2. Losing your memory?
3. Exhibit #1 Why The Military Wants To Keep Our Boys Off YouTube
4. Dr. Dahlia Wasfi speaks at Iraq forum
5. Daniel Pak's demos at MySpace.com
6. books, barter, blog
7. David Rieff writes of his mother Susan Sontag
8. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee [HBO]
9. New Zogby Interactive Survey
10. peace games / games for building aloha?
11. FARC Pleads World Help for Colombia
12. Bush's outrageous assault on free speech
13. Smothering Earth....Eco-news from England, Ireland & elsewhere
14. Brain Tip #62 -- Are You Lonely?
15. poem--you
16. Different Views of the Superferry Controversy!!!
17. The State of Hawaii/Superferry Playbook?
18. Fungus, bugs may solve Hawaii's miconia mess
19. Superferry fallout: The state cites case in requiring environmental
review of Molokai water project
20. Try again to order your "Free the Jena 6" T-shirt
21. Superferry ruling could rest on time limit
22. Maori Land and Water Issues on Olelo
23. Naomi Klein's New Book a Lightning Rod
24. Munitions in landfil in Moloka'i
25. Tuff Talk -- Gerson, Julian, Kyle
26. DU Poison Explosions-I Left My Heart In San Francisco
27. Curious...I was wondering the same thing...
28. DENNIS KUCINICH COMETH NEXT WEEKEND
1. Public Protests War Training in Hawaiian Islands
From: "KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance"
<kahea-alliance@hawaii.rr.com>
Date: September 6, 2007 1:28:3
From the Maui Weekly
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Public Protests War Training
Sasha J. Schorr
Maui residents voice concerns about U.S. Naval war
games in Hawai^Ñi waters. ^ÓThis technology was built
to kill human beings in war^×the side effect is what
happens to marine life.^Ô
Protests and commotion filled the air as the U.S. Navy
prepared to hear public comments for its Hawai^Ñi Range
Complex Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) for proposed naval training in Hawai^Ñi.
Protestors lined Ka^Ñahumanu Avenue next to Baldwin
High School on Monday, Aug. 27, expressing vehement
disapproval of U.S. Navy ^Ówar games^Ô in and around
Hawaiian land and water, with special concerns about
potential harm that military sonar may have on the
marine environment. More than 50 people representing
themselves and a variety of organizations attended the
public hearing to voice their opposition on the Navy^Òs
proposed EIS.
Preceding the hearing, an informational session
complete with diagrams and brochures was held by the
U.S. Navy and companies contracted by the Navy to
provide the public with access to information on
environmental impacts of the proposed war training.
^ÓWe don^Òt feel like missile target practice is
affecting the environment to a point of harming it,^Ô
said Alanzo Lopez, manager at the Kaua^Ñi Test
Facility, a company contracted by the Navy. ^ÓNothing
goes over the land. Before we launch, we make sure
there are no ships.^Ô
When asked about the remnants after launching target
missiles, he said, ^ÓThe aluminum falls into the ocean
and all of the remnants burn up and fall away into the
exoatmosphere.^Ô According to the Department of
Defense, the exoatmosphere is defined as ^Óabove 120
kilometers, where atmospheric interaction is minimal.^Ô
^ÓThe current draft is successful in the sense that it
adequately analyzed environmental impacts for
training,^Ô said Karen Waller, a government contractor
with Mantech SRS. ^ÓBased on the EIS, I don^Òt feel
that the environment will be adversely affected.^Ô
^ÓWhat we do is not just about technology,^Ô began
Capt. Aaron Cudnohufsky, a commanding officer for the
Pacific Missile Range Facility. ^ÓWe recognize our
responsibility in environmental stewardship.^Ô
Capt. Cudnohufsky also said that war games conducted in
and around Hawai^Ñi are an important part of training
for U.S. military personnel who are placed in harm^Òs
way.
A concerned citizen commented that this line of
reasoning is an anachronistic concept. ^ÓThe allure of
war as winnable is archaic.^Ô
According to the International Ocean Noise Coalition
(IONC), ^ÓThe international community has recognized
the threat that human-generated ocean noise can have on
marine life. The Scientific Committee of the
International Whaling Commission, the World
Conservation Union, the European Parliament and
European Commission and other international fora have
all acknowledged the potential harm that ocean noise
can have on the marine environment.^Ô
The global level of cooperation on this issue extends
to the United Nations (UN), the organization
implemented to facilitate international communication
and cooperation on an international and legal basis.
According to the IONC, ^Óthe UN Secretary General has
referred to ocean noise as one of five ^Ñcurrent major
threats to some populations of whales and other
cetaceans,^Ò and also included noise as one of the ten
^Ñmain current and foreseeable impacts on marine
biodiversity^Ò on the high seas.^Ô
IONC findings and the UN statement are poignant because
they illustrate cooperation and functionality of the
world community, seemingly negating the outdated
rationale used to justify war games.
^ÓThis technology was built to kill human beings in
war^×the side effect is what happens to marine life,^Ô
said a Maui resident.
Opposition among residents of Maui is in accord with
the world community as stated by the IONC, UN, European
Parliament and other international organizations. Not a
single public attendee voiced accord for the current
U.S. Navy draft EIS or for war training in and around
the Hawaiian islands.
Jeff Pantukhoff, founder of The Whaleman Foundation and
a humpback whale researcher for more than 10 years,
conveyed his disapproval of U.S. Navy environmental
stewardship. ^ÓThe draft EIS claim that 195 decibels is
safe is blatantly false. There is no science to back
this up. Whales avoid 120 to 125 decibels, and 150
decibels is deadly. The U.S. Navy admits exposure to
sonar can kill mammals.^Ô
He compared it to ^Ótobacco science^Ô when he remarked
how the Navy is conducting their own research on
potential hazards of their own war games on the
environment, just like the tobacco industry that
conducts research on itself and its own actions.
Some concluded that preparation for purposes of war has
already been enacted to the fullest extent. ^ÓI^Òm
totally against Navy games. Our Navy is
over-prepared,^Ô said Howard Sharp, a concerned
citizen.
^ÓThe Navy has no jurisdiction here,^Ô stated Robert
Rudgasch, representing the concerns of Native
Hawaiians. ^ÓThis is the Kingdom of Hawai^Ñi. This is
Kanaka Maoli country. They should be talking. In 1898,
the state rejected annexation.^Ô Rudgash summarized his
feelings: ^ÓYou^Òre committing a crime against
humanity!^Ô
^ÓPrevious research shows whales stopped their song off
the Kona Coast during military sonar,^Ô said Brooke
Porter, community outreach coordinator at Pacific Whale
Foundation. In accordance with the foundation, she
said, ^ÓWe are against the use of military sonar.^Ô
^ÓWe need to get out the message to protect
Papahanaumokuakea,^Ô said Helen Anne Schonwalter, who
has fought the effects of Naval sonar on whales for
more than 20 years. She expressed how national
monuments like Papahanaumokuakea would be adversely
affected by proposed war games, despite draft EIS
documentation.
^ÓYou didn^Òt touch one ordnance to clean
Kaho^Ñolawe,^Ô said war veteran Leslie Kuloloio about
actions conducted by the Navy. He received a standing
ovation and a cheer of collective disapproval of the
Navy^Òs inaction on Kaho^Ñolawe. ^ÓYou haven^Òt cleaned
one range, and now you^Òre starting another. Back
off!^Ô
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Losing your memory?
Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 17:48:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dhira DiBiase <dhiradi@yahoo.com>
Simple Trick to Help Your Memory
by Moving Your Eyes
Moving your eyes horizontally, from side-to-side, for about 30 seconds may
be all it takes to give your memory a boost, according to researchers from
Manchester Metropolitan University in England.
After hearing a list of words, the study found that those who moved their
eyes side-to-side for 30 seconds correctly remembered more than 10 percent
more words, and falsely recognized about 15 percent fewer "lure" words,
compared to those who moved their eyes up and down or did nothing.
Why would moving your eyes influence your memory?
The researchers suspect it's because the horizontal eye movements cause
the two hemispheres of the brain to interact more, and communication
between the left and right brain hemispheres is known to help us remember
certain things.
The researchers aren't sure whether the eye movements will help people in
their daily lives ... but it's certainly worth a try the next time you've
misplaced your keys or forgotten your grocery list at home!
LiveScience.com April 25, 2007
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Exhibit #1 Why The Military Wants To Keep Our Boys Off YouTube
Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 07:57:45 -0700
From: Kate Stewart <kanadabasics@gmail.com>
The Huffington Post
junkdrawermail@netscape.net has just sent you a piece from
HuffingtonPost.com
Michael Shaw: Reading The Pictures: Exhibit #1 Why The Military
Wants To Keep Our Boys Off YouTube
Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/../../michael-shaw/reading-the-pic
tures-em_b_48942.html
Can't decide what's more "striking," the audio or the video For more of
the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.
(Clip title: Mosque Vs F-18. uploaded: May 16 2007 by max. location:
Iraq. Possibly Tajii. Via liveleak)
... Read the rest at HuffingtonPost.com
© 2006 HuffingtonPost.com, LLC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Dr. Dahlia Wasfi speaks at Iraq forum
From: Talaat Badrawi <alphiza@access.com.eg>
Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 17:16:55 +0300
Very powerful presentation. The US Congress & the American
people should listen to what she says before it's too late.
Dr. Dahlia Wasfi was born to a Jewish mother and an Iraqi father. She
recently put her medical career on hold to visit with family members in
Iraq, and recently returned from a three-month stay in Basrah and Baghdad.
Dr. Wasfi described her experience in Iraq and discussed the life of
Iraqis under occupation on April 27, 2006 in Washington, DC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELjgVq6GtPA 6-minute Congressional
Testimony video
=================================================================---------------------
5. Daniel Pak's demos at MySpace.com
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 10:29:26 -1000
From: Gary Pak <gpak@hawaii.edu>
Folks,
Our son, Daniel Damian, has two demos out with his band Kore Ionz, which
is based in Seattle. You can heard them at:
Gary Pak
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. books, barter, blog
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 09:56:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: Chris Damitio <chrisdamitio@yahoo.com>
It's me, Chris Damitio. I just wanted to update everyone on the latest
that is going on with several things you may be interested in.
1) Primitive Books - http://www.primitivebooks.com is up and running
better than ever before. There are interesting, cool, and rare books for
as little as a dollar. It's one stop used book shopping at its best. I've
recently added a ton of new books, so if you haven't looked in a while, be
sure to take a peek. Also, if you have bought books from me in the past,
I'd love to let other customers know about your experience. Please email
me back and let me know how everything went.
2) A lot of you know that I have been conducting a Barter experiment at my
blog. Almost a year ago I started with a $.50 skateboard and I have made
trades for a lot of interesting and valuable stuff since then. At the
moment, I have a Katana sword, a part in a Hollywood movie, about 30
rubies, and a timeshare in Wisconsin. You can see all the details at
http://fuknus.chrisdamitio.com/?page_id=1921
3) And that brings me to the third thing, my blog. After several
incarnations and names, I have settled on the name Terror Suspect.com .
The focus is on freedom and fun. Don't worry, the name is a symbol of the
negative changes our world is going through and how if we aren't careful,
each of us can be a Terror Suspect, recent featured Terror Suspects were a
one legged man and an escaped Gorilla.
Chris Damitio
http://www.chrisdamitio.com
________________________________________________________________________________
7. David Rieff writes of his mother Susan Sontag
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 20:38:44 -0400
From: Tia Ballantine
In the Virginia Quarterly Review, David Rieff, a senior fellow at the
World Policy Institute at the New School, writes of his mother Susan
Sontag and her passion for writing . . . and especially "the sacred
delirium that is art."
http://www.vqronline.org/articles/2007/winter/rieff-remembering-sontag
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee [HBO]
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 19:42:07 -1000
From: 'imiola young <imiola@hawaii.rr.com
 finally, the story is told, ha'ina mai ana ka puana...but when will
hawai'i 's mo'olelo be ...?
----- Original Message ----- From: Hunter Gray
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 6:59 AM
NOTE BY HUNTER BEAR: 5/28/07
Much of our family watched the just-out HBO television film, Bury My Heart
at Wounded Knee, last night -- and found it well worthwhile. [It's
obviously going to be running on HBO into the near future.]
It is not, by any means, "enjoyable." In a word, it is stark. But it will
give everyone, Native and non-Native, much to think and to
[constructively] brood about. Non-Indians, new to the omipresent
challenges faced by our Indian people, will learn of some things of which
they never knew.
It is focused broadly on a climactic segment in the quite good and full
work by Dee Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, [draws heavily on
first-hand accounts from the times, initially published in 1970 and since
reprinted in numerous editions], and a very readable and
Native-sympathetic handling of the bloody Anglo onslaught against Native
people and lands, especially in the West of the latter half of the 19th
century. The film centers -- with some significant fictional digressions
-- on the early life and work of Dr Charles Eastman, an eastern-educated
Sioux M.D [1858 - 1939.]
Dr Eastman was a noted reformer and activist, and later a prime mover with
other Native movers-and-shakers in the first national Indian rights
organization, The Society of American Indians [1911.] The title of the
book and this film -- and that of a still contemporary song by Buffy St.
Marie -- is taken from one of the lines by the American poet, Stephen
Vincent Benet: "I shall not be here / I shall rise and pass / Bury my
heart at Wounded Knee.'' The hideous reference point is the U.S. Army
massacre of at least 350 Sioux men, women, and children at Wounded Knee
Creek in western South Dakota at the very close of 1890.
Adam Beach as Charles Eastman and August Schellenberg as Sitting Bull --
both major Native film actors -- are among those luminaries who give
splendid performances as key figures. Anna Paquin gives a fine depiction
of Elaine Goodale, Eastman's Anglo wife and colleague. Local people from
the Sioux reservations in the Dakotas [and some other settings] play
impressive supportive roles. The photography is very appropriately
handled.
The basic and sanguinary thematic currents of those times [and, however
disguised, much in our present Native situation as well ] are very well
and effectively carried by the film: the endless push for Native lands
and resources -- and the use of racism and cultural ethnocentrism to
justify physical and cultural genocide. Many of the historical segments
contained in the film are accurately depicted -- and those featuring
fictional digression are consistent with the basic themes. Charles
Eastman's struggle to find a functional relationship with the
"Euro-American world", while maintaining firm loyalty to one's Native
tribe and tribal culture and Indian people in general, will strike a
poignant and familiar chord with almost all Natives in today's world.
[See the also excellent and still relatively contemporary film,
Thunderheart.]
The firmly committed struggle by Native people for a full measure of
socio-economic justice and freedom [e.g., maintenance of tribal treaty
rights, preservation and expansion of tribal sovereignty, protection of
lands and resources,] is an always consistently enduring River of
Challenge.
A prolific and fascinating writer, Charles Eastman wrote, among other
books, Indian Boyhood, The Soul of the Indian, and From the Deep Woods to
Civilization. An anthology of his written works, The Essential Charles
Eastman [Ohiyesa], was published this year.
See also Hazel Hertzberg's, The Search for an American Indian Identity:
Modern Pan-Indian Movements, Syracuse University Press, 1971.]
Yours, Hunter Gray [Hunter Bear] www.hunterbear.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. New Zogby Interactive Survey
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:33:51 -1000
From: Robin Rae <Art4Peace@hawaii.rr.com
Since most all of us have never, and will never, get called for a national
poll, you might be interested in taking part in an online national poll by
Zogby International. I've been taking these online polls for a few months
now, and they include some really great questions. Many of the questions
have to do with what candidates you voted for in the past and who you plan
to vote for in the coming elections! You do have to register before you
can take the surveys. They have new surveys about once a month. Check it
out! --
------ Forwarded Message
From: Zogby Interactive <marc@mail2.zogby.com>
We invite you to participate in an online poll for Zogby
International. Your opinions are very important to us. To
begin the survey, please click or paste the link into your
browser bar:
<http://www.zogby.com/>
If you are experiencing technical difficulties when taking
the survey, please try again at a later time. You will be
able to start where you left off in the survey. Check out the
new website dedicated to Zogby Interactive polling:
<http://interactive.zogby.com/index.cfm>
As an incentive for your participation, we're including, a
special bonus: Zogby's American Consumer Newsletter - June
2007 Issue
o What would give up to go 'green'
Practicing what they preach
o
FYI: DWT ban would be GR8
o
Plus, you can view all past issues of Zogby's American
Consumer Newsletters here:
<http://www.zogby.com/consumer>
________________________________________________________________________________
10. peace games / games for building aloha?
Date: Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:59:03 -1000
From: 'imiola young <imiola@hawaii.rr.com>
http://www.calpeacepower.org/0301/games.htm
About Us Contact Us Support Us Subscribe Advertise
Volume 3, Issue 1
Spring 2007
Peace Education
Peace Games: A Constructive Program for Nonviolent Education
Amy Elmgren
As Anita Remignanti states, ^ÓChildren are potentially the light of the
world and they are our hope as future peace-keepers of the world,^Ô 1.
However, the violent aspects of popular culture and society today often
downplay childish creativity and innocence in favor of gender stereotypes,
war games, and isolating television shows and movies. In addition,
children are urged more and more to compete with one another even in their
earliest years of school, instead of learning the integrative value of
cooperation. Everyday, our youth are victims of violence, witnesses to
violence, and sometimes even perpetrators. According to statistics, 14
children each day are killed with a handgun; 315 young people are arrested
daily for committing a violent crime; and a typical child witnesses an
overwhelming 10,000 acts of violence on television before she or he enters
school2. It is crucial, therefore, to remember that violence is a learned
behavior, not an inherent one. If we want future generations to have peace
of mind and healthy relationships instead of material success at the
expense of all else, innovative and constructive education programs can
create an alternative to the current system. One such program that works
to harness children^Òs natural cooperative and creative tendencies is
called ^ÓPeace Games.^Ô
According to the program^Òs website, ^ÓPeace Games imagines a world
where every child has the skills, knowledge, supportive relationships, and
opportunities to prevent violence and build safer communities. A world
where individuals and institutions believe in the power of young people
and that violence ^Ö in all of its forms ^Ö can be prevented. Peace Games
believes that this goal is best achieved by building the capacity of
schools and community groups to implement holistic, peace and justice
education programs.3^Ô This program builds upon the idea that children do
not have to be society^Òs victims of violence; rather, they have a unique
capability to act as agents in creating peace. The goals of Peace Games
are to empower children with the skills, knowledge, relationships, and
opportunities to be peacemakers; to engage all community members
(students, families, teachers, volunteers, organizations, and businesses)
to support children as peacemakers; to inspire a new generation of
educators and activists; and lastly, to demonstrate that youth can be
influential peacemakers rather than the passive victims of a violent
culture.
Guided by a unique K-8 curriculum, the children in Peace Games focus on
four different areas in their education as peacemakers: knowledge, skills,
relationships, and opportunities. In cultivating their knowledge, the
children learn to be problem-solvers and are instructed in all of the
state academic frameworks, especially language arts, literacy, social
studies, health, and fine arts^×areas that can be neglected in schools
that focus on math and science. While they are learning practical
knowledge, the children also learn to communicate effectively with one
another and solve conflicts in a cooperative, nonviolent manner. This
demonstrates a main principle of conflict transformation: that instead of
being an obstacle to peaceful progress, conflict can be viewed as an
opportunity to improve relationships and promote mutual growth. In working
through their conflicts together, the children in Peace Games partner
schools are also learning to use nonviolence as an active force for
change. The Peace Games program fosters interpersonal relationships
between teachers and students within the school and relationships between
the school and the community through community service and social action.
Finally, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills
and knowledge and build upon their relationships through individual
Peacemaker Projects, which can involve student-to-student mentorship,
civic responsibility, and the improvement of the school and the community.
Dr. Francelia Butler created Peace Games in 1992 as an opportunity for
children to share games, laughter, communication, friendship, and conflict
resolution^×^Óthe building blocks for a peaceful future^Ô4^×while
receiving an education. Since its foundation, this non-profit organization
has worked with over 20,000 elementary and middle school students,
recruited and trained over 2,100 college and community volunteers, and
worked with almost 9,000 family members to encourage peacebuilding at
home. Peace Games has made an impact across the country, with seven
partner schools in Boston, three in Los Angeles, one in Chicago, three in
New York City, and two in Fairbanks, Arkansas.
So far, all evidence indicates that this innovative program is meeting
its goals of producing knowledgeable peacemakers. According to data from a
2004 evaluation of Peace Games schools in Boston and Los Angeles, over 90%
of students reported that Peace Games had helped improve their academics,
empathy, and peacemaking skills (communication, cooperation, conflict
resolution and engagement), become positively engaged in service learning
projects. In addition 78% of students reported that they are more likely
to walk away from a fight without thinking of themselves as cowards, and
96% of students reported that they now include peers in their recess and
classroom groups and know how to work well together on cooperative teams.
Finally, 60% of teachers noted reduced levels of student fights and
arguments.
The development of Peace Games is an important step in the creation of a
constructive culture based on the principles of cooperation and creative
conflict resolution. In the years to come, this program will continue to
serve as a progressive and dynamic alternative to standard education, and
will hopefully serve as one possible model for other programs across the
country. After all, in building a better world, it is the littlest ones
who can make the biggest difference.
For more information, visit the Peace Games website at
www.peacegames.org
References:
1 Remignanti, Anita. ^ÓPeace and Child Rearing^Ô. Women for International
Peace and Arbitration. www.wipa.org/peace_and_cr.htm . 10/15/06.
4 http://www.peacegames.org/About_history.shtml
Send us comments on this article. Email: feedback {AT} calpeacepower.org
( be sure to replace {AT} with @ )
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. FARC Pleads World Help for Colombia
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:29:43 +0100
From: Jenny James <atlantiscol@hotmail.com>
FARC Pleads World Help for Colombia
Bogota, Sep 6 (Prensa Latina) The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) on Thursday called the world's governments to "contribute to
building peace with social justice for Colombia, by recognizing the
warlike status" of the guerrilla.
In a letter signed by FARC International Commission chief Raul Reyes, and
published by Nueva Colombia agency, the rebel organization sustains it is
possible "to find a political solution to this war, which is bleeding
Colombia."
It also expresses "total willingness for talk and understanding," and
explains that the desire for peace is faced with the obstacle posed by "a
warmongering leadership embedded in power, and supported financial and
militarily by the US."
The text also says it is necessary that the governments of the world get
involved in the issue, respecting the principles of self-determination and
national sovereignty, and warns that FARC is sparing no effort to achieve
a political solution of the conflict.
In the letter, the group defines itself as a political, military
organization that has taken up arms against official violence and for deep
changes allowing the economic, social, and political development of the
people, towards the New Colombia.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B8DE77AA3-8C48-40A9-856A-8F66467A8199%
7D)&language=EN
This list is primarily set up to distribute the 'Green Letters' edited by
Jenny James which give a running account of the activities and experiences
of the Atlantis Community in Colombia since 1995
Archived messages may be seen at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Green-Letters/messages See also
http://afan.org.uk/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Bush's outrageous assault on free speech
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:30:48 -0500 (CDT)
From: ImpeachBush.org <ImpeachBush@VoteToImpeach.org>
Bush's police suppress Sept. 15 press conference
Police supress press conference 1
Above, a NPS policeman on horse disrupts today's Sept. 15 press
conference. Below, Adam Kokesh, Iraq war veteran while legally putting up
a poster for September 15th.
Kokesh arrested 2 While the momentum for the Sept. 15 Peace/Impeachment
demonstration grows, the Bush Administration is going to extraordinary
lengths to suppress the mobilizing for this mass demonstration.
Less than 18 hours ago, National Park Service Police turned a September 15
Press Conference, held in front of the White House, into a chaotic scene.
On the pretext that there was no permit for a three foot long folding
table that the media placed their microphones on, the police intervened in
the middle of the press conference to announce that it was an unpermitted
activity. Three people were arrested and are still being held in jail.
They include Adam Kokesh, an Iraq war veteran; Tina Richards of Grassroots
America; and Ian Thompson an ANSWER Coalition organizer.
The Parks Police even rode a horse directly into the crowd of reporters
and shocked onlookers. The National Parks Police is an agency in the
Interior Department whose Secretary is a member of George W. Bush's
cabinet. In recent weeks September 15 organizers have been fined more than
$30,000 for putting up posters promoting the September 15 March on
Washington.
We encourage ImpeachBush.org members to circulate this email and the
important story from the AFP wire story that documents this outrageous
assault against Free Speech rights by the Bush Administration. At the end
of this email we are also enclosing a link to a video on YouTube that
shows some part of the suppression of the September 15 press conference
yesterday.
Bush and company want to prevent people from coming out for a mass action
led by Iraq war veterans and their families that will expose his war
propaganda as a lie. The Administration wants to suppress the growing
movement for impeachment. This is a showdown of great magnitude.
Please make every effort to come to Washington DC on September 15. We will
not be intimidated. Join the tens of thousands who are coming to
Washington, DC on September 15. Buses, car caravans and vans are coming
from more than 100 cities.
If you cannot personally come you can help by making a generous donation.
The buses, literature, posters, stage, sound and other expenses are
immense. Many have already contributed. Please do your part and make a
contribution today by clicking this link.
If you have made a donation today please consider doing so again today by
clicking this link.
----
Police break up anti-war meeting in Washington
A protester with the group Act Now to Stop War and End Racism Coalition
(A.N.S.W.E.R.) is arrested by US Park Police Officers in Lafayette Park,
across the street from the White House in Washington, DC. Mounted police
charged in to break up an outdoor press conference and demonstration
against the Iraq war in Washington on Thursday, arresting three people,
organizers and an AFP reporter said.(AFP/Tim Sloan) AFP Photo: Tina
$Richards of Grassroots America being arrested.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Mounted police charged in to break up an outdoor press
conference and demonstration against the Iraq war in Washington on
Thursday, arresting three people, organizers and an AFP reporter said.
"The police suppressed the press conference. In the middle of the
speeches, they grabbed the podium" erected in a park in front of the White
House for the small gathering, Brian Becker, national organizer of the
ANSWER anti-war coalition, told AFP.
"Then, mounted police charged the media present to disperse them," Becker
said.
The charge caused a peaceful crowd of some 20 journalists and four or five
protestors to scatter in terror, an AFP correspondent at the event in
Lafayette Square said. No one appeared to have been hurt.
Three people -- Tina Richards, the mother of a marine who did two tours of
duty in Iraq; Adam Kokesh, a leader of the Iraq Veterans Against the War
group; and lawyer Ian Thompson, who is an organizer for ANSWER in Los
Angeles -- were arrested, Becker said.
"A petition calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush,
allegedly carrying one million signatures and endorsed by former US
attorney general Ramsey Clark, will also be submitted to officials during
the week's activities."The ANSWER coalition is trying to rally support for
an anti-war demonstration in Washington that is due to take place on
September 15.
Last month, the movement was threatened with a fine of at least 10,000
dollars unless it removed posters in the city announcing the September 15
march.
Washington city authorities have said the posters had to come down because
they were stuck on with adhesive that did not meet city regulations.
"At our demonstration today we were showing the media that the paste we
use conforms to the rules," Becker said.
"One of our activists was making a speech when the police barged in and
grabbed the podium. At that point, Tina Richards started to put up a
poster, so they arrested her and two others."
"This strategy of suppression has not worked. We expect many tens of
thousands of people" in Washington for the September 15 anti-war
demonstration, he said.
The march has been timed to coincide with the release of a report by the
US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and will be part of
a week of protests led by veterans of the Iraq war.
A petition calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush,
allegedly carrying one million signatures and endorsed by former US
attorney general Ramsey Clark, will also be submitted to officials during
the week's activities, ANSWER has told AFP.
________________________________________________________________________________
13. Smothering Earth....Eco-news from England, Ireland & elsewhere
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 06:29:54 +0100
From: Jenny James <atlantiscol@hotmail.com
Very interesting Eco-report from Schnews news-service, England
> -
>
> SMOTHER EARTH WITH KILL-OR-CURE TECHNO-FIXES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE "Let's
> quit the debate about whether greenhouse gases are caused by mankind or
> by natural causes; let's just focus on technologies that deal with the
> issue." - George W. Bush, May 25, 2006
>
> So that's it - after years of denial (crucial years when a difference
> could perhaps have been made) global elites are ready to admit that
> climate change is a reality. But now the challenge has become how to
> continue with the headlong consumerist rush - delivering that all
> important economic growth and an i-phone for every inhabitant of planet
> earth. Yes, the climate's going to change and sea levels may rise, but
> if we just let the markets adapt and provide profit-making 'solutions'
> to the new conditions, business might still be able to carry on as
> normal. Alright! In fact there's loads of scope for money-making in
> flogging ineffective carbon-offsetting schemes, encouraging everyone to
> buy a greener version of everything they've already got and, who knows,
> tourism might be boosted by a more Mediterranean climate! We could call
> this 'Plan A' - the approach as currently espoused by everyone from the
> UN to Western governments, charities, NGOs and pop rockers at the Gore-y
> Live Earth concerts last weekend.
>
> And what if Plan A doesn't work? You won't hear politicians and business
> leaders talk about that possibility much (need to maintain market
> confidence, dummy!) but they're not all entirely short-sighted. That's
> why Plan B is taking shape. Corporates and government funded research
> projects are busy figuring out how to invoke that all powerful god of
> the modern age, technology, in order to keep the status quo rockin', and
> 'solve' all our environmental problems.
>
> While many techno-fixes also feature in Plan A - such as creating
> 'Carbon sinks' in old oil wells and under the sea to store
> climate-harming stuff, or genetically engineering new species of
> bacteria to 'eat' undesirable industrial by-products - there's also a
> range of more ambitious ideas which can be lumped under the heading
> 'geoengineering'. This means manipulating the planet's ecology on a
> massive scale in an attempt to counter or mitigate the effects that the
> rest of mankind's activities are having. So instead of concentrating on
> the rather obvious solution of altering the way we live so as to not
> harm the planet, geoengineers are trying to offer sexy big-scale 'magic
> bullet' fixes (which presumably means they view Earth's ecology as just
> another moving target).
>
> BODGE CITY
>
> Already many bizarre and potentially dangerous schemes have been put
> forward by chancers, rainmakers and snake oil salesmen from the
> 'scientific' community. They include: putting thousands of mirrors into
> orbit or launching up to 30,000 ships to pump salt spray or
> sulphate-based aerosols into the atmosphere in order to try to deflect
> the sun; deliberately polluting the seas with vast amounts of iron
> nanoparticles that stimulate CO2-storing plankton; and covering entire
> deserts with reflective film to reflect sunlight back into space.
>
> And instead of being confined to the obscurest corners of the internet
> along with 'telepathy' and 'anti-gravity' research and the like, it is
> in fact taken very seriously by the world's powers. The US government is
> busy lobbying the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to
> allow stratospheric weather modification - something at least a dozen
> other countries are involved in. At least nine other nations and the EU
> have supported iron filing 'ocean fertilisation' experiments, usually by
> corporate commercial carbon 'traders'.
>
> Politicians predictably misinterpret theoretical hypotheses to push
> quick-fix solutions but the fact is that systems as complicated and
> chaotic as the vast nexus of cause and effect we laughably term 'the
> environment' aren't gonna be amenable to a giant planetary elasto-plast.
>
> Even boffin Dr Ken Caldeira, who a few years ago was punting the idea of
> putting a giant mirror on the moon to reflect the sun's rays back into
> the cold empty vacuum of space, has now acknowledged that there are
> inevitable weaknesses in the kind of modelling used to promote these
> ideas. He now rejects geoengineering as a tempting but illusory quick
> fix - and has instead realised it would be far easier to just er, change
> our lifestyles to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions (well it's
> not rocket science!) "I think the Earth's system is so complicated that
> our interfering with it is very likely to screw things up and very
> unlikely to improve things... And this is the only planet we have." Ken
> Caldeira, Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology.
> Unfortunately, Ken and his science-friction hasn't convinced all his
> colleagues, and politicians are pushing ahead with crazy schemes to keep
> the ecosystem and the economy running in conflict a bit longer. Nowhere
> is safe from potentially catastrophic god-like tinkering. Back in May,
> Californian company Planktos Inc conducted their latest 'experiment' by
> dumping tens of tonnes of tiny iron particles over 10,000 square km of
> ocean around the Galapagos Islands - a real exercise in 'iron'y when you
> consider this is where Charles Darwin originally made his observations
> of a pristine eco-system that led to the theory of evolution.
>
> TECH-TONIC
>
> If all this sounds just a little bit extremely frightening, you're not
> alone. Here at SchNEWS we're more grounded and reject all the
> techno-nonsense. Instead we're fully supportive of what we'll call Plan
> C - Cease Capitalism and Change our Cultures of Consumption. And we're
> not the only ones - why not join others who want to take the more
> obvious paths out of all this madness and start living in a bit more
> harmony, both socially and environmentally.
>
> UK climate activists are gathering this summer for another Camp for
> Climate Action, following their media-effective occupation of a site
> near Drax power station last year (not to mention actually physically
> disrupting the power plant itself - see SchNEWS 558). This year they
> plan to camp near Heathrow Airport, between 14th and 21th August, to
> highlight the dire Gaia consequences of rampant air travel expansion, to
> make a symbolic statement of resistance to the earth-killing ideologies,
> and to offer a working example of successful, low impact, autonomous
> living. Be part of it! For details see www.climatecamp.org.uk (And now
> for the Science: www.etcgroup.org/en/issues/geoengineering.html)
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK
>
> For shoddy gardening... Eager cops in Utah, US, arrested and assaulted a
> woman for failing to water her lawn enough! Appearance being all, there
> are strict city laws forbidding unsightly gardens - and some patches of
> bare earth were sufficient motive for two officers to come down heavily
> on Betty Perry, aged 70. Trouble flared when Betty refused to give her
> name and as the cops went to arrest her she copped a faceful of
> handcuff. The cops insist she fell (that old chestnut) but Betty is
> adamant they mowed her down. While Betty had to attend hospital for
> cuts and bruises to her face, cops admitted no culpability of course.
> But at least the arresting officer was reassigned to administrative
> duties.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> NOT OVER OUR DEAD BODIES
>
> Here's a report from a British roads campaign veteran at the Hill Of
> Tara protest in Ireland, protecting one of the most important
> archaeological sites in the world from a motorway (for background see
> SchNEWS 585, 593)
>
> "We first arrived on Tara to dampened spirits due to rain and an
> exhausted but very determined Tara Vigil. These passionate and dedicated
> people have been getting up at 5am every morning and standing in front
> of the site gate and diggers till 7.30pm! In this way they have managed
> to hold off the destruction of Ireland's ancient heritage for 6 weeks,
> using non-violent direct action. Their numbers are few but they remain
> committed to the cause.
>
> One recent discovery was an enormous wood henge (approx the size of
> three football pitches) near Rath Lugh - one of the most significant
> finds in Ireland this century. But the archaeology work going on is
> being rushed, because it is funded by the road company themselves. One
> of the archaeologists has walked out in outrage and is now living in the
> woods and is out stopping the diggers every day!
>
> An ancestral burial and feasting ground has also been discovered, but
> the graves were desecrated, and bones put in bags and sent off without
> proper recording. The local school children were so moved that they went
> down to the site and made a mandala out of the bones, freaking out the
> workers so much that work was held off for two weeks. The burial
> grounds' topsoil has been left on the side of the field, containing
> human and animal bones and evidence of ancient civilizations.
>
> The workers themselves are only people and are mostly friendly. They
> even staged their own protest at one point and jokingly stood behind our
> car and said we weren't allowed to leave. There has been only one arrest
> so far, and that person was held for only 20 minutes. But the names of
> the 'cultural conservationists' as they are known, are being taken by
> the police and if injunctions are passed others will be needed to take
> their place. At the moment the power of one person standing in their way
> is enough to make the workers stop, turn the machines off and get their
> newspapers out.
>
> At present there are about twelve main access gates on the central
> section of the route, usually being manned by half that amount of
> people, so YOU can make a difference. Every single person can make a big
> difference - it's a bit like the early Newbury days with people rushing
> to where the machines are out to destroy ancient sites. We managed to
> pass on our knowledge of direct action, and exchange stories and tactics
> from Britain's road protests of the 90's like Twyford Down, Newbury, and
> Fairmile. The Hill Of Tara desperately needs more people. All are most
> welcome - poets, bards, musicians, artists, mums, dads, children. Bring
> tents, tarpaulins, tools, food, rope, donations, warm and waterproof
> clothing & wellies. There is a communal kitchen run on love and
> donations...
>
> If you have any time, spare resources to donate, expertise to share,
> please help! You don't need a passport to enter Ireland, just a form of
> ID. * There will be a Lhughnasa gathering/rally/action at Tara around
> Aug 1st-2nd. * For more see www.savetara.com & www.tarawatch.org
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> MONU-MENTAL
>
> Of course, anything Ireland can do... Over here, Herefordshire council
> are planning to tarmac over their own recently discovered henge, the
> Rotherwas Ribbon. Cue a predictable story about a new road, a secretive
> decision process and dodgy arguments... The bronze age serpent-shaped
> ribbon of stones on a hillside, uncovered in the last few weeks by
> road-building construction workers is unlike anything discovered
> anywhere in Europe and something the council's own archaeologist has
> described as having international significance.
>
> The council themselves have come up with a whole new line in
> eco-preservation arguments and are ridiculously attempting to claim they
> want to protect the site for future generations, and the best way to do
> this is... by completely concreting it over. It would then just be a
> handy coincidence that this new pile of concrete would be perfectly
> located for a £12.5 million relief road to be built across it, largely
> for the benefit of lorries wanting to pound their way to a nearby
> industrial park. Genius! Once climate change has destroyed industrial
> society, future generations can chip away at all the concrete with pick
> axes until the ancient monument is revealed perfectly preserved for
> their enjoyment.
>
> Campaigners are calling for an immediate halt to work on the road to
> allow time for proper consideration of its importance and a campaign to
> get English Heritage to designate it a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
>
> The council still seem hellbent on paving the way for the road, being
> funded by a consortium of regional development quango 'Advantage West
> Midlands' and housing developers. Have backhanders and conflicts of
> interest been oiling the wheels by any chance?
>
> Local opposition is growing and there is even talk of digger-blocking
> actions. For more see www.rotherwasribbon.com
>
> HAVING A FIELD DAY
>
> The threat of mutant genetically modified spuds has diminished for now
> as protesters destroyed the last trial crop of GM potatoes in the UK on
> July 6th. Having already recently helped stop BASF planting in Hull,
> activists targeted the last remaining trial site near Cambridge.
> Although the field was surrounded by security fences, it couldn't be
> protected 24/7 by the scores of cops who'd come out to intimidate
> campaigners the week before, arresting two. The sneaky activists just
> bided their time and then chipped over the fence on the next Fry-day
> night before completely mashing up the unnaturally modified crop, which
> was already flowering. That's done for that attempt, but we need to
> remain veg-ilant. See www.mutatoes.com
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> SMELT DOWN
>
> Showing less signs of melting away than the world's glaciers, activists
> trying to protect Iceland's still near pristine landscape from the
> attempts of heavy industry, aluminium smelters and dam builders to ruin
> it are continuing their efforts. Having maintained protest camps, run
> actions and braved the cold for over two years (See SchNEWS 555, 506,
> 487) last weekend saw them build international solidarity with a
> conference attended by speakers from all over the world, including a
> star turn by the great Reverend Billy (see SchNEWS 570, 469).
>
> The pow-wow was held to kick off another summer of dissent, emanating
> from the current camp near to Reykjavik. While there was not much
> history of direct action in Iceland, the multiple threats to their
> environment and a few helpful visitors from abroad have certainly warmed
> up the locals in this regard. There have already been several actions
> including demos in the largest shopping mall, the main Reykjavik high
> street, parliament, a critical mass and street theatre by the PM's
> office. This Saturday (14th) sees Iceland's first ever Reclaim The
> Streets and more mayhem is planned. If you're up for an trip to one of
> the most amazing and beautiful environments on earth, with a little
> direct action against climate criminals like Alcan, Bechtel, Impreglio
> amongst others thrown in, all visitors to the camp are warmly welcomed
> although you'll want to take yer longjohns...
>
> * For more see www.savingiceland.org and check
> www.youtube.com/user/octoplasm
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> ...and finally...
>
> Its official - Holloway Road is the most spied-upon street in the most
> spied-upon country in Europe. The two-mile stretch of North London hosts
> 102 CCTV cameras and 7 speed cameras, each one a supposed deterrent to
> crime. But some deterrent - Holloway Road is not some rose-scented
> boulevard of happiness and tranquillity - police records show 430
> offences, including 29 serious assaults, over a six month period.
> According to campaign group Watching Them Watching Us, "Politicians like
> cameras because they are seen to be doing something but, just like you
> see birds perched on scarecrows, the dealers come back once the novelty
> has worn off. Having so many cameras in one place actually makes police
> investigations harder because they have to divert so much manpower into
> checking footage from every single camera." The UK currently has 4.2
> million CCTV cameras - one for every 14 of us, and more than the rest of
> Europe put together, but shows no sign of slowing the big brother
> culture. The government now plan to install cameras into cops' helmets,
> although we understand many police are less than keen on this
> development and are trying to have the plug pulled on it - now we wonder
> why that could be...?! For more on ID cards and surveillance Britain see
> www.no2id.net
This list is primarily set up to distribute the 'Green Letters' edited by
Jenny James which give a running account of the activities and experiences
of the Atlantis Community in Colombia since 1995
Archived messages may be seen at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Green-Letters/messages See also http://afan.org.uk/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Brain Tip #62 -- Are You Lonely?
Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:30:46 -1000
From: Robin Rae <Art4Peace@hawaii.rr.com>
Here is another great "brain tip" from Marcia Reynolds! For those of you
who I have not sent these before, Marcia offers incredible information
about regaining your sense of self, connecting to people in your life, and
just simply learning to use the power of your brain (and thoughts) to find
more joy and simplicity in life. You can read all the past "brain tips"
and subscribe to the Brain Tips Newsletter for yourself at
http://www.outsmartyourbrain.com ... Enjoy! --
------ Forwarded Message
From: Marcia Reynolds <BrainTips@OutsmartYourBrain.com>
Brain Tip #62: Are you lonely?
By Marcia Reynolds, http://www.OutsmartYourBrain.com
I get a monthly acupuncture treatment as a "tune up" for my
body. It is also a great way to decrease the effects of jet
lag. After my last treatment, my therapist pulled up a chair
and quietly said, "Can I ask you something personal?"
Of course I said yes while my body tensed up, gearing for the
inquest.
"Are you lonely?" he asked.
"How could I be lonely?" I said and quickly ran off a list of
all the people I connect with at least by phone on a somewhat
regular schedule. He started to talk but I cut him off by
reassuring him my primary relationship was just fine.
He set his hand on mine. "I didn't ask you if you had people
in your life." I released the breath I had been holding. "I
just sensed a loss of connection. Not just with people, but
with the earth, with life, with whatever you sense is your
life force."
I hunched over, knowing exactly what he meant.
When I first started my business, I owned a 24-foot camper
trailer that I took out every summer, exploring a different
part of the Rockies and Pacific coast. This year, I am
blessed with more than double the business than I had last
year. So blessed that I haven't had a chance to smell the
caramel-scented bark of a Ponderosa pine, marvel at the
perfect reflection of the sky on a glacier lake, and watch
the sun go down as I lie hidden in a field of tall grass. I
can sit at my desk and give my thanks for my life. It is not
the same as feeling one with that life.
Loneliness can happen even when we have lots of social
contacts. When we isolate ourselves from nature and natural
beauty, we are disconnecting and detaching from the food of
our hearts and souls.
Here's a scary statistic...Researchers at Rush University
Medical Center in Chicago assessed levels of loneliness of
823 senior citizens over a 4-year period. They found that
those who described themselves as feeling most lonely were
twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as the ones who
described themselves as least lonely, REGARDLESS OF HOW
SOCIALLY ISOLATED THEY ACTUALLY WERE. People feel lonely even
when surrounded by people.
Loneliness is apparently linked to a loss of cognitive
functioning. When people feel disconnected and separated,
they are more susceptible to age-related declines in neural
pathways. The researchers concluded that loneliness is not a
reaction to dementia, but actually a cause of it.
So even if your life is full of people, if you do not take
the time to reconnect with the earth, with your sense of
spirituality and your union with the divine, and with your
emotions of gratitude and love, your loneliness can be
physically as well as mentally damaging.
1. BRAIN TIP #1: Be outside. Whether the sound of water
sooths your soul or the shade of trees centers your spirit,
find a place out of doors that helps you to feel calm and
connected to the earth. The sights and sounds of nature
remind us that we are a part of the life force working in all
living things.
2. BRAIN TIP #2: Plant a flower. Some people find that
doing simple chores gives them a sense of peace. The two
women that do yard maintenance in my neighborhood tell me
that it is their meditation. I have also heard of people who
use car washing and preparing meals as their time to reflect
and connect.
3. BRAIN TIP #3: Sing and Dance. Whether you are releasing
music from your soul or letting music flow through you as you
move, connecting to music (not just listening to it) can
align your body, mind, and spirit.
4. BRAIN TIP #4: Ask yourself these questions:
· Would it kill me to stop everything and give voice to my
heart?
· Who am I if I didn't define myself by how much I
accomplished today?
· Would I become invisible to my colleagues and clients if I
took a month off of work?
· Who is chasing you? Can you quit the race and accept that
sometimes you are an ordinary person? If so, you might slow
down enough to find "extraordinary" experiences outside of
work (I'm not asking you to care less about your work; just
care more about your mental and physical health).
You may not be alone, but do you feel empty? Summertime is
the perfect time to feast your senses on life.
(C) Marcia Reynolds
http://www.OutsmartYourBrain.com
You can find more techniques in Marcia's book, Outsmart Your
Brain: How to Make Success Feel Easy
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15. poem--you
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:16:53 -0700
From: amy king <amyhappens@yahoo.com>
DEAR BIRDS, TELL THIS TO MOTHERS
Education consists in instilling into them the universal mind.
^ÖW.T. Stace after Hegel
Fly, birds, over all grieving mothers.
Tell them, if they know more,
They will grieve less.
Tell them that the children they grieve for
Are as mysterious as the God they pray to;
For God^Òs way is in them.
Tell them that the children who came from their bodies
Have come from so far away,
And from so much;
And that these children
Are going for so much
Of Hell and Heaven, dark and light^×
That mothers can be as away from them
As lost lines in the early poetry of France.
Find the lost lines in
The writing that is your child, mothers
(Dear birds, tell them),
And you will not grieve;
You will stand up
In sweet universality.
You will be God^Òs mothers,
Not just your own.
^ÖEli Siegel
[more on Siegel - http://amyking.org/blog/?p=374]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Different Views of the Superferry Controversy!!!
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:03:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: kahiwal@cs.com
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The "train wreck" method of running a government, and what the Superferry
might do next
by Larry Geller
Origins of the blame game
It is said the Prussian army invented the organization chart. Knowing who
was in charge of something would assure that when something went wrong,
blame could be quickly and accurately fixed on the person in charge of it.
The principle is not old because most of the world produced its goods for
eons in little farms or cottages. You don't need an organization chart for
a mom-and-pop operation. There is no "management" to chart. But an army
could use one, so the Prussians either invented it or at least introduced
it to the world. It worked. They could find someone "responsible" quickly,
because their chart showed who was in charge of what.
Two Western Railroad passenger trains collided somewhere between
Massachusetts and Albany, New York in 1841, and fortunately, they had a
handy Prussian-style organization chart. So they could quickly say who was
responsible. We then had a name for it: the train wreck method of
management. Those responsible should be found and fired. Outsiders saw
that the company was taking action. And surviving employees were motivated
to keep their projects on track, so to speak. We still do that; after a
train wreck, we find who is responsible, and fix the blame on that person.
And we can fry that person in oil, no one will object.
Applying Prussian army learning to the Superferry situation
It doesn't take a train to have a train wreck. Here in Hawaii the finger
of blame is spinning around since the Superferry was challenged
successfully by protesters in the waters off Kauai. The ferry was there
because they started early in order to defy a judge who banned the boat
from Maui. The judge acted because there was a questionable exemption from
state law. The exemption was questionably granted by.... and so the finger
spins.
Fixing blame is a very big thing, ranking right up there with revenge,
retaliation and jealousy as motivators in Hawaii government. But many of
us are eager enough to join in the game. I admit I feel like pointing the
finger myself.
I find it interesting how politicians, activists, newspapers, letters to
the editor, bloggers and blog comments are all over the map on this.
That's actually great for discussion and can help us decide what's the
best thing to do. It also reveals the possible thought processes of
different institutions and individuals, if you're a student of such
things. We'd never get much insight into what makes the state Department
of Transportation tick, for example, if it weren't for something like
this. We can step back and take a bit of a meta view, because these
different groups have been squeezed, and in their squealing there is
information to be gathered.
Let's start with ferry management (conveniently, they do have an
organization chart, so why not). Can you imagine, in Hawaii, defying the
courts and the people by loading up the Superferry with $5 passengers and
setting sail early? John Garibaldi, Hawaii Superferry CEO, is said to be a
local guy, so he should have known better. So we learn something about
attitude. We learn what we can expect in the future. Maybe we can predict
what might happen to interisland ferry fares, given how this company seems
to feel about local people.
They'd rather have the Coast Guard round up the protesters. Guantanamo is
probably not good enough for those tree huggers. Never mind that for every
protester in the water there are hundreds cheering what they are doing.
Again, I don't have to argue who is right, I'm just looking at how they
handle this.
Let's look at the protesters, perhaps those who have spoken the loudest.
It is easy to sit here and write a blog. It's easy to write an editorial
or a letter to the editor. It takes guts to shout down a superferry from
the water directly in front of it. Again, you may have your views, but
analyze the protester's position. They clearly are not speaking for
themselves alone. There are too many for blame to be fixed on them as
individuals. In fact, their act is strongly in accord with an American
tradition of civil disobedience in the face of perceived injustice. We can
conclude that there are a large number of people who have strong
objections, even at this late date, to the way this ferry thing is being
done. They were not heard before, but by golly, they have our attention
now.
[I'm reminded of a number of small recreational boaters who took advantage
of great sailing weather to practice in the waters off of Pier 29 a couple
of years ago. It happened that the Full Means II, the ship whose captain
was allegedly killed by the ship's cook after mistreating the crew, was
trying to escape from Hawaii and avoid repatriating the crew. Too bad for
the ship's owners, it's not allowed to crash into recreational sailors
just because you're in a hurry to get your ship out of port. So attorneys
had time to prepare papers and have the ship arrested.]
The Honolulu Advertiser editors complain about the planning process but
won't look at both sides of the issue. This is fine, we expect to find
opinions on the editorial page. Again, without agreeing or disagreeing
with them, step back and analyze what position they took. Is it possible
that they might be influenced by the thought of ad revenue? Who knows. The
editorial begins:
You would think the Hawai'i Supreme Court had ample time to
voice its opinion on the Hawai'i Superferry.
Actually, the court acted with lightning speed. Usually one could die
waiting for a decision. They acted as soon as the matter was brought
before them.
The editorial identifies a serious lack of planning. Since letting the
ferry avoid doing an environmental study was very much a part of the
state's plan, I'm puzzled at why an editorial finger is not pointed in
that direction. But nevermind, the finger is still spinning, and we can
learn something about newspaper thought processes from this and other
editorials.
Sen. Gary Hooser, in an op-ed in today's Advertiser, spotlighted the
failure of the DOT and the Lingle administration to require the
environmental impact statement in the first place. He also chastises the
administration and the ferry management for accelerating the sailing
schedule.
The message from the fifth floor of the State Capitol to
Hawai'i residents is clear: The interest of a single big
business takes precedence over the interests of the
environment, the law and the people.
Reading the entire article, it's clear that Sen. Hooser favors cooperation
between different parts of the government, and that he is comfortable
showing them how they could have served the people by acting differently:
A majority of Neighbor Island senators introduced legislation
in the recent session and the Senate passed out a bill
offering a compromise that would have required an
environmental impact statement while allowing for the
commencement of operations for the Superferry.
Instead of accepting a win-win solution that would have
served both the Superferry and Hawai'i's fragile environment,
the DOT and the Hawaii Superferry have steadfastly refused
all requests and all offers of compromise, choosing instead
the arrogance of the steamroller approach. After all, they
had been able to block all attempts by the Legislature, they
had the full support of the governor, and the benefit of
hundreds of millions of dollars invested by a politically
powerful and influential board of directors.
Without judging the merits of Sen. Hooser's points, we can learn quite a
bit about his leadership qualities. To my ears, the article shouts out
that were he governor, he might have exercised a different form of
leadership. It helps to know that he has been consistent over time. I have
certainly not read everything in print on the ferry issue, but Sen. Hooser
is the first I have seen to point out that lawsuits will be costly (and
who pays them? Do they come out of Lingle's salary? No, we pay the
settlements out of our taxes).
It did not have to be this way. If the Lingle administration
had from the beginning put the interests of the public, the
law and the environment ahead of the interests of the Hawaii
Superferry, we would not be having this discussion.
This comment is not made in isolation. In different contexts it can be
leveled at an administration that withholds money from social services,
from pedestrian safety, and yet supports the interests of big business.
Ok, I mentioned Governor Lingle. What can we learn from her statements?
Find one, first. Maybe I and Google have overlooked something. As I type
this, there is one just outâ^À^ÓKHNL: Governor Lingle Requests Suspension
on Superferry . Read it yourself, it's short. What can be learned? Staying
on the sidelines any longer would make her look bad. But up to that point,
she was very willing to lay low. In the KHNL article she reiterates that
she feels the state made all the right decisions. Again, whether or not
you agree, what can be learned? Is this an example of leadership, taking
the helm and steering the ship of state in the right direction (sorry,
sorry)? In fact, is any leadership at all demonstrated by her silence and
this short statement? I know that readers may not agree with my analyses.
But it's an interesting exercise to read between the lines, or to try to
deduce what a statement means or shows beyond what it says. In an age
where politicians lie easily, we all do this to some extent already. Each
of us may come away with different views. That's fine. Applying critical
thinking (that is, not swallowing what we are told whole cloth) does not
mean we will agree. But I think we will learn a lot.
Superferry as part of a system of frames
We must, in my view, look critically at the frames that our government is
imposing on our conversations. This is how we are made to meekly go along
with transit plans, housing shortages, overdevelopment, loss of beach
access, increased taxes, control over women's reproductive choices,
immigration, and so on.
Reading between the lines is a first step to understanding the process.
Go beyond the words someone is using. Look at the entire context. They
may be lying, but they can't fool you if you are not depending on their
words to convey all of the meaning.
The second is to understand how issues are presented to us, how they are
framed. Perhaps the most common frame people are aware of is the set of
words associated with "pro-choice" and "pro-life."
A third step might be to accept what is good and resist the rest.
What frames does the Superferry appear in? Something around privatization.
Big business trumps local needs. Government is above the law. In each of
these (and there are probably more), other components make up the frame as
well. The objective is always to control public dialogue. If we read
between the lines habitually, we won't be taken in. As to the Superferry,
I suggest they apply for a liquor license. I understand from speaking with
someone who took a $5 trip that it's a pleasant place to spend time, and
it comes equipped with its own parking lot. What a great venue for musical
or club style events. Or for a nautical themed restaurant.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
17. The State of Hawaii/Superferry Playbook?
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:50:35 -1000
From: mike reitz <mreitz@pacbell.net>
Sounds like it. Hawaii is even mentioned as part of the mix.
m
THE ENFORCEMENT GAME
By Carolyn Raffensperger
Avoiding enforcement of environmental laws is a political game. The
goal of this game is to guarantee that whales, children's health,
icebergs and oak savannahs always lose by making sure that nothing,
absolutely nothing, interferes with economic growth. The way you win
is by guaranteeing that the fate of the Earth is left to the market,
not public will, administrative agencies or the courts, which only
muck up the pure forces of the economy.
If you want to join the smoke-filled back room and play the game, your
job is to avoid any pro-environmental decision made by government. You
too can gamble away our future. Here is the playbook... and the loaded
dice.
1) Pass complex, ambiguous legislation so the implementing agency is
free to interpret it as requiring no changes in business as usual.
2) Have the President attach a signing statement that says he won't
enforce the statute.
3) Establish the burden of proof so that it rests on the public and
government to demonstrate harm with absolute certainty before allowing
the agency to regulate.
4) Take decades to draft the regulations.
5) Before the draft regulations are published in the Federal Register,
hold closed door sessions with the regulated industry (preferably with
the Vice President so you can claim executive privilege). Obtain
administration promises that the regulations won't impinge on
business.
6) Challenge the underlying science and refer it to the National
Academy of Sciences for a prolonged study.
7) Make sure that all health and safety information sent to the agency
is designated confidential business information so the public can be
denied access to the data.
8) Require that regulators account for economic factors, minimizing
public health and environmental issues. This way, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and the White House can use their
oversight powers under Executive Order No. 12866 to water down
regulations.
9) Have the Department of Justice write a legal memo that nullifies
the parts of the regulation that impact industry.
10) Defer finalization of the regulations while industry sues... and
appeals.
11) Use the Data Quality Act to obtain and challenge the data and
methods of any government-funded study.
12) Peer review all agency science using experts in the field (read
"experts" as "employed by industry"). Disqualify any nonprofit or
academic scientists who might be biased toward the environment or
public health.
13) Lay off agency staff because of budget cuts.
14) Require the states to draft their own regulations and then turn
the program over to the states. (Go back to #3 and repeat through the
state government.)
15) Delay enforcement while the agency and States harmonize
regulations and enforcement.
16) Argue that the community (usually poor, people of color and/or
rural) must have the jobs and that enforcement will take those jobs
away. Swift-boat the opposition and make it look like the pro-
environmental people are outsider radicals who don't understand the
necessity of jobs rather than mothers and fathers who are concerned
about the health of their children.
17) Set aside any regulation that interferes with the military or any
industry that is tied to the military.
18) Make compliance with the regulation voluntary.
19) Hire too few inspectors to do the job.
20) Deny inspectors access to the site because it is under the
jurisdiction of the states.
21) Refuse to fine industry for violations, and give them decades to
rectify their mistakes in a way that best fits their business plan.
22) Fire any inspector for exceeding their authority if they cite or
fine industry.
23) Express extreme surprise when (choose one) the bridge fails, the
mine collapses, the ship hits a rock and spills millions of gallons of
petroleum in a pristine area, or the levies break.
24) Blame the problem on illegal aliens, alcohol, insubordinate or
lazy inspectors.
25) Promise to fix the problem.
26) Get a Presidential promise to veto anything that would impinge on
national security or business.
27) Rage against the party in power for refusing to fix the problem.
28) Get conflicting science on the "cause" of the disaster.
29) Hold a Congressional hearing on the disaster with the appropriate
weeping victims and if possible, a movie or rock star. (Bono is your
first choice for a rock star because both political parties like him.)
30) Repeat #1-29.
A similar strategy applies to enforcement by the courts.
1) Prevent citizen suit provisions in legislation and ensure that
there are no fee-shifting provisions so plaintiffs have to pay for
litigation.
2) Get the court to deny standing.
3) Challenge all evidence in a pre-trial hearing and have it thrown
out on Daubert grounds. Do not let the case go to trial, especially
before a jury.
4) Hire scientists to perform misleading studies that will "prove"
that industrial activities aren't harmful and publish their results in
peer-reviewed journals. Don't disclose authorial financial conflicts
of interest.
5) Prevent reviewing courts from granting deference to agency findings
so the court can freely apply "science" principles to any adverse
agency findings.
6) Have the court issue subpoenas to plaintiffs' scientists demanding
personal information about participants in research so we can
"interview" the participants as well. (Get all their bad habits on
record so you can prove their illness was their own fault rather than
industry practice.)
7) Coordinate a media strategy as pioneered by the tobacco industry.
Manufacture uncertainty in the public's mind.
8) Stack the American Law Institute with friends from industry and
guarantee that the Restatements of the law favor business.
9) Take judges on junkets to Hawaii. As you play golf, brief them on
sound science and cost benefit analysis.
10) Fund the election of judges who rule your way. Throw out judges
who rule against you.
11) If you can settle, make sure all court records are sealed so the
next plaintiff has to spend tons of money getting the same
information.
12) If you lose, go back to Congress or the states and demand tort
reform.
If you win, you get 50 million dollars in bonus points that you can
use to:
1) Endow a chair at your favorite university to make sure all future
research validates your position;
2) Buy more lobbyists for Congress;
3) Support the political candidates of your choice.
Good work! Ready for Round 2? The same rules apply. Roll the dice.
Carolyn Raffensperger is executive director of the Science &
Environmental Health Network (SEHN).
An earlier version of this essay appeared in the Environmental Law
Institute's newsletter, The Environmental Forum, Sep.-Oct, 2007, pg.
20.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--------------------------
18. Fungus, bugs may solve Hawaii's miconia mess
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:34:33 -1000
From: lcruz <palolo@hawaii.rr.com>
yikes!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Maui Tomorrow" <aina@maui-tomorrow.org>
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 6:39 AM
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/07/ln/hawaii709070377.htm
l/?print=on
The Honolulu Advertiser
Friday, September 7, 2007
Fungus, bugs may solve Hawaii's miconia mess
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer
Volunteers and paid crews across the state are fighting the aggressive
forest weed miconia by hand, but researchers said they're making progress
in finding biological agents that can help take up some of the workload.
They include fungi that kill leaves, stem-boring nematodes that kill
branches, and bugs that eat leaves and flowers.
Only one of those has been released into the wild - a leaf fungus - and it
shows promise, but won't control the weed alone. The others are undergoing
extensive testing to ensure they attack what they're supposed to attack,
and not native or commercially important plants.
Everyone's favorite example of biological control gone bad is the
mongoose. Brought in by the sugar industry to attack rats that were eating
cane, they immediately went after domestic fowl and native birds alike. It
turns out mongooses mainly feed in daylight, and rats mainly come out at
night.
Another example: Cattle egrets were brought in to control hide-scarring
flies on cattle, but they quickly went on to other prey, such as shrimp in
aquaculture ponds and pheasant chicks in hunting areas.
But modern biological control seeks extremely well-targeted agents, which
are tested across hundreds of valued plants to be sure they'll stay on
target.
"Biological control works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and if we do
the testing right, it's very specific," said Christy Martin, who runs the
Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species.
"We don't have lantana or opuntia cactus spreading across the countryside.
That's an example of a suite of biological agents at work," she said.
RIGOROUS TESTING
Among the state's biological control experts is Eloise Killgore, plant
pathologist with the state Department of Health's biological control
sector. She said the testing is rigorous to make sure biological control
stays on the species it's supposed to control.
"I test as many plants as I can per species, and I repeat tests," Killgore
said.
The state in 1997 released a fungus, a variety of Colletotrichum
gloeosporioides, which attacks miconia leaves. Its most impressive
performance is on seedlings, where it can cause the young leaves to fall
off and the seedlings to die.
Killgore said it appears to be surviving and working in areas where stands
of miconia are dense, as in Onomea on the Big Island, but not so well in
places such as Maui, where human teams are clearing weedy patches, and
denying the fungus a reservoir of miconia plants on which to live, and
from which to spread.
"It needs miconia to survive," she said. The state helped out Tahiti,
where miconia is a massive pest, by bringing the fungus there in 2000.
It's doing an even better job there than here, Killgore said.
"The fungus is doing a better biocontrol job there, having more noticeable
effects because of the dense miconia population there and the wet, humid
environment that the fungus thrives in," she said.
But as with some other pests, just one control measure is unlikely to be
sufficient. Killgore is also working with a miconia fungus that does
better in dry weather, and with a burrowing insect called a nematode that
damages the stems, causing branches to die.
At the U.S. Forest Service's quarantine facility at Kilauea, a dozen
insect predators of miconia are being tested by insect expert Tracy
Johnson of the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry's Pacific Southwest
Research Station.
MICONIA MUNCHERS
Most of the fungi and insect pests of miconia come from South America and
Costa Rica, where the plant, with its huge leaves with attractive purple
undersides, is native.
Among the creatures are ones that feed on leaves and other parts of the
plants as adults, and ones - sometimes the same bugs - whose larvae feed
on leaves, flowers or internal tissues of the miconia plant.
One of the benefits of working with miconia is that it's part of a group
of related plants, the melastomes, virtually all of which are pests, like
its cousin the forest pest clidemia.
There are no native Hawaiian melastomes. That's fortunate, because it
makes it highly unlikely that a bug that specifically attacks miconia -
even if it were to wander onto another plant - would find a native plant
it likes. More likely if it did move, it would just move onto another
melastome.
For instance, Killgore found that the nematode she's testing also eats
clidemia. She was pleased to find that it will not inhabit 'ohi'a, a more
distant relative of melastomes, and one of the most important plants of
the wet Hawaiian forest.
'2 TO 3 YEARS' AWAY
Among the frustrations for the biocontrol folks is that some of the pests
look like they'd be useful, but they're too fragile. Johnson has a
butterfly whose larvae are devastating to miconia leaves, but the
butterfly is very difficult to raise in captivity.
"I'm hoping to find something that is robust and fast-spreading, and we're
looking at a variety of agents," Johnson said.
The process of releasing an agent takes years. First the bugs and diseases
need to be located in their home terrain, then government approvals are
needed to import them under quarantine conditions. It takes a year or more
of laboratory testing under strict quarantine conditions at special labs.
And then it can take another year to get government approval for release.
For the latest batch of anti-miconia critters, nothing's going to be
happening real soon.
"We're probably two to three years from the first release," Johnson said.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL FAILURES
Mongoose, imported by the sugar industry to control rats, became a major
predator of native birds.
Rosy wolf snail, a cannibal snail imported to control the giant African
snail, became a predator of native tree snails.
The fly Lespesia archippivora was brought in to control army worms, and
became a predator of the native moth Agrotis crinigera and as many as 10
other native butterflies and moths.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL SUCCESSES
Three parasitic wasps brought in to control the banana leaf roller, a
major threat to the banana industry, have turned it into a minor pest.
Leafminers in commercial watermelon plants are being controlled by a group
of introduced natural enemies.
Prickly pear cactus, panini, once a major pasture pest, was controlled by
a tunneling caterpillar. (Some ranchers argue the panini was a food source
for cattle during drought.)
MICONIA
Scientific name: Miconia calvescens
Characteristic: Huge leaves, dark green on top, purple underneath
How it got here: Brought in as a horticultural plant for its distinctive
foliage
Home turf: Mexico south to Argentina
Preferred habitat: Wet forest
Hawai'i infestations: Severe on Maui and Hawai'i Island, less so on Kaua'i
and O'ahu.
Spreadability: Millions of tiny seeds in sweet fruits per adult plant are
readily spread by fruit-eating birds
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
19. Superferry fallout: The state cites case in requiring environmental
review of Molokai water project
From: "Maui Tomorrow" <aina@maui-tomorrow.org>
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 6:50 AM
http://starbulletin.com/print/2005.php?fr=/2007/09/07/news/story01.html
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Friday, September 7, 2007
Superferry fallout
The state cites the Alakai case in requiring an
environmental review of a Molokai water project
STORY SUMMARY »
In the latest fallout from a Hawaii Supreme Court decision, a Molokai
water project is being asked to have an environmental study before
renewing a contract.
Molokai Ranch, also known as Molokai Properties, wants to continue to use
a state-run irrigation system to transport its drinking water to the west
end of the Friendly Isle.
But Deputy Attorney General Myra Kaichi, citing the Supreme Court's Aug.
31 decision on the Superferry, has issued an opinion saying an
environmental study is needed to assess its effects.
Kaichi also said the ranch should get off the state-run irrigation system
until it completes an environmental study.
The ranch is the main provider of drinking water to western Molokai.
First Deputy Attorney General Lisa Ginoza said she is worried about the
Supreme Court's decision and its potential impact on future projects.
Superferry officials said their project is in jeopardy as a result of the
court's decision requiring an environmental assessment.
Ginoza said the attorney general's office is looking at asking the Supreme
Court to reconsider parts of its decision.
FULL STORY »
By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com
WAILUKU » A resort owner has been told to stop using a state-run system to
transport drinking water to western Molokai until it completes an
environmental study.
Deputy Attorney General Myra Kaichi said Tuesday in an opinion that
Molokai Ranch should get off the Molokai Irrigation System "as quickly as
possible" -- citing the Aug. 31 decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court
requiring the state to provide an environmental assessment of the impact
of the Hawaii Superferry at Kahului Harbor on Maui.
The court ruled that state transportation officials were incorrect in
exempting the Superferry from an environmental assessment, noting state
law requires such a study whenever state property is used and there is a
potential for significant environmental impact.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Kaichi said that after analyzing the
Supreme Court decision, she decided an environmental study was required
before a new contract could be issued to the ranch to use the state-run
system.
Molokai Ranch has used the state-run irrigation system to transport water
from central Molokai under an agreement issued by the state in the
mid-1970s.
More than 1 million gallons a day has been allocated to go to the
industrial park at Palauea, the resort -- beach lots, condos and a golf
course -- at Kaluakoi and Maunaloa Town, including the ranch's 22-room
Lodge.
Asked what is meant by "as quickly as possible," Kaichi said, "I think the
parties should get together and talk this through."
First Deputy Attorney General Lisa Ginoza said she had not seen Kaichi's
opinion, but the court's decision was of "great concern" because of the
potential effect it will have on a number of projects.
Ginoza said that while she believes the court's decision does not apply
retroactively, the ruling could influence whether projects go forward
because of the resources needed to do environmental assessments.
"It creates quite a bit of uncertainty," she said. "We do see some real
challenges."
Ginoza said the attorney general's office was reviewing the court's
decision and looking at whether to ask justices for a reconsideration of
parts of their decision.
Critics, including a group of Hawaiian homesteaders, have argued that the
ranch, also known as Molokai Properties, should have conducted an
environmental study before it was issued the agreement.
State administrators in the 1970s said the contract was issued before laws
requiring an environmental study took effect.
The agreement was originally for 20 years and has been given a number of
extensions, the latest ending in April 2006.
Under the 1970s license, the ranch is required to put a little more than 1
million gallons a day into the irrigation system's pipeline.
The ranch is allowed to take out about the same amount after the water is
transported several miles west.
Molokai Ranch President Peter Nicholas declined comment, pending a review
of the opinion.
Hawaiian homesteader Glenn Teves said he felt the opinion was long
overdue.
Teves said the Molokai Irrigation System, including the 1.4 billion-gallon
Kualapuu reservoir, was built mainly to benefit Hawaiian homesteaders and
that two-thirds of the water was supposed to be set aside for them.
Teves said that under the current system of allocation, about 20 percent
is set aside for Hawaiian homesteaders and 80 percent to other users.
Attorney Alan Murakami, representing some Hawaiian homesteaders, said an
environmental study would improve accountability for the water use.
Murakami said a study would also help to assess the impact of Molokai
Ranch's surface water diversions on ground water in central Molokai.
He said that in times of drought, Hawaiian homesteaders have been forced
to cut back on their water use, while the resort has not.
State Deputy Agriculture Director Duane Okamoto said his department will
be looking for guidance from the attorney general's office on how to
comply with the opinion.
Okamoto said that at one time, Hawaiian homesteaders used about 80 percent
of the water in the Molokai Irrigation System.
He said the usage decreased after homesteaders were prevented in the 1990s
from engaging in third-party contracts renting their land to other
farmers.
Okamoto said state agricultural officials have been meeting regularly with
homesteaders to try to find a way to increase their participation as
farmers.
"We'd certainly like to see more homesteaders farming," he said.
© 1996-2007 The Honolulu Star-Bulletin | www.starbulletin.com
____________________________________________________________________________
20. Try again to order your "Free the Jena 6" T-shirt
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:24:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: "James & Van, ColorOfChange.org" <no-reply@colorofchange.org>
As you may have figured out, so many people tried to buy "Free the Jena 6"
shirts in the last few days that it overwhelmed the Goodstorm site.
Goodstorm's staff has been working full time on this problem, and the site
is back to a stable place. You should now be able to place orders
successfully (if you do encounter problems with the site, they should be
temporary--just try again later; if they persist, please email us at
info@colorofchange.org). Goodstorm has also pushed the deadline to order
shirts in time for September 20th back to Saturday noon, so you have a
little more time to get your order in.
http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/shirts/
Some of you have looked for the shirts on the ColorOfChange site. They're
not there yet. For now, at least, you have to go through Goodstorm.com to
purchase them.
We're really sorry for this inconvenience, but we're thankful that the
problems were caused because so many of you want to support the Jena 6!
Thanks and Peace,
-- James Rucker
Executive Director, ColorOfChange.org
September 6th, 2007
________________________________________________________________________________
21. Superferry ruling could rest on time limit
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 09:48:13 -1000
From: viviane lerner <vivlerner@gmail.com
Also
http://starbulletin.com/2007/09/07/news/story01.html
Friday, September 7, 2007
Superferry fallout
The state cites the Alakai case in requiring an environmental review
of a Molokai water project
In the latest fallout from a Hawaii Supreme Court decision, a Molokai
water project is being asked to have an environmental study before
renewing a contract.
-------
Molokai Ranch, also known as Molokai Properties, wants to continue to use
a state-run irrigation system to transport its drinking water to the west
end of the Friendly Isle.
But Deputy Attorney General Myra Kaichi, citing the Supreme Court's Aug.
31 decision on the Superferry, has issued an opinion saying an
environmental study is needed to assess its effects.
============
http://starbulletin.com/2007/09/07/news/story02.html
Friday, September 7, 2007
Superferry ruling could rest on time limit
» Alakai set to sail to Maui to return vehicles
» Fallout hits Molokai Ranch
By Tom Finnegan
tfinnegan@starbulletin.com
LIHUE » A Kauai judge said he will rule today on whether he will grant an
environmental group's motion to bar the Superferry from traveling to Kauai
for 10 days.
Judge Randal Valenciano heard about three hours of argument yesterday
before asking lawyers representing the environmental group 1000 Friends of
Kauai, the state Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Superferry to
prepare briefs on one specific point: the 120- day statute of limitations
to dispute the exemption of the Superferry from an environmental
assessment.
"Right now the court is still struggling with the 120-day period,"
Valenciano said. "This is a big issue. This could control the case."
According to the Hawaii Environmental Protection Act, when the state
determines an environmental assessment is not necessary, anyone wishing to
challenge that decision has 120 days to file a claim in Circuit Court.
In 2005, when the Transportation Department exempted the Hawaii Superferry
from the Environmental Assessment process, the Maui Chapter of the Sierra
Club filed a challenge. They won on an appeal to the state Supreme Court
last month.
But no group from Kauai challenged the order.
State and Superferry lawyers argue that even despite the Supreme Court's
ruling that an environmental assessment is necessary, one is not required
for Kauai.
"The Supreme Court decision does not mention Kauai or Nawiliwili"
anywhere within the 104-page brief, said Lisa Munger, attorney for the
Hawaii Superferry.
"There is no private right to enforce someone else's rule," she said.
Lawyers for 1000 Friends, however, argued that because the Transportation
Department's exemption was found to be wrong, its decision to exempt the
Superferry is voided. And without any decision on the books, the
Superferry is running without any environmental review, causing a new
120-day clock to start.
"Those exemptions were invalidated," said 1000 Friends' lawyer, Greg
Meyers. "It was as if the determination never existed."
Valenciano told the lawyers to have briefs on the 120-statute filed by 11
a.m. today and that he will have a decision by this afternoon.
Judge Randal Valenciano
» Position: Chief judge, Kauai Circuit Court
» Appointed: By Gov. Linda Lingle, April 2007
» Former jobs: Private practice, 1996-2007; Kauai County deputy
prosecutor; public defender
» Political office: County councilman, 1990-2002; unsuccessful
candidate for Kauai mayor in 2002
» Education: Waimea High School, University of Oregon, University of
Washington School of Law
» Other activities: Former president, Friends of the Kauai Drug
Court; secretary of the Kauai Officials Association; member of the
Pua Loke Community Association
--------|
Alakai set to sail to Maui to return vehicles
Star-Bulletin staff
The Hawaii Superferry's Alakai will make a one-time round-trip voyage
from Oahu to Maui tomorrow to reunite passengers with their stranded
vehicles.
A Maui Circuit Court judge has approved the voyage solely to return
vehicles left on Oahu or Maui to their owners.
The Alakai will leave Honolulu Harbor at 11 a.m., arrive at 2 p.m. in
Kahului, depart at 3 p.m. and return at 6 p.m. to Honolulu. Vehicles must
be driven on and off the vessel by the registered owner or a driver
designated by the owner with a notarized vehicle movement authorization
form. (Forms can be downloaded from www.Hawaii- Superferry.com or picked
up at port offices. Free notarization is available at ReMax real estate
offices.)
The company will reimburse customers who cannot travel on this date and
must use alternate means of shipping their vehicles.
Maui resident Thomas Mate was en route to Kauai with his fiancee and
4-year-old son and was stranded on Oahu for four days last week.
Superferry flew them to Maui at no charge, but their sport utility vehicle
was stuck in Honolulu. They will get their SUV back tomorrow, but made do
with a rental car paid for by Hawaii Superferry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22. Maori Land and Water Issues on Olelo
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:10:23 -1000
From: lcruz <palolo@hawaii.rr.com>
kekuni interviews hone and hilda harawira...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Hsu" <rhsu@hawaii.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 9:37 AM
> Please forward airdates.
> Moderator is Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell
>
> Maori Land and Water Issues
>
> All on Channel 53
> 10/5/07 Fri 5:00 pm
> 10/12/07 Fri 8:00 am
> 10/19/07 Fri 10:00pm
> 10/26/07 Fri 10:00pm
>
> Aloha!
> Cherisse Ferreira
> Olelo Community Television
> Traffic Department
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
23. Naomi Klein's New Book a Lightning Rod
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 21:50:20 +0000
From: mike sysiuk <msysiuk@hotmail.com
FYI,
Mike
Naomi Klein's New Book a Lightning Rod
Her new book, The Shock Doctrine, details the
rise of disaster capitalism with painstaking
care, showing how big business often steps in
after global misery
By Vit Wagner
Toronto Star - September 4, 2007
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/Books/article/252778
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, a painstakingly
detailed analysis of how corporations manipulate natural and manmade
disasters to line their pockets and further their privatizing agenda, is
not a marginal, academic treatise by a lefty think tank targeted at a
small, like-minded audience.0904 07
It is a book by a bestselling writer and activist who also happens to be
one of the anti-globalization movement's most recognizable faces. It's
also a book that comes with its own promotional documentary, a short
directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men) premiering at the Toronto
International Film Festival.
In other words, instead of being consigned to pointy- headed discussion in
unread academic journals, it is a book that has the potential to become a
lightning rod of controversy and debate.
The distinction is not lost on the writer, Naomi Klein, the 37-year-old
Toronto author of the momentous 2000 manifesto No Logo, an influential
book that produced its share of detractors and converts. On the one hand,
No Logo provoked a backlash from the editors of The Economist magazine,
who devoted a 2002 cover story to refuting its Nike-bashing thesis. On the
other, it inspired the popular rock band Radiohead to ban corporate
signage from its shows.
'The usual response of the economic establishment is to ignore people like
me and hope we go away,' says Klein, during a recent interview in the
Toronto offices of her Canadian publisher, Random House.
'That was the initial response to No Logo. It was either patronizing pats
on the head or it was, 'Ignore her. Don't encourage her.' It was only
after No Logo sold a million copies that The Economist took it on.'
The Shock Doctrine, published worldwide today in seven languages, will be
an even tougher pill for Klein's detractors to choke down. In it, Klein
assails the legacy of Milton Friedman, the late, Nobel Prize- winning
Chicago economist beloved by conservatives for his unequivocal belief in
the supremacy of the private sector, even as a means of delivering
traditionally public services such as health care, education and drinking
water. The book argues that since the public doesn't necessarily share the
Friedmanite faith, corporations seize on the disorientation caused by
situations of turmoil and upheaval to inflict their privatizing agendas.
Examples range from the way in which the Friedman doctrine was implemented
in Chile after the 1973 coup that brought dictator Augusto Pinochet to
power, to the more recent displacement of Sri Lankan fishers who were
prevented by resort developers from returning to their villages in the
aftermath of the 2003 tsunami.
Klein began connecting the dots in her own mind at the start of the Iraq
War in 2003. At the time she and her husband, filmmaker and former TV host
Avi Lewis, were living in Argentina, a country then emerging from its own
period of economic shock therapy. She was struck by how closely the
original reconstruction plans for Iraq conformed to the shock formula.
The 560-page argument, which also deals with the privatization of
post-communist economies in Poland, Russia and China, the reliance of the
Israeli private sector on security-related entrepreneurship and other
subjects, is bolstered by nearly 70 pages of footnotes, citing more than
1,000 sources.
'I expect the release of the book to be a battle. And the endnotes are my
body armor,' says Klein, who will further defend her thesis during a
public interview Thursday at the UofT's MacMillan Theater.
'When you are introducing ideas that are new and in some cases quite
radical, you need major backup if you want to reach beyond a small section
of the population. Hopefully, the people who don't need as much convincing
will bear with me because if the book were more anecdotal and less
carefully sourced it would make it that much easier for the people who
want to get me.'
(c) Copyright Toronto Star 1996-2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
24. Munitions in landfil in Moloka'i
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:10:58 -1000
From: kepalo <kepalo@hawaii.rr
The Molokai Dispatch Local News Network
Munitions Remain in Landfill and Elsewhere
Thursday 9-6-07
There are still two piles of munitions remain in the scrap metal area of
the Molokai Landfill, according to Hudson Kekaula, a program director for
the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. One pile was left in 2004 by the Army
after a clean up of the Papohaku Ranchlands. The area is a former World
War II bombing site and old ordnance was removed from the land in
compliance with the Defense Environmental Restoration Program.
According to Kekaula, both piles of munitions in the landfill will be
removed. While ordnance put in the landfill by the Army had been
â^À^Üdemilitarizedâ^À^Ý and is considered safe, the origin of the second
pile is unknown. Whatâ^À^Ùs more, Kekaula said the Army is now unsure as
to which pile was deemed â^À^Üsafe,â^À^Ý and so will be removing both
piles.
â^À^ÜThe standard way to dispose of munitions is to blow them up,â^À^Ý
said Kekaula. This is the procedure the Dept. of Defense followed when it
removed other munitions earlier this summer.
While these munitions were taken to a quarry where they were destroyed,
the explosion caused alarm for some island residents who were unaware of
the situation. Kekaula said that in the future, they will let the public
know way in advance if anything is going to be detonated.
A military contractor has been hired to assist the landfillâ^À^Ùs
recycling contractor as the rest of the scrap metal is sorted through
during the next three months. The military contractor will be there to
ensure the safety of the landfill workers, and also to ensure that closing
the landfill again will not be necessary, according to Kekaula.
Although the Papohaku Ranchlands were cleaned up, Kekaula said that
military ordnance could be located all over the Molokaiâ^À^Ùs west end.
â^À^ÜIf anyone finds munitions, please contact the police department and
they will get in touch with the proper authorities,â^À^Ý said Kekaula.
As of right now, the military has no plan to search for and remove any of
the stray ordnance. Kekaula said such a process is not cost effective, but
that the military could do an â^À^Üarchival searchâ^À^Ý to look through
their records to find specific locations on Molokai which were formerly
used for training. As of now the military is not planning any type of
search.
During the same town hall meeting, Mayor Charmaine Tavares said that she
has requested the involvement of Sen. Daniel Inouye (HI-D). The Mayor
hopes that Inouye could help Molokai get the funding to clean up its
entire west end. In September 2006, Inouye sponsored a bill that Congress
approved for the funding of defense-related projects in Hawaii. The funds
included over $1 million dollars to aid research in the mapping and
detection of unexploded ordnance in order to clean up the lands on the Big
Island that were formerly used for military training.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
25. Tuff Talk -- Gerson, Julian, Kyle
Date: 9/7/2007 10:17:26 AM Hawaiian Standard Time
From: rhsu@hawaii.edu
Hi all:
Please forward information:
Tuff Talk tonight will feature Kyle Kajihiro,
Julian Aguon, and Joseph Gerson.
Olelo 54, 8 pm.
Ruth
******************************************************************
26. DU Poison Explosions-I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:04:34 -1000
From: viviane lerner <vivlerner@gmail.com
It's not new, but a *Must-Read* nonetheless!
========
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/28/18353430.php
DU Poison Explosions-I Left My Heart In San Francisco
by Cathy Garger
Sunday Jan 28th, 2007 4:51 AM
Radioctive explosions are being fired out into the open air near SF.
These are the same weapons that are used on the "enemy" in the Middle
East. Now these explosions are being used in even greater amounts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
27. Curious...I was wondering the same thing...
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:19:24 -1000
From: mike reitz <mreitz@pacbell.net>
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18325.htm
U.S. Staging Nukes for Iran?
By Larry Johnson
09/06/07 " Booman Tribune" -- -Why the hubbub over a B-52 taking off from
a B-52 base in Minot, North Dakota and subsequently landing at a
B-52 base in Barksdale, Louisiana? That's like getting excited if you see
postal worker in uniform walking out of a post office. And how does
someone watching a B-52 land identify the cruise missiles as nukes? It
just does not make sense.
So I called a old friend and retired B-52 pilot and asked him. What he
told me offers one compelling case of circumstantial evidence. My buddy,
let's call him Jack D. Ripper, reminded me that the only times you put
weapons on a plane is when they are on alert or if you are tasked to move
the weapons to a specific site.
Then he told me something I had not heard before.
Barksdale Air Force Base is being used as a jumping off point for Middle
East operations. Gee, why would we want cruise missile nukes at Barksdale
Air Force Base. Can't imagine we would need to use them in Iraq. Why would
we want to preposition nuclear weapons at a base conducting Middle East
operations?
His final point was to observe that someone on the inside obviously leaked
the info that the planes were carrying nukes. A B-52 landing at Barksdale
is a non-event. A B-52 landing with nukes. That is something else.
Now maybe there is an innocent explanation for this? I can't think of one.
What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last
minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride. We
need some tough questions and clear answers. What the hell is going on?
Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that
the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran? I don't know, but it is
a question worth asking.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28. DENNIS KUCINICH COMETH NEXT WEEKEND
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:44:30 -1000
From: "Gere, Jeffrey L." <jgere@honolulu.gov>
Hi Friends,
There is only one man who inspires me to do campaign work, and DENNIS
KUCINICH is coming next weekend to Hawaii. He'll be doing three events,
all different in nature, on Oahu on Saturday, Sept. 15. I really really
encourage you to come hear him. I invite you to forward this note to some
friends. This guy is a strong liberal breath of fresh air in a stale
politically stifling room- come hear him. The world will smell different,
full of new possibilities after, guaranteed.
Jeff Gere
DENNIS KUCINICH APPEARANCES
Saturday, September 15: Oahu
2-4 PM HEALTH FORUM, UH Architecture Auditorium (free)
sponsored by Progressive Democrats Hawaii, Josh Frost (gooie78@gmail.com)
with Hawaii State legislatures
7- 9 PM STRENGTH THROUGH PEACE, Kaimuki High School
(free by donation, everyone welcome)
Kim Duffett, 988-5176, kdsculpt@animail.net
8:30-12 PM HAWAIIAN HUT ground floor, Ala Moana Hotel
($10 suggeste donation, everyone welcome)
Girlas, The Deadbeats, slam poets, youth.
Dennis speaks at 9:30pm
See Ellauri & Robin Rae Art4Peace@hawaii.rr.com 387-9238
As Lance Holter, head of the Maui Democratic Party put it...
If you believe in Diplomacy as a means towards Peace,
If you feel investing in our communities and infrastructure is essential,
If you believe that universal education for all Americans from pre-school
through college is a necessity, and wonder how it can be offered FREE
If you feel A corrupt campaign finance system, coupled with
vulnerable electronic voting have eroded confidence in our elections
If you feel that NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and
organizations like the WTO (World Trade Organization) have slashed the
American work force and that the U.S. slide towards banana-republic
disparities in wealth and income threatens our very political and
economic lives, Support Dennis Kucinich for President!
COME HEAR THE MAN SPEAK.
www.dennis4president.com
Gabrielle Welford, Ph.D.
freelance writer, editor, teacher
welford@hawaii.edu
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