Archive By Section - Editorial
Christmas choices
Right around now is when people start fretting over creches in the public square and arguing as to whether publicly funded Christmas symbols violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. And right about now is also when certain Jewish groups begin insisting that the answer is to place a Hanukkah menorah right next to that creche, which leads atheists to complain about a plague on both their houses. Years ago I was ...
Hefty parental issues
Is your kid overweight? Be careful, the "state" may just come after you as a bad parent. I weighed 285 pounds at the start of seventh grade as a 12-year-old. If I was in Ohio and it was 2011, bureaucrats hired by the state could use that as a reason to remove me from the care of my mother. That's based on Ohio's decision to remove a 9-year-old boy who weighed 200 pounds from his ...
Handmade, heart felt
In my hope chest at home I have five dresses that my aunt hand-made for my daughter when she was little. Even though my daughter is now a grown woman, I will keep these dresses from her childhood as keepsakes - with the hope that they will eventually be passed down to her daughter one day. I thought again of these dresses when I was interviewing Barbara Cameron of the Turlock Quilt Guild ...
'Tis the season to spread the spirit
The luminous lights that set the nights aglow, coupled with individuals' newly sparkling spirits, have once again emerged this holiday season. While reminiscing on the success of our 2011 Christmas Parade, Turlock teems with activity as its residents rush to finesse the perfect pudding recipe, learn the new Christmas carols, and locate the smartest sales for shopping. But there is some truth to be found in writer and reporter John Clayton's words, "Just ...
Smart phones make a lot of folks dumb in public settings
Alec Baldwin got kicked off an American Airlines flight. He was not following FAA safety protocol by turning off all electronic devices as the plane was idling at a gate at Los Angeles Airport prior to take-off. Baldwin saw no harm in the fact he was playing a word game on his cell phone. So he threw what Grandmother would probably have described as a hissy fit. It's a term that best describes immature, bratty, ...
Ignorance is not bliss
Death is hard to deal with at any age, but when growing up, the passing of peers can leave a lasting impression. Every December the tragic death of one of my high school classmates is always brought to mind. This classmate not only made my small Indiana school aware of how precious - and often short - life can be, he also shattered the prejudices that were all too common in those days. ...
UnOccupy LA
Los Angeles is no longer occupied. After two months of Tent City across from City Hall, the LAPD finally moved in after midnight on Wednesday to disperse those who remained after multiple warnings. All told, some 300 Occupiers were arrested by the 1,200 police officers who conducted the final eviction. Later that morning, sanitation workers arrived in protective gear to clean up the 30 tons of debris left behind. Once that's done, the farmers ...
Count your blessings
The residents of Turlock have one more thing to be thankful for this holiday season - they don't live in the city of San Fernando. If news of the Southern California city's scandalous affairs hasn't reached you yet, then here's a recap: - The police chief is on leave for having sex with a cadet; - A police dispatcher was caught exposing himself; and - A council woman was accused ...
Pension reform will free up dollars for schools
Recently, Governor Jerry Brown unveiled his state worker pension reform proposal to the public. He presented a plan that, at least on paper, is a good start, ending the worst abuses in the system and requiring future employees to more equitably share in the cost of retirement benefits. It is a good sign that many of the ideas the Governor put forward are ideas ...
Not quite Mayberry
My brothers dared me to do what they caught Jeff, a young kid from across the alley, doing one day.
Holiday survival tips
In the next few weeks, the Journal will be running a series of stories intended to help readers survive the holiday season. From gift buying guides, to decorating ideas and entertaining tips, these stories are meant as a tool for getting the most out of the season. However … I thought it might be helpful to offer my own holiday survival tips as a reminder of what is really important. Tip #1) ...
A balanced budget: Certainty in our economy and accountability in government
Our country's national debt exceeded $15 trillion this week. Our debt has now tripled in the last 15 years and is set to surpass our total GDP for the first time since World War II. This week, Congress had an opportunity to ensure a brighter future for our kids and grandkids by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment failed and once again, Congress failed to take an opportunity to enact ...
What would happen if we stopped voting?
Did you vote on Nov. 8? If not, you weren't alone. According to Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Lee Lundrigan's office, there were 50,982 ballots counted in the final election results. In a county of 514,453 people, only 227,278 are registered voters, and only around 50,000 people actually voted in this election.
Give smartly this holiday season
If the red and green decorated retail stores, the Christmas-themed movie marathons and the ever-present holiday music piped in at every store in town hasn't cued you in yet, then let me say it straight out - the holiday season is upon us.
Turkey sticker shock
Have you checked out the price of turkey lately? You can thank Al Gore. Actually you can thank Gore and the Midwest ethanol subsidy lobby consisting of Republican and Democrat lawmakers alike. Gore was the leading cheerleader for ethanol as the elixir for all that ails America when it comes to energy. He led the charge to put in place ethanol subsidies. The end result: Ethanol gas that is not cost effective and has ...
Articles by Section - Editorial
How the Grinch stole prosperity
For years, the folks of Weneedjobsville believed in Santanomics. They waited faithfully every year for jobs to drop out of the sky but none ever did. Then, private sector elves working with public elves started building the framework to help Weneedjobsville grow more than houses. The jobs and shopping opportunities started coming. The folks of Weneedjobsville were joyous. "It may stop us from going overland to Hightechland in a Bonneville in exchange for a ...
Guilt isn't always a bad thing
I'm not usually one to prattle on about the supposed deterioration of society. It's my belief that only those over 40 exhort the "good old days" and they do so in an effort to avoid any change. I don't know if it's because I turned 40 last month, or that society has actually started its downward fall, in either case, I'm going to give my first "good old days" tirade. When I was ...
Environmental perfection claims another 118 jobs
Clean air, or perhaps more precisely, environmental perfection is the killer of blue collar head-of-household jobs in the San Joaquin Valley. The 118 men and women who are about to lose their paychecks at one of Lathrop's most high profile and longest employers - the Pilkington flat glass manufacturing facility - are the latest victims. Sixteen years ago it was 220 workers at Manteca's Spreckels Sugar plant. In both cases, each manufacturer had spent ...
Google Glass may do for eye sight what iPods have for hearing
Remember the good old days? It's when TVs required vacuum tubes and about the flattest they got was three feet deep. Meanwhile the screen was the size of a moderate-sized tablet and, if you were lucky, produced a relatively clean black and white image devoid of snow. Now TVs thinner than a book dubbed "The Wit and Wisdom of Congress" adorn the walls in many homes. They are often larger than the screens that ...
New report highlights the need for a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill
This week, the White House released a new report showing the critical need for Congressional passage of a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill. This comprehensive report highlights how the thriving business of agriculture is a cornerstone of America's economy, creating jobs and boosting opportunity. Agricultural production and its related sectors contributed $743 billion to U.S. GDP in 2011, accounting for nearly 5 percent of economic output. Today about one out of every 12 jobs ...
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