God Bless Ted Kennedy

The end of an era for so many of us. May he rest in peace.

The Devil Wants You To Call

Tuesday is $1 popcorn day at Windward Mall

No kidding. I asked my boss, Brook, if I could go to a movie midday on Tuesday and she said yes. Then she asked her boss, me, if she could go to a movie midday on Tuesday and I said yes.

Turns out we were going to the same move. Julie & Julia. Only when we arrived at Windward Mall did we realize that it was $1.00 popcorn day. Also $1.00 hotdog day that particular Tuesday. Many folks around us shared their $1.00 coupons and spirit of Aloha with us. You

have to be a member of the Regal Cinema something or other club to get these benefits.

We have yet to sign up, but it is sure a good deal.

Design is Everything

For some reason, we don't think the person sporting this bumper sticker wanted to give more attention to Starbucks...

Nike's Investment Pays Off

Or at least it starts to. This past weekend, Michelle Wie finally won something as a pro:

The Solheim Cup

Founded in 1990 by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC) - makers of PING golf equipment - The Solheim Cup features 12 of the top European born players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) and 12 top American born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

"This year, when the last match was over, [the Americans]ran around the 18th green hugging each other and waving American flags.

Wie showed that when she's on song, few can touch her. Her drive on the par-5 15th went 305 yards and she hit an eight-iron to 20 feet. She two-putted for the birdie, and Alfredsson couldn't make the putt to match her."

How Much Can We Take?

Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 390ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.

For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Parts per million is simply a way of measuring the concentration of different gases, and means the ratio of the number of carbon dioxide molecules per million other molecules in the atmosphere. 275 ppm CO2 is a useful amount—without some CO2 and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere, our planet would be too cold for humans to inhabit.

We're In Hot Water

Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer
WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.
The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. It is the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90 degrees. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Hurray for Barney Frank!

At a town hall meeting, a woman was carrying a poster of President Obama-as- Hitler.

As reported in the Washington Post:

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was greeted with shouts and boos at a town hall meeting on health care at a senior center in Dartmouth, Mass., Tuesday night, an event that was targeted by supporters of perennial independent political candidate Lyndon LaRouche. But the combative House Financial Services Committee chairman met fire with fire.

"On what planet do you spend most of your time?" Frank retorted when a woman in the crowd compared President Obama's push for health-care reform to the policies of Nazi Germany while holding up a pamphlet depicting the president with a Hitler mustache.

Branding Pandemics

Well, not exactly, but as the world becomes increasingly smaller with more and more people travelling across borders --- and viruses learning to jump species (they are smarter than we are because they are not concerned about being right -- they just want to survive).

Anyway, now we have an online game called "The Great Flu" --- you can play it online for free:

http://www.thegreatflu.com/ and learn about all of the puzzle pieces our leaders and scientists have to put together to even have a shot (pun intended) at containing the great flu.

From FAST COMPANY:

You're the head of the World Pandemic Control, and you've just received word that Gamers' Flu--a rare, highly contagious disease--is spreading through Europe. Should you close the airports, or the markets? Should you distribute face masks, or isolate symptomatic individuals? Should you improve research facilities, or stockpile vaccines? Whatever you do, you better act fast: People are dying, and money is tight.

No, you're not having the world's most nuanced nightmare. You're playing The Great Flu, a free online video game--yes, video game--developed by Dutch researchers to raise awareness about Swine Flu and similar outbreaks...Even at the lowest difficulty the game delivers a sense of just how difficult it is to handle and contain the spread of a dangerous virus."

Presidential Bobble Heads Seized at LA Customs

So says The Christian Science Monitor --- 1000 Obama Bobble heads were seized at customs in LA --- lots of negotiating to get them out. At least they got the Punahou colors right!

Redesign ... File Chapter 11

Venerable Reader's Digest, the predecessor to the Uncle John's Bathroom Series, has recently undergone a major redesign.

Now, it's a victim of our economy. In last night's news, we heard that Reader's Digest was filing for Chapter 11 Banckruptcy protection:

"Reader's Digest CEO Mary Berner insisted, though, that the company's U.S. magazines remain strong, with the number of ad pages down less than 6 percent through the September editions. She said Reader's Digest titles rely less on luxury brands and high-income tastes, giving them an added appeal in a recession that has clobbered much of the print media industry.

"Our brands are home and heartland. Our brands have a very, very Midwestern sensibility — a back-to-basics sensibility," she said in an interview. "Reader's Digest has actually done quite well."

Gertrude Frisbie is 101 Years Old Today!

And she looked like she had just thrown a frisbie! Wish I had her picture. But I don't ---

so a jar of Smucker's (With A Name Like That) wil have to do.

Evian est passe

Friday's Advertiser reported that bottled water sales are on the decline. Even Nestle, who we dissed here for introducing a bottled water AFTER everybody knew it was a bad idea is having trouble.

Well, well, well. That's why we registered the name "Hawaiian Tap" and the phrase "Bottle Your Own" in 2003 and introduced in reusable water bottles in 2007.

We sell Hawaiian Tap bottles, and other water bottles with designs on them at Lanikai Bath and Body. (600 Kailua Road, in the Kailua Shopping Center).

Great Hawai`i Produce

The folks shown here are from Ho Family Farms which sells at Foodland the most amazing different colored "cherry" totamoes. You can't get anough of them! Hawai`i's farmers are going

full speed ahead to provide some of the best produce in the world. Support local farmers!

Now, "a new community co-op in Waimanalo is using the internet to sell locally grown food and giving the profits to youth organizations in Waimanalo, creating a system that will enrich the area and keep the money home" (Eloise Aguiar).

Orders can be made now until Wednesday at http://www.waimanalomarket.com/

It's kind of like buying tickets for huli huli -- you order online and pick it up on Saturday.

Sports Are the Best

I know all of the stuff about how athletes are too-rich bad guys, but sports is the last arena where when some one shouts it is usually about something good.

Huge Gestures! Big Drama! Second Chances! I love it!

Just this weekend: South Korean Y.E. Yang beat Tiger Woods in a stunning conclusion to the PGA Championship, Usain Bolt ran the 100 in 9.58 (breaking the record), and Michael Vick is

getting a second chance.

Far out, as we used to say in the 60s!

And The Week Goes On

It’s the end of the WEEK but more to come….
Brook Gramann to Honolulu Weekly: Honolulu Weekly and the little non-profit that Could (or apparently couldn't). Hawaii People's Fund named Best Non- Profit in first draft of Best Of issue. Advised to put mahalo ad in - they did- then they are removed as Best non-profit and... NO non profit named. Come on- maybe should've given them a chance to at least remove the ad if the votes ended up not counting for anything?

Honolulu Weekly to Brook Gramann: Brook,I honestly hope people are a little more forgiving when you make a mistake. Someone in the office with no role in tabulating the Best of Honolulu vote grabbed an intern's work-in-progress document, based on a preliminary count of only some of our votes, out of the printer, got excited, and sold an ad based on incorrect information. That person made a mistake and feels absolutely awful about it. We all do. It's terribly embarrassing for everyone, and it has substantially spoiled a project into which a lot of people, in and outside of the paper, put a lot of time and effort. We apologized, the money was refunded, and we will work to repair the damage done. I cannot imagine why you would think Honolulu Weekly is engaged in a conspiracy against a non-profit organization we respect and admire, nor what good you think will come of this.

Brook Gramann to Honolulu Weekly :Ragnar- I do think people deserve to see your response to me because I posted the question, issue. This is not about a conspiracy theory- that's ridiculous- but it is about the decision to remove a non profit that is very deserving and who obviously received the most votes but for some reason was not deemed worthy to receive Best of. This is made clear with the commentary in that section (below)- completely unnecessary- and where the implication is that the Weekly chose not to reveal the winner because few residents had heard of them? That's exactly why they should have been included. No conspiracy- just a very bad decision made worse with the unnecessary commentary and their mahalo ad running in this context.Instead of naming the organization with the most votes – this ran

“Oh irony: the non profit category was host to the most funny business of any we asked about this year. The winning organization was one few residents had ever heard of, as were several close runners up. in lieu of declaring a winner, we prefer to direct you to our 2009 sustainability guide, where we offer a long list of worthy, underfunded groups that are desperate for your kokua and your support.”

Email question to Brook GramannReply from editor "The Weekly deeply regrets this mistake and is working to revise its processes so that it does not happen again." Brook - how do you feel about it all?

Brook GramannFunny as it was the Weekly who made the implication that the ballot boxes are stuffed- in their own publication. Apparently the non profit category was not stuffed enough! If this little incident causes them to review their processes that's great.
Weekly ran this in place of Hawaii People's Fund receiving the most votes: Oh irony: the non profit ... Read More category was host to the most funny business of any we asked about this year. The winning organization was one few residents had ever heard of, as were several close runners up. in lieu of declaring a winner, we prefer to direct you to our 2009 sustainability guide, where we offer a long list of worthy, underfunded groups that are desperate for your kokua and your support.

go to http://www.changenotcharity.org/ to learn more about Hawai`i People's Fund.

Tech Run Amuck: Coke is the Real Money Grubbing Thing

According to Fast Company magazine, earlier this year Coca Cola introduced thermometer-loaded vending machines that charged more on hot days (and less on cold ones).

Coke was trying to optimize demand. Consumers were outraged and major newspapers called the effort "cynical" and "evidence that the world is going to hell in a handbasket."

Coke has pulled the machines, but like all the other stick-it-to-the-consumer horror shows, it (or something like it) will be back.

For this, and your efforts in the third world, Coke -- you are no longer my favorite brand.

(picture from India Tribune)

Aloha Eunice Shriver

Both Eunice Shriver and her husband Sarge have left enormous legacies and powerful, for-the-good brands.

He left us the Peace Corps and the possibility that we could one day have peace on the planet.. because we, the richest people in the world, would reach out to others one by one to help. My Aunt who just died at 99 joined the Peace Corps when she was 60 and had retired from Women's

Wear Daily. She went to Yemen to teach office skills to young women. Later, in her 80's, she worked for Save the Children.

Eunice leaves behind her special cause, Special Olympics, which grew from a summer camp in her backyard to an organization that touched the whole world. In 1987, when we were on the Board of Special Olympics in Hawaii, the Chicago Tribune's Bob Verdi wrote this: "Must be that this isn't reality with all its attendant cynicism and cutthroat mentality. Must be that this is different, a friendlier spot than the Persian Gulf or the Iran-contra hearings or even the other Olympics, the one where amateurs take steroids to build their muscles and quiet cash to build their trust funds. Must be that this is purer than all the other form of athletics that call themselves genuine...And as you drive back to a hot Chicago...you are asking yourself ... Exactly who is handicapped here? Them or us?"

Rest easy, Mrs. Shriver. You were blessed to be a blessing. And you were.

FYI: Puerto Rico is NOT Hawai`i

A movie that is being widely advertised on TV as a romantic-get-away-to-Hawai`i-that-goes-bad is actually being filmed in Puerto Rico.

While I hate to see Hawai`i associated with bad juju of any kind, I am glad to know that the murder is in Puerto Rico.

It seems to me that two film offices ought to be concerned:

1. Hawai`i's because our brand is being sullied by murder, by the use of Puerto Rico as Hawai`i in some producer's alternate universe, and by the fact that it is not being filmed here because our film folks are the best.

2.Puerto Rico's, because it is not getting credit for being Puerto Rico.

The moive is called The Perfect Getaway. So I am assuming the murderer escapes.

Whites Pages Has A New Look

Online www.whitepages.com has a new look and an easier way to find anybody, their address and phone # (unless its unlisted) in the U.S. as long as you know their first and last name and where they live.

You may have to enter some short demographic info and skip some coupons but after that you are home free.

Happy Birthday El Jefe!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday President Obama. Happy Birthday to you.

Obama was born in Hawaii, two years AFTER STATEHOOD, on the island of OAHU, in KAPIOLANI hospital. His birth announcement was published in the paper as was then the custom...hospital gives names to paper, paper publishes.

Now birth notices have been replaced by litigation listings.

Barack is a Metal Ox, according to Chinese astrology, making him the perfect President for our times.

Imua, Barack. Hauoli La Hanau.

Steaking Out Your Market Position

As Wal-Mart pursues the reshaping of its image, it is running a commercial promoting its new meat section. A married woman snarkily unloads her groceries while voicing over in her head that she will let her husband suffer a little more trying to figure out what the special occasion is.

Is it our anniversary? Our birthday? thinks the poor schmuck as he pats the calendar on the refrigerator...NO! It is that with steaks this cheap, we don't need a special occasion.

Then the guy barbecues all four GENUINE STEAKHOUSE steaks and two fat brats ... to get back at her for thinking ill of him? To prove that the steaks are so cheap you can afford to throw two out?

Did anybody think about this before shooting the commercial? There's just TWO people in it!!!

Sound(less) Identity

Find it annoying that when the television switches from the show to commercials the volume increases?

Well, astute tv watcher Ian Garvey noted that commercials for hearing aids actually lower the volume.

(then there's bluetooth look alike spy on your neighbors device ...)

Actuary Buys Prius

Actually, this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows an actuary. The person I am referring to is my brother, a parnter at Towers Perin, who became an actuary after the age of 35 when he realized that the television series NUMBERS wouldn't be out for several years. Prior to that, he was a marketing guy for DEC, Intel, IBM and Xerox. Then he found out he didn't like people all that much.

At any rate, Prius has captured that rare brand appeal: to early adopters to people who want to show their beliefs and to actuaries who can count the numbers while driving. Actually the third generation Prius is perfect for an actuary, who waited to see how well the car would perform without jumping in right away. He even got the photovolataic roof.

Are these cars going to top Honda Civics on the most stolen list or do greenies not steal? According to my brother, who likes a little calculated risk in his driving, it does not have the get up and go of his ancient, qualified as a clunker, J30.

Riddle Me This

Why is the Sheraton Waikiki sponsoring Beauty & the Beast on Ice performed by Russian skaters at Blaisdell? Or is it at the Ice Rink?

I don't know ... but if ice is thing the, I would recommend putting Tihati or Tavana on ice and taking it around the U.S. in the depths of winter.