• Riptide signs need to stay up • Kaua‘i’s problems are bigger than plastic • Seek the truth • Mahalo for support Riptide signs need to stay up I have visited Princeville many times in late May through August and
• Riptide signs need to stay up
• Kaua‘i’s problems are bigger than plastic
• Seek the truth
• Mahalo for support
Riptide signs need to stay up
I have visited Princeville many times in late May through August and always enjoyed swimming in the usually very placid Princeville Bay during this season.
On May 27, for the first time, I saw a portable riptide warning sign jammed into the sand at the water’s edge. I had never experienced a riptide and was curious. Confident that I could get out of it by swimming parallel to the shore and also confident that my nearby adult son could assist me if I needed it, I swam out past the shore breakers, not noticing anything unusual. When I tried to swim straight in I realized I had quite a challenge. I made it straight in but only by getting quite a workout and arriving at the beach out of breath. I saw firsthand how people can easily panic or exhaust themselves in a riptide.
A bit later, at about 4:30 p.m. a lifeguard drove up and removed the riptide warning sign to the life guard truck. I asked him if the riptide had diminished. No, he said, it was just close to quitting time and time to lock up the signs!!
Wow!! I realize a portable sign might well be stolen even in lovely Kaua‘i. But with sunset close to 7:30 p.m. and some tourists just arriving around dinner time and rushing off to the bay for a swim, do you really want to pull out the riptide warning signs at 4:30 p.m.?
- Jonathan Reed
Las Vegas, Nev.
Kaua‘i’s problems are bigger than plastic
Susan from Hanapepe hit the nail right on the head, dead center, and drove the nail home so nicely and cleanly. Of course “the State is willing to rob its citizens even on a such a small scale.” Why not “weigh” the plastic, the cans, the glass bottles on the State’s scale rather than count them?
It’s the only scale there, right? Who is going to question the “Big State” official? No one need be held accountable when it comes to “government” running a program. They never are and, it seems, never will be. Not until someone stands up like you did, Susan, and questions them. More power to you for your initiative and courage. You attempted to correct a wrong and I applaud you, as do the vast majority of readers, I am sure, for your efforts.
But it will take more than just you, Susan. Our problems are much bigger than returning plastic, the cans, the glass bottles. Just look at our property-tax billing process. Voters vote for real tax relief through the legal process of petition and the ballot box during the 2004 General Election and win big time (13,000 ayes to 8,000 nays). What does “our government (?)” do? Kaua‘i’s elected mayor and council members en masse turn their backs on the voters’ decision and throw the election results into the Hawai‘i court system and sue the county to stop the voter’s “landslide victory.” Kaua‘i’s newly elected incumbent office holders decide to kill the voter’s legal actions for property tax relief by hiring O‘ahu lawyers to file a lawsuit (so it can be talked to death rather than survive) and we get to pay their O‘ahu “attorney friends” fees with our tax money. Why not? No one will be held accountable!
Just look at our solid-waste dilemma. The “Solid Waste Operations” in the Public Works Dept. gets a 66-percent increase in its budget these past two years and the county can’t figure out how to solve our garbage problem. Just think about this: Why is it that since 1993, after three mayors, seven council terms, 20 different councilmembers and hundreds in staff, numerous solid waste studies, over $1 million of tax payers’ money spent on studies and lawyers, our elected “servants” cannot even locate a new landfill site? Why should they? No one will be held accountable!
Now, let’s look around at other numerous, bigger catastrophe areas. Education. Susan, talk about “small scale” robbery. Look at the magnitude of thievery as our “government” steals from the “smallest of us,” from our children, the ones least capable of protecting themselves. The state is condoning the stunting, the maiming, the crippling of our children’s futures as long as the state allows the D.O.E. to continue stealing and manipulating tax moneys away from the classroom, the teachers and ultimately the children. And that is what is happening today! But then, why shouldn’t the state continue with their present policy? No one will be held accountable.
One can go on and on and on with examples, Susan. But who will listen. You did, thank God, and hopefully, other voters will this year. Register and vote to make them accountable. Aloha.
Seek the truth
“There was certainly no question of “sexual harassment” in the Clinton/Monica sexual fiasco. Monica was live, willing and able. Reasoning readers should read Sidney Blumenthal’s The Clinton Wars and Gene Lyon’s The Hunting of the President … or view the DVD.
These two men are brilliant, truthful journalists and their books are extremely important, easy to read, and well worth it. While you’re at it, please pick up Kevin Phillips’ American Theocracy. If you are halfway intelligent and even a little bit sane this one will keep you awake nights. It is imperative to question everything voices from the fanatic religious right tell you. Go to the source, seek the truth, and ignore the invective.
Mahalo for support
The family of the late Rudy P. Somera would like to thank everyone who has given their condolences, sympathy, support and paid their respect, with special thanks to the following:
Jack and Dede Wilhelm, Harold and Paula Rosa and family, Alvin and Rose Abalos and family; to Tim Lach of Street Eagles of Hawaii for the use of motorcycles during the recent ride for Rudy; George and Kathleen Langtad, Raymond Paler and family, the Machado, Rubio, Ganotis and Ventar families, Kathleen and Michelle of Malia’s Keiki Hale, Esther Ramos, Juanito Agni, Diego of Global Mortgage, Grove Farm, Garden Isle Health Care and housekeeping department, Wilcox Hospital emergency room and ICU staff and housekeeping department, Liberty Dialysis and staff. Carmen Guerrero and most especially to all bikers who participated.
- Elena Somera, Jeanelle “Benki” Ryan, Cory, Claudia, Cleo, Howard and the Sons of
Kauai
