When lives feel hollow, dopamine comes cheap: riskier thrills, faster rewards. The state’s fix? More cops, more drones—not solutions. Peak America. Happy birthday, indeed.

When we have money to fund tax credits for powerful film studios, but no money to invest in tax credits for our keiki, the lines between fictional exploitation and the dismal reality of life start to feel blurred. Are we not, in fact, living The White Lotus?

There are always winners and losers in every proposed budget, but some of the guests at this year’s budget banquet might be consuming more than makes sense, while others could use more than breadcrumbs.

The knee-jerk reaction of government officials to an outbreak of violence on the underserved, neglected West Side communities of Oʻahu is to prescribe more police. A better solution would be to create a society in which folks can prosper in happiness.

On the recently-passed, governor-backed income tax cut bill the Hawaiʻi State Legislature approved. The benefits of the tax cut will mostly flow to the wealthiest households in the state, while working families will see only meager savings.