Letters for January 12, 2017

Science is heard from

Re “Exploding green heads” (Notes from the Neon Babylon, Dec. 29):

I have read both the left and right sides of the RN&R opinion pages since Brendan and Sheila have been penning them. Although I am on the left side, I found that Brendan Trainor often had some well-expressed thoughts around which a conversation could be started.

But “Exploding Green Heads” should move the RN&R to dismiss Trainor as the alternate voice. I find nothing in this article to be suitable for public discourse, and I fault the RN&R for publishing it. Trainor is yet another climate denier, cherry picking information, and disinformation, to support deeply held beliefs on ideological grounds, contrary to facts. The global warming crisis is real, is threatening. Powerful markets and intense capitalism will not get us out of it. People who care about their children, their grandchildren, and even themselves need to hold public officials accountable to seriously address this threat. We did it in the case of the ozone hole; we did it in the case of tobacco health effects; we did it in the case of nuclear winter.

It is deplorable to suggest, as Trainor does, that the “rich and strong” Earth will simply heal itself when we let the current trajectory go unchecked.

David VonSeggern

Reno

Re “Exploding green heads” (Notes from the Neon Babylon, Dec. 29):

In regards to the recent opinion article by Brendan Trainor where he, step by step, highlights his ignorance on every fact of climate science, nuclear waste and nuclear energy, and his overall mastery in complete ignorance of the subject, I’d like to step by step show how every single statement he made is part of the standard lies perpetrated by paid shills of companies like Exxon Mobil and the Koch Industries. I’d like to, but nobody is still dumb enough to believe any of the nonsense people like him have been spitting out for years. They don’t understand science, so they assume it must be fake, so deluded they are with the false belief in their own intelligence. You should be ashamed for giving such idiocy a forum to spread their agenda of ignorance.

Jeffronimo Churchill

Las Vegas

Public input

Re “Gold Butte preserved” (news, Jan. 5):

Senator Dean Heller is quoted as saying, “For years, I have urged for all new land designations, especially ones in Nevada, to be considered in an open and public congressional process. … Best of all, input from local parties guarantees local needs are addressed. In the future, I will continue to fight for an open process utilizing Congressional support to designate new national monuments.”

It is strange that Senator Heller is opposed to this designation and is adamant about an open public process for the designation of places like Gold Butte when for decades Gold Butte’s advocates worked with local governments, sportsmen, off-road enthusiasts, opposition voices, supporters, and so many more to ensure that there was a well-balanced proposal to protect Gold Butte where all voices were heard. Governor Sandoval is even on record of having input.

To paraphrase U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Clark County, who has been a champion for Gold Butte, the only people who say there wasn’t public input around Gold Butte’s designation are just those who are opposed to it.

Cathy Schmidt

Reno

Weapons of cyber destruction

Is anyone else concerned that that the U.S. has been attacked, and we lost the first battle? When Putin’s cyber attacks influenced the election process, we were defenseless. And, for those denying it made a difference, think of all those who believed the false news stories in days before the election. What’s worse is, our new Commander-In-Chief is in total deniability. Congress is concerned, but it will be years before anything is accomplished there.

Thomas C Kincaid

Reno