Columnists

When I was an 8th grader at Britton Middle School, I joined the debate team.  Back then there was an annual competition against Murphy Middle School and that year we debated the death penalty.

After the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech, the talking heads, pundits and blogosphere immediately began debating the divisive issue of gun control. Some said the episode demonstrates the need for stricter gun control laws, while others said it demonstrates the opposite.

TO LOSE weight in a healthy way, embrace fats. That’s right, eating fats does not make you fat. In the last couple of years, research has proven that eating a diet with heart-healthy fats—the fat found in avocados, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, ground flaxseed and nuts, for instance—is significantly more likely to lead to long-term weight loss compared to a low-fat approach.

Last month I got as close to heaven as any oenophile has ever been. I’m not much of a camper, but when Matt Levy, public relations and marketing manager, invited me to attend Camp Schramsberg, a three-day sparkling wine seminar at Schramsberg Vineyards in Calistoga, I jumped at the chance. Schramsberg Vineyards has been producing sparkling wine since 1965 when they became the first U.S. producer to use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes in the méthode champenoise (where a secondary fermentation occurs while the wine is in the bottle - thus producing bubbles). These sparkling wines are so good that in 1972, the Blanc de Blancs was served at the historic “Toast to Peace” in Beijing, between President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai. To this day, Schramsberg’s wines are still being served in the White House.

July 4 is a time much loved by most residents of the United

Like many, many people, I occasionally find myself attacked by the munchies late at night. The other day, while I was staring at the open insides of my pantry, I paused. There’s an urban legend that says that eating before you sleep will cause weight gain. Is that really true?Trolling the internet for concrete scientific answers initially lead to some definite confusion. One study claims that late night eating leads to greater weight gain, while another claims that late night eating will not lead to increased weight gain.Digging deeper into these studies, I found that there was a combination of habits that determine whether late night eating would lead to weight gain. Particularly important was what you eat late night, and what you’ve had throughout the day.If you’ve eaten well throughout the day, and are having a planned healthy snack, it may not be an issue. What is more likely to cause weight gain, is the spontaneous “so what’s in the pantry?” decisions, especially if you then don’t control the quality and quantity of what you’re eating.Conclusion: To limit weight issues from late night snacking, you have to either quit late night snacking, or plan for a healthy late night snack to be part of your daily food intake quota. Which of these two options you choose will depend on your personality type and frequency of late night snacking.Suggestions for quitting late night snacking include:1) Brush your teeth right after dinner2) Get your mind off food. Go for a walk, take up a night-time hobby, do anything on a to-do list (there's always something!).3) Drink water instead of eating. It’s often been said that people often unconsciously confuse hunger with thirst.Suggestions for controlling late night snacking:1) Keep a healthy late night snack accessible. The late night snack can be an opportunity to consume fresh (i.e. raw) fruits and vegetables. If there is any truth to the increased-absorption-at-night-theory, it’s better that the body absorb nutrients rather than empty calories.2) Rid your home of foods that you’re prone to binging on late at night and restock with healthier alternatives.3) Instead of eating, drink. In addition to rehydrating your body, fluids such as caffeine-free herbal tea or a cup of skim milk provide a great way to feel full without consuming too many calories.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus told his followers: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I love you, so must you love one another.” A scholar has estimated that there are some 34,000 separate Christian denominations, and so this commandment seems to have been broken 34,000 times.

This November’s general election ballots aren’t even printed, and I’m already hearing ads about Proposition 32. It’s clear that Prop 32 will be a heated issue in the upcoming election.