In the interest of full disclosure, we received no gift nor compensation of any kind for this review. In fact, we paid for our stay and all accommodations at the hotel being reviewed here.
We go about this review with some background. One, familiarity with The Princeville Hotel before the renovations began. Here are some pictures of the hotel the day before it closed a little more than a year ago for this renovation, originally planned to be about $60 million. Second, we are familiar with all of the 5-Diamond hotels in Hawaii, and the extensive renovations in recent years that went on at the Four Seasons Maui ($50 million recent renovation on 370 rooms), Ritz Carlton Kapalua ($180 million recent renovation on 570 rooms), the Grand Wailea Resort, Hyatt Regency Maui, and Wailea Marriott among others. Particularly we are comparing the above two 5-Diamond hotel renovations to the stunning $100 million renovation on 252 rooms of the St. Regis Princeville (map). In this review we are comparing the location, design, buildings, furnishings, artwork, creativity, timeliness, and most importantly the receptivity and service from the staff on the first and second day of re-opening (Sept. 26-27) after renovation.
Let us just say right here and now, the St. Regis Princeville, is now on a par with the Four Seasons Maui, Four Seasons Hualalai, and Halekulani...and maybe even a notch better than all of those. We do not say that lightly. In fact, a year ago we did not think it possible, but under the direction of a perfectionist and charismatic new General Manager Milton Sgarbi along with the support of joint ownership represented by Cornerstone, Starwood, and Jeff Stone, this group of people along with prior hotel staff have somehow done the near impossible in a little more than a year.
In the rest of this review we will be using words that St. Regis might not use, but which we hope conveys the positive sentiments expressed above.
Upon entering the property one notices that the hotel is properly staffed for a high level of service. Staff are not rushed, they take the due time with each guest, and appear to be well prepared for the interactions. We noticed this throughout the stay. Guests names were used as often as possible. Staff were repeatedly attentive at appropriate times in all locations of the hotel...the front, lobby, restaurants, spa, pool, and check out. Of particular note, when Mr. Sgarbi was addressed by name in an extended conversation in the Spa, he was accommodating with the conversation, remembered the guest's name, and sought the guest out twice the next day for follow-up conversation. We consider that to be rare.
Throughout the lobby, spa, restaurants, hallways, and rooms, there seems to have been very little expense spared nor detail too small in this renovation. From new Egyptian white marble, to African mahogany columns, to Italian blown glass features, to Hawaiian koa and hardwoods, to gold leaf lobby displays, to the beautiful Spa and well equipped Fitness Center, to leather furniture galore in the lobby, rooms, and even hallways, to heavenly beds and sofas, to awesome LG plasma screen TV's and iPod docks, to Internet ethernet and WiFi, to the beautiful green landscaping on the roofs, and to the finest details of the beach, pool, and hottub arrangements, St. Regis Princeville got it all stunningly correct.
There were a few small points about the hotel to be addressed, passed on to Mr. Sgarbi. Grand Opening is still a few days away on October 1st. We acknowledge the difficult global environment and the timing of events over the past year and expected coming years, but in our conversations with Mr. Sgarbi we believe this man and his outstanding 350 strong staff will somehow be able to perform great hotel service and results in the coming year.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Govt. Cranks up the PR: Prepares to "Go to War" with H1N1 Vaccine
From: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/health/policy/28vaccine.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=flu&st=cse
"Don’t Blame Flu Shots for All Ills, Officials Say"
As soon as swine flu vaccinations start next month, some people getting them will drop dead of heart attacks or strokes, some children will have seizures and some pregnant women will miscarry.
...That poses a public relations challenge for federal officials, who remember how sensational reports of deaths and illnesses derailed the large-scale flu vaccine drive of 1976.
This time they are making plans to respond rapidly to such events and to try to reassure a nervous public — and headline-hunting journalists...
The government “is right to expect coincident deaths, since people are dying every day, with or without flu shots,” said Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the Institute of Medicine and co-author of “The Epidemic That Never Was,” a history of the 1976 swine flu vaccination campaign.
Officials are particularly worried about spontaneous miscarriages, because they are urging pregnant women to be among the first to be vaccinated. Pregnant women are usually advised to get flu shots, because they and their fetuses are at high risk of flu complications, but this year the pressure is greater. Expectant mothers are normally advised to avoid drugs, alcohol and anything else that might affect a fetus.
“There are about 2,400 miscarriages a day in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jay C. Butler, chief of the swine flu vaccine task force at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
In the opening days of the 1976 vaccination campaign, which eventually vaccinated 45 million Americans, three elderly Pittsburgh residents died soon after receiving their shots at the same clinic. Though scientists believe it was just a freakish coincidence, some news reports suggested the vaccine had killed them...
Two months later, reports emerged of vaccine recipients suffering from Guillain-BarrĂ© syndrome, in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, leading to temporary or permanent paralysis and, in a few cases, death. That effectively ended the campaign, as officials suspended it to investigate...
Guillain-BarrĂ©’s cause is unknown, though different studies have suggested it more often affects people who have had a flu shot, the flu itself, some bacterial infections...
In any case, after the suspension, there was no reason to restart because the predicted swine flu epidemic never emerged.
That, experts emphasize, is the great difference between 1976 and 2009. The earlier virus apparently burned out the previous winter inside Fort Dix, N.J., before any vaccine was even made...
In 1976, getting flu shots into 45 million Americans was unprecedented. Now about 100 million get annual shots, and the government has ordered twice that many doses of swine flu vaccine.
Other changes since 1976 worry officials. The 24-hour cycle of news on television and the Internet did not then exist; public health officials now must be ready to respond to rumors instantly. In 1976, the C.D.C. did not hold news conferences, and it took it five days to respond to the Pittsburgh deaths, Dr. Fineberg said.
“Back then, it was a neat thing to have a fax machine and get out four pages a minute,” said Joe Quimby, a press officer for the disease centers. “Now, communications have to be multimodal. Turning on the three broadcast news outlets is not going to reach everybody any more.”
The agency now has a “war room” in its Atlanta headquarters and, since the pandemic began in April, has held news conferences, sometimes even daily, at which reporters from around the world ask questions by phone. They can be seen live on the agency’s Web site, and it has another Web site, flu.gov, devoted to the pandemic, as well as a constantly updated Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Complicating the challenge for officials, some experts argue, is that health news coverage has suffered since 1976...
Also, antivaccine activists are far more powerful now. Thirty-three years ago, vaccines were enthusiastically welcomed; many parents or grandparents still remembered children dead of smallpox, measles or polio. The minority opposing them were often followers of natural healing or traditional chiropractic beliefs.
In 1976, autism was not on the public’s mind, and the problem was still attributed to indifferent mothering. Vietnam veterans with chronic illnesses usually blamed Agent Orange, a defoliant.
Today, many parents blame vaccines for their children’s autism and some ill Gulf War veterans blame their anthrax shots.
Some antivaccine groups are raising fears of thimerosal, a preservative used in some brands of flu vaccine. Others issue dire warnings about squalene, an immune booster used in military vaccines and in some European flu vaccines...
And, in the rancor over health insurance reform, unfounded rumors are spreading that the Obama administration will make swine flu shots mandatory. Administration officials have emphatically denied that. But a recent decision by New York State to make them mandatory for all hospital employees has reinvigorated those rumors on the Internet...
"Don’t Blame Flu Shots for All Ills, Officials Say"
...That poses a public relations challenge for federal officials, who remember how sensational reports of deaths and illnesses derailed the large-scale flu vaccine drive of 1976.
This time they are making plans to respond rapidly to such events and to try to reassure a nervous public — and headline-hunting journalists...
The government “is right to expect coincident deaths, since people are dying every day, with or without flu shots,” said Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the Institute of Medicine and co-author of “The Epidemic That Never Was,” a history of the 1976 swine flu vaccination campaign.
Officials are particularly worried about spontaneous miscarriages, because they are urging pregnant women to be among the first to be vaccinated. Pregnant women are usually advised to get flu shots, because they and their fetuses are at high risk of flu complications, but this year the pressure is greater. Expectant mothers are normally advised to avoid drugs, alcohol and anything else that might affect a fetus.
“There are about 2,400 miscarriages a day in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jay C. Butler, chief of the swine flu vaccine task force at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
In the opening days of the 1976 vaccination campaign, which eventually vaccinated 45 million Americans, three elderly Pittsburgh residents died soon after receiving their shots at the same clinic. Though scientists believe it was just a freakish coincidence, some news reports suggested the vaccine had killed them...
Two months later, reports emerged of vaccine recipients suffering from Guillain-BarrĂ© syndrome, in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, leading to temporary or permanent paralysis and, in a few cases, death. That effectively ended the campaign, as officials suspended it to investigate...
Guillain-BarrĂ©’s cause is unknown, though different studies have suggested it more often affects people who have had a flu shot, the flu itself, some bacterial infections...
In any case, after the suspension, there was no reason to restart because the predicted swine flu epidemic never emerged.
That, experts emphasize, is the great difference between 1976 and 2009. The earlier virus apparently burned out the previous winter inside Fort Dix, N.J., before any vaccine was even made...
In 1976, getting flu shots into 45 million Americans was unprecedented. Now about 100 million get annual shots, and the government has ordered twice that many doses of swine flu vaccine.
Other changes since 1976 worry officials. The 24-hour cycle of news on television and the Internet did not then exist; public health officials now must be ready to respond to rumors instantly. In 1976, the C.D.C. did not hold news conferences, and it took it five days to respond to the Pittsburgh deaths, Dr. Fineberg said.
“Back then, it was a neat thing to have a fax machine and get out four pages a minute,” said Joe Quimby, a press officer for the disease centers. “Now, communications have to be multimodal. Turning on the three broadcast news outlets is not going to reach everybody any more.”
The agency now has a “war room” in its Atlanta headquarters and, since the pandemic began in April, has held news conferences, sometimes even daily, at which reporters from around the world ask questions by phone. They can be seen live on the agency’s Web site, and it has another Web site, flu.gov, devoted to the pandemic, as well as a constantly updated Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Complicating the challenge for officials, some experts argue, is that health news coverage has suffered since 1976...
Also, antivaccine activists are far more powerful now. Thirty-three years ago, vaccines were enthusiastically welcomed; many parents or grandparents still remembered children dead of smallpox, measles or polio. The minority opposing them were often followers of natural healing or traditional chiropractic beliefs.
In 1976, autism was not on the public’s mind, and the problem was still attributed to indifferent mothering. Vietnam veterans with chronic illnesses usually blamed Agent Orange, a defoliant.
Today, many parents blame vaccines for their children’s autism and some ill Gulf War veterans blame their anthrax shots.
Some antivaccine groups are raising fears of thimerosal, a preservative used in some brands of flu vaccine. Others issue dire warnings about squalene, an immune booster used in military vaccines and in some European flu vaccines...
And, in the rancor over health insurance reform, unfounded rumors are spreading that the Obama administration will make swine flu shots mandatory. Administration officials have emphatically denied that. But a recent decision by New York State to make them mandatory for all hospital employees has reinvigorated those rumors on the Internet...
Stop the Shot! Update
The "GREAT CULLING"
Set to Begin:
1-2 Swine Flu Sucker Punch:
1. "Live Virus" Nasal Vaccine Starts Pandemic
2. Forced Squalene-Adjuvanted Vaccines
Special Message from General Bert:
Maj. Gen. Albert N. Stubblebine III (US Army, Ret.) Natural Solutions Foundation President
Dear Health Freedom Lover,
Natural Solutions Foundation has never had a more urgent message for you.
Forced Vaccination - of any type - is a disease of the Body Politic. Swine Flu Vaccination is a lethal one.
The H1N1 Swine Flu vaccines have been specifically prepared to cause wide-spread infertility and profound illness: You need to know this information AND you need to become a health advocate for yourself and your community NOW. We have little time.
Let's begin with the basics:
Sucker Punch 1:
Create the Pandemic
1. The first type of vaccine "ready|" for distribution is a Live Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV) vaccine. administered by the nasal route. LAIVs are particularly dangerous both to the person who takes them AND to those around them. These vaccines cause people to shed the virus to others and infect them. The virus is then able to reassort or mutate as the infected persons (who may be too young to have any idea what is happening) go about spreading the virus into a varied community of friends, neighbors, family members, playmates, people on the subway, anyone.
People like young children, pregnant mothers, people on immunosuppressive drugs and others are told that they should avoid the live virus, yet it will be disseminated into those very populations with no controls or protections since pregnant women, children, First Responders, health care professionals and people with chronic diseases will receive this "first wave" of LAIVs.
What does that mean in detail? Please click here, http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=3582, to read more.
Sucker Punch 2:
Cull the Population
2. In addition to what we already know about the squalene adjuvant and its ability to cripple and kill through powerful auto immune mechanismswhen injected, there is another, deeply shocking reason that the amount of squalene and squalene derivitives (called MF59, AS01, AS02, AS03, AS04, MLP, etc.) to be used in the coming mass vaccination is so insanely high when just a few molecules in the injection can wreak lifeling havoc.
A patent was filed in 1998 for a vaccine which causes permanent infertility when injected. When combined, the materials which cause sterility are a highly active immune irritant (an adjuvant) like squalene in very high doses and a porcine (pig) glycoprotein. Put them together in an injection and not only do you have auto immune consequences like death, or for those who do not die, crippling rheumatoid arthritis, Lou Gehrig's Disease, destruction of the muscles, diabetes, disabling rashes, mental and neurological problems a-plenty, but you have a population of infertile men women and children.
Click here, http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=3592, to read more.
DISINFORMATION NOTE:
We are living through an information war, as well as a war to exterminate us. The Natural Solutions Foundation did not run the following story because we could not substantiate it and because the details did not hold together. We cannot promise that we will never make a mistake, but we can promise that we research what we tell you very, very carefully and you can rely on us for that.
Perhaps you've heard the story of the sailors on a US Navy ship who became terribly ill and, in some cases, died, after being injected with the Swine Flu Vaccine in April. It isn't true. In fact, it is a hoax.
Much of the wording of the story being circulated now as if it is current news (starting on September 24th) was stolen verbatim from a true CBS news story dated July 21st. The base true story was radically altered, with dramatic fictional elements added, and "rebranded" to make it appear it's happening now. It isn't. Here's the link to the widely circulated, but false story:
Navy ship docking in CA with onboard fatalities
http://fluboard.rhizalabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1486&start=26
Push Back IS Working But We Are Far From Safe Yet
Together we have created a massive Push Back and, as a result, the official positions are changing.
Fifteen months ago (July 24, 25, 2008) HHS and DHS announced in identical statements that every man, woman and child in the US would be vaccinated, "starting with those who want it".
Today, Obama, Sebelius, Nepolitano and others say "vaccination will be voluntary". Of course, they have defined "Voluntary" to mean "Mandatory", but we have them on the run.
More than 50% of NYS health care workers do not want the Swine Flu shot! NY nurses are already being fired for refusing the seasonal flu vaccines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUe5acT1Ufs
After the Governor of New York issued his mandate for mandatory health care worker vacciations, we created such an uproar that today, Monday, September 28, the NY Secretary of Health is going to give an address "to calm the waters", on the day before our rally in the State Capital, Albany.
State Capitol Building, South Capitol Lawn, 10:00 AM Tuesday,
September 29th.
For more information on the rally, click here: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=3568
More than 2.25 Million Emails are on the desks of State and Federal Legislators telling them we will NOT be forced to take the Swine Flu vaccine or face incarceration/quarantine.
What can you, personally, do to increase that number?
Use this Action Item to alert and motivate everyone you can reach
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27275
Ask each person to fill it out once for each member of their household and pass it on as widely as possible. Share this Health Freedom Action eAlert with them.
Stop the Shot Legal Action
Natural Solutions Foundation has joined with Drs. Gary Null and Ted Koren to expose the rampant illegality of FDA's licensing of 4 vaccines for which no safety testing has been conducted AND the use of the LAIV nasal vaccine to create the pandemic. The papers will be submitted this week (as our research uncovered more and more that made the case stronger, we revised and perfected the papers multiple times - they will be entered this week and we will publish the brief.)
Some people have asked why we are only seeking to delay the vaccines. The reason is that the law is narrowly focused: we have carefully selected the strongest LEGAL argument to stop the deadly juggernaught which is rolling towards us. Following that victory (and, if the Court is honest, we can expect to win our stay) we will focus on stopping the pandemic vaccines all together. In a war you exploit winning strategies, taking every advantage you can find, take or make. In the aggregate, the name for that is "Victory".
Index
Video of the Week: Dr. Won't Give His Kids the Vaccine
Volunteers
Dr. Rima Recommends
Fox News' Medical Commentator Says Vaccine is More Dangerous Than Swine Flu: Won't Give It To His Kids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTEQLSzsOPI
Help keep Health Freedom Strong and Active by making two, that's two recurring tax deductible donations, large or small.
Make one, ending in the number "6", to earmark your donation to our Legal Freedom Defense Fund AND make another to support the most effective health freedom organization in the world, Natural Solutions Foundation. Click here NOW!
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=189
Please support Dr. Ron Paul's bills to guarantee us the right to share truthful health information without the FDA gag rules that limit what can be said and give the government openings to attack companies and professionals who are telling the truth about their products, but being attacked for it.
Click here,
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27732
End FDA gag rules on health-related information.
These gag rules are part of "HARMonziation" with Codex.
End this part of it here.
Notes and Recommendations
from Dr. Rima
Valley of the MoonTM Coffee
www.ValleyoftheMoonCoffee.org
Health Freedom's Coffee: Free of GMOs, Pesticides, Herbicides and Other Toxic Chemicals.
Your purchase is 80% tax deductible AND you are supporting the Natural Solutions Foundation with every delicious cup!
Double Taste, Double Support! The Holiday Season is coming. Why not make your coffee Valley of the MoonTM and give your gift recipients Health Freedom's CoffeeTM, too? We produce it ourselves as part of the International Decade of Nutrition's goal of reclaiming the production of food. Here at Valley of the MoonTM Eco Demonstration Project, everything we do helps farmers and non-farmers alike to regain their ability to produce clean, unadulterated food. Our amazingly fine premium Panamanian coffee is part of that program.
As a personal or a corporate gift, you are showing that you have good taste and care about health of the environment, workers and consumers! And your delicious and thoughtful gifts are 80% tax deductible!
Valley of the MoonTM Coffee is produced in limited supply by the Noble Bugle people on our high mountain farm. We are milling and roasting it right now for you. Order yours now because once the supply is gone, it is gone until our next harvest.
_____
Don't Forget to "Follow"
Us on Twitter!
For Up-to-the-Minute Developments
www.Twitter.com/HealthFreedomUS
www.Twitter.com/DrLaibow
Hashtags:
#selfshield #healthfreedom #foodfreedom
#pandemic #noforcedvax
Take each Action Item once for each person in your family:
- Say No to Forced Vaccines/Incarceration: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27275
(1.98+ million emails so far
Videos of the Week!
Read more... http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=3339
And take a look at Dr. Rima's latest video:
STOP THE SHOT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZINew8Elmgk
Yours in health and freedom,
Dr. Rima
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
SHARE!
Tell your friends about HealthFreedomUSA.org
ORGANIZE!
Join us in the fight to protect your health freedom
SIGN CITIZEN'S PETITION!
Ask the U.S. government to change its policy on Codex Alimentarius
Sunday, September 27, 2009
St. Regis Princeville After Renovation Picture Album
Pictures from the opening day Sept. 26th of the St. Regis Princeville. Will write up a full review of the $100 million hotel renovation soon on Aloha Analytics. Wanted to first get these pictures up as they are the first comprehensive set of public pictures (not merely renderings) of the St. Regis Princeville yet on the Internet.
St. Regis Princeville After: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157622470491724/
The Princeville Hotel Before: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157607566044228/
St. Regis Princeville After: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157622470491724/
The Princeville Hotel Before: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157607566044228/
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Kaua'i Hearing: Hawai`i Department of Ag Layoffs Oct. 1st
From: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/hearingnotices/HEARING_AHC_10-01-09_INFO_.HTM
THE TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2009
| SENATE AD HOC COMMITTEE |
| Senator Russell S. Kokubun, Chair |
NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING
| DATE: | Thursday, October 1, 2009 |
| TIME: | 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm |
| PLACE: | King Kaumuali`i Elementary School 4380 Hanamaulu Road Lihue, Hawai`i 96766 |
A G E N D A
The purpose of this informational briefing is to gather information relating to the potential impacts on the community and the agricultural industry on the island of Kaua`i, arising from the significant reduction in service at the plant quarantine branch on Kaua`i. The reduction of station staffing and the consequent reduction in service would come as the result of Governor Linda Lingle's announced implementation of Reduction in Force (RIF).
If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids or services to participate in the public hearing process (i.e., sign or foreign language interpreter, wheelchair accessibility, or parking designated for the disabled) please contact the committee clerk 24 hours prior to the hearing so arrangements can be made.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-6760.Attached, please find a list of concerns from Maui Invasive Species Council regarding the layoffs.
HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: PENDING LAYOFFS
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS & CONCERNS
HAWAII’S VULNERABILITY
· Invasive species enter Hawaii at 2 million x natural rate & establish in the islands 500 x more than any other state in the Nation. Just one box of imported lettuce contained 36 different species of insects, including 19 not known to occur in Hawaii.
· Of all plants and birds known to be extinct in the U.S., 67% are from Hawaii.
· Hawaii is the most remote location on earth. We are almost totally dependent on aircraft and ships to move people, food, fuel, and goods into and out of Hawaii. Nearly 90% of our consumer goods are imported.
HDOA: CURRENT EFFORTS
· HDOA is the first line of defense against invasive species
· HDOA inspects air and ship cargo for pests
· HDOA conducts passenger surveillance
· HDOA monitors incoming baggage, inspects agricultural items
· HDOA conducts inspections of interisland goods
· HDOA certifies nurseries to facilitate export to the mainland
· HDOA conducts rapid response actions to pests
· HDOA conducts public education and outreach about agricultural pests
HDOA: PROJECTED IMPACTS
· 52 of 73 “General Fund” positions in Plant Quarantine to be laid off; other HDOA branches also hit hard, including Plant Pest Control
· On Oahu: 58 positions cut to 23
· Oahu inspectors will be overwhelmed as all incoming shipped produce will be routed through Honolulu; increased volume with fewer staff to handle load will cause delay in product movement
· Ability to conduct shipments of interisland cargo will likely disappear as emphasis will shift to clearing food cargo
· Elimination of efforts to control environmental pests
· Elimination of efforts to find biocontrol solutions for pests such as fireweed or miconia
· Enforcement efforts eliminated
IMPACTS: HAWAII’S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS & ECONOMIC COSTS
· Quality of fresh produce and livestock feed likely to decline due to delays
· Decreased income for retailers
· Cost of food will increase if retailers shift to air cargo to maintain quality
· Delays in shipping stocker cattle to the mainland could be disastrous for animals
· Delays in Honolulu in processing imports of rooted and non-rooted plants could damage or kill nursery stock
· Delays in importing sheep, goats, hogs, dogs will result in increased costs to the producer and consumer
· Increased embargo actions imposed against Hawaii’s growers because of infested exports to the mainland
· Certified nurseries will not be able to self-certify, resulting in loss of export business
· Decrease in ability of HDOA to intercept harmful pests, resulting in increased costs to producers
RISKS: HUMAN HEALTH, QUALITY OF LIFE, ENVIRONMENTAL & ECONOMIC COSTS
· Increased potential for Brown Tree Snake: 8 known interceptions in Hawaii – all associated with aircraft arrivals from Guam. Estimated cost if BTS becomes established in Hawaii: $485 million per year
· Increased potential for mosquito-borne diseases, like West Nile Virus
· Red Imported Fire Ant: 2 known interceptions in Hawaii – one in air cargo, one in maritime cargo. Estimated cost if RIFA becomes established in Hawaii: $211 million per year.
· Coqui frog currently only widespread on Big Island, but constant interceptions in interisland shipments. Decreased property values statewide
· Increased risk of Brown Tree Snake, West Nile Virus, and Red Imported Fire Ant making it to Hawaii
· Increased risk of the following pests becoming widespread on all islands: Little Fire Ant, Stinging Nettle Caterpillar, Varroa Mite, Coqui Frog, and the slug that is the carrier of the coma-causing rat lung worm disease
· Inability to obtain certain high-risk items, like Christmas trees
· Costs to control invasive species much greater once established
· Consumers will bear increased costs for imports
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
· What is the justification for cutting invasive species prevention?
· Why was HDOA singled out for such a high level of cuts? (See attached chart.)
· Will there actually be any money saved by this action?
· Cuts to HDOA will “save” $5.9 million overall. The potential economic impacts are clearly much greater. Has the State done an economic analysis of the impacts?
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS SUGGESTED
· Legislative amendment to impose penalty for nonpayment of cargo fee (some airlines not paying)
· Small increase to cargo fee
· Small tax increase to cover costs
· Legal injunction to prevent imminent harm to agricultural industry from layoffs
· Negotiate in good faith to avoid layoffs
‘Food Inc.’ showing at Waimea Theatre Next Week
By Pam Woolway - The Garden Island
Next week the documentary, “Food Inc.” will show at 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 29th, Wednesday Sept. 30th, and Thursday Oct. 1st at Waimea Theater. The price is $5 and includes a free bag of GMO free popcorn.
“Food, Inc.” is transforming the American view on industrial food production just as “An Inconvenient Truth” brought global warming to the fore. Filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on America’s food industry revealing how complicated and compromised growing crops and raising livestock has become. Kenner exposes the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the government’s regulatory agencies, the movie Website states.
“Kaua‘i theaters weren’t going to show it on their own,” said Mi-Key Boudreaux of GMO Free Kaua‘i. “People still think that food is coming from a family farm. People deserve to know where their food is coming from.”
The film includes interviews with Eric Schlosser (“Fast Food Nation”), Michael Pollan (“The Omnivore’s Dilemma”) and social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farms’ Gary Hirschberg and Polyface Farms’ Joe Salatin.
“Just two generations ago people were close to a majority of their food sources,” said Andrea Brower of Malama Kaua‘i in a press release. “Today few people know what is in their food and even fewer people understand the economic, political, social and environmental ramifications of what they eat.”
Judy Dalton of the Sierra Club added that “the food we have come to think of as cheap is actually quite costly. Petroleum runs every stage of the modern agricultural system, from driving tractors to transporting cows to fertilizing fields.”
The film discloses how most of America’s food supply is controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health.
“If we are concerned about health care, we need to take a good look at what’s on our plate,” said Diana LaBedz with Surfrider Foundation. “People’s health and the health of our planet are both in sad shape. We are not helpless to make corrections to our behavior.”
“Food Inc.” was brought to Kaua‘i through the efforts of Surfrider Foundation, Apollo Kaua‘i, the Vegetarian Society, 1,000 Friends, Sierra Club, GMO Free Kaua‘i and Malama Kaua’i.
Next week the documentary, “Food Inc.” will show at 7 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 29th, Wednesday Sept. 30th, and Thursday Oct. 1st at Waimea Theater. The price is $5 and includes a free bag of GMO free popcorn.
“Food, Inc.” is transforming the American view on industrial food production just as “An Inconvenient Truth” brought global warming to the fore. Filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on America’s food industry revealing how complicated and compromised growing crops and raising livestock has become. Kenner exposes the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the government’s regulatory agencies, the movie Website states.
“Kaua‘i theaters weren’t going to show it on their own,” said Mi-Key Boudreaux of GMO Free Kaua‘i. “People still think that food is coming from a family farm. People deserve to know where their food is coming from.”
The film includes interviews with Eric Schlosser (“Fast Food Nation”), Michael Pollan (“The Omnivore’s Dilemma”) and social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farms’ Gary Hirschberg and Polyface Farms’ Joe Salatin.
“Just two generations ago people were close to a majority of their food sources,” said Andrea Brower of Malama Kaua‘i in a press release. “Today few people know what is in their food and even fewer people understand the economic, political, social and environmental ramifications of what they eat.”
Judy Dalton of the Sierra Club added that “the food we have come to think of as cheap is actually quite costly. Petroleum runs every stage of the modern agricultural system, from driving tractors to transporting cows to fertilizing fields.”
The film discloses how most of America’s food supply is controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health.
“If we are concerned about health care, we need to take a good look at what’s on our plate,” said Diana LaBedz with Surfrider Foundation. “People’s health and the health of our planet are both in sad shape. We are not helpless to make corrections to our behavior.”
“Food Inc.” was brought to Kaua‘i through the efforts of Surfrider Foundation, Apollo Kaua‘i, the Vegetarian Society, 1,000 Friends, Sierra Club, GMO Free Kaua‘i and Malama Kaua’i.
UHERO: Economic recovery in Hawaii years away
From: http://www.cnbc.com/id/33020933
"Report: Economic recovery in Hawaii years away"
By: The Associated Press | 25 Sep 2009
HONOLULU - Hawaii's economy is years away from a full recovery, but there are a few positive signs that the state is moving past the recession, University of Hawaii economists said in a quarterly forecast released Friday. [UHERO Executive Summary here.]
Tourism from Japan rebounded better than expected from the swine flu scare earlier this year, the university's Economic Research Organization found...
But hotel occupancy rates are still at historically low levels — predicted to average an abysmal 66.1 percent this year — and will remain below 70 percent until the end of 2011, the economists found.
The state's tourism industry will be slow to recover, partly because of cautious consumers on the U.S. mainland, the report said. Also, unemployment will continue to increase and state government's budget woes will continue to be a drag.
"Recovery means a return to growth, not a return to business as usual," the report said.
The economists predicted only a 4.4 percent drop in total visitor arrivals, instead of the 6.8 percent loss they forecasted in their June analysis. That's partly due to the return of tourism by Japanese visitors, as well as the deep discounts hotels are offering to attract business...
"Report: Economic recovery in Hawaii years away"
By: The Associated Press | 25 Sep 2009
HONOLULU - Hawaii's economy is years away from a full recovery, but there are a few positive signs that the state is moving past the recession, University of Hawaii economists said in a quarterly forecast released Friday. [UHERO Executive Summary here.]
Tourism from Japan rebounded better than expected from the swine flu scare earlier this year, the university's Economic Research Organization found...
But hotel occupancy rates are still at historically low levels — predicted to average an abysmal 66.1 percent this year — and will remain below 70 percent until the end of 2011, the economists found.
The state's tourism industry will be slow to recover, partly because of cautious consumers on the U.S. mainland, the report said. Also, unemployment will continue to increase and state government's budget woes will continue to be a drag.
"Recovery means a return to growth, not a return to business as usual," the report said.
The economists predicted only a 4.4 percent drop in total visitor arrivals, instead of the 6.8 percent loss they forecasted in their June analysis. That's partly due to the return of tourism by Japanese visitors, as well as the deep discounts hotels are offering to attract business...
Friday, September 25, 2009
9 days to review 849 pages...sorry, you're too slow
From: http://disappearednews.com/2009/09/public-cheated-on-bioenergy-master-plan.html
...Act 253 (2007) directed the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to develop a Bioenergy Master Plan (BEMP) and submit it to the Legislature no later that January 1, 2009.
...Act 253 (2007) directed the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to develop a Bioenergy Master Plan (BEMP) and submit it to the Legislature no later that January 1, 2009.
Instead the Draft Report (www.hnei.hawaii.edu/bmpp/stakeholders.asp) was released on September 23, 2009.
The public has just 9 days to review the 849 page document.
Comments must be filed by October 2, 2009 so that the Final Report can be released on October 15, 2009...
First Real Pictures inside St. Regis Princeville up on the Internet
From: http://ajgallery.blogspot.com/2009/09/st-regis-princeville-at-last.html
Contributions by the artists of the Arthur Johnsen Gallery located in historic Downtown Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawai'i
Thursday, September 24, 2009
"St. Regis Princeville at Last"
As my friend Neil and I approached Kaua'i's north shore, the promenade theme from Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" was playing inexplicably on my inner iPod. You know, the one with all the trumpets and the stately tempo. When we entered the St. Regis Princeville Resort overlooking Hanalei Bay and the mountains of NaPali, the perfect serendipity of this musical selection became clear. The designers of this new version of the old hotel have stripped down and re-created the space into something very much worthy of trumpets playing.
Amazingly enough, my painting is the central focus of the entire grand lobby area, a fact that was never quite conveyed to me. Perhaps it's better this way as I would have been frozen in nervous terror at the responsibility. Fortunately I do think that my Hi'iaka and Lohi'au canvas has enough grandeur and iconic nature in spite of its quirky details to stand in this space and even add to the legendary qualities. Now I appreciate why the designer, Rhonda Rasmussen of the WATG design group was so hard to please during this project. Well, I hope she's OK with it now, because Neil and I worked our butts off getting the piece restretched and in place! -- posted by Arthur -- [Click on images to enlarge]
Amazingly enough, my painting is the central focus of the entire grand lobby area, a fact that was never quite conveyed to me. Perhaps it's better this way as I would have been frozen in nervous terror at the responsibility. Fortunately I do think that my Hi'iaka and Lohi'au canvas has enough grandeur and iconic nature in spite of its quirky details to stand in this space and even add to the legendary qualities. Now I appreciate why the designer, Rhonda Rasmussen of the WATG design group was so hard to please during this project. Well, I hope she's OK with it now, because Neil and I worked our butts off getting the piece restretched and in place! -- posted by Arthur -- [Click on images to enlarge]
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Another good letter about building on Wailua Beach
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/24/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/doc4abb14c705dd2847259627.txt
No boardwalk on beach
The Kaua‘i Group of the Hawai‘i Chapter Sierra Club supports the concept of a bicycle path; however, placing a boardwalk on Wailua Beach and making it a high transit corridor would be both culturally and environmentally inappropriate.
We believe it is of paramount importance to respect Native Hawaiian rights by protecting the cultural and historical significance of Wailua Beach and preserving it as a natural, undeveloped beach.
The omission of an archaeological inventory survey and cultural impact assessment for the Wailua corridor led to a false finding of “no significant impact” in the Environmental Assessment and is a major reason for the continued controversy over placement of the path.
The recent letter from the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs recommending that the bicycle path “stay off of and away from the sacred sands of Wailua, and that any such project occur in a more mauka alignment, towards an existing cane haul road” leaves no doubt that locating a boardwalk on Wailua Beach would disregard the deep concerns of the host culture.
The Sierra Club has always advocated for preserving beaches in their natural state, but here there is an additional, overarching concern: Native Hawaiian rights. We stand with the Native Hawaiian groups on this issue and we call on our county government to respect Native Hawaiian concerns by implementing OHA’s recommendations.
Anna Chavez, Victor Cloutier, Judy Dalton, Caren Diamond, Marge Freeman, Carl Imparato, Rayne Regush, Jimmy Trujillo
Sierra Club’s Kaua‘i Group executive committee
No boardwalk on beach
The Kaua‘i Group of the Hawai‘i Chapter Sierra Club supports the concept of a bicycle path; however, placing a boardwalk on Wailua Beach and making it a high transit corridor would be both culturally and environmentally inappropriate.
We believe it is of paramount importance to respect Native Hawaiian rights by protecting the cultural and historical significance of Wailua Beach and preserving it as a natural, undeveloped beach.
The omission of an archaeological inventory survey and cultural impact assessment for the Wailua corridor led to a false finding of “no significant impact” in the Environmental Assessment and is a major reason for the continued controversy over placement of the path.
The recent letter from the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs recommending that the bicycle path “stay off of and away from the sacred sands of Wailua, and that any such project occur in a more mauka alignment, towards an existing cane haul road” leaves no doubt that locating a boardwalk on Wailua Beach would disregard the deep concerns of the host culture.
The Sierra Club has always advocated for preserving beaches in their natural state, but here there is an additional, overarching concern: Native Hawaiian rights. We stand with the Native Hawaiian groups on this issue and we call on our county government to respect Native Hawaiian concerns by implementing OHA’s recommendations.
Anna Chavez, Victor Cloutier, Judy Dalton, Caren Diamond, Marge Freeman, Carl Imparato, Rayne Regush, Jimmy Trujillo
Sierra Club’s Kaua‘i Group executive committee
Varroa mite spreading across the Big Island of Hawaii
From: http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2009/09/20/local/local02.txt
"Varroa mite will spread to West Hawaii, scientists say"
Sunday, September 20, 2009
by Chelsea Jensen West Hawaii Today
Scientists say it's only a matter of time before the varroa mite, a parasite that feeds on honeybees, makes its way to West Hawaii. - Hawaii Dept. Of Agriculture
In just over a year's time, the varroa mite, an ectoparasite that feeds on honeybees, has spread from the Hilo Bay area north to Onomea and around south to Pahala, researchers say.
And it is not a matter of if, but when the mites will spread to West Hawaii, said Ethel Villalobos, an entomologist at the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
Although it is unknown just how quickly it could occur, Villalobos said it will at some point happen because bees naturally move to find sources of pollen and farmers and beekeepers often move hives, and can do so without knowing if a colony is infested with varroa destructor.
"The bottom line is: Varroa mites have been all over the world and the mainland for the last 20 years and it's substantially changed the way agriculture is done on the mainland. It will substantially change the way we do agriculture here," said Richard Johnson, owner of Onomea Orchards and president of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers. "It's not the end of agriculture. It wasn't on the mainland. We're going to have to learn to live with it, we're not going to eliminate the varroa mite. ... It's going to become an art of living with varroa."
More than 100 people attended a varroa mite panel discussion, part of the 19th annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference held Saturday at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The panel featured researchers from UH's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources varroa mite project.
Already established on Oahu and discovered near Hilo Bay late last August, the mite attaches to the European honeybee, burrows beneath its skin and feeds upon the bee. Eventually, the mites enter the bees' hives, living off their blood, where the mites reproduce within single cells of bees and larvae.
The mites weaken the bees, allowing other viruses and diseases, such as deformed wing virus, which essentially makes a bee's wings not form properly, to kill the bees off. Once a colony has been killed off, bees from healthy colonies often take over the diseased hive, thus spreading the mites.
In Hilo, the prognosis appears to be grim for the 130 feral hives that have been documented in the area, said Scott Nikaido, who provides research support for the project. Within a year, 90 percent of those feral hives could be gone, reducing bees to pollinate local farmers' crops, he said.
Should the mite spread islandwide, researchers say that between 75 percent and 90 percent of feral hives will be lost. For managed hives researchers expect that 50 percent of those will succumb to the varroa mite.
"They may make a comeback, but the hive will never be the same again," Nikaido said, offering up an example -- a Waianae winter melon farmer who saw a 50 percent decrease in the crop in 2008 because of a lack of bees in the area. "There's nowhere near enough bees for the whole Waianae area. Farmers are going to have to rely on bringing in bees just to get adequate pollination."
When it comes to combating the parasite, Villalobos said that chemicals are not as effective as finding an organic way to get rid of the mites because they seem to become resistant to chemicals much the same way that some viruses become resistant to antibiotics.
Research is currently aimed at attempting to use a "drone comb removal trap" that sacrifices male bees, which allows the mites to infest the males, which are subsequently removed from the hive.
Second, researchers are testing whether thymic acid, which is naturally found in hives, and formic acid, which is naturally produced in plants, can kill the mites. Researchers are also testing bees with good hygienic behavior, which naturally "throw out" infected bees from the colony, as well as finding locally produced queens, Villalobos said.
In an attempt to slow the spread, researchers are offering educational workshops as well as passing out brochures, said Villalobos, noting that the project is currently tailoring its materials to the Big Island.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
by Chelsea Jensen West Hawaii Today
Scientists say it's only a matter of time before the varroa mite, a parasite that feeds on honeybees, makes its way to West Hawaii. - Hawaii Dept. Of Agriculture
In just over a year's time, the varroa mite, an ectoparasite that feeds on honeybees, has spread from the Hilo Bay area north to Onomea and around south to Pahala, researchers say.
And it is not a matter of if, but when the mites will spread to West Hawaii, said Ethel Villalobos, an entomologist at the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
Although it is unknown just how quickly it could occur, Villalobos said it will at some point happen because bees naturally move to find sources of pollen and farmers and beekeepers often move hives, and can do so without knowing if a colony is infested with varroa destructor.
"The bottom line is: Varroa mites have been all over the world and the mainland for the last 20 years and it's substantially changed the way agriculture is done on the mainland. It will substantially change the way we do agriculture here," said Richard Johnson, owner of Onomea Orchards and president of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers. "It's not the end of agriculture. It wasn't on the mainland. We're going to have to learn to live with it, we're not going to eliminate the varroa mite. ... It's going to become an art of living with varroa."
More than 100 people attended a varroa mite panel discussion, part of the 19th annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference held Saturday at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The panel featured researchers from UH's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources varroa mite project.
Already established on Oahu and discovered near Hilo Bay late last August, the mite attaches to the European honeybee, burrows beneath its skin and feeds upon the bee. Eventually, the mites enter the bees' hives, living off their blood, where the mites reproduce within single cells of bees and larvae.
The mites weaken the bees, allowing other viruses and diseases, such as deformed wing virus, which essentially makes a bee's wings not form properly, to kill the bees off. Once a colony has been killed off, bees from healthy colonies often take over the diseased hive, thus spreading the mites.
In Hilo, the prognosis appears to be grim for the 130 feral hives that have been documented in the area, said Scott Nikaido, who provides research support for the project. Within a year, 90 percent of those feral hives could be gone, reducing bees to pollinate local farmers' crops, he said.
Should the mite spread islandwide, researchers say that between 75 percent and 90 percent of feral hives will be lost. For managed hives researchers expect that 50 percent of those will succumb to the varroa mite.
"They may make a comeback, but the hive will never be the same again," Nikaido said, offering up an example -- a Waianae winter melon farmer who saw a 50 percent decrease in the crop in 2008 because of a lack of bees in the area. "There's nowhere near enough bees for the whole Waianae area. Farmers are going to have to rely on bringing in bees just to get adequate pollination."
When it comes to combating the parasite, Villalobos said that chemicals are not as effective as finding an organic way to get rid of the mites because they seem to become resistant to chemicals much the same way that some viruses become resistant to antibiotics.
Research is currently aimed at attempting to use a "drone comb removal trap" that sacrifices male bees, which allows the mites to infest the males, which are subsequently removed from the hive.
Second, researchers are testing whether thymic acid, which is naturally found in hives, and formic acid, which is naturally produced in plants, can kill the mites. Researchers are also testing bees with good hygienic behavior, which naturally "throw out" infected bees from the colony, as well as finding locally produced queens, Villalobos said.
In an attempt to slow the spread, researchers are offering educational workshops as well as passing out brochures, said Villalobos, noting that the project is currently tailoring its materials to the Big Island.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Worldwide Plastic Bag Ban Central...up for vote today on Kauai
It's crunch time, Baby!
From: http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20090923_Plastic-bag_ban_up_for_vote_on_Kauai.html
"Plastic-bag ban up for vote on Kauai"
A county measure, which needs four votes to pass
By Nina Wu Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sept. 23, 2009
Kauai County is poised to ban plastic carryout bags, with a County Council vote scheduled this afternoon.
From: http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20090923_Plastic-bag_ban_up_for_vote_on_Kauai.html
"Plastic-bag ban up for vote on Kauai"
A county measure, which needs four votes to pass
By Nina Wu Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sept. 23, 2009
Kauai County is poised to ban plastic carryout bags, with a County Council vote scheduled this afternoon.
The bill was deferred last week and rescheduled for its second reading today. Only four supporting votes are needed to pass the bill.
If passed, the Garden Isle would be following on the heels of a bill passed in Maui County in August of last year, banning all plastic checkout bags.
Maui County became the first to pass the ban last year, but the law does not take effect until January 2011. Hawaii County proposed a similar bill that was vetoed by acting Mayor Dixie Kaetsu last September. Now Kauai County is next, with a bill co-introduced by Council members Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara proposing that retailers -- from minimarts to plate-lunch spots, pharmacies and supermarkets -- offer only biodegradable, 100 percent recyclable paper or reusable tote bags.
"It's a bill whose time has come," Bynum told the Star-Bulletin. "I drive down the roads of Kauai, and of the trash on the road, practically every third piece is a plastic bag."
Kauai's landfills are located next to the ocean, with winds that blow seaward, he said. Since introducing the bill, Bynum says he has personally made it a habit to bring reusable totes to the supermarket.
"You walk the beaches here, and a lot of plastic, in little pieces, come up on the beaches," Bynum said. "I just felt like this was the next logical step in terms of environmental stewardship."
If passed today, the bill would go into effect July 1, 2010, although businesses can ask for an extension of 18 months due to hardship.
The bill was deferred to today after last-minute testimony opposing the measure came from the Kauai Chamber of Commerce.
"We support the spirit of what this bill is for," said Chamber President Randall Francisco, "but we felt that further government intervention was unnecessary."
In time, consumers will begin using more reusable totes., he said, but with the bill's passage, they will ultimately be the ones who feel it in their pocketbooks, he said.
The Hawaii Food Industry Association and Retail Merchants of Hawaii also oppose the ban, saying higher costs would be passed on to the consumer.
Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., however, said he supported the bill, saying many communities around the country already have taken the step. The county is getting ready to distribute 25,000 free reusable bags to residents next month.
Proponents of the ban say the petroleum-based product is bad for the environment, creating litter, choking marine life and taking 1,000 years to break down.
Mainland cities, including San Francisco and Malibu, Calif., already have banned plastic checkout bags.
The Kauai County Council bill differs from the Maui bill in several ways:
» It allows for biodegradable bags, which it defines specifically as a bag with no petroleum-derived content conforming to a European standard. The Maui bill bans all plastic bags.
» It allows retail establishments to charge customers for the use of biodegradable or paper bags at checkout. The amount would be up to the retailer.
» On Kauai the penalties for violating the ban would be $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation within the same year and $500 for each additional violation in the same year. Kauai's county engineer would enforce the ban.
Hawaii’s Vacation Rental Industry Struggles with Low Occupancy Rates
From: http://www.ereleases.com/pr/hawaiis-vacation-rental-industry-struggles-occupancy-rates-26090
Contact: Cathy Pretorius
HONOLULU, Sept. 23, 2009 — HawaiiGaga.com, the search engine for Hawaii vacation rentals, has concluded a yearlong study of vacation rental occupancy rates. Occupancy rates for Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island were 62%, 61%, 57% and 50% respectively.
Contact: Cathy Pretorius
HONOLULU, Sept. 23, 2009 — HawaiiGaga.com, the search engine for Hawaii vacation rentals, has concluded a yearlong study of vacation rental occupancy rates. Occupancy rates for Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island were 62%, 61%, 57% and 50% respectively.
The study was based on 2,373 vacation homes and condos with both professionally managed and owner-operated rentals included.
State wide, September had the lowest occupancy rate at 40% while February was the busiest time of year for rentals with an 81% occupancy rate. From a regional perspective, Waikiki had the highest occupancy in the state at 66%, followed closely by Poipu, Kihei and East Oahu (Waimanalo and Kailua) at 65%. The two poorest performing regions were Kapalua with a rate of 46% and the Big Island’s Kohala coast and Puna regions, both averaging 49%.
Data was collected from owners and agents who publish availability calendars online, including availability data from real time reservation systems. The study included 983 properties from Maui, 565 from Oahu, 396 from Kauai and 429 from the Big Island. The average rental price and number of bedrooms of rentals included in the study was $225 and 1.8.
As the first broad-based study of its kind, it’s unknown how these rates compare to years past. More rental statistics can be found at http://www.hawaiigaga.com/hawaii-vacation-rental-statistics.aspx
About HawaiiGaga.com
HawaiiGaga.com contains the Internet’s most comprehensive directory of Hawaii vacation rentals with over 5,000 rentals referenced from nearly 1,000 different Web sites. Powerful search tools allow vacationers to quickly find rentals that match their preferences. HawaiiGaga.com also publishes vacation guides, interactive beach and attraction maps, travel articles and hundreds of panoramic photos of the Hawaiian Islands.
COURT FINDS USDA VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW BY ALLOWING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SUGAR BEETS ON THE MARKET
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 22, 2009
Contacts:
Paul Achitoff, Earthjustice,
Andrew Kimbrell, Center for Food Safety,
Zelig Golden, Center for Food Safety,
John Bianchi, Goodman Media,
Matthew Dillon, Organic Seed Alliance,
Tom Stearns, High Mowing Seeds,
Neil Carman, Sierra Club
COURT FINDS USDA VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW BY ALLOWING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SUGAR BEETS ON THE MARKET
Government Failed To Evaluate Environmental and Economic Risks of Monsanto Product
San Francisco, CA - In a case brought by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice representing a coalition of farmers and consumers, a Federal Court ruled yesterday that the Bush USDA’s approval of genetically engineered (GE) “RoundUp Ready” sugar beets was unlawful. The Court ordered the USDA to conduct a rigorous assessment of the environmental and economic impacts of the crop on farmers and the environment.
The federal district court for the Northern District of California ruled that the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) when it failed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) before deregulating sugar beets that have been genetically engineered (“GE”) to be resistant to glyphosate herbicide, marketed by Monsanto as Roundup. Plaintiffs Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, Sierra Club, and High Mowing Seeds, represented by Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety, filed suit against APHIS in January 2008, alleging APHIS failed to adequately assess the environmental, health, and associated economic impacts of allowing “Roundup Ready” sugar beets to be commercially grown without restriction.
“This court decision is a wakeup call for the Obama USDA that they will not be allowed to ignore the biological pollution and economic impacts of gene altered crops,” stated Andrew Kimbrell Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. “The Courts have made it clear that USDA’s job is to protect America’s farmers and consumers, not the interests of Monsanto.”
While industry asserts that the adoption rates of GE sugar beets has been high, food producers have shown reluctance in accepting GE beet sugar. Over 100 companies have joined the Non-GM Beet Sugar Registry opposing the introduction of GE sugar beets, and pledging to seek wherever possible to avoid using GM beet sugar in their products: http://www.seedsofdeception.com/includes/services/nongm_sugar_beet_registry_display.cfm .
Sugar beet seed is grown primarily in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, which is also an important seed growing area for crops closely related to sugar beets, such as organic chard and table beets. GE sugar beets are wind pollinated and will inevitably cross-pollinate the related crops being grown in the same area. Such biological contamination would be devastating to organic farmers, who face debilitating market losses if their crops are contaminated by a GE variety. Contamination also reduces the ability of conventional farmers to decide what to grow, and limits consumer choice of the foods they can eat. In his September 21, 2009 order requiring APHIS to prepare an EIS, Judge Jeffrey S. White emphasized that “the potential elimination of a farmer’s choice to grow non-genetically engineered crops, or a consumer's choice to eat non-genetically engineered food, is an action that potentially eliminates or reduces the availability of a particular plant has a significant effect on the human environment.”
The Court found “no support in the record” for APHIS’ conclusion that conventional sugar beets would remain available for farmers and consumers and held that the agency’s decision that there would be no impacts from the GE beets “unreasonable.”
The Court also held that APHIS failed to analyze the impacts of biological contamination on the related crops of red table beets and Swiss chard. “Organic seed is the foundation of organic farming and organic food integrity, said Mathew Dillon, Director of Advocacy of the Organic Seed Alliance. “We must continue to protect this natural resource, along with the rights of organic farmers to be protected from negative economic impact from GE crops, and consumers rights' to choose to eat food free of GE components.”
“The ruling is a major consumer victory for preserving the right to grow and eat organic foods in the United States,” stated Neil Carman of the Sierra Club. “Environmental impacts of Roundup Ready sugar beets were also not considered by APHIS, and they need to be fully evaluated.”
8 0Roundup Ready” crops allow farmers to douse their fields with Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide without killing the crop. Constant application of the herbicide has resulted in weeds becoming resistant to it. There are now millions of acres across the U.S. of such “superweeds,” including marestail, ragweed, and waterhemp, and farmers are using greater applications of Roundup or other, even more toxic chemicals. According to an independent analysis of USDA data by former Board of Agriculture Chair of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Charles Benbrook, GE crops increased herbicide use in the U.S. by 122 million pounds – a 15-fold increase – between 1994 (when GE herbicide-tolerant crops were introduced) to 2004.
Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff noted, “Although touted by Monsanto as offering all sorts of benefits, GE crops offer consumers nothing, and are designed primarily to sell herbicides. The end result of their use is more toxics in our environment and our food, disappointed farmers, and revenue for Monsanto.”
A 2008 scientific study revealed that Roundup formulations and metabolic products cause the death of human embryonic, placental, and umbilical cells in vitro even at low concentrations. Other recent studies suggest Roundup is an endocrine=2 0disrupter, and that some amphibians and other organisms may be at risk from glyphosate.
In addition, Judge Jeffrey S. White – in his ruling – has scheduled a meeting in his courtroom on October 30, 2009 to discuss the remedies phase of the case, including potential injunctive relief.
Monsanto has been the subject of increasing speculation that the Department of Justice’s antitrust division is scrutinizing the biotechnology company’s control of the markets for GE crops, and for commodities such as corn, soy and cotton.
The case is Center for Food Safety v. Vilsack, No. C 08-00484 JSW (N.D. Cal. 2009). The decision follows on the heels of a June 2009 decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirming the illegality of the APHIS’ approval of Monsanto’s genetically engineered alfalfa.
***
Paul H. Achitoff
Earthjustice
Honolulu, HI
Contacts:
Paul Achitoff, Earthjustice,
Andrew Kimbrell, Center for Food Safety,
Zelig Golden, Center for Food Safety,
John Bianchi, Goodman Media,
Matthew Dillon, Organic Seed Alliance,
Tom Stearns, High Mowing Seeds,
Neil Carman, Sierra Club
COURT FINDS USDA VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW BY ALLOWING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SUGAR BEETS ON THE MARKET
Government Failed To Evaluate Environmental and Economic Risks of Monsanto Product
San Francisco, CA - In a case brought by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice representing a coalition of farmers and consumers, a Federal Court ruled yesterday that the Bush USDA’s approval of genetically engineered (GE) “RoundUp Ready” sugar beets was unlawful. The Court ordered the USDA to conduct a rigorous assessment of the environmental and economic impacts of the crop on farmers and the environment.
The federal district court for the Northern District of California ruled that the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) when it failed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) before deregulating sugar beets that have been genetically engineered (“GE”) to be resistant to glyphosate herbicide, marketed by Monsanto as Roundup. Plaintiffs Center for Food Safety, Organic Seed Alliance, Sierra Club, and High Mowing Seeds, represented by Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety, filed suit against APHIS in January 2008, alleging APHIS failed to adequately assess the environmental, health, and associated economic impacts of allowing “Roundup Ready” sugar beets to be commercially grown without restriction.
“This court decision is a wakeup call for the Obama USDA that they will not be allowed to ignore the biological pollution and economic impacts of gene altered crops,” stated Andrew Kimbrell Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. “The Courts have made it clear that USDA’s job is to protect America’s farmers and consumers, not the interests of Monsanto.”
While industry asserts that the adoption rates of GE sugar beets has been high, food producers have shown reluctance in accepting GE beet sugar. Over 100 companies have joined the Non-GM Beet Sugar Registry opposing the introduction of GE sugar beets, and pledging to seek wherever possible to avoid using GM beet sugar in their products: http://www.seedsofdeception.com/includes/services/nongm_sugar_beet_registry_display.cfm .
Sugar beet seed is grown primarily in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, which is also an important seed growing area for crops closely related to sugar beets, such as organic chard and table beets. GE sugar beets are wind pollinated and will inevitably cross-pollinate the related crops being grown in the same area. Such biological contamination would be devastating to organic farmers, who face debilitating market losses if their crops are contaminated by a GE variety. Contamination also reduces the ability of conventional farmers to decide what to grow, and limits consumer choice of the foods they can eat. In his September 21, 2009 order requiring APHIS to prepare an EIS, Judge Jeffrey S. White emphasized that “the potential elimination of a farmer’s choice to grow non-genetically engineered crops, or a consumer's choice to eat non-genetically engineered food, is an action that potentially eliminates or reduces the availability of a particular plant has a significant effect on the human environment.”
The Court found “no support in the record” for APHIS’ conclusion that conventional sugar beets would remain available for farmers and consumers and held that the agency’s decision that there would be no impacts from the GE beets “unreasonable.”
The Court also held that APHIS failed to analyze the impacts of biological contamination on the related crops of red table beets and Swiss chard. “Organic seed is the foundation of organic farming and organic food integrity, said Mathew Dillon, Director of Advocacy of the Organic Seed Alliance. “We must continue to protect this natural resource, along with the rights of organic farmers to be protected from negative economic impact from GE crops, and consumers rights' to choose to eat food free of GE components.”
“The ruling is a major consumer victory for preserving the right to grow and eat organic foods in the United States,” stated Neil Carman of the Sierra Club. “Environmental impacts of Roundup Ready sugar beets were also not considered by APHIS, and they need to be fully evaluated.”
8 0Roundup Ready” crops allow farmers to douse their fields with Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide without killing the crop. Constant application of the herbicide has resulted in weeds becoming resistant to it. There are now millions of acres across the U.S. of such “superweeds,” including marestail, ragweed, and waterhemp, and farmers are using greater applications of Roundup or other, even more toxic chemicals. According to an independent analysis of USDA data by former Board of Agriculture Chair of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Charles Benbrook, GE crops increased herbicide use in the U.S. by 122 million pounds – a 15-fold increase – between 1994 (when GE herbicide-tolerant crops were introduced) to 2004.
Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff noted, “Although touted by Monsanto as offering all sorts of benefits, GE crops offer consumers nothing, and are designed primarily to sell herbicides. The end result of their use is more toxics in our environment and our food, disappointed farmers, and revenue for Monsanto.”
A 2008 scientific study revealed that Roundup formulations and metabolic products cause the death of human embryonic, placental, and umbilical cells in vitro even at low concentrations. Other recent studies suggest Roundup is an endocrine=2 0disrupter, and that some amphibians and other organisms may be at risk from glyphosate.
In addition, Judge Jeffrey S. White – in his ruling – has scheduled a meeting in his courtroom on October 30, 2009 to discuss the remedies phase of the case, including potential injunctive relief.
Monsanto has been the subject of increasing speculation that the Department of Justice’s antitrust division is scrutinizing the biotechnology company’s control of the markets for GE crops, and for commodities such as corn, soy and cotton.
The case is Center for Food Safety v. Vilsack, No. C 08-00484 JSW (N.D. Cal. 2009). The decision follows on the heels of a June 2009 decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirming the illegality of the APHIS’ approval of Monsanto’s genetically engineered alfalfa.
***
Paul H. Achitoff
Earthjustice
Honolulu, HI
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kaua'i Plastic Bag Ban Hearing Wed. Sept. 23rd
Sample Testimony:
Honorable Council members:
I support the Plastic Bag Reduction Bill # 2321.
First of all, a plastic bag reduction bill will follow the current Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan's first recommendation of source reduction . Right off we are alleviating our trash accumulation, saving wildlife, and creating a conscience behavioral change in the way people think about trash. We need to begin somewhere and most everyone has 4-5 cloth bags to carry in to a store. It is not a hardship.
If we use a cloth bag, we can save 6 bags a week on average, 24 bags a month, 288 bags a year, 22,176 bags in a average life time. If one out of 5 folks in our country did this we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags over a life time.
Bangladesh and China has banned plastic bags. Since 2002 Ireland has now reduced plastic bag consumption by 90%, in 2005 Rwanda banned plastic bags. Israel, Canada Kenya, South Africa, Australia,etc. etc. With many many more countries taking political action: Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Spain, Norway and the UK, as well.
On March 27th, 2007, San Francisco became the first US city to ban plastic bags, with Oakland next... these are both Zero Waste Cities, by the way, with SF at 70% waste recovery. Maui County Council passed the state's first ban, with a Hawaii County ban to go in effect 2011. Seattle banned the bag this year, the Los Angeles Bag ban goes in effect by 2010. Malibu, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, Manhattan Beach have bans. New York, New Jersey and Maryland also have initiatives on the books. (any many more, as my research finds!)
Plastic shopping bags are made from polyethylene: a thermoplastic made from OIL. Reducing plastic bags will decrease foreign oil dependency.
Fact: China alone will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban of single use plastic bags.
Fact: less than 1% of bags are recycled and it cost more to recycle a bag than produce a new one.
Fact: 500 billion to a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.
Fact: Plastic bags do not decompose, only to become fragments that harms wildlife and our food chain.
Fact: Plastic bags in our oceans is slowly killing us and the systems we use for our nourishment.
Please support bill #2321.
Thank you very much,
Pam Lightfoot Burrell
Apollo Kaua'i - Co-Chair
Zero Waste Kaua'i - Treasurer
Zero Waste Kauai
Testimony Relating to Proposed Bill 2321, Plastic Bag Reduction
Honorable County Council:
Zero Waste Kauai, a local, non-profit organization advocating sustainable waste management policies is pleased to testify in support of Bill 2321.
The reduction in the use of single use plastic bags is an important step in recognizing that we can create a conscious behavioral change in the way people think about trash.
Plastic check out bags are major source of wind blown litter and coastal marine pollution. They waste limited natural petroleum resources and unnecessarily impact our landfills.
Dozens of cities across the Country and countries as diverse as China and Ireland have already banned or taxed the use of single use plastic bags, and numerous additional political jurisdictions are currently considering action.
I won’t take your time to go into all the reasons why we should transition to reuseable bags. You have heard, or will hear many of the details from others who testify. Suffice it to say that the County Councils on both Maui and Hawaii County have already reviewed all the arguments and have in place similar bans on plastic check out bags.
I know that you will be hearing from businesses who claim the cost is too great, or that the public cannot live with the inconvenience, but retailers across the country have already adjusted to similar bans in their cities and in developed countries around the world the public has never become addicted to plastic and carry their own grocery bags without major inconvenience.
It is time for the people of Kauai to join the 21st century. Our island will be all the cleaner for it. Please support the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance.
John Harder
Chair, Zero Waste Kauai
Honorable Council members:
I support the Plastic Bag Reduction Bill # 2321.
First of all, a plastic bag reduction bill will follow the current Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan's first recommendation of source reduction . Right off we are alleviating our trash accumulation, saving wildlife, and creating a conscience behavioral change in the way people think about trash. We need to begin somewhere and most everyone has 4-5 cloth bags to carry in to a store. It is not a hardship.
If we use a cloth bag, we can save 6 bags a week on average, 24 bags a month, 288 bags a year, 22,176 bags in a average life time. If one out of 5 folks in our country did this we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags over a life time.
Bangladesh and China has banned plastic bags. Since 2002 Ireland has now reduced plastic bag consumption by 90%, in 2005 Rwanda banned plastic bags. Israel, Canada Kenya, South Africa, Australia,etc. etc. With many many more countries taking political action: Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Spain, Norway and the UK, as well.
On March 27th, 2007, San Francisco became the first US city to ban plastic bags, with Oakland next... these are both Zero Waste Cities, by the way, with SF at 70% waste recovery. Maui County Council passed the state's first ban, with a Hawaii County ban to go in effect 2011. Seattle banned the bag this year, the Los Angeles Bag ban goes in effect by 2010. Malibu, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, Manhattan Beach have bans. New York, New Jersey and Maryland also have initiatives on the books. (any many more, as my research finds!)
Plastic shopping bags are made from polyethylene: a thermoplastic made from OIL. Reducing plastic bags will decrease foreign oil dependency.
Fact: China alone will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban of single use plastic bags.
Fact: less than 1% of bags are recycled and it cost more to recycle a bag than produce a new one.
Fact: 500 billion to a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.
Fact: Plastic bags do not decompose, only to become fragments that harms wildlife and our food chain.
Fact: Plastic bags in our oceans is slowly killing us and the systems we use for our nourishment.
Please support bill #2321.
Thank you very much,
Pam Lightfoot Burrell
Apollo Kaua'i - Co-Chair
Zero Waste Kaua'i - Treasurer
Zero Waste Kauai
Testimony Relating to Proposed Bill 2321, Plastic Bag Reduction
Honorable County Council:
Zero Waste Kauai, a local, non-profit organization advocating sustainable waste management policies is pleased to testify in support of Bill 2321.
The reduction in the use of single use plastic bags is an important step in recognizing that we can create a conscious behavioral change in the way people think about trash.
Plastic check out bags are major source of wind blown litter and coastal marine pollution. They waste limited natural petroleum resources and unnecessarily impact our landfills.
Dozens of cities across the Country and countries as diverse as China and Ireland have already banned or taxed the use of single use plastic bags, and numerous additional political jurisdictions are currently considering action.
I won’t take your time to go into all the reasons why we should transition to reuseable bags. You have heard, or will hear many of the details from others who testify. Suffice it to say that the County Councils on both Maui and Hawaii County have already reviewed all the arguments and have in place similar bans on plastic check out bags.
I know that you will be hearing from businesses who claim the cost is too great, or that the public cannot live with the inconvenience, but retailers across the country have already adjusted to similar bans in their cities and in developed countries around the world the public has never become addicted to plastic and carry their own grocery bags without major inconvenience.
It is time for the people of Kauai to join the 21st century. Our island will be all the cleaner for it. Please support the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance.
John Harder
Chair, Zero Waste Kauai
Kalaheo Elementary School HI-5 recycling drive on Sept. 26
Kalaheo Elementary School is holding a HI5 recycling drive on Sept. 26, 2009.
Kalaheo School is holding a recycle day and HI5 drive on Saturday from 8am until noon. We are asking people to donate a bag of HI5 to the school. We have saved 40,000 pounds of recyclables from the landfill so far....that is equivalent to 16 honda civics!
We will have the roller truck to roll over expired soda cans and we will be emptying plastics. We will fill a 40 ft. container with HI5. We are also collecting electronics for our electronics recycling program. The list of acceptable items can be found on our website: http://www.kalaheoschool.com/EarthFriendly.html. The link to the list is about half way down the page under the tech for tech program.
Kalaheo School is holding a recycle day and HI5 drive on Saturday from 8am until noon. We are asking people to donate a bag of HI5 to the school. We have saved 40,000 pounds of recyclables from the landfill so far....that is equivalent to 16 honda civics!
We will have the roller truck to roll over expired soda cans and we will be emptying plastics. We will fill a 40 ft. container with HI5. We are also collecting electronics for our electronics recycling program. The list of acceptable items can be found on our website: http://www.kalaheoschool.com/EarthFriendly.html. The link to the list is about half way down the page under the tech for tech program.
Thanks,
Traci Sullivan
635-8062
Kaua'i Wind energy bill deferred and other Council news
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/22/news/kauai_news/doc4ab88836a5081024496620.txt
"Wind energy bill deferred"
Councilman Furfaro: ‘We need to have a game plan’
By Michael Levine - The Garden Island LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council finally did what it had been dancing around for months. Discussion of the small wind energy bill has been deferred until officials see a draft of the comprehensive energy sustainability plan.
The bill — which would clear the way for citizens to install small personal wind energy systems without the time and expense of applying for special permits from the county Planning Department — was deferred last week by the council’s Planning Committee until Oct. 28.
“We need to have a game plan,” said Committee Chair Jay Furfaro, who had asked for such a lengthy deferral at previous meetings but had to settle for repeated two-week delays. He said he wants the council to establish and adopt a strategic plan that can be followed far into the future — even if the current crop of council members don’t get re-elected.
Furfaro finally found the votes necessary to get the deferral he wanted. Because he cannot move for nor second a deferral or any other action as the committee chair, and with Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara having voiced their support for the bill and their desire to work on it and pass it now, both Daryl Kaneshiro and Derek Kawakami’s support was required for a continuance.
“A deferral doesn’t mean that the work stops,” Kawakami said, adding that he supports the idea of small wind systems but various environmental groups disagree on how the goals should be achieved and that work still needs to be done to the proposal. “The work never stops.”
While individual council members can conduct research and write amendments in the coming weeks, or join up in pairs to do so, no changes can be made to the bill until it comes back on the council floor because of the state Sunshine Law.
Kaneshiro said he wanted to focus on land zoned agricultural or industrial rather than residential because many critics’ complaints have focused on the impacts of noise and visual blight on neighborhoods situated on such property, especially on the North Shore.
Kawakami and Kaneshiro said they would not yet vote for Bill No. 2317, but both Kawahara and Bynum both spoke out in favor of it.
“Doing this now does not preclude us from doing anything more to follow the strategic plan,” Kawahara said.
“It’s not this or that, it’s both,” Bynum agreed. “We need to get serious about alternative energy. ... Right now, the county is the obstacle.”
Council Chair Kaipo Asing, who is an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all council committees, asked his colleagues why they didn’t want to wait until Oct. 28.
“What is the big rush now?” he asked.
In the end, the committee voted 5-0 for the deferral, with Bynum and Kawahara conceding the point.
Furfaro said if the consultant, Sentech Hawai‘i, has not finished the draft by the Oct. 28 committee meeting, he will ask representatives to be present on that date to explain the progress and status of the report.
Earlier this year, the county said the draft report would be rolled out to the public via webinar in November, followed by a month-long period for feedback.
The final Energy Sustainability Plan is expected to be completed by January or February and will contain recommended steps that the county, in collaboration with the private sector, can take to achieve its energy sustainability goals over the next 20 years.
In other deferral news, a proposed bill that would allow farmers to create additional housing for their workers was unanimously pushed back to the same Oct. 28 Planning Committee meeting.
Former Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said groups like Malama Kaua‘i and the Kaua‘i Farm Bureau are reviewing the legislation and talking with interested parties to ensure the ordinance, if passed, is a strong one.
This Wednesday, the council will have an opportunity to act on a proposed ban on plastic checkout bags. Two weeks ago, the vote was deferred so council members could read and weigh testimony from the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce and another business advocacy group that opposes the ban on economic grounds.
Since that meeting, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has come out in support of the legislation, saying in written testimony to the council that such a measure is inevitable.
"Wind energy bill deferred"
Councilman Furfaro: ‘We need to have a game plan’
By Michael Levine - The Garden Island LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council finally did what it had been dancing around for months. Discussion of the small wind energy bill has been deferred until officials see a draft of the comprehensive energy sustainability plan.
The bill — which would clear the way for citizens to install small personal wind energy systems without the time and expense of applying for special permits from the county Planning Department — was deferred last week by the council’s Planning Committee until Oct. 28.
“We need to have a game plan,” said Committee Chair Jay Furfaro, who had asked for such a lengthy deferral at previous meetings but had to settle for repeated two-week delays. He said he wants the council to establish and adopt a strategic plan that can be followed far into the future — even if the current crop of council members don’t get re-elected.
Furfaro finally found the votes necessary to get the deferral he wanted. Because he cannot move for nor second a deferral or any other action as the committee chair, and with Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara having voiced their support for the bill and their desire to work on it and pass it now, both Daryl Kaneshiro and Derek Kawakami’s support was required for a continuance.
“A deferral doesn’t mean that the work stops,” Kawakami said, adding that he supports the idea of small wind systems but various environmental groups disagree on how the goals should be achieved and that work still needs to be done to the proposal. “The work never stops.”
While individual council members can conduct research and write amendments in the coming weeks, or join up in pairs to do so, no changes can be made to the bill until it comes back on the council floor because of the state Sunshine Law.
Kaneshiro said he wanted to focus on land zoned agricultural or industrial rather than residential because many critics’ complaints have focused on the impacts of noise and visual blight on neighborhoods situated on such property, especially on the North Shore.
Kawakami and Kaneshiro said they would not yet vote for Bill No. 2317, but both Kawahara and Bynum both spoke out in favor of it.
“Doing this now does not preclude us from doing anything more to follow the strategic plan,” Kawahara said.
“It’s not this or that, it’s both,” Bynum agreed. “We need to get serious about alternative energy. ... Right now, the county is the obstacle.”
Council Chair Kaipo Asing, who is an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all council committees, asked his colleagues why they didn’t want to wait until Oct. 28.
“What is the big rush now?” he asked.
In the end, the committee voted 5-0 for the deferral, with Bynum and Kawahara conceding the point.
Furfaro said if the consultant, Sentech Hawai‘i, has not finished the draft by the Oct. 28 committee meeting, he will ask representatives to be present on that date to explain the progress and status of the report.
Earlier this year, the county said the draft report would be rolled out to the public via webinar in November, followed by a month-long period for feedback.
The final Energy Sustainability Plan is expected to be completed by January or February and will contain recommended steps that the county, in collaboration with the private sector, can take to achieve its energy sustainability goals over the next 20 years.
In other deferral news, a proposed bill that would allow farmers to create additional housing for their workers was unanimously pushed back to the same Oct. 28 Planning Committee meeting.
Former Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said groups like Malama Kaua‘i and the Kaua‘i Farm Bureau are reviewing the legislation and talking with interested parties to ensure the ordinance, if passed, is a strong one.
This Wednesday, the council will have an opportunity to act on a proposed ban on plastic checkout bags. Two weeks ago, the vote was deferred so council members could read and weigh testimony from the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce and another business advocacy group that opposes the ban on economic grounds.
Since that meeting, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has come out in support of the legislation, saying in written testimony to the council that such a measure is inevitable.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Energy From Thorium: Nuclear Liquid Thorium Reactors
Searching for "liquid fluoride thorium reactor" links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molten_salt_reactor
http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/2006/04/brief-history-of-liquid-fluoride.html
http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/2009/06/fluoride-reactor-presentation-by-dr-jan.html
http://tinyurl.com/nmwntu
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenneth Uecker
Date: Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Subject: Re: Oil Information - Interesting
...The thing to watch out for, is there are a LOT of people working on different high density energy generation. And if electricity can be generated cheap enough (we're talking about 2 or 3 mils/kilowatt hour) then some spectacular things become possible. Like for example, with a Sabatier chemical reactor, using the right catalyst, you can produce plastics and synthetic fuel from air. (invented in 1870) The Japanese have method for the extraction of metals and rare earths from seawater. (patented in the 70's) But those things take lots and lots of electrical power.
Just remember, the last time power became cheap enough, it made aluminum change from becoming an incredibly expensive metal (that's why Napoleon prized his aluminum flatware more than his platinum or gold flatware or why the Washington Monument is capped with aluminum) to something we use to wrap food with, then throw away. Up until the time in which we could extract aluminum from bauxite, the only way you could bet a decent size chunk was from a meteor crater. (heat of impact, in just the right place)
BTW, don't think the people working on high density energy generation are wracking their brains making brilliant new discoveries, a lot of the engineering has been done, like for a liquid fluoride thorium reactor, we completed the hard stuff, during the late 50's and early 60's and the only reason why most people went with breeder reactors, is that the US and Russia needed plutonium for bombs. Most of the design can be done by a licensed plumber. I mean the people working on the thorium jet engine are hard at work, and I'd really like to see a jet that only needs to be refueled every couple of years, but nothing really exciting is coming out. BTW, the US alone has enough Thorium for all the power needs of Earth, at present levels of usage, for the next 50,000 years. (it's really common stuff.)
A bunch of people are working on pocket nuclear reactors. (about the size of a hot tub.) and for goodness sakes even the Indians and Chinese are working on their lines, but I'd bet with Hyperion or Toshiba to come through with a better product.
It turns out that we achieved a full fusion reaction in Oct 2005, but didn't know about it for a couple of years. The type of reaction that was achieved uses really expensive fuel, and the only really big known deposit of the stuff is on the Moon. There are a bunch of companies going full bore for a proton/boron Fusion reactor, and I have high hope that they will get to their goal in the next 5 years. (if we have moderate bad luck. ) But one bunch wants to have a reactor available for about $300,000 (9ft X 3ft X 3ft) that uses about $5 of fuel a year. 5MW of output. And yes they have already achieved a plasma of 1 billion degrees C.
...Hope that answers your questions.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
What's the real state of the Economy?
In a prior post we commented on the state of the real economy vs. Wall Street and China. Recently we also went to a presentation by the budget chairs of the fiscal committees of the Hawaii Legislature. We noticed that the most recent forecasts that they are relying upon from the Council on Revenues are decidedly unrealistic for 2010-2014. We will do another post on that soon. More recently, though, we noticed an outstanding written analytical piece reposted on Island Breath.org titled, "Stick Season" by John Schettler. This is the kind of pessimistic outlook not usually considered acceptable for polite conversation, but sharing it here nevertheless:
From: http://www.writingshop.ws/html/stick_season.html
"Stick Season: The winter ahead for our economy"
Article By: John Schettler
As the last languorous days of summer slip from our grasp, the kids are all off to school again, and the leaves slowly begin to blanch and fade, there is something deep in the national soul that realizes “Stick Season” is just around the corner. There were places that lived a life style that seemed to belie the existence of winter—perhaps because they had only one unvarying season. Places like California, Vegas in Nevada, Phoenix in Arizona, Florida, were all the major hot spots of the housing boom. Folks there never worried much about winter. There was always plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies—a mentality that was mirrored in the over bloated, overpriced housing markets in those states. But the rest of the nation knew that autumn is followed by the barren cold of winter—and now Stick Season is nigh at hand, even in the sunshine state of California.
I first heard that term in North Carolina, where the city I lived in had so many trees that when the leaves fell the entire place was a tangle of bare branches and fallen sticks of wood. “Stick Season” is winter, and even though all the mainstream media are still touting green shoots and preaching recovery, I see instead a deepening autumn and winter ahead for the economy.
Let’s take a brief look at where we are before all this misplaced talk of spring and recovery inspires too many false hopes. (There’s nothing wrong with hope, of course, but false hope is just a form of denial.) Economists relying on jury rigged government statistics are all too quick to announce the end of the recession because they limit their view to simple GDP growth percentage numbers--often pumped up by clever accounting tricks. The latest claim is that the nation will turn in a GDP of plus 1%, which technically means the recession has ended. What they fail to consider is that most of the spending that drove that GDP number was paid for by Uncle Sam, who begged, borrowed and simply printed up the cash to try and “stimulate” an otherwise dead economy. Without it we would be deep in negative territory on GDP. But assessing this economy as alive and well after all this government stimulus is a bit like calling the reflexive jerk of a corpse a sign of new life after massive electro-shock. This Frankenstein mentality has polluted our mainstream media with happy talk about recovery and an end of the recession, and the spring market rally has been buoyant with hope. Strange how a business that was always associated with headlining bad news (if it bleeds, it leads) has now become a collection of corporate cheerleaders, embracing phony data, accepting manipulated bank “profits” without question, refusing to see the real implications of the massive debt that exists at every level of our society.
The extent to which the Federal Government has propped up the falling mine shaft of our economy is most clearly seen in the housing market. When the two great mortgage landfills, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac went bottoms up last year, Uncle Sam came to the rescue with an 80% buyout stake in those companies. In effect, the Federal Government now owns 80% of the $5.1 trillion dollar mortgage portfolios of Fannie and Freddie. In spite of this massive government and Fed support, many banks remain technically insolvent, including the Big Boyz. And they have learned nothing from their grievous mistakes.
Case in point: banks are so addicted to the securities game that after the death of Fannie and Freddie they have taken TARP and TALF money intended to stimulate lending and used it to buy Ginnie Mae and FHA backed securities instead! Why? They get any profits, the taxpayers get any losses. And since they deem these securities “risk free” they don’t have to hold prudent reserves against potential losses--the same pattern as with Fannie and Freddie.. Now the banks have simply turned to the FHA and Ginnie Mae to foist off their securities bets. The FHA is underwriting an astounding 80% of current mortgage traffic, over another trillion in mortgage paper now owned by Uncle Sam. The demise of Fannie & Freddie seems to have made no impression on banks except that if things fall down the government and taxpayer will foot the bill. It’s as if the concept of just making good loans that do not require government backing is an anathema to them now. All they want is a risk-free security so they can keep playing the game.
So after massive TARP and TALF programs, titanic bank bailouts, unprecedented intervention in the mortgage industry, wholesale ownership of 80% of all mortgages, cash for clunkers and first time home buyers, and a paltry $300 check for the rest of us, the Government has managed to nudge the GDP number one percent into positive territory—but this is no reflection of what the real economy is doing behind the rosy headlines bandied about these days. And consider what the reality would be without this massive government support--cash printed from thin air, mind you. The government itself is flat broke, and running a $1.1 trillion dollar annual deficit. None of this money actually came from taxes. It was just created--and along with it we also created this false illusion of “stability.”
That’s the point “economists” and news pundits always seem to miss. To really determine what the economy on the street is doing you have to focus your attention on what is happening there absent this massive government intervention, where unemployment continues its relentless march, racking up more numbers than the much feared H1N1 pandemic each month. Joblessness is the real threat to the nation now, not a seven to ten day bout of the flu. We’ve been hemorrhaging jobs for over 20 consecutive months, with half a million new initial claims for unemployment insurance each week. In California, the world’s 8th largest economy, 40% of all working age people are jobless according to a newly released study that compared census data on the number of employment age workers to actual jobs being worked. (The BLS pegs the jobless number at only 11.9% in the Golden State, but they don’t count millions of “discouraged” workers who have been out of a job for many months, even years. It would be best to just take the “L” out of their acronym, and then you end up with a good abbreviation for the work their statisticians actually do: BS.
Here are some real numbers:
Consumer debt is now $14.5 trillion, or 34% greater than total consumer income each year. With the housing market crash, home equity fell from a high of $13 trillion in 2006 to just $8 trillion today. Consider where it would be without the massive government intervention and 80% ownership stake in US mortgages! Then consider that nearly 10% of all these government owned mortgages are in default, and 23% of the current FHA portfolio is already in default! In the last year 2.6 million Americans slipped from a tenuous position in the Middle Class into the ranks of the impoverished. Another million joined the ranks of those without health insurance--an astounding 46 million now. Another 1.3 million will lose unemployment benefits by year’s end. According to the Gallup daily tracking poll, job creation is down 35% over last year, so don’t expect a lot of new hiring. Teen unemployment is now 25.5%. A third of all workers under 35 are now living with their parents to make ends meet. USA Today reports that national bankruptcy filings are up 22% over 2008. More than 35 million Americans now rely on food stamps to feed themselves. Consequently consumer spending is now down a remarkable 33% over the previous year. Recovery?
Marketwatch reported on Sept 9: “Employers' hiring plans for the upcoming fourth quarter dropped to their lowest level in the history of Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey, which started in 1962.” US Job openings fell to a record low in July this year. An article by G. Washington for Naked Capitalism painted the real picture: “Projections of former International Monetary Fund Chief Economist and Harvard University Economics Professor Kenneth Rogoff and University of Maryland Economics Professor Carmen Reinhart, U-6 unemployment could rise to 22% within the next 4 years or so.”
And since Depression era numbers were also overstated, because those accepting government created jobs were still counted as unemployed, what we are really looking at is a present jobless rate equal to the 1930s levels at their worst. In actual fact, our unemployment is tracking well ahead of the numbers reported in the early 1930s after the 1929 crash. During the Great Depression it took much longer to reach unemployment levels we are suffering with now. I have also shown in numerous articles that our present economy is actually faring worse than the Depression era in many key metrics—manufacturing, shipping, trade levels, deficits, debt load, unemployment.
So it’s very simple. People without jobs do not spend, and consumer spending is 70% of the economy, and also largely responsible for driving the other 30% in business spending. Not to worry says Bank of America. The top 10% account for 42% of consumer spending, so they think the “haves” will make up for what the “have nots” don’t buy. Under this ludicrous logic, 58% of consumer buying power would flatline while the rich shop the blue light specials in K-Mart and keep Wal-Mart floating in black ink? I don’t think so.
So what we are seeing in the GDP number is simply a reflection of rising government spending, which is just the accumulation of more debt. The GDP is not showing us what the real economy is doing. Blogger Karl Denninger says it very well here: “The consumer is not coming back any time soon. Spending power doesn't come from a government statistic, it comes from a paycheck in the hand, and those who give up looking because the job situation is so horrible its a waste of time have no paycheck. The government can no more replace consumer spending on a durable basis than I can fly.”
Yet economists dismiss the severity of our unemployment situation by simply calling it a “lagging indicator,” yet as long as it lags the economy will never have real recovery. People without jobs are being sustained by insurance benefits for the time being, but eventually this will run out. It is only a matter of time before these millions of unemployed people have no income whatsoever—and forget the credit card as a means of driving their spending. Consumer credit contracted by $21.6 billion, so credit issuance is plummeting at record breaking levels as banks tighten their purse strings—purses so lavishly filled with taxpayer money to the tune of some $13 trillion over the last year. Here is a chart showing a staggering decline in consumer credit, some twenty percentage points since the last spike in mid 2007.
Meanwhile, enormous overleveraged mounds of bad debt still remain hidden on bank balance sheets or explained away by accounting rules changes. All this is being done to make it appear as if the banks have acceptable capital ratios—but they do not. The truth of the matter is that all these gimmicks have not faced or fixed the fundamental crisis of insolvency. “The System” has simply chosen to ignore what has happened to it, and the bankers, aided by the Fed, have all made a quiet “gentlemen’s agreement” that they are just fine and dandy. But the math is never wrong. The big banks, and thousands of smaller ones, remain mired in toxic asset debt, and are therefore insolvent. Don’t expect massive lending from these institutions, which means the velocity of money and credit will continue to remain constricted, perhaps for many years to come.
Meanwhile foreclosures held in abeyance are building up like water behind a leaking dam. Reuters reported on Sept 10: “Only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners eligible for loan modifications under the Obama administration's housing rescue plan have had their mortgages reworked, and millions more foreclosures are coming, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.” Add to this the fact that the re-default rate on mortgages that have been modified is now over 50%, and millions more option ARM loans are scheduled to reset in the next few years to higher payments that will likely force many more defaults. These conditions lead analyst Meredith Whitney to estimate housing prices may fall another 25% before they finally hit bottom. People going about with “it’s a great time to buy” on their lips are sadly mistaken. It will be a great time to buy when the bottom is finally in. Until then, save your cash for the 20% down payment you’ll need. Better yet, forget buying and stay a renter. It has been well proven by popular bogging sites like Patrick.net that renting is the wiser strategy for the foreseeable future.
James Quinn of the Market Oracle hit the nub of the problem with this recent commentary: “It has taken Americans three decades of overspending and under -saving to get into this pickle. As you may notice, consumer credit debt is $2.5 trillion and has barely budged downward. The pundits and economists predicting a strong economic recovery are blind to the truths of consumer debt. With actual unemployment exceeding 16.8%, (over 20% by other analysts), 9 million people forced to work part-time wanting to work full-time, the work week at all time lows, and banks shutting down credit lines, consumers will be reducing or defaulting on their debt for years. With 70% of the economy dependent on consumer spending, there is absolutely no chance of a strong recovery. Disposable income is plunging as people without jobs don’t have anything to dispose of. A paradigm shift is occurring and the mainstream media, mainstream economists, and clueless politicians running this country do not understand the implications. Three decades of debt accumulation is not resolved in two years. It will take decades of reduced spending, paying down debt, and writing off debt.”
And that massive debt is the dark heart of the matter, on every level from the Federal government, to states, cities, corporations, banks, families and individuals. The buy now pay later paradigm has failed—it’s later. It’s time to pay up, and people look into their wallets and realize the cash is just not there. This debt must either be paid off, serviced, or defaulted on. The US government cannot even service its own debt, and must borrow billions each day to do so. By the same token, Average Joe and Jane can no longer service their fee bloated debt at 30% interest either. Default rates at every level of the residential and now commercial real estate market, along with rising defaults in credit cards, are the final truth of the matter. When you can’t pay you eventually have no other choice but default. Banks never seem to get the plain truth that their reflexive punishing policies are the cause of many defaults. They jack up interest rates, slap on fees, raise minimum payments, slash credit lines. Then they wonder why consumers falter and fail in the effort to service their debt. Default is the only sane option when faced with these banking tactics. Just as the leaves must fall from the tree, it is Stick Season in the land of nothing down and low easy payments. It’s cash and carry now.
The bottom line is that we allowed the banks and financial gurus to leverage up to very risky levels, and when their game went bust with the sub-prime defaults triggering the collapse of real estate loans as a viable “asset,” we continue to allow the banks to hide their losses instead of writing them down and facing reality. Reality, in this case is insolvency and default, and the large banks have been deemed “too big to fail.” The result has been a policy where trillions of dollars that could have been spent to put millions of Americans to work on our aging infrastructure went to the black hole of bad debt on the banks’ balance sheets instead, and simply vanished. Yet those trillions must be repaid as well. The math never lies, even if the bankers do.
Yet, in spite of these harsh facts, the prevailing mainstream line from media and government is that we have pulled the economy back from the edge of the abyss, and the recession has ended. Frankly, it’s a bit like saying the crisis is over right after the first tower collapsed on 9/11. The second tower is still on fire, but standing proud and tall. Recovery!
The result of this misallocation of funds and rampant denial at all levels will be a greater and greater risk of collapse—which is probably why the Government is now re-training a division of its tough Iraq war veterans for domestic deployment should the wheels come off in a future chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high -yield explosive “incident.” Included in this list is a dire economic emergency. So the Army is building what the Army Times now calls the ‘Consequence Management Response Force.’ Comforting thought, eh? This is still 9/11 mentality thinking, a worrisome fear of the next big terror attack in this country. What is so myopic about this is that the real terror has already been carried out, and continues as an ongoing operation behind stately institutions who use words like “security” to describe overleveraged profit making and risk avoidance schemes that have all resulted in massive losses instead. The bankers have done more harm to the nation than a thousand Osama Bin Ladins ever could. So the consequences the Army is worrying about managing will more likely result from disgruntled Americans taking their anger to the streets, and not a big terror incident.
Good luck boys. You couldn’t manage the “consequences” in Iraq, where a population of about 26 million did exactly what they pleased in spite of you and another 300,000 fellow soldiers and Marines. What in the world makes you think that a division of 20,000 men here in a nation of 300 million will prevent angry, impoverished and increasingly desperate Americans from doing exactly what they please as well?
The oddest thing about what lies ahead as autumn leads us to winter is that it is a time when the retail world loads up for a big anticipated bonanza in consumer spending. I walked into a Hallmark in August and already found row upon row of Halloween cards. (Since when has anyone ever sent out cards on Halloween?”) By Late September we should already be seeing decorations for Thanksgiving and Christmas arriving at the malls and markets. At a time when the pain of this Great Recession/Depression will be most keenly felt, the retailers will be standing behind their cash registers with their fingers crossed in hopes of another “Black Friday.”
But this year the stores may not be replete with consumer goods--or with consumers out to buy them. A huge chunk of the world’s commercial shipping fleets is now sitting idle in a massive 500 ship “ghost Fleet” off Singapore. You can actually see the live data feed on these derelict ships in web sites like vessel track. Simon Parry of the UK Mail Online broke the story: “Here, on a sleepy stretch of shoreline at the far end of Asia, is surely the biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history. Their numbers are equivalent to the entire British and American navies combined; their tonnage is far greater. Container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers - all should be steaming fully laden between China, Britain, Europe and the US, stocking camera shops, PC Worlds and Argos depots ahead of the retail pandemonium of 2009... .The size of the idle fleet becomes more palpable when the ships' lights are switched on after sunset. From the small fishing villages that dot the coastline, a seemingly endless blaze of light stretches from one end of the horizon to another.” These are all ships that would normally be carrying everything destines to land under Christmas Trees in the Western world. But not this year.” And look around at some other major ports on vessel track--you will see similar ‘ghost fleets’ at anchor.
Will the shoppers spend some of the hard earned cash they’ve been trying to save all year come Black Friday? It would be typical of the American mindset if this were to happen this year. Savings rates are finally positive, after decades in negative territory. Will Americans throw what little cash they’ve managed to scrape together at one last buying binge before the leaves finally fall?
Stick Season will follow whether they do or not. And I predict that there will be many who wished they had the money spent on a 40” TV available for food next year…because the real green shoots of economic recovery aren’t happening now, nor will they be happening next March. In fact, a real recovery may be years away. Between now and then, it’s Stick Season, one long winter of real economic hardship for Main Street, and I hope you are ready.
Article by:
John Schettler
Sept 2009
From: http://www.writingshop.ws/html/stick_season.html
"Stick Season: The winter ahead for our economy"
Article By: John Schettler
As the last languorous days of summer slip from our grasp, the kids are all off to school again, and the leaves slowly begin to blanch and fade, there is something deep in the national soul that realizes “Stick Season” is just around the corner. There were places that lived a life style that seemed to belie the existence of winter—perhaps because they had only one unvarying season. Places like California, Vegas in Nevada, Phoenix in Arizona, Florida, were all the major hot spots of the housing boom. Folks there never worried much about winter. There was always plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies—a mentality that was mirrored in the over bloated, overpriced housing markets in those states. But the rest of the nation knew that autumn is followed by the barren cold of winter—and now Stick Season is nigh at hand, even in the sunshine state of California.
I first heard that term in North Carolina, where the city I lived in had so many trees that when the leaves fell the entire place was a tangle of bare branches and fallen sticks of wood. “Stick Season” is winter, and even though all the mainstream media are still touting green shoots and preaching recovery, I see instead a deepening autumn and winter ahead for the economy.
Let’s take a brief look at where we are before all this misplaced talk of spring and recovery inspires too many false hopes. (There’s nothing wrong with hope, of course, but false hope is just a form of denial.) Economists relying on jury rigged government statistics are all too quick to announce the end of the recession because they limit their view to simple GDP growth percentage numbers--often pumped up by clever accounting tricks. The latest claim is that the nation will turn in a GDP of plus 1%, which technically means the recession has ended. What they fail to consider is that most of the spending that drove that GDP number was paid for by Uncle Sam, who begged, borrowed and simply printed up the cash to try and “stimulate” an otherwise dead economy. Without it we would be deep in negative territory on GDP. But assessing this economy as alive and well after all this government stimulus is a bit like calling the reflexive jerk of a corpse a sign of new life after massive electro-shock. This Frankenstein mentality has polluted our mainstream media with happy talk about recovery and an end of the recession, and the spring market rally has been buoyant with hope. Strange how a business that was always associated with headlining bad news (if it bleeds, it leads) has now become a collection of corporate cheerleaders, embracing phony data, accepting manipulated bank “profits” without question, refusing to see the real implications of the massive debt that exists at every level of our society.
The extent to which the Federal Government has propped up the falling mine shaft of our economy is most clearly seen in the housing market. When the two great mortgage landfills, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac went bottoms up last year, Uncle Sam came to the rescue with an 80% buyout stake in those companies. In effect, the Federal Government now owns 80% of the $5.1 trillion dollar mortgage portfolios of Fannie and Freddie. In spite of this massive government and Fed support, many banks remain technically insolvent, including the Big Boyz. And they have learned nothing from their grievous mistakes.
Case in point: banks are so addicted to the securities game that after the death of Fannie and Freddie they have taken TARP and TALF money intended to stimulate lending and used it to buy Ginnie Mae and FHA backed securities instead! Why? They get any profits, the taxpayers get any losses. And since they deem these securities “risk free” they don’t have to hold prudent reserves against potential losses--the same pattern as with Fannie and Freddie.. Now the banks have simply turned to the FHA and Ginnie Mae to foist off their securities bets. The FHA is underwriting an astounding 80% of current mortgage traffic, over another trillion in mortgage paper now owned by Uncle Sam. The demise of Fannie & Freddie seems to have made no impression on banks except that if things fall down the government and taxpayer will foot the bill. It’s as if the concept of just making good loans that do not require government backing is an anathema to them now. All they want is a risk-free security so they can keep playing the game.
So after massive TARP and TALF programs, titanic bank bailouts, unprecedented intervention in the mortgage industry, wholesale ownership of 80% of all mortgages, cash for clunkers and first time home buyers, and a paltry $300 check for the rest of us, the Government has managed to nudge the GDP number one percent into positive territory—but this is no reflection of what the real economy is doing behind the rosy headlines bandied about these days. And consider what the reality would be without this massive government support--cash printed from thin air, mind you. The government itself is flat broke, and running a $1.1 trillion dollar annual deficit. None of this money actually came from taxes. It was just created--and along with it we also created this false illusion of “stability.”
That’s the point “economists” and news pundits always seem to miss. To really determine what the economy on the street is doing you have to focus your attention on what is happening there absent this massive government intervention, where unemployment continues its relentless march, racking up more numbers than the much feared H1N1 pandemic each month. Joblessness is the real threat to the nation now, not a seven to ten day bout of the flu. We’ve been hemorrhaging jobs for over 20 consecutive months, with half a million new initial claims for unemployment insurance each week. In California, the world’s 8th largest economy, 40% of all working age people are jobless according to a newly released study that compared census data on the number of employment age workers to actual jobs being worked. (The BLS pegs the jobless number at only 11.9% in the Golden State, but they don’t count millions of “discouraged” workers who have been out of a job for many months, even years. It would be best to just take the “L” out of their acronym, and then you end up with a good abbreviation for the work their statisticians actually do: BS.
Here are some real numbers:
Consumer debt is now $14.5 trillion, or 34% greater than total consumer income each year. With the housing market crash, home equity fell from a high of $13 trillion in 2006 to just $8 trillion today. Consider where it would be without the massive government intervention and 80% ownership stake in US mortgages! Then consider that nearly 10% of all these government owned mortgages are in default, and 23% of the current FHA portfolio is already in default! In the last year 2.6 million Americans slipped from a tenuous position in the Middle Class into the ranks of the impoverished. Another million joined the ranks of those without health insurance--an astounding 46 million now. Another 1.3 million will lose unemployment benefits by year’s end. According to the Gallup daily tracking poll, job creation is down 35% over last year, so don’t expect a lot of new hiring. Teen unemployment is now 25.5%. A third of all workers under 35 are now living with their parents to make ends meet. USA Today reports that national bankruptcy filings are up 22% over 2008. More than 35 million Americans now rely on food stamps to feed themselves. Consequently consumer spending is now down a remarkable 33% over the previous year. Recovery?
Marketwatch reported on Sept 9: “Employers' hiring plans for the upcoming fourth quarter dropped to their lowest level in the history of Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey, which started in 1962.” US Job openings fell to a record low in July this year. An article by G. Washington for Naked Capitalism painted the real picture: “Projections of former International Monetary Fund Chief Economist and Harvard University Economics Professor Kenneth Rogoff and University of Maryland Economics Professor Carmen Reinhart, U-6 unemployment could rise to 22% within the next 4 years or so.”
And since Depression era numbers were also overstated, because those accepting government created jobs were still counted as unemployed, what we are really looking at is a present jobless rate equal to the 1930s levels at their worst. In actual fact, our unemployment is tracking well ahead of the numbers reported in the early 1930s after the 1929 crash. During the Great Depression it took much longer to reach unemployment levels we are suffering with now. I have also shown in numerous articles that our present economy is actually faring worse than the Depression era in many key metrics—manufacturing, shipping, trade levels, deficits, debt load, unemployment.
So it’s very simple. People without jobs do not spend, and consumer spending is 70% of the economy, and also largely responsible for driving the other 30% in business spending. Not to worry says Bank of America. The top 10% account for 42% of consumer spending, so they think the “haves” will make up for what the “have nots” don’t buy. Under this ludicrous logic, 58% of consumer buying power would flatline while the rich shop the blue light specials in K-Mart and keep Wal-Mart floating in black ink? I don’t think so.
So what we are seeing in the GDP number is simply a reflection of rising government spending, which is just the accumulation of more debt. The GDP is not showing us what the real economy is doing. Blogger Karl Denninger says it very well here: “The consumer is not coming back any time soon. Spending power doesn't come from a government statistic, it comes from a paycheck in the hand, and those who give up looking because the job situation is so horrible its a waste of time have no paycheck. The government can no more replace consumer spending on a durable basis than I can fly.”
Yet economists dismiss the severity of our unemployment situation by simply calling it a “lagging indicator,” yet as long as it lags the economy will never have real recovery. People without jobs are being sustained by insurance benefits for the time being, but eventually this will run out. It is only a matter of time before these millions of unemployed people have no income whatsoever—and forget the credit card as a means of driving their spending. Consumer credit contracted by $21.6 billion, so credit issuance is plummeting at record breaking levels as banks tighten their purse strings—purses so lavishly filled with taxpayer money to the tune of some $13 trillion over the last year. Here is a chart showing a staggering decline in consumer credit, some twenty percentage points since the last spike in mid 2007.
Meanwhile, enormous overleveraged mounds of bad debt still remain hidden on bank balance sheets or explained away by accounting rules changes. All this is being done to make it appear as if the banks have acceptable capital ratios—but they do not. The truth of the matter is that all these gimmicks have not faced or fixed the fundamental crisis of insolvency. “The System” has simply chosen to ignore what has happened to it, and the bankers, aided by the Fed, have all made a quiet “gentlemen’s agreement” that they are just fine and dandy. But the math is never wrong. The big banks, and thousands of smaller ones, remain mired in toxic asset debt, and are therefore insolvent. Don’t expect massive lending from these institutions, which means the velocity of money and credit will continue to remain constricted, perhaps for many years to come.
Meanwhile foreclosures held in abeyance are building up like water behind a leaking dam. Reuters reported on Sept 10: “Only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners eligible for loan modifications under the Obama administration's housing rescue plan have had their mortgages reworked, and millions more foreclosures are coming, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.” Add to this the fact that the re-default rate on mortgages that have been modified is now over 50%, and millions more option ARM loans are scheduled to reset in the next few years to higher payments that will likely force many more defaults. These conditions lead analyst Meredith Whitney to estimate housing prices may fall another 25% before they finally hit bottom. People going about with “it’s a great time to buy” on their lips are sadly mistaken. It will be a great time to buy when the bottom is finally in. Until then, save your cash for the 20% down payment you’ll need. Better yet, forget buying and stay a renter. It has been well proven by popular bogging sites like Patrick.net that renting is the wiser strategy for the foreseeable future.
James Quinn of the Market Oracle hit the nub of the problem with this recent commentary: “It has taken Americans three decades of overspending and under -saving to get into this pickle. As you may notice, consumer credit debt is $2.5 trillion and has barely budged downward. The pundits and economists predicting a strong economic recovery are blind to the truths of consumer debt. With actual unemployment exceeding 16.8%, (over 20% by other analysts), 9 million people forced to work part-time wanting to work full-time, the work week at all time lows, and banks shutting down credit lines, consumers will be reducing or defaulting on their debt for years. With 70% of the economy dependent on consumer spending, there is absolutely no chance of a strong recovery. Disposable income is plunging as people without jobs don’t have anything to dispose of. A paradigm shift is occurring and the mainstream media, mainstream economists, and clueless politicians running this country do not understand the implications. Three decades of debt accumulation is not resolved in two years. It will take decades of reduced spending, paying down debt, and writing off debt.”
And that massive debt is the dark heart of the matter, on every level from the Federal government, to states, cities, corporations, banks, families and individuals. The buy now pay later paradigm has failed—it’s later. It’s time to pay up, and people look into their wallets and realize the cash is just not there. This debt must either be paid off, serviced, or defaulted on. The US government cannot even service its own debt, and must borrow billions each day to do so. By the same token, Average Joe and Jane can no longer service their fee bloated debt at 30% interest either. Default rates at every level of the residential and now commercial real estate market, along with rising defaults in credit cards, are the final truth of the matter. When you can’t pay you eventually have no other choice but default. Banks never seem to get the plain truth that their reflexive punishing policies are the cause of many defaults. They jack up interest rates, slap on fees, raise minimum payments, slash credit lines. Then they wonder why consumers falter and fail in the effort to service their debt. Default is the only sane option when faced with these banking tactics. Just as the leaves must fall from the tree, it is Stick Season in the land of nothing down and low easy payments. It’s cash and carry now.
The bottom line is that we allowed the banks and financial gurus to leverage up to very risky levels, and when their game went bust with the sub-prime defaults triggering the collapse of real estate loans as a viable “asset,” we continue to allow the banks to hide their losses instead of writing them down and facing reality. Reality, in this case is insolvency and default, and the large banks have been deemed “too big to fail.” The result has been a policy where trillions of dollars that could have been spent to put millions of Americans to work on our aging infrastructure went to the black hole of bad debt on the banks’ balance sheets instead, and simply vanished. Yet those trillions must be repaid as well. The math never lies, even if the bankers do.
Yet, in spite of these harsh facts, the prevailing mainstream line from media and government is that we have pulled the economy back from the edge of the abyss, and the recession has ended. Frankly, it’s a bit like saying the crisis is over right after the first tower collapsed on 9/11. The second tower is still on fire, but standing proud and tall. Recovery!
The result of this misallocation of funds and rampant denial at all levels will be a greater and greater risk of collapse—which is probably why the Government is now re-training a division of its tough Iraq war veterans for domestic deployment should the wheels come off in a future chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high -yield explosive “incident.” Included in this list is a dire economic emergency. So the Army is building what the Army Times now calls the ‘Consequence Management Response Force.’ Comforting thought, eh? This is still 9/11 mentality thinking, a worrisome fear of the next big terror attack in this country. What is so myopic about this is that the real terror has already been carried out, and continues as an ongoing operation behind stately institutions who use words like “security” to describe overleveraged profit making and risk avoidance schemes that have all resulted in massive losses instead. The bankers have done more harm to the nation than a thousand Osama Bin Ladins ever could. So the consequences the Army is worrying about managing will more likely result from disgruntled Americans taking their anger to the streets, and not a big terror incident.
Good luck boys. You couldn’t manage the “consequences” in Iraq, where a population of about 26 million did exactly what they pleased in spite of you and another 300,000 fellow soldiers and Marines. What in the world makes you think that a division of 20,000 men here in a nation of 300 million will prevent angry, impoverished and increasingly desperate Americans from doing exactly what they please as well?
The oddest thing about what lies ahead as autumn leads us to winter is that it is a time when the retail world loads up for a big anticipated bonanza in consumer spending. I walked into a Hallmark in August and already found row upon row of Halloween cards. (Since when has anyone ever sent out cards on Halloween?”) By Late September we should already be seeing decorations for Thanksgiving and Christmas arriving at the malls and markets. At a time when the pain of this Great Recession/Depression will be most keenly felt, the retailers will be standing behind their cash registers with their fingers crossed in hopes of another “Black Friday.”
But this year the stores may not be replete with consumer goods--or with consumers out to buy them. A huge chunk of the world’s commercial shipping fleets is now sitting idle in a massive 500 ship “ghost Fleet” off Singapore. You can actually see the live data feed on these derelict ships in web sites like vessel track. Simon Parry of the UK Mail Online broke the story: “Here, on a sleepy stretch of shoreline at the far end of Asia, is surely the biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history. Their numbers are equivalent to the entire British and American navies combined; their tonnage is far greater. Container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers - all should be steaming fully laden between China, Britain, Europe and the US, stocking camera shops, PC Worlds and Argos depots ahead of the retail pandemonium of 2009... .The size of the idle fleet becomes more palpable when the ships' lights are switched on after sunset. From the small fishing villages that dot the coastline, a seemingly endless blaze of light stretches from one end of the horizon to another.” These are all ships that would normally be carrying everything destines to land under Christmas Trees in the Western world. But not this year.” And look around at some other major ports on vessel track--you will see similar ‘ghost fleets’ at anchor.
Will the shoppers spend some of the hard earned cash they’ve been trying to save all year come Black Friday? It would be typical of the American mindset if this were to happen this year. Savings rates are finally positive, after decades in negative territory. Will Americans throw what little cash they’ve managed to scrape together at one last buying binge before the leaves finally fall?
Stick Season will follow whether they do or not. And I predict that there will be many who wished they had the money spent on a 40” TV available for food next year…because the real green shoots of economic recovery aren’t happening now, nor will they be happening next March. In fact, a real recovery may be years away. Between now and then, it’s Stick Season, one long winter of real economic hardship for Main Street, and I hope you are ready.
Article by:
John Schettler
Sept 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
China: Major Priming of the Pump Ahead of Demand?
There are some major divergences in the economies of the world right now. Like the gulf between the reality of the real American economy and what Wall Street is doing. Another divergence is between what is happening to the real American economy and what China is doing. Wondering to whom China is gonna export from all of that new manufacturing infrastructure and export subsidies? The world over the past 7 months has seen some shocking economic inefficiencies and speculation develop. Will be interesting to see how it all gets resolved back to equilibrium from the extreme disequilibrium we are now in again.
From: http://www.cnbc.com/id/32913458
From: http://www.cnbc.com/id/32913458
"China's Economy Roars Back, Leaving the US in the Dust"
Published: Friday, 18 Sep 2009
By: Keith Bradsher
The New York Times
The New York Times
Just eight months ago, thousands of Chinese workers rioted outside factories closed by the global downturn.
Now many of those plants have reopened and are hiring again. Some executives are even struggling to find enough temporary staff to fill Christmas orders.
The image of laid-off workers here returning to jobs stands in sharp contrast to the United States, where even as the economy shows signs of improvement, the unemployment rate continues to march toward double digits.
In China, even the hardest-hit factories — those depending on exports to the United States and Europe — are starting to rehire workers. No one here is talking about a jobless recovery.
Even the real estate market is picking up. In this industrial town 90 miles northwest of Shanghai, prospective investors lined up one recent Saturday to buy apartments in the still-unfinished Rose Avenue complex. Many of them slept outside the sales office all night. “The whole country’s economy is back on track,” said Shi Yingyi, a 34-year-old housewife who joined the throng. “I feel more confident now.”
The confidence stems from China’s three-pronged effort — a combination of stimulus, liberal bank lending and broad government support for exports.
The Chinese central bank said the country’s economy surged at an annualized rate of 14.9 percent in the second quarter. The United States economy shrank at an annual rate of 1 percent in that period. “So often China and the U.S. are mixed together as being in the same situation, and that is totally wrong,” said Xu Xiaonian, an economist in Beijing with the China Europe International Business School.
That does not mean the two nations are not connected, of course. China’s rebound in growth may slow if the American economy does not pick up. China needs the United States to buy its goods, and the United States needs China to continue to buy its debt.
This mutual dependence makes it harder for either country to let the current dispute over Chinese tires and American chicken and auto parts to grow into a trade war.
But with more centralized economic planning than the United States, China has been able to disburse its stimulus much faster, turning it into new rail lines and highways.
China’s finance ministry announced in late June that half the $173 billion in central government spending had already been allocated to specific projects. The White House said in early July that a quarter of the spending authority and tax cuts in the $789 billion American stimulus had been allocated or used.
But even more key to China’s recovery, economists say, are two other government efforts that are paying big dividends: looser lending and export supports.
The state-controlled banking system here — which breezed through the global financial crisis with minimal losses as American financial institutions reeled — unleashed $1.2 trillion in extra lending to Chinese consumers and businesses in the first seven months of this year. That money is financing everything from a boom in car sales, up 82 percent in August from a year earlier, to frenzied factory construction.
Beijing also has given huge tax breaks and other assistance to exporters. They include placing broad restrictions on imports and intervening heavily in currency markets to hold down the value of the renminbi, to keep Chinese exports competitive even in a weakened global economy.
Indeed, subsidies abound at all levels of government: the Wuxi municipal government just offered up to $146,000 to each local business that increases exports in the last three months of this year.
To be sure, not all the laid off workers throughout China have been hired back. “Some plants reduced worker numbers by 20 to 30 percent, now they hire back 10 percent,” said Stanley Lau, deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, which represents export-oriented factories employing 10 million Chinese workers.
Even so, American trade data shows that imports from China only eroded 14.2 percent in the first seven months of this year while imports from the rest of the world plunged 32.6 percent. China’s trade surplus, already the world’s largest, was $108 billion for the seven-month period. “We definitely see an upswing in sales orders in the second half of this year when compared to the first half,” said Gu Fung, the sales manager at the Wuxi Baolai Batteries Company.
China’s well-capitalized banking system allowed for rapid investment.
Chinese banks came into the crisis with enormous excess reserves, the result of three years of tight regulatory limits on lending to prevent the economy from overheating. When those limits were removed, and authorities urged bank executives to lend, the total value of loans outstanding shot up more in the first seven months of this year than in the previous 24 months.
By contrast, total loans and leases outstanding at financial institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation actually fell $249 billion, or 3.2 percent, in the first half of this year.
Though Washington has used taxpayer money to bail out American banks, it does not have Beijing’s power to force banks to lend that money to businesses and consumers.
As much as a third of the extra bank lending in China appears to have gone into real estate and stock market speculation. But the bulk has gone into investments by companies and local governments, with tangible results.
China’s currency and trade policies, though highly effective, would be hard for the United States to emulate.
For instance, government intervention in currency markets has prevented the renminbi from moving appreciably against the dollar in more than 14 months, and has pushed the renminbi down by 18 percent against the euro since March.
Government agencies have been told not to buy imported goods with money from economic stimulus programs unless no domestic alternative is available. Washington has imposed a less restrictive rule, misleadingly known as “Buy American,” requiring that construction materials for the stimulus program be bought from any of the 39 countries that have agreed to free trade in government procurement — which China has not.
Still, China’s stimulus efforts could be sowing the seeds of future distress. With so much money washing into the system so fast, regulators have voiced concerns about corruption in government investment projects.
Cheap cash has a way of inflating bubbles — just ask Wall Street — that could damage China’s economy and its banks when they pop. “You have to imagine the rigor and due diligence” that mainland banks have been showing in rushing out so many loans, said Benjamin Hung, the chief executive of the Hong Kong unit of Standard Chartered Bank.
But such concerns are so 2008.
This story originally appeared in the The New York Times
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Recent Letters on whether to build on Wailua Beach
"How about OHA's letter regarding Wailua Beach?"
Found the recent letters "Preserve Wailua Beach" (9/12)
and "Honor the Process" (9/16) both quite interesting.
It might be hard for the readers to tell, though, which
one is based more in fact. Certainly honoring the
process is a laudable goal, but so is honoring the host
culture and respecting the unique locational cultural
history in question here. Towards that end, the letter
that Kaua'i readers might really find illuminating as
to whether to build on Wailua (Alio) Beach is the re-
cently issued letter (Section 106 Consultation) on
this matter from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs [To
read it click over to Island Breath.org here]. That's
the one not to be missed.
Aloha, Brad
St. Regis Princeville Report for Sept. 16th...10 days to re-opening
"St. Regis Princeville Resort welcomes employees back to work: Reopening set for Sept. 26" (The Honolulu Advertiser)
Sep. 16 -- Nearly 350 employees are back to work at the St. Regis Princeville Resort in preparation for the hotel's reopening on Sept. 26. The hotel closed one year ago for renovation work and re-branding as Hawai'i's first St. Regis property.
General Manager Milton Sgarbi said 96.4 percent of the previous Princeville Resort staff has returned, some to their prior jobs, others in new positions. Sgarbi said that during the hotel's closure, all employees were kept on the company's medical insurance.
Watching employees greet each other and look around the property excitedly, Sgarbi said, "See this energy? That's what we were missing (during the closure). At the end of the day, the biggest asset we have is right here: the staff. They made this place successful before and they will again."...
The remodeled hotel features extensive woodwork throughout, creating a warm feeling.
"I think it's more residential feeling now. It's more Hawaiian in influence, much warmer," said Rosemary Caldwell, director of food and beverage, whom many will recognize as she has worked at the property for 23 years.
Makana Terrace, the location of the former Cafe Hanalei, will be open on Sept. 26 and will serve Kaua'i and Hawai'i grown food. Poolside Nalu Grill will also be open. Kaua'i Grill, the hotels fine dining establishment, is scheduled to open Nov. 1.
Sep. 16 -- Nearly 350 employees are back to work at the St. Regis Princeville Resort in preparation for the hotel's reopening on Sept. 26. The hotel closed one year ago for renovation work and re-branding as Hawai'i's first St. Regis property.
General Manager Milton Sgarbi said 96.4 percent of the previous Princeville Resort staff has returned, some to their prior jobs, others in new positions. Sgarbi said that during the hotel's closure, all employees were kept on the company's medical insurance.
Watching employees greet each other and look around the property excitedly, Sgarbi said, "See this energy? That's what we were missing (during the closure). At the end of the day, the biggest asset we have is right here: the staff. They made this place successful before and they will again."...
The remodeled hotel features extensive woodwork throughout, creating a warm feeling.
"I think it's more residential feeling now. It's more Hawaiian in influence, much warmer," said Rosemary Caldwell, director of food and beverage, whom many will recognize as she has worked at the property for 23 years.
Makana Terrace, the location of the former Cafe Hanalei, will be open on Sept. 26 and will serve Kaua'i and Hawai'i grown food. Poolside Nalu Grill will also be open. Kaua'i Grill, the hotels fine dining establishment, is scheduled to open Nov. 1.
Plastic Bag Ban Progresses on Kaua'i
Against all odds:
"Mayor supports plastic bag ban" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. signaled his support for a stalled bill that would outlaw plastic checkout bags at retail stores across Kaua‘i, sending a letter to the Kaua‘i County Council that counters business community opposition that caused a deferral last week...>>Rest of article>>
"Some businesses see bill as a boost" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — When Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami first recused himself from the discussion of the plastic bag ban bill due to his position with Big Save supermarkets, he acknowledged that the legislation could prove to be an economic boon to his company...>>Rest of article>>
"Chamber opposes plastic bag ban" (9/10/09)
LIHU‘E -- Plastic bags live to fight another day. The Kaua i County Council at the last minute Wednesday deferred a bill that would have outlawed single-use plastic bags from the island s retail establishments, but council members indicated they expected the bill to pass when it comes back in two weeks. After 8-year-old Kalaheo School student Olivia Gegen testified on behalf of her third grade class in favor of the legislation and passed out reusable bags as thank you gifts to the council members...>>Rest of article>>
"Bag ban bill moves forward"
'Biodegradable' definition changed (9/2/09)
LIHU‘E -- The Kaua'i County Council last week took another step forward and is now on the verge of passing a bill that would ban the use of plastic bags at retail stores' checkout counters. Bill No. 2321 passed out of the council's Public Works/Elderly Affairs Committee, chaired by bill co-author Tim Bynum, on Aug. 26, but not before undergoing a small but significant change. At the urging of Brad Parsons and other concerned community members, an amendment to the bill was introduced...that alters the bill's definition of "biodegradable."...A single-use biodegradable bag will now also be a bag that "conforms to the European Standard EN13432, which was established by the European Committee for Normalisation" and "contains no petroleum-derived content."...
And another good initiative by the Mayor:
"Apollo Kaua‘i, mayor award Farm Fair winners" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — “This is all in keeping with the green theme,” Janine Rapozo said Monday. The county Transportation Agency director joined Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Laurel Brier, representing Apollo Kaua‘i, in presenting prizes to the winners of the energy consumption awareness campaign at the recent Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair...>>Rest of article>>
Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Laurel Brier of Apollo Kaua‘i look on as Janine Rapozo of the county Transportation Agency turns over an annual bus pass to Zina Dizol, left, and Maile Moriguchi presents Linda Alfiler and her sons Jayden, 3, and Daniel, 6, with a new bicycle... (photo by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island)
"Mayor supports plastic bag ban" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. signaled his support for a stalled bill that would outlaw plastic checkout bags at retail stores across Kaua‘i, sending a letter to the Kaua‘i County Council that counters business community opposition that caused a deferral last week...>>Rest of article>>
"Some businesses see bill as a boost" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — When Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami first recused himself from the discussion of the plastic bag ban bill due to his position with Big Save supermarkets, he acknowledged that the legislation could prove to be an economic boon to his company...>>Rest of article>>
"Chamber opposes plastic bag ban" (9/10/09)
LIHU‘E -- Plastic bags live to fight another day. The Kaua i County Council at the last minute Wednesday deferred a bill that would have outlawed single-use plastic bags from the island s retail establishments, but council members indicated they expected the bill to pass when it comes back in two weeks. After 8-year-old Kalaheo School student Olivia Gegen testified on behalf of her third grade class in favor of the legislation and passed out reusable bags as thank you gifts to the council members...>>Rest of article>>
"Bag ban bill moves forward"
'Biodegradable' definition changed (9/2/09)
LIHU‘E -- The Kaua'i County Council last week took another step forward and is now on the verge of passing a bill that would ban the use of plastic bags at retail stores' checkout counters. Bill No. 2321 passed out of the council's Public Works/Elderly Affairs Committee, chaired by bill co-author Tim Bynum, on Aug. 26, but not before undergoing a small but significant change. At the urging of Brad Parsons and other concerned community members, an amendment to the bill was introduced...that alters the bill's definition of "biodegradable."...A single-use biodegradable bag will now also be a bag that "conforms to the European Standard EN13432, which was established by the European Committee for Normalisation" and "contains no petroleum-derived content."...
And another good initiative by the Mayor:
"Apollo Kaua‘i, mayor award Farm Fair winners" (9/16/09)
LIHU‘E — “This is all in keeping with the green theme,” Janine Rapozo said Monday. The county Transportation Agency director joined Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Laurel Brier, representing Apollo Kaua‘i, in presenting prizes to the winners of the energy consumption awareness campaign at the recent Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair...>>Rest of article>>
Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Laurel Brier of Apollo Kaua‘i look on as Janine Rapozo of the county Transportation Agency turns over an annual bus pass to Zina Dizol, left, and Maile Moriguchi presents Linda Alfiler and her sons Jayden, 3, and Daniel, 6, with a new bicycle... (photo by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island)
Kaua'i Foreclosures News
From: http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20090916_Kauai_highest_in_foreclosure_rate.html
"Kauai highest in foreclosure rate"
Lihue posts the most activity in the state with 175 cases,
a 40 percent rise over a year ago
By Allison Schaefers Sep 16, 2009
"Kauai highest in foreclosure rate"
Lihue posts the most activity in the state with 175 cases,
a 40 percent rise over a year ago
By Allison Schaefers Sep 16, 2009
Kauai surpassed all other islands to post the highest foreclosure rate in August, according to recent data from RealtyTrac.
The neighbor islands, which have struggled with higher unemployment rates and greater residential real estate drops than Oahu, saw the most foreclosure activity last month. More than 65 percent of the foreclosure activity in August came from outside of Oahu. Last month, RealtyTrac ranked Hawaii No. 20 among states for foreclosure activity. Across the state, 869 properties received foreclosure notices. In August one in every 583 Hawaii properties was in foreclosure...
Last month, RealtyTrac recorded 212 foreclosures, or one for every 138 households in Kauai. Lihue, Kauai's main city, was the top ZIP code for foreclosures in the Hawaiian Islands. There were 175 foreclosures in Lihue in August, an increase of 1,246 percent over the prior month and a 40 percent rise over the prior year. Other Kauai ZIP codes with noteworthy foreclosure activity included Kapaa, Koloa, Kalaheo, Kilauea and Anahola.
"Kauai showed a strong increase going from 71 foreclosures in July to 212 in August," Blomquist said. "It almost tripled."
Phil Fudge, principal broker of Kauai Landmark Realty, said 145 of real estate developer Brian Anderson's units in the Kauai Beach Resort went into foreclosure.
"He got caught before he could sell them," Fudge said.
The Halelani Village, the largest condominium complex in Lihue, also had multiple foreclosures, he said.
"Many of the buyers used subprime loans," Fudge said.
Distressed properties now command Kauai's market, he said.
In comparison, Maui, which usually has the lead foreclosure rate in the state, recorded 176 total foreclosures, or one for every 369 households. Kihei was the top island ZIP code for Maui's foreclosure activity. There were 64 foreclosures in Kihei in August, representing an 8.5 percent rise over the prior month and a 220 percent rise over the prior year. Other Maui ZIP codes worth noting for foreclosures included Wailuku, Lahaina, Kahului, Makawao, Kula, Haiku and Paia.
On the Big Island there were 179 foreclosures, or one per every 434 households. Kailua-Kona, a popular Big Island resort market, posted 78 foreclosures in August, making it the second-most active ZIP code for foreclosure activity across the isles. Kailua-Kona's foreclosure activity was unchanged from the prior month, but rose a staggering 3,800 percent from the prior year.
Other Big Island ZIP codes of note included Hilo, Waikoloa, Pahoa, Kamuela, Captain Cook and Keaau...
LOSING THEIR HOUSE
Top 10 Hawaii ZIP codes for August foreclosure activity:
Source: RealtyTrac
Top 10 Hawaii ZIP codes for August foreclosure activity:
| ZIP code | City | Total | % change from 2008 |
| 96766 | Lihue | 175 | +40.0 |
| 96740 | Kailua-Kona | 78 | +3,800.0 |
| 96706 | Ewa Beach | 65 | +306.3 |
| 96753 | Kihei | 64 | +220.0 |
| 96793 | Wailuku | 36 | +227.3 |
| 96707 | Kapolei | 33 | +3,200.0 |
| 96761 | Lahaina | 29 | +163.6 |
| 96720 | Hilo | 27 | +107.7 |
| 96738 | Waikoloa | 27 | +2,600.0 |
| 96789 | Mililani | 27 | +170.0 |
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Organic Gardening Course in Moloaa, Kauai
Organic Gardening Course
in Moloaa, Kauai
The best way to learn is by doing.
WHEN October 10 thru December 12, on Saturdays from 9 till 11 am.
Enrollment will be limited to 20 students.
WHERE A KCC program at Scott Pomeroy’s farm in Moloaa
WHAT Growing your own food by working with nature.
Topics: assess the soil, apply the needed nutrients, work with phases of the moon and rotate crops for optimal production, vegetable and orchard management, building small greenhouses, cover cropping, composting, asexual propagation, use of hand tools and machinery, and other skills essential for the success.
WHO The instructors Scott Pomeroy and April Courture have practiced organic farming on Kauai successfully for more than 20 years and attended the acclaimed agricultural training program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Pomeroy taught at UC Santa Cruz, and at the Waipa Garden Project in Hanalei. Courture was active in starting the native plant nursery for that organization.
WHY This course is part of the Kauai Community College program to contribute to a sustainable level of food production for our island with fresh locally grown products.
COST Tuition is $120 payable to “University of Hawaii”
Mail your check to Glenn Hontz, PO Box 1780, Koloa, HI 96756).
Tuition assistance is available to qualified candidates.
For more information contact Glenn Hontz at 246-4859 or hontz@hawaii.edu.
in Moloaa, Kauai
The best way to learn is by doing.
WHEN October 10 thru December 12, on Saturdays from 9 till 11 am.
Enrollment will be limited to 20 students.
WHERE A KCC program at Scott Pomeroy’s farm in Moloaa
WHAT Growing your own food by working with nature.
Topics: assess the soil, apply the needed nutrients, work with phases of the moon and rotate crops for optimal production, vegetable and orchard management, building small greenhouses, cover cropping, composting, asexual propagation, use of hand tools and machinery, and other skills essential for the success.
WHO The instructors Scott Pomeroy and April Courture have practiced organic farming on Kauai successfully for more than 20 years and attended the acclaimed agricultural training program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Pomeroy taught at UC Santa Cruz, and at the Waipa Garden Project in Hanalei. Courture was active in starting the native plant nursery for that organization.
WHY This course is part of the Kauai Community College program to contribute to a sustainable level of food production for our island with fresh locally grown products.
COST Tuition is $120 payable to “University of Hawaii”
Mail your check to Glenn Hontz, PO Box 1780, Koloa, HI 96756).
Tuition assistance is available to qualified candidates.
For more information contact Glenn Hontz at 246-4859 or hontz@hawaii.edu.
The Postal Worker’s Question by Richard Diamond
Wow, that's some good thoughts, Richard. From Richard Diamond:
"The Postal Worker’s Question" [true story!]
Yesterday, when I went into the Kapa’a Post Office, it was very busy. I was there to pick up a package, and when I got to the front of the line, the postal worker took my yellow slip and turned to go to the back room to retrieve my package; when he returned he looked at me intently, and, in a voice, the source of which seemed to come from forever, asked me, “Do you know why we are here?”
For the briefest moment, my eyes met his, time stopped, and we were on that field beyond ideas of right and wrong of which Rumi speaks (http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/163347) [remember, this was the post office, lots of people, people in line behind me waiting to be served and amongst all of this, the question was posed.]
“I really don’t know,” I replied. “Perhaps it is all just part of an extraordinary Mystery that we will never have an answer for, a Divine Mystery.”
“But you know,” I continued, “in the midst of it all, there is only one thing that, somehow, makes it all okay, makes any sense at all . . . . and that’s Love. That is the only thing I can think of that provides any meaning and worth at all to this Mystery.”
We looked at each other again, briefly; he smiled, as I could see him struggling, reaching for the understanding or knowing of Love, as he knew it. A slight, barely perceptible smile formed on his lips, and he nodded his head slightly as he handed me my package.
"The Postal Worker’s Question" [true story!]
Yesterday, when I went into the Kapa’a Post Office, it was very busy. I was there to pick up a package, and when I got to the front of the line, the postal worker took my yellow slip and turned to go to the back room to retrieve my package; when he returned he looked at me intently, and, in a voice, the source of which seemed to come from forever, asked me, “Do you know why we are here?”
For the briefest moment, my eyes met his, time stopped, and we were on that field beyond ideas of right and wrong of which Rumi speaks (http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/163347) [remember, this was the post office, lots of people, people in line behind me waiting to be served and amongst all of this, the question was posed.]
“I really don’t know,” I replied. “Perhaps it is all just part of an extraordinary Mystery that we will never have an answer for, a Divine Mystery.”
“But you know,” I continued, “in the midst of it all, there is only one thing that, somehow, makes it all okay, makes any sense at all . . . . and that’s Love. That is the only thing I can think of that provides any meaning and worth at all to this Mystery.”
We looked at each other again, briefly; he smiled, as I could see him struggling, reaching for the understanding or knowing of Love, as he knew it. A slight, barely perceptible smile formed on his lips, and he nodded his head slightly as he handed me my package.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Update on Stop the Shot! Campaign
This Statement from WHO -- the World Health Organisation -- has just made clear that it has not detected any mutuation which would make the H1N1 swine flu virus more deadly. "It is not causing more severe illness than before", says WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl. "There have been no changes in the behaviour of the virus".
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geoffreylean/100008713/good-news-on-swine-flu-%E2%80%93-for-now/
So just what is it that they want to vaccinate us for? With squalene?
Take each Action Item once for each person in your family:
- Say No to Forced Vaccines/Incarceration: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27275
(1.98+ million emails so far)
- Join STOP THE SHOT FDA Action Individuals Join Here: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2779
(23K+ Join-ins so far)
Monday, September 14, 2009
Increase in food demand for soup kitchens
From: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090914_increase_in_food_demand_overwhelms_soup_kitchens.html
"Increase in food demand overwhelms soup kitchens"
By Kaylee Noborikawa Sep 14, 2009
"Increase in food demand overwhelms soup kitchens"
By Kaylee Noborikawa Sep 14, 2009
With unemployment growing, soup kitchens statewide are overflowing with hungry residents.
On Kauai, with a 10 percent unemployment rate, soup kitchens are filled to capacity, officials say.
During the summer the Lihue Salvation Army soup kitchen has doubled the number of people served from roughly 50 to more than 100 per day, according to Salvation Army Envoy Larry Groenleer. The number is slightly smaller now that school is in session, he said.
"We had heard that some of the people who went to the soup kitchen for a meal had to wait for others to finish eating and a seat opened up before they were able to eat," said Theresa Koki, who contacted Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. for help.
Kauai's Anti-Drug Office and the Department of Parks and Recreation donated two picnic tables to the soup kitchen to help accommodate those in need. Waimea High School donated three picnic tables, said Groenleer.
Groenleer added that the Hanapepe Salvation Army has seen a similar increase...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
KIUC rate increase in the news
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/13/business/kauai_business/doc4aac9b146db67336445274.txt
"KIUC rate increase would impact local businesses"
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — Most business owners are already doing everything they can to cut back on costs, including reducing their energy consumption, Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce President Randy Francisco said as he sat in his office with lights off and windows open Friday afternoon.
With Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s proposed general rate hike of 10 percent, many enterprises will be forced to slash costs even further.
Francisco said taking a look at the chamber’s recent electric bill gave him a “reality check.”
“Obviously, everything is going up. The only thing that’s going down is the economy,” he said with a chuckle. “The increase is going to challenge us to ask, ‘Where else can we cut?’”
With a $200,000 electric bill last month alone, the Department of Water will potentially pay some $20,000 more per month with an average increase of around $240,000 per year, DOW Manager and Chief Engineer David Craddick said.
To offset higher costs, the DOW might look at other ways to acquire energy, such as the sun, he said.
Another large energy consumer, the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa in Po‘ipu, also looked to the sun for alternative energy and had solar panels installed last September.
The resort has taken other measures to reduce energy consumption, such as putting timers and motion sensors on lights, said Diann Hartman, public relations manager for the Hyatt.
“Those little baby steps are really the things that have made significant impact,” she said. “We have taken great strides over the years to reduce energy.”
But, as more members turn to renewable energies, revenue will continue to decline for KIUC, which could ultimately drive the cost of electricity up even higher, said Randy Hee, KIUC president and CEO.
In addition, lower oil prices and a declining visitor industry have recently contributed to KIUC’s slumping revenue, essentially prompting the rate increase, he said in an interview at KIUC’s headquarters Friday in Lihu‘e.
“We’ve been trimming expenses for several years,” he said, when asked whether the co-op was working to internally cut its costs. “We’re putting an eye towards more efficiency.”
For instance, the replacement of utility vehicles is now “scrutinized” and various projects have been delayed.
Though there have been no layoffs, out of some 165 employees, less than half who are non-union have had their salaries frozen, he said.
KIUC is in the process of “studying” employee and retiree compensation packages, he added, which includes a one-third reduction in electricity cost.
“The rate increase is to run the co-op at a level that maintains quality service,” Hee said, adding that there hasn’t been an increase since 1996.
“When a business is in a recession, logically you don’t try to raise prices,” said Brad Parsons of Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future. “You look for opportunities to cut costs.”
Parsons said there are many other ways KIUC could reduce its internal expenses. For instance, the co-op could quit mailing out hard copies of Currents Magazine, opting to post it online instead. Similarly, he said, KIUC could add direct deposit or credit account patronage refunds instead of mailing out checks.
The main concern is not really the rate increase, he said, “but the fact that there has been no definitive progress in years by KIUC” in moving away from the volatile price of petroleum.
“We don’t believe KIUC deserves one more cent of rate increases until they show definitive progress in diversifying their sources of energy,” he said. “There’s almost no other utility in the U.S. so dependent on liquid petroleum fuel like KIUC is, not even Hawaiian Electric Company or Maui Electric Company. Utility boards and executives elsewhere would be shocked by this and the lack of progress in resolving it.”
Hee said KIUC is currently studying several different avenues for renewable energy like waste recovery or biomass obtained from agricultural products, such as sugarcane. But nothing has been set in stone yet.
“It’s not going to happen overnight,” he said.
For more information on KIUC’s rate increase and status visit www.kiuc.coop.
"KIUC rate increase would impact local businesses"
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
 |
| Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s headquarters in Lihu‘e are seen here Saturday. With KIUC’s proposed general rate hike of 10 percent, many enterprises will be forced to slash costs even further. Coco Zickos/The Garden Island |
With Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s proposed general rate hike of 10 percent, many enterprises will be forced to slash costs even further.
Francisco said taking a look at the chamber’s recent electric bill gave him a “reality check.”
“Obviously, everything is going up. The only thing that’s going down is the economy,” he said with a chuckle. “The increase is going to challenge us to ask, ‘Where else can we cut?’”
With a $200,000 electric bill last month alone, the Department of Water will potentially pay some $20,000 more per month with an average increase of around $240,000 per year, DOW Manager and Chief Engineer David Craddick said.
To offset higher costs, the DOW might look at other ways to acquire energy, such as the sun, he said.
Another large energy consumer, the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa in Po‘ipu, also looked to the sun for alternative energy and had solar panels installed last September.
The resort has taken other measures to reduce energy consumption, such as putting timers and motion sensors on lights, said Diann Hartman, public relations manager for the Hyatt.
“Those little baby steps are really the things that have made significant impact,” she said. “We have taken great strides over the years to reduce energy.”
But, as more members turn to renewable energies, revenue will continue to decline for KIUC, which could ultimately drive the cost of electricity up even higher, said Randy Hee, KIUC president and CEO.
In addition, lower oil prices and a declining visitor industry have recently contributed to KIUC’s slumping revenue, essentially prompting the rate increase, he said in an interview at KIUC’s headquarters Friday in Lihu‘e.
“We’ve been trimming expenses for several years,” he said, when asked whether the co-op was working to internally cut its costs. “We’re putting an eye towards more efficiency.”
For instance, the replacement of utility vehicles is now “scrutinized” and various projects have been delayed.
Though there have been no layoffs, out of some 165 employees, less than half who are non-union have had their salaries frozen, he said.
KIUC is in the process of “studying” employee and retiree compensation packages, he added, which includes a one-third reduction in electricity cost.
“The rate increase is to run the co-op at a level that maintains quality service,” Hee said, adding that there hasn’t been an increase since 1996.
“When a business is in a recession, logically you don’t try to raise prices,” said Brad Parsons of Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future. “You look for opportunities to cut costs.”
Parsons said there are many other ways KIUC could reduce its internal expenses. For instance, the co-op could quit mailing out hard copies of Currents Magazine, opting to post it online instead. Similarly, he said, KIUC could add direct deposit or credit account patronage refunds instead of mailing out checks.
The main concern is not really the rate increase, he said, “but the fact that there has been no definitive progress in years by KIUC” in moving away from the volatile price of petroleum.
“We don’t believe KIUC deserves one more cent of rate increases until they show definitive progress in diversifying their sources of energy,” he said. “There’s almost no other utility in the U.S. so dependent on liquid petroleum fuel like KIUC is, not even Hawaiian Electric Company or Maui Electric Company. Utility boards and executives elsewhere would be shocked by this and the lack of progress in resolving it.”
Hee said KIUC is currently studying several different avenues for renewable energy like waste recovery or biomass obtained from agricultural products, such as sugarcane. But nothing has been set in stone yet.
“It’s not going to happen overnight,” he said.
For more information on KIUC’s rate increase and status visit www.kiuc.coop.
350 people in one picture on Kaua'i on Oct. 24th?
Dear Friend,
I am writing you with an invitation—to take one day and use it to stop the climate crisis. One day, one message, spoken by thousands of people across the globe: we demand a limit to climate change, that limit is 350 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and we expect our leaders to act upon it, now.
On October 24th, 2009, 350.org is organizing an international effort to make 350 THE most important number on everyone’s mind. Why 350? Because scientists have shown that if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere stays above 350 ppm, we will no longer have a planet like “the one on which civilization developed and to which life on earth is adapted.” We’re currently at 389 ppm—but if we reduce emissions now, the oceans and other natural sinks will absorb enough of the excess carbon dioxide to bring the levels back down below the 350 threshold.
We must act now. Please join us in supporting our Hawaii youth, diverse organizations around the Hawaiian Islands, and thousands of communities across the globe who will show their support in creative ways: school children planting 350 trees in Bangledesh, scientists hanging 350 banners on the statues on Easter Island, 350 scuba divers diving at the Great Barrier Reef, and more. Each event will take a group photo that shows support of the 350 target. The photos will be uploaded to 350.org and by the end of the day, we'll have a powerful visual petition across the planet to deliver to the media and to our world leaders in Copenhagen during the climate change negotiations in December 2009.
So really, all it takes is to join in a photo. Hawaii groups are already organizing: on Oahu, youth groups will gather 350 people or more to stand in the water of Waikiki to represent climate refugees forced to relocate due to sea level rise. Waikiki's Sunset on the Beach event will feature famous speakers such as NASCAR Driver Leilani Munter, and screen "A Sea Change: What would the world be without Fish," a movie about climate change’s effects on marine life. On the Big Island, we will gather to take a picture with Mauna Loa in the background—where the first measurements showing increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were made— with the message: "It started here, it ends here: 350." This day is shaping up to be to be the biggest day of grassroots action on global warming ever. But we need it to be much larger—we need you, on your island, in your town or city, to take part.
For more information, visit 350.org. Join an action somewhere nearby, or register your own. You may also contact either Kimo Carvalho at kimo@350.org or Marah Hardt at marah.hardt@gmail.com for more specific questions.
This is bigger than changing your lightbulb—this is changing the course of the whole world. October 24 will be the joyful, powerful day when we prove it's possible.
Mahalo
How about the Hanalei Pier, 350 people, Oct. 24th, with a good sign? What time?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Hawaii Hotels Occupancy Report for July 2009
From: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909100342
"Hawaii hotels have 'worst summer' with July occupancy 70.3%"
Hotel room rates, revenue also fell in July, part of 'worst summer' ever
Hawai'i hotels posted a sixth straight month of record low occupancy in July despite slashing prices to lure visitors in a down economy.
The July occupancy rate dropped 3.8 percentage points from last year at this time to 70.3 percent.
"It's the worst summer we've seen," said Joseph Toy, Hospitality Advisors LLC president and chief executive officer, whose company has tracked these statistics since 1987.
"Normally, we get a summer swell. This time we're just seeing ankle snappers," Toy said.
He did say that O'ahu luxury hotels did better than expected, but he saw that as a reflection of travelers trading up and trying out properties they couldn't previously afford.
Keith Vieira, senior vice president and director of operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Hawai'i and French Polynesia, said hotels here have felt the boost from travelers making last-minute vacation plans...
Toy's report showed average daily room rates fell by 16.4 percent to $176.48 for July. The combined decrease in occupancy and room rates resulted in a 20.7 percent decrease to $124.07 in revenue per available room, a key industry profit measure.
He noted that most of the gain in visitors came from those staying with friends and relatives (17.3 percent), cruise ships (12.6 percent) and time-shares (12.4 percent)...
"Hawaii hotels have 'worst summer' with July occupancy 70.3%"
Hotel room rates, revenue also fell in July, part of 'worst summer' ever
Hawai'i hotels posted a sixth straight month of record low occupancy in July despite slashing prices to lure visitors in a down economy.
The July occupancy rate dropped 3.8 percentage points from last year at this time to 70.3 percent.
"It's the worst summer we've seen," said Joseph Toy, Hospitality Advisors LLC president and chief executive officer, whose company has tracked these statistics since 1987.
"Normally, we get a summer swell. This time we're just seeing ankle snappers," Toy said.
He did say that O'ahu luxury hotels did better than expected, but he saw that as a reflection of travelers trading up and trying out properties they couldn't previously afford.
Keith Vieira, senior vice president and director of operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Hawai'i and French Polynesia, said hotels here have felt the boost from travelers making last-minute vacation plans...
Toy's report showed average daily room rates fell by 16.4 percent to $176.48 for July. The combined decrease in occupancy and room rates resulted in a 20.7 percent decrease to $124.07 in revenue per available room, a key industry profit measure.
He noted that most of the gain in visitors came from those staying with friends and relatives (17.3 percent), cruise ships (12.6 percent) and time-shares (12.4 percent)...
Kaua'i saw the largest drop in occupancy of 8.7 percentage points to 66 percent.
The state's upscale hotels reported the only increase in occupancy with a slight 0.2 percentage point gain to 73.6 percent, while all other segments continued to post year-over-year declines.
The hotel survey is compiled by Smith Travel Research in conjunction with Hospitality Advisors...
St. Regis Princeville back to work in style
Good article tipped off by tweets:
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/10/news/kauai_news/doc4aa8c3f2c4b28886964609.txt
"Princeville Resort employees back to work"
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
PRINCEVILLE — Arriving in limos and greeted with lei and hugs, 290 employees of the St. Regis Princeville Resort were welcomed back to work in style Wednesday morning.
“The idea was to make them feel special and like St. Regis’ guests,” said St. Regis Princeville Resort General Manager Milton Sgarbi in a phone interview Wednesday.
Over 96 percent of the returning staff are reportedly from the former Princeville Resort, which officially closed its doors Sept. 19, 2008.
“We’re so grateful they came back,” Sgarbi said.
Describing it as a touching moment, he said employees held hands in the newly renovated lobby of the luxury Starwood-brand hotel during a ceremonial blessing of the property, while a few familiar faces even had tears in their eyes.
Following their morning presentation, previously furloughed employees, as well as newcomers, officially began their new journey with “brand cultural training,” which is expected to continue until the grand opening Oct. 1.
To help them along the way, kama‘aina are being offered a discount beginning Sept. 26 to help “get services back up to speed,” Sgarbi said.
Hawai‘i residents are invited to stay at the resort until Sept. 30 at a rate of $195 per night, not just to experience the luxury resort first-hand, but so employees can polish up their skills, he said.
Right now is “like classroom training” and employees will eventually progress to “live simulations” where they will act as guests, enjoying everything from spa services to restaurant dining, Sgarbi said.
“The staff is the biggest asset we have,” he said. “The only reason guests will return is because we provide exceptional service and that’s the role the staff will be playing.”
This is just one of the reasons that, despite visitor industry slowdown, the resort — transformed from a “popular, European marble-style” to a “very Hawaiian style” — will likely continue to attract guests from near and far, he said.
“The bookings are picking up as we confirm the opening,” he said. “We are very happy and confident that this corner of the island needs this product.”
Sgarbi added that people are also anticipating the resort’s upcoming grand opening events, which include an appearance by Mitzi Gaynor on Oct. 3 during a private evening gala.
“It’s amazing the information that has just started to circulate about it,” he said, regarding the “South Pacific” star’s arrival on the island for the first time since filming the movie. “We are already receiving calls asking about when she will be here.”
Parent company Starwood Hotels and Resorts reportedly owns some 900 properties, including the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas and the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort, but only eight fall under the St. Regis brand worldwide, including the Princeville resort.
Guests can expect to pay anywhere from $195 to $5,000 per night for the rooms, which include 51 ocean-view suites with butler services.
After Sept. 30, kama‘aina rates will increase to $299 per night until Dec. 24.
For more information visit www.stregisprinceville.com.
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/10/news/kauai_news/doc4aa8c3f2c4b28886964609.txt
"Princeville Resort employees back to work"
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
 |
| Employees arrive in limos Wednesday morning at the St. Regis Princeville Resort and are greeted with lei by General Manage Milton Sgarbi. The newly branded luxury resort will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 1. Photo contributed by St. Regis |
PRINCEVILLE — Arriving in limos and greeted with lei and hugs, 290 employees of the St. Regis Princeville Resort were welcomed back to work in style Wednesday morning.
“The idea was to make them feel special and like St. Regis’ guests,” said St. Regis Princeville Resort General Manager Milton Sgarbi in a phone interview Wednesday.
Over 96 percent of the returning staff are reportedly from the former Princeville Resort, which officially closed its doors Sept. 19, 2008.
“We’re so grateful they came back,” Sgarbi said.
Describing it as a touching moment, he said employees held hands in the newly renovated lobby of the luxury Starwood-brand hotel during a ceremonial blessing of the property, while a few familiar faces even had tears in their eyes.
Following their morning presentation, previously furloughed employees, as well as newcomers, officially began their new journey with “brand cultural training,” which is expected to continue until the grand opening Oct. 1.
To help them along the way, kama‘aina are being offered a discount beginning Sept. 26 to help “get services back up to speed,” Sgarbi said.
Hawai‘i residents are invited to stay at the resort until Sept. 30 at a rate of $195 per night, not just to experience the luxury resort first-hand, but so employees can polish up their skills, he said.
Right now is “like classroom training” and employees will eventually progress to “live simulations” where they will act as guests, enjoying everything from spa services to restaurant dining, Sgarbi said.
“The staff is the biggest asset we have,” he said. “The only reason guests will return is because we provide exceptional service and that’s the role the staff will be playing.”
This is just one of the reasons that, despite visitor industry slowdown, the resort — transformed from a “popular, European marble-style” to a “very Hawaiian style” — will likely continue to attract guests from near and far, he said.
“The bookings are picking up as we confirm the opening,” he said. “We are very happy and confident that this corner of the island needs this product.”
Sgarbi added that people are also anticipating the resort’s upcoming grand opening events, which include an appearance by Mitzi Gaynor on Oct. 3 during a private evening gala.
“It’s amazing the information that has just started to circulate about it,” he said, regarding the “South Pacific” star’s arrival on the island for the first time since filming the movie. “We are already receiving calls asking about when she will be here.”
Parent company Starwood Hotels and Resorts reportedly owns some 900 properties, including the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas and the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort, but only eight fall under the St. Regis brand worldwide, including the Princeville resort.
Guests can expect to pay anywhere from $195 to $5,000 per night for the rooms, which include 51 ocean-view suites with butler services.
After Sept. 30, kama‘aina rates will increase to $299 per night until Dec. 24.
For more information visit www.stregisprinceville.com.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Balanced report on current state of the Economy
From: http://www.cnbc.com/id/32760488?__source=CNBC|newsnow|know3|2009|
"Beige Book: Fed Sees Signs Economy Has Improved"
Published: Wednesday, 9 Sep 2009
By: Reuters
Half of the Federal Reserve's 12 districts saw evidence the U.S. economy had improved by the end of August, although labor markets remained weak and retail sales were flat, a Fed report said Wednesday.
Dallas, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Richmond and San Francisco noted gains. Other areas reported the economy was stable or showing signs of stabilization while St. Louis said the pace of economic decline appeared to be moderating.
"Most districts noted that the outlook for economic activity among their business contacts remained cautiously positive," the Fed's Beige Book survey said.
The modestly upbeat report said most regions reported some improvement in hard-hit residential real estate markets and an uptick in manufacturing.
Tempering those developments, Fed contacts reported that demand for commercial property remained weak and that businesspeople in some areas believed recently higher vehicle sales levels were likely not sustainable after the government's "cash for clunkers" incentive program lapses.
But even some of the gloomiest segments of the economy held glimmers of hope, said the survey by the Fed — the U.S. central bank.
"Labor market conditions remained weak across all districts, but several also noted an uptick in temporary hiring and a decline in the pace of layoffs," the report said.
The Fed at its last policy-setting meeting held its benchmark short-term interest rate steady near zero and said it would likely hold it there for an extended period to guide the way to recovery...
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Flu Statistics – this year vs. last year
FROM THE CDC WEBSITE: STATISTICS ON THIS YEAR’S FLU SEASON COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS
Aloha Kakou,
In case you don’t like colored bar charts, here is my summary for you—followed by the link:
One chart shows how this year’s reporting of the number of people checking into the hospital with flu-like symptoms compares to that of previous years both nationally and regionally. It is a normal year. Except that in one (out of ten) U.S. regions it is elevated.
Another one shows that mortality due to the flu this year is pretty much the same as it has been since 2005.
Infant deaths are up some this year over the past few years. It is worth noting that it has been increasing in those years too.
The last one I’ll comment on shows the number and percentage of outpatient visits to the hospital that are due to flu-like symptoms and compares this to previous years. Here at week 33, we are generally below the baseline percentage for the year. The chart in fact looks pretty much the same as it did in the last couple of years except when it is compared to the ‘07/08 flu season. That one being worse than this year’s outbreak.
Here is the link to that page:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Amazingly (or not) these same statistics are often used in the media. They leave out the comparisons to previous years.
Here is a nice mantra from a friend in Austin: "I choose to be healthy and maintain a meticulously tuned immune system."
Aloha,
John Armand
Aloha Kakou,
In case you don’t like colored bar charts, here is my summary for you—followed by the link:
One chart shows how this year’s reporting of the number of people checking into the hospital with flu-like symptoms compares to that of previous years both nationally and regionally. It is a normal year. Except that in one (out of ten) U.S. regions it is elevated.
Another one shows that mortality due to the flu this year is pretty much the same as it has been since 2005.
Infant deaths are up some this year over the past few years. It is worth noting that it has been increasing in those years too.
The last one I’ll comment on shows the number and percentage of outpatient visits to the hospital that are due to flu-like symptoms and compares this to previous years. Here at week 33, we are generally below the baseline percentage for the year. The chart in fact looks pretty much the same as it did in the last couple of years except when it is compared to the ‘07/08 flu season. That one being worse than this year’s outbreak.
Here is the link to that page:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Amazingly (or not) these same statistics are often used in the media. They leave out the comparisons to previous years.
Here is a nice mantra from a friend in Austin: "I choose to be healthy and maintain a meticulously tuned immune system."
Aloha,
John Armand
St. Regis Princeville: Limo shuttles for the employees
St Regis Princeville Resort: Wow, limo shuttles for employees the first day back, and kama'aina rates until mid-December. Nice start, St. Regis.
Dollar Hits Low for Year as Gold Tops $1,000
Dollar Hits Low for Year as Gold Tops $1,000
The dollar fell to a low for the year Tuesday as gold prices shot above $1,000 an ounce before giving some ground...»read more
The dollar fell to a low for the year Tuesday as gold prices shot above $1,000 an ounce before giving some ground...»read more
Roubini: Emerging Economies Will Outperform U.S.
| Roubini: Emerging Economies Will Outperform |
| Emerging economies like China, India and Brazil will outperform advanced economies because they did not have the same excesses of leverage and have high savings rates, Nouriel Roubini, economist & 'Dr. Doom,' told CNBC's Maria Bartiromo. |
St. Regis Princeville announces kama'aina rates!
From: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2009/Sep/06/tr/hawaii909060332.html
Posted on: Sunday, September 6, 2009
St. Regis Princeville offering introductory kama'aina rates
This fall, Starwood Properties will open the St. Regis Princeville Resort overlooking Hanalei Bay on Kaua'i.
Posted on: Sunday, September 6, 2009
St. Regis Princeville offering introductory kama'aina rates
This fall, Starwood Properties will open the St. Regis Princeville Resort overlooking Hanalei Bay on Kaua'i.
St. Regis Princeville for a limited time will offer kama'aina preview rates of $195 per room per night. Included: a 25 percent discount off spa treatments in the Halele'a Spa; 25 percent off food and beverages (not alcohol) in the Makana Terrace restaurant and Nalu Kai Grill & Bar; and a 50 percent discount on parking. A round of golf on the Prince Golf Course is $50, including cart. For tee-time reservations, call 800-826-1105.
The St. Regis Princeville's opens Sept. 26.
Outdoor adventurers have access to the Princeville Ranch and to the oceanfront infinity swimming pool.
The kama'aina rate of $195 runs Sept. 26-Oct. 3, with a kama'aina room rate of $299 available Oct. 4-Dec. 24. Proof of residency required at check-in. 800-325-3589, www.stregisprinceville.com.
— Advertiser staff
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
St. Regis Princeville Tweeting
Most of the St. Regis Princeville employees went back to work today. Here is a tweet today from the hotel:
St Regis Princeville Resort Aloha from the North Shore of Kauai! The renovation is coming along wonderfully and we are on target for our Grand Opening on October 1, 2009. Watch for more photos and information soon. You can be a part of our grand opening too - book your stay at www.quintessentialcelebrations.com
Source: www.quintessentialcelebrations.com
Latest from Stop Oil Speculation Now!
Tweeted by Stop Oil Speculation Now!:
"Congress should restore fair and open energy markets"
by Lea N. Wilson
For the second year in a row, oil market speculation is unfairly taxing families and businesses and threatening to derail Washington's economic recovery with higher gasoline and heating oil prices. If left unchecked, we risk losing a golden opportunity to rebuild our state's fragile economy.
While oil prices are well below the record high of $147 a barrel in July 2008, recent market volatility combined with the upcoming fall and winter heating season has consumers and business owners worried that a new energy bubble is forming. This is happening at the same time that supply and demand fundamentals dictate a decline in prices. According to data from the Energy Information Administration, demand for petroleum products in the U.S. is lower today than it was 10 years ago and supply is higher today than it was in 1982. In addition, the International Energy Agency recently predicted that global demand for oil will drop by about 2.5 million barrels a day this year compared to last.
So why are the principles of supply and demand not working? The only logical explanation is uncontrolled speculation. Every time you buy products such as food, gasoline or heating oil, you are impacted by unregulated, secretive and often foreign commodities markets into which speculators are pouring billions of dollars. These speculators buy large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again, with no intention of ever taking physical delivery of a barrel of oil.
As a result of weak regulations and loopholes, contracts for oil may trade more than 20 times with the price going up with each trade. And guess who picks up the final tab? Family-owned heating oil dealers, local gas station owners and the customers who buy from them-American consumers and businesses trying to make ends meet while paying artificially inflated prices.
Clearly, we all have a responsibility to do everything possible to achieve a balanced energy policy, including ensuring adequate supply, increasing conservation and investing in alternative fuels. In addition, we need to make sure that unregulated markets are monitored to stop excessive speculation now. Last summer, the threat of congressional legislation brought on by public outrage helped deflate the oil bubble and return prices to reasonable levels. Despite the attention, however, Congress failed to enact new regulations on commodities trading.
When Congress reconvenes in September, it can redeem last year's inaction by:
-- Re-establishing strict position limits on energy commodities - In 1936, regulations were created to stop speculators from buying up huge amounts of commodities and artificially driving up prices. Over the past 20 years, speculators have convinced regulators to weaken and/or abolish some of these limits. These limits need to be re-instated. Any trader not hedging with the intention of taking physical delivery of a related commodity must be subject to strict position limits.
-- Closing the "London Loophole" - Large numbers of foreign markets are trading oil on American soil while claiming that our rules don't apply. It is unfair that U.S. futures exchanges face more regulation than their foreign counterparts who are trading in U.S. commodities.
-- Regulating "swaps trades" - As many as 90 percent of all commodity trades occur out of the traditional marketplace. In these so-called "swap trades," traders buy and sell commodities over-the-counter with little, if any federal oversight.
-- Fully closing the "Enron Loophole" - In 2000, Enron lobbied policymakers to permit some commodity markets to operate with almost no government oversight, even though they trade contracts that are essentially identical to those traded on fully regulated exchanges like the New York Mercantile Exchange. This has allowed speculators to virtually trade commodities without any adequate federal oversight; thus, possibly leaving futures markets subject to excessive speculation and manipulation.
Last year's energy bubble restricted consumer spending and helped provoke the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Higher oil prices raise the costs of everyday items and make it hard for families to make ends meet and for businesses to prosper. Earlier this year, Congress passed the economic stimulus bill to ensure a quick economic recovery. Unfortunately, a recovery will not happen if energy prices continue to go unchecked. It's time for Congress to act because the last thing anyone wants to see is speculators pocketing stimulus dollars intended to restart the economy.
Lea N. Wilson is executive director of the Washington State Oil Marketers Association.
"Congress should restore fair and open energy markets"
by Lea N. Wilson
For the second year in a row, oil market speculation is unfairly taxing families and businesses and threatening to derail Washington's economic recovery with higher gasoline and heating oil prices. If left unchecked, we risk losing a golden opportunity to rebuild our state's fragile economy.
While oil prices are well below the record high of $147 a barrel in July 2008, recent market volatility combined with the upcoming fall and winter heating season has consumers and business owners worried that a new energy bubble is forming. This is happening at the same time that supply and demand fundamentals dictate a decline in prices. According to data from the Energy Information Administration, demand for petroleum products in the U.S. is lower today than it was 10 years ago and supply is higher today than it was in 1982. In addition, the International Energy Agency recently predicted that global demand for oil will drop by about 2.5 million barrels a day this year compared to last.
So why are the principles of supply and demand not working? The only logical explanation is uncontrolled speculation. Every time you buy products such as food, gasoline or heating oil, you are impacted by unregulated, secretive and often foreign commodities markets into which speculators are pouring billions of dollars. These speculators buy large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again, with no intention of ever taking physical delivery of a barrel of oil.
As a result of weak regulations and loopholes, contracts for oil may trade more than 20 times with the price going up with each trade. And guess who picks up the final tab? Family-owned heating oil dealers, local gas station owners and the customers who buy from them-American consumers and businesses trying to make ends meet while paying artificially inflated prices.
Clearly, we all have a responsibility to do everything possible to achieve a balanced energy policy, including ensuring adequate supply, increasing conservation and investing in alternative fuels. In addition, we need to make sure that unregulated markets are monitored to stop excessive speculation now. Last summer, the threat of congressional legislation brought on by public outrage helped deflate the oil bubble and return prices to reasonable levels. Despite the attention, however, Congress failed to enact new regulations on commodities trading.
When Congress reconvenes in September, it can redeem last year's inaction by:
-- Re-establishing strict position limits on energy commodities - In 1936, regulations were created to stop speculators from buying up huge amounts of commodities and artificially driving up prices. Over the past 20 years, speculators have convinced regulators to weaken and/or abolish some of these limits. These limits need to be re-instated. Any trader not hedging with the intention of taking physical delivery of a related commodity must be subject to strict position limits.
-- Closing the "London Loophole" - Large numbers of foreign markets are trading oil on American soil while claiming that our rules don't apply. It is unfair that U.S. futures exchanges face more regulation than their foreign counterparts who are trading in U.S. commodities.
-- Regulating "swaps trades" - As many as 90 percent of all commodity trades occur out of the traditional marketplace. In these so-called "swap trades," traders buy and sell commodities over-the-counter with little, if any federal oversight.
-- Fully closing the "Enron Loophole" - In 2000, Enron lobbied policymakers to permit some commodity markets to operate with almost no government oversight, even though they trade contracts that are essentially identical to those traded on fully regulated exchanges like the New York Mercantile Exchange. This has allowed speculators to virtually trade commodities without any adequate federal oversight; thus, possibly leaving futures markets subject to excessive speculation and manipulation.
Last year's energy bubble restricted consumer spending and helped provoke the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Higher oil prices raise the costs of everyday items and make it hard for families to make ends meet and for businesses to prosper. Earlier this year, Congress passed the economic stimulus bill to ensure a quick economic recovery. Unfortunately, a recovery will not happen if energy prices continue to go unchecked. It's time for Congress to act because the last thing anyone wants to see is speculators pocketing stimulus dollars intended to restart the economy.
Lea N. Wilson is executive director of the Washington State Oil Marketers Association.
Medical Doctors on Swine Flu and Vaccines
From: http://medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/
Latest Articles
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- Serious Concern With Polio Vaccines
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- Fast-tracked Swine Flu Vaccine under Fire
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- Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year
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Monday, September 7, 2009
Cost-Benefit this looks like a better deal than the Skystream
From: http://www.energymatters.com.au/air-breeze-land-12volt-200watt-wind-turbine-p-729.html
Air Breeze Land 12Volt 200Watt Wind Turbine
Air Breeze Land 12Volt 200Watt Wind Turbine
Compilation of Links on Hotel Conservation, Waste Management, and Energy Efficiency Cost Savings Measures for Kaua'i, Hawaii and Beyond
The following is a summary of links to detailed ideas, plans, powerpoints, and financial measures to assist the Hotel Industry, particularly on Kaua'i, Hawaii, with energy conservation, waste management -- 3R, and energy efficiency initiatives for cost savings and visitor satisfaction.
First, we begin with a link to a powerpoint on Starwood energy efficiency initiatives in Hawaii hotels. Next is a link to a Sheraton Kauai Resort Business Best Practices powerpoint with specific tips and solutions on this. Here is a link to a page on Westin Maui energy and "green initiatives."
Second, we look at the example of the Hyatt on Kaua'i. Here is a brief powerpoint on "How to get started" by GM Doug Sears, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa Green Initiatives. Here is a more thorough powerpoint overview by Doug Sears on the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i's efforts with these cost savings initiatives and a detailed text explanation overview of those initiatives. Here is a link to a page with some detail on the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i's PV system and recent news coverage of that.
Third, here is a Kaua'i utility powerpoint Energy Opportunities with KIUC containing specific energy efficiency and rebate examples from the visitor industry on Kaua'i. Here is a powerpoint with specific ideas by Kaua'i County Solid Waste Coordinator Allison Fraley, Sustainable Waste Management Practices for the Visitor Industry. Here is a .pdf with ideas and links specifically for Hotels by EnergyStar.gov.
Fourth, here is an example of financial analysis of hotel energy conservation cost savings. Also, a thorough Guidebook on Energy Efficiency for Hotels (Download the guidebook) and further links associated with that excellent source. And from the U.S. Green Building Council here is a link to the LEED homepage with links to resources for energy efficiency ideas.
Lastly, a powerpoint by Chipper Wichman, Director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua'i, Fostering a Sense of Place, with excellent graphics of aina and host culture appeal on the goal here.
This compilation of links is intended as a thorough survey of global information resources to assist aggressive energy conservation and cost savings efforts in the Kaua'i visitor industry.
Mahalo,
Brad Parsons
First, we begin with a link to a powerpoint on Starwood energy efficiency initiatives in Hawaii hotels. Next is a link to a Sheraton Kauai Resort Business Best Practices powerpoint with specific tips and solutions on this. Here is a link to a page on Westin Maui energy and "green initiatives."
Second, we look at the example of the Hyatt on Kaua'i. Here is a brief powerpoint on "How to get started" by GM Doug Sears, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa Green Initiatives. Here is a more thorough powerpoint overview by Doug Sears on the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i's efforts with these cost savings initiatives and a detailed text explanation overview of those initiatives. Here is a link to a page with some detail on the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i's PV system and recent news coverage of that.
Third, here is a Kaua'i utility powerpoint Energy Opportunities with KIUC containing specific energy efficiency and rebate examples from the visitor industry on Kaua'i. Here is a powerpoint with specific ideas by Kaua'i County Solid Waste Coordinator Allison Fraley, Sustainable Waste Management Practices for the Visitor Industry. Here is a .pdf with ideas and links specifically for Hotels by EnergyStar.gov.
Fourth, here is an example of financial analysis of hotel energy conservation cost savings. Also, a thorough Guidebook on Energy Efficiency for Hotels (Download the guidebook) and further links associated with that excellent source. And from the U.S. Green Building Council here is a link to the LEED homepage with links to resources for energy efficiency ideas.
Lastly, a powerpoint by Chipper Wichman, Director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua'i, Fostering a Sense of Place, with excellent graphics of aina and host culture appeal on the goal here.
This compilation of links is intended as a thorough survey of global information resources to assist aggressive energy conservation and cost savings efforts in the Kaua'i visitor industry.
Mahalo,
Brad Parsons
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Global Swine Flu fatality count...VERY LOW...less than homicides, auto accidents, etc.
From: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090905/NEWS01/90905004
2 swine-flu deaths bring Hawaii toll to 10"
Four Isle casualties from June through August include child
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/06/news/kauai_news/doc4aa330e114166549602674.txt
...Each year about 36,000 people die from flu-related complications in the United States and more than 200,000 are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
We're not even there yet. Toxic vaccines for something that's not even as widespread as seasonal flu?
ISLE TOTAL H1N1-RELATED DEATHS
Hawai'i – only 10 out of 1.3 million people
U.S. – only 550 out of 304 million people
World – only 2,837 out of 6.7 billion people
Source: DOH, CDC, WHO
Four Isle casualties from June through August include child
State health officials yesterday confirmed four deaths in Hawai'i related to swine flu between June and August, bringing the total since mid-April to 10.
Two of the recent deaths involved people who had other health issues and two did not, meaning the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, was responsible for the deaths.
The two who died of swine flu included a young adult, who had gone back to work after getting the flu, and a child under age 5. It was the first child in the state to die of swine flu...
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/06/news/kauai_news/doc4aa330e114166549602674.txt
...Each year about 36,000 people die from flu-related complications in the United States and more than 200,000 are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
We're not even there yet. Toxic vaccines for something that's not even as widespread as seasonal flu?
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Kaua'i County Attorney oversteps his bounds
From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/09/05/opinion/kauai/doc4aa21cf08e813086741325.txt
"County Attorney oversteps his bounds"
By Walter Lewis, Special to The Garden Island
At the Aug. 13 meeting of the Kaua‘i Ethics Board, County Attorney Al Castillo, in disregard of the approved procedure for that meeting, appropriated three agenda items and launched into a roughly 30-minute patronizing lecture to the board as to its role and authority and the role and authority of the County Attorney under the County Charter.
In his discourse, he asserted that the charter specifies that the County Attorney is the chief legal adviser of the offices and agencies of the county on matters related to their powers and duties. He advised that the board must comply with his opinions.
When one board member asked if he meant “should” instead of “must,” he bridled and stated that he was not going to debate his position in the open meeting and taking the retreat that is well practiced by our County Council and others, he suggested that any discussion should be held in an executive session.
But he who is presumably omniscient in legal matters seemed to overlook that debating the law is not one of the eight avenues listed in Section 92-5 of the Sunshine Law as an allowable basis for an executive meeting.
Continuing on his set path he alluded to the agenda item regarding criteria for public release of opinions but never identified any and veered off into a discussion of various types of communications from the County Attorney’s office as including opinions of law that are not confidential and advice that may or may not be designated as confidential.
His delineations between opinions and advice were vague and inconclusive and not helpful to his audience. He did acknowledge that these communications are subject to the attorney-client privilege, and that the privilege may be waived by the client.
A question arose about whether Mr. Castillo would respond to the board’s request for his position on the opinion issued by his office last year on the interpretation of Section 20.02D of the charter. Without acknowledging that the request was for his written reply, he stated that he “almost” agreed with the opinion although he never explained what that meant and then he specifically disclaimed that he would provide any written comment.
All in all, his peremptory manner and his disdainful treatment of the board members was a disquieting performance. For the citizens in the audience, his conduct was shocking. One citizen submitted a letter to The Garden Island calling Mr. Castillo’s demeanor “dictatorial.”
Reviewing Mr. Castillo’s pronouncements, the most troublesome was his contention that he is the legal adviser of the board and it “must comply with his opinions” with the threat that if they do not, they must face the consequences. He apparently believes that his prime duty is to those who appointed him and not to serve his clients. Such a belief is not sustainable.
Lawyers are not known for their unanimity on legal matters and for any lawyer to claim he is omnipotent is pretentious and unwarranted. Yet Mr. Castillo is decreeing that our county agencies must accept his opinions “or else.”
The law is similar to the practice of medicine. Although all lawyers and doctors have education and experience in their fields, no one has expertise in all areas. Typically, each year our county incurs more costs to retain counsel on matters considered beyond the competence of the county attorney staff than it does to meet the payroll of the County Attorney’s office.
When our county officers and employees question the reliability of a county attorney office opinion what they should have is something similar to the right of a “second opinion” in general usage in the medical profession. Our charter says the County Attorney is the chief legal adviser, not the exclusive one.
Opinions from the County Attorney’s office are not generally released to the public. I have only seen one. Traditionally legal opinions recite the relevant facts, offer a discussion of the applicable law and then a conclusion.
The opinion I have seen as to Charter Section 20.02D was woefully organized. It provided an incorrect statement of the legal principles that should be applied and then it mandated the view that the charter section should be read in conjunction with Kaua‘i county ordinances totally failing to express a conclusion as to the results of such a reading.
If this opinion is representative of the opinion output of the County Attorney’s office, it is deeply troublesome.
An illustration of the ambiguities and problems of the points discussed by the County Attorney at the Ethics Board meeting and the sorry consequences of the failure to make public county attorney opinions recently played out in our Charter Review Commission.
There, the County Attorney’s office had issued an opinion of law relating to the county manager system and asserted it must be treated as confidential. An effort by one commission member to make the opinion publicly available was rejected by the commission, deferring to the confidentiality assertion by the County Attorney and bowing to his mandate that his opinions must be obeyed.
This occurred despite the County Attorney’s Ethics Board statement that opinions of law are not confidential and the clear right of the commission to waive the privilege. Even worse was the fact that discussion about attorney opinions release was conducted in executive session.
Mr. Castillo may well have interpersonal skills. But his arrogant and insulting style at the Ethics Board meeting seemed disparaging and unpleasant to its members. His pontifications were akin to a dressing down of mischievous children. If the man has humility, it was not readily apparent.
The County Attorney’s duties are important to our county. For the well-being of its people, I urge that Mr. Castillo review his role and consider how he might improve the interactions necessary to properly perform his designated function.
•Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a biweekly column for The Garden Island.
"County Attorney oversteps his bounds"
By Walter Lewis, Special to The Garden Island
At the Aug. 13 meeting of the Kaua‘i Ethics Board, County Attorney Al Castillo, in disregard of the approved procedure for that meeting, appropriated three agenda items and launched into a roughly 30-minute patronizing lecture to the board as to its role and authority and the role and authority of the County Attorney under the County Charter.
In his discourse, he asserted that the charter specifies that the County Attorney is the chief legal adviser of the offices and agencies of the county on matters related to their powers and duties. He advised that the board must comply with his opinions.
When one board member asked if he meant “should” instead of “must,” he bridled and stated that he was not going to debate his position in the open meeting and taking the retreat that is well practiced by our County Council and others, he suggested that any discussion should be held in an executive session.
But he who is presumably omniscient in legal matters seemed to overlook that debating the law is not one of the eight avenues listed in Section 92-5 of the Sunshine Law as an allowable basis for an executive meeting.
Continuing on his set path he alluded to the agenda item regarding criteria for public release of opinions but never identified any and veered off into a discussion of various types of communications from the County Attorney’s office as including opinions of law that are not confidential and advice that may or may not be designated as confidential.
His delineations between opinions and advice were vague and inconclusive and not helpful to his audience. He did acknowledge that these communications are subject to the attorney-client privilege, and that the privilege may be waived by the client.
A question arose about whether Mr. Castillo would respond to the board’s request for his position on the opinion issued by his office last year on the interpretation of Section 20.02D of the charter. Without acknowledging that the request was for his written reply, he stated that he “almost” agreed with the opinion although he never explained what that meant and then he specifically disclaimed that he would provide any written comment.
All in all, his peremptory manner and his disdainful treatment of the board members was a disquieting performance. For the citizens in the audience, his conduct was shocking. One citizen submitted a letter to The Garden Island calling Mr. Castillo’s demeanor “dictatorial.”
Reviewing Mr. Castillo’s pronouncements, the most troublesome was his contention that he is the legal adviser of the board and it “must comply with his opinions” with the threat that if they do not, they must face the consequences. He apparently believes that his prime duty is to those who appointed him and not to serve his clients. Such a belief is not sustainable.
Lawyers are not known for their unanimity on legal matters and for any lawyer to claim he is omnipotent is pretentious and unwarranted. Yet Mr. Castillo is decreeing that our county agencies must accept his opinions “or else.”
The law is similar to the practice of medicine. Although all lawyers and doctors have education and experience in their fields, no one has expertise in all areas. Typically, each year our county incurs more costs to retain counsel on matters considered beyond the competence of the county attorney staff than it does to meet the payroll of the County Attorney’s office.
When our county officers and employees question the reliability of a county attorney office opinion what they should have is something similar to the right of a “second opinion” in general usage in the medical profession. Our charter says the County Attorney is the chief legal adviser, not the exclusive one.
Opinions from the County Attorney’s office are not generally released to the public. I have only seen one. Traditionally legal opinions recite the relevant facts, offer a discussion of the applicable law and then a conclusion.
The opinion I have seen as to Charter Section 20.02D was woefully organized. It provided an incorrect statement of the legal principles that should be applied and then it mandated the view that the charter section should be read in conjunction with Kaua‘i county ordinances totally failing to express a conclusion as to the results of such a reading.
If this opinion is representative of the opinion output of the County Attorney’s office, it is deeply troublesome.
An illustration of the ambiguities and problems of the points discussed by the County Attorney at the Ethics Board meeting and the sorry consequences of the failure to make public county attorney opinions recently played out in our Charter Review Commission.
There, the County Attorney’s office had issued an opinion of law relating to the county manager system and asserted it must be treated as confidential. An effort by one commission member to make the opinion publicly available was rejected by the commission, deferring to the confidentiality assertion by the County Attorney and bowing to his mandate that his opinions must be obeyed.
This occurred despite the County Attorney’s Ethics Board statement that opinions of law are not confidential and the clear right of the commission to waive the privilege. Even worse was the fact that discussion about attorney opinions release was conducted in executive session.
Mr. Castillo may well have interpersonal skills. But his arrogant and insulting style at the Ethics Board meeting seemed disparaging and unpleasant to its members. His pontifications were akin to a dressing down of mischievous children. If the man has humility, it was not readily apparent.
The County Attorney’s duties are important to our county. For the well-being of its people, I urge that Mr. Castillo review his role and consider how he might improve the interactions necessary to properly perform his designated function.
•Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a biweekly column for The Garden Island.
Revolt Brewing on the Outer Islands over Ag Inspector Cuts
This is gonna blow up, this is big. I see big issues coming from miles away, this is one of 'em:
From: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/523235.html?nav=10
"Agricultural inspector layoffs slammed"
Farmers, environmentalists: Move to save little, at a high cost
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Maui News Staff Writer September 5, 2009
From: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/523235.html?nav=10
"Agricultural inspector layoffs slammed"
Farmers, environmentalists: Move to save little, at a high cost
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Maui News Staff Writer September 5, 2009
KAHULUI - Environmentalists and farmers lashed out Thursday night at the announced layoffs of state agricultural inspectors, arguing that the move planned by the Lingle administration would uproot efforts to preserve the island's agricultural industry and pristine environment.
Close to 100 people turned out at a Senate Ad Hoc Committee meeting held in the Maui Waena Intermediate School cafeteria. The crowd applauded those who spoke against the layoffs, some even attacking Gov. Linda Lingle.
Jeffrey Parker, president of Tropical Orchid Farm Inc., lashed out after being told by agricultural officials that they would no longer be able to inspect and certify nurseries and his flower shipments.
"So to have 30 years learning skills and developing my unique business, and surviving one of the worst economic downturns of our lifetimes, and then have a single blind ideologue, who refuses to examine the economic and environmental impacts of her cuts and refuses to look at other options, unilaterally say 'You are out of business' is outrageous," Parker said. "Her management of the state is so irresponsible; she should be removed from office."
Teya Penniman, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, called Lingle's plan "ill-conceived, shortsighted," and said the extensive cuts would have unprecedented impacts on farmers as well as pose unacceptable risks to the environment.
"These are not minor concerns," Penniman said. She said the layoffs would increase the risk of brown tree snakes, West Nile virus and red imported fire ants. Without the necessary number of inspectors in place, Maui faces the risk of decreased quality of food and increase in prices to consumers.
Last month, employees with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and other state agencies were served notice that they would lose their jobs by November.
In the Agriculture Department's Plant Quarantine Branch, 52 of 112 positions are to be eliminated, representing 54 percent of the state's agricultural inspectors.
On Maui, six of the current 17 inspector positions would be cut. Of the remaining 11 positions, six are paid for by the state Department of Transportation to work only at Kahului Airport.
Lingle spokesman Russell Pang has said the governor is aware of the impacts of the cuts. He noted that Lingle had to specifically target positions that are paid for out of the state's general fund in order to balance the budget and close an $884 million budget gap. That meant certain agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, took a bigger hit than other departments whose budgets are drawn from special funds, Pang said.
A suggestion that federal agriculture inspectors and/or volunteers could assist with the workload left by layoffs would not help much, according to Carol Okada, manager of the Agriculture Department's Plant Quarantine Branch. She said federal inspectors focus on cargo headed to the Mainland and not containers coming into Hawaii.
A proposal also surfaced this week to tap the state's invasive species special fund and use the money to restore about half of the agricultural inspection positions.
But some conservationists balked at the idea.
"You're robbing Peter to pay Paul," said Dale Bonar of the Maui Coastal Land Trust.
Bonar said it was difficult for him to imagine delays in inspections of food supplies and invasive species coming into the islands. "Our environment is our economy," Bonar said. "It is the truth, and it is what we're going to lose here."
Penniman said she's conflicted about money for invasive species, which takes a more preventative approach by using public education, research and technology, and outreach in the community.
"This 'solution' will simply shift the problem to the 'back end' of the invasive species network," Penniman said. She said some of the invasive species committees, including Maui's, would have to cease operations.
"Simply put, we are all in this together. Our agricultural industry, economy and environment depend on maintaining both the prevention and response and control elements of the statewide invasive species program," Penniman said.
Big Island state Sen. Russell Kokubun chaired Thursday night's meeting, saying he and his colleagues, including Maui Sens. Roz Baker, Shan Tsutsui and J. Kalani English, wanted to give the public a chance to comment on the layoffs. Kokubun said they've been accused of "riling up" audiences by holding such informational briefings, but he said he believed such hearings were necessary to be consistent with the Senate's stance that such far-reaching decisions should be made with constituents' input.
Members of the state House of Representatives have also discussed the issue.
Upcountry Rep. Kyle Yamashita said the House Agriculture Committee met in Honolulu on Wednesday to hear from importers about the impacts of inspector layoffs.
He said it sounded like the cuts would result in a major backlog of goods entering the state.
"They're already running pretty inefficiently as far as trying to inspect all the containers," he said. "With less inspectors, it's just going to slow them down."
The problem would be magnified on Maui and other Neighbor Islands because cargo would have to be routed through Honolulu for inspection if the layoffs take place, he added.
"It adds to time and cost," he said.
Yamashita said the layoffs should be reassessed, since the cuts are only expected to save the state Department of Agriculture around $5 million.
"If we're talking about a $900 million shortfall, that's a drop in the bucket, and the impact is close to a billion dollars to the economy," he said.
At the Senate hearing Thursday, William G. Jacintho, a lifelong cattle farmer and president of the Maui Cattlemen's Association, also spoke of impacts on his and his fellow farmers' business.
Jacintho was particularly concerned about inspections of imported cattle feed. More than 42,000 head of cattle were exported out of Hawaii in 2005, he said.
"Delays at the pier would reduce the freshness and quality of feed, and livestock producers might run out of feed inventory before the shipment arrives," Jacintho said. He said there's not enough pasture grass to support all the animals on Maui and ranches are not set up to make adjustments because of fewer agriculture inspectors.
Maui District Health Officer Dr. Lorrin Pang testified as a "government worker," showing concern about invasive species and harmful vectors coming into the environment unchecked. He said the Health Department itself is going to see a 70 percent cut in the number of staff in its vector control division.
Pang worried out loud about the potential of diseases brought by certain species. As an example, he spoke of inspectors finding sand fleas on the legendary Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokulea during a recent visit to Maui.
According to Pang, such fleas carry three to four "horrible" diseases that have no treatment or vaccine. "Nobody likes that," Pang said, pointing out that had the inspectors not found the fleas, they would have been introduced into the environment with very little chance of being eradicated...>>>Rest of article here>>>
The 'ObamaCare' Letter that Rocked Barack's World
I missed this Op-Ed piece when it came out about a month ago. Recently it was forwarded to me by a retired medical doctor of sound judgement. For those who have been around the medical profession for a lifetime, this is representative of the situation at hand, and it really riled up Obama's people, as it should have:
"ObamaCare and me" by Zane F. Pollard, Atlanta based M.D.
"ObamaCare and me" by Zane F. Pollard, Atlanta based M.D.
forward by Ewa Kochanska August 8, 2009 Atlanta Examiner
Dr. Zane F. Pollard
And a companion Op-Ed that appeared the same day:
August 06, 2009
Three House committees just choked down the bitter pill of a compromise version of a healthcare reform bill, HR 3200. But for vulnerable patients -- and taxpayers -- the cure may be worse than the disease.
Dr. Zane F. Pollard
While the healthcare reform debate has been picking up this summer, the conversation is mostly between politicians and average citizens who do not practice medicine. US doctors and nurses seem to have been left out from this dispute, even though the outcome will influence them, their lives, their practice, and their ability to stay in business, enormously.
Clearly, if the reform is not private practice "friendly" we as a community might lose our best physicians and our economy might weaken as a result of doctors shutting down or going out of business.
Below is an opinion of one of Atlanta's most recognized physicians, Dr. Zane F. Pollard, who works in pediatric ophthalmology for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, Atlanta, GA.
From: http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/08/obamacare_and_me.html
August 06, 2009
ObamaCare and me
By Zane F Pollard, MDI have been sitting quietly on the sidelines watching all of this national debate on healthcare. It is time for me to bring some clarity to the table by explaining many of the problems from the perspective of a doctor.
First off, the government has involved very few of us physicians in the healthcare debate. While the American Medical Association has come out in favor of the plan, it is vital to remember that the AMA only represents 17% of the American physician workforce.
I have taken care of Medicaid patients for 35 years while representing the only pediatric ophthalmology group left in Atlanta, Georgia that accepts Medicaid. For example, in the past 6 months I have cared for three young children on Medicaid who had corneal ulcers. This is a potentially blinding situation because if the cornea perforates from the infection, almost surely blindness will occur. In all three cases the antibiotic needed for the eradication of the infection was not on the approved Medicaid list.
Each time I was told to fax Medicaid for the approval forms, which I did. Within 48 hours the form came back to me which was sent in immediately via fax, and I was told that I would have my answer in 10 days. Of course by then each child would have been blind in the eye.
Each time the request came back denied. All three times I personally provided the antibiotic for each patient which was not on the Medicaid approved list. Get the point -- rationing of care.
Over the past 35 years I have cared for over 1000 children born with congenital cataracts. In older children and in adults the vision is rehabilitated with an intraocular lens. In newborns we use contact lenses which are very expensive. It takes Medicaid over one year to approve a contact lens post cataract surgery. By that time a successful anatomical operation is wasted as the child will be close to blind from a lack of focusing for so long a period of time.
Again, extreme rationing. Solution: I have a foundation here in Atlanta supported 100% by private funds which supplies all of these contact lenses for my Medicaid and illegal immigrants children for free. Again, waiting for the government would be disastrous.
Last week I had a lady bring her child to me. They are Americans but live in Sweden, as the father has a job with a big corporation. The child had the onset of double vision 3 months ago and has been unable to function normally because of this. They are people of means but are waiting 8 months to see the ophthalmologist in Sweden. Then if the child needed surgery they would be put on a 6 month waiting list. She called me and I saw her that day. It turned out that the child had accommodative esotropia (crossing of the eyes treated with glasses that correct for farsightedness) and responded to glasses within 4 days, so no surgery was needed. Again, rationing of care.
Last month I operated on a 70 year old lady with double vision present for 3 years. She responded quite nicely to her surgery and now is symptom free. I also operated on a 69 year old judge with vertical double vision. His surgery went very well and now he is happy as a lark. I have been told -- but of course there is no healthcare bill that has been passed yet -- that these 2 people because of their age would have been denied surgery and just told to wear a patch over one eye to alleviate the symptoms of double vision. Obviously cheaper than surgery.
I spent two year in the US Navy during the Viet Nam war and was well treated by the military. There was tremendous rationing of care and we were told specifically what things the military personnel and their dependents could have and which things they could not have. While I was in Viet Nam, my wife Nancy got sick and got essentially no care at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. She went home and went to her family's private internist in Beverly Hills. While it was expensive, she received an immediate work up. Again rationing of care.
For those of you who are over 65, this bill in its present form might be lethal for you. People in Britain face rationing of care in that there is an eight month wait for cataract surgery, 11 for hernia and the same for disc and total hip The government wants to mimic the British plan. For those of you younger, it will still mean restriction of the care that you and your children receive.
While 99% of physicians went into medicine because of the love of medicine and the challenge of helping our fellow man, economics are still important. My rent goes up 2% each year and the salaries of my employees go up 2% each year. Twenty years ago, ophthalmologists were paid $1800 for a cataract surgery and today $500. This is a 73% decrease in our fees. I do not know of many jobs in America that have seen this sort of lowering of fees.
But there is more to the story than just the lower fees. When I came to Atlanta, there was a well known ophthalmologist that charged $2500 for a cataract surgery as he felt the was the best. He had a terrific reputation and in fact I had my mother's bilateral cataracts operated on by him with a wonderful result. She is now 94 and has 20/20 vision in both eyes. People would pay his $2500 fee.
However, then the government came in and said that any doctor that does Medicare work cannot accept more than the going rate ( now $500) or he or she would be severely fined. This put an end to his charging $2500. The government said it was illegal to accept more than the government-allowed rate. What I am driving at is that those of you well off will not be able to go to the head of the line under this new healthcare plan, just because you have money, as no physician will be willing to go against the law to treat you.
I am a pediatric ophthalmologist and trained for 10 years post-college to become a pediatric ophthalmologist (add two years of my service in the Navy and that comes to 12 years).A neurosurgeon spends 14 years post -college, and if he or she has to do the military that would be 16 years. I am not entitled to make what a neurosurgeon makes, but the new plan calls for all physicians to make the same amount of payment. I assure you that medical students will not go into neurosurgery and we will have a tremendous shortage of neurosurgeons. Already, the top neurosurgeon at my hospital who is in good health and only 52 years old has just quit because he can't stand working with the government anymore. Forty-nine percent of children under the age of 16 in the state of Georgia are on Medicaid, so he felt he just could not stand working with the bureaucracy anymore.
We are being lied to about the uninsured. They are getting care. I operate at least 2 illegal immigrants each month who pay me nothing, and the children's hospital at which I operate charges them nothing also.This is true not only on Atlanta, but of every community in America.
The bottom line is that I urge all of you to contact your congresswomen and congressmen and senators to defeat this bill. I promise you that you will not like rationing of your own health.
Furthermore, how can you trust a physician that works under these conditions knowing that he is controlled by the state. I certainly could not trust any doctor that would work under these draconian conditions.
One last thing: with this new healthcare plan there will be a tremendous shortage of physicians. It has been estimated that approximately 5% of the current physician work force will quit under this new system. Also it is estimated that another 5% shortage will occur because of the decreased number of men and women wanting to go into medicine. At the present time the US government has mandated gender equity in admissions to medical schools .That means that for the past 15 years that somewhere between 49 and 51% of each entering class are females. This is true of private schools also, because all private schools receive federal funding.
The average career of a woman in medicine now is only 8-10 years and the average work week for a female in medicine is only 3-4 days. I have now trained 35 fellows in pediatric ophthalmology. Hands down the best was a female that I trained 4 years ago -- she was head and heels above all others I have trained. She now practices only 3 days a week.
Background: Dr. Zane F. Pollard
I did my undergraduate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. I graduated Tulane University medical School Alpha Omega Alpha ( medical school's top 10% of graduating class). Internship at the Univ. of Southern California in Los Angeles, one year of General surgery residency at the U. of California in San Francisco. Two years in the US Navy. Residency in Ophthalmology at the U.of S. California in Los Angeles, fellowship in pediatric Ophthalmology at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. In practice with Eye Consultants of Atlanta for the past 35 years. Published 90 papers in peer reviewed Scientific Ophthalmology Journals. Member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Ophthalmological Society. Board certified in Ophthalmology. 212 Comments on "ObamaCare and me"
Background: Dr. Zane F. Pollard
I did my undergraduate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. I graduated Tulane University medical School Alpha Omega Alpha ( medical school's top 10% of graduating class). Internship at the Univ. of Southern California in Los Angeles, one year of General surgery residency at the U. of California in San Francisco. Two years in the US Navy. Residency in Ophthalmology at the U.of S. California in Los Angeles, fellowship in pediatric Ophthalmology at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. In practice with Eye Consultants of Atlanta for the past 35 years. Published 90 papers in peer reviewed Scientific Ophthalmology Journals. Member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Ophthalmological Society. Board certified in Ophthalmology. 212 Comments on "ObamaCare and me"
Originally published on www.americanthinker.com
Dr. Pollard was on the "Best Doctors in Atlanta" list in Atlanta Magazine from 1998 to 2001. In 2001 he was also on the "Best Doctors in the U.S.A." list. He is an author of more than 90 scientific papers and a recipient of many awards and honors.
Education:
| Fellowship: | Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Pediatric ophthalmology, 1974. |
| Residency: | University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif. Ophthalmology, 1973 University of California, San Francisco, Calif. |
| Internship: | University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif., 1967 |
| Medical School: | Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, La., M.D., 1966 |
| Undergraduate: | Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. |
And a companion Op-Ed that appeared the same day:
August 06, 2009
ObamaCare's Poison Pill
By Linda Halderman, MDThree House committees just choked down the bitter pill of a compromise version of a healthcare reform bill, HR 3200. But for vulnerable patients -- and taxpayers -- the cure may be worse than the disease.
Problematic policy recommendations by proponents of rationing and socializing costs may be part of why the bill is so unpalatable to opponents of government intervention in healthcare decision making.
President Obama's director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, is himself advised by Ezekiel Emanuel -- brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
In addition to serving as a Special Advisor in the Obama Administration, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is a fellow at the Hastings Center. The Hastings Center, a bioethics research center, has published articles and books on the patient's right to die, as well as promoted "Assisted Dying" policy as a component of healthcare reform.
Dr. Emanuel's June 2008 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association criticized the Hippocratic Oath as an unwelcome "imperative [for physicians] to do everything for the patient regardless of cost or effect on others."
In the article, titled "The Perfect Storm of Overutilization," he instead encourages a "move toward more socially sustainable, cost-effective care."
This philosophy of "socially sustainable care" for older Americans is reflected in nine pages of the bill devoted to a description of a new Medicare benefit: "Advance Care Planning Consultation."
Concerns with these provisions (quoted below from pages 425-434 of HR 3200) have been dismissed as spin and minimized by the Administration and supporters of the bill.
HR 3200 describes what a private discussion between a patient and doctor should include: "an explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services...and an explanation of orders regarding life sustaining treatment" with "the reasons why such an order should be updated periodically as the health of the individual changes."
The discussion of end of life choices would be further detailed by the federal government to address an individual's desire for "the intensity of medical intervention if the patient is pulseless, apneic, or has serious cardiac or pulmonary problems" and whether or not the individual will allow "the use of antibiotics" or "artificially administered nutrition and hydration."
The President refuses to say if he specifically supports Medicare reimbursement for end of life counseling sessions or the wisdom of allowing the federal government to dictate the content of medical discussions. According to his aides, he is unconcerned that such reimbursement might lead to government interference in life or death decisions about health care.
Also informing healthcare policy is Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for the Obama Administration's new Health Information Technology $19 billion bureaucracy. Dr. Blumenthal is the author of "Controlling Health Care Expenditures," published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 8, 2001 (pages 495-498).
In the same article, Dr. Blumenthal extols the virtues of government cost controls for healthcare, though he concedes the inevitable result of this intrusion into patient-doctor decision making: "Longer waits for elective procedures and reduced availability of new and expensive treatments and devices."
Government cost controls would need to be extreme to prevent HR 3200's assault on taxpayers. How much green can a taxpayer's wallet hemorrhage? The House bill aims to find out. Current estimates for the bloated legislation -- over 1,000 pages and counting --reach nearly $1 trillion.
In a classic example of government mathematics, Legislators involved in negotiations bragged that said the most recent amendments would cut the bill's cost by about $100 billion over 10 years. These same dealmakers carefully omitted reference to additional new amendments that would actually RAISE the fiscal burden-by about $100 billion.
It is possible that the same economic logic was used to draft page 203, lines 14-15 of HR 3200: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax."
Complaining about critics, the President scolded, "These folks need to stop scaring everybody, you know?"
He may be right. The President's plan is frightening enough on its own.
Dr. Linda Halderman was a Breast Cancer Surgeon in rural central California until unsustainable Medicaid payment practices contributed to her practice's closure. She now serves as the healthcare policy advisor for California's Senator Sam Aanestad .53 Comments
Letters calling for KIUC Cost Cutting instead of a Rate Hike
There has been a steady stream of good letters to the editor of The Garden Island news about KIUC since the Aug. 25th Rate Hike PUC Hearing. I'll point out "KIUC’s unnecessary expenses" by Francine Grace from Sept. 4th, "Time for a plan" by Monroe Richman from Sept. 2nd, and "Power from the sun" by Kawika Moke from Aug. 28th. Each one of them makes great points and together are right on it.
In the case of "Power from the sun" by Kawika Moke here is an article about how to actualize the idea that Mr. Moke envisions. From the article:
In "Time for a plan" Monroe Richman makes the following key points, "...So where do we go from here? I have heard nothing from the CEO of KIUC as to methods of financing change other than the current rate increase to maintain the status quo...Whether it is wind power or sun power or nuclear power, a dependence on fossil fuel will only mean future rate hikes far beyond what you can visualize now."
It is true. All KIUC filings with the PUC and Board Minutes show that other alternatives were not fully evaluated with due diligence other than just a rate increase. By recent case history before the PUC, this should be of particular importance to the Commissioners. But furthermore, Mr. Richman's closing point is oh so true; from the PUC docket in this case, "The EMP incorporates and projects the need for additional rate increases and rate cases in 2012 and 2015." (KIUC 10-T-200, 32:3-4)
The most obvious alternatives to the proposed 10.5% revenue rate increase that were not thoroughly evaluated with proper due diligence are the many cost cutting measures that KIUC could undertake internally to make up most if not all of the difference. In fact, in the current economic environment, cost cutting measures are the more obvious alternatives that should be considered over a rate increase. Which leads us to the letter today "KIUC’s unnecessary expenses" by Francine Grace.
Mrs. Grace first starts off with a generous remark towards KIUC, but quickly focuses in on a few specific cost cutting measures: member rebates deducted from bills or direct deposited to save on mail and postage; cutting the hardcopy and mailing of the KIUC Current magazine and posting it online only; and cutting the non-electricity related giveaways at KIUC meetings. Mrs. Grace concludes, "...When times are hard and finances are tight, any household or business would consider any unnecessary expenses and cut them out. Maybe KIUC should first look a little deeper and cut out any unnecessary expenses, before requesting a rate hike of its already cash strapped members..."
In oral testimony to the PUC on Aug. 25th, others mentioned additional cost cutting measures that KIUC could pursue. David Ward mentioned the "33% electricity discount rate" that KIUC employees may receive. That is inconsistent with what KIUC is asking of its members and creates a sheltered environment from which energy decisions are made at KIUC. A related question has also come up, "Do KIUC Board Members also get that electricity discount rate?" Additionally, at the hearing, Judie H. Lundborg also mentioned the excessive air conditioning that KIUC runs in the luxury offices that they lease, "Too damn cold," I think were her appropo words.
But maybe the best testimony I have seen on cost cutting measures that KIUC could pursue as a matter of new found due diligence to negate any perceived need for a rate increase was the following testimony submitted by Robert Goldberg and family via e-mail on Aug. 27th after the hearing and is now a part of the docket:
"Aloha PUC and Consumer Advocate:
We strongly oppose KIUC's requested rate hike. Instead, KIUC should cut wasteful spending:
1. KIUC rents the most luxurious, expensive commercial building on Kaua'i. Their convenient excuse is that they're stuck with a prior lease. If true (which we doubt), they should assign the lease and rent a much cheaper space.
2. KIUC publishes and mails a glossy magazine (Currents) that [almost] nobody reads.
3. KIUC hosts an extravagant annual meeting with food, entertairmient, rides, prizes, etc. They should hold a no-frills business meeting in a [modest] conference room.
4. KIUC mails rebate checks (separate from bills). They should simply credit the customers' accounts, thus avoiding a huge amount of administrative time and overhead.
5. KIUC's charitable contributions, sports sponsorships and political/lobbying activities [in D.C.] should be zeroed out.
6. Enormous waste in terms of salaries, benefits, travel, conferences, food, entertainment and [excessively fuel inefficient Executive] vehicles.
We're in a deep recession, and consumers are suffering. All fuel increases are absorbed into the giant Energy Adjustment on every bill. There is no conceivable basis for any rate hike. Mahalo.
Robert Goldberg [et. al.]"
Could not have said it any better.
Mahalo to all for your letters and oral and written testimonies. The oral and written testimonies should be good enough to influence the PUC Commissioners and Consumer Advocate on this.
Marriott's representative has recently added some further filings to the docket...Marriott's response to KIUC's filed Opposition to Marriott's rep. request to intervene in the case. A hearing is set for Sept. 14th as to whether they will be allowed to intervene in the rate case. Any other intervenors had 10 days from Aug. 25th to file a request to intervene. The only filers to intervene so far on the docket are the Navy/PMRF and the Kaua'i Marriott's rep.
Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future has decided not to try to intervene, but we will be following the case closely and writing about it throughout.
In the case of "Power from the sun" by Kawika Moke here is an article about how to actualize the idea that Mr. Moke envisions. From the article:
"Two years ago the city of Berkeley figured out an easy financing trick to get around this problem — the city itself just issues a bond to pay for the upfront costs of installing the solar panels, and the homeowner then repays the government over the course of 20 years via a small line item on the property-tax bill. (This way, if the home is sold, the costs of the panels get passed on to the new owner getting the benefits.)
It's a small policy tweak, but quite sensible. No mandates, no regulations, just offering homeowners an extra option if they choose. So it's not surprising to hear that, as Kate Galbraith reports today, the idea's been proliferating like crazy: This year alone, eight states have followed California's lead by giving their municipalities permission for this sort of financing, including Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin."In "Time for a plan" Monroe Richman makes the following key points, "...So where do we go from here? I have heard nothing from the CEO of KIUC as to methods of financing change other than the current rate increase to maintain the status quo...Whether it is wind power or sun power or nuclear power, a dependence on fossil fuel will only mean future rate hikes far beyond what you can visualize now."
It is true. All KIUC filings with the PUC and Board Minutes show that other alternatives were not fully evaluated with due diligence other than just a rate increase. By recent case history before the PUC, this should be of particular importance to the Commissioners. But furthermore, Mr. Richman's closing point is oh so true; from the PUC docket in this case, "The EMP incorporates and projects the need for additional rate increases and rate cases in 2012 and 2015." (KIUC 10-T-200, 32:3-4)
The most obvious alternatives to the proposed 10.5% revenue rate increase that were not thoroughly evaluated with proper due diligence are the many cost cutting measures that KIUC could undertake internally to make up most if not all of the difference. In fact, in the current economic environment, cost cutting measures are the more obvious alternatives that should be considered over a rate increase. Which leads us to the letter today "KIUC’s unnecessary expenses" by Francine Grace.
Mrs. Grace first starts off with a generous remark towards KIUC, but quickly focuses in on a few specific cost cutting measures: member rebates deducted from bills or direct deposited to save on mail and postage; cutting the hardcopy and mailing of the KIUC Current magazine and posting it online only; and cutting the non-electricity related giveaways at KIUC meetings. Mrs. Grace concludes, "...When times are hard and finances are tight, any household or business would consider any unnecessary expenses and cut them out. Maybe KIUC should first look a little deeper and cut out any unnecessary expenses, before requesting a rate hike of its already cash strapped members..."
In oral testimony to the PUC on Aug. 25th, others mentioned additional cost cutting measures that KIUC could pursue. David Ward mentioned the "33% electricity discount rate" that KIUC employees may receive. That is inconsistent with what KIUC is asking of its members and creates a sheltered environment from which energy decisions are made at KIUC. A related question has also come up, "Do KIUC Board Members also get that electricity discount rate?" Additionally, at the hearing, Judie H. Lundborg also mentioned the excessive air conditioning that KIUC runs in the luxury offices that they lease, "Too damn cold," I think were her appropo words.
But maybe the best testimony I have seen on cost cutting measures that KIUC could pursue as a matter of new found due diligence to negate any perceived need for a rate increase was the following testimony submitted by Robert Goldberg and family via e-mail on Aug. 27th after the hearing and is now a part of the docket:
"Aloha PUC and Consumer Advocate:
We strongly oppose KIUC's requested rate hike. Instead, KIUC should cut wasteful spending:
1. KIUC rents the most luxurious, expensive commercial building on Kaua'i. Their convenient excuse is that they're stuck with a prior lease. If true (which we doubt), they should assign the lease and rent a much cheaper space.
2. KIUC publishes and mails a glossy magazine (Currents) that [almost] nobody reads.
3. KIUC hosts an extravagant annual meeting with food, entertairmient, rides, prizes, etc. They should hold a no-frills business meeting in a [modest] conference room.
4. KIUC mails rebate checks (separate from bills). They should simply credit the customers' accounts, thus avoiding a huge amount of administrative time and overhead.
5. KIUC's charitable contributions, sports sponsorships and political/lobbying activities [in D.C.] should be zeroed out.
6. Enormous waste in terms of salaries, benefits, travel, conferences, food, entertainment and [excessively fuel inefficient Executive] vehicles.
We're in a deep recession, and consumers are suffering. All fuel increases are absorbed into the giant Energy Adjustment on every bill. There is no conceivable basis for any rate hike. Mahalo.
Robert Goldberg [et. al.]"
Could not have said it any better.
Mahalo to all for your letters and oral and written testimonies. The oral and written testimonies should be good enough to influence the PUC Commissioners and Consumer Advocate on this.
Marriott's representative has recently added some further filings to the docket...Marriott's response to KIUC's filed Opposition to Marriott's rep. request to intervene in the case. A hearing is set for Sept. 14th as to whether they will be allowed to intervene in the rate case. Any other intervenors had 10 days from Aug. 25th to file a request to intervene. The only filers to intervene so far on the docket are the Navy/PMRF and the Kaua'i Marriott's rep.
Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future has decided not to try to intervene, but we will be following the case closely and writing about it throughout.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat's videos from Kaua'i's Northshore
Just saw a link to Jason Mraz's video for "I'm Yours." Was looking for it a few weeks ago, but his copyright people had disabled all of them on Youtube. By chance just now came across the official one. It's actually got scenes from both Oahu and Kaua'i all mixed up. The second video is Colbie Caillat's. I put 'em here for the aina footage:
"I'm Yours" Official Video
"I'm Yours" Official Video
Expected Events of the October re-release of the movie "South Pacific" on Kaua'i
Mitzi Gaynor Returning to Kauai for South Pacific Celebration
LIHUE, Kauai, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitzi Gaynor, Hollywood legend and the unforgettable star of Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic movie musical South Pacific, is returning to Kauai in October to take part in the Garden Isle's celebration of the film's 50th anniversary.
This will be Ms. Gaynor's first visit back to Kauai since taking part in the movie's filming on the island in 1957-58."I have such joyful memories about Kauai," said Ms. Gaynor. "Our cast and crew had a fabulous time filming there on location and it was undoubtedly the most beautiful setting I've ever had the pleasure to work in. Kauai, and especially its warm and generous people, has long occupied a special place in my heart. I'm thrilled to be coming back and seeing this gorgeous island and its wonderful people once again."
Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., commented, "Mitzi Gaynor and South Pacific dazzled movie fans everywhere and we're proud of how Kauai's incredible beauty was instrumental to the movie's success. It's an honor for Kauai's people to welcome Ms. Gaynor back to our island home and join us in this 50th anniversary celebration."
Ms. Gaynor will be the star attraction for two special events on Kauai the first weekend of October, the first of which is a private Grand Opening reception to celebrate the reopening of the St. Regis Princeville Resort following its extensive renovation. It was where Princeville Resort is now located that Emile de Becque (portrayed by Rossano Brazzi) wooed Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor) with the ballad, Some Enchanted Evening.
On October 4, the Kauai Visitors Bureau (KVB) is presenting An Afternoon with Mitzi Gaynor at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, an entertaining reflection by Ms. Gaynor on the filming of South Pacific and her career. The event is open to the public and benefits the Kauai Museum. Admission is $20.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Mitzi Gaynor returning to Kauai and we will shower her with our island's aloha," said Sue Kanoho, KVB executive director.
Re-released this year on Blu-ray Disc by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, South Pacific tells the story of forbidden love in the tropics during World War II.
The movie was a box-office smash at the time of its theatrical release and Mitzi Gaynor was the main reason why. As dynamic Navy Ensign Nellie Forbush, she carried the film with her beauty, charm, and engaging performance, including memorable songs like I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair and I'm in Love With A Wonderful Guy.
Most of South Pacific's filming took place in 1957-58 on Kauai's beautiful north shore and showcased the island's lush tropical setting. The location was a popular choice with the crew, with Director Joshua Logan noting at the time, "Kauai is a place that will enchant movie audiences, giving reality instead of stage illusion."
Popular sites like Hanalei Bay, Lumahai Beach, and Mount Makana (South Pacific's mystical "island of Bali Hai") are easily recognizable in the movie and visitors coming to Kauai's north shore today will note how largely unchanged the area remains five decades later.
For more information about Kauai - Hawaii's Island of Discovery - visit www.kauaidiscovery.com or call KVB toll-free at (800) 262-1400.
SOURCE: Kauai Visitors Bureau
New wind turbine stirs up interest on Kaua'i
Good article. Gives an idea of a different kind of roof mounted SWECS that could be brought in here. Of note is that it is whisper quiet and safe to birds as are other roof mounted horizontal and vertical axis generators. The article mentions a price of $15,000 to $30,000 that this contractor would like to charge on this device that has a 20 year life cycle. If the SWECS ordinance is passed, other competing contractors will no doubt enter the market with cost effective SWECS, and at $10,000 or less it starts to make sense to the buyer and probably still returns a margin to the contractor. Anyway the article is a good read. Let's pass ordinance bill #2317.
The three natural resources abound on Kaua‘i, but the island still relies heavily upon the burning of fossil fuels and the importation of foreign oil.
“We have all the resources at our fingertips,” said Jared Smith of Smith’s Electrical Contracting in an interview at The Garden Island Wednesday afternoon.
To demonstrate just how easy using wind as a clean, renewable energy source is, Smith, along with business partner Dane Eirhart, came up with an idea which they’ve been proudly parading around town in recent days.
In fact, many people might have noticed the “energy ball” perched in the back of their black pick-up truck this week because it has apparently been generating quite a buzz.
“We’ve been getting more smiles than we have ever seen before,” Smith said.
The ball of energy is reportedly the first of its kind in the state and what makes it different from other wind turbine models is it won’t harm birds and is whisper-quiet, Eirhart said. So, all the misconceptions people have about wind turbines are no longer valid, he added.
Based on a physics concept — the Venturi Principle — air is taken from around the outside of the blades and passes to the inside before it shoots out as vibrational energy, Smith explained. And because of the way it spins, birds view it as a solid object, thus avoiding it. In addition, “It won’t irritate your neighbors,” Smith said.
Originally created in the Netherlands, the idea has already exploded across the Mainland and when Hawai‘i pays the highest fees for electricity in the nation, it “only makes sense” to bring it to the islands, Eirhart said.
While the goal is for Kaua‘i to be 70 percent fossil fuel free by 2030, according to the Kaua‘i Energy Sustainability Plan, Smith said there is no reason it has to take over 20 years to become 30 percent shy of optimum self-sufficiency.
Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative also proposes in their 2008-2023 Strategic Plan to be using “at least 50 percent of its electricity renewably without burning fossil fuels within 15 years.”
KIUC could not be reached for comment by press time.
In addition, Smith cites the County Council’s delay in passing Bill 2317 — which would make it easier for residents to construct small-scale wind energy systems — as an added hindrance in increasing island sustainability.
Though there are many obstacles yet to overcome, Smith added, “It’s clear to us that people in Hawai‘i are very interested in green technology.”
While the “energy balls” are costly and current economic conditions may not be ideal, Eirhart said it’s an investment that would produce savings within the “very first month.”
Costing anywhere from about $15,000 to $30,000 depending on individual energy needs, the ball comes with instant rebates, including 30 percent for enterprises and 20 percent for residences, Smith said.
With an approximate lifespan of 20 years, it’s a purchase that would take less than the products’ life expectancy to pay for itself, Eirhart said.
For more information, visit www.smithselectricalcontracting.com.
 |
| Dane Eirhart and Jared Smith of Smith’s Electrical Contracting show off the ‘energy ball’ mounted in the back of their pickup parked at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, Wednesday. Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island |
"New wind turbine stirs up community"
By Coco Zickos - The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — Wind, sun and water.The three natural resources abound on Kaua‘i, but the island still relies heavily upon the burning of fossil fuels and the importation of foreign oil.
“We have all the resources at our fingertips,” said Jared Smith of Smith’s Electrical Contracting in an interview at The Garden Island Wednesday afternoon.
To demonstrate just how easy using wind as a clean, renewable energy source is, Smith, along with business partner Dane Eirhart, came up with an idea which they’ve been proudly parading around town in recent days.
In fact, many people might have noticed the “energy ball” perched in the back of their black pick-up truck this week because it has apparently been generating quite a buzz.
“We’ve been getting more smiles than we have ever seen before,” Smith said.
The ball of energy is reportedly the first of its kind in the state and what makes it different from other wind turbine models is it won’t harm birds and is whisper-quiet, Eirhart said. So, all the misconceptions people have about wind turbines are no longer valid, he added.
Based on a physics concept — the Venturi Principle — air is taken from around the outside of the blades and passes to the inside before it shoots out as vibrational energy, Smith explained. And because of the way it spins, birds view it as a solid object, thus avoiding it. In addition, “It won’t irritate your neighbors,” Smith said.
Originally created in the Netherlands, the idea has already exploded across the Mainland and when Hawai‘i pays the highest fees for electricity in the nation, it “only makes sense” to bring it to the islands, Eirhart said.
While the goal is for Kaua‘i to be 70 percent fossil fuel free by 2030, according to the Kaua‘i Energy Sustainability Plan, Smith said there is no reason it has to take over 20 years to become 30 percent shy of optimum self-sufficiency.
Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative also proposes in their 2008-2023 Strategic Plan to be using “at least 50 percent of its electricity renewably without burning fossil fuels within 15 years.”
KIUC could not be reached for comment by press time.
In addition, Smith cites the County Council’s delay in passing Bill 2317 — which would make it easier for residents to construct small-scale wind energy systems — as an added hindrance in increasing island sustainability.
Though there are many obstacles yet to overcome, Smith added, “It’s clear to us that people in Hawai‘i are very interested in green technology.”
While the “energy balls” are costly and current economic conditions may not be ideal, Eirhart said it’s an investment that would produce savings within the “very first month.”
Costing anywhere from about $15,000 to $30,000 depending on individual energy needs, the ball comes with instant rebates, including 30 percent for enterprises and 20 percent for residences, Smith said.
With an approximate lifespan of 20 years, it’s a purchase that would take less than the products’ life expectancy to pay for itself, Eirhart said.
For more information, visit www.smithselectricalcontracting.com.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Movie Trailer: Race Across the Sky
Lance mentioned the following video on his Tweets recently. Looks cool, but the trailer leads you to think he is in trouble with the flat. He wasn't. He just finished the last 6 miles of the race with the flat and won anyway, in record time.
From: http://raceacrossthesky.com/
From: http://raceacrossthesky.com/
Nene Galore Kaua'i
State bird of Hawaii 16 nene all at once. Seen this morning on the Northshore of Kaua'i. Won't likely see that on Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island.
More pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157622230606492/
More pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157622230606492/
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Hawaii hotels rank high in new survey, plus latest on Maui Prince and St. Regis Princeville
From: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/08/31/daily18.html
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
"Hawaii hotels rank high in new survey"
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
On the same story from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:
Also, there was conflicting news over the past few days about whether the Maui Prince hotel would close completely due to foreclosure, or not. The following thorough article, "Trustee attorney: Maui Prince will remain open," indicates that the Maui Prince will stay open through reorganization.
At the same time, more definitive positive news about the St. Regis Princeville re-opening:
The St. Regis Princeville Resort Debuts September 26, 2009
The St. Regis Princeville Resort completed construction on July 1, 2009 and preparations have commenced for the hotels debut on September 26 and the Grand Opening on October 1, 2009.
Interesting little bit of news we verified today, there are already a few guests staying at the St. Regis Princeville. Even though there is no F&B operating yet, apparently most of the rooms and lobby are finished, and there were a few regular St. Regis VIP guests who wanted to give the hotel an early try with feedback. There are a few guests already there now.
That's some interesting coconut wireless blogged info. for you from Kaua'i's beautiful Northshore.
"Hawaii hotels rank high in new survey"
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Oahu ranks first in hotel occupancy among the top 10 competitive international island destinations.
Oahu had a 70.9 percent occupancy rate year-to-date through June, followed by Puerto Rico at 68.3 percent and the Cayman Islands at 66.9 percent, according to a new report released Monday by Hospitality Advisors.
Maui (64 percent) and Kauai (62.1 percent) ranked fifth and ninth, respectively, for the first half of 2009.
The Maldives had the highest average daily rate among competitive island destinations, averaging $802 per room night. Maui ranked fifth at $242, with Kauai ($189) and the Big Island ($187) placing seventh and eighth for average daily rates.
The Maldives also led the top 10 international island destinations in revenue per available room at $498.
Maui ($155), Kauai ($117), Oahu ($106) and the Big Island ($104) placed fourth, seventh, ninth and 10th, respectively, for revpar.
Other island destinations in the survey include Guam, Bali, Aruba, Jamaica, the Bahamas and French Polynesia.
When compared to selected major competitive country and regional destinations, Hawaii ranked fifth at the half-year mark at 66 percent hotel occupancy, with South Korea topping the list at 74.1 percent occupancy [due to a surge in Japanese visitors].
But Hawaii ranked first in average daily rate and revpar for the same period.
Other international destinations in the survey include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Mexico, Thailand, China and the Caribbean.
“While we ranked well against our primary global competitors, it is notable that most of our competitors are also suffering a similar magnitude in hotel industry revenue losses that Hawaii has had to endure over the past 15 months,” said Joseph Toy, president and CEO of Hospitality Advisors. “What this demonstrates is that despite the tremendous market losses in our visitor industry, Hawaii has been able to maintain its positioning against both its international and domestic competitors during this severe global economic downturn.”
Island destinations RevPAR rankings
| YTD June 2009 | % Change | |
| 1. Maldives | $498.16 | -16.6% |
| 2. Cayman Islands | $217.18 | -14.1% |
| 3. Bahamas | $155.42 | -19.9% |
| 4. Maui | $155.01 | -24.6% |
| 5. Aruba | $146.30 | -15.3% |
| 6. Puerto Rico | $124.37 | -22.4% |
| 7. Kauai | $117.60 | -24.4% |
| 8. French Polynesia | $113.46 | -32.9% |
| 9. Oahu | $106.82 | -18.2% |
| 10. Big Island | $104.04 | -25.0% |
International destinations RevPAR rankings | ||
| 1. Hawaii | $119.55 | -21.8% |
| 2. Singapore | $112.67 | -37.0% |
| 3. Caribbean | $109.93 | -14.1% |
| 4. South Korea | 89.11 | -23.1% |
| 5. Australia | $84.73 | -30.1% |
| 6. Mexico | $53.63 | -15.3% |
| 7. New Zealand | $50.43 | -34.9% |
| 8. China | $49.46 | -31.9% |
| 9. Thailand | $49.12 | -39.7% |
Source: Smith Travel Research, Hospitality Advisors LLC
Also, there was conflicting news over the past few days about whether the Maui Prince hotel would close completely due to foreclosure, or not. The following thorough article, "Trustee attorney: Maui Prince will remain open," indicates that the Maui Prince will stay open through reorganization.
At the same time, more definitive positive news about the St. Regis Princeville re-opening:
The St. Regis Princeville Resort Debuts September 26, 2009
The St. Regis Princeville Resort completed construction on July 1, 2009 and preparations have commenced for the hotels debut on September 26 and the Grand Opening on October 1, 2009.
See The St. Regis Princeville Resort Video
The St. Regis Princeville Resort offers a collection of customized room packages that redefine the meaning of a tropical escape. Embark on an exhilarating outdoor adventure, rejuvenate the spirit at the elegant Halele'a Spa...Interesting little bit of news we verified today, there are already a few guests staying at the St. Regis Princeville. Even though there is no F&B operating yet, apparently most of the rooms and lobby are finished, and there were a few regular St. Regis VIP guests who wanted to give the hotel an early try with feedback. There are a few guests already there now.
That's some interesting coconut wireless blogged info. for you from Kaua'i's beautiful Northshore.