I picked up a copy of Susan Boyle's first CD spawned by her appearance on "Britain's Got Talent" and the viral results of her YouTube video. Her renditions of "I Dream the Dream" and the other eleven … [Read more...]
Social Issues and Debatable Topics
Great White Sharks Visit Golden Gate Bridge
Californian’s are a strange lot, no doubt, but neither earthquakes nor floods nor swine flu nor collapsing bridges bring us to our knees. And that goes for sharks too. We’re a hardy bunch here in the Bay Area and we treat recent reports of great whites poking around the Golden Gate Bridge like water off [...]
Are Retailers Killing Off their Customers?
The news in this morning’s paper–front page–is the same. Retailers are hysterically worried about another “bad Christmas.” Consumers have tightened their belts, hidden their credit cards and won’t even walk into a retail store unless there’s a big “70% off” sign in the window. What’s going on? I think retailers need to step back mentally [...]
Sometime – a Tribute to Parents Everywhere
Parents and Love of Children During our lives, we meet many people. Some we admire, others not. Some bring us joy; others, sorrow. But no people form us more as human beings than our parents. I’m fortunate to have had two caring, loving parents who helped me and my sister grow up with integrity. In [...]
Bridges Connect People in the Bay Area? Drain the Bay
Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area awoke again today not knowing how to quickly commutel from one side of the Bay to the other. The Bay Bridge, connecting Oakland/East Bay with San Francisco, was shut down again due to safety issues. (On Labor Day, the bridge was also closed to fix a dangerous section [...]
Technology Gadgets Outsell Furniture and Apparel
Hot off the press. U.S. consumers, during our economic doldrums, are buying technology gadgets rather than washers, apparel and furniture that last a few years. Apparently the lure of a smartphone or blu-ray DVD player is more appealing than the five-year old toaster that…well, makes toast. One 28 year-old guy was quoted: “Who cares about [...]
Time to Think in a Wizard of Oz World
In the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy and her friends–the scarecrow, the lion and the tin man–had one thing they each lacked. The tin man had no heart; the lion, no courage, the scarecrow, no brain; Dorothy, no home. Only Toto, the dog, and the Good Witch and Bad Witch seemed satisfied with their [...]
Hard Times Selling Memories to Pay the Light Bill
Did you know that Charles Dickens wrote “Hard Times” because he needed the money? Flash forward to 2009 in the U.S. where people–mostly elderly–sell their gold and silver jewelry, cameos, old rosaries and music boxes to profiteers. Memories of their lives no longer to be kept. Gotta pay the light bill. Thankfully, Tyre, Bailey, Roberts [...]
California is Broke: Clip & Mail Your Coupons to Sacramento
Around two years ago I proposed in a blog post that citizens and non-citizens of the State of California donate their unused gift cards to balance California’s budget. Yes, I know others have claimed they were the first to come up with this cost-saving idea but, I hasten to remind everyone, it was me. Well, [...]