Thursday, September 19, 2013

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Via Reddit. TIL two brothers inherited one of the Hawaiian islands, Niihau, and have turned down all offers to sell including $1 billion from the U.S. government
Robinson expressed concerns about his family's ability to continue to maintain their ownership of Niʻihau, due to pressure from the federal and state governments and environmental groups.
Environmental lawsuits have been launched against the family by groups such as Earthjustice,[3] while taxes on the island have taken much of the profits from the Robinsons' interests in agricultural companies. Keith Robinson has compared his plight on Niʻihau to Ruby Ridge and the Waco Siege, threatening to defend his island with force if necessary.
Keith and Bruce Robinson have reportedly been offered over $1 billion to sell Niʻihau to the US Federal government or possibly to turn over ownership to Hawai'i state.
They have turned all offers down. In 2005 a documentary on him was released titled Robinson Crusader

15 comments:

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I believe it was Tom Hagen's advice that Sonny should take the deal.

He might have had something of a conflict of interest.

AllenS said...

If I were the Robinson's I'd call Putin. He knows how to handle that little bitch in the White House.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

From wikipedia:

Approximately 80% of Niʻihau's income comes from a small Navy installation atop 1,300-foot-high cliffs. Remote-controlled tracking devices are used for testing and training with Kaua'i's Pacific Missile Range Facility. Modern missile defense tests are conducted at the site for the U.S. and its allies. The installation brings in millions of dollars a year, and provides the island with a stable economic base without the complexity of tourism or industrial development.

So they are currently almost completely subsidized by the US government. Hardly poster boys for living off the grid.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Anyone see "The Descendants" with Clooney?

In the movie, the wealthy Hawaiian land owner decides not to sell to investors. He is a hero!

But that's just the movies.


Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It's privately owned land. Does that mean anything anymore?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Except ARM - the small amount of inhabitants do live off the grid.

Niihau - the whole wiki.

virgil xenophon said...

@E the FB/

LOL. Are you from the same belfry as Mitchell?

virgil xenophon said...

@AprilApple/


The Wiki art leaves out the fact that that crashed Japanese Pearl-Harbor raid pilot didn't exactly terrorize everybody--he was given aid and comfort and hidden by several of the islanders and that fact so spooked the FDR admin that it was used as one of the pretexts to relocate mainland Japanese to internment camps.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Virgil- Yeah - the local islanders were cut off from the world and had no idea Pearl harbor attack had even occurred.
I read somewhere (not wiki) that, as you stated, the Japanese pilot was disarmed and given aid and comfort. No one understood each other due to the language barrier.

There seems to be a lot of stretched truth and made up folklore regarding what actually happened.

rcocean said...

Wonder why "Earth Justice" is concerned or why the State cares. I'd love to see it bought at FMV and made into a national park. But I don't trust Obama - the asshole would probably turn it into a shrine to himself.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

The State of Hawaii or the Feds could exercise eminent domain and buy the island, but would have to pay fair market value. Is a billion enough? Probably not.

So fuck em. I can understand the brothers saying no. Consider the other brothers who willingly sold their island, Palmyra Atoll, to the Nature Conservancy.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Evil Blogger lady - from you link

2009

The Bush Administration designates Palmyra as part of a new national Pacific marine monument, increasing the amount of protected ocean wilderness surrounding Palmyra from half a million acres to 13 million acres including nearby Kingman Reef.


How can this be? Bush is pure evil.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The Hawaiian island of Kaho'olawe was used as a bombing range and military and naval training ground during WWII and after - by the US government.

& from wiki -

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush ordered an end to live-fire training on the island. The U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1991 established the Kahoolawe Island Conveyance Commission to recommend terms and conditions for the conveyance of Kahoolawe from the U.S. Government to the State of Hawaii.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

A tale of two islands...