Energy issues critical to our future

The recent commentary in Forum on nuclear power deserves some rebuttal, although much was correct. The author, Noah Smith from Bloomberg News, reported that fear about the safety of nuclear power should be “a much smaller part than most people realize” and that: “countries are getting better at burying their nuclear waste.” Also: “compared with fossil fuels … nuclear looks downright clean.” All correct. Smith’s chief objection to nuclear power is cost.

Again he is correct in principle — nuclear power does require very high upfront cost compared to other non-carbon sources, such as solar and wind power; however, that is not the only consideration that matters.

Nuclear plants can operate safely for 40 or more years, and the fuel costs are relatively modest. Also, Smith neglected to discuss the difference between peak load and base load power sources, and he glossed over the critical problem of energy storage. Peak load refers to times of major need for electricity (e.g. hot summer days in Georgia), whereas base load is the necessary continuous electricity supply (including overnight and weekends). Solar and wind energy can supply peak load under the right conditions, but are obviously unreliable for base load. Given the leading alternatives in Georgia (gas, oil, coal), only nuclear power currently provides carbon-free base- and peak-load electricity.

Also, the matter of energy storage is crucial. We can and should generate massive amounts of electricity with modern solar panels. But our options for storing the excess are limited: no battery or other systems to date can store even a small fraction of the power we need to run our society.

All aware scientists and environmentalists agree that continuing to burn carbon fuels is a great danger. Many recognize that a modern fuel mix should include nuclear power along with solar and wind sources.

Exciting times

A gentleman wrote in complaining he was "not impressed" with CSU Uptown and how he longed for the days of 1950s. Really?

How about the 1920s, when parking was awful on Broad Street and no air conditioning? Or horse and buggy days when you had to clean up horse dung? The 1980s were not so great either downtown. We now have three parking garages. I park my car a few blocks away and walk downtown. It won't hurt me to do some walking!

The gentleman also complained about the Ledger-Enquirer and that is was better having two papers. I suggest getting a copy of "The Saber." This is our CSU campus magazine. It's free and it is filled with human interest stories around the country on campus and in our community. I enjoy reading about student individuals and their goals; one now is an entrepreneur on Broad Street with his own business. Scott Berson is the Editor-In-Chief. He is very articulate and he seems to hit just the right tone and felling in our community and on campus. I would match Scott Berson with any editor in any paper at any time.

I look forward to 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, when all the storefronts in Uptown Columbus will be occupied. I enjoy working at CSU and try to go downtown and take advantage of the CSU student theatre, restaurants and all it has to offer. If I may, what we really need is a soda-fountain pharmacy and a small grocery store. But please, no Super-Centers!

Get over it

In 1992, the band R.E.M recorded the song titled "Everybody Hurts." In today's world, "everybody hacks." Russia ,and others, hack us and we hack them. It's not unknown that this goes on. So, why the pompous posturing as if we are not just as guilty?

As for whether the leaked information played a part in Clinton's loss, it is reasonable to assume that when the public became aware of Clinton's repeated lying, Debbie Shultz's racism, the dirty deal Bernie got and the sheer incompetence of the DNC, they were swayed away from her.

Assange said, in an interview with Hannity, that not Russia, nor any state, gave him the information he posted. Nor has the U.S. intelligence committee even said he got it from Russia. More to the point, no one has refuted the truth of what Assange posted, for it all came straight off Clinton's, Podesta's, Weiner's and the DNC's computers, verbatim.

Russia, apparently, according to the FBI, tried to breach the Republicans’ computers, but were foiled by better security. The FBI informed the DNC that they were being hacked, but the Democrats did absolutely nothing to thwart it. Serves them right; the public got to see the corruption in the Democratic Party.

But why are we beating the war drums against Russia interfering in our elections when we do the same thing? Since WW2, according to Wikileaks, the USA has attempted to overthrow regimes in 57 countries and were successful in 35, the last being the duly elected president of the Ukraine.

CNBC commentator John Harwood, polled the internet with the question "Who do you believe America" This liberal collected 84,115 replies … 83% believed Wikileaks, and 17% believed the US Intelligence committee.

Goes to show you that you can't fool all the people all the time.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Energy issues critical to our future."