Archive By Section - Columnists
There’s poison in the pot — folic acid fortification
I got an urgent call from my Uncle Earl the other day. He wanted me to come over immediately. Earl is the relative that every family fears at gatherings - loud, opinionated and eats all of the guacamole. Then, he polishes off all of the onion dip. But, as coarse as Earl can be, he is often right and worth listening to. So, my curiosity piqued, I went over and saw Earl.
Don’t put seniors in harm's way
We need housing for our growing senior population. That is why state law allows local jurisdictions to forgo some of their planning rules about hillsides, water supply, and other issues that normally would be a concern. This is fine - our community wants good, safe housing, close by, for our seniors to live in. But "safe" should always be the operative word. Our parents and grandparents have worked hard for many years to benefit our ...
McCain’s unintentionally funny campaign mailer
There's one thing I just love about being a registered Republican. It seems I'm on every mailing list from every Republican candidate whose shadow has ever darkened our valley, district, state, or nation.
Blackwater’s San Diego facility demands attention
Blackwater Worldwide, one of the largest private military contractors in the world has opened a base of operations in southern California under questionable circumstances.
Hart High Class of 1968 to reunite
This is a blatant attempt to coerce folks to spend some money for a good cause - themselves.
Even as the Obamas ascend, stereotypes persist
Contrary to popular and delusional thought, African-Americans - to be politically, not culturally, correct - do not comprise a monolithic camp, with twin charlatans Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson tag-teaming the role of Moses, and Cornell West manufacturing cerebral arms.
‘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, ...
Articles by Section - Columnists
Peter Funt: Steal this video
Back in 1971 when the hippie revolution's Pied Piper, Abbie Hoffman, authored "Steal This Book," he got the very outrage he sought. Thirty publishing houses rejected it and, when the book finally came out, more than a dozen newspapers refused to print ads to promote it.
Kevin Buck: It's been a long and winding road
Over the course of a lifetime I have observed, joined, written about and learned much from political battles.
David Hegg: Ethically Speaking
The existence of evil in our world has been the grounds for some of the greatest questions we humans ever ask. Why did tragedy take the life of someone so young? Why did a stray bullet hit an innocent bystander? Why did my father die of Alzheimer's?
Kathryn Lopez: Abortion law ramifications frightening
In the face of the darkness that befell Newton, Conn., there has been an expectation of something more, but it doesn't have to do with legislation. Father Peter Cameron, a Dominican priest, preached to the families gathered at St. Rose of Lima Church there the Sunday after the school massacre about the hope that he saw in them.
Timothy Myers: What I like about the SCV
The die for the Myers clan is finally cast. This past week we made an offer on a home in Irvine, California.
Joe Gandelman: Why Mike Rice had to go
Retired professional basketball coach and former basketball player Phil Jackson once said: "Not only is there more to life than basketball, there's a lot more to basketball than basketball."
Marsha McLean: Live from City Hall
Santa Clarita's rich Western heritage takes center stage each year at the city's acclaimed Cowboy Festival. This year marks the 20th annual event, which attracts more than 10,000 visitors each year from all over the country and beyond.
Tom Purcell: Financial responsibility Obama-style
Get this: President Obama has proclaimed April as National Financial Capability Month.
Danny Tyree: R.I.P. Roxanne
Most likely, by the time you read this, one of my dearest family members has either died of natural causes or been euthanized.
Joe Messina: National Day of Prayer supports the SCV
An estimated 400 Santa Claritans will participate in the 2013 National Day of Prayer. This is the ninth year that an event has been hosted in our valley and I have served as its chairman.
Cary Quashen: Help for today, hope for tomorrow
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month, and this year's theme is "Help For Today, Hope For Tomorrow."
Ken Blum: Is bad news good news?
It's the most common reader complaint, heard throughout the history of hometown newspapers. Benjamin Franklin got an earful as publisher of the Philadelphia Gazette. You probably heard it yesterday.
Steve Lunetta: Faith-based discrimination at CSU sites
Have you ever been driving in a car and find yourself drowsy? We've all done it.
David Hegg: This is why discipline matters
Our English language has many words whose forms remain the same even though the context changes their meaning.
Tim Myers: An older person's journey
Nate Silver, the sage oracle hero of all number-crunchers like myself, recently posted several fascinating blog entries about polled attitudes on same-sex marriage and the changes in those attitudes since 1996, when Congress enacted and President Bill Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act.
