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Different calls on Subway Series
television coverage

Tape-delayed series was disappointing

Local Fox affiliate KHON Channel 2 did a tremendous disservice to Hawaii's baseball fans by showing the World Series games on a tape-delay basis.

I called the station to complain and inquire why it decided to forsake the live feed that had been utilized for weekend broadcasts in favor of the tape delay. A secretary said she didn't know why station officials had changed their minds in mid-series. She did hint, however, that it might have had something to do with Hawaii's Benny Agbayani; if the games were delayed, they could be shown when more people were home.

While I have no doubt there was great interest in Agbayani, come on! Apparently, Channel 2 would rather alienate real baseball fans in exchange for those who would just as soon watch the tasteless, unfunny fare that typically airs on Fox in prime time.

Maybe back in 1986 -- the last time a Hawaii native, Sid Fernandez, played such a key role in the fall classic -- this type of programming move would seem viable. But in an age of 24-hour news and sports channels, all-news radio, the Internet and other media, KHON is woefully behind the times.

Furthermore, by showing the games later KHON perpetuated a problem that Major League Baseball receives criticism for every year. A younger audience -- adolescents who really do want to watch the World Series -- didn't get to see much of the games because they last too long into the night.

Eriberto Reyes

Delayed broadcast is more convenient

Let me enlighten those who complain when televised sports events are tape delayed. Most sports fans are working at the time the sports events are actually happening.

Although I can set my VCR to record when I'm not there, I'd rather return home, get my food and drink ready, and settle down to watch my sports.

It saves vacation time that I have to take to get home and watch a sports event live, or calling in sick.

A special appeal to NBC: Please delay the NBA playoffs and finals like you did in previous years. I know that I am not alone in this plea.

Chucky Santiago
Wahiawa

Phone company scam was predicted way back

Prior to implementing dial-a-time through a computer in 1996, a public hearing was held at the Ala Wai Golf Club with the mayor, director of golf and director of enterprise services in attendance.

At the hearing, I opposed the dial-a-time for this reason: Employees at the phone exchange's main frame could manipulate the lines into the computer.

Now, two phone company workers have been arrested for fixing their own tee times at public courses. This confirms my objection at the hearing.

The cost of computerized dial-a-time, plus costs for maintenance and obtaining identification cards, are more than $1.5 million up to the year 2000. This extra money could have been used to hire more workers to maintain our municipal golf courses.

The computer has been inoperable many times, resulting in a delay for golfers obtaining starting times and delays at the starter's office, too. Making phone calls to starters at each individual municipal golf course is a more reliable way to get tee times.

Harry Choi

Be alert before driving through intersections

Alan Matsuda's Oct. 19 letter brought up the idea of shortening the yellow traffic light to keep drivers from running the upcoming red light. While this may be a good idea, the letter reminded me of something I learned in driver's education: Look both ways before entering an intersection.

It's obviously not your fault if a person runs a red light and hits your car when you are moving with the green. But you might avoid a collision if you delay entrance into the intersection and look to see if a car is speeding down the road first.

A few seconds of waiting may avoid an accident.

Richard Dixellheimer

Cayetano agreed to help faculty

In 1997, Governor Cayetano agreed to take the state's generous 50-50 intellectual property rights policy out of the sole jurisdiction of the University of Hawaii administration and make it a collective bargaining item. By doing so, he gave professors a powerful say on one of the most valuable entitlements of academicians.

The governor did not have to allow this but saw it as a great benefit to encourage ingenuity. This is one of the most generous intellectual property rights divisions in the nation. If the university ever wants to change that level of compensation, it now has to gain the agreement of professors.

Therefore, contrary to what those like David Miller (Letters, Oct. 27) may think, that is very much a "gift." If these professors cannot recognize that, would they rather the matter be back entirely in the university administration's hands?

Kim Murakawa
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor

Age of sexual consent must be raised

How appalling that the age for consensual sex in Hawaii is 14. Are children that young really ready to make such a decision? Sex can be deadly and can also bring innocent beings into the world.

I lost my virginity at the age of 14 and ended up having a baby at 17. I wish I had done different.

The law allows girls to have sex with men, and boys to have sex with women. What is this world coming to when babies are having babies?

Tiare Kailiawa
Hilo, Hawaii

Quotables "Going to a fashion show is the equivalent of going to a museum. You may not want (what you view) in your home but it's important to see things that historians view as precious." Joyce Okano Reed CHANEL REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT On the haute couture to be featured at the 2000 French Festival Fashion Ball this weekend at the Hilton Hawaiian Village "It was funny, because people who do things against the Bishop Estate still send us(fund-raising) tickets." Laurita Hookano KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS STAFFER In sworn testimony about island politicians' annual solicitation for the estate to buy their fund-raising tickets

OHA: To vote, not to vote,
whom to vote for

Clayton Hee doesn't deserve re-election

I will be disgusted if voters put Clayton Hee back onto the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board. Hee has been the Democratic Party's darling for a long time.

Hee made a deal with his good buddy, Governor Cayetano, who helped the current chairman eliminate any and all dissenting opinion from the present OHA board. This was done by removing Trustee Mililani Trask and others.

Thirty thousand Hawaiians voted for Trask because they know OHA needs new blood, not the same old stuff we've seen for too many years.

During this interim period, Hee is having a field day at OHA -- even presiding over his own trial via the agenda item Kelly vs. Hee. He's been holding sessions that exclude the public.

At OHA, when Hee is in charge, Hee is king. As proven by his past behavior, trustees and employees are ignored, punished, humiliated or fired when he is unhappy with them.

Is there no room at OHA or in Hawaii for intelligent, dedicated leaders who have the ability to think independently, and who follow the dictates and needs of their constituency instead of an element within the Democratic Party? Something is really rotten in Hawaii politics. Voters, please wake up!

Marisa Plemer
Haleiwa

These OHA candidates deserve support

Since Office of Hawaiian Affairs assets are so attractive (money, land, potential ability to build legal gambling casinos), I figure many statewide non-Hawaiian organizations will try to dominate the OHA board. Therefore, I asked Hawaiian friends which OHA candidates they would vote for, and developed the following list:

Oahu special vacancy (1 of 5 candidates): Vicky Holt Takamine

Maui special vacancy (1 of 8): Sam Kalalau

At-large special vacancy (3 of 51): Mililani Trask, Frenchy DeSoto, Oswald Stender

Big Island (1 of 5): Arthur Hoke

Kauai (1 of 5): Don Cataluna

Molokai (1 of 2): Colette Machado

At large (1 of 20): Haunani Apoliona

By all means, ask your own Hawaiian friends. But those mentioned above are all good people.

Sally Raisbeck
Wailuku, Maui

Non-Hawaiians should leave ballots blank

The people of Hawaii have reached a critical point in their evolution as citizens of the United States. A great majority of third, fourth and fifth generations of people born in the islands are of immigrant descent, who were imported by big sugar as a labor force.

Those of us with that root stock share the common denominator of having lived from birth in this beautiful place. Although we may call this home, it doesn't make us Hawaiian.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs issue has been grossly mishandled by Governor Cayetano. For him to appoint a non-Hawaiian and reappoint a candidate whom voters discarded in the past exemplifies his non-Hawaiianness.

If Cayetano could be truthful, he'd admit being a Filipino American with continued close ties to the Philippines. By having his way, state government will sink its fangs into OHA and assimilate it.

Those of us of immigrant descent need to search our hearts, minds and souls. We need to give Hawaiians their ancestry.

I urge voters to abstain from OHA elections if they plan to vote for non-Hawaiians. A wolf in sheep's clothing is not a sheep. Honor the memory of Hawaii's ancestors and keep OHA Hawaiian.

Heidi Johansen
Captain Cook, Hawaii

Mark Moses didn't organize sign wavers

In response to the Oct. 30 letter by Shane Kincaid of Makakilo: Mark Moses did not organize the church sign-wavers in Makakilo. In fact, Moses did not want his people involved. The sign-wavers were members of a concerned group of citizens, not necessarily from House District 42, who oppose Maeda Timson's position on abortion.

Timson is pro-choice. Her opponent in the race, Moses, is pro-life. The intent of the sign-wavers was to spread the word to the community.

True, abortion is a distasteful topic to discuss at any time, let alone just prior to a church service. However, this is the issue. This is what members of the churches of Makakilo and the rest of the community need to consider when they cast their votes on Nov. 7.

Robert D. Dunn
Waipahu

Catalani didn't keep her word to Outdoor Circle

Earlier this year, Rep. Iris Catalani took the Outdoor Circle "challenge" and promised the voters of our district that she would not post any political signs in people's yards. In exchange for this promise, she received favorable publicity in the media, including this newspaper.

Now, however, it looks like she might lose her House seat, so she has blatantly broken her promise and begun posting political signs (Star-Bulletin, Oct. 31).

The issue here is not whether yard signs should or should not be posted; it's whether we can trust Catalani to keep her promises. Based on her conduct in this campaign, it is clear she is just another politician who will not keep her word.

Earl Dedell
Kaneohe

Heupel would bring experience to BOE

It has been my good fortune to serve with Board of Education candidate Jacqueline Heupel on the accreditation team for St. Louis High School. I was very impressed with her ability to work hard and focus on the issues at hand.

In addition, as a longtime public school administrator, Heupel demonstrated a real expertise about education. I am sure she will make a good member of the BOE and plan to vote for her on election day. I recommend others vote for her as well.

Hank Chapin

Gabbard is too controversial to be effective on BOE

Political baggage, divisiveness, polarization, protests, smear campaigns. Is this what the Board of Education is all about?

There are BOE candidates who have opinions on both sides of the issue of "sexual orientation" language in its anti-harassment policy. However, it is Carol Gabbard who seems to be mired in the political mud.

That's why I will not be voting for her. She is simply too controversial a figure to effectively function as a BOE member and to take on the task of ensuring quality education for Hawaii's children.

When one thinks of the name Gabbard, let's be honest, only one issue comes to mind. Our kids need a BOE that isn't wrapped up in religious politics. There are too many other important issues to be dealt with.

Justin Leach

Gore will protect Hawaii's environment

Every day in Hawaii, we feel the pressures of more traffic, more people and more urban sprawl encroaching on our beautiful environment. We cannot go back to the past. But we all know that Hawaii is a special place and we want to keep it that way.

If you care about Hawaii's environment, the choice for president is clear. Vice President Al Gore wants to promote new, clean technologies, and preserve the country's rural and scenic places from development.

Preserve the best of Hawaii by voting for Gore and Lieberman on Nov. 7.

Louis Erteschik

Bush and Cheney will strengthen military

I am a strong supporter of the Bush-Cheney presidential ticket. This team possesses the characteristics that should be prerequisites for the leaders of the free world: honesty and integrity.

For almost a decade, the U.S. military has been neglected in nearly every respect. Morale has been at an all-time low. The tragedy of the USS Cole is merely one example of that poor leadership.

The Bush-Cheney team believes that a strong, capable and modern military is the foundation of the peace we enjoy today and hope to extend for future generations. The military of the present must be better supported and respected. It must also be challenged and transformed to become the military of the future.

The right choices must be made to renew the bond of trust between the president and the military, to protect America with a national missile defense, and create a military capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Virginia Okamoto

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