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Opinion
 

Letters to the Editor

An earlier time change has many benefits

To the editor:

It seems that Jim McCormick is not aware of the true meaning behind the federal government's time change beginning earlier. In his column, "Outdated time change should be eliminated," (Wednesday, Opinion) he made mention only of the unintended consequences of time change.

Yes, some people will be adversely affected by the time change, but most complaints will be limited to the minor discomfort of sleep deprivation. Needless to say, with time, the body will adjust and the knock-on-effects of time change will go away. 

More so, the problems relating to data centers can be monitored and the necessary adjustments made as the new time change becomes standard. I sense this process might prove costly but any initial financial spike will be negligible to the long-term rewards. 

McCormick should give some thought to the importance of seasonal time change. Having the workforce out and working during daylight will certainly save energy. Think of it, having the workforce in centralized air-conditioned areas instead of hundreds of homes during peak sunlight hours will certainly do more for the environment. The BBC offers more information concerning this at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6438563.stm

Cliffton Adams
electrical power technology junior

There's much more to Aikido than article conveyed

To the editor:

I just wanted to say how disappointed I was in the Aikido Club article "Harmonious Warriors" (Wednesday, News). Although Casey Wooten discusses the spiritual aspects of Aikido at great length, he apparently forgot to ask the club members what most people really want to know: "How are the techniques in Aikido different from other martial arts?" and "How will learning Aikido help me defend myself?"

  The overwhelming majority of people who start doing martial arts aren't looking for spirituality; rather, they want to know how to intelligently defend themselves or get into shape or just plain learn how to fight. The only thing the average reader will learn after reading this article is that practicing Aikido will help boost one's spiritual harmony rating. 

  I believe The Daily Cougar should invest more time researching a topic such as this before writing a story, and should also ask interviewees better questions in order to glean more useful information. Some general history on Aikido would certainly not have hurt, either.

Then again, perhaps the Aikido Club members just decided not to discuss that pesky "combative" aspect that most people are interested in.

I was amused by the instructor's dismissal of kickboxing and weight training as activities that don't require much thought or intelligence to perform. I find it intriguing that an individual who purports to be so harmonious and open-minded could make such flippant and ignorant comments. Perhaps the blame for this sub-par article lies not just with the writer, but with the Aikido Club itself.
 

John L. Perry
communication senior

Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the UH community and should focus on issues, not personalities. Letters must be typed and must include the author's name, telephone number and affiliation with the University. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, language and space. Letters may be delivered in person to Room 151C, Communication; e-mailed to dclettrs@mail.uh.edu ; or faxed to (713) 743-5384.