Letters for Wednesday, April 6, 2007

• No sympathy here either

• Let’s not be so trashy

• Thermography merely more information

• Ode to a coach

No sympathy here either

Congratulations to Kaua‘i County Council member Ron Kouchi for standing up to the unnamed real estate person at the recent Council Planning Committee meeting that in part addressed illegal vacation rentals on state land at Ha‘ena (“Vacation rentals face county scrutiny,” The Garden Island, A1, April 5).

There was no reason for the councilman to apologize for “being curt” in his response. His indignation would not begin to match that of other members of the community, myself included.

Like Ron, I will play the world’s smallest violin in sympathy for the owners of these properties, almost all of whom are absentee landlords (13 of 16 live off-island with 12 on the Mainland).

Should it bother us if some of these owners have to sell in order to comply with the DLNR requirements? Are we really to believe that enforcement of the non-rental clause will result in a rash of derelict properties overtaken by jungle?

And what part of “No rental or commercial uses” does Mr. Gary Stice of Kaneohe not understand (“Conservation land not for rent,” The Garden Island, A1, April 3))?

Thanks again, Ron … it is high time someone in county government displayed a little emotion over the stewardship (or lack thereof) of our island.

Kalaheo

Let’s not be so trashy

It’s beginning to look a lot like Honolulu … a few weeks ago volunteers in bright orange shirts were seen picking up trash along Kaua‘i’s roadways.

Today I drove by some of those same places and there it is again … trash, trash everywhere. Believe it or not, this island is not your personal garbage can.

This letter is specifically directed toward residents and especially those who drive pick-up trucks. Don’t put trash in the bed of your truck because it just blows out when you are driving down the road.

I have seen this happen on several occasions.

Just yesterday, I was behind a resident who had an open trash bag in the bed of his pick-up and plastic bottles, wrappers, and other garbage were flying out of it and he was totally oblivious. Have some common sense and don’t be so lazy — put your trash where it belongs … in a trash can. We tend to blame the tourists for trashing our island, but really, most of the time it’s the people who live here.

Lihu‘e

Thermography merely more information

In response to a recent Letter to the editor regarding breast cancer screening by thremography, I feel compelled to reply.

Any search of mammography vs. thermography on the Internet will reveal that thermography is not touted as a replacement for mammograms because the two vary considerably.

Having had a thermogram, I must say I was impressed with what I found out about my own breast health. The thermal imaging when done correctly can actually detect breast heat and therefore breast changes up to 10 years before a tumor forms. This screening is accompanied by suggestions to augment breast health that I found corroborated by medical/nutritional research. What this means to me is that if I am willing to pay $150 to $175 for a thermogram every other year, I can be alerted to any potential breast problems, which to me is a small price to pay for that kind of assurance.

Also, the screening is 100 percent safe and was not uncomfortable at all. When taken into consideration along with the data on the known 20 percent of false positives that exist with mammography and all of the stress and discomfort that go along with them, this is valuable information to me.

John W. Gofman, MD, PhD, an authority on the health effects of ionizing radiation, estimates that 75 percent of breast cancer could be prevented by avoiding or minimizing exposure to the ionizing radiation from mammography, x-rays, and other medical sources. Dr. Gofman strongly believes that there is no safe threshold for exposure to low-level ionizing radiation.

I’m not suggesting that women avoid mammograms since that is every woman’s choice, and the screenings can be gotten at no expense. I am saying that there is a lot about breast health that is not yet being discussed in traditional breast screening exams and most all of those issues are talked about when one opts for breast thermography.

A little known fact is that breast cancer among women who don’t wear bras is the same as breast cancer among men; almost non-existent. The medical profession knows that “dense breast tissue” has a higher incidence of breast cancer, however. Most bras restrict lymphatic tissue so that if you wear a bra for eight hours it’s a good idea to massage the lymph tissue under the arms and around the breasts a few times a day. It is also known now that certain foods like broccoli and other brassicas such as cabbage contain a nutrient that actually helps prevent breast cancer. This is information that I predict will eventually become common knowledge to all women but it will happen much slower if we abdicate our breast health to a mammogram screening once a year. I, for one, am getting a thermogram and if there is any sign of breast change, will opt for a mammogram to follow it up.

Unfortuately, because the medical profession is so invested in mammography and the expensive equipment that makes them possible, we don’t have anyone on this island with thermography screening equipment yet, and must wait until one of the practitioners who do thermograms come to the island a few times a year.

In the end, I believe the more we can know about breast care and breast cancer, the better off we will be.

We now know that early detection is saving many women’s lives; let’s take it to the next level in knowing our bodies and preventing this life threatening disease.

Kapa‘a

Ode to a coach

I am compelled to comment on Coach Keli‘i Morgado’s case.

The whole scenario stinks.

Coach Morgado has brought the Kaua‘i High School football team to a new level.

It’s sad to see that he didn’t have his players’ parents behind him 100 percent.

To Coach Morgado: Interested in coming to the Westside?

Waimea