An economy in shambles with persistently high unemployment; wide income inequality; increasingly belligerent saber-rattling by political parties; street demonstrations accompanied by vandalism and violence on the part of both demonstrators and police; legislative grid-lock; polarized elected officials unable to work together; political campaigns funded by... Continue
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The results of the 2012 “Fair Pay for Northern California Nonprofits Compensation and Benefits Survey” are in and things are looking up for the employees of our local nonprofits. Nonprofit Compensation Associates has produced an annual survey among the 48 counties in Northern California for... Continue
When Orwell penned this slogan in his book “1984” he was addressing political theory, not neuroscience, yet from the perspective of current brain research, he was spot on. Our consciousness is but a sliver of the operation of mind, the rest hidden from our awareness.... Continue
If you read my column regularly, by now you know that I enjoy a cup of tea. My tastes in tea run to classic Chinese varieties like Oolong and Pu’er, and I can joyfully spend an hour or two exploring new varieties of fine tea.... Continue
Dear Bonnie: I need help with an audit of my 2009 income tax return. The IRS is disallowing all of my job search expenses. And I swear, I only took those trips to find work. Okay, there might have been a little bit of personal... Continue
“We can’t return, we can only look behind.” - Joni Mitchell Despite the persistence and power of memory, the seduction of the past and 20/20 hindsight, the arrow of time appears to go in one direction only: forward. It might be more accurate to say... Continue
My roofer came out last month and told me what it would cost to fix my leak! After we bargained on the price, I calmed down. I asked myself, “Self, why do you feel so comforted?” Immediately, the other voice in my head said, “It’s... Continue
Human society today rests far less upon nature than upon the results of human imagination. Futurist and inventor Buckminster Fuller called it our “metaphysical” world, author Neil Postman calls it “technopoly,” and I call it our “cooked-up reality.” It was not always this way. For... Continue
Dear Bonnie: I owe the IRS a huge amount of money. My aunt died a few years ago and left me the proceeds from her IRA – about $200,000. I didn’t know that I would have to pay tax on it and I kind of... Continue
Be it ritual figures made for spiritual practices, decorations placed on everyday objects, hieroglyphs applied to rock faces, images created using colored sand, applied body paint, feathers or jewelry, so-called “folk art” is the natural and often spontaneous expression of the unity of creativity and... Continue