The sad beauty of inevitable decline

The Sonoma Developmental Center is slowly and beautifully being overgrown and overtaken by nature. We have been hiking in SDC a least once a week now for several years. The buildings are in a state of decay, as vines and tree roots reclaim them. The... Continue

She was here to judge the world, not save it

Chapter 13: More backstory • Chico ~ As she got older and her burning feet made it too far to walk, Roy drove his mother Nellie the mile and a half to 7:30 morning Mass. Cruising up in his black four-door Hudson Terraplane sedan, hopping from the... Continue

Can the rich do anything right?

History shows that epidemics have been the great resetter of countries’ economies and social fabric. Why should it be different with COVID-19? -- Klaus Schwab, Covid-19: the Global Reset Recently, Tim Zahner, head of the Sonoma Valley Visitors’ Bureau, wrote a piece with the headline,... Continue

Commercial free

Our planet’s major religion is a materialist ideology that’s quickly bringing civilization to its ultimate crisis: consumerism. Having transformed humankind into Homo economicus, consumerism has invaded and replaced virtually all indigenous cultures, producing a homogeneous world civilization based on accumulation of wealth. Although we think... Continue

Is there no end to you Chatfields?

Chapter 12: Boucher Street, Chico, California ~ In 1915 my grandparents left Los Molinos and moved to the up-and-coming agricultural town of Chico, buying a two-story corner residence in the Chapmantown district, a working-class neighborhood near the Diamond Match Factory. In those days most people rented; few... Continue

America’s fight reflex

I’m unhappy about the number of times I hear the word “fight” invoked in political discourse from representatives on both sides of the aisle. “I will fight for you” has become standard fare for politicians seeking public support, along with “fighting for legislation,” “fighting for... Continue

The end of the tunnel

It appears that the Light at the End of the Tunnel is finally in sight. According to the CDC, as well as state, county, local, Twitter, and Tik-Tok sources, all authorities rolling out the Covid vaccine now seem to be working from the same All-In-This-Together... Continue

All wrung out

I know this sounds silly, especially in these trying times, but I ran my hand around and around inside the dryer. I looked behind it, I stared into the hamper. Nothing. Where the hell was the other sock? I know everyone has lost socks. But... Continue

Is this the Brave New World?

Suddenly, the man who spent his time in the White House watching television, bellowing in the elegant carpeted hallways and salons, firing off volleys of tweets, and, need we add, inciting thugs to riot, is off the stage; and the world breathes a sigh of... Continue

GOP Doublethink

When the likes of Marjory Taylor Green, the newly elected representative from Georgia, starts spouting her QAnon nonsense about Jewish space lasers and baby-eating democrats, it’s easy to dismiss her as simply “looney” (as Mitch McConnell did) or a shameless publicity-seeker. Either or both of... Continue

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