Climategate not in media
Dear Editor, December 7, 2009
It is amazing how few media stories exist about “climategate” the massive international scientific fraud whereby emails between the perpetrators of the “global warming” fraud illustrates how far they will go to prevent publication of any scientific data that deviates from their climate agenda.
Anyone, not completely agreeing with their agenda, is labeled a “denier” because they deviate from the UN’s IPCC fictitious scientific policy. When in fact there are over 30,000 deniers, not agreeing with IPCC policy. See http://www.petitionproject.org/
In the “Climategate” exposure story, many leading scientists were caught intimidating scientific journals to keep skeptics (deniers) from being published, which would result in possible questioning of data supposedly making the case for man-made global warming.
“Climategate” illustrates that some scientists and their political collaborators not only ignored basic scientific requirement for openness, but deliberately went to the opposite extreme. Time after time opposing climate views were excluded from being heard at UN conferences and also in U.S. Congressional hearings.
The "climategate" emails illustrate that there is a blind ambition to further a cause among some of the worlds leading climate scientists and at worst criminal activity. The reaction to “Climategate” by much of the mainstream media is proving to be revealing. They either completely ignore the reports on this climate scam or attempt to defend their biased reporting and the actions of the exposed climate scientists. Something is not right within the global warming enthusiasts agenda.
Don Gerbig, Lahaina, HI
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Nonprofit Director: "I am part of the 'Homeless Industry'"
Editor: December 5, 2009
I just read two of your articles...For a first read of your online paper... its a bit biased and one sided. Love the two sensationalism headlines of "Homelessness industry takes Hawaii tourism hostage" and "Defeating the 'homelessness industry' before it gets a grip on Hawaii" but maybe that is the point as your logo includes "the other side".
The problem is.. your side is basically the same side as the other papers in this regard. None of you guys get all of the facts straight before you print something. And your broad generalizations ultimately result in furthering stereotypes and promoting prejudice. Printing sensationalism instead of facts only serves to benefit the persons and groups feeding off of it and nothing else.
I run a "so called" non profit org as you sarcastically put it. I am also involved with an organization called Partners In Care, which represent the continuum of care for Honolulu. Funny... I have never noticed any of your staff at the monthly meetings ? How do you propose to "report" what is going on if your not actually involved ? If you would attend the meetings you would quickly learn that we "service providers" are as frustrated as anyone else. The people in power will not do what is necessary to help stop and slow down the problem, or speed up getting out of it.. In fact many of the laws that are created only address the symptoms of problems and not the problems themselves. in some instances they just make the problem worse.
Making it illegal to sleep in a park does not actually DO anything to help someone get off the street and into a place of their own.
Hawaii is very unique in its homelessness problem. If you care to learn anything I would be happy in assisting you and assisting in getting factual data out into the hand of the people that can have impact.
Did you know that 1/3 of the homeless in Hawaii are children ? do you expect those "vagrant" children to "go get a F'n Job" ?
Did you know that almost 20% of the population in Hawaii is technically considered homeless ? No. thats not a mistype, i wrote almost "twenty percent." or rather almost 200,000 people. Want to learn about this ?
Did you know that people that have lived in Hawaii all of their lives, but were born in California have a 5 month waiting period JUST to get a copy of their birth certificate ? i did not believe it myself so i wrote to their health department and asked. their response ? "12-20 weeks is the 'normal' time. in other instances it could take longer." We expect homeless people to "go get a F'n Job you vagrant" but then fail to realize that without having the proper paperwork, they can't. It could take them half a year to just get the paperwork they need from the state. is that the fault of the service providers ?
People that lived here 40 or 50 years but were born in some other countries sometimes face a 2 year waiting period for documents... if they exist at all.
You want to "put them on a plane and send them back home" ??
Cant get on an airplane without and ID. cant get an ID without a birth certificate and social security card. cant get into the federal building (social security office) without an ID.
Yes, i run a non profit org. not your "typical" one either. I laughed at your comment of "shake down the legislature for money" We have no government funding or grants of any type. We take computers as donations and build classrooms and training centers in homeless shelters. Of course i have had people scold me for trying to teach the homeless how to use computers. "Why do they need that when they dont even have a place to put it ?" Want to learn why ?
I am part of the "homeless industry" as you put it, and "defeating me" means you are killing the possibility for people to improve their lives. Why would anyone want to purposely kill the possibility for others to advance their lives and the lives of their families ?
Why don't you contact me and learn how you can use your paper to print some factual data and help eliminate the problem ?
Curtis J. Kropar, Executive Director
Hawaiian Hope - a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Org.
Providing Technology Services to Hawaii's Non Profit Orgs
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EDITOR RESPONDS:
We will overlook all the worn-out red herrings and straw man arguments -- because a single line from Mr Kropar's letter provides us with the defining characteristic of the "Homelessness Industry":
"Making it illegal to sleep in a park does not actually DO anything to help someone get off the street and into a place of their own."
Those who are fighting to ensure that the homeless remain comfortable on the streets are part of the problem whether they realize it or not. Those, such as Honolulu Councilmember Charles Djou, who are making the streets uncomfortable in order to push homeless people into shelters where they can get help are on the right track.
Making it illegal and uncomfortable to sleep in parks and on public sidewalks in order to drive people into shelters where they can get help is a necessary first step towards ending the homelessness of any individual living on the streets.
Mr Kropar's group can change sides quickly by adopting that as policy and publicly speaking up in favor of strong enforcement. Teaching computer skills is a lot more effective when the students are already in shelters--well rested, showered, and not worried about whether their stuff will be stolen from a street corner while in class.
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Read the Fine Print
Dear Editor, December 5, 2009
Regardless of who you blame for furloughs, few will down play the Governor's role in them. Recently she has tried to make it seem as if she never backed them, and in fact (at the time of the original contract) praise the teachers for taking an 8% pay cut and sharing in the burden. It was also most likely her media storm toward the public that convinced many teachers to vote YES for furloughs, because that is what they thought the public and Governor Lingle wanted. The irony is, she is now doing almost exactly the same thing again. Parents please bother to READ THE FINE PRINT, under Lingle's plan schools would operate, "with a skeleton staff, without a full complement of administrators and staff, including health aides, security personnel — as well as educational assistants, occupational therapists and other professional service providers who are required to care for the special needs children."
During the time period (5-6 months) when the original contract was being negotiated, I told as many people as I could, "Do you realize, teachers aren't going to work for free, if the Governor gets her way schools will be closed almost every Friday." Sadly no one listened. Please listen now, under the new plan, there will be no security to stop fights and keep students safe, there will be no specialist to council students with problems and aggressive behaviors, there will be no administration to hand out discipline. The truth is under the Governor's new plan schools CANNOT function. So please parents, before you push an agenda just to get kids back in class, READ THE FINE PRINT.
Joseph DeMarco
Kapolei, HI
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Anderson’s Bill Aimed to Reward Illegal Operators
Dear Editor, December 2, 2009
Keep it Kailua adamantly opposes B&B Hotel Bill 7 CD2 passed on December 1, 2009 by the City Council Zoning Committee. The latest Bill written by Council Member Ikaika Anderson is appalling in manipulating our zoning laws to benefit a small special interest group at the expense of the residents.
The Bill would allow for almost 4000 B&B hotel rooms to operate in Oahu’s residential-zoned neighborhoods. Kailua could have as many as 1300 B&B hotel rooms. That would be the equivalent of the Kahala Resort, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Turtle Bay resort being located in Kailua.
The Bill allows B&B hotel applicants to apply for a permit without notifying their neighbors or the Neighborhood Board. Neighbors will not be allowed to oppose the permitting of these businesses in their neighborhoods. At a recent public hearing, B&B hotel owners advised neighbors; “If you don’t want to live next to a B&B, you should move”.
Keep it Kailua believes Anderson’s Bill is a betrayal of his constituents. On October 1, 2009 the Kailua Neighborhood Board unanimously (16-0) passed a motion opposing Bill 7. Anderson has intently ignored the concerns of his Neighborhood Boards and the neighbors.
Bill 7 represents massive spot zoning and flies in the face of sound planning. The bill is inconsistent with the public policies of the General Plan and many of the Sustainable Communities Plans.
Keep it Kailua
Kailua, Oahu
The growing lists of entities that have thus far voiced opposition to this proposed legislation include;
HONOLULU PLANNING COMMISSION (Unanimously)
NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS
Kuli’ou’ou/Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.2
Waialae/Kahala Neighborhood Board No.3
Diamond Head/Kapahului St Louis Neighborhood Board No. 5
Waianae Neighborhood Board No. 24
North Shore Neighborhood Board No. 27
Koolauloa Neighborhood Board No. 28
Kailua Neighborhood Board No. 31
Waimanalo Neighborhood Board No.32
ORGANIZATIONS
ILWU Local 142
Unite Here Local 5 AFL-CIO Hawaii
League of Women Voters-Honolulu
The Institute for Human Services
Punalu’u Community Association
Waimanalo Beach Lots Association
Livable Hawaii Kai Hui
Save Oahu’s Neighborhoods Hawai’i
Lanikai Community Association
Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle
Keep it Kailua
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Senator Carol Fukunaga
Senator Fred Hemmings
Senator Ken Ito
Representative Lyla Berg
Representative Michael Magaoay
Representative Cynthia Thielen
Representative Gene Ward
Please note that No Neighborhood Board and no community association have come out in support of the proposed legislation.
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Honolulu B&B Hotel Bill 7 is Shady Legislation!
Dear Editor, December 1, 2009
The B&B Hotel Bill 7 in front of the City Council is plagued with deceit and suspicion. The Honolulu City Council Zoning Committee led by Chair Rod Tam and Co-Chair Ikaika Anderson will be pushing forward this controversial B&B Hotel Bill 7 at the up-coming Zoning Committee meeting on Tuesday, December 1st at 9am.
Council initiated Bill 7 appeared to be dead after the Honolulu Planning Commission unanimously rejected it in 2008. At that time, many observers agreed it was the worst of all of the so-called B&B Hotel Bills. But it got even shoddier when it was resurrected in a shocking and mysterious CD1 version at a September 22, 2009 Zoning Committee meeting. Bill 7’s newest version has stripped-out all restrictions and opened up all of Oahu’s residential neighborhoods to B&B hotels regardless of the communities’ or neighbors’ opposition.
Who wrote and introduced the new version of Bill 7 on September 22nd is still a mystery since no one will admit to it. At the September Zoning Committee meeting, Tam and Okino introduced their own versions of B&B bills. Nester Garcia offered no new version and Romy Cachola opposed the bill. Tam did imply at a previous meeting that Anderson was working on a new version, but Anderson alleges he did not write or propose any versions.
The City Council Zoning Committee has deceived and betrayed Oahu’s residents by keeping secret who wrote the CD1 for Bill 7. It is keenly obvious that the new version of Bill 7 was written on behalf of the un-permitted B&B hotel and vacation rental industry. The special interest group supporters came well prepared to unanimously support it with prewritten testimony. Tam and Anderson also seem well prepared. They quickly abandon all other proposed versions (including Tam’s) and enthusiastically endorsed the new CD1 of Bill 7.
In contrast, City Council Member Gary Okino criticized the new version of Bill 7 at the September Committee meeting by stating; “it will allow proliferation of bed and breakfast on any residential parcel in the island. I don’t think that’s right. I think we need to try to maintain the character of a neighborhood by limiting the possibility of Bed and Breakfasts”.
So why does Tam and Anderson support this troublesome B&B Bill despite the overwhelming opposition from all over the Island? Its apparent Tam and Anderson have completely ignored comments opposing Bill 7 from the unanimous Planning Commission, the most impacted neighborhood boards, community associations, hotel union employees and thousands of neighbors. They seem to be almost under a trance with their unyielding support of the un-permitted B&B hotel owners.
Maybe their trance can be explained by “following the money”.....as the notable saying goes. It could shed light on why B&B hotel and vacation rental industry is having such an overwhelming influence on the process. According to watchdog.net, Oahu’s vacation rental advocacy group “Kokua Coalition” raised almost $58,000 in 2008. Funds raised in 2009 have not been reported yet.
Furthermore, the Kokua Coalition shares the same mailing address with two other dubious vacation rental organizations, Na Hale Hookipa O Hawaii Nei (Homes of Hospitality of Hawaii) and the Hawaii Vacation Rental Owners Association. The Hawaii Vacation Rental Owners Association is ruled by Angie Larson who also happens to reside at the same mailing address. Larson has been at the forefront in pushing forward Bill 7. She is a registered lobbyist and was active in campaigning for Council member Anderson.
It seems reasonable to deduce that the money from these organizations and their supporters is being used to influence the City Council to pass a bill that will financially benefit the owners of vacation rentals and B&B hotels. In fact, Anderson’s recent candidate contribution and expenditure report listed numerous donors who have submitted testimony supporting B&B hotels and vacation rental legislation. Many of them are out of his district and some are even from out of the State.
Hopefully, B&B Hotel Bill 7 can be stopped. It is by far the most damaging proposed changes to our residential zoning ordinances yet. Karin Holma, the Honolulu Planning Commission Chair stated it best; “Legalizing bed and breakfast is spot zoning without the legal process involved, and it’s difficult for me to justify the legalization of mini resort use in a residential area. If there is a community need or a benefit for such use, then there is sometimes a case to be made for spot zoning, but in this case I don’t see much evidence of a community need or benefit”. “I think this is a really slippery slope that could become an even bigger problem. There is a lot of money to be made in bed and breakfasts, and for us to think that allowing more of them will not result in something uncontrolled could be a serious problem”.
From
Keep it Kailua
Kailua, Oahu
Keep It Kailua is a community group of residents whose purpose is to help assure the retention of Kailua ’s desirable “residential” character and life-style as we move forward into the future, assisting other community-minded groups to achieve this goal. Many principles which coincide with the goals of Keep It Kailua are found in the general policies, principles and pursuits of the Ko’olaupoko Sustainable Communities Plan (KSCP). This Plan was adopted by the City & County in August of 2000 as official public policy. Keep It Kailua will use this plan as the foundation for its efforts, particularly those policies and principles applicable to Kailua which proposes to:
· Preserve trees and promote open green space.
· Preserve and enhance scenic, civic, recreational and cultural features that define Kailua’s sense of place.
· Protect residential neighborhoods.
· Maintain and physically improve existing commercial areas, and
· Preserve the low-rise, low-density, single-family character of Kailua.