Consider an arrival fee vs. point-of-entrance fees
The letters submitted in favor of charging visitors to visit this beautiful island is right on the mark, an idea I have been thinking of proposing for quite a while.
Not only would this be a huge benefit to the taxpayers and residents of Kaua‘i, but it would also benefit and enhance the visitor experience many times over.
I am a 14-time visitor since 1998. I have seen the changes over the years — mostly negative — that affect the visitor and residents.
The recent proposals, such as charging fees at the point of entry to the beaches and the charging a fee for parking at Koke‘e, are very negatively affecting the visitor experience. It is very much giving me the feeling of a theme park rather than a beautiful island paradise.
I realize there may be a capacity problem at times at some of the beaches and attractions, but this can be well handled without charging the fees at the point of entry if a visitor charge was collected at their arrival on the island or incorporated into the airfare. This would generate a great deal of income that would vastly benefit the residents of Kaua‘i.
For example, let’s just propose a $100 fee for each visitor. On a typical day last week, 1,600 people landed on Kaua‘i, let’s presume that 1,500 were vacationers. That would amount to $150,000 in one day. Of course, you could set the fee at anything you thought was reasonable, but I happen to think $100 is more than reasonable to visit here.
The point is, the accumulated funds would far exceed any at-point fees and the feeling that Kauai is becoming a theme park. I really hope something like this can be given serious consideration if one wants to ride high-speed transit they can visit New York City
Jeff Pignona, Vermont
Biden uses the ‘Race Card’ for his own benefit
As a housing professional, I know there are Fair Housing Laws intended to prevent any form of discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, etc. These “protected classes” are guaranteed equal treatment under the law, as codified in the Constitution of the United States. This is an ideal, worthy of us all. For me, this ideal is represented by the flag of the United States. I respect the flag that represents equal treatment under the law.
Now, under what circumstance is racial discrimination legal? College admissions and government “Affirmative Action” policies have received various levels of judicial acceptance, until finally being acknowledged as racist. There is no circumstance that warrants racial discrimination.
The President of the United States has flagrantly flaunted the “Equal Treatment Under the Law” foundation of the U.S. Constitution by stating his intent to appoint a Black female to the Supreme Court of the United States. President Biden’s stated intent is RACIST!
Practicing and preaching racism will not bring our nation together, regardless of intent. It’s astounding to me that our President would use the “Race Card” in such a damaging manner for his own benefit. It’s curious why we continue to choose scoundrels to preside over us.
Racism begets racism. Respect dissolves it.
Michael Curtis, Koloa
Evidently everybody is a doctor now
I’m sitting having lunch with my unvaccinated friend at the Costco fine dining outdoor cafe as we discuss the topic that has been on the top of the news for well over a year.
We are enjoying our $1.50 quarter-pound hot dogs with refillable soft drinks as she tells me that after I receive my booster shot she cannot be near me for two weeks because it’s her understanding I am contagious with the virus, also I will die because of the booster? Ironically I have been tolerating her unvaccinated status the last year, go figure?
To add insult to injury, as we are indulging in our weiner-fest she tells me the reason she won’t be vaccinated is that she doesn’t know what’s in those vaccines since she’s concerned as to what goes into her body as she takes the last bite of her weiner!
This friend reminds me of a recent quote that went viral on social media:
“I’m fully vaccinated and boostered. No, I don’t know ‘what’s in it.’ Neither this vaccine nor the ones I had as a child. Nor do I know what’s in the 11 secret herbs and spices at KFC.”
I also don’t know exactly what’s in Ibuprofen or Tylenol — they just cure my hangovers, headaches & my pains.
I don’t know what’s in tattoo ink, botox, and fillers, or every ingredient in my soap, shampoo, or deodorants. I don’t know the long-term effect of mobile phone use, or whether or not that restaurant I just ate at REALLY used clean foods and washed their hands.
There are a lot of things I don’t know.
I do know one thing: life is short. Very short. And I, personally, still want to do things. I want to travel and hug people without fear, and find a little feeling of life “before.”
Throughout my life, I’ve been vaccinated against many diseases. Measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox, hepatitis, pneumonia, influenza, tetanus, and shingles.
My parents (and I) trusted science, and never had to suffer through or transmit any of those said diseases.
I’m vaccinated. Not to please the government. Not to make other people do it. But I don’t want to die from COVID-19, clutter a hospital bed if I get sick, not be able to hug my loved ones, have to test routinely, or live my life in fear.
It seems ever since COVID arrived that everyone has served a medical internship, residency, and received a medical degree. Doctors spend four years in undergraduate college, another four years in medical school, one year of internship, and residency can range from three to seven years depending on what type of doctor they chose to become. Your PCP may go through three years of residency, whereas your neurosurgeon may go up to seven years. That means your average doctor has 12-16 years of education! Believe it or not internet warriors and the uneducated are advising people to not be vaccinated against the better judgment of medical science.
I recently saw a clip on the news where doctors and nurses are being threatened by patients because the patients are not being given the medications they feel they need to cure their COVID. The unvaccinated patients actually think they know better what to prescribe themselves than medical personnel. It seems everybody is now a doctor!
Believe it or not, I just heard Dr. Faucci is recommending a booster because he owns stock in Pfizer and wants to buy a new yacht? People actually believe this.
A big mahalo to all the front-line workers, restaurant workers, grocery store employees, and medical personnel that have had to put up with the general public the last couple of years.
A toast to returning to normalcy.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
To James “Kimo” Rosen. A Big Mahalo for your letter. I couldn’t agree more. It’s rare that I read a letter to the Garden News that makes me laugh. You did! The incredible irony of your unvaccinated friend consuming a Costco “who knows what’s in it” hot dog while espousing the Internet disinformation is too funny and, unfortunately, too very sad. My wife is a Level 1 Trauma nurse, who refused to retire in the past 2 years. We know what “squirrel eyes” look like from double masking. She knows what COVID lung Xrays look like. She knows COVID death is very, very real. Aloha
Good letter Kimo: I have to give credit where credit is due. Now, why are we the only State that still has a mask mandate? I supported the governor’s and the mayor’s efforts to keep us safe during the first year and a half of the pandemic, but lately, my views have changed. It’s time to do away with government regulations and join the rest of the Country. It’s time to get rid of the mask mandate and let folks decide for themselves how to protect themselves and their families.
Mr. Curtis-
President Biden was unwise to announce his intentions about whom to nominate to the Supreme Court. It would have been wiser just to nominate the black, female jurist of his choice and let the nomination hearings begin. Diversity matters.
I agree that, in Trump’s case, ” It’s curious why we continue to choose scoundrels to preside over us.” That clown constantly discriminated heavily against certain ethnicities, and managed to install Supreme Court justices based on party affiliation, willingness to ignore sexual transgressions, and extreme religious bias. For the votes, obviously. How many abortions do you think was performed on Trump’s wives or mistresses?
It is astounding to me that a spoiled brat New Yawker, a draft dodger, an opportunist, and an outright liar and autocrat has bamboozled a great percentage of the American public and the majority of Republican politicians into supporting his hollow meme of “Make America Great Again”. He has done nothing except to sow divisiveness and laid bare his desire to dismantle democracy and take power and riches for himself.
Kimo points out that the unvaccinated are clogging hospital beds while eating a hot dog and most hospital beds are serving those who live on hot dogs, processed foods, sugar and alcohol and whose life and health could be improved with simple lifestyle changes. The pre-existing conditions now referred to as co-morbidity could be prevented with healthy lifestyle.
Mr. Curtis:
I didn’t hear your speak up during the 4 years of Trump’s bigoted administration and his praise of Putin.