Isle-based shows on different paths

It was a great day Wednesday for fans of "Hawaii Five-0." Even though the popular, isle-based TV drama series does exaggerate the extent to which Hawaii is plagued by violent crime and corruption — maybe that’s why it’s so popular — it was renewed for a third season by television network CBS. The show airs locally at 9 p.m. Monday on KGMB.

Not doing so well right now is "The River," the ABC paranormal-horror show that was filmed in Hawaii last year. Supposedly set deep in the Amazon basin in South America, its seventh episode on Tuesday attracted only 4.1 million viewers. That’s a lot of people, but not compared to the 11.2 million viewers who watched the competing CBS crime drama "NCIS: Los Angeles."

Sounds like "The River" might be up a creek without a paddle.

Tide is turning in U.S. drug war?

Who knew that Tide detergent was such a desirable commodity?

Recent drug arrests on the mainland brought its value to the fore when agents realized dealers were accepting the detergent in barter for the drugs they were selling.

According to The Associated Press, one Safeway in Maryland was losing thousands of dollars worth of Tide a week before police made more than two dozen arrests.

Why Tide? Apparently it’s the most popular of detergents; it’s expensive, selling for up to $20 for a large bottle; and it doesn’t spoil. It’s also easy to resell, generally at cut-rate prices, sometimes outside coin-operated laundries.

Might other detergent manufacturers be jealous?