Locals oppose eBay founder's plans for Hawaii dairy

Kauai, Hawaii

IF PIERRE Omidyar gets his way, 699 dairy cows will soon enjoy a glorious view of the Pacific Ocean, framed by a pristine beach. Mr Omidyar, the founder of eBay, wants to build a dairy farm on the island of Kauai.

He is one of many technology billionaires who have established a presence in Hawaii, which is only a five-hour flight from Silicon Valley. Others include Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder, who bought all but a tiny amount of the island of Lanai and turned it into a resort - investing millions, but frustrating some islanders by driving up rents - and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, who was called a "neocolonialist" after he sued some locals over beachfront land that he bought. (He dropped the suits.)