There does not exist, and cannot even be imagined, a more harmless and benign engine of economic development than a telescope on a mountain.
You are talking about $1.4 Billion in passive high-technology with a footprint confined to a site of barely 1.5 acres. Emissions are zero and the energy consumption will be that required to light and heat a few offices in the building, and some computers.
Hysterical hyperbole of the 'protectors' aside, the physical footprint of TMT on Maunakea is the equivalent of placing a nickle on a basketball court.
Environmental arguments against TMT are hysterical drivel.
The argument of the 'protectors' is that Hawaii does not need an economy. That they can even put forth such an argument instantly disqualifies them from rational discourse.
This entire debate is about the right of a few narcissistic individuals with a political ax to grind to use the courts to drive a state into ruin and future generations to the Mainland.
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You can't fix Samsara.
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They are joined by those against anything with even a hint of science, against anything that doesn't benefit them personally and against anything that will pay salaries that they are jealous of.
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future generations to the Mainland.
Future generations of Hawaiians.
In American Samoa the tuna factories are allowed to pay less than U.S. law requires, so positions are filled by Tongan workers, because Tonga is desperately poor. The American Samoans who won't work there, fly to Hawaii for greater opportunity, with better pay. Hawaiian kids, the ones who graduate from college, often move to the mainland to find work in their field. That's how it is now.
Turning away high tech, scientific jobs in Hawaii, like positions in the field of astronomy is... short sighted... at best.
"One may pretend knowledge of philosophy more successfully than that of arithmetic." -Last Aphorisms (or how about, one may pretend knowledge with an opinion more successfully than with facts)
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Now that your objections have been debunked for the umpteenth time, are you ready to step into the light and embrace rationality and progress?
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Turning away high tech, scientific jobs in Hawaii
Especially when most of those jobs already don't come here because it's too expensive.
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Well, what do you know? Oil pipelines are
actually an environmental hazard!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morn...ns-of-oil/
Question for the "protectors": leaking 176K gallons of oil = how many TMTs?
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Question for the "protectors": leaking 176K gallons of oil = how many TMTs?
Another question for the protectors: 176K gallons of oil = how many protectors pickup trucks driving up Mauna Kea?
"One may pretend knowledge of philosophy more successfully than that of arithmetic." -Last Aphorisms (or how about, one may pretend knowledge with an opinion more successfully than with facts)
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Generally speaking I am pro-TMT and find the "protectors" actions to be generally harmful, including driving gas-guzzling pick-ups loaded with ant-laden fronds and who-know what else up the mountain and pooping who-knows where while they are up there, but to keep things honest if each vehicle leaked 1 gallon of oil per trip that would be 176,000 vehicle-trips. That's a huge number so it doesn't seem like a fair comparison. OTOH Maunakea is a fairly pristine environment and only a tiny number of ants or weed seeds is all it would take to contaminate it. Also even in the case of motor oil the "protectors" would decry the spillage of even small amounts. They just either choose to ignore or are not capable of processing the concept that they themselves are the problem.
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"Millions of tourists"
Where do you get these fantastic numbers? Do you have any idea how many tourists go there now? Your objections are based on delusions.