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+--- Thread: Helicopter surveillance/harassment (/showthread.php?tid=7544)
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - KeaauRich - 07-15-2010
All day I had this urge to sing songs from Miss Saigon...
They were buzzing very low over our block in Orchidland pretty aggressively for the past couple of days. Obie and Paul, it's not paranoia, but when they swoop back and forth at low altitudes, it scares the heck out of our dog (who then starts barking) and it it extremely annoying to the humans, who have a hard time holding a conversation.
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - AlohaSteven - 07-16-2010
Walls, fences, gates, signs, cameras, dogs.... Paranoia is right.
Mmmm, I dunno. Maybe not completely. Just as a conservative is often a former liberal who has been mugged, a "paranoid" is often a formerly laid-back, trusting, free & easy person who has been subjected to their home being invaded and ripped off, pets stolen or killed, &/or their identity stolen and misused.
I'd agree the long-term better solution is in building community, creating a sustainable paradigm with diverse employment opportunities, effective education & health care, and so on rather than each household retreating behind a barricade bristling with fencing, alarms, dogs, and so on. But I do not blame as "paranoid" people who are trying to take some pro-active measures to not create themselves as victims, especially if they have already been victimized before and this is exactly that which has led to the fences, gates, signs, cameras, & dogs in the first place. As with rape, blaming the victim is not particularly appropriate -and if afterwards s/he takes steps to prevent such victimization from happening again, it this paranoia or a rational -even commendable- response to an unfortunate reality?
As far as the tourism helicopter activity goes, there are days when I am not thrilled about some of the noisier to and fro above my place but I knew it was part of the deal when we bought and built where we did. In fact, a group of us went in together and chartered one of the sightseeing helicopter services to detour a bit on the usual lava vent route and do several loops at low altitude above our properties so we could film it all from the air at close range. Way better than the Google Earth satellite shot of Puna. Helped with planning where to put in the driveway, as well as being all sorts of fun. We went around the week before visiting all of the neighbors, letting them know what we were planning, and if they wanted aboard or wanted photos of their spreads as well then those of us on the ride took photos and gave them copies.
Law enforcement and military helicopters we are all glad to see after a disaster or if there is some acute need. Personally, I think the energy spent in frustrated outrage at green harvest helicopter activity would be better spent in either reforming misguided policy on marijuana (which rationally should also be just another legal, taxed, agricultural crop given that tobacco and alcohol are legal) or in also completely illegalizing and shutting down tobacco and alcohol (both of which have far higher costs to society than does marijuana). One or the other. Policy reform is the effective path to getting rid of bothersome green harvest helicopter activity; sure seems like there would be better ways to spend all of that tax money.
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All creative work is derivative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcvd5JZkUXY
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RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - Kapohocat - 07-16-2010
My guess and thats all it is - is that maybe its part of RIMPAC? There was the big guppies doing touch and goes at ITO a few days ago. Man that must be some serious fuel burning.
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - Dave Smith - 07-16-2010
I'm told it is a DEA helicopter and the way it operates it's definitely searching for pot.
And does anybody else see the irony of people posting under an alias accusing me of being paranoid?
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - punafish - 07-16-2010
"And does anybody else see the irony of people posting under an alias accusing me of being paranoid?"
LOL, good point Dave! I'm blessed not to have the copters buzzing us...most of the time. As for the paranoid talk, what I'm hearing is that if you don't like loud, low-flying helicopters buzzing your property--or even strangers without the common courtesy to ask permission to enter your gated yard--then you must be paranoid! Of course this would seem to imply that such "paranoid" people are hiding something rather than simply valuing their privacy and peace of mind. A bit presumptuous, not at all in the spirit of "assuming the best". The irony is that the innocent, law-abiding folks are the real victims.
Once again it comes down to lack of respect for people.
That said, I do tolerate the copters now and then. And you've never heard a peep from me. But that's just me, I've got the ability to block 'em out. But I'd never think of calling another person "paranoid" for complaining, particularly if I haven't walked a mile in their moccasins. That said, please feel free to call me paranoid if it amuses you :-)
I suppose if I drink beer all afternoon the copters won't seem so bad...and I'll be much more likely to invite strangers into my yard ;-)
Best wishes of aloha and peace of mind to the folks being buzzed.
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - Cagary - 07-16-2010
Helicopters on the Big Island don't bother me.
Back in '75 I got a real bad case of leptospirosis while I was living in Waimanu Valley (pre-permit days). Thirst was one of the symptoms and guess what I was drinking? Lepto laced water from the waterfall. Fortunately, my sister who was visiting had brought along a red sweatshirt.
Low and behold here comes a huge military helicopter on a training mission flying high above the valley. I would only see them maybe once a month. Somehow someone aboard sees the waving sweatshirt and the thing lands right on the beach!
I'd been spewing out both ends all night and could not have hiked out, but the helicopter landed us right at the hospital where the doctor said I wouldn't have lasted the night.
To top it off, some of the flight crew stopped by the hospital a couple of days later to see how I was doing. This gave me an opportunity to thank them for saving my fricking life.
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - PaulW - 07-16-2010
Seeing low-flying black helicopters without numbers near your property, and you immediately assume it's the Government come to spy on you, no, nothing paranoid about that!
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - Dave Smith - 07-16-2010
So, Paul, if indeed that is your real (partial) name, is it paranoia if it's true? (Hint: Look in the dictionary.)
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - 808blogger - 07-16-2010
here is a video. sorry its sideways
www.hawaiifreestorage.com/l3R
RE: Helicopter surveillance/harassment - PaulW - 07-16-2010
"2 : a tendency on the part of an individual or group toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others"
But how do you know if it's true, "Mr Smith"?