Friday, May 11, 2012
President Obama told ABC News that his thinking has "evolved" on the subject of same-sex marriage. How do you feel about his decision?
President Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" earlier this week that he now supports same-sex marriage. The president—who still supports states deciding the issue on their own—said his personal views had gone through an "evolution" based on conversations with family and friends and the views of his own daughters. "They are much more comfortable with it," the president told Robin Roberts in an interview on “Good Morning America” Thursday. ”You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples," Obama said in the interview. "There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them …
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Comedian's conversational standup style has audience chuckling at the Lesher Center.
Howie Mandel brought his conversational style of standup comedy to the stage of the Lesher Center Friday night. The television game show and talent show star picked out audience members, asked pointed questions and brought forward items that yielded yucks in unexpected ways. Mandel picked on people but in a good-natured way. There was an occasional wrong turn, but it usually worked through the agency of Mandel's comedic timing. "I don't edit myself," he said, but it seemed to me that that was exactly what he was doing. A woman in the front row was texting her adult son, who was getting ready to board a plane from LA to the Bay Area. A woman in the back didn't know the name of her friend's pet fish. A doctor named Carla — who will never …
Monday, April 9, 2012
(And why I'm not sorry) An Iowa editor remembers his time with Mike Wallace, a tough newsman for "60 MInutes" who died Saturday at the age 93.
I met Mike Wallace only once, many years ago, but I’d like to think I actually got to know him in the two hours we spoke. Our meeting came on Martha’s Vineyard in July 1999, one day after John F. Kennedy Jr. was buried at sea off that same island. I had met Mike there with his son, Chris Wallace, to interview them for a book I was writing, a collection of my essays and Jim Graham’s photographs about famous and not-so-famous father-son relationships. They are smiling on the cover of that book, Father's & Sons, looking forever young, even though Mike was 80 at the time. He died Saturday in New Canaan. He was 93. I saw Chris Wallace in August at the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames, and I asked him how his father was doing. “Not good,” he told me and …
Monday, April 2, 2012
'Cream of the Crop' and 'Under the Surface'
I need your help… OK, so I lied. I don’t need your help, but I’d certainly welcome your Patcherian input. This is a new month-ahead arts and entertainment column. All about what to do, see, hear, gawk at and admire when you Get Out! of the house in search of entertainment. I’m using the title 'Cream of the Crop' after rejecting 'Get Out!' (too much hostility plus a national syndicate has that trademarked and might sue me), and 'Lou’s List' ;-), (too ego-centric and that smiley thing just drove copy editors nuts) and 'Art Forecast' (which sounded potentially gloomy, although the idea of tying this whole thing to the weather had obvious advantages: Instead, I decided to go with 'Cream (indulgent, delicious) of the Crop' (a bountiful …
An inquiry into democracy in Rossmoor.
By Gilbert Doubet Saklan Indian Drive Rossmoor’s leadership adamantly refuses to poll residents about a controversial upcoming building project. This despite their claim that the “silent majority” solidly supports construction. But a markedly different picture emerges from a resident-conducted door to door canvassing of directors’ nearest neighbors. On average, by 4 to 1, the next-door neighbors of Rossmoor’s top officials would vote no if allowed. Results of the canvassing effort were presented at last week’s public board meeting. Directors were not amused. Details of this neighborhood canvassing are reported and explained in a March 29 YourRossmoor chatboard message. Several months ago, Rossmoor officials abruptly announced they were …
Monday, March 26, 2012
The 2012 tomato season promises some luscious new varieties
This week, we enjoyed a visit from the Concord Patch editor, Adalto Nascimento, who, we learned hails from Brazil by way of Walnut Creek. As he toured the farm and met everyone who has showed up in this column, we experienced first-hand the enthusiasm and zest that he brings to his job. Did you notice the cool photos he took in his article about us? Are all of you tomato aficionados rubbing your hands together with eagerness for the new season? At Buttercup Farms, we particularly look forward to the tomato crop. Homegrown heirloom tomatoes so represent two qualities that we cherish – authenticity and zest! Who that has ever tasted a tomato from the garden can ever question the contrast between that experience and the pallid, tasteless …
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Barman imparts 20 lessons ... and a bonus lesson!
A recurring scene at my bar: “Excuse me, sir.” “What’s up, chief?” “You didn’t leave enough money to cover the tab.” (Looks at the bill) “Those glasses of champagne aren’t mine.” “I believe they are. You ordered them for those two women.” (Looks toward the front door where the aforementioned women recently exited) “No I didn’t. I don’t even know those hookers.” “So when you motioned to me and said, ‘Get these two smoking honeys here some major drinkage’, who did you intend to pay for them?” “Did you ever hear me say that I’m buying them a drink? All I said was to get them a drink. I was just being friendly. Guess you should pay better attention, Ace. I ain’t paying for nothin’.” I hope you are scribbling furiously in your notebook right…
Friday, March 16, 2012
Insider tips to the Art of Bagging, Part I
I work in a place that attracts d-bags like water to a drain. Somebody has to. When you’re a d-bag, you either own it and drive a Corvette and go out night after night, hitting on other guys’ girlfriends and hi-fiving strangers and saying things like, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” for the rest of your life, or you go to great lengths to chastise d-bags and relentlessly piss and moan about how they’re everywhere and how you can’t stand the sight of them, until eventually you jump into your Corvette and go out night after night, hitting on other guys’ girlfriends and hi-fiving strangers and saying things like, “That’s what I’m talking about!” for the rest of your life. Understand this: d-bag is in the DNA. It is not a temporary condition…
Thursday, March 15, 2012
A closer look at a 'community-driven' process for a Specific Plan.
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Thursday, March 15
By Justin Wedel On Aug. 2, the City Council supported the pre-application for a General Plan amendment for 2800 Ygnacio Valley Road, thus creating a Specific Plan process and a committee tasked with recommending what, if any, zoning changes should be allowed on this site. During the Council’s consideration of the amendment, the community was told that we were tasked with “thinking outside of the box” during this “community-driven process.” However, it seems that the assigned committee members from the Council have an agenda that is not community-driven at all. During the second meeting of the specific plan, Kish Rajan, the current Mayor Pro-Tem, surprised all in attendance when he announced the actual purpose of the Specific Plan was …
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Clayton hike reveals rattle snakes, spring-like flora and a great time.
Back in October I wrote about one of my favorite afternoon trail hikes, the Hetherington Loop Trail. With the weather being what it’s been, I was itching for another short trek. So, this past Sunday I set out with my family for another short afternoon hike. With the weather playing like its late spring, I hoped to catch some spring-like moments. And, as it turned out, I was not disappointed. Who would have known that since October, we would experience below-average rainfall. I was excited to see the effects on the flora and fauna this might have caused. It was not surprising to see that parking at the jump-off points of Regency Drive and Mountaire Parkway left parking options limited. The trails were full of families and individuals …
Steve Curtis
1:44 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Thank you Michael M ... well put. And very glad you brought that to our attention. more ›