Dairy cow downer
Dairy cow downer
This Mother’s Day, May 8, many of us will celebrate the powerful bond between mother and child. Tragically, the world-wide symbols of motherhood — dairy cows — never get to see or nurture their babies.
Newborn calves are torn from their mothers at birth, so we can seize and drink the milk that mother cows produce for them. The powerless, distraught mothers bellow for days, hoping in vain for their babies’ return. The babies are kept alive elsewhere, to soon become veal cutlets.
Dairy cows spend their lives on a concrete floor, chained, with no outdoor access. To maintain their milk flow, they are artificially impregnated each year. Around 4 years of age, their milk production drops and they are turned into hamburgers.
This Sunday, let’s honor motherhood and our natural compassion by refusing to subsidize cruelties of the dairy industry. Let’s replace cow’s milk and its products, laden with fat and cholesterol, with delicious, healthful, cruelty-free nut or soy-based milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream offered in every grocery store. Mother cows and our own bodies will thank us.
Hal Takano
Kailua-Kona
If not speed bumps, answers
The Safety Committee at Kealakehe Intermediate School has requested the installation of speed bumps in our upper parking area. This is an area where parents and buses drop off children. This is also an area where our kids play. There have been several incidents this year that have resulted in close calls.
DAGS has informed us that they cannot install the speed bumps that we requested. No explanation was given. We were told to contact the county and to ask them if they had any “extras” that they could give us.
I find this to be an unacceptable answer to a serious situation. The DOE and DAGS owe the parents and kids at Kealakehe Intermediate School an explanation.
Rob Flemm
Kailua-Kona
Kudos to hospital
Aloha to those who live in the greater Kona and South Kona area; I am a 70-year-old male who has lived in the South Kona area since 1969 and have been in the Kona hospital three times. Once in the old hospital, which is now the court house, and twice in the new up graded hospital in Kealakekua South Kona.
I want the people of Kona to feel at ease and know that the doctors and staff of the Kona hospital as it is now are there for your wants and needs. For years, I have heard repeatedly, “Don’t go to the Kona hospital go to North Hawaii or Honolulu if you need help.”
Well, from my perspective, it is totally false information. Having been to both hospitals here in Kealakekua, I can say that the doctors and staff, even house keeping, took very good care of me and made me feel like ohana. ICU staff are right there and watch you 24/7. The second floor med/surgery was awesome and watched over me like a mama watching a baby.
Even the food was enjoyable. I will not mention any names as you know who you are. I cannot express enough thanks to all those who took care of me from the ER, medical surgeon, ICU and medical surgeon a second time. The doctors were there daily, and when you wanted to see them, you did just that. The nurses were totally awesome and the respiratory group kept me going. House keeping kept my room totally clean.
A huge mahalo to you all and God bless you all and because of you I am able to type this letter of thanks! Use your local hospital! They save lives!
John Griffey
Honaunau