THE LEFT LANE
Bid on 'Blue Crush'

Somebody with bucks will end up with a rare memento of the Hawai'i-made movie that everyone's talking about: a framed, collectible, 12-foot-long bus poster from "Blue Crush," being sold now by silent auction at Pictures Plus at the Kahala Mall.

Bidding is taking place during mall hours through Aug. 31. The highest bidder will be notified Sept. 1. Bidding begins at $400.

An unspecified portion of the proceeds will benefit the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation to help support local athletics and to foster support for sports that have a special cultural or historical significance for Hawai'i.

Donahue by numbers

DONAHUE

Viewership has fallen to 393,000 viewers from a start of 660,000 viewers, with Chung beating Donahue by 44 percent in the show's first month. Both shows still lag far behind Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor."

MSNBC prime-time chief Phil Griffin called the monthlong ratings performance "irrelevant."

He said it's too soon to judge the new shows, especially because August is not a high point for news viewing. Donahue has more than doubled the ratings over last year, though ratings are up across the board for cable news.

Visit campus on video

There is no substitute for actually visiting a campus when you're trying to choose a college. Even the folks at Collegiate Choice say so.

Collegiate Choice is a firm of independent guidance counselors in Bergen County, N.J. They know that not everyone can afford a trip to visit five or six colleges, or a consultant to help them. So they came up with an inexpensive alternative: video tours.

The firm has videos of more than 350 campuses, including many on the West Coast, where Hawai'i students like to go, and even a few in Europe and Canada.

Clifford Kramon of Collegiate Choice said there's nothing slick or promotional about the videos; just simple, straight-shoot pieces average about an hour a college.

Cost is $15 per tour plus $8 shipping for 1-4 videos; $12 for 5 or more. Check www.collegiatechoice.com or call (201) 871-0098.

Piano man repeats

Pianist Jim Brickman, who has performed here to sold-out houses, will return to the Hawai'i Theatre for two performances of his show, "Love Songs & Lullabies," at 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 and 4 p.m. Oct. 13. The event will include selections from his recent public television special, taped live at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Connecticut.

Brickman has composed a string of love songs, including "Valentine" and "The Gift."

Tickets: $35 and $30, on sale at the box office. A few $125 Golden Circle seats also are available; discounts are available for Hawai'i Theatre Center members, students, seniors and military. Phone charges: 528-0506.