Hawaii and Global News

Benjamin David Wilson discovered and named Big Bear Valley, California, after the bears that he roped and teased

admin — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:48:06 +0000

It’s too bad we don’t know more about native Americans. We tend to recount history from the time the Europeans arrived, but then the indigenous peoples were without a written history to hand down, so there you go.
We do know that tribes of these people who predate the Europeans used the Big Bear area as a summer hangout and hunting ground. It must have been beautiful then—even the swampy areas-- with its pine trees and meandering streams, before the dam filled valley, just some prime real estate overall.
In the early 1800’s the nearby town at San Bernardino was settled by Mormons in the vicinity of the Spanish mission. When, in the 1840's, the San Bernardino area was hit with a series of earthquakes, the native tribe began to believe the earthquake activity was punishment meted out by the Great Spirit. He must be angry with them for allowing the white man to move onto the land. Thus began the raiding of ranches in the settlement of San Bernardino. There is some really nice Big Bear real estate that is there for sure.
The tribes stole the ranchers' cattle and destroyed their crops and barns by lighting them on fire. By 1845 the Indians would raid under the cover of night and flee back into the mountains before dawn. Benjamin David Wilson took a posse of men went on horseback over what is now Cajon Pass and pursued the Indians through Lucerne Valley. The Indians fled over the mountains but Wilson and his men followed.
Then they saw it. They never did catch the wily Indians, but they found a lovely valley full of bears. It is said Wilson and his boys roped and taunted the bears. Upon their return to their settlement in San Bernardino, Wilson named the valley Big Bear Valley. Not exactly a PETA approved event but today this is some of the best real estate in the whole state.
Benjamin David Wilson eventually became the mayor of Los Angeles. That’s where Mount Wilson got its name.
Big Bear's first ski lift was installed in 1949 at Snow Forest. Snow Summit resort began serving tourists 3 years later

Choose Hudson New York Real Estate For Your Vacation Home – Here’s Why

admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:37:21 +0000

Hudson New York real estate offers a peaceful, natural atmosphere you rarely see
today. The landscapes are exquisite considering you have the Catskill Mountains,
plenty of forest and countless lakes all rolled in to one gorgeous canvas. It reminds me of Maui or Big Bear. If
you're thinking about some place old-fashioned and a bit nostalgic to buy or build a
primary or vacation home, consider this real estate.

If you live in the city and are looking for a secluded spot for a weekend or
vacation home you will find this area ideal. Just 90 or so miles away, this
beautiful area offers everything from gently rolling hills and mountainous terrain
to tracts of land that are lakeside for those who enjoy the water. The forests
offer plenty of privacy, as most tracts of land offer the cover of plenty of trees
if you prefer a bit of intimacy and solitude. I also really love Big Bear and Maui real estate too.

This brings us to another point; whether you are looking for a small piece of land,
say a couple of acres, or you want a spacious 12 or 15 acres, the choice is yours.
You may be dreaming of building that "old" farmhouse somewhere amidst the trees, or
a cozy little cottage just a stone's throw from one of the many lakes may be more to
your liking. That's the great thing about this - there are
so many choices, your hardest decision will be just where to put that "old" new
home, reminds me of Maui, Hawaii and of course the aformentioned Big Bear, California..

While it seems almost impossible to imagine, you can find all of the fishing,
kayaking, skiing, mountain climbing and trail hiking you could ever want even this
close to New York City. While Hudson New York real estate is in close proximity to
the city whenever you need to commute back and forth, you will feel as though you
are a world away. You also have to dig Maui and Big Bear real estate This quiet, private area boasting of charming and
character-filled "old" new homes will take you back in time to a century ago.

We've been talking a lot about the "old" new homes that dot the landscape of Hudson
New York real estate, but what do we mean by that? New, but build reminiscent of
those in the early 1900s, these homes are built using lots of salvaged and reclaimed
wood. Many offer wood stoves or stone fireplaces, while some have huge country
kitchens, wrap around porches and claw-foot tubs. Sound amazing? It truly is.
Come see for yourself why you should choose Hudson New York real estate for your
vacation home, like Big Bear.

Health Insurance in Hawaii should be a model to the nation

admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:39:54 +0000

I just got back from NC, time to write again: Hawaii is nothing if not a progressive state. For example, beginning in 1974, Hawaii has required all employers to provide health care benefits insurance to any employee who works twenty hours a week or more.
If they can provide reasonable plans in Hawaii, why can’t we do the same in the rest of the country? The Aloha state has done it successfully for thirty-five years! I know in NC and other states, for example just try to get health or NC health insurance for long term care and disability in North or South Carolina via your company and see about it, just making that comparison. I am not picking on any state such as NC specifically it is just because I was recently there.
According to an article that appeared in the New York Times in 2009, under the headline, “In Hawaii’s Health System, Lessons for Lawmakers,” Cory Lum reported that, “Among the most important lessons is that even small steps to change the system can have lasting effects on health. Another is that, once benefits are entrenched, taking them away becomes almost impossible. There have not been any serious efforts in Hawaii to repeal the law, although cheating by employers may be on the rise.”
Lum also reported that in a state where the cost of living is extremely high compared to the mainland and the median price of a home is among the highest in the nation health insurance premiums are nearly tied with North Dakota for the lowest in the country, and Medicare costs per beneficiary are the nation’s lowest.
I’m sure since Lum wrote the article in 2009 this could have changed some, but I suspect, not much.
Of course, if you need some specialty treatment like prolotherapy injections for a sports injury it may not cover it, but unless you are an athlete or something you may not need prp or prolotherapy injections overall. Whay I am I talking about prolotherapy? Anyway, moving on:
Lum noted that Hawaii residents live longer than people in the rest of the country, and this could be due in part to the state’s health care system. Hawaii has the nation’s highest incidence of breast cancer, Lum writes, but the lowest death rate from the disease.

Hawaii Real Estate Lags but National Commercial Real Estate Up

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:57:07 +0000

It is ggod to be back to Mauai after my trip to Denver, CO., time to blog again: The forecasts for gloom and doom in the commercial real estate market in recent years may have been greatly exaggerated.
The Blackstone Group, L.P. is an alternative asset management and financial services firm with expertise and resources in private equity, real estate, investment strategies, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), restructuring. While Maui real estate and the greater Hawaiian real estate market outside of Mauai may indeed be lagging a bit, on the whole national commercial real estate is eeing an uptrend.
It was reported in the financial media this week that Blackstone Group LP, the world’s largest private-equity firm, released fourth-quarter profit statement which reflected a 56 rise percent as the value of its real estate investments.
Jason Kelly reported the story for Bloomberg today, Feb. 3, 2011, under the headline; “Blackstone Profit Rises 56% as Real Estate Gains.” Luxury real estate such as scottsdale golf courses and Phoenix country clubs may be making arebound as well and it does seems as if the demand for desert country Scottsdale golf courses is quite high.
Kelly reports that Chief Executive Officer Stephen Schwarzman, co-founder of Blackstone Group LP, discussed the fund’s investments in leveraged buyouts and the forecast for initial public offerings. Schwarzman had an interview with Erik Schatzker for Bloomberg Television's "On The Move," straight from the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. All in all, the results have been somewhat uneven. For example, when I was in Denver, and Lakewood, CO. recently I noticed that many Denver Co Electrical contractors firms had not responded as of yet but of course for it's part Denver, CO. is not tied to the national average as much as more mainstream areas are. All in all I guess the demand for things such as Dedicated circuits and Dimmers or other Electrical Contractors things are down overall. Here on Mauai as I said is a whole different story altogether.
Last quarter’s results beat the 30-cent average estimate given by seven analysts in a Bloomberg survey. Kelly cites a statement released by Blackstone claiming that profit, which did not include certain costs associated with Blackstone’s 2007 initial public offering, climbed to $512.7 million, translating to 46 cents a share, from $329.4 million, or 29 cents, the year prior.
Kelly notes that Schwarzman’s firm is benefiting from a rebound in commercial real estate, and from higher values tied to its leveraged buyout holdings, such as Hilton Worldwide Inc.

Alternative Energy Prices Coming Down

admin — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 22:03:35 +0000

I just returned to San Carlos and San Francisco to look at property by auto but it is in interesting to me that the state of Hawaii has become a national leader in the field of alternative energy, which should help repair the budget. I think the plan to power much of Honolulu from wind farms on outer islands connected by underwater cables is one of the progressive such programs around. It sure beats oil and natural gas. In my home state, for example, the utilities companies are all about the natural gas including in San Carlos plus San Francisco. On that note, by the way, this San Carlos auto repair is quite excellent:
Meehleib Automotive
501 Old County Rd # B
San Carlos, CA 94070
(650) 594-1128
Some international locations depend less on fossil fuels. italy for example is largely hydroelectric companies. I needed this when I was there and luckily I had Skype downloaded on my internet phone so for me the international calls from cell phone were actually free, which is really cool. Speaking of that, Do you ever wonder what we could have accomplished in the way of making ourselves independent of foreign oil and natural gas and at the same time having a cleaner environment if alternative energy had the same subsidies as the oil companies? I do, especially after seeing the michigan natural gas prices during my last visit back home to michigan a couple of years ago.
All in all, it is actually quite depressing when you think of the stranglehold that industry has had, but their party won’t last forever, unless they themselves lead the way in this alternative energy arena, which i think they probably will, anfd that will benefit all of us as a matter of fact.
An exciting article written by Marc Roca for Bloomberg News was posted November 11, 2010, under the headline, “Alternative energy costs keep falling; Solar power and biofuels to challenge gasoline by 2020.”
Roca cites a report out by Boston Consulting Group Inc which says advanced biofuels and solar-thermal power are getting less expensive to generate and could become competitive by 2020. I think they would do wind farms in San Francisco except property is so expensive there, a finite amount of land. I know because my friend is a San Francisco auto repair manager he told me the scoop about it, as well as in San Carlos. All in all I would hope that this company has a good lawyer because these days everyone should have a corporate business, patent, contract and trademark attorney overall.
According to the report, Ethanol made from sugar-rich grasses and other non-edible substances may challenge gasoline by the end of the decade. Costs of solar-thermal projects that use sunlight to heat fluids that in turn run turbine, could see a 50% reduction in price.
Roca quotes Balu Balagopal, Petros Paranikas and Justin Rose, the authors of the report, as saying, "Technologies in some alternative energy sectors are approaching inflection points

Family Law – Help for Difficult Situations

admin — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 21:20:12 +0000

I jusy returned to Hawaii fafter my trip to Seattle to see an attorney and am getting back in the writing mode over here. Family Law is a big issue here in Hawaii, which has one of the highest abuse rates in the country. There are a number of unfortunate situations which can impact families. This can include
various types of abuse, divorce, child support, custody, and other difficult situations. Family law addresses many of these situations and sets rules concerning how they should be dealt with as part of the
legal system.
A very common use of family law is in divorce cases. Many laws were enacted to set
policies regarding how a divorce is to be instituted; how property could be split; custody
and visitation issues; and child support.
These laws are designed to protect families and help to minimize the emotional and
financial impact to a family. Divorce is an extremely emotional situation and it
unfortunately impacts children a great deal. This is a big issue in Seattle, for example.

The laws which apply to divorce are created on a state by state basis. Therefore there can
some big differences in how a particular state handles divorces. For example some states
have taken a “no fault” approach to divorce.

It used to be that in order to obtain a divorce in family law court, someone had to show cause either from
adultery or irreconciliable differences. This was good if you were a family law attorney obviously but could otherwise be a hindrance overall. With a divorce from a no fault state, it is not
necessary to show cause. There are procedures involved and waiting periods as well. And the laws are designed to handle any financial and child support and custodianship issues. Switch topics briefly if you reside in Kalamazoo, Michigan and are in need of a first rate Kalamazoo Divorce attorney then I suggest these said Law offices as they are very good for Divorce, child custody and of course family law. He is a very good such Attorney in Kalamazoo.

These laws help to ensure that things are managed based on the best interests of the
children. There are attorneys which specialize in family law and they are usually the best
resources for obtaining helpful advice or support.

More Signs point to Economic Recovery on Oahu and Kauai

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:57:59 +0000

In some possibly good economic news for Hawaii in general, and Oahu, Kauai and the big island in particular,
things seem to be picking up in places like Honolulu, Oahu. For example, while many individuals are said to be hurting financially (and I know that many indeed are), I have also tended to observe, especially on Oahu, that traffic seems to buzz along, people seem to be buying things—even homes? I have also heard that the kauai vacation rentals is up, and let me tell you, when individuals start to travel to Oahu and Kauai again and even buy vacation rentals, then you sort of realize that at least some are recovering financially—if they were ever really hurting. In addition to Kauai vacation rentals, I have heard that new and used car sales are up all over Oahu.
Furthermore, the respected media publication 'Hawaii NewsNow' has likewise reported that generally speaking, tourism is up in a story under the headline; Oahu summer visitor numbers up thus far from last year. All in all, this particular article was posted on Jul 02, 2010 by one Holly Juscen. Referring to Rimpac, the worlds largest maritime exercise, US Naval Officer, Sean Daniels said of bringing 20,000 military personal to Hawaii for the summer; "We got here last week, and we were one of the first ships to pull in and there weren't very many people here....."
Juscen reports that Alamo car rental has seen big business the past two weeks. She notes that on this 4th of July weekend several of Oahu's used rental car business are sold out, and business is spreading itself around town.
Juscen quotes David Pay, a Waikiki vendor, as having commented that, "Compared to last summer, it wasn't that good last year...." In my opinion, this is a very good Oahu used cars for Infinity.
Everyone in question is hoping that the said recovery keeps its head of steam up. Juscen says the tax revenue will be greatly appreciated.
Let’s us all sincerely pray for peaceful and prosperous days ahead!

The Meaning of Family and Traditions

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:51:24 +0000

As you probably already are aware, each and every family has its own unique traditions. This is especially true in Hawaii where the cultural and ancestral roots go way back but is true whether you are in Seattle or anywhere else. They are handed down, but continually developed through the generations. They are like touchstones that we are drawn to like the Swallows are drawn back to Capistrano. This is a leading Seattle injury attorney and also an accident lawyer, as well.
Family traditions come in many forms. Perhaps it is a tradition in your family to serve in the military. The force of that tradition may make you may feel as though you are betraying the family if you do not join up. Or perhaps you come from a family that has a history of attending a beloved college. Or maybe you come from a big family in a long line of big families and feel that you have let the family down if you do not want a big family of your own. Of course, in modern society, it could be something as simple bags. For some other folks it might even be a messanger. Switching gears for a second, if you are in Seattle and find yourself needing a San Diego child custody attorney who does divorce and other cases as well then let me point you to this firm, an outstandind family law and divorce attorney in Seattle overall.
All in all, however, whether we like it or not, family gives us a framework in which to relate ourselves, and through it, to the rest of the world.
Ernest W. Burgess, Professor of Sociology, University of Chicago, has been quoted as saying, “Whatever its biological inheritance from its parents and other ancestors, the child receives also from them a heritage (of their unique) family culture”.

Big Island General and Real Estate News

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:01:52 +0000

On the Big Island of Hawaii, some people are heartsick and angry about a plan to cut down a big old banyan tree on Alii Drive on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. They say the “church men don't see that that glorious banyan tree does not belong to them, it belongs to everyone who has driven by and enjoyed its beauty.” They say to cut down the beautiful tree to put up a “greasy parking lot” is a tragic and selfish thing. They say it's part of Kona and part of them. “Its branches have shaded us for 100 years, it watched Kona grow up around it and saw little shacks blossom into modern (Big Island of) Hawaii.” Island Gregory, and island resident, also said that it is the definitive hypocrisy to destroy the “glorious tree” and using the wood from it to build a church. He feels it already is a church. Gregory said, “Shame on you Christians who, once again, in the name of God, are destroying God's beautiful creations.” Hawaiian lands are not only sacred to those who have long roots in The Islands. Seems the land, the fish, the animals, and even the trees come to be sacred to those whose roots are not so long, too. As an aside , if searching for Big Island Real Estate then might I recommend this resource, it is top notch.
Water can be scarce even on an island in the middle of the sea. Hilo County of the Island of Hawaii is considering a law to give the police the power to protect the drinking water supply from squander and misuse by watching for water waste at emergency water spigots.
The County Council would limit water to 55 gallons per day and require the use of containers no larger than 55 gallons. They also want to set penalties of up to $500 and 30 days in jail for individuals drawing more than the allotted 55 gallons of water a day.
Water use would still remain on an honor system and no meters are planned.Civil Defense Administrator Quince Mento says, "We're not in any way saying you can't take it for drinking water -- it will still be a free service," Mento said.

Kauai Realtors talk about Tax Credit initiative

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:42:00 +0000

In Kauai and big island real estate related news, in an article by the Kauai Board of Realtors answered some frequently asked questions such as 'What is the tax credit for first-time homebuyers?'
An eligible homebuyer may request from the IRS a tax credit of up to $8,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price for a home. If the amount of the home purchased
— Who is eligible for the FTHB tax credit?
Anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the previous 36 months, prior to closing and the transfer of title, is eligible. This applies both to single taxpayers and married couples. In the case where there is a married couple, if either spouse has owned a primary residence in the last 36 months, neither would qualify. In the case where an individual has owned property that has not been a primary residence, such as a second home or investment property, that individual would be eligible.
As mentioned above, the tax credit has been expanded so that existing homeowners who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years are now eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500. So far, all of this has not affected Big Island Real Estate much.
— How do I claim the credit?
For those taking advantage of the tax credit in 2009, you may choose to either apply for the credit with your 2009 tax return or you may apply for the credit sooner by filing an amended 2008 tax return with Form 5405 www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf.
— Can you claim the tax credit in advance of purchasing a property?
No. The IRS has recently begun prosecuting people who have claimed credits where a purchase had not taken place. A lot of folks on the Big Island apparently did this type of thing.