Somewhat more positive reviews came from Variety ("grand entertainment") and Rolling Stone ("crammed with action ... and a dark side George Lucas hasn't flaunted since ... 'The Empire Strikes Back.'") This nasty turn of "Clones" so-far positive vibes drops our gauge from a high of "9" to a chilly "6."

— Derek Paiva, Advertiser staff writer

Take time for tai chi

Momi Akana says learning the slow-moving Chinese form of yoga and meditation known as tai chi has changed the way she thinks about life. The 'Aiea woman says it keeps her calm in traffic and relaxed under stress. That's why the former dancer is inviting people to come to a free tai chi demonstration.

Students of Grandmaster Dong will perform at a tai chi demonstration Tuesday.

The Dong Family International Tai Chi Chuan Association will perform at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sun Yat Sen School, 135 N. Kukui St., at its annual potluck gathering in honor of Zhang San Feng, a Taoist monk who is believed to have developed the tai chi chuan style.

"It's a good workout, both external and internal," Akana said.

— Tanya Bricking, Advertiser staff writer

Problems with pidgin

"Now, before Mary wen born Jesus ... " starts Dave Lancaster, reading from "Da Jesus Book" (www.pidginbible.org) in preparation for tomorrow's CD and book-signing at noon in the Ward Warehouse amphitheater.

It wasn't easy at first for the deejay/comic, who teamed with Joe and Barbara Grimes for the CD portion of the project, to get the flow of the script. See, he's not used to reading "generic" pidgin.

"It was hard, not your normal pidgin, like a compilation of all styles of pidgin into one middle-ground pidgin," said the KAIM deejay, adding that pidgin changes from island to island, district to district. "That's why it took 12 years to translate (the New Testament)."

Grimes, of Wycliffe Bible Translators, helped coach the 26 local translators who produced the book.

So what kind of pidgin does Lancaster speak? "Farrington-Kalihi pidgin," he said with a laugh.