Don Ho

Hawaii has lost one of its most popular attractions with the death of Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho.

Promoter-producer Tom Moffatt said he once told a Los Angeles Times reporter, "People who come to Hawaii know three things -- Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and Don Ho.

"His name is synonymous with Hawaii."

Ho died yesterday morning at the Queen's Medical Center of heart failure at age 76.

Ho, famous for his hit songs "Tiny Bubbles" and "I'll Remember You," played to capacity crowds in Waikiki for more than 40 years with a signature "Ain't No Big Thing" style.

It's Me or the Dog

With the success of the Dog Whisperer, I now see that a couple of new shows about correcting dog behavior have appeared on Animal Planet:

Divine Canine. Besides being monks, they train dogs. They have a book called How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners.

It's Me or The Dog. Instead of a guy from Mexico, it's a lady from England (Victoria Stillwell). Her book, naturally enough, is called It's Me or the Dog.

Here's one I haven't seen yet, Barking Mad, which deals not only with dogs but other animals as well.

I don't see that on this week, but I do see Good Dog U.

The Forbidden Kingdom

The forthcoming martial-arts actioner that will pair Jackie Chan with Jet Li has a title and a tentative release date. The Forbidden Kingdom, formerly referred to as "Untitled J&J Project," has been picked up by Lionsgate who will partner with The Weinstein Co. on the project.

The long-pondered big-screen pairing of two of the most prolific martial arts action stars will hit theaters in September 2008.

Bark Busters

Visitors to Scott Argus’ home in Kaimuki are promptly greeted by his four-member dog-squad. There’s Rufy, the big giant teddy bear; Chili, the pup of a Queensland healer and Catahoula McNab/border collie mix; Chico, an Australian blue healer, and little Lucky, a fox terrier and Chihuahua mix.

“This is a big dog house,” laughs Argus. “The dogs just let us live here.”

This well-behaved crew of canines can attribute their good manners to Argus’ dog training methods, afterall, their master is also the owner of the local franchise of Bark Busters Home Dog Training.

Bark Busters training methods help dogs who are nuisance barkers, have aggressive behavior, pull on their leash, toilet in the house, have separation anxiety or other deviant behaviors. The training is also ideal for puppies because the methods accelerate their learning curve in the first four to six months of life.

dog field trips

Seven dogs embarked on a journey to the Makapuu Lighthouse recently. Like many people, the dogs appreciated being in the great outdoors, enjoying the sights and lush surroundings. But first they needed to settle down a bit.

"Things are a little chaotic at first, even if the dogs know each other," according Erin Gerwig, owner of Dogwalker, etc.

"They all want to sniff, they have to say hello. And, everyone needs to use the bathroom right when we get out of the car," she said. "It's like having a bunch of 3-year-olds running around."

Once they settle down, though, they enjoy the ambiance and socializing.

Gerwig said the idea of the field trips came from her regular dog-walking routine -- she normally takes several dogs at the same time, from three or four different households. Other dogs walking with their owners would often stop to mingle with her group, she said.

"I saw how much more happy they were -- they love to socialize. They are pack animals and really enjoy the company of other animals. It's great to watch them interact with each other."

Everyone can use an ICKY -- especially young drivers

Are you wondering yet about this word, ICKY? Actually, it is an acronym that comes from an article I read in Reader's Digest years ago. The writer recounted that when his daughter reached driving age, his concern was overwhelming. His confidence in trusting her on the road, behind the wheel, in control of a two-ton monster was near nil. So he read up in journals, checked statistics, talked to police and, in the end, came to the conclusion that most motor vehicle accidents involving teenagers resulted from impatience.

He couldn't deal with all the teens on the road, he reasoned, but he could influence one of them. His daughter wanted to learn how to drive? OK, he would teach her. But first he went out and bought a very small stuffed animal that he presented to her at the beginning of their first foray.

"This," he told her as he placed it in her hand, "is your ICKY. You are to have it in the car whenever you drive somewhere. Before you even start the engine, you must reach out and touch your ICKY." She must promise this, he admonished, or she wouldn't have his permission to get her license.

He looked at her. She looked at him. He waited for her to say she agreed. She was waiting for him to explain what this ICKY business was. There was silence until she finally asked, "Why an ICKY?"

Suddenly, he realized that this whole idea was in his head; it meant nothing to her, and so he explained.

"Your ICKY is your personal reminder that Impatience Can Kill You. You may change its name to something more cool or more clever, but it's your ICKY."

She looked from her father to the ICKY to her father and said, "ICKY. That's clever. Cool, Daddy." She smiled, then reached over and deposited the icon in a place of prominence on the dashboard and touched it with her finger. The first driving lesson had begun.