I'LL DRINK TO THAT

Lucky we live Honolulu

Honolulu's tap water is among the best in the nation and is tested for impurities more frequently than tap water in most major U.S. cities. Those are among the latest findings of the Environmental Working Group, the Washington, D.C.-based group that reported over the summer that chemical levels in bottled water—for which people shell out big bucks—are rarely disclosed to consumers. Bottom line: Oahu's municipal water supply is tightly regulated and frequently tested, and consumers can feel confident that they are getting good stuff straight from the tap.

COLD REALITY

The weather's messing with us

Global warming? Trying selling that to the folks in southern Florida rushing out to buy space heaters.

But climate experts note that 2009 ranks among the 10 warmest years for Earth since 1880, and insist that the Arctic blast now sweeping the globe—including two-thirds of the continental United States—is merely a blip in a long-term heating trend. In other words, they're telling global-warming skeptics to chill out.

BANK ON IT

'Boring is good'

Slow and steady wins the race.

Just ask that tortoise—or in this case, the banking world's equivalent: Bank of Hawaii.

Forbes magazine has named Bankoh the nation's top-performing bank, an honor Bankoh Chairman Al Landon says the bank did not seek but certainly appreciates. Amid last year's dismal news of bank tanks and dubious bailouts nationwide, Bankoh stood out for its conservative management and solid credit quality.

“;It's not just us, it's also Wall Street that says Bank of Hawaii ... is the strongest bank out there,”; said Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes reporter.

Joke what you will about bankers and accountants—but as Landon tells Forbes: “;Boring is good.”;