I Fly Go! Mokulele Airlines!

Just a quick :30 seconds of your time as I’m  flying on Go!Mokulele Airlines! now.

Update on the Kona Brush Fires From the County

Media Release:

County of Hawai ‘i firefighters continue to battle three brush fires burning in remote areas of mauka Kona.

The three brush fires currently burning in difficult-to-access terrain near the 4000-foot level are not threatening lives or property. No injuries or property losses have been reported.

The fires are located at Yee Hop Ranch, Hōkūkano Ranch and Kealakekua Ranch. Each of the fires has been contained and firefighters are continuing to apply water around the perimeters of the fires.

The Yee Hop and Hōkūkano ranch fires are expected to be extinguished by tomorrow. The Kealakekua ranch fire could continue to burn for several days. Fire breaks have been bulldozed around each fire and County firefighters are at each location with heavy equipment, continuing to monitor each fire’s progress.

The altitude of the fires prevents County helicopters from making water drops. The Hōkūkano fire also is burning below a thick canopy of trees that would prevent enough water from reaching the fire to extinguish it.

“We’re not abandoning these fires,” said Mayor Billy Kenoi . “After a thorough assessment and collective analysis, we are employing the most prudent and strategic measures to extinguish these fires with the most practical means possible.” Mayor Kenoi will be assessing the fires’ progress personally from a County helicopter on Wednesday morning.

The Yee Hop and Kealakekua ranch fires are believed to have been ignited by lightning. The cause of the Hōkūkano fire is still under investigation.

“We will continue to have resources on scene and deploy what strategies we feel are prudent and most effective to mitigate the fires and minimize any threat to the community,” said County Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira.

Smoke from the fires has caused some discomfort for Kona area residents with respiratory problems. The state Department of Health is monitoring the air quality conditions and had detected some sporadic, elevated levels of particulates in the air at monitoring sites in Kona attributed to both the VOG and recent fires.

Residents are cautioned to use fireworks this weekend with extreme care and consideration for others who may be affected by the additional smoke. Fireworks users should also be aware of the extremely dry conditions caused by drought and be very careful.

Chief Oliveira warned that this is just the beginning of what is expected to be a very difficult fire season.

President Obama Speaks to the Press in Hawaii

From The White House:

President Obama addresses the public on the recent attempted terrorist attack and also speaks out on protests in Iran.

Japanese Megastars Masami Nagasawa and Asami Mizukawa Visit Mauna Kea and Cruise Hilo

Japanese Superstars Masami  Nagasawa …

and Asami Mizukawa …

…recently visited Mauna Kea on the Big Island.

The following is a video of their visit to the mountain and then they cruise Hilo:

If You Don’t Get Past the Fear… You Won’t Get the Reward – I’m Jumping Out of a Plane!

I was brought up with a belief that if you don’t get past your fears in life that you will pretty much stay in a victim state of mind.

You see you need to push past your fears to accomplish things in life.

I already mentioned earlier that I took the risk of Ziplining as a “First Client” for a Zipline Tour company that had not even installed their brakes in place.

Well on the last day of this year… I will be going Skydiving courtesy of Skydive Hawaii.

I’ll be expanding more on my pending Oahu trip… If I don’t make it back alive and I do die skydiving… I hereby claim everything that I may own  publicly to my wife.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity… I can’t think of a better way of ending the new year by jumping out of a plane!

Thanks… But Still Intermittent Internet Service

Well I mentioned the other day that I was getting pretty irritated by my intermittent internet services.

The cable man called at about 9:00 to tell me he would be here at 12:00.

Well he finally at 2:30 he arrived.  He checked everything out and did a few tests and asked a few questions then climbed up the pole outside of our house.

After about 2 hours, he installed a new faceplate on the pole outside,  as well as a new booster to our TV Services.

While this worked while he was here… Shortly there after… I started noticing drop out again.

The cable guy told me to keep calling them every time the buggah goes down… so that’s all I can do at this point.

I myself think a pole has been taken out and they are spending a lot of time servicing people individually when they need to find the pole that has been damaged from the lightning storm.

I do want to personally thank the technician that spent more then two hours trying to resolve this… and I do hope this get’s worked out soon.

Astrology on Local Blogs? Give Me My Technology… I’m a VIRGO!

It seems a few local bloggers like to post astrological things on their blogs and seem to rely upon stars to answer their questions to life at times.

So if any of these local bloggers that rely upon the stars and astrology for answers could please answer my question as to why my internet service has been in and out since the last lightning storm we had… I’d be willing to listen!

I’m not knocking astrology at all… I’m a realist.

Someone predict that my internet will be working during this month on a consistent basis and then make it happen!

Temporary Salary Reductions for UH Faculty Beginning New Years Day

Media Release:

The University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents and President M.R.C. Greenwood today announced that the salary reductions proposed for UH faculty in the final formal offer to the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA) will be implemented Jan. 1, 2010.

The administration’s formal written offer of Sept. 15, 2009 called for a temporary 5 percent salary reduction during a new two-year contract. This offer was rejected by UHPA. UHPA instead proposed a new four-year contract with a temporary 5 percent pay reduction in the first two years, followed by restoration to current salary levels plus a 7.5 percent salary increase in the third year and then an additional 7.5 percent increase in the fourth year. Negotiations are at impasse.

In separate letters to UHPA and members of the faculty, UH President Greenwood said the administration is implementing its Sept. 15 offer. Because it is being implemented over the shorter 18-month period, the temporary 5 percent salary reduction proposed for 24 months will be taken as a 6.667 percent temporary reduction over 18 months.

Greenwood said the administration decided to implement its final formal offer in order to sustain operations through the rest of this fiscal year and next. The university’s clerical and administrative, professional and technical staff, represented by HGEA, previously ratified new contracts that include equivalent temporary 5 percent salary reductions over the current two-year biennium.

While Greenwood supports salary increases for faculty, she noted that “until the economy improves and UH funding is stabilized, we simply do not have the money to meet the expectations of UHPA.”

The temporary salary reduction will not affect faculty members paid through non-appropriated funds, such as extramural contracts and grants. It will also not affect faculty members who retire before June 30, 2010.

“I remain committed to working with the leadership of UHPA and the faculty to reach a mutually acceptable settlement that responsibly addresses the university’s critical economic challenges and the longer term need for competitive faculty salaries,” Greenwood said.

To view the letter in full go to http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/op/2009/1228-salary.html.

New Year’s Resolution Run/Walk

Media Release:

To kick off 2010 Big Dog Productions will host the New Year’s Resolution Run/Walk on Friday, New Year’s Day, January 1st, starting at 9:30 am at the entrance to Moku Ola (Coconut Island) in Hilo.

The 3.1-mile run/walk is free and open to the public with the first 100 people signing up receiving a can of sports drink donated by Anheuser-Busch/Hilo.  Post race refreshments will be provided by the Big Dog.

After the event the Big Dog would like to hear from the participants about their goals and resolutions for 2010.  For more information call the Big Dog at 969-7400 or check out his  site at:  http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/

Christmas Tree Recycling

Media Release (and edited by my discretion):

Please help keep our island green by recycling your holiday CHRISTMAS tree!

Trees ready to be discarded can dropped off at any of the following ten (10) Recycle and Transfer Stations: Hilo , Kailua-Kona, Puako, Honoka‘a, Ka‘auhuhu, Keauhou, Pāhoa, Kea‘au, Waimea and Wai‘ōhinu.

The transfer stations will be accepting trees for recycling through January 17, 2010.

Trees should be free of all decorations, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Please do not drop off artificial or flocked trees.

The County of Hawai ‘i’s Department of Environmental Management and Department of Public Works are teaming up to support Treecycling.  Public Works will be providing on-site tree chipping at certain locations.

By chipping the trees and making the material available for use in gardens, the County can divert thousands of trees from our landfills and add valuable mulch to island soils. In addition, it will help reduce the illegal dumping of holiday trees.

The County’s Treecycling Program and additional recycling and solid waste programs are available on the website at www.HawaiiZeroWaste.org.  For further information, please contact the County Solid Waste Division at 961-8339.

Puna CDP Adopts Guidelines, Mission Statement

From the Mayors Office:

The month-old Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee adopted operating guidelines, defined its mission and began preparing to identify and prioritize actions ripe for implementation at its second meeting held Friday, Dec. 18, at the Kea’au Community Center.

The eight appointed members present divided themselves into four standing sub-committees on transportation, growth management, mālama i ka ‘āina (land stewardship), and budget & finance.  The sub-committees will be the workhorses of the Action Committee, facilitating greater progress between meetings without violating Sunshine Laws.  By opening membership to interested community members, the sub-committees are expected to serve as a primary means of continued and expanding community participation in the Puna CDP effort.

Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens Offering Its Annual Docent (volunteer) Training Course

Media Release:

Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens will offer its annual docent (volunteer) training course at the zoo for six weeks beginning February 4, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Docents will have the opportunity to share zoo information by leading tours, operating the information booth and by offering presentations to the public.  A year-long commitment of two (2) volunteer hours a week is asked of all trained docents.

The course fee is $55. The deadline to register is January 15, 2010.

For more information or to register contact Terry Moniz at 959-7224 or e-mail tmoniz@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Mayor Billy Kenoi: A New Year’s Message

The Big Island of Hawaii’s Mayor Billy Kenoi gives a New Year’s message at the 12th Annual Mochi Pounding in Wailea Village on December 27, 2009.

Video Courtesy of Island Trust Properties:

Better Go to the Bathroom Before Boarding Inter-Island Flights

The new US Homeland Security rules on flights may make going to the bathroom on inter- island flights impossible now:

…Once in effect, passengers on flights of 90 minutes or less would most likely not be able to leave their seats at all, since airlines do not allow passengers to walk around the cabin while a plane is climbing to its cruising altitude, said the Times…

Dear Oceanic Time Warner… Fix My Roadrunner!

My internet service has been very inadequate for the last 4 days.

I called the day before Christmas to report this and it’s still sub standard.

I know you folks said that you will come to our house on Monday… but why can’t you give a more exact time then “Sometime between 8 and 4” !

And I’m telling you folks now… it’s not my place that there is a problem with… it is the entire area that is experiencing these problems so sending someone out to our house isn’t going to solve the problem.

I think when we had the lightning storms last week that one of the towers got popped and services are getting spread thin to those that have it at all.

Santas Last Stop Was in Hilo, Hawaii

This is kind of cool… NORAD tracked Santa last night around the world and he ended his trip in Hilo, Hawaii.

Dear President Obama, While You Are in Hawaii…

Dear President Obama,

I’m glad that you are able to take some time off from work and return home to Hawaii for your Christmas vacation.

I know that you have  a full slate of things that you probably want to do with your family while you are on Oahu, however, can I suggest that why you are in Hawaii, you come visit the Big Island of Hawaii for a few days?

We have so much more to do on the Big Island then you can do over on Oahu.   After all… we are The Big Island.

You could show your Ohana Madame Pele up and close on a Lava Boat Cruise along the coast.

You could also visit many different climates all in one day.

And I bet your kids would love to go zip lining!

I know that you know this already, but we also have some of the most beautiful valleys and scenic hikes in the world as well!

Well, whatever you do decide to do while you are here on vacation, please take this time to enjoy your time off in the islands… and we are all proud that you are vacationing here in Hawaii… even if it’s not the Big Island.

Maybe I will get a chance to see you somewhere over on Oahu when I come up for a visit pretty soon… NOW THAT WOULD BE COOL!

When a Car Catches on Fire in Hawaii

Merry Christmas From Pahoa

Merry Christmas to everyone… Yes, this is our town tree:

Merry Christmas to All… And to All a Good Night

The school, Ka’u Meke Ka’eo Charter School , is performing Silent Night (Hawaiian Version) at Arnotts Lodge in Hilo, Keaukaha Big Island Hawaii.