Pure selfishness

To the editor:

Several living UH mascots already exist. They reside at the Houston Zoo. The funds that we would spend on care, feeding and assembly of a suitable living environment on campus -- I stress "environment" rather than a simple cage -- could be better spent to maintain the care and feeding of the zoo's cougars rather than subject an additional animal to imprisonment.

There are a number of possible benefits. Most importantly, if the donation for the cougars' care is substantial, the zoo might be willing to display a plaque at their lair to designate our university as the collective adoptive parents. This would show our community spirit to everyone in Houston. The zoo would benefit from the donation as well as the assured business from students trekking in to visit "their cougars."

We will never know if this is a viable possibility until we inquire

about it. For all we know, the folks at the zoo might wonder why no one thought of it sooner.

If all else fails, I'd prefer, instead, to see us funnel our energies into raising the funds to erect a suitable statue on campus and of possibly adding our voices, time and energy to the fight for real preservation. You know, the acts of preservation that are found in protecting habitat, aiding in breeding problems and protecting the animals from poachers. Sound familiar?

I grew up in Florida. I've seen cougars in the wild. I can't begin to express the awesomeness of the sight. Nor can I begin to express how important it is that we work to protect a dying species rather than satisfy our own selfish whims. After all, we must not confuse the idea of aiding in preservation with exploitation.

Michelle A. Maiocchi

junior, economics

Inconvenience

To the editor:

The construction of the new music building has had some major and minor inconveniences to the students of UH.

The most obvious complaint is that a whole section of Lot 16 was reallocated as FACULTY parking, taking numerous parking spaces away from students -- as if finding a parking space was not hard enough.

I have always been able to find decent parking by 9 a.m., but this semester has been harder than usual due to the lack of spaces. Now, I have come to find that the construction workers are parking in student spaces too! I realized this when, leaving campus late in the afternoon, I saw construction workers walking to their cars, parked in the front.

I can deal with the traffic, the mess, and even the unwanted attention from the construction workers every time a woman passes by, BUT HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LOSE?

I don't know if the rest of the students paid any attention to where the construction workers had to park. I know I didn't. But now that I know, I just wanted to pass the information on to you.

Andrea Kawaja

sophomore, RTV

Get to work

To the editor:

This letter is in response to College Republican President Dane Kearne's Feb. 19 letter.

Mr. Kearne, with the Republican primary so close, why are you more interested in debating political ideology rather than educating the people on this campus about the candidates?

I know what the Democrats believe the direction of this country should be by looking at the White House. I do not know all of the Republican alternatives. Why haven't there been College Republican-sponsored speakers from the different Republican candidates' campaigns, open discussions on what a flat tax means, or debates between student supporters of the different candidates?

Your organization should be concerned with becoming THE SOURCE on this campus for information on what is going on within the Republican Party -- especially during the primary. Yet, I have seen no indication that your organization is even aware of the primary.

I hope that the energy you would spend trying to come up with a clever response to this letter will, instead, be directed toward your organization. If the College Republicans are to become a strong voice on this campus under your leadership, you need to start working.

Lorraine Jones

senior, accounting

Pure selfishness

To the editor:

Several living UH mascots already exist. They reside at the Houston Zoo. The funds that we would spend on care, feeding and assembly of a suitable living environment on campus -- I stress "environment" rather than a simple cage -- could be better spent to maintain the care and feeding of the zoo's cougars rather than subject an additional animal to imprisonment.

There are a number of possible benefits. Most importantly, if the donation for the cougars' care is substantial, the zoo might be willing to display a plaque at their lair to designate our university as the collective adoptive parents. This would show our community spirit to everyone in Houston. The zoo would benefit from the donation as well as the assured business from students trekking in to visit "their cougars."

We will never know if this is a viable possibility until we inquire

about it. For all we know, the folks at the zoo might wonder why no one thought of it sooner.

If all else fails, I'd prefer, instead, to see us funnel our energies into raising the funds to erect a suitable statue on campus and of possibly adding our voices, time and energy to the fight for real preservation. You know, the acts of preservation that are found in protecting habitat, aiding in breeding problems and protecting the animals from poachers. Sound familiar?

I grew up in Florida. I've seen cougars in the wild. I can't begin to express the awesomeness of the sight. Nor can I begin to express how important it is that we work to protect a dying species rather than satisfy our own selfish whims. After all, we must not confuse the idea of aiding in preservation with exploitation.

Michelle A. Maiocchi

junior, economics

Inconvenience

To the editor:

The construction of the new music building has had some major and minor inconveniences to the students of UH.

The most obvious complaint is that a whole section of Lot 16 was reallocated as FACULTY parking, taking numerous parking spaces away from students -- as if finding a parking space was not hard enough.

I have always been able to find decent parking by 9 a.m., but this semester has been harder than usual due to the lack of spaces. Now, I have come to find that the construction workers are parking in student spaces too! I realized this when, leaving campus late in the afternoon, I saw construction workers walking to their cars, parked in the front.

I can deal with the traffic, the mess, and even the unwanted attention from the construction workers every time a woman passes by, BUT HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LOSE?

I don't know if the rest of the students paid any attention to where the construction workers had to park. I know I didn't. But now that I know, I just wanted to pass the information on to you.

Andrea Kawaja

sophomore, RTV

Get to work

To the editor:

This letter is in response to College Republican President Dane Kearne's Feb. 19 letter.

Mr. Kearne, with the Republican primary so close, why are you more interested in debating political ideology rather than educating the people on this campus about the candidates?

I know what the Democrats believe the direction of this country should be by looking at the White House. I do not know all of the Republican alternatives. Why haven't there been College Republican-sponsored speakers from the different Republican candidates' campaigns, open discussions on what a flat tax means, or debates between student supporters of the different candidates?

Your organization should be concerned with becoming THE SOURCE on this campus for information on what is going on within the Republican Party -- especially during the primary. Yet, I have seen no indication that your organization is even aware of the primary.

I hope that the energy you would spend trying to come up with a clever response to this letter will, instead, be directed toward your organization. If the College Republicans are to become a strong voice on this campus under your leadership, you need to start working.

Lorraine Jones

senior, accounting