TripAdvisor

[PaulW]

Thanks to all those helping to stop the lies spread on the TripAdvisor forum about Puna.

It was only a few weeks ago that anyone posting anything remotely positive would immediately have their posts deleted.

[Obie]

KamaainaK aka KathyH has continued her vendetta against Pahoa and Kapoho but I think most rational people are ignoring her.

I can almost picture her frothing at the mouth as she pounds away at her keyboard.

At this point I could really care less.I love Pahoa,Puna And especially my home in Kapoho.

[Kapohocat]

KamaainaK is still posting negatively but skirting the line so free speech whatever.

Still getting posts deleted of ours.

Following TOS and Posting guidelines. Was told only one of us could use the laptop not both to sign into TA. Replied that we both had TA accounts and it was never a problem until this time.

[Wao nahele wahine]

SheaG is also posting negatively and skirting the line. I noticed this morning on TA that several posts referring to Pahoa Business owners on another forum (Punaweb) were deleted. Those posts by the DE's reflected badly on Pahoa business owners and newer posters from Puna...besides being outright lies.

Wahine

[PaulW]

She stopped posting for a week and it was refreshing - actual tourists advising other tourists about Puna.
Now it's back to her and SheaG overwhelming everyone with their endless posts. Many are misinformed and hilariously biased.
29,000 posts in 11 years = average 7 posts a day, 365 days a year, for 11 straight years. That's dedication.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

What I have a hard time understanding is why situations that exist everywhere, are written up by both Kathy & Shea as huge drawbacks for a visitor to Puna.
For example, they went on at length claiming the roadwork on Hwy 130 is causing HUGE, absolutely HUGE delays, and that visitors would certainly not want to spend an extra 1/2 hour (or according to them several hours) in traffic during their valuable vacation time.

What about rush hour on Maui? Oahu? Any city on the mainland? Have they ever been on a plane that was delayed 1/2 hour or more before takeoff? Would they advise people against even leaving the house for a vacation because their plane MIGHT, MAYBE be late for takeoff and cut into precious vacation moments? You have a far greater chance for a flight delay than a delay lasting more than 1/2 hour on Hwy 130, but yet, you have to drive around ORANGE CONES! How can a visitor new to the island negotiate around that?

[PaulW]

It's true, there are sometimes fatal accidents on H130 and people have to wait. But that can and does happen everywhere.
Hopefully less chance of that when the roadworks are finished and we have a nice new wider road.

I think people from the mainland would laugh at what we call a traffic jam. I've been in ones where I didn't move an inch for over an hour, then proceeded on with no sign of what was the cause.

[PaulW]

KathyH and her BFF Shea G act on the premise that anyone who does not agree that Puna is the worst place in the world must be "business owners" with "unstated agendas".

Not true. Some of us just don't like seeing lies being spread online. Especially when it's about a place where we live and especially when they're spread by people who live somewhere else. KathyH's agenda isn't hidden at all, not sure what SheaG is up to. Maybe she wants those Kapoho tidepools all for herself when she makes her annual visit?

[Wao nahele wahine]

PaulW, the following is from KathyH's post on 11/15 in the Pahoa Business thread:

I'm kind of disgusted with the way Pahoa merchants are complaining about lack of business as if tourists are cows they are used to milking and the milk production is poor right now.

Also, I have been one of the few who have said go to Pahoa. My friend who is a DE who has choke friends and family in the area is saying no because they are all super upset by the tourists coming around. None of them own businesses, so they get nothing out of the hordes of people.

__________________________________________________________________

Any bets that her DE friend is SheaG, who's cousin has a place in Kapoho? I believe Shea has mentioned that she lives up north, but supposedly is in the Kapoho area at least once a week.

Wahine

[Punatic007]

This is great, I just love seeing Trip Advisor being exposed for being unregulated, grossly negligent, unethical, damaging to innocent businesses and individuals and so on and on.

In my case Trip Advisor laid out the red carpet for Russian scammers who threatened to write malicious reviews if their extortion needs were not met. It took over a month to even get a response from TA "because they are so busy and can't possibly regulate all posts or inhibit free speech" said their representative on the phone.

With a net worth in the several billions you think they could hire a few more people and set up some guidelines to keep out extortionists and other disingenuous trouble-makers like the damaging KathyH.

I don't know how big of a problem it is, but most folk I know in the tourist industry have either witnessed the gross negligence of Trip Advisor or knew someone they trusted who did.

Now many of the regular posters and those who read Punaweb are now witness as well. Hope that site gets exposed internationally for the fraud it is, and the sooner the better.