1% disaster rate is far too high

5/21/2009

In regard to "Rethinking nuclear power," I was disappointed to see such a pro-nuclear editorial and I was particularly stumped by the "barring a disaster" line.

Barring a disaster? That reasoning is like promoting war by saying it only kills people when they're fighting.

The most expensive, human-created disaster in all of human history was Chernobyl.

Three Mile Island did melt down, and aside from the hundreds of billions of dollars that taxpayers had to fork over to try and clean it up, good science on just how many people suffered and died from that disaster is hard to come by.

In any case, one meltdown out of just over 100 nuke plants in the United States still affords the industry a 1 percent catastrophe rate, much too high for any industry by anyone's standards.

Susan Dancer

Blessing,Texas

Unlike columnist Marilou Johanek, I no longer have children in the educational system. Like Ms. Johanek, I'm a taxpayer who voted in favor of a school levy that failed.

My first thought is that I'm missing something. Set aside for now education's potentially more significant, if less quantifiable, individual, and societal dimensions and its enhancement of quality of personal development.

Those aside, it seems to me there's also a link between education and financial benefit.

Speaking generally, better education equals better earnings equals better tax income equals better education, and so on in a benevolent cycle.

If this is so, then one good thing I can do to ease my tax burden and that of coming generations is to tax myself now for education.

But if I dwell on it, the melancholy thought occurs that there may be a short-sighted and self-destructive element of selfishness in the refusal to invest now in our one sure investment, namely, education.

Bob Versteeg

Bowling Green

Regarding Jack Kelly's column, "The strong arm of no law," the President and his staff understand something he obviously does not, which is that if Chrysler or General Motors end up liquidating, the loss to our economy could be catastrophic. I am sure in better times normal bankruptcy would have been the outcome.

But at this time, we could go over the edge from recession into depression, and I can tell you from my own history that anyone who has lost a job is already in a depression.

It amazes me the double standard people have for white and blue collar workers.

How do you justify allowing bankers and Wall Street to get millions in pay increases because it is "contractual," and we autoworkers have to reopen our contracts and give up not only wages and benefits, but also about 50,000 jobs?

And let us not forget who started the wave of our economic tsunami in the first place: the greedy bankers and Wall Street.

How do you assume the UAW ran these companies into the ground when labor costs are only 10 percent of the cost of a vehicle? Our own government has to share some of the blame with unfair trade rules. The huge trade deficit should be some clue. The UAW will have a 55 percent stake in the new Chrysler, but it will not be running the company.

It is a very shaky deal and could very well end up 55 percent of nothing.

With one newspaper after another folding up their last copies, I am sure you are worried about your own future.

The UAW would never want anyone to lose their jobs, benefits, or retirement. I wish I could say the same for you.

Tom Strausbaugh

Pemberville

While I commend President Obama for addressing America's ongoing health care debacle, I shudder at the method that is transpiring to fix our system.

It has taken years for health care to reach the level of dysfunction we are experiencing and it will not go away because employers, insurance companies, and hospitals promise to cut costs.

America's health-care expense essentially stems from cultural and moral behaviors and beliefs that we, as a country, are not willing to address.

Health care is a responsibility of each individual, not a constitutional right, and until the leaders of our nation have the courage to speak this truth, the cost of health care will continue to increase.

Western medicine tends to treat conditions after they've appeared, not offering funds for preventive medicine. This needs to change if we are to decrease health-care expense. Americans do not know how to deal with our fast-paced, dog-eat-dog society and now suffer more from anxiety and depression, contributing to some of the poor self-care behaviors we demonstrate.

Our system cannot be overhauled unless each and every individual understands health is not something we get out of a cereal box; health is a way of life that we choose for ourselves and teach our children. Health includes our mind and spirit, along with the body.

Our health is not dependent on advanced technology, which diagnoses and treats, but is dependent upon how we treat ourselves.

Until we understand the need to change the health-care paradigm, we will continue to fail, no matter the funds given to or taken from the system.

Jackie Lanham

Eversham Court

I found myself captivated by the May 7 House Appropriations Committee session televised on C-Span.

I almost jumped through the screen when Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) voted no on freezing funds that may get used to help relocate Guantanamo detainees into our nation's cities, towns, and villages. In essence, she's saying she doesn't mind having America's enemies in our back yards.

Later, she redeemed herself by scolding the committee chairman and a smarmy representative for their partisan bickering, and then suggested that the border security amendment they were debating should contain money for cities around the nation to enhance or retain their police forces.

Her emotion was apparent when she told the chamber of the recent Toledo murders and the imminent police layoffs. She obviously cares deeply for her district.

What I don't understand is how Ms. Kaptur can ask for money for her police force so the streets can stay safe, right after she votes against a move that would keep terrorists out of our communities.

Denny Casey

Findlay

I do like Kirk's May 10 cartoon on the University of Toledo point-shaving scandal, allegedly by six players.

However, I agree more with Dave Hackenberg's column that "the worst isn't over" in the embarrassing debacle for the UT athletic department.

I'm wondering when Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans are going to pop up because the investigation by the FBI is beginning to have a resemblance to the movie The Last Boy Scout.

Edwin John Marok

Kenwood Boulevard

Could it possibly be that Carty has finally found his life s calling?

I hope he is much better at mowing grass than he is at being mayor of Toledo!

Sue Alheim

McGregor Lane