By BILLIE LEE
Nichi Bei Times Correspondent

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Can cream puffs, a French pastry in origin, become a household word as Kentucky Fried Chicken or Starbucks coffee in Cupertino? The five co-owners of the newly opened "Beard Papa's" at the Market Place shopping center in Cupertino think they could.

By ALEC YOSHIO MacDONALD
Nichi Bei Times Contributor

"Maybe I'm naive," Van Tamom confessed, "but I've always thought of politics as something that should inspire you — inspire you to serve, inspire you to become involved, inspire you to make an impact."

By JUDY TACHIBANA
Nichi Bei Times Contributor

TULELAKE, Calif. — Although she grew up in Southern Oregon, Kasey Bird was not prepared to teach about the violation of civil rights symbolized by nearby Tule Lake Segregation Center.

"Rabbit Ramblings"
By CHIZU OMORI
Nichi Bei Times Columnist

I don't know how many people tuned in to all of Ken Burns's 15-hour, seven-episode-long presentation called "The War" in September. It is being rebroadcast on a weekly basis on Wednesdays here in Seattle. It was a marathon. It had been hyped and advertised so extensively up to broadcast time that I almost felt turned off, but I felt obligated to watch it all because Burns had announced that the only story that would be followed in all episodes was that of the Internment of Japanese Americans.

"Keeping Post"
By FRED OSHIMA
Nichi Bei Times Columnist

It was a very historic and memorable event, as a couple of well-known San Francisco Bay Area Nisei World War II veterans — Col. Thomas Sakamoto (retired) and Major Masaji Gene Uratsu (retired) — were duly recognized and honored during a Hall of Fame induction ceremony by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey on Nov. 2.

By KANA INAGAKI
Kyodo News

TOKYO — With only 1 yen left in his local bank account, Lorenzo Lewis has no means of paying his water, gas or electricity bills, nor his apartment rent, in one of the world's most expensive cities.

By APRIL ELKJER
Nichi Bei Times

"I was told as a child to my face that mixed-race people are harbingers of the apocalypse. We're a sign that the anti-Christ is coming," said May-lee Chai, author of "Hapa Girl: A Memoir," a story about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

OSAKA (Kyodo) — The Atlanta Braves announced Monday they have signed 18-year-old Japanese pitcher Shohei Sekiguchi to a minor league contract.

HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) — Hiroshima Carp right-hander Hiroki Kuroda filed for free agency Monday with a switch to the major leagues at the heart of interest for the ace rotation starter.