I’m a cat and I’ve got hairballs for a reason. I guess you could call them pet peeves. I admit that when I’m stressed, I might drop a hairball, but we all have them, don’t we? Especially these days, there’s congestion in our throats when... Continue
Columnist
Both Presidential candidates are convinced that getting people back to work is the most essential ingredient in improving the American economy. This is, of course, true; more people working means more money consumption, more taxes to be collected, and more profits to be earned. The... Continue
I recently accompanied my wife as she traveled to Minnesota for her 50th high school reunion. It’s not easy being a reunion “spouse” while a group of 68-year-olds reexamine their senior year neuroses. Being a reunion spouse is a lot like being nobody. I opted out... Continue
Elections are ultimately a decision to empower a vision of society, which in turn is rooted in a frame story that provides a cultural narrative, grounded in the bedrock of shared values. We are electing a social metaphor that animates and orients the policy choices... Continue
Industrialization is grinding the planet to dust, pollution radically changing our climate, population increasing to unsustainable levels, disease and poverty continue to spread and politicians worldwide bicker foolishly over non-issues; we’ve gotten ourselves into a terrible mess, but nonetheless, society is basically good. Looking around... Continue
Dear Bonnie: I’m the publisher of a food magazine and am getting married soon to a woman who is also involved in the food and entertainment industry. Almost everyone attending the wedding and reception are also in the food biz. We’re going to have a... Continue
While on vacation recently my wife and I were in no mood to search high and low for the best restaurant in Chicago and decided to eat as close to our hotel as possible. The day had been long and the temperature hot...one sign I... Continue
Until recently, the only way for nonprofit leaders in Sonoma Valley to hone their leadership skills was to travel outside the Valley for training – with no follow-up coaching available. Now, through the generosity of Jeni Nichols, owner of Sonoma Leadership Systems (SLS), local nonprofit... Continue
Package labeling has become the art of deception, the intentional use of language to confuse and deceive the consumer. This is particularly obvious as food companies seek to exploit the organic food movement, currently the fastest-growing segment of the food industry, but the cosmetic and... Continue
I remember sitting in our family living room as my father turned and folded pages, snapping and creasing the newsprint as he made his way through every section. Meanwhile, my mother would work across and down, completing the crossword puzzle with a pen. Growing up with... Continue