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
Rick Jensen: Obama sequester two-step
Watching from the cheap seats, Obama's "Sequester Two-Step" is quite entertaining. While not nearly as graceful as Charles Durning's classic political footplay in "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," only fellow Democrat Bob Menendez puts in a better performance of the beleaguered innocent these days.
Kevin Korenthal: The politics of pain
I am often stunned when I hear people, some of them friends, confess that they do not follow politics.
Cher Gilmore: Just say no to Keystone XL tar sands pipeline
More than 50,000 people traveled to Washington, D.C., from as far away as California on Feb. 17 to demand that President Obama block the Keystone XL pipeline and move forward on climate action.
Phil Kerpen: Government spending hurts people
We should not accept the statist premise that most government spending helps people.
Tom Purcell: Are humans getting dumber?
The report said people are getting dumber - at least I think that's what it said, but the big words kept throwing me off."
Diana West: Setting the record straight on Joe McCarthy
Freshman Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is just the latest in a long series of public figures to be reviled for "McCarthyism" following his recent questioning of Chuck Hagel, President Obama's nominee for secretary of defense.
Joe Guzzardi: Obama pushes amnesty
After President Obama left for a three-day Florida golf vacation that included a round with Tiger Woods, the White House announced his latest immigration plan.
SCV Voices: From SignalSCV.com
Editor's note: On last Tuesday's Kevin Buck column "Straw men live in glass houses," one poster on SignalSCV.com asked the question, "In your opinion, what are the five biggest problems America faces right now?" Here are some responses from his fellow posters.
David Hegg: What makes right, right?
I recently met a man who was the epitome of post-modern thought in that he did not believe in absolute truth.
Tim Myers: No money, no county
I love history. I plan to purchase the Blu-Ray of the recent film "Lincoln" and rewatch certain key scenes 100 times in a row, unapologetically.
Bob Kellar: Live from City Hall
In Santa Clarita, the arts influence our community's quality of life. Without even realizing it, the arts act as an economic driver - creating and supporting jobs, generating revenue and serving as a cornerstone of the tourism industry.
Steven and Cokie Roberts: Voting reform
"Obama's proposed voting commission under partisan fire from both sides."
Alice Khosravy: California is at bottom for business
Just a few short days ago the lanterns fell, bringing an end to Chinese New Year season for 2013.
Joe Gandelman: America’s poop deck politics
It's the ultimate stomach turner: how Carnival's 893-foot-long cruise ship Triumph, along with its 4,200 passengers, was stranded due to a fuel engine leak for five days with no food, little water and few working bathrooms.
Kevin Bayona: China's rise is challenge to U.S.
The start of the 21st century has brought with it an avalanche of international problems such as war, economic recession, nuclear proliferation, and rising global competitors. Although all these issues merit individual attention and consideration, I think the unrelenting rise of China presents the largest and most significant global challenge to the United States.
