For about a week every year, California’s high desert blooms. This is usually about a month after the rains stop. The grass is green and growing all throughout the desert. Poppies start to emerge. The mountains have a golden-green sheen… Continue Reading
At the end of December, I made sixteen predictions for 2009. Here’s how I’m doing so far: Prediction Status The United States Federal deficit for calendar year 2009 will exceed $1.5 trillion. I may have been too modest in this… Continue Reading
A special three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California* may have just handed Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature a key to solving the budget crisis — release between 36,000 to 57,000 prisoners. Less strain… Continue Reading
We Americans tend not to think much about the weather. Southern Californians think even less about it. But we often lose sight of how critically important the weather is. Consider: About 70,000 years ago, there was a massive volcanic explosion… Continue Reading
With Federal approval coming from the President himself, California is going to enact new, tougher mileage standards for cars in the state, on the theory that more fuel-efficient cars will produce fewer carbon emissions and therefore benefit the environment. Mostly,… Continue Reading
Some taggers pulled off an extraordinary feat — they enveloped several blocks’ worth of the bank of the Los Angeles River with their tag. Take a look at the photograph in the Fish Wrapper article — I had to look… Continue Reading
Our friend the LACMA curator invited us to join a group of foodies who have irregular, rotating themed potlucks. Go back and read that again — from time to time (although not with any regular timing) they meet at someone’s… Continue Reading
The Wife and I took yesterday off work and drove up to Santa Barbara. It’s paradise here. Even back in the high desert, it’s cool and windy — sweater weather. In Santa Barbara, in the middle of January, it was… Continue Reading
We’ll revisit this post in a year. Here are some things that I will be looking for in 2009: The United States Federal deficit for calendar year 2009 will exceed $1.5 trillion. A human being will be cloned. There will… Continue Reading
A lot of Californians drive at only one of two speeds. One is with the right foot pressing the accelerator all the way to the floor. The other is with the right foot pressing the brake all the way to… Continue Reading