Time in a St. Louis hotel room while Meda is conferencing has me fighting off boredom by tinkering with little things. For example, I replaced the WordPress search with a better Google search engine, which will search this full site, including both the later WordPress version and the older (pre-2007) hand-done years as well. Just enter a search term at the top of the right-hand sidebar and give it a try.

I also switched the Amazon ad to the right so that it displays a few actual recommended items. I’ll try to rotate these every few days through my latest favorites. Buying anything through these Amazon links, or clicking on one of these items and then searching for another item of your choice, will support this site with a small referral fee. So don’t hold back!

Let’s see…Hawaii.com, jointly owned by Gannett and the Stephens Media Group (owners of newspapers on both sides of the Big Island), has been revamped, according to a press release reprinted by Marketwatch.com.

It’s interesting that House Speaker Calvin Say’s announcement that he will retain his top spot came before the slate of committee chairs and leadership positions was finalized. Usually the organizational decisions are integral to the negotiations between rival factions, especially when there’s a serious challenge that depends on key swing votes, with the winner only clear after a winning set of promises have been made.

I’ll be waiting to hear just how these negotiations progressed and to see where the key dissidents end up in the internal reorganization.

Ryan Ozawa’s Hawaii Blog has swept up the latest on Congressman Neil Abercrombie’s expected run for governor in two years.

I think his assessment needs to take into account the scramble that will ensue when Abercrombie makes it official, thereby creating an open Congressional seat. The last open seat created a political free for all, and some of those who might otherwise be eyeing the governor’s office may decide that Washington would make a reasonable alternative.

Ryan also writes:

As soon as Abercrombie formally announces his plans, Case, Abercrombie, and others with an eye on the 7th floor of the Hawaii State Capitol will likely quickly follow suit.

Oops. The governor’s office is on the 5th floor, which is the top of the State Capitol. I hope Ryan “7th floor” reference isn’t pointing to some “higher authority”.

In any case, Hawaii Senator Dan Inouye is also part of the scramble for positions in the U.S. Senate, acccording to a summary of the cascading chairmanships in today’s Washington Post.

The story refers to the 84-year old Inouye as a “relative youngster” compared to the soon to be 91-year old Robert Byrd, who he will be replacing as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. I guess that makes Abercrombie, only 70, a mere toddler in Senate Years. After all, Neil’s only about 11 in dog years.

Actually, Abercrombie has been setting a fast pace, adding lots of Hawaii appearances to his busy schedule and being much more visible on local issues, both good steps for someone looking to make a serious run at the state’s top job. And he’s been successfully reaching out to different audiences, as with his appearance at the recent Podcamp in Honolulu. If he can get the financial backing a run for governor will require, I would rate his chances pretty good.

And here are some interesting comments on the changes in the country by a Seattle Times columnist.

I have to admit being partial to the Arch. According to the signs, it was designed in the year I was born (1947) and construction was finished the year I graduated from high school (1965).

Okay, yes, that’s OLD. But that aside, the arch is quite a striking structure, and a very bold design for 1947, I would think. Anyway, if you click on the photo to see a larger version, you’ll also have a chance to check my short 1-minute video.