The world is embroiled in controversy over gender identity. Modern industrialized countries are slowly aligning laws and policies to reflect changing cultural attitudes; what once was hidden and forbidden is now openly visible and allowed. Traditional, less industrialized societies remain committed to laws and policies... Continue
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Columbus was no tourist. Neither was Cortez or for that matter Admiral Perry. These world travelers were all about conquest, fame, riches and glory, and by-and-large, they achieved it. Before air travel and luxury ocean liners, expeditions to distant places were a risky and uncertain... Continue
Sustainability is all the rage these days. It’s a major marketing job-creator in all sorts of industries striving to convince customers, regulators and the public that what they do makes lots of green money and, in the process, may even increase the wildlife available for... Continue
As a kid, I spent many Sunday nights at my grandparents Augustina and Pablo’s house with my cousins, playing the latest 45 dance records and gossiping about our classmates. Meanwhile, our parents ate donuts and drank coffee around the grey Formica table in the kitchen,... Continue
If you have traveled through Boyes Hot Springs recently, you may have noticed the dramatic changes happening at the Plaza Center building (often referred to as The Church Mouse building). The history of the site is fascinating. The building has been home to a public... Continue
Having now passed the 50th anniversary of the publication of 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson it's tempting to feel the ecology movement she fostered has made a difference. However, in comparing its successes to its failures, I'd argue the ecology movement has been a colossal... Continue
The recent CNBC Republican primary debate provided a valuable insight into the conservative mind-set. Traditional ‘reality-based’ political commentators are shocked and amazed (really, again?) that telling straight-up lies that could be fact-checked with three mouse clicks is not a disqualification from the field. Ben Carson’s... Continue
We relate to life primarily in two ways: experience and memory. Our experience is subject to the type attention we offer at a given moment; if our attention wanders we lose track of a particular experience. For example, at a baseball game we might find... Continue
Of all our holidays, Halloween is arguably the most fun, least controversial and most widely celebrated by Americans, regardless of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, Democrat or Republican, natural or brazilian. Some argue Thanksgiving is more universally treasured, but that’s far from certain. For... Continue
Accumulating wealth and personal assets used to be a major cultural preoccupation. Savings accounts once were popular and dutifully depositing a portion of each week's paycheck in the bank was a common practice. The power of compounding interest would over time, it was believed, provide an... Continue