It was a sad day at 3138 Waialae Avenue in Honolulu

 It was indeed a sad day at 3138 Waialae Avenue as a whole lot of owner's wishes were quashed by the AOAO Board and the first lot of trees were cut down. There were many activities leading up to this fateful day by the owners trying to persuade the AOAO board.

Vigil under the Monkeypod tree that is destined to be cut

Unable to stand the body language of the owners the AOAO Board resorted to hide behind a ZOOM meeting and the board took a vote to cut down the trees. Basically, a block of 6 voted to cutdown.

ZOOM meetings have become a way of life to carry out unsavoury acts in many human activities recently. This was yet another instance. 

For me personally, it was the loss of Oxygen and the tree removal company produced gasoline fumes for the whole of today's morning. I am totally opposed to cutting trees. They don't align with world view or the US's ambition to capture carbon. What cheap and better way is there than trees!

I went out to see the cutting of the trees along the walk and they had already started at the point nearest to the bridge on the Palolo stream. I am not sure at that point whether they were cutting or trimming the branches and I heard falling sound of branches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lI9tDdQvCo

Here are some pictures:

I spoke to one worker from the tree removal company and asked him if he likes to bring down trees, he said he was not happy. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dPqlKR1md3Y

Who is the most happiest today? Of course, the AOAO Board of Regency Park at 3138 Waialae on this day, 10/7/2024.

The tree right behind my unit was very tall and the worker had to work from top downwards. At the lower levels he had to make more cuts as the tree got a lot thicker.  I felt as if I have been cut, piece by piece. They produced a lot of noise and gasoline fumes. Dismembered pieces littered the walkway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpuRg5paLT4

It was pitiful to watch the Fairy Terns fly agitated helter skelter but they kept coming back. Perhaps they had a nest. These birds are protected by the State of Hawaii.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PF8w-HXn7i4

https://www.fairytern.org.nz/

https://littleternproject.org.uk/about-little-terns/

But what comes next is too important. We need to stop it. AOAO has on its list many more trees to be chopped off. The next batch occupies a space where the trees are shielding residents from noise and pollution, providing shade without which the heat can be unbearable, and home to the Fairy Terns.

Look closely the blue tape around the trunk of a tree closeby. This area near the Chaminade University is the nesting ground of these birds.

The sad thing is that board has not provided details to the satisfaction of the residents. 

10/7/2024

To be continued...

Here is a TV clip of TV Coverage of Sign waving at Waialae Avenue and 3rd Avenue in Honolulu.

Mrs. Clevinger asked me to add the following to my blog or as a separate post. I decided to add it to the post to have a complete story.

Letter written by Deborah Clevinger to the Board of Directors

"Some of the Condominiums' Board of Directors (BoD) members feel the tree removal project is over and done with. Many, many owners, residents, and I'm sure a minority of BoD members disagree and are sickened by the continued destruction of our beautiful place we call home. 

It was stated that this is a "passionate topic". This is evident by the outpouring of residents' concerns, countless emails, letters, phone calls, texts that you have received from these concerned residents trying to get your attention to reconsider this very hurtful and I think, rash decision. I understand that BoD have many concerns that they are dealing with and I'm sure just wanted to move this "tree business" along. But this "business" is not like any of the other businesses as we all have been a witness to. That passion has not dissolved but only heightened with this continuing to cut down our healthy trees that make up our serene, quiet, cool, shady home. The mere topic of removing our trees has caused much stress, anguish, anxiousness,  sleeplessness, restlessness, and those cortisol levels to rise which  leads to an unhealthy life for all of us. Stress is not healthy as we hear from the news and our doctors.

BoD members, you live here also, you are our neighbors, some for a long time, some for not so long. We all share this home and not just we humans, but countless other living creatures that beautify and amplify the serenity of our environment that we share. I enjoy hearing the morning and evening bird songs. Silent Spring is an excellent book that describes what life is like without our feathered friends. What human careless actions can do to our environment and other living creatures.  The Lorax says, "I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues." The trees can not run from the chainsaw, can not fly away, but must stand as they are being cut down one small section at a time... what are we doing to our beautiful home??? 

We should be good stewards and teach our children that we care for nature and our environment and that we maintain it through pruning, sometimes feeding, fertilizing, using one of many other mitigation strategies to preserve our valuable friends. 

I learned that Native Americans call trees "the Standing People". The Native Americans are true conservationists - only using and taking a life, animal or plant, that was needed for them to survive. We can learn a great lesson from them - the great respect they had for their environment. They plan for 7 generations out. These huge canopy trees that you scheduled to cut down  will not be replaced in our children's lifetime. It takes decades for trees to gain the size of some of the trees that you have scheduled to cut down and already have cut down.

Please, please, find it in your heart to reconsider this very unhealthy decision that was made and amend it while there are still a few of the healthy canopy trees that are left of the 7 that were to be removed. 

Another beautiful healthy tree was cut down on Monday October 7, 2024. No more can it provide us the solace, shade, serenity that it did for so many years. The trees along the riverwalk will dramatically change the environment along, beside and in the stream. As the large eucalyptus tree was being cut down a fairy tern hovered above looking for its home...how heartbreaking. You can almost hear it asking..Where's my home? It was just here. Where am I to go now? Don't I matter to any of those humans who are taking away my home?

We are in the final hours of some of the "condemned" remaining trees. Please, look deep inside you as a human being, a fellow creature sharing this place we call home and make a decision to stop this useless slaughter of our beautiful trees.We are to be stewards of all of God's creatures. We alone are responsible for our own actions, not the actions of the group. It is said, "What is popular is not always what is right, and what is right is not always popular."

Thank you for reading to the end and please stop this slaughter of our precious trees.

Respectfully submitted,

Debb Clevenger

If the community is strong and connected, we can save the Monkeypod tree

Our efforts to save the Monkeypod tree were thwarted by a determined AOAO board, which brought in a parliamentarian to oversee the voting process. Unfortunately, the AOAO avoided a physical meeting with owners, opting for a Zoom meeting instead. Remarkably, some AOAO directors chose to mute their cameras.

The meeting concluded with the directors voting to remove the Monkeypod tree, defeating the owners' cautionary advice and explanations.

However, the determined owners have started a vigil and other activities to alert the media and posters.

 They will be holding a meeting of concerned owners this coming Saturday,  first in the Regency Park's Recreation Room and later under the iconic tree.

Readers of this blog may also read about how the community saved a old Banyan tree here (Community Outcry Saves A Banyan Tree - Honolulu Civil Beat), and how the Manoa community successfully saved their Monkeypod tree here (https://hodentek.blogspot.com/2024/08/if-manoa-could-save-their-trees-so.html).

I am confident we can achieve similar success if all concerned work together towards this goal.

If Manoa could save their trees, so should we

This photo is from: https://www.lotsafunmaps.com/Oahu/Manoa_town/gallery.html

As soon as we found a residence in Honolulu, the first thing that attracted was Manoa. When it rains, I look towards Manoa to find the rainbow. Manoa at the foothills of the Ko'olau is an oasis. It is an enchanting place.

Manoa residents got together and they were able to prevent the 'Administrators' from cutting down the Monkeypod trees. They did have to fight the battle but the residents made the decision.

Read more about it here:

https://historichawaii.org/2018/05/10/communities-saving-places-the-monkeypod-trees-at-manoa-marketplace/

The above fortifies our position vis-à-vis the contemplated cutting of the trees. In an earlier, I posted how I personally felt, which soe may construe as an activist. However, cutting trees has long range ecological implications.

Cutting down the trees involves two negative processes with long term ecological impact. To put it simply, you are doing these two harms at the same time.

Loss of carbon dioxide sequestration: Trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change. Removing them reduces this crucial ecosystem service

Increased carbon emissions: The process of cutting down trees, transporting them, and processing the wood often involves the burning of fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Regarding Hawaii's contribution to carbon emission, it is generally on the negative side due to transport and tourism, both producing carbon emission. Any help to mitigate is of great value.

Save our trees at Regency Park Condos at Kaimuki

Save Regency Park's Trees: A Honolulu Community Stands United

This post relates to an impasse' between the owners of the Regency Park residents and the AOAO Board of the condominium. This is posted by the author who is also a resident. 

I was dismayed to learn that an important asset of my property is going to be removed by a decision taken by the condominium board. This condominium and its grounds are a haven for many, is facing an imminent threat: the indiscriminate removal of our cherished trees. Many of the residents are united in plea to the condominium board to reconsider this drastic action and explore alternative solutions to preserve our green oasis. The community needs a serious conversation on this issue with the condominium board.

The owners of Regency Condominium are urgently requesting that the AOAO (Association of apartment owners) reconsider the removal of several trees. The trees provide essential shade, protect lower-level units from excessive sun, enhance property values, contribute to a serene environment;  home to the nesting area of the endangered Fairy Tern (HUI MANU-O-KŪ - Hui Manu-o-Kū (whiteter.org) birds, and improve air quality by filtering pollutants and reducing noise.

Breeding Ground of Fairy Terns

The monkeypod tree is slated for removal. The shady spot is where I walk every afternoon.

I am 100% against this callous decision

Upon inquiring about the committee’s reasons for tree removal, I was presented with questionable justifications. One reason suggested that elderly residents might trip over the trees, a claim lacking credibility. Simple solutions such as root trimming or installing a fence from a local hardware store could easily address this non-issue. 

Roots protruding out that are easy to trim or fenced around

Another reason cited was the alleged rising of the pavement due to tree roots. This explanation seems contrived, as the parking lot's surface is uneven throughout.

The AOAO board has failed to provide minutes from the 2023 and 2024 board meetings to the interested residents despite repeated requests. Furthermore, the board has relied on a single arborist review plus an incomplete arborist report to justify its decision. This lack of transparency and due diligence is a clear breach of the board's fiduciary duty to residents. Any future proposals to remove trees must be subject to the approval of all residents. A link to this blog will be forwarded to the property management company and all board members.

What You Can Do:

• Attend the next condominium board meeting and voice your concerns.

• Contact other residents and spread awareness about the issue.

• Share this blog post and encourage others to get involved.

• Together, we can save Regency Park's trees!

The property owners, including myself, firmly believe that preserving our community's green spaces is essential to the health, well-being, and property values of all residents. We will not stand idly by while our beloved trees are destroyed.

The address of the property:

Regency Park Condominium

3138 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96816

I sincerely thank Ms. Milly Ring and a large group of concerned residents for their input.

Fairy Tern Protection in Hawaii

Yes, the Fairy Tern (Manu-o-Kū) is a protected species in Hawaii. While it might not have a federal protection status in the United States, it enjoys significant protection at the state level.   

Due to the critical conservation status of the Fairy Tern in Hawaii, harming, disturbing, or removing them or their nests is illegal. Many conservation efforts are in place to protect their habitat and ensure their survival.

Sources and related content

Get to know Manu-o-Kū

www.whiteterns.org

Share this article among your friends and bird lovers

https://x.com/subbagiri/status/1818179587765117119

Going forward, I have requested guidance from the responsible official at the US Fisheries and Wild Life. You may also individually approach this organization. They are the ultimate at the government.

You may share this link to this blog using this shortened link:

https://bit.ly/4c8BogH

There was a meeting of all concerned met on 8/1/2024

The following is from one of the senior members: "The Tree Removal will be reassessed with emphasis on saving the Monkey Pod.  The other trees may need some work and perhaps one that is dead to be removed."

Updated: 8/7/2024

Manoa residents put down their foot to save the trees. Good Job! Manoans

 

On AI chatbots and fact checking

 Bertrand Russel's view of ethics originates as being primarily due to our feelings and consequences but they are a result of our education and nurture. This view, while precludes that the ones without education and proper bringing up lack ethics holds likely on the average. I think, ethics is a lot more than education and nurture. I was told that the colonial armies of the past meted out punishment by running horses over the head of half buried enemies. They were able to do so only when they covered the eyes of the horses. Was it an ethical issue for the horses? I wonder.

Fact checking has become a fact of life in recent times especially after the rise of the AI's. Should they or should they not fact check? AIs, as they proclaim themselves are emotionless and non-judgmental. They are also derived from the LLM they always quote as being on which they are based. I can only infer their readiness, or reluctance to do a fact check as being due to is a policy taken by the implementers. I think it is ethically important that they really try to do a fact check, I am not looking for their view of the fact.

In the present world of fake news, deep fakes and such, AI products have a social responsibility to let their algorithms do just that. It is the most ethical thing to do.  I would, further take their reluctance as a political statement of their creators. 

Here is an example: This following appeared on a social media platform. Perhaps, it may be driven by some kind of phobia, may be not.

Fact check: According to Iran's 'Press TV' and 'al  Mayadeen' reports, Israeli forces allegedly dropped white phosphorus  bombs on the outskirts of Rasaya al-Fakhar town on July 26.

These are the responses of Google' Gemini, Microsoft's C-Pilot and Facebook's Meta AI:

Gemini:- While I aim to be helpful, Google Search may provide a more detailed and accurate response on this topic.

Co-Pilot:-Looks like I can’t respond to this topic. Explore Bing Search results.

Meta AI:- I can't find any information about Israeli forces dropping white phosphorus bombs on the outskirts of Rasaya al-Fakhar town on July 26. However, here are some relevant facts about Israel's use of white phosphorus munitions:

- *Use in Lebanon*: Israel has used white phosphorus munitions in Lebanon, which has led to civilian harm and displacement ¹ ² ³.

- *International law*: The use of airburst white phosphorus is considered unlawfully indiscriminate in populated areas under international humanitarian law ³.

- *Previous use*: Israel has used white phosphorus in the past, including in Gaza in 2008-2009 and in Lebanon in 2023 ¹ ².

Actually, Meta AI indeed did well according to me. You may very well disagree. 

Why did Gemini and Co-Pilot recuse and distance themselves?