Gary Horton: A story as old as Aesop

We’re told, “We’ve seen it all before.” We’re told, “History repeats itself.” We’re told, “Those who fail to learn from history are damned to repeat

Gary Horton: Thoughts on picked pockets

Driving back from Oxnard this past Sunday, I passed a large field where dozens of Hispanic workers were busy picking vegetables on that cold, rainy

Gary Horton: In the face of the fire

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio; Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television, North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn

Gary Horton: A tax to nowhere

Bridges to nowhere. Taxes to nowhere. As bridges should lead to a known destination, new taxation should likewise lead to known outcomes. Unfortunately, despite offering

Gary Horton: Hope dies, fear is reborn

As Carrie and I walked along the Santa Barbara marina waterfront nine years ago we encountered an anti-Iraq War II protest. Thousands of small white

Gary Horton: Black Friday, black box

America awaits this Inauguration Friday, Black Friday, with equal parts anticipation, dread, fear and hope – depending on your point of reference and general awareness

Letters to the Editor

Not conservative — regressionist

In her column “Trying to take back America,” Gwendolyn Sims wants Republicans to “Take America Back” (Jan. 6 in The Signal). This sounds like something

Gary Horton: A new view this new year

Few things might be as humbling as receiving a successful organ transplant. Completely at the mercy of another’s misfortune, and subject to the gifts and

Gary Horton: Setting the chains on transition

Americans seem to be a frustratingly short-sighted bunch. Our collective memories have been impaired, perhaps by too much “Housewives of Beverly Hills,” or Kardashians, or

Gary Horton: Don’t call it a mandate

Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. As of this writing, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by 798,000 votes. Approximately 4 million votes remain to

Gary Horton: Love trumps hate in California

Election junkies like myself have spent an inordinate amount of time on Nate Silver’s “538” election prediction site. Silver is the guy who brought predictive