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Turkey quake reminds
of Diablo Canyon danger
California, and the nation, face a catastrophe that would make the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Turkey and Syria look like pocket change. As Diablo Canyon’s senior safety inspector said, the plant should have been shut down years ago due to a faulty licensing process. Crucial seismic data was disregarded, and this data would have indicated the plant is vulnerable to a strong earthquake.
A structural collapse at Diablo Canyon could result in a radioactive plume extending over the Central Valley and into the Los Angeles air basin. Then the loss of life and the growing capacity of the Central Valley would make California a ghost state. Why take a chance? And don’t give me “there are backup systems.” Yes, but backup systems fail.
The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant should be closed yesterday. Think of Turkey and Syria.
Larry Dorshkind
Redwood City
A new name for
the Colorado River
Thank you for including Joe Mathews’ “Why it’s time to rename the Colorado River” column from Zócalo Public Square in your “Other Views” column of the Feb. 12 edition of the East Bay Times (Page A9).
Other rivers have name changes, and so can this one. It’s the Colorado River in Colorado. In California, it could be the Colorca River with the phonetic emphasis on “lor.” This retains its Spanish root, “color,” and adds the postal abbreviation California for geographic specificity.
The sound of the word Colorca is sympatico with the musical sounds and imagery of moving water. Colorca uses one less letter allowing for a seamless fit through varying applications such as road signs, digital and print. Also, seven characters instead of eight saves time and ink by eliminating one wee possibility for a typographical error.
Jo Liana King
Albany
Abortion pill suit
pushing us backward
On Feb. 11, I read that the Alliance Defending Freedom is suing in federal court to prevent abortion pills from being delivered anywhere in the United States (“Abortion pill could be pulled off market by lawsuit,” Page A4).
Since they were not elected or voted for by every state in the union, how dare they call themselves defenders of freedom. That smacks of placing themselves above the U.S. government.
What will they want to impose on the rest of the country next? Chastity belts?]
Dorothy Miller
Pittsburg
Political divisions are
keeping Americans apart
One wonders when Republicans became the only decent, hard-working Americans, and Democrats became a woke mob.
Rhetoric about Democrats teaching children to hate, derogatory language being written into textbooks, rituals and false idols add to the hate and mistrust between Republican and Democrat families and friends who just want to live together in peace and harmony. The only rituals I practice are saying the Pledge of Allegiance, saluting the flag and following my church’s rituals.
Why is there such a strong and fearful reaction to CRT? Nobody should be opposed to exploring systemic racism as part of American society.
If you and I met on a park bench wouldn’t we be able to have a pleasant, friendly conversation about family and common interests? It used to be possible. It can be possible again.
Kathryn Saunders-Wood
Pinole
Congress should bring
back Child Tax Credit
To the detriment of millions of struggling families, Congress still has not expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC).
In 2021, the CTC was expanded to include all low-income children, and child poverty dropped an astounding 46%. I saw that in my own family when I was able to pay for child care and purchase groceries without relying solely on the nearby food pantry. Sadly, at the end of last year, senators let the expansion expire, dramatically increasing child poverty.
With families still struggling to make ends meet, it is unconscionable that Congress would let millions of children grow up in poverty, especially considering that this issue is being supported by both sides of the aisle, something rare in Congress these days. I urge Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla to become champions of anti-poverty legislation by reaching out to fellow senators and gathering unwavering support for full reinstatement of the CTC.
Sarah Izabel
Stanford
Fox broadcast fails
Black History Month
It is Black History Month, and both quarterbacks in the Super Bowl were Black. In the NFL, more than half of the players on the field are Black. But Fox Sports Network chose to have only white broadcasters for the Super Bowl, two in the booth and two on the sidelines.
What’s up with that? One wonders who at Fox Sports Network would make such a decision.
George Fulmore
Emeryville
Source: www.mercurynews.com