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161-year-old Washington Place showing age, deferred upkeep
Decades of deferred maintenance take their toll on the historical landmark
By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

From Beretania Street, Washington Place looks pristine, with its impressive columns, grand entryway and oasis of greenery in the middle of Downtown Honolulu.

But get a little closer and you can see that the landmark, once home to Queen Lili'uokalani and 12 Hawai'i governors and now used as a museum and reception hall, is showing its 161 years — and the results of decades of deferred maintenance.

Wood rot and termite damage are major problems throughout Washington Place, as is aging plumbing, which has several times overloaded and sent water streaming down walls on the first floor. The electrical system in the home has been called a fire hazard. And the large columns in the open lanai are riddled with rot and rust, causing some to fear they'll go down in a strong wind.

The 40-year-old drapes in the reception rooms on the first floor are so tattered in spots they can't be washed because they would fall apart, and the wallpaper has water stains and age spots. The roof is also leaking, as is the air-conditioning system.

"There are many, many things that need to be fixed in the house itself," said Robin Midkiff, Washington Place Foundation president, adding that it's essential to restore and preserve the home not only as a significant architectural landmark, but as a piece of Hawai'i's "complex history."

Architectural and social historian Ken Hays, who recently helped complete an architectural conservation plan for Washington Place, agreed.

"This house is such a rare piece of architecture," he said "It is one of the most important houses in the state. We have to make sure it survives."

But getting money for repairs at Washington Place and to address several safety concerns has proven difficult. The state-owned home has had few major renovations since the 1950s,

Those of us who have forgone a fancy BlackBerry, Treo, or iPhone know a standard cell phone is probably the most non-interactive, un-tweakable device in the gadget stable. But for many phones, there's a way around overpriced cables, intentionally weak Bluetooth software, and lack of good syncing software. The multi-tool of phone data, BitPim, is a free, open-source, cross-platform solution that can back up all or most of your phone's data, put your home-baked ringtones on your phone for free, and sync calendars and contacts between your apps and your vanilla phone. Let's take a look at how to get started with BitPim on any system and make the most of the device you take everywhere.

The Greatest Upset Never Seen
On Dec. 23, 1982, with no TV cameras and very few press on hand, tiny Chaminade of Honolulu shocked Ralph Sampson and No. 1 Virginia. Why college basketball hasn't been the same since
Posted: Monday December 24, 2007 10:51AM; Updated: Wednesday December 26, 2007 2:24PM

Welcome to the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide Archive site. This is the archive to the main site of the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide. The materials contained on this site consist mainly of back issues of the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide Newz Over the Air stories as well as personal recollections from people in the business and a short section on past radio charts.

If you like looking at old Hawaii music charts, this is the place to be. Charts here include the 1972 KPOI Top 300 Marathon of Hits, a June 17, 1972 edition of the KPOI Action 20 and the KKUA Top 69 Hits of 1972 list. Thanks to contributor Randy Itamoto, a new set of KPOI Action 20 charts is now in the process of being uploaded to the archive. The first 2 up is from July 1968 and March 1970. Check them out.

Get Light Right for the Best Photos
A veteran photographer and Photoshop master shows you how to work with light creatively to get great images within and without Photoshop.

(Peachpit Press)
By Kevin Ames
Friday, December 14, 2007

Photography has undergone an earth-shattering sea change in its transition from film to digital. At the same time, the foundation of photography -- light -- remains the same. Photography literally means "light writing," which means that photographers are light writers. The ability to bend light to our vision is what makes us photographers. After all, anyone can buy a high-quality digital camera. Very few can light a subject well. You might say light writers light right.

Ron Jacobs evolves into high tech
Broadcaster finds new home online

Whodaguy? Ron Jacobs, of course. Radio legend, an original Poi Boy and creator of the nationally syndicated "American Top 40."

Since entering the radio biz as a teen in the '50s, Jacobs has been part -- in some way, big or small -- of most of the major developments in the industry, from the dawn of rock 'n' roll into the digital age. Along the way he's cultivated his interests in the Hawaiian music scene as well.

Today he's carving out a place in cyberspace, as host of the live online broadcasts on www.WhodaguyHawaii.com.

"WDG Hawaii is a labor of love, a mission, my final one, not a gig or an ego trip," Jacobs says. "It's funded by me and my friends, all of whom support the spreading of Hawaii's music around the globe via Internet."

The Inviting Enticing Art of Hula
February 1, 2007
Benton Sen

Robert Cazimero shares the lessons of Halau Na Kamalei (including how to leave the shame behind)

He wears his signature bandana, a beautiful pikake lei and an infectious smile that spreads to all four corners of the karaoke bar. After one of his friends tells a joke, he throws his head back and laughs, then graciously shakes the hand of a young man who offers a look of shy recognition and a fan letter. In a corner booth, a woman sits with a group of friends. Chocolate cake, candles extinguished, a round of applause. She is celebrating her birthday, so he walks over to her, places his lei around her neck and hugs her. This sort of embrace, this outpouring of aloha, defines Robert Cazimero.

What are you giving away when you use photo-sharing sites?10/20/2007

It's a fact of life. Any image you post publicly online can be stolen or misused.

Billboards for Australia's Virgin Mobile recently featured 16-year-old Alison Chang. But the Texas teenager didn't consent to the use of her photo. The company found her photo on the popular photo-sharing site Flickr.

The Importance of the Whale Rescue

Thus far, 2007 is shaping up to be a busy season for whale rescue attempts in Hawaiian waters. The Whale Disentanglement Network, coordinated by David Matilla and Ed Lyman from the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, has already received reports of 7 entangled humpback whales.

Get the Lensbaby Look in Photoshop
You've probably seen the Lensbaby look, even if you didn't know its name -- part of an image is sharp, but the rest of it is dramatically blurred. If you don't have the money or time for the gadget itself, mimic its effect with this software how-to.

(creativepro.com)
By Sara Frances
Friday, October 19, 2007

I enjoy camera gadgets as much as anyone. One of those gadgets, the Lensbaby, is a selective-focus SLR camera lens born of a commercial advertising style that used extreme swing and tilt-view camera functions to radically distort subjects with unexpected planes of focus. The Lensbaby's tiny bellows mimics that of a view camera, allowing variable rocker-like positioning that determines which parts of the image are in sharp focus and which are dramatically blurred.