THANK YOU...

SUSAN

I had the most pleasant "talk story" with this very sweet lady from the San Francisco Bay Area. Here for the Holidays and she had contacted me about a month or so ago to make arrangements to be transported to her place in Wailea. She stumbled across me about a month after I started posting and tries to stop by everyday. We chatted about everything. Her family will join her in a couple of days and we might be able to fit another coffee into our schedules. I didn't seem to frighten her, nor did she go running off screaming when she laid eyes on my ugly mug. LOL!!

It was fun meeting a total stranger, who knew me.

Again, thank you Susan.

***

About as I anticipated, it was slow. We should see daily increases in activity as the week progresses. All HELL should break loose on Friday or Saturday. The absolute busiest time on the island. Starts, typically, on the Friday before Christmas until the Monday following New Year's Day. Total bedlam! After that we calm down a bit through the "Winter High Season", which ends about April 15th. Right after the four weeks of "Spring Break".

Even the hour or so that I spent with Susan didn't cost me a dime. There was only 2 dispatches during that entire period and I was 5th up when I went "out of service". And I was put out of my misery by my relief actually checking in at 3:45 AM. That was a shock. Thanks, Wally.

6 fares / 62 miles / 3rd quarter below $100 bracket

***

I came across this very interesting article in the Times of India.

It just may be that the very first "Mother" city might have existed in Peru, circa 2,700 BC. That predates Egypt and Mesopotamia. The fact that a group of people came together, peacefully, for trade, rather than as a defense in war, belies long held opinions to the contrary in academia.

The mother of all civilisations

I don't know why but this kind of stuff just fascinates me.

And, yes, my news sources are eclectic.

***

Fellow Hawai'i blogger, Mel's Internet Universe Weblog, was lucky enough to be able to ride on the maiden commrcial voyage of the Hawaii Superferry. He wrote a great post and has lots of pictures from aboard. Check it out.

***

Have a great day, everybody. See y'all tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

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"Let's all be careful out there!"

AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR HOUSE

DECORATIONS WERE FANCY...





"Let's all be careful out there!"

BEST CHRISTMAS TV AD

I'VE SEEN THIS YEAR...





"Let's all be careful out there!"

OUT OF THE

OL' MAILBAG

Never choke while eating at a restaurant in the South...

Two hillbillies walk into a bar. While having a shot of whisky, they talk about their moonshine operation.

Suddenly, a woman at a nearby table, who is eating a sandwich, begins to cough. And, after a minute or so, it becomes apparent that she is in real distress. One of the hillbillies looks at her and says, "Kin ya swaller?"

The woman shakes her head no. Then he asks, "Kin ya breathe?" The woman begins to turn blue and shakes her head no. The hillbilly walks over to the woman, lifts up her dress, yanks down her drawers and quickly gives her right butt cheek a lick with his tongue. The woman is so shocked that she has a violent spasm and the obstruction flies out of her mouth.

As she begins to breathe again, the Hillbilly walks slowly back to the bar.

His partner says, "Ya know, I'd heerd of that there 'Hind Lick Maneuver' but I ain't niver seed nobody do it!"

***

The First Kiss

It's your First Kiss and several questions might come to mind:

Is it the right time?

Is anyone watching?

Does your partner even want to?

Is your breath fresh?

AND
Should you use some tongue?

Then you say . . ..

"What the heck!' and Just Go for it!!!"

***

The Tap

A passenger in a taxi leaned over to ask the driver a question and tapped him on the shoulder. The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curb, and stopped just inches from a large plate glass window. For a few moments everything was silent in the cab, and then the still shaking driver said, "I'm sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me." The frightened passenger apologized to the driver and said he didn't realize a mere tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much. The driver replied, "No, no, I'm sorry, it's entirely my fault. Today is my first day driving a cab. I've been driving a hearse for the past 25 years."

***

MAHALO
for dropping by

ALOHA
until we meet again

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

IC 342

I AM GOING TO MISS THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE

Hard to see since it lies on the Galactic Plane and is obscured by interstellar dust. IC 342 is only 11 million light years away, relatively close in a Universe that stretches out 14.7 billion light years.

To see the original high resolution image, if you dare (4000x3962, 16.5mb), just click here.

To be honest, this image was captured from the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak in Arizona.




"Let's all be careful out there!"

THE HAWAII SUPERFERRY

AT LAST!

The Hawaii Superferry is finally operating between Mau'i and O'ahu on a daily basis. Eventually it will also provide service to the Big Island and to Kaua'i, when a second ship is placed in operation. Its start has not been without protest from certain factions on the islands. Here are the google results.

Photo Credit: Maui News

***

Life getting a bit hectic?

Need a relaxing day at the beach to just get away from it all?

Yeah, right!









Lucky I live Hawai'i, I guess.

Have a great week everybody.

Christmas is a week from tomorrow.

MAHALO

ALOHA

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THE PICTURE GALLERY
Photo Credits: Mike Weldon

Kahului Cane Fields

Hana Town

"Let's all be careful out there!"

WHERES THE $20...

I GAVE YOU?

At that moment, I knew I had a problem. Alicia is a very attractive 27 year old who was very tipsy. She is related to someone at Life's A Beach (a/k/a/ LAB) and she was escorted from there by the bouncer to me about 10:20PM. Headed to her place in the far north, Hale Pi'ilani subdivision. We had a pleasant chit-chat about yatta and when we arrived I turned and said:

"That'll be $17."
"Wheres the $20 I gave you?"
"You didn't give me any money."
"Yes I did."

We went back and forth a couple of times and then I changed tack.

"This is getting us nowhere. You are refusing to pay the fare and that is theft. I"ll just call the cops and we'll let them sort it out. And I will press charges. Just ask around. I am a hard-ass son of a bitch."

Pulled out my cell to make the call and she asked if I accepted plastic.

Issue resolved. Scam artist database updated.

That was the worst of the night. The best was a surprise trip from Wailea to Ka'anapali at 3:25 AM. Nice way to end my shift and start my weekend.

A night of steady business without being overwhelmed and all 5 of us stayed active and it rolled right on through the dog-watch. Probably my best night since Halloween.

I am bushed. Bone tired.

15 fares / 180 miles / 4th quarter $200 bracket

See everyone tomorrow.

MAHALO

ALOHA

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"