A cosmic self-referential paradox, our reckoning of time can be used to prove that it’s an illusion. Is this testament to our enduring capacity for self delusion or an example of humanity’s uncanny knack for cracking the underlying code of existence, or both? What allows all... Continue
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The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has a vision to make Sonoma County the healthiest county in California by 2020. To help make this goal a reality, the county Department of Human Services is managing the implementation of Sonoma County Upstream Investments, an initiative that... Continue
Spanish colonial efforts in the Americas necessitated doctrine addressing the relationship between the Spanish and indigenous populations. The welfare of the conquered Natives was addressed by the Laws of Burgos in 1512. Important to indigenous peoples, the laws attempted to regulate and dictate the interactions... Continue
We speak about Sonoma’s “sense of place” as if such an idea is obvious, that character and the meaning of “small town” are self-evident. The idea of “Sonoma,” if it occurs to one at all, necessarily resides in the imagination as an abstract totality, while... Continue
Understanding the prehistory of any region includes addressing three primary goals. The first goal involves developing a chronology, the second is to reconstruct past lifeways, and the third is an attempt to explain culture change. In other words, how old is it, how did they... Continue
I love this time of year, as the leaves begin to turn and flitter to the rain-soaked soils. We have commemorated this time of year for well over 100 years, and while the Vintage Festival has come and gone, we don’t need such a celebration to... Continue
Once again, the nation is facing another manufactured crisis over the federal budget initiated by the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party. Apparently, this is now the new normal in American politics. What used to be fairly routine budget processes, like annual fiscal appropriations... Continue
When the economy collapsed in 2008 it was widely blamed on poor home loan lending practices. People who should have never received loans to purchase a house due to their inability to repay those loans once the introductory low-interest rate period ended were granted loans... Continue
One of the great things about baseball is the umpire. No ump and baseball would be a never-ending series of arguments and fist fights. As it is, the umpire is God, and his word and rule is absolute. To defy the ump is to risk... Continue
Dear Bonnie, I have my own business and a lot of marketing and promotion revolves around entertaining clients. I write it all off. Well, a friend of mine, also a business owner, was just audited and told me that the IRS didn’t let him take... Continue