• Cockfighting ‘customary,’ not ‘cultural’ • Nobody told Kilauea about amphitheater plans • Is shrimp farm discharge harmful? • Why is DOH continuing to push flu shots?
Cockfighting ‘customary,’ not ‘cultural’
Over a hundred uses have been developed for the word “culture.” This is because the word has been subjected to more misuse than almost any other. The word “culture” is accompanied by a desired status of untouchability. On Kaua‘i, it is repeatedly used to excuse, or justify, bad behavior.
Lately, it has been linked to cockfighting. Better terms for this and other bad behaviors, would be “customs” or “traditions.” The word “culture” was intended, and most often used (according to linguistic studies), to mean “that which goes with refinement or enlightenment of the individual or the uplifting aspirations and ideals of a group.” This cannot possibly be applied to cockfighting or a list of actions that conflict with consideration of others.
Customs and traditions are constantly changed or even eliminated as conditions dramatically change. For example, in a less-populated and trafficked Kaua‘i, it was fairly common to see drivers stopped on the highway and chatting with someone on the shoulder. I drive quite a bit, but haven’t seen this since the late ‘90s. The times and the traffic have changed. Doing that used to be customary, not cultural.
There are very good reasons to distinguish the correct uses of these words.
Pete Antonson, Kalaheo
Nobody told Kilauea about amphitheater plans
After reading The Garden Island on April 6 (state/county government notices) I learned that the Kaua‘i Planning Department on April 27 at 9 a.m. is going to be considering the issuance of three different permits to allow the construction of an outdoor amphitheater in the town of Kilauea right behind where they are building the miniature golf course, next to Banana Joe’s. Nobody told the people of Kilauea town.
Hello.
We are the people of the town. This will produce an unacceptable level of noise and traffic that will ruin the peace and quiet that we have in our little town.
I checked with (the) county and there are many different regulations that the county wrote that opposes any project that will ruin the peace and produce noise on a continuous basis. But that doesn’t mean it won’t get passed anyway.
I am infuriated after speaking with one of the respected elders of Kilauea, who is also on the board of the Kilauea Neighborhood Association (who) was not aware of the outdoor amphitheater proposal that is quietly trying to get approval.
This land in question is zoned Open space. Under Section K of the General Plan 5.1.1 Basic Policy, 5.3.1 Policy, 5.3.2 Rational for Policy, 5.3.2.1 Land Use Map, this development does not conform to the criteria stated in the Open Zone.
Please be at that meeting on April 27. What else are they not telling us?
Mark Goodman, Kilauea
Is shrimp farm discharge harmful?
Regarding Jason Badua’s letter “Putting it into Perspective” (The Garden Island, March 30), he asks the reader to oppose the discharge of vast amounts of waste water from the Kekaha Sunrise shrimp farm facility.
If one reads the permit (http://hawaii.gov/health/environmental/water/cleanwater/pubntcs/0021654/02048PMT.10a.pdf), there is mention of several treatment processes at the facility. These include skimmers, removing the wastewaters from the pond-production units and sent to one of two (2) sedimentation/conveyance canals…”. In addition, there are “numerous waste-minimization management features to aid in the preservation of the receiving ocean waters.”
It seems that Mr. Badua has focused on the amount of wastewater to be discharged and has omitted any mention of the treatment processes in place. Are the efforts of Sunrise sufficient to protect the ocean water? Since August 2006 the facility has been in operation, but not at 100 percent, resulting in “no appreciable discharge being made from the property.” Perhaps a comment from the (state) Department of Health is in order. To comment, object to the proposed draft of the permit or request a public hearing, write to, Clean Water Branch, Environmental Management Division, Department of Health, 919 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 301, Honolulu, HI 96814-4920.
Michael Diamant, Kalaheo
Why is DOH continuing to push flu shots?
They just won’t give up. The state Health Department, that is. Their latest radio spot suggests that “It’s never too late to vaccinate.” They claim that, here in Hawai‘i, our flu season is actually all year long. In addition, according to their guidelines, children will need two doses of the vaccine. Well, isn’t that convenient? Especially since we have just discovered that the government, in their zeal to fight off this horrible H1N1 flu pandemic, has bought too much vaccine. In fact, according to the Washington Post, more than 71 million doses may have to be thrown out before their expiration dates. At about $10 per dose, that’s a lot of taxpayer money being thrown down the drain. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) admits that the H1N1 flu has peaked and is on the decline and that its symptoms are no more severe than our average seasonal flu. So why does our state Health Department (DOH) insist on continuing its fear-based marketing campaign to vaccinate everyone? I hope that the people listening to these radio ads will make their own decisions based on information available from other health sources and not just blindly follow the DOH recommendations. And I hope that the DOH will stop running these “over-the-top” radio ads. But I guess that’s just wishful thinking.
Bob Swiryn, Kapa‘a
