TMT Work to Resume Says Ige!

[TomK]

There's nothing I can do. I'm just floating around in my tin can...

[AKpilot]

....and it's even funnier because, If memory serves, aren't you Brittish?

My Mom and Dad retired to Mountainous Colorado and their neighbor is an Astronaut from England. He takes them gliding.

AKpilot


We're all here, because we're not all there!

[TomK]

Yes, I'm British. Which astronaut do you mean? Only one I can think of that's British and lived in the States is Michael Foale (dual UK/US citizen), although there may be others born in England but are full US citizens. Drop me a line if you prefer not to make that info public, hopefully you still have my email address.

[Aaron S]

The other shoe has dropped, it looks like. UKIRT will be the third telescope that will be decommissioned on Mauna Kea.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/1...mauna-kea/

UKIRT Observatory, formerly known as the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, will be the third observatory to be decommissioned and removed from the summit of Mauna Kea, according to the University of Hawaii.

[kalakoa]

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...ontroversy

The giant TMT, which is facing opposition from Native Hawaiians who consider the mountain sacred, would be finished in the mid-2020s, assuming construction is able to resume.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

From the Tribune-Herald article:

While he considers UKIRT to be the second most scientifically productive telescope in the world (the Keck telescopes would be the first), Hasinger said it was selected as the third observatory to come down.

“From a cultural perspective, there are many Native Hawaiians who have commented that once a site or pu‘u has been developed it can never be fully restored as the mana (divine power) of the site has been destroyed forever.”

UKIRT is still the 2nd most productive telescope in the world, Mauna Kea's mana has been destroyed forever... so let's tear down the telescope anyway. Or how the State of Hawaii provides a lose-lose, nothing for everyone solution.

[kalakoa]

how the State of Hawaii provides a lose-lose, nothing for everyone solution

That's okay, they can just raise taxes. What are people going to do, drive over the border to a different economy?

[beepbeep]

AK, I would like to have an astronaut take me gliding!

Of course, I would also be happy if whoever is dumping their empty 40 oz remains in the jasmine shrubs would put them in a recycling can. We all have dreams...

Took time off for my birthday...sad to see the TMT troubles continue

Pam in CA

[beepbeep]

HOTPE, I think that if Ige had the cojones of even a flea, and stood up to the protesters from the very beginning, there wouldn't be such a mess. Now telescopes have been set up to be political targets instead of instruments of science. Telescopes, destroyers of indigenous peoples. You can't make this stuff up.

Pam in CA

[kalakoa]

a state wide moratorium on all development on all ceded lands

Better idea: complete moratorium on all development of any kind -- County is most of the way there, so can lead by example.