Letters for August 3, 2006

Leave the guns at home
Re: “A CCW permit isn’t all fun and games” (Right Hook, July 20):

Finally! Finally, after all these years, Lafferty authored an article that makes sense. Congratulations! He actually supports the notion promoted by the gun-control folks that guns are not a solution but a problem. If someone planned to attack me, I am sure I would not be able to get the gun in time to defend myself. Also, what am I supposed to do with the gun if my employer strictly forbids guns on the property, including the parking garage?

A gun at home is a different story. If someone breaks into my house, and I am upstairs where the bedrooms are, I do have a working chance.

Andy Trzynadlowski
Reno

More about guns
Regarding Palestine: Who would have guessed that reclaiming your ancient homeland and displacing the people who have been living there for the last thousand years would be so problematic?

Joe Beverly
Reno

Cold, hard facts
Re “Don’t believe me? See the movie,” (Right Hook, July 13):

This letter is in response to Mike Lafferty’s column about Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth. Apparently, his version of common sense needs to be corrected, or maybe a little review of 8th grade physical science will help. The sea levels will rise, not because of melting ice already floating in the sea, but because of the continent-size pieces of ice on Greenland and Antarctica that will melt and flow into the oceans displacing the water of the oceans.

Yes, the Hubbard Glacier in Alaska is advancing, so is the Taku Glacier near Juneau. That’s because these glaciers have high elevation source regions that are getting enough snow to continue to provide mass to the glacier to make it advance. However, the Mendenhall, Herbert, Eagle, Gilkey Glaciers, along with every glacier on the Juneau Icefield except the Taku, are retreating in a big way! (www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/glacier_retreat.htm)

Of course, not all scientists are in agreement about global warming, but most are! It’s pretty clear the planet is warming. The real question is, are we humans adding to it by chugging carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? The answer: maybe. But that’s just one reason to stop burning oil. There are plenty of other reasons—cleaner air, better health for city dwellers, less noise, cleaner water (Exxon Valdez), and, oh, did I mention? We’re going to run out of the stuff in our lifetime! People, stop and think for just a few minutes how expensive every part of your life will be when gas is only $5 a gallon. Sure, the Kyoto Protocol isn’t the best solution, but ignoring the problem in the name of the almighty dollar as President Bush has always done will not make it go away. Please, vote for candidates this fall who will encourage and promote the already existing alternative energy sources!

David Walker
Reno

Newcomers
Re “The horse traitors,” (Cover story, July 20):

In geological time terms, 500 years is a flash in the pan. Horses are very much the newcomers compared to other area critters. It’s my opinion that so-called “wild” horses are still domesticated animals, unlike a true wild equine, the zebra, which has never been successfully tamed.

April Pedersen
Reno

Manage livestock
Re “The horse traitors,” (Cover story, July 20):

Several weeks ago at the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, we enjoyed viewing a herd of varied-colored horses, particularly a pinto colt. The Sheldon horses are healthy because there are no cattle and few predators. We were most thrilled, however, with the numbers of pronghorn antelope and opportunities to see bighorn sheep, sandhill cranes and sage grouse. As conservationists, we feel the Sheldon’s highest and best use is protecting our native wildlife and plants. In June, for instance, the Sheldon provides a spectacular diversity of flowers. The Sheldon is one of the few places in Nevada where refuge size, habitat quality and distance from urban centers can sustain a representative high desert steppe ecosystem. Roads are restricted; weeds are minimal. Recreation use is tolerable.

For the last 10 years, since the removal of livestock, the Sierra Club and Lahontan Audubon Society have scheduled a service trip to remove the miles of barbed wire fencing once used to manage livestock. We assumed that with cattle removed, the Fish and Wildlife Service could focus on managing wildlife. Instead, we learned that to protect this unique ecosystem, removal of horses is currently absorbing most of the limited USF&WS budget. The cost is $800-$1,000 per horse. Last year, as we rolled up downed barbed wire from a spring damaged by horse use, we urged a faster removal of excess horses. We invite wild horse interests to help us remove fence, enjoy the land and the wildlife, as well as the horses.

Leontine Nappe
Reno