The CEO of Cambrian, a biotechnology company, wants to upgrade the human race. His plan to is to make genetic engineering available to everyday people in a process he calls "democratizing genetics." In homage to his namesake, Austen Heinz of Cambrian might someday appear in... Continue
Columnist
Last week a friend asked me this simple, yet poignant question, "Do you really think my little $100 donation that I give to each of a few Sonoma Valley nonprofits really makes that much of a difference? I hear all the time that big donors... Continue
Oliver Sacks, the best-selling author/neurologist, has died. In his inimitable style he wrote about his impending death from metastatic cancer in articles in the NY Times, and as it true of all his writing, his keen observation and fondness for humanity jumps right off the... Continue
I'm dreaming about my great-great-great granddaughter. "Shame," she says, "How could you?" Of course she's talking about the ruination of the world, and I know that. "What can I tell you," I say gently, "The unnatural world moves too quickly." And then I'm awake and... Continue
As we head into the new school year, I would like to share a few things in regard to our kids and the educational system in the Valley of Sonoma. More than ever our children are challenged every day with multiple situations that have to... Continue
Everyone wants to lose weight these days. Call me a rebel, but just give me a jelly donut or really fat fries with garlic and I’m happy. What a world. People starving to death all over the globe and Californians are on diets. What's up... Continue
At last night's Sonoma City Council meeting my appeal of the Planning Commission's approval for a use permit allowing Williams-Sonoma to hold 15 events with as many as 80 guests in the garden at their retail location was upheld. This decision has an effect on Williams-Sonoma,... Continue
The recent GOP debate made me want to vomit. That the state of American politics has fallen so deeply into a trench of ignorance is appalling, and leaves me feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Outright lies, intentional deception, bloated arrogance, false piety; all these and more... Continue
Last week, hundreds of grassroots meet-ups for Bernie Sanders for President were held from coast to coast, with nearly 100,000 participants registered to confer on how to get Senator Bernie Sanders to be the Democratic Party nominee for the presidency. These live-stream meet-ups are sponsored... Continue
“It's almost impossible for people to change alone. We need to join with others who will push us in our thinking and challenge us to do things we didn't believe ourselves capable of.” Frances Moore Lappe, American author and social change activist, “Diet for a... Continue