Question: I remember back in the early days my mother working with the Women’s Garden Club, which promoted the King Kamehameha tourist signs. Why doesn’t someone start up a plaque system, found here on the mainland at battlegrounds, etc.? It would be great for tourists and locals alike to know the areas they visit. We need to teach the young about their past.
Answer: It’s unlikely that a plaque system will be undertaken any time soon, considering the funding that would be required and red tape that likely would be involved.
But the “Warrior Marker Program,” involving those red-and-yellow Hawaiian warrior signs, is still active, according to the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The first signs went up in 1932, back in the days of the Hawaii Tourist Bureau, and are used to mark sites of historic or cultural significance or scenic points of interest.
About 300 markers have been issued to date, said Jay Talwar, HVCB’s senior vice president of marketing.
Asked whether we could see the list of locations, Talwar said it currently was not available for public distribution “as we are working to inventory and update the information it contains.”
To be designated with a marker, a location must have safe and unrestricted public access and meet one of the criteria of significance.
If any group thinks a spot deserves a marker, it can call the HVCB at 923-1811 and ask for an application. There is a processing fee of $200 for nonprofit groups and $500 for other entities.
Question: We got a new computer and somehow lost our list of telephone numbers and websites that used to analyze the latest products advertised on TV. All the products sound so wonderful, but often they’re not as good as advertised or don’t do what they say they are supposed to do. Can you give us the numbers or websites?
Answer: One good site is ConsumerSearch (ConsumerSearch.com), which says it tracks down hands-on tests and gauges user satisfaction “for the stuff you see on TV to let you know which products live up to their claims and which should fade into infomercial oblivion.”
ConsumerSearch says it collects the best reviews, analyzes their picks, then recommends what to buy.
The website was owned by the About Group, which was part of The New York Times Co. But The New York Times Co. recently sold About Group, which included About.com and ConsumerSearch.com, to IAC/InterActiveCorp for $300 million.
Another resource is Consumer Reports’ website, ConsumerReports.org.
Consumer Reports says it’s been testing products since 1936, and describes itself as an “expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves.”
We were able to freely check on a variety of products, although there were many notices to subscribe online.
MAHALO
To HPD officer Roger Castrellon. On Oct. 3 my wife and I were having the time of our lives honeymooning on Oahu. We had just enjoyed the spectacular sites of Makapuu when we discovered our rental car window was smashed and our valuables stolen.
Officer Castrellon was extremely professional, courteous and walked us through what steps we needed to take. He even took out a broom to sweep up all the shattered glass so we could drive back to the airport safely. Police Chief Kealoha should commend this officer for the manner he helps victims. His aloha means we shall once again return to Oahu. — Stephen Lushbaugh, Grand Prairie, Texas
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