Opinion

Letters – January 11, 2019

A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” —The Declaration of Independence I was infuriated,…

J’accuse

When I walk along a beach, it has long been my habit to pick up bits of trash, plastics mostly, along the water line. Occasionally there is an old flip-flop or water…

Future Rx

One of the commonest and most important wishes for January 1 is, “Have a happy, healthy new year!” Let’s face it. Health is the most important of our human conditions. Without it,…

Faster than a Speeding Santa

I was thinking about Santa and how fast he has to go to deliver presents to all the people on this beautiful planet. That’s a global population of 7.7 billion naughty and…

Letters – December 14, 2018

It Wouldn’t Be the Same Without You Just had to write and tell you how impressive your efforts to pull together two fantastic issues as Woolsey fire events were coming down, then…

Boots

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that most people settle into a certain way of thinking and never let go. In my quest to not be “most people,” I…

Expressing Our Gratitude

The week of November 26, Topanga Elementary School students and staff were able to return after a week of Canyon and school evacuation. We were all happy to return, to see each…

A New Sheriff in Town

As I write this, L.A. County has just sworn in Alex Villanueva as our new sheriff. Jimmy, we hardly knew ye. And Alex, we don’t know ye at all. To call it…

The Winter Solstice: Secrets of the Ecliptic

Last month The Backyard Astronomer explored The Wanderers: our Sun, our Moon, and the five naked-eye planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. While all the stars in the sky remained fixed…

The Last Picture

On the Monday after Thanksgiving I awoke in panic. My children had been home for four days and then returned to their schools up North. I was shocked and horrified to realize…