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…