Purposeful Ponderings – MidWeek March 27, 2024

There is apparently no truth to the rumor that when Outback Steakhouse closed its final three locations in Hawai`i (along with dozens of other locations around the U.S.) that it would change its name to Backout…

And speaking of waste, new toilets are now being conceptualized and built. With a growing, worldwide need for potable water, salvaging water mixing environmental and economic innovation is a must; especially for our island state. Finnish architect/artist Arja Rennell reminds us that “waste is not waste, it’s a resource”. Her efforts with dry composting of toilet detritus are nothing new to rural, non-septic tank, homeowners around the world, but these new toilets may be a breath of fresh air in industrialized cities and nations. CNN says that Change:Water Labs “…is patenting an evaporative material that aims to reduce the volume of waste build-up by as much as 97% in a single day”. There are also efforts afoot to separate wastewater for recycling purposes. This is surely not a load of crap, as solutions must be found…  

We hear/read a lot about leadership. But what’s often missing from these missives is the importance of “followership”. A group of unmotivated, disinterested participants is tough, though not impossible, to lead to greatness. Want proof? Look at how many famous “leaders” tell tales of the failed coaching or business debacles they’ve experienced (or led) along their way. Followership is under-rated when looking at the success of many teams/companies. Great leaders bring out the character of followers. Perhaps strong followers here can adopt a “will-do” attitude when change is mandated or essential…

Stunning, ironic, prophetic… sometimes a picture really says it all. Rod Stewart sang that “…every picture tells a story, don’t it?” True that! You can put your own caption on it, but this is surely a sign of the times, literally- fronting a defunct, Hawaii Public Housing Authority facility located off of North Beretania Street downtown; “closed to the public” indeed.

Think about it…