This week I rehash a column published May 6, 2010. The content extolls the virtues of Sonoma in the 19th-century, and a little like Camelot, one can’t find “a more congenial spot for happily-ever-aftering than here in” Sonoma. In “The Illustrated Atlas of Sonoma County,”... Continue
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The Chinese Taoist Yin-Yang symbol wordlessly conveys the deepest truth of each moment: that existence is not static but dynamic and the forces of creation and destruction carry the seeds of their opposite. The dynamic quality is represented by one black and one white teardrop-shaped... Continue
It’s hard going through old papers and picture albums. The dust and memories are tough, sometimes. I miss my mother every day. But, when I read her wonderful musings I smile. So, I thought, in advance of Mother’s Day, I’d pass along some of my... Continue
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), one of the largest caucuses in the U.S. Congress, issued a bold federal budget plan that would tax big financial institutions, enact a healthcare public option, and raise much-needed revenue through ending unwarranted corporate tax giveaways. The Progressive Caucus budget... Continue
We’re all familiar with verbal clichés; they’re a dime-a-dozen and no big deal. We use them all the time as shorthand for the commonplace, experiences so everyday as to resonate with nearly everyone. The path from metaphor to cliché is particularly fast in our information-centric... Continue
Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall was abuzz April 16 with over 120 people curious to see how they might be able to lend a hand as a volunteer for one of 21 Sonoma Valley nonprofits. Organized by the Sonoma Valley Executive Director Roundtable, Volunteer Sonoma! provided... Continue
Yet again we are confronted by the limits of human engineering and the dangers of nuclear technology, this time in the disclosure of two leaks at a federal nuclear storage facility near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Huge tunnels carved into 2,150 foot deep Permian salt deposits... Continue
Dear Bonnie, I own my own business and was surprised at how much tax I owed for 2013. I hadn’t paid enough in with estimate tax payments. Now I am faced with a 2013 tax liability and estimated payments for 2014. I’ve got enough to... Continue
This week’s column focuses on taxes. I have written about the subject before and every April 15 I am reminded once again that I am a procrastinator. Procrastination, as far as taxes are concerned, could be a bad thing. Just ask Walter Anderson, considered one... Continue
The question is often asked: “Why do people so often act against their better interest?” Cynics are quick to give a simple answer: “Because people are stupid.” Americans are not stupid, however. In a country founded by intellectuals committed to literacy and education, citizens have... Continue