"My heart aches for the skydivers and pilot..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

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-Special Breaking News Edition #129
Editors note;
Read all about the tragic skydiving accident that took the lives of 5 people on Kauai
on Monday May 23,2016;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32052526/new-details-emerge-about-victims-killed-in-kauai-skydiving-plane-crash

My heart aches for the skydivers and pilot

I did not personally know any of the deceased  of the recent skydive Kauai tragedy in Hanapepe.

My friend Ken Landfield visiting Kauai from Homer Alaska
enjoying the time of his life skydiving with tandem skydive
instructor Enzo Amitrano whom tragically lost his
life in an airplane accident doing what he loved.
Photo courtesy; Ken Landfield 

I cried when I heard the story.My heart aches for the  the 2 instructors, 2 tandem skydivers and pilot. I felt a kinship, though I personally did not know any of the 5 who lost their lives.

Kauai is  a small and when something like this happens if feels like ohana (family) even when the people it happens to are not blood related.

For my 60th birthday I had planned a skydive with this company. I had a friend who had visited from Alaska who could not stop ranting and raving about how he had the time of his life--- and like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the classic movie. "The Bucket List" decided to take a skydive for his 60th birthday too, which is what prompted my idea to do the same. 

I decided to put it off since a very dear friend told me if I waited to do it on her birthday she would fork the bill! I don't know if we will still go, that's not why I am writing this.

None of this is about money or bucket lists. It's about life and how precious it is, and how in the blink of an eye any of us can be gone  within a  heartbeat.  Do you think any of the 5 people that died that tragic day woke up and  though that within a few short hours their life would end?

Life is short. Enjoy your neighbors, smile and shoot a shaka at a stranger, buy a homeless person a meal, eat a hotdog or spam musubi without guilt, and don't argue and loose friendships over presidential candidates, there not worth it.  Basically don't sweat the small stuff.

We may disagree on issues, however one thing is for certain, everyone reading this was given the gift of a life, So why not try your optimum to enjoy it--- you just never know when you will be taking your last breath.

The enclosed quote by -William Wallace- describes those who like to take adventures and live life to the fullest
“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”  

Do a Mitzvot (good deed) in memory and honor of each of the deceased . It can be donation to your favorite charity, planting a tree  in their honor or just pleasant thoughts and reflections.

May God bless and comfort the family  and friends of the deceased.

 Editors note;
The Garden Island news published this blog as a guest column on June 1, 2016;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/life-is-precious-so-share-your-joy/article_5f3fca05-53e4-5e92-ac0d-9d19e86db36e.html#.V07t8vXuITg.facebook

Breaking News;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32057464/former-skydive-kauai-pilots-say-they-had-safety-concerns-about-crashed-plane
Hawaii News Now;
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -
Three former Skydive Kauai pilots said they were concerned about the airworthiness of the plane that crashed Monday just after takeoff, killing all five people on board.
"I didn't feel comfortable flying that plane myself," said one pilot.
Two of the pilots said they quit rather than go up in the 51-year-old plane again. The third said he left Skydive Kauai in 2012 when he asked to see the plane's maintenance logs and was fired.
Hawaii News Now granted the three pilots anonymity.
Read more;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32057464/former-skydive-kauai-pilots-say-they-had-safety-concerns-about-crashed-plane

"Now is the time for change..!" 'Larry Arruda) (Special to dakinetalk)~newest guest blogger~

Please welcome dakinetalk's newest 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.

Now is the time for change

Having read Mr. Mickens dakinetalk guest-blog on May 17,2016 titled,"The brink of a new style of government."  I agree with him 100%.

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-brink-of-new-style-of-government.html

For 30 years I was an integral part of this system at a City in Orange County California and it worked very well.

The responsibility of our manager was to do the job assigned to him by the Council and Mayor. If he didn't do his job, he could be fired unlike the Mayor/Council system we have on Kauai where the Mayor sits for 4 or 8 years no matter what kind of a job he does.

I was born and raised on Kauai, as were my parents. I love this Island and feel that I have the advantage of seeing both systems in operation. 

With a Manager style of government a "real" person is there to take the blame or credit for a task that is given him/her.

If any of the many problems that Mr Mickens points out on Kauai are not addressed, there is no one person held responsible---just back and forth finger pointing between the Council and the Administration. 

Under a Manager style of government the Mayor sits on the Council and along with the other 6 members they decide what problem they want addressed, give it to the Manager and the finger pointing stops--the buck stops at the Manager's desk. 

A County Manager system will undoubtedly provide noticeable improvements in accountability transparency, and continuity, which in turn will result in great improvements in efficiency.  Those are four major characteristics that are absolutely necessary for any government to be successful and to provide the proper representation of the taxpayers. 

Any elected official that cannot understand that does not have the right to represent anyone.  

Adapting to a County Manager system will be a big change for the people of Kauai.  "Change" is always difficult in a relatively small community, especially one where many residents are still hung up on a "plantation mentality".    But NOW is the time for that change.

Please do not denounce this change if you do not know or understand it. Be your own person. Be wise and ask questions of those that know about the system. 

I strongly recommend that we put this measure on the ballot and let the people decide if they want it. If we really want to solve the multitude of problems that face Kauai then what other choice is available?

"NOW IS THE TIME FOR CHANGE"

Larry is very concerned about how Kauai is governed

 and sincerely believes that a County Manager system

 would be extremely beneficial for ALL the people of Kaua'i.  

Hana Hou, (Encore)