• Bus driver did not treat tourist well • Why all the fuss over smart meters? • Private farms not the answer Bus driver did not treat tourist well My name is Luciana, I’m a Brazilian psychologist and tourist from
• Bus driver did not treat tourist well • Why all the fuss over smart meters? • Private farms not the answer
Bus driver did not treat tourist well
My name is Luciana, I’m a Brazilian psychologist and tourist from Rio de Janeiro here in Hawaii. I would like to leave a complain about the way I was treated by the bus driver on Dec. 22, leaving Hanalei Center 4:15 p.m. to Kapaa. I don’t remember her name. I kindly asked her to guide me where I should get out. Already in Kapaa, I asked if the next stop was the one I should go down, and she was stupid to me, saying that when we get their she would tell me. Meanwhile, a gentle lady told me to get out at Safeway that would be closer to my hotel.
Therein, the driver once again rudely told me that if I would leave where the lady directed me, that was my problem. So I decided to follow the direction of the driver. She left me at the bus stop close to the Shell gas station, much further away. I have a serious health problem and was carrying weight. This woman hurt me. I arrived at the hotel with lots of pain and bleeding. I have Crohn’s disease.
I could sue the government of Kauai for what she did to me. She was stupid, rude and worse, she was evil and caused me to stop very far from the hotel on purpose. The tourist should be treated well, because after all, we spend a lot of money here. The government should better train their drivers. I hope this do not repeat again. I don’t write well in English, but I think I made myself clear.
I love your island and after this episode, I didn’t have any other problem.
Luciana Dau
Rio de Janeiro
Why all the fuss over smart meters?
I’m not sure why there continue to be so many letters about smart meters — if you want to opt out, opt out. No one is stopping you. The two issues cited over and over again, radio frequency (RF) emissions and privacy concerns seem moot to me. I have done extensive research and there is no doubt that a cell phone creates more RF than a smart meter.
Furthermore, cell phones emit this energy next to one’s head. So unless we plan to ban cell phones, the tiny extra amount of RF energy from smart meters is insignificant to me. As for privacy, this argument makes me laugh. Where have these people been for the last six months? Haven’t they heard that the NSA collects every single phone call, text message, email written by everyone on Earth, everyday. Furthermore, each day over a dozen spy satellites fly over my house imaging everything in my backyard. So no, I’m not afraid of KIUC knowing when I take a shower or make coffee.
In fact I’m not afraid of chemtrails, GMOs, smart meters or the boogeyman.
With all that said, I absolutely think anyone who refuses to use a smart meter should pay the extra expense required to read their meter each month. I encourage anyone who agrees to vote yes when they get their ballot from KIUC asking for these fees to be implemented. They have allowed the 10 percent to opt out, so please have them pay for their choice.
John Patterson
Wailua
Private farms not the answer
It’s here due to gossip that agriculture companies are using pesticide and experimenting unsafely, with the assumption current regulation is insufficient.
There is no increased cancer risk here on Kauai from any factors, our rate of cancer is no greater than the rest of Hawaii (except for melanoma, typical of overexposure to the sun). The real problem is that Governor Lingle (2002-2010) fired our three Department of Agriculture inspectors deregulating. No inspectors means that our companies are not verified safe.
And locals gossiping and complaining about imagined health risks have no officials (inspectors) that defend the current regulations and show how our companies are compliant (safe).
In addition, if 2491 is intended to end agriculture companies in favor of private one- to five-acre farms, this fails too since the popularity of the farms will outstrip the value of the crop, supply and demand will mean the private farmers will operate at a loss.
Unable to sell, overwhelmed by surplus produce, selling off island will not yield profits either as they will be competing with commercial companies with prices far below the farmer’s profit margin (add export costs).
Health and safety risks will increase, since inspectors will not be able to check every private farm on the island (people will use any methods they wish). Go ahead, kill off the agriculture companies but don’t pretend private farms will improve things. They will destroy the local produce market and increase health risks.
Barney Blankenship
Kapaa
