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Here's one reader's great reaction to KHNL's little highway confusion: "America Highway must be from Hawaii 5-0, just as the 'Waianae Cutoff' from the Likelike Highway, featured in one 5-0 episode."And another volley in the newspaper war of words, responding to Thursday's reader's comment:
no one at the star bulletin is aware of any "body blows" to montesino from anyone on our staff, so who knows where that accusation came from. in fact, I have never heard one person at the star bulletin say one negative thing about him. why he longs for our demise is baffling, but that's his business. as for kelly, anything we said about the guy came from his own staffers first - how do you think we knew about about any of his antics in the first place? he is not a popular guy within his own newsroom, and that's not the star bulletin's fault. why blame us for his own problems?just remember - if anyone has any thoughts about gannett taking care of the advertiser staff for their "loyalty," don't forget that gannet screwed their own "loyal" people in 1992 when they sold the star bulletin to their front man rupert Phillips so they could close the paper 7 years later. those a------s in virginia dont give a s--- about newspapers, journalists or communities - all they care about is making more money for themselves. think they wont try and screw their own people again? june (and the end of the advertiser's contract and "no layoff" clause) is 5 months away.
Meanwhile, I'm waiting for Silverman. It's early Saturday morning and I'm waiting for it to get light so that I can try to see what's wrong with Mr. Silverman. He came into the house briefly on Thursday evening, but just ran into the closet in our bedroom and crashed. He didn't come out for dinner. Then Leo discovered he was in there and started nipping at him, and Silverman took off. I had assumed he would stop in the kitchen for dinner. No way. Then we didn't see him for about 33 hours until he showed up a few hours ago (around 3 AM), scratched around in a cat box, and retreated again into the same closet. This is abnormal behavior, and that's almost always a clue to some feline ailment. So he may win an all expense paid trip to the vet this morning. We'll see.
Mr. Silverman
The Star-Bulletin quoted KITV-4 reporter Paula Akana as spokeswoman for the family of former Bishop Estate trustee Myron "Pinky" Thompson, who died this week. Although Akana was a volunteer for the Polynesian Voyaging Society, founded by Thompson, her appearance on the other side of the news is another example of the potentially confusing mix of personal, public relations, and professional roles.Speaking of confusing roles, how about John Radcliffe, associate executive director of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, the union representing faculty throughout the UH system.
Radcliffe is a registered lobbyist for at least nine businesses in addition to UHPA, his primary employer. During the last legislative session, he was described in a Star-Bulletin story as in the employ of "a public relations firm associated with gambling interests," perhaps referring to the Marketing Research Group, Inc., of Michigan.
So when Radcliffe offers up a particularly gloomy assessment of the state's economy to the union's board, as he did this month, or meets with legislative leaders concerning "what could be done to boost the state's economy," is he using the UH faculty mantle to boost the interests of his pro-gambling clients?
Personally, I like John. But you would think that a bunch of smart folks like the UH faculty would recognize the problems posed by this clear conflict of interest that leaves the public wondering who he really represents.
So was there a fatal automobile accident in Kaaawa, as reported by KHNL News 8 last night? Their online edition provided this description: "Traffic was slow going along America Highway in Ka'a'awa Thursday morning. The reason: a single car accident that killed an elderly man."
America Highway? Sounds good. Doesn't exist.
The Advertiser puts the crash up the road a ways in Kahana rather than Kaaawa, and that sounds like it was probably the actual location.
It's was cold and clear yesterday morning, and it looks (and feels) like more of the same today.
Remember Rupert Phillips, who led the investment group that owned the Star-Bulletin prior to its sale in March? Well, a Washington Post article last week reported that Phillips' Journal Newspapers, a string of suburban papers in the areas surrounding Washington, D.C., have been through cost cutting moves of their own in recent months, including ending their Monday editions and dropping out of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Now they're combining four papers in Northern Virginia into a single edition in what is described as an effort to compete for advertising with the Washington Post by becoming a regional newspaper.Speaking of union-busting attorney Michael Zinser, I got a laugh out of the "Mission Statement & Philosophy" posted on his law firms' web site: "To deliver ethical and quality legal services to quality clients in a business-like and profitable manner in an environment where everyone can have fun and contribute to his or her personal growth."
And here's another opinion about the Honolulu newspaper situation from an anonymous reader.
Some thoughts about all the continued whining from the Star-Bulletin sect:where does one begin? ok, let's start with the most recent flap about the XMAS party for the managers and spouses. BFD. Newsroom folks are an interesting bunch and they're even more so down at the cult-like SB. They pride themselves in being a group with enough local knowledge to catch new trends and report on changes occurring in the local marketplace but can't seem to grasp even the simplest changes that resulted in the end of the JOA. One being that THA (The Honolulu Advertiser) newsroom is now just another division of the newspaper and not an entity all to its self as it was the last 30 years or so. If there was to be a party for the newsroom then there would need to be a separate party for the production guys (about 300 people), then how about one for the circulation dept?
Another 200 people.........not counting spouses/guests. I think even you Ian can get it now..........Now, I know poor ole Burl is still scratching his Gannett voodoo doll still trying to figure that one out. One would also think that folks would know that the old HNA management group has held a Christmas party every year for as long as I can remember, each year at a nice location. So, as I started with, what's the BFD? It's not too uncommon a practice across the country to have a separate party for managers in a union environment.
ok, how about the last comment from a SB cult member who complained that if the SB dies Kelly and Montesino will rejoice? I don't know them that well but if after taking dozens of personal body blows and attacks from the cult members during the last two years mean anything to them, I'd suspect that the person would be right.
just an observation: David Black negotiates a deal with the newsroom employees at start up to take a 25% pay cut or so and reduces existing benefits by about half. Then goes back to those same people and gets them to all agree to take another 11% or so cut. All continue to sing his praises while most SB subscribers I know say that they've never been billed since the switch. Maybe the news folks should cut a deal to go out collecting and put the money raised into a raise pool. I think that people there should wake up and start looking out for themselves a little more.
That's a lot to handle at 5:22 AM, but most of you will be reading it at a more reasonable hour.
And this mid-morning memo from another reader: "I know I've never received a (Star-Bulletin) circulation invoice......" Could the billing problem be more widespread than Star-Bulletin managers realize?
Visions of Oregon dance in their heads. There could be rough times ahead for staffers at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald in Hilo. The Newspaper Guild contract with the Tribune-Herald expires at the end of February. The last round of bargaining was marked by vicious union-busting tactics by owner Donrey Media Group, currently represented by the well-known anti-labor attorney, L. Michael Zinser. Zinser, based in Nashville, is said to be behind the refusal of the Eugene, Oregon Register Guard to negotiate a new contract with the Guild. The contract offer cooked up by Zinser contains a poison pill provision that would effectively bust the union, and employees there have been working without a contract since April 1999. But Zinser's tactics could end up backfiring in Hilo, traditionally a labor-oriented town.
Merry Christmas to all.We got home late after an evening of presents and good cheer with my parents. All the cats showed up relatively promptly, their present to us. And it got cold enough in Kaaawa to be a five cat night, at least for a while. That's five cats along with the two people in bed. All were cozy.
It took a bit longer than usual to complete our walk this morning, with time spent greeting friends, both new and old, along the way. What a great way to spend Christmas morning.
For those of you in colder climates, well, there are lots of hotel bargains available here in the sun this year.
Kaaawa Christmas
(click for larger picture)Enough said for today.
There's a background steady drizzle behind the periods of real rain again this morning in Kaaawa. The plants love it. The cats and people are less enthusiastic. I'm not even sure if all the cats are in the house right now. Silverman just came in, leaving a trail of little paw shaped puddles of water, the unfortunate result of a large puddle that forms right in front of the cat door. I've got a small towel close at hand to dry off any cats who wander in.All this is not good news, because we skipped the morning walk yesterday due to the weather, but it's very hard to sit around two mornings in a row. This means we're likely to venture out today unless it starts snowing. And, in turn, this means a wet, cold walk. I'm not sure why we insist on it, but the day just isn't right without the energy of the walk, the beach, the dogs, and all. Maybe there will be a break in the rain. It could happen.
I received a gloomy and angry reply from a Star-Bulletin staffer to yesterday's comments about the Star-Bulletin's struggle to increase advertising during this critical time of the year. After underscoring the critical nature of the battle for advertising dollars, he added this assessment. I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to holiday depression or to accept it at face value, but I'm sharing it nonetheless.
the stress and strain of this continual doom and gloom hanging over our heads for almost two and a half years now is starting to take a toll on newsroom morale. cracks are starting to show. expect more defections. and you cant blame them, people can only take so much for so long.the saddest part of all this is that this community and news quality will really be hurt if we die, and to think of people like the tiser managers jim kelley and david montesino who live for the day that we die is really depressing. we know this to be the case because people over there have told us they have gone on record of saying so. and these are the same managers who arrange for big xmas parties for themselves at expensive hotels and then arrange for an in-the-office potluck for the employees - typical elitist attitudes shown by gannett and the cutthroat people who do the dirty work for them. does anyone over there really wonder how they will behave once they kill us? say goodbye to the union and everything it stands for, folks. decent salaries? forget it. workers' rights? can you say "none?" a better paper in any way, shape or form? dont make us laugh.
the little post terrorist attack of 9/11 memo dreamed up by the brilliant ad exec at the tiser back in september should show anyone just how low they will stoop for a buck - should we expect anything else when the star bulletin is gone? I really doubt it.
and when and if the tiser does finally force us out of business, people here in hawaii will wonder why their one newspaper is so shitty and why the ads in it are so expensive. go figure.
I know there are other perspectives on the situation, including over at the Advertiser. If any come this way, I'll share them as well.
It was party time last night for staff and friends of the Honolulu Weekly, who gathered at Chai's Bistro in the Aloha Tower Marketplace for excellent food, entertainment, conversation and more. A good time was had, and the early evening party was still going when our Kaaawa express made its departure.
Honolulu Weekly publisher Laurie Carlson with husband, Chuck Giuli.
Two days to go before Christmas, and you've got to say that it's been a lean holiday advertising season for the Star-Bulletin. And that's the generous description. I have no idea what the actual numbers are, but they can't be good. That's unfortunate, since I'm sure the business plan relied on this season to make up for a very slow start back in March and April.Am I the only one who's cringing every time I hear the propaganda mantra from Afghanistan, that this was "the first peaceful transfer of power in decades"? Peaceful? After months of bombing, intertribal battles, and foreign military incursions? "Peaceful transfer" is not a phrase that would have occurred to me, I must say.
It's a wet, cold morning in Kaaawa. Cold, of course, means around 70 degrees. Wet enough to leave us sitting here waiting for the coffee instead of walking down to the beach. Occasionally, at least, good sense prevails.
But Harry's been out in the rain, and just arrived at the screen door a few minutes ago, screaming to let us know that she wanted "IN". After a good rub with a dry towel, and a bowl of cat food, she's finally settling down. Kili's gone to sleep next to the computer. Initially she just settled down on top of the mouse, but I finally got it free. Lindsey is in the bedroom curled up on the top of a basket of clean laundry. Miki's sleeping on the bed. Wally is dozing on the top of the television. Lizzie is up on her cat tree, which we recently moved next to a window in the dining room. Leo and Silverman are somewhere outside, hopefully out of the rain.
It may be wet and cold this morning, but there was great weather earlier in the week.
I did get around to updating the photo gallery this morning. Just click on the sunrise photo or the gallery banner to find your way there.
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