Columnists

The Dish. Pop into any Palo Alto coffee shop or deli and you are likely to overhear someone talking about the Dish.

Truffled Egg on Toast, Oysters a la Russe, Lobster Rissoles in Mousseline Sauce and Cavados Glazed Duckling. For those of us in the United States who saw last Sunday’s episode of “Downton Abbey” on PBS, these items sound very familiar from a meal scene featuring the downstairs staff.

In a recent “Around The Water Cooler” panelists were asked “Given that Mexico is discussing legalizing marijuana, should California follow Colorado and Washington states and legalize the drug?”  

As I look back on 2012, it was a fairly volatile year in the stock markets, with an especially frustrating last few weeks of December. That said, it turned out ok with the S&P returning 11.53% - not a bad year after all.

All aboard for the dizziest, silliest, funniest cruise ever. This plot is a bit of fluff that is highly enhanced by Cole Porter's lyrics and music, and is amazingly spectacular to the eyes and ears.

Muffled voices coming from what sounds like the other room:

Q: This flu epidemic has all of us worried. Can our dog or cat catch the flu from one of us if we are sick?

January is the month where my jeans and finances are both a little tight. Too much spinach dip, Christmas cookies and fudge combined with the joys of gift-giving have put me back on a diet and looking for creative ways to save money - especially on wine.

Those old enough to remember the decade of the ’50s (and earlier) are aware of some characteristics of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States in those days: