Published 6:24 pm, Friday, March 21, 2014
NCAA system OK
The Chronicle editorial "End the hypocrisy"(Page B6, Friday) presents a cockeyed view of the world of college athletics.
Most of these young men playing football and basketball would never have the opportunity to graduate with a degree but for the scholarship. It is first about education.
The system is actually very successful. Every one of these young people who get to attend the Universitities of Texas and Texas A&M Universities of the world do so only because the economics work.
They are rewarded, not deprived. Yes, the coaches make too much and every campus now has its own Roman Coliseum.
That's why UT is the only Texas institution which does not require a supplement to its sports revenue. The rest spend more than they make.
Dennis Herlong, Houston
Regarding "Sky-high view, no commute calling many downtown" (Page A1, Thursday), I am outraged that the city of Houston is paying $15,000 per unit to subsidize developers to build downtown apartments and condos for high-income white-collar professionals.
Surely, there are greater needs.
Roger Barnaby, Houston
Gulf's hypoxic zones
Regarding "New $1m prize seeks to reduce 'dead zone' in gulf" (Chron.com, Feb. 18), I believe it to be incredibly important to raise awareness of our Gulf's hypoxic zones, what causes them and, especially, what comes of them.
I also love reading about new ways people are being motivated. Although it touched on what causes dead zones, I think this article is missing a few key points that would better explain the dilemma.
Although nutrient runoff does cause hypoxia, it is the ecosystem's response to additional nutrients, or eutrophication, that actually leads to hypoxic zones. The nutrients support the growth of algal blooms, which limits the amount of sunlight given to bottom dwellers; this causes a decrease in dissolved oxygen.
Once the algae dies, bacteria break it down and use what is left of the dissolved oxygen in doing so. This causes fish to flee the oxygen-depleted hypoxic zone.
These hypoxic regions move seaward and have led to our growing dead zone.
Ryan Fondren, Houston
Convicted, but questions
Regarding "New questions about old execution" (Page A2, Feb. 28), I was dismayed to read that there is yet more evidence in the case of Cameron Todd Willingham to support claims that the State of Texas executed an innocent man.
In addition to the already questionable evidence of arson, it now appears that the jailhouse informant who testified against Willingham benefited from his cooperation, which was concealed from defense attorneys, the public and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
This information could have saved Willingham's life.
We can't bring Todd Willingham back to life, but we can and must learn from his case.
Barbara Cowan, Houston