It's that time of year when The League of Women Voters of Ventura County has trained speakers available to local organizations who wish to hear unbiased, nonpartisan pros and cons on the 13 ballot measures that will be on the November ballot.
If you or your group is interested, call the league at 648-4731 or the Voter Service phone number at 644-8184. Leave your message, the name of your group and your phone number. You will be contacted.
There is no charge for this service. Donations are always accepted.
-- Sue Kelley, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 28 article, "Judge struggles with sentence for robber of ice cream vendor":
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Alan Steele is not qualified to "judge" if he agonizes over appropriate punishment for Jason Rodriguez. The judges in our justice system need to wake up to the fact that they represent the last line of defense for us disarmed and law-abiding sheep. Rodriguez has amply demonstrated that he does not belong in a civilized society. He is a waste of oxygen and space. Lock him up and throw away the key.
-- Don Boyd, Ventura

When Barack Obama spoke to a crowd of 200,000 in Germany, John McCain mocked him by running ads saying that Obama was the biggest celebrity in the world and comparing him to Paris Hilton. McCain has repeatedly said that Obama is a nobody with no experience.
So who does McCain pick as his vice presidential running mate? A nobody with no experience who has appeared on the cover of Vogue, just like Paris Hilton.
-- Robert Ostrove, Oxnard

Our government does a whole lot of good. However, most folks realize that it's private enterprise, with its millions of workers and trillions of capital, not government, that, over time, improves our standard of living. Balanced government facilitates that progress. However, as both the 1930s and 1970s show, government can do much economic harm in four key ways:
-- Tax too heavily and unevenly. Not only does this take capital away from those who best produce job-creating businesses, but sustained heavy taxation quickly reduces tax revenue.
-- Restrict free trade. Trying to protect an industry that can't compete on its own will just make the eventual fall that much worse. Allow people, not government, to decide to trade or not; the long-term benefits to all are immense.
-- Overlitigate. Not only does this move capital in the wrong direction, but innovation, and the jobs it would produce, slows way down when the liability risk is absurdly high.
-- Overregulate. This is probably the most effective way to hurt folks' financial progress. Examples include inflexible labor rules, environmental rules that have huge cost for little benefit, price controls and health insurance rules that require benefits folks can't afford. While we have a right to liberty and freedom, we don't have a "right" to underpriced goods and services, as this creates a demand that never gives up until costs are out of control.
The best indicator your politician is clueless if he/she keeps mentioning "greed" or "victim." Greed is a human constant that is only effectively controlled by competition. And saying we're "helpless victims" is just a means to the government making even more harmful rules!
Economics is all about understanding what motivates us humans. Beware of politicians who promise unsustainable benefits that just end up making us all poorer.
-- Pete Hockenmaier, Ventura

John McCain has recently taken to answering questions challenging his policy choices by reminding everyone that from 1967 to 1972 he was a prisoner of war.
McCain was released some 36 years ago. He is now running for the highest office in the land. If he has not sufficiently recovered from his POW experiences a third of a century ago so as to be able to address the serious challenges the eventual holder of that office will have to face without explaining the failures of his knowledge pertaining to those issues without reference to that chapter in his life, then he is clearly not sufficiently emotionally stable to be entrusted with the responsibilities of that high office.
The more probable truth is that he is feeling a prisoner once again. He has foolishly locked himself into supporting the indefensible, failed policies of the Bush administration.
The real truth of McCain and the Republican policies is not that he was a POW. The real problem with McCain is that he is a "Po' Dubya."
-- Ira Cohen, Thousand Oaks

Why, when both candidates for the Democratic Party have already been chosen -- Is that not the purpose of a convention? -- are they wasting everyone's time with this ridiculous commercial for these blowhards spewing wind?
Because my spouse won't let me change the channel, I'm watching Bill Clinton and these other cronies gushing hyperbole and making promises Barack Obama has no intention of keeping, and I'm in absolute disbelief that we just sit here watching it all instead of demanding that these people offer us something useful like an actual debate between the candidates.
It's this kind of plastic, phony, political correctness that is our downfall. They're counting on people swallowing this gibberish instead of demanding plain talk, plain questions and answers. No wonder so many people are confused about what to do and whom to vote for. If we were smart, we'd simply reject these insults to our intelligence and turn the channel until they start saying something productive and worth listening to.
-- Anthony Harper, Simi Valley

Ever since Lloyd Benson told Dan Quayle, "Senator, you're no John Kennedy," Republicans have slammed anyone who would question the intellectual inferiority of their selected candidate.
"Elitism" is the moniker they hang around their opponent's neck -- an accusation that ignores that we, the people, are being asked to elect one of two men to the world's most powerful and intellectually challenging position.
A number of pundits point to John McCain's inability to remember how many mansions he owns as a sign of an aloofness -- a rich man's inability to relate to the day-to-day issues facing ordinary Americans. But placed within the context of his many gaffes and near incoherent mumblings in unscripted situations, a concern arises as to whether we are witnessing early signs of senile dementia, possibly even Alzheimer's.
That concern aside, even while in his prime, McCain's academic performance raises grave doubts about his qualifications to be president. As the son and grandson of powerfully placed admirals, he had little trouble getting into the Naval Academy, but his academic performance was dismal. He graduated 894th in a class of 899. Compare that to Barack Obama, who, despite a modest background, parlayed hard work and a superior intellect into becoming the first African-American student editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review before graduating magna cum laude and moving on to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago. Where packaging has failed to hide McCain's verbal deficiencies, Obama's erudition has been nothing short of brilliant.
The real issue is whether McCain, a man famous for his quick temper, possesses the intellectual capacity to lead.
Consider the damage done to this nation and the world these past eight years because of an intellectually challenged president. Do we risk it again?
Intellect matters. Vote for Obama.
-- Ernest A. Canning, Thousand Oaks

Re: Bob Jackson's Aug. 20 letter, "Courage defined":
A better title for the content of this letter would be, "Stupidity defined."
Jackson implies that the Christian right will not vote for Sen. Barack Obama because he is black. The more likely reasons are his radical liberal politics, complete lack of experience and tax-and-spend mentality.
And, by the way, how does Jackson explain the 18 million Democrats of all religions that would not vote for Obama either.
-- Jeffrey Finn, Simi Valley

Since there has been so much objection to the possible construction of a prison hospital in Ventura, why doesn't the state consider building the prospective hospital in San Bernardino County? It contains more than 20,000 square miles, includes the Mojave Desert and extends as far east as the Colorado River.
-- Jack W. Boyd, Thousand Oaks

America: the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Americans: a proud people who wouldn't think of attacking another sovereign nation without provocation.
But things change.
E pluribus unum -- out of many, one. One nation under God. Don't tread on me.
These words used to have meaning. They defined us as a people, a people of many colors.
But things change.
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Japanese admiral Isokoru Yamamoto said, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." He was so right.
But things change.
Saddam Hussein thought he, too, was dealing with a sleeping giant. He did his best not to waken that giant. Unfortunately for him and so many others, he was wrong.
But things change.
We have paid dearly for Hussein's mistake.
And now it seems we may elect a mule -- a mule with tunnel vision who can see only in one direction. He has sworn to get Osama bin Laden -- "I will follow him to the gates of hell" -- and I wonder, "How many lives he is willing to squander in that pursuit?"
He has promised to "win the war."
Which war?
And again I wonder, "How much more of our money is he willing to squander in that endeavor, how many more lives?"
We need to protect our children and our grandchildren from this insanity. Their future is being jeopardized by mules.
We need change. We need change now!
-- Bob Conti, Thousand Oaks

Our California Constitution, the law of our land, should guarantee the same freedoms and rights to everyone. No one group should be singled out to be treated differently.
In the past, amendments have been added to increase civil liberties, not deny rights.
The government has no business telling people who can and cannot get married. Regardless of what you think about marriage, it doesn't affect us in any way if others are allowed to get married. It does affect us when any group is singled out to be denied rights; when any one group is singled out, it hurts us in a very real way. America cannot pretend to be the land of the free when we deny fundamental rights.
Let's be honest with ourselves: The freedom to marry is fundamental to our society, just like the freedoms of religion and speech.
I pray that, for California's sake, we defeat Proposition 8.
-- Lindsay Roberts, Thousand Oaks

Last week after attending church in Westlake, we decided to go out for lunch. As we approached the restaurant, family members were saying goodbye and hugging each other. I said, "Gosh, I would love to have some of those wonderful hugs!" I did not know these people. Immediately, several adults and three darling children came over and hugged me also. How blessed we are to live in an area where you can hug a perfect stranger without hesitation.
-- Joanna Wullschleger, Camarillo

Re: your Aug. 23 article, "Immigration agency vows more enforcement":
Instead of publishing a lengthy story of enforcement futility about the plight of Liliana, perhaps coverage of more interesting Ventura County stories should be considered.
I'm sure the law enforcement community does appreciate that Liliana at least does not drive.
As a compromise, maybe she can be relocated to work at Bottle Village and at least give something back to the community that has been forced to endure her decision against self-deportation.
-- Hilda Flodman, Camarillo

Since the June primary, U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly has written several Opinion page articles. I hope The Star will give equal space to Marta Jorgensen, his opponent in the Nov. 4 election for the 24th Congressional District.
How about The Star sponsoring a debate? It could be televised on the local access channel.
-- Laurel Hewson, Ventura

I recently moved to Oxnard from Escondido to escape the traffic and noise pollutions so prevalent in San Diego County. Ventura County, as a whole, is indeed a very desirable place to live.
I was especially gratified to be able to find a place in Oxnard, so close to the beach where I could find peace and quiet and feel the cool ocean breeze on a daily basis. However, I fear that this peace and quiet may be short-lived if the City Council members continue to fight among themselves and are successful at ousting Tim Flynn, the only City Council member who seems to be fighting for traffic control, decent neighborhoods and some degree of accountability on the part of Mayor Tom Holden and others.
I found it rather interesting that Flynn, who is apparently in the race for mayor, is accused by the city clerk of "attacking" other candidates with his candidate's statement. Unless I'm missing something that's not obvious, I don't see where Flynn's statement shows an attack on a specific candidate or candidates. If anything, I see a simple observation of an existing problem that has apparently been ignored and/or neglected by the entire City Council, of which Flynn is also a member. Does this mean that Flynn is also attacking himself? A rather absurd thought, I would think.
Perhaps this is simply a means of trying to discredit the competition and narrow the playing field. I would be delighted if someone could enlighten me with a plausible answer to this matter.
-- Alford D. Musgrave, Oxnard

Driving on Victoria Avenue in Ventura, it disturbed me to see the disrespectful, "no longer fitting emblem of display" American flag that is full staff above the USA gas station. Our flag is never to be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. Perhaps this would be opportune time for The Star to print the American flag etiquette for its readers.
-- Dawn Robertson, Fillmore

Re: your Aug. 23 article, "Obama taps Biden as running mate":
Oh, the hypocrisy! Democrats impugn Sen. John McCain's age but run a vice-presidential candidate near McCain's age. At the same time, Obama promises "change" in Washington, even though Sen. Joe Biden has been a Senate insider working the Washington system for 36 years. Then the Democrats, with great enthusiasm, eulogized Sen. Ted Kennedy, who is both old and the ultimate insider, at their kickoff campaign.
Sounds like the usual Democrat double standard.
-- Miriam Jaffe, Thousand Oaks

Last week, it was brought to my attention that Southern California Edison is in the process of planning to put its 85-foot poles carrying the huge power lines right on the west border of the Reagan Library property line. This would create a horrible view from the library, ruining the breathtaking experience for millions of people who will be coming to the library in the future.
There is an alternate route that will accomplish the needed results for power but not affect the library.
We have spent so much making a wonderful place for generations of people to enjoy. And now some thoughtless people are going to ruin it for so many. What a memory of Ventura County as you look out to power lines.
This needs to be stopped.
-- Kevin Grizard, Moorpark

Re: Joe Lombardi's Aug. 27 letter, "Convention musings":
No one should be reminded of this, but Ted Kennedy has done more good for more Americans than any of the oilmen like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney or Condi Rice could ever have hoped for. Maybe the writer needs to be reminded how an intoxicated Cheney shot someone in the face, left the scene and sent a message to the authorities that he wouldn't answer any questions about this incident -- until the next day after he'd had a chance to sober up. Maybe Cheney thinks that falls into the "executive privilege" clause.
Yes, Kennedy had an accident, in which a woman lost her life. That is in the history books.
Luck? Yes, we will need luck to stop the downward spiral of this country that has happened during Bush's reign. This country does not need another four more years of Bushlike ideology.
Yes, John McCain voted with Bush 95 percent of the time last year and 100 percent of the time this year. That is a fact that cannot get rewritten or denied.
Thanks for your service, Mr. Kennedy.
-- John DeCorse, Ventura

On a recent bike ride along Leland Street and the auto dealerships, I tested my helmet as a result of hazards placed on the sidewalk. A startling wallop came from my helmet as I hit the sidewalk. Fortunately, there was little traffic along the road that was only inches away from my feet, and I was only scratched and bruised.
I've always been afraid of riding a bike on the roads while traffic zooms by. I cringe when I see children using bike lanes on the busy streets. Fortunately, the laws of Ventura allow bikers to use the sidewalks. The exceptions to sidewalk biking are in the downtown business district where prohibition is posted -- Ventura Avenue to Ash Street, Poli Street to Harbor Boulevard -- and on shopping center walkways.
I now recognize that public sidewalks are where many manmade hazards are being placed. Surprisingly, most of the hazards I've seen were put there by business owners.
Examples:
-- Ventura Auto Center vehicles parked in the middle of public sidewalks.
-- Auto Center signs placed on the public sidewalks.
-- Auto Center balloons and banners flying at neck and head level. Balloon strings create an instant garrote across your path as the balloons react to sudden wind gusts. Garrote and banner-in-the-face problems can be seen in front of a number of businesses in Ventura.
I've experienced all these hazards and was toppled from my bike because of one of them.
You can help. When you see a sidewalk hazard, ask the proprietors to please remove them. They probably haven't considered the implications of what they've done.
If that fails, and a vehicle is the hazard, call Traffic and Parking Enforcement at 650-8010. For other hazards on public sidewalks -- signs, flags, etc. -- call Ventura Code Enforcement at 658-4711.
-- Ron Paulinski, Ventura

How is it possible that two politicians, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, can proclaim to be Catholic and be pro-choice and against the most basic right we as humans have -- the right to life. House Speaker Pelosi said on "Meet The Press" on a Sunday, the day of our Lord, that she was a devout practicing Catholic but rejects the church's teaching that abortion is murder. The same is true for Biden being Catholic and pro-choice.
You can't be Catholic and allow the unborn to be killed through abortion!
-- Kevin Williams, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 19 article, "Agoura Hills' Stage Door Theatre is closing after 28 years":
Thank you for alerting the fans of the beloved Agoura Hills' Stage Door Theatre of its coming demise. This was indeed a public service announcement and a shock to those of us who had no knowledge of the problems that this little theater and its caring owners faced.
Losing this little pearl of history on Agoura Road to an impasse in lease negotiations is just so sad. Not only will the historic theater vanish, but even more of a loss will be the loving and active community of thespians and their fans who embraced this tiny 49-seat theater and kept it going for 28 years.
What's the matter with us? Why can't we show some support for the longtime owners and heart of this theater -- Gale Trumbeaux and husband Mike Monteleone. They've given us their hearts, brains, years and sweat, and they've contributed to inspiring and nurturing a future group of theater lovers to ensure that we are going to continue to enjoy good theater and camaraderie for a very long time.
Or would you rather have another office building, extended-stay hotel or fast-food operation in its place?
Does it even bother you?
-- Carol Rosenberg, Agoura Hills

If you're fed up with the two major presidential candidates, you are not alone. An Aug. 15 Zogby poll shows 55 percent of voters want Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate, included in the presidential debates.
Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain are dealing with the issues. Obama just wants to play Santa Claus with your money. McCain wants to keep our troops in Iraq for a hundred years. Both are willing to throw your prosperity under the bus, crushed by the $9 trillion U.S. government debt -- and $5 trillion more to come with the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac meltdown.
Many people liked Ron Paul's messages of freedom, sound money and anti-Iraq war. Unfortunately, the Republican Party "tent" is big enough to have convention speeches by liberals like Rudy Giuliani and Joe Lieberman and the usual "neocons," but not big enough to let real conservatives like Paul speak.
The Republican tent also became too small for Barr, who was a Republican congressman from Georgia for eight years. Barr is now carrying on Paul's freedom revolution supported by people who are fed up with the size of government, the Iraq war and violations of our civil liberties. In a CNN interview, Paul said he thinks Barr "is running a very important race, and I'm encouraging him. I haven't endorsed him, but he's saying the kind of things I like to hear said, and I hope he does real well."
This year, you have a choice for real change in politics -- someone who will get us out of Iraq now, not in 2011 or in a hundred years; who will deal with our $9 trillion debt; and who will defend your liberties. I urge you to check out some YouTube videos on Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party.
-- Bruce K. Bell, Moorpark

Re: your Aug. 22 article, "Irradiation of leafy produce OK'd":
Irradiated food is detrimental to our health, period.
This Associated Press news article failed to address significant issues. Consumers aren't clamoring for irradiated food; consumers want safe, clean food. Standard food safety rules are in place now. Consumers want food processing companies and government agencies to do their job.
This article also states that consumers are leery of irradiated food because of the radiation that might be in it. Leftover radiation is not the issue, it is what irradiation actually does to the food itself. This authoritative Internet article: Ten Top Reasons For Opposing Food Irradiation, at http://www.rense.com/general10/topten.htm, is quite informative. Some summarized reasons:
"4. Irradiation masks and encourages filthy conditions in slaughterhouses and food processing plants. Irradiation can kill most bacteria in food, but it does nothing to remove the feces, urine, pus and vomit that often contaminates beef, pork, chicken and other meat. Irradiation will not kill the pathogen that causes mad cow disease.
"5. Irradiation destroys vitamins, essential fatty acids and other nutrients in food -- sometimes significantly."
"7. Irradiation disrupts the chemical composition of everything in its path -- not just harmful bacteria, which the food industry often asserts. Scores of new chemicals called "radiolytic products" are formed by irradiation -- chemicals that do not naturally occur in food and that the FDA has never studied for safety."
Who benefits? Large agri-businesses and grocery manufacturers groups stand to benefit. Increased shelf life benefits large grocery chains, and don't forget the irradiation industry and those associated with it.
Who suffers? A multitude of family farmers, not in a position to comply with new irradiation rules, might well suffer, and the health and vitality of all who eat irradiated foods will most definitely be compromised.
-- Ellyn Sutton, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 22 article, "Battle over proposed state gay marriage ban heating up in county":
There is good reason why this battle is heating up. When our state Supreme Court overruled the 2000 marriage initiative, those judges set this society on course for a dangerous experiment. Words like "freedom," "fairness" and "equality," as The Star quotes, sound harmless enough. So does the idea of two consenting adults wanting a marriage contract to ratify their affection for each other.
But, at heart, the opponents of Proposition 8 propose something far worse. If they successfully legalize same-sex marriage, other government activities and policies come into play that had not been planned for. School curricula -- starting on the elementary level -- would have to be changed to suit a societal shift that has been rejected worldwide for millennia. This will no doubt create a clash between public schools and the very real right of parents to teach their children traditional standards of morality.
Another area concerns adoption. Religious adoption agencies are being challenged on their right to follow their beliefs in placing children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston has stopped offering adoption services because of this.
Forty-four states have passed legislation protecting traditional marriage. Twenty-seven states have done so by constitutional amendments. We must follow suit. Our proposed amendment would not affect already established rights such as medical care or right of employment. Those who oppose this measure, as described by The Star, have it wrong: It is all about sexual orientation, and they know it. They have all the civil rights to which they are entitled and then some. All we ask is that you respect the integrity of the family. Please vote yes on Proposition 8.
-- Joe Hernandez, Thousand Oaks

Re: Marty Harrington's Aug. 18 letter, "What's O'Reilly done?"
Thankfully, Bill O'Reilly doesn't need my help, but all profits from the sales of his items goes to charity.
Yes, I believe in the First Amendment, but I don't yell fire in a theater. I wonder, does Harrington speak well of the United States while he works and travels overseas? That's the difference. That's why the "entertainers" were singled out.
Always speak well of your country or don't say anything. If you don't like what is happening, lend a hand and try to improve the system. If you can't get your way, just move somewhere else!
-- John W. White, Oxnard

Highway 126 has become Ventura County's killing fields. Since moving to Fillmore from Los Angeles nine years ago, I have seen the towns in this area grow rapidly and spew more traffic onto this dangerous highway. More and more people not living in this area simply use it as a link to connect between Interstate 5 and Highway 101. It is quite common to see vehicles flying by at 75 or 80 mph without any law enforcement in sight.
A few years ago, I discussed Highway 126 with a CHP officer who lived in Fillmore. He said he was moving back to Ventura because he did not want his wife driving back and forth on the 126 -- it was too dangerous.
So now the California Department of Transportation is studying the idea of a highway median. How many more tragic accidents must happen before they take action?
-- Ray Cuevas, Fillmore

Re: Thomas D. Elias' Aug. 15 commentary, "Drilling more oil will never lower gas prices":
I liked this commentary very much. It brings out some good points, especially about the U.S. refinery capacity and the conspiring of the major oil companies to not increase it. It's a shame how corporate giants attempt to manipulate the oil market to force up prices and their profits.
I would like to bring up one major point that Elias may not be aware of or chose not to bring forward: the long-term decline of oil production in the U.S. The Star did a very good article a month or so ago about the decline in production of oil from existing wells in Ventura County, the state of California, and the overall U.S. If I recall correctly, the U.S. oil production rate is declining about 5 to 10 percent per year. If this decline continues, as would be expected, the oil refineries will not have enough oil to refine in a matter of a few years.
As we have heard in the news lately, it will take 10 years before any new oil fields would be on line to produce oil. We've been told this for 30 years! It is well past time that the U.S. start exploring for "new" oil within our boundaries. Otherwise, for sure, we will be importing more in the future!
I am all for developing new sources of energy -- photovoltaic, solar, wind, hydrogen, etc. -- but since the alternative energy tax credit bill failed, it's going to take a lot longer for alternative energy to become economically feasible and make a dent in the amount of oil imported into the U.S.
-- Ray Benny, Oak View

Re: Thomas D. Elias' Aug. 15 commentary, "Drilling more oil will never lower gas prices" and your Aug. 17 article, "House will rethink offshore drilling, speaker says":
Elias went to great lengths to investigate the information about drilling for oil off the California coast and other places. The upshot of his commentary is that drilling for oil off the California coast would not influence gas prices for at least 10 years. Meanwhile, the reality of oil refining on the West Coast over the last 20 years makes it plain that producing new oil off California will probably never impact pump prices significantly. That's because of one simple question: Where would they turn oil into gasoline?
The bottom line here is that there is no refinery capacity in or near this state to make new oil into gasoline. This is no accident, either. It is a deliberate policy of big oil companies like Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi states, "We hope our Republican colleagues will join in a bipartisan effort not only to increase domestic supply, but also to help consumers and to protect the environment."
Republicans quickly dismissed the democratic approach.
"If Speaker Pelosi and her Democratic colleagues were truly serious about increasing production of American energy and lowering the price of gasoline, they would call Congress back into session immediately to vote on our 'all of the above' energy plan," said Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader.
It seems to me that the people need to take our representatives in Washington to task and remind them that high gas prices and their cause are the problem of every U.S. citizen. We the people have heard enough bickering between Democrats and Republicans until we are ready to throw up.
If, as Elias says, we need refining capacity or refineries, then our representatives should be working in this direction. So far, our politicians have done nothing about the problem but flap their lips.
I hope the House of Representatives or the Senate investigates the real truth about the cause for the price of gas and then has the guts to do something about it. If they don't act immediately, the citizens of California should recall them.
-- E. D. Ellis, Oxnard

Am I the only one who noticed that as thought-provoking and informative as the interviews were of the two presidential candidates at the Saddleback Church, both Rick Warren and candidate John McCain lied to the American people on national television and in front of a packed house of the church's congregation?
When McCain was introduced in the second hour, Warren made it a point to tell his audience that McCain had been safely hidden away in a soundproof room -- he referred to it as the cone of silence -- so he would be incapable of hearing any of the questions or answers by Barack Obama. Immediately following Warren's statement, McCain said, "I was trying to hear through the wall."
This, as we now know, was a blatant lie on both their parts. McCain was in his motorcade during Obama's questioning and on his way to the church. When he arrived, he was ushered into the "green room," which is a non-secured room for guests of the speakers and VIPs.
A respected pastor and a candidate for the highest office in our land lying? Is this acceptable from any one of us or those that we hold up as leaders in our democracy?
-- Steve Binder, Oxnard

Re: Thomas D. Elias' Aug. 15 commentary, "Drilling more oil will never lower gas prices":
Elias seems confused. His main assertion seemed to be that a lack of refining capacity means newly drilled well production could not be brought to market. Yet later, he disproves his point with facts of his own choosing when he notes Flying J plans to double refining capacity in Bakersfield.
Beyond that, Elias apparently is not aware of the history of the environmental movement in general and in California in particular. Environmental groups were catalyzed by the Santa Barbara Channel oil spill in the 1960s and have opposed building refineries and all other oil projects ever since. This is strong still today, as evidenced by the recent outcry against the offshore liquefied natural gas terminal.
If there is a deliberate policy of not even proposing to build refineries, then it has certainly been supported by environmental and other civic groups.
One could take a rather distorted opinion-based view of the facts, as Elias does, and argue the environmental movement has conspired with the oil companies to drive prices up and drive demand down by blocking both refinery construction and drilling. It should be noted there have been several refineries built since the mid 1970s, just not in the U.S.
As to who would benefit by drilling, we all will. In addition to any gas price benefits and jobs, all federal and state water offshore leases carry a minimum royalty. Federal leases carry a minimum 12.5 percent royalty on oil and gas sales revenue that goes to the U.S. treasury. California state water leases all carry a similar royalty. Some in America would rather see the U.S. treasury (we the people) receive the royalties, taxes and jobs instead of the various nations of OPEC.
-- Lowell Martinson, Ojai

In the narrow context of Iraq, the surge has worked well. Violence is down, and deaths are down.
Consider cleaning house in a locked room. You can sweep dust from one corner, and it settles in another. Fighting terrorism in the Middle East is like that. Attack terrorists in one place, and they move to someplace else.
Since the surge, violence and deaths in Afghanistan have increased dramatically. And instability in Pakistan, a nuclear power, has increased enough that a known leader, usually friendly to the U.S., was replaced with a mob reminiscent of the fall of the shah in Iran. In this larger context, the surge has failed, another example of the Bush administration's inability to view and address a problem in total.
-- Nelson Wallace, Ventura

I am aware that Simi is about to have an election again, and I just wanted to tell something really nice about Barbra Williamson.
I have personally known Barbra for more than 30 years. I was a resident of Simi from 1965 until 2003, when I moved to Utah. I left a lot of friends in Simi, so I get all the local goings-on.
Recently, I have gotten several phone calls from people who go to or used to go to the Senior Center. All I can do is listen and suggest that they call someone on the City Council for help. Of course, these are older people and do not want to bother anyone, so no one called. So I called Barbra and asked her if she was aware of any problems. She said no but that she would check it out.
Well, I guess that Barbra and some people from the city met with some of the seniors. The Senior Center is really a great place to go to, so hopefully everyone can work together to get the kinks out of whatever the problem is.
I come back to Simi about once a year and was there last December. I was really amazed at the growth and some of the future plans I heard about. I also talked to a lot of people about different things, and they said that the gang activity is down. Way to go!
-- Melba A. Deas, Riverdale, Utah

Re: Don Davidson's Aug. 20 letter, "Church event revealing":
The Saddleback church event was indeed revealing. Of course John McCain answered questions "abruptly." He's a man of shallow, shifting values who's now pandering to the same extreme right he once attacked.
Pastor Rick Warren wanted each candidate to have an equal chance. He asked McCain if he'd overheard Barack Obama's questions. He lied and said no. This was so outrageous that even the usually conservative Andrea Mitchell commented on it. But McCain's a man of character and took his lumps like a man -- just kidding. He whined to NBC for telling the truth. By their fruits shall ye know them.
-- Raymond Freeman, Thousand Oaks

Re: Don Davidson's Aug. 20 letter, "Church event revealing":
It's amazing how on-topic John McCain's answers were at the Saddleback church event, but then again, he was quoting from his stump speech and not actually thinking about what Rick Warren was asking him.
He'll follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell? Who actually believes that crap? McCain isn't going to personally go after any terrorist, so exactly how many more thousands of American men and women is he talking about throwing at the one man President Bush quickly gave up trying to capture?
McCain equates evil with Islamo-fascism and 9/11. Are we in a time warp? Have we not moved on?
Is that truly the most important challenge this man can think of for our country? How about poverty, child abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, drug addiction, contamination of our food supply, neverending outsourcing of American jobs, the lack of affordable health and dental care, the increasing number of violent crimes and hate crimes committed by our youth -- are these not also evil things we should fight against?
McCain gave glib answers regarding his definition of rich and shallow answers on what his personal faith means to him. His faith tells him nothing else but that he's forgiven and going to heaven? Is that as deep as the man gets? Where's the substance?
-- Kara Altshuler, Newbury Park

This is just a small note in support of Barbra Williamson's re-election in Simi Valley. I have personally found her to be extremely hands-on and capable. I am not a civic leader in any way, but more of a semi-activist with goals of improving our wonderful town, and on several occasions, she has helped considerably.
This means to me that she doesn't just pander to big names or political groups for her own improvement. I'm just very impressed with her style.
-- William Clark, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 22 article, "Obama, McCain rap each other on economy, wealth":
John McCain can't count to seven. Or is it his inability to remember? Or is it his embarrassment at his proposal to provide welfare for the wealthy?
Any way you cut it, McCain is unprepared, and it is dogmatic Republican economic policy that has turned Democratic prosperity into the worst economic crisis since Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression.
In his recent church appearance, McCain had to cheat. He couldn't answer the questions without an hour's advance notice. And he lied about that.
Can't be trusted, unfit to lead -- no wonder he won't release his Navy records, especially his fitness reports.
The last eight years have been one failure after the next. Want more of the same? Then vote John McCain.
-- Ira Cohen, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 16 Pa Ventura item, "To movie fans":
I look forward each week to the Pa Ventura column in Saturday's paper. This week, however, I was disturbed by his glib comments about the use of the word "retard" in a recently released blockbuster movie. He doesn't understand the fury over the use of this word "when the f-word is standard fare in movie dialogue." He wonders what it says about society.
I'd like to let Pa Ventura know that is says a great deal about our society today. It says that we don't tolerate discriminatory terms that devalue the worth of a fellow human being. It reminds us that we are all created equal, and that just because a person is developmentally disabled, or of a different skin color, sexual orientation or religious background, we as Americans refuse to condone prejudicial labels. These words are hateful and meant to make certain individuals feel more entitled than others.
I, too, am sick of the excessive use of vulgarity in movies. But come on, Pa Ventura, crude language says more about the person using it. It does not diminish the value of a person because he or she happens to be different.
-- Susan Eveler, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 9 article, "Flynn files for mayor just short of deadline; Man terminated over campaign impropriety runs for council":
On Aug. 9, The Star reported that I had been terminated from the County of Ventura's Behavioral Health Department due to abuse of e-mail privileges as an employee. I believe that I owe it to my many supporters to respond to the article.
Before continuing, I would like to thank the countless supporters who have contacted me to reaffirm their support for my campaign.
This will not be the first time a reporter published a story that was based on incomplete information and misstatement of the facts because that's all that he had available to him. While the story was based on a court document, the contents of that document were one-sided and only represent the allegations and position of the individuals who are attempting to remove me from the county as an employee. These are accusations, not facts. There are critical factors and information that were not presented in the article that would have given a very different meaning to the story. The one major fact -- and perhaps the only completely accurate comment in the story -- is that an official labor arbitrator, who reviewed the facts of the case in detail, ruled against the county in the previous segment of this case.
So what is my side to all of this? The matter, as reported, is headed to court, and therefore my attorney has directed me to minimize my comments to the public.
There is one piece of information that may help to explain why a county department would want to go through all of this trouble just to get rid of one social worker.
About a year ago, there was a very high-ranking Behavioral Health official who suddenly "resigned" in June 2007 from the agency. I was directly instrumental in "blowing the whistle" on this individual for what appeared to be years of misappropriation of subcontracts to outside clinical vendors and possible violations to Government Code 31000.
In essence, the story that readers were presented in the Aug. 9 article is just the latest in a series of retaliatory maneuvers by the Behavioral Health unit of the county. There is not enough room in this letter to present all of the related facts connected to this matter. However, my intent with this response was to give my supporters and the public at large a more balanced account of what's really occurring.
In closing, once again, I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming support that I continue to receive from all of my supporters and, more than anything, I will forever be grateful for their loyalty and their continuing vote of confidence.
-- Saul Medina, Oxnard

Re: Dave Epelone's Aug. 13 letter, "Not a 'Cowboy' fan":
Perhaps if Epelone was a fan, he wouldn't feel this way. If this was his team, would it be OK to help them?
Epelone speaks of Jerry Jones' winning-at-all-cost attitude, but don't all sports teams adhere to this? That said, winning at all costs is a bit over the top. Adam Jones has had his share of off-the-field issues, but the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc., all have a list of players who have had some sort of problems. This does not excuse Adam Jones, but he has re-enrolled at his alma mater to finish his degree and, since joining the Cowboys, he has a clean slate.
Tank Johnson was found guilty of possessing firearms without proper paperwork and was involved in a fight with a police officer, but those assault charges were dropped. He, too, has been a model player while here with the team.
Terrell Owens has been fine since he arrived.
All three have had no incidents since becoming Cowboys, as former Cowboys Calvin Hill, Deion Sanders and others have been involved in getting them to act responsibly and professionally, which they have done.
Jerry Jones is an owner of a highly successful football team and wants to get better, as all teams strive to do, and he sees talented players and gives them a chance. If they fail, they are gone. What's the harm?
The bottom line is that people make mistakes, but if given the chance, many have redeemed themselves, and these three have done just that. Are they at training camp walking around with guns, drugs and beating people up? Of course not, and if they continue to walk a straight line, then a good example has been set for others.
I have been a Cowboys fan for more than 40 years and have watched them practice at California Lutheran University in the past.
Epelone is sadly mistaken to think they are not welcome here. Did he see the attendance figures at this year's camp and how much revenue they raised for the area? Yeah, they are welcome here anytime.
-- Greg Stephens, Ventura

Re: William Kristol's Aug. 19 commentary, "Showdown at Saddleback Church goes to McCain":
Kristol may have had a different conclusion if Rick Warren would have asked John McCain the one question many of us would like to have answered: Is there a statute of limitations on the immorality of having an extramarital affair? Evidently, for Warren and Republican voters everywhere, the answer is yes.
In April 1979, while still married to his first wife, Carol, John McCain was visiting Hawaii when he met Cindy Hensley, a wealthy, beautiful blonde 16 years his junior. In his words, they went to dinner and fell in love immediately. Ten months later, on Feb. 19, 1980, John McCain filed for divorce from his wife, stating in his petition that he had co-habited with her until Jan. 7, 1980. The decree was granted April 2, 1980. John McCain and Cindy, eager to seal the deal, applied for a wedding license on March 6, 1980, almost a month before he was legally divorced. Then, in what many of us might deem to be a lack of respect for his first family, John and Cindy tied the knot just six weeks later, on May 17, 1980.
On his Web page and in his official memoir, McCain glosses over several of these details and does the mea culpa, "It was all my fault, my marriage had fallen apart" dance. Nevertheless, his wife Carol, who valiantly worked for his release and spent years as a single mom, was "out," and the much younger Cindy was "in." In the only comment she has ever made about her husband's infidelity and hasty remarriage, Carol McCain said, "John was 40 wanting to be 25 again."
Kristol said, "It was McCain's night," but there are many voters who think the result would have been far different if Warren had asked a tough question on marital fidelity. Failure to do so was itself a moral lapse.
-- Dianne Johnson, Camarillo

Re: Ray Holzer's Aug. 13 letter, "Venturan for Wal-Mart":
High five to Ray Holzer! I'm with him. People should stop to think how much of our tax dollars goes to Wal-Mart in Oxnard. Oxnard is getting new streets -- now!
Please, please, please think before you vote against Wal-Mart. They do a lot of good for the communities, a lot we don't really know about.
-- Jean Nussman, Ventura

I strongly support the Amethyst Initiative, the invitation to debate lowering the U.S. drinking age to 18. I more strongly support returning the legal drinking age to 18 -- even given the opposition of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the possibility that a younger age for legal drinking will result in a slight increase in U.S. deaths.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a worthy group and one to which I've given money, but more worthy of support is an American republic based in an active citizenry that values the right to vote -- and with a responsible military.
Arguing for the 18-year-old vote, we said, "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote." Now, what does it say if you're old enough to register for the draft and old enough to vote, but not old enough to drink alcohol legally? One thing it says is that decisions made by military personnel and by voters require less responsibility than decisions made by drinkers and have less important consequences.
Old enough to fight, old enough to vote; old enough to vote, definitely old enough to drink booze legally.
It's just that military personnel need training and discipline, and so do voters and drinkers. This generation of young people, like all their predecessors back to the invention of bread and beer, will get high on some drug or other. They need to be taught by their elders how to use that drug -- ethyl alcohol, in this case -- responsibly.
-- Richard D. Erlich, Port Hueneme

Re: your Aug. 18 article, "Rincon Parkway jammed with RVs":
It seems to me that the law enforcement community has many options to enforce the no parking between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. regulation on the Rincon. For instance, if a fine of $90 doesn't deter the scofflaws, try $270. Or start attaching wheel locks and give the tow companies some business. Sooner or later, a financial or inconvenience pain level can be found to cause these folks to stop hogging a local recreation treasure.
The Rincon belongs to us -- all of us. We encourage law enforcement officers to enforce the parking ban.
-- Daniel Quigg Sr., Ventura

Re: Bob Jackson's Aug. 20 letter, "Courage defined":
With all due respect to Jackson, as a Christian I take exception to his assumption that I am not voting for Barack Obama because he's black.
To slightly modify the phrase "It's the economy, stupid," used during Bill Clinton's campaign, I say, "It's the values, stupid."
Put Bobby Jindal, Michael Steele or even Shelby Steele on the ticket and I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.
-- La Donna Martinez, Ventura

When John McCain was questioned by Rick Warren, he said that human rights begin at the moment of conception. If he really believes that, he will appoint Supreme Court judges who believe that.
What that means is that rape victims, even pre-teens, will not be given the morning after pill to prevent pregnancy. It means no abortions for any reason, including to save the life of the mother.
It also means the fertility clinics could no longer help patients have children because, in the process, they have to create excess fertilized eggs that are eventually destroyed.
If McCain does not believe it, then he is just pandering for votes.
-- Alex Magdaleno, Camarillo

Re: Raymond A. Greenberg's Aug. 13 letter, "Lacking substance":
I must say that my family is getting sick of hearing who will harvest our fruits and vegetables if we ship out the illegal aliens in this state.
I wonder if anyone knows the meaning of "illegal" anymore? Wait until one of your family members is thrown out of a job because illegals will work for less money. There are plenty of people who would harvest the fruit and vegetables if given the chance. My son-in-law did plenty of picking when he lived in Monterey. His whole family did.
All of my friends used to work in the fields when we came here in 1962. The trucks used to pick them up at the elementary school where they walked their kids to school. And what is wrong with the idea Sheriff Joe Phoenix has? Why should people who break the law live in luxury at the local jails? Many of them could be out picking in the fields, but we have to baby them and not make them do one thing. This is why they come back time after time. Sheriff Joe has very few repeat criminals.
And I still remember the good old days when teenagers would come down the street with their dads' lawnmowers and offer to cut the lawns. But they were soon run out with all the illegals who are here. Is it any wonder that teenagers get into trouble? They have nothing to do!
As for who would clean your house, I have plenty of friends who do just that for a living. And they were people born and raised here. My own granddaughter has gone and done cleaning for many older people.
As for who washes the dishes at the local restaurants, there, once again, are plenty of people who would be willing to do it. My grandson did, and he is now in medical school in the U.S. Navy, which is something that Rep. Elton Gallegly helped him to do. I know plenty of people who would stand up and argue that Gallegly has done a fine job. If the rest of the Congress was there behind him instead of always against everything, things might be different.
I remember times, many years ago, when immigration agents came into homes here that were harboring illegal aliens and Gallegly was there right with them.
This is our biggest problem in this state. I am not against Mexican people. My next-door neighbors are wonderful, hard-working people. My husband's best friend was a Mexican young man. It is strictly the word "illegal" that gets to us.
Greenberg should stop and think before he tries to get people to agree that the millions of illegals have a right to be here. Where are my rights? I am a Cherokee Indian who was born and raised here. This is the country that my brothers and husband all fought for. Also, my grandson, two grandsons-in-law and granddaughter did their share in the military. I wonder sometimes where the America they fought for is, because it sure doesn't feel like it's here in California.
My whole family will be voting for Gallegly, as we have always done and will always do so as long as he is running for office. We think he has done a wonderful job.
-- Mary Maffei, Simi Valley

Re: Bill O'Reilly's Aug. 16 commentary, "'Vlad the Assailer' punishes America's friend":
O'Reilly rambles on about Vlad the Impaler, yet omits that President Bush's policy regarding Russia is a shambles. The Russians must be falling down laughing at The Decider's latest pronouncement: "Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century." Remember, this was said by the Vlad the Impaler of Iraq, who bullied and intimidated his way to war and who's been impaled on his own spike ever since.
Russia needs the stick to be wielded, O'Reilly says. What stick, pray? Military? Economic? We're bogged down militarily, subprime economically and in a world depending on Russian oil. America used to speak softly and carry a big stick. Under Bush, it now speaks bigly but carries no stick.
-- Ian Freeman, Thousand Oaks

Americans are very concerned about gas prices.
But the Department of Energy says lifting the ban on most offshore drilling would add nothing to production for many years, and after that, the amount would be so small it still would not have a noticeable effect on gas prices.
Lifting U.S. sanctions on Iran would lower gas prices much more than lifting the current ban on most offshore drilling, and do it much sooner.
If U.S. sanctions were lifted, Iran could increase its production by 1 million to 2 million barrels a day in a few years. That would be five to 10 times the impact of lifting the ban on offshore drilling.
If it's urgent to pursue measures to reduce gas prices, shouldn't we be pushing our government to get serious about negotiations with Iran?
-- Elaine Herzog, Thousand Oaks

I find the latest televised interrogation of John McCain and Barack Obama, which was conducted and paid for (supposedly) by the Saddleback Church pastor and members, to be a dangerous direction for our country to be headed.
The increasing pressure by a minority group of bullies -- er, excuse me, evangelical Christians -- to exact from political candidates assurances that said candidates hold personal beliefs which concur with theirs is tantamount to a form of bigotry cloaked in piety. The insistent probing carried out by the pastor and those like him, forcing the candidates to so carefully manipulate their thoughts and words so as to not offend their extremely biased audience or, more accurately, speak the party line, is, to me, reminiscent of societal and governmental practices that prompted my grandparents to flee their countries of origin. It is leading to a form of oppression. "Believe as I believe, or you are not welcome here," or, to be more specific, "You are not qualified to govern."
Placing so much importance on an individual's religious beliefs as barometer for being president seems to me to be a dangerous road to travel.
The insistence that any candidate be forced to reveal that which is most personal and private -- one's relationship with his or her God -- can be viewed as a violation of ones right to hold (or not) religious beliefs that may help guide them through their lives. I am under the impression that is one of the inalienable rights for which our forefathers fought.
At this point in our country's decline, I want a president who has an expanded knowledge of the world, who is a person who can restore America's economic footing, a person who can rebuild our deteriorating infrastructure, a person who can restore America's damaged reputation and allow the rest of the world to once again look up to us as a society of integrity and peace.
Having a president who is intent on overthrowing Roe vs. Wade or directs his energies to preventing same-sex marriage is of no more use than a president hell-bent on converting the rest of the world to democracy, be it by military means or invasion. It hasn't worked, and it can't work.
This zealous segment of our society is attempting to hold our country hostage, and I only hope that even though they have every right to air their views, cooler heads will prevail and we elect a leader who is able to conduct the business of the presidency with calm and wisdom.
-- Sylvia Lewis Gunning, Thousand Oaks

Re: Terry Paulson's Aug. 18 essay, "Injecting race in campaign":
Here is an elementary lesson in American politics for Paulson: Republicans win elections using shameless lies, dirty tricks and pure slime. They're proud of it and have even given us a new verb, "to swift-boat."
Barack Obama is black. Therefore, he may expect to be slimed as to his race. However, he won't take his sliming lying down, as John Kerry did. Obama's strategy is to conduct preemptive strikes, so to speak, before he is attacked. He is alerting the public to watch out for what is to come, and, thus, taking the sting out of future attacks. This clearly needles Paulson.
Where are those old-fashioned doormat Democrats? Obama is not complaining. He is simply lifting the veil on the GOP strategy of sliming and beating Karl Rove to the punch.
-- Irene Freeman, Thousand Oaks

I eagerly anticipate the arrival of Home Depot on Hampshire Road. The location is only a couple of blocks away from my office, and I have nothing but positive thoughts about the new store location opening in Thousand Oaks.
Among the reasons:
-- I support a quality business whose mission is to assist homeowners and do-it-yourselfers with the level of expertise and commitment to the customer.
-- There are no other such stores in the area for miles. Do It Center is grossly underserving the needs of those whose frequent a Home Depot or a Lowe's.
-- Businesses that use Home Depot for contracting and other service support can spend money in our city, thereby infusing more revenue to the city, rather than leaving to purchase materials in other cities. Sure it's a business that will make money -- hopefully, lots of it. But what's wrong with that? It benefits all of us to have more jobs, more tax revenue, more services, etc.
-- Jobs would be created for people in the area, including the entry positions and summer spots for students.
-- If you are concerned with environmental issues, consider that the current state of the property is not only an eyesore, it's hazardous to any vehicle that enters the premises thanks to the horrible shape of the pavement and the obstacles around the parking lot and vacated spaces.
-- Every day that goes by without a clean, community-minded tenant like Home Depot is a day of lost opportunity for the city and its residents.
-- The proposed location is already in a business district and is, in fact, nearly the farthest away from imposing on other residents and businesses, and it's close to the freeway entrances and offramps.
There are many more reasons that I can share, but know this: Environmental studies are holding up the process with no regard for history. The same naysayers wanted to stop the Costco complex from being built. Now it's a staple of the community. If Costco was to be so bad for us, why then is it so crowded, bringing to the city business, needed services and entertainment in the form of restaurants?
I sincerely hope it takes less time than anticipated.
-- Paul Kalil, Westlake Village

I find it laughable that John McCain can sit on the stage with Rick Warren and make shoot-from-the-hip, George Bush-style pronouncements about abortion and destroying evil.
Evil is torturing people to get unworthy and unreliable information in much the same way that McCain was tortured to renounce America while he was held captive.
Evil is holding prisoners indefinitely without having any concrete charges filed against them or allowing them any legal rights.
Evil is inventing the myth of weapons of mass destruction and invading a sovereign country in history's largest oil grab while killing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of innocent people in the process.
Evil is funneling tax dollars away from education, healthcare and social programs to dole out entitlements to fat-cat corporations and corrupt individuals in no-bid contracts.
Evil is destroying the name of America and making us such an international joke that we no longer have any standing in the global community to speak out against human rights violations in China or illegal invasions by Russia because we are guilty of the exact same violations.
Evil is having our president become such a thug that he can ignore any and all criticism and/or law -- domestic and international --while hiding behind "executive privilege."
Evil is pandering to the Christian right and thumping the Bible about abortion and gay marriage issues prior to an election and laughing in the face of the same Christian supporters after the election -- only to come back and preach the same lines the next time around and to expect, and have, the same Christians buy every word of it hook, line and sinker.
Evil is supporting character assignation and bold-face lies to defeat an opponent while claiming to be a Christian.
If John McCain is so determined to destroy evil, I suggest that he begin with his own party.
-- John Loprieno, Westlake Village

Re: Carol Conte's Aug. 20 letter, "Spay or neuter your pet":
Conte wrote that Josh Pasewaldt of Newbury Park Pet Supply is providing a service to animals. She was errant in her message about spaying/neutering. Animals adopted are required to be spayed/neutered before being released to the new owner.
It is questionable why this rescue program is so upsetting to the local, contracted animal control service. The city of Thousand Oaks contracts with Los Angeles County to handle pet licensing, stray services, abuse complaints, etc. Residents upset about the treatment of Pasewaldt's rescue program should be contacting the members of the City Council and demanding action to correct what appears to be excessive regulation and oversight. Instead of being upset with Los Angeles County, they should be upset with the city of Thousand Oaks and request that they step in and correct this situation.
-- David Denshaw, Newbury Park

Re: your Aug. 15 editorial, "Missing speculators":
This editorial does a disservice to the community it serves.
Making note of recent drops in the prices of crude oil and natural gas, this editorial chides "the politicians" for talking tough about imposing regulations to rein in the excesses of speculators. The editorial implies that the recent high prices are nothing but normal supply and demand fluctuations, and that government should stay out of it. Regrettably, The Star has failed to do its homework here.
In fact, the recent huge increase in gasoline prices has transferred billions of dollars from the pockets of ordinary people into the pockets of Wall Street speculators.
The underlying problem is that deregulation has turned the energy markets into a giant gambling casino for big money interests. The consumers who must buy the product, such as our airline industry, are the victims of hedge fund managers who think they know which way prices will go and place bets on margin, just like speculators did in the crash of 1929. The herd of big money investors follows along, not wanting to be left out of the game. About 80 percent of the energy futures contracts are bought by entities that will never take delivery of the product, but are only in the game for paper profits at the expense of everyone else. When prices go down, as they must, the late arrivers will take losses on their bad bets. But in the meantime, huge transfers of funds from the unknowing public are enriching the large investors.
How do you think the hedge fund managers generate personal incomes in the billions of dollars per year for themselves? It is coming out of all our pockets.
You can thank the Republicans in the Senate for letting it continue, by blocking the "Stop Energy Speculation Act." For more information, see Sen. Dianne Feinstein's remarks on this at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/.
-- Jim Shirley, Simi Valley

Proposition 2, the Prevention of Farm Cruelty Act on the Nov. 4 ballot, is a very modest measure that would stop some of the cruelest practices of factory farming.
For example, caged egg-laying hens have less space than a sheet of letter-sized paper on which to live for more than a year before they are slaughtered. Many of them die and get seriously ill in their confinements. Some animals cannot even walk anymore because their bones have become so weak.
The ballot initiative simply ensures that pigs, calves and hens would be able to at least turn around in their cages and extend their limbs. In my opinion, this is the least we owe to farm animals.
The egg and meat lobby is pumping millions of dollars trying to convince California voters against the initiative and to keep their big profit margins. In reality, large-scale factory farms have displaced many small family farms in our state. Californians hopefully will follow other states and vote to ban the cruelest factory farming practices most of us are not even aware of -- for the protection of our own health and safety, our beautiful state and our animals.
-- Verena Sabine Sichert, Calabasas

Re: your Aug. 9 article, "9 candidates will vie for seats on Simi City Council":
It was great to read that Steve Sojka has decided to seek another term on the Simi Valley City Council. I can't think of a better person for the job.
Steve is "Mr. Simi Valley," having grown up here, playing youth sports here and playing football for Simi Valley High School. His father was the police chief.
I remember playing Little League baseball with him and watching him play football for Simi High School, and I enjoy reading about his volunteer service and leadership with the City Council.
I frequently watch the City Council meetings on TV, and I like the fact that Steve is trying to keep Simi Valley a great place to live and raise a family. I'm very proud to tell people how long I have lived in Simi Valley: 42 years.
Steve cares deeply about his community and hometown, and it shows in his words and actions. I'm definitely voting for him on Nov. 4.
-- Henry Cota, Simi Valley

Re: Marty Harrington's Aug. 18 letter, "What's O'Reilly done?":
If Harrington watched "The O'Reilly Factor" at all, he would know what O'Reilly has done for America.
O'Reilly may lack the "creativity" of the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Chris Martin and the Dixie Chicks, but if going to a foreign country and bashing the U.S. is creative, give me O'Reilly anytime. O'Reilly is a newscaster and an author, not an "entertainer."
As for his "hawking" his books, coffee mugs and T-shirts, half of the money raised on these items goes to charities as well as a college fund for the children of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan.
O'Reilly is a patriot.
-- Carole Macdonald, Thousand Oaks

Re: Marty Harrington's Aug. 18 letter, "What's O'Reilly done?":
If Harrington would listen to Bill O'Reilly and actually comprehend what he is saying, he might see that O'Reilly is telling the truth. The fact that he lacks the talent of Harrington's beloved Bruce Springsteen, Chris Martin or the Dixie Chicks is because music is not his forte, just as being politically informed is not theirs. What O'Reilly is trying to say is that true Americans and patriots do not bash their country -- and especially if they are entertaining abroad.
President Bush, I feel, made an error going into Iraq. I think we should have stayed in Afghanistan, but it didn't happen that way. We need to get the Middle East settled down so Harrington can still be "rockin' in the free world," or else they are going to control us.
War is horrible, but our military does its job and does it well. You don't see our men and women out there running off at the mouth about how awful our president is and how bad our country is or hob-nobbing with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Cuba's Fidel Castro. They are fighting for the freedom those two dictators do not believe in.
Another thing: We have the rocker Bono out their trying to save the world, but he wants everyone else to pay for it. We cannot take the world's troubles on our shoulders. But we can support our president, our flag, our culture and our country.
I suggest that Harrington give O'Reilly another try.
I am a big fan of the Dixie Chicks. I don't own an O'Reilly T-shirt, book or coffee mug, but I respect O'Reilly's contribution to our country. He is a true patriot, and the spin truly does stop at his desk. I am curious to know what Marty Harrington's contributions have been to America lately.
-- Judith Patton, Moorpark

Re: your Aug. 19 article, "Pet adoption fundraiser falls $13,000 short":
I commend Josh Pasewaldt of Newbury Park Pet Supply for his efforts to save the pound animals. However, nothing is ever mentioned about a spay/neuter program that, if started in Kern County, would eventually eliminate the need that he is providing.
It is questionable whether the animals that are being adopted from him are being neutered voluntarily by the new owners. At least the Agoura Animal Shelter, which services Ventura County, has this program.
Pasewaldt is inadvertently adding to the animal overpopulation in Ventura County. I did animal welfare work for years, and we never adopted out an animal that had not been neutered. We did this at our cost through donations and the support from several dedicated veterinarians.
The solution to the needless taking of life and financial burden to the taxpayers is to spay/neuter your pets.
-- Carol Conte, Westlake Village

Re: Bill Stutzman's Aug. 18 letter, "Rooftops can harness sun":
This is sunny California, but something as simple as Stutzman's reasonable and sane idea probably won't take hold for a long while, since both presidential candidates didn't bother to show up for the energy bill vote which would have made his idea plausible. It did not pass.
-- Paula Starr, Oak View

The Salvation Army on Fifth Street and Ventura Avenue has lost its lease. What a shame that the city of Oxnard has not come to their defense. It is a clean business, employs local people and recycles stuff that would in end up in our landfills.
The Salvation Army has a history of helping people in Oxnard. Why aren't our local council members going to bat for them? Why do we need another drug store on that corner?
-- Sally Brownlow, Oxnard

This letter is to let others know that there is a systematic practice going on in this county of invalid tickets being given to people parking in the spots assigned for the disabled. This appears to be a fundraising effort as it is (wrongfully) assumes that the disabled will be less inclined to go to the trouble of fighting these tickets.
I received such a ticket while parked in the Government Center parking lot in April of this year, although I clearly had license plates with the little blue square on the back containing the stick figure of a person in a wheelchair. I also had a blue placard hanging in the window of my car.
My written appeal of the ticket was denied. I had to pay the fine of $280 in order to set a hearing.
The hearing I was directed to attend was scheduled all the way out in Thousand Oaks at the sheriff's station. I paid the fine, took several hours off to attend it, spent the money on the gasoline to get there and arrived to find a calendar full of disabled people all fighting their tickets. One woman showed me the denial of her appeal had been issued by the county's finance department.
Our government may be short of funds, but this is clearly a discriminatory way of collecting them. Others who get such tickets should go to the trouble, if possible, of appealing them. Mine was dismissed, of course.
-- Carol H. Haffner, Ventura
(The writer is an attorney who frequently parks in the same parking space at the Ventura County Courthouse. -- Editor)

Re: your Aug. 13 article, "Rescuing dogs is a taxing business":
It's absolutely ridiculous and stupid that the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control has nothing better to do than persecute and torment a man who wants to ease the lives of abandoned dogs.
Josh Pasewaldt has been told he has to have an air- conditioned trailer to transport dogs. Has anyone taken a look at the truck that Moorpark's animal control uses? Yup. It's a pickup truck and dog crates. It's odd how a government-owned agency can do what Pasewaldt has been told he can't do.
Does Pasewaldt have any legal counsel? Would it help if he were to obtain a 501 (3)(c) designation?
I'm willing to bet that if Pasewaldt had obtained his dogs from the Agoura animal shelter, no one would interfere with his nonprofit activities. Perhaps all of this is being done because the Agoura shelter management sees Pasewaldt as a competitor.
Shame on the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. It would be better if the resources being used to find fault with Pasewaldt were used to care for the abandoned animals in the Los Angeles shelter system. What a waste. What a black eye for the Agoura animal shelter. For shame on you people, too.
-- Loki Browne, Moorpark

Re: Elton Gallegly's Aug. 12 commentary, "Eliminate illegal immigration to eliminate state deficit" and Jose de la Isla's Aug. 14 commentary, "Voters need to eliminate predatory practices":
First, I would like to say how refreshing it was to see U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegy's accurate and straightforward assessment of California's budget crisis. Our tax-supported services are being drained by millions of illegal immigrants who feel they have a right to free healthcare, education and welfare and don't seem to care that our money is not unlimited.
Second, I would like to express disgust at de la Isla's piece attacking Americans for being intolerant. No other country, including Mexico or any European country, is as generous or tolerant of illegals. But Americans are extremely frustrated, as the cities become more and more crowded, filled with gangs and criminal illegals that don't seem to get deported, and with lawmakers that try to force us to pay for this mess. We Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 187 as an economic measure, but this was rejected by a judge, who can now be blamed for the coffers running dry. Americans shouldn't have to learn Spanish, as suggested by Barack Obama.
The hard road that many Americans and all the legal residents have traveled to earn a decent living, own a home, educate their children and feel safe from terrorism should not be destroyed by lawbreakers. The Latino legislators, the teachers unions, the people who will benefit from endless streams of illegals are misleading the American public. There is not an unending supply of water, electricity, jobs or money, and this is catching up with us now, in many ways.
-- Patti Chiarelli, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 13 article, "Americans fall flat in final of gymnastics":
What is wrong with our American attitude today? These young women worked very hard to get where they are, and to drag the sour grapes of "flopped" is a poor choice of words. They were projected to make silver, and that is what they made. Very positive "journalism" should be The Star's goal, not following the drive by the media's attitude of negative reporting. NBC is just as bad, and I am sick and tired of media picking on "failure" without thinking of the very small number of individuals who could even perform any of these skills. They should place emphasis on the positive.
Michael Phelps is doing a bang-up job, but what about the rest of our Olympians? One has to dig into the various Internet sites just to see the other champs of various skills. Years ago, the media did a better job of reporting the activities of our champs without all this mush-mush, nonevent reporting of what our Olympians are doing.
Journalists should do something for a change on the positive: They should go jump a beam and see how many times they fall.
-- Greg Lane, Newbury Park

Re: your Aug. 12 article, "County fair has record turnout":
Kudos to Barbara Quaid for the wonderful job she's done in preparing, planning and implementing the Ventura County Fair.
However, before she rests on her laurels to the point where "I wouldn't change a thing so far as how we plan next year's fair," she might want to rethink the shameful, elitist practice of reserving the best 400 seats at the Suzanne Somers concert for the members of the board of directors, their relatives and friends, while the elderly and disabled were relegated to the periphery.
I realize Quaid needs to make points with her "bosses," but perhaps she could do it in a less ostentatious manner.
-- Donald Thibeault, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 12 article, "City's 911 fee charged in error":
The City Council should be ashamed of itself. It pushed through a tax on residents by calling it a fee. It had the fee attached to our phone bills and justified it by saying you could opt out if you filed for that option.
Now, these fees are showing up for everyone. Even those who opted out of the program are seeing fees charged. In addition, the city is not even ready to charge for 911 calls for those who opted out. But it is happily collecting our money now.
I urge people to call the city, to ask for Christy Weir, our mayor, and to request that this whole fiasco be canceled. In the meantime, we're stuck with fees on our phone bill that the City Council says it has no control over. If it were a business doing this, we'd call it fraud and be calling the district attorney.
-- Robert Fields, Ventura

Did anyone other than me really notice the Republican Party booth at the Ventura County Fair this year? There were large cutouts of Ronald Reagan and John McCain, but not even one picture of the current president, George W. Bush.
When one of their supporters told me that the Bush cutout had been vandalized and that was the reason, I thought: Couldn't they find another cutout or even a picture of the president?
Why was it that there was nothing about Bush in the booth? Is the Republican Party trying to hide him? I think so.
-- Jo-Anne Wolfe, Oxnard

Re: Jose de la Isla's Aug. 14 commentary, "Voters need to eliminate predatory practices":
I devoured this commentary. For that effort, he deserves gratitude not only from millions of Latinos/as, but also from people like myself, who come from within offending groups of Americans.
I am surrounded by friends (?) and associates who constitute the biggest contribution to abusive treatment afforded to so many people. I am a WASP, and I cannot say that I am proud of being any of the constituents of that appellation. Even within my own family, I cringe each time I hear negative commentary about people who do not look like us, who do not pray like we do, who may not have been born where we were born. Because I try to make it clear to those around me that offending others more deservedly offends ourselves, most of my relatives feel relieved that I live thousands of miles away from them. That way, at least, I'm not an everyday nuisance to their lives.
One short sentence of de la Isla's essay can be cast into many dialogs currently going on in our country: "We shouldn't listen only to ourselves anymore."
To that, I can only say, "Amen!"
-- Donn Coon, Oxnard

I am interested in the idea of bigger business owners or conglomerates having tens of thousands of square feet available to install solar panels on their rooftops.
Big business could easily help with the ever-increasing cost of electricity to the local public if they were to use their rooftops for the greater good of mankind and the greater good of the neighborhoods. By doing so, not only would they be helping with the immediate energy situation and making policy, they would be making a long-term investment with consumers by being responsible. Also, by changing empty rooftops to millions and millions of solar panels, the solar industry will be able to become more competitive and more efficient, benefiting all and bringing more cash flow into their own businesses.
-- Bill Stutzman, Port Hueneme

Re: Bill O'Reilly's Aug. 9 commentary, "Thankfully, we're still 'Rockin' in the Free World'":
Someone needs to tell O'Reilly that he is in "show business" also, although he lacks the musical talent and creativity of Bruce Springteen, Chris Martin or the Dixie Chicks.
O'Reilly is constantly hawking his books, coffee mugs and T-shirts shamelessly to his ill-informed minions. How dare he slam "other entertainers" for exercising their First Amendment rights! Many of them devote far more time, effort and money to worthy causes than he does.
I have traveled and worked in Europe over many years. Most Europeans love Americans. What they don't like is the arrogant, heavy-handed policies of the current American administration. These great entertainers bring the best of American spirit overseas through their music, courage and activism.
What did O'Reilly do for America today?
-- Marty Harrington, Newbury Park

Re: Norman T. Ozaki's and Robert Scofield's July 25 letter, "Defending PVC":
Why did The Star print a letter by two representatives of the vinyl industry, neither of whom lives in The Star's reporting area, defending PVC -- a letter that was obviously written as part of a media campaign strategy on behalf of their clients?
Ozaki and Scofield, both of whom work for ENVIRON International Corp. -- an "environmental" consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco -- sound very scientific, but they are actually quite circumspect.
They note that the study they cite, which happens to show that PVC is very fine stuff indeed, was produced "at the request of the Vinyl Institute and others."
"And others." That's a strange formulation.
I suspect that, if The Star had asked Ozaki and Scofield to be more specific, "and others" would have been rewritten to read "and PVC manufacturers." If "others" had referred to environmental organizations, children's health consultancies or other "green" organizations, they would have included that information in their letter, as it would have given their argument greater legitimacy.
A quick look at ENVIRON's Web site -- http://www.environcorp.com -- gives the story away. ENVIRON is an "environmental" consulting firm that exists to help clients "resolve their most important and demanding environmental and human health issues," which is very good, seemingly informative but actually quite generic marketing language for "help clients comply to the minimum extent possible with environmental regulations and avoid lawsuits."
One should take their conclusions with a grain of salt -- preferably one not stored for an extended period of time in a PVC container.
-- Russell A. Burgos, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 13 article, "Rescuing dogs is a taxing proposition":
As I write this, my 2-year-old terrier mix, Dagwood, is taking a morning nap next to my desk. His nose twitches from time to time as he dreams about the bunnies at the park and squirrels that dart out just past the end of his leash.
There is nothing extraordinary about this except that if it weren't for the heroic efforts of Josh Pasewaldt, this funny, curious, affectionate little dog would almost certainly have been euthanized at the Kern County Animal Shelter.
I encourage everyone in the community to come out and support Josh with his puppy rescue program either at the dog wash Sunday or just by dropping in at Newbury Park Pet Supply and making a donation -- because even heroes need help sometimes.
-- Wendy Worman, Newbury Park

Re: Timm Herdt's Aug. 13 essay, "Which tax will increase?":
Herdt's conclusions and comments are far off the mark. It seems he has the belief that, if no cuts, there must be an increase of a tax to balance the state budget. Right.
How draconian! If he really wanted to help, he'd consider how all households balance their budgets. When the money coming in is not enough to cover the money going out, what is one to do? Reduce the money going out. It's simple, not difficult to understand. Painful? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely. Will it solve the problem? Yes. How? It will teach legislators to stay within budget and not continue to tax.
-- Joe Laraneta, Westlake Village

Is it just me, or does the new 1450AM, the Boomer radio station, just suck? Come on, cut the talk and give your Daddy some good ol' '50s and '60s rock 'n' roll.
-- James Francis Gray, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 13 article, "Americans fall flat in final of gymnastics":
I think The Star should be ashamed of the headline in the Sports section. How dare The Star make it seem like the U.S. women's gymnastics team failed because it only won a silver medal. Doesn't The Star know that everyone who made it to the Olympics are already winners?
I am so sick of reporters putting Olympic athletes down for "only" coming in second. By the time an athlete makes it to that level of competition, they are already champions.
By inferring that our women's gymnastics team is a loser because it only came in second is the same as calling an A-student a failure because he didn't get straight A's. They only missed by two points, for crying out loud.
We, as a nation, should be proud of every one of our Olympic athletes, whether or not they win gold medals. They have worked harder than the rest of us to get to the games. Show a little pride in our men and women.
-- Janet M. Thompson, Oxnard

Re: your Aug. 12 article, "City's 911 fee charged in error":
Ventura, you've got some explaining to do. Why does a Camarillo resident get charged the 911 fee?
Apparently, it was not enough for the city of Ventura to charge only its residents the 911 fee -- they've managed to sweep others outside their jurisdiction into their net. As a resident of an unincorporated area of Camarillo who receives my phone bill at my home, I happened to see the $1.49 monthly charge on my cell-phone bill. When I complained to my service provider, I was told it could not reverse it -- any removal must be authorized by the appropriate municipality. I am now on my fourth attempt to reach somebody in the city of Ventura's offices to inform them that I'm not under their jurisdiction any more than if I lived in Missouri.
I'm wondering how many other people were caught up in their widely cast net and are now having to fight to get the fees removed. I urge non-Ventura residents to carefully review their phone bills -- and don't "opt out," as that may give the city of Ventura the false impression that you are under its jurisdiction.
-- Sheri Clarke, Camarillo

Every time I go by Nordhoff High School and see a traffic sign that says, " Speed limit 25 miles an hour when children present," I think: If high school students are children, how much more so is a middle-school child named Brandon McInerney?
Brandon was and is a child. On the surface, Larry King had responsibility for triggering a reaction leading to his own death. A national news publication reported Larry committed repeated and grievous acts of sexual harassment against Brandon -- acts that, if perpetrated by an adult, would warrant civil and possible criminal actions. These acts of sexual harassment occurred when Brandon was a mere child of 13. They were allowed to happen under the watchful eyes of state licensed and approved adult authority.
The duty of the school counselors and administration is to ensure a safe educational environment. School authorities failed to protect Brandon and Larry at a very sensitive and confusing time in their preadolescence lives. Why did the school take no action when such outlandish behavior disrupted the learning process of the whole school?
A child's mind is not the mind of an adult. In lonely confusion, Brandon did what he thought he could do to protect himself against sexual predation. If he had had the counseling and protection given Larry, the whole tragic event would have never taken place.
He is being tried as an adult. When convicted, he will be subjected to a fate worse than death at the hands of the inmates in our state correctional system.
Brandon should have a chance at rehabilitation. All the adults failed him -- Larry's counselor and group home, Brandon's parents and the school administration. They were supposedly mature and responsible adults with the power and authority to protect and save these two confused and tragic young children.
-- A. Elizabeth Pressey, Ojai
(The writer is a retired public school teacher. -- Editor)

I pray that District Attorney Greg Totten does the right thing here. To try a boy, Brandon, as an adult is absurd to me. Where was the school's adult supervision? Letting a boy, Larry, go around openly gay and disrupting school activities with his abnormal behavior, teasing Brandon and dressing like a girl -- the school was asking for trouble.
If this were to have happened to an adult at work, it would be a sexual harassment case, but to our schools, it is considered acceptable behavior to be tolerated by all. Where are the children's rights?
E.O. Green School has to assume some responsibility for this tragedy to have happened. The 50-plus years that Brandon faces as an adult due to failed school policies saddens me. Is this truly the punishment this boy deserves because of some overzealous district attorney?
-- Martin Brian, Oxnard

Re: William Wolny's Aug. 8 letter, "Responsibility of ownership":
This is one more letter concerning the phrase, "responsibility of ownership," relating to the gun used by a young teenager to kill another.
The letter written by Wolny was clear and concise and brought forth the question I asked a few days after this tragic occurrence became known: Who provided the gun? It has nothing whatsoever to do with the rights of someone to own a gun; that is not the question. The question is simply: Who owned the gun and made it available to an immature teenager?
If it is proved that this boy stole the key to a securely locked cabinet in which the gun may have been placed by an adult, there will be other questions to ask. If it is proved the boy stole the gun, my original question still stands: Who provided the gun to a teenager, who made that gun available and who made the ammunition for that gun available so a young boy might easily have access to it, steal it and commit an unbelievably terrible act?
What the boy did was unforgivable, of that there is no question. He was an immature 14-year-old boy, and all medical information tells us a teen's brain has not yet matured enough to make reasonable decisions. The boy has his own problems, as most teens do, so in reliance on this information, it would appear any adult owning a gun would have the foresight to be absolutely certain no teenage child, or any other person for that matter, would ever have access to his or her gun. I believe there are laws covering this responsibility.
-- Doris J. Brown, Camarillo

Since the tragic killing of Larry King in February, the story is still unfolding. It's a horrible situation and a lose-lose position for both families.
I can't recall a murder of this type existing anywhere based upon one's sexual orientation. It must have been an ongoing feud unnoticed by the school.
Where did the boy get the gun and bullets?
Trying McInerney as an adult would destroy a 14-year-old. He belongs in a juvenile correctional institution where he can interact with peers and develop socially and educationally. Eleven years is still a long sentence, but it's better than the alternative of five years.
-- Gary Traxler, Camarillo

I know Brandon McInerney needs to be punished. What he did was terrible, but by no means is he an adult. Just think back at how dumb we were at the age of 14. We are the ones who are guilty. We have allowed our children to view violence every day in TV, video games, movies, etc. We have made a game of killing. In my opinion, we all should go to jail, including me.
If Brandon McInerney gets tried as an adult, then how are we not guilty for allowing our youth to play killing games? We are all guilty for taking Larry King's life, and now we want to take Brandon's life. Let's not let the killing of Larry King be just another killing. Let's unite and teach our children how precious life is and the terrible consequences for taking that life.
-- JoAnn Holmes, Oxnard

All those in favor of drilling raise your hand.
All those against drilling raise your hand.
Simple representative government says that is how it's done unless -- unless -- you are either Rep. Nancy Pelosi or Sen. Harry Reid. Their stand goes beyond the will of the people they represent. It is their will that the United States become a Third World country, with no affordable source of energy, that it will need a nanny state to care for it.
I can remember Pelosi saying that she will have a "civil," "bipartisan" Congress. Closing down the Congress so that you can go on vacation without dealing with the energy crisis that Democrats created by not drilling 10 years ago is neither civil nor bipartisan.
I believe that both Republicans and Democrats need to come together and create an energy policy. Before they can come together, they must have a common objective: the people's objective. I do not see a common objective between the political parties.
Simply put, energy sources require an ample supply at a reasonable cost.
We have two choices to meet those goals, and they represent the two political parties:
-- Drilling, mining, atomic and all other alternatives.
-- Alternatives only.
One choice meets the goals and the other doesn't. Which one do you choose? For your own personal sake, let your senators and congressman know what you choose.
-- William Hicks, Newbury Park

Re: your Aug. 2 article, "Lawmakers think slower might be better":
What was it? Mandated law that the national speed limit was 55 mph.
Why was it? Cost of imported oil was so high and gasoline prices increased with each rise in the cost of a barrel of oil. Same-o fix now.
It is hard to comprehend the mentality of California car owners. There is a huge number of oversized vehicles, such as SUVs, trucks and the status Hummer at 8 miles per gallon. These instruments of road and parking hoggability travel at speeds like they have someplace to go. God help you if you are in front of one of these vehicles. One gets the feeling it might run up your tailpipe. Do they drive at the posted speed limit? What's that?
My prayer is that these drivers see that car angel on my shoulder and slow down and leave me my deserved space. I pay taxes, too.
Bring back the magic number of 55.
-- Betty Perkins, Ventura

Sen. John McCain has inspired me to engage in a little straight talk.
Why don't Democrats understand the impact that gas prices have on families and small business? With gas at $4 per gallon, they refuse to lift the ban on offshore oil drilling. Don't they understand that we are sitting on 3 percent of the world's oil supply?
Oil companies, with the help of President Bush and McCain, are trying to lift this ban. Oil companies are eager to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to bring this massive amount of oil into the world market. You see, such an investment will drive down the price of oil and significantly reduce the record profits the oil companies are receiving now. These profits are a heavy burden for the oil companies. Just think of the amount of money they then have to contribute to McCain's campaign. McCain, The Maverick, is anxious to put an end to these types of campaign contributions as well.
The time has come for these lazy Republicans to fend for themselves and stop relying on these hard-working oil executives for their electoral success.
Some folks ask why these oil companies aren't drilling on the 68 million acres worth of federal leases they have now. Some say that lifting the ban will have a minimal impact on prices years or decades from now. These arguments are, of course, just cheap election-year politics. These people will never understand that we are now living in the post-9/11 world of Bush and Karl Rove, where black is white and night is day.
-- Kevin Stroh, Somis

Re: your Aug. 6 movie review, "A wild & crazy ride":
I am a devoted subscriber to the Star. I very much enjoy your paper.
But:
Considering the vast problems we have in our society concerning drugs and violence within the youth culture, I guess I am disappointed by the prominent, "favorable" review your paper has devoted to the movie, "Pineapple Express." It is movies like this and other media venues that I believe have been a part of the problem that has propelled a troubled, aimless youth sect into the serious problems we currently have. A movie review such as this could better have served your readership with an accompanying commentary about the effects such productions have on today's youth.
We live in a world where violence and drug use has become prevalent among our young people. We, as the responsible adults, must stand up and admit that somewhere along the way we "dropped the ball."
-- Bettyanne Sessing, Ojai

Last year, I danced at a couple's commitment celebration, over which our rabbi presided. Recently, my wife and I were in the congregation as our rabbi pronounced the words, "By the power vested in me by the state of California, I pronounce you a couple."
Contrary to the predictions of the religious right and other bloviators, I feel as married (if not more so) this morning as I did when we woke up yesterday. There has been no seismic evidence of the institution of marriage crumbling.
I urge all religious persons of good will to register and vote against Proposition 8 this November.
-- Tom Spisak, Ventura

Re: your Aug. 9 article, "Word in Stiller film sparks outcry":
You have got to be kidding me. It's front-page news that a group of people is offended for use of the word "retard?"
Lest we forget, Americans are fighting and dying in Iraq, Afghanistan and other far-flung reaches of the globe. California is broke, we are in a recession and in the middle of a water crisis, and this warrants front-page reporting?
To those directors of offended associations, I say: Let's keep this in perspective. To all the other PC police, I say get a life. Jesus -- oops, I mean jeez -- let's get real.
-- James Foster, Camarillo

Re: your July 25 article, "State to require ships to reduce pollution off coast":
The ships on the ocean have a right to carry whatever type of fuel they think is necessary to complete a safe, pleasant, successful and cheap trip. Telling them what fuel they have to use is not only unfair, but also will decrease the number of foreign goods coming into the state.
Think of it like this: If you owned a gas company, how would it feel if the state said you had to buy more expensive gas so the air stays clean? Soon you can't afford it any longer, and you go out of business. Now the state has 10 more unemployed residents to care for.
-- Gerard Coughlin, Santa Paula

Re: Chuck Wagner's Aug. 1 letter, "Foreclosure's riches":
Wagner was right on about foreclosures.
Camarillo is not the only area that piggy-backs loans at purchase. Refinancing of homes has, in many cases, caused foreclosures by borrowers who had little or no incentive to remain in their homes.
The purpose of the 80 percent mortgage was to protect lenders by causing borrowers to invest 20 percent of their own money, creating a built-in incentive for the borrower to keep the home and avoid loss of the investment. The 20 percent down also gave the lenders a cushion in the case of original appraisal values of homes decreasing.
However, obtaining financing of 100 to 103 percent or more at purchase, I feel, was a genuine tool offered to borrowers by lenders to fight the high prices in California. Unfortunately, it has backfired for many honest people.
Refinancing over and over again to get cash out by the borrower, which was allowed and encouraged by lender, has backfired for lenders. And, as Wagner states, "you and I" are paying for the mess.
A little known fact about real estate loans is that California is a "deficiency judgment " state. Once a borrower obtains financing, which is placed on real property and is not part of the original purchase, the borrower is subject to a deficiency judgment in the case of foreclosure. A lender having to "take the property back" can attempt to recoup the deficiency -- the difference between the appraised value of the property and the balance owed at foreclosure -- from the borrower.
Lenders should have enforced the deficiency judgment on borrowers who abused the system from the beginning. Lenders should have been required to disclose this law to borrowers. Then, maybe, some foreclosures would have been avoided.
-- Patty Smith, Oxnard

I was glad to read that Mayor Jacqui Irwin puts focus on public safety and quality of life.
I wonder if she could do something about public safety next to Sunset Hills Country Club on Erbes Road. I drove past there when a golf ball hit my car with such a force that if it had hit just 4 inches to the left, my wife would have been hit in the head and most likely killed.
I immediately reported this to the club. They took a report but informed me that the club was not responsible for my damages. They told me that the person hitting the ball was responsible. Unfortunately, none of the players playing close to where it happened admitted to hitting that ball.
Am I expecting too much from these golfers to admit to the accident? The damage to my car amounted to $464, which I would rather spend on something else. Whatever happened to public safety? I should not have to worry about putting my life in danger or getting my car damaged by golf balls on a public street. This is not safe.
The city should force these golf courses to have insurance that cover stray golf-ball damage. This should be mandatory, just like we have to have car insurance.
-- Rudy Saling, Simi Valley

Recently, I had an elbow laceration treated at a local medical facility. The billing for a Band-aid and a bandage was $350! I would have done as well with a Boy Scout.
What happened to the Hippocratic oath?
-- Samuel Rosen, Newbury Park

Re: Bill O'Reilly's Aug. 9 commentary, "Thankfully, we're still 'Rockin' in the Free World'"
Let's analyze O'Reilly's logic.
Premise one: If you criticize the decisions of the Bush administration, you "demean America."
Premise two: Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Chris Martin criticized the decisions of the Bush administration.
Conclusion: Therefore, Springsteen et. al. are demeaning America.
My reaction: Oy vey. Criticism of President Bush equals contempt for America?
Can't The Star refrain from printing O'Reilly's commentary? He uses poor logic (see the fallacious example above), emotional language ("dumb stuff," "stupid") and embarrassingly simplistic diction: "(T)here are great things and there are bad things in this country."
His final intellectual sin: complete lack of irony. Who but O'Reilly could write the following line without realizing it applies to himself: "(Rock stars) yell out dumb stuff to their zombie followers and revel in the applause"?
William F. Buckley is spinning in his grave.
-- Doug King, Simi Valley

Re: your Aug. 4 article, "Paying careful attention to detail," and accompanying photo:
I found this picture amusing, since there seemed to be a respiratory mask in use. I guess this lady forgot that they are used to cover both mouth and nose, while protecting from both unknown exposure and spreading her own DNA.
-- Linda Lippiatt, Simi Valley

Re: your July 25 article, "Bottle neck":
Bottle Village is supposedly worth visiting.
We followed the advice, called the number 583-1627 and made an appointment to meet at Bottle Village, at 4595 Cochran St., Simi Valley,
Yes, true, it was fun to take a 7-year-old girl who usually runs around like a whirlwind. The doll-heads were there especially for her, the water well reminded her of Snow White and the mosaic path leading the occasional visitor from one treasure to the other was an adventure in itself.
I slowly walked around, enjoying our granddaughter's excitement. It gradually occurred to me that we were witnessing the works of an extraordinary person.
Once in a while, one meets an individual who is obsessed with creation, with holding on to ordinary things, who spends an incredible amount of energy to prove to him or herself that he or she can do the virtually impossible.
The energy that is necessary to build a wall of bottles and cement might have sprung from insurmountable anger and grief after losing yet another child. As a mother, I suspect the strongest of emotions, but I am also an artist and recognize the love for form, colors, the craving for order and the ongoing inspiration one could find in castaway objects.
Tressa Prisbrey singlehandedly built houses and fountains and sculptures between. Every person who cares to visit this wondrous place will catch a breath, will hold still and might want to sit down for just a minute in that gorgeous little chapel she built from brown beer bottles.
Terrible hardships were her share, but she left us her art to prove life was worth living. We so need these kinds of testimonies.
-- Annemarie Han-Schooneveldt, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 12 letter, "Defendant's lawyer can view King's records, judge rules":
I'm dazed and confused -- to paraphrase the rock song by Led Zeppelin -- about the law, the justice system and the upcoming murder and hate-crime trial for 14-year-old Brandon McInerney.
First we read that the accused McInerney was only a few weeks past 14 when he allegedly shot and killed his classmate, Larry King, at E.O. Green School.
We read that the people of California voted to allow the district attorneys to prosecute kids like adults.
We read that the deputy district attorney prosecuting the case was unmoved by the 250 teachers and classmates who signed a petition asking that the trial be held in Juvenile Court.
Then we read that the district attorney argued that this case must be tried for premeditated murder and a hate crime in an adult court. Apparently a judge agreed, and so be it, the case shall be tried in an adult dourt.
Then, on Aug. 12, we read that the public defender is attempting to gather all evidence, including legitimate records on the victim and legitimate records from the school, to defend his "adult" client.
Next we read that Steve Pell, the attorney for the victim's family, argued that "subpoenas should be quashed " because the matter -- gathering evidence for the defense -- "belongs in the confidential confines of the Juvenile Court."
Huh?
-- Tom Novinson, Ventura

The governor has signed an executive order cutting the pay of state workers to minimum wage. This is due to the inability of the state Legislature to pass a budget, as it is being held up by a small minority of legislators.
Many state workers have families, and you can expect that this will have an effect on their children. Additionally, this will drive many families into foreclosure, adding to our housing woes.
Please consider all the important stuff state workers do, including food inspections, keeping our roadways functioning and providing vital day care services. Let the governor know this is a cheap gimmick. Please note how he tried to get as much publicity for it as possible so he could "shake things up." The only ones shaken up are innocent bystanders!
-- Paul Caron, Ventura

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger should be ashamed of himself, trying to get a budget passed on the backs of the people who work for him when he should be penalizing the members of the Senate and Assembly who cannot put aside their differences and pass a balanced budget.
If I recall correctly, didn't we, the people, pass an initiative to withhold paychecks from the senators and representatives until a budget is passed? Why, then, is this not being done? Why are the average, middle-class workers being laid off or having their wages cut to the minimum wage in California?
Could the governor live on minimum wage? He needs to ask himself if he is being fair to the people who elected him. How will this help our economy when it will cause more homes to be foreclosed on and more families being put deeper into debt? It is high time that all the elected officials get their "ducks in a row" and do right by the people who elected them.
-- Margaret & Marvin Long, Oxnard

Re: your August 1 article, "Police chief downplays curbs on L.A. paparazzi":
This article mentioned that gifted Hollywood celebrities were complaining about the intrusion of the paparazzi into their lives. I am all broken up about their whining and sniveling complaints about this coverage. Have they forgotten that the photographers -- paparazzi -- helped them become popular and are critical to them remaining so? I would say that the photo reporting of their lives is part of the profession they have chosen.
Does my comment seem uncharitable?
-- Charles Dart Jr., Ventura

I am not running for re-election to the Santa Paula Union High School District board. At the November 2007 board meeting, I announced that 2008 would be my last year. Several friends have asked me if I am seeking re-election this year. It has been a pleasure to be a trustee since 1995, but I made up my mind that 13 years of public service was enough. I hope this brief announcement will give others the opportunity to run for this public office.
-- Robert Salas, Santa Paula

On August 10, I will stand before my friends, family and rabbi to marry the woman I have shared my life with for the past seven years. We had a ceremony one year ago, on August 11, 2007, to declare our commitment to one another, but now we have the opportunity to make it legal!
I grew up in Ventura and loved living here so much that I moved back here after college with my wife. We bought our first house here and intend on raising our own family here as well. We are thrilled to have the legal recognition of our home state behind our relationship, but we are concerned that our marriage will not continue to be legally endorsed after November.
I urge those of you reading this to please vote against Proposition 8 on the November ballot. If you are married, please consider how you would feel if your relationship was not recognized by the state that you live in and love in.
We want only what you want. Our rights should be no different than our neighbors' rights.
Please think of us on August 10 when we exchange our vows, and think of us on November 7, when you can vow to vote no on Proposition 8!
-- Jessica Pollack, Ventura

The lack of a budget led Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to lay off 10,000 temporary employees last week. At the same time, the state is being asked to provide $7 billion to build seven prison hospitals.
Receiver J. Clark Kelso created a plan to construct seven healthcare facilities to house 10,000 chronically sick and mentally ill inmates. He estimated the plan would cost the state about $7 billion to cover its 170,000 inmates.
We agree with Republican Assembly speaker Mike Villines, who says, "Please show me a community in California with 170,000 citizens and $7 billion healthcare. Everyone there would have a personal trainer, a personal chef, probably even a dog walker. The receiver is out of touch with reality."
Kelso threatened at a July 11 news conference to force the initial cost of construction, about $2.5 billion, from the state. The governor and legislators should obviously reject this highly irresponsible request out of hand given the state's fiscal situation. Kelso should be asked to tone down his plans to real world numbers first, before asking for funds.
Federal District Judge Thelton Henderson appointed Kelso, whose strategy is to construct seven 1,500-bed state-of-the-art prison hospitals throughout the state at a cost of $7 billion. For easy reference, we'll call these Taj Mahals.
Finance Director Mike Genest said these 10,000 layoffs could save about $80 million in August. How could we, with a clear conscience, lay off these temporary employees and provide Kelso with $7 billion, or 8,750 percent more than the layoff savings?
It is clear beyond any doubt that Kelso needs to pare down these proposed Taj Mahals and convert them to healthcare facilities to the same standards as those used by us law-abiding citizens.
-- Leon Lim, Camarillo

Re: your July 31 article, "Pot plants seized, burned":
This article was reporting at its best, and I commend The Star for trying to follow this flawed right-wing philosophy. Obviously, in The Star's effort to appease these outdated, obsolete ideas, it is reporting the naïve notion that exterminating these "pot farms" will somehow solve the problem of people smoking the God-given herb.
For decades, the war on drugs has been a dismal failure, especially the effort to prohibit smoking pot. Billions of dollars have been spent on trying to stop people from smoking pot with absolutely no success. If our brain-dead leaders would understand that pot is not a threat to society and should not be grouped with "hard drugs," such as heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and others, we could move forward and create a financial windfall situation. If we legalized pot, as has been done in many other countries, and tax it, we create a "cash cow" and solve much of our fiscal problems. Billons of dollars could be realized.
People will not stop smoking pot, and the idea is ludicrous. Let's step up to the 21st century and understand what's really happening.
The Star's article was well-written, but I plead with The Star to do some research and report back on the real state of affairs and what this war against drugs is really about. Legalizing pot would eliminate the criminal element that fuels this illegal "combat" we see in our society. Puritanical thought is obsolete in this fast-moving world we live in. I would love to see The Star write about the positive aspects of this herb.
-- David Wright, Ventura

Re: Patrick Reel's July 31 letter, "Two sides to a story":
I respectfully believe Reel does not discuss two sides and totally missed the point.
In all conflicts there are atrocities on both sides. There's no doubt Israel has made mistakes and done terrible things. But in the interest of the very same balanced reporting espoused by Reel, Israel has also built schools and hospitals and medical clinics for the Palestinians. I know because some of my family and friends have volunteered in these projects. And in the interest of balanced reporting, I will only say it is hard to overstate the horrendous atrocities committed repeatedly against Israel.
But the question at hand is: How do you make peace? I believe peace will require brave leaders to stand up and say terrorism is simply wrong. I do not see the mullahs and ayatollahs dong this. In contrast, there is a huge "peace now" movement in Israel wanting to give land to the Palestinians and negotiate a peace.
To be fair, some Palestinians also engage in dialogue, but not Hamas.
There is a court system in Israel that does protect Palestinian rights. To be sure, they do not get every case right, but neither does our system. The Israeli constitution declares as one of its goals to live in peace with all its neighbors. In contrast, the Hamas constitution still declares as one of its main goals to be the total destruction of Israel.
I believe that no amount of force will bring peace. I believe that negotiation and compromise is necessary. Israel has demonstrated some willingness to compromise.
How do you make peace? Brave leaders must chart a new course and stand up and say and do what is right. Until then, I will only hear the silent sobbing of the victims.
-- Richard Rothschild, Oxnard

Re: your August 1 article, "Mission to succeed":
Accepting drug addiction as a brain disease, how can we ethically jail any person for the crime of succumbing to it without funding and offering effective treatment?
This article contrasted the Lighthouse Women and Children's Mission program, a free, nine-month, Christianity-oriented treatment course which was provided to some women in lieu of jail and which showed a very effective 85 percent five-year success rate for the minority graduating, to the apparently ineffective shorter programs, for example, state-funded Proposition 36-contracted programs.
Lighthouse Director Cassie Sorenson said theirs "is the only free program of its kind in the county and the only practical option for poor women." If similar non-religious paid programs existed here, offering enrollment therein to indigent defendants would satisfy constitutional church-state separation concerns over an arguably coercive non-choice between religious indoctrination and jail. Due to the high cost of incarceration, effective court-supervised treatment, with strict non-completion penalties to encourage majority completion, would also be relatively cost-effective.
That county judges irregularly allow for Lighthouse treatment of women may be an abdication of the state's responsibility to provide due process and equal protection to all defendants -- of any sect or gender -- convicted of relevant drug offenses.
Hopefully, demand from a public informed through ongoing, precise, in-depth reportage will compel our politicians to make sensible policy decisions in our "war on drugs."
-- Dennis Lucas, Camarillo

I thank District Attorney Greg Totten for his reply to my May 3 letter to him concerning the Brandon McInerney case. Totten wrote that there were some very important unknown matters that would be made known in the future. I have seen nothing in the papers indicating this, besides the fact that a lawyer has decided to show that prosecutors do not have the constitutional right to be sole deciders of when a juvenile should be tried as an adult.
Most important to me, however, is the fact that Totten's letter did not respond to my major concern: that Brandon should not be tried as an adult. He was less than a month over 14 when he would automatically have been tried as a juvenile. He was a juvenile who perceived that he was being "hit on" by another boy who indicated he was homosexual. We, as a society of adults, do not have a broad consensus in our attitude toward homosexuality, so how can we hold a 13- or 14-year-old boy responsible for a mature response?
Families have the first responsibility to children. Both these boys were troubled. Larry King was living at Casa Pacifica. King's father wants McInerney tried as an adult. Larry was more than a year older than Brandon. Did that make him an adult? Did that make him able to handle his perceived sexuality? No, it did not. And, no, he did not commit murder, but he did create a sometimes strange environment for other students and perhaps a frightening one to Brandon.
I again ask of Totten: Try Brandon McInerney as a juvenile. Let one of these boys survive this tragedy.
-- Charleen Z. Behrschmidt, Camarillo

The death of Larry King and the plight of Brandon McInerney tears at my heart. I can't help but wonder how this tragic event could have been prevented.
Certainly there were many people who knew these troubled boys. We could start with the parents, but perhaps they were trying to cope with life too. At one time, didn't each of those young boys have a relative or two, a next-door neighbor or some friends? Brandon and Larry each had teachers, fellow students and a school principal. Was there no one who recognized that they needed help, and, if so, did they notify anyone?
We humans tend to get so caught up in our lives, and we don't or won't take time to reach out to those in need. We're too busy, just too busy, to take time to offer comfort to those who desperately need it.
Don't we all occasionally encounter someone who is a little different, even difficult and, yes, unlovable? Shouldn't we all hang our heads in shame at the thought that we may have failed someone just because we were too busy or indifferent? Aren't we called to be our brother's keeper?
Now one of God's children is dead, and the other faces "worse than a death sentence" -- a life in prison. God help us.
-- Pearl Hammerand, Ojai

Re: William Wolny's July 28 letter, "What about the gun?":
This letter states that the gun owner has aided and abetted in the crime that Brandon McInerney is on trial for and should be included as a co-conspirator, even if the gun was stolen. This is indeed absolutely ridiculous.
Does Wolny understand that it's legal and a constitutional right to own a gun? What if the crime was committed with a knife or baseball bat? Should the homeowner or hardware store or sports shop also be blamed? What if the crime was accomplished by igniting gasoline? Is the service station to be charged as a co-conspirator?
A crime can be committed with an infinite variety of devices and tools. Should the manufacturer, the store or homeowner be held responsible because the device was sold or stolen from them to commit a crime? Of course not.
Why are there always folks who don't want to hold the perpetrators solely responsible for his/her action? Why do they always blame someone else?
-- Gerald Roberts, Ventura

There are so many things that don't sound logical to the intelligent thinker.
Why is more money being spent to protect the people of Iraq and Afghanistan than on rehabilitating the American solders?
Why are California politicians continuing to receive a salary when they are not doing their jobs? Government workers won't get paid for doing their jobs, as long as we don't have a budget.
Why do we excitedly pay sports players more than firefighters or police officers or teachers or nurses?
Why do the media sensationalize killings, bombings, traffic accidents, fires and other traumatic news, but won't devote equal time to good deeds, individual successes and good old "good news"?
Why is it great news when the government financially bails out the airlines and the banks, but the local store owners have to close because they can't get a loan to improve their businesses?
Why don't we hear the follow-up stories on the sensational headlines like O.J. Simpson -- is he in jail? -- and the senator who was arrested for allegedly soliciting sex in an airport men's room and Vice President Cheney's case when he shot a fellow hunter?
Why are American car companies giving experimental cars to Hollywood stars to drive for a year in exchange for publicity? They don't need the handouts, but the working person, without transportation, has to take a neighborhood job just to survive.
Why can people get free healthcare in a clinic if they can prove low or no income from last year? The person who has been out of work all of this year can't get healthcare because they did work in 2007. That's more punishment for those citizens who are upright, capable and hard-working, but who have fallen on hard times.
Oh, so many questions, so little time.
-- Marcia Friedman, Thousand Oaks

Re: your Aug. 1 editorial cartoon, "Catch the vision: offshore drilling":
How many windmills would be needed to replace the energy output of one oil well? Talk about a blight on the landscape! Has anyone been to Palm Springs lately and seen the thousands of windmills? If the view is the issue, then the oil wells will win hands down.
-- Ralph Mauriello, Moorpark

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has it all wrong in signing a bill to cut the pay of thousands of state employees. He's punishing the victims instead of the criminals. He should cut the pay of the state legislators to federal minimum wage. I think that would solve our budget problems!
-- Margaret Travers, Newbury Park

Re: your Aug. 2 article, "Lawmakers think slower might be better":
U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly stated it would be nonsense to lower the speed limit if it wasn't enforced.
All the solutions to lowering gas prices and reducing global warming will take a long time and a lot of political willpower. But what we can do immediately is step up our energy conservation efforts. An immediate impact can be had by the simple governor's act of enforcing the speed limit on all California highways, with the added benefit of saving lives and lowering health costs. Even the individual from Oxnard who only uses the freeway "to get to where you're going fast" will benefit from reduced angst on the part of all fellow citizen-drivers, including himself.
-- Mel Lowry, Thousand Oaks

There is another solution to the school lunch prices going up.
In the 1930s, I remember we all carried our lunches to high school. There was no cafeteria. Our lunches were simple: a sandwich made with homemade bread, a piece of fruit and a homemade cookie. That's all we had. So instead of inflating lunch prices, why not just decrease serving sizes and offer less food?
By the way, check the garbage: Are students now throwing away parts of huge servings? Perhaps our smaller servings helps explain why no one was overweight!
-- Elda Soderquist, Thousand Oaks

Everybody is upset with our governor for his attempts to deal with the budget impasse. He wants to lower the wages of certain state workers, and lay off others, all because we are operating without a budget. The state Legislature is supposed to have the budget on the governor's desk early enough that it can be signed by June 15 each year. Where is the public outrage?
We need hold the incumbent legislators accountable. I will not be voting for Assemblyman Cameron Smyth in November.
-- Gary White, Simi Valley

It's my understanding that Larry King was killed for no better reason than because he was gay. You don't deserve to live because of what you are. Write that on a sheet of paper, put an equal sign next to it and then write down Adolf Hitler's murder of millions of Jews simply because of what they were, Jews. You'll then begin to get a grip on the abomination represented by Larry King's murder.
I would have been silent if the district attorney had decided to prosecute Brandon McInerney as a juvenile. And I would be silent now but for the great hue and cry that he's being mistreated by being forced to play out the hand he dealt for himself.
Where is the outrage over the murder of a boy simply because he is gay? When Matthew Shepard was murdered, there was a nationwide cry for his killers' blood. And as it turned out, their original intent was simply to rob him, not kill him. Who cares as much about Larry King? I'm not seeing it.
If you commit an adult crime, then expect to stand up and account for it like an adult. Justice demands no less.
-- Roy W. Hogue, Newbury Park

Re: Regina Cohen's July 28 letter, "Clinton as a write-in":
I am extremely offended at the idea that we women should vote for Hillary Clinton just because she is also female. I do not cast a vote for president on the basis of anatomy. I support the idea of a female president, but Hillary was the wrong woman at the wrong time.
Many conservative voters have the same knee-jerk, negative reaction to a Clinton running that I would feel towards another member of the Bush family. Add to that the fact that a Clinton win would mean more than 20 years of this country being run by the same two families -- a scary thought. We need some diversity.
Barack Obama is not my first choice, but Clinton was not my choice at all.
-- Toni Carlson, Simi Valley

Re: Bill Buchanan's July 31 letter, "Double-tax Republicans":
Buchanan blames Democrats for California's deficit.
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Democrat Warren Buffett for economic advice on the deficit. Buffett told him to increase taxes.
Taxation is economically better than borrowing. Buffett knows about money. Starting from nothing, he's now the richest man in the world. It's world-class stupidity to ignore his advice. Remember: It's your state he's terminating.
-- Alexander Freeman, Thousand Oaks

Ever have a close call when you're driving -- for example, when you and the other guy decide to merge left and right simultaneously? Or when another driver is in your blind spot?
Merging isn't fun. Metal to metal hurts. Metal to flesh is a killer.
All cars should either come equipped with or have added on a $2 mirror, the size of a 50-cent piece. When attached to both side mirrors, it's near perfect in seeing the neighboring cars. Take a minute and go buy one at your local auto store. Why all car manufacturers don't add this gizmo is a mystery. Invest two bucks and save lives. The mirrors work!
-- Dave G. Dobrowski, Westlake Village

This election is all about stopping a shameful and illegal occupation and the sale of Iraq and America to Halliburton, whose CEO earns $40 million a year, and other contractors hired to do work that has traditionally been done by the military.
There is no accountability; the work is done on a cost-plus basis. For a bag of laundry for a GI -- and I've never heard of our military not being able to take care of their own kitchen and laundry duties -- we taxpayers are charged $99! Transport trucks that stop because of a faulty carburetor are trashed so new ones can be bought. It's no wonder the Republicans want the occupation to go on for another 100 years.
It's not only Iraq that's for sale; it's America that's for sale to corporate greed. And that's being paid for with money borrowed from China.
The private contractors who were hired as "interrogators" at Abu Ghraib prison had to justify their bosses' exorbitant charges and tortured anyone they could grab off the streets. They never got any reliable information and, in fact, got faulty information that cost lives and gave our government a bullying identification we cannot overcome.
-- Bernard Lehrer, Ventura

Re: David Loe's Aug. 3 column, "Getting to the ship is getting to be much more difficult":
This was an enjoyable and well-explained description of how increasing cutbacks in airline flights available to deliver vacationers to their departing cruise ships complicates the procedure and may reduce the relaxation and enjoyment expected. But I must take exception to a small error in word choice that earlier I would have passed over.
I have ranted on these pages in the past on reporters' erroneous substitution of "podium" for "lectern." Now I keep repeatedly hearing on television and reading in the papers a new verbal gaffe, as used in this article.
Loe states: "... but a change on his return flight doesn't jive with the ship's arrival time." I don't know if Loe or The Star's copy editor is responsible. The correct word that someone was reaching for is "jibe," which means "in accordance with" or "in agreement." "Jive" is "swing music or dancing performed to it."
Perhaps Loe is reserving "jibe" for its other meaning, "a change in direction of a vessel."
Some readers less concerned about precision in language will argue that our use of words evolves, and that if enough people use them in new ways, it's OK to ignore the dictionary version. Hey, I'm for that. Can I start interchanging "proscribe" with "prescribe?" They sound enough alike, and I won't have to keep track of where I insert them.
Some reader may reply that the word as used by Loe is appearing in new versions of the dictionary and is acceptable. I think you're just jiving me, man.
-- William Vietinghoff, Thousand Oaks

Re: John Darling's July 31 letter, "What McCain isn't saying":
Darling quotes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as saying that President Bush has been a "total failure" in everything from the economy to the war to energy policy.
An Associated Press article also quoted Pelosi's statement, which she gave in an interview with CNN. The AP also reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had made the statement, in referring to President Bush, "Who would be afraid of him? He's got a 29 percent approval rating."
The part that Pelosi and Reid didn't say was that the AP indicated that while Bush's approval rating was at 28 percent, down from an earlier 29 percent, the approval rating of Congress is 18 percent, down from 23 percent the previous month.
So, with Bush at 28 percent and a "total failure", and Congress, led by Pelosi and Reid, at 18 percent approval -- with their ratings lower than Bush and falling faster -- what should we use to describe the performance of Pelosi and Reid? Perhaps Father and Mother of all total failures? Another expression comes to mind as well: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Or, even better: Tell nothing but the truth and the whole truth.
-- Darlene Dickinson, Camarillo

It seems to me that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is punishing the wrong workers for the budget impasse! The ones he should target are the legislators, the Republicans, Democrats and Independents, if there are any.
I don't know if there is any incentive for them to get busy and get the budget passed, but if not, then their wages and all their benefits should be stopped with no clause to pay "back pay" until the budget is passed. It isn't as if the date that a budget is supposed to be passed is any big surprise. We go through something like this every year! If our representatives haven't learned just when the budget is due, then they should all be replaced as soon as possible.
-- Roberta Orvis, Ventura

It is time to focus on something of greater importance than energy independence and lower gas prices. The bigger issue is global warming.
Continuing to utilize carbon-based fuels to retain the lifestyle as we know it is robbing future generations of a planet that can even sustain the living things upon which they will depend for survival. Aquatic and terrestrial systems feed us, clean our water and air, provide shelter, and nurture our souls with beauty and peace. The assault on the biosphere is such that the damage is likely to be irreparable. How soon will it be before we yearn for and reminisce about the good old days of plentiful fresh food, clean water for drinking and recreation and clean air? How will we explain personal and planetary ill health to our grandchildren?
Limiting drilling now will force the issue of how to provide clean and dependable alternative energy sources and make us rethink how we use oil. It is not just for transportation. Fossil fuels are in plastics, cleaning chemicals, cosmetics, fabrics, lubricants and the list goes on. There are some things for which there might not ever be good substitutes. Let's conserve this precious non-renewable resource for very special uses.
Let's leave a legacy of clear and ethical actions to sustain the planet for the worldwide population and future generations. Let's make a long-term positive difference by making sacrifices right now.
-- Katharine Grantham, Ojai

What is up with this administration's resurgence of interest in drilling our way out of the gas crisis? It's not possible. We won't see the effects of the drilling for 10 years. It will not bring down the price of oil right now. That was the conclusion they'd already come to. It's not going to look any different with take two.
Methinks perhaps we should be looking at alternative energy. Wow! What a concept! You'd think they'd never heard of it.
-- Wendy Stroud, Oak View

Re: Patrick Reel's July 31 letter, "Two sides to the story":
Reel is at it again. Since Israel has erected a protective barrier, suicide bombings have been cut to almost zero. Less than 5 percent of the barrier is a "wall," the rest being a barbed wire fence that can easily be removed when the Palestinians begin to control their radical elements.
Hamas is recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union, yet Reel tries to justify Hamas' terrorist tactics and equate it with Israel. Israel does not bulldoze houses to gain territory. It does bulldoze houses of suicide bombers and other murderers of innocent civilians in the hope that the Palestinians will get the message not to perpetrate such horrendous acts.
Israel's basic plan is survival. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has been under constant attack from Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah, PLO and others. These groups are often protected and financed by Lebanon, Syria and Iran. They are not just interested in Israel leaving the West Bank. They want Israel destroyed, and that's the bottom line. There will be no peace as long as these groups hold sway. Israel left Gaza, and what did she get for her efforts at peace?
Palestinian children are taught to hate Israel and Jews in their schools, their books and TV. Most of the hardship that the Palestinians endure has been brought on by themselves. Until the Palestinians learn how to govern themselves as rational human beings, Israel will take drastic measures to insure its survival.
-- William Sherman, Ventura

Re: Timm Herdt's July 30 essay, "Is this historic or not?"
Only through intelligently thought-out discourse can the issue of same-gender marriage in California and Proposition 8 be debated fairly.
Herdt is to be congratulated for his excellent presentation of the facts currently surrounding this evolving issue. I applaud him for his refrain from emotionalism and fanaticism in his essay. Herdt supplies us with an unbiased, unprejudiced and realistic examination of a controversial issue that is too often presented in a form dripping with prejudice, distortion, deception and bias.
I believe as more and more open-minded voters seek to gather the facts on this issue so as to make an informed choice on their ballot this November, the words of Herdt will certainly serve to enlighten and educate.
-- Harris D. Berger, Oxnard

It seems to me that the only reason for the rush to approve offshore oil drilling is to make the leases available to big oil while the Republicans still have someone in the White House.
It will be years before offshore wells can affect the oil supply and have any effect on the price. If oil leases are the answer, why are the oil companies not exploiting the 70 million acres of leases they now possess?
Although we currently use about 25 percent of the world's oil, we have less than 3 percent of the world's reserves. Even if we were to start immediately on all of the known reserves in the United States I don't see how could we have any great effect on the world market.
Let's put the emphasis on alternate energy sources, especially the renewable kind.
-- Albert Moreno, Camarillo

Re: Bill Fulton's July 27 commentary, "New Ventura task force set to protect public viewsheds":
It's hard to believe the Ventura City Council cares about Ventura's views or the people who live here by looking at their track record. They seem to be doing everything they can to derail the people's View Initiative from Ventura Citizens Organization for Responsible Development. After "losing" 300 signatures, they refused to count the remaining citizens' signatures until VCORD was forced to sue them for breaking election laws.
I believe that Councilman Bill Fulton misleads the public when he says there is no need for a moratorium on tall buildings until view protection is voted on by the voters because we are in an economically imposed moratorium. The View Initiative will not be applicable to any projects that have received approvals. It is my understanding that there are already more than 2,300 units marching through the approval process -- about three times normal.
The City Council is transparently packing its task force with supporters of high-rise development.
The builders will sit on those approvals, laughing at us when we finally get the View Initiative passed in November 2009. When the market turns, they will use those approvals, and Ventura will look like Los Angeles overnight. Without a moratorium on approvals for buildings over 30 feet, view protection is moot.
VCORD's next project should be to recall every council member except Jim Monahan, the sole native Venturan and councilmember who supports the VCORD view ordinance. We also need to begin to "elect" a mayor by popular vote and not continue to rotate the same "good ole boys/gals" and their common agenda.
It's time for a "regime change" at City Hall.
-- Paul Booth, Ventura

Watching the news one morning, I saw a bit about garbage and how much it would cost to collect it. This is the garbage that households use. What I saw was shocking because of the amount of garbage that people are throwing out on the curb -- washing machines, couches, yard waste.
Are people so lazy that they can't take their own garbage to the dump?
People need to be responsible for their own waste. People are starting to think it is someone else's job to clean up after them. It is your job!
Think about what you are buying. If you are going to buy a new TV, don't just throw the old one out on the curb for someone else to collect. Take it to the dump. The price that it will cost you to take that one TV is much less then what a price increase would cost over a year.
You may say, "I can't afford to pay for gas to go to and from the dump," or, "I don't have a way to get that couch to the dump." What do you think it will cost you to have someone else collect it for you? You were able to get that TV to your house, but you can't find a way to get rid of it? Sounds like an excuse to me.
It is our fault that things are the way they are. Only we can make a change.
-- Robert Zingery, Ventura

Re: your July 31 article, "Poll finds support for drilling":
I found this article disturbing but not surprising.
The same tactics used to bolster support for the invasion of Iraq are now being used against the American people to bolster support for offshore oil drilling in California and for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
After the World Trade Center tragedy, we all were led to believe by our own government and media that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, that Saddam Hussein had direct ties to Osama bin Laden (who?), and that Iraq had nuclear weapon capability. We now know that those facts were, in fact, lies.
Today, the same fear-based tactics are being used to advance the lie that drilling for more oil in new places would lower gas prices. In fact, the government's own Energy Information Administration estimates that the amount of oil that might be available in ANWR would reduce the cost of gas by a few pennies per gallon in 2027. Estimates of how much oil might be available offshore vary, but one thing is sure: Offshore oil exploration is slow and costly. The EIA estimated last year that opening the coasts to offshore drilling would have no significant impact on oil prices before 2030.
Who benefits from drilling for more oil? Certainly not me or the average hard-working American. I could use an affordable electric-powered car, safer bike lanes, an affordable solar-powered house -- not a vague promise that gas prices will go down in the future if we do more drilling.
We need clean, renewable and safe forms of energy -- and we need them yesterday!
-- Linda Jordan-O'Connor, Simi Valley

Re: Alexander Freeman's July 29 letter, "Double-tax Republicans":
Alexander Freeman writes that President Bush caused the subprime mess, that our currency is subprime due to the Iraq war and that Republicans should pay double taxes.
Here's the real deal: Democrats threatened bias suits if lenders did not lend to marginal borrowers, and now we have to deal with that mess with the same folks who caused the problem now in charge of fixing it.
Democrats have stonewalled drilling in promising areas, causing us to buy oil from foreign countries to the tune of 10 million barrels a day. At a measly $100 a barrel, that would be a gigantic $1 billion every day down the drain, tanking our currency. Democrats also have stonewalled nuclear power plants that France has used to generate 80 percent of its power needs while enjoying the cleanest air in Europe.
With more than half of Americans paying no tax, and the top 5 percent of taxpayers paying about 90 percent of all taxes, it seems like double taxation to many already. I'm not in the top 5 percent, but I'm very concerned that as a middle-income and now retired taxpayer, I'm going to feel the brunt of new taxes if Democrats get their way.
-- Tom Reilly, Thousand Oaks

It has come to my attention -- and I am sure it has to a lot of others -- that the problems espoused by global warming preventers, clean air advocates and animal rights advocates can all be solved if human beings would just stop reproducing. I think the aforementioned groups should lead by example.
-- Jim Barros, Simi Valley

Hannah-Beth Jackson and the state Democratic Party are out of touch with the American public as well as the people of California with regard to the state's energy needs.
A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California finds 51 percent of adults in the state favor more drilling off the state's coasts. It is time Democrats stop stalling America's progress toward energy independence and allow for a multifaceted, comprehensive energy plan that includes, at least, the possibility of domestic drilling.
Californians are being hit with ever-increasing energy costs. Our dependence upon oil, especially from hostile foreign regions, is finally sending negative shockwaves through our economy. It is vital now more than ever that we employ real, short- and long-term solutions to the energy crisis. That means pursuing an energy plan that includes renewable energy sources, natural gas, coal, nuclear and, yes, increased domestic drilling.
Jackson and the Democrats argue increased drilling won't have any effect on the price of oil for seven to 10 years -- an overestimate by as much as 50 percent, some economists argue -- despite the fact that, since President Bush has changed his opinion on the subject, the price of a barrel of oil has dropped by more than $20. Democrats also fail the point out that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar currently account for less than 0.5 percent of our electricity generation, and it would take many years of infrastructure construction and technology development before they became a viable major source of energy.
America -- and California -- needs a diversified energy plan that pursues energy independence by making good use of all our technologies and resources. To do otherwise not only hurts Americans economically in the short term, but further diminishes the idea that our government is competently serving the people.
-- James Riske, Simi Valley

Oxnard Police Chief John Crombach got it right. Children are a sound investment. We need to look beyond the dollars to the real bottom line: It's making children the top priority so we can have a systemic change in our society. The rest will fall into place. We'll get beyond the politics that result in poor funding policies, and we will have educated new generations of people who are values-based stewards in communities that will have less crime, better health, more education and more self-sufficiency.
-- Nancy Mayerson, Thousand Oaks

Re: Alexander Freeman's July 29 letter, "Double-tax Republicans":
I totally agree with Freeman. All Republicans who voted for this administration and its cohorts should be taxed twice as much as Democrats. After all, it was under their total rule in the House, Senate and executive branch for more than six years that we got this debt and all these related problems, Iraq, etc. Because of the lies that we were told by this administration, it will take years to undo the damage. So, right on!
-- Ruth Deel, Thousand Oaks

Re: Ronald E. Kelly's July 30 letter, "Who is Obama?"
I myself was wondering the same thing, like: Where did he come from so fast?
Let's see: experienced diplomat, two years in the Illinois Senate, four years in the U.S. Senate -- my impression is a man looking for power. Judging from his sounds-like-a-presidential-speech in Germany, it makes one wonder.
I know it's his sweet talk of change needed in Washington, but what change is he talking about? He never clarifies it. The people got so fed up with President Bush, they would except any kind of change.
Hmm. Sweet-talking at the right time.
-- Russell E. Spencer Sr., Simi Valley