Of all pursuits, mathematics may be the most remarkable. I'm not talking about the simple mathematics of calculating the tip on a restaurant tab; that type of calculation is the simple arithmetic of utility. I'm talking about the mathematics of theoretical physics, a realm reflecting... Continue
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Specialists in both disability and psychology agree that the arrival of a child with disabilities creates in most parents first a state of shock, followed by the progression through the stages of denial, then anger and resentment before healing begins. They then enter the period... Continue
When I sat down to have dinner at the bar of a local Sonoma restaurant last month, I noticed a sheet of paper laying directly in front of me on the bar. It didn’t appear to be the menu, so I assume it had been... Continue
Increasingly there is talk of passing strong laws to keep guns away from the mentally ill, but don’t hold your breath. Most mentally ill people are not violent. Some may be very troubled, but as a group they seem to present far less danger to... Continue
When we face a traffic accident or a kitchen fire, who do we call? We have expectations for rapid emergency responses and often, we don’t think too hard about how these services came to be or what is needed to ensure they continue. We know... Continue
At a recent Planning Commission meeting, a proponent of a development project under review dismissively referred to project opponents as a "vocal minority." Another said that the proposed project's neighbors were only selfishly interested in "their own backyards" rather than the good of the community... Continue
The decision by a community to commit itself to historic preservation is a commitment to enforcing rules. Unless rules are created that define what contributes to historic preservation and what does not, the entire effort becomes impossible. Here in Sonoma we use various methods to... Continue
“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” -- George Orwell Scientists are making amazing strides in Artificial Intelligence, but what we really could use is more of the real thing. There seems to be plenty of the artificial stuff around, to the point... Continue
Back in the day, I was lucky enough to play music with some of the best rock and blues musicians in Sonoma County. The Schellville South Side Blues Band, Camp 1, and Sirius hit all the hot spots – Mama’s Royal Café, The Creamery, The... Continue
Oh, the stories we tell ourselves! Some of them are funny, some not so much, and some of them are, well, are downright dangerous. It's not like this is something new. Human beings have been dubbed "toolmakers" but our real and original talent is making... Continue