Letters: New solutions needed for rural broadband; Fusion will save us

New solutions needed for rural broadband

A lobbyist for the telcos that provide rural PA’s landline and internet connections (Steven J. Samara, June 29) argues that the telcos are doing a good job, and that subsidies given to other companies for improving service are in danger of being “frittered away.” Samara begins by deflecting — pointing out the cases where the opposing viewpoint is incorrect (some farmers have 1 Gbit fiber connections!), while ignoring the cases where it is correct (most farmers’ connections are much closer to 1 Mbit than 1 Gbit). Well, let’s bring the discussion back to the cases where internet connections are still locked into the 2-3 Mbit regime — the reality many rural Verizon customers, including those along our road, live with. Verizon has no interest in improving rural landline/DSL service. The real money is elsewhere; rural areas are a nagging, dead-end responsibility. For their threadbare service, Verizon charges rural customers $105/month. Yet Samara pretends to be worried about wasted money? That $105/month cost is the result of no competition (and a pliant utilities commission in Harrisburg). Verizon is milking their rural customers for all the money they can get, hoping they will give up and drop their landlines. Things will never improve unless someone subsidizes a different company to do better. Subsidizing improvements to internet service in rural areas is, after all, the point of the Rural Broadband initiatives. Verizon has had many years to act; it’s time to let someone else actually do the job.

Fusion will save us

Lately there’s more positive discussion about the future of nuclear power. It should be established fact that only fusion can solve human desire for unlimited energy while maintaining a clean environment. And until fusion is fully scaled, new safer fission reactors fit the bill.

Fusion, where light weight atoms combine, uses a fuel source at the other end of the atomic spectrum from current nuclear-powered fission. Specifically, atomic number 1, hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium. These are readily available, clean, and would come mostly from seawater.

Fission, where heavy atoms are split, on the other hand uses mostly atomic number 92, uranium, as its fuel source. The waste is still an issue, but the scientific community is getting closer to a solution there as well.

Fossil fuels are not good for our environment as they produce carbon dioxide when converted to energy.

And unfortunately, renewables cannot bridge the gap right now. They still only make up a single digit percentage of our needs. Plus, current renewables are far from perfectly green and they pollute the landscape.

The global community should make fusion our highest priority. And in the meantime, new fission reactors should be brought online rapidly.

All the arguing over renewable versus carbon sources could be a thing of the past in a matter of years.

While drastically increased energy prices have hurt our most vulnerable, the dialogue this hardship has caused is exciting and could lead us to a greener earth.

Why support the GOP?

Would a Republican please explain to me why he or she maintains that party affiliation?

I am asking because I truly wish to know why anyone would support a political party that opposes women’s rights over their own bodies for abortions (even after rape or incest), opposes actions to address climate change, opposes the rights of gay people (including same-sex marriage), opposes common sense gun regulation to address mass murders, opposes government financial support for child care, opposes government-provided health insurance, opposes government support for eldercare, opposes affirmative action, opposes tax increases for the ultra-rich, opposes regulations meant to protect workers’ health and safety in workplaces, and opposes other social programs to support average taxpayers, but pretends to care about veterans, and so much more?

It is far easier to point to what Republicans oppose than it is to clarify exactly what they support. From what I see, the current Republican Party seems to attract sociopaths who care only about themselves.

Could someone please provide concrete examples of what the Republican Party is doing to create a better world, and why, given their war on science, women and democracy, anyone could support such a political party?

I honestly wish to know.