… AUWE — what is happening in our world? Massive earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear power plants leaking radiation, another war in the Near East and dangerous unrest in more Arab countries — I thought this was all supposed to happen in 2012!…

… the situation in Japan is tragic, and then another huge earthquake in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Now we learn that the Earth has shifted on its axis…

… although Hawaii Nei suffered some damage, it was relatively small. The Big Island seemed to be the worst hit — Kealakakua Bay was a mess, but I understand that two days after the tsunami, the local community came down to the bay and totally cleaned out all the debris. They organized it themselves — lucky we live Hawaii…

… I read where President OBAMA donated some of the proceeds from his Nobel Peace Prize to an organization that provides transportation assistance and scholarships to military personal and their families. He also, I read, donated from his children’s book, “Of Thee I Sing.” When was it published, and where is it available? “Of Thee I Sing?” I never heard of it!…

… help SACRED HEARTS SCHOOL rebound from its rain-soaked bazaar on Saturday, April 9, at “An Evening of Aloha” at the PIONEER INN Courtyard. The school’s third annual live auction will feature live music, open bar and ono food. A silent auction, cocktails, dining and entertainment will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the live auction. Tickets are $75; call 661-4720. See you there!…

… if you’re a fan of NEWSWEEK, the new ownership has come up with a whole new format and I, for one, think it is great — funky, modern and informative. Makes TIME look positively boring…

… and the foreclosures listed in the newspapers seem to be growing daily — the only people making money from them are the newspapers from the huge notices daily and probably the attorneys handling them!…

… that grumble you heard about the fares being charged by HAWAIIAN AIR is turning into a roar — when they doubled the miles required over the Prince Kuhio holiday weekend for inter-island fares! Blaming the astronomical fares on the cost of gas doesn’t fly! We may be islanders but we’re not stupid. Bring on some competition!…

… and congratulations to LAHAINALUNA HIGH SCHOOL’S softball team for getting closer to the MIL title. GO LUNAS!!!…

Up Front Lahaina is a twice monthly feature. To protect his innocence, the writer chooses to remain anonymous. The views expressed in this column belong to the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Lahaina News staff and owners.