" A Modest Tax Solution..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 

guest-blogs about  our dysfunctional politicians and the mess our country is in. 

She even offers a solution... Enjoy...

www.bettejodux.com

By definition we have in Washington a dysfunctional state. How do we know this? Well, one of the first indications is the lack of communication and, as we know,  the Democrats won't talk to the Republicans and the Republicans won't talk to anybody, except each other. Sometimes.

Our poor country is on the brink of bankruptcy. Bills and expenses up the lagoon it can't pay for. I'm pretty certain that all of us-except the one per centers-have been in a similar situation at one time or another.How do we pay the rent and buy food, or shoes for the kids, or gas for the car or? The list goes on and on. It is not an uncommon dilemma in the average household. It was usually worse when we were younger but often, hopefully, we learn from our mistakes and make it to middle age and older all in one piece.

Many, unfortunately, never learn and at the end of their lives they end up back counting pennies on the counter. Then we have this damn fool economy, over which we have no control, going nuts on frequent occasions. I don't think much of the capitalist system. I call it the manic-depressive economy. It's bipolar. Boom. Bust. Boom. Bust. But that's not an issue I will wander aimlessly about. Seems on this issue one not only ends up counting pennies, wringing hands, and tearing hair, but often ends up with  a black eye and a bloody nose or  sitting in the cat/bird seat in a divorce court. That's the ultimate dysfunction, isn't it?

Kind'a like what's going on in Washington. Only in Washington they can't get a divorce. At least a divorce is a closure.

Well, I think I have the perfect answer. It will take some setting up and some atypical political treachery. I think the helpless man in the middle of this mess, the most powerful man in the world-sigh-Potus, should invite Congress assembled to big happy do at Camp David, where,  unbeknownst to these illustrious beings, a secure and well-guarded detention camp will have been erected  to which the entire crowd will be driven, like cattle, and penned. Well guarded with the Pres' own men, of course, and several watch towers armed to the teeth.

Here there will be tents, sleeping bags, porta potties and a long  rickety table sagged down with stale loaves of  bread and water tanks the President has personally spit in. Maybe they should be stripped and handed long pink sheets, like togas, to drape themselves in. I hope it snows.

Once settled in, a booming voice from a tower will proclaim, "Work it out. Write it down. Hand it to a guard. I'm off for some rounds of golf  in Hawaii. Make it sane, intelligent, fair to all and include this clause: all churches, great or small, all religions, loony or otherwise, will fill out an income tax form. Declare all their income and forever and ever after be taxed at an annual rate of 10%. The government will do the accounting. Free. Aloha."

"The Golf Ball..." 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalks favorite Uncle (Chester Lau)

Unc talks his favorite subject, politics!

"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu.

An old Republican guy walks into the barbershop for shave and a haircut, but he tells the barber he can't get all his whiskers off because his cheeks are wrinkled from age.
The barber gets a golf ball from a cup on the shelf and tells him to put it inside his mouth to spread out the skin.

When he's finished, the old man tells the barber that was the cleanest shave he'd had in years. But he wanted to know what would have happened if he had swallowed the golf ball.
The barber replied, "You could just bring it back in a couple of days like everyone else does."

Hana Hou, (Encore) An "Unc" Original Quote...


 "Live life to the fullest every day..."

"Live life to the fullest every day,EAT Desserts First !!!" 
"For every day you live is a day closer to your demise !!!"

 Loncle Amusant

For World Peace,Keep religion out of politics.

"Mahalo Nui to Oahu Publications..." 'Obama Da Dog'

Mahalo Nui Loa to Oahu Publications
for keeping our local newspaper alive...
http://www.kauaiworld.com

Extra Extra, Read All About It...


Mahalo Nui to Oahu Publications for rescuing The Garden Island  newspaper from a possible bankruptcy and potential financial meltdown. It's sad that many TGI employees lost their jobs, but it's also a blessing that everyone didn't lose their jobs, which very easily could had been a reality if Oahu Publications had not come to the rescue. 

The Publishing business has been struggling with the advent of the internet and all the free websites and blogs to chose from. Many papers have ceased printing altogether and are totally electronic with pay walls. The  New Orleans only daily newspaper  the Times-Picayune's new reality is an online-focused newsroom and  only prints a hard-copied newspaper  3 days a week. Remarkably and in contrast The Garden island news still has six days of hard-copied news.

Kaua'i is blessed to have Oahu publications care enough to keep our cosmic daily paper alive. Please continue to support your local paper in whatever way you can, either purchasing an electronic or hard-copied subscription or by placing ads.

Aloha Kakou and  Mahalo Nui Loa to Oahu Publications.

'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

"Guest-blogger Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the

 ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years...

Today she talks about the Tragic Continental Airline crash that happened
 4 years ago very close to her home. Included is a link to a story 
about the 4 year anniversary of the tragedy in the Buffalo news. 

   

Flight 3407 survivors are to be commended

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130212/CITYANDREGION/130219743/1002

I can't believe that 4 years have already passed since that tragic crash in Clarence, NY only a few miles from my home. What is even sadder is the prolonged fight for safer skies that has been fought for ever since that day. The families are to be commended for their tireless efforts to improve the safety for all of us when we fly the skies. 

The legislation that is on the table seems to be so straight forward and yet has been made so difficult to make happen. Thank you for all your tireless efforts to make aviation safer and rest assured that you are making a difference in every ones' lives that do fly every day.

"Abuse sells..." 'Obama Da Dog'

This blog originally  ran on May 27, 2011, Blog #295, "Everyone's been abused..."This is an updated version of the same blog.

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2011/05/everyones-been-abused.html

The talk shows all interview celebrities with new books, it seems every celebrity who writes a book suddenly remembers some sort of sexual abuse while growing up, whether by a parent, sibling, uncle, cousin, clergy member  or gym teacher.

They say in most cases sexual abuse is somebody the victim knows. A baby-sitter, a baseball coach, scout leader even the clergy are many times perpetrators of the such.

Thinking back on my childhood I can remember many instances that in these days would most likely  be construed as sexual abuse, but were in actuality just part of growing and being part of the human race.

My parents and many of your parents would be guilty in this day in age of child abuse if we were currently children.

If parents yell at their children, they are accused of verbal abuse, if they spank their children they are accused of physical abuse, and sometimes a simple hug may be interpreted as sexual abuse.

How many in my generation were spanked in public, or had the belt for punishment from their fathers? How many played doctor with their neighbors, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours?" How many played spin the bottle?

I remember my sister at age 16 going out with men in their 20's, of course with my parents approval. 

Times were different back when, nowadays a teacher cannot even hug a student with fears the child will tell their parents and the parents interpret it as abuse and may ruin the teachers career.

Everyone is a victim these days, especially celebrities when it comes time to pitch their new books!

We have all either been physically, verbally or sexually abused. Next time you write a book, write a song or even blog, mention any kind of abuse and you are sure to prosper! I am hoping this blog has many readers for the sheer reason it's about abuse and abuse sells.

If all the abuses fail, you can always make up an addiction...

"The republican party has gone to hell... 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

I am proud to be an Independent voter who  tends to support many Democrats.
Above the late and great Hawai'i Senator Dan Inoyue and Senator Mazie Hirono
along with Obama Da Dog, yours truly and a secret service dude.

The Republican party has gone to hell and is the devil incarnate. That's right,I said that.

How can a politician, yet alone a political party want to deny children and the  elderly many  benefits from programs such as "Head start," "Meals on wheels" and a host of other government programs to  be lost all because the republicans don't want millionaires paying the same tax rate as the common working person.

If the Republicans get there way another 750,000 jobs will be lost and America will well be on it's way to yet  another major recession . All thanks to John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and the Republican party. 

The Republican party should all  be ashamed.  America take note!

"Rainy Day in paradise..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 

guest-blogs about  the weather, and when Bettejo talks weather it's actually interesting!  Enjoy...

www.bettejodux.com

Trust me on this one, dear reader. It rains in Paradise. We’re not called the Garden Island for nothing.

I live just below the wettest spot on earth, Mount Kahili. I think I live in the wettest valley on earth. I’ve watched a big black cloud enshroud the mountaintop and slide down the mountain, like a slithering snake, to come to a screeching halt directly  atop my roof and rain over me. I’ve lived in a plantation ‘mansion’ on the Alexander Dam Road that was mostly buried in drippy fog, while at the bottom of the muddy drive Bill drove to work every morning, the sun was shining.

Well, it is the age of Aquarius,I was born to be drenched.

I hope many of you, reading this, tune in to the Garden Island news paper Forum-the most well read page in the paper-and become familiar with the voice of Kauai. Our little  struggling  newspaper  is the heart of Kauai. The Forum-our voices- are it’s soul.

I think newspapers have souls.

Anyway, it’s pouring on Kauai today. Flash floods, mud slides and collapsing old dams are the order of the day. Downpours so heavy windshield wipers can’t keep up and you can’t see through the windshield are clouding our vision.

Well, there are fewer drownings- that’s a plus sign-who goes to the beach when he/she can sit in a warm, comfy, unsmoked- filled bars, dives and restaurants complete with food and drink and gossip? Hey, on Kauai we feed on gossip. Who’s screwing who, who’s ripping who off, who’s headed for skid row? Or already there.

Otherwise it’s just a normal day in paradise. Greedy politicians are on the take. angry voice take to the airwaves, public television screens and others to the Forum. House bound, cabin fevered  Kauaians  vent their spleens. And, in the darker region, communists , atheist, protesters, rebels and conspirators abound.

We could be, without a doubt, the most contentious, diverse-racially, religiously, politically island in America. In the world. Good thing Hawaii has good gun laws, otherwise we’d probably all be out there shooting at each other.

We don’t agree on anything.  No how. No way.

We need more highways. We need more development. We need more tourists. We need more bucks. We need to get the damn homeless off the beaches and out of the parks. Wal Mart’s suffering. So many shops and stores closed down at Kukui Grove- our Ala Moana Center- you wonder how they pay their bills. J.C. Penny’s gone. Borders. What next?

We are micrcosmic America.

But on the upside. We have an excellent community college.The best amateur theater. We love our artists and celebrities and they love us.

Mike Bond will visit Talk Story Book Story tomorrow night. I’m going to be there. Buy a signed book and I need another book like my valley needs more rain. My library needs a library.

But we have Hanapepe and Kimo’s blog and my column and Jeffrey Pears.

We are the richest island in the country.