CONTROVERSY August 28, 2014

 

Do you think controversy is a good thing or a bad thing? I looked up the definition in my huge old American Heritage Dictionary, 2,134 pages. It weighs more than I do, I think. It’s beginning to look its age. It’s been rained on, sat on, bent. It’s seen better days, but so have I. I’d be lost without it. It’s a good friend. With any luck, we’ll both go together when we go.

The first definition reads, 1. A dispute, especially a public one, between sides holding opposing views. See synonyms at ARGUMENT. 2. The art or practice of engaging in such disputes: writers skilled in controversy.

That’ll do. I love to argue. Do you? I think I’m more a practitioner than an artist. I doubt there will be much debate about that.

As all of us know, on Kauai-and perhaps the world-controversy holds center stage. Today on Kauai we see and hear it all the time. People love cats. People hate cats. People love roosters. People hate roosters. People hate the super ferry. People love the super ferry. We’re vocal and often contentious but it’s when people resort to name-calling and fisticuffs the going gets rough.

But wouldn’t it be a dreadful bore if we all agreed?

Hot topics are always fun. Think of taxes. This is an easy one. Those that are being taxed oppose. Those collecting taxes concur. There ain’t no middle ground. Odd that, in truth, many of us are being taxed, even some  of hose who concur. But those of us who oppose outnumber them. How does that work? I think that would be a discussion, not a debate. But we could Dux that out.

The best I can come up with is: if I managed my house as badly as they managed my taxes I’d have gone broke years ago. They seem to spend more money destroying the house than killing the varmints that infest and attack it. Think war. We invaded Iraq to get one rat blew up the whole damn country. Rebuild. That’s what. Well, maintenance  and repair have never been a popular American pastime.

I don’t think so.

But if there’s someone out there who wants to come in and debate it, I’m game. I may not be an artist but I’m feisty.

There also seems to be an entire vocal community who thinks we should avoid any arguments. Think positive thoughts. Pray. Get spiritual. Jog. Chop down a tree. Take up knitting, yoga, hula, bridge or bingo. Release the conflicts in silent sainthood.

Unfortunately, I’m not the saintly silent type. I roll up my sleeves and get to work. Nasty letters, columns, comments and deathless prose are my style.That’ll start a fight. Line starts on the right.

I guess a lot depends on how you were raised. I came from a very argumentative family. My father and I loved to argue. My mother, as long as she could stand it, would referee. She preferred to groom the dogs and the dogs preferred to sleep through it.

So, is controversy good or bad? What do you think?  Tell me.

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Super Ferry Rebound August 23, 2014

 

Here we go again. I’d like to spend a moment or two on the subject. I’ve lived on Kauai for forty-five years and sailed our channels many many times. The Kaiwi Channel between Oahu and Maui. The Ka’ie’ie Waho Channel between here and Oahu. Been seasick too many times to count and that was in an open boat. I could sit on deck and throw up.

 

• “Apr 18, 2005 … Just a note that the channels between the Hawaiian Islands are the worst in the world and great care and planning is necessary for a safe sail.”

 

My guess would be that those who support this ferry idea have never sailed or motored or kayaked or canoed or dipped a toe in any of these Channels. Our Channel, Ka’ie’ie, other than the Alenuihaha Channel–great billows smashing—it is one of the fiercest channels in the State. I’ve never sailed the billows—which racing yachtsman called, “Ali as in jolly, Nui as in phooey, Ha Ha as in crutch”—but I’ve been out in the middle of Ka’ie’ie when it reared up. Out of nowhere. Twenty-five foot seas and winds like spooky wind/wild horses on a rampage. If my husband had not been an excellent yachtsman, we’d never have been heard from again.

 

I’d like to talk structure. The Super Ferry is nothing but a dolled-up troop transport. It also comes in handy to move Stryker tanks, and we need some of those in Waimea to protect us from terro*ists.

 

• Navy renames former Hawaii Superferry vessels – Pacific … May 8, 2012 … “High-speed ferries will be used for peacetime operations such as troop transport training, exercise missions and humanitarian and disaster ..

This vessel is completely enclosed. One is locked in a space full of people, many of whom-first timers in the channel-will be vomiting. There WILL be vomiting, and vomiting is catching- for certain- in an enclosed area. You can’t escape. There’s nowhere to go. Should a fellow passenger vomit on your shoes or in your lap it’s not going to make for a pleasant three-hour journey. Even if you’ve taken seasick pills.

Passengers on a voyage from Oahu to Maui called it the ‘barf barge’. The thing had to be scrubbed and scraped and stink refreshed after docking before any one could make another voyage. Most passengers refused ever to board one of the things again. Ever. They flew back home and waited for their cars to return.

I have a dear friend. A super ferry fan-never been to sea, claustrophobic and diabetic-who would probably die. Or wish he could. One thing I know, he’d never do it again.

We need a ferry. A slow boat from island to island. With an open deck. Maybe cabins. A dining room and bar. No cars. Or troops. Or Strykers. How do you think people got island to island before there were planes?

Great tourist attraction.

Think about it.

You’ve read me for 45 years. Now watch and listen to me on www,Ho’ike.org  Arts and Entertainment CHILDREN OF THE EXTINCTION

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HELLO THERE August 12, 2014

Hi, it’s me Bettejo, with my weekly column right here at Kimo’s blog and Ho’iki Community Television’s Art and Entertainment site. If  you know how to get here, please come in-let’s be friends-and tell your friends, family and neighbors, how to come in, too.

Let’s get lively. Let’s get acquainted. Let’s get known out there.

The company here-Jay, Julia and Kainoa-is delightful, The set is simple and perfect, great lighting-no close ups, Mr. DeMille. I will attempt to be entertaining. And Sassy. As long as I’m not profane or call names-which going’s on are not my style-I can say what I want. No more censorship, no more editors, no more mysterious black outs or displacements. I will try to have new current, controversial, conversations with you. Hope to include you in any of the issues or subjects I discuss. Be my guest.

Today I sit with two of my favorite writers, me-CHILDREN OF THE  EXTINCTION-and Chris Hedges-DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS. Remember writers not only write, they  speak and  read. I’ll admit most of my friends are on bookshelves and I have a lot of them.

Chris-a respected journalist who tired of media suppression-said, and I quote:

“Governments are owned by corporations, run by psychopaths lying about an imaginary economy based on debt, fueled by illegal wars, destroying ecosystems, poisoning food and water, decreasing education, increasing prisons, manipulating the media, foreclosing homes, suppressing energy technology, making a struggle, starving, humiliating, and killing the world.

That’s a mouthful, but does it sound truthful? Do we not experience-daily-this madness, right here on Kauai? Are these statements-perchance-part of the ‘orthodoxy’ we do not dare-or cannot, or are forbidden to express?

Let’s think about property taxes. A hot topic. And let’s think about the future.

Do you think there are those who see the future as a place where only the top 10% can afford to own property and homes and pay the taxes? They who live in gated ghettos for the rich or on small, useless but beautiful, gentlemen farms?

Where enormous corporations own vast acres of dollar crops spraying  pesticide and herbal toxins in the air, which also foul the water in the oceans, the streams, rivers, and aquifers. Crops not to be eaten on Kauai by those of us who live here, but grown for profit. People  be bleeped.

Where a large military, police and political force is present to control those of us who protest this destructive abuse and misuse. They will be assured roofs over their heads, water in their tubs and swimming pools, and power in their dwellings.

What’s left of us, if lucky, will live in overcrowded-rigidly comtrolled-lower income ghettos and make beds, cook  food, clean, moo, clerk, dig ditches, mow lawns, and serve they who have the bucks to afford us. Classic third world structure envisioned for Kauai.

What think you? Care to talk about it?

Go to  www.hoike.org, scroll down and on the right of your screen click on Arts and Entertainment-