Happy fourth of July and Independence Day everyone! A reflection of what this day means to me.
Pōmaika'i
Good luck is the name of this boat in the Hilo Marina at the mouth of Waiakea Fishpond and Wailoa River State park in the background.
Freedom to come and go whenever you want
Doing whatever you want to do!
Abundance of Growth and Wealth
The freedom to succeed or fail is our opportunity. The freedom to try anything to succeed or fail trying. Risk and rewards is our freedom.
The Land of Opportunity is what America has been called. Look at all the people that want to immigrate here. Legally! We are a nation of laws, and a nation of the people for the people. We have the best of what can be accomplished, but we also strive to do better as a nation.
A strong military keeps us safe and free.
To pursue Happiness
So what's for dinner?
The Great American Barbecue
There's just too much to celebrate on Independence Day
Traveling around the Big Island of Hawai'i there are so many sights to see.
A row of tall palm trees line Kea'au Pahoa road.
House on Stilts
Post and pier construction is common here in Hawai'i. Newer homes are being built on concrete, but there is a reason why most of the older homes are built above the ground.
Dangerous Driving
Sometimes you see the most stupidest things while driving around the island. Like this pickup truck toting a bunch of people in the back of the truck. At 55 miles per hour it's an accident waiting to happen.
Driving up country from Hilo the lush green foliage and swaying palm trees gives truth to the definition of paradise in Hawai'i.
Enter grassland county of Mountain View.
It looks like someplace in big sky country.
Further on up country we begin to see a line of tall trees. It's time to enter the forests.
Isolated and picturesque the forest is.
Soon the forest breaks to more grasslands and a spectacular view of the ocean.
Along the highway it's just amazing the views
Ironwood and Eucalyptus trees line the highway for miles
Memorials are found dotting the highways where someone lost their life
There's beauty and danger where ever you go. So be careful.
Keep both hands on the wheel And buckle up
Life is Good in Paradise
Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's my conservative values. Maybe this explains it, read this link to see if you agree with me.
What part of ridicules do you see? Our own government has put this country on the precipitous of disaster. With oil and gas prices through the roof, congress considers taxing the oil companies.
Where to you think this tax is going to go? Right to the price on the pump!
Uncle Sam bans states from drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and
eastern Gulf mainly to protect the environment. Some 85% of the U.S.
coastline is off-limits to energy production — including huge reserves
off Florida’s coast, which China is exploiting in Cuban waters.
People complain about the price of gas, but don't want to face the solution to the problem. It's a simple solution, just use the oil in our backyard.
Funny how so few, especially our friends in the mainstream media, seem
to notice Congress is the culprit. When it’s not stopping the
development of the energy resources we need, it’s busy demonizing the
very entities — such as the oil companies — that can go get them…
Of all the bird brained ideas congress has come up with. Thanks Democrat Morons. If anyone thinks a democrat president will make a difference then you are just asking for higher prices.
The global warming hypocrisy has reached new levels of idiotic and hypocrisy behaviors. Now we are being told global warming is on hold. The theory behind Climate Change [a.k.a. Global Warming] has never been scientifically proven. It's been a forecast like the weather. Which is...
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Union thugs in Hawai'i seek to overthrow the democratic process of the secret ballot in favor of "card check". House Bill 2974, known as the "card check" bill, would allow unions to be recognized automatically in a small business whenever a majority of workers sign authorization cards. Mandating collective bargaining timelines and imposing binding arbitration in labor negotiations. more»
Morning broke with the smell of sulfur in the air. Most of Hilo, Ka'u and Puna districts was covered in a thick fog of volcanic mist. Kilauea's Halema'uma'u crater has been expelling a noxious plume of sulfur dioxide gas and smoke that has blanketed the area with VOG (Volcanic Fog). more»
The 2008 Merrie Monarch Festival ended with enthusiastic excitement. There was a parade down Kamehameha avenue, lots and lots of Hula, and Hilo was the center of attention once again.
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A new gas vent opened at the Halema'uma'u crater creating a plume of sulfer dioxide gas. The rate of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas was about 150 - 200 tonnes a day, but that has increased to about 600 - 1000 tonnes per day.
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Aloha Airlines declares itself a victim of "unfair competition" and rising fuel prices. While rising fuel prices may be a factor in Aloha Airlines demise, a more likely reason would be bad management. more»
I grow my own tomato's here because the price of tomato's in the grocery stores are expensive. Depending on the brand name, the prices can range from $2.00 dollars a pound and up! Tomato's are locally grown here on Hawai'i. So I can't understand why the prices are so high. I think it's just greed. more»
The island resiliency is being tested as one reporter stated upon the announcement of layoffs and the closing of Moloka'i Ranch. The company's decision to close down was due to the community opposition to development of La'au point. Besides the closing of the Ranch and the theater, the Moloka'i Ranch gas station will also close down. Moloka'i Ranch owners are Molokai Properties, a subsidiary of Singapore-based GuocoLeisure Ltd. Molokai Ranch owns about 40% of the entire island. They announced they will be closing public access to all of their property. more»
In the old days, not so long ago, people illuminated their homes and businesses with the luminosity of fire. The obvious hazards are evident: your house or business burning down, breathing toxic gases, soot, constant maintenance keeping the flame alive and getting burned. Either by candle, torch, oils or any number of luminescence sources to see in the dark; fire was the only source of light in the darkness. With the invention of the electric light bulb, a whole new medium of bringing light to the world where there was only darkness.
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Customs have us coming back to themes that guide us in how we live our daily lives. Customs revolve around the things that are familiar to us, make us comfortable and provide continuity in our lives. Conventional practices that are habitual in nature and in wonted candor describe without speaking the need to do something expected.
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What's your sphere of influence?
What's in your sphere of influence?
Well, we got our tax relief notice in the mail today. Also called the Economic Stimulus Package, which is in my view a big waste of taxpayer money. The government never should have taxed it anyway, just to give it back to those who don't deserve it. The government is taking money away from others, only to give it away to others in the form of Tax Relief.
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After days of constant rain, a high pressure system has brought us some days of dry weather. It's nice and bad all at the same time. The winds change from the north east to the south west bringing in VOG. Because of the recent eruptions the sulfur content is huge. Parts of Volcano National Park has been closed to visitors because of the high sulfur content in the air. more»
Hawai'i Horse Owners association presented the 16th Annual 2008 Panaewa Stampede Rodeo. It was held at the Panaewa Equestrian Center in Hilo Hawai'i on February 16 & 17, Saturday and Sunday. This was a lot of fun.
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Sunday is also known as going to church day. So what an appropriate article I should find from the San Jose Mercury News than some politician wants Global Warming to be taught in schools as part of the science curriculum. more»
The Pu`u `O`o - Kupaianaha eruption of Kilauea, now in its twenty fourth year and 55th eruptive episode, ranks as the most voluminous outpouring of lava on the volcano's east rift zone in the past five centuries. By January 2007, 0.7 cubic miles of lava had covered 45 square miles and added 201 hectares (500 acres) to Kilauea's southern shore. In the process, lava flows destroyed 189 structures and resurfaced 8.6 miles of highway with as much as 115 feet of lava. Pretty cool huh? more»
It was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007
Rio de Janeiro's world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm over the Brazilian city on Sunday. more»
The Rat (Chinese:鼠) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities more»
