Response to "Maui No Ka Oi"

Coming from the large city of San Antonio Texas I have learned to appreciate the quialities of an island life. I grew up on the outskirts of the big city,but the need for supplies drew me closer to the fast-paced world. There were often gangs selling drugs, using drugs, and even killing in the neighborhoods. Even though "SA Town" is a nice place, there is always a potential for gang violence. There were times when I was offered a place in a gang. Thankfully my parents never allowed me to stray. Fortunately, I was able to move to Maui on my birthday in 2004, to renew my interest in the beauty of nature. I have learned that no matter where you come from, or where you plan to go, Maui always tops the list.

Respond to Obama

I agree with what Barack says he will do. If he becomes President and does all these things he says he will, America will be a much better place. Obama's ideas I see as the best and would really improve many things especially the No child left behind and to repair all the damaged places. I kind of disagree with his idea of using foreign immigrants to help our economy. I just can't see it as something possible and if foreigners want to get citizenship, they should do what all other immigrants do. Although a part of me thinks that with most of what politics say is just to get the vote, and not follow much of what they say they would have done. I honestly don't care who becomes the next president, just as long as they actually do something to improve the US instead of driving it into a deeper hole.

sexism: Hilary Clinton

I do agree that it is wrong to attack someone based on their gender. People are trying to use Hilary's gender as a female to bring out her weak side and scare her off. But i believe its the other way around, its the people who dont appreciate and respect what she's standing up for is the one whos weak for putting down someone who is takibng all the critisim like a man. Who else is willing to be disrespected no matter what the expense just to bring about change. For men to be insulting and calling her names only makes them seem jealous, weak, and scared. For one thing name calling is childish and second she probably intimidates people because she can take on a job "fit for men." Yes, i strongly agree that if only gender and race are the issues that people are considering instead of the real issues that truly matter then we still have a long way to go and need more help than ever. Although i dont know which candidate's side im on yet, i have so much respect for the First Female President Candidate.

Response to "Maui No Ka Oi"

I have been here for only 8 months. Still I cannot think "Maui No Ka Oi" because I'm from Tokyo, it's a big city, so Maui and Tokyo are totally different. Before I came Maui, I didn't even realize that I really like Tokyo, however I came here, and then I found and felt a lot of differences. It made me notice about how much I like Tokyo. Maui is ok, but I can't fit Maui's life style yet, even I already lived here for 8 months. Tokyo has four seasons, there are so many people and they walk fast, lots of buildings and developing everyday.... Everyone look so busy, I really like it. Maui is too slow for me... But I like Maui's beaches. Tokyo has few beaches, but it's really dirty, so Hawaii's beaches are very beutiful. Actually, I have been Kihei's beach only once, so I hope I can go again, and I hope that I can begin to like Maui.

Response to "Maui No Ka Oi"

I wanted to respond to the blog entry "Maui No Ka Oi" because I lived here for almost 11 years of my life and I am really thankful for my parents that they brought me here. When my parents first told me that we're moving to Maui, I refused to come here for various reasons. However, I started to appreciate the beauty of Maui and friendly locals. I really love Maui just as much as Japan. I realize that I have to move back to Japan someday (not anytime soon) because we have our own house to take care after my grandparents. I know that it's going to be hard living there again because of the change in environment. Tokyo is a big city compared to Maui or Oahu and living in a mellow place like Maui for 11 years, it's going to be a big change. Everything in Japan is growing fast including the economy and I know for sure that it's going to take a while for me to get used to living in the big city. I check the Japanese news online everyday and it seems that crimes occur almost everyday in Japan. It scares me that I have to be really conscious whenever I get the chance to visit Tokyo. Japan is a great place to visit and Maui is a highly recommended place to spend your vacation. However, people should realize that living and finding a job is a whole different story.

ReSpOnSe To "MaUi No Ka Oi"

(Sorry about the title, just allows me to find my blog easier)

My response to "Maui No Ka Oi"-I like Maui, I was born and raised here and I like the laid back, chill, friendly atmosphere as opposed to Honolulu, where it's too fast and business are erecting wide and very crowded. O'ahu is not a "Hawai'ian Island" no more, it's more like a detachment of California. Now they are building more and more buildings and hotels and condominiums and clearing out beautiful, lush, greenery to make brown, gray and black atmospheres. As you all know I was Active Duty for the Army for 3 years and returned here as a Reservist to spend time with family and friends that I missed during the 3 years. I have traveled to many places, California, Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Louisiana (New Orleans one year prior to it's demolishing conclusion from the hurricane), Canada, Illinois, Massachusetts, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Qatar and lastly Iraq. During those times that I traveled to all these places, I got a little taste of the people, their behaviors towards me, the speed of development and businesses and the environment that each had and I admit, I had lots of fun in those places, alcohol, women and clubbing was the main things us Army guys was looking forward to after our immense training for the day, week(s) or 2 week periods out in the field. The weather in each area was very different so everytime I had to get climatized so I wouldn't become a heat casualty or have frostbite. After an 8 month period in Iraq, I got to go anywhere in the world for 2 weeks. I chose Japan and stayed there only for couple days just because I didn't have a passport and I used my military ID and spoke to them as if I was in the unit there. I then returned to Maui and got to go out, hang out with friends and just enjoy the friendly, great, happy atmosphere and how the people are so chill and not too much violence, it was heaven! So in conclusion, I would like to say that Maui is "no ka oi", the best, number one because of it's chill, laid back style and it's just plainly calm and I love it!

Respond to Maui No Ka Oi

Number one! My number one is to be in the Philippines. Maui is probably nice and peaceful place, but when I was ten years old, having fun is what I was looking for and at the same time, I wanted to be at school to learn something. The freedom to do anything in the Philippines is not as hardcore as in the state because you can drive without a license and it does not matter how young you are as long as you can reach the break. You can also go anywhere you wanted to as long as your parents will let you, anyone can drink alcohol beverage as young as five years old or could be less, and anyone can go to a nightclub as long as you have money. You can pretty much do anything you want. Age does not really matter as long as you have money. As I grow older, from what I figured to most Filipinos, to get tuition for school in Philippines is very hard especially when you are going to college because you need to work hard to earn money to support your own education. To me that is better because you will grow stronger independent person and more challenging person. Philippines is fun but once you have a family, it will be the last place you want to be because there are no money to support your family. You would want to live in a nice and quiet place like Maui. Maui No Ka Oi!

is the female bashing ever gonna end?!

The sexist comments toward Hilary Clinton make me think that America will never be able to move forward to become a peaceful place. No matter if things have changed like rights for women and African Americans there will always be a couple of stubborn people who aren’t willing to change their minds. It angers me how someone can be so negative about a bad female president as if we already had one when in actuality we’ve never had a female president, let alone one to ruin America. I’m not specifically taking Hilary Clinton’s side; I just don’t want others to rule her out just because she’s a woman. Through the line of presidents we’ve only had men, yes we’ve been able to have a lot of great things that came out of having male presidents but we’ve also have had people’s lives put in danger when its not necessary, for example the war in Iraq. In my opinion, we all desire change but are not willing to take chances in order for change to happen. Who knows maybe having a female president might be a great thing. There are some things that women have to offer that not most men can't. For example, not all women are the same but most are considered to be sensitive, caring and a lot more nurturing than a man and with that she might help America grow to as if it’s her child. Corny, but I think America needs changes now and why not start with the leaders.

Maui No KA Oi

I feel blessed and happy to have been born and raised in Maui because i think being born anywhere else would probably have an affect on the person i am today. Maybe being raised in the Philippines where my parents grew up, i wouldn't have all the education opportunities and freedom that children have in the states. Maui is such a small community that i have many friends and family near by to watch over me, give me support, and keep me out of trouble. Places such as California or Philippines has so much congestion where work is sometimes a bigger priority. Living in Maui my parents wasn't too busy working to teach me and i am always their biggest priority. Maui with our simple lives, i had a lot of quality time with my family learning values. I think living else where without the support of my family i would have been going down the wrong paths. I love Maui's tropical settings, the beaches, the warm sun, and beautiful plants, which i have learned to appreciate because its a wonderful site to see everyday instead of just buildings and traffic. Despite some of the bad apples, everyone has such a warm hospitality and you are taken in as family.

A Floating island of Trash in the Pacific Ocean

Nowadays, we can see a lot of garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean. It has bad influence on sea animals and become the cause of marine pollution. Now, what can we do for solving this problem? In the video, I saw a lot of different kinds of garbage that plastic bottles, filters of tobacco, cans, newspapers, and so on. These stuffs must be come from lazy people. They need to change their own behavior and take their responsibility. Furthermore, I think there are not many trash cans around us. This is one of the causes too. Also, the problem of marine pollution cannot be settled by making a law because the pollution of chemical substance is not visible directly. Based on these causes, I think both the consumer and the producer need to improve consciousness to consider environment together, and need to review about mass production and mass consumption society. Therefore, company curbs production and the use of plastic and should try for the development of the product which is good for environment. On the other hand, consumers should change their living environment which is dependence on plastic.

A Love That We Hate

Every day, Americans drive up to the pump and their stomachs turn. An ailment that lasts and when it finally resides, back to the source they go. Refueling on lost dreams, blindly giving in to the spinning numbers which hide the shady underlyings of a lost cause. Meanwhile, companies which set these stomach-turning standards sit back, kackling. Companies that accomplish record profits of $40 Billion, even with "rising" production costs. It is absurd to think that lowering fuel prices just a tad would even be feasable, just absurd. They need every penny.