To go along with my whale theme, I thought it would be relevant if I blogged about the Killer whale that was beached on October 22, 2008 in Poipu, Kauai. The beach was closed by government officials as soon as the whale was discovered. At around 9:30 a.m. offficials decided to get the whale out of the water and euthenize it. I don't know how much of an effort was exerted in trying to save this whale, but I really hope it was a good amount. It is so sad when you have to kill something so beautiful just to get it out of its misery.
A good 500 people watched as the whale was taken out of the water. The poor whale was sick, and they decided that if they put it in the water again, it would just be like throwing a baby in the water and asking it to swim, it would die. The female whale was said to have beached itself so that it could breath better. They ended up euthenizing it, and it made me really really really really really sad. The poor whale had scrapes on its stomach from wwashing up against the coral, and bites out of it from sharks. That was the other reason they needed to get it out of the water as soon as possible, they didn't want any sharks to start eating it.
Although death is a part of life, it is not one that should be premature. I feel like the whale had so much more life in her and it is too bad that she got sicck.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Budget Cuts...AGAIN
You would think that the government has cut enough money from schools already, but apparently they haven't. The state of Hawaii just approved another $50 million from the budget last night. Despite the fact that students and teachers pleaded with the board to not make another budget cut, they ended up doing it anyway and tons of students are going to suffer from it.
I don't really understand how the state thinks that the education system should be any less funded in this state. The public education system here is ridiculous. Back where I am from, our public school system is just a notch below the private school system. Here, there is a huge descrepancy between the private and public schools.
Money for textbooks and learning materials are being denied to teachers seeking help with their students. How is this alright with the government? How are students supposed to learn if they don't have the tools readily available for them to learn with?
We sit here and wonder why there is such a difference in public and private school educations in Hawaii, well I think that the budget cuts have a huge part in that. Students need textbooks, they need teachers that have the capabilities of helping them. Without those things, students cannot succeed.
Maybe we should stop cutting back on public education, and start putting money into the kids that need it the most.
I don't really understand how the state thinks that the education system should be any less funded in this state. The public education system here is ridiculous. Back where I am from, our public school system is just a notch below the private school system. Here, there is a huge descrepancy between the private and public schools.
Money for textbooks and learning materials are being denied to teachers seeking help with their students. How is this alright with the government? How are students supposed to learn if they don't have the tools readily available for them to learn with?
We sit here and wonder why there is such a difference in public and private school educations in Hawaii, well I think that the budget cuts have a huge part in that. Students need textbooks, they need teachers that have the capabilities of helping them. Without those things, students cannot succeed.
Maybe we should stop cutting back on public education, and start putting money into the kids that need it the most.
The Whales Are Here!!!
Does that excite anyone else besides me? I think that it should, if it hasn't already. The humpback whales are making their way back to the islands of Hawaii, and they have been spotted off the shores of Maui and the Big Island. The captain of a fishing boat claims that he saw two different groups of whales on his way to and from Maui on a fishing trip.
The beautiful Humpback whales may cause a bit of a stir though. There have been several workshops offered to sailors in Hawaii about how to man a ship when there are whales in the ocean. Not only is the state trying to prevent harm to the whales, but they are trying to prevent the whales from unintentionally harming the boats themselves.
Humpback whales are huge, ranging from thirty to fifty feet in length, sometimes longer. They are not small like Orca's, and therefore they pose a larger threat to boats at sea if they do not know how to sail.
I always get excited when I get the chance to see whales. Not everyone in their lifetime can say that they got to see migrating whales. It is a beautiful thing, but it is also something that people need to approach with care. Knowing how to operate a boat so as to not harm themselves or the whales is very important. So make sure, if you are going to be driving a boat anytime soon, you know what you are doing.
The beautiful Humpback whales may cause a bit of a stir though. There have been several workshops offered to sailors in Hawaii about how to man a ship when there are whales in the ocean. Not only is the state trying to prevent harm to the whales, but they are trying to prevent the whales from unintentionally harming the boats themselves.
Humpback whales are huge, ranging from thirty to fifty feet in length, sometimes longer. They are not small like Orca's, and therefore they pose a larger threat to boats at sea if they do not know how to sail.
I always get excited when I get the chance to see whales. Not everyone in their lifetime can say that they got to see migrating whales. It is a beautiful thing, but it is also something that people need to approach with care. Knowing how to operate a boat so as to not harm themselves or the whales is very important. So make sure, if you are going to be driving a boat anytime soon, you know what you are doing.
Gas Gas Gas
Gas. I am so sick of hearing about gas prices, and off-shore drilling, and all these different solutions to the gas crisis. The fact of the matter is this: Gas prices are not going down anytime soon so we just need to get used to it.
Since I have moved to Hawaii, I have learned that everything is ten times more expensive then it is on the mainland, gas included. It's five dollars for a gallon of milk, and four dollars for a gallon of gas. That is just ridiculous to me. Gas on the mainland was $3.55 when I left in August. Gas has been over four dollars ever since I've been here, until recently. No wonder why my parents told me I needed to save money, everything is more expensive here.
How are we supposed to fill up our cars and eat AND pay our rent, with the cost of living being so high? It is near impossible! I don't have any mode of transportation except for the bus, but I am thinking about getting a car or a moped. Obviously a moped would be a much more economical vehicle and much more cost efficient. One tank of gas lasts for sixty to ninety miles, as opposed to a car, where you get twenty miles to the gallon, if you are lucky.
Needless to say, I am so happy that prices are dropping, but I am almost positive they will be going back up in no time flat.
Since I have moved to Hawaii, I have learned that everything is ten times more expensive then it is on the mainland, gas included. It's five dollars for a gallon of milk, and four dollars for a gallon of gas. That is just ridiculous to me. Gas on the mainland was $3.55 when I left in August. Gas has been over four dollars ever since I've been here, until recently. No wonder why my parents told me I needed to save money, everything is more expensive here.
How are we supposed to fill up our cars and eat AND pay our rent, with the cost of living being so high? It is near impossible! I don't have any mode of transportation except for the bus, but I am thinking about getting a car or a moped. Obviously a moped would be a much more economical vehicle and much more cost efficient. One tank of gas lasts for sixty to ninety miles, as opposed to a car, where you get twenty miles to the gallon, if you are lucky.
Needless to say, I am so happy that prices are dropping, but I am almost positive they will be going back up in no time flat.
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