I think the true irony in Casey Hoff's opinion article (\Clearly an ironic channel,"" Opinion, Oct. 8) is the fact that he is a senior majoring in business and doesn't know the definition of competition. To draw an analogy to his flawed thinking, it is like saying that the United States is against competition in the Olympics by beating everyone in the medal count.
Trinidad and Tobago, with their one bronze medal in the Olympic games are like the ""thousands of hard-working people ... who could not compete"" (in Hoff's column). The fact in most competitions, however, is that there is a winner. In this case, Clear Channel has been that winner. Hoff misleads the reader by stating that other stations can't compete, when the reality is that other stations typically don't win. Not competing and not winning are incomparable. Apparently, Clear Channel provides cheap programming, and somebody listens (actually, a lot of people listen).
Don't lie by saying they have a forced monopoly on the radio industry because you don't like their programming (or their politics, which is the underlying reason why you don't like it). Try reacting constructively by not listening. And contrary to your twisted view of the Constitution, Clear Channel can restrict playing any songs it wants without infringing on free-speech. They use discrimination, an ability all humans possess.
It was with great sadness and disbelief I read about the plan to demolish the Essen Haus and Come Back In for condos (""Redevelopment plans might give the boot to Essen Haus,"" Oct. 7). As a former UW student ('90), I've spent countless nights tipping back boots and eating pretzels, then polka dancing 'til dawn (or at least until the Parthenon closed) as have hundreds of thousands of Madison grads before and after me.
Whenever I return to campus for a game, the Essen Haus is a must-stop, because it immediately reminds you of what makes Madison so unique. For the aldermen and city officials to let developers come and build another characterless brick building, with a Starbucks most likely on the first floor, is unconscionable. This news rivals the hiring of Don Morton as football coach in 1986, as one of the saddest days in Madison's history, as far as I'm concerned.
Only once in ten years. That's how often UW students have the opportunity to influence building on the UW campus. On October 12th, UW officials responsible for planning and designing the buildings and physical layout of this campus are holding a meeting. Students are invited to share their opinions.
Why should you attend? This is a chance to show the university how you feel about how your tuition dollars are being spent. In 2001 the university went six million dollars over its energy budget, in part because of the energy inefficient buildings on campus. Two million dollars of this was found by raising your tuition.
Many existing buildings on campus are constructed in such a way that they not only waste energy but also require updates and repairs due to the uneconomical ways that they were constructed. The university plans on erecting many new buildings in the upcoming years, and by making them more energy efficient now we can prevent such egregious wastes of tuition on repairs and high-energy bills.
Attending this meeting will show administrators like Vice Chancellor Bazzell that we are unhappy with the rise in tuition, as a result of energy- inefficient buildings. Students and their parents do not have bottomless pockets and bank accounts to make up deficits caused by inadequate energy planning.
