Russell in Wonderland

[Chunkster]

We should expect nothing, because that's what we usually get. On a philosophical level of fairness, though, I would say we are due for some remedial state spending for past neglect and a commensurate share of future spending in line with our population and needs. Do you think we've been getting that? My purely subjective sense is "no," but if someone has numbers showing we have received our fair share, I would change my position.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

the utter disregard Ruderman gave to the scientific method
...
I too refuse to support anti-science candidates.

Yeah, that's a tough one. Russell is obviously intelligent, so sometimes I wonder whether his anti-GMO stance is more of a business decision. It encourages strong sales for some of the products he sells, so it increases the profit at his stores. Our district is also strongly anti-GMO and pandering to that part of the electorate may provide him with a net gain in votes. I wouldn't guess the rational decision making, scientific evidence investigating portion of registered voters in Puna is in the majority, or even a moderate sized minority.

Just shout "Monsanto" at a gathering of 10 or more people and see what happens.

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”
-Joseph Brodsky

[BillyB]

https://csc.hawaii.gov/Report/RPT2015/20...60DIS.html

Total Loans at the Closing of this Reporting Period
$51,254.64 (From Ruderman)

Just wondering, does he get to deduct this on his taxes as a bad debt? Political donations are not tax deductible, but bad debts are. So perhaps we already have a taxpayer funded election?
Any tax experts out there?


He can afford to pump in $51,254.64 of his own money, which is almost twice everything Ilagan has received from everywhere, and he is crying "foul".

[kalakoa]

due for some remedial state spending for past neglect

Anyone else notice State repaving 11 through Keaau?

Apparently, if they want to, they can lay a lane-mile per shift...

[Chunkster]

Yes, but how often to they want to?

[kalakoa]

how often to they want to?

Between the new turn lane at Kuauli and the repaving through Keaau, it almost feels like DOT is trying to appease the masses....

[robguz]

quote:

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Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge

the utter disregard Ruderman gave to the scientific method
...
I too refuse to support anti-science candidates.

Yeah, that's a tough one. Russell is obviously intelligent, so sometimes I wonder whether his anti-GMO stance is more of a business decision. It encourages strong sales for some of the products he sells, so it increases the profit at his stores. Our district is also strongly anti-GMO and pandering to that part of the electorate may provide him with a net gain in votes. I wouldn't guess the rational decision making, scientific evidence investigating portion of registered voters in Puna is in the majority, or even a moderate sized minority.

Just shout "Monsanto" at a gathering of 10 or more people and see what happens.

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”
-Joseph Brodsky

---

Someone who thinks some con artist deserves more time testifying about GMOs than do scientists who actually study them is not "obviously intelligent" in my book. Aligning with all manner of conspiracy theorists around GMOs, geothermal, defending the sale of magic tap water and such does not make him intelligent. He is perhaps intelligent in getting people to think he's some progressive when he makes over a million dollars a year off of 3 small stores by selling over priced processed foods and disproven supplements to poor people while admitting to not paying his own employees a living wage and working as hard as he can to keep the dirty diesel power stations running for as long as possible. He also has a reputation for being a hot head who can't work with others well.

A friend of mine recently told me about emailing Ruderman, Ilagan, and San Buenaventura on the same email about an important Puna issue. Ruderman responded to my friend by chewing him out for daring to include him on the same email as Ilagan. Wasn't the least bit surprised by this. I imagine this kind of combativeness does not endear him to his fellow legislators. It's too bad, because he's done some good thing suchs as get other legislators to visit Puna, work towards albizia eradication, and rightly criticize the powers that be at times over 130 projects and some of the voting messes.

I could actually see voting for him though were he to drop the anti-GM and anti-geothermal positions and general embrace of woo. Instead, I'll be voting for Ilagan and hoping he's not totally incompetent. He at least handled the GM issue properly a few years ago, showing that he's more swayed by science than hyperbole and group think.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

He is perhaps intelligent in getting people to think he's some progressive when he makes over a million dollars a year off of 3 small stores

He started Island Naturals and expanded it into three stores, not everyone is capable of doing that. Personally, I think it requires intelligence to start, maintain, and expand a business. If not, what is your definition of intelligent?

while admitting to not paying his own employees a living wage

Where and when did he admit this? I'm not a regular shopper at Island Naturals, but I do go into the Pahoa and Hilo stores from time to time. I've seen many of the same people working there for years, so... wouldn't it indicate they must receive a living wage, as they are still alive?

Ruderman responded to my friend by chewing him out for daring to include him on the same email as Ilagan.

Emails can be tricky, especially those sent Cc and Bcc. A reply can easily go to an unintended recipient, and perhaps Russell was concerned that the original sender was trying to trick him into sending his response to his opponent.

“What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends on what we look for. What we look for depends on what we think. What we think depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality." -David Bohm

[kalakoa]

I got the "big postcard" from "Friends of Ruderman".

When I saw the list of supporters ... I knew not to vote for him.

[Anxious Messiah]

quote:

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Have you ever met and talked to him? If you had, and came across him again, even months later, I bet he not only remembered your name, but what you talked about.

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You'd lose that bet. I have "met" Ilagan close to a dozen times over the years at various events, and every time he has said how glad he was (or how nice it was) to meet me. I can guarantee you he doesn't remember what we talked about.

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Don't speak unless you can improve on the silence.