Looking back at 5 years of Better Hawaii

We’ve just wrapped up 5 years of Better Hawaii. Thank you for sharing these years with me. This blog let me share my ideas and opinions, but it’s you who really make a difference. I appreciate all of you – followers, commentators, and silent lurkers (come out and join the discussions!).

I am surprised that I have so much to write! Since 2010, I’ve written over 250 articles, covering topics on taxes and business, family and education. I’ve shared 60 book reviews, encouraging people to read and discuss books about Hawaii, about choosing to be happier, and about living a life with aloha.

Every week, Better Hawaii tries to follow these 5 principles:

1. Write with passion. I write about the things I care about.
2. Offer solutions. I share ideas and opinions for making Hawaii better, families stronger, and government more efficient. If I have a complaint, I try to have a possible solution or call to action.
3. Be concise. I try to keep the articles brief, with short paragraphs, so they are easy to read.
4. Proofread. I spend more time than I probably should, editing each article.
5. Respond to readers. I really appreciate it when you read and comment on an article, and I try to reply to each one.

Here are 5 of my favorite posts over the years:

* We’re growing the wrong tax tree (4/6/10). Our current tax system is an overgrown banyan tree, with roots extending down and spreading over the whole economy… It makes more sense to have a tax system like a strong pine tree, simple and orderly. The federal government, which has national responsibilities and a larger tax base, should have lower tax rates. The states, which directly care for citizens but have smaller tax bases, should have higher tax rates and not rely on the federal government for funding.

* Opening different stores by day and night (6/28/11). What if two businesses could share the same location, the same space, but make their businesses totally different from each other? We could start a new trend of “Day and Night” restaurants and stores – one store by day, and a totally different store by night!

* Encouraging strong study habits in Kindergarten (6/5/12).  My son just finished Kindergarten at a Honolulu public school… I thought I’d take a moment to share 5 ways I helped my son build good study habits:

* Kindness matters (11/12/13). November 13 is World Kindness Day. Tomorrow, and every day, let’s brighten someone’s day with small acts of kindness. Whether it’s a smile, a helping hand, or a simple thank you, we can help make the world a better place.

* If Disneyland ran the IRS… (4/15/14). I visited Disneyland and was impressed by their impressive locations and productions, efficient operations, and attention to detail. I started to wonder: how would things change if Disneyland were in charge of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)?

Thank you for being a part of Better Hawaii and helping to make Hawaii better!

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Tags: 5 years, Better Hawaii

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