Geography Of Hawaii

Naturally Speaking

In our last several articles we have been looking at some of the geologic characteristics and events that have shaped the history and geography of Molokai. As we have seen, volcanic activity built Hawaii, but erosion has shaped it and is continuing to do so. The main factor in this erosional process is water; rainfall is the primary element, but the ocean also adds to the islands reshaping. The climate has never been static; it is and always has been changing. So to pronounce that the climate is changing is absolutely accurate, to the point of being obvious. The battle begins over the direction and the degree of this change and unfortunately, as with many issues today, the discussion of climate change has taken a very political bent. The popular political polarity that dominates our cultural landscape has gathered experts on the issues of climate change into their respected, though not always respectable, camps. Research from many different scientific organizations, such as Goddard Institute for Space Studies, points out: “A planet's potential to develop and sustain life as outlined by NASA's astrobiology program, depends on three primary factors. The planet must have a reliable energy source, liquid water and appropriate conditions for the formation of complex organic molecules.” We have a reliable energy source, the sun, and a large supply of liquid water. These factors have existed for quite a while here on Earth. The controversy that has arisen is whether these conditions are still appropriate to maintain all the complex organic molecules, or are the most complex of all organic molecules, humans, by our activities, adversely affecting these appropriate conditions. Almost every activity we do, nearly every action we take pollutes or has created some form of pollution in its development. This is becoming more and more our way of life as our way of life becomes more technologically complex. The computers we use, the vehicles we drive, the aircraft we fly in, bicycles we ride on, the clothes we wear, and food we eat all have been produced and or provided to and for us. Very little we use is naturally occurring. So all sides should be able to realize that our impact on Earth is abnormal in comparison to the rest of the molecules, the rest of our neighbors, the fauna and the flora of Earth.

Geography Challenges Hawaii AFP's Ability to Grow Family Medicine ...

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According to Hixon, who also serves on the AAFP Commission on Education, the health care challenges in Hawaii, particularly in rural parts of the various islands, are very different from the rural health challenges in the rest of the United States. "Distances to care may be great (on the mainland) but you can get in a car and drive to get the services you need. That just doesn't exist here," said Hixon. "Geography is really a very defining issue for our health system." FP Jill Omori, M.D., is director of predoctoral education at the medical school's department of family medicine. She said the Hawaii chapter officers -- all busy family physicians -- worked hard to keep the chapter going during those lean years. "It took a toll on all of us," said Omori, who has 12 years of service on the Hawaii AFP Board of Directors under her belt. A typical morning for Florimonte begins at the hospital, where he checks on patients who have been admitted. Then he heads to his practice, where patients stream through the door at a steady pace. It's January, and despite the 70-degree temperature outside, patient complaints of coughs, sore throats, ear pain and congestion are no less common than they were back in Ohio. According to Hawaii AFP immediate Past President Andrew Nichols, M.D., the chapter began to turn around in January 2010 with the hiring of a new executive secretary, Ernel Roque, who took on the responsibilities of the previous chapter executive. "She's come in here with a lot of new energy and has been able to get the ball rolling in many areas," he said. The Hawaii chapter is unique among AAFP constituent chapters, said Nichols, who also is a professor of family medicine and community health at the medical school, program director of the school's sports medicine fellowship and head team physician for the University of Hawaii at Manoa athletics department. "In our case, we have one medical school and we have one civilian family medicine residency program," he noted.

The eruption and collapse of Hawaii's volcanoes RT That Awesome. Thanks paul.

Americans aren't the only ones who suck at geography. I met an Australian who didn't know where Hawaii was & hadn't heard of Pearl Harbor.

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