Column: ‘O ka pua‘a ‘āhiu, ‘o ke kanaka, ‘a‘ohe wehena i laila
Synopsis: When pigs are confronted by threats to their survival, they tend to flee. Read more
Opinions, guest essays and editorials from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Featuring Kokua Line, Rearview Mirror, David Shapiro, Richard Borreca and others.
Synopsis: When pigs are confronted by threats to their survival, they tend to flee. Read more
The earth hums with a quiet, rhythmic beat somewhere between the heavens and the ground beneath our feet. It is an electromagnetic song, played in the vast space between Earth’s surface and the ionosphere. Read more
It’s sometimes the case that when one of my columns runs, readers send me a story or comment that I didn’t know about previously. Often, they are interesting enough to share with others, as a sort if “P.S.” Here are three postscripts to the original stories. Read more
Question: I went to the Manoa library Saturday, and it was closed for Presidents Day. It was also closed Monday for the actual holiday. The Kaimuki library was closed Sunday, and closed Monday for the actual holiday. I’m curious as to why the public libraries seem to get two to three days off for one holiday. Read more
Question: I am three years away from collecting Social Security, after paying Social Security taxes my whole working life, and I am concerned about what Elon Musk is doing over there. I don’t take it lightly when the head of an agency quits rather than comply with what they consider improper demands. What can we do? Anything? Read more
These days, owning a decent cellphone is not only handy, it’s essential. As Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher said, “It hurts to be in the technological slow lane.” Read more
If you are a fan of all University of Hawaii sports, these are good times. Read more
Question: We drove past Honolulu Hale over the weekend and noticed that those ugly metal arches left over from Honolulu City Lights are still up. When will they be taken away? Read more
Five years ago, three friends engaged in a chicken-or-egg discussion. Read more
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Question: How do I determine the car registration fee from taxes on the total cost of registration? Read more
Most people I know wish they could have one more conversation with a friend, a family member or a loved one who has passed. Read more
Question: When a vehicle runs a red light and the license plate number is recorded on camera, does the system also check if the registration is current? Read more
Many folks against gambling for moral reasons step up to speak against bills. Their stories are always very sad, and are usually based on addiction and/or violence. Read more
We surely need to make our government leaner and more efficient, but there are decent and orderly ways that acknowledge the humanity of those losing their livelihoods. Read more
In what has been described as a “multi-pronged attack,” President Donald Trump is intensifying his criticism of the news media. Read more
Synopsis: Even when our intent is to honor traditional place names, and the stories that go along with them, that intent can be undermined by confusion. Read more
Two weeks ago I wrote about the Moanalua Golf Course and whether aviator Amelia Earhart landed a plane on its third fairway in the 1930s. (I concluded it was probable but not conclusive.) Read more
Question: An eligibility check on the IRS.gov website indicates that Hawaii is not one of the 25 states participating in the “IRS Direct File” online income tax filing program for federal returns. Why not, and is there any plan to participate in the future? Read more
Question: In the last year, at various times not all the blue or green bins were picked up with the rest of our street. Three things have happened. We brought our bin in; the next day the remaining blue bins on the street were picked up. We left our bin outside for a later pickup; one week later our bin was still on the curb. Read more
Winning streak? What winning streak? “But I do remember who beats us,” University of Hawaii women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman said. “That includes Long Beach State.” Read more
Question: How did we run out of the new license plates so fast? Didn’t they just start adding the okina this year? Read more