The future is scary if we expect government to solve all problems
      In the Aug. 2 T.O. Acorn editorial ("Anti-smoking laws have a dark side"), it says, "If Americans continue to expect government to protect us from ourselves, freedom itself is at risk." I agree, and further contend that all laws have a dark side.
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Anti-smoking laws are an absolute necessity
      Regarding the editorial in the Aug. 2 edition of the Thousand Oaks Acorn titled "Antismoking laws have a dark side," I wish to speak for the estimated 50,000 Americans who die each year from smokingrelated diseases but who never smoked.
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Disputes should be settled by HOAs as a last resort
      Regarding Southern California homeowners associations, a development's "two dog maximum" should be advertised on the realtor's lawn sign and printed in bold under house listings. While "55 and up" community advertisements are clear about the age requirement, perhaps HOA's could go one step further and screen prospective homeowners for animal affinity.
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Golden rule is best
      What heartless people serve on the Lake Sherwood HOA? Shame on them. Mr. Wear keeps Sophia, the dog with inoperable cancer, in his home 24 hours a day, where she'll remain until she crosses the "Rainbow Bridge." Thus they only have two wellbehaved dogs.
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Geography lesson
      I get my municipal, state, national and international news from the L.A. Times , but I live in Westlake Village, and the Acorn's letters, often amusing, give me just about all the purely local news I need. The Aug. 9 issue is a case in point: some issues are trivial, if meaningful to some (e.g.
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It's a pipe dream that hydrogen is a viable solution
      Mr. Puls' letter extolling the virtues of using hydrogen is a gross distortion of its potential to replace hydrocarbons- - gas- - as a fuel for the car-crazy American public.
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Mansionization plan must be defeated twice
      I'm happy to inform the community of a Thousand Oaks planning commission decision at the July 23 meeting. They voted to deny the applications to subdivide 0.75 acre and build two huge mansions on rural Rancho Road.
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Let's get rolling on Home Depot
      As a retired contractor and my wife's personal handyman, I've looked forward to having a new Home Depot store nearby ever since the rumors started that it was coming.
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Public speaker should stick to comedy
      I don't think that John Bravo can be characterized as an antiSemite. He fought in World War II, and, thanks to his service, many Holocaust survivors are alive today.
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