A few items to ponder and gaze at in dull wonderment…
Myriad, massive, upscale projects loom large in Kaka`ako, and the vital electric grid is overburdened. While multi-million dollar condos keep popping up, promised affordable housing units somehow get pushed aside, delayed, or hung up in reliable obfuscation. How could that happen; bad planning or canny planning?…
We sometimes see senseless property destruction- a sink smashed in a local beach park bathroom, a statue destroyed at a Buddhist temple, classrooms trashed. But vandalizing artwork and tiles at ‘Aikahi Elementary School last month? A useless act of what- frustration, a lax childhood upbringing; bad hair day?! Why would anyone destroy elementary school kids’ artwork, which included a section dedicated to Maile Gilbert, whose 1985 murder led to our vital, local Maile Amber Alert network? Sad, inexcusable, lame, wanton destruction. As of this writing, no leads, clues, or rationale. Let’s hope someone(s) comes forward to begin his/her road to personal redemption and rehabilitation…
While increased federal funding for local Medicare reimbursements of $17 million annually will provide help for beneficiaries, a quick calculation provides a bit of perspective. Medical costs (no matter who you blame) are going through the roof. With 300,000 local Medicare recipients here, if everyone got an equal share of this additional annual “windfall” reimbursement, it would come to $56.66 per person; chump change. Not everyone needs additional funding yearly, but this somewhat pyrrhic “victory” reminds us that a thorough overhaul of our healthcare system, insurance labyrinth, and Kafkaesque administration is badly needed as perplexed patients lose patience while struggling to pay. And, U.S. healthcare is rarely ranked in the top 10 of world health rankings…
Schools reopened, and so did that can of worms regarding neglected repairs and major reconstruction projects statewide. We expect upward trends in test scores while far too many kids have to overcome heat exhaustion (still), and band aid fixes on systemic, dilapidated physical plants. The DOE does what it can, apparently, but projects get delayed, ignored, or lost in the layered bureaucratic bouillabaisse. Hard to train developing minds to comprehend responsibility when orange cones, unusable facilities, and yellow tape remind them daily that adults in charge aren’t necessarily fulfilling their obligations and promises. And the age old O`ahu vs. Neighbor Island favoritism-treatment accusation rears its ugly head as problems fester while repair requests vaporize slowly like stagnant rainwater in students’ soaked shoes…
Think about it…