‘Unholy trinity’
Regarding the “unholy trinity” of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today and the criminal County of Hawaii Police Department: Monday’s long article by Chelsea Jensen of West Hawaii Today — under the heading, “Measure would name officers: Identities of suspended, terminated police would be reported to state Legislature” — about House Bill 285 is the reason why I refer to our two major newspapers and the police department as the “unholy trinity.”
The bill was introduced by Scott Nishimoto of Oahu and supported by various groups named in three lines: the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter, the ACLU and the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest.
In an incredible contrast, 130 lines are allocated to comments by Malcom Lutu, the SHOPO (State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers) president, who testified in “strong opposition” to the bill.
I have said that the County of Hawaii is a relic from the Dark Ages more than a thousand years ago: The top percent are in total control.
Shame on you.
Abolghassem Abraham Sadegh
Hilo
Handle with care
The international scientific literature on rat lungworm disease makes it clear that merely avoiding the consumption of slugs or snails will NOT keep the human population safe.
Numerous studies documented the fact that water that is contaminated can and does infect humans.
East Asia and the Caribbean studies traced numerous infections to vegetable markets that used a single tub of water to wash off dirt, etc., from the produce to be sold. In such cases, one or more slugs or snails is suspected to have died in the water and discharged many thousands of nematodes.
There also is evidence suggesting slug and snail slime trails contain enough nematodes to infect a person, but actual infections known to have been caused in this manner have not been conclusively established. The point for Hawaii County residents is that the handling of infected produce and the washing of any produce to be eaten raw with infected water are both dangerous.
Catchment water tanks can easily become infected, so a proper filter of a size that eliminates the nematodes is needed. One should treat the handling of produce that might be infected in the same manner one would the handling of raw chicken — i.e., work surfaces and hands need to be disinfected.
It is not enough to merely “wash all produce carefully” or cook all produce thoroughly. Let’s stay safe!
Carl Oguss
Hilo