• ‘Gifting Circle’ is not a pyramid scheme • Great Olympics, but no letter to Putin • Court the place to resolve mayor’s status • It’s right to raise wages, reduce profits
‘Gifting Circle’ is not a pyramid scheme
Regarding: TGI article Feb. 19 (author unknown) “Gifting Circle” pyramid scheme returns.”
Whoever “assumes” that women’s circles are pyramid schemes has no idea what they are talking about. Just pure negative speculation. I am a very active woman within this particular “women’s collective.” This is all about women helping women rise out of the hole our economically imbalanced society is made of.
Where minimum wage workers work for the CEO to make millions. Circling is not a pyramid, it is not a scheme. Eight women “gift” toward another woman’s dreams. This gift is your in to flow toward your turn to receive gifts from eight woman you don’t even know who are desiring the same thing: to be free financially, to live this life more fully!
There is no one at the top of a circle. There is only a center, from which you receive support from a group of women with the same desire. It is not illegal! It is a way for women to stand tall again. The only thing required is that each woman must find other women who desire the same freedom.
This ensures that our gifts keep on giving! You gift “in” and you turn other women on to this incredible potential for personal prosperity. If women get greedy and use the circle like men’s greed, nothing good will follow. That is the negative side. But circling money works only if you participate with your heart and invite only those who share the same desire equally: live life fully.
Elle Homer
Hanalei
Great Olympics, but no letter to Putin
What a great success these Winter Olympics have been. They have been the most joyful and the most successful of all the Olympics I have ever seen. In addition, the closing ceremony was spectacular. The only flaw in the entire two-week event was the formation of four rings — instead of five — during the opening ceremony. The Russians had the good humor to make fun of themselves in the closing event by first making four rings and then placing in the fifth ring.
President Putin, who was the driving force behind the event, and the Russian people, should be very proud of what they accomplished. This morning I thought that I should write a letter to President Putin congratulating him on the success of the Winter Olympics. I then thought, “Joe, are you kidding? You will get to the airport one day to take a flight to Europe and you will not be allowed to board the plane.”
Our National Security Agency is checking every letter and every phone call going overseas (and at least obtaining all telephone calls made within the United States). Such checking would make the former Russian KGB green with envy. Also, they have even monitored the personal phones of government leaders including those leaders who are strong supporters of the United States. That would make the notorious Herbert Hoover (director of the FBI) proud as he would have FBI agents check on the personal life of politicians to try to find some dirt to blackmail them with.
As a formal Naval officer, I once had a Cosmic Top Secret security clearance and was the assistant Cosmic Top Security control officer for NATO Southern Europe, but I am not sure that even that background would help me if I wrote a congratulatory letter to President Putin.
As they say, times they sure are changing.
Joe Frisinger
Princeville
Court the place to resolve mayor’s status
The article appearing in TGI (Feb. 18) captioned “AG mum on statute dispute” was misleading in several respects.
The failure of the TGI to obtain an opinion from the state Attorney General was not because the Attorney General’s office said “it won’t get involved in a statute dispute” as the article reported, but rather because that office only rules at the request of public officials. I am informed that council member Gary Hooser, a county officer, is sending a ruling request to the AG and will await a reply.
The information received from the AG’s office that the dispute should be referred to the police department seems odd. Other than service of process the responsibility of the police department is as to criminal matters. Any dispute as to the interpretation of Hawaii Statute 78-9 is a civil matter.
The article goes on to say that any complaint to resolve the matter “has to come from the police department.” This conflicts directly with the statement from attorney Richard Wilson who represents a Kauai citizen who advises he is “prepared to file a complaint on the matter.”
The article says the statute deals with “public officials who willfully refuse to answer … questions.” The statute covers both employees and officials and makes no requirement that the refusal be willful.
The article reports the claim by Eric Seitz, attorney for Mr. Carvalho, that the statute gives the mayor the right to invoke the Fifth. That is patently absurd. The Fifth Amendment to our federal Constitution gives that right. Section 78-9 merely provides certain consequences if the right is exercised.
Although the statute mandates that if the Fifth Amendment privilege is exercised employment is thereupon terminated, the mayor whose office now admits his invocation has failed to vacate office and apparently intends to resist application of the statute. It does appear that the matter will have to be resolved in court.
Glenn Mickens
Kapaa
It’s right to raise wages, reduce profits
Wages, I am saddened but not surprised with the response from some vocal business owners. Real people cannot live without government assistance even when they work full time at minimum wage. The same people who oppose raising the wages also oppose giving assistance to people.
Well, which will it be? I am sure the owners will not work at minimum wage so they are not in the same boat as many good people trying to scratch out a legal living on Kauai. Crime is high here and I am sure some of it has to do with the lack of living wages paid for the often hardest jobs. You can do all the hard labor yourself or just raise the wages and make less profits.
It’s the right thing to do.
John Robinson
Kalaheo
