Why is there a power meter on a crypt at the old Catholic cemetery on King Street?

It was for a groundskeeper's shed that burned down some time ago.

What are those large concrete planter-like objects atop the Ala Moana Center parking lot?

They are air vents for traffic fumes below.

Why hasn't that old ship at Shipwreck Beach on Lanai rusted and fallen apart?

It's a World War II oiler design that was built of ferro-concrete instead of steel. Technically, it's not a shipwreck; the Navy beached it on purpose.

What are those coffee-mug-like deals hanging from traffic-light poles at some intersections?

They're microwave motion-detectors, aimed up the street to see if there's any traffic coming. Or going.

What's that old chimney beside the highway up past Kualoa Ranch on the Windward side?

That and some nearby ruins are all that's left of the short-lived Kualoa Sugar Mill, built to cash in on Union sugar demand during the Civil War.

Atop the hill at Kakaako Waterfront park, what's that big round thing?

Since the hill is dirt heaped on top of rubbish, the designers built a vent to allow decomposition gasses to escape. Sniff it sometime to see if it still works.

As you drive along Kahekili Highway at certain times of day, the shadows are just right to reveal what look like tumbling men designed into the wall, right?

Department of Transportation designers thought it would look cute to have such a design in the wall, which is rendered only by different textures on the stones. But some folks in Kaneohe protested so much that the design was only carried on for half a block.

There are blocks scattered around the University of Hawaii campus with state names on brass plaques. What are these?

After Hawaii statehood, a service club in Manoa counted 50 monkeypod trees along University Avenue and thought it would be appropriate to place state markers at the foot of each one. But they miscounted and wound up with more markers than trees. The blocks were dumped on campus.

How come some streets, such as School, have north and south designations when they don't run in those directions?

It's an arbitrary system that assumes a ground zero, in this case, Nuuanu Avenue, which was considered the heart of Honolulu. These are also streets that run roughly parallel to the coastline.

What are those little yellow spots on my car?

We told you last week, bee poop. We aren't kidding.

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