• Living aloha • Thanks for your responsiveness, DHHL • Bribes • Candidates not ‘narcissists’ Living aloha The successful and much-needed Kupuna Expo event is another clear demonstration of the ways in which programs and activities for and by senior
• Living aloha • Thanks for your
responsiveness, DHHL • Bribes •
Candidates not ‘narcissists’
Living aloha
The successful and much-needed Kupuna Expo event is another clear demonstration of the ways in which programs and activities for and by senior citizens on Kaua‘i have been pioneered here on this island.
Accolades and expressions of gratitude should now be matched with concerted efforts in the public and private sectors to encourage and support similar projects of this magnitude.
The business and professional entities and establishments can play a major role in providing financial resources and assistance. Foundations should consider focusing some revenue to specifically aid our senior citizens with services and amenities. Opportunities to utilize the depth and breadth of the mana‘o of senior citizens should be emphasized.
Think of the positive impacts that may be derived by doing these things. Through these concerted efforts, we can reinforce intergenerational connectivity; we can set high standards of compassionate care for the elderly; we can lead the way in which we raise the consciousness of all in how to “live aloha” in the truest sense of the word.
Jose Bulatao Jr., Kekaha
Thanks for your responsiveness, DHHL
Mahalo nui loa to Kaipo Duncan of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and his management team from the grateful residents and visitors to the Aliomanu side of Anahola Bay for placing two porta-potties or portable toilets in the popular areas which had become serious public health hazards.
There’s an old saying; “When you gotta go, you gotta go” and the public went wherever they could and to a disgustingly filthy extent resulting in public health hazards littered with human waste and continuous horrible stench. But now with the two toilets, the cleaning and fencing of the “open latrine” areas all through the efforts of Kaipo Duncan and the DHHL, both the public and the Anahola-Aliomanu neighborhood are much safer.
Beach visitation will continue to grow, and more problems will result, but your actions indicate a growing awareness by government that public safety must keep up with challenges. So thanks very much, Kaipo, for being so responsive and please thank your DHHL colleagues too.
Donald Bodine, Anahola
Aliomanu Residents Association
Bribes
Another source of irritation to me is blaming big business for gaining a favored status through bribing our statist officials. As usual, the casual observer has got it backward. Overlooking human nature is definitely the problem. “All men live to pursue happiness” (First Postulate of Volitional Science) and “The Law of Least Actions” tells us that if a condition exists where one can achieve success by short cutting tedious and pains taking effort, this path will be a strong option. Big and small businesses are no exception to being effected by these natural principles. These principles along with the truism that our elected officials have no proprietary interest in economic efficiency on a plus and minus base apply, unlike a private business. Also gaining a profit is of no concern to our bureaucratic monolith.
We are sold on the fact that we are in control based on the vote. In actuality our vote counts for very little. We vote in the people (bureaucrats) that make the really important and crucial decisions, like Medicare, Social Security and other entitlements that eventually get out of control and cause irreparable harm to our economy. They embroil us in wars, foreign and domestic, further aggravating our economy. In addition, they legislate political laws and regulations making it more difficult for our businesses to compete with foreign competition (Anti-Trust laws, Consumer Protection, etc.) and to compete for our dollars. Our court system is no help because they are aligned with the state and support our, out of control, political system. And we complain because jobs are scarce these days.
We give them scads of money (taxes) and expect them to spend it wisely which is not in accordance with human nature as describes above. In reality they, like all of us, spend our wealth in ways that increase their own happiness, say, like appeasing the groups that will help them maintain their positions of power. They are killing us with “kindness.” We have ourselves to blame by supporting this stupidity.
Ralph Tamm, Lihu‘e
Candidates not ‘narcissists’
James Rosen might be interested to know that many candidates campaigned at great personal sacrifice, in an effort to steer the state away from big government and profligate spending. They did it out of a sense of duty to their families and their community. They should be thanked for their efforts rather than maligned as “narcissists.”
John Burns, Princeville
