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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami which ravaged Japan last week were unqualified tragedies.
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.
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.
I have a confession to make: I used to be a smoker.
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.
Dear governors, welcome to Washington! We are delighted you are visiting us for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting this weekend.
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.
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.
Give us your garbage, your hardcore felons, and your air pollution.
I am in the midst of planning an extended family camping trip - a venture that will, hopefully, include at least six different households and bring cousins together for more than just a few hours of chit chat. Family reunions and get-togethers are nothing new; it's been an American tradition for decades. The trouble I'm encountering is getting my family members to commit to a date that is far enough in the future to ...
Sarah is frustrated.
Sugar taxes are not about health.
What did the San Joaquin Valley do wrong?
The success of food banks is based on relationships in local communities with individuals, faith-based organizations, retailers and food service businesses -just to name a few. Additional partnerships with food producers and processors assist with sourcing local, fresh foods that can be provided to needy families. Some of these relationships have innovative roots, and fairs are an example of that.
Whenever I travel back to my hometown in Indiana, the first thing I notice as the airplane makes its decent into Indianapolis is the vast swath of green that seems to cover the entire state. You don't realize how few trees actually grow naturally in California's Central Valley until you see an aerial view of Midwest lushness. Tree climbing is a mandated childhood activity in Indiana and no house has fewer than three ...
Why are deer getting killed by a car crossing the freeway?
The rapid approaching of another school year raises an idea that has unfortunately been buried beneath years of disregard. Writer and social critic John Ruskin put it well with his eloquent remark: "The entire object of true education is to make people not merely do the right thing, but to enjoy right things; not merely industrious, but to love industry; not merely learned, but to love knowledge." No doubt, it is quite ...
Like many people around the world, I am a fan of science fiction. The genre asks the question "what if?" and then allows for an infinite number of answers. What if is fun to ponder, but a new scientific development - and the implications of its usage - have me wondering, should we? It's always fun to watch classic science fiction movies that portray the future - which is usually close to the ...
I have never met Joseph Greenwood. By all indications, the 18-year-old Ripon High graduate is a solid citizen with a great attitude. The former wrestler and track athlete is also a fighter. Joseph is being treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Joseph - and others like him - are the reason I set aside a three-hour block of my time every three weeks to donate platelets. Platelets are critical in fighting leukemia, ...
The year was 2009 and the Temporary Public Arts Committee had just obtained a $10,000 loan from the City of Turlock to launch the "Sunny Side Up" project. The committee, chaired by local attorney Axel Gomez, planned to put 24 fiberglass eggs that stand 4 feet tall around downtown Turlock. Each egg was to be decorated by a different artist, chosen by individual sponsors. The Turlock Downtown Property Owners' Association partnered with the ...
Want to see the future?
This week, we continued to see historic levels of drought grip much of our nation, impacting thousands of farm families. Although the hard work and innovation of our producers has fueled a strong farm economy in recent years, President Obama and I understand the major challenges this drought poses for American agriculture.
Imagine being sick with a life-threatening disease. Most of us would want access to as many medicines as possible - including the full range of proven treatment options.