Outing Myself- Pumpkin Crunch and the Kauai Beer Summit:The Backstory

Yes, it is time to out myself. Wherever you see the words pumpkin crunch lately, there I am, or there I have been. Why? What is the reason for this?

Well, for one thing, pumpkin crunch as made by the one and only Suzy Tasaka of Hanalei is really the only Pumpkin Crunch I would jump of a cliff on fire for.

So what really is this whole "pumpkin crunch" thing all about?  And what in the world does it have to do with the now famous Kaua'i Beer Summit?

Well lemme tell ya........

It really all started with the Kauai Beer Summit, and not pumpkin crunch. The insinuation was that Dickie Chang, a truly sweet soul, who is really very genuine and a total innocent babe in the woods as far as the council goes was visited by three of the county attorneys who brought beer to his house and they all sat down to talk about the TVR bill. Now, at first flush I was pretty mad about that, and fired off a lot of crazy postings on my patient friend Joan's blog, who puts up with my visiting craziness on her blog whioch I think is very sweet of her.

Now it seems that we all seem to coagulate, er I mean cohabitate er, um..I mean descend upon Joans blog for some reason. So all of the good action always happens over there. Anyways, after thinking about the beer summit the night before the meeting I got this crazy idea of saying at the mike "I would only change my vote for pumpkin crunch."  So of course I said it. I am a little nuts, as everyone knows. There was a smattering of nervous laughter in the room after that.

But during the breaks, in the parking lot ect, the county attorneys and me kept joking back and forth. They would say.."Hey I will bring some pumkin crunch!", and I would answer "You better make it a big pan of it!". SO, it sort of became this joke about how I would sell my soul and change my mind for pumpkin crunch.

So, the whole "pumpkin crunch" thing, is really saying: I will only sell my soul for pumpkin crunch. Beer won't work with me. I need food to feed this big belly of mine to change my mind." Hilarious but true. However, I forgot to tell them that it has to be made by hand, by Suzy Tasaka for it to work. See I left that part out.

So what am I really saying? You can't buy me off with anything. Including pumpkin crunch.  I don't change my mind that easily.

So, as the days have worn on after the whole TVR controversy, I keep using the whole pumpkin crunch analogy in my posts, signing off with things like, "gotta go, my pumkin crunch is ready", "gotta go, I gotta wash the pumpkin crunch pan", or to my many detractors and critics,l "hands you a slice of pumpkin crunch with a smile."

It has sort of gotten a bit viral on Joan's blog. So I thought I would explain the inside joke here on my blog. Maybe it might make its way over to Joan's blog. Who knows. So that's the inside joke. I can't be bought for beer, or even pumpkin crunch.....unless Suzy Tasaka brings it to my house with a 6 pack. That's a triple threat. Might work. But probably not.

As for the Kaua'i Beer Summit, Dickie did change his vote from a "no" vote to a "yes" vote. But he did have serious reservations about doing so. I think he might be with my idea now, and ask for pumpkin crunch next time instead of beer.

And a side note for all of you who are still wondering if it is worth being an activist on Kaua'i, I will share with you the video that keeps me pumped up for the fight!

Christina Aquilera's "Fighter."

Also, don't forget to sign the petition to take to the Mayors office, to ask him to VETO the TVR bill.

Gotta go. My pumpkin crunch looks so lonely all by itself in the fridge. I am gonna go keep it company.

Mel Rapozo : Blog Just say NO to the TVR bill-TODAY AT COUNTY COUNCIL

Mel Rapozo for Kauai County Council : Blog

I stand with Mel Rapozo, encouraging everyone to please vote no on th TVR ag bill exemption process which has become tainted with the many antics both in the council chambers and out of it. THe latest antics, are what is being called the "beer summit", when county attorneys visited Dickie Chang with beer, and they discussed the TVR bill at his house.

This bill is flawed for many reasons. It allows TVRs that were operating to come foreward for a exemption and to be allowed to continue to operate. It is being proposed out of fear that 77 landowners will sue the county if they can't have thier cake and eat i9t too. Screw us, screw real ag, these guys want the mansions on the hills, and the "gardeners and landscapers", to make it look pretty for the million dollar guests they will be bringing to the property. Forget food production. Forget farming. These are NOT farmers.

ALSO: today is the vote for the "farm worker housing bill". I have told council over and over, there is a Federal law, that says if someone is on your property as a farm laborer you HAVE to provide housing for them. This bill is too restrictive, and prevents some farmers from providing housing. It also gives a HUGE loophole for "woofing", which is actually tourism, and a step down from the luxury accommodations of some TVRs, but its the same thing, different smwell.

In BOITH cases, the county is trying to recreate the wheel. The process for TVR's is already written into chapter 205. The process for farm ag workers is already written into the State, and Federal law. Further, in thye case of the farm worker bill, the structures haver to be temporary, therefor,, true farmers cannot ask for federal help to build the housing, as that has tpo be permanent.

Please come to council today. For more on the beer summit, visit Joan Conrows blog, Kauaieclectic.