WHICH JOB WERE YOU DOING?
This letter is in response to the 'Operator just doing his job' editorial of Wednesday May 18, 2005. I am responding to Mr. Holmes, the officer who 'loudly' addressed the visiting family at the gate near the Tanner Building. I appreciate that you followed protocol. In any court of law, you would have been completely absolved of any misdoing. I was sorely disappointed in the civil service of a civil servant at BYU. You chose to follow one itty bit of protocol by sacrificing the higher responsibility of offering civil service. You could just as easily have stepped out of your air-conditioned booth and helped the man perform the three-point turn. Please do not blame one portion of protocol for a choice between two 'helpful' options. I find the argument that the parking areas are only for faculty, staff, etc. to be weak. There are enough people combing the parking lots for vehicles in violation. This particular family maybe had 12 seconds of parking time before being informed of the rules. I am 'appalled' that Mr. Holmes let such a family leave 'without full knowledge of the circumstances' of his method of helping them. As the civil servant, his behavior and response are 'inconsistent with the of courtesy.'
JOE BOWEN
Provo
SORE LOSERS IN POLITICS
This letter is in response to Ron Lowe?s argument the May 25 Readers? Forum, entitled ?Filibuster Follies.? As we see it, Mr. Lowe makes only one argumentative statement: ?There is nothing fair about up or down votes when these same Republicans have a 55 to 45 advantage in the 100-member Senate.?
Just because you?re on the losing team doesn?t mean the race was unfair. The Democratic Party won a minority in the Senate because their constituents were busy voting for the Republicans. In fact, the Democrats also hold the minority in the House, state governorships, and (for the past two election cycles) the White House. Does this suggest that there is something inherently wrong with the system? No. It means there?s something inherently wrong with the Democratic platform. Perhaps, Mr. Lowe, the American people vote for Republican Senators who (big surprise!) vote in favor of conservative judges, which is the way a republic is supposed to work. Accept your loss gracefully, and let the government govern. You can?t always have your way when the majority of America disagrees with you.
AMY WORTHINGTON
Orem
RYAN BURNINGHAM
Eagle, Idaho
MODERATION IN ICE CREAM
In an era of instant gratification and immediate temporal pleasure, Latter-day Saints have been admonished to enjoy life's pleasures in moderation. The Word of Wisdom, for example, advises us to temper our diets with a variety of foods in moderation. In his talk concerning the blessings of observance to The Word of Wisdom, Elder Boyd K. Packer counsels church members to 'use moderation and common sense in matters of health and nutrition.' (Ensign, May, 1996)
Given these explicit instructions, it was surprising to discover that at BYU these simple precepts are largely ignored. The BYU Creamery offers servings of ice cream (the Large Brownie Sundae comes to mind) that exceed any definition of 'moderate.' Has the Creamery also gone the way of instant pleasure in this age of excessive food portions? As faithful Latter-day Saints we should strive to live in the world, not of the world. And in this world we live, food portions are growing, and so are waistlines. Do not let the Creamery go the way of the world. Do not encourage gluttony, BYU Creamery. Remove the largest portions of ice cream from your menu, and let us enjoy our desserts in moderation, just as we've been counseled.
ADAM ALBA
Salt Lake City
NO EXCUSE FOR PLAGIARISM
Is there a reason why the article 'Sites Peddle Sham Degrees' was ridiculously similar to an article I read in Reader's Digest (May 2005 issue). It was practically the same, except for the addition of a quote from some Provo businessman and a BYU spokeswoman, and a few deleted paragraphs. Coincidence? I think not. There is no excuse for plagiarism. 'Spicing it up' to catch the interest of BYU students and faculty does not make it okay.
KAREN BENNET
Reseda, Calif.
BEWARE OF INACCURACIES
The May 26 article 'FBI verifies Newsweek abuse story' is inaccurate: ?FBI records verify the Newsweek report that interrogators at the Guantanamo Bay prison abused inmates and desecrated the Quran.? The FBI has not verified that. Instead, the FBI verified that prisoners said so. Do you see a difference here? Your front-page banner story is making the same mistake that Newsweek made, and retracted. I hope that rioters across the world do not wave copies of this Daily Universe edition!
And usually The Daily Universe is so careful with facts and attribution. There is quite a difference in who is asserting that the Quran has been desecrated. You need to print a front-page retraction, and be more responsible with your front-page stories in the future.
MARK CHOATE
Provo
SKIP SUNSCREEN ARTICLE OK
In response to the editorial, 'Misleading Headline,' I challenge and criticize the flippant disregard of the fair and balanced article 'Scientiest: Skip the Sunscreen'. The bulk of the article contains facts about the risks of not using sunscreen and the danger of skin cancers, particularly melanoma. It is stating the opinions of various professionals in their individual fields of expertise and since the article presents opinions rather than guidelines, it is good unbiased reporting. The headline is misleading, but it sure got me to read the story, and that is the point of headlines. If one is unfamiliar with the filibuster debates then the headline 'Filibuster Debate Turns Nuclear' could also be dangerously misleading and cause panic. The point of the article is that people need to get more vitamin D. Of course it's not wise to slap on the speedo and bathe in the summer sun all day, but neither is it wise to live in constant terror that the sun is going to melt our skin away into cancerous oblivion. I use sunscreen and will continue to do so, but from now on I think I'll pop some fish oil pills or drink some more milk and take the opinion of the experts.
SHAY ALLEN
South Jordan, UT
TESTING CENTER: GET WITH IT
I have generally had good experiences with the Testing Center while attending BYU. However, I do want to express concern regarding the Testing Center hours, specifically how they are announced and how they are set-up during spring/summer. Yesterday, (May 12) I had my first test of this spring term. The day before I checked online to see what the Testing Center hours were. So when I went to take my test, I noticed the white board showed different hours than what was posted on the Web site. To make sure, I asked one of the Testing Center employees what time the Testing Center closes. Three of the employees responded with different times. After some discussion, they concluded that it was 9 p.m. Nervous, I then asked them what time the Testing Center closed on Friday. Again, I received different responses. Today, the hours posted online are different than what were posted yesterday.
I feel that as a student, I am required to know what time I can take my tests. Professors and Testing Center employees always say that it is the student's responsibility to know the Testing Center hours. However, if there are several different sources stating different hours, how am I supposed to be responsible for taking my test on time? Plus, if Testing Center employees don't even know the hours, how are students supposed to know? I politely suggest that some better communication take place with in the Testing Center so that all employees know what the Testing Center hours are, and that the Web site and whiteboards display the same information.
Lastly, we all know that spring/summer courses are highly accelerated. Missing one day of class is equivalent to missing two or three classes in fall/winter. Why is it then, that Testing Center hours are much more limited? Shouldn't the Testing Center be open just as frequently, if not more during spring/summer? Professors and administrators consistently lecture on the importance of expecting students to spend more time on classes during spring/summer than that of fall/winter. Yet, resources and time to take tests are greatly limited. I plead that this issue be taken into consideration. I propose that at minimum, the Testing Center be open longer on Friday and Saturday during spring/summer.
NATHAN SKOUSEN
Albuquerque, N.M.
THE LORD'S UNIVERSITY
When did BYU become the Lord's University? On LDS.org I did a search for that exact phrase and came up with no results. Are BYU students the only one's entitled to be called of the Lord? Are all other students at secular schools not worthy of the Lord's blessings? I would like to know the answer.
JASON M. ADKINS
Provo