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quote:
Originally posted by DanielP
Idea:
Combine eco-land clearing with packaging and marketing Ohia chips for BBQ smoking. Take a bite out of the Hickory and Mesquite market share.
I just heard on Saturday that someone is marketing strawberry guava wood chips for BBQ's! Now there is an idea whose time has come! I laughed at first but then we talked about what a resource we already have for it! We could help our native/endangered species while dealing with invasive species!
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windsurfing is what changed Paia,,,rich california and euro kids and all ages flocking to the some of the most exciting, consistent wind/wave conditions on the planet....plus the beach access for the watchers...Pahoa doesn't have that..perhaps thank heaven....Paia traffic is bad now days
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Hey Cat,
Been missin you and Robert.
Hangin out with the jungle rats, slow BBQ'n Chicken thighs on Ohia has made me a changed man. MMmmmMMmmm Good.
Dan
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There is more art in growing a dinner than there is in a painting.
As George Bernard Shaw said "The only artist anyone gives a damn about is a cook."
And that artist is a gardener too, power to the people.
You only care about pottery when you're well fed. Or essays, or elsewise.
We'll figure that all out, one way or another.
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The MSPA Meeting was fairly productive last night! We talked about the Beautification Project that Sarah from the Museum has in the works. The idea is to create 30 plots of plant life around downtown Pahoa (the dump rd to the 4 way lights) as part of an ongoing community project to help make Pahoa a nicer walking town. She's looking for volunteers, donations and potenitally money grants to help make this happen. I think it's a FABULOUS idea.
Also on the table, the Second Saturday Artwalk... The idea is to create a flourishing art community here in Pahoa and celebrate it once a month with outdoor and indoor activities sponsored by the businesses in town. I have approval to start the permit process for having a town wide event once a month from 5-9pm.
And! Rob, it was wonderful to finally meet you in person and get your feedback about some of the things we're thinking about. Can't wait to see those streamers on the skate park fence!! I really would love to see more people involved at our meetings. I invite anyone who is interested in the future of our community to give their input and come to our meetings, even if it's for a few minutes.
"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars."
"How do you know i am mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the cat "or you wouldnt have come here."
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tourists?
How about "visitors"? The business is called hospitality.
Former Mayor Harry Kim said that if the island is a good place to live, then it will be a good place to visit. Some good logic there.
Puna is not for everybody -- as a place to live or to visit. That is OK.
Keep the visitors away? Sounds cute, but is not realistic.
Change who and what we are to attract any and every body willing to spend dollar$? Again, not reality.
We have a slow lifestyle, few amenities, not much in the way of ocean access, lots of green space, some potential for 'agri-tourism' and more potential for respectful eco-tourism. To the degree these realities bring visitors, that's what our competitive advantage is.
As an example, Kalani Retreat in Opihikao seems to have found a niche that works well.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
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I agree.
It's also important to recognize that destruction of green space, restrictions or competition for agri-tourism, or activities that make trivial that destroy or simply make trivial "eco-tourism" destroy our competitive advantage.
It's important that we recognize not all business ventures are created equal. Some add to the appeal and "advantage" of Puna as a destination for tourism. Most however, simply exploit the traffic that the few constructive ventures create, and often in so doing destroy the "authenticity" that is critical to the fundamental appeal. If there is going to be any sort of sustainable plan here, the first kind of businesses must be encouraged and the second must be discouraged. That means financially, politically, personally, and socially. I'd argue it's completely the opposite that holds right now.
The same applies to new immigrants. There are people that would do Puna good to have them here, and we could stand another 100000 of those. These are people that create value in the community, preserve heritage, and fit in harmoniously with the whole without creating a burden on resources or infrastructure. They live lightly. Unfortunately, they're rare. What we don't need are any more consumptive, meddlesome, exploitative people who are demanding of things at public cost for personal interest. These build conspicuous big houses with columns that scream "mainland" amidst modest homes and immediately start complaining about chickens and demanding asphalt, and of course, law enforcement after they've been ripped off a couple of times. There's a difference. Again there's a place to encourage the former and discourage the later.
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Philosophically, I agree with a lot of what you say, and my household lives modestly while producing a lot of food. We even swap surplus produce for goods and services we can't accomplish on our own. I would strongly disagree, however, with your implying that those "consumptive, meddlesome, exploitative people" are not entitled to demand effective law enforcement. Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not, ALL citizens benefit from enforcement of laws protecting lives and property. Are you implying it's OK to steal from those people, or am I misinterpreting what you say?
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Hi Jerry
You're misinterpreting what I'm saying, but it's perhaps a fair misinterpretation. I'll try to clarify. Of course I don't in any way suggest anyone's got a right to rip other people off. A lot of local people, however, DO feel that it's their right to rip off rich folks, as they feel rich folks have ripped them off--and while I'm NOT saying that is a good thing, it's an obvious thing, and conspicuous consumption in general isn't in harmony with the local culture. It certainly isn't in harmony with the local environment. At best, it's bound to be perceived as elitist and the effect is disruptive, right or wrong. As such, those who choose to live lifestyles out of touch with local sensitivities will invariably end up pulling far more than their fair share of meager local resources. They have set themselves up as targets and have gone out of their way, as some do see it, to rub peoples faces in what they have that others haven't. Again, I'm not endorsing or excusing any sort of behavior--I'm merely stating that when one looks at how life works in the baboon troupe, it's obvious what the result will be. And once such behavior becomes socialized, it tends to spread from houses with columns to the local skate board shop. And that's unfortunate. But we must expect that demonstrations of "entitlement" with disregard for others is likely to breed "entitlement" with disregard for others.
So I'm against ripping people off. Whether that takes the form of breaking and entering, stealing hubcaps, paying local people with no options starvation wages, encouraging development at private benefit (that no one wants) that forces infrastructure improvements at the public cost, or using wealth and influence in the political process to pad one's pockets at taxpayer expense--I'm against ripping people off. I believe as well that when the average kid looks out there and sees people in positions of wealth, power, and influence, and finds out how rare it is that any of those are clean dealers--well, they don't leave the rest of us with much moral authority to tell that kid that it's in his best interest to behave himself.
Sorry to not be clear.
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"A lot of local people, however, DO feel that it's their right to rip off rich folks"
I don’t know about ripping folks off, but I have lived on many islands and "destinations". The common thread is the locals realize that the engine of "our" little bit of paradise is driven by the guests dollar.
The goal of any island dweller in my opinion is that the guest return to his aircraft full of fond memories, and with the lightest wallet possible.
I have heard that expressed differently and over one too many cocktails actually suggested weighing them to see how much cash they were carrying however.
On an island:
How does one identify the tourist? .... They always want to know where the department store is
How does one indentify a local? - they are the ones in need of boat parts.
Aloha
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