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September 30, 2005
Price tag on sanctuary?
Re: your Sept. 25 editorial, Protecting our ocean treasure”:
It is nice to think that the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has been protecting a national treasure for the last 25 years.
However, it alarms me that the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is not opposing BHP Billiton’s proposal to build an offshore, liquefied natural gas terminal with three huge LNG tankers arriving per week, which will greatly increase the amount of pollution and greenhouse gasses in such a beautiful “sanctuary.” So much pollution that the Environmental Protection Agency has designated the Channel Islands National Park as a new and independent pollution zone.
What else shocks me is that the marine sanctuary will be honoring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at its 25th anniversary reception at the Biltmore Hotel. Is it aware that campaign finance records indicate that the LNG industry has donated over a million dollars to Schwarzenegger? Haven’t they heard that the governor’s top political adviser is running the LNG industry’s public relations campaign in support of an LNG terminal? Whose side is Schwarzenegger on?
I didn’t think that it was possible to put a price tag on a “National Treasure.” Nor did I think our Channel Islands were for sale.
— Lisa Collier, Ventura
Posted by Rick Larsen at 12:34 PM
Evacuations work flawlessly
Our Los Angeles and Ventura counties evacuation system performed close to flawlessly, I know people who were awakened at 2 a.m. and told to evacuate. They all got a recorded message on their home phone and cars and trucks with sirens and loudspeakers went up and down the streets. They were simply advised to evacuate and told that, if they didn’t, it was their choice and rescue efforts may not be available until too late.
I think it’s interesting that there was a couple days notice for Katrina and zero notice about our fire here in California. Without going into relief efforts after the event occurs, the fact is that our evacuation and our animal and people shelter systems were executed almost flawlessly. The Ventura County Fairgrounds was filled with evacuated large animals Friday morning. Each evacuated area was told what route to take and where animal and people shelters were located.
Are Californians smarter when told to evacuate? Are our roads better? I don’t know but, for starters, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and the state of Louisiana needs to get its rear in gear and develop a system of evacuation and readiness.
Why was this not done ages ago? They’ve had an accident waiting-to-happen longer than we have and while Katrina rescue efforts left a whole lot to be desired, an effective evacuation plan would have prevented a lot of misery — and, of course, if someone knows they need to evacuate and doesn’t, it’s kind of their responsibility, isn’t it?
Am I missing something?
— Paul Schlapper, Ventura
Posted by Rick Larsen at 12:07 PM
September 29, 2005
Generation gap
Re: your Sept. 20 article, “War widow, peace activist”:
The Americans who fought World War II have been called the “greatest generation” because, besides a deadly dedication to victory, they knew that articles of the kind splashed over two-thirds of the front page of this newspaper a few days ago would encourage the enemy while disheartening the citizens of this country.
There were no front page stories highlighting the staggering losses of our young men in battle, which, in many battles, numbered in the tens of thousands.
There were no weeping widows or mothers ranting on those front pages that we must stop the war and capitulate to the enemy.
These kinds of defeatist articles were not seen, because editors of newspapers at that time were responsible enough to know that giving comfort and satisfaction to the enemy is a recipe for defeat.
I remember my father was a very outspoken opponent of the war against Japan, believing this country, through arrogance and unnecessary sanctions against Japan, forced Japan to act as it did. One night, his co-workers had heard enough, so one dark night they forced him off the road and beat him almost to death. You can believe he was much more circumspect after that experience.
The “greatest generation” tolerated no such sympathy with the enemy. The difference between the “greatest generation” and the current generation is that the former were compelled by their own inner convictions to win, no matter what sacrifices were demanded of them, while too many of this generation see no need to win, as if the enemy will somehow change his mind and cease to attempt to harm us. He will not.
— Richard Paddock, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 02:08 PM
Nature classes needed
As a concerned citizen, I see a need for some courses to be offered to the community through the Ventura County Community College District.
As the horticulture program is considered terminated — not for lack of trying by students and the community — we have to consider what courses would provide the greatest benefit for the most people at the colleges.
I have asked other students and people I come in contact with casually, and the consensus is courses that help people appreciate natural resources, plants, animals and each other.
We have access to a lot of people who would be enriched by courses like Native Plants of California, Coast Ecology and Walking for Fitness. Older people, such as those who live in nursing homes, could have a class in horticultural therapy brought to them to revive memories, provide stimulation and encourage coming out of themselves.
Young people who perhaps have legal problems could be given community service hours to create gardens in vacant lots or propagate plants to give to people. They could perhaps plant edible landscaping to help provide food for the poor and those who will be straining to make it when gas prices go sky high and food rises accordingly.
People in responsible positions have a duty to look ahead and anticipate problems and solutions for those they serve.
Also, I have heard that the agriculture plant science major still exists at Ventura College. Many of the classes required for that degree have not been offered in recent history. Plant Biology is a great class I am taking now, and I would like to take Pest Management, Soil and Water Science, Insects and Diseases of Plants, as would many in the community — perhaps just for personal edification.
There are many landscapers in our county who would greatly appreciate support for these types of courses, as well as the community in general, as those who know and appreciate nature take better care of the Earth. How can you be unhappy in a garden?
We need to find ways to be happy without buying more, polluting more or going places, because we live on a small planet and that really needs our help.
This work will bring us together as well, and together we may find a way to reverse the destruction.
— Maryanne deGoede, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:46 PM
Billiton platform failed
Re: your Sept. 29 article, “Rita may have hit oil rigs worst of all”:
This article, about the oil and gas platform failures caused by the recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, did not mention the failure of the Typhoon oil and natural gas platform that is owned by BHP Billiton and Chevron.
This platform, as with the proposed BHP Billiton Cabrillo Port liquefied natural gas floating terminal, is supposed to be disaster-proof. BHP Billiton’s platform broke free of its moorings and drifted more than 100 miles.
In light of this failure of Platform Typhoon, safety concerns about Cabrillo Port must be scrutinized.
— Trevor Smith, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:32 PM
Parent unreasonable
Re: David Sheehan’s Sept. 28 letter, “An uphill battle against school district”:
As a parent with two children in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, I was, of course, concerned when I read the letter regarding purported child care inequities at Lang Ranch. However, once I checked out the Web site that had been printed in the letter, I quickly realized that in spite of any problems that may or may not have occurred regarding child-care placement, this was in fact an unreasonable parent run amok. And I came to this conclusion without knowing anything about the situation other than what he himself wrote and posted.
I was actually horrified by his behavior. By his own admission, he’d sent offensive and blatantly threatening letters as his very first step when he didn’t get what he wanted; twisted the facts to create a “conspiracy” that clearly didn’t exist; and had actually refused a requested face-to-face meeting to resolve the situation. And he posted all this openly, as if he expected people to read this and sympathize with him.
For anyone who may have read his letter and felt concern about the fairness of the district’s child-care policies, I can assure you that any reasonable person who took this man’s bait and read his Web site would have immediately realized that there was no conspiracy to be found there — only an angry and overreactive parent who clearly has never heard the phrase, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.”
It is entirely possible that Mr. Sheehan and his daughter were not, in fact, treated fairly with regard to their child-care requests. However, this could not be ascertained by his recounting of the sequence of events, especially in light of the fact that, according to his Web site, he was refusing to have contact with anyone other than through e-mail, and all of his e-mails included brazen and highly inappropriate threats.
I noticed that his Web site was taken down as of Thursday morning, so I hope this indicates a move toward resolution.
In the future, I would hope that The Star would do a little research before printing a letter from an individual with a grudge that blatantly besmirches someone’s reputation, with no facts to back it up. The Star’s own posted policies regarding letters to the editor state: “The letters column is not a forum for the airing of private disputes, or to challenge a parking ticket or a government action that pertains to a single individual.” It seems to me that, in this case, this policy was blatantly breached, to the detriment of several school district officials. If you ask me, an apology is in order.
— LeeAnne Clark, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:20 PM
Disaster plan needed
If the fire in Chatsworth is any indication of what can happen with road closures in the local area, what will it be like if we all encounter a major disaster like what happened in New Orleans or Texas?
It is a strong belief that it’s time for all of us who are involved in any logistics or security to step up to the plate. What will happen if the freeways choke up like they are presently? God only knows!
I believe that a real disaster will transpire and that more people will vanish than we have ever believed possible.
It’s time for all emergency personnel involved with any disasters or those of us involved with security and logistics to make it a point to come forward as fast as we can to get a plan together so that a disaster as we are seeing right now never approaches the disasters as seen down in the South.
I would like to ask The Star and all emergency personnel (city officials, police, fire, emergency originations, security companies) to meet together so that all of our citizens can have a little assurance that someone is knowledgeable about what should be done and followed in case of a disaster.
— Alan Angel, Moorpark
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:12 PM
Gallegly hard at work
Homeland security is a major issue with most of us.
Those of us who are residents of Ventura County have an opportunity to be proactive in helping with this issue. Our congressman, Elton Gallegly, has been very active with this issue through his activities in the House of Representatives.
A biometric, bar-coded national identity card is a vital item in this security effort. Unfortunately, the American Civil Liberties Union and those who have a vested interest in hiring illegal aliens at below minimum wage levels — and some for other reasons — have been successful in their opposition, and the bill is unlikely for the immediate future.
Rep. Gallegly, fortunately, has initiated several interim actions by introducing and supporting bills that help to reduce the current identity problems. His Electronic Employment Verification Act requires employers at critical infrastructure sites, such as airports and nuclear plants, to use a computerized system to confirm Social Security numbers.
During May, the Homeland Security Department arrested 57 illegal immigrants who used fraudulent Social Security cards and driver’s licenses at security-sensitive sites. These arrests make it obvious that employers need this system at critical sites.
Rep. Gallegly is a co-sponsor of the Real ID Act of 2005. This bill sets minimum-security criteria that states will have to use for their driver’s license acceptance as identification to board commercial flights or enter federal facilities.
Homeland security is important to all of us, and I am grateful that Rep. Gallegly is engaged effectively on the task.
— Warren Faue, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:02 PM
Cruelty to humans
One can scarcely see a newspaper without reading every few weeks about some odd person being arrested on charges of cruelty to animals for keeping too great a number of dogs or cats in filthy and medically dangerous conditions, in their urine and feces, without water, food or proper veterinary care.
Yet the individuals responsible for keeping thousands of people in the same conditions in the Louisiana Superdome — to the same extent of degradation, inhumane treatment, and deaths — have not been arrested and charged with cruelty to humans.
Perhaps the diminishment of our country is owing to the many voters who elected inhumane and unprincipled people in order to see officially exalted as God-sanctioned patriotism the absence of social scruples and government by laws.
— Suzanne Gorenfeld, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:55 PM
Victims can help, too
In reading articles about the price tag of compassion, I have a few questions to ask.
Are we to believe that no person or business in the storm-affected area had any insurance of any kind? Also, due to the welfare rolls in this area, couldn’t we expect these people who are physically able to participate in the rebuilding process?
My family and I have contributed to the various funds for the people and animals affected by Katrina and do so without reservation. I do not lack compassion for these people and their current situation. However, I think this budget was put together without adding the survivor factor of the people who live here.
Are we to believe that these people are helpless and that all people who live here are completely unable to think or do for themselves? I believe that these fine fund-seeking politicians and their special interest backers have greatly discounted the attitudes and abilities of their states’ residents because the people I have known and worked with from this area did what it took, did the impossible with nothing and smiled the entire time they were doing it.
It seems these so-called representatives do laundry differently from the rest of the people of their state. They don’t clean it, they replace it.
The older I get, the less I understand.
— Wayne Roper, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:34 PM
Give union member voice
If you worked for a large corporation, and the bosses decided on their own to oppose or promote several ballot measures and political candidates and were paying for it with money arbitrarily deducted out of your paycheck, wouldn’t there be hell to pay?
Rest easy. No corporation that I know of is doing this, but labor unions are.
Proposition 75 on the November ballot would prevent unions (and corporations, too, if they tried it) from pilfering the paychecks of rank-and-file members to fund political activities unless they have written permission to do so from the union member.
TV ads paid for by union bosses are screaming that the aim of Proposition 75 is to silence the political voice of the union members. Nonsense. The voice of every union member opposed to the union’s politics is being silenced now. Money taken without the member’s permission to further the union’s political ambitions is money denied the member to further his own ideology.
The California Teachers Association has already written political campaign checks in upwards of $40 million. It promises even more before the November elections and has taken out loans secured by plans for future dues increases to pay for them.
Proposition 75 would prevent union bosses from using their compulsory membership as a cash cow to fund left-wing political activities to which at least half their membership would be opposed. Let union members contribute what they wish to union political slush funds, but take their hand out of the pockets of dissenting members.
— John Gentry, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:26 PM
Gun legislation sensible
While understanding that many of us have strong feelings about the possession of firearms, I believe sensible firearms control is something we must achieve in this state and country.
Making it more difficult for just one child to play with daddy’s loaded handgun, or making it tougher for a “soon to be murderer” to grab a few handguns from a friend’s house, hide them in a backpack, and later sneak up on harmless people and kill two while critically wounding another, is certainly worth whatever “upside” there could possibly be to anyone having accessible handguns and ammunition.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently deciding whether or not to sign three sensible gun bills. One makes it harder for kids and teens to buy ammunition (SB48); one requires handgun ammunition to be stored more securely by sellers (AB996); and one limits a domestic violence offender’s access to firearms (AB1288). Each of these bills has already passed the state Legislature and only require the governor’s signature to become law. If signed, these laws will keep our communities safer by increasing accountability for ammunition sales, to kids and teenagers in particular, and by ensuring that those served with domestic violence restraining orders cannot purchase a firearm.
I urge you to please call the governor at 1-916-445-2841 today and ask him to sign SB48, AB996 and AB1288. The phone call is inexpensive in cost and time and priceless for the possible safety of those you love.
— Tim Heyne, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:19 AM
Propositions cut costs
I am going to support Propositions 75 and 76. I personally have had it with the notion that unions, which have been riding on the coattails of former Gov. Gray Davis, can spend millions of dollars in commercials assassinating the character of current Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Unions for police, sheriff’s deputies and prison guards, along with teachers, are trying to paint a picture that this governor is trying to destroy them. No, he is doing exactly what we brought him in to office to do: cut back on these special interest groups that are costing us millions. Yet the above unions have spent millions trying to defeat these propositions.
We in California have short memories. We elected Schwarzenegger to cut costs and to correct a problem that was created by Gray Davis. But as usual, we in California have short memories.
— Chris Biller, Moorpark
(The writer is a retired detective sergeant. — Editor)
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:04 AM
Eliminating science foolish
Re: your Sept. 27 article, “Sacrificing science for test scores”:
In all my years — of which there are 88 — I have never encountered so detrimental or misguided a practice as that which I am reading as I type.
I will not go through why I consider the practice as being detrimental — nay, potentially nationally catastrophic — given the space allowed and the time it takes this hunt-and-peck typist to painfully create what I really feel regarding the counterproductive chipping-away at the critically important subject matter in our schools.
Permit me to say, however, that I cannot see why, when, in my days in grade and high school, in classes of from 35 to 40 students, I cannot recall the deletion of any of the subjects in our curriculum — ever.
Please spare me the lame excuses which have been tendered in recent years! Sorry, that dog just don’t hunt for me.
From those 35- to 40-student classes, in those years gone by, from which no subject matter was callously dropped, came a period of world advancement never before encountered — at least in the sciences. I will spare enumerating some of them. Our readers should be aware of their good fortune given their creature comforts and length of years, if nothing more.
One thing, for sure, however: I would disallow the calculator at young Raven DeVault’s left arm. Perhaps, then, when a student arrives at the sciences, they are prepared in math to manage the vast secrets of what makes our cosmos tick and take further advantage of our blessings.
“Mistake!” I remarked when I saw the introduction of those crutches into our classrooms. I am of the same belief today.
If, indeed, dear educators, the sciences are diminished, there is little else to which to apply our advanced capability in the increased mathematics, now is there?
Pro patria vigilans (watchful for our country).
— Monroe Karl Deutsch, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:02 AM
September 28, 2005
Fundraisers a waste
Re: Margaret Brownley’s Sept. 27 letter, “School fundraiser solution”:
I found the letter about school fundraisers right on! The fundraising assemblies do get the kids all hyped up about the lure of “winning” something — which is usually not worth much anyway, unless you sell super big numbers. But unfortunately, this precious school time is wasted school time.
I would never let my child go door-to-door selling anything these days with or without a parent. The kids from affluent or extended families may be able to contribute to this madness, but what about the larger number of kids who cannot?
It is truly a waste of our children’s educational time in school and promotes running around the neighborhood instead of doing homework. I don’t think this is what “No Child Left Behind” had in mind.
It would truly be more beneficial to the PTA/PTO to ask for an anonymous donation of say, $25, and maximize our children’s educational time doing educational pursuits.
— Joan T. Gendreau, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:30 PM
Schools incompetent
I am a simple man, not one who cries or looks to someone else for everyday needs.
This said, why do our schools do such a bad job in educating our young and yet ask for more money to pay outrageous saleries for the very people who are doing such a bad job?
Where is the basic truth of “Do your job, rewards will follow”? Does this not apply to them? I realize California is an expensive place to live, but it is for me, too! Don’t ask me to throw money that I need down a rat hole because it makes you feel good.
— Gregory A. Hammer, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:23 PM
Look closely at unions
Our state is currently spending $8 billion more than it takes in after taking the $15 billion deficit left by the Gray Davis administration and borrowing long-term to pay for it.
In November, we have several initiatives that will restore fiscal responsibilty and accountability, yet every day some well-intentioned teacher, firefighter or other unionized public servant is blasting those who would ask us to live within our means.
This message is for all those state employees: Do not be deceived by the propaganda coming out of your unions. Here is why you will continue to be victims if you do.
Your unions and their benefactors of your dues, the liberal politicians in Sacramento, will continue to steal it back from you. How? Do you like $2.85 cent gasoline? Your unions support the enviromentalists that have made us energy-dependent on foreign oil by litigating and regulating so that not one new oil refinery has been built in the United States for almost 30 years.
Back to that $8 billion deficit. Again, your unions support liberal politicians like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who appoint liberal judges like the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which says we have to give free education — remember Proposition 187? — free medical and welfare to illegal immigrants. That costs you and me $10 billion a year in California, including incarceration costs.
How about grocery prices and housing prices and the cost of road construction? Your unions support all the environmental laws and labor laws that add 60 cents for every dollars spent on road construction. I am sure you like the potholes.
By voting against these propositions, you will be imposing higher costs not only on your family, but all families in California. Yes, if you defeat these initiatives, you get yours from the union, but it will cost you much more.
Oh, teachers: When is the last time the state paid into your retirement fund?
In conclusion, if you hire someone to steal for you, it won’t be long until they steal from you. I am sure some of you are very cynical of these facts; however, they are based on 13 years of lobbying at both the state and federal level. Try it sometime. The truth will set you free.
— John R. Hanson, Oak View
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:08 PM
Where was Long?
Re: your Sept. 26 article, “Official fights Prop. 76 backing”:
Kathy Long is on the board of directors of the California State Association of Counties. A roster of the directors available on the CSAC Web site lists her as the representative for Ventura County.
The calendar of events on the CSAC Web site lists a board of directors meeting in Sacramento on September 8.
Item 3 on the agenda for that meeting is the consideration of November 2005 ballot initiatives. First on the list of initiatives is Proposition 76.
Kathy Long should have been at that meeting.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I know if my boss expected me to attend a meeting on his behalf, I’d better be there — or have a darn good explanation for my absence.
We, the public of this county, are Kathy Long’s boss. Her job as a public servant includes representing our county’s interests within the CSAC and to represent county government before the California Legislature.
Ms. Long works for us. She owes us an explanation for her absence.
— Karen Howard, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:53 PM
BHP’s buying power
Would someone like to say what’s wrong with this picture?
The Ventura County Economic Development Association is holding a “Fueling the Future: The Politics of Power” conference via major financial sponsorship of foreign-owned BHP Billiton. The Australian company insists on building a liquefied natural gas platform with pipes going through the City of Oxnard without giving the City of Oxnard — our Mayor Tom Holden, Mayor Pro Tem Andres Herrera and Councilmembers John Zaragoza or Tim Flynn — any say-so. As a matter of fact, Mayor Holden is not even listed as one of the main speakers.
To add insult to injury, the keynote address will be made by John Olsen, Australian counsel general, who will tell us “how to solve California’s energy woes” — with eyes on a projected $50 billion financial gain in Australian exports to Oxnard, according to a Sept. 10 news report by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Do conference organizers — the vast majority of whom do not live in Oxnard — think we in Oxnard are people who can or should be overlooked to serve the needs of California without consideration of the lives of Oxnard’s men, women and children, earthquake dangers, pipe accidents, our environment, fire and our close proximity to a protective military installation?
The buying-influence power of BHP does not seem to have limits.
— Lupe Anguiano, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:45 PM
Parking laws vary
Re: your Sept. 25 letter, “Parking leads to death”:
This letter unwittingly points out still another way in which our society is diverse — although not always recognized as such. Parking laws are local.
When I lived in Troy, N.Y., it was in fact the law that the space in front of one’s house belonged to that resident, who had the right to chase off others.
Similarly, I learned the hard way that in Washington, D.C., the space of one car’s length from the corner was not available to park in. I got a ticket for parking there, although for nearly a year I had seen others occupying that space, unticketed. I had the mistaken idea that whatever people always did was legal.
The good thing about California is that the traffic laws are available from the Department of Motor Vehicles — unlike New York or Washington, D.C., at least at that time.
— Dora P. Crouch, Santa Paula
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:21 PM
Easy school fundraisers
Re: your Sept. 17 article, “Parents take school fundraisers upscale”:
There are many opportunities for schools with less-affluent populations to raise funds without a major time commitment from parents. I am the coordinator for “Free Programs” at Camarillo Heights elementary school. It has a diverse population of income earners.
Following are some of the programs I found that have big returns for little effort:
— Box Tops for Education, a program sponsored by General Mills, will donate up to $60,000 per school if shoppers clip the official coupon found on hundreds of GM, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Ziploc and many other brands ($20,000); shop online by starting at the Box Tops Marketplace at http://www.boxtops4education.com ($20,000); and use a Box Tops Visa Card for everyday purchases ($20,000). There are hundreds of merchants on the marketplace.
Also, the Visa card gives 1 percent back to the schools for purchases everywhere you shop.
— Labels for Education, a program sponsored by Campbell’s, will donate merchandise in exchange for the labels and UPC symbols.
Best of all, our grocery stores will give up to 4 percent of purchases made at their stores back to the schools.
— EScrip can be connected to your Vons Club card. Vons contributes up to 4 percent regularly or up to 10 percent with its new back-to-school promotion.
— Ralphs has the Community Contribution Program connected with the Ralphs Club card.
— Albertson’s has the Community Partners Program connected with its Preferred Savings card.
Once the school has registered with these programs and the shoppers have designated their percentage to go to the school, there isn’t any more work. The money comes in quarterly checks. What could be easier? It’s free money.
I am more than willing to talk with anyone who would like to help their schools. People can contact me through Camarillo Heights.
— Jennifer Mayper, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:14 PM
Front-page coverage harmful
Re: your Sept. 20 article, “War widow, peace activist”:
I was shocked and dismayed by the front-page coverage given to Melanie House by The Star. This story was all about the anger and pain of the heartbroken widow of a Navy man killed in Iraq, and it glorified her anti-war activities.
The psychopathic killers our country faces in Iraq are probably the most hateful and dedicated enemies this country has ever seen. These militant Muslim murderers have loudly stated over and over that they are proud of their hideous acts. They are proud of killing more than 3,000 innocent people on Sept. 11. Their obvious aim is to subdue the entire world and force all of us to adopt their way of life, or just as satisfactory to them, die at their hands.
This country may well lose this battle in Iraq, and subsequently the war against terrorism, because we simply fail to take the militant Muslims seriously. Because war has been unequivocally declared on us, we therefore have absolutely no choice but to fight to protect our way of life. Perhaps Iraq isn’t the wisest battleground for us to engage the enemy, but if it’s not there, you can bet it will be somewhere more to his liking at some time in the future of his choosing.
Newspaper articles such as the one in The Star bring great harm and cause anguish for those of us who care about the future of this great country.
— Richard Paddock, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:08 PM
Doctorate is necessary
Re: your Sept. 26 article, “Doctorate in education bill gets signature”:
The article gives the impression that the doctorate in education degree exists solely for school administrators. However, all the Ed.D. signifies is that the doctoral degree is given in an area of education. Within the field of education there are many different areas of study. Doctorates in education are given in such areas as educational psychology, counseling, organizational development, curriculum and instruction, leadership, special education, etc., in addition to educational administration. For the professor at Columbia University to characterize all doctorate in education programs as being poor is incredibly ignorant.
In general, the University of California and many private universities have not done a good job of preparing doctoral-level professionals in many of the above areas of education. These universities have high barriers to entry related to cost or admit very limited numbers of students. This has discouraged many working people and people of color from getting doctoral-level training in education.
The California State University system has an opportunity do a better job, though there are still significant problems to be faced — the most significant being the high teaching load and the attendant lower scholarly productivity of CSU faculty when compared to their UC counterparts.
In my opinion, this bill is a step in the right direction. Having doctorates is a great way to invigorate the CSU system. Having doctoral students on a university campus benefits everyone. It forces the professors to keep up in their fields, it enhances instruction by providing high-level assistance to professors in the classroom, and it provides positive role models to undergraduate students.
— Kevin Volkan, Ed.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:01 PM
Column on capitalism falls short
Re: Tim McGuire’s Sept. 17 Arts & Living column, “Patience a tough thing to wait for”:
McGuire’s argument about capitalism fails at many levels, beginning with the headline. There’s no such thing as “unbridled” capitalism.
McGuire looks to Paul Stiles, author of “Is The American Dream Killing You?” (No, by the way). Much of what he cites sounds like warmed-over Marx. But it’s OK — this is the United States, so he’s allowed.
McGuire appears to bemoan the American culture of “doing” vs the European culture of “being.” Again, he’s allowed — unqualified, but allowed. Marx wasn’t qualified either, but he recognized that when, near the end of his life, he said, “I am not a Marxist.”
European “culture” has led them to 10 percent-plus unemployment, which I suppose means that a lot more Europeans have time to visit museums. How sad. But then, they never understood America, so we can let them go on in their blissful ignorance.
In fairness, his friend didn’t need to get angry. Critics of capitalism are usually Socialists, who, as long as they’re not in power, should be viewed as harmless amusements.
— Mike Savell,
Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:55 AM
Governor’s right, Long’s wrong
Supervisor Kathy Long again shows her disrespect towards her constituents by objecting to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s support for Proposition 76. Long has shown over and over again that she has little or no concern for the taxpayer’s hard-earned money and where it goes!
Gov. Schwarzenegger made the promise of cutting the fat from the bloated bureaucracies nestled within the enormous catacombs of the California political machines.
Every year, the state and county governments reap more and more tax monies because the working class makes higher wages, and the county tax collector gets more property taxes because the property values are exploding and the economy is expanding. State and county employees, with hardly any exception, want higher remuneration for doing the same work. They scream COLA — cost of living adjustment. What is COLA? COLA stands in my mind for cost of labor adjustment, the dog that chases its own tail.
Now Long wants to withdraw Ventura’s support for Proposition 76. Long is wrong! All wages are steadily increasing, and this proposition is a good start to block the runaway inflation!
— Horst Funfstuck, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:43 AM
It isn’t politics, it’s a disaster
Re: Alicia Reynolds’ Sept. 18 commentary, “Katrina demonstrates U.S. drowning in a flood of inept leaders”:
I was quite surprised to see The Star print such an ultra-liberal and biased article as the one written by Reynolds. Her supposed “outrage” over Katrina was nothing more than another attack fulfilling a “liberalist” political agenda in an attempt to discredit the Republican Party. This isn’t politics, this is a terrible national disaster.
The very “infrastructure” she attacks at the federal level should have been directed toward the “first line of defense,” the mayor of New Orleans. He is not a director, standing with his hands in his pocket saying, “Someone should do something.” He is the mayor and should have acted. In his attempt to hide his own failures, he attacked the federal government.
The inaction by the local officials was the problem, and they had how many days warning?
With 35 years experience as a firefighter, I can tell you that we don’t wait for the president to tell us what to do in an emergency. We act. The mayor acts. The local Red Cross acts. The local disaster preparedness teams act. Anyone in a leadership position should know that you don’t sit on your hands and wait for someone else to bail you out. You act.
Let’s not turn Hurricane Katrina into another political agenda to attack the administration. Use it as a learning tool for all Americans. Learn from our mistakes, from the grass-roots level up, not from the top down.
We will all grieve over the terrible losses of this and all disasters, but if you feel you need to point fingers, point them inward first, and leave your political agenda at home.
— Daryl Tisinger, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:35 AM
Help first, point fingers later
The Bush administration is not used to seriously thinking fully about problems on a long-term basis.
What I see is that thousands of displaced people are scattered in private homes and short-term arenas. These people are destitute and need government support to guide and maintain them after Katrina.
Surely there is government property such as Army barracks available. Mobile homes, such as those used in other disasters, could be rounded up and used for long-term housing. Where is the planning for long-term housing for these people? The blame game is unimportant at this time. Get these people housed and as independent as they can be, with the government’s help, and then point fingers at who is to blame for this mess.
— Marjorie Grate, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:27 AM
Where’s fairness, accuracy?
The Star has a mantra to “provide balance and fairness” in every story. Yet, earlier this year, I wrote criticizing The Star’s completely one-sided coverage of the Social Security issue, basically the side of Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.
Now, The Star has done the same thing with the Hurricane Katrina disaster, blaming the problem on President Bush and the federal government. On Sept. 4, there were four stand-alone articles on the subject. The Star picked an obscure, seemingly disgruntled ex-government employee, Tom Parker, to write, “New Orleans is Bush’s Waterloo.”
Then, on Sept. 7, The Star chose another obscure law professor (write Democrat), Paul Campos, from a mediocre college with a lukewarm law school reputation to write “White House spin on disaster slanders Louisiana governor.” Sept. 8, there were two stand-alone write-ups, one by Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat and well-known shill for the party, and the other by Thomas Friedman, a well-known liberal columnist for The New York Times.
We all know the blame should be spread around — even Time magazine recently featured a story that stated this. But show me one article in The Star that mentions the possible incompetence of Louisiana’s governor or the mayor of New Orleans.
When President Bush recently took the ultimate blame, it was specifically for the federal government’s role. I could go into chapter and verse about all the things The Star omitted to print about the Katrina situation.
Is The Star being intentionally dishonest in whitewashing Bush, or is it just so political that it cannot report fairly? This is just the second major issue where The Star has failed to offer an opposing viewpoint. In either case, The Star should remove “fairness” and “accuracy” from the five principles it supposedly stands for.
— Jeff Wiese, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:13 AM
September 26, 2005
Hurricane’s 3 disasters
I was one of the 15,000 people at the peace march and rally in Los Angeles on Saturday. I made and carried a “Make Levees, Not War” sign.
This was my first peace rally. I did not see or hear a single pro-war supporter. I observed a very diverse group of marchers. There were a lot of young people, as well as those of us old enough to remember former anti-war protests, people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and cultures, supporters of a variety of political views and political causes.
In view of the timing of this rally, I would like to tie it in with the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
I consider Hurricane Katrina to be three disasters.
First was the natural disaster of the Category 4 or 5 hurricane which hit the Gulf states.
The second was the preventable disaster of the breaking of the levees, which was known to be a potential for disaster. The levees were needed to prevent the flooding of New Orleans, which is below sea level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for repairing and maintaining the levees, was well aware of the deteriorating state of the levees. The Bush administration hasd cut their budget to help fund the illegal war in Iraq. This disaster was preventable.
The third disaster is what this administration is planning for New Orleans. The federal government issued no-bid construction contracts to its cronies — Halliburton, etc. — but two days later it suspended the Davis-Bacon act, which ensures that wages for federally funded construction projects be proper.
The suspension of Davis-Bacon means that the poor people in New Orleans who work to help rebuild their city will remain poor. There wasn’t a word about preventing or prosecuting for war profiteering. The people hired to clean up toxic waters are not given proper protection. Of course, these workers are too poor to have health insurance to cover any illnesses that may result from this exposure.
The environmental protection requirements are being suspended, so instead of a new, cleaner city, it will be new and polluted.
I also understand that high-rise condos will replace the individual houses lost by the poorest of the poor. High-rise “projects” have proven to be unsuccessful and closed up in many cities.
Also, why is the federal government planning to issue school vouchers? Are they not planning to rebuild the public schools?
The third disaster is the most pathetic: the federal government’s misuse of power.
It’s time to stand up and demand better of our government.
— Sandy Emberland, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 02:13 PM
Ice those cartoons
If I wanted to subscribe to the Weekly World, I would. But since I want as much factual information from my local newspaper as possible, please refrain from any more global warming cartoons tied to the hurricanes for at least a week.
Each day I am greeted by a new cartoon suggesting — no, stating — that global warming is the cause. The Star reported there is no scientific evidence to think this and, further, that this is a natural occurrence, not man-made. How come our global warming cartoonists can’t understand this? I would really like to get a view of their educational background.
I don’t mind one poorly informed cartoon, but please, a daily basis is too much. Why can’t we accept this as Mother Nature?
— William F. Klepper, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 02:06 PM
Bring back the festival
Re: your Sept. 23 article, “Scandinavian Festival will take year off”:
Many of us are stunned that the Scandinavian Festival Committee would scrap the Scandinavian Festival at California Lutheran University. Maybe I should say “bewildered,” because The Star story made it sound like the leaders were in financial disarray.
We have attended the festival for more than 10 years, and my sister and her club have come from out of town almost every year to dance at the festival. Many, many of our friends also attend it religiously every year and have a ball.
We must remember that this festival is the legacy to the Olsens and a cultural event in town that benefits the next generation, the university, the City of Thousand Oaks and, more importantly, all the many people up and down the state who attend and know little of the Scandinavian ways.
It sounds like there is a financial problem due to small attendance this year. What would you expect, charging $10 to enter the festival? Perhaps someone made an error in charging too much, but that is no reason to postpone and skip having it in 2006. Much will be lost if that happens, including the continuity and the loss of future attendance.
By the way, it seemed there was little advertising of the festival, or perhaps the wrong kind. Advertising needs a punch, a star, and something that joggles the mind. Doesn’t the university have a Human Relations Department?
May I suggest that festival organizers get more large merchants and businesses involved with cash contributions? May I suggest that the school allow use of their facility free, with student volunteers? KCLU-FM should broadcast live from the festival.
Because this is the oldest cultural event in town, why not place banners over our streets at Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard for a month before? Recruit volunteers from the college, the Lutheran church and the senior center.
Certainly I don’t know anything about running a festival, but to me, a $10,000 deficit is a powerful reason to ask for help! I’m sure there is a way to raise money in this large and generous community, and I am sure there are people out there to help.
Good luck to the committee, and I will make double-sure everyone I know, and those I meet, will attend the 2006 Scandinavian Festival.
— Ray Holm, Westlake Village
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:59 PM
Detractors classless
Re: your Sept. 22 article, “Boxer says Roberts could put rights ‘in serious jeopardy’:
I had to laugh at the reality of Sen. Barbara Boxer pronouncing negative declarations regarding the confirmation of John Roberts as chief justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. Roberts has demonstrated nothing but class, dignity, intelligence, grace, patience, charm and poise during these hearings. In my estimation, his detractors have demonstrated little of these characteristics, yet they are judging him. How absurd, but that is the process. Maybe it’s hard to have peer review when you have so few peers.
I’m sure attacks against Roberts are just another form of Bush-bashing, which seems to be in vogue and becoming increasingly irrational with time.
— Tom Reilly, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:50 PM
Fines not a fund-raiser
Re: your Sept. 24 article, “More drivers getting tickets in Santa Paula”:
This article leaves the wrong impression to the public as to the true purpose of traffic enforcement.
The statement, “The city keeps most of the money from traffic and parking tickets, though a portion of some fines goes to the county of Ventura,” only misleads the public about the truth of fine distribution.
The California Penal Code determines the percentage of fine allocation in Section 1463. The cities of Ventura County are limited to a 16 percent allocation of the base fine for vehicle code violations. The exception is a flat-rate $100 allocation to municipalities for red-light violations, where the fine is substantially higher than most.
The fines are established by the California Judicial Council and published in the state Bail Schedule.
A stop-sign violation fine is in the range of $130, with a base fine of $30. This translates to an allocation of less than $4.50 per violation charged to the city. The remainder of the administrative and penalty assessments are divided between the county and state. This makes traffic enforcement hardly a money-making venture for a city.
Parking citations with a municipal code-related fine provide more of a revenue for a city and are not subject to the percentage restriction of the Penal Code.
Traffic enforcement does have an effect on the behavior of the public in terms of accident prevention. Such an effect is difficult to measure because of the diversity of violations which contribute to the cause of traffic accidents.
Officers and deputies choosing to enforce traffic laws are not concerned with the amount of revenue generated by their actions. Accident prevention is much more of a reward.
— Jeff Malgren, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:41 PM
Hawking time of year
Fall is here. We know this not because of turning leaves, mailboxes clogged with Christmas catalogs or Santa Ana winds. We know it because of the school fundraiser brigade that beats a path to our front doors.
Yep, it’s that time of year again, the time when your children, grandchildren and neighbor kids stare at you with a hopeful look on their little faces. The sales pitch varies little from kid to kid or even from year to year. If they make so many sales, they’ll get to claim a pen, stuffed animal or key chain as their very own.
I’m not against fundraisers, and supporting the PTA is the American way, but couldn’t parents and teachers put their heads together and cook up a better scheme to fund field trips than to turn children into hawkers? Not only do the rah-rah assemblies hyping the fundraiser waste valuable classroom time, but selling to the same family members year after year teaches kids nothing and is a prime example of poor economics.
Two years ago, we spent more than $250 on overpriced merchandise we didn’t want: candles that cost four times what they could be purchased for in a store, wrapping paper for $8. I told myself it was for a good cause: Half of the money went to schools. I reminded myself of this when I lit my 2-inch-high candles and tried to make the wrapping paper cover more than one pair of socks.
Last year, I tried something different. Every child who asked me to buy something got a check for $25. The total: $200 — every penny of which went to the PTA. That was a healthy down payment on a class field trip — and I didn’t have to fight with the wrapping paper.
The problem with this, as my grandson explained, is that my effort to help the schools did nothing to get him that much-coveted key chain. He had me there.
Some of my friends have a “no buy” policy, but my husband and I have a tough time saying no to children. Hey, what can I say? We’re grandparents. This year I decided to forgo filling up my gas tank so I could afford to buy from the catalogs.
Next year, it’s back to plan B. Any child asking me to buy something will receive a check made out to the PTA. So no child will feel left behind, I’ll also be handing out key chains.
— Margaret Brownley, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:07 PM
Scholarly rant
Re: Stanislaus Pulle’s Sept. 18 commentary, “Judge Roberts would help put America back on track” and his Sept. 25 commentary, “Agendas erode Constitution”:
While Mr. Pulle may be a dean and professor of constitutional law at a night school, he is not opining on proper application of the Constitution. He is writing about his own personal and moral biases. Personally, I find it rather frightening that this man is training would-be attorneys.
In his Sept. 18 commentary, this professor of law actually criticized Justice Sandra Day O’Connor for not holding her finger in the air to see which way the breeze was blowing before casting her vote in a Supreme Court decision on Texas’ law against homosexual sodomy.
Mr. Pulle wrote: “Here, O’Connor joined with (Justice) Kennedy for different reasons. Since sodomy between opposite-sex partners was not criminal in Texas, O’Connor found bans of same-sex (homosexual) sodomy to be a violation of the equal protection clause. Moral disapproval alone would not be enough for her.”
So I would like to ask Mr. Pulle two questions: 1. Whose moral disapproval? 2. Where is it taught that justices are to decide cases based on their perception of the moral approval or disapproval in a given area of the country, rather than basing their decisions on the Constitution?
In the case in question, Justice O’Connor cited the part of the Constitution that she felt was being violated by Texas, but Mr. Pulle does not address this in his objection. I suspect that he refrains because he can’t argue in good faith that people are not entitled to equal protection under the law, but it takes unmitigated gall to argue that someone’s unquantified, perceived moral disapproval should prevail over the Constitution.
Besides the moral angle he tried to push, Mr. Pulle continued his criticism of Justice O’Connor with some odd and disjointed quoting of Justice Antonin Scalia: “To which Scalia replied that many Americans do not want homosexuals as scoutmasters or as teachers in their children’s schools or as boarders in their home.”
What do the Boy Scouts have to do with whether or not Texas can outlaw homosexual sodomy but not heterosexual sodomy? Was this quote from Scalia even from the same case?
I don’t know what to make of Mr. Pulle’s Sept. 25 commentary. He’s all over the place and cannot make a coherent argument on any of the many issues he tries to jam into the limited space allowed him. On one of these issues, rather than argue legal reasons for why he feels the court was wrong in certain decisions on church and state separation, Mr. Pulle dismisses the majority as just being hostile to religion.
One would hope that a dean and professor of constitutional law would have something informative to say when he writes for publication, instead of just ranting like the rest of us in the unwashed masses.
— Gene R. Taylor, Newbury Park
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:02 PM
Watch for meters
Re: Marilee Ullmann’s Sept. 22 letter, “Burden on neighbors”:
This article is right on the mark. What’s next? Parking meters on Thousand Oaks Boulevard?
— Ramaul Rush, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:41 PM
Mediocre scores
Pa Ventura thinks that if 16 out of 32 teams have a 1-1 record, they are mediocre. What record would satisfy him? Should every team be 2-0? Wait, that’s mathematically impossible. For every team that’s 2-0, there is a team that is 0-2. I guess Pa Ventura would say there’s parity if 16 of 32 teams are 0-2. I say that’s mediocre!
— Douglas C. Kubler, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:36 PM
Keep ‘fresh air’ fresh
I have lived in Simi Valley for 20 years, and I can tell you there is probably no one more excited than I to have a mall in town. They are calling it, “a breath of fresh air” — so the developer, Forest City, says on its Web site.
Forest City has determined that we, the people of Simi, deserve a mall that allows smoking. They have decided that they are going to allow smoking at the mall. This is their choice, their decision.
When presenting the mall to the neighborhood councils, planning commission and city officials, did they discuss this issue? I have heard they did not.
I wonder what will happen when you or I are sitting at the mall relaxing and someone sits next to me and lights up a cigarette. I know I will get up and move on. Did you know that 84 percent of adults do not smoke? That means Forest City is accommodating 16 percent of the people.
Outdoors or not, I do not want to inhale smoke. I have nothing against people who do, but I have chosen not to, and I don’t want to breathe someone else’s smoke.
Forest City says they are going along with this because the other outdoor malls in the area allow smoking. Could we, the city of Simi Valley, be different, and set a standard for other malls?
If, when shopping in the indoor malls, people can refrain from smoking, then couldn’t we expect them from doing the same at the “breath of fresh air” mall located in Simi Valley?
They say that if it becomes an issue, they will change it. I know how hard it is to change things once it is set. Why not start out nonsmoking from the beginning and let us enjoy our “breath of fresh air”?
I urge anyone who feels the same to call or e-mail the developer at Greglenners@forestcity.net or call 581-1755.
— Sandi Otto, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:33 PM
September 23, 2005
Install dog lights now
Throughout this endless debate regarding the placing of low-candlepower lights in the dog park, the same phraseology and mantra continues to be written Waverly Heights residents — the dog park is “in their residential neighborhood.” Do they now claim that land as their own?
The dog park is located in an area surrounded by Highway 23, Avenida De Las Flores, the horse arena and Waverly Park. How is this in Waverly Heights? All this rhetoric about this park being “imposed” in their neighborhood is fraudulent.
To infer that the large, representative group using and enjoying the dog park on a daily basis, is a powerful “lobby” tool of “big money and developers” is absurd.
We are fellow citizens of Thousand Oaks. A diverse group of hard-working citizens who enjoy recreating with their dogs in a safe environment.
Asking the city of Thousand Oaks to represent all neighborhoods and lifestyles is what any citizen should expect from city government.
The majority of people who use the dog park and neighboring horse arena have coexisted harmoniously for almost four years. Let’s not let a small, militant, vocal minority destroy the positive relationship that has developed between these two groups that truly have something wonderful in common — the love of their pets.
The elitist group from “rural” Waverly Heights keeps complaining about the cost of lights being installed, and the wasting of taxpayers’ money. Yet, their imposed delays have resulted in all Thousand Oaks residents having to foot the bill for expensive traffic and noise studies, and the escalating rise in cost for installing the lights.
If Waverly Heights residents wants to keep everyone out of “their community,” they should organize to privatize the streets, put up a gate and then stay in their 1950s time warp.
Install the lights without further delay.
— Susan Shotsky, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Rick Larsen at 01:58 PM
Not what it’s billed to be
I did a little research on the “bill” touted by the letter writers that Rep. Elton Gallegly voted against. It wasn’t a bill. It was an amendment to a bill, specifically the Military Quality of Life Appropriations Act.
The amendment, offered by Democrat Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, wasn’t really a veterans health amendment, although that’s what it was touted to be. It was primarily to cut funding for the base realignment and closure process. It would have cut BRAC funding by $169 million, but only increase Veterans Affairs funding by $53 million. The VA increase was put in there to make it difficult for Congress members to vote against it because people knew Democrats would use it like a club in the letters section of local newspapers.
The tactic nearly worked. It only lost by one vote. But Gallegly isn’t swayed by political games and voted against it. Now, Democrats are using his vote like a club in a local newspaper that is more than willing to succumb to leftist tactics.
It’s important to note that the $53 million in the amendment would have been a drop in the bucket. According to the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Web site, the act as passed by the House funds veteran medical services at $21 billion, $1 billion more than the president’s budget request and $1.64 billion more than the year before. Over the last two years, funding for veterans medical care has increased by 18 percent. It increases veteran benefits by $1.5 billion over last year. It also provides $20 billion for the Defense Health Program, an increase of $1.8 billion over last year’s level.
That’s the bill Gallegly voted for, one that bypasses political tricks and provides the support and services our veterans need and deserve.
— Richard H. Linsday, Westlake Village
Posted by Rick Larsen at 01:45 PM
Work force should include all
Re: your Sept. 18 editorial, “Enough talk — it’s time to act”:
The excellent Ventura County work-force housing conference Sept. 14 challenged employers and public officials to find creative ways to enable their current employees to live close to where they work and to make it possible to recruit new employees.
I am disturbed, however, by the definition of “work-force housing” espoused by several speakers at the conference and repeated in The Star editorial.
By utilizing this definition (work-force housing is for households of four earning 50 percent to 120 percent of average annual median income or $38,700-$92,880), we exclude a very large number of working people in Ventura County including single-earner households, farmworker households, entry-level workers and many people involved in healthcare, sales, hospitality and maintenance work, among other occupations.
The rationale for this definition is that people earning less than $38,700 yearly are eligible for special-housing subsidies and programs not available to middle-income households. The truth is these programs are limited and only become available to a small percentage of the working people in Ventura County who need them.
Let’s agree that the Ventura County work force includes all working people and challenge ourselves to bring public and private resources together in innovative ways to address the housing needs of every single working person.
— Ellen Brokaw, Santa Paula
Posted by Rick Larsen at 12:48 PM
Contempt for teachers
Re: your Sept. 22 article, “Governor removes Web request for stories of bad teachers”:
The governor and his cohorts have shown their true colors with the inclusion of a form on their Web site in which the public is invited to share horror stories about incompetent teachers. Although the form was removed following inquiries from a newspaper reporter, the message is clear: Arnold Schwarzenegger has contempt towards teachers.
According to a study by Education Week, 20 percent of new teachers quit the profession within three years. The top reasons given for leaving the field were dissatisfaction with working conditions, student misbehavior and relatively low salaries.
Proposition 74, which would delay tenure until five years of service, makes the teaching profession even less attractive.
My question to the voters is: Given these conditions, who is going to fill the tens of thousands of empty teaching positions that will grow as veteran teachers from the baby boom generation retire within the next decade?
There are already systems in place that administrators can employ to remove so-called incompetent teachers. The governor’s proposals, designed to weaken the teaching profession, are nothing but a slap in the face to hard-working, dedicated teachers like myself, my colleagues, and the legions of public school teachers who have tirelessly guided, nurtured and taught millions of California students in spite of low funding and countless other challenges.
Instead of bashing teachers and throwing obstacles in our paths, our public officials should be seeking ways to attract and retain the best and the brightest. Proposition 74 is not a means towards that end.
— Annette Halpern, Ventura
(The writer was Ventura County Teacher of the Year in 2001. — Editor)
Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:55 AM
LNG a very real option
To all persons who are considering a protest to importing liquefied natural gas: Are you not awake?
The Star reports that heating costs will rise 32 percent this winter. Gasoline is nearing $3 a gallon and still rising. And electricity costs are still at an all-time high as a result of increased demand. Where do you think all of tomorrow’s energy is going to come from? It’s time to wake up, folks.
Since no one is willing to deal with the real problem of overpopulation, importing fuel is one of the last affordable options left. LNG may very well be a good short-term solution, from fueling our cars to running our economy.
This story sounds all too familiar if you’ve ever heard, “Let’s put all criminals in jail, but don’t put the jail near my house.” When you consider the risks of having an LNG port nearby, think of the risks we all take without the steady flow of affordable energy!
— Michael Thames, Ojai
Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:48 AM
Personal responsibility
Re: Alicia Reynolds’ Sept. 18 commentary, “Katrina demonstrates U.S. drowning in a flood of inept leaders”:
I was surprised that The Star would provide such a large forum for Alicia Reynolds’ misinformed diatribe regarding the Katrina storm aftermath. I would like to address her misinformation point by point.
— There were never any images of floodwaters “full of dead bodies” as she claims. Her exaggerations were very Michael Moore-ish.
— The corporate scandals she refers to were uncovered and prosecuted under the current administration. The scandals themselves took place under the prior administration.
— The Bush administration has spent money like a drunken sailor. As such, there have been no cuts, but rather increases in spending for education and social services.
— The war was approved overwhelmingly by both sides of Congress.
— What government agencies has the Bush administration whittled down or privatized? Again, overall spending has increased under his administration, to the dismay of most conservatives.
To minimize the effects of the lack of “personal responsibility” for the causes of suffering is a mistake.
The mayor had the personal responsibility to employ the use of buses (now under water) to evacuate citizens, as spelled out in the state’s evacuation plans.
The governor had the personal responsibility to request federal help immediately, rather than delaying the decision for unknown reasons.
The nursing homes and hospitals had the personal responsibility to evacuate the sick and elderly rather than abandon their needs.
The local government had the personal responsibility to stock the evacuation center with food and water, especially after directing citizens to these facilities.
The Bush administration had the personal responsibility to respond sooner when noting that local governments were overwhelmed and not prepared.
There were failures at all levels. Everyone should learn from Katrina that you must prepare yourself for at least 48 to 72 hours of survival after a disaster.
In conclusion, I was disappointed to see a “teacher” minimize the concept of “personal responsibility.”
Imagine this:
Student: “Ms. Reynolds I don’t have my homework because of the Bush administration tax cuts.”
Ms. Reynolds: “I understand Johnny, tax cuts for the rich will do that.”
— Tom E. Higgins, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:36 AM
September 22, 2005
Parking leads to death
Re: your Sept. 21 article, “Man gets 58 years to life for 2003 Oxnard murder”:
“If he would have moved his car 10 feet, none of this would have happened,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Chris Harman said after the sentencing.
You must be kidding. People are allowed to park anywhere they want within the confines of the law as indicated by signs on the street. I had a crazy neighbor like this once, who felt he owned the road, and he complained all the time if you or anyone parked in front of his house. He was a typical Californian who just couldn’t get along with people.
— Bruce Jonsson, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:44 PM
Profanity simply rude
Re: Patricia Kochel’s Sept. 20 commentary, “Watch what you say in front of children”:
I always read Ms. Kochel’s commentaries, since I am interested in what those at my children’s school are thinking.
I have to say while I have not always agreed with her, I have never felt more offended. She refers to children using profanities as coming from damaged homes and that “teens from damaged homes use words to appear tough. But for teens from strong, healthy families, their armor is their parent’s love and support.”
While I do not like hearing anyone swear, I also know that using profanities has unfortunately become part of our culture. Right or wrong, it happens, but I do not agree that children who use profanities come from “damaged” homes.
I have spent the last 11 years raising my five children on my own, and while I do not profess to be a saint or perfect parent, I have tried to instill the proper values in my children. All of my children have been taught to be respectful and that what they say can be perceived as a reflection of their character.
While Ms. Kochel may be coming in contact with children who indeed come from difficult homes, it is not fair to lump all children together.
I have tried very hard to let my children know that they are not damaged because their parents are divorced. There is nothing broken or damaged about my children, even if they choose to use inappropriate language. Realistically, children in our society see using profanity as a rite of passage and a way to feel more “grown up,” and while that does not make it right, it is a reality. That is when it becomes a parent’s responsibility to guide them and hopefully set a good example.
I will admit that I do not always use proper language, but as I tell my children, I always try and be respectful of others and I do my best to set a good example.
So, if you hear one of my children using inappropriate language, please do not hesitate to address it and tell them it is offensive and it belittles their character.
Hopefully, we will all take notice and take more care in the language we use. We all need to remember that while words can hurt, they can also define our character.
— Jaye Neville, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:36 PM
Proposition 73 dangerous
Re: your Sept. 18 article, “Abortion foes hope to limit access for state’s minors”:
This story misses a key point with regard to Proposition 73. Of course, as a parent of two daughters, I would want to know if they were pregnant and seeking an abortion. But I also want what’s best for them. Above all, I want them to be safe. While I hope my daughters would come to me, even in the best families I know teens are afraid of disappointing their families. Their safety is more important than my need to know.
Proposition 73 is a dangerous initiative that puts teens at risk by making it difficult for them to get professional medical care and counseling. Government can’t mandate family communication; I don’t care how many laws are passed.
— Catherine Dixon, Thousand Oaks
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:23 PM
Need funds? Tax movies
Re: Timm Herdt’s Sept. 21 essay, “The 100 percent campaign”:
I agree with Timm Herdt: Every kid should have health insurance! I guess the only question is how to fund the program.
Herdt made no mention of a funding mechanism, only that “the first-year cost would be negligible, less than $10 million.” Yet California needs every dollar of tax money currently received, especially now, to fund levee upgrades and repair and for a peripheral canal to assure continued water supplies to Southern California.
Let me suggest a funding method. How about a small tax on movie theater tickets, say 25 cents to start, and more later if needed. I’m sure that would take care of it.
— Jerre Reimers, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:21 PM
Military deserves respect
Re: Rick Freeman’s Sept. 21 letter, “Display of disrespect”:
While I strongly disagree with Melanie House (and Cindy Sheehan) in their views and protest of President Bush and the Iraq war, I respect the right afforded to them to stage these protests. One lost her husband and the other lost her son to preserve their freedom to express their views.
What gives me the right to state my opinion? I grew up without my father. A Marine aviator, he paid the ultimate sacrifice in the South Pacific during World War II for our freedom.
One may agree or disagree with the current policies of the Iraq conflict and why our young men and women fight and perhaps suffer the ultimate sacrifice. It is my strong conviction that, regardless of the reason, they deserve our support, recognition and gratitude in protecting freedom.
Today’s politics aside, some may say why should we protect the freedom of a foreign country and impose the concepts of democracy. Why? Let us go back to some (recent) history and what I feel is the basic foundation of our own modern freedoms.
In World War I, what was the foundation of our young men fighting in Europe? Democracy and freedom. In World War II, why were our armed forces fighting and giving their lives in Europe and the Pacific? Democracy and freedom. It goes on into Korea, and in their Washington, D.C., memorial, the engraved statement “Freedom Is Not Free” rings true today.
So again I state, regardless of your views, make the conviction to support the men and women of our military; they deserve nothing less.
— David Fish, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:09 PM
Corpsman remembered
Re: Rick Freeman’s Sept. 21 letter, “Display of disrespect”:
Susan House has been a close friend of mine for more than seven years. I am unable to understand why Freeman would write such a hurtful letter.
No parents could have been prouder of their son, Navy Corpsman John Daniel House, as a sailor and a man, than Susan and Larry House. I witnessed the pain and devastation his death caused his parents; his wife, Melanie; and siblings Jim and Liz. It is hard to look at John’s wife and son James and know John cannot be with them.
I believe John would be proud of his wife and mother for speaking up now that he is no longer able to speak for himself. John was a patriotic American who willingly made many sacrifices for his country. He was concerned about the way he and his fellow soldiers and sailors were treated. John often talked to his family about these feelings. I respect John because, even though he had reservations about the war in Iraq, he courageously honored his commitment, going to Iraq when his wife was six months pregnant with their eagerly awaited first child. John bravely did the best he could under horrific conditions, saving more than one life in the process.
John’s family made the ultimate sacrifice when he died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26. I do not think it fair for anyone to judge them when they have not walked in their shoes. John and more than 1,900 others have died so average Americans like his wife, his mother and me can maintain the rights and freedoms we are fortunate enough have.
Thank you, John, for being the man you were. Thank you, Melanie, Susan and Larry, for not letting John and his life be forgotten.
— Wendy Beaton, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:08 PM
Nothing wrong with protest
Re: your Sept. 20 article, “War widow — peace activist”:
I want to personally thank the House family, while working through such a life-changing tragedy, for having the courage and strength to honor their fallen loved one. I am proud to call them friends.
Navy Corpsman John Daniel House served his country honorably. He loved the Marines he fought with. He is without a doubt an American hero. He paid the ultimate price in service of his country, fellow servicemen and family.
Johnny was also a free thinker. He had questions about this war he wanted answered. He wanted to come home and speak out against this war and the things he witnessed firsthand. He made sure his family knew his intentions. Unfortunately, Johnny never had the opportunity to see it through. The world has lost a true hero.
Now his family and friends are dealing with the loss of such a huge part of their lives. They honor his memory by following through with his plans. The family loves and supports the troops. It is not unpatriotic to want the best for them. It is not disrespectful to question our government. It is every American citizen’s constitutionally protected right to protest, to disagree and to question what we are told. Johnny knew that.
The personal attacks in letters to the editor are appalling and outrageous. Writers dishonor this fallen sailor’s memory when they say his view on this war was wrong. Johnny earned the right to speak out against this war in a way those of us who sit in our comfortable homes and go about our regular lives will never know.
John Daniel House gave all of himself to his family, friends, fellow servicemen, and to this country. You will not be forgotten. Johnny.
— Ida Garcia, Port Hueneme
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:06 PM
Father proud of his family
Re: Rick Freeman’s Sept. 21 letter, “Display of disrespect”:
I believe most of my friends, family and co-workers know how I feel about the war in Iraq. But apparently some citizens of the county are under the misconception that my lack of a “media presence” signals my tacit approval of Bush administration policies. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I am extremely proud of my wife, Susan, and my daughter-in-law, Melanie, for exercising their First Amendment rights in Ventura County, in Idaho, in Texas or anywhere else they may choose to go. Melanie, in particular, has proved an eloquent spokeswoman. How she has managed to handle the last nine months with such strength and grace is a constant amazement to me. I know she and Susan are doing what John would have wanted them to do. He told me as much in many phone conversations before he was killed. (When was the last time Mr. Freeman spoke to John about anything?)
I am “appalled” that Mr. Freeman would use his past relationship with my family to “advance others’ agendas.”
— Larry House, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:05 PM
September 21, 2005
Hard to stay neutral
Re: Alicia A. Reynolds’ Sept. 18 article, “Katrina demonstrates U.S. drowning in a flood of inept leaders”:
I enjoyed Alicia Reynolds’ commentaries while she spent the past year as a Fulbright exchange teacher in Northern Ireland. I read her articles because my son was attending a university in the United Kingdom during his junior year as a participant in the University of California’s Education Abroad Program. I found her articles insightful and non-partisan.
How is it possible to fall so quickly from non-partisanship to blatant partisanship in such a short time after moving back to the States?
Ms. Reynolds believes that “my country has utterly lost her way.” The response to Katrina was botched, but botched going back how many presidential administrations? I guess one could ask why the levees weren’t fixed during President Clinton’s administration during a time of budget surpluses. Why weren’t they fixed during the Johnson or Kennedy administrations? Heck, we’ve known New Orleans was below sea level for more than 300 years. Let’s blame someone from 300 years ago!
Two weekends ago, Belfast, Northern Ireland, experienced its worst Protestant/Catholic rioting in years. Burning vehicles, firebombs being lobbed at police, and gun battles were all live on the BBC. I was in London and watched it live.
No doubt Ms. Reynolds thinks the United Kingdom is also “in the hands of greedy, cowardly and incompetent leaders who have (also) led their nation down a dangerous path.”
— Martin Nehring, Somis
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:01 PM
Intent disappointing
I was stunned to hear of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s intent to veto AB849, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, passed by the California State Assembly and Senate earlier this month. This bill is historic legislation that will finally bring equality to gay and lesbian Californians.
AB849, while granting civil marriage, also states that no religious leader or church has to perform weddings that it doesn’t agree to. So the falsehood that this will force particular religious groups into doing something is just simply not true.
Every American deserves the right to enjoy the privileges of a legally sanctioned marriage. California’s current domestic partnership law is neither acknowledged nor enforceable outside of our state. My partner and I would not be permitted to make lifesaving medical decisions for each other in the event of an emergency, nor be considered family members for hospital visits. There are numerous complications for owning and the transference of property, life insurance and, of course, the entitlement of Social Security survivor benefits.
By signing this bill, the governor has an opportunity to make a significant difference in the quality of life for millions of gay and lesbian Americans.
Schwarzenegger has stated that he would be open to a constitutional amendment allowing foreign-born individuals the right to become president of the United States, yet has indicated his intent to veto the rights of native-born gay and lesbian Americans.
What ultimately brings value to an individual’s life is their ability to help better the lives of others. Schwarzenegger has an opportunity and obligation to improve the future for millions of gays and lesbians living in California. We are active, productive and contributory citizens, entitled to representation and an acknowledgement as being an integral part of the fabric of this exceptional state.
— Fred Balch, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:50 PM
Unproductive writings
Re: Alicia Reynolds’ Sept. 18 commentary, “Katrina demonstrates U.S. drowning in a flood of inept leaders”:
Have you ever noticed that when people have a personal agenda, they blame everyone and everything? They never offer solutions, their sense of memory is selective and their timeliness for events begins and ends whenever it is convenient.
Alicia Reynolds suffers from this personal blame problem.
She lives in the problem. She doesn’t like when people tell the truth. She blames them for not being sensitive. She forgets that greed and scandal are human character flaws and not ones owned only by conservatives, men or heterosexuals.
American politics didn’t start with the Bush administration, anymore than tax and spend was discovered by the liberal Democrats.
But let’s be more personal because everyone knows this — everyone but Alicia Reynolds.
Here’s the real point: What’s wrong with this country is people like Alicia Reynolds — people who live in the problem and think the way to sound smart is to blame people. Point your finger and find out who did it. It’s getting old. I think Ms. Reynolds needs to look in the mirror. She doesn’t sound smart. She sounds misinformed and angry.
Try this on for size. I point the finger at Alicia Reynolds. She is what is wrong with our country, along with the fringe radical element of the media that is further and further disconnected to what most Americans feel. She blames, and she fills the news with her bitter hatespeak, day in and day out.
Ms. Reynolds needs to grow up and get a real job.
— John Somerville, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:45 PM
Charity at home
When I read about the recent events surrounding the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the rush to do good in its wake, I am reminded (as I often am as I grow older) of my father’s admonition that “charity begins at home.”
As a young man, I was confounded by this statement that my father would make whenever there was a public display of charitable acts toward those in need outside our family. I first thought that this was a selfish philosophy but then later realized the true depth of his directive.
Before we go off to faraway lands — be it another state or another country — to do good, perhaps we should examine what we do in our everyday lives to make life better for those around us.
Doesn’t this in turn save countless man hours of strangers who would have to “do good” in in our own community?
Look at those we pass every day in the street: those irritating drivers tailgating us, those homeless that we see every day, those who cannot afford suitable housing in our home town, those less fortunate than us, those disabled, those seniors in assisted living centers who are lonely.
Our own children need our constant reminders that the ever-present peer pressures that they are exposed to are not the way to a constructive life. Our children need our attention and presence in all things great and small to insure that they grow up to be good citizens who will not be a burden on the community, who will be strong enough to lead, strong enough to carry on the “charity at home,” strong enough to help themselves.
This is not to say that we should not help those in distress far away, but maybe we should take this time to re-evaluate our own “house” and see where we may improve at home. In this way, we constantly reinforce the charitable behavior that we wish to replicate.
Our example will guide our children and neighbors to follow a constructive path with or without the incentive of a terrible disaster.
— Louis Vigorita, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:32 PM
Synchronization vital
The report prepared by Shilts Consultants, Inc., emphasizes the many benefits of the resolution for forming a benefit assessment district to fund a synchronized traffic signal system down Santa Rosa Road.
These benefits include increased traffic safety, improved ingress and egress, decreased noise, decreased pollution and a smoother, faster and safer commute along Santa Rosa Road for all motorists.
Over the years, many beautiful developments have grown in contiguous areas. Unfortunately, the California Department of Transportation did not seek to improve Highway 101 or the 23 freeway to carry the volume of traffic that was needed for the higher density of families.
Santa Rosa Valley residents are not alone in their belief that traffic signal synchronization will help the traffic situation.
Regionally, as well as nationally, traffic signal synchronization has been found to help improve mobility on congested local highways and streets.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors instituted the Countywide Traffic Signal Synchronization Program in 1988. Estimates show that this program has saved motorists, on an annual basis, 14.8 million travel hours, 18.7 million gallons of fuel, and 7,700 tons of pollutants to date. Travel times were reduced by as much as 24 to 29 percent.
There was a concern from Ventura County Supervisor Judy Mikels that a two-lane road versus a four-lane road is an issue in traffic signal synchronization. In researching her concerns, I received an e-mail from Matthew L. Nolan, P.E., King County traffic engineer, that states the following:
“King County has a number of two-lane roadway corridors with synchronized signal systems. We have found synchronization to be effective on two-lane roads, and well liked by the public. First regarding noise, an unsynchronized corridor often requires cars to make a number of starts and stops, increasing the noise when compared to a well-synchronized corridor where the majority of traffic travels at a consistent speed in well-organized platoons.”
The residents of Santa Rosa Valley will benefit from the gaps so that we can pull out more safely into traffic, and the commuters will benefit from the better flow of traffic.
In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
That is what we are.
Wherever you live, if you travel on this road, we hope that you care enough to support this cause. This is regional benefit to improve the quality of life for all of Ventura County.
— Rosemary Allison, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:23 PM
Good sports? Non!
I am so disgusted by the continued poor sportsmanship being displayed by France.
Every time someone other than a French person wins their Tour de France, they scream, “Cheat.” I am sick to death of their attitude.
Lance Armstrong has never cheated. He has never had to resort to that because he is the best in the world. If they want to win, then maybe they should train as hard as he always has. They are showing the world what poor sports they are, once again. Give the man his due! He won it fair and square seven times and deserves the recognition that comes with that impressive record.
If more athletes were like him, we wouldn’t have sports stars getting arrested for drugs or other illegal activities.
— Leah R. Glaze, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:08 PM
Workers’ comp broken
Workers’ compensation rates have tripled in three years for the small businessman. Most claims are exaggerated or outright fraud. The system is only making attorneys, doctors and insurance companies wealthy. Workers’ comp is far from being fixed.
— Kevin O’Connor, Santa Barbara
Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:03 PM
Time to shift focus
The state fights continue. But money is not the problem, and fighting over it is not the solution.
When the focus changes to identifying what is working and what isn’t, and accepting that, then we’ll have change for the better.
Here are two examples.
— Schools. Instead of fighting over teacher tenure, let’s recognize the common ground of “We all want our children to get a better education.” Some schools are doing really well, others aren’t.
The common characteristics of schools that do well are active parent and community support of the educational programs at the school. So, instead of fighting over tenure, let’s put our effort and resources into finding ways to maximize parent and community support of educational programs for students that work.
— Redistricting. The problem is gridlock in the state government. The solution is not changing the complexion of the combatants. The solution is changing the focus from “I’m right and you’re wrong” to “We have a common aim: to make things better for all Californians.”
Central to carrying out that mission is the realization that on a long-term basis, no person or group can benefit at the expense of another. This is a different mode of thinking. It requires a great deal of personal honesty to shift from “It’s wrong to spend more than we take in” and “We have a responsibility to help the less fortunate” to “Let’s expand what is working and accept that what isn’t working, isn’t working.”
It requires a lot of common ground in order to have a fight. Let’s focus on the common ground.
— Scott Friedman, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:59 AM
Fight breast cancer
In the United States, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women.
One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. It is very likely that your wife, mother, daughter, aunt, grandmother or girlfriend will be affected by breast cancer.
There are some easy ways you can help fund the fight against breast cancer. Here are 10 ways you can help:
1. Buy some stamps. “Fund the Fight — Find a Cure” postal stamps are available at your local post office, or visit www.usps.com.
2. Wear jeans to work. “Lee National Denim Day” is October 7. Visit www.denimday.com to see how your place of business can be involved.
3. Exercise. Run at the “Komen Race for the Cure.” Visit www.komen.org to see how to find a run in your area. Walk in the “Relay for Life” on October 8 at Oxnard High School. Visit www.cancer.org for the site in your area.
4. Donate a gently used wig, hat, or scarf to your local cancer center. Oxnard has a great cancer support center at St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
5. Listen to music. The CD “Stronger than Before” features Olivia Newton-John, Patti LaBelle, and Diahann Carroll who are all breast cancer survivors. Visit your local Hallmark store to find this CD.
6. Eat some yogurt. Yoplait yogurt has a “Save Lids to Save Lives” program. Yoplait donates 10 cents a lid to the Susan B. Komen foundation.
7. Give some candy — or buy some for yourself. M&M’s brand chocolate will donate 35 cents to the Komen foundation for each 14-ounce purchase of their specially packaged pink M&M’s.
8. Shop for some clothes. Target and Nordstrom’s carry “Pink Ribbon” collections. The purchase of T-shirts, purses or slippers helps contribute to various breast cancer funds.
9. Shop for some cosmetics. Avon carries “Pink Ribbon” products also.
10. Get a mammogram. This is the best way to detect breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage, an average of one to three years before a woman can feel a lump.
There is a new diagnosis of breast cancer every three minutes and a life lost every 14 minutes. Go out and do just one of the items above, or do all 10 so that we can fund the fight to find a cure for breast cancer.
— Monica Delgado, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:51 AM
God vs. Mother Nature
Why must so many people believe in a mythical daddy in the sky?
Now, for the first time, a lobbyist in Washington is representing an estimated 30 million (and growing) people in the United States who consider themselves free-thinking atheists. Some in Washington and elsewhere think now is the wrong time for that because “after Katrina, many people are turning to God for strength.”
Hmmm. Wow. He can do no wrong in these people’s eyes. I think the time to put a call in to their guy upstairs should have been before the waves hit.
And how does he respond to all the people going to him for strength? He sends in Rita!
As the myth goes, he’s an all-knowing, all-loving guy, yet he sure took pleasure in displacing hundreds of thousands of people and allowing thousands of people and animals to die.
That’s their source of strength? No thanks. I’ll seek my strength in knowing this was Mother Nature flexing her muscles, and I will try my best to coexist with her.
— Jeff Bellamar, Montecito
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:43 AM
Opting out is easy
In all the discussions about Proposition 75, there is one simple truth that is always glossed over. Every public employee union member in California has the right to opt out of political contributions. A seven-word e-mail, fax or letter will permanently remove their dues from political activities.
It’s that simple. Everything else from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s camp is a misdirection to cover the fact that an unpopular governor is trying to silence his critics.
— Jason Hodge, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:30 AM
Urgency can wait
Re: Tim McGuire’s Sept. 17 Arts & Living column, “Patience a tough thing to wait for”:
Once again, McGuire is right on the money! The modern business manager seems to believe that it is better to do something right now rather than take the necessary time to do it right!
For many years, I have had a sign above my desk which is a quote attributed to General Dwight D. Eisenhower: “The urgent is seldom important, and the important is seldom urgent.”
Whenever a hotshot manager comes in wanting something immediately, if not sooner, I just point to it and ask him or her to convince me that the request is really important and urgent! Most of the time, this brings the person back to reality, and we are able to reach a schedule that supports the real needs and gets the job done efficiently.
— Earl S. Sutta, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:26 AM
Speak out against LNG
Please join us Saturday at 11 a.m. at Plaza Park in Oxnard to say no to liquefied natural gas tankers and terminals for Ventura County.
U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, will join Assemblyman Pedro Nava, Port Hueneme Mayor Murray Rosenbluth, Oxnard Councilman John Zaragoza, former Oxnard Mayor Dr. Manuel Lopez, Socorro Lopez Hanson of the Oxnard Union High School District, Calabasas Mayor Barry Groveman and others in speaking against the proposal to put an enormous floating terminal, the size of three football fields, in the environmentally vulnerable waters and shipping lanes off our coast.
The project proposes that several huge polluting supertankers would arrive every week to offload natural gas to the terminal and then pipe it under the ocean and through our communities via high-pressure pipelines, thereby threatening our homes, schools, businesses, churches and agricultural fields with fiery disaster.
As it stands now, we the people may have no say in whether or not this happens, unless we express our concerns loudly and publicly. Now.
We have just seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina how our government at all levels is not always able to respond adequately when even a predicted natural disaster occurs. We ask that our leaders in Sacramento and Washington use the precautionary principle and not expose our communities to unknown potentially catastrophic dangers, when it has not been proved that California even needs foreign natural gas.
The project is susceptible to earthquakes, accidents, terrorism and human error. And what is to prevent us from being gouged as we were during the Enron crisis?
We ask that our government be responsible and help our society find renewable sources of energy rather than continuing our dependence on foreign fossil fuel. We can do better than this, with the right leadership and vision.
Please, get informed, get involved and exercise your democratic rights. Protect our communities.
— Carmen Ramirez, Mary Dodd, Irene Rauschenberger, Gloria Roman, Sandra Bates, Bill Terry,
Oxnard
— Karen Bates, Ventura
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:15 AM
Not a racist
Re: Judy McLaughlin’s Sept. 9 commentary, “Time to enforce immigration laws”:
I couldn’t agree more.
Believing in following immigration laws does not make me a racist. I am very tired of being considered a racist if I believe in following the rules. The race card is an easy way out for those who choose to ignore the problems of illegal immigration and instead resort to name-calling to intimidate those who feel there is a problem.
It is my belief that we as a nation need to strongly enforce immigration laws. Why is it so hard to accept this kind of thinking? It is not racist. It is believing in the law of the land, and without following the laws, we have chaos. Are we nearing that now financially? It is a question that every person should consider.
— Elaine L. Freeman, Simi Valley
Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:09 AM
September 19, 2005
Turn left at hurricane
Re: Alicia Reynolds’ Sept. 18 commentary, “Katrina demonstrates U.S. drowning in a flood of inept leaders”:
While Hurricane Katrina was perhaps the worst natural disaster ever to befall the United States, this tragedy has also turned into one of the most sickening political spectacles in recent memories, and sadly, Ms. Reynolds’ article is just another example.
While people were dying or trapped in hellish conditions in New Orleans, many on the left, including Ms. Reynolds, jumped with an indecent glee at the opportunity to blast their Great Satan, President Bush, and his evil reign.
Most people realize that there has been an inept response from the government — federal, state and local. While President Bush’s response to the disaster was slow, somewhat clueless and insensitive, that’s not good enough for Ms. Reynolds. She blames him for everything, even the corporate scandals, yet ignores all the facts.
Never mind that no serious scientist believes Hurricane Katrina was related to global warming, that there were plenty of troops in nearby areas, or that, according to The Washington Post, flood control projects in New Orleans have received more money per year under the Bush administration than under Clinton.
And never mind that on August 28, Bush personally called Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to urge a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans.
Ms. Reynolds offers no new insight in her column. Her emotional response to this disaster is not supported by any facts — something the left hates — and completely dismisses any personal responsibility.
She states in her column that she left America for Northern Ireland in hopes that she could better discover what it means to be an American by seeing this nation from a different vantage point. Ms Reynolds should have spent less time on those Bush-hating Web sites and reading the BBC, and more time getting the facts.
Yes, Ms. Reynolds, there was plenty of ineptitude in our leaders, starting with the local and state authorities. But right now, all that pales before the political hysteria and racial demagoguery on the Bush-hating left.
— Leigh Muller, Camarillo
Posted by Andrea Howry at 02:08 PM
Much-needed color
Re: Bill Schmidt’s Sept. 14 letter “Clashing colors”:
I drive on Wells Road in Saticoy several times a week and have been admiring the beautiful colors on the new senior housing complex.
It is so refreshing to see the bright, coordinated colors instead of seeing row upon row of boring beige and tan. I love it!
— Betty White, Santa Paula
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:43 PM
Eat right, don’t smoke
Re: your Sept. 16 article, “Governor signs ban on school junk food”:
I applaud the governor for his efforts in addressing obesity, especially in children. It’s important to teach our children how to make healthy choices and provide the means to do so.
However, the article also stated, “Officials said that obesity threatens to surpass tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in California.” I have seen this type of statement more than once since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its reports on the number of deaths attributable to obesity.
It is risky to try and make comparisons between these issues for fear of losing sight of the dangers posed by either issue.
Each year, 440,000 people die of diseases caused by smoking. That’s about 20 percent of all deaths in the United States. Additionally, an estimated $92 billion (average for 1997-2001) in productivity losses occurs annually from deaths due to smoking. The economic costs of smoking are more than $167 billion, including an additional $75.5 billion in smoking-related medical expenditures (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_tobacco/).
Let’s keep both issues on our radar. By improving the overall health of everyone, we increase quality of life and decrease health care costs.
It’s a win-win for all.
— Kaz Iwamoto, Oxnard
Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:36 PM
‘Under Malea’
Christians’ insistence on displaying their “God” in and on publicly owned property and our money, and by praying to their “God” at government and public school functions, is a manifestation of an early human survival mechanism designed to foster tribalism through fear, intolerance and divisiveness. And today, when the tribal claims are threatened by rational challenge, the charge of persecution is leveled.
Imagine what the reaction would have been if the God-neutral Pledge of Allegiance that existed into my fifth grade had been changed to read “absent God” instead of “under God?”
The destructive brainwashing of young children through the institutional recitation of a pledge of allegiance to a country t