Kenoi was brief but effective

Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi brought down the house with a speech at Hawaii Pacific University’s commencement on May 15 that was inspirational, hilarious and short — and that last fact is no small consideration for folks who have more than one graduation ceremony to attend this season.

In engaging local style, Kenoi highlighted the enduring value of hard work, the importance of aloha for all and the transformative power of higher education.

Stuffy commencement speakers could learn a thing or two from this guy. Politicians, too. See for yourself at http://bit.ly/1kbGsE8.

For sale: Lovely painting, or entire home

It’s hard to say what could have been done to avoid the foreclosure of the lovely Marks Estate in Nuuanu.

The story is that the sale of a single valuable painting would have helped. An entire collection of art and furnishings in the mansion go on the auction block Saturday. But if a worthy billionaire hasn’t stepped forward for the painting that estate owner Douglas Himmelfarb wanted to sell, perhaps there’s one who could buy the 82-year-old mansion known as Kaha‘aina.

These stately homes, beautiful as they are, cost a fortune to maintain.

Perhaps one of the offshore investors interested in one of the ritzy condos being built on the waterfront can be persuaded to go mauka, and old-school, instead.