Letter: Willcox data center's massive power demand raises questions

The description of the proposed "massive data center" near the Willcox Playa states that it would demand more than 6 gigawatts (GW) of power to function when completed. When I was younger, I worked at Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington State. The total power output from the generators at Grand Coulee is approximately 6.81 GW. Tucson Electric Power projected peak demand of approximately 2.5 GW in 2026. That means the proposed data center could require more than twice the peak electricity demand of TEP’s service territory. So, I wonder what benefits we would receive from a data center requiring such an enormous amount of electricity.

Alan Roehl, P.E.

Green Valley

Does TPD have any respect for streetcars?

While coming home on a streetcar, we were stopped for half an hour because the police had two of their vehicles parked on the tracks while dealing with an issue at the old hotel building being renovated in Downtown. Are they blind about the tracks in the street and the whole tram right behind them? Or do they not care about making people wait to get home or get to work? SunLink needs more authority to make the police move when they clearly don't need to be there.

Ryland Plassmann

Midtown

A new MAGA meaning

Last Tuesday's election validates the fact that there are still more of us who are the antithesis of the vile and anti-American traits witnessed in most Trumpian MAGA cultists. And there are still more of us who are clued into facts and reality than those who revel in their ignorance and are euphemistically referred to as "low information voters."

Maybe now, with reinvigorated feelings of relief and hope, we could appropriate MAGA's catchphrase and really make America great again.

Angela Muto

SaddleBrooke

Principles

Frank Hartline’s Nov. 1 op-ed about why he hasn’t left the Republican party, despite the party losing its way, was excellent.

Thomas E. Ricks, in his book “First Principles,” emphasized restoring principles. He used a partial quote from a letter George Washington wrote to James Warren in March 1779.

“Our conflict is not likely to cease so soon as every good man would wish. The measure of inequity is not yet filled — and unless we can return a little more to first principles, and act a little more upon patriotic ground, I do not know when it will — or — what may be the issue of the contest — speculation — peculation — engrossing —forestalling — with all their concomitants, afford too many melancholy proofs of the decay of public virtue; and too glaring instances of its being the interest and desire of too many, who would wish to be thought friends, to continue the war.”

If cooler heads prevail, we as a nation can be governed for the benefit of all. Let go of the vendettas.

Gerald Schwartz LCDR USN(Ret)

Foothills

‘The Wages of War’

The 1996 video game of that same name wasn't re-released. But its innards are on full display in Iran: the devastating cost of the business of battle. Heavily redacted and sanitized versions of our war are reported nightly on oligarch-filtered and controlled media, so here’s a teeny tiny tidbit of un-sanitized news you’re not getting. Our modern warfare uses Reaper drones costing tens of millions of dollars each, flying at a cost of thousands of dollars an hour, firing missiles costing more than $100,000 each — to kill people.

Those are the abominable wages of this inexcusable war.

Rick Rappaport

Oro Valley

Biggs: Without merit, without manners

On election eve, it became evident early in the evening that voters had soundly rejected Andy Biggs in his bid to become Arizona governor. Voters overwhelmingly chose Katie Hobbs to continue her leadership in leading our state as governor. When the race was called at 8:30 p.m., Biggs did not show any simple manners or civility by acknowledging Hobbs and her victory, nor did he concede. That is the mark of a lesser man; definitely not the qualities of a leader. According to the Star, he spoke to the crowd for a few minutes without mentioning Hobbs, then left the stage surrounded by armed members of the Arizona Rangers and sequestered himself. In my opinion, the Arizona Rangers are nothing more than a right-wing armed militia. That should alarm us all. Is this important in the greater scheme of things? Probably not, but it does show how important it is for political parties to nominate quality candidates for public office.

Jeanne Herstad

SaddleBrooke

Dems didn’t win — Americans did

Just as MAGA were not Republicans, voters of all political persuasions repudiated President Trump and his vile destruction of all we stand for as a decent country. The midterms were our first opportunity to tell him and the world we are still a democracy and will do our Constitutional duty.

We cannot wait until January. Republicans in Congress must shake off the evil spell they have been under and join with Democrats to undo the harm he has done and will continue to do if not stopped. Return to your conservative values. You no longer need to do his bidding.

Start with no funds for the arch, pass legislation like President Reagan did, providing a pathway to legal status for nearly 3 million undocumented immigrants in the 1980s, etc.

Jack Walters

Northeast side

Circular firing squads

On the eve of their greatest victory in decades, the Democrats are already discussing firing party leadership. Their failure? Not having produced this victory sooner. Or perhaps a failure to be as rhetorically debased as the opposition.

How soon we forget who the actual enemy is.

A few points:

1) The midterm results are a repudiation of President Donald Trump and his regime. It is not a sudden turn to progressive ideology.

2) Registered Democrats are less than one-third of eligible voters. It’s my opinion that the broad public does not trust progressives, and we have to avoid overreaching.

3) Yes, our policies regarding Israel need radical change. But skillful means are required here — not hot-headed rhetoric and lynchings of our own team.

4) As Bismarck famously observed: “Politics is the art of the possible.” Experience and incumbency have value, and defrocking our leadership may be emotionally gratifying in the short term, but it weakens us in the long term.

Must we always be our own worst enemy?

Larry DeWitt

Northeast side

UA 29, TCU 28

It took guts for University of Arizona coach Brent Brennan to go with a pooch kick, which helped propel the Cats to an amazing last-minute win over TCU. That pooch kick was a big punch to TCU. How about we combine the punch to TCU and the guts it took to make the pooch kick call into a gut punch. But wait! Isn't it really the gut pooch?!

Woody Marshall

West side

What Veterans Day means

Patriotism takes many forms, from the outwardly mundane to the extraordinary. It’s the simple act of saluting the flag at Veterans Day parades. It’s the determination to wait for hours in long lines to vote. This is what we saw last Tuesday and what can save our democracy from authoritarianism. But at its essence, patriotism is courage.

It’s the courage to put on the uniform and serve many months in distant lands, away from home and family while living in miserable conditions. It’s the strength to face times of sheer terror and the stamina to endure seemingly interminable periods of boredom.

Patriotism is the fortitude to speak out when the government takes actions that are in diametric opposition to the cherished principles of our Constitution. This is particularly true when it’s unpopular to do so.

It’s the courage and wisdom to rise above political ideology and get involved whenever your country needs help.

Dan Gipple

Southeast sid