'Junior' ad execs' inexperience is showing

According to Milici Valenti Ng Pack, "junior" ad executives were responsible for this year's Hawaii International Film Festival advertising campaign. These execs apparently believe that all of Asian cinema can be symbolized by a sword-wielding samurai or a science-fiction lizard.

Have these people actually been to the festival? Have they ever seen a film with a subtitle? What are they planning for next year's festival -- a campaign based on Pokemon?

Cyd Shizuru
Via the Internet

Hayashida is exemplary public servant

Having worked with Kazu Hayashida when he was manager and chief engineer of the Board of Water Supply (BWS) for many years, I wanted to comment on news reports regarding his awarding of government contracts to his son's company and his wife's employer.

I have known both Kazu and Edean Hayashida for more than 20 years, primarily because I worked closely with both of them at the BWS.

My responsibilities in the community relations office required me to interact with both of them (she was Edean Ring at the time) on an almost daily basis.

During Kazu's tenure as water manager, I never once found him doing anything that would cheat rate-payers or serve special interests at the expense of all customers. The same goes for Edean.

If there is indeed any error in his filing of reports or signing contract awards, I would prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Denise De Costa
Kaneohe
Via the Internet

Does DOT head know meaning of conflict?

Congratulations to proud papa Kazu Hayashida, who just recently learned he has a son named Ken.

John Sender
Via the Internet

Is pidgin being blamed for DOE inadequacies?

I enjoyed Crystal Kua's well-researched articles on pidgin English. What she failed to mention, however, was that on Oahu in the 1950s, verbal tests were given to elementary school children to segregate them (myself included) based on an "English Standard" school system.

I can speak a pretty heavy brand of pidgin myself, having been born and raised in Papaikou on the Big Island. But I can turn it on or off. Pidgin English in no way impeded me from reading or writing "proper English" -- if there is such a thing.

There is a danger pidgin English is being used as a political football to create a smoke screen for inadequacies in Hawaii's education system.

Dennis A. Rofoli
Anchorage, Alaska
Via the Internet

Quotables "At the beginning of the year, nobody believed we would be playing for the conference championship this weekend. But tell Fresno State they'd better believe it." Adrian Klemm OFFENSIVE TACKLE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOOTBALL TEAM On how the Rainbows, who were 0-12 last year, are now 6-3, and could share in the championship of the Western Athletic Conference with a win Saturday against Fresno State at Aloha Stadium "There has been a lot of media coverage reminding us how he died. We ask you to remember how he lived." Scott Lee SON OF MURDER VICTIM AND XEROX EMPLOYEE MELVIN LEE At his father's memorial service at Nuuanu Mortuary

A shark attack victim comforts another

Your Oct. 26 article about the shark attack on Jesse Spencer reminded us of our own family's experience when my son, Roddy Lewis, was viciously attacked by a large tiger shark in 1993.

He needed six operations, but his leg was saved.

Through perseverance, he later went on to become a three-time world speed windsurfing champion. Roddy has been in touch with Jesse, encouraging him and wishing him a successful and speedy recovery.

Elaine Lewis
Kaneohe
Via the Internet

San Diego became one-town newspaper

I read your paper online so I'm sorry to hear about the Star-Bulletin's possible demise. In 1992 in San Diego, our two dailies, the San Diego Union and the Evening Tribune, merged and became the San Diego Union Tribune. I was not affected since I work in advertising, but it was heartbreaking for many of my editorial colleagues.

I hope you all get a "golden handshake" and have a strong union. (Ours was busted, but that's another issue!)

From my kamaaina days as a subscriber, to my current practice of reading the Star-Bulletin online, your paper has been my touchstone for all things Hawaiian. I wish all of you the very best.

Anne Blankenship
San Diego
Via the Internet

Brighten the holidays with gift of the Star

Let's expand on Beatrix Shishido's noble idea of buying a newspaper to support the Star-Bulletin (Letters, Oct. 20). Since most of us who read the Star-Bulletin already have subscriptions of our own, why not take advantage of the upcoming holiday season and purchase subscriptions for friends and family who don't subscribe?

Possibly, we could even donate subscriptions to families who don't have the means to subscribe to this must-read daily.

Celeste Nagata
Via the Internet

Bulletin closing archive

Answer to 'why?' must come from community

The Xerox killings are so frightful that I and all of Hawaii must consider them carefully. First, we should thank Star-Bulletin Senior Editor Diane Chang for her thoughtful Nov. 5 column that raised the most important question, why. Unfortunately, that question is far from fully answered.

The real answer cannot come from either the alleged gunman, Byran K. Uyesugi, or his victims. The answer must come from the community that provided the scene for this tragedy. "No man is an island" is the wise maxim from Dunne, and we, as Uyesugi's peers, must make sense of this.

We are the wealthiest nation, yet our division between rich and poor is pronounced. We enjoy great civil peace at the price of widespread public violence. What is it in our contradictions that invites such a crime?

Rod Gammon
Via the Internet

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Hawaii Revised Statutes

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