Dear reader, Christmas and Hanukkah are upon us. Inherent in these holidays are bringing home a tree, decorating the tree, house, and yard, lighting the menorah, the sweet smells of cooking and baking, sending cards to those who are far away, going caroling, singing the Ma’oz Tzur and reciting the Psalms, and the climax of …
Dear Reader, Sometimes I think I am living this world in only one dimension. I plow through a day addressing patterns, people and routines I’ve established over time. It is rare that I attempt to pierce the veil of bigger thinking and philosophies regarding the roles we play, and the whys, and the end-game antics to a greater …
Dear Reader, How’s your marriage? Are you and your spouse doing well? Terrific! But this column is not for you; it’s for the people who are struggling. If some decades have passed since you walked down the aisle, the bloom may have come off the rose. You probably now have a few issues that slowly are driving …
Dear Reader, If you are a regular reader of this column, you may have noticed that the plight of the homeless has my special attention. They are on my mind again this week – Assembly Bill 604 is in the news. One of the most prominent features of AB 604 is that it specifies where …
Dear Reader, We always seem to be striving for more. In some ways, it’s a good thing. The more we work, the more wealth we generate for ourselves and our families. But is there such a thing as accumulating too much? Is there a point when we have more than we know what to do …
Dear Reader, Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger was a great statesman and philosopher in ancient Rome, and he usually went by a shortened version of his name: Seneca. Around 49 AD he wrote a book called “On The Shortness Of Life.” In it he writes “The part of life we really live is small. For …
By Patrick Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Have you ever been hungry – I mean really hungry, when you hadn’t had a meal all day or even longer? Have you ever had food insecurity – wondering whether you will have enough food to last between now and the next time you have money to buy more? …
Dear Reader, We all depend on the certainty of life. We manage it. We control it. We jam it into a routine upon which we can depend. Why? Because we know that we can depend on ourselves. What happens when we’re thrown a curve ball? We spaz out because it wasn’t planned and it can …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Anyone who cares about keeping our country out of the control of a single god-like dictator should read “An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination.” The book lays out the sickening tale of Facebook’s rise to dominance in the news distribution business and the frightening effects this …
Dear Reader, Labor Day weekend is a busy time for a lot of businesses. Stores, hopefully our local stores that give back to our community, are brimming with shoppers. Entertainment venues are bursting, and everyone is up and out for that final summer celebration. But what does Labor Day really mean? It is not just …
