Face mask is like an M16: Letters to the editor, Nov. 11, 2020

When a face mask is like an M16 rifle

The coronavirus has now created four times the national deaths in the U.S. as the Vietnam War did in nine years. Off our 600-yard-long block, to protect ourselves, five of us joined the military back then rather than risk the inability to finish college in an uncertain future.

I say to today’s U.S. population, to protect yourselves from the coronavirus you don’t have to give up years of your life. Your mask is your M16! Treat it with respect, keep it clean, wear it like your life depends on it, because it does!

Besides COVID, obesity is major threat

It is interesting, even puzzling, why one cause of sickness and even death has caused the United States to close down restaurants, churches, schools etc. and so readily ignore the other major health crisis facing adults, adolescents, and even children in our country.

Yes, I'm talking abut obesity. More than 70 million men, women and children — fat, overweight women, men and children. It is now a known and a published fact that major diseases that lead to serious health problems and even death are directly associated with being obese. Heart problems, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, sleep apnea and some forms of cancer. Even in this COVID pandemic, obese individuals are affected more severely if they get the virus.

So, my question: Where are the national health professionals, doctors and political leaders? Where is the weekly national news coverage of the numbers of people who are obese and died? We know that losing weight is difficult, diets are hard to stay on, success is rare. No problem, another new weight-loss program will be on the market soon. And so it goes.

Time to use hydrogen for power

As a 30-year electrical utility worker, I can say that the way to the “Star Trek” future we all want is through a hydrogen (H2) economy.

H2 blends with natural gas at 10% to 15% are proven safe. These low blends require no costly user equipment modification. By using blending, the existing gas transportation and storage network provides enormous H2 storage at essentially zero up-front cost. Off-peak solar and wind energy can be directed here, stabilizing the grid and stimulating the renewable energy market. The hardware to convert excess renewable electricity to H2 is commercially available. The overall process is known as power to gas (P2G).

The obstacle is resistance by gas and electric utilities to cooperate and modify their present business models. Replacing some gas with locally sourced H2 reduces gas sales. Producing more in-state power reduces power importation, adversely affecting electrical utility capital spending returns on infrastructure and power wheeling fees.

The governor can make this happen, but won’t unless there is a groundswell of request for P2G projects. Their primary source of guidance seems to be from industry, which is happy with the status quo. Write to Newsome and demand P2G projects.

Missing Alex Trebek so much

America won on Saturday and lost on Sunday. We gained some hope yet lost much more. The malignant growth and downward spiral that is the dumbing down of our people.

Alex Trebek is a loss so great — it is incalculable. He took us to school every day, firmly and gently. The gold standard that is “a man amongst men.”

I am heartbroken and weep at his loss — for America.

This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Face mask is like an M16: Letters to the editor, Nov. 11, 2020."