Financial security for modern families

The American family has evolved since 1970, when married heterosexual couples with children accounted for 40.3 percent of U.S. households; today that figure is 19.6 percent. The "traditional" model has an edge over modern equivalents when it comes to financial stability though, according to a study by the global financial services company Allianz. It found that 57 percent of "modern families" reported money trouble, 10 percentage points higher than their traditional counterparts.

The modern family cohort included single-parent families, multigenerational families, same-sex couples with children, blended families, older parents with young children and boomerang families whose grown kids have returned home.

Given that the "nontraditional" family structure now dominates American life, the study highlights the need to focus on economic strategies — at the personal and policy levels — to boost financial security.

Cleanliness vital to avoid norovirus

In what surely has sent alarms throughout Waikiki’s hotels, an outbreak of norovirus has sickened some 100 guests and workers at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in recent weeks.

The problem seems largely under control after flaring about two weeks ago, though two new reports last midweek caused a voluntary 72-hour shutdown of the hotel’s kitchen for disinfection this week. Let’s hope that does the trick. The norovirus causes severe stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea — and can be transmitted by an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

All wise hoteliers should be reminding staffers to adhere strictly to cleanliness rules. And as they do on cruise ships: Strategic positioning of hand sanitizers wouldn’t hurt.