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I’ve been writing columns for the Newport Beach Independent since 2011. My appearance back then caused a few readers to write in and complain what a “liberal rag” the paper was becoming. It was ironic in some ways because the editor at the time, Roger Bloom, was...

In 1944, Jean Paul Sartre wrote an existentialist play titled “No Exit” about three deceased characters locked into a room for eternity. If you are a homeowner in Newport Beach, you might want to pick up a copy to see what you’re in for. By way of background, my...

If you watch Antiques Roadshow on PBS, you know you are a fool to throw anything away. Those comic books you put in a box four decades ago are now worth a fortune. Restore Aunt Tilly’s rusty Depression era potato ricer to mint condition, and you can trade it for an Ivy...

It was a year ago that I volunteered to be the Independent’s honorary Cupid and write the Valentine’s Day missive. At the time, I set forth my bona fides, including the fact that Feb. 14 is both my birthday and my anniversary. Yes friends, this little cherub popped...

A few months back it was apparent that a lot of GOP politicians were already jockeying for a pole position in the 2014 elections. In some cases these were elected officials who were termed out of their existing jobs. At the time (Living On Autopay, 10/7/13), I wrote, “Might...

Years ago, comedian Stan Freberg showed it was possible to go back in time and consult directly with the Founding Fathers. I was in Philadelphia visiting Independence Hall about the time of the government shutdown last October and decided to try it myself. With a nod to Stan,...

Back in April (Pump Priming, 4/15), I wrote “the jury is still out on the Great Drought of 2013. Still, surveyors in the Sierras just reported the snowpack is about half normal after the driest January-March since they started keeping records in 1895.” Well, the jury...

“He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, So be good, for goodness’ sake.” Now you can’t say you haven’t been properly warned. I know, you’ve been awfully busy, and you really didn’t mean to leave it to the last minute,...

The ACA (Obamacare) was passed in 2010 and some of its provisions have been implemented without fanfare. More young adults can get coverage on their parents’ policies. Employer plans now cover those with pre-existing conditions. About half the states, including a few red...

Most of you have probably heard about the 10 year old Pennsylvania girl with cystic fibrosis who was in dire need of a lung transplant to survive. In case you missed it, she got her transplant in June, which buys her time while scientists search for longer term cures. Some press...

In 1999, a European company named Allianz bought a 70 percent interest in local money management firm Pimco. They also offered our neighbor, Bill Gross, $200 million over five years to stick around and manage this huge bond fund. He’s still there, so somebody must consider...

Ever had a conversation like this one with my Significant Other? ME: Honey, Congress is thinking about shutting down the government again. Would you mind not using your credit cards for awhile. You know, just until this blows over. OTHER: You’re kidding me, aren’t...

We live in a very red part of a very blue state which puts our representatives in Sacramento at a disadvantage. As members of the minority, they sort of disappear into the Sacramento woodwork where they put their paychecks on autopay and quietly vote “no” on...

The City is still reviewing bids from three private companies to take over trash collection in Newport Beach. On September 19, I reported that City Manager Dave Kiff’s analysis of the competing bids is a mix of on-going and one-time expenditures. Looking for...

One of six private haulers trying to win the contract to pick up our trash promised savings of $17 million over the life of the contract. If you read City Manager Dave Kiff’s report, Residential Solid Waste Service Proposals (9/10/13), you’ll find this is a mix of...

My wife likes to report what her tennis buddies consider the hot issues of the day. Scott Peotter will probably find it gratifying that they included his column linking global warming to privatizing trash collection (NB Indy of 8/30/13). Of course she thinks it’s my job to...

I recently wrote a column giving a dozen reasons why the economy is doing better than people think. I could have added other positive signs. Consumer confidence is up. The value of the dollar has been stable. The retail sector is growing. Consumers have paid off some debt and,...

My wife had a spirited lunch conversation with four friends the other day. Three of the four insisted the US economy is still in the dumper and Obama’s stimulus plan has been an abject failure. I’m the economist in the family, so she asked me to sort it all out. Here...

It cost Orange County $160,000 to rescue two campers from Trabuco Canyon last spring. Should we bill risk takers when they need to be rescued? My suggestion is to require hikers, climbers, boaters, divers, etc. to buy rescue  insurance policies which would spread the costs over a...

In the aftermath of the death of 19 Hot Spot firefighters in Arizona last month, one of their supervisors was asked if the current rash of extreme forest fires has anything to do with global warming. He said he and his fellow firefighters have known this for the past ten or...