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Serpents in Eden

Serpents in Eden

Here in Serpents in Eden, a look at the evils that assail us. (This site being about us and for us, I feature these clips in the hope of fostering understanding and finding solutions.) At the top of anyone’s list hereabouts is homelessness. This has become a cancer on the soul of our community, and it causes us to look through and around the ugliness without engaging the human beings within. But having a roof over one’s head is problematic for most of us here, as is the onerous cost of living, the chump-change wages, the dismal jobs and manini economy. We vote with our feet, and we have seen off more than 100,000 of our own to the Ninth Island, and more and more follow as more than half our college graduates leave for the mainland. All the same, we are overrun. There are more than 300,000 military personnel here (bless their hearts) attached to 14 major installations that occupy large amounts of our best land and contribute little to a healthy economy or community. (Until recently, this included the island of Kaho’olawe for the U.S. Navy’s target practice.) And, we are overrun by a kinder and gentler calamity, as our “hospitality industry” brings on a flood tide of visitors, more than 10 million a year before the pandemic shut the place down. (Remember how nice, driving round the island and seeing nobody on the road, empty beaches, fish coming back?) But I digress. These days, there are just too many people here, and fewer and fewer of them are us.

There are answers, but these require evolution, not revolution. A new manufacturing economy is flourishing, as our community’s astonishing creativity takes Hawaii’s home-made stuff to a welcoming world. Beyond that, building a knowledge-based economy holds promise as a way to stem the exodus of our best and brightest, and give us the wealth to put right all that has gone wrong here (see Our Future).

Umi ia inui ke aho. – “Press Hard and Take a Long Breath.”

Index

The Homeless • Extreme Hospitality • The Military • Development • Cost of Living • The Iceman Cometh • Hawaiians Agonize

the homeless

“Hawaii’s Homeless Have Few Places to Go – ‘The Don’t Know What to Do With Us'” (4:47)

“Prescribing Hope: A Homeless in Hawaii Special Report” (29:46)

“The Homeless Problem in Hawaii Could Be Driving Tourists Away” (2:18)

NIMBY Worsening Hawaii’s Housing Crisis (2:31)

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“Talking with the Homeless in Honolulu (1 of 10)”

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“Talking with the Homeless in Honolulu (2 of 10)” (3:08)

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“Talking with the Homeless in Honolulu (4/10)” (6:48)

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“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, (1/6)” (8:56)

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“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (2/6)” (5:31)

"Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (3/6)"

“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (3/6)” (3:58)

"Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (4/6)"

“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (4/6)” (3:42)

"Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (5/6)"

“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (5/6)” (5:09)

"Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (6/6)"

“Talking with the Homeless in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii (6/6)” (13:46)

"Homeless in Hawaii Documentary 2018" (22:12)

“Homeless in Hawaii Documentary 2018” (22:12)

"Hawaii: Living on the Edge in Paradise?"

“Hawaii: Living on the Edge in Paradise?” (35:40)

videos: modern Hawaii |"Homeless in Hawaii?"

“Homeless in Hawaii?” (3:40)

"Homeless in Hawaii: Documentary 2017"

“Homeless in Hawaii: Documentary 2017” (1:13:44)

"Homeless in Paradise: Hawaii's Growing Problem" (3:18)

“Homeless in Paradise: Hawaii’s Growing Problem” (3:18)

"How Homelessness Hurts Hawaii (Sharing My Experience)" (8:02)

“How Homelessness Hurts Hawaii (Sharing My Experience)” (8:02)

"Tackling the Everyday Crisis of Homeless in Hawaii" (3:14)

“Tackling the Everyday Crisis of Homeless in Hawaii” (3:14)

"Why Are There So Many Homeless in Hawaii?" (5:09)

“Why Are There So Many Homeless in Hawaii?” (5:09)

"Homeless Crisis Update | Insights on PBS Hawaii" (56:46)

“Homeless Crisis Update | Insights on PBS Hawaii” (56:46)

"Homeless in Hawaii" (5:42)

“Homeless in Hawaii” (5:42)

"No Room in Paradise (Trailer)" (2:20)

“No Room in Paradise (Trailer)” (2:20)

Homeless in Hawaii

“Homeless in Hawaii” (16:25)

extreme hospitality

“Oahu’s Leeward Side Has No Tourists, Hawaii” (22:10)

“Hawaii to Tourists: Malama Our Land and Culture. Tourists: What’s Malama?”

“What Local Hawaiians REALLY Think About Tourists on Maui” (6:38)

“20 Things NOT to Do When Visiting Hawaii” (22:24)

“8 Mistakes Tourists Make in Hawaii” (7:30)

“We Were Shocked – Waikiki’s Ugly Side” (14:21)

“Japan’s Hawaiian Resort” (14:56)

“TikToker Exposes the Dark Side of Tourism” (3:45)

"Insights on PBS Hawai'i: Is Hawai'i a Dangerous Destination?"

“Insights on PBS Hawai’i: Is Hawai’i a Dangerous Destination?” (56:46)

"Maui: Too Many Tourists"

“Maui: Too Many Tourists” (1:05)

"Several Native Hawaiian Organizations Ask Leaders to Stop Prioritizing Tourism."

“Several Native Hawaiian Organizations Ask Leaders to Stop Prioritizing Tourism” (3:10)

"What Do Hawaii's Locals Think About Tourists?"

“What Do Hawaii’s Locals Think About Tourists?” (4:54)

"The Effects of Tourism in Hawaii"

“The Effects of Tourism in Hawaii” (2:26)

"Tourism: The Fate of Maui" (2:50)

“Tourism: The Fate of Maui” (2:50)

"How the Hawaii Tourism Authority Hopes to Promote Responsible Tourism to the State"

“How the Hawaii Tourism Authority Hopes to Promote Responsible Tourism to the State” (2:06)

the military

“Pohakuloa: Sacred Hawaiian Volcanoes Under Siege” (14:41)

“A Day in the Life of a Private – Story Four – Range Day – Infantry in Hawaii” (11:11)

“The Truth About Being Stationed in Hawaii” (21:16)

“How the Army Got to Bomb Hawaii for $1” (11:24)

"The American Military Invasion of Hawaii in 1893" (13:37)

“The American Military Invasion of Hawaii in 1893” (13:37)

"Soldier in Hawaii" (26:35)

“Soldier in Hawaii” (26:35)

"Military History of Hawaii" (46:10)

“Military History of Hawaii” (46:10)

"Hawai'i Occupied: Armies on Neutral and Sacred Land" (29:51)

“Hawai’i Occupied: Armies on Neutral and Sacred Land” (29:51)

videos: modern Hawaii |"Bill to End Military Lease"

“Bill to End Military Lease” (2:52)

"Is Hawaii In a State of War?"

“Is Hawaii In a State of War?” (17:04)

"Reclaiming Kaho'olawe: History of Bombing" (5:55)

“Reclaiming Kaho’olawe: History of Bombing” (5:55)

"Army Desecration of Burials Angers Native Hawaiians" (6:08)

“Army Desecration of Burials Angers Native Hawaiians” (6:08)

"Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawaii" (2:07)

“Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawaii” (2:07)

development

"Sustainable Development and Culture - Sabra Kauka"

“Sustainable Development and Culture – Sabra Kauka” (28:53)

"Developing Hawaiian Land"

“Developing Hawaiian Land” (10:37)

"Developing Hawaiian Land, Volume Two"

“Developing Hawaiian Land, Volume Two” (9:39)

"Insights on PBS Hawai'i: Housing or Agriculture: Which Does Hawaii Need More?"

“Insights on PBS Hawai’i: Housing or Agriculture: Which Does Hawaii Need More?” (56:48)

cost of living

“How Much Does It Cost to Live in Hawaii? The Cost of living in Hawaii 2022” (6:12)

“The TRUE Cost of Living in Hawaii” (9:01)

“Cost of Living in Hawaii – How Do People Make It?” (6:07)

"Paradise? The Realities of Life in Hawaii"

“Paradise? The Realities of Life in Hawaii” (13:48)

"Hawaii's High Cost of Living Hurts Locals the Most - 'They Can't Afford the Rent'"

“Hawaii’s High Cost of Living Hurts Locals the Most – ‘They Can’t Afford the Rent'” (2:15)

"Who Are Hawaii's Working Poor? | Insights on PBS Hawaii"

“Who Are Hawaii’s Working Poor? | Insights on PBS Hawaii” (56:45)

"Insights on PBS Hawaii: How Can We Help Hawaii's Working Poor?"

“Insights on PBS Hawaii: How Can We Help Hawaii’s Working Poor?” (56:48)

"Honolulu is the Worst City If You Make Minimum Wage"

“Honolulu is the Worst City If You Make Minimum Wage” (0:49)

"Why Can't Hawaiians Afford to Live in Hawaii?"

“Why Can’t Hawaiians Afford to Live in Hawaii?” (7:57)

videos: modern Hawaii |"Real Hawaiian Families Share Their Stories: Finding Ohana"

“Real Hawaiian Families Share Their Stories: Finding Ohana” (7:24)

“Quality of Life on Oahu | Insights on PBS Hawaii” (56:46)

The iceman cometh

“Merrell: A Meth Addict’s Story of Truth at Habilitat Hawaii Long-Term Substance Abuse Program” (11:21)

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“ICE: Hawaii’s Crystal Meth Epidemic” (27:19)

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“Ice – Hawaii’s Crystal Meth Epidemic” (0:43)

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“Fentanyl from Mexican Cartels Coming into Hawaii as Overdoses Rise” (2:44)

crime

“Premo Rice Talks About Pimping in Hawaii” (29:22)

“Corruption in Hawaii: Talk Story with John Waihe’e” (42:04)

“Gangs in Paradise: Mafia and Crime in Paradise”

“Increasing Violence in Hawaii” (16:16)

hawaiians agonize

“Hawaiians Are Not American” (3:16)

“Why Hawaiians Hate White People” (3:55)

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“How Can the Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands Better Serve its Beneficiaries?” (56:34)

"Meet the Native Hawaiians Fighting U.S. Occupation"

“Meet the Native Hawaiians Fighting U.S. Occupation” (6:26)

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“White Supremacy Disguised in the Hawaiian Kingdom” (2:03:00)

other

“15 Things I Hate About Living in Hawaii” (16:20)

“The Worst Part About Living in Hawaii” (32:06)

“What Sucks About Living in Hawaii” (6:14)

“5 Things We Hate About Living in Hawaii” (20:19)

“20 Cons About Living in Hawaii” (20:05)

Visit Our Videos of Hawaii Society!

P.S. If you have a taste for history, we invite you to our companion site WisdomMaps.info. It’s history as you’ve never seen it!