FRUSTRATION AND...

JUBILATION

A 7¢ jump since Sunday morning. We hit our all time high, $4.049, right after Katrina. This might be just a brief bump. All our fuel needs (auto, aviation, industrial, marine) are served by 2 refineries on O'ahu. Chevron and Tesoro. The Tesoro refinery had a recent fire and production has been shut down.

Of the night crew, I was the only driver who never made it out of town. Which meant that I was the only one who didn't break the $200 mark on the meter. Came close but no cigar. I was relieved by 4:00 AM and had at least 1 run every hour of the shift. That hasn't happened in a long time. We stayed very active the entire shift, through bar close. This week's tourists, from the resorts, are leaving campus. Seeking some "night-life". I wouldn't exactly describe the "Triangle" as stimulating but, what the hell, it was good enough for Paris Hilton.

I found out from my relief that the radio in #14 had been fixed yesterday. They must have done the usual "Mau'i quality" of work, because at 10:00 PM last night I was receiving a dispatch and the speaker went dead. For the next 2-1/2 hours Kimo would call me on my cell to assign runs and I would call him back with every pick-up and drop-off. Very time consuming, very stressful. Quite often, near the "Triangle", the cell tower circuits would be overloaded and all I would get is:

"We're sorry. We cannot complete your call. All circuits are busy."

I did a lot of "10-counts" last night.

When Tina left at 12:30 AM, I switched to her cab, #11. At 4:00 AM I switched back to #14 and guess what. The !@#$%& radio was now working. That "thumping" sound you hear is me pounding my head against the wall.

My largest fare was $18.80 and the smallest was $4.70. Ironically, they were also my first and second trips of the night. Looking at the trip sheet, not one run was interesting. Dinner runs. Bar runs. Bar close. The "bread & butter" of my existence. But there were a lot of them. The trend from last week is continuing. Oops! I wonder if putting that out on the web is like saying that a pitcher is throwing a "no-hitter"?

19 fares / 127 miles / 4th quarter $100 bracket

The Democratic caucus was held in Hawai'i yesterday. Hawai'i born Obama won in a landslide over Clinton. That was a given. Thats also 9 straight that Hillary has lost.

Lets do a little poll. Who do you think the next President will be? Not who you want it to be but who do you think will actually win? I think that John McCain will take the oath on January 20th. This is not to be construed as who I want to win but who I think will win. Leave your response in the "comments". This should be interesting.

Everyone needs to read this post, and then this one, from This Just In. Goes to show the power of this global community of websters.

Everyone enjoy your day and I'll be back after work tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

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Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive

"Let's all be careful out there!"

49 YEARS ...

FIDEL CASTRO RESIGNS!

Story HERE

***

Had a very enjoyable night with Judy & Richard. 2 of their 3 computers are infected with that "WINsys 2000" virus. That has been around for at least 4 years and nobody has developed a cure. It is targeted at Internet Explorer© browsers. This is one of the major reasons that I use the Firefox© browser. It isn't subceptable. This virus doesn't just download a program, it actually installs code on your XP© operating system. Way deeper than any anti-virual protection goes. I told them to see if they can find the original CD to re-install Windows© on the PC. That will erase everything on the disc-drive and then you start from "fresh". If than doesn't work, then I'll see if I can download Linux© to a CD and load up both their PC's

***

Talked to TMR tonight and he told me that he only had 5 runs all of Sunday night and that Kimo had even less. Sounds like last week's burst of activity may have fizzled.

St. Patrick's Day is the next big event. That also marks the beginning of whatever "springbreak" season we might get. Easter isn't very special, cab-wise. After "springbreak" will be "Cinco de Mayo", an obscure Mexican holiday that the spirits industry of America has adopted as THE drinking holiday of the year.

I am going to spend the next couple of hours searching for new images for THE PICTURE GALLERY. See you tomorrow, after work. As always:

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

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Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive

"Let's all be careful out there!"

AND YOU SHOULD SEE...

WHAT THEIR SWAT TEAM DOES

Chinese Kidnap Release Negotiations:

"I have 3 demands or I'll kill the boy!"

Negotiators assess the situation from next door.Head Negotiator dispatched

Negotiations beginNegotiations concluded

In this country, we would block off the street, take 12 hours to talk him out of it, spend $5 million giving him a fair trial, and pay his food and lodging for life.

No wonder their products are cheaper than ours.

***

Most of this sounds logical but I offer no opinion beyond that.

CC&P'd from the original e-mail without any corrections:

If Hillary wins in 2008 and Bill is 'appointed' to fill her Senate seat (BOY – I hadn't even heard of this possibility!!) and either live to
retire .. 'they' (together or alone) would get two US Presidential retirement checks, two US Senate retirement checks, and a retirement
check from the State of Arkansas.

About the only thing they MIGHT NOT get is a Social Security check....but I wouldn't bet on it....I understand ole Bill has earned $40,000,000 in the past six years.

What a guy!

AND THE REST OF THE STORY... Hilarious Rotten Clinton, as a New York State Senator, now comes under the 'Congressional Retirement and Staffing Plan,' which means that even if she never gets re-elected, she STILL receives her Congressional salary until she dies.
(Would it not be nice if all Americans were pension eligible after only 4 years?)

If Bill outlives her, he then inherits HER salary until HE dies. He is already getting his Presidential salary until he dies. If Hillary outlives Bill, she also gets HIS salary until she dies. Guess who pays for that?

It's common knowledge that in order for her to establish NY residency, they purchased a million dollar-plus home in upscale Chappaqua, NY.
Makes sense!!

They are entitled to Secret Service protection for life.
Still makes sense.

Here is where it becomes interesting. Their mortgage payments hover at around $10,000 per month. BUT, an extra residence 'had' to be built within the acreage to house the Secret Service agents.

The Clintons charge the Federal government $10,000 monthly rent for the use of that extra residence, which is about equal to their mortgage payment. This means that we, the taxpayers, are paying the Clinton's salary, mortgage, transportation, safety and security, as well as the
salaries for their 12 man staff -- and, this is all perfectly legal!

***

Meet The sQuba:

Here's the story

***

Have a great day, everybody. I am off to Judy & Richards for dinner tonight. See you tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

***

Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive

"Let's all be careful out there!"

I GOT MY HAT TRICK...

AND BOWLED A "TURKEY"!

Is that enough mixed sport metaphors for you? LOL!!

An excellent night! Maybe because this is a 3-day weekend? For those of you outside the USA, Monday is "Presidents Day". A national Federal holiday. A "bank holiday". Most commercial activity continues and only those in some form of government or financial employment get the day off. It used to be that we had Lincoln's Birthday (February 12th) and Washington's Birthday (February 22nd) off. Which made February a fun month as a school kid. Then a few decades back, they were combined into the current holiday, honoring all of our Presidents. And school children, across the nation sobbed.

When the other drivers left at 2:00 AM, I was the only one of the night crew who hadn't left town. Some had made it out 3 frakken times!

Geez!

But I still had a great shift. Only one run during the dog-watch but that was the crown jewel of the shift. From Denny's, south end of Kihei, to the coast road in Wailuku, across the isthmus.

Just past midnight, I was headed south on Kihei Road. Waiting for the red light to change at Lipoa Street. When it did my "little voice" started screaming bloody murder. I hesitated and shur'nough a big pickup truck comes barreling through his red light at about 40 MPH. There is a large ediface on the northest corner that precludes vision up Lipoa. My "little voice" notices things that my conscious mind misses.

Kyle's Law:

Always heed your "little voice".

If the voices multiply, stop listening.

Right after that, I parked at FoodLand. 2 other drivers were already there and, as we "shot the shit", some guy in a SUV burns rubber pulling out of a stall just a few spaces from us. Makes a turn in the lot, headed for the Kihei road exit and loses control. Wiping out a palm tree in the center island. He didn't stop. Turned onto Kihei Road, northbound, burns rubber again and loses control again. This time striking a wooden light pole and some school fencing bordering the north end of Kalama Park, which is on the opposite side of the road from FoodLand. And again he fled the scene. The police should be able to solve this one easily. The signage on the SUV was from a tree service company and it seems the front license plate stayed in the fence when he fled on the second "hit & run". How much do you want to bet that when confronted, he'll claim that the vehicle had been stolen and then mysteriously returned to his house?

There hasn't been any enhanced police presence this week at the "Triangle", which probably accounts for the fights on Thursday, Friday and last night. It was seconds after the drunk driver had disappeared from view when I received a call from the Sports Page, about a mile south of the "Triangle". Just as I am approaching the traffic light between FoodLand and LAB, a brawl rolls out of the bar. I get my green light and pull away, watching the crowd in my rearview mirrors, spill all the way into the middle of the intersection. It was my turn to call 9-1-1. The call-taken asked the normal question:

"Are there any weapons involved?"

"No ma'am. Just the normal stupid drunks trying to out macho one another."

She laughed.

Had to drive a different cab last night, #07. Had started the shift in #14 but about a hour into the night, the damn radio failed, again. It still hasn't been fixed. I definitely needed communications, it was my night with the damn phone. Switched vehicles, which is a real pain. Among other things, in a strange cab, nothing is where you are accustomed to. From a/c controls, door locks, light switches, am/fm/cd on the car and also where all the "cab" crap is. What type of meter is it (we have 2 types that operate differently), where is it mounted, where is the 2-way control head and where is the "roof light" switch? Hope #14 is fixed before my next shift.

Our Monday - Friday, 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM, fixed base dispatcher is no longer with us. It'll be interesting to see what adjustments have occured when I go back on Tuesday night. "Lucky" Brian is going to be off most of next week, has friends from the mainland visiting. That'll make everyone's slice of the pie a bit larger.

The only "constant" in the Universe is "change"

15 fares / 144 miles / 2nd quarter $200 bracket

We'll be tapping into the "Olde E-Mailbox" tomorrow. Drop by, if you can.

Pat & Ray depart back to London today. Gave them a wake up call at 3:45 AM, they fly to Honolulu at 7:00 AM to make their international connection, and should be back about the middle of January next year.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

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Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive

"Let's all be careful out there!"

"BUT OFFICER...

HE HIT ME FIRST"

Pulled into FoodLand about 1:30 AM. Two cop cars were parked at the west border, one in the lot and the other on the street sidewalk, handling some incident. Just after I arrive an ambulance, running just the emergency lights - no siren, pulls up to them. A group of people were standing outside the front door of FoodLand watching what was going down. One of the lookie-loos, a "local", suddenly turned and sucker punched the the guy standing next to him. The victim's head sounded like a ripe watermelon as it impacted the cement walkway. Unconcious, eyes wide open and his bladder released. The assailant dashed into the store as one of the cops responded to the "melon" sound. The cop arrives and immediately calls for the ambulance to respond to his location. The bad boy walks out of the store, acting all casual and stops up to look down at the victim. The officer turned and ordered him and some others to "BACK OFF". The other 2 guys immediately responded, retreating. Stupid doesn't. Instead he steps even closer. The officer shoved him away and pulled his Tazer, ordering our loser to his knees. After the second command to "GET ON YOUR KNEES!", it finally penetrated this numbskulls brain that he was in deep shit. He assumed the "communion" position and was cuffed. Then the officer learned what had gone down and he hustled our poor deprived victim of society over to a patrol car to place him in custody. Returning to take statements before the witnesses disappeared into the night. Two of our drivers were witnesses and gave statements. I got a flag going north and, as I drove by the patrol car, I heard the culprit weep today's title to an officer standing next to him.

My fare had met the victim a couple of times earlier in the evening, at various bars in the "Triangle". He said the guy was one of those very happy drunks, "High-5ing" everybody and shaking people's hand. Not the type that is out looking for trouble. His only aggressiveness was in being friendly. The victim was transported to MMMC. Semi-conscious would be a generous term in discribing his condition.

Just a bit less money and fares, from Thursday, but a decent shift. Crossing my fingers to get a "hat trick" tonight.

Oh, yeah. I dispatch tonight.

FRAK!

10 fares / 111 miles / 4th quarter $100 bracket

Have 2 interesting items for "The Olde E-Mail" bag this Monday.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

***

Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive

"Let's all be careful out there!"