Comments for Howzit Howard http://kgmb9.com/howard Sunrise on KGMB9 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:06:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on In praise of what Bush said about Wall Street by Tracy Reasoner http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/23/in-praise-of-what-bush-said-about-wall-street/#comment-584 Tracy Reasoner Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:33:21 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/?p=283#comment-584 If Wall St. got drunk, George Bush and the GOP were the bartenders. In most states, if a bartender feeds too much alcohol to a customer and it ends in tragedy they can be held liable but not him and his cronies. It will be everyone else who pays for it. If Wall St. got drunk, George Bush and the GOP were the bartenders. In most states, if a bartender feeds too much alcohol to a customer and it ends in tragedy they can be held liable but not him and his cronies. It will be everyone else who pays for it.

]]> Comment on The two Kona economies by Jim B http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-580 Jim B Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:03:10 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-580 I just returned from a visit to Kona and it's pretty depressing what's going on over there. I was last in Kona about two years ago and the stark differences are amazing. All the shopping areas are ghost towns (Kailua village, International Marketplace and Keauhou shopping center). Prices at the grocery store have jumped quite a bit since I was last here and the food selections are pretty sad. Some of the steaks were turning green at the KTA in Keauhou. Then add to this the fact that all conversations with locals are about negative things .. Vog, layoffs, price of gas, cost of living etc. the list goes on. But life underwater is still the same, Mantas and turtles still seem happy! I just returned from a visit to Kona and it’s pretty depressing what’s going on over there. I was last in Kona about two years ago and the stark differences are amazing. All the shopping areas are ghost towns (Kailua village, International Marketplace and Keauhou shopping center). Prices at the grocery store have jumped quite a bit since I was last here and the food selections are pretty sad. Some of the steaks were turning green at the KTA in Keauhou.
Then add to this the fact that all conversations with locals are about negative things .. Vog, layoffs, price of gas, cost of living etc. the list goes on. But life underwater is still the same, Mantas and turtles still seem happy!

]]> Comment on The two Kona economies by Aaron Stene http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-579 Aaron Stene Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:56:05 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-579 The Queen Kaahumanu Highway Phase I widening project should be completed in December 2008. (Between Malulani Gardens and the harbor). In the summer of 2009,Goodfellow Brothers (hopefully if Kiewit doesn't scuttle it) is going to widen Queen Kaahumanu between the harbor and the airport. As for Saddle Road, it is still rough between m.m 35 and Mamalahoa Highway.Although the CoH is going to resurface the m.m 35-47 segment as stopgap measure until m.m 35-41.5 segment is re-aligned.The m.m 41.5 to Malamahoa Highway segment is still going through a supplemental EIS. The Queen Kaahumanu Highway Phase I widening
project should be completed in December 2008.
(Between Malulani Gardens and the harbor).

In the summer of 2009,Goodfellow Brothers (hopefully if Kiewit doesn’t scuttle it) is
going to widen Queen Kaahumanu between the
harbor and the airport.

As for Saddle Road, it is still rough between m.m 35 and Mamalahoa Highway.Although
the CoH is going to resurface the m.m 35-47
segment as stopgap measure until m.m 35-41.5
segment is re-aligned.The m.m 41.5 to Malamahoa Highway segment is still going through a supplemental EIS.

]]> Comment on The two Kona economies by Andrew Cooper http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-578 Andrew Cooper Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:11:09 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/21/the-two-kona-economies/#comment-578 Glad to hear you enjoyed an inter-island jaunt. Your observations on the economy parallel what I have seen living here. I note the vog each day as I commute the Mamalahoa. Not usually bad on the north end by the big resorts, but much worse down towards Kona. The little seafood restaurant in Kawaihae, you are referring to is probably the Harbor Grill and Seafood Bar, a decent place and worth a stop. I wouldn't give your readers the wrong idea about Saddle. Yes, big sections have been rebuilt and are now quite nice. But over 20 miles of it are still the old, bad Saddle Road. Drive with caution and full attention on the road, please! Those of us who drive it regularly are all to aware that it remains dangerous, and busier these days. Glad to hear you enjoyed an inter-island jaunt. Your observations on the economy parallel what I have seen living here. I note the vog each day as I commute the Mamalahoa. Not usually bad on the north end by the big resorts, but much worse down towards Kona.

The little seafood restaurant in Kawaihae, you are referring to is probably the Harbor Grill and Seafood Bar, a decent place and worth a stop.

I wouldn’t give your readers the wrong idea about Saddle. Yes, big sections have been rebuilt and are now quite nice. But over 20 miles of it are still the old, bad Saddle Road. Drive with caution and full attention on the road, please! Those of us who drive it regularly are all to aware that it remains dangerous, and busier these days.

]]> Comment on How labor contracts are negotiated by russ http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/17/how-labor-contracts-are-negotiated/#comment-575 russ Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:05:11 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/17/how-labor-contracts-are-negotiated/#comment-575 i'm upset howard! i'm not here to comment on the story above but rather your bias reporting on housing on oahu. i was watching the news this morning and you pointing out what prudential locations says what single family home prices are doing. what you fail to mention is that prices are set to crash here like the mainland. all indicators are pointing in that direction. slaes decline of 30% year to year, stricter lending across the board, subprime arms about to reset on many oahu home owners, tight economy, etc. you know the rest. you really need to educate yourself on market conditions and report two sides. you and andrew gomes from the honolulu advertiser only take comments from realtors so or course, the picture is always rosy. if you want to be a RESPECTED reporter, report both sides!!! i've been posting on your blog for a longtime pointing out diferrent factors about where the market is going, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMSUMER! i have just about given up watching kgmb 9. please get the perspective of the avgerage joe rather than talking to guys like harvey shapiro all the time. check the polls of comsumers. read the blogs. it's unaimous, oahu home prices will fall 20% in the next 1-2 years. READ! i’m upset howard! i’m not here to comment on the story above but rather your bias reporting on housing on oahu. i was watching the news this morning and you pointing out what prudential locations says what single family home prices are doing. what you fail to mention is that prices are set to crash here like the mainland. all indicators are pointing in that direction. slaes decline of 30% year to year, stricter lending across the board, subprime arms about to reset on many oahu home owners, tight economy, etc. you know the rest. you really need to educate yourself on market conditions and report two sides. you and andrew gomes from the honolulu advertiser only take comments from realtors so or course, the picture is always rosy. if you want to be a RESPECTED reporter, report both sides!!! i’ve been posting on your blog for a longtime pointing out diferrent factors about where the market is going, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMSUMER! i have just about given up watching kgmb 9. please get the perspective of the avgerage joe rather than talking to guys like harvey shapiro all the time. check the polls of comsumers. read the blogs. it’s unaimous, oahu home prices will fall 20% in the next 1-2 years. READ!

]]> Comment on Where can we get more visitors? by makistar http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/18/where-can-we-get-more-visitors/#comment-573 makistar Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:04:09 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/18/where-can-we-get-more-visitors/#comment-573 Much of what you say is right on target. However, I'd like to point out that direct charter flights from China will begin on July 26. Beijing-based Mega Global Airways Limited will offer 3 flights a week from Tianjin to Honolulu on an ongoing basis. A second set of weekly charters from Hangzhou is also scheduled to launch in October from the same airlines (PBN May 27, 2008). So the possibility of an increase is there, and will not be as limited by flights as we'd like to think. It's nice that someone in China thinks Hawaii will be a profitable travel destination. Canadians numbers to Hawaii are way up (+28.6% YTD), and many are changing their condo-staying, canned-goods-in-suitcase travel habits, to hotel-living, 4-star-restaurant-dining vacationers. Which is good, but their per-person per-day spending is still way below that of the Japanese (currently, it is $156.90, while Japan is near $288.70 YTD). Our draw to Oceania is not so much fun in the sun, but rather shopping. Import taxes in Australia inflate brand-name goods, so that $400 Sergio Rossi shoes or a $5000 Hermes handbag here could very well cost 3 times as much back home. The real problem is that much of Hawaii's new-found gleam is related to the weak dollar, which as you pointed out in a previous post, is more of a silver lining than a saving grace. Why has Hawaii lost its' appeal to the international visitor? What has Waikiki done wrong? We're just not new and exiting anymore. Much of what you say is right on target.

However, I’d like to point out that direct charter flights from China will begin on July 26. Beijing-based Mega Global Airways Limited will offer 3 flights a week from Tianjin to Honolulu on an ongoing basis. A second set of weekly charters from Hangzhou is also scheduled to launch in October from the same airlines (PBN May 27, 2008). So the possibility of an increase is there, and will not be as limited by flights as we’d like to think. It’s nice that someone in China thinks Hawaii will be a profitable travel destination.

Canadians numbers to Hawaii are way up (+28.6% YTD), and many are changing their condo-staying, canned-goods-in-suitcase travel habits, to hotel-living, 4-star-restaurant-dining vacationers. Which is good, but their per-person per-day spending is still way below that of the Japanese (currently, it is $156.90, while Japan is near $288.70 YTD).

Our draw to Oceania is not so much fun in the sun, but rather shopping. Import taxes in Australia inflate brand-name goods, so that $400 Sergio Rossi shoes or a $5000 Hermes handbag here could very well cost 3 times as much back home.

The real problem is that much of Hawaii’s new-found gleam is related to the weak dollar, which as you pointed out in a previous post, is more of a silver lining than a saving grace.

Why has Hawaii lost its’ appeal to the international visitor? What has Waikiki done wrong?

We’re just not new and exiting anymore.

]]> Comment on Hawaii’s economy: different? Or just slow? by Toby http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/16/hawaiis-economy-different-or-just-slow/#comment-570 Toby Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:18:01 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/?p=274#comment-570 I would like to comment on Howards comments this morning about China. Yes, there are no direct flights to Hawaii right now, but what companies need to understand is that the China inbound market to Hawaii will be almost purely controlled by tour operators. Chinese do business with established relationships, and Hawaii needs to start connecting with these future tour operators now. There are six local Chinese transportation companies in Hawaii and there are ways to reach the China tour operators and airline companies. When the market starts direct flights you are too late. Korea will be nice, but nothing like China, because its simply a numbers game, and China had 41 million outbound travelers in 2007. Sorry, the Canadians are not the right visitor for us, although you are right about the increase of travel from them. They spend less than any other travel market, and those in Waikiki's retail and restaurant business knows it. I would like to comment on Howards comments this morning about China. Yes, there are no direct flights to Hawaii right now, but what companies need to understand is that the China inbound market to Hawaii will be almost purely controlled by tour operators. Chinese do business with established relationships, and Hawaii needs to start connecting with these future tour operators now. There are six local Chinese transportation companies in Hawaii and there are ways to reach the China tour operators and airline companies. When the market starts direct flights you are too late.

Korea will be nice, but nothing like China, because its simply a numbers game, and China had 41 million outbound travelers in 2007. Sorry, the Canadians are not the right visitor for us, although you are right about the increase of travel from them. They spend less than any other travel market, and those in Waikiki’s retail and restaurant business knows it.

]]> Comment on Fannie, Freddie and (Uncle) Sammy by Colleen Henion http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/11/fannie-freddie-and-uncle-sammy/#comment-569 Colleen Henion Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:02:58 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/11/fannie-freddie-and-uncle-sammy/#comment-569 Many thanks on the clarity of your explanations both in print and on the news. Yes, I get up early to hear your first televised info along with hearing & seeing Grace & Steve,oh yes and Jeff. Reading the mainland papers LA Times and New York Times-god forbid if the Advertiser or the Star Bulletin ever wrote anything on the current economic concerns locally. Which is why I ask? Couple of weeks ago-American Savings did something I still don't quite understand-they sold big $$$ to what was the term "solidify" their banking structure. Is this what is happening on the mainland with Fannie Mae etc., and in part what prompted the bail out of Indy? Yesterday there was talk about a troubled bank list and number of bank failures expected in the next 18 months. In the past it took about 2 years for economic struggles on the mainland to reach Hawaii. I think its zooming faster. Despite the minimizing of the foreclosures here our little island's housing market is known to be conservative. So if the big boys on the mainland are in trouble -where do we go to get the money here? Guess all I want is to hear some clarification. Even Bernacky's (?-you know that guy who took over after Greenspan left) statements on the hill sound frightening for all of its soft sell. Many thanks on the clarity of your explanations both in print and on the news. Yes, I get up early to hear your first televised info along with hearing & seeing Grace & Steve,oh yes and Jeff. Reading the mainland papers LA Times and New York Times-god forbid if the Advertiser or the Star Bulletin ever wrote anything on the current economic concerns locally. Which is why I ask? Couple of weeks ago-American Savings did something I still don’t quite understand-they sold big $$$ to what was the term “solidify” their banking structure. Is this what is happening on the mainland with Fannie Mae etc., and in part what prompted the bail out of Indy? Yesterday there was talk about a troubled bank list and number of bank failures expected in the next 18 months. In the past it took about 2 years for economic struggles on the mainland to reach Hawaii. I think its zooming faster. Despite the minimizing of the foreclosures here our little island’s housing market is known to be conservative. So if the big boys on the mainland are in trouble -where do we go to get the money here? Guess all I want is to hear some clarification. Even Bernacky’s (?-you know that guy who took over after Greenspan left) statements on the hill sound frightening for all of its soft sell.

]]> Comment on Ted Kennedy and the Medicare vote by Rick Kloek http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/10/ted-kennedy-and-the-medicare-vote/#comment-565 Rick Kloek Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:06:58 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/10/ted-kennedy-and-the-medicare-vote/#comment-565 Aloha Howard : Do you think the Super Ferry will ever be allowed to sail to Kauai? With the loss of a couple cruise ships here on Maui, the added revenue the visitors who visit from Oahu on the Super Ferry is welcome by everybody. The protestors who said the Super Ferry would cause traffic problems here on Maui were proven wrong by a survey by the Department of Transportation. The Super Ferry has not caused any enviromental problems so why is Kauai still saying no to the Super Ferry? Aloha Howard. Aloha Howard : Do you think the Super Ferry will ever be allowed to sail to Kauai? With the loss of a couple cruise ships here on Maui, the added revenue the visitors who visit from Oahu on the Super Ferry is welcome by everybody. The protestors who said the Super Ferry would cause traffic problems here on Maui were proven wrong by a survey by the Department of Transportation. The Super Ferry has not caused any enviromental problems so why is Kauai still saying no to the Super Ferry? Aloha Howard.

]]> Comment on The correct proximity to fireworks by Jennifer Tiernay http://kgmb9.com/howard/2008/07/04/the-correct-proximity-to-fireworks/#comment-556 Jennifer Tiernay Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:40:33 +0000 http://kgmb9.com/howard/?p=265#comment-556 Aloha Howard! We live on a sailboat next door to the Hilton Village. Ron usually runs up on deck to add his voice to the hoots and hollering that rings around the harbor and from the beach at the Hilton. I used to. I mostly stay down in the stateroom watching my Sci Fi shows. I have one night where I control the television remote and I'm not giving it up for even FIREWORKS! LOL! Tonight we'll have a ringside seat for the Magic Island show. We couldn't go anywhere even if we wanted to. Folks just park their cars in the middle of the road and leave them so it's a complete blockade despite the valiant attempts by the DLNR to have some control over the situation. As usual, the explosions will echo off the Ilikai and the Prince along with the ring of car alarms. It's pretty funny. Anyway, wanted to stop in and wish you and yours a wonderful and safe 4th. Jen Aloha Howard! We live on a sailboat next door to the Hilton Village. Ron usually runs up on deck to add his voice to the hoots and hollering that rings around the harbor and from the beach at the Hilton. I used to. I mostly stay down in the stateroom watching my Sci Fi shows. I have one night where I control the television remote and I’m not giving it up for even FIREWORKS! LOL!

Tonight we’ll have a ringside seat for the Magic Island show. We couldn’t go anywhere even if we wanted to. Folks just park their cars in the middle of the road and leave them so it’s a complete blockade despite the valiant attempts by the DLNR to have some control over the situation.

As usual, the explosions will echo off the Ilikai and the Prince along with the ring of car alarms. It’s pretty funny. Anyway, wanted to stop in and wish you and yours a wonderful and safe 4th.
Jen

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