Foregoing surfing might be worth it

For keiki o ka aina, sea and sand are a big part of life in Hawaii. Just ask Barack Obama (aka The President) and Marcus Mariota (aka The Titan).

Growing up, body surfing at Sandy’s was a beloved pastime: Candidate Obama was photographed having a grand time in the surf, and quarterback Mariota wants to “rejuvenate and relax” in the ocean before reporting to the Tennessee Titans’ training camp at month’s end.

But now that these former islanders are so important to so many, protective cocoons necessarily emerge. There’s even a current sports storyline — debunked by some — that Mariota is balking at a contract clause that forbids him from surfing.

For now, at least while people are so invested in their health, wave-simulating sound machines might have to do.

Were airlines hurting tourism?

It’s a given in the airline industry that leisure travelers are especially sensitive to fluctuations in ticket prices.

Flying away on a vacation is generally optional, with some travelers deciding where to visit based on the cost of the trip.

So a destination like Hawaii, dependent primarily on vacation rather than business travel, could have suffered if major U.S. carriers colluded to keep ticket prices high.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating just that allegation, just two years after it approved a wave of airline mergers.