It’s easy to be negative these days. Terrorism has a global reach — even Hawaii schools had a wide-range bomb scare last week. There are growing numbers of people living on the streets. Housing is unaffordable.

And yet, somehow, burglary statistics show a drop in break-ins? Criminologists are pointing to Hawaii’s changing demographics — burglaries are generally perpetrated by the young, and Hawaii’s population is aging rapidly.

That has to be the reason. Consider what happens when we get older: Muscles ache, we put on pounds, we can’t run as fast. That’s enough to crimp the style of any thief, isn’t it?

Are you ready for some evidentiary hearings?

It’s time again to pop the popcorn, or at least, set the DVR: The NextEra-Hawaiian Electric Industries hearings resume today before the state Public Utilities Commission.

Olelo Community Media will be live-casting all eight days of the resumed evidentiary hearing: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 1-5 and Feb. 8-10, on Channel 49. The hearing, which recessed in mid-December after a dozen days, will cover myriad aspects of NextEra’s proposed buyout of the energy utility, Hawaiian Electric Co. It might not be easy, but try to stay awake. Much is at stake.