Do the math legislators
I encourage Kauai residents to make their feelings known to the state legislators.
“I would like to comment on HR 1286. The letter to the editor in the Garden Island, Feb. 10, 2021, edition by Mark Wigent, lays out the concerns that many Kauai residents have about this bill that clearly is a power grab maneuver by the state officials. It would appear that the powers that be are more concerned with the economics of the highly populated areas that have access to more resources for their residents than the more diverse, less populated areas that could potentially be devastated by a further increase in viral infections.
I find it hard to believe that doing due diligence before any travel to another county, state, or foreign country is “too confusing” for travelers. With information readily available on line, through travel professionals etc. that seems to be a very nonsensical argument in response to endangering our resident population.
But, then, this is not about a health crisis that will go away and more about who decides how local decisions are made. It brings to mind the additional transient tax enacted on all counties to help fund the O‘ahu rail project, which, to date is still having issues.
We are to be Kaua‘i residents. Our Mayor analyzes all aspects of an issue then makes judicious decisions that have resulted in an extremely low infection rate. Note that the cases on our island from March to Oct 15 were 60. Once tourism opened up, it doubled in a month.
I hope the state legislators can do that math, but, I fear, they don’t care.
Sad commentary on our “PUBLIC SERVANTS”
Deborrah Johnson, Lihu‘e
Gap of the haves, and have nots widens
What was the purpose of the front page article “Shattering the Record Book,” (TGI, Feb. 3, 2021) ?
Was it to give Hannah Sirois accolades on selling another uber high priced property, to yet another of her uber wealthy mainland clients?
What struck me so deeply, was the sadness felt, that too, too many people, local people, are homeless here!!
And struggling with lost jobs, loss of incomes, multiple families in one dwelling, because of the ever rising rents.
The gap of the 1% haves, and so many more have nots, continues to widen on this precious island.
“This property evokes feelings of solitude, an ideal tropical oasis without the fluff,” Hannah Sirois quotes.
Go visit the residents and children, living in their cars, bushes, on the beaches, Hannah, and tell them that same thing.
This article did nothing to support or uplift our community.
It felt like a punch to the gut.
Jan Oaks, Kapa’a
Tom Brady, the GOAT and the Lombardi trophy
The Lombardi trophy is the highest honor any NFL team can obtain after winning the grandest of all football games the Super Bowl. The Lombardi trophy is named after legendary Green Bay Packers Coach Vice Lombardi. No coach in National Football League history achieved more success in less time than Lombardi did during his nine seasons in Green Bay. He won five NFL championships, including Super Bowls I and II, and compiled a remarkable 89-29-4 regular-season record.
This year’s Super Bowl was a media fantasy come true. Tom Brady is known as the GOAT (Greatest OF All-Time)now with the Tampa Buccaneers appeared in his tenth Super Bowl. He went against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The media was branding Mahomes as the “Kid,” hence the ‘Goat vs. the Kid,’ which made for great marketing.
The argument was always if Brady would succeed without coach Bill Belichick, the coach that mentored him for 20 years with the New England Patriots before he signed as a free agent last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
There are many that believe that Bill Belichick may someday be considered the best Football coach of all time and the Lombardi trophy could be renamed to the Belichick trophy? Sports analysts and writers have echoed this thought.
My thought since Tom Brady has now won 7 Super Bowl rings and appeared in 10 Super Bowls on two different teams. Most NFL players never even get the chance to play in even one Super Bowl, and playing in 10 Super Bowls over a 20-year career is insane.
I hate to say this being a member of the Buffalo Bills mafia fan club. Brady was basically kryptonite to the AFC East’s Buffalo Bills. I was thrilled when Brady decided to leave New England and become a free agent. However, Brady came back and remarkably won another Super Bowl with another team. Hate him, or love him, he is the GOAT.
This is why the Lombardi trophy should never be named to the Belichick trophy, however in years to come after Brady retires the Lombardi should be renamed to the ‘Brady trophy’ since even though it’s hard for me to say, there will never be another Brady.
Brady was asked how he felt after winning his 7th Super Bowl, he said,
“Meh, not Baaaaaaaad” (sic) Get it, he’s the GOAT?
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapaa
One would assume that the general population can see that the FP’s (Financially Privileged) are the ones who don’t mind shutting down Kauai’s economy. Most of them I talk with like it better having Kauai more to themselves! Why wouldn’t they? Stopping tourism altogether is their first choice. The rest of us are guilted by the FP’s citing we’re going to kill the Kapuna.
The choice for locals will be moving to Vegas, Washington or Oregon unless you can somehow cater to the FP’s.
“The choice for locals will be moving to Vegas, Washington or Oregon unless you can somehow cater to the FP’s.” We read this kind of thing constantly on here and I always have the same question that no one seems to want to answer: What is a “local”? Someone who is born here? How about someone who lives here for 30 years? 10 years? 60 years? Can they be of Asian, Philippian, Portuguese, European, or Micronesian descent? Do you have to have ancestors who were born here? Do you have to have 10% Hawaiian blood or just other Pacific Islander blood? What do you mean by “local”?
Good point. Poor choice of words on my part. A better choice in this context would have been “working class”.
In response to Jan Oaks, when not critiquing the heart of others, what are your charitable deeds? Every single one of us can help another.
Patrick H Flores, Wailua Houselots
Re:HR 1286
Time to object! Lives are on the line. This legislation is clearly an attempt to put tourist dollars ahead of human lives. I object!
In our culture the breeds NFL, I think some people would go after Tom Brady. By that I mean they would love to go after the fame and glory in the NFL. While others would prefer just being rich like Donald Trump. The very few will live their whole adult like handing in names to a cop or agency and see if they paid any bills. Because they never made sports status in high school. Kauai is that way. If you go to Los Angeles, no way this kind of issues happen. Inter squad rivalry among high schoolers. Just get rich is enough. Living in Hawaii that is the downfall. Too closely knit and too know the others. It has its good points. Just that. Locals only. It’s about time I run for the end zone. And claim my prize. Retire a millionaire and forget about Hawa’ii and the small ways of sports battling for fame in front of each other.
The reality is the mayor already has to get approval from the state to have “his” rules in place for traveling. This isn’t a power grab, although that sounds sinister and gets your attention. Different rules already required the governor’s approval. This is a play on emotions, hence the wording power grab, not a real argument. I say anyone in support of the current restriction disclose their wealth and volunteer to live on welfare money. The rich have no incentive to open as they have likely made more in the market this year, passive income, than most on the island earn in a year through hard work.