Blog Archives

Our capitalist culture values initiative and rewards those of us that go after what we decide we want.  We praise those that work hard and achieve a high level of material success.  We demand the “freedom” to do what we … Continue reading →

Social networking tools are amazing aren’t they?  Facebook and twitter keep friends in touch, families “in the loop” and facilitate regime change when one’s local despot goes too far with the whole oppression/fascism thing.  Most of us are programmed for … Continue reading →

Personal opinions are a good thing – they contribute to our moral code, shape our behaviors, give us personality and sometimes, gravitas.  Opinions based upon personal experience, a quality education or scientific testing are given great weight in our secular … Continue reading →

Recently, Grace witnessed a troubling series of events and thinking about them later, she came to believe that the essential nature of the problem was the key actor’s lack of knowledge of the underlying facts combined with that person’s lack … Continue reading →

Happy New Year, dear readers!  By this time, we all have been to an average of three holiday parties since Thanksgiving and we have just about removed the Tom and Jerry (Google it. . .) stains from our favorite holiday … Continue reading →

Man, there is a lot to talk about these days!  Class warfare, the long-term prospects for capitalism, the newly retired, self-proclaimed “greatest ever prime minister of Italy”, the newly retired, self-proclaimed greatest ever football coach in the universe, the about-to-be … Continue reading →

All relationships are predicated on some kind or combination of currency, either in the form of actual money and all it buys, or in the fulfillment of some other need – attention, respect, knowledge, cool, social status, biological fulfillment, kindness, … Continue reading →

The dog is a lower life form. Sorry, but judging by brain size, earning power and lack of ability to comprehend quadratic equations, it’s quite true. One may consider the pooch “a member of the family” and treat it as … Continue reading →

A word to the traveller:  Just as when each Sonoma Valley resident ventures forth to San Francisco or Bilbao, the visitor to Sonoma Valley is the foreign element in our community.  Whenever one travels, one is advised to remember that local … Continue reading →

Okay people, here is your four hundredth reminder: how one behaves at the table matters, whether one dines alone (there may be a relevant message here. . .), with family or out with friends or colleagues.  One’s table manners and … Continue reading →