Yard, Garage, Estate sale, call it what you want..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Friday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for nearly 40 years

Yard, Garade, Estate sale, call it what you want

It's that time again for neighborhood garage sale fun. I will be spending tonight tagging and sorting  "treasures" from the homestead that have spent enough time in seclusion.

 

Cleaning out the cupboards for glasses etc that I have long forgotten about , clothing that "might" fit if 10 pounds are lost and  assorted "chakchas" that have over run the shelves.  

Even though the signs say open at 8A.M. I know people will be meandering the streets to get the best "stuff" first pic.  We get about 20 homes participating each year and enjoy just exchanging stories of the shoppers with the home owners. 

 Better get myself started getting the tables out....and my final rule...Nothing gets back in the House"..donate, donate, donate the rest.Yard, Garage, Estate sale, call it what you want.

Hana Hou, (Encore)

"Deceptive political campaign posters..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #139)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world #139~Blog #1815

Deceptive political campaign posters

Tis the season, my favorite season. Political junkies like myself  relish this time of year as a football fan looks forward to the playoffs.  Not only is this an election year on Kaua'i for the 2 year county council seats but it is a presidential election. 

Cruising through Kapaa town on my bicycle I get to observe the many campaign signs littering the frontage of many Kuhio highway properties. 

The one thing that really bothers me are the campaign posters that in many instances make the candidates look years younger than they currently are. This is because the photos are many years and many pounds less than what they currently look like. One candidate I will not mention by name has a photo that must be 10-15 years old.

Political signs like these can be seen
  all over the Island. The photos in many
 instances looks years younger than
 the candidate running.

Woman politicians use to be the primary culprits of this narcissistic act of vanity but it did not take their male counterparts long to catch on.

Politics begins with the campaign poster. If the politician running is going to be deceptive from the start in a campaign poster, how else will they be deceptive? Can I ever trust them?

I believe there should be some sort of ordinance or law that all campaign photos cannot be more than  6 months old.That is not to much to ask in this day in age of smart phones, social media and selfies. 

Ask yourself a simple question; If the politician will deceive you in a photo before he or she is even in office, how will they deceive you  if God forbid they ever win and take office?

P.S.~~~~~ From Snopes!
Obama's Half-Brother Says He’s Voting for Donald Trump (Snopes-Fact checked!)
http://www.snopes.com/2016/07/24/obamas-half-brother-says-hes-voting-for-donald-trump/

President Barack Obama's half-brother Malik, also known as Abongo or Roy, is about three years older than his more famous half-sibling. (The two men had the same father but different mothers.) Barack and Malik did not grow up together, as Malik was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, while Barack was born in Hawaii and lived in the United States and Indonesia. They did not meet for the first time until 1985, when they were in their mid-20s; each served as best man at the other's wedding, but they appear to have had little contact with each other in recent years.

Malik Obama sought to capitalize on his now-famous surname by running for governor of the Kenyan county of Siaya in 2013, but he was defeated in that election by a wide margin. He made headlines in the U.S. in July 2016 when he announced to the New York Post that he would be voting not for his brother's putative Democratic successor, Hillary Clinton, but for Republican candidate Donald Trump:

President Obama’s Kenyan half-brother wants to make America great again — so he’s voting for Donald Trump.

“I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart,” Malik Obama told The Post from his home in the rural village of Kogelo. “Make America Great Again is a great slogan. I would like to meet him.”

Obama, 58, a longtime Democrat, said his “deep disappointment” in his brother Barack’s administration has led him to recently switch allegiance to “the party of Lincoln.”

The last straw, he said, came when FBI Director James Comey recommended not prosecuting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over her use of a private e-mail servers while secretary of state.

“She should have known better as the custodian of classified information,” said Obama.

He’s also annoyed that Clinton and President Obama killed Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy, whom he called one of his best friends.

Lately, family ties seem to be frayed. Obama, who was best man at the president’s wedding, said he spoke to his brother a year ago and was miffed that he did nothing to help his own foray into politics when he ran for governor of the southwestern Kenyan county of Siaya in 2013.

Malik Obama lost the race, and spent $20,000 of his own money on the unsuccessful campaign.
Many onlookers have questioned whether Malik Obama is even eligible to vote in the United States, as he lives in, and has run for government office in, Kenya. But according to the Post, Malik is a frequent visitor to the U.S. and is registered to vote in Maryland:

Obama plans to trek back to the US to vote for Trump in November. Obama used to live in Maryland, where he worked for many years as an accountant and is registered to vote there, public records show.

Hana Hou, Encore!

Canal Canal on the water,Do I look old..?" 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Friday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for nearly 40 years

Canal Canal on the water, Do I look old?

As I "gracefully"  age, I look in the mirror and think "do I look old"?

This past  weekend I felt like the mirror answered me. We went with friends  to Buffalo's canal side which has evolved over the last few years to a bustling port full of beauty and activities to see and do. 

One of the activities was a Ferry boat ride across the water to view the renovated light house.  It was a small Ferry with standing room and bench seats as well.

As we approached the seats there were a few small areas left to sit on--a woman on the bench that I would guess to be in her late 40's,  asked us if we needed a seat as she would offer her seat and she would stand.   If ever I felt old, that was the time..no mirror needed this time...just harsh reality, and I thought to myself "do I look that old?"

Well the 60's are good for some things--discounts at many places, extra courtesy given, and open seating.Wonder what the 70's will bring?

Hana Hou, (Encore)

"Para Transit Bus Service ain't what it used to be..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #138)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world #138~Blog #1812
Editors note;
This blog also appeared as an opinion article in the Thursday July 14, 2016 edition of The Garden Island news;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-july/article_e0bb0c5f-f2c7-5245-b6fe-ce92275562fb.html

Para Transit Bus Service ain't what it used to be
The Para transit bus service is one of the many  perks of being over 60 and living on the Garden Island.

The Para Transit Bus is one of the many
great perks of being over 60  on the Garden Island!

Recently those at the top of the chain  decided to change the computer system with a new GPS in every bus  plus  new dispatch computers showing all at the central location where every bus is every minute. Eventually down the road allowing customers access to seeing where buses are just by logging onto a computer or smartphone.

This all sounds great, however there is an old expression, "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"

Somebody decided that each Para Transit driver every day shall drive a different route. Before drivers had fixed routes they were familiar with and riders that looked forward to their drivers knowing their needs. Many para transit customers are wheel-chair bound and have special needs. It takes time for the drivers to get to know the needs of those with special needs. A routine is imperative for the job to be done efficient.

This would be like having a cleaning service sending you a different person every week instead of having a person of routine who knows what you like. 

Lucy is  one of the many aloha spirited
 Para transit bus drivers.
Currently they must drive
a different route everyday.
A fixed route seems
to make more sense to
a majority of the drivers and
passengers.

The Para Transit drivers are some of the most Aloha oriented people I have ever met. The people running the Kauai bus have no idea what it's like to be a passenger or driver, they seem to have no common sense?

The drivers go to work and 
have no idea where they are starting their day, North, South, East, or West side of the island.
Whomever is responsible for the recent change in demanding that every para transit driver have a different route every day needs to be fired--no second chances, no let's talk about it. 

I do not know how much money was spent on this new program for the Kauai bus, but every driver I have talked with and every passenger I have spoke with is very disappointed. Most people say nothing because that is the local way.

The only people that are thrilled are the ones who sold the program and those who profited with commission sales through this idiotic program. It would be interesting to see who profited from this program and how much did this cost the taxpaying public?

Technology is not always the best choice, in many instances the human element out trumps(excuse the pun) them all.
Editors note;
This blog also appeared as an opinion article in the Thursday July 14, 2016 edition of The Garden Island news;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-july/article_e0bb0c5f-f2c7-5245-b6fe-ce92275562fb.html

Hana Hou, Encore!

"At the Zoo..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Friday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

At the Zoo

This week we decided  to take the time to hang out at the Buffalo Zoo for a couple hours.  We had not been there since the improved polar bear exhibit. We felt bad since they shipped all the bears away except one lonely cub that was playing in the water but the exhibit was 100% better than previously. 

The baby apes were adorable and since the zoo added many more sponsors, the place looked cleaner and kept up.  I know it takes a lot to fund a Zoo but  the displays were sparse with animals which made us feel somewhat sad.  

Its a great place for the young; many moms had their little ones with them and a learning area has been set up just for them.  Now I have had my zoo fix for this year.  Now on to better and bigger things to discover.

Hana Hou...

"Declaration for Independents..." 'Larry Arruda' (Source of this viral email)

Please welcome guest-blogger Mr. Larry Arruda.
 Larry was born and raised in Lihu'e Kauai.Graduated from Wilcox Elementary in 1959

and Kauai High School in 1963. Larry is a Vietnam war veteran. Larry served 30 years in Costa Mesa California  as a highway design administrator. Larry Retired in 2002 and moved back home to Kauai in 2003.

Declaration for Independents

"I THINK THIS GUY HAS IT ALL COVERED.  I COULDN'T SPOT ANYTHING HE LEFT OUT."Larry Arruda

Editors note,   
Larry Arruda, is the source not
 the author of the enclosed viral email.

I am the Democratic-Republican-Liberal-Progressive's Worst Nightmare.
I am a White, Conservative, Tax-Paying American , Gun Owning  Veteran
That's me!

I believe in  the freedom of religion, but I don't push it on others.

I believe in American products and buy them whenever I can.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and not some liberal
governmental functionary, Democrat or Republican, that wants to share
it with others who don't work!

I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!

I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer; it makes you a smart American.

I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and
does not entitle you to anything.  Get over it!

I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac or any other item, you
should do it in English.

I believe there should be no other language option for business.

I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and
where they want to.

I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor.

I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.

I've never owned a slave, nor was I a slave. I haven't burned any
witches , and neither have you!

I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where
you came from and change your own country!  This is AMERICA ...We like
it the way it is and more so the way it was ...so stop trying to
change it to look like Russia or China, or some other socialist
country!

If you were born here and don't like it... you are free to move to any
Socialist country that will have you. I believe it is time to really
clean house, starting with the White House, the seat of our biggest
problems.

I want to know which church is it, exactly, where the Reverend Jesse
Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part
of the problem and not the solution?  Can I get an AMEN on that one
also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking
the law, regardless of what race or color you are.

And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driver's license, nor
the necessity of showing my identification, to conduct normal business
or especially to vote . I think those policies are more than
prudent....

I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want
you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the
world for the next four years.

I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me
stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their
cause....Get a job and do your part to support yourself and your
family!

I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes a
man and woman ...

I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers, or
progressive Democrats  think!

I want to return this country to the values it was founded on, and
prospered under for over 200 years!

My Country...I hope this offends all illegal aliens.

Hypothetically,  my great, great, great, great grandfather watched and
bled as his friends died in the Revolution and the War of 1812.

My great, great, great grandfather watched as his friends died in the
Mexican American War.

My great, great grandfather watched as his friends and brothers died
in the Civil War.

My great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Spanish-American War.

My grandfather watched as his friends died in WW I.

My father watched as his friends died in WW II and the Korean War.

I watched as my friends died in Vietnam , Panama and Desert Storm.

My son watched and bled as his friends died in Afghanistan and Iraq ..

None of them died for the Mexican Flag.

Everyone of them died for the American flag, and liberty.

Texas high school students raised a Mexican flag on a school flag
pole, other students took it down. Guess who was expelled...the
students who took it down.

California high school students were sent home on Cinco de Mayo
because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough!

This message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American
needs to stand up for America .

We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough.

I'm taking a stand.

I'm standing up because of the hundreds of thousands who died fighting
in wars, preserving liberty and freedom both, here and in other
besieged nations, for the American flag, and all she stands for..

If you agree, stand up with me.

And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message.

AMERICANS, stop giving away Your RIGHTS!  Let me make this clear! THIS
IS MY COUNTRY!

This statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally, as did
my grandparents:
      1. Get a sponsor
      2. Learn the LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past!
      3. Live by OUR rules!
      4. Get a job!
      5. Pay YOUR Taxes!
      6. No Social Security until you have earned it and Paid for it!
      7. NOW find a place to lay your head!

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then
YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

We've gone so far the other way . . . bent over backwards not to offend anyone.

Only AMERICANS seems to care when American Citizens are being offended!

WAKE UP America !!!

  I MISS MY COUNTRY!   God Bless America

Hana Hou, (Encore)

"A proposal to vote for Mel Rapozo..." 'James "{kimo" Rosen (Kimo's world #137)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world #137~Blog #1809

A proposal to vote for Mel Rapozo

Presidential politics has destroyed my core friendships. Jerry Seinfeld said, "true friends are the ones that will either help you move or offer you a ride to the airport." Right now my friends would do neither, although many would probably volunteer to drive me to the airport if I had a one way ticket to anywhere.

Local politics are not as intense. Nobody will unfriend me or not talk to me if I say I am not going to vote for Joanne Yukimura, Gary Hooser,  Kipu Kai, Derek Kawakami, Mel Rapozo or the other guys.

Why not unfriend me for voting for a local council member? It's closer to home?

It would seem much more appropriate to unfriend someone on a local level than a national basis of where you never really get to know the candidate except through the deceptive media.

Kauai county councilman
Mel Rapozo

So, here's my stand. I will talk to you if you vote for Mel Rapozo. Mel currently serves as county chair for the  7 person elected county council.  Mel works tirelessly  around the clock to help the people of Kauai county.  Every time I have had any kind of situation or problem and have emailed the county council at large Mel has always been the first to respond with an answer that always says, "Kimo, I will get on it immediately,"and he does.  So far every situation has had positive results.

I can't say who I will not talk to on a local level, but I will most definitely talk to you if you vote for Mel Rapozo. I encourage you to vote for Mel Rapozo. His heart is in it for the right reasons.

 I have a proposal, for all to vote for Mel Rapozo!

iPhone Photography with PIP app;
All images Copyright 2016-James "Kimo"Rosen~

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

Smile, laughter is healing!   ;-)

"Chillaxin..!"'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Friday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

Chillaxin

Today I decided to take the day off. Having my son visiting from L.A. I had planned some extra time to spend with him and do a “me day” today. An extra day to chill and do some things around the house is much appreciated at the end of a busy work week.

Starting the day at our favorite “diamond in the area” restaurant, Mardes is like a step back of time, located in our very own Mayberry USA. Hidden in a neighborhood nearby and locally owned by a family, it is a step back in time.

Judith and son Joel
'Chilaxin' before he   heads back
to LA...

 Everyone knows everyone, the customers are regulars and the restaurant is so small we can hold a conversation with someone across the room. Still offering breakfast specials that include coffee is almost unheard of in today's business world and walking out of a restaurant feeling full spending little money is another gift.

I know my day will go fast as I watch some HG-TV and refresh my manicure but that's what a day off is all about. Chillaxin!

"Judy, Judy, Judy!"

Hana Hou, (Encore)