Professionals shouldn't speak pidgin English

KSSK's Larry Price may be the only individual in Hawaii with a Ph.D. who celebrates pidgin English in his profession.

While pidgin might well be accepted in the entertainment industry, in Price's case because it complements a highly rated radio show, I doubt his large group of listeners would like to hear a brain surgeon performing a lobotomy say, "Eh brah, I goin' hemo some da kine material from your (ke) po'o because no stay good, la dat. OK?"

Or how about a financial adviser who says, "No worry brah, I goin' take care. Gimme your money, I goin' invest 'em good, la dat."

Bruce Wong

Paper helped lower gas prices in islands

The Star-Bulletin's coverage of high gas prices in Hawaii was a great contribution to the people of Hawaii. While the coverage may have seemed one-sided, sometimes the truth comes out that way.

The Star-Bulletin was the catalyst for the state's lawsuit and also contributed to lower gas prices. Your coverage helped put millions of dollars back into Hawaii's ailing economy.

May I suggest that subscribers to the Advertiser switch to the Star-Bulletin? Then they can bring in their paper the night before, don't have to go outside at 5 a.m. to get it, and they can still get yesterday's news today, which is what the Advertiser delivers.

Frank Young
Owner, K&Y Chevron

Quotables "I've been telling people that we're doing a hapa-haole album because our traditional CDs weren't selling. We're going for a million (sales) with this one or we'll do a reggae album next. No, a country-and-western one, then reggae!" Jerome Koko Member of the Makaha Sons On the Hawaiian music group's new release, "The Makaha Sons Sing Golden Hawaiian Melodies" "He still believes he didn't commit a crime." Chris Young Honolulu deputy prosecutor On James K.S. Lee, sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay $1,000 a month restitution until he retires the debt of $785,694 owed customers cheated out of travel packages to Las Vegas

Police excelled in capture of fugitive

I live a block away from the spot where Byran Uyesugi was captured. I witnessed his five-hour standoff with police.

As a result, I've gained a newfound respect for the Honolulu Police Department. Honolulu's finest exhibited tremendous patience, compassion and a professionalism that made me proud to be protected by such a fine force of men and women.

Their handling of this incident should serve to remind us all that they are worth every penny (and more) that we pay them.

Jay Johnson

People deserve right to conceal firearms

It is fact that the seven murder victims at Xerox were caught by surprise and defenseless. It's also fact that, had one or more persons in that building been armed that terrible day, they may have been able to stop the killing.

But it's official government policy in Hawaii that all citizens, no matter how upright, must remain defenseless at all times, except in their homes.

That's because state law allowing a person to carry a concealed firearm is weak -- so weak it is believed only one civilian in Honolulu has a concealed carrying permit.

Calling 911 didn't work in this case. In fact, it often doesn't work. Yet that is the advice police give when asked what we should do if we find ourselves in danger. It's time to question this policy.

Since we will never eliminate violence, shouldn't we prepare for it? Rigorous studies have shown that violent crime decreases when there are fewer restrictions on carrying concealed guns. Criminals prefer to attack the defenseless.

Brian Baron
Kailua

Suicide is better than life in misery

I would like to respond to the Rev. Lawrence Wheeler's Nov. 3 letter, " 'Liberals' want control over life and death."

Assume for a one moment that you are stricken with a terminal illness, such as Lou Gehrig's disease. You are in much pain; without a chance of improvement or recovery; unable to move, talk, swallow or perform your bodily functions. You might choke on your own saliva at anytime.

Would you want to go on living in such misery, looking at the faces of your family, relatives and friends and seeing their agony and pity?

Reverend Wheeler, would you not want to be sent on that grand journey described in the Psalms: A Magnificent Journey? "All the pain and grief is over and I shall be sent to the land of perfect joy and beauty and be at peace forever."

T. Ono
Hilo, Hawaii

It's harder to be doctor than head of an HMO

In your Oct. 28 issue, the Dilbert cartoon struck me. In the first panel, the blonde secretary states, "It takes years of training to be an engineer."

She goes on, "But you don't need any training whatsoever to be an engineer's boss. It's unskilled labor without the labor."

To which the brunette secretary responds, "I could do that."

Just substitute the words "medical doctor" for "engineer" and "engineer's boss" for "HMO director," and it would reflect perfectly today's medical environment.

Walter Young, M.D.

Hanauma plan has plenty of supporters

There's an impressive group of folks who disagree with the handful of Hawaii Kai people who oppose the Hanauma Bay improvements plan.

Among those testifying recently in favor of the opportunity to improve the bay with this ambitious yet scaled-down plan were Bruce Carlson of the Waikiki Aquarium, Richard Brock (the scientist conducting the carrying capacity study), the Friends of Hanauma Bay, Hawaii Council of Dive Clubs, Citizens for Ocean Access, Hanauma Bay manager Alan Hong, a number of members of the coalition from which these critics have emerged, and several other Hawaii Kai residents.

The Council Zoning Committee unanimously approved the shoreline management permit for this plan.

One permitting official has said that he could think of no significant city project more appropriate for such approval, since it was designed with the objective of environmental sensitivity through education.

Robert Purdie
Hawaii Council of Dive Clubs
Hanauma Bay Improvements Task Force

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes

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