• Message needs to be sent • ‘Critical appraisal’ Message needs to be sent Let’s see. Last year there was one person killed in an auto accident per 8,700 residents in Los Angeles and this year there will be one
• Message needs to be sent
• ‘Critical appraisal’
Message needs to be sent
Let’s see. Last year there was one person killed in an auto accident per 8,700 residents in Los Angeles and this year there will be one person killed per 5,772 residents on Kaua’i. That makes Kaua’i more dangerous than Los Angeles on our roads of death.
Why don’t we all thank the ineffective and laughable county council and Mayor for all they’ve done for their people? From allowing overbuilding and failing to build a much-needed infrastructure to handle the traffic conditions that kill, to overtaxing and sueing the people they represent.
This group of clowns still wants to be rewarded by being re-elected. The only thing they need now is a one-way ticket to private life where they can fail only themselves. In the next election may the rest of us vote for anybody but them. The message sent to our new representatives would be profound, and it follows they will care just a little more about the will of the people.
‘Critical appraisal’
I hope that Dennis Chaquette enjoyed mimicking my letter. What I don’t understand is his inference that I am an opponent of the 1st Amendment. I certainly don’t object to efforts by The Garden Island to push KIUC towards greater transparency. What I object to is hit-piece journalism that selectively uses facts to generate controversy. A Sy Hersh exposé this coverage was not.
To my eyes, Andrew Gross reached a conclusion without first testing its hypothesis. While not stating it directly, he made stark allusions that the expenses of the board of directors were to blame for Kaua’i paying some of the highest energy costs in the nation. Never mind that these expenses were less than 1 cent for every $3 taken in. Never mind that it would be impractical to ship mountains of cheaper coal to Hawai’i. Never mind that oil prices have doubled on the world market.
If you follow the course of his articles, what started as reasonable coverage turned into a personal crusade against KIUC. I find that inappropriate. As a reader, I want to be given full information and context to make my own decision, rather than have it be shaped for me.
The purchase of the gas grill is questionable. But as far as KIUC’s renting a home to the new CEO, it’s really not that hard. Anyone who acquires a home to rent is looking to get ahead by having their tenant(s) pay the mortgage for them, essentially purchasing it for them. It amazes me that people are screaming Enron when KIUC is managing to have the CEO *buy us* a house!!! Talk about a role reversal.
The bottom line is that we need to be critical appraisers of all the information we receive, whether it be from Faux News, from KIUC, or from The Garden Island.
‘Beauty’ is astounding production
Once again, the magician, Arnold Meister, with the help of an army of devoted, hard-working citizens of Kaua’i, young and old, has brought forth an astounding production: “Beauty and the Beast.”
Run, don’t walk, to see it while it lasts and come away marveling.
‘We are not jarheads’
Thank you, Larry Dolan, you are an honorary Marine. We need more like you. As you well know it’s all about money, they use a proud outfit’s name like the Marines, to make a junk movie, like “Jarhead” only to make money, and as you said they put all that political crap in, to sell more so they feel and make a statement about the government.
On Nov. 10, 1943, I turned 17 years old. In Jan 1944, I joined the Marines. I did 24 years of active service, as a Marine during World War II, Korea, and two tours in Vietnam. I never knew Marines like the ones they have in the movies.
I only know Marines like Doug Neilsen, Frank Kleckner, Tom Lacour, Elmer Snyner, John Burns, Gene Redden, Tony Elliott, Gene Bullock, George Farmer, Norberto Garcia, Lawer Kashiwabara, Ted Dawson, Joe Reyes, Bud White, Benny Aranio, Jack Marshall, Lew Lindsey, Jason Ward, Ken Ammon, my brother Harris Smith who put 48 months overseas in WWII, with the 1st Div. Marines, he joined in 1940. I could fill your paper with names of real Marines, like Sgt. Dresh, a sergeant in my company. He lost both legs and both arms. I went to see him years later; he wasn’t bitter, he was happy that he had gotten home with what he had left. Bud White who walks ten or so miles a day picking up trash on the road. You will see us all in front of Wal-Mart and Kmart collecting toys for the Toys for Tots program. If you want to see a real Marine say hello to them as they will be out there each weekend after Thanksgiving.
So, thank you, Larry Dolan from Kalaheo for being disgusted, with movies like “Jarhead.” Please folks, save your money, give it to a real Marine, out in front of Wal-Mart and Kmart. I’m not a “jarhead.” I’m a Marine, as Dennis Fujimoto said I was born to be a Marine, being born on the Marine Corps birthday. That word (jarhead) has gotten many people a bloody nose, so it is not an honor to be called a jarhead. No Marine would go to a movie like that. So buy a toy or give a donation to a real Marine, like the ones you will see collecting toys for tots.
The Marine Corps League meets at the Veteran Center at 1800 hours on the First Tuesday of each month. Come join us, we need you.
- J.Q. Smith
1st Sgt. Retired USMC
Kapa’a
Big Gibber
In the words of that Sage of the Okefenokee Swamp, Pogo: “Critters what speak gibberish are called Big Gibbers.” Having taken up 18 column inches in today’s (Sunday, Nov. 13) Garden Island to explain our problems with KIUC, the Big Honcho of all the Coops, Glenn English, can claim to be the Biggest Gibber of them all!
And “our own” coop on this little swamp can add another to its list of superlatives — highest rate in the country, highest-paid executives, highest-paid board chairman, best housing for its CEO … ad infinitum — the Biggest Gibber as our National Head Honcho.
Now that he has graced our Little Okefenokee (at our expense, no doubt), we should consider ourselves fortunate that, with the Big Gibber’s diagnosis of our problems, we will see better days ahead: lowest utility rates, bonus in every month’s bill, free lunch at all membership meetings, low rent in Co-op-owned housing, new car in every garage etc., etc. …
