Pig killers getting off too lightly

On Page 5 of the April 26 Star-Bulletin, reporter Rob Shikina told of an awful act of animal cruelty at an animal sanctuary (”;Man arrested for killing pig”;). How about a follow-up asking why those men were charged with only “;illegal hunting”; (that's “;hunting”;?). Suspect Randall Kaulahea had no trouble posting bail, as it was only $100.

The off-duty policeman was the first-responder and saved the day. The charges should have been animal cruelty, trespass, terroristic threatening and I can think of a few more that probably won't stick.

The poor, helpless creature was a baby pig, born blind, asleep in his own yard when attacked by two men with hungry hunting dogs and a bloody knife. The prosecutor's office has the ability to add on charges but will say only that they're “;looking into it.”;

Our animal cruelty law is 2 years old and rarely if ever used. Let's dust it off and see whether it works.

There's a limit to clean water

The Kalihi wastewater overflow last Saturday caused by T-shirts blended in my mind with the column on Tuesday from Robert Harris of the Sierra Club (”;City water moves,”; Star-Bulletin, April 28).

I wonder, are there any standards limiting the number of T-shirts that can be discharged per million gallons of wastewater?

But seriously, I know the history of water quality standards. In the late 1980s the state adopted standards which were undetectable by methods and/or instruments of the time. Its attitude was some day those levels will be detectable and our standards will already be in place. Even then, the Sierra Club protested the levels were too high.

I believe they want Hawaii to be as pristine as it was before humans got here 1,000-plus years ago no matter what the cost of purification might be. And by the way, wastewater treatment plants don't make pollution, they clean up water discharged by every household and business on the island.

Don't agree? Unplug your house from the sewer.

Cut out the meat to avoid disease

Along with the avian flu of a decade ago, the Hong Kong flu of 1968, and the Asian flu of 1957, swine flu has been traced to animal waste in a factory farm. Its H1N1-type virus is nearly identical to that of the Spanish flu, which killed more than 50 million people in 1918-19.

Today's factory farms constantly expose sick, crowded, highly stressed animals to contaminated feces, urine and other secretions. They provide ideal breeding grounds for the replication and mutation of viruses and bacteria into more lethal forms.

Every one of us can help prevent the development and spread of diseases by replacing animal products in our diet with healthful vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains. These foods don't carry deadly microbes (unless contaminated by animal waste), are touted by every major health advocacy organization, and were the recommended fare in the Garden of Eden.

Delinquent taxes simply defy logic

Lest I never forget the wrath of the Internal Revenue Service, if the utter indignation whilst owing them $2,568, and hounded to death with reminders to pay up, or else.

The recent and rather lengthy list of individuals published, who were in arrears to the tune of $500,000 and up, defies logic, conscience, not to mention how on earth they get away with it.

That money could well cover the cost of many worthy causes.