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I was a reporter for close to 17 years at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald until October 2005, when I joined the growing ranks of union leaders now formerly employed by the newspaper. (For more about what's happening at the Tribune-Herald, check out the Hawaii Newspaper Guild web site.) Since then I've been the Hilo unit representative for the Guild, a freelance writer, photographer, and blogger.  Puna has been my family's home since 1993.

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Monday
28Apr

Safarik running? Jordan a Dem again?

DateMonday, April 28, 2008 at 10:30PM

Gary Safarik is leaving open the possibility that he’ll seek to regain the 5th District Council seat that was wrested from him by Emily Naeole in 2006.

Safarik said he’s taking a 25th anniversary vacation to the Mediterranean with his wife, Debbie, and will announce whether or not he’ll run when he returns. Safarik said he will ponder his political future “among the ruins of the Coliseum,” a curious if not apt choice of location for such a thing, I suppose.

Odds are he’ll return rested and ready to crank up the campaign by mid-June. The only problem could be the "Big Dog," Wayne Joseph, who’s probably already growling about Safarik sniffing around the same hydrant. (Sorry,  there may be no end to this kind of imagery as long as a Big Dog is in the race.) Safarik and Joseph are likely to split any opposition there is to Naeole but that's not such a bad thing in a non-partisan race. It will probably insure a general election runoff.

Meanwhile Brian Jordan, the former Democrat who was inspired by Linda Lingle to turn Republican, actually drank the GOP Kool-aid but now is thinking of becoming a Democrat again. Jordan fell out of Republican Party favor after three straight losing campaigns for the 4th District House seat, most recently in 2006 against incumbent Faye Hanohano. This year ubiquitous do-gooder Fred Blas is the GOP’s anointed one in Puna.

The likely move for the would-be born-again Democrat Jordan would be a rematch with Hanohano but this time in the Democratic primary. However, I can’t see how that would endear him to either the GOP or  Dems unless, UNLESS, he’s on some sort of sinister Rush Limbaugh “Operation Chaos”-style mission to disrupt the Democrats' election plans for the 4th District House seat from Puna -- AHA!

I may be onto something here, folks. Stay tuned.

AuthorHunter Bishop | Comment13 Comments |
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Reader Comments (13)

Hey Hunter,

'April Fools' Day' was 4 weeks ago.
...this post was a joke, right?

April 29, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJames Weatherford
Hey, he's still around. I saw him having lunch with a bunch of people up at the Astronomy Center the other day.
April 30, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHattie
Thanks for your interpretation of my motives, and James response. I must be doing something right if you both are upset, and I haven't declared any intentions. Especially since I'm not sure of my own next move. Operation Chaos is that a County or State program. What with no Bio Fuel plan from the state. Oh thats right we have a state 2050 plan,and $49,000 bus stop consulting fees at the county.
April 30, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrian Jordan
Brian,

Me "upset"? No.
Amused, perhaps.

My disbelief was principally about the farce of Gary Sararik wading back in.
(btw: in my research about 'waste-to-energy' incineration, Mr. Safarik's name was very prominent in documents dated around 2000 and 2001. And, in 2005, one of his staff used to talk a lot about "The Puna Incinerator" ... hmmmmm.)

This is "Operation Chaos", by your erstwhile friends, so don't try to fob it off on the county or state:
"Limbaugh announced Operation Chaos, a political call to action with the initial plan to have voters of the Republican Party temporarily cross over to vote Democrat and vote for Hillary Clinton..."
April 30, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJames Weatherford
Mr Weatherford, as usual, using diversitionary tactics to keep his girl in (Naeole). As I recall, Safarik was the one that brought back to Puna the most amount of money in terms of the Puna Fire Station, the New Pohoiki Park, lights for Ainaloa, and most recently the road improvement for Ainaloa hills. Never heard of an incinerator for Puna. Must have been a dream that Weatherford had. Guess, he wants two more years of this idiotic type of representation that we are now getting from Naeole.
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterpunagirl
James you listen to Rush? Man and you think I'm twisted. I haven't listened to him in years. He'll make you upset. No wonder your so stressed. If I amused you thats good. I really want you to run, a man of your intelligence and qualifications would only be an asset to any race. As for fobbing it off on the County or State didn't you just go to the Mayors office about the screwed up bidding/purchasing policies? As for the State I was advocating TDP vice incineration. I advocated Bio fuel in 2002-2004 to the consternation of my former party and the Governor. She just got the idea we need to be self sufficient. The Legislature is a little better they recognized the problem in 2006 and will act on their 44 yr.plan Sustainability in 2050. As for incineration it is picked by the majority of communities for it's cost benefit, politicians do sometimes bend to the cost benefit analysis. With thermodepolymerization you create oil and toxic free minerals. Butter Ball Turkey Co in Carthage Missouri is proving it can work. However it is expensive. With oil at $114 a barrel TDP is becoming more cost effective. OBAMA needs to worry about his Pastors God damn America Speech, not McCain and the GOP. Hillary needs to worry abou her negative approval rates, McCain needs to worry about the Bush legacy. Not every Dem and GOP hate each other Sen Inouye(D)just held a fund raiser for Sen Stevens (R). Hunter even the chance of real change was worth a stint in GOP. We learn from every experience. Keep looking for the worst in peoples motives, and you'll either believe it or create it.
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrian Jordan
Wow! drew some strange accusations. Must have gotten close to a nerve.

“ listen to Rush”? Once in the car hit the 'seek' button and it came on. Listened for a minute, but found it as irrational as the psycho-babble this post is in response to ... so changed the station to FM and listened to Hawaiian music. Must stay away from AM.

Think Brian is “twisted”?
No... at least not before his most recent post ;)

Brian fobbed off on the County / State what a drug addict (Mr. Limbaugh) did.
I challenged the Mayor's office on what his administration did. Somehow, seems different to me.

“diversitionary tactics” huh? Can’t find that in any dictionary. Must not have any more meaning than the rest of the post.
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJames Weatherford
"OBAMA needs to worry about his Pastors God damn America Speech, not McCain and the GOP. Hillary needs to worry abou her negative approval rates, McCain needs to worry about the Bush legacy" - Brian Jordan

Wow... this is coming out of the mouth of a potential candidate.... someone needs to quit drinking the sauce before they post.... lol
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterdamon
The Colosseum is a strange place for a lawmaker to ponder his political future. Would he gain inspiration from the ruins of a massive public works project that has lasted 2,000 years? Could such a structure be built here? It would end the unemployment situation and solve the annual Merrie Monarch ticket crunch for centuries.

Anyway, the "Colosseum" was not the original name of the stadium. It was known in ancient times as the "Amphitheatrum Flavium," or Flavian Amphitheater. The Colosseum was the name of an enormous nude bronze statue of Nero that stood nearby, built to honor his enormous ego. Which is why it's a strange place for Mr. Safarik to ponder his political future.

A more appropriate place to do so might be if and when he crosses the Rubicon River on his tour of Italy. Qui non proficit deficit.
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPeter S
Sorry damon I don't drink I just call'em like I see'em. Each candidate has problems.
James I was actually complimenting you on going to the Mayor. I went to Andy about the Bus Consulting contract. The point you missed and I obviously did not explain well enough was that even you see the Chaos within our system and acted on it. So why when I refer to state and county problems as chaotic is it fobbing it off. The reason I don't listen to Rush is he is an angry addict. Which is why I'm suprised you did. Now that I know your not a regular listener I apologize.
May 2, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrian Jordan
Aloha, Brian.

May 2, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJames Weatherford
Elective office is one way to make a difference.
There are also lots more.
For example, invest in a local business and create some local jobs.
...any good ideas?
May 3, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJames Weatherford
BIO Fuel, wood chip methanol, rotted waste fruit to ethanol,and soy oil, Citizenre Solar Power will require installers. Local AG and dairy. Production of composted soils for export to other islands ,and the Kona side We are about to be isolated in a recession. When milks $4 a gallon and meats $6 a lb. starche prices have doubled,it is time for leadership. Self sufficiency was logical a decade ago, now it's an emergency. logical. We may have to re plant more taro and ulu.
May 8, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrian

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