Let's focus on the planet we inhabit: Letters, June 17, 2017

opinion

Knoxville News Sentinel

Published 10:00 p.m. UTC Jun 17, 2018

Let's focus on the planet we inhabit

I could not disagree more with Glenn Reynold’s opinion that we should be thankful for Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk focusing their mega-wealth on their space toys.

While the concerns that he expresses are valid, the proposed solutions are bogus. First and foremost, it does not make sense to assume that there is no chance of solving the problems that he thinks will bring about the demise of the human race. It makes a lot of sense, and is infinitely more cost beneficial, to put a lot more emphasis on attempting to solve or at least greatly ameliorate those problems. Mutually assured destruction pretty much ensures that no one except a suicidal psychopath would push a button unleashing nuclear winter.

As someone who has worked in engineering on very large, complex power plant projects for many years and who has known people who worked on various NASA projects, it is almost inconceivable to imagine that there could be a way to ensure safe, cost-effective, sustainable space travel. Accidents and too many near misses in both areas are clear evidence of that. The fact that we have not been visited by alien beings is pretty clear evidence of the enormous complexity of space travel.

And as Stephen Hawking said, we don’t want to visit or be visited by entities from other planets because it would be much the same as when Europeans came to North America. We, just like the Native Americans were, would be devastated by diseases that we have no immunity for.

The reality is that there is only one planet that is known to support intelligent life. It has taken millions of years of evolution to arrive at this point.

We need to do everything humanly possible to ensure our — and the planet's — continued existence.

Robert Christiansen, Knoxville

Some need opioids to manage pain

I'm tired of hearing about the opioid epidemic all the time. I am a veteran. I had an accident three years ago, and I'm now in constant pain. My pain was managed with opioids until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published new guidelines and my prescriptions were cut in half. I've tried other drugs with no success. I don't sell drugs, nor do I abuse them. I take them as prescribed. The baby has been thrown out with the bath water. Get the illegal users, but not the ones who are legal and need them for legitimate pain.

Joseph Corbell, Knoxville

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