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Yield of Dreams – MidWeek June 17, 2020

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Why are some people consciously choosing to not wear masks or practice social distancing? Yes, everyone’s been inconvenienced as “the man” made us stay home, but this medical safeguard has nothing to do with the shattering COVID-19 economic toll. If this is a so-called “war” we’re fighting vs. the coronavirus, and if you’re not doing you’re small part for our state and country in that war, does that make you a traitor or a snowflake? The novel coronavirus is not going away soon and is surely not a problem solved, yet. 

Moving on… recent peaceful protests around the country have pointed out just how far we haven’t come as a nation where all people are supposedly created and treated equal. The cry for justice and change is as loud as it’s been in many years, which hopefully will be a cause for immediate action beyond the poignant words.

We’ve been here before, and not just on this one particular issue of racial inequality and mistreatment. Back to 1970, we saw apparent headway being made by Women’s Lib, Black Power, and Gay Liberation movements. Yes, a half century ago, some of the very problems we see today were being addressed. But as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and LGBTQ movements show us in 2020, we certainly have a long way to go.  

Minneapolis just banned neck restraints and chokeholds as methods of police restraint, but that’s merely a rules change. What needs to change universally is mindsets. As daddy once told me, learn right from wrong when you’re young, because it’s hard(er) to change when you get older. Civics and ethics courses should be mandated in schools, if we truly believe in the words of our nation’s founders (who themselves were quite naïve and hypocritical in some humanitarian areas).

Judge people by their actions and souls, not by their skin color, shape, social proclivities, religious choices, physical challenges, mental conditions, accents, or even where they went to school. Civics should be taught alongside the ABCs, and taught early and often. Alter or adjust evolving mindsets before wayward or antiquated notions seep in and you’ll see change. Sunday schools should also play a big role in this moral mandate. Enough tribalism; enough us and them. While we all may be different, we’re all in this together. It’s 2020, not 1863, not 1607. Time to wake up, everybody.

Think about it…  

Jack of all Tradewinds – MidWeek June 10, 2020

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You know how you come across people in life who always seem upbeat, involved, interested, and are fun to be around? The kind of people who rarely say a disparaging word about anyone? The kind of people who, when you walk away, you say: “we need more people like that!”?

Well, meet Jack Sullivan, an acknowledged godfather of soccer in Hawai`i, long-time friend to boys and girls in Hawaii’s youth correctional facilities, and a huge sports aficionado. Jack, who passed away on May 12, was one of those people who made a difference while on this earth. A Boston transplant, he never lost his accent, zest for life, or sense of humor.

I was fortunate to call Jack my friend for almost 45-years. He loved talking about soccer- my appearance on the Hawai`i All-Stars, playing at Aloha Stadium in 1976 before the Pele-led Cosmos played later that night, my work for Team Hawai`i of the North American Soccer league, my involvement with the short-lived, Hawai`i Semi-Pro Soccer League, AYSO, HYSA, WISA, MISO, high school tournaments, UH Wahine soccer- well, you get the picture. Jack was a walking encyclopedia of all things soccer locally. He also talked volumes about hockey (we shared Boston Bruins’ stories), and football, you name it.

Ferd Lewis’ Star-Advertiser recent article encapsulated Jack’s life here. Jack was a minister and a self-effacing, self-employed accountant. He played Santa Claus at youth homes for decades, sometimes rappelling down from the rooftop with a “ho ho ho” and plenty of padding to cover his rail-like body (I witnessed that feat at the Ko’olau Boys Home in 1977). Once when a youth home inmate scaled a “security” fence and escaped during a soccer game, Jack yelled that at least he could’ve left his soccer shirt behind…

He possessed a gregarious gift of gab, a sense of civility that knew no borders, and a humble, yet fervent, willingness to get involved, deeply if need be, to listen to, help and to heal those in need. He mattered. His 63 years in Hawai`i included Irish yarns and other numerous tales. Everyone smiled when interacting with Uncle Jack. The consummate mensch, he actually never played soccer, but loved watching it from the grass and from the grassroots level on up, and he never let anyone down. He was a beautiful man who loved “the beautiful game” and so much more.

Think about it…

The New World – MidWeek May 20, 2020

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Some people have made it clear what they don’t want when quarantine ends- a return of seam-busting tourism and stultifying traffic. O`ahu’s major corridors have fewer commuters because schools are closed and people are unemployed or working from home- non-tourism-related issues. We often know what we don’t want, but too little time, effort, and ingenuity has been placed on addressing what we DO want (and need)- a community that respects our heritage and people, cherishes Hawai`i’s uniqueness, and provides ample jobs, wages, and housing to ensure that future generations can hopefully and happily call Hawai`i home. 

Intriguing and higher paying jobs are easy to talk about, but how do we get there- internet technology, aerospace, astronomy, cyber-security, alternative energy, self-sustaining agriculture, aquaculture, an East-West medical consortium, a gerontology center? Diversifying our economy is a now-standard local plea and political rallying cry, much like improving education for our keiki. 

The “what” and “why” are simple; what’s been missing for the past 25+ years is the “how”, “who”, and “when”. Many here were concerned about our lack of an economic bouillabaisse before COVID-19 came to town. Tourism’s growth has allowed us to ignore issues for far too long. An April International Air Transport Association survey said that 40% of travelers plan to wait six months after the virus is contained before possibly flying again. Yes, “business as normal” will be experiencing a facelift here. 

Turning down the tourism spigot is not a simple or necessarily wise solution. We have no economic plan “B”. Ripple coronavirus effects ensure a slow, economic re-build. We need new partnerships, planning, and action to help Hawai`i morph into what we want it to look like and be in 2030 and beyond. 

Bloomberg Businessweek said: “Almost half of U.S. households 55 and older have nothing saved for retirement.” In mid-2019, ABC News said: “Almost 40% of American adults wouldn’t be able to cover a $400 emergency with cash, savings or a credit-card charge that they could quickly pay off.” That represents over 83-million struggling Americans aged 18+, a staggering statistic pre-coronavirus. With layoffs, cutbacks, closures, uncertainty, and bills piling up, well… things are tough. 

The federal government is handing out almost $3-trillion in business loans, taxpayer relief, and other monetary aid to momentarily stem the tidal wave of angst that is a real COVID- 19 by-product. Hawai’i’ leadership needs to provide hope.

Think about it…

“Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

The Governmental “Hokey Pokey” – MidWeek, April 29, 2020

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Remember the childhood song and dance, the “Hokey Pokey”? It goes like this:

“You put your right foot in, you take your right foot out, you put your right foot in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.” Etc., etc.

We do our own redundant, profound dance here- kind of a “local government ‘Hokey Pokey’”. Happens all the time. We start, we stop; we’re in, we’re out. Decisions are made, action begins; decisions are rescinded, action stops. The recent one day of work at Waimanalo’s Sherwood Forest (they found bones! who knew? Everyone…) is just the latest confirmation that government here leads the league in start/stop, discuss/revisit, pledge/avoid, empathize/ignore. Is it arrogance or ignorance?

TMT? The “Stairway to Heaven”? The Falls of Clyde ship? The Waikiki Natatorium? An alternate road to leeward O`ahu? Affordable housing? More doctors? More teachers? The list is seemingly endless… items which we’re told have been resolved and are moving forward- only to come to that inevitable moment where leaders “…take your right foot out.” We can’t seem to get planned major projects vetted, cleared by the courts, and then acted upon- or shelved- except for that on-going rail thing. Intransigence by opposition forces is to be expected. Heck, entities question Roe v. Wade (1973) and the 2nd Amendment (1791) every single year. Our local government just doesn’t finalize many of its big, ongoing issues, or take a permanent stand when apparently justified, if confronted.

Broken promises over time really do set people off. Elected officials failing to act on decisions and edicts should matter to us. When finalizing matters, there is never constituent unanimity or complete happiness at the end… someone’s still upset. If politicos are not prepared for adversarial response, then they shouldn’t promise action or perhaps even be in office. 

That stasis leaves us far too often in limbo. And that’s not a quaint town outside of Wahiawa nor a desired destination, but rather a frustrating place to be. Leadership means being accountable and empathetic, but also decisive, explaining rationally when questioned, and ultimately moving forward.

Think about it…

 “Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Corona Considerations – MidWeek April 22, 2020

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Summertime- with the hopeful minimization of the most drastic COVID-19 safety measures and concerns- brings Hawai`i’s hurricane season (June – November). Remember when that ominous window was our biggest annual life/lifestyle/economic local concern? Near-misses from major Pacific storms have been near-miraculous over the past 20+years, but we must always remain vigilant and prepare well ahead of time (sound familiar?). A few thoughts:

  • A byproduct of watching daily coronavirus (national) news coverage is witnessing the numbing parade of drugs available for various ailments. And everyone’s smiling! The pharmacological alphabet soup (these names aren’t from the “Alice in Wonderland” poem, “Jabberwocky”) includes Humira, Ibrance, Xeljanz, Eliquis, Truvada, Ozempic, Xarelto, Dupixent, Farxiga, Otezla, Cosentyx, Chantix, and Trulicity. Possible drug side effect listings take up more ad time than the drug’s positive aspects (legal requirements). Big Pharma concoctions with lots of Xs, Zs, and Qs, plus other strangely aligned letters. Maybe these tongue-twisting names evolved from Superman’s home, Krypton, or from a mid-1960s “Star Trek” episode?
  • And you thought people’s usage of/addiction to digital devices was severe before we all went to our respective rooms? An April Atlantic magazine article by commentator Maya MacGuineas proffers: “The average person taps, types, swipes, and clicks on his smartphone 2,617 times a day. Ninety-three percent of people sleep with their devices within arm’s reach. Seventy-five percent use them in the bathroom”. Smartphone program engineers know- via likes, followers, friends, replies, positive reviews, thumbs up and all- how to tap into our brain’s areas for wanting and desiring, bypassing our judgment and reasoning brain areas. Reassuring, yeah? Let’s all play Parcheesi instead- mo’ bettah! Time to kick the digital dependence…
  • And finally, when the novel coronavirus’ major threat eases, the last thing we should all do is party. I’m not a killjoy, but physical distancing must remain top-of-mind (and body) even after this isolation mandate dissipates. The last thing we need is a COVID-19 rebound (now playing in Asia). Let’s continue to practice our newly-honed, sanitation habits and norms, as they might even help us stifle the 2020 flu infection rate a bit. Flu season starts in earnest in about six months.

Think about it…

 “Think About It: Ideas And Inspiration For Today’s Hawai`i”, my new book, is now available to order online from Watermark Publishing locally (including FREE shipping) at: https://www.bookshawaii.net and is also available at many local bookstores

Who’s On First? – MidWeek, March 11, 2020

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You might think by now, after a decade of delays, snafus, mis-statements, cost-overruns, false promises, and personnel shuffles, that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) and the City of Honolulu would make sure that vital public pronouncements and updates are released in harmony and in tandem. Not happening…

Six weeks ago came a public pronouncement by a HART official that not only would the first segment of the rail be ready, as planned, by late December, 2020, it would actually be ready to transport fans between Aloha Stadium and Kapolei by mid-October- during UH football season! That very same day came a plea/counter from Honolulu’s mayor, asking those kolohe rail personnel to stop making premature statements about start dates, as it’s the City of Honolulu that has to actually operate this choo choo! 

And then three weeks ago, HART announced plans for upcoming traffic restrictions along Dillingham Boulevard, while the City’s transportation department said, “hold the bus” (or the train), because the City had not yet seen an official traffic control plan. HART responded that it had proffered a Dillingham traffic management plan, and the city transportation department very clearly responded that “…we are waiting for the proper submittals”, according to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser report. This plan should be black and white- like written on paper- but here we have two opposite versions of reality offered by HART and by the City, a comic pair who, far too often, mimic Abbott and Costello as they play out this transit “Who’s On First?” routine. “I Don’t Know… third base!!” (Please, YouTube it- it’s a classic Vaudeville routine)

At the very least, by 2020, following a decade of setbacks, worrisome federal feedback, plan pushbacks, cracked concrete columns, cracked canopies, cracked blue plastic shims, etc., you would expect that a simple phone call, email, or text would occur between the “partners” before public statements are made, as too often those initial missives are quickly contradicted, negated, or questioned by the other party.

Speaking of a party, if this project was a party, we’d all be suffering from a long hangover, as quality hosts or caterers would’ve figured out by now what and how to best serve us; after all we are the paying clients. But that’s not the case as rail bantering and bickering goes on with little relief, agreement, or a firm start date in sight.

Think about it…

School Daze – December 4, 2019 MidWeek

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What if we started the school day later for high schoolers in Hawaii? Perhaps we’d see less traffic, fewer accidents, and more convenient pick up times as school day conclusion and (parental) work days would finish at a time closer together. Less time for latch key kids to “hang around.” Less trouble. And yes, we’d need big adjustments, too.

All of the above would be nice gains if the school day started an hour later. Plus, sharper students, more productivity, a better learning environment, and probably higher test scores. Anyone who has driven a child to school from afar can attest to the daily drudgery of getting a teen out of bed, fed (hopefully) and into the car. Drop off lines look line scenes out of “Zombieland,” as cars pull up, kids wake up, and then stumble into classrooms. Tardiness rules, teachers rue, and first period blues are rampant as many kids show up relatively dazed and confused. Talk about not being “woke!”

Oh, and this concept has been instituted in institutions… successfully. In 2016, Seattle schools moved public high school start times from 7:50am to 8:45am. According to NEA Today, kids were more engaged and alert, tardiness and absentee levels decreased, and final grades rose by about 5%. The opportunity for more shuteye helped to alleviate teenage chronic sleep deprivation (fatigue, depression, memory impairment).

As adolescents mature, internal circadian rhythms change. Melatonin (which helps us to sleep) in teens releases later at night than in adults. That’s why they’re wide-eyed at 9 or 10pm as you crash. It’s why Junior sags after getting just six hours of weeknight sleep. And the aforementioned Seattle project showed that the one-hour school day delay was productive, with needy teenagers getting more AM sleep time.

California just signed into place a law for 2022 that mandates that no public high schools (or charter schools) may start classes before 8:30am. More proof? The New York Times recently mentioned a Minnesota 2017 study which showed that after pushing start times later “…students who had more sleep reported better mental health outcomes and less use of substances like alcohol and cigarettes,” plus “…had improved attendance and enrollment rates, and they were less likely to drive while drowsy.” So maybe it’s time for Hawaii, home to horrible traffic and habitually sleepy kids (and parents) to say, “see you later” when it comes to start times at high schools.

Think about it…

This article was first published in the December 4, 2019 Midweek.