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The Soapbox: Brief thoughts from Daily Herald editors on suburban topics of interest

This editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

This week's Clippable Quote

"The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don't know anything about." - late self-help author Wayne Dyer

Waimaka no Lahaina

The historic Maui whaling town of Lahaina, once the royal residence of King Kamehameha III, got its name from the Hawaiian phrase for "cruel sun." At no time was that name more prophetic than this week. We send aloha to all those affected.

Would you miss the old state flag?

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation to form a commission to study whether to redesign Illinois' state flag, which was adopted in 1915 and slightly refined in 1969. Saturday morning pop quiz: Without checking Google, what does the current Illinois state flag look like?

What should the new state flag look like?

For the moment, we don't have an idea. We suggest only that the commission rule out "Pritzker for President" underlined with a red, white and blue banner - or, of course, any political statement.

School safety reminder

Many suburban kids head back to school next week, so keep your wits about you driving around your neighborhood. Stop for kids walking to and from school. Watch for students loading on and off of buses. Stop when buses tell you to stop. And slow down in those designated zones near schools. Here's wishing everyone a safe and successful school year!

Sock it to me

Guinness Book of World Records representatives have confirmed that the Sock Monkey Museum's 2,098 sock monkeys in Long Grove is the world's largest such collection. Congrats to owners Michael and Arlene Okun, who note there's a serious history to the monkeys, including 19th century improvements in knitting technology and Depression-era entertainment. Check it out.

Nostalgia in Aisle 10

Back in our day - when we walked to school in the snow, uphill, both ways - the school supply lists were much shorter and less specific. Headphones would have been confiscated. Now they're required. Disinfecting wipes weren't a thing, nor were dry-erase markers. But, oh, to have a 64-count box of Crayola crayons again ...

Scary scam

Steve Bernas, the head of the Better Business Bureau, says it's the scariest scam he's seen in 36 years. Scammers use technology to re-create the voice of someone you know, then call in an "emergency" to plead for money. Beware. Bernas suggests agreeing to a safeword with family members to help you know a person pleading for money is legitimate.

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