The blustery spiced and exotic trade winds of the mid Pacific Ocean still exist as the basis in determining the microcosm of probability and chance in the dispersing of biological migration and sailing vessels on the perpetually endless expanse of lonely seas.
This phenomenon helped forge the eclectic nuances of oases such as Guam and the Hawaiian Islands, where the simple existence of dry land, amid the harsh realities of fate withing the deep and dark marine depths, demanded the label of paradise and ultimately a world. As the stamp of modernization reaches halfway across the Pacific to Asia and vise versa, the random winds of change and evolution no longer exclusively serve the simple purpose of evolutionary dispersion, thanks to the introduction of unsavory components swimming in fanaticism and resulting in damaging policy and lack of critical thinking abilities. The one-dimensional and languishing environmental movement does not account for the presence of harmful materials or concepts outside of the list of traditional pollutants, and without specific efforts of journalism, the world would never know to the extent that techie tycoons are attempting to terraform certain islands in the Pacific, based on the pretense of greed or just plain ignorance. As these multi-billionaires contribute x amount of dollars to global conservationist watchdog groups, they disconcertingly rise beyond criticism in living as Kings of their water locked domains in the final and wild western frontier of exapansionism. As the majority of software dignitaries possess a deep-seated aversion to firearms, the apt phrase in describing the chaos lacking the classic shootouts at dawn is reduced to the laughable, but painful truth, “He who holds the biggest purse, wins.” Unlike, the magnates of the early 1900’s, the nouveau riche are not defined by tangible commodities, but by ideas and thought brandished in a digital reality.
With social media magnate Mark Zuckerberg brandishing a controversial wall, complete with a moat surrounding his expansive property on Maui, and the irony of the construction finished well ahead of the timeline of Trump’s proposed barricade to eliminate the cancer of illegal immigration from Mexico, and the audacity of Ebay Founder Pierre Omidyar in aggressively pushing the establishment of a 700 cow dairy farm on Kauai within proximity to precious groundwater sources and pristine vacation resorts, the question remains that even though the questionable projects satisfy the legal requirements, should the ethical aspect and subsequent impact on neighbors be weighed more heavily, as both gentlemen are filthy rich? The islands have become a sanctuary for rock stars of the software and internet movement, as a stream of billionaires have secured acres of property in recent years, and managed to more than ruffle the feathers of the locals in the process of customizing the eclectic topography and tropical scenery. Where are the leftists screams claiming exploitation and discrimination, as the islands should be returned to the native residents in a resounding ceremony of reparations? The noise of discontent is at the decibel of thundering down San Francisco’s runway and bound for London on the the great circle route, yet the EPA does nothing to staunch the mechanized and ceaseless rant. The Star Adviser reports that a handful of Omidyar’s neighbors have already voiced concern over the environmental ramifications of cows grazing in such a densely packed area and the possible effect on the quality of the water supply, as well as the raw stench of manure dispersing over the pristine beaches. Omidyar’s directive behind the importation of an abundance of milk producers to the island, is to provide a local source of dairy products, as the state has to outsource nearly all of its food supply from the mainland. While the goal of the proposal is noble, the logistics do not make sense considering the scarcity of viable land mass in an area heavily financed and supported by tourism and the service industry. However, in certain parts of the state, there exist pockets of effective agrarianism, where the ranch style culture is a complete dichotomy to the bikinis, luaus, and the ultimate vacation inclinations of the volcanic sand and surfer beaches.
Supporters of Omidyar’s pipe dream, point to the alleged data in that the runoff from local golf courses poses more of a threat to groundwater and overall environmental conditions, then the pending migration of a super herd of cows. The dialogue has reached the unbridled insanity, that the herd will actually add a British Open ambiance for golfers. The courts however, have thus far sided with the residents and the resorts, in ordering that the group overseeing the dairy project, conduct a series of thorough environmental impact studies.
The precedent, which has prompted concern for residents and business owners on Kauai, was set by the fate of the Island of Lanai, after 97% of the land was purchased by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison in 2012. In the wake of the large scale acquisition of the state’s sixth largest island, residents have dealt with the divisive proposal of a massive wind farm endeavor, and instability bred from Ellison’s failure to publicly disclose plans for the future.
The inhabitants and tourists of Kauai can only hope that Omidyar’s support for the dairy projects dwindles, as his endless financial resources will quickly exhaust any legal recourse as an tropical wonderland is transformed into the post-apocalyptic wasteland colony of a bad movie. What is truly disturbing is that the small sample size of techies making their dubious mark in the far reaches of the Pacific, may be indicative as to the trials and tribulations that Americans will have to face in the lower 48 in the next fifty years, as idealism and bad ideas based on tawdry thought experiments fueled by billions of dollars, transforms what we know and love into god knows what. And there is nothing that we can do to stop it, as reality becomes nothing more than a grown up gaming suite.
Read the Star Adviser story here.