A Black and White Jackson Chameleon

This Jackson Chameleon is either really old, really sick or its not really a Jackson!

Or maybe this Jackson likes to lighten his skin too… LOL!

Parking Wars Honolulu (Repo Hawaii)… The Video

I previously blogged about a Big Island repoman video taping his repos and posting them on youtube here and here.

It now appears that a Honolulu guy is doing something similar, however, he has made it more into a movie with captioning and all!

I know the economy sucks right now, and I know these repo guys are just doing there job, but is there really a reason to post the videos to youtube other then to scare people into making payments?

I mean if they are doing their job correctly and have videotaped the repo, that’s one thing… but to post them online just seems a bit harsh.  Not only are they posting them online, but often times, like in this clip… they show the person that is having their car repoed.

Talk about shame:

Pesticides From Mac Nut Farm Believed to be Linked to Two-Headed Fish

I’ll file this under the strange and weird.  Let’s hope the Mac Nut farms in Hawaii are not using the same pesticides!

Toxic chemical contamination was the likely cause of fatal fish mutations in northern Australia in which thousands of bass larvae spawned with two heads, an expert said Wednesday…

…Tests had excluded the presence of a virus or bacteria, leading Landos to suspect that pesticides from a neighbouring macadamia nut farm were to blame…

More Here

Legislative Aide RJ Hampton… The Next American Idol? Singing to US House Rep. Dennis Kucinich… The Video

I was just sent a message from someone giving me a heads up to this video that was posted on youtube on October 1st, 2007.

This is  Councilwoman Naeole’s Legislative Aide RJ Hampton, singing a campaign song to US House Representative Dennis Kucinich.

The words are also very interesting if I can say the least:

(I understand that she was involved in the Kehena rescue… so don’t jump all over me please)

Today’s Other Idiot

I don’t normally follow things like this… but this second idiot today kind of cracks me up and especially the way the report was written.  I’m pretty sure I know this exact location of the pier and I can just picture this happening in my head.

“…Women Survives Crash, Says She Was Sober“

A car plunged into Honolulu Harbor early Monday morning near Pier 36……Witnesses told police it looked like a James Bond movie……The woman driving the car was OK and said she was sober. However, she did not explain why she drove into the water…

Full article here

…

Is Big Island Weekly Also Switching to Online Format? Is it the Big Island “WEAKLY”?

I’m checking out the Big Island Weekly online edition and something jumps out at me:

The first two “News” items CAN’T  be found in full in the Print edition as they have online videos attached to them.

The Win Hawaii House article… I even warned Tiffany ahead of time that it’s under investigation!  YET, the BIW ran the article 3 weeks later as if it’s something real.

It’s bogus!

Even Tiffany herself on her blog on DECEMBER 10th wrote:

“I’m leaving it up for now and calling it a “Puna Feature.” I am trying to get a hold of Sherri Smith and John Williams to ask them their response to allegations that this is a possible scam. Once I receive their response, I will post it on my website and include it in another story I am working on for another publication. Thanks for the heads up, Damon.”

Interesting comments have been left below that article explaining how bogus it is and that BIW should be investigated for running something like that.

Then 2 of the next 3 articles that appeared previously on “The Big Island Chronicle”.

There are only 5 “News” items listed.  2 Videos and 2 blogs (one of which needs to be retracted next week due to mis-information)

I wonder how the BIW advertisers that pay good money to have their ads displayed in the paper feel about the paper running videos and incorrect articles?

This is nothing against the writers of the paper at all.  More against the whole thought process that goes on behind the BIW when they are publishing their paper.

My biggest worry… is that they are just stringing  along reporters by reprinting posts, and then when they find another writer… they just cut ties with that writer.  That does seem to be Stephens Media Method of Operation.

My guess is that the Big Island Weekly will be an Online format within the next 2 years.

Former UH Volleyball Player Victoria Prince Dating K-Fed (Brittany’s Ex)

Now I’ve heard it all.

Former UH Volleyball Player Victoria Prince is dating Kevin Federline (K-Fed).

Kevin Federline and Victoria Prince, From People Magazine

For the last month, Kevin Federline, 30, has been publicly stepping out with a 6-ft.-tall blonde named Victoria Prince…

…Prince, 26, shares a birthday with Federline’s ex-wife Britney Spears, 27 (both were born on Dec. 2), and graduated with a bachelor of arts in speech from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2006, where she played volleyball after transferring from the team at Washington State University…

More Here

What Does This Look Like to You? Subliminal County Message?

I was just checking out the “site map” to the Counties website.  I had to laugh when I looked at the background image of it.

It sure looks like a pot leaf in a way.  Especially on the Counties site when there are a bunch of them together to create a background image.

Subliminal County Message?

Naeole vs. Edwards Hunt? Blogging or Losing Friends?

If you haven’t read the Big Island Chronicle today, you might find an interesting read.

I left a lengthy comment:

——

Just be glad you weren’t blogging during the election cycle!

For me its difficult because Naeole, Hanohano and Kenoi are related to me through my wife.

I wouldn’t even post Marzi’s Blog on my “Blogroll” in fear of family members thinking I supported him politically even though I just wanted to support his blog at the time. (I think Marz understood)

If I don’t catch a whack from one of them for writing about them… it’s my own wife that will whack me for even thinking of writing something about them.

I guess that’s why I pick and choose a bit more carefully about things that will directly effect friends and family.

I believe Friends and Family should come before your blog.

Everyone has something that could be written about them… it’s often said that it’s better not to say anything at all.

You will always have your blog… but it would suck to lose your friends or family over something you wrote about them.

Sucks for the re-traction… but must be done if the information was incorrect.

At least on your blog you can take back things like “The Officer said you were in her face”.

———

I’d hate to be in her shoes right now, as she does seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I hope she irons out her difficulties with Naeole’s staff.

There are plenty of things to write about here in Puna and while she states “…that I have no malice or ill-will toward Emily…” It sure hasn’t shown in the blogs that she has posted about her or her staff.

I know Tiff’s still finding her groove with her blog… and I know she is not a lady that is trying to intentionally piss people off.

If there is anyone out there to piss people off… leave that one to me.

Oh and Tiff… I wasn’t in the officers face no matter what you heard… at least you don’t have to re-write that somewhere. :mrgreen:

Anyone Know About This Blog… If it Sounds Too Good to be True…

Just came across this blog:

The Big Island Reporter:

It sure is a “different type” of site, if I might say.

I’ve always believed if something sounds to good to be true… then it probably isn’t true.  I remember seeing the following craigslist ad… Gee something looks familiar:  “$10,000 Parntership with the Big Island Reporter” sounds good to me!

Hawaii County Storm Drainage Standards Over 38 Years Old and Based on Honolulu County Model

I was just looking at the counties website and something that stood out to me after these recent storms, is that the Storm Drainage Standards for Hawaii County are more then 38 years old!

How many times does Bayfront need to get flooded out before the “standards” get changed?

The document is dated October of 1970! I know we are on Hawaii time here folks, but come on now!

The thing that stands out the most is this:

…The Storm Drainage Standards of the City and County of Honolulu dated March 1969, has been used as the basis for these standards…

So not only are the standards outdated… they aren’t even based on the Island of Hawaii!

Miss Hilo Pageant… Winner “Crowned”?

The things google reader will find:

The Hilo Restorative Care Center recently held The Miss Hilo pageant. Now I’m not exactly sure what a Restorative Center is, but if it has anything to do with plastic surgery and this is the best three results, I think I would come across the pond to LA to get my botox done. I mean its OK for a pageant to go get a plastic surgeon as a sponsor, but you think the director would have picked a good one….

Anywho, Hideko Matayama, 101, at left, Kayone Mayshita, 106, and Makakee Honda, 101, (no relation to the car) were the lovely young women crowned at the event. And FYI to the outside observer, it looks like the director may have pocketed some of the coin on the crowns too.

The Center said that it was honoring three of its “timeless beauties” on the occasion of resident Kayone Mayshita’s 106th birthday. Hmm sounds like the pageant was rigged. Ladies, If you win a pageant on your birthday, you should be happy, but chances are your tap routine really sucked and the director just wanted you as her representative for the year.

1st Runner up was a tie and seeing how Mayshita is a ripe ‘ol 106, the chance of her not being able to fulfill her year of service seems kinda high, so these two other ladies should try and stay awake for the next 365 in case they are needed to step in.

“It was a festive celebration with the residents, families and associates and featuring the Keola Pono No Na Kupuna Entertainers,” said Shelley Yasuhara, director of activities.

Mayshita was born Nov. 10, 1902. Hideko Matayama and Makakee Honda, both 101, were also honored even though Makakee did fall asleep a couple times during the event.

Exploding Tea Bags

Yesterday I wrote about my new “fondness” for TAZO tea.

I just had the unpleasant experience of finding out their tea bags are not microwave proof! :shock:

I took off the label and staple from the tea bag and zapped it for a minute. I opened the microwave and the tea leaves had exploded everywhere in the microwave! :cry:

I’ve done this with other tea brands… I’m curious if anyone else has had a tea bag explode on them like this?

Manta Ray in Slaters Way

This is a great clip from this weekends surf contest on the North Shore of Oahu.

Kelly Slater is riding a wave when a Manta Ray gets in his path.

Just Butt Ugly or Bipalium Kewense

I went outside just a few moments ago and I saw this worm that I keep seeing around our house.  It’s got to be the ugliest damn worm I’ve ever seen.

It’s kind of tough to see in this picture, however, I wanted to show how long the worm was.  It was literally about 8 inches long.

I’ve seen them quite a bit on the Big Island.  I don’t recall seeing them ever on the mainland.

Here is a close up of the above picture:

I googled “Flat Head Worm” and the first picture that showed up was a picture from a website that used to be on Hunter Bishop’s blogroll, “Hawaiian Highlands” and there at the very bottom of the page was an explanation of what the worm was:

This is a shovel-headed garden worm, Bipalium kewense…

“…Shovel-headed garden worms are carnivorous and eat earthworms, insects, slugs and snails. Strangely they can reproduce two ways: 1) asexually through fission where the tail falls off and grows its own head, or 2) sexually with another shovel-headed worm. An even stranger fact is that these worms eat and poop out the same hole which is located in the mid-section of its underside; according to Tbear that makes them “potty mouths.” Supposedly these flat-head worms are harmless to humans, but they can decimate earthworm populations, and that’s not so good.” HawaiianHighlands