"PURR-FECT"

From Art Bell's webcam at coasttocoastam.com

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It was one of those nights when I could do no wrong. All the travails of the shift just slid off.

Started at 6:00pm and picked up the phone and reservations from another driver who was covering until my arrival. First reservation was at 7:00pm and there were 6 cabs queued up before me.

The calls came sparingly and then it was 6:45pm and I was first up. For "time calls", we dispatch a cab to the pickup location 15 minutes in advance. At 7:00pm I made my pickup from The Grand to the airport (OGG).

The round trip usually takes about 1 hour.

Queued up again at 8:00pm. The next time call was 9:00pm and at 8:45pm I was again first in line. So off to the Four Seasons and another run to the airport.

As I was entering Kihei, on the return, I received a call from Speedie-Shuttle requesting that we cover a pickup of two pilots at the Mau'i Coast Hotel in Kihei at 10:10pm and take them to the airport. All the rest of the cabs were in Wailea and I was the only "outside" (not in Wailea) cab. So another trip to the airport!!!

I cleared at the airport around 10:45pm and had just passed the car rental agencies when I received a call from a former driver, who now works as a rental agent at Hertz rent-a-car, wondering if I had any cabs in the airport area. He had some guests needing a ride into Kihei. So, 5 minutes later, I have a paid ride back to town.

Not bad.

At the end of the run the meter read $37.10 and, as he handed me a $100 bill, my fare said, "The smallest I have is this. I know you can't break it, so keep the change." My hand snatched that bill out of his hand like a raptor, as I thanked him and "beat feet" out of there before he changed his mind.

A $62.90 TIP!!!!

Did bar runs til 2:00am.

At 2:45am I took a gentleman across the island to see his lady friend, thus having my fifth long run of the night.

A couple of more "pu-pu runs" and then I was at The Grand, compiling the reservations for Sunday. One of their guests walked out at 4:30am wanting a taxi to the airport. So away we went on my sixth long run.

When I got back to the garage, my relief driver, Brian, asked if I had lost a roll of nickles the night before. I told him about the guy who had paid me in rolled nickles (see previous post). Brian opened the glove box and handed me a roll that he had found on the rear floor. Thus I had only lost $1 on that prior run

The perfect ending to a "purr-fect" day.

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This morning's sunrise over Mt. Haleakala, our dormant volcano.
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The departure terminal at OGG. I've mentioned before how small our international airport is.
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Today's gas prices.
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The fountain at the entrance to the Four Seasons.
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Brian
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Anna-Lisa, one of the "Triangles" many patrons
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Another Sunday morning and the end of another week for me.
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Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

WHEW

A really busy night.

It started out really slow. I came on at 6:00pm and didn't get my first run until 6:45pm and that was just a $5 "pu-pu".

At 7:00pm the owner turned dispatch over to me (ugh). Stayed slow for the next hour. 8 cabs idle. Boredom.

About 8:00pm the phone started ringing. Zip, that 8 cab cushion is now down to one cab coverage for the entire southside of the island. People were headed to the airport, the harbor, dinner, etc. By 8:30pm I was becoming very selective in the calls I was accepting. With vastly reduced resources I had to husband what was available. By 11:30pm we were caught up on the calls and then were able to give a 10 minute response on request. And they just kept coming in.

The bar close was a madhouse, but by 2:00am, I was able to send the other drivers home.

And the phone still kept ringing, albeit at a slower rate.

Kept moving until my first two dayshift drivers checked in early at 4:30am. Passed over the phone and reservations and "got the hell out of Dodge".

They had two airport runs to start their day. One at 5:00am and the other at 5:15am. Their entire morning was booked solid.

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WEIRD SIGHT

At one point during the night I came to a 4-way stop intersection. Just as I was pulling away, a movement caught my attention and I braked hard. Coming through the intersection was a mini-motorscooter with two riders towing three teenagers on skateboards. Each boarder clinging to the shirt of the one in front and the first one holding the hand of the scooter's passenger. There was no light on the scoot and everyone was dressed in black. I sat there in disbelief until they passed. I broadcast over the radio what I had seen to warn other drivers in the area. About 10 minutes later, one driver advised that the boys had been stopped by MPD on the highway about a mile south of where I had seen them. MPD was conducting field sobriety tests on the entire lot.

Ah, to be a teenager and believe that you are indestuctable. We have all walked that path ourselves. Amazing we have lived this long.
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"Buddy can you spare a nickle?"

Made one pickup a little after 3:30am at the south end of Kihei and took him north. The fare was $20. He handed me 1 - $5 bill and six rolls of nickles (for readers outside the U.S., there are $2 worth of nickles in each roll). Yup, just $17 total. $3 short. It was obvious that that was all he had. The company gets its 60% of the fare and I eat the rest. But it wasn't enough to stress over. Feces occurs and he might tip big the next time. Thats the way it usually seems to work out, more often than not, over the 4+ years I've been doing this.
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Sorry, no pics tonight.

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Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

GIRL'S DAY

Today (March 3rd) is "Girl's Day" in Japan. All females celebrate their birthday today.

"Boy's Day" is on May 5th.
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Called off sick last night, so I'll share some links to the resort hotels in Wailea.

Four Seasons

The Grand Wailea

Mau'i Prince Hotel

Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort

Wailea Marriott Resort

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa

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Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

STREET / LOCATION NAMES

Some are difficult (why-mah-high-high)



Some just roll off of your tongue (key-hay & kay-oh-nee-kai)



Some don't (kah-lie Wah-ah)



Most fall in the middle (koo-lah-nee hah-coy)



When some tourist wants to be picked up at the "hey-kah-high", you have to find out if they mean the KIHEI AKAHI (ah-kah-he)



Or the WAILEA EKAHI (eh-kah-he)
BTW - EKAHI is Hawai'ian for "one" (1)



ELUA (eh-lou-ah) is "two" (2)



And EKOLU (eh-koh-lou) is "three" (3)


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POLICE LIGHT BARS



I really don't like these "strobe" emergency lights. The flash is very effective when they are in your direct "line of sight" but that flash does not reflect well off the surrounding buildings or ground. The officer has had his "ring of protection" truncated around curves and other areas of limited visibility. The rotating emergency lights were so much better. Also, these "strobe" lights cause your pupils to constrict to pinpoints, destroying your night vision.

Thats my "two cent" opinion.
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WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO?

12 hours = 10 runs.

Earned enough to buy my cat, "Bear", some kitty food and me a couple of packs of cancer sticks.

I've had worse nights.

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Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be carefull out there!"

YAWN

MPD checking out some problem at Neptune's, in the Triangle last night.
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So-so night. Made money but never really busy.

After clearing a run at The Grand, I was departing on the exit driveway. Just as I approached the public street, some idiot turned off the street and proceeded to enter via the exit drive. I came to a quick stop and waited. He came to a stop facing me. Ah, a "mexican standoff". We finally worked our way past each other, exchanging mutual signs and words of respect.

Everyone drives here just like they do at home. Unfortunately, "home" is everywhere in the world.

I started thinking about all the drivers I have encountered while cabbing.

Our "left of the road" guests tend to have an initial problem on our "right of the road" island. Granted, these folks are tired. Some have been traveling for over 24 hours to get here.

This is most dangerous on the airport road. Two lanes inbound, two lanes outbound, separated by a double yellow line. It is very disconcerting to have them exit the rental agencies, turn onto the outbound lane and then immediately move to the curbside inbound lane. A lane that you currently occupy. Trust me, that strange sound you hear is your seat cover being sucked up your ass.

This happened to me about two weeks ago. I actually had to go halfway over the curb to avoid being hit headon. I could not read the lips nor hear the words spoken but the female passenger's wild gestures and aggitated manner seemed to indicate her dissatisfaction with the male driver's actions. But he was totally "zoned" and oblivious to her. Probably his natural manner.

The biggest problem about driving in a country that drives on the "opposite" side is when an emergency occurs. You instictively turn towards the nearside curb. That instinctive left or right jerk of the wheel will turn a minor incident into a major tragedy when in an "opposite" country.

Some guests here honk their horn when stopping, starting and turning. Probably while backing up also, but I haven't observed that. I wonder where they are from?

I do know that in NYC the horns on taxis are faster than the speed of light. Nanoseconds prior to the light turning "green", the horns behind you start blaring. Amazing. I wonder if the DoD has looked into this. Could also be useful for Homeland Security. ;)

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Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be carefull out there!"

SIGH

TSUNAMI'S AT SUNSET
This is the "Ballroom" or "Group" entrance at the Grand. This is also the entrance to"Tsunami's" on Friday and Saturday night.


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Since it was Saturday, it was again my night to dispatch. Just read the previous post to get an idea of how the night went.

My second fare was a newlywed couple from Stockholm, Sweden. I took them to Delta at OGG where they faced a 26 hour trek home. Mau'i to L.A., to Atlanta, Georgia, to JFK, to Paris, to Stockholm. Whoa, thats building up a lot of frequent flyer miles.

I love newlyweds. Their smiles are so genuine. Their actions towards each other so caring. Shame it won't last.

Picked up a very tired lady, out of Chicago, from the hospital last night and brought her back to the 4 Seasons. Her husband had gone diving and miscalculated his assent rate/time and was suffering from the "bends". He was to be transported today to Honolulu, where they have a pressure chamber.

She was pensive but calm. They were here celebrating their 30th anniversary. They were "empty-nesters", their 26 year old daughter now living in London. We talked about life and marriage and grandkids (she didn't have any). You could tell that she still loved her husband, in a "comfortable shirt" fashion, but was bored by 30 years of "sameness."

When we arrived at her hotel the fare was $59.60. She handed $60 and apologised for no tip. I told her not to worry about it. She insisted that I wait while she went to her room to get more money. I told her that I really had to leave since we were "backed up" about 10 runs. She still insisted, so I suggested that if she really wanted to give me a tip, that she put the money in an envelope and give it to the night doorman (I know the guy) and that he would call me to pick it up. About 30 minutes later I got the call from him. As I picked up the envelope I handed him $2, without even looking inside to see how much it was. Thanked him for his kindness. Opened to find $20 inside. I hope her husband gets better and that some novelty comes into her life.

Not all marriages here end nicely.

About two years back, I picked up a newlywed couple from the Seawatch restaurant, about 11:00pm, after their wedding dinner. Took them to the Wailea Marriott. At 3:30am the Marriott called requesting a cab. It was the groom. Took him to OGG, the airport. The entire 30 minute ride he was on the phone with his attorney in L.A., where it was 5:30am. I wonder if the attorney charged double his normal hourly rate for this call?

He wanted his attorney to get a locksmith to immediately re-key his house, have the alarm company re-set all access codes, etc., and immediately file annullment/divorce papers, whichever was best.

He called his new wife many names. "Loving bride" was not among them. Sad.

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This is my friend Robert. He used to drive for Royal but has moved to the "competition". I think he got tired of being a "nite owl" and dealing with drunks. Works "days" now. I think he made the face so that I wouldn't use his picture. He was wrong. :)

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I classify the people out at night, after "bar close", into 3 catagories.

"NIGHTHAWKS" - Police, Fire, Ambulance

"NIGHTOWLS" - All of us who work the single digit hours of the morning

"NIGHTCRAWLERS" - The vermin of that crawl out of the shadows

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Ah! It's Sunday morning. Off til Tuesday night :)



Later.....
Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there"

DISPATCHING

Ring.
Ring

"Good evening, Royal Cab. This is Wil."

""Is this a taxi company?"

"Yes, This is Royal Cab."

"Is this a taxi company?"

"Yes it is. How may I assist you?"

"I need a taxi."

"Okay. Where are you at?"

"Kihei."

"Could you be a little more specific."

"South Kihei."

"Where in south Kihei?"

"South Kihei road."

"Sir, south Kihei road is 7 miles long. Where are you at right now?"

"I want to go to the 'Triangle'."

"Fantastic. We are more than happy to take you to the 'Triangle', we just need to know where to pick you up at."

"Oh yeah. I am in Kihei."
--------------------------------
Ring.
Ring.

"Good evening. Royal Cab. This is Wil."

"How long to get a cab?"

"Where are you at?"

"Kihei. How long to get a cab?"

"Ma'am, where in Kihei are you?"

"Cassorole Dunes."

"Do you mean Kamaole Sands?"

"Yeah, that's it."

Which building are you staying in?"

"I don't know."

Well, ma'am. Kam Sands has ten buildings and I need to know which one to send the cab to."

"Can I call you back?"

"Sure. Aloha."

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And thats how it goes for the next 12 hours.

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Apparently there is also a Royal Cab in Honolulu. I am always getting calls from tourists who dialed 4-1-1 from there and were routed to me. Honolulu is 100 miles and 3 islands northwest of Mau'i.

About a year ago, I got a call from someone wanting to confirm their limo reservations for the "Oscars". Apparently there is a "Royal Limo Service" somewhere in southern California.

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"Aloha, where are we headed to tonight?"

"Take me to a 'tittie bar!'"

"Uh, sir. We don't have 'tittie bars' on Mau'i."

"WHAT???"

Yes sir. The only 'tittie bars' in Hawai'i are in Honolulu."

"Okay. Take me to Honolulu."

"Sir, Honolulu is 100 miles away..."

"I don't care. Take me there."

"... and there are no bridges between the islands. To get to Honolulu, you have to fly."

"What do you mean there are no bridges. What a fucked up place this is. Okay, take me to the airport."

"Sir, the airport is closed and the next flight to Honolulu isn't until 6:25 in the morning."

"This place is really fucked up. You come here and you're trapped. Take me to my hotel."

"Okay, which hotel are you staying at sir?"

"I don't know."
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Another Friday night.

OUCH!

BTW - All photos can be enlarged for easier viewing by just "left clicking" on them. :)
This happened sometime on Tuesday night's shift. The day driver found it on Wednesday morning. I called the owner Wednesday night after the day driver called me. He told me not to worry about it. We'll fix it if the hotel complains. No big deal. All I can figure is someone scraped me when I was away from the vehicle.

TAMMY


This is my friend Tammy. She is a bartender at Neptune's, one of the clubs in the "bar-muda triangle". Tammy is one of the most positive people I've ever met. I don't think anything will ever give her the "blues". Luv ya, sweetheart.

LAST NIGHT

Last night was the busiest that I have seen since the new meter rates went into effect on January 6th. I started an hour later than usual. Just needed that extra hour off to "recharge the batteries". One of my last trips from the previous shift were 3 ladies going to the airport, at 4:30am, for a day-trip to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor to see the USS ARIZONA, USS MISSOURI and Waikiki. I had given them my card and told them if they needed to be picked up on their return to just give us a call. And golly-gee, they actually called and wanted me to meet them at the airport at 7:30pm. The owner called me at home around 6:30pm, just as I was getting out of the shower (good omen - I wasn't IN the shower when he called) and told me about this "special request". I boogied down to the garage and me and ONE-NINE headed for Mau'i International Airport (I won't say our airport is small, but both the departure and arrival terminals could fit comfortably inside an average Wisconson milking barn). Greeted them at the bottom of the escalator and took them back to Kihei. They had had a great day and were exhausted.

They are departing the island on monday (my day off), so I made arrangements for another driver to pick them up and take them to the airport.

The more ambitious drivers in the company do that to help each other out. Also, they really do need a van. Three ladies, here for two weeks, do tend to bring a lot of luggage.

And even though my Soprano's car can hold four dead bodies in the trunk, it ain't big enough for that much luggage.

As the shift progressed, I was to make 4 more trips to the airport. Add that to 11 long in-town runs and the night ended very profitablely. GRIN

LONG vs SHORT RUNS

In most of the U.S., cab drivers pay a fee to lease their vehicle for a specific period of time. Once they earn back that fee during their shift they start making a profit from thereon. This makes the business very "cutthroat" for the drivers. Out of their profits for the shift they must also buy their own gas, usually from the "company store", since the cab must have a full tank at the beginning and end of their shift.

On Mau'i, very few companies operate that way. Here the drivers total up the trip dollars at the end of the shift and pay the company 60% of that amount, keeping 40% and their tips for themselves. Any monies expended for gas/oil/etc. are deducted from the company's share of the proceeds. This is actually a pretty good deal for both sides. The busier you are means both the company and driver share the shift's profits. Conversely, the driver doesn't get "the shaft" if the shift is slow.

Long runs mean a higher total meter but a lower tip percent for the driver. Short runs earn less on the meter but people are more generous with their tip percentage. A run from The Grand to the airport takes about 1 hour for the round trip. The fare is $53.30 and most people give you $60 "and keep the change". During that same hour, a driver staying in Wailea could do 5 hotel-to-hotel runs, for an average of $6 per trip. The passenger usually gives them $10 and "keep the change". Thus the driver who went to the airport earned $28.02 for the hour and the driver who stayed in Wailea earned $32. The company earned $31.98 off of the airport driver and $18 from the driver who stayed back.

Unlike New York, where a driver who makes a run to one of the airports will then queue up at the taxi terminal there for a run out of the airport, thus earning money in both directions, we have to "deadhead" back from the airport.

The State of Hawai'i, Department of Transportation, has an exclusive contract with Mau'i Airport Taxi for all non-scheduled taxi departures. Any other cab company and/or driver trying to poach in their domain will lose their airport usage permits. Outside companies and drivers are only authorized and permitted to make pre-arranged pickups from OGG (Mau'i's FAA designation).

Most drivers at Royal Cab do a blend of both types of runs during their shift.

Night shift drivers do have one advantage, and disadvantage, over the day shift drivers. We deal with drunks most of the night. Drunks can be a real pain in the ass but generally tend to be very gregarious when tipping. Obnoxious drunks are the main reason most drivers hate to work at night. Those of us who do, are very adept at making a legal profit from them.

Day shift driver have the ability to take tourists on tours of the island. Before the rate change, we charged $50 per hour (2 hour minimum) to do this. I think the rate is now $75 per hour. This isn't really as expensive as it sounds. The tour bus companies charge $200 per person for the same service. A typical tour is about 10 hours long.

A family of 5 would spend $1,000 if they went on the tour bus or $750 dollars with us. And we will stop anywhere you want on the tour rather than only at designated venues. Our drivers (Jim and Susan) who specialize in this service are really knowledgeable and personnable.

BTW - If, perchance, you are headed this way and this sounds interesting to you. Just call us at 808-874-6900 and ask for Jim or Susan to call you back. We'll need your name and telephone number to do this.


And as the Moon and Venus watch, the sun begins to creep up on Mt. Haleakala ("house of the sun") and brings another of my shifts to a close.

Aloha!

FOLLOW UP

From Maui News about the guy who rammed my cab.

http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=17191

ALL DRESSED UP....

And nowhere to go.

Another gorgeous Mau'i sunset, (click to enlarge)

as we queue up. Waiting to take somebody somewhere. (click photo)

FIRST MATE

On one of my early runs last night I took a sweet family to the airport. The were from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Dad told this joke:
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Setting, mid-Atlantic in the 18th century, aboard a merchant vessel.
Suddenly a pirate vessel is sighted. After assessing the situation the captain turned to his first mate and said "Mate I want you to go to my cabin and fetch me my red shirt." The mate did as ordered. The pirate ship was engaged in battle and defeated by the merchant ship.

The next day TWO pirate ships were spotted and again the captain ordered his mate to fetch him his red shirt. The bad guys were engaged and the merchant ship prevailed in battle.

At dinner that night, the mate asked the captain why he always wanted his red shirt just before a battle. "I wear a red shirt so that if I am wounded in battle my crew will not be able to see the blood from my wounds and thus will fight to win.

The following day the sea in front of them was filled with hundreds of pirate ships, stretching from horizon to horizon. The captain turned to his first mate and ordered, "mate, go to my cabin and fetch me my brown pants."
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Later I had a few dinner runs. Then, at 10:30pm, it died. Went home for about 1-1/2 hours to kick back. Came back out for the bar close. Had a lot of runs during the overnight, including another airport run. Overall, a pretty decent night.

SMASH MOUTH

On a friday night early last autumn, I made a closing time pickup from Tsunami's. Three young men, crew members of the cruise ship "Pride of Aloha", and took them back to the harbor. The two guys sitting next to the doors were quiet and reflective of the night's fun. The one in the center was trying to impress them with how tough he was. Kept saying he was a "homeboy" from Compton, CA. This went on for 12 miles. The more he talked, the more aggitated he became. He definately had consumed something more than alcohol during the night. Suddenly, he lunged over the seat and grabbed the steering wheel. It was a life or death struggle for control of the car. I reached down and grabbed my mag-lite, which is always against my right hip, and smashed him in the mouth 4 times, as hard as I could, until he released the wheel. He fell back into the rear seat, bleeding from the nose and mouth and missing his front teeth. I cussed him out in my best "Irish" and told him and his buddies that if he even moved I was going to pull to the side of the road, yank him out of the car, break both his legs and arms and leave him in a sugar cane field to rot. And to cover his face with his shirt, since I didn't want any blood on the velour seats. Ten minutes later I dropped them off at the ship. Got paid, with a nice tip included, from the "quiet boys". As I pulled away, the two nice kids looked at their buddy and walked away. You don't screw with Deputy Dawg.

ADDENDUMS

Update on Nathaniel "Bobo" Russell, the guy who rammed my cab back in 2003. He was formally sentenced this week to 5 years in prison.
Then the Feds get him for 20 years after that.

Correction on the quanity of "ice" he was caught with. It was 6 pounds, not 64, as I typoed earlier.

Have a great day. Lets see what tomorrow brings.

Later......
Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there"

A 50/50 NIGHT

The night started really great. Lots of dinner runs and their returns. Even had one trip to the airport. About 8:00pm we had drizzle but it only lasted an hour. Right around 10:30pm the phone stopped ringing. Nothing, nada, zilch. Maybe just two runs per hour until bar close at 2:00am and it was a wash out. Two drivers called it a night and the last one left at 3:00am. Two runs after that and then I left at 6:00am when the second of the day drivers checked in.

We don't do a lot of cruising for fares. Gas is too expensive. In the first half of the night we run a rotation out of Wailea. Later in the night we shift our focus to the bars in Kihei. Especially the "bar-muda triangle" (5 bars about 200' apart from each other in a small shopping center).

About 4:30am it began to actually rain. The islands of Kaua'i, O'ahu and the western half of Moloka'i were under flood watches yesterday and last night. I guess we are getting the fringe of the storm. Rain is rare in Kihei (key-hay). About 10"s per year.

$100 DOLLAR BILLS

My first fare of the evening was a short 8/10ths of a mile "pu pu" (Hawai'ian for "tid bit" or "small bite") run from the Grand Wailea to Joe's Bar and Grill. Total fare of $5.60. He hands me a hundred. Geez, I only start my shift with $25 in my pocket. Luckily he was a guest at The Grand and we have a voucher pay system with them. He included a $4.40 tip.

This isn't the first time that this has happened. The Grand is not a cheap place to stay. Room rates run from $800 to $12,500 dollars a night. I've always wondered why people do this. If they're trying to impress the "common man" with their wealth, its a failure. Or maybe they are inured to the inaneness of the action.

THE UGLY AMERICAN

Well, that would be me, I guess.

A while back, on a Friday night, I was queued up first at "Tsunami's", a disco located at The Grand's ballroom entrance. I watched hotel security officers and a couple of Tsunami's "floor hosts" (fancy word for "bouncer") escorting a man from the club. They flagged me forward. Obviously there had been some trouble and I knew exactly what his problem was less than 1 second after he closed the door. He was from Australia and hated Americans. His general opinion was that Americans were lazy, shiftless, bullies and thieves. You can insert your own coarse adjectives for these words. I wasn't half way out of the driveway when I knew that this ride wasn't going to make it to the Mau'i Prince Hotel, his detination, 4 miles to the south. As far as I was concerned, it wasn't going to make it to the end of the drive. Then I realized that I had to at least get him off of The Grand's property. And that is exactly what I did. I turned onto the public street, drove two car lengths and pulled to the curb. Exitted the cab, opened his door and told him to get out. When he asked why I told him that "no guest has the right to insult their host". He refused at first, then I asked him "sir, you can either exit the cab like a gentleman or I can remove you with great pain on your part and great relish on mine. Your option". I was emphasising my statements by tapping my 5 D cell mag-lite in my hand. He took the hint and I pointed the direction to The Prince out for him.

I am not a "flag waver" or "drum beater" by any means but sometimes "enough is enough".

ONE-NINE

With the bad weather, it was hard to get any really good pics last night. So here is one of my cab parked under the entrance of The Grand this morning.



One-nine is my cab's number and radio call.

Hopefully, tomorrow will produce better things to write about. If not, I will dredge up some more past runs to share. Sorry also about no scenic views but I basically work from sunset to sunrise, which greatly limits the "photo ops".

Another "Blast From The Past"

MAY 17, 2005

About 3:30AM I received a call from the Grand Wailea that a sick infant and her parents needed to get to the hospital ER. I picked them up at 3:34AM.

The baby was in obvious respiratory distress (asthma?).

The trip is normally 35 minutes but since it was late and the roadway was empty I was rolling about 20MPH over the limit. (60 in a 40)

Right after we left Kihei, the baby stopped breathing.

I gave the parents shouted instructions on infant mouth-to-mouth.

I called 9-1-1 and advised them what I had.

I activated my 4-way flashers and floored it. Doing between 100 and 110 mph. Nice to have had a lot of training in this area.

Baby started breathing again within one minute.

About 1 minute out from the ER, the baby quit breathing again.

Entered the ER waiting room screaming "CODE BLUE!"

Immediate response from everyone.

Baby is fine now.

Made the 35 minute trip in 19 minutes.

Dad gave me $200 and a quick "thanks".

Had "the shakes" the rest of my shift.

ROYAL SEDAN AND TAXI SERVICE (aka:"ROYAL CAB")

On the island of Mau'i, the company I drive for is about average size. 12 cabs. On a global scheme, we are small.

We are based out of one of the major resort/spa/hotels in Wailea (why-lay-ah) and provide primary service to south Mau'i from Maalaea (mah-ah-lie-ah) on the north to La Peruse Bay on the south. We are the only cab company that operates 24/7 on the south side of the island. Most of the other cab companies down here stop operations at sunset. There is one that continues on until 11:00pm.

We do things a bit differently here. We have driving dispatchers. All requests for a cab come in via a cell phone and then are dispatched. I handle the dispatch duties on Friday and Saturday nights. On those nights I usually start the shift with 8 or 9 cabs on duty. By 10:00pm I am down to just 4 or 5. After 2:00am, it is just me until the first dayshift cab at 5:00am.

I never realized how unique this was until I took a Fortune 500 CEO and his wife to the airport one evening. It was a busy Friday evening and the phone wouldn't stop ringing. On our arrival at the airport, the man said, "Wil. I thought that I knew what 'multi-tasking' was until I met you. You're driving the cab, answering the phone, dispatching your other cabs, taking reservations for the next day and having a conversation with us. You never wrote anything down. You knew exactly where each of your cabs were and when they would clear their current assignment. I am impressed. Do you want to work for me?"

"Do I have to move to New York?"

"Yes."

"Thanks, but no. After spending 20+ years as a cop in hell I plan to spend the rest of my life in paradise."

At that time the fare to the airport was $36. He gave me $100 and "keep the change."

I guess all those years on patrol with multiple radios in the car was good training. :)

I work Tuesday through Saturday from 6:00pm to 6:00am (or 8:00am if we are busy in the early morning hours). My favorite "off-duty" activity is SLEEP.


This is Art Pidot (pie-dot), the owner. He has been in the taxi business in Hawai'i for nearly 35 years. Most of that on Mau'i. He can be a real pain at times but I like the guy.

If you ever come to Mau'i, call us ahead of time and we will pick you up at the airport. 808-874-6900.

TIFFANY

I picked Tiffany and her girlfriend up at the "bar-muda triangle". They both had a blood alcohol level of at least 0.20%. The entire 5 mile trip Tiffany laid on the back seat and stuck her legs out the right rear window. She wanted her girlfried to take a picture of her legs but their cellphone camera wasn't working. When we arrived at the destination she spotted my camera and asked me to take a sexy picture of her.

Blasts From The Past

Here are some entries from the past, related to driving cab on Mau'i:

NOVEMBER 15, 2003

At about 1:15am this morning I made a pickup at a local nightclub. Two "local" ladies wanted to leave the club but were being accosted by one of their boyfriends who was trying to instigate a fight. The ladies got into my cab and then the guy tried to force them to get out. I locked the doors and windows and left the club. He jumped into a new Audi and pursued us.

He chased us down the road (some chase, I was only doing 30mph) trying to get me to stop. When that failed, he tried three times, unsuccessfully, to ram my cab. Unfortunately, he was successful on his fourth attempt. Hit me at a 45 degree angle at about 30mph.

Caved in the driver's door. Destroyed the left front and left rear quarter panels. Rang my "chimes". Then he and a buddy of his jumped out of their vehicle and tried to smash in the cabs windows and force open the doors.

During this entire incident I was on the radio advising my co-drivers what was occurring and having them call 9-1-1. One of my other cabs arrived just as these two idiots got back in their car and raced away. He followed them while being in contact with the local police. The Audi was pretty badly damaged and was abandoned about 1/2 mile away when they fled on foot. The girlfriend (ex?) was able to tell the police who the driver was and where he lived. Neither of my passengers was hurt, just "shook up". I am a little tender at the moment and will see how I feel when I wakeup (hopefully ) later today.

My cab (a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria) has about $5,000 worth of damage but is driveable (though not usable). They will probably "total" the Audi. His right front wheel was torn from the suspension.

The police are going to pursue this as an ADW (assault with a deadly weapon) rather than a traffic accident.

I'll keep you advised.

And it started out as such a good night.

FOLLOWUP:

The girl friend married him. In August, 2005 he was to have been sentenced to 5 years in prison. The day before his sentencing he and his wife, among others, were arrested by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) for possession for sale of 64 pounds of "ice" (crystal meth). The sentence for that is a minimum of 25 years to life in a Federal prison.

---------------------------------------
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JANUARY 23, 2004

Last night was unusually slow.

About midnight I noticed some lightning over the west/southwest horizon.

At 12:30am it started to sprinkle. I went home, closed all the windows and brought the litter box in from the lanai.

At 1:00am we had a steady rain accompanied by a phenomenal light show.

At 1:30am the winds started blowing. Steady at 50mph and gusting to about 75mph. The rain was now coming in torrents. At 10mph, with my wipers on high, I could just barely see the roadway. The phone also started ringing.

Since it was soooo slow, I had cut our coverage down to two cabs. Now, every drunk in Kihei was calling, begging for a ride.

At 1:40am the roads began to flood. From 1:00am until 2:30am we received almost 18" of rain being driven by hurricane force gusts.

On our main coastal street (south Kihei road), we had flowing water between 1' to 3' deep. At the crest of one small hill along that road, there was 1' of water on the roadway flowing towards the really flooded areas.

By 2:00am the wind was right at hurricane strength with higher gusts and the light show was nonstop. Only briefly did it turn dark. The changing focal point of continuous illumination was difficult to adjust for. The wall of sound was like the finale of the "1812 Overture."

What would be a 10 minute run was now taking up to 30 minutes, as we often had to backtrack to use alternate routes. On one street of mild incline, the water was moving so fast that rocks the size of a lunch box were being propelled down the street also.

At 2:30am it stopped in an eye blink. The storm continued to pound the mountain above us as it moved off to the east/northeast But the roads were now flooded and the runoff was still coming down the mountain.

I had a late run to the airport and got off late. By 6:00am we still had major flooding on portions of the low road but things were starting to return to normal. Most roadways had a veneer of palm fronds, tree branches and a gravel garden.

Of course, this did not help our beach situation. We still are having high surf and having a driving rain come in from the southwest didn't help matters at all. Onel surfer "dude" told me that he went out into the storm at the penultimate and saw the wave fronts at 30'+!!!

My one joy in all this is that it wasn't snow. At the normal 10:1 ratio, that would have been 180" of snow in, basically, 2 hours. Also (my cab has an external thermometer) the temperature never went below 73F.
---------------------------------------
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February 2, 2005
At 1:03AM I made a pickup at one of the nicer bars in Kihei to take a "local" male to the resort community of Wailea, which is south of Kihei. About two minutes into the trip I hear the unmistakeable sound of an automatic pistol having a round racked into the chamber. Less than two seconds later the weapon is discharged within inches of my left ear. I am uninjured and immediately slam on the brakes and bail out of my cab in the middle of the street. I immediately call 9-1-1 and advise the dispatcher that a drunk local male had just discharged a firearm in my vehicle. He exited the cab with his hands empty and I ordered him to keep his hands in plain sight and to place them on the trunk of my car. I saw the weapon lying on the center of the rear seat and took possession of it. About 20 seconds later Mau'i police arrived. Turns out that the subject was an off-duty Mau'i police officer from the town of Wailuku, which is located in the central part of the island. The Kihei officers took him into custody.

The bullet entered and exited the molding at the front of the left rear window. The window was down at the time and the bullet hole in the molding was the only damage. The discharge was about 4 inches from the left of my head.

I don't know why he discharged his weapon but I am glad that he was a bad shot.

I'll keep you apprised as to any follow up on this.

I told the IAD (Internal Affairs Division) Captain that I would prefer no criminal prosecution but that it be handled by IAD with whatever action they deem appropriate.

FOLLOWUP:

The officer kept his job. He was suspended for a while and then placed on administrative leave. He enrolled in AA. He returned to patrol duties in August of 2005 on a one year probation. He called me in late August to apologize.

Apology was accepted and a career was saved.

And I racked up one hell of a lot of "brownie points" with MPD.

HIGHEST RATES IN THE WORLD?

This is our new "Rates Of Fare And Baggage" on Mau'i (click to enlarge). Considering the high cost of EVERYTHING on Mau'i, it is actually pretty reasonable. And yes, we do haul surfboards. :)

The last increase was August 2000, when gas was $1.60 a gallon. We currently pay $2.999. Last September it was $4.049.

Per a request from "Bob", a taxi driver in the UK, I am going to focus this blog on being a taxi driver in Paradise.

Hopefully someone will read it.

Aloha for now.


Later......
Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there."

She Peed In My Cab!!

The gentleman above is Harden Jamison, a cab driver who had Paris Hilton pee in his cab.

Yup. It really did happen.

Santa's Helper in Hawaii. December 3rd, 2005

Hurricane RITA at 897mb

And you thought that you had a bad day.

Follow sequence below.

FOX NEWS

Wouldn't it be more truthful to call it

FAUX NEWS

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!

Stones World Tour

Well, it kicks off at Fenway Park on August 21st.

But, really, aren't these 60+ers getting a little long in the tooth?

Maybe after 40+ years they'll finally get some satisfaction and retire before they become an embarrasment to their own image.

2005 CALIFORNIA DRIVER'S LICENSE APPLICATION
Name: ___________________
Stage Name:__________________
Agent: ___________________
Attorney:____________! ________
Therapist's Name: _________________

Sex:
[ ] Male
[ ] Female*
[ ] Formerly Male
[ ] Formerly Female
[ ] Both
*If female, indicate breast implant size: _______
Will the size of your implants hinder your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle in any way?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No

Please list brand of cell phone: ________.
If you don't own a cell phone, please explain why you don't:______________________________________________(Use extra pages, if necessary)

Please check hair color:
Females:
[ ] Blonde
[ ] Platinum Blonde
Teenagers:
[ ] Red
[ ] Orange
[ ] Green
[ ] Purple
[ ] Blue
[ ]Skinhead
[ ]Other ___________

Please check activities you perform while driving:
(Check all that apply)
[ ] Eating
[ ] Drinking Starbucks coffee
[ ] Applying make-up
[ ] Shaving (male or female)
[X] Talking on the phone (already checked for your convenience)
[ ] Lifting weights
[ ] Slapping kids in the back-seat
[ ] Applying cellulite treatment to thighs
[ ] Tanning
[ ] Snorting cocaine
[ ] Watching TV
[ ] Reading Variety
[ ] Surfing the net via laptop
[ ] Discharging firearms / reloading

Please indicate how many times, while driving, you expect to:
[ ] a) Shoot at other drivers ___
[ ] b) Be shot at ___

If you are the victim of a carjacking, you should immediately:
[ ] a) Call the police to report the crime.
[ ] b) Call Channel 9 News to report the crime, then watch your car on the news in a high-speed chase.
[ ] c) Call your attorney and discuss lawsuit against cellular phone company for your 911 call not going through.
[ ] d) Call your therapist.

In the event of an earthquake, you should:
[ ] a) Stop your car.
[ ] b) Keep driving and hope for the best.
[ ] c) Immediately use your cell phone to call all loved ones.
[ ] d) Pull out your video camera and obtain footage for Channel 9.

In the instance of rain, you should:
[ ] a) Never drive over 5 MPH.
[ ] b) Drive twice as fast as usual.
[ ] c) You're not sure what "rain" is.

Please indicate your current number of therapy sessions per week:________

Are you presently taking any of the following medications?
[ ] a) Prozac
[ ] b) Zovirax
[ ] c) Lithium
[ ] d) Zanax
[ ] e) Valium
[ ] f) Medical pot
[ ] g) Zoloft
[ ] h) All of the above
[ ] i) None of the above**
If none, please explain: __________________.

Length of daily commute:
[ ] a) Less than 1 hour*
[ ] b) 1 hour
[ ] c) 2 hours
[ ] d) 3 hours
[ ] e) 4 hours or more
* If less than 1 hour, please explain:____________________.

When stopped by police, you should:
[ ] a) Pull over and have your driver's license and insurance form ready.
[ ] b) Try to outrun them by driving the wrong way on the freeway.
[ ] c) Have your video camera ready and provoke them to attack, thus ensuring yourself of a hefty lawsuit profit.

When you see a woman driver with her arm extended out the window, it means:
[ ] a) Her turn-signals are broken.
[ ] b) She is giving an indication she intends to change lanes.
[ ] c) She is drying her nails.

Which part of your car will wear out first?
[ ] a) The wiper blades
[ ] b) The seat belts
[ ] c) The horn

Automatic door locks are good for:
[ ] a) Security
[ ] b) Convenience
[ ] c) Messing with the heads of people trying to get in.

The "bright" setting on your headlights is for:
[ ] a) Dark, poorly lit roads
[ ] b) Flashing to get the car ahead to move out of the way
[ ] c) Revenge
__________________

THOUGHTS:

CHILD ABUSERS:
When convicted, lock them in a room with the victim's family. Come back in 24 hours and unlock the door. Matter solved.

HURRICANES:
People seem to react with shock and amazement when a hurricane strikes. Why?

ISLAMIC WAR:
Take all the pretty wrapping off and we have two major issues. The industrialized nations want to control oil. The Islams see this as a religious war. Lets just solve the problem quickly. Nuke every major Islam city and shrine. Then walk away. No aid. No troops for order. Nothing. Let them rot.

PHILIPINES:
Have they ever had a non-corrupt gov't? Even Corizon Aquino had tinged hemlines.

POLITICIANS:
Is there one who hasn't succumbed to the "dark force"?

DUMB SPORTS CLICHES:
After game interviews always have the winning team coach explaining how the other team was good, etc. Wouldn't you like to see one just say - "Yeah, we kicked the shit out of their wimp asses."

TSA:
I take flight crews to the airport often. One pilot, who is a regular customer, is a deputy air marshall and is authorized to carry a 9mm Glock on board. All flight crews must go through the same entrance screening at security as passengers. They took away his nail file.
You figure out the logic, good luck.

HOMELAND SECURITY:
A man enters the US from Canada at a crossing somewhere in New England. He is carrying an axe, a sword, brass knuckles, and handcuffs all covered in what appears to be blood and flesh. Our elite border security's response? "Welcome home citizen. Have a nice day." EXCUSE ME??

PRICE OF OIL:
Anybody want to bet that it won't be above $100 per barrel this time next year?

"RIGHT WING" RADIO TALK SHOWS:
Are there any other kind? Hard to find any voice out there that even approaches the center line, let alone crosses over to the left. And even with this predominance they continue to bash "main stream media". Excuse me guys, but you have become the "main stream media."

FOX NEWS - "FAIR AND BALANCED"
Yeah. Right.

God, its been a long time since I logged on here.



Must think of something new to do with it.

------------------

Today is Wednesday, June 30th.

The 182nd day of 2004.

There are 184 days left in the year.



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Today's Highlight in History:



On June 30, 1963, Pope Paul VI was crowned the 262nd head of the Roman Catholic Church.



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On this date:



In 1834, A huge tract of land was set aside exclusively for Indians and it was officially named "Indian Territory." That didn't last. Today we call it Oklahoma.



In 1841, The Erie Railroad rolled out its first passenger train.



In 1859, French acrobat Blondin (born Jean Francois Gravelet) crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope as 5,000 spectators watched.



In 1870, Ada H. Kepley of Effingham, Illinois became America's first female law school graduate from the Union College of Law in Chicago.



In 1894, London's Tower Bridge across the River Thames was officially opened.



In 1896, The first electric stove is patented by W. S. Hadaway in New York City.



In 1906, The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act became law.



In 1908, In the Tunguska section of Central Siberia, Russia, possibly the most powerful, natural explosion in recorded history occurred at 7:17 a.m. when a spectacular, unexplained blast devastated a forested area some 70 miles in diameter; caused seismic shock; spawned a firestorm followed by black rain; and created a brilliant illumination that reportedly was seen for hundreds of miles. Yet, no crater was formed and only the tops of the trees were burned at the central point of the explosion. Even today, scientists are unsure of what caused the explosion; theories have ranged from an extraterrestrial visitor or comet to an antimatter asteroid, a black hole, or atomic explosion.



In 1917, Actress Susan Hayward (Edythe Marriner) was born in Brooklyn NY. She died March 14, 1975 at age 57.



In 1917, Drummer/Bandleader Bernard "Buddy" Rich was born. He died April 2, 1987 at age 69.



In 1921, President Warren G. Harding appointed former President William Howard Taft as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.



In 1934, In the "night of the long knives," Adolf Hitler purges the National Socialist, or Nazi, party of its paramilitary stormtrooper wing, killing hundreds of the party's most dedicated followers.



In 1936, The novel "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell was published in New York.



In 1939, Frank Sinatra made his first appearance with Harry James’ band.



In 1948, The Transistor was invented by three Bell Laboratory scientists in Murray Hill, NJ.



In 1952, "The Guiding Light," a popular radio program, made its T.V. debut on CBS.



In 1953, The first Corvette rolled off the Chevrolet assembly line in Flint MI. That early 'Vette sold for $3,250.



In 1956, A United DC-7 and a TWA jet collide over Grand Canyon killing 128



In 1957, The American occupation headquarters in Japan was dissolved.



In 1958, The U.S. Congress passed a law authorizing the admission of Alaska as the 49th state in the Union.



In 1960, The Katanga province seceded from Congo (upon Congo's independence from Belgium).



In 1962, Los Angeles Dodger Sandy Koufax pitched his first no-hitter in a game with the New York Mets.



In 1964, The last of U.N. troops left Congo after a four-year effort to bring stability to the country.



In 1971, A Soviet space mission ended in tragedy when three cosmonauts aboard Soyuz Eleven were found dead inside their spacecraft after it had returned to Earth.



In 1971, The 26th Amendment to the Constitution, lowering the minimum voting age to 18, was ratified as Ohio became the 38th state to approve it.



In 1971, The Supreme Court overrides government attempts to stop the publishing of the Pentagon Papers.



In 1984, John Turner was sworn in as Canada's 17th prime minister, succeeding Pierre Elliott Trudeau.



In 1985, 39 American hostages from a hijacked TWA jetliner were freed in Beirut after being held 17 days.



In 1985, Yul Brynner left his role as the King of Siam after 4,600 performances in "The King and I."



In 1990, Santa Barbara and Los Angelas County, CA are declared federal disaster areas as fires destroy more than 500 homes.



In 1998, Officials confirmed that the previously unidentified remains of a Vietnam War serviceman buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery were those of Air Force pilot Lt. Michael J. Blassie of St. Louis MO.





Ten years ago (1994):



The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the 1994 national championship and banned her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.



The Supreme Court ruled that judges can bar even peaceful demonstrators from getting too close to abortion clinics.



Five years ago (1999):



The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in two years, boosting the target for the funds rate a 1/4 point to 5 percent.



On the day the independent counsel law expired, Kenneth Starr wrapped up the Whitewater phase of his investigation as presidential friend Webster Hubbell pleaded guilty to a felony and a misdemeanor.



One year ago (2003):



Israeli and Palestinian commanders shook hands as bulldozers dismantled checkpoints and Palestinian traffic flowed freely in the Gaza Strip.



American troops detained the U.S.-appointed mayor of Najaf, Iraq, accusing him of kidnapping and corruption.



Comedian Buddy Hackett (Leonard Hacker) died in Malibu CA at age 79. He was born in Brooklyn NY on August 31, 1924.





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Today's Birthdays:



Singer Lena Horne is 87.



Actor Tony Musante is 68.



Actress Nancy Dussault is 68.



Singer Glenn Shorrock is 60.



Jazz musician Stanley Clarke is 53.



Rock musician Hal Lindes (Dire Straits) is 51.



Actor-comedian David Alan Grier is 49.



Actor Vincent D'Onofrio is 45.



Actor Rupert Graves is 41.



Boxer Mike Tyson is 38.



Rock musician Tom Drummond (Better Than Ezra) is 35.



Actor Brian Bloom is 34.



Actor Brian Vincent is 34.



Actress Monica Potter is 33.



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Thought for Today:

"Many a man thinks he is patient when, in reality, he is indifferent." -

- B.C. Forbes, Scottish journalist (1880-1954).

----------------------

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Today is Tuesday, June 29th.

The 181st day of 2004.

There are 185 days left in the year.



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Today's Highlight in History:



On June 29, 1776, the Virginia state constitution was adopted, and Patrick Henry made governor.



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On this date:



In 1613, The original Globe Theatre in London burns down accidentally when a cannon discharged during a performance of William Shakespeare's Henry VIII sets fire to the building's thatched roof.



In 1767, The British Parliament approved the Townshend Revenue Acts, which imposed import duties on certain goods shipped to America. Colonists bitterly protested the Acts, which were repealed in 1770.



In 1848, High Bridge, over the Harlem River, connecting Manhattan with the Bronx, was completed and opened



In 1853, The U.S. Senate ratified the $10 million Gadsden Purchase from Mexico, adding more than 29,000 square miles to the territories of Arizona and New Mexico and completing the modern geographical boundaries of the contiguous 48 states.



In 1891, The Colorado River burst from its banks and sent a branch into the Salton Desert of California.



In 1927, The first flight from the West Coast arrives in Hawaii.



In 1936, The Empire State Building television transmitter was used to demonstrate high definition television (343 lines) to RCA's Licensees.



In 1941, Polish statesman, pianist and composer Ignace Jan Paderewski died in New York at age 80.



In 1946, British authorities arrested more than 2,700 Jews in Palestine in an attempt to stamp out alleged terrorism



In 1949, The government of South Africa enacted a ban against racially-mixed marriages.



In 1949, The last of the US troops in Korea during WWII departed.



In 1950, President Harry S. Truman authorized a sea blockade of Korea.



In 1954, The Atomic Energy Commission voted against reinstating Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer's access to classified information.



In 1956, The U.S. Interstate Highway System was born as the Federal Highway Act authorized the construction of 42,500 miles of freeway from coast to coast.



In 1956, Elvis Presley appeared on Steve Allen's TV show. He sang the song "Hound Dog" to an actual basset hound.



In 1964, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed after 83-day filibuster in the Senate



In 1966, The United States bombed fuel storage facilities near the North Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Haiphong.



In 1967, Jerusalem was re-unified as Israel removed barricades separating the Old City from the Israeli sector.



In 1970, The United States ended a two-month military offensive into Cambodia.



In 1971, The city of Memphis TN honored Elvis Presley by naming a local stretch of highway for him; Elvis Presley Boulevard runs past Presley's estate, Graceland.



In 1972, The Supreme Court ruled the death penalty, as it was being meted out, could constitute "cruel and unusual punishment." (The ruling prompted states to revise their capital punishment laws.)



In 1988, The Supreme Court upheld, 7-1, the independent counsel law.



In 1992, A divided Supreme Court ruled that women have a constitutional right to abortion, but the justices also weakened the right as defined by the Roe versus Wade decision.



In 1995, 501 people were killed when a department store in Seoul, South Korea collapsed. 900 others were injured.



In 2000, In Santa Rosa, CA, the official groundbreaking ceremony took place for the Charles M. Schulz Museum.



Ten years ago (1994):



In a British T.V. documentary, Prince Charles said he'd been faithful in his marriage to Princess Diana "until it became irretrievably broken down."



Japan's parliament chose Tomiichi Murayama to be the new prime minister, succeeding Tsutoma Hata.



Five years ago (1999):



Urging the biggest expansion in Medicare's history, President Clinton proposed that the government help older Americans pay for prescription drugs.



Ten thousand demonstrators rallied in central Serbia, demanding the resignation of President Slobodan Milosevic.



Abdullah Ocalan, leader of Turkey's rebel Kurds, was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. (The sentence was later commuted to life in prison.)



One year ago (2003):



Thirteen people were killed when a third-floor porch collapsed during a party in Chicago.



Actress Katharine Hepburn, one of the last stars from Hollywood's Golden Age, died in Old Saybrook, Conn., at age 96. She was born in Hartford CT on May 12, 1907.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Today's Birthdays:



Actress Ruth Warrick is 89.



Movie producer Robert Evans is 74.



Songwriter L. Russell Brown is 64.



Actor Gary Busey is 60.



Comedian Richard Lewis is 57.



Actor Fred Grandy is 56.



Rock musician Ian Paice (Deep Purple) is 56.



Singer Don Dokken (Dokken) is 51.



Rock singer Colin Hay (Men At Work) is 51.



Actress Maria Conchita Alonso is 47.



Singer Evelyn "Champagne" King is 44.



Actress Sharon Lawrence is 43.



Actress Amanda Donohoe is 42.



Rhythm and blues singer Stedman Pearson (Five Star) is 40.



Musician Dale Baker is 38.



Rap D-J Shadow is 32.



Country musician Todd Sansom (Marshall Dyllon) is 26.



Singer Nicole Scherzinger (Eden's Crush) is 26.



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Thought for Today:

"Sin ... has been made not only ugly but passe. People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or under privileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick." -

- Phyllis McGinley, American poet (1905-1978 ).

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Today is Monday, June 28th.

The 180th day of 2004.

There are 186 days left in the year.



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Today's Highlight in History:



On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sofia, were assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serb nationalist -- the event which triggered World War I.



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On this date:



In 1778, Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays) carried water to American soldiers at the Revolutionary War Battle of Monmouth, N.J.



In 1820, The tomato is proved to be non-poisonous.



In 1836, The fourth president of the United States, James Madison, died in Montpelier VA at age 85. He was born in Port Conway VA on March 16, 1751.



In 1838, Britain's Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey.



In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed an act of Congress, making Labor Day a federal holiday in the U.S.; the first Monday of September was set aside to salute the working men and women across the country.



In 1902, Playwright/Composer Richard Rodgers was born in New York NY. He died December 30, 1979 at age 77.



In 1904, Blind-deaf student Helen Keller graduated with honors from Radcliffe College.



In 1911, Samuel J. Battle became the first African-American policeman in New York City.



In 1918, The first inter-island flight between the Hawaiian Islands occurred.



In 1919, Future President Harry S Truman marries Elizabeth Virginia Wallace in Independence MO.



In 1919, The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending World War I.



In 1935, President Franklyn D. Roosevelt ordered a federal gold vault to be built at Fort Knox, Kentucky.



In 1944, The Republican national convention in Chicago nominated New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for president and Ohio Gov. John W. Bricker for vice president.



In 1946, Actress/Comedienne Gilda Radner was born in Detroit MI. She died May 20, 1989 at age 42.



In 1950, North Korean forces captured Seoul, South Korea.



In 1951, A T.V. version of the radio program "Amos 'N' Andy" premiered on CBS. (While criticized for racial stereotyping, it was the first network T.V. series to feature an all-black cast.)



In 1956, The first atomic reactor built for private research began operations in Chicago, Ill.



In 1965, The first US ground combat forces in Vietnam are authorized by President Lyndon B. Johnson



In 1967, Israel formally declared Jerusalem reunified under its sovereignty following its capture of the Arab sector in the June 1967 "6-Day War".



In 1968, Daniel Ellsberg is indicted for leaking the Pentagon Papers



In 1971, The Supreme Court overturns the draft evasion conviction of Muhammad Ali



In 1971, The Supreme Court declared that state underwriting of nonreligious instruction in parochial schools was unconstitutional.



In 1976, The U.S. Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard Academy went coed at the same time.



In 1977, The Supreme Court allows Federal control of Nixon tapes/papers



In 1978, The Supreme Court ordered the University of California at Davis Medical School to admit Allan Bakke, a white man who'd argued he was a victim of reverse racial discrimination.



In 1983, A 100-foot section of bridge along Interstate 95 in Greenwich CT, collapsed, killing three people.



In 1991, Two people were killed when an earthquake of magnitude 6 shook Southern California.



In 1992, Southern California was rocked by a pair of earthquakes, that killed one person and injured 402. At 4:57A.M. (PDT), a quake hit, which was centered in Landers CA. Magnitude 7.4. One killed. That same day at 8:05P.M.(PDT), another quake on another faultline occurred, and was centered in Big Bear CA. Magnitude: 6.2. No one killed in that one.



In 1996, The Citadel voted to admit women, ending a 153-year-old men-only policy at the South Carolina military school.



In 1998, Poland, suffering from a shortage of funds, is allowed to lease U.S. aircraft to bring its military force up to NATO standards.



In 2000, Six-year-old Elián González returned to Cuba from the U.S. with his father. The child had been the center of an international custody dispute.



In 2001, A unanimous federal appeals court reversed the court-ordered breakup of Microsoft, but ruled that the software giant had violated antitrust laws, and appointed another judge to determine a new punishment.



In 2001, Slobodan Milosevic was taken into custody and was handed over to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. The indictment charged Milosevic and four other senior officials, with crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war in Kosovo.



In 2002, WorldCom Inc. began laying off 17,000 employees worldwide after disclosing accounting irregularities that later forced it into bankruptcy protection.



In 2002, Xerox Corporation announced it had improperly reported $1.9 billion in revenue over the previous five years and would restate those financial results.



Ten years ago (1994):



North and South Korea set July 25-27 as the dates for a historic summit between the leaders of both countries (the summit was derailed by the death of North Korean President Kim Il Sung the following month.)



President Clinton became the first chief executive in U.S. history to set up a personal legal defense fund and ask Americans to contribute to it.



Five years ago (1999):



Announcing even bigger projected budget surpluses, President Clinton said the government could drastically reduce the national debt while still buttressing Social Security and Medicare.



One year ago (2003):



After days of intense searching by ground and air, U.S. forces found the bodies of two soldiers missing north of Baghdad, as the toll of American dead since the start of war topped the grim milestone of 200.



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Today's Birthdays:



Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 78.



Actor Noriyuki "Pat" Morita is 72.



Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., is 70.



Former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta is 66.



Rock musician Dave Knights (Procul Harum) is 59.



Actor Bruce Davison is 58.



Actress Kathy Bates is 56.



Actress Sonia Braga is 54.



Actress Alice Krige is 50.



Football Hall of Fame electee John Elway is 44.



Record company chief executive Tony Mercedes is 42.



Actress Jessica Hecht is 39.



Rock musician Saul Davies (James) is 39.



Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is 38.



Actor John Cusack is 38.



Actor Gil Bellows is 37.



Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 35.



Jazz musician Jimmy Sommers is 35.



Actor Alessandro Nivola is 32.



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Thought for Today:

"The secret of a man who is universally interesting is that he is universally interested." -

- William Dean Howells, American author (1837-1920).

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Today is Sunday, June 27th.

The 179th day of 2004.

There are 187 days left in the year.



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Today's Highlight in History:



On June 27, 1950, President Truman ordered the Air Force and Navy into the Korean conflict following a call from the U.N. Security Council for member nations to help South Korea repel an invasion from the North.



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On this date:



In 1652, New Amsterdam (now N.Y.C.) imposes the first speed limit in the U.S., specifying that it is illegal for traffic within the city limits to proceed at a gallop.



In 1776, Thomas Hickey, one of George Washington's guards, went into the history books for all the wrong reasons. He was convicted of plotting to deliver George Washington to the British and became the first person to be executed by the army of the U.S.



In 1787, In Lausanne, Switzerland, Edward Gibbon completes the sixth and final volume of his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, one of the great works of history in the English language.



In 1844, Mormon leader Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Ill.



In 1847, New York and Boston were linked by telegraph wires.



In 1880, Author/Educator Helen Adams Keller was born in Tuscumbia AL. Blind and deaf from the age of 19 months, her early life is best remembered from the movie "The Miracle Worker". She died in Westport CT on June 1, 1968 at age 87.



In 1893, The New York stock market crashed. By the end of the year 600 banks and 74 railroads had gone out of business.



In 1927, Actor/Author Robert "Bob" Keeshan was born in Lynbrook NY. The original "Clarabell the Clown" on the "Howdy Doody Show" on NBC-TV (1947-1952), he was most famous at "Captain Kangaroo" on the CBS-TV show of the same name from 1955 to 1985. He died January 23, 2004 at age 76.



In 1942, The FBI announced the capture of eight Nazi saboteurs who had been put ashore from a submarine on New York's Long Island.



In 1950, The US sends 35 military advisers to South Vietnam



In 1951, "Amos ’n’ Andy" moved to CBS-TV from CBS radio.



In 1954, The world's first atomic power station begins producing electricity in Obninsk, U.S.S.R, near Moscow.



In 1955, The nation's first automobile seat belt legislation is enacted in Illinois.



In 1957, More than 500 people were killed when Hurricane Audrey slammed through coastal Louisiana and Texas.



In 1959, The play, "West Side Story," with music by Leonard Bernstein, closed after 734 performances on Broadway.



In 1964, Jan & Dean's "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" was released.



In 1969, Patrons at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village, clashed with police in an incident considered the birth of the gay rights movement.



In 1973, Former White House counsel John W. Dean told the Senate Watergate Committee about an "enemies list" kept by the Nixon White House.



In 1976, Palestinian extremists hijacked an Air France plane in Greece with 246 passengers and 12 crew. They eventually took it to Entebbe, Uganda, where Israeli commandos rescued over 100 hostages from a terminal building on July 4.



In 1977, The Supreme Court struck down state laws and bar association rules that had prohibited lawyers from advertising their fees for routine services.



In 1980, President Carter signed legislation reviving draft registration.



In 1984, The Supreme Court ended the National Collegiate Athletic Association's monopoly on controlling college football telecasts, ruling such control violated antitrust law.



In 1985, The legendary Route 66, which originally stretched from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., passed into history as officials decertified the road.



In 1986, The World Court ruled that the U.S. had broken international law by aiding Nicaraguan rebels.



In 1987, The Rev. Jerry Falwell denied that he had "hoodwinked" Jim Bakker into giving up control of the PTL ministry.



In 1995, Actor Hugh Grant was arrested in Los Angeles for engaging in "lewd behavior" with a prostitute in a rented BMW.



In 1997, The Supreme Court threw out a key part of the Brady gun-control law, saying the federal government could not make local police decide whether people are fit to buy handguns. However, the court left intact the five-day waiting period for gun purchases.



In 1998, An English woman was impregnated with her dead husband's sperm after two-year legal battle over her right to the sperm.



In 1998, In a live joint news conference in China U.S. President Clinton and President Jiang Zemin offered an uncensored airing of differences on human rights, freedom, trade and Tibet.



In 2002, In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission required companies with annual sales of more than $1.2 billion to submit sworn statements backing up the accuracy of their financial reports.



Ten years ago (1994):



U.S. Coast Guard cutters intercepted 1,330 Haitian boat people on the high seas in one of the busiest single days since refugees began leaving Haiti following a 1991 military coup.



President Clinton replaced White House chief of staff Mack McLarty with budget director Leon Panetta.



The dollar dropped below 100 yen in Tokyo for the first time since the modern exchange rate system was established a half-century ago.



Five years ago (1999):



George Papadopoulos, the head of Greece's 1967-74 military dictatorship, died of cancer in Athens at age 80.



Juli Inkster shot a 6-under 65 to win the LPGA Championship, becoming the second woman to win the modern career Grand Slam (the first was Pat Bradley).



The Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 in the final game at the Kingdome.



One year ago (2003):



More than 735,000 phone numbers were registered on the first day of a national do-not-call list aimed at blocking unwelcome solicitations from telemarketers.



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Today's Birthdays:



Business executive (Ray) H. (Henry) "Ross" Perot is 74.



The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Army Gen. John Shalikashvili, is 68.



Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is 66.



Singer-musician Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys) is 62.



Actress Julia Duffy is 53.



Actress Isabelle Adjani is 49.



Country singer Lorrie Morgan is 45.



Actor Brian Drillinger is 44.



Actor Yancey Arias is 33.



Actor Tobey Maguire is 29.



Gospel singer Leigh Nash is 28.



Actress Madylin Sweeten is 13.



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Thought for Today:

"If a man cannot be a Christian in the place where he is, he cannot be a Christian anywhere." -

- Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman (1813-1887).

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