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Letters to the Editor for Thursday, May 28, 2009
• Pirates reach Kaua‘i
• Re-think your message
• Prescription Cheerios
• No more price hikes
• Boaters should be careful
• Ocean safety awareness
Pirates reach Kaua‘i
Recently, I took my car down to an automobile dealership for repair because the power-steering fluid was leaking out almost as quickly as I could put it in.
The dealer gave me a quote of $1,800 to fix it. That’s right, one-thousand, eight-hundred dollars to fix it. Overwhelmed by the price and faced with the dealer’s warning of imminent and catastrophic failure, I took my car to Steve’s shop in Port Allen.
In one day, Steve found a leaky pressure switch, replaced it for minimal cost and fixed my problem. It doesn’t leak anymore and it doesn’t need any more repairing.
The Somali pirates are alive and well and working at that dealership.
Joe Lindo
Lawa‘i
Re-think your message
Wow, Lenny Klompus is really the senior communications adviser to Gov. Lingle? That explains a lot (“Empty platform,” Letters, May 23).
What is the man even talking about? Sen. Hooser is more involved in legislation designed to help the people of Hawai‘i than anything Gov. Lingle has touched in “almost seven years” in office. From sustainability, to alternative energy, to health care coverage for all citizens of Hawai‘i, Sen. Hooser is there.
Lenny needs to re-think his message.
Kurt Rutter
Kapa‘a
Prescription Cheerios
This is too good to have been made up.
On May 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to General Mills for making claims on its cereal boxes that Cheerios can help lower cholesterol.
On its Web site, the breakfast cereal manufacturer says that “diets rich in whole grain foods can reduce the risk of heart disease.” In its letter, FDA called these claims “serious violations” of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Because of these claims, Cheerios is now considered by FDA to be an “unapproved” drug, and must go through the new drug approval process. This process is not only time consuming, but also prohibitively expensive.
FDA is not questioning the validity of the heath claims made by General Mills, it is merely reminding them that it’s against the law to make such claims about non-FDA approved products. This keeps food producers, vitamin manufacturers and other non-pharmaceutical companies from telling the public about the health benefits of natural products — even if they are true.
For example, several years ago cherry growers were targeted for saying that eating cherries could help people with gout and arthritis, even though there was peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support these claims.
Apparently, FDA seems to think it should be the only one with the right to tell the American public what is good for them. I guess if people can be kept away from information that can help them stay healthy, then more drugs can be sold to help them with their problems after they get sick.
In the meantime, we may soon see our favorite breakfast cereals sold by prescription only.
Bob Swiryn
Kapa‘a
No more price hikes
The price of everything is skyrocketing and how ironic it should happen during a major recession with high unemployment and major bankruptcies.
The price of everything is going up. The grocery stores are 10 to 20 percent higher than a year ago, cable has increased service, the gas tax is set to increase, the hotel tax for our visitors has increased, just to mention a few.
Now, the cosmic Garden Island newspaper reports on Sunday that “Bus, golf rates to increase.”
Golfers at Wailua are going to pay more to tee off and riders are going to pay more to hop aboard if legislation before the Kaua‘i County Council is approved as expected.
During a major recession where almost everyone has less money than they did a year ago, everything seems to be going up at a time when we cannot afford price increases.
What happened to all the stimulus money Hawai‘i received? My understanding is that it was to be used to compensate the public’s needs?
Please contact your council members and plead with them for no more increases at a time when we can barely keep afloat.
James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapa‘a
Boaters should be careful
Kudos to the PMRF crew for the rescue of the 300-pound green sea turtle.
Tour boats and fishermen should be more aware of these sea turtles and fishes. Tour boats shouldn’t be anywhere near these creatures. Most of their ads say you are guaranteed to see fishes and turtles, not to go up and try to have your riders touch them.
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
Ocean safety awareness
I assume most everyone was as appalled as I was by Saturday’s Garden Island report that two monk seals have recently been killed on our beaches.
The report described how the death of one seal devastates an entire family structure.
When we are all as appalled by our six to 10 visitors per year who are invited to frolic on our beaches only to die on them, then we’ll know that our ocean safety program has reached its maturity.
Dr. Monty Downs
ER physician,
Wilcox Memorial Hospital
• Re-think your message
• Prescription Cheerios
• No more price hikes
• Boaters should be careful
• Ocean safety awareness
Pirates reach Kaua‘i
Recently, I took my car down to an automobile dealership for repair because the power-steering fluid was leaking out almost as quickly as I could put it in.
The dealer gave me a quote of $1,800 to fix it. That’s right, one-thousand, eight-hundred dollars to fix it. Overwhelmed by the price and faced with the dealer’s warning of imminent and catastrophic failure, I took my car to Steve’s shop in Port Allen.
In one day, Steve found a leaky pressure switch, replaced it for minimal cost and fixed my problem. It doesn’t leak anymore and it doesn’t need any more repairing.
The Somali pirates are alive and well and working at that dealership.
Joe Lindo
Lawa‘i
Re-think your message
Wow, Lenny Klompus is really the senior communications adviser to Gov. Lingle? That explains a lot (“Empty platform,” Letters, May 23).
What is the man even talking about? Sen. Hooser is more involved in legislation designed to help the people of Hawai‘i than anything Gov. Lingle has touched in “almost seven years” in office. From sustainability, to alternative energy, to health care coverage for all citizens of Hawai‘i, Sen. Hooser is there.
Lenny needs to re-think his message.
Kurt Rutter
Kapa‘a
Prescription Cheerios
This is too good to have been made up.
On May 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to General Mills for making claims on its cereal boxes that Cheerios can help lower cholesterol.
On its Web site, the breakfast cereal manufacturer says that “diets rich in whole grain foods can reduce the risk of heart disease.” In its letter, FDA called these claims “serious violations” of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Because of these claims, Cheerios is now considered by FDA to be an “unapproved” drug, and must go through the new drug approval process. This process is not only time consuming, but also prohibitively expensive.
FDA is not questioning the validity of the heath claims made by General Mills, it is merely reminding them that it’s against the law to make such claims about non-FDA approved products. This keeps food producers, vitamin manufacturers and other non-pharmaceutical companies from telling the public about the health benefits of natural products — even if they are true.
For example, several years ago cherry growers were targeted for saying that eating cherries could help people with gout and arthritis, even though there was peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support these claims.
Apparently, FDA seems to think it should be the only one with the right to tell the American public what is good for them. I guess if people can be kept away from information that can help them stay healthy, then more drugs can be sold to help them with their problems after they get sick.
In the meantime, we may soon see our favorite breakfast cereals sold by prescription only.
Bob Swiryn
Kapa‘a
No more price hikes
The price of everything is skyrocketing and how ironic it should happen during a major recession with high unemployment and major bankruptcies.
The price of everything is going up. The grocery stores are 10 to 20 percent higher than a year ago, cable has increased service, the gas tax is set to increase, the hotel tax for our visitors has increased, just to mention a few.
Now, the cosmic Garden Island newspaper reports on Sunday that “Bus, golf rates to increase.”
Golfers at Wailua are going to pay more to tee off and riders are going to pay more to hop aboard if legislation before the Kaua‘i County Council is approved as expected.
During a major recession where almost everyone has less money than they did a year ago, everything seems to be going up at a time when we cannot afford price increases.
What happened to all the stimulus money Hawai‘i received? My understanding is that it was to be used to compensate the public’s needs?
Please contact your council members and plead with them for no more increases at a time when we can barely keep afloat.
James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapa‘a
Boaters should be careful
Kudos to the PMRF crew for the rescue of the 300-pound green sea turtle.
Tour boats and fishermen should be more aware of these sea turtles and fishes. Tour boats shouldn’t be anywhere near these creatures. Most of their ads say you are guaranteed to see fishes and turtles, not to go up and try to have your riders touch them.
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
Ocean safety awareness
I assume most everyone was as appalled as I was by Saturday’s Garden Island report that two monk seals have recently been killed on our beaches.
The report described how the death of one seal devastates an entire family structure.
When we are all as appalled by our six to 10 visitors per year who are invited to frolic on our beaches only to die on them, then we’ll know that our ocean safety program has reached its maturity.
Dr. Monty Downs
ER physician,
Wilcox Memorial Hospital
Related headlines
- Letters for Saturday, November 22, 2008
- Consultant lashes back at attempt to silence criticism
- Letters to the Editor for Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of kauaiworld.com.
hawaiian wrote on May 28, 2009 7:32 AM:
" thats why its called a stealership not dealership thats how they make money "
DrBFree wrote on May 28, 2009 9:06 AM:
" People have a choice to educate themselves in water safety before they come and visit our beautiful island. Turtles, whales, and monk seals are at the mercy of humans and have no choice. The human race is not endangered. If they die on Kauai, what a way to go. It sure beats dying in a hospital with tubes and wires connected up to your veins and nostrils.
Humans need some common sense when they enter the water, as well as when they drive drunk in their boats around the island killing endangered species. "
Humans need some common sense when they enter the water, as well as when they drive drunk in their boats around the island killing endangered species. "
Omao mau wrote on May 28, 2009 12:19 PM:
" Joe, you might have added that Steve's business is called Hi-Tech Auto Repair. I use him and he does great work for a reasonable price. Toyota quoted me $500. for a belt tensioner. I left the truck there for three days and they forgot to do the work. I took it to Steve who did the job for $160. "
jr1956 wrote on May 28, 2009 4:40 PM:
" manawai, I totally agree, mahalos for your comment.... Kimo R :D) "
getalife wrote on May 28, 2009 5:55 PM:
" Jeez Kimo, we have to pay for Obama's socialist policies somehow.
If they don't raise taxes they will just print more money which directly causes inflation, pick your poison. "
If they don't raise taxes they will just print more money which directly causes inflation, pick your poison. "
Fran wrote on May 29, 2009 1:30 AM:
" Gotta agree with Kimo. Can't understand why Mayor Carvalho felt a need to raise the bus fares on Kaua`i, when Mayor Kenoi decided to keep the bus fares free for another year on the Big Island........Is Mayor Carvalho following Mayor Hanneman's lead of raising Oahu's bus fares? Kaua`i doesn't have a rail system to pay for so can someone please tell Mayor Carvalho his island is Kaua`i, not Oahu.
Don't need all those tax hikes! People are already suffering enough trying to live on less. Stop the bleeding already, the residents and tourists can't afford anymore tax increases!
The biggest problem is Government Waste! Governor Lingle and each of the Mayor's need to step up and cut down on all the Government Waste that is going on. Aside from Police, Fire, and Lifeguards the State and County's can afford to cutback big time on payroll. It's not necessary to have a Supervisor supervising a supervisor who's supervising a supervisor who's supervising an employee who is watching three employees watch a fellow employee perform one task.........
Perhaps, a day off here and there without pay will give Government employees the necessary boost to take their jobs seriously and do what they're getting paid for: Doing Their Job! "
Don't need all those tax hikes! People are already suffering enough trying to live on less. Stop the bleeding already, the residents and tourists can't afford anymore tax increases!
The biggest problem is Government Waste! Governor Lingle and each of the Mayor's need to step up and cut down on all the Government Waste that is going on. Aside from Police, Fire, and Lifeguards the State and County's can afford to cutback big time on payroll. It's not necessary to have a Supervisor supervising a supervisor who's supervising a supervisor who's supervising an employee who is watching three employees watch a fellow employee perform one task.........
Perhaps, a day off here and there without pay will give Government employees the necessary boost to take their jobs seriously and do what they're getting paid for: Doing Their Job! "
gilgamesh wrote on May 30, 2009 2:39 PM:
" Going to a new car dealer for any repairs except for warranty work is insane...Buying a used car from a new car dealer is also insane unless you like to pay thoussands more than the prices at the used car dealers here in Kauai....My sister bought a used car from one of the new car dealers and next day saw the same one at a dealer on rice st advertised for 3k less...What a rip off, buying used cars from a new car store,,i think "
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manawai wrote on May 28, 2009 7:01 AM:
That's right Kimo! The prices of everything will go up even though there's less money in our pockets to pay them because the government insists on hiking income taxes, G.E. taxes, property taxes, user fees, etc. All of these increases must be passed along to business customers or else the business will lose money and close down. You see, businesses don't have the option of forcing their customers to pay higher prices as they must remain competitive with other businesses. So one of two things will happen, prices will go up reflecting the rising costs or the business will close. Have you seen the growing number of empty commercial spaces around the State? The amount of vacancy is steadily rising because many businesses are making fewer sales because their customers have less money. Raising prices would only exacerbate their situation. So, they close or move to smaller cheaper spaces. They don't have the luxury of raising prices and the forcing their customers to buy via force of law. That's why Hawaii is one of the worst tax hells in the country. Few of our elected representatives know anything about running a business and unfortunately some that do, like Gary Hooser, know that if you're dishonest and cheat on taxes, you can get away with it. But don't worry about cheating, Kimo! If you get found out, you'll get elected to the legislature and be hailed as a success!!! "