RYAN MILLER
Posted inNews

The last hurrah of foie gras

Wistful chefs and relieved animal rights activists say goodbye to a delicacy in California
by RYAN MILLER

A liver is a private thing. Most organs are, really. They sit under layers of muscle, fat, and skin, quietly synthesizing or pumping, contracting or firing, carrying out their respective duties in the blood-tinged darkness. So the act of removing one of these organs, one of these specialized components, from its larger system, the act […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

‘As long as it is wild’

The Tramp and the Roughrider dramatizes a meeting between two men who loved the land
by RYAN MILLER

Teddy Roosevelt stands, one hand tucked behind him, on Glacier Point, his almost archetypal frame—mustachioed and bespectacled, well dressed but still undeniably rugged, solidly American in his boots and hat—dwarfing the cataract tumbling into spray in the impossibly beautiful miles behind him. John Muir stands beside the president, turned at an angle, both hands clasped […]

Posted inNews

The awards have arrived

by RYAN MILLER

The Sun, and its sister paper New Times, occasionally enter contests—not, you know, for bragging rights or anything, but it’s fun to see how our papers hold up. We like to ask, “How do we compare to our fellow publications?” And the most recent answer was: pretty well, thanks. At a May 5 California Newspaper […]

Posted inOpinion

On the books

Support your local library–and yourself, while you’re at it
by RYAN MILLER

Go to the library. That’s basically everything I set out to say to you today. It’s simple, really. Just go to the library. I don’t think I should have to make a case for why this is such a vitally important action for you to take, why an ongoing commitment to literacy, education, and access […]

Posted inNews

Ay, Chihuahuas

by RYAN MILLER

They’re small. They yap. Some of them shake uncontrollably. But they’re so. Darn. Cute. Chihuahuas easily wriggle their way into locals’ hearts, and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is recognizing that fact with May’s celebration of “Chihuahuas de Mayo.” County Chihuahua (and Chihuahua mix) owners can get their animals spayed or neutered for […]

Posted inNews

Don’t speak

County students fight bullying by staying silent
by RYAN MILLER

Many local students won’t be talking back to their parents or teachers on April 20. In fact, they won’t be talking at all. Participants in the annual Day of Silence are taking vows to bite their tongues, an action that aims to raise awareness of bullying, particularly of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender classmates—though anyone […]

Posted inNews

Fire, food, and help where it’s needed

The second annual Firefighters Chow Down raised funds and knocked down pizzas
by RYAN MILLER

A group of Central Coast firefighters recently took a breather from battling blazes to face down another foe: food, and lots of it. On March 3, seven men packed their stomachs with pepperoni, sausage, ham, cheese, and more on behalf of Central Coast Firefighters Charity, a group that helps Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Meet the Women

PCPA presents the latest incarnation of a beloved classic
by RYAN MILLER

My wife and I agree that our first date—our first “official” date, recognized by both of us as such—was a delightfully deconstructed PCPA stage production of Little Women in the 2001/2002 season. A spare set and minimal props did nothing to diminish the power of the story: four girls (little women, actually) navigating the formalities, […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Feeling blue

Racquetball is still alive–and looking to grow–in Santa Maria
by RYAN MILLER

A racquetball game sounds like a space battle. Squeaks and chirps come from players’ shoes protesting quick footwork on a hard floor. The distinct “pong” of the blue rubber ball bouncing off the court’s walls and ceiling echoes like a shot fired from some futuristic weapon, one with lots of knobs and some concentric circles […]

Posted inOpinion

A new hope

Share Star Wars with a girl in your life, because she can be geeky, too
by RYAN MILLER

So I was at my friends’ house, and their young daughter was playing with a toy that consisted of simple metal locks mounted on a wooden board. She spent quite a while—especially for a toddler—manipulating the various chains and fasteners to open doors that revealed images of cheerful farm animals. Having successfully figured out how […]

Posted inNews

How to Teach a Slug to Read

Written by Susan Pearson and illustrated by David Slonim, recommended for ages 5 to 8
by RYAN MILLER

Teaching a slug to read requires some strategy, but it’s worth it. That’s the premise of this tale, which involves a human boy coaching a slug mother in her efforts to teach a young slug the way of books. Story selection is key, as are gentle steps—or easy, slimy glides?—along the path: learning new words, […]

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