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Since November 2, 1999
Word of a wholesale reshuffling spilled out of the Advertiser yesterday, quickly spreading through the Star-Bulletin newsroom and then, as a secondhand rumor, over to me. Apparently Advertiser reporters were greeted with a list of positions and told they will all have to reapply for their present jobs or different ones. Been there, done that, and there can be casualties despite lots of verbal assurances from management, as I discovered. Over at the 'Tiser, the number of positions on the list is reportedly less than the current number of staff in the newsroom. What this might mean is unclear. Some at the Star-Bulletin read it as a prelude to layoffs, but the current Advertiser contract (which runs through June) contains a "no layoffs" clause. By late in the day, some 'Tiser staffers said it was all no big deal. Hopefully they're right.A late note (8:25 a.m.). I just got a call from an Advertiser staffer, who wanted to clarify what's going on. He said some positions are being reallocated to boost staffing on the City Desk, while they are eliminating the weekly technology section (Click!) as well as making other smaller changes. At the same time, staff were asked to indicate their preferred beats (top 3). Folks who are happy where they are and want to stay put will likely be left alone, while others can take the opportunity to seek out lateral moves. No layoffs in view. In fact, they may gain a position for a new features' editor, after the former editor moved into a non management position. So although staffers were anxious when the shakeup was announced, it's now seen as largely benign and even positive. That's good news.
Arriving home in Kaaawa each day is supposed to be relaxing, but we've got to get past a few chores before slowing down. This was the scene just a couple of minutes after we walked into the house last evening.
From left to right, on the counter, that's Ms. Harry (aka Harriet), Lizzie, Leo, Wally, with Ms. Kili in the foreground, closest to the camera. Miki is out of camera range on the floor, while Silverman and Lindsey were still lurking just outside, ready for a grand entrance.
Obviously, the cats get their canned food before the people get to think about cooking. I've got a niggle of worry that the dynamics of this pride are a bit skewed, but I try to suppress it.
Click on the photo for a closer view
My column about the current international crisis which appeared in last week's Honolulu Weekly is now available in their online archive, although in almost unreadable form. So click here for a more legible version.
Although national polls are claiming 94% support for war, I've had only a few negative responses, leading me to believe that support for Bush the Junior's policies is both narrow and shallow.
"to imagine
an american
identity based
upon peace"
That's the goal of a group of University of Hawaii artists, who have produced T-shirts and stickers in several designs to spread their peace message. The shirts are being sold at cost, and are a great bargain. Visit their web site for further info.Gaye Chan, one of the group's active members, provides this description:
"We" are about 6 or 7 artists of the Department of Art, depending on the day of the week. we make shirts and stickers, and have a website. some are printed by us and some are mass-printed by a local vendor based upon our designs. no one is the legitimate 'author' of any of the designs since they are usually reinterpretations of those that already exist in culture. also we decide on what and which to make collectively.The Newspaper Guild announced a new web site yesterday devoted to the need for a free press in times of crisis, as in more "normal" times. This is the preface, taken from the new site:
The Newspaper Guild-CWA, representing men and women employees in the newspaper industry throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, has long championed the unique role of a free press in a democracy. That role includes the right, obligation and necessity of free inquiry, of the uncensored exchange of news and information, and of vigorous debate and the exchange of conflicting views and opinions-the very essence of democratic self-governance. The importance of this role does not diminish in times of national crisis: indeed, because such crises may result in the expenditure of huge sums of money, national effort and human lives, it becomes even more critical that those who speak with a different voice be heard.Check it out.
Winter's still signaling it's approach. It's not just the daily rain before dawn, or the high tides, or the waves. It's the sun, moving later and later, and across the horizon towards Mokapu.
We're still leaving the house just before 6 a.m., but now we're almost at the very far end of Kaaawa before the sun appears over the horizon. Pretty soon we'll have to start delaying our departure, and ultimately, in a couple of months, much of the walk will be in the dark, and many days we won't see the sunrise because we won't be able to wait long enough. Sunrise moves as late as 7:10 or so towards the end of the year before it again changes direction and starts the cycle again. Such are the seasons in Kaaawa.
David Black made his appearance in the Star-Bulletin newsroom yesterday afternoon, with his usual display of disarming humor. I've been told he didn't convey any hard information on the status of the newspaper war or the Star-Bulletin's health. He's due to talk to MidWeek staffers in Kaneohe today.
This anecdote was received from someone over at the Star-Bulletin, so pardon their perspective:
so a S-B reporter is over at magnum gun range doing a story on the recent increase in gun sales. this reporter happens to see an advertiser reporter at the range taking a pistol safety course. the tiser reporter apparently calls the tiser newsroom and tells them that the SB is there doing a story about gun sales. the tiser immediately runs another reporter over to the gun range and does their own story on gun sales. what's funny about this is the SB runs its story on A1 and the tiser buries their story deep inside the local section. so what was the point of them doing the story? the only reasonable explanation is that they think they have to try and outdo the S-B on EVERY story it does, I guess, but then why bury it if its so important?go figure.
According to a newsroom source over at the Star-Bulletin, David Black has already denied the published report that he submitted a bid for the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper, attributing it to a rumor being spread by brokers in the deal.A couple of reactions came in to items from last week.
In response to a Monday item, Jim McCoy, news director at KHON, called to say that the "shake head" instruction inserted in a news report was not a direction to the news anchor but, instead, a technical instruction to not cut off the scene too quickly.
Jim was a bit upset, though. His comment: "I wish you would call and check before you put this crap on your web page." I guess a sense of humor is hard to find in this business.
And a Wednesday item prompted a call from KHON reporter Malia Mattoch, who left a message saying emphatically that she agreed to be the spokesperson for the family of her friend, Heather Ho, because they asked for her help. She says it was a personal matter, and did not give the station "leverage" in its coverage of the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks. Later, though, she indicated that she had stepped away from the situation, apparently out of concern for the possible appearance of a conflict.
And an interesting perspective from California on the prevailing management style:
Have I mentioned before how much the actions of the Black group and the Gannett folks sound like what's happening in the City of San Francisco?I think we are seeing first hand the ramifications of what was being taught in business schools around the nation about the time of the last big economic crunch. Look only at the bottom line. You can't afford to look at individuals. What is MAKING MONEY??? If it isn't a direct contributor, it has to go. Get beyond emotion. Get beyond the "touch-feely" stuff.
We are seeing the same thing in a very different kind of organization from journalism. We're looking at pipelines and water sources and valves and huge generators and hearing our managers tell us, "Make it more efficient. Make it produce more. Make do with two people where you used to have four. But don't use overtime. Or at least don't charge for overtime. Don't do maintenance -- you don't have time. Fix it when it breaks, but keep the water and power flowing at all costs (an oxymoron, especially when combined with reduced maintenance!). Use capital funds to meet expenses we cut from your budget request -- but we're not going to give you more capital money when you run out. What do you mean, you don't have any money left to .... "
A similar thing is happening in classrooms all over California. Our public schools have dropped from #1 in the nation when finished college to somewhere near the bottom. The new goal is to bring up test scores, so teachers are 'teaching to the test'. Are our (grand)children being taught to THINK? Not really. So what happens when they get out into the real world? They can follow the rules, but they can't think "out of the box".
Thinking "out of the box" is "dangerous". It's "subversive". It challenges. It especially challenges management -- and government. Not to mention religion.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. Just don't feel like you folks in the newspaper business have a corner on the market.
And, finally, a habanero report. That little habanero was wonderful! I made up an interesting concoction. Some small port loin chops, sautéed in lemon juice, garlic, a splash or two of white wine, anchovy, and the habanero, diced. Before serving, I added a diced green pepper, and a teaspoon or two of a raspberry puree, a Christmas gift from a Christmas past that I found in the refrigerator. Served with rice. It was surprisingly good, and very hot.
A Canadian newspaper reported last week that Star-Bulletin owner David Black (via his Black Press) is believed to be among the handful of bidders vying to purchase the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper. The National Post Online, citing newspaper sources, said the Winnipeg paper had an estimated value of $150 million before the current advertising slump, although I suppose that's in Canadian dollars. An enterprising reporter might ask Black about the bid while he's still in Honolulu.Living at ground zero. Well, ground zero plus one, perhaps.When it was announced last week that Oahu's first suspected case of dengue fever had been found--in Kaaawa--it felt like a scene in a science fiction movie. Would they now quarantine us, fly in the national guard to set up an armed perimeter and make sure that no one escapes to spread the disease? It turned out nothing like that. Just advice to get rid of any mosquitoes. Get rid of them?? Getting rid of all the invading ants would be easier. Or the mountains, for that matter. "Find and eliminate sources of standing water." Right. Out here, water collects in tiny places in plants as well as all the usual household areas. Sure, we can make sure there aren't any buckets or cans sitting outside, and turn the wheelbarrow over, but we're not into defoliating the community. Kaaawa's case is still unconfirmed, but we're now very conscious of each little flying insect. Is that the one?
And I meant the ant reference. They've been invading. This morning I awoke to an ant swarm in the corner of the kitchen. They appear to be emerging from the electrical outlet, using our own maze of wiring as an ant highway. Earlier rounds of tasty poisons apparently haven't slowed their population growth, and two rounds of some commercial nerve gas stuff still hasn't knocked out this morning's invading horde. There are ants swarming on the outside of the sealed containers of cat food, and they tried occupying the toaster until I turned it on. I guess I'll have to make another run at them before Meda gets up.
Other signs of the times have appeared in Kaaawa. Flags are evident along the back roads, and a fence in front of the Nozawa's farm down at the other end of Kaaawa has been transformed into its own statement. Click on either photo for a larger version.
News of the webmaster's resignation brought this comment from another Star-Bulletin staffer:The new owners are concerned about cost and income. Little else. They know when something looks really bad. But they can't distinguish between excellence and mediocrity. Nor are they inclined to learn the difference.They don't know how to identify excellence within the people who work for them, either.
You'd think they'd tap the shoulders of the people who could really help them build a company and make the most out of limited resources. Instead they brought in a cadre of expensive consultants. At least one of those high-priced helpers proved to be absolutely worthless.
The Bulletin has now lost one of it's most motivated, capable and talented staffers. The guy who put the Bulletin on the web and helped attract thousands of readers daily is now taking that energy and knowledge elsewhere.
And if they think he's the only one to feel that way, then they need to start paying much closer attention to the people around them.
S-B owner David Black is scheduled to meet with newsroom staff on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see how he maneuvers this tricky terrain.
This little gem is a homegrown accomplishment. Meda threw some seeds in pots a while back and has been tending the little critters that sprouted. Much to our delight, one of those doing the best turns out to be a Habanero, said to be the hottest pepper of all.
And this is the first one to ripen and turn color! There are a couple more that are now ripe, and another crop of flowers.
I still haven't cooked with one of these fresh peppers to see how hot the Kaaawa variety is. Hopefully tonight.
Our first habanero pepper
A few days absence and look what happens!On Friday, the Star-Bulletin's webmaster, Blaine Fergerstrom, gave two week's notice. In two weeks, he's part of Star-Bulletin history.
Blaine isn't just the webmeister. He created Starbulletin.com and had it online just 14 days after being hired back in 1996.
Here's his version, from Blaine's personal site, www.alohatown.com:
In 1996, I was working at Milici Valenti Ng Pack Advertising when one of Honolulu's two daily newspapers, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, asked me to come aboard as a Webmaster to produce a daily online edition. I started work on March 4, 1996 and rolled out a daily Web edition on Monday, March 18. A new issue is put online every day, Monday through Saturday, including holidays.Of course, it's now online daily, seven days a week.
Soon to the the artist formerly know as
Webmaster, Honolulu Star-BulletinBlaine's creativeness, resourcefulness, and occasional irreverence have been a big part of the Star-Bulletin's survival. But in recent months, he and others have run into a management attitude that refuses to recognize, appreciate and utilize the depth of expertise and experience of their own staffers.
As a result, he's off to a new career as education webmaster at Kamehameha Schools, a move rich with ironic echoes.
I'm afraid the Star-Bulletin's management don't yet understand what they've lost, both in talent and in spirit. But it's Kamehameha's gain.
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