Opinion

The Big Dipper

Other than Orion, The Big Dipper is probably the most recognizable constellation in the northern hemisphere. This asterism is among the oldest of constellations and its mythology extends into prehistory. It has…

Bad Skin

The licensing process for educators requires a semester of student-teaching overseen by a master teacher who welcomes the teacher-wannabe into the classroom for some real instruction with real students. The process includes…

Badges of Parenthood

The 2019 college bribery scandal is perhaps the most blatant evidence of the lengths to which parents will go to ensure their children are admitted to the most prestigious colleges and universities…

I’ve Looked at Clouds…

We have had a beautiful rainy season. After years of clear, dry skies, the clouds have been breathtakingly beautiful. Such natural beauty! In the tech world there is also a cloud…the Cloud.…

Remember, or Repeat

Remember when hell on earth was Bill Murray’s weatherman waking up every morning to Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You, Babe,” knowing that he’s doomed to endlessly relive the same snowed-in Punxsutawney…

Letters – April 19, 2019

Dear Topanga Community Stakeholders, Please join fellow Canyon parents at Topanga Elementary School for the upcoming Leadership Council meeting on Tuesday, April 23 at 1:45 pm to learn about a developing proposal to bring a…

Oh, Ferlinghetti, I Long to Go with You!

Once, when maybe eight years old, I was inspired to write a poem. It came to me suddenly, clearly, almost divinely. Yes, the words flowed forth and were written swiftly with a…

Letters – April 5, 2019

Copper Landline Success Dear Editor, After five months of fighting with Frontier, I was finally able to get a copper landline installed at my house. I know there are many others in…

Gemini: The Twins

Learning the constellations isn’t hard if you do it bit by bit. The idea here in The Backyard Astronomer is to introduce you to the big, bright constellations first, building one on…

From Paint to Pixels

Most people don’t realize that it was artists that spearheaded bringing computers into many schools. The first lab at Topanga Elementary was set up by an artist, as was the first lab…