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Letters for Tuesday, February 27, 2007
• Driving safe around big rigs
• There must be some confusion here
• The court of public opinion
• I have the solution!
Driving safe around big rigs
Regarding an article in The Garden Island on Dec. 28, “Truck kills Kapa‘a woman”: The word “truck” as people see it implies to big rigs. As motorists we share the road with many different types of vehicles.
AAA studies show some 500 deaths and 140,00 injuries are caused by dangerous driving near commercial trucks and tractor-trailers. According to federal studies, we, as motorists, have better accident avoidance abilities but drivers of cars and light trucks cause at least 70 percent of fatal car/commercial crashes. The primary error car drivers make is not paying close attention to their driving. If you are tired or under the influence, pull off the road! These are two main reasons people wander out of their lanes.
Here are a few tips to be safe around big rigs:
• Trucks take twice as long to stop as cars. Never cut closely in front of a truck and brake abruptly.
• Never cut between the curb and a slow-moving truck.
• Don’t tailgate. Stay back at least two car lengths distance. Remember if you can’t see the driver’s face in the mirror, than the driver probably can’t see you either.
• Passing on the driver’s side (left) will make a safe pass.
• Blind spots — if you think you are in a truck driver’s blind spot, accelerate or decelerate to a safer position.
• What you can do when you see a driver that is not safe is write down the license number and call the police. Report them before a tragedy happens.
We can all share the roads safely! Most professional truck drivers are extremely safe drivers. They transport all our goods. They are required to attend a yearly defensive driving course and a physical every two years.
The logic of safe driving is to treat big rigs with respect.
We, as motorists, have a responsibility when we get behind the wheel: prevention from collisions and fatalities.
Ed Martin
Instructor, Kauai Safety Agency, Lihu‘e
There must be some confusion here
I think Mr. Contrades (“Where is this heading,” Letters, Feb. 26) misunderstood my letter (“The authority is there,” Letters, Feb. 16) concerning enforcement authority granted to the Humane Society. My point was that Mr. Iannucci appeared to be making a blanket statement that the Humane Society was never granted any kind of enforcement authority under any circumstances. This is clearly not true, because they do have such enforcement authority in regards to the county’s leash law. Picking up strays is the enforcement power granted to the Humane Society as well as to the KPD (I believe they also have the power to levy financial penalties). I wasn’t arguing that the Leash Law was pertinent to any particular case Mr. Iannucci was discussing (i.e., Mr. Cummings), but only to the more general issue of Humane Society authority to enforce laws pertaining to animals. Even if there is no specific law on the books regarding animal abuse (and I freely admitted that I was not aware of any such code), you can bet that the Humane Society is at the very least going to be consulted in regards to any animal abuse case.
What I find interesting is that Mr. Contrades concludes his letter with the very same offense he claims I committed. He is angry and afraid of “court-sanctioned access” to the property of Mr. Cummings granted to the Humane Society to try to protect the remaining animals, and he somehow makes the leap that his own constitutional rights are being violated.
Mr. Contrades, has the Humane Society come onto your property? Have they even threatened to come onto your property? How have your constitutional rights been violated? You aren’t abusing your pets, so the Humane Society has no need to be concerned about you.
Finally, where on the Humane Society Web site do they state that the “lifestyle of a hunting dog” is substandard compared to a “loving companion home?” I could not find such a statement anywhere.
Michael Mann
‘Ele‘ele
The court of public opinion
I would like to respond to Craig Contrades’s letter (“Where is this heading?” Letters, Feb. 26).
I think what amazed me the most is that Mr. Contrades used so many words to say so very little. Is he a politician?
Or maybe he is hoping one of G.W.’s cronies will read what he has written, and will hire him.
What struck me as odd was his thinking that posing a question is rhetoric, i.e. questioning why Mr. Iannucci (“Humane or insane society?” Guest Viewpoint, Feb. 9) goes to great lengths to defend Steve Cummings’s rights, but never mentions the rights or suffering of all of the dogs who were abused, starved and killed. Or for that matter the desire to seek justice for the one dog who starved at the end of a chain for god knows how long?
Rhetoric?
Craig Contrades then goes on and on to tell us how Dr. Becky Rhoades should not be allowed to make sure Steve Cummings’s “friend” does not abuse the dogs she brought back to health, and most probably, life.
Hello ... Earth to Republican, Steve Cummings’s original “defense” was that a “friend” was supposed to be watching over his dogs as they starved to death slowly, while Steve Cummings was off somewhere forgetting all about them.
Or did you even know that, Craig?
It takes time and effort to abuse and starve dogs. It does not happen overnight; it takes weeks.
How long would it take you to starve at the end of a chain?
Would it be someone’s fault?
If Steve Cummings gets off, it will be because he has a lawyer with moral and ethics similar to someone like Craig Contrades seems to have.
And a judge like Mr. Iannucci.
Dennis Chaquette
Kapa‘a
I have the solution!
The Big Box Superferry. The Superferry should be bought out by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart can then have their big store, and the ferry can go back and forth, with goods for sale on Kaua‘i. The Wal-Mart Superferry can easily go straight to Asia and pick up all of the China-based products, and sail straight to Kaua‘i. Customers can drive straight to the ferry at selected interval times and pick up their orders, carefully coordinating their times of leaving the docks as to not cause too much traffic congestion.
It can also offer up trips around the island instead of a bike path, and a section of the quarters can be made into affordable housing, transitional housing or emergency housing — quake and tsunami proof, ocean view!
Oh, not to forget the solid waste — bring it on board, so we can dump it in the ocean like we used to!
I’m joking!
Alton G. Amimoto
Lihu‘e
• There must be some confusion here
• The court of public opinion
• I have the solution!
Driving safe around big rigs
Regarding an article in The Garden Island on Dec. 28, “Truck kills Kapa‘a woman”: The word “truck” as people see it implies to big rigs. As motorists we share the road with many different types of vehicles.
AAA studies show some 500 deaths and 140,00 injuries are caused by dangerous driving near commercial trucks and tractor-trailers. According to federal studies, we, as motorists, have better accident avoidance abilities but drivers of cars and light trucks cause at least 70 percent of fatal car/commercial crashes. The primary error car drivers make is not paying close attention to their driving. If you are tired or under the influence, pull off the road! These are two main reasons people wander out of their lanes.
Here are a few tips to be safe around big rigs:
• Trucks take twice as long to stop as cars. Never cut closely in front of a truck and brake abruptly.
• Never cut between the curb and a slow-moving truck.
• Don’t tailgate. Stay back at least two car lengths distance. Remember if you can’t see the driver’s face in the mirror, than the driver probably can’t see you either.
• Passing on the driver’s side (left) will make a safe pass.
• Blind spots — if you think you are in a truck driver’s blind spot, accelerate or decelerate to a safer position.
• What you can do when you see a driver that is not safe is write down the license number and call the police. Report them before a tragedy happens.
We can all share the roads safely! Most professional truck drivers are extremely safe drivers. They transport all our goods. They are required to attend a yearly defensive driving course and a physical every two years.
The logic of safe driving is to treat big rigs with respect.
We, as motorists, have a responsibility when we get behind the wheel: prevention from collisions and fatalities.
Ed Martin
Instructor, Kauai Safety Agency, Lihu‘e
There must be some confusion here
I think Mr. Contrades (“Where is this heading,” Letters, Feb. 26) misunderstood my letter (“The authority is there,” Letters, Feb. 16) concerning enforcement authority granted to the Humane Society. My point was that Mr. Iannucci appeared to be making a blanket statement that the Humane Society was never granted any kind of enforcement authority under any circumstances. This is clearly not true, because they do have such enforcement authority in regards to the county’s leash law. Picking up strays is the enforcement power granted to the Humane Society as well as to the KPD (I believe they also have the power to levy financial penalties). I wasn’t arguing that the Leash Law was pertinent to any particular case Mr. Iannucci was discussing (i.e., Mr. Cummings), but only to the more general issue of Humane Society authority to enforce laws pertaining to animals. Even if there is no specific law on the books regarding animal abuse (and I freely admitted that I was not aware of any such code), you can bet that the Humane Society is at the very least going to be consulted in regards to any animal abuse case.
What I find interesting is that Mr. Contrades concludes his letter with the very same offense he claims I committed. He is angry and afraid of “court-sanctioned access” to the property of Mr. Cummings granted to the Humane Society to try to protect the remaining animals, and he somehow makes the leap that his own constitutional rights are being violated.
Mr. Contrades, has the Humane Society come onto your property? Have they even threatened to come onto your property? How have your constitutional rights been violated? You aren’t abusing your pets, so the Humane Society has no need to be concerned about you.
Finally, where on the Humane Society Web site do they state that the “lifestyle of a hunting dog” is substandard compared to a “loving companion home?” I could not find such a statement anywhere.
Michael Mann
‘Ele‘ele
The court of public opinion
I would like to respond to Craig Contrades’s letter (“Where is this heading?” Letters, Feb. 26).
I think what amazed me the most is that Mr. Contrades used so many words to say so very little. Is he a politician?
Or maybe he is hoping one of G.W.’s cronies will read what he has written, and will hire him.
What struck me as odd was his thinking that posing a question is rhetoric, i.e. questioning why Mr. Iannucci (“Humane or insane society?” Guest Viewpoint, Feb. 9) goes to great lengths to defend Steve Cummings’s rights, but never mentions the rights or suffering of all of the dogs who were abused, starved and killed. Or for that matter the desire to seek justice for the one dog who starved at the end of a chain for god knows how long?
Rhetoric?
Craig Contrades then goes on and on to tell us how Dr. Becky Rhoades should not be allowed to make sure Steve Cummings’s “friend” does not abuse the dogs she brought back to health, and most probably, life.
Hello ... Earth to Republican, Steve Cummings’s original “defense” was that a “friend” was supposed to be watching over his dogs as they starved to death slowly, while Steve Cummings was off somewhere forgetting all about them.
Or did you even know that, Craig?
It takes time and effort to abuse and starve dogs. It does not happen overnight; it takes weeks.
How long would it take you to starve at the end of a chain?
Would it be someone’s fault?
If Steve Cummings gets off, it will be because he has a lawyer with moral and ethics similar to someone like Craig Contrades seems to have.
And a judge like Mr. Iannucci.
Dennis Chaquette
Kapa‘a
I have the solution!
The Big Box Superferry. The Superferry should be bought out by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart can then have their big store, and the ferry can go back and forth, with goods for sale on Kaua‘i. The Wal-Mart Superferry can easily go straight to Asia and pick up all of the China-based products, and sail straight to Kaua‘i. Customers can drive straight to the ferry at selected interval times and pick up their orders, carefully coordinating their times of leaving the docks as to not cause too much traffic congestion.
It can also offer up trips around the island instead of a bike path, and a section of the quarters can be made into affordable housing, transitional housing or emergency housing — quake and tsunami proof, ocean view!
Oh, not to forget the solid waste — bring it on board, so we can dump it in the ocean like we used to!
I’m joking!
Alton G. Amimoto
Lihu‘e
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of kauaiworld.com.
HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 9:19 AM:
" Hello again TGI,
Please do not expect anyone to buy your theory of promotion or advertising and success program Waimea High School. We the former students there at one time in our lives actually do not care of local propaganda and success story with you or anyone there and their cars to show for as a success story.
Basically, I wrote to Waimea High School, and I suspect as always that this town is a ghost town. No offense but there is nothing to do there, just unemployed educators and former students.
I am not with their idea of success story, and I am not placing religion or anything like that on anyone, because as you know, this is still a free country and you can do anything you want. The whole idea of success just doesn't work well in a farm club setting and wanting to make it out or make it happen after you graduate in high school there to say the least.
Basically, some people I may know here, think some of you people still stuck there are still losers because you haven't made it happen for yourself or others, if you get my point staying home doing nothing.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Please do not expect anyone to buy your theory of promotion or advertising and success program Waimea High School. We the former students there at one time in our lives actually do not care of local propaganda and success story with you or anyone there and their cars to show for as a success story.
Basically, I wrote to Waimea High School, and I suspect as always that this town is a ghost town. No offense but there is nothing to do there, just unemployed educators and former students.
I am not with their idea of success story, and I am not placing religion or anything like that on anyone, because as you know, this is still a free country and you can do anything you want. The whole idea of success just doesn't work well in a farm club setting and wanting to make it out or make it happen after you graduate in high school there to say the least.
Basically, some people I may know here, think some of you people still stuck there are still losers because you haven't made it happen for yourself or others, if you get my point staying home doing nothing.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 1:45 PM:
" First of all, let this be known, that these comments here are worthless and useless considering the topic being discussed. We found this topic a useless waist of time and money. This is from any intellectual interested reader. And yes, I am not associated with any former classmates there on Kauai also, for this matter alone.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 1:50 PM:
" I have seen alot of losers being mentioned in association to Waimea High School sports at UH Manoa. Might I add they are the one's who are delerious and a debachery to any level minded reader. These names are wide and long. And they run from 1979-1990 graduates trying grace the pages of Kauai and represent that school, outrageous. I for one, right now am putting all of them down for ever contemplating fame and popularity. We actually do not understand your fame and glory at Waimea High School.
This is in regards to your articles on the Waimea High School athletics and any department there.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
This is in regards to your articles on the Waimea High School athletics and any department there.
Sincerely,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 1:55 PM:
" Losers I have mentioned that graced those pages are as follows:
Ross Kagawa 1984' UH baseball 1987' classmate of Percival Butay(cousin)
Edmond Acoba 1981'
Liko Pereira 1989 and someother school baseball?
Kui Souza 1988 Sacramento state baseball
Craig Ibara 1983' HPC of honolulu baseball
Keith Pigao - student information desk for all information here for class reunion
Lyman Lacro 1986, UH Volleyball 1987
Barry Magoay 1985, UH Volleyball 1989
These are just some of the names trying to gain popular votes via their own high School Waimea High School
even now. Unreal!
Best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
Ross Kagawa 1984' UH baseball 1987' classmate of Percival Butay(cousin)
Edmond Acoba 1981'
Liko Pereira 1989 and someother school baseball?
Kui Souza 1988 Sacramento state baseball
Craig Ibara 1983' HPC of honolulu baseball
Keith Pigao - student information desk for all information here for class reunion
Lyman Lacro 1986, UH Volleyball 1987
Barry Magoay 1985, UH Volleyball 1989
These are just some of the names trying to gain popular votes via their own high School Waimea High School
even now. Unreal!
Best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
HiKauai wrote on Feb 12, 2009 1:08 PM:
" Hello again TGI,
This is me, Dean Kelly Sabado. Thank you for letting me comment on your articles there on the island. I just want to thank everyone agreeing with myself on who actually I meant, calling them losers in that town. Ha! Ha! Ha! I am a personal graduate of that high school but will proudly say if they keep up the good work in academics and life, will not be too ashamed of being associated with Waimea High School as an alumni.
Sorry, but there are others who felt this way! Here on the island of Honolulu and even the mainland. These names may have one time in their lives even mine represent the epitome of failure and laughs, and not success.
best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
This is me, Dean Kelly Sabado. Thank you for letting me comment on your articles there on the island. I just want to thank everyone agreeing with myself on who actually I meant, calling them losers in that town. Ha! Ha! Ha! I am a personal graduate of that high school but will proudly say if they keep up the good work in academics and life, will not be too ashamed of being associated with Waimea High School as an alumni.
Sorry, but there are others who felt this way! Here on the island of Honolulu and even the mainland. These names may have one time in their lives even mine represent the epitome of failure and laughs, and not success.
best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "
fvr wrote on Sep 1, 2009 9:32 AM:
" fvr wrote on Aug 31, 2009 2:12 AM:
" My heart goes out to the family for their loss. Kauai grieves with you,and your family.
Kauai still grieves for the unsolved murder of, Sandra Mendoca.
Sandy was my sons classmate, and a very sweet, honest, and genuine young lady, even as a child.
Sandy would be 31 this year.
When my son heard she was murdered, at first he could not believe it.
Then he wept. He kept saying, no she can't be dead, not like that.
He went to St.Catherines School with her, from age 5, from Kindergarten.
He said, Sandy was the best, a model student, and liked by the entire class.
Sometimes she ignored him, when he got in an impish-rascal-prankster mode. He use to say, Sandy does'nt like me mom, cause I naughty. Yet even as a small child, he respected her sincere, moral character, exemplary behavior, and demeanor.
Till this day he is in disbelief, and schocked, that anyone would hurt, this beautiful young lady.
We both still pray for Sandra.
I pray for all who suffer from, violent acts against women, and children.
I offer my deepest sympathy, to the family, and will include you in my prayers.
God bless you, in your time of grief. I pray you find some peace. " "
" My heart goes out to the family for their loss. Kauai grieves with you,and your family.
Kauai still grieves for the unsolved murder of, Sandra Mendoca.
Sandy was my sons classmate, and a very sweet, honest, and genuine young lady, even as a child.
Sandy would be 31 this year.
When my son heard she was murdered, at first he could not believe it.
Then he wept. He kept saying, no she can't be dead, not like that.
He went to St.Catherines School with her, from age 5, from Kindergarten.
He said, Sandy was the best, a model student, and liked by the entire class.
Sometimes she ignored him, when he got in an impish-rascal-prankster mode. He use to say, Sandy does'nt like me mom, cause I naughty. Yet even as a small child, he respected her sincere, moral character, exemplary behavior, and demeanor.
Till this day he is in disbelief, and schocked, that anyone would hurt, this beautiful young lady.
We both still pray for Sandra.
I pray for all who suffer from, violent acts against women, and children.
I offer my deepest sympathy, to the family, and will include you in my prayers.
God bless you, in your time of grief. I pray you find some peace. " "
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HiKauai wrote on Feb 11, 2009 9:08 AM:
RE: 2/11/2009 and the above topic
Can we cut out the "EXPLETIVE" here. Everyone knows if you are or were affiliated with high school at one time in your life in Waimea, Kauai, you would know that you do not place one of the three stooges willing to work at Kentucky fried chicken and place him at the vice principal's seat at Waimea High School. We all know that BOE and DOE played no roll in this nonsense of students being athletes then becomming success in the respected choice of degree and field like a BA degree. An example, you cannot put someone like a Pereira or even an Aaron Francisco from Kahuku High School, now former Arizona Cardinals NFL, as a BA candidtate after a prolific showing in sports. It just does not work that way. We all know that they cannot be serious placing academics after a 10 year assistant coach with a rediculous man/educator and/or coach if I might add like Tommy Rita of the 1980's and then expect him, Patrick Pereira to educate people in 2000's after being associated with dumb athletes all their life and now turn to academics. Now they educate people? Ha! What are we looking at here is basically a rediculous and dumber community than most perceived DOE standard base learning. Otherwise throw this article out already, alright?
best regards,
Dean Kelly Sabado "