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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"Talking dog for sale!" 'Marvin Gross' (Source)

Marvin Gross a financial advisor from Western N.Y. shared this interesting story of the talking dog with us, Mahalo Nui Loa Marvin!
A guy is driving around Oklahoma and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

"So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."

"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in."

"I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

"Ten dollars," the guy says.

"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

"Because he's a damn liar. He never did any of that stuff."


Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

"The whole world comes to Kaua'i..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesdays)





"THE WHOLE WORLD COMES TO KAUAI"
About Bettejo Dux, pronounced "Dukes"
http://www.bettejodux.com/
http://bettejo.wordpress.com/

Bettejo Dux left her native state of California, of which she is fifth generation, when she was eighteen and began her wanderings. She has lived and visited in many strange and unusual towns in Central and South America and the Far East. When she and her husband were “romancing the stone,” she stayed in places where no other American lady had ever stayed. A resident of Kauai for over forty years, but an expatriate at heart, she thinks Kauai is about as far out as you can get and still be in. A professional actress, she performed at the Manila Theater Guild and at the Magic Ring Theater in the Hilton Hawaiian Village, at the time the only professional theater in Hawaii. She did “Steel Magnolias,” directed by Arnold Meister, and “Gin Game” on Kauai. She is a writer. She was Woman’s Page Editor of the Pali Press and wrote a featured column for the Honolulu Star Bulletin Advertiser Sunday Edition. She has had several pieces published locally. A political activist and devout non-believer, she writes a blog she calls a “column” under the head bettejo. She can be a royal pain in the ass - ask any of her detractors. She loves to tweak their tails and watch them wiggle. To many, however, she is personally known as a witty and humorous, delightful and engaging lady. She loves to dance, sing and party, and is very happy pixilated. She loves chardonnay and cheese and crackers. A former member of the Mokihana Club, the oldest women’s club on Kauai, and the Poipu Rotary Club, she is presently an honorary member of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, her neighbors up the hill in Kalaheo. She is an off-island member of the Waikiki Yacht Club. She and her husband sailed and raced the channels around Hawaii for years. She still practices yoga and her measurements are the same now as they were forty years ago. She says, as Gypsy Rose Lee did, “I’ve got everything I came in with, only my cargo has shifted.” Her favorite woman writer is still Dorothy Parker. Her favorite male writer is James Thurber, followed by Dean Koontz. THE SCAM is her first novel, but there are three fantasies to be published soon.
That the whole world comes to Kauai is one of the joys of living here. The house up the Alexander Dam Road was remote but, partly because of the kids, at least half the world ended up there. Also partly because this monster lava rock abode had five bedrooms, four baths, a huge living/dining room, and a mammoth 'party' kitchen. Everyone Bill and I had known since the beginning of time suddenly remembered us and came for a visit.
That's one of the reasons why this house has one bedroom, one bathroom, and one interior door. I love people and house guests but after a while hotel keeping grows tiresome and tedious. Now when friends come calling I say, "Bring a tent. Camping gear You're welcome to stay on the back forty." I only have four acres but it's a steep traipse to the back side and when you get there you'd think you were a million miles from anywhere. No roads. No street lights. No sounds, except for the birds and the feral pigs snuffling. My neighbor to the east is the back-end of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. When John Allerton was alive- the vast estate and the Garden was his baby-I teased, "You walk ten miles. I'll walk ten feet. And we'll fight over the back fence."
The most interesting house we lived in was the house on Kukuiula Harbor. Our boat floated in the bay, our horses hung out across the street, and millionaire's row was a bit scruffy. All the rest was green stalks of cane-grass at its tallest- and miles and miles of bridle paths called cane roads by others. Our air was the softest. Our stars the brightest. The bay the cleanest. And it was my country all the way to Shipwreck at one end and Allerton's red gates at the other. I taught Beau how to open those gates. I wasn't allowed to enter- but of course I did-and was always getting caught. I'd flash the peace sign, wave a big wave, and gallop off in all directions.
At this end of the road, too, is the Spouting Horn. One morning as we stopped to hear it roar and watch it burst and bubble, I caught sight oi a guy with his butt in the air and his head in the hole.
"Sir," I hollered. "Don't..."
When he stood up and turned, my heart skipped a beat. This was really good-looking guy. His name was Terry Mulligan, a Canadian Mountie and movie star, and he walked my horse and I home. He stayed with us. Sailed with us. Taught me Mountie horse stuff. We baby sat his daughter, met his girl friend, fed them Portuguese bean soup made in a tub and feasted on for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This memory is for all my new-found Friday world-wide friends, Krista from Kalamazoo, Marlene from Hanapepe, Susanjane and Don from Canada, Mike from new York, Peter from Oregon, Sid from British Columbia, darling Julie-who loved Scam-and came back to say so.
Hope you have a happy stay, a safe trip home and hurry back.

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Monday, February 27, 2012

"Photography is a cakewalk compared to writing..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

"One needs thick skin to be an opinion columnist or writer, photography on the other hand is definitely more zen like..."
I had a career as a professional photographer for 30 years before retiring in 2003. I did everything from commercial, weddings ,portraits, passports, travel, photojournalism  and freelanced for numerous national publications.

In all  my years as a  professional photographer I had many compliments, people never went off  on me or quit talking to me because they didn't like a photo I took.

Fast forward to my retirement years where I fancy myself a blogger and an opinion writer with many letters to the editor along with a daily blog.

People will  comment things like, "move back to where you came from," or "go drink Manischewitz wine and complain with your own types."  (actual comments) Writing is  a passion in such a different way than photography.
Nobody ever looked at one of my photos and said, "move back to where you came from,"  "or  next time I see you on your bike, lookout..!" 

This blog for example, nobody will get upset with the photo I have accompanying this blog, but some will be upset with the content of words, the writing."One needs thick skin to be an opinion columnist or writer, photography on the other hand is definitely more zen like..."
I have discovered that writing takes thick skin, whereas photography is definitely more of a cakewalk with  people responding to writers so much different than photographers.
They say each picture is worth a thousands words, however words get you in trouble not photo's. For now all I can say is,  "smile and say cheese!"  :D)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

"The eyes have it..!" 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Monday)

Judith Whitehead is back guest-blogging on this awesome Inspirational Monday about one of the many ways that "These times they are a changin!" Judy lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the medical profession for over 30 years.
"The Eyes have it..!"

Maybe you have heard the expression, ”the eyes are the window to your soul”. Actually, that is not far from the truth because going for an eye exam can prove to be very informative when your health is at stake. The eyes are the only body part where someone can view the bodys’ health without being invasive.
The eyes can give a snapshot into what is happening with the bodys’ circulation and health. Starting at the front of the eyes is the cornea. The cornea is the clear window to the front of the eye. When someone has high cholesterol, there is sometimes a faint white ring on the cornea which can indicate that fact. An Eye Doctor can easily see that during an eye exam by using what is called a Slit Lamp at the beginning of your eye evaluation. Maybe you have an eyelid that has suddenly started to droop. It’s not always birthday candles that make our eye lids become heavy, especially if it is only one eyelid. This can be an indication that there is a more serious problem such as a neurologic finding; IE stroke, palsey, brain event etc. With the eyes dilated so that the pupil becomes paralyzed and stays open, the Doctor can view the back of the eye which is the retina. He can see a small window of the the circulation in the arteries and veins that give him an idea what is going on with the rest of the body. Sometimes a piece of plaque or cholesterol can be viewed which can indicate a larger problem in the body. If the patient has high blood pressure, there may be a hemorrhage in one of those vessels. If the patient is diabetic and the blood sugar is not controlled, there will be damage in the back of the eye. If the retina looks damaged, then you can only imagine what the rest of the body looks like. Poor circulation can be viewed in the eye which is also an alarm. If the blood vessels are cracked and bleeding there may very well be a problem in the rest of the body.
The optic nerve can tell a story on its own. Swollen nerves can indicate pressure building up in the spinal fluid. Not to mention that the size alone of the optic nerve will put you at risk for developing glaucoma if it is enlarged.
It takes just a small amount of time to have your eyes checked; it’s an investment of time and money that could save your life.
Everyone that is healthy should have an eye exam every 1-2 years; young children should have an eye evaluation before they start school to detect any problems such as amblyopia or lazy eye that needs treatment if detected immediately. A lazy eye that goes untreated will stop working after a few years and the brain will “turn off” the vision in that eye. The child will be destined to have poor vision for the rest of their life if not treated.

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

"Human Body..." 'Marvin Gross' (Source)

"The Human body has been studied by many scholars over the years , the enclosed is an important piece of information on human anatomy... Mahalo Nui to Marvin Gross a financial advisor from Western N.Y. for this bit of history!"

Human Body.

The 6Th grade science teacher, Mrs. Parks, asked her class,
'Which human body part increases to ten times its size when stimulated?'

          No one answered until little Mary stood up and said,

  'You should not be asking sixth graders a question like that! I'm going
to tell my parents, and they will go and tell the Principal, who will then
                                fire you!'

          Mrs. Parks ignored her and asked the question again,
    'Which body part increases to 10 times its size when stimulated?'


    Little Mary's mouth fell open. Then she said to those around her,
          'Boy, is she going to get in big trouble!' The teacher continued to ignore her and said to the class,


                             'Anybody?'

        Finally, Billy stood up, looked around nervously, and said,

  'The body part that increases 10 times its size when stimulated is the
                            pupil of the eye.'


Mrs. Parks said, 'Very good, Billy,' then turned to Mary and continued.

          'As for you, young lady, I have three things to say:

                        One, you have a dirty mind.
                    Two, you didn't read your homework.
  And three, one day when you get married you are going to be very, very
 disappointed.'


Encore; You-tube from Uncle Chester"Unc" Lau,"Look at yourself..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE&feature=player_embedded


Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher

Friday, February 24, 2012

"Food Trucks..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

"Food trucks need to quit charging 5 star prices in a fast food environment..."
"Every Food truck I have visited on Kaua'i is priced way to high..."
This blog was published as an opinion article on 03-14-12 in the Kaua'i garden island news.
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-wednesday-march/article_018dbf4c-6d92-11e1-ac45-001871e3ce6c.html  

Food trucks are known and famous for large portions of ono grindz (delicious food) at very reasonable prices.

Food trucks do not have the overhead of a conventional restaurant, therefore one would think the savings in overhead would be passed onto the consumer as I have witnessed on Oahu.

Every Food truck I have visited on Kaua'i is priced way to high. There's a relatively new food truck I pass by everyday, however after looking at the menu, it was the same old story,  expensive! prices.  
The only thing that looked reasonable was  the kids menu, however you must be 12 or under, isn't that discrimination?
 
The icing on the cake is  the audacity to have a mayonnaise jar on their counter in sloppy handwriting that  says "TIPS!". My only tip to these food trucks is lower your prices and think volume or go out of business  trying to get five star prices in a fast food environment.
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

"Hurry up..!" 'Michael Herr' (Aloha Friday)

 Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday about stopping to take the time to smell the roses...
Michael is happily retired and pursuing his dreams of writing and publishing books, he currently lives in Walnut Creek California.  (Michael is pictured above with his latest book,"The old Queen and the Maui Maiden." To purchase this book or any of Michael's 6 other novella's go to; http://www.michaelherr.com

ALOHA FRIDAY

February 24, 2012Ó


It's Aloha Friday.


Hurry up !



Aloha folks.

I know people have discussed this before, maybe you've even commented on it to your family or friends.  But almost everyone seems to be in such a big hurry these days. 

I was in my local post office earlier this week.  Two clerks were working with one window closed.  Another clerk came out and started getting ready to relieve one of the other clerks.  A woman came in and saw that there were three people in line ahead of her.  She noticed the clerk with his "Window Closed" sign and loudly asked him, "Can't you open up?"  He was polite.  I was aghast.

The clerk politely explained that he was getting his drawer ready so that he could, indeed, open up.  I was leaving so I didn't get to see how she would react when he did open up, and the clerk he was relieving left.  I love it when people like that are behind me.  That's when I ask "who was the artist who drew this stamp?  Do you have any others by the same person?  If I put two stamps on this envelope will that mean it weighs more and I have to put extra postage?  Do you have those stamps in a different shade of green?"

When a clerk apologizes for making me wait my standard answer these days is, "If I was in a hurry I would have been here yesterday."  I do so love to mess with some people.

Leaving the Post Office and getting onto the freeway I was bowled over, almost literally, by the drivers who were all in a hurry to get somewhere, and the sooner the better.  I have learned to stay out of the fast lane, but now I think I may have to learn to stay off the freeway altogether.  Folks, the limit here is 55 mph.  The only time anyone goes 55 is when they're following a Highway Patrol car.

I have seen people weaving in and out of traffic at speeds approaching, or reaching, 100 mph.  I want to yell at them, "What's your hurry?  Do you just want to die sooner?"

Faster and faster we go.  We try and speed up our lives.  To what effect?  Will going faster add even one minute to our allotted span?  Look at it this way, when you are making love does speed count? (ladies, no answer that)

Ah, well . . .

Ooops, just noticed that I'm late for my appointment with the geniuses down at the Apple Store.  My computer is taking too long to warm up in the morning and I hope they can correct that.  Gotta go !

For more of Michael's writings go to http://www.michaelherr.com

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

"Free Ride..!" 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

"The County of Kauai is offering free bus rides for the next three 3 weeks in hopes of gaining ridership..." This blog also ran an an opinion article in the Kaua'i Garden island news on Sunday 02-26-12, titled"Free bus rides all year?"

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-sunday-february/article_1e7b1554-6055-11e1-970d-0019bb2963f4.html

Christmas in February and March! The County of Kauai' is giving out free bus service for the next three weeks to everyone who wishes to use the bus! What a fantastic idea, encouraging people to use free bus service in lieu of their gas guzzling vehicles.

Just tell your friends you hired a driver to chauffeur you around in a $500,000 vehicle!
The hopes are high for an increased ridership, which will help curtail traffic and save fellow residents money on out of sight gas prices. You don't have to worry about being pulled over by the police, no insurance worries, no worries about flat tires or vehicle maintenance, in fact you can bring your favorite book and read as your driver takes you to your destination.

County employees can ride the bus for free year round, Lifeguards, Policeman, County council people, the county attorney, the mayor, the guys who place the cones in the road, the guys that repair sidewalks, etc., can all ride the bus for free by simply flashing their county ID card to the bus driver.

I find it ironic that Kaua'i county employees can ride the bus year round for free but most do not take advantage. How ironic that well paid county employee's can ride for free but the taxpayers that pay their salaries must pay.

Free bus rides are great for three weeks, however it is discriminating to give county employee's free bus rides all year, while everyone else pays.

Why not continue with free rides full time? The county could sell advertising on the sides of the bus to make up for lost revenues, in fact the county might even save money by not having to count all the change and single one dollars bills which must be an accountant's nightmare.

The bus can be fun too, "Is everyone in the bus? The driver asked before he closed the door. No, called a lady, wait until I get my clothes on. All the passengers in the bus turned towards the door to look at the woman. She got on with a bag full of laundry.

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-sunday-february/article_1e7b1554-6055-11e1-970d-0019bb2963f4.html

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.
Breaking news if you live on Kaua'i!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

"Warren Buffett for President! 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source) -verified true on snopes...-



"Unc" is back talking  Warren Buffet's plan to end the deficit in 5 minutes... Chester Lau, (L'oncle Amusant) is a retired cinematographer enjoying his golden years on the island of Oahu. "Unc"  also served in the Korean war  as a Master Sergeant, and enjoys the naturist lifestyle.
Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:
      
       "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC "You just
         pass a  law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more        
         than 3% of  GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible
         for re-election.
         The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
         took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified!  Why? Simple!
         The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail,
         cell phones, etc.
        
         Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
         or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.
          
         Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to
         a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
         each of those to do likewise.
 
         In three days, most people in The United States of America will
         have the message.  This is one idea that really should be passed
         around.
 
    Congressional Reform Act of 2011       
         1. No Tenure / No Pension.
 
         A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
         pay when they're out of office.
 
         2.  Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
          Security.
 
         All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
         Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
         the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
         American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
 
         3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan,  just as all
        Americans do.
 
        4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
         Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
 
        5. Congress loses their current health care system and
         participates in the same health care system as the American people.
 
         6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
         American people.
 
        7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
         effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this
         contract with Congressmen/women.
         Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
         Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
         envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
         term(s), then go home and back to work.
 
         If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will
         only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive
         the message.  Don't you think it's time?
        THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Monday, February 20, 2012

"Books..." 'Bettejo Dux'


Guest-blogger Bettejo Dux is one of Kauai's most colorful characters, she has lived on the cosmic island of Kaua'i for over 40 years... She is an animal lover, people lover and enjoys life to the fullest. She publishes her own blog column too, you can check it out at ;  http://www.bettejo.wordpress.com   Besides her blog she recently published and authored the humorous fiction book, "The Scam," check it out at(www.bettejodux.com) or  on Amazon.
My father taught me to read the Sunday morning funnies. He taught me to love books. To love animals. A perfect combination for an only child. Out in the woods with my horse and dogs when the weather was good, or curled up with my dog and a book by a warm fire when it wasn't.  I've carted books around the world with me for over sixty years and when I married Bill and his books joined mine we carted a veritable library.

You can't sit down in my jungle house because every flat surface is piled with books. My library needs a library, but I know where every book is. I'm happiest around books. Around people who love and read books. The feeling in any book store is a wonderful feeling of human camaraderie. A sense of belonging. A sense of well-being. A sense of knowing you're exactly where you belong.
Now toss in a writer, a plate of cheese and crackers and a glass of wine and look out, the hours fly by like feathers in a storm.

Early on I fell in love with the New Yorker, Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, Ross, Thurber. They were my friends. I first read Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea in the edition that  featured nothing but this brilliant piece of work. Writers have heroes and Hemingway is one of mine. His short stories still amaze me. I learned to write dialogue from him. I learned about Spain and the Spanish revolution. I learned about  Guernica and Pablo Picasso. I learned that the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a communist organization.  I learned about Marx and Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg and John Reed and ten days that shook the world.  That didn't convert me, but it did pique my interest.

With a book on a log you can travel the world. The open curious child mind in a library  can sniff out stuff no teacher would recommend. Combine that with a lust for knowledge and you're a menace to society.
I recommend it.

When you're talking to other writers it's wonderful how minds leap and jump to other books, other authors, other subjects. I read a critique about Carl Jung recently where, it was stated  that he said  "Books jumped off the shelf at me". I'm sure that was a metaphor and, if so, I understand.They sure jump off the shelf at me, and this seems to be true of many writers and readers.
I love Stephen King and his book, The Stand jumped of the shelf at me. So did  The Watchers by Dean Kuntz. Anything Kurt Vonnegut wrote.

I love fantasy. I write fantasy. I cannot be separated from my books. One of the saddest things to happen was the loss of Borders on Kauai, but we do have the delightful Talk Story Book Shop in Hanapepe. Ed Justus and his beautiful wife Cynthia are superb hosts. On Friday nights the world drifts in. To all my readers, if you live on Kauai, please come visit me there. I think you'll love my humorous fiction, The Scam.
If you're off island, look for my website (www.bettejodux.com) and check it out on Amazon.




Bettejo has a blog of her own you can check out at ; http://www.bettejo.wordpress.com  

www.bettejodux.com
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

http://www.bettejodux.com/

"Happy Presidents day, really..?" 'Obama Da Dog'

Obama Da Dogs, thoughts on President's day!
President is defined as the head of an organization in my Oxford Thesaurus, Dictionary.
President's Day is a day we set aside to honor all the people in charge? I thought everyday is a day to honor the presidents of businesses and Republics, Presidents are always getting acknowledged with all sorts of perks.
Here's an ides, how about, "People's day," where we honor the people that aren't in the top 1% but the 99% who need a lift!
Happy Presidents day, really? How about Happy People's day!

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

"Post Valentines Day comments..." (PVD)'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Monday)

Judith Whitehead is back for another Inspirational Monday guest-blogging about PVD. (Post Valentines Day) Judith lives in Amherst N.Y. and has work in the ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years...
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and the way to a woman's heart is through flowers..!"


Post Valentines’ Day Comments…

Well…another Valentines’ Day has come and gone.  This year my husband got the idea that he should send flowers to my office….with only my name on the order…to a 4 story office building.   When I saw what he paid for them, I thought  “ I better receive those flowers” because they could be lined in gold. When you order flowers the day before Valentines’ Day there are consequences to pay!  Thank goodness the maintenance man knows my name because he delivered them to my floor. 

I have to say that they were very beautiful and bright to receive on a not-so-bright-day.  It was snowy and cold this year on Valentines’ Day and I had many admirers come into my office. Next year, I think I will start reminding my husband about February 14th way in advance…they never change…after being married for 38 years…they still do things last minute, even with all my training over the years… and as  for those beautiful flowers…they will  still  be  blooming and vibrant a week later .  Included in the box were many packages of plant food, directions and cuttings from sturdy spring flowers. 


Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

"The snow plow..." Debbie Eayrs (Source)

 My Dear friends Steve and Debbie Eayrs live in Homer Alaska and run their own plumbing and heating business... They are the source of many good jokes including this one, enjoy!
It was snowing heavily and blowing to the point that visibility was almost
zero when a young teenage girl got caught in a blizzard.

She made her way to her car and wondered how she was going to make it home. She sat in her car while it warmed up and thought about her situation. She finally remembered her daddy's advice that if she got caught in a blizzard she should wait for a snow plow to come by and follow it. That way she would not get stuck in a snow drift.

This made her feel much better and sure enough in a little while a snow plow went by and she started to follow it.

As she followed the snow plow she was feeling very smug as they continued and she was not having any problem with the blizzard conditions.

After an hour had passed, she was somewhat surprised when the snowplow stopped and the driver got out and came back to her car and signaled for her to roll down her window..

The snow plow driver wanted to know if she was all right as she had been following him for a long time.

She said that she was fine and told him of her daddy's advice to follow a snow plow when caught in a blizzard.

The driver replied that it was OK with him and she could continue if she wanted, but he was done with the Wal-Mart parking lot and was going over to Sears.

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Friday, February 17, 2012

"The letter..." 'Obama Da dog'

"Try writing a letter to a friend or loved one the good fashioned way with a pen and paper, you may be surprised how good it actually feels..!" 

"My baby, she wrote me a letter," was a Popular song from the 60's that was made famous by many artists including the Box Tops and Joe Cocker.

Letters used to be one of the primary means of communications, couples in love would write letters, waiting 4-7 days to hear from their partner, the anticipation the waiting was all part of being in love. Parents would write letters to their children at summer camp, friends would send letters to friends who lived in other cities, and people would actually send birthday's cards to friends and family and  wrote personal messages with a pen.


The Pen and paper is special, I received a letter from a letter from a friend that was hand written, with beautiful penmanship, it took me back to a time before email, cell phones, texting, skyping, tweeting and facebook. It felt pure, it felt special, it felt like the person really cared.

Modern conveniences such as sending emails anywhere in the world in milli-seconds is wonderful, however receiving a handwritten letter or a birthday message from a friend or loved one that actually took time to write a letter, put  on a stamp and drop it in a mailbox sure felt good, it felt pure, it had meaning.

The post office, an American institution may not be around much longer, with most people paying bills online, sending electronic birthday wishes, and emails about everything and anything. Children even write to Santa by email these days...

 Before the post office leaves us,  try writing a letter, it's the difference between fast food and a nice home made meal. The  next time you want to re-connect with a friend  loved one, or even Santa Claus how about writing them a letter? Maybe, just maybe the Post office might be around for future generations to experience the passion made possible through a pen and paper,  a home cooked  meal  of sorts, so to speak.
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..." 'Michael Herr' (Aloha Friday)

 Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday about how beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that bigger is not always better...
Michael is happily retired and pursuing his dreams of writing and publishing books, he currently lives in Walnut Creek California.  (Michael is pictured above with his latest book,"The old Queen and the Maui Maiden." To purchase this book or any of Michael's 6 other novella's go to; http://www.michaelherr.com



ALOHA FRIDAY
February 17, 2012


It's Aloha Friday.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... 


Aloha folks.
I received a DVD set of the complete "Barney Miller" TV series for my birthday. I love watching "Barney". There's so much in the series that is relevant even today.
But one thing I noticed was the less-than-ample bosoms of a great many of the female actors. In particular I noticed in one episode, an episode where Wojohowitz falls for a prostitute and asks her to move in with him, an actress who is almost flat-chested. But she is absolutely beautiful. Several other actresses in the series were also beautiful, but less than overly-endowed.
So what has happened over the past 30-40 years? Why are so many of the movie and television stars so . . . exceedingly bountiful. One answer, breast implants.
Remember the first silicon injections? Gigantic breasts became the norm — followed years later by massive disfigurements for some women.
Then plastic surgeons developed a new method. Breast prostheses filled with silicone gel. Suddenly women everywhere were going from A to B or C or D. Some even went further (but those who went that far soon found that sleeping on their backs was no longer a choice but rather a necessity).
But why? Why did, and why do, so many women seek to increase their breast size? Childbearing will usually do that naturally for a woman. So why this unnatural desire to increase their breast size?
Because women think men find them more attractive with large breasts is my primary guess. Do men in general prefer large breasts?
Undoubtedly a lot of men do prefer big-breasted women. But there are also a great many men, myself included, who are turned off by women who have gone beyond what nature intended them to have. Women who seem to have trouble walking without falling forward, dragged down by their implants.
Beautiful breasts are not necessarily defined by size. Shape, balance, and other factors are just as, if not more, important.
It's too bad that movies, television and commercial advertisements tend to play up large breasts over smaller ones. Cleavage is pushed to the front when selling all types of products.
But large breasts, overly large usually, can be intimidating. After all, a small breast in the hand is quite a nice handful. An overly large breast . . . requires more than one hand.
Enough on breasts. I think perhaps I seem a bit fixated. Maybe next time we'll talk about the body part that so many men seem to want to enlarge on themselves.
Okay folks, see you next week.

For more of Michael's writings go to http://www.michaelherr.com

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

"Open your eyes..." 'James 'Kimo" Rosen'

"You talkin to me." "Yea, I'm talkin to you!" Read  all about legalizing  prostitution, marijuana and gambling... This blog was also published on 02-18-12 as an opinion article in the Kaua'i Garden Island News under the title," Gambling already rampant in Hawai'i."
 http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-february/article_7ce732c2-5a5f-11e1-a50b-001871e3ce6c.html

They say (whoever they are) the only two states without gambling are Hawaii and Utah, not so fast...

Cockfighting is alive and well on every island in Hawaii, on any given weekend there are hundreds of scheduled cockfights, anyone wanting to get in the gambling need just know somebody to get you in. Overall, law authorities turn their head on this. The crazy thing, even bingo fundraisers are illegal in Hawaii, unless you happen to be on one of Hawaii's US military bases,  then you can play organized bingo for money.

Prostitution is readily available in the open, on Oahu with sign's all over with the likes of relaxation parlors, hostess bars and massage parlors, these businesses are usually located near bars and strip clubs.

Anybody who needs to smoke marijuana can obtain it, I have heard many  law enforcement officers smoke pot themselves.

It's time the masses  quit being hypocrites and vote to legalize gambling, prostitution and marijuana! Our prisons are  overcrowded, our courts or stressed costing the taxpayer millions. Many good people are sitting  around and rotting in prisons for what many of us do, they just happened to get caught.

 I do not partake in any of these activities, however recognize the tax money the state is losing out on and going into the hands of organized and unorganized crime.


 It's no wonder that Las Vegas is the number one travel destination for Hawai'i people. Let's open our eyes, we can all continue to be hypocrites or realize we have a farm with three cash crops begging to be taxed .
 
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily
 represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

"A whole new world..." Chester "Unc" Lau (L'oncle Amusant)-Source-

"Unc" is back talking about the new world we live in today and our children's future...  Chester Lau, (L'oncle Amusant) is a retired cinematographer enjoying his golden years on the island of Oahu. "Unc"  also served in the Korean war  as a Master Sergeant, and enjoys the naturist lifestyle.


The US is going in the direction of  Almighty ROME  !!! HELP !!! Le Marquis de Lafayette  !!! Dump the republicrats  !!! Vote George Washington & Thomas Jefferson 2012 !!! L'oncle Amusant

This is truly a read and weep article...
   A whole new world - the future for our children…… read on……..

  The things listed in items 1-10 are in either in full implementation or in the process of happening. Most of the items will affect you directly in one way or another and many of them are not good. Item Number 10 and the 19 Facts Listed About The Deindustrialization Of America Will possibly stun you. CHANGES ARE COMING...

1. The Post Office. Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.

2. The Check. Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with checks by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process checks. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the check. This plays right into the death of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.

3. The Newspaper. The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.

4. The Book. You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of the convenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book.

5. The Land Line Telephone. Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they've always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes.

 6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalog items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with. Older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book, "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, "Before the Music Dies."

7. Television. Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it. It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.

8. The "Things" That You Own. Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in "the cloud." Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services." That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider. In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device. That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

 9. Privacy. If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That's gone. It's been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7, "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. And "They" will try to get you to buy something else. Again and again. All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

10. Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will Blow Your Mind The United States is rapidly becoming the very first "post-industrial" nation on the globe. All great economic empires eventually become fat and lazy and squander the great wealth that their forefathers have left them, but the pace at which America is accomplishing this is absolutely amazing. It was America that was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. It was America that showed the world how to mass produce everything from automobiles to televisions to airplanes. It was the great American manufacturing base that crushed Germany and Japan in World War II. But now we are witnessing the deindustrialization of America .. Tens of thousands of factories have left the United States in the past decade alone. Millions upon millions of manufacturing jobs have been lost in the same time period. The United States has become a nation that consumes everything in sight and yet produces increasingly little. Do you know what our biggest export is today? Waste paper. Yes, trash is the number one thing that we ship out to the rest of the world as we voraciously blow our money on whatever the rest of the world wants to sell to us.

The United States has become bloated and spoiled and our economy is now just a shadow of what it once was. Once upon a time America could literally out produce the rest of the world combined. Today that is no longer true, but Americans sure do consume more than anyone else in the world. If the deindustrialization of America continues at this current pace, what possible kind of a future are we going to be leaving to our children?Any great nation throughout history has been great at making things. So if the United States continues to allow its manufacturing base to erode at a staggering pace how in the world can the U.S. continue to consider itself to be a great nation?

We have created the biggest debt bubble in the history of the world in an effort to maintain a very high standard of living, but the current state of affairs is not anywhere close to sustainable. Every single month America goes into more debt and every single month America gets poorer.So what happens when the debt bubble pops?The deindustrialization of the United States should be a top concern for every man, woman and child in the country. But sadly, most Americans do not have any idea what is going on around them. For people like that, take this article and print it out and hand it to them. Perhaps what they will read below will shock them badly enough to awaken them from their slumber. The following are 19 facts about the deindustrialization of America that will blow your mind....

#1 The United States has lost approximately 42,400 factories since 2001. About 75 percent of those factories employed over 500 people when they were still in operation

.#2 Dell Inc., one of Americas largest manufacturers of computers, has announced plans to dramatically expand its operations in China with an investment of over $100 billion over the next decade.

#3 Dell has announced that it will be closing its last large U.S. manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in November. Approximately 900 jobs will be lost.

#4 In 2008, 1.2 billion cell phones were sold worldwide. So how many of them were manufactured inside the United States? Zero.

#5 According to a new study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, if the U.S. trade deficit with China continues to increase at its current rate, the U.S. economy will lose over half a million jobs this year alone.

#6 As of the end of July, the U. S. Trade deficit with China has risen 18 percent compared to the same time period a year ago.

#7 The United States has lost a total of about 5.5 million manufacturing jobs since October 2000.

#8 According to Tax Notes, between 1999 and 2008employment at the foreign affiliates of U.S. parent companies increased an astounding 30 percent to 10.1 million. During that exact same time period, U.S. employment at American multinational corporations declined 8 percent to 21.1 million.

#9 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented 11.5 percent.

#10 Ford Motor Company recently announced the closure of a factory that produces the Ford Ranger in St. Paul, Minnesota. Approximately 750 good paying middle class jobs are going to be lost because making Ford Rangers in Minnesota does not fit in with Ford's new "global" manufacturing strategy.

#11 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time less than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.

#12 In the United States today, consumption accounts for 70 percent of GDP. Of this 70 percent, over half is spent on services.

#13 The United States has lost a whopping 32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.

#14 In 2001, the United States ranked fourth in the world in per capita broadband Internet use. Today it ranks 15Th.

#15 Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry is actually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.

#16 Printed circuit boards are used in tens of thousands of different products. Asia now produces 84 percent of them worldwide.

#17 The United States spends approximately $3.90 on Chinese goods for every $1 that the Chinese spend on goods from the United States .

#18 One prominent economist is projecting that the Chinese economy will be three times larger than the U.S. economy by the year 2040.

#19 The U.S. Census Bureau says that 43.6 million Americans are now living in poverty and according to them that is the highest number of poor Americans in the 51 years that records have been kept.So how many tens of thousands more factories do we need to lose before we do something about it?

How many millions more Americans are going to become unemployed before we all admit that we have a very, very serious problem on our hands?How many more trillions of dollars are going to leave the country before we realize that we are losing wealth at a pace that is killing our economy?How many once great manufacturing cities are going to become rotting war zones like Detroit before we understand that we are committing national economic suicide?

The deindustrialization of America is a national crisis. It needs to be treated like one.If you disagree with this article, I have a direct challenge for you. If anyone can explain how a de-industrialized America has any kind of viable economic future, please do so.America is in deep, deep trouble folks. It is time to wake up!! All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. --  Edmund Burke


Thank you "Unc" for serving our country and continue to serve by caring with the sharing of such profound facts about our great country, in hopes that it stays great!
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.