Online readers are able to respond immediately to Star-Bulletin stories through our Web forum, which can be accessed at the end of stories, editorials and columns at starbulletin.com. Below is a selection of forum comments that appeared last week. Most forum contributors use pseudonyms; their “;names”; have been omitted here.

  ”;Akaka Bill backers like the new odds,”; Star-Bulletin, Dec. 21: What I've consistently promoted is reconciliation.

WE natives have been peacefully waiting for that process to be initiated and those who profess to represent the Kanaka have failed miserably at it, OHA. Ku'e! Allow the process as guaranteed under the Apology Bill to begin and let's see how that works out. We'll all learn and hopefully come up with resolutions to the hewa of a shady American history.

  -The saddest and most important point not yet made is that if the bill passes or not it won't make a particle of difference. The Hawaiian culture will not change - education will not suddenly become its centerpiece. The culture will be no more competitive in a world society than it was before. Good grief, haoles can barely compete. And yes, competition is the law of the world.

  -This is our chance to get something going for the Hawaiians no matter how much blood quantum they have. Those who oppose are those who are jealous and not concerned about the plight of the Hawaiian people. Land is the forefront of the issue here. No one is going to revert to the old style of governing that we had in the old days. We are learned people, and are accustomed to the Western way. With this land we can have a place for our people to live, enrich our culture, promote conservation of our resources like in the old days, practice our vanishing arts like healing with herbs, martial arts, among others. America should do the right thing and atone for the wrongdoing no matter what the naysayers say. Let this be a start for us. Aloha.

  -”;Duel over decibels hits Chinatown,”; Star-Bulletin, Dec. 22: The worst noise is the screaming sirens of the fire and police. They go on 24/7. They need to use lights vs. sirens from 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. or so.

  -Chinatown is and always will be a noisy neighborhood. The sirens are the loudest, but there's also people hollering in the street in the middle of the night, too. And what about all of the buses and the garbage trucks that start their route before 6 a.m.? The point is that all of these things (sirens, garbage trucks, traffic, pedestrians) you can't do anything about. You can't do anything about businesses either, if they don't have a liquor license. All you can do is run businesses out of town for being “;too loud”; like they did Harbor Court Bistro. And what are you left with when you do that? Back to where we were before with nothing but drunks, addicts, and dangerous people on the streets at night. These Chinatown residents need to get realistic. If they run the clubs out of the neighborhood because the “;bass is too loud”;, they'll be left with the same unsavory, dangerous neighborhood that they had in the 1990s and before. There's a saying: If it's too loud, you're too old. I'll take some noisy bass over crackheads and criminals any day.

  -”;An artful holiday gesture /A letter writer's words about Hawaii inspire a gift from a stranger,”; Star-Bulletin, Dec. 22: Hospitality and true gifts from the heart are very, very rare. Too often folks take others for granted. This is a blessing, not only for Fincher and Omori but for the islands as well. A gift from the heart, truly a gift from both parties' hearts. Thanks for the story.

  -Nice story. Hope this isn't an isolated incident, but rather, one of many unsung acts of kindness that seek no reward or recognition. Truly inspiring, imagine if we all were to follow suit with just one small act of kindness or generosity.

Might be contagious. Mele Kalikimaka e Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

  -”;Budget proposal cuts $400 million,”; Star-Bulletin, Dec. 23: Question: What do you call a $400 million cut in spending? Answer: A small start. There needs to be a major downsizing of government starting with large scale layoffs. We could reduce state staff by 30 percent and still be bigger than when Waihee was the governor.

  -No layoffs of state workers. I guess those poor contract employees who are losing their jobs along with program cuts don't matter.

  -Doesn't the Department of Education's budget result in over 200 resource teachers losing their jobs? So how can we say that no one will lose their jobs?

  -It was disgusting to listen to Brickwood Gauleteria say that he feels they deserve the raise, while school programs are being cut drastically and funds to the elderly. Legislators like Brickwood are so arrogant and out of touch with reality, or they don't care period.