(published concurrently on the Sac Bee NorCal Voices blog) I have been fretting a bit over the effort of gay marriage proponents to strike down Prop 8 in the current trial in federal court. Like many, I'm skeptical of the willingness of the … [Continue reading] about Gay Marriage Trial Keeps Gay Marriage on Front Page
Yes to Helmets for Snowboarders
I give an emphatic yes to the proposal to require the use of helmets for skiers and snowboarders under 18 by California state Assemblymember Dave Jones and Senator Leland Yee. Many children are permanently disabled or killed from snowboarding … [Continue reading] about Yes to Helmets for Snowboarders
Ibuprofen, the middle-aged drug of choice
Over the winter holidays we spent a week with my college friends. We attended Reed College, Portland, Oregon from 1979 to 1983 and let's just say that there was some experimentation that went on in those years. For example, one of the people in our … [Continue reading] about Ibuprofen, the middle-aged drug of choice
Three snouts up for Avatar on Imax
(:)(:)(:) for Avatar on Imax. My expectations for this movie were mixed. On the one hand, I heard a review on public radio that said something like "this isn't a good movie, but it's enough like a good movie that you might think it is" and that … [Continue reading] about Three snouts up for Avatar on Imax
Navigating by the Starbucks
(reprinted from the NorCal Voices Blog at SacBee.com)Yesterday, responding to my blog at Snicholsblog I received questions as to why Starbucks is my "second favorite corporation." I'm afraid the reasons are oftly banal: I love their coffee and their … [Continue reading] about Navigating by the Starbucks
All You Need is Love, Starbucks and the Beatles
Let's see, "All you need is love" is my favorite pop affirmation. Starbucks is my second favorite gigantic corporation (after Southwest Airlines). And the Beatles are my household's composite favorite rock band (currently being obsessively played … [Continue reading] about All You Need is Love, Starbucks and the Beatles
Dems need to get serious about governing and government
With the upset victory today of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts to fill Ted Kennedy's Senate seat comes the clear sense that Thomas Frank's latest book The Wrecking Crew is dead on. Republicans hate government and when they're in power, ala … [Continue reading] about Dems need to get serious about governing and government
Three and a half Snouts up for A Single Man
(:)(:)(:)(: for A Single Man(published first on the Sacramento Bee NorCal voices blog)Colin Firth should win best actor for his performance in A Single Man. See it while it lasts at Sacramento's magnificent Crest Theater--though the film will … [Continue reading] about Three and a half Snouts up for A Single Man
I have a dream that King wrote more than one Speech
(this post was published first in the Sacramento Bee )The other day my 8th grader, a dedicated and engaged student at Sutter Middle School, came home saying that because of the upcoming Martin Luther King day, they were going to study "the speech" … [Continue reading] about I have a dream that King wrote more than one Speech
Two and a half snouts for Sherlock Holmes
(:)(:)(: for Sherlock Holmes in theaters everywhere. The first hour of this movie made me physically ill. The context is important, I was with a mixed group of adults and kids, some of whom were younger than 13. We were out on a holiday walk in … [Continue reading] about Two and a half snouts for Sherlock Holmes
Oh God, my blog made the Bee
A few weeks ago, when I clicked the button to publish the post Want a cozy fire? Wait 'til next summer... on my Sacramento Bee "Norcal Voices" blog, a little voice whispered to me "this will end up in the Bee print edition" but I published it … [Continue reading] about Oh God, my blog made the Bee
Oh God, my blog made the Bee
A few weeks ago, when I clicked the button to publish the post Want a cozy fire? Wait 'til next summer... on my Sacramento Bee "Norcal Voices" blog, a little voice whispered to me "this will end up in the Bee print edition" but I published it … [Continue reading] about Oh God, my blog made the Bee