Paumalu Press vs. Forbes Magazine

I got my copy of the Paumalu Press in the mail. Much like her friends who feel the same, Karen Gallagher wants to stop private entities from the rights that they have with the property they have purchased within our Capitalist system. A month or so ago, a friend sent me an editorial that was in Forbes Magazine. It equated radical environmentalism with Communism and Socialism. It reminded me of the rabid anti everything people right here on our North Shore. Here is the link to the entire editorial - Forbes Editorial - Green-Colored Communism, I picked out some of the passages that just sounded like our neighbors and friends who seem to forget that private property owners have rights.

Good for Karen for putting out a magazine that pushes her beliefs. It is my belief that Karen has done great to raise her family, while doing all of those odd jobs and being a business owner here on the North Shore. The irony of her stance is that the very things she opposes have provided the means for the children of the North Shore to be able to get their educations paid for by their employed parents. It will eventually lead to those educated children coming home to careers that will enable them to live and commute on the North Shore.

Why are the Communist/Socialist/North Shore Environmentalists so blinded by their unyielding stances that they can not see that?

Karen, loved the Waikiki picture but you should read the real statistics in my Waikiki Post - Will Turtle Bay Become Another Waikiki?. You can see how distorted your inference is.

Without further ado, a word from Forbes.

...Environmentalists portray the ANWR dispute as a big-oil plot to desecrate a beautiful, pristine area. This image is preposterous. That 2,000-acre lot is bleak, even in summer. The size of the drilling area would be about the equivalent of a sugar cube in a football stadium. And the technology exists to do the job in an absolutely environmentally sound way. This is not theory. Oil and/or gas drilling already takes place in more than 30 wildlife refuges in the U.S.

,,,Environmentalists are mute about the fact that last summer's devastating hurricanes, including Katrina, which literally blew away offshore platforms, did not lead to oil spills like that of the Exxon Valdez...

...Sadly, environmental extremists are not using the green movement to give us cleaner air and a higher standard of living as we grow and expand economically but to halt economic progress altogether. Socialism and communism are dead, discredited by the ghastly experiences of the 20th century. But the socialist agenda lives on in this perversion of environmentalism.

Full Text here

I Was Right About The West Side Homeless and The North Shore Impact

The Advertiser has started a series of stories on the homeless situation on the west side of Oahu - West Side Homeless Story. I am not sure if they will connect the dots that will show how this situation affects other parts of the Island including the North Shore.

I have connected the dots for you. You can reread my post - North Shore Traffic. The basic opinion is the West Side is over run with homeless. The people of Oahu no longer go to the West Side for recreation, they go to the North Shore. The North Shore now has a lot more weekend beach traffic.

Fix the West Side and traffic will go down over here by quite a bit.

I Don't Want a Keeper, I Don't Need a Defender.

Well the opponents to Turtle Bay are no doubt spitting vindictives, gnashing their teeth and getting ready to protest and intimidate some more. The word finally got out that the subdivision approval was voted on and stamped on September 29th - Advertiser Story, Star Bulletin Story .

I think I now know what makes me inclined to present the Turtle Bay side - it is the Brown Shirt intimidation tactics, discussion stifling, uncivilized manner of the opponents to Turtle Bay. It is the same bunch of serial protesting NIMBY Mafia that has opposed every single change on the North Shore.

This cabal are so self-righteous and denigrating about how they know what is right for the community. They make me ill.

They have effectively stopped anyone from expressing any opinion other than their own. If you want proof, think back to the Neighborhood Board meetings with regards to Turtle Bay, The Mall, V-Land, Surfing Contests - etc. These thugs shout down people, use abusive language and threatening manners and outside of the meetings social stink eye. There are many that favor Turtle Bay, but they do not say anything, it is not worth it.

The fanatical freaks who oppose Turtle Bay are SCARY, we dare not publically confront or contradict them. We choose to remain anonymous out of fear.

They look down their noses at our primarily brown skinned people who work at Turtle Bay and say things like "those are jobs no one wants". "Who wants to have our kids clean bathrooms for a living."

Then they tell lies like Turtle Bay is going to be another Waikiki, Turtle Bay has done nothing in 20 years, Turtle Bay is going to pave over Kawela Bay.

What a bunch of brutish beasts. It will be so sad for them when their children and grandchildren wind up working for an expanded Turtle Bay Resort in the not to distant future.

These lying, intimidating, know it all elitist can kiss my big, brown ... Now, now hold on, slow down Toegee-Jon, you are starting to sound like those fascists over in Sunset Beach.

Guest Post - Gil Riviere - Turtle Bay plans need a supplemental EIS

By, Gil Riviere President of Keep The North Shore Country, Chairman of the North Shore Neighborhood Board Traffic & Transportation Committee and President of Let's Surf Coalition. This article was published in both the Honolulu Advertiser and the Star Bulletin. You can click on the links or read the full commentary below: Turtle Bay plans need a supplemental EIS By Gil Riviere Turtle Bay officials gave a presentation before the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board and the public in April. North Shore residents have gone to court to seek an update of the 20-year-old environmental impact statement. Intuitively, logically, ethically and responsibly, everyone knows that a supplemental environmental impact statement should be prepared before the developers at Turtle Bay Resort are allowed to proceed. We believe the courts will add "legally" to this list of reasons. According to Kuilima Resort Co., the folks who want to expand Turtle Bay Resort on O'ahu's North Shore from 500 to 4,000 hotel and condo units, an environmental impact statement completed in 1985 is as valid today as it may have been 21 years ago. Inconveniently for the developers, virtually nobody has come out in support of the project as proposed, while the list of opponents is overwhelming. Gov. Linda Lingle spoke at the Hawai'i Republican Party Convention in strong support of "Resolution: Re-evaluation of the Kuilima Expansion Project," which was approved by the Republican Party. Former Gov. George Ariyoshi wrote in a Hawai'i Business Magazine article, "In my view, we had best do what we can to preserve the rural character of the Windward side. Everyone seems to value it. People do want the country to be truly country." The state Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 131, "Calling for Rigorous Reexamination of the Development Expansion Plan at Turtle Bay Resort Due to the Passage of Time and Changed Conditions of the North Shore." The state House moved a similar resolution. Honolulu City Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz submitted two resolutions to try to resolve the matter, but the corporation counsel advised against any action or comment from all city officials, so the resolutions are indefinitely deferred. A grass-roots organization called Defend O'ahu Coalition recently delivered to Mayor Mufi Hannemann's office a petition from 5,000 individuals who oppose the expansion plans. Keep the North Shore Country filed legal action to require the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting to order an SEIS. Sierra Club's Hawai'i chapter joined in our legal action, which has subsequently been consolidated by the court with a similar action by UNITE HERE Local 5. The State of Hawai'i Environmental Council, which is responsible for promulgating the state's environmental review rules, voted unanimously to ask the Department of Planning and Permitting why the proposed development did not have a supplemental EIS. The Council even identified specific rules that trigger the need for an SEIS. The Department of Planning and Permitting did not answer, on advice from corporation counsel. Although the Department of Planning and Permitting refuses to address the question of the SEIS, they continue to process the permit application and might be preparing to issue preliminary subdivision approval. The developer might then herald preliminary subdivision approval as proof that they were right all along, and that the matter is closed. This would be inaccurate because the legal proceedings will not be affected. Since we believe that the courts will compel the Department of Planning and Permitting to order an SEIS, we also believe that the department would compound the problem by issuing preliminary subdivision approval before the courts have a chance to hear the case. Indeed, they should have already required an SEIS as part of the subdivision/shoreline management area permit review process. Our lawsuit very reasonably calls for an SEIS and nothing more. After so many years of inactivity on a 20-year old plan, the developer and the Department of Planning and Permitting should slow down, heed the will of the public and do what everyone knows they should do: prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement.

Guest Post - Defend Oahu Coalition Wants You To Protest

If you prefer the New Kona over the Old Kona, and Ka’anapali on Maui is your idea of real Hawaii, you will love what Oaktree Capital Management has planned for for O’ahu. To show how much you love the plans, or how much you despise them, follow these instructions: MAKE CALLS! CALL Mayor Mufi Hannemann @ 523-8341. So far he's been very silent on this issue. CALL Henry Eng @ 523-4432. He is the Director of Planning and Permitting. CALL Your City Councilman. go to www.honolulu.gov/council/ccl.htm CALL Zoning Committee Chairman Charles Djou @ 547-7004 TAKE ACTION: Oct. 14 - Make Signs at Ehukai Beach: bring broken surf boards, pieces of wood, banner material - anything to paint/ write on. Bring a pot luck dish to share as well. We will be making sings from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. We want to line Kam Hwy with these signs and use them at our upcoming vigil. Oct 15 - Sign waving in front of Turtle Bay Resort from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. RALLY Wednesday October 25th in front of the Turtle Bay Resort or downtown at Honolulu Hale from 4-6 pm. Bring signs, family and friends. JOIN Defend O’ahu Coalition: www.defendoahucoaliton.org Thousands have signed up so far. This is a very hard working group of volunteers dedicated to preserving the rural atmosphere of the North Shore. DONATE: To Defend Oahu Coalition Send checks to Defend Oahu Coalition, 52-210 Kamehameha Hwy, Hau'ula, HI 96717 To Keep the North Shore Country to support the lawsuit calling for a supplemental EIS. See www.keepthenorthshorecountry.org Other Ideas? We value your thoughts and input, please contact us at savekawelabay@yahoo.com Defend Oahu Coaliton - www.defendoahucoalition.org Working together toward one goal - Protecting communities along the North Shore from the dangerous effects of large scale development.

Serial Protestors of The North Shore

Today, I got my Defend Oahu Coalition email notification about another protest . I'll show up and wave my broken surfboard.

I am sure I will be joined by my brothers and sisters who spoke out against the Shark Tours last week. What a fact-filled, scientific meeting that was!!!

I have felt so righteous as we protested against the Mall at Sharks Cove and all those annoying Surfing Contests. We all had a great time protesting to Boycott Turtle Bay and now to Stop Turtle Bay. I enjoyed seeing my fellow radicals as we Saved Waimea, Stopped Pupukea-Paumalu and fought against Andy Anderson and the V-Land development.

I love running into MY protesters as walk the line for maids, bus drivers, university professors and nurses. We all want to Stop The War, Feed The Homeless, Stop the Strykers, Give Hawaii to the Hawaiians, Save Kaka'ako, Save Sandy Beach, Impeach Bush, Save the Whales, No Nukes, Keep the Country Country, Love the Luddites, What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding, and my favorite - We Are The Union, The Mighty Mighty Union.

I kind of wonder at times where the young people who aren't dragged to our protests by their parents are? Maybe they are protesting against the draft or living on the Mainland because they can't get a job here?

Where would the world be if my brothers and sisters who want to "SAVE EVERYTHING" and "STOP EVERYTHING" were not doing our good deeds?

The whole world would be DEAD of global cooling... or is that global warming?

Some Great Local Weather Sites

As we get to the interesting weather of the Surf & Rain season, I'd like to share some sites that are really helpful in anticipating the atmospheric events of the North Shore. I am sure you surfers are quite aware of Pat Caldwell's site, but here a few others that you might enjoy.

Glenn's Weather - Great description of weather patterns that affect the Islands. Updates every AM except when he's on a rare vacation - http://www.hawaiiweathertoday.com/?page_id=20

Weather Page By NH6WI Edward W.L. Dung - Maps Galore - All the maps and links you'd ever want about Hawaiian weather in one quick loading page. It updates all the time, just refresh for most recent maps - http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wi000/earcwx.html

NOAA Surf Forecast - Surfer guru Pat Caldwell's famous forecast page is here. He usually updates about 3 x a week, the NOAA forcasts are updated 2 to 3 times a day. - http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/SRF.php

High Surf Warning - entertaining site with video AM update. Some nice surf shots and links to cams. http://highsurfwarning.com/

North Shore Scene on ABC's LOST episode 10/4

The opening scene of the whole ABC's Lost season shows The Others living in suburban style tranquility. They were actually at YMCA Camp Erdman. Nice coat of paint and lanais on the Mauka cabins and some other things that have been added like the cute little gazebo.

For more North Shore locations that have appeared on Lost, check this link out on "LostVirtualTour.com".

Good or Bad North Shore news - Star Bulletin Story "Turtle Bay, Others Win Magazine Kudos"

Back in the day when Turtle Bay was the target of a boycott by entire AFL and CIO, any news that painted Turtle Bay in a good light was bad news for the Union. The Union opposed anyone staying at Turtle Bay so if anyone said Turtle Bay was good, that was bad for the Union.

Now, some on the North Shore want to stop Turtle Bay from doing anything else to make money for itself. So, when a story like the one in today's Star Bulletin "Turtle Bay, Others Win Magazine Kudos" tells the world that Turtle Bay has earned some very prestigious recognition, do those opposing Turtle Bay feel that this is good for the North Shore or bad?

How about you?

Come on now, the bridge closure will not be too bad.

I read the Advertiser this AM about the Bridge closure and was quite surprised to see (in print anyway) that Mike Lyons sounded pretty ticked off. I've always found him to be a very even keeled guy, kind of mellow. I think when you resurface a bridge that is barely 2 lanes wide, you have close the thing down.

Don't worry Mike, we'll be OK. The tourists will find Haleiwa Joes, the locals won't mind driving up to Weed Circle. Heck, we drive 45 minutes to go to the movies. If it makes you feel any better, the people in Kailua have been dealing with major road construction for more than a year. If the bridge to Lanakai was closed, I am sure the city and county would do double time because that is the only way in and out of that place. To compare that to a minor inconveniece is a bit over the top. Maybe the Advertiser misquoted you?

I for one am happy that is going to get done.

Sidewalks next anyone???