MidWeek Column

Riding A Hilo High – MidWeek October 21, 2020

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So how cool is that? 1981 Hilo High graduate, Jennifer Doudna, recently won a coveted Nobel Prize in chemistry for her work (along with Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier) in creating what are known as “molecular scissors”, processes that allow for gene-editing which, one day, could lead to helping cure diseases and fix genetic disorders.

Far too often we overlook great achievements of local public schools and their noted graduates. Jason Scott Lee, Daniel Inouye, David Ige, Bruno Mars, Mark Takai, Daniel Inouye, George Ariyoshi, Hiram Fong, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Tammy Duckworth, Ellison Onizuka, Willie K., Bette Midler, Patsy Mink, Sid Fernandez, Keali`i Reichel, Ben Cayetano, Russ Francis, Andy Bumatai, Bryan Clay, Kalani Pea… the local public school “well-known” list of achievers is seemingly endless. High school is not always a place that provides a catalyst or acts as a driver to a fulfilling and noted career, but it can help pave the way with the right teacher(s), internal drive, hard-work, and some loving encouragement at home.

Doudna went on to Pomona College and then Harvard after leaving Hilo High. In the science “small world” department this month, her Nobel win on October 7 came one day after UCLA astronomer, Andrea Ghez, was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in physics for her work studying Milky Way black holes (no, not the chocolate bars). Much of that work over the past 25-years has been done looking through telescopes at Mauna Kea’s Keck Observatory. Imagine that- Hawai`i and two accomplished women are arguably at the center of the science universe this month! 

Adding to Doudna’s outstanding Nobel accomplishment is the fact that only five women previously had won or shared the Chemistry prize out of 184 nominees. Perhaps this year’s award given to a local, public school grad will provide a spark or some impetus to other inquisitive local minds (female or male) at an impressionable age. All it takes sometimes is a nudge, a gentle push in the right direction. The right teacher, the right mentor, the right moment. In high school, the right teacher promoted Doudna’s scientific curiosity and said she should do it, she could do it. And Doudna did it- and then some! Now, her Nobel Prize work could be the catalyst to great medical breakthroughs in the years ahead. One breakthrough (at Hilo High) leading to perhaps many more- a prize-winning story.

Think about it…

Shark Tales – MidWeek October 14, 2020

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There have been a number of shark sightings recently off of Waikiki’s Kaimana Beach. Reports indicated that sharks seen on October 3 were “not aggressive”.  Same thing on October 6. Huh? Was that meant to be reassuring, like go ahead… go tubing and thrashing because it’s OK, you won’t be perceived as chum.

The draw? There have been bait balls in the area, a term used to describe when small fish swim closely together to try and protect themselves from larger predators- like sharks. The low key reference to these beautiful, but often fearsome and fearless, creatures as “non-aggressive” relates to one’s individual perspective. To halalu baitfish (scad), this non-aggressive shark portrayal would be simply fake news. 

Humans often make their own choices in life. The mere concept of the word “shark” might give some pause before placing their torsos into the tranquil surf, adjacent to a visiting shark. Something about that dorsal fin in such close proximity could take the fun out of that planned, pleasure swim. When is a door not a door? When it’s ajar (get it- “a jar”). When is a shark not a shark? When it’s melancholy, I guess.  But if these cruising sharks became aggressive, descriptive adjectives would change to: unfriendly, hungry, lunch-seeking- or some other term of non-endearment.

And what clinically trained sharkologist rendered the definitive word for the media to anoint these reef sharks as non-aggressive? Perhaps these sharks were merely passive aggressive. Luckily, we haven’t found out over the past month of sightings, with warning signs properly posted and no unfortunate (human) incidents; no reef sharks have become “eek” sharks.

Multiple sharks feeding 25 yards offshore multiple times at the placid Sans Souci. Sans Souci is a name for the beach that goes back to 1884; it’s French for “without a care”. Well if these non-aggressive visitors keep returning, mellow as they seem, I’m just not sure that bathers will be swimming or frolicking without a care during “shark week(s)”.  

Nurse, leopard, angel, whale, thresher- there are numerous, non-aggressive shark types. In reality, fewer than 8% of the 300 shark species are a real danger to humans. Sharks worldwide kill an average of just four people (unprovoked) annually. And sharks locally can be considered an ancestor, or `aumakua. But I still think it’s best to observe these wily wonders of the water from a safe- and dry- distance.

Think about it…

What We Want – MidWeek October 7, 2020

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This column is not about the post-COVID-19 dreams; it’s not about politics or red, blue or purple states; it’s not about how naïve or radical “they” are. It’s a simple tale about partnership. A study was conducted a year ago by researcher Andrew Thomas of Swansea University in Wales whereby 2,700 college students from Western nations (Australia, Norway, United Kingdom) and Eastern countries (Singapore, Malaysia) were queried about what, exactly, they were looking for in a mate for life, otherwise known as pair-bonding.

It’s estimated that only 5% of mammals mate for life, as humankind is grouped in a small cluster with beavers, wolves, and even some bats, to name a few of our bonding brethren. You undoubtedly have your own list of life partner priorities, but according to psychology lecturer Thomas, the #1 priority for men and women, East and West, is kindness. 

Seems reasonable… after all, 45+ years to be spent with someone (ideally) requires work, and having a shared appreciation for kindness can work wonders, especially during those tough times. After kindness, men favored physical attractiveness while women chose a man’s propensity to be able to provide financially. But kindness was easily the #1 requisite trait, far more important than other attributes mentioned in the study like creativity, religiosity, chastity, desire for children, and humor. Amazingly, one’s air guitar prowess did not make the “most wanted” list. Huh? While there are surely nuances based on cultural differences, at the end of the day we all want to hang out with someone who’s kind- friendly, generous, warm, decent, understanding, accommodating, compassionate, and present. 

Researcher Thomas commented that “…it’s great that kindness is king and appears to be a human universal”. Ah, if only we saw more of that in the world in general today. The lack of every day kindness around us goes beyond looking for our eternal soulmate. But let’s not venture down that dark, partisan wormhole this week. We’ve all earned a column this week bereft of political partisanship, paranoia, patronizing provocation, and the petty polarization of America. And now, back to kindness…

Kindness assumes a sense of empathy, a trait lacking far too often in opinionated conversation these days. Forget whether or not it’s about mate-seeking, sincere kindness can make even bitter indignation or disappoint a bit easier to tolerate. Kindness- a simple concept with major repercussions. Try it on…

Think about it…

The New Reality – MidWeek September 30, 2020

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Slowly peeling back necessary restrictions is not going to save many local businesses hammered by the reality of seven months (so far) of COVID-19, plus quarantine, consumer wariness and weariness, costly safety measures, restrictive seating measures, minimal desire soon for large crowds at events, and sensible store traffic limitations.

We will not see local consumers rushing back to stores, malls, or restaurants soon. We will not see 10.4 million tourists visiting in 2021 or 2022. Estimates suggest that it could take five years, if we really want and get to that 2019 visitor count number again. What we need is creative collaboration, perhaps even unimaginable tax incentives and other lures to bring new business to Hawai`i. Hotels and tourist destinations will surely offer incentives soon. But how about local government working with the private sector to hopefully entice new business in the foreseeable future? Venture capital money is looking for opportunities, interest rates are low; now is the time to be entrepreneurial.

Some questioned metropolitan areas as they did backflips to convince Amazon to build its new headquarters (HQ2) in their towns. 238 cities bid, offering free land, community control, and property tax deferrals. One site purportedly offered to give Amazon employee’s state income taxes right back to Amazon! Crazy? Perhaps, but we are moving beyond “rainy day” options here as we look ahead six or 12 months. Rainy days? Prognostications indicate ground saturation and flooding. 

We need more higher-paying jobs and truly affordable housing for residents than we’ve seen over the past decade. Lots of talk for years, but little action. Tourism has been our gravy train; it’s now off the tracks. Unlike New Jersey, which offered Amazon about $7 billion to bring HQ2 there, we’re not looking to add residents, we’re just trying to keep residents from leaving in the coming years. 

Our exceedingly high cost of living and lack of quality jobs won’t permit a future of business as usual, and a vaccine won’t resolve our ongoing problems. In January, 2020, Aloha United Way (my employer) revealed that we had almost 200,000 Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) families in Hawai`i, a number also identified in AUW’s 2018 data. That was local reality pre-COVID-19. So let’s procure an East/West medical partnership, international space exploration facility, military adjunct, cybersecurity hub, science/technology expansion, ecotourism, media production facility, and/or alternate energy facilities? Or should we just wait?

Think about it… 

If Only It Was A Dream – MidWeek September 23, 2020

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You wake up and hope that maybe it’s all been just a bad dream, that this COVID-19 thing is really just “Groundhog Day 2”. But then reality seeps in; you start your daily routine, whatever day or month it is. Perhaps some forces working against each other here might actually help some people with a little balance in the long run- anxiety vs. sleep. 

Hawai’i adults have the 3rd lowest percentage of frequent mental distress of any state, yet we get the least amount of sleep of any state in the country; and that was pre-coronavirus. Hawai’i ranked 50th out of 50 states in adults getting sufficient sleep (defined as at least seven hours nightly) in studies from 2016 and last year. 

One rationalization for Hawai`i’s lack of sleep is the large number of people working multiple jobs and/or longer hours to make ends meet, which decreases the probability of getting those requisite seven hours of sleep daily. Poverty also plays a role, but our state’s poverty rate (11%) actually ranks us as the 7th lowest state in terms of poverty.

But what happens now when people spend months at home; when daily routines completely change; when four people in a household Zoom all day; when jobs are interrupted or lost amid a weak economy? Are people nowadays sleeping better because they’re home more, or are unplanned stresses causing mental distress locally to creep above the 14.7% adult national average? More people with more time to ponder what’s next or what’s to be when this virus thing finally tapers off.

Sleeplessness, restless sleep, and lack of sleep affect attentiveness (driving, general cognition, etc.) and increase one’s chances for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease. Quality sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, but many here find sleep to be just one more chore crammed into an already busy day.

Perhaps local medical leaders are analyzing 2020 statistics related to stress, despair, anxiety, sleeplessness, suicide ideation, and other coronavirus-related developments. More action to educate and suggest preventive treatments must take place in the trying months ahead. Losing sleep debilitates and affects work output, emotional resilience, and general attitude. Sleep, and lack thereof, must be an integral part of our larger discussion today about COVID-19 and Hawai`i’s collective mental health. Everyone’s tired of the novel coronavirus; but it’s even worse when everyone’s simply tired.

Think about it…

True Facts, Maybe – MidWeek September 16, 2020

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Those daily updates on the number of local COVID-19 cases are inaccurate. They represent official numbers- confirmed coronavirus cases. The Center of Disease Control (CDC), local medical prognosticators, and foreign studies indicate that the actual number of daily cases might be five to ten times greater than the daily confirmed and reported caseload. So if 220 cases here daily doesn’t cause you any concern, would you pay attention with 1,000 or 2,000 daily cases? Asymptomatic people (perhaps 80% of the cases) are less likely to get tested (since they feel OK) but can be so-called “super-spreaders”, so this invisible game of tag goes on. Estimates suggest that 20% of COVID-19 carriers are responsible for 80% of local virus transmissions. 

We will probably have the vaccines available by year end, but they might be just 50% effective. Flu vaccines annually are only about 50-60% effective. Yet even partially effective vaccines can mitigate virus impacts. Many people simply won’t get a vaccine… ever. Only 45% of Americans get the annual flu vaccine. And the people who do get a COVID-19 vaccine, do you think they’ll then assume they’ve acquired super-immunity status, and thus no longer adhere to rules about mask-wearing and social distancing? Not a smart idea. Plus, who knows how long any new vaccine’s effectiveness will last? Smallpox, polio, and measles vaccines provide long-lasting staying power. But only time will tell the efficacy of a single COVID-19 vaccination and if possible virus mutations down the road might necessitate annual vaccines.

We obviously need to do a better job here quarantining confirmed patients. Sending a pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic coronavirus patient home where others live is a possible ticking time bomb. Good luck segregating completely in Hawai`i with so many postage stamp-sized units, multiple generations in single houses, and neighbors living so close by that you not only hear them, but you can identify the song they’re singing in the shower.

The reality is- we’re tired. Many locally have done their best to isolate and do it all- working, parenting, providing, Zooming, creating- and they’re ready to come out and play. But don’t. COVID-19 is an insidious insider, takes no vacations, mandates no time off, and doesn’t sleep at night. Stay connected digitally, but don’t let your guard down. The “he’s a good guy”/“she’s probably safe” logic is problematic and underestimates how surreptitious this invisible droplet villain really is.

Think about it…

Can Do – MidWeek September 9, 2020

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You might be running out of creative things to do while quarantining for the better part of six months, but there are things you can do that will actually make a difference during this whole nightmare. Two years from now, looking back at this “lost year” of 2020, will you say that you simply made it through, or will you say that you made a difference?

Plenty of non-profit agencies could use your help beyond a cash donation. And there are things you can safely from your own home. For example, the Waikiki Community Center normally has all kinds of wonderful activity for kūpuna in Waikiki. Waikiki has more kūpuna, per capita than anywhere else in the state. Over 18% of our state population is over 65 and more seniors live beyond the age of 65 in Hawai`i than anywhere else in the country. Lucky you live Hawai`i, again… But elderly stuck in isolation can cause physical changes that increase chronic disease risk and premature death.

So back to the Waikiki Community Center. Hula, food preparation, chess, bingo, and dancing at the facility have been out of the question for five months now, and many of the Center’s regular patrons live alone, without nearby family to check on them or even call them regularly. Here’s where you come in. You (and/or the kids) can make encouraging cards for nā kūpuna, send them word games or crossword puzzles; you can even send gift cards so that an elderly reader can then buy a book online.

Simply click on www.waikikicommunitycenter.org, or mail your goodies to the Waikiki Community Center at 310 Paoakalani Ave, Honolulu, HI., 96815. The Center has created a Virtual Community Center to provide informative, educational, fun at-home activities, and virtual exercise sessions focused on cognitive and physical learning, but some kūpuna simply aren’t adept with digital tools, or don’t have them readily available. 

Some of the faithful at the Waikiki Community Center can’t get out to buy food or necessary medical supplies; a few have even lost their life savings due to scams. Loneliness can lead to uncertainty, vulnerability, and false trust. And that was a reality before sleaze balls oozed out of the slime as COVID-19 took hold, causing even more consternation amid isolation, separation, and loneliness. It’s all about making a difference- even if done remotely and for someone you don’t know.

Think about it…

Get Going – MidWeek September 2, 2020

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The old proverb, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” played out in true form last month in Washington, D.C. Faced with yet another decision on how best to aid Americans suffering mightily from COVID-19 and its myriad ripple effects, our elected officials “got going”… as in going home. Faced with working out a rescue plan for its constituent base- you know, the ones that elected them- Congress punted. 

Actually, it took its ball and went home. One group wanted to give out $1.2-trillion, the other group $3-trillion, and yes, there were agitated negotiations, but inevitably, the compromise was an agreement to abandon ship and go home for a month. The President, naturally, filled this legislative leadership void by making his own decision about what should be gifted to Americans and businesses in the stunning chasm left by Congress. We’re still waiting to see how that effort plays out. Congress? Compost.

If you or I leave work without getting our jobs done, we’re fired, or at least warned. How far removed from reality must these supposed people of the people be to let wary families, the elderly, and single people suffer with food, rent, medical, and mental issues?!  Representatives? How about reprehensible?! They should stay in meetings until finalizing a decision; raise the room temperature one degree every few hours to make things uncomfortable… just like things are for too many Americans. Bet they’d come up with a compromise plan in a day or so… or risk fainting.

The late-August local response to our latest COVID-19 outburst took 25 pages to explain. Hope you read it. If you go out, no more than five people can gather together. But if you go out forever (i.e. pass away), well, then 10 people can show up for your funeral. Who’s idea was that- Moe, Larry, or Curly?

And please explain the nuances of the “no wind instruments” phenomena. Yelling isn’t banned, but singing or blowing an oboe too close to people is. Thank goodness the woodwind-ists of Hawai`i are a mellow lot, or we’d be experiencing a rare reed rebellion, a raucous round-up of obtuse oboists, furious flutists, clamorous clarinetists, belligerent bassoonists, and piqued piccolo players! Hey, ban leaf blowers- we can cut back on yelling, which cuts back airborne particles. We’re beyond improvisation at this point. We’re living in a recurrent “Saturday Night Live” skit. More cowbell!

Think about it…

Of Primary Concern – MidWeek August 26, 2020

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Here’s a thought for the new school year, if kids actually do go back to classrooms in force- put up large tents on campuses. They’re not being used for weddings or parties, so grab a few hundred military-grade tents and put them onto empty school playgrounds and fields, and hold classes outdoors, with greater safety. Minimize in-school traffic, separate the kids under tents, figure out how to use needed visual teaching aids outside, and you might have an answer for how to better space out and invigorate eight-year olds while keeping teachers safe(r)…

99% of the votes in our August 8 primary election came via mail- that’s amazing. And yet 49% of registered voters still didn’t bother to vote. Why you would register and then choose to ignore your civic duty is hard to comprehend. Even if you didn’t know all of the candidates, you can simply vote just in those races where you want to voice your opinion. 54,000 more people registered to vote in this primary than registered in 2018, and 120,000 more people actually voted- all good, but why pro-actively sign up, and then pro-actively not mail in a ballot? Busy binge-watching “Ozark”? Setting a personal best for Zoom calls? Watching yet one more mediocre iPhone, solo artist, music video? Ok, but that ballot was probably sitting in your house for quite some time, unless you tossed it early. Maybe November, yeh?

In the classic progressive rocker, “Us And Them”, Pink Floyd reminds us that “…after all, we’re only ordinary men”. Well, when it comes to vandalism, theft, and graffiti, we have met the enemy and he is us, not them (apologies to Walt Kelly and Pogo). Locals are trashing our parks, illegally accessing and camping, smashing urinals (what a fine, sporting achievement!), defecating in the bushes, and doing wheelies on the sand dunes. 

At Polihale State Park on Kaua`i; Ka`ena Point State Park and Aiea Bay State Park on O`ahu; at Kekaha Kai State Park and Kīholo State Park Reserve on Hawai`i Island. Even the visitors that some don’t want to see return never did this kind of damage. 1,000 people camped at Polihale one weekend in July, yet only 80 had legal permits. Aloha spirit? More like aloha spit! Grow up folks. Don’t show up. Stay home; stay safe for everyone’s sake. Local pride? Show some simple respect for the `aina.

Think about it… 

Here We Go Again – MidWeek August 19, 2020

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The numbers are numbing. Daily counts of “confirmed” coronavirus cases. Estimates indicate that reported numbers might actually represent just 10% of the new cases. The COVID-19 scourge treats each host individually, sparing some from major health problems while greatly impacting others. Long-term impacts? We now know that even healthy, younger people can suffer greatly. Yeh, you may live, but how do heart damage, blood clots, memory loss, hallucinations, and/or kidney failure fit in with your party plans?

“143 new cases today on Oahu” is a lead story that seemingly affects just one-tenth of one percent of our state’s population (1.4-million). But what if that reported number represents just one-tenth of the actual new cases which surfaced that day? Mask-less, asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, non-socially distancing mavericks are out there, so maybe our coronavirus numbers are much larger, as most experts suggest. Or is that fear-mongering? Would 1,430 cases a day cause mask-less rebels to think twice?

Ah, but in these post-truth days where facts are often treated as opinions, what do the experts know, right? Well, here’s what we do know. People without masks or sans distancing concerns might think that their risk is manini or that they’re impervious to this ailment, but they’re not. 

Yes, you’ve suffered the indignity of being somewhat quarantined by “the man” for the better part of four months, but darn it, you deserve to roam freely because you said so, and you deserve your beach beer bong! Well, freedom has a price. And if we’re to win this “war on coronavirus” before better treatments come to fruition, than mask up, be a patriot and support the cause. Asymptomatic patients can carry high virus loads, thus spreading the virus to others unknowingly (or uncaringly?).

We want our economy back; we’ll have to earn it. Really sick people don’t spend money, they cost money. COVID-19 takes no holidays, cares not about social status, earnings, ethnicity, or SAT scores. It simply hops from host to host via a free ride. Wash up, physically distance, AND wear masks (not an either/or choice), and we might cause this invisible force to wither away within six weeks. Or continue to play Russian roulette with a ruthless enemy. PTSD and mental anguish with an on-again, off-again economy ensure longer-term impacts beyond the virus’ obvious effects. Being vigilant and responsible is really not a choice. It’s a necessity.

Think about it…