IN THEIR MORE SOBER AND REFLECTIVE MOMENTS, the captains of industry have recognized that a broad and healthy middle class is indispensable to their interests, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, economic self-interest: Henry Ford realized early on that if he paid his workers enough to buy the cars they produced, he would sell more […]
On Eagles’ Wings: The Protestant Reformation, the Council of Trent and an interview with a Roman Catholic priest
SEVERAL YEARS AGO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY to sit down with a Roman Catholic priest. What was to be a 10-minute appointment became a four-hour discussion. Afterward, I experienced some intense emotions: confusion, anger, grief. Sadly, I walked away from this meeting with an important confirmation: Though we can coexist in a context of love, […]
Stan Houston: Grow the market, reap a wider audience
I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN LAST YEAR that the board of directors of the Vallejo Symphony had chosen to remove David Ramadanoff as principal conductor. It is no secret that ticket sales to symphony performances have dropped over the past few years, but I would make the argument that an exclusive “interest” in the classics […]
On the Stage: VSO season finale marks bittersweet farewell
VALLEJO AND BENICIA BID A FOND FAREWELL SUNDAY to a pillar of the area arts community as Maestro David Ramadanoff waved his baton for the last time at the helm of the Vallejo Symphony before his forced retirement (for lack of a more palatable term) officially begins. Whenever I sit down to compose a review, […]
Why I will go ‘Deep Green’ with Marin Clean Energy
THE CITY COUNCIL OF BENICIA, after several televised hearings covered by The Herald, has wisely chosen to give residents a choice about which electricity provider to use. Last year at this time, if I wanted to have electricity I was signed up with Pacific Gas & Electric whether I liked it or not. Now I […]
Matt Talbot: Decriminalize, and stop declaring ‘war’
WHY IS IT THAT EVERY TIME the country wants to tackle some besetting problem, it “declares war” on it? Just in the time I’ve been alive, we’ve had a War on Litter, a War on Cancer, a War on Illiteracy, a War on Drugs, and so on. I think the appeal of using war as […]
Matt Talbot: The mists of history
I ADDRESSED LAST WEEK’S COLUMN TO MY GRANDNIECE ADDY, who had celebrated her first birthday the previous Saturday, and mentioned that I hoped she would read it when she graduated from college (her mother told me she clipped it out of the paper and would show it to Addy on that date). None of my […]
Making $ense of Real Estate: California’s high cost of housing
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE released a report last week addressing one of California’s biggest economic issues, the high cost of housing. It is not difficult to understand why California continues to struggle at retaining and attracting businesses and jobs to the Golden State, considering the extremely high cost of housing. California has long been […]
Matt Talbot: Hello Addy
“THERE IS NO WORD FOR FEELING NOSTALGIC about the future, but that’s what a parent’s tears often are: a nostalgia for something that has not yet occurred. They are the pain of hope, the helplessness of hope, and finally, the surrender to hope.” — Comedian Michael Ian Black I write often in this space about […]
Dennis Lund: Before starting work on those gallows for the Gang of 47 …
AFTER 47 GOP SENATORS sent an open letter to the leaders of Iran, Democrats and the media went into high dudgeon with a level of outrage rarely seen. “TRAITORS!” blasted the front page the New York Daily News. Over at the Washington Post, Dana Milbank was only slightly more reserved, saying it was “true that […]