For centuries, people around the world knew that chewing on the bark of certain willow trees could ease the pain of a toothache or a migraine. By the mid-19th century, scientists in France and Germany had isolated the chemical, salicylic…
Welcome to the Class of 2014. Kamana Beamer Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Age: 37 Kamana Beamer says there were two defining moments in his life. The first was his parents’ divorce when he was…
It’s sometimes easy to believe the famous saying: Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door. But when the market is already full of mousetraps, and your R&D is better than your marketing, that…
Geothermal (November 2013 issue) Your report on geothermal energy failed to make some very important points about why geothermal would improve the quality of life for all of us in Hawaii. • Geothermal is used worldwide and can be applied…
2014 appears to be a crucial year for the Neighbor Islands. The future of agriculture is being passionately debated, tourism is at a crossroads, and the sources of county revenue are up in the air. Hawaii Business interviewed the three Neighbor Island…
Why do families end up homeless? One big reason is they have no savings, so when a crisis hits – getting laid off or paying a big bill – they don’t have a couple thousand dollars in the bank to…
Friday, 11:45 a.m. Cake Couture, Aina Haina Photo by Rae Huo Carmen Emerson-Bass, baker/owner of Cake Couture, applies the finishing touches to a batch of red velvet cupcakes, the bakery’s most popular flavor. The company specializes in cupcakes, but also makes…
Question: What are the best retirement plans for the self-employed? Answer: If you are self-employed or have a side business in addition to another job, the best retirement-savings options are solo 401(k) plans (either Roth or regular) or a…
The best political candidate in the world might get nowhere without a team of marketing, direct-mail, advertising, polling and other professionals to help refine the message and effectively deliver it to voters. It’s an election year and Alan Tang is…
It may seem incongruent to have a smartphone app about ancient Hawaiian fishponds. But, if you think about it, both apps and fishponds are technological achievements of their time. Marrying them makes it easier for people to learn about an ancient…
If “opera” brings to mind a tuxedo or a black dress and pearls, Hawaii Opera Theatre has a date for you: opening nights on Fridays. But if you feel younger or edgier than black tie, new executive director Simon Crookall suggests…
Sometimes, we’re so used to thinking of Hawaii as an economic and political backwater that we forget the Islands have a key role to play in the Pacific Basin. For example, the Northeast Asia Economic Forum is an international organization…