Health, Wealth and Happiness

Well, yet one more about Rail on Oahu, right?  Yep.  But not a long one.

Why am I against Rail?  Do I have an agenda?  It seems like every union

that could possibly benefit from more temporary jobs from Rail has sup-

ported.  It seems that the politicians that got contributions from the unions

and then their support are solidly “All In” on Rail.  It seems like this is a good

pacifier to throw out to the thousands who commute:  “Rail will speed up your

ride to work.”  WILL IT?  Really?

And, of course BIA, the builders and also developers are strongly for it.  Are

you at all surprised?  THEY all have an agenda.  From the false hope that in 15

years the commute MAY go quicker to the companies that expect (or have

already gotten) windfalls.  So agendas everywhere and they all say BUILD,

BUILD, BUILD.  Let’s just welcome with open arms anyone who wants to BUILD

here on Oahu, especially out West.

Forget the Aina.  Forget the beautiful views that wiil be destroyed.  Forget the

fact that the ridership projections are just that-PROJECTIONS.  Who cares about

the money.  Will get it from somewhere.  (By the way that attitude didn’t work

so well for my dad back when we were younger.)

So, whet is MY agenda.  Well, my wife and I do not have kids, so if the state

basically goes bankrupt from the crushing debt and monies needed for this,

we’ll be gone.  I LOVE this Island passionately, but my wife and I can move

if things get too crazy with the road delays that will occur as Rail is built.  I

also care about the lifestyle here  and happen to think that this Rail Mistake

will have a negative impact.  I guess there is no agenda for me, now that I think

about it.  Rick Emmerich

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Rick Emmerich OK, don’t really know where to start. But these pie in the sky guesses are very optimistic, just not believable. That thousands of people that drive to work every day will now, buy or borrow a bicycle and pedal (sometimes in the rain) to a station where they hope no one messes with their locked bike-to then take the Rail is either going to be the victory for Rail OR the ugly downfall. I suppose I will be driving past these businessmen in their good clothes on bicycles with their attache cases

Jade Moon, Moonlighting Column in Mid Week Paper on Oahu

I like your call to have Rail Supporters speak up. Let me help you.
There is nothing for them to say other than “Build it already.”

Everyone thinks that it will get riders,   just not them.  No one will
ride it enough to make it worth the disastrous financial conse-
quences it will cause to us, our children, and our children’s chil-
dren.

There is only HOPE that it will ease traffic.  A noted expert, Walter
(I believe) Yoshioka said that it will not, EVER.

There is the HOPE of thousands of jobs.  The article by the oppos-
itiion, or as Howard Dicus likes to call us, the ‘Asphalt Huggers’
said that there would be 633 jobs added, MAYBE 933.  That is
not thousands using my old HS Math.  I already know of mainland
people that have moved her for the Rail jobs.  They have opened
accounts at the Bank of Hawaii in Moili’ili.  Now rather than angrily
repeat old employment estimates, why not accurately break them
down for us Mayor Carlisle.  I know you inherited the bully techn-
iques from Mufi, but there are a ton of smart people and I believe they
are now waking up to what is real here.

Which brings me to one of the big concerns which is rarely debated.
Why??????
1.  Do we owe the world the opportunity to move to our, gorgeous,
paradise island chain here in the middle of the Pacific.  Do we just
roll over and say, yep c’mon in, we’ll pave over some more Ag land
and build some more schools for you, and hey, can you just SAY
you will take that darn Rail.
2.  Do we feel the need to relocate thousands or people and then tons
of businesses to EVENTUALLY have enough population near the
Rail lines to make it viable.
3.  Why do we OWE the construction workers the right to do construc-
tion jobs here on Oahu.  If there is no work, there is NO WORK.  Move
to Las Vegas and pour concrete and build stuff for the next 80 years,
already.  Or hey I have an idea.  Learn a new trade.  Are we that weak
and the unions that strong?
4.  WHY don’t we get to the bottom of the Rail Debacle anyway?  Many if
not ALL supporters are/were big contributors of CASH to Mufi and then
Carlisle.  I would love to live in a state that I did not feel was that corrupt,
but the proof is in the pudding.
5.  Why don’t you think about the reality of riding the Rail for yourself.
Remember take extra time to get up early to get to the station to park,
(if there is one for you.)  You may need change to pay for the parking.
There may be no spots, oh well, drive.  Allow for the extra time that you
will need at the other end.  Keep in mind you may need an umbrella
too.  You will be standing most of the way, no relaxing.  Enjoy the view,
knowing that thousands of businesses, and homes and people will have
lost their view to sacrifice for this monstrosity.)  There is no money to
pay for maintenance, how safe does it feel the 2nd year, the 3rd, and so
on.  There is no money for security at the parking lot (if there was one) so
HOPE your vehicle is safe there

By the way, make sure those that say they support it would actually ride
it OFTEN.  (I know of no one who will.)  And, be wary of those who are
supporting just because they have a connection to the trades that THINK
they will benefit, or may actually benefit.

Just Google ‘Rail Pushers Oahu’ or ‘Oahu Rail Pushers’ to see more.

PS I am not against Rail due to ’special interests.” I am not a father of kids
or therefore grandkids that will be negatively disadvantaged due to this.  My
wife and I are not poor, so we will have the option to move to Big Island, or
Maui, or wherever when things get bad here.  And lastly we chose to live
in a part of town that costs more knowing that we do not have to be int that
drive.  Our choice.  That’s why we pay more.  Our townhouse would be
cheaper (though not as nice) in Kapolei, but that is the choice we made.

Shutting down the 405 in LA could have its benefits.  Our traffic is bad here coming into Honolulu from the West Monday through Friday and the people are so despeate that they are allowing an incredibly overpriced and terrbily planned Rail System to be rammed down their throats.  But that is not what this blog is about.

How about telecommuting?  I can do it at my job, even though my company has its doubts about its effectiveness.  That makes it my challenge to show that it works.

OR, how about a home based business?  I heard a study showed that 85% of thgose surveyed would liek their own business.  I am not assuming that the study meant MLM, direct sales in particular but there are great benefits to either. 

My goal is to have 5 streams of income from my home.  2 are up and running, the 3rd is in the process, the 4th I start today and the 5th has been planned for about 4 months and I expect to roll it out within a week.

Now, this is not a sales pitch for you to do any of the things I am doing.  I would welcome you into either of 2 of them, and you would have to contact me to hear more.  My website idea, though I have told many (TOO many?) is my deal and I am not looking for any more competition there.  The point is, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Those of us that have been taught “Get a good job and stay there a long time.  You don’t have to like it and it will not only pay all your bills, but they will take care of you when you retire.”  We need to talk.

These days Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trump and Warren Buffett (not Jimmy) are saying that MLM/home based businesses are the wave of the future-now.  Regular jobs are old-school.  College Grads are getting out (sometimes with massive student debt) and finding that jobs are scarce, or worse yet, their majors are almost becoming obsolete.

It’s almost not SHOULD I GET A HOME-BASED BUSINESS, but WHICH ONE?

Benefits include, NO commute, work as hard or as little as you want.  Guess which one pays better…Also, no inventory (usually), no shipping, or at least very little.  And, you get paid on work you do today, for months, even years to come.  That is residual.  Time leveaging can also result when you spend time with one person who then reaches out to another and another and another.  Yes it can multiply and fast if you are in the right conditions.  

For those who read this that think I am gong to pitch my company, I am not right now.  You can find out what I am doin easy enough.  I do, however have some tools to help with your business, whatever it is.  You can check with me on that too.  I expect to see great Google results from what I am doing, to give a hint.

Aloha, and don’t read this while commuting!  Rick Emmerich

Update:  Today, Sunday the 21st of August the Star-Advertiser FINALLY printed a solid article written by Hawaiian champions who happen to be against the Rail.  The paper had chosen NOT to print my last Letter to the Editor so I stopped writing them.   PLEASE READ the article in the Insight section.  I have been saying many of the things they share in this article for months.

Obviously the authors and guys that are bringing the lawsuit to try to bring Oahu to its senses-to STOP Rail, have more credibility than I do.  Heck, one’s a past Governor, Ben Cayetano.  So, please read that section.  If then you are still FOR Rail, then I would suggest that you live nowhere near where all the devastation, traffic jams, ruining of the view and constant noise will be happening along the route.  Either that, or you are a contractor that is getting money from the project.

Honolulu Magazine has a great, and I feel fair article about the Rail Project here on Oahu. I know the Rail Pushers won’t like it, because it brings things into the light. I understand how they want to fall back on the flawed public opinion vote that showed that 53% favored rail a few years back. If intelligent people of Oahu see even a portion of the whole picture I am confident they will rise up in protest.  Maybe someday, MOST of the backroom dealings, the costs that WILL go up, and the agreements/contracts awarded or promised will come to light.

I disagree with my friend Doug Chin.  Here’s his statement FOR Rail.  “This is going to make our city look great.  This is how the next generation is going to transport themselves.”  (Check that statement against the article I have mentioned…..)

First of all, a man who has children, to me, should have a say in this.  I don’t have kids, but I am deeply concerned about the future this will impact.

Doug, when your children are in their mid-twenties, the Rail MIGHT be done.  If they happen to live near enough to a station and choose to ride it, it will then really depend on a number of factors.  If the stars align and it is convenient for them at that time, yay.  Good for them.  No matter what, they are going to be paying for it.  The cost increases, the maintenance, the delayed construction that always happens here, the lawsuits that are attempting to stop it, even the firms that will be spraypainting over the grafitti that is plastered on the columns.  These plus other issues await.

They will be in a severe minority, or perhaps 2% of Oahu residents who COULD ride regularly.  This is my guess based on the small population ‘out there’ combined with a bunch of factors.  How many live near enough to the proposed stations to make it work.  Will there be parking?  Will it cost every day?  Will those people give up their freedom to complete other errands after work, in town that day?  Will they agree to stand the whole way-a real concern?  When the Rail gets to town, how far is their job/business from that stop?  Will they need a cab?  What if it’s raining when they get there?

How many in Waipahu will have their lives negatively impacted by the squealing of the steel on steel wheels that Heavy Rail uses?  What about the Federal Courthouse.  Rail will go within feet of that structure.

And there’s a reason why the judges have avoided this lawsuit-they are all against the Rail plans to almost bump up against that huge Federal Building as it makes it’s route toaards Ala Moana.  Of course THAT trial will be in San Francisco.  Maybe Hawaiian Air will offer free roundtrips to the attorneys for the trial period.  (NOT)

Doug I respectfully disagree.  I think like in the Bible, we will be the foolish builder and Oahu will be laughed at for this huge folly.  The bill will keep  coming and coming and coming for future generations (the grandkids) as well.

Anyone that would like to see this project being brought more into the light, let’s get the word out.  The propaganda machine that pushed this through on the ballot has done great harm to the island already.

Aloha, Rick Emmerich

NOT brought to you by the Rail Pushers.

1.  Commute times on Oahu will NOT go down based on a common sense example of a person in Kapolei.

2.  Huge 50 foot concrete and steel towers throughout this gorgeous island, from Kapolei to Ala Moana-I mean am I the ONLY one who prefers palm Trees, the view of the ocean, or harbor, and the view of the mountains?

3.  Traffic times for the unfortunate car commuters will multiply as each chunk of the line is built.

4.  How many homes will be displaced and how many will have to suffer a lower quality of life with all the noise as they happend to live ‘too close’ to the steel rails.  (It’s OK, it’s only those people in Waipahu, right?)

5.  How many businesses will be displaced and what happens to all of those who can’t afford to rebuild/reopen?  Forced Retirement?  Welfare?

6.  Can we do without the aging infrastucture needs (water/sewer/roads) that we won’t be able to affford due to incredibly high and rising cost of the Rail debacle?  “Gotta finish Rail beter cut education, services, etc” Right?

7.  What will be done to increase the electricity available to accomodate the exponential increase to run the Rail?  Can you say Brown-out?

8.  The wallets opened to run the Propaganda Machine of the Rail Pushers, while a small, intelligent, hearty, but underfunded opposition did their best.  With no real leaders left, no magical big wallet and perhaps lesser federal funds as Washington comes to it’s senses, what possible solution remaisn but to dump the project?

To get more of the technical side of things and MANY great points from miserable Rail failures throughout the world, see my friend Panos and his blog.  I may take a litle break myself as it seems no one cares.  The Star Bulletin won’t print my recent leter to the editor and I choose to NOT dumb it down.  I want these points out there.    See Panos, (great solar article right now) and check his past articles on Rail.

http://www.fixoahu.blogspot.com