• Soul surfer mom • Genocidal attitude
• Real ID, an encyclopedia on you
• Years away from recovery
Soul surfer mom
I just watched Soul Surfer for the 11th time! It is so great to see local Kauaians on the big screen at Kukui Grove.
Sonya Balmores Chung did an outstanding job playing Malina Birch. It was a difficult role to play and she pulled it off like no other. Sonya grew up on the west side of Kaua‘i and competed in the keiki surf contests against Alana and Bethany.
Alana and Bethany surf as stunt doubles. Surfing on the big screen is hard to beat with the beautiful blue waves.
Much of Kaua‘i’s North Shore is showcased along with the Hawaiian backdrop music.
Craig T. Nelson who lives on Kaua‘i part of the year, plays Dr. Rovinski. Hercules actor Kevin Sorbo plays Alana’s father, while Holt’s wife is played by Mrs. Hawai‘i 2005, Arlene Van Asperen. Jack Nicholson’s daughter adds the perfect touch playing the role of Alana.
I think that I will wait a few days and go see it again!
Cheri Hamilton, Hanalei
Genocidal attitude
To my Kaua‘i ohana and those visiting and investing in our islands let me express my objection and disapproval of yet another desecration of kanaka maoli burials.
Here in iraq, where I have served two combat tours. We americans are not allowed to enter a graveyard, mosque or cultural site without approval by a much higher command and Iraq’s goverment.
Even the slightest disrespect of their cultural values or religion could and has cost a few military members their job. This is true for Afghanistan also, where protocols and respect of the Muslim culture is always stressed.
In Hawai‘i, however, it seems that even though many kanaka maoli have served in the armed forces and given their lives we have no problem digging up their ancestors, building bathrooms on sacred sites, or arresting their people practicing their culture.
All i can say is I am ashamed of anyone who would do this, and call for a full investigation as well as prosecution of those who would allow this genocidal attitude to continue.
David Denson, Hanalei, via iraqi
Real ID, an encyclopedia on you
The State wants to issue unfunded mandated National Identity Cards/REAL IDs in the form of driver’s licenses/state IDs — legislation pushed through in 2005 under Bush’s military spending bill as a “must pass” with no review.
This great idea comes from the federal government who, several years ago, after 9/11, wanted to issue ‘automatic’ Hawai‘i State driver’s licenses to crew that worked in cargo of foreign airlines “due to the hardship it created for them to wait at DMV.”
Legally, a driver’s license is not a form of ID, a technicality that hasn’t been addressed. The REAL ID Act is illegal in the U.S. but Michael Chertoff, who brought us TSA Scanners, doesn’t care about that.
These cards will include facial recognition, trackers, a 50-state interlinked database making all information in each person’s file available to all other states, the federal government, exploitation through private corporation access and identity theft exposure.
If you are issued a REAL ID, that means you are cleared as a bonafide citizen and not a terrorist, correct? So, why is facial recognition needed?
Make no mistake, you will be a living, walking open data bank because all your information — mother’s maiden name, social security number, medical, financial, family/children, legal history, fingerprint, retinal scan, phone numbers, contacts, home address, work/business info, race, age, personal history, where and when you vacation, etc. — will be on it.
Beware of walk-by swipes of the card and common machine-readable technology. No guaranteed bullet proof security on anything electronic exists today. It will always be hacked, that is guaranteed.
EPIC, the Electronic Information Center reports that “the REAL ID system remains filled with threats to privacy, security and civil liberties that have not been resolved.”
Why is the county treasurer already making plans to implement this and saying it will cost $33,000? The actual cost is billions. Forty six states are non-compliant and 24 states have enacted binding legislation prohibiting participation.
People should and can refuse to participate.
Elaine Dunbar, Lihu‘e
Years away from recovery
The Garden Island published the following on Friday:
“Ask any council member or county finance officer where Kaua‘i County’s budget stands today and the story is the same: ‘We’re in a sound financial position,’ thanks to years of conservative tax-and-spend policies.”
Unfortunately, no one from The Garden Island asked me where the county budget stands today. Had they asked me, I definitely would not have said, “We’re in a sound financial position.”
Mr. Bynum does not speak for me or the county.
We are experiencing one of the worst financial times of our lifetime. It is going to get worse before it gets better. We are years away from recovery.
Our property values are at pre-2006 levels, and it won’t get better any time soon. This is not the time to spend our resources.
This council and administration need to look ahead 3-5 years before we think about spending all of our revenues.
We need to be prepared for revenue reductions in the future without considering property tax increases. We need to tighten the belt, and we need to start now.
Mel Rapozo, Lihu‘e
