How long have you lived here?

A common question if one lives in Hawaii is, how long have you lived here.

It's a seniority type thing. If one is in Hawaii 30 years, they are better than somebody whose been here 20 years, someone who is in Hawaii 20 years is better than someone who has been here ten, and someone born and raised here is better than anybody.

The thing most local people fail to recognize is people who move to Hawaii move here by choice and for their love of the culture and aina, while those who are born and raised here are here because that's where their parents are from.

The newcomer has gone out of their way to be here which actually makes one a stronger Hawaiian Like a convert to a religion, they are usually the strongest congregants because that religion is their choice, not just a religion they were born into.

Next time someone asks how long have you lived here, ask them if they are here by choice or just here because this is where they were born and of convenience.

Having a restful sleep will never be the same...

I lived in a tent outdoors on Kauai for 5 years and was never bitten by a spider or centipede. Now I have a comfortable apartment with all the amenities one could want.

On a night where I had just eaten my first Kauai wild chicken, I prayed I would make it through the night without getting sick from the chicken, my prayer was answered...

However there was another problem to be, that I could never had imagined.
I awoke in the middle of the night with a stinking pain in my neck, it got worse, I took off my sweat shirt I was sleeping in, and a centipede fell out, it bit me in the neck and arm pit, I was hurting. The pain was excruciating and getting worse instead of getting better.

I live alone with my dog, so I called 911, they advised to not panic and asked if I wanted an ambulance, I told them I live 2 minutes from a hospital emergency room and they advised if I could, to go to emergency. You can see the hospital from my backyard, I proceeded to walk, and although a short walk of 2 minutes it seemed to take forever.

The hospital was expecting me and since I was the only one there, they rushed me through the paperwork and was able to see a doctor within 5 minutes of my arrival. The doctor had never seen a centipede bite with such a firm grip, and right next to my Adam's apple, of which could had been fatal just a centimeter closer.

They injected my neck with Marcaine, a numbing agent that many dentists use. The numbing should last around 6 hours and the venomous sting should last around 4 hours is what I was told, the pain was relieved. Then I began to sweat and became dizzy and faint, the doctor got me to lay down and covered my forehead with a cold towel. I was told I probably fainted because of seeing a needle go into my neck, not because of the bite itself.

The nurse told me centipede's like bedding, and if you live on Kauai, you should always shake out your bedding before retiring for the evening, or for that matter anytime. Ironically I had just changed my bedding the day before.

I would like to thank Dr. Pokroy and nurse Linda who work at Mahelona emergency, graveyard shift, for their prompt attention to a scary and life threatening matter.

Having a restful sleep will never be the same.

At Costco, eat like a king on a budget...

Recently I was having a gourmet lunch of a kosher quarter-pound Polish frank with all the fixins and a refillable soft drink for only $1.50 at Costco.

I started thinking about all the people who say they are against the "big box" corporations coming to our island. The Costco outdoor cafe is always standing room only and for good reason, it's the best quality lunch for the price anywhere on Kauai.

When you are done at the cosmic gourmet $1.50 cafe, you can wander through the store and sample many different foods on any given day. The sample people are always friendly and do not mind if you go back for seconds and thirds.

Besides my Polish frank, I sampled wild Alaska salmon, beef Wellington, pizza bagels, teriyaki chicken balls, grapefruit slices and Japanese mochi ice cream, all for $1.50. That's not even a decent tip at most restaurants.

I usually don't like to give my secrets away; however, Costco without a doubt is your best bank for your luncheon dollar-fifty.

All I can say is, at least there's Costco.

down on politics...

I know many families who live in public housing, one family in particular gets to fly in a Boeing 747-200 B jet, rent a luxury vacation rental with all expenses including meals, 24 hour security and anything they wish within a phone call, email or whisper. At a time when public schools, county and state employees are experiencing furloughs and lay offs , unemployment at an all time high,and bankruptcies and foreclosures as common as apple pie, there happens to be a family who lives in public housing that gets to go on an all expense taxpayer paid vacation to the tropical destination of Hawai'i.

Many tour companies will be experiencing loss revenue to restrictions on air space and implied no fly zones within radius of the presidents vacation rental.(Vacation rentals, that's another blog) We have no real way to figure out the cost of our number one public servants vacation, but would bet it's in the millions of dollars.

When someone lives in public housing should they at taxpayers expenses be able to enjoy multi-million dollar vacations and bring down tour operators incomes when the rest of the country is going down? I guess these are the benefits of living in public housing?

I am not down on our president,I voted for him and if the election were tomorrow I just wouldn't vote, I'm down on politics, politicians and lies.

write a letter or blog you'll feel better....

Writing letters to the editor or maintaining a blog is an inexpensive way to vent your feelings. Call it therapy. One can write a letter or blog and get something off their chest. It's like having psychotherapy with the whole world watching.

While people offer their opinions and air their dirty laundry, it is quite entertaining. In fact, I have been told by many that the editorial page is their favorite page of this paper. If you are visiting another city and wish to get a feel for it, visit the local paper's editorials and letters. That'll put you in touch.

I wish to thank all of you who read my blogs and letters of mine and allowing me the opportunity to air my dirty laundry and share my therapy with everyone who reads this column. It's a win-win situation; we the people can whine about this and that, praise a thing or two, offer our opinions on anything from weedblowers to the Superferry to the police chief, GMOs, monkeypod trees, and on and on. In return we get published, we get blogged and feel accomplished.

If you have never written a letter or blogged with an opinion, try it, you'll like it! It's cheaper than a visit to the psychiatrist's office

Legalize everything!

Hawaiian's number one vacation destination is Las Vegas. Gambling and prostitution are legal there. If Hawaii would legalize gambling, prostitution and marijuana, the state could tax all those things which would give Hawaii the finances necessary for many projects such as an end to state and teacher furloughs, new roads, parks, pools, inexpensive housing, new libraries, public transportation, pedestrian trails, housing for the homeless, and have adequate funding for Honolulu's controversial rail system, etc...

Hawaii should legalize gambling with the start of a state lottery. Hawaii and Utah are the only states currently without a lottery. The lottery could help generate funds for the states below average educational system, and put teachers back to work, no more furloughs, every week another person would become rich.

Hawaii should legalize prostitution, with Aids and other STD's running rapid, at least prostitution would be controlled. The Prostitutes would need to be licensed and required to see a doctor periodically for a clean bill of health. The police would have more time to focus on the more serious crimes such as murder and robberies. Prostitution exists in Hawaii, just walk the streets of Waikiki or observe the numerous massage and relaxation parlors in Honolulu. Let's make it legal, safe and tax it, after all it already exists.

Hawai'i should legalize marijuana. Marijuana is accessible to anyone who wants it, why not legalize it and control the substance just as alcohol is controlled with legal age limits. (Many studies show marijuana is less harmful than alcohol.) The state could become very rich with legalizing & growing marijuana in Hawaii's perfect climate.

I am not a gambler, I do not buy prostitutes, or smoke pot . Legalizing everything would be a win win situation for law enforcement and the financial state of Hawai'i, plus alleviate the overcrowded prisons which cost taxpayers millions of dollars.This is how to stimulate the economy, prohibition just doesn't work!

"only the guilty speak..."

It seems every car I see with the End ice bumper sticker usually belongs to a drugged out person.

Psychology 101 states that only the guilty speak,for instance the first kid to say I didn't throw that spit ball is most likely the one who did.

Hawaii is insistent on being known as the Aloha state, basic psychology tells us just the opposite.

Ironically I used to live in Alaska which is the polar opposite of Hawaii and although the weather may be cold the people are warm and in Hawaii although the weather may be warm the people are cold.