shared with the commissioners. Chaikin then raised the question of why MPL would submit the DEIS during the Makahiki season. It was suggested that this may have been culturally insensitive to the people of Molokai. A motion was passed unanimously for this question to be asked of MPL.
Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods (Hawaii)
