Columnists

Medical insurance used to be so simple. Expensive, but simple. We paid bucketloads in monthly premium dollars, and for that I got to go see the doctor where I deposited the "co-pay." How easy was that?

When it comes to history, I’m always entertained by uncovering the surprising chain of connections that link the past with the present. To illustrate this game of connect the historic dots, let’s take this year’s centennial celebration of Silicon Valley’s Villa Montalvo estate and connect it, along a winding avenue, to the reign of the great Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne.

Do you need a college degree to succeed? That assumption is long-entrenched, and it isn't hard to see a relationship between education and earning power. Yet the cost and debt linked to getting a degree are so significant now that some contrarians are saying “skip it” - go learn in the world rather than on campus, if you're smart you'll do just as well in life.

I heard there is a new canine flu virus that attacks dogs and is

Our local grape vines have been thriving throughout the warm summer, the leaves soaking up the sunshine and clusters of grapes hanging heavily from the vines. Our wine growers have been busy with canopy management - pulling selected leaves from the vines to give the best sunlight exposure and air movement to the fruit. Veraison (when grapes start to ripen and change from green to purple) has come early this year, attracting birds and other critters that are looking for a tasty meal. But even though the grapes are turning color, they aren't ripe enough yet - so nets are draped over the rows to protect them from being picked clean by hungry birds.

'Tis the season to be entertaining. Yes, the holiday season

California lacks the ancient buildings so popular with tourists

The spiritual and physical journey that brought The Rev. Tadeusz

I adore pizza. Not just any pizza, but traditional wood-fired Neapolitan style. Although I have never been to Naples to truly experience what many feel is a life changing pizza, I do enjoy similar styles that can be found at a few restaurants here in the South Valley. Making similar pizzas at home was a difficult task because I lacked the correct equipment, but I recently rediscovered a work around, which produces acceptable results.