Letters for June 17, 2010

Choke

Re “Biela on trial” (Feature story, June 10):

In the Biela trial article, a martial arts expert is cited as applying a “bare-naked choke.” The technique, actually one of two techniques frequently used in jiu-jitsu, is properly called a “rear-naked choke.” The actual term is a Japanese term, hadaka jime. The most deadly form of the “rear-naked choke” is the “figure four version,” where the off hand is applied to the back of the head. The hadaka jime will normally cause unconsciousness in a matter of eight-to-10 seconds, due to suppression of blood flow to the brain. Permanent damage can result if the hadaka jime is maintained for more than a few seconds after unconsciousness.

It is possible to escape from a hadaka jime. The most common escape technique is to drop the jaw into the encircling arm, to relieve the pressure on the carotid arteries and then turn into the shoulder of the encircling arm. If the escape is done from a standing position, the escape is normally done with a throw of the choker.

A. J. Bima
Reno

The end of our world

There are extreme views on this unnatural disaster in the Gulf.

The deniers crow that it’s OK; that it’s not the historically-largest leak ever—surely it’ll go away and be forgotten.

The sky-is-falling crowd says it’s an Extinction Level Event (ELE).

Where is the truth?

Some say goo will soon push into the Atlantic coast and far beyond, and deposit thick ickies all over.

Scenarios include a goodly number of power plants shutting down because of oil in the cooling waters.

Cooling doesn’t work well with oil, it is theorized, and this includes especially nukes and coal power plants.

I’m no physicist, but I worry about nukes powering down, and the resultant great heat dissipating from the blistering baking piles of long-lived transUranics.

Regardless, this is summer. Soon, it may well be very, very hot, and demand for air conditioning will soar. I hope part of the grid being remiss doesn’t mess up our electric supply for too long.

That could get seriously ugly after about three days.

Go out and throw off the breaker on your electric box. Leave it off for 24 hours, and then experience how rough it is. While you’re at it, turn off your water, because with no grid you can’t flush, either. (Note, we could, via TMWA’s Truckee River 24/7 hydro-electric generators, supply drinking/flushing water for us all in theory, but we’re not quite there yet politically.)

The Great Gulf Fart may be indeed an ELE.

Hopefully, it’s not an insoluble disaster. But it will impact us harshly and acceleratingly for long decades.

I saw a picture of an oil-soaked bird, and was s/he some kind of pissed off, or what?

Get your preps together, be ready to share, and put your Karma in order.

Craig Bergland
Reno

King of the Hill

Re “Pleased to meat you” (Foodfinds, June 3):

VSA Nevada at the Lake Mansion, a non-profit organization and neighbor of 275 Hill, has been very pleased to meet them, as well. VSA Nevada was the beneficiary of 275 Hill’s official grand opening party raising $4,000 in support of the 3,000 art workshops we conduct each year throughout the community.

One hundred percent of the tickets sales, silent auction and raffle were given to VSA Nevada. Yes, 100 percent. 275 Hill donated it all. They even decided to sponsor a raffle, “Chef’s Dinner for 8,” with the winner enjoying a gourmet dinner expertly prepared by 275 Hill Chef Mauricio Palacios. Maybe one of the meat dishes your reviewer loved. The winner, chosen on July 17 at 5 p.m. at the Lake Mansion during the River Walk Merchants Wine Walk, gets to choose between having the four-course dinner and dessert at their own local home or the Lake Mansion. Tickets are available $5 each or 5 for $20 at VSA Nevada, www.vsanevada.org.

Welcome 275 Hill for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and thank them for not only serving delicious food, but supporting our community, as well. Cheers!

Mary Ellen Horan
VSA Nevada at the Lake Mansion

Thank you, Senator

We have been watching so many offensive TV commercials these days, telling us to “Call Senator Reid and thank him.” Please. How about commercials telling Reid what it means to live in a state with unemployment hitting 13 percent? Reid says that he has saved or created 61,000 jobs in Nevada, but where are they?

Reid declared that we had lost the war in Iraq, adding fodder to the enemy. He condemned Bush for offering a plan to fix Social Security, yet he offered not one word of a better idea that would fix an institution that is already losing money. Are higher taxes his plan? Reid will be exempt from the health-care plan forced on the rest of us. His is so much better. Why doesn’t he put that in one of his commercials?

It is clear that Reid has been in Washington, D.C., too long. He has forgotten how real people live and work, or don’t work, in Nevada. Shouldn’t we let him see what unemployment is really all about? I’d like to see a commercial about Reid standing in the unemployment lines, wouldn’t you?

James Winchurch
Reno

The granddaddy

Re “For the record” (Arts & Culture, June 3):

Good to see an article on Reno studios, but you left out the only studio in Reno that has had any hit records: Granny’s Recording mansion, now know as Sierra Sonics Recording Mansion, which is run by veteran engineer Danny Clay Williams and owned by Tim Tucker. Yes nine times out of 10 when majors come to town and need to work on the road, we get the call because we’re listed as the only major in Northern Nevada, but we are just as open to locals as we are to majors, and Tom Gordon is absolutely correct that prospective bands should do their homework when looking for a studio. I’m sure that this was just an oversight and reminding you that we are here, as well, and open for business.

Danny Clay Williams
Reno

Beg your pardon

Re “Jack Johnson pardon unlikely” (Upfront, June 10):

I agree with the comment about the “full plate” argument; I don’t buy it, either. How long does it take to review a recommendation for who is going to be approved for a pardon or not. What happened to “YES WE CAN”? The people whom surround the person in his decision making are making the president into a president of “NO I CAN’T” or “NO I WON’T.”

Ron Peltier
Dunseith, N.D.

Clued in

Re “What’s in a name” (Editorial, June 10):

Get a grip. I’m sure the Democratic Party folks can figure out what ballot they are using. (Geesh, I’m surprised they aren’t complaining it’s only printed in English.)

C.L. Dickinson
Sparks