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Inter- esting – MidWeek May 8, 2024

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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 50th 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”.

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Academy Awards – MidWeek May 1, 2024

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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!

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Swimming Upstream – MidWeek April 24, 2024

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Perseverance, resiliency, persistency, adaptability. Emotions, traits, or learned skills? These concepts can represent powerful tools in one’s personal arsenal. ‘Twas Charles Darwin who said: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” In our lives we often come to crossroads, and while change can be quite difficult, change we must… sometimes. 

Change is good… as long as it’s good change. Simply suggesting change doesn’t make it good or correct in and of itself. Leaders or hopeful change masters need buy-in when advocating for change. They need impassioned rationale that can be embraced and/or believed in. Ah, but sometimes you gotta adapt and change on your own.

Like on March 29 in Northeast Oregon… A 40-ton trailer overturned while transporting 102,000 live salmon (who counted?!) to be released in the Imnaha River to invariably migrate to the ocean, thereby circumventing the many northern river dams in place. This man-made process has moved fish downstream for 40 years.

So here comes the amazing part of this semi-disaster. The crashed tanker slid down an embankment of Lookingglass Creek. More than 76,000 smolts (young salmon) slid or flopped down the creek embankment in desperation, making their way into the creek, and most are expected to make it down through the Grande Ronde River to the Pacific Ocean- the original goal. Incredible! Without a GPS. Members of the Nez Perce tribe, hatchery workers, and the local sheriff’s office worked together to guide those who couldn’t make it into the water on their own, and cleaned up those who perished.

A fine example of perseverance, true grit, adaptability, and instinctual survival tactics. A life-saving example that when things go haywire or don’t work out- live to fight another day. Longtime Washington Post advice columnist, Carolyn Hax, recently wrote back to a querying parent about whether or not to coddle troubled teenagers by suggesting that they need to experience adversity along the way. “They need this because every life has some element of frustration, loneliness, rejection, mistreatment, misunderstanding, raw deals, disappointment, disaster and dream-crushing. And after that comes Tuesday.” 

Philosopher Friedrich Nietsche said: “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger”. 77,000 salmon found strength amid disaster. Life’s road is not an easy, smooth ride; it sometimes feels like an overturned truck. Yet overcoming adversity is an integral part of growing up, right through adulthood.

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Animal Farce – MidWeek April 17, 2024

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I awaited my pick-up order at a well-known restaurant recently, one which serves patrons both inside and outside (with closed doors between); and what should I see just poking along, amid unfazed diners, but a chicken, a free bird. Well, she seemed to be free, as she had full range of the place, and no one seemed to care. Entertained diners even tossed scraps to the chicken.

I guess we’ve gotten so inured to the pesky presence of plucky poultry that we’ll apparently let them roam wherever they’d like. As I awaited my Thai Chicken phone order (seriously), I couldn’t help but think- someone should tie this chicken! But whatevah!

A day earlier, I was in a well-known supermarket and the person behind me in line was saying, “Sit! Sit”. Yes, of course, he was commanding a dog, a gorgeous golden retriever, friendly as they (almost) always are. We’ve had four goldens over the decades- truly, marvelous friends. But why a non-guide dog would be permitted inside yet another food establishment was beyond me. Perhaps the dog was guiding his owner to the gouda or brie; I don’t know, but at least the canine was on a leash. Alas, we’ve gone to the dogs.

As a fellow dog lover, folks I’ve wondered about are the friendly, neighborhood walkers or beachgoers who think that allowing their obedient pet free rein is just fine. Er… Hawai`i has a public property leash law, and there are valid reasons for that. When a heretofore friendly dog does something wrong (like say… bites someone or barks contentiously) we normally hear from the stunned owner that “he/she has never done that before!” Well, all it takes is once. You might consider your Fido to be a friendly sniffer, but perhaps it’s uncool when Fido’s cozying up to someone who (unbeknownst to you) has been bitten before or was once traumatized by a dog. So please, can’t we just (publicly) love ‘em and leash ‘em?

And then we have those wandering neighborhood cats, feline pets perusing our great outdoors, sometimes serenading us at 2am or digging in the dirt beneath our bedroom window at 4am. It’s a cat-astrophe… but perhaps these carousing kitties might (at least) scare off proliferating free birds clucking things up in far too many neighborhoods. Here’s to human appreciation for the sedate animal kingdom, but let’s keep ‘em under some control.

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Weight; Gain – MidWeek March 31, 2021

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According to a recent American Psychological Association poll, 42% of Americans indicated that they’d gained “more weight than they intended” over the past year. Average weight gain? 29 pounds! Ouch… And 10% admitted to gaining 50+ pounds. Plus 33% polled said they’ve slept less during the pandemic; the potential for PTSD and other mental (as well as physical and emotional) disorders may linger long after the vaccination solution has calmed things down in the coming months.

Just over half the respondents in the APA poll said they are exercising less due to the pandemic and 68% said they are snacking more. Gotta do something when streaming and binge-watching, I guess. 

We all know that added weight, combined with general fatigue, anxiety, and less exercise over a prolonged period of time is a potentially toxic recipe for multiple health problems, so the question becomes just how quickly will affected people “recuperate” once things get back to something like our benign (in retrospect), pre-March-2020 local  lifestyle?

If you work for a large employer, there’s a chance that it offers a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). If so, it’s worth making a call just to talk to someone, anonymously, without judgment. There is no shame in asking for advice, help, or a connection. Asking for help is actually a sign of strength as you come to grips with what’s gripping you during this abnormal time.

You, and everyone around you, can benefit if you’re willing to reach out. Call your health care provider or a local mental health entity to get direction and clarity. And please understand that you are most assuredly not alone. Anxiety, depression, hopelessness, helplessness- the COVID fallout list goes on. But there is hope and there are answers. Millions feel just like you do in this most cruel and unusual year of the pandemic, even now, with a possible end in sight (i.e. mass vaccinations).

Lack of exercise, energy, clarity, or the resources to resolve issues can be addressed and dealt with today. Or tomorrow. There’s no need to wait any longer. Give yourself a break; no need to tough it out- especially after 13-months. The State has a crisis line, and there are other avenues to travel down to find the relief that so many people deserve and need. Mental consternation? COVID blues? Weight gain? Eh, No wait.. gain answers.

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Shot Spots – MidWeek January 27, 2021

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While the availability of multiple vaccines portends a light at the end of this coronavirus tunnel, the human race must continue to show patience and caution. If vaccines are 90-95% effective in reducing COVID-19’s effects, that still means 5-10% of inoculated people will not be immune… even in Hawai`i. No big deal, you say?

Well, if one-million people locally get vaccinated, that would mean 50,000 to 100,000 inoculated people might still be capable of contracting the virus; plus 400,000 remaining unvaccinated resident adults and kids here. And furthermore, everyone should continue to wear masks, as the virus might still be transmittable by those vaccinated and personally immune. To help educate people, shot-getters locally should be given detailed, written information upon receiving their vaccinations to remind them to still wear masks, wash hands, and practice social distancing even if the vaccine makes them feel invincible. They’re not. The vaccine is a huge step, but it’s not the final word.

Another idea beyond printed handouts at vaccination sites is to take the vaccine to the people. Many people don’t like hospitals, group gatherings, or big city settings. For the elderly, frail, those who speak English as a second language, et al., convenient, localized sites- churches, community centers, school parking lots- might help. Bringing a solution to the people could encourage even greater participation.

A frustrating issue thus far has been coordinating vaccination site intricacies and vaccine arrivals, as authorities simply cannot control the scheduled shipments of the vaccines to Hawai`i. Late-arriving vials throw off orchestrated plans of vaccinators and vaccine recipients, messing up hundreds of schedules, as some of people have other plans on alternative dates. 

For the doubters- and I mean the vaccine doubters, not the lingering COVID-19 deniers- maybe we can take photos of respected, local leaders and influencers of various ages and ethnic groups getting vaccinated, and post those pictures on appropriate social media sites to encourage those still a bit unsure locally to get vaccinated. 

We have a chance now to curtail this (possibly) last wave of an insidious, evil invader. Far too many lost their COVID composure and compliance consistency over the holiday season, which led to far too many lost lives, or diminished lung capacity. Let’s help to bring this pandemic to a virtual standstill by remaining vigilant in dealing with the realities required in the upcoming, post-vaccine world of late-2021.

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Shark Tales – MidWeek October 14, 2020

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There have been a number of shark sightings recently off of Waikiki’s Kaimana Beach. Reports indicated that sharks seen on October 3 were “not aggressive”.  Same thing on October 6. Huh? Was that meant to be reassuring, like go ahead… go tubing and thrashing because it’s OK, you won’t be perceived as chum.

The draw? There have been bait balls in the area, a term used to describe when small fish swim closely together to try and protect themselves from larger predators- like sharks. The low key reference to these beautiful, but often fearsome and fearless, creatures as “non-aggressive” relates to one’s individual perspective. To halalu baitfish (scad), this non-aggressive shark portrayal would be simply fake news. 

Humans often make their own choices in life. The mere concept of the word “shark” might give some pause before placing their torsos into the tranquil surf, adjacent to a visiting shark. Something about that dorsal fin in such close proximity could take the fun out of that planned, pleasure swim. When is a door not a door? When it’s ajar (get it- “a jar”). When is a shark not a shark? When it’s melancholy, I guess.  But if these cruising sharks became aggressive, descriptive adjectives would change to: unfriendly, hungry, lunch-seeking- or some other term of non-endearment.

And what clinically trained sharkologist rendered the definitive word for the media to anoint these reef sharks as non-aggressive? Perhaps these sharks were merely passive aggressive. Luckily, we haven’t found out over the past month of sightings, with warning signs properly posted and no unfortunate (human) incidents; no reef sharks have become “eek” sharks.

Multiple sharks feeding 25 yards offshore multiple times at the placid Sans Souci. Sans Souci is a name for the beach that goes back to 1884; it’s French for “without a care”. Well if these non-aggressive visitors keep returning, mellow as they seem, I’m just not sure that bathers will be swimming or frolicking without a care during “shark week(s)”.  

Nurse, leopard, angel, whale, thresher- there are numerous, non-aggressive shark types. In reality, fewer than 8% of the 300 shark species are a real danger to humans. Sharks worldwide kill an average of just four people (unprovoked) annually. And sharks locally can be considered an ancestor, or `aumakua. But I still think it’s best to observe these wily wonders of the water from a safe- and dry- distance.

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What We Want – MidWeek October 7, 2020

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This column is not about the post-COVID-19 dreams; it’s not about politics or red, blue or purple states; it’s not about how naïve or radical “they” are. It’s a simple tale about partnership. A study was conducted a year ago by researcher Andrew Thomas of Swansea University in Wales whereby 2,700 college students from Western nations (Australia, Norway, United Kingdom) and Eastern countries (Singapore, Malaysia) were queried about what, exactly, they were looking for in a mate for life, otherwise known as pair-bonding.

It’s estimated that only 5% of mammals mate for life, as humankind is grouped in a small cluster with beavers, wolves, and even some bats, to name a few of our bonding brethren. You undoubtedly have your own list of life partner priorities, but according to psychology lecturer Thomas, the #1 priority for men and women, East and West, is kindness. 

Seems reasonable… after all, 45+ years to be spent with someone (ideally) requires work, and having a shared appreciation for kindness can work wonders, especially during those tough times. After kindness, men favored physical attractiveness while women chose a man’s propensity to be able to provide financially. But kindness was easily the #1 requisite trait, far more important than other attributes mentioned in the study like creativity, religiosity, chastity, desire for children, and humor. Amazingly, one’s air guitar prowess did not make the “most wanted” list. Huh? While there are surely nuances based on cultural differences, at the end of the day we all want to hang out with someone who’s kind- friendly, generous, warm, decent, understanding, accommodating, compassionate, and present. 

Researcher Thomas commented that “…it’s great that kindness is king and appears to be a human universal”. Ah, if only we saw more of that in the world in general today. The lack of every day kindness around us goes beyond looking for our eternal soulmate. But let’s not venture down that dark, partisan wormhole this week. We’ve all earned a column this week bereft of political partisanship, paranoia, patronizing provocation, and the petty polarization of America. And now, back to kindness…

Kindness assumes a sense of empathy, a trait lacking far too often in opinionated conversation these days. Forget whether or not it’s about mate-seeking, sincere kindness can make even bitter indignation or disappoint a bit easier to tolerate. Kindness- a simple concept with major repercussions. Try it on…

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The New Reality – MidWeek September 30, 2020

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Slowly peeling back necessary restrictions is not going to save many local businesses hammered by the reality of seven months (so far) of COVID-19, plus quarantine, consumer wariness and weariness, costly safety measures, restrictive seating measures, minimal desire soon for large crowds at events, and sensible store traffic limitations.

We will not see local consumers rushing back to stores, malls, or restaurants soon. We will not see 10.4 million tourists visiting in 2021 or 2022. Estimates suggest that it could take five years, if we really want and get to that 2019 visitor count number again. What we need is creative collaboration, perhaps even unimaginable tax incentives and other lures to bring new business to Hawai`i. Hotels and tourist destinations will surely offer incentives soon. But how about local government working with the private sector to hopefully entice new business in the foreseeable future? Venture capital money is looking for opportunities, interest rates are low; now is the time to be entrepreneurial.

Some questioned metropolitan areas as they did backflips to convince Amazon to build its new headquarters (HQ2) in their towns. 238 cities bid, offering free land, community control, and property tax deferrals. One site purportedly offered to give Amazon employee’s state income taxes right back to Amazon! Crazy? Perhaps, but we are moving beyond “rainy day” options here as we look ahead six or 12 months. Rainy days? Prognostications indicate ground saturation and flooding. 

We need more higher-paying jobs and truly affordable housing for residents than we’ve seen over the past decade. Lots of talk for years, but little action. Tourism has been our gravy train; it’s now off the tracks. Unlike New Jersey, which offered Amazon about $7 billion to bring HQ2 there, we’re not looking to add residents, we’re just trying to keep residents from leaving in the coming years. 

Our exceedingly high cost of living and lack of quality jobs won’t permit a future of business as usual, and a vaccine won’t resolve our ongoing problems. In January, 2020, Aloha United Way (my employer) revealed that we had almost 200,000 Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) families in Hawai`i, a number also identified in AUW’s 2018 data. That was local reality pre-COVID-19. So let’s procure an East/West medical partnership, international space exploration facility, military adjunct, cybersecurity hub, science/technology expansion, ecotourism, media production facility, and/or alternate energy facilities? Or should we just wait?

Think about it… 

If Only It Was A Dream – MidWeek September 23, 2020

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You wake up and hope that maybe it’s all been just a bad dream, that this COVID-19 thing is really just “Groundhog Day 2”. But then reality seeps in; you start your daily routine, whatever day or month it is. Perhaps some forces working against each other here might actually help some people with a little balance in the long run- anxiety vs. sleep. 

Hawai’i adults have the 3rd lowest percentage of frequent mental distress of any state, yet we get the least amount of sleep of any state in the country; and that was pre-coronavirus. Hawai’i ranked 50th out of 50 states in adults getting sufficient sleep (defined as at least seven hours nightly) in studies from 2016 and last year. 

One rationalization for Hawai`i’s lack of sleep is the large number of people working multiple jobs and/or longer hours to make ends meet, which decreases the probability of getting those requisite seven hours of sleep daily. Poverty also plays a role, but our state’s poverty rate (11%) actually ranks us as the 7th lowest state in terms of poverty.

But what happens now when people spend months at home; when daily routines completely change; when four people in a household Zoom all day; when jobs are interrupted or lost amid a weak economy? Are people nowadays sleeping better because they’re home more, or are unplanned stresses causing mental distress locally to creep above the 14.7% adult national average? More people with more time to ponder what’s next or what’s to be when this virus thing finally tapers off.

Sleeplessness, restless sleep, and lack of sleep affect attentiveness (driving, general cognition, etc.) and increase one’s chances for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease. Quality sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, but many here find sleep to be just one more chore crammed into an already busy day.

Perhaps local medical leaders are analyzing 2020 statistics related to stress, despair, anxiety, sleeplessness, suicide ideation, and other coronavirus-related developments. More action to educate and suggest preventive treatments must take place in the trying months ahead. Losing sleep debilitates and affects work output, emotional resilience, and general attitude. Sleep, and lack thereof, must be an integral part of our larger discussion today about COVID-19 and Hawai`i’s collective mental health. Everyone’s tired of the novel coronavirus; but it’s even worse when everyone’s simply tired.

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