Impact investing is "a pretty radical departure from how we've funded nonprofit organizations in the past," said Ian Galloway, Senior Research Associate with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. During Galloway's recent presentation to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Wine Country Chapter, he explained... Continue
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Airbnb has ignited a firestorm of opinion pro-and-con regarding its facilitation of rentals of residential property for commercial purposes, even when that property is zoned for residential use only. The overnight or short-term rental of virtually anything is a commercial activity; money changes hands and... Continue
If the news of the American who killed, decapitated and skinned Cecil the lion turned your stomach, you know it’s time to ban hunting. Sadly, in his desire to reduce gun violence after each massacre du jour, our President occasionally considers it necessary to say... Continue
"Climate's capacity to inflict misery rises steeply when imperial arrogance and ideology hinder a society's adjustments to extreme weather." Eugene Linden - The Winds of Change Four years into persistent drought, California is now being told an El Niño is forming in the Pacific, and... Continue
As a public service, let’s examine popular fantasies about the utility of guns for self-defense, in case you’ve had just about all the common sense you can stand for one day. Fact: Every martial artist learns that the ultimate weapon is Surprise, with which the... Continue
It seems as if human beings are on the brink of knowing everything. Ours is the history of accumulated knowledge, beginning with fire and now extending to exoplanets circling suns many thousands of light-years distant. We've jumped from one understanding to the next, each built... Continue
The State Water Resources Board has told the City of Sonoma to cut its use by 28%; the Valley of the Moon water District by 24%. Given the current drought, these target cutbacks make sense; there's only so much water and it must be conserved.... Continue
I was sitting around talking with two friends when one of them asked me this question. He was talking about the ridiculously low minimum wage, cost of housing, unavailability of rentals, wealth inequality, biased tax code, dissolving social safety net, billions spent on our war... Continue
Summer in the Sonoma Valley means blond hills, long days and the annual Fourth of July parade. There are few places more appealing than here during these hot months. It is easy to see why droves of people have always descended upon the Valley to... Continue
In 2014, Latinos became the largest population group in California. With this column, The Sun continues to provide readers a variety of perspectives from members of this ‘new majority.’ Everyone is talking about conservative businessman Donald Trump’s recent and continuing comments tinged with racism toward... Continue