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"The 18 Worst Things About Hawaii " Topic


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2,171 hits since 25 Feb 2014
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11th ACR25 Feb 2014 2:05 p.m. PST

(No Really)
link

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP25 Feb 2014 2:19 p.m. PST

Just the kind of tripe I would expect from Arianna Huffington.

Last Hussar25 Feb 2014 4:14 p.m. PST

What's your problem with the article, I thought it was amusing.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP25 Feb 2014 5:59 p.m. PST

It's more the Huffington Post, which uses the same tortured logic and misrepresentation when it addresses social issues as it does in this fluff piece. And, after all, this is on the ranting board. :)

The G Dog Fezian25 Feb 2014 6:18 p.m. PST

In fairness, the traffic in Honolulu was pretty bad.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP25 Feb 2014 6:53 p.m. PST

Yeah, the traffic in Honolulu is slow, but …
… Honolulu isn't Hawaii
… the amount of construction and road quality is better than a lot of places I've been
… only 50-60% in Hawaii drive to work
… Hawaii is in the lower half of traffic fatalities & injuries
… I would characterize the drivers as less aggressive and more frequently following the rules of the road than most cities
… pedestrians actually use the crosswalks and wait for the lights, even at 0630
… you could pretty much pick any city on Earth and find one statistic that makes it in the top ten worst of some category

Sergeant Paper25 Feb 2014 7:11 p.m. PST

Here's the list, with comments:

1. The traffic is soul-crushing

True. So what. Unless you live on the big island, you aren't going very far anyway. It just can't suck for very long.

2. Radio station monotony

True. but you aren't in the car very long, so you can't get too bored.

3. You're not allowed to complain … about anything

This just a lie. An outright lie. Bitch away, we all do.

4. You have to be swimsuit ready all.year.round

Baloney. Remember that Hawaii is the state that provided TWO sumo Grand Champions. Fat, skinny, we don't care what you look like at the beach. Double that if you're a tourist.
YOU might worry, we no care…

5. It's a revolving door

Yes and no. Its an expensive move – you can't just load up a U-Haul and drive out of state. And most of us LIKE it here. Yes, people will leave, but unless you are in a transient segment (like the military, or students), most of your friends aren't going to be constantly leaving

6. The cost of living is ridiculous

True, though I prefer to think of it as "nearly everywhere else is cheaper"…

7. Shark attacks become a real and everyday fear

Well, it is true you CAN get attacked, but I think we can probably name every one of the victims, in spite of being surrounded by the entire Pacific. Sharks don't lurk offshore like Jaws, they hardly ever bite people, you are much more likely to get hit by a car than bitten by a shark. So no, it isn't anything like everyday fear.

8. You can't escape people

Seriously? You aren't trying, knucklehead. I guarantee I've managed to lose contact with some people here. We have only one big city, and 8 counties. Its a small town state, so yes, you may run into people again, though it depends on where you go, just like in any other community.

9. One word: Vog
"Allergy season is all year round and unpredictable. And instead of pollen causing your itchy eyes, it's vog: the volcanic smog that wafts over from the Big Island."

As opposed to SMOG, that you get all year round on the Mainland? I'll live with occasional vog, instead of near permanent smog like I saw in California.

10. Sun guilt
"This might sound made up, but it's a real thing in Hawaii. Some days, you just want to stay on the couch all day and binge on Netflix. Hawaii's sun and active lifestyle, however, will make you feel guilty for being lazy -- which, as we all know, almost defies the restorative power of lazy days."

Seriously? Rubbish! What part of 'lying around at the beach lifestyle' don't you understand? If you feel guilty for taking it easy in any way, you are definitely from OUT OF STATE.

11. You'll never see a big concert again

For which I blame Ticketmaster. We do GET big shows, I just can't afford to go see them.

12. If you're not an avid surfer, yogi or other outdoor enthusiast, you will, at one point or another, feel like a second class citizen.

Knucklehead. Rubbish! What part of 'lying around at the beach lifestyle' don't you understand? If you feel guilty for taking it easy in any way, you are definitely from OUT OF STATE.

13. Say hasta la vista to quality Mexican food

That's just wrong. I can walk to two EXCELLENT Mexican restaurants from my house, easily as good as fine Mexican establishments I've dined in in Texas, Arizona, or California… and there are more good Mexican joints, those are just the closest to my house.

14. You'll work as a tour guide all the time -- but you'll never get paid

So what? I get another excuse to go to my favorite beach, or visit the Arizona Memorial, or drive up the Waimea Canyon road. We love it here, it isn't a drag to show off cool stuff. And it isn't like we get folks driving out on the weekend – you need to spend serious money to visit Hawaii, so no, it certainly isn't "tour guide all the time."

15. It's quite possible you'll live on a road that none of your friends on the mainland can pronounce
Ki'i'oni'oni Loop, anyone? Ma'ipalaoa Road? Ki'ona'ole Road?

Let me help you. KEE-EE-ONI-ONI LOOP. MA-EE-PA-LO-A Road. KEE-ONA-OLAY Road. All the letters are pronounced. Its not that hard.

16. You'll develop an apathy towards current events

Like snow. Or Tornadoes. We do get CNN out here, we can keep up with national news, at least what affects us. But yeah, we are two THOUSAND miles away from Hollywood, and double that from New Yawk or DC, so pardon me if I find those places less interesting or newsworthy.

17. You'll never get dressed up again

Lie. You CAN get dressed up here, but remember – it is a small town state, one big city only, which means fewer dressup occasions. And thank GHAWD that Aloha shirts are formal wear here. I may never have to wear a tie again EVER!

18. Island fever
"It's real, people. You will, at one point or another, really miss things like road trips, weekend getaways that aren't to another island, and unpredictable weather. And, if you don't get them, you might start to feel a bit stir crazy…"

Partial lie. There are folks here (like in any small-town environment) that have never left the COUNTY (one of the guys at the gym, some of my classmates). That means they have never left Oahu to go to another island, let alone out of state. Personally, I like to travel out of state once in a while.

Space Monkey25 Feb 2014 7:31 p.m. PST

19. Wo Fat and his evil schemes

11th ACR25 Feb 2014 7:54 p.m. PST

You make it what you want it to be.
I was there for three and one half years back in the mid 80's.
I loved it. But I was a single twenty something Army Sgt living the good life.
Drinking every night and parting every weekend.
You looked forward to deployments because you got off the islands for a month or so.

Well here are a few more links to the subject.

Enjoy.

PS I hate Arianna Huffington, and the Huffington Post as well but when your on AOHELL that's what news it comes with when you sign on.


10 Worst Things about Living in Honolulu.
link

Don't Come! – A Dozen Reasons Not to Move to Hawaii.
link

The Best and Worst of Living in Hawaii.
link

10 Things you should know before moving to Hawaii.
link

Hawaii sucks.
link

Why Hawaii Living Isn't Really Paradise
link

Hawaii…One Army Wife's Thoughts on Why She Hates Living Here!
link

Sergeant Paper25 Feb 2014 11:42 p.m. PST

The common thread in these is TRANSIENTS. Mostly military dependents. Here's a shock – EVERY place I was stationed in the military wasn't paradise. More so if I didn't bother trying to adapt to the locals, because I knew I'd be moving on to another duty station.

So yes, there are aspects of Hawaii that suck. But this chorus of whiners is just that.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP26 Feb 2014 3:14 a.m. PST

The common thread in these is TRANSIENTS.

I disagree. I think the common thread is lousy reporting. You could not just pick an area and find a metric to make it the worst, you could pick any one of the listed problem areas and apply it anywhere.

I think the one that really ticked me off enough to post was

15. It's quite possible you'll live on a road that none of your friends on the mainland can pronounce
Ki'i'oni'oni Loop, anyone? Ma'ipalaoa Road? Ki'ona'ole Road

When the Huffster can pronounce Algonquin names, I might start to listen. Seriously, one of my dad's (used to be mine, too) entertainment venues is listening to the local college NPR station. You get college kids who aren't from the local area reading the news about the Mongolia (Monongahela) River and the Allegation (Allegheny) River. He needs his oxygen bottle if there is ever news from Mommy (Maumee) or Gallipolis (an entire other ethnicity, for which I can't transliterate the butchering).

Honestly, I don't care if you don't learn the local language. I don't care if you mispronounce words from a different language, or very different phonology. Lots of people all around the world do just that. It does bother me when you make fun of other people because they are different from you.

Oddball26 Feb 2014 5:55 a.m. PST

I plan on moving to Hawaii for at least a year after I retire.

Only been there once, but always wanted to live there for a bit.

I'll put up with everything in the article. Currently 17 degrees outside.

Personal logo Parzival Supporting Member of TMP26 Feb 2014 6:20 a.m. PST

It's a top ten list.

Therefore, it is by definition "an easy way to fulfill my column quota" for the writer, and therefore also neither journalism, news, or even serious opinion. Or to sum it up, I give you the wise chicken himself:

YouTube link

Personal logo enfant perdus Supporting Member of TMP26 Feb 2014 9:15 a.m. PST

It's a top ten list.

Therefore, it is by definition "an easy way to fulfill my column quota" for the writer, and therefore also neither journalism, news, or even serious opinion.

thumbs up

Just as the 24/365 Cable mindset has skewed all sense of proportion and significance in news reporting, so the Interwebs have in "print".

Ditto Tango 2 326 Feb 2014 10:03 a.m. PST

Ummmm, guys? It was a humour piece?

FWIW, a lot of the "things" are equally applicable to many of us who are islanders. I was able to relate to most of it, except the suit stuff, and the sharks. We have lots of sharks but the cold Labrador current makes swimming at the beach a very very cold affair!
--
Tim

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