Fellow blogger and watchdog Larry Geller is now being called the “rat man”.
Larry (www.disappearednews.com) hit a home run with his little video of rats playing one night in a Chinatown produce store. A report by Andrew Pereira about Geller’s video led the KHON-2 news last night at 6 p.m. and the Honolulu Advertiser follows with a long story by reporter Dan Nakaso this morning.
KHON pushed the story forward by reporting that the Department of Health no longer does any inspections at night due to budget limitations. The Advertiser provided considerable context.
Several thoughts were triggered by the video and the resulting news coverage.
I was pleased to see that both provided links to Geller’s video and, more importantly, to his blog so that readers/viewers go back to the source. The Advertiser link is buried pretty far down in the story, though. Wouldn’t it make sense to treat this like a title and use on the first reference to a blogger in this kind of story? That would seem to follow pretty standard journalistic practice for identifying other quoted sources, and if some combination of “citizen journalism” and professional journalism are the future of news, then giving “citizen journalists” more appropriate recognition for the role they play in the news food chain would be a good thing.
On the question of rats in the bananas. Those bananas likely saw a lot of rats long before they reached Chinatown. Before the bunchy top virus wiped out the apple bananas that used to grow in our yard, the hunters among our cats knew very well that they were the place to find rats. Nice, well fed rats like the ones playing in Larry’s video.
And, of course, rats aren’t a new problem. We’ve had solutions at hand for centuries. Cats are a natural form of rodent control. Ask Ms. Annie, our current generation ratter. Some breeds of dogs are also well known as ratters, although cats are easier to keep in the confines of a store. But Chinatown merchants who keep cats or dogs to control their rats have to hide them from inspectors because they also apparently violate Health Department rules. Is is really better to encourage use of poisons than to encourage a live-in store cat or two? I doubt it.
Perhaps our “vector control” health regulations need an animal-friendly and environmentally friendly makeover.
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I’d love to see more cats in stores, but I know plenty of people who would not like it at all…. especially those who are allergic.
Not to make light of what was — historically — a serious public health problem (plague) and what is — presently — still a serious public health problem (I can only begin to imagine), but:
(1) At least bananas have wrappers that you don’t eat. If the peel isn’t gnawed — or at least isn’t gnawed all the way thru — the contents are still good to eat. One just needs to handle the dirty exterior appropriately; and
(2) A link to a story about rat terriers that mentions Dachsunds but not Jack Russels can not even begin to be taken seriously. Jacks are THE most efficient mass rat killing machine, to the point that commercially operated teams are unleashed at night in another notorious attracter of rats — poultry barns. After all escape routes have been sealed, the lights are thrown on and the Jacks unleashed. They grab the rat by the neck and break it with a furious shake, all while using one or both front paws to pin the next victim pending dispatch. There is nothing like it/them. Apologies to PETA, Cathy Goeggel, et al.
I will just avoid shopping or eating in China Town until the problem is solved.
Then you won’t be going there any time soon, at least not in this lifetime .
My mini pinscher is supposed to be bred for ratting – though he and his sister (chihuahua / min pin mix) are indoor dogs. They do get after the geckos though!
Chinatown:
Rats, mice and other rodents are a fact of life, as are litterers, spitters, miscellaneous insects and people who live off the dregs of “humanity.”
Vendors must keep food items in a chew proof container. Those who don’t risk the nighttime ballet as recorded by Larry Geller, who found an open window (very rare)- usually they are closed up for privacy.
It is the onus of the vendor to ensure wholesome food for buyers, and lacking that oversight, it is the job of the government, whether at night, on weekends or other times not on the government clock to enforce health ordinances.
I have observed naked carcasses of slaughtered pigs being routinely carted around Chinatown- with no sanitary cover nor sanitary base coverage , nor identifying information- delivered from the slaughterhouse to various buyers.
The Chinatown market may be considered a quaint location for good prices and a unique experience, but it needs to comply with health and safety regulations. The streets are slimy and unappetizing . If Chinatown is to be touted as a visitor venue, changes must be made.
The current conditions are disgusting, and that is why, even though I live close to Chinatown, I choose to shop elsewhere.