Cosmic Kauai's (dakinetalk's) person of the year..!( Plus written testimony for Kauai's General plan)" 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #220)

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 Ivanka-Obama Da Dog!

Publisher's note!
Next week Monday is Christmas day and the following Monday is New Years day,
the usual days to post dakinetalk blog, therefore we will be taking those day's off
unless there is some sort of major breaking news.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Years! Blessings in 2018!
Mele Kalikimaka and A Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
James "Kimo" Rosen
Publisher/Blogger-n-chief-dakinetalk blog

Blog #1973~Kimo's world's #220
Cosmic Kauai's (dakinetalk's) person of the year

The Kauai mayoral race is less than a year away and people are already picking

sides although they do not know the positions the candidates stand concerning major issues?  Thus far there have been no debates on how they feel on GMO's,  the continuance of feeding taxpayer moneys to the tourism agencies, the legalization of recreational marijuana , and the ongoing concern of more roads on our crowded island?

Right now we are picking candidates

Your photo belongs
on this cover! ;-)

from what we know from their past,  personal experiences, and friendships over the years. There is so much more to come that we all need to pay attention to.

However with that said, I would like to let everyone know whom I consider (Cosmic Kauai's and dakinetalk blog's person of the year.

#3, Kauai resident  and self proclaimed "nitpicker" considered a watchdog of the  county by many and a prolific letter to the editor writer to the Garden Island news, Mr. Glenn Mickens.   Glenn keeps the

Glenn Mickens was a
 pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers
and personally knew Jackie Robinson

politicians from straying with his constant testimonials from wanting a county manager style of government to the waste he feels is spent on  bike paths along the island, while Glenn believes people will never give up their cars?  We  would love for Glenn to run for office but he has too much fun and independence being a self proclaimed watchdog and nitpicker. 

A little trivia on Glenn--For those who didn't know Mr. Mickens played professional baseball as a pitcher  with the Brooklyn Dodgers and personally knew Jackie Robinson.





'Read Glenn Mickens' Wikipedia page!'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens

#2, Editor-n-chief of the Kauai Garden Island news and marathon runner extraordinaire, Mr. Bill Buley.

Kauai Garden Island News
Editor-n-chief, Bill Buley
along with his excellence in journalism,
meeting daily deadlines is one heck of a
photographer and marathon runner

Simply said, I do not know how he handles daily deadlines and still manages to publish an excellent newspaper 7 days a week. I was once a publisher/editor of Alaska People magazine, a quarterly publication. We had 4 deadlines a year and I was a mess and stressed to the max. Our deepest honors goes to Bill for excellence in journalism and meeting daily deadlines and that's not all, he's one heck of a

Bill Buley is a marathon runner
and to relieve  stress enjoys running
on the beaches in paradise!
Photo courtesy,
Marianne lagreid Buley

photographer too-- bringing us  beautiful landscapes , sunrises/sunsets and people photos from all over paradise.  
'Marathons rarely go as expected'
http://www.thegardenisland.com/2017/12/13/lifestyles/marathons-rarely-go-as-expected/

Drum roll please, dakinetalk blog's(Cosmic Kauai's) person of the year is County council chair and Mayoral candidate  Mr. Mel Rapozo.
 

County chair, Mel Rapozo
and Kauai Mayoral
candidate is one of the few
politicians I have ever met
who puts the people first!

Mel was the first council member to voice  opinion on  Council members not appropriating a raise for themselves, later all others followed suit.

Mel  was the only  County council member who did  not vote for the recent  increase of half of 1 percent to our excise tax, a regressive tax that mostly hurts those who can least likely afford to pay it. Mel Rapozo is not looking out for himself as number one, he is one of the few politicians I have ever met that is looking out for "We the people," as numero uno.
'New tax not the answer to road woes' (Letter to editor by Glenn Mickens)
http://www.thegardenisland.com/2017/12/12/opinion/letters-for-tuesday-december-12-2017/

Mel  and wife Patsy brought a Thanksgiving plate dinner to the homeless woman El Aina, who has occupied the bus stop fronting the Kapaa neighborhood center. Mel has set up meetings with Chief of police Darryl Perry and other council members to try find a solution for El Aina.
'The Angel at the Bus stop arrested and back within 48 hours'
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-angel-at-bus-stop-arrested-and-back.html

The few times I have emailed the county council at large Mel Rapozo was always the first to respond. One time it was about overgrown brush on a sidewalk I frequently walk with my dog, Mel said he'd call the proper

Mau Hoohiwahiwa!
Congratulations!
Mazol Tov!
Mel Rapozo as
dakinetalk's (Kauai's
person of the year!

authorities and if it wasn't trimmed and cut by  the next day he would personally be down there himself with a crew to trim it. The following day when I walked my dog up Kawaihau road along the sidewalk, the brush was trimmed as promised. It's small things like that, which mean everything to a guy like me.  

One more thing, Mel went to bat on a personal issue for me that was a state issue which had nothing to

Go to;
www.melforkauai.com

do with the county, and like most everything Mel touches, it turned out positive.

This is why Mel Rapozo is dakinetalk's (Cosmic Kauai's)  person of the year.

Mahalo Nui Loa  to Mr. Mel Rapozo, Mr. Bill Buley and Mr. Glenn Mickens!

Mau Hoohiwahiwa, Congratulations, Mazol Tov!

Throwback business card
of James "Kimo' Rosen

Now my written testimony I sent to the County council concerning the General Plan;

The current Kauai County Council;
Mason Chock, Arthur Brun, Mel Rapozo,
JoAnn Yukimura, Ross Kagawa,
Derek Kawakami, Arryl Kanashiro

~My written testimony for Kauai's General plan~ 

This testimony appeared as a stand alone editorial letter to the editor in the 12-18-17
edition of the Kauai Garden Island news. Check it out!
http://www.thegardenisland.com/2017/12/18/opinion/letter-for-monday-december-18-2017/

I received an email blast that said "numbers matter in essence to   the General plan that the County council will soon vote on. So please if you care be there. Tragically, the Planning Commission moved the zoning  from Agriculture (Ag) upward to allow Hokua Place to build 780 dwellings behind the Kapaa Middle School, and the County Council may keep it there. It’s necessary to speak up now, before it’s too late."

I once asked a former county chair of the council if his mind was ever swayed by somebody's testimony or did he think any other council members vote was swayed by public testimony?  Do you know what he told me? His mind was always made up before any public testimony and as far as he knew nobody had ever changed any council members mind.

I have learned over the years
the only way I would ever
attempt to run for public office
would be to be pushed by others,
not for self serving reasons.

It's nice for the public to testify and get things of their chest, it's a beautiful exercise in democracy and it's the politically correct thing to do, however does it make a difference in any council members vote?  No way!

So voice your opinions,if it gives you "the warm fuzzies," just know your are not changing any minds, the only way to get your vote noticed is  get more issues on the general ballot for "We the people" to vote on ourselves and not leave our future in the hands of seven individuals and  at the hand of special interests.



http://www.thegardenisland.com/2017/12/18/opinion/letter-for-monday-december-18-2017/

Hana Hou, (Encore)