Opinion

Oct. 9, 2012 — David Lane, my dear friend and guitar-playing partner for many years, is gone. David died at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno about 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 surrounded by family and friends who were busy “singing him back home” when he passed. One of the singers said he even had a smile on his face when the end finally came.

Two weeks ago, David, who suffered with terminal stage-four lung cancer, wound up at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno with an infection. He responded well to treatment and was released a few days later.

Oct. 9, 2012 — If people took care of their insides as much as their outsides, the world would be a much better place. In other words, people spend a lot of time perfecting their appearance, but little time looking within and working on personal issues. And, well, it shows.

My favorite aunt shared that view with me many years ago and I’ve never forgotten. She always said she thought everyone could use a therapist or counselor. I agree because it certainly wouldn’t hurt anyone to have a neutral party to help unload the heavy baggage that inevitably comes with living life. And, yes, everyone has baggage.

Oct. 9, 2012 — Good news for the public’s right to know. With the deadline approaching for taking action, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a measure last week that restores the public’s ability to enforce the Brown Act when a violation occurs.

Co-sponsored by California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA) and Californians Aware, SB 1003, by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), overturns an appellate court's decision that existing law does not provide a remedy for past Brown Act violations by a local agency.

Oct. 2, 2012 — Every year the American Library Association (ALA) sponsors “Banned Books Week.” This year it falls from Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

In honor of celebrating the right to choose what to read, I like to spend some time each fall finding out which of my most loved books are on the banned list.

What I’ve found is the question should be not which books have been banned, but which ones haven’t been.