Columnists

As we begin 2022, we're not lacking for challenges. There's the pandemic, climate change, economic turbulence, and political instability. A year after January 6, 2021, I had hoped that some of these challenges would disappear. That the United States would acquire "herd immunity" and the threat of coronavirus would recede. That Republicans would accept that Joe Biden was lawfully elected President and those responsible for the January 6th insurrection were traitorous criminals. Sadly all of these challenges continue. -more-

Chronic Puns

The San Francisco Chronicle got 2022 off to a snappy start with one of its classic headline puns. The January 2 edition included a page-one report on how COVID masking conflicts were exercising exercise emporiums. The headline read: "Gyms worry masks won't work out."

Fashion Plates

If Harry Potter owned a car, it would probably be a Tesla. With that in mind, I was entranced to encounter a parked Tesla sporting a license plate that read: DSAPAR8.

It took some Googling to sleuth-out the hidden message but I finally discovered that "disapparate" is a word created by J. K. Rowling to signify teleportation. According to the Wiktionary website, "in derived usage, it often means just to disappear completely"—usually with the wave of a wand. Which is pretty close to what would happen if you floored a Tesla's electron-pedal and bolted from zero to 60 mph in less than two seconds. -more-

In modern day society in the U.S., with our level of technology, medicine, and economic opportunity, government and citizens are obliged by common ethics to take care of those who could not survive on our own in the absence of economic and other help. -more-

The Republican Party's brand has become toxic as the GOP remains shackled to Donald Trump, too afraid to speak out against him for fear of alienating Trump’s base. -more-

Does psychosis take a break when you're kissing someone? Does depression take a break when you are eating a fresh, crisp, yummy apple? Does Mania take a break when you are stuffing your face with turkey or ham? Do psychotic symptoms take time off for Hanukkah, Christmas, or New Year's? --when you're playing badminton with a friend? --when you're on a hike in the hills? -more-