LETTERS Coaches’ pay, college costs, eco-terrorism case, books, etc.

UC is over-priced

Re "UC to tie coach bonuses to academics" (Page A4, Jan. 17): I was appalled to read that UC professors and athletic coaches make $1.5 million to $2.64 million per year. Without reaching the merits of whether the head of a medical school should make more than a basketball coach, I now understand why Gov. Jerry Brown disregards UC President Janet Napolitano's financial threats.

Perhaps if UC managed its money better, it wouldn't have to cater to out-of-state students or increase tuition as it has. Our family is trying to figure out how to pay for our daughter's college education. UC is financially out of reach.

As a native Californian whose taxes support the university system, it is disgraceful that the only students who can attend it are from low-income families who qualify for financial aid, wealthy families, or those willing to risk their retirement by taking out loans that equal or exceed their mortgages.

As a UCLA alumna who used to view state college as second tier, I now embrace my daughter's choice of Humboldt State University, both as a quality school and an affordable option for those of us who don't make more than $1 million a year. UC? You can have it.

Coaches are overpaid

Tying UC athletic coaches' pay to team members' grade point averages conjures up a movie scene with following lines: "Sometime, coach, when the team is up against it: Ask them to go in there with all they've got and get just one 'C' for the Gipper, so you can get your $2 million salary."

Fade to black.

Obama’s tax plan resonates

Re "Obama urges new taxes on rich to relieve middle class” (Page A5, Jan.17): President Barack Obama’s proposal for tax increases on the wealthy is welcomed by people of the lower and middle classes, and people who are struggling to get by or provide for their children and send them off to college. Under his proposal, two years of community college would be free for every student.

Being a student myself, the idea of free college would be a dream come true. Struggling Americans deserve to better their opportunities for education. Obama’s proposal to close the trust fund loophole is a reasonable plan, as it will ensure that the wealthiest will pay taxes on these gains.

Although the saying goes that money is power, the wealthy should have their fair share of taxes. To put it bluntly, they can afford it.

Obama is Robin Hood

If his tax proposal is approved, President Barack Obama will become the Robin Hood of the 21st century. In this day and age, we need more of that.

Explanation doesn’t make sense

Re “Mistake was made but no misconduct in eco-terror case” (Another View, Jan.17) The movie, “The Imitation Game,” describes the Turing test, which asks whether a party to a dialog is a person or a machine.

US Attorney Ben Wagner’s defense of his office’s conduct in the Eric McDavid case shows how challenging the test can be.

McDavid spent almost nine years in prison on an improper conviction. Newly-public emails show that the informant “Anna” may have entrapped McDavid by taking advantage of his infatuation with her. Wagner will only say that the documents “arguably” add to McDavid’s defense.

Wagner admits that a “mistake was made” but never apologizes, and manifests no human curiosity as to whose “mistake” it was. The trial prosecutors are not even identified, much less the FBI agents who directly controlled the documents.

The Wagner commentary robotically repeats that there was an “inadvertent non-disclosure of documents,” that there “is no reasonable basis for assertions of misconduct by any prosecutor in this office,” that there was an “inadvertent non-disclosure of a limited set of documents,” and that there “was no reasonable suggestion of prosecutorial misconduct in this case.”

Man or machine?

Taking issue with quote

Re “Big Oil plays Chicken Little on gas prices and AB 32” (Viewpoints, Jan. 13): I need to correct the record on the quote that Bruce Maiman attributed to me in his Jan. 13 column. I did not say that oil industry representatives were “deceptive, manipulative and lying” in discussing inclusion of transportation fuels in California’s cap and trade program.

I disagree strongly with statements the oil industry has made on cap and trade, many of which I believe were misleading. But I strive to keep the debate civil and productive, so “lying” is not a word I use to describe the statements of any participants.

Don’t forget Pegasus

Re “Book lovers bound to love these elite 8 Bay Area stores” (California Traveler, Jan. 18): The reviewer of Bay Area bookstores failed to include Pegasus Books, which has three locations in Berkeley and Oakland.

My firstborn daughter and literary aficionado works at the College Avenue location. Pegasus Books purveys an extensive and carefully curate selection of new, used and out-of-print books at fair prices. The staff is friendly and informed and proudly sponsors two bookstore cats. Go, Pegasus.

Agitators should be punished

What is happening in the world regarding Islamist terrorism due to the killings at Charlie Hebdo is creating a great angst. I believe that fear is striking our hearts and we reacting poorly. When a group, sect or religion has bans and restrictions on certain actions, it surely can enforce those on its members.

However, when a society inflicts those restrictions on itself, not by legislation or by fiat but by fear, fear that if you offend a person’s religion you will be killed. Encouraging this will mean we have lost a great freedom: a freedom of expression.

When a country’s laws are religiously based, then within those boundaries they can fearlessly defend and punish those who sin against those beliefs. But they cannot be allowed to export those restrictions. Being offended should not be resolved by murder.

We need to be determined to resist against those calling for such actions whether they be Imams or a country’s leader. Calls to kill when a group is offended is terrorism and should be recognized as such, and those making such calls need to be disciplined as much as the individuals carrying out the acts.

This story was originally published January 19, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "LETTERS Coaches’ pay, college costs, eco-terrorism case, books, etc.."