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June 06, 2012 | 07:00 AM LOVES PICK,HATES PIC
Thank you for posting my event "Breast Cancer Fund Benefit at Flatbread in Paia" (Picks of the Week, May 31, 2012). I appreciate the prominent spot in your publication. I read MTW every week and always enjoy it. However, I just had to comment that the photo was a little bit in poor taste. Women lose their breasts to breast cancer. They don't need to see some giant bolt-ons reminding them of what they have lost or might lose. Sex does not necessarily sell in this case. Also, I believe my text went something like this:
"Climbing is both a personal endeavor to honor the courage it takes to face breast cancer and a collective effort to prevent the disease." Your text seemed to imply that breasts are like mountains. I can only venture a guess that the copy was written by a man.
Ah well. Again, I DO truly appreciate the uh, exposure, and I'm sure my event will be highly attended.
- Marie DeJournette, via email
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YOU'RE WELCOME!
Jen Russo is an amazing writer! Thank you, love. She captured the essence of me and my work very well ("The Ultraviolets," May 31, 2012).
-Rachel Deboer, via Mauifeed.com
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MORE MVB TALK
Certain residents seem to forget that 75 percent of all jobs on Maui are directly or indirectly related to the visitor industry. They either believe we have too many tourists or "everybody already knows about Maui" so we don't have to spend any money to promote tourism to our island. Reality check: no tourists, no jobs! Plain and simple! If we experience a drop in visitors, businesses will fire people. Reduced revenue equals reduced staff.
The Maui Visitors Bureau has come under fire recently for allegedly receiving too much taxpayer money and not being "transparent" enough ("This year Terryl Vencl wants the County to give the Maui Visitors Bureau $3.5 million," May 17, 2012). MVB is doing a great job increasing visitors to our island. These are taxpayer funds well spent. Tourists are paying everyone's salary.
As for the complaint that MVB shouldn't be spending so much to promote Maui, that same logic says that Coca Cola, McDonald's, Toyota and Apple should reduce their advertising because everybody already knows who they are. It doesn't work that way. Vacationers need constant Maui reminders.
We also need to reach new travelers, folks in their 20's, who will be making their first vacation choices that could very well bring them back to Maui every year for the rest of their lives.
We need to support the efforts of the MVB and not vilify them. All of our jobs and the health of our island, like it not, are totally dependent on our visitor industry. If we get smug and complacent and reduce our promotional footprint, vacationers will, assuredly, go elsewhere.
- Bob Pure, via email
In this economy where people are struggling to feed their families, the $3.5 million of taxpayer money to MVB is criminal. This year alone our truck registration went up, a staggering $79.(not a commercial vehicle)! The money to fund this $3.5 million grant is definitely coming from us everyday taxpayers. Shameful!!!!
-Hope Tavares, via MauiTime.com
We do not need a "visitors" bureau for this kind of money. Pure rubbish, taxes are better spent elsewhere. I mean really in this day and age do we need this on such a large budget? Who hasn't heard of Maui, Hawaii by now is living under a rock. In the internet age I don't believe people really need this kind of wasteful agency. What are you telling people that they don't already know. The status quo on Maui continues because nobody says no to anybody... cronyism at its best. And no, tourism will survive without you, the ever present carrot of fear they like to throw out at budget time! And $150,000.00 salary? Shameful.
-Anonymous, via MauiTime.com
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| Entertainment and lifestyle news for Maui, Hawaii and the surrounding Islands. Maui Time Weekly is Mauis only independent and locally owned newspaper.
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