In homage to the legendary San Francisco columnist who died 15 years ago this week, a round-up of recent news on Guantanamo Bay... Texas gerrymandering... Proposition 8... Geico's Rescue Panther... the Super Bowl... You may or may not remember Herb Caen,

In 1976, California Gov. Jerry Brown was dubbed “Governor Moonbeam” by a Chicago newspaper columnist named Mike Royko. The sobriquet was earned by Brown for his penchant for advocating New Age and far-out ideas for governing. When he ran for president in

In 1976, California Gov. Jerry Brown was dubbed “Governor Moonbeam” by a Chicago newspaper columnist named Mike Royko. The sobriquet was earned by Brown for his penchant for advocating New Age and far-out ideas for governing. When he ran for president in

In my youth I developed a poor impression of aldermen, and not only from reading Mike Royko. I grew up in the 23rd Ward, west of Midway Airport. My first alderman, or the first I can remember, was named Frank Kuta. I was 13 when he was elected, in 1967.

Talk of outer space can be a tricky thing for a politician. Newt Gingrich's efforts to round up the space vote this week included remarks to a crowd in Florida that he wants to establish a permanent colony on the moon. In fact, he noted, as reported in t

Just got an e-mail from Jack Silverstein, featuring a link to an interview he did with me a few months back. Jack's a young writer who's making quite a name for himself as an oral historian. He's really good at getting people to open up. You might say he