"Bring back chain gangs and the death sentence..! "

The jail on Kauai is not even fenced in, when you drive by the inmates are usually playing volleyball or tending to the jail garden.

I called the correctional facility and spoke with Warden Wagasama concerning escaped convicts, since there is no fence what is stopping an inmate from a pretty easy escape and just walking out? First all, everyone is advised of the consequences on many matters inclusive of escape and signs a disclaimer as such. If convicted first degree escape is an up to an additional 10 years jail time and second degree escape holds up to a 5 year additional sentence, plus the facility would be on lock down, jeopardizing all the other guests, (inmates) freedoms. "Nobody wants to be the one responsible for a shut down," the other guests won't welcome you back, and third, an escapee conviction stays on your record for life, thus any prison you may go to in the future you will be high risk and not have all of the rights as others inmates.

With three square meals a day, free medical and dental, a weight room, volleyball court, television and garden, these guys do not mind being incarcerated.

In these rough economic times many prisoners have it better than most. We need to defer criminal acts, bring back chain gangs and the death sentence!

The recent cold blooded murder in Anahola was between a couple of local career criminals, who most likely had it to easy at the Kauai community correctional facility. What is the detriment for their criminal acts, free health-care, 3 catered meals a day, volleyball and a vegetable garden maintained by inmates, with products used by KCCC's food services unit.

Prisons are not hotels and unless we change the system the lines will continue to grow for a visit to your local correctional facility.

"Time to liberate..."

Have you ever wondered why boys bikes have a bar straight across from the seat to the handlebar section and girls bikes do not have that bar.

It seems to reason it should be just the opposite, boys bikes should not have that bar, it's prone for danger to the groin area, in contrast the open space of the girl;s bike would be added protection for the male species.

Why not make all bikes the same, it's time for bicycle liberation or shall it remain don't ask don't tell?

"Stress had it's benefits!..."

                                                                                                                                                                  

I was a professional photographer from 1974-1999 (25 years) and during that time photographed hundreds of weddings, portraits and commercial work.

Photographers back then were taught to bracket as an insurance policy, shoot every shot, one over exposure and one underexposure and one normal, in case the light meter may had been off, or if the light shifted during the photo. I can remember taking 20- rolls for a wedding to get a nice album of 30 great shots.

There was always the wait for the film, since most photographers had a professional lab they relied on, and living in Alaska I had to rely on Labs in the Seattle area, it would be 7-10 days until my stress level was calmed by seeing the results of my labor.

Now photographers can photograph digitally and see the results instantaneously, no need to bracket exposures or buy hundreds of rolls of film. No need when traveling to take your film out to be hand inspected since airport x-ray could damage film with streaks.

No need to buy film, no waiting for your results and now being able to see your work immediately has taken most of the stress out of a profession that used to be quite the challenge.

Professional photography has become fool proof, the only draw back is the photographers of this age, make much less than I did back in the day. Stress had it's benefits!

""What's in a a name..."

People call me many names. When I was a child they called me Jimmy, in my teenage years they called me Jim, in high-school and college they called me JR, in Alaska they called me sourdough Jim and in Hawaii I am either James or kimo.

The funny thing is in Hawaii that the locals have a hard time calling me Kimo, they will address me as KKKKKKK James with a stutter on the K.

People think because i have white skin I cannot be called 'Kimo,' that's as silly as saying someone with brown skin cannot be called Bernard.

I have gone by many names, my current name of 'Kimo' was actually born while working for Kauai Magazine. We had a staff meeting one day, during that time Senator Gary Hooser was the owner. I brought up that here we publish a quarterly Hawaiian publication and do not have one Hawaiian name on the masthead, Hooser said OK, Kimo, and thus 'Kimo' was born.

I still do not understand why it is so hard to call me 'Kimo' if i can call you Duke, Bernard, Derek, William, Peter and the list goes on.

Next time you have a hard time calling me 'Kimo' remember I do not have a hard time calling you by your English name, or maybe I should.

Call me anything you want, just don't call me late for dakine.

(EDITOR'S NOTE, 'DAKINE' IS A TERM USED IN HAWAII TO MEAN ANYTHING...)

"Public servant, do what is pono! (righteous)..."

County council members need to represent the people that elected them.

Salaries are extravagant at $56,000.00 a year,(the chair at $63,000.00) approximately $500.00 a month car allowance and health-care most would sacrifice their mother-in-law for.

The seven council members by law have only one requirement, that is to attend the weekly Wednesday meetings.

There current management of the way the council handles our concerns is in a carte blanch system of dis-array.

There needs to be a territorial factor where each of our county council people would represent a section of the island, similar to the senate and congress but on a local level.

Back in the 1990's county council members made $12.00 per hour, currently they make in access of over $1,000.00 per meeting, this is criminal for a part time job as a "public servant."

It's time we hold our public servants accountable, remember we pay their salaries and they work for us.

Most our council members are retired with a nice pension or have professional jobs where they do quite well, may I recommend while budgets are being slashed across the board that our public servants do what is pono and revert back to the good ole days of being public servants with humble salaries or even volunteering.

There is a frequent contributor to this forum who ran for mayor in 2008 and promised if he won the election he would donate his salary of 107,000.00 to charity. It's a shame more politicians cannot think outside the box. Rolf Bieber was that candidate and although we don't agree on all issues Rolf is my kine (sic) of politician!

"Christmas envy..."

Growing up in a Jewish home was not the norm to listen to Christmas music, in fact it was taboo.

Whenever "Silent Night" or any Christmas carol came on the radio I immediately suffered an episode of Christmas envy. Many Jewish children suffer from this syndrome 'CES' (Christmas Envy Syndrome). Christmas envy is where you wish you were Christian and able to celebrate Christmas in the open and not in the closet.

Little girls suffer from the freudian syndrome of penis envy, myself and many Jews suffer from Christmas envy, and some of us suffer both forms of envy.

As an adult I can pick and choose what i listen to and not bound by what my parents believed. I enjoy Christmas music but deep inside always feel guilty for listening to it.

It's like falling in love with someone of another religion and marrying them. You combine your beliefs and realize Christmas envy does not need therapy

"My doctor, my friend..."

Living outdoors for numerous years with multiple medical complications was taking it's toll.

Dr. Gary Blaich came to visit me at what I called home, which was a tent, clothes line and a single burner propane stove with a makeshift outhouse.
Dr. Blaich made one feel right, you felt good about yourself after talking story with Dr. Blaich. He was the feel good drug within, his presence alone made one feel like life was worth living.

Dr. Blaich's office was a small one room place, he was a one man band, being the receptionist, secretary, manager and resident Psychiatrist. The waiting room consisted of a few benches outside in the elements of fresh air and open sky with the aroma of plumeria from potted plants encompassing his office.

He listened to every one's demons even while going through radiation and chemotherapy. He was there for his patients. It gave one a humbling experience releasing your quandaries in therapy with a man braving a terminal illness. I am not a hugging type of person, however Dr. Blaich and myself always ended our sessions with a hug.

Dr. Blaich, OK, Gary, passed away on Thanksgiving day, such an appropriate day for man with so much character and empathy.

My doctor , my friend, your legend lives on.

your friend, your patient. Aloha Kakou, Mahalo Nui Loa and A Hui Hou.