• Deja vu (all over again) • Maybe try Kansas • Put blame where it belongs • When the dead vote Democratic • Semper fi • Notable bonsai Deja vu (all over again) Ed Stein’s recent cartoon of George W.
• Deja vu (all over again)
• Maybe try Kansas
• Put blame where it belongs
• When the dead vote Democratic
• Semper fi
• Notable bonsai
Deja vu (all over again)
Ed Stein’s recent cartoon of George W. Bush in a graveyard touched a nerve with some Forum readers. One vented by taking it out on The Garden Island for publishing it. Another alluded to a plot by sinister “left-wing hate mongers.” Personally, I experienced a resurgence of suppressed memories I thought were gone forever.
The war in Iraq is affecting all of us, but just know one thing (or remember it if you are old enough).
Those arguments are old news.
As a Vietnam veteran, it disturbs me to see America going through all of this again. Once again, thousands of soldiers are enduring multiple tours, being maimed or paying the ultimate price in a controversial war.
I heard a song recently by John Fogerty (formally of Creedence Clearwater Revival) called “Deja Vu (All Over Again).” His lyrics have an uncanny relevance. After a personal in-depth research of the war in Iraq, I think he (and others like him) got it right back in the ’60s and has it right again.
I was called names much worse than “hate monger” when I returned home in 1971 regardless of how I felt about Vietnam. My opinions did not count much with the White House either. This time I had something to say about Iraq and said it in the midterm elections. I think they got the message loud and clear.
I wish people would stop the name calling and promotion of opinion censorship. They stand a better chance of getting their point across if they just say what is on their mind in a civilized manner.
If only an unbiased, full spectrum 2006 survey of our combat troops was available.
It would have more influence on me than all the president’s men.
Vincent Cosner
Lihu’e
Maybe try Kansas
So, the writer of the letter “Election Day woes” (Letters, Nov. 12) blames everyone but herself for her failure to vote.
Not only is she the epitome of those who choose to be victims (usually of themselves) she takes a cheap shot at tourists by characterizing traffic as being the result of the tourist “infestation.”
Talk about biting the hand that feeds.
Without tourists Kaua‘i would have no economy at all. If the letter writer hates tourists that much she should move somewhere else.
Kansas might be a good choice for her.
Wally Roberts
San Clemente, Calif.
Put blame where it belongs
I am sorry that Pat Hunter-Williams (Letters, Nov. 11) is not better informed regarding what Gov. Linda Lingle tried to do regarding the education system in this state.
Lingle tried to get the bulk of the education funds to go to each county so that the local officials could decide how to use the state education funds, but the Democrats in the Legislature defeated her.
So don’t blame our governor who was trying to get the money to the local schools. Put the blame where it belongs, on the Democrat-controlled Legislature. They seem to want to keep the bulk of the money in O‘ahu with the bulk of it going to officials of the Department of Education, not the teachers and the facilities.
Gordon “Doc” Smith
Kapa’a
When the dead vote Democratic
Yep, those Democrats really turned out the vote.
Most of the races nationally were settled within a 1 percent to 3 percent margin, the closest in my lifetime but you will not hear about that in the papers — no siree they now call this squeaker a “mandate.”
When the various precincts found out that the important races were tied or that the Democrats (God forbid) were behind — then the polls were held open for an hour or two and lo’ and behold buses of Democrats arrived from nowhere and presto. They won. You can check the voter records and see the tremendous late hour surges by Democrats in hotly contested states — it’s amazing.
Republicans, you have to hand it to these people, politics is their religion. Anyone who can get dead folks to vote two or three times are hard to beat. Maybe we should give up. If dead folks are voting Democratic maybe they know more than we do.
Jim Holbrook
Koloa, Hawai‘i
Semper fi
Thank you so much for the articles you have done on my Dad, Bud White, he is my favorite veteran and my hero. I could not be prouder of this fine United States Marine.
Lois Elders
Seabrook, S.C.
Get checked for diabetes
This is a reminder to everyone that November is American Diabetes Month.
With 20.8 million people in our country afflicted with diabetes and roughly 6.2 million of those undiagnosed, it is important to recognize the impact that this illness has on the current and emerging health of our nation. Diabetes is easily detectable by your primary care physician.
For more information on diabetes check out Diabetes.org and take the risk assessment test that they have available. If you have concerns that you may have diabetes, talk to your doctor.
Raymond Martinez
(Kuhio Medical Center)
Lihu‘e
Notable bonsai
Kaua‘i Bonyu Kai’s own Eddie Levinthol, born and raised in Kapa‘a, recently received word that he’d won high honors for his bonsai skills.
A picture of Eddie’s superb Chinese banyan bonsai was entered recently in a worldwide bonsai contest sponsored by Bonsai Today magazine, the top publication of its kind in the United States.
A panel of international judges awarded Eddie a third place in the non-professional division, truly a notable feat, in light of the several hundred entries from all over the globe.
Eddie has the distinction of being the first bonsai artist from Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i to place in this prestigious contest.
Congratulations Eddie, for your tremendous achievement. You have put Kaua‘i Bonyu Kai and all of Kaua‘i on the world bonsai map.
Abe and Linda Machado, Tandu and Uma Sivanathan, Lance Laney, Claude Joseph, Sylvia Fujii, Sam Lee
