Watching cars go by..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Best of Dakinetalk) 62-1271

The best of Dakinetalk!
Blog #62---"Watching cars go by..." originally appeared on 03-01-10

Watching cars go by

For cyclists, congestion is bliss...

When I ride my bicycle in traffic I enter a euphoric state of mind.

On any given day there are thousands of cars on the Kuhio Highway between Safeway and The Coco Palms. Every night between 4:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., I ride my bike with my dog along galloping along side...

The traffic is bumper-to-bumper, which for a bicyclist makes for safe and comfortable driving on the shoulder.

The experience of passing car after car after car after car is mind stimulating; the cars are at a standstill in their lanes, and I am passing 36 cars every minute. The safest time to ride a bike is during peak traffic.

I am hoping everyone reading this buys another car or two, and I encourage the convention and visitors bureau's to never stop promoting Kauai.

Like a surfer catching a wave, my wave is caught when my own power is more powerful than the giant refineries and petroleum companies.

I beg of everyone to do nothing to stop this wonderful traffic.

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"Self CPR..." 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalks favorite Uncle (Chester Lau)

'Unc" talks  about  a way to potentially save your own life!

"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu & giving the politicians a bad time...

Self CPR

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order.

Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint,

has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.

A deep breath should be taken before each

cough, and the cough must be deep

and prolonged, as when producing sputum

from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated

about every two seconds without let up

until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and

keep the blood circulating.

The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm.

In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives!

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"SUNSHINE CITY KAUA'I..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.Bettejo is a regular columnist in the Garden Island news and is the author of the
famed novella, "The Scam."

SUNSHINE CITY KAUA'I

I picked her up at the airport. She wore a backpack. This lady knew how to travel. We circumnavigated the Mall, taking  off for the golf course and a narrow  neck of suburbia. When the road turned, we were  in wilderness Kauai. Jungle growth, tall fields of green  grass. The narrow two lane road wound, dipped, and curved.

At a stop sign, where we turned right, my passenger gasped. It was heaven on earth. On either side of another narrow two lane road acres and acres and acres, on either side of the road, bloomed and blossomed and billowed with life. Natures’ patchwork  quilt of  green and gold sunshine.

“We grow lettuce and carrots and spinach. Maui onions. Tomatoes. We’ve got several citrus groves. Lemons, oranges, limes. Kauai oranges are ugly but  they’re delicious. Papaya and coffee and coconut groves. We’ve an apiary with the sweetest bees in the state. Their honey is sweet, too. They’re happy here.

We’ve  a large wind farm up by the highway under which a herd of  Angus graze in green meadows.”

“Oh, grief. They’re out. Someone left their gate open. They’ll be in the carrots.”

Suddenly  two bovine, contented Belle and Boss, appeared and ambled down the road. Vendors spilled from their road side stands trying  to turn them back.

“The guy who owns them is  eccentric. They’re his expensive hobby. They reside on ten acres.  He milks them himself. Sometimes he sells the milk. Sometimes he gives it away.We can do all this because the guy who owns this land  leases parcels yearly-at a reasonable rate-to those who are serious about growing organic food to feed people.”

When the road disappeared my passenger gasped. “What happened?”

“Underground parking. No automobiles allowed topside.”

I parked the car in the  expanse and we took an elevator up. When we stepped out my passenger gasped again. “Where did this come from?”

I laughed. “It’s huge. It’s high. It’s completely self-sustaining. It also snuggled into the cliffs. Camouflaged to blend. Greens.Purples. But the import thing is everything you need is within walking distance. Shops. Restaurants. Post Office. Banks. This is kind of the mall lobby. Offices are on the second floor. Studios, two and three bedroom apartments above.  The rich guy lives in the penthouse  but he walks around like a mortal. There he is. Looks like Robert Redford, huh? Wave. He loves to see people like you. You come from all over the world to see this.

Rich. Poor.  Young and old.  Black, white, yellow and brown walk around in here. Work. Play. Tennis courts. Pools. Miles of paths. There are quaint cottages, kind of old plantation style, clustered about. Affordable. We’ll visit one after lunch. Wanna buy some Kauai perfume?”

“Ladies,” the Robert look- alike called, “may I join you for lunch?”

When the rooster crowed at the break of dawn-I swear the thing was on the roof-I woke with a start. “I’m gonna grock you to fullness, bird. That was a good dream.”

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"Next year at Taco Bell..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen" Best of Dakinetalk-Happy Passover!

Happy Passover everyone!
 "Obama Da Dog a recent convert to Judaism celebrates Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating freedom from Egyptian bondage and slavery..." This blog was published as an opinion article on 04-07-12 in the   Kaua'i Garden Island news; "Next year at Taco bell..." http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-april/article_7269225a-8071-11e1-8efb-0019bb2963f4.html
This blog originally ran on 04-24-11, Dakinetalk Blog #268 & on 04-06-12 Dakinetalk Blog #626
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2011/04/next-year-at-taco-bell.html
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/04/happy-passover-next-year-at-taco-bell.html

Everyday of the year is someones birthday, and with all the religious and secular holidays, it gets hard  deciding which ones to celebrate.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday, since it is an American holiday, and not a Christian or Jewish holiday.

The rules of holidays are what I question.  For the  Jewish holiday of passover, Jews (my people) are not suppose to eat leaven (bread or anything with yeast for 8 days.) This tradition started with the Jews escape from Egyptian bondage and slavery. While on the run they had limited time, only time to make a quick flat bread, that didn't have time to rise. therefore we eat Matzo as a remembrance of hard times. (Matzo is  a bland  cracker with very little taste consumed  during the  8 day long holiday of Passover.

We celebrate Passover with humbleness by abstaining from  bread, however we prepare huge holiday meals of a roasted brisket with pan fried potatoes, matzo ball soup with chicken,  elaborate salads and special cookies made from matzo meal instead of flour. I don't believe the Jews had time to make those items either if they didn't even have the time to bake bread?

The other irony is when you mix flour and water in a warm environment it creates sourdough, which is a sour yeast. I therefore believe that the matzo cracker would had risen in many cases.

The Jewish people  eat matzo and have elaborate gourmet meals to remember the days of slavery.

Why not just enjoy a nice spontaneous meal on the move, as most probably did during the exodus?

How about going through the drive through at Taco Bell, after all tortilla's are unleavened. This would sure make one humble and  an appropriate way to remember hard times.

Next year at Taco Bell! 

Happy Passover, Happy Easters and Happy April showers.

(editor's note,  the last words at every passover Seder are next year in Jerusalem, next year at Taco bell is a play on words and my attempt at humor)

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

"We the Sheeple..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in
Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby... 

We the Sheeple

They say when you put one hundred grandfather clocks in the same room after time they will all tick in harmony.

People act likewise, people act like sheep when it comes to so many things. We the sheeple should be the  opening line for most doctrines, religions or otherwise.

This same concept applies to most of our lives. religion works that way. People going to church, synagogues, mosques or any place of worship after time will start to think spiritual alike.

Non smokers whom hang with smokers many times will become smokers themselves.

Young people whose parents are alcohol or drug addicts have higher tendencies to become the same.

And those including myself whom live amongst crazy people will eventually become crazy too.

Be careful who you hang with.

To young people reading this, the lesson to be learned is to hang with with smart, healthy and wealthy people. The choice is yours.

The old expression goes, "birds of a feather flock together."

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"Embarking on new adventures..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York and has worked in

the ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years.

Embarking on new adventures as a milestone approaches

This will be the year that I turn the big 60. Never before have I spoken of retirement or options for the 60s until this time in my life.

I have always worked, whether it was a part-time position as a teenager, or full time, since the 1970s. Work has always been a part of my life, not just for the satisfaction in my career but for the monetary benefit as well.

I have always been able to jump out of bed at 5 a.m. and organize my life and its responsibilities in an orderly manner. Even as my children were growing up and in school, I was always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that they did not sacrifice because of my full-time positions in the workplace. Activities never suffered, dinner was always served and family life never took a back seat.

Ah, to be young and energetic once again.

Time does take its toll. As I have gracefully aged, I have found that I can still learn new things even faster than ever before. I have the wisdom and grace to deal with situations and have found the secret to sort out that which is important in life from those inconveniences that don’t really matter anymore.

I find that I need more time to enjoy my surroundings and more time to enjoy my life. I still work full time, but I need to take little vacations more often and do more things that bring happiness to my life. Now that my children have long moved out, I can be more selfish and do what I want to.

But a 60-year-old body is not what the 30-year-old expected. Getting out of bed in the a.m. is a little more difficult; those creaking bones need to adjust and never have I enjoyed looking forward to resting on the couch after a long day on my feet as I do today.

After much thought, I have decided it is time to slow it down a bit, maybe go to a four-day work week. At this age there seem to be more doctor appointments coming up and more things that need my attention, such as an aging parent. Spending time with the people I love is at the top of my list. Taking more trips to visit my son on the West Coast and enjoying friendships has taken precedence. During these last 10 years I have realized more than ever how tenuous life has become and that taking one day for granted is too many to take. Losing friends and family over the last decade has taught me that lesson.

There is comfort in knowing that as I age, so do those around me. We can commiserate about our aches and pains, family and friends, and look back fondly on the wonderful memories we have made and plan those we are about to make. Life has been an adventure. I have learned from many lessons and have soaked up what life has to offer.

So here’s to the next decade of adventures. God has been good to me and I plan on giving back as much as I can.


This blog also appeared in the 03-29-14 edition of the Buffalo news;

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?avis=BN&date=20140329&category=LIFE&lopenr=140328972&Ref=AR&profile=1336

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"Vote for Good Old Harry..." 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalks favorite Uncle (Chester Lau)"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu and giving the politicians a bad time..Thought you'd enjoy this!It's one you want your Children and Grandchildren to read.

 They won't believe this happened, but it DID.

Harry & Bess Truman

Vote for Good Old Harry

Harry Truman was
a different kind of President. He probably made as many, 
or more important decisions regarding our nation's 
history as any of the other 32 Presidents preceding him. 
However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he 
did after he left the White 
House.
The only asset he 
had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in 
Independence , Missouri . His wife had inherited the 
house from her mother and father and other than their 
years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office 
in 1952 his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to 
have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he 
was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, 
granted him an 'allowance' and later, a retroactive 
pension of $25,000 per 
year.
After President 
Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to 
Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service 
following them.
When offered 
corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, 
stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the 
President, and that doesn't belong to me.. It belongs to 
the American people and it's not for 
sale."
Even later, on 
May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him 
the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to 
accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done 
anything which should be the reason for any award, 
Congressional or 
otherwise."
As president he 
paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.
Modern 
politicians have found a new level of success in cashing 
in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, 
too many in Congress also have found a way to become 
quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their 
offices. Political offices are now for sale (ie. Illinois ).
Good old Harry 
Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life 
were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a 
politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!
We ought to have 
cloned him for telling it like it is and being frugal with our tax dollars!
If you agree, 
forward it. If you don't, delete it. I don't want to know one way or the other. By me forwarding it, you know 
how I feel. 

Enjoy life 
now -- it has an expiration 
date!

"Unc" back in the day he served in the Korean war... Top and bottom.

P.S.
Please vote for my dog Obama in the Hawaiian Telcom photo contest. Winner gets $250.00!

http://bit.ly/OL1coZ


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