Re: Richard Larsen’s Jan. 31 essay, “On the trail of America�:

Mr. Larsen decries the outsourcing of jobs to India and China as the reason our students do not have good math or science skills, but he has placed the cart before the horse. If our public school system did a great job teaching these skills, maybe we would not be outsourcing. Companies will follow where the skills reside. If we do not teach, there will be no jobs to have.

— William F. Klepper, Simi Valley

Historians may never erect a monument on Hueneme Road, but the situation there needs to be viewed from a historian’s perspective.

It is a classic battle. Two powers are struggling to control a parcel of land. Laing Homes wants to build houses, the Harbor District wants to park cars, and the people are being sucked in to taking sides.

Re: Steve Coyle’s Jan. 27 commentary, “City officials should decide Fagan Canyon fate�:

In his commentary, Mr. Coyle, spokesman for Centex, the developer of Fagan Canyon in Santa Paula, decried the efforts of We Care to place the issue of this development on the ballot.

Clearly Mr. Coyle has total contempt for the citizen voter and an equally total misunderstanding of American democracy and how it works.

Re: John Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

An open car hood attracts men like an open flame attracts moths. Mr. Haines lit a flame with his hybrid thoughts.

I agree with him that removing the generator and batteries between the engine and wheels would give better miles per gallon. But the hybrid is a compromise. Take the batteries away, and you won’t have jackrabbit acceleration, just better miles per gallon.

With respect to his proposed changes in our healthcare system, President Bush recently said, “I think people ought to be allowed to own their own healthcare account and make decisions for what’s best for them.�

This is similar to his arguments previously proposed for Social Security changes, which the American people wisely rejected out of hand.

Re: your Jan. 16 article, “Everyday Math program equals frustration for some parents�:
While some parents may experience frustration from Everyday Math, I wanted to lend a parent’s positive voice to round out your report on the program.

My third-grade daughter at Los Senderos Open School in Camarillo has been using the Everyday Math curriculum since kindergarten. One of the reasons we chose Los Senderos for our daughter was because of its use of innovative approaches to teaching the curriculum. Everyday Math is another way this is accomplished at our school.

I am currently a parent of two children at Los Senderos Open School in Camarillo. My son is in sixth grade, and my daughter is in second. My son has been taught both the Scott Foresman math that the Pleasant Valley School District has as its standard math program and the Everyday Math that is taught at Los Senderos.

In second grade, my son was doing very poorly in math with the Scott Foresman program. He hated the subject, and it was very difficult for him to understand. The Everyday Math program has completely changed his attitude towards math. He has been learning math with the Everyday Math program since third grade. Math is still not his favorite subject, and he is not a straight-A student, but he understands the concepts and gets pleasure from learning math now.

Re: your Jan. 16 article, Everyday Math program equals frustration for some parents�:

As a parent of two whose school utilizes the Everyday Math program, I am concerned that The Star published an article that was either incomplete or didn’t give both viewpoints of this math program.

Does The Star know that there are schools in Ventura County that use this program with great success? Conejo Valley Unified School District uses Everyday Math as its standard math text in elementary school. Los Senderos Open School in the Pleasant Valley School District also uses it as its standard text.

Re: Eileen Ogintz’ Jan. 15 “Taking the Kids� Escapes column, “Cruise ships keep kids, adults busy�:

I was infuriated to read this column encouraging parents to take their children out of school to travel in the winter while the crowds are smaller. Where has this author been?

Re: your Jan. 16 article, “Everyday Math program equals frustration for some parents�:

As a parent at Los Senderos Open School in Camarillo, where we are in our third year of using Everyday Math in our curriculum, I was excited to see some coverage given to this innovative program.

Yes, this new approach to teaching math can be confusing to parents, but only if they ignore the resources provided by teachers sent home at the beginning of each unit, called Family Letters.

Re: your Jan. 19 article, “�The battle over Santa Rosa�:

Thank you for the story highlighting the effort of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, to restrict future use of Santa Rosa Island — one of the four northern islands in the Channel Islands National Park — to military recreational use, including hunting.

Ironically, another Republican congressman — U.S. Rep. Robert Lagomarsino — was one of the key players involved some 25 years ago in securing protected status and public use for the Channel Island. The park visitor center in Ventura is named for him and commemorates his role in that effort.

Re: Chuck Kuenstle’s Jan. 24 letter, “Special preserve? Ha!�

Having spent a career in the U.S. Navy — though not rising to the level of the “admirals and generals in our top-heavy military� whom Mr. Kuenstle apparently knows — I do know something about the facility needs of our nation’s military infrastructure.

Re: Glen Becerra’s Jan. 26 commentary, “Cities should protect against eminent domain abuse�:

Simi Valley City Councilman Glen Becerra should be congratulated for protecting his constituents from government-profiting from taking homes and private property from unwilling sellers. Regretfully, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo vs. New London decision only empowers the politically connected over homeowners, small business and family farms. We are please that the councilman has joined the national movement to reform eminent domain laws.

— Marko Mlikotin, President,
California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights, Sacramento

Re: Janet Bridgers’ Jan. 19 letter, “Alito is a poor choice�:

Every time I begin to believe that we do live in an enlightened age, I read letters like this one. Where to begin?

Bridgers calls killing millions of innocent lives “social progress.� On the contrary, it’s regression — frightening regression that harkens back to the times of the barbarians. It harkens back to the extermination of millions during the times of Adolf Hitler, Mao Tse Tung and Joseph Stalin.

I have lived in Ventura for 25 years. I moved here because it was a 
pleasant small town.

This is no longer the case, and the city we once loved has become a place we no longer recognize. This is simply because of unrestrained “smart� growth and the actions of the Ventura and Oxnard city councils.

The traffic is now apocalyptic and is similar to Los Angeles’, with groaning urban thoroughfares that are not so monotonous as they are ugly.

When my kids were little, we never took them into restaurants except places like McDonald’s. I have a big problem with parents taking small children to inappropriate places. I never took my children even to the grocery store. I waited until my husband was home to do almost all errands because it was such a hassle. They aren't having fun, and neither is the adult, especially if they are sick!

Re: Pedro Nava’s Jan. 22 commentary, “Assemblyman holds out hope for La Conchita�:
I agree with Mr. Nava’s implication in the first paragraph that “last winter was a grim reminder of how vulnerable we are to the whims of nature in California.� That is where I deviate from his position, though.

Re: your Jan. 25 editorial, “Ford cuts jobs to avoid crash�:

Your editorial misses the point that it’s not globalization that has doomed Ford and General Motors. It’s simply that they make a lousy product in comparison to Toyota and other overseas competitors. Visit some car dealers and compare prices. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for Japanese quality.

— Bill Becher, Westlake Village

Re: your Jan. 22 article, “RiverPark seeking to be old-fashioned, innovative�:

How is it possible to build a whole community in a riverbed when those of us who live along Highway 150 cannot get the portion of the road adjacent to the creeks repaired? A large-scale development is going in while we cannot get established roads and structures put back to the way they were.

U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly may not have received any money from the chief (thief?) lobbyist of the Republicans, Jack Abramoff, but if he didn’t, then Abramoff got a freebie.

If you analyze Gallegly’s voting record, it matches Tom DeLay’s vote
for vote. In only one area did Gallegly differ: He was much kinder toward animals and their well-being. DeLay was definitely much meaner to four-legged creatures, but they were both equally mean-spirited toward children’s welfare, middle-class working folks and poor folks. Tom DeLay may have made out like a bandit, but then he’s a lot more likely to go to jail than is our own Gallegly.

Wake up, Ventura County politicians: You need to make more room for senior trailer parks.

Wake up, senior citizens: You need to make do with less room. We can’t dictate how much rent we would like to pay and still dictate how much room we would like to have. Something has to give. To pay less, you have to do with less. It’s called “living within your means.�

Re: Stuart Kingsley’s Jan. 12 commentary, “Placing blame solely on Wal-Mart misses point�:

It was refreshing to read something positive that makes good sense.
Wal-Mart is an organization that caters to low- and moderate-income people. By shopping and working there, they are more able to pay for their other necessities of life.

On Jan. 25, I was given a ticket for causing gridlock at the intersection of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Westlake Boulevard. I was the fourth car making a left turn onto Westlake Boulevard from Thousand Oaks Boulevard, which I do every day to get to Westlake High School. This was the first day of finals, which put the school on a different schedule, causing more traffic than usual. I miscalculated the flow of traffic and was not quite able to clear the intersection before the green arrow turned red, adding to the problem.

On Jan. 26, the world awoke to find that Hamas had won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament. A tragedy? That is the conventional assessment.

Actually, it may usher in the first time that a final, peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israel conflict is, in fact, possible.

There are two possibilities, and only two.

Re: your Jan. 25 article, “Mexico to distribute Arizona desert maps�:

I would like to know if the Mexican government plans to issue these maps and instructions in the Arabic language so al-Qaida members can also make it safely to America. Everyone will now fly to Mexico, and Mexicans will point the way to the good old United States.

I wish President Bush would seal the borders before another Sept. 11 happens and save the vanilla speeches about working visa cards for illegal immigrants.

Re: David Howard’s Jan. 22 commentary, “It is wrong for state to execute Morales on Feb. 21�:

Mr. Howard seems to assume so much that I get the impression he lives in a fantasy world.

Re: your Jan. 21 article, “Missionary martyrdom ultimately saves tribe�:

This article reinforces the false notion that the colonization and Christianization of the Americas is a saving grace for the indigenous inhabitants.

What Christian, European or Euro-American invasion brings generally to the Western Hemisphere — and to what today is called Ventura County — is disease, military occupation, genocide, ecological devastation and religious conversion under duress. A similar process occurred when the tribal people of Europe were invaded by the Roman Empire.

Re: David Howard’s Jan. 22 commentary, “It is wrong for state to execute Morales on Feb. 21�:

One term Mr. Howard fails to use in his article is “justice.� Where is the justice in letting a man (whatever color) live his life out when he raped and smashed a child’s head with a hammer 23 times?

What redeeming qualities can a person like this have in society? Child molesters, rapists and murderers get minuscule jail sentences compared to the life sentences the victim’s relatives and friends get when a loved one is violated or killed.

Re: Todd Terres’ Jan. 23 letter, “Waiting with baited breath�:

I’m just curious: What was Mr. Terres trying to catch? And with what was his breath “baited�? Worms? Chopped fish entrails?

Terence Geoghegan, Westlake Village

Re: Chuck Jaseph’s Jan. 22 letter, “Homework done on hybrids�:

Mr. Jaseph raises valid factors to be considered in determining the life cycle cost of a hybrid vehicle. However, he misses the point.

The main reason for driving a hybrid is to reduce emission of pollution and greenhouse gases. The second reason is to decrease oil consumption and the associated negative effects of extracting and importing it. A hybrid emits less pollution and consumes less oil than a car, pickup or SUV — ample justification for driving one.

— Riley Neel, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Jan. 24 editorial, “ABCs of exercising�:

While it’s a noble objective, The Star’s editorial position in support of legislation by Assemblywoman Betty Karnette, D-Long Beach, mandating daily physical exercise for students through eighth grade, is typical of feel-good meddling by politicians, the press and everyone else who wants to fix what’s wrong in the classroom.

Given Ms. Karnette’s personal experience in the classroom — 31 years of it, according to The Star — this legislation may be different, but the prospects are not necessarily good.

Re: your Jan. 21 article, “Less reliance on cars being suggested� and your Jan. 23 Business article, “World’s first maglev elevator announced�:

It is all about the future of Ventura County transportation.

Between the rush hour traffic jams on Highway 101, the fact that regular trains cannot make the Conejo Grade in one straight shot, and Ventura County’s population expansion, perhaps our county supervisors should get on the magnetic levitation transportation bandwagon.

Re: Jim Lane’s Jan. 13 commentary, “Retired teacher has motivational mojo�:

Mr. Lane has it right in saying personal attention is what is needed to reach the hearts and minds of students, especially low achievers.

However, his solution, couldn’t be more wrong. Haven’t decades of government programs only exacerbated the situation?

There is an alarming health problem at El Rio School.

Every day, the schoolchildren are sharing the grass play area with 41 Canada geese — and their nasty bird droppings. The geese move to every part of the grass area along Kentia Street.

Goose droppings can affect the health of our children at El Rio School. They harbor strains of E. coli, some of which cause disease in humans.

La Conchita residency was established in the 1800s. We are on the fifth generation of families now.

Two decades ago, the land directly above La Conchita was purchased by an investment company, Rincon Investment. They were able to change the agriculture from dry to wet, even though it is directly above a community of people. They proceeded to plant thousands of avocado trees. They also graded a road into the side of the hill. Water began to pour out of the hill, onto the community, and the land began to fail.

Did U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly ever get any money from Jack Abramoff, or any money from any other lobbyist for a quid pro quo of corrupted legislation? If so, how much? And what did he do for how much? How cheap is he to buy off? What will it cost us, his constituents, to get rid of his weak, ineffective, do-nothing waste of legislative representation? I'm in for my two cents!

— Jeff Ross, Ventura

Rather than rotting in a U.S. prison or the Muslim hell, Osama bin Laden continues to plague the world with video threats for one simple reason: The Bush administration likes him just where he is. This monster should have been our number one priority following Sept. 11; instead, we let him slip away as we rushed headlong into Iraq. Why? Because fear is the only card this incompetent president and corrupt Republican power elite have left to play.

Hooray for the naysayers! With their arms crossed and heads buried in the sand, they scream at us, “It won’t work!� But do they offer anything in return? Not usually.

With the latest hot-button issue — hybrids — I’ve never heard anyone state that present hybrids are the final answer to pollution. They are simply one current attempt to reduce our dependence on oil and the internal combustion engine.

The hybrids of today are far better than the cars made earlier; in the future, hybrids will be even more improved. The point is that some people are at work trying to solve a pollution problem.

Re: your Jan. 19 article, “LNG importer proposes plan that skips terminal�:

It seems that the state powers-that-be are still locked into utilizing liquefied natural gas imported from foreign countries.

The various proposals by these companies have been challenged regarding their environmental impact and dangers if these proposed terminals are allowed to be built.
BHP Billiton’s proposal for a floating LNG facility off the Ventura County coast has been delayed because of problems with the environmental impact report submitted to the Coast Guard. It is rescheduled for a second review sometime in March.

I have lived in Ventura for the past 15 years.

In the last year, I have used most of the usual modes of transportation available in this area: car, bike, walking, SCAT bus, VISTA bus, Metrolink train, and Amtrak train. I like having choices.

Unfortunately, for the vast majority of the places I want to go, there is only one reasonably convenient way to get there: by car. As a result, our highways have become increasingly clogged, and nobody is getting anywhere very quickly. This hurts everybody.

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Jan. 21 commentary, “Vermont justice delivers devastating blow to human rights�:

Just so you know that I don’t take issue with everything Mr. O’Reilly writes, I must say that I can understand his feelings about Judge Edward Cashman’s sentencing in the Mark Hulett case. I don’t fully agree with him, but I understand how he feels.

Re: your Jan. 22 article, “Oxnard residents clamor about blight�:

The City of Oxnard is not the main culprit of the blight. The people littering and spraying paint on walls — and the people who tolerate it — are the primary culprits.

The South A Street businessman who complained about the trash while kicking it away should bend over and pick it up. He is just adding to someone else’s slobby behavior.

Re: your Jan. 22 article, “‘Decapitation’ of terror leadership rarely deals mortal blow, experts say�:

While much of the article is fair-minded, its closing statement is short-sighted. It is defeatist to say that the removal of Osama bin Laden will only breed “more bin Ladens.�

Re: John Scholfield’s Jan. 22 letter, “Time to halt privacy invasions�:

Mr. Scholfield’s call for President Bush’s impeachment shows his ignorance of the fact that the government is only enforcing the child-protection bill that was signed into law by then-President Clinton in 1998.

If Scholfield or anyone else in Ventura County were utilizing Google to search for child pornography, then I would expect — nay, demand — that our government have the ability to search Google’s records in order to make appropriate arrests and to convict to the fullest extent of the law.

Re: John Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I happen to be the first Prius owner in the county.

When I can drive from Ventura to Sacramento non-stop using just nine gallons of gas, I think it’s fairly foolish for someone to tell me that my car doesn’t work.

Re: John Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I happen to be the first Prius owner in the county.

When I can drive from Ventura to Sacramento non-stop using just nine gallons of gas, I think it’s fairly foolish for someone to tell me that my car doesn’t work.

The City Council should reconsider closing the Ventura shooting range to the public.
The range has been there a long time — longer, I’d venture to guess, than the people complaining about it. Closing it to the public while leaving it open to law enforcement does little to alleviate the perceived problems.

Any public facility will annoy some fraction of the community while benefiting others. A variety of sports interest a variety of people. We have Surfers Point, bike trails, golf courses, beach volleyball and fishing available in our community. Each of these activities probably has only a small following, but they each contribute to a well-rounded community. It would be a shame if the interests of a minority overrode the interests of the majority.

The City Council should reconsider closing the Ventura shooting range to the public.
The range has been there a long time — longer, I’d venture to guess, than the people complaining about it. Closing it to the public while leaving it open to law enforcement does little to alleviate the perceived problems.

Any public facility will annoy some fraction of the community while benefiting others. A variety of sports interest a variety of people. We have Surfers Point, bike trails, golf courses, beach volleyball and fishing available in our community. Each of these activities probably has only a small following, but they each contribute to a well-rounded community. It would be a shame if the interests of a minority overrode the interests of the majority.

Re: your Jan. 18 article, “School district agrees to halt its intelligent design course�:

I believe both in God and that God created the universe. But I have concerns with “courses� that profess to cover intelligent design — not on grounds of separation of church and state, but on the availability and completeness of the course material.

I have read Michael J. Behe’s book, “Darwin’s Black Box,� which is considered the seminal work questioning Darwin’s theory of evolution. I will certainly agree that this book is excellent and an outstanding description of the inexplicable complexities of life forms.

Re: John Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I’m surprised The Star printed such faulty reasoning.

Haines somehow manages to blame teachers for the fact people who are confused about science buy hybrid cars. Yet, he himself seems to not have a basic grasp of logic, let alone simple mechanical principles.

Haines did not really explain why hybrids don’t work. After wading through his convoluted claims, I gather his main point is that a hybrid only gets better mileage because it is a light, small car.

We bombard our children with commercials about not smoking, not doing drugs, and not drinking or not drinking and driving. We also bombard our children with car commercials about how fast they can go — “0 to 60 in x amount of seconds.� Is this what we want our children to learn, especially our 16-year-olds? I think the car manufacturers should be more responsible than that.

— Linda Fry, Ventura

Re: John Sherffius’ Jan. 13 cartoon on Judge Samuel Alito:

I don’t know if Mr. Sherffius followed the congressional hearings on Judge Alito, or whether he just picked up on the left-wing (it doesn’t even apply to all Democrats) party line, but one word also applies to the cartoon and The Star’s decision to print it: stupid.

— Michael Bowersox, Oxnard

I am really disgusted with the Medicare drug bill and what it has done to my medical bills.

I belong to Kaiser Permanente, which has served me adequately for several years — until this terrible Medicare drug bill was forced onto us by the Republican Congress. It was passed in the middle of the night with a lot of arm-twisting and threats and, yes, President Bush was involved with it. They also wrote into the bill that no negotiations were allowed by Medicare with the drug companies.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

The title piqued my interest. However, I quickly became aware that the writer was either playing a practical joke on the readers or he doesn’t know what he is talking about.

I do not own a hybrid car, nor do I work for the automotive industry. However, I am an engineer. Almost nothing that Mr. Haines says is factual. The simple fact is, hybrid cars do work.

Re: your Jan. 18 article, “Franklin’s London home now a museum�:

This article brought back memories of advice I got as a kid from Ben Franklin’s sayings. Ever since, I’ve appreciated the pragmatism he applied across his varied interests and accomplishments.

As a pragmatic publisher, Ben collected from many sources for his “Poor Richard’s Almanack.� His example motivated me to share advice in my self-published “Poor Richard’s TIPS from the Great Depression.� Of course, Ben also demonstrated considerable skill as a self-promoter, so I’ve copied that from him, too.

Is the State of California enabling, and thereby crippling, our new neighbors?

When my parents came to this country, there were no street signs, driver’s license applications or ballots in Hungarian or Portuguese. They had to learn English. They were forced to succeed.
Thanks to the bleeding hearts, our new neighbors are actually, in a very subtle way, guaranteeing an abundance of laborers. Children in other countries who want to succeed learn English.

I deal internationally, and if the sales and marketing people are not English-literate, they are not major — or even minor — players.

Re: your Jan. 14 articles, “Yawn might be an empathy indicator� and “7 teens arrested in T.O. assault, stabbing�:

Surely The Star had a slow day or was short of news to headline a story about yawning on Saturday’s front page. I nearly fell asleep reading it!

But my concern is that you buried a story of violence that affects the citizens of Thousand Oaks back on Page 19. In addition to doing that, The Star used the time-worn phrase, “Their names were not released because of their ages.�

Re: your Jan. 14 Pa Ventura item, “To litigants�:

Pa Ventura thinks that the City of Anaheim’s lawsuit to force the Angels baseball team to resume calling itself the “Anaheim Angels� is silly. That isn’t nearly as silly as the team calling itself “The The Angels Angels,� which is how “The Los Angeles Angels� translates.
 
— Sandra Sanders, Ventura

Re: The Star’s Jan. 1 Pulse page question, “Does the U.S. president have the authority to conduct domestic spying without getting permission, as was recently uncovered?�:

I’m not the least bit concerned about it, any more than I was about the three-strikes law.
You really think you have privacy? Do you know your credit score? Three credit reporting agencies do.

How many unsolicited offers do you get in the mail concerning your mortgage or things you buy? Think your online activities are private?

Supreme Court nominee Sam Alito has hedged his answers throughout the hearings. If confirmed, he will likely vote as he has in the past for greater authority in the executive branch, the end of reproductive freedom, and reduced protections for workers and the environment. That’s still supposition at this point, though his record of judicial decisions is clear.

During his last confirmation, Alito promised Congress he would not rule on cases where he had a financial interest, and he did anyway. With such a record, he is not the kind of person who can appropriately replace any Supreme Court justice, let alone Sandra Day O’Connor.

Re: your Jan. 17 article, “Battle over design threatens Ventura hotel�:

There was not one mention of the potential traffic problem created by this hotel. It seems that the council is only concerned about aesthetics. As it is, during special events, Harbor Boulevard and Figueroa Street — the only two access roads — are so jammed that they have to be closed off by the police. These are only two-lane roads.

The execution of Clarence Ray Allen may be one of the last if a moratorium on capital punishment sponsored by the American Bar Association gets adopted state by state (http://www.abanet.org/ moratorium/).

Public opinion and political leadership are shifting back to rethinking the death penalty. The arguments against it are well known.

There are many ways to look at the minimum wage law, and they have been discussed at length. The one thing that I have not seen is the effect it has on the devaluation of the dollar.

Let’s look at it from the side of the U.S. government. Let’s say the outstanding debt is very large. (Don’t laugh, it could be.) Your friendly senator wants to increase taxes and devalue the dollar at one time. How does he do it? Simple. He raises everyone’s wages, and the easiest way is to convince the poor guy on the bottom of the pay scale that he needs a raise.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I am a “mechatronic engineer� with 53 years of experience. I also own two Toyota Prius hybrids.
The mileage of the hybrid car is based on actual use of the gasoline engine, both propelling for the vehicle as well as charging batteries. The continuously variable transmission, coupled with a sophisticated computer power-control system, continually optimizes the gasoline engine and electric motor/generator application to achieve the highest miles per gallon under current road conditions.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I want to thank The Star for printing Mr. Haines’ commentary debunking the mileage benefits of the hybrid engine, including his final paragraph attack on the teaching profession. It’s rare I read I such a piece of comedy in my local paper.

Mr. Haines’ copious use of typical attack words — such as “fooled,� “hysterical,� “screaming� and “sniveling� — was well-executed to make the reader believe he was serious in his attacks on both the hybrid automobile and the teachers union.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

John M. Haines’ commentary leaves me a bit confused. Is the commentary really a hybrid in itself, talking about cars that don’t work and then ending with a paragraph excoriating teachers? Is it his thesis that science teachers are at fault for what he calls the poor design of hybrid cars? If that is the case, why didn’t he say so? My instruction in logic didn’t help me with his non sequitur last paragraph.

— Ed Schlossman, Thousand Oaks

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

Evidently when Mr. Haines went to engineering school, he missed the classes on data gathering and integrity. Most of his wild assumptions could have been corrected with a little effort on his part. Instead, he just went off with no data and bad assumptions.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

A major difference between hybrid and conventional automobiles is the way that kinetic energy (speed) is dissipated when the automobile slows to a stop. The brakes of the conventional automobile convert the kinetic energy to waste heat from friction. It’s a total loss of energy. The hybrid automobile converts the kinetic energy to potential energy in the battery, less some conversion losses. Then the battery energy is recycled to use again to generate additional kinetic energy. The cycle repeats.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

John M. Haines is one of the few to get it right. You can’t add a 1000- pound battery, an additional electric motor and electric generator to a car and improve its gas mileage. Why not add two 1000-pound batteries, two electric motors and two generators and improve its gas mileage even more?

— Thomas W. Murray, Camarillo

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

I was rather surprised The Star would publish Mr. Haines’ commentary because Mr. Haines has misrepresented many facts about hybrids.

My wife and I have two first-generation hybrids, 2000 Honda Insights. We love them. Because she uses the air conditioner more, she gets an average of only 55 miles per gallon; I get about 61.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

What Mr. Haines wrote is what I’ve been trying to tell people since the first mention of the hybrid. In addition to the points made by Mr. Haines, I might add this. Try using the underpowered hybrid while:

— Running your air conditioning in Los Angeles traffic.

— Pulling up the Conejo Grade with a semi on your rear bumper.

Re: John M. Haines’ Jan. 17 commentary, “Hybrid cars don’t really work�:

Haines claims that any first-year engineering student could tell you that hybrid cars don’t work. I have recently worked for General Motors on its advanced vehicle design team, including hybrid vehicles. I am a bit beyond a first-year engineering student, but permit me to weigh in anyway.

Re: your Jan. 11 article, “Parents sue to halt ‘intelligent design’ class�:

I became very frustrated after reading this Associated Press article because it is extremely biased new reporting. The reporter makes it quite clear that she has sided with the parents who are suing Frazier Mountain High School.

This article does not include the fact that, in contrast to the Dover, Pa., high school incorporating “intelligent design� into their science class as a mandatory lecture, Frazier Mountain High School is offering this course as an elective. The course is not mandatory, nor is it forced upon the students. The 15 students chose to be in the class.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he never really applied for a motorcycle license. “It was just one of those things that I never really did,� he said.

You know what? The rest of us “really� did.

I ride a Harley, and I can guarantee you that if I rode without a Class C M1 motorcycle license and was involved in an accident, whether my fault or not, I would be cited.

Hey, folks, put your hands together and let’s hear it for Hugh Riley, Moorpark’s assistant city manager. He and the City Council are wise enough to recognize that a person waving a sign on a street corner has a primary goal: Make people take their eyes off the road and look over at them.

This is an accident waiting to happen. I know, because I, too, react to my peripheral vision. It sends a signal to my brain that says, “Look over there!� I do it, and you do it. It just happens.
I call this form of advertising “temporary graffiti.� Once I pass it, it’s gone.

I’m an old geezer who remembers high school and college days — and perhaps beyond — when virginity was a prized female attribute. Unmarried girls, teens, women and ladies expectantly saved themselves for their future husband. Unmarried boys, youths and men felt positively about their future wife being non-experienced in sexual intimacy. It is true that males, mostly, may have had this view while striving for sexual activity whenever possible. This double standard still exists in our political representatives.

Today, not to worry. Virginity is being re-created on instant demand. A very large number of elected and appointed politicians are busy returning, or donating to charity, money received from the scandalous lobbyist Jack Abramoff and/or his co-conspirators.

My wife and I recently watched NBC’s much touted program, “The Book of Daniel� — all two hours of it, with commercials every 6 to 8 minutes. We are of the opinion that it’s not worth the time to watch any more of it
.
We realize you need to have some conflict in a show to promote interest. However, when not a single character in the show is “normal� in the traditional sense of the word, it’s hard to take this dysfunctional family seriously.

What does a two-cent stamp and healthcare have in common? Government could someday be the answer.

As far as federal government agencies go, it just does not get any better then the U.S. Postal Service. Compared to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Postal Service is five-star. Without a doubt, they are the best in the world. Ever try to buy a stamp in Russia?

As you all know, first-class postage just went up to 39 cents. When I paid 3 cents to mail a first-class letter, gasoline was 20 cents a gallon. Now I pay 39 cents to send a first-class letter, and gas is $2.40 per gallon. No complaints from me on the price.

Re: Michael Lawrence’s Jan. 10 letter, “It’s a union issue�:

I’m surprised Mr. Lawrence didn’t blame the unions for Sept. 11, the war in Iraq, and the shooting of John F. Kennedy.

He states, “the union movement hasn’t been real good to America in the last 50 years.� Where does he think the middle class came from? Does he think corporate America just gave workers healthcare, pensions, paid vacations and holidays out of the goodness of their hearts? It’s not a coincidence that as unions disappear, so does the middle class.

The residents of Port Hueneme are surely in a Catch-22 situation over the land grab of private property for a parking lot. They have to ask themselves if they want cars quietly parked in their neighborhood, or do they want more condos and houses which bring more cars on their streets in the form of traffic. The developer will surely not leave his property vacant if he is allowed to keep it.

As a property owner myself, I see eminent domain as nothing more than “legal� robbery. It should be stopped. 

— Michael Thames, Ojai

Re: Dan K. Thomasson’s Jan. 10 essay, “Moving above the fray�:

According to Mr. Thomasson, it’s considered bad form for the Democrats to attack the Republicans when these same Republicans are entrenched in a series of major scandals. It’s otherwise known as “don’t hit a man when he’s down.�

I seem to recall the same kind of pleading going on from the Democrats when the Republicans saw an opportunity to impeach President Clinton over a bit of sexual fluff. That fell on deaf ears.
Now the great wheel has turned — as it always does — and the Republicans find themselves, deservedly so, on the hot seat. But now Mr. Thomasson wants to invoke a spirit of nonpartisanship and fairness in the political arena.

Re: your Jan. 3 article, “Time running out for Ventura gun range�:

The community response has been overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the range open. The Ventura City Council has its own agenda, considering that it ignored the public input and results of studies on the site.

I attended all three hearings last year by the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council. In each case, the hearing room was crowded with proponents for the range, with a minority of residents against it. The speaker ratio was approximately 25 pro-range and 5 against. These numbers can be verified in the minutes of those meetings.

Re: Michael Dunn’s Dec. 28, letter, “Vote on school issues":

We were surprised and disappointed by Mr. Dunn’s letter announcing a poll in which he asked the public to “vote� on issues that were incorrectly presented.

Mr. Dunn suggested that there is “$21.9 million from the sale of Measure R bonds sitting in the bank� and that $5 million of that could be reassigned for construction of a new Conejo Valley high school, rather than have the district borrow the money.

Re: Joe Howry’s Jan. 8 essay, “End run around the law�:

Mr. Howry got it right when exposing a recent ordinance that allows the county to charge potentially exorbitant fees to access public records.

County government has got the “run it like a business� message just plain wrong. We want the county to spend money like it was running a business, not figure out ways to gouge its customers (taxpayers) in order to cover its growing, bloated, outsized operations.

Re: your Jan. 8 article, “Critics say jury pools are being ‘whitewashed’�:

After reading this article, I couldn’t help but contemplate what the Hispanic community’s idea of “fair� courtroom representation would entail.

The article, which states that Hispanics are underrepresented in the jury pool, stated the very root of the problem in the article. To serve on a jury you must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 18 years old and speak English well enough to discuss the trial.

Re: your Jan. 6 article, “Business owner says customers to pay for minimum wage increase�:

This article quotes a Camarillo business owner who says, “If they raise the minimum wage, the prices [of what he sells] will have to go up because the money has to come from somewhere.�

This may be true for his small business, but for most businesses, what will happen is the profit margins will decrease a bit, and possibly the executives on the higher end of the corporate pay scale will not be granted pay increases.

Re: your Jan. 8 article, “Critics say jury pools are being ‘whitewashed’�:

Recently, I served 12 days of jury duty on a criminal case in Ventura. My employer only paid me for five of those days.

This is the second time I have served on a jury trial of two weeks or more in length. The judge in this case did not care that I am a single parent and provide the sole income for my family. He did not care that I had a court date (divorce) of my own during the time period of the trial. He made me continue it.

In my opinion, the City of Port Hueneme wants the John Laing Homes property for two reasons:

1) The city will get nine homes for free, notwithstanding the city’s own rules and regulations regarding affordable housing.

2) Taxes! What a novel idea! As new homes bring more demands on services and infrastructure, how will the city be paid for these additional services? Taxes! Maybe a view tax or a tax to park at the beach would be in order. Then all the city residents can share in the joy of having Laing Homes here.

Re: your Jan. 8 article, “Critics say jury pools are being ‘whitewashed’�:

Yes, I am white. Yes, I’d be bothered by an attorney insinuating I might be prejudiced because of my race — as might a black, Hispanic or Asian. Yes, lawyers make jurors feel they are on trial by their questions. And, if you were a police officer, defense lawyers would put you on trial in front of jurors to deflect focus from their client. That’s what they get paid to do. Not liking it is our right.

Re: your Jan. 8 article, “Critics say jury pools are being ‘whitewashed’�:

A few years ago, a Fulbright exchange professor from Great Britain was teaching at Oxnard College. On his first day in the classroom, falling victim to severe jitters teaching in a foreign land, he exclaimed to his students, “I really need a fag right now!� The students’ gasps quickly turned into a fit of giggles and laughter. After gaining control of his classroom, he explained that in Britain, a “fag� is a smoke or cigarette, and his students, of course, told him what that term meant here.

The plan to “stop� Wal-Mart in Ventura strikes me as nothing more than elitism dressed up in planners’ garb, once again demonstrating why cities like Ventura should never be involved in “picking winners.�

The city manager and our City Council need to remember that Ventura is such a nice place that we do not need to “attract� business. They want to come here. Just as we cannot control who buys the house next to ours — unless we buy it ourselves — the city should not get actively involved in who comes to town. They should simply set the planning rules, and let the market decide.

I recently noted while driving on Highway 150 in Upper Ojai that two new locations now sport concrete barriers that block the westbound lanes and temporary stoplights to control traffic, just like the ones that are further east and closer to Santa Paula. It appears the adjacent stream has undercut the roadway.

Now there are six sections of roadway on Highway 150 necked down to one lane with stoplights that are set on a two- minute timer. I wonder how much it will cost to fully repair the stormwater damage at these locations.

Re: Karen Kaplan’s Jan. 5 letter, “Take responsibility�:

I live in La Conchita, and The Hill is in my back yard. I have lived here for 11 years.

I must take offense to Ms. Kaplan’s letter. 

First of all, she hasn’t lived here at all. How can she make an opinion for others?

Second, how does she determine that we are taking tax dollars from her family? So far, Ventura County has spent a fraction on our community.

A good name for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to rebuild California’s infrastructure would be “The Terminator’s Welfare Plan for California Billionaires.�

The $68 billion he wants to borrow, plus the $15 billion he has already borrowed — considering the funds would most likely be raised by selling 30-year municipal bonds paying approximately 6 percent interest — would require California taxpayers to come up with annual interest payments of nearly $5 billion, plus the principal of $83 billion at the end of the 30 years. Most of this would go to California billionaires, income on which they would pay no federal income tax, California state income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax or California state disability tax whatsoever.

Of course, raising the minimum wage would help somewhat, since waiters,  waitresses and other minimum wage working people would be paying more in taxes that would help the State of California make the required payments to the billionaires.

— Newell Gragg, Ventura

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Dec. 31 commentary, “The hate-Bush syndrome shows no sign of subsiding,� and Jack Weber’s Jan. 3 letter, “Not a myth�:

Bill O’Reilly bemoaned the “hate-Bush syndrome� in the so-called “liberal media,� and Mr. Weber seconded O’Reilly’s criticism of the liberal bias in so much reporting on this administration. Will this president-bashing never end?

Take these examples, courtesy of NEXIS:

Re: Bill O’Reilly’s Dec. 31 commentary, “The hate-Bush syndrome shows no sign of subsiding�:

O’Reilly annoys me. His best pieces cause me to raise an eyebrow. His worst totally disgust me. But what amazes me is that newspapers pay him to write his drivel and then print it.

Take this diatribe. He claims the media — meaning The New York Times and all other mainstream media, which I assume include The Star, the Daily News and any other paper which publishes his rants and pays him for it — “spin negative and attempt to undermine just about everything President Bush does.�

On Monday evening, the Ventura City Council has the opportunity to begin turning the city’s general plan into reality.

The proposed moratorium on commercial development along the Victoria Avenue corridor will give the city time to put the plan’s grand vision of walkable neighborhood centers into workable code.

Those of us concerned about Wal-Mart’s recent application to take over the Kmart site on Victoria applaud the proposed moratorium. Wal-Mart’s entry will surely intensify the use of the big-box site, in exact opposition to the general plan.

Re: your Jan. 5 letters, “Soldiers protesting Iraq War�:

Blind obedience masquerades as patriotism when dissent is equated with cowardice.
As a vet myself, I salute those who penetrate the labyrinth of governmental deceit, act upon the principles enunciated by American justices at the Nuremberg Trials, and refuse to dismiss these principles merely as victor trying vanquished.

It’s too bad we don’t have more like U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated Marine of 37 years who takes the heat of the chicken hawks on Iraq and keeps on going.

— Alan Benson, Camarillo

Since Proposition 77 was defeated, TheRestofUs.org, a political watchdog group, is again trying to correct the redistricting process. Their attempts are all well and good, except what is really needed is a method of determining the districts without human intervention.

An algorithm should be specified by law that would draw the districts. Using this algorithm, a computer program could be used to draw the districts after every census.

So the Justice Department is investigating who leaked the administration’s warrantless spying on citizens. That’s a good idea. When we find out who it was, we can give them the Medal of Freedom for exposing this illegal wiretapping.

Of course, there’s no need to investigate who the lawbreaker was. George Bush has already admitted he did it. He said it was a terrible thing that his illegal program was leaked to the media, which, I suppose it was from his standpoint, since it should get him impeached.

Re: Tom Teepen’s Dec. 31 article, “Sexual reactionaries are slow learners�:

Apparently, Tom Teepen, like other liberals, lives in a fantasy world. If factual data conflicts with their world view, they just ignore it.

Let’s look at some of the facts:

The arts have lost a great friend and advocate with the passing of Ed Robings on New Year’s Eve.

When the Ventura County Arts Commission was dissolved in 1993, Ed was one of a group of us who worked hard to establish a nonprofit group that would serve the county’s burgeoning arts community. At that time, he was the executive director of the Ventura County Museum of History & Art. Ed believed strongly in the “art� component of the museum and was also one of the earliest proponents of cultural tourism.

Like health prescriptions and the operation of machinery, contacting the White House should also come with a warning label: “May contain unwanted side effects� or “Caution: May be hazardous to your privacy.�

— Steve Crandall, Camarillo

Re: Anthony van Leeuwen’s Dec. 30 letter “Evolution as a religion�:

It seems that Mr. van Leeuwen would like to put intelligent design in the same category as evolution. Yet all the conclusions he has come up with in his letter are no more then a vast oxymoron.

First, intelligent design is based on religious beliefs or faith. Webster’s Dictionary defines “faith� as trust, belief, belief without proof, religion, promise, loyalty.

Re: your Dec. 22 article, “Harbor district says land is vital� and subsequent letters to the editor:
The article and letters are fair, but they don’t emphasize the fundamental position of the majority of county residents: The Oxnard Harbor District simply needs to start being a better neighbor to the city of Port Hueneme and the Navy base.

The Harbor District needs to realize that enhancing the City of Port Hueneme and the Navy base are compatible with the port, and they should be encouraging such changes, not childishly opposing them. 

Re: Bob Stroh’s Jan. 4 letter, “A parallel universe�:

My, my! Welcome to the real world instead of your “universe,� Mr Stroh!

For years, I have had to endure the constant drone of CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and the ACLU espousing the Democratic National Committee line. So far, the hated Fox News Network has been the only breath of fresh air and much needed light in a very long and dreary existence of endless Democrat (not democratic) talking points through all of the media we are exposed to, including newspapers.

Well, another disaster — in Northern California this time.

After reading the news accounts of our photo op governor, I would strongly urge the residents of the affected counties to ignore his noble gestures and promises of help. It has been almost a year, and although he made the same grandiose promises, nothing has been or is being done to secure Highway 101, the railroad tracks or the community of La Conchita.

Let’s face it. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is incapable of doing anything but getting his picture in the paper. If he looks in the mirror, he will see an ineffective and shadow of a real leader.

— Ray Granger, La Conchita

Re: Douglas L.R. Hauge’s Jan. 3 letter, “Boxer too big for britches�:

Mr. Hauge recounted his annoyance with Sen. Barbara Boxer’s staff for not asking his name, address and phone number. Maybe next time he should identify himself as Jack Abramoff. That may even get him right to the senator.

On second thought, that probably wouldn’t work either, since nearly every politician in Washington is running as fast as they can to distance themselves from poor ‘ol Jack.

— Jack Anderson, Ventura

I think it is about time to ease off on the “smoker bashing.�

Those same people who drive around in their pollution-spewing monster trucks and SUVs are now leading the charge to ban smoking in city parks and beaches. I will listen to their argument as soon as they can give me a reason why it is OK to strive for the biggest SUV on the block — especially at a time when citizens of this country should be thinking about where the oil is coming from.

Re: Bob Stroh’s Jan. 4 letter, “A parallel universe�:

Yes, Mr. Stroh and his progressive compatriots do live in a parallel universe. It is certainly making my job easier. Allah Akbar.

— Dick Schneider, Oak View

It was especially hard to understand how we could lose Ed Masry the first week of December at the start of the Advent season. After all, Ed was the first guy to light a candle instead of just sitting around wailing against the dark. And this dear man was truly crazy about babies. So how could he leave right at the start of Advent?

What is certain is that anybody whose life was touched by Ed could feel the true spirit of Christmas, all year round. He lived for others, so loving and giving and humble. I saw many times, in small ways and in ways that put millions of dollars on the line, how Ed would take on bitter things to make life sweeter for someone else.

Re: Lilith’s Jan. 4 letter, “Idling freight trains cause problems�:

Perhaps someone should let Lilith know that Southern Pacific Railroad has been out of business since 1996. A call to Union Pacific Railroad, which took them over at that time, might have been more helpful.

— Wendy Taber, Ventura

Three things are eroding the American character: cellphones, Starbucks and pop stars singing the national anthem at sporting events. I think this is very insightful!

— Janet Parker, Ventura

Re: your Jan. 2 article, “Gallegly’s ‘long year’ included base and anti-terrorism work�:

This article on U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly’s “long year� did not mention his voting against Sen. John McCain’s anti-torture provision, a serious departure from our American moral values.
   
— Riley Neel, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Jan. 1 article, “Soldiers resisting the war in Iraq�:

The Associated Press reporter seems horrified that “110 soldiers in 2004, about four times the number in 2000,� made requests for concsientious objector status. Duh! There was no war in Iraq in 2000, so a small increase really suggests that very few soldiers are disillusioned. Out of 350,000 service personnel, 110 is so low that it is notable, but not for disillusionment. And the Army reports heavy re-enlistments from Iraq soldiers.

I would like to explain to those who have lived here in town for a long while, and also to those who are new arrivals, exactly what type of a man Ed Masry was, as I feel that the coming months will show letters expressing negativity toward his supporters.

We supported Mr. Masry because he was honest, genuine, fair, giving, loyal, intelligent, open and straight-forward. We campaigned for Mr. Masry because he told us a straight answer whenever we asked him a question. We voted for him because we knew in our hearts that he was going to fight for what we believed then, and believe to this day, are the important issues that make this city — and, on a larger note, the country — a better place.

Re: your Jan. 1 article, “Soldiers resisting the war in Iraq�:

When a new year is beginning, the most common proclamations are expressions of hope and encouragement.

Yet, The Star’s Page 1 story New Year’s Day reports on interviews of three military people who are not at ease with the Iraq situation, and based on these three interviews, implies that the entire military population is increasingly against the war.

Re: your Jan. 1 article, “Soldiers resisting the war in Iraq�:

It is totally inappropriate to run a Page 1 story on a handful of cowards and slackers while 99.99 percent of the men and women in our military are serving in honorable fulfillment of their personal and contractual commitments to their country, regardless of their personal opinions.

It is a glaring example of the bias of the mainstream media, in this case represented by The Associated Press with full complicity of The Star, to undermine the good work and the extreme sacrifices that are being made through our efforts to bring democracy and freedom to the Middle East.

Re: your Jan. 1 article, “Soldiers resisting the war in Iraq�:

I find the liberal bias of The Star truly disgusting.

Our country has hundreds of thousands of men and women who serve faithfully and bravely every day, willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Yet, The Star puts a lead story on the front page about the 50 or so cowards who “refused to serve� after having their conscientious objector status paperwork rejected.

Why can’t The Star print stories about the heroes in our services?