You, too, can be a citizen-scientist

Crowdsourcing scientific research into the decline of the Kamehameha butterfly is a great idea on many levels.

Anyone who sees a Kamehameha butterfly, caterpillar, egg or chrysa-lis can contribute to the University of Hawaii’s Pulelehua Project, by submitting photos and observations to the project’s website, kamehamehabutterfly.com.

The data will be used to map the distribution of Hawaii’s state insect, found nowhere else in the world, and help explain its decline.

This project raises awareness not only about the butterfly but also about its crucial natural habitat. So ready those smart phones, citizen-scientists. The butterfly needs you.

Financial literacy gets boost at LCC

Financial literacy in Hawaii is fair to middling, compared with other states, but in this country, that bar is pretty low.

A national survey by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a watchdog group, showed Hawaii consumers scoring slightly better than average on most financial literacy questions. Example: "True or false — buying a single company’s stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund."

The one outlier for Hawaii was that credit cards were the payment choice for 44 percent — the national average was 30 percent. So we have things to learn as well.

That’s why it’s great to see Leeward Community College getting a national excellence award for its financial literacy program, its popular online tool. Keep at it, LCC.

Oh, the correct answer is "false." You knew that? Good.