Jul 6, 2010
Independence Day has again come and gone. It's one of my favorite holidays because it SHOULD have real meaning for every American. It also gives me the opportunity to watch eyes roll when I tell the story of Jefferson and Adams both going on to their eternal reward on the same day, 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and declaring at the end of the story, "Jefferson Lives". But I like Independence Day also because it…
Jul 1, 2010
I've mentioned before on this blog that the idea of "Terroir" is somewhat troubling to me for a few different reasons. The first is that if the vast majority of wine drinkers can't taste or describe or identify the difference between a Carneros Pinot Noir and a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, then what's the point? Second, in most regions of the world, and certainly in America, the official appellations such as Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Central Coast, Paso…
Jun 23, 2010
In criticizing the Obama administration General Stanley McChrystal made a fundamental mistake that is too often perpetrated in our society: He mistook himself for a politicians when he is really just an administrator. The reason this is such an important mistake is because the fundamental role of an administrator is to carry out policy. The fundamental role of a politician is to make policy on behalf of the people. The key difference here is that a politician has a constituency,…
Jun 18, 2010
I am committed to the notion that, beyond a point, government and the society it represents does more harm than good in trying to overcome the seeming innate stupidity that always infects a certain portion of the community. It appears the United Kingdom is not with me on this one. There is a move in the United kingdom to reduce the legal blood alcohol limit a driver may possess to .02 and many believe this is a precursor to making…
Jun 9, 2010
Over the past few years, one corner of the “Culture Wars” has been dedicated to the debate over the utility of religion and whether or not faith has been beneficial to mankind. Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, all considered “New Atheists” for the new and aggressive way they have gone after religion, have been on the attack while a slew of defenders of the faith have taken up the challenged. The ongoing debate is a fascinating…