HJ - But, why can't one say, more or less, that the American taxpayer AND voter approved all of it?
Unfortunately, as you probably know, what the voters want, and what congress does, have little to no relationship, which has only gotten worse since Citizens United. Did you see a checkbox on your Hawai'i State ballot to give yet more billions to billionaires before you dropped it in the mail or dropbox? I didn't, but that may just be my failing eyesight, or maybe mine was one of the missing 19,000 votes so it wouldn't have mattered anyways. ;)
if scenario if all cars today were electric and along comes a young engineer who proposes a new car that is gasoline powered?
That's quite literally what happened at the beginning of cars, it's just that the energy density of batteries couldn't compete then with that of fossil fuels, like they can now.
EVERY car on the road, regardless as to how it's propelled, leaves "tire crumbs."
Correct, which is why just electrifying the current car-centric infrastructure is not a sustainable solution - actually need less cars and driving overall. Maybe those "big visionary" people in the Acres and other burbclaves can do a tool & car share where those with the electrified options exchange their use for other local goods and services (I know, I know, you pick up peoples fifths and handles and such - just imagining it as a more wide spread and maybe health-oriented practice, and yes, we too are often sharing tools and labor as well, and ending up with pineapples and other local goodies at the gate). Now imagine guzzoline at $10+ a gallon to see how essential these sorts of arrangements might be - good to get the practice in now.
At any event, this is Puna. And some also say, "Love it or leave it!"
Not to repeat known history, but Puna was a not-meant-to-be-inhabited swamp-land tax scheme as designed by the insiders at the County, which has become the fastest growing district in the state. What it will become next depends on choices made now so if you don't want it to be pin-to-pin paved and strip-malled (even if only with 120sq ft jungle shack store fronts) best to figure out other options now (including reducing the induced demand for yet more lanes and businesses on the highway)
Tang - Given that these places clearly exist already, and Kalakoa has led the way, are you planing to move to such a place soon? What would the consequences be if you do not?
Nah, moving costs so much carbon, so I'm taking up Kalakoa's original mission, noting (repeatedly) how the "Drive to Hilo" arrangement is not working for Puna's people and environment, and how we might address it (my cover of his old Freebird so to speak). For my part, that's mostly buy as little as possible (have you seen the prices these days!?!), drive much less (recently went 4 weeks without driving - as Julie mentioned, plan the essential trips, stock-up while there, ask someone in the local community to grab the needed odd or end while on their Drive to Town, and live close enough to some vestige of civilization to walk or bike there as needed - ETA: horses are cool too - have some peeps in the area that ride those as needed, but haven't seen one hitched up outside the local store fronts yet). When people don't have access to cheap energy, they tend to lead much more local and environmentally sensible lives. Again, best to plan for this future now.
Maybe I'll make me one of those Amish wagons from local materials or scrap pallets to help haul back my bobbles - ah the technology-selective Amish, can't drive a car but can take a bus to Florida, make it make sense Lord. Maybe they just read too much self-serving Ayn "opposes every “redistribution” scheme of the welfare state" and 'the opponent of Social Security can collect it because it was taken under coercion' Rand (sorry girl, the State took your money and redistributed it to the olds - you're now just taking your money as its redistributed from the young - how morally consistent ;)
randomq - most hotels are probably already owned by out of state entities...
That got me looking - ran across this interesting article on the rise of Private Equity ownership of hotels in Hawai'i (also lists out some of the private individual owners, like Leisure Suit Larry on Lanai).
Anyone know of a locally owned hotel to support instead of a Blackstone or International Conglomerate property? We tend to do local Ohana rentals for stay-cations (but may reappropriate some lagoon and hot tub time at the Kona Disneyland on occasion ;) but would be interested to know if people have preferred locally owned go-to's for the occasional special event. Thanks!
Unfortunately, as you probably know, what the voters want, and what congress does, have little to no relationship, which has only gotten worse since Citizens United. Did you see a checkbox on your Hawai'i State ballot to give yet more billions to billionaires before you dropped it in the mail or dropbox? I didn't, but that may just be my failing eyesight, or maybe mine was one of the missing 19,000 votes so it wouldn't have mattered anyways. ;)
if scenario if all cars today were electric and along comes a young engineer who proposes a new car that is gasoline powered?
That's quite literally what happened at the beginning of cars, it's just that the energy density of batteries couldn't compete then with that of fossil fuels, like they can now.
EVERY car on the road, regardless as to how it's propelled, leaves "tire crumbs."
Correct, which is why just electrifying the current car-centric infrastructure is not a sustainable solution - actually need less cars and driving overall. Maybe those "big visionary" people in the Acres and other burbclaves can do a tool & car share where those with the electrified options exchange their use for other local goods and services (I know, I know, you pick up peoples fifths and handles and such - just imagining it as a more wide spread and maybe health-oriented practice, and yes, we too are often sharing tools and labor as well, and ending up with pineapples and other local goodies at the gate). Now imagine guzzoline at $10+ a gallon to see how essential these sorts of arrangements might be - good to get the practice in now.
At any event, this is Puna. And some also say, "Love it or leave it!"
Not to repeat known history, but Puna was a not-meant-to-be-inhabited swamp-land tax scheme as designed by the insiders at the County, which has become the fastest growing district in the state. What it will become next depends on choices made now so if you don't want it to be pin-to-pin paved and strip-malled (even if only with 120sq ft jungle shack store fronts) best to figure out other options now (including reducing the induced demand for yet more lanes and businesses on the highway)
Tang - Given that these places clearly exist already, and Kalakoa has led the way, are you planing to move to such a place soon? What would the consequences be if you do not?
Nah, moving costs so much carbon, so I'm taking up Kalakoa's original mission, noting (repeatedly) how the "Drive to Hilo" arrangement is not working for Puna's people and environment, and how we might address it (my cover of his old Freebird so to speak). For my part, that's mostly buy as little as possible (have you seen the prices these days!?!), drive much less (recently went 4 weeks without driving - as Julie mentioned, plan the essential trips, stock-up while there, ask someone in the local community to grab the needed odd or end while on their Drive to Town, and live close enough to some vestige of civilization to walk or bike there as needed - ETA: horses are cool too - have some peeps in the area that ride those as needed, but haven't seen one hitched up outside the local store fronts yet). When people don't have access to cheap energy, they tend to lead much more local and environmentally sensible lives. Again, best to plan for this future now.
Maybe I'll make me one of those Amish wagons from local materials or scrap pallets to help haul back my bobbles - ah the technology-selective Amish, can't drive a car but can take a bus to Florida, make it make sense Lord. Maybe they just read too much self-serving Ayn "opposes every “redistribution” scheme of the welfare state" and 'the opponent of Social Security can collect it because it was taken under coercion' Rand (sorry girl, the State took your money and redistributed it to the olds - you're now just taking your money as its redistributed from the young - how morally consistent ;)
randomq - most hotels are probably already owned by out of state entities...
That got me looking - ran across this interesting article on the rise of Private Equity ownership of hotels in Hawai'i (also lists out some of the private individual owners, like Leisure Suit Larry on Lanai).
Anyone know of a locally owned hotel to support instead of a Blackstone or International Conglomerate property? We tend to do local Ohana rentals for stay-cations (but may reappropriate some lagoon and hot tub time at the Kona Disneyland on occasion ;) but would be interested to know if people have preferred locally owned go-to's for the occasional special event. Thanks!