THIS OLD HOUSE

Classic house caught in snag

A bidding and contracting snafu is delaying renovation of College Hill for several months. In the meantime, incoming UH President M.R.C. Greenwood, who starts Aug. 24, will get a $5,000 monthly housing allowance until repairs are done, perhaps in January.

Yes, the president's Manoa house is 117 years old. But didn't College Hill undergo a $1 million renovation in 2001? In today's financial climate, especially, that's hard to forget. Let's just hope that this latest round of work—tagged at $273,000—will get finished ahead of schedule.

BACK TO SCHOOL

G.I.s benefit from bill

The updated G.I. bill providing college tuition for eligible veterans and dependents is a boon to military recruiting, educational institutions and, more importantly, the individual soldiers themselves. Perhaps the greatest benefit will be to the country overall, as another generation of U.S. soldiers receives the caliber of schooling that catapulted the World War II-era troops the original bill benefited to the forefront of American politics, industry and culture.

TIME IN A BOTTLE

The future is now

Let's see: Cell phones and Blue-Tooth sets, schematics of Oahu's proposed rail transit project, sheafs of plunging economic forecasts.

Those objects could start up a time capsule of life in Hawaii today, a frozen-in-moment collection that reflects issues of the day and shows how we're living.

As part of the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood, 50 time capsules are currently being assembled and will be opened in 25 years. Seven of them will contain memorabilia contributed by the public and will be buried at the state Capitol.

Small items can be dropped off at the governor's office during regular business hours. And of course, no time capsule would be complete without editions of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.