Letters to the Editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

Keep our firefighters safe from additional risk

Shipping containers, unregistered/abandoned automobiles and other junk are hazards to firemen. Several recent fires were made more difficult because junk impeded firefighters from reaching homes. Firefighters should not be put at additional risk by having to fight fires where old automobiles have gasoline in them and produce toxins while burning.

Many people believe that shipping containers make great outbuildings because they are metal, therefore fireproof. Nothing could be further from the truth as is evidenced by firefighters encountering containers in Utah, wildfire areas that exploded because flammable liquids and ammunition was stored inside. Shipping containers are also very ugly as many people don’t even bother to paint them. Please keep our firefighters safe and Pahrump beautiful. Thank you.

Jean Frenette

Convincing scientific data needed on coronavirus

I think Mr. Schinhofen’s article of July 1, “Pandemic requires facts, not fear,” is largely correct. There is a lot we do not know about the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and how to control it.

However, I have a few personal observations about respiratory droplets, like those exhaled when we cough, sneeze or talk, and could carry the virus.

I think some simple observations can lead us to conclude the six foot “social distance” is reasonable. And that wearing a mask can only help. I have a room humidifier which expels a fine mist of water droplets. When I gently blow on this mist from three feet away, it is dispersed. If I blow hard from six feet, there is little or no disturbance. Secondly, the droplets from the humidifier evaporate to water vapor (H20 gas) within three feet from the humidifier. It seems reasonable that the droplets we exhale are of a comparable size to those from the humidifier (about 5 microns, or .0002 in.), since what we see when we exhale into cold air is similar. Assuming exhaled air and droplets move together, I conclude the respiratory droplets will not reach someone more than six feet away, either because they won’t travel that far, or they have evaporated.

Whether the virus can survive drying out (and ‘float’ in the air), and for how long, are questions also tied to whether it can be transmitted by contact with surfaces. I have yet to see any convincing data about this.

Sincerely Yours,

George Tucker

Defunding the police will have less impact on the rich

Interesting to read that Joe Biden, John Legend and Barbra Streisand are backing the defund police department movement. Would someone please tell me the last time any one of these individuals had to call a police officer? They live in gated communities far from the everyday life that most of us experience and have very little, if any contact with the police.

The defunding of the police departments will have the greatest impact on the middle class and the poor.

Tell the above individuals to butt out as they have no business even requesting such a move.

Nancy Bernert

Reader commends columnist for writing standards

Thank you, PVT for printing one of the few truth seekers left in media that still uses the basic journalistic standards of who, what, when, and why in her field without attempting to insert personal bias in her story by framing it or depicting it with a personal slant.

I learned early in life when you hear the word “if” be alert for something that may not be exactly true. Remembering an old saying “if wishes were horses all beggars would ride”, the “if” is central. Once most people get emotionally invested in even things like positions, it becomes very difficult to change, even in the face of glaring facts. A few quotes I try to keep in mind and live by are from people wiser than me. First, Daniel Boorstin: “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it’s the illusion of knowledge.” The next two are credited to Mark Twain: “It is not what we don’t know that gets us into trouble, it’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so that does,” and “It’s easier to fool someone than to convince them they’ve been fooled.”

Thank you, Debra J. Saunders, hope you always remember to bring your “flashlight” to work with fresh “batteries.”

David Jaronik

Could COVID-19 be just the beginning?

With the coronavirus lockdown being so easily implemented upon not only America, but the entire world, one has to wonder about the future. It is my belief that the virus was overstated by experts. An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less. Nearly all the deaths from this virus are not just from catching the virus. They had existing health problems prior to catching the virus. Unfortunately the progressives pounced on this virus to call it a pandemic, which caused unnecessary economic shutdowns of many governments, They saw it an opportunity to undermine our president. It has been stated by a progressive leader that, “We cannot let a good crisis go to waste.” This is a perfect example.

We have seen firsthand how fast our leaders have closed down our economy and restricted our movements and freedoms without regard to putting millions out of work with many businesses never coming back. To think that our system can stem a natural process such as the COVID-19 virus, makes one think of global warming. It is my belief that now that we are living under the control of only a few, without any voting on the issue, their population control will not stop with the virus. The propaganda leaders are claiming we are going to have, “new norms.”

There are so many restrictions now. Remember when a business deal was done with a handshake and children could have a lemonade stand? If you want to start a business it may take a year or more to get the proper permits and at great cost. Now we cannot even get that close to shake someone’s hand. They have even given instructions on how to make love. It is just a matter of time when they push more restrictions for global warming, as they will call it a national emergency and they can pick and choose who and what businesses can continue to operate without regard to people’s livelihoods. They most likely will start with oil and call it a health issue as it ruins our health. They will be taking our gasoline vehicles and restrict travel with them. Electricity may be next as most of it is generated by fossil fuel. Buildings now have installed what they call smart electric meters which can be manipulated from a remote office. I must remind you that no country can exist without oil. Oil wins wars.

If I am right, which I most likely am, watch out, as we have not seen anything yet.

Arnold Breitenbach