midweek

We see a rich and inventive panoply of first names in Hawai`i. Whether due to family traditions, paying homage, or clever mashups, parents sometimes come up with fascinating or more traditional first names for their keiki. 

According to the Social Security Administration, the top boys’ name locally in 2023 was Elijah, barely edging out Liam, which has been the top name nationally for newborn boys for seven straight years. Neeson rules… “Taken” indeed! New parents talk, and the “I like that name…” concept sparks repetition. For girls, Isla was #1 here in 2023, followed by Mia and Olivia. Olivia has topped the name game chart nationally since 2019.

Biblical names score well nowadays; Liam is the only non-Biblical boys name among our top five (Elijah, Noah, Ezekial, and Lucas). Keep in mind that Social Security rankings do not group names, so different spellings/variations of a name each get separate billing- like Caitlyn, Kaitlin, and Caitlin…

Of the top 20 boys’ names registered here in 2023, two might be considered somewhat unique(r) to Hawai`i- Kai (#6) and Koa (#19). Top Hawai`i girls’ names from 2023 with arguably local flair include Mia (#2), Kaia (#8), and Mahina (#11). Maya (#12) is often seen as Maia locally, but Maia didn’t make the 2023 top 100.

50 years ago, the top boys names here were Michael, Jason, Christopher, and David, while Jennifer led the girls’ names, followed by Michelle, Kimberly, and Lisa. I’ll bet we all know of few of these Golden Jubilee celebrants, yeh?

One surprise is that the name Taylor (boy or girl) has been on a downward slide since 1996. So much for a Swift(ie) appropriation on the top of these charts. “Game of Thrones” names remain hot nationally… good luck explaining some of those monikers to new acquaintances in 2074. The total number of different names in use nationally has more than doubled since 1974. 

The saying, “Variety is the spice of life” originated 240 years ago (English poet William Cowper) and when it comes to naming newborns, we see a plethora of new names  alongside historical favorites. 14 boys locally were bequeathed the name Atlas last year… alas, a heavy burden to shoulder. So hello to Isla, Elijah and all of you hip ‘23ers. We look forward to hearing from you as you blossom in the decades ahead. ‘O wai kou inoa (what is your name)?

Think about it…

We have a primary election here next month and a general election (about which we’re generally upset) in November, so for fun, let’s look at legislative/political nomenclature that seems to have taken on new meanings in a post-truth world.

Act– a bill/measure passed into law, according to the American Psychological Association glossary of terms. Sadly, not enough legislators are taking much-needed visits to shrinks. “Act” is now an unused, antiquated concept when it comes to elected officials in D.C.

Chairperson– someone who sits on his/her assets, pontificates about the need for committees, discussions, consensus, and moving forward, and then does very little.

Congress– a large body that meets regularly yet legislates rarely. The main, unstated purpose of this monolithic mishmash is to get oneself re-elected; thus, sucking up or being quiet when obvious wrongs exist is a must for self-preservation. Congress also now means “completely ineffectual entity” as this version has passed the least amount of legislation in the past 50-years. It’s current approval rating is 13% (Gallup), which might be lower than gout, stale mochi, traffic cameras, and fire ants.

General Accounting Office– an entity created to support Congress, that provides information which is then twisted to help ensure rule #1- getting re-elected. The GAO takes the science and art of accounting and watches it get translated it into a Willy Wonka fantasy world by its chosen (well… elected) masters. 

Joint Committee– where members of both major parties (though they’re not partying together much) sit around, smoke dope and suggest to the general public that they’re working hard together. They must think we are high!  

Ranking Member– this used to mean the committee member with the most seniority on a legislative committee, but since almost nothing gets enacted after months of sitting around nowadays, it just means the person who stinks the most.

Table a Bill– this is where good/bad legislation goes to die, whereupon each involved legislator can say, “I tried!”, even if that translates to simply pandering to donors and their constituent bases to ensure (rule #1) re-election. Rocking the boat is discouraged- discuss everything, agree on nothing, but promise to do better next term.

Recess– a temporary break in the Congressional tomfoolery, and much like in grade school, a time where the kids can go out and play.

Skeptical? Cynical? Frustrated? Bewildered? Perhaps; but, you gotta laugh; that is, if it  wasn’t so important.

Think about it…

You gotta ask stuff to keep the mind growing and going, especially as you get older. We all know people who think they know it all. I checked… they don’t. I also checked on something that’s simply never made sense to me: why do we have “interstates” in Hawai`i, the most isolated, unconnected, populated spot on Earth? Pretty sure we’re not latched to any other state, though I’m sure I could find yet one more ludicrous “news” website that claims there’s a secret tunnel to California.

It’s a fair question to ask why our so-called interstates are not labeled as “intra-states”. I’ve wondered for years, never actually bothering to find the simple, yet logical explanation. So as the school year winds down this month, here’s a history lesson and semi-scintillating breakdown that should remove any future queries as to why Hawai`i is home to interstates.

Hawai`i was admitted as the union’s 50<sup>th</sup> state on March 18, 1959. Looking at Hawai`i (and #49 Alaska), the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) hierarchy identified possible in-state routes, utilizing “…the same criteria applied during a 1957 expansion of the Interstate System: national defense; system integration; service to industry, fishing, agriculture, mining, and forestry… and population” (U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration). So, on the basis of BPR’s 1960 report to Congress, the interstate network statute subsequently no longer required that qualifying roads be located just in the continental U.S.

Our interstates are labeled H-1, H-2, and H-3 in contrast to interstates throughout the continent that begin with the letter “I” (“Interstate”). Alaskan interstates begin with “A”, and in Puerto Rico, they start with “PR”. H-3, our latest addition, was designated in December, 1997. A 4.1-mile slab of Moanalua Freeway was upgraded in 1990 without using Interstate Construction funds, and was not called H4, but rather is known as H-201. Huh? All of our interstate roads are “built to interstate standards”, according to the Dept. of Transportation.

So, thanks to former President Eisenhower, the BPR, and Congress (back in the halcyon days when it actually tried- and succeeded- in getting stuff done…) for our paid-for road reality here with H-1, H-2, H-3 (hike), and outlier H-201. Hawaii has almost 55-miles of interstate; Alaska has 1,082 miles; Puerto Rico has 250 miles.

Getting federal funds throughout the decades probably helped us remain “the Aloha State” as opposed to the “I’ll Owe Ya State”.

Think about it…

We often hear about our public high schools when things aren’t going well. Too many students being taught by too few teachers, chronic absenteeism, stifling heat (still…) in classrooms, test scores stagnating or going down, annual concerns raised by legislators, Board of Education members and paid staff leaving… you’ve seen the headlines.

But have you heard about the Hawai`i Academies (HA)? It’s a partnership among 27 local, public high schools on five islands that aims to “…improve educational outcomes by implementing smaller learning communities through career academies”? The HA/Dept. of Education program began with just six schools in 2008. Workshops occur regularly as schools share information to make individual programs even better.

According to the Hawai`i Academies’ 2023/24 booklet, these smaller, real-life programs help raise kids’ grades, test scores, attendance, and graduation rates. The HA programs provides focus and consistency, which helps foment personal success for energized participants. Course offerings are diverse and future-focused. For example: 

‘Aiea High offerings include Academies in Health Sciences, Business, Culinary, Education, and Hospitality. Baldwin offers Digital Design, Computer Programming, and Sustainable Hospitality. Campbell has an Academy of Energy, Natural Resources, and Business. Kapa’a provides Health, Natural Resources, and Industrial Engineering Technology. McKinley offers Building & Construction. Hilo and Waiākea have student-run credit unions- for students! In conjunction with the DOE and Hawaii Pacific Health, Waipahu just opened its Academic Health Center, the first school-based health clinic in America!

HA entity represents more than incremental progress; it’s a marketable, thriving, success story that should be regularly acknowledged and loudly celebrated. You wanna talk about “growing our own”? Well, it’s happening via HA. I’ve actually witnessed the excitement in action at Kalaheo High through its Academy of Media & Design, where kids learn, innovate, and compete successfully at annual national competitions.  

Perhaps someday we’ll see this exemplary program expand to all 65 Hawai`i public high schools through more available resources and grants, with innovators, and individual school champions leading the charge. Greater sharing of best practices will further enhance the program as it continues to evolve and flourish. Getting teens excited and engaged in developing their own successes will propel them to become tomorrow’s local innovators, change-masters, ambassadors, and leaders. 

Amid the very real issues our public high schools face, big props to the Hawai`i Academies/DOE partnership. “My Voice, My Choice, My Future” is the HA mantra. And that future’s looking bright, indeed!

Think about it…