UPDATE--Observatory damage not caused by firearm!

[faroutsider]

Snorkel must be all giddy from watching the TV coverage of the funeral of that corrupt politician today.

[VancouverIslander]

Tom: gypsy just wants to deflect conversation away from speculation that protesters did the shooting. Honestly, despite being Canadian, I think speculation at this time is very premature. Nobody knows what the cause was and even though motive is more obvious for protestors, it is prudent to wait and see if some facts emerge. gypsy's Canadian obsession comes from our nefarious funding of around 20% of TMT, obviously part of some global Canadian conspiracy to take over the world (or is it the Universe?)

375 is a fairly rare caliber (375 H&H is the only one I know of off hand). Possibly a smaller caliber round that made a bigger hole? They should be able to recover the projectile if they take the time to look around.

Just call me Mike

[Guest]

Good morning, very thankful no one was hurt by the stray bullet that found a home in an observatory door this past weekend. Tomk to answer your questions you may need to put the wine and cheese down a minute and look in a nearby mirror to find the answers to most of your questions. I have nothing against respectful Canadians that do not walk or build over others. Why continue with the building of Disneyland atop the summit of such a symbolic mountain as maunakea? Can't certain people see how many are hurting over this continued special development of such a sacred place?

The one unidentified black hole left in an observatory door did not hurt anyone. The continued space race to save other countries billions atop maunakea is hurting people both near and far. This tmt project could be built elsewhere in the world, or out in space, or on one of the new 2,000 planets that is not Pluto. The signatures are in and the voices have been recorded, so why continue to shove this Godzilla of a telescope atop maunakea? This tmt project does not sell itself for various reasons, it may not cater to all only the select or chosen few.
The average local living here will not see the benefits from the billions spent on the building and maintaining of the tmt. They may care about the environmental impact caused after, or the continued stripping and division of their spiritual ways of living more?. How can the tmt project make living for the average local hawaii resident better? The traditional and international trading of food(EBT) for sacred land or land that promotes life is so old and disrespectful, jmo.

Hey Tomk, I have a few maunakea related questions for you also. Does maunakea create weather like other mountain ranges around the world? Or is their a difference and how so? Should the worlds curious scientists trump the summit of maunakea today and in the future over all others beliefs and practices, why only a Disney land for the scientific rich? Why the continued search for unknown life elsewhere, when Maunakea has provided life for MANY over time for(1,000,000 years) including astronomers the past half a century?. Why should the average person or keiki of tomorrow have to sacrifice, live poor, or unsafe in the dark, so you scientists can continue to waste their resources on curiosity and mismanagement of their inherited aina today?.


P.S. For over 100 years people have been writing about the possiblility of a winter wonderland near the lake or atop the summit of maunakea. Has anyone really figured out why the lake atop maunakea can or did hold its water for all these thousands of years prior to the TMT project?. cinder cones are strangly disappearing, shrines and burials have been altered and removed with no proper reporting, promises have been made and important trusts have been broken. island history, endangered species, and spiritual living are going nearly extinct with this TMT movement,jmo.

The protesters are about aloha, peace, and joining together for a voyage of protection here at home as well as afar, example (canoe). Scientists from around the world are shooting energy and light across our universe from atop Maunakea, maybe something else from another planet fired back?.

[bluesboy]

geez, sounds like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Chief Inspector Gypsy Clouseau has solved another case:
"Something else from another planet fired back?"

gypsy-
Other than the protestors on Mauna Kea, can you name another instance where any person or group claims astronomers are the bad guys?

What about prison overpopulation, do they ever mention it's because of all the astronomers filling up the jail cells?

Or when you read a work of fiction or go to a movie, how often is the evil nemesis an astronomer? Never, because it's not a believable plot point, and moviegoers would walk out of the theater demanding their money back. It would be the basis of the most idiotic movie ever, and that's saying a lot.


"Something else from another planet fired back?"

Indeed.

[snorkle]

“In awe, I watched the waxing moon ride across the zenith of the heavens like an ambered chariot towards the ebony void of infinite space, wherein the tethered belts of Jupiter and Mars hang forever festooned in their orbital majesty. And as I looked at all this I thought: ‘I must put a roof over this toilet’.”

My god tom! Please unbunch your panties. No one was hurt; but something IS incredibly funny about the incident:

There is no evidence so far that the protestors did it. They have denounced violence from the beginning. I ask you; Who stands to gain from this act? Who loses credibility and support?

As far as blaming the astronomers, I'm only ridiculing their attitudes of smug superiority. Now, back to your cards.....

[birdmove]

.375. I doubt it was from a .375 caliber firearm. Wjhy? Because they are pretty rare. What is the door made of? Wood or steel? Could it have been from a super common .38 caliber handgun that the bullet expanded as it hit the door? If this is was an actual .375 caliber, and it is a legally registered firearm, could the police electronically go through the registered firearms list and make a list of .375 caliber firearms owned on this island? There will not be many, if any, in that caliber. The .375 calibers are mostly "magnum" calibers mostly used for large dangerous game in Africa. Ammuntion is expensive as hell. .375 H&H Magnum looks lie $55-$85 for a box of 20, and handloaders probably won't find bullets at gun stores on the island (I'm guessing). Maybe they can find the shell casing. But from a rifle with a scope, even a half way decent shooter could hit a door sized object from what, 500 yards? Wouldn't be hard.
I still think it came from a common sized handgun from very close. If it was a semi auto, then it through the shell casing to the right of where the shooter was standing. Most likely a 38 caliber revolver. That could also be a higher powered .357 magnum, and there won't be a shell casing from any revolver to find. Why 38 caliber? Because they are super common and way easier to find ammo or load your own.

Is there security cameras on this sight or not? Anyone know?

This is all speculatory rambling, but without a witness, video, or shell casing, we only have the actual bullet left. That bullet is going to be pretty distorted after going through a door and into a wall etc.

I hope it was from an actual .375 caliber, as the owner of the gun, if legal, should be WAY easier to locate with a little bit of research.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[VancouverIslander]

Jon: reloading supplies for .375 are readily available even if they need to be ordered from the mainland. Cabelas and many others carry them. That said, I think you are correct - it could easily be a smaller caliber. I believe the door was metal. I should take an old sheet of metal out to a gravel pit next weekend and do some experiments. Nix that, have another funeral to attend (FIL this time). I'm sure the police have ballistics experts to rely on. Besides, that projectile should be embedded somewhere on the other side of the door.

Just call me Mike

[VancouverIslander]

gypsy69: You mention harm to many people. What is this harm you speak of? Which shrines and grave sites have been removed? Is there documented evidence or merely hyperbole?

Just call me Mike

[beepbeep]

Gypsy it doesn't matter if it is even a bullet hole or whether or not it came from protesters. Just the possibility that one came from protesters means violence has to be denounced by the movement(s) right now. I hope this is happening. I hope anti-telescope people here on PunaWeb do this as well. This is a very serious matter and wine and cheese don't have anything to do with it. The concern should be that no one gets hurt, even though no one was hurt this time. And btw the movement will lose a lot of respect if violence is tolerated.

I'm relieved you said at last that you are thankful no one was hurt. But I think that should have been your first reaction.

Pam in CA