MidWeek Column

Hawai`i’s Gifts – MidWeek June 3, 2020

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As we rejoin the real world from our surreal isolationism, and as some people tremble at the thought of 10-million visitors returning annually to our shores, I thought a diversionary trip might be appropriate… as in- how did we get here?

Our infectious culture (a good use of “infectious”) brings happiness to people all over the world. The melting pot of humanity and the relative ease with which we usually get along here is an enticing amalgamation of Polynesia meets East meets West. People have found Hawai`i to be enthralling for well over a century now… there’s a reason (beyond climate) that Hawai`i is sometimes referred to as “Paradise”, with a capital “P”.

Here are a couple of lesser known examples of our passive inculcation over time. In 1916, recorded music featuring Hawaii steel guitar (invented by Hawaiian teen, Joseph Kekuku, according to Smithsonian magazine) was the most popular recorded music in America, outselling popular sounds from stars of the day like Al Jolson and Enrico Caruso. If you ever get to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, AZ., you’ll see just how influential Hawai`i’s steel guitar, pedal steel, ukulele, slack key, paniolo music, etc., have been on mainstream music art forms for over a century.

And then there was the widespread appeal of the Aloha shirt throughout the mainland pre-Elvis Presley in the 1920s and 1930s. Visual promotion via Olympic champ, Duke Kahanamoku, and renown crooner, Bing Crosby, showed vibrant patterns and colors that celebrated the islands’ presumed happy-go-lucky, appealing outlook on life.  

Unique items, endemic traits, and memorable people associated with these islands goes way back and has helped to entice visitors. A constant of this lengthy list is that that whichever local item, concept, custom, flower, or person resonates with others, it invariably brings a smile, a joyous release of cranial serotonin and dopamine. 

From 1920s music and shirts to Don Ho to Bruno Mars, plus “Hawaii 5-0”, pineapple, Spam, papaya, mai tais; from local ethos to patois to dance to unique traditions, the lures and legacy of Hawai`i has only grown stronger, deeper, and more vivid over the past 100+ years. It’s understandable and it’s been earned, as is the local angst felt locally now in terms of housing, retail prices, mere sustenance, quality of life, fading traditions, eco-dangers, traffic, economic stasis, and more. OK, we’re now opening back up. To what?

Think about it…

“Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Willie Style – MidWeek May 27, 2020

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I first heard him at a fundraiser golf tournament in the late 1980s. A couple of hundred people were laughing and buffet-ing at Honolulu Country Club post-tournament when he took the stage. No one even looked up as the prime rib, beer, and golf stories took precedence over an unknown, background musician. 

But something was different. By the third song, I told my gang-ee to zip it and listen, as this guy was captivating, unique, versatile, engaging, even mesmerizing. He was introduced as “uncle” from Maui. Yes, Willie Kahaiali`i won that crowd over, along with every other crowd he entertained over the next 30+ years. He had the greatest vocal dexterity and guitar/ukulele virtuosity of any performer in Hawai`i. Ever. High octane/octave arias, chang-a-lang traditional, Jawaiian, Jewish folk, Mediterranean, flamenco, blues (his first love), country, Latin, jazz, Hawaiian contemporary, hard rock, Christmas classics (“O Holy Night”= chicken skin)… you name it- Willie brought it every night, every performance, every time. Part of the excitement and drama of a Willie K. show was wondering- what’s next?! A simmering smorgasbord of songs; a comprehensive aural compendium; he was a veritable virtuoso of variety.

I worked with Willie K. via KHNL/KFVE local shows- “Hot Hawaiian Nights”, “Na Hoku Hanohano Awards”, and others. He could be engaging, intense, or even stand-offish, but he was always pleasant, present, and fair with me. I emceed as Willie and Amy Hanaiali’i played a dynamic set on the lawn at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s 50th anniversary gala dinner in 2015. Willie exploded into the “Star Spangled Banner”/ “Smoke on the Water” Jimi Hendrix-style as phenomenal fireworks exploded offshore.

I watched Willie perform at Alaska Airlines 10th Anniversary in Hawai`i celebration on the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s back lawn in October, 2017. He told the crowd he was going to play only the blues going forward; he’d leave local music to the “kids” and teach. He suggested to me post-concert that I come to his annual, January “Willie K. BluesFest” at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. That 2018 Maui event featured guest performances by Patrick Simmons, Michael McDonald (both Doobie Bros.) plus legends Alice Cooper and Dave Mason. Willie and I chatted and laughed backstage, yet I sensed that he was exhausted. Soon thereafter, he was diagnosed with what proved to be fatal lung cancer. 

He commanded our attention at the MACC, Chai’s Bistro, Kamehameha Country Club, Blaisdell Arena, Blue Note Hawai`i, and Hapa’s on Maui (check out 2000’s “Live at Hapa’s” CD). Willie K. battled cancer with his kolohe smile- similar to his onstage persona- brash, playful, effervescent, moving, and captivating. There was no quit in Uncle Willie, even in sickness. His legacy endures via his expansive musical palette, family, friends, fans, reverent musicians, students, and his unflinching zest for life- doing it his way, Willie-style. Willie K. passed away on May 18,2020, at 10:40pm… and undoubtedly began jamming immediately on his new, celestial stage.

Think About it…

The New World – MidWeek May 20, 2020

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Some people have made it clear what they don’t want when quarantine ends- a return of seam-busting tourism and stultifying traffic. O`ahu’s major corridors have fewer commuters because schools are closed and people are unemployed or working from home- non-tourism-related issues. We often know what we don’t want, but too little time, effort, and ingenuity has been placed on addressing what we DO want (and need)- a community that respects our heritage and people, cherishes Hawai`i’s uniqueness, and provides ample jobs, wages, and housing to ensure that future generations can hopefully and happily call Hawai`i home. 

Intriguing and higher paying jobs are easy to talk about, but how do we get there- internet technology, aerospace, astronomy, cyber-security, alternative energy, self-sustaining agriculture, aquaculture, an East-West medical consortium, a gerontology center? Diversifying our economy is a now-standard local plea and political rallying cry, much like improving education for our keiki. 

The “what” and “why” are simple; what’s been missing for the past 25+ years is the “how”, “who”, and “when”. Many here were concerned about our lack of an economic bouillabaisse before COVID-19 came to town. Tourism’s growth has allowed us to ignore issues for far too long. An April International Air Transport Association survey said that 40% of travelers plan to wait six months after the virus is contained before possibly flying again. Yes, “business as normal” will be experiencing a facelift here. 

Turning down the tourism spigot is not a simple or necessarily wise solution. We have no economic plan “B”. Ripple coronavirus effects ensure a slow, economic re-build. We need new partnerships, planning, and action to help Hawai`i morph into what we want it to look like and be in 2030 and beyond. 

Bloomberg Businessweek said: “Almost half of U.S. households 55 and older have nothing saved for retirement.” In mid-2019, ABC News said: “Almost 40% of American adults wouldn’t be able to cover a $400 emergency with cash, savings or a credit-card charge that they could quickly pay off.” That represents over 83-million struggling Americans aged 18+, a staggering statistic pre-coronavirus. With layoffs, cutbacks, closures, uncertainty, and bills piling up, well… things are tough. 

The federal government is handing out almost $3-trillion in business loans, taxpayer relief, and other monetary aid to momentarily stem the tidal wave of angst that is a real COVID- 19 by-product. Hawai’i’ leadership needs to provide hope.

Think about it…

“Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Haiku Snafu – MidWeek, May 13, 2020

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Finally! After three decades, a resolution on the Haiku Stairway to Heaven… actually, what we got was a resolution that will possibly lead to a resolution. Yes, once again, the well-known “kick the can down the road” mentality prevailed, as the City’s Water Department (which never should have held jurisdiction over a scenic landmark on/adjacent to city and state property) turned over its operation (ha!) of the Stairway to Heaven to the City of Honolulu- who has carefully avoided dealing with these steps for 33 years- and who now has 18-months to decide what to do! Because three decades of uncertainty and trespassing is apparently not enough…

Yes, after poring over details, we get a poor non-decision… again. 18-months, enough time for the new mayor and new City Council to issue a call for a referendum, form a subcommittee, hire a research group, coordinate a team of ecological experts, ask for more community testimony… and then we’ll see the inevitable lawsuit(s). After that, we’re off to see the wizard! Or head to an appellate court case. It’ll be 2025… with nighttime ninjas still creeping up there in the wee hours for the cool view. The city was going to buy the stairs in 2002- never happened.

The only thing missing from this latest dereliction of duty was that no one’s (yet) suggested installing a telescope on top of the stairs to explore the universe. You cannot make this stuff up. The Board of Water Supply tosses the Stairway to Heaven over to the City of Honolulu- a 3,922 step hot potato. After decades of negotiations, neighborhood complaints, illegal trespassing by thousands, environmental studies, politician site visits, etc., does the City really need 18-months to decide what to do?!  

Experiential gazers traipse up the pathway in pre-dawn hours to see a glorious sunrise. Got it. Security cops get there too late, or people figure out a way around them, and taxpayers pay $250,000 annually for private security. Would it be different if people were charged for such a spectacular view, as some are proposing? Frustrated neighbors, tired of their lawns and hoses being used, say scofflaws will avoid paying. “Ho-hum” say those enchanted by this surreal stairway to the stars… until someone falls off, or slips off the rope swing, when we’ll have a legal Haiku Stairway to Bedlam. Local decision-making- an oxymoron far too often.

Think About It… 

“Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Pondering In Solitude – MidWeek May 6, 2020

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On to May, as people now grapple with what month it is, let alone what day of the week. With much time on our hands, this allows for all kinds of pondering about what might be, and when…

As quarantine is lifted here in various increments, what will be the “new” reality? Suggesting things will “return to normal” seems far-fetched, or at least a far-reach. An April USA TODAY-cited Harris Poll showed that only 6% of fans would go to a sporting event as soon as they’re able; 36% said they’d wait at least four months to attend. A Seton Hall poll showed that 72% won’t go to games until a preventive vaccine comes out- maybe late in 2021. Will a quick-acting treatment be found sooner to provide some confidence for people to re-interact, safe in the belief that they can (probably) be saved if infected? Must most restaurants remove some tables in the new world to limit seating capacity, which thus limits revenue potential? Will locals smile, but now hand visitors a plastic bag with a lei inside, foregoing traditional lei-hugs?

As Hawai`i is the world’s most isolated, populated land mass, will freed masses dare sit in flying sardine cans for a minimum of five hours to visit here by autumn or winter? Will we quickly corona-test every person who arrives here? And if infected, will we mandate that they and the other 250 fliers quarantine here? At a hospital? Can people get tested at airport check-ins, so that asymptomatic, yet infected, travelers don’t fly in the first place? How will airlines adapt- people crammed in where the rows in front and behind you aren’t six feet apart? Empty seats equal lost revenue, like with restaurants, ships, buses, and stadiums.

With no guarantees yet that COVID-19 immunity (for those who’ve had the ailment) is long-lasting, will those who are “cured” be given carte blanche to resume normal activities? How will we identify them- with paperwork, ID cards, or rubber bracelets- which would most assuredly open up a black market for sleazy entrepreneurs?

The term “close friend” will take on a whole new meaning, as in “Um… I really don’t need you to get that close, friend.” Many questions and few answers about the “new normal” as we redefine our reality, inch ahead, and ponder uncharted territory in the weeks, months, and perhaps years ahead.

Think about it…

 “Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

The Governmental “Hokey Pokey” – MidWeek, April 29, 2020

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Remember the childhood song and dance, the “Hokey Pokey”? It goes like this:

“You put your right foot in, you take your right foot out, you put your right foot in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.” Etc., etc.

We do our own redundant, profound dance here- kind of a “local government ‘Hokey Pokey’”. Happens all the time. We start, we stop; we’re in, we’re out. Decisions are made, action begins; decisions are rescinded, action stops. The recent one day of work at Waimanalo’s Sherwood Forest (they found bones! who knew? Everyone…) is just the latest confirmation that government here leads the league in start/stop, discuss/revisit, pledge/avoid, empathize/ignore. Is it arrogance or ignorance?

TMT? The “Stairway to Heaven”? The Falls of Clyde ship? The Waikiki Natatorium? An alternate road to leeward O`ahu? Affordable housing? More doctors? More teachers? The list is seemingly endless… items which we’re told have been resolved and are moving forward- only to come to that inevitable moment where leaders “…take your right foot out.” We can’t seem to get planned major projects vetted, cleared by the courts, and then acted upon- or shelved- except for that on-going rail thing. Intransigence by opposition forces is to be expected. Heck, entities question Roe v. Wade (1973) and the 2nd Amendment (1791) every single year. Our local government just doesn’t finalize many of its big, ongoing issues, or take a permanent stand when apparently justified, if confronted.

Broken promises over time really do set people off. Elected officials failing to act on decisions and edicts should matter to us. When finalizing matters, there is never constituent unanimity or complete happiness at the end… someone’s still upset. If politicos are not prepared for adversarial response, then they shouldn’t promise action or perhaps even be in office. 

That stasis leaves us far too often in limbo. And that’s not a quaint town outside of Wahiawa nor a desired destination, but rather a frustrating place to be. Leadership means being accountable and empathetic, but also decisive, explaining rationally when questioned, and ultimately moving forward.

Think about it…

 “Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Corona Considerations – MidWeek April 22, 2020

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Summertime- with the hopeful minimization of the most drastic COVID-19 safety measures and concerns- brings Hawai`i’s hurricane season (June – November). Remember when that ominous window was our biggest annual life/lifestyle/economic local concern? Near-misses from major Pacific storms have been near-miraculous over the past 20+years, but we must always remain vigilant and prepare well ahead of time (sound familiar?). A few thoughts:

  • A byproduct of watching daily coronavirus (national) news coverage is witnessing the numbing parade of drugs available for various ailments. And everyone’s smiling! The pharmacological alphabet soup (these names aren’t from the “Alice in Wonderland” poem, “Jabberwocky”) includes Humira, Ibrance, Xeljanz, Eliquis, Truvada, Ozempic, Xarelto, Dupixent, Farxiga, Otezla, Cosentyx, Chantix, and Trulicity. Possible drug side effect listings take up more ad time than the drug’s positive aspects (legal requirements). Big Pharma concoctions with lots of Xs, Zs, and Qs, plus other strangely aligned letters. Maybe these tongue-twisting names evolved from Superman’s home, Krypton, or from a mid-1960s “Star Trek” episode?
  • And you thought people’s usage of/addiction to digital devices was severe before we all went to our respective rooms? An April Atlantic magazine article by commentator Maya MacGuineas proffers: “The average person taps, types, swipes, and clicks on his smartphone 2,617 times a day. Ninety-three percent of people sleep with their devices within arm’s reach. Seventy-five percent use them in the bathroom”. Smartphone program engineers know- via likes, followers, friends, replies, positive reviews, thumbs up and all- how to tap into our brain’s areas for wanting and desiring, bypassing our judgment and reasoning brain areas. Reassuring, yeah? Let’s all play Parcheesi instead- mo’ bettah! Time to kick the digital dependence…
  • And finally, when the novel coronavirus’ major threat eases, the last thing we should all do is party. I’m not a killjoy, but physical distancing must remain top-of-mind (and body) even after this isolation mandate dissipates. The last thing we need is a COVID-19 rebound (now playing in Asia). Let’s continue to practice our newly-honed, sanitation habits and norms, as they might even help us stifle the 2020 flu infection rate a bit. Flu season starts in earnest in about six months.

Think about it…

 “Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Signs of the Times – MidWeek, April 15, 2020

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The coronavirus is obviously no laughing matter. But keeping a keen humor sure can take the edge off of these tough times, even if delivered in small doses.

Last week, for some much-needed social connection, I vigorously shook hands with myself (never touching my face), and then I washed my hands… vigorously!

I went for a car ride, pumping up the volume on a great playlist, and went nowhere; just drove around. ‘Twas one of the best (and only) trips I’ve taken of late. Might be a nice idea if you have antsy kids at home. I kept the air-conditioning on “recirculation”, just to be extra safe. COVID-19 paranoia is really not such a bad thing nowadays. Mask up! 

A red, rubber ball had blown into our yard as winds topped 35 MPH. I went to return it next door to our two-year old neighbor. Ahhh, but I’ve gotten smarter lately. Instead of picking it up, I used my finely-honed soccer skills to adeptly maneuver the ball with both feet (gotta use both feet to play good soccer). I washed my hands (and feet) anyway.

I then went to the veterinarian to pick up much-needed dog food (yes, for the dog) and the front door sign there directed me to stay by my car. I gave my name to an employee who poked her head out, and a masked man (never thought I’d be happy to see a masked man in a non-hospital setting) came out with my pre-ordered dogfood. I popped the car trunk, he dropped the goods in, and I drove off. Yes, I sani-wiped the trunk and dogfood bag at home. 

Recently, the concept of a “pop-up” meant a cool, short-term retail shop, like for the holidays or a foodie event. We now have pop-up screenings- but they’re not food or movies- they’re testing sites for COVID-19. Same world, same words, new rules. 

And here’s a novel (coronavirus) thought: what if the first leg of the rail project is really ready to roll in fourth quarter… but the people aren’t?

Think About it…

“Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my first book, is available online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net, and will also be available at many local bookstores. It covers various highlighted segments of my 19-years of writing/airing “Think About It” on local TV.

The Longest Timeout Ever – MidWeek, April 8, 2020

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We are now living in the midst of the world’s longest, largest, and most coordinated “timeout”. Many, if not most, parents know of and understood this concept (whether or not they’ve actually used it) since it first came into social consciousness as a child behavioral modification system over a half-century ago.

But unlike the normally prescribed timeout, used to diffuse a situation caused by a child’s misbehavior or attitude, almost nobody’s behavior warranted this universal timeout. No one had a tizzy fit or ramped up the drama to force his/her mentor to tell us that we all need to calm down… in weeks-long isolation. Yes, a number of people thought (or still think) they’re above it all and can go on with their normal socializing, arrogant or ignorant to the proven facts that they can get and spread the COVID-19 virus whether they show symptoms or not.

But as we are inundated with daily (hourly?) updates about this developing, devastating phenomenon, most of us have reluctantly accepted our fates as a temporarily threatened species by hunkering down and even binge-watching shows on channels from providers that didn’t even exist five years ago. Or we play Candy Crush Saga, Subway Surfers, Solitaire, Scrabble, Connect Four, or Monopoly in some of the longest and most arduous competitions in family history. 

Over 90%of the population of the United States is now in some form of mandated virtual lockdown. Over 290-million, freedom-loving Americans are now inside doing Sudoku or crossword puzzles… regularly. I’ve now watched “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” so many times, I actually know by heart the ingredients that make up most of the small restaurant pork rubs, briskets, and rib combos nationwide that have been shown repeatedly over the past 13 seasons. I even almost watched reality TV last week!

When severe danger finally arrived on our shores, it wasn’t a weather catastrophe, a gas leak, a chemical spill, or the redundant scourge of the 21st century- the “active shooter” situation- that forced humanity inside for its own well-being and safety. This one couldn’t be seen. Turns out it was a highly-transmittable, sometimes symptom-less virus that is testing our mettle (and it even lasts for up to three days on metal!), our economy, and our collective patience as we await testing on possible, mitigating treatments or solutions (soon?) and preventive inoculations (not so soon).

Think About It…

Physical Distancing – MidWeek, April 1, 2020

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Three UCLA professors recently penned an article centered on the current concept of “social distancing”. They write that we are not, in fact, needing to practice social distancing. Now more than ever, we need to remain in very close social contact with people- for our sanity and theirs. What we do need to do, they write, is to practice “physical distancing”. Stay close, but stay away.

We’re all becoming math experts figuring out how far to stand behind people in lines, and approximating the best times to go out for essentials to minimize interaction. Well, at least the smart people are… The ones who continue with their “normal” activities and behaviors aren’t thinking clearly or constructively. It’s not about you- it’s about everyone you might come in contact with due to the silent predator, COVID- 19.

UCLA Profs. Brand, Foster, and Menjivar point out the well-known, positive effects of maintaining and even ramping up social connections- by phone, text, email, video, group chat, or any other digital sharing, especially nowadays since we’ve curtailed the physical closeness and group grope mentality that means so much to our species.

But you can simply go out for a drive… anywhere. Just drive; don’t get out of your car to interact at all, just (literally) keep moving and enjoy the chosen circuitous route. Drive around; then go home. If you live with others, perhaps two can share the driving so that each car occupant gets a chance to gaze and also pick the all-important tunes that you must play while motoring along.

Pick up food for infirmed, elderly, or scared neighbors; leave it at the door to avoid interaction. Catch up with semi-forgotten school buddies electronically in a deeper way than a tweet, text, or showing them what your lunch plate looked like. Support by offering a simple “thanks” to anyone involved in first line defense- doctors, nurses, security- and vital providers like shelf stockers, produce pickers, plumbers, truckers, shippers, and delivery personnel. That list goes on and on- people at risk, at work and/or on call… on our behalf.

We’re all in uncharted territory here. Will you remember this anxious era with a false sense of pride if you hoarded a year’s worth of bun wad and beans, or will you recall the empathy, compassion, and true humanity you’ve experienced, shared, and witnessed while maintaining vigilant safety guidelines for yourself and your loved ones?

Think about it…