I use a wheelchair. Last week, I went to a movie at the Plaza Cinema Theaters in downtown Oxnard. The inside of the multiplex is very wheelchair friendly. Each theater has several spaces in prime seating areas for wheelchair users. And the bathrooms have extra wide doors and stalls for wheelchair movie-goers.

But, surrounding the multiplex, there are three sides of curbs with several parking spaces on each of the sides. Some of those spaces are for two-hour parking only. Some of those spaces are time-unlimited spaces open to all drivers. And only one space is devoted to handicapped drivers. This is not right, to say the least.

On Oct. 16, 2001, a University of California, Santa Barbara, news release announced that an island submerged for more than 13,000 years had been discovered beneath the ocean’s surface about halfway between the Santa Barbara Harbor and one of the existing Santa Barbara Channel Islands by Edward A. Keller, professor of geological sciences and environmental studies at UC Santa Barbara. The island is bordered by two major earthquake faults, one of which is capable of producing a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami.

Not far from the underwater island are pockets of natural gas that could pose hazards to passing ships if they erupt, Keller said.

Here it is, two days after our most destructive storms ever. The entire city of New Orleans is under water. Hundreds of thousands of people — our people — are living in refugee camps. Alabama is seriously damaged. There are 110 confirmed dead in Mississippi, and the toll is rising. Where is the international community when we need help? Haven’t heard a peep out of them, have you? Where are they? Forget them. We need to help ourselves.

— Gregory A. Hammer, Camarillo

Have I missed something? Nowhere have I read anything about any of our friends or allies sending aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The United States is always one of the first on the scene of any catastrophe to send help to those impacted by disasters. Where are our high-profile movie stars organizing to raise funds to aid our own citizens in need of major help? They must be out there somewhere!

The Red Cross is there, as usual, along with the Salvation Army and other organizations that respond to situations like this. So far, Channel 7 ABC is the only one I know of that has started a fund-raising appeal like they did after Sept. 11. Surely there are other stations doing the same but maybe haven’t gotten the word out yet.

— Roberta A. Orvis, Ventura

Among the many inspired insights left to us by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one fashioned during the Vietnam War when he said, “The bombs we are dropping on Vietnam today will explode here in our own country tomorrow.”

What has this to do with our war in Iraq? Consider that 6,000 National Guard troops based in Louisiana alone were fighting in our illegal and immoral war in Iraq when they were required to deal with the catastrophic emergency named Katrina.

Re: your Aug. 30 articles, “Critics say area is too seismically active for LNG” and “Oxnard lawyer challenges big industry on dangers”:

These articles are in need of an immediate response.

Japan is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. It is a major importer of liquefied natural gas.

To solve the earthquake problem, Japanese engineers have developed a very high- strength, high-pressure gas pipeline steel that has deformability to resist fault movement, permanent ground displacement and liquefaction.  The steel, known as NK-Hyper, was developed by NKK (Japan) as a result of studying earthquakes in Japan, Turkey and Taiwan. 

Re: Cary Ginell’s Aug. 30 letter, “KCLU abandons jazz”:

As the former program director of KCLU Radio, I can say that Cary Ginell’s comments do not represent a majority of the listening audience in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. His confusion seems to stem from his own actions.

Ginell quit volunteering with KCLU on his own accord, and his bitterness appears to live on. Nonprofit public radio stations often rely on volunteers to support programming and fundraising efforts, and when the volunteers stop coming in, as Ginell did, the programs often change to meet the needs of the listening audience.

Re: T.J. Maxwell’s Aug. 30 letter, “Base reduction good”:

Dr. Maxwell’s view of the base reduction at the Naval Base Ventura County is through rose-colored glasses with blinders.

Most citizens of Ventura County support reduced pollution and runaway growth as shown by their support of Save Our Agricultural Resources. The transfer of 2,500 jobs from Ventura County to the China Lake facility will not change the trend of more pollution and more crowding, and it may cause the reverse by civilian development of the Navy base.

Re: Richard Larsen’s Aug. 30 essay, “Bringing the troops home”:

What Richard Larsen advocated in his essay is two years too late.

Raising troop levels in Iraq and sending U.S. government experts to help might have worked when most Iraqis had high hopes for “liberation.” Now that America has gained a reputation for being brutal occupiers and widely hated, the opportunity to win their hearts and minds has been lost.

Re: your Aug. 30 article, “Katrina ravages South; oil production cut, but effect on county gas prices unknown”:

I couldn’t believe my eyes when reading this headline. At the time The Star went to press, Hurricane Katrina had already caused the death of at least 55 people and had done major destruction to one of the country’s most historical cities, yet you chose to headline the storm’s effect on oil production and gas prices. Where’s that good ol’ liberal media when you need them? Your priorities are shameful.

— Barbara Len Phillips, Thousand Oaks

I work at a high school. I supervise the student store, which includes selling sodas to raise money for the Associated Student Body.

While I believe the restriction of sales is good at the elementary level, I disagree with your stand on banning the sale of sodas in high school.

I believe that by the time students are in high school, they are capable of making the decision of whether or not to drink a soda with lunch.

Shame on U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, for describing Ridgecrest as “God-forsaken Kern County” and as being somewhere other than in “a civilized world.”

My two children were born in Ridgecrest, and I consider my time there (with no connection to the military) as some of the best years of my life. California’s high desert is a beautiful place, but perhaps the charms of nature are lost on someone who has grown more comfortable in an environment of fast-food restaurants, biotech firms and gated communities.

After volunteering as a program host for 10 years at KCLU Radio, I made my exit one year ago because I had sensed that KCLU was slowly de-emphasizing jazz, hoping nobody would notice.

My shows, “Blues Routes” and “Jazz Routes” were on Sunday evenings, and I believe I had a good following. However, when station management began replacing live music programming with recorded news and public affairs shows, I could not, in good conscience, participate in their semi-annual membership drives, in which we were urged to plead for the sake of jazz for pledge money.

How much is Ventura County responsible for the base realignment and closures at Naval Base Ventura County?

Our housing costs are so high that most military personnel cannot even think of buying. Instead, they are subject to rising rents brought on by these high prices. Civilians employed by the bases aren’t much better off.

It’s just a thought.

By the way, how many bases were affected in Florida or Texas?

— Patrick J. Carey Jr., Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 28 article, “Cougars frighten rich homeowners”:

Raymond Lane and the other very wealthy residents of Atherton are upset because cougars are roaming through their huge multi-acre estates.

Mr. Lane is quoted as saying, “It’s a beautiful animal, but mountain lions don’t belong in our neighborhood. The answer is to take them out.”

Mr. Lane went on to express he would do the deed himself if it were not against the law.

Re: your Aug. 28 articles, “This time, area base affected by BRAC” and “Search for energy answers”:
I believe there is a linkage between these articles.

Ventura County has grown because it is proactive instead of reactive. Naval Base Ventura County taking a significant relocation hit was unexpected.  The specter of lost jobs and damage to the county’s economy has hung a pall of gloom over the future.
 
The idea of siting a liquefied natural gas terminal and regasification facility off the coastline and installing a natural gas pipeline to a processing plant in Somis or some other inshore location has created a rift in our community.

We live near Sycamore Canyon Park in the Wood Ranch area of Simi Valley.

Parks are great places for family activities during the day, but unless you live near one, you may not be aware of what goes on at night.

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District installed a half basketball court and small parking lot at Sycamore Canyon Park. These two additions are magnets for late-night and early-morning gatherings of teenagers. They use the parking lot as a testing place for the power of their cars and the basketball court as a skateboard track. The noise makes it impossible to sleep, especially since the park is in a bowl-shaped area that magnifies sound to all the surrounding streets.

Re: your Aug. 21 Pulse page, “Intelligent design versus evolution”:

I am an “unchurched” Christian. I try to follow Christ’s teachings, which so far have gotten me to 81 years. I believe in evolution. I believe we evolved from the sea. I do believe in a higher power, whoever or whatever it may be.

I like the word “good.” Take one “o” out of “good” and you have “god.”

As a very kind and devoted pastor once said to me, “Libby, the church is its own worst enemy!” How right he was!

— Elizabeth Bass, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 26 article, “Local base to lose jobs”:

In a way, this is good news.

The 2,500 reduction in personnel takes nearly 2,500 automobiles off the highway twice daily, thus improving our air quality.

Secondly, it reduces the strategic importance of Naval Base Ventura County as the major testing facility of new weapons. To me, that says the facility will now be less of a target when some enemy decides to drop a hydrogen bomb on our research hub.

Re: your Aug. 26 article, “Online poll a political ploy, supervisor says”:

So, we’re supposed to believe that Joe Gibson had nothing to do with the mass mailing that masqueraded as a legitimate survey of county services. 

We’re supposed to accept that the questions, my favorite of which blamed Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks for all the potholes in the county’s roads, did not “advocate against” a candidate.

Re: Reed V. Smith’s Aug. 24 commentary, “Numbers speak to cause of bird decline”:

Reed Smith argues that paragliders caused a decline in successful least tern nests at Ormond Beach. His arguments are faulty for several reasons.

First, his basic facts are wrong. He says paragliders and ultralights first appeared at Ormond in numbers in 2004. This just isn’t true. Ultralight numbers have been fairly constant for more than 10 years. Paragliders were present weekdays and weekends in 2001 and 2002, weekends 2003, all week in 2004, and now, mostly on weekends in 2005. Weekly paraglider hours at Ormond peaked at about 30 to 35 in 2004 and are down to 15 to 20 this year. Keep in mind that they’re actually flying only a small fraction of that time.

City officials in 1964 stated their intention of marking all graves in St. Mary’s and City cemeteries; this was never done.

There is now an offer in place from the city to place urn-sized (6-by-12-inch) markers on graves if requested by family members.

In the first place, how are they going to determine whether or not one is a family member — DNA testing? And what of those who had no children? What of those who have no descendants left in the area?

Re: your Aug. 24 article, “Devices monitor an elder’s health”:

This article was very timely and informative. Those of us who are providers of home care services, especially for the elderly and those suffering from acute illnesses, are keenly aware of the need to improve patient wellness, keep them out of the hospital and emergency room and help reduce overall costs.

We now have, and have had for awhile, the technology to use liquefied natural gas to power heavy-duty trucks, buses and vehicles instead of burning costly and dirty diesel fuel. For the past decade, we have had these natural-gas vehicles running on our streets and highways. This has resulted in reduced exhaust emissions by about 70 percent and particulate matter (soot) by 98 percent — in other words, less air pollution.

For this to continue, there must be a reliable and cost- effective supply of liquefied natural gas available to our communities. California currently imports 85 percent of its natural gas.

I am a retired Protestant clergyman with a university bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree from an accredited theological school.

While we Christians are far from perfect and have made plenty of mistakes in the past, (i.e., the Crusades), we have a holy book that clearly teaches love of God; respect and tolerance for others; forgiveness, not retaliation; the sacredness of all human life; and the importance of charity and peace. When we Christians “sin” (fail), it is us personally, not our Bible, which is at fault.

I was appalled, but not surprised, to find that a group of the intolerant Christian evangelical right in Ohio pounced on the funerals of some GIs to pronounce that their god is punishing America for tolerance to gays by killing GIs. 

Then I noted that since  Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the  right wing of the Supreme Court essentially stole the election of 2000, one natural disaster after another has befallen what we now call “red states.”

Florida, home of the president’s brother, Jeb Bush, has been pounded by hurricane after hurricane. What is really interesting is that those storms have, for the most part, spared those sections of Florida that voted Democratic, reserving the worst damage for the regressive, Republican-dominated Gulf Coast and panhandle.

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 27 essay, “Endangering the troops”:

Here again, O’Reilly takes after one of his favorite whipping boys, the ACLU. He claims that their demand for release of all the films and photos of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse will endanger our troops, and so they, the ACLU, are the bad guys.

It doesn’t seem to sink in to O’Reilly’s mind that those atrocities — perpetrated by our military, condoned by the higher-up brass and fostered by administration policy — were the guilty parties who have endangered our troops, not the ACLU.

Re: David Rosolek’s Aug. 28 letter, “How did molecules decide?”:

Mr. Rosolek asked evolutionists to explain how molecules decided to form the structures within a cell that enabled it to have life.

An atheistic evolutionist may answer that those first “living” (i.e. reproducing) molecules “decided” the same way an oxygen atom “decides” to react with two hydrogen atoms to form water. Could a wondrous commodity like water be created from chemistry alone? Yes.

Re: your Aug. 28 article, “Search for energy answers”:

As for the proposed liquefied natural gas facilities, some people are losing sight of what is involved and what the parameters are.

Both companies are for-profit. This is not a gesture of kindness, rather one of profitability.

Why was this not approached five years ago? The cost of gas to the consumer did not justify building these plants. Now the price of natural gas is such that a market has been created, making it economically viable for these companies to expend millions, if not billions, of dollars to erect their plants and turn a profit.

It is Sunday morning, the birds are singing and it’s a beautiful day. I just came to Hobart Park for a morning walk. What happened? There is trash everywhere.

Every Saturday, you can see children having parties here. Every Sunday, the kids have gone, but their trash is left behind. There are trash cans everywhere and some are empty, yet the ground is littered with garbage.

It is a problem that needs to be addressed. Please, if you use the parks, clean up after yourself. It’s not much to ask. Thank you.

— Robert Zingery, Ventura

Re: John Sherffius’ Aug. 27 editorial cartoon:

I found this political cartoon to be offensive. It is an example of the current political partisan mentality and does nothing to unite our country in a time of war.

— John Pavelko, Ojai

Re: your Aug. 28 article, “Search for energy answers”:

That was a nice first article on the liquefied natural gas proposals. What I’m not seeing anywhere in journalism is a comparison of the existing gasline pressures used within our cities and the gasline pressures proposed in the LNG applications. You might be in for a surprise!

— Roger G. Pariseau, Jr. Oxnard

I am writing in regard to the Food and Drug Administration’s pending approval of a plan that would allow women 17 and older to purchase the morning-after birth control pill (Plan B) without a prescription.

For the most part, I support this plan, but there is one aspect that I find troubling: Why the age restriction?

In December 2003, the FDA’s scientific advisers supported non-prescription sales of Plan B without age restrictions. The FDA rejected this recommendation, saying women under 17 may not know how to use Plan B without a doctor’s guidance.

I am highly amused at the response to the higher gasoline prices we are seeing today.

With many local governments having refused to allow refineries to be built or to continue operating in their jurisdictions, with bans on coastal drilling, with a pervasive overall hostility toward the production and use of oil products by the intelligencia of this country and with a refusal to allow significant exploration of federal lands that only a few well-heeled individuals will ever visit, what else could you expect?

Re: your Aug. 21 Pulse page, “Intelligent design versus evolution”:

As the debate rages on with no end in sight, I’d like the evolutionists to answer one question about that first cell. Never mind that macro-evolution (even the most biblically orientated creationist believes in evolution within a species) defies Newton’s law that systems will devolve to less complicated forms; never mind that fossil records show major life forms springing up along the evolutionary line with little or no transitionary forms; and never mind that if Charles Darwin were correct, we would see many more species today rather than fewer.

Only explain one thing, how did countless molecules “decide” to form the structures within a cell that enabled it to have life? Did molecules over here “decide” to form a cell wall? Molecules over there “decide” to form chlorophyll? How about the nucleus and the DNA with it’s three types of RNA? Not to mention all the other cell organs that enable it to feed itself, move around and reproduce. And all these millions of molecules would have to “decide” to form these structures all at the same time and all “know” that they are contributing selflessly to the first living creature and life.

Finding a watch on the beach and claiming it’s self-created is more believable than stating the first cell was self -created. The watch is made from metals, crystals and glass, that first cell was made with thousands of different substances and it’s alive.

Carl Sagan shortly before his death was asked to equate Evolution and Creation. He replied “The first is impossible, the second is unthinkable” but even Darwin and Sagan are creationists now.

— David Rosolek, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 18 article, “Demonstrators flock to anti-war vigils”:

The article states Cindy Sheehan started a protest Aug. 6 in memory of her son, Casey, who died in Iraq last year.

The information I have states that June 17, 2004, she and her husband, Patrick, met with President Bush, after which she reportedly remarked: “I know now he’s sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know he is sorry and feels some pain for for our loss. And I know he is a man of faith.”

Five months later, she claimed Bush’s policies “murdered (her) child.” Now she is camped out demanding another meeting with Bush. She is surrounded by such left-wing groups as MoveOn.org, and anti-war protestors-groups such as Crawford Peace House, United for Peace and Justice, Code Pink and the far-left Air America radio network.

As far as these orchestrated demonstrations are concerned the issue is not Bush or the war. It is about opposition to our form of government.

The article, according to a retired professor of political history, indicated that Move0n.org’s response to the vigils, “represents a watershed movement in opposition to the war.”

There is no national orchestrated outcry to the war — whatever your position.

Consider these tried and proven revolutionary tactics: create the semblance of popular support; tell a lie long enough and it becomes fact in the public mind; and the action is in the reaction.

Now add one-sided national coverage and we have the “pressure from above and pressure from below tactic exerted on the Congress to take action.

Food for thought. This is not a spontaneous response by everyday Americans.

— Karl L. Nelson, Camarillo

Re: John Blumenthal’s Aug. 8 commentary, “Not-so-intelligent design seems the case,” and Ben Griffes’ Aug. 12 letter, “Thought requires faith”:

I appreciated Blumenthal’s humor. Like him, I do not confuse humor with science. Unfortunately, I see neither science nor humor in Griffes’ response.

Adherents, proponents and those openly positing intelligent design in pooh-poohing the possible effect of random selection should read W. Ross Ashby’s “Design for a Brain,” published initially by John Wiley in 1952. They would beat a hasty retreat from their primary thesis, returning their intellectual attempt at reason, much less science, to the vacuum from which it springs.

As a Christian, I get frustrated by so-called religious fundamentalists who apparently have no use or respect for God or Jesus. As far as I know, all intelligence and differences reflected within a species, as well as among species, has a physical basis and thus a limit. That alone removes it as a need for, or attribute of, a deity supposedly omniscient and omnipresent.

Why shouldn’t God eliminate any need for invocation in the comprehension of the universe? How better to lay the cornerstone of belief, faith and religion? “Whomsover believeth” denotes an individual relative to his choices.

A faith in God has the same basis as the faith in no God. Neither has a role in science or the scientific method.

Intelligent design is faith-based as much as unintelligent design. The discovery process may require the use of intelligence, but not as a causative underlying it. Introducing an unnecessary and extraneous component, itself unprovable and thus unverifiable, sabotages the process itself, disrespecting not only God but also those made in his image.

The adherents of intelligent design may want to engage in self-immolation, in the destruction of their faith, but this Christian will opt out.

— Lynn H. Maxson, Simi Valley

Re: Beverly Kelley’s Aug. 22 commentary, “Public not buying ‘I.D. is not science’ argument”:

Kelley presents an apparent objective analysis of the public’s acceptance of pseudo sciences, while she also promotes the so-called intelligent design theory.”

Increasingly, American science and scholarship, reason itself, are under attack by those who lump them in with pejorative catch-all phrases such as “secular humanism,” and “the liberal left.”

At the core of the attack are those whose religion-based beliefs are held as primary to any verifiable, replicable, scientific proofs.

Kelley cites molecular biology's, “revelation that life is staggeringly and unexpectedly more complex than evolution can explain,” and the “mathematical findings that casts serious doubt on the power of natural selection to accomplish macro-evolutionary changes.”

She fails to note that these are only intellectual arguments and that, because they are proposed, it does not mean they should be believed or, worse, be taught as science or treated as fact.

In Aug. 22 edition of The New Yorker, Hendrik Hertzberg comments on the molecular biology argument Kelley cites: “It is not even a theory, in the scientific sense, because it is untestable and unsupportable by empiricle evidence. It is a last-ditch skirmish in a misguided war against reason that cannot be won and, for religion’s sake as well as science’s, should not be fought.”

Those who believe in intelligent design theory, the creationist explanation for life, are entitled to believe what they wish. However, in light of reason-based human progress, and the long and beneficial results of the scientific method, which one must assume is also God-given, we should not mask unscientific premises, our fundamental belief systems, as being on a par with those that have undergone the simple, basic and rigorous tests of scientific inquiry.

That, quite simply, is un-reasonable.

— Joseph Benti, Camarillo

Re: Margaret F. Canning’s Aug. 23 letter, “Bush doesn’t care”:

1. Canning wrote, “There were no weapons of mass destruction.” How do she know this? Possibilities haven’t been ruled out, such as having been scurried out of Iraq to another country. I suggest she shouldn’t make inflammatory statements unless they are absolute fact.

2. She wrote, “This was an invasion … in service of the Halliburton/Bechtel bottom line.” Again, this is an inflammatory statement made as if it were fact, when it is an erroneously based assumption. These are contractors that have done legitimate international government-related business throughout administrations of both parties.

3. She said our president “does not have enough courage to face a grieving mother.” I suggest she get her facts straight. President Bush has met with many grieving families, including meeting with Cindy Sheehan. He has shared their tears and comforted them.

After his meeting with Sheehan, she expressed appreciation for our president’s sincerity. To say our president does not have the courage to face a grieving mother is an absolute lie, and I don’t appreciate it.

4. She wrote “He (speaking of our Bush) hasn’t seen her (Sheehan) or attended a single funeral because he really doesn’t care about her or our troops.” These are lies and mischaracterizations. As mentioned above, our president did meet with Sheehan. Our compassionate and caring Bush has met with many grieving families. Why has he done this? Because he really cares, as most of those families will tell you after meeting with him.

It saddens me to read Canning’s irresponsible slander and character assassination of a responsible commander in chief who daily carries with him the burden of lost soldiers.

— Bryan W. Sexauer, Moorpark

First, let me say that my heart goes out to the victims of the tragic car crash on Highway 118. All my sympathy goes to the survivors of the families involved.

It looks like most of us want to blame outside sources for these tragedies rather than ourselves. I agree that problems may exist on that rural highway, but I believe we’re making those problems a scapegoat for our failure as good drivers. It’s obvious to anyone that we deliberately ignore rules of the road, such as those against tailgating, abrupt lane changes, not using our turn signals and speed limits. They are all there to prevent crashes such as the one last week.

I want to thank all the members of the Disabled American Veterans who devoted their time and energy toward the operation of our Ventura County Fair booth.

The following fact is quite apparent: To be successful with any undertaking, we need adequate response and participation from younger veterans — those from the Vietnam era and more recent.

The ranks of our World War II and Korea vets are sadly depleting at the rate of 1,500 per day, and many are too disabled to provide much assistance. Out of 700 members, about half are 60 or younger.

Re: your Aug. 24 article, “Robertson’s call to ‘take out’ Venezuela leader condemned”:

Pat Robertson, spiritual leader of the radical right-wing Christian movement, now calls for the assassination of the president of Venezuela so that the U.S. can appropriate for its own use Venezuela’s very significant energy resources.

Robertson and his movement are clearly terrorists. Why has he not been arrested? Why has the government not immediately taken steps to silence his organization and confiscate its substantial financial resources so that those funds do not fall into the hands of those who would follow the dangerous, evil, immoral, illegal instructions of this demented man?

America, indeed the whole world, is in danger as long as this man is allowed to walk free, and use the airways and media to incite murder and terror. Robertson and his followers are clearly the type of people who must be taken into immediate custody under the Patriot Act, and held indefinitely without charge because of this unequivocal call for criminal conduct by his followers poses a clear and present danger.

— Ira Cohen, Thousand Oaks

Wider highways will not help the traffic problems in Ventura County. Have more and wider roads helped in Los Angeles County, Orange County or San Diego County?

There comes a time when no matter how much money the developers give our local politicians, they just can’t “mitigate” too many people in one place.

— Mike Malloy, Ventura

Well, we have quite a conundrum here.

One writer states that the problem with Highway 118 is the truckers who deliberately drive 10 mph slower than the speed limit, thus causing drivers to recklessly pass them.

Another writer alleges that the problem is truckers who speed on Highway 118, thus endangering lives and property.

And the accident that has generated all this letter writing involved no trucks at all!

Where do we stand?

So many people have perished either through the hands of terrorists or fighting the war in Iraq. Those who died in the war are heroes fighting for peace, but those who lost theirs through terrorist attacks didn’t even have a chance to defend themselves.

These are two tragedies that show America’s vulnerability and determination to fight back for its people and the rest of the world as well. Sept. 11 drew this nation together and set it in motion.

My son is in Iraq, Mosul to be exact.

Recently, I received a list of things he can have over there. Among them was an AT&T phone card — only AT&T. However, every minute used costs 8 minutes. So, a 100- minute card costing $30 buys only 12.5 minutes of talk time, at $2.40 a minute.

This seems awfully excessive considering they’re there protecting AT&T. You would think a big company like AT&T would want to show their appreciation for this, but no! They’re charging 200 percent more than a call from Israel, which is further away!

— Gregory A. Hammer, Camarillo

Before anyone votes for Proposition 75 they should know the facts. Proposition 75 claims to be “protecting” public workers from having union dues spent on politics. Under current California law any public worker in a union can call their union and direct that none of their dues money goes for politics. The real goal of Proposition 75 is to silence the voice of working men and women and to give corporations control of the political process. Corporations already outspend unions by 24-1 in political campaigns.

The money to promote Proposition 75 is coming from the same corporations that tell us they can’t lower the price of gas at the pump, while they make billions in profits, and donate millions to our governor. The money is also coming from the big drug companies who rip us off on the cost of medications because they claim they would go broke if they lowered the price. These same drug companies, however, post profits in the billions. The drug companies have already raised $70 million to promote their Proposition 78 and not one of their shareholders gave them permission to spend that money.

Anyone who votes for Proposition 75 is really voting against working people and for the companies that are ripping us all off on a daily basis.

— Arleigh Kidd, Executive director, California Teachers Association Golden Oaks Uniserv, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 25 editorial, “Don't go soft on drink ban”:

The editorial stated, “more states are enacting comprehensive laws that limit students’ access to sugar-rich sodas …. California is one of them … the Legislature banned the sales of all soft drinks in middle and elementary schools … now considering a bill … that extends the ban to public high schools.”

Many of the vending machines at schools now dispense 100 percent fruit juices, some of which have as much sugar as regular soft drinks. For those who like to mold other people’s lives to their own values, it would be more logical to ban 100 percent fruit juices and legalize diet soft drinks.

The editorial ended with, “By adopting strict soda bans at all grade levels, the state and schools will be helping students make sound nutritional choices.” They will not be “helping” the students, they will be coercing them. I would prefer the state, schools and The Star use their powers of persuasion to inform the students and their parents, and then allow them the individual freedom to make sound or unsound nutritional choices.

— Bill Stanley, Westlake Village

The Board of Trustees of the Santa Paula Union High School District is asking the community to help and support our efforts to bring a second high school on the Limoneira development.

Meetings held on the development of the Limoneira site included the college and other plans, but there was nothing on the agenda regarding a high school.

On August 1, 2005, our board members and superintendent attended a City Council meeting, filled out speaker cards and discussed our concerns with the council. We had received information that the Limoneira developer and Ventura College were in the process of signing an agreement to allow Ventura College to have 40 acres of donated land on Area One of the development. This excluded the high school altogether.

Considering the fact that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has attacked firefighters, police, teachers, disabled people, nurses, college students, and pretty much every other hard- working Californian, it is actually a little amazing that 37 percent of voters still support him.

About the only group he has not offended is the steroid manufacturing industry. Who would have ever guessed that the steroid lobby would have had so many members?

One has to admit Schwarzenegger has given California the best government money can buy.

— Mark Eaton, Ventura

Re: Richard H. Hoffman’s Aug. 24 letter, “Vietnam redux”:

I do agree with Mr. Hoffman that the military should be in charge of the combat operations and should not be intimidated by the administration. If the Bush administration had not been so arrogant and had not intimidated the military, maybe we would have had the adequate number of troops on the ground today.

While I understand that alcohol-impaired and unlicensed drivers are a great danger to us all from a physical, emotional and financial standpoint, was it really necessary for the Oxnard Police Department to establish a sobriety and license checkpoint on Wednesday evening, Aug. 24? This checkpoint thoroughly snarled traffic on Channel Islands Boulevard eastbound just before Victoria Avenue.

Signs were up informing drivers that licenses would be checked, yet at about 6 p.m., when I passed through that area after spending about 35 minutes going through the traffic over the bridge on Channel Islands, there were no officers actively checking anything!

No self-respecting evolutionary scientist wants to argue with creationists, and intelligent design is little more than warmed over creationism. It would be a lot like arguing with the medieval concept of the flat earth theory, which is ridiculous beyond comprehension.

On the face of it, intelligent design seems so cozy and likable — until you really scrutinize it. Its basic tenet appears to be asserting that the universe and life are much too complex to have arisen on their own. There has to be a “designer” who brought it all into being.

Re: Cristina Herrera’s Aug 22 online letter, “Sexism lives on”

Herrera, a self-avowed feminist, is really bothered that McDonald’s offers different toys for boys and girls in their Happy Meals. According to her, this is a blatant example of the “vicious cycle of sexism” that exists in our society. She goes on to claim that “more and more studies” are finding that gender differences are not biologically determined but are instead “socially constructed.”

Hogwash.

I don’t know what “studies” Herrera is referring to, but all the recent scientific research I’ve read on the subject says just the opposite. But I don’t need a study to tell me that. As a father raising three boys and two girls, I can say firsthand that there are profound biological differences between the sexes. Growing up, my boys really did prefer to play with action figures and trucks while my girls are more partial to Barbie dolls, putting on makeup and playing dress up. They just had natural differences that were impossible to ignore.

Alas, Herrera would be quick to blame all of this on a “culture that promotes and supports the myth of gender differences” and that my children are “victims of harmful, confining gender roles.” I don’t know what kind of radical feminist literature she gets this from, but I can assure you that it is pure baloney.

As a society we should be celebrating the differences between genders rather than trying to stamp them out of existence.

I’m not interested in living in Herrera’s vision of a utopian, gender-neutral society. So pardon me if I continue to get my daughters their little-girl happy meals, but they really do like the color pink and enjoy very much playing with their “girl toys.”

And there is nothing wrong with that.

— Tony Sereno, Simi Valley

It is difficult for me to believe that all of the letters The Star received were in favor of Cindy Sheehan’s position. Isn’t there one person who wrote a letter in support of our country? Or, is it that The Star has become so biased, it can’t take the risk of opposing positions? It must be a wonderfully powerful feeling to control what people believe to be the truth, to bend it so that it serves one’s own purpose.

I have a difficult time understanding why people agree with this poor grieving mother who is using the body of her brave son as a podium. The Star needs to at least pretend that there are other positions on the subject. This is a good example of why the newspaper industry is in an irreversible decline.

— Ron Hawley, Simi Valley

Re: Manuel Gonzalez-Olmo’s Aug. 25 letter, “Bush fans are in denial”:

So Gonzalez-Olmo thinks red states are in denial. How deliciously ironic. Yeah, Republicans just don’t get it. “The Iraq war is completely unnecessary.” Brave solders die everyday for “no good reason.” When will delusional Democrats ever understand that the total Arab region is a collective threat to our planet.

The president is trying to turn the entire Arab world from fanatical fundamentalism to a more democratically based form of self-government where the people can have a voice in their collective destiny. This is a lofty and noble cause.

I dare say if Americans lived under such suffocating totalitarianism we would be praying for someone to rescue us. Sixty years ago Japan was a world threatening malignancy. Look at Japan today. Japan is not only not a threat, but a leading world democracy. This is what Americans are dying for in Iraq. This is the president’s plan. The Iraqi war is not “senseless”; it is not “a waste.” Cindy Sheehan is wrong; her son did not die “for nothing.”

A final point for all Bush haters who are so sure they are right on this issue: What if your are wrong? What if the president’s plan is successful? Wouldn’t it be best for Iraq? Wouldn’t it be best for America? Wouldn’t it be best for our world if the Middle East of today were more like the Japan of today?

Democrats have fallen from power in a way that would have seemed impossible in 1992. Yet, they think they have what America needs if only America would listen.

And Gonzalez-Olmo thinks Republicans are in denial.

— David Charles Chrisman, Westlake Village

Re: your Aug. 24 article, “Robertson’s call to ‘take out’ Venezuela leader condemned”:

It’s so very Christian of Pat Robertson to offer to assassinate (kill) another human being!

Though raised a Christian, I no longer wish my name to be associated with the term “Christian,” and certainly not with the Christian fundamentalist extremists who are alleged to be so popular today.
Those are a noble breed, indeed, truly “born again,” subscribing to the word of God. (But where did that word of God say, “Kill”?)

Re: your Aug. 24 article, “Robertson’s call to ‘take out’ Venezuela leader condemned”:

Let me see if I have this right. Pat Robertson wants to assassinate the head of state of Venezuela. Robertson represents himself as a great moral leader.

Doesn’t one of the Ten Commandments say, “Thou shalt not kill”? Did he get an exception, a kind of 11th commandment that says, “Except Pat Robertson”?

Or is it that he has no idea what Christianity is about because he doesn’t understand right from wrong?
Move over Osama bin Laden, I know someone you will really like.

— Marvin Smith, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 24 article, “Robertson’s call to ‘take out’ Venezuela leader condemned”:
Pat Robertson’s remarks about “taking out” the president of Venezuela typifies the radical religious right mentality controlling the country today.

Scary.

— Eugene D. Hubbard, Oxnard

Re: Bob Stahl’s Aug. 22 letter, “Blame Jerry Brown”:

Kudos to Bob Stahl of Newbury Park. He actually had the facts correct when he explained how our illustrious former Gov. Jerry Brown and his cohort, Adriana Gianturco, destroyed the California freeway system.

I’m not saying the freeway system would now be 100 percent perfect without these two, but it would be much more efficient and in many times better condition had this duo not been there in the ’70s.

During the ’70s, a neighbor of mine worked for Caltrans. He told me of the lack of maintenance and future gridlock that would result from Brown’s and Gianturco’s actions. Sorry to say he was 100 percent correct, and we are still playing catch-up with a dismal outlook ahead.

— Ron Patterson, Thousand Oaks

It is natural for man to wonder where and whom he is, considering the apparent chaos of his existence.

Religion purports to do this without even having to think about it. However, if one does think about it, it becomes obvious religion fails miserably to tell you where you are.

In fact, history is replete with religious leaders misguiding man about where he is and even flat out lying about it. Galileo had to face the inquisition and spent the last years of his life under house arrest. It has been proved we are not at the center of the universe and that the world is more than 6,000 years old.

The geological evidence about where man is is profound to even a casual observer, especially if he has viewed the Grand Canyon. If they want to lie about where you are, it brings into question their view of who you are.

Intelligent design needs to change the antiquated view of where we are so it has some credibility on who we are.

— Robert Hubbard, Ojai

Re: your Aug. 21 Pulse page on “Intelligent design versus evolution,” and your Aug. 21 article, “Scientists nearer to filling gap in theory of the origin of life”:

I find it highly ironic that on Sunday there were opinion piece stating why evolution should be taught and an article about scientists and the origin of life.

The article headline stated that scientists were drawing nearer to an answer for the huge leap from molecules to man. Yet, if you read the article, they clearly made their own case on why intelligent design should be taught. They never showed themselves to be any closer to fixing this “gap.” They stated that they have a “crucial time gap,” that molecules learned to eat, breath and reproduce, yet, “no one is certain when or how they did it.” They even state they may never know how we evolved because “the rock record is too sparse to determine it.”

Could it be that they are trying to fit evolution into their preconceived ideas on the origins of life? Is it any wonder why people are adamant about intelligent design being taught when scientists are forcing a “theory” of evolution as fact? The very scientists stating the case for evolution admit that they don’t have anything to show for it.

— Jennifer McIntosh, Fillmore

Re: Richard Larsen’s Aug. 23 essay, “An urgent need to dissent”:

Larsen’s essay is consistent with all his other President Bush bashes that are devoid of logic. He attacks the president’s comments about dealing with terrorists, “striking them in foreign lands before they can attack us here at home.” He then states this must give pause to allies because he jumps to a conclusion that the president was saying that it is better for terrorists to blow up commuter trains in Spain and London, as long as the terrorists aren’t striking here.

“Dilbert” is the only cartoon The Star publishes that I find funny. Since The Star doesn’t run “B.C.,” I guess I’ll just have to settle for Larsen for some laughs.

— Don Harris, Thousand Oaks

Re: Richard Abbott’s Aug. 21 letter, “Vegetarian speaks out”:

I am very happy to hear that Mr. Abbott is content living in Ventura County, but apparently  he is the one who is confused.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary’s definition of “agriculture” is, “The science, art or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.”

The City of San Francisco, in voting to reject having the USS Iowa battleship as a floating museum and memorial, has insulted every man and woman who served on that great ship. They cite opposition to the war in Iraq and the military’s treatment of gays as the basis for their decision. Talk about narrow-minded.

On the positive side, the City of Stockton has decided to spend over a million dollars to have the Iowa towed to their port. Good for them.

— Gary Marshall, Santa Paula

Re: Beverly Kelley’s Aug. 22 commentary, “Public not buying ‘I.D. is not science’ argument”:

Another reason why intelligent design is not going away is because severe cracks in Darwinian evolutionary theory keep appearing.

Only last year, scientists removed millions of nucleotides from so-called “highly conserved junk” DNA sections of mouse eggs with the startling result that the mice were born perfectly normal. Scientists at the conference where these results were presented audibly gasped.

I support President Bush and his strategy in the war on terror, and I agree with him that Iraq is the central front in that war.

However, it is clear that there are many Americans who can’t understand the strategy and will not understand, no matter how much you try to explain it.

Cindy Sheehan is just one of those people, whose loss of her Marine son only makes her disagreement with the policy much more bitter. And therefore, she is demanding a meeting with President Bush so that she can ask him personally, “Why did you kill my son?”

I disapprove of the entire concept of Artspace.

Who is an “artist” and who is not is a matter of taste and much debate. Many call themselves artists simply because they can’t find any other pursuit that gives them a respectable identity, but they are not proven as such and may never be.

Provide low-cost housing for police officers, teachers and firefighters if you will. They have proven their worth to this community. But to encourage “would-be” artists into this community with all their well- documented unconventional lifestyles and bizarre habits is really rolling the dice.

After much public testimony from people opposed to the 420 Bryant Street commercial project in Ojai, including a legal challenge, it was passed. Then the lengthy meeting was closed quickly as planning members ran for the door and locked it.

The dimensions of the building looked like a blimp on a hill that prevents established neighborhood views of a small town that is changing very quickly.

It has become clear to me and most who attend meetings regularly that the Planning Commission, with help from members of the Ojai City Council, are selling Ojai down the river to developers — a deliberately insidious matter to observe.

The governor’s proposal to require tens of thousands of sex offenders to wear satellite tracking equipment for their entire life is misguided for at least three reasons.

1. Although there is a small percentage of sex offenders who are habitual, the percentage of sex offenders who are returned to prison for a new sex offense is about 15 percent. This is much lower than property offenders. About 43 percent of property offenders are returned to prison. Even if all sex offenders were monitored and never committed one more crime, the effect on the total number of sex crimes would be very small. This is because the great majority of sex crimes are committed by first-time offenders.

Re: your Aug. 13 article, “Upscale retail center proposed for Westlake”:

I was shocked when I read this article. I have been to numerous meetings concerning Lowe’s and have been a vocal opponent of the project. So, you can imagine my surprise when I read they have gone from putting in a Bed, Bath and Beyond, to a fully enclosed automobile dealership with Lamborghinis! Do they really believe the people of Westlake Village are so shallow that we would be enticed by that?

Maybe they aren’t really going to build a Lowe’s. Maybe it will become a Wal-Mart.

The red states are in denial. There is now plenty of proof that the president got us into this “war” to accomplish his own agenda. It had nothing to do, and still doesn’t, with fighting terrorists.

Our troops are dying every day for no good reason whatsoever. This is incredible! And yet I hear callers to conservative radio stations trashing Cindy Sheehan and sticking up for Bush. Some of these are parents who have lost kids in Iraq. These people are clinging to the “lie” because it’s the only thing that gives them comfort.

On the other hand, Cindy has sought to make her son’s loss of life stand for something. She is confronting the person who is responsible for his death, and she’s looking for closure.

Re: your Aug. 21 editorial, “Legislation by lawsuit a waste”:

Over the years, your editorials have run about 50 percent legitimate, and 50 percent idiotic. This latest editorial is in a category all by itself.

The state budget not withstanding, the overlying reason behind state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell’s lawsuit is that the governor and the state legislators lied to the public. Lying, or “spinning,” is symptomatic of all present-day politicians. I guess they figure that if President Bush can tell the whoppers he has and become president for a second term, nobody cares if we tell a few whoppers ourselves. I am sure that the name for this present generation will go down in history as, “The Big Lie Generation.”

Re: Lisa McKinnon’s Aug. 21 article, “Weighing the evidence”:

While I am genuinely pleased that The Star would cover an article commemorating Women’s Equality Day, I can’t help but wonder why it took a significant event such as the 85th anniversary of women’s suffrage for The Star to finally investigate women’s ongoing plight to achieve 100 percent equality.

As the article accurately reveals, sexism is at work every day, yet why is this often neglected in the media? One need only order a Happy Meal from McDonald’s and be asked, “Is this for a boy or a girl?” to witness sexism at a seemingly minute level. But this ridiculous question — “Is this for a boy or girl?” — demonstrates that while women have indeed “come a long way,” our culture, unfortunately, has not.

On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Castaic Middle School, 28900 W. Hillcrest Parkway, there will be a public scoping meeting on the Newhall Ranch project.

We all are familiar with the 20,000-plus homes planned along and in the Santa Clara River floodplain at the county line.

The issues that are going to be discussed at this meeting are very similar to the same issues Fillmore will be facing with the building of the Heritage Valley Park project: air pollution, traffic congestion, loss of open space, loss of water recharge area and severe impact to threatened and endangered species. 

On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Castaic Middle School, 28900 W. Hillcrest Parkway, there will be a public scoping meeting on the Newhall Ranch project.

We all are familiar with the 20,000-plus homes planned along and in the Santa Clara River floodplain at the county line.

The issues that are going to be discussed at this meeting are very similar to the same issues Fillmore will be facing with the building of the Heritage Valley Park project: air pollution, traffic congestion, loss of open space, loss of water recharge area and severe impact to threatened and endangered species. 

Re: your Aug. 21 Star:

The Star’s Pulse page contained a discussion of intelligent design and evolution. People get very emotional about these ideas, beliefs, theories and truths.

Also, in the Science and Environment section, there was a paragraph in the Earth Week column about the thawing of a vast expanse of western Siberia due to global warming. The area spans nearly 400,000 square miles. This is the first time it has melted since it formed 11,000 years ago.  Scientists say that when, not if, the peat bogs melt, they will release vast amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent in global warming than carbon dioxide.

With last week’s accident on Highway 118, we should consider the City of Moorpark Planning Commission giving permits for construction they say will not significantly affect the environment. We all know that means more traffic on Highway 118.

— Joe R. Rodriguez, Ventura

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 20 commentary, “Will Americans buy what the radical left is now selling?”

Will Americans buy what the ridiculous right (O’Reilly) is selling?

First: “The radical left” (President Carter) listed Saddam Hussein, when he came into power, as a terrorist and would not trade with him. The radical right (President Reagan) removed him from the terrorist list and sold him arms — lots of arms — and allowed many other countries to sell him arms.

What kind of a man is President George W. Bush?

When asked why he refused to meet at his Texas ranch with grieving parents of soldiers killed in Iraq, he responded:

“I think it’s important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say. But I think it’s also important for me to go on with my life.”

To go on with his life when these parents are not able to go on with theirs? How can they go on with their lives when they cannot find any meaning in their children’s deaths?

I am against the proposed liquefied natural gas terminal and the revitalization of Platform Grace.

What is the matter with companies like Venoco, BHP Billiton and Crystal Energy? They are exhibiting their brazen disregard for our environment and welfare as humans. These self-indulgent and greedy companies are just interested in making profits at the expense of Ventura County citizens and our marine environment.

Re: your Aug. 13 article, “Reagan Library docents at odds”:

Shock and dismay is what I felt when I read about the dismissal of 28 longtime volunteer docents at the Reagan Library.

I am speaking as an 83-year- old volunteer docent myself — not at the library, but at other volunteer venues. I have been a docent for Design House, a major financial effort for the New West Symphony, ever since the Design House project was founded; a biweekly docent at the Ventura County Maritme Museum for 15 years; and a docent for the Heritage Home Tours in Oxnard.

Don’t get me wrong. I love and encourage the presence of art in our community, but not if it requires the trampling of the rights of others and our constitutional right to hold property.

While the Ventura City Council seeks to utilize its powers of eminent domain to bring Artspace to fruition, they should keep in mind that the California Constitution (Article 1, Section 19) states that “private property may be taken or damaged for public use only.”

The intersections of Hitch Boulevard and Grimes Canyon Road with Highway 118 are both extremely dangerous. They are also only two-tenths of a mile apart.

Traffic control is badly needed, but having traffic lights at both intersections would be expensive and would greatly impede the flow of traffic along Highway 118.

It seems to me that the obvious and sensible solution would be to reroute Hitch Boulevard westward that short distance to form a four-way intersection with Grimes Canyon and install traffic lights there.

— Bob Crockford, Moorpark

Parents owe it to their children to become informed about constructivism and how it is impacting the education being provided in the public schools.

This latest teaching fad, also known as discovery-based instruction, insists that knowledge discovered through group activity is the best method for learning. Teachers in this model are relegated to the role of “facilitator” — no longer are they experts providing direct instruction.

Today’s teachers are trained to circulate among classroom groups asking probing questions, being careful not to provide answers or specific directions on how to accomplish tasks.

In the midst of right-wing spin, it is time to set the record straight.

Cindy Sheehan, a well-informed mother who lost her son in Iraq, became incensed when she heard the president say that our troops have died for a “noble cause.” Knowing full well that this war was based on a pack of lies — that there were no weapons of mass destruction, no Iraqi links to Sept. 11 and that this was a preemptive invasion carried out in order to secure a permanent base in the oil-rich Middle East and in service of the Halliburton/Bechtel bottom line — she traveled to Crawford, Texas, wanting to confront the man whose lies were responsible for her son’s death. What was the “noble cause?”

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family members of all those involved in the tragic accident on Highway 118 last week.

As soon as I saw the diagram of the three vehicles involved in this accident, my mind flashed back to last March. My wife and I were taking a two-day 55 Alive refresher driving class for seniors. The instructor gave a special emphasis to making left- hand turns when you have to wait for oncoming traffic to pass:

“Keep your front wheels straight. Don’t turn them before you are able to make the turn. If you are rear-ended and your wheels are turned, you will be pushed into oncoming traffic. If they are straight, the chances are you will be pushed straight ahead.”

President Bush still does not know how we are going to get out of Iraq in less than 12 years. The Democrats harp and whine, but they don’t have an answer either. Only the Libertarian Party has put forth a solid exit strategy (see www.lp.org).

The Libertarian strategy is not “cut and run.” Rather, we pull our troops out gradually over a year, in pace with the buildup of the Iraq police force. Most come home, but some are moved to existing bases in other Middle East countries. Financial aid comes with strict auditing to ensure that it goes where it’s supposed to.

Re: your Aug. 20 editorial, “No hullabaloo on ABA rating”:

I don’t recall any administration, Republican or Democrat, making a public hullabaloo of a “well-qualified” American Bar Association rating. Why would The Star expect it from John Roberts’ rating?

Haven’t all recent Supreme Court nominations had such a rating? I’d think that if one had a lesser rating, the nominee would not have been proffered in the first place.

The terrible vehicle accident last week on Highway 118 east of Moorpark can remind us all of a lesson my father taught me when I was learning to drive.

When preparing to make a left turn and waiting for traffic to clear, do not stop with the front wheels turned. Instead, stop with the wheels straight. Why? If you’re rear-ended, you will not be forced into oncoming traffic as, according to the reports, the van was last week. 

— Clayton Benner, Westlake Village

I have been reading about the accident on Highway 118 in Moorpark, and I want to point out an additional danger.

I live in Grimes Canyon, two miles in from Highway 118. Trying to make a left turn onto 118 from Grimes Canyon Road in the morning or late afternoon is extremely dangerous. This intersection has an even greater risk because of the train tracks. A truck and tractor cannot fit between the stop sign and the train tracks. We have seen many occasions where a train is coming, and a truck will have to lay on the horn and pull into the oncoming traffic so as not to be hit by the train.

If there hadn’t been a Pearl Harbor, there wouldn’t have been a Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
God bless President Harry Truman. He probably saved my life — and many others.

— Robert Martin, Fillmore

Re: J. Link and Sally Leavens’ Aug. 16 letter, “Auction degraded”:

The writers state, “Ventura County is still in the top 10 counties of the state for agricultural production.”
Correct. However, there appears to be some major confusion on their part.

Agriculture means produce: vegetables and fruit, such as row crops, avocados and citrus. Cows, pigs and chickens don’t grow on trees or sprout from the Earth.

Ventura County is not big livestock country, for which we should all be grateful. We don’t suffer the pollution of the hog slurry ponds and dried cattle manure blowing across our beautiful county.

Life Issues Institute, Inc. reported in April the reality of new scientific progress on stem cell research. Reports continue to flow across their desks from all over the world.

One consistent thing about all these new reports is that they are about adult stem cells, sometimes a patient’s own stem cells. They report to date no human successes in the use of embryonic stem cells, yet nearly all we hear from the mainstream press and biotech industries is the promise of embryonic stem cell research.

For information on the exciting results of research using adult stem cells, see the Web site http://www.lifeissues.org.

— Barbara Blewett, Santa Paula

Re: your Aug. 19 article, “Moorpark officials rescind deposit requested of group”:

With a last name like Ramirez, I would have thought Andy Ramirez of the Friends of the Border Patrol might have a little more compassion for legal or illegal aliens who are attempting to come to the United States to improve their lives — the same reason most Americans came here, unless they were Native Americans, most of whom were decimated by Manifest Destiny.

I might also add that my forefathers came here when we were just 13 colonies and not yet the United States.

Re: your Aug. 18 article, “After years of citations, T.O. takes action against owner of run-down home”:

I read with great interest and some incredulity this article regarding slovenliness. Our governing bodies, both local and county, are too willing to let matters slide regarding this issue.

I would wager that without any further laws or codes being written, those issues could be cleared in far less time and with far less effort than is suggested in some of the reasons given in the article.

Our county fire marshal uses the old worn-out saw, “A man’s home is his castle, so it’s difficult to lay requirements on a residential setting.” Hogwash! That’s a classic cop-out if ever there was one.

Re: Tim Robbins’ Aug. 18 letter, “Muslims say one thing, do another”:

I am not sure where Mr. Robbins has been for the last few years, but it does not seem to be on this planet!

The nearest thing to concentration camps today are the Palestinian refugee camps like Jenin, and the largest number of children dying from violence are Palestinian.

Once and for all, there is no such thing as a Muslim terrorist, any more than there are Jewish, Christian or Hindu terrorists.

I am so sick of all the anti-Christian bigotry from movie moguls, TV sitcoms and “politically correct” newscasters.

Christians are portrayed as crazed lunatics trying to impose their rigid belief system on everyone. But now, antithetical beliefs are being forced down our throats, and it’s time to say “enough is enough”!

Was it the Christians who threw out the anti-abortion laws in almost every state in 1973? No, it was the Supreme Court.

My husband and I have visited the Reagan Library several times and always enjoyed it.

When my son and his wife visited from Ohio recently, the library was on our “must do” list.
Unfortunately, on this visit, we were joined by a docent who, I am sorry to say, followed us each step of the way. He never gave us a moment’s silence to read or study the exhibits. He constantly talked and told us all about what we were trying to read, and view, on our own.

I tried several times to thank him and move on. Unfortunately, I finally had to be rude to distance ourselves from him.

From Monday’s tragedy on Highway 118, in which a whole family was lost, maybe we can learn something that can save one or more such incidents in the future.

Add this item to every driver safety training manual:

As you stop or after you move into a left-turn lane to make a left turn, don’t turn your front wheels to the left in anticipation of continuing the turn. Keep them pointed straight ahead, and then if you are rear ended, your car will travel forward in a straight line rather then be thrown into oncoming traffic.

— Frank E. Harvey, Camarillo

Re: your Aug. 18 article, “Fire destroys a historic church in Ventura”:

I was saddened by the fire destruction of the Sacred Heart church in Saticoy.

One interesting footnote is that the church was used in the final scene of Michael Bay’s 1996 action thriller, “The Rock,” starring Nicholas Cage. In the film, the church, which they call St. Michael’s, is supposed to be located in Fort Walton, Kan., where it holds the microfilm of who shot John F. Kennedy (“front pew, right leg”). Although the film does not cite Saticoy as a shooting location, The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) shows Ventura as a shooting location. The scene ends with the characters driving away from the church in the direction of Wells Road, which leads into the final shot and ending credits with them driving off toward the Santa Paula hills.

For more than 4 1/2 years, I’ve watched as the right wing has predictably smeared anyone and everyone who dared to disagree with the Bush administration.

I must say I’ve been impressed by the sheer volume of people slimed and lied about by the “party of morals.” It didn’t matter if you were a Democrat or a Republican, if your position was in opposition to the Bush administration’s and you went public, you were going to be relentlessly attacked.

I’ve often wondered just how low Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and self-professed Christians Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, along with countless others, would go.

Celebrity support for Cindy Sheehan and media coverage of it is but one more victory for the brainwashed, madrasa- fueled, Islamic extremists who will continue their mindless campaign of terror until every last “infidel” is wiped out. The protests only give them strength. Why is that not understood?

When we as a people unite with the idea that it is never, ever acceptable to purposely target innocent civilians — men, women and children —and that in no case will such conduct be tolerated or allowed to advance objectives, such as were achieved through the train bombings in Spain, we might stand a chance of pulling our military out of a free Iraq.

Artspace/Daybreak is a joint venture to which the City of Ventura has been committed for some time.
Artspace, a nonprofit live-work space for artists, will increase tourism, provide cultural opportunities for Venturans and help fulfill the city’s obligation to provide affordable housing.

Daybreak, a transitional living center for families committed to ending their homelessness — which has been a vision for nearly a decade — will provide shelter and assistance to the working poor of our community who wish to become self-sufficient. The melding of these two goals has led to a project which will benefit the city and its citizens in countless ways.

If you want the answer as to why people are getting killed at an unacceptable rate on local roads, you need look no further than Jerry Brown, governor of California during the 1970s. He’s the famous governor who wouldn’t let himself be driven to work. He had to drive his old Plymouth. 

During the last great governorship of California under Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown, the head of the California Department of Transportation, Adriana “Giant Turkey” Gianturco announced “no new freeways” as a solution to the increasing traffic in our great state. It’s been downhill since then. 

This would probably be the best time for The Star to remind its readers who have read about this tragic accident that it might not have happened had one rule of the road been followed.

I know this intersection, and the traffic is very fierce and fast on this narrow road. The rule of thumb when making a left-hand turn is to always keep your front tires straight until you are ready to make the turn. Never, while sitting there waiting, turn your wheels to the left. Had the driver kept his wheels straight when impacted from behind, it would only have pushed the car forward, and not to the left, pushing him directly into the path of oncoming traffic.

You see people all the time at an intersection violating this basic concept.

— Jack Heinzman, Thousand Oaks

The traffic accident at Highway 118 and Hitch Boulevard is tragic.

I live in Grimes Canyon, and people risk their lives on a daily basis turning onto Highway 118 from both Grimes Canyon Road and Hitch Boulevard. The county has had plans to improve these intersections but has neglected to complete these life-saving projects in a timely manner. It seems that local government waits until there is a serious injury before following through on any road improvements.

With all the local big housing developments in progress, you’d think our politicians would require improvements in our roads within a reasonable amount of time.

— Mike Rhodes, Moorpark

Monday’s accident on Highway 118 at Hitch Boulevard may give us pause to consider the standards for temporary road striping. Can we accept “half-hearted,” even confusing marks on pavement waiting to be resurfaced? If traffic is allowed, shouldn’t the driving public expect the same quality, clarity and care in application of the markings that guide its flow? Shouldn’t we demand it? 

— Desmond Fretz, Moorpark

I find the direction of the mainstream news agencies’ coverage of John Roberts very telling of the bias of the national media that reports it and the local print media that buys it.

I have come to think of the coverage as the daily “Get Roberts Report.”

It is subtly obvious that reporters are going to dig and dig and dig until they can find something that they can bend and slant to try and discredit Mr. Roberts from serving as a justice on the Supreme Court. His credentials and experience are as strong, if not stronger, than any of the nominees selected by President Clinton.

Many critics of Cindy Sheehan claim that in asking President Bush to explain the “noble cause” for which her son, Casey, was killed, she is not supporting our brave troops and is providing aid to the enemy.

Such claims are utter nonsense and harken back to the dark days of the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 or the Espionage Act of 1917 when patriotic Americans were jailed for freely speaking their minds.

Unlike any of Bush’s loved ones, Ms. Sheehan’s son voluntarily joined the military and courageously fought and died for this nation in Iraq. Ms. Sheehan has clearly earned the right to challenge Bush’s competence as commander-in-chief.

Many critics of Cindy Sheehan claim that in asking President Bush to explain the “noble cause” for which her son, Casey, was killed, she is not supporting our brave troops and is providing aid to the enemy.

Such claims are utter nonsense and harken back to the dark days of the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 or the Espionage Act of 1917 when patriotic Americans were jailed for freely speaking their minds.

Unlike any of Bush’s loved ones, Ms. Sheehan’s son voluntarily joined the military and courageously fought and died for this nation in Iraq. Ms. Sheehan has clearly earned the right to challenge Bush’s competence as commander-in-chief.

Casey Sheehan’s death did not give his mother, Cindy, the right to trash this country. It helped preserve that right for all of us.  

— Bill Thompson, Thousand Oaks

Re: Mic Farris’ Aug. 15 letter, “Politically motivated,” in response to Jere Robings’ Aug. 12 letter, “Masry should step down”:

I have appreciated Ed Masry’s service on the Thousand Oaks City Council and voted for him. However, I do feel that Mr. Masry should gracefully step down from the council.

Mr. Masry has not been able to keep up with his responsibilities, placing more duties on other council members, and now that the mayor is to become a new mother, she will be a very busy lady with limited time.

Re: Irma Schneider’s Aug. 16 letter, “Security has a price”:

Irma Schneider minimizes the loss of American military lives in Iraq by referring to them as “fewer than 2,000 troop members.” She then states that “more than 40,000 people per year lose their lives due to automobile accidents,” and assumes that many thousands more are murdered.

Re: your Aug. 7 Pulse pieces by David A. Harris, “Targeting Muslim men does not work,” by Colbert I. King, “Terrorism can’t be fought with racism,” by Hady El Neil, “Islam does not abide terrorism,” and by Terry Paulson, “Embrace profiling”:

These articles were interesting comments about profiling Muslims. However, Terry Paulson’s piece should be repeated over and over again. He was the only one, in my estimation, who made a practical, sensible approach to the current problem of profiling.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

The U.S. Navy is officially protesting the federal approval of a liquefied natural gas facility near the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Massachusetts because the LNG facility would “significantly and adversely impact testing ... which is essential to the Navy and the security of the nation.”

The two LNG facilities proposed off the coast of Oxnard — one by BHP Billiton and one by Crystal Energy —  would also significantly and adversely impact the testing and operation of Naval Base Ventura County, which is essential to the Navy and the security of the nation.

We must not allow LNG facilities off our coast.

— Larry Godwin, Oxnard

Re: Roger Hernandez’s Aug. 18 essay, “Slowing flow of illegals”:

What a great idea! We can reduce illegal immigration by issuing more green cards. It’s such a good idea that we should apply it to other issues.

Increase school graduation rates by giving all students a diploma when they start school. Reduce crime statistics and jail overcrowding by making rape, robbery and drug use legal. Cut commuting time on the freeways by eliminating speed limits and traffic enforcement.

I am a Vietnam veteran and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes more than a year ago. Because of the connection between Agent Orange and Type 2 diabetes, I filed a claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Since more than a year had passed since I filed my claim, I recently went to the department’s regional office in Los Angeles to receive information on my claim. I was told that due to budget cuts and a personnel shortage, my claim would take another four to five years to process.

I am 64 now and will be approaching 70 when my claim is settled.

Re: Miriam Hansen’s Aug. 14 letter, “Stop this war”:

Ms. Hansen insisted, “They don’t want my form of government.” I only have one question. Who is the “they” she was referring to?

Is the “they” the Iraqi people who came out to vote by the millions, proudly displaying their inked finger to prove they had participated in the democratic process in the very face of the terrorists who promised death to all who did so?

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 13 commentary, “Sen. Kennedy misses the concept of working for living”:

At first, this commentary amused me. My first thought was that he had missed his marching orders from the Bush regime to bash Cindy Sheehan and was off message in hammering Ted Kennedy.
But then I realized that he must write these diatribes far in advance, prior to the right-wing smear merchants’ “anti-Cindy” campaign being finalized.

And I was correct. After the Eagles vs. Steelers football game Monday, I happened to click by Fox News on my way to CNN Headline News, and there he was, on message, beating up on his interviewee and calling Mrs. Sheehan a liar and more.

Re: your Aug. 15 editorial, “Loud alarm, loud shot”: 

According to news reports, David Rye silenced a car alarm when its owner wouldn’t. He did something millions of Americans applaud. 

Do I agree with Mr. Rye’s method? No, although I think it was showy, therapeutic and empowering, not to mention effective. Do I understand his response to the stress created by unnecessary late-night noise disturbing his peaceful enjoyment of his home?  Absolutely!

Re: Larry Neal’s Aug. 17 letter, “Questions need asking”:

Writing replies to editorials on global warming seems to be a primary occupation of Mr. Neal, the deputy staff director of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.

In the past month, Mr. Neal has written numerous replies to editorials that criticized Rep. Barton’s sweeping requests for data and documents from three prominent scientists who study global warming.

Re: your Aug. 17 article, “Reporting of implant problems vary”:

As a recipient of first a Medtronic defibrillator and then a Guidant, both defective, I take exception to the “pained” comment by Fred McCoy, president of Guidant’s Cardiac Rhythm Management division. Perhaps he would like to have an artificial device changed in him every year or so.

It an unfortunate fact of life that mechanical things fail. It is most unfortunate that this man can’t admit that and spend a dollar once a year to make sure the information that is collected by both hospital and surgeon is kept current. We don’t need a study to determine that putting 37 cents on a postcard is money well spent.

Re: Scott Nandor’s Aug. 17 letter, “Self-defeating rants” and Richard Larsen’s Aug. 2 essay, “Cracks form on the right”:

Scott Nandor’s letter missed the profound issue. It’s not the imposition of a view of a law, but an imposition of a view of morality, based upon religious beliefs, and enforced by law. 

Social conservatives believe in moral absolutes, founded in religion, and they want to impose those moral absolutes on everybody, even the majority that do not so believe, through the law. 

In a tragic example of failed leadership, Ginger Gherardi of the Ventura County Transportation Commission attempts to pin blame for Monday’s tragic accident on Highway 118 on a local citizens group that utilized the courts to finally force the California Department of Transportation and the VCTC to obey California law.

Ms. Gherardi then states that the way to make Highway 118 safe is for it to “mirror the layout” of Highway 126. What a joke! Anyone who reads The Star even casually knows that Highway 126 is hardly the model of a safe highway.

Re: your Aug. 13 article, “Reagan Library docents at odds”:

I just finished reading the article about the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library docent “unrest.” I am so sorry The Star chose to print such a negative article.

The Star says it received a copy of the letter from Duke Blackwood, executive director of the Reagan Library, yet The Star only saw fit to print the most negative part of that letter.

Age was not the reason these docents were chosen as emeriti. In fact, we have many docents who are in their 70s and 80s who are still very active and were not entered into this category.

Re: your Aug. 13 article, “Reagan Library docents at odds”:

I am a West Point cadet who will graduate in May. There’s a good possibility I might be leading troops in combat in Iraq. I want to thank the council at the Ronald Reagan Library for the wonderful graduation gift they gave me.

My grandfather, Cmdr. Joseph T. Glab, U.S. Navy, (Ret.), a member of “The Greatest Generation,” was randomly selected to be disposed of. Although he’s in excellent physical and mental condition, eight people decided they no longer wanted him, and without any warning or notification, sent him a dismissal letter. He spent 30 years in the Navy as a pilot flying in World War II, serving in the Korean and Vietnam wars. I doubt if the entire council could make up 30 years of dedication to their country.

Re: your Aug. 12 article, “A personal appeal spurs an Ojai artist into action”:

There is a simple solution to hunger in Africa: Go to our county schools after lunch and pick up all the food, “free” to students, that they throw out and take it to Niger.

Better yet, cut out this article and make an issue of the starving to our school cafeterias and all the students.

— Betty Morgan, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 14 article, “Sinking approval”:

How appropriate that the governor’s approval rating ranks him “46th among the nation’s governors in home-state popularity.” That rank is almost identical to California’s rank in money spent per pupil for education.

As school begins this month, think about the kind of education you want your children to receive. It is not going to get better if California voters approve Propositions 74 and 76.

Re: J. Link and Sally Leavens’ Aug. 16 letter, “Auction degraded”:

They took the words right out of my mouth! I thank them for for recognizing such a huge omission on The Star’s part.

After reading the very, very poor coverage on the Ventura County Fair’s livestock judging and auction, I knew that I couldn’t be the only one upset!

Re: your Aug. 15 editorial, “Loud alarm, loud shot”:

How can The Star blame the victim? If more car thieves were caught, people would not have to have car security alarms.

Let’s try this novel concept: Hire more cops, put criminals in jail, and let law-abiding and tax-paying citizens live without fear of having their hard-earned belongings stolen.

Oh, wait, I forgot. This is California, where cops infringe on criminals’ rights to commit crimes, where the law-abiding taxpayers are the victims, the criminals don’t go to jail, and journalists champion the criminal’s rights over the victim’s.

In my opinion, President Bush could fulfill a noble cause if he would turn out the lights, leave the White House and start walking back to Texas.

— William Wolny, Oxnard

What if all of the behaviors that we routinely excuse as, “Oh, that’s part of war,” were indictable civil offenses? 

Then preemptive war would certainly count as an act of aggression, like breaking into your neighbor’s house. The deaths and maimings of civilians could be prosecuted as individual acts of assault and murder, worthy of hefty personal damage payments. Even the deaths of “consenting” soldiers could be seen as wanton violations of personal and public safety.

Re: Yahya Merchant’s July 18 letter, “Muslim position clarified”:

Merchant attempts to clarify the Muslim position, but indeed, the letter just seems to muck up the water even more.

So I will clarify the position: Nazis.

When I say that, people think of the German goose-stepping Gestapo herding Jews into concentration camps for the “Final Solution.”

Re: Marie Basiago’s Aug. 12 letter, “Parking lot preferable”:

I am so annoyed by this letter. I guess Ms. Basiago would prefer Moorpark use the new eminent domain law to bulldoze the rest of High Street for her precious parking lot just to save her a couple steps. And talk about rude — her jab about not wanting to visit downtown Moorpark! What a shame, since anything of a historical nature is of importance to me. Too bad this type of appreciation escapes Ms. Basiago.

— Jacqueline Boller, Moorpark

Re: your Aug. 16 article, “7 die in Hwy. 118 crash”:

My condolences and prayers are with the seven killed on Highway 118 on Monday, their families and their friends.

It is unfortunate that we — pretty much everyone around the world — accept the death of our loved ones as a price of convenient transportation.

Re: your coverage of the Aug. 15 accident on Highway 118 that killed seven family members:

There has been a lot of ink in your paper about this horrible tragedy: news articles, a lead editorial and letters to the editor.

What I have yet to read is a mention of cell phone use; it was not mentioned in the list of items checked off by the CHP.

What could be easier to verify than whether a given cell phone was in use at the time of the incident?

Re: your Aug. 13 editorial, “A party of one in carpool lane”:

Finally, an editorial that reminds readers of the common-sense reasons why the law allowing hybrid cars to use carpool lanes with solo drivers was introduced in the first place: “to ease gridlock, clean the air, reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and save money at the pumps.” 

I bought a Honda Civic hybrid a few months after they came onto the market in 2002.

Things are changing in Simi Valley, and not for the better.  Higher rents and mortgages and increased traffic on Highway 118 are bad enough, but even more disturbing, and something nobody seems to want to address, is the obvious problem of illegal immigration in the past few years.

It all started with a few sightings of obviously foreign-born men riding their bicycles quietly to and from their “service sector” jobs in town.  No big deal, really — just grown men riding on the sidewalks with their heads down and avoiding eye contact.  Now, the bike brigade has grown into a regular mass transit issue in the morning and at the end of the day.

Re: Marcia Rabowsky’s Aug. 12 letter, “Community under siege”:

In response to the comments regarding the Civil War re-enactment festivities at Channel Islands Harbor, I, too, live at our “beautiful, tranquil beach” and have lived here for 40-plus years. I was delighted to hear the cannons going off in the harbor. Rarely do we have such wonderful, educational and authentic events in our beautiful harbor.

The “horrendous explosions causing sound waves to shake our homes and windows, shatter our nerves, set off car alarms and terrify our pets” were never heard past 8 p.m. or before 7 a.m. When they did go off, we quickly went down to see what all the “intermittent explosions” were and were delighted at what we found.

Re: Miriam Hansen’s Aug. 14 letter, “Stop this war” and Ken Bash’s Aug. 14 letter, “No son of mine”:

I would like to thank Miriam Hansen and Ken Bash for their excellent letters. As a mother, I empathize with Mrs. Sheehan and her plight, and I want to thank her for making such a valiant effort to save other mothers’ children from dying in a needless, unnecessary war of choice.

As a Vietnam-era veteran who volunteered to serve my country when George Bush was jetting around Texas in his National Guard champagne unit and my friends were being drafted, I find it ironic that the National Guard, used as a way to avoid service in the 1970s, is now sending large numbers of soldiers to Iraq, leaving many states, cities and communities without first responders such as police and firefighters.

I live on Wall Street in Ventura, and next door to me is a body shop that restores totaled-out vehicles, and they repaint automobiles. To restore these vehicles, they use power tools that make such a loud noise I can’t hear my TV during the day. I have called the Ventura Police, and they told me that it is legal for the shop to make as much noise as they need to.

The fumes from the paint spread throughout the neighborhood. If I leave my window open, the fumes come into my house.

The whole neighborhood has complained to Code Enforcement and the Air Pollution Control District   about this, and they say there is nothing they can do about it.

Re: Adam Foxman’s Aug. 10 article, “Study indicates more challenges inspire students to work harder”:
I write in support of the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools and his “real-world” perspective on the educational needs of children.

I agree with Superintendent Charles Weis that we need to teach science and math in ways that make sense to all children. That means successfully teaching these subjects in ways they can understand. This includes revitalizing vocational education courses where math and science become real and tangible to kids and not just arcane and boring textbook drills.

I and many others have spent much energy to support the horticulture program at Ventura College so it does not get eliminated. We circulated petitions, gave speeches at board meetings and made improvements at the horticulture facilities at Ventura College just to help the program stay.

It seems there are six characters who have their own agenda, and they will not budge: six trustees, one president, one vice president and the chancellor. Why is that?

Ventura County is an agricultural county, and to not have an educational institution locally that supports it blows me away.

The Star is sorely out of touch with its constituencies.

Thousands of kids, parents and local businesses participate in the apex of the Ventura County Fair. The Youth Livestock Auction celebrates the hard work of 4-H and Future Farmers of America kids throughout the county, and rather than seeing their efforts championed on the front page of the paper, The Star indicates that the winners can be found on its Web site.

Additionally, to further degrade the institution, The Star writes a sob story for the animals that have been so lovingly nurtured for months.

Much has been said about the loss of fewer than 2,000 lives of soldiers in Iraq, and that our troops should be pulled out because of it.

To lose one life is one too many, but the purpose of our military is to keep us secure at home and abroad, and to preserve life in and for our country. When a person volunteers to join one of our military services, he understands that it may be necessary to go to war, and either he is willing to give his life for our country, or he doesn’t join the service. 

Regarding the woes of the Ventura County Community College District:

How can you expect to increase enrollment as you cut programs, courses and services?

— Graham Dawson, Ventura

Re: Ann McFeatters’s Aug. 15 essay, “‘Death tax’ debate alive”:

This essay missed a couple of key points.

First, contrary to what President Bush and his cohorts would have us believe, it isn’t a tax on dead people passing their estates on to their heirs.  It’s a tax on the live people who receive these windfalls.
Saying that recipients of estates shouldn’t have to pay taxes on them is like saying that the baker from whom I buy a loaf of bread shouldn’t have to pay tax on that income since I already paid income tax when I earned the money I used to buy the bread.
 

Re: your Aug. 14 editorial, “Social Security at 70”:

This editorial perpetrates the ill-informed notion that Social Security rests on a viable reserve of funds backed by U.S. Treasury securities.

However, that Social Security inflow presently exceeds the outflow now, and that it is expected to be the case until 2017, is not disputed.

Re: Dan K. Thomasson’s Aug. 13 essay, “Traveling a familiar path”:

There are a few similarities between the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and George W. Bush in that both lost large percentages of their approval rating, large domestic gains in Medicare and civil rights during their last few years in office. The only difference is that LBJ actually had accomplished these gains in his own presidency.

Re: your Aug. 13 article, “Hispanic group gives Capps perfect score on 18 issues”:

This article states that Democratic Rep. Lois Capps of Santa Barbara was given a strongly favorable ranking by a Hispanic group and that Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley was given a poor ranking.

I believe that a few changes to the article would make it more accurate.

For example, the article states that Capps “received a 100 percent ranking from the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a non-partisan coalition of groups and Hispanic leaders,” and that Rep. Gallegly received an 11 percent rating.

Ventura College’s horticulture program is dead.

After many months of convincing arguments before the Ventura County Community College Board of Trustees, all to no avail, the program is clearly gone.

When our facilities were criticized by adminstration as being in disrepair, we organized volunteers and repaired them. When greenhouses were declared unsafe, I wrote a grant, which was approved, for $25,000 to buy two small greenhouses.

Re: your Aug. 8 editorial, “Debate gets a bit hot”:

A few weeks ago, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, wrote to three reputable climate scientists and asked them to tell Congress about the data they’d unearthed in studying 1,000 years of global surface temperatures. The Star and other critics, however, now advise that questions about global warming data are upsetting the accepted norm.

This isn’t about the existence of global warming — that seems largely settled — but whether the data are accurate enough to reliably identify a set of repairs that will cost billions of taxpayers’ dollars.

Re: your August 14 Pulse page, “Cindy Sheehan and President Bush”:

Congratulations! This page provides an excellent example of unfair and unbalanced journalism, notwithstanding Katheen Parker’s commentary, “Must be August”.

Beginning with the pitiable Cindy Sheehan, you quicken the anti-Bush pace with someone who might be too far left for MoveOn.org, T. Maya Teague.  Finally, you finish the barrage with two well-balanced letters, Miriam Hansen’s “Stop this war” and Ken Bash’s “No son of mine.” Trouble is, the balance is all on the left.

In reading about Cindy Sheehan’s mission to meet with President Bush, I can’t help but wonder what my own mother would have done if I had been killed in action in a conflict which was avoided some 20 years ago.

While I was a young soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, that conflict would have taken place with another madman at the time, Moammar Gadhafi. The difference is that our leader at the time, President Reagan, had the restraint and basic common sense to know that sending troops to Libya would result in the type of situation we now have in Iraq. As one who served in a combat unit, I can tell you that all young infantrymen would readily go to war without hesitation.

When Cindy Sheehan lost her son, Casey, to an unnecessary war, she turned grief into action to help prevent other needless deaths — a truly noble cause.

We have Megan’s Law and the Amber Alert to protect our children. I propose a Casey Doctrine, requiring a national vote and a mandatory draft before U.S. troops can be ordered into combat. This law would help insure that our young men and women are never sent to kill and be killed unless we are directly threatened and all non-military options have been exhausted. 

Casey Sheehan was willing to die to defend America, but he died for a pack of lies.

I can’t imagine the pain that Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen Iraqi soldier, is in. I can’t imagine how much it hurts to lose a child, let alone for a cause I don’t believe in.

I don’t think she is, as some have labeled her, a “pawn of the left,” but I do think she is seriously misguided. Her actions now strike me as a bit ridiculous. I feel bad that in her grief, she’s making herself a laughingstock.

She wants to ask the president, “Why did you kill my son?” The last time I checked, ours was a volunteer army. Nobody forced her son to join. I doubt seriously she complained at all when her son was getting paid for doing not much during peace time. And now demanding to meet with the president? Please.

Re: your Aug. 9 article, “Bush signs energy bill to lessen oil dependence”:

The government debt is at an all time high. Oil industry profits are at an all time high. The windfall tax would be very appropriate at this time. Instead congress has just given the oil industry a tax break. Oops, I mean, new tax incentives.

This is not how a conservative congress would behave. This is not how moral congressmen behave. Therefore, I submit, that congress is not controlled by the Christian conservatives, as some people have charged.

— Leo Bowman, Ventura 

I have a simple message for the creationists bent on diluting the science curriculum in Kansas and elsewhere with the study of intelligent design: It ain’t science, folks.

Should President Bush’s intention to land on Mars come to pass, he will have to rely on much more than faith to get there, and so will the students in science classes all across this nation.
The president’s own science adviser has warned him that ID is nothing more than “pseudoscience,” which would replace the scientific method, the basis of so many incomparable advances in medicine and other fields, with a Bible-based interpretation of observed reality. The pervasive concept of “God said it, I believe it, and that’s that!” has no place in a science classroom.

As a teacher, I would suggest that there are many ways that students can and should study the influence of faith on our world — through philosophy, anthropology, comparative religion, mythology, art history, architecture, etc., etc. — but please, let us not dilute what little science education is available in the school day with an irrelevant study of what can only be termed junk science.

This has about as much usefulness in the real world as requiring medical students to devote half of their time to the study and practice of faith healing.

— Donald Wallace, Camarillo

Re: your Aug. 9 article, “Bush signs energy bill to lessen oil dependence”:

So the energy bill signed into law by President “anything for my buddies” Bush allows the federal government to have full authority on where to establish liquefied natural gas facilities anywhere on any coast. And exactly what did Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer do to bring this to the attention of Californians before the bill was signed?

Apparently with the help of our movie star governor, an LNG facility will be built offshore of my home in Oxnard with all the attendant risks of explosion, pollution, terrorist attack, earthquake and other catastrophes. In addition, a gas line will be built under the city of Oxnard to further endanger the population. And to add insult to injury, the whole mess is being built by an Australian company in thanks for their support of Bush’s catastrophic war in Iraq.

Where were are senators? Are they now so chummy with the Republicans that they could not raise any red flags about this situation? I am really disappointed in their lack of integrity in bringing any of this information to their constituents in Oxnard and Ventura County concerning the usurpation by Bush and his cronies of our state’s authority over its own coast.

— Kenn Freeman, Oxnard

Re: John Blumenthal’s Aug. 8 commentary, “No-so intelligent design seems to be the case”:

If an intelligent design is responsible for the creation of humans and diseases, such as tooth decay, cancer, diabetes, and constipation — be it made known to all who read this hoopla, that the intelligent designer also meant the humans to take care of their teeth, not to smoke, to pass up the sugar and to otherwise eat responsibly.

— Billye Grymwade, Ventura

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken so much money from corporations that sometimes it all blurs together. But the $66,300 he’s taken from the infamous Pleasant Care Corp. nursing homes is unprecedented and should be returned immediately.

All told, 13 criminal charges have been recently filed against Pleasant Care for elder abuse and elder neglect. In the past, Pleasant Care has faced numerous lawsuits and fines for substandard and abusive practices and is even barred from opening new nursing homes because of this record.

Schwarzenegger collected funds earned from the pain and suffering of some of society’s most vulnerable people and he insults them by spending it on his campaigns. As the presidents of the Congress of California Seniors and the California Nurses Association, we urge Schwarzenegger to return these funds immediately and to reject any future donations from this corporation.

— Deborah Burger, RN, President, California Nurses Association, Oakland

— Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo, President, Congress of California Seniors Sacramento

Re: Don Dyer’s Aug. 9 commentary, “Single-payer health bill not the answer”:

Yes, let’s mandate parents making more that $50,000 see that their children have health insurance. And while were at it, let’s mandate that all Californians and businesses participate in a health insurance plan and pay a fair share. That way they can all have access to care.

And let’s save money by having just one very good health plan so we save on administrative costs for the insurer, the doctors and the hospitals. Let’s save money by having just one insurer, one we can count on not to leave the state, or drop our policies, or change the rules, or deny us benefits, or raise our rates to unfordable levels.

Let’s plan for the future health needs of the state so we have enough equipment and beds to meet the needs, but not an excess, which drives up costs. And let’s do like other smarter countries do, and bargain for realistic drug and medical equipment prices.

Let’s let special interests like insurance companies, drug companies, and corporations who avoid paying a fair share for our health system, know that it is our health system. We are going to change things so that the health system benefits first and foremost the patients, the people who pay for the health system, and the people who provide the care. Sen. Sheila Kuehl’s SB840 does all this, as those who take the time to read it will discover.

— Leila Masry, Newbury Park

Re: Jere Robings’ Aug. 12 letter “Masry should step down”:

Well, here we go again. Yet another politically mobilized effort to gain power by trying to remove people from office.

Unfortunately, ever since Councilman Ed Masry first took ill, it has long been rumored that supporters of the council majority have been hovering like vultures, waiting to convert Masry’s downturn in health into a political opportunity. Robings’ letter merely proves it.

From the failed recall attempt of a popular slow growth council member to the wrongful ouster of planning commissioners to the politically motivated censure of another popular slow growth council member to the forced resignation of a long-standing and honorable civil servant to the most recent call to remove Masry from the council, Robings and his side of the political divide have long sought to remove public servants with whom they disagree, even if they have to make up reasons to do so.

It appears they just can’t help themselves.

While Robings calls for Masry’s ouster, I’m calling on Masry to stay in spite of him. I am quite sure that Masry will be back to council meetings when his health permits. Let’s offer him and his family encouragement to see him back instead of calls to push him out.  No one deserves to have a health challenge compounded by a callous political attack. Kicking someone when they’re down is not an admirable trait.

Those reading this letter who are as tired as I am of the lack of civility toward good people, the community needs to hear from you. Write a letter and let the public know how you feel.

— Mic Farris, Thousand Oaks

(The writer is the former chairman of the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission. He was appointed by Councilman Masry. — Editor)

Re: Gary Murphy’s Aug. 10 letter, “Bond panel must focus”:

As a member of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, and one whose comments and character are being questioned, I must respond. I speak not only for myself, but as the spokesperson for the Oversight Committee.

The committee’s responsibility is to make sure bond proceeds are spent in accordance with law. We feel we have the right to question the wisdom of decisions made regarding the bond.

I would like to know how many of our meetings, always open to the public, Murphy has been to. Sadly, very few choose to attend. Rather than chiding me for not being “optimistic in the face of adversity,” Murphy might have understood that I am being realistic.

Our responsibility is to the community, the taxpayers who voted for this bond. It is our belief that it is extremely unlikely all projects will be completed. We are insisting the public be made aware of these issues now, so discussion can take place, rather than five years from now when the money may well run out.

I resent Murphy’s implication that I should not be allowed to express my views.

What I said “wouldn’t happen” had nothing to do with matching funds. I said, and I quote, “(The school district) is going to make an assumption that we’re going to have a management company up and running in 30 days. It’s not going to happen. It’s just not going to happen.”

Murphy claims the district never transferred $1.5 million from the bond fund to the general fund. It did and the committee was told this several times. We have not, however, been given all the information we requested several times: how did it happen, who authorized it and what is being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

— Eric Cohen, Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, Simi Valley

I attended the Ventura County Fair with friends because of The Star coverage. What a real rip-off. We decided on a tri-tip sandwich from the small stand on the left side of the street after you enter the fair. They used a small, not medium or large, but a small bun. Then added two small pieces of meat. Maybe 1½ ounces. The price: $7.50. The cost: 25 cents for the bun and 30 cents for the meat. $7 in profit to the county fair board and the concessionaire. I forgot the free napkin.

Others in the party had the chicken dinner, across from the tri-tip sandwich place. They cheated you by using small “pullet” chicken, far less than half a regular chicken’s size and weight.

We won’t be back. Let them take advantage of the kids next year.

— Donald L. Stehsel, Ventura

Two years ago I lost my mother, mother-in-law, and my wife to cancer within four months of each other. I realize life isn’t about me, it’s about taking care of other people’s needs and that there are more important things in life than just things. Now, my best friend has cancer and is fighting for his life. Your help is urgently needed.

Every one of us has been touched by this terrible disease. We can pray for a cure, but we also need to put our prayers into action. Would you sacrifice a night out and send what you would have spent to the American Cancer Society? Someone once asked in dismay: “Must I keep giving and giving away. ‘No,’ said the angel looking him through, ‘just keep on giving until God stops giving to you.’ ”

In just a few weeks the American Cancer Society is going to have its largest fundraiser of the year, Relay For Life at Simi High School. Your support will make a difference, remember we can’t spell success without U. Please make your tax-deductible donation to the American Cancer Society and send it to: Troop Real Estate, 3200 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA 93065.

— Kerry Berman, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 7 editorial, “Toxic bodies are a bad sign”:

I’m rather surprised that The Star would publish an official position statement based on as scientifically unstable a publication as the EWG BodyBurden 2 study. Examining the actual study results (http://ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2), you’ll see that the chemical concentrations are far less alarming than simply the number of chemicals present. While a large number of chemicals were detected, this is more a testament to the sensitivity to mass spectroscopic and chromatographic procedures, the major families of techniques used in the study, than to the ubiquity of dangerous toxins.

Even assuming that some chemicals present a greater risk to developing and newborn babies than to adults, orders-of-magnitude differences in effect, while possible, are unlikely; and many of the chemicals detected were present only at a ppt (parts per trillion) level, though the allowable concentration for adults — concentrations that are far below the level at which detectable symptoms are produced — was in the ppm (parts per million) range. The actual associations of such chemical concentrations with fetal and neonatal symptoms and/or lack thereof would be much more valuable, since it would help establish currently unknown dangerous concentrations — upon which information any legislation would need to be based.

While some chemicals in the study may be a cause for concern, the use of sheer chemical count as a statistic is at best sketchy and, at worst, academically dishonest. Before such expansive, and potentially costly, legislation as the Child, Worker, and Consumer Safe Chemicals Act is put into place, it needs a foundation of solid science and real statistics. BodyBurden 2 provides clues as to what chemicals and mixtures of chemicals need to be studied in depth. It shows us where to investigate, not where to legislate.

— Keith Beckman, Oxnard

(The writer is a doctoral student in biomedical sciences at Medical College of Georgia. — Editor)

Re: Gary Krupa’s Aug. 10 letter, “Expensive ice cream”:

Krupa was not the only one disappointed with ice cream at the fair. Prices were outrageous, but to add insult to injury, we also noticed lots of tiny bits of chipped ice in the “ice cream” diluting the flavor. We paid the high price expecting to get a decent ice cream cone. There was more ice than cream.

It was evident the product was diluted in order to make even more profit. Greed took the place of what should have been the vendor’s pride in his product. High prices and poor quality will drive folks away. Next year we will eat before we go to the fair and after we leave. The vendors can blame themselves.
— Carol Bohner, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 10 article, “Discovery’s crew ‘happy to be back,’ ” and editorial, “Sonic booms music to ears”:

The editorial and the article were both very informative, but contained a technical inaccuracy regarding sonic booms. Contrary to the description that sonic booms are created “as the shuttle dipped below the speed of sound,” they are created continuously as the craft flies at supersonic speeds. At those speeds, one shock wave cone is generated on the nose and another on the tail. As the craft flies supersonically, these shock cones are dragged over the Earth’s surface, causing anyone in their path to hear a boom first from the nose shock wave and then a second boom from the tail shock wave. Consequently, “dipping below the speed of sound” causes the sonic booms to cease, rather than to happen.

The continuous generation of sonic booms is one reason that supersonic transports (SSTs) were not allowed to fly coast to coast across the United States, as they would have been a substantial irritant to the public. Clarifying any future articles The Star may write about sonic booms would help the public better understand this bit of science.

— William Winner, Camarillo

Saturday and Sunday, the community of Hollywood by-the-Sea was rocked by horrendous explosions causing sound waves to shake our homes and windows, shatter our nerves, set off car alarms and terrify our pets.

We discovered that these intermittent explosions came from many cannons that had been set up on our beautiful, tranquil beaches by the the American Civil War Society, whose members were dressed in Civil War uniforms. They were camped in tents along our beaches and parks.

Upon my inquiry, they informed me that the Harbor Department had obtained permits from the city of Oxnard to exceed noise limits and carry out their activities.

Our community had never been asked for input nor had we been warned of this activity. This is an example of blatant disregard by the government of our community’s welfare.

The cannons were placed directly across the street from our homes. This must never be permitted to happen again. We ask the Harbor Department and Oxnard to make certain of this. We will not sit by idly again.

— Marcia Rabowsky, Hollywood by the Sea, Oxnard

Re: John Blumenthal’s Aug. 8 commentary, “Not-so intelligent designs seems the case”:

Look at the basics. What seems more logical: life began from nothing and, by a series of random and haphazard events, evolved into millions of complex life forms; or there was an orderly and deliberate creation of life by something or someone beyond our comprehension? An integral part of science includes observation. None of us observed the beginning of the universe, so each of us, evolutionist and intelligent designer, must have faith that the evidence observed will explain the universe as we perceive it.

Darwin talked about “intraspecies” evolution, or natural selection. This does not contradict intelligent design. It does not support “interspecies” evolution — one species evolving into another. If this was the case, we would be able to find millions of fossils of transitional forms (missing links). Also, Darwin was a theist and believed in a creator.

I think Blumenthal was trying to be funny, but if he had done his homework, he would have found real-life answers to all the imperfect scenarios he questioned.

For example, the reason an 8-pound baby squeezes through a silver dollar-size hole is to compress the cranial bones (cartilage at this moment) and begin the cranial-sacral pump, which allows cerebral spinal fluid to travel the length of the spinal cord. Cancer is man-made. A recent article declared the disturbing findings that, in a random sampling of newborn’s blood, there were dozens of chemicals known to be carcinogenic, chemicals come from modern society.

Diabetes and constipation are the results of poor lifestyle. Pain is necessary for survival; it is the “red light” warning of danger to the body.

Shouldn’t intelligent design and evolution both be taught in schools so students can make informed choices, based on scientific evidence?

— Ben Griffes, Thousand Oaks

It is time for Ed Masry to be removed from the Thousand Oaks City Council, either by resignation or by council action.

His attendance, or lack thereof, at the council meetings is not the issue. Council meetings are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of council obligations. Many have said it is comparable to a 40 hour a week job. There are numerous countywide boards and commissions that require city representation, i.e., Regional Sanitation District, Ventura County Transportation Commission, Air Pollution Control District, and Masry has not been physically able to serve in that capacity. The citizens are entitled to a fully active council member.

It is becoming apparent his health problems will not let him fulfill his obligations as a member of the City Council. He has spent several months in intensive care due to complications from diabetes leading to amputation, in addition to his permanent kidney condition requiring dialysis. It has been reported that he has attended only two meetings in the past five months. The council has been more than generous to Masry by not following established policy, which calls for vacating a seat if a member misses three consecutive meetings.

Since Masry cannot now fulfill all of his obligations as a councilman, it is his duty to step down to allow the council to fill that seat, either by special election or appointment. Considering his poor health, it is difficult to understand why he would refuse to resign.

It is time for the city to move on with a full council.

— Jere Robings, Thousand Oaks

We applaud Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, for leading a successful effort to remove a special-interest provision from the energy bill that would have let the makers of the dangerous chemical, MTBE, off the hook for drinking-water contamination in the Central Coast and across the country. We also commend Rep. Capps for opposing the final energy bill, which President Bush signed. This legislation fails to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, ease rising energy prices for consumers, or make meaningful investments in clean renewable technologies and energy efficiency.

Instead, this bill rewards already profitable energy companies like Exxon Mobil, which recently reported double-digit increases in profits for the second quarter of the year. It also weakens protections for our air and water and includes an invasive inventory of offshore oil and gas, which could pave the way for new drilling off the California coast.

The American people deserve a clean, secure, energy policy for the 21st century instead of the special interest giveaways, harmful environmental rollbacks and failed policies of the past that are contained in the energy bill.

Rep. Capps was right to recognize that we can and should do better and deserves our thanks for her leadership.

— Deb Callahan, President, League of Conservation Voters, Washington, D.C.

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 6 commentary, “God save us from secular attack on religious displays”:

Again, we are exposed to O’Reilly’s convoluted logic that seems to blame a decline in church attendance in the West and a rise in “progressive secularists” with a variety of ills including terrorism, child sexual abuse and rap music. He decries the fact that, in Britain, “only 10 percent of those polled said they would be willing to die for their religious beliefs.” O’Reilly promotes a sense of moral outrage and a stand against evil that he associates only with religion.

Many strands of religion do seem to promote moral outrage, but with very mixed results. When religious adherents believe with such certainty, like O’Reilly does, that the line between good and evil runs between people instead of through them, not only are they willing to die for their religious beliefs, but they seem to be quite willing to kill for them as well. I know a number of “progressive secularists” who can find plenty of moral outrage in themselves over that (as well as other things) and some of them would also understandably question whether or not religion itself has been a greater force for good or for evil in the world.

I have not seen credible research to suggest that people who go to church are more likely to lead ethical, loving lives and surely that, more than an increase in moral outrage, is the true test of religion.

— The Rev. Jan Christian, Unitarian Universalist Church, Ventura

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 6 commentary, “God save us from secular attack on religious displays”:

O’Reilly’ states such attacks have been “extremely effective worldwide,” giving the example that churchgoing in Western Europe has collapsed in many countries. He means separation of church and state stopped people from attending church? Ridiculous. O’Reilly doesn’t seem to realize that the opposition is not necessarily anti-religious or villains without morals. Wishing to avoid the horrible religious wars that occurred in Europe where religion was politicized, our mainly Christian Founding Fathers wisely advocated separation of church and state; O’Reilly left that little piece of information out.

O’Reilly goes on to imply that “Islama-fascists” love to hear that only 10 percent of the British “would be willing to die for their religious beliefs.” Then only religious people care enough about their fellow man enough to fight against terrorism? Who likes terrorism? Secularists? He blames declining religion for the fact that Osama bin Laden isn’t “on the gallows right now”? Yikes, what logic. Displaying the Ten Commandments is not going to solve the problem of terrorism. So many despicable acts have been done in the name of religion — yes, by Christians and Muslims, alike.

I personally have no problems with the Ten Commandments, but O’Reilly wants us to believe that if they’re not displayed publicly, we could never agree on what is right or wrong and thus “there would never be universal outrage over terrorism or terrible crimes.” Where’s the logic in that? We have laws in place that represent the consensus of what is morally and legally wrong or right, and wonderfully, those laws allow everyone the freedom to practice, or not practice, the religion of their choice. How exuberant would O’Reilly be if there were public religious displays that weren’t Christian?

— Linda Warren, Camarillo

Re: your Aug. 10 editorial, “Sonic booms music to ears”:

The Star’s editorial had a factual error in it. The statement “Those sonic booms as the shuttle dipped below the speed of sound” is wrong. Sonic booms happen the whole time the shuttle is flying above the speed of sound, not just when it “dipped below the speed of sound.” In fact, the shuttle was flying many time the speed of sound when it crossed over the West Coast and we head the boom.

In this age of the Internet, there is no excuse for this kind of error. It took me 30 seconds on Google to find multiple pages with the right information on sonic booms. This is one of the better pages: http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html.

— Danny Clark, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 10 article, ‘Discovery’s crew ‘happy to be back’, ” and editorial, “Sonic booms music to ears”:

Both provide incorrect explanations of what creates a sonic boom. Both articles mention the boom being created as the shuttle dips below the speed of sound. That explanation is not correct.

The sonic boom is noted by an observer on the ground as the shock wave from a supersonic vehicle travels past the observer. The shock wave travels along with the supersonic vehicle, and lays down a sonic boom footprint on the ground as long as the vehicle is above the speed of sound. Once the vehicle drops below the speed of sound, the sonic boom ceases to exist, since there is no longer a supersonic shock wave.

The final flight of a SR-71 Blackbird, flying from California to Dulles airport at Mach 3-plus, was the first and only time a sonic boom was continuously generated across the entire United States.

As a child growing up in Southern California in the late 1950s, I enjoyed the shuttle recreation of what was a common event back then: the “sound of freedom,” the sonic boom.

— Mark Loomis, Thousand Oaks

After hearing that our City Council approved the Big League Dreams baseball stadiums, I have a question: How many of the council members would approve it if it was in their neighborhood?

Another question I have is about the downtown movie complex. Do they think the citizens of Oxnard will support these movie theatres? I don’t, and I don’t visualize too many citizens of Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura flocking to downtown Oxnard to see a movie. I have a feeling it will go the same way as our outlet mall.

To some reading this, I may seem pessimistic, actually I see myself as being realistic.

— Scotty Bonnar, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 9 editorial, “Making deadly crossings safer”:

The Star’s suggestion that the Board of Supervisors create a task force to assess railroad grade-crossings was well-intentioned but a study is not needed. The Ventura County Transportation Commission already conducted a review of all of the legal railroad crossings in Ventura County, public and private, signalized and unsignalized, and looked at the accident rates over the last 10 years at all crossings. There are 13 private railroad crossings in Ventura County, with eight between Camarillo and Moorpark. This is the area that has recently been the location of several incidents

VCTC has been working with the Operation Lifesaver organization, Union Pacific Railroad, Metrolink, Amtrak, CHP, farmers in the Somis area and others to educate the public to approach and cross the rail tracks safely. We have installed “Stop, Look and Listen” signs in English and Spanish and have held special meetings with workers.

We are working with Union Pacific Railroad to have them replace a bridge that would allow workers access to a parallel farm road along the tracks so one or two of these crossings can be eliminated.

Last year, with the assistance of Rep. Elton Gallegly, VCTC obtained $494,000 in federal assistance to install flashing lights and gates at the two private crossings with the highest accident rates. Union Pacific Railroad plans to install these devices this year.

Although VCTC does not own or control the rail tracks west of Moorpark, the safety of residents, visitors and train passengers is of primary concern to us. We do not need another study; we need to keep working diligently on implementing safety improvements that have been identified.

Finally, we need to keep reminding the public to fully “stop, look and listen” when approaching or crossing any railroad track.

— Mary Travis, Ventura

(The writer is manager of rail and regional programs at the Ventura County Transportation Commission. — Writer)

Re: Jake Scanlon’s letter of July 31, “Quit Whining”

His letter was filled with the usual name-calling and snide remarks calling letters from those opposed to the travesty called war in Iraq “the same old garbage.”

It would take a huge lid to cover what his letter contains.

Falling in line with President Bush, his ilk talk tough. Question is, where do they do their fighting? I did mine in Korea (1951-52) and I don’t consider being vocal about a war based on lies, placing our troops in combat without adequate armor and supplies, costing billions of dollars and thousands of innocent lives on both sides as “whining.”

— Richard Lebeck, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 9 article, “Fliers continue to scare species”:

If you’re not familiar with media bias, look at this article. The subhead was “Groups to step up efforts to protect threatened birds.”

There is no evidence at all that paragliders or ultralights scare birds, or affect nesting success rates in the slightest.  Buried at the bottom of the article is the only real scientific data reported, which is that the only known cause of nest failures on Ormond Beach this year is animal predation. This agrees with other analyses of population variation in ground-nesting bird species on other beaches, 

The causes of a majority of failures are ominously listed as “unknown.” If you’re one of a tiny number of shrill protesters who want Ormond Beach set aside for your private use, that means paragliders must have killed them. It couldn’t possibly have been change in any of dozens of other factors. That certainty in “absence of fact” is the difference between activists and scientists.

We’re watching a little cabal of selfish hobbyists trying to hijack a public resource for their own private use. They want the beach closed to all but self-appointed environmentalists, and the paragliders are merely the first targets. Read the letters they write; next will be dog owners, and then joggers and pedestrians, and then families that come to play in the surf.

— Mike Nowland, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 9 article, “Bush Signs energy bill to lessen oil dependence”:

President Bush’s lack of common sense leadership for the benefit of the average citizen and his huge giveaway and subsidies to the oil companies should be an impeachable offense. This man is so flawed and one-half of the American people are either naive or ignorant to continue to support this madness.

Poor old President Carter addressed this while he was in office and he was mocked and ridiculed. He installed solar panels on the roof of the white house and then President Reagan pulled them down as soon as he was in office. Since Reagan and the corporate Republicans have taken over, we, the people, continue to take it in the shorts.

— Patsy Lowe, Simi Valley

To the pacifists who rue the day the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, I offer this opinion.

We were not warned of the impending attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, as were the Japanese in August, 1945. Up to a million U.S. and Japanese lives were saved by not firebombing and invading the island.

As a former American history teacher and Republican, I give accolades to President Harry S. Truman for having the courage to make the decision to drop the bomb.

— Lois D. Glab, Camarillo

Re: Derrick Jackson’s July 26 commentary, “Does the Bush administration care about Niger now?”:

This commentary talks about uranium in Niger, the beginnings of the war in Iraq and the overwhelming need for intervention so that many, many children and adults will not starve to death.

I don’t know specifically about President Bush, but I do know that someone right here in Ventura County cares! Leslie Clark of Ojai cares very deeply.

Re: your Aug. 4 story, “Drug death spurs parents’ quest”:

I am an old friend of Dave and Kim Howe. These are two of the most incredible people you will ever meet.

I have read some of the comments sent after their story was told. For people to judge this family and call them hypocrites is absurd. Apparently they have no idea what these people stand for. They believe in strong family values, and the untimely death of Timmy was exactly what it was: an accident.

Flexibility and adaptability are measures of real leadership.

The Simi Valley Unified School District has determined that a change in the management of the construction work throughout the district is necessary to save money and to make the project more efficient. As a teacher who lived with the construction at Royal High School for over a year, I agree with them.

The district has now come under fire from two members of the independent panel appointed to oversee the spending of the bond for this change. The responsibility of this panel is to make sure the money approved by voters is spent wisely, not to micromanage the construction project.

Re: Dee Dee Williams’ Aug. 5 letter, “Short walk just fine” and Colleen Durston’s Aug. 5 letter, “Missed opportunity”:

I found these responses to my Aug. 3 letter, “Theater needs parking,” complaining of there being no parking lot at The Theater on High Street in Moorpark, to be hostile, rude and downright snooty!

If either woman had read my letter carefully, they would have noticed that I mentioned that this was my first trip to this particular theater. I wanted to catch the final performance of “Man of La Mancha,” a musical I am particularly fond of and which I had read complimentary reviews of in The Star.

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Aug. 6 commentary, “God save us from secular attacks on religious displays”:

Mr. O’Reilly’s latest commentary is as patronizing and intellectually insulting as ever, not only to agnostic, non-religious Libertarians like myself, but to every single American. Read between the lines, and you’ll be outraged too.

Re: Colleen Cason’s Aug. 5 column, “Widow marks day the unthinkable happened”:
Cason’s column on the murder of Simi Police Officer Michael Clark in l995 and the effect on his widow Jenifer, it is stated that subsequently a bill was passed “that made it an automatic first-degree murder offense to kill a police officer.”

There was legislation passed as a result of Officer Clark’s murder, but the specifics of the legislation (for which I wrote the initial draft) are not as described in Cason’s column.

In fact, the legislation passed, Penal Code section l90 (c), does not change the degree of the murder and make murder of a police officer automatically first degree. Instead, it provided that punishment for almost all second-degree murders of police officers would be life without the possibility of parole (the punishment for other second-degree murders is a term of l5 years to life, meaning someone convicted of second-degree murder could be paroled after serving almost l5 years or serve a sentence longer than that up to and including life).

— Pete Kossoris, Thousand Oaks

(The writer is a former prosecutor with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. — Editor)

After many years of participating in making city decisions, I now have an opportunity to admire my favorite city as an observer as the theater and parking structure in downtown Oxnard near completion and as other buildings and park amenities are being spruced up. Here are some observations, ideas and views, from my new perspective, on further enhancing downtown revitalization efforts. Some are new, some are not, but all could be readily implemented without undue financial or procedural burden:

1. Increase downtown visibility quickly and economically by installing solar light panels on the palm trees on Third and C streets.
2. Plant elephant grass on the Oxnard Boulevard railroad right of way to continue the theme first developed by the Kiwanis Club on Oxnard Boulevard and Vineyard Avenue and to create a beautiful linear park as has been done in Fullerton.

3. Co-ordinate colors on the dental building at Fifth and C streets and the medical arts building on Fourth Street between B and C streets to blend with other earth tones in downtown. (Painting the city building on Third and B streets might do wonders, too.)

4. Recreate and restore the historic homes on both west Fifth and C streets into an early 20th century theme area with restaurants, offices and other businesses by creating landscaping and parking districts. Heritage Square and its theme could thus be enhanced privately over time by granting zoning and other incentives.

A good way to help city decision makers do their duty is to suggest ways to further beautify the city and to improve city services and citizen participation in general. I can assure you they will all appreciate your ideas, although every suggestion may not be feasible. By assisting them, you will help create a city, Oxnard, we can all be proud to call home.

— Manuel M. Lopez, former mayor, Oxnard