We have been fed the narrative, by the press and governments, that a terrorist dwells in the desert, shouts “Allahu Akbar” as he haphazardly fires his AK-47, and has advanced from hijacking airplanes to overrunning countries. The terrorist we imagine is dressed in attire appropriate for the desert. Running parallel...
Overdue Change to This Law Will Help End California Exodus
The state of California is at a crossroads. Everywhere you look, you can’t escape the political or economic turmoil that makes you feel like the Golden State is at a breaking point. Whether it’s the pandemic recovery, housing crisis, or our state’s abysmal business climate, the citizens of California are...
Carbon Fees? You Might Be Surprised by Latest List of Supporters
Here’s a climate quiz question: What do these influential people and organizations have in common? Elon Musk, the National Ski Association, the League of Women Voters, Fetzer Winery, Trout Unlimited, the Carnegie Institute of Science, the World Bank, all four living former Federal Reserve chairs including Janet Yellin, the Miami...
Opinion: We Must Remain United to Really End Fresno Homelessness
The nationwide homeless crisis has existed in Fresno County for many years and only worsened throughout the pandemic. To effectively address homelessness communitywide, both in the metropolitan and rural communities, partnerships between local governments and community-based organizations must continue. Without these partnerships, the political will that galvanized the COVID-19 response...
Opinion: Parents Should Be Aware of Newsom’s Universal Pre-K Proposal
Like a baby going goo-goo, Governor Gavin Newsom is gaga for state-funded preschool and has proposed a massive pre-K program in his recent revised budget. The evidence, however, shows that universal preschool will not improve student achievement and will negatively impact the children that Newsom claims to want to help....
It’s Time to Expose the Many Myths About Almonds and Water
I read many negative comments regarding growing almonds in California, about the water they use, and the fact that they are something our state exports. But the unfavorable criticism of almonds always seems to come from the same narrow perspective that mirrors what is found in publications written outside of...
Loneliness Won’t End After COVID. Writer Says: ‘Find Your Linus Blanket’
It’s been more than a year since COVID-19 kept me from interacting with my most cherished friends. I felt lonely and isolated. Fortunately, I had my Linus blanket; that dependable, trustworthy, and emotional support item the Peanuts cartoon character took everywhere. Linus and his blanket were inseparable. We all need...
Opinion: Here Comes Drought Again, Why Is California Never Ready?
Though some counties are experiencing dry conditions, a statewide emergency hasn’t yet been declared. Nevertheless, the media are reporting that California is at the “edge of another protracted drought,” or at least under the “threat” of one. And as always, the state is unprepared. Officials' Unwillingness to Prepare Beforehand California...
Opinion: We Can’t Rely on the ‘Important People’ to Cut Carbon Pollution
Happy Earth Day! April 22 is the 51st Anniversary of what has become the largest secular civic event in the world. According to the Earth Day Network, about 1 billion people around the world participate in Earth Day events. And it all started in 1970. Back then, most people had...
Opinion: Legislative Staff Right to Unionize: What Could Go Wrong?
After handing unions a brightly wrapped gift in 2019 with Assembly Bill 5, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez is putting the bow on another present, Assembly Bill 314, which would allow legislative staffers to organize. Had she first asked a legendary labor leader what he thought about it, she would have likely...