Topic of the Week: Changing Hawaii

Save Kaimana Beach

What to do about the War Memorial/Natatorium on Kaimana Beach, an unlabeled hazardous collapsing eyesore that's confused tourists and annoyed locals for 25 years? The one that will cost untold millions to rebuild from scratch? How about moving the historic facade inland, providing proper labeling and plaques for the memorial (and possibly building a stage, volleyball court, or other socially useful development around it), restoring the beach (creating an ideal natural swimming channel), and adding restrooms? What's better - a closed, monolithic single-use high-maintenance structure, or an open, mixed-use, environmentally friendly living memorial? People forget about the future: raze the Natatorium now, and if future citizens of Hawaii want to rebuild it, let them, but only when there's enough money and better, more efficient engineering technology than exists today:

Revitalize the Waterfront and Downtown

A conversation with a friend led to a discussion of Irwin Park, the park by Aloha Tower that was originally mandated to be a park but is now a parking lot:

Over the last few years developer Kenneth Hughes has proposed an ambitious redevelopment plan, which would replace the nearby HECO power plant with a real parking garage and build apartments, restaurants, an interisland ferry terminal, and a streetcar line extending to downtown. And Irwin Park would become a real park. It's a great plan that would lead to a "pedestrian-friendly", greener waterfront, a vibrant downtown life, and less dependence on cars:

A good first step: lofts are allowed back in Chinatown! My grandmother was born in a Chinatown loft (which is now Soullenz Gallery) in 1917, above the old family store. Without mixed-use development, I wouldn't be here today:

Save Maui

Land-rich Hawaiians can no longer afford to live on Maui due to zooming property taxes. Such is the inevitable spiral of selling land, development, gentrification, and overcrowding. "We're not developing. We don't have mansion on our property. We just want to live":

Vote

Here's the Hawaii voter registration form:

Here's the Hawaii absentee ballot:

Spray-on microdots reduce car theft:

A new material - "Metal Rubber":

The first(?) chip to use ultrawideband technology:

How ultrawideband technology may change the world - it may be as disruptive as the Internet:

The LED balloon lamp:

"MIT study may hold key to boosting brainpower":

Dopamine blockers turn slackers into workaholics:

New algorithms allow projectors to project clearly on any surface, such as wallpaper and curtains:

Why dynamic languages (still) represent the future of computing (warning: tech-heavy):

A great business model for online publishing - "fast turnaround e-books":

"Modern-Day Slavery"

The Palm Beach Post's report on the sad stories of the many immigrants that struggle to get to and live in America:

Facing competition from Wal-Mart, the #1 toy seller, Toys 'R' Us may go out of business:

Fans at the Olympics will be escorted off the premises if they eat or drink non-sponsored food:

"Fewer college students choose computer majors"

The corporate ownership of computer technology is a large factor. No one wants to (or can get the money to) do pure, essential computer science research:

Fearful of viruses, hospitals running Windows-based medical systems are applying security patches, which themselves may lead to life-threatening situations:

The first mobile phone virus:

E-commerce turns 10. Don't believe the hype-the first secure online Web-based shopping transaction was done via Randy Adams' Internet Shopping Network, which I developed the interface for in 1994:

About the new online TV-show swapping culture:

Are businesses starting to get the clue about global warming?

A core problem: religions take themselves too seriously! They end up emphasizing symbols over ideas:

An analysis of files taken from a hard drive used in Al-Qaeda's operations. Insightful!

Abu Ghraib: "...private-sector employees actively took part in horrifying prisoner abuse". Examines the growing trend of the government to sidestep laws by hiring corporations to do the dirty work:

3D hologram technology becomes a "powerful tool" to detect forgeries:

Our wonderful Presidential candidates:

Retro modern-day ads:

Some of the most untranslatable words in the world:

Lots of nifty rare retro watches:

The detailed pixel art of eboy:

This was popular last week - beautiful aerial photography:

In what may be a first, Warner Brothers encourages the distribution of online album tracks as part of a marketing campaign. Are they starting to get a clue?

The daily adventures of Mixerman are back, the true diaries of a top audio producer in LA. Get the inside story of how the industry works!