• ‘Iniki’ conjures negative memories • The natural gas ‘solution’ • Slow down Kauai • ‘Obey the law’ ‘Iniki’ conjures negative memories Iniki. Google it! Using a Hawaiian language dictionary online, it is easy to find that “iniki” means a
• ‘Iniki’ conjures negative memories • The natural gas ‘solution’ • Slow down Kauai • ‘Obey the law’
‘Iniki’ conjures negative memories
Iniki. Google it! Using a Hawaiian language dictionary online, it is easy to find that “iniki” means a sharp pinch or nip, there is nothing positive associated with the word and on the island of Kauai. Anyone who suffered through Hurricane Iniki associates the word with something that changed their lives forever. To this very day, people have post-traumatic stress reactions when the winds pick up, getting agitated and nervous because it harkens them back to Hurricane Iniki.
As far as noise reduction goes, the proof will be in the pudding as things evolve at Princeville Shopping Center with Madame Rundgren’s establishment.
The fact is the Liquor Control Commission told me directly that people need to call KPD and complain when the noise is too much and then report that to Liquor Control so that an investigator can be made aware. If this happens enough times, the owner may not have their liquor license renewed or at the very least not be allowed to continue to have entertainment. Those are the facts from the source, the Kauai County Liquor Control Commission.
One can only suppose that it takes a certain kind of self-centered mentality to not appreciate the horrific impact that Iniki had on people’s lives here and to attempt to make money using that damaging imagery as the name of a business is nothing short of a disaster bordering on pornographic in its obscenity.
Bravo Madame Rundgren, you are one class act!
Louanne Varholick
Kapaa
The natural gas ‘solution’
In the May 31 Forum opinion piece “Making the Case for Hydro and Natural Gas” Walter Lewis writes that he thinks that KIUC is poorly run and that different sources of electricity might be cheaper.
Whether KIUC’s management and Board is run well is an area I am not educated enough to comment on, but I will comment on a few of his suggested solutions. It is always important to look at the Big Picture.
The ecology of this island has been screwed up for a century because of water subsidies to agriculture. The cane companies didn’t pay and there are no signs that the big ag/chemical companies will pay their fair share either.
Now we have a water department wanting to drill deep into the mountain. Our electrical company wants to further divert rivers and streams so we can run our air conditioners.
Worse, in my view, is the natural gas “solution.” Communities all over the US are suffering from water problems and earthquakes from the new technology of “fracking” to extract natural gas.
Bringing gas from the Mainland will require a huge, ugly and dangerous gas terminal in our tourist driven port. Gas is a fossil fuel that promotes global warming which will greatly affect our island state. When it comes to electricity, nothing is cheap except conservation.
The cheapest energy is the electricity that we don’t use. Americans consitute 4 percent of the world’s population, yet we use 20 percent of the world’s energy. Maybe KIUC should put some effort into helping people to save money by using less?
Gordon LaBedz, M.D.
Kekaha
Slow down Kauai
While driving around the island, I can’t help but notice just how much has changed in the last 10 years. Very few things are the same. Some progress is good but when it goes too far it has a negative impact on society.
I’m struck by places like Costco that literally outsource every aspect of business and put it in one place, putting local people out of business.
Pretty much the only staple of my childhood that remains is Kukuiula store. I’ve been going there for 27 years and it is exactly the same. It’s like a perfectly preserved example of the way Kauai used to be — kind of like a time capsule.
The owners work tirelessly day in and day out as their parents did.
It seems all of this is changing. You go to the average store, the worker has no pride in their work, they have nothing personally invested in it and it shows.
Sueoka store is another example of classic good old fashion Kauai. This needs to be preserved. It makes my toes curl when I hear about ABC stores coming down south.
Support local business or they will disappear leaving faceless, conglomerate corporations that don’t care about you. Is that what you want Kauai? This is not capitalism, this is economic warfare.
Dan O’Flaherty
Lawai
‘Obey the law’
Dear Mary Mulhull.
You are forgetting one thing.
Immigrants are moving to the United States where cockfighting is not part of the culture. It’s illegal.
Obey the law.
Doug Henry
Kalaheo
