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March 30, 2007

Sparks fly over Circuit City

What Circuit City did to its longtime employees by laying them off and then offering to rehire them at a lower wage could happen to you. If Circuit City can do it, other employers will follow.

I, for one, will no longer shop at Circuit City. I feel that if they don't care about their employees, they care even less about their customers. This is a very poor example of customer relations.

— Harry Harshbarger, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:03 AM

Comments (1)

Loyalty vs. competence

At the Arab League Summit, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia condemned the "illegitimate foreign occupation" of Iraq. Heckuva job, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The secretary of defense tuned out the general who said the plans for taking over Iraq were seriously wrong. Heckuva a job, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The attorney general is caught red-handed in lies. Heckuva job, Alberto Gonzales. And soon President Bush will flout the clear will of the American people and veto the Iraq spending bill. Heckuva job, Dubya.

I'm fed up with loyal Bushies. Can we please have some competent ones?

— Raymond Freeman, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:41 AM

Comments (2)

War is a responsibility

When the United States decided to go to war, it was pretty unanimous. The majority of the media, the Congress, the executive branch and the people supported the war. This may have been a big mistake, but we will let history make that decision.

The day the war started, we acquired a great responsibility to carry the war to a successful conclusion. That is the meaning of the word “responsibility.” Many are now disappointed with the happenings in Iraq and want to withdraw. Oops, we made a mistake, let’s get out. That is not my definition of taking responsibility.

Congress has taken that position. We hear it say the war is unpopular, too costly and President Bush lied to us. They take no responsibility. We, the people, elected a president for four years to conduct foreign policy, knowing his views and previous actions in Iraq. Yes, the war is costly, but we are there to prevent violence, not to cause it.

As to the lack of weapons of mass destruction, it is interesting to note that if large quantities of WMDs had been found in Iraq, we would still have the same mess there.

Instead of the above nonsense, it would be better if Congress concentrated on figuring out what would happen to Iraq if we withdrew and what would happen to the whole Mideast region and to the war on terror. It doesn’t take much imagination to see full civil war in Iraq and/or a full regional war in the Middle East and the formation of radical governments. Terrorists would be emboldened and would carry their then-successful tactics to the next stage.

The president, despite several mistakes in Iraq, is the one who has taken responsibility and will not abandon the Iraqi people or the moderates in the Middle East.

— Diego Cruz, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:36 AM

Comments (1)

Jones rewrites history

Re: Ed Jones’ March 25 commentary, “Golfer demonstrates more ethics than Libby”:

Jones must teach at another school besides Pierce College, namely the University of MSU (Making Stuff Up).

He chooses to unfortunately rewrite history when he says that I. Lewis “Scooter” "Libby deliberately exposed the name of an undercover CIA operative, Valerie Plame, to reporters to discredit her husband, Joe Wilson." Jones certainly knows better than this.

A special prosecutor was charged by the president to determine who actually made this leak. He quickly determined that the leak was made by an aide to Colin Powell — this aide doesn't apparently much like the president — but kept this information hushed while he continued the case anyway for two years. Libby was eventually charged with "obstruction of justice," a catch-all provision used to claim Libby's recollection of his conversations differed from the recollection of two reporters. It was all about memories of a case that never involved a crime.

During the trial, the judge would not allow a memory expert to testify. That expert would have told the jury just how unreliable memories can be so long after the fact. As Jones knows, just because a jury convicts, the defendant isn't necessarily guilty, just as when juries sometimes let the guilty go free. He also knows that prosecutors can get carried away, like the one who went after the Duke lacrosse players just to get re-elected.

Jones mentions Wilson's New York Times article as it were fact. However, many of Wilson's assertions were later confirmed as fiction.

Jones can do us all a favor by doing some research — like going to the Wall Street Journal Web site — before he draws conclusions from fiction.

— Pete Hockenmaier, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:24 AM

Comments (2)

Gang membership and jobs

Re: your March 26 article, “Supporting an injunction”:

An expert on Latino gangs quoted in the article said that there was a connection between the disappearance of well-paying jobs and the increase in gang membership. I don't know how he came up with that. You have to be at least 16 to get a work permit, and some of these kids have unconsciously joined the gang by the age of 12.

When police officers contact a group of older gang members drinking and smoking marijuana in an alley, sometimes they will find children as young as 11 or 12 standing around them. These 11- and 12-year-olds look up to these older guys. Sometimes, they are even used as lookouts to warn the gang members as police officers approach. These children don't know any better because they are not supervised.

The children are raised on the street by the older guys who hang out on the street corner. Is it because Mom and/or Dad works long hours, or is it because the parents may be gang members themselves? The point is, these kids are exposed to this lifestyle years before they are old enough to work. One does not make it to the age of 18 and suddenly say, “Well, all of the good jobs are taken; guess I’ll join a gang.”

Even if better paying jobs were the answer, would you expect a business owner to hire someone who is teetering on the edge of becoming a gang member over someone who is strong enough to resist that temptation? I'm sure they would prefer to hire someone that wants to be a leader, not a follower. Gang members, by their actions, clearly are not leaders.

— Bakari Myers, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:20 AM

Comments (2)

Full historical survey needed

I am deeply concerned that a historic survey has not been done in midtown Ventura. It seems to me that before we can even have a midtown plan in place, a historic survey of our neighborhood should be done. I also believe strongly that, instead of doing this by neighborhood, an entire city historical survey should be done. Why midtown was not included in the downtown survey is beyond me.

How can we identify our city resources without taking the necessary steps to achieve that goal?

We talk about smart growth and open space, while we ignore our infrastructure. Is this smart growth? Must the entire city of Ventura be punished because we do not wish our hillsides to be littered with development projects and end up looking like the San Francisco hillsides? Must the city be punished because we want open space and wish to not look like Oxnard? Are our options really more traffic on Victoria Avenue, Telephone Road and Main Street? Are our options more bland looking housing such as those on Telephone and Main? Are the only options for midtown hookers or condos? Is the only option for new jobs and business retail?

We keep discussing smart growth and business growth, but what about selling our city as a model for sustainable living, a great tourist destination, a city that welcomes business?

From what I have seen for midtown, we are not addressing any of these concerns. Before we know it, Thompson Boulevard will be transformed into a block of condos. I would tend to think that Thompson and Main should be bright and cheery, connecting downtown with the mall, with enticing eateries and services, fun neighborhoods to walk around in and explore.

— Karrie Keyes, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:13 AM

Time Warner stonewalling

Re: Ben Hall’s March 29 letter, “More cable woes”:

I, too, suffered the same woes as Mr. Hall with Time Warner and Adelphia in regard to be being able to record cable programs — except that now I have been without Time-Warner’s MOXI/DVR service for three weeks. A message flashes on my screen that I have only “limited service available” and then gives the general phone number to call. An additional phone message has given “reasons” for lack of service such as “solar flares” and “we are experiencing trouble with Internet service.”

A call to the technical department said that the problem lay on their side of the system and that “field techs” would have to deal with it at the local level. The problem should be resolved within 24 to 48 hours, usually, they said.

That was five days ago. A trip to the Newbury Park office was unrewarding. They made an appointment for a service tech to come out on April 5. The representative did not seem to be aware of any systemwide problem.

It is obvious that there is something wrong with their system. The phone call to tech support said that they were having big trouble switching over from the Adelphia to the Time Warner system. It would be nice if Time Warner would just tell their customers the truth instead of stonewalling or given out “solar flare” messages. Maybe this is something The Star should look into.

— Martin Miller, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:07 AM

Benefit denied

I want to believe in the system, but when it has you chasing your tail, it leaves you frustrated and angry.

My ex-husband and son’s father was a dedicated and proud member of the U.S. Air Force for 17 ½ years. Aug. 29, 2003, he was in a motor vehicle accident in which he sustained a closed head injury. The military retired him "due to imminent death," effective Aug. 30, 2003. Sept. 7, 2003, my ex-husband passed away. Three days later, at the age of 26 months, my son was diagnosed with autism. The military did a great job getting my son every benefit possible at the time.

In 2005, Congress passed a bill raising the death gratuity and Servicemembers Group Life Insurance benefits for military members and made it retroactive to Oct. 1, 2001. I got a phone call telling me I was getting additional benefits for my son. Then, a second caller told me I was not getting the benefits because my ex-husband was "retired" when he passed away and did not qualify. To qualify for the benefits, a member must die "on active duty." Although my ex-husband died from injuries he sustained while on active duty, he was still considered retired. I did not agree and wrote several congressmen and senators.

I have received the increase in death gratuity benefit, but they are still denying my son the SGLI benefit. My argument is that my ex-husband did not voluntarily retire or separate from the Air Force. He died from injuries sustained while on active duty and should receive the same benefits as if he had died on active duty.

Being a single mom to a 5 ½ year old autistic boy is very hard. I just want what is rightfully his to make his life the best it can be.

— Mary Moore, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:01 AM

Pets need better care

I am for the California bill that would require every cat and dog be spayed and neutered.

How many of us care that more than 4,250 cats and dogs are put to death each year in Ventura County and more than 1 million in California? Get it together, people! Spay and neuter all pets except those in the care of reputable breeders and kennels that have business licenses.

Pick up any paper and you will see the many pets “for sale” for a profit. I have responded to many of these ads, and the owners think it is OK to sell a living being to anyone with money. Many I have talked to do not even have their own animals licensed. Do any of them interview the people purchasing these animals to see if they can care for them for the 10-plus years a dog or cat may live, 40 for a horse and 75 for a parrot or tortoise?

I know we are all upset about the rat poison in cat and dog food recently, but both of these are our problems. We continue to let them happen with minimal complaint. We should demand our government show more empathy and become more involved in treating these pets as beings and not just personal property.

If you have any help or suggestions, e-mail me at petcarez@cs.com.

— Jennifer Grosskopf, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:57 AM

Israel fine, policies aren’t

Re: Sarie Bryson’s March 21 letter, “Never again”:

I would like to thank Ms. Bryson for her excellent letter. For those who criticize her and compare her to former President Carter, I suggest they read Carter's book, as they might learn something. He is in complete support of the continued existence of the state of Israel and is certainly not a supporter of terrorism. He does not “only blame Israel for things.” However, he does criticize those Israeli policies that are deterrents to peace, such as settlers in the occupied areas, not adhering to United Nations resolutions, the treatment of Palestinians, etc.

Americans seem to ignore or not want to know that Palestine was a thriving inhabited land prior to the usurpation of its native people and the creation of the modern state of Israel and that until the Palestinians are treated justly, there will never be peace in the Middle East.

— Janet O'Donnell, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:43 AM

Nothing fishy about tuna

Re: your March 29 editorial, “Pregnant? Some food for thought”:

This editorial inaccurately represents the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency guidelines on safe seafood consumption, which encourage pregnant women to include seafood — including albacore tuna — as part of a healthy diet. The federal guidelines actually recommend eating six ounces of canned albacore a week and were created to ensure that women and young children can reap the numerous benefits of fish with confidence that they are doing the right thing for their health.

Just last month, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institutes of Health and his colleagues from Bristol University published a study in The Lancet proving that pregnant women should eat more seafood for their children’s health. These findings are among the strongest from a series of recent reports demonstrating that seafood consumption is an integral part of a healthy diet — before, during and after pregnancy.

The U.S. Tuna Foundation strongly encourages pregnant women to follow the FDA's guidelines and to consult with their doctors about how they can include more fatty fish, like canned tuna, in their diets.

— Anne Forristall Luke, President, U.S. Tuna Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:30 AM

March 29, 2007

Energy a real-world issue

The Malibu Hollywood elite would have us believe they are staunch environmentalists. They talk the talk but do not always walk the walk. How many of them are using solar power to heat and cool their 10,000-square-foot megahomes? Do they drive electric cars or even fuel-efficient cars? SUVs and Hummers do not qualify.

These people don’t have a clue what they spend on heat and electricity, yet they are adamant that they don’t want that liquefied natural gas facility in their back yard. They suggest I should wait around for 20 years or so for alternative wind energy to kick in. I live in the real world. I don’t know about them.

— Betty Moore, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:00 PM

Mission anniversary is Saturday

On Saturday at 9 a.m., there will occur an event that should not be missed by any person or history buff: the 225th anniversary of the founding of the old mission, San Buenaventura. In attendance will be the mission clergy, the mayor of Ventura, descendants of the original Chumash people, Fray Junipero Serra (as played by Bruce Buonauro) and Los Soldados del Reál Presidio de Santa Bárbara.

This event will take any onlooker back to the 18th century, and it will show how the mission was actually founded. Its founding was part of an expedition beginning in 1779 to establish settlements up the Santa Bárbara Channel, beginning with El Pueblo de Los Angeles on Sept. 4, 1781, San Buenaventura on March 31, 1782, and finally the Royal Presidio of Santa Bárbara on April 21, 1782.

The event is free and will be very educational for our fourth graders who, as a part of their curriculum, are studying the missions of California.

— Jim Elwell-Martinez, Oak View

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:55 AM

Tower out of character

I attended both neighborhood presentations on March 17 by developer Harvey Champlin and builder Ray Mulokis. I was offended by the attitude towards our city, which was depicted as crime-ridden, undesirable and having a trash-filled beach. We were told Port Hueneme needs an update, which they would provide by constructing a 46-story hotel tower of 250 hotel rooms and 200 condos on the city’s Parking Lot E. No recognition has been given by the developer or builder to this being totally out of proportion in our area of two to three-story condos and town homes.

During the question-and-answer period — when residents inquired about serious problems such as traffic congestion, shading created by the proposed structure, possible environmental damage or the lack of a fire department equipped to evacuate from a height of more than 100 feet — the replies usually were that concerns would be mitigated during the process.

My husband and I moved here 13 years ago because we have a charming beach town with lovely trees, parks, the Bubbling Springs corridor and a clean, well-maintained beach with a restaurant, restrooms and shower facilities, lifeguards during the warmer months, a fishing pier, adequate parking and attractive landscaping. This developer talked to us as if we need to “fix” our town by allowing an out-of-character, horrendously oversized tower to be built on this city-owned location.

I can only hope that our City Council will show us they appreciate the ambience of our community and will vote “no” on allowing the filing of project applications for developing a tower on Parking Lot E. Let’s continue to improve Port Hueneme in an appropriate manner.

— Marjorie Cole, Port Hueneme

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:42 AM

Too old for pet cats

When I, a 75-year-old senior, first went into a pet store to get two 11-month old cats, I told them I was ready to pay the $25 each for each cat. I knew I would provide them with a good home. I had already bought the kitty litter for them. I was shown around the shop by one saleslady who pointed out a cat scratch post for $59, the location of pet toys to buy because the cats would need them and the special kitty litter the cats had gotten used to that I should buy.

My husband and I returned to the house to get the cat carriers from home and returned to the store to pick up the cats.

After telling them I would not need the kitty litter as I had already bought some, and that I already had cat toys and wouldn’t be needing the cat scratch post, the store’s policy and friendliness suddenly changed. They said, “We’re not going to be able to let you take the cats, and we prefer that they go to a younger family.” I assured them I had extended family who would take care of them should anything happen to me and/or my husband, but they again told me they would rather the cats go to a younger family.

I was heartbroken, as I looked forward to their addition to my family and my home. My husband was as disappointed as I was. I’ve heard of age discrimination, but never for being too old to give a caring home to pets needing one. We have been a customer of this store for several years because of our other animals, but with that attitude, I have a feeling I will be shopping elsewhere for my pets’ needs.

— Martha Weatherall, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:20 AM

Good guys wear Dodger Blue, too

Re: your March 28 article, “Jury convicts man in 2004 gang murder”:

While I don't deny that sports teams’ apparel is worn by gang members, I do feel it was quite irresponsible for The Star to include this last paragraph on the Javier Acevedo case: "Dodger decals and apparel are used as part of the Ventura Avenue Gangsters' gang attire."

This was a very broad generalization and not even entirely true. This can easily give readers the impression that anyone wearing Dodgers apparel is an Avenue Gangster.

I am a hard-working, upstanding citizen of Ventura and take great pride in my beloved Dodgers. I have been a fan since my family moved here to east Ventura in 1982 when I was 7 years old. I just recently got back from a trip to the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Vero Beach, Fla. I proudly display a Dodgers sticker and license plate frame on my truck, and I very proudly wear a Dodgers hat and jersey on game days. I even attend 25 to 30 games per year.

Gangs across the Southland — from Long Beach to Santa Barbara — wear sports apparel and always will. I remember Raiders hats being the gang apparel of choice in the '90s. No one particular team has ever signified exactly where one is "from."

This was a very blanketed statement and can give readers false judgment when they see a decent person displaying their favorite team as opposed to some thug accused of murder. I certainly hope The Star knows the difference.

— Craig Kanning, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:14 AM

Comments (1)

‘Ballet of heavy equipment’

The crew has started with the sewer replacement in College Park. The crews are very polite and friendly, even escorting residents past machinery and large mounds of dirt. There is some vibration when they are pounding large sheets of steel into the ground, so if folks have wobbly knick-knacks on display, they might consider moving them.

There’s a bit of musical chairs for parking, but overall, it’s not too bad. The crew works from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They are managing about a house and a half per day, which is a pretty fast pace. It is quite the ballet of heavy equipment to watch. They are a very fine-tuned group.

— Lance Carlson, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:50 AM

Kathy Long’s red herring

Re: your March 27 article, “Flynn spends $5,887 on disputed mailer”:

What is Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long trying to do? Instead of answering the questions raised by Supervisor John Flynn, she goes on and on about the mailer. I don't think Ventura County really wants to start shouting to the world about wasting taxpayers’ money! I find the integrity of Ventura County officials very questionable — Sheriff’s Department misuse of workers compensation, money disappearing from  the accounts of the mentally challenged, etc.

I was glad to get the flyer, since the Board of Supervisors, except Flynn, called El Rio the "disadvantaged area," referring to the people of El Rio, in many of the reports regarding the El Rio sewer project. Long was good at creating a detour on the original subject of the money. Let's just answer the questions regarding the funding for the El Rio sewer project. Don't create more issues until you can answer the current ones. I took this as a smokescreen to avoid the questions regarding the funding.

Now let's see big bold letters and headlines regarding the El Rio sewer project funding and updates on the progress. That would be news.

— Julie Smith, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:46 AM

Bus transfer fiasco

My son got on a SCAT bus at the Esplanade shopping center, heading for the Oxnard Transportation Center. He paid his fare, got a transfer pass and sat down. When the bus got to the OTC, he got off and waited for the bus home. When that bus arrived, he handed the transfer pass to the driver. The driver ripped it up, telling him that it was no good and he would have to pay again.

What choice did he have? He was upset and didn’t understand why this had happened. He had been doing this same route for three months.

I called the business office the next morning and asked how this could have happened. I was told this was my son’s fault, that he must have made a mistake. The drivers are always right! That was the policy.

If he didn’t want to be hassled over the transfer pass again, they said, he should buy a monthly pass. Still thinking there had to be something I could do to help my son, I went with him to talk to the driver and see a transfer pass. These tickets are kept in the driver’s pocket, with part of the ticket ripped off telling you a time. I asked the driver, “What if you end up running later than this ripped-off time in the 5 p.m. traffic?” He said he couldn’t help me, that I had to call the main office. It was then I realized that there is nothing you can do.

I began to see what my son had gone through. By the way, my son is disabled. Drivers know it because he shows his ID every time he boards. Thank you, SCAT, for teaching my autistic son that the “real world” cannot be trusted.

— Jackie Meyers, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:33 AM

Too young for HPV vaccine

Since it is against the law to have sex with anyone under the age of 18, one has to wonder why Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, D-Baldwin Park, and those of like mind who favor a mandatory vaccination against a sexually transmitted disease — human papillomavirus, or HPV — have set the age at a tender 9 years old. Is this not being complicit in crimes of a sexual nature? You bet it is.

Proposition 85 sold out our young women by making it legal to keep an underage abortion a secret, thus enabling statutory rape. Now they want to avoid evidence of sexual abuse of children as young as 9 years old. This is not only depraved but against our own laws to protect our most vulnerable young women.

It is indeed a good thing to protect against HPV. But the vaccination of underage children does not protect them from the very real and very destructive sexual abuse that seems to be of absolutely no concern to Hernandez and those of like mind. If you must mandate this vaccination, the age should be 18, the legal age of consent.

If you want to protect young women as young as 9, enforce the laws already on the books against sexual abuse of a minor.

— Dorothy Hage, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:25 AM

Shifting responsibility

This county requires permits to approve planting parkway trees. The county-approved parkway trees cause damage to county-owned sidewalks. The county requires adjacent property owners to fix and maintain county-approved and county-permitted parkway trees.

Would it not be great to make bad decisions, then hold someone else responsible?

That is what this county has done by violating the intent of the 1906 improvement acts and California property laws. You can’t hold someone else responsible to maintain property they don't own. County supervisors approved housing tracts in this area and, at that moment, became legally responsible to maintain the streets, sidewalks, parkways, curbs and gutters. Last year, they passed their liability to maintain these areas, as required by law, to the residential property owners.

— Barry Gabrielson, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:17 AM

Casitas suit wastes money

As a Casitas ratepayer, I am sick and tired of seeing the Casitas Municipal Water District waste my money on a lawsuit that has been going on for nearly four years and is currently costing the district almost $40,000 a month, even before the appeals begin. The appeals, of course, will cost millions more.

This suit was filed under a Casitas general manager who didn't live in the Ojai Valley and is now gone. The suit has brought in every crazy right-wing legal foundation in the country, like flies to honey. The lawyers don't care anything about the Casitas Water District. They just want to use the steelhead issue to cancel national environmental policies that have been in place since the 1970s.

I object to seeing the Casitas Water District used by legal eagles with hidden agendas. Their tactics invite the federal government to take over control of Lake Casitas. That would mean our water would be doled out from Washington, D.C.

If we don't want somebody else controlling the Casitas Water District, we need to  kill the lawsuit now.

— Sheri Mayta, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:04 AM

Test scores out of context

Re: your March 28 article, “40 percent of the county’s schools hit state target”:

While I appreciate The Star reporting School Academic Performance Index scores, I feel it has done a disservice to some schools by not providing full data. The full-page dissection of the scores displays columns for the 2006 API scores, the statewide ranking, the "similar school" ranking and the target score for next year. This is a fine snapshot.

The problem lies in the fact these test scores are not meant to provide a snapshot of the current year, but rather an evolving panoramic picture of growth over the course of many years. The table fails to provide historical context for the data by leaving off two very important columns: the 2005 API score and this year’s target.

For example, Richard Bard School in the Hueneme School District, if your table is to be taken at face value, would appear to be doing only a good job: API above district average, but with only a 6 in the statewide ranking and a 7 in the similar school ranking.

However, if you take into account the two missing columns, the story changes dramatically: Bard's 2005 API score was 735, and its 2006 growth target was 3. So this year's API score of 758 shows tremendous improvement; Bard shattered its growth target by improving 23 points. Suddenly, Bard looks like the outstanding school it is.

I fully understand space and layout constraints, but by leaving out these two columns, The Star gives a false and relatively negative impression of how our schools are doing. The panoramic picture, while tougher to print, provides the full story with all its context and paints a portrait of successful achievement by the students, teachers, parents and staffs at our local schools.

— Bill Walthall, Port Hueneme

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:00 AM

Politicians can’t run a war

I feel that people in elected positions have no business using their position to demoralize our troops and undermine their ability to win a war. The politicians should stay out of running the war and let the military do whatever it takes to put an end to the fighting. We all saw what happened in Vietnam when the politicians tried to run the war from Washington.

—Stephen J. Sampson, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:54 AM

Comments (1)

Enough policy failures

Let’s wake up and realize that our foreign policies, dictated mainly by big business, are a terrible failure and make the whole world a less safe place to live in. Let’s not make things even worse by attacking Iran. Diplomacy is the only way to proceed. Military options will just continue to fail.

— Uriel Goldberg, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:49 AM

March 28, 2007

One for the toad

Re: your March 27 article, “Water issue pits toad against trout”:

Toad versus fish? I was following right along, with sympathy for both the endangered toad and the fish, until I read the sentence that said that the stream included both wild and stocked trout — that is, fish raised in government hatcheries and hauled to the creek in tanker trucks, dumped in so that fishermen can enjoy a day’s sport — all paid for by us, the taxpayers. These are not wild, endangered fish. They’re raised for human sport and consumption, more like beef cattle, fryer chickens or any other type of livestock you can think of.

In addition, “catch and release” fishing is far from harmless to the fish. Studies estimate that between 5 and 25 percent of the fish die after being released, either from injuries or from being stressed by the process. While good catch-and-release practices can minimize these deaths, not every fisherman is both sufficiently concerned for the fish’s welfare and sufficiently skilled in these techniques, which include not taking the fish out of the water before releasing it.

Even those fish that survive are frequently injured. An Alaskan study determined that approximately 58 percent of the trout showed hooking injuries that would lead to scarring or were a threat to the fish’s survival. Thirty percent had scars from previously having been caught and released.

So, my mind is made up. Count me on the side of the toad.

— Deena Case-Pall, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:54 PM

No place for a high-rise

I am very much opposed to the 46-story resort proposed for Port Hueneme. I would think that the neighbors must be extremely upset with this project. Since we live in earthquake country and all lands are not safe from terrorists, I think a building of this size could cause great harm and loss of lives if such events should occur. I could almost understand a resort of 10 to 20 floors, but 46 floors is a bit much. I like to think our coastline should look more like Carmel or Newport. I would hate to see this community become a Miami Beach with all its high-rise hotels.

— Lennette Wood, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:48 PM

What don’t we know?

It is very apparent that the Pleasant Valley School District board has some other agenda that we, the public, will never be privy to. The children of this district are merely pawns being jostled around to line pockets of others.

Obviously, the city wants Los Primeros Structured School moved because it wants the property for its less-than-successful downtown renovation project.

The developers who came in with Village at the Park made a really lucrative deal with the school district to build them a shiny new school. Well, now there is a brand new school that sits underfilled. The new developments are not selling out as hoped, and the student population isn't there. The school district loses money when the school is open without students. So, let’s move Los Senderos Open School to fill the empty school at Rancho Rosal so the school board can get money to keep the new school open. Don't forget that the Los Senderos Open School was originally Bedford Open School, which was relocated in recent years. It doesn't matter; move them again.
Now, don't forget Los Primeros Structured School. Let’s put them in the old Los Senderos campus so that the city can have the old Los Primeros property. This makes the city very happy, because now they can use this property for their downtown renovation, which has never really gone anywhere.

What about the kids? Well, the school board will tell you this is all about the kids. But is it really? This wasn't even an issue six months ago. And I don't think any of the kids were asked how they felt.

It would be interesting to know what really happened that the school board is not willing to disclose.

— Michelle James, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:35 PM

Waste and ignorance

Re: your March 27 article, “County owes many; is your name on list?”

This effort by the county to reach people for whom they are holding money is laudable in some respects, but laughable in another. If you read through the entire list, you will find schools, such as Portola Elementary; large chain stores still operating at multiple locations, such as Costco or Target; and banks such as Wells Fargo and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust; and even the United States Post Office. In the case of individuals, it is understandable. People leave the area and do not know about these very small amounts, but how can these noted companies and agencies not be found?

While I have not seen the paperwork involved, I would not be surprised if that is part of the problem. If it is anything like trying to claim money from the state, it can be more trouble than it is worth, especially for amounts under $100.

Then one must wonder why someone at a company, school or agency that is contacted does not follow through in some way. According to a woman in the treasury office, many of the contacts are made with known owners, but for some reason, they never complete the process. Again, is it the government bureaucracy or the company chain of responsibility, the "it's not my problem" syndrome?

Whatever the reasons may be, it is a bit annoying to see evidence of money, no matter what the amount, being wasted or ignored by public institutions that are always underfunded. And it is even more irritating to me to see banks and large companies that regularly find ways to pinch more from their customers to let these things fall through cracks due to ignorance, unaccountability, or an I-don't-have-time attitude.

— Wes Fish, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:24 PM

Fee increase ‘very real’

Re: your March 27 article, “CSU fee boost ‘not too big a deal’”:

The CSUCI student standing in front of the 10-foot rabbit on the front of the Star’s East County section is telling us the CSUCI fee boost is “not too big a deal.”
This may be true for ceramic students, but for students who will actually work for a living, a 10 percent jump in fees is a very big deal.

Perhaps the rabbit is imaginary — like Harvey in the Jimmy Stewart movie — for that guy, but the fall fee increase at CSUCI is real, very real, for the students on financial aid and other working students.

— Kevin O'Leary, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:12 PM

Sentence too lenient

Re: your March 28 article, "Ex-pastor collapses in court after getting 6 years for molesting girl":

My outrage is directed squarely on the shoulders of Ventura County Superior Court Judge Bruce Clark. We should all take a few moments to contact Clark's office and hold his feet to the fire by demanding he provide an explanation of why he sentenced this child sexual predator to only six years and 4 months when he could issued a 12-year sentence. We need to hold all judges accountable, particularly those who are soft on their sentencing for child rapists and sexual predators.

And who cares that William Allen Malgren collapsed after being sentenced? Shouldn't the article have focused on the real story here and instead had the headline, “Ventura County Superior Court judge only hands down 6-year versus 12-year sentence to convicted child sexual predator"?

— Dawn Williams, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:05 PM

Mural is insulting

Re: your March 25 article, “Signs of life”:

As a childhood farmworker who made it out of the fields through education, I am very insulted and pained by the mural depicted with this story.

What kind of sadistic enjoyment is this couple feeling as they sit on a park bench, in a zoo-like panorama, viewing the backbreaking work of these workers and children? Working under the beating sun, carrying hundreds of pounds of fruit down those ladders from sunup to sundown, not to speak of the pesticides (in the time frame depicted in the mural), all of which may bring on numerous physical ailments and, in many cases, contribute to various types of cancers in later years — this is not a spectator sport.

Farm work is neither whimsical nor endearing. It is one of the most physically demanding work there is. How can the city of Exeter consider this image in the way depicted as anything but painful and cruel?

The proper venue for this artwork should be in an art exhibit where thoughtful dialog among viewers and with the artist can take place.

— Carmen Guerrero, Santa Paula

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:51 AM

Don’t mess with Victoria

With all the negative publicity associated with the plan for redesigning Victoria Avenue into a dysfunctional thoroughfare, I would certainly hope the Ventura City Council is getting the message loud and clear. All voting residents of this city should be demanding that the council sit up and pay attention to our concerns and settle for nothing less. After all, isn’t the City Council supposed to be working for us and not the other way around? In my mind, this is the kind of issue that results in recall elections!

— Matthew C. Gibbons, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:47 AM

Open our homes to the poor

Ventura is such a loving, good and charitable community. But do you see the poor, the homeless, the alcoholics and the drug addicts in this community? They all reside on Ventura Avenue. You can find them as a group at Project Understanding at East Vince Street and Ventura Avenue.

Now just imagine for a moment: What if just one family took just one of these poor unfortunates home for just one week? Do you think that would mushroom into a pilot plan for the poor? I do. I think we would become a model city in helping our poor, in a hands-on way. Just imagine.

— Judie Smith, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:44 AM

Israelis aren’t Nazis

Re: Sarie Bryson’s March 21 letter, “Never again”:

Bryson needs to get her facts right. She sounds like former President Carter — only blaming Israel for things. How dare she compare them to Nazis. The Palestinians are always bombing Israel. Israel has a right to defend itself. Israel is the only free nation in the Middle East. Maybe she should go see the other nations in the Middle East and see how much freedom they have. She sounds like we should support Iran, but then again, in Iran, women have no freedom.

— Andy Levine, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:34 AM

Senate wouldn’t remove Bush

Re: Lauren Simon’s March 27 letter, “Impeach Bush”:

I don't think this lady understands what impeachment is. To impeach is to bring charges. It takes a trial in the Senate to remove someone from office. Does she really believe the Senate could garner the votes to remove the president and vice president?

— Jack Brewer, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:31 AM

Furthering education

Supporting the Discovery Center is a positive step for children. We give lip service to the importance of a quality education and its importance in giving a competitive edge as our children seek higher education. Committing to see this endeavor come to fruition elevates our community and its families, as well as placing our community in the forefront of education.

— Gloria Meyerson, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:29 AM

More cable woes

Re: your March 21 article, “Council unhappy with Time Warner service”:

The Star printed my letter, "Appeasing the customer," in February. Since then, I have experienced issues with the cable company and its tactics that I feel are less than aboveboard.

After losing seven channels on my analog lineup, I was forced to switch to digital cable. I opted two tiers. Installation included, the total was $45.45 per month. What they didn't tell me was that my DVD recorder would only record on Channel 3. Now, I can't watch one channel while recording another, nor can I program my brand new DVD recorder to record my favorite programs while I'm out of town.

When I contacted Time Warner, I was told I'd needed its digital video recorder, an additional $8.95, plus $4.95 for DVR service. The installation charge was $29.95, which they wouldn't waive. High definition would be an additional $5 dollars. Now it's $59.35 to get what I had before, without high definition.

After the six-month introductory promotional period, I'll have to drop one of the tiers or pay an additional $5. After a year, the monthly cost jumps to $44.95, a total of $64.35. With an additional $5 for high def, that’s $69.35 a month.

All this is in addition to extended hold times, conflicting information from order clerks and failure to disclose important information, among many factors.

In a Nov. 8 Star article, "Changing channels part of Time Warner's plan," Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Patricia Regoso Cox said: "Analog-channel lineups are not being altered for digital or basic subscribers." That couldn't have been further from the truth.

It looks to me like changing channels wasn't the only part of Time Warner's plan.

— Ben Hall, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:26 AM

No reason for bonus

Re: your March 13 article, “Amgen’s stock declines; executives get bonuses”:

Amgen is trading at a 52-week low — almost at a three-year low. It has lost more than 25 percent of its value during the last six weeks. There has been nothing but bad news coming out of the company for more than a year. Investors are taking a huge hit.
So, as a reward for this stellar performance, the Amgen board awards Chief Executive Officer Kevin Sharer a $4.3 million bonus.

Maybe they need to start looking around for a new CEO and maybe some new board members at the same time.

— John Naftzger, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:17 AM

Isolation is the answer

Re: Michael Pringer’s March 27 letter, “Democrats are wrong”:

Pringer resorts to the "any clear-thinking person" tactic, as though it has some meaning. Any person who has looked at a map of the Middle East and who has any knowledge whatsoever of that area realizes the only strategy for "victory" starts with a withdrawal. As long as we have troops on the ground, it is impossible to "win.” Radical Islam can only be defeated by quarantine and isolation.

Fundamentalist Islam was counting on an occupation to galvanize even minimally observant Muslims to its cause. President Bush and those who follow his course have delighted the fundamentalists beyond their wildest hopes and dreams. We are fighting on their ground and on their terms.

There is a strategy that can work: disengagement on the ground and isolation of nations in the fundamentalist camp. A no-fly, no-maritime-navigation and no-road-traffic-across-borders policy with a militarily enforced quarantine and blockade has a chance.

Yes, perhaps for a short while there will be a false feeling of victory in the fundamentalist camp. But fundamentalist Muslims can never deliver a better life. Isolate them. Eventually, they will wither and fail.

The ridiculous notion that the war is somehow proper because Democrats "conveniently leave out the fact that they voted for it based on the same intelligence" is incredible almost beyond belief. Bush and his neocon cronies lied like a rug, and even Democrats bought the lies. No one was shown the actual "intelligence," only the fabrications. That is what the Valerie Plame scandal is all about.

Now that the reasons for the war have been exposed for what they were — lies, fabrications and deceptions — it is nothing short of criminal to continue to pretend any policy founded on them should be continued.

— Ira Cohen, Oak Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:07 AM

March 27, 2007

Maybe it will happen

OK, I admit it. I am upset with George W. Bush, our president, and his handling of the war — but not in a way that recent polls would catch, for they do not ask the right questions.

I thought by now the major battles of the war on terror would have been fought. Unfortunately, because of Bush’s mishandlings and the Democrat leaders’ traitorous activities — comforting and aiding the enemy — we’re assured that many battles with great loss of life are ahead.

I thought by now we would have taken care of Iraq, gone into Iran, helped the revolution there, and then taken a week or so to take care of Syria and pull out the weapons of mass destruction. Then our attention could get to the liberation of Lebanon and returning it to freedom and tolerance.

To our shame, we didn’t help them, and the cancer has grown. Why should they stick their necks out and take a chance on paper tiger America? After all, they can remember the Kurds.

With every passing day, it appears that we are going to have to go it alone. Bush mistakenly listened to his State Department and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Now, instead of losing a few and killing a few, we are faced with a battle for survival, and millions will die before we are victorious.

I wonder if Bush meant it when he promised we would not let Iran make a nuke. Maybe there is still hope. Perhaps we will stop Iran. Maybe we will go get those weapons, not-so-hidden in Syria. Maybe we will give encouragement to so-called “moderates.” Maybe.

— Ron Wilson, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:42 PM

Stealing kids’ lives

I mourn the death of the young Thousand Oaks soldier who died in Iraq. His death brings home the horror of war. His death is multiplied by 3,000, the number of American servicemen and women who have died in the Iraq war. The number is increased seven times when we consider the servicemen who have returned minus arms, legs, vision and traumatically impaired.

Many young men and women joined the service to earn a college education, and they paid with their lives. Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Gene LaRocque, in Studs Terkel’s book, “The Good War,” stated, “Nobody gives their life for anything. We steal the lives of these kids — we’ve made war a religious act.”

— Samuel M. Rosen, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:41 PM

Let kids find self-worth

Re: Jim Lane’s March 18 commentary, “Can you feel the power?”:

I couldn’t agree more with Lane on the importance of personal power. When children are intrinsically motivated, they tend to do the right thing, and often they exceed expectations, even when no one is watching.

Unfortunately, I believe there are a number of things parents and teachers do, with the best of intentions, to encourage external motivation and let internal motivation languish. Among these are sticker charts, rewards for reading, taking away privileges and spanking. Even praise is often handed out like candy, teaching children that their goal should be to win the approval of others. These are techniques used to manipulate children into behaving the way we adults think they should behave.

Are children being raised to chase the carrot and run away from the stick? Many people believe external motivators “work” because they produce the desired behaviors in the short- term. In the long term, however, children grow into adults who bend to the will of others – just as they have been taught to do – whether right or wrong.

I know it is hard to raise children without relying on behaviorism. But there are alternatives, such as involving children in setting rules and discussing the reasons behind those rules; guiding children to solve their own problems; allowing natural consequences to teach; empathizing with children and appreciating their perspectives; and commenting specifically on what children have done well, while helping them to rely on their own feelings of pride and self-worth as motivation.

I believe that children are capable of great things in an environment of mutual respect. I also believe that, as hard as it might be, adults are capable of providing loving and respectful guidance to children without relying on external motivators.

— Roni Hooper, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:00 PM

Imagine life without SOAR

Re: Janet Bergamo’s March 5 letter, “Housing clarified”:

Bergamo informs us developers are buying up farmland in Ventura County at "development" prices in anticipation of the demise of Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources when its mandate expires.

If true, it's an oddly confident assumption, given the unbroken record of success of SOAR and voters in defeating attempt after attempt by developers to obtain voter approval to develop beyond the SOAR boundaries.

Are they assuming there will be no effort to re-enact SOAR or some updated version of it?

County voters have shown overwhelming resolve to avoid the fate of Los Angeles, Orange and other counties of our state blighted and ecologically devastated by sprawl and unsustainable growth. There may occur some brief deviations from that resolve, but I'm confident that, over time, it will grow and strengthen.

Bergamo also writes that "regionally minded community leaders" are blaming SOAR for a "housing crisis in the county" — the same old specious cry we've heard over and over. It's absurd to suggest the efforts of developers and landowners to extend urban sprawl are motivated by the desire to improve housing availability or to alleviate what they conveniently refer to as a "housing crisis.”

What we've seen, and are seeing in Santa Paula again, are efforts to resume the rampant sprawl development that might by now, except for SOAR, have destroyed agriculture as a viable industry in Ventura County.

Many county residents, seeing the thousands of housing units built within the cities’ growth limits since SOAR’s adoption have expressed consternation. Imagine the circumstances we'd be facing now without the restraints SOAR imposes. I'm betting voters will never permit developers and their allies to take us back to the bad old days. I'll do all I can to back up my bet.

— Wolf Breiman, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:46 PM

Fish don’t need $9 million

Re: Richard Handley’s March 20 commentary, “Casitas Water District should drop its lawsuit,” and Jim Coultas’ March 23 commentary, “Casitas lawsuit to help growers”:
I read with interest both of the recent articles regarding the Casitas lawsuit. I tried to comprehend what each one said.

I must admit that the letter by Jim Coultas explained it much more clearly. The letter by Richard Handley appears scripted by Cal-Trout. Also, there should be some common sense thrown in regarding the cost. Spending $9 million for the steelhead doesn’t make sense — especially when only one trout made it through the ladder — and I am an avid fisherman. If the lawsuit is dropped, it will cause a real hardship for the farmers, and we still won’t be fishing for trout.

Cal-Trout should not be allowed to wag the tail for the rest of the citizens.

— John D. Broms, M.D., Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:42 PM

March 26, 2007

Downtown shuttle empty

Re: your March 24 Pa Ventura item, “To Ventura”:

This is the second time The Star has called for the opening of the upper two floors of the parking garage at the foot of California Street. Earlier, an editorial suggested running a bus up California Street from the parking garage.

Apparently whoever is writing these articles hasn't been in town very long. The bus service was tried before, when the Ventura County Courthouse and county government headquarters were located where the present City Hall is located. The bus driver spent weeks and months driving an empty bus up and down California Street. Finally, the service was stopped because no one was using the service.

The theory was that county employees would park in the garage and use the bus service to go to their jobs up the hill. Wrong. It never happened. For all practical purposes, no one ever used the service. In fact, at that time, The Star was downtown, and its employees could have parked in the garage and used the bus service. They didn't.

— Charles E. Voigtsberger, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:32 AM

Neutralize insurance firms

Re: your March 24 article, “Blue Cross of California fined for canceling policies”:

This article is another reason for California to adopt a one-payor system that all Californians pay into and become insured.

It's estimated that 30 percent of insurance premiums are used to pay for insurance company expenses, including hundreds of millions for the top executives’ salaries and perks.

All Californians would be covered if these monies paid in premiums were used for direct care. We all pay for the uninsured who use emergency rooms for their medical care. Under a one-pay system, you choose any physician to be your primary doctor, who then manages your care.

Caution to people who now have insurance and don't think this is their problem: Read this article. You could lose your coverage on the whim of the insurance company.

— Judith A. Beay, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:23 AM

Link LNG, nuclear power

Re: Jere Robings’ March 23 letter, “LNG today’s nuclear power”:

Excellent idea! Let's link liquefied natural gas and nuclear power together. While we're at it, why not site them together? Put the terminals off the coast of Diablo Canyon and San Onofre. They are both in remote areas of the state. If there are people living too close, we could buy their property and move them to a safer area. We did the same thing when we built the interstate highway system.

There could be a power plant that runs on LNG directly that could share the electrical grid already in place. There would be no need for a regasification terminal off the coast that pours more than 200 tons of air pollution onto shore and has more than 20 negative impacts to our coast that can't be mitigated. They could even share the same security measures.

Now all we have to do is figure out what to do with the nuclear waste that has accumulated at these sites. I suggest we put it in Thousand Oaks.

Oh, the 1970s. Didn't something happen at a place called Three-Mile Island?

— Mike de Martino, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:11 AM

Adams Canyon a losing deal

Ever stepped on a rake and had the handle smack you in plum in the face? Smarts doesn't it? That's what you get when you step on a rake — smarts. But once again, the Adams Canyon groups that are pushing to develop think we're still stupid enough not to see the “rake in the grass” — which conveniently rhymes with "snake in the grass" and "pain in the rasp." They appear to believe that a voting public is gullible and ignorant, and I will tell you why.

First and only, it's a rerun! The whole Adams Canyon thing, from beginning to end, is a rerun of an end-run. And we know that. But now the financial outcome is even worse than original projections. Can you believe it? I don't see that advertised around much, but the pro-Adams Canyon groups appear to have a lot of advertising dollars!

Initially, they stated revenues for Santa Paula would be $20 million. Now, it's regrettably only $5 million, which will be just about enough to pay an outside consulting firm to find out why there's no money to pay for all the additional services, such as fire and police, although we were promised there would be. That is the final bottom line. There are no benefits for you and me, only them.

It's nauseating and gut-wrenching to think Santa Paula’s private interest groups, who are getting ferried around on all-expense-paid junkets, are having their way with a small city just because they think they can.

— John Koman, Santa Paula

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:04 AM

Stick to the facts

The environmentalists’ proclamations of danger and doom are not honest terrors. They are a dishonest scare tactic to make their anti-industrial policies appealing.

As Alan Greenspan had said, “America’s domestic shortage of natural gas is a very serious problem.” Yet the environmentalists keep pounding us with objections. The Sierra Club and others say that liquefied natural gas is extremely volatile, and the tankers and Cabrillo Port would be vulnerable to terrorists. Critics also say if the LNG facility were attacked, it could incinerate an entire city.

We live near Naval Base Ventura County, and it certainly constitutes a possible terrorist attraction, but I don’t see anyone leaving the area because of it.

Let’s look at some facts and consider LNG’s history. In the last 60 years in the United States, only one person has died because of an LNG-related accident. We have had onshore facilities for 40 years on the East Coast, and this one will be 14 miles offshore. In 1995, Japan had a 6.8-magnitude earthquake, and its LNG facilities were undamaged.
It is shameful to use half-truths and scare tactics when the facts don’t fit your version of reality.

— Patti McClain-Tehaney, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:43 AM

Officers underappreciated

Re: Ray Holzer’s March 23 letter, “Put police, fire first”:

Mr. Holzer is the only one who gets it!

Our City Council is too busy spending money that they completely miss the fact that the police officers and the firefighters protect the very city we live in. I will never understand why we pay the police officers, the firefighters and the teachers the least when they are the very ones who take care of what we treasure the most: our children, our homes and — may God bless them — our lives!

— Dorothy McCart, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:34 AM

A true ‘welcome home’

I want to communicate a wonderful experience I recently had in a neighboring community.

A young man returned home from Iraq to his loving wife and newborn son whom he had just met, since he was serving his country while his wife was giving birth. There were numerous Vietnam veterans, community members and another group who belonged to a car club, along with Patriot Guard Riders who showed up at his residence — in conjunction with his parents' approval — to surprise him and show him the respect he deserves.

The Patriot Guard Riders are those who protect the families of our fallen heroes from protesters at funerals and memorial services. There is plenty of coverage of protests, anti-war advocates and just plain hatemongers. Why can't our own community honor our returning forces?

As a guest of the members of the car club, I was included in this moving event. There was a procession of motorcycles and cars that made it a festive event, and each person personally thanked him in his or her own way. This young Marine's wife was overwhelmed, saying to us, "We see and hear so many negatives that it is awesome to get some positive feedback.”

Is there someone in our community who belongs to a car club? Is there someone in our community who belongs to a motorcycle club? Any club? Would you like to be a patriot and welcome home one of our combat veterans from overseas? It really doesn't take much time or effort.

The Patriot Guard Riders has a Web site, http://www.patriotguard.org. I was told that if anyone contacts them, they will respond.

I am old enough to remember the "unwelcome" Vietnam veterans received. Let's not let this Iraq/Afghanistan war ruin another generation of our finest young men.

— DeAnna Brown, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:28 AM

‘Apocalypto’ deserved criticism

Re: your March 24 article, "Gibson verbally scuffles with professor at CSU Northridge":
I offer support and gratitude to Alicia Estrada and Felipe Perez for raising concerns about the portrayal of indigenous people during a campus screening of the film "Apocalypto.”

Out of respect for the Mayan community, I have chosen not to view this film. I am, however, aware of the community's concern that the film reinforces the misconception that indigenous cultures are "savage" or "a thing of the past."

During my academic career at CSUN, I gained an appreciation for the use of critical thinking. Estrada demonstrated to critical thinkers that it is worthwhile to have an accurate historical and cultural frame of reference in order to better understand ourselves as citizens of the Americas.

As a student of critical race theory and ethnic diversity in America, I find it ironic and outrageous that Mel Gibson implies he has the inherent authority to decide what "look(s) indigenous.” As a graduate of social science, I do not underestimate the powerful role popular culture takes in shaping perceptions of different cultures. I believe images of indigenous people in film should be portrayed accurately and respectfully.
Gibson chose to screen "Apocalypto" in an academic setting. It is reasonable to expect leaders of the academic community, as well as the Mayan community being portrayed, to raise valid concerns about the film’s depiction of indigenous people.

The fact that Perez, a dedicated member to the Mayan community, had his microphone shut off as he raised these concerns is analogous to the widespread silencing of indigenous voices throughout the history of North, South and Central America.

I encourage readers who are sincerely concerned about the issues facing the Mayan community to listen to the radio program, "Contacto Ancestral," which airs Monday evenings on 90.7 FM.

— Victor Espinosa, Santa Paula

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:23 AM

Impeach King George

It is time to impeach King George — President Bush. At least Congress should pass a resolution of censure. The man has done his best to violate his oath of office by taking actions to compromise or abolish the Constitution. I refer to the evil, malicious act titled the "Patriot" Act, which has nothing to do with patriotism.

The king lies every time his lips move. He has shown utter contempt for Congress, as so eloquently stated by Sen. Robert Byrd in his outstanding book, "Losing America.” More than 100 examples are presented by Byrd. Other books by the score have also detailed the impeachable offenses of King George. By one count, in one book, King George has committed more than 130 impeachable offenses since he was unlawfully appointed president by the Supreme Court in 2000. He was not elected in 2000. He was appointed by a 5-to-4 vote: five votes for dictatorship, while four outstanding justices voted against dictatorship and in favor of the Constitution.

The "Patriot" Act needs to go, too. It has been grossly abused by the FBI, the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Agency, the CIA and other executive branch agencies. We do not need it. We do not want it. It is a useless act aimed at controlling political dissent from law-abiding Americans. It is not being used to control terrorism. It is being used by these malicious agencies as a terrorist weapon against American citizens who have done nothing but disagree with their government and the king.

Congress should abolish the evil, malicious "Patriot" Act and introduce a resolution of censure against King George. It is time to head off this outrageous would-be dictator, before we really do have a dictatorship in this country.

— John Jay, Oxnard

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:20 AM

Comments (2)

Rio doesn’t value teachers

Re: Jarrel L. Fuller's March 18 commentary, “Teachers in Rio School District are not valued”:

Fuller scores a direct hit. I am a former Teacher of the Year in Rio. I have taught elementary school in the district since 1982.

I admire Fuller’s courage. Whistleblowers in most organizations are often treated harshly. It would have been easier for her to let the situation continue as is. It would be easy for others to dismiss her comments as those of a disgruntled employee or of someone who is exaggerating the situation. I, too, have witnessed firsthand the revolving door of teachers and administrators, having gone without a raise from the district for many years. Morale is very low.

I have two additional points:

— Our district has received enough money for a 23 percent cost of living raise for teachers from the state of California over the last five years, but exactly zero percent of that money has been passed to us. This is money that was in the governor's budget, approved by the Legislature and funded by the taxpayers. Last year, we gave ourselves a 3 percent raise, but we funded it ourselves using a retiree health fund. The district gave us nothing.

— Not only does Rio treat its teachers poorly, it does the same to its students. There is no school nurse in any of the eight Rio schools. The majority of campuses do not have a reading teacher to work with students who need some extra help. Some schools, including the largest one — Rio del Norte — do not have a counselor to work with children who have personal or family problems.

As Fuller says: All of this, and yet we can afford a new district office for $7.5 million and several new administrative positions.

— Michael Wittlin, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:14 AM

Democrats are wrong

Re: your March 23 article, “Democrats see growing support for Iraq deadline”:

Any clear-thinking person knows that setting a timeline for a withdrawal from Iraq is a failed policy because the terrorist opposition will simply wait us out.

The truth is that the Democratic Party has wanted us to lose in Iraq almost from the start. They have been obstructionist and dishonest all along. They call it "a failed strategy," saying that President Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction to lead us into this war, conveniently leaving out the fact that they voted for it based on the same intelligence.

President Bush has cited all along several important reasons for his strategy in Iraq, most importantly that a free, democratic ally in the Middle East will help defeat the fundamental Islamic hatred of the west by exchanging it with freedom and ending the brainwashing that breeds the hate.

This particular aspect is a real solution to radical Islam, yet I've never seen the merits of it debated. The left does not want Americans to focus on any positive outcome. They want the WMD aspect seen as the single reason for the Bush strategy. Can anyone say what the Democrats’ strategy for the war on terror is?

Alternative media sources that very few Americans access report many positives coming out of Iraq, and the Democrats are getting nervous. They waste time by voting on non-binding resolutions and now want to force Bush to essentially lose by placing a deadline into the spending bill as well as other non-national security pork.

In this extremely important time in history, Americans deserve better media coverage and more debate on all the aspects of the war, good and bad.

— Michael Pringer, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:07 AM

Comments (5)

Reform property tax system

A recent bulk mailing from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association suggests that a legislative "conspiracy" to reform Proposition 13 is afoot. What is not mentioned is that California's property tax system is unjust and needs reform. Warren Buffett made this point four years ago in advice to then-gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The taxpayers association claims that the current system benefits everyone. This is baloney. True, statewide average assessment ratios are about one-fifth of what they were 30 years ago; Proposition 13 is responsible, and this arguably is a good thing. However, a homeowner today who needs to move and exchange like-valued properties faces an uptick of two to four times in tax assessment. This is bad public policy and remains in jeopardy of a federal constitutional challenge, refund claims from which could be catastrophic.

I also think the proper comparison for deciding if someone is "benefiting" from the status quo is to compare, not with the pre-Proposition 13 system, but with an alternative, revenue-neutral equalized system. A buyer whose assessment is based on recently inflated market values will pay higher assessments for about the next 40 years under the current system than they would with the equalized system; this is not even considering the higher taxes paid for that duration. A buyer today is far worse off than they would be if Proposition 13 had simply fixed the assessment ratio to today's average of about 0.5 percent of market value.

Here's how to reform California's property tax system:

Equalize assessments over a five-year transition period, expanding existing policy allowing fixed-income homeowners to partly defer tax payments until sale. The key to a reformed system is controlling statewide revenue growth rate, rather than growth of individual assessments. Finally, put a modest sales tax — perhaps 1 percent — on  property sales transactions.

— Michael Gorder, Westlake Village
(The writer is the founder of stop13.org. — Editor)

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:51 AM

Mental health short-staffed

Re: Kathleen Wilson’s March 17 article, “Mental health windfall is problematic”:

Mental health professionals are needed to help staff the new programs being developed in Ventura County using the Proposition 63 funding. The Star’s article was a good beginning to helping the public understand the difficulty of getting the right staff for the new programs.

At the March 15 meeting of the Ventura County Mental Health Board's Older Adult Committee, members were informed that the county is still looking to hire staff for the Older Senior Outreach program and that two positions are open for the Crisis Team in Ventura.

Ventura County at one time had a model senior program that was discontinued due to staffing cuts three years ago. This is a new opportunity to begin service again to mental health clients 60 and older. There is a need for psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health associates and community workers. Anyone interested in exploring working with the new senior program can e-mail Bokchin.Fleming@Venturacounty.org.

— Irene Mellick, LCSW, Westlake Village
(The writer is the chairperson of the Older Adult Committee of the Ventura County Mental Health Board. — Editor)

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:43 AM

March 23, 2007

Just torture ‘em

President Bush wants the Democrats to accept his offer to have top aides speak about the firings of federal prosecutors only privately and not under oath. At first blush, this sounds completely stupid. But knowing how Bush thinks, I can only assume he wants the Democrats to use water-boarding and torture to get the answers they want.

While torture has no place in civilized society, the Republicans have opted for and are supporting this very idea. Thus, using torture on Karl Rove, Harriet Miers and their deputies seems only fair. They all agree this is how you get answers, and, at some point, they will talk. Who knows what else we might learn? What do you suppose Rove knows about Halliburton?

Looking back on the Monica Lewinski mess, I don't recall Ken Starr offering Bill Clinton the chance to forego the oath and just "tell the truth." Wait, there’s is a difference between talking about one's sex life and subverting the Constitution of the United States. Silly me.

— Jeff Jones, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 11:02 AM

Crack down on Time Warner

Re: your March 21 article, “Council unhappy with Time Warner service”:

I’m certainly glad that the Moorpark folks are trying to do something about the inadequate Time Warner cable service. I am not disappointed that the top regional executive lost his job over the transition.

I, too, have had issues with the way Time Warner handled the transition to their service. I contacted a couple of Simi city officials and was basically told that the city no longer has jurisdiction over the cable franchise. I ended up talking to a nice lady in the Time Warner Chatsworth office. She helped as much as she could, but I still find a general lack of a good customer service attitude by the company. It’s sort of “Take it or leave it, we’re just not going to help you much.”

I’ll ask that our city officials follow Moorpark’s lead and work a better deal with Time Warner.

— Jerre Reimers, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:42 AM

Reimburse taxpayers for strike

Re: your March 22 article, “Faculty at CSU agrees to strike”:

Isn’t it illegal for taxpayer money to fund a strike by public employees?

CSU and UC faculty and staff are state employees and members of unions with an iron grip on the state’s university systems and the state Legislature.

Our tax money is allocated to state universities to pay faculty and staff salaries and benefits — which are far more lucrative than those for taxpayers who on the hook for theirs. Millions more of our state and federal tax dollars are channeled to these systems via grants for various purposes. Students pay escalating tuition and fees to attend. Unlike private-sector employees, public university faculty and staff unions have iron-clad employment and pension guarantees.

If the faculty union strikes, the affected state university campuses stay “open.” But they are certainly not providing the services that taxpayers and students are paying for. And if university staff unions are planning to strike with faculty, that means no administrative services either.

Student organizations need to demand refunds proportional to any campus strike time, and taxpayers should contact their state and federal representatives to demand that any public funds earmarked for these campuses be reduced proportionately, should any public employee union attempt to strike. Taxpayers need to flex some muscle and demand an update of state laws.

— L. Page Shaffer, Moorpark

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:22 AM

Keep Fluffy inside

Re: your March 21 article, “Oxnard to give coyotes an earful”:

I could not believe my eyes. An answer to a coyote problem is air horns? Who are these elected officials? I am glad I am not a resident of Oxnard, seeing my tax dollars go to a "solution" that will ultimately disturb the peace of many.

A 12-year-old could see the logical solution is to tell Oxnard residents: "Cats stay in the house at night, and so does all pet food.” Whenever I hear of people letting their cat stay out at night, I am incensed. They wonder what happened to Fluffy when he doesn't come home.

Leaving a cat out at night is a death sentence. Coyotes, hawks and owls are all waiting for your beloved cat. Would people let a baby sleep outside at night alone?

And how does this brilliant solution work? Are homeowners supposed to sit outside all night, waiting with air horn in hand, for the first sight of a coyote with his eyes set on Fluffy? I doubt that these homeowners will be waiting in the back yard at 3 a.m. for the wayward coyote looking for a meal. I bet their fellow neighbors can hardly wait to be awakened in the middle of the night with a blast heard for half a mile. In this age of bending over backward not to offend people, can't the city of Oxnard be brave enough to slap the homeowners’ hands and tell them, "Fluffy sleeps inside" and "Nature is our back yard, get used to it”?

Wild animals have the same rights to be here as we do. It is usually our fault when they venture too far into "our" territory. Get over it, and get compassionate for your pet and our wildlife: Keep Fluffy inside, please.

— Barbara Collins, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:17 AM

Comments (2)

How do you spell ….?

In light of the recent Ventura County Spelling Bee, I thought the Pleasant Valley School District board might find these words helpful. I have used these key words in a sentence to help clarify the meaning.

Chaos: complete disorder and confusion. "Utter chaos has prevented the board from making informed, fair recommendations regarding school closure."

Impetuous: Impulsive, rash, hasty, reckless. "Impetuous decisions will have long-lasting implications in our school community."

Ulterior: beyond what is obvious, intentionally hidden. "You can't help but wonder if the board has an ulterior motive for closing schools, when this action will dismantle established educational programs and displace thousands of children."

Chasm: a rift, division, dissension, difference. "The chasm between board members, staff and parents will increase exponentially with the way they are proceeding with regard to school closures."

Debacle: failure, catastrophe, disaster, fiasco. "The school board’s attempt to close schools, increase teacher salaries and maintain educational programs has been a complete debacle."

Nepotism: the practice among those with power of favoring one group or individuals, preferential treatment, bias, partiality. "It will be interesting to see if nepotism will play a role in how the board will proceed with voting on school closures."

Grateful: appreciative. "I am grateful I work in a neighboring school district where teachers are adequately paid, have competitive benefits and diverse programming is offered throughout the district."

Recall: the removal of an elected official from office by a petition, followed by voting. This word speaks for itself.

Maybe we should sell tickets to this three-ring circus? The board meetings could be considered a district fundraiser.

— Dee Dee Resnik, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:08 AM

Get rid of school board

As a parent of a student in the Pleasant Valley School District, I have watched the school board make decision after decision with very little planning and preparation. In analyzing the issues, the only thing that is completely clear to me is that the whole process of school closures has been mismanaged from the very beginning. It has done nothing but leave parents, teachers and students angry and frustrated. This school board has managed to pit parents against teachers in a struggle where there will be no winners, only losers. We now have teachers protesting on sidewalks and parents keeping their kids home in protest. Our children deserve better.

As parents and teachers, we are not helpless in this process. I would urge all of the parents, teachers and registered voters to unite in making this the last term for each of these board members. These are elected officials who are entrusted to manage a school district with the goal of providing the best education possible to our children. This board should be replaced with people who understand the concepts of planning, preparation and, most of all, commitment to students and teachers.

As a community, we must demand more from our elected officials.

— Ryan Wright, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:05 AM

School isn’t just a campus

The Pleasant Valley School District is about to make decisions that will affect a number of students and families. The current discussions concern the possible closure of three Camarillo schools. Los Primeros Structured School is one of those schools considered for closure.

Los Primeros is an alternative school that has always been at capacity enrollment, with a long waiting list as well. The smaller K-8 environment has been a wonderful place for students to grow and succeed in a structured program that promotes individual achievement and personal responsibility. The academic success can be measured by the high test scores achieved year after year. The personal growth of each student is enhanced by the high expectations held by both the faculty and parents. Studies have shown that the smaller K-8 schools are able to achieve these undertakings because they are better able to meet the needs of their students with guidance, care and concern.

Los Primeros has also been able to make a difference in many students’ lives by providing enrichment — enrichment that has been lost through budget cuts. Los Primeros has its own educational foundation.

I was an active parent at Los Primeros for 13 years. For 10 of them, I served as an educational foundation board member, including four years as board president. During those years, the foundation made numerous upgrades to the school auditorium, including the professional light and sound systems that were installed to create the real theater experience.

The school board needs to consider all aspects of the educational experience. The school environment needs to foster academic success and good citizenship. It is also important that enrichment programs that help to create well-rounded students be given the opportunity to continue. The Los Primeros Structured School program and its facilities provide for all of these important elements.

— Eileen Maloney, Camarillo

Posted by Andrea Howry at 09:57 AM

Peace march a success

Re: your March 18 article, “County contingent adds its voice to L.A. event”:

The peace march in Hollywood was a resounding success. My husband and I walked down Hollywood Boulevard in solidarity with thousands of like-minded patriots to demonstrate against the war in Iraq and for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

The march was well-organized and friendly: Women, men and children of all races and nationalities walked and chanted for peace. Free signs and posters were available for anyone who didn't have their own, and police were available to protect us from the 20 or so pro-war protesters who yelled nasty insults at us as we walked by their street corner. We walked behind Laura Dern, and Jackson Browne smiled at me as I snapped his picture before he performed on the stage at the end of the march. Given the solemn purpose of the march, I was surprised at how much fun I had!

Information about upcoming pro-peace marches and events can be accessed at www.codepinkla.org.

Support our troops: Bring them home.

— Linda O'Connor, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 08:48 AM

Comments (2)

March 22, 2007

Living with dying

Re: Sylvia Munoz Schnopp’s March 18 commentary, “Assisted-suicide bill is dangerous”:

It is disturbing when people invoke the name of God to establish public policy. Many people believe that, without faith in God, morality will be absent. I have been asked: “If you don’t believe, how do you know what’s right and wrong?”

I went to Sunday school at home as a child. I learned what is right and wrong. The simple, nonreligious rule we all know, “Do unto other,s” is an excellent guide, but the real motivator is the conscience.

Schnopp, arguing against assisted suicide, wrote: “God has taken care of the dying since the world began, and we should leave that decision in his hands.” When a dying person is begging to be released from brutal suffering, we are prevented by law from helping. Is this the “care” God is providing?
People argue God has given us knowledge that enables us to keep a person alive longer, so we have to do just that. Could it not also be argued that God has given us the ability to help a sufferer gently depart?

People should consider carefully before they use their personal view of God’s will to tell everyone else what to do. Follow your own belief, and do what you feel to be “right,” but recognize that belief is not the same as knowledge. No one can prove or disprove the existence of God — hence the word “faith” — and no one can be absolutely certain about the specifics of God’s rules.

If, some day, I am confronted with an agonized and dying loved one pleading for death, I hope I’ll be allowed to do the right thing and be left with a hole in my heart and a conscience I can live with.

— Steve Phillips, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:47 AM

Where do values stop?

As a 68-year-old ex-lifelong Republican, I'm having trouble reconciling why family values don't stop at the Rio Grande, yet American values seem to have been stopped at the White House. Help.

— Gregg Anderson, Westlake Village

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:44 AM

Schools need real-life solutions

Re: Timm Herdt’s March 21 essay, “Are we asking too much?”:

Herdt's essay on California schools was very enlightening and informative. Having just retired after 30 years at CSU Los Angeles, I would like to add to Herdt's observation concerning the number of students accepted at either the UC or CSU schools. Entrance requirements, particularly at the UCs, have increased dramatically.

While California's population has increased dramatically over the years, the overall enrollment limits in the state college systems have either remained fairly constant or simply could not keep up with the population growth.

Case in point: CSU Los Angeles' student enrollment was around 20,000 when I started in 1978. It remains the same today. Given that CSU schools were designed to accept high school graduates who ranked in the upper third of their class, and given California's population growth since the late 1970s, the student population at CSU Los Angeles should have grown to accommodate the increase. It did not; hence, entrance standards increase, and/or the number of students accepted annually is kept relatively constant, thereby limiting growth.

Herdt asked Professor Susanna Loeb of Stanford University, lead researcher on the committee responsible for the report on California schools, if the academic standards were set too high. She responded that she did not make fundamental policy decisions. Why would such a committee be chaired by someone not in touch with the needs of those in the trenches day-to-day?

The health of the state's schools will not improve using theoretical models. It will take hard work, thought and planning. The practical implementation of federal/state standards will only be realized when teachers are well-equipped and supported by students who wish to learn, by parents who wish the best for their children and by legislators who wish to see this state and its population prosper.

— Richard W. Hurst, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:41 AM

Israel overcomes

Re: Sarie Bryson's March 19 letter, “Never again”:

Anti-Zionist rhetoric encouraged me to respond on this, the dawning of the Easter and Passover holidays.

We saw the way the Palestinians danced in the street when Sept. 11 occurred, although Yasser Arafat tried to block the cameras. We have seen and heard of bomb factories; shipments of arms confiscated that were headed to Arafat's headquarters; rocket factories; homicidal and suicidal-belt factories; children's textbooks that teach hatred of Jews; and that it is OK to murder people.

When someone wants to convert to another religion from Islam, according to Islamic customs, this is reason to put a person to death. Those who want peace with Israel are unable to express their views openly, as they are not safe. Jewish people I have met came from families who were situated all over the landscape of the Middle East. However, due to fanatical extremists, they fled. Had tolerance been in place, there would be many Jewish families still living in Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc.

The money the United States, other countries and the United Nations have given the Palestinians has not been used to better themselves. Via the Oslo accords, in exchange for peace, the Palestinians were allowed to come back to the land Israel had won from them during the war. United Nations staff and journalists are being kidnapped in the Palestinian areas.

Moses led the Jewish people from being slaves in Egypt to the promised land, which gave them freedom as well as codes by which to live. Israel has flourished. Through technological advances, which they have developed and shared with the world, they have changed a land that was barren into a land flowing with "milk and honey.”

I look forward to celebrating Passover and the state of Israel.

— Sharon Miret, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:38 AM

LNG today’s nuclear power

Re: your March 17 editorial, “Risks of LNG require review”:

The editorial headline is reminiscent of the 1970s and the discussions regarding nuclear power. Opponents of nuclear were absolutely positive that we would have widespread devastation if nuclear power plants were allowed near San Luis Obispo or Oceanside. Of course, nuclear power is a proven source of electricity that does not pollute the atmosphere, and you seldom hear concern being expressed over Diablo Canyon or San Onofre nuclear plants.

I believe the opponents of liquefied natural gas terminals will never be satisfied with studies and reports that support the industry. By calling for never-ending studies, they will cause “paralysis by analysis.” The technology of LNG is as proved as is nuclear power.

The main question remaining is whether the BHP’s Cabrillo Port plan for a floating terminal is superior to the Clearwater Port plan to take an oil-producing platform — Platform Grace — off line and convert it to a receiving facility for LNG. Platform Grace is 12.5 miles offshore.

Somehow, the thought of congressional hearings on LNG safety gives me a headache. If history repeats, you can be sure that such hearings will result in more grandstanding and posturing than in fact-finding.

— Jere Robings, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:34 AM

A new way of learning

Re: your March 21 article, “Discovery Center concept outlined”:

The magic and memory of learning comes to kids hands-on, when they can see, touch and feel. Learning opportunities are not only in books but in experiences and through bright and curious eyes. I am always seeking ways to make learning exciting, meaningful and memorable for my students.

The Science Center will provide a rich resource for students as well as their teachers. It will be a wonderful and exciting place for all of the local communities in our area. The Los Angeles Science Center is just too far and too difficult to take children from our area to given current budget limitations and gas prices.

We need to make this dream a reality for the children of today and future generations of tomorrow.

— Sandi Cantor, Thousand Oaks
(The writer is a kindergarten teacher at Parkview Elementary School in Thousand Oaks. — Editor)

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:18 AM

Another tourist attraction

Thousand Oaks has a great potential for growth in the tourism market. We currently have in place theaters, gardens, historical museums, restaurant clusters, an abundance of hotel rooms and a soon-to-be-expanded regional shopping mall. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is our playground, and the beaches are only minutes away. Located midway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks is a great home base for tourists to take day trips to visit many of Southern California’s top attractions.

In cities around the world, science centers are listed as “sights to see” in tourism guidebooks and Web sites. The development of a hands-on science center in Thousand Oaks will be a major tourism magnet to attract families into the area. Science centers are great places to learn while families have fun interacting together. A science center in our neighborhood will benefit visitors, area businesses and people of all ages who live in our community.

— Catherine Fudurich, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:17 AM

Open doors to science

Our community has such a family-oriented, wholesome appeal that many families choose to live here. Having the Discovery Center here would be another plus for everyone in the community. The center will be a real boon to furthering education of all ages in the sciences. Our country is seriously lacking in people choosing a higher education in the sciences, thus leaving us with a need to hire from outside our borders when jobs are open in the sciences. Having fun learning experiences with respect to science in the younger years could open the eyes and minds of many of the young people of the Conejo to a future in a science-related field.

— Margy McDonnell, Westlake Village

Posted by Andrea Howry at 10:16 AM

March 19, 2007

Where’s Kobe?

Re: your March 17 Sports article on Page C3, “Kobe’s 65 leads overtime win”:

After the last game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trailblazers, I expected to see on the front page of the Sports section a color picture of Kobe Bryant in all kinds of body gyrations like the ones I've seen in the past. It's been seven losses for them, and they finally won a game! Come on! Kobe shoots 65 points from everywhere on the court, between arms and bodies of the Trailblazers, and he still makes the shot — three-pointers at that. I found a ho-hum picture of him on the third page of the sports section. I'm disappointed.

— Carol Lindsey, Ventura

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:29 PM

Protest march inspiring

Re: your March 18 article, “Thousands march in protest”:

It's inspiring to read about Ventura County citizens and members of ANSWER — Act Now to Stop War and End Racism — rallying together for a march and voicing their opinions about the war in Iraq. As the saying goes, "United we stand, divided we fall." It is great that individuals are uniting and taking a stand for what they believe in when it concerns an issue that has recently divided Congress and the presidency. Where the voices of our elected representatives have failed, perhaps the voices of the individuals that make up this country will succeed.

— Jason Hellebrand, Newbury Park

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:22 PM

LNG brings too much risk

California is the land of earthquakes, wind and fire. We do not need a polluting liquefied natural gas facility to start a horrific fire here in California. Who wants to see their family and friends burn?

The Republicans and their big business friends do not care about the health and safety of the people. Their greed knows no bounds.

— Patricia Standring, Agoura Hills

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:17 PM

Comments (1)

Spy or not, Plame was at risk

Re: Joe Laraneta’s March 15 letter, “Plame was analyst, not spy”:

How does Mr. Laraneta know this? Does he have inside information? Maybe it's a matter of definition, but to me the use of the word “analyst” suggests someone who is safely ensconced in a Washington, D.C., office. Valerie Plame operated as a covert agent outside the United States without the benefit of legal protection as an official of the U.S. government. This may not have qualified her as a “spy,” but it certainly put her and whomever she handled at risk if her cover was blown.

This is not fresh news, although it was brought up again during Plame’s testimony before Congress. This information was repeatedly disclosed throughout the investigation.

— Martin Parker, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 01:13 PM

Torture discredits confession

Re: your March 16 editorial, “Busy terrorist or a blowhard?”

This editorial about the so-called confession of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed surreally fails to notice the one thing the entire world knows for certain about his statement: It was obtained under torture and is therefore inadmissible in any civilized legal system.

Mohammed has been held in secret CIA prisons literally for years and has just now appeared in what passes for public sight at Guantanamo. Whatever he was up to before his capture — and I don’t doubt he was in fact a major figure in the al-Qaida network — his confession now is unreliable for any legal or intelligence purpose. Some of it may be true, some almost certainly isn’t. And whatever else he’s to blame for, the fault for that is not his.

To characterize Mohammed’s admission of responsibility for an unbelievable variety of actual and prospective crimes as “empty boasting” suggests against all evidence that making this statement was somehow his own idea. To ridicule him for apparent ignorance of “the right against self-incrimination” displays a willful and sadistic blindness to many public assertions by those commanding his captors that detainees have no rights.

Possibly The Star has managed to fool itself, but I doubt its bizarre pronouncements will fool many of its readers — certainly not this one.

— Lorella Thomas Hess, Thousand Oaks

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:52 PM

Comments (1)

Honor whistle-blower

Re: your March 17 article, “Walter Reed whistle-blower hopes to keep his Army career”:

Army Spc. Jeremy Duncan told a congressional subcommittee that the conditions in his room at Walter Reed Army Medical Center were "unforgivable."

"It wasn't fit for anybody to live in a room like that," he testified.

Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., said he was amazed that Duncan didn't plan to retire from the military.

When I read this and other questions by congressmen to a wounded soldier, I ground my teeth so hard I almost broke a tooth. Why? Because we have elected some people to Congress who can sit on their duffs and ask stupid questions and not go and check out their constituents. Our elected leaders should also have to spend some cold nights at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial covered by a thin blanket so they can get their moral compasses back where they belong.

I bet if they had asked for help to try to refit the building they would have gotten expert volunteers in throngs. Americans support their military.

The young man who brought this to light should be thanked and honored, as the path of the one who has to do the right thing and report is not easy.

If the congressmen asking the stupid questions retire, they get quite a deal. This young man would not.

— Maria M. Hagman, Moorpark

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:41 PM

Gallegly takes right stance

I want to thank Rep. Elton Gallegly for standing firm in support of our troops and winning this war and not joining the nonproductive posturing of those who want to wave the white flag. How can they pass a nonbinding and probably unconstitutional resolution that tells the whole world that we want to surrender?

We know politicians often shoot off their mouths just to get media exposure, but the Democrats and a few white-flag Republicans are trying to weaken the U.S. position in Iraq — and America's standing in the world — by raising doubts on our commitment in Iraq without advancing an alternative. Congress has the luxury of spending time debating and "commenting" without deciding. The president doesn't have that luxury.

Distressing, also, is the "slow-bleed strategy" put forth by U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. The Murtha plan intends to block further relief and reinforcement for American troops, leaving them exposed and unable to succeed. What kind of a message are the Democrats sending to our men and women on the ground in Iraq? Our troops are the ones who are going to bleed from his diabolical plan.

We didn't seek this war, but we are fighting for our way of life, our freedom and our future. Europe has already surrendered to Islam. Will we be next? If the Democrats have their way, the answer is "yes."

John Stuart Mill put it best:

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

— Peggy Sadler, Simi Valley

Posted by Andrea Howry at 12:31 PM

Downside of moving school

With great interest, I watched and listened to the Pleasant Valley School District board discuss the issue of school closure March 15.

I must address a comment made by t

Blog: LettersToTheEditor

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« February 2007 | Main | April 2007 »

March 30, 2007

Sparks fly over Circuit City

Loyalty vs. competence

War is a responsibility

Jones rewrites history

Gang membership and jobs

Full historical survey needed

Time Warner stonewalling

Benefit denied

Pets need better care

Israel fine, policies aren’t

Nothing fishy about tuna

March 29, 2007

Energy a real-world issue

Mission anniversary is Saturday

Tower out of character

Too old for pet cats

Good guys wear Dodger Blue, too

‘Ballet of heavy equipment’

Kathy Long’s red herring

Bus transfer fiasco

Too young for HPV vaccine

Shifting responsibility

Casitas suit wastes money

Test scores out of context

Politicians can’t run a war

Enough policy failures

March 28, 2007

One for the toad

No place for a high-rise

What don’t we know?

Waste and ignorance

Fee increase ‘very real’

Sentence too lenient

Mural is insulting

Don’t mess with Victoria

Open our homes to the poor

Israelis aren’t Nazis

Senate wouldn’t remove Bush

Furthering education

More cable woes

No reason for bonus

Isolation is the answer

March 27, 2007

Maybe it will happen

Stealing kids’ lives

Let kids find self-worth

Imagine life without SOAR

Fish don’t need $9 million

March 26, 2007

Downtown shuttle empty

Neutralize insurance firms

Link LNG, nuclear power

Adams Canyon a losing deal

Stick to the facts

Officers underappreciated

A true ‘welcome home’

‘Apocalypto’ deserved criticism

Impeach King George

Rio doesn’t value teachers

Democrats are wrong

Reform property tax system

Mental health short-staffed

March 23, 2007

Just torture ‘em

Crack down on Time Warner

Reimburse taxpayers for strike

Keep Fluffy inside

How do you spell ….?

Get rid of school board

School isn’t just a campus

Peace march a success

March 22, 2007

Living with dying

Where do values stop?

Schools need real-life solutions

Israel overcomes