THEY DONT REALLY CARE ABOUT US JOIN US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE WAR ON THE POOR

LIKE THE SLUMS OF BRAZIL< THEN POEPLE OF KALIHI WERE CONFINED TO THEIR PERIMETERS DUE TO OUTSIDE GANGS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE PROPERTY

THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS TO EVICT ALL HOUSING RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING THERE ACCORDING TO THEM FOR TOO LONG

PEACABLE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WILL BE TOLD TO VACATE THEIR UNITS AND LEAVE TO PUT IN OTHER HOMELESS ACROSS THE STATE

ASSTAND UP AND SPEAK OUT JOIN US FOR SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED GATHERINGS AND RALLIES

IMPEACH LINGLE SHE STOPPED THE BUS SERVICE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/global/story.asp?s=11684673

This is ridiculous.

Here is how this breaks down. The Union wanted to increase bus fees. The leg admitted it costs more for gas, employee costs, ect. But lawmakers refused to increase the bus service dues.

This meant the DOE would run out of funds to keep the bus service going. SO the lawmakers said oh well too bad. So now, the bus will not be rinunning past march.

This will force most children to walk to school, if they live a mile and a half from their school. That means on dangerous shoulders on the highways, across places where there are no stoplights, and in the pitch dark at this time of year.

What is the matter with those lazy parents you say? Well, popular to local folklore, Hawaiis parents sometimes work 2 jobs to support their children. They have to get up early for work. Hence the I cant take the kids to school, you will take the school bus.

I was one of those parents. I worked overnight, came home at 6 30 and collapsed. My kids had to learn how to take the school bus.

Not only that, My daughter lives miles from school.  We have no Jr High in our area, and next year she starts High School which is even farther away. Encouraging the kids to get off the school bus and onto the county bus service would be disastrous. How are you going to pack 60 kids onto our county buses? You arent.

Do the buses coordinate with the times for school? No. Why? Becasue there are school buses for that. Will the sceduals change? Will the Kauai bus add more buses? HEY TOO BAD THERE ISNT A NICE WALKING BIKE PATH THAT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO GET THE !@ MILES TO SCHOOL< HUH?

Ok to say that I am !*@&#%!&@#%  about this is a huge understatement. A phonecall to the governors office from me today got me this response:

"It is the unions fault. We gave them money. They have to figure it out  Well, we actually gave them a lot less money so they had to prioritize. Classes, or no classes, school bus or no school bus. It was their choice. We are not going to give them any more money.

Hey Lingle, I hope you enjoy your holiday season WE won't.

IMPEACH LINGLE NOW

JOSE BULATAO"S EMAIL REGARDING THE BIKEPATH ISSUE

In your efforts, I suggest that you continue to explore ways in which it is possible to clearly demonstrate how collaborative efforts should be the way to combine the resources from the public and private sectors to get things done. 

 

From the private sector, the greatest challenge is to "fire people up" to get organized and involved.  Too often, the few who will take the time to "speak up" are left in the forefront by standing alone by themselves.  The grass roots constituency will say things like "right on", but will not attend meetings or voice their opinions.  The groundswell of support with the SuperFerry is an excellent example of how the grassroots constituency CAN and SHOULD make a difference.  I would prefer that the swearing and the hostility be minimized, and that those in positions of leadership should set the example of being rational and clear-minded about seeking solutions.

 

It would be to the advantage of those who wish to protect and preserve our finite natural resources and our cultural heritages by being definitive in offering solution-based approaches over and above being than merely confrontational in addressing the concerns and issues at hand.  You, Anne, have retained your passion and eloquence with your abilities to be focused and analytical in assessing the challenges and choices which impact and affect what is precious and priceless in our midst.  As you move forward, continue to inspire others to join you in your endeavors.

 

Sincerely,

Jose/Mr B

PROTEST DATTATREYA SIVA BABA DESECRATION OF OUR HEIAUS!!!!!!

CALL THIS NUMBER WRITE TO THIS ADDRESS; FAX THESE PEOPLE NOW!!!!!!

 Vaaak Sounds
333 Pennsylvania Ave.
Oakmont, PA 15139 USA
Information Line: 888-241-7337
Fax:412-828-0911

THIS MAN HAS PLANS TO GO TO ALL OF OUR WAILUA HEIAU AND PERFORM HIS OWN CEREMONIES ON OUR HEIAUS; TO PULL OFF ENERGY AND TAKE THE POWER FROM THEM; THIS IS HEWA; WE WILL BE PROTESTING; WE WILL BLOCK HIM; IF YOU ARE IN ANYWAY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GROUP THEN LISTEN TO WHAT WE ARE SAYING; WE WILL PICKET WHEREVER HE IS; WHEREVER HE IS SPEAKING; SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

HERE IS THE ADDRESS TO CALL CALL THEM NOW TELL THEM TO STAY OF OUR HEIAUS AND THAT WE WILL PROTEST

WE WILL BE CALLING FOR A FULL PROTEST OF HIS VISIT HERE IF HE DOES NOT CHANGE HIS ITINERARY AND STAY OFF OF OUR HEIAUS

HE IS CHARGING UPWARDS OF 2,ooo to 4,ooo dollars for people to come to his seminarts. HUNDREDS ARE EXPECTED>

WE WILL BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEND OUT ISLAND WIDE AND STATEWIDE ALERTS!!!

CHECK IT OUT HERE-DEC 28-JAN 2 he will be here!!!!!!!!

WAILUA MAUKA PATH PHOTOS BY BRAD PARSONS

WAILUA MAUKA ALTERNATIVE BY BRAD PARSONS

This is a adobe flash player of large clear photos that show exactly where the bike path mauka goes.

GET EDUCATED MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION

PROTECT SACRED WAILUA

http://www.kaieie.org/Wailuanuiahoano_GreatSacredWailua.html

Judy Dalton and Brad Parsons letter re: Bikepath

Important article written by Judy Dalton and Juan Wilson RE: Bike Path

By Judy Dalton and Brad Parsons on 6 December 2009 -

Aloha friends of Kaua'i,

On Monday evening, December 7th, the fate of one of the island's most notable beaches will be at stake - Wailua Beach. Building a 14 feet wide boardwalk to serve as a recreational multi-use/bike path will put the beach at unnecessary risk. Hawai'i is losing and will continue to lose many of its beaches erosion and sea level rise. Imposing a structure on the beach at Wailua will stress the natural beach process and eventually threaten its existence. We must ask ourselves, "Am I willing to sacrifice a beach so I can ride my bike on it?"

Wailua Beach, also known as Mahunapu`uone (meaning "the sand dunes that conceal the bones"), is considered by the Hawaiians to be the most culturally, historically and spiritually significant not only on Kaua'i, but in the Hawaiian Island chain. Building a boardwalk on the beach would be a profound insult to the Native Hawaiians. Why would development here be considered when it has become very evident that it would be hurtful to so many people who want to keep the beach intact and protect the iwi of their ancestors?

At this point, it appears that the county is planning to build the path on Wailua Beach, despite recommendations by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to keep it off the beach unless large numbers of people attend the meeting and ask the Mayor to change his mind. New information shows the importance of protecting the beach and respecting the mana`o of the Hawaiian kupuna, which was mis-interpreted by The Path consultants.

There is a very viable alternative to the path being on the sandy beach at Wailua, which was included in the Environmental Assessment (EA). It's a mauka route on an existing road along a scenic canal behind Coco Palms, on land belonging to the county.

There seems to be some confusion and misunderstanding about the path alternatives and the assumptions/questions below which are clarified by the responses.

1. "If the mauka route is chosen that would cause an additional highway crossing, wouldn't it?"
NO! BOTH THE BEACH ROUTE AND THE MAUKA ROUTE WOULD CROSS KUHIO HIGHWAY THE SAME NUMBER OF TIMES. The only difference is that the highway crossing on the beach route would be at Lanikai Street, and the highway crossing on the mauka route would be at the existing light at Kuamo'o Road. In addition, IF THE ROUTE ON WAILUA BEACH IS USED ,A NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY WOULD BE ADDED at Lanaikai Street causing more stop and go in this congested section of the highway.

2. "The beach route would provide access to the beach access."
There is ALREADY access to the beach. The two parking lots presently located on either end of the beach will continue to exist if either route is chosen.

3. "I'm not sure if I want to walk or ride a bike on a path along a canal."
BOTH routes go along the canal. The beach route, continuing north along Papaloa Road, turns on Lanikai Street crosses the highway, where a new traffic light would have to be added. It then cuts across land on the mauka side of the highway and along the canal following it on to Foodland. The mauaka route would go alongside the canal starting from a road behind Coco Palms and continue to Foodland, as well. See pictures of the scenic canal route behind Coco Palms at end of this letter.

4. "Wouldn't it hold up completion of the path if the mauka route is used?"
No. Since the mauka route was listed in the EA as one of the alternate routes, getting it approved would take could take just 2 or 3 months and cause no delay in the overall project. The path can't connect to points south until the bridge over Wailua River is completed which will take at least a year.

5. "If the road behind Coco Palms is used it would cause more disturbance to burials."
No, the Wailua Drainage Canal roadway is an ALREADY EXISTING ROAD behind Coco Palms connecting Kuamo'o Road with Haleilio Road and was used by cars for several years. The section of path coming off the bridge would go cross the highway at Kuamo'o Road and continue along the road (which is being widened) to connect with the mauka route and avoids disrupting cultural sites in the area. By not placing the path on the beach it prevents disturbing cultural sites on the beach while keeping the beach intact in its natural state. The recent letter from the State Historic Preservation Dept states that cultural sites would be affected, yet those sites are actually a considerable distance away from the mauka path. Their letter stands in sharp contrast with OHA's letter.

6. "The path on the beach would be on dirt and not sand, right?"
No. The path on the beach would be on top of flat sand dunes, currently covered with plants. The sand dunes are vital to preservation of the beach as they store sand for future beach replenishment.

7. "Upon crossing Haleilio Road, the mauka path would displace people living in their homes."
Not so. There's one house on commercial property that's been for sale over a year and unoccupied. There are two additional empty lots to obtain easements that are also for sale.

8. "We will lose the $4.2 million incentive money if we don't put the path on the beach."
Not true, provided the money is used anywhere on Phase 3 by March 2, 2010 as confirmed by the Department of Transportation.

For more photos of the alternative path route mauka of the old Coco Palms Hotel see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21400600@N03/sets/72157622826153697/show

If you want to protect Wailua Beach and support native Hawaiian culture, please come out on Monday, December 7th at 6:00pm at the Kauai Peace & Freedom Convention Center on Hardy Street in Lihue. To read a request from kanaka maoli to attend the meeting, visit: http://www.kaieie.org/Wailuanuiahoano_GreatSacredWailua.html

See also:
Ea O Ka Ania: Last Chance For Wailua 12/2/09

Stop Dattatreya Siva Baba from desecrating our sacred heiau!!

Here is the link

Dattatreya Siva Baba is a self styled "Guru" who is coming to Kaua'i. His itinerary includes most of our most sacred heiau and temples. He is intent on using them for HIS ceremonies and purposes. THIS IS BLASPHEMY!  DO we go to a Hindu temple and perform Catholic ceremonies? Do we go into a Synagogue and perform Islamic prayers? Do we go to a Shinto temple and perform Christian ceremonies?

NO! HEWA HEWA HEWA HEWA HEWA!!!!!!!

What is so strange to me, is this man should know better. But apparently he does not. Even if he has the blessing of someone who is claiming to be an authority, those of us in the community will not allow this. Neither will the DLNR I suspect. I am calling on all groups with authority to help; me, through  THE LA'A AINA COALITION to STOP THIS MAN FROM PERFORMING ANY CEREMONIES ON OUR HEIAUS!!

 Here are more links to his "itinerary".

Here is his itinerary and he is charging between 2,000 and 4,000 dollarsw to attend!!!!!!!!!!!! 

There is more!

Just look at this!! 

According to his website, he is going to perform some ceremony that will call up some sort of power, that he will "take" from all of our heiau!

I urge all Native Hawaiian groups, halaus, sovreignity, community groups, environmental groups to join forces under The LA'A AINA COALITION to prevent Him from performing ANYTHING on our heiaus!

We will be organizing ceremonies on all of the heiaus, in order to prevent them from coming onto them. This will require a LOT OF PEOPLE!!

Help us today!!

email me at kad2009@ymail.com

or at stopsivababa@yahoo.com/ymail.com

MAHALO

You betcha! The Sarah Palin speech(es) we never heard one year ago tonight

You betcha! The Sarah Palin speech(es) we never heard one year ago tonight

Posted using ShareThis

peek at her "fan site"! (but don't click be a fan!)

The La'a Aina Coaliton Protest In the Rotunda

The La'a Aina Coalition will be sponsoring a protest in the Rotunda of the Kauai Mayoral Complex a week from this Thursday. Please spread the word.

The purpose of this protest is to disagree with the determination that the bikepath should go on or near the sacred Hikina A Ka La Heiau, or ANY heiaus on the maKAI side of the road.

We believe that all heiaus are precious, and equal in their importance, and that NONE can be disturbed.

We will be gathering and begin at Noon and go until 2 PM on December 10, in the rotunda area by the Mayors off ice. There will be a large petition to sign. If you can't make it, email and call the Mayor about your feelings on this issue.


Go ahead and bring signs, all are welcome to film or photograph this event. Media are welcome.


HOWEVER THIS IS A PEACEFUL PROTEST AND RALLY!! 


Around 2 pm we will walk the petition up to the Mayors office, in a friendly, polite and orderly way!

My Most Famous Letter

This was a letter that I wrote during the most critical point of the Superferry issue. It was written a few days after attending a family funeral, that of the Matriarch Auntie Kopeka Chandler. All of my heart was poured out in this letter with so much going on here at that time. I found it humbling and flattering that this letter was seen far and wide all over the internet, and I thank the sites that felt it was worth posting.

"These are indeed strange times in our state. I have never seen so many protests for so many things in the entire course of the brief history of this sacred land as a United States State. I for one am part of the make up of this state, but more so than that i believe that on behalf of my native Hawaiian kanaka maoli born and raised on Kaua'i keiki, i not only have an obligation but a right to speak out, to walk my walk and talk my talk, to move, imua walk fore ward and let my voice be heard loud and clear on what is happening on my island of Kaua'i.

It is a symptom of what is happening worldwide, and is now hitting our tender and fragile shores. The most harm it is doing to our true Kaua'i people, and that is fifth generation haoles, chinese, japanese, fourth, and third generation portuguese, spanish and puerto rican, and third and second generation filipinos, and others, not to mention 20th generation kanakas, or the maka ainana, the eyes of the land is that we are all suffering greatly. Not just physically but emotionally too. Our lives have been cruelly huli'd by those with nothing but corporate greed, and the pursuit of money to the detriment of all those others on whose backs they stand.

I'm not perfect, and i have made tons of mistakes in my life, and continue to make them, and probably will go on continuing to make them until the day i lay down for the last time. However, there are mistakes, and then there are outright abominations. Worldwide, people are feeling the pinch and bite of more than just issues like the super-ferry and overdevelopment. Kauai is suffering from a surge of people who do not care about Kauai, its values or its heritage. They do not care about our mana, our aina, our laau, our uluwehiwehi, our ia, our manu or our kinos. All they want is everything we have, and then some. They claim it is theirs we must bow down and give it to them and how dare we resist. How dare we rise up at the totality of what has been done to a peace-loving kauai.

A little history lesson, Kauai managed to get around the wars taking place all over the islands for almost 500 years, until Kamehameha. Kamehameha bowed to the expert and fine diplomacy of our beloved Kaumualii, a humble and great ruler who was not much prone to war, and his son even less so, and ironically he died in battle. His wife remarried, and co-founded a church and had another son, on the grounds of what has become to be known as Coco palms. Queen Deborah Kapule ran the first guest house on Kauai on the shores of the Wailua river, was a staunch christian, and a generous and kind ruler. A trait our current Governor would do well to attempt to emulate, as a women leader. His mother however was a completely different story. She chanted a powerful chant, passed down from great alii wahine mo'i over and over. This chant was so powerful no one dared step foot on Kaua'i. But she , (Kaua'i, for all islands in the Hawaiian beleif concept have genders. Guess which one O'ahu is? Male. Figures.), was coveted and drooled over from a distance especially by those of O'ahu, but they could never completely conquer true Kaua'i.. They always wanted to, and tried several times by using boats, several of which sank. The belief was that Kauai's force of nature has its own agenda, and no one can travel her waters without bowing to her superior force. Nature.

I recently went to two funerals in the span of two weeks both of which hit me very hard. These are the true Kauai families Let me just say that Kauai people, the true old Kaua'i lines speak in a soft melodic tone. They do not bark loudly like angry little lapdogs. They were kind and generous but tough and strong. They could be heard not by loud noise and shouting, but by quiet strength and determination. There has always been a limit to aloha on Kauai. Once you pass it there is no going back. Kauai people, the true old lines of genealogy demand respect because they are the oldest lines in Hawaii, and to many of us, they are the ruling alii class at this time. There are no more survivors of the Kamehameha lines, and it is generally concluded, that here on Kauai, with the Kawananakoa lines lie the true aliis of this generation, the ruling class. True aliis do not subjugate their people, they never could or under the system, they could be immediately deposed. You have to take care of the Makaainana, or you as an alii would not be fed. The aliis had a responsibility to care and protect the aina and ensure that the ahupuaas were safe from invasion, and that proper prayers were said and protocol done so that there would be adequate food supplies to feed the people. This also included proper logistics to make sure that kapus were in place in order to ensure that each type of food source and materials resources had the opportunity to properly propagate themselves. There was a system of justice, and familial hierarchies on Kauai that predates the imposed Kapus of the Tahitians by many generations. The meles, chants and moolelos held a highly intricate and intelligent language full of rich meanings, and interconnecting the entire polynesian, micronesian and melanesian triangle. This is the true people of Kauais heritage. A heritage that cannot be taken away from us.

You cannot rip out our hearts, although you may be able to dampen our spirits, but then a little rain could never stop Kauai, it just makes us stronger. But Kauai people are resilient, and have an innate sense of what is right, and good and pure, and we pursue that to the fullest. O'ahu people generally have a much different attitude, and always have. They are a little louder, a little brasher. a little more conservative, and this can be heard clearly in the difference in cadence when olelo Hawaii is spoken by an O'ahuan, it is hard and guttural, like the German language, although no less beautiful or rich in intelligence and meaning. It is very easy to tell someone from O'ahu from someone from Kaua'i. O'ahu people are always amazed that Kaua'i people can guess they are not from here even if they are "local". Yep, Kauai people are smart that way. Many many O'ahu kanakas have intermarried and joined with Kauais geneological lines, to mix up the geneologies, particularly from Kamehamehas infamous counselors of 13.

But the fact remains, that Kauai blood, the koko that surges through anyones veins that has soaked Kauai into their pores no matter what your race creed or nationality will never stand by and let kauai fall. We are warriors and proud of it. Weather it is with the pen which is mightier that the sword, the waa nui, the speaking out, the holoholo imua, the walking forward with pride, dignity and honor, holding our heads high and knowing that what we believe in the deep core of what is Kauai, which cannot be explained, but only truly felt will never ever fall. It will live forever. Our hearts will not be torn and ripped asunder by those whose only goal is greed, superiority and defilement. We stand po'ohiwi to po'ohiwi with each other, unmoveable, strong, nui ha'aheo. We do it for our children, the aina, and in a larger sense our own sanity as an island people. The respect due Kauai is absolutely undisputed. We will not be disrespected. We will maintain our island. period. this is not a call to battle by the way, but a call out to the heart. Remember who you are. Remember how you were raised. Remember what your kupuna suffered for you on this island to get you top where you are now, regardless of your ancestors race, this is not about race, but a heritage of a great blood mixed in with many others who have become the people of Kauai.

This is a call to fight for an ideal, a philosophy, a beleif, not a call to violence or conduct that will get anyone hurt. This letter is to appeal to your souls, your deepest tears of joy, of hurt, of pain, of relief, of remembrance of contentment and love, and remember why you live kauai. Remember, in practicing these ideas of nui waa, of writing, of walking forward, of fine tuning your minds, of negoitating, of learning, understanding, with these tools we are warriors that is what i mean when i say warrior. This is a battle of the mind, the heart the soul, and not a physical one. Use the gifts and talents that you have, that you have been taught, reawaken them and bring them forward. No one can pass kauai. No one. Kauai people are unique and blessed people. show that. step forward. speak out. resist. but stay lawful, don't get hurt, protect your family and your children because family comes first. But remember what you stand on, the land not concrete. remember what your ceiling is, the sky and not wood. remember what your clothing is, and your food, and what nourishes you. protect that. preserve that aloha no"

anne punohu

kalaheo

Superferry Chronicles-I am in this book. Buy it to see what page!

Order The Superferry Chronicles from Amazon here

Big Mahalo to the authors for putting me in this book. I am honored to be a part of history in this epic struggle of a small island people against corruption.

My Life As an Iran Revolution Re-tweeter(fishsilly1-my videos)

When the Iran Revolution began, I was ill at home, but I could type. As someone who was used to protesting injustice, and all that sort of stuff, I felt deeply for what was going on. But what could I do? I spoke to an Iranian friend of mine via telephone that I knew from the internet and I had never met. It was then, that I learned, along with all of the other "original 100" about how to re=tweet, do it safely, get stuff up on the internet, make movies, and otherwise keep the spirits of the people up in Iran as best as we could.

Being involved with this was extremely intense. I remember after it was all over, very carefully concealing my identity in order to protect those I was protecting in Iran. "Fishsilly1", was being followed by hundreds of people, even CNN; My posts were seen on national and world news wires, and even on Huffington post.  But no one actually knew who it was for security sake.

Now thats all over, I guess I can say that fishsilly1 was me. The amazing thing about all of that experience, besides the incredible feeling of being right in the middle of things, and getting pretty emotional when my Iranian "tweets" would dissappear on me, was the fact that I learned so much about technology.

It was through this experience, that I created the You Tube channel, in order to keep the videos on the internet, as they were being attacked and hacked and I was a "safe re-tweet". During this, I created several videos for the first time in my life. I went on to create one more for another issue but thats another blog entirely.

In the beginning, we all had to understand what was actually going on. As things went along, it was very stressful. People were desperate to get to us, and the government was constantly thinking of ways to prevent them from communicating with the world. Thanks to a few very brave Iran Re Tweeters, they sort of coached the rest of us in how to handle any situation that may come up, and things changed from minute to minute.

Well meaning Tweeters were making costly and sometimes deadly mistakes trying to help, but those in the original group who still had phone or internet contact in Iran warned everyone that doing certain things was not to be done.

Some of the things that people were doing which was putting the people in jeopardy was trying to Google Earth the area of the protestors to let the protestors know where the troops were. But the troops were using google earth too, and then going into houses and arr4sting people. There were "fake" tweeters, claiming to be from Iran, or creating channels, but they were really the military spying. Word would quickly go out, and several servers were dedicated to just us that were safe re tweeters, and we learned to warn others of fake channels, and tell them who was trustworthy.

This was really intense, as people tried to tweet me in Farsi. This brought up the issue that google had no good Farsi translator. Google came to the rescue, and added a special Farsi translator, which I used for the rest of the time.  In the beginning we would all just retweet the Farsi messages. We were warned that we were actually retweeting information that was identifying people. So a few of us dedicated ourselves to translating the re-tweets in Farsi, and then re-tweeting them again after we were sure there was safe information. I cannot tell you how many Farsi tweets I intercepted that were the Security Forces in Iran.

Then things really started to get crazy. We started getting loads of Farsi messages and retweets. People were being arrested. When you retweet don't say the retweeters name! Don't use google earth! Take out the batteries from your cellphones!! Cover your faces!! Don't go to this site, its a trap they are tracking you!!...that was coming from our side. Suddenly we were getting tweets like "They are coming into our house now. oOodbye", and "They are at our doors now. We don't know what to do." These ones just broke my heart. We were now waging a full scale war of our own, weeding out the people on twitter that were there to get information in order to find epople and kill them or arrest them. At the same time we were trying to encourage everyone. Most importantly we wanted them to encourage each other, as we carefully retweeted Farsi messages that were scrutinized first, and then passed along.

Then, the security forces went after us, trying to hack our accounts and shut us down entirely. A few true hero re-tweeters then figured out how to switch router addresses constantly to save the connections to Iran, as fast as the government forces were shutting them down. But one of the problems was, in the beginning we kept announcing them as re tweets which just alerted the security forces to the new router addresses. So a secure set up was created so we would only pass those along to certain tweeters from Iran only.

I think for me, it was the tweeters that I was constantly in contact with that were telling me exactly what was happening that was amazing. And their determination to photograph what was happening under pain of death. I can remember trying to stay on with some of them as long as I could. It was stressful for me, but I just kept thinking what they were going through.

Then, as artists all over the world began to respond, by putting up inspirational you tube videos, I decided to join them. As an artist myself, as crazy as this sounded, there was beauty and artistry in what was happening over there. Culturally, poetically musically and photography wise. I had no idea what I was doing, but it got my mind off worrying about some of my Iran tweets and if they were alive. We all seemed to collectively start sending them messages of encouragement just trying to keep their spirits up.

As things dragged on, and the crackdown became more intense and brutal, the tweets coming out of Iran began to be more hopeless, and they seemed exhausted and frazzled. We started posting all of the art and videos, and hopeful messages that we could. I remember just being so frustrated and upset and worried for them. As I said this was extremely intense.

WHen I was making these videos, I was understanding that th4e people that took these photos took their lives in their hands, and we believe some may have died getting these pictures out to the world. I took a crash course in Farsi culture, by translating some bigger Farsi websites, and learning about the Lions, and the true flag and some of the history. When I learned that Irans Poet Laureate was a woman called the "Lioness of Iran" I was inspired! THat became my third video, and was my most popular one.

But my first video, I saw a single picture that spoke volumes for me, so I used it for my first 2 videos. It was the face of a young child defiantly staring at the camera and holding his sign proudly. "We want freedom" it said. I wept, then got myself together and made the first 2 videos. It took me forever to find music that would convey the feelings I wanted, and to put the pictures together in some sort of an artistic order. In the end I was proud of what I had done. All of us were tweeting these videos, art, pictures and words of encouragement, in the midst of mass arrests, executions, and bloody shootings on the street all meant to beat the people down.

The most inspirational thing, in the end came from the people themselves. They would tweet us heartfelt thanks, and they would tell us how they were standing on the roofs and chanting "Allah Ahkbar!", god is great. They believed they would be saved if they did this. It came from a legend in their history that once before their people were saved in just this way.

Writing about this, now that this particular event is over has been a great release for me. It has instilled in me an even greater need to fight to protect the people, and to stand up for what I believe in. The brave epople of Iran taught us a lot of lessons with their defiance and taking to the streets. We all needed that lesson. I hope we will remember it for a long time to come. I know that I will.

This was the last video I made. It didn't upload properly but no one seemed to care. The point was made. By that time, this event was worldwide, the entire planet was horrified, and I felt I had an obligation to portray a people who needed help, since they were absolutely exhausted and worn out by this time.

My most well known video. Dedicated to the women that were out in the streets. They actually led this revolution, although the popular media will never admit it. But I know, because I was communicating with them on the ground. I was so proud and inspired by these amazing women. I still am.

This was actually my first video. It was difficult to make, and I pretty much cried every time I would watch it.

This was my second one. More somber, more funerary. OK this one still makes me cry. But it has a somber, driving dignity. As an artist, blending certain pictures and choosing the right music was important to set the mood for what I was trying to convey. This is actually a different video from the one above even though the same picture of the child is being used

This video was dedicated to the men that were in the streets. I called them the Lions of Iran, as this was culturally correct for them. I learned a lot about the culture during this.

No Landfills in Kalaheo-In Fact-No Landfills Period!

OK, so we all went and said how we feel at the first Kalaheo meeting to test just how mad we actually were about the dump being in our neighborhood, and in the middle of Kauai Coffee. Well DUH. Then a "DOH" ala Simpson style.

Come on, people. Kauaians are battle hardened EXPERTS at this already. We know the score. We also know just how to deal with it. Law suits and attorneys. How did we learn this? From the developers we have gone up against for years.

One of the main problems that was revealed in the meeting is that SMS is actually going to write the EIS. This company has a history of working for developers, and writing such flimsy EIS's as to be likened to Swiss cheese. True to my cantankerous self, I actually told the poor beleagered rep this, although I tried to lay it on him gently.


We really must ask ourselves just exactly WHY the EIS is being written by one of the worst firms out there, with the most notorious history for having its EIS's ripped apart by the general population and discounted so many times it can make ones head dizzy.

One of the funniest lines I heard at the meeting was :"Well, we told them that we weren''t here to discuss alternatives to a landfill, so they were just told to rate the landfill sites in a double blind test". Now if that wasn't enough to give you a hearty laugh, the next statement most certainly will:"So, we go t the statistics that say that all the other areas were EJ except for Kalaheo, which doesn't have a real EJ population.". Numbers cited? 1999 census figures. GOTCHA!

EJ. Now what is that? Well that's a neat little law that was written into the 1964 Civil Rights act, after everyone started putting toxic waste dumps, landfills, and nuclear reactors next to low income housing projects and in poor working class neighborhoods. This law prevents these types of uses mostly due to health concerns and racism overtones. It is known as the Environmental Justice Law. It comes from the Feds. Now interestingly, the county is using the tactic long time in use by developers, that of skirting the need for Federal Dollars, thereby circumnavigating important protective laws set forth by the Federal government. In order to cover its back, they looked at potential EJ sites, with outdated census numbers. Figuring none of us were smart enough to catch that little mistake, they went ahead with their "double blind" test, which was really more of a "Blind without the facts" test.

Seems as if that sort of rankled a few Kalaheo residents, who didn't quite understand the law. I love the one guy who got up and said "We are all under priveledged minorities!". He was adorable and also very wrong. But of course when we all agree on an issue, there are bound to be little bumps in the road to unity and the EJ issue just might be the biggest bump. It pricks the conscience of the have not's over the haves. We actually have a better legal standing than they do.

You also gotta love the fact that a developer cried "SUE!", and was removed from the list of potential sites. But an IAL designation wont do it for Kalaheo. Can any one say EJ, Discrimination law suit yet?

OK, so by the time I got up there I was pretty hopping mad. The real reason? Becasue as usual, we were talked down to like kindergarten drop outs as if we were little children that had to have everything explained to us first before we can speak. While whole families who have tired children, and adults exhausted from working all day wait to speak their minds on the issue, we have to listen to people talk about how great their plan is, and how we should just accept it lying down, and see the good of the plan and how well they did.

Absolutely none of us in that room needed to be educated on what the issue was. These meetings are held backwards. Why you might ask? Well, its another tactic to curb dissent amung the people./ The longer we have to listen to them blather on and on and on, the bored the kids get, people get fidgety and some will leave the meeting, which predictably is what happened.

2 hours into the meeting we were given maybe an hour to speak our minds with no time limits. About 20 people got to speak, so we all kept it to about 3 to 5 minutes. While they had had an hour and a half.

Were our questions answered? Of course not. Now the strategy is to go back and somehow come up with an excuse, an outright lie, or gloss over any of our complaints, questions, and anything we caught them outright wrong about. Then they come back at the next meeting in December, and talk at us for another hour and a half hoping to convince us all to be on their side and go along with the project, expecting us to believe whatever they come up with.

Isn't it amazing how they underestimate the people of Kauai? Never ceases to amaze me. We are highly intelligent, and as I said before battle hardened veterans of these tactics. But whats the real reason I'm fuming?

This time, SMS, with all their faulty and misleading EIS strategies are now working for our county government, ie US. Not a developer. US. WE THE PEOPLE. And WE are now the clients. SO, suffice it to say, ripping apart whatever flimsy EIS they come up with will be a sheer pleasure for some of us, and I include myself in that choir, believe you me. Another reason is that this is just so blatent and ludicrous it defies common sense. I believe we should be asking for another company to do the EIS immediately, as we make a vote of no faith in the SMS group. Why should county tax payers money be spent on a company to write an EIS that we can just sue them for and it will never stand up in court?

The other issue is emminent domain. Its a no brainer. As long as A and B holds out, this property will be tied up in court for a very very long time. Years in fact. And believe me, the County will never win in court either. This is a no brainer for any judge. My guess is the gavel would be falling consistantly in favor of A and B. And if that doesn't work, we have the faulty science, numbers, and testing that were used top come up to this conclusion. Thats another law suit. If that doesn't work, we have an Environmental Justice Law suit, with the REAL census numbers, coming out after 2010.

Now, lets start looking at this logically. In 7 years the Kekaha Landfill will have to be capped. Which is a dumb idea, since it has enough methane trapped in there to power a plant for many years, reduce the Mount Kekaha mess. Further, health studies should be done of the residents on the area, and toxic level studies for the 18 most highly toxic chemicals produced by a dump this old be conducted. That of course will lead to some more lawsuits for the county, when people start suing them for causing cancer and other disease rates to skyrocket in the area.

There is No where on Kauai where a landfill makes sense anymore. So, for the next 7 years lets look at real alternatives that make sense, instead of another landfill. Alternatives that will help to bring better jobs to the area and be environmentally sound, and a win win for everyone. Drop the designation for Kalaheo, replace the SMS company with someone who can do a real comprehensive report, bring in some new companies, use the most current statistics, enable jobs and look for viable alternatives rather than putting us all through this exersise in stupidity. Or else, SMS, get on the ball, put out an EIS with a heavy FONSI, admit you were WRONG and start over. And this time remember who your client is.

And to the Mayor: Love ya big guy. Lets start working on some solutions to the problem, instead of just making like chickens and digging more holes. huh?

Is anyone listening? Lets hope so.

I was there-We are all Kauaians on this day!

The inspirational chant by Kauka Sabre. hHere were plenty of Kanaka Maoli against the Superferry. On this day, at this moment, we did not care who was who or what color of skin you had or where you were from or how long you had been here.. We were all warriors for the 'aina. And I was proud to have been there. Read the book "The Superferry Chronicles."

This is what happens when a community has been harassed, threatened, and set upon by military tactics and arrested children. THe children who opened the ceremonies were the ones that were arrested. We can forgive but we can never forget.
*CAUTION* THERE IS A SWEAR WORD IN THIS VIDEO>CAUTION WITH YOUNGER VIEWERS!!***

Joanne Yukimura:ALWAYS on the side of the people!!