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To Our Readers
I actually arrived at the Capitol for the governor's annual State of the State message to the Legislature four days early. My calendar mix-up might have been caused by overanticipation, but it's more likely the antihistamine I've been taking for allergies induced the confusion. Awaiting Ben’s
propitious views(I used to think I was mainly allergic to vog. Today, my list of suspected allergens includes every mango tree in Hawaii, although my nose starts to run whenever I hear the word "millennium.")
Two years ago, I predicted Gov. Cayetano's State of the State message would be upbeat, since he was running for re-election. Although he'd just shaved off his mustache, things were otherwise looking bleak. Today, the mustache is back, but the outlook is actually brighter. There's a new spirit of hope abroad, thanks in part to the man KHPR radio's Bob Rees identified Wednesday as Coach "Jimmy" Jones.
When House Speaker Calvin Say introduced the new deans of the University of Hawaii medical and business schools to legislators on opening day of the Legislature this week, they won polite applause, but when he asked June Jones to stand, the chamber exploded with appreciation. Hawaii knows a winner when it sees one -- in fact, as former Bishop Estate trustees know, we don't abide losers.
Perhaps Hawaii's motto should be changed from "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono" to "Worst to first," but considering the state of the economy and education -- unemployment, job growth, SAT scores and such -- that seems like a reach. There are so many areas where we are struggling to achieve mediocrity, let alone excellence.
Still, people are mulling over what to call the post 1990s -- the post post-Cold War era. The old rules, models and numbers no longer fit. There's a sense of new possibility, potential and opportunity.
Let's hope Da Gov can express some of that on Monday morning and that his State of the State message will soar like an illegal skyrocket. We don't need a dud.
John Flanagan is editor and publisher of the Star-Bulletin.
To reach him call 525-8612, fax to 523-8509, send
e-mail to publisher@starbulletin.com or write to
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802.