Archive By Section - Columnists
‘If I Had a Hummer (I’d Sell It in the Morning)’
According to certain psychologists, the automobiles we drive may be interpreted as expressions of how we view ourselves, or would like to.
Welcome to summer in Santa Clarita
It's been a crazy June! Where was the gloom? Well, we are past the summer solstice (June 21) with the longest day of the year - now each day will start to get shorter until winter solstice (Dec. 21).
Becoming sustainable, a step at a time
'Sustainability" is our latest buzzword. But sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It is a great opportunity for companies, cities, and individuals to explore fantastic avenues for self-sufficiency, creating a healthier environment, and increasing profitability.
‘News briefs’ from the Picarella household
Parents suspect two 4-year-olds are an item Earlier this month, teachers and students reported that my 4-year-old son and one of his female classmates were dating. "The two of them were caught together in the tunnel slide sharing a moment of passion," said a teacher, who asked to remain anonymous. "It seems they were sharing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, something they're both passionate about." Both my 4-year-old and the girl denied the alleged ...
Democrats are putting us on a tax roller coaster
I used to like roller coasters. When I was a kid, we could ride for hours and not be fazed one little bit. On one visit to a thinly-attended Disneyland, we rode Space Mountain 17 times in a row. Seventeen times. On a full stomach.
Year-round fun in your backyard and beyond
'Tis the perfect summer for camping. The Great American Backyard Campout, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, is coming up Saturday night. Last year more than 42,000 people participated in this low-key introduction to camping. Recipes, packing lists, nighttime wildlife guides and more are available at www.backyardcampout.org.
Messing with Mother Nature, and paying for it
Don't mess with mother nature." This common colloquialism, often said with a knowing chuckle, becomes all too real and serious after major storms such as the current flooding in the Midwest. These rains were unusual but not unprecedented, with similar flooding occurring as recently as 1993.
Developing the idea of county reform
It is a little more than six months since I asked the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to convene a convention of stakeholders to discuss fundamental county government reform. During that time many have asked me what I propose.
One drop of blood in every gallon
After an absence of 36 years, the big Western oil companies are back in Iraq. You might have missed the news story last week. A very big thing, but announced without fanfare for reasons of "sensitivity and security." Thirty-six years after losing their half-century-old Iraq oil concession, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Chevron, and British Petroleum are again returning to Iraq to service that nation's war-crippled oil industry. Back in the day, these "majors," as they are called, ...
Don’t trust a gambler this fall
We the electorate cast our votes for those running for office for various reasons: Often, our votes are issued in support of ideals; to promote specific issues; in response to a positive public relations campaign; or even simply by what our gut tells us about a candidate. Often, especially in American politics, some of the electorate cast ballots as a vote against an opposing candidate as well. This "negative vote" may help defeat a candidate ...
Same-sex unions: Yes, they will hurt marriage
Defenders of the same-sex marriages that began this month in California have repeatedly claimed the new definition of marriage will in no way hurt male-female marriages. Even the state Supreme Court decision paving the way for these June weddings declared its move would not deprive any male-female couple "of any of the rights and benefits conferred by the marriage statutes."
No June gloom for you — how hot will it get?
It's been a scorcher in the Santa Clarita Valley the past few days. I just returned from a vacation on Whidbey Island, Wash. where the high temperature averaged 57. It was a brutal return to reality and a nearly 50 degree temperature difference when I landed at the airport in Burbank. SCV Boys and Girls Club Auction
Russert's death a tragic loss
Tim Russert's sudden cardiac demise is tragic on many levels. He'll never experience another Christmas, tailgate party, Buffalo Bills game, or Springsteen concert alongside his adored son Luke.
Extreme neighborhood makeover
Neighborhoods. They are the fabric of our society. Who can't remember his or her neighborhood growing up, and most likely the names of the families who lived in the houses on that block. Ask any kid how far of a walk it is to his or her best friend's house, or where's a great place to ride bikes, and chances are you'll get a precise answer.
School's out for summer -- do you have your passport?
Local teens looking for something to do this summer may only need to look as far as City Hall to find not only a fun public transportation option but also a list of local businesses that are providing discounts. The city of Santa Clarita's Transit division has teamed up this summer with local businesses to offer students a Summer Bus Passport for the month of July. The Passport is a new student bus pass with ...
Articles by Section - Columnists
Peter Funt: BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag
MONTEREY, Calif. - They don't ask "Paper or plastic?" around here anymore. Single-use plastic bags are banned, and stores offering paper are required to charge the stiff price of 25 cents per bag.
Kevin Bayona: The world is safer because of U.S. troops
This Memorial Day was a day of reflection over the sacrifices made by millions of America's greatest warriors who are still fighting for America and each other after nearly 237 years. So now let's talk about how America's warriors will continue to play a significant role in global geopolitical affairs.
Joe Gandelman: Terrorists: Not just failing to connect the dots
Gary Horton: Time to trim some public and private fat
Through their anti-Obama, obstructionist regime, Republicans have at least done one thing right - they have attuned Americans to waste in government spending.
Jason Stanford: Cheating on standardized tests commonplace
Atlanta wasn't an isolated incident. Neither was El Paso, or Washington, D.C., or Columbus. A new General Accounting Office report demonstrates that cheating by school officials on standardized tests has become commonplace, despite the use of security measures the report recommends.
Tina Dupuy: Apple could pay for Moore — and more
Investigators say due to some creative Ireland-based tax gimmicks, Apple has managed to keep $75 billion away from the IRS's reach just in the years 2009-2012.
Tom Purcell: Men, get a wallet
What to get for the contemporary male who has everything? The Man Bag.
Susan Stamper Brown: Truth floats despite tyranny on the Potomac
rogressivism thrives best when truth is suppressed, but suppressed truth is still truth.
Steve Lunetta: Understanding the true cost of freedom
pulled out the paper this bright Monday morning and started reading. Of course, I have my bagel with strawberry cream cheese, oat bran cereal and tall glass of orange juice at the ready. I know how to start my holiday day.
Rick Jensen: Shades of Richard Milhous... Obama
The cover-up is worse than the crime. The crime is so heinous it requires a cover-up.
John Kiernan: What's a real scandal?
I have watched the radical wing of the Republican Party do everything they can to obstruct Obama and his administration.
David Hegg: What's happening to the U.S.?
Increasingly a very simple question is becoming part of our daily conversation. "What's happening to our country?"
