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Government must pony
up for crumbling roads
I am reaching out regarding a major issue I’ve noticed around our city. The roads we drive on have been progressively getting worse, specifically Highway 101.
I have been commuting to Palo Alto five days a week for over a year now and can confidently say they have only gone downhill. I’ve seen first-hand accidents occur because a vehicle hit a pothole and swerved into the other lane. There are enormous potholes and bumps going over 101 north near the NASA base that force all cars to slow down and even have the whole car shake.
We pay a good amount of money in taxes and I hope in time the government will put some money into these roads to help prevent future accidents and costly maintenance for drivers due to the messed up roads.
Pujit Singh
San Jose
Pressure Stanford on
fossil fuel investments
Re: “Fossil fuel money undermines Stanford’s sustainability school” (Page A8, May 12).
350 Silicon Valley strongly supports the recent op-ed calling for Stanford to cut ties with fossil fuel corporations. Accepting funds from companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil directly contradicts the Doerr School of Sustainability’s mission to address environmental and racial injustices.
While 350 Silicon Valley educates our communities and advocates for decarbonization in the Bay Area, the fossil fuel industry actively pushes disinformation against our causes and perpetuates climate change. Stanford’s ongoing cooperation with these companies is hypocritical and undermines both its own climate goals and our community’s goal to support vulnerable communities. We urge Stanford to prioritize genuine sustainability over financial gains.
Cheryl Weiden
Los Altos
AI’s dangers need
regulation by state
As AI continues to drive groundbreaking advances, we must carefully consider its implications. Where should we draw the line? There must be a limit to who’s accessing it, who’s creating it, and how it’s implemented. There is an undeniable risk of AI being used maliciously.
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When talking about AI, we are not talking about algorithms; the crux of the issue lies with programs like ChatGPT, Voice.AI and MidJourney. These platforms have the capability to alter real-world images and videos, presenting unique challenges and risks. Many cases of AI-generated revenge porn have already been reported. High-profile people like the president of the United States also aren’t safe; they can be made to appear saying or doing things they never did through “deepfake” technology.
I encourage all of us to pressure our legislators to address the undeniable dangers AI possesses. We can do it.
Maya Velasco
San Jose
