 O.C. 16, Hawaii's weekly newscast on things that matter to tech and to Hawaii. I'm Elise Anderson. And I'm Helen Dora-Heiden. In our show this time, we'll take a look at some of our most recent video commentaries. In its efforts to raise public awareness, ThinkTech encourages its hosts to express their views. And we wanted to give you a sampling of what they've had to say. ThinkTech produces some 30 talk shows every week in our downtown studio. In addition, we record, produce and accept commentaries on public issues, and we want to bring them to you. So for this show, we've chosen five popular commentaries plus a staff pick to share with you. These commentaries are as follows. Commentary number one, a commentary on Trump-Loy on ThinkTech regarding distractions from the White House. This is Trump-Loy on ThinkTech, connecting the dots on what our president is doing and how it compares with what has gone before and what it portends for the future. It's not a pretty picture. It's no joke that Donald Trump is at the center of the first dozen headlines on any given day. After all, he works at it and cares deeply about himself and his ratings. Shades again of the apprentice. Some of these headlines seem to be make work, not only to bring attention to himself but to distract us from the other things he is doing. What he is doing with the hand behind his back, which he really doesn't want us to know about. It's the height of demagoguery and he's good at it. This week, he resumed his attack on Hillary Clinton, continuing the election drama, however inconsequential at this point. Could he be hiding something, trying to throw us off? The press seizes on all his zigzag bait. But what about focusing on the matters of real concern about the matters that really affect our country and our future? And this week, he quote, declared opioids a public health emergency. When did he become aware of that? At a time when he is regularly victimizing immigrants, minorities and the press, encouraging nuclear proliferation, ignoring flood victims and undermining health coverage for millions, do you really think he cares about opioids? Rather, he is camouflaging what he's doing to rip off the middle class with a huge tax break for the rich and to move the hot light away from the central threat he faces, the investigation of how he collaborated with Russia to manipulate the vote. And reason indictments over that. He's brilliant at changing the subject and feeding the press with a showman's parade of lies and irrelevancies. That said, now we can surely expect new distractions. Simply stated, as Americans, our job and civic obligation is to be informed and not to be misled, to separate the wheat from the chaff, to know when he is distracting us, and to find out what he is distracting us from and why, and to focus on the reality rather than the smoke screen. Anyway, thanks for watching Trump Loy. We'll be back with more as the Trump administration further unfolds and unravels going forward. Commentary number two. A commentary by Craig Wagner on resistance to immunizing the children in our community. I'm Craig Wagner, and I want to talk to you a bit about immunizing your cakey. Should you do it? Well, in a word, yes. Now this doesn't seem like it should be a real issue or question anymore, a no-brainer, right? I mean, should I drink half my weight in beer? No. Should I wear a thong bathing suit to the beach? No. Should I expose my child to life-threatening illnesses that are completely preventable? No. But it still is an issue. And despite the fact that the primary reasons proffered by anti-vaccinators and disproven time and again, people are still telling their pediatricians in schools that they don't want to vaccinate their children. Now look, for many of you, this is not an issue because over 90% of the population has been vaccinated for most of the primary diseases for which vaccinations are available. Those include polio, DDP, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, chickenpox, and MMR, measles, mumps, and rubella. That still leaves a large number of people that are not vaccinated, increasing the likelihood of an outbreak of serious illness. In fact, we're seeing an outbreak of mumps in Hawaii right now. You know who's not contracting mumps? That's right, the people who are immunized. We do so many things for our children that it seems almost unfathomable that someone would intentionally refuse to have their child protected from these preventable diseases. Those that do are adamant to the point of being combative about their position. And they must have strong reasons for doing this. So let's look at the top three reasons anti-vaccinators cite for refusing to inoculate their kids. And we'll start with the biggest one first. The first reason is, I heard it causes autism. This is absolutely false. Well, okay, not absolutely. You did hear that. It was said by someone and passed around for a while as fact. That someone was Andrew Wakefield. He published a study many years back claiming a leak between the MMR vaccine and autism. The problem was it was only based on a sampling of eight kids who follow any of the methodology or protocols generally required for anyone to even consider it science. But it was picked up and put in a medical journal at that time. And that gave it the air of fact. Since that time Andrew Wakefield's study was completely debunked and disproven by numerous other studies on large segments of the population. Those studies time and time again demonstrated that there is absolutely no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. And if you're wondering why I'm not referring to him as Dr. Wakefield, well that's because as a result of his pseudoscience and the debacle that followed, the medical journal that printed his article was forced to print a retraction. And Andrew Wakefield was stripped of his medical license. Yet the damage was done because nowadays people citing autism as a reason for refusing the MMR vaccine for their kids just say, I heard it caused autism with no idea where it came from or whether there's any real science behind that statement. And I've heard something really should not be a reason for doing or not doing anything. At least not something as important as immunizing your kids. Now the second reason that we often hear is it's just a money-making propaganda for doctors in big pharmaceutical companies. Okay, here's why I have to give a bit of a disclaimer. My wife is a pediatrician. Oh and my father is a doctor and so is my sister and her husband. I'm not a doctor, although at this point I'd certainly be willing to play one on TV. What I can tell you is that these kind of vaccinations for kids are no money-maker, which is why my wife's still driving her 10-year-old minivan with a dent inside. And don't get me wrong, pharmaceuticals make a lot of money, absurd amounts of money. But they primarily get that from selling drugs that make things hard or soft. The MMR vaccine and others like it are not money-makers and actually cause pediatricians more than they're able to get reimbursed by insurance. Given the choice, doctors and pharmaceutical companies would concentrate on other things and drop these vaccinations in a heartbeat. The last reason that people cite is that famous people have said that the MMR vaccine causes autism. This is by far the stupidest reason I've ever heard from refusing to vaccinate your child. But people like Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey have been publicly trying to persuade people that these vaccinations are bad and may cause autism. Now as an initial matter, I don't think you should ever take medical advice from a guy who started dumb and dumber. But more importantly, these people haven't added anything to the debate other than repeating false signs and being famous. I mean for goodness sakes, Donald Trump has taken a stand as an anti-vaccinator and if that isn't a reason for getting your kid to the pediatrician and getting them vaccinated, I don't know what is. Now look, and I'm talking to those of you on the fence or to consider yourself anti-vaccination. There are a lot of things out there that are dangerous to your kids and your family. You have the right and responsibility to be on the lookout and to look into everything. But the MMR vaccine and other standard vaccinations are not one of those dangerous things. In this day and age, the reason the leading causes of death in America are things like heart disease, cancer, and accidents is that we are not having mass epidemics of disease that wipe out thousands and even millions of people. And the reason for that is vaccines. So do the right thing. Don't use your child's health as a testing ground for propaganda and your right to take a stand. Have your child immunized. Hey, thanks for watching. I'm Craig White. Commentary number three, a commentary by our host, Seymour Kazimurski, in which he gives us some new year's advice for 2018. To all my family and friends around the world, it's time to say aloha, au revoir, au videsaigne, sayonara, arrivederci, d'os vedaniya, jayan, to 2017. With what we've seen of weather disasters, economic problems, and difficulties in our cities, there are likely many of us who would say good riddance to 2017. But let's not forget some of the good news, such as the encouraging stirrings and revolutions for democracy that we're seeing in some countries. There are also studies indicating that violence is generally decreasing in tangible ways. And in the debates and protests around the globe, I have been struck by the tremendous heart evident in people. In light of such things, along with what hopes we still have within us, maybe we can begin to see in this past year something of the promise of good that's already here. Sure, hope isn't enough to help someone recover after a disaster, but let's consider where things can go when we see our lives from the standpoint that we control our own destiny and we can discover the true meaning and purpose of our lives. This year has had its challenges for me, including my personal health challenges, but it then recently occurred to me that I was overly swayed by the bad news going on and not swayed enough by the promise of what I was able to discover in all the good around me. This realization was a powerful turning point for me, from which I went forward and found ways to make a difference in my year, and I would like to think in the lives of those around me. It's in this spirit that I've thought of the past year as really having been full of promise, a positive view of things makes all the different. It's this lens that enables us to stay above the fray, harvest the good of the present, and so best prepare for tomorrow. Are we waiting for good to come along from somewhere else? Are we focused on ways we haven't seen the good we want? Or rather, are we trying to see more of the good that is already around us? Truly, the good that's in store for us is not something that's yet to be created. It's ready for us to see, take hold of, and do what is best for ourselves and others around us. We're learning about what works in life, and maybe plenty about what doesn't work, and there's enough going on to suggest that we'll continue to gain in our role as good people doing the right thing to make our world a better place. So my friends, I look forward to your great anticipation to 2018. For me, a year of promise. For you, and for the world, because the beginning starts with you and with me. Looking forward to hearing from you, please be safe, and may God bless you with good health and the spirit of giving. Aloha and Happy New Year from the Kazimerskis and Seymour's World. Commentary number four, Commentary by our host, Kilii Akina, on the pilot project for rideshares by Uber and others at the airport. I'm Kilii Akina, and although I'm a trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the President of the Grassroot Institute, the comments I make to you today are in my private capacity, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any institution. Hawaii took the long route to increasing consumer choice at the airport, but finally we've arrived there, or at least we're getting there. After a lengthy negotiation, Uber and Lyft permission to pick up passengers from two designated areas at Inouye International Airport. Now, for travelers frustrated by long lines and lack of options, the absence of the two popular ridesharing companies was very confusing. Why limit a transportation option at a major vacation destination when other airports are doing it all the time? Well, the answer comes down to regulation. Because taxi companies in Hawaii are heavily regulated, they protested, and probably rightly so, the fact that Uber and Lyft were not forced to compete on the same playing field. The best solution from a free market perspective would be to reexamine and ease the regulatory burden on cab companies as well. But the state went a different route, often spread red tape around a bit more. So like taxi drivers, Uber and Lyft drivers will have to pay for the privilege of picking up airport passengers. The pilot program requires the rideshare drivers to pay 7% of each fare to the Department of Transportation at the airport's division. But rideshare drivers are still not allowed to solicit customers, and they cannot wait at the airport. They're limited to prearranged pickups only. Uber estimates that a ride from the airport to downtown will cost about $17 to Waikiki about $24, and to Kapolei it will run about $36. Well, more competition does mean that customers should benefit from shorter waits at the airport. And while this is a trial program for now, if things go well, the temporary three-month permit could become permanent. It's at least an important first step toward increasing consumer choice, along with creating new jobs and opportunities in Hawaii. However, we shouldn't forget the fact that the state regulations load availability of ridesharing in the first place. And the reality is this, if Hawaii wants to remain economically competitive, we should be looking for ways to decrease state involvement in the market, both for cabs and other rideshare vehicles, and not weigh everyone down equally. But that's probably good enough for now. Commentary number five, a commentary by our host Marcia Joyner on the recent mental health escapee and what she feels is wrong with our state health department. What is wrong with the health department? How is it they allow a young man who's been locked up for 30, 40 years at the state mental hospital to leave to walk away to get a cab, to get a charter plane to take him to Maui, and from Maui to California. Every time I go on the plane, I have to have a picture ID, I have to have a credit card and a passport. And then they go through all your bags and they do all of this stuff. How did he get that when he's been in the hospital for 40 years? How did all that happen? The only way that happens when he walked away from the hospital, he didn't have all that and somewhere along the line and can you pick up the phone and call and say I want a charter plane, meet me at the airport? How does that work? And now the health department is telling us they can't talk about it. The health department has messed up this whole thing with cannabis, medical cannabis. They really screwed up last year with the hepatitis A. They didn't tell us about it until it was well out of hand. We still don't know what's going on with the mumps. They have dropped the ball. They did not pass. The health department did not pass on their inspection of nursing homes. We passed the legislation for cannabis in year 2002 and they still haven't gotten the dispensaries and things up. What is wrong with the health department? If you're going to vote and you must, or governor, you tell whoever is running for governor that they have to get a handle on the health department. And our staff pick a commentary by concerned citizen Sarah Fairchild on how homeowners can inadvertently lose the benefit of the homeowner exemption. If you are a Honolulu County homeowner who lives in your home the majority of the year, it's time to file for the homeowner's exemption on the city and county website realpropertyhonolulu.com before the September 30th deadline. This is particularly important if you are a first-time owner or an owner who has recently moved back into your home. It doesn't hurt to fill it out again if you're not sure if you have it. This is how the home exemption works. The basic home exemption of $80,000 is deducted from the government's assessed value of the property and the homeowner is taxed on the lower value remaining. The property must be classified as residential to get the home exemption. When the homeowner does not live on the property because it is a rental property or a second home, the wording changes subtly to residential A. There is then no $80,000 exemption and the property is taxed at a higher rate. The application process for the exemption on realpropertyhonolulu.com amounts to little more than checking some boxes. However, if those boxes are not checked by the time the clock strikes midnight on September 30th, your property bill grows substantially. The city does notify you by a line item on your tax appraisal statement of your exemption status and is supposed to send you a letter if your status changes. However, for the average person not trained in real estate or tax code, it is easy to miss this change which can cost you thousands of dollars. Many people who pay property taxes through their mortgage companies do not even discover an error until several months later when the lender sends them a bill to close shortage. If you do not file the exemption by the September 30th deadline, it is almost impossible to get the exemption retroactively even if you can prove with evidence that you are living on your property. This is a major flaw of the city and county ordinance that needs to be changed. If you make a mistake in filing taxes, you should have to pay a fine perhaps, but not be subject to paying thousands of dollars extra in taxes as though the error is the reality. More to come about that subject in a future episode of Think Tech Hawaii. You can find the links to these commentaries in our daily email advisories. If you don't get our daily email advisories, you can sign up to get them on our homepage, ThinkTechHawaii.com And these are only samplings of our many commentaries. There are, of course, many more. To see them all, go to the commentaries playlist on youtube.com slash Think Tech Hawaii. Great diversity, great community, great content at Think Tech. And if you'd like to make a commentary on Think Tech yourself to raise public awareness on current issues and events affecting our lives together in these islands, please write to us at ShowsAtThinkTechHawaii.com If you have any questions or comments about these or our other commentaries or shows, please let us know. And yes, it's okay to share them with your friends and colleagues. Thanks so much for watching and for supporting our efforts at Think Tech. Living in this crazy world So far up in the confusion Nothing is making sense Loha Kakao I am Andrea, I am from Italy and I've been studying and working here in Hawaii for more than three years for my PhD. Hawaii is home to a truly fantastic community of middle and high school students. And did you know some of them are currently out there, right now, using their free time to invent new quantum computers? And did you know some of them are exploring cyber security and the new frontiers of robotics? I am just always amazed as I talk to them at science fairs. There's more. Did you know that these students are coming here on Think Tech Hawaii to share their story with us? Come and join the new young talents making wayshow and discover how these students are shaping our future. Starting on February the 6th every Tuesday at 11am only here at Think Tech Hawaii Mahalo. Oh, hi guys. It's RB Kelly. I'm your host of Out of the Comfort Zone where I find cool people with cool solutions to problems that all of us face. Now the thing is we're really cool and I only invite really cool people but the thing is I think you're kind of cool too so I think you should come and watch. That Thursdays at 11am here on OC16 television with Think Tech Hawaii I'm RB Kelly, host of Out of the Comfort Zone and I will see you next Thursday. Aloha. I'm Winston Welch and every other Monday at 3pm you can join me at Out and About a show where we explore a variety of topics organizations, events and the people who fuel them in our city state, country and world. So please join us every other Monday at 3pm and we'll see you then. Aloha. And now let's check out our Think Tech schedule of events going forward. Think Tech broadcasts talk shows live on the internet from 11am to 5pm on the week days then we broadcast our earlier shows all night long and on the weekends and some people listen to them all night long and on the weekends. If you missed a show or if you want to replay or share any of our shows they're all archived on demand on ThinkTechHawaii.com and YouTube. For our audio stream go to ThinkTechHawaii.com slash audio shows as podcasts and iTunes. Visit ThinkTechHawaii.com for our weekly calendar and live stream and YouTube links, or better yet sign up on our email list and get our daily email advisories. Think Tech has a high tech green screen studio at Pioneer Plaza. If you want to see it or be part of our live audience or if you want to participate in our programs contact shows at ThinkTechHawaii.com If you want to pose a question or make a comment during a show call 808-374-2014 and help us raise public awareness on ThinkTech. 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We'd like to know how you feel about the issues and events that affect our lives together in these islands and in this country. We want to stay in touch with you and we'd like you to stay in touch with us. Let's think together. We'll be right back to wrap up this week's edition of ThinkTech but first we want to thank our underwriters. Collateral Analytics The Cook Foundation The Hawaii Council of Associations of Apartment Owners Hawaii Energy The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum The Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology Hawaiian Electric Companies The High-Tech Development Cooperation Galen Ho of BAE Systems Integrated Security Technologies Kamehameha Schools Dwayne Kurisu Calamon Lee and the Friends of ThinkTech MW Group Limited The Schuyler Family Foundation The Sydney Stern Memorial Trust The Volo Foundation Yuriko J. Sugimura Okay, Helen. That wraps up this week's edition of ThinkTech. Remember, you can watch ThinkTech on Spectromosi 16 several times every week. Can't get enough of it just like Helen does. For additional times, check out OC16.TV. For lots more ThinkTech videos and for underwriting and sponsorship opportunities on ThinkTech, visit ThinkTechHawaii.com. Be a guest or a host, a producer or an intern, and help us reach and have an impact on Hawaii. Thanks so much for being part of our ThinkTech family and for supporting our open discussion of tech, energy, diversification and global awareness in Hawaii and of course the ongoing search for innovation wherever we can find it. You can watch this show throughout the week and tune in next Sunday evening for our next important weekly episode. I'm Elise Anderson. And I'm Helen Dora Haydn. Aloha everyone!