A good reason
to show up to work
every day: a new Explorer

IT'S way better than a gold star on a chart. For her perfect attendance, Continental Airlines awarded Mary Cadiente-Kaai of Ewa Beach a 2004 Eddie Bauer edition 4x4 Ford Explorer yesterday.

The ticketing trainer for Continental has worked for the airline since 1987 and not missed a day's work since 1998.

So why didn't she win before?

Apparently so many of the airline's employees are eligible for one of nine vehicles each year that there is a drawing. This time around, Mary's name was one of the nine chosen from about 1,500 submitted from throughout the company, according to spokeswoman Danielle De Longe.

Eligible employees scored perfect attendance between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2003, and/or between Jan. 1 and June 30 of this year.

Hawaii's previous vehicular victors of the absolute attendance accolade were Honolulu ticketing agent Nadine Arakawa in 2000 and Chelsea Catering employees Anne Trinh in 2001 and Regina Felix in 2003.

Sun and sand coverage

Woo hoo, you say, sarcastically?

Los Angeles-based Schneider Publishing Co. claims the publication is the most-read magazine for state and regional associations and that its members generate more than 59 million hotel room nights annually.

Lumbering online

Its Web site at hawaiilumber.com touts the wonders of wood for building, remodeling and other home projects.