Getting prepped for Obamacare

The folks at ThinkTech Hawaii think of stuff other than tech. The topic of the nonprofit’s monthly panel discussion set for Thursday at the Plaza Club is on the affordability of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

ThinkTech is partnering the event with the Hawaii Venture Capital Association (reservations for the lunch event are through hvca.org), looking at issues of broad business concern. And few topics get the business class chattering like health care reform, especially with the full roll-out starting in about six months and insurance enrollment even sooner.

The panel roster reads like a Hawaii health reform who’s-who, starting with the moderator (Hawaii Pacific Health’s Virginia Pressler) and Tom Matsuda, the governor’s ACA implementation manager. So after scribbling your question on a note card, it will be reasonable to expect answers here.

Danger lurks in Hawaii’s outdoors

The tragic deaths of two hikers on Oahu this weekend remind us yet again that Hawaii’s seductive beauty can be a siren song for disaster.

This is abundantly evident on Oahu’s many hiking trails, some of them private and poorly maintained. The quest for spectacular views takes hikers on narrow, crumbly ridge trails with steep dropoffs sometimes hidden under thick foliage. One of the victims, a 23-year-old woman, fell 300 feet. The other victim, a 70-year-old man, fell 20 to 30 feet, although it’s not clear if he died from the fall or a medical condition.

There are safety options. Stick to the state’s Na Ala Hele trail system, for trails that are sanctioned and maintained. Hike with organized groups, such as the Sierra Club or Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club.

Most of all, be informed. Here’s a good place to start: http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/pdf/brochures/HikingSafety.pdf.