Letters to the editor Feb. 4

A man's sympathy

makes the man

I suppose the killing of the Lord's animals is over. I refer to the Fallon coyote kill. Animals have been managing themselves long before we encroached upon their land. I fail to understand how someone can kill something that wants to live as much as they do.

I do not watch "Animal Planet," but I do have a respect for all life, and that includes animals. The Lord gave me a compassionate heart, and the world runs on emotions, so I hope there is no letter about a little old lady in tennis shoes who is getting emotional over the coyotes and, I might add, the horse roundups we fight all the time. I have yet to see a skinny horse as they are filming the roundup.

I, too, have been collecting material on animal abuses since about 1980. Animals kill because they have to - to survive. People kill because they want to.

I quote, "It is man's sympathy with all creatures that first makes him a man." - Albert Schweitzer.

Dixie Horsmon

Carson City

Fusion can be the key

to a better tomorrow

During the height of the Cold War, the United States inspired national pride by putting a man on the moon. Yet, as this country wages war in the Middle East, Americans have no great scientific cause to maintain this pride. Fusion power can be that cause.

Using an almost infinite supply of hydrogen from the oceans, and producing only helium as waste, we can harness the power of the sun. American physicists were the first to create a fusion reaction in a laboratory and, with enough public support and research funding, American physicists could be the first to build practical fusion power plants.

Solar, wind, biofuels and all other alternative energies combined cannot meet the power needs of a modern industrialized society. Perfecting fusion power will be the dawn of a new age for humanity.  From drinking water treatment and desalinization to rendering liquid hydrogen as fuel for non-polluting cars, the world needs energy.

Without having to worry about how to supply energy, the U.S. could provide citizens with low-cost heating and artificial lighting to grow more food while ceasing international conflicts over fuel resources.

Decreasing poverty, hunger and war is the most amazing gift a great country like the the United States of American could ever give the world.

We need fusion power. Let's take pride in the great things this country can achieve and take one more giant leap for mankind.

Kevin Crow

Gardnerville

Construction makes traffic light changes necessary

The new Stewart Street connection to Roop Street has been a wonderful improvement. However, the light at William and Stewart streets needs to be reset. The green light for traffic going east and west for William (Highway 50) is much too long. The traffic that is being diverted from the partial closure of Roop Street is backing up Stewart Street to the north of John Street terribly.

In addition, the light is too short on Stewart Street. It is so short that only a small amount of traffic gets to travel through it, and thus continues the back-up of more autos on Stewart Street north.

So please, whoever is in charge of the lights, come and watch this happen and make the necessary changes so that the traffic flows better.

Pam Perondi

Minden

Ensign, Gibbons: These jokers aren't funny

I had no idea we had a couple of stand-up comedians masquerading as a senator and governor. They could headline a local comedy club with the cover charge helping defray their legal fees. 

John Ensign said the other day that the Democrats and Republicans need to come together to solve the nation's problems.

What a riot this guy is. An eight-year Bush lackey who, along with his entire party, was instrumental in helping cause our current woes, he has been a staunch naysayer to helping fix those same problems. The only thing he has said yes to was his mistress, his very own personal parental bailout, and maybe to cop a plea in the current federal investigation of that sordid affair. 

But the headliner has to be Jim Gibbons. Just the other day he said something about working with the Democrats. This is the same guy who set the record for vetoes, right? Funny stuff - almost as funny as forgetting to apply for stimulus funds for the Maglev project. Maybe he should have been paying attention to his job instead of engaging in extra-curricular activities apart from that job he was elected to do.

But what is hilarious is how he can just keep cutting education funds even though we have zipped on by Alabama and Mississippi and taken on the cellar spot of 50th in the nation in education. Dude, we can't get any worse.

Fellas, please - quit your day job.  

Rick Van Alfen

Carson City