26 June 2019

Save the Salt Ponds of Kauaʻi

To:  Planning Commission
       c/o County of Kauai Planning Department
       4444 Rice Street, Suite A473
       Līhu'e, Kauai 96766
       Email:  jgalinato@kauai.gov

From:  _______________________
_______________________



Re:  Smoky Mountain Helicopters, Inc., 
a Delaware Corporation,
doing business as Maverick Helicopters -  
Permit Applications Nos. 
Class IV Zoning Permit Z-IV-2019 -13,
Use Permit U - 2019 - 10, 
and Special Management Area Minor Permit
SMA(U) -2019-5

25 June 2019



Aloha e Kākou,

My name is_________________. Some of my ancestors are from Kauaʻi,  of which I am of lineal connection and heir to their covenants and to which I would like to see restored,  rather than destroyed.   This lineal connection affords me an undivided interest in the affairs of Kauaʻi.

I do not support this application for After-the-Fact approval for numerous structures including the addition of restroom facilities within the existing hangar as well as additional infrastructure at the Port Allen Airport because we are concerned with any kind of development or expansion at the Port Allen Airport.  

The Salt Ponds of Hanapēpē is the last existing area in all of Hawaiʻi that produces paʻakai in this manner and I stand in solidarity with our salt making ʻohana.  I have been fortunate to receive salt from salt makers of Hanapēpē and am thankful for this gift. It would be inhumane to destroy our last existing remnants of identity,  culture and healing practices. It would be foolish to think that nature can be raped and abused, and still survive intact. Look at what industrialization has done to the world around us already.   Even a high school environmental science student knows that this is detrimental to the natural state of the surrounding ecosystem.

Many of us know that this salt is not found in any stores and that it is used for ceremonies, food preparation, and for medicine.  The close proximity of Port AllenAirport to the leina-a-ka-uhane and the Hanapēpē Salt Ponds and its potential contribution to the pollution, noise, and heavy metal contaminants and chemical stormwater runoff has been a longstanding concern for the community.  

Therefore,  let it hereby be resolved  to do whatever it takes to PROTECT this invaluable place,  thus the request that the Applicant be DENIED these permits.



Sincerely, 

______________

16 June 2019

Nohoikawai: ʻEiwa


Nohoikawai
Youʻve been blessful to me
Delivering exactly the promise that
You have gifted openly
Kealohapū


Kealohapū
Manner in which to grow
Delivering exactly the promise
Imparting expected
Kahōʻaʻano

Kahōʻaʻano
Not quite slapped in the face
Delivering exactly the foundation
Requiring humanness
Nākuhihewa

Nākuhihewa
Requiring four strong posts
Delivering exactly the foundation
Meant to last forever
Hoʻopaneʻe

Hoʻopaneʻe
Building fresh foundation
Delivering exactly the support
Prerequisite sustains
Kaʻonipaʻa

Kaʻonipaʻa
Not willing to give up
Delivering exactly the message
Truth will never give in
Kahewanui

Kahewanui
Eradicating lies
Delivering exactly the support
Perpetuating one
Hoʻolokahi

Hoʻolokahi
One resound in echo
Delivering exactly the promise
Our ancestors ere made
Hoʻomanaʻo

Hoʻomanaʻo
Acquiring from the source
Delivering exactly the solution
Identification
Kekumuʻana

Kekumuʻana
Habituating self
Delivering exactly the message
Defy ineptitude
Hoʻowaiwaiʻe

Hoʻowaiwaiʻe
Raising expectation
Delivering exactly the recourse
Accountability
Pilikualā

Pilikualā
Eliminating war
Delivering exactly the path
Defining excellence
Hoʻokūkulu

Hoʻokūkulu
Adding to the structure
Delivering the exact order of completion
Strengthening existence
Paʻakahua

Paʻakahua
From restlessness comes peace
Delivering exact precision of equity
Bringing balance to life
Nohoikawai



Kahala Lei
copyright  June 2019









07 June 2019

Dedications to You


Not quite a lifetime, but forever since weʻve seen
Memories of your regal breath decorate my dreams
Retaining your knowledge, protected and true
I dedicate this little poem to you.

You taught me well, you taught me life
Organic recipe, determined stripe
Not one for talk, but the action type
You said donʻt try, my girl, just do
I dedicate my efforts all to you.

Brushing disaster, you always held strong
Skills you taught, held me this long
I dedicate my education all to you
I dedicate my laughter, I dedicate my pain
I dedicate every night that I ever slept out in the rain
I dedicate joys and conquests too
But main thing is that I dedicate my achievement to you.

Morals you held, head proudly high
As virgin mother earth kisses the sky
In the stars, in the heavens, this promise held true
I dedicate my lifeʻs work, all unto you.

I dedicate my victories,  celebrate communal gain
No more homeless people to sleep in the rain
No more sweet earth to kiss the sky
Only grandmaʻs lullabies.
If sweet little songs make smiles
No matter the occasion, one thing is true.
I dedicate this scribe with love
From me to you

To my Nana with Everlasting Love
copyright June 2019


Wise Elder Once Said


True Friends

Wise elder once said that a person with too many friends,  is no friend.  
This was a puzzling riddle as a child because I thought a person with a lot of friends was friendly.

Wise elder once said that friendly didnʻt necessarily mean friend. 
Does that mean that they are nice,  but not loyal?
Yes.

Wise elder once said that loyalty summarized all the traits of a friend.
Does that mean that everything equals loyalty?
Yes.

Wise elder once said that loyalty was the culmination of honesty, solidarity and bond.  Not everybody knows how to bond,  but bonding is important.  It means that in whatever way you are connected to another person,  that you will never cross them wrong.  It means that in everything you do,  you will uplift them.  It means that you will have good times and bad ones, but you will always be connected.  it means that no matter how much time and space come between you,  they are always with you.

Wise elder said that true friends would never bring you down.
The only time you go near them is to take an action, good or bad.
Those people are your enemies.

Wise elder said to protect what you have and never to offer your dignity.
Whatever you worked hard to build, document it well and treasure it,  for it will bring you peace and joy.  Your true friends will keep whatʻs sacred to you, sacred.



Wise man once said that true friends are a rare gem.
Treasure them well.

copyright June 2019

Removing Consumerism

In order to measure how close we are to our goals,  we have to take a look at where weʻve been with personal progress related to our causes and reasons in life.

~Topic 1~

As a child,  I was raised half country, half city.  
I learned the values of recycling and saving, while watching others live a fast-paced consumer lifestyle.  Whenever we had money,  there was always family to spread it to.  Whenever my peers had money,  they went shopping.  We never really got too upset about it,  as long as we had the right outfits for the right events.

As a single parent,  I took it back to my grandmotherʻs theories.  Hers were far cheaper than modern living.  This enabled me to enrich my children with other experiences, as opposed to being in the house with a lot of stuff to clean.  But the fact of the matter was that I did not raise them materialistically because I knew what happens to material things.  I also secretly wondered where it all went after the trash truck picked it up.  That meant that later on,  somebody was going to have one huge smelly mess to clean.  No good.

My grandmother taught me crazy things like how to reuse ziploc bags and the art of jarring.  She made most of my clothes and I proudly wore them as custom designs.  I thought that other people were less fortunate that nobody loved them enough to make them clothes.  I didnʻt know it was a poverty thing.  We walked everywhere and she said that cars make fat people.  We were too good to be fat.  Unfortunately,  that prophecy came true once I did start driving.

My life taught me so many lessons on how to preserve what you have,  or take care of things so that they will take care of you.  I also learned that taking care of your stuff saves you money to help others.  This saving stuff really goes far. 

~Topic 2~

Environmental issues stem from a lot of things but since each one of us is only one person,  we can only do one personʻs worth of making positive change in the world,  or on a more global scale.  

Looking at ourselves in context with a whole globe can be a bit overwhelming.  So we break it down to a "one person level" to make the global scale match the world we live in.  From the world to us,  we see the whole globe first.  From the whole globe,  point to your continent or land mass.  From there,  point to where you live.  This is where you will do most of your helping,  although you would never believe how far - just your help goes.

In practicing home remedies for otherwise expensive, lung damaging cleansers,  I have saved thousands of dollars!  This came as a surprise to me too,  especially when I found out that baking soda and cheap dry laundry detergent are the same thing as Oxyclean.  I also found that either baking soda or vinegar cleans most surfaces and if you put lemon or orange rinds in the vinegar water,  after 3 days it will be the most beautiful smelling power cleanser for every spray bottle! 

But in moving on,  I found a million little ways to save both money and the environment, making life so much cheaper and less harmful to the global environment!

~Topic 3~

Now the third part of the equation is actually activism.  I am not happy with the way the corporate world is handling things and I feel the need to break the monopoly.  The single most powerful way to make a point and pseak your message is through money.  Follow the money.  Always.  So I donʻt want to buy from the bad guys who treat workers bad,  who keep high prices for no good reason,  and who do bad things like poison our food.  If I have to question it,  itʻs poison.  If I canʻt read the ingredients,  itʻs poison.   If my grandmother couldnʻt cook it,  it must be poison, because she made everything from scratch.

~Progress Tracking~

Letʻs take a look at some progress.  Iʻve lived in several different regions in the last decade,  but monopoly stores are everywhere.


Walmart: 
1997 - the first time I saw one
2007 - shopped there a handful of times between this decade,  but nothing notable
2008 - it was the only store to get most of your stuff from
2008 - $3600-5000 
2009 - $4000-6000
2010 - $3000-4500
2011 - $1600-2000
2012 - $1200-1600
2013 - $1000-1500
2014 - $600-1000
2015 - $600-1000 +major increase in family size
2016 - $600-1000
2017 - $1500-2000 (the only furniture I could afford)
2018 - $500-800
2019 - $100-400


McDonalds:
1997 - 0 
1998 - $20
1999 - $100
2000 - $100-250
2001 - $100-250
2002 - $250-500  (Kidsʻ father was big on McDonalds)
2003 - $400-750
2004 - $400-750
2005 - $350-500
2006 - $200-400
2007 - $500-750 (Homeless in Philadelphia with kids)
2008 - $500-750
2009 - $400-600
2010 - $350-600
2011 - $250-450
2012 - $100-250
2013 - $250-400
2014 - $250-400
2015 - $400-700 + major increase in family size
2016 - $500-800
2017 - $250-500
2018 - $200-350
2019 - $50-100


Kmart  - maybe $50/year
Burger King - maybe $50/year 
Jack in the Box - maybe $50-75/year
Taco Bell - maybe $50/year

Genuine & Local Owned Restaurants - We try to go 6 times/year
Movies & Entertainment Spending - We try to go 2 times/year

90% of retailers that we shop are locally owned,  as a lifestyle.  


Processed Food:
1999 - 10%
2000 - 35%
2001 - 35%
2002 - 50%
2003 - 50%
2004 - 50%
2005 - 45%
2006 - 30%
2007 - 75%
2008 - 60%
2009 - 60%
2010 - 60%
2011 - 50%
2012 - 20%
2013 - 35%
2014 - 20%
2015 - 25%
2016 - 45%
2017 - 35%
2018 - 30%
2019 - 25%

**Fluctuations due to activity levels and family size vs food affordability.  Certain years are higher due to homelessness.


Single Use Plastic Trails:

1999-2007  Everything was disposable,  however:
                      ***re-cycling, re-using, and  re-purposing
                      personal challenges for a one man change:
                      ***zero styrofoam
                      ***compostable materials

2007-2013  Life was purely about survival, new challenges added
                      ***Ended use of balloons,  altogether
                      ***Household ban on CFCʻs
                      ***Began making household products
                      ***Saving single use plastic utensils and cups
                      ***Begin to use less plastic

2013-2019  Improvement sought, new challenges added
                      ***End single plastic use
                      ***Re-purpose harder
                      ***End tupperware use
                      ***End plastic straw use
                      ***End paper plate use
                      ***End paper cup use
                      ***Begin jarring
                      ***Donate recyclables to poor & recycling


Removing consumerism wasnʻt easy and all started with 5 levels to the challenge.  Certain challenges were harder than others.  These challenges forced a lot of thinking,  sacrificing,  explaining to kids and more.  Often times,  I would break the explanation down in these areas for the kids to understand.  This was how I told them about our life changes:

"For thousands of years,  even long before Jesus,  our people roamed the earth and traveled with food.  They took food to grow,  for the stuff that doesnʻt stay long or we needed a lot of.  In some of our cultures (we are multiracial) they took this food for hundreds of miles on the ocean,  in canoes.  Then they grew more of it when they got to their new home.   People survived on plants and things they made from the plants.  I do not know much of their knowledge,  but I know the plants for where we live now.  We can start there.  

Only in the last 100 years,  were there things like plastic,  modern medicine,  pills,  fake stuff that scientists make in their science projects,  and big drugs problems.  I think that as long as fruit rotted,  there were alcoholics.   But all these things go against nature and they eventually make us sick and sometimes even die.  

The plastic gets in our foods and poisons our bellies.  Thatʻs one reason that so many people are not healthy.  It also gets stuck on animals and sometimes makes them die too.  If plastic gets into the ground,  it will be in our food and we will get sick.  We donʻt have anywhere to put plastic,  because it is not from Earth.   The Earth gets sick too,  if she has to eat it.

They even invented fake food.  Sometimes we eat the fake food because somebody else gave it to us,  then we like it.  But its bad,  so mommy wonʻt give you a lot of it.  We have a super mission to save the planet, just like all your superheroes.  But theyʻre grown and youʻll get special powers from the Earth too,  if you take good care of it.  So while we learn and grow,  we are going to practice.  As you grow up,  we will both get better.  And by the time you grow up,  you will be ready to become a superhero of your own special kind."

***This helps you get past all topic points at the top, in truth & reality.***

With the money you save from saving the Earth,  you are now able to spend more quality time and money with your family,  making organic memories that count.  Removing consumerism goes a lot deeper than that,  but I suspect that this is a lot to do for some,  and growth-based change takes even more self-reassurance than just a change in direction.  Growing is never comfortable but it is always worth it.  Grow with love and genuine happiness.  Be thankful,  respectful,  loyal,  honest and most of all friendly.  All of these small things matter and are contagious.  Thank you for always being brave enough to step up your game and creating new trends.  

Copyright,  June 2019

06 June 2019

Crude Black Water


Words overrated,  innocence lost
Privileged opinions suppress reality
While lusty politicians vie for corporate money
Media frightens the public eye with disaster

Foreclosing upon the pursuit of happiness
Imposing hardship among masses
Unavailable prescriptions on hold for approval
Voices of uneducated populations
Electing crude officials to manage humanity
While immigrant children  die in custody

All is well with the economy
No budget for education
None for medication
No money for operations
No honest answers given

All is well with the economy
Plenty jobs are listed as available
While not a soul in sight qualifies
Local transportation is prohibited by
Conflicting laws between state and federal
Preventing people from freedom

All is well in a developed country where
Homelessness is the fault of the impoverished
Law enforcement distributes evidence collected 
As street product and a way to set up enemies
Mass incarceration feeds privatized prisons
Under the guise of the 13th Constitutional Amendment

Donʻt speak the truth or youʻll offend
Keep your intelligence to yourself
Cover the eyes of children
Blind them from reality, that they
May endure the future of struggle
Deeply embedded in modern culture.

Modern civilized culture
Developing false dreams
Hopeless realities
Plastic islands
Crude black water




Kahala Lei
copyright June 2019