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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
 Posted - 06/07/2009 : 11:36:22 AM
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I am sure that the economy is affecting the whole country, but here in Kona, it is very very quiet lately. Shirley and I walked down Alii Drive through the heart of Kailua-Kona last night, and I felt like it was 1975. Very few cars to watch out for. Shop owners standing by their doors, smiling at EVERYONE, in hopes that someone would come in and at least look around.
There are people talking on my web site (www.konaweb.com) about how condos in the Waikoloa Beach Resort area that were selling in the 1 million range, are now down in the $350k range.
Here in Holualoa, there were several coffee pickers standing around the post office, asking everyone who stopped by if they could use a gardener. Kona coffee sales are down.
Since there are few people to entertain, many of the restaurants are cutting back on live music. We have lost our tourist base.
And yet, life goes on.
My grandfather used to tell me; "for everything you gain, you lose something".
Grandpa was right of course, but the opposite is also true.
Those of us who live here, and the few visitors we have are now experiencing uncrowded beaches, very little traffic, and no lines at the grocery store!
How are things where you live?
Aloha,
-Konabob
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Konabob's Walkingbass - http://www.konawalkingbass.com
Taropatch Steel - http://www.konaweb.com/konabob/
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Konabob2+Walkingbass |
Edited by - Konabob on 06/07/2009 11:38:49 AM |
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sm80808
Lokahi
347 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2009 : 12:43:52 PM
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Feels about the same as ever here on Oahu.
Waikiki still seems crowded.
Still got plenty of traffic.
That said, I am glad to be home. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2009 : 2:09:25 PM
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Over here in Ohio, I have a daughter back at home. Now don't get me wrong, I love my baby daughter, but. I had to turn my scrapbook room back into a bedroom for her. She is the one who makes costumes for Disney on Ice. Well, the High School Musical on Ice closed down early and she has been home since early March. Without a job. Without a car. I can full well understand that if one does not have enough money to buy groceries or pay bills, that one is not going to have the money to spend to take the family to see a Disney on Ice production, not to mention High School Musical of all lame shows. There was a possibility of her going to an international show and they were going Venesuela among other places, but that fell through. Now there is talk that perhaps she will be assigned to a company that is going to Viet Nam, Malaysia and Brunei. She has applied for all kinds of jobs around here. Funny thing, one job that looks promising, if you can call it that, is selling Chevrolets. I guess this dealer is not one that will be closing down (yet). She said they pay strictly commission and it is 30%, but she has no idea 30% of what. I told her it cannot possibly be 30% of selling price which is what she thought.
But as far as tourists, Cleveland never was much of a tourist spot. And the Indians are playing really bad baseball. And LeBron is still pouting even though he got fined $$$$ for not talking to the press after that last game. We have learned around here never to get our hopes up for our sports teams because your heart will simply get dashed upon the rocks.
Meanwhile we did book our trip to O`ahu and no matter if tourism is down, the airline prices are not cheap, even though hotel prices have stayed about the same. And we are taking a big chance with Paul traveling with his guitar for this trip. I hope he (and the Simon & Patrick) are not traumatized.
We will be doing our fair share to stimulate the traditional music economy of O`ahu and take in the Slack Key Festival, too. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2009 : 05:40:03 AM
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Layoffs at my work stopped me from going to the Big Island this year. I survived the latest round of layoffs. But I had to watch a large group of my colleagues pack up their desks and it made me put my travel plans on hold. Now all of us in my department have to take two weeks off, unpaid, in the next three months to help the company balance the books, and there is still the chance that more of us will be laid off.
A lot of mainlanders are watching the economy carefully and holding onto our pennies in case we need them to feed our kids after a layoff.
I will make it to the Big Island someday.
Jesse |
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NANI
Lokahi
USA
292 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2009 : 06:56:35 AM
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Our Condo on the Big Island is sitting Empty for the First time ever. We rent it out when we are not there and have NO sched. Rentals ALL year. AND to make matters worse with the way the economy is here in Delaware there is not much chance of taking any extra vacation time to use it our selves. In fact we have decided to cut back our vacation next winter in the Hope of being able to come to Music Camp in the Summer. So we will not get to The Big Island until March and then only for two weeks.
Big change for me I was there from Dec. 20 to March 1st and am already to go back. Here tourists seem to be coming to the Beach but Locals are suffering. Bulinding is at a DEAD STOP. and Industry is holding its breath. Wanda like you we have one Kid moved back in. Our oldest lost his Federal job due to cut backs and so he is in my Office/Music Room till he finds a new job.
So needless to say I am hoping for a very QUICK turn around in the Economy. I love him but I have gotten used to the empty nest and we liked it just fine. |
"A hui hou kakou, malama pono".
Nancy |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 3:20:14 PM
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OK, so the economy is bad. Tourists came, not enough went and the golden goose stopped laying. Not enough water, not enough space, not enough fish, not enough this, not enough that. Build more houses, build more roads, build more hotels. Gouge the tourist so he pays $400 for a night and doesn't come back. It's not the tourist that's the enemy. But of course the wisdom of the powers that be think the world revolves around tourism. Too many of the golden eggs went rotten in the basket and they started to stink up the place.
What was once an industry based on quality and Hawai`i itself got watered down with fakery, cellophane skirts and mainlanders that study Hawai`i from one book.  Hawaiian experiences are few and far between. You gotta know somebody, (and luckily most of you do) when you come visit, or you get the glitz and not the mana`o. I took my wide-eyed, high-dollar employed friend to my uncles', brother-in-laws', grandfathers', step-sons', daughters', daughter's 1-year old lu`au. When I picked him up, I asked him, "Where are your boxing gloves? You might need, em where we're going." He laughed with a little nervousness...But I was kidding. For 2 years I got emails reminding me what a good time he and his haole family had. His wife was kinda PO'd at me 'cause he partook of a little too much beverage, but as punishment, I told her she could take away my next 10 birthdays.
Then there's the Lingle Furlough Fiasco...State employees. You're going to furlough every single corrections officer 3 days a month? Your work force has in effect been reduced by 14%. Do you release 14% of those incarcerated? Do you cut 14% of EVERYTHING? Or is it just public worker salaries? Because you now cut 14% of worker salary doesn't mean his mortgage gets cut by 14%, his car note doesn't get cut by 14%, his medical insurance share went UP, his 401k went DOWN (or went kaput). Public worker salaries were negotiated, in good faith I might add and agreed to by her administrative experts. In fact, she had to sign as the approving officer for the state. Why reduce salaries from the public work force? Many municipalities have a much higher excise tax than we do here; heck it's 7.75 in Las Vegas and 8% or so in Cali. Raise it to 5-6% if that's what it takes. That way everybody pays, not just the state employee. Something tells me she has an agenda, 'cause the state employees called her bluff too many times, and now she's gonna make 'em pay.
They're trying to throw a new telescope up on Haleakala as being an economic positive in these trying times. What more do we need to know? Oh yeah, people will be studying the sun till they go blind, but you know there are economics involved, especially for those doing the studying...Nuff is nuff! Leave Haleakala alone!
[/rant]OFF.[rant] Whew...pau fo now!
[/put on body armor]ME[put on body armor] |
Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 4:35:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by PoiDog
What was once an industry based on quality and Hawai`i itself got watered down with fakery, cellophane skirts and mainlanders that study Hawai`i from one book. Hawaiian experiences are few and far between. You gotta know somebody, (and luckily most of you do) when you come visit, or you get the glitz and not the mana`o.
Well phrased.
I haven't yet seen a whole lotta the glitz, because all my Island trips tended to involve time spent with (a) Momi's living family members, (b) Momi's deceased family members, and (c) Hawaiian record company people.
I feel extremely lucky that it is the Hawai`i I have come to know - and I don't feel that I've missed out by not playing "tourist" enough. |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 4:54:10 PM
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| Eh...long time so see. Beware, daPoiDog is workin' in a few new verses. Mebbe next year the song should be ready for a CD...hehe! I will be reading the NW Hawaii Times in person next year. Hugs to Momi-Lomi-Lomi! How is Manono? I haven't called in a long time. I should give her a shout. |
Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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guitarded
Ha`aha`a
USA
1799 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 5:36:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by PoiDog
I will be reading the NW Hawaii Times in person next year.
Brah, I guess you nevah see this. |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 5:43:55 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by guitarded
[brBrah, I guess you nevah see this.
You right, I nevah see 'um...Danggit!  |
Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
Edited by - PoiDog on 06/09/2009 5:44:21 PM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2009 : 02:20:04 AM
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One of the inviolable rights of employers is to make decisions as to lay-offs or furloughs. Frankly, I would prefeer seeing furloughs as opposed to a number of people actually losing their jobs permanently. When I was president of National Federation of Federal Employees Local 73, we tried to negotiate temporary furloughs instead of reductions in force, only to be told that management did not have to negotiate that subject with us, merely the impact of the RIF and the implementation of the RIF in areas that were not covered by federal statutes. It made me mighty grumpy, but all my research determined they were right. They did not HAVE to negotiate with us on that topic, but the statute did not prevent them from doing so.
We even volunteered to workone day a week, each member of the union, without pay to make up the personnel budget shortfall, only to be told that federal statutes prevent employees working gratuitous hours -- federal law prevented us from working for free. Even if we volunteered to do so.
As a result, many of my friends got RIF'd and left federal service entirely. A few were lucky enough to find federal jobs in other agencies, although many had to take a reduction in pay grade to do so.
One of the big lies we were told is that it was not about money, it was about personnel ceiling. Some bean counter somewhere determined that based on workload measurement ineicators, we could do the work with only 120 bodies (full-time equivalents - FTEs) instead of 150, so 30 people would lose their jobs. Bottom line is that was a lie and anytime feds talk about FTEs authorized, they are lyiing. The budgets are given out by congress in dollars, not FTEs. A dozen GS-4 clerks get paid a lot less money than a dozen GS-14 or 15 managers. Why cut the clerks when you get more bang for the buck by cutting the managers. Looks mighty funny having all kinds of managers at the top but no employees to manage because you have cut all the lower graded employees. And heaven knws that managers barely can manage or they would not have made stupid decisions like that.
And then, one time they tried to tell me that interns (trainees) would not get cut during a reduction in force, but journeymen in those same jobs would. Funny, then who is left to train the trainees?
Government jobs during economic downturns are safer than private sector jobs because of some safeguards put in place by federal statute. There are rules that must be followed and hopefully the government employees' unions will watch herd on how things areeffected to make sure the rules are followed and are as fair as possible.
Private sector employment is almost always "at will" employment so they can let you go whenever they want, if you are not a unionized organization.
Many people state that labor unions have outlived their effectiveness and even I as a staunch employee rights person may tend to agree somewhat, but there are definitely times when the protection of a bargaining agreement (labor contract) can protect the employee.
All this being said, Joh, I think overall it is still better to furlough the corrections officers partially than some of them lose their positions out-right. Spread the labor dollars around so that everyone gets part of it instead of some getting nothing.
Re tourism: There are certainly not many "official" touristy kinds of things that show the real Hawaiian experience. Because most tourists do not want the real experience. What old 57-year old haole woman with heart trouble is going to want to go pull weeds out of the lo`i? For that matter, how many Hawaiians want to pull weeds out of the lo`i? Or help clean the fish ponds? Nah, nah. To the tourists, they would rather ride the zip line down Haleakala, go ride a jet ski at Makapu`u or dive in a shark cage at Haae`iwa. Meanwhile Bishop Museum, so full of treasures is practically empty. People are in the bars listening to Jawaiian instead of listening to Martin Pahinui sing about Pu`uanahulu.
Tourists who do not truly experience the culture -- the music, the food, the dance -- of the area they are traveling to, do not need to be there, and during rough economic times, they won't go there. If they just want to float in the water on an air mattress, they can do it in a swimming pool in Akron, OH. They do not need to spend 9 hours on a plane and thousands of dollars to do the same thing at Hanauma Bay. Because the culture is not important to them.
And you bet I am one of those who experience the culture by reading about it. Because there is not much other way to experience it. But I read about Hawai`i voraciously. And I know I have much, much more to learn. And I will learn more. I think that is one way that I can re-pay Hawai1i for the pleasure I have gained. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 06/10/2009 02:20:28 AM |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2009 : 06:31:47 AM
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| I want to chime in, too. Thanks to TP, and to Duke & Jay & Doug Fitch, I have been able to see the non-tourist side of Oahu. And thanks to Gordon Bowker, who invited me to stay with him in Kailua, which led to my staying there, when Thumbs & I first came to Oahu in January 4 years ago. My favorite experiences in Hawaii involve Saturday afternoons around the pool at Duke's apartment complex in Maunalua, the guys playin' music & talking story, gals fixing food and playing cards, and da keikis jumping in and out of the pool, or jammin' with da guyz in Pauoa, or hangin wid Led & Sharon in Kaneohe, or jammin with Doug, Mahina, Thumbs and Led at his place in Kailua. Wow!! |
keaka |
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PoiDog
Lokahi
245 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2009 : 08:02:57 AM
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quote:
What was once an industry based on quality and Hawai`i itself got watered down with fakery, cellophane skirts and mainlanders that study Hawai`i from one book.
As in tourism experts...The state and their experts who knew all about Hawai`i expected all these tourist dollars...and dollars never came.
quote:
State employees.
Federal and state employment statutes differ. State employee furloughs for 3 days a month for 2 years? You can bet that there will be some people who don't get furloughed at all, and therein lies the problem. Some people will be taken care of at the expense of others; if that doesn't happen, I will truly be surprised. Imagine if husband and wife are state employees, as many are. There are a lot more issues than meet the eye.
Managers are already starting to mess with the furlough ideas. Take the Public Defender's Office. You would think that people with the intelligence (well supposed intelligence anyway) that it takes to be an attorney would be able to adjust schedules. Nope. The head of the office declared that the entire Public Defender's System would close down 3 Fridays a month. The entire office. Not spread the furloughs days out over a 20 or 21 day work month. Now, he of all people is claiming that defendants incarcerated on a Thursday will not have access to attorneys until Monday because the office will be closed 3 Fridays a month. That's it. Shut down 3 days a month, of course on Fridays. What other agencies? Will the airports close for 3 days a month? Harbors? Courts?
Raising the excise tax is a much more equitable solution. At least every person in the state gets to share in repairing the mess she, her cabinet and the legislature created. It's all about EGO. As was so evident in the Superferry fiasco. Millions of dollars pissed into the wind. Hawaii could have used an alternative to airlines and Young Brothers dominance in moving people, vehicles and some goods, but she went it about it in a helter-skelter manner, then her EGO got bruised and bloodied when she failed at trying to ram stuff through.
quote:
When House Speaker Calvin Say (D, St. Louis-Wilhelmina Rise-Palolo Valley) asked earlier this year whether Lingle had the power to furlough state workers without union negotiation, the attorney general's office said on Feb. 17 that the governor would have to negotiate the terms of the furlough.
But then on Friday, Deputy Attorney General James Halvorson amended his opinion, saying, "We conclude that furlough procedures are not subject to any type of mandatory negotiations."
You want to bet Lingle and this attorney had a meeting?
quote:
Pay cuts of 5 percent for high-level state officials -- including lawmakers, judges and the governor -- have been signed into law by Gov. Linda Lingle.
The wage cuts come as Lingle has proposed state workers take furloughs equivalent to a 14 percent pay cut to help make up a budget deficit of $730 million over the next two years.
The cuts also come after lawmakers already received raises of 36 percent, to roughly $48,000 a year, at the start of 2009. Lingle and judges' pay went up last year.
What about this doesn't stink like a raw fish in a plastic bag the sun?
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Aloha,
da Poi Dog |
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bubba
Akahai
72 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2009 : 08:07:05 AM
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| Reqards Kona and the Big Island: I think that the lack of crowds in Kona might attract more people who might not like what Kona has become. I am surprised that I haven't seen the hotel prices drop more dramatically, which would offset the cost of the seemingly ever high airfare. Still can't do anything about the vog I guess - seemingly an indication that Pele also doesn't like what has taken place in Kona. If Kona has slowed down I assume that the tourism on the rest of the island has dropped off too. |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2009 : 11:31:53 AM
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Regarding negotiating the terms of a furlough:
They do not have to negotiate the decision to furlough, but the MUST negotiate the impact and implementation of how the furlough will be put into place such as scheduling; whether or not seniority plays a part, etc., IF andonly IF the involved union advises the agency management in writing of the desire to bargain over the impact and implementation, within the timeframe specified in the collective bargaining agreement. They would had to have announced to the Union that there were plans to implement a furlough and then the furlough must respond in writing of their intent to bargain over the impact and implementation thereof.
Unions need to be proactive not reactive. They need to know theier rights. And they need not to cry wolf over any little dinky perceived insult. Make it so that when the union speaks, management will listen by not nitpicking over petty things that are really not covered in the bargaining agreement. Choose your battles carefully.
I find it absolutely ludicrous that managers don't get hurt as bad as non0managemenet when there are lay-offs and furloughs. That is like all the car company honchos, bank honchos and insurance company honchos getting huge bonuses and stuff for running the companies into the ground.
OK. I'm pau. I neva like raise the blood presha and have to take more medicine. I had one nuclear stress test today. They don't even make me walk on da treadmill. They shoot me up with some chemical to SIMULATE exercise effects on the heart. Weird feeling. Get tyahd jus layin deah on da tabo ting. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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