"The milk factory, good or bad?"

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years...

Bettejo  is the author of thefamed novella, "The Scam."

Her new book "Children of Extinction" will be out soon!

Editors, note. EBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Ulupono Initiative is investing $17.5 million to build a grass-fed dairy farm on Kaua'i.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2013/12/02/pierre-omidyars-ulupono-initiative.html

Kaua'i is divided again.  Many in the community are up in arms about the potential of the pollution and smells form a dairy farm. They feel it will deter visitors and cause added pollution.

The milk factory, good or bad?

 It gets a little old having to repeat the same thing over and over but it's true: "It's the economy, stupid".

 Profit trumps people every time. In the heartless corporate state what ever positive qualities are destroyed mean nothing if the dollars are there. Kauai will be left with the mess-just as New Zealand was-the milk factory will haul in the money. 

All some people do when they look at land is see dollar signs There are others who see life. Who see beauty. Who see fertile soil feeding and nourishing healthy human beings.

 Tourists? They come here because of the vast open space Fresh air. Clean water. Surf. Swim. Suburban sprawl, immense concrete jungles, traffic jams, and foul air don't really have a draw. Those glorious fields of tall green grass-sugar- were pleasing to the eye. Not the best crop. But it beat GMO corn, rich in toxic sprays that foul the air. 

A milk factory that, in truth, is an insult to human intelligence. Eighteen hundred grass fed cows on five hundred acres? The moon is made of green cheese. 

A shorter version of this blog appeared in the Garden Island news on 05-09-14, "Milk driven by profit.
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-friday-may/article_9a79dc8c-d74d-11e3-bb9c-001a4bcf887a.html

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

"The Mayonnaise Odyssey...." 'Robert Bitos Gandia' (Source)

 Guest-blogger,Robert Bitos Gandia sitting on left...
Robert is an avid cook (ono gandule rice) and always laughing!!
He works at Syngenta as a Research Associate.
Robert lives in Kekaha on Kauai's west-side and loves football!!

The Mayonnaise Odyssey

Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England . 

In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico , which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York . This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico . 

But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York . The ship hit an iceberg and sank. The people of Mexico , who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as;
"Sinko De Mayo."
WHAT??? You expected something educational from me?

You need a shot of Tequila .

P.S.
A man puts a notice in front of his residence:
FOR SALE

Computer and Encyclopedia both in good condition. 
Reason for selling: No longer needed. Got married. 
Wife knows EVERYTHING ...
with backup disk called Mother In Law

Hana Hou,(Encore Shared from Facebook...

"The Fumigator Terminator..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Sad but true!)

No, the circus was not in town, they were fumigating and tenting the residences
in the senior and disabled housing complex behind Mahelona hospital..
We all hope all the gasses and chemicals dissipate...

The Fumigator  Terminator

They waited for the reprieve. Many  felt like prisoners on death row about to be executed.  There was no phone call at midnight from the Governor, therefore the fumigation was to begin.This was not the movies, this was real life, no reprievel.

Approximately 32 elderly and  or disabled people from the  55 and older senior housing project behind Mahelona hospital  were recently displaced so their homes could  be pumped full of poisonous gaseous fumes.

Some call it  terminating, others fumigation and most know it as pest control. It will keep all the pests out. No door to door salesman or crooks will even try and knock on your door with signs all over that say, "Danger, Peligro,Fumiogation, Sulfuryl Fluoride, (Vikane). 

Criminals will  even stay clear when these signs are posted on homes. My recommendation for a cheap security system is to  purchase or make these signs and plaster them all over your home. Even the most criminal of criminals with stay out.

A man representing the pest control people with  reddish- orange complexion and dilated pupils told residents the chemicals have no ill effects. How re-assuring.

Arnold Schwarzenegger may have been the terminator in the movies, however  the real terminator is pest control. It takes hours to prepare your home.  You need to double bag every food item, medication and toiletries such as toothpaste and mouthwash with a special nylon coated  polymer film plastic bag.

There's no denying bugs, termites and  insects on Kauai. The question remains, is it really necessary to fill homes with toxic poisons. Plants, pets and humans  cannot  be present because they would die.

All plants and grass within four feet will most likely die. Just replacing plants is a huge expense, let alone replacing  many food items thrown out due to the  paranoia of the thought, is  it really safe to eat after returning home?

Management required all  tenants, many with either mental or physical disabilities, to pack things up and live elsewhere for 5 days while they tent and fumigate all their homes in one big swoop.

Besides the stress of being driven out of their homes, it's the aftermath of possible ill effects that has many  so very concerned. Many  believe   it's not right - or safe - to be forced to turn  frail lives and fragile homes over to a poisonous chemical that will silently kill every living thing within four walls within hours---and then be expected to return home and pick up living as if nothing happened.  Many  worry about the  collateral damage and lingering ill effects that such heavily poisoned air might have on so many elderly and disabled folks.

There are alternatives to ridding buildings of termites and other pests that are not toxic to humans. Boric acid and water will kill termites and no need to vacate your home or bag your medications and all food in double lined  plastic bags.

The stress alone form packing and unpacking and worrying if any of the poisons are still lingering around is enough to drive one mad.

There is another  alternative to tenting your home that wasn't mentioned. Burn down your home and start over, it may be less stress than all the worries affiliated with pest control.

 Some considered this a stay-cation while others suffered. It's still to be determined if any collateral damage results.

The tenting and fumigation was beyond the authority of the local management team which did everything possible to help all residents.

The residents appear tired and are walking around like zombies, however the termites are dead. Hallelujah!

P.S.   What do you think of the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL?

Michael Sam making a selfie...

The first openly Gay player in NFL history Michael Sam is drafted to the St. Louis Rams. The comments on the this story are the interesting part of this story. This story will go on for quite a while... What's your take?
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/michael-sam-barack-obama-congratulates-rams-draftee-sam-051114


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

"Good friends and Family..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York and has worked in

the ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years.

The Power of having Good friends and Family

I have been blessed all my life with having good  supportive  friends and family; over the years through the happy and sad times I have realized time and time again that friends are more valuable than gold and riches. 

 Friends even more than family are chosen which makes them even more valuable; my friends come in every shape, size, color and age.  Each friend bringing to the table their many  gifts of compassion, friendship and unconditional love.  A good friend is always available when needed even if it is  at an inconvenient  time.

 Some of my friends I see often while some because of our busy lifestyles can only get together once in a while but are always there in my mind.  When we do meet it is as if we have not lost a moment in time and can catch right up with the past. 

Friendships are all what life is about; connections to those we hold near and dear that make our lives filled with rich stories and unforgettable memories. 

Steve and Judith Whitehead alongside dear friends, Marvin and Linda Gross...

P.S. True story---05-10-14

I was walking my dog along the beach and on the side of the highway was a guy selling bagels. how cool, I thought-- bagels for a discount, no middle man or wholesaler direct form the baker, right? Wrong. These bagels were $2.00 each or $10.00 for half a dozen? I might had gotten down the guy to $18.00 a dozen for bagels? OK I get it home-made. But give me a break.

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

"And it came to pass..." 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalks favorite Uncle (Chester Lau)

'Unc" talks  about  a way to potentially save your own life!

"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu & giving the politicians a bad time...

And it came to pass

In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dot. 

And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, she had been called Amazon Dot Com. 

And she said unto Abraham, her husband, "Why doth thou travel far from town to town with thy goods when thou can trade without ever leaving thy tent?" 

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, "How, Dear?" And Dot replied, "I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale and they will reply telling you which hath the best price. And the sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah's Pony Stable (UPS)." 

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success. Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever moving from his tent. But this success did arouse envy. 

A man named Maccabia did secret himself inside Abraham's drum and was accused of insider trading. And the young man did take to Dot Com's trading as doth the greedy horsefly take to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Siderites, or NERDS for short. 

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of drums, that no one noticed that the real riches were going to the drum maker, one Brother William of Gates, who bought up every drum company in the land. And indeed did insist on making drums that would work only with Brother Gates' drumheads and drumsticks. 

And Dot did say, "Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others." And as Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or as it came to be known "eBay" he said, "we need a name that reflects what we are," and Dot replied, "Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators." 

"YAHOO", said Abraham. 

And that is how it all began, It wasn't Al Gore after all. 

'Unc' was one of the cinematographers on the original Hawaii Five-0
with Jack Lord.  Pictured above is a note to Unc form Jack Lord himself!

P.S. My neighbor and friend Auntie Maile. She was Higgin's maid on the old Magnum PI T.V. Show. Hopefully the paparazzi doesn't find her. ;D) This article was in today's(05-08-14) Garden Island news, and,  may I say, very well done!
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/a-seamstress-s-gift/article_e3733020-d688-11e3-ac9d-001a4bcf887a.html


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

"Food..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.Bettejo is a regular columnist in the Garden Island news and is the author of the
famed novella, "The Scam."

Food

In such contention times, sometimes it's difficult to find a topic upon which all agree. But I think this is one: every human being needs to eat. Needs food. Needs nourishment.

I think nourishment is the key, here. Every civilization, from the beginning, had to find a way to feed themselves. In the beginning were the hunters and gatherers. The men hunted. The women gathered. Women, at this time, were often carriers of the flames, the embers of the fires which cooked the food gathered. Not all food is edible raw. I always find that rather neat. Easy to identify with women carrying this sacred, in many societies, element.

Cooking is strongly associated with women. Men were often enlisted by women to protect them  from moochers. An old old saying, "The fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach" and we can picture women perfecting  this art, surrounded by men, and becoming more sexually attractive to exploit the need for protection and I can imagine them thinking of ways to make 'their' men the strongest of all. Feed them good. Make them last.

Okay, we can give birth and nurse a baby, but we have to keep them alive so we  can feed them when they grow up. So they can protect us  and hunt and gather the food to feed them with.  Seems to me this all got kind of bolloxed up with the advent of fast food chains. Filling the belly with food is easy.  Drive in.  Pick  up.  Stuff  in mouth. Swallow.

But, there's the rub. Does it nourish? "To provide with food or the substances necessary for life and growth?" And, as a man, must you think of protecting the girl who hands you a package of something to fill your belly. Anyhow,  she hasn't cooked the food so who cares what  she  looks like?

So, it seems, food  got at least four  times removed from nourishment. Women nourish. Men and children eat. And, I think, far too many of them care what as long as it doesn't incite the gag reflex. It should smell good. It should taste good. It certainly should fit  in your hands so you can carry it to your mouth. If you have time to look at it, it should look good. If you don't have time to look at it, who cares? If someone could find a way to make your hamburger on a bun  sing, or at least hum, it would appeal to all your senses. Perfect.

But does it nourish? I think women still think to nourish. I think men don't give it a thought and whoever heard  a  kid say, "Mom I need some more zucchini 'cause it's good for me " But here's another rub: zuchini  only contains these vital elements if they are in the soil the zuchini  has been grown in.

Then there's another rub. There are powerful and rich high tech companies who have fond ways to genetically modify foods. Zucchini is one of them. Zucchinis, according to some sources, are among the ten worst vegetables to eat because of this modification.

With little regulation and safety tests performed by the GMO companies themselves, we have no way of knowing  what risks these lab-created foods pose to us.

This is where it gets sticky. But one thing, I think, we can agree on, women, homemakers,  seem to be more concerned than men. After all, we are they who nourish. Feed.

Here's another factor. Today so many women have to work outside the home to keep food n the table. They gather money to buy food. They must often eat on the run, feed their family on the run. They have bellies to fill, too. Not all of them have the time  to research. To study. To keep up with all the extraordinary changes going on in the world about them.

But they can observe.  They can ask questions.  Often they don't need protection. They are professionals. Doctors and nurses and teachers. They are judges and lawyers and politicians. They are gardeners and farmers. Small gardeners and farmers. They keep bees. They milk goats. They've got their fingers in all the pies. Their voices will be heard.

Food and nourishment go together. Food and nourishment and women, like salt and pepper and spices in a soup,  go even better together. Listen to us, please.

On Kauai we are often noisy.

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

"How long have you lived here..?" 'James 'Kimo" Rosen' ( Column)

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a
with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby...

This blog was published in my bi-weekly column in the Kaua'i Garden
Island news on 05-05-14 titled, "How long have you live here..?" Please click on
the link below and check recommend...
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/how-long-have-you-lived-here/article_f6e84d68-d41a-11e3-950e-001a4bcf887a.html

How Long have you live here

When Ronald Reagan was  President he disagreed with "Tip" O'Neill, the democratic speaker of the house numerous times. Reagan being a republican and the speaker being a democrat  made for frequent disagreements, however when the business day was over they often shared a cocktail or even dinner together as friends.  O'Neill and President Reagan managed to work together even with their numerous differences on policy and government. 

President Obama on the other hand and the current republican speaker of the house John Boehner are in constant battle over everything and anything and appears they do not enjoy each other in the off hours. It has  become the norm  for republicans and democrats to verbally fight  each other with warlike partisan battles in lieu of doing whats pono (right) for America. Even in real everyday life it has gotten to the point if you do not think like me, I cannot talk to you or be your friend.

I  enjoy blogging and having the opportunity to express myself in a bi-weekly column here in the Garden island news, however  it has gotten to be if I write something someone disagree's with they with stop talking to me. They  will give me stink eye in public and even un-friend me on Facebook, just because they may have disagreed with something I said in a column or blog.  

Please don't get me wrong, I truly enjoy  writing a column, it's a bucket list dream come true.I have learned that   it takes a thick skin of which I have developed over the years  to be an opinion columnist, however I can only imagine how thick your skin must be to be a politician. 

The current GMO debate is the most erroneous debate I have seen locally beside the super ferry debate. If you are Pro GMO you are  evil and if your anti GMO you are stupid and ignore science, both sides hate each other even before they try and get the facts.

This goes one step further;

"I have found that the Aloha spirit here, for some, lasts only as long as you agree with them..."

There is a frequently asked question in Hawai'i which equates somewhat to partisan politics. "How long have you lived here?" I used to despise that question since it is usually asked in an arrogant way. It's a seniority type thing.  If one is in Hawaii 30 years, they are better than somebody whose been here 20 years, someone who is in Hawaii 20 years is better than someone who has been here ten, and someone born and raised here is better than anybody including  all of you reading this.   

I was always under the influence that  a person who actually moves on their own free will is actually  where they are by choice, whereas a person born wherever and never left  is only there because their parents happened to live there the day they were born. 

The newcomer has gone out of their way to be in Hawaii which actually makes one a stronger Hawai'ian. Like a convert to a religion, they are usually the strongest congregants because that religion is their choice, not just a religion they were born into.

I recently saw a meme post on Facebook that exemplifies this subject. The meme shows a photo of an American Indian couple sitting outside a  teepee, it said, "A redneck told us to go back to where we came from, so we pitched our teepee in his backyard."

The world is changing, we need to start accepting differences of opinions in each other without major meltdowns  and going off on one-another.

I just have one question, how long have you lived here?

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/how-long-have-you-lived-here/article_f6e84d68-d41a-11e3-950e-001a4bcf887a.html

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook