Grand Opening 9-27-08
Free T-Shirt for the 1st 1,000 People.
Updated again TODAY 11-14-08 at the end of this Post - Scroll Down   

I didn’t need the T-Shirt, but I decided to go to Waikiki this morning to see how long the line was, to hopefully be able to make another point about the economy and that people are buying.

The Line
Sure enough, the line was several blocks long. Apple had their own security people as well as the Honolulu Police Department on hand to control the crowd, and to be sure that nobody got in without waiting in line. They had their employees at the front door cheering for people entering the store. It was like the finish line at the Honolulu Marathon.

Uh Oh!
Those people not in the line for Apple were forced to walk in a narrow section of the Royal Hawaiian Center sidewalk. One would not think that an unfinished section of the flagstone sidewalk would be there to walk over without some sort of warning cone. At least I didn’t.

Poor Footing
It has been suggested that I warn of some graphic images ahead.

As I stepped into the area shown in the prior photo my ankle twisted and down I went like a ton of bricks. My Apple laptop went one way, my iPhone the other way, and I found myself lying there in pain. Most amazing of all was that no one seemed to notice or care. I looked up at the Apple security and HPD people, and they just looked the other way. People were just walking by me; one guy even stepped over me. I felt like they thought I was a drunk laying there unable to get up. I gathered my computer and iPhone, opened up the phone and took the above photo while still on the ground. After what seemed like a very long time a Japanese man came over and asked if I was alright. I asked him to help me get to my feet, and he did. He had me assure him that I was okay, and then he went on his way.

Skinned Knuckles
I looked down at my knuckles and noticed they were severly skinned by the ragged, sharp edge of the unfinished flagsone. I was able to walk, so I proceeded to get in what I thought was the line for T-Shirts. That’s when the Apple security came to life and told me that the end of the line was down the block. He was doing his job; making sure nobody got out of order in the line. As I started to walk (slowly and painfully) towards the end of the line, I looked down at my hand and saw that it was now covered with blood. I went over to one of the HPD officers, showed him my hand and said, “I think I need some minor medical attention.” He looked at my hand and directed me to the Royal Hawaiian Center restroom on the 2nd floor of the building. I said, “I think I would like to talk with someone in Apple, perhaps they have a closer restroom where I could wash the dirt out of this wound.” He said, “Okay, wait here” and he walked into the Apple Store. 
In a few minutes a man wearing shorts and lei came over and asked me what the problem was. I said, “I stumbled on that hole in the sidewalk over there (pointing to it) and I need to wash this blood from my hand.” He said, “Our property line only goes out for 10 feet. That is Royal Hawaiian Center property.” I told him that I didn’t really care whose property it was, I just wanted to wash the dirt and blood out of my wound. He then called for Royal Hawaiian Center Security.

Ouch!
Royal Hawaiian Center security escorted me to the 2nd floor restroom and told me to wash my hand in the basin. As I did that I was amazed at how much blood can come from three little knuckles. I also removed my shoe and saw that my foot was beginning to swell.

More Blood
That’s when I looked down at my jeans and saw the knee area was blood soaked. I rolled up my pants leg and saw that the damage exteded to both my knee and shin. The security person (David) sprayed some anti bacterial solution on my leg and my knuckles.

Elbow Too?
That’s when I noticed that my left elbow took a beating as well, so he treated it too.

Mummy Wrap
David applied a tourniquet type bandage to my leg to stop the bleeding and some ice to my ankle to slow down the swelling. I commented on the amount of bandaging, and he said something like, “They call me the Mummy Maker”. I must point out here that the three or more Royal Hawaiian Center secuity people were extremely helpful and kind throughout this ordeal.

Not you too?
I thought they might have been even too concerned when I saw the EMS (Emergency Medical Service) show up. They wanted me to come out of the restroom, but I refused, knowing how many tourists were most likely attracted by the ambulance and probably followed them up to the 2nd floor to gawk at someone in trouble. ERS took all of my vital signs, changed the bandage on my leg, and asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. They emphasized that it would be a free trip. I declined and they made sure that I signed a statement saying that if I decide to go later it might be at my own expense. Expenses were at the bottom of my list of priorities at this time. I just wanted to get out of there, but not until after the curious crowds followed the EMS people back down the escalator. I was disturbed that they were not willing to clean the wounds or apply any medication to them. They told me they didn’t have anything to do that, and to do it myself at home. I got the feeling they were maybe irrtitated that I was not interested in an exciting ambulance ride through Waikiki. I called my dermitologist from the restroom and made an appointment to see him on Monday morning. 
The Royal Hawaiian Center Security staff asked me to complete a written statement as to what happened. I obliged, and asked that a copy be faxed over to me. He said he would, but I did not get it, so I decided to document it all here while it’s fresh in my mind.  

My Hero
With me throughout this entire ordeal was Justin Dradi. Justin sells art in the center and knows me from his days at Wyland Galleries. He just happened to be walking by, and saw me talking with the policemen. Justin not only stuck with me, but he was thoughtful enough to take most of the above photos with my iPhone. At one point, without being asked, he handed money to one of the security people and asked him to go get me a bottle of water. When he thought all was finished he wished me well and left.
I was almost tearful when he reappeared with an Apple T-Shirt that he went back to get for me. I asked if that means they didn’t get to 1,000 people yet, and he said, “No, they were all gone, but I talked to someone.” I’ll bet he did. Someone at one point asked me if he was a friend of mine, and I said, “He’s my lawyer.” I was joking, and Justin laughed, but perhaps I was taken seriously. In any case, I know that he was just there out of the goodness of his heart and I will never forget it.

Two for the Price of PAIN
On my way out of Royal Hawaiian Center I stopped in to see the new Apple Store. The manager (Steve Perry) that I had asked for help from earlier approached, and asked if my iPhone or MacBook Air had been damaged in the fall. I said, “No, just my body.” He told me that he is here from Apple Corporate to open the store and that he will be leaving tomorrow. I opened up my MacBook Air, took him to my Blog and said, “Go here tomorrow and read all about it”. I showed him the photos still on my iPhone, and he said. “The policeman that came in here didn’t tell me you were bleeding.” He then asked me if I wanted a T-Shirt. I said, “My lawyer already came in and got me one, but I’ll take another one for my wife.” Yep I got two.

As I type this I am grateful for the Vicodin I had left over from a past dental surgery, and am hopefull that I will be able to walk in the morning, as I cannot at the moment. I’ll surely keep you posted.

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Follow Up Sunday Morning 9-28

I think I can see most of the colors in the rainbow this morning.
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Follow Up Tuesday 9-30-08

Still Hurting; Still Bleeding; Still Crippled, but Still Working

I want to thank those of you that have posted, called and e-mailed me with your sympathy, wishes for a speedy recovery, and requests for a follow up posting on the status of my unfortunate mishap on Saturday.
Among those that called was Jeanette Castro from Carl Warren & Company.
WHO? Carl Warren is acting as the “Apple Claims Officer.” She said that her company received a copy of the incident report that was sent to them from Royal Hawaiian Center. Her concern was; yep, you got it; if I intend to file a claim against Apple or Royal Hawaiian Center.
While I appreciated the call, I had the feeling that if I had said, “Royal Hawaiian Center” that would have been the end of the call. I told her that I am undecided on this question. She then (very professionally) asked me for details of the accident, and I directed her to this Blog posting. She said that she would be sending me a letter outlining my options, and should I want to file a claim against Apple, to get in touch with Carl Warren & Company.
This call brought to light the fact that I have not heard a word from Royal Hawaiian Center, which is obviously aware of the situation, and are in fact run by people I like to think of as friends.
What I find most disturbing about this whole thing is how our society has become so “litigation fearful” that people are afraid to “get involved” to the point that they “look the other way” when someone is hurting, are hesitant to ask important questions when interviewing job candidates, and afraid to fire employees not doing their jobs.

No Fear Here!
I’m afraid that Donald Trump (Your Fired) would be in constant “deep pilikia” if it were not for television entertainment.

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UPDATE - 10-1-08
I decided to return to the scene of the accident in the “light of day” to see what happened. By “light of day” I mean with a clear mind. The “problem” became crystal clear, and can be seen in the photos below.
The lower sidewalk was seperated by stantions to seperate the Apple participants from the general public. This greatly narrowed the walking space unless you were in line for a free T-Shirt from Apple.
Add that to the design of the flower planter (without flowers) and it is easily seen what happened. In looking at this today I felt fortunate that I did not tumble out into the line of traffic alongside of the lower sidewalk and the planter box.

Mahalo!
I was pleased to finally hear from Sam Shenkus of Royal Hawaiian Center today, showing concern for my welfare and asking what she can do to help me. I asked her whose decision it was to devide the sidewalk with those stantions, and she said it was made by Steve Perry of Apple.
I intend to attempt a trip to Maui today. The good part will be having an excuse to wear slippers, meaning the security experience will be more pleasant.
Stay Tuned…

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Update:
Thursday 10-2-08
I survived the trip to Maui, but realize today that it was a bit too much; lots of walking. I plan to put my foot up for the rest of the day, and watch the VP debate. That should provide an adequate “pain transfer” and a lot of good humor for me.
Here’s the latest… I got a call I got today from Todd Onaka at Kamehameha Schools; owner of Royal Hawaiian Center. He informed me that they are filing a claim with their insurance company regarding my accident. (I wonder how much that is for) He said that the sidewalk, while it’s on city land is definitely Royal Hawaiian Center’s responsibility because they got a city permit to put in the flagstone sidewalk. He said that Apple could not he held accountable for what happened. He said that they (Royal Hawaiian Center) would cover any medical or out of pocket expenses that I incur. He also stated that he thinks the center plans to plant more shrubs in the dirt area where I fell. Now that’s the most constructive comment I have heard yet.
There seems to be a lot of attention being paid to legal responsibilities here by everyone other than me. I don’t know of any way to compensate me for the pain and inconvienance I have gone through. It hasn’t been about money; maybe I am being stupid and should listen to Reality Check’s comments on this blog posting.
My goal here is letting people know what’s going on in my world, that’s what this Blog had been about since it started. The good that I have received from this is the realization that I have an audience out there. I have received many more telephone calls and e-mails than Blog comments from people I didn’t know were paying any attention to my ramblings.

Update:
Friday, 10-3-08
One week ago tomorrow I took this tumble. I don’t know if I was hurt more than I knew, or if healing just takes longer at 67 years old, but things still hurt. The most painful of all is the little finger. Isn’t that the way it is sometimes?

Little Finger - Big Pain
I sent this photograph to my dermitologist this morning and asked him if he thinks I have an infection brewing in here. I don’t know the answer yet, but am having dinner with him tonight. We are starting at his house with a martini, and if it’s anything like the last one he made me it should kill any bacteria anywhere in my body, if not me as well.

Update 10-5-08

Little Finger - Healing At Last
My dermitologist replied that I DON’T have an infection brewing in here, invited me to his home for a martini, and we went to dinner that evening. That was Friday; here it is on Sunday. While it is still quite sore, I can see it is healing.

Healing Hands
I had to cancel my weekly massage last week; too much pain, but today we went for it. My back had built up a lot of stress from both the fall and the different muscle usage from favoring the bad ankle, which I am pleased to report seems to be healing also. I still can’t get a shoe on that foot, but the swelling is going down and the pain level (1 to 10 scale) has dropped from a 15 (or higher) to about a 7.

UPDATE 10-11-08

Two Weeks Later
Well, it’s still sore but healing slowly. I cannot bend the little finger, but think I will be able to when healed.  I also went into Waikiki today to see what has been done with the potential ankle buster.

Mulch Filled
I see that they have filled the spot with fresh mulch, but have nor eliminited the hazzard. There is still a sharp edge on the flagstone and still a level difference from the walkway to the lower flower bed. I can think of numerous things that could be done to correct this hazzard. Maybe I am just more sensitive because I have spent the past two weeks inconvienced and suffering as a result of it. I have the feeling that they are no longer concerned since I have stated that I do not intend to file a claim odf any kind. I don’t think that should be the motivation. I got a call from the shopping center’s insurance company saying that he is going to send a very strong letter to Apple about this and that he feels they are at fault. Maybe they are waiting for Apple to repair it. I’m more interested in seeing some future person prevented from an accident than worrying about who’s fault this one was.

UPDATE 11-1-08

5 Weeks Later - 11-2-08 - Foot still Sore and Swollen

I was asked to update this. I visited the doctor and he said that it was a severe strain with muscle tearing and that it’s going to take quite a while before I am back out walking normally, let alone running.

Fingers Badly Scarred, Still Sore and Healing Very Slowly

Finger Disfiguration

The doctor said that the severe scarring has created finger disfiguration. I cannot close my little finger, and it really hurts when trying to. He gave me some medicine to apply twice a day for three weeks to thin out the scarring, with the risk of thinning the skin itself. That’s the latest!

Here I am Again

This Place is Looking TOO Familiar
Seven weeks is a long time to be in pain. I am still not running or power walking on my ankle, but I am getting around okay. The big problem is the little finger. It continues to be very sore to the touch, and has a huge red scar. I returned to my doctor today to see if he thinks that plastic surgery will be required, and he suggested trying some cortisone shots first.

Ouch!
The shots got the bleeding going again, so I am back in “bandage mode.” He said to call him in 5 days to see if the scarring and soreness has subsided any. We take our health for granted until something like this happens, and then it becomes quite apparent how sensitive something like a little finger can be. I suffer most when reaching into my jeans pocket for money. I guess some people find that painful anyway, but I usually enjoy it.

The Next Day
The corisone fluid seems to have made it even worse. I’m hoping this is one of those “looks worse before getting better” things.

Hawaiian Air - Saving Money the Right Way
Many businesses are looking to save money by cutting in areas that will negativly impact their service level. We have all seen enough adding fees for food, checking bags, and anything else thay can think of to add revenue without appearing to raise ticket prices. These forms of not so subtle gouging have led to major dissatisfaction with the airline industry.

Clean Mo Bettah
Hawaiian Air has announced some creative, if not revolutionary changes that we as passengers will barely (if at all) notice.
For example, they will be power washing their jet engines more frequently, reducing the cruising speed on its long-haul flights, and towing planes to the airport runways instead of using the jet engines. Hawaiian said these fuel conservation efforts are expected to save about $4 million this year. While that’s a small portion of their revenue, it is still a lot of money.
Hawaiian reportedly spent $291.6 million on fuel last year, so some may call this just a “drop in the bucket.”

Cool Looking Too!
The airline announced two weeks ago that it plans to invest $10 million to purchase eight winglets for its long-haul aircraft, in a move that will save more than 2 million gallons of jet fuel each year. The 11-foot-tall fin-like attachments, which could be installed by September 2009, will pay for themselves in four years, the airline said.
They are ordering lighter seats at a cost of about $1.5 million, which they say will pay for themselves in less than two years.
The have also purchased portable air-conditioning units for the interisland gates to cool planes in between flights. These will be used instead of the plane’s internal AC system, which is powered by the aircraft’s engines.

“Those who know how to think need no teachers.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

Get a Full Jar
We see tip jars on the counter at a lot of places where nothing is being done to earn a tip. My favorite example of this is the coffee shop where they hand you an empty paper cup, with a tip jar right there in front of you. When this happens I point to the tip jar and ask, “What’s that for?”

Do It Yourself
After paying for the coffee, and maybe leaving a tip, you have to walk across the room and fill your own cup from some pump pot, which sometimes is empty or even cold.

Service Pays
People working for tips must be of service first, and then smart enough to get tipped for doing so.
I recently saw two examples of things some employees do that hurt the tip total. I was in a coffee shop and the tab was $3.03. Would someone be likely to give a 97 cent tip on $3 ticket? Most people would not, but I might. I don’t like carrying change in my pocket. As I reached into my pocket the clerk reached into the tip jar and dug out 3 cents and handed it to me. Was I grateful? Was that the thing to do? No! NOT! She not only robbed her co-workers of the 3 cents, but also of the 97 cents I would have put into the jar. I was not going to reward this stupidity, so I left without tipping.

Be Smart
On another occassion recently my check was $14.85. I paid with a $20 bill. The clerk handed me 15 cents and a $5 bill. I was in a generous mood, so I called her over and said, “Never do that.” She said, “Do what?” I said, “Take this $5 and give me five $1 bills, and I will show you.” As she did, I asked her if she knows why I wanted her to do that. She said, “No.” I dropped the 15 cents and two of the $1 bills into her tip jar and said, “See, I wouldn’t have given you the $5.” Did she appreciate the “tip” or the tip? No and nope, she said, “I wouldn’t want someone to give me five $1 bills instead of a $5 bill, just to get a tip.” I explained to her that it was not for her to get the tip, but to enable me the opportunity to give her one. Did she appreciate the advice? Apparently not, I returned a couple of days later and the tab was the same. I have her $20 and sure enough, got back 15 cents and a $5 bill. I said, “Don’t you remember what I showed you the other day?” She said, “I’m a supervisor and don’t get any of the tip money anyway.” What does that tell you?

Total 1st Class Remembered
When selecting the airline to fly to Atlanta I chose Delta. This was the longest non-stop flight I have had since moving to Hawaii 28 years ago; 9 1/2 hours. I am admittedly spoiled, and only fly 1st Class. Hawaiian Air has always been my airline of choice, but they do not fly any further east than Phoenix. United by way of Chicago was an option, but the last time I flew them I was turned off by both the lack of leg room and the surly flight attendants.
I had not flown Delta before, so I gave them a shot, and I’m glad that I did. The 1st Class cabin was very roomy, even more so than Hawaiian. When the woman in front of me chose to put her seat all of the way back I still had room for my laptop.
The crew was personable, and the individual TV sets were cool. I watched one of the most bizarre movies of all time; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was absolutely ridiculous yet entertaining in some weird way.
I forgot my Bose noise canceling earphones, but found the ones Delta provided to be comfortable on my ears. And, as a real surprise, they even allow special meals. As a vegetarian I have missed that perk since Hawaiian Air eliminated it sometime back, about the same time that Aloha Airlines eliminated 1st Class altogether. We saw where that one went.
My mainland client was thoughtful enough to order me a vegetarian meal, and when the flight attendant described the options, I asked if I could have the pasta rather than the veggie special. She said that she would try. The pasta was so desirous that it was “sold out” leaving me with the veggie dish. I told her that was fine, when she said that she would swap her pasta meal for my veggie one. Wow, I was impressed, and the pasta was great.

Return to Honolulu - No Empty Seats
As I got onto the plane to return to Honolulu I read today’s Honolulu Advertiser where beach boys and other Waikiki retailers were citing how bad business is with so few people coming to Hawaii because of the latest Wall Street news. Here they go again. My flight was full, and that included 24 seats in 1st Class at about $3,000 round trip from Atlanta to Honolulu. Maybe they just didn’t see the paper.

Tight Fit!
My seat mate on the way back to Honolulu reminded me of one of the (biggest) reasons I insist on 1st Class. When flying alone it’s always a game of “Seating Roulette” as to whom you might be seated next to. I lost the gamble this time, as my seat mate coughed, choked, snored, drank and ate throughout the entire 9 and 1/2 hour flight. I was stuck; the flight was fully booked. To add insult to injury, she was traveling with two look alike friends in the seats in front of us, and she carried on loud conversations with them for a good part of the flight. She was very unhappy about the lack of leg room, complaining that she wasn’t getting her 1st class money’s worth. She was expecting a cross continental plane with sleeper beds.

Watch Out!
She moved around a lot and I was constantly protecting my computer from the close calls with beverages between us. And; imagine the inconvenience as she made several trips to the restroom.

Home Sweet Home
It’s always heavenly to land in Honolulu, but the completion of this trip was especially welcome.
Whew!

“They say that Maui…”
I have always loved the words to that song. Personally it’s hard for me to say which island is the best, for they each have their own intrinsic beauty. I love the wide open spaces on the Big Island, the variety of Oahu, the mystery of Molokai, the fun of Maui, and I have often said that I could spend the rest of my life as a rock if you planted me in Hanalei Bay on Kauai.

When I read in the local papers this week that Hawaii hotel occupancy is the lowest that it has been in 10 years, and that the hardest hit were the neighbor islands, with the worst being the high end properties on Maui, I thought, “Oh no, here they go again.”
If you have been following this Blog, you have noticed my irritation by the negative spin the press likes to put on things. In some ways (like O.J. Simpson) I don’t mind it, but when it comes to minimizing one’s chances for success, my blood boils. The last thing we need in tough times is to highlight the downside, thus justifying poor results for one seeking an excuse (too many).
I say, “Look for evidence that opportunity for success is still here, and make that the spin.” I was heading to Maui the day of this news anyway, so I decided to look for some evidence contrary to what the media is telling us. I set out to see if I could find people on Maui spending money. Here’s what I saw:

Full flight to West Maui
Many times in the past my small Island Air jet has been only partially full. Today all seats were full, and everyone on the plane was going to Maui.

93% Booked
Next was my shuttle to Alamo Rental Cars. I asked the driver about business. He said, “Were real busy; 28 of 30 cars are going out every day.” I’m feeling good already.

Westin Aloha Welcome
Thad has been the door greeter at the Westin Hotel in Kaanapali more years than he would want me to say, He always has a warm “Aloha” for me. Today I asked him how business is, and he said, “Were doing better than anyone else. September is always a little down, but we are 80% booked.” I don’t know if that’s completely true or not, but it sure made me feel good about things.

Check In Line
Next was the check in. I hate lines, but today I was pleased to see them lining up to check in at this very high end hotel. In case you do not know how high, I got a special Kamaaina rate; $255 plus “resort fees.” I asked the front desk clerk how many rooms in the hotel and what visitors are paying. He said, “780 rooms at about $400 a night, some much higher.” I did some quick arithmatic, at 80% that’s about $250,000 bucks a night. My evidence that people are spending money is piling up already.

Lahaina Town
I checked in, caught up on my e-mail and headed into Lahaina Town at about 4 PM. That’s a pretty dead time as a lot of people are in their rooms resting up or dressing up for a night on the town. In spite of that, I saw plenty of “evidence” of people on the sidewalks.

Red Lights
I also looked into the stores and galleries, and as always it was feast or famine. In Retail Selling Made Easy I talk about Red Light - Green Light, referring to the physical positioning of salespeople, and whether they are attracting customers or not. Unfortunately I saw more red lights than green lights. I saw things like this:

For some, working for business was just too much!

Green Lights
In those cases where people were staying busy the green lights were drawing people into their businesses. People will stop outside to decide if to go inside. What they see in there makes the decision. To be busy; get busy!

Almost Dinner Time
It was now getting close to dinner time so I peeked into a few Lahaina bars to see how they were doing. I was pleased to see a lot of people having a good time eating and drinking before dinner.

There was a waiting line already at Bubba Gumps on Front Street.

Show Time
I decided to head back to Kaanapali before dark to see how things looked at Whalers Village. As I was passing by Lahaina Cannery Mall I saw a lot of people gathering across the street, so I parked to check it out.

Old Lahaina Luau
People were lining up in large numbers to see the Old Lahaina Luau. I asked someone at the reservation desk how many people they have tonight, and she said, “280 so far, but there will be more walk-ins.” I aked the price and she said, “$93 per person.” Again I did the arithmatic; $26,040!

Hyatt Luau
On my way to Whalers Village I decided to drop by the Maui Hyatt Regency to see if they have a luau happening as well. They did; 480 people at $99 each. Added up that’s another $47,520! Are you keeping track? Are you feeling good about the opportunity yet? If not, there’s more.

Leilani’s on the Beach
As I arrived at Whalers Village I peered into Leilani’s on the Beach and saw a packed house having dinner. I looked across the sidewalk at Hula Grill and saw another packed house.

The Sunset
I looked around the other way and saw more people snapping memerable photos of the West Maui Sunset.

And as I headed into Whalers Village I was confronted by even more people on their way to the restaurants.
I really hope that these photos and stories will serve to boost your confidence in our Hawaiian opportunity. No doubt that there are people on the mainland deep in depression over this so called recession, but I must say they are not the ones making the trip to Maui, so you do not need to worry about how to sell to them. The people traveling to Hawaii are not the ones affected by high airfares and or gas prices. Those people are staying home. We are blessed to have a clientelle that is still coming to Hawaii and spending a lot of money to have a good time. Do NOT let the press or anyone bring you down by talking about what is NOT here. Stay focused on what IS here. Help these visitors enjoy their vacation and they will reward you with their business.
Remember this Proverb:
“When the wind doesn’t blow; row!”
Mahalo for putting up with my positive spin; it’s for you.

Done Right - Top to Bottom
When Pam Chambers told me that I should check out the new Forever 21 store at Ala Moana, I had to admit that I never heard of them. I guess that I don’t spend enough time on the mainland, because they are well known there. They will be well known here too if they continue doing things the way they are.

Lined Up
When Pam said that people are lined up at the register to buy, I had to go check it out. I was greeted warmly at the door, the store was very busy and the prices were extremely reasonable. And just as Pam said, people were lining up at the register to buy. It’s good to see success when so many people are talking about tough times.

It’s Called Opportunism
Cnet News reported that an Alabama woman has filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the iPhone 3G’s network is slower than advertised.The basis of the suit is misleading advertising where Apple claimed that the new iPhone was going to be “twice as fast at half the price” and it has not lived up to that claim.
Unless some sensible judge tosses this out soon, it will most likely become a major class action suit with thousands of otherwise happy customers jumping on the bandwagon and claiming problems with their 3G iPhone.

Even More People
There was no let up in shopping as the Made In Hawaii Festival went into its second day. People came early and stayed late. It was a chore to work your way up or down any of the aisles in either of the two Blaisdale buildings.

Is Traffic All You Need?
If traffic was all that’s needed to insure success, no one could fail in this environment. However,  traffic isn’t enough all by itself. The behavior of the person seen by those making up the traffic is an even bigger factor.

“It’s So Slow”
When asked how the show was, I assure you that some will say, “It was so slow.” This “salesperson” sitting and reading something while in the midst of this heavy traffic may as well have been out in the desert all alone. People will not stop and interupt someone that is engrossed in something else. To get busy, get busy.

Day One of Three
The opening day of this year’s Made in Hawaii Festival attracted huge numbers of people there for one reason, and one reason alone; to buy stuff!

Pictures Worth 1,000 Words
It was elbow to elbow today at both Blaisdale buildings today.

Best Buy Jumps in on iPhone Business
AT&T has had a sweet deal since the inception of the iPhone, being the only retailer authorized to sell it outside of Apple itself. 
The free ride has ended, and as CBS News reported, Best Buy now has the availability to sell the iPhone from its 970 full-size stores and 16 smaller stores. They claim to have upgraded their computer systems to handle cell-phone activation and spent 250,000 hours training its employees, but from personal experience I would be slow to buy it there.
It is suspected that Radio Shack will be the next retailer to get in on the iPhone frenzy. They already sell AT&T phones, but not the iPhone. AT&T continues to be the authorized provider, but time will tell on that as well. What looks like a big windfall, could become a disaster if they don’t stay on top of the service side.