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Saving species isn’t
always possible
Re. “Tiny fish hindering water capture,” Page A1, Jan. 14:
Good to see the East Bay Times recognizing that efforts of environmentalists to protect the Delta smelt were keeping the state from capturing much of the run-off from the recent rains.
First, a better way may need to be found to protect the Delta smelt. But, more deeply, I question the common assumption of environmentalists that preventing extinctions must always be our top priority. After all, doesn’t evolution say that extinctions are inevitable? Thus, preventing them could be seen as an interference with nature.
As someone who believes God gave us dominion over the natural world, I support efforts to keep species from disappearing, though this won’t always be possible.
Christopher Andrus
Dublin
It’s ludicrous
to fear a gas stove
Regarding “Should you worry about your gas stove?” (Page A13, Jan. 15). The idea that our gas stove, or water heater, is killing us is the most ludicrous thing ever.
Let’s see, both my grandmothers lived to 92 years, and never got asthma. I’ve been around gas stoves my whole life (65 years), as have my wife, four kids, six grandkids, my parents (RIP), no asthma. My only problem with a stove was when I was 8 and we lived in an apartment while their house was in escrow. I put my hand on an electric stove burner to look in a cabinet, and that burner was on, which I did not know. It left a very nice set of “rings” on my palm.
We’ll keep our gas stove and water heater. And when the power goes off, we’ll be able to cook and have hot water.
Rocky Fort
San Lorenzo
Keep a wary eye
on players at Davos
The recent articles on Davos (“Climate, war on tap at Davos forum,” Page C7, Jan. 17 and “In Davos, China says it’s open for business,” Page C7, Jan. 18) give the participants too much credit and do not expose the hypocrisy of the meetings.
The elites that go to Davos do not have our best interests in mind. As they did with old-time Hollywood royalty, the media treat the World Economic Forum as some righteous congregation of all-knowing, wonderfully altruistic semi-saints. When in reality, they are super-rich elites and world powers that are just pursuing their own selfish interests.
They couldn’t care less about the earth, the average man or mankind in general. Their only goal is to figure and plot, and implement their next scheme to make themselves rich and powerful at our expense.
We should not give them any credence, credit or praise. We should fear them, expose them for what they are and resist their plans to exploit us.
Jay Todesco
Concord
We shouldn’t default
to defending Biden
Regarding President Joe Biden’s wrongful possession of classified documents, the focus should not be on comparing his actions to Donald Trump’s. To do so is an attempt to defend Biden.
Biden’s possession of classified documents in his home and office was wrong. And he had no ability to declassify them. Turning them over to National Archives after years of wrongful possession does not make it right. Maybe we should have photographs of the classified documents he had like the DOJ did at Mar-a-Lago.
We should be mindful of the media’s bias against Trump and have an open mind so that Biden isn’t automatically defended for his questionable conduct.
Douglas Abbott
Union City
Pressure Congress
to tax rich, business
Once again, the Republicans in Congress are talking about closing the budget deficit by going after those who can least afford it. Can you afford to get less money from Social Security? They are also saying that if money is spent on “X,” they have to cut spending elsewhere. And, guess where those cuts will be made. They act like these are the only ways to close the deficit.
In the wealthiest country in the world, one would think the money could come from some other source, perhaps from corporations that have loopholes or maybe from the billionaire class.
Wake up America. The time to get money from American corporations and from the billionaire class is way overdue.
Contact members of Congress who represent you to make your feelings known. They won’t act until there is sufficient public pressure.
Belinda Neuman
Pleasant Hill
Source: www.mercurynews.com