Nelson DeMille is on my list of “Favorite All-Time Authors.” The first of his twenty-four novels that I read was “The Gold Coast,” a mystery thriller that also illustrates quite clearly the difference between the “old money” upper-upper class and the “newly wealthy” lower-upper class. He followed that with best-seller after best-seller, including “The General’s Daughter,” which became a motion picture, starring John Travolta and Madeleine Stowe. A few years ago, he began

Executive Summary Since approximately 2010, California has experienced measurable outflows of both business headquarters and high-value capital. Independent research indicates that hundreds of corporate headquarters have relocated out of the state, while billions of dollars in personal income and wealth have moved with departing residents. This report summarizes those trends using publicly available research, IRS migration data, and documented corporate relocations. Section

The State of California probably has more laws than any other state. I don’t know that for a fact, but it stands to reason because, although we don’t have more legislators than any other state, our elected officials at the state level keep their jobs by having their names attached to a senate or assembly bill that is eventually signed into law by the governor. So, each January the state adds more laws to the books. And 2026 is no exception. Members of the Assembly and State S

Trump invaded Venezuela without a declaration of war through Congress. This is what the Democratic Left is crying. No. 1: If Trump went to Congress with this plan, it would be on CNN in 30 seconds.

As we draw closer to our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s worth reviewing the evolution of our revolution. Let’s briefly study the history of American freedom of religion. On Christmas Day, 2025 Trump activist Laura Loomer posted this on social media: “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists (in Nigeria). You’ve got to love it! Death to all Islamic terrorists! Thank you

E. Lockhart’s “We Fell Apart” (2025, 305 pages in hardback format) is promoted as a YA (Young Adult) novel, but it’s really appropriate for any age, even younger teens as it is devoid of “adult” language and sex. Like the other YA books that I’ve reviewed over the years, it’s just a good story, well written. This is book #3 in Lockhart’s “Liar” series, but it’s a stand-alone.Fans of her previous books will remember the Sinclair family, but the aristocratic members are only p

In his recent letter to the Tribune, Madera resident Chuck Wieland seems proud to announce that, in 2025, 43 percent of recent immigrants are college graduates, as opposed to just 29 percent of native-born Americans. He also brags that 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by “immigrants and their children.” He seems to believe that this somehow justifies the four-year invasion of 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants into the country. The point Mr. Wieland did not a

The Republic of Venezuela is a petroleum-rich country on the northeast coast of South America. In addition to its continental landmass, it has many islands and islets. In 1498, Columbus sailed into the Gulf of Paria and marveled at the immensity of the Orinoco River and its clear water. Spain began colonizing the territory in 1522, establishing a settlement in the present-day city of Cumaná. In 1811, Francisco de Miranda, who had fought for the colonies during the American Re