Hawaii Supreme Court ruling invalidates permit for construction of telescope on volcano
Not just any telescope, but the Thirty Meter Telescope, which would have been ground breaking in its capabilities. The construction permit has been yanked because Mauna Kea is “sacred land.”
Bah.
You know, if I had me some “sacred land,” you know what I’d do with it? I’d put a freakin’ telescope on it. What sort of religion holds that exploring the universe *isn’t* just about the most important thing you could do? Even if you were very, very religious… wouldn’t you think that Understanding God’s Creation (or words to that effect, translated into your religions terminology) would be just what your god would want you to be doing?
Bah.
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A number of years ago (15?) I saw some “true video” TV show that had hikers in Hawaii, either in a canyon or next to a cliff, being showered with rocks from way above. The realistic explanation? The rock walls are made out of structurally crappy lava rock, and it falls apart from time to time. Basically, Gravity Happens. But the *local* explanation was, IIRC, that some local pig-like deity didn’t like intruders and was chucking rocks at people. So the advice was Don’t Go There, and Appease The God.
I sat there and thought to myself… “Huh. That’s not what I’d suggest.”
If there was *truly* a local pig-god attempting to injure people… it’s time to grab a spear and a .50 Beowulf and go boar hunting. Sounds like the makings of one *hell* of a luau. Also sounds like Sæhrímnir escaped from Valhalla, so not only would you have one heck of a cookout, you’d have one heck of a cookout *every* *day* from here on out.