SUBHEAD: Members of KIUC are not going let a corrupt board operate their cooperative like Enron.
By Ray Songtree on 9 January 2014 in Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2014/01/vote-no-on-kiuc-corruption.html)
[IB Publisher's note: This is the text of a planned full page ad in The Garden Island News scheduled for Monday, 13 January 2014. Note that the title and subhead of this article were added by IslandBreath.org and not by Mr. Songtree. It is our opinion that the KIUC management is a corrupt body.]
Image above: Mr. Burns, the Electric utility owner, looks out the window at protesting customers. From The Simpsons (http://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey).
In a Coop, is there political manipulation or open communication? A sincere Board would offer a mediation process that was public and video taped. KIUC would rather attack the opinion of at least 10% of the members with underhanded divide and conquer strategies.
In a repeat of the disgraceful manner in which KIUC misrepresented the FERC-FreeFlow petitioners in 2011, and spent your money to hide the issues from you, KIUC once again has not informed Kauai the reasons why a new ballot is before us now. KIUC relies on lack of information to get their way.
The internet has changed the world, and KIUC needs to wake up and change also. The public now has a chance to have as much expertise as anyone, because all of us can see a wide spectrum of research on any topic. The old way of managing the public with dictates is over with. Now the public will manage the leaders or leaders will be exposed as manipulating deceivers.
At KIUC, incredibly, new Board Directors are not told about RISKS at KIUC. Thus, lack of transparency becomes the blind default culture at KIUC where denial and backroom plotting reigns. The game is monopoly at KIUC, not honesty, openness and cooperation. This began with the buy out of Kauai Electric in which attorneys represented their “clients”, not the people of Kauai, and made us all debt slaves.
Consider that a certain KIUC Board Director was elected for ten years using Filipino votes. These votes were won by spending KIUC membership money on a project in Cabugao Philippines as a demonstration of... Filipino solidarity? Why was this particular town picked?
We have right to know. General membership funds were spent to win over one racial block vote for someone who the other Board Directors made the Chairman. So all were complicit in this political manipulation for ten years. Naming names isn't appropriate. The whole administration failed us.
After I made this observation public on KauaiTruth.com two years ago, KIUC had The Garden Island News and KIUC staff erase any history on the web, of a sister coop in Cabugao. “Hide it.” Was something dishonest going on that is now being covered up? All expenses at KIUC should be open to scrutiny, otherwise we don't have a Coop, we have the mafia.
Has KIUC been transparent? What are the terms of the Federal contract with “Smart” Grid? If KIUC is a member owned Coop, why are the terms kept hidden from us? How many of Board has even seen the terms?
With this institutionalized dishonest corporate culture at KIUC, lets look at the controversy over the opt-out fees.
If “Smart” Meters have saved money, then 30,000 accounts should have received a monthly discount, and those who opted-out of a “Smart” Meter would be left with a higher monthly bill. Simple. But that never happened because the infrastructure and data analysts for “Smart” meters, cost more than the traditional system. No savings. No lower bills.
KIUC “education” was just campaign promises handed to them by a federal program that looked attractive because it too made promises... that were false. Until KIUC realizes this, KIUC is just repeating lies.
There will be no savings, because the cost of “Smart” Grid is more expensive than what we have been told. The truth has been hidden. And so, your bill will just increase while KIUC keeps telling you, “We are saving money.”
The globally organized plan is that soon we will be forced to buy “Smart” appliances, and KIUC will manage them remotely with their wireless “Smart Meters”, and tell you, “This is not invasive! This is for you to save money!” But your bill will increase.
“But this is efficient!” For who is it efficient and at what cost? “Efficiency” now means top/down control over others.
Privacy - KIUC says that “Smart” Meters are not a breach of privacy. Of course they are a breach of privacy because they collect personal data. Now we are no longer secure in our own homes. (Fourth Amendment) KIUC doesn't even know what the abilities of Smart Meters are. How could they, when KIUC doesn't own the software!
Safety - KIUC has repeated the fallacy that “Smart” meters are safe.
Of course they are not safe, because the FCC standards are based on whether a device (or even a cancer causing cell phone tower) heats your body (Specific Absorption Rate – SAR) not on whether a new technology causes headaches, insomnia, dizziness, makes your bones brittle, effects your hormone levels, and will eventually cause disease.
Over 1800 peer reviewed studies at Bioinitiative.org prove that extremely weak wireless frequencies will, over time, cause genetic disease and cancer. Not sometimes, but guaranteed. The wireless industry, such as AT&T, hides dangers from us. Facts are also hidden by Science Institutes funded by industry. The internet is now where your doctor goes for medical research. You can also.
Of course wireless is dangerous if Apple Inc. quietly warns, in the fine print, to keep your IPhone 5/8 inch from your ear, so that Apple won't be liable when you get a tumor.
Then of course, wireless devices like “Smart” Meters, which are 100 to 800 times stronger than your cell phone, are dangerous. (Stopsmartmeters.org/ 2011/04/20/ daniel- hirsch-on-ccsts-fuzzy-math/)
Of course, if you are waking up now between 3 AM and 5 AM, like many others on Kauai, with your head ringing from “Smart” Meters, they are dangerous!
Or course, if your neighbors' “Smart” Meter is using your house wiring like a giant antenna, surrounding you with new
frequencies that interfere with your cell metabolism, they are dangerous!
But since KIUC will not look at this research or connect these dots, the dots don't exist, right? Wrong. Disease is increasing. Something is wrong.
The FCC has a revolving door between industry and its own leadership positions. The FCC, like the USDA, is now an industry front. Your mobile phone isn't safe; your food is no longer safe. Anyone who does the research about rising incidence of autism and Alzheimer’s, knows something new in the last three decades is killing us.
We saw asbestos trumpeted as the new miracle, we saw lead in gas, and we were told second hand smoke was safe, and now KIUC is saying dangerous “Smart” Meters are not dangerous. To say there are no risks for an untested brand new technology is perfectly irresponsible. By never mentioning risks, KIUC is being criminally negligent.
So far 10% of members did their own research and opted out. You will opt-out too when you realize that the health risks with “Smart” Meters are so substantial that lawsuits will surely be the result.
Because data is being collected without our “right to know” who is using the data, privacy lawsuits are coming also.
If you want to avoid paying for KIUC's legal defense, as these lawsuits roll out worldwide, you should opt-out. Pesticides will be outlawed. Dangerous wireless devices will be banned. It doesn't matter how much money industry or utilities spend to hide disease, they can't hide it.
If you keep a “Smart” Meter on your home, like a deer in the headlights paralyzed, KIUC will bill you for their legal fees!
If you opt out of a “Smart” meter, you will sleep better and not have to pay for these coming lawsuits. You will be a plaintiff on the right side of history.
Be smart, opt-out. And now that you have opted out, do you think you should pay a levy on the services you have already been paying, for over ten years?
KIUC has tried to split the membership into unselfish and selfish members. Imagine a Board playing divide and conquer with its own membership, when the issue was how they make decisions! Rather than listen, they smear. This shows how arrogant and anti-democratic KIUC has become.
Kauai Transparency Initiative suggests voting NO on the present ballot if you are tired of KIUC corruption. Vote NO if you think both sides of an issue should always be presented on a ballot. And write to me to get a copy of new protest petition. KauaiTruth@gmail.com
Until KIUC openly presents the down-side risks of every issue, we cannot trust anything they say.
Until then, we are being played like fish. Don't take the bait. Vote No More BS and let's mandate a new chapter of transparency and respect on Kauai.
To see original copy of ad click here (http://www.islandbreath.org/2014Year/01/140110tgiad.pdf).
• Kauai Transparency Initiative International believes that human nature is loving. “Right to know” leads to informed choice which leads to local stewardship. When government and industry are honest and open with citizens and consumers, people will naturally choose health for themselves and future generations. A mother protects her child. KTII exists to help causes that work for transparency and disclosure. The goal is an informed loving society on Kauai and afar.
"Unfair Wording" Petition to KIUC
SUBHEAD: Partial text of a proposed full page 2nd ad including a petition to nullify the KIUC Board rewording of Smart Meter charge ballot wording.
By Ray Songtree on 10 January 2014 in Island Breath -
This Petition calls for a nullification of Jan 25 Opt-Out Fee Ballot as the wording was not representative of the Petitioners' position. This Petition summary above outlines the types of corruption that enabled the unfair ballot and offers solutions.
The present ballot was worded by KIUC to specifically hide from the Kauai public, mountains of research that is known worldwide about wireless dangers and privacy invasion. The online documentary "Take Back Your Power" (TakeBackYourPower.Net) needs to be discussed.
In a controversy, the hiding of controversy is denial and runs counter to the mass awakening we need to create a healthy future.
.
By Ray Songtree on 9 January 2014 in Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2014/01/vote-no-on-kiuc-corruption.html)
[IB Publisher's note: This is the text of a planned full page ad in The Garden Island News scheduled for Monday, 13 January 2014. Note that the title and subhead of this article were added by IslandBreath.org and not by Mr. Songtree. It is our opinion that the KIUC management is a corrupt body.]
Image above: Mr. Burns, the Electric utility owner, looks out the window at protesting customers. From The Simpsons (http://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey).
“First, there must be a sufficient demonstration that implementation of the smart meter programs will actually produce a net economic benefit to customers. Second, customers must be afforded a meaningful and fair opportunity to opt-out of smart meter installation without being penalized by unwarranted and excessive costs.” – Michigan Attorney General Bill SchuetteKIUC is spending tens of thousands of dollars of your money on expensive post cards, email campaigns and internet and radio spots, to hide the real issues at KIUC and sabotage a legitimate challenge to their decision making process. The check and balance mechanism of the petition option has been replaced by bad faith. For this reason the present ballot is being challenged by a second petition.
In a Coop, is there political manipulation or open communication? A sincere Board would offer a mediation process that was public and video taped. KIUC would rather attack the opinion of at least 10% of the members with underhanded divide and conquer strategies.
In a repeat of the disgraceful manner in which KIUC misrepresented the FERC-FreeFlow petitioners in 2011, and spent your money to hide the issues from you, KIUC once again has not informed Kauai the reasons why a new ballot is before us now. KIUC relies on lack of information to get their way.
The internet has changed the world, and KIUC needs to wake up and change also. The public now has a chance to have as much expertise as anyone, because all of us can see a wide spectrum of research on any topic. The old way of managing the public with dictates is over with. Now the public will manage the leaders or leaders will be exposed as manipulating deceivers.
At KIUC, incredibly, new Board Directors are not told about RISKS at KIUC. Thus, lack of transparency becomes the blind default culture at KIUC where denial and backroom plotting reigns. The game is monopoly at KIUC, not honesty, openness and cooperation. This began with the buy out of Kauai Electric in which attorneys represented their “clients”, not the people of Kauai, and made us all debt slaves.
Consider that a certain KIUC Board Director was elected for ten years using Filipino votes. These votes were won by spending KIUC membership money on a project in Cabugao Philippines as a demonstration of... Filipino solidarity? Why was this particular town picked?
We have right to know. General membership funds were spent to win over one racial block vote for someone who the other Board Directors made the Chairman. So all were complicit in this political manipulation for ten years. Naming names isn't appropriate. The whole administration failed us.
After I made this observation public on KauaiTruth.com two years ago, KIUC had The Garden Island News and KIUC staff erase any history on the web, of a sister coop in Cabugao. “Hide it.” Was something dishonest going on that is now being covered up? All expenses at KIUC should be open to scrutiny, otherwise we don't have a Coop, we have the mafia.
Has KIUC been transparent? What are the terms of the Federal contract with “Smart” Grid? If KIUC is a member owned Coop, why are the terms kept hidden from us? How many of Board has even seen the terms?
With this institutionalized dishonest corporate culture at KIUC, lets look at the controversy over the opt-out fees.
If “Smart” Meters have saved money, then 30,000 accounts should have received a monthly discount, and those who opted-out of a “Smart” Meter would be left with a higher monthly bill. Simple. But that never happened because the infrastructure and data analysts for “Smart” meters, cost more than the traditional system. No savings. No lower bills.
KIUC “education” was just campaign promises handed to them by a federal program that looked attractive because it too made promises... that were false. Until KIUC realizes this, KIUC is just repeating lies.
There will be no savings, because the cost of “Smart” Grid is more expensive than what we have been told. The truth has been hidden. And so, your bill will just increase while KIUC keeps telling you, “We are saving money.”
The globally organized plan is that soon we will be forced to buy “Smart” appliances, and KIUC will manage them remotely with their wireless “Smart Meters”, and tell you, “This is not invasive! This is for you to save money!” But your bill will increase.
“But this is efficient!” For who is it efficient and at what cost? “Efficiency” now means top/down control over others.
Privacy - KIUC says that “Smart” Meters are not a breach of privacy. Of course they are a breach of privacy because they collect personal data. Now we are no longer secure in our own homes. (Fourth Amendment) KIUC doesn't even know what the abilities of Smart Meters are. How could they, when KIUC doesn't own the software!
Safety - KIUC has repeated the fallacy that “Smart” meters are safe.
Of course they are not safe, because the FCC standards are based on whether a device (or even a cancer causing cell phone tower) heats your body (Specific Absorption Rate – SAR) not on whether a new technology causes headaches, insomnia, dizziness, makes your bones brittle, effects your hormone levels, and will eventually cause disease.
Over 1800 peer reviewed studies at Bioinitiative.org prove that extremely weak wireless frequencies will, over time, cause genetic disease and cancer. Not sometimes, but guaranteed. The wireless industry, such as AT&T, hides dangers from us. Facts are also hidden by Science Institutes funded by industry. The internet is now where your doctor goes for medical research. You can also.
Of course wireless is dangerous if Apple Inc. quietly warns, in the fine print, to keep your IPhone 5/8 inch from your ear, so that Apple won't be liable when you get a tumor.
Then of course, wireless devices like “Smart” Meters, which are 100 to 800 times stronger than your cell phone, are dangerous. (Stopsmartmeters.org/ 2011/04/20/ daniel- hirsch-on-ccsts-fuzzy-math/)
Of course, if you are waking up now between 3 AM and 5 AM, like many others on Kauai, with your head ringing from “Smart” Meters, they are dangerous!
Or course, if your neighbors' “Smart” Meter is using your house wiring like a giant antenna, surrounding you with new
frequencies that interfere with your cell metabolism, they are dangerous!
But since KIUC will not look at this research or connect these dots, the dots don't exist, right? Wrong. Disease is increasing. Something is wrong.
The FCC has a revolving door between industry and its own leadership positions. The FCC, like the USDA, is now an industry front. Your mobile phone isn't safe; your food is no longer safe. Anyone who does the research about rising incidence of autism and Alzheimer’s, knows something new in the last three decades is killing us.
We saw asbestos trumpeted as the new miracle, we saw lead in gas, and we were told second hand smoke was safe, and now KIUC is saying dangerous “Smart” Meters are not dangerous. To say there are no risks for an untested brand new technology is perfectly irresponsible. By never mentioning risks, KIUC is being criminally negligent.
So far 10% of members did their own research and opted out. You will opt-out too when you realize that the health risks with “Smart” Meters are so substantial that lawsuits will surely be the result.
Because data is being collected without our “right to know” who is using the data, privacy lawsuits are coming also.
If you want to avoid paying for KIUC's legal defense, as these lawsuits roll out worldwide, you should opt-out. Pesticides will be outlawed. Dangerous wireless devices will be banned. It doesn't matter how much money industry or utilities spend to hide disease, they can't hide it.
If you keep a “Smart” Meter on your home, like a deer in the headlights paralyzed, KIUC will bill you for their legal fees!
If you opt out of a “Smart” meter, you will sleep better and not have to pay for these coming lawsuits. You will be a plaintiff on the right side of history.
Be smart, opt-out. And now that you have opted out, do you think you should pay a levy on the services you have already been paying, for over ten years?
KIUC has tried to split the membership into unselfish and selfish members. Imagine a Board playing divide and conquer with its own membership, when the issue was how they make decisions! Rather than listen, they smear. This shows how arrogant and anti-democratic KIUC has become.
Kauai Transparency Initiative suggests voting NO on the present ballot if you are tired of KIUC corruption. Vote NO if you think both sides of an issue should always be presented on a ballot. And write to me to get a copy of new protest petition. KauaiTruth@gmail.com
Until KIUC openly presents the down-side risks of every issue, we cannot trust anything they say.
Until then, we are being played like fish. Don't take the bait. Vote No More BS and let's mandate a new chapter of transparency and respect on Kauai.
To see original copy of ad click here (http://www.islandbreath.org/2014Year/01/140110tgiad.pdf).
• Kauai Transparency Initiative International believes that human nature is loving. “Right to know” leads to informed choice which leads to local stewardship. When government and industry are honest and open with citizens and consumers, people will naturally choose health for themselves and future generations. A mother protects her child. KTII exists to help causes that work for transparency and disclosure. The goal is an informed loving society on Kauai and afar.
"Unfair Wording" Petition to KIUC
SUBHEAD: Partial text of a proposed full page 2nd ad including a petition to nullify the KIUC Board rewording of Smart Meter charge ballot wording.
By Ray Songtree on 10 January 2014 in Island Breath -
This Petition calls for a nullification of Jan 25 Opt-Out Fee Ballot as the wording was not representative of the Petitioners' position. This Petition summary above outlines the types of corruption that enabled the unfair ballot and offers solutions.
The present ballot was worded by KIUC to specifically hide from the Kauai public, mountains of research that is known worldwide about wireless dangers and privacy invasion. The online documentary "Take Back Your Power" (TakeBackYourPower.Net) needs to be discussed.
In a controversy, the hiding of controversy is denial and runs counter to the mass awakening we need to create a healthy future.
- We members of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative challenge the unanimous Board decision of Dec 17, 2013 which approved wording for Opt-Out Fee Ballot (that will end collecting of those votes on Jan 25th)... The wording of Opt-Out Fee Ballot was not approved by Opt-Out Fee Petition Committee because the wording does not explain the reasoning behind the petitioners' effort. Therefore the ballot was not fair and this present petition calls for nullification of that ballot and apology from KIUC for unfair presentation of issue.
- We call for an open debate on Smart meter cost effectiveness, privacy invasion, and health risks... that is, another ballot with both sides of issues presented. We suggest that before another ballot about opt-out fees comes out, that KIUC show the film "Take Back Your Power" in Waimea, Koloa, Lihue, Kapaa, Kilauea and Hanalei to be followed by debates/discussions between petitioners and Board Directors. (Board Directors have had this DVD for six weeks, and public can see it online for $2.99 at www.TakeBackYourPower.net)
- We challenge the assumption in Board Policy 32, E. 3) that says KIUC Board can override any ballot disagreement at it's “sole discretion”... Every petition would be due to a disagreement, and one side of disagreement cannot have “sole discretion” to override the other. A mediation protocol that is videotaped for TV public review would allow for more membership involvement. Only in the case when an openly aired discussion could not solve a dispute would a ballot be needed.
- We challenge the assumption in Board Policy 32, E. 4) that states: "The Ballot for the approval of any Challenged Action shall contain an objective summary of the substance of the Challenged Action..." This wording assumes that KIUC management and Board, with its claimed "sole discretion", can make an objective summary of an action against them. This is illogical. An objective summary is not possible when the challenge is about sound judgement. Therefore both sides should be able to present their argument, for or against a position, in the wording of any ballot. Wording should be fairl and educational, not designed to smear.
- We call for overhaul of Policy 32 to include a mediation procedure prior to need for an expensive ballot. This reworking of policy 32 should be publicly recorded and input from membership actively encouraged. Lawyers paid to consolidate power and make membership an adversary of management should not be involved.
- We challenge KIUC making their position in present ballot the "yes" choice. Psychologically this plays to peoples loyalties and hopes. The choices should be A or B, not yes or no. "A" needs to be the challengers' position as this is their ballot. The underdog should be favored, not sidelined. We want diverse input, not monopoly.
- We call for end of membership paid electioneering by KIUC. Policy 32 should state that there is ban on electioneering. There should be no electioneering with radio, email, internet, newspaper or any other media that requires money or KIUC staff. Paid Board Directors are also dis-allowed to campaign. Rather, we suggest six public debates as per #2 above, so that public can readily get familiar with the issues. The audio, video and transcript of these fair educational events where informed choice replaces propaganda, should be downloadable from KIUC website and sent to all media outlets and blogs on Kauai. Youtube for permanent documentation would be pono. Also, KIUC should not endorse any new candidate for Board Director position as this is sets up a publicity bias which works against new voices.
- We call for ban on KIUC employees representing KIUC Board Policies. Our elected representatives should be the only KIUC spokespersons at any meeting or public presentation or press release. We don't want to see the CEO or any other managers standing in for our elected officials. Our relationship is with our elected officials, not hired hands. Our Board Directors are accountable to us and need to be up front, at attention. That is their job.
- We call for fairness and respect in form of reimbursement to members who win in a dispute. When Board loses a dispute with members, KIUC should re-imburse petitioners or court challengers for all their expenses, as these members have correctly used the check and balance system of participatory democracy to insure KIUC is a working and robust Cooperative, as per the 2nd Principle of a Coop from KIUC website. We call for retroactive reimbursement, going back to the first petition in 2011 and also the injunction by Adam Asquith. Those Petitioners and plaintiff won those argument by law, despite being sabotaged by ballot wording and an expensively leveraged campaign against them, and in Asquith's case, KIUC spending money on an expensive attorney who said before the federal judge that he welcomed more litigation, as he would make more money. KIUC should encourage open sincere discussion so that these expenses and disputes are rarely needed in future.
- We call for a check and balance system of participatory decision making that insures open and transparent discussion of issues. To further this goal, we call for videotape broadcast of all KIUC Board meetings, just like County Council does, and online polls to gather membership opinion and trends. Polling cannot be open to KIUC employees or their families. Due to past manipulations, these polls should be managed by a third party. This will be far less costly than ballots.
- We call for an end of all confidentiality agreements at KIUC except in the case of privacy of employees and members, and closed bids for competing contractors. On an island with no competing utilities, in a utility that is member owned, confidentiality agreements only protect corruption. We call for an end to secrecy and an end to the corporate culture of fear at KIUC.
- We call for a review of wage scales and perks at KIUC. An open community discussion about salaries at KIUC, that compares the salaries of Mayor, Police Chief, and Fire Chief with KIUC positions is needed. KIUC employees should work for the membership, not to get ahead of everyone else on island with their own bloated wages. This is Kauai.
- We call for an end to all charity donations by KIUC. KIUC is a utility, not a political machine that derives loyalty through buying favor. It is not the purpose of a utility to choose for the public who does and does not get charity support. Our monthly power bill should be as low as possible, and not inflated by administrative whims and designs.
- We call for an online poll to decide whether Kauai Currents magazine should continue at all. As of now Kauai Currents is just a promotional tool for loyalty to KIUC leadership and staff. Rather, updates can easily be included in mailed monthly bill, instead of a costly glossy PR magazine. We call for an end of any desire to socially engineer the people of Kauai. Instead we call for honest information and opportunity for informed choice.
- We call for Board Directors to stop spending $9,000/year each in travel costs, and organize conference video technology instead. With that saved money, their stipend can be increased as we expect Directors to interact more with public in a new era of community involvement.
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