" Do Not Ignore Your symptoms..." 'Judith Whitehead' (inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

Do Not Ignore Your symptoms

Working in the field of Ophthalmology I have seen many many people ignore their symptoms, some from neglect, ignorance or just laziness. Something as simple as having “floaters” can become a
serious diagnosis if ignored.

Floaters, or the liquefying of the vitreous gel that fills the retina, begins to break down in the aging process and at that point a person is at greater risk for a retinal detachment. The gel can pull and tug on the wall of the retina causing a hole or tear in the lining of the retina.

Some of the causes of this process can be someone who is very nearsighted, doing strenuous exercise, lifting or pulling with great effort or even flying in an airplane. A nearsighted eye is a long eye that already stretches the retina which puts someone at greater risk. Although anyone with any size eye can have these symptoms.

Floaters accompanied with flashing lights means you are having a retinal event and must be checked by your Eye Doctor. 

You may just be having a Posterior Vitreous Detachment which can be a precursor to a more serious problem. If you begin to see lots of floaters or lots of flashing lights better not wait to seek medical attention. If you see a “curtain” coming down that interferes with your vision, it may be indicating the start of a retinal detachment.

Any type of retinal detachment requires immediate attention and possible surgery to re attach the retina in hopes of restoring complete vision; a delay in treatment my cause permanent damage as the retina can't survive for very long unattached. Treatments are not easy because they require an involved process of “head down” post operative care. Either a “buckle “ or a gas bubble pushes the retina back in place and reattaches circulation to the retina.

This is one instance that immediate attention will save vision - don't ignore your symptoms and don't procrastinate. Don't wait for it to “go away” because it may not and has to be checked.

"Judy, Judy, Judy!"

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

Dominated and Whipped Men Go to Heaven..." Robert Bitos Gandia (Source)

Guest-blogger,Robert Bitos Gandia

.Robert is an avid cook (ono gandule rice) and always laughing!!
Robert lives in Kekaha on Kauai's west-side and loves football!!

Bitos is an avid Cheeseburger connoisseur!

Dominated and Whipped Men Go to Heaven

Everybody on earth dies and goes to heaven.

 God comes and says "I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men that dominated their women on earth and the other line for the men that were whipped by their women. Also, I want all the women to go with St Peter. " Said and done, the next time God looks the women are gone and there are two lines. The line of the men that were whipped was 100 miles long, on the line of men that dominated women there was only one man. 

God got mad and said. "You men should be ashamed of yourselves. I created you in my image, and you were all whipped by your mates. 

Look at the only one of my sons that stood up and made me proud, Learn from him! " Tell them my son how did you manage to be the only one on that line? The man said, "I don't know. My wife told me to stand here. " 

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

"Rabid Jackels..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Vintage Bettejo)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden
 Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.
Bettejo is a regular opinion writer in the Garden Island news
 and is the author of the famed novella, "The Scam." 
 Her latest fiction"Children of extinction"
 is now  released and available on Amazon!
Bettejo has a gift of mingling
 the present, the past, and the future. 

www.bettejodux.com

www.amazon.com

Rabid Jackels

Bettejo and  the late Aristotle

There are millions of Americans--the majority of us--who recognize a great man when they see one. The guy with  pick and shovel,  The cashier behind the counter.

The farmer planting seed.   Young men and women dying in these senseless wars. But when greatness resides in the White House, in the most powerful office in the world, our chests swell.

He's brilliant. No one needs a dummy.

His words are elegant.  A pleasure to the ears. He has manners  befitting royalty  hosting  guests at a courtly table. If he's tall and slender and handsome with a family of equal  beauty  we're even more proud. Please, at this moment, watch a FRONT-LINE document: Inside OBAMA'S Presidency.

This young man made one grave mistake: He thought he could reason with his adversaries. He tried his best. He gave it all. But one cannot reason with rabid jackals. The best thing one can do with a rabid jackal is run.  He didn't run. He held his ground.  He'd the courage  of a madman. Madman?  It goes beyond bravery to confront such a  dangerous animal.

Frothing with greed. For money. For power. Indulging in beliefs so ridiculous they're an insult to human intelligence.  Rancor, vulgarity, and deceit are its nature. And this den of disease spawned the greatest frothier of them all.

I beg you--all of you-- don't descend to his level. May that brilliant maligned woman and that elegant elder join forces. Together they can--we can--heal.

Bettejo is starting to
get the hang of her new
iPhone camera. Photo above
is of her cat, Reba.
Photo by Bettejo

Hana Hou, (Encore)  Shared From Facebook..

RIP ARI!  

"New governing system worth a try at bat..." 'Glenn Mickens' (Kaua'i County Watchdog)

Glenn Mickens has lived on Kauai  with his wife Ruth for the last 26 years. Born July 26, 1930 in Wilmar, California, USA) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in four games (two of which were starts) for the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played for five years in Japan, from 1959 until 1963 for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. There, he compiled a record of 45–53 with a 2.54 ERA.  Glenn also  served in the Army for 2 years and coached baseball at UCLA for 25 years. 
Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kaua'i give the county manager style of Government a chance.

Mr. Mickens is locally known
as one of Kauai county's
political watchdogs
and Nitpickers...
Mahalos Glenn!

New Governing system worth a try at bat
Think about the issues that have faced us over the years that are still prevalent like, traffic, solid waste, curbside recycling, roads resurfacing, a new landfill, unabridged development without first getting infrastructure in place, the homeless, affordable homes and rentals, and many many more. 

All these problems go unsolved who do we hold responsible? The Mayor and his minions or the Council? It is easy for each of these departments to point the finger at each other but no one ever accepts responsibility. 

Thanks to Council chair Mel Rapozo, his committee and hopefully a total of 5 members of the council we are on the verge of getting a County Manager. On May 4th and May 11th this issue is on the agenda-- therefore please, those of you who read this, e mail, write, and call our council members and tell them how much you want this form of government on Kauai.

Kaua'i Council chairman
Mel Rapozo
is a fine example
of what a public
servant  should be!

It's easy to send testimony by email, send your testimony to;
counciltestimony@kauai.gov
or directly to Council Chair Rapozo at;
mfrapozo@kauai.gov

The Manager would be hired on his/her educational skills and real life experiences eliminating political hires and appointees that are at the root of so many of our problems. Yes, we have a lot of hard working, dedicated people in our local government but when you try and mix them in with their bosses who were not hired by their qualifications for the job then the failed system we now have becomes apparent . 

The Council along with the Mayor who sits as one of the 7 members of the council (possibly the chair) gives the task (roads,, traffic etc) to the manager and it is his/her job to solve the problem in the most efficient , costs effective way---using their experiences to rely on instead of our "ready, fire, aim" methodology. Now we have a real person to hold responsible for doing the job and that person can be fired if the job is not done unlike the system now in place. 

Whether it is the budget or the above listed problems the manager will be held responsible. The Council along with the Mayor will still be running our government but by adding the experience of a manager, responsibility and transparency will be added, the factors that ail our government now.

This system of government has proven to be successful all over the world so let's at least give it a try.

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...

Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---

P.S.
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens

With all the stress of the world, don't forget to
watch the sunrise or sunset, it's free! 

Photo, James "Kimo" Rosen

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

"New money..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #124)~Happy Passover~

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world #124

New Money

The big news for all  you politically correct junkies out there is that Harriet Tubman a black slave who ran the "underground railroad and  was an American abolitionist, humanitarian, and an armed scout and spy for the United States Army during the American Civil War will be replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20.00 bill come 2020.

Anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman
to replace Jackson on $20 bill

 It seems almost every ethnic group wants in on the action.

My ethnicity of the Jewish people,want to replace Abraham Lincoln on the $5.00 bill with Albert Einstein.
 Many claim honest Abe was actually Jewish? It is said he was shot in the Tempo-Temple (sic)
Read USA Today article;
"Andrew Jackson will move to the back of the $20 to make room for the abolitionist."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/20/report-lew-considered-anthony-10-bill/83274530/

Every Ethnicity wants their own on currency.
The Jewish people are said to want Einstein!

I see no reason to  change history, I am not for changing what's been a stronghold and tradition for many years.

The Donald is said to be 
considering himself
to grace the 100.00 bill
 if elected president!

Make new denominations of currency to  put these  people of honor on--or put them on postage stamps or name airports or buildings after them. Why are we  deleting history to replace it with other history? Adding history is good, deleting history is not.

The Irish, the Russians, the Germans, the Italians and the Hawaiians to mention a few all want  their own kind  on currency. 



The Jews want Einstein, Oy vey
The Hawaiians want Duke Kahanamoku, Mahalo Nui Loa.

The list is endless, I say add them all, but lets not lose track and delete the history we have.

Whose going to argue with the Italians?

The Italians want Al Capone, whose going to argue that? Not me!

Hana Hou, (Encore)  

"Travel becomes more difficult as you age..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday) (Happy Passover)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

Travel becomes more difficult as you age

We have flown to several destinations and have made several trips during our lives; as we “mature” the travel has become more of a planned effort as we have begun our 60's.

Why vacation when we can eat like
Kings and Queens in the comfort
of our own home!
Best part, no kids
 kicking the back of our seats!

Packing clothing is not a problem; it's all the other necessities that need to come along that have increased over the years. We say things like “we better bring this just in case,” they seem to be popular phrases these days. 

It seems one can't count on an “on time” schedule with the airlines keeping these days, a vacation can turn into a few extra days as we recently endured. Due to over use of airplanes causing mechanical problems and reduced flights, the planes are over used and packed with people; not a free seat to be had. Throw some weather delays and mechanical problems in there and you have added time onto a planned vacation. One must plan for this now and take extra sundry
items and medications to be prepared.

If we are traveling into a different time zone, it seems to take longer for the adjustment to meals and sleep time than it used to - when we were much younger it was an easier adjustment. You need to plan
for a day or two to adjust and readjust when returning.

Depending on the airline you choose, you must pack food to take along for a long flight. Will it spoil, will it leak into your carry bag? All these things take time to prepare properly with the “just in case”
in mind..

The weather seems to be crazy all over the country these days. We are having snow in Spring, rain storms in Summer in warm climates...Years ago we could count on warm weather out west a certain time of year, now its a gamble. Better pack a warmer coat along and with sandals to be prepared.

We just returned from a week long vacation that turned into 9 days because of travel complications and delays out of our control. After returning from our ordeal, I felt like I needed another vacation!

I love taking a vacation more than anyone but after dealing with hotel issues, airplane problems and weather conditions it can be exhausting. I know I realize that it is a part of travel at times when you fly. Actually we have taken a few driving vacations which I have grown to enjoy almost more than flying.

There is much beauty to enjoy in our country and driving affords us time to stretch legs and enjoy the scenery much more than from 30,000 feet above.

At times it is hard to fit a driving vacation in because of the time factor...it simply takes longer to reach a destination when you are still working a fixed schedule.

I remember with fondness the old commercial phrase “see the USA in your Chevrolet”, when flying vacations were not as popular and an airline trip was not affordable. As a child we never took a flying
 vacation, only road trips. 
(Check out Dinah Shore singing , "See the USA in your Chevrolet!")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boertpylK0M
I never flew until I reached teenager age; my children began flying with us as babies. Again, time constraints dictated a quicker way to arrive at a destination. I don't remember any delays back then and there always seemed to open seats throughout the plane to spread out your belongings.

I'm sure this flying “protest” will wear off soon enough when I feel I need to “get away” before the end of the year. It's just a fact of the times and I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet...

"Judy, Judy, Judy!"

P.S.

Check out Dakine blogs;

 "Travel is not for the faint of heart."

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/04/travel-is-not-for-faint-of-heart-judith.html

"Flying sure ain't what it used to be."

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2015/10/flying-sure-aint-what-it-used-to-be.html

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

Happy Passover~Next Year at Taco Bell..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

Happy Passover everyone!

 "Obama Da Dog a recent convert to Judaism celebrates Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating freedom from Egyptian bondage and slavery..." This blog was published as an opinion article on 04-07-12 in the   Kaua'i Garden Island news; "Next year at Taco bell..." http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-april/article_7269225a-8071-11e1-8efb-0019bb2963f4.html

This blog originally ran on 04-24-11, Dakinetalk Blog #268 & on 04-06-12 Dakinetalk Blog #626

and again on 04-14-14 Blog #1268

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2011/04/next-year-at-taco-bell.html

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/04/happy-passover-next-year-at-taco-bell.html

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2014/04/next-year-at-taco-bell-james-kimo-rosen.html

 Happy Passover~Next Year at Taco Bell
 Special Classic annual Passover blog

Everyday of the year is someone's birthday, and with all the religious and secular holidays, it gets hard  deciding which ones to celebrate.

Michelle Obama lights candles at a White house
Passover Seder.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday, since it is an American holiday, and not a Christian or Jewish holiday.

The rules of holidays are what I question.  For the  Jewish holiday of Passover, Jews (my people) are not suppose to eat leaven (bread or anything with yeast for 8 days.) This tradition started with the Jews escape from Egyptian bondage and slavery. While on the run they had limited time, only time to make a quick flat bread, that didn't have time to rise. therefore we eat Matzo as a remembrance of hard times. (Matzo is  a bland  cracker with very little taste consumed  during the  8 day long holiday of Passover.

We celebrate Passover with humbleness by abstaining from  bread, however we prepare huge holiday meals of a roasted brisket with pan fried potatoes, matzo ball soup with chicken,  elaborate salads and special cookies made from matzo meal instead of flour. I don't believe the Jews had time to make those items either if they didn't even have the time to bake bread? The basic rule, if it rises don't eat it during Passover. Noodles, pasta rice, beans etc, are all off the menu.

Eggs are on the menu even though they are a leavening agent in many baked goods. Whipped egg whites are a a leaven agent. Egg whites trap air bubbles in the batter, so when whisked, egg whites are folded into a batter, they hold the air in and help the baked goods attain a light, puffy rise. (added in 2015 edition)
http://www.craftsy.com/article/purpose-of-eggs-in-baking

The other irony is when you mix flour and water in a warm environment it creates sourdough, which is a sour yeast. I therefore believe that the matzo cracker would had risen in many cases.

The Jewish people  eat matzo and have elaborate gourmet meals to remember the days of slavery.

Why not just enjoy a nice spontaneous meal on the move, as most probably did during the exodus?

How about going through the drive through at Taco Bell, after all tortilla's are unleavened. This would sure make one humble and  an appropriate way to remember hard times.

Next year at Taco Bell! 

Happy Passover, Happy Easter and Happy April showers.

(Editor's note,  the last words at every Passover Seder are, "Next year in Jerusalem," next year at Taco bell is a play on words and my attempt at humor.)    ;-)

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher

Sunrise over Kapaa
James "Kimo" Rosen photo

Hana Hou, Encore) Shared From Facebook...

"Sacred Dog..." 'Bettejo Dux' (In Memory of Ari)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden
 Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.
Our  heartfelt condolences go out to
Bettejo on the loss of her Best friend,
 Ari the horse. RIP Ari...

www.bettejodux.com

www.amazon.com

Sacred Dog

American Indians called the horse  ‘sacred dog’ and acquired him  in the mid-1500s when De Soto and Coronado brought it to our shores. The Indians took to the animal like brilliance takes to  rainbows. The horsemen of the plains were considered by many in the American cavalry,”The finest light horse cavalry in the world.” They were never defeated in combat.

The Horse Culture on the plains  lived with their animals, and like the riders in the Spanish School in Vienna today,  came to call them ‘friends’. They lived with their horses. They knew them with their heart.

Lives of the nomadic Plains tribe, especially the Comanches,  were revolutionized by the horse and they became  skilled thieves perfecting the art of  rustling.  They were the best of horsemen and we treated them badly. In 1874 thousands of animals, considered by the southern Commanche to be their best, were senselessly slaughtered.  Ari often reminded me. Horses have a different sense of history and time. All of them recall what earth was like when the world was young and no grunting four-spinning upstarts jammed the roads and fouled the air.

I ‘d tell Ari stories like a silly human–dates and names and stuff like that–and he’d look me in the eye the way a good horse does–and  snort,  reminding me his roots on our home planet went back 40 to 60 million years. His earliest  ancestor, little eohippus, the Dawn Horse showed up a lot earlier in the game than we did. “How long you been around skinny two legs?”

He had me there.

He loved  me to tell him stories.

Flowers are now planted where
 Ari once lived.
Photo by Bettejo Dux
(Bettejo's first  photo
with her new iPhone!)

An incurable romantic,  he loved  fiction best.   Hidalgo, the mustang,  and Frank Hopkins who raced him’cross the Ocean of Fire were his favorites. When Ari was recovering from  surgery,  I constructed a paddock at my end of the barn and rigged  a projector and white sheet sharing the Disney movie with him. He watched it over and over.  For a horse who’d been free as a  feral hen, to be corralled in a 20×20 foot  area for three months–the recovery was long–was an ordeal. I  had to relieve his boredom. Mine, too.

I mean, how many organic carrots can we munch?   He  loved  dearly cornflake butter crunch cookies.

For over forty years I’ve lived with  a horse like the Indian lived with his.  He was a friend.  My best.  He slept in the bedroom next to mine.  I couldn’t ask for a sweeter neighbor. I met him first on Oahu in 1993. We looked each other in the eye and immediately bonded.  Born on Kauai in  1987, he was 29 years old.

The night he died, peacefully in his sleep, he said, “What you skinny two legs need  is another Seabiscuit.” He loved that film best.  (Check out the YouTube trailer of Seabiscuit below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DjeJ37my3g

His death left a hole in my heart the size of Diamond Head Crater, and a chunk out of my life the magnitude of Mount Kalihi.

But this he gave me: the joy of having known him.

 Ari and Bettejo talking story...

Editors note;

This blog also appeared the following day as a guest column in The Garden Island News

with a different title;

‘Ari’ brought great joy to this life

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/ari-brought-great-joy-to-this-life/article_1a3b0699-88c6-5dec-8360-04ec62576516.html

Bettejo provided the quote on 

the enclosed Kauai sunrise meme!

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...

Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---

Hana Hou, (Encore) 

The late Veterinarian Dr, Scott Sims was Ari's vet
and told Bettejo," horses don't eat oranges?"
Ari didn't know that, he loved oranges.

Above image  of  Dr.Scott Sims
and Pegasus created
by Malia Coleman