General Electric and the death of American outrage

If there was a funeral notice, I missed it. No obituary appeared in any of my daily papers. But make no mistake about it: In the spring of 2011 in the United States of America, our collective sense of moral outrage must now be officially dead.

Poisson d’avril

Hopefully, everyone reading this column successfully made it through another April Fool's Day. It is difficult for me to have any serious conversation on the first day of April because I'm always worried that I will be made a fool in the end.

America's energy future

Across the country, American families and businesses are feeling the impact of higher gasoline prices. But while some politicians may claim they have a quick fix, the truth is that in the years to come, prices will continue to go up more than they go down. There are only long-term solutions.

Let the buyer beware

Those of us who have been around the block a few times will remember the last time gasoline hit $4 per gallon a new industry sprang up. Drivers could buy magnets to attach to fuel lines to allegedly boost a car's gas mileage by 20 or even 30 percent.

Gadhafi — the mad dog who trumped the world

Every American should look at Libya through the prism of the 1988 Pan Am 103 terrorist bombing that left 270 people dead. Moammar Gadhafi - the man whom Ronald Reagan called the mad dog of the Middle East - ordered an attack that killed mostly American civilians in a bombing over British soil. Yet rather than be beaten by more powerful nations, he lived to crow about it.

Putting work in perspective

The tragic death of Costa Mesa city worker Huy Pham after jumping from atop the City Hall building last week - hours after receiving a layoff notice - should serve as a wakeup call. In these depressing economic times, everyone needs to remember that our jobs are not who we are. That might seem like a simple concept, but it isn't. Our culture is centered on ambition and "The ...

Joining Uncle Sam’s team

Three plus years ago when I left the Navy, I remember thinking "I will never tell anyone to join the military." I thought the only thing I learned from my five years in the Navy was that I could accomplish a lot without having to deal with the rigors of military life.

Nuclear power is the only realistic future energy source

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami which ravaged Japan last week were unqualified tragedies.

How fragile the solid earth is beneath our feet

Geology has surely been in the news lately, with the price of petroleum moving relentlessly upward, a threat to global economic recovery because oil is so central to industrial society the world around.

It’s not my fault

The hearings that will determine whether eight current and former Bell city leaders will stand trial for misappropriating more than $5 million is a prime example of the "not my fault" mentality that has become commonplace in America today.

Let the market dictate smoking policy

I have a confession to make: I used to be a smoker.

The fight to teach freedom

Of all the jobs that American citizens might do, and of all the careers for which they may train, only one profession is constitutionally protected. The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech and of the press; and by "the press", they meant journalism.

Hello and goodbye, governors

Dear governors, welcome to Washington! We are delighted you are visiting us for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting this weekend.

New low for scammers

On Saturday morning, I received an e-mail from my cousin, informing me that he – while on a family trip to London – had been mugged and effectively left for dead.

Putting the children first

Every couple believes in "happily ever after" when they're in love. As they plan their future together, the thought of separation never enters their minds. But all too often, one or both partners will one day decide the best course of action is to go their separate ways.

Renewing Turlockers’ civic virtue

On the Stanislaus County website, there reads a thought-provoking saying, "Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in."

Common sense scores two wins up in Sacramento

Big Valley Christian High in Modesto wanted to build a press box for its football field.

Roads can wait; Turlock has tougher problems to tackle

I have been a resident of Turlock for 13 years. During that time I have had at least two tires go flat and multiple bumper scrapes due to the poor state of our city's roads. Despite my own personal run-ins with Turlock's famous pot holes, I must respectfully disagree with those Turlockers who feel that the state of the roads should be a priority for city officials. Please allow me to plead my ...

What’s next? Ban on plastic straws, dime for paper ones?

The cost of shopping in San Francisco is going up Oct. 1.

Big Brother on the road

Tougher fuel efficiency standards have the potential to turn our freeways and highways into havens for potholes. The Congressional Budget Office is projecting a $57 billion loss in federal gas tax funds through 2023 due to the new federal fuel efficiency standards that have just been adopted. The revenue reduction - roughly 13 percent less than what was originally projected just a year ago - will also impact separate gas tax collections for ...

Get rid of the death penalty, get rid of plea bargains

Recently, editorial page editor John Diaz asked Mark Klaas whether he expects to feel closure if California executes Richard Allen Davis, the man who kidnapped, toyed with and then killed Klaas' 12-year-old daughter, Polly, in 1993. A jury found Davis guilty and sentenced him to death in 1996. From the early days after Davis snatched Polly from a Petaluma slumber party, Klaas has been a highly visible advocate for strong laws to protect ...

Everyone, not just 53%, pay federal taxes

Teachable moments: Don't expect them from politicians - or their hacks - whether they are Republicans or Democrats. The flap over the comments that 47 percent of Americans don't pay income tax and that nearly half the population receives government benefits is a perfect example. First off, we all pay federal taxes and a lot of them. The most visible of all taxes are income taxes of which 53.6 percent of ...

Getting a handle on stress

Stress is a part of life; how you deal with it is what matters. This axiom seems simple enough, but recognizing when stress is overwhelming us and then actually taking steps to reduce its affects is another matter. When it comes to stress, I am an expert at dealing with true emergencies - I can handle fires, flat tires and criminal acts without breaking a sweat - but the daily pressures of life ...

A Food, Farm and Jobs Bill as soon as possible

After spending much of August out of Washington, Congress is back – and rural America is watching closely, hoping for passage of a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill as soon as possible. With farmers facing the worst drought in decades this summer and the current Farm Bill set to expire on September 30 of this year, time is running out for Congress to act. You and I both know the stakes couldn't ...

SB 9 puts lives of criminals above safety

A few things to consider before voting on Prop. 34

Your son and his 16-year-old best friend are celebrating the fact he just got his driver's license.

Reviving the power of questioning

With the 2012 Presidential Election just around the corner, the American public is caught in the midst of a torrent of propaganda. As the popular trend of politicians fashioning their own facts abounds, folks here and around the nation encounter the same issue: what are we supposed to take to heart? I think the newer generation is hit hardest by this difficult decision. They're the most impressionable, having only recently been exposed to ...

Customers put to work

Walter Reuther - a labor leader if there ever was one - was once given a tour of a modernized Ford assembly plant.

Democrats honor labor with exception of farm workers

Honor labor.

Getting more out of each gallon of gasoline

It's commonplace to observe that we live in very partisan times. Red versus blue factions dominate our public discussions, and there often seems very little room made for agreement in the middle.