LETTERS: Yucca foes have nuclear overreaction
To the editor:
The second paragraph of Galen Richter’s letter refers to a premise of science’s proof of waste storage being safe in order to proceed with the Yucca Mountain Project (“Don’t risk future on Yucca Mountain,” April 20 Review-Journal). I moved here 17 years ago, and I remember then that Sandia National Labs had just completed its analysis that the storage would be safe for 10,000 years.
That analysis was attacked by Sen. Harry Reid and others as being inadequate, with the implication that somehow a massive leak would be likely to occur promptly on Jan. 1 in the year 11,998. Sandia could just as easily have said 100,000 years and the naysayers would have cried out as well, because the lab couldn’t guarantee 1 million years or forever.
It’s unfortunate that the word “nuclear” has emotional, politically correct overtones attached to it. Spent fuel recovery has been a successful scientific undertaking in many other countries for decades, yet those who are afraid of anything nuclear continue to keep their PC blinders in place.
JOHN BLAKE
LAS VEGAS
Mayweather-Pacquiao
To the editor:
I’ve been a lifelong boxing fan, but Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao? How is this still a thing?
Five years ago, when both fighters were in their prime, I would’ve killed to see this fight. However, Mr. Mayweather was allowed to dodge Mr. Pacquiao for years, long enough for Mr. Pacquiao’s offensive skills to diminish to where they aren’t a serious threat to Mr. Mayweather’s legendary defensive skills
Now, the best that professional boxing can offer is two past-their-prime fighters trying to end one’s phony unbeaten streak. What’s next: Ali-Frazier IV?
At least the hotels and casinos will be full this weekend, so we won’t have to listen to the resort industry’s poor-mouthing for a few weeks.
Greg Grant
Las Vegas
Saving Social Security
To the editor:
In response to Megan McArdle’s commentary on Social Security (“Where will all this money come from?” April 19 Review-Journal), the answer is simple: create a real Social Security trust fund, in which all monies collected cannot be used for any other purpose than Social Security.
At present, Social Security payroll taxes are lumped into the general fund and spent on whatever the government wants. Right now, almost all the money collected for Social Security purposes has been spent. The only thing left is a bunch of worthless IOU’s.
If that money had been left alone, the Social Security trust fund would be flush with money, rather than being referred to as an unfunded liability.
DANIEL CULBERT
LAS VEGAS
Un-Christian response
To the editor:
L. Brent Bozell’s commentary about how Christians should react when being forced to cater gay events, out of fear of being sued, was one of the nastiest, snarkiest, most immature articles I have ever read (“A Christian solution on gay weddings,” April 22 Review-Journal). The advice sounds like it came from a 5-year-old, and not a very smart one at that.
It suggests that Christian businesses accept jobs, and then undermine the events by including Christian emblems and music, making references to pro-Christian lobbies and taking out ads in the paper to let everyone know what they did with the profits from the event.
Some of these suggestions came from a Catholic priest, which made me glad that I left that church long ago. If you follow his advice, you will be taking advice from a church that covered up one of the worst child molestation scandals in our history. So much for family values.
To refer gays to another provider smacks of the separate but equal doctrine, which the Supreme Court struck down years ago, when Southerners tried to separate blacks from whites. If your religion is so important to you, then you should be willing to make sacrifices for it. Instead of making gays go to another provider, you should go get another job or start another business. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
NADIA ROMEO
LAS VEGAS
Bundy coverage
To the editor:
Please, not Cliven Bundy on the front page again (“Bundy to party year after faceoff,” April 10 Review-Journal). I guess if I’d laughed in the face of law enforcement and not paid my grazing fees, then I could throw a three-day bash to celebrate getting away with not paying my share.
If the Review-Journal must waste so much printing space on almost glorifying an outlaw whom the Bureau of Land Management fears bringing down to his proper size, then please, no more front-page articles. At least have the decency to put it in the Nevada section, and not on Page 1 of that section, either. And no pictures.
Not only does Mr. Bundy not pay for the right to graze his cattle, he forces our law enforcement to waste more time policing this event — an event he can afford by not paying what he owes. He laughs at what he has gotten away with. There have to be more important happenings than anything going on with Cliven Bundy.
I just hope this doesn’t turn into a disaster. I can’t tell you how I really feel about Mr. Bundy, as you couldn’t print those words, and ladies don’t talk that way. So to keep it clean, he’s not a decent, law-abiding citizen.
J. MORGAN BLAKELEY
LAS VEGAS
