Personal, Perceptible, Practical

Some time ago I learned about Susan Solomon, the atmospheric chemist who discovered that chlorofluorocarbons (a.k.a. CFCs) caused the huge hole in the ozone layer. Remember all that noise about this from the 90s? It went away because of Dr. Solomon. She received her PhD from UC Berkeley and she is currently still teaching and… Continue reading Personal, Perceptible, Practical

How to bring more businesses to Contra Costa County

I recently joined the Business Advisory Board in Diablo Valley College's Business Administration department. I thought it sounded like not only a great way to volunteer, give back, and meet similarly-minded people in my community, but also I was simply impressed that DVC had this. What better way to prepare business students for the real… Continue reading How to bring more businesses to Contra Costa County

Some great advice about how to stand out in local politics

I recently drove out to Sacramento to try to see some old friends and public officials I know. The folks on my list were Assemblymembers Phil Ting, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, and Jesse Gabriel. I tried to track down Jason Elliott, my friend from grad school who is now Governor Newsom's Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary, but our… Continue reading Some great advice about how to stand out in local politics

The triumph and tragedy of Jose Antonio Vargas

For the last many years, my childhood friend, Jose Antonio Vargas (we just called him “Jose”) has been challenging documented and undocumented Americans alike to define what it means to be American.  I decided to take him up on that question. How do I define American? It’s the freedom to struggle, and the freedom to… Continue reading The triumph and tragedy of Jose Antonio Vargas

The great 2018 Assembly District 16 debate

I watched this debate and came away very impressed by both the candidates and the moderators. The questions were direct, specific, and the candidates responded appropriately. Unlike most of our national debates, it was refreshing to watch this and actually learn something.  For those who didn't have time to watch, I'll give the play-by-play below and my… Continue reading The great 2018 Assembly District 16 debate

Where’s the ‘alt-middle’?

It's election time now and all of the groups I follow are in full partisan campaign mode. The campaign rhetoric and arguments are tiring and the same. Gun control: public safety vs individual rightsLabor: union rights vs employer rightsEnvironment: nature vs jobsHousing: community control vs more development I have not been impressed by anyone running… Continue reading Where’s the ‘alt-middle’?