Letters to the editor

How should we dispose of nuclear waste?

It’s fair to say that most residents of Nye County are not scientists, nor do the majority of us have the engineering background to fully understand technical details related to storage of nuclear waste. What we might agree on however, is that when knowledgeable people tell us we have nothing to worry about, it may be time to think about packing up or at least dusting off the bunker gear. Consider as well that this issue isn’t limited to the United States. Every country using nuclear power must contend with the by-product. Collectively, that amounts to a lot of irradiated material. On a more positive note, we can be confident that nuclear power plants are relatively safe and are an economical source of electricity. We could probably use more of them.

But the question remains. What method for disposing of radioactive waste will provide reasonable assurance of no future problems? A few what ifs come to mind.

• What if the world’s nuclear powers agreed on a joint effort to lift all radioactive waste off the planet and send it on a collision course toward the largest nuclear generator in the solar system, the Sun?

• What if the venture included constructing a new and technically advanced space shuttle?

• What if expendable cargo platforms were assembled in low Earth orbit to carry nuclear waste on its final journey?

• What if, as a cost-saving measure, the platforms were connected to reusable, remotely controlled propulsion (acceleration) units?

• What if cooperative nations delivered their contaminates to a launch site in the Pacific where it would remain in temporary storage until a designated launch date? Another question. How many launches would be required in any given year to fill an orbiting waste carrier? I’ll leave that to the experts.

Are there any risks? Absolutely. But think about it. The technology exists to do this. And with the cost sharing among nations in a well-managed program, the benefits could be enormous. Of course, getting started is always the toughest part, so here’s a final what if.

What if the White House instructed our UN representative to bring this matter before the General Assembly? That could be the perfect forum in which to arouse interest and get the ball rolling.

Ralph Bazan

Here’s another scam targeting seniors

I would like to inform the seniors of Pahrump that a new scam is here.

They claim to be from Publishers Clearing House saying you won one and a half million and a new car. They ask you to go to Smith’s or Walmart and send a money order for $499.96 to Tammy Greer in Texas.

Luckily we knew something was wrong. I received a call from Verizon telling me I was getting overseas calls from Bermuda.

Please tell the seniors of Pahrump and surrounding area to be aware.

Thanks,

Joe and Kaye Smith