Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

    Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
    [...]
    The Honolulu Symphony is expected to file for Chap. 11 bankruptcy soon.[...]
    The Honolulu Symphony's predicament made national news.

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

      My "personal economy" has always been on the downturn, and so right now I don't have much more cutting back than I could. We do try to enjoy the free things a lot (beach, park, window shopping); we never buy brand name (ROSS' ONLY); and we rent a small place. We do allow ourselves the occasional personal indulgence, and we have a 100,000 mile warranty on our Ki-ki-Ki-Kia (like "chia").
      Roseanne and Rambo in one tidy package.

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

        One thing I've learned since doing the cooking is how to spot a good deal on food and food prep. If I can feed my family (now just three kids and my wife and I) for $12 for dinner for the entire family, I felt I did good. Splurging allows for a nice pot roast dinner plus veggies for $20. That's a far cry from the old days when I would spend $20 per person at a diner and considered that a bargain!

        A few days ago I made Chicken soup from scratch using leftover chicken from another dinner, plus veggies from the farmers market. I'm considering learning how to preserve food such as soups for later consumption as I still cook for a small army.

        Tuff Days Ahead? I think we're in that phase right now.
        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

          Originally posted by tutusue View Post
          The Honolulu Symphony's predicament made national news.
          It's official now. The Symphony is belly up and cancelling the remainder of its 2009 calendar.

          http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...=rss_localnews

          If the symphony resumes its 2009-10 season next year, it will be a scaled-down version. Mechling said the symphony plans to reduce its payroll expenses by half, which can be achieved through a combination of job cuts and fewer concerts.

          In the worst case, up to half of the symphony's musicians could be laid off.
          Maybe in addition to asking for monetary support and donations, the Symphony could ask for talented and capable non-professional musicians in the community to volunteer themselves as performers. I know, I know. That probably sounds ghastly to the artistic elite.... but at this point, can anyone be fussy about this when the orchestra's very existence is in such peril?
          This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

            Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
            [...]I'm considering learning how to preserve food such as soups for later consumption as I still cook for a small army.[...]
            I always cook in quantity (6 servings) then freeze. I've never tried canning and preserving. Because it's just me, I make my own complete meal, TV dinner style...entree, veggie and brown rice or mashed sweet potatoes, for example. I eat one fresh and freeze 5. Repeat process 2 times with different entrees, veggies and starch. Then I have 15 "tv dinners" in the freezer, 3 variations. They come in so handy. Anyway, that's one idea for leftovers! You can also freeze soups in pre-determined serving sizes. Then, add a salad and garlic bread and...voilà!

            Have I ever mentioned that I don't like to cook every day?!

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

              I think the Musicians Union might have a problem with "volunteer" orchestra members.

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                Originally posted by Kimo View Post
                I think the Musicians Union might have a problem with "volunteer" orchestra members.
                I'm sure they would.

                But this is not a normal economic downturn. We are not going to get out of this recession overnight. In fact, some economists fear of a double-dip recession. We all want to be optimistic and think that we've seen the worst. But our hopes may not match the reality of what is in store.

                Even when things start to get better, Hawaii has historically lagged behind the mainland US when it comes to economic recovery.

                I have great respect and appreciation for professional, dues-paying musicians. But the labor union model is not known for thinking outside of the box when it comes to dealing with recessions and hard times. And "outside of the box" thinking is what many companies and organizations (businesses and non-profit) are doing to weather this tremendous economic storm. If bold and progressive thinking are shelved in order to appease the traditionalists, the Honolulu Symphony could end up being silenced indefinitely.

                Would that make the Musicians Union happy?
                This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                  I'm curious which venue costs more to put on a show, the Waikiki Shell or the Blaisdell Concert Hall? I always wondered if it would be cheaper to have the Honolulu Pops Concerts there since I assume when the mainland acts are brought in it costs more overall to bring them here?

                  Aj

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                    Originally posted by Kalihiboy View Post
                    I'm curious which venue costs more to put on a show, the Waikiki Shell or the Blaisdell Concert Hall? I always wondered if it would be cheaper to have the Honolulu Pops Concerts there since I assume when the mainland acts are brought in it costs more overall to bring them here?

                    Aj
                    It comes down to the Union. It's not just the performance that promoters pay into, it's the rehearsal times as well, typically three paid rehearsal dates prior to the performance. At least that's what I was told when I wanted to promote a small ensemble at Mamiya Theater back in the late 80's. Oh and I had to include the entire orchestra, I couldn't pick a quartet out of the orchestra body. As it turned out the Mamiya Theater which held 600 would have meant that I would have had to subsidize the ticket prices with a grant or serious donation from a corporate sponsor. Back then without subsidy ticket prices would have exceeded $100 with a full-capacity crowd of 600 on every performance for three days to turn a minor profit.

                    I felt that was a no go and I stopped planning for that event.
                    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                      Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
                      I'm sure they would.

                      But this is not a normal economic downturn. We are not going to get out of this recession overnight. In fact, some economists fear of a double-dip recession. We all want to be optimistic and think that we've seen the worst. But our hopes may not match the reality of what is in store.
                      As far as I know, it's a foregone conclusion. It's impossible to recover by getting more and more in debt.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                        Originally posted by Bobinator View Post
                        As far as I know, it's a foregone conclusion. It's impossible to recover by getting more and more in debt.
                        The US government is basically paying bills with credit cards. Eventually it'll catch up.

                        If you knew death was near and you had a whole box of checks and you had no integrity. I can see someone writing bad checks and living for the moment. Hmmmm...what does Obama know that we don't? End of the World? Hmmmmm......well 2012 is right around the corner!
                        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                          having barely passed lou rose's econ class (what? i was distracted by (1) rose's tiresome tirades against rail and (2) by a cute blond classmate who kinda looked like tom cruise. said blond, years later, presented me with a half carat, VS1, E color diamond engagement ring that i gave back several months afterward), i think i'm qualified enough to say your checkbook analogy doesn't quite work if you're applying it to obama's treatment of the current american economy (you never know these days; apparently there is a new fad where readers are not to assume one sentence has anything to do with its immediate predecessor).

                          again, having barely passed lou rose's econ class, i would never desire to read or be able to comprehend john maynard keynes's magnum opus, but i would guess that the punahou grad at least got the presidential version of sparknotes. per richard posner, that oft-right-leaning federal circuit court judge and proponent of cost-benefit analysis:
                          Fortunately, there is more that government can do to arrest a downward economic spiral besides pushing down interest rates. It can offset the decline in private consumption and investment in a recession or a depression by increasing public investment. When we say that the government builds highways, we mean it buys highways from private contractors. And the more it buys, the more that investment--and because of the multiplier effect, the more that income, output, and employment--are stimulated. And because private decisions to invest and to consume are influenced by confidence in the future, or the lack thereof, the government must do everything it can to convince businessmen and consumers that it is resolute and competent in working for economic recovery. An ambitious public-works program can be a confidence builder. It shows that government means (to help) business. "The return of confidence," Keynes explains, "is the aspect of the slump which bankers and businessmen have been right in emphasizing, and which the economists who have put their faith in a ‘purely monetary' remedy have underestimated." In a possible gesture toward Roosevelt's first inaugural ("we have nothing to fear but fear itself"), Keynes remarks upon "the uncontrollable and disobedient psychology of the business world."

                          But for a confidence-building public-works program to be effective in arresting an economic collapse, the government must be able to finance its increased spending by means that do not reduce private spending commensurately. If it finances the program by taxation, it will be draining cash from the economy at the same time that it is injecting cash into it. But if it borrows to finance the program (deficit spending), or finances it with new money created by the Federal Reserve, the costs may be deferred until the economy is well on the way to recovery and can afford to pay them without endangering economic stability. When investors passively save rather than actively invest, government can borrow their savings (as by selling them government bonds) and use the money for active investment. That is the essential Keynesian prescription for fighting depressions.

                          Keynes's emphasis on consumption as the driver of active investment and hence of economic growth may seem to give his theory a hedonistic flavor. He was indeed hostile to thrift, which is another name for hoarding. We have seen the damaging effects of thrift in the current downturn, in which rich people's forswearing luxury purchases in the name of thrift has reduced employment in the retail sector, thus deepening the downturn. This is an example of the "paradox of thrift." "Prodigality is a vice that is prejudicial to the Man, but not to trade," in the words of the seventeenth-century economist Nicholas Barbon, quoted by Keynes. (The full paradox of thrift is that, if incomes fall far enough because people are saving rather than consuming, savings will actually decline.)
                          i'll remind you that i barely passed lou rose's econ class, so i'll unabashedly admit i am completely inept to argue the merits or faults of keynesian theory. i'm just sayin that obama probably looked to a dead white guy who's been pushing daisies for about 60 years and is hoping that the american economy can sprout verdantly from his ashes.
                          superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                          "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                          nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                            Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                            The US government is basically paying bills with credit cards. Eventually it'll catch up.

                            If you knew death was near and you had a whole box of checks and you had no integrity. I can see someone writing bad checks and living for the moment. Hmmmm...what does Obama know that we don't? End of the World? Hmmmmm......well 2012 is right around the corner!
                            Try saying, "N-E-W W-O-R-L-D O-R-D-E-R"!

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                              Originally posted by Bobinator View Post
                              Try saying, "N-E-W W-O-R-L-D O-R-D-E-R"!
                              Well, you could say "new world order", but if you look at the history, it is interesting to note when it started.

                              The US had an essentially balanced budget through the end of the Carter Administration. In other words, the US economy lived within its means, the national income covered the national debt.

                              That changed with the Reagan Administration. The US government started spending more than the revenue it generated. We, the US economy started living off a national credit card.

                              That trend continued during the administration of Bush 1, who increased the debt that Reagan had started.

                              Wild Bill Clinton was able to stem the tide during his administration. He didn't reduce the national debt, but he didn't increase it either. He ran his administration on a balanced budget that neither increased nor decreased the national debt.

                              And then along came Bush 2. During his 8 year reign, he increased the national debt three fold. He really put the economy on the credit card (with China primarily holding the debt).

                              Obama has done the right thing with his stimulus package to keep the US economy out of bankruptcy. My biggest fear is that he has not spent enough on the stimulus. I think we may need to spend more in order to reverse the trend by establishing the economy on firm footing. It is too early in the Obama Administration to blame him for a continuation of the "new world order" established by the last three Repub Administrations. He hasn't even completed one year of tenure and it is too soon to draw conclusions. I am adopting a wait and see attitude.

                              I am not quoting from or referring to any website. These are my own thoughts and my own words. I know that Rimbarf likes to refer to the "new world order" on his program, but let's see if anyone on HT has any original thoughts if you wish to disagree.
                              Peace, Love, and Local Grindz

                              People who form FIRM opinions with so little knowledge only pretend to be open-minded. They select their facts like food from a buffet. David R. Dow

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Hawaii's Economy - Tuff Days Ahead?

                                Excuse me, but all the Presidents, starting with Reagan all the way down to Obama, spoke of the New World Order. Clinton made hundreds of speeches quoting the NWO. So with the Bushes. Obama is the absolute worse. He's plowing forward with approving NWO policies. Have you been listening to his speeches lately? Or what Tim Geitner and Obama's other Czars have been saying at International Conferences, like the G20?

                                Here's a news article to confirm what I said, just sos you know I'm not making things up- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/e...s-markets.html

                                All of us need to put aside our political biases and start applying equal standards to all our politicians. Don't listen to what they say. Watch what they do.

                                For example, when Obama says his Health care reform plan doesn't include insuring illegal aliens, this is what he really means- http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/o...mo_code=8945-1

                                As far as I'm concerned, they're all corrupt in Washington. Well, maybe except Ron Paul.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X