Maybe Mickelson needs a new accountant

Well here we go again. Phil Mickelson said he made $47 million and paid 62 percent in taxes. Hey. Phil, you have the wrong accounting firm working for you or not working that hard. Take Mitt Romney. He makes $20 million and only pays 15 percent taxes. Yes, he has a house here in California. Take Tiger, Jack N., Arnold P. - they live in Florida. Just saying.

Letters: King and Schopenhauer, two great minds

Dear Editor: A special thank you goes to The Signal for publishing comments of my two favorite thinkers - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Arthur Schopenhauer - from time to time in the section titled "The Still Small Editorial." Yes, every now and again, these two brilliant thinkers get some of their thoughts thusly published in The Signal, and I cut them out of that newspaper and mail them to my brother Mike, ...

Letters: Phantom phone calls

Dear Editor: Like the King of Siam, I have a puzzlement. Maybe a Signal reader can help. Every couple of weeks I get a peculiar telephone call on my AT&T land line. It is during the daytime when I'm oftentimes busy. I hastily turn off the burners on the stove, or the iron, or race in from outside. But when I pick up the phone and say "Hello," there is nothing but silence. Then in ...

Letters: Manti Te’o — Victim or scapegoat?

I cannot believe the publicity that this kid (Manti Te'o) is getting for this alleged hoax. I really criticize the news media for giving this subject more coverage than the attack of the Benghazi Consulate back in September 2012. As far as I can see, there has not been a crime committed, so drop it. Why are you wasting so much time on this insignificant issue? If it's true and he was a major player, ...

Be afraid of the executive order

Vice President Joe Biden is hosting hearings on gun control that are said to include all concerned parties, including the National Rifle Association. I think this is all wonderful, and I am sure the NRA gave the vice president a good listening-to. But let's face it: everything has been said before and nothing enlightening will come of this extremely short process except what is desired ...

Get real about gun violence

How I wish Jane Hills was right ("Video games, movies are the problem," Jan. 16). Wouldn't it be fabulous if removing violent video games and violence in movies would solve our gun violence rate? Sure, there might be some First Amendment issues, but we could work around that. Sadly, Canadians, Swedes, Germans and all the rest of the developed nations share the same games and movies. Their death by firearms rate is much lower than ...

Stand up now for gun regulations

One cannot escape the gun debate. It's in the press, on the radio and on television. I hope you will continue reading if I tell you that I am for the president's proposals, but I am fearful they will not be enacted. I'm fearful because we may, and I hope I'm wrong, have some cowardly people representing us in "red states" that are more worried about their political futures than they are about what is ...

Movie mayhem: What does it say about the consumer?

For whatever reason, 'tis the season for some ultra-violent movies in release: "Hansel and Gretel" (please don't confuse this killfest with the original fairy tale), "The Last Stand" (with the retired Governator), "A Haunted House," etc.

It’s about earned success, not handouts

In the long run, giving people things for free is just as destructive to their own happiness as taking things from them.

Pause and notice the good news around you

Let's get off the subjects of politics for a while. Let's talk about some good news. Home and condos are up by 12.8 percent in the San Fernando Valley, which will definitely affect the Santa Clarita Valley, which is a better valley! Won't that be nice that the trend is changing for the sellers' benefit. Good news! They have waited a long time for this turnaround. There has been a drop in foreclosures, which sank ...

Letters: Really, NRA?

Well, here we go again. The National Rifle Association wants to have armed guards at every school in the USA.

Letters: Enough talk on banning all that’s potentially harmful

In response to "Video games, movies are the problem," Jan. 16: Ban everything! I've seen too many articles pointing the blame at video games. I'm no hardcore gamer, but I enjoy a game from time to time. Drinkers enjoy a drink from time to time, sometimes they get behind a wheel and kill someone; let's ban drinks! Using a cellphone while driving and kill someone? No more phones! Choke on a water in a water ...

Richard Myers: Churchill’s definition of members of Congress

I was just thinking about some of our Washington politicians when it suddenly occurred to me that an Englishman, not an American, came up with the best definition for certain members of Congress.

Peg Hurley: Common-sense regulations are a necessary good

The president doesn't want your guns, folks - settle down. He, and the majority of Americans, want your assault rifles and more public protection regarding the sale of deadly weapons. In short, common-sense regulations for the gun industry. We live with common-sense regulations that limit our individual liberties every day, and the Republic still stands. In the interest of public health and safety, we need a driver's license to take a dangerous vehicle out on ...

Vote yes on gun bills

To Congressman Howard McKeon: As one of your constituents in Santa Clarita, I urge you to vote yes on the common sense gun safety bills that will be presented to the House of Representatives in the weeks ahead. There has never been a better time for the United States to consider how best to protect the people of this country without destroying the Second Amendment. As head of the House Armed ...

Fuel efficiency

Yes, many cars in Europe of the same make and model have higher mpg ratings than their U.S. counterparts. The U.S. and Euro testing standards differ, as do the tuning specifications (such as fuel/air and ignition timing, computer mapping).

Pick a day and stop mail delivery

In my humble opinion, the only way the U.S. Postal Service will survive is to STOP service one day a week. The question we all should be asking is not whether to stop service one day a week, but which day of the week.

Jesus as a Democrat

I would like to respond to Kevin Buck's column "Jesus Would Be a Liberal Democrat" (March 20, 2013).

Too much help through traffic

Can anyone explain to me why it takes a minimum of five sheriff's deputies to greet Lindsay Lohan at curbside and escort her to the courtroom?

Insurance and personal responsbility

Charlie Vignola takes a page from Stephanie Cutter's playbook in blaming Republicans for the bad health and eventual deaths of his parents.

SCV Voices: Tips for avoiding theft

Editor's note: On March 19, The Signal published a story about a woman whose wallet was stolen by someone hiding beneath the racks of a clothing store while another person distracted the victim. Following is an edited version of readers' postings on the online version of the story.

What do you think Jesus would do?

In response to the column "Jesus would be a liberal Democrat" (March 19), it's always easy to use, or misuse, Jesus to make a political point, although good taste dictates against it.

Wake up and see the altering demographic

In Mr. Patton's piece "Red states should be careful what they wish for" (March 22), his conservative critique of liberalism is as fact-free and unsupported as nearly all conservative points seem to be today.

Turn off your light for gun control

After a great many conversations and debates about gun control, there are still a great many members of Congress bowing to the NRA lobby because they want to protect their political futures more than they want to protect us against gun violence.

Driving in Santa Clarita: Some rules of the road

While driving in Santa Clarita I have noticed some techniques that appear to be unique to the culture here.

Some more equal than others

I used to live in Santa Clarita. I moved to the Bay Area about nine years ago but still check in on The Signal occasionally.

Taxes and the Left

Compulsion against peaceful citizens is immoral. Likewise, extracting taxes for activities that benefit some citizens, but not others, is also immoral.

Time to halt smoking on restaurant patios

White House tours

The tours of the White House have been canceled by the President. How dare he do such a thing?

Miles per gallon

There's talk I've heard that Ford, VW & other carmakers make engines for cars in Europe and other countries that make upwards of 60 mpg. They are however not allowed in the U.S. Imagine the benefit to students and low-income families if they were allowed here.