From Wikipedia,

Not to be confused with pigeon, a type of bird, nor with the Pidgin Architectural Journal.

A pidgin, or contact language, is the name given to any language created, usually spontaneously, out of two or more languages as a means of communication between speakers of different tongues, and usually a simplified form of one of the languages. Pidgins have simplified grammars and few synonyms, serving as auxiliary contact languages. They are learned as second languages rather than natively.

• Prolonged, regular contact between the different language communities
• A need to communicate between them
• An absence of (or absence of widespread proficiency in) a widespread, accessible interlanguage

The Melanesian pidgins may have originated off their home islands, in the 19th century when the islanders were abducted for indentured labour. Hence they were developed by Melanesians for use between each other, not by the colonists on whose language they are based. English provides the basis of most of the vocabulary, but the grammar follows closely that of Melanesian languages: hence the use of at least three numbers in pronouns, singular, dual and plural (Bislama also has a trial), and the distinction between inclusive and exclusive we. Tok Pisin has words from German, and Bislama from French. All also adopt words from local languages. When words are adopted, not only the sound and the meaning, but also the emotional content can change. In some famous examples, "bagarap" (not working, out of action, from "bugger up") is a polite word. "As" (from "ass/arse") is a respectable Tok Pisin word for "foundation". "Wikit" (Solomons Pijin for pagan, from "wicked") has no connotations of evil.

Several expressions commonly used to exemplify Melanesian pidgins have no known basis in actual use. They include "bigfala bokis garem plande tit, iu hitim hemi kraeout" (E: a big box with plenty of teeth, hitting it, it cries out) for a piano, and "miksmasta blong Jisas" (E: Jesus' food mixer) for a helicopter. The actual words in Solomons Pijin are piana and tiopa. One commentator pointed out that many Melanesians would be far more familiar with helicopters than electric food mixers, and would be more likely to call a mixer "helikopta blong misis".

The best-known pidgin used in the U.S. is the now creolized Hawaiian Pidgin where locals mixed the traditional dialect of Hawaiian with English, Japanese, Portuguese, and other languages of immigrants of Hawaii and Pacific traders.

One of the most famous pidgins in the world is Pitcairnese, spoken mainly on Pitcairn Island, but also on Norfolk Island, an Australian territory.

Source: By Michael Tsai, Advertiser Staff Writer

Advertiser library photo

Farrington was born in Orono, Maine, in 1871. He arrived in Honolulu at age 23 as the new editor of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser (later The Honolulu Advertiser).

Farrington, an active member of the Republican Party and an advocate of annexation, led the paper for three years before leaving to take over the Evening Bulletin.

When the Bulletin merged with the Hawaiian Star in 1912, Farrington assumed the duties of vice president and general business manager.

Farrington's political career began in 1921, when President Warren Harding appointed him governor of the territory.

In two terms as governor, Farrington enacted a wide range of new laws that directly affected Hawai'i's social and political development. In 1923, he signed a law asking Congress to treat Hawai'i like a state, a move that would provide access to additional money for education, roads and other initiatives. Two years later, he asked Congress to eliminate travel restrictions for Hawai'i residents seeking to enter the United States.

A strong advocate of education, Farrington signed a law in 1923 requiring that minors 6 to 14 years old attend school. In 1927, he signed another law allowing the Department of Public Instruction to establish English Standard schools, creating a notorious dual school system that lasted until 1960.

Many of Farrington's acts as governor were in response to growing labor unrest and attempts by workers to unionize. In 1923, he signed an anti-picketing law aimed at discouraging union activities. A year later, he sent the National Guard to Kaua'i to quell a Filipino worker strike that turned violent. Sixteen workers and four police officers were killed in the incident, dubbed the Hanapepe Massacre.

In 1929, the last year of his term, Farrington signed the Unlawful Assembly and Riot Act, again aimed at punishing union-related activity.

Among his many other notable actions, Farrington signed off on a law banning billboard advertising. Hawai'i remains the only state with such a law.

After his terms as governor, Farrington returned to the Star-Bulletin as its president and publisher. He died in 1933.

LOL !!! Mahalo to Christine Gambito.

Source: Hawaii Reporter, By John McDowell,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Small businesses are the heart of Hawaii’s economy, and the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is acknowledging them with the top Ten Reasons To Appreciate Hawaii Small Businesses.

They Are The Heart Of The State’s Economy

• 10. Small businesses make up 96.8 percent of all Hawaii employers.

• 9. Small businesses create more than 50 percent of the American nonfarm private gross domestic product (GDP).

• 8. Small patenting firms produce 13 to 14 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.

• 7. The 113,800 small businesses in Hawaii are located in every community and neighborhood.

• 6. Small businesses employ 57.4 percent of Hawaii’s non-farm private sector workers.

• 5. Home-based businesses account for 53 percent of all small businesses.

• 4. Small businesses are 97 percent of America’s exporters and produce 26 percent of all export value.

• 3. Hawaii saw an estimated 3,763 new small firms with employees start-up in the last year measured.

• 2. There are approximately 58,100 minority-owned businesses and 29,897 women-owned businesses in Hawaii, and almost all of them are small businesses.

• 1. The latest figures show that small business creates 65 percent or more of America’s net new jobs.

The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats and it funds research into small business issues.

For more information, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. For more information, visit www.sba.gov/advo, or call (202) 205-6533.

Source: Star Bulletin, Allison Schaefers

Prices for home and condo sales in March gained momentum.There are signs that Honolulu's real estate market is starting to come out of its slowdown, despite a slight year-over-year decline in March.

Prices for both home and condominium resales gained momentum from February to March, inventory dropped and properties sold at a faster clip, according to data released yesterday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

"The short-term forecast for the residential housing market looks quite good, based on the number of properties that went into escrow this month," said Harvey Shapiro, research economist for the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

In March, Honolulu's single family-home sales experienced a 15.8 percent year-over-year drop to 330 transactions, while condominium sales fell by 22.3 percent to 541 condominiums.

The median price paid in March for a single-family home, $643,500, also was a 1.0 percent year-over-year drop -- but a 4.7 percent gain over the prior month.

The median condominium price in March rose 0.3 percent year-over-year to $321,000.

On a month-to-month basis, the median price for a condominium rose 1.9 percent.

While the total sales volume lags last year by 11.4 percent, Honolulu's real estate market should experience a greater volume of closed sales with higher prices in both property categories in April, Shapiro said.

The average number of days that it took to sell a property declined for the first time last month since Honolulu's real estate run-up began, said Berton Hamamoto, president of the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

The number of days on the market for condominiums fell 32 percent to 40.

Likewise, the number of days on the market for single-family homes fell 7 percent to 65.

Inventory for both single-family homes and condominiums, which had been on a 19-month rise, also dropped for the fourth straight month, Shapiro said.

Inventory of single-family homes and condominiums has dropped 16.5 percent from November to March, he said.

The number of homes sold on Oahu in March with the median price and percentage change from the same month last year:

CONDOS SALES

WR Farrington Class of 1987 - Governors

• Location: Hawaii
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

My first job was at McDonald's in Waikiki, sophomore year. How about you?

Do you remember..."The Thompson Twins"? or? Do you remember who you're dating at that time?

Source: Pacific Business News

A New York-based real estate investment trust has purchased 11 convenience store and gas station properties on Oahu leased by Aloha Petroleum.

The properties purchased by the Getty Realty Corp. include five in Honolulu, two each in Kaneohe and Waianae, and one each in Haleiwa and Waipahu.

The stations will remain under the Aloha brand "at the discretion of our tenants," said Kevin Shea, a spokesman for the Jericho, N.Y.-based company.

Shea declined to disclose the addresses of the stations.

The acquisitions were part of 59 convenience store and gas station properties in nine states purchased for $78 million that were announced by Getty Realty on Monday.

Getty Realty Corp. owns and leases more than 1,100 properties throughout the United States. The 11 Oahu stations are Getty Realty's first investment in Hawaii, Shea said.

Source: Pacific Business News

Hawaii will mark 50 years as a state in 2009 and there are already efforts underway to celebrate. A bill moving through the Legislature establishes a commission and sets aside $250,000 for a celebration. But there is sensitivity around the issue because some Native Hawaiians see the anniversary as an unpleasant reminder of the loss of their nation's sovereignty.

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