Archive By Section - Columnists
Fix the budget breach
Yesterday, June 15, 2008, was the deadline for the California Legislature to constitutionally pass the state budget. Legislators have now missed their obligation for the 21st straight year. It's the "government work" syndrome. Once Article IV, Section 12 of the California Constitution was breached with no repercussions or public outcry, than the breach became an acceptable norm.
Happy Father’s Day to SCV’s fab dads
Have you hugged your father today? Did you call? Send a card? Write a note? Today's the day to honor the many dandy dads in the SCV. My dad taught me to drive, taught me which wild plants that were safe to eat, taught me to think for myself, taught me how to ride a horse and taught me about honor. I miss him.
Congressional finger-pointing won't ease the pain at the pump
On Sept. 19, 2001, then-Fed chief Alan Greenspan, former Clinton treasury secretary Bob Rubin, and Bush economic advisor Larry Lindsey met with congressional leadership to detail the economic fallout from the horrific attacks perpetrated eight days earlier.
I now pronounce you 'Party A' and 'Party B'?
The English language is about to lose two more words. On June 16 at 5:01 p.m., say goodbye to "bride" and "groom." It is at that moment that the state of California and all of its 58 counties will change the official State Marriage license. No longer will you see the words "bride" or "groom." When I married decades back, I was the groom and became the husband. My wife was the bride and became ...
Global warming myths — what's the harm?
Last fall, a U.K. high court judge ruled the global warming film "An Inconvenient Truth" could be shown in schools, but it contains nine scientific errors. Thirty-five errors were exposed by Lord Christopher Monckton, a policy adviser to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in his document entitled "35 Inconvenient Lies."
My father, my buddy: Wish you were here
Every year on this Sunday, as well as on most every other day, I say a quiet thank you to the extraordinary man who was my father.
A salute to fathers ... and sons
This year, my Father's Day came early. Sunday, June 8 was a beautiful, almost-summer day. Our family - my wife, Kate, sons Peter, 10, Will, 8, and daughter Kathryn, 6 - and I decided to spend the day at the beach with our friends, the Simpson family. We met at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach. The surf was running a nice 2-4 feet, the water was a warm 64 degrees and the beach ...
Evidence unclear on global warming
Well, our friends the Democrats are at it again. On the same day that the Dow Jones industrials dropped almost 400 points, the jobless rate rose to 5.5 percent, and gasoline prices in California jumped to $4.50 per gallon, U.S. Senate Democrats were busy gathering votes to increase taxes so they could save us from the effects of global warming. In case you haven't heard, legislation known as the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act was pulled ...
The ‘Friday the 13th’ incident
My wife and 4-year-old son think I'm crazy. Today is Friday the 13th, a day that rains bad luck on some people, and I don't want to discover that the air conditioner in my house broke again. I don't want to "accidentally" turn up dead. Even worse, I don't want to find out that TCM is canceling its cable programming. Therefore, on this Friday the 13th, I'm staying clear of bad news and bad luck. ...
Path cleared for grand new day
All of America owes the Democratic National Party a deep debt of gratitude. That's because, after a tough campaign and much soul-searching, Democrats have said, "Yes we can!" and have shut the door on dynasty politics.
Disrespect for America is a growing business
Maybe it's an election year, but America-hating still seems to be very popular these days. In recent weeks, it's Barack Obama's ex-Pastor Jeremiah Wright of the Trinity Christian Church spewing his disgust for America.
But nobody walks in L.A.!
So maybe you've heard that gas prices are pretty high these days. I guess I was in a state of denial until last Sunday, when I went to my favorite gas station to fill the family van. While diligently cleaning the windshield and checking the tires, I almost didn't notice the pump meter passing $50, then $60, then $70 for my fill-up! I was in complete amazement when the pump finally clicked off at $76.13.
Plastic bag tax hurts families
There is no debate when it comes to the importance of recycling in our state, and the need for all Californians to do our part to reduce littering. But Assembly Democrats have taken the push to encourage more recycling to a new extreme by passing a misguided proposal that will force grocery stores to charge their customers a new tax of at least 25 cents per bag on all the paper and plastic bags they use to take groceries home.
Hit one out of the park for Boys & Girls Club
Where's the June gloom? It seems to me that the weather for the SCV Boys & Girls Club Auction is historically "warm!" A Night on the Diamond for Boys & Girls Club
Gas prices: Who’s to blame?
Psychology defines an addiction as a state of being enslaved to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. Observing Washington, one would think that at any given moment some pol might explode into a shivering, sweaty bout of honesty with no eye to grandstanding if "business as usual" became business as it ought to be.
Articles by Section - Columnists
Frank Ferry:Live from City Hall
The city of Santa Clarita's annual Teen Scene Unplugged is back, but with a new name and theme for local teens and parents.
Tim Myers: A decline in enrollment hits the SCV
When we moved to the SCV in 1996, the big educational news of that time revolved around over-strained elementary and secondary school facilities.
Danny Tyree: Taking a break from the pollsters
According to a Politico story titled "GOP Looks For Answers," the National Republican Congressional Committee is taking major steps to prevent a repeat of the misleading poll results that embarrassed the party in the 2012 election cycle.
Joe Guzzardi: The Gang of Eight backs off amnesty
The Senate's notorious Gang of Eight, a small cadre of amnesty advocates who hope to pressure Congress into passing disastrous immigration reform legislation, has developed a new game plan.
Alice Khosravy: Signs of life emerge in California GOP
Each year people across the country wait for Groundhog Day and hope that spring will come early.
Steve Lunetta: Dirty deeds done for dirt cheap
One of the strangest songs ever written by the Young brothers and Bonn Scott was a little ditty that talked about a gentleman who was willing to do anything for a small fee.
Gary Horton: Helmets may not be cool but staying alive is
Just put a lid on it!
Kevin Buck: A Whig and a prayer for understanding
From the early 1830s until 1852 - when they refused to re-nominate Millard Filmore, their own incumbent president - the Whig Party was a dominant political force in America.
Steve Lunetta: Obama's new folly
The irony is astounding. The sequestration plan that appears to be a machination by President Obama's White House is now coming back to haunt him big time.
Edward Headington: Last call to release the Kraken!
Apple pie, "Bye Bye Birdie" and Beverly Cleary are all things most Americans would admit to liking. You could also throw in DVRs, shorter commutes and the warm-and-fuzzy title of the proposed "Clean Water, Clean Beaches" measure before county property owners.
David Hegg: Ethically Speaking
For several years between my graduate studies and my first ministry position I was in the corporate world. Providing for my family while serving as a lay minister meant being immersed in the world of business. I owned and ran a small business, transitioned to a home office marketing position in a multi-state financial institution, and ended up as a sales manager for a national company.
Donna Brazile: Demand to know, 'Where's the beef?'
In an iconic commercial, two old ladies, after looking inside a nearly empty hamburger bun, demand of the hapless fast-food clerk, "Where's the beef?" The phrase expresses outrage at false advertising - pretending there's something of substance in the sandwich when there's really nothing there.
Laurene Weste: Live from City Hall
One of the hallmarks of our city is its commitment to sustainability, state-of-the-art recycling and diversion programs, and community support to work together for the environment.
Tim Myers: A lesson in the industry of self preservation
I would commend to anyone with an ironic sense of humor the cable TV series "Portlandia," from the minds of Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Carrie Brownstein of indie music fame.
Helen Harwood: SCV Voices
I do wish sometimes that some of your regular contributors to The Signal's Letters to the Editor would spend less time writing unsubstantiated clichés and more time reading up on economics.
