Alan Markow

Professional writer and communicator 40+ years. Senior corporate communications exec in high tech, telecom, banking, and chemicals. Navy journalist during Vietnam era. IVN blogger since inception. Political views range from liberal to libertarian.

The Gridlock Myth

Nearly every report about America’s political climate declares that we are in a national state of gridlock. I beg to differ. California may well be in gridlock, where the

By Alan Markow

/ August 8, 2011

Placer County clears the air for Kings Beach

The situation for residents of Kings Beach, California has finally taken a turn for the better. As we have reported here and here, this small town set hard against the

By Alan Markow

/ August 4, 2011

Placer County clears the air for Kings Beach

Taking stock of the national debt

Most Americans agree that we’ve got a financial problem in this country, although we’re not all in accord about what kind of a problem it is – deficit spending

By Alan Markow

/ August 1, 2011

Tale of two troubled political cities

Sacramento’s impotence in the face of national e-tailers such as eBay and Amazon, and Washington’s in the face of the Tea Party, is a Tale of Two Cities

By Alan Markow

/ July 28, 2011

It's the Hubris, Stupid

What seems like a disastrous round of intransigent political behavior may well be the most efficient possible way for checks and balances to right our ship of state. The formula

By Alan Markow

/ July 21, 2011

Denying the right to choose light bulbs sparks spirited debate

As well-intentioned as they may be, new regulations attempting to enforce rules about energy efficient lighting have set off charges of life-altering interference almost as intense as that other “choice”

By Alan Markow

/ July 18, 2011

Denying the right to choose light bulbs sparks spirited debate

Docs on defense add costs to healthcare

Although individual physicians practice all forms of specialized medicine, they have all learned the skills of defensive medicine to one degree or another. “Defensive medicine can be simply defined as

By Alan Markow

/ July 14, 2011

Rupert Murdoch relegates flagship publication to the trash heap

With the shocking collapse of Rupert Murdoch’s sensationalistic News of the World over the past few days, journalistic integrity has taken yet another blow in the eyes of an

By Alan Markow

/ July 11, 2011

Rupert Murdoch relegates flagship publication to the trash heap

Whither the housing recovery: It's a precarious prediction

As a homeowner, it made my heart sing (or at least hum softly) to notice four neighborhood homes not just with for sale signs on them, but with "sale

By Alan Markow

/ July 7, 2011

Whither the housing recovery: It's a precarious prediction

Gay marriage may become 'no big deal' in the distant future

A few years ago, at the height of his popularity, Tiger Woods had become the beige template for humanity. His fall from grace has done little to push that idea

By Alan Markow

/ June 30, 2011

Gay marriage may become 'no big deal' in the distant future

DISCLOSE Act to shed new light on funding sources for California political ads

If a consumer elecronics company ran an ad for computers that contained a series of egregious lies, the public would be up in arms, and the company would be hauled

By Alan Markow

/ June 23, 2011

DISCLOSE Act to shed new light on funding sources for California political ads

Tax cut truth

Most commentators agree that Tim Pawlenty's proposal of an annual five percent further reduction in taxes, even for wealthy Americans, makes little sense and is simply an attempt

By Alan Markow

/ June 16, 2011