Erika’s posterous

Stuff I'm compelled to share that's too long for Twitter. 

Harvey Weinstein, host of Harvey’s Corner; Sept. 8, 1943 - Feb. 28, 2009

Harvey Weinstein was a pioneer of FM radio in Honolulu, as one of the first personalities to appear on KPOI-FM 97.5, perhaps as early as 1968.
He died Sat., Feb. 28, 2009, at about 4 p.m., at home.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York and came to Hawaii either in 1967 or ‘68, according to his daughter Davin. I met her when she was a child and her dad and I were co-workers at K59 (KSSK-AM 590) in the 1980s.
He was a very nice man, respected by his colleagues, not in the dour, stiff, suit-wearing way that executive types respect each other, but in the joking, laughing, story-telling way that jox of the time used to talk about one another.
Now a writer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, I learned today of his death from cancer and wrote his obituary.
In radio news, :20 to :30 -- or an absolute max of :45 for a single item was so often too short a time in which to tell a story.
I so envied the 1:30 or 2:00 (or more!) that TV reporters got, but moreso, I envied the many words and column inches newspaper reporters were given to tell their stories.
My broadcast-era envy of print reporters’ space was misplaced.
Now I envy magazine writers, who not only get more column inches, but the luxury of time to gather scads of information  -- and the ability to luxuriate further in the process of choosing exquisite word-fibers from whence to weave the fabric of their stories.

The 15 column inches I wrote on Harvey, that will run in tomorrow’s paper, didn’t even scratch the surface.

I did some interviews for the obit, but I am restricted by newspaper policy from including those notes here.
What follows are snippets I found about him on the Internet, with URL citations. If I’d had the space to include this information, some of it glorious, I would have.
His daughter Davin wrote a personal message about her dad on her Facebook page -- but I don’t feel right about pasting it in here -- those are her words, her feelings, her heart for her departed father, who would have been 66 this year.

I share this information for her, for Harvey’s widow, his two little boys and other surviving members of his family as well as the friends who will dearly miss him. Services are pending.

http://archive.hawaiiradiotv.com/HIRATV/2004/newz02.html

May 8, 2004
KNDI Radio Website Packed with Program Information
KNDI recently announced their website to the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide. The new site is found at their unique URL, http://www.kndi.com/. The site features pictures and information on many of the KNDI radio personalities and programming information and air times for each show. Speakers of the various languages from the Philippines benefit the most from KNDI's programming, though the station targets other language groups including Cantonese, Samoan and Ilocano. The station also runs specialty programs including "The Crash House", a heavy metal rock show airing during the late night/early morning weeknight hours.
One of our message board users asked whatever happened to Harvey Weinstein who once worked at the old KPOI FM in the early 1970s. He can be found working a specialty blues show Saturday nights from 7 to 9 pm.
KNDI is owned by The Broadcast House of the Pacific, Inc. and is one of the oldest locally owned radio stations in Honolulu. They broadcast at 1270 on the AM dial with studios and offices at 1734 South King Street.

http://www.univibes.com/Jimi_Plays_Hawaii1969.html

JIMI PLAYS HAWAII 1969: "You'll Forever Hear Surf Music..."
by Caesar Glebbeek
SATURDAY, 31 MAY
Honolulu, 1701 Ala Wai Boulevard, "K-POI" station ? Live radio interview (mid afternoon) with Jimi and Noel (Mitch's involvement is unconfirmed) conducted by Dave Roberts.
Harvey Weinstein: "Hendrix comes back to town; he's playing at the Waikiki Shell. Again he's coming down to the radio station for an interview. Now K-POI was an AM and an FM [station]. So, this time it's a little different. It's a year later; this time I'm the [FM] program director. I am on the air and I've got a year's experience under my belt.
"It's daytime; it's like five o'clock in the afternoon and they are bringing Hendrix in for an interview. So I am ready for him this time, you know! If he would have started to lay into me like he did the last time [in October 1968], I was gonna cut him off and I was gonna come right back with him. I was gonna barb with him.
"The last time my boss was there so I had to try to be as cool as I could. Besides that, I was so green I don't think I could have been cool! [Laughs] So I am waiting, man, and I am waiting and I am waiting, and they bring Hendrix in. He goes over to the AM side, does the interview over there and splits. Doesn't even come back to FM. And that was it! So all that anticipation of having round two with Hendrix never came about."
Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Hawaii, "Waikiki Shell" ? Concert (20:00). Support: Fat Mattress. 7,673 people attend (ticket sales grossed US $25,884). Songs: Johnny B. Goode; Purple Haze; and others.
 
Newspaper Blurb
Eddie Sherman: "If residents anywhere in the vicinity of the Waikiki Shell have earaches this morning ? it could be from Jimi Hendrix' Experience last night at the Shell. Wot a blast" (Honolulu Advertiser, 1 June 1969).

Waikiki Shell Tape Rumor
Charles Humphrey (fan): "Last night [7 October 1999] I went to a soccer game and sat with an old friend... He mentioned seeing Jimi in Hawaii and I said, 'Oh, on Maui?' And he said, 'No, at Waikiki Shell, Honolulu... I still have that tape somewhere.' He says it's on a reel-to-reel and he thinks he can put his hands on it. It was broadcast from a pirate radio station and he recorded the broadcast. My friend mentioned a full moon over Diamond Head..."
NB We checked with broadcasters Tom Moffatt and Harvey Weinstein, and both are certain that there was no pirate radio station in Hawaii: "Not with all the military installations here, etc.; no way." They also confirmed to us that K-POI never taped any shows.


http://www.worldofradio.com/dxld5223.txt (Note original article URL, below)

Harvey Weinstein, KNDI vice president and station manager, is a 38-
year radio veteran who once worked at the fabled KPOI rock station at
its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Weinstein has been working at KNDI the past 15 years and, like others,
he credits Jona for the station's success. "I think if she were to
sell this station to somebody else, I don't know if they could perform
the same commitment that she has to the ethnic community," he said.

"Where else are these people going to go find out about what's
happening in their homeland or even what's happening here in the
community in Hawai'i?"

[Sidebar illustration:] KNDI manager Harvey Weinstein, left, and
owner, Leona Jona, air programming in at least 11 languages.
RICHARD AMBO | The Honolulu Advertiser
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2005/Dec/25/FPI512250349AR_b.jpg


And per Leona Jona, president and general manager of KNDI-AM 1270

1991-2009   Operations Manager & Saturday Evening Blues program host on KNDI AM, Honolulu, HI
                 
1983-2007    Teacher/Counselor - Columbia School of Broadcasting.
 
1982-1987    Music Director/Air Personality - KSSK AM, Honolulu, HI
 
1978-1980    Program Manager - KIVM AM - Lihue, Kauai
 
1977-1978    Air Personality - KULA FM, Honolulu, HI
 
1975-1977    Music Director/Air Personality - KIKI AM, Honolulu, HI
 
1974-1975    Music Director/Air Personality - K-108 AM, Honolulu, HI
 
1972-1974    Air Personality - KPOI-AM, Honolulu, HI
 
1968-1974    Program Director/Music Director/Air Personality - KPOI FM, Honolulu, HI

Aloha Harvey. And thank you for teaching me those naughty yiddish words.

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Casseroles & the DJIA

If graphics didn't render properly, go directly to the AdAge URL. Note that per the Google chart, "Google searches for 'tuna-noodle casserole' climbed as the Dow fell."

http://adage.com/article?article_id=134943

Advertising Age
Casseroles Make Comeback as Easy, Quick Meals for the Cash-Strapped
Campbell, Kraft Is Helping Nudge the One-Dish Wonder's Appeal With Consumers

By Emily Bryson York

Published: March 02, 2009

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Guess what's making a comeback: that ultimate comfort food, the casserole.

The one-dish wonder has become a lot more popular lately among cash-strapped and often culinarily challenged consumers anxious to save bucks while getting dinner on the table. Casseroles never went away but were mostly a staple of the June Cleaver era and recently largely relegated to potluck suppers or gifts for grieving neighbors.

Casserole chart
Enlarge

Google searches for 'tuna-noodle casserole' climbed as the Dow fell.
But the casserole is resurgent. Not only is it cheap and easy to prepare, it's made from ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now.

Jane Freiman, group manager-kitchens at Campbell Soup, said consumers in a recent study said they prepare casseroles between three and five times a week. "That was surprising even to me," she said. Campbell reports that seven of the 10 most popular recipes on its cooking website are casseroles.

Casserole-crazy consumers are being nudged along by the likes of Campbell and Kraft Food. John Faulker, director-brand communications for Campbell, said although the company has offered a variety of stove-top recipes over the years, consumers always seem more interested in casseroles. "Finally we said, 'Why not just fish where the fish are?'" he said. The company just launched a TV blitz for the cooking site, featuring recipes using its condensed soups. It has also taken more marketing online, and seen monthly web traffic grow about 50% each month in the past six months.

Moving more soup
Campbell reported strong condensed-soup sales growth last year, but grocers are reducing the inventory they keep on hand, and sales dropped off in the most recent quarter. That put the company under pressure to find ways to move more of its core product, and casseroles are an easy sell.

Kraft's killer casserole ingredient, meanwhile, is Velveeta. The orange loaf has gotten considerable marketing support of late, positioned as "half the price of natural cheese." During the company's fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Irene Rosenfeld said increased marketing of Velveeta and Kraft Singles has helped lift the company's overall cheese business.

(Photo caption) Not your mama's tuna noodle: Classic recipes have been revamped; in this case, chicken is the tuna.

As part of the Velveeta push, Kraft recently invited five food bloggers to participate in a casserole-recipe challenge: a one-dish meal for four, with leftovers for the next day, for less than $10. The winning recipe -- shrimp stroganoff casserole -- was from Lori Falcon, author of My Wooden Spoon.

"I have noticed an increasing trend in casseroles, because you tend to feed a lot of people, and you can make a casserole with whatever you have around," Ms. Falcon said.

Casseroles have come a long way -- more than three-quarters of a century. Campbell's Ms. Freiman said casseroles began proliferating in the 1930s, thanks to "Joy of Cooking." The first edition, in 1931, contained the original casserole, tuna noodle. By the 1958 edition, there were 58 varieties of casserole.

But the casserole has evolved over the years. So-called "modern casseroles" include more spice and fresh vegetables. Kraft's Ms. Ross said her grandmother's classic tuna noodle casserole included canned tuna, canned mushrooms, Velveeta, canned soup and elbow noodles. Her version is made with chicken, Velveeta, fresh vegetables, herbs, crushed crackers and bow-tie pasta or orzo.


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Lunch!

Twin A reheated a chix quesadilla from last night for me. FTW! Love that lad! Also testing autopost.

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Scholastic Parent & Child Announces Mommy Blogger Awards 2009

Aloha, Mommy bloggers! Take note!


A news release of interest, perhaps. 

Good luck!

-- Erika

 
For Immediate Release
 
SCHOLASTIC PARENT & CHILD ANNOUNCES
 MOMMY BLOGGER AWARDS 2009
 
First-Time Awards Let Readers Choose the Best Mommy Blogs on the Web
 
New York, NY – February 2, 2009 – Scholastic Parent & Child, a leading publication for parents of children ages birth-12, proudly unveils its first-ever Mommy Blogger Awards, in which readers nominate and vote for their favorite mommy blogs. The top five winning bloggers will be featured in the magazine’s June/July issue.
 
Scholastic Parent & Child defines mommy blogs as “online diaries written by those of you on the front lines of changing diapers, packing lunches, and helping with homework. They’re funny, moving, sometimes outrageous, and they offer a big dose of ‘I can relate!’” The nomination process is now underway atwww.scholastic.com/parents, where readers can submit their top five favorite blogs for consideration. Scholastic Parent & Child will close out the nomination period on February 13, 2009 and beginning February 23, 2009, readers will be able to vote on the finalists and choose the five winning bloggers to be featured in Scholastic Parent & Child magazine.
 
“Mommybloggers are an Internet powerhouse, with the ability to influence brands, inform readers, and create a sense of community between parents all over the world,” said Nick Friedman, Editor in Chief, “We recognize the integral role these blogs serve and created the Mommy Blogger Awards in order to recognize those blogs which resonate deeply with Scholastic Parent & Child readers.”
 
The Scholastic Parents site, www.scholastic.com/parents, is a top Internet destination for parents, who continue to visit the site for its trusted, dynamic brands, reliable parenting advice, rich media, and convenient, carefully-curated e-commerce offerings. The site was recently ranked by Nielsen Online, a service of the Nielsen Company,  as the #1 most visited site among “Power Moms” -- women 25-34 with at least one child at home – tying the popular BirthdayExpress.com, and out ranking web sites for General Mills, The Gap, and FamilyFun.
 
About Scholastic Parent & Child
Scholastic Parent & Child is one of today’s leading parenting magazines, reaching 7.9 million parents. Parent & Child was created for families with children ages birth -12, and one hundred percent of the editorial content is dedicated to informing parents on topics that serve the entire family, including child development, well being, health, activities, travel, fashion, and food.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and children’s media. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, television networks and the Company’s Internet Site,www.scholastic.com
 


Erika Engle
"TheBuzz" Columnist/Business reporter
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

2008 SBA Award -- Small Business Journalism, C&C of Honolulu

Twitter.com: @erikaengle
erikaengle.mp

Get in on "TheBuzz" Tue. through Fri. and on Sun.




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I know he's not from Hawaii, but ...

... I still found it way cool that Troy Polamalu is going to be in a Super Bowl Coke commercial. Polynesians are among the many under-represented ethnicities in U.S. media.

Steelers bio page: http://news.steelers.com/team/player/49230/

-- Erika

In a happy coincidence, Coke ad features a Pittsburgh Steeler
By Theresa Howard, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — The Coke (KO) vs. Pepsi (PEP) cola wars will heat up for the Super Bowl. But in a nod to changing consumer tastes, one of Coca-Cola's three Super Sunday ads will tout fast-growing, no-calorie Coke Zero, not Classic Coke.
Having the Steelers in the game is a bonus for the Zero ad: It features Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu.

"We're thrilled about Troy, and we're thrilled about the Steelers. … (It's) going to be a powerful spot in the game," said Katie Bayne, North American chief marketing officer, as she and other executives on Wednesday introduced Coke's new global ad campaign with the theme "Open Happiness."

The Zero ad and two upbeat Coca-Cola ads will air in the second half. The two Coke ads, part of the new campaign, include one in which insects try to steal a bottle of Coke from a young man sleeping in a park. In another, a man walks through a city and people around him turn into computer avatars.

Bayne gave no details of the Zero ad, but people briefed on it said it is a send-up of the 1979 Coke ad in which the Steelers' Mean Joe Greene tosses his jersey to a young fan who gave him a Coke. It aired in the 1980 Super Bowl and remains one of the best-remembered game ads.


The people, who would not be named because they are not authorized to speak about the ad until it is formally announced, said Polamalu will demonstrate tackling skills, and the ad also will feature the same two characters playing Coke brand managers who have appeared since it launched in 2006.

It's fitting the takeoff is for Coke Zero, which is fueling sales growth. Zero has become a $1 billion brand, with sales volume up 40% in North America and 34% worldwide in 2008.

Coke has been trying for a more youthful image with its American Idol sponsorship and the previous "The Coke Side of Life" campaign. The new campaign's rollout includes release of an Open Happiness single by artists including Patrick Stump of band Fall Out Boy and Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley.

There also will be new 16-ounce, single-serve bottles for Coke, Diet Coke and Coke Zero in stores nationwide by summer. They are aimed at growing profitable single sales with a 99-cent value price. They will sell alongside the familiar 20-ounce bottles now priced at $1.25 to $1.40.

 
Find this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2009-01-21-coke-pepsi-pittsburgh-steelers_N.htm
 
Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

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Can 'Free' Boxing Free Boxing?

HBO hopes less PPV means more fans

By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/18/2009 5:00:00 PM MT

With the sport of boxing and the U.S. economy both taking a beating, HBO is shifting its strategy and relocating many of its big fights from pay-per-view (PPV) to its network.

HBO Sports chief Ross Greenburg hopes the move to make more top-tier fights available to HBO customers will infuse some life into the sport.

"The sport needs more eyeballs," he says. "It's ironic, but while in bad times you'd expect the sport to suffer, it could actually trigger the opposite effect."

In 2008, HBO Pay Per View offered eight events, bringing in $190 million in revenue based on 3.7 million buys.

But as the economy worsened, buy rates began to drop. Even midsize events that were projected at 300,000 buys were dipping below 200,000. A big December fight between PPV king Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao did garner nearly 1.3 million buys, but sponsor rebates may have padded that figure.

HBO's shift means satellite and cable providers will have fewer pay-per-view boxing events in 2009. The network probably won't do its first PPV bout until May, a proposed fight between fan-favorites Ricky Hatton and Pacquiao. By May of last year, HBO had already done four events.

"It's tough to get people excited about dishing out 50 bucks every month in this economy," Greenburg says. "Everyone overreached in 2008; there were too many pay-per-view events."

The first example of HBO's strategy is its World Championship Boxing airing of the Jan. 24 bout between "Sugar" Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito, which Greenburg says would have absolutely been on PPV last year.

Making matters worse for the sport and its PPV numbers has been both a terribly subpar heavyweight division—traditionally a huge PPV draw—and the aging of many other stars.

PPV money-printer De La Hoya was humiliated by Pacquiao in what should be De La Hoya's last big fight, while Floyd Mayweather Jr. has retired—at least for now.

All of this comes at a time when mixed martial arts outfits like the Ultimate Fighting Championship have continued to garner momentum, though Greenburg says he thinks the sports have "two different audiences."

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162379-Can_Free_Boxing_Free_Boxing_.php

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Batali cookware at bookstores


Nothing like focusing on one's core business.

Batali kitchenware available at select Barnes & Noble stores

NEW YORK (Jan. 6) Copco's Mario Batali-branded kitchenware line will be available at a limited number of Barnes & Noble locations, according to reports.

The line will be presented, along with Batali's cookbooks on a baker's rack.  

According to reports, Barnes & Noble is looking to test the concept with other cookbook authors, but does not intend to add housewares as a store category.

http://www.retailingtoday.com/story.aspx?section=HomeHousewares&id=89915

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MGS, DDR, Frogger, more coming to iPhone/iPod Touch

News release from Konami (game titles bolded by yours truly, for your eyes' convenience)

Konami Announces Plans to Release Top Franchise Titles For the Apple® iPhone™ and iPod® touch in North America

Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, DanceDanceRevolution, and Frogger Coming Soon

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (Dec. 17, 2008) - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced that the company will be releasing mobile games for the iPhone and iPod touch based on four of its top-selling franchises in North America. Metal Gear Solid Touch, Silent Hill: The Escape, DanceDanceRevolution S Lite and Frogger will all be specifically designed to take full advantage of the iPhone's unique touch screen capabilities.

"Konami Mobile offers gamers nothing but the best by developing high quality, big-name titles with unparalleled mobile entertainment experiences," said Anthony Borquez, Vice President of Konami Mobile and Online. "We are extremely excited to be working with Apple to introduce North American consumers with popular franchises that are compatible with the iPhone and iPod's advanced technologies."

All four of the top-selling Konami titles have been re-designed to take full advantage of the iPhone's capabilities, including the innovative Multi-Touch™ interface and accelerometer. For more information, please visit www.konamimobile.com.

About Konami

Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties. Konami's titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill®, DanceDanceRevolution® and Castlevania®, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com.


"KONAMI" is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION

Apple, the Apple logo, iPod, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.

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The TRUTH about GGP gift cards

This is an official media release -- though I've edited out/changed some info to protect sources from spam, phishing, etc.

MEDIA ADVISORY
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            
December 10, 2008
 
CONTACT:                 
Ala Moana Center                                                               
http://www [dot] alamoanacenter [dot] com                                     
 
 
General Growth Properties’ Mall Gift Cards Backed by American Express
 
In response to recent customer inquiries and emails circulating locally in Hawai‘i regarding the validity of GGP Mall Gift Cards, General Growth Properties (GGP) would like to provide the following clarification:
 
GGP Mall Gift Cards are issued by American Express.  As such, American Express holds, and is responsible for, the funds available on GGP Mall Gift Cards.  Therefore, GGP Mall Gift Cards will continue to be usable at merchants who accept American Express credit cards subject to the terms and conditions of the Gift Card.
 
We encourage our shoppers to provide the “gift of choice” this Holiday season – a GGP Gift Card for family, friends and loved ones available in denominations ranging from $20 to $500 and accepted at retailers who honor the American Express card.
 
For more information, please call (the) Director of Tourism & PR.
 
# # #

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Some great quotes

... from a SmartBrief newsletter (best quotes of 2008's newsletters)

"It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously."
--Peter Ustinov
British actor and writer

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened."
--Alexander Graham Bell,
American inventor

"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
--Theodore Roosevelt,
26th president of the U.S.

"The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B."
--James Yorke,
mathematics and physics professor

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win."
--Jonathan Kozol
American nonfiction writer and educator

"Most companies don't exercise patience during the hiring process. There is no development system that is going to compensate for making a bad hire."
--Eric Foss,
CEO of Pepsi Bottling

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
--Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political leader

"Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time."
--Marian Wright Edelman
children's activist

"The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents, and the second half by our children."
--Clarence Darrow
American lawyer

Erika Engle
"TheBuzz" Columnist/Business reporter
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

2008 SBA Award -- Small Business Journalism, C&C of Honolulu

Twitter.com: @erikaengle
erikaengle.mp

Get in on "TheBuzz" Tue. through Fri. and on Sun.


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