Letters
Johnston Atoll Chemical Disposal System to be Closed by 2000
Some of the content of your May 1999 story “Johnston Atoll Chemical Disposal System to be Closed by 2000” is open to question. The writer of the story includes quotes from an unidentified web site spon sored by an unknown and apparently dis gruntled worker. The Internet has dozens of such web sites carrying information on Johnston Atoll and, while many of them are legitimate, others may offer information that is open to question. There is an inherent dan ger with taking information off of the Internet because it is possible for anyone having the entry fee of about US$lOO to establish his own World Wide Web site and publish his own opinions on it without reser vation, right or wrong. The reader of any site has to question the legitimacy of the site sponsor as well as the authenticity of the subject matter before using it, especially when quoting it. In fact, many sites carry copyright restrictions on quoting which are every bit as valid as those for a hard copy publication such as PIM. The writer of the Johnston Atoll story apparently took the unidentified web site at its face value leav ing in question whether this person did, indeed, have a sound basis for his negative comments. Poor journalism, at best and potentially misleading at worst.
Earl Hinz, Henderson, Nevada, USA