A certain poetry in the term, ‘science laureate’

It’s hard to be too excited by the notion of establishing a "U.S. science laureate," a proposal that U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono is helping to champion on Capitol Hill. In concept, it sounds OK. Who could argue against having an official "scientific communicator" encouraging American kids to pursue science studies?

But if it’s being modeled after the nation’s poet laureate post — similarly an unpaid, honorary job — it’s going to take a real star volunteer to have the desired effect.

Perhaps it should be more akin to the U.S. surgeon general job. People still talk about what an advocate C. Everett Koop was, and it’s been decades. But the surgeon general has staff and pay. This may be a bipartisan push, but it’s doubtful the GOP would put any money behind it.

And, in general, you get what you pay for.

Making hay, if not money, from UH athletics

Should the University of Hawaii at Manoa dump its expensive, money-losing Division IA athletics program?

Don’t hold your breath. Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple has raised this uncomfortable and politically loaded question, which is a reasonable and responsible thing to do. But a lot of folks identify with UH through its sports programs. And as demonstrated by the travails of athletic director Jim Donovan and "Wondergate," there are powerful people — starting with the governor — who have an intense, proprietary interest in UH athletics. Perhaps the program should be compared to those advertised specials in supermarket ads — a loss leader, to get you into the store.