June Jones is wrong to bar UH fight song
The University of Hawaii's most recent home football game resulted in a devastating loss. But even more devastating was the fact that Coach June Jones is trying to take away a tradition that he has nothing to do with: the playing of the UH fight song by the UH band after a score.A few of the UH band members are hurt by the fact that the team that they have stayed loyal to during their good and bad seasons did not want them to play the fight song. It seems like a betrayal.
Jones is wrong to be meddling in a job that is not his. He should stick to being a football coach and not a band director.
Marci Hirano
Via the Internet
Matson keeps hiking its shipping fees
While giving Alexander & Baldwin's third-quarter earnings announcement, President and CEO Allen Doane downplayed subsidiary Matson's contribution to A&B's 34 percent profit increase by citing operating cost increases from its settlement with the West Coast dock workers and its ending negotiations with Hawaii's stevedores.Doane called these negotiations "a regrettable situation, given the fragile nature of the Hawaii economy."
The facts are that Matson increased rates at the beginning of the year, increased them again this month after settling with the West Coast longshoremen and, most likely, will hike rates again to satisfy Hawaii's dockworkers.
The most "regrettable" aspect of the situation is that Matson continues to make huge profits at the expense of the citizens of Hawaii.
Robert Chanin
Kailua
Quotables
"I told our people, we're not going to go out and stock up on bags of rice and soap and toilet paper because I feel good about what's happening right now."
Ben Cayetano
Governor
Who believes ILWU and management representatives will reach an agreement in negotiations to avoid a statewide dock strike"It's the fear of '71. But there was not a dis-tribution center here back then.We've got plenty of everything."
Steve Christensen
Distribution manager for Fleming foods, Hawaii's largest food wholesaler
On how anxious local residents are buying large quantities of goods despite Fleming's huge warehouse facility at Campbell Industrial Park"This is the most important game of the season. If we win here then we have a chance of reaching our goals."
Jeff Ulbrich
Middle linebacker for the University of Hawaii football team
About today's game against Tulsa, which may determine if UH will remain a Western Athletic conference contender
American soldiers did what they had to do
On Oct. 14, I was shocked and horrified at your front-page banner headline, "Officers ordered war slaughter." I have been reading the Star-Bulletin for 20 years and thought I had become inured to the vilification and hate-America that so thoroughly permeates our national mainstream media.When North Korea struck South Korea with great force and surprise, President Truman, representing the U.N., ordered General MacArthur to counter the attack.
The American military had been reduced to an untrained and demoralized force after World War II. MacArthur had no choice but to throw these young servicemen into the breach at great cost in men and treasure.
The North Korean army was brutally overrunning the South with only token resistance. The Americans and South Koreans were in full retreat.
The roads were jammed with pitiful refugees fleeing the Communists. To stem the tide of a losing battle, the Americans blew bridges and anything else that would impede the onslaught.
Hapless civilians were caught in the crossfire, which was made worse by the language barrier.
I would like to assure the editor who approved this headline that no American soldier fired on civilians, unless he thought it necessary. In the chaos of battle, bad things happen.
J.F. McDaniel
HVCB needs to do a better sales job
While planning a trip to Tucson, Ariz., I called its visitor center. Within three days, I had received a free packet of more than 250 pages of information detailing parks, museums, nature and entertainment in and near the small southwestern city.Out of curiosity, I asked my son in Los Angeles to call the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau to see what our potential visitors are offered.
How's this? For free, you get a small booklet with activities -- nothing of the culture, environment or unique history of Hawaii.
For $7.95, however, you get a priority mail package with five booklets titled "101 Things to Do on Maui," "...On Oahu," "...On Kauai," etc. Each contained more than 50 percent paid advertising.
There was no letter from a representative of our state to bid them aloha or mahalo for their interest in coming to Hawaii.
Michael Parker
Aiea
Letters page gives readers a voice
I love newspapers. When I was a young housewife and mother, I found the daily papers kept me connected to the world and life outside the home on a local, national and international level. So much useful information for such a small price, the latest in health news and, oh joy, recipes!
Newspapers provided a ready forum for a newly sprung political sense born from discovery of the tragic, unjust history of my father's people -- native Hawaiians. Shelves of books on Hawaiian history at public libraries were a fountain of knowledge; newspapers were gleaned for any reference to Hawaiian people.
Where to vent and present new thoughts and opinions on politics and Hawaiian issues, and hopefully influence others? Why, on the letters to the editor page, of course.
Then, in early 1994, I received a thrilling invitation from the Star-Bulletin to attend an awards luncheon for the best letter writers of the previous year. I was honored with a Golden Letter Award for May 1993!
Through the years of reading and comparing the two dailies, I formed the opinion that the Advertiser is a "Reader's Digest" version of a newspaper while the Star-Bulletin offers more local, national and international coverage and in much greater detail.
We will all become victims of a conglomerate-monster if Gannett Co. succeeds in its quest to destroy the incomparable Star-Bulletin and the people responsible for bringing it to us.
We seem to be witnessing a Grendel rearing its ugly head from the ashes. Where is our Beowolf? S.O.S. -- Save Our Star-Bulletin!
Marisa Mia Plemer
Kamehameha Schools Class of 1967
Haleiwa
Shutdown announcement
Kay issues preliminary injunction
Text of injunction halting shutdown
Text of refusal to lift injunction
Emergency stay denied
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