• No religion at seed exchange • Romney is the better man • Waterman hero Terry Lilley • Flu shot debacle
No religion at seed exchange
We read about Sunday’s noon to 5 p.m. No-GMO Seed and Plant Exchange in Lihu‘e, and decided to attend one for the first time. We showed up about 12:30 p.m. with organic, non-GMO donation plants in hand.
Then we found out that we couldn’t take any seeds or plants until after a religious ceremony was conducted, some unspecified number of hours later. We hadn’t planned having to wait around hours for a blessing we didn’t care at all about.
The event format needs some work. If there must be some sort of ceremony, have it bless everything — the event and all the participants — before accepting the plants. Those who want to attend, can; those that don’t, can show up later.
Or better yet, after the event, blessing all participants — human, plant, seed, and parasite — that participated; the deity invoked will surely remember who and what were there.
Or even in the middle, where all humans who believe that their adoptees will thrive better if blessed or sanctified or purified or whatever will have their adopted seeds and plants (and parasites) in hand.
We had an unpleasant choice — leave empty-handed or break some religious taboo and sneak some out.
A Seed and Plant Exchange should be just that, not entangled with any religion.
Dave Thompson
Kalaheo
Romney is the better man
The “Presidency” compared to those on food stamps and welfare? (“Politicians,” Oct. 13)
The author asks Gov. Mitt Romney, “You will live in the White House, which is public housing, you will have a White House chef preparing all your meals and you will have secret service men assigned to you even after you are no longer in office. You will fly in Air Force One … All this at taxpayer expenses.” I think he’s trying to say Romney, like Obama, will become one of the “entitled” group?
Perhaps a closer look is in order.
Romney spent two and a half years working full-time for his church, for free. Romney inherited a lot of money from his parents, then gave it all away to charity to avoid allowing himself the mind set of the “permanently” entitled. He did not accept his lucrative salary as Governor of Massachusetts, instead he gave it back to the people he served. He saved the Winter Olympics for America through long and arduous work for more than a year without accepting any pay.
Mitt Romney has given more to charity than any president or candidate for president in history while still alive.
Unlike Obama, this man does not need the described White House “entitlements.”
In 2011, Romney gave over $4 million to charity; Obama and Biden combined, $175,000. Barack and Michelle have earned their entire success and massive “entitlements” only by becoming president. They’ve milked us for every penny they can get while spending more on themselves at taxpayers’ expense than any president couple in history.
Who cares more about their country, and others?
Romney isn’t only the most qualified by far to be our president, he’s the better man.
Gordon Oswald
Kapa‘a
Waterman hero Terry Lilley
Those of you who watched KGMB 10 p.m. news had a distinct opportunity to understand (and believe) our ocean reef around our island are in dire conditions.
Finally, for nearly a decade Terry’s argument that our ocean reef and finite resources were in dire need of government and academia intervention had reached the tipping point of “do you get it now?” and we saw on television that they do now.
Thank you Terry, along with your newly found partners for stepping forward on this very important matter. Local fishers will agree with you when you state, “No coral no fish.”
Now the community must act responsibly and step to the batter box to play with you. It’s time for all good people to take a stance on this matter. School students must get involved and our administrators must on act on a plan to free up classes from classroom to the sands with snorkels and fins. It’s time to go swimming with Terry Lilley folks.
If you are uniquely concerned about this important issue then I suggest you check Terry’s website. You’ll be glad you did.
Mahalo Terry and God bless you for your dedication and love for our ocean.
Jimmy Torio
Anahola
Flu shot debacle
With the flu season right around the corner, I’m sure we’ll start seeing our normal share of ads and fear-based hype encouraging everyone to get their flu shots to avoid getting sick. This wouldn’t be so bad if these vaccinations worked like they’re supposed to.
However, regardless of what the promoters of these vaccinations may say, we now have unbiased, scientific evidence that getting the flu shot actually increases your risk of getting sick. A new study from Canada’s Centre for Disease Control (reported in the Vancouver Sun, Sept. 10) found that people who received the H1N1 flu shot during the 2008–09 bird flu pandemic were actually more apt to get sick with the virus that those who didn’t get the shot.
It’s bad enough that these vaccines never even went through normal FDA safety testing procedures. Now we hear that they make you more susceptible to getting the disease they’re supposed to protect you from. Is there something wrong with this picture?
Bob Swiryn
Kapa‘a
