March 13, 2008 letters

Published in the March 19, 2008 issue

Follow this link to read the March 19, 2008, Letters: http://www.princeton.edu/paw/archive_new/PAW07-08/10-0319/letters.html

Cultural insensitivity

In response to: Theorists vs. hands-on activists

By Ronald H. Fischer *67 p’92

Published in the July 16, 2008 issue

In a June 11 letter to PAW, criticizing an article about Randall Kennedy ’77, the Rev. George A. Bates ’76 cites other individuals who in his mind better exemplify “courage and compassion” and stand up for “truth.” If Rev. Bates is interested in truth, two of the people he...

Serve with conscience

By Alan McKenney '75

Published in the July 16, 2008 issue

Regarding the selection of Donald Rumsfeld ’54 to the list of “most influential alumni”: While I share Thomas F. Schiavoni ’72’s dismay (Letters, April 2) at Mr. Rumsfeld’s policies and consider them both a political and a moral disaster, I don’t feel that they disqualify him...

Benefits of a year off

By Willard Dalrymple, M.D.

Published in the July 16, 2008 issue

A letter in the April 23 issue by my friend Harvey Rothberg ’49 comments on a current proposal to create a “bridge-year” program for students admitted to Princeton to spend a year abroad before starting their freshman year. In 1965, my colleagues at the University Health...

Set recyling goal higher

By Arthur R. Boone '60

Published in the June 11, 2008 issue

I have been a professional recycler since 1983. For Princeton create a goal of a 50 percent recycling rate for 2012 (Notebook, March 19) is a travesty. Depending on the method used calculate recycling, businesses today routinely are producing 80...

Value in health care

In response to: Managed care's failings

By Uwe E. Reinhardt

Published in the June 11, 2008 issue

In his criticism of my support of managed care (letters, April 2), Howard Zeft ’58, M.D., reflects a bygone era in which American society granted physicians full professional autonomy, on the theory that physicians would be aware at all times of best...

Excellence in sports

In response to: Athletics and admission

By Jessica Rogers '01

Published in the May 14, 2008 issue

Clay McEldowney ’69’s letter (April 2) suggested that a change in admissions leadership has led to lower athletic prowess among our sports teams. However, he fails to mention the men’s hockey team’s ECAC Championship win over Harvard and its place in the national playoffs. The...

A political-correctness foul

In response to: Athletics and admission

By Robert C. Lang Jr. '70

Published in the May 14, 2008 issue

Clay McEldowney ’69 correctly identifies the admission office as the reason for mediocrity or worse in some of the Princeton athletic teams. The admission policy limits the number of qualified athletes so that Princeton does not win too much, a political-correctness foul. This...

Learning from real life

By Hugh Scott '61

Published in the May 14, 2008 issue

I would like to thank Will Bardenwerper ’98 (Letters, March 19) for his service to our country and for his thoughtful response to the Jan. 23 letter from William Mettler ’51. What a difference there is between the comments made by Mr. Mettler and Mr. Bardenwerper. One person...

More on Achimedes

By Bruce N. Baker '53

Published in the February 13, 2008 issue

Edward Groth III ’66 (letters, Dec. 12) points out that the puzzle Archimedes was trying to solve was not “buoyancy,” but rather, how to measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object. The other part of the legend, which he did not state, is that the monarch was concerned...