http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/ en-us Copyright 2009 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:15:28 -1000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification
She knows how it is and how important it is to be local.  She gets it.  She understands Hawaiian issues.  In the past, she has been a supporter of Hawaiian Issues.  

So what priority goes over the understanding of these issues?  Is it financial?  The fact that we're in economic difficulties and have a budget to cover?  Is it something that needs to be addressed legally?  Is it something so simple that the rest of us don't see it?

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/ceded-lands-decision-what-happ.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/ceded-lands-decision-what-happ.html ceded lands governor Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:15:28 -1000
Hereʻs a paragraph on personal music preferences.  Itʻs Not Over from Daughtry from the last blog entry is a sample of the kind of music from contemporary artists now that I like...the style...when Iʻm not listening to Hawaiian music (98% of the time itʻs Hawaiian!).  So is a lot of 80ʻs music, early to mid 90ʻs.  I have a soft spot for oldies though.  In elementary school, I went thru a lot of music phases.  I listened to country for 3 months non-stop, classical (actually only Mozart) for 4 months, I went thru extensive Beatles early days thru ʻ67) in about 6 months.  Nothing but Beatles. 

My parents were my Elvis influence.  Especially the Elvis Live from Hawaii 8-track tape. 
]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/musical-tastes-outside-of-hawa.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/musical-tastes-outside-of-hawa.html beatles classical daughtry disco elvis hawaiian mozart music tastes Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:42:21 -1000
Hereʻs todays business report that Iʻll try to send to KGMB9 later (it never made it-my attempt at wireless internet was discovered and turned of by our hotel before I could forward to tv...only got it for the radio website lol :(   ).  Here at the Rusutsu resort, the story is the business or more so the lack of.  Last year there were lines for everything.  The food, the ski lifts, stores in the resort, restaurants...everything!  This year there are no lines for anything.  This resort is down to 30% occupancy.  This resort is one of the busiest during the season, and even now.  There are many other resorts that are doing worse.
]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japan-day-4.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japan-day-4.html iPod japan music vacation Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:40:07 -1000
At noon we met him at the eating place...and enjoyed eating ramen and pork cutlet.  We talked story and enjoyed until he was off again to the slopes at 1:30pm.

Today Japan is playing USA in the World Baseball Series.  My wife and I want to watch this! 
]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japanday-3.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japanday-3.html hokkaido Japan ski snowboard vacation Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:38:57 -1000
After spending time on the Expressway, we crossed over Rainbow Bridge on the way to Haneda Airport.  Usually I drive, but today I didnʻt feel like driving.  I LOVE to drive in Japan.  Plus my AAA license is expired, so I canʻt drive in any foreign country at the moment anyway.

After a hour and a half train ride, 2 hour bus ride, weʻre here at Rusutsu Resort on the northern most island of Japan called Hokkaido, the resort is run by Prince hotels.  Weʻll be here for the next 5 days.  

I should mention why we are here and not spending our money at home. 
]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japanday-2.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/vacation-in-japanday-2.html japan nwa rainbow bridge vacation yokohama Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:37:37 -1000

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/acsrelayforlife.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/acsrelayforlife.html cancer relay for life Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:39:18 -1000
During the event, I had to use the bathroom.  Without getting too graphic here, I had to go #2, and had to find a place.  I asked employees who told me that there was a bathroom that was not being readily used by the public, and that it will get me back to the stage area quicker.  I thanked the employee and went to go find the bathroom.

While heading to the bathroom, I realized that this was the bathroom that was also being used by students who were performing or otherwise...as I entered the bathroom, no one else was there.


]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/shockingkhsbathroom.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/shockingkhsbathroom.html bathroom ho'olaule'a Kamehameha Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:01:23 -1000 http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/khsstatebbchamps.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/khsstatebbchamps.html konawaena punahou state basketball Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:03:31 -1000
They were once the showcase of jokes of the kind of clothing that were bad examples of tourist fashion; with the whole family wearing what they thought was "Aloha" wear, with the bright orange looks that the whole family would wear; the kind that you would gift to that Uncle somewhere in the continental United States...the Uncle that you didn't exactly care for.  

These days, it's much different.  In the fashions that Hilo Hattie carries now, it's whole local families showing up to the lu'au in Hilo Hatties Fashions.  From the boardroom and the CEO in the Financial District of downtown Honolulu, to someone from the west side headed to Kapolei to go to the new stores; From someone going neighbor islands on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to dinner out on the North Shore.  It's the fashions of now, of a contemporary Hawaii.

If you still wanted to find fashions for that Uncle in the Continental United States, you could find something at Hilo Hatties...but this time, all your Uncles might be asking for theirs too.

http://www.hilohatties.com

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/renewing-hilo-hattie-ties.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/03/renewing-hilo-hattie-ties.html hilo hatties Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:37:55 -1000
He told Steve that he was putting together a football school.  Not just any football school, but one that taught the fundamentals of football while they were young so that way when they got older in middle and high school, there was no learning curve.  They were already be ma'a to the game and they could jump right into it.  They were taking all ages.  It made me excited being a football fan!

My son is 6 years old.  I didn't know if he would like football.  However since he attends a bunch of football games that I'm working at, he would see it all the time.  We bought him the playstation game NCAA Football' 07 so he's been playing football for a while.  It's also the way I taught my wife football in general (she wanted to play so I taught her; she beats me now.)

Since my son started to attend HFS, he plays differently now.  He watches the plays in slow motion.  He sees the stance of the players and mentions (and points), "That's what we did in the last class!".  He's started to put things together.

The coaches started changing how they teach too.  They were always about football, team and working together, but in the last month they've been mentioning that schoolwork comes first before everything else.  If they cna't do good in school, they can't do good on the field.  They're setting them up for that long journey called middle, high school and college.  I think it's a natural progression.  They're also giving out awards monthly for excellence, inviting the kids to strive, to do better, to get recognized for it.  It's been an awesome program that I'm glad my son is in on Sundays

Note:  The coaches are all people I've grown up with in sports.  They're some of the names we've heard associated with some of the greats in UH Warrior Football.  OFten the coaches have been rotating out because  Some are still active either in the Canadian Football , Indoor or European football leagues.  Occasionally there have been "guest" coaches. Colt Brennan has come by.  Timmy Chang when he's been in town.  It's been kewl to see these coaches and people coming back to give back again.http://www.hawaiifootballschool.com

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/hfstryouts.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/hfstryouts.html Hawaii Football School Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:30:20 -1000
A note about "Slack Key" releases".  The name itself may be misleading to some.  The music contained on a lot of the "Slack Key" releases used to be just that - instrumental.  You would think of a CD filled with music by one guitar, or several guitars with one playing the lead in the song.  Not anymore.  Our best slack key players are also some of the best vocalists in Hawaiian music, or they are enhancing songs with their particular style of Slack Key.   All if not most of the tracks on Slack Key CD releases out now are indeed vocal tracks, but they are performed by these Masters in their craft of Slack Key.

Taking a look at the Grammy nominees in the last couple of years, there really haven't been any "instrumental" releases, but there are "Slack Key" genre releases.  Perhaps the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts could take up the possibilities of adding that catagory in the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

A good point was made in Howard Dicus' blog that not only our Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, but the Grammys, awards for classical music etc.. that it is the human element that comes into play.  To quote Howard, "In classical music, which I follow closely, it has not been unusual for a Grammy to go to a group that has a lot of voting members."  I would say that would probably go the same for almost any award type, in any media or otherwise.  It's the human quotient.  I also used to complain in my youth about why so and so got the award...The more people that are in the academy (that qualify) the better it is that you can avoid people questioning the results...

Tia Carrere is an extremely talented actress that has taken the options afforded her (remember that Tia and Daniel Ho are from Hawaii, grew up here on O'ahu) and has excelled in almost every avenue she has chose to go down.  Her name will attract some attention, and we are always hopeful when it happens with any of our Hawaii celebrities; that people will not only appreciate what was presented, but will also dig deeper and get to know and appreciate the other music in the catagory and genre as well.

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/hawaiian-grammy-commentary.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/hawaiian-grammy-commentary.html grammy hawaiian music Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:16:32 -1000
I started out with the light blue pathfinder.  I loved it and drove it everywhere.  It was my pride and joy.  I made it carry all kinds of cargo, and filled it to the very top.  I had food I left inside, I had it cleaned professionally lots of times.  I had a lowriding toyota fast car, but when I got serious with my girlfriend, she became my wife and the Nissan would be the first car we would buy together.  When we went to go get our Nissan, the staff was nice and helpful.  We eventurally found ourselves on the Windward Side going to King Windward Nissan.  Whenever I had any questions, they had quick answers for us.  Whenever we needed something checked out, they made it as easy as possible, especially with my wife and my busy schedules.  Everybody should have the ease with which we had in buying, maintaining and enjoying a car.  Now she has an Armada, and I still have my Pathfinder.  It hardly had given me trouble, hardly broken down, always been reliable, and I love my Nissan.  My wife and my son love it too.
]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/im-a-nissan-fan.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/im-a-nissan-fan.html nissan Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:28:18 -1000
I'll try to get this out...so many thoughts:

I'm sure HTA will revote in favor of the NFL Pro Bowl.  Too many tourism people that know the value of this major event, probably THE biggest of the year that has come year after year for the last 30 years.  Have we gotten to the point where we took it for granted?  Or maybe we felt like we could have more pull to get more from the NFL?  What would have Mike McCartney done if he had been in the hotseat?  I know it's a ways off, and one shouldn't talk about politics way in advance, but if I were Mufi Hannemann, I would be doing exactly what he's doing right now; telling HTA "better hurry up, the clock is ticking and you're out of timeouts".   There is a LOT of revenue that comes from having the NFL event here.  Especially since we need it in this difficult financial time.  Anything to keep the state and city from raising rates.  In some instances we don't pay for a bunch of stuff or we pay minimal compared to other states.  We need the revenue, we need the goodwill that these national "in-the-spotlight" players and give our kids, the money that gets given back to the community by the NFL for our kids....it's all positives from the way I look at it.  I'm sure HTA will use this timeout to regain composure and see this thru. ]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/this-is-not-brain-surgeryits-t.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/this-is-not-brain-surgeryits-t.html nfl pro bowl Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:12:43 -1000

]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/extremist-bast.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/extremist-bast.html al qaeda; women Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:11:00 -1000
David Archuleta sang our National Anthem prior to the start of the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl. Most celebities I've met had to have things a certain way. Lots of lights, they're people constantly around, not willing to talk to anyone. I acknowledge this only because I can see things from their point of view. You never know which one is going to be the wacko one.


]]> http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/ai-david-archuleta.html http://hawaiian105.com/blogs/billy_v_in_the_morning/2009/02/ai-david-archuleta.html american idol david archuleta NFL Pro Bowl Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:16:51 -1000