“I’ve heard people say money is the root of all evil, but of course they’re nuts.  Lack of money is the root of all evil.”

-Gene Simmons

Hawaii’s Girls Continue The Fight Against Breast Cancer

Scouting for the Cure 2008 Brochure

Who:  Girls - ages 5 and up

When:  October 25, 2008

Time:  9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Where:  Girl Scouts of Hawaii, 420 Wyllie Street, Honolulu, HI 96817

Parking:  Maemae Elementary School

Contact:  Mui Kong at 595-8400 ext 522 or mukong@girlscouts-hawaii.org

Michael Zimmerman is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Mokulele Airlines announced a substantial expansion of its service with the operation of up to four 70-seat jets that will operate between Honolulu, Kona and Lihue.  The company said it will enhance its current flight offerings on November 19 with jets operated under a new service agreement with Indiana-based Republic Airways.

Read the full Honolulu Advertiser article:  Mokulele Airlines Teams With Republic to Expand Interisland Jet Service

Read the full Pacific Business News article:  Mokulele Airlines Adds Interisland Routes

The Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure is only four days away.  Help Susan G. Komen for the Cure realize our vision of a world without breast cancer by participating in the Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure.  I hope to see you at Kapiolani Park on Sunday, October 19 at 7:00 a.m.

Read the Race details

Michael Zimmerman is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

My wife and I have lived in the Ala Moana/Kakaako area for two and a half years and we love it.  Here are the top 10 reasons we think you should consider living here too.

1.  Several diverse living choices ranging from new to more established luxury condominium communities.  Examples include Hokua At 1288 Ala Moana, Ko’olani, Hawaiki Tower, Nauru Tower, Moana Pacific, Imperial Plaza and One Waterfront Towers.

2.  Several health care providers are close by such as Straub Hospital, Kapiolani Medical Center and Queen’s Medical Center.

3.  Healthy recreation areas at your doorstep include Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island and Kakaako Waterfront Park.

4.  Easy and convenient access to H-1 (both east and west directions) and major bus lines.

5.  Wonderful restaurant choices range from fine dining to local mom & pop eateries.  Additionally, terrific shopping is available at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, Ward Centers and the new Nordstrom store located on Kapiolani Blvd.  Whole Foods Market is under construction and due to open in 2010.

6.  Great beach and surfing access at nearby Ala Moana and Waikiki beaches.

7.  Entertainment and the arts are here.  The Blaisdell Center, Concert Hall, Exhibition Center, Academy of Arts and Ward 16 Theaters are just minutes away.

8.  Many interesting adjacent neighborhoods to explore include Chinatown, Downtown, Makiki, McCully and Waikiki.

9.  Controlled growth.  The Hawaii Community Development Authority is developing the Ward Neighborhood Master Plan.

10.  Majestic mauka to makai views include Punchbowl, Diamond Head and the Ko’olaus to Honolulu Harbor and the Waikiki shore.

The registration deadline for the Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure has been extended to September 27, 2008!!

Visit the Registration Website

Date:  October 19, 2008

Time:  7:00 a.m. - 5K Run 
          7:15 a.m. - 1 Mile Fun Walk / Run

Location:  Kapiolani Park, Honolulu, HI

Length of Race:  Coed 5K (3.1 miles) race and a 1-mile fun walk/run

Entrants:  More than 8,000 male and female runners and walkers are expected

Beneficiaries:  Up to 75% of the net proceeds from the Race will go to fund local area breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs (see Hawaii Grants) and at least 25% will help fund the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Award and Research Grant Program.

The Hawaii Race will appeal to the serious and casual runner, but most importantly it will appeal to those that have been touched by the disease and those who recognize the need to combat it.  Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, friends and family members of those that have lost their battle to breast cancer and breast cancer survivors will be at the race running individually as well as part of corporate teams.

Michael Zimmerman is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure presents
The 14th Annual Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure

Visit the Registration Website

Date:  October 19, 2008

Entrants:  More than 8,000 male and female runners and walkers are expected

Beneficiaries:  Up to 75% of the net proceeds from the Race will go to fund local area breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs (see Hawaii Grants) and at least 25% will help fund the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Award and Research Grant Program.

The Hawaii Race will appeal to the serious and casual runner, but most importantly it will appeal to those that have been touched by the disease and those who recognize the need to combat it.  Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, friends and family members of those that have lost their battle to breast cancer and breast cancer survivors will be at the race running individually as well as part of corporate teams.

Michael Zimmerman is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure presents
Celebrating Life:  4th Annual Survivors’ Conference

This conference aims to celebrate breast cancer survivorship in Hawaii through education and encouragement.  We also laud our co-survivors and advocates - supporters without whom the journey would be more difficult.  The registration deadline is September 13, 2008.  Download the
2008 Annual Survivors’ Conference Registration Form.

There will be breakout sessions on topics such as Questions to Ask Your Doctor, Options in Reconstruction, Resources and Support Services and Healing in Motion.  For more information, please contact the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure at 808-754-6659.  

Date:  Saturday, September 27, 2008
Time:  8:00am - 2:00pm
Location:  Dole Cannery Iwilei Ballroom
Cost:  Complimentary to Breast Cancer Survivors; Co-Survivor cost is $30

Michael Zimmerman is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Whole Foods recently reported that its Honolulu flagship store at Ward Centers will be greatly reduced in size (67,000 to 35,000 sq. ft.).  In addition, the store will open in early 2010, more than one year later than the originally planned date of late 2008.  The future of the accompanying apartment tower remains a mystery as the details of this project continue to deviate from the original plans.

There are three other Whole Foods stores in progress.  The Kahala store is slated to open just weeks away on September 10, a store in Kahului, Maui in 2009 and the largest store will be in Kailua opening in 2010.

I constantly hear people in the media say they don’t know who Barack Obama "is".  What they are really saying is they don’t know what he truly stands for.  I agree with that assessment.  If most Americans don’t know what Obama stands for after more than 15 months on the campaign trail, isn’t that a dramatic failure on his part?  It makes me wonder about the millions of people who voted for Obama in the primaries.  What did they base their vote on?

Every so often, I have to remind my Mother that you can’t–and shouldn’t–believe everything you hear in the media.  The media loves to hype bad news and some reports have suggested we’re in a recession due to high fuel prices, mortgage woes and a few sluggish real estate markets.  A recession occurs when Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is negative for two or more consecutive quarters.  How many consecutive quarters of negative growth has the U.S. had in 2008?  According to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis:  ZERO (see graph).  Don’t let the media, who benefits from stirring up fear, convince you we’re in a recession.  It’s simply not true!

Is anyone so naive that they actually believe the President, alone, can materially affect the size of our economy?  Of course, a President’s policies influence economic growth.  However, implying, as some in the media have, that one man can bring on a depression, is ludicrous.  The U.S. 2007 GDP was 13.8 trillion dollars (Trillion with a "T").  Most of us can’t even conceive of what a trillion is.  U.S. GDP** has risen steadily since 1950 (it fell slightly in 1949).  The economy grew all these years, ignoring whether the President was a Republican or a Democrat.

What exactly has gotten in to parents these days?  Apparently, they feel they must outdo everyone else and choosing names for their children is no exception.  How do these strike you:  "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii" (thankfully, this one has been changed), "Number 16 Bus Shelter", "Violence" and "Midnight Chardonnay."  This makes me wonder if the parents who chose these silly names should have had children in the first place.

** Source:  Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis