Archive By Section - Columnists
Dads have earned our admiration
My father worked hard to support six children - to send us to private school, contribute to our college costs and pay for all five of his daughters' weddings.
How DO you get your name in the paper
They're a puttin' on extra shifts at the ol' Great Bend Rumor Mill. Talk about job creation and a recovery. Granted, they may be low-wage, part-time jobs with no benefits. But, hey, we can't be too choosy in these tough economic times. The mill might even qualify for some sort of tax abatement. From corruption allegations to who sold whose house to whom, to "look who is in jail," we here at the Tribune have ...
Obama said he'd resign if he was Weiner
HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody? President Obama said Monday he'd resign if he had a scandal like Anthony Weiner's sex scandal. He shouldn't tempt the fates like that. If the unemployment rate goes any higher, some guy is going to snap a picture of him in the shower and post it on Facebook to save the country. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords posted photos of herself on Facebook Sunday that showed her smiling, beautiful ...
Juvenile 'justice' often misses the mark
My local paper carried two stories the other day that underscore the tragic state of the criminal justice system - not just here in California, but nationwide.
We are all getting robbed
Some of the best TV in America comes and goes too quickly. This past year we enjoyed the short lived FOX police drama, "Chicago Code." The show featured the battle for police resources in a city run by corrupt politicians with little more desire than to milk the system for perks, money and power. However, we didn't expect to watch its sequel as a reality horror show on the nightly news. The specter of mobs ...
Double standard is hard at work in D.C.
A recent Newsweek/Daily Beast survey found that the majority of Americans are growing increasingly angry with the circus act taking place in Washington. And how could they not be?
How low can it go?
HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody? The White House reported worsening statistics on employment, manufacturing and home sales Friday. No one knows how much deeper the recession will get. The latest poll shows that most Americans would still vote to reelect President Obama, if only out of morbid curiosity. The Labor Department announced Friday that only 54,000 jobs were created in May. Half of those jobs were McDonald's jobs which resulted when the ...
Middle East 'policy' has to change
President Barack Hussein Obama is instructing our only staunch allies in the Middle East to risk destruction at the hands of one of the most radical terrorist organization in that troubled area, and he must be stopped before some of the world's holiest historical sites are closed to the tens of thousands of pilgrims who visit them every year.
Look for the good in American life
Memorial Day is a time for reflection about the sacrifices of the many men and women who gave it all so that we could enjoy the blessings of Liberty.
We're terrified to take time off
"Ah, summer has arrived, which means the wife and I won't be taking any vacations again!"
We have to fight for the light -- still
I had to put my newspaper down the other day after reading an article about six brave soldiers who recently joined the ranks of the "forever young" after an improvised explosive device went off in Afghanistan May 26, 2010.
Stop thinking about speanding
HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody? Congressman Anthony Weiner allegedly tweeted a below-the-waist photo of an aroused man in his underwear to his followers and couldn't deny it was a photo of himself. Of course it was him. For decency's sake, Democrats need to keep their pants on and their cellphone cameras off whenever they're alone in their office looking at a spending bill. The White House was revealed Tuesday to have doubled ...
Summer's in the heart, not on calendar
Forget the almanac. And the calendar. Forget whatever the weatherman or the newspaper or the next-door neighbor with the hair growing out of a mole shaped like the state of Delaware on his nose told you. The true worm-hole opening to summer is not the upcoming solstice on June 21; it's the last Monday of May, Memorial Day. Memorial Day: when the world alters unalterably for every kid and teacher across the land. By now, ...
Americans could have used that money
HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody? FEMA asked Congress for $2 billion in extra aid money due to tornadoes, flooding and blizzards. The need makes foreign aid look silly. There are five states in the Midwest who would've gladly housed bin Laden if they knew how fast that would get you $3 billion in aid. McDonald's chairman Jim Skinner refused calls to fire Ronald McDonald at the company meeting in Chicago Friday. He ...
Pizza man moves up GOP food chain
Herman Cain is quickly moving up the Republican presidential food chain. Just weeks ago he was virtually unheard of. Now, after a stellar debate performance, and several headline-grabbing statements, people are beginning to notice the talk show host from Atlanta. Herman Cain is fiscally conservative, talks a tough talk, speaks truth to power, and has never held an elected office - something many people count as a plus. His main claim to fame up until ...
Articles by Section - Columnists
How Banning Three Useful Words Undermines Immigration Reform
On April 2, 2013, the Associated Press announced amendments to its style book, effectively banning the use of the word "illegal" to describe a person as in "an illegal immigrant." This announcement was followed by similar pronouncements from other news sources, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Denver Post.
More ‘flap’ over IRS audits
HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody?
Mister, Mister
Here's a little game I invented the other day after phoning the water company to complain about my bill and hearing an overly-chipper woman say, "Hi, Peter. How may I help you?"
Father’s Day: Can It Survive?
My son Gideon (age nine) assures me that he will be a good father someday, but will that be an empty accomplishment? In another 20 years or so will there even be a Father's Day?
How Darrell Issa Undermines the GOP’s IRS Issue
Quick: someone call a chiropractor for California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. He's overreached so far his arm may separate from his shoulder. Even some key figures in his party are suggesting he needs an adjustment. F-a-s-t.
You’re being audited, no joke
HOLLYWOOD--God bless America, and how's everybody?
The Games Behind the Olympics Games
Washington, D.C., is in the grip of scandals, the economy is stumbling and a host of other challenges are weighing me down - which is why I prefer to dwell on more obscure subjects, such as a battle raging behind the scenes over the 2020 Olympics.
Obama and the Media: Biting the Hand that Feeds Him
Since the Obama administration has confessed to spying on journalists at the Associated Press and Fox News, have you noticed there are more stories about the Obama scandals in the news?
What Is a Journalist?
As amateur news hounds gain power and influence through social media, the definition of "journalist" has ripened for philosophical debate. But now it's becoming a legal issue – one that could hamper efforts to protect the news profession at the very time federal lawmakers are awakening to the need to do so.
