Archive By Section - Columnists
McCain masters political comebacks
In the 1992 Democratic New Hampshire primary, while drafting a concession speech to massage a draining eight-point second -place finish, Clinton speechwriter Paul Begala concocted a line that maneuvered the Gennifer-Flowers-draf- letter-drenched Bill Clinton into the primary's seeming winner. By spinning a second place finish that had actually fizzled from a 2-point lead on Jan. 19, according to a Boston Globe poll, into the magical circus tent voila of "the comeback kid," the Clinton campaign ...
Judging the judges for June 3 election
Hold on, Santa Clarita, there is another election on the horizon! I was scanning over my ballot earlier this week thinking about whom I am voting for in the June 3 California Primary. Though it is considered by many a rather ho-hum nothing election, there is a great deal at stake in two weeks. Your participation in this upcoming election is really very important. First, the easy choices:
Remembering our heroes in the SCV
I'm glad those few days of scorching weather are behind us! However, I know that August will bring those triple digits back in full force, but until then, I'm enjoying this rainy, cool weather. Ahhh!
Vigilance + water = lives saved
Few news stories are as heartbreaking as those involving children drowning. California's leading cause of accidental death of kids under 5, drowning is profoundly tragic on several levels. It needlessly cuts precious lives short, and in the case of survived near-drownings, can lead to brain damage or other life-changing deficits. It frequently leaves aggrieved families blaming themselves for not preventing the catastrophe from happening in the first place. What a sad, miserable legacy that must ...
What are we doing for Memorial Day?
It's almost Memorial Day weekend, and my family has nothing to do. Last Sunday, I asked my wife what she wanted to do. She said she didn't know. I asked my 4-year-old son what he wanted to do. He also said he didn't know. The two of them asked me what I wanted to do. I said I didn't know. The next day, I left a voicemail for some family friends, asking if they wanted ...
Polluted water shouldn't count
In 2000, after our comments were dismissed, the Friends of the Santa Clara River challenged the Castaic Lake Water Agency in court for overstating the water available to Santa Clarita for existing residents and new development in its Urban Water Management Plan. Four years later, the court finally came to the conclusion that we were right, and that the water agencies had not made the issue of contaminated water clear in their plan.
The times, they are a changin’
It is difficult to believe that only eight years ago the Democratic Party was being relegated to the political scrap heap and Republicans were speaking in terms of wielding power for generations. It is amazing
We need fiscal reform, not education cuts
At City Hall last Tuesday, a huge crowd joined in a rally supporting the Santa Clarita Valley Education Coalition. They were protesting Governor Schwarzenegger's estimated $4.8 billion proposed reduction in education spending. Statewide, there have been many of these public outpourings ever since the governor issued his 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts in January. Among the group were school board trustees, teachers, students, parents, business owners, city officials, school district employees and superintendents. In Santa ...
Summer arrives early in the SCV
While it seems that summer has arrived with guns a-blazing in the SCV, we were fortunate to have the best weather I've ever experienced for Taste of the Town on May 4. Let's hope that June gloom returns ASAP! Seen at Taste of the Town
Staying connected in the event of an emergency
With Southern California being home to not only movie stars, but earthquakes and wild fires as well, it is imperative that residents throughout have the means to stay informed in the event of a local emergency. The city of Santa Clarita is constantly preparing for any possible disasters and has recently launched a new addition to the city's Emergency Notification System that will allow residents to update their own contact information through the city's Web ...
Pressure is on: L.A.'s Special Order 40
I had the pleasure of attending the Ignacio Ramos/Jose Compean Fundraiser, earlier this month at the Skirball Cultural Center. The fundraiser for imprisoned U.S. Border agents was a sell-out. I was delighted to see many Santa Claritans there who contributed the $25 per ticket to see Chris Burgard's Border, the spellbinding movie about illegal immigration, revealing the plight of those who illegally cross the border.
Support federal Wilderness Bill to preserve SCV
In my teenage years my parents decided to move to Los Angeles. Having seen the beautiful beaches of Santa Barbara and the luscious trees of Beverly Hills in soap operas, I was expecting to be blown away by California's nature.
Oh, to be a cool, hooker-rolling thug
Like bloodthirsty spectators at the Colosseum in ancient Rome, many Americans today seek their jollies through carnage and depravity. But instead of lions and slaves going at it for the crowds, now it's violence and titillation-steeped virtual reality video games. One new "adventure" game that has captured the retail marketplace is Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV. A financial blockbuster, it has raked in a whopping $500 million in its first week alone.
A short history of Hillary’s lies
"Hillary has always been a liar - why all the fuss about her sniper kerfuffle?" Why, after a lifetime of lying (oops, excuse me - misspeaking), is Hillary Clinton's whopper with respect to her Tuzla airport landing creating such a stir? I suppose the real question is: Why, all of a sudden, is the media exposing her mendacity when they have buried it on every previous occasion? The answer is quite simple - she's running ...
It's a bird, it's a plane ... it's dad!
Family men are action heroes. We face a horrible, treacherous nemesis, far worse than other super heroes must face. We must stand up against the dreaded Domestic Gremlin, a creature not seen, but one that endangers our precious domesticated lifestyle, causing kitchen appliances to malfunction, allowing critters and other unsightly creatures to enter wife- and kid-inhabited living quarters.
Articles by Section - Columnists
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.
