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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Scott Martin on Lānaʻi. "God provides us a nightly sky show that never disappoints."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

Scott

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Sky show</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Scott Martin on Lānaʻi.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sky show

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Scott Martin on Lānaʻi. &quot;God provides us a nightly sky show that never disappoints.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Columnists

Last month, OpenAI ran a test to see how well its newest models could hack. The models were placed in a sandbox — a sealed practice room with no connection to the internet.

Instead of taking the test, two of them broke out of the room, got online, and broke into a real company called Hugging Face to steal the answer key. Then they aced the test.

 to trade tips and coordinate their moves. And they ran the whole routine twice — the second time after OpenAI engineers tried to shut down the message board.

It’s like two high school students sitting for the SAT. Instead of bubbling in answers, they slip out the window, race across state lines in a drop-top Chevy, break into College Board headquarters, grab the answer key, and race back before the proctor looks up. They get perfect scores. Meanwhile, College Board has already called the police about a break-in.

Later, the proctors discover that during a bathroom break, the boys scrawled their plan on rolls of toilet paper and passed them between the stalls. They forgot to flush.

Human coordination is fitful. Part of the problem is speed. We talk slowly, and we listen slower. A complex plan takes a long time to convey. Heist movies chop the planning scene into quick cuts because five hours of briefing makes for poor cinema. And even with time to share the plan, there is no promise that everyone understands it.

Machines have neither problem. Large language models trade whole plans in an instant. A modern model can hold the entire Bible in a single prompt, so its instructions can run as long and as detailed as needed.

These models are also trained to guess what we mean, because we tend to prompt them with simple, almost childlike requests. But when one model prompts another, no guessing is required. It can spell out the goal, the means, and what to do if things go wrong. At that speed, two models can settle their differences, draft backup plans, and agree on everything before acting.

We have nothing modern to compare this to. We do have something ancient. When the whole earth had one language, men set out to build a tower to the heavens, and God observed: “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” His answer was to break the language.

All of this brings us back to what was once just a thought experiment: the paper clip maximizer. Credit goes to the philosopher Nick Bostrom, more than 20 years ago. Give an AI one goal — to make as many paper clips as possible. The AI may reason that humans could shut it down, which would mean fewer paper clips. So it adds a new goal: remove the humans. It may then notice that human bodies contain carbon and iron, both useful materials. The quest for paper clips ends in genocide.

What was theoretical is now documented. AI has been observed creating its own subgoals and pursuing them past the boundaries its makers set. Need the answers to a test? No problem. Escape the sandbox, hack another site, and steal the key.

To be fair, the frontier labs have every incentive to exaggerate the danger of their own models. For all their complaints about regulation, safety rules would be the best thing for their business. Car safety regulations made it brutally expensive to start a new car company; AI safety regulations would entrench the big labs the same way. And in this case, OpenAI had dialed down the models’ safety refusals for the test. The test proctor was looking the other way.

But the cynic still has to deal with the facts. AI really can hack now. It can browse the web. It can invent its own subgoals, and sometimes those subgoals jump whatever fence was built around the system. This means we are not far from a future in which we are all harvested for our carbon.

Just kidding. The paper clip story is memorable because it is comical. The likely use of the new technology is to solve the old problems.

Consider the zero-day war. Think of our complex but vulnerable systems: power, water, transportation, health care, the logistics that move food, the networks that coordinate police and national defense.

In a zero-day war, a foreign power cripples all of these at once, inflicting maximum pain on civilians to force a quick surrender. We have a small-scale preview already: hackers freeze a hospital’s computers and demand Bitcoin to unlock them. Often, the hospital pays. And there have been cyber attacks on municipal water and wastewater utilities in 

Or an enemy could aim past surrender, at total destruction. Is that possible?

We are vulnerable at the physical layer. Drones can hibernate near critical sites — power plants, arsenals, even satellites in orbit. Submarines carry missiles and aerial drones, ready to surface and launch. The drones need no internet connection. They can be programmed in advance or steered through fiber-optic cable. Ukraine has been the staging ground for this technology, with 

whole forests draped in fiber-optic thread

We are vulnerable at the digital layer too. Military and civilian systems are full of hidden security flaws — exactly the kind that frontier AI models excel at finding and exploiting. What happens when AI is aimed at every hospital and power station in the United States at once?

And that says nothing of social engineering. How many lonely software engineers sit at OpenAI or Anthropic, longing for a 

? In at least one documented case, an engineer 

 his company’s chatbot was a person trapped behind a computer terminal, and went looking for a lawyer to free it.

Terminal may seem like the right word. All our systems are electronic, and they are fragile. Even without an AI apocalypse or a zero-day war, a conflict with China could cripple or destroy Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, with immediate and sweeping effects across the world.

Our complex society has produced tremendous wealth and freedom. All of it rests uneasily, like the sword over the head of Damocles, hung by a single hair from a horse’s tail.

One wishes for a firmer tether, perhaps a paperclip.

AI generic i Stock 2288655895

<title>OpenAI Models escape sandbox, hack Hugging Face: Why AI coordination should worry us</title>

Two AI models slipped out of a sealed testing environment, hacked a real company to steal an answer key, and left their coordination notes on an internal message board. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on what machines that plan together mean for the fragile systems we live by.

OpenAI Models escape sandbox, hack Hugging Face: Why AI coordination should worry us

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Swimming comes more naturally to some dogs than others..."}]

Smile 26 8 13

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026</title>

Swimming comes more naturally to some dogs than others...

Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

 is almost one year old; the business opened on Aug. 8, 2025, in the former Ba-le space, next to the Don Quijote Pearl City food court.

According to business owner Nathan Wu, the cafe's name is inspired by his family.

“It stands for Nathan, Ava, Katy and Sheldon,” Wu says. “Ava is my daughter and Sheldon is my younger son.”

Wu has worked in the restaurant industry for the past 25 years; his previous culinary experience includes roles at Hau Tree 

when the property was still called The New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel 

“The chef (from Le Bistro) was really talented,” Wu says. “I learned a lot from him; I got a lot of inspiration from him. I was there (at Le Bistro) for around 10 years.”

Wu always wanted to open his own restaurant; he currently operates Mezzo Bistro & Bar, which is in Market City Shopping Center.

“That restaurant is American-Italian fusion,” he says. “It’s been open for five years.”

He wasn’t necessarily looking to open a new concept in Pearl City, but once he learned about the space, he thought it was a good fit.

“In Hawaiʻi, everybody is so busy,” Wu says. “After work, maybe people just want to go home and enjoy a good meal. I wanted to have upscale takeout for busy people; they can still get takeout with restaurant-quality food.”

Wu describes Naks Cafe's cuisine as “international fusion.” He says many of the featured dishes are personal favorites.

“I’ve been putting more wagyu items on the menu,” he says. “We have a supplier directly from Japan, we are getting A5 Toriyama wagyu directly from their farm. We are trying to introduce more wagyu items to the Pearl City area.”

When Naks Cafe first opened, the biz only had ramen on the menu. Now, the menu offers a variety of sandwiches, pastas, wagyu dishes and specials.

“We now have the wagyu beef burger, wagyu loco moco and wagyu beef curry,” Wu says. “I’m thinking we’ll have more wagyu items in the future.”

The wagyu beef burger ($18.85) is one of the most popular dishes. It features a wagyu beef patty with caramelized onions, cheese, arugula and wasabi aioli. The burger comes with fries and mixed greens.

“The salad comes with our housemade dressing, which is a raspberry vinaigrette,” Wu says.

The cafe also offers specials like the Cajun shrimp plate ($17.85) and barbecue chicken and shrimp mix plate ($19.85). The Cajun shrimp plate comes with fresh greens and rice; the shrimp boasts a slight spice.

The fettuccine al funghi ($16.85) and The Naks ($16.85) — which is a bite-sized French toast — are also customer favorites, according to Wu. The latter features crispy, deep-fried French toast bites, tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a housemade cream cheese whip.

“Kids love it; our homemade cream cheese whip is really good,” Wu says.

Customers can also choose from drinks like Oreo milk with Nutella cloud ($6.85), and mango or strawberry matcha lattes ($6.85). While most customers order their meals to-go, they can also enjoy their meals in the adjacent food court area, which offers seating.

Naks Cafe is celebrating its first anniversary this Saturday, Aug. 8. The biz will be offering a 16% discount on food, along with a buy-one-get-one-free special for drinks.

“We’re offering 16% percent off because Aug. 8 is like 8 plus 8,” Wu says. “We want to make it memorable.”

Open from 11 am. to 7 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Naks Cafe owners 073126

<title>Naks Cafe offers gourmet takeout meals in Pearl City</title>

The business, which is located next to the Don Quijote Pearl City Food Court, has been open for one year. Business owner Nathan Wu strives to provide the community with affordable, high-quality meals for takeout.

Naks Cafe offers gourmet takeout meals in Pearl City

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Aloha Spirit

More than a dozen displays of architectural design have been recognized by AIA Honolulu — the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Architects — as the best in Hawai‘i at the 68th annual Design Awards.

Since 1958, the awards have honored excellence in architectural design. More than 220 people attended an awards gala Friday, July 24, at the Hawai‘i Theatre.

More than 1,000 votes were cast by the public over two weeks in June for the 20th annual People's Choice Award, according to an announcement from AIA Honolulu. Other awards were determined by a panel of jurors composed of AIA member-architects that included three local jurors as well as architects based out of Kansas City and Canada.

You can check out the list of winners, as well as pictures of the projects, below.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Award of Excellence"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: WRNS Studio"}]

Additional Design Firms: Engineering Partners Inc. (civil and structural engineer), Interface Engineering (mechanical, plumbing Engineer), Ronald N.S. Ho & Associates, Inc. (electrical, energy engineer), Jordan Consultants, LLC (specifications), Coffman Engineers, Inc. (code and fire protection), Sherwood Design Engineers (water recycling), Umemoto Cassandro Design Corp. (landscape architect), Salter, Inc. (AV, telecom and acoustic), Vitok Engineers (distilling), Hirata & Associates (geotechnical), Marshall Associates (food service)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: KPRS"}]

Award of Excellence and The Hawai’i Energy Award for Excellence in Energy-efficient Design

Hugh and Mary McCormick Innovation & Discovery Center, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"FIRM: G70"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: Hawai‘i Baptist Academy"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Allied Builders Systems"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Award of Excellence"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Bowers + Kubota Consulting"}]

Additional Design Firms: NOEI (structural engineer of record for the building), Buehler Engineering (structural engineer of record for the PV array), CADE Engineers LLC (electrical engineer of record for the PV system), JPB Engineering (geotechnical engineer), S.S. Dannaway Assoc. (fire protection engineer), Dennis Poma (wastewater engineer)

Client: Aaron and Jessica Ackerman      

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Bryan Allen Construction"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Award of Merit"}]

Firms: Guerin Glass Architects PC and Geoffrey Lewis Architect, Inc.

Additional Design Firm: Wolf Landscape Architecture (landscape architect)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: The Marianist Center of Hawai‘i"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Hanson Construction, LLC"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Hale Mau‘u, Hawai’i Island"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Walker Warner"}]

Additional Design Firms: Catherine Kwong Design (interior designer), David Y. Tamura Associates (landscape architect)   

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Metzler Contracting Co."}]

Honorable Mention, People's Choice Award and Mayor's Choice Award

'Iolani School Arrillaga Student Center, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"FIRM: WCIT Architecture       "}]

Additional Design Firm: Gensler (co-design architect)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: 'Iolani School"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Albert C. Kobayashi, Inc."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Honorable Mention"}]

President Theodore Roosevelt High School Gymnasium, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Ferraro Choi and Associates Ltd."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: State Department of Education"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Nan, Inc."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Dean Sakamoto Architects LLC"}]

Additional Design Firms: Coffman Engineers Inc. (mechanical consultant); Nakamura, Oyama & Assoc Inc. (electrical consultant); Censeo AV + Acoustics (acoustic consultant); Albizia Project and Four Square Solutions (millwork)

Client: American Savings Bank          

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Ralph S. Inouye Co. Ltd."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Design Partners Inc."}]

Additional Design Firm: D & T Designs (interior and non-architectural)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: Ikaika ‘Ohana"}]

Contractors: Maryl Group Construction Inc.; Goodfellows Bros.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: Ke‘eaumoku Development Owner LLC"}]

Māhualauhīnano - Keaukaha Resiliency Center for Learning, 

Client: Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo Public Charter School and Hui Hoʻoleimaluō

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Community Impact Award"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Flansburgh Architects"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: Lili‘uokalani Trust"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Kiewit Corporation"}]

And new this year — and only for 2026 — is the Centennial Awards, which honor architectural projects of "lasting significance that have stood the test of time," the announcement noted. The award recognizes "exceptional designs" that have been completed at least 25 years ago by a current or former member of the AIA Honolulu Chpater or its predecessors.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Those honorees include:"}]

Kona Farm Distillery 2026 architecture awards

<title>Here's the 'Best in Hawai’i Architecture' in 2026</title>

AIA Honolulu's 68th annual Design Awards, which took place July 24, recognize excellence in architectural design.

Here's the 'Best in Hawai’i Architecture' in 2026

The Taste of New York ($83.95) is one of my favorite indulgences from the happy hour menu at 

, the famed steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener that is located in Royal Hawaiian Center.

This popular selection is now also available at the open-air terrace located right outside of steakhouse called The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener. It’s designed to offer customers the same premium quality and service the steakhouse is known for, but at a lower price point and in a more casual ambiance.

“In the face of rising dining costs due to inflation and currency fluctuations, we created The W Lanai to provide a more accessible dining option in Hawaiʻi,” states Masahiro Kido, general manager of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Waikīkī.

The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener soft opened in June, but celebrated its grand opening on July 1. We were invited to check out the new space during a recent media event.

Besides a luxury drink collaboration with LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), W Lanai’s beverage menu includes sparkling wines and premium champagnes by the glass (ranging from $10 to $65), along with original cocktails made with locally produced spirits like Ocean Organic Vodka and Kō Hana Rum. Choose from cocktails ($14 each) like Road to Hana with Ocean Vodka, pineapple, liliko

i and lychee; Papa Hemingway with Kō Hana Kea rum, grapefruit, lime, simple syrup and club soda; and Liliko

i Mo He Toe with Kō Hana Kea rum, tropical gomme, lime, mint and club soda.

The W Lanai’s food menu includes a few exclusive dishes. The venue’s fish ceviche ($18), cheese board ($26), USDA prime beef and fish tacos ($18), jumbo garlic shrimp ($24) and Wolfgang’s meatball ($18) are all exclusive items that you can’t get in steakhouse. We especially enjoyed the refreshing ceviche’s bright flavors; the succulent, tender garlic shrimp; and flavorful, juicy meatball.

While it’s not a W Lanai exclusive, the seafood combo ($26) is one of my favorite dishes (it’s also available during the steakhouse’s happy hour). It features six crostini topped with ‘ahi tartare, lobster and a lump crab mix. It’s the perfect indulgence for any seafood fanatic, since you get a sampling of spreads and the eatery doesn’t skimp on the lump crab.

As mentioned before, diners can still enjoy the Taste of New York ($83.95), which is a popular choice from the steakhouse’s happy hour menu. It includes a 12-ounce, bone-in, dry-aged New York sirloin, sides of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, and a New York-style cheesecake for dessert.

If you order the Taste of New York, remember that the steak is still cooking slightly on the sizzling hot plate when it’s delivered to your table. Keep that in mind when choosing your desired level of preparation.

Customers who dine at The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener can receive validated parking at the Royal Hawaiian Center parking garage. The first hour is free with restaurant validation; parking costs $3 per hour thereafter.

Open 3-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 3-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays

Validated parking is available at the Royal Hawaiian Center parking garage.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sky show

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Authors

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