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Climate change
physics are settled
Jon Rego is right that weather can be unpredictable (“Predicting climate change isn’t settled science,” Page A6, Jan. 17), but he misunderstands climate. Think of walking your dog: She always scurries from one side of the path to the other, sometimes darts ahead and other times lingers over some great smell. You cannot anticipate where she will be relative to you at any moment, but you know that, as you move down the path, your leash will keep her with you.
The dog is the weather; you are the climate. Like your dog, the weather varies, sometimes unpredictably so. But like you, the climate is on a steady path. Greenhouse gases are the “leash” that leads our atmosphere to ever hotter temperatures, in spite of occasional deviations along the path. Contrary to what Mr. Rego asserts, the physics behind that are well understood and settled.
Irmgard Flaschka
Newark
Climate change fanatics
exacerbate water issues
Re. “John Steinbeck, storms and state water challenges,” Page A12, Jan. 15:
If it rains too much or not enough, it’s climate change. If it’s too hot or too cold, it’s climate change. We can’t win, because the scientists being funded by the $22 billion in green grants are justifying their pay.
As for water, the all-important smelt takes precedence over Central Valley residents and farmers. Once again, environmentalists put the welfare of human beings second to preserving insignificant wildlife. Sure, Chinook salmon are not in that category, but salmon is available in other parts of the state. And smelt? Please.
Nice going, myopic fanatics.
Richard Moore
Oakland
Justice reform isn’t
coddling criminals
In response to the letter about “coddling criminals” (“Alameda County DA is coddling criminals,” Page A6, Jan. 17), there’s nothing wrong with social justice and justice reform.
I have been in prison for 28 years with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. I am now at Santa Rita Jail on a resentencing petition, and I am begging Pamela Price to review my case. I have been in prison for 28 years for crimes that happened when I was 18 and 19 years old. Justice can have mercy and compassion. We all deserve a second chance, and there’s nothing wrong with justice being fair and equal to all people.
You can still have justice with equal opportunity and not be soft on crime.
John Crosthwaite
Dublin
Apply tax refunds
to those who need it
I checked my bank account today and there it was: a $500 middle class tax refund.
I do not need this money and will donate it to a charity of my choice. This money should have been sent to those directly impacted by high inflation and gas prices (taxi, truck and rideshare drivers and the like). A part of this $9.6 billion should have been used to address homelessness in our state.
This seems like another ploy to gather votes in the next election.
Farhad Aflatooni
Danville
Source: www.mercurynews.com