Letters to the editor Nov. 20

Bighorns added

another exciting

element in Nevada

I need to take issue with Martin Griffith's statement in his article that wild-horse advocates are critical of the bighorn sheep reintroduction.

While a couple of individuals have gotten themselves upset, we have looked at the Nevada Department of Wildlife's science and planning and consider the reintroduction to be of great benefit to our area.

There may eventually be some bighorn hunting allowed, however, there will likely be one or two tags issued as compared with 40-70 deer tags issued each season. The additional hunting impact is negligible.

NDOW's forage assessment concluded that there is more than enough forage for all the animals up there, including the horses and reintroduced sheep.

The one issue of concern was water. Horses and sheep do compete over limited water sources. NDOW installed two guzzlers designed specifically for the sheep, and another group has and will continue to provide water for the horses. Most of the costs associated with the bighorn reintroductions have been borne by such sources as private wildlife and bighorn interest groups, not by the taxpayers.

For outdoor enthusiasts who like to view horses and other wildlife, the bighorns will provide yet another exciting element in Nevada's outdoor adventure experience.

So what's not to like?

Willis Lamm,

communications officer

Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates

Western Nevada College class should be canceled

I note with great anger your Nov. 6 article regarding the Western Nevada College course on sexuality.

I have called both President Carol Lucey and attorney Mark Ghan and had to leave a voicemail message expressing my vehement objection of our tax dollars being spent on this course, which fails to enhance the students' education for the purpose of finding gainful employment.

The sign held by an "Occupy" protester, stating, "$96,000 for a BA in Hispanic Transgender Gay & Lesbian studies, and I can't find work," says it all.

Can anyone please tell me how writing about your sexual experience and requiring the students to masturbate and write about that will enhance the students' employment skills?

I demand that the WNC sexuality course be canceled. I don't care what is done elsewhere - let the students go there at their taxpayers' expense. Any further such class must not offer a college credit or receive a single tax dollar for salary expenses, and must pay charges for any college space and/or utilities, supplies, etc.

Please continue your investigation and do followups on the results of the community's response and the college's actions. The taxpayers deserve the information.

Thanks for your investigative work.

Stuart L. Posselt

Minden

Where do Sen. Reid's interests lie in nuclear power debate?

I recall that a month or two ago, our U.S. Sen. Harry Reid dismissed the idea of having cheap, safe and clean nuclear power generated in Nevada for Nevadans. His reason was that the high water usage in dry Nevada was unrealistic.

That would have been true even 10 years ago. However, modern nuclear plants use similar amounts of water for cooling purposes as do coal-fired plants. That large water usage for cooking is old hat now that new technology in pebble bed/helium cooling is a safe proven replacement for water.

In light of the new technology, should we believe that Harry is a slow learner or that he is techo-illiterate? Harry is neither slow nor illiterate. Instead, Harry plays to Luddites and those with unreasoned fears which emanate from myth, propaganda from both.

Was there a hidden reason for Harry to dismiss nuclear-fired power for Nevada in light of these scientific advances in cooling? Or do Harry's family or friends own an interest in manufacturing companies which produce solar power and wind generators, which are costly and uneconomical for mass producing electric power?

If the Obama-Reid-Gore Green Power systems are mass installed in Nevada, they would increase our monthly power bills by double or triple, without taking inflation into consideration. In Southern Nevada, the power costs could rise to four or five times higher than current rates because of the great demand for home and business cooling, the lifeblood of Southern Nevada.

Thomas F. Jefferson

Elko

Smart Meters

invade on privacy

I contacted NV Energy about their installation of Smart Meters and was told they are doing that now, and will complete it in 2012. I'm told that these meters will collect information about me that will be sold to commercial firms without my permission.

I consider this is an invasion of my privacy. I think you owe the citizens an explanation of why/how you justify or allowed this, and how a citizen can obtain exemption from this.

If you're not aware of this, you can research it at http://goldsilver.

com/video/smart meters/.

Dan Knott

Dayton

Representatives aren't voting in our best interest

Let's watch our congresspersons' votes more closely.

Please publish the Yes or No votes of our representatives in Congress. How did they vote on the recent jobs bill? It doesn't seem like all our representatives are voting in our best interests.

Nevadans need more jobs now. Don't the majority of Nevadans want a spur to our economy?

I would like to see printed in the Nevada Appeal the way each of my representatives votes regarding these bills.

Dianne Williams

Carson City