• Fired up over Hanalei development • Somethin’ happenin’ here? • Fix it right • Suicide prevention is possible, takes work • Spirituality • A good day for Kimo • Fired up over Hanalei development Mahalo to The Garden Island
• Fired up over Hanalei development • Somethin’ happenin’ here? • Fix it right • Suicide prevention is possible, takes work • Spirituality • A good day for Kimo •
Fired up over Hanalei development
Mahalo to The Garden Island for its nice coverage of the community meeting in Hanalei with the Ohana Real Estate Investors (OREI) about their plans to develop the land and ridge above Hanalei River (TGI, Nov. 15).
As a participant at the meeting I would like to add three things.
First, at one point during the meeting a vote was taken about whether there was support for the development. Out of a crowd that was well over 400, two people raised their hands in support; the rest voted a resounding “No.”
Second, the presentation by OREI was very slick and filled with well-crafted public relations concepts, phrases and visuals. But it was clear that the crowd did not buy it, that they heard shibai. For example, imagine this as a tradeoff: you get a fishpond, we get to destroy the Hanalei Ridge with dozens of high-priced homes and build a resort.
Three, I hope the OREI representatives covey to Mr. Omidyar what I heard at that meeting and what I have heard since. This is a group that will grow, it will build in its determination, and its tactics will reflect a complete dedication to prevent the Hanalei Ridge from being developed.
One of the speakers put it well when he said that he felt sorry for the developers because they did not seem to understand what they were up against. From what I heard during that meeting and since, I couldn’t agree more. Just like during the Obama campaign, “Fired up! Ready to go!”
John Brekke
Ha‘ena
Somethin’ happenin’ here?
I read The Garden Island newspaper every day, mainly for the letters to the editor section. I write in myself from time to time when I find compelling subjects or comments.
I always try to keep in mind that those offerings are from non-professional, creative writers who are responding to situations or other opinions and these comments are not the entire story.
The rest of the newspaper is supposed to present factual, substantiated information that does address all available facts, and not just one side of any story.
That being said, this is in response to Nov. 16 headline, “County HR manager indicted for theft, falsifying records,” with a smaller headline of “Indictment stems from gas audit, alleges Rapozo aided Carvalho in the theft of gasoline.”
I feel the mayor should have free access to all the fuel he needs, both for personal and business use, and will personally fill his tank anytime the public fund cannot support this.
I wish to support solutions rather than attacks. We need education through factual information.
Greg Dorst
Kapa‘a
Fix it right
I have been an appliance repairman for 40 years. My natural inclination is to fix things. As I look at the state of national affairs today, nothing seems to be working right. One hardly knows where to begin the repair. May I suggest tax reform?
The income tax discourages investment and productivity. It penalizes exporters who must add the cost of taxes into the price of everything they export. People with high incomes are leaving the United States in droves to avoid income taxes. Working people have up to 25 percent of their income confiscated before they even get their paychecks. The IRS intrudes into our private affairs. We waste hundreds of billions of dollars and millions of hours every year, in compliance costs. People who are not entitled defraud the system for undeserved refunds. Hundreds of billions in revenue from the underground economy and tax cheating is left on the table.
The FairTax changes everything. Because it is a tax on consumption, it sidesteps that entire list of evils associated with the income tax. The FairTax, however, goes beyond mere reform.
Sometimes when I am called upon to repair an appliance, the cost exceeds the value of the unit in question. That’s what’s happening with the income tax today.
The income tax cannot be repaired. It must be replaced. Of all the plans being discussed on Capitol Hill, only the FairTax can bring the kind of fundamental and comprehensive change that will allow for a permanent fix.
David Boone
Houston, Minnesota
Suicide prevention is possible, takes work
I have been working to bring suicide prevention efforts to Kaua‘i for nine years. I attended the Tools for Life suicide prevention conference on O‘ahu last Wednesday, Nov. 14.
It is amazing to see teenagers taking part in suicide prevention efforts at their schools through the Braveheart project and T.O.P.S.
Watching these kids share photos, theater presentations and T-shirt projects while hearing how much they know about suicide prevention was very inspiring.
I hope to see our kids on Kaua‘i doing the same as soon as possible.
O‘ahu is demonstrating how increased knowledge among our teens and public awareness efforts are reducing suicides. Kaua‘i has many more suicides, almost double, and is second in the state for the most suicides.
Suicide prevention is possible. May we all work together to empower our youth so they will survive and succeed in life.
Thank you to Queen Lili’uokalani Children’s Center for recognizing the importance of this matter and continually working to help the kids of Kaua‘i.
Carla Hart
Anahola
Spirituality
To continue the dialog in the Forum, Buddhism is not a religion. It is only methods, antidotes and healing remedies to be put into practice by the sangha or teachers and practitioners of what the Buddha taught 2,600 years ago.
Faith, or trust that it works, is based on the fact that if practiced it removes the pain and suffering of one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dis-ease.
The basic cause of all dis-ease is the idea of a self or soul existing separately from everyone and everything else. In reality, when the natural mind or wisdom consciousness or awareness is operating in union with the natural world through practice, then you have absolute healing of the human condition at all levels of existence.
This is what we call Buddha.
Lama Tashi Dundrup
Kaua‘i Dharma
Healing Center
Kapa‘a
A good day for Kimo
My father always said, “It was a good day if he didn’t see his name in the obituaries.”
I always thought that sounded so ridiculous. Now that I’m nearing the big 6-0 and seeing on a regular basis many friends and associates leaving us, I too say, “It’s a good day when I don’t see my name in the obituaries.”
On the contrary, it’s even a better day when I see my name in the Letters section.
James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapa‘a
