walmart spirit of aloha

[ Edited by: Thomas 2007-05-19 02:49 ]

Everything can be construed as political. Al Gore says global warming isn't a political but a moral issue. In reality it is both. When things move beyond the realm of hypothetical (opinion) and into the realm of obvious (fact) it IS more moral than political.

Any new job/added job is not necessarily a good job. Even a conservative economist knows that downgrading area quality of life/tourist interest, etc. is not a good long term fiscal growth strategy. Unfortunately so many are just out to make a quick buck these days and party it up while Rome is burning.

To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2007-05-19 02:07 ]

In my opinion this thread is, or at least has gotten, political and beyond tiki.

I think I was mistaken in posting above and think I'll edit it out.

http://www.tikicentral.com/tikicentral/rules.htm

Who says Politics and Tiki can't be nixed??

This thread is not political, like do are you in favor of the death penalty, etc.
To the contrary, land use issues have represented the history of Hawaii, ever since the Gand Mahale, the Bayonet Constitution or Sanford Dole appointing himself governor and imprisoning Queen Liliuokalani - all over tarif and labor issues regarding the exportation of agricultural products from the plantataions. In other words, Dole and others (with the overt or tacit approval of the US) took over Hawaii so as to ensure continued profit from exploiting/farming the land.

Land use issues continue to be the paramount issue facing the Hawaiian islands.
For example, how many of us like, or would stay in, the Kahalui area of Maui, even though it is an ocean front location? Probably not many as the area is defined by the Costco, HomeBase and K-Mart stores.

Each Walmart poses the question, does Hawaii want to become like Southen California, with "big box" stores ruining its landscape for the benefit of $10-12 hour part time jobs with little in the way of benefits? Is that a good enough trade-off to put one in Lahaina?

Is sacred ancestral land in Hawaii - which Walmart desecreted (read the article) worth creating an injunction to prevent building on it, or should there be a law that every potential development have some sort of a historical geological survey before escrow closes or before the development?

Are big box stores and oceans of asphalt surrounding them on almost every island consistent with Hawaii as the tropical paradise?

[ Edited by: christiki295 2007-05-19 10:18 ]

Walmart represents another issue - the reduction of tourist travel - which is the no. 1 income generator.

As the primary Hawaiian Islands turn it into another overdeveloped, overbuilt generic resort and overdeveloped gridlocked "bustling" city indistinguishable from all others, will tourists seek other exotic tropical locales still relatively unspoiled?

I suspect tourists really don't want to see Walmarts on their Hawaiian vacation. How many more Walmarts can the islands absorb before tourists go to the Dominican Republic, the Florida Keyes or Tahiti instead?

Have you considered moving to Hawaii and becoming involved in civic, business, etc. affairs there? You have real passion for it though you live thousands of miles away. I'm sure the economy, political system, media, etc. are as open there to enthusiastic newcomers there as they are in any other state.

Also I am wondering, given your personal priorities and preferences as they are revealed in your posts above, do you like living in L.A.? I would think there'd be a real clash there.

Of course that's a personal matter and you needn't answer it. Just wondering, and with respect.

It's all good, Thomas and, yes:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=13803&forum=1

I'm no purist. I've patronized the Wallmart on Kaua'i more times than any Walmart on the mainland and only in part because it is next to Hilo Hattie. On Kaua'i the Walmart blends in nicely to the 3 street downtown Lihue. I'm sure it is one of the island's largest private employers, behind Wilcox Hospital.

Of course, it is just a single big-box. If there were multiple, it might not be such a good fit.

[ Edited by: christiki295 2007-05-19 18:09 ]

I remember that thread now. You shared some good research there.

If I were working on a strategy, rather than relocating to a beautiful but extremely expensive US state with a notoriously tight job market and struggling to stay afloat, I'd focus intensely on saving and investing while on the mainland, then relocate to a tropical foreign country with a lower cost of living, and enjoy life with the need to earn substantially reduced if not eliminated.

In fact, to this end, I recommend investing in Walmart (just kidding!)...

On 2007-05-19 10:55, Thomas wrote:
Have you considered moving to Hawaii and becoming involved in civic, business, etc. affairs there? You have real passion for it though you live thousands of miles away. I'm sure the economy, political system, media, etc. are as open there to enthusiastic newcomers there as they are in any other state.

Also I am wondering, given your personal priorities and preferences as they are revealed in your posts above, do you like living in L.A.? I would think there'd be a real clash there.

Of course that's a personal matter and you needn't answer it. Just wondering, and with respect.

I can say I enjoy a good deal of Los Angeles...

Except the part that Takes out historic buildings and locations. Like Johnys Broiler, or say... Trader Vics...

In sort of a parallel to Walmart view on historical and cultural sites, there was a debate going on in Fredericksburg, VA, over Walmart decision to build a store on part of the land that was George Washington's boyhood home.

was pitching this ideal back in 1996, and I'm not sure what the final outcome was. But Walmart isn't the only guilty party in the cultural steamroller that is development. Most local governments will do anything that can bring in another cent of tax revenue, and will often ok most of the proposals of the big box retailers. Around here, it seems that just about every city council in San Diego County is in the pockets of some developer or corporation.

But here is an idea. can start a 'cultural awareness' campaign. At the Fredericksburg store, you can buy cherry trees (like the kind George chopped down when he was a kid) in the garden department for an everyday low price of $9.95.

I don't like going into Wal-Mart because I never seem to be able to find what I'm actually looking for. Plus, it's WAY crowded. My other option is going down the block to Don Quijote, a similar Japanese chain. I don't believe there ARE any localy owned department stores in Honolulu..are there?

I don't mean this to cause problems..more as an observation. It seems one can't take a hoe to a garden these days without coming across a Hawaiian burial site. Some organic foods chain setting up shop at Ward Centre has also unearthed some bones.

Thanks for bringing some reality to this topic, Kaiwaza. Ali'i were buried under heiau, or their bones were placed in caves. Regular kanaka were buried everywhere, and since I've seen estimates that the pre-contact population of Hawaii was about the same as today, that's a lot of burials.

Construction projects often unearth human remains - they just seem to be everywhere. A whole state agency deals with relocation of human remains - it is not an unusual occurance. There is a large burial mound at Kapiolani Park where Kalakaua Avenue ends, just across the road from Queen's Beach. I believe there's a couple hundred sets of remains there, re-interred with proper respect and ceremony.

I found in the Honolulu Star Bulletin that the suit brought to prevent Wal-Mart from re-locating the remains was thrown out of court in 2005, as the plaintiffs were not found to have standing to bring the lawsuit. The state proposed a heavy fine against the archeological consultant, who vigorously denied improperly handling the human remains. I can't find the outcome of that action, but the consultant is on the 2007 list of state-approved archeological consultants.

As to the impact on tourism - all three (or is it four?) Wal-Marts on Oahu are not in "tourist" areas. If tourists go to Wal-Mart, it is because they seek it out. Some tourists want to lay on the beach, some want to experience local culture, some want to shop.

Consider this: the highest grossing Cheesecake Factory restaurant in the USA is located in Waikiki. Is going to the Cheesecake Factory, or Wal-Mart, a desireable part of a Hawaiian vacation? Apparently so.

Old photo revamped.

I used to shop WalMart, because it was convenient. Watch "The High Cost of Low Prices"--available on Netflix--

And let me know how you feel.

Any company that has an HR position strictly to let their employees know what social programs they are eligible for is bad mojo in my book.

Scott