It was recently announced that a mega-wealthy, former bank CEO and his wife have donated $185 million to UCSF for the creation of a new institute of neuroscience, not surprisingly to be named after them. Their gift represents a new high for UCSF "philanthropy", and follows... Continue
Columnist
Recently an executive director of a nonprofit organization lamented to me, "I just don't know what to do about our board members. They show up for board meetings, but that's all they do. I wish I could get them to help me attract new donors...or... Continue
There are several new changes to the Vacation Rental Ordinance already approved, including local (30 mile radius) certified property management, inspections by licensed contractors, a “3 Strikes, You’re Out” verified complaint provision, and new position/s at PRMD’s Code Enforcement Division to enable the county to... Continue
Dear Bonnie, This morning I got a phone call from an IRS agent saying I needed to immediately pay my taxes or they would call the police and have me arrested. He wanted me to get a prepaid debit card to pay with. I didn’t... Continue
Population pressure plus expanding tourism is quickly pushing Sonoma Valley beyond its carrying capacity. This happened in the Napa Valley years ago, as anyone who has navigated Hwy. 29 in June or July has discovered. For those who commute to work in San Francisco or... Continue
I recently attended a reception at a new art gallery in the city of Vallejo. The gallery, El Comalito Collective, promotes under-represented artists of all genres, who for reasons of race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, or religion have not had opportunities for expression. The... Continue
It’s almost impossible to get through a day without encountering another irate citizen of our Valley fuming about being disenfranchised and denied participation in the political process. Over coffee, wine or a GMO taco they fulminate, livid at being deprived of the chance to mix... Continue
This time, my friends, I come with a topic controversial to some or many: labeling. That is, applying qualifying labels that are incorrect or completely unfounded. I want to be sure that my words are not weak, an inaudible voice of reproach; this is definitely... Continue
My wife and I recently traveled to Seattle to visit her ninety-six-year-old Godmother, and along the way found ourselves hungry at the airport. The options for eating at airports have improved immensely, but our particular American penchant for fast food still dominates. Airports, naturally, include... Continue
The center cannot hold. The triad of institutions (the RNC, the DNC and MSM) that defined the norms and themes of 20th century politics is now coming unglued, quickly. This has been described by conventional political analysts as a ‘populist moment’ but that narrative does... Continue