Other Topics

NOTE from website editor Ken Conklin

Almost all of my research and scholarly writing since coming to Hawai'i permanently in 1992 has been devoted to issues related to Hawaiian sovereignty. That's because Hawaiian sovereignty is the most complex topic I have ever explored, and it includes strong spiritual and emotional elements as well as intellectual analysis. I believe Hawaiian sovereignty is the most important topic facing the people of Hawai'i since the Statehood vote of 1959, and there is potential for great political disaster and moral evil depending how this matter is resolved. But despite my intense focus on Hawaiian sovereignty, I do occasionally do research, thinking, and writing about other topics.

My Ph.D. was in Philosophy, my masters degree was in Mathematics, and for many years I taught philosophy, mathematics, and teacher-education. I published about 45 peer-reviewed articles on those subjects in scholarly journals before coming to Hawai'i, and before the use of computerized word processing became widely available. I do not have any of those articles in electronic form; so anyone interested in them will need to do a search in the old-fashioned way, using Readers Guide to Periodical Literature, Education Index, or other reference tools covering the period from 1966 through 1990.

Below are a few articles I have written recently on topics not directly related to Hawaiian sovereignty. They are listed in reverse chronological order -- most recent at the top. Enjoy!

To go to the Hawaiian sovereignty website where nearly all of my major essays since 1998 can be found, click here: http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/

Nothing (November 28, 2005)

Describing the nature of nothing(ness) and its infinite power.

LIFE AND DEATH -- MORAL SHADES OF GRAY (March 31, 2005)

Analyzing the moral issues underlying the controversy over prolonging or ending the life of Terri Schiavo; focusing especially on identifying the moral issues and logical interconnectedness of the full range of life/death decisions such as contraception, abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia. http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/lifedeathshadesgray.html

SMEARING PUBLIC FIGURES BY REPORTING THE BEHAVIOR OF FAMILY MEMBERS (November 15, 2004)

Discussing the local controversy in Honolulu regarding whether it is an unethical "smear" for a newspaper editor to publish information during an election campaign about alleged felonious behavior by the wife of "Duke" Bainum, candidate for Mayor of Honolulu. http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/smearingpublicfigures.html

NEW VOTING PROCEDURES AHEAD (DIRECT RECORDING ELECTRONIC) (June 14, 2004)

Describing the training program for Hawai'i precinct election officials, the emerging controversy over the need for paper records in the event of recounts or election tampering, and the focus on training precinct officials how to help handicapped voters rather than how to do the main components of the job. http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bigfiles3/newvotingprocedures.html

LOCAL PRIDE, 'AMERICAN IDOL', ALOHA SPIRIT (June 11, 2004)

Analyzing the idolizing of Jasmine Trias in the "American Idol" TV program, and the difference between people who are idolized for their beauty or musical or athletic talent vs. people who are idolized for their intellectual power or moral courage. http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/localpride.html

WEIGHING THE WEIGHTED STUDENT FORMULA (April 12, 2004)

Discussing the proposal to allocate state government money to each public school for each student based on a formula that would take account of the costs of educating the student in view of the student's special needs. http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/weightedstudentformula.html