Letters

What about liabilities for nuclear power?

Bryce Johnson wrote in his June 12 letter that those who fear nuclear waste are idiots and that he is baffled by how this fear has run rampant for decades. Let me remind "nuclear safety analyst" Johnson that for decades the nuclear industry has been protected by Congress with extreme limitations on the industry's financial liability for any nuclear disaster.

If the industry won't put its money where Mr. Johnson's mouth is, perhaps the industry is the one perpetrating the hoax about the extent of risk. It is time to educate the public with the truth about "minuscule risks" that the industry has, due to its sweetheart deal with Congress.

Raymond Myers Nashville, Tenn.

Global warming hot air

Ed Hunt's June 12 opinion piece "Is Alaska melting?" is full of half-truths and outright lies. People like Mr. Hunt could do much to reduce hot air and global warming by not opening their mouths until they are sure of their facts.

Jim O'Neil North Pole, Alaska Environmental Consultant

Looking for a few good reporters

Absolutely fascinating story on Mr. Polk ("We need more reporters like George Polk," June 7 opinion). I guess he came from an era when men were men and stood up for their convictions regardless of the cost. We are sorely in need of a few more like him in these trying days. I am really tired of these weenies spoon-feeding me the drivel they want me to know, because they don't think I can handle anything truly substantive. Keep up the good work.

Lynn M. McFadden Bangkok, Thailand

White House recall?

I'm not an American, but isn't it about time the US instituted a system of recall for an inept president, as in the instant case? Clearly, Mr. George W. Bush is an embarrassment to the American people and a risk to the whole world if he stays in office for the rest of his term.

E.J. Diezmo Reno, Nev.

Humane weapons

Those dart-shaped devices in your June 12 story "Israeli 'indiscriminate' use of weapons questioned" are not flachettes, but flechettes (from the French word for "arrow"). They are intended to send a blast of tiny missiles in the direction the shell or rocket is fired, rather than, like a standard fragmentation shell, scatter shrapnel in all directions. Hard to think of them as humane, but compared to ordinary fragmentation rounds, they really are.

Richard H. Eney Hyattsville, Md.

Ungrateful conifers

Regarding your June 19 article "New fire extinguisher: bunchgrass": Bravos for the man who lets the volunteer plants live. His plants and trees are indeed rugged. We once took some "rugged" evergreens from just rock and sand and placed them in rich humus soil, and the ingrates promptly expired.Seems like plants have their own agendas.

Betty Garrison York Olathe, Kan.

Vodka a problem in the US, too

Regarding your June 13 article: "In the land of vodka, a boom in alcohol-free beer": In spite of the image of Russians as heavy vodka drinkers, the US leads the world in per capita vodka consumption.

Andrew Kier Dublin, Ohio

Get thee behind me, TV Guide

Regarding Jeffrey Shaffer's June 15 column "A fake film reviewer? Now that's entertainment!": On modern TV, what isn't fake? It's getting to where you can't even tell the "Father of Lies" without TV Guide anymore.

Mike Muskin Mountain View, Calif.

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(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor

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