I'm amazed that they even tried to start a second trip so soon when the passenger counts have been so low!
Jan. 8th
HSF arrives 9:45am
Offloading 36 vehicles, 1 motorcycle
Onloading 24 vehicles, 1 motorcycle, 1 moped
HSF departs 11:05am
Larry Geller has some other interesting tidbits on the numbers:
Some of us who blog on the Internet are interested in publicizing the numbers, anyway, simply because the mainstream press has not undertaken to do this
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The Guard should have their own boats. The military is already being harmed by the attempts to destroy it and turn it into a private army (Blackwater), unaccountable to anyone. Allowing the military to "use" the Superferry is another step toward privitization, makes it look as if that might have been the idea behind the SuperFerry the whole time, increases the prospect of militarizing the islands, and breaks down the separation between civilian life and military life.
Time of war? Disaster? Fine. Use the Ferry. Until then, we need to make sure the military has its own Ferry, that they are well paid, that we provide them with excellent health care, and that we don't outsource their jobs to private armies.
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It's more of the "outsourcing" of the military to civilian organizations, ie Haliburton, Blackwater, ES.
All of the roads are designed and marked for military use. If the Stryker Brigade needs the Super Ferry then by God let them have the ferry.
If the "Leaders" of Puna were smart they would "make nice" with the Guard and get them to fix roads and all kinds of other little projects that they can use thier "toys" for. When the Guard is training two weekends a month loan them to the local PD to do 'ICE` raids and DUI road blocks and dig ditches and bulldoze roads.
Sorry, another public safety rant,
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Superferry is the the perfect high speed ferry. The military is testing it for it's own purpose, and will probably buy their own.The The guard does have ferry's, they have landing craft, big and very slow, but armed and cheaper than YB. Either is slow. Superferry will provide a military or civilian use.
Both Matson and YB do a lot of shipping for the military. HELCO MECO HECO and kauai electric do to.
Matson YB and electrics are combined under Matson Navigation, as a private corp. And not a nonprofit, but a publically owned corp, whth stockholders around the world. With monopoly power and closed territory. No competition! Does this make them greedy corp. or haliburton /blackwater.
It sure makes us a lot poorer. If a car costs 3 times as much to ship in a week than a day, tells you somthing. We get the highest energy bills, gas bills etc. in the nation. YB ships the gas (heaviest taxed) electric(because of oil prices), we get no breaks.
Mesa airways is having problems, we may be back to the gang of 2. The last time that happened 100$ oneways were reached. But hey, we helped clear the skies.
Gordon J Tilley
In this weeks "Honolulu Weekly" (which will be online next week) the cover has a graphic of the Superferry decked out in camoflauge. The quote underneath:
"Unwitting Hawai'i residents may be getting a military ship in civilian camo."
I also wanted to point out Disappeared News Blog showing that the March 2005 Pacific Business news article had this little bit of info linked from Joan Conrows blog
A March 2005 Pacific Business News article that announced Lehman was joining the HSF board stated: “With Lehman's expertise, the Superferry plans to operate a Westpac Express, essentially to carry military equipment and ferry vehicles from Oahu to the Big Island on a daily basis.”
The article continues: “This logistical plan will make it easier for soldiers to train when the Stryker Brigade comes to Hawaii. The brigade will be stationed on Oahu and conduct training exercises on the Big Island, Lehman said. "The Superferry is strong enough to take Stryker vehicles," he said.
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Almost all types of commercial transportation conveyances are used in the transport of military equipment and personnel.
The military routinely contracts with or secures tickets aboard commercial aviation flights to transport personnel all over the world. The military routinely contracts with commercial trucking companies to transport equipment all over the world. The military routinely contracts with commercial maritime vessels to transport military equipment and personnel over water. The military routinely contracts with rail carriers to transport military goods by train. Just like the military routinely uses civilian bridges and tunnels to cross obstacles. In some major cities the military uses civilian mass transit facilities and conveyances for personnel.
I'm still at a loss why the fact that the military may be using the HSF is such a big deal over and beyond all the other civilian and commercial means they use for transportation. Now if your saying that the HSF was designed and develop for exclusive use by the military and civilian and commercial transportation was a smoke screen to be abandon once the military starts using it, that's another story. But for the military to simply use another civilian commercial transportation conveyance available to them (like they do roads, trains, ferries, ships, trucks, buses, bridges, tunnels, airports, and airplanes), I don't understand the negative hype.
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Orts
I'm still at a loss why the fact that the military may be using the HSF is such a big deal over and beyond all the other civilian and commercial means they use for transportation.....
For me personally, I think it's the deception that the State has lead people to believe that this will be a great benefit for the State and that the State has not been honest with it's agenda regarding the HSF.
It irks me to see Hawaii tax dollars wasted on Federal projects.
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Bob, military personell do travel commercia airlines,but not in uniform. Anytime individuals on leave or official travel(school in texas etc). It is cheaper for individul travel. Hops are free if you can wait, but only mass movements are military delivered.
Believe it or not the military works constantly at reducing costs. Most of the personell that are replaced are civilian, giving jobs to outside companies who can be cheaper. The guard and mil look into the SF to determine it's cost effectivness.
Civil service employees are always in line to loose their jobs, my job is always on the line and I can be replaced if i don't cut it. Not like tenure!
Every major business in the islands gets some income from the fed. The fed paid for all the freeways in hawaii that lead to a military base and more. They built the airport runways, among other major beneficial projects. They have the main labor force and largest provider of construction jobs in hawaii. Would your superferry view include all the above, are they all awful greedy, corporations, blackwater or haliburton types. Damon how are you going to explain this, are they or aren't they. All are all of these others, involved isle business's guilty? Must be but please give your rationale for such? I forgot, the coast guard is in this mix.
Gordon J Tilley
quote:
Originally posted by gtill
....Every major business in the islands gets some income from the fed. The fed paid for all the freeways in hawaii that lead to a military base and more. They built the airport runways, among other major beneficial projects. They have the main labor force and largest provider of construction jobs in hawaii. Would your superferry view include all the above, are they all awful greedy, corporations, blackwater or haliburton types. Damon how are you going to explain this, are they or aren't they. All are all of these others, involved isle business's guilty? Must be but please give your rationale for such? I forgot, the coast guard is in this mix.
I'm really not sure what your question is. Can you clarify it. Maybe start a new topic?
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My question to you Damon, is what do you justify as reason to single out SF as some grand collaborater along with the dreaded blackwater and haliburton? Do you really believe they re conspiring to assault the citizenry of the islands? What differentiates them from the state approved monopoly, matson, including HELCO?
The last real guard attempt to police mobs was called Kent State. It isn't somthing they like doing, they're not trained for it!
So far everyone I know who has ridden SF,
raves abot the trip. You may like to cram yourself into a jet plane to travel interisland.
I would like to take a trip i can enjoy even it take over 45 mins. Our coastal waters are a beautiful feature the islands, should only the high rollers get to see it on huge circle island tour ships. SF isn't for the weak of heart or stupid. If you travel in stormy weather you might get sick(duh).
Aicraft hit turbulance, but can be flown in any weather(shaky) because the airlines refuse to cancel
till a crash becomes almost assured (gotta fill those coffers).
This is relevant to SF.
Gordon J Tilley
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